The Dance of Chaos [IC-Fantasy-OPEN]

[Nea Videssos]

Sitri, Demon Prince of Lust
A Congregation of Sins

In the moonlit, isolated glade, a figure appeared in the wake of the others. At first glance one might think they had been plucked from thin air, but the figure somehow seemed to have been there the entire time, giving a mortal watching the strange sense that their own mind was playing tricks on them, and that they should have somehow noticed earlier. The figure in question was a lithe, feminine-looking youth with golden hair and amethyst-hued eyes that resembled bottomless pools. Those eyes seemed strangely innocent, yet as if some mysterious force was compelling whoever gazed upon them to commit unspeakable crimes to their bearer. He was clad in what could be described as a frilled, sleeveless garment from which extended as a 'gown' what amounted only to a thin, transparent silky material, exposing their arms, midriff and thighs, with white shorts, thigh-high white stockings and black shoes reminiscent of those worn by a rural village girl. On their shorts was a lock that seemed to resemble a lock on a chastity belt. Alas, the figure in question was anything but a mortal girl. One hint was the that upon their navel was a golden-hued tattoo known as a symbol representing the male gender. That hinted at the figure's true sex. The other misapprehension was concerned what manner of being he was. This became most apparent when from the scandalously-dressed figure's back, four purple-blue feathered wings emerged.

Two of the other Archbishops were dressed like priests, two looked like noblewoman, and the most recent arrival in the form of Auryon resembled a cannibalistic witch. Sitri, meanwhile, seemed more like he belonged in one of the Duivene houses of ill-repute, albeit one of the higher-class ones frequented by aristocrats. Unlike the other Archbishop of Lust, he had foregone a mask.

A knowing smile upon his angelic face, his gaze moved briefly from the Archbishop of Pride to the figure of his fellow demon prince, Az'goxaak, before flitting over the others who had appeared. He momentarily paused on Celio, before moving to Meta, then to Auryon. When Sitri saw that Meta had chosen the position closest to Pride, that knowing smile of his widened briefly. After that, his focus turned to the Lust Archbishop who had arrived before him. Stepping forward, he moved behind the position of the Archbishop currently calling herself Evangeline. He bowed gracefully as he introduced himself in a voice that could be described as simultaneously maidenly yet alluring. Much like his gaze, his voice awoke the urge of others to conquer and dominate the androgynous demon. A strange, formless aura of eroticism emanated from him. Combined with that innocence, it gave one such a sensation that even an old nun or a eunuch would gain the predatory urge to break and devour him.

"I am Sitri, the Archbishop of Lust who embodies the masochism of my sin." A hint of mischief in the fallen angel's tone, he added, "As one of the twin servants of Luxuria, the seventh Cardinal Sin, the purest and most honest of all the Sins, I have answered the call." As usual, the former angel had a habit of altering some of the words to add a little spice to the typical dry formalities. Even if it wasn't much, Sitri felt it would probably be too stuffy otherwise. He took another look at Auryon, who was currently munching on a corpse she'd brought with her.

"Auryon, If you ever want a bite, just remember, I'm always around". It seemed strange for someone to cheerfully offer his own flesh to another, but the purple-eyed boy seemed to treat it as if he was simply offering someone lunch. Well, in a way that wasn't entirely wrong. It just so happened that even weakened as he was in the body of a possessed mortal, he had remarkable regenerative abilities. There was also the fact that rather than eschewing what most considered grievous ill-treatment, he even sought out those who might inflict the most brutal of tortures in both mind and body. Of course, to add to the experience, he often rewrote his own memories to make his own responses more genuine. Naturally, when he rewrote his memories, the real ones were sealed and hidden away within a separate part of his psyche. He was skilled in acting, but it just wasn't the same. What good was fake fear and innocence?

Turning towards Az, he greeted the demon. "Oh my... What's this? A fearsome demon prince on the prowl, lurking in the shadows of Lonriel, praying upon innocent mortals? Where are the Scriptures when you need them, hmm?" Sitri paused, seemingly inspecting his fellow Prince of Hell before adding, "Looking quite good for a corpse. It's been so long I can barely remember when we last met. Of course, I'm always up for getting …reacquainted."

Licking his lips seductively, Sitri paused as if in thought. "From what I remember, you were quite strong, right?"

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Az'goxaak and Auryon Rakhasa
A Sinful Encounter

---

"I am aware." Auryon said, looking up from her snack at Sitri, "But the willing flesh tastes all so horrible compared to the unwilling flesh, and the flesh of the broken minded."

Once she was done speaking, her attention turned back to her snack.

"Well, spending thousands upon thousands of years away from infernal politics does wonders for the skin." Az said with a smirk as he looked at Sitri, "I see you haven't changed much, beyond serving a new master. I wonder how Scelus took loosing one of his greatest prizes. That said, its not like I should talk, after all, I can only imagine how the Hells will react to me being still alive."

[Elysian Kentarchy]

"Evangeline", Conclave of Sin

After the conversation between Az and Sitri ends Evangeline remarks to Sitri, without turning around to face him, in a tone of fondness but it is not fondness of him as a person it is fondness of a thing she must break and will enjoy doing it. "Ah Sitri, my brother, it is such a pleasure to see you and hear your voice again." Despite the fact they share absolutely zero blood relation she occasionally refers to Sitri as brother but that is a personal choice on her part and more or less is a reference to a few demented games they have played in the past with a Sitri who had his memories rewritten for them (and in one instance Evangeline rewrote her own memories as well and let Sitri's nature do all the work), though one would be forgiven for thinking she says it out of dedication to their position as Archbishops of Lust. "After we are done with this council and you are done fulfilling your desire for suffering with other people do be sure to seek me out for more. I haven't been able to do too much lately besides molding my newest toy as it was very delicate thing but that is finally done and I could use a break."

To someone who knows her well they would know this is the language she uses when talking in polite company about breaking someone who caught her eye down and rebuilding them from the ground up to better suit what she would call a much more pure and fulfilling way of life. Or doing it just out of pure sadism on her part. Or both really.

[Ceystile]

Roter-Kaufmann Palaiologos and Zed Argentum

Roter and Zed's gazes hardened turned flinty, and the former said to Cecily, "We should discuss what precautions we should take, then. I don't want to disturb Zed's normal life as much as possible, so we might still want to do the sleepover assuming proper security precautions can be taken."

As for the latter, he felt it, the sudden doubt in his boyfriend's mind when it turned out that his worst fears were coming true - No, risked coming true, not actually coming true, damnit! So Zed said, "To be honest, we shouldn't have second thoughts over this. And by that, I have second thoughts now, considering the fact that... I don't want to be close to Demons. At all - It might bring out something in my nature I don't want to come out."

Roter looked at Zed kindly at that and patted the other boy's head, before he turned to Headmistress Millia, saying, "It's your decision anyway, Headmistress. What can, or should, we do?"

---

Perigny, Chat Blanc

(Image)

"Thank you," Chat Blanc said as he had his guards take the box back to his carriage. "I'll count the money later. Now, how are you and your husband doing today?"

“Zed, we’ll protect you.” Cecily said evenly, trying to assuage her friend’s worries. “You’ve always been safe here, I see no reason why that will change any time soon.” She noticed Zed and Roter looking at each other and noted that they were probably chatting through their mind link again. “In other news...I may’ve gotten a lead on where Kendra is. I was interrogating the Sins contingent, we tried to anyway but they were giving up precious little so we killed them. But still, I believe she’s out there. She has to be.” Her hands clenched and unclenched in their embroidered gloves, taking a deep breath..between the ongoing situation with her sister and Zed, she often joked she’d be aged before she was twenty-five.

Alucard Ironbright
Alucard and Chat sat at the table as the vampire took another sip from her goblet, flame-orange eyes staring into the glass. “We are well...we were actually doing some business promotion before you arrived. Zari was working on some paintings to promote our new fall collection. Speaking of the collection, would you like to see it? I think it may be one of our greatest works so far.” Zari poked his head in the room from where he was arranging his canvases. “How’s the discussion going?”

“Perfectly well, darling. You’re part of the business too, you’re welcome to join us any time you like.”
“I prefer the “behind the scenes” part of the operation. It’s a dwarf thing.”

[Dragos Bee]

Roter-Kaufmann Palaiologos and Zed Argentum

Roter's manor was a large house, mostly of marble, which would have passed for a palace in a less blessed realm than Arghyo. Elegant tapestries and mosaics strewed the place, as well as various vases constantly filled with elegant flowers. Roter's stepmother, Sophia, was in a small medical laboratory attached to the mansion, and as Roter led Zed and Cecily in, she waved hi to them, and bowed to Cel before saying to Roter, "You should have told me you were going to bring guests! That said, I guess it couldn't be helped - Cecily's been guarding the borders for a week now and must be tired out..."

Sophia, with her red hair and blue eyes, can almost pass for Roter's birth mother, although she wasn't - That was an Angel. Nevertheless, it was clear that she carried old habits from being a doctor and herbalist, as she looked Cecily over and said, "Are you all right, Cel? I know you can heal yourself, but not all ailments are of the body. Would you like some calming syrup? I've been refining the mixture I developed for a week now."

"Actually, Mom," Roter asked his stepmother, "We were thinking of asking you your perspective on Arghyo's founding story, as herbs with magical properties appear in said story. What do you know if the Golden Tree and the White Rose, beyond what the stories say? Or rather, what are your speculations?"

He then looked at his mother, Zed, and Cecily, "Because a Golden Tree which drives away the Blight and a White Rose which sucks out all blood could be repurposed to filter out Zed's Cambion aspects if we can find them..."

Kyle Perrin-Palailogos, Arghyo, with NPCs in Duivene - The Day of the Duivene Job

Perigny, Chat Blanc

"Of course!" Chat Blanc said with genuine warmth and enthusiasm. "What materials did you use? Gemstones? Semiprecious stones like Jade and Agates? Metals like Gold and Silver, or natural compounds like Pearls?"

[Tracian Empire]

Kingdom of Duivene
Citadel of Chovers
The Two Towers

32nd Floor, Steward's Rooms

Luckily for the Faith Keeper, the floor on which the Steward's Rooms were place were a lot better maintained than other parts of the gigantic citadel, so the number of animals and insects that attacked him was very small, and the dagger thrown by the maid lodged itself in the enchanted chainmail. The minor clerks that attacked however seemed to have paid no heed to their wounded ally. With their spells only protecting themselves, the maid was left wide open to an attack - but the pink eyed man hesitated for a brief moment, and the tip of his estoc did not pierce her heart as it maybe should have, but instead cut her other arm in order to immobilize her.

However, at this point, something seemed to radically change in the Faith Keeper's behavior. Instead of turning around to face the incoming enemies, he remained silent for a moment, and then he sighed. He then whispered something, a spell, and an explosion of black smoke occurred, throwing the clerks back. By the time the smoke finally dissipated, the Faith Keeper was nowhere to be found.

In the courtyard

Men often falter in battle. The enemy in front of you is just one side of the coin, at the same time, you have to fight against your own fears. A golem light that, appearing out of seemingly nowhere, would have sown fear into the hearts of even the bravest royal guards - and most of the soldiers who had been fighting there in the courtyard, men of the Princess' retinue, were exhausted, weak, and poorly armed. The mage's spell prevented an initial complete moment of panic, but magic alone wouldn't have changed their minds - they would have just used their newfound strength to run away.

But Eric had once again risen to the occasion. His words strengthened their resolve, command and after command, he led them forward, unyielding. For the longest time, those who served Duivene either fought valiantly as knights, charging as cavalry, or died in droves as men at arms on the field. But on this day, knights and soldiers stood and fought together.

And eventually, their blades stained by blood and clay, they stood victorious.


A room, somewhere else
A maid and two guards

With his bluff called, the Faith Keeper quickly moved her weapon away, and managed to block Melodie's strike just in the nick of time. However, the rather unwieldy nature of her blade made it very poorly suited to fighting inside a small room like this - and the pink eyed girl seemed to know all too well. Instead of trying to deflect the blade and to push Melodie away, she tried to lock their weapons, to keep her close and to overpower her. As ridiculous as it might have seemed initially, the white haired Faith Keeper was a lot stronger than her appearance might have otherwise indicated. But in the heat of battle, such thoughts and plans happens from heartbeat to heartbeat. Not a moment had passed after their blades were locked and the Faith Keeper started to push, that a voice was heard behind her.

"Light of my ancestors, protect my people!

The Faith Keeper turned her head around to look, in shock, only to see for the briefest of moments, the princess trying to stand up and a golden magical circle in front of her hand - but it was already too late. A bright golden light erupted out of it. Both Melodie and the Faith Keeper were blinded by it momentarily, but the two guards, who had seen the princess trying to stand up in advance, had managed to shield their eyes from it, and without wasting any more time, embarrassed by their hesitance, they rushed forward and overpowered the Faith Keeper.

Alexis meanwhile had grown even paler than she had been before, but still looked at Melodie and the two soldiers in front of her and smiled. Before passing out.


A few days later
Main Hall

The main hall of Chovers was pretty austere in comparison with the Great Hall of the Royal Palace in Perigny, it was still quite a sight to behold, richly ornamented with silver and lapis lazuli. There was no great ceremony organized there today, with most of the soldiers who had fought in the recent battle still busy repairing the damage in other parts of the citadel or burying the dead, but the most important people who had taken part in those events had been brought here in order to talk with the one they risked their lives to save. Eric, and the mage who had helped him in the courtyard, Melodie, some of the servants who had fought inside the Tower of the Augurs, and even the Achysian fire witch, who had been gently brought here by a group of knights.

"Kneel in front of her Royal Highness, Alexis de l'Azéma, Princess and Daughter of Duivene, Master of the Scripture of the Morning Star, Champion and Hero of the Light!", the announcer proclaimed, as the princess entered the hall. Surprisingly for those who knew her even vaguely, she was wearing a frilly, light blue dress, a stark contrast from her usual battle armor. Alexis was still a little pale, but she was looking a lot better than the near-death corpse she had looked like just a few days before. She was also walking by herself, requiring no assistance, but the two royal guards that were walking right alongside her were obviously careful to catch her if she were to fall, something that luckily did not happen. She sighed as she took her seat in the King's throne - a right awarded to her by her younger brother after she had saved him back during the War of the Crownless King. A few moments of silence followed as she looked at the people standing in front of her with her amethyst eyes, but before starting, she surprisingly enough gestured something to her two guards, and one of them - the older man who had identified himself as Charles during the battle, walked up to Illania and removed her cuffs, a soft smile on his face, before returning next to his liege.

"Speeches outside the battle have never been my specialty.", Alexis told them in a calm but tired voice. "And yet, no one can dispute the important role that you all played in the last battle. You stopped enemies from their cowardly and treacherous attach right in the middle of our citadel, you saved all those inside these walls who were unable to fight. You have protected your nation. And you have also protected and saved me. I still struggle to believe what happened, and I can not believe that the rot running inside the Faith was so deep, but I will get to the bottom of it, and I know that my safety and perhaps my very life would have been in danger without you all." She smiled too. "Tell me what it is you desire as a reward for your valiant acts, and if it is within my power and my right, I shall give it to you."

---

Grand Duchy of Wyzkia
Opalinski Castle

For a brief moment there before Alina answered, the red haired girl seemed to be nearly as tense as her, awaiting an answer.. but as she finally answered, Anastazja smiled. "Of course I want to be your friend! I wouldn't have it any other way. And I won't be so bold as to ask the same of you, but since Rafal is my best friend, you shall also be one of my best friends." The girl still continued to hold Alina's hands into her own and didn't seem to be particularly thinking about letting go, but her smile and just her general demeanor really seemed to be radiating calmness for some reason. "You really should not worry about it. Rafal is the kindest person I've ever known - he's too kind for his own good even. He will worry about making you happy a lot more that you will worry about him, that is just the way he is. Even if this would have been an arranged marriage, and not one of love, you shouldn't have had to worry. " She sighed, a little sadness now becoming visible in her smile. "But I know that even so, you will. But it's alright. I don't know all that many things myself, but up until a few weeks I was on my way to getting married too, so my father arranged that I get the preparations that were necessary." Her gloom seemed to last for only a few moments, as she returned to her joyful self immediately after she stopped talking - the change being so sudden that Alina might have even missed it. "I will do my best to teach you how to be a good wife to Rafal, how to make him happy, and hopefully how to make you happy too!"

"Anastazja?"

A voice that Alina knew too well was heard, and as both she and the rose eyed girl turned around, they were able to notice someone standing right behind them. Rafal.

The red haired boy had walked up to them without making any sound, not on purpose, but his usual armor was now replaced with a distinguished nobleman's attire, all silk and velvet and in different shades of crimson, an embroidered tunic and cuffed sleeves. He almost seemed like an entirely different person, not only because it was easier to imagine him as a prince now than as a knight, but also even because of the way in which he seemed to walk and stand. Over the long weeks in which Alina had known him, he had constantly worn his armor, constantly fought, he had even been wounded, so in the last few days especially he had always walked a little hunched because of the weight of the plates, moving a little weakly, and always with his hand on the handle of his sword. Right now however, he was standing tall, a lot more composed and sure of himself than before, he didn't seem as pale or exhausted anymore, and his sword was nowhere in sight.

And yet, there were two things that did not change. His eyes, and his expression. He was worried, that much would have been obvious even to someone who had never met him before, but would have been painfully obvious to the two girls. His eyes, still seemingly switching between a more reddish and a more blueish hue depending on the light, were darting back and forth between them, and it was clear that he had noticed that Alina still looked as if she was on the verge of crying, and that he had heard the very least part of their discussion, or maybe even more? His mother was still busy with her flowers, and the metallic sound of scissors was to be heard, so who knows when he had approached them?

"I had no idea that you arrived, Stasia", he told her, a smile on his face, but his eyes were still just too telling. "Are you alright, Alina?"

---

Somewhere else entirely
A meeting of Sin

The white-clad figure remained quiet as the other Archbishops arrived, one by one, taking their positions on the ashen star. He merely nodded as the green haired girl arrived, not even turning to look in her general direction like he had done with Celio, and even more surprisingly perhaps, not commenting at all when she breached the proper tradition and took her place on the ray next to him, instead of respecting the ranking of the Cardinal Sins. There were perhaps a lot of different questions that the other people present could have asked, both based on her behavior and on his lack of a reaction.. but Pride did not mind. It was going to be known, eventually. And he wouldn't let anyone speak against it. But regardless of that, the others who were invited then arrived in quick succession. He could not see how they looked like after all, and as such the details of their appearance, of their clothing, and of most of their behavior were lost on him.. but there was still some things that he seemed to notice. As the first of the servants of Luxuria took her place on the star and looked at Pride, Pride's hollow eyes looked towards her general direction, and softly smiled, as if he was also able to understand the joke - even if such a thing wasn't overly obvious because of his mask. He once again refused to say anything and slightly bowed his head so as to acknowledge her presence, and gave no indication that he had heard her whisper to Meta - even if it was very obvious that he would have heard it no matter what.

Then, the white haired Archbishop turned to face the direction of the next arrival before even Az had noticed it - the smell of blood and fresh flesh. He could smell it all too well, and he realized who it was quite easily. Her question however, made him chuckle. "You are free to try to eat him, my dear Auryon, but I'm afraid he will only taste like a normal Loroi. I do not think that a scrawny Loroi will satisfy your hunger. But what I will tell you later might involve you obtaining more flesh." The arrival of the final Archbishop however interrupted his discussion. The silver eyed boy didn't seem to be surprised, as if he had felt the presence of the demon-Archbishop of all along, and merely nodded yet again after this final guest had introduced himself. His inability to see anything shielded him from a lot of Sitri's charms, but even like that, the aura of his Authority of Luxuria was clearly make its presence known.

"Now now, you two can get reacquainted later if you so desire.", he told the two demon prince, before he started to talk to everyone. "Welcome to you all, Archbishops of Sin and demon princes. I thank you all for responding to my summons, and joining me here on this night for the first meeting of the sort of the Cult of Sins since the end of the War of the Deceitful Flame. Normally, the tradition would demand that we all now perform a blood sacrifice in the name of the Seven Cardinal Sins, but sometimes, tradition can be a chain dragging us down when we need to move quicker." With one swift motion, Pride grasped the silver mask covering his face and threw it to the ground, revealing his face, the mask breaking into silver pieces among the ash. "Our Cult has been slowly sinking into ash ever since Achysia's defeat. Half of the old Archbishops were killed by the Seven Heroes, the Faith's Judgement and the Scriptures are restlessly hunting us, and the cowardly Cult of Virtues has fully submitted to the Faith of the Sixteen, offering their Authorities in the service of the Flower with the Sixteen Petals. Our cultists are hunted and killed, and we are hiding like hunted rats. No matter how many of the Faith's servant are corrupted by the influence of the Sin, the Faith as a whole inexorably moves towards defeating us, and towards forcing all in the Silver Realms to submit to their hypocritical ways. They can not extinguish Sin itself, no one can, but eventually, at this rate, they will replace us as the servants of the cardinal sins, without ever giving people the freedom to truly accept their sinful natures. That can not happen. And that will not happen. We need to stop our pointless little schemes and start serving our masters in a way that can truly feed them and spread their Authorities. Instead of acting like seven separate cults, we need to act as one, for sins are sins no matter of their exact nature, and we need someone in charge who can see the bigger picture."

The silver eyed boy smiled. "My master, Superbia, the First of the Cardinal Sins, the Original Sins, knows this, and has directed me to finally do something about this. My authority as the first of the Archbishops has so far been merely symbolic, and our Cult has lacked a true leader for centuries, since the last Cardinal of the Sins was killed. However, Pride is the Mother of all Sins, Pride is what gives mortals the defiance that allows them to fall into Sin to begin with. I will be claiming full authority over the Cult as a Cardinal would have in the old days, to lead us both towards fulfilling the desires of our masters, and our own. I demand that all other Archbishops as such submit to me and recognize my authority together with their underlings."

---

Somewhere else
Earlier
A blind boy and a girl with eyes of glass

If he would have still had a heart, he was sure that the brief moment of waiting for her to answer would have made it stop entirely, but her agreeing? That would have made it explode for sure. It had already been difficult enough to maintain his composure, as they were walking around, but her taking his hand and pressing her fingers over the small wound completely took him by surprise. His hands were cold, and had been so from the moment he had woken up again in this accursed world, and stayed so even if he were to create magical fire with them, but now, with her holding his hand like that.. they seemed warm. And then as she embraced him, and whispered into his ear.. to say that his face was red would have seriously underestimated just how red it was. "A-al-alright..", he hesitatingly stammered, as he carefully placed his hands around her to embrace her back.

The Archbishop of Pride, embarrassed. How far he had fallen.

Of course, he had no idea how much he was blushing, but he could feel that his cheeks were warm and took a few deep breaths to calm himself down once their embrace ended, using this time to take out a coin and to wait for the merchant to take it out of his extended hand. With that business over, he turned around and started to walk, with Meta right next to him - but he seemed to be deep in thought, and he took her hand, without asking for it, saying anything, or asking her to guide him like he had done before - not that such an excuse would have worked anymore, seeing as he was the one guiding her now. The morning was relatively warm, and the streets weren't that busy, but the wind suddenly started to blow. Not enough to ruin the weather, but enough to ruin the boy's hair. His long, soft, and white hair was usually arranged back in a ponytail, but taking care of it was usually a little difficult for him. A particularly strong gust combined with his carelessness earlier in the morning was enough to undo it, but the boy himself seemed to be so deep in his thoughts that he only noticed when his hair started to repeatedly hit him in the face due to the wind. He stopped in his tracks - but Meta was there, and a few minutes later, as they continued to walk, an even more embarrassed Pride had his hair braided. He was blushing, yes... but he was also smiling.

But he knew what he had come here for. Dates were a complicated thing, and he had no experience obviously. Even his childhood memories weren't of much help, as poor villages in Velikiya didn't offer many places for people to go on a date. But he had chosen this particular town for one specific merchant, in front of which they just stopped - a jeweler.

"Greetings, young sir, young lady", the jeweler, an older man, saluted them. "If you are here for your order, I am afraid that it is not ready, but the other thing that you were interested in, I have them right here." The jeweler searched through one of the drawers for a few minutes, and gently removed two silver necklaces from there, placing them on the table. "Exactly as you chose them, a pair of matching necklaces for you and the lady. I shall be engraving them right now, might I know your name, sir?"

And the boy remained quiet. As he was still holding her hand, Meta could quickly notice that he had grown tense out of a sudden, and that his breath was becoming ragged. The merchant had just asked for his name, it wasn't much, but..

Who was he?

His biggest fear was losing his memories, forgetting his past and the people he cared about, forgetting himself, and through his magic and sheer willpower, he had held on to them. But each memory was tainted, each thought he had was broken always. And no matter of how much he ignored it, moments like this would arrive. No matter of how happy this moment should have been, he felt a cold fear in his chest as he once again tried to remember his name, the named that he had before, and the blackness that he remembered instead.

He opened his mouth as if to answer.. but said nothing.

He was nothing.

[Fereni]

Grand Duchy of Wyzkia
Opalinski Castle

...one of her... best friends? That was... "You're too kind," Alina whispered, barely audible. A little bit louder, she said, "I know... he's always been so kind to me. I just... in exchange, I... want to make sure that he's happy." She paused. "And... as for the preparations, that's..." A relief. "Very helpful. We'd like to get married as soon as possible..." Let this girl think that it was because of their intense love for each other, and not the absolute urgency of it all. They had to be married, before her pregnancy started to show, or it would all be for nothing. She would be pulling him into a pathetic farce of a marriage, for nothing at all. That couldn't happen. It could never happen.

But then she heard his voice, and couldn't help but flinch slightly, startled. How much did he hear...? Before turning, she scrubbed at her eyes one last time, knowing it was a futile effort but trying nonetheless. She finally turned around, and--

Oh. Oh.

Rafal... he looked like a prince. Just like Anastazja had looked like a princess, Rafal, too, seemed to have stepped out of one of her old stories, the brave and kind prince she'd always wished for, and her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. No, she thought, a little bit desperately. No, I can't think like that. I can't let myself--it wouldn't be fair to him. Keep it together. Still, her face felt hot, and she knew it was probably flushed with embarrassment.

"Rafal!" she exclaimed, noticing how worried he looked. He'd heard too much, she realized, and cursed herself. He wasn't supposed to know how afraid she was. He didn't need to worry about her any more, not when he'd already done so much. "I-I'm fine. I just... this castle is so big, and I got a little bit lost, and then I found this garden, and it was so beautiful, I..." Stop it! "I'm sorry," she said softly, hesitantly. "I know I was meant to come to the Great Hall. And you had to come looking for me, instead... I didn't mean to cause any inconvenience. I'll try to learn my way around quickly, so it doesn't happen again..."

Somewhere else entirely
A meeting of Sin

The whisper in Meta's ear came as a bit of a surprise, but she quickly leveled a smile at... 'Evangeline', as she was going by now. It had been some time since their last meeting, but she suspected that they wouldn't ever meet in quite the same way again.

Her smile grew a little bit wider when she realized that her love was not going to protest her actions in the slightest. How delightful. It was her own small act of rebellion against the rules, her way of saying, we can choose to change the way that things are done, and his acceptance of it could only mean good things.

Even though she already knew what he would say, she still paid rapt attention to his words, and when he finished speaking, she dipped into a deep curtsy. "You have my word," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "I will follow you until the end."

Somewhere else
Earlier
A blind boy and a girl with eyes of glass

His taking her hand of his own volition left her with a warm glow inside her. And the way he blushed--she quite enjoyed being able to do that to him. She continued to walk alongside him, still holding the rose in her free hand, but when the wind began to pick up and his hair fell out of his ponytail, she gently pulled him aside. In order to free both her hands, she wound the rose into her own slightly windswept hair. It wasn't affected nearly as much as his, since she'd already put it up that morning, tying it back carefully.

With both of her hands free, she gently pulled his hair back, enjoying the softness of it. It was such a familiar feeling, and for a moment, she thought she remembered doing something like it, a very long time ago--but the brief glimpse of a memory was gone before she could take hold of it. It didn't matter. She began to run her fingers through it, carefully combing out the tangles, and then braided it slowly. It didn't take more than a few minutes before she was able to stand back and admire her handiwork--a soft, looping braid around the back of his head, with some of his hair still flowing out beneath it. Yes, she thought it looked lovely, tied back just enough so that the wind wouldn't disturb it too much but not enough for it to feel restricting in any way. Perfect. With that finished, she allowed him to continue leading her, wondering where he was taking her, but content to simply enjoy the way he smiled.

She was pleasantly surprised to find that he'd led her to a jeweler. Another gift? she thought, a little bit amused. What would the other Archbishops say if they knew about this? For you to be giving gifts to your subordinate... But she was happy, happy to know that he would do such things for her, even though it was certainly not the way things were done--not the way they were supposed to be done.

She did wonder briefly about what order the older man meant, but was soon distracted by the revelation of matching necklaces. Her heart skipped a beat at the gesture--this was more than just a gift. This was a sign. Matching necklaces, that meant something. If others noticed them, it would serve as a signal--he is mine, and I am his. The idea that he would willingly wear such an open symbol of their relationship... once again, she felt dizzy with joy. And the necklaces were truly beautiful--simple silver chains with jewels in a pattern reminiscent of leaves, and one more gem hanging down from the center. The leaves on his were jade, and she knew it would make the pattern stand out brilliantly against his pale skin. Her eyes were drawn more to the center stone, though--a beautiful, pale green star sapphire. She had always loved the stars, and it seemed so fitting. The jewels on her own necklace were white moonstones, with the centerpiece a shimmering opal. It was perfect. White had been one of her favorite colors since the moment she awoke, and that had only increased when she'd met him.

Still, the moment couldn't last forever. She was drawn out of her trance by the jeweler asking for his name, and the way he stiffened beside her--of course. Neither of them knew their own names, not their true names, but she had been given a name by the people who had found her when she was still wandering lost and confused, while he had had no such people to name him. He had no name to give--he certainly could not introduce himself as the Archbishop of Superbia. And he seemed to be frozen in place, so she knew that she needed to act quickly.

"My name is Meta," she said, buying herself a little bit of extra time before saying the first name that came to mind. "And his name... his name is Kiryl."

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Evangeline

Behind her mask Evangeline's mouth twitches into a distasteful frown for a moment at the lack of a sacrifice but she returns her features to normal. And the last Archbishop wearing a mask reaches up and removes her mask and underneath it is a beautiful, almost angelic looking, woman with a small amused smile on her face, though it widens as she gives Meta a knowing smile, and, contrary to Pride, she just holds her mask at her side instead of shattering it. "A bold proposal Pride and I will freely admit that the false hero Saeria is increasingly a thorn in my side."

Saeria, some place two days ago

“Burn their idols, lay down their tainted temples, slay their fell priests, I will not leave this place until every single Lust worshipper is dead!” I shout at the top of my lungs as my soldiers move throughout the village, setting fire to homes and butchering cultists as they come across them and I take off and dive down from the sky to spear fleeting cultists with my lance.

Evangeline

"However, as the one tasked and blessed with upholding and representing Luxuria's sadism, I will always do what I can to ensure that my followers are free to follow their lusts, even if it leads to their self destruction... no, not even that." Her mouth turns into a wicked and sadistic grin utterly alien to and at home on her face at the same time. "Especially if it does because that is all the more enjoyable to watch." The grin remains but her tone changes into that of a serious woman defending her position. "You might claim to be first among us, and I will concede that traditionally you are, but I also have my views on what my relationship between myself and my cultists, as expendable as they are, is. And that is why regardless of the question of if I side with you and acknowledge you as cardinal or not I will not force my followers into following you even though they would obey with but a word from me. If they wish to do so they can do so. If they wish not to do so and get destroyed by the Faith I do not care, so long as they follow their lusts I am content with their actions."

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Melodie

My mouth twitches into a frown at the cuffs being removed from the witch, I would use my princess' words to make my request that she executes the Achysian but I presume that is too far. So I curtsy and simply say, "my only wish is to continue to serve as your maid."

Illania de Velira

I, very hesitantly, return Charles' smile and decide to hang back and wait for anyone else to speak with the princess. Though I admit I have to cover up a frown over all of this, I am a mage of the Exalted Realm of Achysia, the Land of the Eternal Flame and Serpent, sworn to the Emperor's name and dedicated to destroying our enemies. Which includes everyone here. But for now I stand in the court of Solomon's rival, I guess it is time to brush up on those old lessons.

[Fereni]

None of the people in the fen would have managed to get particularly far in their plans, not before a sickening crack rang through the air. The noise was followed shortly after by the sound of a little girl's voice. "Aww, not again!" she complained, clearly frustrated by something.

It wasn't long before the source of the voice appeared, trudging dejectedly out from behind one of the buildings. She was certainly a strange sight--she couldn't have been more than ten years old at the most, clad in a very frilly red dress and white cap, and with some of her blonde hair tied up in a side ponytail, fastened with a large red bow. That wasn't the strange part, though. The strange part was the thing that marked her as very clearly inhuman: shimmering, twisted black protrusions that looked much like branches extending from her back, brightly colored and shining crystals dangling from them. If they were meant to be wings, they were certainly very odd, and quite impractical.

When she caught sight of the small adventuring party, however, her mood quickly changed--her red eyes lit up with excitement, and she grinned, showing slightly pointed teeth. "Who are you?" she asked delightedly, clapping her hands together in childish glee. "Did you come to play with me?"

Evangeline

The Archbishop hardly had a chance to finish her words before Meta was directly in front of her, a gleaming silver sword pointed directly at her throat.

"You insolent, arrogant bitch," Meta hissed. "How dare you? You're just a lowly servant of Luxuria, the weakest of all of us. Do you truly think you have the right to refuse him? You will learn your place, and swear absolute loyalty to him, or I will kill you. Killing this body won't do anything, I know, but if you continue to defy him, if you do not kneel and swear your fealty immediately, I will hunt you down and slit your throat, and I will carve his symbol into your flesh as you die, so everyone will know the consequences of such a foolish rebellion. I don't care about our history, I don't care about what we've done together. None of that will save you. I like you, and I enjoyed our time together, but I don't need you anymore." She smiled so brightly at that, but the tip of her sword did not once waver from its position. "Because I know my prince will make me happy."

[Dragos Bee]

Daniel and Leon Perrin-Palaiologos, Anselm

"Do not attack her, Daniel," Leon warned. "A girl wandering alone, with hints of magic in those 'wings', is probably very dangerous."

"So she's like Roter?" Daniel blurted out, only to get a glare from Leon as the latter warned him, "Don't overshare!"

"Okay, okay!" Daniel said as he made a decision - A foolish one, but a decision nonetheless. Trying to get inside this strange child's psyche, knowing that he was not that far removed from being a child himself, the young man said as he took out Leon's jar of jam and offered it to the little girl, saying, "Let's eat first before playing - Do you like Orange Jam?"

His smile was bright, cheerful, trying to hide uncertainty behind a mask of childish daring. All the while, his brother looked at the clothes the strange child was wearing - Were they rich? Was the fabric poor? Were there any clues as to the social status or condition of the child?

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Auryon Rakhasa and Az'goxaak
A Sinful Encounter

---

"Meta should calm." Auryon spoke, as the temperature of the area noticably dropped, "She is merely acting as her sin wills. As I follow the endless hunger, she follows the lust. Conflict between sins never good for sins. Not something that can be risked right now, weakens us. Besides, this is an issue of pride, not sloth, so, let Pride handle it. Let him show why we should follow. Let him prove himself as the chosen servant of Superbia and the Cardinal of the Sins. Let him prove himself to be like those who came before him..."

There was a moments pause as Auryon looked at Pride, "No, let him not prove himself an equal to the Archbishops of Superbia of the past, let him prove himself superior in his pride than those who came before. As if he can't... then the hunger and my years insist I do not follow. After all, I am capable of getting my own flesh to attempt to satisfy this hunger."

Meanwhile, Az watched this whole situation in silence, thinking and plotting something while making sure to commit every word between the Archbishops into his memory as they could be useful later.

[Nea Videssos]

Sitri, Demon Prince of Lust
A Congregation of Sins

"I don't mind submitting to the authority of a new Cardinal..." Sitri murmured, as if pondering to himself. As if suddenly coming to an epiphany, he gave a heated look towards Meta and Pride. "Of course, it'd be better if I was forced to swear fealty."

Sitri disappeared from his spot behind the sadistic Archbishop, reappearing between her and Meta's blade. Oddly enough, something about his reappearance seemed as if he had never really moved, as if some sort of illusion was distorting a viewer's perception. Without a word, he reached out a hand towards Meta's blade. The aforementioned hand seemed to grow in size, transforming as it did, brown fur emerging, while blackened claws emerged in place of his previously slender fingers. In turn, his purple eyes had similarly changed, a deep crimson light in place of amethyst, and horizontal pupils akin to those of a goat. Of course, even though the demonic hand was much tougher than normal flesh, Meta's sword was a relic famed for its sharpness. As the clawed hand touched the blade, drops of black ichor fell to the ground. All that came from Sitri, however, was a cheerful smile. Almost imperceptibly, an intoxicating aura began emanating from the masochistic Archbishop, giving those who felt it an intense urge to overpower the prince and do unspeakable things to him, changing that smile of his into an expression of helplessness, suffering and despair. Recalling the sadistic Archbishop's greeting earlier, he began muttering in a tone of childlike excitement, even as the claws clamped on the blade idly moved the sword towards the lower half of his body, "My sister prefers to be the one inflicting pain on others, not the other way round... if you want to force submission and carve obedience into the flesh of others, there are better targets, such as this lowly servant of Luxuria..."

As Auryon interjected, Sitri nodded. "Mmm-hmm. Exactly! The best way to sort this out is for Pride to show that he is worthy of us submitting to as leader of all the Sins. Leading through example, am I not right? If he can display the appropriate authority, strength and intelligence worthy of Pride, then serving him is not unreasonable..." The Demon Prince paused, before adding once again, "I'd still prefer if he displayed that power to dominate through force..."

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Evangeline

The smile does not leave the Archbishop's face but instead it takes on a motherly and proud aspect. "You have grown up wonderfully Meta, and I am sure your prince will make you very happy." The smile does not leave her face as she continues, without a hint of fear and as confident as ever. "And good job on the threats, almost beats the time the old Wrath very graphically threatened to rip one of Sitri's arm off and beat him to death with it if he kept asking him to torture him." After listening to the interjections of Sitri and Auryon she chuckles and restrains herself from what her next move would have been, and also restrains her desire to immediately start torturing Sitri but instead just giving him a fond yet sadistic grin, and speaks. "In addition to what my brother and Auryon say, which my brother is entirely correct in that regard, I think I will point out, Meta, that you pursuing a vendetta against me will only ultimately make things harder for Pride as I will be forced to respond to you in kind in the name of self-preservation. We must present a united front against the Faith and war between my part of the Cult of Luxuria and the Cult of Acedia will not help his goals in any regards. As for Pride proving himself I am also in agreement with them, Pride has been in his position for less than three years so I see it as fair to ask for it to be proven. If simply arriving and demanding our allegiance was enough to create a new cardinal the Sins would have had many more cardinals throughout our history." She pauses, looks thoughtful for a moment, and then says. "But I am sure that why you have complete faith in him will be proven to us."

[Fereni]

At the interjections of the other two Archbishops, Meta seemed to pause for a moment, as if in thought--and then she laughed, high and manic. "Really?" she crowed, still giggling. "What kind of fools are you, that you think the Archbishop of Superbia should deign to prove himself to you? Do you truly have so little understanding of your position here? Even I cannot question his judgement. Do you truly think someone as lowly as you three could ever have the right to ask him to lower himself for your sake? You show your ignorance by saying such things." Her hand tightened around the handle of her sword, and she pushed it further into Sitri's hand, smiling with a disturbing amount of glee. His aura combined with her anger towards him made her take a great pleasure in harming him. "You pathetic, ignorant creatures. He has no need to prove himself to you, for you are the lowest of all of us. You do not compare to him, and you have no right to ask anything of him. If you want someone to assert their authority, then I, as his loyal servant and servant of the fourth cardinal sin, will do so." Still holding her sword tightly, she sang five soft notes, calling on her most powerful spell of all, the Authority of Acedia. With that, everyone nearby save for the Archbishop who she was defending would begin to feel their strength draining away, all of their determination and will fading out of their bodies and minds, a thick blue haze clinging to the backs of their eyes and a bitter, salty taste on their tongues--the taste of hopelessness and despair, as her will imposed itself over their minds, weakened by the power of the sins that Meta served. She could feel them clinging to her, their hands on her shoulders, whispering icy words into her ears, and she smiled once again. "Now, on your knees."

[Nea Videssos]

Sitri, Demon Prince of Lust
A Congregation of Sins

As Meta thrust the blade further into Sitri's transformed hand, it pierced through entirely. What had been a dribble of ichor increased to a stream of blood dripping from the hand, and along the blade's edge. Furthermore, it was a mix of the aforementioned demonic ichor and the crimson blood of the mortal body Sitri was possessing. With the Demon Prince having been slowly moving the blade towards the lower half of his body, the end of Meta's sword now penetrated the androgynous fallen angel's left thigh. He trembled faintly, seemingly in fear, but for those who knew him excitement was a bigger factor. A faint shudder came as he heard the Archbishop of Sloth speak. Some may have been merely humiliated and angered by the words she spoke, but Sitri was different. He lapped up the words she spoke as if they were a holy panacea. For him, degradation and humiliation was a pleasure, and an affirmation of the truth that all those years ago, Scelus had illuminated him to. Sitri believed he was an existence that deserved to be treated as inferior and wretched, and that it was only right that the strong treat him like the pathetic creature he was. As far as he was concerned, Meta's voice was music to his ears. Of course, outwardly, Sitri's expression seemed to contain genuine innocence and fear.

When Meta sang, and the power of Acedia filled his body, Sitri embraced the feeling of power leaving the mortal shell that he possessed. His red eyes returned to the usual purple, and the hand that was pierced returned to the delicate, slender form of before. Of course, it was still pierced with the blade, and the wound still bled, now bigger than before. As for his own determination and will? His will was practically welcoming Meta's power with open arms. As it filled him, a tempestuous flow of desires and emotions filled his mind, a storm of lust, masochism and self-degradation accepting the power of Acedia. When Meta demanded that he fall to his knees, Sitri obeyed. Behind a mix of helplessness, fear and despair, which was perhaps in part genuine and in part a pretence, an all-consuming, intense desire lay. All that needed to be said was that this desire was truly representative of his nature as the masochistic Archbishop of Lust, and as a Prince of the Eight Hells whose mind had been broken and reforged by Scelus long ago. He had once been a Cherub of Spraevia, and what had once been a desire to righteously punish those judged guilty by the goddess, had been transformed by Scelus into masochistic desire to be punished and overpowered by others. It was no surprise that in turn he would later be found perfect for the role of one of the twin foremost servants of Luxuria, representing the masochistic side of Lust.

As Sitri fell to his knees before Meta, the sword that had been piercing his hand and left thigh was seemingly inadvertently brought deeper into his flesh. It was brought up at a diagonal angle, and ended up stabbing the Archbishop of Lust in the crotch. Sitri, for his part, struggled to keep the pretence of innocence and surprise on his face. Trembling in a mixture of pain and pleasure, the demon seemed oblivious to the ever-increasing flow of red-black blood that spilled down his legs and pooled on the floor. Breathing heavily, the Archbishop directed an intense gaze up towards Meta, while his other hand grabbed hold of the blade and continued pushing it in further, seemingly uncaring of the fact that he was effectively mutilating and disembowelling himself.

Despite the fact that the Demon Prince only had a fraction of his true power in this mortal host of his, his regenerative abilities were truly formidable. As such, what would kill most humans would be recoverable. Of course, Sitri usually opted to draw out things as much as possible, and to supress the regeneration so as to better enjoy the feeling of others destroying his body and enfeebling him. Of course, if whatever was causing the injury was still present in his body, then his body's healing would simply continuously attempt to regenerate said injury until the offending article was physically removed.

The demon bit his lips to the point they began bleeding. Practically panting as he spoke, Sitri murmured in a dazed yet joyful tone, behind which lay a barely noticeable tinge of knowing amusement, "This lowly one... This filthy, depraved wretch... humbly accepts your authority, and wishes to be... punished for his sins..."

[Ceystile]

Cecily
"Dr. Kaufmann, I'm fine, I promise you..." Cecily barely got a word out before Roter's mother-hen stepmother started checking her over and asking if she needed anything. It quite reminded her of when she was a little girl and her parents would check her over for injuries when she and her sister came back from playing outside. But she wouldn't complain about it, it actually felt rather nice to be fussed over for once...get to be a young girl once again, slip off the Archbishop's mask. "It's good to see you all again, ma'am." She smiled as the boys presented Sofia with their questions...a flower and a tree that could help Zed control his cambion nature? That sounded far too good to be true, but in this world anything was possible. "If such a thing exists, I'd like to know about it as well. We can use it so that Zed can finally be at peace, and maybe the two lovebirds can finally get hitched." she winked at her two friends. "And...perhaps I can search your archives? Any information there is on the movements of the Sins will be a great help to us."

Alucard
"Actually, we're using more fall colors. So things like topazes, rubies, citrine and smoky quartz, you know? Some pieces have amethysts, but it's the autumn collections so it's a heavy focus on fall colors and woodsy themes. Anything that gives off that warm, autumn glow." Zari walked over to a beautifully carved wooden armoire rested in the living room and returned back to the table with a flat box made of the same dark wood. Alucard leaned down to kiss him in thanks before turning to Chet, opening the case. A necklace, set of earrings and two matching bracelets glittered with gold and gems. The swirling patterns had been carved to resemble autumn leaves and flowers, deceptively light but undoubtedly strong. "My husband came up with the idea, what do you think?"




Clover and Gabrielle, Anselm
As the plague doctor and her friends returned to Filippo's safehouse with six other physicians in tow, their nondescript cart slowly rumbling through Anselm's cobblestone streets, there was another figure in a tavern some miles away in the nation's capital. One that was dressed in a nondescript suit of dark green and black velvet, looking for all the world like any other traveler besides the pointed ears...but you'd probably only notice those if you got close enough to look.
"Here ye are, young lad!" The barmaid slid a foamy mug of mead toward the table where the dark-skinned man was seated, his thick locks gathered into a low ponytail. "Thank you, my good lady."
"I can't help but notice ye've been starin' inta tha' mirror the whole time, find of yer own reflection are we?"
Clover chuckled lowly. "No ma'am, I'm trying to contact my children. It's a two-way mirror."

"Ye've got kids? How many?! I never took ye fer a father, ye look like a spring flower yerself!"
"You flatter me. But I have seven children." His dark eyes seemed to light up at the mention of them.
"Seven?! Divines above!"
"We didn't plan it that way, we just ended up having two sets of triplets...the gods give you what they want you to have, I suppose. Rowan, Hazel, Holly, Thorn, Oak, Ash and Alder."
"All named after trees that're said to hold magic power."
"Indeed. I miss them, but I'll be home soon. I'm here on business." He gave the barmaid another smile as she walked off to tend to other customers, and Clover's companion, a tall, pale man with a short white beard and silver hair pulled into a long braid turned to him with a questioning look. "Sire, why in the world are we in this...dive bar?" he whispered lowly.

"My darling Spriggan, taverns are some of the best places to pick up information if you know who to ask. And Anselm is infamous for its black market, if my subjects were taken anywhere...this seems like one of the best places to start."
"So you plan to ask every shady looking fellow if they know a good deal on where to get fairy dust?"
"That's the plan." Clover said breezily.
"Majesty, that's..."
"Do you have a better idea?!" He ventured over to a place in the tavern that provided a bit more cover and privacy, the barn outside. After glamouring himself invisible, he turned the mirror over once again in unseen hands, the glass starting to swirl and ripple with magic until a group of faces appeared in the vision. "Hello, my saplings!"

[Dragos Bee]

Roter-Kaufmann Palaiologos and Zed Argentum

Sophia Kaufmann said, "I doubt the White Rose is what you're looking for - It is a weapon which kills by sucking out all the blood of the person it pricks. As for the Golden Tree, it withered some time after it was found and the husk is in another nation, one beginning with a 'Z', I think?" A sigh, "So, no, I don't know much about those, and quite frankly, it is safer for you to to just accompany Cecily on her quest to find her sister."

She paused, "And by that, yes, you three can have access to the Kaufmann-Palaiologos Family's archives - Not all of it are mining records and accounts, as every rich family needs to keep some information about what the rest of the world is doing. Or in this case, about potential enemy activity on the border which can cause losses to our trade..."

Kyle Perrin-Palailogos, Arghyo, with NPCs in Duivene

Perigny, Chat Blanc

"How wonderful, Alucard!" Chat Blanc said as he looked at the earrings, "These look fitting for a Faerie Queen of the Harvest! I am sure that the Knights and Nobles would love to buy such wonderful things. In fact, I might even place an order later on, once this meeting is over..."

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Evangeline

"I do not kneel." She says simply, takes three steps backwards, and snaps her fingers. Guided by her magic three swords she kept in reserve the entire time come flying out of the distant woods at very high speeds. Two of them float around her defensively while the last one she catches into her hand and she chants causing it to burst into black flames. Her posture is that of someone clearly experienced in fighting with it. Meanwhile to deal with Meta's attack she retreats slightly inwards of the body she is possessing and feels the lust of the girl whose soul is still in there. That is the thing about it, the people she possesses still have their souls but they have been perverted so much that they thoroughly enjoy being possessed by her even though it is painful to them on another level, they scream out in rapture and pain at the same time nonstop. Converting a person into such a being is a delicate work that is very time consuming but she is proud of it. So she can feed off of the suffering and joy caused and Meta even with her Authority cannot counter something so inside Evangeline's Authority which Evangeline, so far having suppressed it as a sign of peace, lets run freely now and uses it to protect herself, and feed off Sitri's suffering to enhance it even more. What radiates off of her is a desire to dominate people, to control them, to torture them, and find utter joy in doing so. It isn't like it completely protects her from it, she does feel some numbness, but it won't debilitate her as she counters it with pure ecstasy running in her veins. She merely dons a smile that keeps her true feelings hidden. "I would tell you the best methods to torture Sitri but I doubt you are keen to listen. So I'll just say follow your impulses when it comes to torturing him, he will enjoy it regardless and I will as well for different reasons."

With that she turns her gaze to Pride and speaks calmly. "I advise you, Pride, to restrain your girlfriend before your meeting collapses with Archbishops fighting each other." She says before putting her mask, still in her hand, back on. Beneath her mask her smile is full of sadism and desire to torture and fulfill her lusts but her eyes are calculating. Will this attempt at becoming Cardinal fail at the first meeting like so many before him or will he manage to get through the first part?

[Fereni]

Daniel and Leon Perrin-Palaiologos, Anselm

"Don't attack her?" Marina asked, disbelief clear in her tone. "Are you out of your mind? She's a little kid, why the hell would your first thought be about attacking her? The hell's wrong with you?" Lucia, in her turn, looked at the two with severe disapproval clear on her face, but she refrained from speaking as Daniel held out the jam.

Meanwhile, the little girl giggled, and clapped her hands again, before smoothing down her dress. It appeared to be quite well-made, with unusually fine fabric. "I don't know!" she said. "Is it sweet? I like sweets. I like 'em lots and lots!" She snatched the jam away from him, gripping it tightly and putting her hand into it to scoop some of it out. She shoved her hand in her mouth right afterwards, and then grinned. "This is tasty," she said happily, and abruptly sat down, continuing to eat straight out of the jar. "You're pretty nice."

[Dragos Bee]

Daniel and Leon Perrin-Palaiologos, Anselm

"Don't attack her?" Marina asked, disbelief clear in her tone. "Are you out of your mind? She's a little kid, why the hell would your first thought be about attacking her? The hell's wrong with you?" Lucia, in her turn, looked at the two with severe disapproval clear on her face, but she refrained from speaking as Daniel held out the jam.

Meanwhile, the little girl giggled, and clapped her hands again, before smoothing down her dress. It appeared to be quite well-made, with unusually fine fabric. "I don't know!" she said. "Is it sweet? I like sweets. I like 'em lots and lots!" She snatched the jam away from him, gripping it tightly and putting her hand into it to scoop some of it out. She shoved her hand in her mouth right afterwards, and then grinned. "This is tasty," she said happily, and abruptly sat down, continuing to eat straight out of the jar. "You're pretty nice."

"Well," Leon said to Lucia and Marina, "A kid in this place, evidently noble, who isn't showing fear in such a dangerous place, and who also has branch-like wings with actual gemstones growing out of her back... Well, let's just say that she's evidently someone with magic in a place being affected by dangerous magic -"

"Leon, I need more Jam here!" Daniel said as he sat down as well to meet Mirielle at eye level, then addressed her with her appropriate apparent rank, "Thank you, little lady, we have more sweets where that came from! Anyway, my name is Daniel, but you can call me DanDan if you want. What is your name and what have you been doing here? Are you lost and if so, is where you live close by? And finally..." He looked aroud just in case people were suspicious, "Can I pat your head?"

He waited to be allowed to pat Mirielle's blonde hair, even as Leon handed him two small jars of apple and lemon jam to 'bribe' the little girl with...

[Fereni]

"Well," Leon said to Lucia and Marina, "A kid in this place, evidently noble, who isn't showing fear in such a dangerous place, and who also has branch-like wings with actual gemstones growing out of her back... Well, let's just say that she's evidently someone with magic in a place being affected by dangerous magic -"

"Leon, I need more Jam here!" Daniel said as he sat down as well to meet Mirielle at eye level, then addressed her with her appropriate apparent rank, "Thank you, little lady, we have more sweets where that came from! Anyway, my name is Daniel, but you can call me DanDan if you want. What is your name and what have you been doing here? Are you lost and if so, is where you live close by? And finally..." He looked aroud just in case people were suspicious, "Can I pat your head?"

He waited to be allowed to pat Mirielle's blonde hair, even as Leon handed him two small jars of apple and lemon jam to 'bribe' the little girl with...

"She's still a little kid," Marina argued. "It's pretty fucked up to think about attacking a little kid that you just met, whatever the circumstances are. She hasn't done anything bad, so leave off."

Meanwhile, the little girl was very happily eating more of the jam. She paused briefly only to respond to Daniel. "I'm Mireille! And I'm not lost! Probably! I'm not by myself, but I guess she's being slow right now. And I've been playing!" She tilted her head in thought at his last question. "Sure!" she finally said, before returning to eating the jam.

[Dragos Bee]

"Well," Leon said to Lucia and Marina, "A kid in this place, evidently noble, who isn't showing fear in such a dangerous place, and who also has branch-like wings with actual gemstones growing out of her back... Well, let's just say that she's evidently someone with magic in a place being affected by dangerous magic -"

"Leon, I need more Jam here!" Daniel said as he sat down as well to meet Mirielle at eye level, then addressed her with her appropriate apparent rank, "Thank you, little lady, we have more sweets where that came from! Anyway, my name is Daniel, but you can call me DanDan if you want. What is your name and what have you been doing here? Are you lost and if so, is where you live close by? And finally..." He looked aroud just in case people were suspicious, "Can I pat your head?"

He waited to be allowed to pat Mirielle's blonde hair, even as Leon handed him two small jars of apple and lemon jam to 'bribe' the little girl with...

"She's still a little kid," Marina argued. "It's pretty fucked up to think about attacking a little kid that you just met, whatever the circumstances are. She hasn't done anything bad, so leave off."

Meanwhile, the little girl was very happily eating more of the jam. She paused briefly only to respond to Daniel. "I'm Mireille! And I'm not lost! Probably! I'm not by myself, but I guess she's being slow right now. And I've been playing!" She tilted her head in thought at his last question. "Sure!" she finally said, before returning to eating the jam.

"All right, I'll leave off," Leon said. "And Daniel is clearly not in the mood to attack her, anyway."

As Daniel patted Mirielle on the head with his right hand, a smile on his face, he asked, "What games do you like to play? Chess? Checkers? Various games of cards? Or the kinds of sports boys play, like fake swordfights or kicking a ball around? Or maybe archery? And who is the person who's being slow right now? Is she your family member, servant, or personal knight? Surely a little lady like you would have a personal knight, right?"

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Auryon Rakhasa and Az'goxaak
A Sinful Encounter

---

With the use of an Authority against her, Auryon was visibly effect, but not in the way Meta may have expected. As the area's temperature dropped below freezing she felt the hunger urging her to make a meal of Meta. Auryon's eyes narrowed and her nostrils as she snarled and tensed up. Her teeth had taken on more fang like appearance and her nails grew into claws.

As it looked like Auryon was about strike, she did something rather unexpect. Auryon struck at herself, not at Meta. Her claw-like hands plunged into either side of her head as she aimed to rip out her inner ears. And that she did, along with chunks of flesh from either side of her head. As blood spurted and poured from the fresh wounds which had already begun to heal, Auryon opened her mouth and devoured the flesh she tore from herself.

"Meta-" Auryon sang through a snarl, "Lucky Meta. Last one to use their Authority on me, who was not an Archbishop of Pride, ended up my meal. Do it again, and I won't resist the urge to devour your flesh again. Your position, your sin, does not mean everything. Why do you think the lower sins are not new? We survived, built experience and knowledge. I have seen the rise and fall of many Archbishops. You and Pride are mere children compared to me. Powerful children, but children none the less. You might have power, but nothing beyond that."

By now her inner ear had healed, while the rest was still being regenerated. Auryon looked at Pride and then back to Meta, "I have seen many Archbishops of Pride, some better than others. I have seen them succeed, and I have seen them fail. If he wants to be Cardinal, the Cult of Gula will only follow if he proves that he is ready and worthy of the title. As if he isn't, ruin will come to all of us. Including you Meta..."

Auryon chuckled, "We are not ignorant. Ignorance comes from not knowing. We know, we have experience. You do not. You are the ignorant one, blinded by faith in Pride and delusions of grandeur, unaware of the failures of those who came before him. As I said, you are still a child."

As all of this was happening, something else was happening, within the mind of Az. The use of an Authority, while not directed at him, still hit him. While he resisted, he was not happy. It brought back the memories of his servitude to other beings and the feeling of such servitude. To put it simply, Az did not like that feeling. That feeling enraged him. He wanted freedom from that feeling, freedom for himself. But this was alright. The anger, disgust, rage and hatred for this feeling was something that he could use to his advantage. While the Archbishops squabbled, Az focused and began to build on that feeling. He was preparing for something... Something big.

[Remnants of Exilvania]

Anselm
Merckburger Fen
Village

"Not slow, young Lady Mireille, merely assessing the situation."

, a voice rang out from above the group. Mireille's companion had decided to show herself, standing atop the roof of the large central building. By the looks of it, she was a young maid, clad in black and white and with white hair and silver eyes to complement the look. Her expression was just as formal as her clothes, being essentially blank, though her eyes made sure to give each of them a good look before settling on Mireille.

With a jump and a salto, the unknown maid graciously landed down on the ground, essentially right next to Mireille before saying:

"Lady Mireille, you are aware that accepting candy from strangers is inadvisable? Such people tend to follow trades or hobbies that are less...publically acceptable."

Turning towards the rest of the group, the maid made a small curtsy, introducing herself:

"My name is Adele Edelweiß and I serve the Unsterbs as maid. May I suggest that you turn around and leave? This area is fraught with dangers, not to mention that if you intend to continue here, you will be trespassing on Unsterb property."

Adelheid, who had incredulously watched the entire interaction with the child that had randomly turned up out of nowhere, finally snapped back to reality as the maid was starting to speak in terms more fitting to the situation. Trespassing. This was something she could work with, not strangely happy, children with branches that turned up in abandoned villages on the outskirts of the arguably most dangerous area of all of Anselm, playing while being watched over by a maid, here of all places.

Stepping forward, she said with every bit of authority she could muster:

"Thank you for the advice Fräulein Edelweiß but I believe that we will manage. And as far as I know, this village is not part of Unsterb property but rather abandoned property of free peasants and as such we are very much free to roam here and investigate it."

Adele didn't even blink as she quickly shot back:

"Half the village. The other half is officially part of Unsterb property as it is within the borders of the Merckburger Fen."

"Half the village is enough for our purpose but if you wish, you can inform your Mistress that there are potential trespassers at the borders of her property."

, Adelheid shot back just as quickly, knowing that there was no way this single woman could report back to Konstanze in time. She was all the way back in Heydekrug as far as she was aware. Still, it was worth a shot to see if they couldn't get that pesky maid to turn around and report them or something, giving them some breathing space.

However, Adele merely narrowed her silver eyes before saying to Mireille:

"Lady Mireille, why don't you show the young stranger and his friends what games you've been playing? I am certain they'd be quite inclined to join one."