Maelo

Benedicto

Firstly, a huge thanks to @Emelle and @Dhar for this great little session!

So Bene has come back from his seclusion on Libec Cay and was informed that his son, Maelo (Slyphe's former High Priest and captain of 'The Hydra') went missing (presumed dead) when the Nazedha sailed into the bay of Enorian during the 'War of the Night'. According to Mr @Valingar, he sailed out to meet the approaching enemy fleet single handedly (oh the feels). In an earlier RP with Valingar, Val stated that it would be a "fools hope" to believe that Maelo could still be alive. Bene therefore asks the one Divine who should know either way....

(Tells): Dhar tells you, "Perhaps you will find what you desire at the Pool within my Temple."

Bene approaches his fiancé, Emelle, as due to all the changes in Aetolia, he doesn't know the way. Also he needs her beside him at this difficult time. She leads him to the entrance of the Temple...

Emelle stops before the portal. "Do you want to go alone?" She asks you.

You have emoted: Benedicto shakes his head and offers Emelle his hand. "I would rather you were at my side." He responds with a soft smile.

Emelle smiles and takes your hand, glancing briefly up at you before she steps into the light.

Emelle steps through a burning white portal.
You follow Emelle to the ether.

Slowly, Emelle makes her way through the temple, pausing every few steps to glance into various rooms. "I do not know it well," she tells you. "I mean to learn it better."

You have emoted: Benedicto looks about himself bemused. "Do you think it would be better if we split up to find this pool?" He asks.
 
Peering down the staircase, Emelle says, "Ah."

You squint your eyes and look out toward the down.

Pool of the Departed.
A strange pool is here, glimmering with ethereal essence. Tobias stands here, clad in dark robes.
You see a single exit leading up.

You follow Emelle to the down.

Pool of the Departed.
---------- v59807 -----------
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
[+] [=]
---------- 0:0:-2 -----------
A strange pool is here, glimmering with ethereal essence. Tobias stands here, clad in dark robes.
You see a single exit leading up.

A few bubbles inexplicably rise to the surface of the pool.

You say, "Ah."

You have emoted: Benedicto greets Tobias with a small nod of his head. He licks his lips nervously as he steps towards the Pool of the Departed.

Kneeling at the edge of the pool, Tobias glances over at your entrance with a tiny, forced smile. "Hey there," he greets.
Emelle steps back to your side and bows her head to Tobias. "Hello."

With difficulty, you say to Tobias, "Lord Dhar instructed me that I might find what I sought here."

LOOK TOBIAS

With bright, emerald eyes, Tobias stands here at a little over five and a half feet tall. His pale visage is somewhat youthful, appearing to be somewhere in his late teens. He is clothed in thick, black robes which are perhaps just a bit too big for his form, the fabric easily reaching the ground he stands upon. There seems to be a small strip of cloth missing from a portion at the bottom of his robe, leaving the edges there tattered. His light blonde hair is a scraggly mess, stray strands falling down past his brow. An anaxagorite chain necklace hangs about his neck.

With a grunt of effort, Tobias pushes himself up off the ground and brushes off the front of his robe as he straightens. He barely nods, understanding.

PROBE POOL

The murky waters of this pool are illuminated by a strange white glow. If one were to look carefully, they could likely see strange essences or shapes of humanoid figures floating about in the liquid.
It is strangely weightless.
The Pool of the Departed is holding:
Nothing.

Letting out a sigh, Tobias says, "Listen, mister. I don't think you're going to get the kind of answer you're looking for."

You have emoted: Benedicto casts an anxious glance towards Emelle at Tobias' words. After a momentary pause he responds, "As long as there's an answer."

Emelle lays a hand on your arm. For her part, she remains silent.

Frowning, Tobias' eyes avert and stares down into the pool, translucent images of souls stirring distantly within. "Well," he says, shaking his head. "I guess there's two options, then."

Tobias says, "First, you can sit here all day like I've tried and hope you get to see what you want to see. Second, well. You can ask Him. I can't tell you that sort of thing for sure."

You have emoted: Benedicto's brow furrows in confusion. "I've already asked Him and He told me to come here. Therefore, I suppose only one option remains open to me." He replies looking towards to the pool.
 
With this, Tobias reaches up to scratch nervously at the back of his head. His free hand fidgets with his robe. He shakes his head once more. "He knew I was here, when He sent you," he replies. He turns, shuffling awkwardly toward you. He gulps, looking up. "Ask again. Ask exactly what you want to know, if you truly want an answer," he advises. He winces, tensing, bracing inexplicably.

The strange pool stirs, the liquid swirling into a spiral.

You have emoted: Benedicto hesitates at the stirring of the pool and the clear discomfiture of Tobias. He looks towards Emelle again, as if seeking reassurance.

Emelle looks up at you and offers an encouraging, if wan, smile. She gives your arm a squeeze, then slips her hand into her coat pocket.

A war turtle blinks into existence and falls into line behind you. AWKWARD
 
(Tells): Emelle's psychic whisper trails through your mind, "// ...lol."

You have emoted: Benedicto swallows with difficulty. He draws a steadying breath as he stares at the swirling pool and then looks down at Tobias. "Is my son, Maelo, former Priest of Lord Slyphe and captain of 'The Hydra', dead?" He forms each word carefully and speaks as clearly as is possible despite the shaking of his voice.

(Tells): You tell Emelle, "((turtle wanted in on the action clrly))"

The area begins to chill, the center of the lack of warmth seeming focused on the young Priest.

For the first time since arriving, Emelle looks down into the pool.

"Oh n-" Tobias begins to protest before suddenly seizing up. His eyes go cloudy before being consumed by a burning white glow. He wheezes, but the sound is tinged by a ghostly hiss. His body convulses briefly before his limbs hang limply at his sides, his posture slumped, the Being within unused to inhabiting flesh.

You have emoted: Benedicto takes an alarmed step away from Tobias. He throws his arm out, drawing Emelle behind him as he watches the transformation warily.

Tobias' neck cranes as he looks up, the Underking's voice speaking distortedly through his lips: "There are two fates for those who enter My Halls, mortal. Obliteration, and Rebirth."
 
Emelle lifts her eye to Tobias. Taking one of your hands, she shuffles over to observe, seeming unfazed by what transpires.

You have emoted: "Emelle!" Benedicto hisses with concern as she steps forward, drawing him forward in her wake.

Emelle throws you a meaningful glance.

Droplets of blood dribble out from Tobias' nostrils as he remains focused on you. "Those who are obliterated fail to achieve peace with themselves, their past and their future. Those who are reborn renew their potential and come to terms with what they are, what they would have been and what they are not," he explains further, the ghostly voice taking a strange, irritably high pitch. "What they are is alive no longer."

Her voice fills your mind: "Do not worry. This is what He does."

You have emoted: Benedicto looks wide-eyed from Emelle to Tobias. Gradually his wariness fades as he becomes fixated on the words coming from Tobias, concentrating in an effort to try and understand.

His back arching, and voice echoing ominously, Tobias says, "If I tell you the status of your son, you will know his fate. Perhaps you will desire for Me to provide him with a message. Perhaps, with this information, you will seek to provide the message yourself when I do not. You would risk prolonging his stay in My keep for your own satisfaction, to have him remain as he was and disallow him to be something else."

Suddenly, Tobias slumps forth, his hands clinging to your shirt, blood oozing from his eyes. "With this, mortal, would you have Me tell you if your son is within My grasp?"

You have emoted: Benedicto shakes his head in denial. "I would seek his fate and nothing more, Lord Dhar." He responds curtly though his voice is tight with emotion. "My son faced his potential death bravely and selflessly. I would not deny him his chance at Rebirth by wishing anything further of him."

You have emoted: Benedicto reaches out his hands to steady Tobias, gripping Tobias by the shoulders.

Tobias twitches, his knees buckling as he clings tighter to your shirt. "It is irresponsible and reckless," he replies, each syllable echoing over the last. Finally, he decides: "Then I will give you an answer, for you and none else. Should this information be misused, you alone will suffer My wrath."

Tobias leans forth with a sudden pull to whisper something to you, his muscles straining.


Suddenly, Tobias collapses and tendrils of white essence seep from his body, leaving him trembling and drained on the floor.

You have emoted: Benedicto remains still, staring at nothing, his hands falling away from the shoulders of Tobias as he falls to the floor.

Emelle drops to her knees, a testing hand reaching gently for Tobias shoulder.

You have emoted: Benedicto notices Emelle's movement and comes back to himself. He too moves towards the prone form of Tobias. "Does he live?" He asks of her, one large hand reaching out to support the head of Tobias.

>I have always been irresponsible and reckless.

"Aye," Emelle murmurs, watching Tobias with concern.

Tobias shakes his head repeatedly, mumbling, barely audible: "It's not true.."

You have emoted: Benedicto gives a faint nod, his pearl-white eyes scanning Tobias with the same concern. "What is not true?" He whispers with a note of urgency.

Numerous voices murmur over one another, the multitude of their whispering leading to incoherence. 
 
Struggling to form words, Tobias grows limp, seeming to fade into unconsciousness. Several moments later, a soft snoring sound could be discerned.

You have emoted: Benedicto sighs with bitter frustration. He gently places the head of Tobias on the ground and turns to face the pool.

Emelle's features draw a faint frown. Absently, she reaches out to arrange Tobias oversized robe over the young man's sleeping form like a mother might.

>I have always been irresponsible and reckless.

You have emoted: Benedicto stares at the pool with an unreadable expression.

Finally, Emelle rises and moves to join you, one of her hands finding one of yours.

You have emoted: Seemingly coming back to himself, Benedicto jerks slightly as Emelle takes his hand in hers.

>I have *always* been irresponsible and reckless.
 
Simply, Emelle asks you, "Alright?"

In as casual a manner as he can muster, you say to Emelle, "I'm fine. I need to rest, but we will talk more when I return."

Bene leaves and that is the end.

Diogen

Using a complex algorithm, I was able to decipher the missing text.

--
Tobias leans forth with a sudden pull to whisper something to you, his muscles straining.

"My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the greatest anime ever written."

Suddenly, Tobias collapses and tendrils of white essence seep from his body, leaving him trembling and drained on the floor.
--

Mariena

This was very good. I like the use of the thought command, because it iisn't something you see done very often. I often forget that it is even a thing. I -so- want to know if he's alive still, now! Will he be the next Slyphe vessel? Etc. @Emelle, you did amazing at support but not interference. Sometimes that roll is really hard to pull off and you seem to do it with grace and ease. @Dhar, the whole Tobias thing is weird and makes me feel bad for Tobias, and I love it.

Rashar

I love all of the things said by all of the people in this thread.