Blast From The Past: Rheinian Makes A Confession

[Gifnab]

The room brightens as Ivesianna makes her way into the chapel, followed by several guards.

The Chapel
  The Chapel has survived the destruction to the south mostly untouched. 
Though the archway entrance is scorched by flame, the interior shows pews
lining each side of the room, where masses can gather for prayer or sermon. 
A great dais stands in the front of the room with an alter perched upon it. 
Frescoes decorate the ceiling, depicting the God of Light in a ferocious
battle with those of evil.  

Rheinian frowns, 'Why so many guards?'

Ivesianna turns to the guardsman who follow her, barks several orders, and turns her attention towards you.

Rheinian lowers his weapon to a defensive position.

Bloodlust fills Rheinian's eyes as he switches grip on 'Fratris' the Wrath of God adorned with a glowing ember.

The group of men leave the chapel at Ivesianna orders.

Ivesianna folds her arms and asks, 'What is it you wished to discuss?

Rheinian says 'Discuss? Nothing. Confess.'

Rheinian says 'I agreed to make a deal, against your orders.'

Ivesianna places her hands upon the hilt of each of her sheathed blades to rest them upon, 'A confession?

Ivesianna narrows her silvery brows and speaks slowly, 'Which... deal... what orders.

Rheinian says 'I spoke to one of Anume's servants. I agreed to allow her to take my soul if I could have the archfiend delivered to me, where I could... convince him to tell me how to close the portals.'

Rheinian says 'Convince through not so lawful ways.'

You say 'Which servant do you speak of...? The archfiend? The former one known as Arethaeil? He is likely dead in some cave somewhere.'

Rheinian lowers his head, 'I've also stoked a fire burning in the other members of our order, who think you are either going soft, or leading us to ruin.

Rheinian says 'The nightmare came to me in a dream.'

Ivesianna shifts her armoured hands off the hilt of her blades and turns to the exit of the chapel and smirks, 'Going soft... they reckon?

Rheinian nods, 'I was the one who convinced them of such, based on you going easy on the archfiend.'

You see her hand turn just once as if to shake it, and Ivesianna then turns her head back to you, 'Leading the Knights to Ruin? I hardly think so.

You notice one of her fists tightly clutching by her side. Ivesianna continues to speak, 'The Archfiend is a sad soul who will depart this world in a manner of time, his service with the nexus has come to an end. And he'll succumb to his wounds.

You say 'As for the campaign against Valmiran, my orders are firmly put. And I will continue to lead the charge, WITH or WITHOUT your support.'

Rheinian raises his voice, 'He knows how to close the portals! How can we let him!'

Ivesianna cuts the air with her hand, 'He knows nothing of them, he was a slave. And even if he did know, he is a withered old man. What light could he shed.

Rheinian says meekly, 'We must try..'

You say 'We should continue to pursue our task the commander has laid out before us. The shadowhunters will arise once again, and we'll close them ourselves.'

You say 'Or have you lost the courage to follow me beyond this plane?'

Ivesianna steps towards the wall of the chapel and thrusts her hand against it in a manner of frustration and anger.

Rheinian sighs.

Rheinian says 'I've not lost any courage. This is why I came to you, to tell you of my mistakes.'

Ivesianna punches it once more and turns to you, 'What happened to Rheinian! Pull yourself together Sir.

Ivesianna narrows her brow and takes a deep breath, closing her golden eyes.

Rheinian says 'This nightmare twisted my mind. I've been craving nothing but bloodlust and I've been taking it out on everyone who dare even look at me sideways.'

Ivesianna exhales a moment and opens her eyes, a bright flicker re-enters the room as her eyes open.

Rheinian says 'Something came out of me, not long ago... A shadow who looked like me.'

You say 'The nightmare is manipulative, conniving creature.'

You say 'And it should of been banished YEARS ago!'

Rheinian says 'Yes... I allowed it to twist me, into making me believe I deserve more.'

Rheinian says 'To convince me that you were weak, and corrupted.'

Ivesianna takes two quick steps towards you and stops. She is much smaller than you. 'We must not give into its game. do not let it stray you from the path of Light.

Rheinian nods as if two feet tall, 'I know... I've made awful mistakes.'

Ivesianna turns her head to the side and growls, 'Ughh, corrupted. What rubbish! The Light has reinvigorated me!!

Rheinian looks down at you, 'It is by your rule. You must find if there is any of this darkness left in me... I fear my ambition gave it form.'

Ivesianna clutches both of her fists together and pushes them together in front of her, 'Soft... weak...Where is that shaman, I need to step off this pedestal and get back into the field.

Rheinian says 'My feelings of inadequacy and failure I believe let him into my thoughts.'

Ivesianna sighs, and continues to speak, '... I know it is a creature that thrives off weakness of the mind.

Rheinian lowers his head in shame.

You say 'A vulnerability well known without the ranks of your kin. That may be true. But you must fight it. do not let its words twist and corrupt the path.'

Rheinian glances up, 'Truth be told... I'm only coming clean because the whole plan was a ruse to get to me... I confess if it had gone through... I'd have pulled that old man’s fingers off, and my soul would be damned.'
Ivesianna waves a single hand in the air in a dismissive manner. 'The old man will pass in time. He suffers due to heart break and a very potent poison.

Rheinian nods, defeated.

You say 'I care little about that old man anymore. My feelings have been burnt out of my mind. Erelei gives me new light.'

Rheinian says 'What do you mean?'

You say 'He and I knew each other from a different time in my mind. Before I was a squire myself, before I had reached the pinnacle of my guild. Quite soon after my departure from the Capital. He assisted me in seeking the murderer of my sister.'

You say 'Who I knew was within the ranks of the despair.'

You say 'And through him, I was able to gain revenge upon her killer.'

You say 'However as time passed, and Erelei's light found me. He has always tried to speak to me. Break through my shell. But I will not allow it anymore.'

Rheinian says 'Based on the perceived weakness... and compassion for the archfiend... I had planned to usurp you once I had him in my possession.'

Ivesianna points at the barrel of milk upon the chapel floor with her slender finger.

Ivesianna looks rather stricken. The light in her eyes seems to glimmer bright and dim to synchronize with her breathing.

Anthezar tells you 'Slitting his throat is the proper course of action here.'

Rheinian avoids your gaze, clearly embarassed.

Anthezar tells you 'Not to intrude, I'm rather enjoying his honestly'

Ivesianna's Knight Avatar walks towards Ivesianna and leans into her ear and whispers something.

Ivesianna appears to listen to the words and nods her head, her hand just makes a 'stop' sign, and she dismisses her guard.

Rheinian glares at Ivesianna's Knight Avatar.

Ivesianna begins to pace look at the ceiling of the chapel, she appears to be smiling, but her eyes glimmer at the surface with moisture.

Ivesianna looks down a moment and laughs to herself like a mad woman.

Rheinian sighs and says nothing.

Ivesianna goes to speak, but calms herself and gives you a wicked smile. A moment passes and she turns her head to the left closing her eyes once more.

You say 'Such promise... such support and such betrayal.'

Rheinian says 'I was weak. I allowed the nightmare into my mind to strike at you, since it can't do it itself.'

You say 'It is truly disappointing that you'd let the nightmare into your mind. Unless of course, this was your own thoughts which had manifested.'

You say 'Oh it can. And it will. And I will strike back with my bright blade. I have been waiting for the day since my Light has re-entered my body.'

Ivesianna holds her lower chest and grumbles, she draws one of her blades from the sheath and hurls it at the altar in a fit of anger.

Rheinian says 'I had everything in place. Ogrin and Bromhilvar would have sided with me, once I had the archfiend... I was coming.'

Ivesianna breathes deeply once more, and closes her eyes, she speaks quietly. 'Bromhilvar and Ogrin were in on it?

Anthezar tells you 'To what end, I'm curious. Was he going to murder you the position?'

Rheinian nods slowly, 'I had stoked the doubt in their minds that you were going soft... And possibly corrupted.'

Anthezar tells you 'Do probe him...'

Ivesianna growls and turns to her guard. She searches in his eyes a moment and lowers her head. 'Those fools. What were you planning on doing, murdering me in my study? Whilst I continued to make plans for our campaign. To restore the castle? to bring peace to this bloody, forsaken land!'

Anthezar tells you 'And of course, the Family would treat a contract from one as esteemed as yourself with the utmost priority.'

The Light in Ivesianna's eyes appears to grow even brighter as her voice raises, her pale skin going slightly red.

Rheinian sighs, 'With control of such a large force, and the trust of the other knights... I was going to remove you from power... If I needed more help with your army, I would have reached to Alexzandra in the empire.'

You tell Anthezar 'Silence!!! Prophet!!!'

Rheinian says 'We both know she'd jump at the chance.'

Anthezar tells you 'I can't help but feel your sense of betrayal. It's an emotion I'm quite familiar with'

Ivesianna rolls her eyes, and steps lightly towards her blade which has found itself at the base of the altar. She bends her knees and collects it. She remains kneeling by the altar a moment, inspecting the pommel of the blade.

Anthezar tells you 'That said, I'll continue listening on our malcontent...friend.'

Anthezar tells you 'In silence'

Anthezar tells you 'Though I know he only speaks the words he wants us to hear'

Ivesianna speaks with a lowered voice that is slightly distorted due to her position under the altar. 'You would seek out the unholy lady, to gain support against me... knowing very well, how bad our personal relationship is. You'd use that inside knowledge.

You say 'How could I ever trust you again?'

Ivesianna slowly lifts herself up to the side of the altar and places one hand upon its brim, and stares at the water that is collected within at her reflection.

Rheinian says 'That is for you to judge. I am after all confessing my plot. I don't expect to leave here without a punishment of some sort.'

Ivesianna continues to stare into the water's reflection, her eyes dimming completely of their golden aura. 'And what would you expect of me? You accuse me of going soft.

Ivesianna turns her attention back to you and leans against the altars edge.

Rheinian says 'Quite the situation I placed you in. You can counter those arguments by taking my head, although where I'm confessing it will further the others belief in you being tainted... Or you let me live, and they believe you're soft.'

Ivesianna tilts her head in a rather unnatural manner. 'Yes... Am I tainted... am I soft... Am I just...'

You say 'I have heard I am tainted... yes, that has been a label many have given me. But I do not believe it is the taint you refer to.'

You say 'Am I soft, I have had my moments of weakness. perhaps not so far into the distant past, I was rather...restricted. However, this is not the case.'

Rheinian says 'What do you suspect to what I refer to?'

You say 'Am I just... I believe Justice is due. Under such circumstances.'

You say 'I believe you are speaking of something more sinister or demonic. Not that tainted label the Watchers spew at me.'

Anthezare tells you 'I'll be a voice of interpretation in your ear for these skewed words of his.  For time judges all.'

Anthezar tells you 'He fears those such as myself and the archfiend. Those such as Irant.'

With two delicate fingers Ivesianna hooks them around the pommel of her one remaining sheathed blade and draws it, she flicks it into her hand and begins to grind her nails across its point. 

Anthezar tells you 'He wanted YOU to do his dirty work and rid him of any roadblocks to progression.'

You say 'I am a master of my craft, I know what poison I used and where I struck the Archfiend. I know, even with his darkened magic, it will only be a matter of time. He suffers. Oooh, I know this very well.'

Rheinian says 'Well. You may believe that... Although I convinced the other knights he should he questioned further... No mercy given.'

Anthezar tells you 'And when he would sit behind his castle guard, it was YOU who pursued me across the world. Showing no fear or softness.'

Anthezar tells you 'Just for perspective. I'll remain silent again' 

Ivesianna continues to pick her fingernails with the tip of her blade, her eyes fixed on her little activity. She appears lost in thought.

Rheinian says 'M... m'lady?'

Suddenly she stops. Ivesiannas look directly at you in a dead stare.

A messenger yells 'ValMiran is under attack by orc raiders!'

Rheinian says 'I admit that my causing all this was a result of feeling underutilized... It allowed the dark thoughts in which the nightmare sensed.'

Within a blink of a moment she hurls her blade in the air and quickly sheathes it. Ivesianna speaks, 'A raid. I need to draw out some frustrations that have built up inside.

Rheinian nods.

Rheinian says 'Shall I join you?'

Rheinian wields 'Fratris' the Wrath of God adorned with a glowing ember and holds it low.

Ivesianna shakes her head, 'I know your power. I know your potential. But I am truly saddened by your thoughts and actions... No. No today I shall ride alone.

Rheinian sighs, nodding.

Ivesianna peers at her guard a moment who appears to be packing several things in preparation.

You say 'It's been a while since I've been in the field.'