Fantasy Saga of the Seven Sins - The Second Cycle

[WarDragon]

Viktor leans back in his seat, fingers interlaced, watching the byplay between the two women without expression... save for just a touch of an amused crinkle about his eyes.

 

[Rykon]

Renost smirks at the Lunar's taunts toward his fellow Vizier, though inwardly knowing and feeling her struggle in the environment of heaven's offices, "Nah, shuffling papers is what we get the young Anathema to do right before we lure them around in the wide spiraling goose chase that leads right into our death traps. As for the Convention on Elsewhere, that is headed by the god of the Silver Pact's accomplishments as they are equally non-present in creation."

 

[Sherwood]

"I still have duties to perform in the service of heaven. But, even us overworked public servants can take some time to themselves. That doesn't explain what you are doing here, though. I have been quite free with answering your questions, even with the lovely level of accusation from you, Opal. So, what brings you to the great city of Gem? Here to watch the fights? Going to join in, or sponsor a fighter? Or are you responsible for the disruptions in the Loom that both Renost and I can feel going on around here?"

 

[WarDragon]

"I do not know for certain what is disrupting the Loom; I was not even aware of such a disruption until you mentioned it, nor do I particularly care, save as it affects my own interests. I have business with one of the noble Houses here... for a start. Once that is accomplished, I thought I might visit my old homeland that I spoke of," Viktor says with a truly wicked grin. "The tournament is merely a pleasant potential diversion on the side."


OOC: Yes, Viktor is lie-checking your claims about no longer being associated with the Bronze, or here on official business. I know you're telling the truth, but he doesn't...

 

[Rykon]

Renost dropped his concealment charm, knowing interactions are likely to continue in a non-hostile manner. With this he would speak up, "So you have no designs on the tournament then? Save for the rumored artifact held by the head of House Trasti?"

 

[Random Word]

Opal ignores Renost, but his closing remark is a little bit too on the nose and she favors him with a dismissive rebuke. "Mind your tongue, child," she snaps. "We control the entire Threshold, your precious Empress is gone, and your Realm is collapsing under the weight of a thousand years of incompetence and corruption. If the Silver Pact accomplished nothing for the next ten thousand years, it would still be ahead of the Five-Score Fellowship - you'd still be crawling your way out of the hole you've dug yourselves." She pauses for a moment, thinking, then flicks one of the chopsticks at the edge of the table at him and sticks her tongue out as a closing argument before falling back onto the ottoman.


"I'm here to be with Viktor, if you must know. I didn't break your precious Loom," she replies, petulantly, then pauses to consider. "Today," she amends. "I don't care about the..." her voice trails off as a thought occurs to her. "The tournament!" she cries as she bolts upright and grips the table age, staring intently at Darian. "Enter with me. We'll finish what you started in the final round, and maybe give them a spectacle worth watching," she demands, grinning fiercely.

 

[Sherwood]

Feeling the urge to taunt her old foe, Darian asks in such a sweet, peaceful way, "Why? So you can lose to me again? We both know that if I go all out against you, that is what will happen." Take that, bitch!

 

[Rykon]

"Why bother entering the tournament if you two just want to fight? I'd like to raise up students one year that don't get obliterated from beings that totally outclass their poor mortal souls." Renost sighed rubbing deeply at his brow. "How about at my manse here in town? I have a dojo if you two wish to spar."

 

[WarDragon]

"I think either of those sounds a splendid idea, personally. Work some of this... whatever is between you out of your respective systems, and provide a learning experience in the bargain. Don't you agree, Captain Karal?"


"Absolutely, my lord," the Dragon-Blood replies. He pauses briefly. "Half a talent on the Sidereal."


"I shall, as they say, 'take some of that action.' But as to your question," Viktor replies to Renost, "no. I have no interest in the outcome of the tournament, beyond any petty wagers I may choose to make upon it, and the likelihood that it will draw Trasti Marlon out of his shell. He has something that I want, and I mean to take it, in recompense for an old insult. If not an artifact that he rises above himself in claiming, then I shall settle for his... everything."


 
"I think either of those sounds a splendid idea, personally. Work some of this... whatever is between you out of your respective systems, and provide a learning experience in the bargain. Don't you agree, Captain Karal?"


"Absolutely, my lord," the Dragon-Blood replies. He pauses briefly. "Half a talent on the Sidereal."


"I shall, as they say, 'take some of that action.' But as to your question," Viktor replies to Renost, "no. I have no interest in the outcome of the tournament, beyond any petty wagers I may choose to make upon it, and the likelihood that it will draw Trasti Marlon out of his shell. He has something that I want, and I mean to take it, in recompense for an old insult. If not an artifact that he rises above himself in claiming, then I shall settle for his... everything."

 

[Random Word]

"I didn't lose," she growls, emphasizing each word as she leans forward over the table, eyes narrowing. "You cheated and brought friends. Like today," she glowers at Renost. "I made a tactical retreat, after achieving my objective of sabotaging whatever the stupid experiment was," she replies, petulantly. "I hit you with a table and put you through a wall. You hit me with a ribbon and sent me through a window. Which I was planning to jump out of anyway." Opal pointedly does not mention that the ribbon broke three ribs, but her hand does unconsciously move to cover the injury, nor that the wall in question was a paper divider. "In a fair fight you wouldn't stand a chance. Only Marthesine could find what was left of you."


She absent-mindedly flicks her second chopstick at Karal without sparing him a glance.

 

[Sherwood]

"While I would heartily enjoy smacking some manners into you, I still have the more important issue of what is causing the ripples in the Loom. If you are not responsible for it, I need to determine what is. Then we can resolve some past issues. By the way," she looks over at Karal, "you should up your bet. She is a good fighter, but I'm much better."

 

[Rykon]

"I too have an interest in Trasti Marlon and his Artifact I do admit. Though until I see evidence of larger power at play I cannot justify direct intervention. As much as these petty house politics ruined my birth family, I don't find him worth the effort at present." Renost would look around for something to drink and sigh, waving over waiter and handing him an obol. "Some tea and a pie for the table, if you would."

 

[Random Word]

"You're just frightened," Opal crows triumphantly, her grin widening, as if the matter is now beyond question. She also turns to Karal, "I agree, you should up your bet; That paltry sum won't please Viktor nearly enough when he wins."

 

[Sherwood]

Darian rolls her eyes in exasperation. "It seems that nothing is going to be accomplished while this elephant is still in the room. You want to fight? Name the time, place, and how badly you want me to spank you in front of your boyfriend before I let you go."

 

[Random Word]

"That's better," she replies, self-satisfied, relaxing back into her seat. "I won't have you distracted, though. The anomaly you're having such a fit over was in the square, and it wasn't moving." Opal stares out over the patio into the square, attempting to relocate the strange sensation from before.

Spoiler

Nuffles clearly isn't with me today.


[dice]5612[/dice]

 

[Seeker of the End]

The distortion is gone for now. Whoever or whatever was causing it has long since left. You can still feel it in the essence movement in the air but its not enough to follow.

 

[Random Word]

"Alas. It's gone," she shrugs nonchalantly. "Well, that's where idle chatter gets you, I suppose. Better luck next time," she adds, sagely. She smiles smugly at Darian, then realizes she's enjoying the view more than she'd care to admit and turns away quickly to a view she's much more comfortable enjoying. "Then again, you couldn't have been looking too hard - you did walk into Viktor, who is rather striking and difficult to miss," she adds, smiling at him.

 

[Sherwood]

"Oh, gag! If he comes to a sudden stop, your nose will go halfway up his backside."

 

[Rykon]

"I believe it's already progressed further than that. Though, on another note, perhaps we should prepare to head to the arena soon. If that artifact makes a debut it'd probably be best to be there."

 

[Random Word]

Opal rolls her eyes, her cheeks reddening slightly with anger. What did I ever see in this woman? Her eyes narrow slyly as she reigns it in, then open wide in feigned surprise and concern. "That retort is telling, darling. Not very experienced in bed, are you? I imagine all that paperwork doesn't leave much room for a love life," replies Opal, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. I could teach - NO. Discussing sex was treading on dangerous ground, and Opal concentrated on her anger to keep undesirable thoughts at bay. "You could always join the Division of Voyeurs and pick up a few things. Broaden your horizons? Surely you aren't a virgin after all these centuries?"


She turns to Renost. "Indulge my curiosity before you rush off. How exactly are your mortal students to survive even the second round of the tourney? Surely there will be Terrestrials with knowledge of the Celestial Martial Arts present in abundance?"

 

[Rykon]

"You don't know? Terrestrials with access to celestial martial arts are mostly limited to the Immaculate Order. The few Lookshy or Outcaste Terrestrials lucky enough to reach enlightenment would have a Gold Faction Sifu to teach them, unless one of you Silver Pact folks was feeling particularly philanthropic, which is anything but likely. Seeing as it tends to be MY job to teach Illuminated Sympathizers among that group, I can say that number is too small to reach Gem in any noticable degree. Tack on the generally inflated ego of the Terrestrials, large amounts of wealth and sexual companionship, and the dictates of the Immaculate order and you end up with a culture where Terrestrials entering mortal competitions is shameful and a waste of time that could be better spent lording their birth right over the populous instead of giving them potential hope in rising above their alotted station. To sum this up succinctly, of the few, if any, exalted bastards willing to publically shame themselves in a mortal's game very very few of them will have celestial martial arts." Renost pauses for a moment to prop his feet up while the information sank in, "I also have no qualms sabotaging, redirecting, indefinitely delaying, or publically eviscerating any sad sack of shit that makes it through the natural filter. So, that is how."

 

[Random Word]

Opal looks vaguely disappointed. "So the tournament will be a rather subdued affair, then. Entering wouldn't even be cathartic." She turns away from Renost then does a double take, "Wait a moment. You're an instructor for the Cult of the Illuminated? Then you're definitely not Darian's apprentice. Unless she was a Gold Faction double agent all along." She looks askance at both Sidereals, "Can't you do anything in a straightforward manner?"

 

[Rykon]

Renost grins widely, "Technically I'm just a Sidereal Martial Arts instructor, not really limited to the whole Illuminated thing. While I'm officially in Gold Faction ranks, my views only halfway line up with theirs. So, I tend to have better personal relationships with independents. The higher ups tend to take the tutelage of celestials as their own personal task and leave me with the distasteful duty of dealing with what they consider undesirable necessities. Taking a step back though, my mortal students have each mastered a Terrestrial Martial Art, at least as far as mortally possible. I took care to teach them competitive and well grounded styles, so it should be fairly entertaining to see the carnage."

 

[Random Word]

Opal studies Renost for the first time, reevaluating her assumptions. Her posture relaxes slightly and she smiles ruefully. "I apologize for my behavior towards you," she admits, grudgingly, "An independent. I like that. I often don't see eye to eye with our 'Gold Faction', either. I don't know what that makes me." She pauses, reflecting. "At least it isn't the Brass Faction anymore," she laughs, but there's a barely perceptible tension in her voice.


"I will perhaps enjoy seeing your students compete."

 

[Rykon]

Renost nods his head in appreciation, "It is nice to meet others with similar viewpoints. Perhaps we could speak more on it later? For now, I think the tournament may be starting soon. Shall we go?"