Bad Aren! Bad!

Bit of a background to why this happened. Jayce and @Joul met one another because of @Aren (d'awwww..)
He asks Jayce to have a drink and to bring Joul along. Jayce figures, "Why not.." maybe it's a celebration of their recent Unity, since well, ya know, without Aren, Joul and Jayce wouldn't have met one another!

This is a continuation of:
A run-in with corruption


The tasting room of the Twisted Spire Winery.
A conscripted Spirean soldier coldly scans the area for threats. A velvet-lined wooden basket has been set here for the disposal of used glasses. A sigil in the shape of a small, rectangular monolith is on the ground. Lying flat on the ground is a key-shaped sigil. A scarlet silk gown lies here. You see a sign here instructing you that WARES is the command to see what is for sale.
You see exits leading northeast, west, and down (closed pine door).

Aren smiles at the two of you, "You guys like wine?" he asks.

Jayce hops off his Nightmare and scratches under her chin lightly as he looks about the room. He scrunches his nose up a bit as he recalls, "I've had it once, when I was a child, but I've had worse by now I'm sure!"

Aren's violet gaze settles on Joul, "And yourself?"

Joul gives Aren a smile of both greetings and agreement. "T-That sounds nice, it's good to meet you, Sir." he quietly says with a flick of his tail.

Jayce peers at Joul for a long moment, correcting, "You mean see you again, right?" He raises an eyebrow.

Aren orders a few glasses and leads you both into the other room, balancing the drinks, "It's alright, it was a long time ago."

A fire-warmed common room.
A conscripted Spirean soldier coldly scans the area for threats. A thin band of obsidian has been dropped here. A sigil in the shape of a small, rectangular monolith is on the ground. A glowing red flame-shaped sigil has been left here.
You see exits leading north, southwest, up, and down.

"Y-Yes! I hadn't forgotten, mostly..." Joul says with a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his neck. "It's been a very long time. At least it feels like it."

Jayce smiles as he's handed the glass, though his eyes are pulled to the view out the windows and he makes his way over to inspect further, a small, "Wow.." escaping his lips as he looks over the tundra.

"This place is nice. Cozy and such." Aren says, holding his own glass as he wanders towards the windows as well, "Need to keep warm up here. We haven't talked in a while. How are you two doing?"

As his ears twitch and turn towards Aren Jayce finally removes his eyes from the view, smiling brightly. "We're doing good. Not much to complain about." His words are smooth and calm as he swirls the wine around within the glass in his hand and lifts it to sniff.

Joul welcomes the cup of wine and gives it a sniff before a small thanks to Aren. He takes a small sip of his glass and then beams a giggle, "The last few months have been particularly happy... and even scary at times."

Aren sniffs at his drink, then takes a small sip, seeming to be pleased with the taste, "Scary how?" he inquires, lifting a brow.

Jayce finally decides to drink from the glass rather than just idly smell it. His reaction isn't something of pleasure at first but he soon nods and peers down into the wine again, saying, "That's not so bad.. I could get used to it."

You sip from a glass of neverending eggnog with traces of eggnog.

You shift your eyes from side to side suspiciously.

You say, "I was just trying to nake you out!"

You say, "FAKWE."

You slump down dejectedly.

"Well... I-I've never had one of Their hands in my chest before.." Joul says with a somewhat forced chuckle this time, moving closer to you and your drinking.

Jayce slumps against Joul, ears drooping down as he gives a small drunken sway, the eggnog obviously doing its job.

Joul wraps a comforting arm around you.

Aren's eyes widen and he turns towards Joul, "What? Whose hands? What happened?"

Quietly, Steady Flame Joul Chaltier says to Aren Ratek Yaslana, "The Goddess of Corruption visited me during my Trial of Fortitude... S-She said She would take my heart."

The corners of Joul's mouth turn up as he grins mischievously.

Steady Flame Joul Chaltier laughingly says to Aren Ratek Yaslana, "Later that month, m-my heart was Unified."

Aren Ratek Yaslana asks, "Unified?"

Jayce rests his head on Joul's shoulder and slurs a bit, "But Sshe can't hhave it.. is mine."

Joul leans comfortably on you.

Giving a small sway, you say to Joul, "You're supposed to be my support right now.."

Joul shifts his eyes a bit and flicks his ears, quietly adding, "She did make me throw up a little, though..."

Jayce lifts his fingers to signify a little but soon expands them in response to Joul's words.

You say, "A little all over my feet.."

Aren snickers, stepping in closer to Joul, "Being Syssin helps me detect a lot of the darker things and such. May I?" he asks, his free hand lifting towards Joul's chest.

Jayce peers at Aren and even through his stupor gets a little defensive, tugging Joul back behind him. He gives a glare and says, "Don't you be trying anything funny.. we don't need more ghosty hands fumbling around in his chest."

Joul tilts his head curiously at Aren while he continues to keep a supporting arm wrapped around you. "W-What do you mean?" he quietly asks.


Aren shakes his head, "No ghostly hands. See, before Enorian I used to be part of Her and you know that Corruption never quite leaves you. I can see if you're in the clear."

Jayce keeps his glare on Aren and tries to keep Joul behind him, though doesn't seem to concrete in his own stance at the moment.

Aren Ratek Yaslana says to you, "You don't trust me?"

Joul gives a slow nod of his head but his expression still shows doubt as he says, "Alright, l-let's see.." He keeps a firm hold on you despite your stumblings and can't help but to grin at your drunken state.

Jayce eyes Aren a bit more but stands down as Joul asks him to, occupying himself with his wine and the view again.

Aren steps forward, placing his drink on a nearby table as he approaches. His hand lifts, aimed for Joul's chest, his touch and steps light and careful, "Let's see..."

Jayce gives something of a sound, but it's unclear what, and his ears perk up as he watches Aren.

Aren shifts his gaze over to you when he's within arms reach and there's something more there suddenly, replacing the kindness from before, "You know...I really don't like that suspicious look." he growls, watching as the shadows lift to do his bidding, rising from the ground like tendrils of rope to start to wrap around you, pulling you away from Joul. The Azudim keeps one hand on Joul's chest, the other gripping his arm harshly to yank Joul back.


Joul sees..
As Aren touches your chest, a white hot pain rushes through you, like fire along your limbs.

Jayce closes his eyes as the tendrils suddenly wrap about him and he gives something of a yelp as he drops an elegant wine glass of dry white wine causing it to shatter upon impacting the floor. He squirms and his flesh begins to glow brightly as the shadows begin to burn away and his stare becomes something more of a vicious glare as he hollers at Aren, "I wasn't looking at you in a particular fashion! Keep your hands off him you snake!"

The flow of energy through your body redirects itself, pooling beneath your footsteps and enriching the soil. Fresh growth unfurls from underneath your soles, sprouting and blooming in your wake.

You concentrate and send a tide of energy to your feet, the fresh growth becoming even more exuberant as it spreads outward and lush, verdant plantlife overtakes the vicinity.

Jayce leans into the wall as the plantlife suddenly springs from his feet and he gives something of a feral growl towards Aren, poised as if ready to attack at any moment.

Joul recoils with a jolt as the fiery pain courses through him but he doesn't budge much from the strange sensation. He closes his eyes with a frown of focus as he resists the urge to follow your actions, exhibiting patience and trust in his own Spark but still keeping a fan ready to feed it.

Aren yanks Joul back against his chest, a dirk now placed tight against his throat, "Not until I say what I have to say." he tells you, his violet eyes bright with excitement. He leans in, whispering into Joul's ear loud enough for you to hear, "You've been marked, and once marked you can't escape it. These people in Enorian and especially in the Luminaries care nothing for you. Come to Mother and you can be free." he chuckles, "Bring Jayce. You two will be treated with the respect you deserve."

Joul sees..
Come to Mother. Come to Her. COME.

Jayce lifts his hand and the vines in the room suddenly burst into violent action, sweeping under Aren and Joul in an attempt to ensnare both within their grasp and separate the two men. He gives another vicious snarl and lunges forward off the wall, ears pressed back as he says angrily, "You're wrong! I've come from such corruption and I'm much stronger now than I ever was! Don't try to awaken your poison into him! He's stronger than even I am!"

Joul gives little resistance even as he's turned to dirk-point but a slow smile of realization spreads across his face. "Y-You're right I have been marked and I can't escape it, even if I wanted to." he says as he raises a hand to feel over the ink on his left shoulder. "But you're wrong... Y-You're wrong in all the other aspects.. And I will do nothing of the sort." he continues as he moves his arms both out and away, giving Aren a chance to release him on his own.

Aren shoves Joul away from him and nimbly dances backwards, away from the vines that try to grab at him, "You'll wake up soon enough. The both of you. When you decide you want to stop being sheep and give in to what you desire finally. Come find me then." His form starts to flicker, blending in with the shadows, "Thanks for the conversation." And with that he's gone.

Jayce moves over and grasps Joul by the arm, pulling him closer and saying in a rushed tone, "Let's go, now.."

You say, "Voltda."

As you look Joul up, down, and all over, you ask Joul, "Are you ok?"

Joul draws a deep breath and sighs, quietly replying to you, "I-I'm fine.. he couldn't do anything.."

You frown and say to Joul, "I knew he was up to no good, I'm sorry. Forgive me."

Joul shakes his head at you.

You frown at Joul.

Quietly, Steady Flame Joul Chaltier smiles impishly and says to you, "They'll learn my Spark isn't so weak."