...The ability to fell another like me. My brother.
[ Another pause. It seems like he's interested in learning more; it's ironic, that he learns this now, instead of when they had been both enchanted by the flowers. ]
I... can tell you more, but [ She looks around them-- to the couch, and then back to him, still fully clad in his new armor. ] It would take time. [ They should sit down and chat and he doesn't need to wear his armor for this!
But if he doesn't wish to know more, this is where the topic ends. ]
[ Although she's grown considerably dull in recent days, there are times like now when she's still so expressive. That's a good thing, he tells himself.
A brother, eh? As for time, it's— ]
Something I have more than enough of these days.
[ He motions her over to the couch while he starts on stripping the newly repaired armor. ]
Come, sit down and entertain me. I should like to know if it is the immutable fate of sibling deities to quarrel, no matter the world.
[ Taking her place upon the couch, she folds her hands in her lap, crossing her thumbs over each other. Immutable fate of sibling deities, he says... does he have such deities in his world that fight?
In any case, she's not sure how her story would be entertaining, considering it's not exactly fun to hear-- or to tell. Nevertheless, she will do her best to alleviate his boredom, the typical blasé with which he speaks. ]
My brother and I-- [ Pyra, being far more imbued with humanity than Mythra had ever been, refers to Malos as her brother, whereas Mythra and Malos refer to each other as partners, having been a part of the same entity long ago. But she stops then, deicing to redo the start of her story. ] Long ago, an ambitious mortal man climbed the World Tree to seek the Architect. He did not find the Architect, [ A pause. ] but us instead.
He stole us from our pedestal-- [ She hesitates, then shakes her head, amending her words. ] No, he...-- Father allowed us to be taken by him. [ If the Architect truly did not wish them to leave the World Tree, he would have prevented it. That is how Mythra and Pyra knows it to be. There is nothing that escapes the Architect's eyes. ] That man brought us to the earth.
He awakened my brother first... No one knew at the time, but with that man's hatred of the world imbued into him, my brother sought to destroy the Titans. Most thought him to have broken away from his weilder, but that's not how we work.
The year was 3564. As soon as he awakened, the kingdom of Coeia fell overnight... and its continent sank below the cloud-sea. It had shocked all of Alrest. Officially, the kingdom's fall was attributed the combined fleet of Indol and the emerging power of Mor Ardain.
[ Toward the end of the history lesson, Berkut has shed his armor and come over to join Pyra at the couch. He doesn't sit down yet.
What a mess, he thinks, and not in regards to his attempt at keeping all these names straight. Weapons with awareness certainly are capable of great damage if left unchecked. An entire kingdom, gone. Was it the man's plan to let her brother go on a rampage all along? If so, Berkut has his suspicions about Pyra's part in this. And what of the Architect? ]
How did this prince come by you if you were in that man's possession?
[ For that answer... she has her suspicions, things she’s fought over for the last five hundred years. ]
That man... Amalthus, was a high-ranking acolyte for the Praetorium. No one else knew that he had awakened my brother save for a select few. He had told us it was a mistake to awaken my brother, and he... claimed he wished to undo his mistake. [ She shakes her head. ] But there was no doubt in my mind he had other motivations.
Perhaps handing me over to a prince only further secured the Praetoriun’s influence over the kingdom with the front that the gift had been done in good will.... while simultaneously destabilizing the line of succession. The prince who awakened me was a bastard, while his older half-brother, the crown prince, did not have the aptitude to claim me as his blade. The Praetorium could have easily exerted more power over the kingdom because of it, claimed its resources, and so on, perhaps, to secure its position as Mor Adrain grew as an empire.
[ She draws a breath. All of those politics aside... she knows it’s just a pretense. ]
But more likely... Amalthus had just wanted to see the destruction that would happen, should us siblings war. And he did.
[ She stops then and there, looking down at her hands. Fingers still laced together, her knuckles are taught. ]
[ All politics are a pretense. For some reason, men of crooked faith seem especially enamored with playing the game.
Silence falls between them while Berkut seats himself in a chair across Pyra. It hasn't escaped his notice that she doesn't seem to be enjoying reliving the memory. Of course not. She eschews violence.
Maybe this is why.
Flippantly, he throws in his two cents. ]
Perhaps your father wished for the end of the world, after all.
[ It’s laughably tragic, how Berkut is privileged to know this of her. ] He already had, once. Long ago.
[ As for now... what Father wishes for, she’s not so sure anymore. All she knows is that when having first awakened, Mythra had such a incline towards destruction and apathy to humans that it certainly did seem as if the Architect didn’t care for this version of the world, either. ]
But... if he is to bring about another end, I do not wish to be its mechanism.
[ There's much that he doesn't understand here. A weapon exists to serve as an extension of its master. For Pyra to claim so much humanity to the extent of turning away from her very purpose, did her father mean for this to happen, too? Why create a weapon that doesn't want to be wielded? It just doesn't make sense. ]
....Not the "me" as you know now. And not Mythra, either.
[ She hesitates, lowering her gaze from him. ]
We were... without our humanity or emotions back then. [ Truly, just a tool.
She stops her tale here, feeling that she's said enough. Besides, there is something that's been weighing more heavily on her mind. The bond they have is deeper than it's ever been, but it's twisted and strained. Even she knows it; connected as they are, she has a better understanding of him. He's not the same as he had once been, and she wonders if she is the reason for it. ]
Would it be easier for you to wield us, if we were without our humanity?
[ Of course. A weapon that simply obeys versus one that rejects its purpose should in theory be easier to wield. But it'll do either of them no good to dwell on this now.
Pyra and Mythra both began to behave oddly after he claimed them. If they were really emotionless back then, did the previous prince have a similar influence over them? And what's this about another self? Just how many—never mind.
He waves. ]
I've already wielded you once without trouble. With or without humanity, it doesn't matter to me.
[ She shakes her head. ] As I mentioned, he was hesitant. That hesitation led to... [ Problems.
It's not as if Addam had originally wanted to wield her to begin with. He was put into a mess of a political situation, where all he actually wishes to do is return to lands away from the capital... ]
It led to him not being able to use my power effectively. [ Problems. ] Being with you feels... very different. Of course we won't actually know for certain until we fight together again.
[ Her gaze keeps upon her folded hands, recalling the last time they fought together. Is he displeased? Actually, his whole mood has seemed off lately-- ]
...It won't happen again, I assure you. I will be... happy to fight alongside you in the future.
[ Fighting with him... she'll be glad for it. They must be one. ]
A wry smile faintly graces her lips; she raises her eyes. Yes, yes, she knows he means that figuratively speaking, and at best he means it dismissively-- that she can feel whatever she feels, so long as it doesn't impede him being able to use her. He cares, she thinks... so long as it benefits him.
Still. ] Your words are comforting.... But I have no heart.
[ She admits it so easily in spite of all the emotions she expresses. If not a heart, then what is it that sets her apart from other blades? More importantly, is that knowledge important for him to have?
Berkut leans back in his seat. ]
You're sharper than that. Surely you know what I mean.
....You know I can feel it. [ She taps her crystal upon her chest. ] Our connection.
[ As much as he might feel hers. Nothing strong, but just enough to give each other some pause that something isn't quite right. An unease of sorts. She dares to prod further: ]
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...The ability to fell another like me. My brother.
[ Another pause. It seems like he's interested in learning more; it's ironic, that he learns this now, instead of when they had been both enchanted by the flowers. ]
I... can tell you more, but [ She looks around them-- to the couch, and then back to him, still fully clad in his new armor. ] It would take time. [ They should sit down and chat and he doesn't need to wear his armor for this!
But if he doesn't wish to know more, this is where the topic ends. ]
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A brother, eh? As for time, it's— ]
Something I have more than enough of these days.
[ He motions her over to the couch while he starts on stripping the newly repaired armor. ]
Come, sit down and entertain me. I should like to know if it is the immutable fate of sibling deities to quarrel, no matter the world.
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In any case, she's not sure how her story would be entertaining, considering it's not exactly fun to hear-- or to tell. Nevertheless, she will do her best to alleviate his boredom, the typical blasé with which he speaks. ]
My brother and I-- [ Pyra, being far more imbued with humanity than Mythra had ever been, refers to Malos as her brother, whereas Mythra and Malos refer to each other as partners, having been a part of the same entity long ago. But she stops then, deicing to redo the start of her story. ] Long ago, an ambitious mortal man climbed the World Tree to seek the Architect. He did not find the Architect, [ A pause. ] but us instead.
He stole us from our pedestal-- [ She hesitates, then shakes her head, amending her words. ] No, he...-- Father allowed us to be taken by him. [ If the Architect truly did not wish them to leave the World Tree, he would have prevented it. That is how Mythra and Pyra knows it to be. There is nothing that escapes the Architect's eyes. ] That man brought us to the earth.
He awakened my brother first... No one knew at the time, but with that man's hatred of the world imbued into him, my brother sought to destroy the Titans. Most thought him to have broken away from his weilder, but that's not how we work.
The year was 3564. As soon as he awakened, the kingdom of Coeia fell overnight... and its continent sank below the cloud-sea. It had shocked all of Alrest. Officially, the kingdom's fall was attributed the combined fleet of Indol and the emerging power of Mor Ardain.
no subject
What a mess, he thinks, and not in regards to his attempt at keeping all these names straight. Weapons with awareness certainly are capable of great damage if left unchecked. An entire kingdom, gone. Was it the man's plan to let her brother go on a rampage all along? If so, Berkut has his suspicions about Pyra's part in this. And what of the Architect? ]
How did this prince come by you if you were in that man's possession?
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That man... Amalthus, was a high-ranking acolyte for the Praetorium. No one else knew that he had awakened my brother save for a select few. He had told us it was a mistake to awaken my brother, and he... claimed he wished to undo his mistake. [ She shakes her head. ] But there was no doubt in my mind he had other motivations.
Perhaps handing me over to a prince only further secured the Praetoriun’s influence over the kingdom with the front that the gift had been done in good will.... while simultaneously destabilizing the line of succession. The prince who awakened me was a bastard, while his older half-brother, the crown prince, did not have the aptitude to claim me as his blade. The Praetorium could have easily exerted more power over the kingdom because of it, claimed its resources, and so on, perhaps, to secure its position as Mor Adrain grew as an empire.
[ She draws a breath. All of those politics aside... she knows it’s just a pretense. ]
But more likely... Amalthus had just wanted to see the destruction that would happen, should us siblings war. And he did.
[ She stops then and there, looking down at her hands. Fingers still laced together, her knuckles are taught. ]
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Silence falls between them while Berkut seats himself in a chair across Pyra. It hasn't escaped his notice that she doesn't seem to be enjoying reliving the memory. Of course not. She eschews violence.
Maybe this is why.
Flippantly, he throws in his two cents. ]
Perhaps your father wished for the end of the world, after all.
no subject
[ As for now... what Father wishes for, she’s not so sure anymore. All she knows is that when having first awakened, Mythra had such a incline towards destruction and apathy to humans that it certainly did seem as if the Architect didn’t care for this version of the world, either. ]
But... if he is to bring about another end, I do not wish to be its mechanism.
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[ There's much that he doesn't understand here. A weapon exists to serve as an extension of its master. For Pyra to claim so much humanity to the extent of turning away from her very purpose, did her father mean for this to happen, too? Why create a weapon that doesn't want to be wielded? It just doesn't make sense. ]
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[ She hesitates, lowering her gaze from him. ]
We were... without our humanity or emotions back then. [ Truly, just a tool.
She stops her tale here, feeling that she's said enough. Besides, there is something that's been weighing more heavily on her mind. The bond they have is deeper than it's ever been, but it's twisted and strained. Even she knows it; connected as they are, she has a better understanding of him. He's not the same as he had once been, and she wonders if she is the reason for it. ]
Would it be easier for you to wield us, if we were without our humanity?
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Pyra and Mythra both began to behave oddly after he claimed them. If they were really emotionless back then, did the previous prince have a similar influence over them? And what's this about another self? Just how many—never mind.
He waves. ]
I've already wielded you once without trouble. With or without humanity, it doesn't matter to me.
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Indeed, he picked her up like it was nothing. It's almost scary. Addam could have never--
... ] Lord Berkut.
[ She pauses hesitantly. ] You... wield my power easily. It's almost astounding.
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Was this not the case with your previous wielder?
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It's not as if Addam had originally wanted to wield her to begin with. He was put into a mess of a political situation, where all he actually wishes to do is return to lands away from the capital... ]
It led to him not being able to use my power effectively. [ Problems. ] Being with you feels... very different. Of course we won't actually know for certain until we fight together again.
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You didn't seem so thrilled the last time.
[ And the first, he notes. Loath though he is to admit it, even if just to himself, her expression at the time haunts his recent memory. ]
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...It won't happen again, I assure you. I will be... happy to fight alongside you in the future.
[ Fighting with him... she'll be glad for it. They must be one. ]
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[ A wielder shouldn't have to worry about the feelings of a weapon in the first place. Those who will be hers to feel. ]
So long as I'm able to wield you then, I have no complaints. Your heart is yours.
[ If she even has one, being what she is. ]
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A wry smile faintly graces her lips; she raises her eyes. Yes, yes, she knows he means that figuratively speaking, and at best he means it dismissively-- that she can feel whatever she feels, so long as it doesn't impede him being able to use her. He cares, she thinks... so long as it benefits him.
Still. ] Your words are comforting.... But I have no heart.
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Berkut leans back in his seat. ]
You're sharper than that. Surely you know what I mean.
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It's just that it's a rather nice thing to hear you say. [ Unexpected, really. That he at least acknowledges she has a "heart". ]
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Does Mythra feel the same?
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[
Mythra thinks he should throw himself into the lake! With full armor!]Yes, she thinks the same.
But we both are wondering how you are faring, being bound to us.
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As you can see, I'm faring just fine.
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[ As much as he might feel hers. Nothing strong, but just enough to give each other some pause that something isn't quite right. An unease of sorts. She dares to prod further: ]
Is... something bothering you, Lord Berkut?
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That's of no concern to you. It is nothing I cannot handle.
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We are connected.
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