• Graded • Confessions (Noth)

[Ryder]

31st Ashan, 718

"You seem nervous. Is something the matter?" the seductive voice rasped in his ear, questioningly. Ryder's Diri never liked when the man showed fear, and usually he tried not to. But this was the first time he'd seen Noth in a while, and the brand on his cheek would raise questions. As would, he imagined, the missing Al'Angyryl members that had given him it. Whether Ryder was justified or not, he'd assisted in killing his own men. That would not go down well with the hybrid.
"Noth and I have a unique relationship. We get along, but that doesn't excuse me killing his men. If you'd seen what I've seen Noth do, you'd understand the fear" the man muttered, walking through the underground, the sword Noth gave him at his side. Chuckles filled Ryder's head, almost mocking. "The greatest warrior in Idalos fears nothing, Ryder. But we can work on that."

Eventually, Ryder arrived at the room he'd mentioned in his letter. He'd told Noth this was where he wanted to meet, to discuss affairs that had happened while he was gone. It wasn't a lie, but the real grit of the situation wasn't fitting for a letter - especially if someone else had seen it. Ryder needed to keep the trust of as many people in Al'Angyryl as possible if he was going to assist in leading them. Killing their own people, with reason or not, wouldn't help that whatsoever.
With a sigh, the man entered the room, only to see it was empty. He was early, though he half hoped Noth would already be here. It meant the mercenary wouldn't have to wait any longer than needed. The sooner this was over, the better. Ryder was almost certain that Noth wouldn't kill him - even if he tried. But he owed the hybrid a lot, he didn't want to lose that.

Shortly after entering the room, Ryder heard a door open behind him, glancing over to see who it was.

[Noth]

Noth had a very noisy gait. There was little denying that the twilight hybrid could be heard in his approaches no matter where he strode, his talons crackling against the floors of both stone and lumber with equal discord. At times, he had chosen to enact more stealthy approaches, and it was true that to an extent he could stifle the constant rattling of the massive claws against the floor in order to gain a more advantageous position before striking, and yet, it was a seldom occurrence that he deigned it necessary to intentionally silence his steps. Oh, it was loud and noisy, and it identified his position with a pinpoint, but it also brought fear into the hearts of mortal men. The nigh constant rattle-tattle of talons was a harbinger of death and destruction just as much as any battle-horn or executioner’s knell.

There was little doubt that Ryder would have heard the Avriel approaching long before he made it to the doorway. Noth made absolute certain of it, allowing himself to step across rather noisy flooring solely to increase the dramatic tension of his arrival. It was an aesthetic change, of course, but more than that it raised genuine fear in those around him, and that was what allowed him to accomplish so much. Fear gave the hybrid power, and why would he deny any opportunity to create more of it?

The twilight hybrid’s presence had been requested by one of his more trustworthy Hands, a fellow who had arisen through the ranks with lightning speed, and who had displayed a great deal of both martial skill and leadership abilities. Indeed, he seemed to be a prime subject for leading future operations, and the Avriel was quite satisfied that he had spied his potential from the beginning. Nevertheless, the fact that he had been summoned away from the cavernous headquarters of Al’Angyryl seemed to indicate that something had potentially gone wrong in their arrangement. For all of his terror, the Avriel had been betrayed in the past, and so he had approached the rendezvous point donning the war-gear that often adorned him, The Beast whispering into his thoughts and reminding him of assorted precautions.

The Avriel was cautious as he opened the door, though the metallic carapace he wore upon the entirety of his body made that at least somewhat difficult to discern. Crimson eyes glanced around the perimeter, ensuring that there were no signs of ambush or skirmishers, and promptly entered into the room. He adjusted quickly to the relative dimness of the room, the bright sun overhead fading into little more than a distant memory, a reminder of the power of light. He cocked his head to the side somewhat upon seeing Ryder, as though questioning why he had been summoned, though he never uttered a word, choosing instead to simply cross the room to the nearest chair and seat himself upon it. There was no reason to ask permission… he was the leader after all.

“You summoned?” He questioned at last, the monstrous crimson eyes refusing to shift from the face of his subordinate. “Strange that you would call us away from headquarters. I trust it is a matter of some… severity?”

[Ryder]

As the sound of Noth drew closer, Ryder took in a deep inhale. He wasn't ready to die today. But him and Noth, what they had spoken about before and how they had been together, it gave him confidence that the man would live to see another day. In Noth, Ryder saw more than a leader. He saw a friend. Al'Angyryl's goals wasn't what appealed to him, Noth's goals were. Wherever the man went, Ryder would follow out of care. But that didn't take away from what he had done.
As the crimson-eyed man walked in to the room, Ryder glanced back to him. Nothing in him was looking forward to this conversation, admitting that he had played a part in killing his own men. Of course, as far as Noth would know, it was Ryder that had done it - not anyone else. But there was much more to it than that. At his side was the blade that would save his life if this entire meeting went wrong, the spirit attached to it going silent for a moment, as if to listen to what it's wielder had to say to the hybrid before him.

As Noth took a chair and asked why he was summoned, Ryder took a deep exhale, before leaning back in the chair and going silent for a moment. "This scar is new" he spoke, keeping his confidence as he did so, his eyes looking up to Noth. "Given to me by some of our own men. Took me out of my bed, bound me, took a burning hot metal cross to my face. Scarred it, and planned on doing worse."
Leaning forward, Ryder then kept his eyes on Noth. His eyes didn't show fear, not weakness, nor anger - but almost pain. A look he had never shown Noth before, like a friend consulting in another rather than a soldier consulting his commander. Noth scared him, it was no lie. But if he wanted to keep the friendship growing between these two, then Ryder was going to have to trust him and let go of the fear.

"So" he started again, keeping his breathing to steady his hands and ensure he showed no signs of fear. "I killed them. All four. I broke free of my binds and I butchered them like it was nothing" he admitted. Finally, he glanced down and he put his hand on his temple, rubbing it lightly to try and numb the stress, before looking back up to Noth with a genuine, almost heartfelt expression.
"Before Al'Angyryl, I was nothing. A mercenary, scavenging off shit caravan jobs and guarding wealthy men's door while they whored their way through Etzos. Now, I have a mission. Our mission. And I would give anything for us to achieve it. I'm sorry I killed those men, I truly am. Not because of what they did to me, but because of what that could do the faction. But I care for this faction a lot, and everyone in it."

"You included."

[Noth]

Date

It was at least a fair assumption to make that the twilight hybrid would not readily slay Ryder for his transgressions. It was not as if though he went around constantly to his soldiers, executing this one for this minor error, and that one for their mistakes. True, there had been occasions in the past where it had been necessary to exterminate a few of his own soldiers, but that had been for the ultimate crime of plotting treason against him, and they had been publically slain to act as a message to all of those obedient to him that any sort of treachery on their parts would be rewarded only with brutal action. Other than that ultimate crime, however, Noth was typically quite reasonable when it came to the mistakes and errors of his subordinates, because he recognized that for all the terror that they assisted him in bringing to their enemies, and for all of their effectiveness as a combat unit, they were all still just mortal beings, and it was in their nature to occasionally err.

When the twilight hybrid had been summoned, he had been quite alert for any sort of treachery on the part of Ryder, more than a bit aware of the fact that he had a rather large bounty on his head, and that the man in question had once worked solely for coin. Mercenaries were easy enough to predict in many regards, though they had different flavors between them that muddled the waters far more than the Avriel would have preferred. Some were honorable and served the length of their contract exactly as it was specified, and others were slimy and quick to betray if it meant that they would earn more money than their original bargain.

As Ryder explained his predicament, however, and directed the Avriel’s attention both to his recent misdeeds and to the facial scarring which had been inflicted upon his face, it became quite evident that the fellow had little intention of stabbing him in the back. As the nature of the wound’s cause was explained, the hybrid notably grew far more… agitated. It was not a frustration directed towards the subordinate who reported to him, but rather to those who would take it upon themselves to harm an ally for the sake of proving a point or accomplishing some unknown and malignant deed. It disgusted him immensely that they would think themselves worthy of harming their brothers-in-arms, and, though the Avriel recognized that it would probably be incorrect to approve of Ryder’s actions, he couldn’t help but to think that he would have done the exact same given similar circumstances.

“You talk a great deal about our mission, Ryder.” He finally uttered, shutting his eyes for a moment as he contemplated matters deep within the recesses of his mind, rolling through the entirety of the Plan for a fraction of a trill before returning to the present. “I’m glad that you’ve chosen that as your reason for remaining. So many people choose such… incorrect ideals to support.” He spoke briefly, crimson eyes opening once more and locking onto the face of his subordinate.

“For example, many of the soldiers still think that money is the primary point of our group. They seem to think that we are simply bandits, scrounging after whatever coin is available, but money has little purpose. Certainly, commerce is a nicety, and I would never dream of shutting it off completely, but money cannot buy satisfaction, nor protection, nor health.”

“All the healers in the land may not be capable of finding a cure no matter how many nels you throw at them. All the mercenaries in the land cannot stop a monster. After all, look at all the merchants we’ve slain… what good their coin proved to them.” He tisked with a shake of his head, his expression one of… pity.

“Others seem to think that we’re anarchists. That we seek to tear down the government, to destroy any and all order, and return things to a dark age where might makes right and where strength is the key.” He shook his head once more in repulsion at the thought. “A great many men and women are weak, and yet they provide services for us that we could never manage. What good is the ability to lift a boulder by yourself when you have broken your knee, and there is no one to heal you? What good is being a mighty warrior without a smith to forge forth your armament?”

“What good is being a soldier when your allies try to kill you?”

Crimson eyes glared daggers into Ryder’s own, waiting as the nels ticked onwards, the stare not revealing whether or not he expected an answer or not from the man, though, after a few moments longer, he continued to speak.

“I’m glad that you’ve brought this to my attention, Ryder. It’s disappointing that some of our soldiers have to die, but it is understandable… sometimes men drift from the plan, sometimes they do not see the real purpose of what we do here, and they grow greedy and selfish and vile, and, much like rabid dogs, they need to be put down to assure the safety of the group.”

“What do you think I want to accomplish, Ryder?” He began suddenly, shifting the conversation to himself as he arose from his seated position, strolling casually with the clitter-clatter of talons towards the fellow, his posture relaxed even in the metallic carapace.

“Why… don’t I show you?” He whispered as he drew ever nearer, outstretching a hand to the fellow to take.

The Diri worked quickly, latching onto his mind in an instant as it began to show him images of what could only be a paradise. There were people, a great multitude of people, smiling, happy, and satisfied. There was no filth or grime layered into the alleyways of grand Etzos, and nor could the beggars and poverty-stricken souls who often resided there be found. Indeed, people of all shapes and sizes and personalities were merely present, happy, joyful in a way that seemed so impossibly distant, and yet so undeniably desirable.

“I don’t want money, or to slay the weak, Ryder. I want to save the world, and I’m willing to kill anyone or destroy anything that gets in the way of that vision.”

Like the blowing out of a candle, the images were removed from the man’s mind.

“Are you?”

[Ryder]

Truth be told, Ryder had no idea what to expect from Noth. Even as the man spoke, his words gave no initial sign as to what he wanted. Of course, the man said he was glad that he had chosen the right reason, but with his Crimson eyes staring through the mercenary, there was some element of uncertainty. Yet despite it, there was never fear.
Noth was scary, no doubt about it. But if he had wanted Ryder dead, then the mercenary would be bleeding on the floor by now. No, he wanted something more for Ryder. Whatever that was, Ryder was willing to give in to it. Noth had earned at least that much devotion. After all, he was the man that gave his life purpose. Whether he knew the extent of it or not, that was what he was to Ryder.

As the man spoke, Ryder listened - and the words made an impact. He'd never considered the risk of working alone, it was what he had always been used to. Money had been all he had, all he wanted. Yet money hadn't saved him once, he'd saved himself. Of course it bought his weapons, and of course it paid for every valuable he had. But when it came down to it, people made his life easier and safer. Smiths that made his weapons, barkeeps that fed him and gave him drink, and even just friends that gave him a place to be.
Then the twilight hybrid stared, a sharp stare. 'What good is being a soldier when your allies try to kill you', the bird asked. Ryder wasn't sur whether to speak. Who was that directed at? Him? He was no soldier, but they had tried to kill him first. Before the man could speak, however, the hybrid carried on.

Then, the man rose. Standing in his chair, leaving Ryder silent. His posture showed there was nothing to fear, but it was clear his question was not to be answered - and Ryder didn't know the answer even if it was. What did he want? Ryder had spent so long fighting for Al'Angyryl and had never asked what he was fighting for, because fighting with and alongside Noth was enough. Having a mission was enough.

Then, the Diri filled his mind - and Ryder saw peace.

A peace the man never knew he wanted came before him. Happiness, nothing but it. A world where everyone was accepted and comfortable, living a good life. Yet in the vision, Ryder saw more than just all the happy people. He could picture himself, and Serah - and maybe even a lover. Living in a world they had earned, fought for, and good finally reap the rewards of. If only Bella could be here to see this...
"Am I?" the man asked as if the question didn't even need to be asked, the Diri's affect and his own dreams fusing in to one. "I have a daughter that I want to live the best life she can. I had a lover that wanted nothing more than a peaceful life. I owe my life to this faction because it gave me something more than just money."

Glancing up to Noth, the man smirked a little, as if the idea of it made his life just that much better. Though the brainwashing had taken effect, the thoughts were still his own. This world, he still wanted it. Hell, there was nothing he wanted more than it. This was his mission. A world where not only him and his loved ones could live together, but where everyone could live together.

"Yes. I'm willing to kill whoever it takes."

[Noth]

Noth could see the pleasantness begin to spread across is subordinate’s face, could detect the slightest little twitches of facial features as the Diri spread its manipulative fingers into his mind, filling it with the paradisiac conditions that he desired to see for himself in the near future. Of course, the images themselves were not necessarily contrived out of thin air, but were rather taken from different sources; both the memory of the Diri and those entities that it had encountered, and perhaps more importantly, from any scenes of peace and serenity that had ever been witnessed by Ryder. Using his own memories against him in such a way was bound to have an even more profound effect upon his loyalty than if every single instance had been created out of a complete absence, though, some tinkering was necessary for many of the mental pictures.

In truth, he was not entirely certain of what the bounds of the spirit’s power were, because he had yet to see it falter in any of its manipulations. It had been resisted on occasion, certainly, but… resistance to an alien power was far different than said alien power being entirely unable to affect a mind. Could it be used on dozens of people? He had certainly observed it as it infiltrated the minds of a village and convinced the entire populace to sacrifice themselves in a futile assault upon a Black Guard encampment. Could it affect hundreds at a time? Thousands? Perhaps in the distant future, the twilight hybrid would merely have to enter into Etzos and raise a hand, and all the populace would feel thoughts and interpretations which told them to bend the knee and obey his rulership over them. Perhaps.

Until then, there would be dissidents hither and thither in the ranks no matter how scrupulous he was in regards to their assorted authorities and accesses, and there would always be those personnel who would attempt to deviate from the beautiful Plan that had infiltrated his own mind, which had been formulated in the darkness in order to bring light to an accursed world. He was unable to authoritatively deal with every single treachery that would inevitably arise among their rank, even if he was unnecessarily cruel in his punishments in order to dissuade those who were faint of heart.

Eventually, he would need someone else who could see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, who could imagine the future that Al’Angyryl wanted to bring about, even if they didn’t necessarily know each and every detail of the Plan. He needed someone who was loyal directly to him as opposed to loyal only to a titular arrangement, someone who was willing to do all that needed to be done.

An Executioner of his will.

And, as the smirk caressed the face of his subordinate, and Ryder affirmed to him with sincerity that he was willing to kill whoever it took in order to bring about the paradise that the hybrid had shown him, he felt confident that he had found someone suitable to take on the role.

“You will be my Executioner. You will operate above the Hands, and keep all of the soldiers in our organization in line. If they deviate from the course, you will discipline or slay them where they stand. Your orders will come solely from myself.” He spoke, offering a gauntleted hand to the fellow as he began to lay out the details of his new work. “Do this, and together we will bring about a world that Idalos has never before seen, a world of peace.”

[Ryder]

Executioner

Despite all of the brainwashing, Ryder knew what he wanted. Yet something inside him had been strengthened a thousand times more by the Diri. Of course, the man always wanted to keep his daughter safe, and to have a good life for himself. But now, there was nothing he wouldn't do to get it. Now he had a purpose, and he intended on getting it no matter what it cost.
Then Noth told him what was in-store for him. Executioner Ryder, who had so much authority only Noth himself could give him orders. Nobody else. At the sound of it, a small smirk spread across the mans face, his mind flashing back to when he had first joined the group and a man had made him kiss the floor. Never again, nobody would push him around anymore. The only man that could tell him what to do was also his strongest ally, and perhaps his closest friend.

"Sounds like a good world to me" the mercenary nodded, before shaking Noth's gauntlet, his eyes meeting the crimson eyes before him. It took little to see the determination, burning inside of the man with a fiery passion. Nothing would stop him from getting what he wanted. Nothing would stand in Ryder's way. Al'Angyryl had many brave, strong fighters. But if there was one thing Ryder would always stand by, it was that he believed more than anyone else did. His will as unbreakable - always had been.
Moving his hand from the shake, the man took a step back. "Sorry to change the conversation, but there was something else I wanted to talk to you about. I felt it was relevant. Southguard - I'm sure you know of it. When I went up there recently, some events led to another" he started, leaning himself back against the wall of the room.

"A man known as Commander Norris, who was positioned in Southguard at the time, died at my hands. Though nobody knows it was me" he smirked, remembering the tale. By now, word had probably spread to Etzos of a Sessfiend being killed. "You're looking at Ryder, Beast Slayer - and Hero of Southguard."

[Noth]

Believe In Dark Wings

The power of the Diri was one that fascinated and intrigued the Avriel. Of course, he thought that he could understand it a great deal better now that it had quite literally bound itself to his very flesh, using him as a conduit for the physical world where once it had been at least somewhat restricted, but… answers were not always immediately forthcoming from The Beast. For all of its persuasive abilities and reasoning, and the exemplary patience that it had displayed with him when it had inevitably come time to make a choice between sacrificing his own limb or sacrificing an opportunity to progress his power to a greater point, the alien entity seemed to be… well… alien. It did not always understand exactly what the hybrid would consider to be important information, and it rarely disseminated what it had discovered from probing the minds of others to him. Yet, it was perfectly willing to quite literally bear down its spiritual might on a target person and force the words from their very own lips, convincing them that the only way for them to be saved or to accomplish some future unseen goal was to comply with the monstrous might of its mind.

It understood his thoughts quite well. It knew what he was thinking supposedly at every single moment of the trial, and it had grown so adept at reading his desires that he no longer even needed to spoke to inform it to begin imposing its malignant will upon a target. Yet… he wondered whether or not it was using some of its abilities on him as well. Was it possible that the entity was influencing his own mind to further accomplish its goals, or were they already so well-aligned in purpose that it found no reason to coerce him into this direction or that one? The issue was further compounded when he introspectively realized that it was allowing him to even think thoughts such as these, and to consider, as well, thoughts on the thoughts. He hadn’t considered that combining his flesh with the alien entity would prove to be so disastrously confusing.

Thankfully, it seemed as though the Beast for all of its confusion trivialities had managed to fully affect young Ryder, bending his thoughts to its will. Oh, it was not as if though it had implanted anything within his mind that had never been present at least somewhere in the past, because that was simply not how the creature operated. What type of mortal being didn’t desire at least some form of paradise, however, some end to all of the suffering that had been inflicted against them, and a finality to all of life’s problems? He didn’t doubt for an instant that whatever trick had been used on Ryder would have been entirely effective on essentially any person, even if the details of the paradise would be twisted to match their personal preferences.

He could feel the conviction in the hand of the soldier as he shook his gauntlet, the tool deactivated so as not to inflict the paralytic seizure which could occasionally be thrust upon any who dared touch it. After the touch had concluded, the newly affirmed Executioner spoke of the small town of Southguard, making mention of it to the Avriel. It seemed to be a somewhat curious change of topic, but the hybrid listened intently regardless, fairly certain that the information would be useful or pertinent, even if was not necessarily both. It seemed that young Ryder had managed to gain a rather grand reputation for himself in the midst of the small town, and the Avriel nodded his proud acceptance of this, his thoughts already flickering and flaunting about assorted schemes and machinations.

“Use your reputation, then. A reputation is worthless unless results are compounded from its presence. Replace the soldiers that you’ve slain, and that you will slay. Take whatever rewards you can gain from Southguard… convince them of the corruption of our enemies, acquaint them to us.

Make them rebels. I know you won't let me down, Executioner.”

Believe In Dark Words

[Caius Gawyne]

Here's your sarding thread review already.

Noth

Points

XP:
15 | These points cannot be used for magic.

Renown:
N/A

Goodies

N/A

Consequences

N/A

Knowledges

Skill Knowledge:
Nah.
Other Knowledge:
Nope.

Ryder

Points

XP:
15 | These points cannot be used for magic.

Renown:
N/A

Goodies

N/A

Consequences

N/A

Knowledges

Skill Knowledge:
Nah.
Other Knowledge:
Nope.

Comments

Noth, man, pick a template! They're all pretty, so I understand. My only complaint is with text color. I surely am not the only one who struggles with type on a dark background, but I especially cannot for the life of me read blue text on a black background. Web designer me says that is not at all AA-level Accessibility Standards Compliant and I had to copy-paste the text into an editor so I could read your last post.

Other than that, this was a rather psychological thread full of the twisting of thoughts and the weird interactions of diri, which I still don't understand even though I've just read about two of them, Noth's in particular. Creepy little dominating thing, that is.

Now that your review is complete,
don’t forget go back to your review post here and drop this image in!

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Be not afraid of greatness:
Some are born great, some achieve greatness,
And some have greatness thrust upon 'em.

- Malvolio | Shakespeare's Twelf Night (II, v, 156-159)