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 Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:51 pm
Solo: Descent from the Throne
The end was coming - she could sense it, unraveling, power coming to a trickle that would soon stop, and another take its place. She wondered, dazed, who would follow her on the Throne.
She would find out soon enough.
Phaedra had sent Malh'reth away again, back to her chambers with Avita as guide. She did not want him to see her decline, her descent. She had no idea what would happen. She was trembling, just a little, as Avita returned and took up her station next to the Throne, giving her mistress and the Chrysalis little tense glances from time to time.
Time...
With a soft whispering noise, the glorious raiment that she'd crafted for herself thinned into nothing, leaving the goddess clad only in her golden gown - exquisite still, but utterly pale in comparison to what she had created in her ascended power. All around the Throne Hall gold and precious things winked away as the power sustaining their being faltered and failed. Phaedra's own awareness slipped down to what felt like a tiny pinprick; Sight and Hearing gone and leaving mere sight and hearing in their wake. For a terrifying moment she felt more trapped within the confines of her own skull as she had ever felt within her jewel.
It's gone...
The blast of the trumpet startled her off of the Throne with a feline hiss, her tail puffing out like a bottlebrush, and she nearly tripped down the stairs as a fresh wave of power rolled from the Chrysalis, this power one that she held no claim to. War, she recognized, distantly, trying to wrap her mind around the pathetic small thing that she had become, hardly able to bear it. She wanted to cry.
"Imperatrix..."
She had forgotten the Aoide was there, and twitched towards her. "Let us... let us go..."
"The offerings made to you await in your chambers, as you ordered," Avita said, with a nod.
"Yes... well done..."
Phaedra turned back to the Chrysalis, hanging foul as it had all week, but seeming more dark and disturbing now that it was not radiating her own element. "Thank you," she said, quietly, wearily.
Then she pivoted again, and darted for the stairs, drowning in her own weakness.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:52 pm
Solo: Small Again
Sleep... helped. A little bit. Just a little. Sleep, dreams, and time blunted the memories of what it had been to hold power, softened the bitter realization of the enormity of her loss. How had she ever been able to tolerate this little power, this tiny form and pathetic-
Phaedra scowled and dug one claw into her own leg, using the pain to distract her mind from its litany of folly. Foolish, exceedingly foolish. At least now I can move freely, unencumbered by what others would have me do. Unchained by time. Well, to a point. Split-second decisions were often required, but she preferred the long cogitation, the well-laid plan put into motion after every aspect was well considered. The desperation to do something that had plagued her Golden Week and quite ruined her fun...
Well. She was well rid of that, or so she thought. Yet the thoughts kept niggling at her, even as she bathed, dined, and finally settled down to look through the 'offerings' with Avita. "What to do now?"
The Aoide blinked and looked away from the cheap ring she'd been assessing. "What do you mean, Imperatrix?"
"You know what I mean. I'd rather not end my days so soon after regaining my life." Phaedra scowled and tossed aside the bracelet in her hands; cheap pot-metal, who knew why it had been valued enough to offer under compulsion. Some pithy emotional attachment, perhaps. "My skills are most ill-suited to these days, unless I can find a Grigori and twist her mind with my words." She allowed her mind to linger for a moment on that lovely prospect, then sighed. Not bloody likely. "Why must everything have been so thoroughly ruined before I had a chance to play?" She'd come too late to the sandbox and someone else had already entirely stomped the sandcastles to bits. No fun, no fun at all.
"It should not be your job alone," Avita said, with a snort. "The others can't sit on their asses, begging your pardon."
"Swear away," Phaedra replied, waving one hand before leaning forward to pick up the next bit of garbage from the pile. "Well, I've done them all a tremendous service by finding those Manacles. I think I've earned the right to sit here, count my plunder, and relax for a few days. Do gore anyone who says otherwise, will you?"
Avita nodded and grinned, unpleasantly. "Naturally."
"Honestly. Ugh!" Phaedra flung the spoon she'd picked up; it clanked against the wall and fell unheeded. "Such utter worthless tripe they brought to me. Jin Huang was really the only one who offered anything of true value." True, everything had been valued highly by the people who had brought it, and she had a cruel appreciation for the precious last cans of rations, but did they really expect her to display a can of Tuna Surprise next to the plunders from a king's tomb?
Hardly.
Avita said nothing, but kept sorting. Annoyed, Phaedra stood up and began to pace in front of the window, her tail swishing back and forth. It was all so maddening... and there was no end in sight. She didn't enjoy this at all - I am not supposed to be responsible, I am supposed to be wild, care for nothing but myself, embody my domain in every way, and now I have to go counter to that if I want to survive.
Damn it.
Phaedra stomped into the bathroom and slammed the door, well aware that she was being childish, but not caring a bit.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:53 pm
Phaedra and Malh'reth: In My Lady's ChambersSkieBorne The lava pool's harsh light set the room afire and though he was not actually outside, the mage still felt uncomfortably hot. Even so, it was difficult to look away from the shifting, bubbling pool of lava. Exhaling, he fogged up the glass and leaned his head against it, careful not to tap the surface with the point of his horn less he crack the pane.
Phaedra had taken to quartering him in a spare room after the week of Greed and while he still managed to get out every now and then, that labyrinth was something he'd rather avoid. Thus he found himself pacing about his room for a few hours, drawing and sketching as the whim struck before he checked the time.
He should probably check in with Greed about now - it wasn't a good idea to leave her waiting.
Quietly, he exited his room and padded out into the main chamber, looking for Phaedra. Sosiqui The goddess was in the main chamber along with Avita, sorting through the items that had been offered to her during her golden Week. It had only been a few days since her decline, but it had taken her that long to get used to being small again. To get used to being herself again.
Such borrowed power was not, in the end, for her. It ran through you and ate you up, enslaved you with the responsibility it brought. She wanted no part of that ever again, and no part now of the empty feeling it left behind, the jarring echo of idly seeking to fling her awareness outward and having it stop sharply, like a physical blow, at the edges of her skull.
She looked up and smiled as Malh'reth entered; stood, and extended one hand to him. "Malh'reth. Are you bored, in there, with nothing to see and nobody to share stories with? You may sit with me and tell me your tales, then."Avita glanced at her mistress' pet and then back to the pile. Most of it was trash, very little of it had any real value beyond what the desperation of these times had assigned to it. The one thing of true, objective value - the Dragon King's gift - had already been placed in her mistress' hair-jewels. SkieBorne "Indeed." He took her hand as he drew near, brought it to his lips and kissed her fingers as a gentleman would, "Is there any particular tale you would like to hear? The most ready one I have is of my home, a mercenary's city."
Taking a seat beside her, he eyed the trash pile spread out before them before returning his gaze to hers, "Would you listen while I speak or would you rather I paint an image as I recount my tales?" He was a little homesick among these great beings, found himself yearning for the familiarity of a society he understood and problems he could solve. Sosiqui "Listen, my dear bard - I must turn my eyes to assessing these... objects." The goddess gave the pile of offerings a dubious look. It was true that she would keep them, and was somewhat pleased by the sacrifice they made - she would snatch the last bread from a starving man and eat it without compunction, after all - but as Greed, she always wanted more. More quality, more luxury, more.
There was precious little more in the pile. SkieBorne He smiled and settled back, watching her sort through the items, "As you wish."
Clearing his throat, the mage began his stroll down memory lane, "I come from a place where neutrality reigns, moving with the ebb and flow of power among nations without making a ripple of our own. Some see us as a race of mercenaries... bought by the most appealing contracts while others see us as paragons of magic, unsurpassed in our skill and as such sources of both information and raw supplies..." A pause as he idly sketched it out for himself the city that stood between the rivers.
Malh'reth spotted a particularly shiny set of silver ware and leaned forward to pull it from the pile and offered it to Phaedra, "The city is shining and stands tall, reaching up into the heavens rather then sprawling out like some many other cities do. Everyone is welcome to roam though many don't as the heights seem to intimidate most. That is where I hail from." Rambling now, he spoke mostly to himself, "Glass and crystal are common... used in trades and contracts along with coinage and other goods..."
The mage continued to speak for some time, reciting life within the city as he occasionally uncovered an possible treasure from the offerings to give to Phaedra. It was a simple story but the history of the place rich even if the people sounded rather severe and stoic. Sosiqui "A city of trade. Is that why you flinched when you learned my power?" Phaedra tilted her head and smiled knowingly at the Aurion. "I assure you, I am still too young to rule personally over every excess committed in my name." SkieBorne "No..." Malh'reth shook his head, brought out of his reverie, "I stumbled because Greed is the reason my people are as they are. Our horns are powerful magical components, among other things, and by being born an Aurion you are born into a world that would sooner kill you for that horn then put up with you alive. They are mercenaries that cater to everyone's needs, thus cutting down the murders because we are indeed stronger when alive."
He puffed out his cheeks, frustration darkening his gaze. Sosiqui Phaedra raised one eyebrow. "An interesting way to get out of that situation, to be sure... a resourceful people." Her gaze flicked up to his horn, just for a moment, but then she smiled again. "I prefer you better alive, my story-spinner. Be at ease." SkieBorne He watched her look to his horn and frowned slightly, wondering about the wisdom of telling her such things even though he was confident in his assumption that none of the gods would want his horn. Her words soothed him more, and he relaxed, nodding, "And for that I am truly grateful." Not that would likely be anything he could about it if she changed her mind...
"A goddess such as yourself will have travelled... what places have you touched that I might retell upon my return?" Sosiqui "Ah... yes, if only I'd had you in Achai, little spider, story-spinner." Phaedra smiled, sharply. "An entire city laid down before my will... oh, the battle was great, and difficult, the stuff of legend. Alas, no other great things have happened in my still young reborn life... but wait, stay with me, and you will have more to fill your pages." SkieBorne He paused, thought her comments over and settled on a smile as he reminded himself that Phaedra was Greed. Such a thing should be expected. "I look forward to it. Not many can say they were scholar under a goddess... One day I may visit this Achai and learn the legends that surely spun off from your presence. They will be interesting tales to spread." Sosiqui "If there is anything left," Phaedra said, dismissively. "Oh, never fear, their entire downfall was not on my account. A foul and ancient thing had set up court there, and I removed his influence. The rest was their own hedonism. A moral, there, for your stories. You might scare little children with it." SkieBorne Malh'reth arched a slender brow then shook his head, "Of course. A moral in every story, if you pay enough attention, I find. I prefer to entertain and inspire children rather then scare them, however..." He sighed, remembering the family he'd watched grow. Casting his gaze out the window, the mage pursed his lips, the glare of the lava's wavering light reminding him of the chaos in the world abroad, "I do hope, though, that there are cities standing and children to make laugh or even frighten after this. Has your time on the Throne come to fruition yet?" He was hoping she'd update him on the progress of the gods and their handling of the thing in the Throne Room for he knew precious little on what was actually occurring to stop this thing they called their king. Sosiqui Phaedra frowned. "I know not. Such duties and quests are Dragons' business, not for such as I. Could I See as I could upon the Throne, I could perhaps Know... but that is no longer mine, and never will be again."
She paused. "I do not know if I regret or not, Malh'reth. It is gone, and left me stretched, empty, grown used to something that will be absent from me forever. And yet it burned like fire. Too much, too much. Even Greed's desire is not immune to folly. That moral, you will keep to yourself," she added, with a sharp glance. SkieBorne "A shame. You were glorious upon that seat of power." Malh'reth replied, meaning every word.
He blinked, mouth opening slightly in a frown that bordered on insult, "If I might help, I would. I have offered my services to you, m'lady and we have an agreement. Your words are spoken in confidence and will not be passed on. Have faith." He offered a mild smile to her as he handed a jeweled dagger to her, weary and worn but shiny should it be polished. Sosiqui "Will you, then? Good." She studied the dagger, especially the edge, for just a moment more than was comfortable. "I am glad to know it... and you have a good eye, little spider." Phaedra lifted the dagger and handed it to Avita. "No doubt this was coveted not for the jewel but for the edge; it is stained. Protection, not wealth. Like your own people's mode of survival." SkieBorne His smile turned uncertain as her gaze lingered on the dagger... made his imagination run with the idea and find himself on the other side of that worn edge. Closing his eyes briefly, he shook his head, "Indeed. Not everything valuable is tangible, after all." Pride in his people made him sit up straighter and that uncertain look fade, replaced by a quietly confident expression. Sosiqui "And what of their edges? Are they stained as well? Do the horns of your people run red with blood as that blade has?" Phaedra tilted her head to one side. SkieBorne "That.... doesn't matter. Not to them. That they remain neutral and unbiased, honoring the contract down to the very last word but no more to maintain that neutrality is what counts. They... are mercenaries, powerful magi often hired out for the petty wars to dispassionately dispose of the opposing side, or as so often happens, wage war against a fellow." He sighed and shoulders slumped, "I had pride in that society once.... before I looked at it from outside and found my opinions. It is flawed, deeply so; steeped in both blood and nobility."
Malh'reth's gaze had fallen to the side, knowing full well his people's lives were full of juxtapositions that were tolerated only because of their unerring adherence to a contract. "Our horns... are both poison and panacea; though that is an opinion held by those who live in the world outside the city walls. To an Aurion, what matters is the maintenance of neutrality and the perfection of their craft - nothing more. There is no laughter, no sorrow for emotions lead to dangerous bias that could upset the delicate balance. Develop opinions and you are tossed out, struck from their records and fed to the world. The lucky survive, most are murdered shortly after their departure because they are not bound by any contract and therefore unprotected." He tapped his horn, with a sad smile, "Our strength and weakness. Ironic, isn't it?" Sosiqui Phaedra arched one eyebrow. "Now that... that is a broken way to live. Can it, in fact, be called living? You are well out of it, in my opinion, and anyone who seeks your horn will find themselves... very, very denied." She smiled, possessively. "Mine, now. I like it quite well where it is." The goddess reached out one hand towards Malh'reth's horn, but settled for brushing her clawed fingertips just barely through his hair. SkieBorne "From inside the city? I would say it is the only way to live - who else can walk in every nation unmolested and respected? But from the outside, broken is exactly the word for it." Instinctively, he pulled back slightly, always wary of anyone coming near his horn though he smile grew slightly. Her expression was possessive but such a thing was a godsend for him for it meant protection and no need to watch his back when at any other time danger lurked in the shadows.
As her fingers brushed through his hair, Malh'reth bowed his head, forcing himself to relax as his horn brushed her hand, "And for that I am truly grateful, Phaedra. If you ever wish something of me, you have but to ask for I am a willing servant." A simple statement for a man who's life had been one of servitude to a variety of 'masters', though none could compare to the woman sitting before him now. Sosiqui "For now, I will grant you leave to move as you wish - merely be sure to listen, and tell me what you hear, when you hear something of even mild interest." Phaedra drew her fingertips down along one of Malh'reth's arms, a delicate claw-tipped tip-toe that recalled their first, most momentous meeting... hmm, perhaps they could do that again.
But not now. There were spoils to be counted now, and that trumped sex. SkieBorne He nodded, internalizing that request and playing over his encounters with others... nothing in particular stood out though so he remained quiet. As always, the teasing nick of her claws raised goosebumps on his flesh as he reached up to play his own fingers across her arm - barely touching her skin. It was impossible to hide the hope in his eyes, for his mind too was drawn back to their first meeting.
But that hope quickly died when she made no further move and it was with a disappointed little sigh that he shifted away, thinking himself dismissed, "Perhaps I should take a walk... and speak to you after?" Time for each of them to get a job done... and then maybe more once he returned. Sosiqui Phaedra smiled at the shadows of desire she saw in his eyes.
And she was all about desire, wasn't she?
"Tell me what you want," she purred, standing up and striding towards him, her tail lifting in a predatory stalk. "Tell with voice what your gaze says." SkieBorne For a moment he held her gaze, noted the predatory motions and spoke before thinking, answering the question bluntly, "You." When he realized what he'd said, the mage blinked and looked rather embarrassed, knowing it probably wasn't his place to make such a bold statement.
Too late to cover now. Sosiqui "Hm. Bold little pet, you are. Bold indeed." And ah, now with the sweet blush... "Greed is in the business of granting desires, if only for a moment. A golden moment. And what comes after?" Phaedra purred, leaning in close enough that her hair brushed him. SkieBorne He couldn't help the smile that blossomed from her comment, a mischievous one as he tilted his head up to meet her gaze, ".... More?" Isn't that what greed was about? Always more? And though greed in other circumstances was to be shunned... Malh'reth thought he could set aside scruples for but a few moments of innocent (or perhaps not so innocent) pleasure.
Hesitantly, he leaned forward so that his nose brushed against hers. "What of your sacrifices?" Sosiqui "More, yes... so they say..." A dark smile teased the corners of her mouth before she lunged forward, taking one of Malh'reth's ears in her mouth and nibbling, almost hard enough to draw blood.
Then she released, tilted to whisper in that ear. "There are many kinds of sacrifice. This is what I choose for now." SkieBorne He squeaked at the pain but the look of surprise was quickly replaced by a sense of triumph as he let Phaedra jump him, hands teasing at the fabric of her clothing. Not bothering to hide the desire in his eyes now, he stole a quick kiss, teasing and inviting.
"As you wish, m'lady."
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:54 pm
Phaedra and Jin Huang: After the GlitterIthiltari After Cosine had departed, seeking what she had originally come to find, Jin Huang stood near the kitchen and looked up each flight of stairs speculatively. Up the one, the way to his Lord's apartments...and the Treasury. Up the other...There were apartments there, suites and rooms for those who had asked for them. He had none of his own, no, but an old friend dwelled up there. Behind him lay the chrysalis, and his brother Ying Long. In front, the doors to leave and return home to prepare for the journey he'd been set upon. Four directions, four possibilities to choose from...Four different encounters. We should go home, Delmin said, pushing a little to regain control. Jin Huang ignored this suggestion, and the push, easily resisting what had been a half-hearted attempt to begin with, and moved towards one of the staircases. Hey! Where are we going?"To see Phaedra. I would ask if she knows anything else, other than what her servant told me," the dragon said as he ascended the staircase. The Treasury could wait until later, after he had reclaimed the Manacles. Ying Long and what remained of his Lord would still - he had to trust that this would be true - be there when he returned. In truth, a visit to the Goddess of Greed should wait, were it not for that most precious of commodities: information. Once at the top, he moved easily down the hallway, eyes searching for the door that had been described to him. It was easily distinguished from the rest; a door made of golden rutilated quartz, studded with rubies and moonstones, gave off enough of a sparkle to draw attention. A small smile curved across his face as he knocked on the door, not wanting to enter until the traps within the Labyrinth had been disarmed. Sosiqui The sound of the knocker made Avita jump a bit, and she quickly got to her feet and clopped over to the small gap that allowed one to see - by way of cunning workmanship and mirrors - who was at the door. At the sight of the Dragon King's host, she flicked one ear and turned around to find her mistress. She had sent Malh'reth away, to tend to his own things for a while. After the initial relief of her descent from the Throne, she had been afflicted with a deep uneasiness. She had not managed to do much while on the Throne; what could she do in this state? She was afraid, and it did not become her in the least.
She did not want it recorded."Imperatrix, I believe Jin Huang is here," Avita said, with a bow. That got her interest, at least, her own ears perking up unbidden. "Is he, now? Did I promise to turn the traps off?""You did, my Lady." "Damn." A smile quirked on the goddess' face. "Best admit him freely, then."The Aoide bowed again, then moved to the hidden door that permitted passage to the outer door without going through the Labyrinth. She opened said door and raised one eyebrow at the man waiting outside. "Be welcome, Golden-Scaled King. Lady Greed awaits you, within." Ithiltari Jin Huang gave a small nod of his head in greeting when the Aoide opened the door. "I thank you for the welcome," he said, entering the rooms behind Avita. He would not mention the traps, or the Labyrinth; having expressed interest in navigating such when he was more himself had been quite enough for now, and besides. She had told him that he was welcome to enter without going through such lengths, and that was something Jin Huang would trust in. Delmin made a small scoffing noise - trust Greed? - but the dragon calmly ignored him. When they finally arrived in front of Phaedra - not a long journey - his eyes flickered over her as Jin Huang offered a half bow. Ah, there it was. A small, pleased smile curved over his face as he recognized the ruby glittering in her hairnet. It was unlikely she would have gotten rid of it, no matter the source, but it gave him an obscure sense of satisfaction that she was still wearing it. "Phaedra," he murmured warmly in greeting. Sosiqui "Ah, Jin Huang... so kind of you to come to me without the lure of the Throne to call you," Phaedra said, rising with a sly smile, extending one hand to him. "And was Avita's note of use to you? Your brother was most insistent that you know of the Manacles." Ithiltari "It would have been rude of me not to come," he replied, taking the hand and brushing his lips over it delicately. Releasing it after a moment, he frowned slightly. Brother? "Tian Yue, I assume." A logical enough conclusion, given that he had only met two of his brothers so far, and Ying Long had been after his audience with Phaedra. "It was of use, however. I have not yet gone to reclaim the Manacles, but even to provide the impetus to do so is useful," came the rest of the reply, accompanied with a regretful shrug that he had delayed leaving. Sosiqui "Yes, yes, Tien Lung... Not yet gone?" Phaedra's tail lashed behind her, betraying her unease at this revelation. "Was the map not to your liking, Golden-Scaled? You must make haste, must chain the chrysalis as your office demands-" For if the Manacles were not recovered, then the sum total of true accomplishment during her reign would be nothing... and they all might die, besides.
"Universe was most distraught," she said, after a moment, another whip of the tail. Ithiltari Jin Huang arched an eyebrow at her unease. The tail - and the ears - were such tells on her emotions that he had to wonder if she would keep them once ascended further. "It is easy enough to say 'go there, do this', Lady. It is quite another to actually do so," he replied firmly, folding his hands over his stomach. "I had preparations to make, a means of transportation to acquire," he continued. "And information to discover. Did you know of the passnames required? It would have been a fine mess if I had arrived and not been able to enter. Thankfully, Ying Long was able to inform me of the state of things." And provide the aforementioned means of transportation; the erras would prove to be useful even after the Manacles were recovered. Sosiqui "Even so," Phaedra acknowledged, after a moment. "I am not to know the ways of Dragon Kings, small goddess that I am. And yet, now you are here... when all the information I have has already been given to you by my Aoide. Why?" She tilted her head to one side, honest curiosity in her gaze. Ithiltari A small laugh escaped him at her words. "Unexpected modesty," Jin Huang murmured, allowing a tiny grin to flicker across his face. "To see you is not enough?" he replied playfully, turning serious a moment later. "Truthfully, I don't know. I told myself that I came to seek any further information you might have. But that is not all of it, I don't think."You're nervous about going alone. Del sounded thoughtful, not accusatory, but the remark still elicited a mental snarl from the dragon. Sosiqui She laughed. "Modesty, is it? Sometimes the small can slip past the eyes of the very great, Golden Dragon. Remember that, hmm? And plug the chinks in our Lord's Treasury, to keep out the mice."
Phaedra sobered, though, after a moment. "I could try and describe what I Saw in more detail, I suppose - the map and note were terse, written quickly. But other than that small thing..." Ithiltari "I thank you for the warning, and will keep it in mind," Jin Huang replied seriously with a half bow. "That would be appreciated," he said slowly, as if wrestling with something. Too proud, dragon, Del barked out with a laugh. You'll never learn. Sosiqui Phaedra sighed and took a few steps back to her chaise-lounge, then sat down and closed her eyes to try and call back the memories again. They were sharp, searing in her mind - designed for someone more powerful than she was. The pressure of a headache built up nearly immediately, waiting to pounce once the memory was gone.
"The world... is simple, once you're there, a massive gate, the figures tumbled into each other and broken. Gehenna and Origin, they're named, old, old names..." Her eye moved under her closed eyelids, and the gem shifted as well, just a little bit, that movement also visible under the skin. "Between the gates, and then the mana goes directly there... the throne room, and down. With Sight... I needed no doors... straight into the trunk through the ancient bark, and down, and down." Her finger traced a path in the air in front of her. "A room, massive, vast, tumbled with treasure... oh, how I'd like to play in that, my dear Dragon... and there, bones, old and splendid things."
She opened her eyes, and winced as the headache immediately tumbled in to place. "It is so large, so hard to put into words." Ithiltari Jin Huang listened to her recitation, making no movement. This was obviously painful for her. It would not do for him to give anything less than his full attention. "I thank you, Lady," he said once she had finished. "That will be most helpful indeed." With another bow, Jin Huang turned to leave, placing one hand on the door to exit. "Want to come with?" The body froze for a moment as Del spoke, host laughing at dragon as he easily slid back into control of himself. Sosiqui Phaedra looked up, taken by surprise, her ears perking - but no, that voice hadn't the resonance of the Dragon. The host only, she realized, with an inaudible sigh. "Delmin Brock, I presume?" she said, regaining her composure.
"You think I should plague your dear master, hmm? Loot his bones for ivory?" She smiled, teasingly. "I have been at loose ends, perhaps I should. It would be most entertaining." She was kidding, of course. Only a joke.
Wasn't it? Ithiltari Delmin offered a quick, confirming nod - and even quicker smile - to Phaedra. "Why not? He's not using them now, and I daresay he won't be later, either," he offered, holding up a hand and looking at it appraisingly. How droll."Perhaps you should, indeed. What will you accomplish here?" he asked with an innocent look in his eyes. "A chance to do something, instead of wondering what you could be doing." Sosiqui Phaedra smirked. "You are amusingly persuasive, mortal host." She rolled the mortal on her tongue, savoring it for a moment, and arching one delicate eyebrow. "But what does your master say about Lady Greed?" Ithiltari "The legacy of a misspent life," Delmin replied, looking entirely too amused. "I say...I would welcome the company," Jin Huang admitted once Del stepped aside to allow him to speak. Sosiqui "Well, then," Phaedra said, thinking for a moment, "I do believe you might be right, Delmin Brock. A wise invitation... provided I can play with some of the beautiful things I saw when I searched so hard for your master, hmm?" She tilted her head to one side, utterly charming. Ithiltari A brief hesitation as Jin Huang warred with himself, but eventually he nodded stiffly. "That would not be unacceptable."There, that wasn't so hard, was it? The only response Delmin received was the angry snarl of a dragon. Sosiqui "My! Such excitement, I see!" Phaedra exclaimed, raising one eyebrow again. "Very well, then. Since I have your tacit approval, I will do what I do best... which is desire, and let that draw us both to the salvation of the world. Hm." She smiled, in a playful yet predatory fashion. Ithiltari "It is hard, to let go of my Lord's treasure," Jin Huang explained, resting one hand over the pocket where the key to his Treasury waited. "But I will trust in that desire of yours, Lady." A pause, as he adjusted the half-formed plans he had already made. "I have preparations to attend to. By your leave?" he asked, arching an eyebrow questioningly. He had already attempted to leave once, without asking even rhetorically. This time...it would be best to make sure the audience had ended. Sosiqui "Why, surely you don't need my leave to go, o Dragon King," Phaedra purred, smiling. "But, since you asked, you have it. Simply send word when you are ready to depart, if you would... Ithiltari "Of course," he replied, making a quick retreat before Delmin could get him into any more trouble.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:55 pm
Phaedra and Sh'khin: Court of the ContagionSizzla The Contagion paced the dais, debating his next move. He wanted to begin work on the vaccine, and he had decided that soon, he would try to meet with Gianfar again to further discuss and plan. He would need to spend some time in the Library, relearning what he had forgotten about himself and the his last plagues. Which had been most effective? He pondered this as he paced, and at times, he'd sit, elbows on his knees as he leaned over, deep in thought.
Arov, one of his newest aoide and easily his most trusted, sat on the stairs of the dais, a notebook in one hand and a pen in the other, doodling and watching Sh'khin pace. It irritated her slightly to see him so caught up in his thoughts -- she craved his attention, and ever since he had ascended, he had had no time for her, only asking her to write down this or that -- his thoughts and ideas -- and to make note of who had come to see him and why.
Overall, it had been rather boring. A few mortals had come to make themselves known to him -- those who were desperate for cures for their diseases, which had begun to burn through the masses that had survived after the week of War. Pockmarked, blistered and bleeding, they looked much like Sh'khin himself, though he retained a lively demeanor and they had the look of corpses, mere days from death. Few he would call true believers... most were fair-weather followers, and he did little to reassure them, looking down upon them and hardly listening. He had other, more important things to think about, though occasionally he couldn't help but internally praise himself, knowing that his domain had taken over the hearts and minds of all, if only for a short time.
Looking up at the broken windows, and then to the exhaling chrysalis, he sighed and sat back in the throne, wondering who would come that day. Sosiqui So - the time had come.
Phaedra padded down the stairs and immediately wrinkled her nose at the smell. Yes, that was her brother, all right. But perhaps he would provide a useful distraction while that thrice-blasted Dragon finished his affairs. "My, it seems I was right when I predicted your Court would be less aesthetic than my own," she called out, pausing in the doorway, reaching out to rest on the nearest dragon statue. "And how does it suit you, Shk'hin?"
He looked terrible - though, considering, that was probably a good thing. She smiled slyly. Sizzla The voice he heard before he looked up from the floor made it obvious who it was. He would have known that voice anywhere. Standing up, he raised his head, face lighting up as he saw her, looking as lovely as ever, the golden gem in her eye glittering. She was a stark contrast to the decor around her, and he stepped down the stairs to greet the goddess.
"Ah, Phaedra! I had wondered when you would be by to see me. I knew you wouldn't miss this visit," he smiled genuinely. "I think it suits me quite well -- though I must say, it's not nearly as opulent as your reign." He smirked, looking around the room and not noticing much difference between this throne room and that of Destruction's, besides the strange dampness and the chrysalis that watched over the room. The smell he hardly noticed, only taking note of it when someone entered and wrinkled their nose in disgust. Sosiqui She would not bow as he had, but she also knew he would not take offense. "You will forgive me, I'm sure, if I don't offer you a kiss - no doubt it's catching, and I would so hate for my little pets to be scarred by these days, glorious for you they may be." Phaedra kept a careful distance, fancying that she could feel her skin prickling under her brother's expanded influence. Sizzla "Do not worry sister, I understand your want to remain healthy," he replied. "Although your immune system is probably heightened thanks to your deific state, you are still not quite yourself entirely, which is unfortunate. I wouldn't want you to suffer as most others have."
He stepped back toward the dais, allowing her to enter further if she so chose, and sat down on the top step casually. "How goes your search for the Manacles sister? Were you successful?" And then he paused trying to recall how long it had been since he had seen her last. A week or so had been all. "Has there even been time to attend to such matters? Plans become complex and take time to execute, as I well know," he said, anticipating the next meeting he'd have with Knowledge.
"How was the rest of your Golden Week?" Sosiqui "Oh, delayed, delayed by Dragons." Phaedra's eyes narrowed in frustration. "I do not pretend to know what takes Futs Lung so long in his preparations. I am nearly ready to go off and seek them myself, by his leave or no. I could do that." Perhaps she would, and he would find his bones plundered. That would be amusing.
The next question made the goddess' tail lash behind her. "Blunted by my inefficiency," Phaedra replied, with a snarl. "And how does such power become you? Can you See it, All That Is laid out before you without boundary? Do you call soft whispers to your ear from a million worlds away?"
She licked her lips, slowly, a strange nervous gesture rather than an alluring one. "Have you found her?" There was a sharp, implacable anger reflected in her remaining eye. No need to ask who she was. Sizzla "Well, as long as you do not wait too long, sister. I know you have great influence -- you should move Futs Lung along so that you both can be on your way. I suppose you could go by yourself, but it would be beneficial to have a traveling companion. Danger lurks around most corners these days..." he said, slightly concerned for her well-being.
He sighed, and the hair on his neck prickled at her snappy reply, though his face showed no discomfort. "I feel your frustration, my Lady. I myself am having the same issues. Although I can See and Hear All That Is, I know not what to look or listen for. I attempted to locate the ancient weapons of the Gods initially upon my Ascent, but found nothing. It is fruitless to search for something I do not know the location or look of." He looked disgruntled. He had hoped that by the time Phae had come to see him, he would have accomplished something productive. But no, so far, his rise to power had been far from fruitful.
"As for her," he started, knowing exactly who she was asking about, "I have not found hide nor hair of the evil b***h. I may yet try to search the Ashlands, but I am not sure if it will work."
But he was not entirely unproductive, oh no. He had begun researching and working on the vaccine for the gods, and soon, he would start on the weapon. "I do have other plans though, if I do not manage to find the weapons or the Grigori Queen... I hope to prepare a vaccine that can prevent the spread of Void rot, or eliminate it altogether -- for our brethren. And if that is possible, I thought that if there was a way to prevent the Grigori from healing, we might be better-equipped to deal with them, should they bring war with them from the Ashlands. I have a bioweapon in mind for such dealings. Knowledge is assisting me with the creation of both." Sosiqui "Ah..." Phaedra paused for a moment, then smiled. "A clever idea, that. When have I ever planned to benefit others?" Very, very rarely, if ever. There was always an ulterior motive...
But couldn't her ulterior motive be her own survival, in this case? Nevermind that the rest of the world would be so altruistically saved as well. It could be a happy side effect, easily ignored. "But I knew the same frustration. Seeing and Hearing All That Is... there is far too much of it, I say. Perhaps this erosion could chew away the edges, the places nobody cares for, and make it more concise for your perusal." Sizzla Plague chuckled, shifting in the throne and leaning forward a bit. "I'm glad you approve," he said with a smile, pleased he had not been a total failure since taking the throne. "True, I don't believe you are known for giving or helping others, this much is true. Though you never know... You were willing to help Our Lord. Though I suppose your own life is at stake as well," he pondered, as if reading her mind. "Even so, I believe there is giving in you somewhere dear Phaedra." He smiled, wondering what the truth really was. Was she entirely self-serving? As Greed, he could imagine it would be difficult for her to give to anyone. It was her nature after all.
"If only it would erode more quickly," he said, half-wishing the words hadn't come out of his mouth. "It is not that I wish for the end of the world, but to expedite the saving of it. "But yes, there is way too much to search through when Seeing and Hearing... It is an intimidating power, but potentially useful." Sosiqui Phaedra's eye glinted with anger, for a moment. "If it is giving you seek, ask Charity." She spat the domain out as though it were a foul thing.
Then she calmed again, her tail curling up to be held in one hand, fingers lightly stroking the fur. "My own self, over all. What of it if to save myself the world must also come along? I would not reign over an empty world, you know. That would be terribly, terribly boring." She chuckled, deep in her throat. "Still, I will grant favor as I wish. While the Dragon drags his scaled arse through the mud." She flicked the fingers on her free hand. "Desire is still mine own. Ought I to inflame it?"
Truthfully, she had been thinking in frustration of what she could do, spent a few vexed evenings. "The desire of the mortals who sought me was ambrosia, my brother. It is so for all the gods. Perhaps... perhaps, as much as it disgusts me to say this... if they could be brought to desire the world not to end, to desire... something more wholesome..." The goddess twitched, visibly. "The desire to live, at all costs. Such a desire must not be in short supply."
She shook her head, frustrated at her inability to articulate the thoughts that had been bothering her, she who was usually so silver-tongued. "We cannot let them all die. When they disbelieved, we all died, all but the Crown. Even Gaia, Universe, were not immune. And if they are all gone, what then? Who will I play with?" There was an attempt at play in the last sentence, but for the most part the goddess was sober, serious. Sizzla Ouch! He hadn't meant to offend her, but obviously he had pushed the -wrong- button. Never again would he suggest that she was anything more than self-serving and greedy.
"Of course sister, I should not have even suggested it," he said, shaking his head in frustration of his error. "And you are right... What would it be to be a god with no followers? The mortals help give us power and influence. And without mortals to reign over, it would be rather boring around here, wouldn't it?" he agreed.
He thought about her words, knowing that mortals would always rather live than die... but in a world such as this one, was this still the case? "I'm sure the majority would prefer to live -- but in this broken-down world, does that desire still exist to such an extent that it can make a difference?" He paused. If there were enough of them... surely they could change things. "If there is a way to rally them together, perhaps that would be effective." He paused. "But no, we cannot let them die. We cannot risk another Fading."
Over Phaedra's shoulder, he saw the door crack open, and through it stepped Eddard, looking rather dapper in a new suit that looked as if it were fashioned specifically for him. He had returned in one piece, and Sh'khin was pleased to see him. Surely, looking as he did, they had succeeded. One more step toward ending the End. He did not greet the troll yet, but instead made eye contact and nodded his head at him. He would wait patiently until Phaedra had taken her leave.
And then, after Eddard had taken a spot in the back of the room, he saw something -- no, someone else slip through the doorway. A shiny purple-skinned little girl with silver hair... She seemed to want to hide, and as he turned his eyes back to Phaedra, he said nothing. Sosiqui My, so many others, all of a sudden... and in such colors, purple and blue. Phaedra smirked for a moment, then nodded to her brother. "Think upon it, my dear Shk'hin... but I should go, I think. I will be in my chambers, waiting, and when that wait is over, gone to the Ancient Pantheon with Futs Lung." She stepped closer to him than she had the whole time, and whispered quietly. "Be wiser than I was. You can do what I could not defy my nature to manage."
Then she turned in one smooth movement, and left the room, paying no attention to the others that had entered. Sizzla "I will definitely take all the advice you've given me and act upon it my sister. You know I appreciate your counsel and honest words. Good luck in your endeavors to obtain the Manacles. Rush the dragon along if need be, and I shall see you when you return. You will have to tell me all about our once-home, the old Pantheon."
He watched her take her leave, smiling. Another visit gone remarkably well... He was growing to like her more and more with each meeting, though he would have to learn to bite his tongue on occasion.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:56 pm
Phaedra and Jin Huang: To Chain the End I - A Tardy DragonIthiltari After what was a much shorter ride than walk, Jin Huang ascended the stairs to the upper level of the Pantheon once again, this time with a bit more urgency to his steps. Huore waited outside, with what little his servants had been able to scrounge from the surrounding neighborhood that would be fit for travel. There was not much, all told, but it would hopefully be enough. And hopefully the Lady was prepared to depart, though it had taken him a few days longer than he would have liked to return. He reached the golden door in a few long strides, knocking sharply on the door, fussing absently with the hem of his shirt as he waited for it to open. Sosiqui The door banged open almost immediately, with Phaedra on the other side - rather obviously agitated. Her one eye reflected a spark of frustration, and her fur was bristly, all the way around. But when she saw Del, she paused, took a sharp breath, and then let it out in a hiss that seemed to take the tension with it. "Jin. At last," she said, with the last of that breath.
Then she turned, dissembling, trying to pretend she hadn't been waiting with anxious pacing and bated breath for that knock. "You are ready to go out on our little vacation, are you?" Ithiltari "I am indeed. I apologize for my delay in returning, but it proved unavoidable, he replied, more than a little amused at her reaction. Was she truly so eager to be gone? Or was it simply that she was anxious to prove herself? No matter, if she was as prepared as her display indicated, then that was all to the good. "Are you bringing anything with, or shall we be off this instant?" Sosiqui Phaedra merely turned her head. "Avita! Jin Huang is here, and we are gone - tell Malh'reth as much when he returns."The Aoide appeared in the doorway behind her mistress, hooves clopping on the floor. She bowed. "As you wish, Imperatrix. Safe travels, my Lady, Golden-Scaled Lord." "There, as you see," Phaedra said, with a nod. "And what is to be our conveyance?" Now that the time had finally come, the tenseness was unraveling from her, making way to her more usual playfulness. Ithiltari Jin Huang offered a curt nod to the Aoide; he was anxious to be gone, and began moving back to the lower level even as he made a reply. "An erras. My brother found one willing to serve me. They are planes-walkers, and telepathic," he explained, letting out a short laugh. The telepathy was certainly useful, all things considered. "There is only the one, however," the dragon said, sounding only slightly contrite. Sosiqui "A creature, is it?" Phaedra padded down the stairs; though her ear flicked towards the throne room, she did not actually turn towards it, did not actually cast her glance in the direction of the chrysalis and Throne. "Well, we shall have to ride together, then." She smirked. "How cozy. Will Delmin mind?" Ithiltari "A horse," he confirmed, although Jin Huang could hear his host laughing a bit at the comment. "And if he does mind, it is no concern of mine." Firmly ignoring the presence of the chrysalis, although the dragon would swear that he could feel the thing lurking there, pressing against the fabric of All. Two of you? Huore commented when they finally exited the Pantheon, stomping one hoof impatiently, projecting to both. I will manage, as I must."This is Huore. He seems to find himself funny," Jin Huang said, sounding quite unamused. As you say. Who shall be riding where? Or have you thought that far ahead? Sosiqui "Ah..." Phaedra paused at the voice in her mind, then grinned. "Charmed, I am sure. What a lovely beastie you are, and useful besides. I do seem to find myself beset by horned creatures these days, though I do believe my pet bardling is somewhat more... amusing, if not more convenient..."
The next moment, she was up on Huore's back, in the front; she turned to one side at the waist and patted the back of the erras. "Come, come, let us be on our way," she said, but her smile said that she knew entirely what game she was playing. Ithiltari Ah, Malh'reth. So, she had kept her pet, then. It was unlikely that Phaedra would let him go of his own will, but it was interesting that she did not seem to have become even slightly bored with him. You move quickly, Huore whuffed, shifting slightly at the sudden addition of weight. He is not quite so quick to action."I am not an altogether impulsive creature," Jin Huang replied, offering a slight frown to the erras and an arched eyebrow to Phaedra. "Although speed is of the essence," he continued, settling himself in behind Phaedra. I would suggest holding on, my Lord, but that is your own decision, the erras said as he began to move, slowly at first but picking up speed once he had truly adjusted to the added mass. His easy stride ate up the ground, taking them steadily away from the Pantheon. There was a door near here that he remembered - there it was. With a burst of speed, Huore headed for an oak tree, gnarled and ancient, although it looked to have taken damage recently. He didn't slow, in fact continued to gain speed - and then the world twisted for a moment, setting itself back aright. Or at least as right as a blank and featureless nothing could be. Sosiqui Phaedra chuckled to herself, thoroughly pleased - then gasped, unable to help herself, as the world shifted and changed to a strange blankness. Her legs tightened around the errras and she wove one hand in among the creature's mane. "This is... your transit between worlds?" she managed, tense. Ithiltari Jin Huang gave a brief spasm, and wrapped his arms loosely about Phaedra's waist in reaction. This nothing was disturbing, to say the least, and tactile sensations did much to reassure the dragon that there was still something there, and would be again. It is, Huore replied shortly. If you please, I should like to concentrate on getting through quickly. Not everything was destroyed here. The erras had made few transits since that first, destructive wave had struck, but it was enough to know that there still lurked dangers within the chasm. "It cannot end soon enough," Jin Huang murmured softly. Sosiqui Phaedra would have taken pleasure in the Dragon's 'embrace' had she not been mildly freaked out herself, her tail puffed out like a bottlebrush where it lay at her side. She remained grimly quiet, not wanting to spend a moment longer in this place than was needed, allowing the erras time to concentrate. The goddess fancied that she could see strange and distant lights here and there, above, to the sides, below. There was no up and down. No entrance, no exit.
She closed her eyes, to make it better. Ithiltari Huore charged grimly on, looking for something that he would have been hard-pressed to explain if asked. He would know it when he saw -- with a slight change in direction, the erras charged forward, having found what he was looking for. With another twist, the nothingness gave way to stark white. Huore backed up a step and shook his head at the difference before moving forward again at a much more sedate pace. Now where? he asked. "Can you not see?" Jin Huang asked, loosening one arm from Phaedra to gesture at the stone cliff - no statues - that rose up and up. It was crumbled, broken, but still recognizable. Ghosts of ancient memory swam tantalizingly out of his reach at the sight of the paired caryatids, and he dismissed them with a sharp shake of his head. That is well and good, Lord, but how are we to pass?"I must remember the name," the dragon said with a heavy sigh, dropping his arm back down. I suggest you hurry.Sosiqui A sudden chill of a much more physical nature curled around Phaedra's fur, followed shortly by the sharp slam of scent-touch-taste-sound crashing back into being. She opened her eyes immediately, her fur changing from a scared-fluff to an in-need-of-warmth fluff. "This is right, yes... that world, The'ta'naa, as I Saw..." The real place seemed somehow less than what she had Seen, with no lines of mana dancing, invisible to her normal sight. But the caryatid were resplendent, more impressive for her now 'small' size.
She remained on the erras but released Huore's mane, choosing instead to rub her hands up and down her arms. Neva would take delight in this, but Phaedra preferred warmth, especially now in this more feline body. "I see," she said, quietly. "Such names I never saw. They are yours, not mine." Ithiltari Huore refrained from comment; of course it was the right world, to imply otherwise cast asperions on himself that he did not appreciate in the least. But he held his peace, as Phaedra did not seem to be quite as forgiving as the Lord he now served. He paced forward, closer still to the imposing statuary. Will we all be able to go through?"I am unsure," Jin Huang replied absently as he attempted to sort through what remained of his memory. Such an important thing could not have been forgotten so easily! "I shall do this as quickly as I can," he murmured softly, taking note of his companion's distaste for the cold before closing his eyes and diving ____________________within________to recover the past and reclaim some part of himselfA name whispered as he coiled about the Throne, one that embodied and bound his nature to his Lord's, one that perfectly evoked, to him, everything the Crown was, one name among many, but this was his and his alone"Zhen Bao," the dragon breathed out, eyes fluttering open to reveal yet another change in scenery. Sosiqui Again, the world fizzed and shifted - but this time to a place redolent with memory. She did not need to See to feel the mana here, rotting fits and starts that buzzed in forgotten corners. Here they were before the ruins of the First Throne...
The goddess slowly slipped from Huore's back, her arms falling to her sides. "Yes... here, and this... Yggdrasil..." It seemed so much more massive, infinitely larger, than it had from her own Golden Throne. She stroked the dessicated bark almost tenderly; dug at it with one claw and found brittle, ancient resistance. "Now... we must get within... the roots, the root pathways..."
Phaedra shook her head, sharply, and turned back to the Dragon King on his mount. "Your passname. What did it mean?" Ithiltari A sense of comforting familiarity washed over Jin Huang as he looked about, although everything was quite changed from how he not quite remembered it should be. "If you would lead the way, Lady?" he requested, Huore moving forward a few steps before stopping. She had Seen the roads they must follow, making her far more suited for choosing their path than he. You mean to go below? I would stay here, if that does not pose a problem, the erras said, ears back at the thought of being below ground, with no sky above him. It was an odd thing, perhaps, for him to be afraid of, given that he semi-regularly traversed a plane of literal Nothing. "I do not think it will, save only the problem of time," the dragon replied thoughtfully, letting out a soft chuckle as Phaedra questioned him. "What do you think it meant? That which I hold dearest, of course." He paused and dismounted, placing one hand on Huore's neck. "Treasure, simply put."Sosiqui "A good name," Phaedra acknowledged, with a slight smile. But that expression quickly shifted into a frown as she peered at the Tree. "My Sight knew no physical obstacles; I sent my awareness into the trunk here. But there is no entrance." She raised one hand and knocked hard on the trunk; the sound was brittle and resounded faintly, indicating deep hollowness but no weakness for entry at this place. "We will have to find another way in... somewhere." Ithiltari I will stay with you until then, Huore said, still looking vaguely uneasy, although with a quick shake he seemed to recover himself. The dragon made no immediate reply, but examined the Tree thoughtfully. "You mentioned the roots, that what we seek lies tumbled in a large chamber deep within." Jin Huang paused, and waved a hand at the trunk they were standing next to. "If we followed this, perhaps it would lead us to an entrance to those paths?" Sosiqui "There are paths all through it, roots, branches, everywhere. A labyrinth in truth." She would never have been able to find the Manacles without Lucius' guidance, but she wasn't going to admit that to Jin Huang. "I seem to remember... yes, that the roots were within the City as well..." Phaedra's brow furrowed, and she paced to the great entranceway to the Throne Hall.
The City below took her breath away for a long moment - broken, yes, eroded, yes, but exquisite in ruin for all that. Here and there were gardens run wild long ago, long canals grown stagnant, and yes there were brittle roots dancing under, along, over, through the streets. "Surely somewhere. Ah, Jin, if only you could become dragon and claw your way through the bark."
One root crept into a massive tangle of dead, brown foliage, and Phaedra pointed at it. "There, those plants are dead, and the root goes among them. Perhaps the weakening spread to the root as well." Ithiltari "Let us hope it is less deadly than yours," the dragon replied as he followed after Phaedra, stubbornly ignoring the flickering ghosts of memory that danced along the edges of his vision. More than anything, this place evoked a deep and longing ache within him; everything he was was crying out that this was home, but it wasn't, not anymore. It, like he - like them all - had changed, shifted almost beyond recognition. Jin Huang shook off what he could of the nostalgic mood and stared out at the City. "I would like to see this restored," he said quietly, attempting to trace out where the roots led as they twisted and twined throughout. He arched an eyebrow at the shortening of his name, but said nothing. If that's how it was, then...that was how it was. A small laugh escaped him at the rest of the sentence, however and he shook his head in amusement. "It would make much of this easier, I imagine," he said, holding out a hand and eying it critically. The dragon looked where she pointed. "I hope it has. Shall we go see?" he asked, moving towards the indicated area. Sosiqui Phaedra smirked, then shook her head and walked down the stairs. How she wished she could have soared over the city's expanse, as her awareness had done while Enthroned, but now she was relegated to mere walking. Her feathers fanned uselessly behind her. "Restored, perhaps, but are you sure you'd want to live your new life surrounded by endless echoes of the old?" She reached out for one of the trees; the branch crumbled at her touch, into dust. "This place is dead. Stagnant." Boring.
The dead garden was not too far away, but up close it looked even more imposing - an angry tangle of dried and dead things, as if it had tried to grow fueled by sheer rage at the impotence of its creator before giving in to death. "My, my. Such a spectacle," she mused, reaching out to paw at these plants as well. Some of them crumbled, and a withered tree creaked ominously at the sudden movement. Phaedra glanced back at Jin. "And here we are with such soft and squishy flesh, so easily poked by thorns. The sacrifices I make for the Crown..."
She did not want to go in there; the thorns did not seem pleasant in the least, but - well, there was treasure down there, wasn't there? Treasure. Shiny things. Desire, awaken and carry me through...
Her ears perked up, and she smiled, slowly. Yes. Walk through fire, flood, and all other obstacles to obtain. That is Greed. "Come along, dear dragon." She took a deep breath and shoved forward, wincing as some plants crashed into dust around her and others scraped angrily at her skin with their branches and thorns. Ithiltari Jin Huang let out a small thoughtful noise at Phaedra's words; there was truth there, but to ignore the past, this place was a mistake of another sort. While they all had to forge new lives for themselves, from the ruins of the past, did not mean that the entirety of what had come before was something to be tossed aside so lightly. Shaking his head, the dragon moved easily into place behind her. It seemed natural to follow her thusly, keeping an eye on her motions, perhaps a habit developed to keep an easier watch on the goddess. Paranoid, Delmin murmured sleepily, stirring briefly from the enforced nap he was taking; his own choice, this time. Jin Huang huffed a small, indignant sigh at the thought. He was not paranoid, merely cautious, especially in regards to his Lord's treasure. She's leaving you behind, his host pointed out before metaphorically rolling back over and resuming his slumber. "I am sure He would be fascinated to hear about it," he replied dryly, keeping his own hands firmly folded behind his back, although he did fight down a brief temptation to touch the decayed and brittle plant life, just to see what would happen. About to comment further, the dragon closed his mouth and adopted a more thoughtful look at the small swirl of power Phaedra suddenly emitted. What had that been? Curious, he stepped after, tsking slightly at the damage his clothes were taking; less than the goddess in front of him, to be sure. Sosiqui A thick branch broke away in Phaedra's hand, but the length of it was still sturdy; the goddess used it as a flail to beat away the thorns, for while she would suffer pain for her own gain if she had to, she preferred otherwise, except in a few select circumstances. "Yes, yes," she purred, "look. Do you see it, Jin? The trees, so angry at their mother, perhaps, have torn a great chasm in the root..."
Sure enough, several trees had their roots braced into Yggdrasil's own, and the twisting of their own wild growth had stretched the bark into an opening big enough to admit a person. "And that is our road; from there, the route to treasure." She licked her lips, hungry for it now. The Manacles were a side benefit at this point. Ithiltari Jin Huang was amused, and privately a little unsettled, by his companion's strange eagerness to get through the tangled mess of the garden. "I see," he said in reply, eying the entrance with a bit of apprehension. "A bit of focus, my dear? Treasure is not our goal on this trip," the dragon continued with a sharp frown. Did she really think he was going to let her loot his remains? That was his or his Lord's treasure scattered down there, and while he would part with some of it to appease the goddess, it went without saying that he would prefer to keep the larger part for himself. Huore had stayed further back when the pair began their exploration of the small garden, ears flickering back and forth nervously. When Phaedra reached the hole in the root, the erras shook himself lightly. I will remain here, awaiting your return, he said before trotting off to hopefully find somewhere to graze.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:57 pm
Phaedra and Jin Huang: To Chain the End II - Tangled RootsSosiqui "Now, now... did you think I would plunge heedless through thorns without sufficient motivation?" Phaedra smiled, with the air of a predator. "The Manacles are treasure indeed. Precious links, a chain that will bind the End."
Still, though she wasn't going to admit it aloud in a million years, she flipped back the internal switch of her power. They were past the hard part now; she needed no spare help to keep moving on their journey. Instantly, she was able to relax a bit, and the determined switching of her tail stilled.
She gestured grandly at the hole. "After you, then, my dear dragon." She hadn't missed that phrase he'd used. Ithiltari "No, but I hadn't anticipated such an action," Jin Huang replied dryly. "I was thinking something more sedate and, hm. Organized, perhaps." Not the best choice of words, but it conveyed the sentiment well enough, he hoped. Such an impulsive creature, Phaedra, but that fit only too well with who and what she was. He waved a hand dismissively, however, not intending to start an argument or discussion; while her methods were not ones the dragon would use, there was no denying the effectiveness, since an entrance had indeed appeared in the root before them. It was with a small twitch of his shoulders at her emphasized words that Jin Huang moved past Phaedra. "Spiderwebs," he said with a sigh after stepping through the hole and brushing some out of his hair. He took a few short steps 'down' the root-path, but waited for his companion before going any further. She was the one who knew, however vaguely, where they were going, although down seemed like a logical enough conclusion. Sosiqui "Hmmm." Phaedra said nothing in direct response to the Dragon's words, merely brushed at the thick, clinging webs irritably as she followed him. She was not usually a cooperative creature, and yet... This Age is most demanding of me. To be forced to do so many things... Her nature was her nature; she reveled in it, flippantly used it to excuse her actions. It had always worked so well. Greed was Greed; to expect otherwise was folly, was it not? The logic had been sound.
Yet, now...
She shook her head. "I do not know how this pathway connects to the one I Saw. There were... maps, etched into the roots, drawn by the beings who walked these pathways. If we can find one..." Phaedra paced over to a wall and squinted at it, scrubbing with distaste at the dust of ages - and yet more spiderwebs - that coated it. "Nothing here... perhaps a crossroads. This place is vast beyond telling." Ithiltari "Then for now, I think towards the heart of the City would be best," Jin Huang said with a small sigh as Phaedra found no trace of a map carved upon the rootwall. He waved an arm towards the sloping path he had already started on, ignoring for the moment the trailing webs that came with it on the descent. "Shall we?" he asked, largely rhetorically, begin his trek downwards and hopefully in the right direction. Sosiqui "The trunk, yes... I found the path there. If we retrace, so long as we come across a path I saw, I could remember from there..."
She followed in silence. It was all so vast, so huge - it was one thing to dance through it with the ease of power, but quite another to trudge wearily along ancient pathways stained with the dust of ages. I think about the treasure... because I know how to make myself want that. I would do anything for what I desire most, for what sates my hunger.
Why can I not summon up that fire for any other purpose? Have I caged myself? She sighed, quietly. A puppet dancing happily to her own strings, content in her blameless debauch. Not that there's anything wrong with that... but it makes it so very difficult to be anything else... "Jin Huang," she said, quietly, and was startled by her voice echoing against the arched wood that surrounded them. "I... am not used to doing things... for others. But I am afraid of dying, too..." She stopped, lashed her tail with frustration. "I want Him to return. I... damn it," she swore. Why had she started talking in the first place? "What do you remember?" she said, finally, after a long pause in which she did nothing but walk, fixed and silent save for her tail's swishing movements that more than betrayed her irritation with herself. "About this place, why your bones would... will we find it in time, Jin? Will we?"
The last came out pleading, trembling, afraid. She cursed her weakness. Ithiltari A small nod was all the acknowledgment he gave her words before they set off in truth. If that was what it took, then that was what it took. Unless they found the correct path soon, it was likely they would have to stop and rest. He had gained much strength in the past weeks, but it still had a limit, even with Delmin's willing cooperation. Casting mental eyes over his slumbering host, Jin Huang looked thoughtful. It was becoming easier to switch from Delmin Brock to Jin Huang, but the converse was proving to be more and more difficult every time they passed control back and forth. Unlike many others, who would be able to guess at the meaning, the dragon knew quite well what that sort of shift foretold. It excited him, a little, but there was also a core of worry and fear beneath it. Fear, that he would fail again, and a wistful sort of concern for the fate of his host in the coming change. It was, hopefully, still a ways off. Delmin had things yet left undone, and it was unlikely he would survive the initial takeover of the dragon. Jin Huang walked in grim silence, occupied with his own thoughts and giving little heed to what Phaedra might be thinking. At least until she spoke. He paused for a moment and let her catch up with him. An eyebrow arched in surprise at her words; truly the last thing he would have thought to hear from her mouth! "Is it so very difficult for you to admit that?" he asked gently, glancing at her with fond sadness. For him, this was a matter of duty, something that was ingrained in him so deeply he could never have denied it. It was the same, he realized, for her. To act in such a manner went against everything she was. He shook his head lightly, shaking such thoughts off, unless she wished further conversation on the topic. "I remember little enough," the dragon admitted with a small shrug. It was a source of irritation, but one he could do little about. "As for why I came this way? That, I think I can answer without memory. This Tree's roots go deep into the Underworld. Many of the demonic races make their homes in planes near to that." He was coming at this obliquely, to be sure, but he was also thinking aloud, working on sheer conjecture based upon only that which he had learned recently. "In times past, I apparently kept a clan of such in service to me. It is likely I intended to place the Manacles and everything else in their care, only to Fade before I made it to them." It seemed to make sense, at any rate. The truth of the matter was lost to the past, lost like so much else. "We will find it in time. We must." There was simply no other option, and the dragon's voice rang with iron sincerity. Sosiqui "It was that way on the Throne as well," Phaedra muttered. "I had thought such power would be glorious, such fun - but it carried with it such responsibility. I am set in my ways, Jin Huang. Very set in my ways." The sphinx had called her an old and unkind thing. Perhaps she was, and that was all...
No. She shook her head, sharply. "The Underworld, then. Down, and down, and down." Their footsteps echoed larger than they had, suddenly, and they entered into a larger space, curved on one side, with hundreds of byways splitting away at their level and higher, higher, infinitely higher...
She stared for a moment. How much grander it was when she was standing here, so small. "The Trunk," she managed. "Yes... a pathway. A large taproot. Straight down, stairs. Spiral." Phaedra sped up, darting across the floor, eyes narrowed, a cat intent on prey. Ithiltari "We cannot remain as we were," the dragon replied thoughtfully, about to elaborate further on the thought when suddenly they came to a large - very large! - area. This was no mere crossroads, this was, as Phaedra said, the Trunk, where all roots led. Jin Huang looked about in wonder, ignoring Phaedra as he drank in the sight. It had been alive when such paths had been cut and carved, and that all stood as it once had was tribute to those who had done the work. It was only after the goddess darted past him that Jin Huang paid her mind again, taking quick steps to stay with her. It would not do to get lost here, not at all. "Which one?" he called after her, eyes flashing over the walls to find some clue as to where to go - a map, anything at all. Sosiqui "Straight down..." Phaedra muttered, not really hearing the Dragon King. She darted to the balustrade-marked edge of a taproot and peered down, then shook her head and ran to the next one, and the next, and the - "Here!" Her ears perked, trembling a bit. "It is here, Jin. Straight down."
A spiral staircase was carved down the sides of the massive taproot. "Not all the way down," she added, though that was hardly helpful, seeing as how even the eternal lights clinging to the interior vanished into the apparently bottomless root below. "I will know when." Coming back up wouldn't be a bit of fun, but... well. Ithiltari Following at a much more sedate pace, Jin Huang was able to get more of a feel for the area. There were signs that this was not as sturdy as it seemed; a darkened patch of wood here, a crumbled or withered railing there. It had weathered the passing of time remarkably well, however, except for the damnable blankets of spiderwebs over much of the higher levels. Thankfully, they were not headed that way, and would instead descend into the larger root systems. "It is too bad Huore was unable to come with," he remarked thoughtfully, not particularly relishing the thought of climbing up and down the seemingly endless stairs. Oh, to be dragon in truth! To go sliding down, much quicker than mere legs could carry him, would make this all go much faster. Jin Huang stilled suddenly, his eyes catching a faint set of claw marks along the wall. There was nothing to say he had made them, on that last journey, but something made him think he had. He chose not to draw Phaedra's attention to the scratches, following the goddess once she started down the stairs. "I am glad you are here," was all he said as they began. Indeed, he would have been quite lost, if not for her Sighted memories. Sosiqui The pathway twined down, down, down. Here and there the railings were crumbled away to dust, and there were gaps in the stairs in a few places. Some of the stairway made alarming groaning noises at the touch of the gods' feet, but though the sounds were startling nothing came of them.
"These... these are marked, more and more," Phaedra murmured, stopping and crouching. The stairs had become worn, damaged thickly in the middle, scraped. Clawed. She glanced back at Jin Huang. "Some creature passed here. Mere beast, or Dragon? The next root is close, I think." They had been walking for so very long. Her legs ached, but she would go past endurance for her Lord, and supplement her stamina with Greed should it become important. She would not think about the ascent.
Ahead of them yawned a tunnel, and Phaedra's ears perked again. "There. It is that one, and then a left, a right, a left... two more rights, a smaller staircase, then the great chamber and the bones." Her head rang a bit with the immenseness of the Sight-memories, too big for her now-small power to properly contain without discomfort. Ithiltari "I think Dragon," Jin Huang murmured quietly in response, hearing but not quite the soft hiss of scales and the scrape of claws against the wood. "It was very near the end, that I came down here," he continued as they descended further yet. "My strength nearly spent." He chuckled, a sudden thought striking him. "It is just as well. I do not think I could have survived the trip back up, after everything else." The stairs did not end, so much as continue on beneath them, but there was a stop, a path laid flat before them that Phaedra said they must take. "Then we shall go on," the dragon said, exhaustion finally flagging in his voice. He had pushed himself - and his host - far beyond anything they had ever attempted, and it was beginning to show. He would, of course, protest any decision to stop, determined to see this to an end, regardless of cost. Sosiqui "Good, because your bones are hardly likely to eat us, whereas a beast might," Phaedra said, and got to her feet again. She walked with care, not trusting to the banister to hold her weight, keeping near the interior of the trunk, and paid careful attention to her feet. One foot in front of the other. She had to concentrate.
At last, the opening yawned - and it, too, was marked with gouges. Her heartbeat quickened. They were near, very near. The room, the place... with the treasure... "Yes, here..."
The journey took a while; they had to stop and rest, for Delmin's sake, even as Phaedra made herself be calm and sit despite the thoughts of treasure and bright prizes. When at last they moved, she darted ahead and came back, reporting. "Three more turns. One more. More gouges ahead."
And then she did not come back at all... Ithiltari He laughed at that, sound echoing in the tunnel. "It would have to be a very resilient beast, to survive the Fading and, hm. Lack of food," Jin Huang commented as they started off once more. The trip was silent, until they reached the next opening in the root-path. Closer, yes. The dragon could tell, claw marks and gouges speaking to him on a different level than Phaedra. There were wisps of memory attached to such marks, memories of ancient pain. He shuddered slightly. If this was how he felt after seeing such transient things as this, how would the sight of his bones affect him? It was not something he had ever dreamed of facing, but now there was no choice. It was with these thoughts that he brooded over throughout the rest of the trip and it's frequent stops. Jin Huang was aware that the pace had slowed, because of him, and was oddly shamed by such. It should not be that way. Phaedra had gone ahead again, and he waited for her report back. When it did not come, the dragon frowned. "Phaedra?" he called out, standing up and going down the same path she had taken. What had she found, that she had not returned? Sosiqui Beautiful.
The bones were exquisite, a great sprawl of ivory, and all around them precious things, heaped and sorted into containers when such things still survived. Some were merely piles flanked by wood-dust from long since decayed chests and boxes. The idea of finding the Manacles in all of this had flown right out of her mind at the sight of it. It was the equal to a continent's plunder, it seemed, and here it was-
Focus. Focus.
It took supreme effort, but Phaedra drew in a deep breath and... could not make herself turn and leave, but that was what she had a voice for, wasn't it? "Jin. Here. I have found it," she called. She reached out one hand to caress the skull with a faint purr. Ithiltari "Found...?" Jin Huang asked, trailing off as the cavern opened up before him, placing everything on display. He eyes were drawn first and immediately towards the bones - his bones - sprawled where he had died. There was no sign of the Manacles, he realized, drawing his eyes away and quickly glancing about. "The Manacles, Phaedra," the dragon ground out, taking a sharp step towards her, a faint growl coming from the back of his throat. "That is what we came for." Not to plunder, not to...His hand worked into a fist, and the strong desire to be a dragon had never been stronger - the feel of his claws closing in such a motion would prove even more satisfying. But no, they had no time for this. Sosiqui "I know. I'm trying quite hard, I assure you," Phaedra said in a level voice, not looking away from the treasures spilling before her. Did he have any idea how difficult this was for her? Every fiber of her being was making demands that she fulfill her nature... Mine, mine... mine... no, the Manacles. The world first, then me -
when has that ever been true-
I can come back for them. I can come back. And that was enough, that set her free. She closed her eyes and turned herself towards where Jin had been, so she would see him - Delmin - and not the priceless temptation that surrounded them. "They are here. I do not know where, specifically. But they are here." Ithiltari Jin Huang waited, tensed, as Phaedra wrestled with herself. He had taken another step closer, although he could not have said why. Did he hope to get close enough to shake her out of it? Futile, that. In a way, though, he was grateful. Focusing on her was far better than him falling into memory. Better to have one rendered immobile than both. But she turned, faced him, before he could get any closer. "It would be marked," he said, still in that tense, borderline angry voice. "Whatever they were placed in. This," he waved a hand in a gesture meant to encompass the vast display around them, "This was mine. Save for those. Something would have set them apart, marked them for the Crown." A dangerous admission, that. To take from the Crown's belongings was unlikely. But to loot his former possessions? Jin Huang held no hope for keeping it intact, not now. Phaedra had Seen and seen the wealth. Sosiqui "A marking... and what if it has decayed? then what?" Phaedra's tail lashed back and forth. She took a step closer to the treasures, then stopped again. "I cannot," she grated, after a moment, closing her eyes; the lids twitched, as if she were fighting herself. "There is too much. It is too much. If I lose control, I will not be able to regain it."
She stumbled forward, thinking of the Eye and what it had Seen. Her feet kicked something that jingled and skidded gold coins, a gram in weight, nearly pure from the sound and a stone chest caught her toes. She shuffled with her eyes closed, at several points having to reach up and put her hands over them to keep her sight blocked, thinking, thinking of where they had been. What she had Seen. Ruby, three-carat... No, no...
"It is over here," she said, finally, stopping in the midst of a tumbled expanse of metalwork, chains of exquisite filigree work sliding unseen around her ankles like cold snakes. "Over here. Jin. Quickly." Her tail lashed so hard it hurt. "I dare not." Ithiltari "It has not," Jin Huang replied firmly. If it had - no. It could not have, it must not have. Else this would take time they very likely no longer had, in order to locate the correct box. "We will find it," he said as she moved across the floor, heading towards something only she knew. Had she Seen where the Manacles were held? It seemed unlikely, given what Phaedra had said, but he could not be sure. It was only when she stopped that the dragon realized he'd been holding his breath (although it would have quickly become obvious when he fainted), letting it out in a long sigh. At her request, Jin Huang moved to her faster than she had made it over there, but he could see clearly where he was going. "I'm here," he said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder before kneeling and beginning to sift through the containers. It took time for him to do this, long agonizing moments for Phaedra, yet there was nothing he could do to speed the process. It was going far slower than he would have liked, as well, but they had not stopped long enough for him to truly regain any strength. His fingers found it first, roughly feeling the carved glyph on the cover of a box that he knew meant the Crown. "Here," Jin Huang said sharply after an indrawn breath. He sat back on his heels, feeling for the opening mechanism. It slid open with a soft whisper of released air, and the dragon let out a pleased hiss. "Oh, what glory," he said softly, pulling the bands out reverentially, standing only when all 13 were in his grasp. Sosiqui She heard the soft chime of the links against each other, craved to open her eyelids - clapped her hands over them, would not permit it. I will be lost to my nature. "I hear them," she said, finally. "I am glad. Will you lead me out? Will you.... no, not give me something. Place something before me, rather, that I might take it." She would not be given a gift; she would take. She always took.
The distinction was important. "Then, I will look when this place is far and gone. His Treasure I will not take." Ithiltari "Of course," he said gravely, shifting the Manacles to one hand before choosing a trinket from the floor. A small sigh escaped him, but Phaedra had shown remarkable restraint. He slipped it into a pocket, then wound the Manacles about an arm, in order to carry them with no entanglement or problem. "Your hand," Jin Huang said softly, reaching up to take one from her eyes. She could have followed his voice, yes, but without the Manacles to focus on, it was all too likely she would lose focus. The physical touch would hopefully do much to keep her on track. With Phaedra in tow, the dragon began the process of leaving, casting only one last glance at his bones and offering a small nod of his head. "You did not fail. And nor will I," he said, turning his back on the remains. A few moments later, and they were clear of the chamber, but he did not stop until they were well past, and more than out of sight. "Will you be alright from here?" he asked, not releasing her hand unless she replied with an affirmative. Sosiqui She could not hear anything but the soft chime of the Manacles anymore; nothing but wood and the scrapes of Futs Lung's death-throes met her feet. No gold-song, no gem-shine. Nothing. Gone.
I could go back and get-
NO.
She was master of herself, was she not? She could lay in wait. She was not impulsive.
Breathe.
"... Yes." She squeezed his hand. A soft thing, no scales, mortal and tender. Her eyelids opened at last, revealing eye and gem beneath, and she offered him a smile that started shy and ended hungry. "The treasure?" she said, tail switching back and forth. "Then, the Manacles." Ithiltari "Treasure?" he said slowly, releasing her hand, and dipping it quickly into a pocket. A stunningly worked bracelet, gold and set with small diamonds, dangled from his fingers. "You mean this?" Jin Huang continued, tossing it lightly ahead of where they stood, a small puff of dust erupting from the ground when it landed. Taking a step out of the way, the dragon unwound the Manacles from his arm, waiting for her reaction. Sosiqui The dive was immediate, absurdly like a cat pouncing; Phaedra landed on the bracelet, her tail swaying back and forth as she picked it up and held it up, admiring the facets. "Beautiful," she purred. Mine. Mine, mine, mine... She ignored the little voice complaining you took it like a dog, accepting a toy, fetch- you are no Dragon's beast-
I am not, but I am slave and chattel of Destruction. Such is the way of things. This is in His service, not that of any Dragon.
She stood up in a long, elegant movement, composure returned, and slipped the bracelet over one wrist, enjoying the jangle it made next to the other on that arm. "And the Manacles... ohhh." Phaedra stopped again and assessed it. Exquisite, fair beyond anything she had yet seen... and yet while she desired it, this... yes. I desire it more than anything I have yet seen, so it is most fitting for my Lord. It is ever thus; the first fruits are his. So are my sacrifices made. And that helped, too, for what bigger sacrifice could there be for her than leaving that chamber behind?
"Fair indeed, as Universe said... and now, my dear Dragon..." She gave him a weary smile. "Do you like climbing stairs?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:58 pm
Phaedra, Jin Huang, and the Chrysalis: To Chain the End III - Fairest ChainsSosiqui The journey back had been hard; how many times had they stopped on the endless stair to look wearily at each other, or even sleep (though not close to; Jin had not allowed that)? And yet at last they had reached the way out to the City, met Huore. Mounted the erras, leapt again into the blackness, and returned only to find the world set upside-down.
A flux of time, it was, something that swept over the place where errais ran. Phaedra had ranted and raved when she realized what happened, but all to no avail - it was not something that could be helped. The world broken again, and the denizens of every hell spewed onto mortal planes... but surely they could stop more from happening. Stop, for now; dam the tide, close the door.
Chain the End.
Phaedra was not sure why she had asked to come, to help. Perhaps to see it through to the end, to see the legacy of her Golden Week put into action. Mal'hreth was nowhere to be found, to her irritation, so there would be no fair chronicle from life. She would have to take it from his handsome hide when they met again.... but that would be a matter for later. For now there was merely the Dragon, the Manacles, and the silent, breathing Chrysalis.
"Lord," she said, quietly, standing several feet from the Thing that her Emperor had become. "We have come to give you succor." Ithiltari Jin Huang had been equally annoyed at the time that had slipped away; he had thought there would be more available, but no. They crept ever closer to the End, but there was something he could do. They had found the Manacles, deep in the roots of the World Tree, where his bones lay, bleached and bare, still watching the things entrusted to his care. Exhaustion dug it's claws deep into the dragon, for they had not allowed much time to rest. If they had...who knew how much more time would have escaped? There were no signs of his brothers when they arrived, which gave him cause for concern. Were they well? Had they left upon their own quests, to find ways to stop their Lord from ending All That Was? But that was something for later, for after this final duty had been fulfilled. "We have brought the Manacles," he whispered, all he could manage in this state, unwinding them from the arm he had kept them on. It was with an awkward and somewhat helpless look that he spread the links wide, stepping towards the Chrysalis, unsure of what would happen, or how to place them in order to properly Bind what grew within. Ivynian Brought withing the proximity of the chrysallis, of what was the housing and tomb of the being that they had been specifically fashioned for, the Manacles grew and shifted in shape smoothly as a liquid. The artifact shifted itself into concentric rings of great girth, chains between along whorls and filigree. It would make a gruesome Faberge. Sosiqui Phaedra jumped as the Manacles began to reshape themselves, then turned and stared with unabashed astonishment as the chain reforged. Well. That answers that particular question... But it was a good sign, wasn't it? The Manacles were undoubtedly responding, indisputably active. Even if Tien Lung had said the binding would not hold forever, it seemed it was indeed possible to hold the Chrysalis for a time.
She was not sure what to do. Should she step forward and help Jin Huang? But the Manacles had been given to him, he had died with them. Perhaps it was his sacred office. "Do you need assistance?" she asked, finally, when it seemed the Manacles' transformation was complete. Ithiltari It was with relief that Jin Huang watched and held steady, waiting for the Manacles to finish their shifting, pleased that they had reacted in such a manner. Not all the ancient magics had faded, and to see such a shape taken gave the dragon hope that this could be reversed, his Lord returned to form and the End averted. "If you do not mind," he replied diffidently. If she would help, he would accept it. If not, then he would place the net-like artifact over the Chrysalis himself. It was awkward, to try and hold the edges steady, draping the Manacles, but the form defined the function, in this case, and so he kept at it, eventually getting it in place. "So," he said, taking a step back. "Now to wait, I assume."Ivynian The manacles locked in place, shifting themselves once hands released them until they formed a perfect pattern of great rings and chains. Neither beginning nor end of the metal, and so no clasp, could be seen on them. With the settling of the Manacles there felt a sudden hesitation, like a waiting spider, in the atmosphere. The predator was caught and caged, though plain to see. After a few moments, the feeling passed, replaced by an ebbing feeling like watching the slow withdrawal of a tide after nightfall. Sosiqui Once the soft movements had ceased and the Manacles had wound themselves into place, Phaedra let out a long, slow breath that she hadn't been aware of holding. "And... it is done, then?" She could feel the mana shifting, dampening. "They will hold, for a time...?"
She looked anxiously at the shining construction that the Manacles had become. It was oddly beautiful, if a bit morbid with the dark Chrysalis beneath the rings and chains. "Not forever, but long enough..." They didn't look as if they were likely to break any time soon. Ithiltari "They will hold as long as they can," Jin Huang replied, closing his eyes briefly as his thoughts skittered erratically through hazy memory. "I will keep watch on them," he said finally, opening his eyes and looking over the enmeshed Chrysalis once more. "But first I must rest, and so I take my leave of you, Lady," he continued, offering a slight bow to Phaedra. "I...Thank you," he finished simply, heading back to Huore, and then to home.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:59 pm
Solo: Freedom to Be
She had slept for a while - how long? She wasn't entirely sure. A few days, perhaps. After placing the Manacles upon the Chrysalis, Phaedra had simply walked up to her chambers and fallen asleep immediately, as soon as she was inside.
The world, when she woke, had changed again.
Oh, she knew that Huore had stumbled through an odd flux in time, and that more time had elapsed here in their absence than they had felt. Still, she was not expecting things to have progressed so far. Plague was long gone, Avita reported, and Famine had stripped the larders of the broken world. Then - Destruction's Seven spent - it had moved on to a wave of entropy, turning all the world soft and crumbly. A preparation for its final devouring, perhaps, that it not break the teeth of Gehenna.
But they had chained Him, had they not?
"And now?" Phaedra demanded. She was still reclining, Avita kneeling at her side. "What happens now?"
The Aoide's eyes held banked fire. "The boundaries between the planes are breaking. Hell, Hades, Sheol, the Fireless Wastes, Seven Circles. So many names. They are one, now."
"One?"
"Indeed. I have seen it. The denizens - the unholy, demons - seem to fear this place. As they should," the Aoide added, with some satisfaction. "But they... wreak havoc, or do not, as they choose. The hellish races bear as many demeanors as the mortal, Imperatrix. They are not all maddened and violent, yet many are."
"I see." This was not something Phaedra had been expecting, at all. "But we have bound Gehenna. I felt the power slake even as I stood before the Chrysalis."
Avita spread her hands. "That will not stop what has already happened. But take heart - the time for trumpet's call has come and gone with no sound."
"Has it? Good." A slow smile spread across the goddess' face. That was something she had done, a true difference, a genuine result - her, and Futs Lung.
But mostly me.
"Well, then." She pushed the covers aside. "I don't suppose we have any supplies laid by? I am hungry."
Avita stood up and moved to one side, getting out of Phaedra's way. "Some bits, but it is meagre fare."
"Hmph. Well... temptress' power always did serve me well." Phaedra closed her eyes and gestured; a moment later, something heavy landed in her outstretched palm. The scent of filet mignon wafted. Avita made a startled, hungry sound. "Hmm, you like that, do you?"
"Imperatrix," Avita said, though she was squirming. And drooling, Phaedra noted.
"Too bad. This one is mine." She leaned forward and nibbled a bit off of the succulent meat. "Myself, first. Always." Except when expediency, when the need for survival, supplanted that nature. For a moment Phaedra reveled in it, not so much in the taste of the dish but the taste of the need on Avita's face. Much, much better.
But, amusing as it was, the Aoide did need to be fed as well. Phaedra repeated the call to power, and Avita held out her hands as a second delicious cut of meat materialized into her grasp. "You are most gracious, Imperatrix," the Aoide murmured.
"Go, then, and enjoy what I have provided for you." Avita bowed and scurried off, hunched slightly around her prize. Phaedra smiled and leaned back into the pillows, plucking a small cherry tomato from her own meal's garnish.
That was much, much more like it.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:00 pm
Solo: Desperate Times...
The portal in the 'One Step' travel agency had led to Achai, once. But now it was a fragmented ring of baleful light that fizzed and snapped and made Phaedra's fur crackle with static. Experimentally, she bent down and scooped up a bit of debris from the floor and hurled it at the broken gateway.
It didn't go through - or, if it did, it turned itself inside-out on the way, spitting splinters as it went. Phaedra wasn't sure if it had eventually passed to the portal's other side or simply disintegrated, and she wasn't going to find out. The whole room had a sickly smell that hadn't been there before, and while most places in this Age of Gehenna smelled like death now, this odor was particularly pungent.
Her tail twitched. "That absolutely won't work. Such a pity - Achai was so much fun," she said, with a sigh, and turned away, walking briskly out of the room and down the hall, back into the pallid sunlight.
Avita followed, glass and still more debris crunching under her hooves. "What shall we do now, Imperatrix?"
"Hmph." Phaedra frowned at the decimated landscape around her. The Age of Destruction had been bad, but this was far worse. Decay had softened and squashed the town, buildings slumping into each other like dying animals. The scent of brimstone and rot lay thickly over everything, and there was a corpse of some variety in her view no matter where she looked. "Such a charnel landscape, my Emperor," she murmured. Even Destruction would not have gone this far, not when He had His sanity and mind.
The Manacles would erode, too, in time, and the march would begin again.
Phaedra growled low in her throat. "And I am to wring belief in the divine from this?"
Avita bowed her head. "So it appears, Imperatrix."
She snorted. "Perhaps I should begin by converting demons." They hadn't actually seen any hellspawn on the way hear, but the brimstone scent in the air was a constant suggestion of their presence.
"They might be amenable, Imperatrix," Avita replied, to Phaedra's surprise. "Demons are what they are, but they too want to live."
"The worship of the damned." The goddess shook her head. "Let us begin with mere mortals, if any yet live." And if they did, she knew how to smoke them out. Of course, it might attract demons, too, but Avita was strong and Phaedra was a goddess... though that might be even more of an incentive to such creatures.
Phaedra held out one hand as she exerted her power. A moment later, a fragrant steak dinner like the one she had eaten earlier dropped into her palm. "This should do nicely. There can't be much food left that isn't rotting." Several of the corpses in her sight had a gnawed-upon look to them. Phaedra put the plate down on a nearby rock, moved back to crouch behind a crumbled wall with Avita, and waited.
It took a few minutes for the scent to waft properly, but waft it did. Phaedra's ears twitched as she heard the soft sounds of movement, of someone scraping against the rocks, knocking down small pebbles. Multiple someones.
When it happened, it happened very fast. Suddenly, someone was darting across the open space towards the fragrant prize - but, with a shout, another small group erupted from a tumbled building across the street. In an instant, there was a knot of struggling people fighting over the precious food.
Phaedra waited until the melee was over. It wasn't a serious fight - these weren't seasoned fighters, but common people forced far outside their normal mode of life, whose only hope for survival was to embrace their basest instincts. None of them seemed to be properly armed, either. While there were plenty of blackened eyes and bleeding noses, that seemed the worst of it. The steak had entirely disappeared, the plate smashed into tiny pieces beneath the combatants' feet, and Phaedra had no idea who had actually 'won' the meaty prize.
It was hardly the glittering court she preferred, but mortals were mortals - she was confident in her ability to master them. Let's dance.
Phaedra stood up in a smooth movement, Avita scrambling to her own feet beside her, and cleared her throat. At the same time, she exerted her power again, and another plate appeared in her hands. "Good afternoon," she said, with a bright smile.
The mortals stared at her, then at the food in her hands.
"You poor things," Phaedra said, infusing her voice with sympathy and kindness. "No one beloved by the gods should be forced to scramble for scraps in the ruins. Come," she purred, "there's plenty for all."
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:01 pm
Solo: A Commanding Performance
It had taken some time, but the former brawl had been transformed into a much calmer group. People perched on the rubble, quietly eating what Phaedra had miraculously produced for them. The smell of food had attracted still more wanderers from the ruins of the town, but Avita proved quiet capable in managing anyone hostile, and Phaedra saw to it that all were fed.
A miracle, yes. She purred silently in contentment, watching the gathered mortals with a sly smile on her face. It seemed almost too kind, too... too charitable, but the ends justified the means.
It wasn't her concern if saving herself meant saving the world as a corollary.
Some of the mortals had finished their meals and were giving her curious glances. There was little defiance left to them, only a scared, animalistic curiosity, like shy creatures that had been beaten too many times. They didn't know what to do in response to her apparent 'kindness'. Poor little things. And I am to forge part of our salvation.... from this, Phaedra thought, sardonically. But she forced kindness into her smile. "Are you still hungry?"
A few of them shook their heads, but one woman made a soft noise, then cleared her throat and stood up. "Who are you? What d'you mean, 'those beloved of the gods'?" The woman laughed, the sound harsh and bitter. "No gods here, only demons."
"The gods have been working to stem the tide," Phaedra replied, serenely. "I know you felt the changes sweeping over the world - war, plague, famine. You have done well to survive such terrible things." She shook her head, tipped her ears back, and looked down - a perfect picture of gracious sorrow over what had transpired. "The changes have slowed. It has been much more than a week since the last such change happened."
The mortals glanced at each other, vaguely startled by this revelation, then looked back at the woman, who seemed to have become their impromptu spokesperson. "Er... perhaps..." she said, after a moment, though she sounded confused. "I hadn't... kept track..."
"Understandable," Phaedra said sympathetically. "You all have had so much to concern yourselves with... as have the divine. But the tide has been slowed, and there is hope!"
If there was one thing Phaedra knew how to do, it was how to speak, how to manipulate people's emotions with her words and her body language. She poured all of her power into her words, and even those who were still eating glanced up at her. "I am Phaedra, and I am a goddess myself - the warm food in your stomachs is proof of that, a miracle, a gift to you to remind you of hope. We have slowed the movement of decay. Make no mistake - the world is coming to an end."
She paused just long enough for fear to sweep through the mortals, then raised her voice again, clasping her hands in front of her. "But fear not! There is hope, and it lies within you - within each and every one of you." Everyone was staring at her now. "You must believe. I know," she said, her ears going back, "that such things are hard right now, so very hard. Everything around you speaks of ruin and destruction." She looked down, a tear trickling down her cheek.
"But all you must do is believe," Phaedra continued, her voice low - she could hear them shifting so they could hear her words. "Right now, the world is beset by the powers that destroy. The fruit of that power is all around you. But we can counter that with belief in the power that creates!" She glanced up suddenly, meeting the mortals' gazes with her own. "Look inside yourselves. What do you desire most?"
As they paused and looked at each other, Phaedra exerted her power, sending a wave of her influence through the gathered mortals. She knew exactly what she would find - Hunger, yes, perhaps lust, longing for those that died - desire for little things, beds, fripperies, shelter - but underneath all of that, the primal urge, so strong and pure in these days...
The desire to live.
She felt that desire answer her call.
"You want to live! And you can, you will - live, and live abundantly as you did before! You have suffered loss," Phaedra said, lowering her voice again. "loss beyond what anyone should bear. And yet you have borne it. You are strong, and the fires of your belief will strengthen the fight. Do not go gentle into the night, warriors - your hope, your prayers, your hearts are needed. Only believe."
The echoes of her last words came back to her from the broken buildings, and she stood, straight and tall, with her plumage sweeping majestically behind her.
Several people in the crowd were weeping, openly. A soft murmur moved through the group before they quieted again and looked to the woman once more. She took a deep breath. "We... we can do this...? Fix... this...?"
"You can," Phaedra said, emphatically. "Carry with you the Name of the Twin Crown Creation, and pass it to all you know - Lord Harmodius, the great Lord of the Divine, god among gods, without whom you would have had no life at all. With His return, you will have life again, in abundance, and all the gods will bless you for your faith."
There was silence, again - and then the crowd slowly began to nod. Not all of them; one or two remained still, but most of them. "The... Twin Crown Creation. We will remember," the woman said, slowly. "What... must we do...?"
"Live - and make your holdings around the Pantheon, the great building of dark countenance in the center of this town. I know you must know it. Do not enter it," she added, "but gather around it, and wait for the divine call. I will care for you when I can, but you must make your own way as well, as you have been. Can you do this?" she asked, gently.
"I... I can," the woman replied, and a chorus of agreement rose from the crowd.
"Then a goddess' blessings upon you all, and those of the whole Pantheon will fly to you in due time." Phaedra smiled like the sun, and raised her hands in benediction. "Remember: spread the Name, and keep it close. And hold close also my name, Phaedra." If she couldn't get something out of this for herself, then she was a poor goddess of Greed indeed.
"Phaedra. We will... remember."
They waited a moment longer, but Phaedra merely smiled, and pointed towards the Pantheon; slowly, the crowd began to disperse, though they snuck glances back at the goddess as they scurried away.
When all of them were gone, Phaedra laughed and stepped down from the pile of rubble she'd been standing on. "Phew! That was a disgusting display, wasn't it?"
"A bit," Avita said, with a wicked grin, "but I think it was worth it."
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:02 pm
Solo: The Fourth Circle
Phaedra purred to herself as she headed back towards the Pantheon, Avita trailing; manipulating the mortals had been so simple. They all wanted to live, and building on that desire, turning it towards action, was the easiest thing in the world. She could repeat it as many times as needed, bringing every group she encountered into the 'fold', and then-
Avita suddenly stopped walking. "Imperatrix."
"Mmm?" Phaedra paused as well, her ears flicking upwards. "What is it? More little scavengers?"
"Not... quite, Imperatrix." The Aoide took a few steps forward, a slight frown on her face. "Can you hear them?"
Phaedra stood quite still, canting her ears forward slightly - and yes, sure enough, she could hear the soft click and hush of debris shifting. Someone was in the crumbled building to their left, and whoever it was, they were quite good at sneaking, much better than the first group of mortals had been. "And?" she asked, quietly. A little knot of fear tried to twist in her stomach, but she shoved it away.
"I may know what this is, Imperatrix," Avita said, after a moment. She stepped forward, putting herself slightly in front of Phaedra, then raised her voice. "We know you're there. Show yourselves!"
A deep chuckle answered the Aoide's call, and a moment later several figures emerged from the rubble - lanky beings, with whispering skin-wings, protruding horns, and backwards-bending knees.
Demons.
They were hissing and muttering to themselves, and smiling in a way that displayed too many teeth. The sight of them awoke a survival instinct, and for a moment Phaedra had to struggle to stay in place, to keep her outward calm. Avita moved one arm to cover her. "I am Avita - you know my blood. Where is your lord?"
"Avita?" Phaedra said, sharply, but the deep laugh from before curled around them once more, and another shape resolved itself from the dust. A tall human figure, clad in rich red clothing, with a golden crown on his head. He seemed almost normal at first until you noticed that the proportions were all wrong - his legs and fingers were long, much too long.
"Greetings, divine creature," the figure chuckled, sweeping into a mocking bow. "I am here."
To Phaedra's surprise, Avita actually relaxed. "Grand Duke," she said, nodding to him. "I thought it was you."
By now, the other demons had moved to completely encircle goddess and Aoide, and Phaedra grabbed Avita's shoulder and dug in her claws. "Avita. What. Is. Going. On," she hissed, and the Aoide flinched as her claws drew blood.
"I apologize, Imperatrix," Avita said, though she didn't pull away from Phaedra's grasp. "These demons I know. They are... my kin, though I am Aoide."
A surge of relief flooded through Phaedra, and she smiled, releasing Avita - though she dragged her claws sharply down the Aoide's back as she did so, leaving red streaks behind. "Really. How... fascinating. You will introduce me, of course."
The crowned figure smiled hugely. "Lady Greed, I see. A fortuitous meeting. I am Berith, Grand Duke over twenty-six legions. Generally we do not seek out gods, but as we seem forced to dwell together... I may as well offer you my thanks."
That surprised her, though she didn't let it show on her face. "Your thanks? Whatever for, Berith?"
He laughed again at her deliberate omission of his title. "Yes, I see, very good. Thanks, goddess, for millennia upon millennia of entertainment. How many have you damned to our torment, Lady Greed? The Fourth Circle overflowed, thanks to your... efforts."
A delighted, predatory smile spread over Phaedra's face. "Ah, yes... of course. Though I'd rather keep them for myself... I dare say you and yours have done a very good job, haven't you? A very... enjoyable job."
The Grand Duke gave her another mocking bow. "Indeed so, Lady, indeed so. But now it seems our entertainment is coming to an end?" Though his mouth was still smiling, his eyes grew cold. "This place is another sort of entertainment, most droll to walk these lands unsummoned by any conjurer's hand... but all our lovely Circles have been quite ruined."
"And worse to come. The Apocalypse really isn't as fun for you as you'd hoped it might be, is it?"
Berith frowned openly, now. "So it is true, then. We hold no great love for the divine, but the End is not our desire either. Not on these terms."
Phaedra folded her arms. "There may be a way to reverse the tide. Even you could find a place in it, Berith."
"Ah, but what is it they say?" The Grand Duke tapped one long finger against his cheek. "Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven?"
"Hell is gone, sadly, and Heaven soon to follow. You can bargain with Void if you choose, but I doubt you'll find it easy to convince." Phaedra gave him an unconcerned look. "And not entertaining in the least. Believe me... I know. Do you think I want to give mortals pretty words and encourage their little hearts to overflow with love?" Her voice took on a mocking tone.
Berith laughed again. "A pretty little display, and no mistake, Lady Greed."
"If ever you respected me, think hard on my words, Berith. I can give you a great deal of entertainment... but only if I've enough time, and if you've a Hell to send them to. And reviving Creation is the only thing that will give us those things back."
"Such things are counter to our natures, Lady. It wouldn't be an easy thing."
"And yet, I think you'll find dying extremely easy once you're forced to undertake it," Phaedra replied, raising one eyebrow. "Think on it, Berith. Carry it to your legions, your compatriots. I am willing to deal with you, even treat with you - if you can gather representatives."
The Grand Duke paused for a moment, then nodded, once. "Very well. Bring your arguments. I will call those under my command and those allied with me, and we will deal."
"When?"
"Whenever you're ready. Avita will know how to summon." Berith smiled, then stepped back. "Think well, Lady Greed. I will do the same."
Then he waved one hand, and he - along with all the other demons - vanished.
Phaedra drooped immediately, then gave Avita a poisonous look. "You."
The Aoide cringed. "Imperatrix, I am sorry... but they do respect you, even a little, which is more than most gods can say."
"Hm. Coin from an unexpected quarter, indeed... if I can only figure out how to spend it."
Another challenge.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:03 pm
Phaedra, Malh'reth, and Glyph: There's Good News and Bad NewsSkieBorne Now that Aisling had finished fussing over Glyph and him, the mage had ducked out of the room the demoness had insisted he take a nap in. It was endearing but even Glyph was a little annoyed at the motherly attentions - they had things to do that could not wait. And, as Malh'reth stood before Phaedra's familiar door, he wondered at the wisdom of leaving that comfortable bed. Hello Phaedra! I've got a way to maybe save Harmodius! And by the way, I'm a Host now too~ didn't exactly seem like it would make points and he wasn't sure what else to say; was nervous without really knowing why. It wasn't his fault, really, and Glyph had promised to stay quiet but... he doubted she'd miss the gem that was embedded at the base of his throat.
Still, he'd agreed to serve her and she asked that he make a report should he find out anything... and his pride and upbringing would not allow him to shirk on such duties. It was a promise that he would not let slide. Besides, how else was he to get the information out to general populace of the Pantheon? Besides the notice board, that was. They needed people better informed and better prepared to spread the news then he was.
If you stand here staring at her door, she'll know something is wrong, Malh'reth. Glyph warned as he gave a mental shrug. He wasn't afraid of his kin even if he could not remember his interactions with them in a past life.
Malh'reth just mumured something and moved to knock on the door, summoning a smile to his face that matched the otherwise respectful expression. Sosiqui "And they will listen to me?" Phaedra asked Avita, frowning slightly."Perhaps, perhaps not. They respect you, which is more than most of the divine can say." The demon-Aoide grinned. "It will be a delightful game." "Hmmm." Phaedra's eyes narrowed. "For them, or for me? I suppose I'll just have to find out." A predatory smile teased her lips - and then twisted into a frown again as she heard the distant echo of a knock on the door, outside the labyrinth. "That had better not be any of those scrabbling mortals.""I doubt they would enter," Avita replied, getting to her feet and clopping over to the mirrored peek-hole. "Ah... it is your little prize, your one-horned treasure, your bard." "Malh'reth?" A whirl of emotions met that statement - irritation that he had left her for so long, pleasure that he had returned, annoyance at his absence when he could have been useful. "Hmm..." Should she make him run the gauntlet for his sins?
-No. Not this time. We will see his explanation, first. She leaned back on her lounge. "Open the door and see him in."Avita bowed and vanished through the door. The shortcut through the labyrinth took only a moment, and then the outer door opened before her. "Good day, bardling," Avita said, her eyes bright. "Our mistress awaits you within." SkieBorne The mage stepped back as the doors opened and sighed with relief as he was invited in. He had not yet run the gauntlet of traps within the labyrinth and was grateful to have escaped them once more. "Thank-you Avita." He bobbed a bow as he entered after her and followed the Aoide back to where the shortcut opened into Phaedra's rooms.
When he caught sight of her, he bowed low, a smile playing across his face. He did enjoy seeing Phaedra and found that he had missed her on some level, stepped forward after the bow to draw nearer her. "It has been a long time, M'lady. I have missed you." Formal, as always, he reached to take her hand and kiss its top, "I'm sorry for being away so long, I was following your orders - to collect information on any leads that might be discovered. Now that I've returned, I'd like to make the report to you." The bad news regarding his gem would come after, hopefully, and not before he'd recounted their tale and spoken of their plans.
Glyph merely curled at the back of the mage's mind, watching and listening - intrigued by the inner thoughts that whirled about Malh'reth's mind. Interesting... Sosiqui "Flatterer," Phaedra growled, though she was still smiling - at least, she was, until Malh'reth lifted her hand to his lips.
The frisson of divine power - of an intruder - was faint, but unmistakable. She jerked her hand away from him and stared, then twisted to grab his wrist, then reached forward with her free hand. Her claws tore away his clothing, and in an instant her fingertips rested on the cool surface of the jewel embedded in his flesh, at the base of his throat, that lovely soft place that had tickled so nicely in their dalliances together.
Mine, Phaedra hissed, but exerted her iron will to keep her ears and tail from betraying her emotions. Only a momentary flash of anger in her peacock eye gave a hint as to her feelings, and it would take a canny observer indeed to mark it. "My, this is a new addition, indeed..." Should she punish him? Rage against the interloper that had taken her bardling, her plaything, her toy from her? It was true that she had taken her own host from another god, but she was Greed. It was expected of her, natural for her to do so.
No. The plan formulated in her mind, lightning-swift. She glanced up at Malh'reth, moving her gaze away from the gem to meet his eyes. "You were gone a very long time, indeed." Her tone was pleasant, betraying none of her anger. "Long enough to make a new friend, I see. Will you introduce me?" SkieBorne He pulled back as she pawed at him, eyes closing and expected those hands, so soft and warm, to turn to claws that would rend his flesh. He was no fighter, would stand no chance. Glyph, however, surged forward, the expression on Malh'reth's face flickering from fear to injustice then back to fear again as the god settled, missing the small hints of anger that flickered across Phaedra's body language.
Holding his torn robes up so they didn't fall about his shoulders or slide off with one hand, he lifted the other slowly, tentatively to the jewel as well. There was apology, fear, and uncertainty all warring in his features as he dared to glance up once more, "I... I..." At a loss for words, he simply shook his head, unsure of what to say.
In his place Glyph swirled anxiously, hoping all he'd done... all they'd done to grow closer together would not be undone by this goddess. He did not want to steal a life... or ascend on anything but good terms. Grumbling, he seemed to cross his arms and make his presence better known if Phaedra could sense him.
"Stop it..." Malh'reth muttered, his attention turning inward, "Don't."I have done nothing. Glyph replied coolly, Go on, then, tell her. We are friends. I have helped you and you me.The mage sighed, "It wasn't my fault... I didn't... didn't want it. But... he promised not to, ah, kill me before I was ready. He... is Forest. Silvim Illustirre..."
"Glyph." Glyph finished, annoyed with Malh'reth's timid tone. What had happened to the bolder Aurion? It seemed that Phaedra had cast quite the spell over him, "I am Glyph, the Silvim Illustirre, granted life anew by this noble man. He wanted to speak to you before anyone else and we are here to deliver his message. One," he paused, smiling knowingly, "even Greed might be interested in."Glyph! Stop it! Malh'reth pushed against the other's consciousness, something that had grown much stronger over the course of their visit and tried to oust the other, a futile gesture. Glyph!! Give me back my body! You promised!
Looking momentarily distracted, he nodded once and the cool, smiling confidence was replaced by yet another apologetic expression as he dipped into a bow, "My apologies, M'lady! He's not important... I'm sorry... I never wanted this. I..." He scrabbled for something to recover some shred of dignity, disliking very much this being caught between two gods, and held onto his reason for being here, "I have news. Good news. Hope for answer." Sosiqui Forest, is it. A deceptively powerful domain, if... sadly limited. But Malh'reth was still loyal to her, scraping and begging her forgiveness for being taken.
An interesting proposition, indeed.
"It is not your fault," Phaedra said, sympathetically. "Such times are desperate for all, and we must take what we can." This Glyph would come to rue the day he had dared to take from Greed's possessions, but if Malh'reth remained devoted to her... then that day need not be today. "You are forgiven, fear not."
The shape of the jewel in his flesh reminded her of something, and she smiled. "Silvim Illustirre," she said, rolling the words off her tongue - strange words, but pleasing to say. "The treasures I found at my doorstep were yours, were they not?" The necklace with the now-empty pendant seemed to be the right shape to contain Forest's gem. A familiar ploy. "First offerings, now news, my - though I like Malh'reth very much, you know." She reached out and stroked one finger along his cheek. Calling your host to you - for would he have come here without my summons? - you owe me a debt, Forest, she thought to herself. The pretty things and the news would not be nearly enough, and that thought made her smile. Debts were such useful tools. SkieBorne He relaxed visibly at those words and nodded, glad to out of her ire. Malh'reth considered himself an ally to Greed, as nonsensical as it may seem, and wanted not to anger her. He had yet to see a terrible side to her and with such rose-coloured glasses on, wished to maintain what he saw as a friendship. Smiling gratefully, he closed his eyes slightly at her touch and stepped closer, ignoring Glyph's grumblings.That was not my decision but my Aoide's. I do not agree with their method of our joining but I am grateful for the result, Malh'reth. You were not bought. He gave the impression of a sour expression and watched, knowing Malh'reth would want that touch - he was a physical creature and reveled in contact, especially now that his vision depended on it. The god sighed, Serve her if you wish, I will keep my promise.Malh'reth nodded, tilting his head as he listened to Forest, "The news we found is of a way to... quell Gehenna, m'Lady. I traveled to another world in the company of Laughter and Numbers and the host of Judgement; we found a place called Baadris, where the old gate still stood and was revered. They grow lotuses that were symbols of creation and perfection... symbols we think might remind your Lord of his previous form. And we converted many to the true gods... their belief could help strengthen Creation, the more, the greater the reminder. And some have learned of you of course. I spoke of you and your glory, called your form when we were in need. I've done as I promised."
Glyph frowned. He was going to have to speak to Malh'reth after this and iron out where they stood with one another; the Aurion was a surprisingly loyal follower, a trait he knew was derived from the society in which Malh'reth had grown up in.
Sosiqui "Ahhh..." Phaedra breathed, then smiled, pleased. "Yes, of course. The Dragon Kings have read the fate-stones; your journey was foretold." She recalled the words on the humble note left on the noticeboard below. "An excellent plan, one favored by fate. You should look below if you have not already - there is a noticeboard in the hall downstairs with the reading of the stones written on it. It spoke of a journey to a city and lotuses, and also of gods and Aoidei going out into the world and bringing back mortal belief. I have begun my own part in that. But, more than that - I have brought back the Manacles of Binding, with Futs Lung. When you descend, look to the Throne and see the chains around the Chrysalis." She purred, her tail curling slowly. "My doing, our doing. A pity you were not there to see it, but..."
As much as she was irritated at his absence, if he was needed, called by Fate to bring some of the tale of salvation to pass, then she could forgive that transgression.... provided it resulted in her own life being saved as well. "Your power could serve well to summon up belief in the mortals of this plane. As for me, it is good that the desire to survive is so strong." She laughed, the sound deep and husky in her throat. "That is something I know how to use." SkieBorne He blinked, a movement echoed by Glyph and looked up at her, "Foretold? Hn... I'm glad someone replaced the noticeboard I summoned. I left it here just before we left." Malh'reth had been about to continue when her words gave him pause and he tilted his head to the side, "Manacles of Binding...?" It sounded important but he did not know how or why throwing chains over the End would be helpful; was wise enough not to say as much and imply curiousity in the tone of his voice.
He nodded, "I have tried to be of use and am glad that my efforts have started to bear fruit. Survival's a strong thing, agreed, fuelled by hope, I think." The mage smiled, "I know I hope for a good future... despite." He ran fingers over the gem in his throat and sighed, "Or rather, I hope to be able to leave a worthy legacy." Sosiqui "Yes, the Manacles. An ancient artifact to bind Gehenna - or, rather, to prevent that Name from coming to fruition. I retrieved them along with Futs Lung, and even now they encase the Chrysalis below. It will not stop Gehenna, but it will slow it. No trumpets have sounded in the Throne Hall for several weeks now." Phaedra smiled, pleased at that. Doubtlessly that would not last forever, but they did have a reprieve. "Time in which to complete our plans. If we do not, then... none of us will have any legacy at all. The Void will not remember us. What will you do now, Malh'reth, you and the god you carry?" She looked at him through half-lidded eye and gem. SkieBorne "Ooooh." He nodded as understanding dawned and smiled at her, proud for her accomplishment. They had not noticed the lack of changing weeks, must have been warped through time on their return. "Bravo! Though I doubt it was much of a challenge for Lady Greed." Malh'reth chuckled.What will we do next...? Glyph answered thoughtfully, running over what they had yet to do and then stepped forward to ease into control once more, "Gather our brethren. The mortals alone will not be enough to call our Lord back. A grand ceremony to present the flood of lotuses we've brought and focus the mortal's belief unto the pod. Hopefully it will be enough." "In the meantime... I do not know what I, or we, are to do. I wanted to make my report to you Phaedra but I have little else planned... Perhaps we should check on the preparations and make offerings of our own?" The mage replied, his mannerism and tone of voice lacking the deceptive confidence of Forest's own cadence, "Did you have something planned, m'lady?" Sosiqui "A ceremony, hmm? Yes, I do believe the fate-stones spoke of offerings. It seems belief is the cornerstone. Pity, the note was terribly unspecific. 'Various actions', indeed." She'd have to find one of the Dragon Kings and wrest more details from them. "If it seems Creation is the key, then turning mortal minds... hmph. He always did like symbolism." Phaedra moved over to her 'throne' and sat down, drumming her fingers on the armrests. "Everything Creation that you can think of. Spew it all over the place. Force it into mortal minds. Quote pretty poetry in His praise, hah. Inundate the Throne Hall with everything possible. Maybe an orgy before the Chrysalis, Love's blessing." She laughed. SkieBorne Malh'reth blinked and remained where he stood, slightly confused. Was such a plan not... worth a try? Making an offering to your Lord was not something he thought particularly... whatever Phaedra was implying. "Are... you not going to assist? I had hoped to chronicle that, another gem to add to your collection." The mage sighed, shrugged and cast his gaze down. Regardless of what Greed was going to decide to do, both he and Glyph had long ago decided to see this endeavor through. If Phaedra thought herself above such actions, then so be it but they had things to do.
"The mortals are here, we've shepherded them through. If that is all..." He bowed, taking a step back to signal his desire to leave, "We would like to make our offering and see to the organization of the converts." Sosiqui Phaedra frowned at him. Had the godling in his throat made his brain soft and dull? "I made no such statement. Does laying out plans for gathering belief equal refusal, now? I had not thought the world had yet become so twisted that 'yes' became 'no'." She arched one brow. "I do not wish to die either, or I would have ended myself already, as I did before." Honestly. Perhaps being talked to from two sides was too much for him to handle? "I will gladly regale you with the details of the steps I have already taken if you'd like to set them down for posterity, but I don't think now is the time for that. Tell me about your pretty sheep, shepherd, so that I might herd mine in with yours. They're not pretty or perfumed like your lotus-bearers, but a mortal's a mortal." SkieBorne He flushed and glanced away, embarassed at not having been able to tell if she was being sincere or sarcastic, though it seemed she had been both. "I will record your tale then, m'lady, after we see the plan through."
From within Malh'reth Glyph frowned but kept silent, using this as a chance to learn. The memories of the mage were biased and skewed as all views would be and their interaction provided a chance for him to form a solid opinion. It had been a long time since Forest walked the worlds and his memories vague, shifting things that flitted out of reach whenever he tried to cast light on them. Where had his loyalties lay, his enemies and friends, before the Fading? Perhaps clues in the bearing of his awakened brethren would help him remember.
"We settled them in and around the Pantheon in a rush. We were being chased by demons, Laughter and Numbers stayed behind to fend them off and guard our backs as we went through the gate. I am not a fighter, I would have been useless." Pausing as he gathered his thoughts, he ran a hand through his mane-like hair and frowned, "They will be gathered in the Throne Room by now, I think, as they wanted to perform a ritual and pay their respects immediately. I doubt that will do much without your and the other gods' participation but at least it will be a start."
Sosiqui "A start indeed." Phaedra mused, leaning her head on one hand. "The demons come from their assorted Hells, which have all been crashed into the mortal planes. I met a few... Avita, my darling, has demon blood, as it happened." She pointed at the Aoide with her free hand; Avita smiled, toothily, and bowed. "Greed commands some small respect from such things - I have done so very, very much to people their Hells with playthings, after all." That had rankled at the time, so many of her own toys escaped simply by virtue of their deaths, but it had resulted in unexpected coin now. "While we'll find no lifelong followers of Creation among their ranks, some belief might be wrung from them. They are not suicidal beings either, and the higher echelons can be brought to reason." SkieBorne Malh'reth blinked, tilted his head to the side. Phaedra held command over demons as well...? Greed was a powerful thing indeed then, to have influence over those terrible things that had torn through the city and palace.It makes sense, though. Want, desire, need spun out of control? I would think those things would be most visible in a demon. Glyph replied, answering Malh'reth's thoughts.
The mage nodded, gaze turned inward as he spoke, "Mm, agreed. But still..." Malh'reth returned his gaze to Phaedra and smiled, "A powerful goddess with far reaching influence. I would not be surprised if you spun the demons into useful things. There is much to prepare for and gods to gather, perhaps I should see to it while you liaise with the demons? What would you have me do?" Sosiqui "Your powers, Malh'reth, are better than many of the gods' right now." She smiled, amused. "Mortals are more willing to believe what they see than anything else. Bring them the gods as they need to see them, shining ones, golden creatures. Let your illusions draw them in. Paint them pictures of miracles and a world restored. The fate-stones spoke of gods and Aoidei gathering mortals in strength. Do this. I will focus on the demons. A group of mortals has been called by my name to surround this place, though they live in the ruins. If you speak to them in my name they should listen, especially if you back it up with 'miracles'." SkieBorne He nodded. Malh'reth had done so already in Baadris, gathered people about him and painted an image of hope and salvation. It had worked there... why not here as well? If Phaedra had gathered followers of her own then their hearts should be more easily swayed, especially if he could offer them water. That precious resource had become so very scarce lately, in this parched land, and while some scrounged up food it had become difficult to find water that was not too filthy to drink. "I will do that then. Everyone wants to survive, offering hope will work." He bowed to her before stepping back and moving to turn away, "I will see to that now." Sosiqui "Protect them if you can... and seek the other gods. We cannot do this alone." It pained her a bit to suggest that, as Phaedra preferred to work alone even if she didn't enjoy being alone - when a plan was at its climax, the only one she could really trust was herself. Relying on others put an uncomfortable wild card element into the mix. "Perhaps Water can help with that particular need. Kaelin... ah, lovely creature, he was." She laughed, pleased at the memories brought up by the name. "And do keep me informed. I hate being out of the loop." Phaedra did emphasize that last bit with an arch of one eyebrow, a little pointed reminder. There were some things he certainly hadn't told her about, like his new little passenger. SkieBorne The mage paused as she mentioned Water's name and he looked to her once more. He had heard that name before... Kaelin... he had not met that one yet. "And where shall I find this Kaelin if I am to request his aid?" The mage winced though, knowing that comment was not just a request but a barbed reminder.
With a sigh he bowed once more, "I will inform you as I can. Barring this does not require a trek into barren lands and crystal citadels once more, I will be nearby." I wonder who among our kin has been reborn... From what I've seen, we are young yet. Rising stars still. Speaking to Water, one of the elements, will be helpful. Glyph murmured. Had any as of yet regained their godhood? Or were they still ghosts of themselves? He had not yet had a chance to explore in the chaos that was the world right now.
Malh'reth nodded absently and tucked that information away. He knew nothing of the power plays between domains... knew only that Harmodius was their king and the Dragon Kings a step below. How the other gods linked together he couldn't guess.
Approaching Phaedra's throne once more, he moved to take her hand and kiss her slender fingers before bidding adieu. "I am glad to see you again, Phaedra. I have made my report and will go see to stirring the hearts of my fellows now. I shall be back." Sosiqui "I last saw him in the ruins of Koiso, a city a few days from here, though that was many months ago, when I was still... as your Glyph is now." She frowned, slightly. She might have been able to find him with her Sight when upon the Throne, but that power was long since gone. "It may be a start."
Phaedra smiled at him and let him take her hand and kiss it - as he did so, she moved her hand so his lips met her palm, then raised her fingers to scritch him lightly under his chin. "Making love before the Chrysalis might still be a viable idea, you know," she added, with a purr. "If the opportunity allows."
Might as well show the god, obliquely, what a hold she had on him. SkieBorne "Koiso? Alright." Malh'reth nodded though he wondered at the wisdom of setting out for a few days. They had only thought Baadris would be a few days... and it had turned into weeks. The disorientation upon returning had not helped either. At her moment, he blinked but a slow, interested smile blossomed on his features. "Indeed it may well be, m'Lady. It would be worth a try, I agree." Kissing her finger tips, he smiled brightly, memories of their past trysts flitting through his mind. It was most definitely worth a try.
Nodding his head, the Aurion stepped back, "I will be back soon, then, Phaedra. It was a pleasure to see you again." Turning, he strode out of the room.....I know you have coupled with Greed before, but could you please not do so while you still carry me? I'm not interested in playing voyeur, thank-you. Glyph spoke up as they exited, sounding mildly annoyed, I am well aware of your devotion... and the hold she has over you, but do keep in mind you are not alone anymore."She has a valid point, Glyph. It would be selfish to deny that chance - you have eternity before you and can make that difference.... You would begrudge me the opportunity to help, though I will not deny I enjoy the thought? Phaedra is a fine woman, surely you appreciate her charms and intellect as well?" It seemed this was a touchy subject for the mage as he narrowed his eyes in a frown.I am not so caught up in her as you. She is beautiful but all that glitters in not always gold, Aurion. Be aware."And what if it is? Is there anything wrong with that? She spoke to me of it, not me to her."
Glyph sighed and withdrew. Phaedra had this poor man wound around so very tightly around her finger... and all for what? He leafed through the mage's memories as one does when looking for something particular and paused at the memory of her promising protection. He frowned, protection hn? That was so very important to the mage? Why?
Quiet now, the god subtly started to investigate the entirety of his host. While he knew that the mage held within him character traits he admired, he did not know the whole of Malh'reth's history. Perhaps it was time to learn.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:04 pm
Phaedra and Jin Huang: Dragons and DemonsSosiqui Dealing with Malh'reth - and his unwelcome guest - had been one thing. Pleasurable, easy to handle; the god had provided no challenge at all, a soft and yielding thing. A nice warm-up to the real challenge.
Demons.
They would not be easy, Phaedra knew. While most of them weren't wholly opposed to all gods as a rule - their Pantheon was hardly entirely holy, after all - they weren't going to be friendly pushovers, either. Still, as Greed, she at least had a chance, but she wasn't going to charge into the fray without being prepared. And I remember your contacts in the Underworld, Futs Lung.
Jin Huang was turning out to be quite the useful ally.
She had a good idea of how to find him, too. The goddess padded into the Throne Hall and set herself up next to one of the dragon statues, idly tracing one claw along the scales in a loop. They really were beautifully crafted, and as yet untouched by the ravages of Gehenna. The chrysalis still lay silent within its chains, the Manacles still holding even now... but they did not have forever.
And she knew he checked.
Phaedra waited. Ithiltari They had left the house again, leaving the squabbling and distrustful demons to their own devices, something that did not sit well with what remained of the once loyal clan. But that problem was one Jin Huang continued to set aside until such time that he could properly deal with them. And so they came, dragon and host, as they had come yesterday and the day before, and as they would come tomorrow and the day after. It seemed rather pointless to Delmin, but he had long since tired of that argument, slipping easily into the background of his own mind while Jin Huang took control. It worried the dragon, when he could spare a thought for it, that his host had grown so much more withdrawn. He would say something to him, perhaps, but such social subtleties were not yet within his grasp. Dealing with others had never really been his strong point, preferring to keep all but his siblings at arm's length. Even Phaedra? Delmin asked suddenly, sounding amused and the question teasing, something he had not done in quite some time. "Especially her," Jin Huang said, sounding quite fervent about the matter as they entered the Throne Room, heading straight for the Chrysalis without much of a glance spared for their surroundings. Oh, she was pleasant enough company, to be sure, and they had a certain commonality of view that helped, but he was ever aware of who and what she was, and as such he would never quite trust her. Sosiqui "Especially who?" Phaedra was suddenly at his elbow, smiling her charming smile, ears perked up for all the world like a cute and friendly kitten, even as she reached out one hand to rest on his shoulder. A kitten with claws, and hers pricked lightly at his skin. Ithiltari A slight jolt ran through his body at the sound of Phaedra's voice, and Jin Huang mentally cursed himself. For one, he hadn't been paying enough attention to his surroundings, and that was even more dangerous now than ever. Mostly, however, he was annoyed that the jump would be clearly visible to her eyes and that betraying such emotion likely fell right into the other's plan. "Who do you think?" he replied dryly, eying her warily. Oh yes, she looked harmless. But the p***k of the claws served as a reminder of just who he was dealing with. After a moment, he waved a hand at the Chrysalis and sighed lightly. "They hold, for now."Sosiqui "I wonder," Phaedra said, impishly, then turned her gaze up to the Chrysalis, still sitting silently in its chains. "For now," she agreed, "but how much longer? Have you seen the prophecy your brothers brought back?" She waved one hand back at the noticeboard. "It seems there is a way to survive, provided we can puzzle it out in time." Ithiltari No reply save for a small frown crossed Jin Huang's face, but it was fleeting and his expression quickly sobered. "They will hold as long as they can," he said, sounding somewhat helpless. If he had not died that second death, been rebound to gem and forced to another host, would there have been more he could have done to prevent this? Had his failure and the expenditure of his Lord's strength that had been required to keep the dragon from disappearing been more than Harmodius could spare? "Prophecy?" he echoed, drawing his thoughts away from the less than productive circle he'd been headed into. "No, but it is always a puzzle. Never a clearly stated solution or answer," Jin Huang replied, a slight hint of frustration bubbling upwards. Sosiqui "It seems your brothers have been busy. They brought back a prophecy of sorts, foretold by some relic. The noteboard may be a messy-looking thing, but it seems to be useful." Phaedra padded over to the noteboard, removed the paper bearing the words of the fate-stone, and brought it back to Jin Huang. "It's all right here. Shame the detail isn't filled in, but it seems viable." She dangled it in front of him. Ithiltari "I suppose," Jin Huang replied noncommittally, refusing to follow after Phaedra as she went to retrieve the note in question while wondering why he hadn't looked at it previously. Before he could work through that particular problem, Phaedra had returned, note in hand. With restraint, the dragon managed to avoid snatching the paper out right, but he had it in hand soon enough. His eyes scanned over it quickly, curious as to what the others mentioned had been doing. His thoughts were fully interrupted by the last line, and his breath caught in his throat. "What remains to be done, then?" he asked, flicking his gaze back towards the other. "I assume the lotus part has been accomplished," Jin Huang continued dryly, making a motion with his head to indicate the scattered flowers and petals that still littered the floor. Sosiqui "So it seems." Phaedra looked down and poked at a lotus with one foot. "Pretty things, I must admit. Tasteful. I have charmed some mortals here, but there are so few of them... and, my dear dragon, it occurred to me that there is one potential source that hasn't yet been tapped, probably because nobody's thought of it. Or maybe they're afraid." A smile played at her lips for a moment before she leaned in and breathed the word in his ear.
"Demons."
She rocked back on her heels, her smile fanged. "And I thought, who better to come to when it comes to such matters than you? Oh, I suppose Underworld might have done, but he's such a stuffy thing," she added, waving one hand in a dismissive gesture. Ithiltari Jin Huang made a small noncommittal noise in response. He was uninformed and largely unconcerned as to the reason why the things were scattered everywhere, and tended to keep the Manacles clean of them. He would not, however, discount the hopes and faith that had been bound to each offering, something the dragon could practically feel, a ghostly presence that struck a chord within him. His thoughts were quickly scattered at Phaedra's whispered word and he stared at her for a moment before shaking his head slightly. "Demons? That is unexpected, since most are not given to placing their faith in gods of any sort." He eyed her levelly at the last part. "And what is it you wish my advice on?"Sosiqui "I have spoken with Berith, a Grand Duke among demons. He offered me respect, of a kind; I've done so very much to damn mortals to his tender care, after all." Phaedra giggled. "But wringing actual belief from them, now... that's the challenge. He agreed to gather those he is allied with and deal with me. Even if they've no great love for some of the divine, our Pantheon is hardly 'holy' all around." Self obviously included. "I remember your contacts in the underworlds, and your own demon allies. What would you recommend as the best way to deal with such things? I'd rather not end up a tasty demon-snack." Ithiltari "Respect," came his reply on the heels of her question. "It might grate to offer even a slight amount of deference, but it plays to their sense of self-importance that they can command such things from a god." Jin Huang let a rueful smile briefly appear on his face; the details of his own demonic associations were fuzzy, if not outright missing, but it was easy enough to fill in the blanks regarding proper behavior and what was expected of him. "Obviously you have something of an edge when it comes to dealing with them, since they already accord you a measure of esteem." He paused, marshaling his thoughts. "While there are many variations and types, they all tend to have an inflated view of their own worth. More importantly, demons are possessed of a healthy sense of self-preservation." It would, hopefully, be easy enough for Phaedra to manipulate both traits. Sosiqui "Self-preservation, indeed. Nobody wants to die, not now. Those who wanted to end themselves have long since done it." A fanged smile played across Phaedra's lips. "Except for that Grigori b***h." Why couldn't she have just suicided and called it good? Selfish creature. "Never fear, I can play upon those desires, those needs... they will all die as well if the Crown is not balanced, after all. Can we pry worship true enough for our needs from that base desire? I wonder." Ithiltari "True and fervent worship? Unlikely," the dragon said, shaking his head. "But enough for our purposes? You may be able to wring such from them." Jin Huang eyed Phaedra speculatively. She would, perhaps, have an easier time converting the demons to worship of her, but that was hardly useful as everything staggered towards the End. Sosiqui "Faith for just long enough... hmm." Phaedra rocked back on her heels again. "That would be in my purview, wouldn't it? Everything you want for just long enough. And have you any connections in this modern age, my dear dragon? Any helpful ambassadors, any skilled speakers?" Ithiltari "I think you'd do quite well with that angle," Jin Huang replied dryly, looking amused. Her next question rendered him blank faced, however. "It seems they all died. Victims of the various ills that plagued us all, in weeks prior. I have only a handful left from those who called me Lord and Master in the past." Sosiqui "Oh." Phaedra actually looked contrite for a moment. "I am... sorry to hear that." I could find some new ones for you, she thought, but did not say - one of the few courtesies that Jin Huang had earned from her. "Still, if creatures of that nature are as vulnerable to such things as any other... that is also useful coin. They will have no special protection from whatever follows." She glanced pensively up towards the Chrysalis. Ithiltari Jin Huang made a stiff gesture with one hand, declining further comment on that matter. It was strange, how much the thought of those dead pained him. They were not the demons he'd known before the Fading, but they were the descendants of those and they had kept the faith, as it were through the long years of his absence. But he would have, perhaps, enjoyed getting to know them as he had known their ancestors. Be maudlin later, Delmin interrupted. I'd say you've got all the time in the world to do it, but that's not entirely true."Oh, they are." He sighed. "None of us have any protection, if the End truly comes."Sosiqui "Now if only they will listen, and not drown in nihilism like those Grigori." Phaedra's lip curled in a feline snarl for a moment. Oh, she would take chunks out of their miserable hides for what they had done, whenever she had a chance to do so.
But first things first. "Thank you for that, at least." A measure of how off-balance she really was under her poise, to thank someone - even Jin Huang. "How fare the Manacles?" Ithiltari Jin Huang arched an eyebrow at her. "As I said, self-preservation." He withheld comment on the Grigori; having no direct experience with them and only vague tales as to who and what they were, the dragon had little desire to elaborate on his ignorance. "You're welcome," he murmured softly, keeping his gaze firmly locked onto the chained Chrysalis. "They hold. I cannot tell if the slight wear I perceive is reality, or simply the product of my fears."Sosiqui "May they keep holding... long enough." Her hands shook for a moment; was she now imagining cracks, imperfections? She rubbed at her eye with one hand. "If the others waste the fruit of our efforts, I will be most unhappy." The violence of her lashing tail belied the apparent deadly calm in her voice. Ithiltari "May we all live long enough for them to suffer your unhappiness," Jin Huang offered, a slight grin apparent. "But you have given me something to think about, and I should return to my home to properly act upon it." He turned to face Phaedra, and bowed to her, not deeply, but not that shallow either. "Farewell....and good luck," he said, striding back out of the Throne Room and the Pantheon. What? What are you doing, we're not going to look at the Manacles? Delmin asked, not having followed the dragon's thoughts precisely. The demons, Delmin. We may very well have done us all a great disservice by fleeing them thusly. And I would correct that before it is too late.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:05 pm
Solo: Summoning
Time was running out. It both irritated and pleased Phaedra; on one hand, having time to lay plans thoroughly could be vital - but on the other hand, some of her most well-executed schemes had been the fruit of swift thinking and impulsive moves. But the stakes had never been so high before.
And may they never be again, the goddess thought, grimly, as Avita brushed her hair. They could wait no longer. The devouring of the stars was an unmistakable sign - the Manacles were beginning to fail. But it was a sign not only to the gods, but to the demons as well. They, too, would have to see the bone-deep wrongness in such an occurrence. What had come to pass before now was tribulation and trial, and the collapse of their Hells into the mortal planes an event that may not have been entirely unwelcome to some... but even the denizens of the darkest pits knew what the emptiness above them signified.
Phaedra knew, too, and shuddered. Avita stopped brushing. "Imperatrix...?"
"It is nothing." The goddess turned to examine herself in the mirror. Yes, that would do. "The jeweled sticks, I think."
Avita retrieved the piece in question, a set of mahogany hair-sticks with clusters of delicately faceted semiprecious stones as decoration. The Aoide swept Phaedra's hair up into a bun, leaving only a bit down to frame her face. "Like so?"
"Indeed." Phaedra stood up and examined herself critically. Still beautiful, of course - and ornamented, with the hair-sticks and a necklace from Forest's treasures, as well as the bracelet from Jin Huang's ancient hoard. She had chosen a basic black dress, itself unadorned, but it clung to her curves and set off her plumage quite nicely. "I believe this will be sufficient. What do you think, Avita? They are your kin, after all."
Avita winced a bit at Phaedra's inflection on that last statement; the goddess had wielded it like a blade. "Lovely as always, Imperatrix."
"And you are vague, as seems to be the case lately." Phaedra frowned slightly. "But lovely will have to do. I only hope your Grand Duke has had time to call his allies."
"I'm sure he has," Avita said, cowed; her ears were pinned back. "I have prepared the summoning rite, Imperatrix. Where shall we go to call them?"
"Not in here, certainly. Perhaps... yes, outside in the gardens. The lava may make them feel at home, while still presenting the unyielding visage of the Pantheon and the emptiness above." More messages unspoken; they would be expecting her calculations, her implications. That was usually not the case.
Another challenge.
Avita bowed. "If you are ready, Imperatrix, I will bring down the implements and begin the rite."
"I am indeed." She looked at herself in the mirror again. The hairstyle was rather fetching, really. "Let us descend."
Avita had a bag that clinked as she moved; Phaedra ignored it as she strode purposefully through the Pantheon. The lower floor was quite busy now, but she moved smoothly through those gathered there, and those who didn't get out of her way were shoved aside. A delicious tumult, one that Phaedra would dearly love to entertain herself with - but there were other games to play now.
As expected, the mortals outside stayed well clear of the lava pools; no small number of them were looking worriedly up at the empty firmament. "We'll go to the side," Phaedra directed, lifting her skirt to hop over a thin river of lava. "There's an open area, there."
The clearing was nearly surrounded by lava pools; goddess and Aoide had to hold their breaths and balance quite carefully to get over the one slim spit of land that saved the clearing from being an island. Avita let out a long sigh of relief once they were safely on the other side, then put her bag down on the ground. "I will begin the rite at once, Imperatrix."
"Do so," Phaedra confirmed, then turned to survey the area with a slight frown. It would do, but she would be quite vulnerable if things became violent. Still, the appearance mattered - not only the appearance of the meeting point, but her own implied confidence. Berith, at least, would read that. I am not afraid of you, I come not as a frightened subservient but as an equal, if not superior. Oh, she was superior, but as Jin Huang had said, pandering to their pride would not be a bad thing. Whatever it took.
Avita, meanwhile, had set up her implements around the clearing - metal candlesticks and braziers, set in a precise pattern. Phaedra watched as the Aoide lit a long, tapered candle and then lit the candles and braziers, skipping around the circle to set flame to wick in a certain order. When it was done, Avita turned to her and nodded, holding out the taper. "It is ready. Speak the names of those you wish to summon - for this case, 'Grand Duke Berith and those allied to him by right of treaty and of blood' - and then blow out the candle with a single breath."
"And I can trust you?" Phaedra gave the Aoide a narrow look.
Avita quailed. "Imperatrix!"
"Hmph." She smirked. The Aoide was no traitor, just... secretive. Phaedra lifted the candle to her lips. "Well, then. I call upon Grand Duke Berith and those allied to him by right of treaty and of blood." She glanced over at Avita and gave her a predatory smile, then drew in a breath.
Poof.
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