Nav: Crystallum Cliffs

Archon climbed to the edges of the cliffs and began scoping them out. Upon first glances, Archon thought this place would be a great place for holy executions. One could maim and toss the offender off of the steep cliffs. As he walked parallel to the drop, however, Archon was able to more clearly see the water's edge. Judging roughly, it seemed as if there was a good chance that anyone thrown off the cliff would, in fact, live.

This place wouldn't work for a holy execution at all.

Only slightly disappointed, Archon continued to survey the area. He decided he might still find something of use here.

Dea sat on the very edge of the cliffs, looking over the edge to watch the water lap against the rocks, wondering if there was even anything left of her family. If there was, she had been on her own long enough that she didn't need them, but she didn't want to be alone any more. It was a strange feeling, but she wanted to be part of something bigger as she had always planned to be. The woman was meant to do great things, but she was floundering for meaning with the loss of her closest family members. Her white-masked face turned to look down the line of the cliffs, pink eyes landing on a dark form moving in her direction.

She wasn't entirely surprised that her silent wish for companionship had been answered with such a speedy granting, none of the gods wanted to face her wrath, so it would make sense they would give her what she wanted. Maybe she could find a purpose again! Or, at the very least, she could find company! It wasn't often that she rejoiced in the appearance of another soul, but Dea had been lonely too long. She played off her noticing of him, however, looking right passed him to scan her eyes back in front of her toward the horizon. Maybe he would see her and come to her so she wouldn't have to look awkward or crazy, though she guessed the crazy would come out eventually...not like she hid it from anyone.

As Archon continued his journeys in tracking the expanse of the cliff side, he spotted a woman. She was sandy in color, similar to the shores on either sides of the cliff. The wind blew up from the sea, across the cliffs, and down to the lands below, carrying their scents with it. So, the girl was a loner, huh? Archon wasn't one to start conversation, so he continued to walk on the edge.

Archon was only aiming to diverge if he got close enough to the woman that she became uncomfortable enough to retaliate. He was intent on measuring how long the edge of the cliff was. In his mind, the girl could either move or be pushed off.

"Ma'am, I hate to tell you, but I need to keep counting the steps on the edge and as it stands- or as you sit- I am unable to do that until you move."

She pretended not to notice his approach, but his words caught her attention and she turned her bright pink eyes toward him with a twinkle of challenge in her gaze that couldn't quite disguise the curiosity on her face. "Sir, I hate to inform you that I have no personal reason to move from where I am, as such I suppose it's three or four steps to go around me, you could subtract it from the total number of steps when you...go around."  Her voice, while mostly angelic, was  hard and stand-offish, though she didn't intend for it to be. Giving the male a once over she couldn't help but notice his good looks, but she wouldn't move without a good reason. He would have to push her, though she wasn't sure why she was being stubborn. Maybe it was because he suggested she had to get out of his way, and Dea was never in the way, she was the way.

The woman quipped back at him. Now, although he could have moved around her, it was the match of stubborn minds. Archon chuckled lowly, "But, ma'am... that would have me guessing how much space you occupy. It is not in good taste to speculate about how large a lady is, now is it?"

Archon waited for her response, then shrugged to himself. "I'm sure I could move you, but it looks like a pretty far drop from here," he suggested. "I'd hate to do that." His small smile suggested he was kidding, but his stiff stance suggested otherwise. He braced himself in case she thrashed out.

Archon couldn't help but wonder if she would be enraged, intimidated, or simply amused at his suggestion.

As he retorted to her response, Dea found herself with a small amused grin as he spoke of guessing her girth. "I just told you precisely how much space I occupy, how is it speculation?" He gave a shrug and spoke of dropping her off the edge of the cliff. The mere thought had her laughing, something she had never really done up to that point. Even with the barest hint of a smile on his face, the solidarity of his stance said he wouldn't hesitate. "I like that it's perfectly okay to assume you could push me off the cliff while also musing over the rudeness of speculating my spacial occupation." She lifted a darkly painted brow and gave a charming smile to the man, "I'll move on one condition...You have to spend the rest of the day with me, just because I need a reason to move, and you want me out of your way. I'd be out of the way if I could walk with you..."

The woman asked how it would be speculation if she told him how many steps wide she was. Archon shrugged, his smile becoming a little more obvious, "I might be inclined to disagree. If that were the case, then wouldn't it be incredibly rude?"

The woman also found humor in his halfhearted threat. Archon cocked his head slightly, "Well, I did say I would hate to do it. Besides, I don't think there's a rule on whether attempted murder is rude or not."

As far as he was concerned, if the other didn't live to feel offended, how could it be rude?

She said she would move so long as he kept her company. Archon dipped his head, "As long as you let me finish my counting, I would be satisfied to spend the rest of the day by your side."

Archon peeked at the woman from behind his brow, his head still lowered.

"If we are to spend the day together, then an introduction is in order. I am Archon Abraxas, a descendant of The Fallen God. And you are?"

At his smile, Dea found her tail lightly thumping the ground beside her front paws. At his suggestion, a small laugh bubbled up from her throat. "It would only be rude if you assumed the number was greater than the one I gave you." This banter was entertaining, and while it was not with her siblings or parents, Dea was glad for the company.

His next quip had her laughing outright, a mystical sound that simply captivated the ear. "I suppose only the victim of the murder attempt would find it rude, and any loved ones lurking about, provided the victim lived through the encounter. The predator in the situation may find it completely in their nature to push wolves from cliffs, who knows. It is all, of course, open to speculation and point of view, then, isn't it?" Another smile was flashed his way, "I am glad to hear you would hate to do such a thing, though something tells me you aren't quite telling the truth."

As he dipped his head, Dea found herself wondering what the gesture could mean. Some wolves lowered their heads in challenge, if that were the case, the male was truly about to push her from the cliff and she would have to hope she hit water rather than rock. Her suspicions were nullified as he spoke, however, and she hid her feeling of foolishness from prying eyes. "Do you remember what number you were on?" She asked with a grin.

Dea stood then, backing away from the edge to allow him to continue his counting, listening as he introduced himself. The descendant of a god? Interesting! Dea lifted her head proudly and puffed her chest as she introduced herself, her mood suddenly increased. "Dea Andromeda Asmodeus, daughter of the devil, pleased to make your acquaintance, Archon." She bowed her head slightly, an odd look in her eye as she watched him. "You said a descendant, you have family?" Her head tilted almost comically as she looked him over with a silent appraising eye.

"Talk." "You." Think.

The woman went on about how Archon could possibly be rude for pushing her off the cliff. Archon's smile brightened lightly. "To be rude is to cause offence. If the victim is dead, they cannot be offended. Their family may be hurt, but I feel rude is hardly the word they would feel. It is often easier to be forgiven by the one you harmed than their relatives."

When the woman moved, Archon thought of taking small steps in order to make her seem as wide as possible. Archon knew it was a cheap tactic and wouldn't work. He cast the woman a side glance. "Of course I remember what number I was on," he stated innocently. Forgetting something like that was inconceivable to Archon and he didn't suspect that other wolves may be more forgetful or that remembering it after a long conversation may be difficult for others.

He took the steps slowly, stopping once he passed Dea.

"What do you know?" he said with a small smirk. "You were exactly right. Three and a half steps."

After that, Archon kept walking. Dea introduced herself as the daughter of the devil. Archon was sure no devils truly existed. Only non-confrontational gods and confrontational gods. She asked if he had relatives.

"Of course. The Abraxas swell numerically each day. It is part of our purpose to find worthy mates and provide strong offspring to be raised in the name of The Fallen God. If one of us falls, many will fill his place. Such is the blessing bestowed upon us."

Archon's answer held no indication of joking or humor. He stated everything as if it were simply a matter of fact. Of course, to him, it was.

"And you, Dea?"

Dea kept a small smile playing at the corners of her lips as Archon went on to explain how it would not be rude if the victim was dead. There was only one argument left that she could throw, and it was a trump-card to be sure. "If the victim dies, how do you know they aren't offended in the afterlife?" With one dark brow lifted and the corner of her mouth lifted in a smirk, Dea wondered how he would retort this time.

It was rare that a wolf who was not family captured her attention, but Archon was doing a damn good job of it. He responded to her question about the number he had left off on, discovering the male was obviously smart as well as aesthetically pleasing. "Of course I remember what number I was on." His voice was innocent enough, but she could detect a nonchalant undertone that implied he hadn't even considered that a wolf could be so forgetful. She had seen it first hand how a wolf could forget even the most basic of things. She watched as he counted the steps it took to pass her, "What do you know? You were exactly right. Three and a half steps." She gave a small laugh, replying to him in much the same manner as he had a moment ago. "Of course, I was right." After that, Archon moved to continue his walk.

Dea was unsure how he could count and talk at the same time, but somehow he managed to do just that. It was impressive and showed a natural genius to the male that others were severely lacking. As he explained his familial mission, Dea was reminded of her own family and their crazy want for an empire of demonic wolves. She had been born knowing one day she would have to make pups of her own, and Archon's family seemed to share this belief. "I have a fair amount of family scattered about, though I am not entirely acquainted with all of them. I only know of the ones my mother spoke of, but I do know that our mission is similar in nature to yours. The principles seeming alike, anyway." Dea shrugged as she walked alongside Archon, looking him over and admiring the way the light played on his pelt.

"Tell me more about this Fallen God, if you don't mind. I am interested in learning." Dea gave him a smile and a hopeful look in her pink eyes.

"Talk." "You." Think.

Dea asked abouot being offended in the afterlife. Archon responded simply, "I don't think that's possible." Archon already knew he would hold no grudge against anyone who was able to best him. That's how only the strong lived. Only the strong deserved to live for the sake of the family. Maybe mortals felt differently, however. Did mortals even experience a true afterlife? Archon would have to ask later.

Dea explained that she only knew a few of her family members. "That's a shame," Archon responded.

The woman then asked if he would tell her more of their god. Archon nodded, "Gladly."

Archon knew that when speaking of God at depth, he could not keep track of his steps. He quickly decided that this must be God's will, however, and stopped counting, although he continued walking.

"Our ancestor was the most powerful god, but even the most powerful can be taken down when the numbers against them are great. He was cast down to this realm, bringing pain and sorrow upon the mortals here. His mortal form weakened his powers, although he was still great."

It was a brief history, but Dea was silently encouraged to ask questions before Archon went on.

"We Abraxas, his fallen angels, are tasked with bringing glory to his name and spreading his lineage to a divine number in order to reclaim our place in the godly realm."

His doubt wasn't surprising, but it brought a smile to her face nonetheless, though she wasn't sure why. "I suppose you are right, why bother with upset when you're already dead?" Dea supposed she would only be upset if she hadn't achieved what she set out to do in life, other than that she welcomed death to try and take her. His responses were short until she asked about his god, it was obviously an important topic to him because his paw steps ceased to be measured and became the easier pace of a wolf who wasn't preoccupied with counting.

Dea listened intently, curiosity causing all manner of questions to spring from her mind. The god he described, a bringer of pain and devastation, a god who desired his place in the heavens back...This sounded like something she could get behind. "What did he do while he was in the mortal realm? I suppose building an army would come first, to retake your place in the heavens. What about the wolves who are not Abraxas, but help your numbers swell? Do they earn a place in this army?" She had too many questions now, how did it all work? Dea waited as patiently as she could for the answers to the inquiries she already made before asking anything else, she didn't want to make Archon's head spin.

"Talk." "You." Think.

The woman listened intently, which pleased Archon greatly. She asked what sort of things God did while he was in the mortal realm. Archon thought for a moment, and answered calmly.

"Although not much is known about his specific doings, there is no doubt that he took his rightful rage out on many of the mortals- especially those believing in and relying on those gods who had wronged him."

Dea suggested building an army was the first step. Archon nodded. It was, of course necessary to build an army, but even more than that was at hand.

"An army, a strong bloodline, and those to spread his name. All must know of him and all must be made aware of the crimes committed against him."

She asked of those who helped the numbers swell and if they gained a place in the eyes of God.

"That depends," Archon started. "Helping our numbers grow does not equate to loyalty. Those who have helped to make Abraxas pups are still nothing without strength and without faith. Even Abraxas by blood may be culled if they stray too far from God's path or if they put the overall mission at risk."

Archon thought for a moment of all those who had been weeded out, giving a moment of silence that they may have realized their wrongdoings in the next life.

"But those who help The Fallen God and remain committed to him indeed may yet become Fallen Angels like the Abraxas."

Archon found a coy smile rising on his maw. His steps slowed as he looked at the woman, "Why do you ask? Does The Fallen God call to you already?"

She listened without interruption to his explanations as her questions came up. When he described what could only be a bloodbath, Dea found herself more curious about this Fallen God, wondering if it could be true. War was her thing, she loved it, fighting and aggression were literally in her DNA and she couldn't be convinced otherwise. She was a goddess of war in her own mind, and to hear that this male's god was just as bloodthirsty as she was only helped to cement the idea that he hadn't stumbled upon her by accident. The more he explained his mission, the more it sounded like her own, and she found herself smiling at the revelation. It mirrored the coyness of his own smile as she looked at the male. She met the blue-green of his gaze and nodded once, "I must admit, I am highly curious. It would seem we share many of the same goals, I cannot say our meeting was fated, but perhaps there is someone with their paws in our lives." Dea found herself having more questions, though she would ask them later.

As his steps slowed, she matched his pace, speaking with a husky tone in her voice, "Maybe your God calls to me, how else would we have met? You counting steps on the edge of a cliff, me sitting on said cliff. How could I deny that coincidence? I have always believed I was meant to be more than a roamer, maybe He sent you to collect me." She smirked then looked over at him, wondering what reaction he would have to that. Dea was awfully sick of being alone, and maybe she had found a path she was meant to follow! Surely the male could see her potential, her own brand of divinity. It sang in the way she carried herself, the way she spoke, that she had always been a hellish goddess sent to wander the earth looking for a home. Maybe it was fate, who knew?

The woman answered wisely. Archon searched her for any sign of a ruse, but found none. She spoke of the possibility of being called by God and Archon felt his heart stir. He would have to bring an offering for The Fallen God soon as thanks and surely he would spend the evening deep in prayer once he returned to Abaven.

A smile lingered on Archon's face. "Is that what you would like? To be collected? He rumbled. "Though there are two Abraxas packs, there is one pack that is a mix of mortals, but is owned by the Abraxas. That is the pack I oversee. It is called Abaven."

Archon already hoped the woman would come with him, although he understood if she required more convincing. It wasn't easy to decide to change your while livelihood in one day.

"If you would like, it might suit your fancy. There are many wolves there that have not yet learned how to live. Perhaps you could be... an inspiration?"

His smile lingered, and she allowed hers to fully form on her face. As he spoke, she gave a small laugh. "Only someone special can collect me. I am a rare treasure indeed!" He rumbled in his throat, and she found herself making a soft purring growl as he spoke of overseeing an occupied Abaven. "I would like to tag along if you didn't mind. It can be dreadfully lonely out here, and I get bored. I definitely love to inspire others!" She smiled fully, a rare display for the demonic princess.

Surely, she could find her footing in a pack. Dea would be able to learn more, be more. Her sights were set high, and she longed to reach them. For now, she would be content with working her way up the ranks. "You can tell me more about your God on the way, right?" She gave a rather excited giggle, an oddity on its own, and spoke again, "I want to learn all I can." Dea lifted an eager paw, waving her earth colored tail about. What would a pack even be like?

The woman said only someone special could collect her and Archon chuckled quietly.

"Darling, I'm a god, is that not special enough?" He hummed with an almost lazy smile as he peered over at her.

She said she would tag along, citing her boredom as part of the reason for her decision. Archon returned her smile. "I can't wait to see what God does with you," he thought, his eyes glued to hers.

Dea asked if he could tell her more about God on their travels and Archon spared her a most indulgent look.

"It would be my pleasure," he said, knowing it truly would be.

-Exit Archon-