[M] The Throne of Gods: Memories of Divinity - IC

[RedKayne]

Aegis carried both Ridstus and Lunae over his shoulders, nodding in Moriteva's direction as they exited the crater and rejoined the rest of the group. Lunae, Ridstus, Silvanus, and Marette were unconscious, and the remaining members were worse for wear. Moriteva, Visana, and Atrophos bore clear signs of exhaustion from the battle. Although Aegis was injured from the earlier shockwave, surprisingly, Santav, the Charred, appeared to be the only one unharmed.

Aegis watched as Visana confronted Santav, demanding to know his identity. She voiced a question that was on everyone's mind—if Santav was this powerful without his domain powers, what would he be like at full strength? He displayed a clear aptitude for combat, unlike any of the more peaceful deities. It was evident he had experienced many battles and faced countless hard choices.

"I think it's time for you to tell us who you really are," Visana demanded firmly.

There was a long silence as Santav stared at her, his golden eyes reflecting a cold, distant resolve. Aegis felt the tension from a distance, slowly laying down both Ridstus and Lunae. His hand instinctively reached for his weapon, ready for any sudden betrayal from the mysterious Charred while they were at their weakest.

"Honestly," Santav began, fully turning to face Visana. "You really don't want to know." He lifted a finger, pointing past her. "Besides, we have a more pressing concern right now."

The moment felt like déjà vu as Santav indicated something behind Visana. Suddenly, clapping echoed between the group members. They turned to see the source: Malphas, the Duchess of Pain, once again uncomfortably close to the group. Her malevolent smirk and crimson gaze traversed each conscious member.

"Well done, well done," she said, finishing her applause and placing her hands on her hips. "That was quite the marvelous show. You all exceeded my expectations," she giggled, clearly reveling in the chaos.

"Malphas," Aegis growled, immediately drawing his weapon but maintaining a cautious stance.

She held up her hands defensively, though her smile remained unbroken. "Relax, I'm not here to continue the fight. Especially since I'm not really here anyway," the illusion declared. "But, I suppose I should let you know that the Devourers accomplished their goal!" she added cheerily.

Aegis frowned in confusion, but clarity soon dawned in his eyes. "You never expected them to win... did you?"

Malphas grinned, revealing her pearly whites. "Ding, ding, ding! Correct, I didn't expect them to win. Their true goal was to learn your strengths and weaknesses—the limits of your powers. The vulnerabilities of your domains that you had to exploit to defeat the Devourers," she chuckled.

"Or even how to exploit the relationships between you all," she continued, her eyes lingering on Silvanus and Lunae before turning to Moriteva, still carrying the unconscious Marette. "Like this," she said, vanishing only to reappear before Moriteva instantly. In her hand, an obsidian dagger dripped with golden Aether—the blood of a deity. Marette's throat was slit, her lifeblood spilling onto the ground with an audible - drip, drip.

Malphas savored Moriteva's reaction, lifting the dagger to lick the blood. Then, with a snap of her fingers, Marette was whole again—another of Malphas's cruel illusions. The Duchess was infamous for inflicting psychological torment, and this was yet another demonstration of her sadistic prowess.

"I'll be sure to pass this information along to Minos. He's just dying to meet you all again," Malphas said, turning away from Moriteva and Marette without a second glance. She faced the rest of the group, her demeanor playful as she clapped her hands together. "Well, this has been quite entertaining. Just remember," her grin widened menacingly, "as long as you're in my domain, you are nothing more than my playthings." With that, she vanished into thin air, leaving behind an unsettling silence.

Santav broke the silence first. "We should head inside," he said, pointing toward the cave entrance. "At least get out of line-of-sight and tend to our wounds," he suggested, already striding toward the cave without waiting for a response. Aegis nodded solemnly, picking up Ridstus and Lunae once more before following the Charred. The rest of the group fell in behind them, moving with a weary but determined pace.

Aegis, still carrying Ridstus and Lunae, gently laid them down on a smooth patch of rock. He then scanned the cave for any threats, his golden eyes reflecting the flickering glow of the molten lava flowing in a nearby crevice. Satisfied that they were safe, he began tending to his wounds, wincing as he inspected a particularly nasty gash on his arm.

He stayed close to both Moriteva and Marette, casting a watchful eye over them. Glancing at the rest of the group, he saw them tending to their wounds as well. The God of Rulership crouched beside the two, nodding at Moriteva. "Mori, when she wakes up, I need to speak with her privately, right away," he said, his tone urgent. And hopefully, she wakes up before the others do...

[Iwazuma]

While Moriteva made distinct efforts not to involve him in the fight that took place outside the crater, he could still hear the sounds of conflict and the cries of god and Devourer alike as magic clashed with magic, blade, and more. Moriteva clutched Marette just that little bit tighter as the fight raged around them, ignoring his own screaming wounds as he looked out to Aegis and the unconscious form of Lunae. Though he did not see the clash, he could imagine what was taking place. One cry in particular caught his attention as he frowned. Chaos shall consume... He knew who had uttered that phrase. He'd had that conversation with Silvannus before. Baldramort just wasn't the right role model, surrogate father or otherwise. One didn't have to follow their predecessors when they chose poorly. Moriteva had worked with agents of Chaos before, but only when their goals aligned with his own. They rarely did, but Moriteva would work with anyone if it meant preservation of the balance of life and death. He understood what it was like to sleep in the bosom of the villain.

Baldramort, though...Moriteva couldn't bring himself to hate the man, for whatever reason, in spite of his own firmly held beliefs. There was a story Selrina had told him more than once about how Baldramort had played an important role in his birth. A story of how Moriteva was a very rare case where the leaders of Chaos and Order worked together towards a common goal. He didn't know the details, but he always liked the idea in his head. Moriteva could be a unifying force-even if you wished to sow chaos, life was always something you would seek out. Whether it be your own, a loved one's...or the lives of billions. Life was a common objective. And thus, Moriteva slid to the side of Chaos...every now and again.

Not here, though.

Moriteva finally peeked his head over the crater to reveal Silvannus in a heap, his wounds more grievous than most, but no sign of the Devourer. Moriteva sighed. The threat was vanquished for the moment...or so he figured, anyways. Malphas' grinning figure did little to dissuade Moriteva, as he sensed no spark of life emanating from her. It was just an illusion, unable to effect the battle any further even if she wished to. Moriteva merely shook his head as she gloated, stating the Devourers' goal was simply to test their strengths and weaknesses. Of course. What good were the gods to Malphas if they were dead, anyways? Moriteva in particular-he knew his gifts were of high value to anyone seeking to make an army of divine imitators. Silvannus' constant requests to be given his power was more than enough proof of that.

And in an instant, the image of Marette suddenly having her throat slit was presented in front of him, Malphas' illusion staring in front of him with a wicked grin. Even took the dagger to her lips to lick the blood away. Moriteva simply stared at Malphas, a dead look in his verdant eyes as he simply regarded her for a moment. Then, he laughed. A low, gentle chuckle, but laughter nonetheless. The shock was there, of course, but as he simply held Marette a little tighter to him, he did not give the anger, the tears, or the fear. Just a softly laughing Warden, his gaze unflinching as he regarded Malphas up until she vanished. Only then did he shake his head. "She's a fool." Such a blatant disregard for life...an easy way to make a permanent enemy of Moriteva.

"Does she not realize we are not static beings?" Moriteva looked to Santav and nodded, calmly walking Marette into the cavern as he spoke. "We may have strengths and weaknesses, but we, much like the people who worship us, can and will adapt. Weaknesses can be covered. Strengths can be manipulated. All she accomplished besides roughing us up is making me rather angry." Moriteva wondered what would have happened if Malphas had come to him seeking a deal before Luthious had. Granted, Luthious had the far better bargaining chip...but what would have changed had the Warden been under the Duchess' employ instead?

Moriteva reached into his pouch, scattering seeds on the ground in front of him. Within moments, lush grass sprouted from the rock where plant life had never lived before, creating a small yet comfortable patch of green that Moriteva gently laid Marette down on. A soft place to rest for her while he tended to the rest. "I'll be right back." He spoke to her unconscious form before walking back outside, hearing Silvannus murmuring about Lunae before consciousness left him as well. He merely tutted, a wry smile coming to his face. "Oh, Silv, old friend..." He wasn't sure what it was, but something had changed. Perhaps he'd finally be willing to speak on his part in Lunae's memory loss...or perhaps something else had awakened. He couldn't say for sure, but he knew he wasn't about to let his friend lie in the rock and dirt. He scooped him onto his back, letting his healing touch begin to tend to his wounds. He must have faced the brunt of much of the Devourer's onslaught, and paid the price for it. He hoped he could at least will a quick recovery.

He set Silvannus down a little bit away from Marette, pleased with the way the green healing energy arced across his body, doing what it could to speed his recovery. He could feel his excess strength beginning to fade as he shared his energy, but he wasn't done yet. With a grunt, he expanded a soft green light outwards in a circle, covering the ground in its gentle embrace. It was his only method of healing without direct contact, and was a touch slower, but would hopefully help everyone lick their wounds just a little bit faster. With that, he sat down beside Marette, glancing down at her with a calm smile. She could get all the rest she needed.

Then, and only then, did Moriteva feel a sharp pain in his back, his wounds at last reminding him they existed. He groaned and laid down beside her, closing his eyes as he simply willed the pain away. He'd worry about everyone else before he cared for his own wounds. Four of them had been taken out by the Devourers' assault-making sure they were alright, as well as those up and still standing, was far more important than his own health. He sat back up, feeling the way his wounds ached and hating every second of it. As he did, Aegis approached, which had Moriteva resting his hands on his knees as he raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" Moriteva frowned. "Marette has been through a lot of trauma between those Devourers. I've never seen her forced to push herself in this way, and I would prefer to make sure there are no lasting effects. Besides...I doubt it'd be good for any of us to break off alone right now. Not when Malphas' illusions could still be around waiting for a moment to infiltrate and strike."

Moriteva thought a moment, his verdant greens unfocused for a second before looking back up. "Whatever you have to say, I'm sure I can hear it too. Besides. When she's awake, I have a warning of my own I need to pass to you both." Aegis was not exactly a god that Moriteva had interacted with terribly much before this rescue mission, but he figured the God of Kings was a trustworthy source for this information and might have enough knowledge to aid the imminent threat. And Marette deserved an answer...though he knew nobody would like it.

[Hannelorian]

Unconsciousness should have been a sweet release. Resting neatly upon freshly risen grass should have been a respite. Outwardly if Moriteva, Aegis or any of the others who had presence of mind, Marette would appear peaceful, almost serene. Despite the recently healed wounds, the dried splashes of golden blood upon her flesh intermixed with dirt, she looked at ease. Her body lay still and silent. Those closest to her, however, would be able to see the signs of her inner turmoil.

Temporal energy cracked around her, small shots, nigh on invisible erupting from her very being. She was unsettled. Though her mind was free of Death, or rather the power of Death as exhibited by a Devourer, that was but a technicality. She replayed the scene over, and over, and over, ad nauseum. Standing before an unknown figure, only to realize too little to late that the dagger had already been plunged into her heart. Marette’s eyes widening in disbelief or perhaps shock as she struggled over her final gasps for air. Once, twice, a hundred, a thousand times.

Each time it was the same and Marette could not break the cycle, she could not gain an inch of ground even if she knew it was going to repeat… she was still surprised, in an eternal state of fear, panic and agonizing pain. The brutality of facing one’s own murder, one’s own assassination forever. And then in a split second it stopped. There was nothingness, and before Marette could take a breath the ground beneath her was gone and she was lost in a free fall. Through the darkness Marette fell until she awoke once more, her body shot up, torso propped on her palms which were face down in the earth. Her breathing was heavy, and her eyes darted around wildly, as though she were unsure if this was even real.
First, she saw Silvannus, sitting under the healing glow, slowly, slowly recovering. Marette felt the first drop of relief. He was safe, in bad shape perhaps, but safe. She hadn’t lost another dear friend, no, brother to destined death. The ties that bound them were deep, and she knew he must have fought with everything he had to protect the rest. But it was who Marette saw next that she most longed to see – Moriteva. The Goddess of Time forced her body to move though it still ached and closing the distance between them she almost collapsed into him, still exhausted. “You.” she said softly. “You’re safe.” She took one look at his wounds and realized that characteristically he had tended to everyone else before himself.

For just a moment the pain, suffering and trauma was gone and all that remained was a glimmering happiness. The explanations she needed or rather wanted could wait. At least for a little while. “I fear… I’ll never be able to repay what I owe. You seem to have a habit of saving my life.” Marette gave the smallest of smiles and raised her hand to rest upon his cheek. She leaned her forehead in to touch upon his and breathed a sigh of relief at long last. “Thank you.” As she spoke, flashes of death would pass before her, and for brief moments it would appear as though Marette had frozen. Resting a single hand upon one of his wounds, the flow of temporal energy would transfer from her to him, speeding up the time around the wound and slowly bringing it to a close. Even if Marette had not realized it, there was almost nothing she would not do for Mori. But even now she could feel another set of eyes upon her, turning her attention toward the feeling she smiled upon seeing Aegis.

“My Lord lives.” She said with a nod. “I am… glad to see you.” No matter what Marette felt about Aegis’ attitude, or his arrogance, she still felt certain he was destined for the throne. She had faith still that he could be molded into who he was meant to be. “What of the others?” Her eyes continued to scan, she noted that Ridstus seemed to be little more than a pile of scrap, even she didn’t know how to fix that.

In the moments where Marette was still, one could catch glimpses of her fear, her trauma, her sheer exhaustion. The Goddess of Time had pushed herself farther than she had before. She was not a creature used to combat, and no matter how many histories of man she knew, how many great battles she had watched over the millennia, nothing truly prepared one for battles amongst the Gods and their abominations and blasphemies.

[RedKayne]

(Kayne/Purg/Han Co-Post Part 1)

The God of Rulership briefly frowned when Moriteva requested to be part of the conversation. Aegis considered denying the request; the fewer people involved, the better. However, it was clear that Mori was resolute in never leaving Marette alone. The growing bond between the God of Life and the Goddess of Time was evident to everyone, and Aegis knew better than to interfere. "Understood," he said. "Once she wakes up, we can move to a private location together and speak then."

It didn’t take long before Marette awoke from her nightmare, thanking Nature’s Warden for saving her life once more. Aegis remained silent, allowing the two to have their moment. He suspected that both his and Moriteva’s conversations would cast a shadow over their happiness. "I’m glad to see you well, too, Marette," he said solemnly, unable to smile knowing what he was about to bring up. "I hate to be brisk, but we should find someplace quiet to catch up on things." His tone was vague, but he hoped his eyes conveyed the urgency of the matter.
-
While Moriteva was incapable of reading minds, he had spent enough time with Marette to know her rest was not particularly peaceful. The scars of a horrible vision and a fight beyond what she had ever had to contend with. Marette was not a fighter, she was an arbiter and an overseer. Mori knew this, and could only imagine what was going through her head in her troubled sleep. As she rested, Moriteva glanced back to Aegis as he acquiesced to his request, and simply nodded with a soft smile on his face.

“I appreciate it. I can only imagine what she is going through right now.” Though Moriteva certainly had an idea or two, based on what he knew of the foe they still faced.

Eventually, Marette shot bolt upright, causing Moriteva to turn to her with a look of concern in his eyes. However, her eyes flicked to Silvannus, and her body eased, which brought a slight bit of relief to the Warden. She seemed to be alright, at least physically. Then her gaze found himself, and Moriteva nearly fell over as Marette practically fell into his arms, causing a gasp of air but a laugh all the same to come as he hugged the Goddess of Time tight to him. “Me? I’m more worried about you.” Moriteva welcomed her back to the world of the living, feeling warmth fill him as she tenderly reached out to him, pressed her forehead against his. “You gracing my company is payment enough. If you truly wish to pay me back, when we get out of this mess, why don’t you make the tea for our next talk?” Moriteva spoke softly, feeling a rush of embarrassment come over him as Marette took the time to close one of his gashes. He truly hadn’t thought of himself until he was sure everyone else was alright. Sometimes Marette had to remind him of that fact.

Truly, where would he be without her?

Thankfully, Marette’s next target of notice was Aegis, which returned things to the matter at hand. Moriteva’s smile faded as he gently held Marette, knowing full well that matters could not be jovial for long. Aegis seemed to reflect that fact. “Worry not, everyone is alive. Some…still the worse for wear, but we are all present and accounted for.” Moriteva figured he would at least try to take care of some of Marette’s worries before delving into serious topics. Aegis himself seemed to have quite the urgent message, one Moriteva was a bit concerned about. What had happened between the Devourers arriving and now? The Warden gently shifted Marette and rose to his feet, offering his hand to help her up in case she was still not recovered. He could see flickers of something dark behind her eyes from moment to moment; he worried that perhaps the Devourer’s vision had a more powerful effect on her than he hoped.

He glanced about the cavern they’d entered, noting a corner off to the side that still held vision of the others, but was of sufficient distance to keep discussions private. He nodded at Aegis once, keeping his arm around Marette’s back as he helped her walk in that direction. Just in case. As he did, he glanced to Aegis with a stoic look in his eye. The encounter with Malphas had left them with little to be happy about save the fact that they’d all survived. He could only wonder what was so important and concerning on Aegis’ part. “You go first. Mine can wait a few minutes.”

–
Marette took a simple moment to compose herself. Moments were things she had in abundance. So small, but for her, the Goddess of Time it was everything. Life happened in the small moments, the simple moments, the ones where the world went quiet and one could simply reflect on the reality of a situation. Or perhaps another opportunity to push the horrors she had experienced down deeper within. This was not the place to begin to unpack what she had experienced in the hands of a devourer, or with their foul blades that had pierced her flesh.

She watched Aegis and immediately the look on his face, the expression of his eyes told her far more than his simple words. To catch up, a plain enough phrase but when echoed by the God of Kings it apparent that something grave was weighing heavily upon him. How typical of those of the Order faction to whisk away to a quiet corner. A private space where the adults could talk and not alarm others. These actions, tells of softer leadership were what reinforced Marette’s ultimate belief that Aegis had the proper potential.

Taking Moriteva’s hand and drawing herself to a standing position she nodded and spoke, “Of course. Let us catch up. I’m sure there is much I’ve missed.” Marette did not feign a smile, simply acknowledging and granting the request. With the aid of Moriteva she walked to the slightly more secluded area. It almost quickly became apparent that Moriteva had news of his own to share, perhaps it had something to do with what he had hid from her. Was Death still among them?

—
They navigated the labyrinthine caverns, moving through the winding tunnels. They needed to remain within a reasonable distance of the group in case immediate assistance was required but far enough to ensure their conversation wouldn’t be overheard. Fortunately, most potential eavesdroppers were still unconscious. Once they found a suitably secluded spot, Aegis turned to his companions.

"I'll get straight to the point," he began, his expression grave. "Even though Malphas rules this realm, there’s no way she could have discovered us so quickly… not without insider help." He let the implication linger, allowing the weight of his words to settle. "One might suspect our newest member, Santav. However, that doesn’t account for how some of us were captured by Malphas in the first place."
He turned his gaze to the Goddess of Time. "Marette, I need you to tell us more about your capture and who might have known enough to tip off the Duchess."
—
Insider help. A traitor in their midst. Marette’s face seemed to have fallen slack at the implication. But perhaps more so at the silent acknowledgment that Aegis was most likely correct. “I see.” Marette finally said after a brief period of silence. “Not Santav.” She seemed to be affirming Aegis in the notion that Santav couldn’t possibly be the one to blame, not for this at least.

The Goddess of Time closed her eyes and brought herself back to the moment of her capture. To be confronted with her own naivety, fallibility, it was painful. But the answer was not there, not exactly. “I don’t believe it is how I was captured that is illuminating but rather the circumstances that led to my capture.” It seemed after all that Marette had a revelation, a grim revelation.

“Time is like the current of the oceans or the wind, it flows singularly and in one direction always. Time marches forward.” Marette sighed heavily, her gaze briefly turning away from Aegis to look toward Moriteva, unconsciously her hands had moved to wrap around one of his arms, largely for stability, but perhaps more so for comfort. “It was a trap. Plain and simple.” Marette shrugged her shoulders.

“Something was wrong. Someone was playing with time itself. In light of recent news, it seems that would be Malphas and her abominations, these devourers. It seemed erratic at first, flickers through the time stream of manipulation. Little forwards, little backwards. But it was disorganized. Random… and nothing seemed consequential in it.” Marette realized rather quickly after that where things had gone wrong.

“The day before my capture there was a larger scale manipulation. A stop. Something like that takes skill and effort. So, I needed to investigate it for myself and correct the anomalies.” Someone knew how to get her attention and more importantly how to draw out her presence. “And… there is only one person amongst us who knew what I was doing and where I was going.” Marette’s voice seemed to grow shallow and shaky, almost stumbling over those words as she spoke them.

“But he… wouldn’t do that. Not to us, not to me.” Marette was at first in denial. “It couldn’t be right. There’s no way it could be…” Marette trailed off for a moment.

“Silvannus.”
–
Aegis remained silent as Marette reached a similar conclusion. "Silvannus is the only key person in our group who could have led to my capture," he reaffirmed, echoing her evidence and confirming his worst suspicions. "Thus, we know he's capable. But does he have the intent?" he pondered aloud. "I strongly believe he does. It's no secret that Silvanus deeply cares for Selrina and would likely do anything to bring back his mother figure, even if it means betraying us to the Duchess of Pain," he stated grimly. "If anyone could awaken Selrina, it would likely be another Monarch."

He glanced at Marette, his expression somber. "Also, you weren't awake at the end of the battle with the Devourers. Silvanus is letting the corruption of chaos magic seep into him more and more," Aegis paused, aware of the weight of his words and the impact they would have on Marette's perception of her former friend. "Chaos shall consume. Those were his last words before he tore off the Devourer's head." His gaze shifted between Marette and Moriteva, studying their reactions as they grappled with the knowledge that their potential traitor was currently unconscious among them.
–
Aegis was quick to get to the point about his own discussion. That discussion pertained to the how and the why they ended up in Tartarus to begin with. A plausible discussion, but then why did he need to speak to Marette, of all people, alone about it? Why not include Atrophos and Visana? Mori mused, noting the heavy implications that a traitor lurked in their midst. While it would explain a lot, there was much it couldn’t, but information was a powerful tool to use. He supposed Aegis trusted Marette above everyone else; he couldn’t blame him based on his own experiences. Marette was hard to gain the trust of…but when you did she was an ally for life.

As for who might have been involved…Moriteva listened quietly as Marette explained her time spent before her capture, a piece of information Mori hadn’t had time to ask her about yet. He folded his arms, listening to her explanations about the distortions of time and the trap laid out for her. “The Devourers couldn’t have done it. Malphas didn’t have you yet to feed them.” Which meant the distortions came from another source. There were precious few who could manipulate temporal magics. Marette could. The erstwhile God of Eternity likely could…if they existed. Moriteva knew most of the gods at least by name, if not personally, but there had been no God of Eternity throughout his entire existence that he knew of. A strange omission in their pantheon if anything, but unsubstantiated theories were not going to help here.

And then there was…Silvannus.

Moriteva heaved a sigh. He had a feeling discussions were headed in this direction. Few wielded the power to trap and capture so many gods, not even Malphas. She needed assistance from others. Minos, for one…it was easily plausible that she had help from outside her own faction. In fact, Mori had proof. But Silvannus…”In all my time I’ve known Silvannus, he has been a trustworthy and stalwart companion and friend. Under normal circumstances, he would never do such a thing…” But these weren’t normal circumstances, were they? Selrina’s coma had been a topic of much pain amongst most of the Balance gods. He was hit particularly hard by her affliction, but he could imagine none so hurt more than Silvannus. His ties to the Matron were tighter than any other bond he knew of. And the lengths he would go to to bring her back…

“I know Silvannus incredibly well.” Moriteva spoke softly, keeping his voice low and calm. “This is not entirely out of the realm of possibility if he truly thought it would accomplish a major goal of his. Especially one as close to his heart like returning Selrina to us.” Moriteva sighed weakly. “But…” There was still the but. “I am not sold on it just yet. Other possibilities exist.” One in particular had his attention for a while, and was the reason why he was even talking to Aegis in the first place.

“Tell me.” Moriteva’s eyes flicked between Marette and Aegis now with a deadly serious expression on your face. “Do you two know of the Goddess of Death, Requiem?...ah-!” Moriteva clutched his head, a spasm of pain running through him as a furious hiss ran through his mind.

That is not my name, Mori. That is a dead name. A WEAK name.

[Azazeal849]

Santav broke the silence first. "We should head inside," he said, pointing toward the cave entrance. "At least get out of line-of-sight and tend to our wounds."

Visana lingered for a moment, staring at the empty air where Malphas’ phantom form had stood.

“Let Minos come.” she whispered.

The old, unspoken laws against god fighting god were broken and smashed to pieces. Even in the arena Visana had tried to avoid it, bidding Minos to flee before finally banishing him from the fight within a protective orb. No longer.

She looked at Santav as the two of them began to climb down towards the others. The Charred looked back at her with a card-playing face, but she could tell that there was more behind his eyes than thoughts of rest.

“You want freedom from this place.” she said as they climbed hand-over-hand down into the crater. “I can understand that completely. And you oppose Malphas, and Baldramort. Good. That makes us allies.” Until we’re out of Hades, at least. She paused, hanging by one hand. “But the antidote to Malphas’ illusions is trust. What can you tell me that will make me trust you past the gates of Hades?”

The Charred studied her with his golden eyes, holding a stoic expression. "Freedom from this place?" he stated aloud, his eyes wandering the cave, their temporary sanctuary. "Freedom from Hades? That's not my ultimate goal. I seek freedom for all deities, and know I can accomplish that goal by accompanying you all."

Freedom for all deities. Visana’s brow creased. “What does that mean?”

The Charred did not answer her directly. "Trust is a funny thing though," he began. "You request my trust, but I believe one can trust a bit too much," His eyes fell onto the unconscious Silvanus, practically sending a subtle message to Visana. "We all have lived long lives, and all of us experienced a betrayal of some kind from someone we trusted."

Visana followed his gaze, and heard the words again. Chaos. Shall. CONSUME! She shook her head. Petty squabbles and fickle alliances were the norm for most gods, even in the Order realm. True betrayal, though? She remembered many long, heartbreaking struggles with Atrophos, and the rage he had sometimes pushed her to, but the Perisher had never been dishonest about who and what he was.

Perhaps she had been lucky in that regard. The Charred, on the other hand… She looked back at Santav but said nothing, having no answer for him.

His eyes met Visana again, "What are your thoughts on the Throne of Gods?"

Visana resumed her climb, placing her feet carefully on the cracked rocks that jutted from the loose red earth banking the crater.

“It was just…the way things always were.” she said after a moment. “Suriyel was around before any of us, and so he ruled. I never thought he would die. I never thought he could die. But now he’s gone and since then, everything…everything is broken.”

"Broken," Santav echoed, his gaze distant and contemplative. "If everything is broken, how do we fix it? Perhaps your friend, Aegis, the God of Kings, could become the King of Gods, taking the throne and ruling benevolently?" he suggested. "But what’s to prevent him from meeting the same fate as Suriyel? What’s to stop a deity from the Chaos faction from usurping Aegis, seizing the Throne, and plunging the multiverse into a new era of chaos? Maybe your friend Moriteva could then rise up, defeat the chaos, and restore stability as the new King of Gods, bringing back balance and hope."

Santav paused, letting his words sink in. "But then the cycle would continue. Moriteva would fall, and another deity would take his place on the Throne. And so on, endlessly. Tell me, Goddess of Protection, how do we break free from this cycle? How do we liberate ourselves from the Throne?"

They reached the bottom of the crater where the others waited. Visana dusted herself down, uncomfortably.

“I don’t know.” she admitted. Even the ridiculous thought of another, younger god on Suriyel’s throne was untenable. It would not undo the disaster that had befallen Earth after the Fall. Even if the gods all eventually murdered each other and scattered their power to the winds, what would be left for humanity? And who would protect them?

“All I care about right now is getting back to Elysium. Or even to Earth. Somewhere I can hear the prayers again. Somewhere I can do what I’m meant to do.”

Santav's face hardened at Visana's words, disappointment clear in his eyes. "Visana," he began, his voice carrying a sharp edge, "Your perspective is disappointingly narrow. You’re so focused on the insignificant humans that you’re missing the bigger picture."

A glimmer of light swirled along the wards running across Visana’s body. “They are not insignificant.” she hissed.

Santav took a step closer, his gaze intense, challenging the goddess. "Those hairless apes are just a tiny part of a vast multiverse filled with titans, celestials, demons, and beasts. If we don't address the root problem—the cycle of power and betrayal—everything, including humanity, is doomed to suffer."

The two gods stared each other down for a long moment.

“Then perhaps it’s us that needs to end.” Visana said, and turned away.

[RedKayne]

(Kayne/Purg/Han Co-Post Part 2)

Denial was a funny thing, perhaps not funny, moreso strange. There is a constant need to protect those that one loves. To hold them close and believe in them all things good. To doubt their capability to inflict harm. But do we not hurt those we love the most? Marette listened carefully to Moriteva’s words but knew a singular and fundamental truth.

Silvannus betrayed them. Betrayed them all.

So great was Silvannus’ desire to restore Selrina that he had cast aside his morality, sacrificed his friends and indeed his family to Malphas to achieve his ultimate goal. And in so doing Silvannus had cast himself into chaos, and allowed it to creep inward like rot. Marette was no longer in denial. Marette heard Aegis’ words and saw the truth, clarity.

But there was no time to make an argument with Moriteva, to convince him to see the world as she had seen it now.

Requiem.

Even giving voice to the name seemed to call forth something, Moriteva struck with a sudden pain. Marette powerless to stop it. The Goddess of Time rested her hands upon Moriteva’s head and her gaze turned to Aegis. “I know that she was missing. But that… seems no longer to be the case.” Marette sighed deeply, exasperated, exhausted. “The last Devourer. It contained the essence of Death. And when our eyes met. I too, saw my own death. Over and over. Death has returned.”
–
Moriteva wasn’t precisely sure what the name Requiem would show in Aegis and Marette, but recognition seemed to flicker in her eyes, at the very least. She concernedly placed a hand on his head, which the Warden accepted wearily as the voice of his other half faded away once again. She spoke of her own death, repeating ad infinitum, the curse of the Devourer manifested in those final moments before rescue. Moriteva sighed. “It’s not just that she’s resurfaced.” If it were that simple, Moriteva would not be having this conversation in the first place. Yet here he was, trying to explain the sudden urgency that had overtaken him. It wasn’t the simplest task containing himself, but with Marette’s gentle touch and the fading spark in his mind, he felt he could at least relay what he knew.

“Given you are both of Order, I don’t expect either of you to fully know of Requiem. She is…was…” Moriteva pondered how to properly word exactly what he planned to explain. “It can be easily surmised that she is my other half. As with life, so is death. We are two sides of the same coin. Though we are not kin, we share an unbreakable connection. Oftentimes we used this connection to communicate. We were rivals, but of a mutual, friendly sort. For a while, anyways.” Moriteva frowned, having given the backdrop for what was to come. “But after the fall, she fell silent on the other end of my thoughts. I had attributed it to simply being that and nothing more, but recently, she has returned. But…something is wrong. She doesn’t sound like herself. Her voice is devoid of emotion, save for when disgust or intrigue take her muse. And rather than communicate, she seems to taunt, to instigate. But most of all, she threatens. The goddess of Death, threatening death…” Moriteva shook his head with a wry smile, but that quickly faded away to his same contemplative frown.

“The reason I’m bringing all of this up is to point out what might perhaps be the obvious.” Moriteva glanced to Marette, then back to Aegis. “Someone, or something, has tampered with Requiem. To the point where she insists her name is something else entire-AGH!” The pain returned, yet even stronger than before, enough to cause the Warden to double over as her voice echoed in his mind, louder than ever as her voice dripped with murderous intent.

My name…is Messis.
–
One more mystery abounded. The Goddess of Time took in Moriteva’s words and thought upon them. Quickly interrupted by another striking bout of pain endured by the Warden of Life. Marette was taken aback by how the connection between the two opposing, but complementary forces had turned so sour. Putting her arms around him she guided him to a seated position and knelt down beside, an arm still draped over Moriteva.

“Alright… you must rest dear Moriteva.” The concerned Goddess looked at Aegis and shook her head.
“The transformation of Death, the evolution of Death… it is troubling and the timing could not be much worse.” Marette would have chuckled at the way in which she employed the word timing, but now was much too serious. “At the very least we know that Death has had some contact or run in with Malphas, which for all we know is a factor in this… change. But enough so for a Devourer to have taken on the spectre of her abilities.”

Marette sighed. “We’ll… get to the bottom of it. But first is the issue with our betrayal.” She turned her attention back toward Mori with a soft smile. “For the traitor is before us. And as much as we may hate to believe that Silvannus could do this. I am in agreement with Aegis. Silvannus is responsible.”
–
Aegis stood over, his studious face turned into a slight scowl as he observed Moriteva lead to a sitting position. At first, he was impatient by Moriteva’s point, any delay meant another second of Silvanus waking up and missing their prime opportunity. However…

“Unless, Moriteva, what you’re suggesting, you’re our unintended spy for Malphas?” Aegis questioned with a hard look. “Death can overhear you, otherwise, you wouldn’t have suffered that bout of pain…” he paused and awaited clarification from the Life Warden, his arms crossed as his rulership eyes judged.

[RedKayne]

(Kayne/Purg/Han Co-Post Final Part)

Moriteva’s pain was agonizing only briefly, her voice disappearing into the echoes of his thoughts as quickly as it had come. All the same, he found himself sitting as he placed a hand on his head, shaking himself free of the voice and its pain. He glanced to Marette, giving her a weary smile. “I’ll be alright. Our connection is painful, but it has no lasting effects.” Moriteva rose to his feet once again, giving Aegis a cold, calculating stare as he seemed to reach a conclusion that Moriteva himself was worried about. However, while the thought was concerning, the Warden closed his eyes and shook his head.

“The idea of me being an active traitor is preposterous, given it would have been better for Malphas to not send a faux rescuer at all if that were the case. Besides, my innocence will be proven by Luthious at the end of all this.” Moriteva’s eyes opened once again. “That being said, we know she has been harvested for the Devourers. If she was merely a prisoner, then…why isn’t she with us now?” Moriteva fired the pointed question into the air. “Why was she not with the rest of those designated for slaughter, and why did she not perish when the arena was destroyed?”

Moriteva let the implications hang in the air before glancing about. “While I do not believe my presence is compromising the group…I do believe Death stalks us at every turn, and I believe she has aligned with the Duchess. To what end, I don’t know.” He looked back towards the others. Visana with Santav, Silvannus still peacefully asleep on the ground. Ridstus…he wasn’t even certain if there was life left in that hunk of scrap metal. Atrophos and Lunae…

“We should move soon. We are still being watched.”
—
“You seem to be deflecting my true question, Moriteva,” Aegis promptly responded, holding his ground. “I don’t doubt your innocence or intentions. However, if Death is working for Malphas, can you confirm if she can listen to your conversations, like this one when you tried to speak her real name?”
—
There was a long silence from Moriteva before he shook his head. “In the past, no, she could only hear what thoughts I directed at her. Whatever happened to her, I cannot say if-or what-changes have occurred. However, there is one very important factor I would warn you of.” His eyes, dark from energy expenditure, narrowed as he regarded the facts he knew, and the ones he didn’t. “Our connection is at its strongest when we are close. And if she can give me migraines, I would not be surprised if she is within earshot right now.”
—
Aegis nodded as he listened to Moriteva. It wasn’t the most satisfying answer given the unknown changes, but they could only speculate. “Or perhaps her powers have grown to the point where she can cause those migraines from a long distance. But for now, we’re only working on assumptions about this Death. And there’s nothing we can do about those assumptions right now.”

His gaze shifted between Marette and Moriteva. “As for Silvanus, there is something we can address. Best case scenario, he’s letting the chaos magic corrupt him. Worst case, he’s a traitor and an insider threat, motivated by his desire to revive Selrina. This is our prime opportunity to get some answers from him. We need to restrain him while he’s unconscious.”

He looked at Marette. “I know this isn’t an easy request, but the reason I wanted to speak to you directly is because you and Silvanus are the closest in this group. You’re the most likely to get through to him.”

Aegis’s plan was clear: restrain their comrade, interrogate him upon awakening, and ensure he couldn’t use his magic to interfere. “The rest of the group will heed our cautions. They will want answers too. At best, he’s not our traitor, but we need to make sure he no longer uses that chaos magic.”
—
When Aegis even for a moment had implied that Moriteva was, even if unwittingly, a traitor Marette could feel her blood boil. There had been agreement between the two deities of Order, something that hadn’t happened in some time. Now there was discord. The Goddess of Time turned to Aegis and shook her head. “Please remember that Moriteva was charged by our better, Luthious to descend into the depths of hell to save us. He would never knowingly betray us. Betray me.” Strangely, she found herself rather calm. Almost at ease, for she did ultimately understand Aegis’ message, and equally she understood his abundance of caution. “I will not have him insulted or defamed for an action which at this moment we may not understand completely, for even he is unaware of what this evolution means.”

Composing herself, she thought of the matter at hand. The request made by Aegis. “Well…” Marette began, longing for a cup of tea more than anything else. Something to calm the nerves. “An intervention.” Marette smirked, the idea was somewhat comical but not without merit. “I could fill your mind with the inane interventions of humanity for millennia.” Marette was a guardian of history, a keeper of knowledge. “A group of concerned friends.” Her gaze turned toward Moriteva. Silvannus was their friend, their family, he was their brother, confidant. “The magic he uses. It poses a significant threat to all of us. Chaos. It cannot be allowed to return to the world unbidden and unchecked.”

Marette thought for a moment, almost holding her breath. “Very well. I will do as you ask. But… the others are not so well tempered as we are.” Marette could not predict the reactions of Visana, for example. Even Marette and Visana had found themselves at odds at the best of times. It hadn’t been until they were literally saving each other’s lives that the two had ever exchanged thanks. “And they would be right in their responses, justified even, if Silvannus admits the truth of his actions.” Marette could not deny her own anger. But she would fight against it.

“They mustn’t be allowed to harm him. It is not for us to pass judgment. For Aegis… could we not do the same if it was our own beloved Monarch who lay dormant?” Marette swallowed hard and nodded. “Mori.” Marette began softly. “Even if this is true.” Marette wrestled deeply with her own emotions, not to mention everything she was repressing about her experience with death. “We will still love him.”
–
Aegis's face remained stoic as Marette admonished him for implying that Moriteva could be compromised by Malphas. However, a subtle hardness appeared in his eyes, conveying a hint of disappointment. “I have not forgotten the quest our Monarch assigned to Moriteva, nor the Life Warden’s generosity in accepting such a dangerous mission to selflessly save us. For that, I am eternally grateful. But one of us needs to think without bias, Marette,” Aegis stated pointedly. “I’m still seeking the safety of everyone in this group. If that means asking the difficult questions to understand how our enemies can exploit us, then so be it. I will not back down from asking similar questions in the future.”

It was one of the rare times Aegis displayed a certain hardness in his interaction with Marette. Usually composed and upbeat, he rarely let negative words affect him. But this time, a trace of frustration seeped into his voice. There were only so many times the elderly goddess could chide him without the younger celestial snapping back. The extenuating circumstances of their environment also seemed to wear on the God of Kings and Rulership.

As he listened to Marette’s idea of intervention, Aegis let the tension fade from his face. He had no further disagreements with her plan. “Understood, I will help in whatever way possible to ensure nothing gets out of hand,” he replied curtly. There was a brief silence, but he spoke up again, “However, some food for thought - would you say the same thing if it was another deity that was betraying us, someone we don’t know as well, like Ridstus or Atrophos? Would you say that it is not our right to judge them? Would you still love them?” He let those words linger, “Again, food for thought, so we can better understand those that don’t know Silvanus as well and may want to enact their own form of justice.”
—
Marette for the first time in a long time found herself the subject of a lecture. A stern talking to, admonition. There was temptation to lash out, to spew unkind words toward her fellow deity. Herein showing his youth, his lack of understanding that there were seldom absolute rights and absolute wrongs. “You are right.” Marette relented, clearly unhappy but at least self aware. “The safety of the group is paramount. I find it difficult to be… willing to consider a more nefarious truth if it means doubting a man who saved my life not once but twice.” Marette shrugged her shoulders, entirely focused on Aegis at this point.

“But the question is to be asked. Always.” She longed to roll her eyes, but that would be beneath her. She would force herself to act with all of the dignity she routinely carried herself with. “If you expect me to claim that I would treat the others as I would Silvannus should that have been true, I would not. We all know that I would not.” Marette smiled softly. “But I would still wish to know the truth of it, why they had done it. And it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that I might similarly understand their reasons.”

Taking a firm look inward the Goddess of Time shook her head. “I cannot dictate their reactions, and whatever they may be, they are valid. I can only speak my truth and pray it falls upon willing ears. The world is not simple, God of Kings. Nothing is.” Another soft shrug of the shoulders. The Goddess of Time would not fight any more today.
—
Aegis could sense the palpable tension threatening to break through Marette's composure, but she held steady. Of course, she couldn’t resist adding another lecture about life’s complexity. She also admitted her bias towards Moriteva due to him saving her life—though, surprisingly for a goddess as ancient as time itself, Aegis couldn't help but feel she exhibited traits reminiscent of a human teenager who believes her crush can do no wrong. But voicing such thoughts would only invite her ire; some words are best left unspoken.

Attachment, Aegis mused, does indeed cloud judgment. Moriteva played a crucial role in their rescue mission, but Aegis could argue that his command against Malphas had also saved all their lives, allowing them to escape. The Goddess of Time's gratitude, or the lack thereof, had not gone unnoticed. She would continue to nitpick 90% of his actions, but the God of Kings and Rulership must soldier on alone—for leadership often means standing alone at the top.

“I do not disagree with you, Marette,” he sighed lightly. “The only reason I pose that question - is so we can better understand their minds, so we might be one step closer to winning their hearts and ensuring Silvanus's safety. I can stop them with a simple command, or Moriteva can restrain them with his vines. But if their hearts don’t change, Silvanus’s safety could be at risk at a critical moment in the future. A deity like Visana might simply ‘forget’ to use her protection rune on Silvanus during battle. Perhaps no matter what we do, they will remain vengeful over Silvanus’s betrayal. But it never hurts to try, or in your words, to share your truth and attempt to convince them.”
—
Moriteva had remained silent once the conversation moved past their potential celestial watcher and reverted back to the original topic at hand: Silvannus. Silvannus and his possible betrayal of the gods before them. Moriteva closed his eyes, thinking for a long moment, and heaved a sigh, letting his shoulders slump a little bit. “Silvannus is one of my oldest and most treasured friends. He has seen me through dark times and darker thoughts and is always a bubbling cauldron of good feelings and intentions when you need him to be most.” Moriteva’s voice was calm, even as he listened to the two Order deities exchange words in argument with one another. Such differences in vision were bound to be, regardless of if they were in agreement or not. Moriteva continued to watch both of them, ready to silence one-or both-if words got out of hand.

Thankfully, nothing seemed to boil over, and after some terse words from Aegis, Marette seemed to cool off just a little bit. Moriteva laid a hand on her shoulder. “I believe Silvannus did not betray anyone out of malice…merely tunnel vision to protect someone he loves. I know that feeling of utmost despair and blinding hope when an option is presented to you.” Much of a similar vein had occurred within himself when Selrina had fallen into her unending slumber. Moriteva himself might have gone down a darker path had Luthious not approached him first with a potential solution.

But that was something he could consider later, when everyone was safe. For the moment, they needed to consider the facts, and the possibility that Silvannus might betray them yet again. “So, if this is the path we’re taking…” Moriteva sighed once more, feeling a weight descend on his heart. “Very well. I shall assist with restraints as needed. I know how to keep Silvannus from letting loose, as it were.” Moriteva dug into his pouch, withdrawing a few seeds that he kept in his hand for the moment. He couldn’t wait to return to Averas and restock; his pouch could only hold so much.

“Let’s just get this over with.”

[RisingPhoenix]

The roses sway back and forth. The field is filled with color as far as the eye can see. In the middle of the field, a sole figure sits, his eyes closed before opening slowly.

“Hello there.”

His eyes twinkled with joy and he moved to stand, but a simple hand stopped him. She smiled down at him and slowly sat next to him.

“Silvannus, you always were complex, but your love for the simple things made you different, among other things.”

Silvannus smiled and sighed.

“Selrina….”

“Do not think too deeply into what you are seeing, let’s just enjoy this time.”

Silvannus nodded and turned to look out in the distance.

“Silvannus. This mission, this burden you carry. I hope you know you are not alone.”

“I have done so many things that I am too far gone now to turn around.”

“No matter the cost?”

“What am I supposed to do? It’s a test of my sanity to constantly see you in that state….”

“Oh Silvannus. That is not a burden you should carry. I would never want you to do this. I should have kept you from him, but instead I turned a blind eye hoping that he would not taint you in this way. You are changing. I only want what is best for you, to rise to your full potential. There is so much you are capable of. There has never been a deity like you, Silvannus.”

Silvannus leaned his head against Selrina’s shoulder and she smiled.

“Do not sell yourself short. The Silvannus I know will always find a way…”

Silvannus looked up to see Selrina’s smile. It brought comfort, but as quickly as the comfort came did it disperse. Dark clouds rolled in, thunder booming, wind whipping and lashing the beautiful garden. Silvannus knew something was wrong and when he stood up and turned around Baldremort stood, an unnerving smirk on his face.

“Free me, and I will help you.”

“Prince of Chaos?” Silvannus said, taking a step back.

“You have the power to do it. Take what I’ve taught you and free me. You know what must be done. Do it and Selrina will awaken.”

The area became increasingly dark the longer he stood in front of him.

“ELIMINATE THEM AND EACH FACTION SHALL FALL INTO CHAOS!!!”

“You expect me to kill a Monarch? All of them? Exactly how do you expect me to accomplish this mountainous task when Luthious, the strongest of the Monarchs, still draws breath.”

A wicked grin slowly formed on Baldramort’s face. He lifted his pale arm, taking a blade and sliding it over his flesh. Silvannus watched as the golden liquid slowly seeped out of the wound.

“We are all connected. You know how much power flows in our veins? The very essence that gives us life.….”

“That is INSANITY..”

“IT IS REALITY. YOU have the power to create, to bring forth something that never existed with just the use of your voice.”

“I am not strong enough to do that..”

“According to who? You are so concerned about what others want that you will fail in your mission to awaken Selrina. Do what must be done. Do it for Selrina.”

Everything shifted. The darkness transformed into flames. Silvannus spun around and glared. Malphas sat in her throne, a smug expression plastered on her face.

“We both know there is a price to pay for betraying your fellow gods and goddesses…” she paused as she leaned closer. “Let us hope you will be prepared for that day, too"

His eyes flung open and he groaned softly as he looked down to see the partially healed wounds. His head pounded as he attempted to move but felt restrained. Luna and Sage quickly joined him at his side as he struggled against what looked to be vines across his torso. His blurred vision focused enough to see Marette, Moriteva and Aegis standing before him.

I do not like the looks of this Sage said.

I agree, your injuries are great, please stop moving. Perhaps I should ask them what it is they want…” Luna said

As he looked at them, his attention snapping to their faces, he couldn’t help but turn away in shame.

What would they think of him? He’d betrayed them all and for what? For the chance to awaken his beloved monarch, Selrina. What would she think of the choices he’d made just for a potential chance at seeing her walking around, to hear her voice and to experience her wisdom?

He could have easily abandoned them at the first chance. He didn’t have to help them face the Devourers and yet he did. He stayed with them and helped them defeat foe after foe. They had gifted him their power to mold into spells and incantations and he repaid them with betrayal. The thought played in his head like a broken record.

“I don’t suppose you are willing to explain why I am restricted in this unholy manner….and with vines of all things? You could have at least gotten some proper rope to restrain me.” He looked between the three of them before exhaling slowly. “Can I at least sit up? I’d rather not stay in this position for much longer.”

His eyes fell on Lunae and he gazed upon him longingly.

“Can someone check on him?”

[Azazeal849]

Visana was with Atrophos, doing her best to make the unconscious Lunae and Ridstus comfortable while the Eternal, the Lifewarden and the Timekeeper conferred quietly off to one side.

“Malphas needed us alive,” Visana mused as she rose back to her feet, pushing dust-thick rat tails of hair away from her face. “To feed her Consumed and nurture them into Devourers. But now…” She managed a ghost of a smile. “She can’t help playing with her food. She made that mistake at the arena and she’s making it again.”

A sound of slithering vines made her turn, where she was shocked to see Moriteva directing them to twist and bind around the awakening Silvannus, while the arcana god’s silver fans flitted back and forth in consternation.

“Mori!” Visana blurted.

Chaos. Shall. CONSUME. She had heard it, just as the rest of them had. She had seen Santav’s dark, warning glance. But judgement was rendered on what one had done, not on what one might do - and certainly not when they were barely conscious enough to speak and defend themselves.

Visana crossed the space between herself and the group with hurried strides. “What are you…what’s going on?”

[Hannelorian]

Marette turned her attentions toward Visana who was understandably confused, and certainly concerned about the events that had just taken place. "Dearest Visana, you needn't worry, all shall become clear in time." Marette offered a small smile, though it was clear that it was forced. Marette nodded to Moriteva as he manuevered the vines around the waking Silvannus. Even now he was still worried for Lunae. And perhaps that was the most devastating part, he had involved the true love of his life in this mess. A love which had seemed to go so very wrong, but even now those threads were coming undone and that mystery too would be solved in time.

"My darling." Marette said warmly as she moved to position herself before Silvannus. "You needn't stay in this position long. I can assure you." The Goddess of Time found herself upset by what she had to do. What had been charged of her. "As for Lunae, he is well taken care of." Marette briefly glanced in that direction, Lunae remaining unconscious for the time being, that too seemed to be for the best.

"Before we get to the matter at hand, I would ask that everyone present remain calm. While you will surely be quick to anger justly so, for everything there is a reason." There would be no sparing Silvannus from the whirlwind of anger that was about to descend upon him. "Alright then. Silvannus." Marette looked down upon him and knelt beside him. Her fingertips gently tracing along his cheek. "I have loved you as a brother for as long as I can remember. All I ask is that you be honest." Marette nodded and let her hand fall back to her side.

"Malphas has been on top of us since we arrived. She knows our movements well, too well. Myself, Moriteva and Aegis believe that there is simply no way she could be this aware of our actions had she not someone within the group informing her." She let out a deep sigh.

"There was only one person who was aware of where I was going, what I was doing at the time of my seizure. And that was you, my darling." Marette's eyes were soft, as were her words. She seemed exceedingly sympathetic, if not deeply saddened by her words. "I believe... that you have betrayed us my love. That you indeed were involved with our kidnappings and... indeed with our movements." Marette reached her hand back out once more to rest atop Silvannus' head. "All you need do is confirm what I know to be true, and tell us why you've done this." Marette turned to look toward Moriteva, clearly looking for support.

"Speak swiftly. Let your words ring true."