Summary: The Prince of Revels continued in his attempt to sway an immaculate monk into his service.

Location: Hundred Kingdoms

PCs: Prince of Revels

Run by: Swift Felling Scythe

After a complete day of rest, his wounds and essence recovered, the Prince of Revels once more arrives at the temple, resting in Nakama's massive howdah. Overhead, the cloudless sky is replete with sunlight, the afternoon warmth pervading the area. Radiant as ever in his pale gold and olive, Prince exits the howdah, gliding down 

Nakama's exceptionally large trunk and hopping off lightly at the end to alight upon the ground. And then he's walking towards the temple's door, cupping a hand around his mouth. "I'm here again, monk! How goes the day?"

            The Immaculate monk is sitting upon a simple wooden stool outside of his temple, seemingly prepared for the Prince's arrival. His preparedness is shown by the fact that his jade tetsubo is at the ready, and he appears to be glad in armor today as well. "Hello again, stranger." The monk's wounds appeared to have mostly healed now, although

his eyes remain bandaged. "Interesting, shortly after you left last time, I'm told that there was some odd displays of light not far from here. Did you happen to see anything like that?"

            Prince's lips are crested by a smile, and despite the threat he does not look particularly worried or threatened. His alert eyes slide over the tetsubo and armor, and then over his own unarmed form, and still he makes no moves. Instead, he just slips his hands into his pockets, cants his head to one side, and watches the monk who still has his eyes bandaged. Slowly, he begins to speak, and his voice is the sweetest, gentlest, and most seductive voice the monk has likely ever heard. "I'm not going to kill you or rot your soul, monk - won't you just let me fix your eyes?"

            "You're not answering my question, stranger." The monk replies, calm and polite, although the Prince notices that he's gripping his weapon pretty carefully. "And you've given me no reason to trust you."

            Prince laughs, but it's a sad and knowing sound, not one of mirth. "The ascetic life must truly be dull if this is the best sort of game you can come up with. You know full well I didn't just see it, I caused it." Prince lifts a hand from his pocket, and while he knows the monk can't see, nevertheless he taps his forehead. Perhaps it's an unconscious gesture. In any case, regardless of gestures, Prince is back in the swing of things, and once more defaulting to the only method of persuasion he's ever known, for good or ill: blunt, honest charm. "I want you to serve me, monk."

            The charm takes a hold of the Immaculate's mind, and before the monk can protest, he suddenly finds that he has no reason to do so. The person before him seems for all the world to be extremely trustworthy and likeable, and there is no reason to harass him any further. "How can I be of service, sir?

            The Prince of Revels had obtained the immaculate bodyguard he desired, and all in all things appear to be satisfying for the charismatic Solar. But it doesn't take long for the Prince to notice problems, however. The earth aspected monk, Stalwart Diamond, was rather devoted to the Immaculate order and their teachings, and the conflicting

of being in worship of both the Prince and the Immaculate philosophy seemed to be having a drain upon him. It was about a week after Stalward Diamond began travelling with the Prince, and the Solar was considering using further charms to bend the mind of the dragonblooded when Diamond spoke up. "Prince. I wanted to thank you for fixing my eyesight. After careful consideration, I think I've prepared a fitting gift for you."

            Such a conflict was not unexpected, as Prince has ample experience with the use of his Charms and expected an Immaculate monk to have some deeply-ingrained loyalties. Diamond's struggles were obvious to him, and they'd spent far too much time in the presence of one another for Prince to not pick up on the event. That's why, when Diamond says his name, Prince pauses in his walk, Nakama stops as well (he hadn't been in the howdah at the time), and he turns to face the monk, his voice steady and reasonable. "Your service is gift enough, but I'm not rude enough to turn down a present."

"As you have given me sight again, I thought it would be fitting to take away yours!" Stalwart Diamond declares with a forceful shout. Suddenly, the Prince finds that his eyes have gone dark, and he is unable to see anything. "You have fouled and corrupted my mind, and perverted my believes, anathema! And for such crimes, you shall pay dearly!"

            Mere moments after Prince's sight has been taken by the Immaculate, a monstrously powerful trunk has wrapped itself around the monk's entire body, bright gold and terrible. It crushes his limbs to his body and squeezes the very life from him, and only the monk's Exalted nature and Earth Dragon training prevent his bones from being shattered right then and there. Prince, meanwhile, has formed a set of glittering golden swords in his hands, long and elegantly curved. He cannot see, but Nakama and he move as though they were one, and Prince is quite aware of the world regardless; he lifts the right blade and points it towards the monk, even as the earthen anima batters the air. "I give you your sight, I give you a cause, and you betray me, Diamond?" An immeasurable guilt, compelled by Prince's voice, assaults the Earth Aspect. "I swore I'd not kill you, and you won't die here today. Surrender."

"I'm afraid your word is not worth much, anathema! You also swore not to rot my soul, and two minutes after doing so, you proceed to bend my mind with your dark magic, and damn my soul by making me pledge loyalty to you!" Diamond shouts back as he grapples with the golden elephant. "I will crush your pet, and then I shall crush you."

            "Your soul is only rotten if you insist on believing I'm a monster," Prince calmly explains, still unable to see. He doesn't know if this is permanent or not, but now's not the time for worries - he can hear Nakama's frenzied sounds, the monk's anima hurting him even as he crushes the monk to protect Prince. "I gave you your sight and demanded only loyalty in return, Diamond. You did not burst into flames, your Exaltation did not flee you, the Dragons did not reject you. Think me a monster, but I've saved and spared you at every opportunity." And then he's moving forward, unseeing but still extremely skilled, and his golden swords flash, their blunt ends going for where he believes the monk to be.

            After the monk breaks free of the giant beast's hold, Prince immediately has Nakama move back, preventing a counter attack from the immaculate. Stalwart Diamond is determined to win the fight, however, and chases after Nakama with determination. The elephant proves just a bit faster, however, and for several seconds, it seems as if Diamond will eventually be left behind completely. Gritting his teeth, Diamond grabs onto his testubo tightly before he breaks into a run, sticking the weapon against the ground and pole vaulting himself foward to catch up to the elephant. He lands right next to the beast and strikes it in the side with a carefully placed palm. "You're not going anywhere!"

            "Impressive!" the Prince of Revels states, enormous wings of white and gold sprouting from his shoulders, keeping him hovering in midair. He still cannot see, but he can hear, and knows the monk's general location. He points one of his swords towards him, an easy grin on his face. "You've immobilized an animal. Quite a feat for a Chosen of the Dragons, but do you think you can trouble a blind Chosen of the Sun?" It's an obvious taunt, laced with untold amounts of insolent challenge, designed to draw the monk away from Nakama and towards him. After all, he -is- the Anathema, and the monk is meant to kill him. "Come, monk. Single combat, you and I. Or you can run, if you prefer - I swore I'd not kill you."

Stalwart Diamond doesn't make a reply. Perhaps if the Prince was facing down a master of Fire Dragon, he would have made a successful taunt, and be faced with an enraged immaculate. However, being aspected towards Earth, Diamond is calm and stable. His hate for the Prince is no less deadly, but it's a cold and caculating one, making it all the more deadly. The Prince listens carefully for a reply, but finds none. In fact, he can hear no sound from the monk at all, and Nakama can no longer help him, paralyzed as he is.

            Prince's eyes are blind, but his ears are sharp, and all his other senses are honed to a fine point. As still as undisturbed water, he focuses, lifting his left hand up and holding the blade there. When the monk leaps from ambush, swinging his massive tetsubo in a direct strike for his head, Prince instinctively lifts his hand and the tetsubo simply -stops-, a pulse of golden light filling the air briefly. "I'll not kill you," he repeats softly, so softly the monk needs to struggle to hear it. And then he sees, and focuses on the Immaculate. "But you will be mine." And a golden flash fills the air, as his sword dances. 

            Stalwart Diamond staggers back from Prince's expert sword strikes, quite obviously pained by the attacks. "Even if my life is forfeit." He vows, "I will make you suffer." Focusing into his hand, he strikes down on the ground, channeling his strength and determination into the earth itself. The pebbles upon the road shake and stutter as the ground is stirred into action, and then an sudden wave of dirt crashes upwards, pushing aside boulders and grass as it envelops both Nakama and the Prince. "I've got you now!" He cries out in triumpth.

            "You stubborn ass," Prince says gently, watching the monk stagger back. "Are you blind? I haven't cut you once - I told you you're not going to die!" It's absurd, but Prince's voice doesn't rise at all during this; he's not angry, he's not lusting for blood or consumed by battle, he's keeping an eye on the monk's health! When the wave of dirt rises, Prince crosses his golden, radiant swords, before thrusting them out. Pulses of golden light fill the air, and for a heartbeat a sphere of essence seems to surround him, which the earth itself shrinks back from, and the Solar is untouched. He's also yet to reveal an anima banner, which the monk must find quite disheartening. "Submit and be mine." 

            Stalwart Diamond lets out a crie of defiance at the anathema before him. "Never!" He shouts as he raises his hammer, aiming to strike once again. The Prince of Revels gives a sigh, wondering why the zealous monk hates him so, when he has been nothing if not kind. With two careful slashes of his golden blades, he cuts down the monk. Although knocked unconscious, Prince has ensured that he kept the monk alive.

            The blades shatter into dozens of essence fragments when the monk falls, and Prince gives a gentle shake of his head. Smoothly and immediately he's crouched down by the monk, undoing the straps of his armor, removing his weapons, and then after summoning Nakama back and getting supplies he tends to the monk's bruises, and Nakama's own, although Nakama is tough and will heal swiftly. Afterwards, he goes to set up camp in that very spot, after putting the monk's equipment safely in Nakama's howdah where the Diamond cannot reach. Should he wake and be aggressive, he'll be drained of both his Essence and his willpower, and hopefully less violent. Prince, meanwhile, prepares to go through and reassert his dominance over the man.