&& so it was the crow ate the fallen god’s heart into eternity...
trying on a metaphor
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&& so it was the crow ate the fallen god’s heart into eternity...
ɪᴜᴅɪᴄɪᴜᴍ.〔ᵃᶠᵗᵉʳᵐᵃᵗʰ〕
“Yes, Master” replied the soldier knelt before the Crow.
“I observed the devastation from my airship. The monsters of Alnwick were created from the very field, soil, and animals tended to by the farming community itself. Because of this, there was a great many that were slain at the ground zeroes of the assault. Alnwick now has a radically decreased population - 35%, I am told - composed mostly of farmers and guardsmen. Their agricultural industry can be restored, but not without great effort. New farmers need to be brought in along with new crops.”
A pause. “I noticed with the second wave that the monsters, whose main duty was to harry the temple and its defenders, were too distracted in making more civilian casualties. A good fraction of them who made it to the temple arrived heavily wounded and would not provide much of a danger. I took the liberty of herding such stragglers with the airship’s cannon. At one point, I descended to the battlefield myself and acted as a commissar. That way, there would be a larger and overall more healthy force to breach the temple.”
A grin. “When I encircled the temple district, I could see the faces of some of the heroes. One of them was a baker I’ve talked to before at social functions. Another was a pig-tailed singer who I am sure I’ve seen before, but will have to see her again for confirmation. The third -rather, the first, forgive me- I saw was a robed man with spellblade abilities. I’ve not seen one like him before. I would like to apologize for the sloppy scouting on his part.”
A dour expression. “The airship was lost in the attack. Biggs and Wedge survived. They tell me an effect similar to elemental distortion from a prior event with one of Alnwick’s citizens occurred. I can guess that corrupted shards will be adversely affected by the magic of the wind god and his worshipers.”
A dark-eyed look. “I am working on that part. I had curiously purchased some shards for myself and have recently melded with them to achieve elemental resistances. It needs more experimentation, but I think I can engineer some better defenses.”
“Master… There is something else I must tell you. Among the people in the battle with the Manticore was a woman from the same world as me. Her name is Tifa. I don’t know if she’s a hero or just another person defending what’s theirs, but I do know she comes from the same world as I. She…she’s been releasing memories for me. I don’t know what to think about her.”
❝ 暗い天の烏 —
For a long moment, the Dark God simply listened, filling in the blanks where he had not been able to cast his sights over the world and its carnage. His precious mortal mistress had kept him otherwise occupied – though his mind never truly left the battle at hand, waging below the realm of the Gods. He had trusted the Soldier as his other set of eyes, his second in command, and after hearing his report, he knew he was right to do so. The young man continued to prove himself worthy to his master.
Yet the mention of a woman… A smirk broke out upon his lips, brow narrowing before masking his expression in something close to kindness. He supposed it was only natural for love to blossom in the carnal passion of war; he simply hadn’t expected it from someone as driven as the young man who stood before him.
❝That sounds to be a good thing, does it not? You seek to regain your memories, and this woman aids you in doing so. Perhaps…❞
The slightest narrow at the corners of his eyes, the barest of darkness in his gaze.
❝…I should meet this woman.❞
ɪᴜᴅɪᴄɪᴜᴍ.〔ᵃᶠᵗᵉʳᵐᵃᵗʰ〕
❝ 暗い天の烏 —
❝--Well done, my friends. We are that much closer toward our ultimate victory.❞
Could such words be considered less enthusiastic than expected? Could his tone be a tad too light, his grin not quite as large as one might have anticipated? Oh, of course -- for the Crow would not let himself show any large amount of emotion, of gratitude or satisfaction; he would not beam with ragged joy at the burning and drowning of his enemies, nor would he let out the sharp laugh that tickled the back of his throat as those of divine descent were crushed into obliteration.
All had gone according to his plan. Even the towns in which the death toll was minimal had been heinously affected by the carnage; no one had been left unscathed, nor would their strength be anywhere close to its peak for months at the least.
Yet he would not let his disciples see such twisted glee on his face. No -- that was reserved for a private time in which he and his precious mortal Goddess would dance a sanguine and languid pas de deux, her gradually human body limp in his arms until he could feel the blood pulsing through her veins with every slow, luxurious step.
❝Now -- tell me everything.❞
Oh, how difficult it was to contain his grin; even before his servants, it flashed occasionally, giving insight to his appeasement.
Fluttering Wings
“I– Yes.” She lifted a hand to her forehead, trying to fight the cloudiness that struggled to fog her mind.
Run!
She turned away, shaking her head. She could feel the urgency dimming, and yet also growing more frantic.
“I’m sorry, I’m in a hurry. But – I’ll catch up with you there? In Alnwick! I’m sorry, I really do just need to go–”
RUN!
❝ 暗い天の烏 —
❝--I really think we must go together.❞
Obsidian hues followed her, his body barely moving as she hurriedly attempted to sidle past him; she could feel it already, could she? His dark influence, his magical energy coiling around his form, readying for the inevitable. Such a shame she had chosen the hard way.
One hand reached out to snap his fingers around her wrist as she passed him by, pulling back and turning on his heel, about-face; nails dug into the tender flesh and he bent it backwards, hearing the mildest crack at her arm. He felt the tendons flinch under his grip.
He was a midnight shadow over her smaller form, drinking up her fear and engorging himself.
❝I can’t let you divulge all my secrets, can I?❞
Fluttering Wings
▒ ▒ A ▒ ▒ N ▒ ▒ G ▒ ▒ E ▒ ▒ L
Edea stopped moving, feeling a tug at her very soul as though someone had yanked her back by a thread. The voice - she knew that voice, although until this moment her mind had practically buried him away to nothing but a silhouette in that blur of a horrible night.
But he had been there, both at the Myrefall Ball and in the back of her mind, like a suppressed secret memory. And she..
“–Remus?” His name had escaped her until this moment, and despite her determination from a moment ago, she just couldn’t help but stop.
Somewhere she could feel her instincts screaming at her to run.
“What are you doing here?”
❝ 暗い天の烏 —
What a name for him to have chosen; and how it worked its way like a parasite into his heart to eat away at the muscle. Memories of a child flared behind his eyes, a young boy with eyes glassed over as he looked up at his own kin and had no idea who he was.
Curse him, but he had forgotten he had given out that name.
The barest of frowns dipped immediately into a recovering grin, chin lowering to cast a shadow on his features as if to erase his momentary lapse in character.
❝I was on my way to Alnwick. I assume you are, as well?❞ His deduction was made plain by a light gesture of the head toward the main path, headed straight for the city of agriculture and engineering.
Fluttering Wings
Edea knew immediately what had to be done.
Leon was a fool to share intimate details to readily with her, but his folly would be his allies’ undoing, and that was perfectly fine with her.
Once Leon had assured her that he only sought to give her information, she announced she would seek out Joyce immediately.
It was a lie. Or rather, a half-truth.
First, she had to see Lord Bahamut. She had to tell him of what she knew before anything else could take place. After all, if the villain Barbariccia truly did hail from Alnwick, Bahamut would know how to handle her. And more than that, Bahamut would listen.
She ran. She ran harder and faster than she ever had in her life, with no intent of stopping. It would be days before she reached Alnwick, but if she could find a settlement in between, could find a chocobo or any other means of transport –
Khint came to mind. She knew where he lived, she could get help – but no. No, she couldn’t endanger his family by going there. She wouldn’t dare.
The clock was ticking. The moment Leon’s treachery was discovered, she would be a target. And no matter how confident she was in her abilities, she knew she would not be able to face such a foe on her own.
She had the upper hand, but she was in grave danger because of it.
Still, there was some thrill in it all – if she succeeded, if she unmasked the villains that plagued three towns, then maybe, just maybe she could find some redemption…!
❝ 暗い天の烏 —
Sweet angel, running about like she could actually do something for this broken world; thinking she had some sort of effect on her surroundings, some influence that he couldn’t squash under his feet. Oh, he would crush that canary’s resolve under booted heel, hear it crunch and watch her eyes dim, and further enshackle her in his snare.
The Dark Knight had made a foolish error, but it was nothing he couldn’t fix.
Come away, little lamb; your slaughter awaits...
❝Is that an angel I see? But it seems she’s forgotten her mask this time.❞
Have you thought of him, little bird? Did he leave his infectious imprint?
obsidionem . . .
❝ 暗い天の烏 —
❝--This silence... is suffocating. Stagnation is a poison, and we are trapped in a miasma.❞
A hot spring and human temptation -- was this what the world below was reduced to? In the midst of a war, a crusade, his subjects and enemies fraternized in such display; and all that was left was a resounding and still silence.
His fingers twitched.
What would the mortals say? Time to stir things up.
His voice reached far and wide, fueled by the ethereal energy of the Crystathereum itself, dripping like wax into the minds of his subordinates -- those few chosen among his ranks to move his forces forward. There was only so much watching he could stand; he itched for action, to feel the warfare under the feet of his servants.
To sweet Victoria, cherry blossom dipped in sanguine resin:
❝There lies in wait a certain gem behind the waterfall -- she had her chance once but was found guilty. Her mistake will not be repeated in you, who has even yet to be revealed as one of my own. Once you find her, cast a spell -- bring her true monstrous nature to the forefront. Let Samudra’s wrath be unleashed in full this time around.❞
To Leon, who had proven himself, at last, useful:
❝The Crystal is yours and grows more tainted by the day. Use this power to summon a creature of the earth; the beast will know just which house to attack, as will you. Let us test your loyalty once more: finish this, and my doubt will be absolved. Destroy all traces of future Quartiers from Joyce’s lineage -- man, woman, or child. Raksana will have no choices should she abandon Joyce after all.❞
To Axel, that wavering pyromancer:
❝It is said that the heart of a dragon has immense power unknown to mere mortals. Shall we test that rumor? Perhaps, should that fiery beast summoned forth from the volcano’s depths indeed destroy Calcheth, you may reclaim a heart of your own. The power I can grant you is immeasurable, but only if you serve me...❞
To Barbariccia, silken empress swathed in spiderwebs:
❝How well you continue in your secrecy, yet you must remain vigilant at your post as your enemy draws nearer. Yet the townspeople enjoy a peace in your absence -- surely you would not let that persist? Take the power I grant unto you and reaffirm your presence, whether seen or unseen, and tear their world to pieces.❞
And finally, left hand of God, his most loyal servant:
❝Cloud. Guide your fellow warriors of darkness; ensure our victory. Should anything go awry, I trust your judgment and your immediate report.❞
Raven’s eyes dipped low, closing to lean his head back, inhaling the absence of oxygen in this realm of Gods; how he could feel the energy of the universe thrum through his very marrow -- containing a billion life forces within his breast. He was so close, so close to divine leadership; to being the one true God of all.
A woman at his feet, her acres of luxurious chestnut locks curling about her, falling delicately as she heaved, clutching her blackened throat, flowers growing and dying at her fingertips--
--Oh, how he loved to hear a Goddess gasp.
That glare was enough to make Leon flinch, but his words were truly more harmful than any weapon he could have used. So angry over a few names spilled? It wasn’t every one of his allies, was it? Yet he felt disgusting either way. He had messed up big time either way. How many names he spoke didn’t even matter. The fact that he had spoke any at all was the sin he committed.
Then there was the part about his benefiting from Barbariccia’s work. There had been many factors that kept him from capturing the Quartier. Joyce was pitifully weak, but the girl wasn’t stupid. She hid from him, always staying in the shadows, out of sight from him and his men. While this had aided in rallying the people against the heroes, it stopped him from making his way to the temple and seizing the crystal. At least one hero or several of her followers always stood in his way, and only once she was gone did their morale weaken enough to let him take the crystal for himself.
Yet he was still wrong because Romulus said so.
However, the last statement was the worst blow for the knight. Flashes of the war rapidly came back to him, throwing him deeper into a panic. No, he wasn’t a traitor! Not again! It was an accident! He didn’t mean to sabotage his master and his allies! He didn’t even realize he was!
He didn’t realize it….
He didn’t mean to hurt them…..
It really was all his fault…..
He was a traitor…..
Backing away, he shook violently, finally collapsing when he hit a wall. Fear clouded his mind, and he sat rigidly on his knees with his hands gripping his head. Somewhere inside of his mind, he knew he looked pathetic and weak, but he honestly felt that way. He was a poor excuse of a servant. He didn’t want to die, though. When he spoke, his voice was quiet and shaky.
“I-I’m sorry, Master! I-I won’t do it again! I-it was a lapse of judgement! I-I’m terribly stupid! P-please don’t kill me!”
❝ 暗い天の烏 —
If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was children.
And here he stood, before a veritable child -- an infant that had somehow made it into his field of vision as someone worth something, worth putting his faith and his magic into, worth giving a greater purpose, a position of power in the godless realm he would create. Now look at him: sniveling, crouched as if expecting the sky to fall upon his head, holding his face as if his skin might melt off the flesh from his own furious shaking.
Power is nothing without control -- and he couldn't even control his own voice.
It was digusting. It was infuriating. It was maddening.
Calamine tiers split backward, pulling against his skin, a wolverine's snarl as even his teeth grew sharper -- oh, to shift forms and tear him to pieces, render his pitiful, Neanderthal's cries silent, feed the earth with the fluid from his organs, drink in the smell of his pathetic death.
Despite himself, a low sound erupted from his throat as he took one lengthy step forward, crossing the distance that remained between the two of them before leaning down and gripping the Dark Knight's collar tightly between his fingers and thumb and pulling; he did not stop until he could feel the mortal's sputtering breath against his knuckles, the ribs of his windpipe folding around his grasp.
❝Have I been given a child in the guise of a man? A rat for a knight? Every second longer that you snivel in my presence will be a bone that I will rip from your chest!❞
He shook him, a wayward blow to his throat ( yes, choke -- choking is better than crying ) before pulling him further upward, off his knees, ankles hanging limply upon the ground. His breath was hot on the skin of his servant.
❝You will act like the Villain you are, or you will meet your end. You will not return home, you will not find your redemption, your brother, your sister, your hope, your freedom -- you will die here, in this realm that will not mourn you, and you will be replaced with someone capable.❞
One sharp movement, and the Knight was dropped to the ground, the Shadow Man swiftly turning away.
❝I will be watching you. One more slip up, and you understand what the consequences will be.❞
Swallowing hard, Leon tried to think of something that could have bugged Romulus. Was it something during the cave in? Or maybe during the ball? Was it something he said or did on a normal day? So much of what he did panned out well….but Edea was a thorn in his side. Everything she did made him focus on his persona, letting his words and actions flow out subconsciously. Was that it?
Hopefully, it wasn’t bad enough for him to die…..
“Y-yes, sir. Y-you only come when something must be done personally by you. Is there something I did wrong in your eyes?”
❝ 暗い天の烏 —
Stammering, blubbering fool -- where was that confidence on his tongue now, when he had been blathering the secrets of the villains ( his allies! oh, this could be treason if he wished it so ) to a Hero; and a Hero the "Shadow Man" had taken a particular interest in himself, no less. She was corruptible, already a target by many a town, a drifter, alone; he would snatch her up like a terrified mouse, trap her between his claws.
How could he expect his plans to be carried out to his design with a faulty gear?
"In your eyes" as if he was overreacting -- as if what was done wasn't truly wrong, only seen as such; no, there was no argument, no debate: there only was and was not.
Traitor.
Where he had avoided direct eye contact ( let the mystery, the terror, come from his nonchalance rather than his immediate fury ), he now turned to face the Villain, and his expression would very well shoot spires into his servant's pulsing coward's heart. He did not frown, did not furrow his brow, did not show something as petty and worthless as human emotion ( he was a being of Gods, of transcendence ) -- except for this moment.
❝Do not attempt ignorance, Leon -- though I cannot tell at this point if you feign it or if it truly rules you. You spoke secrets of our faction to one Edea Lee: you revealed the identities of nearly all of my servants in each town. Have you any idea the repercussions of your actions? That Hero is on her way as we speak to tell all she learned to the Quartier of Alnwick -- and from there, word will spread like fire.
❝I care not how my servants choose to portray themselves -- whether parading themselves as pariahs or demons -- as long as they do me service. You have obtained the Earth Crystal by means not of your own: Barbariccia, not you, was the one to steal away Sheffield's Quartier. You could not even subdue the guardian of the Crystal in your home town -- and now you reap the benefits of someone else's efforts, and run your imbecilic mouth, and our plans, into the ground.❞
One step forward, one step nearer, though he may as well have slipped a knife into the other man's chest with the wrath in his obsidian hues.
❝Do you know what it is called, Leon, to jeopardize the efforts and leadership of your commander, your King?
Treason.❞
corvi de morte ;
❝ 暗い天の烏 —
One might liken him to a bird with the way he oversaw all that occurred on the mortal plane below the magical realm he called ( begrudgingly ) his home -- the eye in the sky, the veritable sun and moon his lidless, unblinking sight. Never had there been an inch of the world he could not see if he wished it.
So how had she escaped him for so long?
Eris, he believed her name was, though it meant little to him; what did matter, however, was her position in this three-sided chess game: one of the leaders of the rebel forces. She was in a position of power in this world, a person of influence -- and oh, how her influence had spread, how she had gathered such a following in her little cult. Yet with all that attention, all the effort he took to seeing just who she was, he could not figure out her secret.
That secret that she took such care to hide from him -- he knew it was there, knew it in the way she would look about herself to make sure no one was near, the way she would seek out some place with a magical field, somehow shielding herself from his view in a way he just couldn't figure out.
It was infuriating. She was a threat in her mystery. He would unravel her.
A bird, he was -- then a bird he would be. Such a form had always felt natural for him since he had discovered his ability to obtain it, to shift his very bone structure and hollow out the marrow; become a form so less intimidating yet no less omniscient.
Small eyes, miniscule orbs of obsidian, observed the rebel leader as she walked through the trees, cawing sporadically to see if she flinched -- she didn't. Odd. Had he the ability to narrow his eyes, he would have, yet a new body had new sets of limitations -- and strengths.
Spreading his wings, he let out another caw before taking flight, making his way airborne through the forest until he found her once more in a clearing, the ground torn by what could be nothing else but a beast -- a beast that now lay dead at her feet. For a brief moment, he wondered just how she had managed such a thing -- with no wounds on the thing's body, no less... Yet he would discover her power eventually, of that he was certain.
He would not leave her side until he knew what sort of demon she was.
With a sharp caw, he dove for the beast's flesh, talons pointed downward and primed, splitting through fur and skin and meat in a single motion; he felt it cut and curve around his nerves, feel the blood soak into his feathers, smell the thick sanguine scent envelop him, taint the air. His wings beat, furthering the reach of the odor.
Did he disgust her? A part of him hoped so -- let him see that pathetic weakness, carve her eyes out with his own nails.
Jumping to the fiend's back, avian back curved, beak picking through the opened muscle, leaning back to swallow in gluttonous gobs before twitching his head toward her, sharp, uneven movements.
Do you see me, chaos cultist? Are you ignorant?
Yet another caw, pointed at her as if he meant to speak, avian exclamation, before he took to the air briefly, wings cutting through the silent air before he turned, forming a neat circle above the woman until he lowered, landing on her shoulder. How he wished to dig into her skin -- but no, he was an ally here, wasn't he? A familiar, should this witch wish to call him such.
Let's see your magic -- and I'll show you mine.
❝Though separated by plain and Crystal, we are one united force.❞
❝Let this serve to unite our efforts even further. As the Quartiers give missions to their subservient Heroes, I have my own requests -- let us trounce their endeavors and take the lead for ourselves. How shall we accomplish this, you might ask? By using their own tools against them: the Crystals.❞
❝Our goal, as all of you know, is to hold the ultimate power of the Crystals for ourselves, yet power keeps getting taken from us -- Crystal Shards keep restoring power to each Crystal and stealing our control. Therefore, we must steal it back -- whether by deception or outward violence, I care not. Let the ends justify the means. As for those of you who already possess shards of your own... use them. Train with them; feel how they amplify your power and harness those abilities. Power is nothing without control.❞
Ways To Complete:
Drabble - Tagged CT!Drabble & CT!Vilquest. 1000+ Words. Reward: 500 gil.
Thread - Tagged CT!Vilquest. 10+ Posts. Reward: 1000 gil.
Requirements/Guidelines:
The Crystal Shard Training option can be either a thread or a drabble, however the Gathering Shards option must be a thread between 1 Villain and 1 (or more) Hero(es) or Rebel(s). A Quartier may also be involved if they so wish, if a Villain wishes to take Crystal Shards directly from the Mother Crystal.
The maximum amount of Crystal Shards that can be apprehended is 3. Let's not go crazy here, folks -- keep it within a reasonable realm.
If you select the Training option, whether drabble or thread, use this as a way to headcanon out how your Crystal Shard works with your villain's powers. Remember that the shards are nature-based and elemental -- if your villain goes for fire, the shard will amplify that power, as with wind, earth, or water. These drabbles may be used as ways to ensure villains do not godmod in the future, so be sure to lay out the shards reasonable abilities in your writing so you can build on it in the future.
If you select the Gathering Shards option, go how your muse leads you! Do they try to be deceptive and befriend a hero/rebel and sneakily grab a shard or two? Do they go straight for a brawl? A combination of the two? Play around with the options!
This quest may be completed by any Villain in any town. All shards earned from this quest will go directly to the Villain that completed it. Don't forget to check in with Romulus for your reward (send in the link of your drabble or your final thread reply here). You will be awarded Gil, and the Mods will keep track of the amount for you! ( Your character's money will come in handy in the next blog update, so stay tuned! )
That voice…. He knew he was in trouble before he even turned to the man. Romulus wasn’t one to visit their world unless he required something, and as of late, things were going smoothly with the crystal and the people. The rest, however…
What did I do to make him come out here?
Taking a deep breath, he began rattling off things he was doing well, hopefully softening the blow.
"Sheffield has been doing well, sir. The crystal is under my control, the people are on my side, and there’s been no recent activity from the heroes. They’ve been almost a non-presence, in fact."
❝ 暗い天の烏 —
❝Good -- this lull in their action is exactly what we desire. The time to strike strong continues.❞
He had known of this, though; he had known of all of this. He was more than a windborne falcon: he was the sun, the eye in the sky, omniscient and everpresent in the overarcing Crystathereum, the mythical plane of magic. There was nothing that had transpired that Leon could tell him that he did not already know. He made the lower world, the mortal world, his business.
After all, he was born to own it.
Yet he hadn't come into this dying realm just for mere small talk.
❝But you know I'm not here to talk about that, don't you?❞
❝ 暗い天の烏 —
This had gone on long enough, he would venture to say, especially considering the villain's loose lips as of late to a certain important individual. He was a generous man -- he allowed his underlings a large amount of freedom.
Give a slave too much freedom, and he'll forget he is a slave.
❝--Leon. How is Sheffield these days?❞
❝ 暗い天の烏 —
The shadows had covered him for hours now, moving from one to another fluidly, never being seen -- for he had been recorded leaving by witnesses just before the murder took place, and of course no one remembered the man who took his leave when the scream and blood had stolen all their attention.
Little did they notice him in the darkened corners, the hallways, even perhaps right behind them before he vanished once more, watching the scene unfold.
Just as he'd anticipated, everything fell into its perfect place. It hadn't even been his plan in the first place, but he would claim the aftermath as his own -- as free territory for him to curl his talons around and manipulate. It was just too opportune to let it slip by.
With the sentencing imminent, however, it was time he returned to his original objective -- for he was not the only one who took their leave at such a coincidental time.
❝It is high time you reveal what you truly are to me.❞
Swathed in darkness, his form blurred in midnight pitch, seeming to swirl like an obsidian cloak before what was once humanesque became a crow, letting out a single caw as his wings pushed the air underneath him, lifting him into the moonlit night.
You will not hide from me any longer.