EVENT #1: THE EMPTY THRONE

[aionmods]

The Empty Throne

DESCENT

Nearly two weeks after being dragged from shrine caverns, you hear along the grapevine that the "the throne room is complete." It doesn't take long to figure out what that means; the ritual grounds that you have been hearing mention of are finally prepared, and it's only a short while before you are once again being gathered together for travel. As a small mercy, at least this time the journey is short.

Through a passage that has been blocked by a gathering of soldiers for the entire length of your stay, a stairway is revealed to you. It leads deep into the ruins, through unfamiliar structures and into the bowels of the earth. Though your feel your are mostly going downward, the walk is still long on account of how many stairs their are, and the soldiers escorting you are restless. They are now being led by the stray, mask wearing Achamites that have been accompanying the group till now, silently observing. Whatever place this is, it seems that they now hold court.

Funneled into the chambers below, you are greeted by a massive, domed enclosure of stone. Positioned around its circular radius are twelve thrones in various states of disrepair, sized as if meant to seat giants. The backs of these thrones all differ slightly in design, though most have great cleaves of stone broken loose from their architecture, as if subjected to some great cataclysm. Each is engraved with a sigil, though some have been obscured by the destruction wrought. The throne closest to the entrance has been almost entirely demolished, making it impossible to glean much about.

The dome's ceiling appears to be hundreds of feet tall at its apex, its smooth surface disrupted by stalactites that puncture through its form like teeth. As a result, many chunks of the original structure seem to have cracked and collapsed in to the floor below. When examined closely, these fragments of the domed ceiling seem to be made of a material strangely reflective in quality, though caked in many years of dirt and grime. If large enough sections are cleaned, patterns may emerge, revealing designs that look almost like star maps. The floor beneath your feet as a similar, but subtly different quality, covered in wreckage and ruin but can be cleaned to reveal complex patterns of intersecting lines.

A careful eye will indicate that these lines all lead towards the center of the room - the one space that has been cleared and scrubbed prior to your arrival. Here, the lines converge, with carefully preserved marking in the stone that bely increasing levels of runic complexity the closer you look. This is where the ritual will be held, you are told.

THE RITUAL

There is not much time to regain your bearings before you are being shuffled forth towards the ritual space; no, all the waiting has already been done. Under the command of the smaller group of Achamites, the Hylicians will make heavy use of the whips in leading everyone to their places along the rune-inscribed circle. Before that, however, small cuts will be made to each prisoner with an athame, either on their hand or arm. With a sharp, burning sensation in the afflicted skin, these cuts will spread into wounds reflecting the image of one of the eleven sigils displayed on the thrones encircling the group, and matching the shrine they were originally pulled from.

With this accomplished, they can finally be taken into the circle. With a design comprised of four triangles overlapping, the design of an open eye carved at its center, all prisoners will be led to separates points on its design where the lines cross. Seemingly arranged by their shrine sigil to be closest to whatever throne represents them, they will be brought to their designated positions one by one. Any attempts to flee or disrupt the process will be dealt with swiftly and harshly, exacerbated by the increasing levels of paranoia and fear in the soldiers themselves. Whatever is being done here, they don't seem happy to involved with it either.

When everyone is in place, the seeming master of ceremonies will finally emerge. A dark haired woman will appear from the shadows, motes of golden light fluttering about her otherwise darkness-clad visage. Moving towards the center of the circle, she will stand over the marking of the eye and begin working her magicks. As if on cue, the soldiers will withdraw any remaining whips and scurry to the outside of the circle, only for new bonds of ethereal energy to lash out of the ritual circle itself, binding each and every prisoner and dragging them down to their knees. Among the soldiers, you can hear mutterings identifying this woman as "the Aion."

"Come," she says to the coterie of robed Achamites, who will approach the circle with an assortment of vials collected into cases. There is enough for each prisoner to be given a drink, and so they will; a vial of abyssal liquid will be forced into each one of your throats, no matter how uncomfortably it must be done. While no less ruthless, the Achamites have a different way about them as they work, forcing themselves upon you with a strange familiarity that feels more akin to a mother forcing their child to take medicine than the suspicious hostility of the soldiers. As the foul liquid touches your tongue, it takes on a consistency almost like a living thing, crawling down your throat even if you refuse to swallow, all while the Achamites stroke your hair and make saccharine assurances.

Once all the prisoners have been fed their vial, the Achamamites too will retreat from the circle - all except for one. Joining 'the Aion' at the center, the two of them will begin enacting a planned ceremony of sorts, that culminates in the following scene:

The Achamite kneels before the Aion, lifting their masked face to meet their dark gaze. They speak, in practiced tones.

"To the Kenoma my body, to the Kenoma my soul."

In response, the Aion holds the Achamite's face between their hands in almost a loving gesture. She speaks softly:

"By the blood of the Martyr, I accept your sacrifice."

From the Aion's hands a darkness spreads across the Achamite's body, as if they are melting and dissolving on a cellular level. She kneels along with them, cradling them as their body breaks down, pooling in a void-black liquid around their knees. It drains into the lines of the ritual circle, surging out towards the prisoners.

Within moments, the ritual is complete.

KENOMA SICKNESS

As this dark power surges throughout the ritual circle, you will find yourself almost consumed by the tide. Whatever foul creation you were forced to swallow wakes within your chest, and you can feel it move within your veins, inside you lungs, behind your eyes. As quickly as it begins, the flood of darkness washes over you, but not without leaving you stained.

Something has changed in its wake. As you return to your senses, you will notice the magical bonds of the circle have fallen away, leaving you free to move; for once, the soldiers will not move to lead or restrain you. Instead, the Hylicians warily back away from the ritual space, retreating towards the only path upwards, where they form a defensive line. The Achamites that linger make a series of ritual gestures, praying in voices too soft to hear. The Aion woman stands in the center, her hands blackened with residue from the person you just watched fall to pieces in her arms.

"You will be given time to find your truth," she says. "Use it well."

As you recover from the experience enough to stand, she and her Achamite entourage are already retreating to join the Hylician guard. Gradually, your situation will become clear: they intend to keep your trapped down here. However, it will not be the same as when you waited before. Instead, the soldiers simply intend to block your only exit out, and otherwise leave you free to roam the full diameter of the throne room, seemingly free to do whatever you want as long as it isn't trying to break free of the cavern's confines. Each day, they will offer to their prisoners a limit supply of food, water, and firewood, but nothing more. Beyond that, you only have your increasingly dirty white robes and the same bedrolls as before.

❖ COMMUNION
The first change you will experience is an itching darkness in your mind, like a psychic wound that is becoming infected. The sort of thoughts you would normally try to force down become increasingly hard to resist; despair, hatred, and fear will plague you, and requiring great feats of will to silence even temporarily. Phantoms of the things you'd rather forget will become a constant companion, all while a presence seems to whisper: when you accept your fate, the pain will stop.

Worse than this, the darkness of your mind may not remain private. As if awakened by the ritual, your empathetic sense has become impossibly strong, to the point that you feel the broadcasted emotions and thoughts of others, and in turn, your darkest thoughts will be psychically projected to others with a volume proportional to the intensity with which you feel them. This effect is most potent between those sharing Legacy, with the capacity for their identities to become momentarily confused. In all cases, this connection may bleed into your dreams, or manifest as hallucinations.

❖ TRANSFORMATION
Yet, your mind is not the only thing that ails. In proportion to the strength of your emotions, your body may begin changing to match your state of mind. Physical transformations akin to those mentioned here will begin to manifest, themed to your inner suffering and the most negative aspects of your self conception. These alterations may shift from moment to moment, depending on the turbulence of your emotional state. They may or may not be painful.

❖ AFFLICTION
Along with the above effects, characters may also experience various more mundane ailments; essentially anything traditionally associated with illness could fit. Weakness, nausea, body aches, and chills are all common options. Along with this, void-black ooze may start to trickle from virtually any orifice. While it may stain clothing and skin, the material itself will dissipate after a few minutes in a manner reminiscent of ectoplasm. This effect may also appear around your Shard, as if the stone itself has begun to bleed.

RESISTANCE

Even as the Kenoma threatens to overwhelm you, you still have the power to fight. Though it may be a grueling war of attrition, you can force back its advances with sufficient will to survive and resist the darkness. Of course, your captors are not going to make this easy for you. Those that fight hard enough to expel the Kenoma from their bodies and spirits will take at least a week to do so, and for that duration they will be trapped within this chilly cavern, haunted by their worst thoughts and emotions.

The bedrolls barely strand up against the cold, your clothing doesn't at all, and to be comfortable you'll require fire. Yet, there is a limited amount provided to you, along with food and water, and the soldiers do not seem to be making any effort to distribute it evenly. Achieving basic warmth and sustenance may become a battle against your fellow inmates, all while you struggle against the enemy infecting your body. Cracks in the dome of the cavern lead into some smaller caverns and crevasses in the stone that can offer some privacy or protection, but the more splintered the group becomes the less the supplies will hold up. Fortunately for you, neither the cold nor starvation will kill you, but it will make you suffer.

Yet, you may still persevere. As you fight back the Kenoma, something else will be cultivated in its place. Bit by bit, a comforting and warm presence will grow within you, gradually disrupting the maladies afflicting your body and mind. Your faith and perseverance has been rewarded with an attunement to the Pleroma, the Kenoma's cosmological opposite; given enough time, the Kenoma will be forced from your being entirely, in the form of void-black sludge. Only then will your power begin to shine through, the abilities of your past life slowly returning.

You must keep your guard. With or without otherworldly power, escape will be a struggle.

ACCEPTANCE

Or, you may choose the easy option. Maybe the Kenoma resonates with your history and emotions in a way that makes it seem like it isn't the enemy. Maybe the depths of your despair are too deep to escape. Maybe your simply lack the strength to fight. Whatever the reason, sooner or later, the Kenoma claims you. The more you let it in, the less it feels like a poison and the more it feels like strength. The darkness settles comfortably into the cracks and holes of your spirit, and you awaken to its power. You feel the change viscerally.

This world is not good enough, a voice seems to speak through the Kenoma. This suffering you feel, the cruelty that has birthed this darkness in you... it is simply the rot that is consuming this existence. A better universe awaits, one forged by your own hand, and all you need do is first bring about this broken reality's end.

Whatever effects you were suffering from the Kenoma's presence will fade away, and in its place, you will feel your endurance bolstered. The clarity is stark in comparison to the mire you were trapped in before. As the other prisoners suffer around you, the Aion woman from before and an accompaniment of a couple Hylician soldiers will approach you among the ruins, as if summoned straight to your location. She looks you over, her dark eyes impassive, and then asks:

"Did you feel it?"

She doesn't actually wait for an answer, your expression alone enough to assure her. She'll tell the soldiers that you are free to go, and that you are to be given a share of their food and a change of clothes. She'll escort you out of cavern and towards the upper ruins, where the soldiers and Achamites have set up camp. This feels natural to you, somehow, like you and her are on the same wavelength in a way that is hard to comprehend. She is like you, you sense. That dark power is within her as well.

She doesn't linger with you for long, but she will see that you are on your way before heading back to the caverns. She'll say that the voice you heard, that promise, was the Regent, the ruler of this land. They spoke of a power that could birth a new, better universe, and they weren't misleading you. It's within their reach, closer than ever, and if you help them achieve it you will be rewarded lavishly. For now, you are free to regain your strength while the others make their choices. She only asks that you stay in the area and be ready to join the Regent in Achamoth when all is prepared.

If you're prone to boredom, though, she will mention that you'd really be doing the prisoners a favor by convincing them to accept the Kenoma like you did. You could convince them with words, or by making their situations so unbearable they won't have a choice but to break. However you'd like. It won't be worse than what's coming for them if they carry on this way.

When she parts ways with you, you are left to your own devices. Somehow, you feel inclined to cooperate. After all, the Regent did have a point.

QUESTIONS

Are the involuntary transformations during the Kenoma sickness period temporary afflictions or permanent ones?
By default they are temporary, but characters can also keep a couple keepsake changes if you'd like! An Aion's physical appearance is something that is generally in flux, and so even if you keep something from this event, you can always alter it later.

What kind of supplies are going to be distributed to those who accept Kenoma and leave the caverns?
They'll be given food, water, and clothing. They'll be given more/better rations than they were as prisoners, but it's still the sort of food that is limited by the fact that they are out here on a mission. The soldiers will have some fresh meat from prey they've been hunting in the forest, and will generally be having a lot of stew-based food going. There are actual spices in it, though, so that's cool. This is all set up where the Hylicians are camping.

As for clothes, they will get a fresh set (including boots or shoes) and some soap to clean themselves up in the nearby creeks and ponds. Hylici has an aesthetic that leans towards ancient Greek/Roman, so while they won't have anything fancy with them, you are free to assume they are able to acquire anything in that general ballpark. They do also have pants, though. While it is now spring and Horos has a generally temperate climate, it can be chilly at night.

Will Pleroma attuned be able to escape once they've regained their powers?
Yes, they will be allowed to escape at that point, and a second log will be going up to cover that part of the event. This log should generally cover up until shortly after Pleroma start ejecting the Kenoma's influence. Characters are permitted to escape by their own power if they somehow devise a plan to do so, but as we know the Pleromas are at a significant disadvantage in this situation, some characters who have fought against the Kenoma particularly valiantly will be given some magical assistance to help the survivors escape.

Will the Kenomas be able to try to stop them?
Yes! The second log will be set up to contain some PVP, though given the Pleromas do need to escape, we ask that you play nice. There will be a battle, but it will be structured in the context of the Pleromas having to hold off the Kenomas long enough to escape, so it will be relatively brief.

Can we speak to "the Aion"?
Yes, she will be around for the full length of the event. All characters will have the chance to find her watching over the group whether they are Kenomas or soon to be Pleromas. She will not be that talkative, though, so anyone tagging her will have to lead the conversation. She will not make small talk. Martyrs will recognize her as one of them.

Comments

[expiera]

[Maybe it wouldn't be too shallow and quick a conclusion to draw, chalking it up to the simple and natural differences that would exist between a human and a demon.]

Would it really be that much of a given? They don't seem to be lacking in manpower, and camp maintenance is still their responsibility. That they're okay with delegating to us means they don't see us as complete monsters, or at least not the sort that'd destroy anything we touch.

[She's exaggerating and she knows it, but without being yet explained by anyone just exactly what they're supposed to be, they can only guess why they get the sort of reaction from the locals as they do currently. There may be something to be said too, testing this 'social boundary' that clearly exists between the soldiers, the Aion woman, and the rest of them.

As for his question... Hm. It has to be self-serving in some sense, is that his reasoning?]

...Something like that, but also a whim, if you will.

[No use sugarcoating given what they've 'agreed' to, all things considered. And indeed, what she's carrying is plain water: clear, crystalline, and good for drinking and chores alike.

She briefly raises her head to look ahead; they're nearing the food prep area now, just a few more steps. Her destination confirmed, she glances back at him with mild curiosity.]

Speaking of food, may I ask what you normally eat?

[affal]

( it would be a valid enough conclusion; even when he'd been human, makoto hadn't necessarily been a standard for selflessness and goodwill (though he'd been a hell of a lot better of a person than the creature that stands in his place now).

he doesn't really seem all that convinced by her argument. ) People relegate their responsibilities to others they think of as their lesser or their other all the time. ( maybe if their hands were literally in preparing their food or serving their drink, they might be a little more wary, but menial labor? why would they be squeamish in that? even though they had welcomed those who had accepted the advances of the Kenoma into this camp, making empty and echoing overtures to being all "on the same side" now, it didn't keep the guards from acting wary and restless around them. and, really, given all that's happened, makoto can't see any reason why that should so suddenly change.

perhaps they are complete monsters, or at least some of them are. it's fortunate, then, that the Kenoma wants them all to play nice when they're playing for the same goal. )

Still, ( he interjects, seemingly still making his own justifications for her personal generosity toward the soldiers, ) I'm sure it's also helping alleviate their undue suspicions.

( it's hard to see someone that would ask to carry water for the camp as a grand threat.

because it is just water. he thought for a moment that there might be fish or something similar buckets, giving more credence to her words that helping in its preparation gave you more control over what it was they were going to eat, but that's not the case here. he follows along to where several of the soldiers are working on preparing food, both because he doesn't have anything better to do and... because, yes, he is maybe a few shades short of starving. it hadn't been in the forefront of his mind when he had been fighting for his psychic independence down in the throne room, but now it's raging in him like a caged animal.

he side-eyes her at the question; now it's his turn to look a little suspicious. ) Whatever is available, ( comes his cool answer, and it's not necessarily an untrue one; makoto is accustomed to eating what is presented to him, not really picky when sustenance is concerned. near-starved as he is, he would eat virtually anything. )

[expiera]

That's a rather uncompromising way of seeing things. [The neutral remark is accompanied by a sidelong glance. For better or worse, her time spent around entities more fittingly classified as 'monsters' than 'humans' had acclimated her to equally inhuman views and ideologies, but such marked concern over perceived power balance is nevertheless unusual. Vampires are very traditional in their views of proper power hierarchies, and her coworkers were afforded enough freedom to never have such worries. Maybe that's why?]

We'll likely be tasked in due time, but for now, there has been nothing in ways of orders or requests. [Even the Aion's suggestion for them to speak to their lesser accepting peers still trapped beneath the surface was no more than that: a suggestion, to relieve their boredom.] I just prefer the outdoors.

[It's an indirect excuse justification to why she's up here, that's all.

She finally puts the buckets down once they've reached their destination, taking care to also take a few steps back once she's completed her delivery. Offering the wary but still approaching soldiers a small and polite smile, she simply watches as they come to pick up the relay and relocate the buckets of fresh water for immediate use elsewhere in the food prep area. Her company may be attracting the bulk of the wariness this time, but as the demon's attention was on her, they took their chance to accept the delivery post-haste.]

It's deer stew tonight, the hunting parties were successful earlier. It'll still be some time before it's ready, there are berries in the meanwhile if you're hungry?

[They shouldn't be too carefree with limited resources, and it may be bold of her to all but offer within earshot of so many soldiers. But there doesn't seem to be any bristling among those within vicinity on food prep duty, they're left to idle at their leisure.]

[affal]

As I've seen it, the world is an uncompromising place.

( but, then again, he tends to associate with demons — they weren't really a lot known for their compassionate leeway, so maybe it's just his company that makes it appear that way. makoto has spent the better part of four years under the thumb of one demon or another, and even when he had worked himself hard enough to use that as chit to buy himself some time away from J, he had made sure to still technically keep him under close supervision. there were two reasons that prevented him from so willingly offering up his help as ciel did: the first was that labor had an inherent value, and offering it for free ends up depriving him of something. the second was that, after his aforementioned experiences, he tries to act purely for his own goals and benefit as much as possible just for the principle of the thing.

it might seem lazy or selfish to others, and there's a grain of truth to that, but he... does have his reasons.

she has her own reasons, though, so he will do what he can to respect that. as far as he can tell, she hasn't been bullshitting her answers. ) I see. ( a cool reply that offered comprehension but not true understanding.

makoto furls his wings as they approach the firepit, both out of respect for the close quarters and high foot traffic in the area but also because he's not interested in seeing how fireproof they are on accident. they disappear as entirely as they had appeared in the first place, leaving him once more (mostly) human-looking. the water is traded off from his fellow to the soldiers standing by, who seem to be utilizing it both for the washing of various gathered foodstuffs but also cooking and eating utensils, as well as for the broth of the venison stew that would be dinner for the group tonight. he purses his lips into a thin line, nodding — it's a shame they have to wait, but for a meal like that, which sounds like heaven after half a week of near-starvation, he supposes he will have to suffer it.

in the meantime...

his pale eyes search the faces of the soldiers that stand nearby, but most of them are either focused on what they're doing, on ciel for her offer, or... just elsewhere, avoiding the gaze. if none of them are actively going to act against it, he's going to take advantage of her gracious offer. he scoops up a handful of berries from where they had been gathered in a wide, shallow bowl, lifting one up to eye level with his other hand to further scrutinize. it's not a berry he feels he can immediately identify (they are in an alien world, after all), but they wouldn't have gathered so many if they were poisonous, so... he pops it into his mouth. even as many as he holds in his hand probably won't put a dent in the hunger pangs resounding from his stomach, but it's better than nothing. )

It seems you've been up here for a while. ( enough to settle into some of the routines of the soldiers, so he would have to guess at least a few days. ) I'd be fascinated to hear anything of interest you've noted, either from them, ( he speaks so boldly of the soldiers, as if they weren't even within earshot... ) or our fellows that have joined us up here from our time down in the cave.

[expiera]

True enough. There's hardly been any compromise to our current situation.

[She mirthlessly concedes, not finding much need to mince words. Waking up in those crystal cocoons, following the soldiers, waiting, the ritual... Things may have improved for them now, but it's simply the consequence to their choice. It's been awfully one-sided since the get go, and that hasn't changed even with the formation of two distinct camps among them now.

And just as it's been their choice, to stay confined or come out here, it's also his choice, whatever he decides to do with his free time. His marked concern over how self-serving every action may be is somewhat curious, but she thinks little of it. It's no stranger than their predicament, and since he looks to be doing as okay as any of them could be, there was no reason to pry any further beyond polite surface pleasantries.

She watches him snack with a similarly mild curiosity. Does it really help? Well, since he is eating...

At his question, she gives a small nod.]

There isn't much, I'm afraid. To my understanding, we're waiting for matters to conclude down there. [No specifying necessary.] We're to leave for the city of Achamoth after, the stronghold of The Regent's empire.

[affal]

By design, of course.

( you engineer the outcomes you wish to see. now that he's come out the other side of the ritual that they had spent all that time preparing (and preparing them for), the pieces are beginning to fall into place. it's clear and evident that they certainly aren't the first to have undergone this whole process — the routine manner in which they were all gathered, herded, and watched as they underwent their ordeal simply didn't match with the blind confusion (and potential panic) a bunch of misplaced strangers from other worlds might otherwise bring to a planet and its peoples.

it was a process that had been created for the express purpose of converting the people that they had been, penned in the ruins by these soldiers, into who they are now. even with the Kenoma filling in the gaps of his mistrust and smoothing out the frayed edges of his indignation of the whole trial that they had undergone, there's something that still sits ill with him about it, and that's just because it's a cornerstone to who makoto is as a person: he despises being lead by the nose, preferring the dignity of making his own choice and walking a path with his own two feet. was the suffering that they had gone through in that cave truly that important to who and what they are now? he would have been up here days ago if the Regent had simply made his wishes known first, rather than thinking that he was simply doing battle with some nameless, invasive force.

and speaking of the Regent... )

Ah. Well, even so, that's interesting. ( it's the first he's heard of this city, though the word doesn't seem so new to him now that he really thinks about it. perhaps he's overheard it said by the soldiers in the last few days or weeks? regardless, a change of scenery (and one towards civilization) would be much appreciated, and even moreso would be the opportunity to get more information on this Regent — perhaps even meet with him himself... )

The Regent... You heard his voice as well, yes?

( and don't think he hasn't noticed how closely she's watching him eat. the berries had been offered to him, yes, so of course he was going to eat them? unless she's surprised that he can? really, it was almost dull how similar demons were to humans in that regard, or at least when considered broadly. )

[expiera]

[Is it really? She didn't get the impression that this sort of thing happened routinely from talking to the soldiers, even if it's clear that this is not a first and they have certain protocols in place, judging by the way they were handled. They also implied that they were like that woman; all of them were referred to as "Aion", not just the mistress of the ceremony. What did it all mean?

They'll probably find out in due time, and Ciel is patient enough to not mind. Helping with chores contributed to that, in a sense; she'd rather feel useful than do nothing at all, not when the alternative is preach about things even she cannot lie to herself about.]

Yes. They're the ruler of this continent, and we'll probably get to meet them once we get to Achamoth. We'll have a better idea of what's expected of us then, though I was also getting mixed messages from the Hylician soldiers.

[She answers thoughtfully with a hand cupping her chin, forgoing on any potential comment about how she may or may not have been watching him wolf down the berries a bit too keen to be considered wholly polite. But since he's not calling her out, then they can just keep brushing it aside, right? No harm, no foul.]

Horos seems to be an interesting world, in any case.

[It ultimately pays off to be helpful and polite; she got intel about this world from the soldiers willing to humor her with basic information every local would know about. If they'll be living as "Aions" here for the foreseeable future, then it can't hurt to get a head start in learning what they can about things that'll become constants.]

[affal]

( well, it's not possible for them to have much of any idea how often it happens (perhaps this camping site here in the ruins would look very different if it was more commonplace), but there were clearly procedures in place. something like that didn't happen overnight; they're usually written through repetition. either that or omniscience. but that very much would have to do with who this Regent was and what it was they were capable of — as helpful as asking about it could be, there were certain things that makoto didn't want to draw too many conclusions on until he could ascertain them for himself first-hand.

he raises a hand to his chin, pensive at the thought of traveling to meet this entity they were now in league with. it's not the order of events makoto would prefer. he's the type to want to gather as much information about the situation, weigh his pros and cons, work out whatever schemes he might need to, and then make a decision to work with someone — but, well, that simply wasn't the scenario at hand.

it's fine. he's adaptable, though he can't promise to be completely happy about it. )

Oh? What sorts of mixed messages would those be?

( he speaks as if they weren't essentially surrounded by the hylician soldiers — he hadn't really been speaking with them much himself, and that attitude might be a key factor why. but, in what little defense one can muster for him, they had been keeping him as prisoner until just a few hours ago, so... there's that.

and, excuse him?? he's been starving for days?? but sure, he will finish this one last handful of berries and then take a break. he's far too keen-eyed not to notice someone watching him so closely...

he ends up shrugging, making a dismissive gesture with one hand as he continues, ) Sure, but we'll see. Any world can seem incredible in its novelty, but the more time one spends there, the more they realize that it's all the same sort of thing, just in a different arrangement. ( but this is coming from a former human who had been taken to hell, only to realize that the lives of demons and the demons themselves could so often be sickeningly similar to humans. a bit of a let-down, actually. after that, he tries not to get his hopes up too much that things might be markedly different. )

[expiera]

[She would agree with the rationale, but ultimately, the means didn't matter to her. The details are just that, to someone already used to acting more more like machine than man. They have a superior to report to, so all there was to do was pass the time while waiting for actual orders to come from the top. It helps being flexible too, when personal wants and desires are not extra factors that could potentially clutter plans up.]

About the Regent, and Aions in general. They're tight-lipped about the former, and it's hard to get a general impression of what they think of the latter. That doesn't just include the mistress of that ritual, but us, too. That woman just has seniority over us.

[She's already spent some time mingling with the natives, perhaps it did throw some soldiers off in a similar way that her company may find it difficult to act friendly towards them. Being cordial and cooperative towards your captors that dragged you halfway across the continent with whips isn't something everyone is capable of, and suppose it's a silver lining that the soldiers are too busy being weirded out at most to really care about how quirky she may come across. At least it's gotten her general information, things she's happy to relay to fellow 'Aions' who care to ask.

...It's a little funny, how disillusioned he sounds. It almost feels like discussing the pros and cons of Santa Claus with a disgruntled teenager. She's no longer looking at how he eats at least, just glancing at him instead. He's only a bit taller than her too, which actually does stand out considering the somewhat notable amount of exceptionally tall people they somehow found themselves in general company of.]

It shouldn't hurt to keep an open mind, but it's true there's no point trying to talk about a world we've seen very little of so far. Let's try a different angle, then; knowing that we'll be answering to the Regent, what sort of life are you hoping to lead, outside of whatever work we may get assigned?

[affal]

( it seems like an easier life. perhaps makoto could have lived so simply, if the master that he had gone to serve in hell had been a creature of honor and not of fickle whims and machinations that had far outscoped him as a newly-former mortal. J had not wanted a protégé that would simply do all that he was asked and grow content and complacent in that capacity. no, he seemed interested to see if he could foster the growth of someone who would outstrip even his own power and prestige, and his methods were neither kind nor respectful.

so makoto can never be content with just enough, and he doesn't anyone who seeks to assume authority over him. if his own personal messiah had fallen to the subject of his hate, what else could there be for anyone else?

though he will reserve judgment until he meets this "Regent" himself.

makoto shrugs. he doesn't seem particularly picky. as odd and flippant he can seem, he is ravenous when information is involved; his attention is perfect and rapt as ciel speaks, and he ends up nodding slowly. ) Hm. Interesting. ( it's a piece of the puzzle he hasn't tried to figure out quite yet himself, but he's satisfied in that... it makes sense. it just turns back to how it's clear they aren't the first that have undergone this process. it only made sense that there would be more, and that they would be their seniors in... whatever this all is. ) It's a shame they aren't more forthcoming with their thoughts and feelings on the matter, but... It simply means they have reason not to be.

( given how many of them there are (and a suspicion that ciel hasn't just tried to speak to one or two of these individuals). so he would hazard they either have a mandate from a higher authority to stay their tongues or they share a common wariness that provides the same compulsion.

makoto is only so disillusioned because this is the second time in five years that he's been thrown into a completely different world and forced into a unique crucible of trials and tribulations, but she wouldn't be wrong to think that he's being youthfully melodramatic about it. he's not only young but also freshly a demon. it comes with the territory. makoto can be just as fickle a person as the demon whose creature he was. he sheds his dramatics almost immediately, considering her question. ) I'm - not really sure. It would depend on how much freedom we are given, I suppose. Though, assuming that we are given enough to suit our needs... ( he drifts off, settling on his answer after a moment. ) The type where I can investigate our new situation and what advantages there are to be gained from it without interference. So long as I do as I'm asked, of course.

( he looks back to ciel, expression lightly inquisitive. ) And you, miss? ( a half beat, then he continues, lightly prodding, ) Please don't tell me you will fill your free time from service to the Regent with yet more service to others.

[expiera]

[Perhaps that's part of what allowed her to retain her humanity in the end, after going through events of her own that would drive most sane humans beyond crazy. Not being treated with kindness and respect was not enough to remove the concepts entirely from a human soul who already knew them, having given and received both in spades before (rightfully, she deems) losing her rights to it all. Thus the rough reception granted by the soldiers was an already familiar routine, and if a similar purpose is asked of her now as it had been before, then respect at least should be something she could earn again from scratch if she works for it. The Burial Agency was still founded by humans in order to counter non-humans, and despite being widely rumored as an organization that only employed monsters, they all gathered for the explicit purpose of accomplishing the same goal. Anything unrelated to direct results were irrelevant, the members all possessed a good deal of freedom in how they would choose to proceed with their work. She doesn't know if things will be comparable here, but her prior experiences in a similar vein did make adapting to all this significantly easier. She has less judgmental coworkers unaware of her personal circumstances, for starters, a luxury not afforded the previous time.]

If you mean the Regent, I'd compare it more like being afraid of badmouthing your superior, especially if they may somehow find out about it later. [All the soldiers are definitely averting their gazes now, not the least bit interested in seeming remotely involved while the newly anointed Aions are busy theorizing about their collective boss.] It did sound like they value Aions differently, maybe even more highly. We should be able to get more information once we reach Achamoth. For now, there's only the Hylician soldiers and Xishen, the woman who led the ritual.

[She doesn't hold back on information, there was no reason to. Unbeknownst to her and with some measure of irony, they may just be polar opposites on more than a few points in philosophy and personality.]

That's a flexible approach. I think we'll be treated okay as long as we stay in line, they probably just want to make sure of our allegiance and loyalty first. The Regent seems to rule through an iron fist, it's fear and respect that they command across the land.

[In lesser polite words, a tyrant, but neither of them appear to have any interest in being politicians or activists by any stretch, so.

At having her question turned back at her, she tilts her head slightly and manages a faint smile.]

...Aha, is that what you think I will do? Would that really be so terrible, before I seriously answer you?

[affal]

( makoto has never really belonged to any sort of... organization. the overtures toward control and the treatment they had been given during their internment, sure, it was at least in the realm of something he could comprehend and adapt to, but the feeling that the Kenoma instilled inside of him of being a part of something larger than himself... it was a feeling both alien and somewhat unwanted, though it's also somewhat insidious in its nature in that it erodes at his rejection of it over time. an implanted feeling of camaraderie is something he regards with abhorrence and distaste now, but it will probably heal over into a disquieted acceptance. he's just not much of a "team player," but he likes to think that he can adjust to suit whatever the situation demands of him.

and in this case it is very literally demanding it of him...

he hums at the mention of the Regent, though he's probably not the best person to entreat this understanding from; makoto has, after all, told his master point blank of his plans and desires to kill and eat him, and the most he ever gets back in reply is something along the lines of, "well, stop talking and make it happen, then." but he's not so foolish to flaunt incendiary intentions in front of the ruler of this land, and especially when they haven't necessarily done anything to him personally (this whole process notwithstanding) to warrant it. the thought that some of the individuals here might look upon the Aions more highly than their own overlord is an interesting thought, and one that makoto totally won't think about abusing in the future.

it's true, though, that their experience with the inhabitants of this land has been limited to soldiers and another of their own kind. ) I'll be interested to see how civilians might react to us. ( though he has to imagine the way the soldiers regard them might act as a template. fearful reverence enforcing a cautious distance? it could certainly be worse. )

A sound enough assumption. They are certainly already treating us markedly better, even with just our cursory cooperation. ( a certain amount of loyalty isn't too much for makoto to buy comfort and freedom with — though he supposes it would also hinge upon what he was asked to do and if it was even possible for him to do it. not that morals would interfere with something like that, but more that... there were plenty of things he just wasn't physically capable of doing (usually applications of force). makoto actually was no stranger to politicking, though it had been in small scale in the upper crust of hell; careful manipulations and steady maneuvers that had gained him power and prestige beyond his association with J. but he has no inherent ambition beyond his demon master, and so he certainly had no intention on crossing the tyrant of this land. it seems to be in decent enough order. why interfere with such a thing? )

Only based on what little I know about you so far. ( observed coolly and with slightly narrowed eyes. he closes them, sighs, and shakes his head at her question. ) Oh, no. No. But it would be dreadfully boring, and that's terrible enough in its own way, isn't it?

[expiera]

[there's undeniably something inherently disingenuous about all this, she would agree. Not just this allotted sense of belonging, but of opposition as well towards someone who hasn't made the same choice as them. She's a flexible person herself, keen on doing whatever that is asked of her. This helpful politeness vanishes completely around the ones still trapped in the cave, however: whether they judge her for her own choice or wouldn't leave her alone out of misplaced concern, it's troublesome no matter who she meets or how it happens. And speaking of them, what would happen to the lot still down there whenever they'll finally be done waiting, one would wonder...

...Time will tell, she supposes. As a solo agent capable of bending the rules when it suited her, her obedience and efficiency are likely the key reasons why she's been permitted to do as she pleases. There's no reason to stop doing what's already been working for her, now that she found herself torn away from one organization only to be appropriated by another. C'est la vie.]

That may change depending on which town we're in also, there are several cities on Horos besides Achamoth. I don't think ordinary civilians would be able to tell we're Aions right away either, at least not if we don't stand out. [She didn't mean for it to be a call-out, but between a girl like her and a demon like him, there's a stark visual difference they can't downplay no matter how hard they try.] Hylici may suit you better actually, that's where these soldiers come from. They answer when the Regent calls, and in exchange for their loyalty and tireless service, the city is free to pursue its interests and ambitions as it pleases. It's supposedly the most scientifically advanced place on the continent, also responsible for the currency system used by everyone.

[From her understanding anyway, the soldiers didn't hesitate to brag to her about how nice their city-state is (without belittling Achamoth, naturally). He didn't ask for it, but again, considering how utilitarian his view of everything had been from their conversation so far, Hylici sounded like somewhere he'd fare decently in.]

What's wrong with boring? Haven't you heard of the saying "no news is good news"? [Which is kind of a stretch if she's trying to force it onto the current topic, but her joking smile does fade into something quieter after that.] I just do what I can, and it's not a downside if others benefit too.

[A beat, and she gives out another sweeping glance to the bustling camp in front of them. The soldiers have mostly left them on their own to finish up on dinner preparations, the few still left littering here and there are sentry guards simply sticking to their posts. ...What an ordinary scenery.]

But I'm open to suggestions, if you may have more exciting ideas you wouldn't mind talking about?

want to wrap this one up soon? id love to have another with these two!

[affal]

( his eyes narrow to crimson slits, but he doesn't comment on it. he's no fool; he knows that it's fairly difficult for him to blend in, regardless of where he is. if he stepped out of a portal and walked the streets of tokyo, it would scarcely take those around him a few moments to realize that there was something deeply off about him (perhaps even before they noticed the eyes and scar ringing around his neck). and in hell, it's almost unavoidable that he is known as "a former human," all of his advancement and garnered renown things that he's garnered almost in spite of that.

most humans just didn't take to becoming demons as readily and as well as he did, but... well, he's a bit of a unique case in that.

really, he's only interested in getting used to one city at a time (this is all much more globetrotting than he's used to, having only taken to traveling very recently before being transplanted to this planet). but he takes her recommendation into consideration, tapping his lower lip with a forefinger before nodding. ) I'll keep that in mind — though we will have to see how much freedom of travel we will be given, when all of this is said and done.

( he is oh-so curious to see this Regent and what exactly they expected of all of their new recruits, but... there's no point in speculating further. all will come in time.

as she continues... he looks almost offended, his upper lip lifting in a way that might almost represent disgust before he answers in smooth retort, ) Yes, but what foolishness is that? There are many and more situations in which no news is very bad news. ( you know, like when you are waiting on the results of a loved one's surgery, or waiting for search parties to comb the forbidding wilderness to find someone who'd gone missing. and even if it does harbor less-than-optimistic tidings, well, at least something is happening. makoto is not the type of creature to state that boredom is the worst of all fates — he's more patient and level-headed than that — but... if it can be avoided, he typically does what he can to avoid it.

he huffs out a sigh, resting the side of his face in the cradle of an open palm. he stares at her with a half-lidded gaze crossed somewhere between consternation and appraisal. he speaks in an aridly dry monotone, ) My dear, if you are relying on the opinion of a demon you hardly know for ideas, you may well be too far gone. ( he sniffs, and then he makes a dramatic gesture of shrugging his shoulders. ) Sewing? Art? Music? Cartography? Hell, you could try your hand at being a cobbler, for all I know about you. ( (or care.)

though, for how little makoto either cares or claims to care, he's almost willing to strongarm ciel into a honest-to-God pastime just to prove a point. )

1/2 absolutely, thank you for the thread and looking forward to the next run-in! o/

[expiera]

[Do glamour spells not exist where he's from? Demons finding ways to masquerade as humans in order to tempt them or claim their souls and such are tales as old as time, but suppose stories are just that: stories, with some basis tied to reality at best. She's experienced enough of the supernatural herself to know better than to assume, so she just leaves it at that.]

Of course it all depends. [She agrees easily with a faint shrug, doing what she can to not let her own budding sense of amusement show.] You're taking it rather seriously, though. I suppose that just means I may be a more reactive sort of person, while you're a proactive type? Context is important too, and we are only discussing what we'd do in our free time. There's no urgency in that, at least none that we know of at this point.

[She's about to laugh him off and tell him she's no stranger to dealing with inhuman beings, maybe phrase politely how despite his looks, he didn't feel particularly threatening to her supernatural senses. Maybe he should be the one to be more wary too, actually, considering her prior occupation of being a heretic hunter, but that's neither here nor there. New life, new opportunities, isn't that what they say?

Well. She would've been happy to entertain his theatrics either way, but all that is soundly interrupted by the ringing of a nearby bell, which is followed by some bustling and head turning from the soldiers nearby.]

2/2

[expiera]

--Ah, that means food is ready. Shall we?

[Whatever small talk they were indulging in can wait. He's been hungry for a while, and she can't deny not being up for a bite (or several) herself. She'll start leading the way assuming he'll follow; everything gets more manageable on a full stomach, right?]

[affal]

( oh, other demons can use them, certainly! but makoto is no garden variety demon, and his past life as a human limits him greatly by what he can actually do. not to say he's impotent when it comes to satisfying contracts with humans and collecting their souls — there's a small fortune in gold dust he'd gathered in his past which spoke to that — but he just had to be a little more clever when doing so.

ciel describing him as a "proactive" sort of personality is more accurate than she could possibly have an idea of, and he take some small, twisted sort of pride in that. though he has to institute some small stand on one point: ) I will give you that the matter is of relatively little urgency, but it is important how one spends their free time. It says a great deal about someone, unless they want their identity to be defined by what it is they're called to do by others.

( just a little bit of shade... (:

he'd said it not to intimidate her but rather to underline how ridiculous the question had been. he appreciates people being wary of him because of what he is (or what they think he's capable of because of it), but it's all a smokescreen — makoto's own power is fairly limited, and if ciel was to call him on his bluff, he'd fold quickly.

before any of that, though, the bell rings. he looks over, expression bright and eager; the snack of berries he'd had a short while ago had taken just a bit of the edge off of his hunger, but it hadn't been nearly enough. )

Yes, of course. Let's.

( and he accompanies her to the stewpot to get his first solid meal in these last few weeks. )