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year 5, quarter 3
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You won't burn (red, red roses) You won't bleed (pinks and posies) Confess to me, girl (red, red roses, go down)
The light cast the shadow of an angel against the closed window as the witch stood under the lamppost. In the quiet of the night, only her breath could be heard as she stood at the edge of a collection of buildings that could only be loosely be called a village. Ultimecia's attention was on the temple on the horizon. Something called to her from the temple on the rocky outcrop. Magic pulsated from it in waves that made her skin break out into goosebumps. Still, it was something heavy, something she cared not about though. It smelled of death and unobtainable, and she only cared about the knowledge of the world as it was. A small hand began to lift the blinds as they swore someone was outside. The child blinked as only a single feather floated in the shutters as they looked out on the street.
It stood tall above her as she sauntered toward the temple's entrance. Even in this dead of night a few stragglers roamed around the stairs coming and going from the great temple. Ultimecia passing by them as her eyes stayed focused on the colossal structure in front her. Who had built this? The structure itself hummed with a dormant magic different than the one pulsating deep from the depths as she placed her hand against the stone of the entrance way. She tapped against the door trailing her finger against the wall as she entered. Once she had gathered some information, she would make it a point to follow that energy to its source.
The entrance impressed in the same way the outside did in its simplistic splendor. The large space split off by level, splintered off into hallways in multiple different directions. A small mix of people mingled coming to and from the different pathways not even glancing up from their parchments and books to even notice Ultimecia stalking the shadows of the room as she decided which pathway to take first. There was no rush, she had time now to saunter through the temple at her leisure. Picking a hallway at random, she continued to trace her finger against the wall listening for the hum of the sleeping magic.
She filtered from room to room not coming across anything of much interest. The rooms seemed so similar, she thought she might have gone down the dormitory wing. A few rooms came by with nothing but sleeping people inside, and the rest were private studies that she found nothing but notes of research she would need more information to decipher or of no interest to her. Reaching the end of the hall she came across the first locked door she had encountered. She tried at it once before breaking the door in with a pulse of magic.
The room was dark save for a single candle lit in the middle near a table with two sleeping men next to it. Ultimecia entered noticing the entire room was lined with shelves of books. The fact the room was locked intrigued her. What knowledge was in here that this place didn't want known by those uninvited? Picking up the first book she found, she skimmed through the pages which spoke of the cyclical nature of weather patterns throughout the land. She tossed the book behind her which landed with a loud thump awakening the man at the table.
As she began to take another book off the shelf, she heard the drag of the chair from the table. "Tell me," she said as she felt the man's presence come closer, "which books are worth keeping this room locked?" Her lips pursed as the man responded "You can't be in here, you, you," the man's words began to stutter and she turned to see the familiar look of fear in his eyes lit by the candle he had brought with him. "Has fear frozen your tongue? How useless you've become so quickly." The other man stirred from his sleep as the first dropped the candle with a clatter as Ultimecia approached him.
She grabbed the first man by the collar before yhrowing him out of the room with a grievous wave of dark magic. She listened as his body fell hard on the stone floor. Disappearing and reappearing behind the second man who stood with a fire spell readied in his hand. The man slumped as sleep overtook him once more and Ultimecia let go of her grip on his head. Perhaps when he awoke he would find himself more willing to cooperate. Turning back to the bookshelf, she began her research a new casting her own light to replace the snuffed out candle.
"So, this is probably a terrible time to ask but - are the horns real, or are they just for show?"
To give a bit of backstory, Caius hadn't been to this temple since he'd thought it a smart idea to go after a dragon by himself. Well, I mean, he didn't end up doing it by himself. Instead he ended up with a tagalong who's name he kept attributing to someone that he was pretty sure didn't actually exist and may well just have been a figment of his imagination considering she seemingly disappeared out of thin air. Either way, the last time he was here, he'd shown up with burns and bruises... And more bruises... Stayed a little while, met someone from his world that somehow looked like she'd taken a dip in Phoenix Downs, and then was on his merry way with the knowledge that the entire reason his world had gone to shit was now in this world too.
So why the hell would he come back here?
Actually, was this even the right temple? All of these temples looked the damn same, he didn't even know if this was the same one, it felt like so long ago. Either way, Caius was hoping to snag a few healing items and was curious if they had any for sale before he went out on his next job. While the blonde-haired mercenary was expecting temple bodies and someone that might sell him some herbs, the last thing he had expected was abrupt noises that Caius pretty easily deciphered to likely be caused by violence. Why did this sort of thing always happen only when he came around? As Caius moved quickly, he heard another clang when one hit the stone and the mercenary would move quicker in turn. When he finally arrived, a strange looking woman appeared to be the cause of all of the ruckus, noting the unconscious men around.
As Caius asked his question in casual fashion, he was prepared to draw his blade if need be. He didn't trust this one not to attack without warning.
"Also I should probably ask what in the world you're doing here, attacking folks, all of that. I wasn't actually allowed up here last I was here, so... I assume you're not supposed to be here either."
Sorry for the long intro, I had to figure out what Nero's up to!
Nero was a failure.
That wasn’t an uncommon thought of his -- not by a long shot. He’d always considered himself imperfect, low as dirt, when compared to his immaculate brother. However, when presented with the most important of tasks as of late, the Tsviet was suffering failure after humbling failure. He hadn’t yet found his brother, nor any of the other Deepground Operatives (other than Shelke, that scum of the earth, that hellish imp whose existence did nothing but tO FRUSTRATE HIM--), not that they were of much importance. He hadn’t been able to scale the tower to claim the power that could have been Kuja’s.
Honestly, he’d been barely accomplishing more than just being alive. Even that was something of an exhausting task in a world where everything seemed to seek destruction. Thankfully, the Sable was able to easily avoid most encounters with beasts of gnashing teeth, and people who raised swords and guns to him. For the most part, they were no match for the void that was tethered to his very soul. However, they had provided little use to him in the ways of knowledge in the world.
Weak little humans, wishing to do nothing but fulfill their own dirty little desires, acting as selfish heathens, mindless mindless mindless.
After his experience at the tower, Nero sought anything in this world that he could bring back to Kuja to be of some use. He failed to gather the power that some mysterious force called for, but there were likely other treasures around the land. When he was feeling particularly cooperative, the Tsviet would converse with others around the land about their fairy tales, their lore. It was a stretch, but even much of Gaia’s treasures had been buried in lore, followed by scientific discovery. However, Nero couldn’t force himself near anyone that even resembled a scientist. He was likely to murder them on the spot.
After finding nothing of interest at the Crystallus Divider, the Sable had made his way back south, toward a place he’d heard of called the Metaia Temple. Without the burden of the metal wings that once adorned his back, it was much easier for Nero to blend into a normal crowd. He simply seemed strange to talk to, he presumed, as scholarly men and women gave him strange looks within the small village outside of the magnificent temple. Nero was dressed in his combat boots and his typical Deepground suit, using what was left of the mako to help hone his control over the darkness within his body. He wore a black coat over it, in order to not draw attention to the strange glowing hue of mako lined around the suit as he attempted to speak to the locals, and find anything of interest.
For the god’s sake, these people were dry, even for Nero’s naturally curious mind. Each of them seemed to be interested in something different within the temple -- magicks, runes, objects. Apparently, it seemed there was more to the temple than met the naked eye, secret knowledge that lie within. Even now, in the quiet night outside of the temple, men and women slowly filtered out into the dark streets, making their way home to rest on their quest for knowledge and start anew in the morning. The Tsviet watched them carefully from the shadows, his glowing red, cat-like eyes sharp for anything of particular interest -- a protected tome, a strange object, anything.
Yet, no one carried anything out. There were people inside, however, who Nero had witnessed walking into the temple days ago, who had not yet returned. Perhaps those were the ones to follow.
Quietly, the Tsviet made his way into the temple, his steps silent as he walked along a path of self-made darkness. Firelight lit the hallways of the magnificent structure, and Nero felt all too disturbingly at home surrounded by the dark, stone walls. There was the very slightest, cool wind, hinting that there were likely structures deep within the earth.
Surely, I can find something of use to him, here. Kuja, I will not fail you, I can’t -- I can’t, I can’t.
There weren’t many wakeful souls so late into the night, but Nero still kept his ears sharp for any information shared between people as they unknowingly passed him in the shadows. As he made his way along, he felt along the doors, pressing for entry, and turning away if the door opened. Secrets would not be out in the open. Humans were the same everywhere -- if there was powerful knowledge, it would be safely guarded. Hidden, from the general public. Protected.
Down one of the hallways, Nero found a door that was locked. His gloved fingers delicately worked the knob for a moment, and he was sure that it was locked, not just jammed. There was the smallest bit of flickering light coming from beneath the door; a sign of life. The Tsviet drew forth his darkness, the black tendrils snaking up the door as he passed through it -- silently, keeping to the void.
Inside were two men sleeping at a table, their forms only barely lit by a candle. Easy, Nero internally scoffed to himself as he quietly passed them, the darkness still licking at his fingers. Reconnaissance was his specialty, and in this dark room, the men would never know that he was there. The lack of light was of no worry to him, with his Soldier enhancements, the Deepground operative could see just fine. He drifted toward one of the bookshelves, his eyes glancing over the dusty, old book spines.
He knew, generally, what words or symbols to look for, thanks to the people he’d spoken to within the village. Feigning interest in their weird obsessions would have some advantage, Nero mused as his fingers grabbed at one of the books. Some people could feel magic, he’d heard, but that seemed like something out of a children’s book.
Save for Kuja, anyway. Kuja could do anything.
Nero’s eyes flew open wide as he heard the familiar click of a lock being opened. He clutched the book in one arm, while summoning forth his darkness with the other, quietly stalking back into the shadows. He remained motionless while a strange figure entered the room -- a woman, from the looks of it, tall with a strange hair piece. She brazenly walked forward toward one of the bookshelves, immediately exploring the books with a fevor Nero did not possess. He would have believed her a regular at the temple, if it weren’t for the reaction of one of the men as they awoke.
The woman made quick work of the two sleepy scholars, in such a fashion that the Tsviet knew he was wise to hide. She could teleport, much quicker than he could, and it seemed she possessed a magic of some sort. Nero silently stalked back into a corner, covered by the darkness as the woman summoned a light of her own to explore the books with. Well, how annoying this had become. There was definitely something worth finding in the room, since it had been protected, but was it worth attempting to work around this powerful woman? He could likely absorb several books into his darkness before she would notice, and teleporting back out into the hallway would be easy enough, but …
He’d already failed enough already.
As Nero weighed his options in the back of the room, another voice interrupted the silence. A man had appeared in the doorway, calling out the powerful woman in a near casual manner. It was obvious he didn’t actually know her -- it seemed more like the over confident banter of a man who tasted success at the end of a sword. Nero knew that kind of attitude well, considering how many unfortunate souls had challenged him for the rank of Tsivet.
With more than one player present, however, it was more likely that he could potentially align himself with whoever had more knowledge of the temple and the secrets that it held. The Sable’s goal wasn’t to fight or kill, today. It was simply to find something to bring back to Kuja, whom he owed so very much to. It was the force that drove Nero forward to keep moving, the warmth that spread in his heart and gave him purpose. Biting on his lip for a moment, Nero finally revealed himself from the shadows, partially at least. He kept his left arm along the wall, concealed in his darkness, his fingers grasping his heavy handgun.
“Curiosity,” Nero murmured softly, his red eyes turned to the blonde stranger in the doorway, “Is the reason all beings are attracted to this temple.” He quickly turned his attention to the intimidating woman, dark tendrils of the inner-void pawing at the stone floor near his feet. The Tsviet knew when he was likely outclassed, and he was prepared to run if need be.
His gaze flickered back to the man in the doorway, tilting his head ever slightly, thick black hair drifting over his coat, “You are the one who seems out of place.”
Rise and take flight, darling Let's soar high For the first time in forever you're alive Don't you forget that
You won't burn (red, red roses) You won't bleed (pinks and posies) Confess to me, girl (red, red roses, go down)
What useless knowledge these men thought too much for the common man. Book after book littered the floor as Ultimecia cast each aside as the worthless trivia of each proved nothing but that. They contained things beneath her: spells any plain mortal could cast, topics of politics in the region, fairy tales a hero dreaming in a tower and villains entombed in forests. She cast her gaze back to the man at the table. Perhaps she had given too much credence to a locked door. Still the smell and throbbing of all the magic swirling about the place promised things she intended to take. Things she doubted those two monks could even fathom let alone think to wield.
Still her disappointments were interrupted as someone approached the room. She didn't even look up from the tome she held, something about the cyclical nature of Reignstorms, as the man asked her about her horns. She tutted as she finished with the page she was reading flipping it over to the next. As she read to the next natural break in the text, the light she had been using to read split in two as it trailed over to the man in the doorway illuminating him for her to study. Hopefully he would prove a far more interesting read than the dry texts
"And who are you to ask?" Ultimecia asked as she dropped the book to the pile on the floor. She called back the ball of light from the before letting it up in the air to illuminate the two of them. "To compare yourself to me is but a folly. Have you made yourself the hero of this little scenario, boy? What bravado." Ultimecia chuckled softly before turning her attention back to the bookcase. Let him attack; she'd be ready. Her claw ran down the spine of a new tome. It seemed a history of sorts. Still she doubted the over confident do gooder would let her read it in peace
"Do you believe knowledge should be locked away? Do the moments of your life pass you by as your ignorance grows because your're not allowed wisdom by others? What you don't know can still hurt you." Ultimecia gave the boy a look before walking back to the table. Taking her nail to the wood, she walked it's length carving up the wood underneath her talon as she continued talking. Still somone with such crass recklessness could prove useful. Let him show her his power, his resolve. She crossed behind where the monk slept from her spell lifting his neck in her hands. "Do you want the knowledge of watching someone exit from time for your self righteous heroism, or would you fall back to your ignorance and leave?"
Still her little act of testing was cut short as another voice and body entered from the shadows of the room her light had not reached. Ultimecia dropped the man's head back to the table as she studied the new participant in this little dance. She would be annoyed if she weren't impressed that the boy had been able to hide in the shadows from her this long. She had assumed there would be no one that would challenge her, so she had not sensed for other beings of strength. Still a smile crept across her face as he spoke more to the man in the door than to her.
"How impressive, boy, to be able to hide in the shadows. Watch though before you fall to the timelessness of the darkness though." It was all she would say to the red eyed man of his ability to evade her attention thus far, but now it was trained but divided between the two. The blackened haired man seemed just as eager for the blonde to leave as she, but she waited to see their actions before allying herself with either. She would not allow him to leave with any information she would want, but if it meant getting the would be vigilante dealt with she'd see if the boy had Knight material. "Curiosity is nothing but a fleeting whim of thought if not acted upon." She turned her back to the both of them picking up another book to skim through. She would react when she needed to.
Oof, the ego. The pompousness. The self-centrivity. Caius could see it, hear it, smell it. It reminded him of Cortez, who he very much had a hole in the ground reserved for. It was not something that Caius liked. Not that it took him very long to respond to her initial remarks.
"I would make a comparison, but I have no horns to call my own, ma'am" Caius joked dryly. He was still getting used to this whole humor thing, but it was beginning to come second nature to him. It was still a little on the dry side though. But her idea that the two of them could not be compared made him want to scoff. He'd already dealt with one egomaniacal lout, what would two hurt? But this one... This one wasn't like Mr. Stockap Emyprer. No, this one... This one was different. This one was dangerous. That was easy enough to tell. And for it, he kept a sharp, watchful eye even as he made his jokes. Caius had never met a shady looking or acting person that Caius didn’t watch carefully. This was no exception. Every move she made, every stride she bound, Caius was watching. His breaths were gentle, but firm, kept in tune to his heart beating in his chest as he kept his calm while also keeping his caution.
The woman would step forward and continue babbling her nonsense, but it was the seeming threat toward one of the monks that caught his attention. Caius knew by the time she grabbed them that she was dangerous, and that if the need came that he had to fight, he'd rather not deal with casualties. He watched, he waited... But he did respond as well.
"Knowledge... Is a blessing, and yet a curse" He answered calmly as he watched her carefully. "The idea of knowing, the idea of gaining knowledge, is something we are naturally inclined to hunger for. But sometimes there are things we are better off not knowing. Or in other cases... Things not meant for us. This section is restricted off, and likely for good reason."
He summoned his dagger and flitted it about between his fingers. He had a plan, but he needed just the right moment... Perhaps if he kept talking... "I don't consider myself a man that would take forbidden knowledge and not potentially misuse it, if that knowledge is indeed one that leads to power. I am a man of independence, not a man with a sword pledged to soldierly justice or anything of the sort. My whims can change, and thus my way of using that knowledge may no longer be that way at some point, even if I were to use it the correct way before."
He tapped his dagger against his fingers a few moments. "That isn't to say that all who hoard knowledge, power, or powerful knowledge, is doing so for the sake of keeping it from people who might misuse it, of course. Human beings are naturally primitive... Naturally selfish. Naturally out for themselves. The ideas of compassion, the ideas of selflessness, the ideas of doing the right thing instead of just what you desire... Those are learned. And not all learn at the same rate."
But it was when the woman would turn her attention that Caius saw opportunity. The moment the man was dropped, Caius would flick the dagger he'd summoned prior forward, using his warping capabilities to travel forward at high speeds to catch the dagger and wrap his other arm around the torso of the prone monk. With his weapon hand still free, Caius would immediately flick the dagger once more in quick succession, sending himself back toward the door, though at an angle as he thought quickly, to where he would appear just a little ways from it. As he re-appeared, he would take off at a run, sliding and grabbing onto the other monk with his weapon arm as he moved. Nudging the door open fully with his shoulder, he casually plopped the two of them outside before turning to the woman, and this newcomer. How he hadn't seen him before surprised him, but it only gave Caius more reason to keep his guard up. He had said Caius was the one out of place, and that told Caius that most likely, he would be the one in for a fight.
That was fine with him, he supposed. He did wish Celes was in the vicinity. He could certainly use the aid of his partner right now.
"You're right. You two are just so dark, and broody... And I'm..."
He looked down at himself and his clothing.
"... Well, at least I have the dark part down."
The dagger in his hand would be replaced quickly by his gunblade as he prepared for the likelihood of a fight.
"But odds are, the knowledge locked in here is for a reason. I don't see why one couldn't simply consult with the monks on the nature of it before making such a decision. Haven't you guys ever considered the idea of foreplanning?"
Ah, they talked. A lot. It vaguely reminded Nero of the few times he’d interacted with Hojo, the ShinRa scientist most responsible for the more heinous of experiments in Deepground. The one who had possessed his dearest brother’s body after a net dive. The Tsviet’s gaze flickered back and forth between the two, red eyes watching for any suspicious movements that he should be wary of. However, the two hardly took notice of him, and he was able to keep perched in his dark corner.
The woman was the more dangerous of the two, the Sable could feel it in his very bones. He felt like a prey animal, eyes wide and heart beating quickly, trapped before a predator. She carved a line in the table with her talon-like fingers, and casually threatened the soft life of one of the unconscious monks. The woman had no regard for human life, and while that sentiment typically didn’t bother Nero, he found himself not wanting to be on the receiving end of that blatant disregard.
The other man -- typical hero type. He spoke casually, though there was a guarded look under his eyes. He responded in kind to the woman’s monologuing; was it an attempt to distract her, or was his simply that droll? Nero’s fingers felt along the cold, stone wall, ready to summon forth his oblivion and teleport into the stacks of books to continue his search. The blonde man used his own strange teleporting method to get the monks out of the room, and the Tsviet figured he was, perhaps, more than an annoying voice.
The woman had taken some notice of him, but Nero was sure she would be more distracted by the hero type who had refused to leave the room, even after his rescue was complete. He seemed intent on a fight, the dagger in his hand replaced by a different weapon. The Tsviet noticeably rolled his eyes, in no mood for a fight in such an enclosed space. It would difficult to maintain a distance while firing his weapon in the small room, and so he sought a different option.
Perhaps, the other two would simply battle it out and ignore him.
Without a word, Nero sunk back into the darkness of his oblivion. He reappeared at the opposite corner by the bookshelf, grabbing another book as if the other two weren’t there. If need be, he’d simply take as many books as possible with him and leave the two to bicker or fight it out as they pleased. But, he wasn’t here for himself, nor was he here to deal with these shenanigans. He was searching for knowledge, not a bloodbath.
His nimble fingers grabbed a couple more tomes, heavy in his weak arms, and he began to quickly sift through them.
Rise and take flight, darling Let's soar high For the first time in forever you're alive Don't you forget that
You won't burn (red, red roses) You won't bleed (pinks and posies) Confess to me, girl (red, red roses, go down)
Ultimecia didn't even bother to turn as she felt the strange magic in the room. The pages of the tome found themselves tossed aside as he patience grew thin with the information presented to her. What weak creatures men were, their minds too feeble to understand the complexity of time and magic thoroughly. She could feel the energy of life leaving the room and still she read on until the would be hero remained planted even after his display. It seemed he had no sense of self preservation. She always wondered how humans could be less intelligent than the worms that crawled through the dirt in that way, yet in that way they were easier to eradicate
Ultimecia turned to walk across to the other bookshelf. Just as she had expected, the sap had rescued the monk who bore no answers. Still, she cared not. He could babble and threaten all he would like. Let him strike out. She walked to the bookcase directly in front of him and his blade not even casting a glance in his direction or saying a word as she pulled another dust filled tome from the wall flicking through it for any words or sigils of power
It wasn't until the dark haired boy suddenly disappeared and reappeared in the darkness that caused her any notice as he too shifted through the books. She simply smiled as she let the book she held drop in front of the would be hero as she vanished quickly a single feather floating where she had been but a second before. She appeared almost instantaneously next to the dark child grabbing his wrist as he reached for the next book
"Things would be much easier," she said taking the book out of his hand before letting it sit idly in air by the magic in her other hand, "If we were left alone." The implication of her message hung in the air as it echoed and she bore into the man's fierce red eyes with her yellowed ones. Taking a quick peak inside the book the man had tried to steal before placing it back in the hand she still held in her taloned grasp. "Take what you will unless it involves history or time magic." It wasn't an invitation; it was a warning. Ultimecia let the man's wrist go free before casting a gaze at the other books in his bookshelf.
The woman didn't even move in response to Caius' actions and he was curious as to if she had ever intended to harm the monks further to begin with. It was for the best he had evacuated them though, people were... Unpredictable, to say the least. The shady looking man didn't seem to pay it much heed either, though he got the feeling he was simply desiring to stay out of sight. The Glaive would casually lean against a pillar nearby, twirling a lock of his hair with a wry smile when the woman would remark that it would be "easier" if they were left alone. Caius got the hint, of course, and it only made his smile broaden.
"I'll consider it" He remarked bluntly, with a hint of amusement in his voice. "If... You are willing to explain to me just what sort of knowledge you two would be willing to break into here for. Unless... You too think that knowledge should be withheld and hoarded?"
She had mentioned something about history and time magic to the other man, and Caius knew it was best he try and get a glimpse of their intentions best he could. Truth be told, now that the innocents that could not defend themselves were evacuated, it really wasn't his business anymore. And he knew that he'd probably have trouble in a fight. Not that he wasn't averse to trying if the goal was worth the means...
Searching through the tomes of knowledge would have been much easier if Nero knew exactly what he was looking for. Mystical “magic” didn’t exist in such a form on his world. Everything was tied to the Lifestream, something physical that had been studied and subsequently abused by scientists. Magic was simply compressed and processed mako created for a specific purpose. However, on this planet, the Tsviet had both pleasant and unpleasant experiences with real magic. Power that people could call to their fingertips without the help of materia or any other physical object. As if magic simply ran in their veins.
To him, the books seemed to be filled with gibberish of one form or another. Though he could read, and read well in the dark, the ugly scrawl of ancient texts was difficult to desire. He flipped through one or two, searching for keywords or figures he might have recognized, anything about magic or dragons, unnerved by the silence coming from the other side of the room.
Nero lifted his hand, thin fingers stretching to grab the next book, before all of his alarming instincts blared in his head. He had only half a second to realize that there was a presence next to him, before a clawed hand grabbed him around the wrist. The Sable froze, his eyes wide as his head snapped to look at the woman next to him. "Things would be much easier," Nero’s chest stilled, unable to breathe, the hairs on the back of his neck standing as the woman peeled the book from his fingers, leaving it hovering in midair, "If we were left alone."
Her golden eyes were glued to his, and Nero could do nothing but stare back, like a prey animal caught in a trap. What was left of his mangled human instinct screamed danger, run, run, this is death, she could kill you in a moment, she will, she will -- kill --, however he couldn’t budge. His feet refused to move, and as he swallowed dryly, forcing himself to finally breathe, the Tsviet wondered just how quickly she could zap him out of existence.
The thought was as terrifying as it was mesmerizing.
"Take what you will unless it involves history or time magic."
It was a demand and a threat coiled into one. Nero simply silently nodded, his dark bangs casting a shadow over his glowing eyes as he quickly shoved the stolen tome back onto the shelf. He watched as the woman moved gracefully to reviewing the books of her own accord, and the Tsviet let his tattooed hand rest on the dusty wood of the shelf. The oblivion licked at his boots, tempting him away from the danger for his own protection, and Nero had half a mind to follow its direction.
But, he couldn’t. He would have to continue to attempt to coexist with the woman, until he found what he needed for Kuja. What type of magic he found wasn’t important -- she could have all the history and time magic that she wanted -- surely he could find something else. Nero hurriedly grabbed another book, flipping through its pages, before he nearly jumped at the sound of the other man’s voice.
Right. There was the blonde man there as well.
He considered ignoring the man’s comments still, but the fairy tale hero trope was grinding on him more than it should have been. Was the man’s job not done, now that the civilians were saved? Why would he still linger about, when the woman they were both occupying the room with was clearly extremely powerful and dangerous? If Nero were following his better judgement, he too would have turned tail and left, but being tired of repeated failures to find something worthwhile for Kuja kept him planted in the dangerous situation.
“I believe the more important question to be asked,” Nero muttered, shoving the book back onto the bookshelf after determining it had no value to him, “Is not why we are here. Clearly, we are both searching for something worthwhile for different reasons.”
He turned to look at the blonde man in the doorway, narrowing his glowing, red eyes in annoyance, “The more important question is; why, in Gaia’s name, are you still here? Even I see that it is clear this woman could end the two of us in mere moments if she wished to. Yet, you continue to provoke her. Are you suicidal? There are easier ways to die.”
Nero could easily, and quickly, teleport outside of the entire stupid temple if things began to go badly between the three, but the man had only shown some short range teleportation ability with a weapon. And, it seemed, the woman could move faster than either of them. The man was poking a dangerous dragon with a stick, in Nero’s mind, and he couldn’t see the logic behind the blonde’s thoughts. The monks were alive and safe. Why not go get back up if he wished to take on a likely dangerous opponent? Why not evacuate more people, if he really felt the woman was a threat? Did the man have no basic training? Even the Tsviet’s, the strongest of all of Deepground’s psychotic experiments, relied on each other when they knew they were backed into a corner. It was basic army training, and simple human logic.
The Sable shook his head at the blonde, before piling a few more books in his arms. Good god, all he’d wished to do was sneak into the room and find some magic STUFF, why was all of this happening, why every time when he wanted to dO SOMETHING USEFUL -- every --- every time--.
Rise and take flight, darling Let's soar high For the first time in forever you're alive Don't you forget that
You won't burn (red, red roses) You won't bleed (pinks and posies) Confess to me, girl (red, red roses, go down)
It was becoming appallingly obvious that the monks had locked this room for nothing. The fools thought themselves so knowledgeable but all there knowledge was but foolish scraps at something greater. Still, her eyes seemed to light on their own as she finally found one tome of interest. Perhaps there was a place of more magic, more answers. A divider said to be the exit place of the gods. A place of untapped and unknown magic. The book didn't have too much more to say on it, before it diverged into talk of the different beliefs of the people. People would believe in anything to abate their fear. Ultimecia closed the book and held onto it as she heard the man in the door speak once more.
"And do you think your feeble mind could comprehend it if you received your answers, boy?" Ultimecia questioned with a cold smile. His mere presence there was a testament to his own ignorance at this point. She had no more use for this place anymore. She would return to do more research if the Divider proved to be of no use to her. She could simply toss the two of them aside and leave, but something else bubbled to the forefront of her mind. Would he dare to follow her when she left? She knew he posed no real threat, but an interesting question had come to mind.
Ultimecia began to walk back over to the black haired boy as he somehow put his books into the abyss, but it seemed he had already started down the path she wished for him to follow. She could almost smell the fear pouring off of him and it was such an intoxicating taste. He had already submitted to her whims, perhaps, he had the potential for knighthood. He just needed to be tested. She drew closer as he finished his shocked questioning to the blonde. Good, he wasn't a fool like the other.
Ultimecia placed her long curled thumb under the man's chin before tilting his head to look at her. "Tell me," she said as she ran her other hand through his black hair once. She hoped he could still sense that he was frail and could be broken at anytime, but she was showing him mercy and attention above his true worth. "What do you really desire?" She gave a cold laugh before talking again, "Is it power? A purpose? Show me what powers lies within your darkness by dismissing this unwanted fool, and I'll lead you to both." Ultimecia let go of the boy's chin before stepping back to watch whatever would happen unfold. Magic crackled and sparked at the ends of her fingers in case she needed to block off anything wayward. The cold haunting smile stayed painted on her face.
