Heart of Darkness

[13:45] Bruno moved to his workshop with his wife not too far behind him. With a few things in mind left to do the young man decided that it may be time to make better use of a design he once crafted with his own hands. Both hands reached up to his neck, removing the locket that laid there. One shaped in the form of his family's sigil, yet holding far, far more importance to him than he may have let on. It was a tangible proof that he, as a person, was capable of caring for another despite how horribly vile and depraved his exterior may seem.

Perhaps a way to demonstrate the little good he believed humanity to have; the reason he should shepherd them towards a greater future rather than eradicate them all. For the masses were required for any divine being to rise above.

Purple and black reflections filled the room as the pendant was placed upon his workspace. Its tainted surface hardly revealed what was hiding within. For as dark as the exterior may seem, when prompted open the interior revealed a golden, sunkissed and untainted Orichalcum awaiting a source of power.

A design that was optimistic, yet one that hardly had any use without the proper piece to complete it. A piece that Bruno himself was missing.

.. Yet, the tainted exterior and its golden interior still caught his eye. He wanted to further refine suche a design. To give it life. An idea came to mind. One yet to be unveiled.

Regardless, as he prepared his workbench a question was thrown towards his wife.

"Do you believe there is good in every human despite mankind's weaknesses?"

A question he was unsure of the answer for himself.
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[16:17] Anastasia followed Bruno into his workshop, looking over the materials that he brought with him, she always did enjoy watching him as he worked. It wasn't because he was her husband, nor was it because she loved him. It was far simpler than that.

It was like that feeling you would get from watching someone who was really good at piano, or really good at cooking. It was appreciation for an artisan. Commitment to a craft, and being able to take that craft to a higher and higher pinnacle.

She brought a chair over and sat down to one side of the workshop, well out of the way of Bruno's work. His question was a curious one, one that she could give some amount of thought to.

"I believe that what is 'good' in the first place is subjective to the one whose perspective you are looking from. For example, take the Moxtli and Achyon. Both will have vastly different opinions on what is 'good', and what isn't."

"Frankly, I don't think it matters. People will do what they believe is best for their circle, for their friends, or for themselves. They'll label it as the 'good' thing to do, or the 'right' thing to do."

"I believe the most important thing that anyone can do is to simply remain true to their goals, their ideals."

"Labeling things as 'good' or 'bad' is pointless, even if it helps others categorize and bring order to a world that doesn't care for such categorization." Anastasia says towards Bruno, her words measured and thoughtful.
(Anastasia pyr Aertas)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[16:27] Bruno shook his head lightly as his wife said such a thing, his eyes still trained upon the metal he had once crafted; a good example to go by. His lips parted and a few words were spoken.

"I'm not looking for labels, Anna. I'm asking if you believe that there is potential for greatness in every Human. If you had your finger on the trigger that could bring down humanity all at once or let them go on much longer, how many would die?

Would it be more, or less than half?"

With the locket opened up and put on the display, Bruno began tracing over some piece of paper, reproducing the design, the way the metals used were melded, the way they connected, and the way it all came together to form a sum greater than its parts. From the tainted, occult-in-nature Orichalcum to the far more common golden parts of the same nature.

It was an exquisite craft, after all. Something worth to be reproduced. Alas the question remained. What should be in its center?

When Bruno began drawing over the groove that had been built into the original necklace his eyes couldn't help but catch the reflection of Anastasia upon awaiting ingots of arcanium. Far more radiant than usual.

He began erasing the drawn, circular receptacle and began shifting its shape. A heart was soon drawn. How would he find a focus-shaped heart anyway?
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[16:37] Anastasia tilted her head slightly, then slowly shrugs.

"I think true 'goodness' doesn't exist." She says, simple and direct. "However I think there is potential in everyone to be great. There are simply far too many flaws in humankind for the vast majority to display that potential however." She says, getting up to walk towards the doorway.

Whoever was knocking better have a good reason.
(Anastasia pyr Aertas)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[16:38] Matryona pyr Docro says, "Hello."
[16:42] Bruno looked over to her as she had to walk away, his question remaining unanswered. The paper he was working on seemed to finally be properly finished. Designs usually came to his mind naturally, but this one? A reproduction of his own creation would surely be different. He wanted to thrive off his own success, riding on his own coatails. Alas, Matryona and Ryker were here, too.

To make some noise.

"Please. Do not disturb my work." He said, seeming a bit more tense and serious than usual, though it was hard to tell. All of the Aertas were always so... cold. His right hand reached into his cloak, pulling out a small box and unveiling it upon his desk. With it open a... feeling of pure dread was felt, much like when Bruno expressed his inner darkness at his fullest, though this one held neither anger nor wrath. No emotion. No vengeance tied to it.

Nothing more than the occult.

It was maddening to even be around. An addition to the countless whispers in Bruno's mind to him.
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[16:49] Matryona entered the two's home, satchel full of treated Nyeshk and Arcanium. Yesterday, she had the pleasure of working more hands on with the material with Amelia. Prior did she make rather high-quality greaves for her husband.

First, she'll handle the construct of the chestplate. She hopes the quality will be the same. Matryona had faith in her abilities after constructing Augury.

She thrived with runework as of late.

If he thought that she'd even allow her presence to be known was amusing to her. The youngest always worked quietly and off on her own.

Matryona sat off in the corner, high quality tools acquired as she began to make the initial sketches of his husband's new chestplate. Arcanium has been said to be the first metal, touched then by Kraus himself.

Achyon has gotten lucky with their stumbles upon the metal, really. Either that or lucky truly shone through purchase. No matter, she began working.

Opposed to other others, she needed to smelt this down, forge a mold then thread orichalcum lines throughout the forming chestplate. Runic tracings and glyphs sided with the threads of orichalcum. Magical flow and whatnot. Like veins coursing through one's torso.

Quiet- Silent, not a peep from Matryona though not by request.
(Matryona pyr Docro)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[16:55] Finally, her own chestplate. Opposed to Arcanium, she worked with a familiar material: Nyeshk. Heavy and black as night.

She much preferred it, truthfully.

Due to the approaching wedding, Matryona worked quickly. She could afford to. Countless times did she construct a chestplate of this nature.

There's room for her there unlike with Ryker's.

Adamantite threads through the forming chestplate opposed to orichalcum. Matryona cared little for the weight. Durability mattered most.

Bam. Wham. Pop.
(Matryona pyr Docro)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[16:57] Anastasia pyr Aertas says, "Captain Ryker.."
[16:57] Ryker pyr Docro says, "Anna."
[16:57] Anastasia pyr Aertas says, "I need forty agility enhancers."
[16:57] Ryker pyr Docro asks, "Is it for someone in the military?"
[16:57] Anastasia pyr Aertas says, "I intend on having them enlist, but as of now, no."
[16:58] Ryker pyr Docro says, "It'll be one hundred once they're in. Since they're intending to, 125 before they enlist."
[16:58] Ryker pyr Docro asks, "I'll get to it as I can yeah?"
[16:58] Anastasia pyr Aertas says, "Mmhm."
[16:59] Matryona pyr Docro says, "Farewell then. We'll let you know how the wedding goes."
[17:16] Anastasia moves up towards Bruno, after the two had departed, looking down towards his workspace to see what all he had been doing while she dealt with the in-laws.

"I've been thinking about the kids lately, Bruno." She comments, kicking up another topic entirely between them. One that she had been undecided on previously, but was now willing to make a decision on.

"I want the best for them. The absolute best. I don't think they can get that here in Achyon. These colonials are too fragile in mind and purpose." She says, even though she herself was technically a colonial as well.
(Anastasia pyr Aertas)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[17:23] As his focus shifted to the more difficult part of the craft his wife decided it was best to speak of more sensitive and important subjects. Whether she was doing it on purpose to mess with him or not was uncertain, but the young man did give his piece of mind before picking up pieces of metal.

"Do you truly believe it won't be too difficult for you?"

And for him, too, perhaps. After all as he was crafting this very object the subject at hand was all too... fitting. Arcanium was manipulated without further ado; heated up through the use of his signature process, though no occult slip-ups occured. This was the most important part, after all. Bruno remained calm. Cold. How torturous that a sensitive subject would be at hand right now.

The Arcanium grew hotter, more maleable before being manipulated through magnetic fields. Shaped like the sigil of the Aertas— like his family's crest and following the plans he had laid out for himself.Propped open the would-be locket found its odd heart-shaped groove to be carved in.

The Aertas needed more focus for what would come next.
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[17:29] She wasn't doing it on purpose of course, it had simply been a topic that Anna hadn't quite fully let go of, and was only coming to a head now. Most inopportune. Though he would only have to say he needed to focus and she would of course shelve the topic.

As it stands now however? She continues on, oblivious to the concentration required for the current phase of his construction.

"It's not my own ability to provide for them that worries me. It is what their minds will consume while I am not around and unable to filter the nonsense for them."

"I won't need to worry about that if we were to send the both of them for their education abroad." She says towards him, shifting backwards to return to her seat, one leg coming upwards to rest atop the other.
(Anastasia pyr Aertas)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[17:35] Bruno's focus was faltering and he nearly messed up the process after hearing Anastasia's words. There had to be a better way to explain things, though. His mind began mulling over the issue before he shared something that she may have noticed, but never quite asked him about.

"I never speak of my parents, nor do my siblings for a reason. They were too busy. They sent Matryona to the mainland to be educated and relegated most of my family time to my grandparents. It has been long enough that I hardly remember their faces."

Just how long had he gone without seeing his parents was the real question. A look is given over his shoulder towards the woman who he believed to be perfect for him. Why would their children not be perfect as well? Blue eyes laid upon her brown own for a few moments, silent.

... Nothing more than a look was shared. It was enough to explain his thoughts, his... feelings. As human as they may be. His attention shifted back towards the locket he was working on. A breath drawn in before his left hand reached out for the purple-tinted metal that reeked of occult.

And coursing through it would be lightning from Hel itself.
(Bruno pyr Aertas)
[13:19] Anastasia fell silent after meeting his gaze.

She understood.

Bruno didn't want his kids to feel like their parents were strangers. It wasn't an unreasonable thought. A series of papers were taken out and she began scanning over them one by one once he had looked away. Perusing the letters as she remained in that pensive silence of hers.

At the end of her train of thought, she realized that she didn't want to be a stranger to them as well. She wanted to be there for them, to prop them up to be greater than even herself.

Anna couldn't do that if she sent them away.

"We'll keep them here then." She finally says, her voice quiet.
(Anastasia pyr Aertas)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[13:29] ".. Thank you."

His own response was a quiet one, yet a significant one. It showed that the man cared about his family and their well-being more than it seemed to the point where becoming a stranger to them would be akin to what his parents had done.

What Azrael had done to his own son, too.

The artificer's emotions bled into his actions, which was just what he needed. The purple, vile occult allow was being overcharged, heated up by a presence that seemed to be nearly as dark and dreadful. A perfect way to stabilize it and keep its nature as occultic as possible, in a way? Avoiding to taint that taint.

As the whispering darkness melted into a liquid it was manipulated to wrap around the arcanium locket, doubling up on its surface and acting as a layer between the outside world and what hid within this... Heart of Darkness. The cooling process was engaged after the shape was completed, allowing the dark purple reflections reminiscing of the very pendant that inspired this work to shine through the room. From the outside this locket seemed to be naught but trouble. Though... inside of it?

Bruno pushed it open, revealing the heart-shaped groove that awaited the last piece of the puzzle. A small, glass-framed object was pulled from his pocket.

Its shape? A heart. Its content? A piece of paper.

.. Well, more than mere paper. A photograph to be exact. One taken to officialize the wedding between Bruno and Anastasia. The only excessive tradition that was followed, if only to ensure any family tree would have proof of their marriage.

Inserted and secured, what rests in this locket would be forever sealed.

A vile exterior.
A majestic, pure interior.
... and a marriage at the center of all of that heart.
(Bruno pyr Aertas)