[Kenoma] Discussion

[lachtara]

( 🟣 - 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 Aions may develop new abilities at any time, however; intel from the mission in Venera and Godsblood may very well be outdated by now, so do not assume anything we go over in this address as the extent of what they can do.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.

Comments

[lifespanned]

[ Not the Abel jumpscare being projected into her mind??? mr knightlord....

The way Ciel refers to him as an 'it' naturally invokes some subconscious sadness in her, but ultimately? If Abel was hiding such an ability like this, all this time... it does makes her question the honesty of everything she's seen of him up until this point, perhaps hypocritically. A seed of doubt has surely been planted. 4d level chess move on ciel's part ]

He really can turn into something like that...? What is he, some kind of demon...?

[ The question is more confused than outright frightened or disgusted - but still. A slight sense of disbelief lingers in her words. ]

[expiera]

[more like scummy NIGHT LORD amirite 🔪🔪🔪

Textbook 101 warfare! You have to dehumanize the enemy. The more unrelatable and alien they feel, the easier it is to demonize them. Not that it takes much effort, when Abel's space rabies form already does such a good job of making its own case for her. Which is why while Abel absolutely does not deserve this, Ciel unfortunately has no chill when he and ONLY he is involved, so even if she notices Misa's apprehension this once, she WOULD willingly choose to ignore it whole.]

Yes. You may ask Emet-Selch for confirmation, both of us witnessed that monster.

[...]

I believe him to be some form of vampire. [Actually, she's pretty sure that's exactly what he is now after certain torture chamber events, but that's neither here nor there. It also doesn't change the fact that Abel's particular brand is still hecking weird.] It doesn't matter, regardless. A monster is a monster.

[lifespanned]

[ Much as she'd like to coldly believe what Ciel is saying, her mind drifts to the "monsters" she'd befriended back on Earth, how they were terrifying to look at and had undeniable lethality... yet, they'd still been kind to her. One of them had always promised she'd protect her with her life, not so dissimilarly to how Abel had told her he'd always be waiting for her on the other side. ]

Well, I guess....

[ But it's not a matter she can bring up so openly, and besides - Abel is their enemy. And Ciel is her ally, simple as that. She shouldn't overcomplicate things in her own mind. She's already made conscious effort to sever any affection she had for him prior to this information being revealed, at the public showing - it's just... the shock of it, that's getting to her. ]

You've fought monsters like vampires before, haven't you? Is that why you want us to call you....

[ She'd said something akin to it before - that people in the Church were taught to fight against "threats in the dark." Misa had always assumed it had to do with more fantastical threats than she was familiar with, and a vampire fits right in with that kind of thing. ]

[expiera]

[...]

I have, yes. I specialize against them in particular, as it so happens.

[It wasn't particularly relevant, before.

It is now, as much as there's only her own word to go from.]

[lifespanned]

Guess we're lucky you're on our side then, huh.

[ A vampire hunter on the opposing side of the OP vampire? That's one more thing that's going their way. ]

I don't feel like we'll see that form again, but... if I see him like that, I'll tell you. You already beat him once already, anyway...

[ So why let anyone else deal with it?? Maybe having the knowledge that he can be confidently taken care of by someone on her side will be... better, in the long run, for her detachment. ]

[expiera]

He won't do it for himself, only for the sake of another, but now that we've forced it out once, we know we can do it again. Please do; that monster is a true threat, to all of humanity and beyond.

[That's right, leave it to the professionals. There's no need for anyone else to concern themselves over details.]

[lifespanned]

All of humanity...? A-Ahaha, jeez...

[ Her laugh comes out a bit sheepish, because jfc? Is Abel really that dangerous?? She can't help but feel like there's something else, apart from Ciel seeing Abel's powers firsthand, that's causing such a severe reaction. However, she supposes it could just be Ciel's experience with vampires talking. ]

Maybe I'm not getting it, but is there a reason to want to force it out...? Or did that happen by accident when you fought?

[expiera]

It happens when someone close to him is threatened. We learned that he's capable of fighting, but in such a poor and clumsy way that leaves one wondering if he's truly serious about protecting anything at all.

[She answers coolly, severely, very much showing a side of her that her allies are seldom privy to. That 'priest' is a useless good-for-nothing, it's Ciel's objective and unbiased conclusion over his character, that's all.]

[lifespanned]

You don't hold back at all, do you, Ciel? You must really hate him.

[ maybe she's seen a side of him no one else has? or she just finds his personality annoying, combined with the whole vampire thing? yeesh. it's not said with judgment - more of an observation, really. ]

[expiera]

[There's a notable pause on the other side of the line, accompanied with something that almost feels like hesitation, uncertainty.]

It's not that. ["Hate". And maybe the fact that this exchange is happening through communion is proof: there certainly is a sort of viciousness in how she spoke of her fellow Martyr, but the sentiment also bears no taint of personal bitterness or resentment. How does she explain it though, if she has to put it into words? Of course speaking harshly of the man would raise eyebrows. She's seen for herself what that display had done to morale among Kenoma Aions.]

I won't hold back when it comes to him, no. But it's something else.

[And she knows, that she basically explained nothing at all. Hng.]

[lifespanned]

"Something else," huh? Veeeery descriptive...

[ In any normal circumstance, this would be a ripe opportunity to make a joke out of implying she has feelings for him, but, like, they're all trying to kill each other at war.... #nowisnotthetime. She's getting strong notes of Ciel not wanting to talk about it based on the vagueness, especially on a public forum, so she gives up with a sigh, giving the mental equivalent of waving a hand in dismissal. So many secrets with this one, at times. ]

I'm not going to pretend to get it, but I'll leave him to you, then.

[expiera]

[Does Misa really want to hear about the time Ciel skewered Abel's arm, or the second time she did it, or when she lasered him from above with full intention of flattening him into a smear on the pavement? He survived all of it, maybe, but that level of violence sure derives from a Feeling of some sort...]

Mm.

[There's something almost apologetic that comes with the hum, stronger than the underlaying sense of... relief? Gratitude? Beneath. Whatever it was, it's hard to describe, and with how the communion feed cuts within the next moment, Ciel may be aware of how incoherent that must've come across too. Sorry, Misa...]