ohfuck

[22:51]
There's another wrench in her heart, but it's not due to the affliction that had been levied on her in that fight for her life years ago. This is from something entirely different.

If she hadn't seen that haunted face, if it didn't still linger in the front of her mind, she could have easily forgotten it as she has time and time again.

He looks to her with disappointment. She looks back with the burden of realization. Leni takes a shaky step towards him.

"But...but THEY didn't do that!!" she shouts, gesturing wildly toward where the skeleton of the child lie.

"It wasn't their fault! They...they didn't do that! Why'd they have to die, Tieru!? You get pricked by a rose thorn, do you start killin' all the roses too!?"

Leni's is distressed. She's rattled out of her mind, and the much heavier questions flow at the same questions the inane ones once did.
(Leni)

[23:13] The marvelous constellations and othersuch blood magic is, unfortunately, falling upon blind eyes as the single-minded Teraphim continues his arguments.

No eye is given to the skies to witness nor to whomever may christen themselves fresh.

A pity...

"You put too much value upon the spirits of men. I care not of there are ten thousand tortured souls lingering within. It's important to not confuse the lingering aspects of their souls with the natural spirits, but..."

A huff escape's Tieru's lips. Now they were getting into very muddy spiritology and dabbling in extraplanar beings that really was going to go nowhere fast.

It, at least, is enough to calm his tongue for now.

"Balance is about the taint of the world, of witchcraft and daemon, of effulges of light and it's scathing impact of overgrowth.

Balance cares not if a man is hung, tortured, or mercifully executed.

Nor does it care if a soul is given last rites."

Leni, on the other hand, has to deal with the mounting irritation within Tieru from the Kitsune's prodding. The narrowed glare given to Saya transfers onto the young nature magi, though his tone considerably shifts.

No, it is no longer malice within his voice but now exhaustion, as if having to justify it were a bother.

"...Three wars, Leni.

Three proclamations of our High Lady. Three warnings. Osrona knew it was to fall long before it was to fall. Every single one of them had a chance to flee."

Though he may believe it, it's a falsehood; to flee is to give up everything and, even in the most diresome crises do many simply not have the heart to upend their whole life.

Some, indeed, were innocents.

"They swore to Alexander. Paid tax to Alexander. Their livelihood supported Alexander.

That Alexander rewarded their fealty witha Witch and an attempt upon Aschea. They gave him loyalty, and he rewarded them with death. I will not be shamed for doling out punishment to his people.

His subjects.

His charges.

The moment he drew his blade down upon the High Lady, every single Osronan within the city became marked. Your 'rose' knows nothing better; but these humans may make their own choices."

Lips narrow into a sneer.

"They made theirs."
(Tieru Avlee)
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[23:28] "But...but this was their home! This was- this was everything to them. Wasn't it!?"

No. Leni's absolutely losing it. Tears fill her eyes and spill over. Her naivete starts to crumble at its already feeble foundations. She knows full well that some plants you can't just tear up by the roots. It's the closest parallel she can liken it to.

For all his bluster she'd still seen a kernel of good in him. The magi closes the last few feet between them; there's no obvious gesture to reach for a weapon of any kind. The high and mighty Teraphim, convinced of his righteous cause, and the hysterical nature magi who'd seen the very face of the havoc wreaked on the innocent here.

"Roo...Roo. Please."

It's a plea. Plain and simple. There's no varnish over it. The perhaps childish moniker is there, too.

"You said they don't know any better! Then...then what about the rest of us!?"

Leni gestures again wildly, at the likes of her, Armondt, Saya.

"Is...is that's what's gonna happen to us too? Is it?..."

Cut down, laid low, even less than animals to rot and die. All because someone above them made a call that they had no sway in. Is that what 'civilization' is? It continues to leave a more and more sour taste in her mouth.

It's no wonder she'd been so heavily discouraged from leaving home.

(Leni)