Almost as soon as Akoni stepped forward and agreed to become an agent of the Council, Wrath did the same. On their orders, the largest watcher, Panoptos, inscribed a fiery symbol upon their heads but it did not burn. Just the opposite, it felt somewhat invigorating. Then Panoptos made use of some other magic, healing Akoni's bruises, mending his bones, and restoring his energy. 

With a smile the old wizard said, [color=dodgerblue]"I could definitely use one of you. But not one of the assholesz"[/color]

Akoni did feel disappointed when the largest of the watchers said that the Horseman wouldn't be involved and that this group would, hopefully, never meet them. He knew the tales, read the stories, but even still he found the prospect of meeting these nephilim to be nothing short of fascinating. Still, if the only option to meet them depended upon Armageddon then it would be for the better. 

The next to step forward and accept the Charred Council was, to Akoni's surprise, the cyborg. The same one who had jumped the gun back in the Eidolic Cairn. Something was different about the augmented man this time. In any case, the cyborg inquired to the Council what sort of aid they could provide to ensure the mission went smoothly. Akoni wouldn't have asked himself and found he was annoyed by the half man, for certainly once the bra dings were completed the Council or its agents would inform them. 

After the cyborg was... Akoni had to outwardly sigh to vent his frustration. It was [i]Kosara.[/i] That damnable half-breed had also been a member of the Demon Hunter Organization and had earned the old man's ire not just for being his junior, but for being so utterly reckless and uncaring about collateral damage. For her, hunting was a sport, a game which she enjoyed without any sort of consequences. You could always tell where Kosara had been because a hurricane would have been more subtle. Plus her excitable child-like personality just grated. Akoni completely tuned out her and her christening. 

After Kosara was... A small and timid girl? No, that couldn't be right. No way in all the realms would the Council take interest in a small girl. Akoni's eyes glowed blue as he identified her. Ah, Midori. A demon. The old man thought that she was just about the most pathetic demon he'd ever seen, but even so she was not to be underestimated. 

After the laughable demon girl went a man that Akoni felt was familiar, even though they had never met. He was a Lumen Sage, a group Akoni was intimately familiar with. Chances were they would have him dead, so all was good that Silas did not seem to recognize or be familiar with Akoni. Hopefully the sage would also fail to recognize the book that Akoni always had strapped to his person. 

After the sage, a man with a strange arm spoke up, but he was far less accepting of the situation than any that spoke before him. A quick identify told Akoni that this abrasive and angry man wasn't a man at all. Gene was an angel of Laguna, aspect of Humility. Well that was terribly ironic, wasn't it? You'd think an angel of humility would recognize the absolute governing force of all the realms and agree, but instead this angel did everything it could in an attempt to piss them off. It seemed that even the "humblest" of Paradiso were self-righteous jackasses. No love was lost on Akoni when the largest of the watchers branded Gene an enemy of the Council and whisked him away. 

As these events would unfold, Wrath attempted to make conversation with him. Akoni bit his lips in irritation. Did this nephilim not recognize the importance of what was happening? Talking over all this was disrespectful. Well, Wrath stared off at the citadel and so Akoni felt he could concentrate on the brandings. Until Wrath refocused on him. God dammit! Pay attention, kid! Well at least all Wrath asked for now was his name. 

[color=dodgerblue]"Akoni,"[/color] he said rather curtly, never taking his eyes off the others. 

It was then that another demo spoke up, asking what was in it for us. Self-serving as always. The answer provided by the Council and by Panoptos, turned out to be far greater than what Akoni actually had expected. He anticipated that the experience itself would be its own reward, and for the elder wizard that was enough. The citadel was amazing enough, but an extra powered form? Would he not have to fall back on Overcharge in dire circumstances? But the greatest asset... Was the tree. The same tree Akoni tried to gain access to decades ago. The same tree which he emulated every single time he gatewalked. To say that it was the single greatest reward he could be offered... Was a gross understatement. Akoni had to wipe away a single tear. 

He paid little attention to the next branding, Souta. Akoni knew he was some representative of Gilgamesh but honestly he couldn't care less. Of course, then he was pulled from his feelings of gratefulness and ecstasy by a burning rage that could only come from one person: God damn you, Snider.  His dessencion was quickly followed by others, a demon hound and some holier than thou Templar. It was assholes like them that ruined organized religion.