2023-01-01: Journey's End

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<Pose Tracker>  Talia has posed.

The Vile Fiends have gathered in an inn in Pendrago, in the wake of the battle of Glaivend Basin.

The political state of Glenwood could best be described as confused. As it happens, when a gigantic dragon comes crashing down, sides in a war don't matter -- and with the disappearance of Georg Heldalf, the Imperial leadership is in disarray. No one knows /quite/ what will happen, and both Hyland and Rolance seem to be holding back.

But there is another matter to consider. The Lord of Calamity has made himself known.

There are decisions to be made about the Lord of Calamity. A meeting was called -- of the Vile Fiends, with word spread to a few other Drifters. But word spread further after that, too, through a few select channels; even to a few Guard, courtesy of another person.

Talia is one of those here. They have a room in the back of the inn, sitting around a large wooden table. There are tavern drinks and food available; Talia sips from a mug of ale. She also looks at their guest.

He is a strange one: an old man, wearing a blue and white outfit, with a balding head, white hair with one pale yellow lock on his forehead, and a blue and gold tunic over a white shirt. He also stands on wooden blue stilts.

Talia is quiet, squinting at him.

She has no idea that this wizened, bearded figure is Seraph Zenrus, a legendary and ancient Seraph who almost never leaves Elysia. So it goes. Zenrus is sipping from a glass of water. 

<Pose Tracker>  Kaguya has posed.

Kaguya is reasonably sure she's still ally to Hilde and White Knight Leo. Does that mean she's still a part of Althena's Guard? She doesn't know. But when Zenrus got in contact with her, she decided to chance it... though with a cloak. She can do subtle. Really! She can!

Well, maybe.

Regardless, a short figure in a black cloak is here. She hasn't said much to anyone yet, except to say, "Hey," and take a seat. She has some mead! It's not Gounon apple wine, but it will have to do. 

<Pose Tracker>  Margaret has posed.

The enigmatic sorceress, TERA GRAM, and her colleague who appears to have decided she's completely unrecognizable if instead of putting on white pancake makeup she puts on pancake makeup that's white on one side and blue on the other, have come.

Tera Gram ate her repast in private and presently has a ceramic cup of some sort of light refreshing beverage. (it is probably ale) Dollie, who has fewer issues, is working her way through a cheese plate, which Tera Gram occasionally swipes from.

Tera Gram's veiled eyes turn towards Talia for a moment, then back towards the Stilts of Zenrus, then back again, then back to Zenrus. Her eyebrows raise slightly throughout. 

<Pose Tracker>  White Knight Leo has posed.

        These are strange, /strange/ times. One of Leo's contacts--the captain of the Destiny, and one of the Guards who proved their trust--told him that someone wished to meet with him. It needed to be secret, because of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that Glenwood is still ready to erupt in open bloodshed at a moment's notice.

        The door opens, and a tall, cloaked figure strides into the room. The cloak is only somewhat effective, because the hood can't quite hide the horn protruding from the middle of the wearer's forehead. It's enough to stop recognition at a casual glance, at least.

        White Knight Leo calmly strides up to the table, takes off the cloak, and drapes it across the back of the chair with a certain flamboyance. (Some things just can't be hidden that easily, and one of them is a flare for the dramatic.) Mercifully, he is /not/ dressed in the flamboyant blue cavalier's uniform: just perfectly normal civilian homespun. Why would Mystere be here? They asked for /Leo/. Leo and Mystere are different people.

        "Talia," Leo says. "Dame Kaguya, Tera, honored elder." He glances at the others in turn. He seems perfectly calm, even if he's not precisely at ease. But he's not grousing about the clandestine alcohol, so that's at least something. 

<Pose Tracker>  Seraph Lanval has posed.

        Seraph Lanval worked overtime - or perhaps, over time - to see to the well-being of everyone after such close contact and exposure to a Fell Dragon. A Fell Dragon is always a world-moving event when they are unleashed upon mortals at large. (Putting aside a weird sidequesting tangent back on Filgaia, ahem.)
 
        Seraph Lanval's at the back of the inn and, well, he's glad some of his immediate mortal acquaintances have coin for all the ale that's gonna be drank soon enough, he'd laugh - but he's on his best behavior before Seraph Zenrus, beyond occasionally enjoying a 'smoke' (or rather, a bubble) from his kiseru-style pipe. A pipe, some may recognize, is nearly identical in make to one that belongs to Seraph Zenrus himself.
 
        Maybe it's a common housewarming gift for Seraphim of a certain caliber, but, moving on from the minutae of Seraphim and pipes...
 
        ...there isn't much to move forward from, he's just kind of working his own native Domain when tensions are running high and some feelings are needed to be eaten. 

<Pose Tracker>  Magilou has posed.

        'This is covert,' they said.

        'Try not to attract too much attention,' they said.

        Magilou has appeared in this back-end room dressed in a varsity jacket, with orange and blue high socks and pleated short skirt, a keychain of Bienfu hanging from her zipper. Her massive hair has been tamed into two braids, with mismatching hairties. She has a pair of big, thick glasses over her pointed ears, which assuredly don't have glass in them.

        You know. A disguise.

        Pray she does not disguise herself further.

        She knows Zenrus, of course, though even /she/ hasn't seen him often in her life -- Magilou, for all she's kin to the Seraphim, is not a Seraph herself, and declines to violate the sanctity of Zenrus's village.

        "Welcome, welcome," she grins, as another cloaked figure enters the fray. What she's welcoming them to... well, they'll find out.

<Pose Tracker>  Marivel Armitage has posed.

Marivel Armitage, far as she can tell, finds the Lord of Calamity situation to be pretty simple. But if there is someone reaching out to the Vile Fiends, perhaps there is more than meets the eye.

Marivel's current mood is: Anxious. Kamui is still sick and far as her knowledge extends, her fate is due to be a dire one. And it weighs on her more than this latest dire threat to a world amongst other dire threats to the world. As it stands, even considering Vinsfeld there's four other problems that are making themselves more and more urgent.

She arrives in a cloud of bats that form into a singular Marivel as per the rites of her people. She takes a look at the stilts. A Seraph that looks old must be pretty ancient--or at least feel that way. And if they can stand on stilts casually they must be very powerful.

She sits down next to TERA GRAM, drawn to her because they have something important in common: Really bad aliases.

She is presently wearing a corgi doll on her head, a black bat wing out of her left side, and a black feathered angel wing out the right. She is also wearing a school uniform from circa 5000 years ago.

It is a perfect disguise. 

<Pose Tracker>  Shige Kiwako has posed.

For Shige's part, she arrived somewhat early and found herself a seat to watch the people coming in. Morbid curiousity getting the better of her at this point, causing her to linger and learn. Snacking on a fish cake, whether one is served there or not and occasionally taking a pull from the inn's drink. You know, avoiding her own stock for now. Especially seeing as how someone else present did something with two of them!
 
 She's at least dressed like a local. Wearing a fairly simple dress with the folksy patterns and sash. She didn't give a fake name, this sort of thing is mostly new to her. Also you know, beastfolk carrying a strange lantern. Said lantern's under her chair, still chained to the sash instead of a belt.
 
 She's starting to think she should have stuck with her button up blouse, skirt and boots though. Even if the dress is cozy at least. She also offers a low wave to the few familiar faces. 

<Pose Tracker>  Rixia has posed.

        Rixia... Rixia, um...

        Rixia got washed down the river from Emrys Mire after the battle with the Fel Dragon, and was rescued by Talia in the end; that's the main reason she's here, because she's a sopping wet, lost stray cat of a person that's basically just followed Talia around since then.

        That was the her of before, though; now, she's /warm/, and has /food/ and /drink/ and mmmm everything is so good and comfortable as she stuffs bread down her throat and nearly chokes on it, tail wagging left and right in happiness.

        But Kaguya is here too! And the enigmatic sorceress from the prior battle, and Miss Leviram is there!! And-- whoa, who's that flamboyant person in the cloak with the mask? Is he a friend of Venetia's?

        And Lanval's there too, who she can now see (and given her thanks to), Shige from the battle, and... ... no, since she can't figure out who Mystere is, she sure as heck isn't figuring out who Magilou is.

        Rixia, on the other hand, has absolutely no disguises, so she's in her (cutely modified) Guard uniform because she got to launder that.

        You think she has money for accessories and DLC costumes?????????? Rixia "Yesterday's Bread" Nolastname???? 

<Pose Tracker>  Layna Manydays has posed.

Lanval isn't here alone. Layna's been spending most of her time lately with her crew, planning their next big thing... but, recent events require her attention. The matters that have been transpiring lately affect everyone, so it's time for her to get back into action. It's for her crew's sake, and to fulfill her promise as Lanval's friend and Seer.

At the moment, Layna... leans back in her chair, knocking back a mug of the inn's finest alcohol, with food plated up right in front of her.

...Just because this is Serious, Important Business doesn't mean she isn't going to take advantage of the hospitality, after all. She's still paying attention, though, despite her lax attitude. 

<Pose Tracker>  Magilou has posed.

        The mysterious varsity student who definitely isn't Magilou strolls over to Rixia and takes her glasses off.

        "Here," she says, in Magilou's voice, "you really need a disguise."

        Magilou thusly puts the glasses on Rixia, and transforms her into Nerd Rixia. 

<Pose Tracker>  Seraph Lanval has posed.

        Lanval, who has ruined almost every serious cutscene in dungeons wearing big novelty beer lens glasses (one lens of which is missing), gives a thumbs up. 

<Pose Tracker>  Pearl has posed.

        There is real unease in her movements as Pearl makes her way through Pendrago. She's dressed simply- a long sleeved shirt, sleather gloves, a long skirt, plain boots, and an old students cowl from the Vane Academy. The only giveaway to her identity is is the staff she carried as Ena. She lays a false trail through the city, in case she is watched, before entering the Inn and ordering a juice and entering the back room.

        As a result, Pearl is late and nervous. She's also wondering as she looks at Magilou and Marivel if she should have bothered. What sort of clothes are these? Quietly, Pearl moves to a section of the large table where her present allies are- rather than being sat with her former allies. She's here because she swore she would help Jean and Hiro open the way to Pentagulia, but...

        A traitors guilt is a heavy.

        She lowers the hood of her cowl, watching the room. The old Seraph is an unknown. Talia is Ivan's sister... and someone she helped Lunn try to murder. And the rest...

        "...Duchess Alathfar, White Knight Leo. Good evening." She is wooden, even for Pearl, and her body language is more closed than usual. She lifts the straw of her juice to her limp, and sips. She then turns to Zenrus, hoping maybe she can just listen through this one. 

<Pose Tracker>  Kaguya has posed.

Kaguya sighs. Openly. "I was GONNA be subtle," she says, "But it's fine. Nobody's arresting anybody today." She doesn't put back her hood. She just kind of grumbles a little. 

<Pose Tracker>  Talia has posed.

Talia looks at Kaguya -- and she hesitates for a second. At the last battle with the fell dragon, they worked together for a moment. Now, there's all the questions that remain. She hesitates a moment, before she lifts a hand and waves at her once.

Then she has a sip of her ale.

She looks at Tera Gram -- a bit hard with the veil -- and she smiles. That's easy enough. "The food, it is not bad, no?"

Then, she looks at Leo. "Ah, Leo. It is good to see you, no?" Then, she waves at Lanval -- and she gawks at Magilou for a moment. She doesn't quite work out something to say. But she stares for a second!

So she settles instead on smiling and waving at Rixia and Layna. The former, she knows; the latter, she has met a couple of times. Then, she looks at Pearl. She starts for a second -- but... no, if she is here, she must be for a reason.

Zenrus looks all of them over for a moment. He considers, his brow furrowing. He takes the strange disguises in stride. But, really, he has met Magilou (and he hasn't met many people from Filgaia at all, so maybe it's normal). He does nod to Lanval, then to Leo.

He stays quiet, at first, as they all enter.

Zenrus, after a moment, stands up. There are two wooden clacks when he does -- the stilts that he stands on clattering a little, when he does. The old man rising up only makes him as tall as everyone else.

"I understand that... your paths may lead you to face the Lord of Calamity," the old Seraph says. "I am Zenrus. A Seraph, who maintains the domain over Elysia... and I come to ask you to undertake this task."

Zenrus's eyes close. "For the Shepherd, Sorey, will be unable to." 

<Pose Tracker>  Margaret has posed.

"It's quite nice," Tera Gram answers Talia, even as she is actively stealing a sliver of cheese to nibble on.

'honored elder' rings through Margaret's head. "Good evening," she answers Leo. The close examination would reveal her soul leaving her body, but she has her dignity. Dollie doesn't answer Leo because her mouth is full. Of cheese.

By the time Marivel comes in, Dollie's mouth has cleared enough to mumble to her, "You've a dog on your head. Take some cheese if you want." Tera Gram seems to break out of her spell at the mention of the prosaic, grounding topic of queso.

Kaguya declares an amnesty.

Tera Gram, whose soul has returned to her body, quietly sips her drink and declines the opportunity to take off her face cover. Probably for the sake of saving time on questions later. She does take in the various other individuals, open, concealed, or magiloucious in the area, but her gaze then returns to Zenrus.

"... Well, that's dire," Tera Gram says. 

<Pose Tracker>  Rixia has posed.

        Rixia is granted a pair of glasses!

        She gurgles, mid-enormous bite of baguette, "offf thfhnfnk ffuuu"

        The glasses also help her CLEARLY SEE that White Knight Leo is here, instead of a mystere-ous person in a mask, so, still scarfing her food down, she does the double-wave towards her superior to indicate that she's still alive and well.

        She gulps her bread down.

        "Mister Leo, I managed to avoid drowning!"

        She looks to Magilou with a mirthful, round expression. "Haah! Thank you! I didn't know this was a mask party! By the way, you really look like my mentor! She's really nice!"

        Layna she remembers from the Millennium Puzzle, which, ironically, makes her think 'that's the lady with the giant steel machine' rather than Layna's actual profession of being a cool pirate. I'm sorry, Layna...!

        Pearl arrives, but Rixia is a recruit that's happened entirely after the entire saga with Ena; her knowledge of Kaguya and Leo and her appearance makes her think she's an important, powerful sorceress figure, though.

        Before she can natter further, however, Zenrus suddenly speaks -- and she looks left and right and left and right. "W-w-wait, I'm just... oh, you're talking about the others!" That's right, there's a big gathering of cool heroes here...!

        She rubs the back of her head and starts bowing. "Eheheh, sorry, I'm here because Talia fished me out of the river..." 

<Pose Tracker>  White Knight Leo has posed.

        Leo's relationship with the concept of subtlety has gotten much better over the years, but they still don't speak regularly. He glances sidelong at Kaguya, weariness in his eyes. "Apologies," he says. He /did/ make assumptions when he took off his cloak. "All this... skulking around disagrees with me." It's really the /necessity/ of it all, the fear of his own superiors, and everything else that's been festering since Azado. "But it's necessary. I won't complain. We work for justice, after all."

        It's like all those times Leo's asserted the same, except hollow and bone-tired.

        Leo looks back at Zenrus--the elder gentleman he addressed as 'honored', there aren't any other elders here, /are there/--and listens.

        His ears flatten against his head, and his eyes widen in shock. "The Shepherd," Leo says, immediately fearing the worst. Dead? Hellionized? "Has--has something happened to him?"

<Pose Tracker>  Kaguya has posed.

Kaguya looks back to Talia. But Talia waves at her, so Kaguya makes a sort of 'ah' awkward look, and waves back.

There's a lot of questions there.

In the meantime, Kaguya is willing to say for her own part that no one's getting arrested, even though Leo is the one in charge of the Guard here. That's partly just convenience... but only partly. Still, Leo doesn't challenge her on it, and she... didn't really think he would. 'Justice', after all. "That's one of your better qualities," she decides to say instead. And then...

She looks at Rixia. "Don't worry about it. You don't ahve to come."

Then back to Zenrus. "...Lord Seraph," she says. "Is that the right term of address? I'm trying to be polite. Anyway, point is, I signed up to help defend Hyland when they decided to throw a title at my face, and I aim to keep my promise. That means defeating the guy who wants to make everything terrible."

"So Shepherd or no Shepherd, I'm in." 

<Pose Tracker>  Seraph Lanval has posed.

        'For the Shepherd, Sorey, will be unable to.'
 
        Culturally speaking, among those who live - or lived - within Althena's Boundary or just beyond it in Glenwood... to hear that the Shepherd will not be able to oppose the Lord of Calamity is utterly chilling. An Age of Chaos is upon them.
 
        Lanval has himself a little more to drink, which by Lanval standards means 'at least another mug-ful of ale at once.' The enormity of what's being asked by that admission alone...
 
        "It'sh alsho true that we ain't heard anything from the choshen Shepherd of Seraph Liath, neither," Seraph Lanval helps put that into further perspective, he says as he puts down the mug of ale and there might even be a thin layer of drink at the bottom. He will fix this if it's not an animation error.
 
        With his free hand, he starts rubbing his chin. He'll wait for Zenrus to clarify the situation before explaining how the power of Purification hasn't been lost to those gathered. Most already know, but he's not going to play down the severity of that. When someone like Seraph Zenrus requests presence before them, well.
 
        Lanval keeps calm while the emotional ripples run through the space. 

<Pose Tracker>  Marivel Armitage has posed.

Marivel pulls off the wings with a *pop* and sets them down under her table. She leaves the corgi doll on her head. It remains perfectly balanced, as if the engine couldn't deal with it sliding around with her movement.

She looks to Dollie. "It's just a dollie." She tells Dollie.

She teleports some cheese into her hands and munches on it, almost choking when Rixia shares the story about Talia fishing her out of the river.

She squints thoughtfully at Rixia for a while before leaning back. What kind of Shepherd can't make it to fight against arguably the biggest thing Shepherds would be around for? It must be something serious.

She racks her mind considering just what it could be but--perhaps another dangerous hellion?

The Saint perhaps...?

"That's concerning. Isn't contending with a Lord of Calamity a Shepherd's primary duty when one should arise?"

She glances to Rixia.

She leans in.

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure you match up."

She leans back. Lanval's words draw her attention but she doesn't comment on them. Her fists tighten faintly, her face a mask of conflicting emotions. 

<Pose Tracker>  Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna Manydays... isn't here in disguise! She's already a Known Criminal, a fact that she revels in. One more crime couldn't hurt, and she certainly doesn't mind taking the blame if it comes down to it so the others can escape with their identity safe. She nods to everyone in greeting as they come in - and Talia, too, when she smiles and waves at her.

Most of her attention is on the refreshments, of course - up until Zenrus speaks. Layna is flippant most of the time, but she knows Lanval long enough to know his behaviors. The fact that he's showing this much respect to him is a sign that she should, too. She listens to him... and then frowns, setting aside her drink with a furrowed brow when he speaks of Sorey.

"...I remember him. Good lad. What happened to him?" She asks. 

<Pose Tracker>  Magilou has posed.

        Magilou laughs, clapping a hand on Rixia's shoulder. "Oh, no... whatever gave you that impression..!!" She seems to find Rixia's mentor being nice very funny.

        She does look over to Talia, though, straightening up and tapping her fingers to her temple. "So you went fishing for foxes, huh? I appreciate it."

        Magilou saunters over to Pearl, and doesn't so much touch her as exist perilously in her general sphere of space. "Oh, pish-posh poodleoo!" Magilou exclaims, waving a hand. "Shepherds not being particularly useful for existence as we know it isn't /new!/ Besides, since then, we've got all sorts of new juggernauts to throw at the problem." She studiously doesn't mention what juggernauts those are.

        Magilou saunters over to the Mysterious Tera Gram, clapping a hand on /her/ shoulder, instead. "And even /discounting/ me, we have plenty of sorcery, too! So if Sorey's sleeping on the job, it's really no problem!" She's /way/ too cheerful about the Shepherd's possible fate. 

<Pose Tracker>  Shige Kiwako has posed.

Shige Kiwako finishes off the fish cake she had been working on, there's a crowd of people here and she has no idea who most of them are, or the proper nouns being talked about. Which motsly just means snagging the lantern from under her chair, keeping it in her left hand and making her way over to steal some cheese and maybe another drink. Better than losing her own stash for now.
 
 "Not.. the meeting I was expecting considering the past-" she pauses, counting on her fingers, then shrugs. She's not fully sure how many days have passed and it's probably best not to ask why.
 
 "Who?" she asks no one in particular. This is well above her pay grade. Or in a completely different zip code at the very least. There's a nagging feeling she should stay and help conflicting with the other vibe that she should book it back home where she at least understands things. You know. Marginally. Kind of. Barely.
 
 Really she's not even sure she'll be recognized, but eh. What can you do. 

<Pose Tracker>  Seraph Ragnell has posed.

        "Nah. It's not like that. Lailah chose 'im herself, you know. If Sorey can't do the job, somethin' bad happened to 'im, guaranteed."
        
        That'd be one Seraph Ragnell, strolling in like lateness is a fashion statement, responding to Magilou's assertion that Sorey's sleeping on the job. She chooses a wall to lean against and leans against it, arms folded over her chest as she gives a respectful nod to Seraph Zenrus.
        
        She doesn't ask questions. That's what everyone else here is for. In the same way, she doesn't offer speculation--on Sorey, or on Liath's Shepherd. She might swipe a mug of beer at some point, though. 

<Pose Tracker>  Hiro has posed.

So Hiro is running late, on account of a fish market scandal, we're not naming names on who is responsible but it's definitely not Ruby.
 
And so two figures sit outside of an inn window, peering inside, "Nice going Ruby, now we're super late - and look at that guy, what kind of respect are we showing for our elders if we waltz in late?!"
 
"Quit acting like it's my fault, that fishmonger had it coming!" "Now how do we get in there without seeming disrespectful?" "We just have to play it cool Hiro - if the two of us just /appear/ we can act like we were always there."
 
-=-=-
 
Cue a tiny precious pink pawsie pushing open a window, and two figures climbing in onto the rafters. It's all going well until...
 
        Creak.
 
The moment that happens both of them are down to the ground floor in a flash - everyone succeeds on their perception checks automatically, catching sight of Hiro pretending to lean nonchalantly against the wall with his arms crossed like he was always there, a bead of sweat on his forehead, Ruby perched on his shoulder.
 
"Last time I saw Sorey was in the fight against Mother. Don't know where he went after that."
 
A beat, "... The way I see it, this is the reason why Oracles and Seers exist, isn't it? So that we don't have to lean on one person and their retinue to solve these problems. I can see no better way to put those pacts forged between the Silver Star and the Blue one to the test than this."
 
Ruby leans over and whispers to Hiro, "Cool as cucumbers... sea cucumbers." A beat, "Now I'm hungry again, sea cucumbers sound delicious." 

<Pose Tracker>  Pearl has posed.

        Pearl's quiet nerves are not eased by Magilou's casual waltzing into her space. A juggernaut, hm.

        Her soul's companion seems pleased with the assessment. And eager to face this warm up for Sin. A good way to come out of idleness.

        "...perhaps. But I do not know how my ally will face down the Lord of Calamity." She pauses, and looks to Zenrus. "Are you familiar with the powers from across the sea? Will they be of aid beyond providing power?" She has not hid her identity.

        When Hiro flashes in, Pearl nods. "...Decent recovery." She leans forward, taking two pieces of cheese off the table. One she slips to Ruby, and one for herself. Cheese is a comfort food these days. She sinks back into quietness, taking a bite. 

<Pose Tracker>  Talia has posed.

"No kidding," Talia says, after Tera Gram remarks on the direness of the situation. Then, she looks at Rixia -- and back at the others. She flashes a smile. "It is true, no? I helped fish her out. I've saved her a whole two times, now, in fact."

She laughs, when Magilou says she went fishing for foxes. "Mm, something like that, no?"

There is a brief glance at Marivel, before she looks back. Her brow furrows. This sounds bad. Lanval gets that -- she looks sideways, and then she glances down. "...Yeah. It is a bad situation, no?"

She wants to make a glib remark, but it doesn't quite come.

But, as a rule, Talia is observant. She looks up as the tiny pink paw opens up the window -- and in come Hiro and Ruby. Talia blinks, but smiles. "Ah! I wondered where you got off to, no?"

"Lord Seraph or Lord Zenrus will suffice," Zenrus says. He smiles at Kaguya. "Thank you. It gladdens me to know that the people of the Blue Star will stand with us, in this dark time."

Then, he looks to Shige. "There is no harm in asking," he says. "The Lord of Calamity is a direly powerful Hellion -- one that can spread Malevolence and create a powerful effect, which can bring disaster to the world. Sorey was the previous Shepherd, who has the ability to combat Malevolence."

He looks to Ragnell, then, and nods.

He looks to Pearl. He considers her question. "They may, but... not in the traditional way. The Silver Flame of Purification -- that will purify Malevolence. We have found the interaction of pyreflies with Malevolence... it is different. Pyreflies and Malevolence are as oil and water--the pyreflies will push back Malevolence around them, though be warned that even with an Aeon..."

Zenrus sighs. "You are bringing a lake of water to an oil of sea, with the might of the Lord of Calamity's Domain. You /must/ be cautious, but I think it may afford you a unique strength, Summoner."

It seems Zenrus read up on Spira.

Zenrus looks to Leo and Layna, then, and considers their question. His brow furrows. "Zaveid came to me. Direly wounded," he says. "The Lord of Calamity has imprisoned him. His agent, Symmone, successfully trapped him -- and he has been brought into the domain of Heldalf."

The old Seraph looks down. Worry is writ clear on his face. "Artorius's Throne," he says. "Perhaps we should have expected such a stratagem from a famed general -- for he found a way to cut us to the core. But..."

Zenrus glances at Lanval, then at Layna. "...As Hiro says. We now have a hope we did not. And if you can free him there, then--you may have aid. If he is able to grant it." His brow furrows. then, he looks to Magilou.

"Artorius's Throne is a place of... some infamy. Years ago, a previous Shepherd -- Michael -- retired from his position and created a small, neutral village there. Camlann," he says. "Built to pursue peace. It met a bloody fate when fighting erupted. What most do not know is..."

Zenrus's eyes close for a moment. "...The vessel of the leader of the Five Lords, Maotelus, was moved there by Michael. Maotelus is the one who could grant a Seraph the power to make a Shepherd. And his vessel resides in the Throne. Which... is now at the heart of Heldalf's Malevolent Domain."

Zenrus's eyes open. "The risk to Maotelus -- thus, to all of Glenwood and the Silver Star -- is great indeed." 

<Pose Tracker>  Marivel Armitage has posed.

"Then why even--" Marivel begins but Ragnell steps in. She smiles at Ragnell. For once, the one seemingly in danger is not someone she knows or cares for so despite the extra bit of direness it adds to the situation, there's a bit of relief there too.

Marivel automatically passes her perception check despite having disadvantage due to her distracting thoughts. She looks right at Hiro and Ruby. "Ah, you made it."

Hiro posits that this is why Seers and Oracles exist in the first place. He's got a point and she'd rather put her faith in those than some Shepherd she doesn't know, especially--as with Magilou--her track record on Shepherds isn't exactly positive. ANd the whole term makes her think of Solaris too on top of it even though it's GOTTA be a coincidence.

Still, if her track record with Shepherds kinda blows it's all the more shame they can't rely on one that some other person she doesn't know thinks is the bees knees.

Only captured, Marivel thinks, so there's still hope though being trapped inside a domain is...worrying. Even a Shepherd would probably suffer in one wouldn't they? Probably?

"Maotelus was... moved?" Marivel asks. "Who is Maotelus? In a domain like the Lord of Calamity, he might already be hellionized." Or worse, dragonified from which there seems to be no way back. Marivel hasn't gotten any closer on that. A project she expects would take ages. She has to imagine that this Maotelus is likely the intended target. If the very power that allows Shepherds to exist is eliminated... 

<Pose Tracker>  Margaret has posed.

Dollie purses her lips to the side. "Is that right," she says to the enigmatic Leviramko, not entirely cheerfully. Dollie then sips her own glass, which is mostly one of those horrible beverages with vinegar and fruit must that actually comes out pretty well if you make it right.

Tera Gram is clapped on her firm shoulder. Hey, if anything it got a little firmer! Is she working out! Yes, with terrifying sword magic. Behind the not-very-distinctive-veil she looks at Magilou and her own lips pull to the side, too. "Well, I admit I am an ageless sorceress of eld," Tera Gram admits, "but one shouldn't move with haste when not compelled. First think, then leap, and you won't be like the cat on an iced roof."

That's a Tera Gram Aphorism (tm). Armengard's business model is safe.

Zenrus speaks at greater length.

"... Oh," Tera Gram says, "Oh, goddess wept. So he's just gone and gotten the seat of power, has he?" She raises her cup to her lips beneath the veil and just completely empties it.

"Hope not," Dollie echoes towards Marivel rather wanly. 

<Pose Tracker>  Rixia has posed.

        Rixia pauses flat as Kaguya reassures her she doesn't have to come. There's a quiet nervousness as she avoids eye contact. "Y-yeah..."

        You gotta work on that social anxiety habit of hers where you immediately exclude yourself from a group you don't feel confident being in, Rixia, because (unintended) confirmation only sets off the second part of social anxiety's trap!

        But the talk of how the Shepherd isn't up to the task... ... maybe Rixia doesn't have as much of a reaction to it as other dwellers of Glenwood (or even Meribia) would. Because she's pretty used to miracles not being a thing.

        Magilou claps her shoulder, though, and she jolts for a moment and squints. Waaaaaaaaait-- oh, she's not going to just blurt her name out loud. Then Hiro arrives, along with Ruby, right on the floor! They... will not have the chance to have cake right now, but she at least gets up to give him a hand.

        Oracles...? Seers...? There's so many terms she doesn't know... will there be a test?

        The Seraph -- Lord Zenrus -- continues his explanation, and she's kinda glad Shige's here, because she ultimately knows as much as the cat-lady despite being from Lunar.

        "Oh... so the feeling that Dragon gave off... it's just as bad with that guy, huh..." Rixia mumbles to herself.

        He explains a more dire scenario, though. The Shepherd Sorey has been imprisoned, and not only that, the vessel to make new Shepherds now resides in a ... ... bad place it shouldn't be, Rixia reasons in the end, because she really is grappling with Proper Nouns right now.

        Please bear with her. "So-- um-- basically, the Lord of Calamity caught the guy who's supposed to beat him up, and then got a hold of the stuff to make... make more of the guy who's supposed to beat him up. Shepherd. Do sheep come in at any point...? Which... which doesn't leave you with options, but some people have said here you found a different way, but it's not as good..."

        Steam is coming out of Rixia's ears.

        Honestly, Rixia thought she'd already seen the worst when she got dragged into the war and had to fight a Dragon in the middle of a horrible thunderstorm while soldiers shriek around her but... now what will you do, Rixia? Ghost everyone like you always do? Kaguya gave you an out... just run away? Just keep running away... that worked for you before, right? 

<Pose Tracker>  Magilou has posed.

        Surely Margaret -- Tera Gram -- can feel the way Magilou's fingers tighten, when Zenrus talks about, "Zaveid..."

        She can guess what happened to the little sister, at that.

        It sounds personal, but she doesn't interrupt. Not until Zenrus finishes talking, anyway --

        At which point Magilou releases her steadying hold on Tera Gram, to march right up to him, instead. "How long did you /KNOW,/ old man?!" Magilou demands, and the anger in her voice is hot and and not theatric in the slightest. She jabs a finger towards his chest, before her hands spread out, broadly. "You know my brat's been looking for him for /YEARS?!/ You know we've all been /worried sick?!/ And now you tell me Michael put the kid's VESSEL in ARTORIUS'S THRONE -- leaving /aside/ the history -- now the SEAT of Heldalf's power?!" Her words are punctuated by angry gestures, as she paces, in front of Zenrus.

        "Damn Lunar, /Maotelus/ doesn't deserve that! Not after what he did for you! What he did for ALL of you! You -- you ungrateful /children!/" She gestures out to the crowd, and her anger is for Hiro, and it is for Talia, and it is for Rixia, and it is for Pearl, and it is for Ragnell, and it is for Lanval. And it is for Zenrus, as she wheels on a heel to point to him, again: "How long has he been trapped there?!" 

<Pose Tracker>  Shige Kiwako has posed.

Shige Kiwako gets a cluster of words that she genuinely is in the dark on, but she catches enough of it to hold a hand up. After she takes a drink. At least she's not shotgunning it. "So related to the dragon and why I'm missing two bottles of alcohol-" she shoots Lanval a glare, though it's close to like one and a quarter. That thought is interrupted with Pyreflies and the other stuff fighting. Then she scowls, trying to connect the two thoughts. "Is it just pyreflies? Or is it the finality of things? When I heard I could maybe brute force purification I had a concern of it being post-mortem, but..." She wriggles the lantern back and forth.
 
 Hiro and by proxy the other cat are given a look as they enter, talkign about fish. She starts to wave, then pauses and tries to imagine what a sea cucumber would actually taste like. Then she completes the wave and reaches out to snag a fish cake to offer over. One feline to the other. "Looks like you made it out in one piece." since you know, last time she saw the guy he was getting kind of dragon-handled.
 
 She does recognize Rixia and you know, not being horribly tense herself, sneaks from the table after snagging another bit of fish, because she likes fish. And not even for the reason you're thinking! Rixia's given half as she tries to slide alongside. "You seem like you keep better notes than I do. Or kept better notes than I do. Too much playing by ear." She sounds more confident than she feels, hidden mostly behind her bartender voice. Cheerful, confident and complete BS more often than not. In a quieter voice, having seen the prior... worry and the current panic setting in, she adds, "Can talk if you'd prefer too. I can get the notes from someone else." It's easy to slip into a practiced persona really. 

<Pose Tracker>  Seraph Lanval has posed.

        The news of what happened to Sorey is dire on its own. Key phrase: on its own. The Lord of Calamity's already got the upper hand on them. Hiro, on his arrival with Ruby, points out the one big mitigating factor that helps give some hope to the gathered, but Lanval waits to speak.
 
        This proves to be wise, as Zenrus points out the origin of where one can grant the gift of the Silver Flame... and how they have been endangered, even outright compromised.
 
        So, so, so very many years ago, a very young Lanval was terrified about all the stories of Malevolence-filled Glenwood and wanted to dedicate himself to help keeping the Boundary reinforced up in Meribus. Those Seraphim who come into being in that part of Lunar typically... have life a lot easier, and then some.
 
        Over five-hundred years later, the Water Seraph who found himself forced into the wide world beyond his little slice of Lunar to look over raises a hand to try and bring for calm as some express shock and dismay. (Especially Magilou.)
 
        "...'m gonna clarify a li'l." Lanval gives a smile over to Hiro. "Thanksh fer the introduction bit there, Hiro. Mmmm. A li'l reintroduction, fiiiiirsht. Er. If ya will lemme take the floor, Lord Zenrus." Zenrus is venerable beyond venerable among Seraphim, after all. Once given the okay, Seraph Lanval stands up with minimal wobbling. Magilou kinda has the floor with angry, terrified shouting. "'m gonna go over the deetsh ash fasht ash I can," he assures. "I really gotta make shure everyone's on the shame page," especially the Guard. They're going to need the Guard's help. "We go in fulla complicated feelingsh right there 'n now, well. We ain't doin' that. Sho!"
 
        "I'm Seraph Lanval... shome of ya may know me ash the 'Fallen Seraph.' I ushed ta watch over a part of Meribus ash a Lord of the Land... in the later yearsh, ya knew that part of it ash the Copper Rapier." The Copper Rapier was... in short, dive bars would be embarrassed to be compared to it. The Guard burned it down some time after the ban on alcohol was decreed.
 
        Lanval has a gentle smile. "We ain't gonna worry too much 'bout that part right now. Sho, ash Hiro shaid... shome time after Althena excommunicated me ta Filgaia... a buncha thingsh happened, but, the important bit."
 
        "At a time of great need, Schturdark - Filgaia's Guardian of Water, bashically all of the very water of Filgaia itshelf - and I made a pact." A spirit and child of Lunar, having somehow made contact with /and/ a pact outright with a greater spirit of another world. "Ash far ash I know, there'sh only one other who made a pact... that one with Moor Gault, the Guardian of Fire. She ain't here right now, but I'll get ya up ta shpeed with her if needed. Don't got much time ta do that right now."
 
        Seraph Lanval bends down to pick up the drinking gourd at his side. It's small, and attached to a rope, but he holds it like it's something truly weighty. "Sho, ash I sherve the Guardian of Water, 'm their Oracle... their Oracle of Water." He takes a drink from that gourd, and puts forth the presence of water's power. Water, in all its forms great... and not. "But that'sh jusht one half of it. The other half... the Seers."
 
        He gestures over to Layna. "Layna Manydays, there, ish a Seer of Water. She formed a pact with me in turn... 'n in doin' sho, I sherve ash a conduct between Schturdark, 'n Layna, allowin' Layna ta act 'bout the shame way a Shepherd might when it comesh ta Purification."
 
        Lanval holds up a finger. "Now. I don't have the power ta Armatize with Layna, or any other Seer of Water, if anyone knowsh 'bout that one. But... regardlessh of how the Goddess feelsh 'bout me, I shwore an oath ta protect Filgaia from Malevolence 'n other shtuff that makesh bein' the water of Filgaia real tough."
 
        Lanval lowers the drinking gourd down. "'n me bein' here? It'sh a part of that." 

<Pose Tracker>  Kaguya has posed.

Perhaps the proof of how serious Kaguya thinks this is is that she /is/ trying to be polite. She... moderately succeeds, apparently. Kaguya nods. She doesn't explain the details--they're complicated--but maybe she accepts being a 'person of the Blue Star'. Only she knows for sure.

She doesn't think too much of reassuring Rixia; she's just not that nice.

Instead,s he listens. She considers Pearl, the Summoner, and then looks back at Hiro, who saw Sorey, and...

'Artorius's Throne.'

Magilou's anger gets Kaguya's attention, too. She looks at her--she obviously has only some idea about the history there. But she's mad. She's mad, and she probably has a good reason...

"..." 'That sounds bad' seems like something of an understatement. Kaguya considers. Magilou's rage... it means something. It's important. And Kaguya looks at her, seriously. But then Lanval is talking... And what he has to say explains a lot. Seers and Oracles... and the Guardians' power. Of course, the Guardians. She grimaces a little, but there's no hate in it. It's just...



"All right then," Kauya says. "Two questions. One: do we need anything special to kill Heldalf? I'm sure we need Purification to deal with his malevolence but like, silver bullets, the ass of a unicorn--uh, sorry--just, what do we need? It sounds like Lanval here has the goods, but does he? The 'water of Filgaia' seems like it would help, to me."

"And... when do we leave?" 

<Pose Tracker>  Hiro has posed.

Under his crossed arm he gives Pearl, Talia, and Marivel a thumbs up. It doesn't clear out the sheen of sweat at all.
 
He grins at Lanval, listening to his presentation upon Oracles and Seers, most of it he's aware of but it's good to hear it presented, that resolve of him and Layna to combat the problem, to bring proof of the value of the existence of their pacts with deed.
 
He listens respectfully to the Lord Seraph, however he then looks around the room as he mentions Zaveid, as if to wonder if anyone knows the guy.
 
Artorius' Throne brings his attention back front and center, as a lot more information comes in a short time, about Michael the prior Shepherd, his village Camlann - and the leader of the Five Lords, Maotelus.
 
Hiro's heard of the Five Lords but doesn't know altogether that much about them. What he hears though is Magilou upset, emotional.
 
"I can't say I know what this Maotelus did for us. It wasn't in the books you pointed out to me." Hiro notes calmly, but then takes a breath, and uncrosses his arms...
 
"But it sounds like whatever happened here, it's something we as the people of the Lunar need to take responsibility for."
 
Maybe he's recalling a conversation he once had with Ragnell as he says this, "And so we will. And if that means taking responsibility for your anger too...? Then we'll do that too... or at least I'm willing to, after we do what we're here to do."
 
Ruby has left Hiro's shoulder, there's just a dotted line. Where is she right now? Snacking happily on a fish cake provided by Shige.
 
Kaguya asks questions, and he wants to know the answer to them too, but for now he's focused almost entirely on Magilou. 

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

        "If nothing else," Leo says, "it's something he'd be less prepared for." The White Knight turns to Pearl, finally mustering up the fortitude to look her in the eyes. She's sacrificed so much, and he could put the both of them in danger just by being here... "He's doubtless aware of Summoners, and he's certainly faced them, but... Aeons--" And it is 'Aeons', for once, not 'Eidolons'-- "Are less familiar." A pause. "It's metaphorical, Rixia. The Shepherd safeguards the common people, as a shepherd safeguards their flock from predators."

        Leo reaches out and nudges a pitcher of water towards her. "Drink something," he says.

        The White Knight falls completely silent, his expression growing grimmer with each passing moment. "/All/ Shepherds," Leo says, and that's all he gets out before Magilou erupts. Leo has never seen her this genuinely, expressively angry. His ears twitch, and he stares at her, tense. When she points her accusatory finger at him, he flinches back, as if physically struck. "Magilou," Leo asks, when he finds his composure again, "I apologize if this... is a raw subject, but it sounds as if you knew Saint Maotelus personally."

        Then, Leo turns to Kaguya, and shakes his head. "That power would help cleanse Heldalf's Domain," he says, "but Heldalf is... no different from any other intelligent Hellion. He has to /want/ it, correct? And he..."

        Magilou isn't the only one here who's suffering a great emotional wound. "He's embraced what he's become." 

<Pose Tracker>  Pearl has posed.

        Pearl is nothing if not a woman who moves to practicalities and underhanded methods first. She often discards the latter now, but some of these things are worth thinking through with a strategist like that. "Are we pursuing one target or two?" She asks, a thought on her mind. "With drifters we may have numbers, but this is a foe not to be underestimated." She leans against against the table. "So... if we can choose only one target, do we seek Shepherd Sorey or do we seek this Seraph and the means to make a new Shep-"

        She stops cold when Magilou bursts into rage. Personal, genuine anger. Pearl seems... a little shaken. Magilou is a being of whimsy- but maybe this is something she needed to understand.

        "...I believe that explains our priorities." She says, simply. She listens as Lanval speaks, taking in the info and closing her eyes. "...If an Aeon can provide a means of protection against the Malevolence somehow, and the Filgaian gods purification, we have a means. From there we need a plan." Pearl takes a few slow beats, as she considers the options.

        "...Commander-" She cuts herself off. "White Knight. Has the church acknowledged Heldalf as the Lord of Calamity, or is Lady Lucia still the official target of the guard?" Is Lady the right title? Hell if Pearl knows, she only saw her once. But she should be treated respectfully.

        A thought comes to mind suddenly- and Pearl's sense of timing in these situations is often... awkward. She whispers to Hiro, loud enough to hear/ "...I suppose that makes your title as Lord of Calamity's Consort invalid." A pause. "Lady Ruby's claim is then uncontested." 

<Pose Tracker>  Seraph Ragnell has posed.

        When Marivel smiles at her, Ragnell shoots her a wry smile back. A similarly wry smile goes Hiro and Ruby's way when they sneak in through the window. But that's not the main point here.
        
        It's a little weird. Ragnell finds herself less shocked by Zenrus's news that Sorey has been captured and is being held in Heldalf's Malevolent Domain, putting Lailah, Mikleo, Edna, Dezel, and apparently even Zaveid in danger if he succumbs, and more shocked by Magilou's abrupt, outright anger at the news of Maotelus's fate.
        
        But then, Ragnell knew Magilou a lot longer than any of the others, excepting Lailah. And, just as weirdly, because Magilou expresses her anger in such an abrupt and unexpected way, it's easier for Ragnell to keep calm over what is explicitly and extremely a fucked up situation.
        
        So she's quiet when Lanval gets to his feet and explains what's up with Seers and Oracles and how they relate and don't relate to Shepherds. Kaguya asks some important questions; Hiro makes some important statements. There's more than that, too, but there's a question that none of the others are going to know to ask.
        
        So: "What about Rose? She been captured too?" she wonders evenly. No need to ask about Alisha--she split off and returned to Hyland ages back. "An' if Zaveid got outta there, where's that put Lailah an' the others?" 

<Pose Tracker>  Layna Manydays has posed.

"Good point." Layna says with a nod as Hiro points out that this is why Oracles and Seers exist. Her attention drifts back to Zenrus, then, as he speaks - explaining the situation. Zaveid - Layna doesn't know him, but from the sound of things... Layna frowns.

"...That sucks." She mutters. "So we gotta go bail him out? We'll take any help he can give us... though, I'll kick his ass if he tries to do something stupid like overexert himself or try to do it alone. If his pal was in bad shape, can't imagine he's in any better."

But then, Maotelus. Layna frowns. She doesn't know the full story, but it sounds bad. And then... Magilou. Layna has never seen her /angry/ like that - it actually comes as something of a surprise. It sounds like she knew him - knew him personally, at that. ...Well. There's not much that she could say that could match Hiro's words. As for her accusations...

"We didn't know a damn thing about this. You can point fingers all you like, but this failing ain't on us, unless you're gonna blame us for not knowin' 'cause the folks who came before neglected to tell us the important stuff." Layna replies. "But we /are/ the one's who're here /now/, so you can be damn sure we're gonna do somethin' about it, if there's something to be done for him."

Her attention goes toward Lanval, then, as he starts to explain about his role as an Oracle, and hers as a Seer. She goes quiet in a show of respect - and when he introduces her, Layna raises a hand in a wave.

"Ahoy there." She says. "It's as the lad says. If you need a demonstration, I can show you what we can do." 

<Pose Tracker>  Talia has posed.

"One of the Five Lords of the Seraphim. Our leaders -- and the source of the purifying power of the Shepherd," Zenrus says to Marival, with a brief glance. Then, he looks to Tera Gram.

"He has," Zenrus says. "If only... mm. No, not the time."

The old man shakes his head.

"It'll be bad, Rixia," Talia interjects. She looks at her for a second -- and then she smiles. "But you'll have friends there, no? You won't be alone. So you'll get through it, if you want to go. And... if you don't want to go, that is okay, too."

"I am afraid it is as bad as you say," Zenrus says. "And no, sheep do not come up."

Then, Magilou shouts at him. He tenses for a moment. His eyes close, and he exhales. "Michael did not simply pluck him up. Maotelus asked to be moved... and he said that he wished to place his faith in humanity. In the future," Zenrus said. "I urged him to not, for I saw... a darkness in Michael. Maotelus did, too--and he wanted to make things better than they had been."

He looks up. "I sought to honor Maotelus's wishes. He wished for his removal to be secret. He wished for it to be honored. I took that oath -- and others besides."

He keeps calm, but he tenses for a moment. When Lanval asks for the floor, Zenrus nods.

He quiets, and looks at Layna. "I trust you, Lady Layna. No demonstration is necessary, though I ask you give the Throne many." Then, he nods. "I am confident that this power -- this union of two stars -- may get us through. And..." He looks at Kaguya. Zenrus's bushy eyebrows furrow.

"As to when you leave... stock well," Zenrus says. He affords a smile. "It is a journey of two days, and through hard mountains. I suggest you rest before you leave."

Kaguya asked another question. Zenrus doesn't answer it, yet. He looks to Leo, instead. "That is true. That said... I don't know the circumstances of Heldalf's transformation," Zenrus says. "If you can find evidence at the Origin Village, then... perhaps you may have an answer, as to whether he can be purified."

Pearl makes her declaration, and Talia motions: 'nope nope nope abort abort abort!'

Zenrus looks to Ragnell. "Rose... she was injured six weeks ago in Adlehyde. I only realized, after the fact, that the assailant was Lunarre. She recuperates, even now. Dezel is with her. The Prime Lord and other Sub-Lords... no," Zenrus says, softly. "We believe they are with Sorey, too. I am sorry, for not mentioning -- but we haven't seen Fell Dragons yet."

Then, Zenrus looks at Pearl. "Yes. Summon your Aeon only at the right time. It may weaken him -- and it may assist with a tool that Zaveid provided, which I think may give you a chance to defeat him."

At that, Zenrus reaches into his robes. He pulls out an object none might have expected him to have: a large black pistol, square-ish, with silver inlaid along it. He puts it on the table -- and then slides it to Kaguya. "Of those here, you seem the best equipped to make use of this." Magilou may recognize it, of course. "This is an ancient relic... a weapon, which can convert mana into a bullet. Normally, I would suggest that you fashion it from Seraphic energies... but it naturally creates Althenan magic."

He looks at Kaguya. "It can also draw upon the energy of the wielder. Magic of the Silver Star and Blue Star, together," he says. "Combined into a bullet of incredible force, which will -- once fired -- bind Heldalf more fully to our world. This will make your great task easier -- to kill him, or otherwise."

Zenrus nods. "It has been wielded by many. Carry it well, Kaguya of the True Shot. The weapon's name..."

Somewhere, a Sheriff Star gleams.

"...is Zeikfried." 

<Pose Tracker>  Marivel Armitage has posed.

Marivel's eyes widen faintly as Magilou starts ranting. Marivel presses her lips firmly against one another. It is a familiar story.

No, it is a familiar story of a familiar story of a familiar story. She can't help but laugh.

And laugh she does. It isn't a happy laugh. It is the kind of laugh one unleashes when in utter utter despair.

No it's not exactly that. Utter despair was reached a while ago. This is beyond despair. It's emptiness. It's what you get when despair burns out and there's nothing left. The metaphorical equivalent of turning into a dragon, perhaps.

She's so tired. Just a little longer... ...No, no--the wound is raw now. Be a helper just a little longer.

"Again and again, the same old story." Marivel says softly. "Will you take it all on yourselves, Hiro, and repeat the tale?"

She doesn't seem surpried that Magilou knew Maotelus. Of course she did.

"You're already carrying one sacrifice, perhaps you think--ah--then another would be easy!"

She exhales slowly. "Ah, seeing yourself in others--tis a terrible thing. Hiro, obviously you don't share any blame for what is going on with Maotelus, it sounds like you just heard of him. It is not your task to take responsibility. Surely, if you have any responsibility as a 'Vile Fiend'. The task, if you recall..."

She snaps her fingers in an Emetian manner. "Tis to change the ending, to change The Answers provided. After all, old ladies such as myself already gave ours. We see the results today. For good or ill, you must make your own choices to take responsibility for. The choices of those with ill intent are not yours to carry nor Lunar's. The best and worst thing about humanity is that they don't have long memories."

She specifies Hiro but it could really apply to anyone. She crosses one leg over the other and takes some of Dollie's offered cheese. She spins it on her finger.

Layna already spells it out just so, but Marivel can be the old lady who says it too.

She might have gone on about it for a while longer only

The weapon's name... is Zeikfried

"...."

"...WHAT A COINCIDENCE." Marivel says. 

<Pose Tracker>  Margaret has posed.

The tightening grasp on her shoulder brings Tera Gram out of her ageless sorceress haze with alacrity. Her veiled face turns towards Magilou but she's disengaging -- going over to speak wih fury towards Zenrus --

Some part of Margaret thinks: I should do something to stop her from berating --

But it must be vestigal because the thought just kind of peters out.

Her words are cutting, and come from the heart; if anything is wrong in them, it's all going to be a matter of emphasis.

Tera Gram's heart is filled with sorrow, perhaps empathy, at the rest of what Zenrus says. This tale of trust betrayed, of hope dashed, of innocence misled. It's tiring, isn't it? She may be a mere flirty fifty compared to some of the older folks around, but that's long enough to be around the block, several times.

So it's Dollie who says, "Aye then, so... draw the man out, shock him with the Aeon and then shoot him with this gun? S'got only one shot?"

She turns her head to look at Kaguya. "Don't miss," Dollie tells her, a little flatly. 

<Pose Tracker>  Rixia has posed.

        Shige snatches some fish from her side of the table, and she gives her half! Rixia does like fish. "I--I'd be more proud if I was actually jotting it down," she laughs nervously, before staring down at the fish. "But I don't know how to write, so no notes for me." She nips at the fish, at least in the hopes that Ruby won't snatch it away from her.

        Lanval, though, introduces himself as the Lord of the Land of Meribus... she knew he was an important fellow! ... she doesn't know what the Copper Rapier is though. But importantly, he... made a pact? With... someone she doesn't know. But importantly, Layna is a Seer of Water! And so they can do the thing a Shepherd's supposed to do -- protect the flock, as Leo explains.

        "Wow..." she whispers, awed. What else can she say to that?

        Kaguya is to the point; what's needed to kill Heldalf? Rixia wouldn't admit it, but Kaguya reminds her of her father; always straight and to the point, and seemingly fearless. Maybe that's the way in which she admires her, when she wields those ARMs that still intimidate her.

        Pearl speaks about a Lucia, who she doesn't... know too much about, but she's heard the gossip from the other rookie Guards... could there be more than one? She doesn't honestly know. Ragnell asks about other people who may or may not have been captured; she gets the sense that there's another band of heroes, so to speak...

        If that wasn't bad enough, though, seeing Magilou detonate in front of her in a way she hasn't before -- a way she at least understands is very personal and hurtful with what's happened -- has her shrinking further into herself. She feels a bit blue in the face. What she isn't ready for, however, is Magilou redirecting her anger to the crowd, to her. Not after all Maotelus did for her... for Lunar... what does she mean? What does it even mean? Honestly, it doesn't matter, because the barbs are what matters at the moment, and where Hiro kindly says that he'll take responsibility for her anger, and Layna rebuffs it while also saying they're going to do something about it, Rixia's...

        Rixia's left with the automatic doormat response that she says to every angry, (usually drunk) hostess her dad paid to daycare-sit her when they start blaming her for being a war orphan:

        "Sorry-- sorry, um, I'm sorry... for being born..."

        At the very least, Leo tells her to basically breathe and drink water, so she hides herself behind a cup of water, because she can tell he's hurting too. It also kinda helps her hide her blubbering right now, as a grand plan is hatched involving an 'Aeon', who the mysterious sorceress lady of Vane seems to wield, along with Layna and Lanval's purification--

        --and another gun?!

        Rixia keeps gulping more water in nervousness. Where's the bottom of this pitcher...? 

<Pose Tracker>  Magilou has posed.

        OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QuXW9myqmY Tales of Berseria - Will of an Empyrean

        Magilou isn't being fair, of course. She's upset. She is so, so rarely /upset,/ the way men are, heart gouged open and bleeding. It's little enough solace that Zaveid made it out alive, knowing what Maotelus goes through, now.

        But Hiro points out that it wasn't in the volumes Magilou gave to him -- and Layna makes it more clear, and Rixia makes it more /personal./ "I know," she insists, tone still heated. "I know it's not your fault, not really! There's aught you could have done about this, I know! But... but he's my /friend,/" she insists, thinly, hands grasping her arms. "Somehow, even surrounded by villains like us, he's grown up into someone like that..."

        Someone who wanted to place his humanity in the future. Grief hollows out the expression on Magilou's face, as she looks back to Zenrus; defeated, she sinks into a chair. Elbow to the table, she buries her face in a hand. "That kid... he really still believes in everyone, after all this time... how could he sneak behind our backs like that?! Rokurou and I, we would have...! Oh, stopped him, I suppose," she grumbles, with a short little breath, "since we're the villains of the story, after all..." She sounds terribly miserable about it all. Who knew Magilou even /had/ feelings?

        (Hiro. Hiro knew that.)

        She takes a moment to calm herself, and looks over, to Zenrus and Kaguya. "Ah... Zaveid's most prized possession," she contextualises it, a little dull. Considering the injuries Zenrus mentioned -- "He's really not doing well, to pass it on in a situation like this, is he..? And Edna's still struggling on, I suppose..." She looks to Ragnell, who thought to ask about them, and the grief in her eyes does recognise that.

        "Let it end a horror, now, Kaguya," she bids her, quite serious. "Just remember... only rational science, now, mm?"

<Pose Tracker>  Hiro has posed.

Hiro flusters immediately at Pearl's statement, "Invalid!? It was never legitimate in the first place. It was all Leo being - himself!"
 
Layna has a different perspective, and Hiro listens, then nods, but, doesn't entirely agree. He can understand though why people wouldn't be so quick to take on the sins of other people.

Hiro looks sidelong at Marivel, listening to everything she has to say on the subject and, "Marivel this isn't about some sacrifice. It's about humanity taking responsibility for our past sins. If we don't acknowledge that our people have done wrong in the past - and the present, if we don't take it upon ourselves to do something about it and acknowledge the anger of those who were harmed by it, then how can we work towards a better future?"
 
Magilou though makes it clear she's just upset about this whole situation, not really blaming them for it. And Hiro's expression softens, because indeed he knew that Magilou had feelings.
 
However, she taught him something recently about pursuing these feelings in a moment like this. Moving towards the table, he picks up a mostly untouched mug of something that makes his expression curdle a bit just smelling it...
 
... and he puts it right in front of her on the table. For once he doesn't follow up by saying something, he just puts the drink right in front of her then moves back against the wall, eyes still upon her as he watches her go through all of this.
 
It's a plan in three parts, and he can see the soundness of it. It's difficult to pull off, with those moving parts, especially against someone named the Lord of Calamity - but, he can at least appreciate his value as a meat shield and distraction.
 
"Sounds like we have something resembling a plan then." As if that's enough for him, just having some semblance of one. 

<Pose Tracker>  Margaret has posed.

Tera Gram straightens up in her seat as she turns her attention towards Lanval, the intoxicated Seraph (no, no - just... merry) speaking with gravity. He mentions Hiro, who Tera Gram turns her head a little, quickly locating and giving a recognized nod, before going back to Lanval and his old hoochatoria.

The tightening grasp on her shoulder brings Tera Gram out of her ageless sorceress haze with alacrity. Her veiled face turns towards Magilou but she's disengaging -- going over to speak wih fury towards Zenrus --

Some part of Margaret thinks: I should do something to stop her from berating --

But it must be vestigal because the thought just kind of peters out.

Her words are cutting, and come from the heart; if anything is wrong in them, it's all going to be a matter of emphasis.

Tera Gram's heart is filled with sorrow, perhaps empathy, at the rest of what Zenrus says. This tale of trust betrayed, of hope dashed, of innocence misled. It's tiring, isn't it? She may be a mere flirty fifty compared to some of the older folks around, but that's long enough to be around the block, several times.

So it's Dollie who says, "Aye then, so... draw the man out, shock him with the Aeon and then shoot him with this gun? S'got only one shot?"

She turns her head to look at Kaguya. "Don't miss," Dollie tells her, a little flatly. 

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.

        Lanval, having said and clarified what he does, notices Rixia starting to shrink down most of all as the older-timers among them express either their frustration (Magilou) or to point long-resting hopes that there's a better way to resolve all that plagues the world after ancient mistakes (Marivel). The plan is laid out, and something entrusted to Kaguya - a Veruni.
 
        He can't really render her aid directly by pact, but you know, he's not the one who gave her Zeikfried. He can work around that, and he doesn't think Zenrus is choosing wrong there.
 
        "One shec," Lanval says. "Hey, Rixia." Lanval takes a moment from having to be a big, important figure in the room, taking a few steps to her direction. "I can tell yer overwhelmed." What if she's told to go home? To lay down, let the 'real warriors' deal with it?
 
        "Dealin' with that Fell Dragon like I did - like we all did - that wash real shcary too, even fer me." Even when he was jovial and holding himself against a vast quantity of Malevolence that can - and would, and probably has - turn Seraphim down the road of dragonhood almost instantly?
 
        "...All we can do ish be true to ourshelvesh. The Mirthful Wellspring, alwaysh shqueezin' out a li'l more joy out of the li'l shtuff in life." Seraph Lanval says. "Like knowin' we have a chance ta fight and win againsht the shcary shtuff we were once told wash too shcary fer anyone but a shelect few. Ushed ta be reeeeeeeal afraid ta shet foot down in Glenwood, myshelf." Beat. "Ragnell over there can vouch."
 
        That one of the greatest hopes of bringing the Lord of Calamity low rests in someone who used to be afraid to even come to Glenwood at all...!
 
        "Remember... ya faced a Fell Dragon 'n not only lived. Ya managed ta shtay ash yershelf!" Lanval says with a mirthful smile. "Sho. 'm gonna be countin' on ya ash much ash anyone elshe, y'hear...?"
 
        He knows his other friends and allies here are well aware of their capabilities, desires, and wills to bring this journey's end - but Rixia's as much part of it too. 

<Pose Tracker>  Seraph Ragnell has posed.

        Rose was injured and is recovering; Dezel's with her. Ragnell nods slowly, before she makes a face and spits not-quite-under her breath, "Fuckin' Lunarre." And naturally Lailah and the others are indeed with Sorey. In the heart of the Lord of Calamity's Malevolent Domain.
        
        *Now* the anger comes in, a slow and low heat that simmers her words: "'Course, it doesn't matter if she's off somewhere else; she's still Sorey's Squire. If he gets fucked up on Malevolence, she an' Dezel are gonna get fucked up by it too just the same. But hey, that's one less idiot who needs savin'!"
        
        It doesn't really matter if it was Maotelus's wish or not, though, was it? Once again, a Seraph placed their trust in a human and suffered for it. Given the clapback Magilou's already gotten, she doesn't say this out loud, but trust her: she's thinking it.
        
        Still, it's not all gloom and glower. There's a plan. There's a hell of a plan, really, and Ragnell raises an eyebrow when Zenrus entrusts Kaguya, of all people, with the legendary gun Zeikfried. "Damn, Kags, major props," she drawls, and despite that, she does sound genuinely impressed.
        
        That attitude doesn't last as she focuses on Magilou, meeting her eyes across the room as she sinks into a chair, anger sublimating into a helpless sort of grief. She'd go to her side, but they're just not those kinds of people and they just don't have that kind of relationship.
        
        "Edna's had to deal with enough without all this too. However this ends, it needs to end," she mutters grimly, and she doesn't say Eisen's name, but she knows and she knows Magilou knows. That's the kind of relationship they have.
        
        In the same vein, she doesn't interrupt Marivel and her talk of sacrifice. /We're all carrying our wounds into this conversation, aren't we,/ she reflects.
        
        Of course, she didn't even fight that Fell Dragon. She left that as a trial for the mortals. So when Lanval reassures Rixia, Ragnell shrugs and nods. She's not sure how much her word is worth to someone she doesn't even know, but she's not about to plug up Lanval's flow in this context. 

<Pose Tracker>  Kaguya has posed.

"...Sorry, Leo." Kaguya shakes her head, as she sees his pain. "I don't see a way to save him. I don't even see someone to save. But I know you do. And..." She puts on a sympathetic expression. "That sucks."

Well, she tried.

She doesn't know about Rose, and the matter of who to blame isn't really her concern. She awaits the instead, instead. She considers what Magilou gets as answer--but it's not up to her whether that's good enough for the old, old, old, old, old lady who helped her out before. (Did Kaguya ever tell Magilou she's old?)

Kaguya obviously doesn't recognize the gun. She recognizes it as a gun, but that's it. In fact, she lifts an eyebrow. "...?" she starts, and then her usually-flippant expressions change. She recognizes it immediately. "But... But I'm..."

Veruni, she wants to say. The Blue Star has rejected her, and all her people. And yet...

And yet.

"...Zeikfried," she repeats, and the same doubts echo in her mind. The magic of the Silver Star and Blue Star, together. Can she even do it? Her eyes unfocus, look through and beyond Lanval, as if waiting for him to object. But he doesn't. Ragnell gives her respect. Kaguya looks at her, too. She doesn't 'heh', like she usually would. Until suddenly, Kaguya's green eyes come back into focus to pierce down upon the relic.

'Kaguya of the True Shot.' If she can do something... If Magilou believes she can do something. Magilou, in grief she's never seen. Let it end a horror.

"Because..."

Kaguya reaches out to the table. Her hand shakes for an instant, before she settles it on the relic.

"Because Filgaia is my home, too." Kaguya's fingers close and she picks up the legendary Zeikfried. She hefts it, points it towards a spot on the wall, tests its weight. She does not fire, does not even put her finger on the trigger. But she lifts it up, to point at the ceiling, away from everyone else, to look at it, regarding the solid construction, the silver inlays.

She looks to Zenrus, and nods, utterly serious. "I will. I swear it on my name."

What else? The Locus Solus? It is a museum now, not a home. It does not belong to her any longer. The planet itself? No, it does not belong to her alone. It would not accept her oath.

But her name is her own.

"I swear that I will end Heldalf's campaign or die in the trying."

Kaguya holsters the weapon at her side.

"...With rational science, yeah." Only Magilou really knows what that means. But that's enough, for now.

"Sounds like we need some supplies, then." 

<Pose Tracker>  Shige Kiwako has posed.

Shige Kiwako doesn't know how far removed Magilou's anger is, catching the tail end of it and falling silent while she goes. Focusing instead on trying to gather information by proxy while keeping an eye on Ruby, resisting the urge to scritch the flying feline distractedly.
 
 Any attempts at theft would be met with a mean glare from Shige to be fair to Rixia. Ears flat at the swing and a miss on reading. She taps her foot, sandled, not booted so no heavy thumps at least. "It's fine." she suggests, adjusting her grip since she's afraid to hang the heavy lantern from just a country bumpkin style sash. "I bet you can still help me out over here." Trying to sound easy going.
 
 There are some important details laid out, summoning Even Bigger Fish, dropping it on a guy and then shooting him so they can give him a shower. It's probably best she doesn't write her notes out, but it does help in her memory. Somehow.
 
 A look goes to Marivel, similar to the time in the swamp, but she doesn't comment straight away as she tries to compose herself. Smoothing her hair, forcing her ears back up, that sort of thing. She glances down at her side, thinking back on the stories. A lot of them do have a lot of similarities. Regrets, sorrow, sadness, even acceptance. She listens dutifully any time she can. "I bet you can help me out with some of the local... everything." she suggests to Rixia in a quieter voice. More serious, less in character.
 
 Rixia's last comment jerks her attention away though. First a look to Leo, then back to Rixia, who Shige would try to place a hand on her shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze. "Listen to the Poltergeist, he's got a good point." One she had been about to make, but had put it together too slow. "That alone proves that thought wrong." Referring to standing up to the dragon. "You helped me out there right?" Not that she herself is particularly important, but it's the little things.
 
 As for the plan, she'll do what she can to help out, but that mostly means getting a handle on what she can, should and will do over here. Especially if she can help with that corruptive force... somehow. She really hopes it's not post mortem. That part's important, but triage is triage. 

<Pose Tracker>  Marivel Armitage has posed.

"Mm," Marivel says, masking the hurt with flippancy. "Are you 'humanity', Hiro? There's only so much a handful of heroes can carry. Nobody intends to be a sacrifice. Many a burnt witch have made such proclamations. But ever close are you to it."

She stands up at that. "I best be going." Comforting Rixia is a bit beyond her right now. She feels a step out of time, each whisper too early, too late.

Shige looks at her. Marivel looks back. She keeps looking until her attention is torn back to Leo, then Rixia.

"I ought to go. Time is ever ticking. If there's naught else?" 

<Pose Tracker>  White Knight Leo has posed.

        Pearl asks Leo a very good question. The White Knight is silent for a few moments; time seems to stretch out, if only to make him squirm as he grapples with rationalizations. For a man who prefers the direct approach where possible, he is astoundingly good at twisting things to support his worldview. Lucia's nature--and the loyalty and virtue of her companions--put the first cracks in it.

        "Heldalf is the greater threat by far," Leo says. "The existence of /multiple/ Lord of Calamity is unprecedented, but these are strange times. So long as I lead, it's... my responsibility to see Heldalf brought to justice for his crimes."

        That was not an answer. It's probably as close as Pearl's going to get, for now.

        But Leo /can't/ stay unmoved, when Zenrus speaks. Why did Heldalf turn? Leo knows precious little: he knows he went to war, and that his family died when his home burned to the ground. His ears droop. A plan is taking shape, but it seems like they're /all/ stumbling in the dark, in some way. Even Magilou, who's coming at this from an angle Leo can't quite understand, is angry and afraid. "I'm sorry," Leo says, turning to Magilou. "I know he was dear to you. We'll save him, you have my word." Which is... a dissonant thing to say about a saint, but stranger things have happened. As Marivel turns to leave, Leo looks down at the table, downcast. "She never forgave herself," he says. 

<Pose Tracker>  Pearl has posed.

        The plan sits with Pearl, crossing her arms. So she and Leviathan would be key to the plan. "And it would be on ourselves to choose the right moment..." A shield or a spear, which would Leviathan be here? "Is this a technique we can test beforehand with a hellion, or is the power gap so large there would be no point?" Practice is a useful tool.

        Her eyes cut to Rixia- not so long ago she would have admonished the girl for weakness. But that was the Shadow Dragon Cultist. The woman slowly building shakes her head. "Your apology is unwarranted. There is no need to bear the guilt of the dead or soon to be so." After all, if this Michael lives, she suspects, he will not when Magilou gets her hands on him. Or perhaps he will wish he was.

       It's Kaguya that reminds Pearl who Leo's master was, and she is silent for a moment in thought as he answers. It's not an answer. But it tells her much. "...Leo." Her use of his name is rare- and a noted choice. "You have been betrayed far more than any good man deserves." She fears those betrayals are not at an end. "This is not a foe you should face as the White Knight, or as Commander of Althena's Guard." Her grey eyes look into his, a firmness in her voice. "This is a battle for Leo, the man who was betrayed by his master. No other mask you wear. If you cannot... this wound will only fester- and it will change the man you are." She breathes in, a fist clenched under the table. "Learn this lesson from one who has learned it herself, for your sake."

        Pearl breathes in. "It seems we have an accord. If this our only plan... let us be sure we do not fail." 

<Pose Tracker>  Talia has posed.

"It is something, no?" Talia says softly, as she sees Zeikfried laid on the table. She glances sideways -- seeing Rixia withdraw -- and she frowns a little. When Magilou shouted at her -- well, it didn't dig in too much. But for Rixia...

It's different. "Ah, Rixia... you shouldn't apolgize for this, no?"

She looks back at Magilou -- and she hesitates for a second. "Well... if he's gotten himself in trouble... then we need to go get him out, no?" she says. "That's what friends do, no?"

Zenrus hesitates a moment, before he nods. "Yes," he agrees. "Zaveid will recover. Though... he told me to be sure that Zeikfried goes to someone who can use it well. He said it's always been passed down. Maybe it's time again."

Talia glances at Hiro -- then she nods. "Mm. It sounds like, no?" she says. "And we'll have all of us there... to make sure it goes off. And to put a stop to him."

Tall order, she thinks.

"We'll have to hurry," Zenrus says, with a look to Ragnell. "For all of their sakes. I came once I knew." He may have had it confirmed first -- but that has more to do with the source. Then, he looks to Layna; he smiles at her, after qa moment. "I shall, then."

Zenrus looks to Pearl -- and he nods. "It is. I could not begin to hazard a guess... ah, but I think all of you are far greater warriors than I!"

Zenrus glances at Kaguya -- then nods. "Your oath is accepted," he says. "Fight well, all of you. Glenwood depends upon it. I shall leave you to your plans and prepations."

He stands up. "I ask only that... you bring Sorey, his retinue, and Maotelus to safety. We've all had too much loss, as it is. Farewell, in all you do--I shall help from afar, as I can."

There is a flash of light, and then the Seraph is gone.

ELYSIA

Zenrus reappears with a crackle of lightning, on the windswept hills of Elysia. The village of the Seraphim overlooks towering mountains -- and he stands there, looking out over them. He is not alone, though.

Ghaleon stands with him. The Dragonmaster has his arms folded behind his back. "Then... they'll go, Zenrus?"

"They will, Ghaleon," Zenrus says. "May it be enough to save Sorey. May our actions, all those years ago, have not doomed him."

"We've given him -- all of them -- a chance," Ghaleon says. "It's all that we can do." 

<Pose Tracker>  Rixia has posed.

        Rixia flinches again, as Magilou relents, still in her heated tone. There's a smidge of frustration, in part because she realises she's falling back on bad habits: of being severely conflict-avoidant, to wear blame immediately to keep important people from abandoning her.

        Magilou says that Maotelus is her /friend/, and... and that's important. That has a lot of meaning to her now, more than what he's done for Lunar, many years before she's born.

        Because she can't really think like Hiro -- Hiro's words of taking responsibility for their past sins is something so overwhelming and huge it feels alien to her; does that make her a bad person? she thinks to herself. She doesn't dwell on it. But he's also there for Magilou with his drink, and...

        Shige mentions how she could help out with the local... everything. She dwells on that for a moment, thinking of how she could pay it forward like how Talia once did for her... "I'll... do what I can."

        Pearl speaks of how there's no need to bear the guilt of the dead -- or soon to be so. Talia, too, tells her she shouldn't apologise. She wordlessly lowers her head. She wants to believe it...

        The weight of what's been placed on Kaguya isn't lost on her. Magilou mentions how it belongs to Zaveid, the man who was injured earlier; Ragnell mentions an Edna, and how she's still fighting, still putting up with everything.

        And then Lanval approaches her, which she doesn't expect. And he identifies, correctly, that she's overwhelmed. When he speaks of how it was scary for him... and how relevant it is that she lived -- and stayed herself! How all they can do is to be true to themselves. Squeezing just a bit of joy out of the little things in life.

        He says he's counting on her. Shige, too, urges her to listen to the Poltergeist, with a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

        "I..."

        That makes her look at Magilou again, of what she said in the battle with the Fell Dragon: just continue being you, even if that means being scared. Come on, come on... don't just stay someone who flinches and runs away at the first hurdle...

        Marivel steps out, but as Leo says they'll save him...

        She looks at Magilou again, face full of tears and nose full of snot and blubbering. "Y-you dummy, all you had to say was... your important friend was in trouble... and I would've... I would've come help! I'm not a Seer, or a great warrior or anything, but... but I'll help." Sniffle. Snort. "Because... what's important to you is-- is important to me too...!" 

<Pose Tracker>  Margaret has posed.

Tera Gram shifts to get out of her seat in a way that might suggest she's going to the bathroom, or perhaps to acquire illicit brew to take the edge off of this particular terror. But that's not where she's heading. Though her veiled face turns towards Magilou for a long moment, hearing that thin and plaintive wail, she instead approaches --

Rixia.

"Don't say that sort of thing," Tera Gram says, reaching up to give her shoulder a brief pat. "None of us were asked, and we're all making out the best we can. The only way you should stop being you is to become a better you, eh?"

Her head turns towards the door where Marivel is moving to leave. "Be careful," Tera Gram says. "There's perils enough and to spare."

Tera Gram exhales with some force. "I suppose it's an early night, then," she says, to no one in particular. (The goddess? Explicitly not) 

<Pose Tracker>  Magilou has posed.

        Magilou looks over, to Hiro, as he clonks a mug in front of her...

        ... and her fingers curl around it, bringing it up to her lips. Glug, glug, glug... "... thanks," she mutters, not quite looking at him as he backs away.

        (She really does sound a little touched, though.)

        She listens, as Zenrus finishes his explanations. "Once you knew... all right, old man. I'll apologise for... jumping to conclusions. We'll... we'll save them," she makes herself say, through her pessimism. "All of them." He disappears -- and she doesn't chase him.

        She's glad Lanval and Margaret are looking after Rixia, to note -- she's certainly not in a state to do it. (She was always a terrible mother.) She wouldn't fault Layna for blaming her, nor for letting it go; the two of them are of one mind, about this sort of thing, really. Well, it's a little embarrassing, hearing her excuse her for it, but...

        "Good," she affirms, to Kaguya, looking to her. "Do Zaveid proud. ... I'm sure you will."

        She looks to Ragnell, with a single, firm nod. "It will end," she agrees, and they know that they know, and Ragnell's with her. For all the both of them are unreliable at the best of times, Magilou knows she can count on Ragnell, about this. Even if it weren't so important to her... she's not the only one invested.

        Leo, too, swears his aid, and Magilou dips her head as she looks to him. "... thank you," she says, and more loudly, to the others: "Thank you. Maotelus is... very dear to me. I..."

        She trails off, for a moment, looking to Rixia, all blubbery and damp and wearing her emotions on her sleeve. Magilou does want to cry -- desperately. She's just forgotten how.

        Her voice tremors, a little, with the emotion suppressed in its lowered tones -- so MUCH emotion, denied and deferred and carved away, all flooding into the wound. "I need your help. I need your help, Rixia! Everyone...! Help me save him, not for the world, but -- but because I care!"

        Her fingers tighten, around her mug of spirits. "I care about Maotelus! I really, truly do!" Magilou cries out, honest with her /own/ feelings, for once in her life. "I don't want him to leave, like half of us have..!" And if only her eyes weren't dry. If only --

        Magilou takes a breath, and a gulp of something which would make Hiro faint.

        "... sorry," she mumbles, finally, into her mug. "I know there's a lot we've not told you, but... I'll... explain later, all right? I just... need a minute." Asking is difficult, but...

        Well, even Magilou can rely on people, sometimes. 

<Pose Tracker>  Shige Kiwako has posed.

Shige Kiwako pats Rixia and smiles faintly, "That's all I'm asking. Makes my work a lot easier when you're in a strange place and...-" she gestures with her lantern hand briefly, casting funny shadows briefly before shoving it back down to her side. "-All of this." She's mostly referring to the world, but there's a lot going on here that she doesn't have the insight a local might so... either or really.
 
A nod to Pearl at the mention of the dead, "Can't dwell on those thoughts. They drag you down. It becomes hard to escape that circle." She rocks back lightly on her heels and glances to the side, "Something for later though."
 
The outburst from both Rixia and Magilou gets... well not quite a smile, but in a way it's good that it's all out. At least as she sees it. "I'll do my best." Is the most she can offer there. She's not going to make promises on other's behalf, but she adds, "Just got to ask for help." That last part sounding more like a personal note to herself.

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