2019-03-12: Where There's Smoke... There's Ethius
- 2019-03-12: Where There's Smoke... There's Ethius
- Cast: Ethius Hesiod, Jacqueline Barber, Naelle Sylkirk
- Where: Krosse - Proving Grounds
- Date: March 12th, 2019
- Summary: The Malevolence has been absorbed from Krosse, the fear-bound nation's part in K.K.'s grand plan revealed... and complete. As everyone takes a moment to lick their wounds and prepare to make an immediate departure for Elru in search of the Fallen Sanctuary - once everyone is on the level as to what happened - it appears Ethius exploits the disarray as he takes precautions for... something or another. The only thing that can be said is that they are unreasonable, as both Jacqueline Barber and Kaelle Sylkirk follow mounting smoke towards his latest arson bender.
=============================================<* Krosse - Proving Grounds *>============================================= The Proving Grounds serve as the training and housing grounds for Krosse's regular army. Composed primarily of heavy infantry, they practice march, maneuver and battle tactics within the walls of the city gates. The Grounds also play home to a pair of rival schools - a Crest Sorcery Guild and a Symbology establishment are located on opposite sides of the same avenue leading to the grounds; tensions between the two are occasionally high, but seldom violent. The King of Krosse is not known to be a patient man. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VXzx4Zhd1k
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
It's not that long after King Krono has been purified of his Malevolence. Things are still kind of in disarray. The sort of 'kind of disarray' that allows people like Ethius to walk off with a small handful of what are almost doubtlessly priceless Krossian items, with one caveat - they were things he touched previously on the way into the depths.
There is only one fate in store for items like this, and - one could guess it - he's set up an impromptu campfire. It's off the beaten path from a nearby cellar where a triage has been set up for a number of refugees and those injured in the fighting who have been able to be saved from the spiritual corruption.
These items do not share that fate. They are being burned, thoroughly, with extreme prejudice. What they were before is nothing of concern - they're soot and ash now. Ethius stares at his handiwork in a glow of flickering orange, deriving no warmth though he is standing inadvisably close to said flames as they flicker and hungrily consume what is offered to it. Fire is, at its core, very hungry, and usually not very picky about what it will eat.
Just another in the latest senseless acts of vandalism that seems to have dotted his existence within the Drifter community, as others are preparing to plan and mobilize for the urgency of the situation as recently revealed by the Trial Knight and his, as it turns out, loyal ally in the Lightning Seraph Ragnell.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline knew some of the situation. Lunata had brought an unconscious(at the time) Shalune to her and the three of them spoke, and the fact that the Trial Knight had claimed the Orb and was heading to Elru had been mentioned.
What she did not know was their intentions, and that Ragnell had facilitated them.
At the moment, though, Jacqueline is investigating something at the requests of one of the Krosian civilians. They had spotted signs of smoke, and asked if she could go investigate it - she had brought Crests with her to put fires out, so she would be able to deal with it.
But as she's closing in on the source...
"...I had a feeling you might have had a hand on that." Jacqueline comments with a sigh, massaging her forehead. She looks at his impromptu campfire with a raised eyebrow. She couldn't help but wonder what it had been before it met this current fate.
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
"I am simply being thorough, Miss Jay." Ethius remarks coolly. From where he stands, he already has the optimal vantage point to watch people coming and going. He doesn't need to turn to face Jay in any way. His words seem to be the only thing he uses to acknowledge her presence as he watches the kindling crackle, burn, and crumble away into coarse gray powder. More coarse gray powder that will cling to his boots and pant legs, as tends to be the case.
"I am to assume Miss Shalune and Miss Talise are in stable condition?" He asks. The humanitarian work the Drifter community tends to do in the wake of a crisis is, to his understanding, on-point.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"Some people would call that 'destruction of property'." She replies a bit petulantly, shaking her head with a hint of resignation. She knows it's not really going to affect him one way or the other - that was just how Ethius was.
"Shalune's alright, don't worry. Her burns were pretty bad, but they'll heal. She's always been quick to recover." She comments with a fond smile, and then a shrug. "As for others, I wasn't the one who treated them. I have confidence in the people we have here, though - I'm sure they're alright."
Jacqueline hesitates for a moment, and then continues.
"Anyway, once everyone's healed up and you're done with...all this," She gestures to the fire. "We're going to get moving. I'm not sure why the Trial Knight is heading to Elru, but we should probably do something about it... I think I've done everything I can here, anyway. Krosse will recover, though it might take them a while."
Apparently, she hadn't heard all of the news yet.
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
"There are too many things I would rather not leave to chance, Miss Jay." Chance like... future generations enjoying whatever this pile of ash once was? They might still be able to admire the ash down the line, unaware of any distinctions this has from other similar piles of burnt stuff. "We have a rogue Symbologist - one Timotheus Lovelace - who has performed extensive research into the Anomalous Orb and remains at large. I do not know the fullest extent of his familiarity with the Anomalous Orb, whether he has or is choosing to maintain contact with the Trial Knight, or his present whereabouts."
...And... he's burning this stuff because...
"At Mount Manfred, we were accosted - and given access - in places by what is understood to be memories of the Malevolent Domain masters of the time." This has anything to do with the Trial Knight or the budding emergency because...? No, let's step aside from that. This must be something just as important to him as the fate of Filgaia hanging in the balance - again - by malicious actors from afar.
"To this end, I have made sure to destroy everything I have touched during our operations. I would advise the others do the same." This is not advice anyone should actually heed, unless they are looking to purchase real estate in the dungeons of Krosse.
<Pose Tracker> Naelle Sylkirk has posed.
There's a sound from the entrance of the room with the burning. Naelle Sylkirk, dressed today in full Guard regalia, stands in the doorway.
"Oh," she says quietly. "It's you."
She eyes the pile of ashes. "I could probably find some reason to arrest you for...whatever that is you're burning, you know," she says, though her voice is mostly tired and she makes no effort to do so. "Just tell me it's some of that guy's research, the one who..." Naelle shudders. "The one who had the lab, and the assistant..."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
At that, Jacqueline just frowns. At this point that felt like an excuse to her, but she decides its best to let it slide. At least he wasn't going after people. She frowns more deeply at the mention of Timotheus, her expression growing a little concerned.
"...He got away?" She asks, her stance shifting slightly. That was something she hadn't heard. "I see...that's a problem. More unknowns...we'll probably have to deal with him eventually, too."
For all they knew, Timotheus could be working with the Trial Knight to do...who knows what.
Ethius explains why he's doing this exactly and Jacqueline stares, folding her arms in front of her.
"...I can't say I follow your reasoning." She comments. "And I doubt it'd hold up if anyone caught you."
At it's not long after she says this that someone else appears - a member of the Guard, and one she recognizes.
"Miss Sylkirk." Jacqueline greets with a polite nod. Her eyes follow Naelle's to the pile of ashes, then back to Naelle. She can tell the Guardswoman is tired. Jacqueline doesn't blame her. They all were, after everything. At her question Jacqueline looks back to Ethius, to see how he handles the question.
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
It is mysterious. It probably involves a form of logic that would only make sense on the-- oh never mind there's an actual person from the place almost insulted by passing in the narrative here.
Ahem.
"Yes, the matter is related to the research." This is technically kind of true, by the stretch of Ethius' vast imagination. Though the man took a bad smack on the head, he doesn't seem to be too much worse for the wear. In some way, even though his body language continues to be alienatingly statuesque, there could be some sort of sense that he's willing to opportunistically take the potential to change topics provided by the Guardswoman's appearance.
"I will be departing shortly once I am finished, Miss Sylkirk." Ethius remarks as coolly - and rehearsed-sounding - as ever, arms behind his back and otherwise staring down the fire like he were ready to do something terrible to it if the fire so much as burns the wrong way. Like he wasn't caught in a maelstrom of spiritual venom. Like he can't afford but to be alert and ready to move at almost all times.
"I am to assume you are already making preparations to move, then?" ...What could he be talking about?
<Pose Tracker> Naelle Sylkirk has posed.
Naelle shrugs. "I'm too exhausted to try anything right now. Besides, you fought alongside the boss, right?" She falls quiet. She's not entirely sure what all went down, but she's pretty sure it didn't go entirely smoothly.
"You're just not the priority right now, I guess. Me, I wanna take down the bastards that did this to this place, and especially that guy." She scowls, her tail twitching from side to side. "That guy's on top of my list."
It'd help if you knew his name, Nyalle.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Ethius says the matter is related to the research, and Jacqueline doesn't say otherwise. It was the best way to ensure this went peacefully. Besides, it seemed as if Naelle didn't want to try anything at the moment, either.
"Ah, Leo was there too? ...That makes sense..." Jacqueline comments, her gaze finding the floor. White Knight Leo was a bit of a difficult subject. She hadn't seen him since Lunar...for good reason. She doubted it'd be a pleasant interaction, and she didn't blame him for that.
She looks up as Naelle mentions 'that guy' again.
"Timotheus Lovelace?" Jacqueline asks, for confirmation. She wasn't sure who else she could mean, unless it was the Trial Knight themself.
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Ethius quietly listens alogn to Naelle speak her aggressions. The fire continues to crackle with apathy, it is being fed by... things that it shouldn't be eating, but that's fire. It's when Jay asks for clarification to one specific name, that he realizes that maybe there is a gap in the presentation of some extremely important information.
...In fact, he thinks, this might be cause for even more concern than whatever the hell it is he deems so important that he feels it necessary to burn everything in here he's touched!
"Miss Jay," Ethius turns his head. This is the first time he's really moved his head since the two of them came in. "I suppose the discourse has been scattershot with the recent battles. It must fall to me to disclose, then."
Disclose what? Ethius disclosing anything is cause for concern.
"The Trial Knight has retrieved the Anomalous Orb and spoken of their intent to deliver it to a sanctuary dediated to the Guardians." This sounds worrying. How can Ethius say this with such a calm, level tone of voice? "By their word, within Elru. From there... they shall, I quote, 'introduce your blight to the beating heart of this world. It will infect and devour all because that is what it is made to do. A dying star will breathe its last.'"
...That sounds ominous and serious and WHY IS WHAT HE DOING EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN RALLYING EVERYONE TO GET THE HELL TO ELRU RIGHT NOW
"They are assisted by the Seraph Ragnell in this endeavor."
<Pose Tracker> Naelle Sylkirk has posed.
"Well I mean, the boss is the boss. He...kinda saw me get spooked by that guy's assistant, too, so I got kinda sidelined..." Naelle's tail and ears twitch at the name of Timotheus Lovelace. She snarls. "That's him. Lovelace! I wanna give him an attitude adjustment. With my wrench! He's a real monster!" Huh, something's got Naelle worked up in particular about this guy, clearly. Then she pauses, ears twitching at something Ethius says. "Seraph--another of Althena's seraphs turned away from her?!" She sounds distraught, not enraged.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline nods as Naelle admits she was sidelined...and as she snarls at the mention of Lovelace.
"I don't think there's a lot of people who would stop you...he doesn't seem to have many fans." She says. She turns toward Ethius, though, as he addresses directly - even turning toward her, rather than taking in everything. He was going to disclose something? That only happened when the subject was serious...and as it turns out, that's exactly the case.
Jacqueline listens quietly as he explains the situation. She frowns, folding her arms in front of her. She's silent for a moment after, as well.
"...That's...worse than I thought." She replies quietly after a time, a bit taken aback. She knew they had to be planning something, but...that? Her opinion of the Trial Knight was complex, but she didn't think them to be the type to do something so...large-scale, and drastic as threatening the entire world with death.
"...And, Ragnell's helping them...?" She asks. That was another surprise. She and the Seraph didn't see eye-to-eye on...well, a lot of things, but she had never seen her as actively malicious. What was going on here?
"I...I think I need a moment to process this." She decides, shaking her head. Obviously she couldn't let their plan succeed - if they were threatening Filgaia, she had to stop.
"Did they say why?" She asks. She couldn't see any reasonable excuse for doing such a thing, but if she had an idea why it would be easier to try to reason with them on the matter.
...Not that she was entirely sure that was possible. They were both the type to do as they pleased.
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
"She delivered the Anomolous Orb to the Trial Knight once it was secured from the King." He still states this matter-of-factly, that the dying dust-ball that is Filgaia is about to probably get stabbed in the Everthing with a huge heapin' helping of Malevolence, courtesy of the Trial Knight. His composure in just saying all of that...
"What the Seraphim do amongst themselves as regards their Goddess is not my concern." He replies to Naelle, which is sort of callous, isn't it? That's a huge deal, Her own servants turning against them!! "Nonetheless, the 'why' is immaterial. I appear to have presumed in error as to the timetable of movements and preparations being made." A hand goes to his forehead, tilting his head as to look away from either of them. "My apologies. This matter is of import. It was my intention to have this completed at the same time as initial preparations to move out were to be in discussion with the rest of you."
...And burning random items from Krosse Castle is more important than the deathblow to Filgaia because why?
"The moment afforded to process has since expired in the wake of the encounter. The Trial Knight has made their intentions clear." REmoving his hand from his forehead, he starts taking crisp strides forward, back towards the way whence they came. About the fi--
"Leave the fire to burn." That is a huuuuuuuge camp fire safety no no like whoa. "By the time another moves to quell it, it will have done what it needs."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline doesn't respond as Ethius speaks. She's probably still kind of overwhelmed from what she's just learned, though she still listens. And, eventually, she nods.
"...Right. I should...probably let everyone know about all of this." She concludes, taking a step back. They would probably want to be ready to set out as quickly as possible - there was no telling how much time they had and, what's more, they would need to actually locate the mentioned Sanctuary.
She looks toward Naelle briefly.
"Take care, okay? I don't know how Leo took the news, knowing him, I imagine all of you will be moving out soon, too." She says. This should be alarming, considering her current reputation with the Guard, but Jacqueline doesn't let it bother her as she turns to depart as well.
<Pose Tracker> Naelle Sylkirk has posed.
"You too," Naelle says quietly.