Fragments of Angelarium [Eteru/Iammelon] [Dropped/Recton]

Exotic birds were quite the find, and one very pleasing to the more ecologically inclined members of the group. However it was also them who stressed caution, and so for now the team marked down this area on their maps so they could come back later with proper equipment for observation. Taking a sample of a living creature, even an animal, was a bit far for Aztecha field operatives. They did have teams dedicated to such things however, with Ialao experts in them, and they would be sent here later for sure. They could bring the necessary equipment to set up observation centers, and safely extract test subjects with minimal risk of damaging the local ecosystem. Ialao Druids specializing in ecology were quite good at that, and so Aztecha could trust that they would do their job quite well, even if it did mean it was inevitable some of the information would leak back to Freeforest. Still, while a fascinating find, the teams present couldn't do too much with these Phonixes. Kissa instructed the teams to mark their maps and then move on, they would leave the nests themselves alone, moving around to bypass them and continue their expedition into the forests.

She senses them go deeper into the forest. Taking a break from her observation she saunters alongside the mountain face. There used to be a trail laid out through her. It made her wonder if someone would remake the trail and if so how unique would it be. Hopefully not as rugged as the original mountain trail. Even if it did kept the sense of untamed nature. She came to a stop next to another big boulder. Clumps of quartz could be felt within it. It was fairly mossy enough for her to lean against. She enjoys a nice mossy mat to rest on. Her eyes flick back over to the horizon. Reaching out with her senses to get a mental view of what they were up too. They were still making their way. Haven’t come across anything they didn’t see. That is until they came across what seemed to be a large boulder covered in moss. Her brow rose a tad in realization in what it was. This will be fun to see their reactions. It’s something that has already been present on Angelarium for a very long time. If she had a guess, the object was over a hundred thousand years old. Half buried in that forest was the wreckage of a large Anubite ship. Possibly got destroyed in open Ethersea where it drifted along till it fell into Angelarium gravity well. Most was burned in the entry but thanks to the superiority of Anubite engineering it stayed intact. Who knows what remain inside.

This find was a rather major one to the Anubite teams. Finding such an old ship here was very much unexpected, but in truth it did also make sense. Angelarium was rather close to the Anubite Empire, and not too far away from the nearest Etherlane. It was reasonable to assume that an early exploration vessel or patrolling warship could have been devastated in an Etherstorm while on its mission. It was an acquired skill to brave the more dangerous parts of the Ether, and the Anubites certainly didn't have those skills in the early days, and even then they usually preferred Proscorine Navigators for their superior skills when it came to the Ethersea. Regardless, the questions of what this particular ship was doing and its purpose could be discovered simply via delving inside. A fortunate thing about the Anubite Empire was that, even after so many years, the protocols for data and information recovery were all documented. They simply had to identify just how old the ship was and access its databanks in order to learn much more about it. Language wouldn't be an issue either, for even after so long the Anubite Tongue remained rather consistent. Sure, the records aboard such an obviously old ship might sound a bit more rustic to a modern Anubite, but they could still easily read it. Such was the value of their ancestors fiercely resisting any sort of language drift and nagging the younglings into following suit. With this in mind, Kissa directed one of her teams to start scouting the wreckage before putting in a call for assistance from Aztecha, they'd need to bring in more people to handle this find properly.

After a bit of rummaging and some quick calls, the team was able to put together a profile for the vessel they had located. It was the ancient cruiser "Asopatri", an early attempt at creating an exploration vessel crossed with a warship, serving as an effective scout craft. It was meant to go southwards to locate more safe Etherlanes. Unfortunately, it was lost and presumed entirely destroyed in a storm. Now that it was found however, the records could be updated. Asopatri was a very good find for the Anubite Empire, as while the tech within was very outdated by now, the specific class of ship was one that was not produced in high numbers, with only one other ship surviving to the modern day for preservation and study. Asopatri thus effectively doubled their ability to preserve this ancient design. Not to mention, a more useful factor. The vessel had long since lost power, but its extensive suite of sensors and scanning equipment was not entirely lost. If they could reactivate the ship and retrieve data from those sensors, they could obtain some old scanning information from this area of Angelarium, and perhaps more. Data many thousands of years old had no practical modern use, but they could serve as an excellent way to see how the area around the crash site had changed over the years. Quite useful for the historically minded Anubites.

Regardless, while the find was a great one quite worth additional study, Lady Kissa's teams had to move on once some additional Aztecha field operatives were on the scene. They still had their mission, and the Asopatri was unfortunately not linked to it.

After a couple of minutes she sensed a presence other than the teams near their position. Her eyes narrowed when she could see the large mass under the branches. Stalking in the shadows is a part of the reason why the first Amziels hid in the trees. For what stalked the forest floor were monsters of primal fury. Since there was no cataclysmic event in prehistoric history. Megafauna stuck around for a long time. Making it a hard and slow process for Amzielean to get out of the stone age. The beast was one of their fearsome predators. Black scales that primitive weapons bounce off of, black fur to help it stay hidden in the shadows and nightmarish red eyes that struck many frozen in fear, giving it the look and style of a predatory black panther. The sheer size of it was larger than a tank. The Anubite guns would have no problem in killing it… but someone getting injured or worse is a certainty.

Ishnar let out a hiss of slight annoyance yet was concerned. She wanted to watch the explorers from afar. But she was long used to the call of duty. Leaning off the rock here form crackles with red energy like the spray of the sea crashing against the shore. It faded away to reveal herself in her hero costume. Bending her knees she jumped into the air. A large plume of dust and dirt in the vacuum left being in her wake.

A red streak swoops down towards the jungle. Weaving between the trees to get a clear shot on the beast who was currently creeping up a ledge that one of the explorers was walking under. Who would notice its large shadow enveloping them.

Instinct in overdrive she shot forward in a flash of speed.

The sound barrier broke as she slammed into the beast side.

The combined force of her kinetic velocity and momentum sent the beast flying. Slamming the beast against the tree that had been beside it.

Leaves and branches shower down around them. Ishnar vision was obscure with black scales. Briefly pining the beast against the tree before letting it go.

The beast slumped atop the roots of the tree. Hissing in pain from possibly several fractured bones. Like all predators it knew when to retreat to lick its wound. So it limped away back into the shadows.

Hovering in the air she was sporting a proud grin in saving the day. That is of course it dropped away when she realized what she was doing. ‘Ah, dang it.’ She just revealed herself in albeit a dynamic, heroic fashion so she wasn’t annoyed at that aspect. Rather she intended to appear to the Hoshizorans in her Welkin form because that is what they were probably expecting. Not the dashing heroine in her beautiful spandex. She supposed she couldn't be too bummed over about it. They would have come to learn how she is normally perceived anyways.

Taking a breath she lowered herself to the top of the ledge. Spinning around she flashed a grin. Swiftly holding her fist over her chest where a heart would be in a ‘normal’ person. "It's fine now. Why? Because I am here!" Her voice booms out into the open forest. “Your friendly cosmic neighborhood Star Ruby!” It felt a bit silly doing her dynamic entry to people who never heard of her but that wasn’t something to get bothered by. Placing her hands on her hips she finished her introduction. “Superheroine of the Enl'xaan League! Protectors of truth, justice, and peace!” It was very much corny.

Yet she was completely shameless.

The Anubites, noticing the shadow, quickly scrambled to try and respond before the likely harming could come from the beast above, with the armed members of the team preparing their weapons and the Mystics grabbing their staves, ready for a fight. However before they could get off the first volley at the beast in their attempt to stop it, it was suddenly rather preoccupied with the new arrival's flashy entry. They lowered their weapons, seeing as the Welkin seemed to have this matter handled, and simply gathered up for safety. The soldiers in the group kept their eyes out just in case the Beast was not a solo hunter, and the less combat capable of the team kept themselves together inside the safe perimeter being formed by the soldiers and mystics. Though of course, they still could bear witness to the dramatic entrance and introduction of the heroine. Some were rather impressed, others seemed a bit overwhelmed by the sheer corniness and looked around for cameras in case this was being recorded.

Regardless, Lady Kiss and one of her guards stepped out in front of the Anubite group towards Ishnar, walking forward a bit so she could speak in a more regular tone towards her rather than having to boom her voice back, "Thank you for the assistance there, Star Ruby! Rather unexpected, but welcome all the same. Nobody is hurt thanks to such actions. Of course, I have never heard of any such Enl'xaan League, not on this planet or any other in this particular region of space. Would I be correct in assuming you are a Welkin far from your home in the Ishnar Galaxy? If so, what brings you here?" Lady Kissa, while herself also feeling the sheer corniness on display, was also polite enough to play along with it. Some folk simply had ways they preferred to conduct themselves, and she couldn't blame them for that. Even if that conduct resembled an archetypal Avalantine movie superheroine, down to the name and dress code.

Face still sporting the smile she jumped down from the ledge to speak on even ground. She didn’t want to push the corniness too far after all. Not that she couldn’t of course. These just weren’t her usual crowd so she can’t blast them with her charm too much. “It was a pleasure to lend a helping hand~ I couldn’t let such cute faces get scratched.” She jokingly teased the group before getting a tad more serious for the sake of their tolerance for her antics. “Why yes. Named after me in fact, Ishnar E-anna.” Her voice wasn’t booming this time to not accidentally sound egotistical about the fact people named their country after her. “I was coming to check out Angelarium again. Then I noticed you guys a while ago and figured I could watch you to pass the time.”

The Anubite Lady was happy that she came down, as looking up the whole time would've been a bit much. She was a little flattered at the teasing, but of course given her earlier observation, that also was entirely in line with the Avalantine Superheroine theme. Though hopefully the teasing would not become flirting, lest they instead step into Proscorine Superheroine territory, a different beast entirely. All the same, the name was good to hear, as that suddenly was very handy. A wide smile appeared on Kissa's face, "Ah, that Ishnar E-Anna! A fortunate meeting then, since if you wish to have more ways to pass the time, the Governess of this planet would actually like to speak with you. She's Lady-Lord Ipwet, High Stewardess of the Anubite Empire. Heard about you from the Ishnar Ambassador apparently, and she wishes to talk to you! Our mission in fact was to find some additional Ishnar, the culture, artifacts to try and find a way to contact you, Ishnar the Welkin. Made my job quite a bit easier however by showing up directly. So, how about coming to meet Lady-Lord Ipwet?"

She had a inclination that is was they were looking for. They had a look of determination on their faces. Moving on from discoveries as if they were searching for something. Rubbing her neck she responded. “Eh she wants to meet me? I have no problem with it.” It was a bit strange and suspicious. Alas that was not the talk of a daring superhero. If someone wishes to meet her, she shall do so. “Alright then. I’ll come to see her.”

Lady Kissa clapped her hands, "Great! You don't know it but you just made my job much, much easier! Not a long trip back to Solus, now that we have some maps and we know where we're going. Much of the time spent going this far really is spent on careful documentation rather than the walking itself, makes this job more time consuming than travel time alone would indicate! I'll not bore you with the details however, let's get going." With that, she turned about and waved for the teams to start heading home. They would pass their previous finds, where Lady Kissa could explain to Ishnar things like what the crashed ship was and how they had named the prior fruit they found.

True to her word, the walk didn't actually take very long. Once they were out of the forest, proper transport in the form of a shuttle could be acquired, speeding up the journey even more. They would arrive quickly enough in Nebula's Reach, the capital of Solus Province as Lady Kissa would explain to Ishnar. After all, the Iammelonian additions to the planet would be bits she would be unfamiliar with. It was the most developed location of the Anubite-controlled territory, a proper melting pot and display of Iammelon's many cultures. It was also where Lady-Lord Ipwet set up her own main base of operations, and constructed the Governor's Residential Palace. It was a rather large structure resembling a mighty Anubite pyramid, built to impress both the local Amziel and visiting Iammelonians. It was part of Ipwet's plan of soft-power via sheer respect for Anubite majesty. Had to show their strength in ways both clear and subtle to attain dominion over this world in the eyes of the Amarna. All the same, Lady Kissa dropped off Ishnar at the front gate, gesturing to the open doors, "She'll be inside waiting for you. Not exactly sure what she wants to talk about, but don't get too worried around Lady Ipwet. She's not much of the sort to be domineering in a conversation with respectable people, especially those with ties to other countries. She's a diplomat at heart."

Ishnar has no qualms interacting with mortals on a level playing field. She long gotten used to dealing with them even back in her former home space. Mortals are like candles, short-lived and weak flames, but even a candle can light up the dark crevices of a transcendent soul. Even a candle can start a bonfire and warm the ethereal heart. Ah, when was the last time she even thought of herself as the big ‘G’? Her Star Ruby persona became such a fundamental part of her that she feels Star Ruby is the core and Ishnar is a tool to guide the hand of peace in scenarios that can’t be solved with fists. Being Star Ruby truly felt that she was the beacon of prosperity. A Hero that fends off the cold and uncaring night for those behind her to flourish. Funny enough she came to realize something after she started the age of heroes in Ishnar. People chanting her name felt more energizing and pure than they were before. It’s as if mortals have an easier time to believe wholeheartedly in heroes than gods. And in a way she can see the philosophy behind that. People want assurance that in times of crisis a Hero will be there.

The spandex clad heroine brought herself out of her musing when she was finishing shifting forms back to her ’normal’ appearance after going to the side. It felt silly to change in front of the others. Not out of shame but feeling it broke the illusion in a certain way. Star Ruby looks natural in a way that you can touch her and feel warm flesh. But as Ishnar E-anna she looks more unnatural. She bore a face that resembles a mammalian race but when looked below her jawline. Her swan-like neck and body have a glassy texture. A moving bottle of shimmering nebulae.

The words of concern from Kissa felt silly but she didn’t remark about it. “Noted. Appreciated the ride here by the way. This is where we part but I have a suspicion we’ll meet each other again. So see you later for now.” With nothing else needing to be head she headed inside the structure. It didn’t invoke any thoughts within her when she glanced at it. But if she was pressed for a comment she would remark that it looked neat she suppose.

Lady Kissa gave a wave in parting to Ishnar, "I hope that your suspicion comes true! Speaking again would be quite nice." With that, she turned to depart. Nobody of course would press her directly, although she did get some looks for her appearance. Her Star Ruby look was seen as more usual to these Anubites than what she saw as her own normal. For at least before she seemed more Human, and Anubites were very used to Humans. But her Ishnar E-Anna look was certainly more strange in comparison, from the hair to the strange glowing outfit.

Still, she was allowed entry into the Governor's Palace without issue, as she was an expected guest. Lady Kissa had of course sent word ahead to Ipwet that they had found Ishnar and were bringing her back to meet, and so preparations had been made for everything to look its best. And in the main hall, there waited Ipwet, standing proudly. She made a small curtsy in greetings to the visitor, and then spoke calmly, "Ah, and here is Ishnar! Or do you prefer Star Ruby? I must thank you again for helping my operatives out in the field avoid harm, as I read the reports myself. Come, sit. I had other things I wished to talk about, but in truth I am rather curious about this superheroine persona you seemed to be building for yourself. Looks like something one would see in movies rather than reality." She sat herself down at a table nearby, gesturing for Ishnar to join her. There were guards in the room as well, but they were keeping their distance and just staying in their normal posts, watching the doors.

She did the typical greeting curesty as well before making a quip to the first inquiry. “Ishnar is preferred. Although for the sake of nuance you can refer to me by my older name Inanne.” She brought back that name to avoid the confusion of a word holding a different context. With that said she heed the gesture and went to sit at the table. A brow quirk a tad in the interest in her Hero side. While it wasn’t much she got tidbits here and there regarding the Anubite mindset on ‘Mirin’. Perhaps it was a good thing her first impression went as it did. Spandex and exclamations of justice does a good job at throwing people expectations from a god figure out the window. “While a bit amusing that’s what you first ask about but I do admit it’s rather peculiar. Even back in the Auinozoaun, most of its history the notion of Superheroes was confined to the realm of fiction. Despite Symbolism having more power there. Heroism was more of a cultural icon. But after we came to this firmament. There was an idea… to bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if they could become something more. At the beginning we consisted mostly of Welkin then we extended to Demi-Welkin and honorary Non-Welkin who were offered to join.” The group was slow going at first. Not many Welkin or rather those who stuck around were not too sure about the idea of going around as spandex clad heroes. Vingthor was the most vocal support to the prospect and in some ways the co-founder from how much he contributed to it. His passion came from his days when he was a part of an actual superhero team that operated on the ancient homeworld of the Zeidaen. It was this knowledge that helped her get an understanding of how a Superhero community should be established from its morals to organization.

Lady Ipwet noted the name preference, and she was privately thankful for another name to utilize here. Lots of Ishnars it seemed, so it was good to have a more specific name. All the same, she listened to the explanation and found that rather interesting. A hopeful little idea, a band of powerful folk solving crimes and becoming cultural icons. Solving crimes was all well and good, but Ipwet saw more promise in the cultural impact. People needed models and icons to look up to, to inspire them to be better people. Perhaps this superhero team idea could be applied for the Anubite Empire's benefit as well, solving problems but also making a statement. Ipwet saw plenty of use in this idea, but of course she was always the sort to be careful. Perhaps however, she had ways to give it a test run. She responded to Ishnar calmly, with a smile on her fact as she heard the origin, "Quite the noble ideal there, Inanne. And a rather interesting one to me. Superheroes are very much a fiction here in Iammelon as well, a silly thing mostly seen in movies rather than real life. Comparisons can be made, such as the Civil War hero Azdrey, but those are still people with ranks and whatnot. Not the sort of superhero that captures the imagination of the entire populace. A lovely idea to keep in mind, I think. However, I am of course not here to discuss superheroes, or at least not today. I wished to speak with you, Inanne, because you are somebody who may be able to solve some issues we Anubites haven't yet been able to handle ourselves. There are many small things that this applies to, such as various translations of Ishnar relics and what not, but these small things aren't worth wrangling your precious time for. No, what we need help with from you is a bit more serious. I am sure you know of the individual called Tiamat, the one who caused the inital incident on Angelarium that led to the Anubite Empire's presence on the planet. She is not within our custody at the present time, and we do not currently know of her location. And if she's out of our reach, that also means we can't keep an eye on her. I am sure you know of what sorts of negative consequences may occur if she escapes our notice entirely. We would like to request your assistance in the investigation and in tracking her down, as we have heard you have more knowledge of how she operates. So long of course as that is not asking too much."

Ianne had no issue with what the Anubite was implying. The Ten Houses of Ana'hosas outside of cultural symbiosis are not connected to Ishnar on a national level. So much so that while many Welkin including herself respect the Sonluss-Onu, none of them ever bent the knee to her. The Convention aside nothing was stopping the Welkin to go out into the universe to do their own thing. That’s what many did in fact. Those that stuck around are Welkin that came from a family unit. Going elsewhere to help someone out is not frowned upon albeit monitored to a degree. She was going to open her mouth to remark that it wasn't an issue to lend a hand when Tiamat was brought up. “Ah…” A plain acknowledgment of what was said. It didn’t evoke any strong emotion. The first time got a reaction due to the sheer surprise value. Now it felt like dull emptiness. Welkin are certainly known for having long lasting grudges that can last millennia. But there comes a time where it gets tiring after a while. Pointless even. She might as well last seen Tiamat an eternity ago. Letting out a sigh she responded to the hanging question. “It’s my responsibility as the matriarch of the E-anna family that I see her be accounted for her sins.” She spoke coolly. Not putting much effort to disagree with the sentiment. “Tracking her down wouldn’t be too hard either. Even here I can feel her.”

Ipwet clearly noticed the rather distinct change in attitude. A lack of reaction was just as visible as an extreme reaction, such emptiness was telling. She could tell that to Ishnar this news of Tiamat really wasn't surprising, angering, or even disheartening. It was a chore, as Ipwet could determine by the sheer lack of emotion in responding. That was certainly not an expected response, but it was more telling than any five minute exposition talk. The Amarna had found a powerful and interesting person indeed, although the question still stood of whether or not this Mirin could truly assist the Anubite Empire, and be made to assist it with all the enthusiasm and willingness such an honor would entail. All the same, time for the test to begin. She sighed, shaking her head, "I am quite sorry for the bother on that matter, really I would much prefer to talk of more pleasant subjects. But unfortunately, I am the High Stewardess and so I can't ignore important things like this. The sooner this irritating business can be done, the better. To that end, if you can sense Tiamat, then that makes this job a lot easier. I hope you aren't sensing her on this planet, as my agents believe she fled to another world called Arcid. I would quite hope they aren't incorrect on that, or that in itself is something I'll have to look into. But if they are correct about Arcid... How would Star Ruby feel about making her introduction to a world already suffering from a great degree of crime?"

“My family squabble is undeserving of your sympathy.” Internal regret spark within her at how curtly she said that. A sigh escaped her in self-annoyance. “You’re right. I won’t bore you with my family lament. Especially you, I’ve heard a bit about your people. I can assume that the last thing you want to hear is the whine of a ‘Mirin’.” Thinking back she was a bit surprised Kissa never pressed for what happened on that day. She knew she saw a video of it when Sonluss-Onu commented on it to Ishnar. Sure she could chalk it up to politeness. A sense of conduct to not let personal bias rise up. But Ishnar wondered if Kissa thought about it. How much sleep did she lose because of it? It dawned on her that the dark emotions that came from that day never left. They just simply became a dull wall of static from the passage of time.

She rolled her neck despite having no muscle. A small subconscious body tic that she conditioned herself with to not look like a statue in front of others. “Heh. At one point I would have disputed that word. That I wasn’t a cosmic god. But I know now that is nothing but a pitiful excuse to avoid responsibility.” She is a cosmic god. And she failed. To distance herself from that word is a disgrace to the dead. There was no other choice but to aid in this endeavor. They deserve at least that much from her.

With a dismissive wave of the hand to brush away the worry she responded in a more relaxed manner. “I sense her offworld. Presumably on this Arcid.” Her brow quirk upwards in subtle interest. Tilting her head as she looked at Ipwet. “So we’re now interested in talking about Heroism?” She took notice of the minor backpedaling of what Ipwet said before. Silence hang for a few seconds. Pondering on what Ipwet is offering. Her features shift when a slight curve of her lips formed. “Arcid certainly doesn’t need some foreign god. It doesn’t need some Hero either. But a Hero is what they deserve.” She sat up straighter. The brief moments of tension fading from her body. “I have no issue with that. But I’m sure you understand I need to know what I’m going to have to deal with.” That and to ensure she wasn’t being misdirected to indirectly do something other than fighting crime. Breaking the bondage of crime is a complicated task.

The more she thought about it the more she started to get the inclination of what gears were turning in Ipwet head. “Like in any Superhero media, the first appearance of a Hero usually sent shockwaves throughout the world in that universe. So like in real life, the debut of Star Ruby is going to be a big deal. Especially if said Heroine punched her way through every gang on Arcid. The headlines will spread like wildfire. But I get the sense you already knew that. Hehehe~ Ah if we’re serious about this I don’t mind getting involved.” She was sure they were both aware of the ramifications. Eventually nations will catch whiff of the crazy things happening in the Anubite Empire and start poking around. Considering balance is important in a democratic setting, and the fact they have bad history here regarding Galactic Invasions. She doubts they will let the fact that the Anubite Empire is dealing with a power outside of Hoshizora lightly. But that’ll be something that they have to worry about when it comes to it. Now they just need to focus on Arcid. “I also don’t mind your people coming up with an origin story. After all a Superheroine needs a daring backstory to get people attention.” She quipped. Now more upbeat.

Lady Ipwet smirked at Ishnar's calling out of her little backpedaling, which of course she had intended. Such contrasts were quite needed to drive the point home, and draw the connections she wanted made. So she chuckled and nodded, "And as I surmised, heroism is a much more enjoyable topic, yes? I bring it up not just because of that, but because I am not somebody who is apt to let a good opportunity pass me by. We could dryly focus on an investigation you seem to already have well in hand, but that is a waste. As you have so surmised, I see the value here in a hero as an icon, a way to improve Arcid while we are there instead of simply coming and going without changing the world's conditions. For in truth, the world requires a push, some motivation to assist in its own repairs. And what better way to encourage the many people of the planet to stand up and start working on the small problems than by the arrival of a superhero to smash problems big and small, show that they can in fact be solved. Tiamat is ultimately just one goal on the road to this much greater endeavor. An endeavor that will improve lives for a long time, rather than just clean up after a mess. Such long term ideas are what the Anubite Empire is built on. Now I am sure you are seeing what my true intentions are, but wasn't I right when I said heroism is a much more pleasant topic?"

The more upbeat attitude was just what Ipwet wanted, everything was working out now. Although now she would have to get more logistical, as Ishnar just brought up an important point. The Lady-Lord became visibly thoughtful, putting up the appearance for a bit longer than she actually thought on the subject, and then her eyes showed a tinge of excitement, "Quite the offer, and one I can certainly work with. I have a few ideas, but let's start a bit nebulous for now. Perhaps something along the lines of you coming as the result of a call put out by a simple Anubite Priest, aching for somebody to bring justice to Arcid. And so, as a force of justice itself, you came. I am sure we can refine that more and more with time, but best to start with such an overall premise. People just need to know you are there to help them, and the bad guys need to know that you are their foe. Still, you'll get a proper backstory in due time. But before people care about backstories, they need to know the name Star Ruby. So my proposal is simple, we'll locate Tiamat and her general area. We can go in and apprehend her, and while we Anubites handle the aftermath of that, you can then go out as Star Ruby to the surrounding area, find some big name gangster and punt him. Then go around doing smaller things, get your name out there. Then we can start spreading the story of this new, heroic Star Ruby to the planet. How do you feel about such an idea?"

The machinations of Ipwet did not go unnoticed. One does not need divine power to know that much. So Ipwet was correct that Ishnar could see the cards that she holds close to her breast. It was not hard to extrapolate and she got the sense that this is the environment where Ipwet thrived in. So she did not bother to bring up things to come. The Anubite Empire is certainly built on long lasting values. And from what she knows, it’s on a cusp of a new age. Something which she is sure Ipwet will be at the helm of. There was subtle amusement in the crook of Ishnar’s smile. “You’re orchestrating quite a play. Impressive really.” It was something a patroness of war could acknowledge and appreciate the intricacies that people come up with. “Heh~ Heroism is an inherently ‘good feels’ subject after all. It’s something that many people dream but lack the will to grasp it for reasons as you said. Say for instance heroes who symbolize Justice. They are an ideal and are not tangible. There is no room for heroes like those, especially myself, in any system due to our upbringing and power. As such we must exist outside of society and systems. As such these types of heroes govern themselves as a rallying point for people like them to have a place to belong and so that they can become integrated into society. People like those who are lost, tired, poor, and the huddled masses yearning to breathe free. A Hero of Justice is fundamentally about both an outsider trying to affect change in a system and becoming a symbol of something larger than an individual. They embody justice because justice is not a real tangible thing but rather it is an ideal that one aspires to and cannot actually reach with any system. An ideal that exists outside of any system that is constantly being refined and we attempt to get closer and closer to it despite the actual achievement of it being impossible. Heroes like them and I cannot save a world but the image of us can since we break down old flawed systems and inspire newer better ones to encompass it.” It was for the most part why Ishnar is going with Ipwet’s game. Sure she may very well be a tool for some political agenda but she’ll still be an icon that means something. “So it’s why people accept the impossibility the wrong way. That it doesn’t exist so they make their own. This is how tyrants are usually born. As I’m sure is the case on Arcid. Where there are people who believe in the law of the jungle. Disregarding the notion that killing corrupts. Even when done for the best intentions. If one killing is justifiable? Why not another? And another after that? Can thousands be snuffed out for the sake of the greater good? That way leads to the obliteration of life and the death of worlds.”

She let out a breath. Brushing her hair in which her locks tumble over her cloak. “On a relevant note. You’re giving me great trust. So I’ll trust and work with you.” Trust is a two-way street after all. Ipwet must desire her greatly if she was going to risk so much at the start. The waxing of hero philosophy out of the way her mood was infected by Ipwet excitement. Letting out a small noise of amusement. “Good to see you’re getting into it. The reason I brought it up was for our mutual interest in delaying the inevitable day of other nations learning about the existence of a power outside of hoshizora. I’m sure whatever government on Arcid would want to know where I came from.” That was one of the risks that she knew Ipwet was aware about. So she let her deal with that. “Other than that. A decent premise. It sounds a bit blasphemous however.” She knew some level of Anubite theology that the backstory felt conflicting. “Backstories are generally meant to be symbolic in nature and/or relatable. For my idea of a general premise. It began when a small, Anubite child was running through the dark forest in pursuit. The forest symbolizes the universe apathy to the scene playing out. Out of breath he stopped at the top of a small hill. All around him he can only see the dark forest of Arcid. At the base of the hill he sees his three pursuers. The Gangster who relish in violence. The Junkie with crippling addictions. And the Officer who seeks to maintain the status-quo by any means necessary. They all began to advance up the hill towards the child. The child looked up to the sky and saw a shooting star. And on that shooting star. He made a wish. To his surprise the comet turned and descended to the hill. Turning into a being that landed between the child and the trio. She shouldn’t exist, an impossibility as much as the child's belief in an impossible ideal. Yet she leaped into the fray. Kicking back the trio into the darkness of the forest. That she returned to the hilltop where she would hug the child before flying him back to his home. From then on is the adventures of Star Ruby. A being born from a child's wish.” There were certainly little details to fill it but she felt she went over all the major points. After going over that idea her thoughts shift gears at the proposal. “Fairly simple. I can confront her and leave her fate in your hands. After that I can do what I do best.” It was a shame that Ipwet dismissed her hand of cooperation in getting the lay of the land. Ipwet was technically right that the effort is a waste. Her perception transcends levels that many cannot comprehend. It was just a matter of principle. Looks like she’ll be the type of Hero to work outside the system after all. With that thought she stood up from the couch. Extending out an arm for a shake of hands. “To a prosperous future.” She said with a smile.

Ipwet smiled at Ishnar's analysis of heroism, and she particularly agreed with the end. Such deadly cycles were the things Anubites were all too aware of, and strived to avoid in their society. But these cycles came about anyways, and so somebody had to break it when they appeared. That could be the role of a hero, so Ipwet nodded her head in agreement there. She grinned at the mention of trust, giving a nod, "Trust is a valuable thing, and I am glad you seem to be happy to repay the trust I am placing in you. Seems I did not make a mistake." There was much to think about it when it came to trust, and of course she wasn't giving quite as much as it appeared. Trust was far too valuable to give away with some methods to ensure that the investment came back with good results, and Ipwet had plenty of such methods ready for Ishnar. So far she didn't believe she would need it, but her family didn't get this far without backup plans. Hearing the proposed backstory, that got a smile out of Ipwet and she nodded, "A very promising premise! I will have some more professional storywriters refine the aspects, but I quite like the idea of a hero being born out of the desires of a child. It will be quite pleasing to younger demographics, and more acceptable from Iammelonians, who would be less happy if the Hero was foreign. We shall go with that." Ipwet normally wasn't the sort to have folk work outside the system, since her specialty was working the system to her advantage, but that was an important aspect. The system could incorporate Star Ruby if she was well received, and shown to be effective. But for this first step, she had to keep a little distance at first. It would all work out however, she was sure. Lady Ipwet took the extended hand with her own, proceeding to then stand up, "To a prosperous future indeed! But let's not waste time in making that future come sooner. I shall ready a shuttle to take you to Arcid, and then we may proceed with the plan. I'll remain here, given my duties on this planet, but my agents will ensure I have a way to keep an eye on the situation at all times. Let us begin." With that, Lady Ipwet turned to go, a smile on her face. Today had been a surprisingly good day, and new plans were being laid. She did quite love the feeling of putting the pieces on the chess board, and it was time for the first move in this new game. How very exciting.

-

Later, after a trip to Arcid, Ishnar would have her first look at the criminal-infested city world. The planet, sitting at the eastern edge of the greater Cerulane Etherlane that ran through Iammelon, was a rather populated one, but also rather cramped. The city they were descending upon was the largest of the batch of megacities on this world, and was perhaps the most densely populated. Here it was clear that homes were rarely lonely, and the air was filled with sounds. She could even hear the faint sound of blasterfire in the distance as they arrived at the starport. There was an infestation of lights from signs, windows, and half-broken streetlights. The area that Ishnar was sensing however was further away from the Starport, towards a more quiet area of the city. There the lights dimmed, for more buildings had simply been abandoned or forcibly closed by authorities for the belief they could collapse at any moment. People still lived here, not by choice, but had long since learned to maintain the silence. Nobody wanted to draw attention here. It was a dark spot in a city of light, the quiet place in the realm of noise. This is where somebody would hide, and it was a favorite for both planetary natives and those from offworld who needed to lay low. Police vehicles passed through and over the area occasionally, but they had not the time or resources to investigate, their attention needed at many other hotspots in the city. The quiet thus endured. Their desitnation was towards the center of it, a large apartment building, sitting alone at the end of a street. Half its windows were boarded up, and the others were pitch black. The only sounds here were the occasional crash of walls breaking after years without upkeep, and the rare creek of rusty door-hinges.

Isnar glanced out the shuttle window into the city basked in its neon glow before looking back over to a few of Ipwet’s people that she was getting to know. Standing on the metallic floor of the shuttle in her superhero outfit once more.

“Say, Miss Inanne. What should we expect from Tiamat?” The question was prompted by a marine next to her.

“Best case scenario nothing. But all I can say is prepare for the worst.” She remarked in turn. Caution and safety was paramount when dealing with her own people. The group chatted some more as they made their landing. With aerial grace she floats out of the shuttle. Her raven hair billowing out behind her. It did not take long for her to lead the marnes to the decrepit structure before them.

She looked up the aged side of the building. Cracks running all over like cobwebs. The once bold letters that were splayed across the top of the side have long faded. But she didn’t need mundane evidence to know this used to be a hospital. What was once a place of life was long reduced to a state of decay. A perfection mirror of the contradictory nature in its sole resident.

Tiamat could be felt within the building. A dim candle swaying in the silence of the forgotten. A far cry of what it used to be. Her face remained passive as she walked in, no longer floating. The marines following a safe distance behind her they made their way into the forsaken lobby that was caked in layers of dust and black mold. It’s a good thing the marines brought along masks, Ishnar didn’t need it.

They found an albeit sketchy staircase. The marines took their time traversing it while Ishtar floated up ahead. Stopping at the floor where the maternity ward was located. Landing down on the floor she walked down the dark, lonely hallway till she stopped by a set of large windows that held only darkness to the normal eye. But to her she can see it was a Newborn Nursery. The sound of the marines finally coming out into the hallway made her glance back. Gesturing them to advance slowly but let her go in first.

Taking a breath of the septic air she calmly walked in. The rims of her outfit give off enough luminosity to faintly illuminate the room. Shoved to the wall were the cribs that were once used so long ago. There kneeling in the center of the room, head bowed, was none other than Tiamat. The Goddess of the Beginning. The Primordial Sea.

But that is not what Ishnar sees before her. Tiamat’s divinity has been long stripped away, now residing in Ishnar in fact. She was reduced to a pebble of her former self. Malnourished, sunken, a hollow shell of a living being. Yet death could not come to her. While varying it was difficult to truly kill a Welkin as they are beings of pure energy. Not to mention all the other variables. So they did one of the best things they could do to constrain Tiamat.

In the dim light of her suit, which was somewhat obsolete considering the marines had night vision goggles, they could see that Tiamat was hardly clothed. Her dress moths bitten and ragged from days of use. Her state of indecency however would be overshadowed but what they saw.

The joints of her limbs were that of a doll. Ishnar told them on the way here that Tiamat’s body was essentially a walking prison cell.

“Tiamat.” Ishnar spoke her name plainly.

The former Mother of Life timidly rear her eyes up to her own. Eyes that once reflect the inner sea of the planet were now a cloudy shell. Her sight was long taken away. For she lost the privilege to see the light of creation.

“Inanne.” She spoke her name distantly. “You’ve grown a lot.”

Stark silence hangs in the air for several seconds. Despite the circumstances there was no tension in the air. Like the room they’re in, the ambience is forlorn.

“It has been a long time since we last met.” Ishnar broke the silence.

“Yes...that it is.” Tiamat agreed softly. Her face was sickly and vacant. A sign that she hadn’t been taking care of herself. There was tiredness in her posture. Her shoulders slump and her arms laying lifeless on her lap. In a way it was if she was expecting Ishnar to come to give her final judgement.

“You know. Considering time is relative and all firmaments operate independently from one another. You spent an eternity of time more than I. You were there till the very end. Yet.” Her last word held a bite of annoyance and disappointment. “When you cross over to this universe. You had the perfect chance to show how much you changed. To atone. The past does not define us, the present is our choice and the future is given. But no, you completely botched it! Not only did you put the others around you at risk but the lives of an entire galaxy.” She gestures to the maines on the other side of the windows.

Tiamat didn’t look over. Instead she focuses on Ishnar's face as if she notices something odd. “I don’t feel it...the look...is gone.” Tiamat was bewildered and in awe. Facing Ishnar's passive face. Eyes a shimmering pool of luminous gold. Indeed the ‘look’ was not in her gaze.

The look of murder.

“It’s as you said Tiamat. I’ve grown a lot. My life is now a mere drop in the ocean compared to yours yet I changed. I was once the most spoiled, arrogant brat to prance across heaven. Whimsy, uncontrolled, free, I took what I want and destroyed those who defy me.” Ishnar took a step forward and another till she was standing over Tiamat. Ishnar was like a mountain compared to Tiamat below her. Radiating a presence of power that weighs on Tiamat like heavy clay. Tiamat shudders from the churning divine energies within Ishnar.

In spite of the overwhelming force Tiamat never felt threatened by Ishnar which confuses her. “Why...why won’t you deal with your judgement. Your will is law. Nothing is holding you back” It would be clear to anyone that Tiamat was waiting to be punished. Expecting Ishnar to lash out in violence or enact a greater sentence. Instead Ishnar looked down at her in pity.

“Because I changed. Simply put, I grew up.” Ishnar let silence hand in the air once more. Gazing at Tiamat in contemplation.

Taking a breath through her nose she spoke in an authoritarian tone. “Tiamat. You are under arrest. As your crimes have been carried out within the sphere of influence of the Anubite Empire. You’ll be taken in under their jurisdiction.”

“But...before I hand you over. I have to express something to you first.” Ishnar gleaned with her old demon-like cruelty. In spite of that they held no actual malice.

Tiamat eyes widen in terror at the realization of what she was about to do. She was too slow to protest to stop from Ishnar kneeling down and embracing her.

“For all that you’ve done. I thank you for teaching me humility. Because of that…” Ishnar began.

“Please...please no…” Tiamat pleads. Having no energy to fight back let alone escaping the embrace of a Welkin.

“...I love you, Tiamat.” Ishnar three simple words were enough to bring Tiamat to a psychotic break. The contradiction of Tiamat’s personality clashed violently. Rendering her lifeless. Not reacting to any outside stimulus. Her mouth part slightly opened in silent gasps.

With a sigh she shifted her legs to move her arms around. Lifting Tiamat up in a bridal carry. Now appearing more like a doll. Breaking down in a shell that she can’t escape. Ishnar was not proud of it but she was being truthful. For Tiamat had taught her an important lesson in humility.

Stepping out of the room she faced the group of marines. Going over to one to hand over Tiamat's limp body. “You can put her in the brig with no restraints. There won’t be any fight from her.”

The marine nodded. Carrying her away back to the shuttle with some others to deal with the aftermath. Parting ways with Ishnar who went to the top of the roof. The distant lights casting a neon glow over her outfit. Her crest is a beacon in the dark.

“I was once a violent Goddess. Now...I’m a Hero that inspires many.” She spoke solemnly to herself before flying up into the air. Ascending far above the skyline till she stops at the stratosphere. Looking down to admire the beauty of the lights from the urban sprawl. Closing her eyes she could see it. Thumping on the fabric of space like mallets on a drum. There is a lot of work to do. Ipwet may be using her in a grander scheme. But she’ll put herself before what is most important.

Memories of friends old and new play across her vision. In a burst of red light she flew down. Leaving behind a receding trail of red light in her passage. She had spent an eternity as a god. Now it was time to continue this eternity as a Hero.

Tiamat was taken back to the very same shuttle that had been used to bring Ishnar and the Anubite Marines to Arcid, to be secured simply into one of the seats so she could be processed back on Angelarium, where a proper location to hold her for a long period of time was being prepared. The Marines in the Starport however, as they loaded up their prize, were quite unaware of the eyes watching them. An agent under the cloak of darkness, holding a comm unit, was silently reporting the shuttle and its unique cargo to a different group. The Marines were going to fly straight into a trap, delivering the prize desired by a particular unlawful individual who saw a good chance to make a gain here. Not only from the ransoms for full on Anubite Marines, but also that most unique person they carried. The Agent grinned as the shuttle lifted off, putting his comm unit away as he slipped away into the darkness of the Arcid back alleys.

Ishnar meanwhile would have more pressing, immediate concerns. Her new life as a Hero was going to kick off very quickly on this planet, as on Arcid there was always something unfortunate occurring. Only a few blocks away, she could hear the distinct sound of gunfire. From her position on the roof, she could see what was happening. A group of armed thugs were attempting to breach a door and gain entrance to an apartment block, with one using a shotgun to force open the lock on the front door. One was shouting up at a window, "Should've paid, Fain! You knew that we Locusts don't have much patience, and you owe far more than you coughed up! But we'll get what we want, even if we gotta get it from selling each bit of your miserable corpse!" The thug then proceeded to shoot a round from his pistol at the window, keeping a close eye on it while the other thugs moved in, scattering to cover all potential escape routes while the one with the shotgun was heading to force open the final door.

Flying down she took in the information. The chorus of life was as immense as she expected. Many times she had people come up to her wondering what it was like to have senses of a god. To them it sounds like hell. For nothing could be worse than hearing every call for help, and every scream of terror and knowing, even with all the power that she possessed, that she couldn't save everyone. That she can’t stop hearing and seeing all the horrors of the world.

How typical of them to only see the cynicism of power.

That aside, she can turn her senses off. She could just simply leave a planet and never come back. Sure she’ll give them some credit, at times it does feel exhausting. The hatred, the fear, and the ignorance never stops.

But everyone already knows that people around the world are suffering and that there is nothing that they can do to save everyone. Her being able to hear every crying child and dying breath does nothing to change that reality.

So they ask her again, why does she subject her to this madness?

And spoke back that because she also hears all the world's joy. Every tearful reunion as loved ones are reunited. Every cheering crowd when the home team wins. Every cry of relief when a child is pulled from harm's way. She gets to hear all that and share in people's happiness, and more, how often someone else answers the cries for help before she has to intervene. Even as she is subjected to the worst the world has to offer, she also gets to experience life at its best.

That is why she considers her godly senses to be a blessing, not only for how it allows her to help others but also for how it reminds her what she is fighting for. As well to remember that she’s not doing this to save everyone, but to serve as an icon to inspire.

Smiling as she zip back into the cityscape she weaves around the towering buildings of metal and glass. It always felt good to zoom around like this. Alas she was on duty. So leisure was off the table tonight. She made the pass over the apartment block when she noticed how close the gunshots were. Looping down to a hover she crane her head to see what seems to be a group of punks breaking into the apartment room.

With aerial grace she zoom to land on the walkway behind the last thug that was entering the room. Her fighting style is somewhat hard to quantify in mundane standards because it is based around two things, her ability to strike with exactly as much force as she wants to and her complete and utter control of her trajectory at all times. And that’s what she limits herself to. Very rarely does she use her wider arsenal in combat. Disaster sights are generally her only exception to use other powers.

In a blur she threw a kick against the thug’s back. Sending him hurtling into the room. “Hello boys! Did someone call for an exterminator? I heard there is a big locust infestation!” All too proud for her witty remarks she flew into a flurry of kicks and jabs. A storm of limbs that tore through the group. Sending the second to last thug to the nearby bed in a crumpled heap she turned to the last thug that was carrying the shotgun. A grin still beaming on her face. “You can’t be too mad at him for not caring about this infestation. No shame in being ignorant.” Ouch, that was a poor pun and she instantly recognized it. She was getting rusty. “I’ll give you a choice. Put the gun down and we can have a lovely talk.”

The band of thugs were rather unprepared for somebody to actually interfere in their raid. They clearly very rarely faced resistance, with the police being tied up with more major incidents and the local populace being far too afraid or simply dejected to try anything. As such, these impromptu debt collectors at worst expected their target to perhaps be armed, but that's why they brought numbers. As such they were not ready for even simple intervention from a good Samaritan, and being prepared for a superpowered attack compiled with bad puns was entirely out of their capabilities. The thugs were handled quite easily with this in mind, too shocked to even fire off inaccurate shots before being hurtled to the ground, floor, or into nearby furniture.

The final thug, holding his shotgun, was rather shocked but had his time to point it at Ishnar. He was panicked, not shooting, and instead just trembled. He seemed like he was considering putting his gun down, eyeing it and then the ground. But before he had the time to speak, shoot, or surrender, another bullet went through his head. The thug dropped to the floor, dead, his shotgun clanging to the ground. The shooter revealed themselves, an older human man with grey, messy hair. His clothes were old too, unwashed for weeks probably, and the same went for the old rifle he had in hand. The older man sighed, looking to Ishnar, "Well, thank you for the help there, whoever you are. Probably already guessed it by now but I'm Fain, the one these Locusts were here to collect on. Seems I'll have to find a new hiding spot... Still, what got you to pounce em? They fail to follower orders of some bigger syndicate?"

In a flash of speed she caught the bullet with her hand. With her fist still beside the thug skull she jerked against his temple with a whump. Knocking the lights out of his skull as he crumples to the floor in a heap. ’As if I’m going to get my hero career get bloody so soon.’ She mentally quips to herself. It was common in her line of work for the victim to fight back with lethal force so they have to be aware of both parties.

Despite what occurred she was still smiling. Tossing away the bullet to the side she looked over to the human man. “All in a day's work! I just happen to be in the area. I’m only a small time vigilante at the moment, but eventually going to become something greater.” Vigilante tends to be an easier word to swallow than superheroine, especially in a jaded and cynical population. So it will take time for them to warm up to the prospect of Heroes.

Turning over to the scattered bodies of the thugs she went over to begin tying them all up. Converting the matter of their clothing into ropes. She wasn’t too cruel to convert their undies of course. “I would recommend finding a new hiding spot but I want to ask. Do you know any places that these Locust boys are at?” It was good to get to the root of the problem after all.

Fain grunted at the caught bullet, clearly not quite getting the desire to not kill the thug, but he didn't openly comment on it besides seeming a bit weirded out. He wasn't one to challenge the ethics of the super-powered person. He smirked at the mention of her being a vigilante, having heard that before, "Ah, so the Locusts pissed off somebody with a score to settle and the powers to do it. I won't ask how that happened. I'll let another of you vigilante types have your revenge and feel good about the bloodbath, hopefully you'll be satisfied quickly enough. I'll get going soon, but if you're interested in the Locusts, I do know where their boss hangs out. His little base of operations is a bar. Only patrons allowed in are Locusts, so he got a bunch of his crew around him at all times. It's five or six blocks south, I think." Fain quickly reloaded his rifle, sighing, "Shame I gotta move again, but better to be safe than sorry."