Nuxaz
There had been a point in the newly promoted general’s life, where reaching General had been something of a goal. Where he’d put all of his effort and energy into strengthening himself, bettering himself to better serve his faction, but now all his black and white lines had blurred to gray and he was skipping back and forth over the line of sanity.
The rush of chaos coursing through his veins used to be something of a comfort, but now it made him jittery. Gave him the feeling of something crawling beneath his skin, waiting until it could burst free and rip him apart. He supposed that it had already done that, torn him apart and put him back together, because chaos had a tendency to seep into your bones, taint your thoughts.
And for so long he was okay with that. Chase had never been a good guy, so what was wrong with accepting the darkness that came with the mantle of the soldier Labyrinthite?
He’d never questioned his orders, or the bloodlust that came with ranking up, until recently. Until the last year, when magic ripped at his soul and tried to wipe the darkness from an unwilling participant. He’d replayed that night over and over in his head, dreamt about it endlessly until dreams were replaced with nightmarish memories of a future that may not exist.
Every now and then, he could feel the weight of darkness that’d settled deep in his bone, that rested in his heart. He could recall the power that coursed through him and how it’d made him feel invincible and from what he could remember he was nigh invincible. But he could also remember the pleasure that shuddered through him when he killed, when he took lives left and right. When he made himself known as the Reaper King. When he’d become death personified.
Felt the power and joy that jolted through him when he murdered children.
It made him queasy, left him off kilter.
And now he was left with a decision he wasn’t sure he was ready to face. Was he willing to become the monster in his future?
Laurelite had made it very clear that the Negaverse had a purpose for him, a plan. The General-Queen warned him that they had not forgiven or forgotten his misgivings though they’d yet to punish him. She’d reminded him of the fact that senshi had stripped him of much. Taken his father and left his mother sick. How the senshi had infected his brethren, turned them against each other.
And that’s how he’d come to sit upon the ledge of a build, legs dangling over the side with his new cloak wrapped around him and his hood pulled over his hair.
The rush of chaos coursing through his veins used to be something of a comfort, but now it made him jittery. Gave him the feeling of something crawling beneath his skin, waiting until it could burst free and rip him apart. He supposed that it had already done that, torn him apart and put him back together, because chaos had a tendency to seep into your bones, taint your thoughts.
And for so long he was okay with that. Chase had never been a good guy, so what was wrong with accepting the darkness that came with the mantle of the soldier Labyrinthite?
He’d never questioned his orders, or the bloodlust that came with ranking up, until recently. Until the last year, when magic ripped at his soul and tried to wipe the darkness from an unwilling participant. He’d replayed that night over and over in his head, dreamt about it endlessly until dreams were replaced with nightmarish memories of a future that may not exist.
Every now and then, he could feel the weight of darkness that’d settled deep in his bone, that rested in his heart. He could recall the power that coursed through him and how it’d made him feel invincible and from what he could remember he was nigh invincible. But he could also remember the pleasure that shuddered through him when he killed, when he took lives left and right. When he made himself known as the Reaper King. When he’d become death personified.
Felt the power and joy that jolted through him when he murdered children.
It made him queasy, left him off kilter.
And now he was left with a decision he wasn’t sure he was ready to face. Was he willing to become the monster in his future?
Laurelite had made it very clear that the Negaverse had a purpose for him, a plan. The General-Queen warned him that they had not forgiven or forgotten his misgivings though they’d yet to punish him. She’d reminded him of the fact that senshi had stripped him of much. Taken his father and left his mother sick. How the senshi had infected his brethren, turned them against each other.
And that’s how he’d come to sit upon the ledge of a build, legs dangling over the side with his new cloak wrapped around him and his hood pulled over his hair.
There was someone strong out tonight.
It was easy enough to sense. She was on her way to meet up with Irene for a short patrol when she felt the aura looming over the nearby commercial building. Her intentions were to investigate, but not to initiate anything. The eternal senshi stood on a different building, opposite of this cloaked figure. She said nothing as she watched, wind blowing the cloak about slightly over the figure’s form. Her golden gaze couldn’t make out what was beneath the cloak.
Even just standing there was a risk at this point. This power level was that of a General, a seasoned veteran of the war that consumed the city. The general could feel her rainbow-touched aura just as she could feel the sickening chaotic energy tickling her senses. She could have called out to get his attention, try to see if she knew this figure, but that would have been risky in itself.
So instead she continued to gaze in silence at the cloak that seemed to mimic the shadows.
Nuxaz
He would be more of a liar if he didn’t admit that powering up and sitting, waiting, for someone to notice his new status was part of his reasoning for going out tonight. Besides, it was easier to seek out someone who had a powered form when you were powered too. So when a strong order-aligned aura flickered and flared near him he found himself grinning.
His head jerked up, tilted back so he could scan his surroundings for the eternal senshi lurking in the shadows. At first, he’d thought that perhaps Hvergelmir had found him, because he’d had contact with the knight when he first spiraled down towards insanity. And he was considering reaching out to her now. He knew of her silver tongue, but he also knew that she had proper connections and would share information willingly.
Which meant that he could learn things that could help him sort the gray back into black or white.
But it wasn’t the sweet taste of a knight’s aura, instead it was the cavity inducing sweetness of a senshi’s aura. One that he swore had a hint of sourness to it. It felt familiar, like he knew it’s owner. And he did, even if the familiarity was something he imagined.
“Just going to stand there and stare are you?” He called out, still grinning, but his voice was hoarse, scratchy. An aftereffect of screaming in the middle of the nightmare, of screaming when chaos tore into him and remade him once again. “Don’t worry, I don’t bite hard,” he said.
His head jerked up, tilted back so he could scan his surroundings for the eternal senshi lurking in the shadows. At first, he’d thought that perhaps Hvergelmir had found him, because he’d had contact with the knight when he first spiraled down towards insanity. And he was considering reaching out to her now. He knew of her silver tongue, but he also knew that she had proper connections and would share information willingly.
Which meant that he could learn things that could help him sort the gray back into black or white.
But it wasn’t the sweet taste of a knight’s aura, instead it was the cavity inducing sweetness of a senshi’s aura. One that he swore had a hint of sourness to it. It felt familiar, like he knew it’s owner. And he did, even if the familiarity was something he imagined.
“Just going to stand there and stare are you?” He called out, still grinning, but his voice was hoarse, scratchy. An aftereffect of screaming in the middle of the nightmare, of screaming when chaos tore into him and remade him once again. “Don’t worry, I don’t bite hard,” he said.
With the extra rasp to the voice, it had distorted the voice to the point of unfamiliar. However, the familiarity that came with this tone was a puzzle from this distance. The man’s face was still obscured by the hood of his shadowy cloak, preventing her from outright identifying who was taunting her. Iris didn’t shift, she didn’t budge, and rather promptly flipped a middle finger at the unknown General.
Still holding up the offensive finger, she replied “You try t’bite me, I will knock yer f*ckin’ teeth out!”
Clearly she was unamused.
Nuxaz
"Come on love," he replied, grin twisting up further, filling his face sharp, white, pointed. "Where's the fun in that?" He asked tilting his head back far enough to laugh. The hood slipped, sliding back on his hair so that the barest hints of pink slipped out. He couldn't see his rooftop companion clear enough to be certain, but her voice was familiar and the vulgarity in her words gave him clue enough.
"But you've always liked playing rough haven't you Princess?" He cooed, leaning forward until his elbows rested on his knees. "Tell me, why so violent?" He laughed again, twining his fingers together, ran his over each other as he spoke.
"I must admit, I'm surprised you haven't come over here to try and kick my a** already," he mused, cocking his head slightly. The hood slipped further back and his face wasn't so hidden any longer. "Or do you not recognize me Princess?"
"But you've always liked playing rough haven't you Princess?" He cooed, leaning forward until his elbows rested on his knees. "Tell me, why so violent?" He laughed again, twining his fingers together, ran his over each other as he spoke.
"I must admit, I'm surprised you haven't come over here to try and kick my a** already," he mused, cocking his head slightly. The hood slipped further back and his face wasn't so hidden any longer. "Or do you not recognize me Princess?"
This conversation was already causing her face to scowl quite a bit. Pet names were not her thing, especially ones that were typically reserved for specifically girls. However, the clues were all compiling up quickly. The sound of the laugh, the briefest glimpse of pink amongst the newly revealed dark locks of hair, and the blatant use of ”Princess” made it evident who she was dealing with.
“General Labyrinthite…” she practically growled the title as she remained in place. Showing up to a patrol with sudden bruises or bloody noses was probably not the best way to start off an evening. It would lead to a lecture about retroactively not following rules and scolding from a girl younger than herself.
It wasn’t worth it.
With an evident grumble, she finally put down her offensive finger, but merely so she could gesture loosely in his direction. “...so when th’hell did… this... all happen?” Her lip curled in a disgusted manner, her distaste with the situation not even masked.
Nuxaz
He laughed again and it was light, clear, almost bubbly unlike the darker laughs he was prone to when she spat his name. "Now, now Princess Iris," he said, feigning hurt, "why must you be so hostile?" He reached up and tugged his hood back until it rested against the nape of his neck, then resumed his previous position.
"I am so glad you asked," he admitted, "earlier this evening." He smiled sweetly at her in a manner that was obviously fake, forced. "Had a lovely visit from one of the General-Queens." The sentence strained, forced, obviously sarcastic. "She wanted to remind me what the Negaverse has given me. Didn't seem to like that I'd been talking pleasantly with the order aligned," he shrugged, leaned back and pulled his hands apart so he could rest his weight on them. Palms pressed flat against the concrete roofing.
"Wanted to remind me of my place," he continued tilting his head to look up at the stars. "Wanted to remind me of my transgressions against fellow members of chaos, to remind me of the mission and the part I play." He sighed, dramatic and long. "Very kind of her don't you think?"
Even he couldn't pretend that his words weren't as hollow as they sounded
"I am so glad you asked," he admitted, "earlier this evening." He smiled sweetly at her in a manner that was obviously fake, forced. "Had a lovely visit from one of the General-Queens." The sentence strained, forced, obviously sarcastic. "She wanted to remind me what the Negaverse has given me. Didn't seem to like that I'd been talking pleasantly with the order aligned," he shrugged, leaned back and pulled his hands apart so he could rest his weight on them. Palms pressed flat against the concrete roofing.
"Wanted to remind me of my place," he continued tilting his head to look up at the stars. "Wanted to remind me of my transgressions against fellow members of chaos, to remind me of the mission and the part I play." He sighed, dramatic and long. "Very kind of her don't you think?"
Even he couldn't pretend that his words weren't as hollow as they sounded
Where as Labyrinthite took to using sarcasm as his weapon, Iris listened at first to his words before outright saying what was on her mind.
“...well that sounds like a load of horse sh*t…” Rather suddenly a burst of wind blew past from behind, supplying a rather dramatic whipping breeze which her hair seemed to dance upon. Crossing her arms against her chest, she shook her head in further disgust.
“She’s treatin’ you like a dog… or worse… maybe more like dog sh*t…” Her sympathy wasn’t exactly very bountiful, especially for this individual, but this wasn’t about sympathy at this point. It was more about pointing out lies versus truth.
“...Seriously… why th’f*ck do you stay?” There was a moment of pause before she clarified “...I mean, besides the fact that those dipsh*ts would probably go after whatever ya value in yer private life. That part’s just obvious blackmail…” She would have needed to be extremely ignorant at this point to not realize that a good chunk of the Negaverse stayed out of the fear of what if.
Nuxaz
"As the General-Queen was so kind to remind me, everything given can be taken away," he replied rolling his shoulders back in another shrug. "I had begun to consider my options. The knight, Hvergelmir, has been terribly kind despite our history. Or should I say our future?" He shook his head, tone a mixture of disgust and amusement. Defense mechanisms, all of his actions, his tone, his words.
"Far too lovely to someone who cut up her pretty face and took away her tongue." He talked too sweetly for describing events like that, but Labyrinthite had long lost his filters.
"The General-Queen gifted me with more power in an attempt to sway me towards that future once again," he said thoughtfully. "Or with the desire to pull me back deep into their clutches. It does a funny thing to a person I think," he admitted opting to pick himself up and stand. He wanted to be level with Iris, or as close as he could get with rooftops and distance.
"Have you ever felt it? Felt it try and seep into you and infect your entire being? When you rank up, do you feel like you're being remade?" His brows scrunched together and his lips pressed into a thin line. "Has anyone told you what it's like?"
"Far too lovely to someone who cut up her pretty face and took away her tongue." He talked too sweetly for describing events like that, but Labyrinthite had long lost his filters.
"The General-Queen gifted me with more power in an attempt to sway me towards that future once again," he said thoughtfully. "Or with the desire to pull me back deep into their clutches. It does a funny thing to a person I think," he admitted opting to pick himself up and stand. He wanted to be level with Iris, or as close as he could get with rooftops and distance.
"Have you ever felt it? Felt it try and seep into you and infect your entire being? When you rank up, do you feel like you're being remade?" His brows scrunched together and his lips pressed into a thin line. "Has anyone told you what it's like?"
“...they can take everythin’ away from ya… doesn’t matter who ya talk to or what side yer on…” Though the name Hvergelmir was familiar, the particular topic mention of her seemed foreign. The talk of the future still seemed to baffle the present-minded Iris. She considered the Knight of the Cosmos in silence, recalling how she tended to get her heart absolutely invested in any notion of purification. Iris wished she could be that optimistic, though it was hard to be so optimistic when she had encountered snag after snag over such a process.
Her eyes narrowed briefly, her brows lowering down in a stern manner, but after a moment of silence, her brows seemed to grow more gentle, as did her gaze.
“Hvergelmir is made of nothing but kindness,” she stated in a tone the General would have been familiar with. The one she tended to use most when donning a particular yellow dress.
In a plain tone that seemed knowledgeable, she explained “Chaos is much like a disease. It consumes all it can come across, destroying all that comes across its path. Some build up defenses, antibodies, whatever you would like to call it. However, if left unchecked, it will absolutely destroy you.” Her arms unfolded and remained by her side as she seemed to gaze far more gently upon the man upon the other building.
Nuxaz
“I have little left to lose,” he admitted, a heavy sigh slipping from his lips. His body sagged slightly, defeatedly. And he did, just his life and the life of his mother. He didn’t care about his father’s family and Lara’s had cast them aside when she’d gone against their wishes and married such an older man. He didn’t have a romantic partner, because he was terrible at romance and everyone always left him anyway.
Anyone that he would have called friend was missing, or turned coattail. That and he didn’t think in the terms of friends or lovers, but allies and soldiers. People compatiable for team missions, who could follow orders and who couldn’t. People he could trust to watch his back and those whose insubordination was clearer than the sky after a rainstorm.
“She is, far too kind to the undeserving,” he agreed, a flicker of conflict, sorrow, dancing across his face. “And I am most undeserving.” He’d long since accepted that. He had blood on his hands and while he was now a conflicted individual, he knew that he did not regret the lives he’d taken. It had been a form of power, a rush of adrenaline, that stuck with him. That he’d enjoyed too fiercely to regret.
“But you already knew that, don’t you Princess?” He barked out a bitter laugh, raked his hands through his hair and left them there, pink and black strands tangled around his fingers. “Perhaps I deserve to be destroyed.” He snorted at himself even as he spoke. “I was honestly, in the moment, surprised that she promoted me,” he admitted, voice dropping in volume. “I thought that, perhaps, given my failures and my transgressions that she would reduce me to nothing more than a mindless slave.” Youma. “Because what good is a soldier who does not follow orders?”
Anyone that he would have called friend was missing, or turned coattail. That and he didn’t think in the terms of friends or lovers, but allies and soldiers. People compatiable for team missions, who could follow orders and who couldn’t. People he could trust to watch his back and those whose insubordination was clearer than the sky after a rainstorm.
“She is, far too kind to the undeserving,” he agreed, a flicker of conflict, sorrow, dancing across his face. “And I am most undeserving.” He’d long since accepted that. He had blood on his hands and while he was now a conflicted individual, he knew that he did not regret the lives he’d taken. It had been a form of power, a rush of adrenaline, that stuck with him. That he’d enjoyed too fiercely to regret.
“But you already knew that, don’t you Princess?” He barked out a bitter laugh, raked his hands through his hair and left them there, pink and black strands tangled around his fingers. “Perhaps I deserve to be destroyed.” He snorted at himself even as he spoke. “I was honestly, in the moment, surprised that she promoted me,” he admitted, voice dropping in volume. “I thought that, perhaps, given my failures and my transgressions that she would reduce me to nothing more than a mindless slave.” Youma. “Because what good is a soldier who does not follow orders?”
Where as the young man seemed to fuss about in an agitated manner, the young lady remained calmly in place, considering his words. It was clear he was conflicted, and though she seemed absolutely unshaken by what he explained and grieved over, there was conflict within the girl too.
Pity. Was it something that the likes of Labyrinthite deserved? The strong, fierce warrior within the senshi screamed that the General’s actions were unforgivable. However, the fair princess retorted that his suffering was indeed enough of a punishment for his crimes. The arguments were circular, seeming to come to no solid agreement about Labyrinthite.
Tilting her head, she dared to step forward, both of her feet upon the edge of the building, almost taunting the man upon the other side. There was something serene about how she carried herself, and her voice was unsettlingly calm for the tomboy.
“It sounds like you suffer the opposite problem that Hvergelmir has. She has blind faith in everything, where as you have no faith in anything at all. Tell me, do you value yourself so little that you truly believe that you should no longer exist?”
Nuxaz
Labyrinthite doesn't know what he deserves or what he believes anymore and that's is while problem. He entered the fray thinking it was some sort of game to be won, yet it was more complicated than any he'd played before. It was like playing ladder chess, too many boards and too many pieces with grand masters on either side moving their pieces. Even he, for all his cleverness and wit, struggled to follow the movements. Even he, a game master, struggled to win his game.
"I had a strong faith once, perhaps not blind faith but faith still strong. Then the structures of my salvation began to crumble and I think I've lost myself in its ruins," he sighed before a ripple of recognition surged through him. He stepped forward as Iris had and narrowed his eyes, not in a glare but in speculation. "Why are you talking about this with me Princess?" He asked, unspoken accusations laced behind his words.
"More importantly why are you talking to me like that?"
The Iris he knew was loud, brash, and painfully vulgar but the scout across from him was elegant, kind even, and it was jarring. It unsettled him and the feeling visibly ripped through him, jolting him forward enough that he swayed, off balance on his ledge. "Do you think I'm of any value princess?" His question, soft, barely audible like an afterthought.
"I had a strong faith once, perhaps not blind faith but faith still strong. Then the structures of my salvation began to crumble and I think I've lost myself in its ruins," he sighed before a ripple of recognition surged through him. He stepped forward as Iris had and narrowed his eyes, not in a glare but in speculation. "Why are you talking about this with me Princess?" He asked, unspoken accusations laced behind his words.
"More importantly why are you talking to me like that?"
The Iris he knew was loud, brash, and painfully vulgar but the scout across from him was elegant, kind even, and it was jarring. It unsettled him and the feeling visibly ripped through him, jolting him forward enough that he swayed, off balance on his ledge. "Do you think I'm of any value princess?" His question, soft, barely audible like an afterthought.
“I was under the impression you would rather speak as adults. If you truly desire cursing and pointless insults, just tell me the word and I will go back to such!” There was a hint of a laughter to her tone, something nearly whimsical, but within a moment she had hushed her voice.
The sudden movement and swaying of the General had caught her off guard, and within a moment she had cried out “Iris Rainbow Ribbon!”
Whipping out a balled up fist, a pale ribbon of light bolted out. It might have been unsettling as the one who had the attack flung at them, but rather than directly grab onto him, the pastel colored lights took a wide U-turn and soon enough had latched onto his upper arm from behind.
It was almost as if she was trying to steady him.
She might not have heard his question to her, but as she stood there, helping him stand upon his own two feet, she offered “...it doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks… it is you that needs to think you have value.”
Nuxaz
He didn’t get a chance to respond because suddenly Iris was calling out an attack and his body went rigid, instinctively trying to go on the offensive but given his stupor he couldn't react properly. His body jerked to the right, but the rainbow curved and latched to his arm.
He expected it to get, eat away at the cloth as her rainbows were prone to but it didn't. It just held on to him as though she'd been afraid that he'd fall without support.
"When did you start caring about my wellbeing?" He asked, looking from the rainbow around his arm to the girl who held the other end.
"I prefer the "adult" you in manners such as these," he admitted, soft smile on his lips. "But the witty banter and insults slung back and forth are enjoyable," he snorted a bit, shaking his head as though he'd been recalling a fond memory. "'S not like you is all," he shrugged.
"I suppose I've got some worth. I've got a ledger full of red though and I'm not sure how much redder it'll get before it could even been close to being cleaned," Labyrinthite sighed. He couldn't see any possible future without blood on his hands and he knew it wasn't just because of his nightmares.
He expected it to get, eat away at the cloth as her rainbows were prone to but it didn't. It just held on to him as though she'd been afraid that he'd fall without support.
"When did you start caring about my wellbeing?" He asked, looking from the rainbow around his arm to the girl who held the other end.
"I prefer the "adult" you in manners such as these," he admitted, soft smile on his lips. "But the witty banter and insults slung back and forth are enjoyable," he snorted a bit, shaking his head as though he'd been recalling a fond memory. "'S not like you is all," he shrugged.
"I suppose I've got some worth. I've got a ledger full of red though and I'm not sure how much redder it'll get before it could even been close to being cleaned," Labyrinthite sighed. He couldn't see any possible future without blood on his hands and he knew it wasn't just because of his nightmares.
There was a knowing smile upon Iris’ lips. None would know or possibly understand that perhaps the face she had on right now, the mannerisms she had, were perhaps more true to her being than the more brash face she tended to display.
“We can’t finish the conversation if you slip, fall, and die, now can we?” she answered almost smugly to his inquiry about his wellbeing. Since his step seemed to be steadied now, the blonde placed her hand behind her back and opened up her palm to release the rainbow. Within a moment or two, it vanished, releasing the General from her hold.
“There are plenty in this war that had a ledger full of red. Both within the service of chaos and within the factions of order.” She would have needed to be pretty ignorant to not realize that there were many who were technically allies that had succumbed to that sort of tactic in the name of winning a war. She had taken a single life and that was too much in her opinion. Rather than dwell upon the many lives taken away that caused her blood to boil, she asked the General a question.
“Do you think it is impossible to clean your ledger, or do you still think there is potential for it to come out clean?”
Nuxaz
"I wouldn't die," he declared and the proud soldier he usually was shone through in the way he stood a little taller, prouder. He was certain of his survival capabilities, for he was nothing if not adaptable. "You know better than that," his soft smile twisting into a mild version of his cocky, smug, lopsided grin. "I'm really good at surviving.
It used to be because of his sharp wit and silver tongue. Now it was more because of instinct and training. He was adaptable, quick on his feet and did what he had to do to survive.
"I suppose you have to be, if you live in this city. If you fight in this war." He survived when others did not and he didn't know what that said of him.
"If I'm honest princess, it probably is impossible." He swallowed hard. "I think there will always be a part of me that enjoys the red splatter."
It used to be because of his sharp wit and silver tongue. Now it was more because of instinct and training. He was adaptable, quick on his feet and did what he had to do to survive.
"I suppose you have to be, if you live in this city. If you fight in this war." He survived when others did not and he didn't know what that said of him.
"If I'm honest princess, it probably is impossible." He swallowed hard. "I think there will always be a part of me that enjoys the red splatter."
Her brows knight together in distaste at his answer. Clearly it had not been what she was looking for. Within moments, that seemingly serene woman that stood there was no more, replaced with a rather increasingly upset tomboy. Her face had flushed and soon enough she just shook her head.
“...then I can’t help ya…” was the gruff response.
Rather suddenly, she dropped from the building from her place over the edge. Once upon a time, something similar had happened, and she had nearly not survived. Yet today, she landed solidly on her feet, seemingly unaffected by the drop. Her legs were shaking from the impact against the concrete below, but the new General wouldn’t be able to tell.
I can’t keep Irene waiting any longer… and I need to report this to the team...
With that, she bolted forward, heading for the rendezvous point, leaving the cloaked Labyrinthite alone once more.
Nuxaz
Were he thinking properly, the general would have been more careful with his words, phrases things differently to keep the sailor's attention. It as it were, he spoke too freely and if had her rejecting him. "Princess!" He called after her, leaning forward as she dropped. Desperation lined his voice and he physically reached out to her, grabbing at the air.
He thought to follow her but forced himself to stay where he was. He hadn't missed the change in her language, her tone.
The Iris who had left him was not the princess he'd been speaking with. "Until next time," he mumbled turning his back, cloak fluttering behind him
He thought to follow her but forced himself to stay where he was. He hadn't missed the change in her language, her tone.
The Iris who had left him was not the princess he'd been speaking with. "Until next time," he mumbled turning his back, cloak fluttering behind him
