EVENT #6: BY HEAVEN OR HELL (WRAP-UP)

[aionmods]

By Heaven or Hell

THE SNARE (cw: gore)

Above Achamoth, blow after brutal blow is rained down upon the Sanctifier. It's fiery wings have been drowned by the abyssal waters of Childe's corrupted voyager, and its chest torn open by the Regent's power. Though it tries to flee, it is assailed from all sides, tearing away scales and burning flesh, its eyes blinded with blood and infection. Even its roar has been torn, the damage to its throat leaving its thundering voice strangled and broken. As Childe's lance drives through the top of its skull and out the bottom of its jaw, it seems that its demise must be imminent.

Yet, this is a creature of the Pleroma. Fueled by a force that fights for life at all costs, the Sanctifier is denied an easy rest. Fitting, perhaps, that its host refuse just as vehemently. Within this ravaged body, Estinien Wyrmblood still struggles, even as each breath is choked by blood and blinding pain. He refuses. He's not ready to be mourned. He's not ready for the fight to end. Himeka, Abel, Hayame... he'd told them... he'd told them he would stay by their side...

On faltering wings, the Sanctifier makes a final effort. The Pleroma responds to Estinien's resolve, and the fire within it ignites in a desperate burst, driving it to escape this city and defend its comrades. Estinien will feel his soul seared with the intensity of his wish, burning him up in the overwhelming light of this undying sun. All the while, the power of the Innocence holds his spirit close, as if hoping to shield him from what is to come. It pleads with him to relent, as it knows this course, and he will not return the same.

With that surge of light, it seem for a moment that the Sanctifier may actually accomplish it, that its wings might ferry it away from the shadows that bite at its heels. However, it's not to be. Not with the trap that's been set, but he Kenoma and their master.

Darkness swells at six points around the city. Six void-dark spears, deposited by the Regent's most trusted followers, activate as the Regent aims their final shot. Six rays of the abyss pierce Achamoth's sky, each one piercing through the Sanctifier's core, stopping its desperate effort before it can truly begin. Though the bolts of darkness seem to stretch for for miles at first, gradually the blur of shadow fades, resolving in the great dragon's body run through by spikes of purest Kenoma. The Sanctifier crumbles, the light of its form dissolving, one last broken cry of agony escaping.

The arrangement of spears holds true with the shift of its form, and as the light of the Pleroma leaves him, instead there is only Estinien. Instead of a colossal dragon, one man bears the wounds of the Sanctifier, his torso ravaged by the spears piercing it and the Regent's power, held in place despite the futile twitches of his battered wings. Just as the Sanctifier was missing a claw, he is missing a finger, and blood pours from his forehead where a lance just was, down through the bottom of his mouth. Ichor drains from one brutalized eye, the other opened wide with shock despite its visible pains.

Estinien tries to speak, but cannot. His hands struggle to pry a spear free from his chest, but he finds no purchase. His broken body hangs above the city for several seconds, as if on display, before an orb of void envelopes him and he disappears.

A FINAL BENISON

After the agonizing end of the Sanctifier, the presence of the Innocence will linger around the spirits of the Pleroma for a short time, as if allowed to disperse in the absence of the creature it was sustaining. There is a mournful weight to its essence, and softly, the Pleroma will hear it speak:

I failed... I have failed you... Again...

The presence is already beginning to fade, but those already touched by the Innocence will feel its power flare up within them, like a new candle lit from one almost burned to its end.

Please... do not despair... continue on... and find the peace I could not give you...

With that it goes silent, disappearing along with its host.

[OOC: Several characters will be receiving PMs regarding this.]

REGENT'S REPRISAL

The protective light of the Sanctifier fades, and the Pleroma will find themselves prematurely awash in a furious Achamoth, their enemies having multiplied from from a mere two dozen Aions to hundreds, if not thousands of Horosians. The military, having been rendered helpless for most of this struggle, are eager to pick up the slack, firing with what offensive magic they hold and alchemy enhanced weaponry. Even civilians, furious and humiliated by what they perceive as Pleroma tricks, will begin to lash out, throwing what improvised weapons they might have and shouting abuse; anything to help destroy these invaders.

The shadows of the city, having been swelling since the beginning of the Sanctifier's fall, will seem to chase the Pleroma through the streets. Like violent ghosts, specters of darkness pursue them, lashing out with intangible claws that feel like shocks of cold torment. Sometime, they may even land small physical blows, like claw marks and bruises left by unseen spirits. These malformed spirits shriek with suffering and discontent, but only Aions seem to perceive them. Those with Tier 2 attunements will have the clearest gaze of ethereal forms, like the wretched, half remembered remains of people and creatures long past.

FROM THE SKIES

As the void swallows Estinien, Seekers & Visionaries of both sects are hit with a series of images flashing through their mind; thick green forests, a tall mountain sitting apart, a golden eye barely concealed by smoke. Red scaled lids close once only to sharply pull back as the eye widens swallows all around it. The vision fades in an instant.

A chorus of unfamiliar roars and screeches echo across the Citadel. Where one dragon once stood, dozens now swarm the air above the gathered Aions. These dragons appear in all sizes and patterns, some with scales hardened like wood or stone while others appear feathered and nearly birdlike. Any Pleroma who have spent time in Greentruth may recognize the shapes as shadows that have passed in the canopy overhead even if they have not crossed the paths of these dragons before. Reinforcements.

A little too late.

The dragons descend upon the Citadel led by a familiar figure; Tehri of the Deep Mists rides atop one of the largest of the dragons as they all come to land on the stony ground at the Pleroma front. They will provide cover for those looking to leave the battlefield and a flight back to Greentruth. If there are Pleroma who are staying to fight longer, a few dragons will wait around the edges until all battles have ceased. They are only dragons, so they could come under fire by the Kenoma should attacks be made.

Tehri stays on the largest dragon as it rears its head above the siege of the ire of the dead. She stands tall atop it, extending her arms as a cool blow envelopes her hands. A rush of cold air pushes forth as a thick mist forms in the courtyard, obscuring vision for all but a few feet in front any person. The Regent's malformed spirits are left confused and without direction, but will attack any Pleroma they do manage to find. The mists linger for several hours after the last Pleroma has fled Achamoth.

WRAP-UP

Returned to their homes of choice, each Aion will be free to recover and carry on with their daily affairs. Word of the assault on Achamoth gradually spreads across Horos, prompting startled reactions its populace. Has the Pleroma truly been so brazen? Had the dragon in the sky truly been as grand as they say? Had the dragon of the wood truly answered in turn? The raid will eventually be a hot topic of discussion in every corner of the continent, though there were few non-Achamite eye witnesses. It can be expected that the details will be exaggerated, understated, and misunderstood wildly.

❖ IMPORTANT NOTES

◆ REGENT'S RESPONSE: After the Pleroma have left the city, the Kenoma will receive a communion from the Regent whether or not their shards are exposed. Their multi-toned voice will express contentment with the outcome of the struggle, explaining that they have successfully captured the Innocence and its host. With this link to its power claimed, they have what they need to end its threat. Kenoma will be welcomed to join them in their throne room to see this done a few days after the battle, but attendance is not mandatory. There will be a short NPC log posted to cover this, though we will warn that the Innocence's 'execution' will be fairly gruesome, so if you have a more uncertain Kenoma whom you don't want to scare off the path, it may be best to not have them attend.

◆ DRAGONS ENGAGED: As the majority of the PVP and PVE finishes up, there are dragon NPCs available to battle against at your discretion. We will not thread these battles, but if any Kenoma would like to try to take out one of the dragons, they can reply below and we will do a mod roll for their success. Any killed dragons may be dealt with as desired in Achamoth. There won't be a Kenoma knock out mechanic for this, unless players specifically want to be mangled by a dragon.

◆ STATE OF ACHAMOTH: Achamoth managed to avoid any irreparable mass destruction as a result of the raid, though there were some 'presumably Pleroma' assaults on civilian infrastructure that will be highly talked about in coming weeks, including the looting of a few houses, attempted arson of a church, and the attempted destruction of a factory. While the Sanctifier was not purposely attacking Achamite civilians, its battle with the Kenoma did result in some casualties among both the military and civilian population, while other soldiers were slain by the Pleroma on the ground. (Or, in one case, one of the Kenoma?) Multiple watchtowers were destroyed by the dragon's throes. In general, Achamoth is furious about this, and more hateful towards the Pleroma than ever.

◆ RECONVENING IN GREENTRUTH: Once back in Greentruth, Tehri will send a communion to all the Pleroma and ask them to attend, if they can, the first Aion Council meeting in early Sekiseri. She encourages all to take the time to heal both physically and mentally in the days to come. The council meeting Tehri is requesting will take place in September. This will be offered as part of a mini-event log where characters will be able to discuss with one another and speak with Tehri directly.

◆ VALLEY OF THE INNOCENT: Any Aions passing through the Innocent's Shrine will notice that, following the Innocence's 'execution', the once lush valley's plant-life is starting to die off in what is clearly a non-seasonal manner. Locals will say that the valley is generally in a state of eternal spring, and this is the first time they've seen it suffer like this. The death of the flora here is not complete or immediate, but it is devastating considering the valley's former state of perfection.

◆ SEKISERI: There will be no game-wide event in September, but there will be some NPC activity of various flavors. Players will be free to plot their own activities as they will.

Comments

[devilmancrybaby]

No, [ he insists, even though he is well aware that if he fell right now, as opposed to with his usual constitution, he would die. ] I'm not--

[ He breaks off as J launches into that roll, holding on more tightly. Ah, he realises, relieved: the demon is teasing him. He doesn't have to try to persuade him that he's not some feeble coward who deserves be dropped. That's alright, then. He forces himself to relax a little as the air rushes past him, even though the roll makes him feel a little lightheaded.

As J's flight evens out again, Luo Binghe looks up at him, pouting. ]

You--are you sure?

[tohell]

Absolutely. Cross my heart and everything.

The Regent won't look kindly upon anyone who harms even a hair on your head, including myself. [ For just the briefest moment, he glances down to meet Luo Binghe's gaze. For the tyke's efforts in demanding his attention, a wide smile etches across J's features. ] Those who do won't enjoy their premature curtain call.

[ As soon as the Citadel's entry comes into full focus, a pack of tiny Kislepke are roused into the nearby airspace as J flies over them. ]

Speaking of sudden death- [ Whatever toppled fruit stand they've been ransacking is decimated and it's contents now rest in very round, protruding bellies. Which is a blessing in disguise, because otherwise the two of them may have been in dire trouble. Small as they are, a minor fleet of these miniature terrors could still bite and tear a Kenoma target, in revenge for what's befallen the Sanctifier. ] We have company.

Try not to let go, Squirt. [ Attempting to simply out distance them with a burst of brute speed, J's wings propel them on to put some space between J, his stowaway and the chirping pack of ankle-gnawing dragonkin. ]

I have a few things left on my bucket list to cross off before I kick it.

[devilmancrybaby]

[ Ugh, these wretched little dragons. Luo Binghe keeps the sneer of irritation off his face, but he bets if he wasn't like this right now he could just blow the little bastards up.

His eyes water a little with how fast they're going, something else he'd be able to prevent if he had his cultivation--although, of course, if he had his cultivation, he'd be flying on his own sword, not clinging onto someone else like this.

(But isn't it kind of nice to have an excuse...?)

He peers back past J's huge wings to watch the dragons swarm after them, holding on as tightly as ever as the demon speeds up. A few of the Kislepke are able to push themselves hard enough to keep up briefly, but the pack soon falls behind, leaving Luo Binghe to focus on other things to try to avoid thinking too much about being under the Regent's protection. ]

...What is... a bucket list?

cw: hypothetical death mention

[tohell]

[ Between the speed they're flying at and the close location of the Citadel to the square, they arrive in time to avoid suffering any injury more grievous than one painful nip upon J's tail, when a few of them get close. And he's sure to kick that little pest aside with his pawed foot, after giving an audible yelp of surprise at the offense, with every intention of sending it flying off into another direction.

Instead of trying to make a quick landing in front of the Citadel's massive doors, where the pair will have to wait around for someone to undo the likely barricade keeping enemy forces out, J chooses to enter through his window, high above Achamoth's streets.

He kept it open after dropping Barnaby off in his room earlier, with the hunch he may need to make a quick entry. There's nothing of any real value kept in this facsimile of an intimate space to miss its absence, should someone have broken in through the window to commit theft. J is too suspicious of the circumstances they've been placed within to trust that the Kenoma Aions aren't being spied on in some way. So anything important, he keeps hidden in discreet locations elsewhere, or tucked on his person.

With the open window welcoming them in, J only has to worry about slowing down before they make their entry. A tuck of wings and an extension of his feline-shaped feet to the floor makes certain their descent is a surprisingly graceful one. Even if it takes him a moment to stop the forward momentum hauling them onward. After a few jolting steps, J stills enough to check on the bundle in his care, and offer the air outside the window a thoughtful glance.

Something keeps the Kislepke wary of breaking into J's room, or perhaps the Citadel itself. The aura of the Regent, radiating off their stronghold, may potentially be too strong for such small creatures. Or, it could be the scent of so many Aions living under one roof, their collective bodies housing a vast amount of Kenoma essence, that the location reeks of danger to the sensitive dragons. Whatever the case may be, the little pack veer away to pursue easier targets to nip and paw at.

Now that the coast is clear, J can finally consider answering Luo Binghe's inquiry with the measured calm he prefers. With a stroll over to one of the decorative chairs in his room, J bends down to deposit Binghe into one by simply opening his arms and letting the rugrat plop down. It's not an unkind move, but something full of mischief, considering that he ruffles Luo Binghe's hair afterward. ]

To answer your question, a bucket list is merely an itinerary one wants to accomplish before they die. [ With a comb of fingers, J sweeps the disaster of his windswept hair away from his own face. ] Think of it as something of a To Do List, full of tasks to check off.

It's meant to incentivize someone into doing things they never would have taken the time to accomplish in their normal, mundane lives.

[devilmancrybaby]

[ Binghe winces slightly as he pulls his knees up to his chest on the chair, watching J with large round eyes. The 🥺 expression is a little bit deliberate, but he doesn't have to try very hard to pretend when he's just had his hair ruffled like that. Like he's a cute little kid. No one ever acted like he was a cute little kid when he was an actual child, even as a joke. ]

Your don't have a normal, mundane life, though, right...?

[ He holds his good leg to him and looks around the room, taking in J's preferences in decor. He needs to try to leave as soon as he can, but he's so tired, and his whole body hurts, and he wants to be patted on the head again. He wonders, if he tries to leave, will J let him?

He forces himself to lower both legs to the ground and, a little shakily, stand up, so he can bend his small body in half in a deep bow. ]

Thank you, for saving me. This is... the Citadel, isn't it? I think can make my own way to the children's quarters, so, you don't need to worry.

[ He means the Citadel's orphanage, of course, where the children the Regent takes in to be raised as loyal soldiers and priests are housed. If he can hide out there until he returns to normal, no one will need to know this happened to him... ]

[tohell]

[ Surpassing all his peers, J had already lived for more than seven hundred years. He's seen the rise and fall of numerous civilizations the way a child might observe a colony of ants as they struggle and die throughout their simple little lives, and spent his days in the company of everyone from kings and lords to the most sinister and twisted of evildoers.

After living so long and seeing so much, what doesn't become mundane? He can't deny that an invading dragon has been something of an adrenaline rush. The fallout from its assault had even propelled him into action in the moments directly after. But that and everything else eventually bleeds away into a life lived into dull perpetuity. ]

You'd be surprised. [ That having been said, Luo Binghe himself provides something of an even stronger distraction. Raised by a benefactor that had pulled J off the streets at approximately this age, the demon is rarely so intrigued by anything than someone who resembles parts of what he once was or what he needed and never got with his own master.

When he'd taken in the only other ward besides Makoto who could survive the combined efforts of Hell and J's impossible demands, that child had been even younger. But Datenshou, much like Luo Binghe, had been an obedient little mite and had been the last of his kind- so J had taken him under his wing. An old habit of salvaging strays carried over from his guardian. Only for the Archduke, it was not without the ulterior motive of shaping them into an equal that rivaled his own power. Now, as another child stands before him, J allows himself the momentary diversion of tending to his needs. ]

I'm not so callous as to let a wounded child limp through the Citadel's hallways without seeing to their injuries first. [ Wouldn't that get the rumor-mill all abuzz with gossip, that he's brutalizing strays picked up from heaven knows where. Thankfully, the demon is smarter than to saddle himself with accusations, should someone misunderstand where the child's injuries came from, upon exiting J's room. ] But before we get into all of that, I am dying to know one thing.

Why is that your choosen destination? [ J busies himself with drawing over to a table filled with books, where several piles of them support an oblong silver tray. As he plucks it up to stride over to the child, its contents reveal themselves to be finger-foods. There are all manner of cheese, slices of meat and assorted fruit in the middle, encircled by a line of crackers and small pieces of bread around the perimeter. It's barely been touched. The contents are still fresh and neatly arranged, apparently not yet picked at by the demonic gourmand that had requested the luxurious snack. Without explaining his generous mood, J sets the smorgasbord on the little side table next to Luo Binghe in offering. ]

Unless you're a very new addition, I haven't seen your face among the assortment of orphans here.

[devilmancrybaby]

[ Luo Binghe looks up at him in surprise. Is this guy keeping track of the orphans...? Who does that?? ]

It... hasn't been long since my mother died. [ He lets his voice quaver over that a little, which isn't hard to do, if he's talking about his mother. ] That's why I was outside the Citadel today, I wasn't supposed to, but, I wanted to make sure there wasn't anything... left behind... where she...

[ He trails off, staring at his grubby bare feet. If they were in his own quarters, he thinks, he wouldn't allow something this dirty on the furniture... ]

[tohell]

[ With such a wide gap between the stature of a child and that of a demon that towered over most, Luo Binghe looks even more miniscule with how he's scrunched himself nearly in half by bowing in J's direction. The show of gratitude isn't lost on a creature who treats any who misbehave to a harsh lesson in discipline, and rewards those who show obedience towards his whims. More fascinating than that is the story Luo Binghe begins to weave that whets an appetite for more, not less, of this pathetic little tyke's unfinished tale.

Parents held no sway over him the way this youngster mourns a mother now stolen away too soon, but the loss of his benefactor still lingers. Hundreds of years later, J had built a castle from the ground up, to match his Master's. Everything in it mirrored from top to bottom, but only with replicas of originals locked away in a place he was forbidden entry to. He knows what it's like to be denied ownership of the trinkets belonging to a loved one, after they've died. Nothing was left to him but the medallion J forever wore on his person, that had been eventually bequeathed to Makoto.

Watching Luo Binghe now from the corner of his periphery sets J's mouth into a flat line of thought. Then the demon is all in motion again. He steps in front of the child, broad palms settled onto tiny shoulders, in order to coax Binghe out of his bow. Then, with some added pressure, J can gently ease him back down into the chair once more without too much disturbance to his wounded leg.

In his long life, J has known so many who have placed some kind of ownership over him. But none of those monsters had compared to one person who had received everything one could give another soul, from desire to adoration, only because Wald had earned it. So J knows, better than most, that sort of devotion doesn't come undeserved. ] To raise a child who would risk life and limb over a memento...

She must have loved you very much, to be worthy of such devotion. [ J's hand settles at the crown of Luo Binghe's head, allowing the child time to avoid eye contact with the demon that had rendered him so shaken, he practically falls over his words in a wash of grief. ]