Elda
*`From one destination to another,`*
*`the porcelain-masked man traversed the First Floor with unhindered speed, enabled by the oneness of the dark that transposed his form.`*

So now he manifested at the summit of the Embrace of Sol, the golden glitter of hallowed manas trickling from the ports of his eyes. The shadows coalesced, and emerging from their darkness was him — *Ve.*

*```fix
"Peace and greetings to you, my former Lord."```*
Clarence
*"B-By the Sun!"*

—The nobly-clad woman who had only just settled into her surroundings visibly and audibly flinched, shifting her gaze toward the sudden emergence of the man. She would raise a hand initially in a display of her awe, but would yet, after composing herself beyond a first instinct, extend that hand in an awkward greeting.

But it was not to her that the man's words were directed.
Raymond
*```fix
"𝚈𝚘𝚞."```*

He sneered, furling his left hand tight into a fist, as he locked his golden Eyes of Providence upon the man who manifested a lesser incantation of ***V***Aazva's own mastery. Arcane energy trickled from his fingertips as he suppressed his anger, and only did not further question Ve due to the presence of his swift statement to follow.
Elda
```fix
"The Root-Crown, Aazkue, has awoken from his branded slumber."

"But I am certain you already knew that, Lord of the Eyes of Providence..."```

Ve spoke, shifting his right hand to motion toward the dimmed presence of the incantation *`Quetaa Ezuek`* Upon the horizon — invisible from this distance to the typical human's eye, yet clearly visible to the two who had manifested such powerful visual techniques progenerated by the *Arue's* Coalesced teachings.

```fix
"It seems now that the outsiders have taken to his side."
"Aatkei and Kovrot are at the foot of the Ascent to the Second Floor."

"𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥."```
Raymond
His crippling glare of virulent gold locked solely on the sight that was Ve's soul.

There was wavering, there was conniving, there was subterfuge, there was malicious intent — there was a whole, whirling world of dense contrivance beneath the surface layer of Ve's words, 

And yet,

***He could not find a single lie.***
Clarence
"Boss, you can't think to go—! Not at *This very moment,* At the least! Aazku—"
Raymond
*She hadn't yet finished her words, as **V**Aazva's presence shimmered, dissipating into nothingness, as he faded and became one with the tenebrous at his feet.*