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Entry tags:
- !event,
- baroque: koriel xii (dextera),
- bastard!!: dark schneider,
- black butler: sebastian michaelis,
- ennead: set,
- expanse (the): amos burton,
- fire emblem: byleth eisner,
- fire emblem: claude von riegan,
- fire emblem: dimitri a. blaiddyd,
- genshin impact: tartaglia (childe),
- genshin impact: zhongli,
- granblue fantasy: eustace,
- jinba: hayame,
- legend of zelda (the): link,
- made in abyss: bondrewd,
- magnus archives (the): the archivist,
- marvel: gamora,
- oc: liem talbott,
- star wars: cassian andor,
- star wars: jyn erso,
- trigun maximum: vash the stampede
The Seeds of Unrest: the Iconoclast Oracle
RUNNING OUT THE CLOCK
The situation is bleak.
The Blight - and the massive labyrinth of roots tearing both cities asunder, spreading deadly flowers wherever they penetrate - have progressed to a point beyond catastrophe. People are dying in rapid numbers. Bearers are having difficulty keeping up with the spread of infection - even among one another. The collapse of Kenos seems inevitable; a cure will not come in time. You can do nothing but watch as each new day brings further disaster, ticking down the seconds until it all falls apart.
And then, you feel something seize your Shard. As if physical fingers have wrapped around it, as if it is being clutched through you by invisible hands, you feel invaded. You feel wronged. But before you can panic, a voice enters your mind through Communion.
“Excuse the dramatics, but there isn’t much time for pleasantries. The Trees are about to hit the point of no return. But there's still work to be done. The Tree of Life will take you where you can find it: the Oracle and the creature causing all this mess. Fix this when you find them. However you'd like.”
Have you heard Aetos’ voice before? Perhaps it is the first time; perhaps it is familiar to you. Either way, the last thing you will remember is a confusing jumble: a spell of immense and incredible power, one utilizing the Tree’s strength to shelter you. The sensation of every cell in your body coming alive, yet seeming to break apart and render you into billions and billions of tiny pieces, all hovering in different times and places across all the different iterations, timelines, and realities in which you have ever existed. A voice that speaks not through words asking your forgiveness, unspeakably sad.
And then, there is nothing.
The Blight - and the massive labyrinth of roots tearing both cities asunder, spreading deadly flowers wherever they penetrate - have progressed to a point beyond catastrophe. People are dying in rapid numbers. Bearers are having difficulty keeping up with the spread of infection - even among one another. The collapse of Kenos seems inevitable; a cure will not come in time. You can do nothing but watch as each new day brings further disaster, ticking down the seconds until it all falls apart.
And then, you feel something seize your Shard. As if physical fingers have wrapped around it, as if it is being clutched through you by invisible hands, you feel invaded. You feel wronged. But before you can panic, a voice enters your mind through Communion.
“Excuse the dramatics, but there isn’t much time for pleasantries. The Trees are about to hit the point of no return. But there's still work to be done. The Tree of Life will take you where you can find it: the Oracle and the creature causing all this mess. Fix this when you find them. However you'd like.”
Have you heard Aetos’ voice before? Perhaps it is the first time; perhaps it is familiar to you. Either way, the last thing you will remember is a confusing jumble: a spell of immense and incredible power, one utilizing the Tree’s strength to shelter you. The sensation of every cell in your body coming alive, yet seeming to break apart and render you into billions and billions of tiny pieces, all hovering in different times and places across all the different iterations, timelines, and realities in which you have ever existed. A voice that speaks not through words asking your forgiveness, unspeakably sad.
And then, there is nothing.
AWAKENING
Your eyes open, gritty with the feeling of a long, deep slumber.
Perhaps it takes a moment to shake off the heavy veil of exhaustion, to recollect what you were doing before you fell into this state of hibernation - but as soon as you do, you feel an immediate sense of foreboding around you. It is thick in the air, oppressive and pervasive, and you aren’t left long to wonder at its source. You lay beneath the branches of the Tree of Life, but as your bleary eyes focus… you see it. The Tree is all but bereft of life. Its bark has withered down to gnarled wood, the soft lichen dried up, and the grass that should be alive beneath you is long dead and gone. There is not so much as a single leaf on its decaying branches.
It has been this way for a long, long time... you realize this with a feeling of intense dread as you see it - the beautiful expanse of stars, of the cosmos, of universes scattered like starlight above the tree's boughs, gone. In its place hangs a sickly, ominously low-hanging, and dying sun ready to sing the end of everything.
You can't help but wonder how long Kenos has been in this state, but a sense of gratitude fills you as you realize that the Tree expended the last of its energies to protect you, the Bearers, during your state of rest. Had Aetos worked with the tree to see you sent here?
The next question comes quickly: how much time do you have left…? And can you find the Oracle before that time expires?
Perhaps it takes a moment to shake off the heavy veil of exhaustion, to recollect what you were doing before you fell into this state of hibernation - but as soon as you do, you feel an immediate sense of foreboding around you. It is thick in the air, oppressive and pervasive, and you aren’t left long to wonder at its source. You lay beneath the branches of the Tree of Life, but as your bleary eyes focus… you see it. The Tree is all but bereft of life. Its bark has withered down to gnarled wood, the soft lichen dried up, and the grass that should be alive beneath you is long dead and gone. There is not so much as a single leaf on its decaying branches.
It has been this way for a long, long time... you realize this with a feeling of intense dread as you see it - the beautiful expanse of stars, of the cosmos, of universes scattered like starlight above the tree's boughs, gone. In its place hangs a sickly, ominously low-hanging, and dying sun ready to sing the end of everything.
You can't help but wonder how long Kenos has been in this state, but a sense of gratitude fills you as you realize that the Tree expended the last of its energies to protect you, the Bearers, during your state of rest. Had Aetos worked with the tree to see you sent here?
The next question comes quickly: how much time do you have left…? And can you find the Oracle before that time expires?
ABANDON HOPE (DAYS 1 & 2)
The cornerstones are still active and will take you to whichever city you wish to see.
Highstorm and Springstar sit like empty monuments to the cities that were once filled with life - yet the first thing you will notice is they are strangely absent the signs of the Tree’s overgrown roots, the Blight, the catastrophic damage that you can recall all too easily. Instead, each city sits as those they were summarily abandoned overnight, leaving nothing but their shells behind. There is a stillness in the air that is unnatural and unsettling. Despite the lack of any sign of the citizens of either city, you cannot help but feel… watched.
Something terrible happened here. Best you find the Oracle before something terrible finds you, instead.
The burning of a dying sun beats down on you wherever you go, unbearable heat sending waves off the aged cobblestone streets. Perhaps it is your instinct to seek refuge in the shade - but linger too long about the shadows and that feeling of eyes on your back, of being unable to breathe, of your world closing in around you will grow untenable and drive you back into the light. If you hope to explore the ghostly shell of your city in search of the Oracle - or to sate your curiosity, some problem-solving might be in order.
And while you acclimate yourself to your circumstances, you cannot help but note you feel wrong inside, somehow…
Highstorm and Springstar sit like empty monuments to the cities that were once filled with life - yet the first thing you will notice is they are strangely absent the signs of the Tree’s overgrown roots, the Blight, the catastrophic damage that you can recall all too easily. Instead, each city sits as those they were summarily abandoned overnight, leaving nothing but their shells behind. There is a stillness in the air that is unnatural and unsettling. Despite the lack of any sign of the citizens of either city, you cannot help but feel… watched.
Something terrible happened here. Best you find the Oracle before something terrible finds you, instead.
The burning of a dying sun beats down on you wherever you go, unbearable heat sending waves off the aged cobblestone streets. Perhaps it is your instinct to seek refuge in the shade - but linger too long about the shadows and that feeling of eyes on your back, of being unable to breathe, of your world closing in around you will grow untenable and drive you back into the light. If you hope to explore the ghostly shell of your city in search of the Oracle - or to sate your curiosity, some problem-solving might be in order.
And while you acclimate yourself to your circumstances, you cannot help but note you feel wrong inside, somehow…
EXPLORATION
- If your characters choose to explore previously unreachable areas, please use THIS TOPLEVEL to report when they get there in the thread! We will get back to you with what is discoverable in that location.
- The following areas are off limits for exploration: below Yima’s Manor; below the Church of Heliopolis; Alenroux; Kowloon.
- The Great Trees of both Highstorm and Springstar are in a similar state to the Tree of Life and will not respond to Communion.
- Generally speaking, items will be of poor quality. Most will look as though they’ve aged thousands of years. Others will be in half-decent shape, but sparingly so. Oddly enough, it doesn’t seem like the whole city has aged at the same rate, so especially diligent rummagers can find worthwhile supplies. Please consider this should be rare and don’t go overboard!
NOTES
Here are some prompt reminders - see the full thing at the OOC Summary!- Characters will have a diluted connection to the Zenith or Meridian.
- There will be periods powers are weakened or non-functional during days 1-2 (up to player discretion).
- The sunlight results in scorching; the shadows cause claustrophobia and fear while outdoors.
THE RITUAL (DAYS 2+)
The place you started your journey to Kenos is also where it seems it will end. As soon as the first Bearer makes contact with the Iconoclast effigy, you are collectively drawn to the roots beneath the Tree - like a pang sent through your Shard. Your objective has been found. The Oracle awaits.
Trusting Aetos seems like a fool's errand, but you must put your hope in the Tree. What choice do you have left? It's time to find what lies at the end of this.
Bearers descend, your steps echoing in the dark, cavernous space. Once brimming with life and vitality, the roots are now dried and brittle like the bones of some ancient leviathan that died long ago. As you make their way deeper into the earth, the deadened roots twist, leading you to a vast chamber deep within it; the air here is thick with the smell of decay, and the faint glow of luminescent fungi and mosses barely illuminates the space.
To your left, the Bearers will notice what has drawn them here - and the object of their search.
An effigy sits on the ground between two darkened tunnels. The effigy is made of gnarled, dead branches woven together in a humanoid shape; its hollow, empty eyes are sightless, yet you cannot help but feel it is watching your every move. Branded on its forehead is the Iconoclast symbol carved into the rough wood.
Once all Bearers are present, the Ritual will begin. Your means of exit have been sealed off, and you are trapped, slowly deteriorating together…
Trusting Aetos seems like a fool's errand, but you must put your hope in the Tree. What choice do you have left? It's time to find what lies at the end of this.
Bearers descend, your steps echoing in the dark, cavernous space. Once brimming with life and vitality, the roots are now dried and brittle like the bones of some ancient leviathan that died long ago. As you make their way deeper into the earth, the deadened roots twist, leading you to a vast chamber deep within it; the air here is thick with the smell of decay, and the faint glow of luminescent fungi and mosses barely illuminates the space.
To your left, the Bearers will notice what has drawn them here - and the object of their search.
An effigy sits on the ground between two darkened tunnels. The effigy is made of gnarled, dead branches woven together in a humanoid shape; its hollow, empty eyes are sightless, yet you cannot help but feel it is watching your every move. Branded on its forehead is the Iconoclast symbol carved into the rough wood.
Once all Bearers are present, the Ritual will begin. Your means of exit have been sealed off, and you are trapped, slowly deteriorating together…
NOTES
- Bearers will have access to the Ritual Chamber which is a very wide, open space with the effigy situated against the far wall from the entrance. Several smaller tunnels off-shoot from the Ritual Chamber. They all run to dead ends; some are very small or narrow. This may afford you meager privacy away from the group.
- Once a Bearer steps into the Chamber, they can no longer head back out the way they came. They’ll find themselves automatically walking back into the Chamber as if of their own volition.
- For brevity’s sake we won’t list them out again here, but the complete description of effects Bearers will experience days 2+ is available in the OOC Summary.
- The effigy is impervious to damage.
- It Is Watching You.
- In a dead-end root tunnel attached to the Iconoclast’s Chamber is the Blighted statue of an Otter that may be familiar to some… Please see THIS TOPLEVEL for more information!
THE PURGE (DAYS 5+)
The sap has festered in your veins for what feels like days. It’s impossible to tell how much time has passed; this place has no sunlight. The effigy watches as you remain trapped, huddled together around it, unable to leave as you find yourself sick with the affliction of the Meridian, Zenith - or both.
And then… something finally gives.
Though it does not move and speaks no words, you feel the effigy offering you guidance. Knowledge. Much like the Tree speaks to you in impressions and feelings, you are conveyed wisdom you did not have before: a way to take what you want and rid yourself of what you do not. A way to make your convictions known to all who would hear them. A way to be known. To write your path in blood, be it yours… or theirs.
When all is said and done, only one force - Zenith or Meridian - will gain its favor.
Show it who you are. Show it what resolve looks like to you - and what you are willing to do to attain it.
And then… something finally gives.
Though it does not move and speaks no words, you feel the effigy offering you guidance. Knowledge. Much like the Tree speaks to you in impressions and feelings, you are conveyed wisdom you did not have before: a way to take what you want and rid yourself of what you do not. A way to make your convictions known to all who would hear them. A way to be known. To write your path in blood, be it yours… or theirs.
When all is said and done, only one force - Zenith or Meridian - will gain its favor.
Show it who you are. Show it what resolve looks like to you - and what you are willing to do to attain it.
NOTES
Here are some prompt reminders - see the full thing at the OOC Summary!- You can Purge your alignment through various methods: Trading, Corrupting, or using the Effigy itself.
- All characters will understand the end goal is for everyone to Harmonize; the alignment with the higher rate of Harmonized Bearers alive when time’s up wins the Oracle’s favor.
NOTES
- A reminder that the Harmonization tally will take place on Friday, the 19th and be open through Monday, the 29th. The results will be released on Wednesday, the 31st OOCly.
- Don’t forget to submit any deaths to the Death Tracker, with a gentle reminder characters will remain dead until the event conclusion!
- Reminder to fill out the SETTING POLL ASAP if you haven't already!
- Have some MUSIC if you'd like. LYRICS here!
- HAVE FUN!!
no subject
Ugh. She should've just found a crevice to wedge their body into and took a weeklong nap instead of indulging in this ritual.]
That is not a promise you can keep.
[She got up abruptly, dislodging Claude's hand, and walked away a few steps. She was exhausted and irritable, and as she had resolved when speaking to Dimitri, she wasn't going to play along as Byleth here. Not if it meant feigning affection or concern for those who she felt nothing but apathy for. It was demeaning... and creepy. Sothis was too dignified to huddle underneath a stolen identity and play as a fragile-hearted human snapping up any shred of affection thrown their way. She had pride, even in this humiliating half-life she existed as, and she wasn't going to invite accusations of being some- some parasitic bodysnatcher!]
...especially as you do not seem to realise who you are speaking to, human. This vessel's consciousness is not present at the moment.
[Well, semi-present. Byleth was vaguely aware of the going ons around him, but she kept him gently locked out of his body so he didn't resist too much and accidentally hurt themselves. Fortunately, he knew better than to fight her, but that didn't mean he was well-behaved... he resisted if he felt it necessary, and sadly he thought reigning in her violent impulses were very necessary. As if she wasn't here because his soul had cried out for help... ungrateful brat.]
no subject
What have you done to him? Let him go.
[He didn't care if she was Fódlan's goddess, or any god at all. His body wasn't hers to do as she pleased with; it hasn't occured to him yet that this is what Byleth wanted.]
no subject
[Did Sothis have a sign hanging around her neck saying 'vilify me'!? First Dimitri squaring off against her with empty-headed assumptions, and now this little upstart had the gall to demand things of her?! She scoffed angrily, crossing her arms over her chest and flashing a sharp glare his way.]
Do you think I am sitting here watching you gormless idiots navel gaze of my own free will? My vessel was unable to withstand the emotional agony of the corruption, and so I intervened.
no subject
[He hasn't seen any proof either way. All he sees is a ghost of something long dead haunting his friend.]
And now you're just waiting for the end. If you're convinced we're all going to die here, at least let him have the dignity to be himself.
no subject
...you.
[But that confusion began to smoulder into something far more dangerous, her posture edging into something far more... hostile.]
Such vexing arrogance. I am here because Byleth asked me to be here. He desired salvation from the corruption he had been struggling through, yet found that he had no one to lean on. Thus, I aided him, and shouldered the burden myself!
[Abruptly, she snarled, as draconic as her daughter, swiping her hand in the air like they were claws.]
So, where were you? You, who easily utters promises of protection? Do you know how close my vessel came to becoming Zenith? Of course not. You were not there.
no subject
So he bites back his ire a little.]
We're all struggling here, if you hadn't noticed. But... I'm sorry to Byleth [not her 'vessel', and it rankles him that she refers to him as that,] for not being here for him sooner. If he can even hear me right now.
no subject
The uncertainty of it rankled her. This powerlessness, this inability to control her own fate, shackled as it was to a mortal who lacked common sense and was squishy and vulnerable and a well-intentioned fool. She did not fear death, nor oblivion, but she wanted her end to be more dignified than dragged down by the ridiculous choices of her misbehaving vessel!
She still hadn't forgotten the Shez Incident, after all.]
Hmph! In a way he can. His consciousness is suppressed but aware enough to intervene, if he feels the need. [She clicked her tongue.] Such as now... he will not allow me to harm you, no matter how insulting or aggressive you may be.
[This titbit was very grudgingly doled out. Perhaps Claude would be less belligerent, if he knew that Sothis's control wasn't absolute (though she would never admit it in those exact words). Yes, she is in control, but she cannot do whatever she wanted willy nilly. Byleth would interrupt in some way. Frustrating. Just like in the Shez Incident! That Agarthan spawn had backstabbed him and still he had refused to bring his sword to bear! Sothis had wanted to scream.]
Feel free to corroborate with that deranged dog, Dimitri, if you lack belief. I did not harm a hair on his head despite his ridiculous bloodthirst and posturing.
no subject
[He might just provoke him into another rage if he isn't still in one right now, and nobody wants that (except Set). Still, knowing that Byleth is a restraining force on Sothis is both reassuring but worrying. What if it was all a contest of wills, and Byleth found he no longer had any willpower to fight back one day? In that way, Sothis's assurances ring hollow.
They have bigger things to worry about, though, so he sighs.]
You once entrusted the Byleth of my world with your power when he needed it most. I suppose I can't deny you want to help him. Just-- give him back, when the time comes.
[She can interpet that request however she thinks things here will turn out.]
no subject
[Yet Sothis didn't seem overly hostile to Claude's demand despite her words. Instead she was scrutinising him closely, like he was a very interesting bug she had found under a particularly slimy rock.]
I am curious, though... whence does this concern of yours spring from? Last I recall, my vessel didn't even know of your existence. Are you like Dimitri? Are you projecting the ghost of your own beloved Byleth onto my vessel? They are not the same person.
no subject
The surface similarities are evident, and I'd be a liar if I denied that. But everything Teach and I-- 'Teach' is the Byleth from my world-- went through... That's irreplaceable.
It's more like the Byleth I know had a twin brother, they grew up together, but at some point they split and went down different life paths. He's no more Teach to me than I would be the Claude from his world. But I still understood him in a way most people never will... And before I knew it, I began to cherish the time we've spent together here, too.
no subject
[Sothis was about as expressive as Byleth in that moment, and the only sign that Sothis simply hadn't left mid-conversation and left a puzzled Byleth in the lurch was her piercing, hawkish gaze, emphasised by the slight preternatural glow that made the green irises even more vivid than normal. She stared at Claude so hard it was as if her gaze was trying to cleave him to the bone.]
...your answer is... satisfactory.
[So why did she sound like it hurt her to admit that...]
Which is fortunate for you. I would not want my vessel to be entangled in such affairs. His heart is fragile, though he of course hides it well.
[Not from her, though. The slew of troubles and petty worries she had been buried under once Byleth had overcome his initial hesitance and wariness towards her had been startling. At first, she had been irritated and unhelpful, aggravated by being treated as nothing more than a voice of conscience squeaking in the back of Byleth's mind. But after a while...
She blamed boredom, or nostalgia. Byleth was practically a baby - albeit a very deadly baby - and Sothis always had a soft spot for her more helpless children, especially when they tugged at her skirts and demanded attention. So, she swallowed her irritation and counselled him... and found that it wasn't really all that irritating at all. It did mean she was privy to Byleth's more intimate and embarrassing concerns - well, before. She had no idea what would be troubling him now in this new nightmarish scenario she had no recollection of entering.]
At least I do not have to worry myself about you becoming deranged or attempting to assassinate my vessel. Not like the last two...
[Dimitri as the bloodthirsty one (which was a surprise, the Dimitri of their world was startlingly stable) and Shez as the backstabbing Agarthan snake she only grudgingly tolerated because Byleth had worn her down about him. Eventually.]
no subject
Yeah... I probably should have been more explicit in my warnings to Byleth about that. I saw Dimitri like that in my world, and while I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt...
[Seeing that kind of darkness in someone, it doesn't go away easily. It's the kind of bloodlust that could rival that of the Death Knight.]
In any case, you have my word that I won't hurt Byleth. He means too much to me for me to even consider it.
no subject
[Pretty words, yet that was all they were to her: words. Humans were skilled at saying one thing while planning the opposite - all while concealing a knife behind their back to boot. She did not trust Claude in the slightest, and unless she ascertained the truth of his words herself by forcing a 'trade' - what would happen when Meridian exchanged Meridian energy? - and peering into the viscera of his thoughts and emotions, she would have to make do by simply keeping a very, very close eye on him.]
The promises uttered by mortals mean little and less to me. [An irritated grunt.] But in these circumstances, I have no choice but to accept your flimsy 'word'. Your actions will speak for you, in the end.
no subject
[He shrugs... but again, knows full well the rites and rituals around the Church of Seiros have very little to do with the being standing before him, if anything.]
How's he holding up, anyway? Physically, I mean. If you need to let him have some rest, I can keep watch. [Byleth trusts him with that task, even if Sothis wouldn't.]
no subject
[Sothis turned away slightly, her expression creasing into a wary frown. She trusted Claude about as far as he could thro... oh, no, she didn't. She could throw him pretty far, thinking on it. Fine. As far as Claude could throw her. There was also the fact that Claude was just a flimsy little human, and there were some freaks in this chamber who would definitely be able to overpower him. Sothis and Byleth will be vulnerable if the physical body was asleep.]
...with my Crest Stone, my vessel does not require as much sleep as you mortals. But, it has been days and even I can feel the body fatigue...
[She was clearly mulling it over, torn between her inherent dislike and distrust of humans, and the desire to ensure her vessel remained in peak condition for the battles to come. Additionally, considering her memories leading up to her waking up within Byleth... it was obvious she had died in her sleep somehow. While she didn't fear sleep as a result, it did leave her intensely paranoid about just dumping her vessel unconscious in an open area filled with hostiles. If she died like that she'd be so furious she'd defy reality and physically manifest in this chamber to kill everyone.]
So. It was a difficult choice to make.]
no subject
I don't know what it will take for you to trust me, but I'm not prepared to leave him until you let him rest.
[And presumably she can't just get rid of him, if what she said about Byleth's restraints on her is true.]
no subject
[Sothis turned back towards him, her frown edging into something far more bitter. To float the idea that Claude had more than a snowball's chances in hell to earn even a speck of trust from her was downright laughable. She was done with trust. She was done with humans. The only one deserving of her attention was the one whose body she inhabited, and even then, that was out of pure necessity and forced circumstances.]
Humanity as a species lost that privilege when they betrayed me - not once, but twice! Do you think me ignorant as to what those Hero Relics truly are? Or the origins of your "Goddess gifted" Crests?!
[Rage cracked through her voice then - blistering and intense and inhuman - but as quickly as it flashed it was neatly packed away, Sothis letting out a harsh exhale and turning her scowl to the nearby wall instead. The topic never failed to make her vision tinge red - the realisation she had, when she had prompted Byleth pick up that ridiculous Church's scriptures and read it through... the realisation...
But the vengeful fury that quivered through her being was muzzled by Byleth. She couldn't lash out indiscriminately - even she knew the descendants were not to blame for their ancestors' sins - but neither did she have any other way to vent this grief except to sleep through it. Whenever the urge to inflict it on Byleth rose in her, just one look at him killed it immediately, leaving dissatisfaction in its wake. Sothis wasn't so far gone that she would descend to that low.]
Do not speak of trust to me again, mortal. You will only earn tolerance from me. [...] And perhaps I will tolerate the idea of you standing vigil over us. Even I must bow to the biological necessities of my vessel, and it seems adequate rest is one of them.
no subject
[His tone is flat. He can't change that he's human, or that the blood of the Star Dragon runs in his veins -- the blood of one of the Ten Elites. He won't apologise for something like that, that once again he's earned scorn simply for existing. In this moment, the so-called goddess seems exhaustingly human herself.
Even Rhea, for all her flaws, for all the cruelty she'd endured, saw fit to show kindness, in her own way. Claude opts to do the same, unfastening his cloak and offering it to Sothis.]
Here, take it. For your... biological necessities, or whatever you call it.
no subject
This powerlessness she had over her own fate and now her own heart was becoming ridiculous.
Finally, however, as the moment of silence threatened to stretch into awkward territory and give the impression that she was ignoring him, Sothis just... slumped. Her shoulders dropped from their combative posture, her head dipped slightly, and when she turned to face Claude once more, her expression was less belligerent and more apathetic. The coals of rage could only be kindled for so long until their flames drained - and Sothis had spent so much of her time in this strange chamber aimlessly angry and lashing out like some sort of impulsive beast.
Perhaps it was the body's exhaustion corrupting her... or maybe even her spirit could flag when crushed under enough pressure. She supposed it didn't matter. She lacked the will to be intentionally difficult either way.]
Keep it. This vessel does not require the extra warmth. Just ensure no one decides to slay me in my sleep again.
[Byleth's internal temperature was always optimised accordingly. With that information delivered, she leaned against the wall and let her eyes slip half-shut. She'd rest... but like hell she was lying down and potentially getting shanked by some opportunistic bastard. No. She was going go sleep like a horse: standing up.]
no subject
[But that's Claude's only complaint, deciding it's not worth it to provoke her further when she's being cooperative. He turns, reaffixing his cloak, and finds a spot to sit on an exposed root to keep watch.
He could explain himself, that he fought and defeated both the Ten Elites and Nemesis himself. In a strange, indirect way, he and the Byleth of his world managed to avenge Sothis and her children, and put the Agarthans to rest for good. But is it worth divulging? She's already made up her mind about him, and he has no interest in entertaining the opinion of anyone who has already made up their mind about his lesser status.
Instead, he's doing this for Byleth. So he'll keep his mouth shut, and keep watch while she rests.]
no subject
Including Claude. He likely had ulterior motives and was just better at hiding it.
Sothis's mind gnawed over the motivations of this little human, and her semi-unfocused eyes shifted fractionally as she prodded Byleth's memory. Human brains were both highly organised and unorganised, storing information via associations. It was good for allowing quick, instinctive understanding and processing of the world around them, but made it a nightmare to interrogate for anything coherent. Short of retreating entirely into their mindscape and shaking her vessel down for information, she would have to make do with this painstaking process instead.
Querying 'Claude' got her a jumble of pointless information - for some reason Byleth associated him with lots of cake and a... Clauddles? What the hell is a Clauddles - but it was also enlightening in its own way. Complex emotions - happiness, sadness both. Trust, yet distrust. Byleth felt extreme positive emotions for Claude, but also a bit of wariness. Not because he thought Claude a threat, but because... ah. Projection. Understanding the nature of split timelines, Byleth correctly assumed that Claude's affection was misdirected towards him, that he would fail to match up to whatever expectations Claude may subconsciously have about him. Her vessel wasn't entirely clueless, then.
But, no matter how much she shifted through the data, Byleth's affection remained true. As much as he distrusted Claude's kindness, it was only ever from an assumption that Byleth didn't deserve it, that he had done nothing to garner it, as he wasn't Claude's Byleth. It was annoying and frustrating to admit it, but nothing Claude had done warranted suspicion or rejection. She had to grudgingly accept that.
But, the same could've been said for the Agarthans. She had been blind to their lust for power, and made excuses for the initial first few infractions, and so...]
...was your Hero's Relic brought with you to this land?
[The words came abruptly, and her eyes fully opened from their half-closed state, fixing onto Claude intently. Both her gaze and expression was unreadable, not betraying what leap of logic her mind had tumbled through to ask that question without lead up or context.]
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Failnaught? No. I left that behind when I left Fódlan.
[Relics, Crests -- those ideas were better off left in Fódlan, not introduced to Almyra where they had just as much potential to be abused, or to be held against him as proof he was a foreign king wielding an unnatural power to seize the throne for himself. He wanted to rule on his own merits, and leave those harmful traditions behind.]
Why do you ask? I'm sure a Relic is the last thing you want to see.
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[She pushed herself off the wall, ignoring the stiffness that pulled at her neck and shoulders from the awkward position she had dozed in. She didn't bother correcting Claude on the name - Failnaught was an Agarthan fabrication, a final papercut on an otherwise spearing emotional blow. She refused to so much as acknowledge it.]
You mentioned before, what you could do to gain my trust, and during my repose I have pondered the question. My earlier sentiment stands: humans lack the capacity to be trusted whenever power enters the equation in any format. However, as history has proven...
[She seemed to struggle with her words for a moment, like it was taking actual physical effort for her to set aside her pride to admit through gritted teeth:]
I am. capable. of. being wrong.
[She had been wrong about the Agarthan snake Shez, and she had been wrong about the Agarthans in a whole other way. She had been wrong about so many things, tiny little things, that had culminated into an irreparable disaster. Those gullible fools who prayed at the altar of the fictitious goddess that bore Sothis's name had no idea how fallible the gods were. She wished she was as omniscient and omnipotent as they believed her to be. So much could have been avoided. So much could have been fixed. But it was in the past, and beyond even her reach now.]
Which brings me to my... request. [Not demand, as much as she wished to phrase it as such. This was a test of sorts.] My understanding of Byleth's memories tells me that it is possible items from our timestream may appear in this land. If we survive this ritual and return to how things were, there is a chance that- your Relic, will wash up on these figurative shores. If they do, I request that you return them to me.
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Yeah, of course. [Claude decides, after a small pause, the weight of the request not lost on him.] You have every right to them. Maybe you can finally lay them to rest, after all these years.
[Either here, or back in her own Fódlan, they could finally know peace, instead of being condemned forever to be instruments of war.]
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She had thought Claude would fail, as all humans eventually did. Not that she was stupid enough to take him at face value - he can so easily agree here, yet keep Failnaught hidden if it ever did fall into his greedy hands. But the fact he didn't even bother with a token protest or to be inappropriately inquisitive about her intentions genuinely took her off guard briefly. She always floundered when her combativeness or baiting didn't result in horn-locking.]
Well. Good. [Her voice was almost comically stiff, the deep frown on her face clearly conveying her confusion at how easily Claude had capitulated.] You have some sense after all. Assuming you keep your word, that is.
[Her frown eased into something less stern, chewing over her next words.]
For what I intend... I want to give them the funeral rites that my daughter Rhea should have bestowed on them. This will result in the destruction of your vaunted Relic, so do not expect to have it returned once I have finished.
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