My my, how loud his home was becoming. 

Raith smiled a little as he pulled on an open chested shirt and settled his ornate blindfold across his face - he was well known through Revaliir as the Blind God, but past experience taught him that the blindfold whittled down the inane questions about whether or not the name was literal or not. He didn’t have the time or patience for small talk or niceties at the best of times. His time was precious, and his attention fleeting if you were not worthy. 
From his place in the Watchtower he could not hear the conversations being held between his Envoy and their guests, what he could tell was how many of them and how they were feeling - his entire domain was created as a beacon of defense for himself and his Queen, and of course now his adopted daughter. The God of Wrath could not see in the conventional sense, so he had ensured he could see in the unconventional way instead. 

He left the Watchtower, taking the stairs for once rather than shifting location of the doors to take him directly to his Throne Room. He entered just as a question was posed by the being whose body weighed heaviest, his movements the most obvious to watch given his stature. ”Well put, you are correct, whatever divine order I give to those looking to make a home here I expect to be carried out immediately and without the need to ask twice,” Raith stated simply as he strode across the room to join the group. ”I take it these Pilgrims have answered our call Syn?” He asked his envoy, not feeling the need to introduce himself. 

She could see the coy smile, the sensual way she rested against the dragon. Talia could identify a hunter when she saw one, and this woman was a huntress of some kind. The child could also see the questioning curiosity and judgment in those golden orbs as to the reasoning for her being in the god's throne room. Yet, she stayed silent, if a little disappointed as the vampiress explained that the dragon was merely a statue, a piece of decorating art.

The odd stranger began to explain how he would offer himself to the court and the god behind it. There were long words she did not quite understand in his speech, leaving her wonder what a chronicler was. What did they do? How were they royal? While he did explain the first half of her quiet questions, it did not explain the second half. Soon enough, the vampire began speaking once more. At the words of "peaceful and happy living", Taliana looked up at Jared and stuck her tongue out at him with a smile.

Since when was life so peaceful for them? Happiness came whenever it could, if one could find it, the feeling always fleeting. Talia clung to his arm, not ready to let herself be alone in such an unknown realm, as she chose to remain silent about her ability to help on missions. Who knew what kind of woman this Lady Alairia was anyway? Jared, however, was explaining his reasoning for bringing her along and showing off his skills. Should she try and reveal her capabilities? Would it allow her to go with Jared on missions?

Time to share her pyrotechnics were over, however, when the cyborg agreed with Jared about the treacherous climb and the (rather fun) maze. As he asked his question, though, the child's attention was grabbed by a new sound. Someone else had entered the room. He answered in place of the woman, his words telling Talia exactly who he was, and finally put a name to the woman's face. Before Jared could react, Talia released his hand and darted forward, grabbing the deity's hand. "M'lord!" She pulled the back of the god's fingers and pressed them against her forehead, holding the position momentarily before looking up at him. For a grown man, he was pretty, she decided innocently. "The crown on your eyes is very pretty! May I touch it? Oh, is Syn right? Is your dragon really a statue? Who is Lady Al… Alair… Alairia? Can't I go with Jared on missions? I can be useful! We make a good team! I promise."

Syn wouldn’t deny the intrigue that she felt when looking into the hollowed eyes of the magi-tech thing. He was of a complete unknown origin to the vampiress, which meant there was untapped potential for her Lord. What could they get out of the creature/man if they put their minds to it? A mischievous smirk crossed her red stained lips while looking him up and down for the moment. Oh the plans she could make for the man.

Tip of her tongue rested on her elongated fang while glancing back at Jared. It was an odd matching for a vampire to have a younger sibling that they protected. Vampires were not the ‘pack’ kind. When she looked into the male’s eyes she saw what she needed to see: ambition. There was no shrinking away from what was laid out before them. Even if they dared to go after it now, Syn would see if they survived what Raith had planned out.

She laughed almost hollowly at the comment of the volcano and then for the child to be a wolf. ”Oh handsome, you can’t comprehend the Wolf’s Den you have walked into.” Her tongue slowly slid over her exposed fangs as she waited for Jared to give another response to the proposed question she had given. Attention was fully focused on the male. The flicker of his own reflected mischief almost made her purr in delight. ’Show me what you’ve got,’ she thought.

The vixen did not jump, but the heated breath against her ear made a shiver ripple down her spine. Elegant fingers reached for the jester’s card. The purr echoed in her voice as she said ”I guess it is mine now.”. Oh she was going to like this one for sure. Jester card remained grasped between two long fingers while waving it back and forth slowly. ”All talents I would like look into your….particular talents.”

Ferrus spoke next with that unnatural voice of his. It was unsettling on its own, let alone his outward appearance. Pointed ears twitched slightly at the sound of the back door from the Watchtower opening. She smiled again with a satisfied expression. A slight bow was given as her lord and liege joined the gathering. ”Yes, sire, these are the Pilgrims that have stated that they are willing to do what you will.”. She held up the jester’s card with a wiggle of her brow. ”Talents are not lacking in this group.”.

Clicking of her heels resounded once again as she moved around her Master to stand behind a step of his left shoulder. Golden gaze piercing from a shadowed brow at each of those that were before the god. Syn hissed with bared teeth as the sister child dare grab Raith’s hand. ”Know your place,” her voice had turned from a sultry moan into a flame filled rage. ”Lord Raith is our GOD that we have pledged to. Not our friend.” Syn shot a look towards Jared to remove Talia before potential injury was sustained from not keeping a distance from the deity.

It seemed that Syn was slightly more willing to accept them. Then the god, Raith entered the room. Just when Jared thought things were going well, his little sister ran over to the god of wrath and held his hand. She had done it faster than what he'd been expecting. Great. Still Jared showed little emotion beyond a pleasant smile as he reached for his sister and pulled her away from the god. 

"Now Talia, you know better than to approach people you don't know." He said to her. 

This time he held her hand firmly so she wouldn't try that again. At this moment, he wasn't angry at her. It was his own fault for not teaching her that just because they were working for somebody or were in an alliance with another, that didn't mean they were friends with that person. Jared gave a small bow to the god of wrath but that mischievous smile remained on his face. 

"Apologies my lord, my sister is just overeager to serve." He said, "Speaking of which, what is the best way to prove our skills to your court?"

He swiftly turned the topic from his sister to the next steps with just a few words. Jared expected the god and Syn would want to have them prove their skills in more detail. After all, a few spells and words were hardly enough to be convincing. Ferrus, himself, and his sister appeared to be useful but it would be impossible to tell based on looks and little performances. Then there would be the issue of trust. Could the god trust in them to carry out his orders without betrayal? These were things the god would have to think about when building his court. Things that Jared had already thought about the second he heard about the court. 

Then there was Syn. If he wanted to get into the good graces of the god, he would have to ensure that relations with her didn't go sour. She was a dangerous woman who was clearly skilled, else she wouldn't be there. His mind was already concocting plans and figuring out paths to build upon. But his mouth was silent and he had nothing but that glint of ambition in his eyes. 

As Raith arrived and begun to spoke, affirming the notions put forward by Ferrus, the previously mentioned scholar and ex-priest studied his would be lord. Nothing escaped his gaze, as two green ligths that seemingly served as his eyes locked unto God of this realm. And at a first glance he seemed more like a mortal than a god, however looks can be quite deceiving. Not to mention the blindfold, he heard from the locals that God residing at the the top of Volcano was a blind one, however he was not sure if it was a literal or figurative statement, now he knew and was all the more grateful for it.

However he was quickly pulled out of his trance by the fact that Talian rushed up to Raith and grab a hold of his hand. Some small part of him cringed at this, as it was somewhat of an blatant show of disrespect towards a god, however Ferrus could not blame the girl for this. Despite being an Vampire, she was still a child, with all the good and bad that came with it. He could not feel any sort of animosity towards those who didn't knew any better. However it would also appear that Syn, the temptress that greeeted them held no such ideals as she hissed in anger at the young one.

For a brief momment Ferrus wished to step in and maybe de-escalate the situation. Try to reasson that, Talia just didn't knew any better and as a child she would be naturally curious and eager. However he abstained from the idea. As with all servants of the divine Syn might be resistent to seeing reason, too caught up in her reverance to her god and his attempts at de-escalation might only lead to further tensions and maybe even bad impressions that might make his stay here difficult, or even might lead him to being kicked out or worse…

So he remained in the back, watching in silence as Jared steped in and pulled his sister away from Raith. As ever he only observed and straightened out his posture in anticipation of mayhaps take off his crimson cloak so everyone could better see his form. Afterall it would make sense to be more open about certain things. He pondered that as he continued his quiet observation and gripped his Omnissian Axe tighter.

Raith might have been blind, but that did not mean he could not see. The entirety of Orme was one giant tuning fork, and it was tuned specifically to the God that had created the realm in the first place. Every minute shift in body weight, every involuntary inhalation, the quickening of a pulse - all of it let Raith know exactly who and what had found its way into his realm and what their intentions were. Not to mention Silence. 

Orme positively resounded with the movements of the child as she launched herself forward and grabbed Raith’s hand without permission - she was lucky she was young, for Raith metered his response despite his immediate disgust at this lack of manners to one in his position. Had she been an adult he would not have hesitated in breaking every rib in her torso and stealing the breath from her lungs - even Syn had known better than to touch her patron without properly settling into her role… and even then she knew better since he held no affection toward her whatsoever. 
The man snarled, lips curling back to reveal his own extended canines - not Vampiric in nature, but predatory nonetheless. With a harsh flick of his wrist, enough to show the girl her strength and reinforce her place in his Halls, Raith tore his hand from her grasp. 
Thankfully for the child Syn was on hand to deal with her quicker than their Wrathful Lord might have, and in a far more gentle way than he, despite her tone. As Jared spoke Raith turned his attention toward the boy, his image somewhat unnerving when you knew you were being stared right into without the use of eyes. ”While I applaud eager servants I do not tolerate ones not versed in proper etiquette,” he said softly, each word laced with black ice that spoke louder than he was, ”I will not send juveniles into the shadows, regardless of how eager they may be. Syn, call upon the Seven, let us see boy holds out against the Pack shall we? His sister will take lessons from you in etiquette of the Court, she can train with Lewis so that we might make use of her. She may not venture into the shadows but in the light a child is seen as weak and in need of protection, she might hold some use so long as she can learn to hold her foolish tongue.”

Raith turned his attention to the last of the Pilgrims, ignoring the siblings entirely now. ”You do not belong. Where are you from and why seek my Halls for employment? I am a generous patron, I see loyalty well rewarded, but anyone who seeks to undermine me will swiftly understand why Wrath is my domain.”

Bringing Talia might have been a mistake. They were on thin ice due to her behavior and Jared knew he would have to make up for any errors she made with successes. That gave him little room to make errors himself. But he had to bring her. Else leave her at home all day without supervision or lessons to improve herself. He knew she wouldn't like the etiquette lessons but they were important to learn. One day she would grow up and these skills would provide exactly what she needed. Building her a place in the court would secure her future and make her stronger. As for himself, he intended to get as far as possible. To serve the god to his best abilities and prove his loyalty but to also take his place in the world. 

"Understood My Lord" He simply said. 

He didn't need to say more than that. The god had turned his attention to Ferrus. As they talked, Jared looked over to Syn to see what would be the next step. He mentioned the seven and it sounded like Jared would need to fight them, or at least survive through their attacks. It was where he could show off his abilities but more importantly, prove he was a worthy servant. His mind was focusing on the next task ahead of him. Now that they had made it through the introductions, he would have to do well in order to secure a place at the court. 

"Whenever your ready, miss Syn." Jared said with a smile. 

He expected the seven to be a challenge. This WAS the god of wrath so he expected the test to be deadly. 

At the sound of a hiss, Talia released the god’s hand, recoiling from Syn’s bared teeth and angry voice. She didn’t understand what she had done wrong. Respect was given to him as she bowed, taking into consideration he was called the Blind God. With the pretty crown on his eyes, even she knew that his eyes didn’t see. Even when Jared pulled her away, Talia was still trying to process what went wrong. ”But Jared,” she started to protest, then decided it wasn’t the time for another outburst. ”Yes sir.”

At her place by Jared’s side, where she belonged, Talia edged behind him, to make herself appear smaller. Raith’s voice was soft, yet sent shivers down her spine. He was not going to send her with Jared, no matter how much she begged. As for her task, she was paired with the scary woman to learn etiquette, which did not sound exciting at all. More homework and studies were in store for her, given by both Syn and this new name of Lewis. She perked up at the hint of tasks she may be given, based solely upon taking advantage of her age.

However, first Jared must face the Seven and the Pack… While the titles were vague at best, Talia hugged Jared’s arm to her in fear. He may seem eager to face the challenge, but Talia worried for him. Her mulberry eyes gazed up at him fearfully, taking in his confident smile. She had to throw herself into her assigned tasks… For his sake. Talia straightened her posture and withdrew from behind her brother. ”I am ready too, Ma’am.”

As Raith spoke of Jared and his little sister, second thoughts begun to come about in his mind. Despite himself he felt a strange sympathy towards the two and this harsh treatment was something that…..made him start to reconsider some things. However he knew that he was now in too deeply to back down. So he observed what happened. Didn't let on what he thought and waited untill Raith would, inevitably turn to him with……orders? Questions? Requests perhaps? The anticipation was such that he almost felt a need to lock down some of his emotional response centers in his brain for fear of showing weakness to his would be employer, nay a divine patron. But he held his own ground and awaited Raith's words.

As soon as Raith finished, a thousand thoughts raced through cyborg's mind. All with singular purpose of answering Blind God's questions best to his abilities while also not angering him with his temdemcy to rant and not divulging any sensetive information that might not be pleasing to him. In less than a second he managed to formulate, what the machine priest had seen as, an adequate explaination for the questions aksed of him. Explainantion that would touch upon all the necessary points while not being too long and ranty.

- Well my lord - he begun - Where I come from is of little importance I am afraid. I do not try to avoid answereing this question, it's just simply that my place of origin is so far away that it has no impact on my current situation. However if your lordship requires more of a detailed explaination of that, I will say that my home does not neighbour Revaliir in any dimensional sense, as it was. As to why I seek employment within your halls………If I am allowed to be honest it was not originaly my plan to do so. I merely sought out an audiance with you to conduct an interview. However when chance was presented, to serve divinity in most direct capacity…….well I just could not let go of that. It's an oppurtunity of an liftime of not serveral! There is so much I could achive in your service, so much I could learn…..so many secrets I could uncover. And as a priest I understant the importance of not underming the Will of the Divine.

Blood coursed quickly through Syn’s veins as her anger heightened at the audacity the child had to touch her lord. The growl continued to rumble deep in her chest, though it began to settle. There was luck on the child’s side by sheerly being a child. She knew that Raith would have physically reacted if she had been only a few years older. It took a moment of breathing deep to bring a sense of calm back to her mind. Hands smoothed out her dress for attire to be in proper form once again. Golden gaze shot daggers once more at Jared to make sure that he kept his sister under control before things could get worse.

Syn glanced carefully at Ferrus as the magi-tech man gripped his ax a little tighter. Chin lifted a little higher as her focus was now upon the task given to her from her patron. A feline smile pulled on her ruby lips as she snapped her fingers to call upon the Seven. They were her favorite above all else. There was a lift of her brow at the prospect of teaching the child in etiquette, since Syn was not good with children even in her first life. ”As you wish, my lord,” she responded in a wispy tone.

It would certainly be interesting to see what Lewis could do with the child as well in ways of shadow hunting. It seemed like it would be far more likely to be skills Talia could hone. Few would expect the silent and deadly arts from an innocent face such as her’s…even if she had not a thought in her head of proper protocol.

Long fingers flipped her long tresses over her shoulder before bowing to her lord. ”I shall bring Jared outside to face his competition. I just had the floors properly waxed for once, and don’t want them scuffed up before Lady Alairia has a chance to see them.”. Syn smirked up at Raith as she knew that he would want his queen to be pleased with the upkeep even if he didn’t care. There were still vases upon vases of flowers kept in the main corridors upon Ria’s command. Even Raith hadn’t the heart to have them removed.

”Follow me, siblings. Talia…come to my side child,” she urged with her manicured hand outstretched. It was time to start molding the girl for her chosen path. That path was not hiding behind her brother’s coattails.

Syn led the two out of the temple to an open field that was perfect for training purposes. ”Your opponent shall arrive shortly. I recommend you get prepared…stretch.”. The vampiress had a mischievous grin upon her face again in hopes of seeing Jared stretch his lean muscles while waiting. ”Talia, sit beside me. You must learn to control your emotions despite anything that is going on around you. While your brother is in combat, you will keep zero emotion on your face except for vacant interest. Let no one ever be able to read what you are truly feeling.”. She had brought the girl over to a small stone half-wall where the woman leaned against gently. Position was purposely sculpted to show the muscle definition in her exposed legs as well as the curves of her body. ”Sit beside me to watch what is to transpire without one outburst.”