The hypocrisy that was oft brought about through war and ever present within the minds of all sentient beings was not something that Lykos chose to ignore, instead, he embraced it fully, understanding that not even he was beyond reproach in that subject. Indeed, if any had ever thought to ask him of his thoughts on such a subject, rather than buying so completely into the masks of a feral Sith Lord or a single-minded Assassin he donned so much, they would find that, among the rantings he subconsciously fell into when matters of philosophy and other similar subjects were discussed, he would proudly state that he was a hypocrite. Such behaviour was inspired by a simple reason; Lykos saw no meaning within life, that there was no overreaching purpose or grand destiny beyond what the individual chose. And, for Lykos, for him to see true purpose in his own life, he was of the opinion that he would have to know himself as well as possible - flaws and all.
It was due to this point of view, this personal philosophy, that Lykos had sneered in derision at the sign that before the old city of Jar'Kai. He had stood within the city itself while the battle had been waged, had stood and watched the preparations for the ritual that would go on to create the Wound were prepped, walked alongside the son of Mythos and fought outside of the city limits. He had been there and he knew with certainty that, despite the innocence the Droids proclaimed, he had watched building burn and lives be ended by hands that were not always Sith. He had killed on that day, that he would not deny, but he and his fellow practitioners of the Dark had certainly not been the sole ones that had delivered souls to Nath. For the droids to claim as such was hypocrisy to the Iridonian, a sin that stained whatever it was they possessed that passed for a soul. They were the victors, it was as simple as that; not the victors of a moral battle but the victors of a battle, meaning that what lies they wove became their truth and that they could claim themselves the moral victors post fight. After all, who would deny them.
Sneering, Lykos had turned away from the husk of a city: his Presence withdrawn until it was a pinprick buried under the churning Darkness that blanketed Atrisia and light and sound being twisted around his form, furthermore, with the materials, runes and enchantments woven into the cloak that adorned his form, there was no heat signature to reveal his location. Indeed, as the smoldering, ember-covered form of a Raven, it's unnatural crimson gaze fixed on the crumbling city walls and the arrogant, hypocritical sign that the Droids had so pompously hung, took off from his shoulder and his form collapsed into nothingness, all that was left behind was a pair of footprints and a tiny, writhing tear upon the tapestry of the Force that slowly pulled itself. Seconds later, within which only a scant few beats of the Raven's wings could be made, it followed it's Master's example and disappeared, though not into nothingness as the Iridonian had but, instead, it dissolved into cloud of dispersing smoke.
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Kneeling above the room of the young Prince of Atrisia, Lykos, still shielded from sound and sight, was slowly weaving his awareness down along the walls, floor and ceiling of the room,twisting and manipulating reality with every beat of his two hearts. Unlike Mythos who had been forced to scale walls as an uncouth barbarian, Lykos had taken pride in his title of Assassin, of the path of Shadows he had chosen to follow, and simple stepped into existence in place. (Of course, such a description was purely poetic, revealing nothing of the theories of quantum entanglement, tunneling or even shifting through dimensions that he had mused upon when it came to the subject of the ability known as Fold Space.) And, from that perch, Lykos had sunken deeper into the world that was revealed to him when he chose to truly focus on the small, on the atomic and molecular scale. With his Awareness and Presence within the Force shrunken to such a degree, and sight though the Force being his only method of circumventing the blindness that had been inflicted upon his single eye, Lykos saw reality in a way he might've once considered beautify, a lens being set before his gaze that allowed him to see the make up of everything, to see how everything fit together and worked; the ultimate coincidence of reality that was the closest thing to the True Nature of Existence.
It was through this greater Awareness that Lykos exercised his duty and his task. Atoms in key spaces along the six surfaces of the room were twisted and altered, changing and shifting beneath his steady guidance as the Truth revealed before him allowed him to shape reality with a free will; the only cost being time. But, then, time was what he had, for he was the Shadow and none but himself and Mythos knew that he was there. Such was the reason why he had chosen to adhere to a Path of Shadows; along such a path he could create time for himself, time and opportune moments. As such, as Mythos and the young boy ruler had spoken, hidden greed and hesitance present within then respectively as they focused upon one another, Runic Symbols were being carved into the very matter around them, pulsing and feeding upon the very current of Darkness that flooded the world, giving not their Presence nor their Intent away. And, as such, as the final Rune was locked into place, solidifying itself into nature, the Runic Array triggered and an effect inspired by the Cloak that shielding him settled upon the room.
From outside of the room, no flame danced within the Force beyond the curling embers that were permitted through the erected shields, the very same embers that sputtered from the flame of the child's Presence. Outside of the room, no sight could be made of what was occurring nor could any sound be heard. Trapped by the wards as they were before unwanted eyes or ears could register them. Instead, what was perceived was a lie that became true, an Illusion powered by the Runes as it played out upon the Wards, a scene of simple rest from the young ruler. After all, what cruel heart could expect a young child to shoulder burdens such as they settled upon his thin shoulders and find himself exhausted and in need of rest at the end of a day?
The smirk that had pulled at his lips for but a moment, soon broke as crimson blood spilt from between them, propelled to the floor from the force of the sudden coughs that ravaged his frame. Collapsing forwards from his kneeling position to land on all fours, head bowed as he wrapped the security of the Force Cloak and Stealth around his shoulders like a warm duvet, Lykos let the perception granted by Art of the Small fade away, the world quieting and simplifying before his 'gaze'. Cursing beneath his breath, not that such a explosion of frustration was heard by any but himself, Lykos snarled in rage at his body's own weakness. The strain he had placed himself under while performing his duty was such that his body had not been able to withstand it, the strain having a negative backlash upon his form as soon as he had allowed his guard to fall lax for but a moment.
Panting heavily, ignoring the coppery taste upon his tongue and the stickiness beneath his cheek, Lykos permitted the final vestiges of strength within his limbs to finally falter, dropping down against the cold surface beneath him with a groan. Lungs heaving and hearts beating a tattoo within his chest, Lykos focused on steadying the shaking of his muscles as he lay there. Above him, beneath the glow of the moon that did not touch his form, Lykos simply took a moment to let his body begin to recover even as he stayed alter for any sign of attack. Above him, as the metallic shape of a draconic figure curled through the sky, a Raven materialised out of smoke that enveloped embers that soon danced their way to death, twisting into the air with a sharp cry before it took to the sky with steady beats of its wing. Once more, unnaturally red eyes peered out across the world of Atrsia as the Raven continued to cut its way through the night sky. Once more, Lykos looked upon reality, even if not through his own eye, and pondered the worthless of it all - in the end, this city would become the new Jar'Kai whether that be through war or time, eventually, it too would fall to the cycle and collapse into ruin. But, until then, he had a purpose; a novelty to be sure.
[member="Mythos"] | [member="Shoma Ike"] | [member="HK-36"]
