— IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT.

[ What he knows of the oncoming battle is little, a testament to the effective planning and rapid mobilization of the Zenites.

Set has sunk himself into work in the Beyond for weeks, months on end, and so his awareness of the general atmosphere surrounding him is shallow, at best. He half-expects it, though. Either a Zenite attack, or an internal move within Springstar's governance; no matter how hard he and Akua worked in his defense, Cyrus's rule had been doomed since the first Shard-Bearer arrived, taken a look at his smiling face and slandered him as false, sly, a liar. The Meridian ranks had never rallied behind him, not in the way Zenith looked to Yima — and that was, as he understood it, the price of those who truly embodied change.

When the rumbles of the assault first reach him, he leaves his temple deep in the Beyond and lurches into Springstar with wrath in his eyes and determination in the savage, bared snarl upon his teeth. His leniency for Zenith has dwindled, as the rise of the worst of them has led him to disavow their desire. It cannot be allowed to stand: the lackluster, shallow existence of the Zenite Shard-Bearers and the matron they pledge to. They must be made to change.

I. COUNTER ( ASSIST ). But first, he makes to defend his home.

The first thing he does is to head for the Church of Helios. Word of their Archon's arrival begins to stir the people who have fled for sanctuary, the people that he begins to shepherd and herd towards the doors of the grand structure, calling out to them: It will not fall, Heliopolis stands eternal! in encouragement. Upon spotting any of his allies, he strikes them with a mental burst of Communion to gain their attention — the kestrel-call of a hunting bird that has spotted prey from above, the bay of a hound that seeks to alert its company of its findings. ]

Watch your back! Bring them toward the Church or send them inside, they will be safer there than in the streets!

[ He urges, as he lashes out at monsters and beasts alike. Blood splashes up his limbs, over his bare chest and face as he crushes his opposition with perfunctory precision; he grapples and bites, slices and shoots with weapons formed from sands, elegant and deadly as he attempts to reach any Meridian-aligned Shard-Bearer and seize their wrist in his hand. Assisting them, devoted to their support, no matter if they are ideologically opposed or unhappy with one another. ]

They are after something, they have to be. This is like the Oracle, but to a different degree.

[ II. CONTROL ( PVP ). He works hard to save his own, and harder still to route Zenites.

Set halts in the roads, in alleys and stooped upon rooftops upon spotting any known-Zenites, his bared teeth morphing into a mocking smile as he takes them in: ] I recommend rethinking every moment that led you here.

[ There is no doubt that he doesn't care if the Zenite in question is hindering, or helping. Set drags his dark mask down across his face, flicks a wrist and extends an equally dark sceptre into his hand and without a care as to protest, he lunges forth with murderous intent. There's no doubt he intends to brutalize and dissipate any opponent in his way, from here on out. ]

In fact, I demand that you submit now. Those you have injured and abused will judge you for your sins.

— TO THE BREAK OF DAWN.

[ Cyrus dies, despite it all.

The pang of mourning he feels is pushed aside, as Set returns to the Beyond. Alongside a select few who he takes within him — those he needs to fuel the weapon. He can hem and haw over it all he wants, but in the end, there is no time for a test run: it must be used. Some part of him relishes that it is as he wanted it to be, a precision strike in response to piss-poor Zenite decisions. Let them understand that they caused this, he thinks, let them rue that their own choices are did this to them. And then there is light, burning Meridian and divine energy that bursts from the depths of the Beyond and tears through Yima's Manor. Tears through her, he intends.

And in the wake of it, he immediately takes up the next position that he must: that of the villain, the madman. In Communion, as he enters Highstorm loudly and boldly.

I. COMMUNION ( OTA ). [ The sensation of Set rises within all whom receive the alarming contact. He allows himself to be seen, a man of red, streaked with blood — standing atop the burning wreckage of Yima's Manor. He envisions himself reaching down into the rubble, and lifting up the battered, starlit robe that adorned Yima's form. Holding it high above his head like a flag he intends to mount as a trophy, a sneer building on his face. ]

You should have stuck to losing Oracles, Zenith. Now, you solidify your place as true failures.

Dominated in ideology. Incapable of protecting your precious ones. Bereft of a leader who is not readily replaced.

— you may thank me for showing you the error of your ways.

[ And though it is only metaphorical, only within Communion, he touches Yima's robe to his mouth — and as he does, it begins to fade into motes of starry sands. Eroding before the minds of all, as he opens his arms and commands the blame focus on him. ( Fellow Savants will know it is true: this brash act, is both him at his most true, and him as an act. Part of him feels miserably, and part of him is prepared to shoulder this burden. ) ]

When I find her body, I will be sure to let you keep it. I only want her head after all, ahaha!

II. CIRCUMVENT. [ Set takes flight across Highstorm, openly.

There is reason to his show of victorious sauntering; the cavorting madness that overtakes him is a calculated effort to protect the rest of Meridian. To focus ire upon him, to make him into the true evil within Meridian. ( He mourns, somber and pained within his heart, as he dodges wrathful citizens and alights upon rooftops with the intent to be spotted, to flee. It will take some effort to capture him, but by the way he flags and falters, he might not have intentions to escape too quickly. )

He is aiming to reach the Cornerstone in the city, because in the end, he doesn't want to be destroyed. Dissipation would certainly, at this point, lead to it. For that reason, he relies heavily on his spellwork and trickery. A combination of Major Image, Mold Earth, and Harmonization ability of Corruption, are his main tools of the trade, alongside that horrible mouth of his. ( Any Zenite who wants a nice reason/push towards deeper Harmonization can look no further, he'll definitely serve as a natural #reason to hate on Meridian. More than that, any Meri looking to escape suspicion and/or get some brownie points with Zenites can build off his obvious show of villainy! ) ]

— OOC.

[ Set's plotting comment is here, and I'll have some closed starters for specific plans below! ]