Re: Eternal, Veldygar - The Water Republic Mission
It was a time of Change for Five Coils--change that was unexpected and certainly unwanted by the majority, but a change nevertheless. One action sparked another, and was it any coincidence that Broken Eternal's escape from his Dragon-Blood masters had quickly led into his departure into the Water District? Though he had killed many (countless) since his freedom had been won, he still had no choice but to flee from their superior numbers, and that fact ate at his putrid black soul. He shunted the foulness of his disappointment away to face another day, as common sense whispered that it had been strategic, that their strength was in numbers and he knew that. He was of no use to anyone, especially himself, if he were dead thanks to unbridled and unwarranted rage. Blind rage was useless to him...it would only serve to make him weak.
The Wretched One had agreed to join this farce of a meeting, to entertain the GateKeeper of Water and to keep something of good faith between them. Of all the Celestial Exalted, to those who knew what he was, he was the most feared--the most untrusted. And for good reason, he thought with a sinister grin. It would do nothing but soothe his dark impulses to slaughter the whole of them. The mere thought of their flesh separating around his keen blades was like a sweet dream he wished to never awaken from--but it was misleading, and he knew it. It would be joyous to kill them all, yes, but now was not the time. Wanton slaughter would do nothing to grant him an exodus from this horrid place, and besides--they had done nothing to earn his wrath. They were alive and breathing, true enough, and for that reason alone he had a nearly psychotic urge to strangulate them all; but something was stronger. He hated the sniveling Dragon-Blooded much much more than this simple rabble, and so he would indulge in their meetings and their words, and even contribute his own ideas if it meant he would have a better chance of both escaping this place, and completely annihilate the sons and daughters of the Elemental Dragons.
For his part, at least the man was visible, which was more than many would expect or ask of him. Instead of standing or sitting on the floor, Eternal was a good ten feet in the air, almost lazily sitting atop a large rectangular piece of metal jutting from the wall--a conduit or regulator of some sort, judging from the vibrating coming from the unit. His arms were crossed over his chest, while one leg dangled over the side of his perch, and the other was bent and close to his chest as he watched the others have their discussion. The lie of independence was a persuasive one, and now they were discussing what should be done next. With such democracy normally came the want to dispense justice, and such weaknesses of the human psyche could be used and manipulated to suit larger plans, couldn't they?
"They will not let you be." He said, his voice a cold and raspy baritone, decidedly unsettling to many who had never heard him speak before. "I know them better than you could imagine. This will eat at their pride like a necrotic abscess, and they will try to take away what you have fought so hard to obtain. They expect you to build defenses, garrison troops, and lick your wounds, so they can try to outmaneuver and out-think you." He paused, letting his words sink in. "And that is why you should press an attack, and take away their ability to strip you of your Republic."