EVENT #1: THE EMPTY THRONE (PT 2)

[aionmods]

The Empty Throne Pt 2

ESCAPE

As more and more of the prisoners awaken to the Pleroma's power, it soon becomes clear that conflict is inevitable. Strength that was locked away blossoms once again, and simply waiting is no longer an option; those that remain in the cavern have made their choice, and they will not be kept there so easily.

By means that may not be immediately apparent, the Pleroma have found themselves able to cast a spell that will ensure their freedom... but only if they can last the half hour it may take to complete. Whatever this power, Xishen, the Aion orchestrator of the Kenoma's ritual, seems able to sense it. As it begins, she will appear at each of the Kenoma's sides.

"The Pleroma has taken hold of them," she says. "Stop them now, or when you see them again, it will be as your mortal enemies. If you believe in the Kenoma's promise, take a stand. The Regent is watching."

For those that heed her, it will not be hard to find the congregation of Pleroma, the first seeds of their teleportation magic taking form. What's more, the fires of their hope have been stoked by this new chance at survival, granted them a surge of energy born of the Pleroma, compensating for the poor state of their bodies. The tension comes to a head, between those that would follow the Regent's path towards a better universe, and those that would seize the wild power of the Pleroma to escape.

Whatever violence ensues, eventually it will come to an end. Despite the Kenoma's efforts, the teleportation spell will come to fruition, enveloping the Pleroma in a sea of light and warmth. The Kenoma can only watch as fractals of blinding color whisk the Pleroma away.

VALLEY OF INNOCENCE

You will find yourself at the Shrine of the Innocent, surrounded by a valley of flourishing wildflowers. As you step from the shade of the monument, you will find your arrived here just in time to enjoy a warm spring spring morning, the sound of birds and gentle breezes tickling your ears. The sun slowly drifts past the horizon, its rays reaching out to you, as if in comfort. The air itself is alight with a strange aura of peace, as if committing violence here would be a sacrilege. There are no man made structures as far as your eyes can see.

Flowers of all shapes and sizes can be found here, and so can fresh water and various fruits and berries. All of them are safe to eat, and seemingly grow in abundance. There are animals here as well, all the common types one would expect from a place like Earth, with the occasional odd addition. While you can try to hunt them, you will find yourself unable to follow through on any attempts to hurt the creatures here. In turn, they regard you as familiar, and will fearlessly wander close as they inspect these new arrivals. In the distance, you may even catch sight of what appears to be a unicorn, only for its ephemeral shape to disappear from sight just as quickly.

The Pleroma will find safety and comfort here for a time, before they recover enough to travel onward. At some point during the afternoon of the first day, they may spot the occasional humanoid figure moving in the distance; when attempting to move in their direction, they will find an assortment of clothing set out across the grass as if in offering. It will come in many sizes but in mostly plain colors, fitting a general aesthetic of 'things a fantasy peasant might wear'. There will also be some blankets, wrapped cheese, jams, jerky, and bread left alongside them.

While there are trees and brush enough to find shelter, the Pleroma will find they hardly need to while resting here. The weather will be picturesque, a comfortable temperature even at night, and there will be no disruptive rain or aggressive wind. Of course, nothing lasts forever, and even though there could stay here for days, what if the Regent's forces are on their way? Once again, they must find the strength to carry on.

THE TRIWATER

As the Pleroma vanish, those claimed by the Kenoma are left in the darkness of the throne room. The Hylician soldiers are clearly agitated by the fighting, but Xishen herself seems unflustered. She will only sigh before quietly coming to the aid of any Kenoma that still need it, providing some light healing magics and explaining that their work here is over. With the Pleroma gone, all that's left to do is to return to Achamoth.

Things move quickly from there. The camp grounds are packed up, and soon enough the Kenoma will be ushered towards the river at the edge of the forest, to board a particularly large river vessel. As the Hylician soldiers prepare to go their separate ways, you will be told that you are to take the Triwater river to the capital city of Achamoth, where you will finally meet your new master, the Regent. The vessel is big enough for all of you, and it will set off the moment everyone is boarded. Suddenly, the world of entrapment and ruins you've been living in since your arrival will be left behind, leaving you to ponder the nature of your future.

The boat itself is well equipped and comfortable for what it is. A variety of colorful hammocks are hung in the lower decks and are open to be claimed for the journey back, which will take a day or two. The Kenoma will be offered a change of clothes of a similar style to what they already have if necessary, and there are plenty of blankets and cushions available to make life in the hold more comfortable. There are dice available for games of chance as well as some mystifying decks of cards that seems to have twelve suits with five cards each, themed around the Legacies. The twelfth suit is for the Regent.

Though the sailors controlling the vessel will mostly keep to themselves and leave the Kenoma alone, one of them will occasionally play harp music on the deck. Though they probably don't actually need help running the ship, they will let the Kenoma help them with chores and ship running tasks if they are so inclined; generally speaking, these sailors just seem like normal people, albeit a bit shy of their passengers. If you're polite to them, they may even gives you a river tour of Horos. On this ride alone, you'll get to see several magnificent bridges spanning the Triwater's width. At night, you are treated to a clear spring sky filled with stars.

As you make it closer to Achamoth, you'll notice the landscape shift, becoming mountainous and dotted with more and more military watch posts. The land becomes increasingly lifeless in a way that's hard to put your finger on, nature giving way to man-made creations of impressive architectural prowess. Soon, you will meet the person behind it all.

QUESTIONS

Can my Kenoma character fight against other Kenoma and/or help the Pleroma?
Yes, though if you do this you must describe what your character has done in a reply to the "Committed Actions" top-level below. This way, the mods can be aware of what happened and have your character treated accordingly. They are unlikely to receive immediate consequences if they don't hurt their fellow Kenoma, but their choices will follow them into Achamoth. If a Kenoma vs Kenoma conflict escalates into serious violence (attempted or successful) committed by the Kenoma rebel, Xishen will intervene and consequences will happen immediately which may restrict their actions until the next event post.

Can our characters leave the valley?
They can, yes, but really this event is just meant to cover the day or two they spend recovering before finding a more permanent place to go. You are free to have your character investigate the valley and probe the spaces beyond it, but please save any plans for large scale travel to the next event, which will be happening on April 2nd. The game will move into a 1:1 time ratio as of then.

Can our characters leave the boat?
Technically yes, but any Kenoma who wander too far will get in trouble. You are expected to report to the Regent, and behaving as if you are considering doing otherwise will not make an good impression.

Does the hope-based Pleroma boost last into the valley?
The boost to Pleroma characters will fade shortly after arriving in the valley, like coming down from a high. They'll have to recover the normal way from there.

Comments

[semicharmed]

[ Matt spots someone approaching on his periphery, and jerks abruptly to face her. If he were more accustomed to the risks of combat--to the split-second decisions that can make the difference between life and death--he might react with a reflexive spell. Fire, a shield. But he hasn't developed those reflexes, so instead, Misa's met with a brief look of startlement. ]

Well--

[ As she speaks, Matt's shoulders relax. His expression softens too, turning from adrenaline-laced tension to compassion. ]

Yeah, [ he says, ] yeah, of course. [ A faint smile. ] I don't know about strong, but if you wanna stick with me, at least we'll be a team.

[lifespanned]

[ Immediately, she gives an enthusiastic nod, staying glued to his side. Then, like breathing out a sigh of relief: ]

Right! Okay. I knew I could approach you about this. I'm glad I did.

[ She tosses in that little line to stroke his ego, if he has one (in her mind, all guys like being complimented and trusted by cute girls, this is scientific fact). Misa then turns to surveying the ongoing battle; on the side of the Kenoma, there are a number of individual skirmishes that have broken out, along with the soldiers trying to offer support wherever they can, be that supplying weapons or by assisting in battle. Misa holds up a single finger. ]

It's a good idea to take weapons from our side, but doing it from each fighter is only one at a time. Plus, you need to be strong enough to take it from them.... wouldn't it be easier to just mess with the stockpile?

[ She is of course referring to where all the Kenoma are keeping their makeshift-armory - there's a number of blades and whips set up alongside other supplies. ]

[semicharmed]

[ Matt's certainly not gonna be the one to disprove Misa's theory. Maybe it's not ego exactly, the way he cranes towards connection like a plant seeking the sun, but the end result is the same: a small thrill of pleasure that, despite everything going on right now, she's near him.

That's all background, of course. Undertow. The top of Matt's brain follow's Misa's gaze, his lips twitching into a frown of displeasure at the violence erupting around them. At her suggestion, his frown sharpens with curiosity. ]

That's a good idea, [ he realizes, and adds sheepishly, ] I guess I've been, like, mostly trying to put out fires. Metaphorically.

[ He considers the array of weapons. ]

I could cast some kind of spell ... like a shield or something, to keep them contained. But I might need a few tries to get all of them, since the radius isn't that big?

[lifespanned]

Oh, like a barrier? I didn't know you were a magic guy!

[ Somehow, despite the insanity going around them, she's still imagining that all people who are able to use magic should look like they came out of a JRPG...? But hey, this makes things a lot easier. He even says it'll take him a few tries to get it right, which is perfect for her plan. ]

I'll protect you while you do it! I'm a lot tougher than I look. [ Mock flex here, and she speaks with such confidence that she seems fully convinced she will be able to fend off any threats. ] I may not be physically strong, but I have other skills at my disposal.

[ Which skills, she doesn't elaborate. She only surveys the field around them - predictably, it's still chaos, no one's really noticed them yet. With an encouraging nod: ]

No matter what, it'll buy the other side some time.

[semicharmed]

[ Despite the direness of the situation, Matt can't help a pale chuckle at Misa's show of might. It feels like a gift: her playfulness, her confidence. Something he feels an obligation to live up to--and thanks to the miraculous return of his powers, maybe he will. ]

I guess I am a magic guy, [ he admits in relief. He glances once more towards the pile of weapons and supplies, then gestures to Misa to follow him. ] If you'll watch my back ...

Let's go for it.

[ Matt starts to slink along, hugging the cavern wall. He's not naturally a sneaky person, despite his soft footfalls and the general ease with which he moves, but luckily, a lot of people down here are distracted right now. Matt makes sure Misa's coming with him, but as they near the weapons, his focus splits off, the lion's share of his attention turning towards his goal. That's how his magic works: a fixed intention, focused by the user and powered with the energy they channel. Matt's mind drifts, envisioning golden light and impenetrable geometry. His breath catches.

Sepulchral, in a saffron veil arrayed, pleased with dark ghosts that wander through the shade ...

In that instant, a gold-gleaming sphere of light appears around the nearest weapons, occasional whorls of ashy gray wisping through. The whips and swords can still be seen through the scrim, but the sphere itself will feel solid to the touch. As Matt predicted, he couldn't get all the supplies in one go; it looks like he's cordoned off maybe a fifth of the ones here. ]

[lifespanned]

[ Truth be told, she's a little surprised her haphazard plan is going along so swimmingly. I really am a star! is what's going through her head, while she follows Matt along the cavern wall, always staying behind him and never in stride. She has to wait for the perfect opportunity— and more than that, she needs to make sure he actually does something that will make him look guilty before she acts.

When she sees the warm, golden magic begin to envelop the armory— only then does she actually begin to doubt herself. This person actually has some kind of magical talent. Is she going to get herself killed by trying something so bold? She can't afford to die, not now, not when her dream is finally within her grasp. And in the moment, she's certain that will come to pass if she's seen with him, anyway. That bolsters her courage, as she slips a small dagger she'd been provided with from the back of their provided clothing, gripping the blade much too hard.

Misa's never hurt anyone like this. Not in such a... physical way. But it's nothing different than killing a person from afar, right? He probably won't even die, so he'll have nothing to complain about. In fact, he should thank her for trying to keep him out of trouble! That's the mantra she repeats to herself before— ]

I'm sorry! But you've gotta be crazy...!

[ And while he's focusing on how to section off the remaining four-fifths of the armory, she plunges the dagger deep into his back, just to the right of his spine. She says sorry, but her actions don't certainly seem like it; her hand that's not armed reaches up to grab at his shoulder and try to tug him down to the ground. Only the adrenaline keeps her from feeling any sense of sickness and the feeling of cutting through flesh - in the rush, she feels nothing but her own determination. ]

[semicharmed]

[ If someone had told Matt hey dude, you're gonna get stabbed today, how do you think that'll feel? He would undoubtedly have replied sharp. But in the first few seconds, he actually thinks Misa's punching him. All he feels is an abrupt, startling impact. ]

Wh--

[ Then, a number of mosaic chips cohere: the sensation of wet trickling down his back. The tone of Misa's voice. Her hand grasping for his shoulder. The moment feels syrup-slow, but in actual time, it's only a split second before Matt's lurching away from her, gasping as the pain sets in.

It'd be very cool of him if he could make some strategic decision, either cunning or moral. But Matt's never been in a fight before and he's definitely never been stabbed, so the truth is he doesn't make a choice at all. Instead, instinct takes over. The wild, roiling panic in his gut flares up in a column of flame.

Misa isn't actually at risk of catching on fire, at least not if she steps back quickly. The flame is less of a wall, more like an arm's length. Still, it's sudden, it's bright, and it's hot. Matt's already staggering back, hoping to get far away to cast another shield spell--on himself this time. ]

[lifespanned]

[ There's a sharp yelp that comes from her as she throws an arm in front of her face when the flame conjures from nowhere, shrill and bright. When she jumps back, she at least has the mind to keep her grip on her dagger, thus ripping it out of his back when she makes her escape. His blood has run all over her hand, and even down to the white sleeve of the robes they've been provided, stark against the blank fabric. ]

...L-Look, I'm trying to keep you out of trouble!! Do you have any idea how stupid you're being?

[ She says, hurriedly and completely in her defense. Obviously, she sees nothing wrong with what she just did, given the severe lack of remorse on her features. Actually, she looks pretty pissed. It's half put-upon, because she's scared this guy can actually cook her to death with that fire magic if he so chooses - so she needs to puff out her own feathers in threat. ]

You're gonna get us all in huge trouble!

[ He staggers back, but she takes a shaky step forward, brandishing her knife in front of her as she goes. ]

[semicharmed]

[ As Misa steps forward, the flame extinguishes itself, and a glowing sphere of light appears around Matt. It's larger than the one that's surrounding the soldiers' supplies, but it's the same spell: same golden gleam, same shimmers of shadow sifting through.

Matt can hear the general tone of what Misa's saying, but the words slip past him like water. What's roaring in his ears is his heartbeat, the sound of his own ragged breaths. He's gone from "just need some time and space to cast this spell" to a state of emergency. He needs to get out of here, and fast. ]

Get back, [ he blurts.

Matt's ability to take in information is narrowing, but Misa's expression (and the position of that knife) definitely don't say to him that she won't attack him again. God, is that his blood on that thing? ]