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Phaedra and Nergal: Old Gods, Old Names

"Thabara"
Nergal's attention, when he entered the Pantheon through the main door, was almost immediately drawn towards the throne, the golden figure lounging lazily on the twisted seat. What Right did she have...?!

His eyes narrowed, surprised by the surge of immense dislike he felt at the mere sight of that golden goddess. He had never seen her before, not in this life at least, and yet.. and yet..

Avaritia.

Slowly, things were starting to make sense. If it was indeed Her time to ascend to the throne - and the air was thick with the influence of her domain - then..

He needed to know.

He turned, looking over the small group which had followed him inside. "Go on," he said softly, addressing Echo directly. "Go ahead to Light's room while I pay my respects to the throne." He took the blue-haired goddess' hands into his for a moment, and breathed a chaste kiss upon her forehead. "I will be with you in a minute - this will not take long."

Then he turned and strode towards the throne, not looking back, hoping that Music would heed his words. He did not want to give Greed even the slightest chance to mess with the gentle goddess.

"Sosiqui"
Such a motley crew before her Throne - no wonder her Emperor had been so displeased, with the state of things. Mortals came glazed, dazed, barely understanding the import of what they saw. Their offerings were pathetic. If this was what they brought when forced, she could only imagine the paltry and empty things they offered of their own wills.

They had forgotten the Ways.

A flash of white caught her eye. White- that was strange, in this landscape. What had been white was usually reduced quickly to gray or worse, tainted with ash and the radiant foulness of the Age. Purity was to be treasured.

... But the dead, those remain pure, do they not? Even when they shouldn't?

A slow smile curved across Phaedra's face. "Welcome, Underworld."

"Zero Dream"
Echo glanced at him, worry in her eyes. Was that.... really safe ? But.... she had been right there, as well. He deserved to see for himself - maybe he would see, understand something that had eluded her.

"Be careful." She whispered softly, before turning and leading her little group upstairs.

"Thabara"
The unusual cold that seemed to come with his presence, was enough at least to make the mortals shift out of his way, many of them bearing an expression as if someone had just stepped onto their graves. But it only lasted for moments - a little longer for those who'd been within the vicinity of his wingspan - before their senses were enraptured anew by Greed's golden glory.

He did not stop his pace until he stood right in front of the dais, his alabaster-white skin and formal appearance a stark contrast to the goddess' lavish luxury of black and gold and glittering gems.

"Avaritia," he said, inclining his head politely, showing only the barest minimum of respect. He did not smile.

There was the cocoon the others had talked about, a strange shape turned inside out. Changing.

There were the windows, masterpieces of stained glass, telling the story of the Making of All That Is. Four of them were broken. Shattering glass. A trumpet blown. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Sosiqui"
"An old name, that." She reveled in it for a moment, her feathers lifting slightly behind her. "From an old..." She let that trail off, just into a smile. She would not say friend, but if he wished to fill in the blank himself, with his word of choice... then she could learn from his reaction. Learn how he had changed, or failed to change.

"Something terrible has happened to our Lord, as you have no doubt divined." Phaedra indicated the Chrysalis in a slow nod. "Surely you have felt the touch of other influences. Sloth, Envy... Lust." She lingered on that one, just for a moment. "Sadly, they were not available to take the Throne. But I am, and I have, as is my right. Does that answer your question?"

"Thabara"
The judge's lips pulled into a thin, mirthless smile, not doing her the favor to complete the sentence. He hated this careful tiptoeing around at another's court, were things unsaid could mean just as much as things said. More even. He'd never been good at this game, avoided it whenever it had been possible. Let them come to me instead. Sooner or later everyone did.

"I have felt it," he admitted, keeping his tone as neutral as possible. But he cast a short glance at the small group ascending the flight of stairs towards the upper floor, lingering on Echo's white-clad figure - and the tiny, wispy flames which trailed after her - for a moment longer than was probably wise.

"Yes, that answers my question, to an extent." War, Famine, Plague.. Those would be next, he was almost certain. He had been familiar with those. But after that, it got hazy. There must be more, there were more windows that remained still unbroken. Countless deaths, and he was not ready. As if that would matter.

"Do you know what brought this about?" The more important question remained still unsaid. Did she know what could be done to stop it.

"Sosiqui"
Phaedra spotted the glance, registered it, and filed it away. That, that was interesting... but now was not the time for needling Underworld, as amusing as the prospect might be. She looked down at him with a frown, instead. "I do not. If you do, tell me." It was not a request.

"Thabara"
"Mind you, I was not here myself when it happened, so my information is only second hand." He turned, looking over Greed's worshipers while carefully weighing what to tell her, and - more importantly - what to withhold.

"From what I heard, this was a single grigori's doing, who escaped her exile in the Ashlands. She fled, but she took with her a prize, an arm of the Empress. She goes by the name of Samyaza."

"Sosiqui"
"Grigori." Another old word, that summoned to mind whispers of ancient things, and time of great glory for her brother War... but little else. "I see." She filed the name away, Samyaza, with narrowed eyes. So that was who to blame.

A name, a species, and little else. Such a small thing to search the whole of All for, but she would not prostrate herself before Underworld for knowledge. For a moment, Phaedra pondered trying to force it out of him, but if he had not seen...

"Who did see? Who was there?" she demanded. She would find a better target, someone more pliable than cold Underworld. "Second-hand information is of little use to me."

"Thabara"
"The Empress of course, Kishara. But I know not what state she's in, or where she may have been brought to heal." That was information he certainly would like to have himself. "Most others present were younglings, hosts." Like hell he was going to mention that Echo had been there. He did not want Greed anywhere close to her, nor his children. Children. The thought was strange, still.

Eamnonn had been there as well, but he - just as Illumin - had been involved directly with bringing Samyaza to this plane, so he quickly discarded the idea of mentioning him. They did not need Avaritia messing with their leave. Who then, who? Had anyone else been mentioned by name? Ah.

"Gianfar," he said, firmly. Echo had mentioned him while she had packed, how he had seemed strangely familiar with the grigori. Lien had spoken of him too, a while ago, seeming rather fond of him. "He is Knowledge." There, that hopefully should give her what she wanted.

"A question for you then, Golden One." He stepped back, quietly counting the windows. Four broken. Ten more remaining. "What happens when the final window breaks, do you know?"

"Sosiqui"
Phaedra filed those names away as well. She was, frankly, surprised that he was answering her questions without protest or chastisement. Perhaps rebirth had made Underworld less hidebound and stuffy. Or perhaps he simply didn't want to risk her wrath.

That was a nice thought, but she doubted it was true. He had never been afraid of her.

"Oh, that," she sighed, leaning her head on one hand. "The End, I suspect. The Influences are peeling away from the Form now. When we Seven are ended, then..." What followed? She wasn't sure. "Then will come other things, none so kind. Ask your Knowledge if you seek a scholar's detail." She said it in a bored tone, as if she had better things to worry about than the world ending.

"Thabara"
The End. He had feared as much, but it was another thing to hear it said out loud in so casually a tone. "Perhaps I will." Ten more windows. Ten more weeks. If we are lucky, that is. Who knows what the influences will be..

No more time to waste.

He turned to leave, but then he paused. There was one more thing.. And it was too important, too dangerous in nature to not to mention it. "That grigori woman.. There is a reason as to why she took off with Gaia's arm. The plane to which her kind was exiled could only be reached through Gaia's flesh, and now.. it is likely that she seeks to free her kin."

"Sosiqui"
Phaedra blinked, then frowned, her tail tapping against the Throne as it betrayed her unease. If one such creature had done all of this...

"Passing strange," and by that she meant not just the actions of this Samyaza, but Underworld himself as well. He was being practically cordial, and that was odd enough to nearly set her off-kilter. He was supposed to be the stone and ice to her laughing mockery. Thief of the Dead. Jikininki.

Barbs came to mind, and died on her lips. She could not manage it.

"Thabara"
Nergal quirked a brow, taking note of the goddess' unease. The gods knew, he had more than enough practice deciphering the body language of anything feline by now, thanks to basically tripping over those annoying furballs every single day.

Greed was not her usual self, it seemed, which was strange, as one would expect her to be even more so in her current position of power. He had expected her to taunt him, to point out how many of the riches presented to her had been stolen from the tombs and crypts of kings and nobles - he had recognized quite a few - but she didn't. And, honestly, he wouldn't even have cared, if she did. Not now, not anymore. Strange how his priorities had shifted.

He wondered if it was perhaps simply that - the Throne, the responsibility that came with taking the Crown's Seat. Don't be ridiculous. She, least of all, wouldn't let herself be bothered by responsibility. But certainly the End of All could not be in her interest either? There was no point to be gathering all those riches if one couldn't keep them..

That he himself might have something to do with her apparent unease did not even remotely cross his mind.

He turned fully and looked her over, a lone, elegant figure in ebony and gold, like one of those art deco statuettes. He remembered distinctly how put off he had been when he had first laid eyes upon the Throne - that there was only one, when he knew for sure there'd been an Empress at His side, reborn even. There'd been two thrones at the heart of his own realm - even long after she had been gone, never to return from that futile quest of hers to save him, and his domain.

But before that..

Before Ankou, even..

"It is quite lonely up there, is it not?" he asked absently. It was not meant to taunt - she, least of all, would wish to share, such a thing was wholly against her nature. But.. he saw no one else of his kin around. She would want to be admired, remembered. Golden, shining glory, everlasting.

Everyone wished to be remembered, once their time was over.

He shrugged, not really expecting an answer from her. What would he do, had he the right to ascend to the Throne? But he had found nothing which referred to the Realm of the Dead when he had skimmed over the stylized motives of the windows, and - honestly - why should there be? What raison d'ĂȘtre was there for him, if All was going to End?

"Give my regards to War, should he appear to take the Throne," he said, and turned to leave, for real this time. He had wasted enough time here.
 
     
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O noble conflagration, incinerate all! Razing Phoenix!

X3 heart

P.S. - Don't forget to save the world!
 
Phaedra and Adrian/Ankou, with Malh'reth: A Courtly Summons

"Sosiqui"
The Golden Court, she would call it; so she would have Malh'reth write into the annals of history. (That alone was enough reason to repair the mess that had been made of things; she wanted far more time for her reign to awe historians. Centuries. Millennia.) It was a fitting name, even if not many of the mortals she called actually had any gold or precious things to bring.

But so short. She had to make the most of it, and collect as much of both treasure, fame, and power as she could with her now-vast resources. Knowledge, too. And yet she had to remain here. She had already learned that to leave the vicinity of Throne and Form was to lose what she had gained.

She was, effectively, trapped, even if she could send her senses flying far and wide. She had to know what to look for.

So Phaedra sat on the Throne, and accepted offering and obeisance, and brooded.

"Zero Dream"
They where gone, now - and that left him alone. It had been easy enough to ignore the odd feeling that had been nagging at the back of his mind when he had the set of deities to focus on, as well as the task of retelling Ankou's instructions from the doors. But now ? The god was quiet, still resting and slowly recovering from his little stunt - he still had the linger of an headache, he wanted out of here and go bum off someone's bed for a nice long nap...

But something kept graping at him. Pulling him. In despite all common sense speaking against it, he ventured into the throne room - it was full of people... maybe it was what had drawn the underworld's attentions. He mingled at the back of the crowd and froze when he saw just who was sitting on the throne.

What the hell...

She was different, of course. Peacock feathers, a single blue eye when it used to be red. Still that eerie golden gem. At least, the host was free... hopefully. It was the first time that he could see the differences - and eerie similarities in between host and freshly reborn deities.

Would Ankou look that much like him ? Would he have the same face ? Lyra...

Everything, all his instinct screamed for him to turn and leave before she noticed him - but, he noticed all the late that he could not move, as if entranced.

He was frozen.

"Sosiqui"
A flash of red caught her eye, even as Underworld's pale flesh had drawn her attention earlier.
Was that-

It was.

A sharp smile spread across Phaedra's face. "Why hello, Adrian. You're a week late, you know."

"Zero Dream"
Yellow eyes narrowed at that one comment. "Oh, trust me, I am not late for anything - who knows where you've been after all." He muttered, still trying to will his body to move. It would not listen.

Ankou, what the hell are you...


Nothing !

The small edge of panic in the god's voice was enough to know it wasn't his doing. If it wasn't Ankou, and if it wasn't HIM...

Why the hell couldn't he turn and leave, why couldn't he stop looking at her, at the eye and gem ?

Most importantly, why was he feeling drawn to her ?! He had to constantly resist the urge to move... toward her.

"Sosiqui"
Phaedra's brow furrowed, and she arched one delicate eyebrow at him. "Who knows where I've been? Surely you can think of something better than that. What's important isn't where I've been, but where I am."

She gestured for him to come closer, with one claw-tipped finger.

"Zero Dream"
She beckoned him closer and something inside him tugged, shifted, spirally out of his own control. It was almost like Ankou taking over, but yet that was even worse than his own vivid fears since he was still at the forefront, seeing it all unfold.

I don't want this, I don't want to, don't...

One step. Then another. The more steps he took, the smoother his walk became, the harder resistance became.

"Let me... go...."

He stopped right in front of the throne.

"Sosiqui"
Good, good. She hadn't been sure that would work on a host. "I thought you'd like to see my rainbow." Phaedra cupped her hands and called power into them; jewels dripped out from between her fingers, a golden curl of chain supporting them, growing like a living vine. "So much more valuable than mere water and light. So much more permanent. A thanks, payment for services rendered." She put a soft but unmistakable emphasis on the word payment.

"Zero Dream"
He shivered, when she spoke. With her so close, even his thoughts became muddled, hazy - he could register Ankou screaming at him, trying to snap him out of it, but not what words where spoken. With not enough energy to take control of the body itself, it was the only thing the god could do, all but trapped inside his own gemstone.

Beautiful tinted want to leave want to stay...

...Want.


He lowered his head. "...Beautiful." The word came out before he could even stop it.

"SkieBorne"
The Aurion stood to the side of the throne, out of immediate eyesight but as another person approached the throne, he stepped forward to watch and record. His little sketchbook was in hand as he idly wrote down the person's name and then sketched the scene.

Adrian was it...? Well, Adrian seemed to have a problem with Phaedra. And Malh'reth knew it was pointless to fight her call... it enveloped and overwhelmed. Curiously, he glanced up at the goddess and blinked at the strong of priceless baubles. He had a fondness for gems... all Aurion did. The bigger and shinier the better....

Generous, she was.

"Sosiqui"
She purred, her tail-tip delicately tapping on Adrian's leg. Oh, the god inside would probably dislike her for a while, but that particular bridge had been burned on their first encounter. May as well make the most of it. "So much friendlier than your brother." Phaedra reached out with her free and actually patted Adrian on the head. All that marvelous red hair. "You can keep that," she added, jingling the chain of rainbowed jewels in the other hand, waiting for him to take it. She had no idea if it would stick around after her time Enthroned was over, but she didn't care that much.

"Zero Dream"
It was probably a good thing that Ankou could not break out, as the headpat would probably have resulted into a few projectiles flying in her direction. The god was seething, fuming under the surface - almost as angry as he had been after knowing his brother had gone missing. If this got to Nergal's ears, he would never hear the end of this.

But, try as he might, he simply could not break through both his host's resistances and the glamour Phaedra apparently held over him. He had simply lost too much strength following the soulines - and while he was regaining it much faster than he had initially, this was not enough. That, and he had never taken Adrian over by sheer force - even with his will mostly broken, this was harder than he expected.

There was nothing he could do. Yet, at least.


"I shall." He warped his wrist around the chain - slow, deliberate movements, like a jeweled bracelet covering half his forearm loosely. He stopped but a touch away from her hand, as if teasing.

"Sosiqui"
"Now..." She took a moment to revel in her control. He was so close... but there were better uses for him than that. She hadn't obtained the riches and success of her past by giving in to her hedonistic urges at every opportunity, after all. There was a time for play, and a time for other priorities.

"The other gods will listen to you, I think. Such a well-mannered young man." Her hand trailed down from the top of his head along his cheekbone. "I need those who have seen the Grigori. Samyaza." She spat the name. "The Empress, perhaps. Knowledge. Anyone who was there. Find them." Surely there had been others besides, but Underworld's second-hand information was doubtlessly incomplete. "I must know more so I can stretch out My hand."

"Zero Dream"
What is she... ?

As with earlier, Adrian did not hear him. He only heard her, and leaned into her touch. This would be complicated - the ones he knew with such information where long gone by now.

"I shall be on guard."
     
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O noble conflagration, incinerate all! Razing Phoenix!

X3 heart

P.S. - Don't forget to save the world!
((RP with Neva))
 
     
http://www.seed.elderspark.com/tag/175.jpg

O noble conflagration, incinerate all! Razing Phoenix!

X3 heart

P.S. - Don't forget to save the world!
 
((Solo here~))
     
http://www.seed.elderspark.com/tag/175.jpg

O noble conflagration, incinerate all! Razing Phoenix!

X3 heart

P.S. - Don't forget to save the world!
Phaedra and Sh'khin, with Malh'reth: The Golden Court

"Sizzla"
Sh'khin descended the steps from his quarters, feeling her presence grow stronger as he approached the throne room. The week of Greed had called him here, wanting to pay respect to one of his sisters who now sat upon the throne of Harmodius. He had questions. Many questions. For he himself wondered if his own week would come. Would he have the chance to sit upon the throne? And if the opportunity presented itself to him, would he take it?

He entered the throne room at about the same time as a female aoide who looked much like Yersinia and Arov, and as she bowed deeply to Phaedra, who looked ravishing, dripping in jewels and gold, he as well dropped into a low bow.

"My sister, I have come to pay my respects," he said, rising from his genuflection. "I could feel your presence here, and now I see you have ascended His throne. How are you enjoying the power?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. He rather enjoyed seeing Phaedra command the throne -- she looked beautiful and frightening, all at the same time. "You look magnificent my Lady."

"Sosiqui"
There was an Aoide, a horned one like Avita, but any attention Phaedra might have given her was quite stolen by the appearance of a familiar stained and rotting form. "Ah, my brother..." She stood to greet him, walking a few steps down the dais, a genuine smile on her face. "Such glory will be yours, in time, though I doubt it will be as aesthetic as mine."

"Sizzla"
Sh'khin gave the goddess a knowing grin. "Yes, I quite doubt my reign will be as lovely as your own, at least to the eyes," he agreed, watching as she stepped down slightly to meet him. He approached the throne, and glanced around the room, the unsettling chrysalis looming. He noticed that a man was standing next to the throne, a book and pen in his hand. It looked as if he was scribbling down notes. Perhaps for the annals of history? He would have to remember such necessities during his own ascention. "Have you obtained a pet?" he asked casually, glancing toward Mal'reth.

But the man was quickly forgotten as his eyes rested once again on Phaedra's. "When your time came, did you feel it happen? Was the rise in power so substantial?" he asked, genuinely curious about how she had come to power. "I have a hard time imagining how it will be. What powers has the throne allowed you, sister?" His thoughts of ascending the throne were greedy ones, this was true, but in this week, it was something that had been on his mind.

"Sosiqui"
Phaedra's gaze flicked briefly at the Aurion. "Of a sort, yes," she said, but she had different things on her mind now... and what Sh'khin asked next struck to the heart of them.

"All at once, so sudden... intoxicating..." Phaedra turned slightly, her feathers rising a bit with the movement. "If I wish, I can see anywhere, hear anything... my own abilities are much improved... yes, enough power that I barely know what to do with it." She laughed, but it was forced.

Greed was meant to be reckless, self-serving, demanding - and yet now she had a responsibility to her Emperor to do what she could to help him. Loyalty and the desire to survive demanded it. And it was so far outside of her realm of experience that it set the whole world even more awry. The goddess had more to fight than these Grigori; she had to battle her very nature.

Lonely, isn't it.

Damn Underworld.

"... Knowing that, now, I hope you'll have more time to lay plans and gather knowledge than I did," she finished, quietly, reaching up one hand to brush his cheek.

"Sizzla"
Sudden. Intoxicating. Power like he had never experienced. The want for such power and influence had grown exponentially inside him, and just talking to Phaedra about it had made him desire it even more. It was not like him to want such things, but in the presence of the goddess, anything and everything was NEEDED, necessary.

As she spoke of her new abilities, his mouth dropped open a bit, an awed look coming over him. "See anywhere and hear anything?" he asked, thinking immediately about how he could put such power to use. And how would his own powers improve? What destruction would his domain be capable of dealing? Again, he could only think about power, and wanting more of it.

"I do appreciate your bluntness sister," he said, allowing her to brush her fingers against one mottled cheek without hesitation. He trusted her completely. "It is good to know what to expect, though I assume it is overwhelming at first."

There was a pause as he thought about his last meeting with Eddard. "Unfortunately, I fear I do not know much about our Lord and the End. I have only heard bits and pieces about the battle with the Grigori and I know no way to help Him on my own. How are you helping Him?" he asked, wondering how Phaedra had used this immense power thus far. Had she been able to make a difference? Had she stopped or slowed the progression of the endtimes in any sense? "Do you know of a purpose I could have, a use?"

"Sosiqui"
"Hm." A soft smile, again. "Hearing and Seeing All That Is is considerably less useful without the ability to know what you're looking for. Even knowing what I do about the Grigori..." She sighed, her feathers drooping against her back. "The phrase 'needle in a haystack' comes to mind. No wonder they were able to war against the Crown in ancient days. But now you know, and you know sooner than I. You will have time to think. To know what to expect." The wasted time niggled at her like an itch she couldn't scratch. "To not be overwhelmed, as I was. If the Manacles of the Crown are restored... then that will be one thing I have done." Helped to do was more accurate, but she wasn't going to concede quite that much.

A pittance, it seemed, with the power at hand. "If only I knew their true names. Then..." Her other hand clenched into a fist at her side.

"Sizzla"
"Has no one come to you to ask for information?" he asked, wondering why, if she had all of this power, no one had come to her yet. "I am afraid I am rather out of the loop on the happenings of the Pantheon," he admitted, only hearing about the events of the Grigori's arrival from Eddard. He glanced over at the chrysalis for a split second, but his gaze quickly returned to the throne.

"I am glad you have given me this warning sister. I must get more information before I have the opportunity to ascend and obtain the powers you now hold." He paused, thinking on her words. The Manacles?

He gave her a curious, quizzical look. "Could you tell me, as my memory is not what it once was -- what are these Manacles which you seek? What true names do you search for? I have the desire to help in some fashion, but I feel I am worthless in my current state..."

"Sosiqui"
"I have tried on my own. Dear Winter was most informative... but bend my will as I might, All That Is... it is too large. The only reason I was able to find the Manacles is because Universe narrowed the field somewhat." Oh, that rankled, that bit hard - she had not wanted that help. She had needed it, but she had not wanted it.

Such absolute power should not require another. By all rights, she should have been able to take All in a moment-

"But you should know what I do, dear brother." She turned and moved to sit on the Throne again, though this time she sat on the edge, resting her elbows on her knees, cradling her chin in her hands. "A Grigori, a being of the Ashlands - perhaps you remember. They warred in the past, against the Throne and against All. Now they do so again, it seems. She called herself Samyaza, but that is not her true name." Her tail lashed again. That, that - oh, what glory that would have been, to find the b***h and lay her low but nothing, nothing at all answered her call. It was wrong. She would suffer for that too, for frustrating Greed so.

"I recount only what Neva said. That foul, traitorous thing came before the Crown and used some power to lay Him low." Her claws twitched against the skin of her cheeks. "He is now as you see Him... and she wounded also Gaia, Kishara, taking her arm. The b***h carried the arm away with her, I am told, and worked another magic to trap the gods who fought her within the Pantheon." She had seen that power from the inside. Hadn't cared. Jahara had been there. "And that is what Winter heard and saw, and what I know - except for what Underworld said." Her eyes narrowed. "He said the plane the Grigori hail from a plane reachable through Gaia's flesh, and that the b***h may free her kin using the arm she took. And I can do nothing to find them, or stop them." She sat up, and slammed one hand down onto the arm of the Throne, fingers spasming in impotent rage.

"Sizzla"
Winter. Universe. Both were gods he had not yet met. There were so many now, it seemed, though so weak they were... Perhaps upon his own ascention, those he did not know would come to him. There was a great desire inside him to meet his brothers and sisters.

"It seems you have acquired quite a bit of information," he said, as she finished the story, scowling as he thought of the vile beast -- the Grigori who had brought Him down. "I thank you for the detailed information, my sister. There must be much more to this than I can fathom. I remember few of the details of the Grigori from past ages -- much of what happened before the Fading is beyond the grasp of my memory. A haze has washed over most of my memories, though I find them returning day by day."

As Phaedra explained the ability of the Grigori to free themselves through the flesh of Gaia, a rage grew inside of Sh'khin, and he could not fault Phaedra for growing angry, slamming her hand onto the throne. He wanted to hurt the Grigori -- this Samyaza that had caused them all so much trouble and the undoing of All. He recalled the face of Gaia -- Kishara. The angelic, determined and wise goddess who had given Iris solace so many months ago. Her arm had been removed and used as a portal? It was unfathomable!

"There is nothing you can do?!" he asked, almost shouting in frustration as the weight of what had happened finally rested upon him. "There has to be something," he said, brooding as he laid his chin in one hand, thinking. "Someone has to know more."

"SkieBorne"
His hackles rose at being named a pet, ears laying back against the sides of his head and chin lifting in a show of pride. He was here because they had an agreement and an Aurion honored his contracts. Boldy, he'd taken a step forward but paused as Phaedra spoke, essentially dismissing him back to the shadows. With a flat look, he remained were he was - if he was to be her herald was he not due some of the glory? Such that others might know his name?

His attention turned outward, away from the greedy little thoughts that swirled in the back of his mind as the two began to speak in earnest. He called her sister? Ascending the Throne? It didn't take long for the mage to realize he was watching a conversation between the gods and smiled to himself. How interesting. That was what had happened. He had only know bits and pieces up until now, never the whole story. The information Phaedra was revealing was enlightening at the very least and he couldn't help but wonder if Greed realized she was giving without receiving. Better to remain quiet and record as he'd been instructed to do.

In any case, he thanked her silently and jotted down the names of the other deities she had mentioned.

Gaia (Kishara?) and Winter.

Something picked at his mind. But why the dual names for one but not the other? He would have to ask for clarification once the opportunity presented itself.

Malh'reth winced as Sh'khin questioned her ability to do things. He'd done so inadvertently and had seen a flicker of anger... what would such a blatant insult do? Wisely, he stepped back out of immediate view in the hopes of avoiding notice.

"Sosiqui"
"I found the Manacles," Phaedra snapped, bristling. "Do not yell at me, dear brother - I am doing what I can with what is given me." Then she calmed, though her tail lashed at her side. "Universe said the Manacles could buy us time. I have sent message to Futs Lung to retrieve them. If you know the True Name of the Grigori, then tell it to me and I will let all my power fly in rage - but without that..." She pounded the arm of the Throne again.

"Seek Knowledge, perhaps. He was there, named by Winter and Underworld both. Or the Empress herself. Prepare yourself well for this, my brother. Move in strength with foreknowledge, as I was not able to do."

"Sizzla"
Sh'khin winced a bit as she snapped back at him. He had not realized how harsh he had sounded, and the frustration that rolled off of him had a sharper effect than he would have liked. "I am sorry, my sister. I know you are doing all you can, and it is appreciated. It is just frustrating to hear about such things and not know if there is anything that can be done about them," he replied sheepishly to her fierce retort. "My apologies."

He turned from the throne and paced the room quickly, listening to her advice and memorizing who he would need to speak to. Knowledge. Gaia. He would find them, request their presence and try with all his might to find the Grigori or another piece of the puzzle. Perhaps he did not have to wait until the week of Plague either...

And then there was a fleeting thought: Underworld. It has been so long since I have seen him. Not since my rebirth have I heard from Nergal. I wonder what he may know...

As she gave her final words of counsel, he turned once again to the throne, bowing deeply in respect. "I shall, dear Phaedra. You have been quite informative, and for that, I am appreciative. I shall seek to find what is needed before my time, so that I am prepared for what is to come. I wish you luck sister. I hope you can do more for Him while you still have the power of the Throne."

"Sosiqui"
She sighed, and stood up, descended the dais partway to go to him. "It is lonely, on the Throne. Underworld was right about that, at least. Learn what you can, and ascend in full glory, Sh'khin." Phaedra reached out for him once more. "You... heh. You always were more even-tempered than I. You will do better."

She leaned down to kiss his forehead, not caring about the boils. "Go well. Brother. Use your temper to do what I cannot. My reign will come to an end soon. I'd rather keep my life for longer than what the windows number."

"Sizzla"
He walked toward the throne to say his final goodbyes, reaching out for her hand and placing a light kiss upon the top of it, bowing his head to her again before looking into her jeweled and bright-blue eyes. "Thank you sister. Your faith in me is encouraging."

He was surprised at her gentleness after the recent outburst, and had not expected the kiss on the forehead. Few made physical contact with him, and he was pleased that she seemed to favor him. He had only encountered her once before, but whispers through the Pantheon had made him slightly wary of her. Now, there was relief, and the feeling that she was an ally.

"You shall have many more days, if I have anything to do with it," he said, determination in his voice. "I will do my best to change What Is and What May Be," he smiled, hopefully. "Be well sister." With that, he turned back toward the far end of the room and headed toward his apartments.

Now, he had purpose.

He would first search out Knowledge so that he could prepare for what would come.
 
     
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O noble conflagration, incinerate all! Razing Phoenix!

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P.S. - Don't forget to save the world!
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