Eagleheart reads book of kraus

[23:00] Mei Xiang exclaims, "SO!"
[23:01] Mei Xiang says, "..."
[23:01] Mei Xiang asks, "Uh, crazy... day, huh?"
[23:01] Tiff says, "Yeah.."
[23:01] Eagleheart says, "... I never expected to kill a dragon like that."
[23:01] Tiff pulls her 'blanket' around herself tighter.
(Tiff)
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[23:01] Mei Xiang says, "I never expected see one, let alone -kill- one."
[23:02] Mei Xiang says, "...or find some kinda special book."
[23:02] Taro Wvelven asks, ".. Oh, is that where ya' went?"
[23:02] Eagleheart says, "We went to rescue a village that was burning."
[23:02] Taro Wvelven asks, "Were you able to?"
[23:03] Tiff says, "..."
[23:03] Tiff says, "Can... can we just read the book? I don't- want to... talk more about that righ tnow./"
[23:04] Mei Xiang says, "...er, right, the book."
[23:04] Tiff says, "I just..."
[23:04] Eagleheart says, "Yes. It's..."
[23:04] Tiff says, "It was a lot.."
[23:04] Mei says, leaving Taro's question unanswered.
(Mei Xiang)
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[23:04] Tiff says, "Sorry Taro.."
[23:04] Eagleheart says, "... Well."
[23:04] Eagleheart says, "Book."
[23:05] Taro doesn't seem to mind.
(Taro Wvelven)
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[23:36] She clears her throat and smacks her lips once after opening the book.

Admittedly, she had to be careful with the pages, as they were likely worn from age and the elements of who knows where? It was only a book, but from what Eagleheart said, this was likely the most rarest book in all of Agartha, maybe even the world- well, maybe just Agartha. After flipping through a few pages she settles upon the table of contents, which she reads to everyone aloud.

"There's three gospels in here. The Gospel of Lodeus, which is on Mercy, The Gospel of Kadthar, which is Justice, and The Gospel of Althus, which is... Wisdom." With that said, she smiles at everyone, then actually begins to read through the book, the first Gospel in the book. She touched upon various topics regarding Angels and ancient man, stories of Angels interacting with each other, what one could do to get to Avalon itself, and the main topic of course: Mercy itself.

"...I understand that some individuals are truly depraved. Even these should be given mercy. Imprisonment above execution, service above imprisonment. The worst that could happen is the individual takes advantage of your forgiveness, 'n kills ya. In this case your soul will find its way to Avalon."

This was just one of the many things she spoke of on the topic of mercy.

When that's done, she clears her throat again, then continues onto the next Gospel, which was Justice; it particularly interested the young woman- the very prospect of this book interested her. She read to them about stories of honor, more angels, and their interactions with man. Eventually, she reaches another story, something not about what Justice is, but what it is not.

"...Justice isn't seekin' punishment for somebody that has wronged you or your friend, 'causethat's revenge, and it's powered by selfish desires. Justice isn't bein' lenient on those who have committed great crimes; that's mercy, 'n it's powered by compassion. Justice isn't to act on those who have done no wrong, but may in the future, 'cause that's discrimination, 'n is powered by suspicion."

Of course, she read more regarding forbidden magics, Azrael, Oscuri, waging war, Kraus' will, and destruction. She eventually made it to the final Gospel, which regarded Wisdom. Mei Xiang glanced around to make sure everyone was awake still; it was quite a long read, after all, but she agreed to read.

From the book, she spoke to them of magic and it's good, as well as the history of the world and how occult wasn't exactly natural for humans to wield in the first place. She spoke on necromancy, divine magic, and even immortality and why exactly it was bad.

She also covered the 'definition of Wisdom.'

"...I will say this: material possessions, lust for power, rulin' over other sentient creatures; these're just a few examples of a lit-an-y of sins which, due to a lack of wisdom, humanity will be distracted. At best, people will fail to achieve Avalon. At worst, they will become depraved. Like people, the world is not perfect, 'n I see a future where people will selfishly seek to hoard this imperfect world to themselves, to the determent of their neighbor. In visions I see abominations plaguing humanity, yokai 'n worse. Humanity may be lead astray by these, if people do not value firstly, moral goods, and secondly their own enlightenment."

She nods once more, then continues reading, touching on why the Angels don't intervene until she came to the few last lines regarding the 'final dream,' whatever that was.

"I leave ya with one last thing. Until they enter Avalon, these are the three words that no man could ever truthfully say...

'I am wise.'"
(Mei Xiang)
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[23:55] Tiff was still a little shaken by the events from earlier. While she had found some peace in giving the dragon the peace he deserved, seeing what the chaos magi had been capable of was something she hadn't been completely prepared for. A necessary sight? Yes. But it was one that reminded her all too much of her past, and while she was proud that she didn't run this time around, to face that violence and carnage head on was something that would take a few more times to get used to.

If one could ever say that about such things.

While Mei went through the Book of Kraus itself, Tiff listened intently, finding some comfort in the words, especially the aspects of Mercy.

While the fairy willing to stand against the forces of darkness in any way that was required of her, the sight of the shenlong had been nothing short of tragic, or even depressing. But knowing that they had allowed for what was once a legendary creature to find some happiness in rejoining the universal pool of life was able to bring Tiff the closure she needed. He had been so scared about being forgotten, and so bent on ensuring that his victims would suffer the same fate. It seemed as though whoever the monster's masters were had a goal of destroying not only the physical and metaphysical aspects of the world, but the memories and timeless aspects of all they touched as well.

It was an act that Tiff felt was completely...

Futile.

As much pain as those people had brought upon that town, as much death as they reaped and would continue to sew, Tiff felt as though such a fight against the Lifestream would only lead to their demise. She took solace in the fact that the dragon's lifeforce was now one with the greater whole it had always been connected to, that it's energy would now serve a more positive purpose.

It reminded her of the myths the other fae she had bumped in to on her passage through the mortal world had told her; of how fae themselves are passed beyond the veil and into the land of humans to become something new as well. While in the Spirit Realm they are immortal and positive creatures, here on Agartha they had a real purpose, a real duty to become a positive, driving force for change and healing. And while Tiff was unable to undue the terror the chaos magi had commit, she would focus on the future and mending what she could.

While the virtues were laid out before her by Mei, Tiff pondered on what each one meant and how they might guide not only the Seekers, but also all of Huangzhou in the fights to come. Wei's own explanation of the most recent attack on demons while the group had been away could only mean more danger was coming, and that was something the fairy would have to prepare herself for. She would need to grow closer to the Lifestream and the Order of its power so that she could be strong enough not only to fight, but to protect.

The time to really make thedifference she was always talking about was nearing, and while it definitely made her anxious, the fae was determined to see it through to the end.

She'd never turn her back on anyone.

And she'd never run. Tiff would see every face of her foes, every crime they commit against the Lifestream and the natural world. She wanted to hear their words and learn their names and feel their hatred and power as it clashed against her own. She wanted to know all these things because if there were magi out there who were trying to erase parts of Kraus' world out of existence and time altogether,

Then someone needed to ensure they failed.

Someone needed to ensure that all the pieces would be remembered.
(Tiff)
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[00:02] Each gospel is heard carefully by the Order magi. Inside his mind, the works are tremendous -- Every single word is carefully written inside the little mental handbook he kept for memory's sake. The first one to be spoken about is the Gospel of Lodeus.

Intrinsically, he understood the ideas of it. Mercy with other humans was far more important than anything else, that the death of a fellow human should only come when their own crimes were out of redemption, if they were so far deep that imprisoning them would only prove a bigger risk.

However, he understood the foolishness that came from it, and the finishing words from a specific part that Mei spoke about made its way into his mind. If someone took advantage of their forgiveness, the worst they'd do is go to Avalon. Yet... It made no sense. What about afterwards?

However, he understood that humans were, as he thought to be, redeemable. It was a better choice of word than simply thinking of them as able to be 'saved'. Binding them to Kraus was another idea that he didn't truly think of until this moment-- Perhaps due to his religious distance from Kraus himself.

However, one of the key aspect was the moral goodness of Mercy and forgiveness, as well as the observing of Arts. He thought of himself as a patron of such, and this much was clear -- But the idea of seeing it being reinforced in a book was... Amazing.

However, the Gospel of Mercy wasn't the single one that truly interested him. He still kept quiet -- Others should do the reading, while he was unable to himself. But the book on Justice greatly interested him, as it was often said to be an opposite to Mercy by itself.

It all checked, so far, with what he was teaching. More often, he simply thought of these to be common moral ground, something that all people who delivered good onto others could simply infer from their daily lives and the experiences that came from it. However, it seemed that this wasn't it. It seemed that, unbeknownst to him, the origins that he took were Krausite by themselves.

It made him think, his mind wavering away while she talked of forbidden magics, Azrael and Oscuris, and in the end, about Destruction. He knew where to stand about all of these. Oscuri should be offered the opportunity to change -- They didn't truly choose their fate. Forbidden magics were forbidden for a reason, and it was often foolish to trust one that dared to do it, because they couldn't be trusted to not delve into these.

There was a concept introduced in that to him -- The concept of depravation. He barely grasped it, but he could tell that in Agartha, it took upon a different name from what it was before, or how it was called. What they called Depravation was twisted into Chaos, perhaps smoothened by the many years of the Lifestream building its own resistance.

... To seek the world for themselves. He knew of many whotried to do that. Some of them even these he dared to call 'potential students'. All wrong, unfortunately. All the ideas... They were so beautiful, but he could see the dangerous potential of them.

But it'd be the illusion that the world would fall if he didn't value these moral goods that brought him to nearly tears. "This reminds me of... The time I studied Order for the first time with Nima. We spoke of this. About how the world would turn worse if we did not act." A sigh came out of the crusader's lips.

He shook his head from side to side, a faint smile spreading through his lips, eyes going teary. "People who do not value their own enlightenment... It is... I don't know. We all try. This is..." He spoke, taking a deep breath. It was audible in the way that his nostrils had constricted themselves that he was on the verge of simply crying.

"This book. I have never seen such good in my life. It... It is the true work of the angels, registered from eons ago. I heard only legends, and I thought there would never be another one of these, that I'd never see any of these."

He stopped for a moment, taking yet another deep breath. In his exhale, his eyes closed, allowing a few tears to drip by, quickly cleaned by a wipe of the yellow cloth -- still stained by blood on some parts of it -- that he wore. "It... Made me think. I'm not sure. I feel like... I should commit to this. Spreading the word of Kraus."

He was, still, entirely serious. A hand was put above the book, as he stared forwards, almost eagerly waiting for his vision to simply pop back at any moment now.
(Eagleheart)
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[00:02] It was all brand new to him.
The Gospel of Lodeus - Mercy. The Gospel of Kadthar and Althus - Justice and Wisdom respectively.

He had been planning on asking her about the book she was carrying titled 'The Book of Kraus', but he had not expected this. How could he? It was practically a foreign language to the boy that took everything step by step and focused on what was right in front of him. Religion and the very laws that fate functioned through were abstract concepts to him.

Yet..

He was interested. With a knee pulled up onto the chair and both of his arms wrapped around it for comfort, the youth hangs on his mentor's every word as she reads from the thick book, registering key phrases and ideologies as she runs through them.

They had finally brought him an answer to whether or not the Angels cared about what the demons did on the surface of Agartha.

".. Mm. So this is the stuff that drives you guys..?"

He looks around to table to read the reactions of those present, checking Eagleheart twice over. It was rare for the boy to see the 'hero' he aspired to be like without a mask on, afterall. As much as he would hate to admit it for the sake of his own pride, he looked up to all three of them. Things that they took interest in were taken note of for his own growth and development.

At the core of it all, things were simple.
Darkness plagued Agartha. It hurt the lifestream and the people in it. People needed to stand up for the other side. That's where the Fourfold came in. People like Eagleheart, as well.

But if his options were to play neutral because it was easy, kneel to chaos because it was even easier, or stand up against it all? He would choose the third option.

Taro releases his leg and sits properly in his chair, looking to Eagleheart as he begins to speak again.
(Taro Wvelven)
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[00:05] Tiff clutched her small blanket and looked to Eagleheart. As he explained more of his own past and the memories he had of being a student on his own, the fae seemed interested in the last thing he said. While she had learned about the two different religions practiced here in Huangzhou, she hadn't heard much of anyone focused on Kraus himself.

"Kraus...

Does that go against... the Illuminated? Or the Fourfold? Or is that like, sort of the same thing or how will that work? A third religion?"
(Tiff)
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[00:17] At the end of her reading, Mei simply smiled.

This single book was what she needed to ease her nerves after having experienced what she did today.

In short, despite the death and the carnage she saw today, by merely venturing to the place and desiring to help those that had suffered as a result, as well as pursuing those who caused it in order to prevent it from happening again, she did good in the grand scheme of things. Mercy, Justice, and Wisdom, three tenets, like the four tenants of the Fourfold Path, were things she was going to remember for the rest of her life.

She knew that her 'work' aided the Lifestream, which was essentially, the world, but to have her ideals and drives reinforced by a book written by the Angels themselves?

It was admittedly, the best feeling in the world.

She hugs the book against her torso and sighs, looking to everyone present, giving the currently emotional Eagleheart a gentle nudge and a reassuring smile, even if the man was blind.

"I didn't think somethin' could ever move me like that, but... it's just- it's nice to know somethin' like this exists- it's an understatement, I know, but I can't explain the stuff I'm feelin' right now. This is what drives us, Taro, to do good for the world 'n fight for what's right, for how things are supposed to be, instead of how things are, with demons runnin' amok 'n hurtin' people- all the nasty stuff."

She glances to Tiff at the mention of the teachings going against what they already knew.

"...I dunno why it would, Tiff. Illuminated teaches understandin' as far as I know, but I guess tryin' to understand certain things could end up as... bad, somehow. With the Fourfold path? These things practically go hand 'n hand, I mean, the Emperor was an Angel, after all! Both of these are just tellin' ya how to be the best person ya could possibly be.

It's what Kraus intended."
(Mei Xiang)
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[00:20] Tiff nodded as Mei explained more, but her orange eye still shifted to Eagleheart. "Yeah I mean... I don't expect there to be a real big clash it's just.. you know how Satsuki is with her kitsune god and the Illuminated, and I know the Fourfold is more a philosophical thing but...

I don't know, religious tensions and all. Maybe they'd all get a long. I don't really know what fits best for me as a fairy really and... that's sort of what I'm trying to figure out."

The fairy looks to Eagleheart again. "If you start preaching it what are you going to like... teach? Exactly?"
(Tiff)
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[00:27] The nudge given by Mei is replied with the older man facing her, and his own smile appearing yet again. But there was something in this that he understood. He always knew that the work of Order that he did was related to the Angels because of Caprise's teachings, but... He always needed more. There was this thirst for knowledge on his part that was unanswered until now.

"Satsuki wouldn't accept it because she is too attached to namesakes. If I teach exactly what she expects with a different name, she'll hate it to the core." He sighs, shaking his head from side to side. "This is a religion. The Fourfold is more of a code of conduct, wishing to avoid certain problematics that rose within Shenghese society. It was a specific version, written by only one angel, The Emperor... And as you can see, they don't have the same vision of everything."

"One of them values Mercy above all. The other, values Justice. The third one, Wisdom." And then, he smiled yet again. "The religions would get along just fine, but I don't intend on preaching. It's not... My kind of thing. I'm more of a philosopher, I suppose."

"I'll make sure they know the tenets, but not the name of Krausism. It would spark some... Problems with the Azraelists up at Dawn, at least, and even if I know we're not allies, it's better to not have them targeting us instead of the Vampires." However, he stops for a moment, tapping his fingers against the arm of the chair as he seems to take a moment to relax slightly.

Tired, of course, from the dire trip. Riding a dragon was surely a hell of an exercise. "It is our mission to help people find their own path, Tiff. And if they find their own path to be the wrong one, it is our duty to stop them. There's no need for religion for that."
(Eagleheart)
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[00:34] "That's what my mother always told me. 'Do what you think is right, but don't get caught up in a war of religions'. It puts me at ease to know that you mostly feel the same way." He speaks up for the first time in a while, otherwise playing his role as the student of the student and listens more than he speaks.

He was on the fence about a few things still, but Mei's words ring true in his head. Tackling the things weighing 'good' down was their task, and it was one that he was more than willing to help them carry out.

His mind flashes back to the encounters he had with the demons and Oscuri, and he cringes a bit at how weak he had been then. How weak he still was, proven after his battle with Madlin the other day. The Wvelven wanted to help, but he needed a goal to work towards.

This was just that.

Caramel eyes gaze around the table once more and then focus onone thing in particular, growing silent once more.
(Taro Wvelven)
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[00:43] Tiff listened once again to the philosophies and morality systems Eagleheart was laying out and even Taro's interjection. She'd never exactly felt very drawn to the Illuminated, for rather obvious reasons, and while she served the Fourfold and the Commander, albeit without much a connection to the latter, she felt as though there was a greater purpose she could be serving with her life.

While the Order of the Lifestream was one things she was devoted to following, learning more about Kraus was something she had personally always wanted to do, though she didn't know how to go about it. And while Eagleheart described the problem they might run in to in upsetting Dawn and the rest of the Azraelites, the fairy felt that a major problem with the continent right now and why it was in so much pain was because that religion itself was able to run rampant here, both with its goals and politics.

If the Oscuri in Deseti wasn't enough to prove just that, then the fairy didn't know what else would. Still, she knew that a war of religion wasn't the right reason to fight. And as Kraus' teachings had just taught, fighting in general was a last resort, something to be avoided altogether.

"I just... it'd be cool to see a day if Krausites aren't something that have to hide here in Agartha, you know? You'd think people would be more grateful about their creator... but Azrael is basically accepted as the norm here, it seems."
(Tiff)
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[01:00] Well, there went her chances at sounding like an intellectual.

It didn't occur to her that Satsuki may oppose it due to names alone. Such pettiness bewildered her, but she wouldn't linger too long. It did occur to her that the Fourfold path was an ideology, rather than a religion, but surely both could be acknowledged, right?

She hoped so.

"Ah... I dunno. With Tragedy in the picture, I don't see that happenin' anytime soon- especially with things like Dawn runnin' around."
(Mei Xiang)
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[01:12] "There are a lot of problems that get in the way of this. Tragedy is probably the least one of this. I don't mind... Azrael. Demons know that he is their creator, and worship them, although they know that their plans don't involve them." He says, still facing forwards blankly. It seemed that there was something else for him to talk...

But for the time being, they were all too tired to say anything proper. "We have went through a lot today. I didn't ask properly... Are you two alright? You saw... Some things that I knew hurt you both." And then, a small smile appears upon his face.

"Do any of you need a hug?"
(Eagleheart)