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

[epiprocta]

[ ... did this guy really just say that with a straight face? 'Life's unfair?' Gen makes a soft noise, a sort of muffled, incredulous snort -- then immediately regrets it, tasting blood at the back of his throat and wincing as a fresh wave of headache twinges through his temples. With how unsympathetic he keeps making himself seem, deliberate or not, it's probably for the best that he doesn't expect any sympathy from anyone in the first place. ]

'Call for backup.' [ He echoes that phrase dryly -- or as dryly as he can manage when he's still feeling so out of it. ] What d'you think I am, a soldier?

[ Still, getting those few minutes to sit still and regain his bearings have helped a lot, and Gen grunts as he wearily sits up on his own. Tiredly rubs a hand at his face, grimacing when his fingers come away sticky with mostly-dried blood caked across his lips and jaw. ]

Nobody has any reason to help me. [ He's not entirely lacking in self-awareness. ] Would've been a waste of energy. Unless you're gonna pretend you would've stepped in.

[ Yeah, right. ]

[lockedon]

[ With Gen's weight off him, Eustace takes the time to peel himself away from his new best friend the tree trunk and roll out some of the stiffness starting to settle in his muscles. What he wouldn't give right now for a hot shower, but instead all he's got is a fresh wave of pain radiating through his body and an ungrateful kid about to keel over from a single strong gust of wind.

Maybe two gusts, now that he looks back down to see Gen sitting mostly upright. His posture might be better but that attitude could still use some work. ]

Then give them a reason to help you. You can't do everything alone.

[ The absolute hypocrisy of that statement. But it matters more in Gen's case, as far as Eustace is concerned. He's just a kid, poor decisions fueled by the follies of youth rather than deliberate malice. (Or so Eustace hopes.)

Not that any of his innermost thoughts show, the words sounding more like a tired rebuttal than any sort of actual advice. ]

You might not have been a soldier before but you are one now. [ There's no way this isn't going to be the first battle of many. ] If you want to make it out of this alive, then use some common sense.

[ No comment on volunteering to step in to save his ass though. ]

[epiprocta]

[ As if this stoic, stand-offish, quiet asshole abides by his own advice. ]

Yeah, 'cause I'm sure the first thing you did when you started losing was 'call for backup.'

[ Just immediately proving Eustace's judgement of his shitty attitude right, this one.

Though there's something to be said about the difference in his tone of voice from the last time they spoke. It would be hard to call Gen's delivery 'friendly' by any definition of the term, but his retort this time is completely lacking in venom, almost said more for the sake of saying it than to start a fight.

It's partly because of the exhaustion, admittedly, but it's also at least in part because Gen knows Eustace had no obligation to provide him any support. Most strangers he treated like he'd treated Eustace probably would have just dumped him on the ground and walked away. So as meager thanks for having the minimum level of patience with him, whether it's out of a soldier-ly sense of duty or if the guy's actually softer than he lets on, Eustace is treated to Gen's equivalent of 'banter' instead of the same vitriol from before.

Even if what he says next is pretty lacking in humor. A deadpan mumble almost to himself as he gingerly touches a hand to his black eye: ]

... like I stand any chance of surviving long, if this really is supposed to be a war.

[lockedon]

[ He will be the level-headed adult here and not respond to that cheeky accusation, thanks very much. Mostly because it's true and he lacking the proper braincells to come up with a legitimate excuse. ]

Like you would have come if I had.

[ Isn't that exactly when Gen said before? Good thing Eustace isn't above stealing the words of others if it means devoting the paltry remnants of his neurons to the other topic he'd inadvertantly broached.

Truthfully he's not even sure that a war is what they've all been dragged into the foreign land for, but all the signs he's seen thus far don't portend for happy times spent sitting around braiding flower crowns for each other. Why else would they have been greeted with armed soldiers than a welcoming committee with gift baskets and fresh clothes? Why be shoved into a deep cavern and withheld food and water in order to satisfy some kind of (in his opinion, stupid) ritual? Better to be prepared for the possibility of having to fight and be pleasantly disappointed rather than be caught unawares.

Even if he feels woefully underprepared right about now.

But Gen appears worse off in nearly every way. His observation, joking or otherwise, isn't so far off from the truth. Maybe he deserves to get the snot beat out of him once or twice, a proper comeuppance, but he doesn't deserve to die.

Arms mostly stretched out, he turns his attention to his legs, gaze pointed directly forward rather than at Gen. ]

Do you know how to use any weapons?

[ Or does Gen subsist off mostly knuckle sandwiches and death glares? ]

[epiprocta]

[ He's still carefully taking stock of his myriad scrapes and injuries -- a touch to his busted lip earns a hard flinch, followed by a wince when that movement sets the bruises all down his back aflame -- and Gen's a beat slow to look up at that question. ]

Do I fucking look like -- ...

[ It's to his meager credit that Gen decides not to finish that irritable retort. As brusque and bratty as he is, he's able to gauge when a conversation merits more serious consideration, and now is probably one of those times, isn't it. Even if accepting any 'helpful' advice from this guy still grates at his nerves. ]

... no.

[ That eventual, weary answer is punctuated by a brief sigh before he continues quietly, his voice low and hoarse but level. Turns out Gen's more than capable of sounding like a semi-reasonable human being once he's stopped being such a prickly little shit. ]

I'm -- ... I was a student before I ended up here. [ Right. Past tense. Since everything back home's gone. He doesn't need to meet Eustace's gaze, so Gen resumes looking over his injuries as he continues listlessly. ] Everyone here's a demon or a wizard or -- [ a glance up at Eustace, ever so slightly curious and looking for confirmation: ] -- a soldier ... or whatever, but I'm nothing like that. I'm good in fistfights and I'm used to some manual labor, but that's it.

[ It sounds especially pathetic once he says it out loud, doesn't it? But his life had always been set in stone since he was very young, so -- he sounds glum but resigned, accepting of the facts for what they are. ]

[lockedon]

[ A student.

His teeth clench reflexively at the answer, a tendril of outrage curdling in the pit of his stomach. How could anyone possibly kidnap children and think it some noble cause? Everything about this situation is fucked beyond belief, moreso than any other mission he's been sent on thus far. If he's out of his element here, how much worse is it for some kid more used to memorizing vocabulary than exit routes?

His head dips down, eyes closing as he breathes slowly in and out. The pain is still there, rippling in waves and clouding his judgment—not that there's really any judgment to be made here, when neither of them can do much more than tiredly lob words back and forth. Not much advice to be had either except the obvious.

Maybe it's worth stating anyway. ]

Learn. If not a weapon, then something else useful. Healing. Tactics. You'll survive longer if you're not on the front lines.

[ The answer's curt as always, almost uncaring in the way the words are presented, but it's his own brand of kindness, a blunt answer with no pretense of false hope. If that's what Gen wants he'll have to find it elsewhere, though Eustace can't imagine what good it'll do him. ]

[epiprocta]

[ -- haha. Maybe he should have answered differently? Though it also isn't untrue that he was just a student back home. Still, there's something incredibly funny about Eustace's suggestion that he learn healing, and Gen promptly gives a weary laugh.

Which ends up being a really stupid decision, because laughing fucking hurts when your torso is a blanket of bruises, and Gen ends up groaning as he slowly doubles over with a hand pressed to his side. Needing a moment to compose himself and stifle a shallow coughing fit before he can straighten back up, wiping at his mouth with the back of a hand. ]

Yeah, 'cause I'm sure I look like the type to be doing that shit. Bandaging people up. Or -- tactics, whatever that's supposed to mean. [ He almost laughs again before catching himself and clearing his throat instead. ] ... that shit's not for me. If I die, I die.

[ Since maybe it's some sort of karmic punishment that he ended up here. If this really is a war, maybe he's meant to struggle haplessly and then die. It's a grim thought, but one that he can roll with. ]

Not like I'm against learning how to use a weapon, but that's probably easier said than done. [ Gen shoots Eustace a wry sideways glance. ] Or are you volunteering for the job?

[lockedon]

[ Wow, this kid sure is a fount of optimism, isn't he? Just chock-full of self-worth and a desire to keep on fighting the good fight. Love that for him, you do you, Gen.

Just kidding, Eustace has absolutely no intention of putting up with Gen's dreadful teenage behavior. His eyelids droop ever further down the longer Gen talks, expression growing more and more bored. If this kid wants to have a nice dinner date with a knife in his back, then who is Eustace to stop him? His ability to care about strangers only goes so far, the edges of his patience easily frayed by the smallest of things.

Whatever faint hint of sympathy was in his voice previous dissipates completely, his usual brusque tone returning in full force. ]

The more you run your mouth, the harder it'll be.

[ Run some laps instead and then they'll talk :/

But—his isn't an unreasonable question, jokingly made or not. He's no teacher - that had always been Ilsa's job, even before they'd been handed their seal weapons - but only because of a learned dislike of other people and not because of any unfamiliarity with the subject matter. And while he doesn't really care whether he's on a winning side or a losing side so long as he gets the information he wants, he does care about the body count on his hands, direct or otherwise.

He looks over at Gen, eyes serious as always. ]

I'm not against teaching you. [ Wow!! ] But don't expect me to go easy on you.

[ So if Gen wants to be babied, he should look somewhere else. ]

[epiprocta]

[ Truth be told, he'd only asked to be obnoxious, because he'd expected that request to be answered with an exasperated eyeroll and a haughty 'no.' Just seemed in-line with what he's seen of this guy so far. So when Eustace doesn't answer with a prompt rejection, it's enough to earn a blink and a raised eyebrow.

Then Eustace unwittingly says the magic words. 'Don't expect me to go easy on you.' Gen sits up straighter as he immediately grits, ]

I can take it.

[ Is it really so surprising? Of course a stupid, hot-headed teenage boy, bristling with (battered) pride, would take that statement of 'I'll be a harsh teacher' as a challenge rather than the warning it was meant to be. Perhaps the only redeeming factor(?) here is that Gen answers with a certain level of gravity, more than just the empty, youthful bluster that Eustace might have expected. ]

I've ... been getting dragged into construction work since I was, like, thirteen. [ That pause was only because he'd considered saying something else but had caught his words at the last moment; weird fantasy world or not, he's been taught too well not to talk about his father's shady business much. ] I'm tough. I can take it.

[ That was all more of a kneejerk response, though, and there's a pause afterward as Gen looks Eustace over once more. He has to assume the guy's some sort of soldier from the way he's been talking, but he sure doesn't look that jacked. (smh granblue, release an enormous beefcake erune already) ]

What are you anyway. You talk big, but you don't look much like a ... knight? [ It sucks, not having any frame of reference for what individual people here are. ]

a knight.....i'm dying

[lockedon]

[ if gbf released a beefcake erune i would immediately go broke so don't curse my wallet like this


It does sound like puffed up youthful ego talking, and Eustace almost snaps back unimpressed, but Gen manages to save himself at the last second by pushing ahead, in a tone of voice slightly less bratty than before. Truthfully, Eustace isn't convinced Gen will last more than a single day once they get out of this place and back into civilization proper, even with the backbone of construction work supporting him, but that's a concern for a later day.

For now, their primary concern is to get out of here and also a good nights' sleep and a hot meal, though he's not so pressed for time that he's not willing to humor Gen for a few more moments. ]

I'm a soldier.

[ In the loosest sense of the word; he'd gone through boot camp and harsh training just like any soldier might have, even if the Society can hardly be considered any sort of official military. And even if the Society no longer exists here, old habits die hard, including the habit of keeping his mouth shut when it comes to anything relating to his work. ]

I'm trained in most weapons and can fight both close-range and as support. [ Though maybe less so here, RIP Flamek. ] If you're interest in learning magic, you'll have to find someone else.

[ Normie lyfe......... ]

he doesn't know this fantasy bullshit okay he's not a lame otaku 😔

[epiprocta]

[ It's probably for the best for both of them that Gen resists the urge to ask if those ridiculous dog(?) ears are common where Eustace is from, or if it's just good obedient soldiers that get them.

And while Eustace is largely correct in reading Gen as little more than a bluster-y, brash teenager, he does at least have the ability to buckle down and treat matters seriously when necessary. Eustace's explanation of his skillset, curt as it is, is answered with a small nod followed by a long moment of silence as Gen considers it. Eustace had said it with such simple confidence, and he doesn't seem to have much reason to lie, so. ]

Dunno about magic. [ 'Magic' is still such a nebulous idea to him, something that he still can't believe is real. ] And I'm probably not the type to be good at support. [ He has at least that small shred of self-awareness. ] But I've always been good with my fists, so ...

[ Ugh. Ugh. Give him a second. He's not used to having to ever ask anyone for anything, far more accustomed to simply demanding or taking. But he's brought the conversation this far, and since he's already imposed on Eustace earlier ... might as well. Gen shifts uncomfortably where he's sitting, averts his gaze, takes a hoarse breath before muttering, quiet but level: ]

... could you teach me something useful?

[ acting like a normal human being is just so. hard. ]

[lockedon]

[ We are gathered here today to witness the marriage of Eustace and Gen—just kidding, the monumental leaps in character development Gen has taken by mustering up all of his willpower to ask for this small shred of help.

But Eustace can respect the amount of effort it takes to ask a complete stranger for assistance, being just as much of a prickly jerk as Gen is most days. If this kid is willing to place some amount of faith him, the least he can do is respect that. That's why he meets Gen halfway, his own tone just as solemn. Still brisk and businesslike, but there's no longer a layer of dismissal coating his words. ]

Once we get back.

[ Which is as much of a promise as he's willing to make without explicitly stating it as a promise.

For now, he's shaken out the worst of his stiffness (and reintroduced a fresh wave of pain through his body). There's not much more he can do here, and if he wants actual rest he's better off heading back to the ship than loitering around here. They're both better off doing so. ]

You should get some rest in the meantime.

[ Actual rest, not sitting around leaning on another man's leg rest. ]

[epiprocta]

[ Gen briefly considers telling Eustace that he's going to remember that, that he's serious about this, that Eustace better not try to go back on his word -- but only ends up opening his mouth before closing it again with a small nod. He's not one to trust people that easily, but Eustace's tone of voice had sounded proper enough, and he doesn't seem the type to waste words bullshitting.

Fine. Once they're out of here.

And when Eustace shifts his weight on his feet to turn back towards the ship, Gen just gives a weary wave of the hand. ]

I'll go a bit later. Feel like I'm gonna hurl if I have to be on a boat right now.

[ Not like he's the type to get motion sickness, but with the concussion's lingering effects still making his field of vision wobble every time he moves, he's planning on dragging out his time on solid land as much as possible.

He doesn't bother saying anything like 'see you later' (or, god forbid, 'stay safe') because that's not his style and he suspects it's not Eustace's, either. But before Eustace can leave he does offer one last token of goodwill. ]

-- my name's Minegishi. [ And then a glance up to ask for his. ]

[lockedon]

[ He doesn't turn back when Gen calls out one last time, though his body does still, long enough to signal that he has in fact acknowledged the implicit unspoken question.

Unlike before in the cavern, with Abel and Ernesto, there's reason enough to give his name now. They're comrades of an unlikely and forced sort, with plenty of opportunity to see each other given the agreement they've both settled on. As much as he's gotten used to being addressed as hey you or you jerk, it'll be easier on the kid to have something solid to call him by.

So! ]

Eustace.

[ No last name, please don't ask for one. Congrats to Gen for being the second person to learn Eustace's name.

Once again, Eustace's social skills are left wanting as he offers up that single word and nothing more, motion resuming as he heads towards the ship without a backwards glance at Gen. It's fine, they'll talk more later, probably. ]