Of Dawn and Dusk

[Sh'ozak Ma'hk'null]

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The creature seemed to smile as it stood and slowly began pacing a circle around him, it's tail now swishing in the water behind it. "Then, the [story] of your [tragedy], as we [see] it." As it walk, silver sparkles fell to the ground and then sprouted into silver images of what it described.

"We were there when The Schemer began this foolish [escapade]."The silver images showed a meeting of two minds, one Old Age and Wisdom, one Youth and Beauty, and the echoes of their conversation reverberated in the air:

[10.01.2022 01:16:00] K'Hara|Shozak-Azrael: *** -to invade- "The Graves" -is a- <Fool's Errand> . . . "Gravekeepers" -could bring about- "Nightfall" ***
[10.01.2022 01:16:31] K'Hara|Shozak-Azrael: *** -and- |Whatever| -may be within- "The Graves" -could hardly be- -of any- |Value| ***
[10.01.2022 01:17:02] Entity: ***"Tales to keep ~us~ away from looking further into it... (dismissal)"
[10.01.2022 01:18:06] K'Hara|Shozak-Azrael: *** {A mocking laughter seems to echo a thousand times.} ***
[10.01.2022 01:18:20] K'Hara|Shozak-Azrael: *** -then- -let- "Us" -observe- ***

"We intended to [watch] a meddling [god] amuse himself without bothering us, and to [watch] our enemies kill themselves on another's [blade]. The [Graves] are an old [tale] we had little care for. Your kind would call them [Boxes of Pandora], and they were made to hold those [threats] that could not be destroyed, only contained. Somewhere in the [Great Sphere], there exists an [Archive] of every [Grave], it's location, and what it contains. Every [Grave] has it's [Gravekeepers]. They are mindless defenders, who live on a single command. Keep what is within, within, and what is without, without." The beast made a noise that straddled the line between a laugh and a growl.

"As always with the involvement of [Humanity], intent and reality differed. You know more of that part of the [story] than We, but We still have [insights] for you. We warned that [Jester] of her folly, and learned of the true nature of her involvement." The silver images shifted, a meeting over a familiar shrine:

[10.01.2022 02:21:09] K'Hara|Shozak-Azrael: *** {The being seems to re-evaluate it's thoughts openly, deciding on a course of action.} ***
[10.01.2022 02:21:24] K'Hara|Shozak-Azrael: *** "You" -have bound- "Yourself" -to a- "Scheme" ***
[10.01.2022 02:21:29] A/)-Revenant: Indeed.
[10.01.2022 02:21:52] K'Hara|Shozak-Azrael: *** -does- "Yours" -not bear- |Wish to Survive| (?) ***
[10.01.2022 02:22:14] A/)-Revenant: My wish to survive is irrelevant.
[10.01.2022 02:22:18] A/)-Revenant: I was due to die a week ago.
[10.01.2022 02:22:22] K'Hara|Shozak-Azrael: *** -there are- -less painful- |Ways| -to- "Erase" "Yourself" ***
[10.01.2022 02:22:51] A/)-Revenant: I made an agreement. I intend to see it through.
[10.01.2022 02:23:08] A/)-Revenant: What he wants to do to me, to the sector, is irrelevant to me.
[10.01.2022 02:24:23] K'Hara|Shozak-Azrael: *** -what even has- "Yours" -agreed to- (?) -what are- "You" -able to give- (?) ***
[10.01.2022 02:24:52] A/)-Revenant: I am ... Still trying to understand such too. Perhaps perspectives? Perhaps it was the findings we held? Perhaps - he
[10.01.2022 02:24:55] A/)-Revenant: simply wished to be entertained.
[10.01.2022 02:25:12] A/)-Revenant: Even if I had not agreed, he would have simply found another subject.
[10.01.2022 02:25:40] A/)-Revenant: My agreement, is quite simply, I will assist him in "taking a peak" into the Vault.
[10.01.2022 02:25:46] K'Hara|Shozak-Azrael: *** -then- -what do- "You" -seek to gain- (?) ***
[10.01.2022 02:26:08] A/)-Revenant: And afterwards, he will amend my mind. Although it appears I may have to forego some augments.

"We believed We had [convinced] her. Clearly, We were [mistaken]."

[10.01.2022 03:12:20] A/)-Revenant: "Gravedigging" is not something I am fond of. If something is made with the intent to be kept away, it shall be so.

The beast finished it's circle and sat back down in the same manner, the sparkles and images hanging in the air for further use. "We then let them be. The [Gravekeepers] are a force of the [Creators' Will] that extends further than the [light] from any star in this galaxy. It is still rather surprising that they have [survived] this long. Alas, their [choices] now effect Us, and We must now [involve] Ourselves."

One last time, the images changed, the showing relevant snapshots of the most recent encounter:

[01.01.2024 23:24:30] K'Hara|Shozak-Za'am: *** -however- , |The Extent| -of- |Our Abilities| -is not- |Your Concern| ***
[01.01.2024 23:25:44] K'Hara|Shozak-Za'am: *** |Your Concern| -is thus- : -if- "You" -wish to fight- "Harbinger's Old War" , "We" -will combat- "You" ***
[01.01.2024 23:26:20] K'Hara|Shozak-Za'am: *** -if- "You" -wish to unleash- "Deaths" -unto- "The Seas" , "We" -will combat- "You" ***
. . .
[01.01.2024 23:37:01] A/)-Revenant: If you are adamant on stopping Harbinger, eliminate his keys.
[01.01.2024 23:37:11] Gemini.Kay.MK2: No!
[01.01.2024 23:37:30] A/)-Lazurith: I'm not a key. Or-- or so I think.
[01.01.2024 23:38:04] Gemini.Kay.MK2: But Rebecca said he made you a key? What did Harbinger do to you?
[01.01.2024 23:38:09] A/)-Lazurith: I don't know.
[01.01.2024 23:38:20] A/)-Revenant: Way to endanger your "beloved" - Levan.
[01.01.2024 23:38:43] Gemini.Kay.MK2: You just told them to kill him!
[01.01.2024 23:38:47] A/)-Revenant: I did not.
[01.01.2024 23:38:50] Gemini.Kay.MK2: You did!
[01.01.2024 23:38:56] A/)-Revenant: I said keys, I never specified names.
[01.01.2024 23:39:10] A/)-Revenant: But, as you insist; you just marked him.
[01.01.2024 23:39:11] A/)-Lazurith: Listen, he hasn't touched me. I don't belong to him.
[01.01.2024 23:39:12] A/)-Revenant: Dumb.
[01.01.2024 23:39:28] Gemini.Kay.MK2: As if they did not know what Harbinger did!
[01.01.2024 23:39:35] A/)-Revenant: They do not know, no. Nor was it Harbingers doing.
[01.01.2024 23:39:40] A/)-Revenant: It was the cell he was playing with.
[01.01.2024 23:39:46] A/)-Revenant: It does not guarantee a mark either.
-
[01.01.2024 23:37:32] K'Hara|Shozak-Za'am: *** -ah- . . . "Caliban" ***
[01.01.2024 23:37:41] A/)-Revenant: Caliban.
[01.01.2024 23:37:45] A/)-Revenant: He attempted to kill himself.
[01.01.2024 23:37:57] Rebecca.Harper: Attempted?
[01.01.2024 23:37:57] A/)-Revenant: I'm presuming he failed, as his maiden drone is still running around doing errands.
[01.01.2024 23:38:09] A/)-Revenant: I've yet to see a dead body.
-
[01.01.2024 23:40:55] Gemini.Kay.MK2: Get off your high horse, Relevant! You keep treating Lazurith like a pawn in your game! You cannot tell them to kill the keys-
[01.01.2024 23:41:04] Gemini.Kay.MK2: knowing that they either know or are about to find out!
[01.01.2024 23:41:41] RV-Pennybrooke: Katherine: Look, all of us are pawns. Human lifespans are really short in the grand scheme of things.
[01.01.2024 23:41:58] RV-Pennybrooke: It is better to be an effective pawn than a forgotten one.
[01.01.2024 23:42:16] Gemini.Kay.MK2: I am not going to end up as anyone's pawn!
[01.01.2024 23:42:44] A/)-Lazurith: Nobody will control you, Levan. I'll make sure of that.
[01.01.2024 23:43:01] Gemini.Kay.MK2: Like you made sure nobody controls you, huh?

As the stream of images ended, the stardust evaporated into the air. The beast tilted it's head and opened it's upper mandibles, revealing stretched flesh and sinew around a multitude of black eyes speckled with stars. "From where we [stand], she [sacrificed] you for her own gain. And now that you seek [escape], she seeks another [sacrifice]. A [sacrifice] made of these two, Levan and Lazurith." It put its front legs forward, leaning down to bring its eyes closer to Caliban's face. "It's not [fair], is it? For you to [play defense] all this time, and when you finally find a [pathway] out, they would replace you so quickly, and make others [suffer] just like you. She replaced you just like that."

It was nearly lying down now, its voice making ripples in the water that lapped at Caliban's feet. "We [offered] it before. With what we know now, we [offer] it again. A new body. A new place. The tools with which to [fight back]. Look how her actions [twisted] and [mauled] you, how Our Own wayward and problematic [god] has [afflicted] and [tormented] you. Don't you feel a little [Vengeance] is in order?"

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