Even Byleth, outwardly unflappable and pragmatically focused, couldn't help but loiter at the base of the Tree in a dazed state. The empty sky and that sickly sun was unbearable to look at, so Byleth simply stared up at the Tree instead, as if hoping that telepathically conveying his utter refusal to accept their situation would wind back time and have life return to Kenos and the Tree both.
Of course, none of that happened, so Byleth resorted to Desperate Attempt #2. Praying was alien to him, as he had never done the act before in his life, deeming it pointless, but within him slept a goddess - he still felt her - so he could be seen with his head slightly bowed and a hand pressed over his unbeating heart, murmuring something too softly to be heard.
But for those who come closer, or are keen of hearing, might hear:]
Sothis, wake up...
❈ II. Abandon Hope - Exploration.
[He went to Springstar, because where else would be go? The heat of the sun was unbearable despite its sickly shade, yet he found some measure of relief when he pulled his cloak over his head, using it as a pseudo-shade. It reminded him a little of the cranes that would fish on the rivers of Leicester, though, using their wings to cast shade that the fish would come to shelter in - only to be scooped up by the crane's deft beak.
So, for those also exploring Springstar, you may come across someone with their cloak draped over the upper part of their body - probably easily mistaken as a thing rather than a person from a distance...
(He'll mostly be in the Katoikitikós district trying to find his house, but he can also be spotted in other parts of Springstar as well in an effort to just, figure out what happened).]
❈ III. The Purge - [BYLETH].
[Byleth was never one to be wracked with indecision - he ensured to always be decisive, if cautious, in his approach to situations, yet here, beneath the roots of the Tree, forced into such close proximity to those he knew were threats and not to be trusted...
To say he hadn't slept since they came down here wouldn't be an exaggeration. He literally had not slept, agitatedly roaming around with his back constantly kept close to the wall, trying to ignore the voices rattling around in his skull: not Sothis, though they were just as cutting as she could be at times. What ifs, seductive murmurs of, really, why bother with the old world, just make a new one, and salvage only Jeralt - that's the only one you need, isn't it? Just Jeralt? He's the only one who truly understands you. Why bother trying to bring back the whole world? You really going to risk Jeralt for a world that's been filled with nothing but war and conflict and backstabbings? Really?
But that would mean acknowledging Jeralt was dead (he was not, he told himself, Jeralt was alive, because their worlds were not yet gone, he was alive, he was alive, he was alive), and that was something Byleth steadfastedly refused to consider. So, he paced, he ignored the voices in his head, he felt like he was ready to claw himself out of his own skin, he muttered to the walls - Sothis, will you tell these voices to shut up already, it's not like you to tolerate interlopers - and sort of lost track of what day it was, while the corruption seared in his veins.
So, yeah. For any who want to approach someone who's clearly sort of. unravelling at the seams. Here you go.]
❈ IV. The Purge - [SOTHIS].
[Sothis was disdainful of the ritual in motion, and she didn't bother to hide her contempt of it - or of the little ones she was forced to share close proximity with. She was disorientated and perplexed... and angry, an aimless, vicious sort that had no true target but simmered in their sap-like blood, regardless. How her vessel had fallen into this ridiculous situation, she didn't know, but once they had escaped it she'd be having words with them...
But as it is, she was at the disadvantage and the vessel was struggling to function - both mentally and physically. She huddled in the shadows, her brilliant green eyes carrying a preternatural light as they slid, heavy-lidded, over the great hall with that offensive effigy presiding over them like it was their lord. She wanted to set it aflame, but knew it would be a pointless task. It was vexing, but this powerlessness was a bitter pill she was becoming accustomed to swallowing these days.]
I suppose even a progenitor god must endure an unpleasant turn of events now and again...
[For sake of appearances, she ensured to modulate her voice to remain as Byleth's - some may query why a young woman's voice would be coming from him otherwise....... nevermind that she was putting in the bare minimum to actually act like him.]
...but did it really have to be somewhere so dull? I'm sick of looking at these people.
[Were this vessel not of such poor quality, and their powers stifled in general, she might've just murdered them all and awaited the end in peace and quiet. Instead she was forced to be, ugh, cautious, and sit and wait in the shadows, feeling the corruption burn in her blood - not as biting as before, as Byleth did manage something useful and had offloaded the 'Zenith' into someone else, but... not enough. She needed to purge the rest.]
OTA
[It felt like a slap to the face.
Even Byleth, outwardly unflappable and pragmatically focused, couldn't help but loiter at the base of the Tree in a dazed state. The empty sky and that sickly sun was unbearable to look at, so Byleth simply stared up at the Tree instead, as if hoping that telepathically conveying his utter refusal to accept their situation would wind back time and have life return to Kenos and the Tree both.
Of course, none of that happened, so Byleth resorted to Desperate Attempt #2. Praying was alien to him, as he had never done the act before in his life, deeming it pointless, but within him slept a goddess - he still felt her - so he could be seen with his head slightly bowed and a hand pressed over his unbeating heart, murmuring something too softly to be heard.
But for those who come closer, or are keen of hearing, might hear:]
Sothis, wake up...
❈ II. Abandon Hope - Exploration.
[He went to Springstar, because where else would be go? The heat of the sun was unbearable despite its sickly shade, yet he found some measure of relief when he pulled his cloak over his head, using it as a pseudo-shade. It reminded him a little of the cranes that would fish on the rivers of Leicester, though, using their wings to cast shade that the fish would come to shelter in - only to be scooped up by the crane's deft beak.
So, for those also exploring Springstar, you may come across someone with their cloak draped over the upper part of their body - probably easily mistaken as a thing rather than a person from a distance...
(He'll mostly be in the Katoikitikós district trying to find his house, but he can also be spotted in other parts of Springstar as well in an effort to just, figure out what happened).]
❈ III. The Purge - [BYLETH].
[Byleth was never one to be wracked with indecision - he ensured to always be decisive, if cautious, in his approach to situations, yet here, beneath the roots of the Tree, forced into such close proximity to those he knew were threats and not to be trusted...
To say he hadn't slept since they came down here wouldn't be an exaggeration. He literally had not slept, agitatedly roaming around with his back constantly kept close to the wall, trying to ignore the voices rattling around in his skull: not Sothis, though they were just as cutting as she could be at times. What ifs, seductive murmurs of, really, why bother with the old world, just make a new one, and salvage only Jeralt - that's the only one you need, isn't it? Just Jeralt? He's the only one who truly understands you. Why bother trying to bring back the whole world? You really going to risk Jeralt for a world that's been filled with nothing but war and conflict and backstabbings? Really?
But that would mean acknowledging Jeralt was dead (he was not, he told himself, Jeralt was alive, because their worlds were not yet gone, he was alive, he was alive, he was alive), and that was something Byleth steadfastedly refused to consider. So, he paced, he ignored the voices in his head, he felt like he was ready to claw himself out of his own skin, he muttered to the walls - Sothis, will you tell these voices to shut up already, it's not like you to tolerate interlopers - and sort of lost track of what day it was, while the corruption seared in his veins.
So, yeah. For any who want to approach someone who's clearly sort of. unravelling at the seams. Here you go.]
❈ IV. The Purge - [SOTHIS].
[Sothis was disdainful of the ritual in motion, and she didn't bother to hide her contempt of it - or of the little ones she was forced to share close proximity with. She was disorientated and perplexed... and angry, an aimless, vicious sort that had no true target but simmered in their sap-like blood, regardless. How her vessel had fallen into this ridiculous situation, she didn't know, but once they had escaped it she'd be having words with them...
But as it is, she was at the disadvantage and the vessel was struggling to function - both mentally and physically. She huddled in the shadows, her brilliant green eyes carrying a preternatural light as they slid, heavy-lidded, over the great hall with that offensive effigy presiding over them like it was their lord. She wanted to set it aflame, but knew it would be a pointless task. It was vexing, but this powerlessness was a bitter pill she was becoming accustomed to swallowing these days.]
I suppose even a progenitor god must endure an unpleasant turn of events now and again...
[For sake of appearances, she ensured to modulate her voice to remain as Byleth's - some may query why a young woman's voice would be coming from him otherwise....... nevermind that she was putting in the bare minimum to actually act like him.]
...but did it really have to be somewhere so dull? I'm sick of looking at these people.
[Were this vessel not of such poor quality, and their powers stifled in general, she might've just murdered them all and awaited the end in peace and quiet. Instead she was forced to be, ugh, cautious, and sit and wait in the shadows, feeling the corruption burn in her blood - not as biting as before, as Byleth did manage something useful and had offloaded the 'Zenith' into someone else, but... not enough. She needed to purge the rest.]