[Edel PRP] Of Monsters and Maulings...

[Tsunake]

The meeting with the god of Night had left him wearied and bitter, and many a knuckle had suffered the wrath of his gnashing teeth. They ached now, some bleeding, other's bruised, and he'd reluctantly allowed them to escape into the protective metal confines of his suit. How could his people be gone? How could the Universe be gone? He stumbled through the lush paradise that had once been a land filled with death and destruction, but couldn't bare to stop and appreciate the metamorphosis.

No longer a formidable structure of stone, this place, but almost like an open garden...

Heavy steps lead him towards a small, wooden structure, the mindless babble of a nearby stream a soothing balm against the dead thoughts that floated, stagnant, within his mind. If what the centaur-beast said was true, then there was no hope of going home. There was no hope of communication. That vaguely tickled a thought in the back of his mind, something Itztlac had brought up. Trying to speak with whatever was in this gem?

Hesitation, but now wasn't the time. Later. Right now, he needed to stop, to assess the situation.... and to pick up all the pieces, and stop hoping for rescue--it was time to try and figure out what the hell he was going to do on this planet. Fingers scraped roughly over the gem embedded in the side of his neck, almost as though musing over there was really a parasite within this thing.

Slowly pressing his back into the teahouse, Arden slid to the grass as though his legs were too tired to carry him anymore. There were fruit trees around here, he was noting dully. Maybe later, he'd get up and get some...

His fingers still ached.

[Syrie]

Like any good dog, Xia Lu Ling was skulking around the Pantheon as part of his self-assigned watch. His Master bade him speak with the mortals and guide them. Focus and protect them from not only the World as it was, but from themselves. They were...unsettled and very fragile - but the threads of Belief and Hope had began to weave together; a bond that would grow ever stronger.

The Dragon King was a dark blur against the lush greenery; the light from Illumin's temporary 'sun' glinted dully on his thick coat and the blue under scaling. His many eyes caught all sorts of movement on the Pantheon Grounds -- Arden wasn't the only mortal around, but he was the only mortal that caught his attention and required a closer look.

Once noticed, Xia Lu Ling made his way over to the exhausted-looking man; he was no longer quadrupedal (though he could have been) but even in a bipedal form the Dragon King carried the look of his host-beast: Lengthy claws, elongated canines, large fluffy ears, horns, thick fur (now with 40% more scales!) and the ever creepy multiple eyes. Eyes that even Gianfar of Knowledge had been unsteady and unsettled by, when they had been focused on him.

'Ah, another mortal-but-not.' Curling into his muzzle and tickling his senses; the distinctive scent of a God-bearing mortal. The gems changed those carrying them in scent as well as mind and body; they were tainted with the divine power. Sometimes more, sometimes less - it depended on how long the host had been fusing with the God (or Goddess). "Greetings, 'O weary one bearing the mark of my brothers."

Not Brothers, like the Kings, but brothers - they were all of them Children of the Twin Crown, siblings in that sense, were they not? Even so, the morph-fused Dragon King had an air of command and authority about him. He would not request to join Arden, but do so at his leisure. "I am Yu, the Five Claw. Emblem Pillar to the Crown." Xia Lu Ling left out his given name for the sake of brevity and also because that was what the mortals called him by - it was more likely Arden would have heard that set of names.

[Tsunake]

He would have been hard pressed to ignore the sleek ripple of ebony muscle and fur that was approaching his position at a rate more rapidly than he liked. On instinct, his fingers twitched as though to curl themselves into fists even as he sat up more straightly, and the throbs of pain that danced down the small bones in his hand were enough to remind him that he'd wounded himself.

Whatever it was, it moved with a confident, animalistic grace; if it was hostile, he'd be easy pickings, and perhaps a meal. It should have jolted him with adrenaline, forced him up and perhaps limping inside the tea house behind him for shelter, but he was quite honestly captivated by the strangeness of the beast, and was tired of fighting for his life on this godforsaken planet.

It looked almost as though it had been structured after a canine with its snout and fur, but the eyes were what made his jaw grit instinctively. Too many, and the way they seemed to pin and pick him apart... He was half-tempted to drop his gaze, but only swallowed and eyed the scales, the twisting horns and fur. Quite the chimera--and intelligent, if its gaze was any indication. He was used to all sorts and sizes of aliens, and his surprise was quickly dimming as he took in the natural weapons of claws and teeth. Still, the weary marine looked quite obviously surprised when the thing spoke. Not just any rambling ravings, but a tone that possessed... well, dignity.

He was hard pressed to snap that it was a parasite's mark he bore, but his sanity hadn't quite left him yet; the last thing he needed was to antagonize anyone, and... had it said brothers? It too, bore one of these foul god seeds? Though not a dull man, Arden was having difficulty keeping up with the one-sided flow of conversation,

Yu, Five Claw, Emblem... Pillar to the Crown? Some ancient lore kept by his people, perhaps? The man didn't know, and would hesitate before clearing his throat. "Ah. Arden Valkov..." He'd about to been introduce himself as a marine of the Federation, but if what Itztlac said was true, there was no Federation any longer... Swallowing again in vain hopes of making his voice less scratchy, his armored fingers waved uneasily at the gem embedded into the side of his neck.

"...I don't know what it is." There was subtle loathing on his tongue, disdain. The voice that had consumed him had been male, and he'd only heard it a few times after that period of unconsciousness. "....Was told I could... communicate with it, but I haven't tried."

[Syrie]

Critical eyes sized up Arden rapidly - Yu could appreciate the man's build and wariness; such things would hold him in good stead. Whomever had taken this mortal as a host had chosen well in form.

"Well met, host Arden Valkov." That the mortal did not recognize him was of no bother to the Dragon King; not all on the grounds knew him and most certainly there were more coming and going daily. He could not know them all, only Gianfar of Knowledge would have that ability. Yu cocked his head at the weary man before him; wondering what he thought of having been taken by an immortal for the purpose of rebirth - he chose not to inquire as some were happy, some sad...and some bloody well pissed off about it. He really didn't want to get into one of those conversations again -- he'd argued before, through his host, with David.

Ah. There, with that tinge of loathing to his tone Arden gave away his feelings toward his new status in life. "Hmmm..." Yu settled his furred body near to the man and watched him a moment. "You do yourself a great disservice to not communicate with the One that Chose you. The being within the gem embedded into your flesh is your greatest ally now; no doubt you have questions that they could answer for you." The Dragon King paused and reflected inward a moment, two of his six eyes closing thoughtfully. "Being a host can be difficult for some, but ultimately, it is an honor to be chosen as a vessel. I hope that you will come to understand this, with time."

Granted, his host had been all too eager for Destruction to give-over the serpentine gem that had housed his spirit...Yu had to remember that many did not embrace the merging as wholly as Fragment. He should speak carefully, make the man comfortable before he went on about such things. "My apologies to you and the One Within, Host-Arden. You are tired, hungry and no doubt unsure of this place." It was an offer - did Arden want something to eat? A more comfortable resting place? Had he questions that he wished to put to Xia Lu Ling?

[Tsunake]

Again, the intelligence behind such monstrous visage surprised him more than it ought; he shifted uncomfortably at the unwanted title that preceded his name. It occurred to him, vaguely, that he might have offended his strange new companion—it was a host or god-thing itself, was it not?—but it was too late to reconcile. As the creature that called itself Yu took a seat, Arden reluctantly let his weary gaze flick again over the other’s strange face, and the words offered were enough to give him pause. “...It hasn’t acted much like an ally.” The soldier stated, his tone a bit gruffer than he meant it to be before he sighed. In some ways, Yu was right; he hadn’t even attempted to speak to the thing, whatever it was. “To be chosen as a sacrifice? To help... rebirth a god?” Arden questioned.

Yes, he could see why it would be. But up until this point, he hadn’t fathomed such beings even existed. Who knew if they were truly gods, or if they merely called themselves such things in a mad bid for power? Still, the chaos that had consumed this planet told him that immense forces were at work here, and he best tread wisely.

The apology surprised him, and he waved it off with a trace of unease; Yu owed him no kindness, though the sentiment was appreciated. Eventually, he'd force himself to find something to eat, and though the weight of early conversation held with the god of Night made him reluctant to pry, he'd be a fool to turn down another source of information.

"...How do I communicate with it? ...Does it just read thoughts, or is there something more?"

[Syrie]

Very little this side of the Grigori could offend Yu in these times; he was quietly over-joyed with the return of his Lord Creation and busy with His request of aiding the mortals. It was this mood paired with his own nature that kept the Dragon King from being easy to offend, to anger. He chuckled a little bit at Arden's words and attitude - no, this one was quite obviously not in the best of spirits with having been made into a Host...but perhaps that would change in time. After all, Arden had survived to see the Rebirth of Creation, had he not? So many mortals had fallen to the Weeks of Gehenna while this one stood strong - weary, but alive.

"Yes." The King cocked his head at Arden for a moment before continuing. "It would take too long to explain all of the details, but there was a time ages past when we - the True Gods - began to die off. Knowledge called it the Fading. After a time, we began returning - through the gems that housed our spirits...but we needed a vessel...a Host that would provide form and energy to facilitate our rebirth." A parasitic relationship, really...but it was so much more - the relationships between Host and God were complex and varied, far too difficult to explain in mere words.

"I cannot explain nearly so well as Gianfar, the God of Knowledge. I suggest you find him in his Library...he is better equipped to answer questions you are certain to have, though I would try." Xia Lu Ling's thick, muscular tail thumped against the lush carpet of grass beneath them.

How to communicate? That was definitely a question that the Dragon King could answer - he had conversed with his host, the Fragmented Creature quite often - but then, the relationship between the Dragon King and Fragment had been very close, even from the start. "You can speak aloud, if you like...but they are part of your conscious and unconsious now...so simply thinking towards them should be sufficient. It does require some effort on their part, so if your God is weary, they may not be willing to speak at length initially."

[Tsunake]

Yu's story stirred some flicker of remembrance within the marine; he'd heard something about the gods dying before. Delmin Brock. The name came slowly, but without protest, and he seemed a little more at ease now that he could finally attach a more fitting title to such a catastrophic event. The Fading... He shook his head faintly, but it wasn't to deny the Dragon King's words. Perhaps it just made more sense than he would have liked it to. "So the gems contain your souls..." Unnerving, that, but he'd heard stranger things. Shifting his shoulders some, the man nodded wearily and stored the name away for later. Gianfar, the god of Knowledge...

"I appreciate it." He said sincerely, eyes straying briefly to the thick, odd tail. Strange--wasn't that something canines did when pleased? He wouldn't know, as he'd never met one, but from the old tapes he'd seen...

Arden listened careful to the instructions of sorts, considering that with only the faintest shifting of his jaw. The silence stretched between them as he tentatively sought to prod within his own thoughts, feeling somehow very stupid.

Consider then, perhaps, that if someone had to help you learn how to utilize your own consciousness for communication, there was a reason you were used for grunt work.

His jolt of surprise was obvious, and it was clear that the marine was startled, but recovering. "I see." He said tersely; that had definitely been the voice he'd heard before everything had gone black.

...What are you?

Bazyli, the Hollow Mouth. Give my regards to the Dragon King, Arden Valkov. And he somehow 'sensed' that this... Bazyli was finished with their brief discussion.

"...Bazyli, the Hollow Mouth, gives his regards to you." The man said slowly, clearly a little taken aback by all this.

[Syrie]

Indeed, there were (or rather, had been before Gehenna had been triggered and the Weeks run their ruinous course) heavy volumes in the Library with Gianfar that covered nothing but the Fading. Gianfar himself was a fount of information -- when one could locate him (Yu had few problems doing this, but he had inherited his host's keen sense of smell) and once located, lure him away from either his ruined Library or his two lovers. The Dragon King watched Arden's expression to see how the man was processing all of this; was he wrong, or had there been the fleetest glimmer of recognition? Understanding?

"The gems are a temporary house for our souls, yes. We reach out to those we find worthy...and then fuse with them for the purpose of Rebirth. Occassionally, a host will be unsuitable or will fail us." And each time the god or goddess felt the effects most heavily; it was no easy task to find a host and fuse with them. Just doing that required the newly-housed god or goddess to go into a sort of hibernation while they stored power and slid little tendrils of Self throughout the host's heart, mind and body.

Deep blue eyes blinked in sets, tail still thumping against the plush greenery lit by non-solar balls of light (provided by Illumin and held up in a great expanse of Nothing). Now the man was thinking; obviously putting a question inward. Yu would wait; long-tipped claws gently brushing across Creation's verdant landscaping. No point in disturbing the host while he was attempting to converse with whatever god or goddess had taken up 'residence' inside.

Ah-ha! After a stretch of soundless contemplation on Arden's part - Yu was extending his senses outward to assure himself trouble was no where near them - Arden's body jerked slightly; surprise. Perfect. Contact was made, yes. One set of blue eyes closed in a sort of pleasure: helping a brother along was a good feeling. The more of the Pantheon turned whole (or nearly so) and strong, the better. And with Arden being rather...military in stance...well, that could be a great help in the Battles to come.

"It is good to regain a brother, no matter how...hungry he might be. Welcome Bazyli, may you and your host find strength in each other." The Hollow Mouth. Yu felt a tingling of connection within his mind, but could not piece it together. There had been two failed Rebirths and much of what he had once known was Gone. He was intelligent enough to hypothesize that the title "The Hollow Mouth" might mean that Arden Valkov was now host to Hunger or Famine, or something very close to those.

[Tsunake]

"That's what it's doing?" Arden said abruptly, paused and felt his lips beginning to curl into a frown. He. Bazyli. A fusion between them, hollowing out his body until it was little more than just a shell that needed to be filled--was that what he was to believe? But it was the mention of failure that made the marine refocus, meeting those strange eyes with an unwavering stare. "...What happens then?" He could only imagine. Would that destroy them both? He wasn't about to even try, but it was something to ponder on. Still, these god-things were simply trying to live again, and it made him feel oddly conflicted.

The thumping tail distracted him more than once, and when he glanced back up, one set of gleaming eyes had shut. Concentrating? He didn't know. He wasn't sure whether or not to nod to the creature's words, feeling awkward knowing it was the voice inside his mind being addressed, rather than him. Though he would wait for several seconds, the dry rasp was gone, and he exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"That was a god," He phrased it like a question, but was more or less hesitantly waiting for Yu to confirm what he felt he already knew. Hollow Mouth--it'd struck a sour chord with him, and had he not been so used to clamping down on more irrational emotions, he'd might have started to display signs of severe agitation. It was one thing, perhaps, to sacrifice oneself to a noble cause. To bring about something devastating was another story entirely.

Though the soldier stirred, he remained where he was, intently focused on the strange being beside him now. "Why... Wouldn't it be better for everyone if some gods didn't come back?" He didn't need to say much more than that; no more suffering, no more violence. He didn't understand. Didn't want to. "It seems unnecessary." The man finished, somehow feeling as though it didn't matter.

"There's no way to remove it, is there?"

[khiarhu]

Another set of deep blue eyes closed and the beast-god bowed his head; perhaps in sadness or in homage to his previous hosts - Adren would have no way of knowing and Yu the Five Claw was not inclined to hand out his own, personal rebirth story so familiarly to one he had scarce met. Reborn 'son of Creation or no - there were some things that one did not give over so quickly.

"If the chosen host fails, they die. The god returns to His hands, less a part of himself that had been there before." Yu opened his eyes and focused his gaze intently upon The Hollow Mouth's burly host before speaking further. "One then searches All that Is for another host..." Again, holding something back: should there be multiple failures, it was entirely possible that there would remain so little of the god as to make rebirth impossible. Arden seemed entirely too intersted in such things for Yu's tastes; he would not give the mortal man any of that information!

Once more the heavy, furred-and-scaled head dipped. "Yes. The voice you 'heard' was a God, one that has deemed you a wothy vessle for rebirth." It was a noble cause - even if one were housing what appeared to be a malevolent god. Each one had a purpose, no matter how they may or may not offend mortal sensibilities.

"No, Arden Valkov, No. There is no way to remove the gem that houses The Hungry Mouth, nor would it be better if certain of our number remained entombed in their gems. All that Is requires balance, just as the Twin Crown requires balance so that we all may live. Good and evil are abstracted concepts you mortals shackled to the Gods so that you may understand and relate to us better, but know this: for every destructive God, there is a constructive counter within the All."

[Tsunake]

He could sense that he was treading on a tender subject, and as another pair of gleaming eyes shuttered closed, the man found himself shifting faintly as though preparing himself for something. So the host was doomed, no matter the outcome. Oddly enough, he was content with that. What was there left for him on this planet? Could he truly settle and find a place for himself without constantly feeling as though there should be something more? Something beyond restless wandering and plaguing insecurities?

The soldier's gaze flickered for a moment as Yu spoke of some piece of the god disappearing, wondering exactly what that entailed. So failure did not come without a price... Yes, he did brood over that for a moment, his lips thin before he eventually would shake his head as though weary. But, as the Dragon King revealed, the process would not stop. Another would be found, another would die. And perhaps, inevitably, the god would be reborn.

Worthy. He was too polite to let his lips curl into a sneer, and only dropped his gaze as though tired. So, this was something beyond his understanding, something more immense than he or any other mere mortal could apparently understand. Such knowledge rankled, but the soldier only offered a curt nod to show he at least understood what the other was trying to convey to him. Balance. Was it necessary? What harm could come from peace and life without dischord?

"...I'll keep that in mind." But he was frowning, remembering something that he'd been told. "...The Twin Crown. ...That was the ceremony? I only saw the one, pale...being, he fell outta that chrysalis...That was Creation? Destruction?"

[Syrie]

Quite a tender subject, but one that the Dragon King was willing to broach in the interest of furthering his breathern's understanding and knowledge of how and why things happened. Otherwise, he would not let another so near such a raw wound so quickly after meeting them - god-host or not.

Against the lush greenery underfoot (and arse) Yu's tail twitched and flicked; the grass tickled at his fur and the flesh under it's thick layer of fluff. Arden had listened to all he had to say but did not seem as though he were taking it as well as one might hope...but then, how many of the host-beings had shown such excitement when told that they would cease to exist so that another - older - entity might live in the flesh again?

"Yes. He is our Lord and our All. The Eldest among us, reborn through mortal belief and the efforts of the True Gods currently reborn." Fuzzy ears swiveled to take in all the sounds around them; Xia Lu Ling was ever vigilant, even when he seemed to be resting. "The one you saw that day was the Creation aspect of the Twin Crown. He is two sides of the same coin, so to speak. Creation and Destruction, in turn. It is in keeping His being in balance that allows All that Is to remain in balance."

[Tsunake]

Arden's brows were furrowed as he studied the lush green just underfoot, trying to ignore the thick and undoubtedly powerful tail as it twitched to and fro as though enjoying the sensation. The Eldest, reborn through... "Mortal beliefs?" He confirmed quietly, seeming to take an interest in that aspect. "He was reborn... because of us? Mortals?" The man corrected himself; this world was still strange to him, and it was hard to believe that he could have lended any sort of hand in the rebirth of a god.

Still, though the marine was known more for his reflexes and his brawn than the ability of his mind, he was not stupid. He was thinking, puzzling through this, and at last, he would ask another question. "Is it possible... to meet with this Creation? To speak with him?" There would be a heartbeat of silence before he said, "I appreciate what you've told me." He didn't want the Dragon King to think anything otherwise, and, though his features were strained, he would attempt to smile for the other.

"...I just think it best if I... try to understand what I should do, to prepare for this."

[Syrie]

Yu nodded at Arden's question. "Indeed, Host-Arden. It is through mortal beliefs that we True Gods garner much of our power. We grow stronger with belief...the Twin Crown also follows this ruling." He sighed a little and seemed to ripple his very flesh to settle upon the ground more comfortably. "The importance of mortal belief cannot be stressed enough. It is by their efforts and their belief as well as Ours that the Crown was called back to the form you see now. Without mortals, Creation would not have returned to us and All that Is would have been destroyed."

As imposing as the Dragon-King's form might have been to Arden, it would be very obvious that the thought of everything ending scared him. His ears swept back against his head and he seemed to shrink and hold himself closer than before; it lasted only a moment, but it should have been enough to add emphasis to what he had spoken of.

"It is very possible, Host-Arden. Creation loves all His Children dearly and willingly extends His hand in welcome to any that come to Him." Yu's multiple eyes brightened; his Lord was a subject he verily enjoyed - Xia Lu Ling lived and breathed for Creation's touch, His command. With care, Yu placed his hand on Arden's shoulder, head slightly bowed to show that he did feel the other's distress and discomfiture towards that impending fate.

"Do not be afraid, but welcome the change. It is no easy road that you have been brought down, but you make take comfort in knowing that many have gone before you and would be willing to give you aid -- as will the god within you." Here he paused and removed his claw-tipped hand from the other man's shoulder to stroke at his muzzle thoughtfully. "I think you would perhaps feel better if you spoke with our Lord, Creation. His presence and touch are a balm that soothes like none other."