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[Kenoma] Discussion

( 🟣 - Emet, 🔵 - Ciel )

Good Evening.

There are some within our ranks who we have not had the pleasure of meeting. I am Emet-Selch. Ciel and I serve as tacticians and teachers to the Kenoma.

I function as acting counsel for devising strategies. Additionally, some of you may find yourself in possession of new magical abilities that you did not have before. I am available to assist you with honing your newfound magical skills. To those of you who find yourself injured, I can provide my magic to heal your wounds so that you may be hale and whole once more.

[ He sighs. My, is this a mouthful. ]

My name is Ciel. I am versed in martial arts and am proficient with most types of weaponry. There are various means of developing melee combat prowess across Achamoth, but if you would like personalized instructions at any level, please contact me and we’ll arrange for a schedule. I can also perform magical healing along with Father Paul.

Unfortunately, We do not have much time for pleasantries. The Pleroma will soon be at our doorstep. Their goal is to retrieve their allies who remain captive inside our walls, and our goal is to lure them deep within the Citadel where we may enact our own plans. You will be provided assignments once it is closer to the promised hour. Prepare in your own way meanwhile; The Citadel is host to all manners of weaponry and the army's training grounds.

[ It’s kept a little vague and unspecific. Though they do intend to give adequate information, there is also no question that they have had traitors in their midst as of late. Everything will be doled out with due caution. Although, there will be a silent message sent to each person asking them to respond with some information of their abilities. ]

We are at war, bloodshed is inevitable. We will be attacked soon, and we must defend our keep. Consider this communion address a formal hub for discussion and organization of the battle to come. We will begin with information sharing of the Pleroma: knowing their names, appearances, and capabilities will better prepare us in dealing with them in combat. Aions may develop new abilities at any time, however; intel from the mission in Venera and Godsblood may very well be outdated by now, so do not assume anything we go over in this address as the extent of what they can do. Anything you may have witnessed at the shrines can be helpful, including other newcomers you may have met that did not return to Achamoth..

To the third wave of newly awoken Aions, it is regrettable that we cannot welcome you better, you’ve unfortunately arrived at a tumultuous time on Horos. If this is all too much for any reason, that’s fine. Contact me privately, and we can at least arrange for you to be somewhere safe during this. To those used to wielding great power, please get some practice in and verify your new limits. Becoming an Aion may have weakened you, do not let that catch you off-guard on the battlefield.

To those who are new, introduce yourselves and ask any questions you have. We will answer your questions as best we can, and I encourage our fellow Kenoma to chime in where they may. Do try to keep your questions interesting enough to be worth reading.

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Hey. Name's Amos.

[ She sounds somewhat hesitant; Amos'll do his best to convey something supportive. We're all friends here. Or at least we're supposed to be. ]

Destructive ain't a bad thing if it gets the job done. You just got here, though? Don't stress it. You'll probably be more up to it in time.

[ A beat, and then, with a bit more cheer, ] You could always be an ace in the hole, if it comes to it.

Hello, Amos… I can hear you. As odd as this is…

I just don’t want to hurt anyone I shouldn’t. If those Pleroma people need to be taken care of, I could probably help a lot, but…

We don’t want to kill a hundred people just to kill one, do we?

[… that’s an answer she’s interested in. do we?]

Yeah, takes a bit to get used to it.

[ Her response does give him pause, though. Shit, she's got that kind of power? Her uncertainty is noted. And, in a way, kind of admired. ]

Not if we can help it, we don't.

But this is war. There are going to be casualties. If it can't be helped, then it can't be helped.

... Maybe try to be ready. Just in case.

How long did it take you… ? I suppose I should prepare to be here… for the foreseeable future.

[Hmm…]

I’m a little rusty. But I’ll try to be. Ready.

It feels like the people here almost worship us… I don’t want to give them a reason to hate us.

Not that long. Depends how often you use it, I guess. 'cept some parts're weirder than others.

[ That whole. Feeling others' emotions thing. Your own coming through at the same time.

He's never really going to get a handle on that. ]

All any of us can really do is try. Don't think you've got anything to worry about, though. They're not gonna hate us.

[ He has no proof with which to back that statement up, though there's a sense of knowing as he says it. Full confidence, and it might even be inexplicably earned. If all they have to do is exist to be worshipped, then they're probably safe in these peoples' books. ]

I guess that’s how it is any place…

[The emotions thing she’s at least learned she’ll have to be careful with. During communion, she keeps her presence so unobtrusive as to barely be noticeable, so small that it’s distracting to try and make the words out to keep people from noticing the guarded walls. In person, she apparently shouldn’t let anyone touch her shard…]

Are you sure?

[She tries to sound worried.]

In my world… People like me were hated.

Feared.

[ Her guarded walls are kinda nice, actually. Uncomplicated. His own sense of keeping things closed off is more instinctual than not, which means sometimes things slip through. Or nothing. Sometimes there's a whole lot of nothing.

Here he really is trying to be supportive, though. Especially at the idea of being feared just for existing.

There's a pause on Amos' end before he answers. ]

That's not us here. Not in Achamoth. Other parts of the continent, maybe. Doesn't really mean anything. You get used to it.

We're the ones they like here, though. That ain't gonna change.

Almost feels like it's been this way forever.

… Huh.

[As if that idea… really was foreign to her. Being… liked? Not having to hide?]

I thought I would wake up in a lab… or die in a back alley somewhere…

[She doesn’t even have to manufacture that part.]

… That sounds nice. If it’s really like that.

[ He doesn't really know what empathy is — it isn't something inherently recognizable to him — but there's a flicker of it here. For her. ]

It is.

[ His voice is soft. Encouraging. Some part of him recognizes he's speaking to someone who's kin. Maybe not in the same way — he wasn't gonna wake up in a lab, but the back alley thing is maybe a little too relatable — but close enough.

And that's really all he needs to be committed to seeing her get through things. ]

You don't got anything to worry about. Not here. Not like that.

And when we take down the Pleroma — when we win this war — it'll never be like that for anyone ever again.

[The flicker is what she wants to see. Feel. Now… empathy is a somewhat foreign thing, but she had spent five years without her powers. Five years leaning emotions and slowly growing capable of showing them and acting on them.

She thinks she knows what that one is… And it’s useful. Good.]

… in the new world the Regent is going to make?

Yeah.

[ He's quiet, but firm. Yeah. ]

And the Pleroma want to stop that from happening. So we gotta take them out. So if anyone else gets caught in the crossfire... we'll just have to make it worth it in the end.

[ If any civilians die, then they die.

And that's okay. ]

[He sounds sure. And whether she is or isn't sure the worlds have been destroyed, for lack of proof... She isn't about to risk it not being true. Not with stakes like that.

So-]

... When you phrase it like that.

I think I understand.

[ There's the metaphysical sense of a nod; an agreement without words. ]

If you're not up to it in time, that's fine. I know it's a whole thing when you first get here.

But if you have the shot, you should take it.

... I'm kind of used to it. Just waking up somewhere I don't know, in a situation I didn't ask for...

I think I can help, even if they attacked tomorrow.

If someone would just direct me...

I'll do my best. I will.

I believe you.

[ Just like that. He really does. ]

We'll probably get something organized in the coming days. They're the ones coming to us, though. We're in a position of strength.

[ They're in a massive city, and within that, a fortified citadel. Like... ]

We got nothing to worry about.

[Does he? If so...]

... I have to ask.

Why are we so sure they'll come? It seems almost suicidal.

[ Because they're idiots is on the tip of his tongue, but he stops himself from saying it out loud. The impression of that sentiment might still come through, though. ]

Because we got a couple of their friends, and they're the types desperate to save everyone.

[ Even though the Pleroma's philosophy makes that actually impossible. But. You know. ... They're idiots. ]

... I see.

[No, she did not see. That sort of behavior...]

Even though there's never been a world where everyone could be saved...

That's unfortunate.

Yeah.

That's what we're trying to help the Regent make, though. And they're trying to stop us. So. You never gotta feel guilty about doing whatever it takes to kill them.

[She can't say she can imagine a world without darkness... but the important part is that she keeps living. That she secures a place for herself in this "new world". And to do that...]

We have captives, though, now, right... ?

Are we supposed to try to capture first, and kill second... ? Or don't hesitate at all.

Well, depends how you kill them. You know that crystal thing you woke up with? That's your soul. As long as that stays intact, you're good. So I figure the best thing to do is to kill them and bring their soul back with you. Regent'll know what to do with that.

But if you got no choice but to permanently kill them, that's probably better than letting them get away.

[ It's all said rather calmly, like a teacher delivering a lesson. Nevermind the gravity of what they're talking about; it's just the enemy, so it's not like their lives actually matter. ]

... Ah.

That does change things quite a bit, doesn't it...

[Something she's never had to, nor had the luxury, to consider. But...]

I'm not sure... my powers will be able to differentiate that too easily, but. I'm glad others have the choice.

What are your powers, anyway?

[ He is, for the record, totally unbothered by the fact that she might end up permanently killing people anyway. These things happen. ]

[Normally, she wouldn’t say… but for the sake of cooperation she was willing to show the strategists what she was capable of, so it wouldn’t stay secret. This wasn’t some deep cover MI6 mission or a one-off Syndicate job.

Very well.]

I sort of… make these spheres. In my mind.

And anything inside of them just… Well it depends what it’s made of, I guess, but. Humans don’t live long in there. Things crumple. It gets messy. And when I release it…

… How tough are these shard things? Does anyone know?

[ He's listening intently. Huh. She's right; that is destructive. Her concerns make perfect sense. ]

Pretty tough if it's where it's supposed to be in your body. You actually might not be able to damage it. I don't think anything like that's been tested, though. At least not as far as I've heard.

If it's outside of your body, though? Like right now? It's fragile as fuck. Wouldn't need your powers to break it at all.

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