A New Purpose: Kristen

[02:11] A familiar sight approaches the park of Osrona.

The Thunderlord. The Commander of the Thunderbird Company. Or. What's left of it. He enters from the south, his stride shakey. He looks wounded. He's covered in the scars of battle. His expensive-looking purple armor and clothes are tattered. His hair is a mess, stained with blood, dirt, sand.

His hands caked in blood. Some his own. Some his enemy's. Some...-

He spots a familiar sight. Not someone he'd spoken to before, but someone he's seen. A figure of authority. Elijah Soleis. Beside him, Asphira Soleis.

He steps up close to him.

He grabs hold of his weapon. A staff, with a sharp point at the end. A magical polearm of sorts. A jumpy onlooker might assume that there's about to be some piss-poor assassination attempt.

But, he speaks. And as he does, he drops the weapon to his side. It lands against the grass noiselessly.

"I am Teodor Hargrave," he says. His voice is weak. Pained. "Thunderlord. Warlord of Theria. I come to you... a traitor to Osrona. I took my Guild to Theria. Plotted with the Syndicate. Broke bread with thieves, bandits, petty war mongers. And now, I fraternized with demons. And..."

He falls to his knees. He looks at his weapon with wide eyes.

"And I just... buried... my sister-... Holly... She was- slain. By a demon."

He looks up at the Radiant pitifully. Then, at Asphira. He has a desperate look in his eyes. He doesn't seem suicidal; he seems determined. Passionate.

"I'm here to accept-" He closes his eyes. "Punishment."
(Teodor Hargrave)
[02:19] The white-cloak of the radiant was also worn with battle, some tattered edges that had been seared black by a previous battle. All of which he would change soon, but he had not had the time to rest given recent events. Elijah eyed Teodor curiously and his hand instinctively made to settle against the handle of Caledlwch when the bloodied man approached...

For now, he does not draw his weapon. Instead, he listened closely.

"I was a good friend to your sister, and we all grieve her loss." The man's emerald-green eyes stared down on the fallen guild leader. "...It does not change your crimes, but considering the current situation..."

A glance is exchanged with Asphira, as he considers what to do. "For now, you'll be permitted to remain in Osrona, on our watch. Your punishment will be to slay ten demons. Until you do so, may shame and guilt hang heavily over your head..."
(Elijah lux Soleis)
[02:25] Teodor's hands begin to tremble. He fully expected at the very least imprisonment. The death sentence, perhaps.

He looks up at the Radiant incredulously. But, he soon composes himself. He clears his throat. He was not a coward. He would not grovel for forgiveness, nor thank him for his mercy.

"I turned my back on the Great Houses Pelleaux, Astor, Grimmore... for the personal gain of myself and my Guild." He slowly rises to his feet.

"I came to this country a poor man... you- this place... made me who I am. I turned my back on it all... But the demons that have come, and now- they took everything. They took Holly. They took... Teodor." He inhales sharply. "They took Teodor Hargrave."

Strong words, considering he did just introduce himself as Teodor Hargrave.

"She died fighting a demon. I will die... fighting a demon." He sighs, slowly.
(Teodor Hargrave)
[02:30] A smile was forced to his lips, a touch of softness that breaks beyond the steeled facade to show that he is not without forgiveness, "You see now why it was a mistake to turn to Theria like that, and how they are simple pawns of the demons. Creatures that would readily eat us whole if they could do so."

"...Order anyone that still follows you away from those lands, and take to the forests south of the city where the demons lurk in number. The First Light, once again, will be the bastion of sanity during these stormy times. But you can help just as any other..."
(Elijah lux Soleis)
[02:36] The broken, bloodied man retrieves the weapon on the ground. He lets it go, and on its own, it propels itself back to a strap on his back.

He nods at Elijah confidently.

"I came here with my mind made up preemptively, in truth. If the Order had chosen to let me live, walk away- I would kill every demon I laid eyes on. That's what- that's what she would have wanted." He smiles down at the ground.

"That's what Teodor would have wanted."

He chuckles. An odd thing to do when one was covered in the blood and viscera of their own sister in law. Everyone had their own ways to cope. "I know I just introduced myself as Teodor Hargrave, but I'd prefer it if you didn't call me that. Call me..."

His eyes wander around.

"Kristen. I'll follow your words, Ser. Or I'll die. Either way, neither will ever make up for this. I just hope I can spare someone else the fate of Holly." He clutches his head for a moment.

"Asphira-" He looks to Elijah's partner.

"I'm- sorry, about that time in Theria. I just wanted you to know that." He looks away. Then, turns to the south.

He takes a moment to look around at the city he'd abandoned. He hadn't been here in quite a while. It felt, almost, nostalgic to be back.
(Teodor Hargrave)
[02:37] Elijah lux Soleis says, "Very well... Kristen."
[02:37] Throughout the exchange, Asphira had been silent. She hadn't much to add to it and felt Elijah was covering everything she would've wanted to say well enough.

Teodor's apology, however, warrants a soft smile from her. "It's fine. Think nothing of it."
(Asphira Soleis)
[02:39] Teodor stands there, a broken, Guildless man, without a family. Where would he go? What would he do? It didn't matter. Demons roamed the countrysides. There could not be more dead Hollys in the world. He walks away quietly, hobbling just a bit.
(Teodor Hargrave)
[02:39] Teodor Hargrave says, "... Tyrith..."
[02:39] Teodor Hargrave says, "You're... visible."
[02:39] Tyrith does in fact have no arm.
(Tyrith Airgetlam)

[02:40] Teodor Hargrave asks, "... How did this happen?"
[02:40] Tyrith Airgetlam says, "I lost."
[02:40] Teodor approaches, slowly.
(Teodor Hargrave)

[02:40] Teodor Hargrave says, "I see. I'm sorry."
[02:40] Teodor Hargrave says, "I shouldn't have brought you all to Theria-..."
[02:41] It's an intricate design. A contraption of magical artifice, imbued with a floral runic power. It hangs inert from the Apothecarist's shoulder. She has no control over it.
(Tyrith Airgetlam)

[02:41] Tyrith Airgetlam says, "I would've gone either way."
[02:43] The broken man, sometimes called Teodor, grimaces at Tyrith. He grabs hold of the artificial contraption on Tyrith's body.

He closes his eyes. Hangs his head low.

"I'm sorry-... I may as well have done this to you myself. Theria was a mistake. Demons roam the streets there... the Council completely seduced by the darkest whispers of Moonfall." He rubs his eye. It looks like he'd been crying.

"I buried Holly. I've made my mind. I'm going to kill them all, Tyrith- I'm going to kill... every single Demon. I have to. For Holly. For... you."
(Teodor Hargrave)