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1[19:08] Est says, "...I've never been in here before."
2[19:15] Cal asks, "Oh really?"
3[19:15] Cal pulls down his hood. "I was here just the other day."
4(Cal)
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6
7[19:16] Est says, "...Then you know this fortress better than I do."
8[19:16] Est says, "...I suppose I will play it safe."
9[19:16] Cal says, "Well-- I wouldn't say that. I just talked over in the corner there."
10[19:23] Est stared impassively as Cal lowered his hood, her gaze deviating only to inspect the waterlogged fortress that she had always seen, but never entered. She never felt like it was her place to do so. Even as Eiphraem allowed her to serve as a jack-of-all-trades factotum, she hadn't quite realized she was probably allowed to be in the keep. She hadn't been stopped, however, so she assumed all was well.
11
12Mostly, anyway. Deathly pale skin turned ever so slightly red as it dawned on her that he was just wearing a hood - no magical diguise, no illusions, just a hood. The color bled away from her face in short order, however, as mist washed over her face like a veil. The water all around them seemed to serve as an excellent source of power; Est typically relied on using only her own mass for smoke, but in the presence of so much water she could call on so much more.
13
14"Then we'll be talking in the same corner," she said. As she spoke, she revealed her teeth - decent for her social class, albeit with a few missing. With such an abundance of water to work with, however, she filled in the gaps with smoke. It wasn't a perfect illusion, but at a glance a person could still be deceived.
15
16Without another word she motioned toward the table, heading over on her own. As opposed to floating, she simply walked. Bare feet and exposed ankles trudged through the various puddles, and as she reached the corner table she turned to face the angel.
17
18"...Yes?"
19
20It was a simple question. It carried a lot of meaning behind it - but it was simple all the same.
21(Est)
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23
24[19:36] Calael blinked and offered a blank expression as he realized maybe he hadn't been completely recognized until he had removed his hood. He let out an awkward cough as Est shrouded herself in her own mist and lead him off toward the same meeting place he'd spoken with Perseus not so long ago. The demiangel found a quiet humor in the fact that he was even sitting in the same seat.
25
26He rested his elbows across the table and started to squint to examine the shifting, smoky face of the not-dead girl, until he realized that maybe squinting and staring might be considered rude.
27
28The puddles and mist had him somewhat distracted, so much so that the one word question didn't entirely register in his mind for a full ten second delay.
29
30Until finally, "--Oh. Right, yeah. The plan." Calael shifted and placed his book upon the table. He flipped over several pages on varying topics until ending on one titled, A New Home. "My siblings and I had a talk, about everything, about what Noel and I had mentioned to Perseus and Eiphraem and you last time we met. The longer we stay in Huangzhou the longer we... notice the problems there. The issues they refuse to face. They lack necromancy and dark magic but they have an overwhelming amount of pride. Stupidity. Ignorance. Maybe you already know that..." He tapped his fingers across the pages anxiously, a need to move instead of sit still. 
31
32"The bottom line is we want a new home, but we know we're just--
33
34Kids.
35
36At best we could make a clubhouse? Some huts? A small shanty town that would gain attention from Dawn, if Huangzhou didn't torch it down for defecting from them first.
37
38We have some years to learn and grow, to make deals, to collect resources. But what we really want, what we sort of... need… is Crafthold's help. Or at least Eiphraem's, so that we can make a home that does not promote war or violence, one that doesn't promote bigotry and hypocrites. A Crafthold of the West. I guess."
39(Cal)
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41
42[20:02] Even if the boy squinted, Est didn't seem to notice. The girl was just as much affected by her magic as other people were; a veil of mist was still quite difficult to see through, even if it was her own. To make matters worse, she was clearly at least partially blind. She was healed, but hadn't come back perfectly. There were still just a few things missing or weakened.
43
44She tried not to let it hinder her as she settled onto a stool opposite Cal, crossing her arms on the table. The points where her elbows would have touched the wood were less than solid, as if her body felt the pressure and opted to engage its defense mechanism of turning those particular spots into mist. It created an odd effect, where her elbows didn't quite exist but her forearms shot out from the smoke anyway.
45
46She had more control over her magic than she did the last time the two met, but there was still a clear lack of complete mastery. No matter how consciously aware she was that the table and Cal were not threats, her subconscious mind forced her to remain on guard anyway. And so, shifting in and out of the ghostly haze that made so many mistake her for an undead, she listened.
47
48Strengthened by the location of the seafort, smoke poured out of her nostrils as she breathed, slowly and evenly. And, as he reached the end of his proposal, she sighed, coating the table in a swathe of mist from that one brief exhale.
49
50"Dawn's tools of war... their weaponry, their plagues," she began, "Have taken countless Valmasian lives. But... my death was not only their fault."
51
52Est was, by all appearances, alive. She gave off none of the inherent corruption that came with being undead. She was slightly too real to be a spirit. Cal wasn't in proximity to check her pulse, but he could be reasonably assured that she was, indeed, a living, breathing human being.
53
54But, if meeting Eiphraem and being healed is what she considered her "revival," then perhaps she did die on that day. Metaphorically, anyway.
55
56"It was Huangzhou's carelessness. They are blinded by rage. Their zealotry knows no bounds, and their will cannot be denied... regardless of when, or where, or who. You saw how your commander attacked the Adjudicator," she said, leaning back slightly. The stool didn't creak like what may have been expected; she seemed almost entirely weightless. "Innocents. Merchants. Non-magi. Did she even stop to think who would be in the crossfire?"
57
58She answered her own question: "No. It is the same for all of them. They... cannot see innocents. They see the world in black and white. They see good. They see evil. They see their noble ends, but not their... vile means. As I have said... the worst kind of evil is the kind that doesn't even realize that it's evil."
59
60But her ranting only served to stray further and further from the point, and so leaning forward once more she finally got around to addressing Cal's point. "First, let me extend an invitation to Crafthold. I don't think Lord Eiphraem would mind. He would probably embrace it, as would his Peacekeeper. But-" She flashed the tiniest smile, "That is... not an option, is it? Demons, practitioners of Chaos magic, undead... my guess would be that your 'Crafthold of the West' would ban these things. Am I correct?"
61
62It wasn't a particularly astute observation, but it was still proof of at least some intelligence. There was a certain savvy to her, even if it was in its infancy. Eiphraem had not chosen poorly when he took Est as his student.
63
64"I am... not entirely sure how my Lord would feel about that," she admitted, "And so you'll still have to talk to him. But there is one question that he would ask, that I would ask too. Think of this like... a pre-interview," she mused, her smile growing wider, wide enough to show off some of the smoke-filled missing teeth. It was a fleeting thing, meant to be enjoyed only while it lasted; her expression was neutral again in the next moment. All business now.
65
66"What is the meaningful difference between Huangzhou and your planned city?" she asked. "And even if you are not permitting... certain kinds," she continued... 
67
68"...Do you acknowledge their right to exist? Or... are you so bothered by the existence of demons and chaos and zombies minding their own business on the opposite end of the continent that you struggle to sleep at night, like your unhinged Commander?"
69
70She leaned forward even further still, awaiting his answer like a particularly eager interrogator.
71(Est)
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73
74[20:24] Calael tried to keep his attention on Est through the constant streams of moisture and mist that made what had been a quiet meeting place into an eerie sight. Given their last conversation, and due to her lack of corruption, Calael had of course given she and Eiphraem the benefit that Est was a cut above the undead he had staked his life again. In theory speaking with her should be far easier than dealing with Perseus, but Calael's curiosity at someone who had defied death in a completely unprecedented way as well as his shifting focus among the cloudy atmosphere made it difficult to keep the usual pensive and solemn expression he wore.
75
76But at the mention of Rikona's outburst he crossed his arms. The incident from his perspective had been very much the fault of the oscuri, a blessed of Azrael, a man of nothing but spite and anger. Calael could sit here and debate with Est, tell her why Alastor was wrong, even if she was correct in saying the black and white issues were all Rikona would ever see. 
77
78The mention of the unhinged Commander also provoked a frown and a glance cast downward both in shame and frustration that someone he had come to at least respect had fell so easily into a ready made trap. In a far more mild way, it felt as though Est were playing the role of Alastor, drawing out mild mannered pokes and insults in an attempt to see how he might react.
79
80So he kept quiet until the end, until every detail about what Eiphraem's thoughts and questions might be came across the table.
81
82"The meaningful difference is we wouldn't be tied down to a singular, anchored culture. We wouldn't be kneeling to one angel. We wouldn't have a past filled with blood and violence. Alastor and Dawn call Huangzhou the enemy, the bad guy, and in turn the Commander and the rest of her city do the same. They... have killed on another's loved ones. They've built up so much hatred and intolerance that talks like this don't happen very often, and when they do?" He gestured outside, "Well, you've seen her twice now."
83
84Calael read over his notes, rudimentary plans laid out for what could someday become foundational laws, ideals, and concepts of a future home built by the Elisheva children.
85
86"You're right in assuming I can't just-- live here. Even if Salvas Voss is not a rabid monster, people like that oscuri are bound to happen through. Archons that are not Eiphraem Kang, that seek dominion and rule over Agartha will cross our paths... it puts us in a bad spot, in a dangerous place." He ran his hand through his hair, disappointed that the solution wasn't so easy. "I would love to learn more from Eiphraem. I wish that... Perseus and I could know one another beyond the limitations of an undead and someone like me.
87
88But the world is more complicated than that. And so we have to build something we can tolerate, that we can... mediate.
89
90Eiphraem spoke of vampires who were given volunteered blood, who didn't hurt and enslave. Perseus recently expressed a... great amount of agreeable ideas when it came to both his stance on necromancy, as well as my own. Maybe there will be other demons like Eiphraem out there.
91
92All of these ideas help with the concept of another city like this, but more... Lifestream friendly?" He risked mentioning It, knowing the last time the Lifestream had been brought up, most of the group surrounding Eiphraem didn't seem to really care for it, and so the word was accompanied with a half smile. "Crafthold stays as it is. We won't push to change it. Vampires who harm and maim, soldiers from Dawn who worship the Betrayer are free to live and do their business here, while we offer another table.
93
94Another merchant stall. Another home that isn't looking to drag the continent into its wars, that isn't looking to create victims stuck in the crossfire."
95(Cal)
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97
98[20:50] As alive as she may have been, Est couldn't entirely be called "living" - not conventionally, anyway. Her heart was not her own. Hers had been quite literally broken, torn apart by Valmasian weaponry. One of her lungs had been annihilated, too. Lord Eiphraem healed her, but for a period of several months she existed only as a walking corpse that refused to die - a soul in a shell that should have been shed, if not for reserves of willpower.
99
100"The human spirit," it was called - though Est hated associating herself with human anything.
101
102But even so, the air remained cold. Her body remained intangible, unable to handle contact or pressure without splitting apart. Her senses were incomplete. And, regardless, her new life was not her own. It belonged to Eiphraem Kang, in the end. And, appropriately, the first words of response to come out of her mouth mentioned the demon - the man - that saved her life.
103
104"I think... by and large, Lord Eiphraem will approve. I'll bring this up to him, if I should talk to him before you, and... of course, you will have to speak to him, too. But I think..." her eyes wandered off to the side, watching some odd sea creature she had never seen before swim between the legs of the other table like an obstacle course, "...He would greatly enjoy anything that differs from the current state of things. He opposes the status quo. He opposes the cycle. Agartha... can be more than what it is - if only the Shengese, Valmasians, and Gehennans could do more than spill each other's blood, decade after decade. But... they're still tied to the same ideals. The same troublesome ideologies their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents heldonto. They learn nothing from the previous generations. It's the same mistakes - over and over and over again," she ranted, her state of matter becoming more gaseous the more impassioned she became.
105
106But, all the while, her voice never rose above the quiet whisper it always was. She seemed wholly incapable of speaking loudly; perhaps it was one of the lingering side-effects of the injuries she sustained prior to coming to Crafthold. Doubtlessly, this colored her opinions on Huangzhou and Dawn alike - and unlike Eiphraem, she lacked the amount of tact required to not poke and prod at least a little bit.
107
108"Agartha is so hung up on good and evil and right and wrong. Our neighbors practice magic we don't like, and thus they must die. Lord Eiphraem made the mistake of being born a demon, and therefore cannot be a 'good person.' The Commander desperately clung to the notion that Peacekeeper's state might be an 'acceptable' form of unlife, until she heard the downside. I hate it," she said, finally.
109
110"There's no effort to improve. There's no effort to build bridges. There's no effort to fix or improve things. There's no effort to teach, either. People are born as enemies and must die as enemies - all the continent over. I... just hate it."
111
112She paused briefly, letting out the tiniest huff of frustration. She inhaled next, pulling in the excess of smoke that she had been expelling up to this point. For just a few short seconds, the table and surrounding air was clear of its icy, smokey shroud. Everything was properly visible - the water that pooled around them on the ground, the aquatic life that swam about without a care, and the pale, spectral Est, her attempt at suitably noble clothes already soaked with the water vapor that perpetually surrounded her.
113
114"Like I... said," she began anew, "We'll have to talk to Lord Eiphraem. But I... like the idea of another city like this one. Where... even if there isn't acceptance, there's tolerance. A city where its citizens do not cry for genocide but also try to claim moral superiority at the same time, as if those aren't mutually exclusive. And..."
115
116A smile crossed her face and her gaze refocused on Cal. It seemed a bit distant, like she couldn't quite make eye contact - the distance betweenthe two was too great for the near-blind Est, after all - but there was a certain friendliness to her now that wasn't quite there during the Huangzhou meeting. "I think it's good to... look at actions, rather than circumstances - don't you? Cooperative vampires, undead like Peacekeeper, demons like Lord Eiphraem... ah- did you know? On the subject of the lifestream, Lord Eiphraem is actively encouraging the angel's method of transportation and movement - it is... healthier than rift magic, and we all recognize that. I wonder what your zealous leaders would think of that."
117
118As much as she criticized Huangzhou for being utterly incapable of conducting their business without getting a few barbs in, Est wasn't a saint either. The smirk she gave suggested she was completely aware of this, however. Self-awareness. That was the difference - that was the thing Huangzhou lacked.
119(Est)
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121
122[21:18] Calael's attention drifted to the scuttling creature on the floor as Est's did. He listened close to her words, and leaned across the table both in an involuntary action to catch every, whispered statement as well as hide his valuable book from the perspiration and humidity building into mists and whirling smokes. He agreed wholeheartedly with the cycle, the thing he had previously spoke of breaking. The demiangel had made that promise, at least, with the archon; they would work together in opposing the same mistakes and injuries Agartha had suffered for over a hundred years.
123
124"They're eager to kill that what they don't understand, eager to kill people they hold responsible for killing their pasts. Huangzhou, Dawn, Gehenna, they all spin, one aims its swords at the other and everything continues as expected. That's how Perseus made it seem the last time he and I talked." It was not something he would readily admit to most people. The demiangel himself wouldn't even admit the subtle admiration that had begun to grow alongside the shame and contempt he felt for the terrible Peacekeeper of Thalassia. The stories of the moon, tales of wars long past... it was all so maddeningly intriguing. He couldn't help but cling to what Est had to say about Perseus' condition, the downsides, the lack of improvement.
125
126Perseus himself had told the demiangel he was pursuing humanity, pursuing life itself so that he might live again not as a creature that needed to pay the toll for continued existence, but as a knight for Eiphraem Kang, a defender of Crafthold and its people. The black and white world of Rikona Heifang was not one he could subscribe any longer, though it was not one that had ever really garnered much faith in Calael anyway.
127
128While the mist continued around them and the layers of watery veils fell across Est, Calael kept himself warm with his underlying holy warmth. A steady, softened glow burned within his own, attentive eyes like embers. Heroes of Agartha had come and gone for years, fighters and soldiers who had gained glory among the constant warfare. He did not want to be that. He didn't even really want to be a hero, just someone who laid a foundation for the solution. Being remembered would be a consolation prize, if that.
129
130"And we want to improve, we want to change, and for once, we might have a shot. We are children without Jianghu's influence. Huangzhou's leaders are not mine. Tolerance is something we have to build upon, and only then can real progress be made. No moral superiority just...
131
132Peace." Calael hummed as his mouth came into a tight lipped line. A lot of talking, that's what this all would take. Magdalen was the one who had insisted they let the years go by, the one who had pointed out they couldn't just rush into everything. And he knew his sister was right.
133
134"It's interesting, though, who you happen to be, Est." His gaze flicked back to her. "You're... right in the middle, in more ways than one. You're not an undead, but... you're... something new. Something that might be an answer. You're past is the story of too many, I think. Too many who are now gone.
135
136But you're still here to tell it." Calael glanced down at his book, as if he might flip to a page titled Est next, but he realized that did not exist. "I was wanting to talk with you more after our first meeting, but we got wrapped up in talking to Eiphraem, and then talking to Perseus, and-- well I don't know. I feel like you're an important part of fixing things. Eiphraem might have the vision, but he's had it for his whole life, right? Maybe you're the key to making it happen. Or something."
137(Cal)
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139
140[21:41] "'Heroism' is a mistake," Est declared, seemingly out of nowhere. Perhaps she had ended up on the same wavelength as the angel and picked up on some of Calael's thoughts. If not, bringing it up out of nowhere sounded downright ridiculous. "It implies crusades. It implies finding an enemy to battle against. There is more to being a hero than that - but on this continent..." She shook her head. "It's just more fire and war. I think... we can fix things," she said, "But not as 'heroes.' Just... people. People who would like to do better."
141
142She lifted onearm up from the table, raising it in the air almost dramatically. Gesticulating when speaking was something of a quirk of hers. It helped get her point across, even if the motions meant nothing to anybody other than herself. "Every century is marked by inventions and progress - right? In one hundred years of Agartha, has this continent truly advanced?"
143
144Her head tilted to the side as she briefly thought over the history of the past century. "The Spires that the Three Powers came to Agartha for have more or less been forgotten. No great leaps have been made with them, and the homelands mostly consider the Agarthan expedition an embarrassment, I believe," she said first. "The Valmasians have invented a few tools of war. Jianghu has only managed to discover a way to purge occultism. This continent is stagnant. It has done nothing."
145
146At once, the near-apparition perked up, all smiles. Big smiles. "How about a fair?" she asked. "An inventor's fair. Something to get people excited," she said cheerily, "Something to get people to think, and to work on things other than death and destruction." Once those excited words flowed out of her mouth as easily as her mist, however, she blinked, went a bit red again, and clasped her hands together. Evidently, she squeezed - because her hands broke down into smoke in an instant. Her expression, once more, was neutral and her skin was as pale as the grave.
147
148"...But- it's ridiculous to think of me as anything special, Angel Boy," she said, pretending the previous cheery outburst didn't happen. "My 'survival' was pure chance. I was a non-magi, whose magic awakened in response to mortal wounds. You're right - most people like me aren't that lucky. I feel like... I just need to be there. I need to represent them. I need to create an Agartha where carelessness and irresponsibility doesn't leave a trail of dead while the murderers, tracking in blood on the carpet, say they're doing good. I want... a world where when people say that they'll do anything they can to save lives - they mean it. They actually mean it. I'm not special," she affirmed. "I'm just a victim of the Agarthan cycle whose spirit did not go quietly like all the others. The only thing I have done, I think... is inspire Lord Eiphraem, just a bit. A new face. New interest. And- you, all of you, here to make things better too."
149
150She paused, allowing a few seconds to pass as she thought things over. Peace - no moral superiority. Yes, that'd be nice. "...Perhaps I was wrong about you, Calael," she said, more quietly than was typical for her. "I think... you do mark a turning point. All of you. I... apologize for my behavior in our previous meeting."
151
152She rose her left arm, extending her hand across the table - presumably for a handshake, even if it was the wrong hand. It was an inevitability that, should Cal even accept this offering in the first place, her hand would dissipate into smoke on contact immediately.
153
154But, before it did, he might feel the slightest hint of a pulse if his fingers brushed against her wrist - slower and weaker than an ordinary human's, but there all the same.
155(Est)
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157
158[22:00] "I think the real special people are the ones who don't think they are. Agartha's heroism may be a waste of time, a mistake, but that's because Agartha's heroism calls for purposefulness, for direction." Calael nodded along with Est's discussion on crusaders and fire and war, on the notion that save a few small footsteps forward? Agartha had not made great strides to advance itself. The nations across the world had likely forgotten the colonies that waged wars in their name, that killed for reasons based in histories many didn't even know.
159
160"The real heroes are the ones who are just trying to make the world a better place, not because they want to be a hero, or be special, but because that's just who they are. That's just what they do. You saying you aren't special, despite all your circumstances, it just means you're already beyond that. Maybe I shouldn't put the idea in your head though." He said with a smirk and a laugh. An attempt a joke, though likely not a very good one. 
161
162The idea of an Inventor's Fair got the young scholar's attention, especially with the sudden outburst of excitement and liveliness that was otherwise dormant within the phantom girl. It took him by surprise while also presenting something that he would very much be interested in participating in. If the day ever came where he could readily take a step back and admire Agartha for what it was, maybe he could shift his attention to matters regarding the mind, technology, the future. He opened his mouth to say something about it but Est shut herself down. The blood that had ran to her cheeks had dissolved once again behind her air of smoke and a suppression of that heightened intensity.
163
164Afterit was all said and done he shrugged. "I think I'd enjoy a fair. One of any kind really. Aren't people our age supposed to do things like that instead of, well, this." He gestured between the two of them, his hand whipping up some of the mist as he did so. "I think most kids would find this boring. Though I don't."
165
166"And I don't know, I've learned not to believe in chance, one way or another. Maybe people want to blame Fate for causing such bad things to happen, but then they forget that good things happen too, and that the universe does need to correct itself. I believe in balance, Est, a balance in all things. For every pain and sorrow we are forced to face, there is a blessing waiting for us somewhere, it just won't be hand delivered to us.
167
168Evil itself iseven necessary... but allowing it to flourish is idiotic. You need the storms to appreciate the sunny sky, that's the way I see it. You need the winter to appreciate the summer.
169
170Maybe we are here to shift the scales. Or maybe we're just people doing what we can." Another shrug. He knew most people on this continent outside of Huangzhou likely hated talk like this. Kraus' constructions and the angelic directions were not things that Dawn subscribed to, not things that demons abided with. It was one of the reasons the Undead were looked upon so unfavorably; they were trying to fight against the will of the universe, as it were, and in doing so damaged the Lifestream.
171
172Calael blinked again, not knowing how to react to the handshake at first. Even the apology went over his head. As far as he was concerned, she'd acted perfectly acceptable in their first meeting.
173
174If his final words hadn't scared the hand away, he reached forward to shake it, not even thinking that it might burst into smoke.
175(Cal)
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177
178[22:07] 
179{LOAD GAME}
180
181[22:08] 
182{LOAD GAME}
183
184[22:10] {Item} You drop Hair #15.
185[22:10] {Item} You picked up Gift Bag (Standard)..
186[22:10] {Item} You picked up Hair #15. Dropped by Cal. .
187[22:26] Of course, her hand burst into smoke! It was the only thing it could do, really. The only entity to break through this defense mechanism up to this point was Eiphraem, who was more or less a water elemental and could effortlessly cut through Est's water-based quirks. Still, it was the thought that counted; though there wasn't enough time to shake, there was still at least some contact. 
188
189Even before it turned from flesh to mist, her hand was terribly cold and terribly wet. It was hard to discern much else about it, given there was only a split second of actual touch.
190
191Pulling her hand - or the fog that made up her hand - back to her end of the table, she shook her head slowly and formulated her response as carefully as she could. "I think... that is one of the roots of 'evil'," she said, slowly and thoughtfully. She disliked Agartha's fixation on the concepts of good and evil, but clearly didn't disagree with their existence; still, she preferred to distance herself from the terminology whenever possible. "Coming to... believe you're special. Coming to belief that Fate and Destiny are on your side, and all of your actions are a form of justice," she said, diving headfirst into more philosophy. Just like Calael, she also didn't find this boring. "The person is not what makes things just. For instance, the Commander enjoys citing her rank and her loyalty to the Emperor. In doing so... she assumes the moral high ground, and she justifies any action she might take by nature of who she is."
192
193She paused. Though she clearly didn't take a side - having reasons to feel disdain toward both Huangzhou and Dawn - she was well aware that she leveled more jabs at Rikona Heifang than Alastor Vishkar. Rikona was an easier target, after all; Alastor reveled in his monstrosity. There was nothing to attack. Rikona, however, had all too much to go after.
194
195"But regardless, Calael," she said, using his name for a second time to confirm that it wasn't just a one-off thing, "That's not something I can agree with you about. I don't think there needs to be balance. Dawn doesn't need to unleash a plague as a counterweight to, say, a nation on the other end of the continent mining and stumbling upon more gold than anyone would know what to do with. A child doesn't need to cry before their smile means something. I... do not believe in balance, Calael. I believe in harmony," she stressed. "'Balance' is... an arbitrary thing."
196
197She followed up with a shrug, clearly unwilling to move on this point. Still, unlike the previous meeting, her reaction to disagreement wasn't a hostile one. Either she had learned well from watching Eiphraem Kang, or perhaps she simply came to view Calael as something akin to a friend rather than a suspicious winged zealot.
198
199"And... when we create a better world," she said, staring with a rare intensity, "The sun doesn't have to set on it."
200
201And then, even more quietly: "...So you think the fair would be a good idea, huh?"
202(Est)
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204
205[22:47] While the temporary contact from Est's end was cold and wet, the brief sensation from Calael's own hand was one of warmth, as if there was a slow burning hearth within the boy that kept him going. He could stand amidst the snows of the north that the vampires called their home and he would likely find that the wintry landscape melted where it met his clothes and skin.
206
207Reality crashed back into him as Est's hand turned to smoke, given he didn't expect the very predictable reaction, and he nearly lost his balance in reaching across the table like that. Luckily he was able to catch himself and return to his sitting position.
208
209Est's disagreements didn't make him upset either, but instead left in even more curious and perplexed, interested in hearing what she had to say in regards to the philosophies he kept closer to his heart. As a creature of divine blood he felt he could not reject Fate's hand in all things, though in her own way, Est was right.
210
211"It's like I said, though; the greatest heroes are the ones who don't believe they are that, the ones who don't plan to ever be legends. It's the same in this regard.
212
213We can say that Rikona Heifang believes every action she does, every promotion she has received that have placed her in the state she is in now makes up 'Fate's' will and plan for not only her life, but the betterment of Agartha. But that's where things would differ between she and I.
214
215Fate doesn't need to care about us, neither does the wintry sky that freezes everything over or the sun that melts it all away. Those things simply...
216
217Exist. It's only a root of evil in humans because humans make it so. Humans use it as an excuse to commit harmful acts against one another, to continue wars, to kill. But Fate continues on all the same. Some want to believe it cares, they want to believe it listens to them, but in the end the universe self corrects. I believe it seeks balance, not for our benefit, but because that's just how it goes. Destiny has no side.
218
219It only pushes onward. The black and white world is far too simplistic, of course, but Evil does exist, even if it is not as widespread as Huangzhou would like everyone to believe. Evil exists in the hearts of monsters, monsters that can be as terrifyingly real as any demon or as subtle as a mortal man, moving through a city to kill and raid. In the same way it doesn't care about the man, no demon gets special treatment.
220
221Evil is a facet of the universe, the counteraction to Good." He went on and on, explaining things with a roll of his hand or an expression of widened eyes and a near-smile. Even though Est had seen him somewhat annoyed, both on this day in Crafthold as well as during their last meeting when minor things had perturbed him, the conversation was one he was very interested in having, a mental obstacle course that he loved to run through in order to not only express his believes, but revise them with each new view point, each additional thing that the other speaker might say to him.
222
223There was an excitement in discussing it all that made him much more than the reserved demiangel he very often was in the public eye.
224
225"And Harmony is too-- I'd even argue that maybe it's-- the thing we all need to move toward, the thing maybe we are moving toward. Harmony between the Light and the Dark, and everything in the middle, which is where most of us lie."
226
227He stared back at Est with his own fiery intensity now manifesting his more signature form of magic; the twinkling of the night sky that illuminated his entire form more than even his radiant energies.
228
229"I don't wish for a world where the sun never sets, Est." He half smiled again, "Because then we'd be left without the stars. And Perseus would be left without his Moon. Hm?"
230
231A blink. Some of the expression lost its seriousness but the brightness remained as he nodded quickly in response to her last question. "A fair would be great! Like-- imagine if instead of coming together for fighting, people actually attended something for peace, for progression. A celebration of great minds and great ideas. I think we should definitely host one, maybe once we get some things constructed. Once we have at least a foot in the door."
232(Cal)
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234
235[23:19] "...It was a figure of speech," she muttered, the tiniest little twinge of displeasure appearing on her face - though all in all, she seemed to be in much higher spirits than she was at the beginning. There were a few differences here and there, and perhaps they were arguing for the same thing using different terminology and going in circles without reason, but she had finally found someone that resonated quite well with her. "I mean that it's an end to the cycle. If we create peace on Agartha... it does not need to end."
236
237Though she liked to speak ill of Rikona as much as the next living dead girl, she was starting to feel a little bit guilty about it now; time and time again, Rikona made an excellent example for all the points that Est wished to make. And so she continued: "It's humans- no, sapient life in general that's the problem. They always have to make everything... messy." She wasn't quite pleased with her word choice, but it was one she would have to settle on. "The two of us can agree that Alastor Vishkar is an evil man," she said. "But it is not because he is Valmasian. It is not because he is an Azraelite. It is not because he is an Oscuri. Those are three things any Huangzhou crusader would cite, though, I am sure. He is... evil because of his actions."
238
239She didn't need to elaborate on what those actions were; both she and Cal knew all too well - Est especially.
240
241"And Rikona Heifang - attuned to the lifestream, master of Order, commander of the Fourfold. These are... all 'good' things, in contrast to Alastor Vishkar's 'evil' traits. But where they do not differ is their actions, Calael."
242
243That was the crux of the issue.
244
245"They both view people as things. See how easily Vishkar murdered or experimented on his own people. See, too, how despite Lord Eiphraem and his Peacekeeper being nothing but pleasant, the Commander did nothing but search for reasons to demonize them and promise their eventual slaughter, or how she was willing to attack the Adjudicator without concern for the numerous surrounding innocents. Evil is rampant. But... it doesn't have to be. People just need to stop treating other people as things. The world will instantly improve from there."
246
247Regardless of semantics, regardless of the concepts of "balance" and "harmony," there was only one thing Est really wished for. As much as she despised humans for their carelessness and irresponsibility, she held one contraditory belief: life is precious, and must be valued. She enjoyed being alive. She wanted to champion the cause of the helpless victims. She wanted to create a world where, even if there were disagreements, no nation sought to wipe their neighbors out - a world without fear of constant war.
248
249They were desires that could only be born within someone who truly, genuinely loved humans - or anything sapient, for that matter.
250
251"...Perhaps... maybe, a fair might be what attracts people to this new home you're planning. If... there's anything to show, that is." She seemed a bit sheepish when she talked about the fair, her face a little bit more pink than white as she did - like she was a bit embarrassed about her enthusiasm.
252
253Still, it was a good idea.
254
255"...But what about you, Calael?" she asked, changing the topic. "You. The angels- you know me. You know where I'm from, and what happened to me that brought me here. But I don't know anything about your kind."
256(Est)
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258
259[23:50] Calael's half smiled turned into that laugh that had been hinted at in its formation. "I know the expression, I was only offering an illustrative counter point." Though the muttering and twinge of irritation that had crossed Est's expression meant he had annoyed her, Calael moved on without skipping a beat. "We will do what we can to ensure we create a peace that lasts."
260
261The pages of his book stayed open to the scrambled and scribbled notes he had taken down weeks ago and dubbed his 'Plan'. The young demiangel allowed for his hand to rest on the right side while he scanned the words absent mindedly and propped his left arm up to support his head while he listened. It didn't seem like he was bored but moreso that he was getting more and more comfortable with the conversation, like he didn't have to think before saying every line, like he didn't have to calculate the next string of words or the mannerisms that accompanied them.
262
263He nodded in that calm state, agreeing once again with the ideas of Alastor and Rikona being two sides of the same coin. "It's as you all taught me at that meeting; I can't label others as monsters and simply be done with it, even vampires. The act of referring to someone as a monster without knowing their name or who they are... it already places a bias down. One I should, and will, strive to work without."
264
265Calael's eyes shifted upward again at the next mention of the fair, and he raised an eyebrow at Est's decreasing expression of excitement over the idea that had first made her lively and literally colorful. "There'll be things to show, and people will show up. It's not something Agartha has ever had, right? A new idea? Something entertainting?" He shrugged, "There'll be crowds lining up to come and see, and craftsmen nd women working to present the new big thing.
266
267Maybe it'll even become an annual event. Who knows?" The half smile had returned, as if he had been ready to finish there and laugh once again. But now it was his turn to withdraw some, his turn to let some of the fire die in his eyes.
268
269Calael started tracing circles across the pages of his notebook with his finger, first thinking of where to begin and then deciding where to proceed from there.
270
271"My earliest memories are of our mother and father; a mortal woman and a half angel. We all lived in Felera, myself and my siblings. The time is a hazy point in my memories but the key points stand out all too well.
272
273A Fallen Angel killed them. He kidnapped us and kept us as prisoners in his castle. I believe he had hoped to either turn us to his cause or put an end to our bloodlines. Or something. I barely remember his face, or ideas, but I remember his voice, grating and cold. I remember feeling... frozen there in his castle, as each day went by.
274
275…
276
277We were trapped with him until Elisheva saved us, though she hadn't even been searching for the six lost children. She had simply been hunting this particular fallen angel, had happened across us all still alive." Calael's expression warmed some but the unpleasant memories had certainly left their shadow there. "She put us in Lord Cassel's care, a caretaker who taught us all we know now. Elisheva's presence was impactful, but rare. She would visit, but it was up to Cassel to teach us our virtues and the rest.
278
279Of course I spent far more time in the library than the others. I wanted to know the histories of the world, and so I set out on doing so. I was in the middle of a text on the Shenghese noble families when we were told we'd be coming here." He nodded. "She brought us here and told us that we were meant to live our lives as people do. We are meant to make our own choices and choose our own paths on Agartha.
280
281Not save it as so many in Huangzhou believe we have come to do. That's just a side effect, I guess. An easy goal for the six of us to work for."
282(Cal)
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284[00:14] As they talked, Est too seemed more at ease; being "dead" hadn't killed off her emotions; it was the swirling tempest of sorrow mixed with rage at her condition and the people responsible. There were still those rare moments that she could truly be excited. When Eiphraem Kang was happy - she was excited. When that carnival game guy came into town - she was excited. When she discussed the prospect of this fair - she was excited.
285
286She was still, in many ways, exactly how she should be given her age whenever she could snap out of her trauma. She was even more comfortable thinking about the fair now. It wasn't an embarrassing, childish idea; it was something Cal was eager about, too. She had no reason to fret about it, then.
287
288"...You've learned, then. You're capable of learning, unlike so many on Agartha!" she said, more cheery than not. "And you haven't even been here for as long as all these people. You've realized more about Agartha - tossing out the easy label of 'monster' - than these families have in generations."
289
290He hadn't even come from the comfortable, quasi-divine upbringing she may have expected. They had similar wounds - different terrible circumstances, but similar wounds. And, where Calael had Elisheva and Cassel, Est had Eiphraem and, in an odd way, Esso.
291
292"...I'm sorry," she said simply. "I know it's said that our experiences, good and bad, are what shape us, but... all the same - I wish good people suffered less, even if it worked out in the end."
293
294She concluded by flashing a smile, complete with those few missing teeth. She wasn't even bothering to fill them in with smoke now, despite having an abundance of water to work with in the immediate area. Perhaps it was a sign of her comfort with the boy.
295
296"...Anyway. I'll pass along your idea to Lord Eiphraem," she said, all business again despite the lingering smile, "And see what he thinks of it all. And... then we'll meet again. Probably all three of us, or... maybe just the two of us. Whichever my Lord decides."
297(Est)
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299
300[00:14] Est asks, "...I assume that's acceptable?"
301[00:22] Calael smiled back, almost encouraged by the absence of teeth in Est's smile as he realized the lack of smoke and mist there. It was a physical illustration of her comfort level, something he could note down if there ever were to be a page in his book titled Est.
302
303"I would like that, the two of us talking things over." He nodded and closed his book. "Or the three of us! Eiphraem needs to-- I need to talk to him too. I've talked with Perseus and you about it now, but yeah. Yes. Pass on everything I said." He rubbed the back of his head and stood. A quick motion tucked his book beneath Calael's arm.
304
305"I'll be in Huangzhou. Or maybe I'll come by. I've been traveling here a lot more recently anyway. And like I said last time; if you ever want to stop by our place, it's outside of their city, and you'll be more than welcome." His smile returned and he offered Est a small bow of his head, reminiscent of Shenghese culture but still an act of a foreigner.
306
307"I'll see you around, Est."
308
309With a wave of his hand the boy pulled his hood over his head, leaving nothing but the soft burning glow of his eyes visible to the average onlooker. Calael left Crafthold's fortress once again feeling more welcome and comfortable here than he ever really felt in the west.
310(Cal)
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