Informing Amelia

[21:43] Amelia Locke pyr Aertas asks, "Now, what would this be about?"
[22:01] Bruno took a seat at the table with a bit more hurry in his walk than usual. Blue eyes laid upon his sister with a few words coming right away. He wasn't trembling, yet it almost felt like he was with how... emotional he was being.

"I have come upon a well of knowledge following one of Ryker's accidents. I was shown things I never expected could exist, and had my expectations surpassed for the first time. The one who took me by surprise has also granted me information that is... valuable.

The story of a Demon who ascended past her grotesque form and reached divinity in time. The one they knew as the God of Death back in a land called Agartha. She had the power to snuff life out of any being at will through the aptly-named art of Death Magic."

A breakdown of the information that first needed to be presented to his sister before he'd go on with his idea.
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
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[22:08] Offering her usual insouciant demeanor, she finds a usual seat upon her brother's dining table. By now, its wooden features were beginning to be all too familiar by the amount of times she has visited.

"This is pertaining to the Void, yes? The Worldscape?" She questions with a surprising level of assuredness. "Ryker told me about his little, uh, experiment."

Of course, Amelia was someone wary with what was within such a place. Yet judging by what was obtained by her sister and Ryker, she was all too curious about such a realm.

Upon the mention of the Archon Tragedy's signature magic, there was an abrupt shudder upon the doctor-artificer's features. A stuffiness and uneasy feeling just from the name itself. "And... what of this so called Death Magic?" She asks, pondering her brother's curiosity over the subject.
(Amelia Locke pyr Aertas)
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[22:15] "I wish to attain it."

He took no detour. A direct statement of what his true emotions were, even moreso after the descending occult madness that plagued his very mind. The more he thought of it, the more it seemed like the next step in his growth.

In his ascension.

"The woman who rules over the Worldscape has informed me of how this God of Death — Tragedy — obtained such power. It requires the very thing Matryona requested of me: Complete control and mastery over occult arts. Failure to have the pre-requisite mastery will most likely result in the person's death should they attempt to... ascend to such a level.

I know of the ritual one has to go through in order to wield Death Magic. I wish for you to assist me in it. I thought about asking Anastasia but..."

He didn't finish his thought. It was far, far too selfish of him to ask that of his wife. Even his sister was someone who sould never have to undergo such trauma. To risk one's life for the sake of power and power alone, believing in a greater future for himself, in a place that stood above humanity unlike any other.

Only someone who's fully succumbed to the effects of occult magic would be this selfish.
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
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[22:22] Amelia's complexion grows pale by the mention of potential death just by the attempt at it.

Of course, she had faith in her brother. Yet it was the uncertainty of things that had her worried.

"I-" Words were hard to come by with such a request. Not only was she unaware of the exact procedures to undergo such a ritual, yet the very thought of moving on a tightrope like this was something that had Amelia unsure and speechless.

Her head bobs downward, a finger rising to scratch the side of her cheeks. Pink pupils keenly face the wooden surface of the table as an uneasy lurch in her stomach signifies her feelings over this specific choice of paths.

"And, you are certain of this?" She clarifies, returning her gaze to her brother. Her grim expression only worsens with each word and letter. "Exactly what is this ritual even?"
(Amelia Locke pyr Aertas)
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[22:35] Despite the fact his sister was showing distinct, more emotional shifts in her expression that completely disapproved of his idea the man spared no time to move on to the subject. As if Amelia had already accepted.

As if she had no choice but to accept it.

His own certainty of the procedure was not stated. He knew the odds of his death were present, and yet his more conservative, survivalist instinct whispered within his mind that without a tool at his disposal he would die in a fashion far more horrible. One out of his control.

"To create a disturbance within one's very soul. First, I will have to rip my own soul away from myself. To remove it." To die, in short. "The soul must be kept contained within my body while this happens. I believe it is to allow it to reconnect with my spirit, with my mind, and my body. The process must be repeated again and again. This will cause a great disturbance."

Obviously it would cause a great disturbance. To die over and over in unnatural means and be made to live through it again, and again, and again was not something anyone's body, let alone their mind was made to withstand.

"Overcoming that disturbance is the key to being able to inflict others with this pain. The torture, and eventual death of the soul."

A cold chill filled the room, though it was not from Bruno's mana emenating with Azrael's desirable embrace but rather the fact the man had grown selfish to such a point.

He had a wife.
He had kids.
He was in a good position.
He could retire soon enough.
He attained great strength, and crafted great things.

.. And yet, he could not help but desire more. For that dream of ascension, of showing the way forward to humanity lived on within his heart.

He was meant for so much more.

"Failure will result in death. An implosion from the overwhelming occult forces left unmastered."

Bruno's right hand reached up to his hair, shifting them aside to better look towards his sister. To ask her a question no sister would ever want to hear.

"Will you help me?"

Help him kill himself. Over and over.
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
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[22:42] The grotesque description of the process alone was likely enough to put a grown man squinting. Or, in this case, a grown woman sweating.

There are many things that a sibling never wishes to do to their fellow sibling. Utterly rending their soul and killing them multiple times was... definitely one of them. And yet, the request from her brother was not fully thrown away.

"But, that leaves so many holes," she answers. "A body cannot hold as an anchor for that many repeat processes of soul manipulation. Your soul would not return properly. It is like ripping a sticker and placing it multiple times, at some point it is going to..." She falls silent. The mere metaphor alone already has her worried.

But there was something to note however. Despite her heavy specialty in robotics, it would slowly reveal that Amelia seemed to know a bit too much about souls at this point. Odd.

"If you are going to ask for me help, then I at least want full details and all possible contingencies bearing fruit." Hesitation was in her tone, yet she still had hoped to talk him away from such a ritual.
(Amelia Locke pyr Aertas)
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[22:53] "That is obvious. Without any way to keep one's soul at bay it will hardly remain in place. The body may be able to take it once or twice on its own, but I believe this so-called disturbance comes when the body should not have kept it all in. I am unsure of how the ritual went for that Demon, but our means and our technology have long-since shifted." He says, reaching into his cloak to pull out what seemed to be a dreamcatcher at first, though with a few more seconds it revealed itself to be the very same spirit catcher that had been found in those jungle ruins all those years ago. The whispers of the thousands of spirits trapped within came to life, though Bruno's voice easily overpowered them.

"This can catch and trap spirits. It was able to draw away Kalethos' essence from my weapon, and I believe it will be able to hold a soul as well if kept nearby. I intended to use it as a way to contain my soul within my body. Thisis where you come to help. You will have to hold it in place against me to ensure my soul never leaves the confines of my physical form. When it is drawn towards it, you push it right back into my body.

A tad like one would to reanimate a failing heart."

Except it would not only be his heart, but his entire existence. Though Amelia's own expertise also seemed to come into play here, judging by her words.

"It does sound to me like you may have your own idea of how to aid me as well. You... seem to know a lot about soul manipulation."

His attention doubled-down upon the woman. She may have been his sister but with the way he looked at her right now it begged the question of whether or not her help was going to be voluntary or forced. And when the point of contingencies was spoken Bruno spoke words that likely would drive a dagger through his sister's heart.

"Failure will be the death of me. It is this simple."

Brutal. An even colder demeanor was adopted as he skipped right past such words, too.

"I believe the best location for us to do this at is not one of warmth and peace, but a horrible, horrifying, dark location. One in which negative emotions will be at their strongest, so that I may tap into the full potential of my... craft."
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
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[23:05] His words upon her own knowledge in essences and souls would fly unaddressed. Perhaps on purpose.

"You know that is not what I meant." Parallel to her brother's cold words, her chilling rebuttal would chide in. Yet despite this, it was somewhat clear that her intentions contrasted her tone as sisterly warmth and worry was but the pinnacle of her being the devil's advocate. "Error and uncertainties is not to be trifled and underestimated, brother. A contingency of fear is no contingency."

Until now, she remained skeptical moving forward. Yet an emerging sigh would eventually writhe from her vocal chords as a realization comes ringing in her mind.

If not her, then he would have found someone else.

Someone she potentially cannot entrust her brother's well-being to. And it is with this prospect that dejected eyes merely sink. There was resistance, but acceptance was present. "Where." Her tone was not questioning at this point, moreso commanding.
(Amelia Locke pyr Aertas)
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[23:11] "I would not be myself if I made such a mistake."

There was confidence in his words, though they were born from a desire rather than calculated scenarios. With his sister finally giving in and accepting the situation the man looked towards the door, briefly.

"I can think of no worse place to be in than sewers. Where the masses leave their defects. A most improper location. Dark. Damp. Horrible.

A perfect site for a procedure as such."

Bruno soon rose up from his seat, seemingly all too prepared to move on to the next step. To the ritual. The spirit catcher was retrieved and brought closer to himself.

"Do you have anything to add before we go?"

No letter. No note was left for his wife. For the twins. For Matryona. For anyone. Bruno's expectations of how things would unfold were far greater than his worries of how things may go wrong.
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
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[23:17] She remained seated. Blood courses much swifter upon her veins as the starting tinges of a headache does provide her with am ample sign of distress.

Now??

"I-" She clears her throat as a short stammer is stifled. "I will have to inform you now that my knowledge on soul transference and manipulation is not... the most adept."

One can likely assume that she was but in the practicing stages of its basic ideals. Hence her general knowledge on surface topics.

"I am unsure how well this will come out with that in mind, but I wish to let that be known." She was no master manipulator. Her skills over the art was incomparable to an Aertas with artificing. She made sure such a thing was made known, hence her growing hesitance.
(Amelia Locke pyr Aertas)
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[23:19] Bruno seemed to think about Amelia's words for a few moments, mulling over the idea of being underprepared for the sake of taking care of his needs as soon as possible. Eventually the Aertas speaks up.

"How much time would you need to have more knowledge that could be useful in this procedure?"

He weighted the possibilities.
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
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[23:23] "I have plans with both Nidaz and Amnesia to far surpass my practice," she answers. It would seem that she has been quite busy with this specific pursuit herself.

Yet through the help of a fleshcrafter and someone keen on essences? It was clear her tutelage was at least in good hands. "I can speak to Nidaz soon for a swifter lesson. Meanwhile Amnesia is dependent on their availability. But one of the two's lessons should provide enough of a preparation for me."

Of course, with this new revelation from her brother, a stronger motive for even furthering this specific craft would rise higher in her agenda.

"Perhaps a few weeks will do." That seemed like a good enough time to prepare. "Allow me to at least have one successful attempt at it beforehand."
(Amelia Locke pyr Aertas)
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[23:27] Bruno took the delay in consideration. A few weeks at most. He would have to wait more before reaching the point he sought out, the level he was meant to be at. A hand reached up to the side of his neck, scratching it idly - weirdly perhaps.

".. Fine. A few weeks. Only because I expect you to come with an even greater solution to the method I had in mind."

He still seemed eager to go, to leave and try it, but he would hold it for now. Only because she was his sister.

"No one can know about this."
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
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[23:32] "I am not a stranger to secrets," she replies, a clear indication for her silence.

Yet there was a sense of urgency in her study now. When it was once just at a simple pace, there was a level of rush in attempting to learn such an art.

Of course, whether this would provide to be a boon or a woe would fall upon when the actual practice were to occur.

"I will research as much as I can and see if I can provide... contingencies of my own. Since you seem keen that you will not need it." Her tone would be stiff. A sign of her overtly calculated approach to plans like this.
(Amelia Locke pyr Aertas)
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[23:36] "I appreciate it."

That was all that Amelia would receive. All the praise that she would be given for this completely insane ordeal of having help her own brother rip himself apart numerous times over, or worse. Bruno's desire to live up to the heritage that flowed through their veins was one that could not be compared.

Meeting and fighting against a real Demiangel had left him in a hurry of his own to grasp greater powers. To ascend. To move above the wretched likes of humanity and show them that he was far, far superior.

There were no other words said as he awaited for his sister to be ready to leave. Strictly business, no... bonding. No questions. No inviting her to talk to her niece and her nephew. Nothing.

The Aertas had grown colder with time.
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
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[23:40] She nods before standing to her feet. The was a moment of a pause from her, as if she hesitated to bring words up. Perhaps an attempt for logical reason?

Yet there was a sense of acceptance within. Acceptance of what exactly? One cannot say for certain.

However the merest snap of her fingers would cause one of her robotic Synthetics to flutter over by the door, swiftly opening the exit.

Only when she was halfway through the door frame that she would speak her final words before departing. "Let me know if you need anything else." The response was somewhat robotic, yet not much else comes off as the door swiftly shifts with gentle click.
(Amelia Locke pyr Aertas)
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