damned_institute | Day 29: Courtyard

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Day 29: Courtyard

Though he hadn't been able to stomach much of the cafeteria food, as the day went on, he did feel marginally better. The fever seemed to have broken and he'd held down what little he'd eaten. It made him a little anxious, to sit around so much, and even if it was difficult, a walk outside sounded like a nice break from the usual. He had no interest in the visitors. Likely as not they were the same as the creature he'd run into a couple nights ago in the form of Aizen Sousuke.

He folded his thin arms across his chest as he started his walk around the courtyard. The air was crisp, getting colder by the day it seemed, but it didn't dissuade him from taking a leisurely walk while he gathered his thoughts.

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"Really? How unusual. I thought knights usually pledged themselves to some force. Are you pledged to yourself?" Xelloss inquired with bright curiosity. "Or an ideal?" Yet another individual of interest. It was surprising how many people here were of seemingly similar dispositions. Rhode had guessed half the population wasn't human... and how many were of darker spirits? Then again, he doubted many beings would fall so clearly on one side of that line as himself.

He shrugged in response to the question about his own beliefs. "Oh, what you'd expect a priest to believe in, of course. Fulfilling my role in the world. Following a higher power. That sort of thing. I do kneel before a master!"

“Within the human society. What I pledge myself to is far more important than the mere whimsical thoughts of those foolish mortals.” Yuber murmured in response. He didn’t mind the curiosity, and found it always a weakness of races, but one that the black knight often used against them. Turning to face Xelloss completely, Yuber smirked in a snake like manner as he announced. “It is the rules of Chaos that I was born into.”

Outstretching his legs, Yuber gaze over the courtyard area almost leisurely as he off-handedly stated. “Most priests I’m aware of are rather adamant about sprouting off tales involving their gods after being asked such a thing – which leads me to believe you are either into something unacceptable by society, or are simply spinning your own tales for some reason or another.”

"The rules of Chaos, really." Xelloss's eyes opened just a little at that, his smile fading to something faintly less obvious. One who shines like gold on the Sea of Chaos... Of course Yuber was not precisely that shining, but the gold hair was... impressive. "I admire individuals who believe in fulfilling their purpose."

Chaos was the ultimate goal, but through destruction. Lina certainly was a chaotic being, but she preserved her own kind. Yuber's rules for Chaos were still an uncertain prospect. "As for my own beliefs..." And he returned to the same close-eyed smile of before. "If I mentioned the names of higher beings, they'd mean nothing to you, and I don't proselytize unless specifically requested to address unusual individuals. Besides, even if my beliefs were somehow unacceptable to society, that would hardly matter to you, would it?"

“I take my duties rather seriously despite my enjoyment of it. For in my realm, I am the very embodiment of Chaos.” Yuber’s expression remained decidedly pleased even as he noticed the reaction he’d gotten out of the other. His suspicions were confirmed within that very moment, and the knight knew well now exactly which side of the scale this one settled on. It was an interesting discovery, and one he wished to continue unfolding for the time being.

“No.” Yuber flat-out replied with, before tilting his head back to look down onto Xelloss. “I care not what beliefs societies create for themselves.” Only how to use those beliefs to my own advantage. Yuber finished inwardly. It was always so pathetically easy to turn such beliefs against those who’d created it. He held no care over such things, and regardless of whether those who summoned him thought they controlled his actions was of no consequence –all that mattered was the deliverance of chaos.

"It is lovely to be able to enjoy one's work, isn't it? I usually find myself in that happy position, although on occasions my superiors require somewhat more stressful duties." With this Xelloss let out an utterly insincere yet dramatic sigh. "Though being the embodiment of Chaos must be even more stressful. Particularly working alone. Or do you simply inspire others to work for Chaos on your behalf?" After all, even home there were humans who were foolish enough to pledge their loyalty to Mazoku, favoring temporary personal gains over their own kind.

As Yuber tilted his head, Xelloss tilted back as well, quirking his smile a bit in amusement. "Of course, some of these beliefs may not be the structures behind a society but genuinely relating to the base of reality. My own beliefs include a rather personal, individual relationship with higher beings. Then again, it does mean I am in the role of a middle-man rather than my own free agent as you are. Perhaps I should be jealous!"

“I believe you relate my work to that of yours. I offer mortals my strengths in return for having a direct hand in the Chaos they create across their lands. The human race is rather greedy after all, and desire greater power regardless of the cost in order to realise their ambitions.” Chuckling softly, the sound was one of amusement. The self-worth mortals put onto their own significance was always fun to toy with.

“Then we could have more in common than you believe… if, of course, what I understand of your duties is correct.” Glancing out of the corner of his eyes at Xelloss, the demonic iris within dilated for a mere moment as he regarded them thoughtfully. “There is a great deal of Chaos I sense within you.”

"Isn't our work related? We serve a higher ideal! Mine seems to be more embodied than yours, excluding yourself of course." Xelloss pointed out, then added in a slightly less bright tone, "I have also noticed that about humans. It's an inescapable weakness; why they're between... would you call the division Chaos and Order?" At home, chaos was the center, between destruction and preservation. A still, flat line of stability could also result from true chaos, as easily as complete obliteration or rebuilding could result.

Xelloss's smile remained even at Yuber's question. "My world is created of Chaos. Chaos is the base of all things--both destruction and preservation. The basis of all magic, of all creation, comes from... but giving names is also pointless, isn't it? To you it'll be the same as if I made up random names and stories!" His tone had abruptly gone careless and light again, and he gestured to the sky. "But saying I have Chaos... even that I'm an embodiment of Chaos... could be accurate." A minor embodiment, not the heart of Chaos, but still relatively true.

“Mmm perhaps.” Yuber murmured thoughtfully before a rather devious smile slipped over his lips. “It does make them rather easy to manipulate though.” There was a certain glint of awareness within his gaze as Yuber regarded Xelloss with a grin. Yuber didn’t care about keeping his intentions beneath his belt, besides if he was correct, then he could have some use of this one.

“Names are rather useless indeed, and yet how wonderful it must be to have a land created solely with Chaos.” The thought of such a thing was a delight for the Black knight to hear. It wasn’t so one sided within the Suikoden realm unfortunately, but even within Xelloss’ world, it seemed as though there were still fractions of Order remaining. Gaze flickering up to the gesture up to the sky, Yuber’s attention eventually fell back onto the other. “Which side of Chaos is it that you preside over?”

He already knew of course, but there were different fractions of Chaos – or what people truly believe to be – within the realms of Chaos, and there was the slim possibility that Xelloss could fall into the orderly chaotic nature.

"I find that manipulation is a matter of understanding the fulcrum around which an individual turns... be they human or anything else." Xelloss pointed out measuredly. So many here seemed focused on humans as a lesser race to be controlled--which was not entirely untrue, but rather narrow-minded. Not only towards the possibilities of humans, but towards the weaknesses of other sorts of beings. Including himself.

"It is a wonderfully entertaining place. I'm rather eager to get back there." Although he did still believe that this place, too, was only an offshoot of that... apparently another variation among countless, even if only four had been known. Well, that was the joy of chaos, wasn't it? Unpredictability. "But I don't preside over any sides. I am only a go-between for my superiors, as I said, a priest!"

“And to me, manipulation of those who I deem worthy enough to temporarily serve is necessary in order to give them a little ‘push’ in the right direction.” Yuber counted with. Just so long as who he served was walking the entire line of Chaos it didn’t bother him what troubles they were getting themselves into. So long as he could perform his duties was all that mattered to the knight – regardless of what finally befell those he temporarily worked for.

“Ahh I see,” Nodding his head slightly, the Black knight’s attention refocused its attention on the patients roaming around the courtyard. “And your superiors, which line do they stand over?”

[I’m so sorry for my late reply =\ I’ve been especially busy these past two days and my muses had been rather dead to me =_=]

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Day 29: Courtyard

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