There's a blinding flash of light and heat and devastation, and then, just like that, life comes to an end for all of the creatures living near the Tunguska river.
It isn't fair.
They cry out with everything they have, cry out about how unfair this is--for their lives to end so suddenly, without any warning, without any chance of survival.
Humans did this. Avenge us.
They cry even as they die, and their wishes, the multitude of voices, are answered.
She does not have a name when she comes into being. She is simply a concept, a creature, a being taking form from the strength of those creatures and their spite.
Then, there is a different voice. "I see."
The woman smiles, for some reason. How strange. The being that has just come into existence does not know why.
"You are only a child, aren't you?" A huffed out laugh. "Well, first, you require a name. How about Yaskaya?"
A name...? How strange. How strange for a concept like her to have a name. And yet--
It is the first taste of a feeling that isn't hate.
It's a prison, there's no denying that. Dank, dark, and a little wet... and in the middle of it, there's Koyanskaya, expression distasteful. She looks more peeved than anything, and the target of that aggravation appears to be a talisman attached to her, which she is unable to remove.
Those familiar with sage arts, talismans and the like will be able to easily tell--it is a god-sealing talisman, with all that entails.
The human (?) on the other side of the bars just stares her down, impassively.
"Thus," they say, "we hardly need to conduct a thorough investigation to determine your guilt."
Koyanskaya presses her lips together. "... I see. So you still have record of my past self, even in this Lostbelt. All right then. What are you going to do about it?"
The Emperor considers her as if she is merely a bug on their floor.
"It is true that we do not have the time to deal with you."
There is the creak of automaton, and a handful of creatures appear behind them.
"So we are afraid that your interim punishment will have to be somewhat... artless. Messy."
Koyanskaya's eyes widen a little.
"That talisman seals your powers, preventing you from fighting back, yes? Then we can delegate your punishment to these automata."
The Emperor nods. "As such, these puppets will torture you until we can see to your punishment ourself."
The automata step forward, in sync. Koyanskaya's eyes narrow again, but there is nothing she can do. Not with her powers sealed away like this. Not as the metal creatures reach for her.
"We simply do not have enough information," the Emperor says calmly over her screams. "We do not know if destroying your body will free you. And thus, we must keep you too weak to escape, without killing you."
Ah. So that's how it's going to be. She can feel the sharp grin stretch across her face, even as she spits blood.
Koyanskaya knows something is wrong the moment she steps into the room.
Her sensitive nose warns her of the stench of blood immediately, and she steps in with a faint frown. Her eyes adjust to the darkness, and there her--(business partner? Heaven forbid she say... "friend"?)--lay, covered in blood.
"Murian!?"
She makes her way to her side swiftly, reaching out to lift her up enough to see her face. Koyanskaya doesn't need much more than that to know it's much too late. Her career was made in killing, and death she knows better than anything else.
"Oh... Koyan...skaya..." the small fairy says, voice a wispy whisper. "Welcome... back..."
A faint sigh. "I'm glad... you're here... I still... hadn't said... a proper goodbye."
For a moment, there's sadness, deep and overwhelming, an emotion that isn't anger and isn't vindictiveness and isn't anger, and thus one she's not entirely sure what to do with. And then Koyanskaya sighs, and smiles again.
"Oh perfect!" she says, with easy cheer, as if it's that easy to fake. "I actually came here to say goodbye myself. I truly owe you a favor for all you have done for me here. As soon as I've finished making my primate zoo, you'll be the first to receive an invitation."
She knows there will be no such invitation. It doesn't really matter right now, does it?
The fairy laughs. "That... sounds great... But... I'm not sure... what's going on anymore... I feel like I'm dreaming, and I'm worried... when I wake..."
Koyanskaya sighs a little, but the smile stays there. "You're afraid you'll forget everything! Not to worry. I'm the Beast of Taming. Unlike humans, I never forget my debts."
A pause, and she adds, softer now, "Thank you for calling me your friend, my eccentric little princess."
"I was used... and manipulated... right to the end," Murian says. "So at the very least--"
Ah. Now this is more comfortable, familiar ground. "You'd like to get your revenge? Leave it to me. I'll follow these bloodstains and--"
Murian shakes her head, squeezing Koyanskaya's hand in her own, weakly. "No... I want you to... at least... protect Britain..."
That... is not something she's ever been good at. Protection? That's not what she was created for. But Murian is dying, and a promise is a promise. Weakly, Murian lifts her pinky, and quietly, Koyanskaya hooks her own pinky in a promise.
"Can I... ask this of you... Koyanskaya? Even though... you're all alone in this world... just like me."
Murian fades before she hears Koyanskaya's answer, but that's fine. She never breaks a promise, even if it's that far outside of what she, herself knows how to do. Gently, she lays her body back down in the pool of blood on the floor.
"Protect Britain in the true sense of the word, hm?" A sharp, vicious grin. "All right then. I'll do it."
There's a detestable creature standing right there, and she loathes breathing the same air as him. The way he sneers, the way he laughs, the way he grins at her--it is all so intolerable that it makes her want to go have a long, long shower.
It is rare for anyone to make her feel this way.
And perhaps it means she's losing her touch.
But this shitty monk is rotten to the very core, and his existence makes her skin crawl.
"Koyanskaya," he says, with a shit-eating grin. "Surely you see the majesty in this god's vision? In the wonder and majesty of destroying everything in this world again and again and again until it is perfect. It is beautiful, spectacular, incredible!"
She presses her lips together, and answers in a disaffected tone. "I find it quite boring, actually. What use is there in a world where only the perfectly virtuous exist?"
The look Limbo gives her is calculating, and she meets his eyes with disdain.
"Now, now," he says. "You had better be careful the god here does not hear you say that. We are not immune to his decisions in this Lostbelt."
Somehow, that has the edge of a threat to it, and Koyanskaya's eyes narrow.
Ugh. It's about time to jump ship, isn't it? This just crosses the line of shitty co-workers into something she doesn't want to deal with. Besides... as much as she hates humanity?
Seeing them defanged so badly is disgusting in its own right. When she turns to go, she feels that shitty monk's eyes on her the entire way, and the fur on the back of her ears stands up.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beginning. cw: animal suffering
It happens in an instant.
There's a blinding flash of light and heat and devastation, and then, just like that, life comes to an end for all of the creatures living near the Tunguska river.
It isn't fair.
They cry out with everything they have, cry out about how unfair this is--for their lives to end so suddenly, without any warning, without any chance of survival.
Humans did this. Avenge us.
They cry even as they die, and their wishes, the multitude of voices, are answered.
She does not have a name when she comes into being. She is simply a concept, a creature, a being taking form from the strength of those creatures and their spite.
Then, there is a different voice. "I see."
The woman smiles, for some reason. How strange. The being that has just come into existence does not know why.
"You are only a child, aren't you?" A huffed out laugh. "Well, first, you require a name. How about Yaskaya?"
A name...? How strange. How strange for a concept like her to have a name. And yet--
It is the first taste of a feeling that isn't hate.
mistakes. cw: torture mention
It's a prison, there's no denying that. Dank, dark, and a little wet... and in the middle of it, there's Koyanskaya, expression distasteful. She looks more peeved than anything, and the target of that aggravation appears to be a talisman attached to her, which she is unable to remove.
Those familiar with sage arts, talismans and the like will be able to easily tell--it is a god-sealing talisman, with all that entails.
The human (?) on the other side of the bars just stares her down, impassively.
"Thus," they say, "we hardly need to conduct a thorough investigation to determine your guilt."
Koyanskaya presses her lips together. "... I see. So you still have record of my past self, even in this Lostbelt. All right then. What are you going to do about it?"
The Emperor considers her as if she is merely a bug on their floor.
"It is true that we do not have the time to deal with you."
There is the creak of automaton, and a handful of creatures appear behind them.
"So we are afraid that your interim punishment will have to be somewhat... artless. Messy."
Koyanskaya's eyes widen a little.
"That talisman seals your powers, preventing you from fighting back, yes? Then we can delegate your punishment to these automata."
The Emperor nods. "As such, these puppets will torture you until we can see to your punishment ourself."
The automata step forward, in sync. Koyanskaya's eyes narrow again, but there is nothing she can do. Not with her powers sealed away like this. Not as the metal creatures reach for her.
"We simply do not have enough information," the Emperor says calmly over her screams. "We do not know if destroying your body will free you. And thus, we must keep you too weak to escape, without killing you."
Ah. So that's how it's going to be. She can feel the sharp grin stretch across her face, even as she spits blood.
Humanity truly never changes, do they?
goodbyes. lostbelt 6 spoilers
Koyanskaya knows something is wrong the moment she steps into the room.
Her sensitive nose warns her of the stench of blood immediately, and she steps in with a faint frown. Her eyes adjust to the darkness, and there her--(business partner? Heaven forbid she say... "friend"?)--lay, covered in blood.
"Murian!?"
She makes her way to her side swiftly, reaching out to lift her up enough to see her face. Koyanskaya doesn't need much more than that to know it's much too late. Her career was made in killing, and death she knows better than anything else.
"Oh... Koyan...skaya..." the small fairy says, voice a wispy whisper. "Welcome... back..."
A faint sigh. "I'm glad... you're here... I still... hadn't said... a proper goodbye."
For a moment, there's sadness, deep and overwhelming, an emotion that isn't anger and isn't vindictiveness and isn't anger, and thus one she's not entirely sure what to do with. And then Koyanskaya sighs, and smiles again.
"Oh perfect!" she says, with easy cheer, as if it's that easy to fake. "I actually came here to say goodbye myself. I truly owe you a favor for all you have done for me here. As soon as I've finished making my primate zoo, you'll be the first to receive an invitation."
She knows there will be no such invitation. It doesn't really matter right now, does it?
The fairy laughs. "That... sounds great... But... I'm not sure... what's going on anymore... I feel like I'm dreaming, and I'm worried... when I wake..."
Koyanskaya sighs a little, but the smile stays there. "You're afraid you'll forget everything! Not to worry. I'm the Beast of Taming. Unlike humans, I never forget my debts."
A pause, and she adds, softer now, "Thank you for calling me your friend, my eccentric little princess."
"I was used... and manipulated... right to the end," Murian says. "So at the very least--"
Ah. Now this is more comfortable, familiar ground. "You'd like to get your revenge? Leave it to me. I'll follow these bloodstains and--"
Murian shakes her head, squeezing Koyanskaya's hand in her own, weakly. "No... I want you to... at least... protect Britain..."
That... is not something she's ever been good at. Protection? That's not what she was created for. But Murian is dying, and a promise is a promise. Weakly, Murian lifts her pinky, and quietly, Koyanskaya hooks her own pinky in a promise.
"Can I... ask this of you... Koyanskaya? Even though... you're all alone in this world... just like me."
Murian fades before she hears Koyanskaya's answer, but that's fine. She never breaks a promise, even if it's that far outside of what she, herself knows how to do. Gently, she lays her body back down in the pool of blood on the floor.
"Protect Britain in the true sense of the word, hm?" A sharp, vicious grin. "All right then. I'll do it."
limbo. ... cw: limbo
There's a detestable creature standing right there, and she loathes breathing the same air as him. The way he sneers, the way he laughs, the way he grins at her--it is all so intolerable that it makes her want to go have a long, long shower.
It is rare for anyone to make her feel this way.
And perhaps it means she's losing her touch.
But this shitty monk is rotten to the very core, and his existence makes her skin crawl.
"Koyanskaya," he says, with a shit-eating grin. "Surely you see the majesty in this god's vision? In the wonder and majesty of destroying everything in this world again and again and again until it is perfect. It is beautiful, spectacular, incredible!"
She presses her lips together, and answers in a disaffected tone. "I find it quite boring, actually. What use is there in a world where only the perfectly virtuous exist?"
The look Limbo gives her is calculating, and she meets his eyes with disdain.
"Now, now," he says. "You had better be careful the god here does not hear you say that. We are not immune to his decisions in this Lostbelt."
Somehow, that has the edge of a threat to it, and Koyanskaya's eyes narrow.
Ugh. It's about time to jump ship, isn't it? This just crosses the line of shitty co-workers into something she doesn't want to deal with. Besides... as much as she hates humanity?
Seeing them defanged so badly is disgusting in its own right. When she turns to go, she feels that shitty monk's eyes on her the entire way, and the fur on the back of her ears stands up.