Fantasy Hunter's Moon: The Sin & Sentence [IC] [CLOSED]

[Doomevil]

When Queen Gwenaelle mentioned how it was futile to slay an Icon, Senya could only disagree, "You don't know that for certain. There has to be a way."

 

[SniperComZero]

Gwen looked between both of them. "Okay, so, presume we sneak into the palace. You've got some moral about killing the kitchen staff, so what are we going to do, shove entire bottles of poison int-- o..."

"...You know, this may be a shot in the dark, but... I can't presume he's accustomed to poison, is he?"

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

"...You know, this may be a shot in the dark, but... I can't presume he's accustomed to poison, is he?"

"The most poisonous thing he has ever eaten was sour yogurt. And that was on purpose." she responds, putting a finger on her chin. "But I like what you're thinking..."

Loque turns back to Xager. "Though may I suggest an alteration to this plan? How about we don't burn the crops, but instead distribute them among my people? We're all starving and barely have anything to eat because of him. But if we do that, then they'll finally know what it's like to eat something decent that isn't nine day old compost..."

 

[SniperComZero]

There's a moment of thought from the elf, staring off to nothing in particular. "...Well. We can't kill an Icon in any martial way-- at least not right now, surely. Using underhanded tactics, though, we might have a chance. Paralyse him, weaken him, just dump whatever won't make him turn his nose up at it entirely, and then go in and finish the job ourselves. Sounds like an easy enough prospect. Handing out food would certainly gain favours. Only problem would be the, ah, very high likelihood of a power vacuum swallowing that land in chaos."

...Gwen eventually just brushed some hair aside of her face, shrugging. "...But, right now we're wetworkers. Not diplomats."

 

[Infab]

As the group began to voice their opinions on things at Xager, as well as themselves, Xager simply folded her arms. Few of them wanted to continue doing anything to help their attempts to reclaim the Abyss, and she was disappointed to hear it. Luckily, Tariun wasn't around to hear it.

But then Henderson spoke up, forcing Xager to direct her attention directly towards him.

"...And I'll be taking what I will be owed."

Xager's eyes seemed to flash a bit, glowing ever so briefly. "...What you are owed?" she asked, her voice bearing a hint of both confusion as well as anger. "...You, Henderson, are owed nothing. You are here as payment as part of a deal made by Velin. You work for Tariun as a pawn, to do whatever she commands. We are nice to you, and continue to help you as much as needed because we wish for you to survive this ordeal and go home. Our payment to her is that we help you rescue Valeria and find the artifacts. Perhaps slay Sazak should he make is presence known to you."

"And then, in order for you to recieve even more supplies, guidance around the Abyss, and assistance when you needed it..." she continued, pointing at Kassidy, "...You made a deal with Tariun directly the moment you first met us. Your deal with us is the same deal we have with Velin compounded. You work for us until we are done with you. You recieve aid from us in exchange. That is the confines of our contract, the seal stamped on your eternal souls until completed and wiped clean upon return to Velin. We owe you nothing beyond aid, Henderson. Not a Single. Fucking. Thing. You'd do well to remember that. Now, after our contract is done with both you and Velin, I'll be more than happy to provide you with a new deal for your services. Do not make demands of me until that time."

She then turned her attention to Senya, Loque, and Gwen, whom were debating the objectives of the mission in the land of Gluttony. "...Public opinion in the land of Gluttony may shift if some of his better crops are distributed amongst the local population. You could destroy a portion of the crops, and gather the rest to feed the locals. As for Thorgran's staff...his kitchen staff are not the same as the ones you knew, Loque...You will see that in time. And his master chef actually enjoys his job. They will not be missed by anyone other than Thorgran himself." stated Xager.

She paused for a moment, glancing to Senya and Gwen. "...You could poison Thorgran. Loque will be your best bet there. I'd say feed him something...or someone...he loves, and make sure its full of the most toxic item you can find. It will make him sick, most certainly, but I honestly do not know if it will weaken him to the point of killing him or allowing you all to kill him. But he will not be able to do much of anything for a while if you are successful."

 

[Doomevil]

Attacking Gluttony by the element of surprise was better than nothing so it was worth trying out. Senya nodded and hoped Xager was right once they get into the Palace. Before she was ready to get started on heading for the land, she spoke.

“It’s worth a try poisoning Thorgran so we can put him out of active duty. If the kitchen staff are as bad as you say, we’ll see when we get there. We’ve gotten this far, let’s make this last task count for the Abyss.” Senya said to the others.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Burning crops. Now that was a past time she hadn't enjoyed in a while. She was certainly qualified for it, at least. It was an art form in some ways, and an exercise in others. But the key wasn't just burning and salting once and moving on - it had to be a compounded effort. It was about destroying hope and creating fear as much as denying basic nourishment and undermining hard work. She wasn't so sure how that would work in this sort of environment, especially if the people weren't necessarily their enemy, and there was also the matter with Loque. Had she not been here, she wouldn't have cared about starving some region. Well... she still didn't care, but it was more trouble than it was worth doing so if Loque wasn't on board. No one wanted their own people to suffer, nor their allies.

Lost in thought for a moment, she paced around, listening with half an ear, before glancing back over as Henderson and Xager went at it a little. Inari frowned as she mulled the words over, or at least those that she could understand. "Contract, deal - this mean nothing," she noted. "We do work, we say what we want. And this work seem important. Who care what Velin lady say. Big man want more, he get more so long work is done. Otherwise...." Inari offered a shrug. No use in her pointing it out. The implication was enough. Betrayal, revenge, all things that could happen at any time for any reason. Deals mattered very little to her. It was loyalty that was worth a weight in gold. And there was no loyalty here, not truly.

"Mmm... this Thorgran, demon who eat lots. How poison work? Don't some demon heal good? Or if he eat lot, maybe he has... uhm... safety from poison? Ability to not get sick?"

 

[Infab]

Xager glanced to Inari as she spoke, before replying. "Demonic contracts are deals that you should pay particular heed to, kitsune. Breaking a contract costs you your soul...and demons never break a demonic contract." She straightened up a bit, looking fully at Inari. "Break a contract with a demon, and you die on the spot. Complete the contract, and you're free. Simple."

She then shifted the topic. "Thorgran is the Icon of Gluttony. He eats most anything, as long as its edible. Poisoning him will be a proper task, but Loque can do it. She knows exactly what will make him sick."

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Inari scratched her chin, considered Xager's words, then nodded. "Oh. Clever trick." Break the deal and you die. That was an excellent type of contract, one she wished she could make with the power of enforcing on her own unwitting associates. She wasn't a fan of being bound to such sorcery, naturally, and this was one of the times that submission would be more constructive than otherwise lashing out. These demons certainly were quite the fun bunch. The next time she returned here, she'd need to see if she could gain that power. Now that would be fun.

"If Loque know how, then okay. But poison very lazy trick, too. Can not just cut off hands, take out eyes and teeth? Or that heal quick? Sometime cripple worse than dead."

 

[Infab]

"That would involve fighting the Icon as well as his guards." replied Xager. She then looked back to the others, before pointing towards the southwest. "One kilometer that way, and you will find a train terminal. You may use it to reach your destination quickly. When you are finished there, you will have to locate an alternate form of transportation untill you cross the border into Keggoth's realm. Then, you should find another terminal to take you to the Land of Dead Kings."

She lowered her arm, before looking back to Vincent. "Good luck." she finally stated, before a portal appeared just behind her. And with a single step backwards, she disappeared into it.

 

[Breadman]

Henderson's annoyance grew as Xager put her foot down. Or she thought she did. Whatever her screaming was about, he didn't care for. He knew those details already, but he wasn't going to let a good opportunity pass along. Once the contract was over, he was to be let loose on the Abyss freely and if they would approach him with another contract, he would have more leverage. The rebellion had shown itself how desperate they are and it's leaders have shown their hands when dealing with upstarts. A raised voice and a tantrum didn't impress him, otherwise Velin would only need to have done that to get him here. Pleading to his better nature wouldn't work either, since it was already dead. It looked like if it won or lost, this uprising would create chaos in the Abyss long enough for someone ruthless enough to carve out something for themselves.

The topic shifted before he could say anything, but at that point he had figured out saying anything to that one right now would cause another Hudson episode. He was rather bemused that they cared so much about the lives of some low life demons.

"Right. Lets help these idiots win their war...or give them a chance to not blow it." He turned towards the train and walked.

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

"Well..." says Loque as she shuffles about in place deep in thought. Thankfully their priorities for this task have changed for the better. Burning those crops would've just made her people suffer more than they already are. Every time she came home from slaving away in Thorgran's kitchen, she'd be greeted by empty, emaciated hands stretched out towards her begging her for whatever scraps Thorgran might've left behind; scraps she never had to give. Blocks full of people crying at her, pleading with her to help them. At least, even though it's 300 years too late, she can at least help those that're hopefully still around by saving those crops for them. At least for once in their lives, her people would finally be able to sleep without being woken up by excruciating pains coming from their stomachs, even if it's just for a day.

Still, she can't help but feel bothered by Vincent's outburst no matter how much she agrees with him. She'd hate for the group to break apart again right when they're about to do something genuinely good here.

"Vincent, may I speak to you?" she asks. "... I know you're frustrated with all this busywork Tariun is making us do, and I am too, but..." Loque takes a deep breath as she tries to find the right words. "... If you won't help my people for Tariun, then will you at least do this for me? For thousands of years when I still lived here, Vincent, I've had to see my people starve to death on the streets. I've had to deal with them threatening to eat one another just so they can feel full. I've had to see them run up to me and beg for the still wet stains of sauce and scraps of meat hanging on my apron since they have nothing else... I mean, my p-people, they have nothing else but m-mud a-and-" Briefly, she loses her composure, and even quicker are the seconds that her eyes appear to glisten.

"It'd mean so much to me if you did this, Vincent. It'd mean so much to all of us..."

 

[Infab]

Vincent watched as Xager left, before taking note of Henderson heading for the train terminal. He was about to follow after him, but Loque would stop him before he could move. He listened to her, noticing her starting to lose her composure as she talked about the others that lived in the land of Gluttony. Those that were starving and forced to work under Thorgran. He finally nodded. "You don't have to convince me, Loque. I'll do it. Its the right thing to do, and I'm no Hudson." he said, with a smile. As tired as he was of being lead around, this was important to one of the group.

It wasn't long before the group reached the terminal, walking till they arrived at the stone platform with nothing but off colored grass around it. And just as always, an obsidian obelisk stood upon it. Vincent did his thing, walking over and fitting one of the disks that Xager had given them onto the triangular point. And soon, they heard the train approach.

The massive, demonic train rolled to a stop before them. The conductor called out his usual call, which was replied to with a resounding "LAND OF GLUTTONY." from Vincent. "GET ABOARD." replied the conductor from wherever he was, and the group found themselves strolling up the long ramp into the train they had grown oh so familiar with.

The next several hours during the train ride was spent cleaning up and being fed by Cat. Wesix made sure their clothing was cleaned and prepared, and the group got some needed rest. And eventually, it was time to disembark yet again. As the door to the passenger car popped open, the group stepped out into a gust of wind that brought one of the worst smells they could ever conceive.

And then they saw the environment around them. Before them, sweeping fields of rotting corn. The air was filled with a disgusting aroma, and rather large flies floating about. The sky above was a putrid yellow, and about a hundred yards away, a lone collapsed farmhouse sat abandoned surrounded by broken fences and a windmill that had seen better days about three centuries prior.

"Here we are...I guess." muttered Vincent, ad he strolled down the ramp to the dark dirt road below. As the others disembarked, he checked their map. They were several miles out from the capital city of Gluttony, and between them and the city was an old town that apparently was unimportant enough to not have a name listed. Perhaps Loque would know what it was when they arrived.

He pointed the others in the right direction as the train departed, swatting flies away from his face. And soon, they set out. Walking down the long dirt road between the cornfields.

---​

Elsewhere...

Southern Train Terminal
The Hollowlands


The truck rolled to a stop, and soon enough Hudson and the rest of his group gazed upon the barren train terminal before them. The Hollowlands were always a dull and miserable sight to behold, with dark colored grass and rocks, and dark clouds about signifying that it could rain at any moment.

"Well, lets get this over with." said Riberta, whom walked up onto the platform and located the obelisk which sat silent. Waiting for someone to use it. She drew out the disk from a pouch on her waist, looking it over, before setting it down on the triangular rod poking up. And then they heard the train, coming down the tracks towards them. Cassandra was caught a bit offguard by the sudden appearance of the monstorous behemoth of a train, gazing up at it in awe as it rolled to a stop before them.

When the conductor called out to them, Riberta responded. "THE LAND OF DEAD KINGS." she shouted back. She was met with a moment of silence, before a loud "GET ABOARD." could be heard. Riberta grabbed the disk, before motioning towards a ramp that slid out of the passenger car and hit the ground nearby.

 

[Dmaster]

Hudson felt a present yet apathetic sense of familiarity to see the train pull up to them yet again, standing and looking up to the massive construct of screeching metal. It felt like it had been ages since he had last been on that hellish train, and he had himself a very small moment of reflection. The hunter turned to the ramp as it impacted the ground, beginning to get onto the train. Above all else, he was hopeful that those annoying lust demons would not be there to badger them.

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

"... Just as awful as I remember it." is all Loque can say in regards to the desolation in front of the group. The withered crops, the barn nearby that's falling apart, the pus-colored sky, it's nothing new to her. Not even the pungent smell of decay bothered her. She got used to this particular stink of rot over time and figured the group would eventually too.

"Between us and Tehom is Bathalom. It's a small village; not very important so there's hardly any guards there. " she says to Vincent. "If you still need to figure out a plan, then I say we stay there until we figure out what to do."

 

[Damian0358]

Takato largely remained silent during the discussion with Xager, as he listened to the shift in dialogue. While he understood why the crops were to be destroyed, the points raised by Senya and Loque he ultimately agreed with, especially with Thorgran's willingness to starve his own people. As Henderson brought up his claim and was rebuked, he concentrated more on the dialogue surrounding the slaying of the Icon of Gluttony. He silently sided with Gwen on that one, given his own experiences with being a target of assassination. Thorgran was still an Icon, no matter how gluttonous he may be, so he was likely to be more powerful than those within the group, just as he had to be to face off against those opposed to hermits. Senya and Loque disagreed, though the notion of poison seemed plausible. However, if one were gluttonous, wouldn't their sense of taste be heightened? Would they not be able to taste the poison? Xager's response seemed to indicate that it could possibly work, at least. When Xager revealed to Inari how demonic contracts functioned, his eyebrows raised - though he was fortunately under one that would ultimately have positive effects, knowing this info would be useful for the future. And soon enough, she departed, and they headed for the terminal.

Aboard the train, Takato tried his best to relax, though the mentions of the Land of Dead Kings reminded him of his idle thoughts from the past while. when the group were at Kassidy's place, and when he found out about Zazriel proper. She mentioned that the first oni she had met was on pilgrimage to the Land of Dead Kings, and that even Abahai had ventured there. He recalled that he had wondered whether they had a home to pilgrim from. Wesix had mentioned how the oni were viewed, their old name of daimons, and Zazriel's Divine Order. Since then, his mind had filled with worries of self-failure - of the lack of detachment, the image of his master, whether he had passed the event horizon to permit him past the Abyssal Gate beyond his oni nature, his filial piety....

Once more, he spoke with Wesix and inquired about the oni, asking that which he knew he could ask him, being their home. Wesix regaled to him that there were oni scattered throughout the Land of Dead Kings that resided there, amongst the various hovels and villages constructed in the tombs and ruins. He mentioned too that, just outside of Vucrox there resided a large oni village. And then he mentioned the largest oni settlement, in the north of the Land of Greed, the farthest distance from Vucrox, resided a place he knew only as Yinjian. He knew not much about it himself, but he knew that that area was filled with not only oni, but many others from his homeland.

Takato was surprised to hear this, that so many oni were apparently concentrated in what was the north-west of the Abyss. As the conversation continued on, Wesix responded to Takato's surprise, commenting on how he only knew of those that were sent down here, and that he knew not if the oni were being sent to Heaven, when considering their density in the Abyss. Wesix could, however, note that his response had planted yet another seed of doubt within the hermit's mind, his expression more morose than ever, with the implications of that statement drilling itself deep. Wesix tried to cheer him up, but the oni soon departed for his quarters, to await the remainder of the trip.

By the time they arrived at their destination, Takato pondered on that implication - the oni were demon-descent, after all, so would it be likely that they were just being sent straight down to the Abyss? Were he to die, would all his years following the Dou just result in him being sent to this realm? But soon after, the thought of family came to mind, and he realized something... what if his family was down here?

He got off the train, barely registering the smell of the land and the environment. He had encountered worse, and his mind was at a frenzy. He just followed the others as best as he could.

 

[SniperComZero]

As soon as Gwen stepped off of the train, she had to force herself to not spill up whatever she'd eaten on the journey to this land, pulling her clothes tight up around her face to try and mask at least some of the smell of the horrendous land. It wasn't exactly working too well. "Nn... it smells like a backwards human village mixed with a week-old battlefield."

 

[joshuadim]

As the train rolled up towards their group, Venextos descended from the skies and headed towards the ramp rather wordlessly as he boarded. He didn't have much to say following the foolishness that had transpired in Sazak's palace. It would be very soon when Sazak finds out what has happened, and the subsequent consequences would follow shortly after. As far as Venextos knew, their lives were forfeit from now on and they would have to forever watch their backs. Venextos took a seat inside an gazed out the window as he further lost himself in thought, counting the seconds that went by as he prepared for the inevitability of retaliation.

 

[Infab]

"If you still need to figure out a plan, then I say we stay there until we figure out what to do."

Vincent nodded. "We can poke around Bathalom until we have a solid plan on what to do. Might can gain some intel from asking around too, since things might have changed here and there while you've been gone." he replied. He had by now tied a bandana over his nose and mouth to make a makeshift mask, attempting to fight off the rancid smell of the dead crops around them. "Does it always smell like this here? How does anyone stand it?" he finally asked, glancing over towards Loque.

---
​

As Hudson's group boarded the train, the first sight was, of course, Wesix and Cat. "Ah! The other portion of the group! Welcome aboard!" said Cat, a smile on her face. Wesix, wearing the same smile, pointed out the new members of the small group. "And it appears we have new guests. A pleasure to meet the three of you as well." he said, bowing to Cassandra, Mariette, and Ser Edmond. "My name is Wesix, and this is Cat. We will be your hosts for the duration of the ride to your destination, and are here to serve your every need."

Cat smiled at the three as well, also bowing, before noticing Venextos simply move on past them. Further into the passenger car. Her smile faded slightly as she pondered why he would simply ignore them in such a manner. She didn't expect Hudson to be friendly at all, so she remained indifferent to him while returning her attention to Jakob, Riberta, and their new patrons.

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

"Does it always smell like this here? How does anyone stand it?"

"It does, and it's worse during harvesting season, but we try to make our way through it. It's not like we can do anything to make it go away." she answers as she paces beside him.

"...Maybe if I close my eyes and breathe, I could smell the freshness of the corn around us just somewhere underneath the stink, like how it was centuries ago." Loque breathes deeply as she closes her eyes and stays still for a moment before resuming forward. "Maybe that's how we stand it..."

 

[K0mori]

When the train had pulled up to the platform, Mariette looked on the behemoth in fascination. During her captivity, she had heard of the train more than once, and had even caught a glimpse from a distance, once, but had never suspected that it would be so massive, or so grand in its design and finish. Nothing like this existed in the mortal realm, nor could it. And now, impossibly, it was making a stop just for the few lost souls standing on the platform.

Once inside, Hudson and the others' lack of alarm at the demons instantly revealed that they had crossed paths before, and Mariette was both relieved and curious, as she would not have to fight them, and would instead be welcomed as a guest. She awkwardly returned their bows and introduced herself. "Eh... bonjour, monsieur, mademoiselle... I am Mariette Desrosiers, the late Countess of La Cygne, Escaria," she began, the corner of her mouth twisting into a wry smile at the novelty of introducing herself as the late, "...a friend of Monsieur Jakob. And these are friends of mine: Ser Edmond of Sherida, and Cassandra Bainbridge."

 

[Infab]

Cassandra bowed herself as Mariette introduced her. "A pleasure to meet the pair of you as well." she said, before straightening back up. The pair of lust demons smiled, before Cat motioned to Wesix. "If you'll follow my associate here, he'll show you to your sleeping quarters for the duration of the journey. I shall fetch refreshments for you. Blood, correct? I believe we have a stock of blood wine in the kitchen, of the finest quality." said Cat, as she motioned to Wesix. Wesix then nodded. "Once I show you to your rooms, I can provide other services should you need them. Clean clothes, baths, massages, as well as more...exclusive services. Cat can also provide the same, should you be unable to find me!" explained Wesix, before motioning for them to follow.

Soon, they were being lead through the luxurious halls of the passenger car, Cassandra's eyes traveling about as her head swiveled around. "...Certainly high class, isn't it, Mariette?" she said, cutting Mariette a smirk.

 

[K0mori]

Mariette walked with the group, a bit overwhelmed by the decadence of it all. Of course this would be Ralvas's train. Unlike Sazak's palace, the incredible luxury all around them was meant to be used and enjoyed by the occupants, rather than just be showed off. "Oh yes," Mariette replied, "I don't quite know where to begin... I suppose I'd like to have a bath, soon. It's been so long," she said, a brightness appearing in the glimmer of her reddish eyes.

 

[Infab]

"Indeed. An actual bath instead of using a bucket full of sudsy water and a rag..." replied Cassandra. The blood spatter across her form and in her hair was far beyond dry now, flaking off and leaving her blonde locks a wild mess. Mariette didn't seem much better in that regard. Actual relaxation sounded wonderful...as did that blood wine that Cat mentioned.

Soon, they arrived at their rooms, with Wesix motioning to both with his hand. "The left one is for the men, and the right is for the women...though we certainly can't stop you from sharing a single room. Its more for privacy." he stated, giving them a smile. "I shall run baths for you, as you wish to bathe. While you bathe, I'll be sure to clean your clothing." he added, "...And if you desire, I can assist you with your baths. I'm here to serve after all."

He then reached over and opened the doors for both rooms, allowing Jakob and Ser Edmond to enter one while Mariette, Riberta, and Cassandra could investigate the other. Riberta had already been aboard the train, so she knew of the looks of the rooms. Mariette and Cassandra, however, were surprised at how exquisite each room was. Large, individual beds, with fluffy pillows and silky sheets. Sturdy furniture and wardrobes for storage during the trip. Suited for someone who often traveled in style.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Ser Edmond walked past the incubus without saying much. He never appreciated the demons of lust, even if they were of the servitude type. Jakob instead gave Wesix and Cat a friendly smile and a nod, but he just walked into what once used to be his room. Once inside, he sat and rested on his bed, sighing heavily at the thought of the demon prince and Mariette's laughter when Cassandra was about to kill the child. He was glad to have found his friend, but he feared that she might have actually changed during her time trapped in this horrible place. He slowly slipped down off the bed until he sat down on the floor, removing his hat and looking through his gun bag. Eventually drawing out that bottle of whiskey he shared with Hudson a few moons ago.

Edmond on the other hand, simply ventured to and sat in the bar area of the car. Not on a seat, but on the floor. His regenerated wings covering him like a blanket while he meditated, for his sole duty was to keep his new companions alive. He did not know what Mariette had planned for the future, but the thought of serving her as a knight crossed his mind. She was the Countess of La Cygne. Never in his life he thought he'd serve a Cariantan, or Escarian rather, due to his old Atracan heritage, but Mariette had proved to be a decent woman. Even if he disagreed with how she handled the deal with the Icon's son.

Back in the room, Jakob had drank a few shots of the strong liquor before putting the bottle down. He reminisced on a few things, and the fact that he was near the end of his journey. Just a train ride down to this world's graveyard to find his friend. He got off the floor soon enough, and walked out into the bar area. He noticed Ser Edmond sitting on the floor like an owl or bat. He didn't know what to think of the ghoulish vampire, so he approached him cautiously.

"...So, you are the knight that helped the Duke?" asked Jakob, while looking down at the hunched over figure. Edmond's ears twitched, but he didn't raise his head. His eyes remained closed shut, but he eventually spoke. "...I served Ashwood for many years after the Age of Darkness. When the world I knew had been forgotten and cast aside, I found myself restless. But a knight needs a Lord to serve...That was what I was taught, a thousand years ago. It was our noble way." Jakob looked at the creature with mixed emotions. "...You talk of a noble way. A noble knight wouldn't have killed an entire town."

Edmond remained quiet for a moment. "I did not kill the entire town. I had left the younglings, and the men and women of god alive."

"And you think that justifies anything?"

"No. I am just stating that I had not killed the town, for it will rebuilt despite the horrors I had inflicted on it."

Now it was Jakob the one that remained quiet. "...Do you even regret it?" he finally asked with a serious tone, and this actually caused Edmond to raise his head and look up at Jakob.

"Always."

Edmond slowly got back up, his joints popping and cracking as he extended his malformed body. "I let my emotions guide me, for I had witnessed what humanity was capable of. I witnessed how they completely ignored and forgot the elves, dwarves and the orcs. Those who made this world what it is now... And I saw how quickly they'll descend into hatred, when they began killing my kin and the other creatures of the night."

Edmond looked at Jakob over, before asking a question of his own. "...I assume you still have something to do with law. Might I ask...do you know Duke Ashwood's story?" Jakob nodded accordingly. "...Different names throughout the years, pretending to be of the same dynasty. Had a child... with a human woman... and they were killed by an Inquisitor of Velin." Edmond closed his eyes for a moment.

"...I served him for decades, back when he was a young vampire who truly wanted something better for our kin... But this inquisitor found out. I was there that day, I helped Ashwood battle the Inquisitor, a beast of a human man who fought like the beasts he so zealously hunted. It took the two of us to take him down... and when the Inquisitor died with a horribly proud smirk on his face, I watched as Ashwood descended upon his dead wife and child... That's when I saw a man change from one day to another." Edmond looked down, caressing his face for a moment.

"...The young noble vampire was no longer there. He was replaced by a calculating tyrant. Velin had taken everything he loved in his life, and he wanted to enslave her beloved humanity as revenge... I blinded myself, thinking it was the right way... for humanity had proven once again that they were not worthy of ruling this world. I ignored a lot of things... including his dealings with Sazak, for I thought I would never let him die and let his soul be consumed by the demon..." The nosferatu raised his head, looking up at the celling and taking a few heavy breaths as he reminisced of the past. "...But then I met the inquiry led by Valeria... and it helped me realize how much a fool I was. But it was too late... Camille ended me in fair combat. I was punished for my hubris against the natural order." He looked back down to Jakob, who seemed to be lost in thought. "...I regret many things in my life, young one. For that reason I want to repent myself through punishment...Sadly, this place is not a place for that. No matter what Velin might say... this place is no longer of punishment, but for embracing the most basic depraved needs of any soul."

After several minutes standing there, Jakob sighed while looking down. "The people you slaughtered... you leaving this place won't really give them back their lives." Edmond nodded. "...Nothing ever will, Mr. Phillomon... but I can be there to stop this from happening again."