+1 Legend

[legendary_titan]

[[ooc: Saint's Navigation post is here! If there is any Russian speakers playing here, I'm using google translate, so I apologize if anything he says is incorrect! I won't mind at all if anyone corrects me! I love languages and learning about them. As an added note, I'll add what he said in English at the bottom of the post.]]



With a rustle of plate armor, Saint-14 sat up and looked around. He was currently sitting in a snowbank in what appeared to be a wooded area. Bewildered, his helmeted head looked this way and that as he tried to figure out where he was. It definitely wasn't where he was before. Wherever this was, it was heading into evening, and it was cold and snowing. Looking up instantly told him that he wasn't in the Last City, for there was no sign of the looming shape of the Traveler up above him.

Instantly wary, the Titan levered to his feet, straightening to his formidable height. Last he recalled, he had been in the Tower Hanger...how did he get here? He tried opening communications but received no signal. His Ghost apparently was as flummoxed as he was. The most important thing was that there weren't any nearby threats.

Not bothering to unsling the large shotgun on his back, Saint strode off through the snow. There appeared to be some sort of path, so perhaps he was near a settlement.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Saint stood on the edge of the plaza, staring at the large assortment of partially snow covered couches, benches and tables. Large vidscreens were playing videos and playing announcements by the looks of it. There were people walking about of various shapes and sizes...and species that he didn’t recognize.

”Bozhe moi…” He muttered. “Gde ya, chert voz'mi?” It was only the fact that no one was trying to kill him or each other, that he didn’t pull his weapon. In fact, people were just going about their business as if nothing was amiss.

Once again, the Titan found himself far from home. After being in the Infinite Forest for so long, it was nice to find himself in a place that wasn’t a constant fight for survival. Next step would obviously be, ask around and find out where he was and find a place to warm up and regroup. Not paying any mind to the snow covering parts of his armor, Saint strode off through the plaza to do just that.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Later, Saint-14 found himself in a nearby Cafe; sitting at a table in a corner (and almost looking comically too big for it) and looking through multiple pamphlets. After talking to various locals, he had been directed to where he could warm up and find the information he would need. Some info was very interesting - and some shocking. Especially when finding out that this was a different dimension. However the fact he could freely travel between here and his own world via what was called a PINpoint, put him more at ease.

When he came across the info about the Fallen living in the wilds, the Titan surged to his feet, nearly upending the table. He gingerly sat back down after a few moments (and noting the stares) - reading through the pamphlet again while quietly containing his knee jerk fury. Those bastards. After reading about some sort of truce, he crumpled up the paper in his fist before dumping it onto the table in furious disgust.

It took several minutes for him to calm himself, looking down at the other pamphlets on the table. He might as well follow the advice that he had read in one of them. He uttered a deep sigh, speaking up to the groups of people moving through the cafe at large.

“How far are you willing to go, to fight for the places and people that you love?” He spoke up, feeling kind of strange for just randomly speaking up to no one in particular. Despite his intimidating appearance, the deep voice coming out of the crested helmet was warm and kind; very heavily laced with a Russian accent. “Are you willing to stand up and defend your home and protect it?”


[[ooc: Russian translation: "Oh my god. Where the hell am I?"]]

Comments

[skeksisheretic]

"So the creatures I was warned about aren't the only ones bothering you back home. Well! Can't say I know much about Fallen myself, but a Guardian told me a little about the ones here. She thinks they robbed us for raw materials to build their base, and unfortunately we don't really know how they got in." skekGra only sighs. "We have a truce now. I hope nothing else gets the same idea."

"We have an anti-violence field here protecting us most of the time, or I'm afraid things wouldn't be so peaceful," says the Skeksis. There are too many strong personalities and powerful beings here for that, he suspects. "But the different species you'll see get along here. Mostly. Even Skeksis!" He hasn't seen another Skeksis here himself, but he can think of some the Nexus would appeal to, for different reasons.

[legendary_titan]

Saint shook his head. "Unfortunately no. The Fallen are bad enough, but we have others harassing the system." He uttered a derisive snort. "I read about that 'truce' too. I do not believe a word of it. The Fallen do not negotiate and they cannot be reasoned with." He had seen too much. Experienced too much. "I do not plan on organizing a counter-offensive." Not yet. "Instead I will gather as much information I can first. Including meeting with other Guardians. Who was the one you talked with? I will try and make contact."

The anti-violence field was another thing he had read about but hadn't had a chance to test yet. It was an intriguing notion but one he wasn't sure if he could trust. He chuckled slightly at the Skeksis's words. "Well that's one good thing at least. It's a nice break to be in a place that's not full of creatures trying to kill you."

[skeksisheretic]

"So if they don't negotiate, why did the Winter Fallen change their minds and make a truce with us?" skekGra's a little confused, though he guesses that the Guardian has a bad history with the Fallen from the way he discusses them. "It seems from what I've seen and heard they're not generous or friendly, but they want to be left alone now. But I've never had to deal with them, and I'm not one of the people they attacked." In that context, it's easy for skekGra to be relatively nonjudgemental. That, and his own people have a fairly-earned bad reputation.

He gives a soft trill as he thinks. "The Guardian I met was Katiri. Her Ghost was named Luce. I don't know them well, but they were friendly to me. She told me a little about her world, and I told her a few things about mine. Both of our worlds are troubled ones - my own kind, the Skeksis, are the cause of the problems in Thra."

[legendary_titan]

"Because they have some kind of ulterior motive. I'm sure of it." Saint said without hesitation at skekGra's question. "I have dealt with these creatures for a very long time. I do not judge lightly." He added, holding up a finger. "They may be leaving us alone right now, but ultimately I doubt it will last. I aim to find out more information on this and convene with the other Guardians." He sighed a little, leaning back in his seat. "For now, just know that they will have to get through me before they get to the rest of the people here."

At the name of the other Guardian, Saint straightened a little in surprise. "Ah! I know this Guardian and Ghost. She's a warlock. Hm! I didn't know she was here. She was assisting me back at the Tower."

[skeksisheretic]

"Ah, well, I'd certainly guessed they weren't kind. Katiri told me that they attacked and killed people here before the truce was made, and not all of them came back afterward. It sounded like nasty business all around. And the circumstances where the truce was made were hardly the best, if you know about those. Katiri thought they gave themselves the meat and us the bones, so to speak, though they kept their word and stopped the attacks." That's better than fighting them, he thinks, though it's not as if progress has been made since then as far as he can tell.

skekGra chuckles, his tail draped on the ground. "There's plenty of you Guardians here. I've only seen most of them, but she's the first I talked to."

[legendary_titan]

"Hrmm...nyet. I know nothing of that." Saint murmured after a few moments. He made the mental note to reach out to Katiri so they could meet and she could give him more details. "I will find out more once I speak to the others. It is good to know there are other Guardians here that could put up a counter offensive if they try anything."

After studying skekGra for a few moments, he inclined his head. "I'd like to know your perspective on this place. How long have you been here? I only know the basic information I have read in these papers..." He gestured at the pamphlets on the table.

[skeksisheretic]

"There are very powerful people here, even besides you Guardians. If they attack us and break the truce, they will be sorry. I wasn't here when the truce was made, though I can tell you the basic details. You'd be better off asking someone who was for more."

The Heretic turns to Saint's question. "I'm newer here myself. The Nexus is...different from Thra. Harsher winters. Fewer gelflings, more humans, and creatures I've never seen before. The anti-violence field that protects the areas where most people live isn't so strong in the Wilds. There are predators besides the Fallen who live there, so I would be careful." He's never actually met a predator himself, but they have to be out in the Wilds. skekGra can only imagine what lurks out there.

[legendary_titan]

"I will reach out to Katiri and the other Guardians to find out more about this truce and the details of what happened." Saint nodded. He was curious about the powerful non-Guardians that were alluded to though. If it came down to a fight with the Fallen, the more help the merrier in his opinion.

"Gelflings. I am guessing they are a species from your world?" He wondered curiously, taking note of skekGra's words and filing away the information. He was definitely curious about this anti-violence field and how it worked. It wasn't as strong out in the Wilds? Hm...

[skeksisheretic]

"That's right. The Gelflings are from Thra - of all creatures, it's said that they are the closest to the planet. Skeksis came from another world long ago, but we weren't Skeksis then. We were urSkeks. When the urSkeks broke Thra's Crystal of Truth, however, we split into two creatures, Mystics and Skeksis."

skekGra continues his explanation to Saint, his tail twitching under his robes.

"Skeksis are dark. We have the urSkeks' passion and ambition, but also their potential for cruelty. The Mystics are their light half, with creativity and goodness but no will to use them." The Heretic raised a clawed hand. "But! Thra chose myself and my Mystic counterpart to recieve a vision - the Mystics and Skeksis need to become one again."

[legendary_titan]

Saint was silent as he listened closely to skekGra's tale. If it wasn't for the fact that he had gone through some crazy things, he would have thought it was like a story that parents would tell their children.

"Hm...do you remember this time? Why would these urSkeks break this crystal?" He asked curiously. To have an entity split apart like that and create two separate species....that was pretty wild. But then so was being raised from the ancient dead to fight against the Darkness.

[skeksisheretic]

"I remember bits and pieces. We were...curious. We tricked Mother Aughra into leaving the Crystal with us so we could experiment on it, and it went wrong." In the initial confusion one of the Skeksis killed a Mystic, and that was how they learned that they couldn't hurt their light halves without killing themselves.

While he didn't remember the murderer, skekGra has some suspects. He thinks it was skekSo who broke the Crystal and caused the Darkening in the first place. While most Skeksis weren't always as bad as they became some, like skekNa and skekSil, were always evil, the only difference between the two that skekNa never truly hid it. The two despised each other, of course.

[legendary_titan]

By the sounds of it, this 'Mother Aughra' person was some kind of caretaker for the Crystal.

"Hm...that is unfortunate." He murmured. "Is there any way to repair the damage that has been done?" He wondered if the initial reasons for this 'experimentation' on the crystal was innocent curiosity or something more malicious.

[skeksisheretic]

skekGra wouldn't remember. GraGoh hadn't been directly involved in the experimentation - the UrSkek was more of an artist than a scientist or a leader.

"The Crystal has to be healed, and the Mystics and Skeksis become one again. That's the only way things can be made right again in Thra. A Gelfling must do repair the crystal and fix what was broken. The Skeksis and the Darkening have to be stopped."

[legendary_titan]

"I hope then, that for the sake of your world that it comes to pass." Saint said with a slow nod. Even centuries after the collapse, the Earth of his universe was still healing.

[skeksisheretic]

"I know full well there are sometimes people who can't be reasoned with. I tried talking to the other Skeksis, but they didn't understand..." skekGra sighed, hanging his head. "These Fallen of yours sound a bit like Skeksis. Chasing something they can't have, and hurting themselves and others."

[legendary_titan]

Saint was silent for a few moments before he spoke. "Is that how that happened?" He asked, gesturing at skekGra's head, taking note of the nail in it. "When you tried to speak to the other Skeksis?" It was kind of impressive that the alien was still alive.

[skeksisheretic]

"Yes. The Emperor and the Ritual-Master ordered I be punished for heresy. I was beaten, stripped of my robes, and then banished from the Castle of the Crystal." skekGra explains a little more. "But two of us weren't involved. While I had my own issues with skekMal, skekSa has moved here and she had no part in it."

[legendary_titan]

Saint inclined his head with a soft grunt, respect rising a little for this strange alien.

"To go against your brethren and the status quo is not an easy thing to do and takes courage." He said with a nod of approval. "Perhaps you will be the one to find this gelfling that will help repair the crystal." He mused. "Who is this skekSa? Are they an ally of yours?" He was trying to keep track of all the various names in his head.

[skeksisheretic]

"It's the only way the harm we Skeksis have done to Thra can be fixed. The Mariner is a strange character. She isn't an enemy, but she's self-interested. She's bigger than me, stronger, and has her full plumage." The Heretic cackles. "We didn't always look like this, you know, Guardian! The Skeksis used to be beautiful, colorful, before we allowed ourselves to be corrupted. We aren't so different from your Fallen - killing ourselves and others for the sake of something we can't have in the name of a past that won't come back."

skekGra still has some feathers left that weren't plucked, and he's more fit than the castle Skeksis, but skekSa is the only one who had any resemblance to what Skeksis once were.