THE SOOT OF IGNORANCE: RISING ACTION

[beleos]

BETWEEN UNCONTROLLED ESCALATION & UNENDING PASSIVITY

The moonlit city of Highstorm has always been a tranquil location.

Its people, passionate about the steady leadership of Zenith's leader — Lady Yima — begin their movements slowly and deliberately. Following the lead of their most trusted Shard-Bearers and the word of their Lady, activity in Highstorm begins to increase in the vicinity of Yima's Manor. The Court, the town square outside of it, becomes a hotbed of bustle and voices. Personnel and attendants rush around with documentation, stirring others to action. A select few figures gather the full force of their long-standing houses, calling on family bonds and their own castellans to assist the efforts that build over the course of a few days.

For the tranquility of Highstorm is only ever punctuated by its decisiveness, its faith that their path is the correct one — and now, they will prove it.

In a trickle-down effort, from the most loyal Zenites to the newest, the news unfolds for them: Amos Burton has been tasked by Lady Yima herself to turn the tides back in Zenith's favor. He is to end the life of the 34th Tribune, Cyrus Marcius Germanus Kokkinos, alongside the fortune who have found their way into Zenith's graces. In the earliest hours of the invasion, the figure of Yima herself steps out onto the balcony of her quarters — the highest point of the Manor — with her robes soft around her body and hands extended to her people. Her silence is punctuated by glowing feelings of pride that flow through the hearts and minds of every last sworn Zenite, bolstering their resolve and encouraging them with the cool, ever-flowing might of the people who look to Zenith's Shard-Bearers for their victory.

She sees them off with unspoken sentiments of love, confidence in them — the whispered promises that she knows they are ready to see the war through. And perhaps none of them will know that it is the last time they see her.

For in the sun-dappled sprawl of Springstar, their target awaits them.

The bustle of the city has always been without reservation; the bright and airy attitudes of militant citizenry look on with confidence and celebratory warmth as their Shard-Bearers have brought them to a marginal advancement over their enemies. While Tribune Cyrus's popularity has waned, there are alternative avenues they have begun to explore — the figure of Agapitos Voreen has become deeply popular, with savvy statements, an easy confidence and a willingness to deny Zenith any room to breathe, he is a shoe-in for future Tribune, whenever the next elections are held.

Which is why, in between one moment and the next, the city is rocked by the efforts of their opposition. Zenite-aligned Shard-Bearers and the small house armies of Yima's most loyal core families fill the streets with chaotic distractions, ranging from duels with the Helios Legionnaire to direct attacks on civilians. ( Where does your character draw the line, if they care to? Will it matter in the long run, do they believe? ) Appearing from several Cornerstones hidden within the city's confines from missions long past, tracking the movements of Legionnaires and Shard-Bearers alike from the placement of listening gems and tracking spells, even rising from the bowels of Kowloon to trap the city in a pincer movement — Highstorm goes on the offensive.

Springstar puts up a valiant resistance in return; however, within twenty-four hours, Zenite Shard-Bearers will have hunted down, cornered and slain the Tribune. In that moment, Meridian-aligned Shard-Bearers will feel a splitting pain: the suddenness of having an integral element of their power ripped from them, the sensation akin to being crushed, gasping under the weight of Zenith's swell. The last trickle of emotion from Cyrus for them is a gentle warmth, fondness and forgiveness and the purity of his confidence in them. He believes in them, he always has, and he prays and hopes for their victory even though he will not be around to see it become reality, now.

His death is announced the following day by his assistant Cetina, the deer-morph girl choking back angry tears as she — with a furious and tearful General Ayo Zaman and the somber, mournful figure of Hieropoios Natalia at her side — lambasts Highstorm for the act of aggression, attempts to rouse the city and Meridian's hope, and pledges that she will not let her best friend's murderers escape her vengeance.

Hours after Cetina's message, in the far corner of Highstorm — following the people's celebrations and rejoicing in their strike, the delight in the might of their Shard-Bearers and the renewed passions of their people in pursuit of their victory — a brilliant, golden beam of sunlight pierces the eternal night of the city.

In an instant, the balcony upon which Yima had stood and the rooms beyond it — in fact, the entirety of the Manor, is engulfed in fire and light. The Manor falls, crumbling in upon itself as debris cascades into the living quarters of Shard-bearers and partially topples into the Court beyond. While the Tree of Life, the Reflecting Pools and many businesses around the Court escape extensive damage, the Manor itself is in shambles. And in the wake, many Zenite Shard-Bearers will feel the suddenness of having an integral element of their power ripped from them, the sensation akin to being crushed, gasping under the weight of Meridian's swell. In the wake of the strike, there is a deep silence within them.

Any attempts to contact Yima are met with the same silence a Shard-Bearer feels when reaching out to another who has left the world entirely. And with that, both sides are left to pick up the pieces and weigh the consequences of their actions.

ADDITIONAL MATTERS

During ( and in the wake of both assaults ), there is plenty for any Unharmonized Shard-Bearers and more moderate Meris/Zenites to partake in. Damage has been wrought to both cities at differing times, and there is a degree of life lost no matter the best efforts of those who value innocents over the price enacted by acts of war.

In Springstar, the citizenry has been ravaged by attacks stemming from the depths of Kowloon: as monsters in the form of both individuals with unusual appetites (cannibals and vampires, for example) and heavily-drugged, superpowered addicts have been finding their way into the city, slaughtering civilians indiscreetly, picking fights with the Legionary, and engaging in general criminal mischief and violence. Following Zenith's assault and subsequent assassination, the city will be on high alert and be deeply hostile toward Zenith-aligned Shard-Bearers, as well as mistrustful towards any Unharmonized ( for good reason: they might still Harmonize with Zenith! ). After the day of the attack, the attacks drop off significantly, but do not vanish entirely, for now that some have gotten a taste, it will take time for Yura to reign them in once more.

The people of the city turn to their Shard-Bearers in the wake of their Tribune's murder; even though his popularity had waned, it isn't as though his death doesn't affect them! Deeply concerned and frightened for their future, they demand information about what will be done to protect the city from another assault like this? Some civilians will turn to the church, or perhaps community leaders, but it seems very few turn to the legionary, after they were so focused on the attacks that they missed the forest for the trees. Their trust in their military leaders is waning, and they’re looking for answer. Some community leaders have tried to soften the hurt and anger of Springstar’s people, but they look toward those whom were not a part of the current establishment to answers.

In Highstorm, Yima's Manor lays in shambles, but the rest of the city is unharmed. Shard-Bearers who were living in the Manor will find that their living quarters suffered from the collapse and subsequent fires, but any precious items/belongings they had in their rooms can be recovered after sifting through the rubble. One of Yima’s most trusted, Florence, seems to be taking the reigns of control, and while there are still pockets of the manor that remain on the outskirts of the building itself, she encourages any Zenites who had not moved out to move on quickly, since what is left should be used by any newcomers who need shelter, and not those whom have had the opportunity to make bonds, and have allies that they can rely on.

The main issue now plaguing Zenites is the sudden, overwhelming crowd that begins to gather in the Court, demanding information from them about Yima's safety — they are frantic, and rightfully concerned about further assaults of that incendiary degree from Meridian. The city will be on high alert and be deeply hostile toward Meridian-aligned Shard-Bearers, as well as mistrustful towards any Unharmonized ( for good reason: they might still Harmonize with Meridian! ). The Manor itself is almost entirely destroyed, with only a shell of the outskirts left, and though those who are left are already trying to sift through the rubble, they are often overcome by their sorrow, and it is not uncommon in the wake of Meridian’s destruction to find some of Yima’s most loyal in distress, for the loss of their leader.

A LIGHTHOUSE AGAINST THE ENCROACHING STORM

A few months ago, all current Shard-Bearers experienced a mass dreaming event, full of teeming darkness and a pervasive sense of terror. Following the death of Cyrus and the "presumed loss" of Yima, all Shard-Bearers will receive yet another dream.

This one is a simple, direct thing: rife with a haunting sense of being watched, observed as if from the reeds and brush by a hunter. Whatever your power level, however skilled you are and confident you are in your place, your decisions, your heart will quake before the severe impression of something prowling at your heels. Just out of sight, but never out of mind. Every Shard-Bearer's shard will wrench free of their body upon waking, falling from their physical form as if to flee this sensation of something waiting, patient, for the right moment to pounce.

Echoing in the back of their mind, a wordless, shapeless promise lingers: Forward, or back. Back, or forward. Dart and weave, flit and flutter, scamper and scurry. We are here, now. In the back of every mind, what was in the process of coming before is — it is here, now. Looming right above, waiting for the outcome, watching for which way the last lives at the end of existence will flee.

Upon awakening from the mass dream-become-nightmare, Shard-bearers will slowly become aware of the exacerbation of previous events that have been persisting since October. These events are no longer subtle, and will impact everyone regardless of faction allegiance, with purposefully targeted strikes:

— Darkness has spread within Springstar. Wherever there is shadow cast by person, object or building, it has deepened, darkened, and grown in size. Walking through any shadowed area or touching a darkened shadow will fill a Shard-bearer who enters that area with feelings of dread, of something lingering just out of sight, of danger prickling along their spine, and entice them to run and flee. If they are not quick enough, an unseen entity savages them — aiming directly for wherever their Shard is hidden and held. They are being hunted.

— Light has spread within Highstorm. Starlight and moonlight seem to sear what they touch, leaving patches of bleached-white scars upon person, object or building. Being touched by the light or coming into contact with a white-scarred entity will fill a Shard-bearer with feelings of malaise, like they should simply lay down and accept what comes next. Suffocating hands waiting to pin them down. Even in the safety of the shadows, the scourging glow of any light reaches for them and rakes across their bodies, seeking the place where their Shard is hidden or held. Ravaging them with hot-and-cold burns. They are being sacrificed.

— Shard-bearers readily become lost in familiar places, as if their homes and bastions of safety and security have become strange ( estranged? ) from their minds. The route to that favorite haunt ( perhaps even their own place of business ) eludes them, and searching for it alone becomes an impossibility. It takes another Shard-bearer, at times, to aid them in breaking free of the mild befuddlement. You're just tired. It's just the strain getting to you.

— Citizens of both Springstar and Highstorm continue to speak about neighbors who have 'suddenly moved away', or the disappearance of a favored shop or cafe. Some mention favorite, useful landmarks vanishing, causing them to forget where they are coming from, or where they are going. When directly asked about this circumstance, they shrug and declare that it happens all the time these days. In fact, there's nothing to really be done about it. And if pressed, the citizenry's eyes go glassy and expressions become confused as they ask who, what, where, and why their Shard-Bearer has begun asking them such strange questions. None seem bothered by this strange occurrence, as if all is well and normal.

— Shard-bearers will begin to see familiar faces in crowds, standing on street corners, peering through their private windows, waving them down at their familiar haunts. People from their own worlds, loved and hated alike rush for them — adoring and hostile alike. Family members and friends who seem to attempt to meet their eyes before the crowd swallows them up; loved ones who should be captured in Shards try to flag them down, calling their names and asking them where have you been? what's going on?; enemies and abusers seem to advance upon them, pushing their way forth hungrily. And then they are gone, but not before leaving behind the impression, the strange sensation that, they are real. Really there. If only for a moment.

OOC & (IMMEDIATE) WORLD CHANGES

The full document for this event can be found here!

So, what does the world look like now that this has all gone down?

The world of Kenos ripples from the effects of our players!

Springstar is (mostly) physically unharmed, though the population has been reduced thanks to the number of murders and criminal mischief that has taken place during the attack. Damage seems constrained to things like broken doors and windows, looted property, and murdered civilians, though the severity is up to how many defend Springstar from the concentrated might of Ryad’s regulars, and a practical army of addicts rising from the depths below the city.

The leadership of Springstar is also shaken, though there are procedures in place for this – if one is particularly studious, they will recall that this is not the first Tribune that has been assassinated, though it is the first in a long while – and the Church and the Legionary have stepped in to maintain the peace while elections begin to be arranged.

Cyrus’s body is interred publically at the Church in Heliopolis for a week after his passing, before his body is immolated during a service, his soul returned to the Tree of Life. Those who attend will feel the light of Meridian fill them, and their Discord may be reduced by one level thanks to the warm hope that fills them, even as they despair at the loss of their leadership. Meridian calls to its most loyal, and asks them to do what they do best, show hope and unending resolve, when things look to be their most hopeless.

Highstorm is another story. The destruction wrought is more property, but the number of people who were within the manor is difficult to count until a week or two after the destruction has been evaluated, and cleanup has begun. The loss of life is not devastating compared to what was leveled upon Springstar, but perhaps the most distressing is that Yima is not present. Florence reassures those in Highstorm with her calming, but firm presence.

With few of Yima’s softer adorations to be found, Florence instead pushes the faithful to muster their will and begin the recovery efforts. After all, they have long proven to have faith in Yima’s guidance, and they should believe in it now when it is difficult. It is not the first time their fortitude has been tested, after all.

Her words fill those in Zenith with a sense of calm resolve, and they may feel their distress and discord from this destruction alleviating slightly. Highstorm’s government works smoothly without Yima, and those who are interested in history will be able to see Florence’s name throughout the annals, as one that would guide Yima’s faithful when the matron was in convalescence, or respite. What Zenith does best, after all, is build something new when faced with destruction. Consider this a primer for your new world, to help bring the faithful back from the brink of their despair.

The unharmonized have a choice, as they so often do. This time, however, the stakes appear even higher than before. The cities are not as welcoming as they once were, and those that have not chosen are beseeched by the civilians of both Highstorm and Springstar. ‘Do you not understand what they’ve taken from us, and what they will in days to come? You cannot let this continue, standing on the sidelines. Imagine the ways in which you could help us,’ they beg, and it feels as though your neutrality will become increasingly inconvenient, as time goes on.

What can we expect next?

As the month of Pelu ( aka March ) dawns, you will begin to feel it. Something tugs at you.

Those who have lived through more than one will feel that anticipatory anxiety rise, as the next oracle is coming. Are you ready to fight to claim it, even when it feels so dark, and even when everything feels different, and harder? Do you look to the stars, and dream of your home? Or do you gaze outward, into nothing, and dream of what you will make from the ashes?

Anticipate the oracle in the coming month of Pelu, and to learn more about those that will step into the voids left by Cyrus and Yima.

And as always!

Questions can be directed here!

Individuals less-inclined to busy themselves with either effort, or looking for a way to gain a foothold/explore the world can report here for exploration attempts. We recommend examining the Kenos Wiki's Locations for ideas, if you don't know where to start. Or! Ask someone in the Discord Server for a recommendation, we have long-time players eager to help.

Lastly, remember that Cyrus and Yima will be a little occupied this time around, but anyone who might ICly have reason to contact them regarding the brewing troubles can do so here!

CODING

Comments

Wildcard.

[dreamflowers]

[Death and destruction was not new to Jade. You don't live in a country ravaged by three decades of civil war and not get used to the stench of blood and charred meat. Regardless, it still makes her stomach turn once she's finally hauled out of hiding from one of the buildings. A coward's move for sure, but she was never particularly strong or brave. And what else was she supposed to do? Just start stabbing indiscriminately without knowing who her enemy even was?

[Even now, the answer isn't so cut and dry. Leaders are dead in a system that has nothing to do with her, as are civilians that she had no attachment to. People need help, but she feels useless, pathetic. Weak.

[What more, she needs her damn magic. To do that, she'll need to "harmonize" -- but that'll require making a solid decision. Though Jade had already confirmed that she would in no uncertain terms never ally herself with Zenith, she's still feeling a little out of her depth here.]

Blazes.

[It's all she says in one long, drawn-out breath as Jade's wandering footfalls draw to a halt in front of some looted buildings, the burnt smell of smoke from an extinguished fire lingering.]

What a damn mess.

[And still at a loss of what she can even do for these people -- she doesn't even know them, and they don't know her.]

[wolfish]

[ It's been a surreal experience, having Springstar transform into a warped reminder of Faerghus. His home had been invaded, bitterly embattled from without and within, a years-long war finally nearing its end... Then he'd been drawn into all of this, and in all his months here, it's only now that he's reminded so terribly of home.

Highstorm's attack was not one of conquest in the traditional sense — not yet, anyway. Despite that, the wanton trampling of the common people, defenseless and terrified, is hauntingly familiar. It's a sorry state of affairs as well as a sobering testament to what Zenith is willing to do.

Perhaps it's no surprise when their new world would already be built on the sacrifice of countless lives, countless worlds, that they would add more bones to that unfathomable mountain.

Yuri recognizes that ruminating on the matter will do nothing. It's better to be busy, and the people need help now more than ever. So it is that Yuri is making his way along the street, loaded up with baskets hanging from his arms at odd angles to accommodate so many blankets. His strides are oddly swift despite the fact that he is clearly walking, and initially he passes right on by her since he can just barely peer over all that he carries.

Well no, he passes, then backpedals. Tips his head back a little, then some more. Goddess, this woman's got Balthus beat. He's only seen this feat achieved by Midna and Hayame prior... But he sets the marvel aside for now. ]

...Hey, you got a minute?

[dreamflowers]

[It probably wasn't the first time someone had stopped to do double-takes at the tall half-Aeterna woman standing on the side of the street. When did Jade stop hunching over so much like she used to? The listless weeks she'd spent in Silvergrove, maybe? When she stopped caring so much about trying to obscure her size, and just... be who she is for once in her miserable life, devoid of judgement? Rynéus just wanted someone who liked him for who he was, a sentiment that Jade found that she could relate to.

[And now that boy is gone. Even if she were to bring her world back, the chances of saving him still are unlikely. He'd been dead for weeks before those visions of oblivion swallowed up what was left. To hope for anything better seems fruitless when nothing ever seems to go right.

[Without thinking, Jade had been touching where the Black Stone necklace had once hung around her neck, only to find that it still gone.

[And it isn't until she realizes someone is actually addressing her this time that she is wrenched from her reverie.]

Hh... I'm sorry?

[She blinks, tilting her head to look down at the man talking to her. Shit. He just asked her a question, didn't he?]

Oh, um. I guess. Need something?

[wolfish]

[ What Yuri doesn't say, knowing it to be assumption alone, is that she looks lost. It could be she's new or had a hell of an ordeal during the attack. It could even be both. Whatever the case may be, it's not for Yuri to pry into. Even so, he doesn't think he ought to leave her standing there like a pole.

Monsters, humans and otherwise, still occasion to attack people in the city. If she is indeed new, it wouldn't be safe. More than that, if he is right, she might have use for a distraction. ]

I'm on my way to deliver these supplies.

[ He shifts his arms, full baskets, blankets, and all, as though he needs to make clear what supplies he means. ]

It'd go faster if I had an extra hand or two.

[ This is true, though Yuri often handles these sorts of things himself. Even before all hell broke loose, he'd made a routine of making this particular trip, albeit with different things in tow. He'd grown up poor, and he knew intimately well from his time in Abyss how scarce little luxuries were for more than just himself, so he usually brought baked treats to the orphanage here in Springstar.

Today, his baskets are more ample than that, with more supplies than that. The need extends well beyond brightening up a day, though that remains part of it. ]

Provided you're up for it, that is.

[ High as the blankets are stacked, the only part of his face easily visible turns out to be his eyes, even with his head tipped to regard her. ]

[dreamflowers]

["Lost" would certainly be one way of describing whatever state Jade is in, but anyone trying to pry further into it would have been met with nothing short of a dismissal.

[Instead, she's given an opportunity to make herself useful, and that's more appealing. Jade stares at first, squinting. By nature, she's never been a very trusting person, especially men who don't seem to think twice before addressing her. If this were her home country, a trick like that would be one easy way to end up in chains if you weren't careful.

[But this isn't Nehrim. It's not even Enderal. Near as she can tell, slavery doesn't seem to be an issue here, either. There are other, equally bad (if not worse) ways this could end as a result of being careless, however.

[For now, she chooses to be careful. Her guard up, arms crossed, one good eye studying the way-too-many supplies he's carrying, as one would when trying to consolidate trips to and from places.]

Depends on where the supplies are going to.

[Despite her misgivings, she simply unfolds her arms and relieves him of some of those towering blankets, if only to get a better read on his mostly hidden face. After a moment, she just shrugs.]

But... eh. I've really got nothing better to do.

[wolfish]

[ Yuri's face proves to be a pretty thing, something people around him have made him aware of since he was too young to grasp what that attention meant. He takes strongly after his mother in his looks, and that he takes great pride in simply for love of her. His features are complimented by skillfully applied makeup, as is customary for him.

It stands rather at odds with his low voice. ]

Thanks.

[ He may have looked surprised for a fleeting moment, after she'd taken a share of the blankets. Despite asking for a hand with distribution, Yuri hadn't expected her to carry anything along the way... Not that he has any intention of complaining. ]

These're going to the orphanage up the road. Got the kids out quickly enough during that attack, but the place got ransacked by those dastards. So, trying to help the staff get things back in order. Food, water, blankets, as you can see...

[dreamflowers]

[OH NO HE'S HOT

[Setting aside her proclivity for pretty boys, Jade manages to recover quickly.

[...Only to be surprised all over again by his answer.]

You're taking these to an orphanage...?

[Her disposition quickly changes, from reluctant acceptance to something a bit more disarmed. A lot of people pay lip service when it comes to charity until it gets too hard. It was one of Jespar's philosophies that she actually agreed with.

[That doesn't mean that she believes nobody should try, though. If anything, she commends the efforts of those who do, rather than resign themselves to the futility of failure.]

Alright, I'll help. Got anything else that needs carrying? I've time to kill and two perfectly functional hands.

[Which is more than what can be said for her eyes, but. You know. At least one of them works perfectly.]

[wolfish]

[ Yuri has made a career of trying to pick up the poor and those who have no one else. He earned the money for that through crime, sure, but people who need food don't care where the money comes from. Here his resources can serve the same purpose for the locals, even if he feels he has less to offer.

He's had nothing, he's dragged himself up from it. The ways in which he achieved that are ones he wouldn't wish on another soul. So whatever he can do, even if Yuri knows full well it's never enough, he's going to do. ]

Appreciate it. [ He says with an easy smile on painted lips, shifting his load. ] Think you can take this basket up front here? The angle's got me concerned...

[ That one's full of bottles of water, and as slanted as it is, he half expects it'll take a tumble at some point. He'd rather avoid it. ]

[dreamflowers]

[Sometimes crime and goodwill go hand in hand than people would like to admit, and sometimes there just weren't any other options. Having lived in a country where she was a wanted fugitive for over a decade, making a legitimate career out of something wasn't exactly available for someone like Jade, and neither was having a stable living situation. Even a bed to sleep in was a luxury she couldn't always afford until recently.

[It's still strange not having to constantly duck and hide at the sight of any authority figure passing by, though the presence does still make her uneasy. This is something she's pretty sure she can handle, though.

[In fact, she's kinda been itching to do something, since she wasn't much use during the fighting.]

Ah, sure! I gotcha.

[Not having a home for most of her life also meant having to learn how to carry everything she owned, so figuring out how to consolidate the supplies in her arms was easy enough of a task.

[Once she's properly equipped, she nods for him to lead on. She hadn't seen any orphanages to know the way there herself.]

So, er, you do this kinda thing often?

[wolfish]

[ On her signal, Yuri turns to resume his trek up the road. Though he's quick on his feet, she's a good foot taller than him even with his boots on, and he's mindful not to hurry along too quickly. Yuri sets a brisk pace for their journey to the orphanage, but not a difficult one. ]

I make it a point to stop by. Usually it's just a little something, but they got hit hard by all this.

[ A little something amounts to donating all of his unused funds and bringing pastries by several times a week, but Yuri's not about to announce that. He's just doing what he feels is right, nothing to raise a fuss over. It's all too clear to him how limited his aid is in this place, when he was once able to supply far more.

For the time being, he reasons that this is a start. ]

I don't think they get too many other regulars. Shame, really— orphans have it rough, and a little can go a long way with kids.

[dreamflowers]

[Guilt sinks in at what he says, even though she's pretty sure it wasn't his intent to elicit culpability or even try to seem magnanimous. But she had been so useless during the attacks, so at a loss of what to do that her impulse to wait it out was stronger than her desire to help others just for the sake of doing so. Even if one could easily relieve her from blame on account of her arrival having been so recent, she could have maybe done... something? Literally anything?

[(Or she could have made everything worse, like she always does. Just like how things turned out in Silvergrove, where she couldn't even save one fucking kid who needed help.)]

I see.

[She's quiet for a moment, uncertain whether it's something worth telling or not.]

I was an orphan, too. So I get it. Really. They're usually the ones that're the hardest by shit like this.

[wolfish]

[ The quiet isn't lost on Yuri. There had been an observable difference when he'd said where the supplies were bound. Rather than ask, he waits until she opts to speak again. It isn't for him to pry, after all. What she finally says surprises him, but not as much as it should. Not in the way it should.

Far too many have been orphaned in his world. That this isn't unique is disappointing, but it tragically isn't unexpected. ]

Sorry to hear it. In my case... I'm blessed to have someone back home.

[ One, but one was enough. It always will be, for Yuri. And he knows that in this, he is fortunate. His loving, kind mother is more than others have had. He may have struggled to support her from a young age due to her ailing health, but he's always known someone loved him. That got him through so much of what he had to do to survive.

Do it for her, and all that. ]

Assuming you're new here, there were isolated attacks before all this. Monsters, human or otherwise, preying on citizens. Between that and this larger scale mess, there're...more orphans than there were in Springstar.

[ It's a reality he wishes they could have averted. ]

[dreamflowers]

["Sad little orphan girl" was hardly an original story where Jade is from, having made her reluctant to say anything in the first place. It's probably something that can be said for any world ravaged by wars. Even before the recent death of the "gods" that had left power vacuums many were too eager to fill -- and kill any of those who challenged them -- Jade could never seem to find one period of universal peace in the history of Vyn.

[Disappointing. Not surprising.

[As if more determined to make sure they get to their appropriate destination, Jade's grip over the supplies tightens as Yuri speaks.]

I am new here, yeah. I've heard about stuff like that happening.

[It's different confronting the consequences of incidents like those. Jade's head dips, still minding where she's going but strictly just following Yuri's lead at this point.]

Seems like this incident's gonna make more additions to those establishments, yeah?

[And maybe even more who will be displaced due to the destruction, much like Jade had been. No one would want anything to do with a half-breed urchin child. Not without having ulterior motives, that is.]

[wolfish]

[ Yuri leads the way with a confidence borne of familiarity. Even since the assault on Springstar had come to its end, he's made this journey multiple times. As a result, he easily steers them out of the path of more difficult terrain formed by rubble and detritus that hasn't been cleared. ]

I've no doubt the numbers will climb, as the dust settles here. People were evacuated to secure zones — the ones we could get to in time, anyway.

[ There's a grim edge of remorse to his tone for that. If only they'd gotten a better handle on the situation sooner, they could have mitigated more of the damage. Unfortunately for them, Yima had effectively sown enough chaos to prevent that. Despite knowing the irrationality of it, Yuri still views it as a personal failure.

They saved many, but there were others they did not. ]

It's one reason I'd like to ensure the supplies are ample at the orphanage. No doubt the church will see volunteers and donations, but there's no assurance that will make its way elsewhere.

[dreamflowers]

[Much like her silence was to him, the efficiency of his strides is duly noted by Jade, as heeding the little details was a necessary skill during her time on the streets (and after). If you didn't want to end up getting tricked into an alley and stabbed or swindled by a merchant, key details sometimes made a world of difference between life and death, or empty pockets.

[By then her defenses have been lowered enough that she isn't constantly wary of where they're turning. In contrast to her previous meandering and second-guessing as to where she's going, he seems to know the way quite well.

[It's not much, but for now, she chooses to have a little bit of trust that he isn't pulling the wool over her eyes, as many have done in the past.]

Well, in that case, if you ever need some extra hands any other time... I mean, I don't have much else going on, other than acclimating myself to all... this.

[She pauses, wincing internally upon realizing it.]

Oh! My name's Jade, by the way.

[wolfish]

Thanks, I'll take you up on that.

[ Independent as Yuri is inclined toward being, even he recognizes more hands makes for lighter work. The people here need them, and besides, he thinks Jade has perked up at the prospect of doing some good around here. Why not share one way to do that? Everyone wins in that regard.

Besides, seeing more Shardbearers who care about their well-being may do something to help those kids regain some sense of security. What they've been through was a nightmare, and what's more, they look to Shardbearers as their champions. They may not have saved the day, but they can rebuild.

The orphanage comes into sight not long thereafter, broken windows patched and rubble heaped away from the doors, but better off than other locations. ]

There it is.

[dreamflowers]

[Sometimes it's just hard to accept help, but it is often even harder to damn near impossible playing the lone wolf as well. Fuck knows Jade tried and failed going her own way more times than she could count.

[But when they're finally there, the reality sinks in that she might have to see the children who were impacted by all of this. Their faces, their voices. The lingering unease turns into a steady scream inside her own head as she glances over at him, waiting to follow his lead. Or not.]

So, um. D'you think I have to go in with you?

[The obvious answer would probably be yes. Why wouldn't it be? But then what? Will the children be grateful? Relieved? Angry? Rynéus had accepted her so easily simply because she was the first person who came into his village that wasn't immediately puppeted by the Black Stone's will. All she's doing now is just carrying some damn blankets.

[Fuck. Stop it. But she's trying not to grip the blankets too hard, or stand too rigid; to just mask her unease for fear of easily giving the wrong impression that she is wont to do.]

[wolfish]

[ Yuri's spent his days since coming to this place scrutinizing a comrade's smallest changes in expression and posture to figure out his mood, what he was thinking, whether he needed something he wouldn't ask for... He's been at that long enough now that when others yield something more overt than a man with resting pokerface, it stands out starkly to him.

So he sees the way Jade's tension abruptly climbs. He may not know the reason, but he doesn't have to. What matters in the moment is that she's clearly apprehensive about seeing these orphans, and since she volunteered that she is one herself, there could be any number of causes behind it. ]

Not if you don't want to, but they don't bite. I know most of these kids by now...and I snuck some treats in with the more practical supplies. It's not much, I realize, but sometimes a little distraction goes a long way, even if it's brief.

[ A moment of comfort trumps having none at all. He recalls distinctly how excited some of his comrades back home had been when their scouts returned back to camp reporting that they'd found apple trees, because it meant they could have something other than the same preserved rations they'd been marching on for weeks. There'd been talk of all the ways they could be prepared, and most appealing had of course been sweets.

For his people especially, something sweet was the height of luxury. Most commonborn people weren't liable to have something with sugar in it on an average day. People in small villages like the one he was born to didn't at all. ]

You've lightened my load as-is, so I'm not about to try and coerce you if you're not up for that. It might help them to know another friendly face though, if you do manage.

[dreamflowers]

[Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of knowing Jade would also know that it's less the figurative or literal biting that concerns her, and more the gratitude. She's no one special, just some backwater fugitive urchin who found herself in the unfitting role of saving the world.

[Some world savior she is.]

Pff, what? You really think they'll find a face like this friendly? I just... wouldn't wanna scare any of 'em.

[That's a convenient enough excuse to mask the underlying matter, given her very visible scars and the state of her left eye. Most kids she's met never expressed any fear of her despite how different she looked, not even when they realized she was half-Aeterna. If anything, they were more accepting than most adults were.

[Which is probably what makes it all the more difficult. Rejection is something she's used to. Acceptance isn't.]

[wolfish]

Kids usually think tall's impressive, in my experience.

[ Is he purposefully ignoring that Jade most likely means her eye? Maybe. Yuri knows more than one person with an eye injury, and to him that's simply cause to quietly position himself on their good side where they're sure to see him. Children could well think such marks were impressive.

And where Yuri hails from? Scars are something of a badge of honor, a mark of battles survived, whatever the tale tied to them. ]

Besides, you've seen the people around here, right? Some of us look wildly different from one another.

[ Some people looked like bipedal beasts and birds, for starters. All of that was quite normal to the locals, so the little things that concerned all of them seldom ever seemed to be an issue from all that Yuri has observed in his tenure.

If Jade doesn't want to go in, it's her choice... But Yuri sees no glaring fault in her that children would take poorly to. ]

[dreamflowers]

[Scars tend to be worn by warriors with stories of glorious combat. Not always, but some. Jade's case is less a story of battles survived and simply just having survived, which makes for a less entertaining anecdote over causal conversation.

[Of course, people don't generally know that, and so she can come up with whatever to hide the truth behind their origins. It can feel rather scummy depending on the circumstances. But if anyone asks, she already has a few fabricated yarns lined up she could probably share instead.]

Hm. Fair enough.

[She had noticed the varied appearance of the locals, unusual even by her world's standards. After the initial shock wore off, she actually started getting used to them.

[A few seconds later, she sighs, tilting her head back to look up at the sky.]

After you, then. At the very least, I can drop all this stuff.

[She's been carrying everything well enough to that point, but she'd like to free her arms sooner rather than later.]

[wolfish]

They'll make good use of it.

[ Yuri doubts he needs to tell her that, but he does just the same. With that settled, he leads the way toward the doors. One hangs loosely on its hinges, somehow maintaining a precarious attachment to the frame, so Yuri nudges the other one open instead.

There, they're met by several weary workers. Children mill about the room, most occupying themselves with whatever's available to them. A few look up and their attention rivets on the basket. These children, it would seem, know what Yuri's brought with him. ]

The workers here will see that the kids all get their share.

[ He explains as baskets are taken from his arms and workers poke through their contents. Usually, Yuri would hand out food himself, but there's too much to do for that. ]

[dreamflowers]

[The door's state does not go beyond Jade's attention. She glances up, her one good eye observing the condition of it before turning her focus to the situation at hand. Though it does give her an idea...

[One thing at a time. First the transition of supplies. She nods absentmindedly at his comments, a bit reluctant to make small talk with the locals. Feeling like she doesn't have the right to exchange words or accept any gestures of gratitude.

[After a moment, Jade's eyes dart from the worker, to Yuri, and then back to where they came from. Only this time it's not because she's thinking of fleeing. Rather, she leans over and asks in an undertone so the workers can't hear:]

D'you think they'd mind if I offer to fix their door...? I mean, I don't wanna be presumptuous, but... I've a bit of a hand for that kinda thing.

[It wouldn't be the first time she was tasked to construct something sturdy enough to keep even bonerippers out of someone's home. And simply leaving a vulnerable population even more at risk without proper security would be neglible at best, especially now.]

[wolfish]

[ Yuri observes the way the way Jade's eyes flick between him and the worker. He anticipates some sort of question, though he couldn't have predicted what it was going to be before she asks him. Surprise flits across his features, very nearly staring — if only because he didn't quite expect that idea.

Fortinately, he's quick to recover, schooling his expression before he replies to her. ]

Mind...? Hard to imagine these people minding a good bit of help.

[ It's damned hot out, not to mention the city isn't entirely safe. There's stray monsters and odd shadows to contend with, so having a door they can properly close as some barrier between them and the outside world would be preferable. Yuri can only imagine the workers would be grateful, though he thinks better of saying that part. Instead, he focuses on something more important. ]

It'd make these kids feel safer, no doubt.

[ The world's proven itself a frightening place for them of late. ]

[dreamflowers]

[Safer, yes. That would be nice, wouldn't it? Jade couldn't recall there being many periods of peace in her own childhood. Even before she was surviving on the streets... her home life was a living hell, with barely a moment of security in which she didn't fear one of her father's mood swings. But she pushes those thoughts down in the back of her mind.

[This isn't about you. This is about them.

[Once her hands are free of the supplies, now having been properly delivered to be distributed, she scratches the back of her head, looking at the doorway again to get a better idea of what needs to be fixed.]

Hm. With my magic, maybe I could try a few other things to keep these places safe, too. [She starts muttering, more to herself than anything.] I'm no Thaumaturgist, but maybe Elemental runes or Entropic barriers of some kind, could trigger in case of threats... Or a guardian spirit...?

[That last one might be trickier until she knows for sure how this world has affected her Phasmalist capabilities. While the locals here seem more open-minded about mages than many countries on Vyn, she probably shouldn't start waving around illegal magic all willy-nilly until she knows how it might be received in this world. Otherwise, her efforts to make these kids feel safer could have the opposite effect if she starts pulling out ghosts and deathly auras.

[Still. Her physical fighting talents leave something to be desired, but there are still some skills she can offer that could make things less shitty.]