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This is our Open Log for players to have an easy opportunity to tag others and have fun with prompts that deal with current happenings that are not covered by our MANTA Board quests. Sometimes we provide extra quests at the bottom, but oftentimes we just let the MANTA Board cover it. Players are free to include MANTA Board quests in their toplevels!

For your toplevel, please include the following: Character Name | Canon | Armada Choice.

TOPLEVEL DIRECTORY (Updated January 16)

WINTER LODGE

As part of an annual migration of sorts, the three leviathans will journey north where the waters are cold and small icebergs and chunks of ice will float aimlessly. As if serving as a "boundary point," there is a large island called Avaleci. It is a unique place where one half is an active, submerged volcano and the other is a snow-capped mountain. For a few years now it has become a place to serve not only as a waypoint for those traveling through the area, but a tourist vacation destination. It is here the three leviathans will rest, Nogard attaching itself in the black coastal sands where the mountain and volcanic plains meet.

Riding up a special sky gondola will take visitors high up on the mountain to a luxurious winter lodge that will allow anyone to stay in one of their cozy cabins—for a fee, of course. If one cannot pay with cash or treasure, then earning one's stay through labor, such as hunting for cooks or helping clean and assist others is an option.

The lodge itself will provide for most anything visitors may need, from appropriate clothing to gear and equipment for any sports or activities they may wish to partake in the area. Skiing, snowboarding, sledding, bobsledding, snowshoeing, mountain climbing—most everything is available with marked trails and areas that would be safe to partake in such activities. There are also a few special activities visitors may want to try their hand at.

Along with the mountain slopes and the snow covered forests surrounding the lodge, there is a large frozen lake just a small hike up a trail from the lodge. There are also ice caves that some may try to venture through, but should take caution as there are also natural predators and monsters that live in the area.

🎣 Ice fishing. There are two forms of ice fishing: 1) the usual dig through the ice and drop a line into the frigid waters, and 2) have a net ready to try and catch flying fish that will fly over.
⛸️ Skating. Show off your moves! Just stick to the thicker ice, and watch out for anyone trying to play hockey instead.
🌟 Stargazing. Although chilly, there is a designated platform where one can use telescopes or just lie out on the ground to stargaze. Maybe if they're lucky, an aurora borealis will appear to paint the sky with a curtain of colors.
🦇 Snow bats. There are special little white bats whose homes were devastated by a small avalanche not too long ago. There are now rescue efforts to help rebuild their habitat to create hollows for them to build their nest. Form a positive bond and they may gift helpers with a special powdered sugar that falls from their fur.

Although not the tallest mountain in the world, climbing to the peak can be a challenging feat, especially as it includes venturing through some ice caves. The staff try to keep the trails and caves clear of any dangerous animals and monsters, but they still sometimes come through so be careful. However, should one reach the peak, they can collect a special mountain ice crystal that will stay frozen no matter how it gets. Just beware of potential avalanches. There is a magitech system installed to automatically create a special dome shield in certain areas to help protect anyone who can reach the safe spaces in time. But if otherwise caught, rescue efforts will be quick and should be able to pull anyone out to safety.

Finally, there are a number of wildlife and monsters that inhabit the mountains. For the most part they will leave the busy lodge and recreational areas alone, but encounters are inevitable. Territorial mountain goats, ice golems lurking the ice caves, and the occasional yeti may appear. Some may be persuaded to leave peacefully, especially with food. But others may be hostile no matter what. While the lodge would prefer no bloodshed, they understand if it must happen. Otherwise, for hunters looking for game in the wilderness, they will find the usual variety of animals and will need a permit before venturing out.

HOT SPRINGS

Warmed by the volcano, the hot springs are located at the foot of the mountain, where the snow disappears and the terrain is rockier with short cropped grass and valleys before it fades out to the barren volcanic plains beyond. Built a bit simpler compared to the winter lodge, the hot springs' inn is set outdoors where the pools are, but it, too, has special rooms and lodgings for people to enjoy themselves for a relaxing stay (again, for a fee). Because the hot springs are easier to access on foot, the sky gondola starts down there and connects to the winter lodge above.

In terms of amenities, the hot springs have both separated and mixed pools. They are usually well marked, but sometimes pranks happen. There are several located outside with some near lava streams that flow out from the volcanic crater far from the springs, to the ocean. There are invisible, protective barriers to prevent anyone from accidentally touching the lava. All rooms will have their own small private pool. There are also foot baths, saunas, spa and massage rooms, a gaming room, and several food stalls and restaurants for one to dine at.

Of course, just like up on the mountain, there are some "hazards" that those using the larger pools, especially those that are near the lava streams, to be wary of.

🦎 Fire Drakes. Fire drakes are a common sighting around and in the pools. They are for the most part "friendly," in the sense that they won't outright attack unless they are injured first. But they can sometimes crowd the pools, so one may have to gently "shoo" them away.
🥚 Drake eggs. Nests can be found scattered here and there, and the eggs are a delicacy of the island. Blue eggs are safe to harvest as they are unfertilized, just like chicken eggs. Red eggs, however, are considered protected. Should a drake catch anyone trying to take a red one, then all hell will break loose as the entire hoard of drakes will descend to save their egg and the entire springs will shut down until it's settled.
🐧 Waltz of the Penguins. It just so happens this is the time when large flocks of penguins will migrate down for mating season. They usually won't bother anyone as they are more intent in performing special dances to find a partner, which can be beautiful to watch. Or perhaps someone may want to try and play matchmaker. But it isn't unheard of for someone else to catch their eye…

Some unusual activity is happening outside of the springs, and a local environmentalist will run in distress. Ice giants were spotted attacking and trying to collect a special native breed of tortoise. They grow up to be as large as giant boulders, with their shells made of molten rock. They are formidable in their own right, but the ice giants are larger, capable of picking them up and knocking them over. Rescue the tortoises either by guiding them to the safety of the springs or beating back the ice giants (killing is allowed). Save the tortoises and be handsomely rewarded!

Finally, those in Nogard may find their leviathan's choice of stay a bit…warm. They already had to experience witnessing their leviathan turn into a flesh dragon and engulf them in its gut only to be popped back out to the sweltering heat of the volcanic plains. Good luck to anyone who decides to stay in their homes. Elah and Eltrut will be unaffected.

VOLCANO EXPLORATION

Note: All threads involving prompts in this section will count as "quests" and be worth 4pts.

On the other side of Avaleci where the lava is hottest and where there is no cold to ward off the heat is a dangerous terrain where only the brave and more adventurous should go. Make sure to bring plenty of water and anything else that might help beat the heat. Who knows, even a bit of snow might help. There will be several tunneling entrances leading to winding corridors and wide caverns, some even boasting floors of lava, so watch your step! Fortunately, those who are fleet-footed should be able to make it across on the stones.

Within the caverns, there is plenty to discover: from gemstones and fire crystals to fire blossoms (interesting, they look strangely like the winter blossoms only red), and even some old magitech that appears to be broken. Still, there is no one around to tell people not to collect any of it...

🌋 Floor is lava. Getting across the volcanic terrain will require adventurers to hop from safe stone to safe stone to get to the other side of a lava lake. Beware of lava blobs that will shoot lava balls.
🧂 Sulfur smelling salts. Journey deep enough to find a sulfur field, where smelling salts can be harvested to help ease the nightmares brought on by the sleeping curse. However, too much exposure to the smelling salts will leave one feeling hyper energetic to the point of acting sleep deprived.
💎 Fire crystals. These crystals are a hard sought after item as they can be used for a large variety of magitech and even jewelry. However, they are extremely hot to the touch and can even burn if not handled carefully.
💾 Old relics. Scattered throughout the caverns are odd remnants of what appear to be old relics from the past. Researchers and archaeologists have tried to study here before, but due to the dangerous nature of the environment they've been hindered in their efforts. Those who retrieve pieces to return for study will be able to learn and work with the researchers. (note: Players can come up with any kind of relic that could be found here, from old magitech parts to fantasy genre artifacts. We'll ask for submissions during AC, but you are welcome to ask if you're not sure if your idea is okay or not!)

Roaming around the volcanos, especially in the caverns, are small flame sprites that can talk, sing, and dance. They are mischievous little things with a penchant for trouble, and love playing tricks on people, so keep your eyes peeled for them. Be careful, they also have some very sticky "fingers" and will try to steal whatever you might have on you. However, those sticky fingers are also very fiery, and will burn whatever they get their grubby little hands on!

The sprites will lead you on a merry little chase with your items, over lava pools, through winding tunnels, deeper and deeper into the volcano to take their new items to their secret stash of treasures. They will be hard-pressed to give it up, but should one have the charisma or the charm to convince them, they may instead be swayed to return with you if they are promised a comfortable life elsewhere! A large ship, perhaps? Or a fireplace? Away from that "big, scary, flaming animal" that lives further in the volcano.

Guarding the sulfur fields is what one could surmise is the "big, scary, flaming animal" that lives within the deeper depths of the volcano. Should anyone journey too far, they will no doubt hear its hooves thundering throughout the tunnels. Whether you choose to fight this fiery horse or attempt to tame it will be up to you, but it will not be an easy task… Especially upon close inspection it appears to have a few bones sticking and not quite "whole."

There are some odd things about this area with the flaming horse. Not too far is a small cave where what looks to be remains of a broken altar made of obsidian, the ground charred along with bones and bits of fabric. Dark red stains can be made out as well, but is that just the red rock of the volcano, or something else? Other artifacts can be found, such as torn books, stone tablets, but it all seems made within recent years.

More details about the flaming horse:

Attempts to tame the fire horse may be partially successful. If characters manage, one of two things will happen:

The horse will stare at them as if in a daze before it retreats into the lava, stopping its attacks for a short period of time.
The horse will charge off towards where the strange altar is, attempting to break the remaining structure and dig at the markings on the ground. A strange black smoke will appear and it will retreat back in anger before rushing into the lava and disappearing.

Subduing the horse will be very difficult, but we will leave it up to players on what method will work, and whether it is successful. We will ask for AC submissions, as this will unlock a follow-up quest in February.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He's just going to press his hand over his mouth and rub his chin as he tries to. Process that.]

Apologies if this may sound crass, but are souls just ripe for the picking in your world? What even happens to them when you use them?

[The concept of an afterlife is about the same as any other world for him, where one can either believe it or not. If there is something like a place where the souls go or rejoin to the planet like some kind of lifestream, there has been no proof or mythology around it. So really it's only here in this world where he was able to actually see ghosts and the like that it felt such a thing may be possible.

Even so, believed in or not, the concept is still considered part of one's humanity, being—"sacred." To hear someone use a soul sounds no different than using the person themself, and against their own will. And that is what unsettles him most.

Especially given his own current "condition" along with particular others that he knows.]

Edited 2024-02-23 03:40 (UTC)

[ Not all of the Dominion knows of phantoma, and even fewer soldiers are able to handle them outside of Class Zero. Research on the subject is confidential— with standing orders for Class Zero to execute those not authorized to learn. Although, both she and others of her class have turned a blind eye to a few… unique merchants of souls.

It’s with this consideration that she forms an answer— slowly taking another step back. She’s seen him fight, she’s seen his lightning, a natural force faster than any fire, ice, or wind, magic or otherwise. Maybe she’s being overly cautious, but she has to be prepared to defend the altar if it’s something she can use. With few options and time ticking, she can’t let this lead go to waste; and now, she appears just as she had when she first met him: wary, small, and tense. ]

We gather them as instructed. When we use them… they vanish, consumed.

[ He said to try him. So here she is, trying, thinking back to what she knows of him. He was a solider, wasn’t he? He was in a war. So he should understand what it’s like to have a duty, to need to live, to—

Or maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he’s simply too powerful. ] We do this to become stronger. To protect the Crystal… To—- to protect others…and ourselves.

[ And, Crystals, she wants to live. ]

[He can feel the tension, but given the subject matter, it's not so surprising. He can only run a hand over his face, pinching his brow.]

So... In your world, you used souls in your fight, is that it? They're what give you your powers instead of mana or aether or whatever else it could have been?

No— erm… sometimes… [ The question causes her to stammer through a response, because she’s not entirely sure how to give an answer that’s both succinct yet comprehensive, all the while wondering if he’s only trying to get her to talk to buy time. She wonders, briefly, if Benedikta has followed them here— which would only further complicate the situation. Would she be disappointed? Or would she understand her plight better than Cid?

From the fumes and ash of the fight, her lungs ache as if she’s breathed in glass, and every muscle of her body aches with exhaustion. Yet her legs remain taut, ready to heed a retreat, to run, to flee, as she’s always known to do when the odds do not favor her— but she stays grounded, digging her heels into the wet, clay-like soot of chamber. Even if he means her no harm, fleeing would mean she’s lost her best chance. ]

When our magic is not enough, we replenish some of it through harvesting phantoma— souls. Or we sacrifice our own when the battle calls for it. But…

But if not used, we carry these gathered souls home… to— [ She hesitates, looking away. This could? Would? Get her killed.

But she’s a dead girl walking anyway, and finding something she can use as the Altocrystarium is her only hope. ] …To a sacred place. Where there’s an artifact we use to convert some of them into new power.

[ Her eyes swivel back to him. ] I need to find something like that in this world.

[...

She's right, the answer does make the tension rise a bit as his expression hardens.

Now, obviously, he can't judge too much because this is what happens in her world. He could disapprove all he wants, find it a heinous disrespect to those who passed as well as feel downright uncomfortable because of his own current situation. It's not too difficult for him to feel a what if here. But if this is what they had to do, then it won't really change things, especially if this is what they were trained to do. For all he knows, this is the norm there, and even if not, back to how she was trained to do this so that it is normal for her.

So he is trying his best to maintain that patience and understanding that only the many years of his own life and experience has granted him, and his gaze will fall to the altar and recall her little "project" in trying to get power.]

You mean something you can infuse some unknown number of souls to increase your power.

[The words come out steady, but his tone is low and a bit hard, filled with the disapproval he feels.]

You realize that is not the only way, don't you? Maybe in your world, but there are surely other options here.

[ It’s not as if she doesn’t understand why others would be upset. There is a reason both the Altocrystarium and the true nature of phantoma are exclusive to the Class and a few others.

Yet she’s always been able to gather souls— an ability very few have, and she’s never questioned why. The Archsorceress permits them to exchange souls; and again she’s never questioned why, for the trust she places in Class Zero’s “mother” is just as unconditional even if Rem had never been formally raised by her. Thus, having been trained to do this, told to do this, and having done so before, this is the only way she knows. This is the only way she can find a way to live.

What would it be like if there was another way? Does she— does she wish there was? Would it be wonderful, lovely, even, to not have to gather souls… to not watch as their bodies sublimate when she takes them, to not need them or carry them with her?

…It would be a privilege to not need to gather them.

And so Cid will see her wary, guarded expression flicker briefly to consideration, then back doubt. As if finding another away would be so simple, when all she’s found so far are dead leads, useless coins, and a chalice that summons crabs. Crabs! Rem worries her bottom lip, quelling the bitterness that follows at his suggestion. What an ugly feeling, made only worse by how desperate she is.

She doesn’t have time— ]

…Have you ever died?

[ Her voice wavers, asking a question instead of answering. ]

[The tension between them had already been tight, but the silence that suddenly drops is chilling. Heavy. He stares at her for several long moments as he considers to lie. In some ways it's not necessarily a secret, but he's kept it a secret from Benedikta and the less people outside of the group, the easier it is to keep it that way. Of course, he knows he needs to tell her at some point, that he can't keep it from her forever.

And now here is Rem asking if he died. There are two reasons for her to ask that question—either someone dear to her died, or she herself did. And regardless which, it doesn't take much for him to piece together why.

She wants to be stronger, she wants something that can give her powers to help protect herself.

That alone isn't troubling—it's her method in doing so. To use souls of all things... And how can he convince her if she's so set in her ways? To her, he's nothing more than a stranger, just some man she met a few months ago and tried to make a deal with. She's young, desperate, grasping at whatever she can for self preservation, regardless of what happened to her before. She won't just blindly listen to someone if she doesn't think she can trust them or that they don't understand.

If there's anything raising Mid has taught him as well as his own experience of that age, it's how stubborn one can be.

So there will be several moments of silence before he finally answers.]

I did. Right before coming to this world.

[ She sucks in air through her teeth, the taste as acrid as his revelation. He died (is dead?) like her, just before he arrived. Immediately new questions arise in her mind, forcing her to look away as if her bangs could hide the distraught that tears through her expression. How? Was it the same toll that affects all Dominants? Something else? And-- why? He's told her of some of the dreams he has had of his world, before. A world in which they needn't rely on the caustic cost of magic.

Why is it, always, always, that those who have such a vision for the future meet their end too soon? She's seen his inventions here. He could have done so much for his world-- ]

....I'm sorry. [ She rasps out, still unable to meet his gaze. ] I... [ A hand goes to her chest, grasping the golden clasp at her cloak. A thumb runs over the flaming bird etched into the metal, as if she could somehow draw on its life-giving power right here, right now.

But that's why she's here, isn't she? To finally find something she can use in lieu of the Altocrystarium, something she can use to convert souls into a power she knows she has already: that of bringing the dead immediately back to life. ]

Cid... I'm sorry. [ She repeats helplessly, finally looking back at him. Before they continue anything else, she wants him to know that she truly feels for his loss. ]

I-- I know how you feel. Having died.

[And this is another reason why he didn't want to say anything—he knew she would react in such a way. It pricks his conscience a bit, but he just steps forward to close the gap a little more.]

It's all right, I came to terms with it a long time ago so it was just a matter of when and how.

[Instead, there was something more pressing as he looks at her.]

...But you I'm almost afraid to ask.

[He stops just within arm's reach.]

Not that I need to to now understand why you're trying to do this.

[And now his knuckles rap against the hard stone next to him.]

[ And just like that, he's at the obsidian altar with her, poised to break it right in front of her if he chooses. She's unprepared to hear the roar of levin and the shatter of stone, and a wince subconsciously twists her expression.

Instead, she hears the gentle tap of his knuckles against the stone. No thunder, no sundering. One eye opens, then the other.

A gasp escapes her, equal parts surprised and bewildered. She gapes at him, trying to read his expression. He's against what she's doing, that much is clear, but he's doing so kindly, and that-- that, she doesn't understand, not as a solider. Not as a child of war. Not someone who has ripped souls from hundreds of others both on orders and to survive. Not as one who has witnessed so many others sacrifice their souls to the Crystal or l'cie. ]

Then... why. [ She pleads, pointing one shoulder away. It's a stance that suggests she's prepared to fight for this, but also. Not really. She's more frightened than she had been, as if his hand upon the altar is the same as putting a knife to her throat. For whatever reason, she believes this altar is the key (rather, the best alternative she has). ]

...Why? You of all people should understand. Or do you not remember what it's like to be weak? [ Or dead. ]

[There's just a wane smile as he can clearly see how frightened and ready to fight for this she is, but he just maintains his stance. Once that could be interpreted as more relaxed than anything, but that doesn't mean he has his guard down. If she really did try to do something, he was prepared to react... But right now, he just tries to appear as non-threatening as possible.]

I remember it very clearly. Even from before I was a Dominant I never forgot. Even if not my own, I would see it in the men and women I trained and in the ones I saved.

And if there's one thing I learned is that while being "weak" or trying to find "strength" has no one answer, trying to find it shouldn't be at the cost of losing who you are.

[There's a heavy look in his gaze before he continues a little more quietly.]

That I've seen plenty as well.

[ She wouldn’t be losing herself, she wants to insist. This— sacrificing a soul for their magics— is what Class Zero has always done. Never mind that she did already trade her humanity for power, right because she died.

The distant look in his eyes causes her pause, however. It is the same look with which she’d often watch l’cie as they passed by. Was it worth it? Trading one’s self for power? The chance to protect those one cherishes? To live? Before she became one herself, she didn’t know. Now know knows:

It’s worth it.

But— that’s not his point. Through all of this, it seems he’s— worried?— no, cautioning her in a way a… an elder would. As if he wishes she wouldn’t have to make that choice.

”You realize that is not the only way, don't you? Maybe in your world, but there are surely other options here.”

She can’t imagine another way than doing as she’s always done. But if… if— ]

I… I want you to be right, Cid. [ Her voice cracks, earnest but broken. ] But you were blessed. You have power… and you’re still you. And you’re not— you’re not dying anymore, aren’t you?

[ The Dominants’ mysterious toll isn’t effecting Dion at least. ]

[There's just a very small, almost sad smile as he looks at her, and he'll hold out his hand, letting her see the small bit of levin that dance around his palm.]

Blessed? This power? [A harsh laugh.] More like a curse—it's what ultimately killed me, after all.

[He clenches his fist, the threads of electricity extinguishing.]

I don't know if I'm fully affected by the curse or not. By the time I died, my left arm was rendered useless, my internal organs damaged beyond repair. Just using too much magic made me cough up blood, but I had to use it to get things done, to save those I could while I still had breath in me. A choice I willingly took. Now here, I'm clearly not turning into stone.

[He rolls up his sleeve, showing off his unblemished arm.]

But that doesn't mean I'm completely free. If I use it too much, I can feel the strain, and I have no doubt that if I pushed too hard I'd be suffering the same symptoms.

[His arm then falls to rest on the altar, his eyes hardening as he looks at her.]

Rem, power is always a double edged sword, and like a sword it can both protect and kill. I know you want power to protect yourself, and I'm not stopping you from that. However, I cannot let you use souls of all things.

[He then lightly taps his chest.]

I'm dead. I may have a body now, but I'm basically the perfect fodder for you. And if you were to take it, you'd not only be taking away whatever remaining choice to rest, using me against my will, but you'd be destroying me as well. If someone volunteered then I have nothing to say, but I can tell that's not what's happening.

[His voice now takes on more of a quiet plea.]

Think about it, Rem. All those souls were once people. Do you really want to be a person who takes the lives of others, lives that already had to deal with whatever hardship of life, and destroy whatever essence they have left? Using people as tools? Can you really live with that weight, that burden, all for your own self gain?

Edited 2024-03-08 14:19 (UTC)

[ She watches as the levin dances in his palm like fireflies, listening to him speak. He sounds... sad. Weary, as if he's finally letting a touch of his death crackle at his voice.

She remembers the first time she'd ever held a soul, how it shimmered weightlessly in her hands before she ever knew what it was. She'd been just a little girl back then, torn from the rest, scared, and a alone. Red surrounded her-- the remnants of whoever or whatever once existed from whom she'd pulled the soul. She hadn't known how or why she'd been able to do it, just that she did because she was almost gone, and that in that moment, she needed to survive.

Gathering phantoma became so much more than that once she became a cadet for the Dominion, and later Class Zero. It was a means to become stronger, to protect the Crystal, her country, and all that she loved. It was a duty to reap at the end of each battle, whether beast or human. So... why, why--

"Think about it, Rem."

--why hadn't she given it much thought for all those years?

Because it is the Crystal's blessing to forget the dead.

Rem's hand tightens around the clasp, then relaxes as defeat washes over her. ]

No... I don't want that. [ The words are difficult to form, not just from the ash on her tongue. ] I... [ There are those in her world who do not know what a cemetery is. But she? She's visited graves. She's wanted to honor the dead in a way so few would not. Turns out she's been no better, since she's been using their souls without a second thought, not questioning why she could, for what purpose, or why there was a duty to gather them for the Archsorceress. Why she accepted she'd given her own soul for a fight, or to a l'cie, or to the Crystal without question.

Any soul she's held could have been one like his. Someone good, someone who doesn't deserve to have their existence wiped clean. Someone who deserves to be remembered. )Yes, that's right. People remember the dead here and in other worlds--) ]

I... I want to be better than that.

[ (How many, she suddenly wonders-- how many did the secundus l'cie take that fateful day? How many does she not remember because of it? How many did the primus l'cie reap after the battle? How many did the Crystal reach for near Tempus Finis, and she remembers none of them? And any of them could have been good, worthy of living, worthy of being remembered, too--

This is blasphemous.)

To forfeit this means that she'll remain weak, grievously disadvantaged. It means she'll die in three months, four months, perhaps, if she cannot find a cure or increase her power. And she doesn't know how to reconcile that.

Her voice trembles, helpless. ] C-cid...

[He knows this is a very hard thing for her, and probably worse from what he can glean from what she must have done back in her world. He still doesn't know the full extent of it, but he doesn't need to. Anyone who is forced or conditioned to use souls without thought must surely have been through difficult situations. And maybe in her world that's just the way of the world. Maybe reaping souls is a must to survive. That's why he can't fully judge or criticize her, because that's just being human—to do what they must to survive, even if at the cost of something else.

But, this is not her world. There may be other ways. And if there isn't... Then there could still be different ways to go about it.

And she is so, so very young, lacking the knowledge and experience to figure those out. Not to mention that she was essentially a child soldier, conditioned and trained to follow a certain way. Having known what that's like, having had to take in young recruits both before and after leaving Waloed, he knows too well how that can be. So seeing her losing her defenses, actually listening to what he's saying...

He doesn't see a soldier in front of him. Just a frightened young girl trying her best to live.

To not die again.

Oh how this reminds him of someone else and how that twists his heart even more...]

...Come here, lass.

[He slowly steps towards her, an arm outstretched. And should she allow it, he'll slowly embrace her and pull her into a warm, comforting hug.]

[ Initially, she withdraws into herself, arms wrapping around her. The world itself feels cold despite the heat of the chamber around them, as cold as the day the sky turned red and the last thing she'd seen were the stars. Her mind suffocates from what this defeat means for her future. Terminal, again, despite everything she's tried, everything she's sacrificed, of others' souls-- and her own.

A month ago, she had worried when others would notice her not aging. Now, she won't have to. She'll be gone by the time anyone suspects something's amiss. It will be cold, she's sure, as cold as last time, and she'll be forgotten (a blessing, it's a blessing, she wouldn't want to burden anyone, anyway)--

But then his arms open to her, and she all but takes the invitation, reaching for him in kind. Weakly, fingers curl into cloth, and she buries her face against his chest, sharing the dampness upon her cheeks with the rough fabric of his shirt. A muffled, torn sob escapes her, then another, until a steady stream of tears falls.

What's next, then? Acceptance-- acceptance that she cannot be strong enough to protect others, or herself. Acceptance that her time will end. But if she can try handle that end as gracefully as how he appears to have accepted his death... then maybe she'll be worth remembering. Metaphorically, that is, because she'll be wiped from living thought.

Like this, she'll take the compassion of his embrace for all it's worth: a place of security and comfort, warm in a way that offers to understand but not to yield. Steady as mountains and present like the sun. Firm in the conviction of the sacredness of life-- the likes of which she's never seen, much less had extended to her own.

It's more than she's ever known, and it feels as if it's tearing all of her apart. Because if there are souls like his that offer such kindness, then they absolutely should be cherished. Honored and respected for what they offer to the world. Protected. Only now, she won't ever be strong enough.

It takes minutes before she calms, after which she can only murmur: ]

How...How did you do it? Accept your death?

[He just holds her, lets his arms envelope her and give what he now fully believes is the first time she's ever been held like this. Ever felt any kind of safety or security from another person. And with every cry, every rack of her small shoulders he can only close his eyes and heave a heavy breath as he can only imagine—what if this were Benedikta? Mid? What about Clive and Jill? Dion? Joshua? And all the young ones he had to see come and go. How many he had to bury or leave behind.

He really was too soft for his own good.

But it was exactly what people needed in an otherwise grim and harsh world, and so he just gently and slowly strokes her back, sometimes patting her had as he lets her take all the time she needs to let it all out. Let her cry for what may have been the first time in a while.

And when she finally calms, he remains like that and just answers quietly and steadily.]

Bit of a complicated answer... As you know, when you're a soldier you know any battle could be your last. And as a Dominant, I knew the curse would one day take me if I wasn't killed first. It was harder to really accept or believe when I was younger... But I have the grace of living for as long as I have, which gave me the chance to come to terms and realizing that if I'm going to go, I better do all that I can before then.

And to do it on my own terms.

[There's a small pause, so many layers to this and not wanting to really get into all of it. At least not right now, while they're still standing in this muck and ash.]

That's all it really came down to. Death is not a matter of if, but when, and if there's one thing I could try and control it's how I die while doing my best to live with the time I have.

[ She's not quite ready to pull away just yet, if only because she's sure she looks a complete, puffy-eyed mess. Rem is no stranger to sharing or showing how she feels, but this-- this, somehow makes her feel even smaller and weaker, a feeling only countered by the support he gives.

As for his answer, she understands. It's easy to give one's life when one chooses, whether directly or indirectly, marching on the battlefield or at home. It's how she'd give her own humanity, before. But... contending with her illness is not something she's ever come to terms with. ]

...Not if... but when. [ Vague, but true words.

Not if. When. Her eyes shut, then open. Slowly, she pulls her head away to look up at him. For a few quiet moments, she searches for the courage he's faced in dying as if she could find it in his expression. She needs that strength, now more than ever.

She does smile, though, meekly, at the last part of what he says. Doing what one has with the time they have left? She hopes she can, too. She'd been so useless in her world. Bedridden, at the end. She doesn't want to repeat that here.

(But how, now, is the question. If she is to accept death, how can she accept being useless at the same time?) ]

Guess I'll have to try, I will. That's-- [ Her gaze drops, but she steadies her voice. ] That's all I can promise

[Cid looks down at her for several long moments, the questions held back by pursed lips and a heavy gaze before it softens.]

I think there's more we need to talk about... But we can do better than here.

Come back to my ship. You can clean up and I'm sure we can rummage a change of clothes for you.

[ She pulls back from his arms, using her wrist to wipe beneath her eyes. There's a weak nod, then another as she sniffles. ]

I'd--... be grateful. [ She admits, tiredly. Yes, talking can happen. She has more questions for him, too, such as how he'd lived. Not lived. Lived, while dying. For what reasons, and how he managed it. Because she needs to find that courage, now more than ever, and find her resolve for however long she has left. Again. And maybe this time, it won't be as cold or desperate.

Also... she kind of doesn't want to return to a ship with a bunch of immortals on it. Not right now, at least, when she's so aware of her own mortality. ]

[There's a softer grin as he holds out his hand.]

Then hold on. Going to use the Ring of Returning to bring us there.

[ To think that minutes ago, she'd been preparing for the worst. That she would fight him. Instead, now, she places her hand in his, not-quite-ready but willing for whatever journey this might bring.

Her smile softens. ]

Thank you, Cid.

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