Porcelain Child/SessionThirtyEight

[09:50] <onine> -------------------- [09:53] <onine> The red disk of the sun disappears behind the Imperial mountain and the great monuments dark shadow creeps over the Snapdragon as if some sign as to the state of the beings inside. The orange sky begins to slowly fade into the dull reds, pinks and purples of the twilight. The blood red tint to the land lingers, shadows and light melding making the form and shape of the land blotted and [09:53] <onine> difficult to make out. [09:54] <onine> The lights of the imperial city a few short miles to the south glitter amber in the red sky, the buildings barely a darkened red against the haze of the sky. [09:55] <onine> Tany watched the badly listing skyship as it slowly began to right itself and float into a soft landing in the waters of the Scarlet River. The red glow of the dying day shone off the silken sash that swam around him in the evening breeze. The whole land seemed stained with blood, rivers of dark crimson as if spilled over the land from a great being. [09:56] <onine> He sat uneasily on the ridge near the city with his arms folded across his chest tightly, his brow furrowed in concern. The dark robed man that stood beside him warranted concern equal to the situation on the Snapdragon. His cloaks billowed out as the wind rushed unobstructed and cold over the rise. [09:57] <onine> "I did not give you a great deal of time, were you able to instruct her much in your methods?" The man asked quietly, his deep voice only a whisper above the roaring winter wind. [09:59] <onine> "She is a fast learner, faster than any I have seen. She condensed months of immaculate indoctrination into just a few short weeks." Tany replied "That being said, she will likely meet her end in there. Diamandus is a Realm hero. He has killed Anathema before." [09:59] <onine> He could still remember the hours he spent with the woman, as the two simply stared eachother down facing eachother in the small dojo. He had won of course through his tremendous discipline, but only by a hair that he would never admit... [10:00] <onine> "You must learn to have faith young Immaculate." The man said simply in response, he seemed largely unconcerned. To him things were always as elementary as the whims of a cat or the paintstrokes of a bored artist's fanciful art piece. [10:00] <onine> After a time in silence Tany spoke again. "It would have been sinpler for me to do it." [10:01] <onine> "This has a better effect." The man said. "And it focusses the Archons in the wrong direction, and thus brings them into our fold." [10:01] <onine> Tany's sigh was at once a growl. Juno did not know of his ally's dangerous liason, though the effects were to everyone's benefit. The man paused a moment before speaking again. [10:01] <onine> "I have taken your words into consideration however" He said and turned back to the skyship in the distance. "Kirikuchi." [10:02] <onine> A chirp sounded, dimly and echoing strangely from the air. [10:02] <onine> "Watch. Act only if necessary." The man ordered, and the voice chirped again in response and nothing more than a flicker of wind in the gale betrayed its passing. [10:03] <onine> The man in grey sighed in mild satisfaction. "Remember young immaculate, that if she grows too strong, you will have to deal with her - watch her training with utmost scrutiny." the man warned. [10:03] <onine> Tany just watched, and the silken shawl licked around his neck threateningly. [10:04] <onine> Tany continued to watch as the other man disappeared down the slope of the hill to walk back to the imperial city. [10:06] <onine> Deep within the floating arena that the Snapdragon had become, Diamandus clutched his great Gormaul closer as the anathema landed lightly on one of the large transport boxes. The grabbing vines of Anona's spell wrap around bulkheads voraciously and pull at any handhold they can grip. The ship shudders as the hold is constricted from within. [10:07] <onine> His anima swirls around him, a maze of shaping and reshaping geometric crystals of the purest white, like diamonds and quartz. It screams as the magical particles scrape across the surrpoundings of the hold, scouring labels off boxes and whipping dust up into its flow. [10:08] <onine> The anathema's golden anima swirls silently, like a void despite its power. Goldent cloth washes around her, forming into the shapes of fleeting doves and feathers then snapping back into fabric just as simply. Both combatants breath heavily from their efforts, a battle of life and death. [10:08] <onine> Diamandus wipes a trickle of blood from his lips and eyes both the anathema and Anona's spell with equal caution. [10:09] <onine> "You have the demon's own luck girl, but you cannot possibly win against all of us." He growls. The young woman's eyes dart around the hold hunting for the caster of the spell. [10:10] <Magpie> "That means you'll LOSE," Magpie adds, just in case the Anathema can't put three and one together. [10:12] * Aliasi uncharacteristically stays quiet, hoping to be... well, not unnoticed, but /less/ noticed, to provide another opening. [10:13] *** Aliasi is now known as Anona [10:14] <Magpie> In the pause, as the woman's eyes hunt hawk-like and Diamandus gets his breath, the girl asks curiously "Why do you like killing airships? What did all these people ever do to you?" [10:15] <onine> "What did they ever do to ME?!" She glares at you bitterly. "Don't you listen to your Immaculate Philosophy girl?" [10:15] <onine> There is a strange fluttering behind Anona, and a small breeze brushes her hair around like a lover's caress. [10:16] <Magpie> "No," Magpie admits. "There are dragons, right? And they're good?" [10:20] <Magpie> "And anyway," she adds after a pause, "I don't see what Immaculates have to do with killing a whole BOAT full of people, except that Immaculates are stupid and �you're� stupid TOO!" Magpie is a little breathless after that, and she glares at the demonwoman. [10:22] <onine> "Hrmph. Yes, yes there are dragons, and there are dragonbloods. And there are Solars - Solars which were *murdered* by the dragonbloods. And whether we are stupid or not you can put this ship's people at the feet of the dragonbloods' own persecutions of *us*. Is that not so, Magistrate?"" [10:23] <Magpie> "�You� killed them!" Magpie gasps, astonished. "That means it's �your� fault! That ...that's basic!" [10:23] <onine> "I am not here for a debate of philosophy, you attacked us and we have responded in kind." The magistrate growls. "Magpie, get out of here now." [10:24] * Magpie doesn't seem to have heard the order. She's still staring at the Anathema who had� lied �about being a horrible monster. [10:25] <onine> "We protected this world once little girl - and we'll be its protectors again. The world is what it is after thousands of years of dragonblooded rule, not the Solars." The anathema stands straight and the weapons wreathes her hands and solidifies in the shape of the Water Dragon Claws once more. [10:26] <onine> "Magpie!" The magistrate hisses angrilly at you, his voice is tinted also with...fear? [10:26] <onine> Meanwhile in the hall. [10:26] <onine> "Salutations." A light voice says from behind Anona. [10:28] * Anona spins around, ready for whatever may come. [10:29] <onine> Sitting about head height in one of the fallen pipes no more than two feet away from you is a small creature. Your eyes grow accustomed to the hall's darkness and you recognise the creature that spoke. It's the same small blue hawk with the long paired peacock tails - only now it appears material. [10:30] <onine> It's yellow crest raises as it looks at you. From the look of the hall it flew through one of the stress fractures from the upper decks. [10:30] * Anona hisses in a whisper, hoping the Anathema's ears aren't quite as sharp as the legends. "What do YOU want?" [10:32] <onine> "Well, two things, firstly to apologise, and secondly..." The little bird chirps, and it is nothing more than a chirp, but the sound smashes into you with the full strength of a tidal wave on the open sea. [10:38] <onine> The attack rams you into the bulkhead like a ragdoll, and the solid breastplate makes you bounce and stumble into the ship's hold dazed and disoriented. There is the vague sound of the bird flying away, but that is swiftly drowned out by a tremendous ringing in your ears. [10:40] <onine> The magistrate turns in surprise and concern. "Anona-!" But he catches the anathema move out of the corner of his eye and the gormaul is swinging instantly, trailing sparks and crystal fragments which shatter on the far bulkhead. [10:41] <Anona> "urrrr..." Anona allows herself to groan a bit from the pain, though it's more theatrical than really harmful. [10:42] <onine> The goremaul smashes sideways into the shipping box, shattering wood into a rain of jagged splinters. The anathema topples into the 'wounded' box and lands on her back in the next of shattered beams and planks with a cry. The magistrate immediately pulls the remaining force of the gormaul into a tremendous backswing for an overhead strike with enough force to shatter steel - let alone bone. [10:44] <onine> The glowing green vines that are pulling inexorably at the bulkheads lash out at the movement, the sinewy green tendrils wrapping around the head of his gormaul. With a roar he breaks it free of the grasping attackers, ripping a portion of the magical tendrils out of their strange rooting on the deck, but precious seconds are lost. [10:46] <onine> Seconds that the anathema takes to explode out of the wooden burial mound in a spray of wood, and in the blink of an eye there is a flash and she alone is on the other side of the magistrate, crouched low and gasping for breath, her blade wreathed hands still held out behind her like the wings of a harrier in a dive. [10:46] <Magpie> "Diamandus!" [10:47] * Anona shakily gets to her feet, trying to shake it off, but her vision still blurs. [10:48] <onine> Her anima seems to wait above the shredded box for a few moments before flowing in her wake through the Magistrate like water rushing down a dry creekbed. It swirls into a horizontal tornado, spiraling through the dragonblood before crashing to rest chaotically around the anathema. [10:49] * Magpie calls her knife to hand, and her hands flutter at ther sides as she looks for an opportunity to use it. [10:50] <onine> The magistrate's great jade mace slips from his hands and smashes loudly into the deck. [10:51] * Magpie shrieks. She runs toward him, throwing the little knife at the Anathema uselessly. [10:52] <onine> The big man sinks slowly to his knees, clutching a great paw to his chest as a small river of blood begins to run from the corners of his lips. [10:53] <Anona> "uhh... what?" Anona's head may be a bit foggy, but she sees the magistrate's fall just fine. "NO!"... and the air around her ignites. [10:54] <Magpie> "Diamandus!" Magpie flings herself into a crouch beside him, heedless of the deadly anima that cloaked him. She puts a hand on his shoulder. "What did you DO to him-" She yells, terror in her eyes and voice... [10:55] <onine> "M...Magpie...." He grunts. "I told you to run...she's far to strong. You always were foolish." He grins through the pain and tossles Magpies hair. [10:56] <Magpie> "Yengo!" Magpie screams. "YENGO! Get Yengo, he's a doctor..." Tears are beginning to blur her vision. "Get him!" she shrieks again. She's not sure who to. [10:57] <onine> "No! No Magpie, it's... it's too late..." He calms her. "I need you to...to perform a mission for me, it's very important. Can you do it, Archon?" [10:59] * Magpie stares at him, stricken. Her eyes are wide, two horrified circles. Her breathing is coming fast, and her heart feels like a racing gazelle in her chest. But he had called her an Archon.She nods, mouth open, tears falling. [10:59] <onine> The crystaline anima burns around you, roaring and ripping at your makeshift clothing and burning your skin red. [11:00] <onine> "I need you to take Anona, take her and run, g..get off the ship...I have one last chance...one last chance." He says, voice weak and faltering. He coughs and more blood streams from his mouth. [11:00] <Magpie> "But...but what about you..." Magpie's voice quavers. She thinks she knows the answer. [11:02] <onine> "Don't worry about me, duty comes first - for both of us. Now run, take Anona and run!" The magistrate grips the haft of his massive gormaul and uses it to aid him in regaining his feet. With tremendous force of will he rises to his full height and turns to the Anathema. [11:03] <onine> "You think you can bring down a loyal child of Pasiap so easily Anathema! How deluded your kind really is!" He roars. "Now face your end twisted creature!" [11:03] * Magpie stares at him for only a moment. Then she turns and runs. "Anona-" she grabs the Fire-Aspect's arm without looking, and pulls at her. "We have to go." [11:03] <Anona> "YOU have to go, you mean." [11:05] <Magpie> "HE SAID YOU TOO!" Magpie shouts up into her face. "He told me. He's going to try something, one last chance, and we have to go!" [11:05] <onine> The anathema turns in sudden surprise. "Alive-!?" She tries as desperately as she can to dart back, her spiritual energy far to taxed to summon her dark powers to evade the Earth aspect. The Magistrate's hand darts down and grips the young woman's throat in an iron fist, the massive hand closing completely around the petite woman's neck. [11:08] <Anona> "Are you trying to order me around... mortal?" This is said, not sneeringly or aggressively as most Dynasts might, but as a simple statement: Anona will do as she chooses, and she chooses to cover the retreat. [11:08] <onine> "Now DIE!" He rumbles as the constricting vines begin to find purchase on the two, wrapping around their legs and locking them together in a deadly embrace. Diamandus' eyes glow bright crystal white as the last of his power flows out around him turning his anima into a deadly maelstrom of glass shards and crystal that rapidly expands threatening to fill the entire hold with death [11:08] <onine> and destruction... [11:09] <Magpie> "He ordered you! Diamandus! Anona, don't be STUUPID!" Magpie wraps both arms around Anona's waist, and yanks. [11:10] <onine> The scream of razor shards of stone and crystal burns in your ears as the projectiles tear the ship's hold and its contents to pieces. Only the anathema's screams pierce the roaring din of the elemental vortex that crashes and destroys the ship's interior. [11:12] * Magpie 's hands are chapped and bleeding, as if they had been torn by a thousand tiny crystals. Still, she tugs on Anona. "Come on, the ship will SINK." She stares up at Anona, and her eyes are dark and very black. "Anona, don't let it be for nothing." [11:13] <Magpie> The palms of her hands are reddening from touching the Fire-Aspect, and whiffs of smoke curl up from where she yanks touches the Dragonblood. [11:13] <Anona> "GO, Magpie. I'll be right behind you." [11:14] <onine> The Magistrate's final attack is expanding rapidly toward the pair, in a few seconds it will cut off the only exit to the hold, and then engulf any foolish enough to remain behind. [11:15] <onine> A beam sliced clean from the ceiling shears free and drops dangerously close to the fire aspect and the mortal girl. [11:15] * Magpie stares at her uncertainly for a second, then nods shortly, and turns to sprint up the stares. [11:16] <Anona> ... at the very last moment, Anona runs after. [11:17] <onine> The anathema's tortured wails follow you as you dive through the doorway, but it too is soon swallowed up by the rumbling and roar of the ship as its insides are tormented by the power of Pasiap's chosen. [11:18] <onine> You catch Epheri along the way and with minimal explanation she is dragged along in your wake, still clueless as to the source of the roaring rumble that echoes from the bow of the ship. [11:19] <onine> The three climb on the blood'soaked deck and are force to dive into the water, the slack on the anchor chain allowing the Snapdragon to drift many meters out into the Scarlet River, its bow dipping heavily into the water. [11:19] * Epheri walks about an inch above the surface of the water. [11:21] <onine> From fourty yards onshore, Tara closes the fallen crewman's eyes as he finally lapses into the comparative peace of death. [11:21] * Yengo looks back at the airship as the others jump in, something tickling at him, though he doesn't realize what it is yet. [11:21] <onine> The red tint to the land has now begun to fade and the natural colours of the twilight have aserted themselves again. The cool of the evening air is fresh and sweet, bittersweet. [11:22] <Yengo> "I wish we could've done something more for him..." [11:23] <onine> "We did our best... though we'd best report this to the proper authorities, after all, men killed this terribly often become..." She doesnt say Hungry Ghosts. [11:24] <Yengo> "I imagine the authorities will find out all about this soon enough once Diamandus..." [11:24] <Anona> "... yeah." [11:24] <Anona> (oops, sorry, are we there yet?) [11:25] <onine> (sure) [11:25] <Epheri> "... What happened in there, Anona?" Epheri asks of her soaking wet cousin. [11:25] <onine> They run up, wet (for the most part) and panting. Magpie and Anona have minor wounds, though Magpie seems to be the worst of the bunch. [11:25] * Yengo looks up at them, confused. His eyes settle on Magpie's injuries first. "Magpie- what?" [11:26] <Anona> "Anathema. I believe you've met her, Epheri." [11:26] <Epheri> "Her." [11:27] <Anona> "The one we encountered at my house." [11:28] * Magpie stares at Yengo with wounded eyes. She rubs her eyes with a damp sleeve, and says quietly, "I think the Magistrate is dead." [11:29] * Epheri nods. [11:29] <Yengo> "Magpie, you're hurt, come h-" His eyes widen. "Dead? Wha- HOW?" [11:29] <Anona> "I just said. Anathema." [11:30] <Magpie> "There was blood coming out of his mouth. He told me and Anona to run....he was going to do one last thing. And then he grabbed the Anathema, and there was a lot of noise, and Anona wouldn't come, and..." [11:30] <onine> "Magpie, calm down dear." Tara puts her hands on Magpie's shoulders gently [11:31] * Yengo blinks once, twice. "Anathema..." Something cold thrashes in his stomach, and all the old cradle songs about them drinking his blood rattle through his head. But it was real, it was there, and it had killed... "Is it... dead?" [11:31] * Magpie stares up at her. "He's �dead�. Just like Gran. Just like..." [11:31] <Anona> "I hope so. But it's just that, a hope." [11:32] <onine> Dead yes, but he died on his feet, heroicly. [11:32] <Yengo> "Dragons. This..." He puts his head in his hands. Just minutes ago, they had all been all right. And now... [11:34] * Yengo takes Magpie's hands and starts bandaging them mechanically, trying to think about anything but what just happened. [11:34] <Magpie> She isn't crying anymore, just standing there quietly. Her face looks frozen. [11:36] <Anona> "... not to mention our practical issues, now." [11:37] <Yengo> "Y-yeah. What the hell do we do now?" He felt lost. He'd never liked the authority being an Archon had given him over other mortals, but now - in the eyes of the law at least - he was dirt. [11:39] <Epheri> "We have to ..." what did they have to do? [11:39] <Anona> "We don't have much, I admit. Even the *other* house isn't available to us while the Ledaal are tying it up." [11:40] * Magpie looks up. "What about Juno, and the Anathema, and the Sword?" [11:42] <Anona> "... I'm still determined to get to the bottom of it. We don't have the Magistrate to back us up now, but... nowadays, the words of a Magistrate seem like they mean less and less to those in power." [11:44] <Magpie> "...yeah." [11:44] <Anona> "What about you, Magpie?" [11:44] * Yengo finishes wrapping up Magpie's hands. They look like oversized white mittens now, which might be funny any other time. "Finish the job? Maybe. I owe Diamandus that." He looks over at Tara for a moment, then at Magpie, then at the rest of them. "He made me stop running." [11:45] * Magpie looks at Anona inquiringly. "What about me?" [11:46] * Epheri nods to Yengo and Anona [11:46] <Yengo> "Well, I doubt any of us are going to leave you here." [11:47] <Anona> "Yes, but... well, this IS your home, isn't it? Anyone whom you might... need to see?" [11:49] * Magpie looks at Yengo, surprising momentarily thawing that ice that had come over her expression. "You're..not going to leave me?" she asks tenatively. [11:51] <Yengo> "Of course not. I can't speak for the others, but... as far as I'm concerned, you can stay with me and Tara as long as you want." He coughs. [11:51] * Magpie 's face clouds over. "Vana said that." Not �exactly� that, but... [11:54] <Magpie> She looks briefly down at her bandage-swathed hands. "Ol Gibs owes me money," she volunteers. [11:54] <Yengo> "I know she did." He doesn't say anything else; what else is there? "I promise I won't leave you alone again." [11:55] <Anona> "... and so far as I'm concerned, my home is yours, Magpie." Anona pauses a moment for effect, then: "So long as you bathe, of course." [11:56] <onine> "I agree on that condition also." Tara adds quietly. [11:57] * Magpie wrinles her nose at them, feeling unfairly ganged up on. She plows onward, past the rocks of personal hygeine: "We should find a place to stay. And get my money from Ol Gibs. And find out more about Juno.." [11:58] <Magpie> "And find the Sword." She ticks them off on her fingers. [11:58] <Yengo> "Well then, sounds like it's decided." He coughs again. [11:59] <Anona> "Yes, yes, and yes. Er... Yengo, did you have any idea where we were going to stay?" [12:00] * Magpie sneaks her hand around his leg, and stares at the wreckage of the airship. "...do you think we can bury him?" [12:01] <Anona> "I doubt there's anythign left to bury." [12:01] <onine> You should, unless you are able to have a funeral run by the Mnemon household, which will be a gaudy lavish affair, the tradition is that he is cremated and his ashes sown in his element, Earth. [12:02] <onine> However there is a possibility that Mnemon may not want him, as he was a Magistrate. Depends. [12:02] <Epheri> "We should do something." [12:02] <onine> The Elemental Vortex does not harm the charm user, so presuming nothing else happened, he will still be in there by the time the maelstrom dies down. [12:03] * Yengo sighs. "I don't know." It could answer either question. "We can't just leave that ship here, it'll be swarming with hungry ghosts. And Diamandus deserves better." [12:03] <onine> A pair of light horsement approach you, and another small unit move across the banks twoards the East marker interrrupting your discussion. [12:04] <onine> "Hail!" The officer calls from his mount when he is in shouting range. He is dressed in the livery of the City watch. [12:05] <Anona> "Er... hail?" [12:05] * Magpie edges her way behind Yengo. Her experiences with the City Watch haven't been positive. [12:06] * Yengo watches them come, his eyes heavy and dull. He feels very numb at this point. [12:07] <onine> He snaps his fist to his breast in salute and bows his head. "Prince of the earth, I greet you. I am Captain Wren of the Scarlet Docks division of the guard. We are investigating the crash on the East marker that was reported and I must ask if you were witnesses to it." [12:08] <Anona> "Witnesses?" Anona tries very hard not to snigger, despite the grimmness of the situation. "You could say that." [12:08] <onine> The light horsement, seven in all, down by the shore are throwing grapple hooks over the water and onto the rails of the Snapdragon tor haul it aground near the East marker for boarding. [12:09] <onine> "Forgive me, but I must question all of you for your account of events." [12:10] <Anona> "Should I start at the part where the airship nearly ran us down, we climbed aboard to stabilize it, and found it full of dead people and a live demon?" [12:10] <onine> He gapes a moment. "Demon?" [12:11] <Yengo> "Anathema." He spits out the word. [12:12] <onine> The officer gapes like an idiot for another few moments then utters some choice words in Low Realm and calls the other horseman over. "Stark, halt those men down there immediately and send our fastest rider back to the city at once!" [12:13] <onine> The other horeseman races down and carries out the orders, and soon another man is sent racing at full gallop towards the city a few miles away. [12:13] <onine> "Please tell me all information you have pertaining to this 'Anathema.'" He starts. "So that I may relay it to the Hunt." [12:15] <Anona> "A Wretched. I've encountered her... it... before; she struck us from ambush when we went aboard to search for survivors. She..." Anona's voice breaks. "she kiled the Magistrate..." [12:16] * Magpie huddles closer into Yengo. "Alphaeios...?" she whispers. [12:17] * Yengo shakes his head. "I don't know." [12:17] <onine> The officer utters some more gutter words. "A Magistrate?! Dragons, what happened? Is it sill alive?" [12:18] <onine> The soldiers at the river are standing a rough semi circle around it on their horses again, all intently aiming their spears at it for all the good it may do. None look particularly thrilled. [12:19] <Anona> "I don't think so... with his dying breath, Diamandus tried a dragon vortex attack against... it." [12:19] * Magpie speaks up, poking her head out from behind Yengo, to glare at them. "The Magistrate killed her." [12:21] <Yengo> "If he didn't, she's still on that ship... didn't see anything else leave." He looks over at the hulk, hoping Diamandus was successful. [12:21] *** Beri has joined #oninegame [12:21] <onine> "Praise be to the dragons' chosen! None the less, we shall simply garison the wreck for now and await reinforcements. In the mean time, I must speak to you each in turn for my report. If that so suits the princes?" He looks at the dragonbloods questioningly and VERY politely. [12:22] <Anona> "Certainly." [12:23] * Epheri nods [12:25] * Magpie shrinks behind Yengo again. [12:27] <onine> The officer questions you in turn. With the mortals he clarifies and attempts to pick out falsehoods constantly, but with the exalts he merely takes their words at face value and breaths appropriate praises to their might and that of the dragons. [12:27] <onine> Towards the end of the questioning the rider approaches. "The Hunt, sir! They've arrived!" [12:28] <onine> "What?! Already?" The officer snaps in confusion, but as usual the hunt was always hot on the heels of the dreaded anathema. He questions it no further than that. [12:30] <Yengo> "If only they'd been here sooner..." Then again, he isn't sure he wants to see them at all. [12:30] <onine> "Yessir, they were in the city already!" the steady roar of heavy warhorses approaching grows louder. Down by the docks, the black armoured cavalry of the wyld hunt arrives and arrays themselves along the bank like grim reapers of the battlefield. A soldier bears a familiar purple banner depicting paired black dragons coiled around the sun. [12:32] * Magpie stiffens as she catches sight of the flag. [12:32] <onine> At the lead is the unfortunately familiar air aspect, Tepet Alphaeios. His lieutenant, Cathack Tristi barks orders for the boarding of the ship, and he too aids in the securing of the ship. [12:34] * Yengo pats Magpie's head reassuringly, taking in the members of this Hunt for the first time. [12:34] <onine> The troops swarm over the ship with ruthless eficiency like black ants crawling over a stricken snail. The Air aspect moves in last with his Wood aspect Immaculate. The light-horesement watch in awe, interest and fear as the brutally efficient unit nearly tear the ship to pieces, hurling the dead sailors' bodies over the side and ripping panels off to search the vessel's dark inards. [12:35] <onine> (hey gonna go for a little while, my flatmate is moving the wireless router, so I'll be back asap [12:35] <onine> ) [12:36] *** Disconnected Session Close: Sun May 08 12:38:09 2005

Session Start: Sun May 08 12:38:55 2005 Session Ident: #oninegame [12:38] *** Now talking in #oninegame [12:39] *** onine has quit IRC (Ping timeout�) [12:40] * Magpie scowls as the soldiers casually discard corpses. [12:42] <onchee> After an exhaustive search the dragonbloods return on deck. Alphaeios stands for a moment, then grips the headless body of the water-aspected ships captain and hurls the large corpse bodily into the water. You can hear the young dragonbloods psychotic scream even where you are. [12:43] * Yengo watches the proceedings with disgust and growing alarm. [12:43] <onchee> The dragonblood stalks off the ship and remounts, Tristi follows and roars that the men 'tear the ship apart untill they have found *something*.' [12:43] <Magpie> "We need to rescue Diamandus's body." [12:43] <Epheri> "... What are they doing?" Epheri asks softly. [12:44] <Yengo> "Looking for her... it, I bet." And if they didn't find her... [12:44] <onchee> "What is necessary." The officer observes as the two dragonbloods ride up to you. [12:44] <Anona> "I know they're dedicated to their jobs, but..." [12:45] <onchee> Alphaeios and Tristi pull their horses to a halt and the mortal guard officer steps forward. "My lord, we have-" [12:46] <onchee> Alphaeios quickly interrupts him. He is a small man, boyishly androgenous and eerily beautiful and striking in his black laquered armour. He looks over everyone with warm coloured amber eyes, but they betray little comfort, they are the eyes of a predator, a predator that has been denied his prey. [12:47] <onchee> "Tepet Anona." He stats in mild surprise. His voice is silky, and as androgenous as his appearance. [12:48] <Anona> "That's me." [12:49] <onchee> "There is no anathema. I am both delighted that the hunt is still on, and greatly annoyed by your incompetance." His voice is but a menacing murmer. [12:49] * Yengo hisses to Magpie and Tara, "Stay quiet." He doesn't like the looks of this one at all. [12:49] <Magpie> "The Magistrate killed her already!" Fear curls in Magpie's stomach, but she blurts out the retort regardless. [12:50] <onchee> Only the jade on metal ring gives you any clue of the daiklave's unsheathing, in less than a blink it is aimed squarely at Yengo's nose. [12:50] <Anona> "I have strong doubts that the Anathema could have survived Magistrate Diamandus' attack. it was quite fierce." Of course, Anona actually isn't very sure, but she ain't telling HIM that. [12:51] * Yengo fights the urge to take a step back, swallowing, trying not to show fear. [12:52] <onchee> The dragonblood ignores Anona and moves the long curved daiklave down Yengo's body, tracing a line down his left shoulder and arm. It stops at his elbow and Alphaeios presses the flat against Yengo, pushing him to the side with surprising strength, revealing Magpie who had taken refuge behind the large mortal. [12:53] <onchee> "Well well..." The air aspect muses with a hint of humour in his voice. [12:53] * Magpie tries to glare at him. For some reason, her hands are shaking. "Well! The Anathema dead, so you should go away now." [12:54] <onchee> "Not near as dead as that Magistrate." He counters. "I take it he belongs to you?" [12:55] <onchee> Two soldiers are hauling the heavy body of Diamanus onto the deck. They strain under his massive weight. [12:55] * Yengo glares up at him, crazy thoughts of murder dancing through his head. [12:56] <Magpie> "Yes, he's �ours�." [12:57] <onchee> He looks at the Earth aspect on the ship and smiles, the daiklave never moves from Magpie's nose. "Then he's yours. Such a sad devotion to a shattered order makes me ill. Such weakness." [12:59] <Magpie> "You're just...just..." Magpie splutters. "�He� killed an Anathema. You were just late. �Again." [13:00] <Anona> "Magpie..." Anona tried to put an undercurrent of "shut. up. now." in her voice. [13:00] <Yengo> "�Magpie.�" [13:00] <Magpie> Realizing that the reminder had perhaps been unwise, she gulps, eyeing the point of the daiklaive with unwilling fascination. [13:02] <Magpie> "It's true," she whispers sullenly, nevertheless. [13:02] <onchee> A fire dances in the tiny pupils of Alphaeios' eyes, and the corner of his mouth twitches. The daiklave lowers... to Magpie's throat. The dragonblood silently scrutinises the girl, evaluating. Evaluating the pleasure in the kill. [13:03] <Yengo> "Don't touch her." [13:03] <onchee> "Time is short Lord Alphaeios." The Earth aspect, Tristi cautions, breaking into the morbid daydream that flashes in the Air aspect's eyes. "We were late again." [13:04] <onchee> Alphaeios swears his next sentence in a similar vein to 'because those fucking immaculates keep failing'. [13:04] <onchee> "Or maybe... it's something else." The blade raises to Magpie's nose again. "Why do I find *you* whenever they stumble?" [13:05] <Anona> "Just lucky, I guess." [13:05] * Magpie stares up at him. "I..." She shrinks a little. "Uh...yeah. Unlucky," she mutters. [13:08] <onchee> "Or maybe... J'ann was right about you." He looks intense. Psychotic. "You know he died." [13:09] * Magpie stands there, and shivers a little. "It wasn't me!" she flares. "It was an Anathema." [13:10] <onchee> "And he didn't see it coming. He was weak. That's why he died." [13:11] <Magpie> "No, it's because he was fighting a huge ANATHEMA. With TWO SWORDS!" And a cloak, if she remembered right. [13:11] * Yengo stands slowly, ready to.. to... do SOMETHING if Alphaeos tries anything in response to Magpie. [13:13] <Anona> "Alphaeios." [13:13] <onchee> He leans forward, the back of the blade traces the line of your jaw ever so gently. "J'ann was an immaculate, immaculates know when the anathema strike, it is their gift. Where they fail I find you, and this intrigues me." [13:14] <onchee> He seems to be enjoying the act of tormenting the girl, of terrifying her, and deconstructing situations to meet his pervers agenda. [13:14] <Anona> "ALPHAEIOS." [13:14] * Magpie yanks her head back, and cuts her chin along the daiklaive's edge. She remembers to be afraid again, and is silent. [13:15] <Magpie> She shivers, a mouse caught in the gaze of a hawk. [13:16] <onchee> He lowers his sword and tilts his head back and stares wide-eyed at the sky, and rolls his gaze over to Anona. [13:16] <onchee> "If I lose this anathema again and find her. I will kill all of you." He says quietly. [13:16] <Anona> "You are welcome to make the /attempt/." [13:17] <Anona> "You'll note thatPorcelain_Child/I/ have walked away from the Anathema twice." [13:17] <Magpie> It's not my fault... Magpie mouthes the word, but doesn't give them breath. [13:18] <Epheri> "..Anona." she says very softly. [13:18] * Yengo moves to Magpie's side, looking down at her worriedly for a moment before turning his attention to the conversation. [13:18] <onchee> Alphaeios looks Anona over with a trace of something in his eyes. Yengo picks it as dragonblooded lust. "You're strong. I like that, and respect it." [13:19] * Anona is heedless to Epheri, lost in her anger... and feelings of duty towards her comrades. [13:19] <onchee> "My lord!" A soldier calls, riding up. [13:19] <Anona> "Don't get any ideas..." Anona mutters, lowly. [13:20] <onchee> Alphaeios twitches at the interruption. The soldier rides along side. As soon as the young man is within arm-reach Alphaieos grips him by the breastplate and growls menacingly. "What." [13:21] <onchee> "L-lord! Madam Oke has found a trace in the hold!" The man you notice - along with all of Alphaeios' men - is very beautiful. [13:24] <onchee> He releases the soldier and turns his horse, giving all of you a stare that promises worlds of pain then rides off towards the Snapdragon. [13:24] <onchee> Tristi follows, nodding once respectfully to you before leaving. [13:25] * Yengo discovers he's been sweating for the past few minutes without being aware of it. "What a monster." [13:25] * Magpie shudders. [13:25] <onchee> Tara just shivers. [13:25] * Epheri breathes a small sigh of relief [13:26] <Yengo> "Everyone... okay?" [13:26] <onchee> The dragonbloods return to their search on the ship with renewed energy now that the Immaculate has discovered a clue. More cavalry from the city watch arrives to secure the area. [13:26] * Magpie nods, looking over at where Alpaheios's men had dumped Diamandus's body. She wipes blood from her chin. [13:29] <Anona> "Some day, some how, I shall do my utmost to ensure that he dies, screaming, from falling a high distance, on fire, into a pit of... of... something very unpleasant. I'm working on that part." [13:29] * Yengo sits down heavily. "Good." [13:29] * Magpie looks up at her. "I think we should go before they're done," she says softly. "And we should take Diamandus with us." She can't seem to take her eyes off the dead man. They didn't usually leave remains, the people who left her. [13:30] <onchee> "Well!" Coughs the watch officer that remained silent during the exchange. "Best that you get moving, though you're fine to stay here I'd recommend against it." [13:30] <Yengo> "Magpie's right, we can't leave him here." [13:30] <Epheri> "We're not leaving him here, no." [13:30] <Anona> "... you going to carry him?" [13:31] <Yengo> "�I'll� carry him," Yengo snaps, standing up. [13:32] <Epheri> "I'll help, Yengo. Or I can call a Hound and we can lay him on it's back." [13:32] <Anona> "HELP carry him." She amends. [13:33] * Magpie nods, and follows them to the body. [13:33] <onchee> Two of Alphaeios' Demonslayer cavalry stand at the foot of the gangplank. [13:34] <Yengo> "Let's do that, Epheri. I... don't want to take longer with this than we have to. I want to get out of here." [13:34] <onchee> "Halt!" A young woman - a gorgeous young woman with tight blond curls and sea green eyes says as you approach. Her sword is out, but she hasn't readied it yet. [13:35] <onchee> The light is rapidly fading, and lanterns have been placed at various points to fight back the darkness of night. [13:35] <Anona> "What NOW?!" [13:36] <onchee> "By order of Lord Tepet Alphaeios NONE but the Demonslayers may set foot on this vessel!" She has the gall to say this to the dragonbloods. [13:37] <Anona> "And...?" [13:39] <onchee> "And!?" She splutters. "That means YOU. Push off at once!" [13:39] <Epheri> The night is suddenly lit with a brilliant flare of white essence as about 20 yards behind Anona, Epheri concentrates on her magic. 5 streamers of wind blow in from all the poles and coalese into a very large wolfhound in front of her. [13:39] * Magpie points to the body. "Alpaheios said we could have the Magistrate. So go away, or our giant dog will eat you." [13:40] <onchee> The assembled mortals all look on in awe and shock. [13:40] <onchee> "I...I was given no such order!" [13:40] * Epheri strokes it's flank. She speaks softly into its ear. It growls a little. [13:40] <Anona> "... and I'll even provide the barbecue." [13:41] <Yengo> "He's coming with us." Yengo says bluntly. [13:43] * Epheri walks forward to stand by Anona. The hound's head is a little above her shoulder. [13:44] <onchee> "N...no! I cannot allow this!" She squeaks. [13:45] <Magpie> "No one's asking you," Magpie points out unsympathetically. [13:46] <onchee> "Let them through!" A voice calls from the deck. [13:46] <onchee> "Yessir!" The soldiers answer in relief and step aside, allowing you to pass. [13:47] * Epheri pets the hound. "Stay." [13:49] <onchee> Cathack Tristi meets you on the deck. He has a long face, one as plain as they come. He is the kind of man that even exalted can be lost in the crowd. He wears black armour and his cloak is of a deep red-brown. He wears a massive daiklave on his back, a Reaper type. His only true distinguishing mark is a small scar on the bridge of his nose. [13:50] <onchee> "Be swift and take only the Magistrate's body." He says curtly and quietly. None of his soldiers protest, and you can see that they work more relaxed around him than they do around Alphaeios. [13:50] <onchee> "Sir..." A soldier gives him a quiet report as you pass. [13:51] <onchee> "Very good Epel, widen your search to the waters, but best not go to extensively, I doubt she escaped by sea." He orders and pats the young man on the shoulder. [13:51] <onchee> "Aye sir.." [13:52] <onchee> Tristi walks over to you while you organise the hefting of the large Earth Aspect Diamandus. [13:53] * Magpie kneels down beside the dead man, and watches the others quietly. [13:53] * Yengo can't believe the big man is dead. Now he seems less a corpse than a chunk of rock. [13:53] <onchee> Diamandus looks very much the same as you left him, the vortex causing him no more harm than a light sunshower. A few tendrils of the spell still cling to him here and there. [13:55] <Anona> "I DO wonder what was up with my spell..." [13:56] <Epheri> "... This was your spell?" she asks softly. [13:56] <onchee> "Is there anything you can tell me of this Anathema? She is progressing far faster than any I have pursued before. She continues to surprise us." Tristi interrupts. [13:58] <Anona> "She's a Wretched. She stole a sword hilt that I believe was once part of a certain potent weapon. She appears to be able to travel either as or via a bird." Anona frowns. [13:59] <Anona> "In fact, a talking bird-spirit used some charm to disorient me in the ship..." [13:59] * Magpie smoothes Diamandus's hair away from his face, paying no attention to Tristi. [14:02] <onchee> "Spirits in league with demons? How odd..." Tristi rubs the stubble on his jaw which in closer inspection looks like sand. "Is that all?" [14:03] <Anona> "Hmm... She does appear to move rapidly, but you knew that, I am sure. She appeared in Noble not long after she had been sighted near Lookshy." [14:04] * Yengo pats the magistrate's breastplate softly. "Wish he still had his Goremaul with him..." [14:04] <Yengo> "Doesn't seem right to leave him without it." [14:05] <onchee> "I recall seeing the Gormaul." Tristi says. "I'll send a man to retrieve it for you..." He has the Gormaul brought up by a pair of soldiers. [14:05] <onchee> Heavy! [14:06] <Yengo> "You're a better man than the other one," Yengo says. Not that that's much of a compliment. [14:06] <onchee> "Alphaeios is an exceptional man." His eyes flash mild annoyance. [14:07] <onchee> "He has lead this hunt to victory countless times." [14:08] * Yengo says, under his breath. "Takes one to find one, I guess." [14:08] * Magpie , catching that, smiles briefly. [14:09] <onchee> "You have your man, now you Archons had best move on. This is no place for you." Tristi says. [14:09] <Anona> "As you say." In more ways than one. [14:11] <onchee> You are quickly ushered off the ship and into the cool night by the Demonslayer soldiers and you walk some distance, eager to put the whole scene behind you. The question of how an Anathema in the grips of a fully displaying anima could have escaped unnoticed still goes unanswered - provided she escaped as the Demonslayers seem to believe. [14:11] <onchee> There is also the chance that she was merely eviscerated by the vortex and turned into an unrecognisable mess...but that is far from your mind. [14:12] <Magpie> "Where are we staying?" [14:13] <Magpie> "We'll need to be someplace that accepts dead people." She pats Diamandus's hand, which dangles from the wolfhound. [14:13] * Yengo shrugs. "I don't know. Tara and I have most of our savings from the Threshold still... but it's not that much." [14:14] <Magpie> "Ol Gibs owes me �jade�." [14:14] <Anona> "... and of course this happens just AFTER I spend so much of my money on this breastplate." [14:14] <Epheri> "I can afford to pay for some rooms for us all." [14:15] <Yengo> "Let's finish with Diamandus first. He deserves to be put to rest." [14:15] <Magpie> "Crow! Stop that!" The carrion bird flutters away from the Magistrate's face, where he had perched with an attitude of ominous consideration. [14:16] <Magpie> "Should we take him to his family? How do you bury Dragonblooded? �Where� do you bury hero-magistrates?" [14:17] * Yengo shrugs helplessly. Didn't they send them all to Sijan? [14:18] <Magpie> "Anona! Epheri! �You're� Dragonblooded. What are we supposed to do?" [14:18] <Anona> "It's not a subject I'm expert on. There's usually... you know... servant-types to take care of those details." [14:19] <Magpie> "But they're your �relatives." [14:21] <Anona> "And? Are YOU an undertaker, Magpie?" [14:22] <Yengo> "Maybe his family would want the body... did they get along?" Yengo knew enough about Dynast politics to know the answer was "no", but maybe that ended after death. [14:24] <Anona> "Hmm... maybe. Even if they didn't like each other in life... acknowledging a 'hero' in death might change things. Much easier to kiss and make up when the other party can't say anything." [14:26] <Epheri> "Perhaps we should tell the magistracy?" [14:27] <Magpie> "What magistracy? In the Imperial City, normally we just dump people someplace out of the way and let the Watch take care of it," Magpie says factually. She considers something, her face momentarily shadowed. "I...I know of a garden....it's nice. Safe." Gran had said she wasn't supposed to say anything about it, but Magpie figured she didn't mean the Magistrate and the Archons. [14:28] <Anona> "... that may be our only realistic option. Where is it? How far?" [14:28] <Yengo> "Maybe... I don't know. It's just... never good to let the unburied dead go for long." That was one truism the Realm and Threshold shared. [14:30] <Magpie> "It's that way. In the Lower Quarter. Er..." Magpie shuffles her feet. "It's sort of a secret place. So, um..." [14:31] <Magpie> "Keep it secret, okay?" She looks up at them anxiously. [14:31] <Anona> "of course." [14:32] * Yengo nods. "I'll keep it a secret... assuming people don't notice us going in. We're not exactly inconspicuous." [14:32] * Epheri nods [14:32] <Magpie> "It's down an alleyway. Okay. Good." Magpie looks a little relieved. "It's this way. Come on!" She runs ahead. [14:35] * Epheri leads the hound after Magpie [14:36] <onchee> Magpie leads you on a merry walk through the maze of the Imperial City. Most of the stores and such in the majestic jewel of creation are closing and packing, but the streets are still quite busy. [14:36] <onchee> Magpie leads the others down an alleyway which... ends. [14:37] <Magpie> She had picked up dinner on the way, and is munching an onion as she approaches the wall. She shoves the last huge piece of it into her mouth, and then begins searching around on the stone for the right one to push. [14:38] <onchee> Gran tapped on it with her cane when she showed you, and then made you push the door... maybe you can get someone else to fall for the joke that Gran got you with... though this is a serious situation. [14:38] * Yengo leans against the dirty walls of the alley, wondering again just how active her imagination was at a younger age. [14:39] * Magpie looks at him. "Lean there" she instructs, and giggles suspiciously. [14:39] * Yengo shrugs and complies. "So? What's the big-" [14:41] <onchee> The wall swings away featherlight, dumping Yengo unceremoniously in a pile of armour. [14:42] <Yengo> "Very. Funny." He almost laughs despite himself, despite everything, as he gets up. Probably a natural reaction after all the emotions he'd gone through today. [14:42] * Magpie laughs hysterically for a few seconds, holding onto her sides, and scolds him. "You should be more careful!" She sobers up as she looks back at the wolfhound carrying the Magistrate. [14:42] <Magpie> "Let's take him inside." [14:42] * Epheri nods to the wolfhound, who pads inside. [14:43] * Magpie follows the wolfhound with a solemn and ceremonious air. [14:43] * Yengo looks around, taking the place in. [14:44] * Anona brings up the rear. [14:46] <onchee> Through the construction of the Imperial City, the entire sprawling metropolis began as a camp around the Imperial Manse, a camp that slowly became built up, expanded and built upon. As new construction began, sometimes entire areas of the city were closed off with no entrances. This appears to be one such hidden alcove. [14:48] <onchee> The smallish area covered in a beautifully kept oriental garden, with a pond, small bridge and a cherry tree, now bare of all leaves and blossoms for the winter. Various charms dangle from its branches and strange crystals are placed here and there. The area is lit only by a few small wisps of white light like little fireflies. [14:48] <onchee> The same as the ones Yengo encountered in the threshold with Siaka and Tara. [14:48] <Yengo> "Those lights..." [14:50] <Magpie> "Isn't it beautiful!" Magpie gushes. "My Gran showed it to me when I was little." She takes a few dancing steps into it. "I think...I think it's a good place to bury the Magistrate. Or cremate him," she adds, looking at Anona. [14:50] <onchee> The way the buildings were constructed there are no windows facing inwards. This place is as hidden as can be. [14:50] <Yengo> "Looks like as good a place as any." They were here now, and those lights hadn't been harmful back in the Threshold... [14:51] * Epheri looks around her, with a faint smile on his face. [14:51] <Yengo> "It's... peaceful here." [14:51] <Epheri> [her*] [14:52] <Magpie> "Yes." Magpie stares at the garden for a few minutes, soaking it in. [14:53] <Magpie> She's smiling, though she doesn't realize it. She looks steadily up at the others. "I think we should bury him under the tree." [14:53] <onchee> They stay far from Yengo. [14:55] <Anona> "Hm. Yes. Fire in such an enclosed space might be dangerous. All that smoke. [14:56] <Magpie> "And it's a �garden�. It'd burn!" Magpie stares at Anona in consternation. Not that she was unaware Anona was a crazy burner-person, but still... [14:57] <Magpie> She tugs the wolfound to the tree. "Help me," she says, as she attempts to push Diamandus off it. [14:58] <Epheri> "Magpie, be careful. Yengo?" she looks at him as she moves up the wolfhound. "Lie down." [14:59] * Yengo sets to, cutting the straps binding the magistrate to the automaton. [15:02] <Epheri> When he's gotten the man down, Epheri says to the hound "Dig a hole for him, there. And carefully." [15:02] <onchee> The hound complies and digs a deep grave carefully for the Magistrate. [15:04] * Yengo helps ease him into the hole, trying to remember the Immaculate verses he had learned as a child. For some reason, the ones about the Anathema always stuck better. [15:05] * Magpie straightens and cleans the body as the hound digs the grave, and, with an inconsistent attitude towards cleanliness, washes the visible portions of Diamandus before he is buried. [15:06] <onchee> With the assistance of the hound, you lay the Magistrate peacefully into the grave. The almost perpetual frown of deep concentration he always wore stays with him even in death, as he seems to be pondering some mysterious crime happening even now as his soul moves on. [15:06] <Yengo> "May... may... Pasiap take him in- in hand, and guide him to- to-" He stammers. [15:08] <Yengo> "To- deep... slumber." [15:10] * Magpie crouches at the head of the grave, and directs her remarks to the Magistrate in a low conversational tone. "Thank you for helping me. Thank you for saving me. I know you didn't mean to leave us." She reaches down, and touches his forehead gently ".. Good luck." Her voice quavers a bit, and her eyes look a bit moist, but she blinks it away. "Be safe in the garden." [15:11] * Anona remains silent. At long last... there's simply nothing to say. [15:11] <Magpie> She drops a petunia she'd picked, and it floats slowly down to rest on his chest. [15:12] <Magpie> It looks like a spot of blood lying there, and she wishes she'd picked another color. A blue one maybe. Or a yellow one. She feels a strange ache in her chest, and she wonders what it is. [15:14] <Magpie> Crow flutters down from the sky to rest on a branch. He looks down at the Magistrate, but to Magpie relief, does not disturb the body. [15:15] * Yengo clams up after his butchery of the Immaculate verse. It felt wrong anyway. This was the man that showed him not all of the dragonbloods were something to be hated and feared. [15:15] * Magpie looks at the others, still crouching beside the graves. "Is there...is there anything else to say?" [15:16] <onchee> Tara shakes her head and grips Yengo's hand, interlacing her fingers with his. [15:16] * Epheri shakes her head. [15:17] <Yengo> "I don't think so." Yengo's voice is very quiet. He squeezes Tara's hand. No going back now. [15:18] <Magpie> me looks back down at the dead hero. "We'll miss you," she says softly. "We'll remember everything. And we'll find out what's happening." She picks up a handful of dirt from the hound's pile, and drops it in. It falls on his face, and Magpie jerks back. [15:20] <Magpie> She seems to realize something, and looks briefly ill, closing her eyes. Then, with a kind of grim determination, she continues to fill the grave, and the bandages covering her hands swiftly become filfthy. [15:21] <Yengo> "Magpie d-" Falling silent, he helps. [15:21] * Epheri kneels, helping too. [15:22] <onchee> Tara too aids in the task, caring not for clothing or dirt. [15:30] <onchee> Finally finished, you stand around the grave of the man that united you. The man you served and came to call a friend. Now the world is even less clear without his guiding hand. [15:31] <Magpie> "Goodbye," Magpie whispers. [15:31] <onchee> The wheels of the world continue to turn unabated, and you must in turn continue somehow or everything will be naught. [15:33] <onchee> Juno still works his strange plots and the mystery of the broken sword is once again at your feet. Now the rest is up to you...Archons.