[OPEN TO KENOMA] EXECUTION OF THE INNOCENT

[aionpcs]

WHO: The Regent and Interested Kenoma
WHAT: As promised, the Regent is carrying out the Innocence Entity's invite-only execution.
WHERE: The Regent's Throne Room.
WHEN: Firaseri 22nd, after dissipated Kenoma have emerged.
WARNINGS: Disturbing imagery, gore, limb loss, general unpleasantness.

It's the evening of the 22nd when the call goes out: it is time for the execution. This is purely an event for the willing and or eager, and besides being informed of it, no Kenoma will be pressured into attending. Those that are interested, however, will be led to the Regent's throne room for what promises to be a very special occasion.

Upon entry, the set up of the throne room will seem quite familiar to those that have been there before. A cavernous room filled with nothing but the throne itself, its emptiness seems an intentional call to the void. Several stairs lead to the dais where the throne sits, currently occupied by a the Regent. As usual, any details about the Regent are obscured behind flowing robes and a faceted mask. Presently, they are swirling around a glass of what is presumably wine, but drinking absolutely none of it. Any Kenoma that seem interested will be offered a drink by one of the Citadel servants on duty.

It's not just the Regent present, however. Off to the right side of the room, an arrangement of familiar void-dark spears have been fused into the wall and floor, with their prisoner still held at their center, pierced from all sides. Estinien Wyrmblood appears as little more than a shadow of his former self at this stage, every ounce of color stripped from him, in sharp contrast to the black ichor that bubbles and drips from a cruel assortment of wounds. One eye is swollen with infection, oozing void, while the other is completely blank with whiteness. Each limb has been shorn down to a stub, as if burned by a dark fire from the outside in; all except a set of ragged, broken wings strung up being him. His torso, pierced as it is, seems to be barely holding onto form.

If he reacts to the arrival of 'guests', it isn't apparent. Instead, he seems practically comatose, all except for that open eye and the shallow movements of his breath. His shard is exposed, resting beneath his collar bones, an eye-like shape that has become similarly colorless. The usual sheen of color that all shards hold has faded away, now showing nothing but the gray of the stone beneath it. Those with True Sight will see that he has fallen to the first tier of Pleroma, and even that he is only tenuously hanging on to.

At their throne, the Regent lifts their glass.

"Welcome, kindred."

Comments

open.

[vapour]

[ — Estinien''s still Pleroma aligned, though. That's the first thing that registers to Childe as he approaches the display, his mind flashing a reminder visual of that mangled corpse of the Innocence from that nightmare he had that night. Childe observes in silence, not thinking very much at all other than a brief good for him. Of course, he knows it's probably to do more with the Innocence entity than anything else considering he's still breathing but barely being head together in any manner. Yeah, he saw that, too, didn't he?

He saw the Kenoma, too, dripping and leaking and consuming. Nice to know his mind isn't too far off the mark.

He saw something like this and yet not like this at all. His dream was fake, but there's something in the back of his mind that needs kept locked away that reminds him he's seen something almost like this in the Abyss— heard it, saw it, felt it, and smelled it because the Abyss was everything and everywhere when one was in the void. Was this something that would have happened to him if Skirk had not rescued him? If he never found a way out of the Abyss?

Entrophy always seems to visually exist as a kind of primordial swamp, dragging anything back to where it came from, doesn't it?

He's mentally triggered himself over this for the last several days that he ultimately feels ... nothing. Not in a way suggesting he's unaffected but that he's been desensitized. There's nothing that follows that realization, either—neither relief nor concern. It's a pin dropping in an empty room onto an empty floor. Even so, his eyes are sad, having an eerie light in them that they didn't have prior, reminiscent of his Abyss Form's cape. Normally, that would be a good thing, but Childe's pretty sure it's part of that curse that had him retain Abyss Form after the battle.

It has to be a curse.
What else could it possibly be?

Closing his eyes, finally, Childe turns away to look over those present and make note of the ones who are not there that should be. There's no pressure or mandate, but there is silent expectation and silent assumptions made as with everything when there is a choice. He goes to slide his mask back over his face, having only taken it off in some semblance of respect. If he is going to gaze on someone or something fully bared to the world, he can spare the same, even if ultimately their states don't even remotely compare.

For the rest of the Kenoma, his mask is just fine. He hasn't seen any of them in days, and he knows none of them questioned where he might have been during that time (although the most likely ones had been severely injured or dead, so what's to expect?)... Besides, he's noticed when he doesn't wear the mask that sometimes he sees things that aren't there. He can only assume whatever has been done to his eyes means such things will take time to adjust back to normal. Even now he sees momentary tendrils or drips or smears on the wall made of Kenoma essence where it doesn't seem to exist—or something like tears leading to the abyss? He's had a hard time telling the difference at this point. The only thing he's sure of by now is that they're not real.

Childe hesitates with putting his mask on fully as his ears pick up the sudden haunting, sorrowful sobbing and the dirty ruined white feathers at the very edge of his vision that are gone as soon as he turns to focus on them.

Almost sure, anyway. Besides, he's never needed the help of any additional "curses" after what's he put himself through.]

[lifespanned]

[ Misa attends because she feels she has an obligation to; one of those spears that pierced the beast was her own doing, after all. That, and she believes attending has more to do with status. What good is a Kenoma that can't bear witness to such events? Since Godsblood, becoming accustomed to seeing more and more horrible things has simply become commonplace. It's a learning curve - sink or swim.

This, she finds, is almost easier to watch. She doesn't know Estinien personally, and never came into close contact with the being of the Innocent. It's always been easier for her to dole out judgment on those she never met or spoke to— thus, her empathy while watching the display is lacking. It'd hurt more for her, to watch Abel and Himeka struggle. But this? She's almost... cruelly passive, taking it in. After watching one of her own comrades have his head bashed in, even the gore doesn't bother her so much, not that she takes any glee from looking at it. No, standing there, in her neat, pressed clothes, arm casted from a severe break just a few days prior, she looks at ease aside from a gentle, contemplative crease in her brow.

When Childe's hesitation at putting on his mask, and his strange glances about catch her sight in her periphery, she turns her head towards him just slightly. As luck would have it, they're quite near, in the throne room. Her words are hushed, barely above a whisper when she talks, able to see him clearly even from just looking to the side— she doesn't want to draw too much attention to him, out of consideration. ]

Are you okay?

[ There's concern in her voice, and she picks at her cast idly, trying to search what she can see of his face for read on his emotional state. Before she continues, though, she moves her eyes back forward, not wanting to risk turning fully, unless it looks like they're partaking in friendly conversation. ]

You're looking around all funny...

[vapour]

[ Oh, it's Misa. Although he's momentarily surprised when she asks, as if caught red-handed, Childe's expression softens quickly after. She hasn't been having too much luck the last few go arounds with her injuries, has she?

At least she looks for better than for worse, in terms of her spirits and her injuries. The bits he had heard had painted a much more morbid picture of her condition inside his head.

He forces a smile then, teasing her lightly in response to her concern. Although knowing other Kenoma might be even a little worried for him makes him feel a little more went than he'selt in a while, but once again recognizes that he doesn't want these particular individuals to waste even a drop of their energy on him. He'll turn to her, and he's nothing but charming towards her, as well. ]

Hm? Is Misa-chan worried about me or just embarrassed because she's close enough to me that she might be associated in some way~?

[ he doesn't wait long to let her answer, adding gently: ] I'm glad you're okay. I'm sorry I didn't come to check on you.

[lifespanned]

[ She frowns at the implication she'd only checked on him out of self-preservation— she tries to be considerate, and this is the thanks she gets? — but his quick follow up keeps her from feeling too genuinely miffed, her lingering, minor displeasure only evident in the crease of her brow. ]

I was trying to be nice, you know, you jerk... [ Misa grumbles, turning to face him more fully, since he's clearly fine enough to talk. ] But it's fine. You didn't miss anything big. I'd say it was boring, but I was asleep the whole time.

[ Turns out that having half your ribs broken is not fun, at all, and neither is getting a broken arm set. The event had exhausted her, mentally and physically, to the point that there was little she could do for those first few days but try to sleep it off. ]

Weren't you a little busy, yourself? I saw you fighting a bunch up there. I thought you'd probably be hurt worse than me, so it's not like I was expecting you...

[ Facing off against Amos was scary, of course, but she feels a several buildings tall dragon can deal out way worse damage. Her brow raises in question, hoping he'll elaborate on the extent of his injuries, if any. ]

for the Regent.

[vapour]

Childe moves forward towards the Regent once he has fully lost interest in observing the open display of the execution victim(s), him offering a respectful bow before addressing them with his question.

"What your Excellency has in store for the Entity— will this have it be gone for good?"

Or is there a real possibility that it will end up coming back somehow?

[aionpcs]

"That's the idea," the Regent says. "For hundreds of years I've waited for the opportunity to strike through to the heart of the creature... and I believe I have you to thank for opportunity to do so, Tartaglia. At least in part."

After all, he was the one that struck what seemed a finishing blow, who dowsed the creature's wings and prevented its escape.

[vapour]

Hundreds of years.

That is a significant amount of time, and Childe must wonder if that's because it has simply hid itself for so long. Why?

Although the gratitude is clearly not needed , it is well appreciated by the firebrand Kenoma even in his mental physical and mental exhaustion. He's very simple, in the end, and easy to please.

"I should thank you for being patient with me. It was long overdue that I produce some results for you. However, I don't really understand what happened at that turning moment." It's a mess for him, really. Crystal clear in hindsight but also an undescribable blur of flames, of black and white, when he tries to speak of it aloud.

"I'm asking for your insight , if I'm allowed such."

[aionpcs]

"And what results they were!"

The Regent sounds delighted with that, as if it's something rare and special.

"The Kenoma itself came to your call. The darkness in that summon of yours... it was its pure essence."

[vapour]

"We can do something like that? I mean, it'll actually come to aid us?"

Childe is dumbstruck that is possible when he isn't even sure how he called on it to begin with?

"Was that possible because of something you did? Like those spears? I remember you had said you needed time to prepare for dealing with the Pleroma and the Innocence."