Consultation and Dreams (Ai)

[Deleted]

In recent times, Adrain had been having visions at times, a feminine voice asking him to help her daughter. Occasionally showing bits of Helena's past and where she is right now, the times she seems to be less than completely comfortable since she was ousted from the Glade of Heroes and the pains, visions of how Zepon mistreated her and raised her to be savage and vicious, but still an endeared voice compelling and trying to get help for her. It was confusing: he would have tried to help her before but her behavior was closer to that of an animal seemingly ready to strike at the springs.

With some thought and some meditation, he concluded it was most likely Ai who sent these visions. Thinking of how to approach it, he made his way to the Moon Temple at night when nobody else was likely around. He approaches the wing where Ai's statue was and sighed. He wasn't used to this sort of thing: he wasn't a pious man. He looks at the statue of the Goddess of Love, the stone idol of her perfect curves and shape which admittedly would be lovely on any woman but in this case, impure thoughts were to not be had more than others. He spoke quietly, keeping his mind open in case others would approach and only spoke when he felt it was clear.

"So...good evening Goddess. I don't know if you actually hear conversation this way, but anything is worth a shot I suppose. I've seen the visions I think you've been trying to send me, about Helena. I admit, if she were a bit more approachable and less like an animal about to attack, I would have been willing to try to restore her wings with my...unique abilities. I get that deities have a role in the world, even her, and that if she were to be killed there would probably be some massive effect on the world. But tell me...what can I do? The world would be better off if Helena could be...redeemed, or saved, or whatever you want me to do but, well I don't know I need a plan, an idea, or help or something.." he says to the statue, sighing a little.

"Anyway, I'm sorry if this is a trouble, the situation with Helena I've always felt something wasn't completely right about it, I feel there is more to it than the outward appearance." he pauses, waiting to see if there is anything to come of it.

[Ai]

As Adrain finishes his question the statue which depicted Ai so lovely, slowly blinked. The sound of stone rubbing on stone clearly audible. "Hello?...hello?" The statue turned its head up as if she was looking up at something "Mylee dear am I doing this right, can it hear me?...OH oh my!" Ai's statue turned its head to directly look at Adrain "Hello dear." A kind smile appeared on the statues face. ”I see you’ve started to take a page from your little red headed friend’s book and start talking to statues.” A musical chuckle escaped from the old goddesses stoned lips. The stone statues hand rose up and she pointed to a nearby bench. ”Please pull up a seat; I will try to explain things a little more clearly.” The explanation was going to take a bit.

”Well I’m not sure what you mean by off; but allow me to shed a little light on why Helena is how she is. Mind you, I will not give you the full details. Those you will have to find out on your own.” She would shed a little light; but she could not give him all the details. If he wanted the answers he’d have to seek Helena; and not her.

”You see dear; Helena was raised by her father. Zeapon; she’s the twin sister of my little Vennessa. You must understand her upbringing makes it difficult for her; especially when it comes to mortals and Dova’s dear….she was indeed raised to hate mortals; her father unfortunately has had a very bad experience with mortals. He’s transferred this hate to Helena. I do fear for my daughter; her hatred has led her to make very poor choices as of late. If she continues on the path that she’s on I do very much fear the worse. I am not asking you to change her; for her personality and history is something that cannot be undone. What I wish for you is to teach her tolerance.” The smile on her face was a bit somber. ”There are not many mortals that would be able to stand up to Helena; or even try. Which is why I am reaching out to you. As for how you go about it dear; that will be left solely to you. You may fail; but perseverance may be the key. I insist; please do not give up on my daughter.”

[Deleted]

As Adrain was about to turn and walk away, the sound of moving stone causes his ear to twitch. He turns around and sees the statue seemingly move and start to speak. A deadpan expression graced his features momentarily when she seemed to be talking to Mylee on her side of wherever the hell the other side of the communication went from. He was an 'it' to her? What the bloody hell was that supposed to be about. His expression soured momentarily at the 'it' comment, but he exhaled and refocused his thoughts since this was certainly a...unique opportunity.

"Ah..Good Evening Goddess..I admit this is a surprise to have a direct response" he greets, admittedly at a bit of a loss for the decorum that was most appropriate for the situation.

The comment about the red haired friend made Adrain raise a brow. Somehow he knew that she was referring to Aria without having to ask. As looney as that girl seemed to act, it didn't surprise him in the least that she seemed to talk to statues more. Come to think of it, did he really come here expecting an answer or was it more of a venting, looking for inspiration moment. Either way, an entity that supposedly was the Goddess of Love seemed to be communicating with him.

He went to the bench as indicated by the goddess, somehow the tone of her voice made him inclined to believe her despite his usual skeptic nature on a first encounter with something such as this. When she said she couldn't tell him everything, a small sigh escaped his lips.

'It would be too easy if there was a definite plan to success involved, do they have some code of conduct, or is this supposed to be some form of trial or penance..' he thought to himself, but not interjecting or interrupting as of yet. The story of Helena's upbringing made sense, perhaps this was just common knowledge but to hear it from Ai's account. As much as a deity she was, her tale sounded almost like mortal affairs, of a mother who worried for her daughter in the same sense as any other. He exhaled and only when it seemed she was done talking would he say something of his own.

"Well, I thank you for the information you've shared. When I say it's off...I mean it's sort of weird. In spite of the fact that Helena was an enemy at first encounter, and the following encounter was strange at best, I look at her and I see something, I don't know...forced? She stated that she was punished by Zepon following the siege of Nova, though I never got a direct answer from her as to why she even did so in the first place beyond trying to find a single target. But that aside, I feel a strange sort of empathy to her, that her life hasn't truly been her own. One of the monikers that is attached to her is that of the 'Living Weapon'." he says pausing, thinking how to word the next bit.

"I feel like in my past, I have been in a similar position. I can't fully remember everything, but I see visions and dreams occasionally of what I assume is my past and that I had to do things I didn't always agree with per someone else's will. That in and of itself sounds like a typical employer and employee relationship, but my gut says it was something more..but I wonder, if Helena were in proper control of her life, if I am not wrong, would she be the same way?" he says, then looking to the ground.

"At the siege, it sort of struck me with shock that she was wounded to the extent that she was, it seemed as though she could even be killed under the right circumstances, yet having thought a lot of the subject, if she were to be removed from her role, would the world not suffer some sort of backlash when she is no longer able to preside over the souls of the dead? Surely the innocent would be impacted, yet as you say if she makes poor decisions that could come to pass." he says, his expression grimacing.

"Maybe Helena's past is that of a monster, but I think she deserves a chance to take domain over her own life as much as anyone else, though I imagine she will be very arrogant and resistant to any idea of learning from a 'mere mortal' like myself. I would even be willing to reverse the damage she suffered at the siege so she can fly again if I could do so with any belief that she won't turn to a murderous rampage the next opportunity, though I admit I'm not certain if I can do so at this point several months later. The spell I would use tends to have...backlash." he says, looking at a bandage on his wrist from a recent usage of it.

"The world would be better off if Helena could be saved from a darker path, she mentioned she was exiled from the Glade of Heroes. Is there a circumstance under which she could return and does her absence cause problems for her job?"

[Trésor de Lys]

    Tres for some reason had the inclination to go to the moon temple that day. She only faintly remembered it as the last time she was there she almost bled to death... Tres felt bad for whoever had to clean up after her... Yikes... Nevertheless, she for some reason felt inclined to go to the temple to reflect on where she had been, and on how far she has come.

    Upon entering the temple, she heard someone's voice... two someones. The first voice she could hear was Adrain's, she knew that as clear as day... but then she heard a woman's voice emerge from out of no where. Tres hid immediately behind a statue, waiting to decipher who the woman was... Before long she realized. Oh my... it's Ai Tres thought. She listened from behind the statue, as Ai requested that Adrain help her child Helena, Tres only grew more interested, listening to Helena's story. Although this was not new information to her, it was still nice to hear the information coming from Helena's mother...

    Even more interesting was Adrain's side of it all. Tres listened attentively, to what he experienced in his past life, what he endured during the siege... how he had spoken to Helena herself. Tres could feel her stomach begin to churn as they spoke of her. Although she was tormented and abused by her for years, she still had a spot in her heart that told her that Helena could be good... As Adrain's speech came to a close, Tres slowly revealed herself, wearing garments similar to the ones she fell in. Tres emerged with her head bowed, and her hands clasped together in front of her.

    Tres waited for someone to notice her before she would speak before Ai.

[Ai]

”I know dear; we don’t normally do this. But the matter seems like we needed to take a more direct approach. We normally will act through our champions; however mine seems to only escalate situations…and the circumstances being what they are…I fear reaching to her would be a grave mistake.” That and it was an unspoken rule; not to intrude upon another’s champion. Something Zeapon had so kindly overlooked when he approached his daughters champion earlier last year. Just the thought of it made her frown; however her mind did not dwell on it long. For Adrain had spoke once again; this time giving her a small piece of information she found very….interesting. It was the first time Ai heard that Helena had a direct target. Well the fated had been a concern for all of them…now that he mentioned it, she did not find it surprising. She would have to find out if the target did surface.

”You see dear; the full divine are not supposed to interfere directly with mortal lives. We may give suggestions; but in the end it’s a mortal’s duty to carry out our will out or not. If Helena wanted to wage war on the fated; she should have done so through her champion. Not by her own hands. Her father was sent to remind her of our rule. As for her exile; the child has her title; and can maintain her job. She is just no longer able to reside with us. She has to live with the mortals she so detests….I believe she has taken residence near the entrance to morgg. Dreadful place…..however we fear…she might be inclined to … cast off the task she was assigned to do. Redemption or not her mind must be swayed. For your sake and ours.” Ai face was dreadfully serious.

Her head turned back up; a frown gracing her lips. her poster became straighter as she recognized the new child as being on that had fallen from her daughters grace. ”How rare; most fallen tend to avoid places like these….come here child. If you wish to eavesdrop do it properly.”