EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (GODSBLOOD)

[aionmods]

Sovereign Citizens

GODSBLOOD

At the height of the Sovereign's moon, Vaeka Lovenskol's execution is announced. Outside of the City Hall, a dignitary of Achamoth is flanked by an entourage of Kenoma, reading the words of Regent from an unfurled letter: Vaeka stands accused to conspiring against the Regent and abetting the fugitive menace known as the Pleroma. Though the details are not made public, rumors spread quickly, some far more wild than the actual truth. The full truth, after all, is something only the Regent's agents and the Pleroma themselves know, and even to them the manner of her exposure is unclear.

Though losing a proud daughter of an influential family, there seems to be little that the people of Godsblood can do besides accept it. After all, they are still a city of the Regent's empire, and for all the freedom they've enjoyed, there are limits. If she was truly aiding the Pleroma, the sworn enemies of the Regent - and in an organized manner, if the rumors are to be believed - can they truly object? Or would challenging the Regent's claim simply invite more death?

As with many things, the families of Godsblood are torn. Tensions are thick for the five days leading up to Vaeka's appointed execution by hanging, with everyone having an opinion and few wanting to go on record talking about it too loudly. As such, the people's frustrations come out in other ways. Bloodites are uncharacteristically unfriendly to strangers in this time, keeping to their own and treating everyone else with overt skepticism.

Those that have arrived as part of the Regent's official envoy, or seen guarding Vaeka, will receive a particularly icy reception. No longer are the Kenoma curious wanderers on personal business. Now, they are here as the hands of the Regent; few of the Godsblood citizens are foolish enough to challenge them outright, but they are ever an honest people.

Early on, the Kenoma and the rest of the Achamite contingent sent with them will be able to take over a jail in downtown Godsblood to hold Vaeka until her execution, clearing out all other Bloodite prisoners and employees in the meantime. This means they have a relatively secure position to guard their prisoner from, which is a good thing; after all, the Regent did outright invite the Pleroma to stop them, and Pleroma are nothing if not stubborn.

EXECUTION DAY

After five agonizing days of waiting and several high visible conflicts between the Pleroma and Kenoma, finally the hour of Vaeka's execution arrives. A gallows is set outside of City Hall, ready to welcome its newest victim, and a massive crowd has gathered in an spirit of anxious anticipation. Some worry that violence may break out in the streets, even without the Pleroma's agitation, but gradually the minutes tick by and the gallows remain empty.

First one minutes passes. Then five. Then fifteen. Slowly, it becomes clear to the people of Godsblood that Vaeka will not be arriving. Are the rumors true? Has she been saved? Have the Pleroma been successful, despite all odds?

As the hours pass and the crowds disperse, Vaeka Lovenskol is not officially reported as either living or dead. Fortunately, Godsblood is a place where information has a way of getting around, whether those in charge like it or not. Some are saying that she was seen being whisked away as if by powerful magic, following a bloody fight at the jail in which she was being held. Where did she go? Maybe her supposed connections to the forest people did her good, some surmise.

The days following Vaeka's failed execution carry a strange and uncertain energy. Where before there was tension and distrust, Godsblood now finds itself in a surreal reality where the Regent's word is apparently not absolute. Then again, do they really want a repeat performance?

QUESTIONS

What is the best way for Aions to travel to Godsblood?
For Pleroma, this is very easy, as they are likely to either already live there or be able to easy take Greentruth's portal. For Kenoma, they may come directly from Achamoth by boat as part of the Regent's envoy or arrive via Eustace's portal which is set up in a shed a fairly long jaunt outside of town. Once there has been some time to get established, Misa will be setting up another portal leading straight to the prison where Vaeka is being stored.

Are the Kenoma permitted by the Regent to kill other Godsblood citizens?
Though the Kenoma are authorized to kill any Bloodites that try to physically fight them, they are expected to keep things clean. The Regent prefers to only punish the guilty, and having the lines be clear will create less of a hassle in the future. Generally, Godsblood is not in a state where physical resistance is likely to happen unprovoked.

Comments

[wolof]

[ He clarified, and she couldn't help but smile. ] Because I'm a Villain, dear. That's what some of us like to do.

[ Not Akua, even at the height of her own villainy, had been so willing to torch the entirety of her world -- although she'd certainly made the superweapon to do it. Dread Empress Triumphant had likely been one of those types, and while Akua had styled herself similar to her -- may she never return -- she had never gone so far.

No, Akua understood, because she'd looked into the eyes of a different person, someone on the side of Good. Someone who'd had the ear of the Gods Above, and had wanted, so desperately, to put an end to it all. Why? Because she was lonely, because she saw them die, and nothing ever changed. She had one companion, and that companion had been Neshamah, the Dead King. Of course she'd been warped, after millennia of only one person for company. One constant, among countless that she could appear before. It wasn't even your average person, no, one had to be Named, or close to it. She considered, how to explain this to him. ]

Even those on the side of Good want to...scour the unrighteous from the earth, and all are wanting for purity in their eyes. When pushed for an eternity of seeing the same stories, and the same beats repeat over and over, only to never see anything change... it's not surprising. I knew someone like that. Immortal, lonely. Her only constant only wanted to live to see the Last Dawn, and she... wanted to bring it about.

Eventually, I would think it gets old, being alone, watching, and losing those you are close to. Old, and lonely, don't you think? To be so singular, to see it all cycle over, and over again?

[wolof]

[ The gust of wind does just what Himkea asked for, and Akua watched as he struggled to keep his hat on. Although it would be a good time to take his keys, she wants to test something first, and she doesn't doubt that Himeka will have plenty of distractions to drop on this man. So with a honk, she goes in the opposite direction, waddled up to the door, and tried to open it with her mouth.

It's locked, of course, but it thuds against the lock, and Akua tries it again.

Hey! Come on, stop that! says the guard. He rushed over, and tried to shoo her away again, and Akua spread her wings, as if she were an animal trying to appear bigger for him.

Then, she leaned forward, and tried to bite him, in the finger. He pulled it away quick, but he was clearly getting exasperated. ]

[goldendeceiver]

[ It's a real shame that she's managing to bring herself up short, because Ernesto would be very interested in hearing those little tidbits the Pleroma aren't supposed to know.

Then again, that's probably why it's important that Misa brings herself up short though.

But he will give Misa a little tidbit here. It's not something particularly useful to know about him, and not something he's really trying to keep a secret even if he doesn't actively tell most people, but he thinks it does give him more authority on the matter than he might otherwise have.

Though he doubts it'll actually convince her. ]

I gotta say, I've tried it that way before. Lucky for me someone stopped me before it got too brutal, and I'm pretty grateful they did now. Having the blood of other people on your hands is a pretty awful thing, isn't it?

[ He has... absolutely no idea who he's really talking to right now. ]

[inutilis]

Mm... we'll be trying to find out how the populous feels about things, too. Their opinions and the rumor mill might tell us where we need to help before things get further out of hand, I think.

[ both for the Bloodites and Aions alike.

and to that end... Abel begins pulling to his feet with a smile. ]

But for now...? Just turn your focus to taking copious amounts of naps and eating soup, my friend. Ah-- speaking of, is there anything I might get you to make you more comfortable? Any supplies I can bring back here for you or any of the others that drop in?

[expiera]

[Misa is strong. She came from a normal world, lived a normal life. She wasn't a soldier who had to weather the front line for one reason or another, she must be pushing herself right now to cling onto consciousness despite the dizzying amount of pain she's probably be in. She's trying so hard to be brave and to keep going, does she really think it doesn't matter, that her efforts can be so easily overlooked? Ciel can't in good conscience wish things didn't have to be this way, either. She encouraged her, trained with her. With how they were separated to play to their strengths on this assignment, there was no way she could keep watch over the other girl even if she wanted to. Logically, Ciel knows this isn't her fault. But as she's told Misa before, she's human, and whether it's her Legacy or something else, it's... hard, to not feel responsible in some way. Indirectly, she did lead Misa here, to this deplorable situation they're in now.

But there's no use crying over spilled milk, as the saying goes, so she has to focus on what's ahead of her, make sure to double back every ounce of faith others have seen fit to invest in her. The enemy is gone, Vaeka is gone. Well, so be it. If the Regent really wanted that woman dead, they could have merely assassinated her instead of going through the trouble of all these dramatic motions. If the Regent wanted their show to proceed smoothly without interruption, they could have simply surprised Godsblood with this public execution and get it done in a single day, instead of giving the Pleroma so much advance notice to plan a rescue. This was all pageantry for both sides alike, it was a logical conclusion to draw if anyone gave it some thought.

It's part of why Ciel isn't particularly fussed over their failure, though it does sting to have their quarry slip right through their fingers. And it's all the more reason to stop caring about the mission entirely, especially with a wounded ally—Misa—who needs help, right here.

Closing her eyes, she takes in a small and quiet breath as she tries steadying the younger girl more in her lap. "Trust". Mm. This is no time to dwell. Misa has voiced what she wants. All that's left to do is to act.]

Okay. Then let's go back to the building, we can lay you down in one of the rooms with a clean cot and take care of your injuries there. May I numb your body temporarily, first? It should stop the pain, but it's going to paralyze most of your body too, you'll only be able to move above your neck. It should go away after a few hours though, would that be okay?

[She'll carry her there herself, of course. It'll take more than a mere leg injury to stop her from getting towards where she needs to, the bone fragments have already begun realigning anyway.]

[inutilis]

[ he aint your dad, but he sure is your Father. that counts for something, right? ...no? what do you mean, no? stop

Abel's seemingly satisfied, however, even though he is still shouting from the kitchen - or, well, raising his voice enough to ensure he's heard as he begins searching for ingredients on his cooking endeavor. ]

Oho~! Something sweet... Now you're talking my language. What's your go-to snack when you're under the weather, Rand?

[ just like that, he's back to cheery sunshine again!! duality of man, ]

[wolof]

[ She's prepared for that. Akua was not called the Doom of Liesse for nothing, and she let him come, an array of bursts of fire, to make him think it was not so easily found, but her shield was the real target. He knows it is, she can see it in his eye, that he does not care, that he wants to slam straight through, and take her. Akua would let one person on any reality take her without something even close to the fight she was capable of.

When he came close, she did not flinch. She barely blinked. When his talons made their way to her, she smiled, sharp, and wicked, her gold eyes were aflame not with fight, but delight. Her hair started to swirl from the force, as his talons hit the shield. ]

Mistake.

[ A phrase so commonly used by the Woe, she can't help it. She doesn't see the hallux, and the Shield shattered, but the pieces of the shield catch the light of the sky above, and on the undersides, catch the dark of the simmering pool beneath them, the tendrils that crawled up, and reached out to grab him at his feet, and pull him down to fight with her. If he was a wizard, certainly he had something, right?

Akua didn't notice it until a moment later, that when she'd shattered the shield, something go through, and something had hit her, blossomed with blood. His hallex had caught her, she hadn't thought to consider it, and she sneered, before she took a hand, hot like molten lava, and pressed it to her stomach, as if to cauterize it, as she took a step away. ]

If you are a wizard, then fight me like a true one, instead of some feathered beast of the night. [ Her voice raw, and furious, and wracked with pain. ] Can you only attack from the sky, or are you more clever than that?

[wolof]

I would assume not. Most members of the legions wouldn't see the Dread Empress, unless they were getting a medal of some sort.

[ It's said blandly. She had already thought of them as soldiers, clearly. She shook her head. ]

If it is up to you all, are there not those that would make a world just as corrupt as the last? Why not improve what we have here, instead?

Or is it simply that the expedient path is the better one? Eradicate the rot, and hope that no new diseases will dare to replace it?

[ There's no judgement in her tone of voice, oddly enough. Only a question. ]

[dragonmount]

[ he really cannot believe abel would rather just have a conversation like this, shouting from one room to another, when rand has a perfectly good pair of legs —

but fine! fine! they're doing this. apparently. that's fine. ]

Egwene's mum would make these honeycakes, [ since after mentioning visions from venera twice in this conversation, there's no point to not mentioning egwene at this point, ] but I couldn't tell you how to make them.

[ he also doesn't trust abel near an oven, so maybe something sweet was a bad ask, actually. ]

[dragonmount]

[ akua he's had like three head injuries in the last thirty hours, he's trying,

which is to say: he follows her, because of course he does. he knows that tone of hers well enough, and truthfully he isn't inclined to be difficult here. akua always knows what she's doing. and, more importantly, he trusts her. if she says they're getting him out, then that's what's happening. so he follows, and he pauses when directed to, and he

flinches, hearing that snap and the accompanying cry. he isn't near enough to see what akua can, but he has his guesses of who just got hurt. and if he's right — light, if he's right — because he is, of course to blame —

but the beautiful thing about being here with akua is that she doesn't even have to know he's about to spiral before snapping him out of it. he focuses back on her, on the question, and

nods. it feels so easy to seize the Power now, with adrenaline surging through his veins. and it's a satisfying ask, isn't it? he'd tried to raze this prison when he first woke here, would have if amos hadn't stopped him, so a hole in the wall is nothing. ]

Show me where.

[ and when, goes unspoken, the most opportune moment. ]

[goldendeceiver]

[ Definitely neutral enough, but it does still give him a better idea why people got slotted into the cities they did. It was strategic on the Regent's part then, huh? Might as well keep this conversation going while he can. These small bits of information might not matter much, but any scraps he can get are better than nothing.

And also... ]

Best suited, huh? Have you done guard duty like this before?

[ He knows that she said he shouldn't underestimate her, but she still does look young. Ernesto has known young guards before this, but that was usually because they were too green to take out into an actual battle.

The Regent has to know the Pleroma won't actually sit still and let this happen without a pretty literal fight. After all, Ernesto is still assuming the Regent set this up as a trap. ]

[inutilis]

--Honeycakes!!

[ this is shouted with the sort of vigor of one having their Eureka moment, and Abel is immediately sprinting out of the kitchen a moment later, already heading for the front door of Ernesto's humble abode. ]

Honeycakes. Honeycakes, I'm on it. --Sit here. Lay here, even, don't you get up for anything. Do you hear me? Not unless this place is on FIRE, Rand, and even then, just shout loudly and hope someone hears you. Got it?! --I'll be right back!

[dragonmount]

Abel —

[ is said with the expectation of going unheard, and probably talked over, and here we are. because he'd like to say, you don't have to go anywhere, or getting up is not going to kill me, or why are you like this?

but instead, abel is bolting for the door and like, you know, this is happening. is rand getting used to this? he kind of is. at least abel is not going to try turning on any kitchen appliances. ]

I can put out a fire — [ why is he still trying, he asks himself, ] — fine, all right, I'll be here.

[inutilis]

Yes! --Good. Sit. Stay.

[ he pulls the door ajar, pointing a finger admonishingly and commandingly at Rand - STAY, boy. ]

I won't be long~! Rest. Eyes closed and everything, mm? --Count sheep!

[ --and then the door is slammed shut behind him with a muffled "s-- SORRY, sorry, that was louder than I--"

he's gone. and he will be gone about thirty minutes... is Rand being good in his absence?! still in bed when a certain priest makes his return...? ]

cw throat trauma, a lot of blood

[baltimores]

[ He doesn't have time for Misa's emotional retort, so he buries it, ignores anything else he might pick up from her. Ernesto's pain feels like a small victory, something in him rising up at the feeling demanding more, like a man dying of thirst in the desert and this is all that could possibly sate him. He's already going after Ernesto again as soon as he breaks free, the fact that he's down an arm relegated to the back of his mind. It's irrelevant. He feels like he's strong enough to tear Ernesto apart with a single hand, finds that's all he wants to do—

He's bleeding, is a distant thought in his mind, more aware of the sensation of it than anything that could be put into language.

Not from his arm. Well, yes from his arm, above where his skin had been turned to stone, but that's also irrelevant. It isn't—

His blood has already hit the ground between him and Ernesto, draining from a cut to his carotid artery, its path to his brain severed, his heart trying to pump more up and therefore out of him, and he's caught between two states of mind as he looks down at it spilling from him in what feels like slow motion.

He wants to grab at his neck and pinch it off.

He wants to grab at Ernesto's neck and tear his throat out.

He's still bleeding.

Barely even a second passes before he looks across at Ernesto, eyes wild, what's left of his mind made up. This is more important than anything else. He wants to do this more than anything else. He takes a step towards him, takes his blood with him. Takes another step towards him, hand outstretched to grasp at Ernesto, tear him apart—

Whatever had been powering him through this exhausts itself, his head going so light from both that whiplash and the blood loss — it hasn't stopped, it's over his shirt, there's a far too thick trail following him, he's been stepping in it, he's still adding to it — and Amos' gaze leaves Ernesto's, eyes fluttering as he collapses. ]

[aquaveiled]

Quite a few things, but...

[ She lowers her hand to return to her ministrations. Healing Rand up is the main objective here, after all. ]

One of my main responsibilities was to save my star from destruction. [ A beat. ] Which is, as my understanding of your legends go...one of the things you're supposed to be doing too, isn't it?

[dragonmount]

[ listen.

you know what's deathly boring? laying in bed and staring at the ceiling, even when you have things like wonder what father abel nightroad is doing to occupy your mind. and maybe, left alone without being fussed over, he can even admit that he might be looking forward to some food, and he might even be drowsy.

but he is also famously stubborn as a mule. so he does sit for some time (maybe five, ten minutes?), and then he gets bored, and then he considers that can't very well leave the sword hilt on the bed. so he sets it safely on some surface out in the living area, and maybe just double-checks that abel didn't leave any kind of havoc in the kitchen area, and if not....then....go back into the bedroom. maybe even lay down, just a little... ]

[deushexmachina]

I would rather it didn't come to that. [He's earnest in his statement.] But — I also understand. The necessity. [It's permission; Jayce wouldn't hinder Akua's methodology, not if she could get the results. He winces soon as he commits these words, Viktor's phantom words echoing against the back of his skull.]

All for the greater good, of course.

[inutilis]

[ oh, Rand. oh, you sweet, sweet boy. oh... you sweet, sweet, foolish boy. what have you wrought...

Abel is nudging the door open at around the thirty minute mark, a paper bag underneath an arm as he pokes his head into the common area, making sure that nothing has been disturbed or, as previously mentioned, on fire. refreshing! it isn't!!! wonderful news.

so he comes in properly (much more quietly than he left) before making his way to the bedroom, and on the way

he might

spot the sword hilt sitting unobtrusively and innocently in the living room.

...a pair of footsteps approach the bedroom door much more slowly than before. heavy footfalls come closer, and then closer still. the door creaks... slowly ajar to permit the tall figure of a man to be seen, bag still clasped under his arm and old-fashioned glasses curiously catching the light just right to leave the lenses gleaming. ]

Rand.

[ Rand... al'Thor. ]

I don't suppose you sustained some sort of permanent brain injury I should know about. Just out of idle curiosity.

[dragonmount]

[ his eyes open, and

oh no.

innocent as a lamb, ]

I'm lying down!

[ he is!! just look at him!!! ]

[inutilis]

Oh! So am I to believe the hilt of your sword got up and walked itself onto the table out here?! MY, I had no idea what a good smithy could do these days, pardon meee~ee!

[ he is tossing the bag at Rand-- it's light, of course, so even if it lands somewhere bruised or uncomfortable, it won't elicit anything more than a gentle ouchie. just a little ow, a booboo owie, a teeny agh. ]

I warned you. I gave you ONE simple job, and here we are.

[ dragging a chair to Rand's bedside, he sits it backward so he can cross his arms over its back, settling the boy with a decidedly menacing stare. ]

Now? I'm not leaving until you've eaten, drank a good bit of water, and had a solid night's rest. No complaints. You have nothing but yourself to blame, see? This is called 'reaping what you sow.'

[goldendeceiver]

[ It doesn't matter too much to Ernesto that people actually know the etymology of what to call him, but it sure is nice to be called the right thing. He'll even give a little friendly wag of the tail at Johnny's hasty (if not somewhat dismissive) agreement to it.

Though it doesn't last long, because unfortunately for them right now, the answer to that is no. He does laugh a little uncertainly at that question though. ]

I'm not sure an actual dog would be able to either.

[ Prison walls tend to be built thick. ]

I do have pretty good hearing, but unfortunately the Kenoma haven't had any need to detail the layout of the prison anywhere I've been able to overhear them.

[wolof]

[ She can't help it, the laugh that escaped her. ]

For the cause, yes.

[ The difference is key, for someone so wrapped in Villainy that she'd purposefully drawn the eyes of below, and forced them to let her intercede for them. ]

If we have no other recourse, we will have to act, to ensure those that haven't considered the alternatives, to do so.

cw: throat trauma, blood

[lifespanned]

[ Akua's sparks do what they're meant to— Misa's forced to lower her gaze to shield her eyes from staring directly at them - though not before she can tell just who is the one who sent them. It's that woman from before, the one who had been so curious about the Regent's ideal world. With her blade drawn, she fully means to make a break for them, not particularly afraid of facing off against two well-known magic users, or at least, much less as she should be as an ex-relatively normal girl. She takes one, two quick paces towards them before—

A thud.

Instantaneously, she whips her head back around, as the sound had reverberated much too heavily to have come from Ernesto. Her eyes go directly to the blood already spilt on the ground, traveling up shakily to the source, and... her mind just goes blank. Time seems to come to a screaming halt, an incessantly loud ringing in her ears drowning out any further communications between Rand, Akua, and Ernesto, and all color drains from her rosy face. Perhaps her horror is made more evident by the distinct lack of an immediate sound that comes from her, or by her obvious stumble in her rush to dart back down the stairs, uncaring if she misses steps or trips over herself in the process. In an instant, she completely abandons her pursuit for Rand. The first word she can choke out, in a voice cracking with dry terror: ]

Amos!

[ Her eyes are already on him as she comes down, the stone enchantment creeping steadily up and over his shoulder and blooming over into his chest in all directions. She's in such a rush, she doesn't bother to think I told you so, nor does she think of the potential danger of getting so close to Ernesto himself. As things are, she can't even lift her eyes to look at what he's doing, or where he's going to begin with, if she has any hope of saving Amos's life.

As soon as she's close enough, she skids onto her knees with a painful desperation, delicate hands closing over the wound as tightly as she's able, blood running hot and thick through her fingers despite all her efforts. She's trembling, cold sweat dripping down wetly from her chin. ]

...No! No, this can't be happening....

[ Not again. Her words are quiet, said hastily to herself and for herself, almost like a mantra. She never wanted to lose anyone again like this. She thinks of her mother, pale and twitching, bleeding out from the neck in their family home - of how she could do nothing but watch, cowering away in the corner and hoping to every and any deity out there that she wasn't next. Back then, there was nothing she could've done— but now, she can do something. She has to do something. Misa chokes on a sob, still unable to lift her head or look anywhere else - all she's focused on is holding his neck closed, waiting for her enchantment to reach where her hands lay. Only when it's beginning to get there does she have the mental capacity to call for help, her voice thoroughly panicked and raw, and undoubtedly audible to all of the Pleroma present. ]

Ciel! Emet! Somebody, please...

[chronosynthesis]

No, I'm all right. [He shakes his head, lifting his gaze to Abel while holding the bread midair.]

Be careful out here. [And then he finally takes a bite.]