World Tree MUSH

    It's been a little bit since the meeting with Bishop False, but it would seem that things have not been quiet. A war has been brewing.
    One after the other Helio's temples have been brought down and his flock scattering. Until all that remains is his last fortress and city of Sol's Rampart.
    Castiel has made her way to this city. Something about this entire situation has been burning at her to look into things a little deeper and maybe get the sun god's perspective on the fighting that has been going on.
    "I've managed to get us an audience with Helio. It won't be a long one so we have to keep our questions brief and to the point on what's going on." She says as she walks through the ornate doors of the grandest temple to the sun imaginable.
    Replete with solar and light themed iconography the place is a bit... On the osentatious side as the party is led to the throne room of the sun god himself.

Ever since the last engagement with Bishop False, Itana has felt more and more uneasy about getting involved. Perhaps shooting Helio in the face wasn't the best idea she's ever had.

Coming here personally feels like a mistake. She's kept her hood up for the sake of not being immediately recognizable, though the bow slung over her shoulder may give it away. The sheer ostentation of the temple worsens her unease. It's as though the architecture is on the verge of consuming her, or at least shrinking her into total irrelevance.

She's tense. Cities are difficult enough for her to manage. Places of intense class and importance like this merely worsen the anxiety. A part of Itana feels dumber and less relevant with every step into the opulence and grandeur.

She shakes her head, purses her lips and forces other thoughts to the forefront. Dwelling on these thoughts won't help anyone. Not Castiel and not Illumiel, not herself, and not the innocent commoners in this world.

    Roll is... maybe not sure about the various whole god ideas. It's worked out so far, but what she knows of gods is not the kind of thing that has anyone walking in and just doing it. That's a bit strange for her! But this isn't her world, and the small blonde bot will just deal with it as best she can!

    Ostentatious isn't a big deal. No, that doesn't bother her. Instead, as she walks through, she's looking around with definite interest, trying to spot... smudges of dirt, or the tiniest speck of dust! Look, gotta stick with what you know, right?

    Illumiel is scowling, at the paladins moving out, at the news of the Sun God's temples falling, at the meeting with the Sun God himself... and at Bishop False's duplicitous words of peace.

    "I don't like this, Sister." she states to Castiel, glancing to Itana too, before looking forward to the doors. "Not one bit. Besides, Helio will likely take offense to my presence... I did, after all, make him bleed last time we met."

    The excessive extravagance doesn't seem to bother Shuzenji-no-Matsu in the least.

    At this point, the young Phoenix Maiden has gotten entirely too accustomed to the trappings of power, the ostentatious excesses that those in power use to showcase their influence. Even in a place of divinity, it doesn't prompt awe or reverence. No sir, awe and reverence are reserved for those who deserve them.

    Matsu's retainers, on the other hand, are absolutely the kind of people to be cowed by the presence of power, greatness, and especially divinity. So today, she walks alone, metaphorically. No one from Clan Shuzenji dares walk alongside Matsu to a meeting with a god. Only the others responding to Castiel's request are there, and so for the time being, the phoenix-possessed young lady walks slightly behind Illumiel, where she will be protected.

    "Don't worry," Matsu replies to Illumiel. "If he demands that you bleed in turn, I can fix it afterwards."

    She may not be the best at the whole 'reassurance' thing.

    Dante pops his neck as they enter the city. Keeping a cool head like this isn't easy, it's time to really sack up and get serious.

    Today, Dante is Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, here to catch the sun. The sun in this case is Helio, obviously.

    "Sometimes a god needs some humbling." He says with a wicked smirk.

    Unfortunately there's not so much as a speck of dust or smudge to be found, the countless temple servants and workers see to it that the place is absolutely spotless and... shining.
    Castiel however shoots Dante a look. 
    "We are not here to do anything of the sort, Dante." She hushes the cambion with a look that could wither flowers. "We are here peacefully."
    This is said as she gently rests a hand on Itana's shoulder, as though she could sense the nomad's practically palpable unease, trying her best to reassure her travelling companion.
    "I am not quite pleased either, sister, but hopefully Helio is not a vengeful one." She mutters as the doors open. "Hopefully Lady Matsu will not have to do such a thing."
    The 'throne room' is more of an open courtyard, where the sun can shine into the temple from all angles at all hours of the day until night time. Helio himself is settled on a golden throne awaiting his visitors and... He frowns rather deeply.
    "Do not think I have forgotten what transpired the last time we crossed paths." He points out, golden eyes narrowing at the group as they approach. It is however as he is about to say something else that a priest comes rushing in, rushes to Helio's side and whispers something hastily in the god's ear.
    "... And you brought unwanted company." He says as he rises, temple guards taking defensive positions.
    As the doors burst open and a squad of paladins and knights come bursting in.
    "... Uh." Castiel mumbles dumbstruck.
    This places the party DIRECTLY between two opposing forces in the middle of what becomes a rapidly very tense standoff.
    "In the name of the new faith, we have come to bring an end to your tyranny, Helio." The lead paladin says as blades are drawn.

    Illumiel is about to snipe back at the god, when the doors burst open, and paladins come rushing in. "So much for your Bishop's words of peace." she growls at the paladin. "What fecklessness is this that you would attack others when your leaders stated goal is peace and cooperation?" she demands, drawing a mundane firepoker from her belt and stepping toward the paladin. "I defy you to defend your position without resorting to the Bishop's rhetoric, or blindly and falsely quoting scripture." she holds her weapon up, pointing it at the paladin's face. "Speak truly, or hold thy tongue."

>> SUMMARY[Illumiel] >> Goos is angy. At everything. All the time. So, typical goose.

Itana is still no fan of Helio. She glances at Matsu a moment and lowers her eyelids just a shade. "I'll let others do the talking. I would rather this end without violence, and diplomacy is not my strength."

They're ushered into the throne room soon enough. Itana hangs back a little, glowering beneath her hood but not answering Helio. She can't find it within herself to muster platitudes for an alleged god who wanted her and an entire town dead, but neither is she going to pick another fight. It would upset an angel.

Itana does not want to upset her angel.

It may be too late. The doors erupt open. Itana immediately whisks across the flooring and wraps one arm protectively around Castiel, drawing her partially into her cloak and moving to try and shelter her. "You followed us here," she grates with a scowl towards the lead paladin. "For all our efforts to solve this without further death, you do /this./"

    "Yeah, peace. Sure." Dante says with a grumpy, petulant shrug of his shoulders. "Let's get this over with."

    Once they get inside, Dante is gonna hang with Itana, hands tucked in his pockets like a kid who's been dragged along on errands they could not give two shits about. He promised he'd be nice, so he stays nice.

    For about five minutes. With the paladins showing up, Dante is quick to go for Ebony and draw on the lead paladin. "The fuck do you think you're doin'? We were handling this!" He snaps at the leading paladin.

    Matsu is content to be silent, simply watching, walking and waiting. She listens in silence as the divine embodiment of the sun greets them, steadfastly meeting that golden gaze with eyes of crimson. It's only when he mentions unwanted company that she looks confused - and then swiftly turns around.

    It starts as a frown. Quickly turns into a scowl. And then it surpasses that.

    Matsu Shuzenji, Phoenix Maiden, possessed by the firebird Suzaku... looks utterly furious.

    "We have come under a banner of peace. We have walked to this place based on the words your own leader spoke. How dare you? How dare you take advantage of our willingness to aid your cause? HOW DARE YOU USE ME AS A PAWN TO FURTHER A CONFLICT THAT WILL CLAIM COUNTLESS INNOCENT LIVES?!"

    The fires of a phoenix erupt around Matsu.

    Hands work rapidly through a series of hand seals. A muttered chant is hastily uttered under breath. Divine flames whirl and writhe and flow, until at last Matsu slams down a single ofuda - from which a translucent barrier of flames flows, a potent wall backed by the divinity that dwells inside her.

    "You will NOT interfere. Do you hear me? You will not have your duplicitous war. And if you try? I swear to the kami that dwells inside me, I'm going to set you all on fire, and I WON'T heal you."

    Expression stern, the tiny white-haired priestess turns to face Helio. "...I would like to speak, if you would be amenable."

>> GAME >> Matsu Shuzenji spends an Edge for: No, you are not fucking turning a peace meeting into a slaughter.

    Roll freezes. While she sure CAN fight, she's not going to try that right away, or make threats! Her brain goes through various scenarios, as she turns from one to the other. Then she considers, and steps forward next to the angry phoenix!

    "Hello!" She says to the paladins. "I'm afraid we made an appointment and have been waiting for this for some time! It will likely be very brief, and there are still quite a few hours in the day! If you'd like to step back into the waiting area and delay your storming of the throne room for 30-45 minutes, you can then requeue your attempt!"

    Swords are drawn, the palace and temple guards muster, tensions are high and the paladins are ready to strike. Castiel hunkers against Itana's side...
    "Kill them al--" The lead paladin starts to say when...
    Matsu Shuzenji threatens, in no uncertain terms, to set him and his men on fire as she reveals her blazing fury.
    Roll presents the men with a nicer option and there's a beat's pause as the knights look amongst each other.
    "Please excuse us." The lead paladin says as they all calmly back out the door the way they came in and shut it behind them.
    Silence overtakes the throne room for a moment.
    "... Speak. But I would suggest making it quick." Helio says, clearing his throat. "I do not think that will stay them for too long if they are already invading the city."

That is a very angry bird. Itana raises her eyebrows sharply as she looks towards Matsu, tightening her arm around Castiel as if to shield the tiny angel from any and all harm. Her free hand is on the knife at her belt - but she doesn't draw it.

In the end, Roll leads with nice. As the paladins filter out, Itana looks down at Castiel. She shares a tight but relieved smile with the tiny angel.

Hand leaving her belt, she pushes her hood back with a sweep of her arm and a toss of her head and looks back up towards Helio. "You may be aware that we ended up in the middle of all this without knowing all that has been happening," she concedes. "Whatever may have happened between us in the past, happened because none of us fully understand this conflict. These paladins tell us they came from another place and want only to worship. Their actions put the lie to that. So please - help us to understand. Tell us how this fight began."

    If not for how serious the situation is, Dante would be laughing his ass off at that. "Not bad, Matsu." He grins at the priestess, stowing his pistol as the paladins leave with their tails between their legs. "I think we'd better make this quick if we're gonna do it peacefully. I dunno if we can convince 'em to play nice forever." He tells Helio curtly. "For what it's worth, we didn't come here to kill you. Scout's honor!" He even gives the Boy Scout hand sign.

    There's a brief side-glance from Matsu to Roll. A brief blink as she parses what the gynoid has said. And then a soft, slightly amused, "...Well spoken."

    She turns herself back around, and folds her hands in front of herself, bowing politely to Helio. "I thank you for your willingness to hear us out, and I hope that, in light of our time constraints, you will forgive a certain lack of decorum." The young miko straightens up, turning her eyes to meet Helio's directly. "I have no doubt that you have sensed my nature. In matters divine, you and I stand in the same arena, though I will grant that you are most assuredly my senior. However, I come before you not only as a fellow divinity, but as one of those who yield up prayers to the divine. A god and a mortal in one, a girl who speaks from the lowest of lows and the highest of highs."

    Folding her hands in front of herself, Matsu continues in a soft, "Do you cherish those who give prayer in your name?"

    Matsu sets up a firewall, and the paladins back down for now. Illumiel blinks a little, looking back at the priestess for a moment, and finally lowers her weapon, before slipping it back into her belt for the moment.
    For her own part, she shakes her head and remains quiet. Diplomacy is not her forte, and the last time she encountered the sun god, she immediately went to violence... and got admonished for it.
    The memory of the psuedo-elf's words stays her hand, and the Avenger shifts over to Itana and Castiel's sides, hovering nearby to offer her own protection to both.

    Roll smiles, turns, and gives a small curtsy. "I don't know much about all of this, but I really don't like disorder and interruptions! I'm glad I could help at least a little! Um... but since I'm not human I think I should let the others talk more about the problems, I don't really quite get it, sir."

    Well, at least she's honest and respectful. Despite her words, though, she is clearly listening to everyone.

    "Please, speak openly, decorum is the farthest thing from my mind right now." Helio replies. There is a definite time constraint and tension hangs heavily in the air as he listens.
    As for how it began, he answers Itana... "It started when their new temples arose. The first act of aggression was theirs when their knights attacked us."
    So there's that.
    To Matsu, Helio leans back in his throne.
    "I do. More than words can say. I may not have been the best of leaders and have made foolish decisions. But I will remain here to protect my people while I still can."
    He motions for a door to the back of the throne chamber. "I would suggest taking your leave now, though before those knights rally."

Itana doesn't want to be scolded by one of her angels. She refrains from shooting any gods in the face this time. Her arm's still wrapped around Castiel's shoulders, in any case. Keeping the angel safe is what's most important.

Itana presses her lips together and looks towards Illumiel, then Matsu. The expression gives way to a small frown. "We've found ourselves in the middle of someone else's religious feud, then," she murmurs before lowering her gaze to her armful of angel.

"Perhaps we should withdraw and think this over," Itana muses with a slight dip of her head. "We do not want to be here when the fighting breaks out again."

    Dante grunts. "Great. We've been backing the bad guys this whole time." He mutters openly. "Sorry about the misunderstanding. We threw the first punch." THere's no attempt to justify attacking Helio, no throwing accusations. The squad fucked up, and Dante knows it.

    "Y'know, we could stay, and knock some heads straight. Anybody feel like playing referee?"

    Illumiel listens to Helio.
    She looks down at her hands, then back up to the local divinity. "My hands are those of an Avenger. They are meant to end conflict, not start it. My role in our last meeting was one of an aggressor, and you have my humble contrition." she states plainly.

    Looking over to Dante, the young angel nods. "I would arbitrate this conflict. I have a feeling that not every member of False's little crusade is on board with this holy war they are fighting."

    Helio's answer prompts a thoughtful look in Matsu, She glances, briefly, over her shoulder - at the city itself, where the knights have gone. Her brow furrows, just slightly.

    She might have come late to this religious war, but she has at the least seen that Helio's opponents are willing to speak falsehoods and abuse a banner of peace for the sake of war. And, ultimately, Matsu Shuzenji is still a little girl. With the weight of the world on her shoulders, forced to grow up far too soon, but a little girl regardless. So her decision is settled quickly.

    First, those intense red eyes turn to Helio. "...If you recognize your failings, and you swear to do better, then that's enough for me." A pause. "I... if you have any questions for the perspective of a tiny, frail mortal, I'd be glad to answer them later."

    Next, she turns to glance at Itana. "He might have messed up. But he means well. And he's not a liar like the other side. If he plans to defend his people, I'd say we should help."

    And after that, a faint grin in Dante's direction. "Do as you like. If you keel over, I'll peel you off the ground. No stopping before the job's done."

    It's as close to a wholehearted endorsement as Matsu ever gets.

    "Now may not be the best time to stay and fight..." Castiel murmurs to Dante. "If you want to stay- I will not stop you but sometimes discretion is the better part of valor." She points out, echoing Itana's idea to withdraw- at least for now.
    She's already tugging Itana and Illumiel gently towards the back door. The city is likely under some heavy attack and now is probably the best time to get out of dodge for the time being.
    "I do not think I will have time to ask such questions, but should we meet again I may have many things to ask you." Helio replies to Matsu.
    "I am inclined to agree with my sister though," Castiel does speak up. "I do not think all the knights and paladins would agree with this."
    Kyner Dorsett comes to mind as one such person.