Chapter 20: The Eyes of God

[Charon Dejardins/Asphodel]

"Welcome to my humble abode." Charon says with a smile after leading the socialists and other rebels to his home in Helsinki. He leads them through the well kept garden out front to the large wooden door of the old, gray stone building. He takes them inside and up to the library.

"I think that the library will be a good place to meet. There are tables in here and you can make yourselves at home. If there is anything I can do to make you more comfortable, don't hesitate to ask." He tells them. He then takes a seat at one of the long wooden tables and waits for the others to join him.

[Kith Keitoleinen]

(To Linnea and Ophelia)

(I am not sure if this is correct about your location, but if not, you can correct it in your post)

Kith leaves Keitoleinen's mansion and starts walking towards the prison where Horacio was said to be kept. He walks quickly since he wants to meet up with Linnea and Ophelia and worries that they are perhaps in the prison as well now. He doesn't know what Keitoleinen would be up to.

Kith hurries along, threading through the other pedestrians walking to work or wherever they may be going.

As he nears the prison, he spots Linnea and Ophelia walking together, and so, he walks even more quickly to catch up to them. Why he is helping them...he doesn't know. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

He winds up behind them both.

"Good...I found you..." He says to them. "How are things...going?"

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

After Kith leaves his mansion, Keitoleinen calls for the maid to dispose of the head that Kith had brought for him. He also asks for the paper. Keitoleinen wanders into the kitchen to sit down and read the paper when he gets a call.

"Sir...sir....SOTA's office is being attacked by...by robots!" The call states. Keitoleinen hangs up since he assumes that it is just a prank call. He yawns and wonders who he can torment. He doesn't know that many women. Life is boring now that he can't bother Linnea..and for a full month. He regrets that he even agreed to it. But at the same time, he at least got to bother Kith a little.

His mind wanders and he gets another call.

"Mr. Keitoleinen, four mechas have landed in Helsinki....I think we're under attack!" The caller yells.

But once again, Keitoleinen doesn't believe him. He hangs up and continues reading the paper.

[Armin Lehrer]

Armin stands at the head of the table and waits for everyone to take their seats. The library is a good place for a meeting and more cozy feeling than the old caffeteria that they were meeting in.
"Well, let's jump right into the meeting again. We have to make up for lost time. How about...we have Hilja give the women's report, since she is one of the few women here from the party. Um...yeah, then after that we'll have the political report. We can finish up with the financial report, which Kasper said he would give. Sound good everybody? Good, let's get this thing going..." Armin says to the group. He steps out the way so Hilja can give a report.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

I feel very put on the spot, since I didn't even prepare a report. I feel uncomfortable talking in front of everyone. I'll probably sound stupid. I shyly get out of my seat and go stand up in front of everyone. I feel like the token female ...who now has to speak for all women?

"I don't even know what to say, since I wasn't really expecting that I would give a report today. But, I guess...one of our challenges is recruiting women. Traditionally, we've always had more guys interested in joining the party and in socialism in general. I think...it is hard to reach women because they are socialized to be less interested in politics. I think as a party we could certainly do more to reach out to women and to work with feminists. Manalism has ...destroyed most of the gains of past feminist movements, the religion is overtly anti female. There are a few important women in power...such as Li Violette and Annette Rosenthal, but they seem to be the exception. Most companies, religious leaders, and members of the Economic Council are men. I think that this ...might tell women that they can't be leaders or they are less capable. That politics and power is guy thing." I explain.

I wait to see if anyone has any comments on this so far...

[††Venice "Cephrien" Ashgrove††]

Cephrien turned off the tape recorder and set it on the table before getting off of it, hard boots touching the floor as he walked over to one corner of the kitchen and pressed his back up against the wall. He listened to her speak and didn't really answer to her offering of tea or anything else. He just simply shrugged. Ceph had trouble thinking of what to say to Violette's praise on a job well done. He wasn't exactly used to it.. so he just kept quiet for a second before speaking up again.

"Tristan Tuzanic." He begins.

"Believe it or not, he is actually a potential ally to Red Infinity.. However, he is chained to the Manalists because of his son, who is in custody of his wife, a high priestess."

He crosses his arms over one another. "I believe that the key to making an ally out of Tristan is his son." Ceph speaks briefly and straight to the point, lowering his head slightly and staring at Li through his black bangs.

[Li Violette]

"I am never very certain how to help those who work for the Manalists because they are forced to. I could look into him. Maybe I could look into his file and see who he is and what the story is. I don't have a good relationship with Master Scrag or any of the Manalists, but maybe he could be transferred. I will have to see how important he is. If he is some peon without powers and who doesn't do much for the Manalists, they may not care if he is gone." I reply to Cephrien. I think about this and how I could help the man get his son back.

"I guess I would have to know more about his story and the custody situation with his wife." I add.

I take a sip of my tea, and am not sure how to react to Cephrien's indifference to my praise. I try to think little of it, and remain focused on this potential contact.

[††Venice "Cephrien" Ashgrove††]

-Tell me." Ceph suddenly speaks up, changing the subject without warning or hesitation.

"How does it feel.." His tone becomes deep and frozen like ice, the stare in his eyes becoming more sharp and focused. The way he speaks, it is obvious that he is not speaking of something that she usually has a conversation about with normal people.

[Li Violette]

"How does ...what feel...?" I ask in a cautious and confused tone. I think back to what I just said about Tristan. How does it feel...to be me? How does it feel...? Hmm....

I take another sip of tea and wait for an explanation. I feel a little embarassed that I don't know what he is talking about. I feel that I should be able to simply know. I consider reading his mind to know the meaning of his words, but, I will wait for him to explain it to me.

[††Venice "Cephrien" Ashgrove††]

"I never did think about contracting with a human." Ceph begins to explain himself vaguely.

"Though, I always wondered how taxing.. stressful.. or perhaps, enjoyable it is for the human host.."

The color in Ceph's eyes slightly light up as a seemingly teasing smirk appears on his lips.

[Li Violette]

"I am afraid I don't know...what you are talking about." I reply. I search my mind and memories for what he means. Somewhere it is there, but long forgotten. I look back at my memories, but can't remember. I should know. I should know what it means. It is some old secret thing from my past. Something long forgotten...

I close my eyes and let my mind wander. It goes back to when I was a child in an orphanage in China. My name back then...was Li Ai Lan, or Ai Lan Li. There is something dark there...at that orphanage. It is dark and cold and lonely there. I am visited by liberal, middle class, white families looking to adopt. And how did I end up with the French one?

"There are some things...I am not at liberty to talk about. Can you ...merge with a human? Can you possess them?"

[††Venice "Cephrien" Ashgrove††]

The stare in Ceph's eyes slightly dulls down as well as the smile on his face. "It appears.." He trails off as he blinks once, bringing his head up straight again to look at her at a normal angle.

"-You aren't aware.." He shakes his head a little before deciding that he would explain to her.

"Demons originally come from a different place.. dimension.. you could say.. they aren't exactly supposed to exist in a world like this. A mortal world. So our bodies adapt.. we become weaker.. how much weaker.. it usually depends on who the demon is, how powerful they were in the next world."

He suddenly pushes himself off the wall and begins to slowly approach Li, his movements are unintentionally seductive-like.. though mostly frightening as he gets closer to her.

"The only way for a demon to become stronger.. or, in some cases, survive, is for them to make a contract with a living, human host."

He reaches out, seemingly becoming carried away with his explanation as he softly strokes Li's cheek with his fingertips.

"It can be a mutual.. or parasitic relationship. Whatever the case, the demon becomes stronger and can even achieve their true form at the expense of the host's health.. though it appears that that isn't the case for you.. You are very healthy at your age.."

[Li Violette]

"I...think I know what you are talking about. Years ago in the orphanage...I was visited by a creature. It looked like a ghost. It was weak and not tangible. It was something...like light. I could put my hand through it. But, it was more like a shadow than light. The creature said I would be adopted if ...I let it live in me. That is how I am able to have mental powers...for, I have never trained to use Manala energy." I explain to Cephrien. This is the first time I have told anyone about that secret. It was so long ago, I almost forgot about it. I didn't think that the creature was even there any more.
"I don't know...I don't know if I am me...or if I am that creature. Was there a human child who long ago would have grown up to be another person? Am "I" the personality of that creature. Are "my" ambitions...my own ambitions."

"I can only speak as if I am speaking as a human and that all of my goals and desires are my own. I have thought...what if I am not. What if I am just a body...and everything I want in life is part of someone else's plan? Well, I try not to think of it. I am who I am. I know no different. I don't know the creatures name, where it came from, nor what it looks like in its true form. That was long ago. I think...it seems so long ago now that it is more like a long lost invisible friend from my childhood imagination."

[Kasper Schultz]

Kasper takes his seat next to Armin and listens to what Hilja has to say. He takes extensive notes as she talks, since he wants to make sure that everything is recorded. He's been taking notes throughout the meeting. He already has five pages of his notebook filled up.

"I agree. We need to try to recruit women! Maybe then I'll finally find a girlfriend!" Kasper says eagerly.

"What kinds of issues do you think we could organize around?"

[††Venice "Cephrien" Ashgrove††]

"The contract is benign." Ceph speaks as he looks off to the side at the kitchen window. "It would appear that this demon simply wishes to exist.. if it were ambitious, you would be aware of it's presence.. of it's influence." He speaks as if he were an expert..

Of course, he was a demon himself. Though he had never made a contract with anyone.. his "True Form" never was necessary in any situation.
"You even inherited some of it's powers." Ceph looked away from the window and back to Li, raising a brow and giving her somewhat of a mocking smirk.

"It appears that you were lucky. Compared to most hosts."