[IC] Myriad AoW Chapter 1 - Rise from the Cinders

[Ragnar]

As Jesse was walking through the city streets, He saw something odd along the way, not many can see this little rascal running around through the busy streets, but in the eyes of a marksman, Jesse can see it as bright as the day itself, A small mouse carrying a radiant crystal in its tiny paws scampering between the huge crowd.

Well there's something you don't see everyday. The kid thought to himself as his curiosity got the best of him. Without a moment to waste, Jesse starts running, activating his otherworldly vision to see where its tiny footprints went. He was in a hot pursuit, tracking down the mouse, The boy took a turn through the alleyways for a shortcut. his own kind of shortcut! Jesse dash through a wall like it wasn't even there and continues his pursuit, Jesse was like a swift wind in his ghost form, phasing through solid-objects and was going faster and faster with every step he makes.

And finally, Jesse comes to a halt. Its tracks ends here.Jesse thought to himself as he sees the corner of the alley where the mouse went. He was exhausted and needed a breather. I mean come on he chase a mouse across the city just to satisfy his curiosity.The angel turns off his true sight and walks slowly in the corner.

"Hey you there!" Jesse yelled to the blind girl at the alley. The kid approaches slowly upon close inspection. "Oh, it's you! I remember you, you're part of the team. Mrs. Lucyis it?" Jesse tone change into a friendlier one as soon as he recognized the girl.

"So having any luck finding some information about the killer? By the way before you answer that, have you seen a mouse carrying a shiny uhmm, thingamajig run pass this parts?" Jesse questioned Lucille while snooping around her back like a kid. Of course Jesse could turn on his otherworldly vision to see where the mouse went but hey it's no coincidence a member of her team is here so might as well ask Lucy.

[Sutoratosu]

Lucy, Jesse, some Random Alleyway

"Damn..." She snarled at the sense of another's footsteps entering the outside corridor. The initial disdain faded at the hailing however- at least it was one of the others instead of some random follower or law enforcement come to collect on the theft. The boy calling himself Jesse, if she matched the voice to the scent correctly. Regardless, she hid the thing again, turning to the sound of him.

"So having any luck finding some information about the killer? By the way before you answer that, have you seen a mouse carrying a shiny uhmm, thingamajig run pass this parts?"

She raised an eyebrow at that "Is this supposed to be some sort of joke, asking if I've seen anything? You saw what my eyes are like, didn't you? And no... I haven't found anything about the killer, and I think you're wasting your time if you're out looking for it; if they're really as adept as Vermillio made them out to be, they probably wouldn't go flaunting their presence or leaving any loose traces before it's time..."

[Ragnar]

Oh, right. Jesse thought to himself, bumping his palm into nogging, feeling embarrassed of what he just said. "I didn't mean to offend you in any way, it's just that, this mouse I'm after, I'm not sure where he got this gem from but I'm pretty sure that gem is enchanted from the way it glows, this is the city of angels after all and most of their stuff has some magical enchantment or something. " Jesse said as he describes on what he saw to the blind girl.

"The reason why I'm hunting this mouse is because for sport really, Once I lay my eyes upon my target, I wouldn't stop until I capture it or kill it. It's kinda a weird obsession don't you think?" The young sniper released an audible chuckle as he went digging up for trash in the corner finding clues where this rodent went.

Clearly, this girl is no help in satisfying the sniper curiosity in hunting the rodent, I guess I have to use my true sight to find its location then. Jesse took a deep breath and scans the place as his eyes glow white.

He begins investigates every corner of this alley as he detects traces of footprints in Lucy's skin, one belongs to the mouse he's after and one seems to belong to a strange huge creature that he never seen before.

their footprints lead to the walls and straight into god knows where in Marblegate.

"You know what, forget it. I've changed my mind. I'll look for the killer instead." The angel's tone suddenly change, Like he knows the mouse is somehow connected to Lucy and would leave it be.

"you know we angels are the most helpful race there is..are you sure you don't wanna any help while i'm here?"

[Sutoratosu]

A scowl spread across the girl's face at the mere mention of his motives, a myriad of ambient noises beginning to gather around her in preparation, only to disperse back to whence they came as the boy seemed to do a heel-face-turn and dropped the subject. From his tone alone she knew he had figured out his mistake on his own... good that, because she wouldn't have had much issue treating him like the joking Were from earlier.

"No, I'm fine..." She said, rather curtly as she turned and began walking away... though she paused. There was one thing he could be useful for..."You didn't notice anyone else following, did you; maybe a disgruntled merchant type or some guards? Are you the only one that noticed him?"

[Ragnar]

"I doubt anyone else would follow me from the way i came here, I'm like a ghost traveling through the city" Jesse said to Lucy, which is literally true. "As for the merchant, i think he's about block or two, i wasn't really paying attention to it to be honest."

"Why'd you ask? Do you have something..Oh..." Jesse puts two plus two together and knows it has something to do with the girl. why else she would be asking these questions.

"Anyways If that's what you want, I wish you good fortune Mrs.Lucille and I suggest you keep your pets in check before someone puts them down.I'll protect them if I see em in the streets, but only if the reason is just." The young angel said, revealing what he knows of the blind girl.

[Sutoratosu]

Lucille, Despereaux, Jesse, still some random ass Alley Way...

"Thanks... I guess." She said, rather begrudgingly. "And don't give me that, it's not my fault if you types place so much value on what can easily be dug up from the ground. I don't go doing this out of malice, it's just that none of you are willing to barter for anything other than this trivial thing you call currency from what I've seen...at least, not for anything that's within reason, that is." She still wanted the captain's blood, even now...

Despereaux finally emerged from her hide garments, giving a loud series of squeaks in support as he shook his tiny paw at the boy- she was right, it wasn't his fault the owner had been dumb enough to leave his wares unattended on the side of a crowded street... as hard as books were to come by for him, when he saw an opportunity, he was gonna take it without shame or guilt, Lawful Good alignment be damned.

Of course, the whole significance of his little speech was only audible to the likes of Lucille and Bora, all Jese probably heard was an incoherent rodent's banter... but damn it, that wasn't going to stop him from trying to tell the boy off anyway.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Luna "Bom", Alleyways

Luna was busy exploring in her new form. She was trying to find the lay of the city, the darker places of the city at least. She was sniffing around alleyways, and the dark corridors. These would be the places she could easily retreat and move around the city. And they were at out of the way of the angels. Big bonus. Though she was sure most of them would have their heads far up their ass to notice a stray of even her size, she was sure dumb children or some of the more eccentric adults might still do the thing everyone does when they see a relaxed dog. Try to pet her. Luna didn't want to draw attention to herself so i she started biting people they would surely be on the look out for her, so she'd had to just deal if the occasion arose. Luckily, she could also just dip in and out of the alleyways to lose them, but she had to know the lay of the alleys first an foremost.

However, unexpectedly... she bumped into both Jesse and Lucille. The scents of the alleys were putrid, least to once with this acute of senses, so she wasn't really paying attention to if there was humanoid scents present. The worst part was probably that she walked into the middle of the two without realizing it so it'd have been obvious. She couldn't exactly jump back into the shadows without them having noticed her form emerge. "Fate... you sure are a cruel sister. I should've been kinder to you..." Luna thought remembering the sister she slighted, however, a story for another time.

Luna wasn't really sure what to do so she sat down in front of the two and barked something. She was banking on the fact that Lucille could hopefully understand her animal language, though she wasn't entirely confident. Luna barked with a bit of force... or she thought she did. In her panic instead she blurted out "Woof! Woof! Woof!" in actual words, rather than actually barked. She seemed to not notice.

[Felicity]

"Right then, no time like the present, eh? C'mon son." Jorgen said genially, clapping Gabriel on the back as he started forward into the city of the angels, bag on his back and a smile on his face.

[InnocentSerenity]

"It's still early from night, what do you want to do next? I'd look for information, but all that was really tasked to us was finding a place to gather, so we're free to do anything else, really."

"Why don't we head out and see if there are any shops? We might find something useful." Karol reached her hands in her pocket, trying to find whatever money she had brought with her. "And perhaps you can find a hat to hide those horns. You stick out like a sore thumb with those." Rude as she was, Karol did enjoy the company of others, and Bargus seemed like a nice man. Perhaps she could find a close ally if the two would stay together long enough.

[IntSys]

Bargus, Commercial District, Hotel -> Boutique

"And perhaps you can find a hat to hide those horns. You stick out like a sore thumb with those."

"Pfft-BWAHAHAHAHA!" Bargus laughed. "You got a point there, I stand out too much!"

He went around the block and found a boutique. The boutique offered a variety of clothes, and even accessories for angel wings! He bought a fedora and a black trenchcoat and went into the changing room. Luckily there were demon-friendly clothes available, so he didn't have to squeeze his wings inside the trenchcoat.

"So, how do I look?" He asked Karol.

Edited August 28, 2016 by IntSys

[Sutoratosu]

Lucy & Co., Jesse, Bom- Hot damn, it's starting to look like a real party in this Random Ass Alley Way

While the mouse continued to give his justification spiel, the girl and the bear found their attention drawn to black hound, more out of the emergence of the same presence they'd sensed earlier than anything else. Unlike the first time, Bora actually refrained from any aggression just yet though his gaze was still weary as it fell on the shapeshifter or Omni-Were or...whatever the hell she even was.

"Despereaux..." The mouse gave an angered squeak, glaring up at her for the interruption. Only then did he too notice the hund, his tirade against Jesse cutting off immediately. All Bom got from Lucille was a raised brow as she literally barked at them in her human voice. She didn't know if the ancient being was just trying to confuse her or... just genuinely felt the need to imitate a dog's hailing.

"What are you doing?" She asked through thought alone, attempting to form a connection between them... she had no real idea if it would work on one such as Bom, but... well, the empathic link had worked just fine for communicating with sentient beasts like Old Fox countless times before, and whatever she was, she claimed to be one with them, and just like before, all she detected was a dog... it was worth a shot. Especially with Jesse around, no point letting the boy who admitted to hunting for nothing but sport hear whatever they might say...

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Lucy and the Gang, Jesse, and Luna. Party Alley.

The link did establish, though it felt markedly different from that of other beasts. It mainly connected due to the fact that Luna was terrified, and Lucille could feel the rush of emotions suddenly pour through the link. They wouldn't have overwhelmed, but the link was probably more complete than to any beast she had ever linked to before, even Bora or Despereaux. The emotions were almost hers, but they weren't. She could still mark the difference. She could hear a few of the thoughts before Luna heard her speak through the link. " - it together Luna." clearly in the middle of that thought. A few more frantic incomplete ones popped through her mind but they weren't coherent enough for Lucille to understand them. Her thoughts suddenly slowed as she heard Lucille ask her what she was doing. It snapped her back to reality.

"Uh...oh. I don't know... I was exploring these back alleyways... and... bumped into you both and panicked... I guess? I don't know. Just don't... tell the Angel who I am unless you have to. The rest of the force doesn't exactly know what I can do so it might be a bit of a shock and he probably wouldn't believe you anyway... but I dunno. I'm the idiot who just panicked and blurted out English rather than bark so... what do I know?" she thought back through the link. Her thoughts were still bleeding through the link somewhat, but Luna managed to grab a handle on it. She had calmed down enough thanks to Lucille snapping her back, and allowing her to ground herself.

The bond however still felt... markedly different. Lucille felt the weight of so many years from it. It didn't crush but the sheer size of it, just it's presence couldn't be contained in any way. Whatever this "Bom" was, she was positively ancient. Older than Lucille could even imagine. A feral storm older than time itself, is what it felt like she was connected with in this moment.

[Sutoratosu]

How does a being this old even panic? on second thought, no, she didn't even bother questioning it. Whatever happened, it seemed most of the terror had cleared now anyway. At least she got a solid grip on just how far back Bom dated from... too damn far. It gave her no surprise the sheer power and depth of the connection despite there being so little effort put forth from her- she'd already dealt in enough surprise the first time they'd met and she'd been so easily disarmed of verbal response.

But regardless, there was still the matter of Jesse...the discussion with bom had barely taken a moment or two, she could easily pick up the conversation...

"Look...Jesse" she sighed aloud, eyes still fixed on the dog. "It boils down to this: on the way here, a ship captain said we could come aboard without the entry fee... if I gave him Bora as a guard beast and spent the night with him... under him, or on top, or... something. I-I don't even want to think about it.... That was my first real attempt at trying to barter with you type of people... and what came of it was that I was regarded like some easy whore and a horny fool along his twenty equally foolish lackeys almost got mauled and triggered an investigation from the authorities... so I think the better alternative is if I just take what I need when I need it and avoid drawing any unnecessary attention to us, at least, any more than a girl riding a fully grown Dire Bear already gets."

She turned, looking directly at him as she got to the point, eyes filled with a very obvious annoyance and frustration despite their usual lack of expression. Whether it was at Jesse or the experience with the captain though, was anyone's guess but her own. The repulsion accompanying the stare suggested more was in it for the Latter however... "Now... didn't you say you had information to collect? Well I'm blind; I wouldn't see anything even if I wanted to... so you're definitely not gonna find it by standing here and talking with me..."

[Ragnar]

This is degrading, The silent angel's heir reduce in guarding a small mouse, Why did I agree in being this rodent's guardian angel. Perhaps I should go with my original plan and mount this rodent into a wall.

No Jesse, NO. An angel promise is sacred. This mouse is part of the team. not for sport. this mouse is part of the team. not for sport. Jesse repeated thought to himself as watch the mouse squeaks away in annoyance.

"Fine, I'll leave you be" Jesse said, finally agreeing with Lucy. "Such a lovely mouse, can't wait to see your other pet..Farewell now" The angel sardonically said as he waves his goodbye.

And with that, The sniper vanished into a wall and went through it like a ghost, He did not care anymore if Lucy or anyone saw him do this ability.(implying that the blind girl can sense it) Just as long he can get away from that high pitch squeak and fulfill his duty as a watchful angel.

Edited August 28, 2016 by Ragnar

[InnocentSerenity]

"So, how do I look?"

"You look suspicious." Karol's tone was frank. You're wearing a trench coat and a fedora. Would you expect me to say otherwise? Looking around the store, Karol didn't find any clothes she was interested in. She wanted to stick with her usual clothes, after all the time she spent in them.

A thought popped into Karol's mind. "Say, you seem pretty cheerful." Karol pretended to rummage through the many clothes offered, not caring to buy any. She was more interested in learning about her ally. "Just took me by surprise considering how ya look." Karol peered over her shoulder to look at Bargus. "Can't be the first time someone's brought it up."

Edited August 28, 2016 by InnocentBoy

[IntSys]

Bargus, Boutique

"You look suspicious."

"I'd just look dumb if I try to dress casually. Red doesn't go well with those light colors, ya know?"

"Say, you seem pretty cheerful."

"Just took me by surprise considering how ya look."

"Can't be the first time someone's brought it up."

"You'd be surprised how much being in a team influences one's personality. I realized the joy of breaking the mold and talking with people instead of keeping it all deep in the heart." Bargus said, "Ah...being in the Demon army was a good time. Anyways, you don't seem to be interested in the clothes, so shall we get going?"

[Sutoratosu]

Lucy & Co., The Mysterious Ms.Bom, Party Alley

"Well, he wasn't just exaggerating when he said he was like a ghost..." She waited a few moments before she did anything. Just as evidenced with whatever the hell bom was, heightened natural instinct kept her quite aware of anything that might go bump in the night; heaven and hell spawn included well within that mix... though, generally speaking, none except the most powerful and oldest members of their ilk really provided anything stronger than a slight to moderate reaction of her senses, to the point where... well, one stops paying active attention to every alert after a while, simply out of practicalities sake. Instead of focusing on them, she mostly just took note and filed them away to the back of her mind unless they suddenly vanished or simply were too great in magnitude to ignore... magnitudes the likes of which she had only felt from Bom thus far. Which again brought up the question...

Jesse's own presence had dampened considerably for her the instant he stepped through the wall, odd given that even if he did turn into an actual ghost or something, that shouldn't have mattered... unless whatever he did didn't actually involve moving in this plane alone- but whatever, Lucille didn't care about figuring out the how, all she needed was him to go far enough away...

"There, he's not even a problem anymore" She said through the link, finally returning her weary gaze to the dog. "So...since none of my predecessors know anything about you and you're obviously old enough to... well, you're definitely old from what I sense, let's leave it at that... are you actually going to tell me what you even are now, or do I have to let Desperaux steal ancient books and tombs in every city this mission drags us to until we find the answer on our own?"

Desperaux's ears immediately perked up at that, despite their communication seeming to be closed and Bora obviously oblivious, simply laying down in the corner out of boredom... the mouse had obviously still heard the message somehow, given his fervent squeaking begging Bom not to utter a single word about it...quiet enough that he thought Lucille wouldn't pick it up. He failed to take into account she easily had just as great a sense of hearing as he did, her hand rising up and holding his little maw shut from saying anything else.

But eh, what could he say? Who could blame him; It was tough for a mouse to get books afterall, he was going to take whatever opportunity he got...

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Only if you promise me that you will keep this information to yourselves. I'm sure you can't hide it from your bonds, though it's not like they can easily tell other humans what I am... or give other creatures really more information then they have simply from my aura." Luna sounded rather serious about it. Even through the link it was a bit tough to tell her emotional state or what exactly she was thinking. She was highly adapt at only letting off the information she wanted to... nothing less, nothing more. "If you can't, then I can't tell you. I'm not at a luxury that my true identity is something that is easy to give. What I am... is... complicated. I doubt that you'd find anything at least truly about me in those tomes your mouse would be searching for. They'd be about "Bom". Not about me."

[Sutoratosu]

"Well it's not like I'm much into mindless gossip, if that's all you're worried about. I barely even tolerate the others only because there's a job to be done, and unlike some, I'm not ashamed to acknowledge that there are just some things I can't do entirely alone." She said back, instantly feeling the dreaded disappointment of Desperaux as the rodent squirmed against her grasp. Yup, he really had done it again, plugging himself into the background workings of a bond that didn't involve him...typical. Lucille didn't bother to kick him out though "And really, you would probably know even better than I do how well animals conceal secrets compared to people...other beings, their lips can loosened for the right amount of coin or leverage, a beast though... they tend to take it all to the grave. One's word actually means something where I come from, even if it's not even worth it's weight in gold out here. So...what are you then, if not some shape-shifting being named Bom?"

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"It's not so much a matter of gossip, I don't take you as the sort. But, what I'm about to tell you... is not something that is heard oft in this world. It may be world shattering to some, and there are those that wouldn't be fond to know of my true existence. What I am. It's not a simple matter. Some would call me a god, others a demon of great power. None of them truly know me." She hesitated here. She was about to do something she hadn't really done before. Tell her secret to another being. Was it the right thing to do? She, honestly wasn't sure. She never recalled this being the right choice before and it only ending in disaster. Many weren't willing to accept what she was, others would rather destroy her knowing. Some had succeeded, though, killing her physical form only did so much. She wasn't sure if she was right to trust this one, but... hiding her true self... always felt restricting. It felt like drowning in the image of what "Bomoriel" was. She wanted to be known for who she was. Not a misconception.

"Bomoriel is my given name. At the beginning of time it was assigned to me like a name was assigned to my brothers and sisters. We, were the Primordial Ones. Most of our kind have either passed from this world... or are stuck in it.. limbo. I'm clearly one of the latter. I, myself, and not truly a demon, though try telling that to angel. Demons came from us. Not all of us but some. Other dark things that bump in the night come from us as well. We were the progenitors of many things. Though many considered a majority of us evil, unredeemable beyond belief... it was hardly the case. Evil, wasn't something that existed within us,at least not inherently. Demons in their first form were much closer to humans even. Though... they've changed remarkably, part in due to the world's perception of them... the constant "cleansing" of their kind. To the point they are near alien to me. Something I near despise, for they are now, much more than brutes. But, that's enough of a history lesson. You asked about me."

"I am the sculptor of flesh. I was and still am the strongest of Shifters amoungst the Primordial. To call me a shapeshifter is a bit short sighted in that unlike them I don't need magic to do so. I have perfect control over my body. It is mine to make and change as I see fit. Most shifters are mere and pale imitations of me. They seek to replicate my abilities though... it'll never be truly possible. For my methods do not require magic and they can never be replicated by it. They can be mirrored, but not truly abstained. I'm sure that you can feel through this bond that rather than feel like the beast i am before you, you feel infinity. You feel the Feral Maelstrom. The twisting nether of endless possibility. It is the thing that makes me different from many others of the Primordial. It is my connection to the Universe, and the worlds that exist out there. It makes me more "natural" than them. I cannot cast magic myself. I have no capability. Though I do know of it and even how to create runes to be powered by others magic. To the point at times I carve them into my flesh during a transformation... with proper knowledge I can make myself quite resistant to a caster's onslaught, though it requires an absurd amount of prior planning... Sorry, getting sidetracked." she paused to collect her thoughts a moment before carrying on.

"Due to my abilities... some worshiped me as a god. I say me but what I truly mean is their elected image of me. My given name changed to be some sort of... false puppet of my being. It really had taken a life of it's own to the point I stop regarded it as myself they were worshiping but a false deity. Though, even if my image had been current... I'd consider it the same. I'm not above other beings, I'm no god regardless of my make, my partial immortality. However, they worshiped me as a Male figure... a god that represented the feral side of nature. It didn't help that technically... the curse of lycanthropy... was born of my being, however, that's a long story for another time. It took a long time to destroy the image of Bomoriel and it was mostly due to my diligence that it broke apart. I seeded into motion, the Irathi Habaam. Women, that could turn transform. I used my ability to shift to inspire the magic that replicated my abilities. For a long time... it was revered as witchcraft, heresy almost, until I saved one of them from worshipers of the faith. There is a form I can take, that no other being in the world can. It's a creature that's design is only known to me... it's anatomy cannot be replicated. It is this form, that they believed to be Bomoriel's vessel, his avatar in this plane of existence. I used it to protect one of the Irathi Habaam... to tell the demons culture at the time, that Irathi Habaam were the true prophets of Bomoriel. That weakened the faith considerably, because it changed the image forever. Slowly it died out... I couldn't be happier it's gone. I choose a new name to celebrate it's collapse. Though to me, it was who I always was. My chosen name, is Luna."

[Sutoratosu]

((Go, big reveal music for Bom's big reveal!))

Lucille just stood there, silent as she tried to process the claim... she could see why there had been the resistance to tell her the first time. Quite a lot to swallow, even when she had come into the conversation already knowing there was something far greater than it appeared. "So you...and your siblings? You're... precursors then, the original...and yet..." She stopped, so abrupt it was obvious she intentionally cut the message off. Still, she could not help the doubts- something that had quite literally seen the dawn of this universe through it's own eyes, been worshiped as a deity, turned around and single handedly torn down that very same false religion centered around one of it's aspects, had given direct rise to at least two different races and probably had some hand in countless others, and established an entire branch of arcane practice and study. And yet, despite the whirling storm of a presence she felt lost within even now, there was still something... missing. Something... familiar. Something she had felt so many other times from others bearing far less raw power by comparison...things the General had been the very embodiment of through his entire life and even it's final moments at her hands.

Dominion. Domination. Subjugation. Death and Destruction. Bloodlust. Feverpitch, A warcry that could never be sated... a desire for strife for the sake of strife alone. Avarice, Arrogance, so many things, so many countless, countless things...

"Absolute Power corrupts absolutely." She could hear the Fox's voice echo through her mind even now, as if he were over her shoulder, watching. As if she were before his tree again, speaking right to him... "But before one can attain absolute power, they must find Partial Power. And Partial sows the seeds for Corruption. The lust for greater power is the water to those seeds, and the depraved means by which one is willing to get it, the soil. And as the tree grows, a path is carved through the order, and the balance is forsaken. Until all stands beneath the shadow of Despotic Madness.

You are mortal child, just as I- for even the thousand years my kin enjoy are nothing in the grand scheme of things -and mortals are doomed to the temptation of this inglorious cycle, even some gods cannot resist it at times. Remember this, when one day I am gone and you are the one sitting here... for you've great power in you, from the moment I saw you, it flowed forth like a torrent. But that is the very reason why you are such a risk to yourself and those around you, why they despise you, fear you, for they feel it too, and they hate it, hate what they know you may well yet become. You ask me how to soften their hearts to you, as if there is some decree or declaration I can make to command their very souls, some spell to be cast to wipe it all away. There is no easy way towards their trust, young cub... but there is a way... and you alone are the only one who can walk it, no others can do it for you-

"Never forget. Never stray...the abyss is too great for mortal minds to fathom..." she muttered it aloud rather than over the link, after so long in awkward silence, seemingly completely lost in whatever memory that flashed across the synapses of her mind... she had trained herself to defend against mental assault or someone using a link against her, but this was no assault, only her own lapse of concentration, and chances were the entirety of the fox's teachings from so long ago had been broadcast to Luna. The girl did nothing to even attempt to stop it, had practically forgotten what they were even talking about or who she was even talking to; Desp tried what little he could, his presence as an eavesdropper so painfully obvious as he tried to pull the girl out of it, only for the Beastheart to continue on with whatever experience she was locked in..."gaze into it, and it also gazes back upon you. Drink of it, and it consumes you..."

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Little one..." Luna addressed the presence of the mouse that she could detect from the beginning. He was sure of the fact she was addressing him. The clarity flared, and it was clear to him she was directly addressing him. "I'm not sure what has happened, but I fear this is due to the revelation of the extent of my being. This is in part, why I do not entrust this information to that of mortals often. Many when they see what I am, do not truly understand what I am. They judge me based on the others of my kind. The progenitors that subjected... destroyed, toyed with the natural world. I am not one of these beings... at least not anymore. I'm am no god... I'm no demon. I am one who was written her own fate, though it be doomed. Many of the Progenitors that have passed from this world... that I mentioned before... were at my claws ended in bloody retribution for their crimes. If I am the trigger for this event, it may not be wise for me to reawaken her from it. You and and the Dire Bear should be the ones to break her from this... whatever it is. This information is only yours. She cannot hear it. I'm am sorry if I have caused trouble for you." she paused, troubled in her tone of voice.

But, she asked what I was. I thought maybe once someone might understand what I am. Maybe she does... but I don't know if it was worth this. If I have caused irreversible damage... I apologize child. I did not mean for this to happen. I also will not forgive myself. Yet another burden to carry in my heart that refuses yet to cease beating. Another slight...another mistake.Though I suppose it is yet to early to know. Should I help you? I... am not sure what I should do. Wh...what do you think?"

[InnocentSerenity]

"None of these clothes really suit me, so I'm gonna head out." Karol finished looking through the uninteresting shirts and blouses. "When you're done dressing up, I'll meet ya outside." Karol gave Bargus a sarcastic smile as she walked out of the store on her own.

Karol went to stroll outside the boutique. She sat herself down with her back to the wall of the store, watching the many people walking through the streets of the commercial district.

Looking at the people strolling around the area, it was mainly Angels. She could probably count the amount of people of other races on a hand or two. It makes sense for lots of Angels to be here, but there sure aren't much else. From what she heard of the place before coming here, Marblegate had only opened to other races recently. Before then, the city was inhabited only by Angels. But why? What's so special about this place?

Well, not like they'd ever tell me. Angels were so secretive about their lives. Of the few ones Karol talked to, they'd rarely talk about their lives, let alone their homes. Maybe when I can, one of those Angels we have around could tell me some stuff about them.

[Sutoratosu]

The mouse starred at her, thinking it over. Before long though, he gave a negatory through the connection. This wasn't exactly... the first time it had happened. This first time in many years, perhaps, but not the first ever. The use of a bond was by it's very nature an inherently dangerous thing, for Lucille to link her soul so closely with that of another as to facilitate such intimate commune...used on the wrong target, one of enough raw mental capacity and malice, chances were she probably could've been broken and ridden like a mere puppet- the very thing Old Fox had instructed her in the defense against.

But there were other issues as well...memories. Memories were fickle, at least under the influence of her own ability. Fleeting, scattered, each of them like their own self contained time and place stored in the mind and tied directly to her soul, the imprints of that which had already passed but yet was not allowed to flow with the rest of things. By their very nature, it took concentration for her to share and show them to another being over her links, to encapsulate them in that captured imprint of time and space so they can live it through her own perspective, or on a less personal scale to set them as an outward observer... and when done without that proper concentration, Lucy was far more likely to end up the one caught in her own projection than the party it was intended for... the long and short of it was that it was a short circuit, a mistake, far more on the girl's part than Bom's. She had been so distracted with her own thoughts that when the subconscious flash of memory flew across the surface of her mind, instead of stepping back, staying on the outside, remaining an observer like one normally would when recalling something, she had let herself fall into it, and well... that was that.

But he had one idea... it had worked well enough back then. Without anything else in response, he managed to wiggle his jaws out of her grasp, his thin yet razor-sharp like buck teeth looming large over her fingers before her grip tightened on reflex and the air rushed from him, Lucille's voice again resounding over the bond...

"Why?" She asked the being hidden as the black dog, more force behind it than she probably even realized. "Everything I've been taught, everything I've seen, all the men I've killed, all the ones I've been trying to protect... everything up till now has all supported the same basic principle that the more you want, the greater you are, the closer you tread to Oblivion, and yet... here you are... possessed of more raw strength than anyone I've ever met, anyone I probably ever will meet, all bundled into that form... you've had literally countless eons to have your way with this world, do whatever the hell you wanted, and yet, somehow...you didn't succumb to power's poison...why? When for so many others I've seen, so many others throughout all of history, all it's taken is one taste and they're hooked, thirsting for more and never willing to stop, even those who already had plenty; hell, even the very gods themselves, and yet..." The pressing of the inquisition gradually dissipated, waned... and confusion reigned in it's place. Grade A, genuine perplexion.

"How? You're the closest thing to 'absolute' I've ever encountered... literally as old as time itself, and still, you're nothing like the bastards my predecessors and myself all spent our whole lives trying to stop. H...How did you break The Cycle- no, how did you defy The Cycle completely, Kept your footing on such a treacherous slope all this time?"

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Because I never wanted it. It was forced upon me. This curse. That despite being attached to nature itself being one with beasts... I cannot die. Slay me, spill my blood... I will only come back. I would enjoy the respite from the pain, however, I would soon feel myself forced to flesh once more. What I am, is not my choice. I am a specter trapped within the limbo of a design far outdated. The Primordial Ones... They weren't meant to be what they were, what I am. We were supposed to pass on from this plane eons ago... but they never left. I feared what this implicated. And I was right to do so. They had twisted the very nature of our being... and further, that of our children. They perverted their form. Demons... were much like humans once. They were once... almost one and the same. But, the Primordials decided to tamper with the natural order of things. to make their children more than they were meant for. I advised against this... they didn't listen. Slowly, I watched the children made by my brothers and sisters be corrupted at their hands. I was young then... young and prideful. I wanted them to watch their mistakes unfold. In that desire... I doomed all of the demon race to be what they are today. The brutish mongers of war, battle, death and all things perverse. I've never forgiven myself for this." images flashed throughout, many scenes that Lucille, didn't understand. They were fast powerful. many of the scenes were so, other worldly she just couldn't grasp them. Others were out of focus. However, she did see one clear image. One that she was not sure if the being before her intentionally showed it, or left it leak. Either way... it was a striking visual.

A large and grotesque wolf creature stood over a human. But not menacingly. Forlornly. The figure standing on two bipedal legs, dropped to it's knees and collapsed. It placed the human woman's head in her lap. Tears ran down it's face... and when it looked down fully, Lucy could see a spear driven through it's heart. Luna's voice came from the creature. "I'm sorry... I was too late." she just, stroked the woman's hair tears welling within her eyes. so much so that the scene was barely visible anymore.

"I... I cannot forgive myself... for falling for the temptation to prove I was right. In that lapse of judgement... I doomed thousands... for what? My greed...? My want to get back at my misguided brothers and sisters. But it was I who was misguided. It was I.. who let them do this. I didn't stop them. My arrogance... my pride... my whatever... is responsible for the death of millions of souls as they were. The dream... died because I let it. The world forever corrupted and changed because I didn't protect my children when I had the chance. They weren't even strictly mine... but yet, I failed them. I didn't hold my ground I didn't... I didn't save them. And yet again the universe dawns to repeat itself. I can feel it in all of my being. This world will probably never truly be safe, but it will never be safe with the other Primordials. I've murdered them... to force them to pay for their sins. At times it was easy. They trusted me... and never expected me to sink my fangs into their skulls. Further.. I learned runes for a reason, I couldn't cast them, but the dark power from them that released when a Primordial died could. It would power the rune to the one spell to end us forever. I Defy... because my kind... shouldn't exist anymore. Nor should I. But, while I have borrowed time... I'll use it to atone, and to protect the yet uncorrupted... Humankind. My fate is my own. I even killed fate itself to prove the point. That all beings fate was nothing predetermined... they only were due to her wicked magic. Lady Fate... I once loved her, she was one of my sisters... but she sinned more than even I."