dev 1 - the path to corruption

It's almost like he peels it page after page. Digging to the very end, to the very core of her being.. enough to ensure that he would be able to find out what he wants - and then see whether he should be interested any further.

"What action did you commit, then?"

"What is it that bothers you so much that you're still trying to find an answer for it, even nowadays?"

Quaint how some people tend to look back, to doubt their past decisions. But perhaps he'll find the answer he wants..
(Senevál)

"I took the life of another woman in a brutal fashion out of fear. However I'm not sure if it's time or my age that has made me feel like I did it out of a sick desire to commit such an act."

Ludovica walks to Evan and makes a finger gun. Poking it right into his chest. She coughs as she turns her head keeping her refined fuchsia gaze on the duo.

"I blew out her entire vital organ set with an explosive combustion of air directed on her torso. The image haunts me everyday, To the point I've been obsessed with atonement. However I'm not sure atonement is what I even want anymore. "
(Ludovica Maria)

"The life of another? Oh please.."

It's odd to him that anyone would actually be bothered with such a thing, but.. of course, his origins, his nature, it's all too much different compared to them; although he imagines that there could be certain concern for someone you deem valuable, unless it's that, there's no reason to beat yourself up over it.

"Was it even anyone important? To anyone?"

"If not.. then it's irrelevant. A life more, a life less.. there are already millions as it is. What does one life make a difference anyway?"

So nonchalant about it. Then again, he could tell of the guilt that remains.. to that end, he adds.

"You did what you had to. After all, you were experiencing fear, hm?"

"And anyone that threatens you, that forces you to feel such things.. they should leave, shouldn't they?"

"After all.. it could be you who'd die."
(Senevál)

Fear, something that had amusement freely revealing itself across his eyes, a feeling he had never truly experienced.

"Why shouldn't you act on such feelings?"

Hand raised to scratch against his jaw, nails digging into flesh but drawing no blood, clearly he couldn't quite understand why the woman before him limited herself.

Hand waving in a dismissive manner, waiting for Seneval to speak first before adding on a few more words.

"Haunting you? Perhaps it's just constantly reminding you of that masterpiece of yours. Atonement is something you have no need to search for. Because you committed no wrong."

At least in his view of the world.
(Zir'oth)

This was something she never expected to hear. Complete disregard for the absolute fiendish act Ludovica had committed. A look of utter confusion begins to engulf her face.

"Yes. It was a close friend of my best friend. She hadn't seen her in years. However prior they assaulted me in the woods. That same day I was assaulted again. I refused to lose. I refused to be tossed around. I had to come out on top,but I don't know why fear got such a grasp unto my very moments that I splattered the woman."

Ludovica begins to scratch her luscious silver mane. Almost out of anxiety and disbelief that she wanted to agree with them that she did nothing wrong.

"You're right I could have died. That's why I was so afraid. Infact my friend Alviva is somebody I also fear at this time due to this murder. Because I know deep down she wishes I would have died. I know soon I'll have to kill her too if I don't want to be the one going back to the stars. However that's why I must find myself something to pledge my life too. To gain wisdom and power to traverse such a stick situation..."

Ludovica's scratching stops as she begins to twiddle with small embers on her prosthetic hand, which still had a bitch of charred flesh attached to it.

"Atonement was my original goal. It still is in someway. But Atonement was my excuse to find the acceptance I needed to admit I had not true guilt in protecting myself. If somebody else could do it for me then I wouldn't have too. However not anymore. I was on a path at a time before that event. Now I must find a new one to walk. One that will allow me to achieve."
(Ludovica Maria)

Doubts.

How could anyone have them in situation such as this? It almost seems.. far too surreal for Seneval that someone would even doubt themselves in such way, if only because there's hardly anything to question in this scenario. Had he been lost in such endeavour, he knows..

He would kill anyone to ensure he survives.

"Nonsense."

"It's either you or them. If she came at you with such intent? Then she had to be fully prepared to the fact that she may as well perish for it."

"After all, it's only fair.. if she tried to kill another, she should expect she might lose."

It is something that laid firm in his mind as belief, something that he would never really shift from, no matter the circumstance.

"And, ah.. your friend?"

"If she supports the notion of you almost being murdered, and she looks at you strangely.. then perhaps she wasnever a friend all along, hm?"

"If another one is dead, and she would rather send you to the stars as well - don't you think she never really favoured you in the first place?"

There's almost a smile to such revelation.. to think that Ludovica ended up being surrounded by people that never valued her. Poor girl..

"You were always second best to her."

"She never wanted you as a friend, if she's ready to disregard so quickly that you defended yourself."
(Senevál)

The amusement within his eyes never lessened, only growing stronger as the smile upon his lips stretched ever so slightly. Information was freely flowing from Ludovica's lips, his words cutting in.

"Continue to fight for yourself, for your survival. How could that be something to atone for Ludovica Maria?"

Her name finally spoken, slowly intoned as if he was testing it for his ears, a nod shortly following. Words of confidence leaving his mouth without pause, seemingly irrefutable in their way.

Acceptance, that single word had caught his attention more than others, hand extending forward towards the woman as if offering it forward for her to grab.

"Have we not accepted you Ludovica? You seemed surprised that we would so freely speak about your acts."
(Zir'oth)

Taking in the words of Seneval. Ludovica seems a bit stunned. Almost as if she had made a  legitimate realization .

"No. She couldn't have been. I-I was just somebody to waste time with. Second place. When we first met, I was brash and feisty. I attempted to rob her she took my hand and put me in a damned Order prison. Where she attempted to reform me."

Ludovica begins to shake her head with a frown. Her silver mane now slightly covering her fuchsia gaze.

"Even when I left after the murder. She attempted to arrest me again. Despite the fact I was minding my own business, forging the very flames I cast. Even when I found the stars she still continued to almost...be quite odd around me. Even after we supposedly made up! All I ever did was try to be supportive towards her. Even forgiving her for taking my hand but...She couldn't forgive me or support me."

All of this denial coming to light...It was harmingLudovica's very spirit. Darkening the flame within her.

"She used me. So maybe your right. Other then my actually friends like Yiel who led me to the stars and Evan she just used me..."

Now, flickering a decently sized flame off and on with her mythirl hand.Ludovica begins to tap her foot clearly not trying falter to the own realizations she was making.

"Then forget Atonement. I'll continue to look for a path for myself, One that wont lead me towards somebody who happens to be an emotional leech. Somebody who could never have an open mind..."

Walking towards the open hand of Zir'oth. Ludovica grabs it shaking it slowly with her hand of flesh.

"I cant help being surprised. Because truly this is the first time I've heard a take that I've been thinking of the entire time. A take on the situation not forced down my throat by guilt tripping.."
(Ludovica Maria)

"Obviously."

The acceptance that she makes in this is the one that causes him to solemnly nod to such a thing; it is important, after all, to know what exactly that you're doing in your life and make peace with it.. otherwise it's far too easy to become lost in such endeavour, so much so that one could lose the sight of their life as a whole.

The sight of their aspirations and wants.

"These aren't the qualities that define a friend, Ludovica."

"These are the qualities of a manipulator.. someone who was just looking to use you - someone who never truly cared for you." There's a pause, to which he adds.

"After all.. had she cared, she would at least listen to the fact that you defended yourself."

Where she takes Zir'oth's hand, he could only smile. It's good to see someone realize such a thing, even if took them time.. but everyone blooms at their own pace.

"So tell me."

"What path are you thinking of right now? What is it that you truly want with your life.. now that you distanced yourself from people that only intend to leech from you?"

"Look deep within yourself. Certainly there's something that you were dreaming of?"

His gaze turned towards her, awaiting.
(Senevál)

The tapping of Ludovica's foot, the flickering of flames around her prosthetic hand was all noted, signs towards the realisations she was going through from the few words that were spoken.

It was entertaining for him to watch, how mere words spoken freely could influence another in such a way. Eyes moving away from Ludovica for a moment to watch on as Evan was soundly defeated by Laaka, sight pausing on the blade that the small child hand in hand.

A reminder to grab his own weapon noted in his head.

His attention back onto Ludovica, already she was taking steps towards the duo, his hand now held within her own for a shake, nails slightly digging into her hand.

"It's good to see you realize such. That you've seen reason. And now you can truly think of what you wish to do with your life. Without those false thoughts flitting through your mind."
(Zir'oth)

Shaking the hand of Zir'oth,Ludovica notices the slight digging into her flesh by his nails. Odd. Why were they so sharp?

"You're absolutely right. But my own youthfulness at the time and longing for attention blinded me. It's something I recognized recently actually on why I even stood around her after being imprisoned by her."

Moving her hand away and placing it into the pocket of her long silk black garb. Ludovica begins to ponder Seneval's question. Once more another one that would require thinking.

"I think what I seek truly every since I was a young girl was the power to stop human suffering. Or at least help bring in an age of true freedom. Similar to the city north of Orsona. But I truly do not want people to be treated and forced to conform to society. Specifically due to the utter fact I get disgusted by the zealot way of life. Ideology itself angers me. I can't even combat it but work in the very system I despise."

Ludovica takes a deep breath. Letting it out with a sigh.

"I agree. No more false thoughts. I need to keep finding the wisdom I need. Learning and maturing."
(Ludovica Maria)

The acceptance and decadence. He imagines that words such as these are exactly the same that caused people to realize the truth that they were blinded towards in the past. The wants of early innocence, the things that they do just to find any degree of attention from another..

"It is a common mistake, yes.."

"But now you see. Now you know better."

An inhale. There's almost something about this that causes him to revel in the moment- to unveil the truth of the reality as a whole to yet another individual, to unweave the web that they were stuck in previously.

But now..

"Freedom, yes?"

"Freedom is only achieved if there's nothing to shackle it down. Freedom can only truly exist if each and everyone is the architect of their own life, don't you think? With nobody to tell them what they're supposed to be doing.. what they should want."

"Much like you could pursue just about anything you want too."

An alluring offer no doubt, one that could pose something more than anyone could think of initially.

"There's freedom in what we do.."

"That is, if you find yourself interested."
(Senevál)

Withdrawing his hand back towards his side after the shake, he listened on to Ludovica's response to Seneval's question, hand raised to scratch away at his jaw to hide the mocking smile that crawled on his lips.

Naïve thoughts in his mind, human suffering something that he could never see ending, hand leaving his face to once more show the slight smile that had lessened considerably from its mocking hints, welcoming in its appeal.

"If you need more help Ludovica just ask, if you need more words to uncloud your thoughts I do not mind lending assistance."

"You've already taken my hand. Perhaps you've found that pledge you were previously looking for."

Head tilting to the side once more, blue-hues locked onto Ludovica's as he awaited a reply towards the duo's questions, curiosity dancing in his sight, wondering how she would respond.
(Zir'oth)

Ludovica grows a legitimate smile. For the first time since she had overcome Tizzy by ending her. Actual stress had finally been lifted. Guilt no longer dwelling inside of her very soul!

"Architect of their own life! I couldn't agree anymore. Just like when an author weaves a story if we can't weave our fate then what are we exactly?"

A tinge of joy weaved along the soft Italian like accented voice of the petite poet!

"What is it exactly you do? I'm genuinely curious and willing to listen even if it takes a bit to properly explain!"

Looking at Zir'oth. Her fuchsia eyes refined gaze on them.

"More words to uncloud my thoughts? Perhaps you two are much older then I'am? Anyways wisdom is appreciated,I value info and opinions of others very much!"

However his last sentence was a bit...hard to swallow. What did he mean? Found the pledge?

"Maybe I have.."
(Ludovica Maria)

"Good. You understand that."

It is something that he found pleasing.. if only because it fit along with the dogma that he had established within his head. While there's a continuous smile that remained upon his lips, more words flow out of his lips.

"What we do exactly is.. set people free."

"They're no longer bound by the laws that they think they're bound with. What is the law exactly, anyway? A subjective, abstract idea that attempts to preserve the order in people's environment."

"Except not everyone benefits from that environment. Not by a long shot."

Of course, further elaboration would follow, but for now..

"You'd have to come with us. Learn, explore, observe. With time, you would understand what it truly means to be free."

"With time, no chains would ever hold you down again."
(Senevál)