Fantasy Hunter's Moon: The Sin & Sentence [IC] [CLOSED]

[SniperComZero]

As the group strolled through the village, Gwen was content in slinking a few feet behind the group. It meant that she didn't have to much speak to the beggars, and simply let the others give or push them as they so chose. It also gave her the time to tie some rags around her mouth and nose, mitigating the smell... slightly. As the bulk of the group reached the barn with, well, what everyone's calling an angel, a brief thought, spurred by their recent conversations flashed in the elf's mind. Thus as kings rule the land, should the gods rule over kings, and their same stipulations apply...

[. . .Where were his people, when mine were dying?]

The best that Gwen could offer was a cold glare, but nothing more.

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

Takato's qi power surged through the man's body as he went to work. The wound gradually closed up, rended flesh healing itself without even a scar left behind. The angel nearly starts to weep after being so moved by the kindness of these people. Being given food, money, and being healed by them moves him so much that he attempts to give Takato a hug as a show of gratitude. He wraps his shaking, bony arms around him, but is too weak to actually hold him.

"You people are too kind for this place..." he says as he trembles. "... I have asked for too much, but... I think I would like to come with you. Is this too much trouble?"

 

[Damian0358]

Takato, seeing the angel mendicant try to embrace him, helps him by allowing him to lean on his body to compensate for him being unable to hold him. Hearing the man's request though, the hermit just looked over at the others, looking rather uncertain himself. He personally didn't want to endanger the guy, given that whatever danger he may be now due to him being a mendicant would just get exacerbated by being associated with them. But if the others are up for it, he wouldn't challenge the decision.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob listened attentively to every word of Colette. It became apparent that she's been living through a lot ever since she's been condemned to this place, all because of Velin and her insane ways of achieving redemption. After speaking about her experiences, she begged Jakob to talk once more to which he answered with a little smile. "I am not dead, nor I am condemned to this place... I've come here on my own, to save a friend who was also unfairly tossed into this place." He sighed, thinking about Valeria and where she might be. He then raised his head to look back at Colette. "...You could come with us, you know? maybe we can help you escape th-"

"...In Hell, then."

Jakob looked over his shoulder to see Edmond kneeling down in front of Mariette. "I swear my oath to you, for now on I am your knight." But before the knight could continue with his speech, Jakob got off his seat to look at Mariette. "...What do you mean, in Hell?" Edmond got off his knee to look down at Jakob. "Is there a problem, Phillomon?" Jakob looked up at Edmond before looking back at Mariette. "You are not saying you want to stay here, right? Come on, Mariette, we are so close to getting out. You can't possibly want to stay here."

 

[Dmaster]

Hudson was within earshot to hear all of Colette's story as well as what Mariette had said about taking the blame for killing Sazak's son. It was rather wishful thinking to believe that placing the blame on the countess would calm that wizard down any, the nervous wreck so worried about saving his own skin that he could not be less concerned with who could be saved or avenged. Responsibility mattered little, for even if Mariette choose not to kill Ergran Hudson would have gone through with it anyway. Knowing this, he felt no need to placate Venextos any with statements so empty. Someone as smart as him should understand that Sazak being after them now would have been an inevitability regardless.

As he ruminated on that he took shots of his drink rather quietly, having removed his helmet yet keeping his hat on to relax if only by a small margin. There was mention of Theodore at that point, the demon that had been talking to Jakob supposedly the man's wife. Hudson knew quite little about Theodore aside from the fact that Camille spoke highly of his ingenuity, but he did sympathize for the alchemist's plight. Sadly, he wasn't surprised to hear a vampire being the culprit of her condition and position in the afterlife.

By the time he had come back to the conversations proper, Jakob was getting up in protest over Mariette making the choice to leave for the land of the living. "Jakob, the countess is dead. All of those once imprisoned at Sazak's keep are meant to be dead." he stated rather flatly. "If you ask me, I think it should stay that way. Gods know I wouldn't be trying to fight my way out of the Abyss when I end up here. Preserve the natural order of things, don't steal a second chance at life from it." Hudson poured himself another shot, swirling the liquor about in his glass before throwing it back like the others.

 

[K0mori]

"...I don't much care about the natural order of things," Mariette said, "but when I decided to end my life, here is where I thought I'd be. Velin's faulty reasoning still brought her to the correct conclusion." Mariette's voice was soft and yet very firm at the same time. "I did not suffer these last 30 years just to turn tail and run from the fate I've incurred."

 

[EdwardDewey98]

"To hell with the natural order!" shouted Jakob, before turning back to Mariette. "Mariette, please.. you don't deserve to be here. You were a kind but troubled soul, and you can't condemn yourself to a life like this!" Edmond looked back and forth between Jakob and Mariette, eventually he coughed up a few words. "...But that is not for you to decide, Mr. Phillomon." Jakob raised his arms in utter disbelief. "You just said you wanted to go back there and help!" "And who says we won't be able to help down here? People like our fair lady, the perfume seller, are fairly common down here. Unfairly casted aside for things they cannot control."

Jakob looked down for a moment before approaching Mariette. "...What about all the things you promised me? You promised you visit me. What about your estate? Your wine? All those vampires that weeped for your death. For the countess that treated them so well. You'll just cast all of that aside because of your regrets and pain? The world needs you. Screw the natural order of things! If I could get every innocent soul out of this realm of despair, I would!" Jakob gave Mariette a sincere look. There was a bit of silence between the two of them before he spoke again. "...Please do the right thing, Mariette."

 

[Dmaster]

Jakob's shouting didn't dissuade Hudson from having his drink, still remaining seated as she shook his head from side to side. "Good people die all the time, Jake. That doesn't mean we owe it to them to drag their spirits back up to the surface." he stated, not bothering to look at the man as he spoke. "If Mariette believes that she belongs down here, there's very little you can do to stop her. Close as you were with her you unfortunately weren't there in her final moments, you didn't know what she did or would plan to do next. After already causing such harm and playing into a deal with Sazak, she made the right decision."

Hudson finally looked up from the bar to address the room proper. His face was grizzled and scarred, carrying the same tired expression often heard in his voice. "Valeria didn't die, she made a deal with Sazak to kill the Duke. She can still be saved, Mariette cannot."

 

[Infab]

Riberta giggled when she heard Hudson talk about a natural order. "There isn't a natural order when you have angels, demons, and the supernatural running around everywhere." she said, before chugging from the bottle set before her by Cat. When she set the bottle down, she spoke again. "If the Countess wants to return to the land of the living, she should. She deserves to go back....she's a good person deep down, regardless of what she's done in the past. She's had her ups and downs...just like me."

When Hudson spoke again, she looked back down to him once more. And her face grew serious. "She can be saved. Just like Valeria. Just like you. Just like me. Just like everyone else worth a damn. Fuck what Velin thinks, or the church."

There was another pair of ears nearby, sitting in the hallway leading into the bar. Just out of sight, as to not be seen by the group in the bar. Cassandra quietly listened in, sitting with her back to the wall, and hugging her knees to her chest. Her chin rested on her knees, eyes gazing down at the carpetted floor. Her aura was greatly suppressed, making her appear as if she wasn't there.

She rarely suppressed her aura, and this was only the second time she had done it since she was in the service of the Duke. But she wanted to listen to Mariette. To see if any of her friends could get through to her. Jakob was a friend of hers. She'd consider it if he spoke to her, right?

She continued to stare at the floor, waiting to hear more. And as soon as she heard movement, she'd be gone in a flash. Back to her room to appear as if she had never left it.

---​

Vincent scratched his chin as the angel proposed going with them. "That's...not the best idea. You see, we're here to do something to strike at Thorgran. I'd rather you not get hurt again, you know?" he said, before raising a finger. "If you're still around later, we'll make sure you're fed a lot more than what we gave you, though."

As he spoke, he wondered about the mark that was on the angel's leg. The one near where the wound had been. Did they brand him or something?

 

[Dmaster]

The hunter put on a scowl at the open criticism to his views from Riberta, looking to her as he firmly shook his head from side to side. "So just because the world's fucked is an excuse to just let the dead leave what's meant to be their final resting place? Do you really think that'll do any good for what's taking place?" Hudson asked rhetorically, clenching his fists slightly. "The difference between our rescued prisoners and ourselves is that they were sent here because they died, we were sent here to die."

"What makes Mariette any more worthy for being brought back to life from the Abyss than others that are sent here? Because she's sorry for what she's done?" he goes on to ask, spreading his arms as he further gesticulates his point. "Do you think that with all the regret and pain I've felt, the work I've done to atone for my mistake that I don't deserve to end up here? Being regretful and atoning does no good for the past, or the people you've killed. I fully expect to end up here when I die - and if for some bat-shit insane reason that Velin wants me to go to heaven I will demand that she banish me to the Abyss where I belong."

"I don't give a fuck what the church or even Velin says, all I care about is doing what's right. Mariette holds the same convictions I do, and I respect her for it."

 

[Infab]

"If you cared about doing what was fucking right, you would have stayed home with your wife and children." said Riberta, now visibly angry. "The truth is, you don't give half a shit about what's actually right. You just spew your own, twisted version of it, and make damn sure that everyone else gets to be as miserable as you." She then stood from her seat, looking down at Hudson yet again. "I don't think you deserve to be here in the Abyss, but at this point, I could give less of a shit."

She then looked to Mariette. "You belong up there. Not down here, just because you made mistakes in life. Just because a demon screwed you over, and because a psychotic goddess decided to banish you here. You're needed more up there than down here. Redeem yourself. Don't wallow in misery like that poor fuck sitting right there until you turn hollow. Because that's going to be his fate."

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

"That's...not the best idea. You see, we're here to do something to strike at Thorgran. I'd rather you not get hurt again, you know?"

"Ohhh..." the angel says, holding up a finger towards Vincent. "... You're going to Tehom, aren't you? Well... I must warn you."

He looks around him cautiously as if to check if he's being watched.

"You see, there's another 'angel' here... But, they are not as pleasant as I am... At all."

Loque freezes and jerks her head upward, paying full attention to the angel in fear of who it might be that he's talking about.

"They were here moments ago, waiting for something. But they left, and I saw them leave for Tehom."

"What- who? Who was it?!" demands Loque.

"I don't think you know them, Loque. But all you need to know is that they're very dangerous."

"Damn you!" Again she grabs him by his collar and puts her face right in front of his. "Tell me! Who was it!?"

"I said you don't know them!"

She lets go of him, but starts to tremble just as bad as he is. All sorts of thoughts begin racing through her head. It has to be Irin, it can't be anyone else, and now she feels she's in deep shit. Her bag falls to the ground as she holds her head in a panic.

The angel looks over to Loque and plants a hand on her shoulder. "... Are you ok, Loque?"

"... I'm fine." She's not, but she isn't going to make this any more obvious to the angel. She bends over to pick up her bag and pulls out a sealed, full bottle of her personal wine; her only one left. It's not the kind of food these people need, but maybe the angel can use this as a bribe. "Here. The next time they come to collect, give them this. They'll accept it. Save the food for yourself... Don't let it be said I left you with nothing, angel."

Surprised by her act of kindness, he reaches for it cautiously thinking she might pull it away at the last moment. Once it's finally in his hands he stuffs it in a pocket on his tunic. "Uh huh... Thanks, Loque."

Feeling as if he's held up the group long enough, the angel begins to walk away. "Thank you, all of you, and good luck!" He raises the wine bottle in the air as a toast to them. "L'chaim!"

And finally he's gone, having disappeared behind a stack of flaking hay and rusted farming tools.

 

[Breadman]

Colette was relieved when she heard Jacob wasn't yet another victim of persecution. A kind soul like his did not belong here. Not one who would brave hellfire and monstrosities for his friends. Perhaps there was some hope left in the world if there are more men like him around. As soon as he was about to make the offer to get her out, she prepared to disappoint him. As much as she wishes to leave, she fears that she would be a hindrance. A stone around his neck he would drag. But that moment never came to be. Soon the train car turned to arguing between him and every other patron. She could only assume they were his companions.

The perfume seller didn't say a word, not even when the winged creature pointed to her as an example of those who suffer in the Abyss. What could she say exactly? The Escarian woman wanted to stay on account of past sins? Most nobility in her position would be clawing at the chance to escape and take back their lands. Whatever she did must weigh heavy on her heart if she deems this place as preferable. What change they could help come about and how long it would last is uncertain. Colette was down here long enough to see many upstarts with just such a vision only to end up broken. But this rebellion has been going on for longer than anticipated. Maybe the winds of change are finally blowing. Or maybe it's another divine joke in the making. Like waiting for a chance for revenge that may never come.

The other two exchanged barbs as well. The larger woman wasn't exactly shy of laying out hints as to what brought them here. Gods, demons and curses. Would likely make for a riveting story if not currently used as ammunition between them. The man was either insane or suicidal or both. Tho she could catch the faint smell of demon blood on him. Spend enough time covered in it and it would never leave you. She wondered if she should bother pitching some cologne to him before they depart, but he'd probably try to rip her heart out on account of the corruption taking hold in her. But who was she to judge him. He's probably seen more grotesque abominations in two weeks of his career than she had the displeasure in the last 50 years. It would change anyone for the worse.

At best this group seemed...dysfunctional. But she has never seen them outside of this, so any opinion from her wouldn't be worth much. The Abyss has plenty worse than them running around, the ruling demons being a good example. Colette turned to Cat to hand the glass for a refill and silent spoke to the hostess

"I'm sorry about the mess here." While pointing to the claw marks.

 

[joshuadim]

Venextos had been quiet the entire time, his gaze having been locked onto the window and onto the views outside as the hellish train made its wait towards their destination. Pondering the consequences of their actions, as well as the risks that came along with them, the wizard tried to find something good to come out of all this. Yet for some time he struggled with this as the very notion of barging into Sazak's fortress and slaying one of his sons seemed to be nothing more than a death sentence. Even with no witnesses nor evidence, there could have been left even the faintest clue as to who had perpetrated such a bold attack on his territory or perhaps some unknown spy having delivered such information to the Icon afterwards.

But in the end, what was done is done. Nothing could be changed about it. Venextos wondered if it was a result of his own meddling with fate that caused this, a continued ripple effect that manifested itself in the worst possible ways continually but ultimately resigned himself to go along with it. But he would need a chat with the rest of the group... after they had finished bickering yet again. When Venextos returned his attention back to the traincar, he overheard the continued sparring of words between Hudson and the others within the group as he continued to, unsurprisingly, be rather combative with his choice of language towards the others.

And so, the sorcerer opted to wait until the spat was over to speak his mind.

 

[Viper Actual]

Seriphine sniffed and cocked her head towards the now-distant beggar. "That being spoke funny. What language is that?" She asks Loque, having been silent during the majority of the walk from the train. While waiting for her demonic companion to reply she glanced down at her sheathed blades and daggers. They had been polished and repaired to a near-original state during the short train ride, as had Seriphine's armor.

Following the battle against Zalmakul and the staging of its body afterwards Seriphine had been covered in cuts, burns, webbing, charred clothing and blood of a variety of colors. In short, some maintenance had been much needed and considering that the party was yet again undertaking another difficult mission the Elven warlord considered herself lucky. Without proper maintenance her weapons and armor would surely begin to break and unlike her golden days there was no army of Elven blacksmiths at her disposal to replace anything broken at a moment's notice.

As for the equipment that Xager could summon, well, Seriphine didn't trust the demon that much. At least not yet.

 

[Doomevil]

Before Senya had a chance to speak to the angel, he disappeared. But there was an interesting tidbit of information warning Loque about another angel across the land, a dangerous one in the least subtle manner. Although she wanted to talk to Loque about that conversation, they weren't in a area were they can talk freely or had time to really. The Warden walked ahead, observing the demons avoiding her presence because of her mutant status.

 

[K0mori]

Having had her plans exposed to the entire group was not what Mariette had intended, and now that people were shouting at each other, she simply hung her head, embarrassed and infuriated, and waited for an opportunity to speak. When Riberta gave her little speech, the countess finally responded to her, and the rest of them while she was at it. "What I do with my soul is my business," she hissed, "and I have seen fit to see it destroyed in its entirety. A goddess - not Velin, but Undite - intervened in my life personally, trying to save me, and I ignored her, because I was so entrenched in my vanity that I would have sacrificed anything or anyone to have something I never deserved. When I struck my deal with Sazak, it wasn't built on an assumption of inaction... to simply stay out of his way, non. He would have expected me to slaughter any one of the inquisitors! And I was willing - not for one brief moment, but for days, I was willing.

"And what of the death and suffering I would have caused, were I successful? I would have descended on Escaria like a plague, discarding my peaceful ways and spreading my curse like a poison. They would have feared me like no other. You can say that I wallow in misery, but I see myself struggling to defeat a life-long foe. My redemption lies in her destruction."

Mariette looked fiercely into Jakob's eyes. "Although it brings me joy to have your company again, monsieur, I did not deserve it. I will repay you by helping you see your daughter again. But I don't care if the vampires of my country wept for me, and I certainly don't care what happens to that dusty estate or any of its damned grapes! They'll find a way to get by without me, just as people always do when a loved one passes. The world moves on, and eventually forgets." She looked back and forth at the faces of her audience and felt another flash of anger. "I'm going to bed... I'll have no more of this discussion, merci."

She then stormed out of the room.

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

"That being spoke funny. What language is that?"

"... A dead one." responds Loque, still shaken by what the angel had told her. "The people that once spoke it don't exist anymore."

 

[Viper Actual]

Seriphine narrowed her eyes. "Did they walk the lands when I did?" While waiting for Loque to answer the elf grimaced and tossed a piece of bread towards a particularly persistent beggar that was getting a little bit too close.

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

"Did they walk the lands when I did?"

"I wouldn't know." she responds dismissively. "I'm not quite interested in the linguistic history of an annoying angelic vagrant who never leaves me alone."

 

[Viper Actual]

Seriphine glances between Loque and the surrounding beggars. "I think I understand..." Her voice trailed off as she didn't really know what to say or how to respond.

 

[Infab]

As Mariette arrived back at her room, she found Cassandra in bed. Quiet, and rolled over so that she was facing the wall next to her. She appeared as though she were asleep, but really just staring at the wall. She had darted from the hallway where she had been listening, and her aura was back to normal to make it look as though she hadn't done anything. The question was if Mariette actually believed it...or was too angry to have noticed anything.

Back at the bar, Riberta had watched Mariette storm off, before turning to look back at Hudson once more. "Its as if you learned nothing from fighting that copy of yours. I'm done helping you. The mage or Jakob can make sure to drag your ass out of here, but I sure as hell don't care anymore." she muttered, before looking back to Jakob. Her expression softened, as did her voice. "...Keep working at it, pup. I'm not the best at changing minds or cheering people up." she said simply, before leaving the bar herself.

Cat sighed, before looking to Colette. "Its fine, no need to worry. Whenever we have wrath demons aboard, most of the passenger car tends to look like a war zone." she said, before refilling Colette's glass.

---
​

Vincent watched the angel depart, before looking back to Loque. There was another fallen angel in the area? Not good. Certainly didn't need to run into that one. He recalled the mark on the angel's leg, though, and decided to bring it up. "What was that mark on his leg? Next to his wound? Some sort of brand or something?"

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

"What was that mark on his leg? Next to his wound? Some sort of brand or something?"

Loque exhales deeply as this is a question with an answer she's too familiar with, and hoped nobody would ask. "Well, when it's time for Thorgran to collect and you have nothing to give... sometimes they'll make an agreement... if you beg hard enough." Instinctively, she begins rubbing her arm. She stops when she finally notices what she's doing.

 

[SniperComZero]

"Did they walk the lands when I did?" The question prompted a snort from the group's other elf, folding her arms as the emaciated angel scampered away from their group. "I'm sure that if angels walked among our race, then we wouldn't be considered remnants of dead civilizations."

 

[Dmaster]

Hudson narrowed his eyes at Riberta as she shouted at him over his insight on the situation, not even bothering to look to Mariette when she went on a tirade of her own. He saw no reason to apologize for what he had said or implied - as it was obvious to him that he was simply saying what others lacked the strength to realize. Yet after all that the hunter's been through, to imply that he doesn't care about what is right was enough to strike more than a few nerves. The countess left in a hurry, the hunter already knowing full well what contributed to her fall so he did not carry the least bit of surprise to hear it recounted to him. Her tale was a tragic one, but that is a quality shared with many of the denizens of the Abyss.

"I learned plenty from killing my shadow - namely that I won't perish down here if I can help it." he stated, slowly standing up from his seat as Riberta began to storm off. "I will go back to them, I owe them that much, and I need them as they need me. Yet I also owe it to everyone I have killed to spend my afterlife down here. That is what's right. I'm not looking for forgiveness, but I will do as much good as I possibly can before I die to some monster."

"I don't need you to drag me out, I'll leave the Abyss willingly. Yet when it's my time to go, when I die - I'll come right back here where I belong. "