aionlogs | EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (VENERA)

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EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (VENERA)

Sovereign Citizens

VENERA

In contrast the Aion's last visit, they now arrive in Venera on a completely average day... or so it seems. Unlike Godsblood, Venera has been given no warning as to what's about to befall it; the Kenoma are simply authorized to arrive and begin their bloody work without fanfare. Even their entourage of Achamite soldier don't stick out that much; in the time since the plague left, the city has refilled with occupying forces. Notably, the Hylician ones seem to be keeping out of the way, almost as if they've heard some things and would rather not be involved too closely in what's to come.

As opposed to the ghost town it was during the plague, Venera is now reasonably active, with most attending to their usual business. Shops are open, and its people are withdrawn but superficially friendly when meeting strangers. Initially, the targets of the Kenoma hit list will have no way of knowing what's coming for them, but after the first couple attacks word will begin to spread. Those that have recently been engaging in seditious behavior will become harder to find, leaving their usual homes and workplaces to stay elsewhere, and making other attempts to escape the Regent's attention.

Once those alerts have been raised, the Kenoma will have to engage in more detective work to find their targets, questioning other Venerans and seeking out fugitives in the homes of their family and friends. In the meantime, some of those who believe they are in danger may become desperately enough to seek out the Pleroma directly, imploring them for aid. Unfortunately, seeking out one sect may just as easily draw the attention of the other. Most uninvolved Venerans will be too terrified to intervene one way or another, reluctant to aid in the persecution of their neighbors but fearful of consequences. If your Aion travels openly, it will take some effort to pin them down long enough to hold a conversation.

SEEDS OF DESPAIR

Several days into the culling of Venera, the Aions will have witnessed the city gradually withdraw into itself. The streets become vacant as more and more people decide it isn't worth the risk to be seen outside, abandoning work and play alike to hide out in their homes, refusing to answer their doors to all except the most desperate pleading. Those that can't avoid their daily obligations are quiet and morose, trying their best to remain unseen and unremarked upon.

If your character has been observed as a Kenoma, either now or in their previous visits to the city, the citizens will look upon them as if they are the messengers of death. If you are seen as a Pleroma, they will resist your gaze, as if fearing your presence alone might leave them marked. In rarer cases, you will see those with stronger spirits, with glares of hatred or determination. They are powerless now, but seeds have been sewn, and whether they are the seeds of despair or of action are yet unclear.

By the time the Kenoma's hit list has been fully addressed, several have been killed and several more have been rushed from their homes to flee the city entirely. There have been holes left in the tapestry of the community they were once part of. One way or another, their absence will be felt keenly by those they left behind.

QUESTIONS

What is the best way for Aions to travel to Venera?
Estinien has plans to get an early start for the Pleroma by teleporting to the Lover's shrine and flying somewhere closer to set up a portal from the ocean caves near the Godsblood Lodestone to a spot of farmland closer to Venera. Paul will be setting up a portal directly from Achamoth to one of the Achamite outposts in Venera.

How much force can the Kenoma use while interrogating Venerans?
While they are generally not permitted to kill Venerans who haven't tried to physically fight them, they will be permitted to apply both physical and mental pressure upon those that refuse to provide them with information regarding the whereabouts of their targets. This duress should be proportional to the resistance the Veneran is offering. The Regent is not inviting them to terrorize Venera on a level to a level they cannot reasonably blaim themselves for.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Matt sighs, a soft, pleased breath, as Liem leans his head on him.

He's not happy, of course, but feeling Liem's touch brings a sense of comfort. It makes him feel like he's actually doing something good for him. His arm slips down around Liem's waist, following his shift closer, and his palm rubs gently at Liem's side: up to his ribs, down to his hip. It strikes Matt as strange how easy this feels--his missing hand isn't really a hindrance at all, not with Liem drawn up against his right side. He guesses you always end up with awkwardly placed arms in bed. ]

We can find out more than what they tell us. [ Matt's been frustrated by this very thing himself, but saying it to Liem, he finds he believes it. ] I did that--when I saw the Innocence. There are things out there that are bigger than them. Bigger than all of us. [ He turns his head, his nose nearly brushing Liem's temple. ] I know it's hard. These times are always hard. The scriptures I know talk about it as a moral decay ... they say it like, thinking of duty and social order like a bull that starts off with four legs, then loses one, then finally only has one left. It's hard to stand like that.

But I'm still going to try.

[When Matt’s arm slides around him, nothing outside of their little rooftop sanctuary changes. The city remains unknowingly balanced on the edge of a war for the lives of more than a dozen of its citizens. Horos still squirms under the Regent's thumb, and existence continues to rot at the seams. Everything that had been threatening to crash down around Liem a second before still hangs poised and ready to fall apart.

But although none of that stops being true, the contract is still sanctuary. Liem’s worries seem more willing to wait while he nestles against Matt’s side. His breathing eases.]

It sounds impossibly difficult, [he murmurs.] But I suppose our task bordered on impossible right from the beginning.

[Carefully, he lifts his head to look over at Matt, very conscious of his nearness. The arm wrapped around his bent leg fidgets, considering abandoning its perch.]

And… we still have at least two legs left between the both of us.

[ Matt meets Liem's gaze with curious hazel eyes. The alcohol has kicked in sufficiently that it takes him a moment to focus, but he can't think of anything right now that's more important than comforting Liem. Listening to what he has to say. The change in Liem's breathing, though slight, confirms for Matt that this is the right thing to do.

--Then Liem says the thing about legs, and he laughs in surprise. No louder than a gust, his breath warm and scented with liquor. ]

Yeah. That's true. [ Though I'm losing limbs at an alarming rate, he manages not to say. ] So between the two of us, we're like, what, one whole moral degenerate? That's not so bad. I like our odds, actually.

[ He doesn't like their odds. But there's something oddly liberating in foregoing hope, per se, and leaning instead on determination. It leaves one not so attached to the outcome. ]

[Liem’s expression brightens a little when he manages to surprise that ghost of a laugh from Matt. The small sound makes him want to coax out something warmer and more genuine, just to see what it would sound like—what it would look like. The only time he can remember seeing Matt look actually happy was months ago, in sickness-fuelled daydreams.

He finds himself glancing down at his mouth, and meets his gaze again almost guiltily.]

I would have said… like two moral degenerates who might prop each other up.

[Despite the tenor of Matt’s response, the quiet words seem earnest. He smiles faintly.]

Although… I wouldn’t have used that word to describe you.

Hmph, [ Matt says, amused, ] well. Correction accepted. I wouldn't want to imply that amputees aren't whole.

[ That still might be too black a joke for the moment, so Matt tries to glide past it. His hand drifts up and down Liem's side once more, thumb stroking over the arch of his hipbone through his clothes. ]

What word would you have used to describe me?

[ The question practically asks itself, baited on the hook of Liem's words. Of his soft expression--soft, but not so sad anymore. Matt says it quietly, like he's approaching a wary forest creature and trying to coax it into eating from his hand; he doesn't stop touching him. ]

[Liem's expression turns a hair more uncertain at the black colour of Matt's joke, given how close it brushes to reality. The almost ever-present furrow between his brows deepens.]

I would have said… something kinder.

[Maybe degenerate isn't entirely wrong; this world hasn't been kind to any of them, and Matt doesn't seem immune to Achamoth's penchant for encouraging its citizens to lean on vice. And ultimately, all of them in the Kenoma's service are sullied by what they seek to achieve. But it would be a disservice to let that single word define him.

Liem turns toward him, his bent leg sliding back to the stone. His nose brushes Matt's cheek. His breath kisses his lips.]

Colleague, perhaps.

[Colleague is such a good, safe word; it could mean anything.]

My compassionate, stubborn colleague.

Oh.

[ Matt's breath catches, softly, at the brush of Liem's nose. He hasn't felt a touch like this in--

Well. Achamoth has no shortage of sex workers. And Matt values their labor, he really does. He's not sure he could have survived this long without them. But hiring someone for sex, no matter how pleasant their conversation or how skilled their foreplay, just isn't the same as something like this. The fluttering in the belly when you're not sure your interest will be reciprocated, the feeling of teetering on a precipice. Fly or fall.

Matt hums, very faint. His head tilts ever so slightly. ]

Then maybe I'd call you ...

[ All it takes is the tiniest of movements. The barest shift forward. And Matt's lips meet Liem's in a gentle kiss. ]

[In the moment following the catch in Matt’s breath, when his head tilts just so toward him, relief unravels Liem in one simple, easy motion. He feels it tug something free when Matt moves forward instead of back, and warm lips find his for the first time since before his world crumbled into rot. It stuns him almost breathless.

He melts into the kiss by careful degrees. The hand that had been hovering about his leg now alights on Matt’s chest, skating slowly up to his collar, his neck, wending its way to the line of his jaw. Gently. And he pauses for the space of a breath, hovering just beyond the reach of Matt’s lips, but he doesn’t pull away.

He hasn’t forgotten about his teeth, or the chill clinging to his breath. He hasn’t forgotten what he is—but in light of everything else ruling their lives, after the loss of every part of their worlds and the condemnation of whatever’s left, he hopes feverishly that it won’t matter. He hopes he’ll be allowed to lean on Matt despite everything, because Matt needs someone to lean on too and he’s the one who’s here. Selfishly, he hopes.

And he kisses him again.]

[ When their lips meet this time, the contact draws a soft noise from low in Matt's throat. It's a lorn, falling sound, as if some bone-deep want in him is being shaken loose. Matt would be embarrassed at how needy he sounds, but he needs this too badly to care.

Matt's head tilts to let the kiss deepen. His arm tightens around Liem's waist. Liem's mouth is cool against his, and when Matt's tongue nudges at the seam of Liem's lips, he notes sharp teeth. None of these things bother him; they're simply information, part of the textures and particulars that make up each irreplaceable person. Each one more than the sum of their parts, a jewel in the eye of the universe.

... Except, of course, that so many of those irreplaceable people have been lost. Ripped from the rotting brocade of existence. As Matt kisses Liem, stars collapse behind his eyes; algae blooms scum the surface of nearby nebulae, choking off what little persists. He clings to Liem harder, hoping that enough touch and enough closeness will anchor him to the here and now--will ground him here in his body, which is, at least, warm. At least alive. ]

[When Matt joked about not wanting to imply that amputees aren't whole, Liem had thought that it seemed to cut too close to reality for there to be any humour in it—and as he kisses him again, the noise he makes doesn't sound like it comes from someone whole. He's far too familiar with small, starved noises like that one to hear it as anything but desperate, anything but the sound of someone who has survived for far too long without something they need. He feels guilty as a throb of relieved recognition flares behind his ribs.

He feels Matt sink deeper into their kiss, feels the arm around his waist tighten, and he fits himself closer against him, abandoning the empty flask to loop his other arm around his neck. His lips part to admit Matt's tongue; his thumb strokes softly over his cheek. And he murmurs against his lips.]

Matt.

[There's a hint of heat in the word now, to match the warmth that has burned its way down his throat. He tips his head by the barest degree, grazing Matt's lower lip with his teeth.]

Mmm. [ Matt relaxes slightly when Liem pulls him closer, as if reassured that all this touch and closeness isn't going to dissipate. Likewise, after an initial shiver of surprise as Liem's teeth brush his vulnerable lower lip, Matt seems to soften, almost to melt against him. ] Liem ...?

[ There's a hint of amusement in his tone, almost teasing. Matt has turned at the waist to meet him, swaying forward until their chests are touching. His heart beats hotly against Liem's chest; somewhere at the back of his mind, he notes that Liem's heartbeat feels much slower than his own, and he takes a deep, even breath to try and match him. Matt exhales, warm and soft, against Liem's mouth. Making this effort is another way to ground himself in the moment, to lose himself in the contact in the way that used to come easy as breathing to him. Easier, maybe. It's not that it's difficult now, it's more that--as he told Liem a few minutes ago--everything now is so much harder than it was. ]

[Whatever Liem was going to follow up with, when Matt speaks in reply, some shred of self-awareness seems belatedly to place a staying hand on him. He hesitates where he is, wrapped around Matt as if he’s contemplating crawling right into his lap. Chagrin darkens his cheeks.]

Oh—

[This—whatever this is—he’s made it weird, hasn’t he. He notes the soft, fuzzy feeling at the edges of his thoughts, realizes how near-instantaneously he’d used Matt’s comforting physical contact as an excuse to come onto him. He experiences the familiar, crawling certainty that he is in the process of dragging his own meagre reputation through the mud all because of a lifetime’s loneliness and a moment’s impulse.

His hand retreats from Matt’s face as he withdraws just far enough to direct a cautious look at him.]

Am I being importunate?

[ As Liem pulls back, Matt can't help tightening his grip on his waist. Embarrassing. Borderline unethical. A moment later, he loosens his hold. He looks into Liem's face: his eyes searching, lips still slightly parted and breath coming quicker.

He notes that plum-bruise flush again with fascination. It's only his fascination, and the strength of Matt's want--the depth of his yearning and loneliness--that keeps him from laughing at the word importunate. His lips do twitch, but only for a moment before his expression softens. ]

No. [ His turn to stroke Liem's cheek with his fingertips. They trace the streak of gray at the other man's temple, and follow the shell of his pointed ear. ] You're being really sexy.

[ He leans close again, this time to brush the tip of Liem's nose with his own. Their target on the street below has been all but forgotten. ]

[Although Liem is the one who pulled back, he feels a pang of disappointment when Matt loosens the arm around his waist. He searches his face for a sign that he was right to stop—for relief, maybe, or awkwardness. But the twitch of his lips just seems amused, and his hazel eyes are untroubled.

Quietly, Liem lets out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He tips his cheek ever so slightly toward the brush of Matt's fingers, his lashes dipping slightly as his touch traces the shell of his ear.]

Hm.

[He turns the compliment over in his mind, not entirely sure how ideal an impression that is for him to be making when they're ostensibly here on a mission. But he lets his hand settle back on Matt's chest as he leans closer once more to brush their noses together. He shifts slightly nearer to skim the tip of his nose along the scar on his cheek.]

I promise I'm not usually like this when I'm working.

[ Matt sighs softly when Liem exhales, when his lashes dip under his touch. It's lovely, watching himself have this effect on a person. It sparks an insistent warmth in his belly, familiar and hungry.

Then Liem shifts forward, tip of his nose tracing the scar that Matt likes to imagine most people can't even see, and ... the contact isn't bad. It's just intimate. Startlingly so, for such a simple touch. Matt's next exhalation comes out shaky, his own lashes trembling. Then he chuckles. ]

Damn, [ he breathes. ] I wish you were, it'd make work a lot more exciting.

[ Matt tips his head to kiss him again. His hand slides into Liem's hair, curling around the nape of his neck, and for a moment, he hesitates. Then he shifts away from the wall, lets himself sink down--onto the roof, onto his back--and uses his grip to urge Liem down with him. On top of him, if he's willing to follow. ]

[Liem pauses where he is, lingering just a hair away from nuzzling Matt's cheek, when his touch is greeted with that unsteady breath. Fascination tugs his eyes to the flutter of his lashes, to the soft curve of his mouth. And makes him wonder what Matt would do if he brushed that same spot with his lips.

Matt's reply earns a raised eyebrow. He can't imagine a lot of work getting done in those circumstances—much like how they aren't getting any work done at the present moment. But considering the work they're meant to be doing, he can't find it in him to be especially bothered.

When Matt kisses him again, hand sliding into his hair, he makes a soft, pleased sound against his mouth. And with only the smallest of surprised hesitations when he sinks down onto the roof, he lets him pull him down with him, dragging his hand down his chest, his flank, his hip as he shifts on top of him, sliding one leg between Matt's with a small, satisfied hum.

He feels wonderfully warm beneath him, and his mouth is so inviting. Liem doesn't hesitate at all to accept its invitation and kiss him again.]

[ Liem comes along with him so beautifully, and he sounds so sweet. Matt's fingers knead into the muscle at the nape of Liem's neck, his lips parting for him as they kiss. His legs part too, just enough to admit Liem's thigh. Matt squirms pleasantly underneath him. It's thrilling to feel Liem's weight bearing him down, to arch his back just enough that every inch of contact between them articulates itself. Matt has only one false start, when his left arm moves to wrap itself around Liem's waist. It's second nature to him to scrub his free hand up a partner's back, fingers and palm mapping the muscle there--

But of course, he can't do that now.

Matt pulls his arm back down to his side. He'll leave it for the time being. He redirects his attention to Liem's mouth: catching his lip in his teeth, smudging kisses from the corner of his mouth down to his jaw. Matt nuzzles from there into the crook of his neck, where he leaves a sucking kiss. ]

[As Liem finds Matt’s mouth again in a slow, exploratory kiss, he shivers lightly, eyelids trembling, at the gentle pressure of fingers at the back of his neck. The arch of Matt’s body beneath his own beckons him, urging a brief squirm as he seeks the best way to fit against him. His hand slides from his hip down to his thigh, hitching it up to pull him flush against his hips.

The aborted movement of Matt’s arm sliding around his waist earns a brief skip in attention, a small “hm?” murmured against his mouth when he lets the arm fall away. But he’s too absorbed in their kisses to be completely distracted, especially when Matt’s lips wander down to his jaw. Liem sighs, tipping his head aside to invite him along the curve of his neck—and squirms again with a helpless flutter of breath as he sucks a dark bruise into the skin there.]

[ Matt really likes it when Liem grabs his thigh. His hips press up to meet Liem's, a soft but ecstatic sigh slipping out as his fingertips dig into the back of Liem's neck. They've only just started, so he's not too excited yet, but the push and slide of their hips feels amazing. Like a promise of more, more, more to come.

Matt pulls back slightly to survey his handiwork on Liem's neck. He notes the bruise with satisfaction, nuzzling into the spot. ]

Left a mark, [ he murmurs, lips moving against Liem's ear. His tongue flicks over the lobe; his teeth close on it in a slow drag. ] You can get me back if you want ... 'sonly fair.

[Matt's mouth feels so good on his neck. Liem has always loved attention there, more than almost any other place on his body—which seems only reasonable, given the places his own wandering mouth prefers to linger—and the attention there now sets his liquor-muddled head spinning. His lashes flutter as Matt finally pulls away, pleasure shivering over his skin when he nuzzles the damp mark.

And his eyes open again in surprise at the murmur by his ear.]

Really?

[Pleasure colours the word, drawing it out. Even when he's not intending to use them, he can't blame anyone who prefers not to have his fangs next to their neck.

He tips his head so he can look coyly back down at Matt.]

Where would you like it?

[ Matt pulls back far enough to grin up at him, near a beam. In the face of Liem's shifting expressions--first as pleased and startled as if he's just won a fabulous prize, then almost secretive--he can't help the crooked curl tugging at his own lips. His head falls back (gently) to the rooftop, lashes lidding in satisfaction. ]

On my thigh, [ he murmurs, a tease, and gives another push of his hips for emphasis. He grins at Liem quickly. ] But ... here.

[ Matt's shard is embedded into the left side of his neck. He lets his head turn to the other side, cheek brushing the rooftop, and arches his neck to bare the right side of his throat. Matt trails the tip of one finger down the line of muscle there, ending at the join of neck and shoulder, then lets his fingernail graze back up. ]

This is good too.

[Liem’s eyebrows make a break for his hairline as Matt gives him that provocative, long-lidded look to accompany his suggestion. The slightly incredulous expression he adopts in response suggests a pet owner regarding a naughty cat—one that’s being extra adorable to deflect from some act of household destruction. Liem has always been rather ambivalent about pets in general, and doesn’t tend to be swayed by their cuteness.

But if the intrigued glitter in his eyes is anything to go by, the same can’t be said about his feelings on the man underneath him.]

You minx, [he observes reprovingly, dipping his head to nip lightly at the line of Matt’s jaw. His hand scrubs slow, gentle circles over his thigh as he nuzzles along his neck in search of a home for his kiss.] I didn’t know I was in such shameless company.

[And, pausing his wanderings, Liem slides the tip of his tongue over Matt’s throat before sucking a kiss into the flesh there.]

[ Matt meets Liem's scandalized expression with a sweet smile of his own. He can't help wanting to play with him like this--his reactions are incredible, and Matt senses Liem doesn't totally mind being teased.

That reverie dissipates into a stunned laugh at the word minx, bright and tossed back to the sky. (Luckily, the market below is noisy enough that they don't draw attention--and even if they did, they're both too low to the rooftop to be spotted easily.) Matt's been called a lot of names in his time, some of which he even likes. But he's never been called a minx. ]

Oh, [ he sighs, thigh shifting under Liem's hand. His neck arches luxuriantly at the touch of his mouth, and he shoots Liem a breathless grin. ] That's me. Shame holds you back.

[ Matt says oh again, sharper this time, as Liem starts to kiss his neck in earnest. His hips roll against Liem's, seeking more of that addictive contact; his fingers curl over Liem's shoulder, then fist into the fabric of his shirt. ]

[Liem hadn't necessarily been expecting a laugh in response to his gentle admonishment. The bright sound flies into the air like a flock of colourful birds, tempting a smile from him as he nuzzles into Matt's neck. A soft, wanting sound escapes him, muffled by warm skin, at the roll of hips beneath his, and he rocks down against him to chase it. A long moment later, he pulls back from his kiss just enough to murmur against Matt's neck.]

Mm… It's doing a poor job of it right now.

[Usually shame holds Liem back quite effectively, but opportunities like this one present themselves to him so rarely. Now that he's already slipped into a moment's indulgence, he may as well properly enjoy it. He'll be berating himself later either way.

So he lingers at Matt's throat, sliding up to press another, softer kiss just beneath the line of his jaw. Then he draws back to finally admire the sanguine mark he's made.]

That looks so good on you…

[ This is one of Matt's favorite sensations in the universe: hips grinding against his while someone does things to his neck. Kissing, sucking, biting--he isn't picky as long as it makes his skin feel electric and hot, and Liem is doing an enviable job. Matt's hips squirm against him with fresh urgency.

Liem makes to pull back, and Matt loosens his hold just enough to allow it (though not enough to let go of his shirt). When Liem speaks--when he looks down at him in that arresting way--Matt breathes another rapt sigh. He wishes keenly that he could be touching more of him, and the urge comes out in a lowering of his lashes, a dip of his chin, and an earnest murmur: ]

Thank you for giving it to me.

[ Liem's sitting on him, so he probably can't help noticing exactly how much Matt liked getting that mark. Still, he feels the need to put words around it, to make a show of deference--even submission, if Liem likes. ]

EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (VENERA)

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