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]

[ Finally. Finally.

It's not even like Gen particularly enjoys fighting itself; it's not like he thirsts for blood and violence for their own sake. But even one encounter with someone who absolutely refused to fight back had been one too many, and even as gives a startled jerk when Ernesto suddenly lunges for him, his eyes light up with anticipation.

Finally, something akin to a normal reaction to all this bullshit. More than the actual fighting, it's the simple fact that Ernesto is no longer acting like some sort of noble paragon too good to fight back that sends a surge of relief crackling down his spine.

Caught off-guard by that sudden surge forth, Gen does reel back with a muffled grunt, his weight shoved back from where he'd been pinning Ernesto to the ground. But while he's sorely outclassed in the realm of actual combat, if it's simply fistfights and scuffles, he's had plenty of experience. So even as he reflexively reels back to avoid eating a direct blow to the face (like the hypocrite that he is), he maintains a vicious grip at Ernesto's clothes and arm.

If he's going down, then he's dragging Ernesto down with him.

This sort of messy grappling on the ground isn't exactly his style, but he can improvise. Even before he's fully regained his balance or recovered from being caught by surprise, he tries to punch Ernesto in the face once more -- even if the movement's a little hampered and clumsy, more likely to glance off its target than properly land. ]

[goldendeceiver]

[ It's best not to get hopes up too far, because while Ernesto is looking to not let Gen endlessly beat him up, he's still not looking to have a real fight with Gen. While he has that actual combat under his belt, he's not as great at fistfights and scuffles himself, and this brawl doesn't really put him at any kind of advantage.

More than anything though, he really doesn't want to fight Gen, and doesn't have any looming force behind him demanding that he duke it out like this. He's not giving a choice in some of it, like the glancing blow he takes to his cheek again, or the fact that Gen won't let go of him.

But nothing is forcing him to swing a fist back, so he doesn't. Not in the way Gen might want at least, though he is grabbing onto Gen's own arm now, and trying to use his newfound leverage to push the kid to the ground.

If he can pin him instead, maybe he can get the boy to calm the hell down for a few minutes, and put an end to a fight that doesn't need to be happening. ]

[epiprocta]

[ At least Ernesto gets a few moments of not-getting-yelled at, just because it takes Gen that long to realize Ernesto is still sticking to a relatively pacifist route.

It also helps that Gen's distracted by that swift attempt to pin him down. Though he has the benefit of youthful energy and being relatively well-rested on his side, that can't quite win against experience -- his attempt to jerk away from the grab at his arm is inefficient on top of being a beat slow. And having lost his momentum for a moment, he buckles before Ernesto's attempt to pin him down, giving a stifled grunt as his back thumps against the cavern's rough flooring.

He automatically steels himself for a punch to the face, of course. It would be the natural flow to any fight, right? You pin your opponent down and then beat the shit out of them? -- so he understands what's going on when that blow doesn't come. ]

-- hit me, you coward.

[ It's a demand spit out at a paradoxically furious snarl, and Gen makes a messy grab for Ernesto's hair to try and keep him in place, corner him. ]

The hell is wrong with you, doesn't it piss you off that someone you helped is doing this to you?!

[goldendeceiver]

[ None of that now, kiddo...

Ernesto is quick to shift so he's got a knee on top of Gen, pinning his torso down effectively enough that he can free up his hands. Kind of ideal, considering Gen doesn't seem to be done throwing around his own, and Ernesto needs a free hand to grab at the hand trying to grab his hair. He's already tired of this fight, and Gen is right that the pacifist route isn't easy.

It'd probably be easier to pick up a large rock and smash Gen on the head with it to knock him out, but this is not an opponent that Ernesto can even pretend not to be upset about taking out like that.

He and Gen aren't at all close, but he feels like in a few different ways he's inadvertently seen too much of this boy's pain to cause him more hurt. It's so much easier to fight strangers...

So maybe he'll be able to better appreciate Eustace and his refusal to exchange names on reflection.

Right now he'll just be trying his best to restrain an angry, desperate kid who has already admitted to being afraid of what happens to him if he doesn't fight with those of them trying to escape.

He'll do Gen the courtesy of giving him a real answer, and all without a trace of a smile on his face. ]

Why? Because you attacked me when your hand was forced?

[ Just the slightest sombre shake of the head. ]

You're not the one I'm angry with about that.

[epiprocta]

[ Sorry Ernesto, it's not your fault at all, but that choice of technique was probably pretty bad. The feel of Ernesto's knee bearing down on his chest is enough to send anger flaring hot down Gen's spine as his thoughts are immediately drawn back to the way Dokja had so effortlessly pinned him down. His renewed fury is made obvious in the way his expression immediately hardens, his struggles doubling in fervor as he tries to free himself -- or at least muscle past the restraining grasp of Ernesto's hands to punch him in the face once more.

Too bad it's real hard to break past the other's guard now that he's lost the upper hand once. And Ernesto's sudden change of demeanor to something more sincere is enough to startle him into stopping his clawing for a moment, the anger in his gaze slowly, reluctantly fading a notch. ]

... then at least play your fucking part.

[ When he finally grits out that response between huffed breaths, it's almost more resentful than it is enraged. There's no denying that Gen's starting to flag a little, both because his physical energy isn't limitless and because his face aches persistently from Dokja's punch. Not to mention, it's weirdly difficult maintaining that level of rage in the face of Ernesto's reasonable words. Gen huffs out another ragged exhale before hissing: ]

If you get what's going on, then play your part. You think it'll all be fine if I just let you go now? Do something -- fight back!

[ 'And then I can let you go.'

While he does harbor very real concerns of what will happen if he's caught disobeying that creepy bitch's orders -- another part of him just desperately wants Ernesto to react like a normal person would. He's not sure he can take another person playing the endlessly sacrificing martyr like that tall freak with the silver hair had. ]

[goldendeceiver]

[ Ernesto has spent a good chunk of his life playing his part, and god knows he did it willingly and readily, but it doesn't make him any less tired of it now. It might be one thing when he's doing it of his own volition, but there's something particularly distasteful about having to do it when you have next to no say in it.

But not completely no say. He could keep refusing to fight back, and force Gen to either wear himself out by attacking him, or eventually let him go.

But that's the problem isn't it? Ernesto himself just admitted that Gen's hand is being forced. That the repercussions for failure is unknown doesn't make things any easier, but he can't say he doesn't understand any apprehension about what might happen if one doesn't put in their full effort.

They have shown they're perfectly willing to rough up people they're also interested in recruiting, after all.

So Ernesto doesn't ease his grip on Gen, but he does close his eyes for a second, taking a deep, slow breath, before opening them again. The look on his face is mostly pretty neutral, but there's some genuine sadness that seems to be leaking in at the edges, where the tension between his eyebrows is just a little too prominent, and the corners of his mouth curve down just ever so slightly. ]

Is that really what you want me to do?

[ He gets it. He does.

It doesn't make the idea any more palatable. ]

[epiprocta]

[ Somewhere deep down inside, Gen understands why Ernesto must be giving him that look -- he knows most people are averse to violence, that most wouldn't want to strike another person, that it's perfectly understandable for Ernesto to be upset by what he has to do. He knows that, he really does.

But the truth of the matter is that he's not used to anyone looking at him like that. Like something hurt, like something worth pitying. It sends a sharp pang of sensation ripping through his chest, something that he can't quite put a name to. Denial, maybe, or frustration, or even a touch of anxiety.

Anger is most definitely a part of it, though, and so of course he settles for expressing that, because it's what comes easiest to him.

He'd initially stiffened at Ernesto's quiet inquiry, his struggles briefly coming to a complete halt, teeth gritted and brow knit with a touch of discomfort, but all that's swiped away quickly enough. After one, two jagged breaths he abruptly lunges against Ernesto's weight with all his strength and snarls, ]

-- you think I'm that weak?!

[ Of course that's where he goes. Because it's always easier to bristle and bare his teeth than it is to acknowledge that he's been weak or compromised in any way. That he's essentially asking Ernesto to cooperate for him. ]

You're wasting your breath asking something like that? You want me to break you nose to prove something?!

[ His fervor in fighting against Ernesto certainly makes that threat sound real; it would be so much easier for Ernesto to put a stop to it with a punch, wouldn't it? ]

[goldendeceiver]

[ Though he doesn't know Gen well, maybe he is starting to get to know him just a little. The reaction that Gen has certainly doesn't seem to surprise Ernesto at all, who is quick to move his head back, away from Gen's own. It does mean he's taking some of his weight off of Gen, but he knows he's probably not going to just be able to pin the kid down forever anyway. ]

I think--

[ Which is why he moves his knee off of Gen, sliding back and onto his feet pretty quickly. ]

I spent a good number of years in the army.

[ As ragtag as that army might have been. His stance shifts, his feet sliding back into something that looks like it just might be a fighting stance. He's no martial artists, but you don't need to be in order to know how to center your weight for better balance. ]

And then another few good ones preparing to be part of a coup.

[ If Gen tries to get up, Ernesto will start to tense up. ]

So I've got some years of training on you. That's all.

[ And if he successfully gets up? Well, he'll finally get that punch that he so desperately wanted aimed at him. Ernesto won't be going for the face or head though. Just a quick little jab aimed at the solar plexus. It's not meant to be powerful enough to do any serious damage, but if he can knock the wind out of Gen, he can beat a hasty retreat that lets it look like he slipped through Gen's fingers, despite Gen's best efforts. ]