Side Story The Goddess II: Fate of the Old Gods

"Those who win, rewrite history..." The two older men had decided to tag along on the mission, taking in all they saw. Jakurai held his chin in silent contemplation, but looked to Rei. "I suppose the truth belongs to the unobjective viewer. Do you remember much about the Chosen?"

The conman, keeping his hat and glasses on to keep from being recognized, as well as actually putting on his coat, pursed his lips in thought. "Eh...not much. My eyes were set on a few people in particular on the boss' orders. Thry sure were entertaining, though..."

"I'd ask how someone such as yourself got involved with a fellowship of faiths, but I'm sure I know the answer."

"Are you suggesting that I scammed my way into the Fellowship? I'll have you know the Church of Sheng Long is a legitimate faith."

Jakurai sighed. "I can't say I'm surprised. Though...hm?" He looked away for a second, and Rei was gone. Oh dear...Jakurai decided to quicken his pace to catch up to the others. "In that case, I can investigate The Numbers. The more ground we can cover at once, the better.

@Sark @Takumi @Lucky @Museum

---

As Jakurai and Rei had been talking, the latter noticed the entrance to the Library Tower. That's right...they needed a book too, yeah? In that case he would go slip off and find it himself. Best to fly solo so as not to raise suspicion. When it came to his hustle, he was better off as a lone wolf, anyways.

@Sark @Library​
 
Henry Hart

" Yes, that sounds wonderful. we are both so interested in different things, sweetie. I'll check out the Return."

@Sark @Takumi

"Those who win, rewrite history..." The two older men had decided to tag along on the mission, taking in all they saw. Jakurai held his chin in silent contemplation, but looked to Rei. "I suppose the truth belongs to the unobjective viewer. Do you remember much about the Chosen?"

The conman, keeping his hat and glasses on to keep from being recognized, as well as actually putting on his coat, pursed his lips in thought. "Eh...not much. My eyes were set on a few people in particular on the boss' orders. Thry sure were entertaining, though..."

"I'd ask how someone such as yourself got involved with a fellowship of faiths, but I'm sure I know the answer."

"Are you suggesting that I scammed my way into the Fellowship? I'll have you know the Church of Sheng Long is a legitimate faith."

Jakurai sighed. "I can't say I'm surprised. Though...hm?" He looked away for a second, and Rei was gone. Oh dear...Jakurai decided to quicken his pace to catch up to the others. "In that case, I can investigate The Numbers. The more ground we can cover at once, the better.

@Sark @Takumi @Lucky @Museum

---

As Jakurai and Rei had been talking, the latter noticed the entrance to the Library Tower. That's right...they needed a book too, yeah? In that case he would go slip off and find it himself. Best to fly solo so as not to raise suspicion. When it came to his hustle, he was better off as a lone wolf, anyways.

@Sark @Library​

Alice blinked, then turned her head to fully look at Henry a moment. She was seconds away from making a face as if she was sucking on a lemon. She kept her expression in check, however.

"You have fun with that, but don't get too excited." She replied, not sure what else to say to any of them.

Sweetie? Sweetie? Ugh, she wanted to punch Henry for that. Rolling her eyes, she turned her attention to Jakurai. Giving him a nod, she headed to the Dawn exhibition.

@Sark @Lucky @Yun Lee @Museum
 
Henry Hart

Henry would look over at her and mouth ' I'm sorry' to Alice, knowing that he had laid it on a little thick. " I'll make sure to have fun looking at the display and not get to excited," he replied heading for the Return exhibit.

@Sark @Takumi @Museum
 
Jester Lavorre and Caleb Widogast

" I know what to do," Jester replied in a singsong voice, having the perfect idea. She had a spell for just the occasion too. She would cast Dominate Person on Willow.

Caleb would have to ask Jester when she learned a new spell, but that hardly seemed important.
WIDER CAMP
Jester's attempt to dominate Willow's mind was met with a wave of psychic feedback. This wasn't her first rodeo.

"Sorry, Jess, but I learned from the best!"

Willow reversed the affects of Jester's 'Dominate Person'. Invading Lavorre's mind, Willow send a barrage of flashing images her way. Red Skies. Burning cities. Flaming ships. Even after the psychic assault ended, a migraine and a bleeding nose continued to bother Jester.

"Come on! A telepathic attack? On a prisoner?"
clap

"Gen-"
clap
"-e-"
clap
"-va-"
clap
"Con-"
clap
"-ven-"
clap

"-tion!"
clap
"You guys heard of it? Article 14: Prisoners of war are entitled in all circumstances to respect for their persons and their honor! Come on!"

"..." Valkyrie started to walk off looking for that well with the girl still firmly in her grip.

"Mistress Katara, mayhaps you can point me to the nearest well?" The girl had nothing to offer but empty words. There was nothing more to be said to someone like this. "And a sizeable boulder too." Maybe there was something else that was heavy she could put on instead. It was dthe principal of things after all.
"I'm going to say it!" Willow rolled her eyes. "The moment you put me in that well, you become a war criminal. Geneva Convention. Article 25: The premises provided for the use of prisoners of war individually or collectively, shall be entirely protected from dampness and adequately heated and lighted! Let's be reasonable here. Damn... You guys make An'Lu'Munus look like Jeff..."

"A liberator? Liberator of what, "stolen" technology? Or are you the liberator of...um...getting caught?" Katara said somewhat sarcastically. Sure the sass was bit weak in the end, but she was tired. She was just glad she wasn't as tired as she was running from Azula, or else she might have trouble even staying awake on her feet.
"Liberator of Getting Caught..." Willow winced. "Do you wanna try again? Maybe take a few deep breaths and hit me up with some sass that makes sense? Ah, I'll let it slide..." She sighed. "Thanks for the assist, Kattie. Nice to know that somebody here knows how to treat their prisoners... I'll play nice. Yeah, a liberator of stolen tech about sums it up. I mean, it's more complicated than that, but that toy didn't belong to Eli. Don't worry. We're not about to hand it back over to its original owner, but it's going to be put to good use. Right now, it's in the hands of someone wayyy more responsible, so you can sleep easy."

@Takumi @Yun Lee @Capri @Lucky
"Man, I don't know." Alice huffed. Before glancing to Henry. Everything seemed like propaganda to here. It'd likely been twisted to fit the narrative anyway, and just looking at the list made her head hurt.

"Let's split up, look through a few of the exhibits, then meet back here. I'll check out The Dawn first. Sound good?" She spoke lowly, so only those who came with her could hear.
THE DAWN
At the heart of the dark display, a crystal statue of the Goddess stood, her hands joined at her waist and her head bowed down. A collection of glowing orbs floated around her, spinning and drifting around the Hall. A small screen at the Goddess' feet flickered to life.
[In the beginning, there was chaos... madness... and then...]

An emerald light illuminated the crystal statue. The spinning orbs suddenly ceased their chaotic drifting. They leaped into action and snapped into line. The orbs formed and orderly ring around the Goddess.

[...The Goddess! The Mother Queen brought order to the multiverse' turbulent seas. By her grace, life came to be. Nurtured by her loving hand, humanity came to be. She taught primal men and women. She showed them kindness. She loved them, and they loved her in turn. She cradled civilization, and blessed us with peace and prosperity. But, in time, man grew envious of the Goddess' beauty. They sought to claim her radiance for themselves. They took up arms against the Mother Queen and--]

The audio cut out. The display froze. The figure removed his hand from the console before the display.
View attachment 7129
"Lies." The Priest sighed. "All lies. Even as a member of her Order, I must acknowledge that these... heresies have no place in the Mother-Queen's Temple." He stretched out his hand towards Alice. "The Goddess christened me 'Imperial Father Crimson', though most men simply call me 'Father'. I trust you saw my statue on the way in. Though I struggle to see the resemblance, most days..."
" Yes, that sounds wonderful. we are both so interested in different things, sweetie. I'll check out the Return."
THE RETURN
The 'Return' display orbited large, hologram of Urien, who was dressed just as he had been on the night that the Fellowship fell. Only there was something off about his face... and his voice... and his strange white wig. The actor the Empire had hired to play Urien was acting like his life depended on it. Most people wouldn't have noticed the difference, but to anyone who might have met Urien, his performance was a little too... subtle.
"My name is Urien, and I once led the vile secularists in their war against the Mother Queen! I was a criminal, even on my own world. Cunning, cruel and violent, I more than earned my reputation. My dream was to keep the Goddess locked away. I wanted to keep her light hidden under a bushel. Why? The answer is simple... IT'S BECAUSE I HATE CHILDREN! RAAAAAGGHHHH!!!" The Hologram growled. The gathering of children that had collected at the exhibit's base were scattered in all directions, screaming all the while. "Prior to my capture, I was an expert on the true history of the Mother-Queen. Please! Ask me anything you like about the history of the Goddess and her people, from the end of her first reign until now!"
Jakurai sighed. "I can't say I'm surprised. Though...hm?" He looked away for a second, and Rei was gone. Oh dear...Jakurai decided to quicken his pace to catch up to the others. "In that case, I can investigate The Numbers. The more ground we can cover at once, the better.
THE NUMBERS
"Greetings!" The Hologram hummed. "My name is Seteth of the Secularists. I was the---"

[VVVVZZZZ]

A dark haired woman pressed down upon the console at the hologram's base, rewinding the recorded feed.

"Greetings!" The Hologram hummed. "My name is Seteth of the Secularists. I was the---"

[VVVZZZZ]

"Greetings!" The Hologram hummed. "My name is Seteth of the Secularists. I was the---"

[VVVZZZ]

"Greetings!" The Hologram hummed. "My name is Seteth of the Secularists. I was the Seculairst's--"

[VVVZZZZ]

"Greetings!" The Hologram hummed. "My name is Seteth of the Secularists. I was the---"


@Yun Lee @Takumi @Lucky @Capri
As Jakurai and Rei had been talking, the latter noticed the entrance to the Library Tower. That's right...they needed a book too, yeah? In that case he would go slip off and find it himself. Best to fly solo so as not to raise suspicion. When it came to his hustle, he was better off as a lone wolf, anyways.

@Sark @Library
LIBRARY
The library had been completely transformed since Rei's time. The bookshelves were empty and barren. There they stood, hollow and empty, the bare ribs of a rotten beast. They shelves had been wheeled away into the corners, just as they had been during that fateful celebration all those years ago. But the hall was filled with a different kind of warm glow.

The hall was filled with the glow of a great, burning pyre. A woman made of fire danced upon the tower of books. She ran her hands over her body as if she were bathing in the spoke.
View attachment 7131
"And this one, Madame Librarian?" The Librarian's assistant whimpered, struggling to stay awake.

"What does it contain?"

"It's... it's the Book of Miraha." Mercie hummed, stroking the book's leather-bound face. "It's a collection of--"

"Heresies." The Librarian replied bluntly. "Give it to me."

Mercie obliged. She had learned long ago that resistance was futile. Why object to a woman who couldn't change? With a final caress goodbye, she tossed to text onto the flames. She stepped away from the flames as they raged higher. She had been burned too many times to take such foolish risks. The Librarian ran her fingers through her hair and smiled. She reached out for another book.

Mercie reached out for the Tome of Sothis. Without giving it another second's thought, she cast it onto the fire. Her Goddess was dead. She had a new Goddess now. A living Goddess... one she had forced herself to love years ago...

She picked up another text. Her tired eyes squinted at its cover.

"I don't think... I don't think that this one was part of our original collection..."

"Then it's worthless. Burn it."

Mercie's finger danced across the book's edge. She did her best the fight that familiar temptation. The temptation to peel back its cover and gorge upon the knowledge hidden inside.

"Shen Long..." She whispered to herself. "What in the Goddess' name is a Shen Long...?"

@Yun Lee
 
JEFFREY KOVAL
@Sark


Jeff had decided to investigate further within the Museum, heading towards The Merciful section.

He knew it was all bullshit, but in order to expose their lies, they have to see the way they twist the truth.


???
@Sark @Takumi @Lucky @Jeremi

Before any of them could even begin to get the girl, the golfer stood in between them and her.

JORVDmH.png

"Sorry about the rock, I thought you were just some rando," she said, turning to give the girl a wink.

"But in any case, listening to her talk, I realized something. She's the realest one here! Better than any of you lame-boats."

She readied her golf club.

"In order to get to her, you have to get through me! Millie Coulro!"
 

WIDER CAMP
Jester's attempt to dominate Willow's mind was met with a wave of psychic feedback. This wasn't her first rodeo.

"Sorry, Jess, but I learned from the best!"

Willow reversed the affects of Jester's 'Dominate Person'. Invading Lavorre's mind, Willow send a barrage of flashing images her way. Red Skies. Burning cities. Flaming ships. Even after the psychic assault ended, a migraine and a bleeding nose continued to bother Jester.

"Come on! A telepathic attack? On a prisoner?"
clap

"Gen-"
clap
"-e-"
clap
"-va-"
clap
"Con-"
clap
"-ven-"
clap

"-tion!"
clap
"You guys heard of it? Article 14: Prisoners of war are entitled in all circumstances to respect for their persons and their honor! Come on!"


"I'm going to say it!"
Willow rolled her eyes. "The moment you put me in that well, you become a war criminal. Geneva Convention. Article 25: The premises provided for the use of prisoners of war individually or collectively, shall be entirely protected from dampness and adequately heated and lighted! Let's be reasonable here. Damn... You guys make An'Lu'Munus look like Jeff..."


"Liberator of Getting Caught..."
Willow winced. "Do you wanna try again? Maybe take a few deep breaths and hit me up with some sass that makes sense? Ah, I'll let it slide..." She sighed. "Thanks for the assist, Kattie. Nice to know that somebody here knows how to treat their prisoners... I'll play nice. Yeah, a liberator of stolen tech about sums it up. I mean, it's more complicated than that, but that toy didn't belong to Eli. Don't worry. We're not about to hand it back over to its original owner, but it's going to be put to good use. Right now, it's in the hands of someone wayyy more responsible, so you can sleep easy."

@Takumi @Yun Lee @Capri @Lucky

THE DAWN
At the heart of the dark display, a crystal statue of the Goddess stood, her hands joined at her waist and her head bowed down. A collection of glowing orbs floated around her, spinning and drifting around the Hall. A small screen at the Goddess' feet flickered to life.
[In the beginning, there was chaos... madness... and then...]

An emerald light illuminated the crystal statue. The spinning orbs suddenly ceased their chaotic drifting. They leaped into action and snapped into line. The orbs formed and orderly ring around the Goddess.

[...The Goddess! The Mother Queen brought order to the multiverse' turbulent seas. By her grace, life came to be. Nurtured by her loving hand, humanity came to be. She taught primal men and women. She showed them kindness. She loved them, and they loved her in turn. She cradled civilization, and blessed us with peace and prosperity. But, in time, man grew envious of the Goddess' beauty. They sought to claim her radiance for themselves. They took up arms against the Mother Queen and--]

The audio cut out. The display froze. The figure removed his hand from the console before the display.
View attachment 7129
"Lies." The Priest sighed. "All lies. Even as a member of her Order, I must acknowledge that these... heresies have no place in the Mother-Queen's Temple." He stretched out his hand towards Alice. "The Goddess christened me 'Imperial Father Crimson', though most men simply call me 'Father'. I trust you saw my statue on the way in. Though I struggle to see the resemblance, most days..."

THE RETURN
The 'Return' display orbited large, hologram of Urien, who was dressed just as he had been on the night that the Fellowship fell. Only there was something off about his face... and his voice... and his strange white wig. The actor the Empire had hired to play Urien was acting like his life depended on it. Most people wouldn't have noticed the difference, but to anyone who might have met Urien, his performance was a little too... subtle.
"My name is Urien, and I once led the vile secularists in their war against the Mother Queen! I was a criminal, even on my own world. Cunning, cruel and violent, I more than earned my reputation. My dream was to keep the Goddess locked away. I wanted to keep her light hidden under a bushel. Why? The answer is simple... IT'S BECAUSE I HATE CHILDREN! RAAAAAGGHHHH!!!" The Hologram growled. The gathering of children that had collected at the exhibit's base were scattered in all directions, screaming all the while. "Prior to my capture, I was an expert on the true history of the Mother-Queen. Please! Ask me anything you like about the history of the Goddess and her people, from the end of her first reign until now!"

THE NUMBERS
"Greetings!" The Hologram hummed. "My name is Seteth of the Secularists. I was the---"

[VVVVZZZZ]

A dark haired woman pressed down upon the console at the hologram's base, rewinding the recorded feed.

"Greetings!" The Hologram hummed. "My name is Seteth of the Secularists. I was the---"

[VVVZZZZ]

"Greetings!" The Hologram hummed. "My name is Seteth of the Secularists. I was the---"

[VVVZZZ]

"Greetings!" The Hologram hummed. "My name is Seteth of the Secularists. I was the Seculairst's--"

[VVVZZZZ]

"Greetings!" The Hologram hummed. "My name is Seteth of the Secularists. I was the---"


@Yun Lee @Takumi @Lucky @Capri

LIBRARY
The library had been completely transformed since Rei's time. The bookshelves were empty and barren. There they stood, hollow and empty, the bare ribs of a rotten beast. They shelves had been wheeled away into the corners, just as they had been during that fateful celebration all those years ago. But the hall was filled with a different kind of warm glow.

The hall was filled with the glow of a great, burning pyre. A woman made of fire danced upon the tower of books. She ran her hands over her body as if she were bathing in the spoke.
View attachment 7131
"And this one, Madame Librarian?" The Librarian's assistant whimpered, struggling to stay awake.

"What does it contain?"

"It's... it's the Book of Miraha." Mercie hummed, stroking the book's leather-bound face. "It's a collection of--"

"Heresies." The Librarian replied bluntly. "Give it to me."

Mercie obliged. She had learned long ago that resistance was futile. Why object to a woman who couldn't change? With a final caress goodbye, she tossed to text onto the flames. She stepped away from the flames as they raged higher. She had been burned too many times to take such foolish risks. The Librarian ran her fingers through her hair and smiled. She reached out for another book.

Mercie reached out for the Tome of Sothis. Without giving it another second's thought, she cast it onto the fire. Her Goddess was dead. She had a new Goddess now. A living Goddess... one she had forced herself to love years ago...

She picked up another text. Her tired eyes squinted at its cover.

"I don't think... I don't think that this one was part of our original collection..."

"Then it's worthless. Burn it."

Mercie's finger danced across the book's edge. She did her best the fight that familiar temptation. The temptation to peel back its cover and gorge upon the knowledge hidden inside.

"Shen Long..." She whispered to herself. "What in the Goddess' name is a Shen Long...?"

@Yun Lee

"What's a Geneva Convention?" Katara muttered. She came from a world where her boyfriend flew on a ten ton six legged furry animal and ended a war, but this was her first time hearing anything about this since she hot involved with this whole multiverse business. Who was Geneva and why'd she make a convention with articles about prisoners?

Katara felt her cheeks heat when Willow brought up her attempt to sass. Pouting she huffed.

"Hard to come up with good comebacks when you're tired." She grumbled, before raising a brow.

"So you stole Cori from Eli for someone else to use. What do you need her for that lead to her being stolen from Eli? It doesn't necessarily make you look too great y'know." She added.

Katara stared down at Millie unimpressed when the girl attempted to get between the group and the redhead.

"Sorry I wasn't "real" enough for you, but I have other things to do than impress a kid. Like healing people,and stopping "liberators" from getting away with stealing. Throw rocks at me all you want, kid. I've met worse." She snarked, placing her hands on her hips.

@Sark @Capri @Lucky @Jeremi @Camp

Shit she barely paid any attention to the statue of the Priest when she passed.

"I saw it briefly." She partially lied.

"All lies, huh?" Alice muttered. She had stared at his face a long moment, vaguely reminded of Renfred, before glancing back at the hologram of the Goddess. Why did Priests have Father in their titles anyway?

"One would think that you would preach the truth, sir." She couldn't bring herself to say it.

@Sark @Museum
 
MILLIE COULRO
@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky


Millie reached behind her back and used her finger to spell out a message to Willow.

G-O

She then grabbed a larger rock from her pocket and showed it to the others.

“How about that, huh? With a good enough blow this thing could kill someone. But, obviously, I’m not gonna kill ya, only peg you, give you a bruise maybe. All I want is for you to let her go. Yeah sure, I’m like, twelve, but I pack a punch, you know?”

If the message wasn’t obvious for Willow before, it was now. Millie is using herself as a diversion. Everyone would now be paying attention to her, meaning Willow would be able to escape.​
 
JEFFREY KOVAL
@Sark


Jeff had decided to investigate further within the Museum, heading towards The Merciful section.

He knew it was all bullshit, but in order to expose their lies, they have to see the way they twist the truth.
THE MERCIFUL
The 'Merciful' Exhibit contained a large, scale copy of Camp Alpha... or, at least, that's what the plaque beneath the model stated. The model was horribly inaccurate. For starters, the model contain large, shipping-container like buildings in the place of tents. Minute refugees walked about the model, holding their children in their arms. They were as happy as can be. They walked between the camp's large eating area and its recreational sports field. It was closer to a resort that a camp.

The Camp Alpha of Tomorrow was a fantasy. A white lie.

A series of small holograms flickered beside the model advertising Sacred Pilgrimages to the N3, Planet Prudence and a world named 'Justice'. Each could be enlarged for further information.

Shit she barely paid any attention to the statue of the Priest when she passed.

"I saw it briefly." She partially lied.

"All lies, huh?" Alice muttered. She had stared at his face a long moment, vaguely reminded of Renfred, before glancing back at the hologram of the Goddess. Why did Priests have Father in their titles anyway?

"One would think that you would preach the truth, sir." She couldn't bring herself to say it.

@Sark @Museum
THE DAWN
"The truth?" The Priest scoffed. "There is no 'truth'. Not really. Reality is... subjective. My people once worshiped a God of War. If you were to ask them how the world came to be, they'd tell you that the world was shaped by the great Water-Spirits. They were as certain in their beliefs as these pilgrims are in theirs. Was my father correct in his beliefs? Or is the Mother Queen? Does it matter? Look for 'the truth' and you'll be sorely disappointed, Alice. We all have our own truths. What are yours, I wonder?"

Father Crimson waved his hand before the hologram. The glowing 'planets' that orbited the Goddess scattered once again.

"The Empire can preach whatever it likes. It can push whichever 'truths' benefit it the most." Crimson tightened his fingers around the railing before the display. "But me? I'll keep on sharing my truth. Tell me, Alice. Have you heard the Prophecy of the Blackest Night before?"

@Takumi
"What's a Geneva Convention?" Katara muttered. She came from a world where her boyfriend flew on a ten ton six legged furry animal and ended a war, but this was her first time hearing anything about this since she hot involved with this whole multiverse business. Who was Geneva and why'd she make a convention with articles about prisoners?

Katara felt her cheeks heat when Willow brought up her attempt to sass. Pouting she huffed.

"Hard to come up with good comebacks when you're tired." She grumbled, before raising a brow.

"So you stole Cori from Eli for someone else to use. What do you need her for that lead to her being stolen from Eli? It doesn't necessarily make you look too great y'know." She added.

Katara stared down at Millie unimpressed when the girl attempted to get between the group and the redhead.

"Sorry I wasn't "real" enough for you, but I have other things to do than impress a kid. Like healing people,and stopping "liberators" from getting away with stealing. Throw rocks at me all you want, kid. I've met worse." She snarked, placing her hands on her hips.
WIDER CAMP
"What the Genev---" Willow closed her eyes and did her best to compose herself. With a puff, she continued to speak. "I'm going to die in custody, aren't I? One of you guys is going to do something stupid and the next thing I know I'm going to b--"

Millie reached behind her back and used her finger to spell out a message to Willow.

G-O

She then grabbed a larger rock from her pocket and showed it to the others.

“How about that, huh? With a good enough blow this thing could kill someone. But, obviously, I’m not gonna kill ya, only peg you, give you a bruise maybe. All I want is for you to let her go. Yeah sure, I’m like, twelve, but I pack a punch, you know?”

If the message wasn’t obvious for Willow before, it was now. Millie is using herself as a diversion. Everyone would now be paying attention to her, meaning Willow would be able to escape.
"Speak of the Devil..." Willow groaned. "I appreciate the gesture, short-round, but..." She shot a thumb towards Valkyrie. "I'm currently being dangled like a baby mobile by a titan of an Asgardian... Next time, don't announce your bad-ass betrayal before your ducks are all in a row. Because now they've got a chance to--"

[VWOOOM]

A blue bubble hummed forth from Saint Walker's ring, shielding the Returned and the Volunteers from any rogue rocks.

"Do something like this..."

"Let's all take a deep breath..." Walker sighed. "We'll take our guest back to the tent and continue our conversation there. We'll put down rocks and golf clubs and discuss this like ad--"

[BANG]

Willow's brother reappeared behind her. He held CORI's projector in his right hand.
View attachment 7143
"Alright! Fine! Stop!" He cried, gesturing with CORI all the while. "Let's just... end this shit. You can have your toy back. Just gimme my sister."

"What???" Willow snapped. "What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"Geez sis... Relax, I know what I'm doing... Look, are you guys gonna accept my offer or not?"

@Jeremi @Takumi @Capri @Lucky
 

THE MERCIFUL
The 'Merciful' Exhibit contained a large, scale copy of Camp Alpha... or, at least, that's what the plaque beneath the model stated. The model was horribly inaccurate. For starters, the model contain large, shipping-container like buildings in the place of tents. Minute refugees walked about the model, holding their children in their arms. They were as happy as can be. They walked between the camp's large eating area and its recreational sports field. It was closer to a resort that a camp.

The Camp Alpha of Tomorrow was a fantasy. A white lie.

A series of small holograms flickered beside the model advertising Sacred Pilgrimages to the N3, Planet Prudence and a world named 'Justice'. Each could be enlarged for further information.


THE DAWN
"The truth?" The Priest scoffed. "There is no 'truth'. Not really. Reality is... subjective. My people once worshiped a God of War. If you were to ask them how the world came to be, they'd tell you that the world was shaped by the great Water-Spirits. They were as certain in their beliefs as these pilgrims are in theirs. Was my father correct in his beliefs? Or is the Mother Queen? Does it matter? Look for 'the truth' and you'll be sorely disappointed, Alice. We all have our own truths. What are yours, I wonder?"

Father Crimson waved his hand before the hologram. The glowing 'planets' that orbited the Goddess scattered once again.

"The Empire can preach whatever it likes. It can push whichever 'truths' benefit it the most." Crimson tightened his fingers around the railing before the display. "But me? I'll keep on sharing my truth. Tell me, Alice. Have you heard the Prophecy of the Blackest Night before?"

@Takumi

WIDER CAMP
"What the Genev---" Willow closed her eyes and did her best to compose herself. With a puff, she continued to speak. "I'm going to die in custody, aren't I? One of you guys is going to do something stupid and the next thing I know I'm going to b--"


"Speak of the Devil..."
Willow groaned. "I appreciate the gesture, short-round, but..." She shot a thumb towards Valkyrie. "I'm currently being dangled like a baby mobile by a titan of an Asgardian... Next time, don't announce your bad-ass betrayal before your ducks are all in a row. Because now they've got a chance to--"

[VWOOOM]

A blue bubble hummed forth from Saint Walker's ring, shielding the Returned and the Volunteers from any rogue rocks.

"Do something like this..."

"Let's all take a deep breath..." Walker sighed. "We'll take our guest back to the tent and continue our conversation there. We'll put down rocks and golf clubs and discuss this like ad--"

[BANG]

Willow's brother reappeared behind her. He held CORI's projector in his right hand.
View attachment 7143
"Alright! Fine! Stop!" He cried, gesturing with CORI all the while. "Let's just... end this shit. You can have your toy back. Just gimme my sister."

"What???" Willow snapped. "What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"Geez sis... Relax, I know what I'm doing... Look, are you guys gonna accept my offer or not?"

@Jeremi @Takumi @Capri @Lucky

"Belay that!" If anyone had looked to Valkyrie her usual calm and jovial self had been replaced wide eyes of anger and flaring nostrils. The Asgardian pulled the girl up again to speak with her face to face. "Responsible? Responsible?! Thy impetuous goblin! Your flowery speech has been nothing but ramblings of a child who knows they are caught but aren't willing to admit it! Stealing things that do not belong to you while others fight for survival against insurmountable odds! Yet thy words imply you are in the right?"

If looks could kill then Willow would feel like she was in the deepest fiery pit of Muspelheim as Valkyrie continued. "It was in jest, originally, to throw you into the well but now it's clearly an option worth considering! Or perhaps I should give you a spanking? Unruly children like you deserve nothing else. And you!" She glowered toward the boy. "This is what's going to happen. You will give back what you stole and become mine servants to follow my every beck and call with your sister. It is clear thy think yourself beyond others and some hard labor might do you good to break that haughtiness of yours. Or..." Valkyrie looked over to Katara and the others. Before looking back at the boy, now putting Willow close to her chest with her arm wrapped around the girl so that she can't move her upper body. "Your sister will be punished in your stead. There are no other offers on the table."

@Sark @Takumi @Capri @Lucky
 
MILLIE COULRO
@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky

“Isn’t that slavery?”
Millie said in response to Valkyrie, “I know slavery’s, like, illegal, and I’m like, seven,”

Valkyrie rolled her eyes. "Aye, you clearly are a child. Indentured servitude as my charges. As penance for their thievery. They could certainly get a far worse sentence if brought to the proper people," She replied off-hand to Millie.

@Sark @Takumi @Capri @Lucky
 

THE MERCIFUL
The 'Merciful' Exhibit contained a large, scale copy of Camp Alpha... or, at least, that's what the plaque beneath the model stated. The model was horribly inaccurate. For starters, the model contain large, shipping-container like buildings in the place of tents. Minute refugees walked about the model, holding their children in their arms. They were as happy as can be. They walked between the camp's large eating area and its recreational sports field. It was closer to a resort that a camp.

The Camp Alpha of Tomorrow was a fantasy. A white lie.

A series of small holograms flickered beside the model advertising Sacred Pilgrimages to the N3, Planet Prudence and a world named 'Justice'. Each could be enlarged for further information.


THE DAWN
"The truth?" The Priest scoffed. "There is no 'truth'. Not really. Reality is... subjective. My people once worshiped a God of War. If you were to ask them how the world came to be, they'd tell you that the world was shaped by the great Water-Spirits. They were as certain in their beliefs as these pilgrims are in theirs. Was my father correct in his beliefs? Or is the Mother Queen? Does it matter? Look for 'the truth' and you'll be sorely disappointed, Alice. We all have our own truths. What are yours, I wonder?"

Father Crimson waved his hand before the hologram. The glowing 'planets' that orbited the Goddess scattered once again.

"The Empire can preach whatever it likes. It can push whichever 'truths' benefit it the most." Crimson tightened his fingers around the railing before the display. "But me? I'll keep on sharing my truth. Tell me, Alice. Have you heard the Prophecy of the Blackest Night before?"

@Takumi

WIDER CAMP
"What the Genev---" Willow closed her eyes and did her best to compose herself. With a puff, she continued to speak. "I'm going to die in custody, aren't I? One of you guys is going to do something stupid and the next thing I know I'm going to b--"


"Speak of the Devil..."
Willow groaned. "I appreciate the gesture, short-round, but..." She shot a thumb towards Valkyrie. "I'm currently being dangled like a baby mobile by a titan of an Asgardian... Next time, don't announce your bad-ass betrayal before your ducks are all in a row. Because now they've got a chance to--"

[VWOOOM]

A blue bubble hummed forth from Saint Walker's ring, shielding the Returned and the Volunteers from any rogue rocks.

"Do something like this..."

"Let's all take a deep breath..." Walker sighed. "We'll take our guest back to the tent and continue our conversation there. We'll put down rocks and golf clubs and discuss this like ad--"

[BANG]

Willow's brother reappeared behind her. He held CORI's projector in his right hand.
View attachment 7143
"Alright! Fine! Stop!" He cried, gesturing with CORI all the while. "Let's just... end this shit. You can have your toy back. Just gimme my sister."

"What???" Willow snapped. "What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"Geez sis... Relax, I know what I'm doing... Look, are you guys gonna accept my offer or not?"

@Jeremi @Takumi @Capri @Lucky

"We all have our own truths. What are yours, I wonder?"

The fuck was that supposed to mean? What was with it and people saying kind of cryptic or ominous shit all the time?

Alice's eyebrows drew down as the man spoke, drawing down further when it turned out that he knew her name. She wondered if he knew of the Arena and recognized her, and that's how he knew her name.

"No, I haven't heard of it." She answered. A prophecy? She eyed him a moment, not quite sure what to make of this Priest. Why was he telling her all of this?

@Sark @Museum

"You're not going to die here." Katara spoke with a roll of her eyes. This girl was a bit dramatic.

As Millie held up the rock, Katara simply got into a bending stance and narrowed her eyes, more than ready to cut it in half or knock it away with her waterbending.

She blinked when the girl's brother suddenly arrived, but before she could say anything or take Cori from him Valkyrie spoke angrily.

Glancing from the woman, to the girl, then to the girl's brother Katara pursed her lips in displeasure.

@Sark @Jeremi @Capri @Lucky @Camp
 
"Belay that!" If anyone had looked to Valkyrie her usual calm and jovial self had been replaced wide eyes of anger and flaring nostrils. The Asgardian pulled the girl up again to speak with her face to face. "Responsible? Responsible?! Thy impetuous goblin! Your flowery speech has been nothing but ramblings of a child who knows they are caught but aren't willing to admit it! Stealing things that do not belong to you while others fight for survival against insurmountable odds! Yet thy words imply you are in the right?"

If looks could kill then Willow would feel like she was in the deepest fiery pit of Muspelheim as Valkyrie continued. "It was in jest, originally, to throw you into the well but now it's clearly an option worth considering! Or perhaps I should give you a spanking? Unruly children like you deserve nothing else. And you!" She glowered toward the boy. "This is what's going to happen. You will give back what you stole and become mine servants to follow my every beck and call with your sister. It is clear thy think yourself beyond others and some hard labor might do you good to break that haughtiness of yours. Or..." Valkyrie looked over to Katara and the others. Before looking back at the boy, now putting Willow close to her chest with her arm wrapped around the girl so that she can't move her upper body. "Your sister will be punished in your stead. There are no other offers on the table."
WIDER CAMP
"Slavery? The fuck happened to you, Val..." Willow cursed to herself with a strange, calm air, no matter how the Asgardian chose to manhandle her. "Brother?"
"Yeah?"
"Give them their toy back."
"Wait, really?"
"Sure. Call it a good-will gesture."
"Fine." He shrugged, tossing the projector down at Katara's feet. "What happens next, Will? What's part two of this 'Grand Plan'?"
"Oh, this is the fun part!" Willow squirmed. "If you guys are really serious about the whole 'dungeons and slavery' thing, it's high time I played my trump card. My ace in the hole. My secret weapons. You see, maniacs... I mean what I said. You make An'Lu'Munus look like Jeff. If I've got to choose between the lesser two evils, so be it."
Willow threw back her head and screamed. Her cry was shrill. Ear splitting. Nauseating. It practically shook the camp.
"TheyreHereTheyreHereTheGodlessTheFallenChosenTheyreHereSomebodyStopThemOhPleaseGoddessHaveMercyOhPleaseSaveMe!!!!"
The brother looked on in horror as a crowd of refugees gathered around the party. The rows of soldiers that had been waiting at the Temple's gate turned and marched towards the Camp, their weapons drawn.
"Sorry, Val. I had to do it to ya. You guys are plucky. You'll find someway to make it out alive, I'm sure. Brother?"
"Yeah?"
"Go ham. Routine 23."
The boy cracked his knuckles.
"Aw-right!"
In a flash of crimson, the boy sped across the camp made contact with Valkyrie. He wrapped one hand around the Asgardian's head. He wrapped the other around his sister's. All three parties were wrapped in a white blanket of light.
"Put her down, please." The boy smiled. "I mean, you're going to have your hands full real soon anyway..."
Four guards burst through the crowd of refugees. One was armed with a short, glowing sword. One carried a great, emerald hammer. The last two wielded long, steel shields and shimmering spears.
View attachment 7152
"There's ones here, Inquisitors!" One of the Refugees cried. "Trouble makers! Heathens! They're making it harder for the rest of us!"

@Jeremi @Takumi @Capri @Lucky
JEFFREY KOVAL
@Sark

Jeff pressed N3 for more false info, but scowled at the fake Camp Alpha for it’s falsehoods.
N3 EXHIBIT
The N3 Exhibit bore a similar model to the Merciful Exhibit's, only these one seemed to be a little bit more accurate, as far as Jeff could tell. It depicted a bustling city filled with inhabitants young and old. The city was clean and full of life. Small, holographic people went about their daily lives. Going to the shops. Going of for Sunday drives and...
For a moment, Jeff could have sworn that he saw what looked like a pack of unconscious inquisitors being loaded into the back of a large truck.
"Equilibrium. It's a force that governs everything we know." The display's holographic guide narrated. A large set of scales appeared above the city. Thousands of planets filled its balanced scales. A glowing, emerald sun burned at the scale's center. "Our universe, for example, is perfectly balanced. The Temple sits at the heart of it all. What people do not realize, however, is that the force of Equilibrium influences far more than just our own world..."
A larger set of scales appeared above the city. The first set of scales settled upon one of its plates. An identical set appeared on the other side, balancing the larger scale out again.
"The Multiverse itself is balanced."
"∞ balances ∞"
"This is an irrefutable fact, proven by both science and faith. The world of life and matter is completely, undeniably balanced..."

And even large scaled appeared beneath the other three scales.
"Based on this logic, there must be a realm to balance out the world of life and matter. An afterlife..."
A large sphere balanced out the enormous, fourth scale. Equilibrium was restored.
"During the First Godless War, such a realm was discovered. Mephisto called the realm 'Netherword'. The Fellowship called it 'Hell'. The Goddess called it by an entirely different name, however. She called it 'the Negative Third Dimension', a counter weight to Positive Third Dimension in which we live."
The scale vanished, leaving the holographic city behind.
"The Goddess invaded this realm, succeeding where the False Fellowship once failed. As we speak, she battles the forces of Chaos in this Timeless realm, seeking to claim the AfterLife in the name of you, her children. The City you see before you is called the N3 by its inhabitants, the lucky pioneers of this new frontier. Others call it the Emerald City, or New-Citadel. The first of its kind, the N3 is a little slice of paradise in a Hellish realm. Once the forces of Chaos fall to the Goddess' mighty spear, cities like will spread outwards across the infinite plane."

"These are the Truths and Beliefs of the Emerald Empire, bestowed upon us by the Goddess and her Saint S--"


The display started to flicker and glitch. Perhaps a good kick could get the system working again?

@Capri @Yun Lee
 

WIDER CAMP
"Slavery? The fuck happened to you, Val..." Willow cursed to herself with a strange, calm air, no matter how the Asgardian chose to manhandle her. "Brother?"
"Yeah?"
"Give them their toy back."
"Wait, really?"
"Sure. Call it a good-will gesture."
"Fine." He shrugged, tossing the projector down at Katara's feet. "What happens next, Will? What's part two of this 'Grand Plan'?"
"Oh, this is the fun part!" Willow squirmed. "If you guys are really serious about the whole 'dungeons and slavery' thing, it's high time I played my trump card. My ace in the hole. My secret weapons. You see, maniacs... I mean what I said. You make An'Lu'Munus look like Jeff. If I've got to choose between the lesser two evils, so be it."
Willow threw back her head and screamed. Her cry was shrill. Ear splitting. Nauseating. It practically shook the camp.
"TheyreHereTheyreHereTheGodlessTheFallenChosenTheyreHereSomebodyStopThemOhPleaseGoddessHaveMercyOhPleaseSaveMe!!!!"
The brother looked on in horror as a crowd of refugees gathered around the party. The rows of soldiers that had been waiting at the Temple's gate turned and marched towards the Camp, their weapons drawn.
"Sorry, Val. I had to do it to ya. You guys are plucky. You'll find someway to make it out alive, I'm sure. Brother?"
"Yeah?"
"Go ham. Routine 23."
The boy cracked his knuckles.
"Aw-right!"
In a flash of crimson, the boy sped across the camp made contact with Valkyrie. He wrapped one hand around the Asgardian's head. He wrapped the other around his sister's. All three parties were wrapped in a white blanket of light.
"Put her down, please." The boy smiled. "I mean, you're going to have your hands full real soon anyway..."
Four guards burst through the crowd of refugees. One was armed with a short, glowing sword. One carried a great, emerald hammer. The last two wielded long, steel shields and shimmering spears.
View attachment 7152
"There's ones here, Inquisitors!" One of the Refugees cried. "Trouble makers! Heathens! They're making it harder for the rest of us!"

@Jeremi @Takumi @Capri @Lucky

N3 EXHIBIT
The N3 Exhibit bore a similar model to the Merciful Exhibit's, only these one seemed to be a little bit more accurate, as far as Jeff could tell. It depicted a bustling city filled with inhabitants young and old. The city was clean and full of life. Small, holographic people went about their daily lives. Going to the shops. Going of for Sunday drives and...
For a moment, Jeff could have sworn that he saw what looked like a pack of unconscious inquisitors being loaded into the back of a large truck.
"Equilibrium. It's a force that governs everything we know." The display's holographic guide narrated. A large set of scales appeared above the city. Thousands of planets filled its balanced scales. A glowing, emerald sun burned at the scale's center. "Our universe, for example, is perfectly balanced. The Temple sits at the heart of it all. What people do not realize, however, is that the force of Equilibrium influences far more than just our own world..."
A larger set of scales appeared above the city. The first set of scales settled upon one of its plates. An identical set appeared on the other side, balancing the larger scale out again.
"The Multiverse itself is balanced."
"∞ balances ∞"
"This is an irrefutable fact, proven by both science and faith. The world of life and matter is completely, undeniably balanced..."

And even large scaled appeared beneath the other three scales.
"Based on this logic, there must be a realm to balance out the world of life and matter. An afterlife..."
A large sphere balanced out the enormous, fourth scale. Equilibrium was restored.
"During the First Godless War, such a realm was discovered. Mephisto called the realm 'Netherword'. The Fellowship called it 'Hell'. The Goddess called it by an entirely different name, however. She called it 'the Negative Third Dimension', a counter weight to Positive Third Dimension in which we live."
The scale vanished, leaving the holographic city behind.
"The Goddess invaded this realm, succeeding where the False Fellowship once failed. As we speak, she battles the forces of Chaos in this Timeless realm, seeking to claim the AfterLife in the name of you, her children. The City you see before you is called the N3 by its inhabitants, the lucky pioneers of this new frontier. Others call it the Emerald City, or New-Citadel. The first of its kind, the N3 is a little slice of paradise in a Hellish realm. Once the forces of Chaos fall to the Goddess' mighty spear, cities like will spread outwards across the infinite plane."

"These are the Truths and Beliefs of the Emerald Empire, bestowed upon us by the Goddess and her Saint S--"


The display started to flicker and glitch. Perhaps a good kick could get the system working again?

@Capri @Yun Lee

"Lesser of two evils?" Valkyrie spat. "You and your brother are the evil ones! I will not let your based villainy go unpunished!" Valkyrie took a deep breath and looked over to the brother. "Aye, you wish to have your sister?" She asked calmly. "You monsters will have to kill me."

@Sark @Takumi @Capri @Lucky
 
Last edited:
"We all have our own truths. What are yours, I wonder?"

The fuck was that supposed to mean? What was with it and people saying kind of cryptic or ominous shit all the time?

Alice's eyebrows drew down as the man spoke, drawing down further when it turned out that he knew her name. She wondered if he knew of the Arena and recognized her, and that's how he knew her name.

"No, I haven't heard of it." She answered. A prophecy? She eyed him a moment, not quite sure what to make of this Priest. Why was he telling her all of this?
THE DAWN
“Don't worry,” Crimson replied. “I hadn’t heard of it until recently myself... needless to say I’m not a traditional priest. I’m not a fan of rituals and prayers. I don’t share blessings. I don’t quote scripture... but prophecies have always interest me. Before I joined the Order, I was... in a word? Vengeful. I was a sacred young boy search for meaning at the tip of a sword... or better yet, a quick death... Searching for my father... searching for lost honour... losing myself in the process. As I mentioned before, truth and faith are powerful things. A friend of mine told me about the Blackest Night... it brought me comfort. Here’s a translation:

“Chaos Shall Rise
“Order Shall Gather.
“The Truth Shall be Revealed in a War of Light.
“The Black Night Shall Rain Down From Above.
“The Dead Shall Rise, called by a Black Hand.


“A prophecy so powerful that the Empire adopted it into its own doctrine...Imagine that... the dead rising, welcomed into a world ruled by order and justice. An emerald light burning in the black...Tell me, Miss Swayne... if you had the power to restore the dead to life, what would you use it for? Who would you use it for?”

The Priest stepped away from the display and turned towards the guarded basement door.

“Follow me. There’s something I’d like to show you, Champion... Bring your weapon, if it makes you feel safer.”

@Takumi
 
Last edited:

WIDER CAMP
"Slavery? The fuck happened to you, Val..." Willow cursed to herself with a strange, calm air, no matter how the Asgardian chose to manhandle her. "Brother?"
"Yeah?"
"Give them their toy back."
"Wait, really?"
"Sure. Call it a good-will gesture."
"Fine." He shrugged, tossing the projector down at Katara's feet. "What happens next, Will? What's part two of this 'Grand Plan'?"
"Oh, this is the fun part!" Willow squirmed. "If you guys are really serious about the whole 'dungeons and slavery' thing, it's high time I played my trump card. My ace in the hole. My secret weapons. You see, maniacs... I mean what I said. You make An'Lu'Munus look like Jeff. If I've got to choose between the lesser two evils, so be it."
Willow threw back her head and screamed. Her cry was shrill. Ear splitting. Nauseating. It practically shook the camp.
"TheyreHereTheyreHereTheGodlessTheFallenChosenTheyreHereSomebodyStopThemOhPleaseGoddessHaveMercyOhPleaseSaveMe!!!!"
The brother looked on in horror as a crowd of refugees gathered around the party. The rows of soldiers that had been waiting at the Temple's gate turned and marched towards the Camp, their weapons drawn.
"Sorry, Val. I had to do it to ya. You guys are plucky. You'll find someway to make it out alive, I'm sure. Brother?"
"Yeah?"
"Go ham. Routine 23."
The boy cracked his knuckles.
"Aw-right!"
In a flash of crimson, the boy sped across the camp made contact with Valkyrie. He wrapped one hand around the Asgardian's head. He wrapped the other around his sister's. All three parties were wrapped in a white blanket of light.
"Put her down, please." The boy smiled. "I mean, you're going to have your hands full real soon anyway..."
Four guards burst through the crowd of refugees. One was armed with a short, glowing sword. One carried a great, emerald hammer. The last two wielded long, steel shields and shimmering spears.
View attachment 7152
"There's ones here, Inquisitors!" One of the Refugees cried. "Trouble makers! Heathens! They're making it harder for the rest of us!"

@Jeremi @Takumi @Capri @Lucky

N3 EXHIBIT
The N3 Exhibit bore a similar model to the Merciful Exhibit's, only these one seemed to be a little bit more accurate, as far as Jeff could tell. It depicted a bustling city filled with inhabitants young and old. The city was clean and full of life. Small, holographic people went about their daily lives. Going to the shops. Going of for Sunday drives and...
For a moment, Jeff could have sworn that he saw what looked like a pack of unconscious inquisitors being loaded into the back of a large truck.
"Equilibrium. It's a force that governs everything we know." The display's holographic guide narrated. A large set of scales appeared above the city. Thousands of planets filled its balanced scales. A glowing, emerald sun burned at the scale's center. "Our universe, for example, is perfectly balanced. The Temple sits at the heart of it all. What people do not realize, however, is that the force of Equilibrium influences far more than just our own world..."
A larger set of scales appeared above the city. The first set of scales settled upon one of its plates. An identical set appeared on the other side, balancing the larger scale out again.
"The Multiverse itself is balanced."
"∞ balances ∞"
"This is an irrefutable fact, proven by both science and faith. The world of life and matter is completely, undeniably balanced..."

And even large scaled appeared beneath the other three scales.
"Based on this logic, there must be a realm to balance out the world of life and matter. An afterlife..."
A large sphere balanced out the enormous, fourth scale. Equilibrium was restored.
"During the First Godless War, such a realm was discovered. Mephisto called the realm 'Netherword'. The Fellowship called it 'Hell'. The Goddess called it by an entirely different name, however. She called it 'the Negative Third Dimension', a counter weight to Positive Third Dimension in which we live."
The scale vanished, leaving the holographic city behind.
"The Goddess invaded this realm, succeeding where the False Fellowship once failed. As we speak, she battles the forces of Chaos in this Timeless realm, seeking to claim the AfterLife in the name of you, her children. The City you see before you is called the N3 by its inhabitants, the lucky pioneers of this new frontier. Others call it the Emerald City, or New-Citadel. The first of its kind, the N3 is a little slice of paradise in a Hellish realm. Once the forces of Chaos fall to the Goddess' mighty spear, cities like will spread outwards across the infinite plane."

"These are the Truths and Beliefs of the Emerald Empire, bestowed upon us by the Goddess and her Saint S--"


The display started to flicker and glitch. Perhaps a good kick could get the system working again?

@Capri @Yun Lee

Katara picked up Cori's projector and placed it it safely on her person before cautiously glancing at the guards.

"I really don't feel like fighting right now. We were just trying to get something she took from a member of this camp back." She sighed, motioning to Willow, yet keeping her eyes trained on the Imperial Guards and their weapons.

"Surely you won't point those things at a child, since we have one among us, will you? We really didn't mean any trouble, honest." She rose a brow. She had no doubt a fight would break out, but she was ready to bend at a moments notice if need be to protect the others.

@Sark @Capri @Jeremi @Lucky @Camp


DAWN
“Worry not,” Crimson smiled. “I hadn’t heard of it until recently myself... needless to say I’m not a traditional priest. I’m not a fan of rituals and prayers. I don’t share blessings. I don’t quote scripture... but prophecies have always interest me. Before I joined the Order, I was... in a word? Vengeful. I was a sacred young boy search for meaning at the tip of a sword... or better yet, a quick death... Searching for my father... searching for lost honour... losing myself in the process. As I mentioned before, truth and faith are powerful things. A friend of mine told me about the Blackest Night... it brought me comfort. Here’s a translation:

“Chaos Shall Rise
“Order Shall Gather.
“The Truth Shall be Revealed in a War of Light.
“The Black Night Shall Rain Down From Above.
“The Dead Shall Rise, called by a Black Hand.

“A prophecy so powerful that the Empire adopted it into its own doctrine...Imagine that... the dead rising, welcomed into a world ruled by order and justice. An emerald light burning in the black...Tell me, Miss Swayne... if you had the power to restore the dead to life, what would you use it for? Who would you use it for?”

The Priest stepped away from the display and turned towards the guarded basement door.

“Follow me. There’s something I’d like to show you, Champion... Bring your weapon, if it makes you feel safer.”

@Takumi

Why couldn't prophecies be less cryptic? The Dead rising? What the fuck kind of prophecy was this?

She opened her mouth to tell him that she wouldn't have brought back the dead, that her loved ones were alive, but stopped herself. There was two people she had been relatively close to that died and, as far as she knew, didn't get the chance to come back. Then again, bringing the dead back was kind of like some fucked up zombie necromancy related shit so maybe it was best not to dabble with the dead.

Alice frowned, but followed after him out of curiosity. She had her knife on her, but it was hidden in her clothes. She kept up her guard regardless.

@Sark @Dawn
 
Katara picked up Cori's projector and placed it it safely on her person before cautiously glancing at the guards.

"I really don't feel like fighting right now. We were just trying to get something she took from a member of this camp back." She sighed, motioning to Willow, yet keeping her eyes trained on the Imperial Guards and their weapons.

"Surely you won't point those things at a child, since we have one among us, will you? We really didn't mean any trouble, honest." She rose a brow. She had no doubt a fight would break out, but she was ready to bend at a moments notice if need be to protect the others.
WIDER CAMP
The soldiers raised their arms and maintained their cautious approach.
"Ashe Ubert betrayed the Goddess when he was just a boy!" The swordsman growled. "Children are not to be underestimated. We shan't harm the child... but we shan't allow her to roam free either. She's an accessory. Disciplinary action will be taken against you all, regardless of age!"

"You can leave, Doctor!" Another guard cried, circling the Returned. "We all know you had no hand in this... ongoing assault! This Asgardian dog will be coming with us! We'll take the thief as well... and is... is that Jester Lavorre?!?"
The Shieldsmen clattered their spears against their shields and shouted in unison.
"Everyone get back! Get back! We'll deal with these terrorists!"

"Lesser of two evils?" Valkyrie spat. "You and your brother are the evil ones! I will not let your based villainy go unpunished!" Valkyrie took a deep breath and looked over to the brother. "Aye, you wish to have your sister?" She asked calmly. "You monsters will have to kill me."
"She's forcing your hand, Bro!" Willow cried, pushing against Valkyrie's arms. "She's forcing you! You've gotta do it!"
"Are you insane?!" The boy cried, his light-blanket burning brighter by the second. "I've never teleported 3 people befr--"
"Hear that, Val? From the mouths of babes!" She grinned. "She's never teleported 3 people before! Think of all the things that could go wrong! We could get turned inside out! Melted! We could get shot into another dimension! How about you let go before he does something stupid??"
"You're the one who's telling me to--"

@Takumi @Jeremi @Capri @Lucky
Why couldn't prophecies be less cryptic? The Dead rising? What the fuck kind of prophecy was this?

She opened her mouth to tell him that she wouldn't have brought back the dead, that her loved ones were alive, but stopped herself. There was two people she had been relatively close to that died and, as far as she knew, didn't get the chance to come back. Then again, bringing the dead back was kind of like some fucked up zombie necromancy related shit so maybe it was best not to dabble with the dead.

Alice frowned, but followed after him out of curiosity. She had her knife on her, but it was hidden in her clothes. She kept up her guard regardless.
BASEMENT STAIRCASE
"You're an interesting woman, I must say..." The Priest hummed to his companion. With a wave of his hand, the solider stepped away from door and saluted. Crimson ignored his gesture and stepped through the marble arch. A long staircase stood between the pair and their destination. Crimson started his slow descent. "You're a girl of few words. You were much more talkative on the island... Sorry. It must be a sore subject. Losing Scott, losing Hnikar, Kate, Loa, even Eli... You didn't deserve all that. Your life is full of grief... it has been since Day One... And that's a sentiment I think I can relate to..." He hummed, fiddling with crimson signet ring. "I'm not fond of talking about my father... But when he left, he left me with myriad scars... the kind that don't fade. And when I eventually found him, well... let's just say I wish I hadn't. We are afflicted my similar ills, Alice. I'm glad you're here. You of all people might understand what lies behind this..."

The stair case ended. The pair met a large, steel--

"...door." The Priest gestured towards the door's metallic, wheel lock. "Turn it. After you."

@Takumi
 
JEFFREY KOVAL
@Sark


As the presentation was speaking, Jeff was thinking about the ways this could be twisting the truth.

He wondered how many innocent people were in the Third. How many children are burning because they didn’t like the Goddess.

Then, it glitched.

Jeff kicked the projector, hoping it would start back up to hear more of their lies.
 
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