[Edel PRP] Jin Huang & Malh'reth

[Ithiltari]

((Continued from this thread. Please do not post unless you're Ithi or Skie or mebbe a Sosi. thx~))

Ithiltari

"By your leave, Lady," Jin replied, sweeping an elegant bow. He was about to turn and leave when Malh'reth spoke to him. "Greed has granted her permission for you to leave her side, and so I have no issue with it," he said as he started to slowly walk away. "Was there something in particular you wished to speak with me about?"

SkieBorne

The mage nodded as he began to walk along with Jin, "Yes. I wish to ask you some questions... I have only come here relatively recently and while Phaedra's been kind enough to take me under her wing in return for my recording her glory," a small smile at that for he could not argue the fact, "but I have come to realize my understanding of the situation is... lacking."

Pausing as he flipped his pages open, he ran fingers over the paper to skim them, "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation and there were a few terms I am unfamiliar with." Looking up, he spread long fingers over the sketchbook's page, "Would you mind helping me fill in the gaps? I want as complete a story as possible for when I return home to tell the tale of the gods I met here." As he read the words Dragon King, a frown flickered across his face and he offered a hasty sort of bow, "Er... highness?" Inwardly, he winced. What a wonderfully smooth cover.

[Ithiltari]

Jin Huang listened patiently as the mortal spoke. Ah, lucky Malh'reth. He had met and found to be a prize by the softer side of Greed. If and when he tried to leave, well. That would be his own watch, and not something Jin would advise him of. It - he - was not worth crossing the Lady Greed over. "I will tell you what I am able," he offered finally, pondering. "I have only recently returned myself, but," here he shrugged. "You may ask anyway," he finished, as though it were a favor bestowed. Jin chuckled a bit at the belated highness, and wave a hand dismissively. "Jin Huang. Or Treasurer, if you insist upon a title."

[SkieBorne]

Malh'reth nodded, "Alright then, Jin. My thanks." Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he decided first to focus on what the other had just said. "I illustrate my stories and while you were speaking with Phaedra... you offered two names. I am curious, which should I include in my retelling and what is a host? I had thought that the very concept of a mortal or anyone, really, sheltering a god was.... ridiculous." Still, if that were the truth, he would rather know it and expand upon that base then spin some fluff that proved false and bring down the gods' wrath upon him.

[Ithiltari]

"Jin Huang is my name. Delmin Brock is his," Jin replied after a speculative look at the mage walking beside him. He sighed a little, and slowed his stride further. "This, I do know. The gods failed. We fell, we died. The Twin Crown, Creation and Destruction, my Lord Harmodius, gathered what he could of our essence, and set us to slumbering in gems and jewels." Here, Jin loosened the top button of the shirt he'd worn, revealing an interesting looking gemstone, set at the top of his breastbone.

"This is mine. Delmin found it, set it there." There was a lot Jin was skipping over - his first, failed attempt at rebirth, and everything else that had come of that - but that was not something he would share lightly with anyone, let alone a pet of Greed's. "And I will use his soul to fuel my own growth and rebirth," the dragon said matter-of-factly. Del had accepted this, before he had...gone away, as it were. "As we all will do, or have done." Hopefully that would be enough of an explanation.

[SkieBorne]

The Aurion slowed then stopped at the frank information, eyes widening. "Died....? Slumbering?" The glint of an intriguing gem caught his eye and drew his attention to it, and he stepped closer, "I did not think that gods cou-" He cut himself off sharply and fell into a confused silence as he worked the dragon's statement over in his mind.

Use his soul to power his rebirth...? There was no other way to interpret that then the host was a sacrifice to the god slumbering in the gem. It seemed... both fitting and appalling at the same time. Rolling his lower lip in between his teeth, he nibbled on it, unsure of just how he felt about this. Jin had been so frank it couldn't be an exageration. He was infinitely glad he had not stumbled across a gem and strangely grateful for this rather startling information.

At length he finally found his voice, and posed another question, "All the gods do this...? Have a mortal give up their soul so that they might be reborn...? Are the mortals at least willing?"

[Ithiltari]

Jin let Malh'reth fully process the information before making any sort of reply. It was a lot to take in, after all. "All that you have seen here, save only the Crown. But He is in no shape that you would recognize as being a god," the dragon said with a soft, sad, chuckle. "Some are willing, like Delmin. Some are not, like the Lady you caught the attention of." He had not been told this, true, but oh, the implication was there. His brother's servant would not have gone without being tricked, of that much Jin Huang was certain.

[SkieBorne]

Malh'reth's expression hardened, "I've seen your... King. I would not recognize him as a god. It is difficult to accept that the very universe's wellbeing depends on that.... being," the pod was deeply disturbing and he hated looking at it. It just wasn't right.

Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he frowned, "Greed? Her.... host was not willing? What is Phaedra like...? She had been nothing but kind and yet she is Greed. It confuses me." Even so he wondered who would so willingly sacrifice their very existence to a god. Shivering, he turned lavender eyes on the area about them, “And… my apology for the question, Treasurer, but what is a Dragon King…? If that pod is your lord then what are you the king of?” He’d already figured out Phaedra’s time on the throne was something special and something linked to the ever shifting influences of the weeks but what of a Dragon King? Why didn’t they sit upon the throne instead of paying respects like Jin had?

[Ithiltari]

Jin Huang shrugged off the mage's comments regarding Harmodius. Jin himself had only seen his Lord once while whole, at least in this incarnation, and yet that had still been through Delmin's eyes, not truly his own. Not even like this.

"She is Greed," was the simple response, offered in a tone of amused resignation. "You have caught her attention. Be grateful, and try to keep it, lest you see her true nature." That was all the warning Jin would give on that subject. The dragon had no desire to cross Phaedra over something so trivial as a pet mortal.

"Nothing in particular. We are not Kings in the sense that you know them. In the hierarchy of the Pantheon, only the Twin Crown Himself is set above us." Partially true, that; always the Empress and the Primordials respected and obeyed, but it was true enough for Malh'reth's question.

[SkieBorne]

Malh'reth half laughed, half scoffed, "I will keep that in mind." He didn't exactly have much choice in the matter... it was either obey or risk her wrath and though she may be Greed, he wasn't fool enough to deliberately cross her, "Besides... we have an agreement that I must honour." And there was that stubborn Aurion tendency to stick to an agreement however much the individual may dislike it. Old teachings were hard to forget.

He blinked, taken aback by that. They... were second only to the Twin Crown...? The look of surprised slid into a frown as he wondered if he should even be speaking with this one... Coughing, he tilted his head up to the sky as his ears flicked and settled, "Hierarchy? There are a great many of you then? You are one of the few gods I've met... I must admit I am still rather uninformed," he sighed, "and that doesn't make for a proper retelling. I have not asked Phaedra many questions as she demands something in return..."

He chuckled softly for he didn't blame her but she already had his service... among other things, and there wasn't much more he could offer. "Is there anything that I should know? I came in search of answers but now I'm hoping to find a way to assist in... fixing? The degradation of the worlds. I don't want to die and I'm almost certain the feeling is mutual between mortals and immortals alike." Perhaps Jin could offer him some means of helping out, he hoped so at least.

[Ithiltari]

"So long as you are aware," Jin replied noncommitally. An agreement, with Greed? That was laughable, although he refrained from actually laughing out loud. It would be impolite to do so, after all. He had made his choice - however fogged his mind might be - and he was the one who would have to deal with the consequences.

"There were, once. We died. I think I mentioned that already," he continued dryly, arching an eyebrow. "And there will be, once again." This was said firmly, hiding the doubts Jin held within him. Would they really be able to put things aright before time ran out? He eyed Malh'reth speculatively.

Was there anything he could do? He didn't know what the man was capable of, but Jin wasn't entirely sure there was anything he could do. "I am unsure," he admitted. "Learn what you can, from others who may gather here. Perhaps someone else will know of something you could put your talents towards." Whatever those talents might be.

[SkieBorne]

Malh'reth chuckled, "Yes, you did. I meant more in terms of current numbers..." He wondered, as Jin replied, how many unfortunate souls would be fed to the gods. Would it be worth it in the end?

The mage sighed then, and nodded. It was an answer... not a particularly helpful answer but at least the dragon hadn't said he couldn't do anything. Stopping, he glanced around and found they'd wandered a good distance from the Pantheon. Turning back around to face the other, he bowed, "I guess that's the best course of action. Thank you for your time but I must return soon... afore I'm missed."

With some of his questions answered, Mal thought it best to return sooner then later.