locked to zenith

[bakedapple]

[ Link's mental space feels like being outside, so depending on where you are, you might not realize that someone has started Communion with you. Since joining the Zenith, the landscape of Link's mind has gone from idyllic, sunny forests to icy, overcast mountains. A frigid wind blows against your face, carrying the scent of firewood and meat roasting over an open flame. The diminutive Hylian is not sitting by the fire, but standing at the edge of a rocky ledge, his back turned. ]

There's going to be another Oracle soon. I can feel it. The rest of you can feel it too, right? That... pulling feeling.

[ He sighs. ]

If we lose this one, it's over. The Meridian isn't going to go easy on us. I know them... I know how badly they want to win. To them, the stakes couldn't be higher.

So let's talk. About what we're going to be up against, and... well, planning ahead isn't really something we can do, but at least we can warn each other of the dangers that individual Meri pose.

And I... I want to say something, too.

[ He sits down where he stands, his feet hanging off the cliff. There's a sense that he knows this isn't going to go over well, but it's important enough to him to say it anyway. ]

Killing the other guy before they kill you is what war is. That's normal. But Kenos is different. Death doesn't work the way it should here. We don't die permanently. You can neutralize someone threatening you by just dissipating them. There's nothing to gain by destroying their soul after you're no longer in danger.

So, I don't think any of us should shatter anyone ever again.

If you claim someone's Shard, you should protect it. If you feel that you can't do that, give it to someone else.

...I'm not stupid. I know a lot of you aren't gonna agree to this. And the Meris probably won't either. I'm sure they want revenge for what happened to Quetzalcoatl, and those of you who lost the Shards Yima gave you probably aren't feeling very merciful right now either...

But if we don't come to some kinda agreement now, that's going to become normal. Things are gonna get really bad. I don't want that. So... can we talk about it, at least?

Comments

[punkisntdead]

[The sensation of raised eyebrows and an amused (and confused) laugh.]

What kind of a nickname is Fluffy?

[Last she checked this was a horny lady and not a dog??]

[punkisntdead]

[Okay abrupt pivot from her flippant comment above—]

Dude you have GOT to hook me up with some firepower.

[PLEASE.]

:D

[semicharmed]

[ Matt appreciates the clarification of Cid's views. He'd clocked his discomfort, so he hadn't planned to push too hard, but there's something of a relieved psychic sigh at the idea that people are being too quick to jump to murder.

(Also, he's totally taking Cid's lack of condemnation as license to blaze ahead on his dubious Oracle experiments, and that is not Cid's fault.) ]

And the side that committed war crimes, [ he adds uneasily. ] I mean, again, everybody's moral codes are different, but where I come from targeting civilians would have one thousand percent gotten you dragged to an international court.

I know Zenith wasn't the first to destroy Shards, though. To be totally fair.

[baltimores]

[ In return there's the sensation of Amos miming holding something in front of him, like a box. A fluffy, fur-covered box. More like a small animal than a box, but the rectangular shape is easier to mime, so. ]

She's fluffy.

[ Yep, that definitely explains everything. ]

[semicharmed]

[ Oh no, now Matt feels like he overcorrected to only speak to the people who don't value life. That's such an unfair thing to do. ]

I'm getting that sense. [ An attitude of apology radiates through his Communion. ] Maybe the people who are pro-permanently-killing are just louder than the rest of us.

[fursuit]

Well, yeah. Can’t get louder than Silco’s apparent psycho killer rant.

[ hi, he’s butting in… This also sounds like he’s complimenting Silco, though ]

\o/

[youngprodigy]

...Aye, that's true. I'm sure the defectors want to ignore that little fact.

Even before that, there has been evidence that Meridian has the power to wipe souls from shards.

[Which is utterly terrifying.]

They go on to "gift" the wiped shards, from what I understand.

Minimizing civilian causalities should go without saying, but they're always the first targets. There's no real international court where I am from, though the Grand Eorzean Alliance would likely make for a fearsome bloc.

[bakedapple]

If anyone can beat her up close, it's got to be you, Tezcatlipoca.

[ Smiling slightly as he says it — and he isn't just kissing his ass or something, either. The real irony here is that Link might be the one person who really could take her out all on his own, being as experienced as he is in killing Lynels. He wouldn't even need any magic or powers to do it either. But Kenos has caused Link to lose faith in his own ability to contribute anything... and Tezca is a god! How could Hayame stand a chance against a god? ]

If we find her, we should try. We'd protect a lot of Zenites by taking care of her early.

[semicharmed]

Ah--yeah, I'd guess that's true. [ A frown. Matt's so focused on the words he wants to use (and not use) that he's kind of forgotten to come across as embodied via Communion, so the sense of frowning is more of a vibe. ] Hell, if it were me, I'd put up some kind of ward or something against Zenith energy ... keep us from getting too close.

Okay, but the effigy-- [ Of the Iconoclast Oracle. The same one Set mentioned. ] --is the Oracle in there? Or does it visit, like a god or a spirit might visit a dedicated shrine?

[tattooism]

[When you see a chance to try and trap a god with their words into giving you something... You take it. If you are as confident as Kiritsubo can be beneath the act.

She chuckles.]

Big Bro, yes. And since he is still playing that a bit too literally, we must be quiet while I work. Don't want to disturb the little boys, after all.

[She wasn't actually bugging Amos about it, but is she still playing the annoyed cuckold? Yes.]

As for placement... I did get to thinking when you showed me what you're already working with.

I'll be taking front and center.

[semicharmed]

[ There's a glimmer of surprise, followed by an undeniably warm: ]

Hi, Tezcatlipoca.

[ Silco's psycho killer rant was distinctly not cute. But Tezca's cool, so Matt will let the tone slide. ]

[bakedapple]

[ That's a horrible story. Not horrible in a way where Link thinks Amos did something wrong, but just... sad.

Link is quiet for a moment, letting these new details settle in his brain. ]

Pride, then. She's prideful.

[ It makes sense with what little interactions Link has had with her personally. She took great offense to him assuming she was a monster in Alenroux, all those months ago. ]

...I don't know. It sounds like she was good as dead anyway, that one time. But... I guess I'll keep it in mind.

[ But probably not. That sounds like a tactic for someone will far fewer scruples than Link. ]

[fursuit]

Hey there yourself.

[ There’s a laugh in his tone that makes this sound a little bit flirty!

…But then he dives right back into the topic at hand, so. Mood killer. ]

But nah, I don’t think wantin’ to crush the Shards is all that popular of an opinion. Hell, even I don’t approve of it. [ Which makes sense in his role as a psychopomp, but as the god of conflict… ] But doesn’t mean people are gonna stop, though. Tactically speaking? Right thing to do.

[bakedapple]

I want to protect everyone from doing something to put themselves in danger, but I don't know what to do.

[ There's a very real sense of shame in his words. ]

...it it pointless?

[tattooism]

[She does go with Showing Over Communion... the image suddenly creeps into his mind of a fierce, violent battle waged between a young man dressed in black and a muscular ogre with crimson red hair, both fighting with blades that cut and clash with sounds of metallic impact.

But Kiritsubo is there. Watching.

And there is ink she must have left on that man, a more realistic crimson peony blooming on his back and a more abstract flower on his stomach that Link might recognize as being all too close to the one she has tattooed on her own belly... But it loses its shape when the exorcist's blade cleaves towards the man's neck, racing across his skin to intercept.

Not only that... But the ink solidifies, it repels the blade from skin... and the oni grins maliciously, moves to strike back against the shocked opponent...

And Kiritsubo's Communion vision fades away.]

[bakedapple]

I really don't know. We don't even know what the Oracles are, exactly. Or what it means to claim them... or where the Effigies even come from.

[ There's a reason a lot of the Shard-Bearers who have been here for a long time have given up on trying to find out what's really going on. Even if you could try devoting yourself to unraveling Kenos' secrets... The Oracles come anyway, for the two sides to fight over. ]

[zauneyete]

And that is why we so consistently have to deal with the Meridian inciting violence. Let us not forget the corrupted shards — I can assure you that those likely did not come from a force outside of Meridian. Nor the "gun" they decided was "retaliation" for the murder of a single leader. [ And. Well, there was the chaos, but the deaths were just citizens, they didn't really matter. ] And I suppose some were caught in the chaos.

And yet they call me out for removing Meridian's "battery" for them.

[ The mental equivalent of a shrug. ]

The weak will be the weak. Power comes from being willing to do whatever is necessary to achieve our goals. They will rot in obscurity soon enough, should they be unwilling to finally do what is necessary. Then again, that is why the leadership in Zenith so values me, and not them.

[ SILCO........... ]

[eightfoldfiend]

You can make guns?

[There is something like a gust of wind across Yuber's presence. He's impressed.

Where he's from guns belonged only to a secretive guild operating out of Holy Harmonia. They claimed their guns chose them, that only the best could ever bond with such a weapon.]

That sounds like a valuable skill...

[semicharmed]

Hey, Amos.

[ Matt's attitude through Communion is warm, if somewhat removed. The remove feels more like physical distance than emotional wariness--a concern about whether he should derail Amos' current train of thought. The vibes are very "gently tossing a rock at Amos' bedroom window." ]

I was going to ask you something unrelated, actually. I know you have magical capabilities of your own, so I'm not sure if you need it, but I was thinking I could enchant something for you. I can do protection, good luck, invisibility ... a lot of things.

[ There's more to say--possibly a lot more. But for the moment, Matt stops at the elevator pitch. ]

[settingup]

[ For all his complaining, he is kind of simple, because this excuse is actually kind of working on him... ]

... Yeah, guess Gen-kun is the type to seriously tick people off more, huh?

[ Sorry, Gen. You're his friend, but he'll drag you for his own ego. ]

[fursuit]

That's my thought too. Even if she ends up retreating, it'll be with plenty of pain to show for it.

[ Since that's his confidence—either she dissipates or she retreats. There's no wholly decisive victory against him. ]

Assumin' it's possible, you wanna be my backup? If I'll be in close quarters, pepperin' her with arrows will keep her nice and distracted.

[fursuit]

Oh, yeah, heard your, uh. Troubles with that. Was kinda hungover at the time, though, so.

[ That's why no reply... He's not a responsible god when it comes to Substances, actually. He'll at least be chilling out on it with the Oracle now for sure on the horizon, though. ]

Front and center, huh? Sounds like you got a big piece in mind, then! Chest or stomach?

sighs..............

[zauneyete]

[ You knew it was coming ]

Isn't it odd how your moral high ground only lasts as long as you dislike the subject of your distaste?

You can say my name, boy. It's not a curse that will damn you for keeping it out of your mouth. In fact, I am proud of my work.

After all, I hear none of such problems with permanently ending the life of their leader, hm? His soul is just as lost as Quetzalcoatl's, because there is no such thing as an afterlife, or souls, or any of the such nonsense you all prattle about. Metaphysical nonsense that you have no proof of but believe in fully. Ah, but Cyrus was not one of us, now was he? So it is acceptable amongst our ranks.

Quetzalcoatl, the fuel to which they used to power their attack, however, has "merit" to you.

And when she was going to be used again? And again? When Set's power hungry revenge against Yima's works is not found complete until he decimates the lot of us? Do you think he would allow us to merely destroy his weapon? Could you?

No, we remove the power, and all the better for it, for now it has been eradicated, never to be used again. Do you think our enemies care if you feel sad about a goddess dying? So what, that she had power? In a new world, her light will mean nothing. Her soul will be nothing. Our Meridian enemies do not care for you because they believe so fully in the fact that you will take their world away from them. It does not matter to them that their worlds are destroyed, because they simply fail to recognize reality. They hope so fully that their worlds are still out there, that you are simply the ones taking it from them. When it comes down to it, when the final Oracles are left, do you truly think that they will stay their hands, when you are between them and their world? No. It is best to cease their existence, prune their numbers, and fight for what you believe in. They want to paint us the bad people, for believing in something new instead of what is old, and already destroyed. They have failed to understand something — and many of you have too:

Death is death. Whether it is the crushing of a shard, or a death in your own world, it means little difference. The only difference is now you have all become foolhardy with your lives, and you have all died once, or perhaps twice, and thus you now fear seeing your own soul shattered, don't you?

[ surprise!! The person Silco is raging against this time is you zenites 💚💚💚💚💚💚 ]

Good.

Use it, then. Prove yourselves capable. If you refuse to shatter shards, then perhaps you will purchase the goodwill you so desperately crave. And your efforts to build a new world only go as far as what you are comfortable with. Do you think a war cares if you are comfortable? So few of you have had to fight for something that you believed in, and had to watch as everyone else falls back into complacency when it becomes difficult. I've seen it before, and do you know where it leads? Defeat. When it becomes hard, I wonder how many of you will still be fighting. It will not be easy. It will not be comfortable.

The sooner you all recognize that, the sooner we can get to business and stop wringing our hands about how Meridian will feel about it, and how mad they will become. I do not care about them, beyond the obstacle that they place in our way.

But oh, I forgot, you want them to be your friends, don't you. [ The impression in communion of rolled eyes. ] Do not come weeping, when these "friends" betray you, for I've told you all time and time again. You will only be allowed to exist as long as you are convenient. I only hope you do not find this out only at the bitter end, and regret your lack of conviction.

[erbe]

He's doing it right now, even. That boy can't help himself even amongst ourselves.

1/2

[kinaesthesia]

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