When Orchid finally drew the podium back up above the sands, the arena looked slightly worse for the wear. Malfeas' bones were resilient, but here and there random detritus pooled and unnatural scorch marks mottled the black iron. Overhead Hegran storm clouds still rumbled, marbling the ceiling with eclectic emotional weather. The few mortals who had attended lay dead, and the Infernals seemed to have survived only through liberal applications of Perfect Defenses. The Yozi's human form Jotunn filled the stands, many sporting black eyes and swollen lips. Cecelyne herself stood on the arena flood, her azure-and-argent vestments dissolving into sand from the lower tier down. She clutched a tablet of law to her chest, her expression a mixture of pout and scowl. All things considered, the First Judge looked like a disapproving headmaster surveying her charges.<br/><br/>"The Unquestionable have reached a consensus," The Lawmaker-Pincess intoned icily, watching Esone out of the corner of her eye. "Scourge Esone is being absolved of all charges. However, we are modifying his Urge."<br/><br/><span style="color: #000000">Wait, they can DO that?</span><br/><br/>"Forgive me, Lady Ceceryne, but isn't that impossible? You all encoded our Coadjutors so that they'd only change if we completed our tasks or the pervious urge became impossible. To stop fickle natures from affecting the Althing's effectiveness?" Cecelyne stared coldly at Esone for a moment, before snapping her fingers. Sand whipped up off the floor at the crack, wrapping itself around the Scourge's mouth as a silver gag.<br/><br/>"Yes, Scourge Esone, that is correct. None of the Unquestionable can change an Infernal's Urge on our own. But with the permission of your Urge Patron,"<br/><br/>Here the Ebon Dragon vaulted over the edge of the arena, landing gracefully beside Cecelyne. The Father of Lies had taken the form of a pale asian man in an absurdly dark business suit. He waved regally to the crowd, shooting Esone a sly wink.<br/><br/>"Your Caste Patron,"<br/><br/>This time a slight dust devil kicked up, crimson winds erupting from the stands only to condense beside Eddie and Cecelyne. Adorjan took the form of a gaunt woman of indeterminate age garbed in a gauzy summer dress, gifted with a serene beauty and a murderous grin.<br/><br/>"And the consensus of the Reclaimers, the Althing may deem a Green Sun Prince's original Urge to be obsolete. You will be rewritten."<br/><br/>Esone jerked back with a start as a duplicate of his Caste Patron materialized beside him, hovering in mid-air. The new Silent Wind stroked his face gently, cocking her head as she studied her Child. Seeming to decide on something, she reached down and caressed his chains. They fell away with a shudder, the tainted Orichalcum actually shredding into brass-gold dust. Esone half expected to fall, but instead felt eerie Adorjani Essence buoying him. The duplicate beckoned silently, drawing the Scourge on silent currents to hover with her over her original. Slim arms suddenly looped around Esone's neck, the duplicate Adorjan pressing against his back in a tender embrace. Esone found it pleasant, but within his Coadjutor screamed out in primordial, instinctive terror.<br/><br/><span style="color: #000000">LOVE IS DEATH! LOVE IS DEATH! LOVE IS DEATH! RING THE BELLS, SOUND THE HORNS, BEAT THE DRUMS, MAKE NOISE! <span style="text-decoration: underline">STOP THE SILENCE!!</span></span><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Shut up, this is nice.</span><br/><span style="color: #000000">She. Will. Kill. Us. Adorjani love is DEATH.</span><br/><br/>Suddenly Esone's world went white, his body ridged. He could still feel Adorjan's hug, but beyond that even his sense of time faded into nothingness.<br/><br/><span style="color: #000000">What did I tell you!</span><br/><br/>---<br/>Ophidian Urge to consume the Citadel's supply of Custard Cream Pie: deemed obsolete. Deleting.<br/>Pyrian Urge to convert Celestial and Terrestrial Exalts into Akuma: acceptable replacement. Implanting.<br/>Coadjutor Sabaton given updated Urge parameters for rational future adjustments. Overindulgence Torment capacities removed, Heart of Flint Torment implemented.<br/>---<br/><br/>After what felt like both an eternity and a heartbeat, the world returned. The Ebon Dragon hovered before him in it's full bestial aspect, one shadowy tendril dramatically withdrawing itself from Esone's brow. Esone could have sworn that the massive creature was still smiling.<span style="font-style: italic">Yozi,</span>but the Shadow of All Things was creepy.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">You are ready, my little Hushbringer.</span>Adorjan's words echoed within Esone's skull, a voice that had no substance beyond it's silent presence. Esone still found it pleasant, but to Sabaton it was anathema incarnate.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">I am sorry that you had your freedom impinged, but my siblings demand total obedience. I know you will serve loyally, but some powers must not be denied.</span>Delicate hands spun him around, away from Eddie so that Adorjan could lay a kiss upon his brow.<span style="color: #FF0000">Go forth with my blessing, and spread the truth of the Silence to the world.</span><br/><br/>Another of Eddie's tendrils suddenly lashed out, snatching Esone away from his affectionate progenitor.  The looming bulk of shadows drew the Scourge up to it's eye, mischief welling up within those ancient portals of evil.<br/><br/>"Do remember that you're still fighting the Black Crusade. Kill as many Abyssals as you can, and if you happen to find a dead Neverborn, mine it for Primordial-Grade Soulsteel. Now then, try not to die of fright!" With that Esone was popped into the Yozi's titanic maw, cast into an endless pit of writhing darkness. Esone screamed, exposed to a churning vortex of things that had never seen the light.<br/><br/><span style="color: #000000">WTF?!?!</span><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">-Should I still be recording?-</span><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Y<span style="color: #000000">E</span>S<span style="color: #000000">!</span></span><span style="font-style: italic">You never know what secrets can be found in the unseen depths of the world.</span><br/><br/>---<br/><br/>In one of New Mombasa's alleyways, the shadows pulsated. It was the docks, so shadows were bountiful and alleys were secluded. After a moment of writhing, the shadows condensed into a scintillating black funnel, spitting a flailing Esone out onto the steel cobblestones.<br/><br/>"OW."<br/><span style="color: #000000">Let's never speak of what happened in there.</span><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">-Agreed. I certainly didn't record you telling Esone that you lo-</span><br/><a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z0T3VwHzk8">Sabaton uttered a wordless howl of rage as</a>the Lieutenant struggled to his feet, stretching the crick in his back.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Enough, you two. Let's just go find the Commander.</span>He sighed, ambling off towards the Midway.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">What kind of sick world is this where shore leave is as stressful as battle?</span>