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4 yrs ago
Current Merry Christmas boyos, don't forget to, like, be a good person and stuff. Also start thinkin of a new years resolution you'll actually go through with.
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5 yrs ago
Status update: staying up all n8ght fuckin sucks and procrastination is a vile temptress.
1 like
7 yrs ago
4 months into this hole 'being a responsible adult thing' and I've come to a conclusion: It sucks and I want to go back to the days where I didn't have to plan out my game time.
1 like
7 yrs ago
Was supposed to be productive tonight. . . will try to be productive in the morning
4 likes
7 yrs ago
Taking a short break from posting till Monday/Tuesday, hopefully will feel more creative and less brain-dead

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addressing: Bianca and Assorted NPCs,@Hero Theobald@Xiro Zean, Ionna@Mcmolly




The arrival to Riva del Garda was uneventful, though the Earth Scion couldn't decide if that was a blessing or just the calm before a coming storm. As they were welcomed by Asher, Justinian didn't immedieately respond, eyes fixated on the flock circling over head. He'd need some binoculars to be sure, but there didn't seem to be anything off about them physically. No Alpha either, and yet. . .

"Monsters working together is not unheard off, but Harpies are territorial by nature even amongst their own. That they're coordinating attacks upon a fortified settlement is also extremely unusual behavior for them." Closing his eyes for a moment, the earth Scion taps his foot as he feels a familiar unease creep into him. He remembered a similarly innocuous oddity all too well. "Sir Asher, was it? How long has this been going on for? And along with what Theobald has asked of you, I'd like to know if there has been nay non-monster related activity in the area, even if it precedes the attacks. Anything at all that you may be aware of, like potential fluctations in the mana of the surrounding areas, strange noises people here at night, odd lights. No matter how innocuous it seems, it is important that we have as many clues about what we're dealing with as we can."

While the earth Scion spoke, he reached up to fix his hair by the tightening the band that kept up his ponytail as well as moving any stray locks from his face. He wore the suit from yesterday as it was ll he had, though the blazer had been tied around his waist and the shoes were discarded, leaving him barefoot as he began to pace back and forth. Thoughts racing, eyes never leaving the circling forms overhead.

addressing: Bianca and Lucas,@Hero Theobald@Xiro Zean, Ionna@Mcmolly Dominika@Abstract Proxy Hollyhock@OwO


Justinian stood before Lucas' tirade with barely a twitch, rubbing some of the fatigue from his eyes as he continued to use the dining chair for support. If the Prince wanted to waste time talking about hypotheticals, that was his choice, but the Scion of Earth had done his part in 'entertaining' the topic, and he just wanted the point of this meeting to actually be made. 

Thankfully, once Lucas had gotten his need to insult and berate off his chest, he finally got to the heart of the matter. 

The Scion of Earth kept his thoughts to himself as he listened to the prophecy in full, his brow furrowing as it went on from the well-trodden words he'd read a hundred times into something less comforting and much more concerning. His mind turned to the night in the snuggery, to Rosemary's talk of a 'golden lady', to the child's strength of character. . . but also to the horror of the events that had preceded it. No child should ever be witness to such things, yet given the ekusive nature of their foe, Justinina wasn't sure they'd be able to stop another attack like this from happening.  

The Incepta had chosen Rosemary for a heavy burden indeed, it seems. . . And a rather dim star for the rest of us to stand behind.

Justinian had not missed that part of the prophecy, and while he was not one to question the Incepta's words, he could not help but find Lucas a poor man for this job, especially when compared to what came before. This prophecy at least explained why someone as opposed to Scionhood as the Prince had seemed the day of his coronation, but Justinian couldn't help but find him lacking, even setting aside his own bias for a moment. His temper was on a hair trigger, and he seemed to treat most pushbacks with vitriol or dismissal in equal measure. Could he learn to overcome these deficiencies? Potentially.

But would they be given the time for that to happen? Justinian didn't think so, given that the last attack happened four months after Theodore's disappearance. Even if their next play isn't as explosive as the last, they hold the cards and secrets in this game, and all they can do is watch and wait.

Frustrating.

These thoughts and more swirled in his mind, especially in regards to this Termina figure mentioned, but he decided not to focus or share them. He did not like Lucas. He did not respect Lucas. What he could respect was that, even if it is due to duress and threats to those close to him, he is taking the duty of being a Scion seriously. So the least Justinian could do is not question his suitability for the role in front of the others, at least not now when everyone was calling for a united front.

When the topic moved from vague futures to the more actionable present, however, Justinian's eyes lit up at the talk of monster activity in Lorenzia, particularly around the Riva del Garda. Despite himself, a smug grin took hold of his face for a moment at the talk of the church needing the help of Scions to deal with such a task. Years of being told off for assisting in this very thing, and now they finally concede when he's 4 years out of practice. If not for the serious threat that a monster nest near the border posed, he might've started laughing at the irony of it. 

Once he'd restrained the feeling of schadenfraude, however, he focused his attention on the details the prince had provided and found himself in agreement with their conclusion. 

Harpies were not a particularly dangerous, intelligent, or subtle type of monster, so the appearance of a nest that could harbor enough to threaten a prepared Templar garrison seemed hard to believe, as they'd have gotten reports of attacks far before that point. If there was an Alpha or some variant of Harpy involved, they'd have likely reported that info as well so-

"I shall lead the charge against the monsters that have settled upon the border, if that does not trouble you, Your Highness." Justinian was shaken out of his analysis of the situation by the voice of the old giant, his eyes shifting towards the Scion of Fire at the same time that the soldier looked towards him.  "Gardner. You are coming with me."

Justinian felt his jaw tighten at the older Scion's tone, as if the psychopath had any right to command him to do anything. But he let the irritation wash over and through him, focusing instead on the future. The sound of trees rustling through trees, the rushing of the river current, and the feel of grass and soil beneath his feet. Freedom and nature, two things he had been craving for years, especially in the last few months.

"I was going anyway, gramps. No need for the gruff act." Justinian stepped away from the chair, his thoughts still running on overdrive, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, typing in some quick searches about the area in question to see what the rumor mill was churning in towns near the mentioned region. "If we pass by my home on the way back, I could potentially take a few specialized tools, though the Templar station should also have a stock Probably better maintained ones too; it's best to wait till we get there. Rope, harpoons, and weighted nets would be best, but those can be tough to drag around. . . " 

He paused, looking over both Theobald and Ionna with a quick once over before going back to his notes.

"We can probably afford the nets with you two."

The Scion didn't spend much time listening to anything else that was said as he mentally catalogued his knowledge of the monsters in question while digging through the notes he had on hand. Well, copies of his notes. He had several monster books and journals at home, but he had them digitized a while ago for occasions like this. It could probably do with some updates, especially if this turned into a more regular duty of his. A potentially fruitless thought, but one he was hopefull for if this excursion went well.

That said, he had not totally shut out his other Scion's, however, as he (with some difficulty) pulls himself from his studies to address Dominika and Hollyhock.

"I wish you both the best of luck with your on task. I hope the both of you stay safe and uh. . . Holly hock, I'll be sure to finish my piece of the Gift Ham on the way. Haven't had much an appetite lately, but gotta eat if i'm going monster hunting." Despite himself, Justinian couldn't help the grin that made it's way to his face as he grabbed the plate of ham that Sara had cut for him taking a quick bite as he went back to his notes. "I'll try to give you a gift when we meet up next? Maybe a necklace or a bracelet themed after whatever occurs?"

Giving a nod to the two Scions. Justinian suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion take him as he went back to leaning against the chair he'd been sat at. He managed to mask it well enough as just resting his arm against the chair as he searched the web, but he could feel his fatique really starting to get to him. Between the early frutration and now his almost giddy antipation, it was proving too much for what little energy reserves he'd had left today.

"Dame Bianca," Justinian addressed his templar for the first time since they'd arrived, though he couldn't bring himself to glance in her direction. "You're familiar with Harpies, right? Have you been to Riva del Garda before? Know any of the other templars stationed there?"  

addressing: Bianca, Lucas, etc@Hero Maya@Obscene Symphony Edmund@webboysurf@Obscene Symphony


If I'm the child, then why are all of you wasting time playing these games.

Justinian continued to find himself less than impressed with Lucas as the prince attempted to shame him, only giving back a polite smile and a wink before turning to watch as more and more people turned against Princess Belle, who seemed very much backed into a corner by Sonia's rant. While the Scion of Earth did agree with the Templar of Light, and most of the words the Templar of gravity and Lightning followed up with, all he could think is what the point of all this arguing was. Entertainment? Was the Young Prince just bored and wanted to see his alleged peers snipe and rage at teach other by poking at a hot button issue in public. Or perhaps he was trying to cow Belle's ambitions o-

God this is why I hate this. Everyone's got an angle and everyone got a part to play.

As he wondered at the Prince's intentions for this meeting once more, his eyes fell on the newly minted Scion of Lightning. Renault Allard, a man known by reputation alone but that reputation was more than enough to leave the Earth Scion with a bad taste in his mouth. He had been lucky to avoid any encounter with the man in his attempts at humanitarian aid with Theo, but the rumormll and his own brief research ito the man following the announcements were more than enough to paint a picture of an utter snake. That he was chosen felt as big a farce as that of the Prince, and under normal circumstances, Justinian would never give the man a second thought. But these were far from normal circumstances, and while the man was a disreputable snake with an interest in the truly heretical, he knew how to play this dumb game better than likely anyone here.

Maybe that was why the Incepta had chosen such a man, because it was clear from the outset of this talk that the imminent of threat they all faced wasn't enough to get people to actually focus on talking about what is, rather than falling back on baseless speculation and rhetoric.

"If you aren't aware of what my position would be on this matter, you should do more research before calling these kinds of meetings. It's the least I expect from people when they bring me to these things." Justinian leaned against the dinner chair, fingers tapping away at the wood as he took the time to gather his thoughts. As tempting as it was to keep biting back at the Prince, the words of the Templars brought him back into focus. He had nothing to win by getting pulled into this. "As Sir Edmund and Princess Belle have both stated in their own way, we are on the backfoot right now. We don't know nearly enough about who we're facing, what they're capable of, and what their actual motivations may be for targeting the Scions besides the ones the seem obvious."

"Sir Edmund has stated better than I ever could the reason why even entertaining the issue of the Kaudian empire right now is farcical at best, and potentially damaging at worst." Something Sir Edmund has also showed. Justinian thought with a grimace as his eyes shifted to Maya briefly. He may have felt compelled to join Jannick in calling out the Templar's cruelty had he not been guilty of similar when under duress. How much those words were meant in earnest, the Scion could not say, but the man's closing statement was a low blwo regardless. "But neither is the Princess wrong, at least on one point. Something has to be done aside from waiting for their next move to either pick us off or, Incepta forbid, that this enemy gets their hands upon the newly born Scion of Shadow whenever they do appear. That said, I'm no soldier nor do I have any experience in info-gathering besides looking shit up on google. What we can even do right now, I have no clue."

"The only reason I came here was the hope of dicussing matters related to the collective threat we face, not engage in political theater. Unlike some of those present, I have no reasons to keep my views on such things private, so I really hope that I didn't put myself through the unneccessary risk of coming here just to talk about an event I have no real say in."
nothing to see here

addressing: Bianca, Lucas, etc@Hero Maya@Obscene Symphony Ionna[McMolly] Hollyhock@OwO


Never thought I'd end up here. . . much less by way of invitation.

Justinian let out a low whistle as he stopped by the pond in the front yard, taking the moment to center himself and fix up his appearance at least somewhat before going to meet his fellow Scions. Today had been the first time he'd gone through his usual routine since the attack and it showed. The bags uner his eyes stood out worse than any breakout, while his hair was. . . presentable at least. Too many hairs out of place and his attempts to style up a loose ponytail looked amateurish. Not to mention he'd barely had the energy to put much thought into his outfit. It was formal enough with a dark gretblazer over a white dress shirt which burned with the amber glow of the Mother's mark pulsing underneath, some loose-fitting slacks tightened around the belt and what he *thought* had been his least scuffed pair of loafers but it took until now for him to realize he'd put on his training sneakers by mistake.

". . . It's good enough." A conclusion reached without much confidence and ultimately too himself, despite Bianca waiting in the wings at his side. Their relationship had been frosty ever since his outburst, but Justinian wasn't going to act like he didn't mean at least some of what was said. Besides that, the reveal of Nadine and Ulysses death and the church's order to keep silent on the matter had done a lot to make him grateful for it. He bristled under the need to decieve people by acting as if he knew nothing, to feign shock when the new Scion of Lightning was chosen. To him, it felt more like a move made to save face rather than prevent panic though he kept such thoughts to himself.

With a sigh, Justinian centered himself in the moment slipping from an expression of fatique into an affable grin before making his way to the castle proper to see what the Prince had deemed so important that they all meet. Despite the appearance of calm as he greeted duchesss Patrica with a deep bow, he couldn't help how he fingered the runes placed at the hems of his blazer and the hips of his pants to reassure himself that they were still there. When he arrived within the private dinner hall that Lucas had set up for them, he kept the shiver from showing as he felt the tingle of the barrier that he assumed Lucas had set up.

The wider smile on his face when he heard them already getting into arguments with each other, however, was a bit more open.

Incepta you have certainly chosen your heroes well in this hour.

"I see that we're getting along so well today." Justinian didn't so much walk as prance into the the hall, leaning against one of the dining chairs but refusing to take a seat as he glanced at the gathered Scions. He eyed the cookies placed on the table for a moment, most likely by Ionna given the note and precedent, but decided against it to instead give Hollyhock and Ionna a greeting wave as he spoke. "Gotta say though, kinda funny seeing the soldier types asking for cooler heads while the young princesses are taking on the War Hawk mentality. Pretty sure it's supposed to be the opposite, no?"

He almost suggested that Maya to take a page out of her Templar's book, but he figured the Incepta would be less than pleased with that bit of blatant hypocrisy.

"That being said, I feel like I've spoken out of turn by not greeting our host yet. Good Morning, Prince Lucas. To what do we owe this fine pleasure? Or did you bring us all here just to debate politics while eating finger foods." While the tone remained pleasant, the clip of impatience rang through. He could argue with anyone at any time on his phone, but if Lucas wasn't going to make his point soon, then Justinian was going to be out the door sooner rather than later. While he didn't feel as much vitriol towards the new Scion of time as he had during the coronation, he still saw Lucas as more than a bit of a prick who made it his business to demean and belittle. And the Scion of Earth could take only so much of that right now.

addressing: Bianca@Hero

Justinian gave Duchess Patricia a nod,setting the tea down as he turned to the other Scions present.

“Well, we should all do this again sometime. Dom, Prince Lucas, Theobald, I wish you all a good evening and a peaceful rest.”

The Earth Scion’s feet were taking him out the door before he had even finished his address, giving a wave as he turned the corner and started making his way to his room. One of the knights may have been leading him, maybe he found it on his own, he couldn’t quite remember. His focus was almost entirely on keeping on foot in front of the other, the soft step of his shoes against the floor a comforting distraction from the thoughts and memories crashing around in his mind.

Once the door was closed behind him and Justinian was well and truly alone. The room was nicely furnished but entirely unfamiliar. . . with too many closed doors. Even now he could feel the door at his back buckle and bend, cracking underneath black chitin claws. Blood coiled in his nose, so thick as to make him gag, but he couldn’t bring himself to open it. He had nothing to beat back the memories now, the Incepta’s gift no longer responded to his call.

So he knelt down by the door, knees curled up to his face, trying his best to just ride it out. Logically, he knew nothing was on the other side of that door, or any of the others in the room. He was supposed to be safe here. He was safe here. But his heart didn’t stop hammering and every breath was a work of effort through constricted lungs.

His fears did not care for the lies of his logical mind. Danger was here. And it was coming straight for him.

The sound of the door alerted Bianca to Justinian’s arrival. Her lips parted to let out a silent sigh as she pushed herself off the couch. Her smoke did calm her down somewhat, but she wasn’t looking forward to this conversation. The adrenaline was gone and replaced with exhaustion, but as a knight–as a Templar, she knew how to ignore it. Her heels clicked on the floor as she walked to the foyer, staring down at the Scion before her. Regardless of his current emotional state, Irina’s words prevailed over her sympathy.

“We need to talk,” Bianca said simply. “Let’s sit in the living room. It’ll be more comfortable than the floor.”

“No it won’t.” Justinian didn’t look at his templar as he picked himself off the floor, gaze locked to the floor as he moved past her into the living room. Looking between the sofas, he chose the one facing away from the bedroom, glancing at the table. He tried not to flinch as he heard Bianca clicking heels stepping towards him.

“So, what’s so important, Dame Bianca.” The words slid out with more venom than intended, but he didn’t apologize. “I think we’d both rather be resting right now.”
Bianca was expecting a response like this. She took a seat across from him, placed her hands on her lap after adjusting the strap of her dress. His venom did little to deter her, but she did shake her head when he finished speaking.

“I can’t rest without speaking to you first,” She corrected him, a small frown on her face. “The peace we’ve enjoyed until now is gone. Tonight was the first time we were confronted with an enemy, one that looks to harm you. Part of me believed that some of our previous talks would have gotten through to you, that I wouldn’t have to worry because if a situation arose, I knew you would do the right thing.”

She paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully. “I don’t believe that there is any trust between our pairing. Whether it’s because of the circumstances behind our pairing, or maybe something else, you ignored my words of caution. Many people were hurt tonight…and a not-so-significant number reported that it was because of you.”

She held up a hand to prevent him from interrupting. “Our intentions don’t matter. The reality of the situation is you gave no thought to my warnings and used your magic in the dark, during a time where fear gripped everyone. For every person you ‘saved’, you injured three others,” Her other hand opened her phone and showed Justinian a screen full of emails. “This isn’t me worrying too much or due to my unwillingness to act–this was because of you.”

Bianca put her phone down, her own gaze dropping. “I need to know if this is going to be a common occurrence or not,” Her words were softer. “...because I don’t know if I can continue by your side if it is.”

For a moment, Justinian stared at the phone, going over the details in his head, trying to think of when those had occurred, who had gotten hurt, why? He had been in control, he’d been trying his best to help and lead people out and. . . and it didn’t matter. Even right now, fidgeting and picking at the dim spot on his chest where the Incepta’s mark had glowed, he knew that much at least. It was chaotic, and while he had an advantage. . . he couldn’t account for everything his actions may have caused. Holes in the ground, misjudgements made on distance, shots fired wide by the soldiers. He’d acted rashly.

“I will apologize to those who I have hurt, publically if need be or privately if they prefer. I’m not so stubborn as to ignore the consequences of my actions. But, I want to make something perfectly clear.” Justinian leaned forward, looking at his Templar with a gaze as hard as steel. “Do not pretend that you know me. That you have ‘stood by my side’ in any way besides physically being there.”

“You are not my friend, you are my captor. I have played nice, I have acquiesced to you pulling me down and being the chains that keep me from doing the only thing I feel like I can do to prove I even deserve the Incepta’s gift.” His breath was picking up now, a mixture of anxiety and anger that he didn’t even know existed rising from the pit of his stomach. “You’re not the first one, not even the second, and if you left you wouldn’t be the last. Dame Irina does not give me ‘friends’ or ‘mentors’. She gives me handlers, and I’ve known it since I was a child. The first one tried to be my friend until I proved too much to handle so he left me. The second one tried to ignore me until I made a mess that got him fired.”

“So if you want to leave me, go on ahead. But don’t say that it’s out of care for my own well being like you’ve taken the time to know anything about me.”

Bianca waited patiently until Justinian finished speaking before she raised her hand to her chin, eyebrows furrowed together. After a few seconds, she seemed to realize something, giving Justinian a small giggle.

“I think you’ve misunderstood my words,” Bianca replied as she gave him a warm smile. “What I spoke of was trust. In no way have I fooled myself into thinking we’re friends–especially when you refuse to give me the respect my position calls for. But that isn’t your fault, I should have worded that better, and for that I do sincerely apologize for being the cause of the misunderstanding.”

She lowered her hand back onto her lap. “You say that I am a shackle but I’ll remind you that I am performing my duty. But Dame Irina has reminded me that I’ve been too lenient with you–somewhat ironic considering what you’ve just said–and I thought that, until now, I have provided you with enough grace and respect to have earned the same. Regardless of how this relationship began, ultimately, I trusted you would do the right thing when the time came. I was clearly mistaken.”

She remained affable, contrasting the warmth of her expression with the coldness of her words. “I guess I’m glad to see where we stand now, at least,” She admitted. “I expected too much. I won’t make the same mistake again, Your Holiness–and I promise I will follow my duty to the letter. And since you only see me as a handler, then I will make sure I act as such.”

Justinian didn’t falter in his stance as Bianca laid down her perspective, eyes still locked with the templar’s as she spoke her intentions. It irked him, how she was managing to keep her cool. It irked him that he was such a fidgety, irritable mess without the Incepta’s gift. He wanted to lash out, to throw something, to just gain some measure of control at this moment. Anything to feel less. . . lost. The door creaked again, a long, pained sound that almost made him glance towards the foyer, but he resisted the effort. He couldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing him crack right now.

A moment of silence filled the air as the two looked at each other, Justinian gripping at his chest as if it was paining him.

“To the letter, huh?” The response was calm, despite how he felt. “Then I promise you, Dame Bianca, to put those words of yours to the test. Because while my actions at the party today were rash, that the attack happened at all is proof that I can’t trust the Church to protect me. That the Church can protect any of us. One of your peers already failed my friend, who you convinced me to not help.”

“Maybe I could’ve done something? Maybe not. Maybe I’d be dead too, and you’d have another new scion to induct in a few months time, just like our dear Sir Tyler. But it would have been something that I could’ve done instead of just . . . waiting.” His gaze seemed to glaze over, looking through Bianca. For a horrid moment he was back in that damn cellar. Praying. Hoping. Waiting. A deep breath dismissed the vision, but the agitation remained, pulling at every nerve. He reached for his magic, for the element that gave him his resolve and had wrapped him like a blanket for all his years, but it still didn’t answer him.

Incepta above, why have you forsaken me?

Bianca let out a tiny sigh, shaking her head again as she rubbed her temple. “You tend to miss the forest for the trees often, don’t you?” She asked, but she already knew the answer. “You don’t need to trust the Church, the guards, the other Templars or Scions–what you needed to do was trust me. You didn’t even give me a chance to properly defend you. Maybe things would have been fine if you did, ever consider that?”

“Because I don’t. . . I didn’t need defending. I wouldn’t if it had just been me and those bastards. I know how to wield the Incepta’s gifts properly, I wouldn’t have given them the chance to pull that stunt.” Anger worked its way back into his tone now, fingers gripping tightly into his shift’s fabric as he thought back to the events of the night.

Bianca stared at Justinian. “It wasn’t just you and them. It was you, them, and a hundred others,” She reminded him. “And you clearly don’t know how to use your gift properly since you ended up hurting the same ones you wanted to defend.”

The brunette stood from her seat, grabbing her phone. “If you’re too stubborn to see your fault in this, fine. I won’t waste my breath trying to get you to see what you’ve done wrong. In the future, I will just have to make sure to stop you by any means possible,” She stated. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m taking a shower before I go to sleep. I suggest you rest for the night as well.”

“I told you the living room wasn’t going to make this any more pleasant.” Justinian muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair, wanting to bite back. He knew what he was doing, he had to but. . . people got hurt. He had more than a few thoughts about Bianca right now, but he didn’t think of her as one for dishonesty and it annoyed him. Everything annoyed him right now, in this room that was much too big and much too open. “Take the bed as well, for all I care. I don’t think I’ll be getting much sleep tonight anyway.”

“I can’t trust that you won’t try to escape while I’m asleep. I’m taking a couch, do as you please otherwise,” She said simply before disappearing into the bathroom.

Justian clicked his tongue in response, but said nothing more. He waited till he heard the shower running before easing himself upwards and turning to the door. Just as he thought, it seemed to breathe and creak like an animal in pain. Now that he was focused on it, the accompanied sounds of skittering and crunching came back with full force as he approached it. When he was right in front of it again, he tried to will his hand to grab the handle. To dispel this damn trick of the mind, at least for tonight. There was nothing there. He was fine. He was safe. He had control. He was fine.

He didn’t.

After a few minutes of standing there he gave up and turned away, falling onto the couch fully clothed and pulling one of the cushions over his head . . . and he prayed. In a low voice, he prayed for the Incepta to grace him with her touch once more. He prayed for those who he’d hurt to make full recoveries. To guard him against these terrors that bedevil him every night, to guide his friends who’d survived that night, for each Scion in turn (even Prince Lucas, much as he found him insufferable).

Like a mantra, he prayed to fight off the phantoms his mind conjured, as he’d done since he was young. The whispers turned to thoughts when he heard the shower wind down, repeated over and over in the darkness behind his eyes.

addressing:Asshole Prince, Rosemary@Hero Theobald @Xiro Zean, Dom @Abstract Proxy


Theobald and Lucas' bickering proved to be irritating but ignorable background noise as Justinian kept his attention focused on their host. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of tutors this kid had to be able to keep her composure better than most adults, but maybe that was just part of the resilience of childhood. Before his mind could linger on his own childhood, or what little of it he could remember these days, the princess' voice brought him back to the present.

She spoke quickly and with as much excitement as kids often did, and while the actual books she brought were much more valuable than anything he'd had at the same age, the stories were as familiar and timeless as ever. Justinian did raise an eyebrow at the statement of this 'crying woman' glancing towards Lucas but decided not to say anything about it. Best to let sleeping dogs lie for now, and besides, he doubted a six-year-old had any particularly prescient insights on what her dreams could mean if they turned out to be more than that. Still, maybe he could read up on the old scions of light to see if prophetic dreams from Incepta were a common theme. It felt more like the kind of thing that would happen to the Scion of Time, but he didn't remember Theo ever speaking of such things before.

Banishing the thoughts with a sip of tea, Justinian couldn't help but smile at the way Lucas and Rosemary interacted. Much of an asshole that the young prince was, he at least didn't have it in him to berate a child. It was, of course, the bare minimum of decency, but it still gave him a slightly better opinion of the man. Maybe they could really leave all that horror behind them, at least for one night.

"How old were you when got the si...si-gil,"

Justinian nearly dropped his cup at the question, body tighening like a coiled spring as thoughts he tried to keep to the edge of his mind sprung to the fore. As if on cue, he felt that same presence taking shape behind him. Any shift or movement made was accompanied by the long drag of claws on wood and the clatter of plates now all too similar to the clicking of chitanous plates on stonework. He doesn't dare close his eyes, knowing he'll see what he always sees. Instead, he tries his best to slow his breathing and set his cup down as gently as possible. 

". . . Eleven years old, about 14 years ago." He kept his gaze low, counting backwards from 100 in his mind. And old exercise to help center himself in the moment. Sometimes it helped, most of the time it didn't. But it helped to keep him from acting out or running off when his nightmares go the better of him.

addressing:Asshole Prince, Rosemary@Hero Theobald @Xiro Zean, Dom @Abstract Proxy


"Ah, didn't see you there Dom. My bad and come on in. More the merrier." *Justinian nodded to the newer Scion, but before he could continue, their host had come to address them. While the greeting was rote and practiced, the fact that she was able to string a sentence together at all was impressive after the night she'd just been through. Not to mention even trying to gather up the other Scion's to try and. . . decompress?

The kid is made of stern stuff than I was at her age.

Justinian couldn't help but remember the conversation he had overheard between Kaspar and asshole Prince with a tired grin. She seemed a better fit for Scionhood than either of them were turning out to be. Maybe Lucas was too quick to count her out as being just a child.

The scion of earth had just managed to relax when, as if summoned by his own thoughts, the man of the hour walked into the Snuggery to sling venom and glares as was his want. So much for any chance for this to be a moment of calm or ease.

"Speaking of stories,I wonder if Prince Lucas has ever heard about the one involving the Pot and the kettle." Justinian mutters, but doesn't push the confrontation. He was too exhausted to deal with the asshole right now, and causing a fight in the Princess' Snuggery was not how he wanted to end this night. Instead, he decided to sit down near Dom and Rosemary, reaching for a cup to recieve his tea with as he joins the conversation.

"I've always been partial to Petey and the Pumpkin. Used to play out the with my buds when I was a lil bit older than the Princess here." He taps a finger on the table, fishing for the memory as he continues to scratch at his chest through the fabric. "Of course, we didn't really have pumpkins in my hometown, so we tended to just get a cardboard box and paint it up like one before who ever played ol' Petey put it on their head and chased everyone else around."

addressing:Bianca, Rosemary@Hero Theobald @Xiro Zean


Justinian glared at Bianca. He bared his teeth. He muttered every curse he could think of and several more he made up on the spot.

He did not fight her, however.

All of that had left him the moment his own element turned its back on him. By the time they were ushered onto the bullet train, he couldn't even manage the token resistance of anger or outrage. He could only sit in his seat, staring at his chest, scratching absently at the seemingly dim spot where the Incepta's mark had once shone prominently. He couldn't even get it to spark now. It brought out a chuckle—a dry, pitiful thing. Part of him was screaming to do something. Try and comfort the other Scions, one of whom was the closest thing he had to a friend who had just gone through that horror with him. To call out Theobald's casual abuse of his own Templar for something she was clearly eating herself up about. To stop feeling sorry for himself. But he couldn't bring himself to care. Theo's death, Lucas's coronation, his own lockdown, the stir-crazy feeling that had been eating him alive for years now—he was just too drained to even think about helping anyone else right now. 

Another failure to uphold his self-ordained task as a protector, another dry chuckle that only he knew the cause for.

The arrival at the Royal Castle was equally funny—to be surrounded by such glamorous finery after a night so terrifically awful, capped off by being offered rest and conversation in the princess' Snuggery. He might've made a note of how ridiculous it all was if he were in better spirits, but instead he followed the giant oaf of a Fire Scion on the way to the snuggery. He was halfway there when he realized he hadn't even talked to Bianca about it, but honestly, he didn't think he had it in him to face his captor right now. It would just lead to yelling. It always led to yelling. Or Silence. Or Passive-aggression.

As they approached the Snuggery, however, Justinian did his best to put on a least a passing resemblance to a smile. As much of a mess as he felt, he didn't need to put that on the young girl who had just gone through hell. What she needed now was any form of reassurance and. . . he could do that, right?

"Seems like it's just going to be the uh. . . three of us, Princess Rosemary?" Justinian manages a tired bow as he steps in, seeking to sink into the nearest soft object he could find and get off his feet. Every so often, he'd scratch at his chest, as he'd been doing the whole ride here.

addressing:Bianca, Soldiers@Hero


Chaos whirled around Justinian like a raging river. The people, the soldiers, the gunfire, the screaming. It was all too much and too familiar, and just like all those years ago, he was just too helpless to actually help anyone. He tried to get to the others, but through enhanced senses, he could see the two soldiers shoving the guest to the ground before taking steady aim. It was only as he rammed his fist into the gut of one solider that he realized they were doing it on purpose, grabbing hostages in order to keep him in place. They were trying to capture him, and of course they'd do research on how he ticked and what tactics would work to keep him pinned down. As infuriated as it made him, he respected the tactic.

As the first soldier dropped to their knees, the other slammed the butt of their rifle into the armored Scion's, followed by a swift backhand in an attempt to knock him to the ground. He felt the blow, even if his armor cushioned the worst of it, but he managed to keep on his feet. Rather than attempt a spell, however, Justinian would lash out with another punch, amber mana converging through his armored fist at the moment of impact before bursting forth with the force of a shotgun. The soldier's breath left them as they were sent flying, leaving the Scion a moment to catch his breath.

"You... you should go now... quickly." He motions for the two hostages, a noblewoman and her son, to make haste towards an exit the furthest away from the source of the chaos. Their hushed whispers of thanks and panicked footsteps were lost in the din of noises and senses that assaulted Justinin's mind. He'd lost the other Scions in the confusion and couldn't tell anyone from anyone in this mess, and trying to discern it was giving him an awful headache. It was all he could do to identify his assailants and keep them away. Has anyone been taken? Had anyone been hurt? 

Why. . . Why couldn't he do anything about it?

Justinian's teeth grind in frustration as he grips his head, his breath growing heavier and haggard. Haunting sounds of cracking wood and clattering jaws rang in his head. He wasn't even aware of Bianca's approach until she was right in front of him, her voice snapping him out of his head. For a moment, he welcomed the distraction. But as he actually processed what she had said, his anger and irritation bubbled up to the surface again.

"I know how to use the Incepta's gift, Bianca. And people are panicking, no matter what I do. Everyone is panicking, running, and screaming, and I'm just trying to do something to help!!" This wasn't the time for arguing, but Justinian just couldn't let it go. He clung to his anger like a drowning man to driftwood, a singular place of stability where he could focus his thoughts. "What would you have me do? Hide behind you, and just wait until this all blows over! Safe, protected, and docile while someone I could have helped and that I can save is gone. Vanishing into thin-fucking-air while I have to wait in my room to hear that they're dead a month later!" 

Justinian wasn't even looking at Bianca by this point, turning to scan the surroundings as best as he could through the tumult. Tyring to find the bigger gathering of solider's, attmepting to deduce a way to scatter them. People were starting to thin out of the room by now, which meant he could actually start flexing his power a bit more. He wasn't letting anyone else be taken by these bastards.

"So unless you wish to help me help the others, get out of my wa-" 

First was the high-pitched tone that set his hair on edge as the air within the building seemed to ripple and bend. Then came an almost electric shock of energy as the mana in his own body turned on him, stopping the Scion mid-sentence as the power he had relied on since he was a child turned on him. He could feel the rock and marble that made up his armor harden against his wishes, restricting his breath and movements. Any attempt to move was met with resilient unmoving stone, the vague awareness of his surroundings his vibrosense brought him was completely cut off. He was left in total darkness, with hardly any breath in his lungs and barely could hear what was going on around him.

He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry and cruse and yell and a million other things that sprung to mind as the gift which had protected him and saved him more than anything else in his life turned against him. Just like his nightmares, he was stuck. Alone in darkness, trapped and waiting for either death or salvation but with no agency of his own to do anything about it.

His powers refused to answer him; his head was dazed and aching from the lack of air, and now the very person he had just told off was who he needed to turn to for salvation if he didn't want to suffocate in this self-made tomb. Frustration, Anger, and shame roiled within his chest as he tried to slow his breathing as best as he could, but it was all too much. Emotion flowed out of him in a rush as he put every last bit of his remaining breathe into a single scream

"GODDESS!FUCKING!DAMMIT!

He didn't know if the tears in his eyes were from the grit of the rock and dust irritating his eyes, the lack of air, or the sheer pain of humiliation that his current state filled him with, and at this moment he didn't care.
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