[ Last time, on Canyons, Max confessed to a horrible crime (two, from Kenji's perspective), and as a result Kenji lopped his head off! This has left Our Heroes in an interesting position, to say the least. ] [ Session Start! ] * Alcinoe is standing there, still a little stunned. She turns toward the downward slope slowly, taking in everyone else's reaction. * Tia is still sobbing uncontrollably. * Seylin is still mostly frozen, one hand at her back, but not drawing anything yet. * HKenji faces off against Pat, hands nowhere near the hilt of his katana. * Patrick has his bow drawn against Kenji with an arrow placed in it. * WillS is sitting on Tia's back, still in shock. He pats Tia's back subconciously every now and then. * Istvan is still gripping his pick tightly, though he's let it drop down to his side. He's glaring a hole in Kenji. "Even if I accept the idea that we're gonna let Kenji run free long enough to finish this mission... there is *no* way he gets to stand trial before some Jade whatever that's just as insane as he is." * Alcinoe turns away from the lot of them, still looking dazed and grief-stricken, and walks to Max's body. She crouches, opening a pouch at his belt and taking something from it. Dwarven courts are closest. Brighthome would be fine too. * Istvan eyes Kenji. "If you're man enough to face justice for murdering Max, fine. But you don't get to dictate terms, and you sure as hell don't get to insist on a friendly setting." * HKenji ignores Istvan. * HKenji quite apparently doesn't consider anybody but Pat a threat right now. * Alcinoe rises and again faces the lot of them. She closes her eyes and tilts her chin slightly upwards, whispering under her breath. * Alcinoe starts to change. Not physically, but she seems to radiate... something. An unseen light, maybe, and before long, it becomes nearly impossible - or maybe actually impossible - to actually look away. * HKenji snaps his head to the side to watch Alci, then relaxes and turns to face her almost involuntarily. * Seylin turns to look at Alcinoe and inhales sharply, her eyes widening slightly in awe. * Tia is too flustered to be paying attention to anything at the moment. * Patrick nods and keeps his bow drawn, but glances at Alcinoe. * Istvan looks like he's about to ask Anastasia a question, but his attention gets shifted over to Alci once she starts doing whatever she's doing, his brow furrowing. * WillS is in awe of Alci, ignoring everything else. * Alcinoe opens her eyes and looks down at the lot of them. She, oddly enough, doesn't look angry, even as she brings up her hand to reveal the blue diamond she holds there. She opens her mouth and speaks in a voice hers and not hers, all accent gone and in the listener's native tongue: "Look. At. This." * Anastasia stares at Alci. This is what Max did. This is why he died. * Alcinoe focuses on Tia. "You might think he did nothing wrong." And then she looks at Istvan. "After all, it's nothing worse than what Sherincal would have done to us, isn't it? Perhaps you think one soul is a small price to pay for safety. Max was evil; it's not a problem. He became such because he was on our side." * Tia listens to Alcinoe and sniffles wetly, but she doesn't reply. But the price is greater than you realize. W-what do you mean? * Alcinoe smiles a little at Tia. "Would you have trapped her soul in a gem, if you had the power to do it? Sherincal has the right to redemption. Would you deny that to her? Redemption is possible anywhere except when forced into something like this. In this life and in the next, it's possible." She gestures with the gem. "But not in here. The chance we all have... that everyone should have... is denied to her." * Istvan scowls, but lets Alci continue. Any means necessary is what Max practiced, here and elsewhere. Any means necessary does not - should not - apply to us. Any means necessary is what *she* would do. That is the difference between good and evil. * Alcinoe looks back to Istvan. "It’s not the company you keep. It’s not where you were born. It’s the decisions you make. Max was with us until the end, but that is not enough. And it saddens and disgusts me that some of you believe that's all it takes." Yo, I got a question then. You let her go, after you know she is evil. And yet you cut down Max for an infraction. Are you trying to punish those who have done evil, or forgive them? Because right now I see two very conflicting situations, and it *really* doesn't add up. * Alcinoe turns her attention to Patrick. "I didn't cut him down, though I'd like to point out that under normal circumstances, and under our own laws, Max would go on trial and, afterwards, be executed for the sin he committed. Denying someone's right to the afterlife is no token thing; nothing like torture, murder, or even rape. The only thing worse that can be done to an individual is outright destroying his soul." * Tia mulls over Alcinoe's words for a moment, but then, trembling, she bursts out, "But she killed me!" Max said it was safer this way! * Alcinoe looks a touch saddened, and she says, "I know, Tia." And how do you know she hasn't done the same? I'm pretty sure she has destroyed people's souls, consumed them, cut them from *their* chance at redemption before it was their time. How do you know she has, Patrick? How do you know that her soul cannot be released, Alcione? It can. That's why it's second. This isn't an eye for an eye; Max's soul wasn't trapped and denied its rightful freedom for what he's done. And his wouldn't have been under our own laws. He would have been executed, but it would still be free. ... we tried dealing with Sherincal your way once, Alcinoe. It failed. Miserably. Max stopped her. Not a jury in the world would have given him more than a slap on the wrist. * Alcinoe smiles grimly. "Would you care to place make a wager on that, Istvan? Kenji is right; we're in No Man's Land. The only laws that exist here are the ones we make and the divine. Since we can't seem to agree on our own, that would leave the second. We all have the gods in common." * Istvan eyes Kenji. "And, by the way, I didn't see any judge or jury around before Kenji beheaded Max." * Tia nods emphatically. "Max did it to keep us safe!" Anyways, let me see if she has done that. Oh, no, I can't, because Max isn't here to ask because SOMEONE killed him. As far as I see it, he did something wrong and should be punished, that's right. But the thing you fail to realize is you *let Sherincal go*. She killed Tia, carved us up. She's mounting an army against Brightenhome. Right now is NOT the time to go cutting our own people down. What I am telling you, Patrick, that Kenji is not guilty of the murder of an innocent. Max's crime was incredible. * Alcinoe pauses, then adds, "And though I know that honoring Sherincal's surrender was the right thing to do, as everyone has a chance at redemption, I also can't help but feel guilty for what happened to our school. Doing the right thing is rarely a direct path to safety." ... so where's Max's chance at redemption? * Patrick rubs his head. "Incredible enough so that someone who has no knowledge of the law would be held accountable for it to its harshest degree? I didn't see Max have a chance to surrender." There is an afterlife, Istvan. * Istvan boggles. "So... SHERINCAL gets to walk away and hopefully redeem herself all by her lonesome... but *Max*... our Max... has only the afterlife? That's the single most fucked-up thing I've ever heard." What do you think we're doing, Istvan? If she's free, we'll find her and kill her. I thought, for some reason, that she was free. Ignorance is not a defense against the law, and even though our law and Kenji's differ, they agree in that someone who has done what Max did would be sentenced to death. This is... Will, you're a cleric of Bahamut. Tell me what she's saying is a complete load. Please. * Istvan has an almost pleading look on his face as he says that. * Anastasia looks over at Will. * WillS fidgets a bit. "Well...I don't know the laws of the land. But I think Alci's right in that everyone has a chance at redemption. What Max did was wrong, but not uncorrectable? Sherincal has done some irreversably bad stuff, but doesn't deserve what's been done. so er..." I guess I wish that both of them has a chance to redeem themselves. [ Kardos listens, his face unreadable. ] * Anastasia looks back to Alci. Sherincal will have her chance when you destroy that gem. How about giving Max his chance? * Istvan looks stunned for a moment at Will, then deflates, like someone just knocked all the wind out of him. "So what are we supposed to do about all this? Leave Max dead and give Kenji a fucking medal?" Patrick, did you listen to what I said? Yes I did, and I think you're full of bullshit. For Sherincal's crimes, she would have been sentenced to death as well. Was she? *No*. Why do you start with those we're travelling with? Espically when they could make a failed mission a successful one? If working with someone like Max is evil, I guess we're all fucking guilty because we didn't know about it, huh? Let's just turn around and get ourselves killed. * Alcinoe doesn't flinch. "Max has his chance, and he will. His soul is still free, and there are still chances." How do you know? * Alcinoe says, calmly, "You may not have faith in the gods and their afterlife, Patrick, but I'm sure they believe in their own existence." [ Kardos frowns. ] Oh, I'm pretty sure they do. However, you're not answering my question. Patrick, I am a cleric. I could say that it's my job to know about the afterlife. Wrong question. Why did you start with Max? Why did you kill him when he is already a crucial part in the success of our mission? * Alcinoe doesn't blink. "First, I did not 'start with' Max. Second, I did not kill him. And third, any means necessary does not apply. I do not trust someone who has trapped a soul." You don't have to. He was gonna be with us. * Alcinoe doesn't look amused. "You are with me." * WillS speaks up meekly. "Um...I was actually hoping to ressurect Max so he can redeem himself while living. He's already died once..." Do it, Will. Alcinoe, throw me the gem. I want to set at least one thing right in your mind. * Alcinoe eyes Patrick. "What are you going to do?" Destroy the gem and set her free. That IS what is right, is it not? * Alcinoe nods. She lobs the gem gently to Patrick. It's really pretty, sailing through the air. Do we know if breaking the gem will really set her free? I'm fairly sure it will. Kardos, you studied arcane magic for a while, right? * Patrick catches it in one hand easily. "I'm sorry Kenji, you don't trust me?" * Istvan whispers in dwarven, his pick once again bathed in flames. "If she pops up here, does anyone have any deep moral objections to my braining her? Or will that earn me a beheading?" Go right ahead. She knows that the next time we meet, there will be no surrender asked or given. * Patrick places the gem on the ground and takes out his falchion, smashing the object with the flat of the blade. * Alcinoe smiles. * Seylin tenses. [ The gem shatters into numerous pieces, and the blueness fades to white. ] * Anastasia looks on! Thank you, Patrick. And now she's free and alive. Just like Max said she would be. That's fine. We'll just have to hunt her down and kill her. * Istvan stares at Alci, clapping sarcastically. "We've just succeeded in freeing a mass murdering psychopath and murdering a scholar mage. Not a bad day's work." * Alcinoe closes her eyes and sighs, the unseen light fading. The presence goes with it, too, and she sinks to the ground and puts her head in her hands. * HKenji takes three quick steps forward and kneels at Alci's side, supporting her. * Alcinoe sobs. * HKenji shoots a look at Anastasia, silently asking for help. * Istvan shoots one last glare at Alci and Kenji before walking over to Will. "How soon can you start the resurrection process?" * Anastasia steps next to Alci and assists Kenji. * WillS gives Istvan a slight nod and speaks gently to Tia. "Tia, can you bring me closer towards Max's body?" * Alcinoe doesn't seem to want to move or support her own weight. She doesn't seem to want to do anything but cry. * HKenji turns his head slightly to watch Istvan and Will like they're going fucking insane. * HKenji reaches up to his head and pulls off the headband, then reaches over and pulls Alcinoe's matching headband off as well. * Istvan positions himself between Kenji and Max's body, and just stands there, staring at Kenji. * Tia turns back to Will and nods. "Okay." Will... if you do this, there's no guarantee that the same thing isn't going to happen all over again. * Alcinoe doesn't fight it. She doesn't so anything but cry. * Patrick sheathes his blade. * HKenji shifts his grip a bit and calmly lifts Alcinoe off the ground, cradled in his arms, then he turns his back on Seylin, Patrick, Will, Tia, and Max's body... and starts walking. * Tia takes Will to Max's body and crouches, in case he wants to dismount. Anastasia, I suggest you come with us. Same thing's gonna happen only if a court in Brighthome orders it. Ain't happening here, ain't happening now, ain't happening by Kenji. * Anastasia shrugs and follows along. "It's your back." * WillS jumps of Tia's back, giving Tia a tap on the back in thanks before walking towards Max's corpse. I will not kill a priest of... the sun, but I will not deal with those who would consort with a blood sorceror. So you're gonna abandon the mission? You fucking chickenshit coward. * HKenji stops talking and walks back the way they came. [ Kardos closes his eyes and bows his head. ] * Alcinoe clings to Kenji and buries her face in his chest, sobbing. She doesn't even seem to notice what's happening anymore. * WillS looks sadly towards Kenji. "No forgiveness, no mercy?" * HKenji ignores everything behind him. * Kardos walks over to Alcinoe and whispers into her ear. * Patrick rubs his head. "Kenji... Geeze. Guys, I need some time to think. I'll be back." He takes off his headband and, uttering a word, vanishes. I'll be here. * WillS slowly gathers Max's head and body together before kneeling down in a silent prayer. * Alcinoe whimpers. She doesn't answer Kardos. * Istvan looks down at Max's corpse, and shakes his head. "There but for the hand of Moradin go I..." * Seylin sighs and flies up the shaft, the opposite direction from Kenji and Alcinoe. * WillS stands back up and grips his symbol of Bahamut tightly as he ressurects Max. [ There is a gread deal of light, and a rushing of air, and Max's head reconnects to his body, and his chest rises sharply as he inhales, and then his eyes snap open and a look of shock crosses his features. As he comes back to awareness, shackles form around his wrists and ankles, anchoring him and his Book to the floor. ] [ Additionally, another figure appears behind Max; a glistening, silver-skinned man with irridescent wings and eyes that shine with a golden light. The being emits an unspeakably splendid radiance that should by all accounts be blinded, but it does not hurt to look upon him. ] [ Kardos gets Alcinoe and Kenji's attention. "You may wish to take part in what is about to occur." ] * HKenji doesn't look back. "I don't want to know. There is nothing for us back there, Kardos." [ Meanwhile, the silver figure speaks, in a booming, commanding voice. ["How cruel you are, Will Schnieder, to bring one to life when you know they can naught but die again. Do you not realise that in doing this, you are as a cat toying with a mouse? Do you believe your god will approve?"] ] [ Kardos says, "You may think that. Alcinoe, I believe you remember your aquaintance Timeus?" ] * Max blinks, and pushes up his glasses, looking pale and scared. "Wh- what happened? Will brought me back after Kenji killed me?" * Alcinoe shifts, and she shifts to look blearily over Kenji's shoulder. She stares for a brief moment, and then she whispers, hoarsely, "Kenji." What? * Tia bawls loudly and throws her arms around the reanimated Max. [ ["Yes,"] booms the angel. ["He believed, foolishly, that it was the right thing to do."] ) * Max has the air squeezed out of him. "oof." He pats Tia on the back, looking somewhat bemused. And why wasn't it? It's... him. Kenji, stop. It's Timeus. * Istvan eyes the angel. "Who do you speak for?" * HKenji stops and turns, so that Alcinoe can get a better view. * Anastasia looks on, rather nonplussed. * WillS looks abashed. "Um...I was hoping...that since what Max has done is not irreversable...that he can do penance instead?" * Alcinoe clings to Kenji, and she stares. Others might not care about the glory of angels, but Alcinoe doesn't seem quite so immune. * Max looks up at the angel, an expression of fear tempered by determination and betrayed hurt on his face, waiting for its answer. [ ["I am Timeus of Chronias, the Illuminated Heaven. I speak for the gods of the Bright Pantheon, with their voice and by their will."] ] And you're here because of me? Why, in the name of the gods, would they care that much? Unless it's-- wait, where's the gem? *looks around frantically* I'm not sure what to make of this... Timeus. There is nothing comparable in Rokugan, Alcinoe. * Istvan blinks. "That'll do." * Tia hugs Max tighter. "They smashed it." * WillS keeps his head down. * Alcinoe pulls herself up and whispers in Kenji's ear. ...no... * HKenji goes wide-eyed. * Alcinoe goes back to watching Timeus. You fools! Now she's FREE! Kenji did it, didn't he! That's the only explanation, why he'd turn on his so-called friends, attacking Istvan, then me, while sparing Sherincal. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TIAMAT'S SERVANT, KENJI OF ROKUGAN!? * HKenji goes literally red in the face with anger, and very nearly drops Alcinoe just to kill Max again. * Anastasia puts a hand on Kenji's shoulder. "Careful." * Tia shields Max with her body, emitting a growl that sounds entirely more dragon than human. [ ["The gem was destroyed, Max, something you should have done long ago."] ] ... what's a Tiamat? [ ["Or do you think it was good of you to keep someone's soul bottled up, denying them anything and everything?" ] ] * Tia whimpers again. "I don't get any of this..." I'll talk to you later. We have to deal with the traitor, first. Tiamat is the dark counterpart to Bahamut. Sherincal was - and is again - her chosen, her favored servant. Kenji's actions confused me, seemed foolish. He attacked Istvan back at Flying Couches. He let Sherincal go, after letting her heal herself. Then he slew ME for far less than what Sherincal did...after finding out I'd stopped her. The only thing that makes sense: He works for Sherincal's goddess. *glares at Kenji angrilly* That explains why he broke his word to me, too. *the "I'll talk to you later" was directed at the angel. He doesnt' seem to know what the hell to do about that.* * Istvan tugs on Tia's arm. "We brought Max back to life, Tia, but this guy here..." *points to Timeus* "... is the spokesman for the good gods, I think. Or something. I think he's here to bring Max to be judged." * Tia releases Max and holds the sides of her head as she shakes it from side to side. "I'm so confused! I just don't want people do die anymore!" * Tia looks up at Timeus. "Are you really a spokesman for the good gods, Mr. Angel?" * Max sighs. "If the gods are good, I won't be sent into that hell again. But," he looks up at the bright figure, "I am not so sure they are. What confuses me is why they take so great an interest in this, and yet will not step in to stop Sherincal and her malevolence." Trapping her was not kind, and maybe not good to her. It was necessary, until we could find a way to hold her in a more merciful fashion. Kenji claimed he let her go because we could not control her without killing her. PErhaps he was right. Though his true motives are clearer, now. [ Timeus makes a gesurre, and Max finds himself unable to speak. ] * Tia takes Istvan's arm and shakes it gently. "What's Max gotta be judged for, anyway? What'd he do wrong?" * Max tries to continue to speak, and glares up at the angel when he finds he cannot. * Max looks beyond scared now, and not even really angry. He just looks hurt and betrayed. [ ["Listen well, Max. What you did was not only wrong, but *vile*. You negated the existence of a being, which is worse than Kenji killing you, and worse by far than the percieved sleight of having an afterlife graciously gifted to you." ] * Max raises an eyebrow at the angel, clearly asking if he's done so Max can speak. Tia... I still don't think what Max did was wrong. But, apparently, the gods do. So they wanna talk to him about it... and probably punish him. * Alcinoe just watches, silently. She's not even crying anymore. * Tia scratches her head, puzzled. "But he was keeping us safe..." [ ["Such an action is *never* necessary. There are *always* alternatives, and your refusal to consider such alternatives was also wrong. You were impatient and conceited in thinking your allies would never do anything about the obvious menace Sherincal and that only you could do anything about it."] ] * Max glances gratefully at Tia and Istvan, then goes back to paying attention to what the angel says. And waiting for the ability to speak to return. I know, Tia. I don't like it either. But... it's the gods. *eyes Timeus* You gotta trust that they know what they're doing. [ The Angel eyes the three of you. ["Do not think you are in the right because you agree with two who know nothing of morality, Max. Sherincal, in all truth, does not believe anything she does is wrong, either. Does that make it right for her to have killed hundereds while razing the campus of your adventuring school?"] ] * Max shakes his head sadly at Istvan's last comment, but waits with some measure of patience. [ ["Gendo, when he animates the dead as zombies, does not think what he does is wrong, nor does he consider it a problem when he kills anyone who gets in his way. Does make these acceptable acts?" ] * Max looks at the angel silently, since he can't actually answer. * Tia glances down at her paws like a scolded child. * Istvan raises a hand absent-mindedly. "I gotta ask. Was striking down Max without even giving him the chance to explain, or atone, or even be fairly judged acceptable?" * Max opens his mouth, then closes it. "You won't like my answer. And won't let me explain." He looks away, shivering. [ The angel glances briefly at Istvan. ["Wait your turn, child."] ] [ ["What do you wish to explain, Max? That what you did was right and just? That you should be commended, not punished?"] ] No. * Istvan nods, and puts a reassuring hand up on Tia's shoulder. But I would understand why it was not. I would address each point you bring up that I cannot see the rightness of, and have you explain them. I have never had such an opportunity before. But now I fear that you will simply cast me back into that mindless slave-state to which you condemned me when last I died, denying me myself. * Tia hugs Istvan fretfully. * Istvan oofs, but let's Tia get it out of her system. [ ["Slave-state? Mindless? I will adress this misconception, first. You were not mindless; you had all your wits and isntinct about you, and, I'll have you know, more wisdom in your head than you do here and now. You were given the most open-ended afterlife imagineable, where you could have done anything, climed to unimaginably great heights of goodness and splendor; you had a clean slate, and all of eternity stretching out before you."] ] [ ["If you consider such a profound chance at redemption to be 'hell', then that is your folly. Next time, perhaps you will be sent somewhere will you will be forced to fit a mold or else be consumed. Would that be more to your liking?"] ] No. May I state what would be more to my liking? May I enforce it with what meger powers I have, if they affect none save me? [ ["Are you truly so ignorant? Since when, Max, do those who commit the crimes get to decide their sentence?"] ] I would only sentence myself to a more permanent version of that which I sentenced Sherincal. [ ["Oh? Fortunate for you, then, that the gods are not as cruel as you are."] ] [ ["A question, Max. Did you have any intention of releasing Sherincal from the oblivion you had enforced upon her?"] ] * Max looks down. "If possible without repeating Kenji's error. If I did not know her goddess would return her the moment she died, I would have simply killed her and released her soul myself." * Max sounds sad, more than self-justified. [ ["Ah, so you would have left her in there indefinitely. You don't seem to realise how easily 'indefinitely' becomes 'forever', Max. You would have continued justifying her continued nonexistence to yourself until you passed away, then at the sale of your estate her prison would have become a bauble for some wealthy individual, and she would never have been freed."] ] It would not have come to that! [ ["Oh? Why wouldn't it? In your mind, the problem had been solved. You had said as much to Tia, Istvan, and Patrick. What need did you have to do anything further?"] ] Because we would have rendered such strigent security unecessary! Or do you lack the faith you say I should have had in them? [ ["Oh? Why wouldn't it? In your mind, the problem had been solved. You had said as much to Tia, Istvan, and Patrick. What need did you have to do anything further?"] ] [ ["What reason do you give for having faith in you?"] ] It is not your faith in me I question. It is your faith in them, the same you questioned that I had. [ ["Who should I expect to set Sherincal free? Tia and Istvan, who did not truly understand the scope of what you had done and have no knowledge of magic? Or perhaps Patrick, who didn't truly care overmuch that you'd done it?"] ] Now you are dodging my question. Do you lack the faith in my friends that they could not render the strict bindings on Sherincal's abilities unnecessary? [ ["Not in the least. I lack faith in the idea that you would set Sherincal's soul free after that had been done."] ] You are, probably, correct. Not without someone pointing out why I should free her. Imprisonment did not seem like oblivion, to me. [ Session Hiatus! ]