Welcome to Gaia! ::

Castor let out a hum. "A thing that sadly will remain a mystery then."

Without a firsthand it would be hard to give credibility to either side's purported story.

"You-" He eyed the man, if he could be called that. "You imply there are many. Would they be only women, or would it be possible that they have reborn as male? My concern is the notion that if such being exist still- why would Metallia not seek them out? Obviously it found Beryl. If others existed even for a time, to change and twist them into youma would be shortsighted, and to slay them utterly to eliminate threats is equally shortsighted- it would remove any potential backups should Beryl fall. My the nature of the rebirth cycle, they would, should exist in some capacity."

Blue eyes locked to Caedus.
"You say your world is highly perceptive, that it is immune to corruption. Aside from me wondering how this is possible, with your people's technology perhaps in tandem with Mauvian, think there might be a potential to scanning for markers of such sorceresses?"

Castor laughed."Gods, I came for simple answers, and now here I am grasping at tangents, seeking things I knew knew might still yet exist."

Genuine shock crossed Castor's face at the notions being given, then, they were followed buy that smirk. The smile that told of wheels turning, thinking to seek an advantage. To seek an asset.

"I'll admit, Cosmos has always appeared as one whom did not wish to act unless needed. She didn't want to interfere directly. If what you say is true, and in her power-" He'd have to confront her, something he HIGHLY doubted Sidra would enjoy.

"But you are right in a way. It would behoove us to find them, if anything, to see they knew their own powers and were made aware of their options. As much as I hate to say it, blindly indoctrinating people to our cause makes us no better than Metallia." He gave a shrug. "By the way, I don't think I asked but, what was your planet called?"

It was a slight moment of arrogance and pride.
"English. Latin. Italian. French. Spanish- I'm working on my Greek. I may not be fluent or adept in the languages but I know enough to get by. I mean, it may surprise you, but whatever language you provide I'm sure we could find an accurate translation for. Technology has come quite a distance since you've been imprisoned. Granted, it's mostly the difference is in that magic is not.. common or known. Humans adapted without it, so our technology was driven more by sciences."

He doubted that Caedus spoke a language that humans wouldn't find a way to translate.

"Point is, I wouldn't worry about languages too much. But- How do you intend to return to your world and make it back to our own. In the possible event your world is dead and barren, you could become stranded. Your crystals are interesting, but if you go and they fail you- what then?"

Castor laughed. "I didn't take it that way, just saying, humans, we're pretty clever in the language department. Though, you do give us too much credit for surviving Chaos. Pretty sure that was mostly luck." Humans on a whole were pretty self destructive beings.

Pushing hair from his eyes, the royal debated how to say what he wanted to say. Marlo would have just said it, but-
"If your world is dead-" There was something a bit morbid in his tone. "I'd have you abandon it."

He held up a hand. "Your world survived by trade and taking from other planets. If it's dead, the scale of which you'd need to restore it would be without a doubt a burden of demand on any other world. You might think you alone could restore it, but then that poses the question- for what purpose or cause? You have no senshi, your world would have no crystal. Your people would be dead and gone and only you would remain. Unlike us who might restore by our own power, your people relied on the powers of others. If your world is dead, it is better you let it die, and seek a new world that might shelter you and give you the chance to develop rather than rebuild."

He watched Caedus for a moment.
"You keep acting like your world will have survived. Yet how easily were you taken? How many of your companions survived Caedus?" There was no longer friendliness, no longer the thin veil of peace. There was only cold.

"You must be ready to face the worst fate and reality. Hope is easy to destroy, a broken spirit in the moment of truth would be easy prey for Chaos. For the likes of Metallia. You should be ready to face any possibility. If not for your own sake but ours." He was not kind, in words or tone.
"Your existence, knowledge, and abilities would be a boon to them, a threat for us."

Castor took a deep breath. He didn't like this- politics, thinking beyond the first moment in a game that had too many ways to fail. To fall. To die.

"That's my greatest fear, and what I expect is the reality. That this world is the only one left able to host senshi. That the human race is our last chance. But you are right- I would not welcome you back. Earth is corrupt. If the others want to acknowledge this or not is on them but practically speaking?"

His wings rustled behind him again, stretching out before curling back.
"You are a threat. To them and us. Your knowledge alone is a tool. A key to unlocking the past and to tools we lack" He smiled a false cordial grin.
"Why did you think I came here in the first place? It is not my place to offer sanctuary, but it is my place to protect those I hold dear and have vowed to aid. It is my duty to use everything at my disposal to keep them safe. I must use everything, and everyone, for that purpose. Even if I do not wish to." His expression shifted as he looked briefly away. He cared, and he did not like the guilt that welled in his chest, the anguish of knowing he could never get close, never be friends.

Getting up, he stretched his wings once more. The navy feathers shifted, spreading out before returning, ready for flight.
"You need not give up on your world. Only understand that the worst option might be your reality. That hope and faith are not what will save you. They will not protect you. You have to harden your heart and be ready to face failure. If you have nothing- then I do expect you will return. What happens after would be uncertain. I pride myself on my honesty. If I thought you too much a threat too much a gamble, I would kill you. However, I want an allegiance. I want to do business with you. Trade with you. You have given us an opportunity we have never had before and set the stage for change- for a shift in the balance. But it would be stupid to think after our attack they would not know, they would not seek you out, hunt for you. They would see you dead before you would aid us. To this I will tell you and offer you two things."

He took a breath, unease in his eyes.
"If your world is gone, if it cannot protect you, earth will not be safe for you in all likelihood. My world survives. It has flora, fauna still. My people were slain, yet my world has resources and its likely you would survive there for a time. I cannot offer you a sanctuary upon earth, but I could upon Castor. It would need discussion, but I shall leave the knowledge of it's existence to you for consideration. What I also offer-" His hand curled then released.
"It is in my power not to harm starseeds, as I cannot alter in such a manner, but it is my power to rid them of Chaos. If you carry any lingering corruption, even a trace amount, I would be able to rid it from you. I would push no further. Your world held no senshi, and given what you have said of your past- I doubt your people ever were knights. At worst all I could do is awaken a latent power nothing more. I cannot destroy, only purify that which is unwanted. It is a choice. A choice I would offer you."

He remained standing.
"I dislike being a royal. I always have. Yet I will do as best I am able. Both for my people, and for those who they care for."

There was a small chuckle from Castor.

"It's not so much that I forget, it is only that I know the feeling of wanting to believe so hard in something, only to see it vanish right before your eyes. The thought of home drives you forward, so what will be left when that is gone?" He shrugged.
"I live in reality. And reality and experience teaches me that I can't trust the senshi. Just like I cannot trust you."

It was spoken with casual grace and almost flippancy. He had long given up on things.Learned to give things up.

Still, he smiled at the rise he got from Caedus, and the smile continued as the man made the offer.
"I would. If there is no chaos, then nothing to worry about. If there is, I can't do anything anyway. It's a choice."

Castor smiled as if this was a normal thing, walking over until he hand rested over the man's chest. "Oh well, you see, I just put my hand here and-" Castor pushed, reaching out with his power, seeking our a starseed, pure or otherwise.

"-I hunt it down."