aionlogs | EVENT #1: THE EMPTY THRONE (PT 2)

EVENT #1: THE EMPTY THRONE (PT 2)

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Considering that Ernesto's attention is a little split right now, he also has no idea where the hell Dokja just came from, but he's not about to question it. Maybe Dokja was a lot closer than he realized. It's not something he's giving a lot of thought right now as he struggles to think past the pain, and about the only other thing he's able to focus on is the fact that Eustace is now moving towards them again.

He has no idea what the regent has in store for him if he's caught, but he sure as hell doesn't want to be Eustace's prisoner after the fight they've had. He wheezes out a laugh that turns into something that sounds just a little too much like sob as he tries and fails to hoist himself back up. ]

Okay might be a bit of a stretch right now.

[ At least he can still talk and joke, but that's about the extent of it. The poor attempt at a smile drops immediately, as his ears pin back with the sound of Eustace's approach. ]

Mr. Dokja...

[ He looks up at Dokja with unguarded anxiety. The decent thing to do would be to warn the other man to run right now, but he can't bring himself to actually ask for that when he's genuinely afraid of what happens if Eustace gets hands back on him. ]

[ It doesn't have to be like this, bro. :/

Dokja's expression darkens when he sees Eustace retrieve yet another dagger (really??) from the ground, taking notice of the way the other man grimaces when he bends down. So, the pair of them have been at it for a while, then? That works in Dokja's favor since he also feels like shit. ]

Ask nicely and I might.

[ No, he won't, in the same way he'd told Eustace to tell him to shut up just to pointedly ignore the demand. He fights the urge to look back down at hearing Ernesto's anxious response, wanting to keep his eyes trained on his advancing opponent, but he does reach down to gently brush the tips of his fingers in what he hopes is a reassuring manner against the injured man's arm.

He's not going anywhere, and he pushes himself back up to his feet, swaying slightly as he shifts most of his weight to one leg, the other showing the beginnings of a large bruise at the side of his knee. ]

[ At least they both know that Dokja won't simply do as asked no matter how nicely he phrases it. Which is fine; Eustace was never planning on asking nicely at all. If asking nicely worked, none of them would be in this mess and he wouldn't be thumbing blood off a cut on his lip.

He doesn't really want to fight yet another person he knows; even if he dislikes Dokja, he has no interest in killing the man (or even punching him to a pulp a la Gen). But he also can't remember the last time he was able to do anything he wanted since arriving in this cursed land, and so it's with a small sigh that he tightens his grip around his dagger and takes another step forward, noting the other man's posture and the way he favors one leg.

It would be more pragmatic to wait and see what Dokja does, to get a feel of what the other man is capable of. But he's tired of fighting and ready to get this whole thing over with as quickly as possible, so he pushes forward into a lunge instead, dagger held low by his hip but ready to strike at any moment. ]

[ Don't make me read "even if he dislikes Dokja" what the heck.

They can both be reluctant about fighting each other, Dokja's own heart not really in it as he charges forward to meet Eustace at the halfway point. He doesn't activate Way of the Wind this time, now feeling the effects of pushing it to its limits in the creak of his bones and the burning of his muscles, but he's still surprisingly quick for someone who looks like he's never seen a day of exercise in his life.

Right now, his priority is to keep Eustace and Ernesto separated. Maybe also disarm Eustace? There's certainly an attempt when Dokja closes the distance, one hand outstretched to grab the front of Eustace's shirt as he uses his running momentum to shove forward with, once again!, a surprising amount of strength to try and topple the man on his back while he reaches down toward the hand holding the dagger to keep it from getting near.

Let them hold hands for a moment. ]

[ i'm not going to lie in my tags??? also does it count as holding hands if there's a third object in the way

But, it's true, Dokja does look like a man who's never seen the inside of a gym before, so it's a little surprising when he grabs onto the front of Eustace's shirt and pushes with unexpected force. They do both go toppling backwards, because sometimes you just want two guys to tussle around in the dirt (again). But the perks of having some ten years of battlefield experience under his belt is that Eustace reacts quickly enough, adjusting his weight and curling his body inward so that he blunts the worst of the fall, with only a low grunt escaping his lips as he lands.

His own hand meets Dokja's halfway, Dokja's hand quick enough to catch Eustace by the wrist and stop the forward momentum of the dagger pointed at his torso. But there's no break between landing and him pulling up his leg to try and land a kick on whatever part of Dokja happens to be closest, and he follows it with an attempt to roll them both onto their sides so that he can ultimately end up on top. (Insert your favorite dirty joke here.)

Yeah, yeah, he's not above doing the same thing twice if it'll net him the same (largely successful) result. ]

[ checks off hand holding anyway

Down they both go, Dokja's own fall mostly cushioned by the body under him, but he's not left with much time to think up his next move as he keeps hold of Eustace's wrist to prevent the dagger from making contact with his torso (his torso?? that's where his important organs are??). The sudden kick shoves his leg out from where he'd been trying to reposition it for better balance, and he topples over, successfully rolled to his side, then his back, then... back up...?

Sorry, but in this timeline, Dokja tops.

He releases Eustace's shirt to grab his other wrist instead, forcing both hands down to pin them against the ground while Dokja straddles the other man. He's breathing in harsh pants, stamina at an all time low, and he's doing this more for his sake than anything else. Buddy, we need to chat. Kill some time. Shoot the shit. ]

Just stop for a second!

[ Absolutely cannot believe Dokja is topping right now.

Eustace seems just as unwilling to believe in this particular timeline, his whole body straining against the impromptu bindings holding him down. Not that there's much that he can do with both arms against the ground, but he is absolutely not willing to take a chill pill and do as advised.

Well, if he can't use his hands then it's back to his legs, Eustace barely letting more than a few seconds pass before sharply bringing up one knee to try and knock Dokja forward, ideally into close enough range that he can try and headbutt (another man) a second time. Not that he really needs to give himself more head trauma, but desperate times call for desperate measures. ]

[ Why is Eustace trying to fast track the death of his brain cells...?

Unlucky for him, because Dokja's body is reinforced with all the strength he's accumulated throughout the scenarios along with the fact that he's not human. He's a constellation with powerful stories backing him. So when he's knocked forward and realizes what it is the other man is aiming for, he doesn't shy away or wait for Eustace's head to slam against his first.

He hits back.

Dokja smashes his forehead against Eustace's own, an infuriated fire in his eyes as he literally meets the blow head-on. The burst of pain is secondary to his obvious anger at this situation, skull pounding from the collision, but he's otherwise fine and in one piece. The perks of being OP. ]

I said stop, you dumbass!

[ He has to get on the same level as Dokja and Abel somehow.

But fine, he'll stop, if only because he truly is mourning the rapid loss of his brain cells right another, another burst of pain flaring up inside his skull. No more headbutts after this, even if it might help expedite further fights. Please know that this was entirely his decision though and has nothing to do with Dokja's request-demand.

He sets his head back down, grateful for the support - and clarity of mind - provided by the cold ground. Unfortunately, he doesn't look particularly apologetic or rueful of his previous actions; instead, there's only a hard stare as he looks up at Dokja. ]

Do you really have the time to lecture me right now?

[ Especially when Ernesto is crumpled on the ground with a knife still sticking out of his shoulder. Just sayin'. ]

[ that's actually hurtful? dokja is ok? no comment on abel

He keeps a tight hold on Eustace's wrists as Dokja meets that hard stare with a furious glare of his own. There's a lot to be upset at right now and he hates this. It's not like he gives two shits about the reason people are picking the sides they are, more preoccupied with his own set of issues he's trying to work out, but it still doesn't feel good when they'd all gone through something together only for this to be the result. ]

Who's going to lecture a stupid bastard like you? Acting like a tough guy when you were going to fold so easily in the end.

[ Laughable! But he's really not going to go into some shounen protagonist spiel about why this is Wrong because he's never been good with words and if Dokja isn't going to be swayed to the other side, it's not like he expects anyone else to do the same. Instead, the grip he has on the wrist connected to Eustace's dagger-holding hand squeezes with an inhuman strength, a threat that he can snap and crush bone. ]

Let go of that.

[ :thinking:

Which is what Eustace is doing right about now, only he's thinking about the sheer amount force being applied to his wrist right now, enough to make him grimace in pain. It really was not what he expected from this stick of a dude, but everyone has been surprising him tonight it seems, for better or worse. (Usually worse.)

But, despite the iron grip around his hand, he doesn't let go of the dagger. His knuckles are white from trying to keep his fingers tight around the handle but in this he refuses to give in. They could snipe back and forth about this all day just like they had back when they were huddled together what feels like an eternity ago, but the atmosphere is different now. Giving in to the Kenoma was the practical choice, as far as he's concerned, but he doesn't expect a guy like Dokja to understand.

No point in wasting what little breath he has trying to convince a man that can't be won over. Instead, he changes the subject. ]

You should stop caring so much about people you can't save and focus on the ones you can.

[ Is Dokja really going to have to break Eustace's wrist don't do this to him.

His grip doesn't relent, but it doesn't apply any more pressure than it needs to. He's not looking to actually crush the man's bones into dust, but it's not as if he can let go when he's seen, firsthand, what Eustace likes to do with these things, such as embed them into unfortunate people's shoulders.

He knows he's most likely wasting his time here, both of them too stubborn for their own good, but if they can both just go their separate ways from this without more needless bloodshed, then that's the path Dokja would rather take. ]

Who says I care? [ asks the man who cares. ] I'll let you up and get out of your hair if you just drop the weapon. We can both walk away.

[ Some of the anger subsides from his gaze, replaced with a slightly pleading look. He's tired, dude. Aren't they both exhausted? ]

[ :)

Maybe if those people had just considerately gone with him instead of running away he wouldn't be forced to lodge small pointy knives into their shoulders? But he knows it's not as simple as that. His own feelings on the matter at hand aren't as simple as that, a complex net of intertangled emotions all competing with one another to be heard.

There'd been no order to kill the Pleroma today, but that's a decision that could easily be reversed at any moment in the future. He's witnessed enough history, worked with enough corrupt officials, to know how these things (usually) go. Better to stab Ernesto now but keep him alive than to have to slit his throat two months from now. And better that it's him that takes the brunt of the fall instead of the literal children in this cave.

Dokja speaks but Eustace doesn't reply back this time. Instead, he continues to stare silently up at Dokja, breathing heavy and gaze challenging as his fingers stay firmly wrapped around the hilt of his dagger. Break his wrist. Do it. ]

[ this is the worst thing that's ever happened to me.

There's no doubt in Dokja's mind that this was always going to be the eventual outcome. They haven't known each other for very long, but Eustace has never struck him as someone who could be persuaded with something as flimsy as words or threats. So, Dokja's heart sits heavy in his chest as he realizes he's going to have to go through with it. He can't drag this on for any longer, not when Ernesto needs tending to.

He closes his eyes for just a moment, just a quick second, and when he reopens them, the pleading look is gone. It's replaced with a sharp resolve, the frown on his face deepening as his unyielding grip on Eustace's wrist grows severe enough in strength to finally snap the bones there.

It's at least a clean break, he'll afford Eustace that much. Something simple enough to heal, he thinks to himself over and over again as if that'll make the sickening twist in his stomach disappear. ]

[ Eustace catches wind of Dokja's intention too late. By the time he's aware of what the other man intends to do, the bones in his wrist are already snapping, the crack barely audible past the dull roar of frenetic combat ringing through the cavern—and certain not audible once it's buried beneath the strangled cry of pain that immediately escapes past his throat and lips.

His whole body spasms, waves of agony radiating from his wrist through his arm to his torso. Even if it's not the first time he's broken a bone, the sensation is still beyond unpleasant, and he automatically tries to curl in on himself, arms fighting against the grip Dokja still has on them and knees pulling up. The automatic response of any creature to overwhelming pain, because despite all the experience he's gained up until now, he's still human.

On the bright side, his fingers are finally slack, dagger slipping past to land on the ground with a few low clatters. ]

[ Fuck, he doesn't feel good about this at all.

But cruelty has always been a part of Dokja's nature. He only likes the people that he likes and only saves the ones he wants to save. Right now, the one he wants to... has to save is Ernesto, and he grits his teeth as he forces himself to ignore the cry of pain wrung out of Eustace, releasing his wrist to quickly snatch up the dropped dagger.

He releases the other man entirely after that, abruptly pushing himself back up to stand and hurriedly stepping away. He could offer an apology before he leaves, but his sincerity would be lost in the face of such a brutal action when he'd had his opponent pinned to the ground.

When he turns to sprint back toward Ernesto, he hopes he's not followed. He hopes he's gotten the message across, hopes that this was enough for Eustace to feel like he's fulfilled whatever goal it is he thinks he needs to accomplish. ]

[ Technically, he has two hands and only one of them is broken.

But without any weapons and only one functioning arm, there's little he can do to fight back. Not to mention that the resounding pain still echoing through his body is clouding his judgement something fierce, his thought processes slowed as he struggles to push himself upright once the weight pressing down on him vanishes.

It's not an ideal outcome no matter how he looks at it, but there's nothing else can he can do unless he wants to render himself even more useless. At least with only hand out of commission he can still fight, albeit poorly. If he's knocked out here then he'll truly be useless (eusless).

So: Dokja and Ernesto get to run to freedom while Eustace sits around nursing his broken wrist. Fun times for everyone! ]

[ Fun is a very strong word. In the midst of all of that fighting though, Ernesto did manage to get himself unsteadily back onto his feet. It took a few attempts, and involved a little bit of very unnerving swaying and stumbling though, because his own right arm doesn't feel like it's going to work but so well right now as the pain radiates down it.

His legs are okay though, and as much as it hurts to have a dagger buried inside of him, it's not like the blood loss from it is enough to make him woozy. By the time he's fully up, he's able to catch sight of Dokja crushing Eustace's good ~~stabbing~~ throwing wrist, and despite the pain he's currently in, still manages a sympathy wince.

There's nowhere near enough sympathy in him to go try to help when he's got his own problems at hand though. He's upright, but he's a little unsteady on his feet as he takes a stumbled step towards the tightening circle of newly formed Pleromas. ]

[ With Eustace effectively neutralized and not following after him, Dokja eases some of the tension from his body, though he's still on a bit of an adrenaline high as he skids to a halt beside Ernesto, his eyes bright with concern.

Shit, he's not really a first aid kind of guy. It's at a time like this that he misses the convenience of the Dokkaebi Bag. ]

Here, lean against me. I'll get you there.

[ "There" meaning the circle of other Pleroma. Someone else will probably be able to help. ]

[ It feels like hell right now, but it'll prove to not be so serious once they have someone to look at it and clean it up. The problem with deep puncture wounds like this is that they are messy as they bleed, but Eustace missed anything serious with his throw. As long as they can keep it clean and free of infection, Ernesto could be fine.

They just need to get the hell out of this cavern in the first place, because if this whole thing fails?

Well... Ernesto imagines the soldiers would be just fine letting him writhe around with a fever from the infection until he was willing to accept their terms.

Or die.

He doesn't protest the proffered at all, though he winces a little as he places his good hand on Dokja's shoulder to steady himself. ]

It's not as bad as it looks, Mr. Dokja.

[ His face is kind of scrunched up from the pain, but he is still managing a smile. ]

You didn't get hurt yourself in any of that, did you?

[ insert screenshot of dokja saying he never gets hurt here

But really, he's fine. He's a bit scraped up in some other places from earlier battles, but he hasn't sustained anything too serious. The concern is quickly brushed aside as Dokja grabs the hand on his shoulder to gently pull more of it up against him, over his shoulders while he slips his other arm around Ernesto's back to better support him.

His steps are hurried and quick, though he tries not to rush the other man and remembers to be mindful of the injury. ]

I'm fine. Worry about yourself for now.

[ They're not that far from the others. This should be a quick trip.

Ugh, Eustace, that dumb bastard. ]

[ May those words one day haunt him forever.

The move on Dokja's part is necessary to get Ernesto out of the line of fire quickly, but damn if it doesn't hurt. He lets out a hiss of pain as he stumbles forward after Dokja, trying to ignore the throbbing burn that's coming from his shoulder right now.

It's honestly not the first time he's been stabbed before, but it might be the first time a blade has ever managed to stick him quite to deeply. The last set of battles he had was him taking more blunt force blows too, so it's been some time since someone ripped him open and made him bleed. ]

[ Dokja tightens his hold on Ernesto's waist, struggling to keep the other man steady as they draw closer and closer to the circle until they finally make it there.

He slowly crouches down, expression grim as he tries to be gentle while helping Ernesto lean against a nearby stone. It's only a matter of time now before they can all make their escape, but Dokja is still needed out there. He can still fight. ]

Stay here. It shouldn't be long now.

[ He gives a quick, anxious glance over to the casters before returning his attention to the injured man. ]

I'll check on you once we're out of here.

[ More like he'll pass out for days after his fight with Ciel, but waves hand. ]

[ The sentiment is appreciated, even if there won't be much follow through on it. The fact that Dokja just saved his life does mean Ernesto owes him some forgiveness for that.

It's also the fact that Dokja just saved his life that Ernesto has some (possibly misplaced) faith that Dokja can take care of himself. Still, he looks worried as he transfers his weight onto the stone, ears pressed back against his head as he studies Dokja carefully for any sign of serious injury.

It didn't look like he got any serious ones in the fight with the wolf-man, but Ernesto wasn't exactly in a good state to watch all of that struggle. ]

Be careful, Mr. Dokja.

[ The careless grin that immediately appears probably wouldn't reassure anyone, but it's the thought that counts? ]

I'm always careful.

[ He's so used to saying stupid shit like this that he doesn't even think twice before saying it. Once he's made sure that Ernesto is good to stay in place, he pushes himself back up to stand. ]

See you on the other side.

[ And he's off to get his ass kicked! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT #1: THE EMPTY THRONE (PT 2)

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and with my favorite icon too??

suffer.

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I-I didn't forget to reply back just because there was no notif in my inbox. idk what you mean

so i also did not realize i didn't track this thread

failure high five

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