side story Side Story: A Past Best Left Buried.

[Aura]

Alez had convinced herself that she was doing fine, but due to her inability to maintain her ethereal form, that was evidently untrue. Internally, she was struggling with a wave of guilt and panic. She was just a child lost in the streets far from home. Despite trying to maintain a strong stance against Mei Yi, she was only putting up the front of a fool, speaking of knowledge of which she had none. It wasn't her place to argue and justify her goddess' views, just to have faith in them and serve... 

Hearing Cassandra's soft voice, Alez was taken by surprise, but locking eyes with her only reaffirmed their connection. She could feel a sense of nervousness coming from Cassandra that matched her own. There was a certain inherent frustration that came from knowing what you want to say but not being able to convey it in words... thankfully due to their link, these feelings were much more easily conveyed. Alez just stared into Cassandra's eyes and listened to her words and as she spoke, Alez realized that she felt not only admiration but also pity for the woman. It was a strange sensation, but she felt a similar comfort with Cassandra's hand on her shoulder that she did in her mother's embrace. Tears began to fall from her cheeks. She longed for her mother's touch and she feared she'd never feel it again. These feelings would certainly reach Cassandra through their link. 

Alez could also feel Cassandra's scorn for Caelisia's leadership. Alez held no remorse toward her mother, though. None of this was lady Caelisia's fault to begin with. It was her own haste to prove herself that ran her into this situation. She didn't understand why she never received backup to protect her, but she should have just waited... yet at the same time, it was because of that waiting that poor Samantha got turned into that monster and... and... all she wanted to do was protect the mortals she cared so much for... She wanted to fight off the demons that sought to do harm to them and wanted to nurture them into something beautiful... Cassandra's view of her was spot-on. She really was just a child. A spoiled child with a fantasy to be a hero. Maybe being damned to a place like this was the only destiny fitting for someone like her...

"I'm sorry, Cassandra..." She immediately moved to wrap her arms tightly around the woman's body, pulling herself into her embrace. It was the closest thing she had to her mother's love here. "...This world is cruel... Are these the ones attacking my people? Why? That's what I don't understand..."

[Manni]

*Alas, if only Alez knew how similar their cases were...which was something Cassandra could not allow herself to reveal to anyone. Though to be honest, not even she knew the complete truth. What this Cassandra knew was that she was the 'Eternal Hero' selected by Utopia to kill the Source of All Evil, who was the actual being whom created the world. She had learnt that this situation had come about due to a certain occurrence in 'mortal time' where Utopia was finally able to re-actualise in the world. As it turned out, before the 'world' began, there was a conflict between Utopia and its progeny. Though she was still unclear to  why the conflict began, she knew how it ended. Utopia was defeated by its own progeny, led by its other half. The Other Half, whether because it could not or chose not to, did not destroy Utopia but instead imprisoned it in a pocket dimension inaccessible from virtually anywhere.  As it was being sealed away, Utopia revealed that without it, its progeny would die from starvation and fade into nothing as they were all reliant on it to survive. To thwart Utopia, its Other Half, using what resources it had, engineered a tentative solution.  Using the knowledge derived from the Existential Codex that Utopia had sealed in its Library, its Other Half used the Axiom System (A reality altering device of great power) to rewrite the rules of reality and how Utopia's progeny worked.  However, to fuel this effort, Utopia's Other Half sacrificed itself to create the world. In honour of its great sacrifice, the surviving progeny posthumously gave them the title of 'One With Hope, That which Springs Eternal From Nothing.' From that point, the mortal universe started and Utopia's Progeny came to rule the mortal world using some of the features of the Axiom System which they learnt from what of the Existential Codex they could read.*

*Back in the world they were in, Cassandra felt the emotions and in some ways found herself being able to understand some of what Alez was going through. It was not exactly comfortable for Cassandra to go through, having being trained to be rather stoic as per her station. Though...like Alez, she too wanted love and affection. Seemingly unlike Alez' case though (so Cassandra hoped), the love that Cassandra got in return from Utopia was both a blessing AND a curse. A blessing in that she felt that she could do anything...and yet a curse in that no other love would make her feel like that. Cassandra hated that, feeling that she was just used by Utopia like a puppet and yet...she had  a feeling that she were offered that love again, she might not be able to resist. After all, Mei Yi was proof of that. Revived and then made to fight against the one she loved most...wouldn't normally be easy but for Utopia, perhaps it was. Making them do its will could be a breeze if they knew what to offer.*

"The world lacks many things...but I refuse to believe that this is all there is to it." Cassandra replied to Alez, feeling the girl embrace her. Having someone look up to you and trust you felt nice, even if this wasn't exactly the greatest of times.

"Oh? Perhaps you need some more education, my dear Cassie. I would be happy to show you the Truth you so seek? Or is that no longer important to you since you've got a new...fling?" Mei Yi interjected, interrupting Cassandra with a voice surprisingly lined with acid. "...And 'they' say love saves all. Such mindless prattle never saved anyone!

"Mei Yi...I hope you will not regret those words. As they may be your last." Cassandra replied strongly, which even surprised her to be honest. Perhaps Alez's display had given Cassandra some surprise resolve. Perhaps she would need whatever resolve she could get for what was about to occur. They were not far from the village where Mei Yi was waiting for them.

 

[Aura]

Due to the link, Alez could feel the painful anger from Cassandra's heart. This feeling wasn't going to help her. She needed to focus on remaining at peace... Otherwise, she'd be stuck in her physical form where she was completely useless. But how could she keep her emotions in balance in a time like this? In order to bring balance to her emotions, she'd need love to counteract her anger and joy to counteract her sorrow. Both of those just felt impossible to obtain in the moment. Still...

Alez looked back and forth between Mei Yi and Cassandra. She honestly had no idea what was going on between these two. There was clearly some bad blood between these two that needed to be worked out in one way or another, but from her perspective, she couldn't see Mei Yi as much more than a villain. And yet, she had a nagging feeling like there was more to her story. It wasn't her place to judge. She had to be willing to forgive even the cruelest of sins. Especially from someone who does not live under the same goddess. With a deep breath, Alez reached out to touch Cassandra's hand and hold it firmly. Tears still stained her face, but she had to steel herself. She was a servant of Caelisia. She could overcome any obstacle she was faced with. Mother Caelisia wouldn't have sent her on a mission she would never return from. She was precious. She was loved. 

"I know not what is going on here, but I will not be ignored. My people are being attacked by monsters. Why?" She spoke out with more confidence than before, staring up at Mei Yi. "I want answers and I have no time for mindless prattle. If you do not have answers for us, then point us to someone who does or step aside. Lest you and your world face the wrath of mine. This is no time for foolish games."

[Manni]

On 07/07/2020 at 16:38, Aura said:

Due to the link, Alez could feel the painful anger from Cassandra's heart. This feeling wasn't going to help her. She needed to focus on remaining at peace... Otherwise, she'd be stuck in her physical form where she was completely useless. But how could she keep her emotions in balance in a time like this? In order to bring balance to her emotions, she'd need love to counteract her anger and joy to counteract her sorrow. Both of those just felt impossible to obtain in the moment. Still...

Alez looked back and forth between Mei Yi and Cassandra. She honestly had no idea what was going on between these two. There was clearly some bad blood between these two that needed to be worked out in one way or another, but from her perspective, she couldn't see Mei Yi as much more than a villain. And yet, she had a nagging feeling like there was more to her story. It wasn't her place to judge. She had to be willing to forgive even the cruelest of sins. Especially from someone who does not live under the same goddess. With a deep breath, Alez reached out to touch Cassandra's hand and hold it firmly. Tears still stained her face, but she had to steel herself. She was a servant of Caelisia. She could overcome any obstacle she was faced with. Mother Caelisia wouldn't have sent her on a mission she would never return from. She was precious. She was loved. 

"I know not what is going on here, but I will not be ignored. My people are being attacked by monsters. Why?" She spoke out with more confidence than before, staring up at Mei Yi. "I want answers and I have no time for mindless prattle. If you do not have answers for us, then point us to someone who does or step aside. Lest you and your world face the wrath of mine. This is no time for foolish games."

 

 

After Alez spoke up and said her piece, the immediate result was a brief moment of silence. Then...it came.

"Your world? Little one, I have no interest or idea of where you are from. I also do not know why you would think I would have any interest in attacking your world, wherever that is. All I am here for is for the head of that person next to you. She has betrayed her god, her world and all those she fought alongside. And for what?  Cassandra, you know as well as I do that our god is everything and our lives are their property. To oppose that is to go against the dispensation of the universe itself.  What foolishness has caused you to turn?"

"I may be a heretic and damned in the sight of god but I will not back down and let Utopia run roughshod over the ideals that we as mortals hold dear! The virtues and Godly Properties we as creations of the divine are blessed with!"

"...Is that all? You waste your existence on such sweet nothings?! I am almost lost for words. Almost. You had my name and existence thrown into the mud JUST for that?! You betrayed all your fellow heroes and compatriots throughout history, whose names and existence are now less than nothing just so you can play Savior?! Does your arrogance...no...of course not. You never understood anything or do you understand anything. All you had to do was look pretty for the masses and be their symbol as we mortals killed each other for god!"

*Cassandra looked rather stunned and taken aback from the latest outburst from Mei Yi, perhaps even hurt. She could not make any sense out of what Mei Yi was saying, even though the language they spoke was the same. The fact was though that Mei Yi was correct at that moment. Cassandra had never had to face the reality of her position and all that it entailed. She had never realised that all she really represented was that power was the maker and breaker of everything, that it was the sole thing that matter. All her talk of 'values' were just paltry cover for all the things she and others would have to do to get people to believe it. Such things would not cover the countless bodies and the stench of death that hung around them. If they ever thought about all the people they killed to make their 'dreams' come true, if such dreams were indeed theirs, would their dreams be as worthy as they had always assumed? All she really had to do was, as Mei Yi put it, 'look pretty for the masses and act as their symbol'. She never had to face the real consequences of war and conflict as she was always on the 'winning side'. That was her primary role in Utopia's world, to act as a idol and lead actress in his play where the ending was already written.

"Was your love for me even real? Did it even mean anything to you? Did you ever think, even for a second, how your actions would affect me and the others that worked alongside you? Can you even fathom what I'm saying?" Mei Yi asked Cassandra rhetorically, her voice becoming more emotional. "I loved you, you know. More than anything. I was willing to do anything for you, kill anyone as long as I could be with you! I gave up on a normal life just so I could follow and be with you! And still...that is not enough for you?!"

*Cassandra did not reply...she could not say anything. No words Cassandra could utter would heal the wounds in Mei Yi's heart. Mei Yi felt betrayed by Cassandra, whom she had devoted her life to when she was still alive. For Mei Yi, Cassandra's betrayal of 'god' was more than just a conflict of interests and ideals. For her, it meant a rejection of her love...and a dawning realization that her love could never be enough.*

" You want to leave, young one? Then come to the village, Cassandra should know it well. That's where I wasted my life, chasing after the affection of that woman beside you."

 

 

 

[Aura]

The atmosphere was far heavier now than it had been even moments ago. How did Alez get herself caught up in this? She felt more out of place now than ever before. This was no place for a Celestial like herself, at least, not as far as she could tell. Not a scout like her, by any means. But the pure dread leaking from Cassandra's heart made her struggle impossible to ignore. Simply walking away was not an option. Alez had been acting a fool this whole time. Perhaps this wasn't a struggle between two goddesses, but a fight between mortals. Perhaps she really was sent here as some sort of trial of faith. Was she failing...? She paused and thought for a moment. Most of the back and forth between Mei Yi and Cassandra went over her head, but she thought she could get a general understanding of what was going on. When Mei Yi finally offered her a way to leave, she was caught off guard. She suddenly had a decision to make. She could leave and guarantee her own safety. Maybe she could retreat to Lady Caelisia and request backup more directly... Her own world should be her top priority, after all... but still... she glanced over at Cassandra who just looked broken. The sight of the broken woman hurt her own heart. She slowly took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. She had to remember her Caelisia's teachings...

In a moment, she reached out and grabbed Cassandra's hand. "War doesn't save worlds, it ends them..." She glanced back up at Mei Yi. "It's... it's love that saves worlds from destruction. A goddess must be powerful enough to hold her ground, but loving and forgiving as well. She must understand the ignorant just as well as the wise. She must see the plights of all and guide everyone to the path of glory... But... not everyone sees it that way. People fight each other not to prove they are stronger, but because they are afraid of being weaker. That's what I've come to understand while observing humans..." As she continued to hold Cassandra's hand, she extended her other hand out to Mei Yi. "Please. I know it sounds foolish from a total stranger, but I can see that you are only hurting yourself by doing this. I can only assume you are hurting because you still have a longing for her affection, am I wrong? The idea of bringing this pain onto her hurts you just as much, does it not? This doesn't have to end in bloodshed. You are both victims of a cruel fate, but Goddess Caelisia will still spread her love to you and your world. With my goddess' help, we may be able to bring you both and everyone who resides in this world to a place where there is no hate or war. Where everyone lives peacefully together and there is no bloodshed, no death, no time... just endless peace and love... surely there is no better place to go?"

[Manni]

On 17/09/2020 at 08:37, Aura said:

The atmosphere was far heavier now than it had been even moments ago. How did Alez get herself caught up in this? She felt more out of place now than ever before. This was no place for a Celestial like herself, at least, not as far as she could tell. Not a scout like her, by any means. But the pure dread leaking from Cassandra's heart made her struggle impossible to ignore. Simply walking away was not an option. Alez had been acting a fool this whole time. Perhaps this wasn't a struggle between two goddesses, but a fight between mortals. Perhaps she really was sent here as some sort of trial of faith. Was she failing...? She paused and thought for a moment. Most of the back and forth between Mei Yi and Cassandra went over her head, but she thought she could get a general understanding of what was going on. When Mei Yi finally offered her a way to leave, she was caught off guard. She suddenly had a decision to make. She could leave and guarantee her own safety. Maybe she could retreat to Lady Caelisia and request backup more directly... Her own world should be her top priority, after all... but still... she glanced over at Cassandra who just looked broken. The sight of the broken woman hurt her own heart. She slowly took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. She had to remember her Caelisia's teachings...

In a moment, she reached out and grabbed Cassandra's hand. "War doesn't save worlds, it ends them..." She glanced back up at Mei Yi. "It's... it's love that saves worlds from destruction. A goddess must be powerful enough to hold her ground, but loving and forgiving as well. She must understand the ignorant just as well as the wise. She must see the plights of all and guide everyone to the path of glory... But... not everyone sees it that way. People fight each other not to prove they are stronger, but because they are afraid of being weaker. That's what I've come to understand while observing humans..." As she continued to hold Cassandra's hand, she extended her other hand out to Mei Yi. "Please. I know it sounds foolish from a total stranger, but I can see that you are only hurting yourself by doing this. I can only assume you are hurting because you still have a longing for her affection, am I wrong? The idea of bringing this pain onto her hurts you just as much, does it not? This doesn't have to end in bloodshed. You are both victims of a cruel fate, but Goddess Caelisia will still spread her love to you and your world. With my goddess' help, we may be able to bring you both and everyone who resides in this world to a place where there is no hate or war. Where everyone lives peacefully together and there is no bloodshed, no death, no time... just endless peace and love... surely there is no better place to go?"

*At first, there was silence from both Mei Yi and Cassandra. Cassandra could not muster any words of relevance, her will was slowly but surely breaking down as she started to comprehend what Mei Yi was saying earlier. Was she really just...a plaything for gods and mortals alike, whose use begins and ends as their will dictates? Was she just a pawn, however powerful she was, in a game in which she was not even a player for? What really was she doing here? She left the service of Utopia, after finding out some of the 'hidden truths' of her universe. Utopia did not create the universe. Utopia had no love for the mortals it did not create or lead to. That mortal kind inadvertently  allowed Utopia to rule over itself. That mortal kind betrayed their own creator for their own gain.*

*That these 'truths', however true they were, meant absolutely nothing to everyone she ran into bothered her endlessly. It was as if truth, a 'good' of supposedly high value among mortal kind, was worth little if no one valued or wanted it. Then again, whose to say her 'truth' was valuable at all? In the market  of 'good', where all goods are valued and exchanged, not all goods are equally valued, demanded, supplied or even quality controlled.*

*It was then that Cassandra heard a strange sound...as Mei Yi began to chuckle darkly which then escalated into hysterical laughter. It took some time for Mei Yi to calm down but when she did...*

"Oh, are you actually being serious? As if such a place could exist! Such a fanciful place is untenable!" Mei Yi replied. "As long as we mortals exist, peace of the sort you speak of is an fairy tale that even children can't take seriously. No, eternal peace is something we can only dream of."

*For Mei Yi, a place with no hate or war was not a place where the living existed by definition, or an actual place. For all the cruelties and suffering life contains, it exists as we do along with the positives. For Mei Yi, a place that contained only 'positives' was either a place that didn't exist or had nothing in it.*

"Why don't you offer this 'salvation' to Cassandra?" Mei Yi asked Alez. "After all, living an actual life may be all too hard for her."

 

[Aura]

The harsh laughter of Mei Yi stung Alez's aching heart, but it wasn't an unexpected response. Of course, the very idea of such a place as Coelis would be entirely foreign to a person birthed in a world of hatred and war, but Alez knew from first-hand experience that it was true and very much real. She was certain that, by Goddess Caelisia's grace, these two beautiful women would have their quarrel washed away in the rivers of Coelis and they'd be able to relax together in peace for all eternity, all their wounds healed and their strife long gone. 

"I have offered this to you both. I have no respect for a god or goddess who would lead their world to death and decay with no promise of salvation. Help me return home and I will show you this fanciful world that which you call a fairy tale. It is a kingdom called Coelis." She extended her hand out to the mortal. "I don't know why or how we were brought here, but I need to return home and I will find my way there with or without either of you, but I want more than anything to heal both of your suffering. In a place like this, I can't do that. So I plead with you to let me help you both ease your hearts and see the beauty of each other all over again and to see how foolish it is to think that there is anything stopping you from loving each other and spreading joy as far as you can reach."

[Manni]

On 27/11/2020 at 18:20, Aura said:

The harsh laughter of Mei Yi stung Alez's aching heart, but it wasn't an unexpected response. Of course, the very idea of such a place as Coelis would be entirely foreign to a person birthed in a world of hatred and war, but Alez knew from first-hand experience that it was true and very much real. She was certain that, by Goddess Caelisia's grace, these two beautiful women would have their quarrel washed away in the rivers of Coelis and they'd be able to relax together in peace for all eternity, all their wounds healed and their strife long gone. 

"I have offered this to you both. I have no respect for a god or goddess who would lead their world to death and decay with no promise of salvation. Help me return home and I will show you this fanciful world that which you call a fairy tale. It is a kingdom called Coelis." She extended her hand out to the mortal. "I don't know why or how we were brought here, but I need to return home and I will find my way there with or without either of you, but I want more than anything to heal both of your suffering. In a place like this, I can't do that. So I plead with you to let me help you both ease your hearts and see the beauty of each other all over again and to see how foolish it is to think that there is anything stopping you from loving each other and spreading joy as far as you can reach."

It was then that Cassandra spoke, to both Alez and Mei Yi equally. What she was about to say wasn't going to improve the situation much but it was going to be all true. Wasn't that what mortals say they want? The unvarnished truth? Among other things anyway. Needless to say, what Cassandra was going to say had to be said.

"Alez, I'm sorry but Mei Yi...she can't accept such a thing even if it was possible. The fact is...she's dead and is only alive as her 'god' has use for her. If she dare try to leave her position, their existence is null and void the moment they make the decision. Her fate is no longer her own at this point, she's...merely a tool..."

Mei Yi instantly responded to Cassandra by saying, "And whose fault is that, I wonder?" her voice was dripping with pointed sarcasm. "For a vaunted 'tool' such as yourself to call me that...does irony never cease?! But...there's no denying the obvious. There's no salvation awaiting me nor for you...and you only have yourself to blame for this.'

It was then that the communication between Mei Yi's projection and Alez and Cassandra was interrupted by a man screaming in terror.

"HELP ME! SOMEONE, ANYONE!" a familiar male voice shouted desperately. It seemed Mr Enron was indeed here, whether by choice or not remained to be seen. Mei Yi sighed out loud in both exasperation and frustration. "My god, does this 'man' know no courage? He exploits forces beyond his understanding and expects to be treated with a level of respect reserved for those of more competence? Well, that man has had his uses but I fear he nears his use by date."

Cassandra could not help but ask Mei Yi, "What kind of plot does Utopia have for this world? The Demon Summoning Suite is not of this world and does not belong here!"

"Neither do you and yet here you are." Mei Yi replied pointedly to Cassandra. "True, I helped introduce the Demon Summoning Suite into this world for Utopia. But do not think for a moment that Utopia has many designs for this world other than as another weapons testing ground."

Whether Alez would believe that a god could be so callous as to do that to a world, Cassandra and Mei Yi did not know. Though in Mei Yi's and Cassandra's experience, a god's actions could not be explained or justified in mere mortal terms. In fact, the Church of Utopia did teach that the actions of the divine were inexplicable and needed no justification.

 

[Aura]

"Tch," Alez muttered in frustration when the whole situation was explained to her. She crossed her arms in defiance, especially so after hearing Mei Yi's response. "Well your 'god' sounds more like a warden than a god. I have zero respect for them and won't hesitate to choose my side if it comes to a fight. There is no love in using people like puppets, it's cruel and selfish!" Her frustration only grew as Mei Yi spoke up. She had no purpose to cut deeper into a wound that was already being torn apart. Mei Yi's feelings didn't matter to Alez at this point. She was being cruel out of nothing more than petty revenge at best as far as she could see it. "You're not contributing anything to this situation at all, you're not interested in bettering anything and your only goal is to hurt, so why don't you just shut up, you little-!" She started to step toward Mei Yi with more aggression. She didn't care that she was currently stuck in her human form. Her sense of justice was starting to cloud her reasoning. Before the situation was to escalate further, though, she heard a familiar voice screaming in the distance. Finally, it seemed the reason she was here showed its ugly face. Perhaps Caelisia's fate truly did follow her even into foreign lands. Mr. Enron's presence reassured Alez that she was in the right place. 

"Wait, so you are directly involved in all of this! In that case, then I demand you cease this demon suite experiment or whatever! If you're the reason that man has access to all this power, then I demand you take responsibility for the consequences of bringing demons into my world and bringing harm to innocent people! Remove that power from that man at once or I'll have no choice but bring Caelisia's wrath upon you! I'm not playing along with your foolish revenge games any longer!"

[Manni]

On 05/03/2021 at 17:35, Aura said:

"Tch," Alez muttered in frustration when the whole situation was explained to her. She crossed her arms in defiance, especially so after hearing Mei Yi's response. "Well your 'god' sounds more like a warden than a god. I have zero respect for them and won't hesitate to choose my side if it comes to a fight. There is no love in using people like puppets, it's cruel and selfish!" Her frustration only grew as Mei Yi spoke up. She had no purpose to cut deeper into a wound that was already being torn apart. Mei Yi's feelings didn't matter to Alez at this point. She was being cruel out of nothing more than petty revenge at best as far as she could see it. "You're not contributing anything to this situation at all, you're not interested in bettering anything and your only goal is to hurt, so why don't you just shut up, you little-!" She started to step toward Mei Yi with more aggression. She didn't care that she was currently stuck in her human form. Her sense of justice was starting to cloud her reasoning. Before the situation was to escalate further, though, she heard a familiar voice screaming in the distance. Finally, it seemed the reason she was here showed its ugly face. Perhaps Caelisia's fate truly did follow her even into foreign lands. Mr. Enron's presence reassured Alez that she was in the right place. 

"Wait, so you are directly involved in all of this! In that case, then I demand you cease this demon suite experiment or whatever! If you're the reason that man has access to all this power, then I demand you take responsibility for the consequences of bringing demons into my world and bringing harm to innocent people! Remove that power from that man at once or I'll have no choice but bring Caelisia's wrath upon you! I'm not playing along with your foolish revenge games any longer!"

*If only Alez knew what her words actually meant...and how applicable they could be to all gods. By the nature of their design, gods were seemingly epitomes of their faith's meaning, values or whatever concepts used to form them. However, that would lead to a inevitable question being asked, if the values of the faith or religion were too good and obvious, why would it need a god at all? Couldn't the ideals, if they were so evident, be freestanding of themselves? Indeed, which came first, the god or the good? Or perhaps it really did not matter at all as neither was the point of the exercise. The point was, with all mortal things, to obtain power and influence over and above things...to change the world to a state one desires. Mei Yi just smiled at Alez getting angry at what she said. To her, Alez was merely a child and not worth her time. Cassandra, on the other hand, as the one she had loved all this time...she could not forgive being dumped so easily for ideals they both knew meant nothing! As they were all taught, without god, there is no good. Without god, there is no value. Without god, there is no point. Without god, there is no meaning. Without god, there is nothing.*

*In a way, both Cassandra and Alez had not grown out of their religion but were at their limits, the chain binding them to it were being tested in dramatic fashion.*

"And so what if I am?" Mei Yi asked Alez. "What are you going to do? I sense no power from you...or your 'god'. Anyway, how is this your world? You seem about as foreign to this world as any of us except that Enron! If you want to be rid of it, then come for it. I'll be waiting."

*It was at that moment that Mei Yi's voice and image faded into the darkness. It seemed that she had enough of talking. This was not going to resolve itself peacefully.*

 

[Aura]

When Mei Yi asked what she would do, Alez was briefly confused. She had just explained what she was going to do! Only, when she thought to take her next move, she quickly came to realize exactly what was being asked. She knew she'd need her Goddess' help... but how could she reach out to Caelisia from here? She was trapped. It was the whole reason she was panicked in the first place. She pondered for a moment and finally came to her own conclusion.

"It is not your world that I am concerned about at the moment. It is the fact that that man has invaded my world with this demon suite from your own! I don't care what arbitrary rules your god sets for herself, if you refuse to take action against him then you and your god will regret your decision. All I need to do is wait. I've prayed to Caelisia for backup before being brought here. Any minute their investigation will lead them to this world. Your foolish god will be defeated, all who stand for her will face judgment, and it will be up to her what to do with you. I may be but a scout, a pair of eyes for Caelisia, but don't think for a second that I'll just sit back and do nothing while I wait! I'll fight to the death if I have to to protect the people of my world. This is grounds for war and I don't think you realize the gravity of your words!"

As she watched Mei Yi fade away, Alez was filled with the same fury that'd overtaken her before. She clenched her fist and immediately charged toward the woman, throwing all of her weight into a primitive, animalistic punch that landed on nothing. This led to her awkwardly stumbling forward and cursing the woman under her breath as she regained her balance. Transitioning from ethereal to physical was already awkward enough, unexpected shifts in balance nearly made it impossible to hold herself with any sort of dignity or grace. Her training focused on the importance of keeping her emotions in balance, she was essentially taught that getting stranded in her physical form would spell her doom.

She sighed and glanced back at Cassandra in silence for several moments. "I don't care who she was before. She's a villain as far as I'm concerned, and she has no desire for repentance..." She stopped again. "I'm sorry... I understand she means a lot to you." Alez looked back up in the direction she last heard Mr. Enron's voice. She was unsure if it was right to pursue him. If this world was outside of her own jurisdiction, perhaps it would make her a hypocrite to pursue Mr. Enron here. Still, she'd rather die than leave the matter in the hands of some pretentious lunatic of a god. "I'm going after him. I need to at least gather more information and this is my only lead. I've lost all respect for whoever rules this place."

[Manni]

On 09/06/2021 at 11:11, Aura said:

When Mei Yi asked what she would do, Alez was briefly confused. She had just explained what she was going to do! Only, when she thought to take her next move, she quickly came to realize exactly what was being asked. She knew she'd need her Goddess' help... but how could she reach out to Caelisia from here? She was trapped. It was the whole reason she was panicked in the first place. She pondered for a moment and finally came to her own conclusion.

"It is not your world that I am concerned about at the moment. It is the fact that that man has invaded my world with this demon suite from your own! I don't care what arbitrary rules your god sets for herself, if you refuse to take action against him then you and your god will regret your decision. All I need to do is wait. I've prayed to Caelisia for backup before being brought here. Any minute their investigation will lead them to this world. Your foolish god will be defeated, all who stand for her will face judgment, and it will be up to her what to do with you. I may be but a scout, a pair of eyes for Caelisia, but don't think for a second that I'll just sit back and do nothing while I wait! I'll fight to the death if I have to to protect the people of my world. This is grounds for war and I don't think you realize the gravity of your words!"

As she watched Mei Yi fade away, Alez was filled with the same fury that'd overtaken her before. She clenched her fist and immediately charged toward the woman, throwing all of her weight into a primitive, animalistic punch that landed on nothing. This led to her awkwardly stumbling forward and cursing the woman under her breath as she regained her balance. Transitioning from ethereal to physical was already awkward enough, unexpected shifts in balance nearly made it impossible to hold herself with any sort of dignity or grace. Her training focused on the importance of keeping her emotions in balance, she was essentially taught that getting stranded in her physical form would spell her doom.

She sighed and glanced back at Cassandra in silence for several moments. "I don't care who she was before. She's a villain as far as I'm concerned, and she has no desire for repentance..." She stopped again. "I'm sorry... I understand she means a lot to you." Alez looked back up in the direction she last heard Mr. Enron's voice. She was unsure if it was right to pursue him. If this world was outside of her own jurisdiction, perhaps it would make her a hypocrite to pursue Mr. Enron here. Still, she'd rather die than leave the matter in the hands of some pretentious lunatic of a god. "I'm going after him. I need to at least gather more information and this is my only lead. I've lost all respect for whoever rules this place."

*Cassandra could only watch on in horror as Mei Yi and Alez continued to spar with their words, which proved only to hurt Cassandra herself and neither of them. Cassandra found herself torn between these two, Alez and what was 'right' on one hand and Mei Yi and the love she wanted in the other. Which would win out in the end? Cassandra found she could not choose between the two of them reliably and consistently, she desparately wanted both but knew it was impossible at this point. Mei Yi could not be 'saved', no matter if Cassandra won or lost. To her world, she was dead and buried long ago. Only through an act of her deity could even the rules of her universe and even death be overruled. Cassandra knew that Mei Yi never had this much power when alive and she could sense that this Mei Yi was stronger than the one she spent time with when alive, which should be impossible. Her deity must have resurrected her and modified her to this point. That was the only way she could think of that would allow for this monstrosity of a situation to happen. Not even a peep came out of Cassandra's lips as she watched Mei Yi's  image disappear and Alez angrily punching the space which they once occupied, she could not come up with any words. She couldn't even reach out to either of them. Cassandra seemed paralysed from the inside out, though the expression on her face would say it all. She was horrified either way. Fortunately for Cassandra, Alez changed the subject from Mei Yi for a moment to Mr Enron. If there was a lucky break for both of them, this would be it. With the inadvertent change in subject that Alez made, it gave Cassandra the mental break she needed to focus on other matters...at least for the moment.A s Cassandra focussed on the matter of Mr Enron and what to do about him, she could feel her ambivalent and troublesome thoughts fade into the background. She could feel her desire for 'justice' to be done increase and thus her mind started to function much better. As their hearts were linked from Alez's earlier attempts, even Alez would feel improvements from Cassandra and perhaps herself. It was then that a thought struck Cassandra as the fact of their emotional connection became clear. She realised that her feelings about Mei Yi were indeed affecting Alez negatively and this was affecting the girl in more ways than one.*

Cassandra, you know what's coming next. You ARE going to have to choose, whether you like it or not came the voice of Helheim, seemingly from both far away and somewhere close simulatenously. Cassandra was not yet aware of how exactly Helheim was communicating with her and where they even were. , it seemed this was some sort of 'backdoor' into her very being and an encrypted channel so protected it couldn't be detected by most means. It was similar to the way her deity used to contact her and yet felt very different. I know about your situation with Mei Yi and it is indeed tragic.

...I can feel her anger and resentment. She must feel betrayed by what I have done..... Cassandra managed to reply to Helheim in her mind. On the outside, she looked like she was in deep thought. And even if I kill her...she will be in the thrall of Utopia forever...

So that's the REAL issue... Helheim replied to Cassandra in a strangely thoughtful and considerate tone. What if I told you that this doesn't have to be the case?

...Excuse me? Wait, did you just say... Cassandra managed to reply, the expression on her face externally changing from one of deep thought to one of deep shock.

So you're listening now. Excellent. Unfortunately, I cannot alter the reality that you are going to have to fight and kill her but I can grant you a magic that will free her from Utopia's grasp...

...Such a thing is possible?! Cassandra managed to reply back, sounding a lot happier than she did.

Let me finish, please. It will free her from Utopia's grasp BUT she will not reincarnate in your universe. She will most likely reincarnate elsewhere but none of the properties she once had, it'll be like a fresh start for her.

Cassandra noted the use of 'most likely' by Helheim and instantly jumped on it. So...there's a chance that she won't reincarnate at all...that I might destroy her for good...

I can't guarantee what will happen...but apply yourself as you usually do and you will have the best chance of the intended result.

I see... Cassandra replied. Helheim was usually very frank with her and this was no different but why were they giving her this option? This seemed a bit out of character for them, asthey were usually very cold. However, she was still rather happy that there was a chance at 'saving' Mei Yi...even if she still had to die. Hopefully, Alez would feel this happiness and draw strength from it.

 

[Aura]

Indeed, Alez could feel every bit of pain from Cassandra's heart. It tore at her own heart, but it was a struggle she couldn't exactly compromise on. She came here after Mr. Enron. That bastard hurt who knows how many people... destroyed that poor girl's life, and humiliated her with such a cruel scheme... Anyone who would refuse to assist her in bringing him to justice was an enemy to her, she'd already made up her mind.

She understood that going forward would likely hurt Cassandra even more. That's fine, she supposed. It was Cassandra's own decision to get involved just as it was Alez's. She supposed there wasn't any particular need for them both to fight the same battle. Perhaps this was a good place to split up. Alez had faith that it wouldn't be long before Caelisia's forces would come to her rescue. Until then, she had to do her job as a scout.

"If you want to stay here, I understand. I can sever our link so we don't have to worry about each other. I have to go, so if you don't want to be alone, feel free to follow me." with that, Alez closed her eyes and took a deep breath before finally starting to calm down and refocus her own emotions so that she could pursue her goal. Her wings soon reappeared and she returned to her ethereal form. She spread her wings and began to fly off in the direction Mr. Enron fled.

[Manni]

*As Alez flew towards the village that Mei Yi had told both Cassandra and Alez she was at, Alez would be able to hear the distant cries of a desparate man that wanted to get the hell out of dodge (for lack of a better term). From the sounds of their cries, they were legitimately fearing for their life. It would be a mystery though, as to why. Things seeemed peaceful enough on the surface. From the air,the village itself would look quaint and peaceful. The village was boxed in by a tall wooden fortified wall with guardposts on each of its four corners. However, the guardposts did not seem manned at the moment. The houses and dwellings Alez would be able to see seemed to suggest signs of life other than Mei Yi and Mr Enron were present. The architecture of the buildings were reminiscient of those that would be found in China on Earth. As this was a small village, there weren't many dwellings in this place that made large courtyards or were self enclosed. The houses looked largely functional and lowset, though there were a small number of multi-storey buildings which would most likely be the inn. Alez would be able to see the lights of laterns and the fire of the hearth in the dwellings light the way. Looks like the village was somewhat populated, though Alez would have no idea if the populace was human or not at this point. Maybe if she got closer to the village, she would be able to see and find out...*

*The closer that Alez got to the village, the more obvious it became that the village had people in it. On much closer inspection, she would be able to see evidence of human settlement such as two wells for water, various clothelines (though currently empty), various braziers to light the night among other things. She would even be able to see figures of people walking around in the open, seemingly carrying on normally. Did they not know there was some lunatic on the loose?! She might be able to overhear some conversations, if she were stealthy about things. Whether she would get something out of them would be another matter. For what Alez would soon realise and find out is that this whole place...is just a snapout of the past, preserved in time. The people walking around were functionally ghosts of the past, blind and ignorant to the present.*

*Though if Alez followed Mr Enron's screams for help, she would find him soon enough..along with some unwanted company.*

[Aura]

Alez found the distressed cries of the man somewhat disturbing, albeit a bit amusing considering he was clearly getting his just deserts for the many crimes against her world he's been responsible for in his reckless, greedy pursuit of money. Still, she had a responsibility to bring him to justice in his own home world, and at this point, she doubted the goddess would be very merciful to such a foolish man. Soon, the village she had set off for had come into view, so Alez flapped her wings and glided more swiftly toward the buildings on the horizon.

While she was initially on her guard while drawing near the village, it seemed to be filled with... normal humans. Being in her ethereal form, she could assume there was no need to fear about being discovered. Only those she allowed, or those of supernatural origin could see her. As far as she could tell, there was nothing supernatural about these people. So, while she still had to stay on her guard in anticipation of whatever monster might show up and attack her out of nowhere, she made little effort to be stealthy around the humans of the village. She only grew increasingly confused, however, as she drew near and watched the people go about their daily lives as if everything was normal. Not one of them seemed to care about the screams of Mr. Enron, they didn't even seem the least bit curious. It was as if they couldn't hear him at all... Maybe this was some form of supernatural torment that made it so that his cries for help fell only on deaf ears?

Alez decided that it might be a good idea to figure out more about this place, to understand its significance before rushing headlong into battle. This village just might turn out to be significantly more important than she'd assume from the looks of it. There's no telling what secrets this strange world could hide. So, she decided to hover over the people of the village and listen in on their words. She may not be in her own world, but her adoration of humanity and desire to help others still hung true even here, even though she knew she probably couldn't be of much help without the strength of her goddess...

[Manni]

*As Alez wandered the village, listening in on the various conversations the various villagers had with each other, she would learn of several things. The first thing she would learn was that none of the villagers took any notice of her nor could she interact with them in any way. Any attempt to physically interact with them failed if she tried to touch them or gain their attention in some way, as she would just pass through them. It didn't seem to matter if she was 'spotted' by them or not, they did not acknowledge her existence. It seemed to be the case that the villagers were no longer living. Though they looked alive enough, Alez could not interact with them nor gain their attention. Perhaps these villagers were spirits permenantly stuck in whatever time period this was...or wherever this was. The next thing Alez would learn would be that this place was certainly not of the Earth she was familair with nor the Earth Sam and Mr Enron was from.

This village was called Jiang Hu Village and existed in a country called Wu. Apparently years ago, Wu had experienced a long conflict with a belligirent neighbouring state of Long whom invaded due to legends about mystical artifacts of powerthat existed in Wu. The war, lasting a decade, ended with the defeat of the opposing nation whom withdrew from Wu upon the defeat of their leader. Long's defeat was brought about by the emergence of a party of noble Heroes, whom fought against the tyrannical Long State. Alez would learn that both Cassandra and Mei Yi were two of the heroes that ended the war and brought peace to both Long and Wu. After the war and reconstruction, both Cassandra and Mei Yi seemingly retired to the village of Jiang Hu for a quiet life. Alez would hear many stories of bravery and valour of Mei Yi and Cassandra during the warring period and their efforts to heal to rebuild the two countries after the war.Mei Yi, as it would turn out, had royal lineage and was one of the possible candidates to ascend to the throne. However, she relinquished her royal claim and instead accompanied Cassandra for the rest of her mortal life. These stories would perhaps make Alez wonder if they were referring to the same Mei Yi she knew becauuse they seemed so characteristic of the one she knew. However, after finding some history books that came with pictures, it was the case that the villagers were talking about the same Mei Yi.

How was that possible? What could have possibly happened to change Mei Yi? From what the locals said she was like, she was a completely different person. *

[Aura]

The more she explored of the village, the emptier Alez began to feel here. It was like she was totally disconnected from them. Even moreso than usual. Like they were on a whole other plane of existence and she was just watching them through some sort of monitor. She wasn't quite sure what the purpose of this village was... why were these people here? Was this some sort of snapshot of Cassandra or Mei Yi's memory? Or perhaps these were real people trapped under some sort of curse? As for her thoughts about Mei Yi, while she certainly had her concerns there, she had to remind herself it wasn't her jurisdiction. She had no business digging deeper into their history. Whatever they wanted to share with her, they would. Besides, from what she's heard already, she was able to get a vague idea of what happened. It was a messy situation that wouldn't be very smart to get involved in. She figured it was best not to interfere too much before taking a deep breath and preparing to head into battle.

There was no telling how long she could last in her current position. She needed to find a way back and her only lead was Mr. Enron. Or perhaps whatever was causing him to scream. Her priority was to find her way back to her own world so that she could be reunited with her Mother in Coelis to be healed and renewed. While it was easier said than done, if she didn't do whatever she could think to, she'd be as good as dead in this world. She tried not to let her feelings get the better of her as she spread her wings and began to take off in the direction of the screams, trusting that when the moment arose, Caelisia's Blade would appear in her hands.