[2018-Apr-16 19:54:15] It hadn't taken long for word to travel. Newly scarred, from the top of his right eye and scorching up through his hairline, all that remained was melted skin, a gash where a vicious bolt of hellstorm had torn through it.

But even with that, Xoconan had his own operatives. Scouts, men who knew how to keep their mouths closed. As Ose, he had more. It wasn't hard to see where Caesar had gone, though the end result was harder to find.

Still, he had tracks to follow. And so he came alone, floating through the swamp. Searching.

A knowing smile on his face.
(Xoconan)
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[2018-Apr-16 19:59:14] Cold breezes unfortunately reach the man, his hair swaying with the natural alternations of the biome. Caesar stared into nothingness, knowing people would arrive after the sudden men walking towards Ardent. It all shattered. An identity not able to be preserved, and a mask broken.

His mana circuits tingled after a known arrival, feeling the hot presence of plasma linger around him. Not much had to be done, as the voice echoed through the swamp, still not facing Xoconan.

"Well. It seems they are tryin' really hard to put me down. Not an easy mess to fix." sighing, the tones weren't depreciative. His motivations never wavered, despite things being quite harder to do.

"So? Did you come to kill me, or help?"
(Caesar Valerius)
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[2018-Apr-16 19:59:17] LOOC - Caesar Valerius: ((what
[2018-Apr-16 19:59:20] LOOC - Caesar Valerius: ((my font bugged...
[2018-Apr-16 20:03:53] Xoconan shrugged in response to the question. "That depends. How much is it worth to me to keep someone like Goetia around?" An easy enough thing to assume. Their organization had few members - fewer still that could command hellstorm.

"I could publicly dismiss the claims, of course. But - that would assume we're friends. What's a little murder between friends, hm? Keeping a body locked up in a chest?" He floated up beside Caesar, smirk still present. Knowing he had all the power here.

"I could kill you too. Claim you a criminal, one to be put down. It'd help gain the support of Ardent, after we killed Caelocanth." He didn't make any hostile motions, didn't even reach for his weapon.

"So tell me, Caesar. What's your life worth to you?"
(Xoconan)
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[2018-Apr-16 20:12:34] LOOC - Caesar Valerius: ((i
[2018-Apr-16 20:12:38] LOOC - Caesar Valerius: ((i clicked cancel instead of post
[2018-Apr-16 20:12:50] LOOC - Caesar Valerius: ((it went back to the third paragraph
[2018-Apr-16 20:12:51] LOOC - Caesar Valerius: ((i.........
[2018-Apr-16 20:14:40] LOOC - Xoconan: (rip)
[2018-Apr-16 20:17:35] Taciturnity commanded the man, listening to Xoconan's solemn words reverberating inside his mind. His new life of interrogations and excuses merely began. And, as the corrupt thrills affect his heart, an answer departs from the tired labiums, accompanied by other loud sigh. One could even hear his diaphragm moving.

"Mila. My ex-wife. She couldn't stay quiet, so I made her mine forever. You see how it went. Incommensurable power guiding actions, aided with the force to break walls that interrupt us."

Clack, clack. His fingers cracked, still unstable from the direct threat from Aetherius. Being cornered was, undoubtedly, something he wouldn't expect. Meticulously planning the entirety of his life and end up being betrayed by a missplaced chest. A path of disgrace and self-loathing would await him, if not by the putrid, despairing force building up inside the man's soul.

"A bribe, huh? What I would expect from a member of the Black Market. What I would also expect from a friend. So..."

His gaze is finally cemented on Xoconan. A golden luminescence emanates from his irises, forming the tainting and corruptive lines expected. The influence treads the swamp, the need to crave it all-- the never satiating route to ascension.

"I can give you power. The power Kayeliun couldn't give you. This... depraved, unfathomable, bottomless crystal of possibilities. You're probably the only one able to decipher my identity with the proofs revealed. Therefore, I believe we must work towards conquest together."

"...but it's your decision, after all." he added, awaiting for an answer.
(Caesar Valerius)
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[2018-Apr-16 20:30:06] His arms folded across the Nyeshk plate, staring at Caesar and his unfamiliar magic. He didn't like when he didn't know something - an advantage to having battled so many Magi. He could even identify a number of Sins, but this?

He wasn't sure.

"I understand. My wife has been... Unloyal before. But, the pangs of the heart... I can't love a corpse. To each their own though." He muttered, looking out over the swamp.

His head shook lightly. "I didn't come here to kill you, truthfully. I wanted your measure. We've never spoken before, like this. Without the cloak and dagger secrecy." His sanguine eyes closed. "Power, huh? I wouldn't say Kayeliun has failed - not yet. But..."

He sighed. "I'm intrigued regardless. You performed well in the war. It'd be a shame for these baseless accusations to get between friends, between you and your duty to the Coalition, wouldn't it?"
(Xoconan)
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[2018-Apr-16 20:35:19] Nodding, Caesar confirmed with bodily motions, the beautiful white hair dancing as the head moved. Unable to think of further plans, his mind was simply following life's waltz, switching, adapting and answering.

"You're right. Many of Ardent don't know, though, I'd say that Vyn one is... somewhat dangerous. Anyway, they're not able to confirm it. Now that my house was tempered with, I can simply deny it and make a decent public talk about the stuff."

Sighing, he added. "But, yes. My opinions is still unknown. I can't see how Jianghu would react. To say my plan was... so strong. And it failed to such... weak reason. The Black Market might suffer from this."
(Caesar Valerius)
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[2018-Apr-16 20:39:22] "I don't particularly care about Vyn. I fought against him with Plasma, and I'm the only magi in the world I've ever seen with it. Let him have his suspicions. I'll kill him if they turn into more than that." Xoconan shrugged!

"Lay low. The Coalition will cover for you. For now? Let's return to the Cruxati, or Ezmara. Wherever you prefer." He offered a light smile. "This is the beginning of a friendship, though maybe you see it as blackmail. Talk to me in the future, when things settle down."
(Xoconan)