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

MOD CONTACT

[aionmods]

This is where you can ask the mods questions about the event scenario or pursue IC investigations about your character's surroundings. Attempts to engage with NPCs that don't have their own top level will default to summary interactions unless the thread moves towards needing dialogue. Please remember that responses will be limited by demand and mod availability.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: When investigating, please be specific about the approach your character is taking. Instead of asking "is there any information about X?", instead try something like "my character is speaking to these NPCs, what information can be obtained about X by chatting with them in a friendly manner?" What information you get back will depend both on where and how they are looking for something.

ESTINIEN'S FINAL MOMENTS (REACTIONS)

[coerthantorment]

It's finished.

Whatever hope he might have had moments before has been extinguished, lost in the maddening pain of his injuries and the spears of Kenoma piercing through him. Their touch is unbearable, but he finds himself incapable of speaking, let alone screaming.

He can barely remember who he is or what he came to this place for, as his bleached white eye wavers over the city streets below. There's... nothing. Nothing but the last few desperate movements of a wounded animal, trying to stop what is hurting it, but incapable of doing so.

[passio]

hello mods!

following the news of the valley, dextera will want to inquire about the unicorn from the villagers since he gets the feeling it’s pretty strongly tied to the innocent/the valley in general. he’ll start off with some pretty basic questions about general unicorn lore, are there any stories of sightings, even if they’re only “my great great great grandfather knew someone who saw the unicorn’s tail one time”?

he’s pretty distraught about the state of the valley since he’s a frequent visitor; he’s probably brushed through this village a few times, too.

[leicesters]

Thank you for the event, mods!

How intelligent are these particular dragons/are they capable of speech? Would Claude be able to persuade one to let him ride it so he can provide some covering fire from above for the Pleroma as they retreat to the other dragons? He's an experienced wyvern rider in canon, so he'd know what he was doing, and would generally avoid anything risky that would put the dragon in too much danger.

cw: beheading

[warmare]

Hey, mods! Thanks for all the info!

Hayame will be stumbling out of Achamoth in a daze with the severed head of a certain demon named Makoto... But it won't be for a bit that she realizes the head isn't dissipating... and then realizes he's actually still alive thanks to his self being concentrated in the head.

Thinking that she doesn't want to risk exposing Greentruth and not ICly knowing if the Regent has Kenoma GPS installed in the shards or something, Hayame will probably ask someone to ask Tehri (in a game of communion telephone) if the older aion knows of a safe place where Makoto('s head) could be kept without jeopardizing any secret strongholds.

Could I ask what her response to such a question might be?

[sterngaze]

Liem would absolutely try to kill one of the dragons supporting the Pleroma. He's still got his dragonbane arrows and a will to use them!

[affal]

Regarding the Communion that the Regent is sending out after the Pleroma retreat: if one is unable to remove their shard, is there any chance for a reply, or is this a sort of "Read Only" message from the Regent? Edit: (because I remembered more of what we had planned previously) What happens if one receives the message when they are presently unconscious, and does that change anything? Thank you!

Childe | Kenoma (cw: brief mentions of mild gore tied to self-harm)

[vapour]

Childe drops from the air to the ground with a heavy thud with the ground visibly cracking and compacting under his weight upon impact. He exits abyss form, and while his size physically degenerates to normal, he doesn't actually physically return back to normal, still clad fully in his Abyss Armor. It takes him a moment to comprehend it, even as some blood rains down on him like the tragic splattering of rain. It slides off his armor, only staining the fur of his cloak briefly before it seems to reform itself back with the brilliant white fur it initially had at the beginning. Staring down at his hands, Childe says nothing.

He doesn't move for what seems like an eternity. Of course, on the inside of that masked helm he wears, there is a battle still raging in the inner workings of his mind: One to simply react in a feral nature at everything that's happened, to crack even further at seeing his abyss form somehow not reverted back to his human one despite feeling the transformation no longer active. The other is to rapidly try and gain control, to compartmentalize and bury all that's been felt in order for it to never be touched again, even if the argument for the moment is to be addressed later. there's a million thoughts swirling in his mind and he can't make out any of them, any longer. It's just noise, just ugly violent noise—

— does he have to continue doing this? For the first time ever he wants to withdraw from the battlefield, he wants to find a way to get rid of himself: suffocate on soil forced down his throat, claw his own eyes out, gouge his entails out, and other rend himself apart into pieces until there's nothing left to be identified but a gore-laden scene of snapped bones amidst blood organs ground into fine fleshy pieces. He could take his shard out right now and crush it in an instant and end this agonizing set of feelings he never wanted in the first place from ever rearing their malicious fanged heads again.

His mind reels back to Skirk, her turning him from a fearful and hesitant little boy to a confident and violent monster. He remembers her kicking the shit out of him every single damn day, over and over until he learned to stop being so timid and fight back. Even when he finally crawled from the abyss, he still couldn't make her fight him with two hands. But her lessons and her words haunt him like a trance now, showing him how to swallow every emotion and conquer it until he can weaponize it. It's been a long time since hid despair has surfaced like this, not since those days where he thought he would never see his family again and would be locked away in the void forever. Eventually he used it as a weapon to fuel his rage and take control of getting back to his family by any means possible.

Right now, however, this version of it is something he's never felt before. The rage, the despair, the pain, the loss... he feels like he no longer owns any of these feelings he once had under lock and key, and now he's a husk of a puppet doing each emotion's beckonings by his strings that they pull. He can't cry anymore, but he can't bring himself back in control any longer either. He's surpassed his previous definition of a monster, and it has him completely detached from himself and the reality he's in. Perhaps the Abyss Form retaining itself is a good thing (from someone's point of view, maybe) for the sole reason he can't actually simply reach to his spine and dig his own shard out to crush into dust along the ground like he would without it, afterall. He feels like he can't stand any longer, but he still stands without faltering.

Never once does does he look up to the sky— not even when the Regent's power activates and captures Estinien and the Innocence. He knows well enough what being crucified looks like without having to see it. There's no sense of victory for his part in all of this, anyway.

[ OOC: Kenoma can tag him but expect the conversation and interaction to be really brief (like 2-3 comments probably.) He's most likely unrecognizable unless the battle was being watched, but T2 will know he's a Firebrand legacy. Any Pleroma are gonna have to hit me up in pm or discord, though, because he's not going to be hunting them down during their escape. ]

[aionmods]

If they are unconscious they won't hear it. They also won't be able to reply unless they can expose their shard properly, so it would be functionally read only.

kaeya.

[vapour]

[ ...No, he has to take control of his despair. He had to use it before it uses him. It's over now. What's done is done, he can't just let himself unravel in front of the other Kenoma or the Pleroma. The only way he knows how to counter his despair though is to catalyze it into rage. He may be at fault for this, but there plenty of other guilty parties for it having to have come to this. That's plenty of individuals that need to pay for what they've done to him, what they've done to her through him. He killed her, but so did they. And if he's not forgiving himself, then he has no reason to forgive any of them, either. They will regret this decision to come here to Achamoth. They will regret convincing her to fight for them. They will regret being captured in a whole new way. They will regret making promises they couldn't keep. They'll all regret, and then they'll suffer for the rest of their miserable existences.

Every single one of them.

(Including himself.) ]

makoto (&j, if desired)

[vapour]

[ Before he does what Kaeya told him, he will stop near Makoto when he notices him nearby.

Although his abyss form traits are still in full activation making him unrecognizable (even his voice is different), Makoto may still be able to recognize him, however, since they more or less specifically were fighting together for those last moments of the battle. There is a small tilt to his head before he asks: ]

Are you all right?

( ooc: I don't know if J and Makoto can sense the difference, but Childe won't come off as human at this time. He won't exactly feel like a demon, either, but something somewhat similar. If they meet him before and could sense this, they would have sensed he's a human with a tiny bit of the aura of whatever has fully consumed him at the moment. )

Father Paul Hill | Kenoma

[vivificantem]

[It's brief, really, what Paul does after he's done watching the spears go off, after he's watches Estinien die; he does it because he doesn't know what else to do, because doing this makes the most sense to him.

He slips his shard out, and he offers communion to the Kenoma.]

If any of you are injured, and can make it to the Citadel, I'm there. [There's an image that wanders it's way hazily into the recipients' minds, of a familiar entrance to the building.] If any of you are injured and can't make it to the Citadel, show me where you are.

Either way, I can heal you.

[aionpcs]

Liem's attack is a SUCCESS! A green dragon will fall to his arrow.

[sterngaze]

Thanks, mods! But the green dragon link is broken, so I can't see it. :c

[aionpcs]

Well that's no fun. Here is his prize...

[aionmods]

The dragons are capable of speech and rational thought. They will vary in intelligence, but the larger ones are on par with humans. Claude will find that while the dragons are normally very reclusive when it comes to most humans, they are eager to stand in opposition of the Kenoma so it will not take much convincing. Claude can partner up with a dragon but since the Achamoth NPCs are active once again, there will be return fire from artillery and magicks.

For all the New Kenoma - After Events

[lachtara]

The newest among them have not been forgotten. Once there is a break in the commotion that is calm enough to allow for a message, Emet-Selch finds a hideaway that would allow him to remove his shard in peace and send them a message. The message simply pertains of: "The worst of seems to have passed. How do you fair?"

It had been his understanding that those who had needed shelter were able to obtain it, but the extent of the fighting is difficult to observe while in the middle of it. If at all possible, he would try to find them in person to observe their condition. Might as well in case they needed healing.

[chronosynthesis]

In the thick of the battlefield, there's so many things to pay attention to. Estinien, up in the sky, has largely been less of a focus for Syrlya--he's simply put his faith in Estinien being able to handle himself against every Kenoma whose attention he grabs. It isn't until Himeka and Abel are under the protection of healers that he has a moment that he isn't crossing blades with the Kenoma, isn't bleeding out too much as he can turn his attention back to the Sanctifier.

It's really taken a turn for the worst.

"Estinien!"

Syrlya surges forward, but he doesn't make it far in his places before he stops, staring up at their struggling form with dread. So far below, all he can do it watch until Estinien lands.

It never comes. Just as it seems like Estinien can muster the strength to return to them, let them shield him in turn... he's skewered upon spikes of darkness that hold him aloft.

Dying out of reach.

As the Sanctifier's form crumbles to that of only a man he looks back at the other Pleroma--helpless.

[tohell]

Hello Mods! Thank you for this incredible event.

1) Would it be possible to capture one of the dragons in the attack and work towards making it a companion animal NPC? I'm thinking maybe a smaller breed with a lower intellect like a Kislepke or a very young, inexperienced dragon with a moderate companionability level.

2) No rush if the information isn't finalized yet, but I am hankering for some facts on the feathered and stone dragons! Mostly their companionability level, intelligence, and size.

rand al'thor, martyr, pleroma

[dragonmount]

[ starter(s) below! feel free to hmu for plotting. ]

[leicesters]

Gotcha! If Claude asks about the Seeker/Visionary vision and whether the dragons came from the mountain he saw in said vision, would a dragon be willing to answer his questions?

[coerthantorment]

So, people have been discussing the "Grace" traits that the Innocence blessed people with and want to know: do the affected characters always appear as that new Legacy now, like how Estinien appeared as the Sanctifier? Would that connection be perceivable through True Sight?

[subsist]

[ It's no sooner than Kaeya finds himself back on the battlefield that he sees something he never thought he would ever encounter here at Horos. The abyssal cape billowing behind the monster that now occupies the skies along with the Sanctifier catches his full attention, its stars lost in a void that was never meant to be. Pitch-black but pinpricked with lights that won't die no matter what happens, and yet it almost feels as if one could get lost in them forever. This is an omen, he thinks. A warning to all those who dare try to fight against the abyss; a losing battle before it can flourish into something better.

It was never meant to become something better. Only worse— so much worse.

Once upon a time, when he was a boy no younger than eight, he was listening to his father recall stories once lost to time and the flames of a dying fire. There were heroes who met each other by chance and then traveled the world in search of excitement and better things. They fought, they bled, and they rejoiced together — every victory and loss conquered no matter how the odds were stacked against them. It remained like that for all of them, until it wasn't anymore. One fell into the abyss and came back a monster, no longer resembling the person they used to be. No warmth, no light, no love. Another followed and met the same fate, rinse and repeat. Devoid of everything, only nothingness remained.

It was one of those things that a child couldn't have made any sense of back then, regardless of whether or not it was explained. Now that he's following the abyss monster's every move, chasing after it despite the chaos that surrounds him — neither the Sanctifier's fall nor the Pleroma's escape even registers in his mind — he thinks he is beginning to understand what his father had been trying to tell him all that time: don't be foolish. Don't walk down a path that you know will only result in a bad ending just because someone else is hurting. Sometimes, it isn't your fight. Sometimes, it's best not to get involved.

And yet here he is, anyway, walking up to place himself in between Childe and whoever would have been unfortunate enough to be met with his despair and anger. Something must be wrong for the other to still be clad in the armor forged by the abyss. Whatever it is, he doesn't think he can help with, but at least he can prevent another tragic circumstance from happening. (He has to try.) The only expression he can muster is one of resolution, one that belongs to someone who understands what was lost and could never be brought back.

This isn't the first time he's had to stop someone who is on the verge of losing themselves to the anger, but that doesn't mean he is going to allow it to play the same way. No one else needs to die today. He won't let it come down to that. ]

... Tartaglia.

[ Not Childe, because he knows this is the name that means something. The Harbinger's title, the one that binds him to the Tsaritsa's will. A familiar enough connection that's sure to draw out a reaction that he can use. Whether it's met by indifference or ire barely matters, as long as he isn't outright ignored in favour of anyone else. Better for him to be the one to deal with the consequences that someone who wouldn't be able to fight back.

He's close enough that it would be so easy for the other Aion to stab him right through the heart. ]

Let's head back, shall we?

[ Rather than show resistance, he extends a hand towards the other. A dangerous gamble, but it's one he has to take. Fighting Amos didn't work at all so it's not like he has a lot of options left. ]

[vapour]

[ Childe does pause at hearing his name rather than his title and halts from continuing to move forward. Normally in this scenario Kaeya would be staring down (or up) at a hulk of a monster several feet taller, but as of right now it's little more than staring down a human-sized knight clad in the forbidding armor that shouldn't belong in this realm.

Nothing really registers to him though. The face is familiar, yes, but there's no name or significance to it that feels like there's any reason to take the other up on that offer he's trying to give.

Even so, he does register him as a Kenoma ally, which means he has no reason to attack him to get him out of the way. Absolutely nothing comes from the Harbinger, him simply shifting to walk right into the other while ignoring his outstretched hand and push him with his shoulder to get out of the way if need be. He doesn't have time for this, he can still kill every single one of them if he goes now, he's sure of it.

Just let him do the one thing he's good and successful at. ]

this is SO RUDE

[subsist]

[ Really? This is what he gets for trying to walk this path with good intentions?

Sometimes it truly isn't worth the trouble, and if Kaeya hadn't already witnessed what can go wrong if you let a guy go on a rampage unimpeded, then he would have walked the other way as soon as Childe brushed him off, but that's not what happens. Instead, he makes use of his outstretched hand to grab the other by the shoulder, stopping him from going any further. If Childe isn't going to make this easy, then he isn't either.

When he speaks again, it isn't in the common tongue that would be familiar to everyone else. Words are spoken in the language of the abyss and the dead, the language that still haunts his dreams. Whether it's one that Childe will understand is something he's trying to find out, but considering the man looks like something that crawled out of the void — just like the Lectors, the Heralds, the lost Knights — then it's more than likely this will spark more recognition than anything else.

(He doesn't dream often. Whenever he does, it's always centered around a forgotten nation, its stolen legacy, and everything in between. Speaking like this is so difficult in ways he didn't expect, but maybe it's more than just the heartache to blame this time around.) ]

Where do you think you're going?

[ He keeps his hand on Childe's shoulder as long as it isn't shaken off, walking around to be in front of him once more. ]

A monster like you can't walk around so freely.