who? @uegg
where? Belladona’s office, Veil of Veins
when? About a three days after she returned to Eterna
Belladona is bringing a glass of wine to her lips when the door to her office opens, letting in the most infuriating of creatures. A weary sigh escapes her, and she finishes the journey of the glass, taking a long drag of the wine before settling on her desk and gesturing for Uegg to sit down.
“Go ahead, I just know you need to say something about this whole ordeal,” she grumbles, eyes closing as she prays to the Dark One for patience. She is aware of their need to cooperate, but frankly sometimes it’s so very hard. Of all devils the Dark One could have chosen, it had to be the one that aimed to become a false prophet. “Go on, I know let’s get this over with, so we can focus on business.”
There was something so exquisite about watching his lessers realize their limitations. To imagine one's own greatness only to be thrust into a reality that contradicted it was a form of exposure he usually had to gamble to witness. Someone else played that game with Belladona though, leaving Uegg to only need to enjoy the aftermath.
"It sounds like I don't need to say anything. You've been confronted with the truth of who you really are. Personally, I think you've never looked more beautiful." Like a snake in armor, Uegg slithered his way into a seat, patiently waiting to witness the ways her captivity impacted her. "I can only assume this is a low point in your life. I'm most attracted to those who've hit rock bottom. Don't let the shame consume you though. I'm here now to support you. Take all the time you need to mend your pride, you poor, pitiful thing." Whatever concern may have been interpreted in Uegg's sentiment was undercut by his bemused expression.
Ryu's ship had docked near the edge of Borderreach, one of the smaller ships in his fleet, specifically chosen to help Kesor find Dior and take them back to Lysara. He didn't owe the high elvhen's any true favors, but Ryu was operating on a hunch, one he'd never be able to confirm, even if the facts continued to be obvious. "I'm making friends for you," lies came so easy now, as though he'd never been beholden to the truth, and a brow raised as Dantalion insisted on violating any personal space. It seemed more reckless than ever and there was that frigid jolt of wonder which struck him, wondering if the mask on Dantalion had fully slipped away for the world to see him in his entirety. "I can't prove it, but I have my suspicions on a certain noble elf," he's certain that'd never be enough to satiate Dantalion, especially considering this other assumed Darkfriend was not his, but Ryu fit into the role of conspirator well.
He always knew Ryujin's potential would only be realized once his soul was tossed into the fiery trenches of Uegg's domain in the Abyss. A creature not born to lie taking to the concept so naturally just proved Uegg's eye for liars, fraudsters, and cheats was still sharp in this era. "Words without proof are empty," he counters while smiling, assuming Ryu was being dishonest about something but too invested in their game to want to spoil what details just yet. "Though in time you'll either bring me souls ready to turn to the Dark or not. You mustn't turn into dead weight for me now that we're together again." Just saying that out loud made Dantalion feel a little giddy. Regardless of the faiman's true intentions, Uegg would ensure any Light in his proximity was quickly snuffed out. "You should forget recruitment, though. I have more charm and cunning than you. Focus on your talents. Aren't pirates meant to be cruel and vicious? Use your fleet to make people suffer. I can help."
"You know I was just joking the last time we spoke, right? I'd never do anything to hurt you so there's no need avoid me," Uegg said with the same sickly sweetness that laced his serpentine tongue when their roads initially crossed. He hadn't spoken to Ryujin in such a manner in some time, typically expressing his entitlement to the captain's time and attention through a more forceful will. For the time being it seemed, Uegg was more interested in toying with Ryujin than controlling him. A possession was meant to entertain him after all. "You understand how frustrating you can be though, so can you blame me for exaggerating? It's not fair that I have to compete with inferiors for your company. Especially since all I've ever wanted is what's best for you. You need to be nicer to me and stop trying to make me jealous." Because obviously Ryujin's existence was all about Uegg.
Ryu squirmed, even as he puffed out his chest and looked Dantalion square in the eyes, the pirate squirmed. It'd always been his downfall, talking with such false bravado, attempting to rally hordes of crew members behind him, but his conviction lacked in his eyes. It'd never been any wonder to him why Dantalion seemed to adhere to the pirate like a bonded and scathing glue. "It's my first time here in the Silverlands so what do you think?" Often when he let the devil do most of the talking, Dantalion could paint vivid pictures of a reality he bent to his own perception; it was likely the devil could sway himself to believe that Ryu truly wandered here for him.
Still the cruel sweetness which rolled of Dantalion's tongue made Ryu tense, Dantalion stepping forward until he could feel the Abyssal heat radiating off the other. Molten and vivid, sparked confidence that withered the captain to a pliant puddle as an ardent hand brushed across his cheekbone. Anger flared in his eyes, but it resounded in a more muted nature, temporarily in check as he offered a smirk to the devil, distant yet aggrieved, "After everything you want me to beg?" A laugh crept forth, strangely light and it clashed with the dark chuckle which left Dantalion.
"I was on my way somewhere," Ryu half-conceded, a truth carefully nestled within a white lie, "Had to see what's left of my family before what's to come, right?" Ryu blinked, devils could lie, effortlessly so, but even as Dantalion confessed, the words were startlingly truthful to a palpable and scathing degree. Darkness coiled within Ryujin, the tangible stain on his soul that melded with the ferocity he felt to protect his crew from the very thing that had thus given him his crew. He wouldn't have had any title nor accolade if Dantalion hadn't been lurking for his wish, but it had come at the cost of his father's life and of his own soul. It was unfortunate that the devil knew each thing which made Ryu tick, and it was even more unfortunate how often Dantalion prided himself on shoving Ryu's face in the inevitable.
The crew, however, was off limits; there was no deal forged in which Ryu would grant it, but there was a pang in his abdomen at the thought of ever being asked to inflict such horror. With what he'd been made to do since, what was separating him from such hell? A snarl, as the embers of rage soared to a fiery blaze, "You kill your crew, but mine stays safe, untouchable. Make another deal." As if any other deal mattered after the first which had tied him undeniably to Dantalion. "The only reality where I'm yours is if the crew stays mine, right?" Brows that were knit together softened slightly as though his rage only fed into Dantalion's delight, "The only reality where I'm yours is where my crew stays safe." A sad amendment to his words, but the only feasible deal that the devil would likely accept.
"I think you like to be chased. I think I may like it when you run. I think this game of hours has gone on for such a long time now that you'd rather play it than play with me. I think you get off on hurting me." Uegg had a lot to think about Ryujin and the actions he took, but naturally his frame of reference was entirely conceited. The idea that Ryu was capable of doing anything unrelated to the devil who made him was laughable, but he knew the captain well. Cat and mouse was fun, but part of the cat's fun was the inevitability of the feast that came after the chase. Ryujin might've enjoyed the chase, but like any mouse he struggled with accepting his fate.
This much he knew, and while Dantalion didn't maintain the level of active surveillance on Ryujin's activities that he'd prefer, he claimed the other's soul long ago. Ryu had laid bare his deepest desire, so Uegg was aware of how far his love of his ship, crew, and life of a pirate went. His awareness came from a twisted sense of jealousy, one that made it hard to believe his obsession was finally ready to accept his fate. So yes, he wanted to hear Ryujin beg. He wanted the faiman to drop to his knees and worship the very ground the devil stood on, pleading for his dark embrace.
Of course, if Ryu did that he wouldn't be the man Uegg chased after, would he? Dantaloin's smile was tight in his attempt to not gush over the words he heard. Ryujin was plotting to deceive and he did it so well. A lesser being might've taken him at face value, but a devil knew how to goad others into saying things they'd regret. He tested Ryujin and the pirate failed, his true emotions betraying where he placed his value. Dantalion smiled, but the devil beneath the mask was pissed. "So even now, you choose them over me. It's always the same with you, valuing that ship and those people instead of worshipping the one who gave you everything. If they knew the depths of your depravity, would they still call you captain?"
Uegg wanted to lash out. He wanted to burn something, and the heat of his anger began to spread just as his truest feelings made his sinister smile fade from his mask's features. "Such attachment is a weakness, you know. Mortal folly is beneath you, and so are foolish notions. You already know you belong to me and you're not stupid, so the fact that my possession of your life as something to bargain over reeks of someone who still thinks they have a card to play." A trickster, fraud, and perpetual liar Uegg's snake-like disposition served him well. He had questions, but none that required Ryujin to answer. Speculation dripped from his forked tongue as he slithered his hand up the length of the pirate's neck into his hair. "Any deal I make is a courtesy. You've already offered me everything, or don't you remember your wish? What do you have left? Material possessions? The lives of your crew? No, the brave and loyal captain would've never condemn one of them for his own aims, would he?" Dantalion sneered. Ryu had no right to set his own terms. He had no leverage, so then why wasn't he on his knees already. That was the question.
"You're not trying to play me, are you? You can't peer into the abyss and still stand in the sun, I won't allow it. Once more and don't lie: why are you here, Ryu?"
There was plenty of evil hidden in the depths of the seas, darkness which crept between the waves and hidden beneath the ships. Ryu had thought he'd seen it all, wandered the Azure Sea and found each dark malfeasance; he never knew how wrong he'd been until Dantalion had stumbled upon him, and within the Hanged Man at that. Any pirate held brash, even borderline deluded, confidence in oneself, but Dantalion had played Ryujin like a damned fiddle and though it enraged him, it made his heart drum rapidly in his chest, too. In the scant gifts the devil had given him, lying was a favored one for Ryu. As a pirate he'd learned to weave around truths, create his own and will them so, but as a darkfriend under the command of a devil, it allowed him a strange breadth of freedom. Being figuratively chained to a devil yet he talked about freedoms; it summed up his life quite well.
Ryu hadn't imagined running into Dantalion out here, but there was so much within Lysara that Ryu had not investigated nor traveled through; his life was the perfect summarization of any pirate's, he'd been born upon the sea, he'd live amongst it, and he'd die within it. Ryu was not so sure about the last part any longer, however, and the pirate captain became restless as Dantalion continued to smile down on him.
"Why else would I be out here?" Ryu dared himself to stare Dantalion in the face as he lied, lied to the devil that had wrought his life to be so tangled and irreparable. If he'd wished he could have spouted how he could never spite the devil for it was he who held all the cards, but even Ryu was smart enough in his approach, calculated even. There was hope that, even though he initiated this instead of simply drifting past the Vanguard group entirely, that he could slip out again and have someone guide him towards Avalon before Dantalion understood the pirate was gone as quickly as he'd arrived.
"Maybe I'm tired of running from whatever you have planned." It felt like a knife in his abdomen as he said this, for it was true one day his luck, his life, would run out and then he'd be at the complete whim of the Dark. "But you don't want this for me, right?" Ryu raised a judgmental brow, his voice lowered, "To be a lackey of the Vanguard?" His head canted to the side, even as his heart hammered in his chest, Ryu would remain steadfast and hopefully unreadable.
Dantalion was vain enough to believe that this wasn't some chance encounter. He was the center of Ryujin's existence after all, so obviously he'd start searching for the devil he knew eventually. The only real question was his intent because even though Ryujin's life was already his, the pirate had made it clear that he would fight his destiny until Uegg forced his hand. That dynamic was fun, but not nearly as fun as having his favorite express open, unparalleled devotion to his superior.
That's why it was so easy for Dantalion to believe the Raider. The fact that he wasn't prostrating himself right now revealed that, at the very least, Ryujin wasn't taking the most basic, manipulative route. "Maybe…" Dantalion repeats in a lithy, mocking tone as he steps forward so that there is hardly any space between them. He loved this, boldly tracing his knuckle down Ryujin's cheek as he tilted his head to the side. The faiman's body and soul were his already, so naturally he assumed Ryu was presenting himself to the devil. "So you what? Tracked me down, came to hear what I had to say, then beg me to abandon this game for one where you can play with me? Funny, you don't look like you're begging."
He chuckled as he found something within himself to be petty about. Uegg had not asked anything of Ryujin post wish, excited to allow the pirate to do as he pleased until it was time for him to suffer in the Abyss. He kept tabs on The Leviathan's movements when he could just to pop up and stir a little chaos in the faiman's life, but in all this time Ryujin has only run. Why the apparent change in attitude? And how committed was he to the devil's dark design? It wouldn't be easy for someone who clung to his father's legacy to walk alongside Uegg unburdened. "You are absolutely correct. Your talents would be wasted in the Vanguard. I couldn't imagine anything more dull than having you join up with me here…" Entranced, Dantalion strokes Ryujin's cheek once more before dropping his hand. Such an intimate moment was dangerous, especially since his squadron could've easily seen how comfortable the High Inquisitor was around a man sporting pointed ears and a connection to the One Power.
"I'd abandon my game today, right here and now, if that's what you wanted. If you were actually here for me. You've hurt my feelings, you know. I thought you'd come see me more often, but instead you sail around on your father's ship, searching for … I couldn't even tell you what. Anything but me. Yet here you are…" Like a snake, Dantalion pressed on the points he knew would apply the most pressure to Ryujin and slithered on by as if he had spoken innocently. He knew Ryu too well for such half-hearted declarations to do more than simply tantalize him. Then again, Ryujin knew him well too. That's what made this so much fun. "Yes. Yes I'll play with you and only you. I'll even fill you in on everything I'm working towards, but you'll have to make another deal with me. You love those, don't you?" He chuckles, leaning in to speak directly into the captain's ear. "Kill the Vanguard members I'm with, then watch me kill your entire crew. As The Leviathan burns behind us, you and I can find more places in this country to corrupt. Together, as we should've been doing all along. How does that sound, my precious Ryu?"
If the situation hadn't been risky, Jamie might have actually laughed but he does manage a soft chuckle and offers a slight shake of his head. "Yer telling me ye've seen those on this road completely devoid of sin?" There's something at the back of his head, he thinks the voice belongs to either Adrian or Juneau that's frantically telling him to stop talking, but he's curious. It's not a line of thinking he really understands, those that believe in some invisible creature watching their every move.
"Well…" As he trailed off, an inquiry conducted through flesh continued behind him, coming from somewhere within the camp. Of course, a member of the Vanguard would never take pleasure in the noises. Such torture was just a means to an end. "Most people carry some. A part of my duties is to absolve those who are honest so that their souls can be enveloped in His Light. For others, I have to use more aggressive tactics." Dantalion took to the role of Inquisitor incredibly quickly. Already, those under his command have inflicted great pain against others in the name of their god. He has been incredibly pleased with the course of his game recently. "Sit, I'll see to your needs personally. I'll decide which your sins require myself: carrot or stick." This time, his "offer" was less of a request and more of a demand.
who?: open to all || capped at 3 replies
where?: east/southeast of lysara, wherever
when?: in the now
While it would've been exceptionally more fun to turn Lysandra into a darkfriend and use her as a pawn under his thumb, Dantalion's promotion essentially accomplished the same in terms of access and influence within the Vanguard of the Light. "High Inquisitor" suited him nicely, and just like the he promised the Synod he would get to work rooting out apostasy and heresy from within Lysara. Gently, of course. Dantalion Althais would never upset the delicate, temporary peace between the queendom and Astoria.
The small contingency of faith militants he led were traveling with intention, following up on reports of Vanguard members behaving in disgraceful ways. Of course, to demonstrate their goodwill to the kind people of Lysara, they've already burned more than a few criminals with magic in their veins. The queen's law may have ruled the land, but members of the Vanguard of the Light walked with a higher purpose. Dantalion was well in his right to enact the One God's justice while Lysara licked her wounds. They were so diligent in this purpose that they didn't just set up camp when they needed rest, they created checkpoints to investigate anyone who came through, seeking only the guilty of course. "All heads bow! All knees bend! Every being in the Realm Of Opposition pay homage, for the Maker of All Things Returns to you!" he recites the words of the faith as he obstructs the way forward for the oncoming travelers. "Today is a glorious day, for you walk in the Light of the One God. If you are weary, our encampments have provisions for you, assuming there is no sin you must repent for," Dantalion offers with his signature smile, unwavering despite the tortured screams coming from somewhere within this Vanguard camp. "Where is it you're heading to today?"
Besides Diarmad, Theon hadn't been entirely too invested in crossing paths with any who had traveled to Silverlight and destroyed Lysandra, keeping shards of the Voidblade for themselves. He'd already known there was little honor amongst thieves and killers and often Theon preferred to work in solitude. A contract, however, brought him on the tail of thee newly established High Inquisitor and it would be completely out of character for Theon to not stir the pot or involve himself. It had felt strange, returning to Astoria, culling various associates of the Vanguard as each loyalist to the Dark had ventured forth on their own selfish pursuit. Funny how they had seemed to work well enough together and in their own selfish ways had each kept a shard of the blade they'd been meant to return to the darkness.
Theon was a master of the shadows, and the militant sentinels were of little concern to him, but Dantalion was of course hording a secret of his truth that was worse than Theon's. The devil stopped him, and Theon crossed his arms petulantly, rolling his eyes at Uegg's well-rehearsed, and false, concerns. "Not telling you my secrets if it means I end up like your other children of the light," Theon snorted, barely shaken despite the screams that rang out from within the camp. "I see your promotion is serving you very well," there'd once been a time where the idea of the Vanguard would have shaken him, but he was no longer the sole survivor of their cullings, he was something else entirely and Theon could not turn back to the fearful shell he'd once been.
Honesty was a tool like any other. A skilled fraudster could use the truth to manipulate as easily as any lie, and Uegg knew all about that. His manipulations ran deep, especially where the Vanguard of the Light was concerned. But did he need to lie to them? Not constantly. Dantalion meant it when he claimed to want to spread the One God's word to every inch of the continent. He was earnest in his support of them and their militant actions. The deception came from his intention, but hadn't he granted enough wishes within their ranks to prove that differing goals had a beautiful way of converging when they came from the same side?
Theon should understand as much. They certainly had different desires from their trip to Silverlight, but look at them now. Indelibly, bound by their actions, information exchanged, and now Dantalion knew him. To earn the eye of a devil like him should be a great honor, and Dantalion certainly watched Theon with that glint in his eye that only burned brighter now that he was closer to the Divine. "Are your travels a secret? Careful, how dreadful it'd be for me to suspect you. My promotion has served me well, though you might not like discovering how well." Even in front of other Vanguard members, Dantalion had a game to play. This one did involve truth and secrets, Theon's to be specific, the associated risk delighting Uegg in a way torturing mortals simply did not. Just because Theon's soul was spoken for didn't mean that there was nothing for a devil to gain from him. "You speak as if being like us is some great sin. Why wouldn't you want to have a righteous heart, a blessed mind, and a clean soul? Do such things not interest you? Should we be praying for you specifically?" Dantalion presses, still sporting his dazzling smile. "Rejecting our hospitality would make us believe you do have something to repent for. Would that be one of the secrets you hide?"
The horror that Mikhael felt as he spoke with the devil was less of a dawning kind and more akin to a sandstorm. One moment, the skies had been clear, and the next he had found in the middle of a tempest, faced with frankly outrageous information. Information that no one would believe him if he were to share, both due to his own origins and because it was simply a ridiculous scenario to imagine. Why would an Inquisitor be a Devil? How could that happen? The realities of it all were the perfect elements of a comic tragedy, if he had the wherewithal to write such a thing. He did not, so all he could do was stand before the devil and lie, hoping that he did so well enough not to find himself with a knife pressed against his back before he found a solution or foisted the problem onto another person.
The more he learned, the more he realized that the situation with the Astorian Vanguard was messier than he could have ever imagined. Part of him is amused at having his rightful indignation to their mockery of his faith backed up by genuine evidence of how the entire thing was a castle of cards built in lies. A bigger part of him was worried about the damage their idiocy could do to the sincere belief in the One God, and to Ankhuria.
“It’s an honor to meet a man of such upstanding character, Mr. Althais” he lies as he gives him a brief, but respectful, bow. He wants to scoff, wants to express his disgust at every word that falls from his honeyed tongue, but he is in the presence of a living nightmare, and he doesn’t doubt that this Dantalion will do his best to erase him from existence if he steps wrong or if he says something he disapproves of. Instead, he tucks the information away carefully, not quite knowing what he will do with it, but knowing enough to know its importance.
It is sort of amusing to be seen as a member of the militant faith, when he would rather work as the so-called corruption he warns against. If it is possible for him to bring a poor soul into the Light, to save them from Astorian hereticism, he will, and the One God will be richer for it.
“I would be beyond honored to help spread His word in Eastreach,” Mikhael says, a smile on his lips as he stares into Dantalion’s eyes and wonders if that is what the Abyss looks like. “I have never forgotten His teachings, and spreading them will bring me joy.”
Games he was guaranteed to win or guaranteed to lose were so terribly boring. Every step Dantalion took in his regalia was a risk. He was constantly facing exposure, but decades had gone by since he assumed this form, and not a single consequence has found him. While he loved his game, he wondered if anyone could challenge him and make him work to deceive. Has he found that in Mikhael? One could only hope.
He looked at Mikhael as one would look at a puppy, just another thing to bring to heal and stomp on when the mood finally struck. Mikhael's soul was already bound to the Abyss so there was no angle there for Dantalion. Still, the devil recognized he'd be fun to poke and prod, to bring to ruin, to keep close while working towards fulfilling his greater game. "Please, I am nothing—simply a mere servant of the One God, a conduit of his will. The honor will be in bearing witness to the miracles He permits me to bring to the world with just a sliver of his Light. I'm certain that once you see what He permits me to do, you will receive divine clarity on your place here with us in the Vanguard. I am quite certain he had our paths crossed today for a reason."
Staring right back into Mikhael's eyes, venomous malice swirled in Dantalion's own. It contrasted the warmth of his smile, a blatant evil that anyone would've been able to perceive had they been looking closely enough. He made no attempt to hide this from Mikhael, as if daring the halfblood to speak up or interfere with his plans. Such was Dantalion's belief that his position within the Vanguard of the Light was untouchable. It was all a game to him, and Mikhael wasn't a threat but a pawn to be moved around as he pleased. At least, that's what Dantalion's stare conveyed.
"I am glad to hear you say that. I would absolutely hate to see you facing the pyre due to some misguided notions of apostasy. We are on the same side, I assure you. Though, in time, you'll have all the proof of that you need. Come, let us discuss what the future holds for both of us. I think we'll be spreading his Light together for a while now, don't you?" Dantalion's boisterous laugh sounded as he wrapped an arm around the other's shoulder, letting the corruption of his essence touch Mikhael's infernal nature. It was dangerous, risky, and yet delectable all the same. The devil wanted to play with the cambion, but was the cambion there to play at all. Only time would tell.
The chapel is silent, save for the crackling of candlelight and the rhythmic murmurs of prayer. They kneel before you, your faithful, their heads bowed in reverence. Among them is King Henry I himself, the leader of the great Kingdom of Astoria. You, for the first time, are meant to be honoured by his presence. A gift from Divine Cassiopeia herself. They see a holy man in you. A shepherd. A savior.
But you are none of those things.
The Dark One’s will slithers through your thoughts, pressing against your ribs like a second heartbeat. The time for patience has passed. The Last Battle must begin. And it begins with you.
You rise from the altar, your shadow stretching long against the stone walls. The flock looks up, eyes filled with devotion. Trust. You step forward, the weight of your title heavy on your shoulders. Inquisitor Dantalion. A name built on lies.
The Dark One does not speak, but His presence coils tighter, satisfied. The hunger gnaws at you, insatiable, unrelenting.
Your faithful do not understand. Not yet. But they will.
You have been given a command. And you will obey.
Uegg has been visited by The Dark One while delivering a sermon, he must slaughter King Henry and everyone within the chapel or be considered a traitor to the Dark.
Don’t peek unless your curious to see if he killed King Henry and a bunch of people in the chapel teehee
He’d done well in this little game of his. Decades passed, and here he was, with a king gazing up at him with reverence and devotion. A few in this small crowd have already given their souls in exchange for a wish, wishes that they assumed were going to the One God they worshipped. It was a slight, of course, having to deceive to gain the worship he was entitled to, but it was one he could forgive. When they were burning in trenches of fire beneath his throne of twisted souls, they’d learn, like all those he preyed upon, that there was no greater power for them to worship than Uegg.
The souls he claimed were his. The power he wielded was his. As a devil, and one who amassed an army of those he inflicted with his deceit, Uegg had a wide berth to conduct himself as he pleased, but what happens when a darker entity comes to call? He has no memory of his mortal life or who he was before the Abyss twisted his soul into something unrecognizable, but even in his darkfriend days he resented the pull of the Dark One. Why should he be beholden to anyone? The pain he inflicted then wasn’t his fault, and neither was the pain he inflicted now. He owed nothing to no one, which is why coiling he felt around his being like the snake he embodied irritated him so.
There was no hiding it from his flock either. Mid sentence, Dantalion goes silent, looking out towards the small crowd but not seeing them per se. He saw through them, as if for the first time letting his mask slip and revealing they were nothing to him. His expression contorted into on Dantalion never wore, one that dripped with malice and disdain. He’d always been above them, his exalted status given by the Divine and the One God Himself maintaining a distance between Dantalion and others in the Vangaurd of the Light, but he’d always been a holy man. He’d never actually looked down on them, not until that moment.
He was conflicted in a way, having no real interest in the Last Battle but instead the holy war he envisioned in his mind. Wholesale destruction was never his style, and even in the Abyss, he was quite meticulous about the suffering he wrought on the demons and devils ranked lower than him. Someone who thrived on tricks and schemes had to be. That's why he found mortals to be so entertaining, dividing themselves into groups and picking at one another for the most petty reasons. Religion, class, ability, even something as inconsequential as species; they clung to their divisions so tightly that he could create conflict that consumed countless lives with only a little pushing and, in some cases, a poorly worded wish. Astoria and Lysara were at odds, and he had put the pieces in place so perfectly that one spark would be all it took to ignite a righteous inferno across the continent. The best part? The aggressors would’ve believed they marched with divine intention. How delicious it would’ve been to see how much suffering the Vanguard would spread all in the name of piety. How many souls would cry out for a god beneath the weight of their light? How many more victims would their efforts create, victims desperate enough to lend their wishes to the first smiling face who appeared before them?
Uegg needed more time, just a little more, and his endgame would be brought to fruition. He was greedy and selfish in that way. Even though many Vanguard members and Astorian citizens were already marked for the Dark due to how willingly they believed in a man who presented as being blessed by their god, expanding his army was never the goal. He had more waiting for him beneath his throne than he’d ever gain in a century. What he most wanted was entertainment, and quite frankly? There was nothing entertaining about the prospect of this realm being blanketed by the Dark. True believers were delicious because they held onto faith even against all reason. He loved to exploit that and savor it on his tongue as they sold their souls to him unwittingly, but how would he satisfy himself in a land bathed by absolute darkness where hope got snuffed out before it had a chance to burn?
“So be it,” he spits, not resuming his sermon but instead closing his eyes with his head bowed. Murmurs filled the air as they wondered what was wrong with him. They felt starved for his words, yearning for him to finish. His mind had clearly drifted elsewhere, but to where they could only speculate. They were before him in humility, wearing simple, nondescript garb as instructed, and yet Dantalion was withholding his benediction? Why? “This is a complete waste of my time. Devotion cannot be complete with selfish desires in your heart. You were to come to this chapel, leaving all but your love of the One God outside, and yet I’m expected to deliver you his blessings? I can see it so clearly now: none of you are worthy. Your souls are impure. If you want to walk in His Light, you must unburden yourselves of your guilt. Of your sin. Confess.”
Everything from the words he used and the tone of his voice was alarming to the flock. They looked at him with bewilderment and then absolute fear as he drew his sword and pulled his visor over his eyes. “Blessed are the righteous, the lights in the shadow. In their blood the Maker's will is written!” As he speaks his benediction, his sword bursts into “divine flame” right before their very eyes, but as he points it toward the kneeling group in the chapel, the fire begins to die. “What further proof do you need? The One God’s eye is upon you now, and he hates how you reject him. Even a king is not above the most basic tenets of worship. If you want your soul to be closer to His Light, for your being to be enraptured by his will, then you need to make Him believe it. Here and now. Repent for your shortcomings.” His voice carried with it a commanding, sinister aura that boomed within the chapel walls. Whether out of reverence or fear, he saw every head bow before him, their prayers murmured out beneath whispered breath. The sight pleased him, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy the hunger that gripped him as willed by the Dark One. Uegg was not a devil who served by nature. He’d grown arrogant in the Abyss after spending countless amounts of time looking down on his lessers, however his vanity made the prospect of having his position detracted in any way untenable. The idea of someone else taking what was his filled him with fury, fury that bled into his next words.
“I will only take the most devoted followers with me into the Light’s embrace. If your desire is to have your souls welcomed by His warmth, then He needs to hear it from on high. Do you pray for forgiveness? Do you submit to his will? Do you wish to be his eternal servants? Answer now or leave my presence for good!” he demanded. Of course, there were some who were doubtful as his corruption aura spread, making their tongues hesitate, but human minds were so susceptible to suggestion. Most in his flock answered as they should have, “I pray for forgiveness, I submit to His will, I wish to be His eternal servant…” For them, such a confession felt like a weight lifted off their souls. An enrapturing warmth radiated from the point of Dantalion’s sword, making them feel safe. If the flame was igniting once more, then surely they would have earned the approval of the One God.
Some kept their heads down in prayer, others lifted to bask in His glory, but regardless, a stream of Abyssal fire shot out from where Dantalion stood, engulfing them in hellfire before anyone knew what was happening. Chaos erupted in the chapel as those who fell for his scheme and those who resisted alike reacted to the sudden fire burning all around them. Those the fire did not touch were subsequently cut down, for Dantalion was an experienced crusader turned inquisitor. He knew how to kill and wasted no movement. For some, the last thing they saw was a blinding sword swinging their way. For others, the fire that melted their flesh off their bodies burned through all their senses, making the blinding pain the last thing they could perceive. Uegg gave no special consideration to how they died, he simply satisfied the hunger the Dark One spurned. And, even though it went against his manipulative nature, such blatant violence felt good.
Cutting mortals through in single blows, stepping on their burning bodies as they melted into puddles, even reaching out to crush a skull or two beneath his grip so he could hear their final pleas before their heads popped satisfied Uegg in a way that he had never experienced before. As he stood in the middle of the burning chapel, fueling his fire to the point where even the stone constructing it began to melt, Uegg reveled in the malevolence he just spread. The final souls he claimed from within the Vanguard would make excellent playthings when he returned to the Abyss. He had a special plan for the King Henry’s soul too, once it managed to climb out of the fiery trenches after a few millennia of suffering a fool’s punishment.
He let the inferno bathe him and as he did, between the heat and the ash that swirled around him, his white armor lost his divine glow. For decades, he used Dantalion Althais as a mask. Bound by personal tenets that helped conceal the truth of his being, Uegg realized that he had probably broken the most crucial one: Inspire the Vanguard. Members of the faith militant had been slaughtered that night. Such a blow would have repercussions. Faith would be weakened as the realization that a devil had been amongst their numbers for years would undoubtedly reach Silverlight before long. The Vanguard's resolve would lessen as they question their purpose, a purpose that Dantalion had been pushing them along for quite some time. He performed this act selfishly, giving up nothing but his long-lasting game in the process of fulfilling the One God’s command for his own sake. An oath was broken, an oath that had given him great power and access to exploit, and the intense heat and scorched human byproduct stained his holy armor black. No longer would he be a source of inspiration for a religious body. The Vanguard of the Light would need to consider this Dantalion’s resignation.
Uegg remained until the site would be unrecognizable as a chapel. Everything had been burned to ash, and the surrounding land was forever corrupted by his aura. This patch of Astorian earth would be eternally scarred. Nothing would ever grow here, and those who lingered too long would be plagued by uncurable illness, insurmountable misfortune, or even death. No remains would be recovered, no proof of what happened to be found, nothing but assumptions of the worse for their now missing King, but once Dantalion could not be located he figured their small, simple minds would begin to piece together the truth. His only regret would be that he couldn’t bear witness to the discovery and see hope transform into despair before his very eyes. Oh well, he needed to get on with a new game.
If the Last Battle was upon this realm and he was to lead the charge as a general in the Dark One’s army, then he needed a lieutenant who could be sufficiently brutal. While his reasons for choosing the one he did had nothing to do with the Dark One at the time of their meeting, he knew his best and most favored option would put any other darkfriend to shame. That included that pesky little interloping soul-thief who had Kalamar’s unique stench leaking out of his every orifice. How amusing it would be to pit them against one another and watch the other devil accept that Uegg’s palate had been superior all along. The thought put some pep into his step as he left Astoria behind for now. He had preparations to tend to, all in the name of forcing the devotion of the one mortal who never failed to entertain. Ryujin was stubborn and stupid, which made him fun to torture in little ways while he enjoyed his fabricated freedom. But those days were over. Uegg refused to step fully into the Dark alone, which meant he had to destroy everything Ryujin held dear, starting with that gaudy ship he loved so much. There was only space in the pirate’s life for Uegg, and he’d love the devil who made him without question or be sent to the Abyss ahead of the Last Battle. Ryujin had no other options. If he wanted to live his life as a free man, he should’ve protected his soul better. Uegg saw the truth as it had always been: Ryujin was his the moment the words “I wish” left his lips.
with: OPEN starter
where: the palace
when: the funeral for eterna's fallen
notes: tw: mourning a child
Her students never ceased to surprise her when it came to showing the world just how resilient they could be. One of their own - a young boy named Mika - had gone missing weeks ago, his fate unfortunately tied to the cultist ritual that had shaken the city. Her class mourned the loss of a dear friend who'd been taken from them far too soon. She crouched down to place their tribute on amongst all the others, that had been brought from all corners of the city to pay respects to the fallen. It was a handful of pictures drawn by her students, depicting their favorite memories of Mika. She weighed it down with a bouquet of flowers, to make sure the papers didn't fly away in the wind.
A mixture of feelings bubbled up from within her, escaping her body in the form of a nervous laugh. Several bystanders pivoted to casts her odd glances, some eyes narrowing even further to glare at her. "S-sorry. I laugh when I'm nervous." Sylvie tugged on her hair anxiously. They didn't care, but she didn't know that. The blonde turned to the nearest person, feeling a need to explain herself even though they were a complete stranger, one probably in the throws of mourning, themselves. "I've never been to a funeral before. What about you?" Were big funerals like this a common occurrence here? She certainly hoped not.
Grief was such a delicious emotion to exploit. When mortals were downtrodden and desperate for pain to end, that's when they were at their most vulnerable. Taking advantage of their weakness gave Uegg so much satisfaction, and his work as a crusader gave him a front-row seat to the devastation people were willing to inflict upon their fellow man. What pathetic creatures he walked among, however Dantalion Althais was a carefully crafted persona. He knew how to make himself look reflective, how to demonstrate respect and pretend like the souls others mourned weren't inevitably going to suffer anyway. He had personally sewn enough strife into this realm to ensure very few would ever find happiness, especially not without a wish.
He may not have had a hand in this specific tragedy, but he was an opportunist at his core. Dantalion had only scratched the surface with the fun he could have in Lysara. "People here will always doubt your intentions no matter how much good you do. They've grown used to darkness and perceive it as normal. Why else would there be so few to offer a second thought to all those who recently perished? I say a child's death is sadder than any other, but clearly the Lysaran's don't agree…" The High Inquisitor could move around much more freely in this country than in Astoria, yet he was taking the time to crouch down and place a thoughtful hand over the tribute, looking saddened and contemplative as he did. "I have been to many funerals and there will be many more. Good people who walk in the One God's Light will continue to perish so long as darkness is allowed to devour them just as it did these poor citizens." As he stands, he offers a silent prayer for their souls, always the pious man. "Tell me, do you think that it's right that the only ones who suffered in this ordeal were the weak and defenseless?"
Rüya fell into a careful step beside the High Inquisitor. The guards watched on like a pack of wolves, their eyes raking over her face and body before solemn nods were exchanged. One peeled away to lead her horse to shelter. Good. Let them believe she was defenceless pray, drawn to their camp like a moth to holy flame. Weeks in Marinus Bay had carved their mark into the Olympian. Exhaustion lined her face and the shadows beneath her eyes had settled like bruises. The grime on her clothes, the wear on her boots, the dullness of her hair… all signs of a traveller accustomed to hardship.
"I—I meant no offense," Rüya exclaimed, fumbling with the edge of her cloak. "My village is small. I'm not well acquainted with the One God's word, though I've admired from afar. If I speak out of turn, forgive me." She ducked beneath the canvas flap, her breath hitching as her gaze swept over the other guests. One by one, she counted them, her pulse hammering against her ribs. Who else would be deemed unworthy before the sun rose?
"You're most kind," she nodded, just as another scream tore through the night. If the others flinched, they hid it well. Dantalion wore a mask of perfect civility, but his eyes were a void. Not empty exactly… but writhing with something ancient and insatiable. It took every ounce of the witch's control to not recoil. "Northreach, actually." She smiled, shaking her head. "Have you been to Lycea? Charming little city. As I said, I’m returning home to restock before continuing east. My family keeps a permanent stall at Mercury’s Bazaar."
Rüya halted mid-step, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I hope your infidel finds peace in his final moments. But I must confess, I've never witnessed the preparation for such a rite. Will you take me to him and show me?"
A hearty laugh rips from his chest, one that is entirely lighthearted and devoid of any malice. "Please, it is quite common. We are met with mistrust and suspicion wherever we go in Lysara. There are many who believe we're all about cleaving druids and burning witches, but the One God's doctrine is more than that. We aim to unite the world and make it pure, bathing all who draw breath in His Light. If you live a righteous life and fill your heart with hope, charity, and faith, I promise you'll only ever receive kindness from the Vanguard."
His words possessed a gentle quality that didn't reflect their current setting. The High Inquisitor was a zealot who would interpret any amount of sympathy for sinners to be an indictment of one's soul. The tension that permeated the other guests was palpable and Uegg fed off of their strife. If they asked the punishment to stop to spare their ears some tortured screams, their interrogation could be next. So, like the good pigs they were, they kept their heads down and ate all while Dantalion continued to smile as if nothing in the world could be wrong. After all, this day was chosen by the One God. Plus, they had a new guest to get to know.
"Lycea to Falernia is such a long trip, even more so since you seem to be taking the long route around. I hope that means you haven't gotten yourself lost," he comments innocuously, but Dantalion was a snake. Nothing he said was purposeless. "I can't say I've been that far north. We typically don't travel far from the Astorian border just in case we must make a hasty return home. We'd also lend a hand to our brothers and sisters fighting to spread his Light in the Isles if need be, but this peace Lysara and Astoria has come to is rather pleasant for all involved, don't you think?"
At Rüya's strange request, Dantalion's eyes slide right to her, allowing him to look at her from the corner of his eyes for a few beats before nodding his head in a silent order to follow him. He chose to lead her to where the pyre was being constructed, where the screaming individual, along with several others both awaiting and having received their punishments, were lined up. He made sure this was out of view from the rest of the camp, but all could hear the screams. One of his greatest designs if he had anything to say about it. "We help them become clean before the One God's fire does the rest. Once they confess their transgressions, the pain will stop. This man, in particular, was using his position within the Vanguard to help errant witches escape trial in this country. Can you believe he'd do such a thing?" Dantalion pointed out the former member of their order who had been screaming since before Rüya arrived. His back had been sliced and whipped so badly it resembled minced meat, but he still refused to admit he'd done anything wrong. "Unfortunately, he will likely not find peace, but we should pray for him regardless. It seems I will have to dole out his penance myself. The other inquisitors are only causing him pain and nothing else. Oh! I'm sorry, this was incredibly insensitive of me. You don't find the sight of these prisoners distressing, do you?" he asked, facing her now and looking at her closely, his smile faded to give way for a more serious expression.
Rüya reined in her horse, the animal’s hooves skidding against the dirt road as the checkpoint came into view. The Vanguard’s banners snapped in the wind, stark against the pale morning sky, and hatred surged through her veins. She scanned the scene with narrowed eyes, noting the makeshift pyre still smouldering near the camp's edge and the faint stench of charred flesh.
The acrid scent conjured memories too painful to relive.
Rüya slipped her golden ring into a charmed saddlebag, and with a subtle press of her heels, continued until Dantalion obstructed her path. His words grated against her, a sickening reminder of how the Vanguard cloaked their atrocities in sanctimony. “Your generosity is unexpected,” she said, letting a note of weary gratitude seep into her voice. “The road has been long, and provisions are scarce. Perhaps a moment of rest is exactly what we need.” Her gloved hand brushed over her horse's neck, and he pawed restlessly at the frozen ground.
Bending her head to mask the simmering fury in her dark eyes, the Olympian swung gracefully from her seat. "I'm returning to Falernia. The markets in Eterna thrive, even in troubled times. I must restock my wares." Let him think she was pliable, a humble merchant grateful for the aid, instead of someone who would unmake them from the inside out.
"I’m sure your encampment offers warmth and guidance to all who seek the Light’s embrace," Rüya added with a smile, tipping her hood back. She’d face her own death before leaving the Vanguard's captives to the same fate as her family.
Dantalion Althais was the Vanguard's shining star. A miracle worker so clearly blessed by the One God himself, a far cry from the snake slithering beneath his mask. In the Abyss he was the king of frauds, the master of deceit, so he relished the games he got to play in the mortal realm. There was something so entertaining about watching his lessers toil in his traps before meeting their inevitable end. His greatest challenge now was adding more souls to his infernal armies even though he had plenty as it was. The Vanguard of the Light certainly had a far reach.
It's with the eyes of a predator that he watches the woman dismount from her horse and reveal herself to him, though his smile remains as effervescent as always. "Does that mean that you do not seek the Light's embrace? Surely, if you were such generosity would be expected. We are holy men, after all. Our doctrine is one of peace, love, and Light."
He says this unwaveringly despite the screams sounding through the camp. Of course, there are other weary travelers free to move about, but those who require questioning and divine punishment discovered quickly that the newest High Inquisitor was well suited for the role. "Not that it matters, all are welcome here. Come, we'll make sure your horse is fed and watered while you rest. Pour thing, traveling all alone, you shall have sanctuary for as long as you require. We won't be moving on until morning."
With a rehearsed gentleness, Dantalion guides the woman into the camp, ensuring the guards remember her face as one of their guests and not a captive before instructing them to give her horse the necessary feed and water. "Where was it you're traveling from? I don't believe I caught that," he tosses out, waving jovially at other travelers who accepted Dantalion's generosity as she did. "This is a small camp though, so you'll have to forgive the sounds of an infidel being flogged. It won't be long before it's time to burn him. If you're comfortable, we'd love to have your prayers added to ours as he goes. Only the purest of souls should be returned to the One God, don't you think?"
The only thing worse than a man was a religious man and Jamie knew he should have taken the longer path around to avoid other travelers. He could run, the could bolt and maybe it would be shrugged off as a trick of the light or something. Then there's always the option of offing him and leaving him in the woods, but these types were like a hydra. Cutting into one of them would just bring about more men in robes and armor with 'holy texts' and he thinks he'd prefer falling onto his own knife in that situation. "Back towards Eterna." It's not friendly but it's not impolite, maybe he could get through this unscathed emotionally and mentally with only being handed a couple of pamphlets. "Are ye lot stationed the whole way?"
Immediately, Dantalion could see this was not one of the people they were actively searching for, but that didn't mean he was innocent either. Even if he was however, he could prove to be a fun toy. Dantalion liked those. "Oh, we don't coordinate movements that extensively. Who knows if you'd meet any more of our brethren on your journey." His lies flicked off his serpentine tongue with expert fluidity. He knew there'd be no others this far in Lysara, but entertainment never came when he was honest. "Where are you traveling from, friend? You must be weary. Come, rest your feet and enjoy a meal. Our generosity is open to all, whether they have faith in the One God or not," he says as his hand casually rests on the hilt of his sheathed sword. "Unless you have some reason to avoid good people walking a righteous path. You wouldn't be attempting to hide egregious sins, would you?"
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