He looked down at his hands- burned from ash and hellfire.. relatively painless at this point, but still a reminder of the gap between himself and ascension. A harsh lesson.

Grunting, the colossal being would pick himself up, his blade brought up and rested upon his shoulder- beady red eyes scanning the thick tree line. The destruction that came from their battle spoke for itself.. and the scorched, trampled ground would take a long time to recover.

Not unless someone stomped it out again.

"That taste.. I will not forget it, Lugonqi Alazauq."

Clenching his fist, he squinted.. continuing to watch the trees that had grown Gaiar Aetherius' ruins. Squinting.. the giant felt something odd nearby. A juxtaposition between two energies.

One chaotic.. and the other.. fake.

"…"
(Ipos)

** You spot
 Ipos nearby! [Click to pursue] **
** You spot
 Sectim Wolfhart nearby! [Click to pursue] **
The magi, all by his lonesome, wandered the land in seek of those corrupt.

From the vampires of Dawn, oh, to whom he has been bested multiple times - to the demons surrounding Gehenna.

It was his life, it was his journey, and such journey brought him here.

Slowly, from the sky, he descended; golden eyes upon both demons. However, his features could not be discerned.

"Greetings," said the magi, voice remaining ever so whispery; narrowing his eyes to Ipon, then to Lugonqi.

That holy magic that ebbed off his chest, however, made him purse his lips.

"Strange."
(Salthiel Anauel)

The ram-headed creature, with ancient grimoire in hand, it turned. It floated off the ground with a horde of lesser demons in tow, most notably the Kaor Ipos, a sword wielding giant of an Agarthan. A mass of Agarthans- refugees of Gaiar and otherwise- stood situated to stare upon the man.

Immediately, the core sitting in the demon's chest offered a glow in response to Salthiel's presence. It was an itch, like an unhandled infection. It wasn't that it reacted to his holy presence, but the divinity held by him.

And Salthiel, too, could sense a strange kinship with this Agarthan. Despite its obvious demonic presence, it held within its heart the very essence of the dwellers of Avalon.

"It is strange to stare upon true divinity, I concur," replied the prince of ruin with a smile. "But how shall you greet a True Lord? With blade or praise? I do certainly hopethe latter, as it is far more deserved."
(Lugonqi Alazauq)

"This was the being- posted at the cave entrance... prepared to catch me unprepared."

His thunderous steps would cause the ground to shake as he slowly approached not Salthiel- but Yuki. Gritting his teeth, the colossal Kaor would lift his massive weapon from his shoulders- dropping it onto the ground and dragging it as he approached the Drakanite.

"And it appears he has not come alone."

The raw unsettling energy radiating from both Lugonqi and Ipos was enough warning for any foolish traveler to avoid their path. But these two in particular? Perhaps they followed their explorer instinct more than their survival one.

"You are one of them, are you not? A zealot? False prophet? Hope? I hate hope."

Even as his frightening eyes were set on Yuki, he addressed Salthiel.
(Ipos)

** You spot
 Ocelot Corsair nearby! [Click to pursue] **
True, her curiosity had often overpowered their self preservation, and frequently let them to situations as this, but - what in the world was he talking about?

Her expression shifts and changes beneath her shrouding hood, to one of confusion.

"...What? What in the world are you talking about? You walk by me and assume I was trying to catch you? I was just waiting for vampires. I have no quarrel with any demons."

She slowly floats backward in tune with his thunderous steps, more than prepared to bolt should this encounter go awry. She wasn't about to let this demon who she didn't even know kill her, these two were obviously far behind her league should she even attempt to defend herself.

"Are you...confused, maybe?"
(Yuki Terumi)

The black swordsman had woken up from a nap after working so hard collecting resources. When he come up to the field he unfortunately stumbles upon what seems to develop in some kind of fight between demons and some individuals. One of the demons in question is Lugonqi which he met earlier. Taking advantage of the situation he thought it would be best to stay out of it as he walks off hopefully unnoticed. Despite his desire put these devines down he wasn't stupid enough to get between whatever that was. He'd figure that they would probably try to kill each other anyway. Meaning less work for him.
(Sectim Wolfhart)

** You spot
 Lugonqi Alazauq nearby! [Click to pursue] **
Lugonqi Alazauq drops Hair #12.

Posted? No, he was actually called upon by Tenevan, to which he decided to stop. Only but a simple conversation occurred, and he held no intent to guard the entrance.

However, he felt no reason to explain, only to turn his gaze towards Yuki.

No, he did not even notice.

"Leave," he said, before looking back to Lugonqi.

"And I'd address you with your name," he only said, though it seemed as if the holy core was whispering to him. To come closer. A reaction to the divine, perhaps?

"To call myself a prophet, however, I'd never dare. But, hope? As much as you hate hope, mine could be said otherwise," said Salthiel calmly, before allowing his feet touch the ground, positioning himself between the demon and Yuki.

"However, that is something you'd never understand. Nor even begin to comprehend. No?" it was a statement directed towards the two.
(Salthiel Anauel)

You pick up Hair #12.

Lugonqi Alazauq picks up Hair #12.

** You spot
 Yuki Terumi nearby! [Click to pursue] **
** You spot
 Neo Invidia nearby! [Click to pursue] **
Lugonqi Alazauq drops Hair #15.

Neo Invidia picks up Hair #15.

Neo Invidia drops Hair #15.

Lugonqi Alazauq picks up Hair #15.

Lugonqi Alazauq drops Spire Shard x2.

Lugonqi Alazauq picks up Spire Shard x2.

** You spot
 Aspen Yano nearby! [Click to pursue] **
** You spot
 Kuso Hitoshi nearby! [Click to pursue] **
"Who am I?"

Its slithering telepathy rolled out to run upon the folds of his brain like a drink being poured, wrapping about his mind almost like a net. It was similar to being intoxicated, yet its voice was instead an enthralling darkness. One obviously resistible by Salthiel, yet present nonetheless.

"What a shame that such a time passes that the identity of the once Lord of Agartha passes into obscurity," lamented the ram headed archon, though it was obvious that it didn't have intensely strong emotions for the matter.

Raising a hand to redundantly clear its throat, once more its elegant manner of speech rolled out through the tongue of the mind.

"I am the Lord Lugonqi Alazauq, Archon of Entropy, Lord of all that is fallen." A light bow if its head was given- it behaved with a noble grace, even if was an empathy-lacking beast of Kraus.
(Lugonqi Alazauq)

** You spot
 Ipos nearby! [Click to pursue] **
** You spot
 Sectim Wolfhart nearby! [Click to pursue] **
"Hope is all the same... weakness. When you are a superior being, you do not hope- you do. You fail or you succeed. But you learn."

Flashing Salthiel a toothy, rotten grin, he'd watch Yuki hastily flee the area.. leaving the zealot by himself.

"That is power."

Lifting the massive, dull weapon that he lugged around.. he pointed it at the angelic man- canting his head to the side.

"You could be so much more powerful if you broke free of your mortal shackles- the weakness of emotions that binds and anchors you to humanity. If only you stopped pretending to care about people.. and built yourself up."

"Maybe then.. you would be stronger."

Still shrouded in a heavy aura of fire, Ipos was like a demonic beacon of fire- towering, frightening and prepared to burn the truth out of the land around him. That would be the first step to ascension.

The knowledge to support such limitless potential.

"What do you have to say for your presence? Surely you understand you will not be leaving these ruins. Perhaps your bones could join the ones of Kin, buried here beneath relics lost in time."
(Ipos)

** You spot
 Yuki Terumi nearby! [Click to pursue] **
** You spot
 Lugonqi Alazauq nearby! [Click to pursue] **
"What is weakness to you, demon? The lack of martial power wielded by an individual?

If that is your meaning of /weakness/, then we will never come to an understanding," he responded to Ipos as he closed his eyes, resisting the enigmatic force that invaded his mind.

What do you demand from me, Archon of Entropy? My servitude? What do you pry upon? My fears? Tell me, what do you see?

Thought surged within his mind, and Lugonqi would not be responded upon with a sudden surge of divinity to defend the Anauel's mind. No, it was not.

Lugonqi only found upon the magi's mind- inquiries. It was as if such inquiries were voiced differently from the magi's usual voice.

"And you speak of power, of mortality's weakness. And you speak as if it were a curse - humanity.

You claim for myself to care for people," he said as he flashed his eyes open, tilting his chin up high as he stared at the Kaor.

"Look at me. Is this the features of someone who care? Or someone who stopped caring? Tell me, what do you see? You must know, don't you?" he asked, removing his mask, revealing upon a countenance seemingly devoid of emotions.

He was pale, as black veins ran through his face. Black veins visible to the naked eye.
(Salthiel Anauel)

** You spot
 Sectim Wolfhart nearby! [Click to pursue] **
** You spot
 Seshu nearby! [Click to pursue] **
** You spot
 Zeriel Heifang nearby! [Click to pursue] **
** You spot
 Rikona Heifang nearby! [Click to pursue] **
** You spot
 Ipos nearby! [Click to pursue] **
You have left private mode, your last white-text and RP will be visible to other players for 30 minutes after posting.

** You spot
 Brittaria Rosenkreuz nearby! [Click to pursue] **
** You spot
 Lugonqi Alazauq nearby! [Click to pursue] **
** You spot Jason Birthborn nearby! [Click to pursue] **

"Weakness?" inquired the archon. It looked to Ipos for a moment, allowing him his chance to offer his response before the prince spoke in turn. "I believe weakness is, mm.. a lack of strength, naturally, but most importantly.. a lack of will. One who displays both strength and willpower.. they are powerful in my eyes."

Its ovian eyes, black orbs which rest in its sockets, set upon Salthiel with an almost infinite darkness. "What do I demand of you?" it repeated as slender fingers rose to rest upon its cheek. "I wish for your name, simply, as you asked for mine. Your title- a proper introduction, befitting the meeting of two unfamiliar to one another. Manners, as I'm sure you're aware."
(Lugonqi Alazauq)

** You spot Sectim Wolfhart nearby! [Click to pursue] **

Lugonqi Alazauq drops Firefly x1398.

Lugonqi Alazauq picks up Firefly x1398.

Ipos had his answer. Ipos had this answer for every time someone asked him that question.

"What is weakness?"

Almost instantly Ipos replied, imposing and commanding in his voice- as if he'd premediated on his philosophy for millennia.

"Weakness is the inability to shape your fate. Weakness.. is submission to constructs."

"My Kin is beyond weakness. We struggle, we are tormented, we suffer, we are broken, turned to paste, shaped and molded by Agartha- the same land that ends up being taken and used by invaders...- zealots, false prophets... liars."

His words slid down his bloodstained tongue like a viper's venom- shooting his poison into the canals of Salthiel's ears, reminding him the inherent cruel nature of Agarthan Demons.

"None of you are Agarthan. None of you possess the birthright to rule these lands. Only and only my Kin... are able to shape their destiny."

Leaning in, smoke would be shot out Ipos' nostrils, his massive face dangerously to Salthiel's body. He didn't attempt to bite him.. and even if he did? Ipos felt like Salthiel wouldn't move out the way.

"Your eyes remind me of the Vampires- soulless. You may pretend to have a sou. You may play pretend in anything... invader, but we both understand that you hide. You hide. You hide. You hide from the difficult choice that you must make.

Continue to prance around with the inability to change anything... or wriggle free of the binds humanity has placed upon you."

Ipos' breath would fall upon Salthiel's face- a terrible smell of despair and horrors. This large Demon clearly didn't just feed on animals.

The attentive eye would be able to see human remains stuck in his vicious teeth.
(Ipos)

"Agarthan," he repeated, as Ipos drew dangerously close, responding almost instantly to his inquiry.

Yet, there, he stood and Salthiel indeed did not move away; eyes lingering upon the mass of human flesh in his vicious teeth. The Kaor's breath only then reminded him of Agartha's cruelty; putrid and foul.

Did he avert his gaze? No, he welcomed it. For it was the stench of despair and horror that moulded him.

"If Agartha's truly your home, your land, your holding. Then, perhaps it should remain that way. Perhaps, we, the foreigners ought to leave. Yet unlike others, I remain here not to play your politics.

Not to invade. Not to be a prophet. But, I remain, leaving the comforts of Sheng for the brewing war of the divine," he said. A goal forgotten by the original colonizers of Agartha.

And finally, a chance to address Lugonqi.

There was, however, silence as he stared back against the void.

A nod was then offered as he put a palm above his chest before taking a step back, offering both demons a light bow. A bow, which meant many above the difference of cultures.

A bow, to him, in that moment, only meant formality.

"Because I am Salthiel Anauel," paused the magi, as if to utter something else. Title? The Chosen of the Divine? No. He did not deserve it- not yet.

"I am Salthiel Anauel, the Seeker of Legacies," said Salthiel, a title dubbed to him by Un-wol.

"And perhaps you are right, that weakness is to hide from the difficult choices that one must make.

But, truly, what is a difficult choice?" he asked, stretching his back as he looked back to Ipos.

"What is a difficult choice to you?

What can be a difficult choice for a demon who struggle for power alone? Do you even have one?"
(Salthiel Anauel)

** You spot Sectim Wolfhart nearby! [Click to pursue] **

"A difficult choice?"

No longer did the archon seem to have a strange aloofness to its being, as if looking down on some faraway insect. Its curiosity was pulled at the inquiry- a question that was not often asked. Even if it was pointed towards Ipos, the archon answered on its own. Its own view point.

"Is there is not many choices made by our kin that are easy. Every action is a tactical one- are we to leave the place we consider 'safe' that we may find sustenance, recreation? Are we to indulge ourselves in conversations whilst risking ambush from forces watching?" On this final note, there was a great emphasis.

"I made the decision to ally with others who may have elsewise slain me, so that I may defeat the enemy who swore death to my very being. I made the decision to live," swore the prince, "when even the divines themselves wishedmy death. Is that not a difficult decision- to live when you are the pariah of the world?"

Slender fingers rolled down to slide together, folded. The ram studied the man for a moment. It could sense the angelic power in him, and yet clearly it was not 'virtue.' Lugonqi was inclined to continue its discussion.

"Even my kin risk their very lives by resting their trust in their own."

Its head canted to the side.

"Does Man suffer the same choices to be made? Naturally- you differ on your choice to.. be slaves to the divine. Man slays one another so that He may persuade his fellow to be slave to a different master. And yet at His core, mm.. he allows his kin to survive- he does not abhor their very existence."

..

"But do tell me, Seeker of Legacies: What legacy is it that you pursue?"
(Lugonqi Alazauq)

"Through all hardships- Lugonqi Alazauq says it best. Every choice made is one to live. A single mistake could result in death. You would not understand, invader, Seeker of Legacies."

The Demon was confused by Salthiel's words. Return home? After all they did? Gritting his teeth, he'd stand up straight once more, leaning against his mighty blade. Was this a request for forgiveness?

"You believe you can walk away now? After all that has been done to my Kin? Use your eyes, and scan the ground upon which you stand- over a century of bloodshed, struggle.. even extinction- Kin have survived.

Kin rot beneath your feet, because they do not get adequate burials.

We will not to pretend care about the bottom of the barrel, but we will care about allies."

His eyes drifted between Lugonqi and then back to Salthiel.

"Our care is not like human care. Our care is truth. Truth is everything. You speak of.. the Divine. Ah... the Divine.

Do you understand why we are hunted? Why we are chased like animals in our own land, Salthiel Anauel?

It is because we are the beautiful mistake of the Divine. Left to fend for ourselves. Relics and history depicts us as naught more than... a failed experiment. A failed experiment. We are condemned and fated to be hunted. But no more-.."

The colossal being clenched his fist, beady eyes becoming larger- leering at the Seeker of Legacies.

"WE ARE THE RIGHTFUL RULERS OF THIS LAND!

NONE OTHER HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT! NONE OTHER HAVE SUFFERED AS WE HAVE!

SALTHIEL ANAUEL! I, IPOS THE GREAT, WILL BREAK THE CYCLE!

THE CYCLE OF TORMENT AND DESPAIR! IT WILL END!"

The temperature would rise and gusts of wind would howl through tree cracks- like flying above a sea of fire.

So.. sporadic he was. Ipos. Like a wildfire.
(Ipos)

“Does man suffer the same choices to be made? You generalize your kin, so do you to humanity. To do the same, would otherwise be making this conversation pointless.

So, can I not say the same? Am I to leave the place I consider safe that I may find recreation? Am I to indulge myself in conversations whilst risking ambush from forces watching?” said Salthiel, canting his head to the right, and parting his lips as if to inhale deeply.

“I may not have made the same decision to ally with someone who may have elsewise slain me, but I chose to trust people of questionable allegiance, risking myself of betrayal. I made the decision to live and continue fighting for my slain brothers’ legacies, despite their death; despite being overpowered again and again by the corrupt I fight against," he said, adding to the foray his own defense.

"And if humanity chose to be slaves, then I find fault in that. No, because it is humanity's natureto follow their own whims. If the divines were to be involved, that is a human's choice to seek their aid," said the Anauel, before looking at Ipos.

"Why must a man be denied the right to fight against those who torture him? Why must a man be denied to fight against those who wronged him. Why must it always be the man that needs to be dubbed hunter, despite them constantly hunted?" inquired the Anauel, ever so calmly as his locks flew against the wind; caused by the colossal Kaor's outburst.

"Ipos the Great, the cycle of torment and despair for your kin will never end, so long as your nature compels you to bask yourselves in blood and death.

Humanity and demons can never co-exist because of the divine's fault, that you so admitted to be your kind.

Humanity will continue to correct that mistake, and demons will continue to defend their existence.

So long as this exists. The cycle will continue. And all of us will be trapped, no matter how powerful you think you may be."
(Salthiel Anauel)

The ram headed elder had but one response.

"You are correct. The cycle continues- the cycle of, keh.. destruction and creation. This whole world is, mm.. a cycle. It all repeats itself- every action is but a repeat of another, as is the nature of this cursed world crafted for us by the divine."

Alazauq rose a question. "I will pose a question, Seeker. Is humanity truly correcting a mistake if the Divines instruct Man to push forward on a never ending cycle: forcing Man to throw His life away against those known as Demon, who respond in return. And yet, we all know that, keheh.. neither side will ever be exterminated," laid out the archon of Entropy, each word with the demon's slow, serpentine manner of speech.

"Surely even you must be aware of this fact- this utterly futile cycle has continued on since the very creation of this world. Mmm.."

The archon gave a moment so that it could set into the man.

"Who is the enemy, then? The parties that are forced to fight one another by the influence of another party, or the party that forces them to fight? The Divines created us both, mm.. to battle, was it not? And you believe the Divines are correct- when they desire naught but endless battle, the tainting of the soil with blood?"

Its hand slid downward to the strange core that set within its chest, where a strange angelic power slowly poured out. "Or would our greatest choice be to rebel against divinity itself, Seeker? To reject this cycle?"
(Lugonqi Alazauq)

"May the Divine burn and suffer. Its zealots and its heroes are naught but pawns in this grand game of chess- you are farmers that plough and till the fields of death- then you are paid in blood and false glory."

Suddenly calm, he cackles at Lugonqi's words.

"That is who you follow?"

"I will tell you something, Salthiel Anauel. We Demons, the superiors, rightful rulers of Agartha- We Kin are forced to be how we are, because we know nothing else, and we can know nothing else. Intelligence, power- that we have.

But humanity and empathy.. for the better- we will never possess.

There lies your answer, Salthiel Anauel.

You are the hunter. You are humanity. But you are not denied to fight because of that.

You are denied to fight because you are a blight- the cause of all that is morally corrupt and judgement and bias and all. You parasites have ruined a once peaceful world.

Do you understand why?

Because without humanity, there is no right and there is no wrong.

There is only Do."
(Ipos)

** You spot
 Chotion Luxata nearby! [Click to pursue] **
"Is it truly futile?" he asked, before glancing to the Kaor.

"And isn't that where the differences of us lies? You have intelligence and power. A dreadful existence that knows not the right or wrong," retorted Salthiel.

"You claim that without humanity, there is no right and there is no wrong, that there is only action.

You already have a pre-determined concept of humanity which bars you from understanding.

Yes, we of humanity fights for injustice and the atrocities your kin has committed. In return, you respond to that, which is entirely fair. To be harmed, and to return harm," said Salthiel before looking back to Lugonqi.

"Yet you will never know why many of us-" he paused.

"You will never understand why I will never stand by idly and watch others suffer. Why I stand against injustice. Because like what Ipos the Great said, you lack sympathy."

He then heaved a deep breath.

"Sympathy is why we try to understand right from wrong. And that is something you will never understand.

You will never understand my pain when I lost Bai. When I lost Ban," he said and closed his eyes.

"The pain of when I lost my brother- Meiyo."

There was a pause, as tranquility opposed the demons' imposing energies.

"And that is why your kin will always be a dread-- a disease to this world. This world is wicked, yes. This world filled with an utterly futile cycle that you so claim. Yet, is it wrong to try to be rid of a disease?" he said, flashing his eyes open.

"Now, you ask me that the divines force us to fight. A game of grand chess.

Yet, I fight for my family and friends. I fight for their legacies. I fight for the justice of their deaths. Did they force me to fight? Did they force me to fight against the corruption of this world? When it is my own /decision/ to be healthy in an otherwise sick world?"
(Salthiel Anauel)