Chapter One: Lilium [Knocking on Heaven's Door]

Devlin

Devlin

Junior Member
Mood Setting


Destiny…


It is sometimes hard to understand how the world works, even for the most powerful of gods. Ever changing, ever moving, a living breathing creature that never sleeps, never slows, and bears whatever burden is laid upon it. Even now, fate changes the world around you, many times in ways you don’t even notice. Creation is so large…


Even now, as you take a warm breeze into your lungs, you can’t even begin to fathom all of the events going on in creation. As you take in that breath, a child is born… an old man dies from age… two men fight over the attention of a fair woman… and a man is murdered for some jade. All of these events fated to have happened, and all without you even knowing of them. Creation and Fate. Destiny. What do these truly mean..?


Another breath fills your lungs. The smell of flowers, lilium to be exact, entices you senses and makes everything seem so… peaceful. You reside in a small village called Lilium, named after the flower that grows all around the village. It’s a peaceful town, the people here live normal lives, away from the chaos of the realm, and the wrath of the wyld. The gods that watch over this place are not hostile, and the weather always seems to be pleasant.


The guild visits once a month, trading with the local farmers to provide the town with income. The forest around them provides protection from the outside, and being as far as it was to the east the realm and its immaculate seldom come and their teachings seldom taught. They do not fear Exalted here.


The village itself is set up in a circular form. The center of the village rests the statue of a beautiful goddess, the goddess of Lilium who as you guessed is the reason so many of these flowers grow within the village. The village hall is also near this center, along with a small market place where you can find just what you need for a reasonable price. Beyond this, is also where the local Inn and Bar are, as well as a few homes, and even farther back in the towns circle is the school house full of happy children and the remainder of the homes and farms that litter the village.


Today, the goddess of Lilium blesses the town with brilliant weather. The sun is out, warm to your skin, and a cool breeze blows, just enough to carry the scent of the flowers all across town. Truly, the day is… perfect…


Fate however, is never far away… It’s touch can be cold, but it is necessary. Fate cares not for beauty, only making sure what needs to happen does…
 
Done praying to the Gentle Emerald Leaf today, Goddess of Lilium and her own patron the Unconquered Sun. The scent of the beloved and familiar flowers tickled her nose and her beautiful gray hair shimmered gently with a hint of silver dancing with the soft zephyr coursing through the village as if a tender lifestream. Life is good for Lilium for they have their benevolent Goddess granting them fair weather and plentiful harvest and their divine protector staving off any evildoer, protecting them relentlessly. The twin Goddesses of Lilium, Gentle Emerald Leaf and Virtuous Merciful Wandering Feather. Together they kept Lilium happy.


She herself wandered the region on a regular basis, keeping the entire of it safe and sated as her own domain, not as a ruler but as a watcher and a keeper, her great personal magnetism and charm allowing her to earn an honest life from the donations of her many devoted worshipers. Indeed, the people of this region loved their mysterious Goddess, daughter of the Unconquered Sun with skin ebony as night but smile as bright as dawn. And she loved them back with her soft blue gaze, never relenting in her watch.


As she sat with a young boy, ruffling his hair playfully while talking to his mother she gazed around at the town, taking in the fresh hair, feeling it tickle against her skin "The harvest is going to be even more exceptional than last year, I can tell Clara." she giggled faintly, brushing a small strand of hair away from her face as the older woman answered her demurely, their conversation casual and pleasant.


There was no telling the grim clouds that were gathering over the forest, far on the horizon, speeding toward them as if desperate steed, without respite. Soon there this Fate would be.


Soon there would be the dawn of a new chapter for this young Rising Sun.
 
This job was fun sometimes.


Signum wandered down the side of the road in contemplative silence, basking in the warmth of the sun, the fresh air, and the gorgeous scenery all around her. It was picturesque, untouched nature only broken by the occasional farmstead - and the seventy one citizens of the village up ahead, likely unaware of the designs of the Loom of Fate. Seventy two citizens, if one counted the lone Solar Exalted. "Virtuous Merciful Wandering Feather," she silently recited the title. Apparently a rather idealistic young Solar - not that any of them were anything but, Signum thought with a certain degree of detached amusement - with a very interesting fate. Fascinating, even.


Of course, that was only going off of what she had heard, and Exalted did have a tendency to tangle the skein of fate with little more than a gesture. Perhaps this Solar would die in a few days, her destiny unfulfilled - or perhaps one of the darker, branching destinies that had been forseen might be set into motion, whether through Signum's own actions or something else in the coming weeks. Fate's vagaries were frustratingly vague, that way - if Exalted followed its' designs more easily, things would be easier.


Signum shook her head, ruefully remembering the visions of her own averted demise despite a feeble attempt to avoid that particular memory. That had been one of the most frightening experiences she could have possibly imagined in her four decades of Exaltation, easily trumping any of the other fears she had admittedly experienced. But it was also in the past, and she was more experienced now - less susceptible to doubt, braver, and more comfortable with defying or enforcing the Loom of Fate as needed to ensure her own survival and that of the world's. Speaking of which, she had work to do - without her direct influence, the day's events might well be hurled far askew. Solars were just annoying like that.


As the tiny village loomed before her, she noticed the town guards - two men, each armed with swords. She could tell at a glance that neither of them were in the least warriors; each of their stances was sloppy, their blades dull, and neither of them seemed too eager to hurl themselves into battle. That was for the best, of course - thank the Maidens, she didn't have to exterminate the village. Signum was no coward, but neither was she a fool; intentionally provoking a Solar without very good reason and plenty of backup from Fate tended to end poorly for anyone stupid enough to try it, and she had taken the brunt of Solar fury before; she knew as well as anyone how competent even a freshly-Exalted Solar could be. This one had apparently been around for a decade, and while she was nowhere near as powerful as she could have been, she had very nearly fought an Abyssal to a standstill. That alone said something. Something that Signum did not particularly want to be impaled by.


She reached the gates a few moments later, making the universal gesture of peace at the men; hands in the air, not on the weapon comfortably hanging off her back. Not strictly necessary, but she had no intention of ending any life out of her purview - and besides, if they weren't dead, they could answer questions! Slipping into Low Realm and hoping that their dialect wasn't too damn difficult to understand, as sometime happened with these out-of-the-way villages, Signum began the 'interrogation.' Not that pleasant greetings and harmless questions really qualified as much of an interrogation, but...


"Greetings, gentlemen. A fine day today, is it not? I'm glad that that helpful farmer's instructions were correct; I've been walking all day, and could definitely use a meal. I'm, ah, a little new to this 'wilderness survival' thing, and..." Signum trailed off, feigning embarassment with practiced ease. "...Well, I... may have packed a little less food than actually needed. A lot less. Would either of you fine gentleman be willing to point me in the general direction of the town inn, or anywhere else that I might be able to satiate myself?"


(I'd roll manipulation+socialize but she has so many dice it'd be a waste of time versus two hicks)
 
Signum


The people here were kind and quickly without question offered you the help you needed. The guard closest, clearly the one with more control, and maybe even the slightly better fighting ability spoke first and pointed the direction for you.


“Ah miss, you must be exhausted then. Please, head for the center of town along this path. On your right, you will see our Inn ‘The Tipsy Tree’. Has a picture of a tree hanging above the door, you can’t miss it. We don’t get strangers often, I’m sure for a few tales of adventure the bar keep will happily host you.â€


The man smiled and nodded to you before going back to his business.


Feather


The town was small and news traveled very fast. It wouldn’t take more than a minute of time before you heard of a stranger in town. No one ever did mind their business.
 
Once she heard the news of the traveller in town she stood and made her goodbyes to the older woman and her young son, walking leisurely down the path leading toward the center of the village, near The Tipsy Tree, the barkeep must have been quite festive at the news of a stranger, he loved tales of foreign lands even more than his liquor and that said something alright!


Chuckling softly to herself as she pushed the door to the small but fine establishment, supplied by the Guild obviously, she greeted the stranger sitting at a nearby table with a warm meal "Hail, stranger. It isn't often we see anyone from outside the region in these parts, what brings you to this humble village?" she asked with a warm, friendly, smile radiating a comforting and gentle presence that felt almost soothing. It was incredibly hard to not get caught up in her infectious cheer.


As she sat at the table, inviting herself if there ever was such a thing, she flashed the elegant young woman a wide grin revealing her pearly white teeth "Such a pretty young thing, I bet you're from a big city! You have to tell me everything about it." she said as some people, mostly friends of hers and a few members of her slowly growing cult gathered around them, ready to hear the tales as she further encouraged their guest "Please, it would mean a lot to us if you would share tales of your journey here and your homeland with us."


Suddenly she would facepalm, bellowing a hearty and comforting laugh, almost as if melting butter gently sizzling it was hard to keep one's icy composure around it "Oh Heavens! I haven't even introduced myself. This is Lilium and everyone around here calls me Feather, what's your name?" she offered her hand across the table, wanting to shake on their auspicious meeting.
 
Well, that had been fruitful, Signum decided. Neither of the guards had seen anything unusual lately, nor had they heard of anything from the nearby villages. Wouldn't do to have her arrival screw up the Loom's designs, of course - she had been half worried that there would be news of something else important happening in the area today. Only one thing of any import was to happen in the area today, and it still seemed to be right on schedule.


Better yet, she had some time to relax. She really was hungry, even if she hadn't been walking for quite as long as she'd told the guards, and this inn, the Drunken Tree or some other idiotic, supposedly 'quaint' name, at least served decent food. They'd better, she thought with a minor burst of entitled amusement; there isn't even anyone else here.


She felt the other Exalt approach the door to the inn before her footsteps betrayed her, but remaining sitting, sampling some variety of local cider. Nothing alcoholic, sadly - she had a mission to do, one that required complete attention - but cider was quite the tasty alternative. The Solar, of course, wasted no time in introducing herself and quizzing the village's newest occupant, acting for all the world like any friendly villager - even if she was immensely charismatic. Solars. Signum cracked a smile during Feather's antics, though it was not as a response to her attempt at humor - she was more amused at the differences between Sidereals and Solars; her very presence tended to unnerve most mortals, courtesy of her position as what was essentially one of Heaven's assassins, but this Solar seemed completely immune. Unusual, but not entirely unheard of. Some Solars had more developed danger senses than others; this one just seemed to have less.


Less drive, too - she seemed entirely content to just protect the countryside, completely wasting her talents when they could be protecting Creation itself. The self-absorbed short-sightedness of so many Solars continued to amaze her. So much power, greater than any other Exaltation save perhaps the Abyssals themselves, and all too many of them seemed happy to ignore the wellspring of ambition within them. They all had one, of course - Signum knew that much for a fact. That was how their Exaltations even found them, after all: healthy, ambitious mortals with greatness in their destiny were the only ones to undergo Solar Exaltation. To waste it on a tiny village like this, on such unimportant and inconsequential villagers like this? Egotism, raw egotistical stupidity at its finest. This damned Solar should be fulfilling her destiny, not-


Signum reigned in her internal debate with some annoyance, betraying little to the group around her. It would be impolite to not reply, and suspicious to boot. Of course, that didn't mean she had to exactly tell to truth. She smiled once more at her new acquaintance, one that looked far more genuine than the thin, tight smile of earlier.


"A pleasure to meet you, Feather. Is that part of a title? It certainly sounds like it might be but a part of a grander whole. Ah, but I digress. I go by Iris, no grandiose title - I'm little more than a wandering... guardian, I suppose you might say. I turned out to be unsuitable for the family business, you see," Signum did not mention that this was due to ascending to limited godhood and her new, far more taxing job as a highly paid murderer who went around killing Solars and crushing their dreams while being an enigmatic bitch, "and I make my living, well, protecting people. I get to do my part for Creation, and in return, I usually manage to acquire lodgings for the night and a good meal."


She paused, as if realizing something for the first time. "Oh, I'm sorry, that makes me sound like some conquering hero. I'm afraid I'm not actually all that good at this, so I mostly restrict myself to bandits and other easy targets. The supernatural is better left to those good men in the Immaculate Order, isn't it?"


...Okay, so maybe she felt like proviking the Solar a little bit.


"Truth be told, I'd heard that there was some sort of hero here, a..." Signum trailed off in faux embarassment, pretending to have difficulty finding the words she was searching for. She knew word for word her entire speech, of course, but it wouldn't do for this persona to seem any more competent than she'd said. "Well, one that could maybe, you know, teach me something about... well, that is, how to do this "heroics" thing. It- it just seemed like a good idea to talk to someone who knew what they were doing, and- oh, I'm - I'm terribly sorry, I'm babbling here."


She trailed off once more, her persona taking refuge in a deep gulp of cider. This Solar apparently had a hero complex of some sort; she needed to get and keep the other Exalt's attention for the time being, and if it meant pretending to be incompetent, so be it.


It just... rankled her, especially since she was pretty sure she could take the other one on in single combat.
 
At first there was an uncomfortably long silence as the Sidereal exalt debated with herself the merits of the cours she had set for her own existence, nevertheless soon enough the clever vixen chastised herself for her own distraction and brought her full attention back to bear on the conversation, at last responding in kind to her attempts at reparte.


"Well yes, it's sort of a nickname the folks around here found for me, my real name's actually..." but she was interrupted by her own presentation as she shook her hand, squeezing it gently as she kept her warm expression intact despite the rather cold demeanor of the attractive youth. "So you're a travelling town guardian aren't you? That's very brave of you, young lady. Then again you look rather shapely and healthy, I'm sure you do a fine job!" she praised and flirted just a bit, being her usual careless and friendly self, there was no reason to be suspicious after all "Well, we'll be glad to provide you with a place to stay for the night and food on the table too so you can go on your merry way tomorrow, I'm afraid that we've no need of your services though let me tell you, I appreciate the good work you do." she grins widely and slam her on the shoulder playfully, being rather touchy-feely, typical Solar conceit.


"Nah it's alright, there's no arrogance in being proud of doing good work for the common fo..." then there was a sudden silent as the words fell out of her mouth. It extended for almost a full minute as many in the crowds glared at her and the hushed sounds of a crowd talking amongst itself filled the air until at last Feather rose her hand to silence them and let their guest finish explaining herself "There is no hero here." she said firmly, her presence overwhelming now as she called upon her heartstone hidden on her person quite subtly. She had the spirit of a hero and so if this had been a mere mortal 'Iris' would have been easily cowed into submission but here this was no mere mortal and so she stood a chance, albeit slim if Feather had her way.


"Iris, around here we don't talk about the Immaculate Order. I'm afraid that I'm starting to wonder if you're not, mayhaps, lying to us. A snake making its nest in our mist and tricking the good folks of Lilium for some sinister purpose." she stood and for some reason she appeared even taller than before "I'm afraid that I'll have to ask you more details about those 'rumors' you heard." she pushed a hand against her face lightly, rubbing the arc of her nose. She didn't need this, not on such a perfect day, but it would seem she had to deal with a breach to the security of their little kingdom.


"So then, Iris..." she walked around the table until she stood behind her, folding her arms behind her as she looked down at her "Please tell me everything you know." a normal mortal would have felt quite captive, what with the townfolks still standing around, blocking the exits.
 
Intimidation Attempt


Charisma 5 + Presence 4 + Hearthstone 2 = 11 dice pool


Feather rolled the following in his 9 dice:


4, 8, 2, 8, 9, 4, 4, 7, 2


Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 4 successes.


Feather rolled the following in his 2 dice:


9, 8


Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 2 successes.
 
Interesting. It would seem that she had overestimated the Solar. Signum's smile remained for the time being, but it was as hollow as could be. Solars. Egotistical morons, so sure in their perfection that even the most idealistic and well-meaning of them had no issue whatsoever with using intimidation spontaneously at the slightest threat. Not even a threat, from a rational point of view - most commoners believed in the good of the Immaculate Order, so it was entirely in character for her to have said that. Anyone with the least dash of common sense would have agreed to avoid raising her suspicions or those of anyone nearby, even if they -were- a Solar, simply because disagreeing meant treason.


Of course there was that whole "antagonizing the Solar for fun and profit" thing, but really. You couldn't expect that much of one of these Dawn Caste knuckleheads. No subtlety or tact at all, just a wall of force the instant anything happened. Signum let out a breath, deliberately acting mostly unperturbed but somewhat quizzical, not willing to admit to herself how close she had come to actually being intimidated. Pathetic. A sixty year old Sidereal, master of fate and slayer of more than one Solar, nearly intimidated by some... lesbian.


She would have giggled if the situation hadn't required her to act vaguely competent, but she filed the immature response away for later. This was the fun part of the encounter, one that she probably wouldn't get again. She had to make the most of it, and Signum fully intended to do exactly that - antagonizing Solars and getting away with it was one of many job perks to being a god-slaying assassin for Heaven.


"You seem quite willing to use intimidation at the drop of a hat, miss Feather. I had pegged you as the hero at first glance, but it seems that I was wrong - I'd heard that he was a hero, not a common thug, ready and willing to use force and intimidation to get what you want, rather than anything resembling tact and civility." Signum caught herself before continuing with the rant; antagonizing Solars and hitting them right in the soft spot of their beliefs was great fun, but they were little better than beasts - especially these Dawn Castes; if they so much as thought that they were being in the least disrespected, they tended to start carving people up. "I meant no harm, of course, and I do apologize for any alarm that I may have caused you. I merely assumed that the lack of news of supernatural creatures running around meant that the Immaculate Order kept a cell in this region and protected the villagers, but I after this, I would hazard a guess that this quaint vilage's defense agains the supernatural is itself supernatural in nature. What is that saying? 'It takes a monster to defeat a monster,' or something along those lines?"


She shrugged, her smile growing serene as she closed her eyes. Having charms to instantly sense hostile intent allowed her to be as cavalier as she damn well pleased, since she knew that she could have her weapon out and at the very least pointed at the Solar before the other woman could move a muscle. Plus, it had the added benefit of annoying the Dawn caste - and if she knew ANYTHING about the human mind, especially those ruled by their emotions like Solars, anger made them make silly mistakes. Ones that she could capitalize on.


...Not that she would mind that Fate happening a bit earlier, though. At all. She had no particular worries about outwitting the Solar, but fighting a furious Dawn Caste in a confined space with the beginnings of a cult ready to get in the way was a recipe for giving her a horrible headache. And there was still that oncoming fate, to boot. Maybe she should simmer down just a bit, just in case - it couldn't hurt to be a little cautious, just in case the wild beast decided to start the blender.


"Ah, but don't mind me. I was saved by an Anathema, once, so I'm in no position to judge. The Immaculate dogma is just... hard to stop spouting, you know? You grow up for years hearing that all Anathema are mindless, brutal beasts, and never see anything to the contrary, and then suddenly they turn out to be human beings."


Dangerous words, were an Immaculate sympathizer to be in earshot. The only one in the village was not, though, and he would be-well, she didn't have to worry about him too much.


{Attempt to get away with being a bitch and still calm Feathers down below critical mass}


Alia rolled the following in her 10 dice:


7, 3, 8, 10, 10, 7, 4, 5, 3, 10


Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 9 successes.
 
She appeared skeptical yet but if one kept observing her features as Signum's talked they could seem them shifting not toward anger, strangely enough, but toward a mixture of guilt, resignation and weariness though she still kept her usual warmth even in such a situation as she gazed around them at the small crowd "Guys, please go, I'd like to talk to our guest alone." and though they appeared puzzled at first they did obey her request until they were left alone as she kept at it, building her own little story.


With a heavy sigh she sat in front of her again "You're right, this is not civil behavior and I'm afraid that I've been terribly rude but I've been... earlier this week I heard rumors of the Wyld Hunt nearby and even praying to the Unconquered Sun does not quiet this sentiment. I am not afraid but I worry, I worry for these people, I have heard of what the Immaculate Order does to people who have the 'gall' to place their faith in someone like me." she brushed a hand over her own, it was bizzarely romantic.


"I am Virtuous Merciful Wandering Feather of the Dawn caste and I do want to apologize for my earlier behavior, I know that there is no excusing it but I hope you can understand the necessity of this, to keep our little region like you've seen it. Peaceful. Beautiful. Quiet. Prosperous. I struggle and I work hard every single day, praying to the Unconquered Sun for guidance, to keep it this way. I would sooner perish than let anyone, or anything, undo all this." she would wince then at the words about monsters and smile sadly though one could tell she felt ashamed of her earlier antics, she visible held herself to very stringent standards.


"Do you believe I am a monster?" she asked bluntly, motioning at everything surrounding them "Does this look like the work of a monster? If it is, then fine I shall be a monster, as long as I can do my part to make this Creation of ours a better place." the words had still hit hard at her ego and it showed but thanks to her fair temperament she managed to avoid anger at them, instead substituting it for mild acknowledgement.


The barkeep came and offered her a cup of warm green tea and she thanked him profusely, lightly touching his arm before returning to her guest and speaking after she had taken a long sip of the soothing liquid "No, I don't think that you think that, I wasn't born from yesterday. I can tell that you believe I am a bloodthirsty brute in the guise of a sheep. I can't blame you. You're welcome to stay here with us or go whenever you please, if possible I will prove to you a better host than earlier." she promised warmly, trying without even realising it herself to change her notions about the Solars.


"You're right though, I am a human being and just as one I am quite prone to mistake and erring. My temperament is and always has been my greatest weakness and for that, I pray to the Unconquered Sun for strength so that I may one day rise above that and become a worthy protector to these people." the strangest thing about all this is that it was obviously no attempt at manipulation, she was completely and utterly sincere.
 
Solars.


If there was one thing Signum continued to learn, it was exactly how they had ruled the First Age, been revered as glorious god-kings by their enthralled mortal, and even Terrestrial and Lunar, subjects. For all their flaws, their short-sightedness and rampant emotions, they were incredibly charismatic; nearly every one of them so far had been able to influence her far more than any mortal, though fortunately not enough to keep her from planting a spear in their hearts. This one was even more convincing than most; even if she hadn't already known that the girl was well-meaning, if idealistic, she would certainly have been hard pressed to deny it now. Just another reason she disliked dealing with Solars - they were always a handful, whereas most Lunars and mortals had a tendency to be easier to handle. And manipulate, for that matter - but Solars wore their emotions on their sleeves, so manipulating them was, in a way, even easier than most mortals.


Or maybe Sidereals were just cool like that. She shrugged in response to Feather's apology, not particularly offended nor especially contrite for causing the moment of fear. The woman continued to amuse her; unlike most Solars, she had backed down nearly as quickly as Signum herself, even while suffering from the aloof Sidereal's barbed words. Really, she shouldn't have even talked to the Solar at all until after the Event - Signum was forced to admit to herself that she had been curious, wondering if this Solar would be any different than the others. Just because she killed them as necessary didn't mean that she had to hate them, after all. Aloof disdain and low opinions of their intellect aside, there was no denying their raw power.


And Signum, for her part, believed that it was the job of the Chosen of the Maidens to help... channel that power for the good of creation. The extremists on both sides, Gold and Bronze factions alike, were idiots if they couldn't see beyond the lines of that millenia-old division. The good or evil of Solars could be debated until the sun stopped rising, but if they were already going to be here, why not use them for all they were worth? As soon as they ceased to be useful, they could be eliminated - Signum had no problem with that. Not at all; the longer Solars lived, the harder they were to delete when they grew useless. Better to take care of them young if they couldn't be completely convinced of their mission.


...But the moron was still talking, and she had to pretend to give a damn.


"First impressions color all social interaction, Feather. Then too, so do human outpourings of emotion. Misguided though you may have been, I know that you meant no harm - it is simply the way of the Solar Exalted."


Reel her in, then deflect suspicion. Bonus points for being an enigmatic bitch!


"Ah, I suspect that this would be a good time to mention that I study the past as much as I am able, though..." Signum smiled awkwardly at her new companion, affecting an air of amusement. It was not difficult. "...It is occasionally rather difficult to find well-stocked libraries on farmsteads, I've found."


...Eh, the Solar was a gullible moron, like the rest of them. No need to bother with anything more complex, and besides, 'revealing' herself as a Solar came later. First, she had a few questions for the other woman. How a Solar Exalted, one specifically chosen by her Exaltation as one with the drive and ambition to change the entire world for the better, could be happy merely protecting a small village of some four score mortals and the surrounding countryside...? It bothered her more than she cared to admit, though a touch of passion slipped unbidden into her voice as she continued.


"What do these people mean to you, Feather? You protect them. You nurture them. You... care for them. That much is obvious, and I cannot help but admire your ideals. But why them? Why not another village? For that matter, what do you believe a 'worthy protector' even is? You have saved their lives, protected them from harm, helped them live in peace in the Age of Tumult. Few people could have done more, even the Terrestrial Exalted who ostensibly rule this land - you qualify as that and more, and yet you do not embrace it. Solars are not humble. They simply... cannot be. History shows it to be true - even the best intentioned of them ended up... well, I'm sure you've heard the tales that the Realm spins, of mad God-Kings having to be put down. History is written by the victors, as they say - but there is some truth to every tale, and I'm sure that you've felt some of those urges over the years. Moments of grandeur, of unconsciously using intimidation where persuasion might have been more efficient."


Signum paused for a moment, marshalling her thoughts. She was getting off topic, and needed to focus the flow of the discussion.


"Even now, your charges respect you, love you, worship you. And yet, in return, dozens die every second. Men and women, children and elderly, are butchered, sold into slavery, left behind by an uncaring world. For all that the Realm attempts to be, it is... failing. Collapsing in on itself. In the wake of its destruction, Creation is once again devolving into tumult, death and pain more widespread than ever. Why do you limit yourself to this one area? This town, perhaps a few in the vicinity? Are they truly all you care about, or are you simply frightened to venture out into the real world, rather than this idyllic burg? Fear of what might happen to these people, fear of the Realm, fear of change? Fear of being the agent of that change, of perhaps even ushering in an age wherein every mortal in creation can share what this region does?"


"I cannot tell you what is right, Feather. I am little more than a smith of words, trying to do what little I can to lend my aid to creation or inspire those greater than me to do their part for the world they represent. But change, the drive to fix the entropy of our world, to wright the wrongs that surround us in every direction... that must come from within. And that, sadly, is exactly what I cannot give."
 
Feather gave her guest another weary smile even yet as she glanced into her cup of tea, closing her eyes for a few moments as if in pain "No, that is not the way of Solar. It is the way I took but it is not the right way. It is not the way the Unconquered Sun intended for His children to behave." she retorted strongly, conviction visible in her eyes. Her faith was strong, stronger than even most Zenith caste. It was a surprising sight to behold.


Unlike many of the Dawn caste she made herself into a vessel for the will of her God. Thankfully it was a benevolent one.


"Indeed I'm afraid that there's no library here and hardly any books, we're a humble lot but we still find much joy in life." she affected some pride and joy to the statement only to add inquisitively "So you're a Scholar and a Guardian? Very impressive Iris, I have to say I never had the chance to get a good education of my own, I'm a bit jealous." she laughed softly, leaning her head on her folded hands as a rather attractive grin graced her lips "I think I really misjudged you. You're fairly interesting and I can tell you've a lot of wisdom, it's a bit shocking since you don't look any older than me." in this case what surprised her was how she appeared to be of the same age as her an immortal Solar but nevertheless her admiration was genuine.


Then came the long drawn-out speech and for the longest time she would sit there silent, averting her gaze with a sad smile on her face, one could tell she was deeply in thought and that she had been rather strongly affected by Signum's words, they resonated with her deeply "They're my friends and through coincidence I ended up becoming their protector, they are my people and I love them as much as they love I but now that you say it like this, I can't help but wonder if I have not been selfish." she sighed softly and relaxed into her chair, rubbing the arc of her nose, something she often did when under duress.


"I cannot abandon them, that is unthinkable but at once I cannot say that you are wrong Iris, you're truly an astonishing young woman I've yet to ever meet a mortal who can compare with the insight you seem to have into the nature of Solars and my own... convictions. I'll admit I'm a little shocked and more than slightly moved but I will not be a slave to history and neither should you be. History is the past and none even the Gods can change it, only the future belongs to us and I intend to seize it and make it my own. I know, I have been weak. I have let my own pride and arrogance and perhaps even fear, may the Unconquered Sun forgive my great cowardice, get the better of me. I will atone for that in time, hopefully." she was rather forward about her emotions as expected, in that she was a purely typical Solar, she wore her grand divine passions on her sleeve for the world to behold.


A great boon to motivate crowds into a fever pitch frenzy and bring people over to one's own convictions but a rather pathetic flaw when it came to protecting one self from people with less savory intents and a penchant for trickery and deceit.


"I cannot argue with what you've said, it is true that I fear for this town and all the others, for my domain and more so, more so by tenfold, my people. If any ill should strike them down, I do not know how I could..." she gulped softly, swallowing what appeared to be an overwhelming sob "Pardon, I need to calm down." she said taking a deep breath and then once she composed herself continuing "Change.... yes, change is indeed necessary but what will become of them if I..." she appeared hesitant as she once again grew silent.


"Iris, truth be told, I get the feeling our meeting is no mere coincidence, perhaps tis' fate and perhaps tis' not but it is as if you are much more than a mere mortal. Perhaps the Unconquered Sun through the vaguaries of fate sent you to me so that I may... heed my own cowardice." she blushed slightly and sheepishly stroked the back of her head "I'll consider what you said, my wise and honored guest. I cannot answer these words you've given me this very day but I promise that I will soon." and with that she finished her cup of tea and giggled quaintly "Though what can a lone Solar do against the entire of the Realm, what can one do indeed. It is no excuse but it is a discomforting reality... perhaps it is time I seek others of my kind." and with that once again she got lost in reverie, imagining a world where the people of Creation needed no longer fear and cry and eke a miserable existence from a dry earth that no longer blessed them in any meaningful way.


"Change..." she whispered with a dreamy stare, looking far beyond Signum now. Toward a future of possibility.
 
Theme Of "The Fourth"


In the distance, still a few miles away from where you currently are located...


A god fell…


His hands and knees now in the dirt bowed before the man who had defeated him. The god cursed his opponent as he bleeds out onto the very earth that was his. He had hardly the strength to move now, let alone attempt to warn his dearest friend, the Goddess of Lilium, of what danger awaited her. A strong kick knocked the defeated god of the surrounding forest to his back, before the foot of his defeater was placed on his face that slowly pushed his head into the ground like an insult. The man who defeated the god spoke.


“You need to learn you’re placing at the feet of the realm my friend… This territory may be run by you but officially I am claiming it as realm territory. You’re compliance is appreciated, and I do hope that it stays this way my friend. I do not wish to return and teach this lesson again. I only took your pride this time friend, next time I will have to take more understand?â€





The old man moved his foot from the face of the god, before taking a step backwards to let the god have some free space. A mortal man moved up from behind him, dressed in the armor of the realm, handing the old man a pipe that he took with a smile. Zooming out the view, you could now see that there were a few hundred men here now, some monks of the Order, some knights of the Realm. Their commander was this very man. The Fourth Dragon of Ravenous Flames, Terrestrial of the aspect of fire, and leader of the Wyld Hunt you now see before you.


“Bring to me the gift please?â€, The Fourth said to one of the soldiers around him who quickly did as he asked. What the soldier brought seemed to be a brown bag of some sort, which The Fourth opened as he took and dipped his fingers into to retrieve a single seed from.


“These are seeds, blessed with magic, which I give to you. I’m sorry you had to take this beating before you would understand that we don’t mean to harm you or that witch you love. You may plant these all around your forest friend, and watch them grow. I’m sure it will bring you much power, and help you protect the Goddess of Lilium. Now, I must be off to see her as well, and deliver her gift.â€


The Fourth seemed to have more to say but was interrupted by one of the Wyld Hunt scouts. The scout seemed a little out of breath as he spoke to The Fourth. “Blessed Sir, it seems there is a anathema in the village up aheadâ€, the scout said as he took a proper military stance in front of his superior. The Fourth responded by taking a long puff from his pipe.


A younger terrestrial moved forward then, wearing what seemed to be a higher ranking military outfit. “Father, should I have the men prepare to move onto the village?â€, the young dragon blooded said quickly, before getting a dismissing wave from The Fourth. The young one looked confused for a second at his father who seemed to be pondering the best action as of now.


“No child, I will handle this Anathema myself. I want you to take charge and keep the group here. Make sure our friend here recovers properly. Tell Dragon of the Waves that I would like him to accompany me just in case. Between the two of us the Anathema will have no chanceâ€, The Fourth said seeming to come to a decision. The young Terrestrial bowed in respect and moved off to find Dragon of the Waves. Fourth took another puff from his pipe as he looked in the direction of the village. He spoke under his breath as he looked on.


“So… rumors are true. Well, best not expose the young to such yet…â€
 
"Then perhaps fate really did guide us together," Signum muttered just loud enough for the Solar to hear. Hopefully, the Solar would take it as an unintentional hint of 'Iris's' own 'Solar' Exaltation; if so, it'd help set Signum up as every bit as poor at obfuscating the truth as Feather, with the tangential effect of likely building the Solar's trust in her a bit; if you 'know' that the other sucks at lying, you can more easily trust in what they're saying if they're not obviously trying to lie. But coming out and 'admitting' to being a Solar would be too dangerous - it was entirely possible that the woman would require immediate proof, and all the Sidereal tricks that Signum knew couldn't change the sign of Saturn into that of the sun. She'd have to 'prove' her Exaltation to the other woman in a way that made it seem so natural and obvious that Feather wouldn't even have to ask for proof - it would already be glaringly obvious. But that would come in the oncoming event; for now, she had to head off the Solar's inevitable questioning as well as possible.


"Aye, that's the eternal paradox of heroes; sacrificing the few - all too often, themselves - for the good of the many. It is a terrible truth that has been debated many times over the centuries, but never truly resolved, and one that will continue to plague heroes, mortal, terrestrial, and anathema alike, until the end of time. It is a simple byproduct of the world we live in, of the very laws of nature; no action without a reaction, no gain without loss. And what profit it a man to save the world, if he should lose his own soul in the process?"


Signum was gradually coming to realize that the Solar wasn't entirely stupid - short-sighted, idealistic, and unwise, but not stupid.


Perhaps that was why she continued to sit there and speak, even as Fate came ever closer to drawing open the curtain of the first act of the grand play.


"But what one cannot do alone, perhaps two, or five, or ten thousand, can. There is no shame in fearing for the future - courage is, as a wise man once said, being afraid, but doing the right thing anyways. We are but human, Feather; better in some ways than some, less than others in other ways. But we are human. We feel emotion as any other does. We feel joy and love, as well as fear and despair. It is a measure of a hero, any hero, mortal or Exalted, how well he can control those emotions, keep them from controlling him. No hero is an emotionless machine, and none of the heroes of legend were anywhere near as perfect in person as history fondly recalls them as - they all had flaws, weaknesses, imperfections. They simply managed to overcome their fears, force themselves to keep going for the sake of their ideals. Whether it be something as vague and idealistic as saving the world, or as simple and direct as saving a loved one from a dastardly foe, or even something as materialistic and shallow as the glory of saving a town, they used that to overcome the obstacles that happenstance threw in their way."


Signum shrugged, then let her shoulders sag.


"I am... not immune, either. I try to do what I can, but I am no omnipotent, omniscient god - the limit of my work is to save what small things I can, to see the smiles on the face of the family who might have otherwise died. And yet, for every family I save, for every village who inevitably forgets me within a few years, a dozen more meet the steel and flames. In the end, we are all but servants of Fate - we do what we can to help others, but..."


She trailed off, satisfied, but still forced to look a touch melancholy to fit the act. A few pretty speeches wouldn't turn the Solar into a perfect heroic tool, but planting the seeds was of import now. Let the Solar disagree as she may, let her rail against her fate and the fate of those around her, but time would show her the truth. And by showing her the truth, perhaps even show her how to truly make a difference in Creation. One for the better. That was all that Fate required of the Dawn Caste, all that Signum could hope for.
 
"Perhaps it did or perhaps tis' the Unconquered Sun's own work. I can't tell nor can you nor can even the greatest Gods in their Holy Houses for the vaguaries of Fate move in mysterious ways indeed." came her swift answer to Signum's own rhetoric as she observed the pretty young thing with a serious expression, her usual goofy demeanor replaced by a rather firm and steely resolve "The souls of the Exalted are touched by the divine itself and so it is our responsibility to take this chance and to freely give our lives to the will of the greatest of the Gods. It is our place and our burden to protect and cherish Creation." she explained her own perception of things rather clearly though there was a hint of hesitation to her voice for the slightest secon.


Rather slowly Feater came to the conclusion that perhaps there was more to her young guest than appeared and that she herself was no mere mortal. Or perhaps not. This was rather hard to tell and if she was right in her own suspicion then this would have made large swats of her earlier tales wholecloth fabrications, a rather discomforting proposition indeed.


"We are no slave to our Fate for we are Exalted. It is our prerogative, indeed our very purpose, to defy the looming end besetting the walls of Creation and to relentlessly route those rising tides of darkness and plague and insanity and fruitless slaughter everywhere we may turn. We are no mortals in that aspect, unlike you Iris, for we are the Chosen Ones of the greatest Gods and so only there exist only the thinest thread between us and the wet of fate. With Essence pulsing through us with every drawn breath we may even confuse and harass the very laws of the world. This is no pride or arrogance, Iris, this is only fact. Yet you are right in that the face of one in the wake of adversity is the true measure of a hero. Change.... you said earlier right? Even ten thousand may not be capable but perhaps it may yet remain necessary." she folds her hands together, visibly troubled, exposing her thoughts for Signum's perusal with boundless naïvety.


Considering all that had been said and how her own feelings were now no longer as steady as she enjoyed them she felt the pressing urge to pray to the Unconquered Sun for guidance.


What path may He of the Unfettered Light have in mind for her? She knew not.


There was no denying it, not for now at least, this idyllic life of hers had been a selfish notion and her fealty to the towns under her wing and sway naught but an excuse to serve her own egotism!


Still, yet remained the fact that she did good work here and that without her all this would crumble to dust. Such a great conflict within her as she came to the troubling realisation that she no longer truly understood her own motivations at all.


Clinging to her unfaltering conviction, her sense of unwavering authority and extremely potent self-esteem for now she managed to push back the idea but indeed seeds had been planted. Of what, that is quite unclear, but a shift in paradigm could not be too far along.


Or at least so it would be if this was not the story of Virtuous Merciful Wandering Feather who now took comfort in her own faith "I feel I must go now. I need quiet and to bask into the sunlight of the Holy Words." with that said she rose from her chair, preparing herself to depart away from the village to The House of Rising Radiance.
 
His torn cloaked draped over his face and most of his upper body, as he continue through the village. Strands of his light gray here sometimes fell to the side and could be seen by the villagers, not that he really cared anything about them. In the back of his mind, he could already see what some of their looks were. A stranger, concealing his face and wearing black could only lead to the stereotype that there was nothing but bad news to come from this person.


Still instead of looking about to confirm, he merely kept it moving. There was a need for these mortals to know why he stopped here, or rather came through their village. It was just a detour before he journeyed further down this path to his release from the turmoils of the Deathlord Mask of Ice, a way to break free of his hold. There had to be someone who had seen him leave right in the middle of that raid and yet he still had no concern for who the Deathlord sent to retrieve him. He wasn't going to bound to his service any longer.


Living the life as an Abyssal was something else.


Seeing all those tormented souls inside the Neverborn before going to meet the Patron, the image of all the twisted and corruption forms just stayed in his mind and even haunted to a degree though not as much as when he first saw it. He sighed for a moment before coming to a halt and looking around in order to see the enviroment, still making sure to keep his face concealed. While he looked like any other mortal, you never knew who the Deathlord had waiting for you at any turn.
 
Not too far from the little village of Lilium, two small creeks that flowed through the forest joined into a narrow river that provided the lifeblood of this portion of the woods. To the trees and people it was sustenance, providing minerals to the plant life and of course filled with darting silver fish and wary waterfowl for the small hamlet nearby. To the Terrestrial currently waist-deep in it, it was a luxury. On the bank, a tan-tipped sooty albatross dipped her head into the water as well, imitating her owner as she looked after herself. She shook her body violently from beak to tail, reaching back to pluck at her feathers and arrange them appropriately before repeating the action a few more times. Stratford St Croix held bathing as one of the most rejuvenating things he took time to do - ridding himself of the dust of his travels and allowing him to start anew, as though he was shedding more of his past than was literally the case. It was one of the few upsides that travel over land held above seafaring: on a ship, washing in the limited fresh water on board was wasteful.


Stripped to his leggings, he rubbed the soothing water over his aching skin; the one thing he could feel melting away for certain were his aches and pains for the moment. Looking at his reflection in the water's surface, he examined some of the pale scars that marked the skin of his torso, and noticed with no small amount of annoyance that his hair was fading. He dyed it to blend in more readily with the mortals of the East - a nutty brown colour that now was tending toward its natural cerulean blue at his bangs and sideburns. It was expensive in terms of upkeep, but it helped him become just an everyman; strangers with bright blue hair had a habit of sticking out in people's minds, and that was something he couldn't afford on the run. Still, he thought, if this little quiet village worked out well enough he'd be able to lay low long enough for anyone still pursuing him to overshoot by far.


He had a hunch that he'd been able to avoid his trackers a week prior, but he couldn't take any chances. Especially not this time: he'd made off with his purse so heavy that were he not an Exalt it was doubtful that he'd have been capable of lifting it. Not to mention, of course, the rather useful artifacts of jade that he'd found while rifling through a drawer. In retrospect, he regarded it as a community service. It was a way to inform the ass-backwards nobles of this part of Creation of the usefulness of safes and lockboxes. Not that such trivial things would have stopped him, but still. If someone was so irresponsible that they didn't bother protecting their valuables, they certainly didn't deserve to own anything so valuable. Or so much money.


At least, not in Stratford's eyes.


Hauling himself out of the water at great length, he shook his hair out and dragged a bristle brush through it, taming it into a respectable fashion and trying to tuck his azure-tinted bangs under the rest of his currently chesnut coloured hair. He sat on a boulder worn smooth along the bank, peeling off his leggings to ring them out before donning another pair, redressing once the air had dried him sufficiently. It was a good diversion from his flight: and it served the second more devious purpose of luring anyone on his trail into the open. He'd been in the same glade for a day now, occasionally updating himself via the Observer Awareness Method to check for anyone spying on him. Nothing so far... so perhaps it was finally time to move on. Tugging on his boots, he folded down the cuffs of the durable treated leather and slipped his daggers into them - they instantly seemed to disappear, melding into the hide until he would need them. Shrugging into his long, greyish-blue duster he buckled on all of his accoutrements including an expendable sword that served a better purpose as a distraction than a weapon before finally setting off.


He was finally within range of his target: a village selected due to its location (bugger-all-nowhere, far from any frequently busy trading routes) and size (there were more chickens than people). Striding along the path that he had abandoned two days prior, he found that it wasn't more than an hour or two before he saw the laughable city walls of timber rise against the horizon as he emerged from the woods. What had these people thought they were getting at with defenses like those? To anyone with a spark of intelligence they posed no more threat than a picket fence, though the latter would probably have been much less horrendous. If he was a less moral man, he would have been tempted to torch them to teach them a lesson - fortunately for him he had firm ethical guidelines. He liked to think it set him apart from all the other conmen and blatant scoundrels out there.


Approaching the gate facing toward the road, he was allowed entry without much of a thought, just another stranger on this day of days. Striding directly into town, he received an odd glance or two as an obvious outsider before becoming more or less ignored - people had other business to attend to. He turned at random to follow the circular layout of the town, knowing at some point the circuit would bring him to some recognizable form of shelter - or at the least an establishment where he could make his own arrangements for lodgings. He had reservations about staying in a declared inn - it was the first place someone searching for him would look in such a small town, whereas if he stayed in a private residence there would be no 'official' way to trace him.


Before long he noted what looked to be some form of public establishment, with townspeople huddled outside. He vaguely wondered why, until he got closer and suddenly stopped in his tracks beside a very confused-looking donkey: he could feel the presence of another Exalt in the area. That would explain the people eavesdropping and generally being hangers-on outside the building... Knowing nothing else about the nature of the being inside, he decided to at the very least attempt political interaction. He would declare himself so that he was not seen as a subtle threat, trying to sneak into the area - to do so would raise far more suspicion than he hoped to garner. Just yet.


Begging entry, he moved through the crowd that was arrayed around the door and entered, noting two lone figures at a table with the barkeep nervously standing steadfast behind the counter of his establishment. He raised his hands in a sign of peace, inclining his head in a wary bow without fully exposing himself to the danger that his sudden appearance may have brought upon him. There was only one chance to make a good first impression, but a first impression was meaningless if he was dead.


"Salutations," he interrupted, arms crossed loosely across his chest. "I don't mean to intrude. I have travelled long to make it this far, and I hope you will excuse my throat for being parched. I would humbly beg refreshment, from such hospitable folks such as yourselves I am sure that is no trifle?"


He hadn't expected two of them. Were they both..? He wasn't sure, he could feel the one blazing like the sun against his skin but there almost seemed to be a second presence. It was curious, but it was perhaps a matter to be pondered upon later. For the moment he must tread lightly, and his full attention was needed and directed toward the two at the table, a kind smile playing about his lips to give him a less offensive air.
 
Wait. Shit!


Signum nearly panicked for a moment upon realizing that the Abyssal would be arriving right around this time. Nearly. Forty years of practice masking her emotions let her restrain it to a barely perceptible flicker of annoyance and worry, and as her mind broke into overdrive, she very nearly forgot about Feathers and completely failed to notice the new entrant to the resturant. She cursed silently - her conversation with Feather had lasted too long; by getting sidetracked, she'd missed an opportunity to meet the Abyssal immediately. Not that he would have exaactly been glad to see her, even though he wouldn't remember her for what she was - but she had been hoping to sneak in a quick interaction, if only to see how he had changed in the last eight years.


But that could wait, she realized. He would have to stay around long enough for food and potentially rest, assuming he hadn't done that Abyssal thing where they stopped having to eat - though she doubted it; if he had left the Mask of Winters, that meant that he had some degree of humanity, though it could just as easily be laziness or avarice as self-enlightened redemption-seeking. As she calmed down, she realized that if he was going to eat, he would likely be forced to enter the resturant to satiate himself. No need to panic now, everything was still going just as planned.


...And with that, she realized that she'd been quiet for a few seconds, whilst Feather had likely been awaiting a response. Oops.


"And yet, if you cannot touch Fate, cannot feel it, how can you know if you can change it? Perhaps our greatest efforts are merely in accordance with fate, all predestined, and the illusion of control and individuality is exactly that. Or perhaps there is no Fate, and we simply forge our own paths, deluding ourselves into blaming our failures and moments of weakness on it."


Signum shrugged. The Solar was back into 'headstrong idiot Dawn Caste' mode; there wasn't really much of a point in reasoning with her. She had more important things to worry about than tyrannical super-weapon (delusional) self-righteous lunatics with incredible brainwashing powers, so simply opted to send a brittle smile at the new entrant and start eating. No point in going into immensely important events without a fully stomach, and this... whatever the hell it was, some sort of roadkill she suspected, wasn't that terrible.
 
High above all the brewing drama soared a majestic bird. Your casual, uneducated observer might call it a falcon, but no, this was something entirely different, a sleek bird of prey that hunted, caught, and killed all while in the air, a bird so graceful that its kind was raised by the affluent to hunt for sport. Much like falconry, only very, very different. No, this bird was a vastly different creature that just happened to be falcon-sized and falcon-shaped and fulfilled typical falcon functions. This was no falcon...it was a mospid!


Carus Lazaro flexed his falciform talons and tried to crack his neck while several hundred feet in the air. Though the result was an alarming nosedive and near-impact with a looming tree, he did get the crick out. The Lunar had traveled almost three hundred miles so far today in his non-falcon form and, well, parts of him were sore that didn't even exist normally. For those who haven't read his immensely pretentious backstory, this fellow was searching the country for other Exalted, primarily Solars, and working to save them from their own incredible idiocies. Note the plural. They do a lot of things. This wasn't out of benevolence, but instead acknowledgment of fact that the Exalted are meant to play a role in shaping the world. They have incredible power and, sooner or later, they'll start to really matter again. Yet the "most powerful" branch is a scattered, pathetic mockery with absolutely no organization or purpose. Having a whole society of loose-cannons with the power of the greatest gods is...unwise at best. In short, the exalted have great capacity for help OR harm and there's no telling which way it'll go right now.


The reason for his particular rush today was that Lazaro had heard some rather terrible rumors, ones he was loathe to believe. Supposedly, a woman with divine levels of power had set herself up out here as the region's new goddess. Said woman openly prayed to the "Unconquered Sun" and was even collecting tribute from worshippers. Now, rumors tend to be finicky and this one seemed a mite on the fantastic side, especially considering the woman's supposed name, Virtuous Merciful Wandering Feathers, but he could easily imagine a misguided Solar attempting to remove herself from the gene-pool like this. And if he had heard about it, well, there was no question that all sorts of people had gotten word, from the omnipresent Immaculate prudes to other Solars. In short, the region might well play host to a bloody Exalted convention, which would end in a massacre one way or the other (when in doubt, bet on the realm). So, Carus had a ticking clock to arrive in this Lilium, scope out the interested parties, and figure out what the bloody hell was going on. As for what he was going to do, well...he'd burn that bridge when he came to it.


His shoulders aching, the non-falcon-shaped Lunar broke through one last cloud and saw his destination, a serene, peaceful town, an indescribably boring looking place full of landscaped beauty. Giving a vaguely falcon-like scream in exultation and plain old relief, he finally slowed his pace and drifted above the Lilium, resting on the thermals. Time to see what all the to-do was. Nothing had burnt down or exploded, at least. That counts for something, right?
 
“Excuse me guard. Do you know where I can find a hero around here?â€


Three quick hits and the two guards hit the ground only a second after he had spoke. The Fourth stood over the unconscious men, a new figure standing in front of him now. She was the one who had knocked the men out; her movements were quick and fluid like water. This new woman was the Dragon of Waves, aspect of water, and adoptive daughter of The Fourth.





Waves took her place beside her father, her face remaining almost void of any type of emotion. She said nothing, almost like a puppet as she walked forward with her father toward the center of town, no one noticing yet that the two guardsmen where currently out of commission. Fourth on the other hand seemed to be enjoying the beauty of this town, he smiled and waved to the children that passed him.


“Now this, my dear, is why the hunt could not come here. To disturb this peace any more then what need be is a crime. Well, of course that and the reason for this peace. I can’t let our young realize the truth just yetâ€, Fourth said as he looked to his young daughter. She said nothing, but she had listened. He knew.


“Well, I suppose it is time to get this done and over with. I hate making more trouble then I need to…â€


Play Times Over Kids


These words seemed to bring Waves back from the dead, as she moved with lightning speed snatching up one of the children that were playing nearby and bringing them to Fourth. Fourth quickly placed his palm around the child’s head, lifting him into the air with relative ease. The child screamed and kicked trying to get out, and the villagers all began to scream and panic. Fourth smirked as he walked forward into the center of town making no attempt to hide himself, Waves by his side like a faithful dog.


“I think one of you has seen an Anathema around here? Perhaps someone could point me in the right direction? I would like to talk to them. I’m afraid I don’t have all day, these old bones can’t muster the patience they once did.†Fourth’s voice bellowing out loud enough that anyone close would be able to hear it easily. It seemed Fourth had a good idea what kind of personality this Anathema had, and knew just how to drive her out.


-------------


Perception + Awareness at difficulty 1 and you know hes here. And I know the battle song doesn't fit as well, but hell this is our first big event, lets make it a bang.
 
Feather already was on her way out when the stranger greeted her, with a warm smile she returned the favor "Good fortune to you, traveller, I'm afraid that I cannot remain here to talk to you but I'm sure the good people of Lilium will be happy to help you with whatever service you find yourself in need of." and with that she was out of the door and that's when she heard him.


His voice so old and powerful, authority given form but without the warm kindness of her own. The voice of a tyrant. The voice of Evil. Her gaze found him in an instant, her keen perceptions pinpointing him with uncanny precision as she felt her blood boil inside her body. With her own voice loud and equally strong she uttered the following words "My people, leave into your homes, these people intend us harm. They are devils and I will not stand for this, believe in me!" and with that said the nubian beauty made her way down the stairs toward her foes, toward the center of the town as she glared at the slightly taller old man "You... your cowardice is disgusting, if you have a shred of dignity you will accept my terms. Meet me outside of this town, spare the innocents and let us duel. I will bring you to your knees and I will punish you for your wicked arrogance to use a mere child as a shield. Come. Or strike me in my back and show to the world the destructive cruelty and callous disregard for life that is the Terrestrial way." her voice was acid and her gaze was painful to look at, she radiated authority and holy wrath as she looked into the panicked eyes of the young one, begging her to save him.


The pain inside her chest at that sight would almost send her into incredible violence but she would not indulge into such lowly urges in the midst of her people, not when their lives would be the price of her arrogance and impatience "I beseech you, have a shred of honor and answer my challenge, for I am Virtuous Merciful Wandering Feather and this is my people and this is my domain and you will not make a mockery of it." raising her hand she concluded "By the will of the Unconquered Sun, chief amongst the God, I challenge you to singular duel for the peace of Lilium."


------------------


Perception + Awareness


Feather rolled the following in his 5 dice:


10, 9, 8, 1, 3


Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 4 successes.
 
Feather





Fourth saw the young solar and laughed heartily at her remarks. He moved the boy down to the ground but still kept a strong hand on him. Waves made no movement other then with her eyes, as they followed the movement of the solar.


“Young one you misunderstand my gesture. I simply wanted this child to lure you outward. I know have no desire to use him as a shield. I simply didn’t wish for you to hide from me, you see I have fought many of your kind and often they are not as noble as you. I wish nothing but for these peoples good health and the continued peace of Liliumâ€, Fourth said in a very wise and hearty old man way. He even smiled as his eyes followed the young Solar.


“You should not show such distaste for me young one, you know by the doctrine that any other of the order would have to kill everyone in this city for associating so much with you? Does not the fact that I am not burning this village to the ground already show you that I am not a bad guy? In fact, knowing what good you do for this village I have nothing but the upmost respect for you Anathema. It is the ones like you that prove the doctrine wrong. You can all be just as beautiful and kind as any Terrestrialâ€, Fourth continued as he held the child firmly by the shoulder. The boy was scared out of his mind, but there was nothing he could do. Fourths grasp was far too strong.


Meanwhile Waves stood next to her father, watching the events without a word. Fourth continued, this time pausing afterwards to let you speak your own words against him. He seemed to have little fear of you.


“I knew you were a kind heart right away Anathema. That is why I had to come alone. I couldn’t let the young see you…â€
 
Rather rapidly she managed to calm herself down, she had enough self-control to tell that for now diplomacy would be preferable to blind violence and pointless posturing as she relaxed slightly but a quick look could tell that it was not casual stupidity but rather the assurance of one who's reflexes were honed into the sharpness of an heavenly blade to strike into the heart of evil.


"True, I understand your motive then and perhaps your doubt would have been justified had this been any other Solar, but I am Feather and I would never abandon my people in the face of adversity. Let this child go, old man, I will not run away and you are terrorizing him. Please, if we are to have a civil discussion, it can be no other way." she proved still extremely wary of him but for now at least she was willing to play his little game.


Deep down she knew that she was only stalling the inevitable but might came off in waves from him and she could tell, without a mistake, that facing him was certain death. Even for her, even for one so valorous and of such strong faith this was a disturbing possibility. She was not afraid but her mind raced, what would become of Lilium without her?


For now, however, she had more pressing matters "Pardon me, old man, but I know neither your name nor am I inclined to place any faith into the Immaculate Order who would have me slain for the mere crime of challenging their chokehold onto the halls of power." she knew that damn much, she was hardly stupid and anyone who had heard of the Realm could come to that conclusion.


"I'll admit, it is a surprise to hear such words from one such as you, it is blasphemy to your own faith. Though I ask, if you believe so strongly into my own virtue then why have you come here?" she appeared somewhat confused, there was no doubt that he was the leader of a Wyld Hunt, presumably one with her as the target, but then why was he talking like this? Respect? For an Anathema? Hard to swallow.


Then she heard his next words and she laughed bitterly "I see how it is, you're set in your own ways but know the truth, the truth that there is far more to the world than the Immaculate Order would like there to be, but you're not going to let me go. Oh no. Even if you know the truth, you will do all you can to burry it and me with it." she rubbed the arc of her nose, she was mildly annoyed "I say, I find that rather pathetic but what do I know, I am so young after all, a child compared to you?"


There was a long silence and then she raised her gaze to meet his own, steely resolve to easily match his own "I have seen the Unconquered Sun, I have heard His holy words, I will not be so easily defeated as you might imagine. If you intend to leave in peace, then do so now, otherwise then there is nothing for us to do now but to meet in the honorable field of battle." she pointed toward the exit of the village, she did not intend to fight him and his lackey in this place.


Her attention completely focused on the older Terrestrial she did not pay any sort of strong attention to his daughter standing next to him. That was most likely for the best.
 
Feather


“Child, you are so young. The world you see is so beautiful, and the words you speak filled with the heart that drives you… That will change… Where is the mother of this child?â€


Slowly the timid mother moved closer, scared as well, but brave for her child’s sake. As she got closer Waves took hold of her. Fourth looked on to the Solar as he continued to speak. He wanted to make sure to get in everything the solar had said, starting with how she wouldn’t be defeated so easily. His voice for the next two words were cold as ice.


“Pick one…â€


Mood


His eyes fixated on the solar, he was serious. This changed the mood of the scene almost completely. The words meant exactly as you would assume. This was further confirmed a second later as he continued speaking. His voice not as cold as before, but there was still a sense of danger to him.


“Whatever one you pick, I will let live… You see young one. You have already lost to meâ€, Fourth said showing his distaste in this act. Still it was necessary. “You wonder why I uphold the doctrine so even though I know it is false? My child, it is the very reason that you do not understand that I had to come alone. Yes, I realize that our laws may not be correct, but I also realize the damage it would cause the realm if it this fact was known. The realm, the order, these are not perfect things, but they are what we have. If the laws are proven to be false then the very foundation of the Realm would collapse, and the Realm along with it. We are in fragile enough times with our Empress missingâ€, Fourth said before taking a breath.


“The young, like you, they think with their hearts. They act to do what is noble and right. They are filled with pride and righteousness, but they let their hearts blind them sometimes. My son is back at the camp even, if he were to have seen you he would have joined your side in an instant. This is the danger I faced if I didn’t come alone. Though he would think he was doing the noble and right thing he would be destroying the very things and people he cares so much about... Do you see child. Like you he follows his heart so blindly but like you he can only lead the ones he loves into torment by doing so. You must use your head. You will learn this lesson, if not only moments before your own death… Now pick… See how following your heart and helping these people by staying here has causes them… Pick child…†Fourth said his voice cracking slightly as he seemed to be preparing himself for the killing as well.


“After you pick you may have your duel.â€
 
Mood Music


Silently she would let him have his long speech as she brought her own hand to her chest "This choice is not of my own making, understand this, old man, you may say otherwise but deep down you will know this, know it with all your heart, this blood will be on your hands and not mine. You are neither fate nor nature, old man." with a sullen expression she would gaze into the woman's eyes, knowing that she too believed in Feather.


"I am sorry Clara. So sorry. I will make them pay, I promise you. I will slay them for their sin." and with that said she once again met his gaze with undaunted resolve "See, old man, you are the monster. Cold, mechanical, clinical. Detached from the reality of the world, from the reality of Creation." she glared at him coldly as she said those next few words "What is Creation without its people?" and with that she sweeped her hand across the village.


"Look at this. LOOK. AT. THIS." her voice boomed around the village "You tell me old man, tell me that this is right. That this is justice. What is Order without compassion? What is harmony without kindness? What is the Realm if its price is blood and its reward is tyranny!? WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR OLD MAN!? What. Do. You. Stand. For!?" her words became softer, as if pitying him "No, you stand for nothing but your own pride and self-assurance. Old man, I may be young and idealistic, I realise my own flaws but when I look at you, I see someone who is willing to kill, to spill precious life blood for the sake of a simple arguement." she chuckled darkly as she said that, shaking her head meaningfully.


"And I'm Anathema? I'm a 'Devil'? Please, your behavior right now gives a good name to the Underworld. Such an angry soul. Such a cold soul. Without even the slightest trace left in it of mercy or... perhaps not. No, there's hope. There's always hope." she stood proudly in front of him, getting uncomfortably close and meeting his gaze.


"You're not going to intimidate me, old man, or change me. Drop this charade and let them go and I may yet change my mind on your personal virtue if not on the virtue of this Realm so dear to you. For if you defend the Realm, then I defend Lilium." she took a step back, brushing a hand against her breasplate of bright white and gold "We are not so different if not that the flame of faith has been extinguished into your old heart. However I believe..." she glance at her people all looking through their windows and such.


"I believe that it can be reklinded. In you. In Lilium. In the entire of Creation. Faith for the future. Faith for the Unconquered Sun." she rose her hands to the sky, looking at the warm sun of this summer day "Are you afraid to look at the sun like you did in your youth, old man? You should be, there is a lot of blood staining your hand." and at last she finished her long lecture with a painful look at the young child.


"I will have my duel now and I will not know defeat nor fear as I walk into the mouth of the evil you promise to my people with this behavior of yours. And I will take this child and I will protect him, even as I could not protect his mother. That will be my shame and that will be my failure for I should have not heeded you and I should have striked you down before you could do this. But it will not be my sin and it will not stain my faith." she took a deep breath, glancing at him with a kind smile.


"Only further break your own with the heavy weight of murder."


-------------


Social Attack on the Fourth


Charisma 5 + Presence 4 + Gem of Grace (+2) + Stunt (+3) = 14


Feather rolled the following in his 14 dice:


1, 3, 2, 6, 8, 4, 9, 4, 7, 10, 6, 6, 9, 4


Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 6 successes.


Plus channeling conviction


Conviction 4


Feather rolled the following in his 4 dice:


7, 8, 9, 1


Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 3 successes.


With Irresistible Heroic Spirit, that makes for 18 successes


14(11)


37(30)


Willpower: 7/8
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 4 (members: 0, guests: 4)
Back
Top