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mooglenet_backup..It is funny.
There is documentation within the staging point that Nareema had stolen from the Hazhalm testing grounds. It regards both the Immortals as a unit, and our creation. The Lamiae were originally hume soldiers. They were chosen to recieve monster appendage grafts to perform their role as chimerae. Needless to say, the procedure didn't go as expected.
[He begins to read, casting his gaze down and translating easily.]
A fire to fight a fire...
A thief to catch a thief...
A beast to kill a beast...
So reads the Scriptures of the departed first emperor of the Majaab dynasty and the hero of Aht Urhgan, Balrahn.
Emperor Balrahn, was shocked by the futility of his veteran palace guards and mages in the face of a chimera rebellion--an incident in which his son, the crown prince, was assassinated by the Lamiae which broke free from servitude.
The alchemists responsible for creating the chimerae organic weapons were charged with discovering a means to defeat them. They eventually came to the conclusion that the guards themselves had to become monsters to stand a chance at victory. Without delay, the most loyal and physically sound members of the palace guard were chosen to be the subjects. However, the initial attempts to graft beastly appendages ended in disaster. One subject’s face erupted in a mass of thrashing feelers. Another was transformed into a horrific mound of quivering flesh. Even if rejection of the transplants was somehow overcome, the subject’s blood was eventually tainted by the blood of the monster.
There was one survivor. A hume male; Raubahn. One of the most loyal of the palace guards, and one stationed to watch the Crown Prince.
[And he focuses the camera to the pages, taking a soultrapper photograph from them and holding it to the camera. The image, of course, is horrific.]
...This is the Captain Raubahn. His true form, anyway. He is capable of maintaining illusion around himself; so all that meet him see him as nothing more than a simple hume. I apologize for the longwindedness of this, though there is another fact that is quite interesting. Allow me to read on.
In a final attempt, the alchemists devised a brutal new technique utilizing the power of magic that fused the essence of a creature directly to the mortal spirit. Thus the Immortals Rishfee and Amnaf were created. Rishfee and Amnaf both possess the art that allows them to mimic the awesome powers of monsters and far exceed the normal boundaries of mortals. However, they use the techniques of beasts in their mortal forms, placing enormous strain on their physical selves.
While the magical process of absorbing a monster’s essence into oneself has reduced the occurrence of physical incidents, there is an increased danger of Rishfee in particular succumbing mentally and spiritually to the beast within... No Immortal in history has ever reached the end of his natural lifespan, and this speaks eloquently of the pain they endure despite constant improvements to their art.
Rishfee's prognosis is to die within a year. His cellular structure is unsuitable.
Amnaf's cellular structure differs. We believe we have created the perfect Immortal.
Only those with her strength of spirit to resist the savage call of the beast within--and those like her, willing to sacrifice a future to carry out their duty--have the necessary qualities to walk the path of the blue mage.
...
[He clears his throat.]
This recent information leads me to request something of you both.
[Filtered- Vincent.]
When this happens next, I want you to kill me.
...No-one else would stand much of a chance of actually doing so. If any part of me remains, I will not attack you. You have killed a soulflayer before. I ask that you'd do the same to me, when the day is to come.
[Filtered- Rughadjeen.]
I realize what happened at the Azouph Isle staging point. I absorbed Nareema. She exists within me now, as part of me. Needless to say, an Immortal absorbing the power of an Immortal is punishable by death. If you wish to enforce this, I will take my punishment with good will.
[Filtered to them both.]
... I await your decisions.
There is documentation within the staging point that Nareema had stolen from the Hazhalm testing grounds. It regards both the Immortals as a unit, and our creation. The Lamiae were originally hume soldiers. They were chosen to recieve monster appendage grafts to perform their role as chimerae. Needless to say, the procedure didn't go as expected.
[He begins to read, casting his gaze down and translating easily.]
A fire to fight a fire...
A thief to catch a thief...
A beast to kill a beast...
So reads the Scriptures of the departed first emperor of the Majaab dynasty and the hero of Aht Urhgan, Balrahn.
Emperor Balrahn, was shocked by the futility of his veteran palace guards and mages in the face of a chimera rebellion--an incident in which his son, the crown prince, was assassinated by the Lamiae which broke free from servitude.
The alchemists responsible for creating the chimerae organic weapons were charged with discovering a means to defeat them. They eventually came to the conclusion that the guards themselves had to become monsters to stand a chance at victory. Without delay, the most loyal and physically sound members of the palace guard were chosen to be the subjects. However, the initial attempts to graft beastly appendages ended in disaster. One subject’s face erupted in a mass of thrashing feelers. Another was transformed into a horrific mound of quivering flesh. Even if rejection of the transplants was somehow overcome, the subject’s blood was eventually tainted by the blood of the monster.
There was one survivor. A hume male; Raubahn. One of the most loyal of the palace guards, and one stationed to watch the Crown Prince.
[And he focuses the camera to the pages, taking a soultrapper photograph from them and holding it to the camera. The image, of course, is horrific.]
...This is the Captain Raubahn. His true form, anyway. He is capable of maintaining illusion around himself; so all that meet him see him as nothing more than a simple hume. I apologize for the longwindedness of this, though there is another fact that is quite interesting. Allow me to read on.
In a final attempt, the alchemists devised a brutal new technique utilizing the power of magic that fused the essence of a creature directly to the mortal spirit. Thus the Immortals Rishfee and Amnaf were created. Rishfee and Amnaf both possess the art that allows them to mimic the awesome powers of monsters and far exceed the normal boundaries of mortals. However, they use the techniques of beasts in their mortal forms, placing enormous strain on their physical selves.
While the magical process of absorbing a monster’s essence into oneself has reduced the occurrence of physical incidents, there is an increased danger of Rishfee in particular succumbing mentally and spiritually to the beast within... No Immortal in history has ever reached the end of his natural lifespan, and this speaks eloquently of the pain they endure despite constant improvements to their art.
Rishfee's prognosis is to die within a year. His cellular structure is unsuitable.
Amnaf's cellular structure differs. We believe we have created the perfect Immortal.
Only those with her strength of spirit to resist the savage call of the beast within--and those like her, willing to sacrifice a future to carry out their duty--have the necessary qualities to walk the path of the blue mage.
...
[He clears his throat.]
This recent information leads me to request something of you both.
[Filtered- Vincent.]
When this happens next, I want you to kill me.
...No-one else would stand much of a chance of actually doing so. If any part of me remains, I will not attack you. You have killed a soulflayer before. I ask that you'd do the same to me, when the day is to come.
[Filtered- Rughadjeen.]
I realize what happened at the Azouph Isle staging point. I absorbed Nareema. She exists within me now, as part of me. Needless to say, an Immortal absorbing the power of an Immortal is punishable by death. If you wish to enforce this, I will take my punishment with good will.
[Filtered to them both.]
... I await your decisions.
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[Video]
Date: 2011-02-21 12:34 pm (UTC)Even after Rishfee is finished speaking, Vincent doesn't speak for a long time. Reading anything about what has been done to you when you were experimented on is a horrible experience. Seeing just how inhuman you are is sickening, horrifying. And to learn that you've been deemed a failure, and are to die, soon...
If Vincent were any less who he was, he might try to offer comfort. But there is nothing that can be done here. The only thing he can do is promise.
Finally, he nods and speaks.]
When the time comes.
[Video]
Date: 2011-02-21 01:34 pm (UTC)... More frightened than anything. And he's set upon this path, to remain strong. He forces a smile.]
...Thank you.
Now I have no concerns.
[Video]
Date: 2011-02-21 02:59 pm (UTC)As little practice as Vincent might have at smiling, he can tell when one is forced. You're not fooling him, Rishfee.]
How long ago were those notes written?
[Video]
Date: 2011-02-21 03:21 pm (UTC)...He was just a by-product of that. A failure, but nonetheless a by product. Yet this was always his choice. Give up a future to protect the Empire, or die as he should have in Al Zahbi.]
I have little idea, the reports are not dated. Also; I cannot remember any of the times I have been called for the alchemists to check my progress. All I remember is losing a few days of my life each time.
Judging by the words, the fact the report fails to suggest further monitering, the report was likely lodged at our maturity yet most likely after we were assigned our roles since it makes no suggestion to where we would have been ideally placed.
There are other notes which appear to be older. It's funny... The alchemists have notied every technique I learned. Every technique Amnaf learned, too. Similarly, they note a lot of things about us we had since forgotten.
Vincent...
For my conduct at the staging point.. I know now, that I absorbed Nareema- the soulflayer we killed. I think her strength has been added to mine. I do not believe this will stop the... eventuality, but I believe her strength has bought some time.
[Video]
Date: 2011-02-21 03:49 pm (UTC)Of course, what Rishfee says is hardly more reassuring. Forgetting days because of a tratment does not mean anything good. Still, it's good if the notes were from some time ago. If they had been proved wrong before, then Rishfee was likely to be able to continue to stand up to the monsters within him for some time.]
Hmm.
How long?
[Video]
Date: 2011-02-21 04:43 pm (UTC)...She has burned her own notes. Judging by what I've seen though, it can't have been good news. Most likely a catalyst for her transformation was the augments she'd given herself. Damselfly tissues. Opo-opo cerebral tissues... I think she sought to either prolong her existance or she had lost faith in the alchemists and sought to cure herself. Probably that is what drove her mad during the time I knew her.
[Does he feel sorry for her? W-well, yes. A lot, actually.]
I have her time. I do not know how long that is. But... do not worry yourself. I will know it, when it comes.
[Video]
Date: 2011-02-21 05:36 pm (UTC)Lucky enough that you got more time.
[Especially since he was beginning to suspect that Rishfee was running out of his own. The way the blue glow had been growing in Rishfee's eyes, and how similar it had been to the soulflayer's still troubled Vincent.]
[Video]
Date: 2011-02-21 05:49 pm (UTC)It is an eventuality.
I... I am content, now. I have lived a purpose. I died for the Empress. I served the empire in doing so, but more importantly... she did not die. Even if there is no purpose for me on this world, my actions for the Empress are enough to me. Allowing them to turn me into this was a sound choice, for that reason alone. Otherwise... she would have died. You accepting this course of action gives me strength. It means that I will not have chance to cause anyone suffering as a drawback to this.
...Thank you. Truly.
[Video]
Date: 2011-02-21 06:32 pm (UTC)[He's really not looking forward to that eventuality- but that's probably obvious to Rishfee. Still, he'll do what's been asked of him when he needs to.]
[Video]
Date: 2011-02-21 10:55 pm (UTC)No, that isn't my wish at all. I won't be carrying out any kind of punishment.
[His way of saying you've suffered enough.]
[video]
Date: 2011-02-23 11:40 am (UTC)[He looks away, and he opens his mouth as if to say something, but decides not to. Then he reconsiders.]
...Do you see me as a soulflayer, or as myself?
[video]
Date: 2011-02-23 11:09 pm (UTC)I see you as the Rishfee I've always known.
[It's the truth and he means every word of it. His heart aches because he can't see you any other way, no matter what happens. If he's wrong, if that makes him a fool, so be it.]