video | character plot

[impiety]

You know...

I have grown very tired as of late. To die... to come back... to apparently be returned to my world and brought back here... to know that nothing done here matters at all. But that's the wrong way to think.

It does all matter.

[ He lets out a sigh. ]

Those that are imprisoned in the Lightless... I refuse to allow them to be held there any longer. What reason do we have to keep them there? What reason beyond that these people say they deserve it? What reason should they not be granted forgiveness?

This world is built on a system I refuse to humor anymore.

[ And, Archangel begins to use his Exalted ability -- his dragon voice to coerce those listening both Prismal and Moonblessed. ]

The Moonblessed sycophants that joined the Moon Knights are to be killed on sight! And everyone else... come to the lowest level and break the barrier to release those in the Lightless! Now!

[ ooc: Hi, it's that plot that I had mentioned with Archie returning. He's causing riots with his dragon voice and "convincing" everyone to break the barriers of the Lightless. Will he succeed? The answer is, of course, no. But he's going to cause a lot of chaos. For simplicity's sake -- I'll keep all my stuff to this post and anyone can do what they want with the madness that Archie has created. ]

Comments

[mayoninofukucho]

[What the hell did the Archangel do to end up like that back home?! Well, Hijikata doesn't know about that... yet. He's still pissy more than anything else, seeing the man's ambitious endeavour as just another pesky annoyance in his daily efforts to do his job (to be fair, this kind of is his job, but, you know).]

Don't give me all this philosophical warbling! I told you, the justice system here is fine. Peaceful people deserve to be left alone, robbers and murderers get locked away according to their circumstances. What's wrong with that? I you want a better world why don't you take it up with the worst of criminals first? This world has more opportunities than most I've seen, yet some people still choose to commit crimes not out of despair but out of greed.

[He walks up to him, sword still extended, until he's close enough to put the blade to the side of his neck and take a pair of handcuffs out of his uniform with his free hand. He won't strike down an unarmed person if he can help it, but he sure will arrest him.]

Also don't shit-talk the leaders; they put their lives on the line just like everyone else! Knight Captain Natela and Queen Elara got seriously hurt in direct combat more than once, you hear me? - Give me your hands.

[impiety]

Are they peaceful? Or are their crimes simply not big enough for you to take notice to? [ He clicks his tongue at the man. ] What do you know of this world beyond what you've blinded yourself to see?

[ Archangel does not believe he'll be able to convince the sycophant of anything. In his own world, he lived a life that was safe and secure. It offered extreme wealth and comfort. Yet his sister was still murdered. Yet his parents were never tried for that murder. Yet everyone around him told him that justice was always done -- that there was nothing wrong with the system that he lived in.

And he came to realize that his situation was not unique. Justice only acknowledges what it can see. If those in power decide to hide their wrongs, justice says that they are right. What sort of madness is that? What sort of protection is that? He hated it; he hated that world; he wanted a place where everyone could be safe and happy; he wanted a world where his sister could have lived.

But he never could create that world with the people in it. Their sense of justice and will would constantly undermine his wishes to save them. Idiots. Fools. Free will should never have been given to you... because all you do is waste it! You could have created any society, any world... and you create places of misfortune! Still! Still!! Still you create these places!! ]

My sister would die in this world, too.

[ That is his answer to what he should "hear" from the other man before he does let him take his hand. He then allows him to feel and suffer the madness and agony that he has been in. ]

1/2

[mayoninofukucho]

[If Hijikata could read the Archangel's thoughts he'd still say that he belongs in a sanatorium, but he'd say it with less anger and more concern. This shit is what happens when people don't get therapy!! Granted, it probably wouldn't have helped here, not without justice also being served. But that's the whole conundrum, isn't it?]

Look, this is pointless. You're not even listening to me. I don't know what happened to your sister, but--

2/2

[mayoninofukucho]

[He just manages to put one handcuff on the Archangel's wrist before he gets hit by the first-person second-hand memory trip like a truck. Since it's all new to him and he didn't see it coming just the mind-splitting pain of the impalement is enough to make him drop his sword, clutch his chest, and make a small startled noise before full-out screaming like a pig being butchered (and he's usually a tough cookie who will only grunt at even nasty wounds). The darkness, ennui and encroaching madness barely register in comparison to being spiked up on something as big as a goddamn tree trunk.

Everyone around them is staring at him acting out like this when ostensibly nothing is being done to him at all, but after a few moments he collapses and curls up, now whimpering and groaning a little more quietly. Yeah, he's... out of commission. Give him a moment, or several moments (or don't).]

[impiety]

It hurts, doesn't it?

[ Archangel doesn't care if he cannot be heard. He still drops down to climb on top of the Moon Knight. His fury eating away at his senses as he wraps his hands around the man's neck -- attempting to strangle him. ]

I wanted to stop such pointless deaths. I wanted to create an actual paradise for people. A world where people could be safe in. But there would never be such a world! [ His fingers attempt to dig into the soft flesh as he violently shakes the other's neck. ]

Because of free will! We did nothing to deserve our free will! All we ever do is destroy one another with it! Every turn that we can is just another hell for someone else! We turn our eyes away from their suffering! Because they deserve it?! Because of their greed?! We demonize one another and -- we should have never been allowed to live so freely!

[ These are things that he wishes he could say to the god of his world. He did everything that he could to make a better world, but came to understand that he could not save everyone. He could not stop people from ruining the world -- and so he wishes to gain godhood to remove all free will from people, to take away the temptation of evil and create a true paradise.

Everyone living happily. Everyone living peacefully...! Why can no one understand his ambitions?!

He may not be able to become a god in this world, but with enough chroma, with enough power gathered, he could still find a way to control the people to live better lives!! ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[In a world of sheep without wolves there'd be barely any suffering, that's for sure. But maybe it'd be more like a world of zombies without victims... peaceful, but also pretty damn disturbing. Even if Hijikata could properly process what's being said to him, the Archangel is on such a higher level of twisted philosophy that he'd have to break it down to the source to understand where he's coming from.

As it is he can't even grasp around for his sword, still overwhelmed by the pain that's been transferred to him and pressing his hands to the non-existent gaping hole in his chest. If the Archangel doesn't make it stop he won't even try to pry his hands off his neck, because honestly, being choked out feels like a mercy right now. He sure as hell didn't think he, with his fearsome 'demon vice commander' nickname, would go out like this, but sometimes life - or death - comes at you fast.]

[impiety]

Yes... that is what awaits me when I return.

[ The eternal agony. He wonders if that is what Hell is truly like. But still... but still... he clings to his belief that he can save everyone. He believes once the world is rid of free will; peace can finally come to the deserving and undeserving lives that inhabit the world. No more fear; no more pain; no more strife; no more suffering on the inside and out. ]

... live and see the world that I'll create here.

[ Archangel lets go of the man's neck. Uncertain if he's choked him to death or not -- it doesn't matter, he supposes. If the Moonblessed die, they will be brought back. By then, he believes he will have remade the entire city -- the entire world -- into something like the paradise that he wants for everyone.

Those of the Lightless will be broken down by experience the agony that Archangel can inflict; driving them to a mindless state so to be part of his cult. They will cull the wicked and clean the world of those that would trample upon peace. And everyone will live a happier life.

Of course, he doesn't realize that he won't succeed. Or well, maybe, he does realize that he won't win. Maybe he realizes that he's just doing the impossible and destroying his own chance at happiness in this new world.

But that is fine, too, because it shows even he doesn't deserve free will. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[Had Hijikata been able to properly follow the Archangel's arguments he'd only have given him more disheartening feedback: that all his efforts will be futile, that free will finds its way and people will always fuck things up for themselves and others, and that there'll never be a perfect world.

Whether it was the Archangel's upset at not being understood, anger at being challenged by a perceived traitor, grief over all the pain he experienced, or a mix of everything, it gave his hands enough strength to properly end Hijikata, so he's finally completely quiet. His body starts crystallising right away, at first just looking like it's being covered in an inexplicable frost, and sooner or later he'll likely be collected and put wherever they showcase the dead Moonblessed - he never actually visited the place. The device on his wrist is still streaming the footage of his drones, one hovering overhead, the other keeping its camera on the elevator to the Lightless, where the mob has now overpowered the other Moon Knights and is streaming forward.

There's a nasty battle ahead, no doubt about it, and later on Hijikata will disgruntled over having had to sit it out, but if nothing else he learned to be respectful of even fake angels today. If the Archangel will be safely imprisoned by the time he revives he'll make sure to inquire if he's been given any therapeutic help, because he thinks he needs it. After this experience he has no doubt that he came to Prismatica straight from hell.]