EVENT #15: THE NETHER - IC EVENT LOG

[abraxasmods]

Event #15 - The Nether

OOC event plotting | settings info

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After a Conclave vote earlier this month, you're prepared to accept the formal request from the Nether for your assistance. By now, you'll know who the delegates are and that the dragons have suffered an illness from the rifts that opened this summer, due to the unfortunate actions of one of your fellow Summoned. Whether or not you agree with your Conclave's majority rule, the decision has been made.

The expedition will begin on October 16 and last 10 days. If you need to return home sooner, you can activate your portal stone at any point during the trip, but there's no going back once you do.

Though mysterious, the Draconae - or daemons, as others call them - are not elusive like the Fey. Anyone who's been to Nocwich will have seen a handful of them amongst the population, and some reside in the Free Cities or the outskirts of Thorne. The only nation they aren't found in is Solvunn.

Into the Heart

Your arrival to the Nether is a frosty one. The northern island is barren, save for a thick layer of snow, a few birds, and some hardy insects. Massive skeletal remains can be seen as you walk over the ice. Every few minutes, the ground trembles. The Draconae warriors greet you at the base of the volcano, including Orion, The Warden herself. Though they appear intimidating, they're grateful you're here and will clap you heartily on the back.

Entering the Obsidian Heart requires nerves of steel, but appearances aside, the narrow walkway is sturdy. As long as you're brave, you'll make it down without a problem. The less sure-footed are encouraged to ask for a hand. If they do, they'll be assigned a Draconum warrior who will cheerfully carry them down the winding path. You can also help each other, of course! Any Summoned who are capable can carry their friends, too.

As you venture down, the oppressive heat intensifies...until suddenly it stops. The moment you reach the fiery gates, the smell of brimstone fades from the air and the temperature eases into that of a pleasant summer's day. If asked, the Draconae will tell you this is how it is - a blessing from the two remaining dragons. Without them, the air would suffocate all life within.

Although the main purpose is to aid the dragons, the Draconae will invite characters to take breaks, participate in recreational activities, and explore the Nether. They want their guests to be comfortable, especially as the Summoned have arrived to help.

Around the City

At the center of the volcano lies the Obsidian Heart, where the Draconae reside. Made of stacking homes and stone bridges that spiral downward, it's a wonder how anyone finds their way. There are no maps, signage, or any form of direction. Their ability to navigate appears inherent. The most dangerous beasts lurk beneath the lava, so unless you intend to go swimming, you're unlikely to run into anything aggressive.

Doors and furniture are heavy and are made of iron, bronze, or steel. You might need to push or pull furnishings and doors with both hands and extra effort. Luckily, citizens are happy to help - as long as you ask. If you don't, they won't interfere out of respect for your autonomy. In fact, if they see you huffing and puffing, they might stop to watch and will sincerely cheer for you should you accomplish your objective by yourself.

Watch your sticky fingers. While petty theft is a minor offence in other places, the Draconae are highly protective of their belongings and treasures. Hands and heads have been lost over stolen trinkets.

The Hieran Wing

As a guest, you'll be invited to stay at the Hieran Wing. Named after Hierus, the oldest living dragon, the Hieran Wing is located in the eastern section of the Citadel. The rest of the Citadel is under heavy guard and inaccessible.

◎ The rooms are carved into the stone itself. Bedding is comfortable, if simple, with room to store your belongings. A curved stairwell grants you privacy even though many rooms have curtains rather than doors. The few rooms that have doors contain no locks. Your safety is assured, but if you're nervous, you can ask for a guard to watch you at night.

◎ The dining area consists of open-fire grills, pots, and raw ingredients - including spices and fiery hot peppers. As great believers in self-sufficiency, the Draconae will leave you to make meals to your taste and liking. You can hunt and fish your meat, as well. There are numerous lava pools where one can net jumbo shrimp, crabs, and flaming fish. For larger game, you can go after the Erymaes Boar or Petran Bison. Feel free to share your catch with your friends or offer to cook for the culinarily challenged.

◎ The library contains only fiction. You'll recognize several titles from your faction or Nocwich, suggesting they've brought back their favorite stories to read. Other titles are new, written by the Draconae. Novels and poetry span all genres, but the most common ones seem to be adventure, horror, and erotic romance - some of which contain surprisingly detailed illustrations.

Magma Pools

Outside the Hieran Wing, unusual cerulean magma pools are provided for bathing. Despite how they look, temperatures are equivalent to that of a steaming hot spring. The magma bubbles naturally from within the volcano and provides soothing effects. No soap or cleaning agents are required. These magma pools contain tiny frogs that leap and jump around. The Draconae consider them a tasty live snack. Don't be surprised if you see a local munching on them.

The Foundry

The Foundry has expanded over the past two centuries. A marketplace now circles the ancient forge. Observing the tradespeople inside and their secrets are off-limits. However, you can browse a selection of tools, clothes, accessories, and potions. Healing potions are common due to the Draconae's lack of healing magic.

You'll have the chance to request custom-made jewelry and purchase glass ornaments that are blown for you on the spot. Merchants won't sell the large weapons on display, but daggers and other small weapons are available. They'll also modify any pieces you own by adding jewels, altering the fit, or repairing nicks and faults...for a price. The Draconae deal in Abraxan currency if you have any, but they'll accept a vial or two of blood or saliva as payment.

Negotiations & Meetings (Rank 5+)

The first order of business is to present your Conclave's terms to the Inner Sanctum, the Draconae's governing body. If you've been voted as a delegate, you'll be greeted by the NPC meeting you (and your partner, if you have one). If you haven't been selected, you can still speak to some of the NPCs available.

A Place at the Table

Negotiations will take place in The Solar on the second day, a hall lit with a fiery orb of light. This is where the Inner Sanctum conducts all of its business. Tightly guarded, you're the first outsiders allowed inside in centuries. Here, you'll have the chance to present your terms and convince the Draconae to accept. You'll also have the first day of your arrival to gather a few details about the NPC you'll be meeting.

Only one meeting is required. The Nether will give you their final answer the following day.

Be sure to reply with the terms before starting the thread. Mods will approve or ask for revisions, so try to submit your points by OCTOBER 17.

Once approved, please TAG IN with your character under the correct faction heading.

Meeting the Inner Sanctum

Members of the Inner Sanctum who are not involved in diplomatic affairs are Aster, The Guardian and Anneth, The Flame. Additional descriptions about the two NPCs and where they can be found will be in their character comments below.

Characters who are Rank 5+ (negative or positive) and who are not acting as delegates can speak with one of the two NPCs above.

To do so, TAG IN with your character under the NPC you want to meet.

Runaway at Pyritean's Rack

Abraxan outsiders will whisper that Pyritean's Rack is a nefarious torture device created by the Draconae for their victims. This is true if the victim in question is delicious meat. The Rack, in other words, is a giant cooking area filled with grilling racks and pits. Shelves of ingredients and spices line the perimeter. Its most striking feature is the primary heat source, which uses magma rather than fire. Ingredients and meat unique to the Nether result in dishes and flavors not found elsewhere. Hot peppers are a popular feature.

The Draconae cook and share their food each night at the Rack. The station is always occupied. Locals take turns hunting and fishing, preparing ingredients, and cooking. Consequently, food is provided without cost. You only need to lend a hand.

Not everything goes smoothly, though. An escaped hatchling has infiltrated the Rack, and Khloris, the baby dragon, is eager to snatch and steal food throughout the week.

Earning the Torch

Impromptu competitions are frequent. They usually begin when one cook sees another outdoing them and makes a challenge. You can either issue a challenge or receive a challenge. Challenges can be between you and the natives, or you can face off with another Summoned. Judging is done by the crowd, which can be chaotic.

Not to worry! There's no downside to losing except your pride. Though the competition can grow fierce and heated in the moment - including vulgar insults and much jeering - once all is said and done, there are no grudges when the food hits the table. Sore losers are looked down on as being thin-skinned.

Winners will receive a jar of spice mix or marinating sauce from one of the many talented cooks. We won't be modding this aspect, so just be realistic with your character's cooking skills. Be sure to work things out with your thread partner if the competition involves another player character!

Escaped Hatchling

One young dragon has escaped its sanctuary at Dragon's Glass. Curious, it's drawn to the smell of food at Pyritean's Rack. As a result, it's disrupting competitions, breaking equipment, and stealing ingredients or even chunks of meat off people's plates. Desperate to get the dragon back before it causes more trouble - or worse, injures itself - the Draconae have asked you to catch the hatchling.

Of course, you'll need to contend with the dragon's unique abilities.

Khloris, the runaway in question, leaves behind small patches of grass. Its pollen dust coats nearly everything it goes near. When eaten or touched, the pollen causes flowers to sprout in your hair for a day or two. It can't fly far or very high, but it's prone to swooping down to snatch meat off the grill. The Flame informs you the dragon can be lured with gold trinkets or bright colors like red and yellow.

To see if your character can catch the dragon, submit for a roll HERE. Submissions will close October 18 at 11:59 ET. Results will be posted on October 19 so players can account for their success or failure.

Ailing Dragons

The two ailing dragons are Hierus, the Obsidian Drake, and Kruos, the Glass Serpent. Mated to each other, they're the only remaining adult dragons in the Nether and have been for decades. When you visit them at Dragon's Glass, their condition is worrisome. The dragons' scales have lost their luster and are grown over with painful white patches. They appear lethargic.

Those researching can offer the dragons healing potions or ointment to aid their symptoms while a cure is worked on. If you're not much of a healer or a scientist, you can feed them or simply spend time with them. The dragons are intelligent and appear capable of understanding you, though they can't communicate directly.

Characters have 3 avenues of participation, depending on their interests and strengths: gathering ingredients, researching the cure, and looking after the baby dragons and eggs. They'll have time to do all three throughout the 10-day excursion.

Finding a Cure

At first, you aren't sure where or how to start. The Draconae suggest the Ashlands may be a place to explore. It's dangerous, they warn, but they have a potion that'll help keep you safe. Due to the hazards, you're told not to go alone. As you travel through the deadened land, you notice an odd phenomenon: where you walk, the air around you clears, and the ground beneath your feet springs to life. You realize you don't need the potion to protect you.

The changes are temporary, fading behind you as you walk. Curiously, the effect you exhibit is similar to what the Draconae claim their dragons are capable of - though to a much smaller degree. Still, you have to wonder if you and the dragons share a similar magical connection to the Singularity. You can't help but notice that those of you who regularly interact with the Horizon and have been doing so for a while seem to affect your environment more. Your aura may be a little larger and the vicinity restored around you lasts a bit longer rather than melting away immediately - maybe even up to a minute or two.

Restoration and Gathering

Your ability to restore the land has unlocked a vital element. Ingredients once thought lost can now be gathered by the Summoned such as yourself, and they may hold the key to curing the dragons. Bring back these ingredients to your peers waiting at Dragon's Glass. The more you gather, the more they'll be able to research and experiment, so don't be shy about making multiple trips.

There are three sections for you to explore. Each one has its dangers and a specific ingredient to collect.

Due to its circumstances, Aetherie is only available on Day 9 of the event, shortly before the cure is finalized. The Draconae will seal the area once more when they realize what's happening. Cinder's Core and Featherhive are open for the full duration of the event.

◎ Cinder's Core

Filled with petrified trees and fossilized bones, the area that restores around you demonstrates its previous life as a flourishing rainforest: the humidity grows, the grass turns lush, and tropical flowers sprout under your fingertips. Although its sulfuric air won't affect you, you'll need to brave dangerous heights to reach the tops of trees and dried-up waterfall cliffs to retrieve the kydros fruit. The fruit smells like citrus and is surprisingly light despite its size.

Vines brought back to life can help you climb, forming ropes for you to climb and bridges that weave beneath your feet. They'll wither once more behind you, so you'll want to move quickly to avoid losing your footing. Height isn't the only danger - the ground below is littered with sharp skeletal protrusions and jagged trees. Beware of dangerous thorn bushes that will come to life in your presence and try to crush you in their spiny embrace as you ascend.

◎ Featherhive

The air here is too toxic for the Draconae to breathe in for long. Luckily you're unaffected. Scattered across the ground are the remaining husks of birds' nests. A dragon's skeleton curls under a rocky overhang. Use your restorative ability to journey deep into Featherhive's heart. Pushing aside the thick overgrowth reveals a small clearing covered in bright crystals for you to harvest.

Although Featherhive poses no physical danger, the land is haunted by shadow birds, ethereal spirits connected to the dragons - and you. As you pass through, they flutter around you and parrot familiar lines to each other. Their movements are jerky and strange. Quickly, you realize the birds are mimicking your memories. They might replicate an entire scene or echo a phrase or two that's plagued you all your life. Or, if you're lucky, they're merely repeating your grocery list. Shooing them will cause them to dissipate into smoke, but they'll soon return.

◎ Aetherie

The loss of a dragon released a noxious gas through this village without warning. Escaping villagers were forced to leave behind those they could not save and seal the doors. The Oblivion is a painful moment in history for many, and none have set foot near the area since. Near the end of your stay, the Draconae request you use your ability to venture where they can't and gather Anoix pods, powerful healing seeds from a plant that only grew in Aetherie. They believe the abandoned huts will contain pouches of the pods on shelves and cabinets.

Entering the village, you expect a tragic scene of corpses. Instead, you find something far worse. The dead have mutated into grotesque arachnids, limbs fused to bulbous abdomens. They show no signs of recognition or awareness and attack you on sight. Hidden in the depths of the purple haze, rat-sized spiders scurry forth. Their venom causes painful sores that will fester and spread if left untreated. Multiple bites may result in temporary blindness or paralysis of a limb. Luckily, this will clear up within 24 hours to a few days, depending on the severity.

Grab the pods if you can or flee if you're overwhelmed. When word reaches The Warden, she'll rapidly send her people to reseal the abandoned village and come to aid any who need it. If you're injured, The Flame and her apprentices will tend to you at Dragon's Glass.

Research and Magic

Dragon's Glass is a glass-domed temple said to be forged from the fires of Kruos. It's located in the Spiral, which is outside the Obsidian Heart. Here, the two remaining dragons reside while ill, along with their clutch of eggs and a few precious hatchlings.

Anneth, The Flame, will invite you into the temple's alchemy labs, where you can apply your skills and knowledge to create the healing elixir that cures the dragons. Doing so requires you to experiment with key ingredients found in the Ashlands. You'll have access to basic alchemy books and apprentices at the temple. Use any additional tools, supplies, and knowledge you possess, and take advantage of the resources donated by the factions.

How you approach your research is up to you, but each ingredient comes with a set of risks - so be careful while you work!

◎ The kydros fruit contains seeds that will explode when heated, causing a chain reaction like popped popcorn. The explosions aren't large, but they might scorch your supplies. Crushing them in the open air results in a similar chemical reaction. However, soaking them in water makes them soften into mush, allowing you to turn the seeds into a paste that could be useful. The fruit is similar to grapefruit and is excellent for a sore throat.

◎ The crystals come in three colors: red, blue, and black. Extended contact will dye your skin that color. The stains are extraordinarily stubborn, so your clothes may not recover. These crystals resonate with a strange hum that suggests they respond well to magic spells. Combining them with a liquid will give off a foul-smelling smoke, so you may need to find ways to neutralize the stench before combining it into an elixir.

◎ The Anoix pods must be used sparingly, as no more can be gathered from Aetherie. They possess strong healing properties, but each pod is very delicate and must be split open with care so as not to damage the soft seeds inside. In addition to researching the cure, you can also attempt to help the Dracaone grow new Anoix plants using the preserved seeds.

The final cure will use all 3 key ingredients. Don't worry too much about continuity! As long as your character participated, you can assume they made a valuable contribution.

However, to assist with coordination, we've provided a RESEARCH DISCOVERY section where you can present any findings your character would share with others in-game.

Hatchlings and Eggs

While curing the adult dragons is a priority, the hatchlings and eggs aren't to be neglected. Baby dragons are active troublemakers, and without their parents to keep them in line, they've become especially unruly. The apprentices at the temple can only do so much. The Keeper has even made rare appearances in Dragon's Glass to lend his assistance.

Meanwhile, the eggs are beginning to show signs of affliction. The shells are beginning to weaken, and the feathery growths appearing on them will suffocate the hatchling inside if left untreated.

Babysitting the Dragons

If you have a spare moment, you can look after the baby dragons. Keep them out of trouble by reading their favorite stories, singing songs, and playing with them. They'll also need to be fed, watered, and their bedding changed or fluffed. The hatchlings are mischievous but friendly. They're eager to bond with the Summoned for reasons unexplained, as if they feel something resonating within you.

Many are attracted to shiny objects and bright colors and will attempt to steal them. Conversely, they might gift you a trinket that they've pilfered from someone else. The local Draconae would appreciate it if you returned any missing tools or jewels.

Hatchlings you'll encounter in Dragon's Glass are:

◎ Okenus spouts water instead of flame. Bearing fins instead of wings, this sea dragon is vital to bringing lakes and rivers back to the Nether. Currently, it can only make tiny puddles and rainclouds. Watch that your belongings don't get wet. Standing near the dragon might cause a small storm cloud to spawn over you and rain down on your head. A simple spell will make the cloud disappear, but if you don't have any magic, you might have to bring an umbrella.

◎ Epeius can form miniature gusts of wind beneath its wings, but it doesn't have firm control and frequently spawns them when excited. These small dust devils and whirlwinds will follow you around. Though they aren't powerful, they can be a nuisance, knocking over cups, blowing away hats, and sending papers flying. The other hatchlings will find your misfortune a source of amusement.

◎ Ledas can help salt deposits form in the shape of large salt crystals. Salt is important to the Draconae, which the hatchling is aware of and thus takes great pride in its abilities. The crystals can be eaten as is or crushed into granules. Ledas will strive to impress you with the largest crystals that it can make...which occasionally results in the structure collapsing, littering the ground with salt. You might find yourself sweeping often around this dragon, but at least you'll never be short on seasoning.

◎ Anthusa is a very special hatchling that creates bioluminescent algae. The algae grow on its scales, forming a symbiotic relationship. Unfortunately, without a proper habitat for this algae in the Nether, its glow has dimmed in recent years and the hatchling has become languid and sickly despite its youth. Nonetheless, Anthusa is friendly and curious even if it struggles to keep up with its siblings. You can help Anthusa play by lifting it to heights it can't reach, and carrying it back when the dragon is too tired to walk.

Weakened Eggs

As noted, the eggs demonstrate signs of suffering, too. Three eggs are waiting to be hatched. Whether all of the eggs survive is dependent on the decision that each faction Conclave made regarding resources found, as well as the help provided by you and your fellow Summoned.

The eggs can't be cured until the dragons are cured, but you can help slow the growths by gently scraping them off and wiping the eggs regularly with a clean cloth. They must also be kept heated, so check the magma frequently and refill any magma basins. The growths can be donated to those researching for additional study if you wish.

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Comments

[techmaturgy]

[Viktor seems unbothered by the noises he's making, his attention fully on the greenery beneath them, though he briefly clocks Kyle's expression in the process. He finds himself involuntarily thinking about Kyle's various warnings--they can't be getting something from nothing, even in this.

But if they have the power to heal the land and the dragons too, then he's going to seize it.]

They were right to invite us here, then.

[Did they know? Or was it merely a suspicion? Viktor works quickly, placing his delicate samples into an equally delicate glass vial. Engrossed as he is, however, the flash of movement in his periphery doesn't go unnoticed.]

What was that?

if you wanna do anything with viktor first for the bad birds go for it

[ushiri]

[ He makes a wordless sound of agreement, distracted. Kahlil doesn't trust the Draconae as wholly as some of the others do. But if the dragons are connected to the Singularity in some way - as the Draconae claim, then maybe they have some common ground... ]

Just some birds. [ he answers quietly, his tone flat. Despite that, from his belt he pulls out a knife, the metal blade coated in some kind of dark substance that keeps it from catching and reflecting light. ]

I hear someone. [ Not from the strange birds staring down ominously from the tree, but just beyond. Very human sounding chatter. He relaxes very slightly. Who else could be talking out here except other Summoned? ]

this took me waaay too long but, you know, vague gestures

[techmaturgy]

[Convinced as he is that the factions' meddling with the Singularity has caused all this, he feels at least partially responsible for making it right, if he can. The various governments certainly aren't going to, and it seems like the Draconae don't even want them here anyway. Viktor prefers this--he woudl rather solve the problem himself, rather than rely on the government, or, at worst, deal with their interference.

But there's a more immediate problem. The birds are unsettling, as is the small motion that signals the drawing of a knife. Viktor's gaze passes briefly over it, and he has the uncharitable thought that perhaps it's still unwise, to be alone with Kyle. All of that, however, vanishes in an instant when he keeps walking forward and actually listens to the voices.

--the hell's your problem? What's that? Another list with my name on it--]

There's no one here.

[He already knows it's impossible, even unable to locate the source of the conversation, and even before his own unmistakable accent provides the answer (Actually, yes. But only because you signed your notes). The conversation is innocuous enough for an observer, perhaps, but Viktor knows it, and everything that happened that night, by heart. He's sure he can't hide the recognition on his face.]

It's not real.

[ushiri]

[ Does he not hear the sounds of an argument? Kahlil shoots Viktor an odd, uncertain look. The first voice is not one he recognizes. He had never spoken in person with the man is belongs to.

The second voice, though, sounds as if Viktor himself is throwing his own voice to speak. But his lips are not moving and there is a strange look on his face. Kahlil frowns to himself with a wary glance in the direction of the voices, then scoops up a rock - hurling it through the brush in the direction of the voices. It earns an angry squawking from within the feathery branches, and the flapping of wings again. ]

Go bring your samples back to the city, Viktor. [ He turns to look at him over his shoulder, sheathing his blade again. His face has shifted - on his own command this time. The scar across his mouth is visible, as well as the Prayerscar tattoos. ]

I will find the crystals.

[ They've not walked too deep into this place that he's too worried about Viktor making it back. ]

[techmaturgy]

[The sound of the rock and the scattering of birds jolts Viktor back to the present, and the voices silence in turn with the rustle of feathers. He peers into the branches, trying to get a better look at the creatures, but he isn't afforded a real opportunity before Kyle tells him to go. His reaction is reflex, more than anything.]

What? No. Why?

[There are, of course, many reasons to be alarmed by what just happened, up to and including some apparently supernatural power tapping into his memories and projecting them via remembered conversations. Kyle changing his countenance too, is alarming, like it signals some sort of danger--but none of that matters as much as being told he can't do something.

That is intolerable, even if he knows the sensible thing is to listen, but Viktor is also spurred on by the fact that he knows Kyle's ulterior motives, now. It doesn't make him particularly charitable, even with the threat of having his memories on display (figuratively speaking).]

I'm not afraid of...whatever this is.

[ushiri]

[ In his own world - and Nayeshi, the Prayerscars would protect him from the mental prying of witches. Here, he cannot be sure it will work the same, but it's better than nothing.

Of course, Viktor does not agree to turn around and go back. Kahlil, for his part, seems to take the pushback in stride and just continues walking. ]

No? I am. [ He pulls a face. He can't escape birds, shadow-kind or real, and their ill tidings. And stupid rumors.

But more honestly, if these creatures are mimicking voices, theirs and others - Kahlil has plenty to worry about right now. What Viktor had seen in his domain was hardly the worst of it. ]

Why were you arguing? [ With the accent-less man. ]

[techmaturgy]

[Perhaps one meeting ago Viktor would be more sympathetic to the possibility of Kyle's past aired to the both of them, but he's not feeling particularly charitable. At the very least, he doesn't want Kyle to avoid him again, not when there's still plenty to talk about. He hasn't even begun to address their last conversation, distracted as they are.]

Maybe their focus is elsewhere, for the moment. [Read: on him. He has nothing to hide, not where this particular conversation from his past is concerned, so although it's obviously distressing, he can bear it. The breach of privacy hasn't yet overridden his desire to collect the samples.] Throw another rock.

[Viktor stomps off after him, determined not to be left behind. The birds re-configure, and the memory continues.]

I had him arrested the day before. He wasn't happy to see me.

[ushiri]

[ With that pointed out, he is not going to throw another rock. He does slow down a bit to let Viktor catch up, though. ]

Your partner? [ He glances over with a raised eyebrow. ] This is how you met, then?

[ Viktor sounds relatively the same, it's difficult to gauge how long ago this might've occurred. ]

[techmaturgy]

[The lack of rock-throwing does not go unnoticed. Viktor almost decides to do it himself, if it means disrupting the birds and perhaps shifting their attentions. That is, however, an amount of work he's not inclined to do, when the crystals are his prority.

(And, perhaps, it's nice to hear Jayce's voice again. In a way.)

He's silent, briefly, as if he's debating whether or not to answer. It allows the birds a moment to progress.]

It was our first real conversation. [Jayce was known to Viktor at the Academy, but the reverse wasn't true. And he hardly counts their technical first meeting, the one that ended in the aforementioned arrest.] I was there to help him.

[Even if he didn't realize it, right away.]

[ushiri]

[ Despite the casual way he's behaving, Kahlil isn't actually oblivious to how awkward this conversation must be, and how Viktor owes him no answers to any of these personal questions. He only thinks it would be more awkward to ignore what's happening around them.

When you're going to change the world, don't ask for permission. He waits for a break in the echoed conversation to speak again. ]

He sounds very passionate. You both did, unsurprisingly. [ Two men planning to do the impossible. In spite of it starting with an arrest, they are lucky to have found each other. And that his partner was so willing to forgive.

Kahlil catches sight of another bird as it hops along a branch, staring down at them. Rather than reaching for a rock, he simply extends his thumb from his forefinger, opening a small tear into the Gray Space inside the bird's shadow body. Sliced in half, its outline seems to shiver and it briefly vanishes. ]

[techmaturgy]

[There's an anticipatory silence, as if Viktor expects the conversation to start again, like playback, or maybe that the birds will choose something else.]

That was a long time ago. [Not really, in the scheme of things--just shy of a decade, but at this point it all feels like it might as well have happened to someone else. He is, in many ways, a different person now. Jaded by politics, the trajectory of their technology, his illness, of this place and the things it took from him. He sounds tired, and sad.

Viktor doesn't catch why Kyle is about to do until he's already done it, the bird dissolving into shadow like it's been sliced by an invisible blade. He watches for a moment, considering.]

What are you afraid of hearing?

[ushiri]

[ He feels the weight in Viktor's words. They can't be far in age from each other, and Kahlil too well understands what it's like to feel like someone else compared to the man he was a decade ago. Changed and worn down. He doubts Viktor would appreciate the comparison right now, though.

Too many things, he thinks to answer Viktor's question. But before he can, the bird flickers back into existence, joined by another on the branches.

"I'm telling you the truth -" It's Kahlil's voice. Not from a decade ago, only a year in the past. Not long before he arrived in Abraxas.

"I could kill you for this," another man's voice grinds out. John. Jath'ibaye. "I should."

Kahlil motions with his hand and the bird dissipates again, only to be replaced immediately by another. He looks as though he's been slapped in the face for a moment before he wrestles his expression into something hard and cold.

"But I'm not who-"
"Of course you're not!" ]

[techmaturgy]

[He knows it's not his question to ask, but the birds answer anyway. Despite the fact that now they're both enduring a breach of privacy, Viktor can't help but think of the scant things Kyle told him of before he cut their last conversation short--not that Viktor didn't deserve it.

He'd left Kyle with the assertion that humans have a great capacity for forgiveness. Hearing that second voice, however, gives him an idea of why Kyle couldn't believe that to be true, at least not insofar as this man is concerned.]

Is that--

[It occurs to him that he doesn't know who this man is to Kyle, not really. A step forward and a raised hand to stop him from doing something rash becomes an aborted gesture when Kyle destroys another one of the birds only to have them continue. Viktor isn't sure what he can do or say, given what he thinks this is.]

This was the last time you saw him.

[ushiri]

[ Kahlil sees the beginning of that aborted motion in the corner of his eye and reflexively side steps away from Viktor. He swallows, then clenches his jaw and shakes his head. ]

No. I saw him once more after this, but there wasn't any time to speak. [ Kahlil had watched him from afar, as he'd down for so many years before. And then he stepped out from the Gray Space, taking what was meant to be a killing blow aimed for John. ]

He thought I was a convincing fake of the man he lost two decades ago. [ Kahlil looks down at the back of his hand, the Prayerscars etched into his skin. ] He wasn't entirely wrong.

[ His shoulders slump slightly, and he glances reluctantly at Viktor. The birds on their branches have gone eerily quiet, an audience instead of actors. ]

I told you, the last time I traveled across the White Space it was chasing after him, and that was when everything went wrong. [ When he jumped not only space but time, lost decades, lost half his mind, gained a foreign set of memories. ] My church first sent me through the Gate to find him when the Oracles saw him in their visions. He is... a part of my god born again in flesh. His destroyer incarnation. [ The two statues at his temple: Parfir and the Rifter. He makes a face. This part he believes Viktor will think is ridiculous. Anything to do with gods. ]

I know you don't understand this - I would've died to protect him, but I was prepared for the day when I would receive the order to kill him. I would have had to do it. And then he found his way to my world before I could - [ his expression turns sullen again ] He must have... somehow gone backwards in time, while I was flung forward. And sometime in between his power nearly tore the world in half.

[ Nearly. But, he hadn't. ]

[techmaturgy]

[This is why Viktor can't really bring himself to be angry. Disappointed, maybe, that they're so philosophically diverged, but there is real pain in Kyle's explanation of all this, and it's something he understands. He wishes he didn't.

Whether or not Viktor believes in gods is beside the point. In Kyle's world, it might as well be real, and it isn't his place to tell him how his own universe works. But he does make note of the word nearly. For all of Kyle's duty--for all he postures about his religion and the Oracles and what he had to do--Viktor is not quite sure that his real fears came to pass.

He'd made some sort of choice, in the end, unbound by what he though the had to do, for the sake of the world. The scar is proof enough of that. He's not sure what he can say, really. Part of him feels that Kyle has kept this in for a very long time, and maybe just needs someone to hear it.]

I know what you think you had to do. [Or, he thinks he can put most of the puzzle pieces together.] It isn't wrong, to want something else.

[ushiri]

I don't know what I want.

[ His admission is toneless, and not entirely true. Some of this he has needed to say aloud for quite some time. Some of it, he's not ready to hear himself. It'd be like tearing down the dam holding back the flood. He doesn't know what would happen to him if he let himself remember everything, an entire life that isn't his own.

He looks away again, fixing on the place where the birds had last been watching. All of them are gone. ]

Have you been in contact with Wanda?

[ He knows, by her own admission, that she is hoping to do the same as Viktor - she had promised to speak with him when Kahlil admitted his concerns some months ago.

Unlike with Viktor, he trusts that she understands the damage that their attempt might cause if it goes wrong. And he clings to that, because the alternative is not one he wants to consider.

He didn't know Viktor very well when he first decided he might have to kill him. And now, there's only regret and uncertainty. ]

[techmaturgy]

[This is not something that Viktor can answer for Kyle, and he's not even sure he's the best person to receive this information. Even if the birds hadn't made that decision for him, he recognizes there was no real need for Kyle to explain in such detail. It does not surprise him, then, that he shifts the conversation as soon as the birds lose interest.]

I have been, yes.

[There's an undercurrent of suspicion in his voice and a flicker of betrayal on his face, because to his knowledge, Wanda only learned of Viktor's intentions from Steve. His eyes narrow, like he's putting the pieces together--that the two of them must have been talking about him, and his plans.

Wanda is a valuable ally in this endeavor. But if she, like Kyle, is only humoring him, then he will have no compunctions striking out on his own. If she, too, wants to stop him, then she's welcome to try.]

My plans haven't changed.

[ushiri]

[ He is getting very used to seeing both in Viktor's expression. But, he shakes his head, almost dismissively. ]

I didn't expect them to.

[ Not from talking with Wanda. He doesn't expect anyone could change Viktor's mind, except maybe the man whose disappearance started all of this. But, then, maybe this is another way that he and Viktor are different.

He frowns again, forcing himself to make eye contact. ]

I'm sorry, Viktor.

[ It's an all-encompassing thing. ]

[techmaturgy]

[Viktor is fully self-aware about his own stubbornness, which is both a response to and furthered by the universe telling him over and over that he can't. He can't surpass his physical limitations. He can't pull himself out of Zaun. He can't overcome his illness. He can't leave a lasting legacy with his technology. He can't have Jayce. Viktor refuses it all.

But he can, at least, recognize this particular impasse when it rears its head again. He's not certain what Kyle is apologizing for perhaps for his disingenuousness, or a preemptive apology, an assertion that if Viktor continues his work, Kyle will try to stop him. He supposes it doesn't matter, and decides that he should take the opportunity to do what he came here for. Now that the distraction of the birds has gone, the crystals are easy enough to see.]

I like you, Kyle. I mean that.

[That sounds exceedingly foolish the minute it leaves his mouth, so he tries to concentrate on collecting samples from the nearest cluster.]

I thought we might have been friends.

wrap soon?

[ushiri]

[ Oh. He seems surprised, and a little sad again. Kahlil nods again, turning his back to Viktor so that he can at least start to act like he intends to look for crystals as well. ]

I still want you to be right.

[ That this can be done without great cost. Without risk to this world and others. And to Viktor himself.

His fear has always been because of Viktor's resolve and his abilities combined. At least with Wanda he won't be alone in it. ]

[techmaturgy]

If I am, I could help you see him again.

[He would keep that promise, to all of them. But it sounds more like a temptation than anything else, especially because after listening to that conversation, Viktor isn't sure Kyle wants to be reunited. He thinks he might like to hear more about this person either way, though he isn't quite sure how to ask.

The metal contraption he wears creaks again as he stoops to collect his first sample. A welcome distraction--without it, he would be peering over his shoulder, trying to further gauge Kyle's reaction.]

But if you still think I need to be stopped, then. You are welcome to try.

[A warning, perhaps, not that Viktor has it in him to retaliate against a hypothetical assassination attempt. What he doesn't say is that if the cost is too great--if he crosses some kind of line--then Kyle won't have to put an end to it. He'll do it himself.]

[ushiri]

[ It's good Viktor is distracted by the ground, otherwise he might catch Kahlil's hollow expression before he turns away, pretending to fix his attention on dirt again. His voice goes flat: ]

Manipulation doesn't suit you.

[ The offer's a cruel and confusing one, even if it's not entirely a surprise. Viktor truly believes they'll all benefit from this.

He doesn't respond to the second statement. He takes it as arrogant confidence and shrugs it off, stepping farther away from Viktor and his creaking braces. Not so far that he can no longer keep an eye on him, but enough that talking more would involve raising their voices. ]

[techmaturgy]

[Viktor feels immediately insulted, even if he knows he doesn't really have the right to. The proposal, however, had been genuine--for Kyle to think that it's some kind of ploy on his part to win him over hurts more than he thought it might. It's almost enough to spit back an answer, but when he looks over his shoulder to reply, Kyle is already some distance away.

He decides not to say anything. It's easier, as always, to get back to work.]