The land untouched by mortals played host to a single entity today. By his lonesome, the hooded god sat upon his lovely shale throne and was engulfed in the intoxicating smoke from the incenses beaming around it. The eerie silence was only broken occasionally by the sound of his game. Upon the table laid what appeared to be a board game, similar to one that chess would normally be played on. The black and white titles stretched across it but instead of kings and queens, knights and bishops, there laid five main pieces. Each were a representation of the deities that remained- Angela, Dalanesca, Drae, Naota and of course, himself. Other pieces and structures were formed and spread about but he attentively kept his eye upon them. Instead of them facing across each from opposite sides like with most games, he had placed them in a particular fashion. On the far left side stood Xunatar's piece and a few squares away was Dal's. To the side farthest from the god was Angela's and close by was her husband's and across Xunatar's was Naota's. 

A tower piece had been to the right of his piece, joined by what looked like the skeleton of a dragon. Beside's Dalanesca's piece was that of vial of blood. Actual contents leaked from its vessel and spilled onto the board while the tower emitted a cold setting that covered the adjacent squares around it with frost. It was as if the game was reacting the latest of worldly affairs and he brought both himself and the goddess up a few squares forward. The world was naught but a complete game and yet, it was unforeseen as to what would occur, who would find success and failures, and most of all, where did their true alliances laid. It was amusing that the Voice believed that the children here would completely get along and not quell with one another. The Lord knew this as to not be the truth, even if it looked as though in one away or another, they had links that connected them. Of course he would play along with the charade, but only up until he was done with them. The closest piece was the Reaper; they would be fools to trust one another completely, but they shared a mutual understanding and after her trials, he was sure that the masses saw her in a similar  light that they had him. And like him, she didn't care- she was only doing what needed to be done. Someone had to play the bad guy in order for the world's heroes to exist. 

Angela and Drae had been placed where they were because they did not stand in his way, at least he was quite sure of the former. The latter's connection to him was merely both his wife and Xunatar's ex-lover, one that he wished he could erase from the depths of his mind. Aside from that, he knew nothing more about Cyprus' former associate and as long as he didn't stand in his way, the kitsune wouldn't bother focusing on him. Naota, unfortunately, had proven that he could be a thorn in his side, which was why he was stood in opposition. The ingredients for an implosion were all there, it just needed a bit of a push. How long would the peace last? How long before he would etch out his true visions and real self to the world? Patience was a virtue- one of the very few that the Demon King actually followed, lest he would have ended up dead centuries, millenniums ago even. Still, it didn't keep him from moving the holy knight around by the top of his head with a slender finger. 

His eyes were lifted by the sight of their chairs, lurking about their very details. His hand moved over to Angela's piece and moved her closer to Dal and with that, Drae's followed. Still, he looked onto his before moving it more so to the center and Naota's was placed in-between them. He knew not if the other gods knew one another or not, but he knew that their link was with Angela somehow. Resting his head onto a hand, Xunatar snapped with the other and watched the tower crumble apart and the dragon skeleton sink into nothingness. The Reaper blood disappeared as well and the Vial cracked all the way until it too fell. Still their side of the field remained stained by their works. A smile but devious smirk crossed his face as the board started to be blanketed by darkness.

The game of thrones were always a fickle thing, be that of kings or gods themselves. The only thing that matter was who would survive to see the next round and who would not. Failure and death were not only the least of their problems, but could also be a sweet release for the meek.

"You must tell me, is the game more intriguing when you play with yourself, or when another sits across the table?" 

The Mark of the Keeper shimmered in the air a brief second before Adraejen became fully visible, regarding the Kitsune and the board that he sat before. Sharp intelligent eyes that glowed silver study the way the board was arranged, and a half-smile played on his lips. "If I may," he said reaching down and slightly altering the arrangement. Naota's relative position to the piece that represented Xunatar remained the same, the Keeper moved his own piece closer to Xunatar's, perpendicular, as if positioned to interfere if things went south between Xunatar and Naota, but no indication as to who he might side with. He judged simply based on how the arrangements had been made on the board previously, that perhaps the Kitsune was looking for commonalities between the other deities, but Naota's position, it suggested something deeper than that. Connections, perhaps, and what the Kitsune knew of the others. Drae moved the pieces accordingly, placing Angela's piece directly across from Drae's, on the same path of convergence between Xunatar and Naota, while Dalanesca's piece was moved behind Xunatar, but still in line with both Drae and Angela's pieces. 

"I trust the encroaching darkness suggests something large on the horizon," he mused as he motioned for his armchair throne and it moved across the dais  so he could sit across from Xunatar. He steepled his fingers together as he lounged back in his plush chair. 

There was something troubling, an itch in the back of his skull as he sat cross legged in meditation on his throne. Despite himself, keeping his eyes closed he moved one hand up and gently scratched through his hair at the back of his head as if something really were mussing his hair. Not enough to ruffle, just enough to irritate. Nothing could get done this way and he opened his eyes to look out to the empty throne room. Even Kagayaki was gone since he’d asked for complete solitude. His attempts at proper centering were foiled by…by what? Well, there was one place in particular all of those like him could go to for rejuvenation.

Though it wasn’t common at all for him to visit the Conclave and tread so close to The Tree when meetings weren’t in session, he was unable to help himself today. So, he stood up right there atop the hovering throne of black tourmaline and flickered away in a shine of silent light. When he reappeared with just as quiet of an entrance as was his exit, he was surprised to see two figures across the way. The other remaining thrones were unoccupied, one still barren as if waiting for a sixth person to one-day join. Moliira’s absence was still felt…

He walked slowly towards the broken ring of seats, his own shining brilliantly with an ever-heightening float off of the ground upon sensing his presence. It was the two newest members of the conclave, though to use the word ‘newest’ meant nothing by this point. Drae he wanted to meet with warmth, but nothing even hinting comradery crosses his features upon seeing the other. This was the first time he’d been so close to him since their first meeting, not to mention the only time being around him since Xunatar’s ascension. That’s not to say that his expression was cold, just…impersonal, very unlike him, and his eyes seemed not to know which hue to settle on.

He still remembered well the tears shed by Vinsue for the hex this…man had put on her, and it took everything in him not to call him out on that alone. Even without knowing the full story, it was still cruel. But no, instead he just walked calmly towards their table, his fingers gently brushing along his own chair as he did so. The crystal-like frame glowed in streaming trails wherever his fingers touched, no matter how brief.

There was a game board between them, and he instantly knew what that irritation was that he’d felt. Seeing his fellow deities on the board itself was aggravating enough in itself, but when his eyes landed on his own -freshly moved by Drae- he was lost for words. What was going on…? His eyes moved silently between the two, knowing not who had started this game but having a good assumption. So as not to seem accusatory, he spoke to them both, his eyes moving from one to the other in turn, “What’s the meaning of this…?”

While he and Drae had only recently begun any form of relationship that still lingered on friendly acquaintance, he trusted that he wouldn’t do anything that could put Angela in harm’s way. For that reason alone, he trusted him to be as truthful and open as possible. Or at least more so than Xunatar. For as much as he did not like the latter, he knew better than to underestimate him. His eyes moved down to the board, taking in the positions all of them were in, trying to reason out why each one was placed where it was. And while he wanted nothing more but to remove his own piece, he let it stay, he let all of them stay…curious to see what the other two made of the rest of them through the playing of the game.

Should he had been really surprised that his doing had attracted the attention of his new brethren? Perhaps not, but he also knew that these hallowed grounds were typically empty save for the occasion meeting of titans such as them. Giants among men, the people would claim, and yet they were as every bit of mortal as they could be. Xunatar lifted his cold gaze as he heard the voice of someone he hadn’t been fully accustomed to yet. Adraejen was an interesting sort considering that their past have been tied only by the methods of a deranged and desperate woman. She had sought to use both of them as pawns but in the end, both of them stood tall and Cyprus…not so much. Another thing they had in common was that they both rose around the same time, if he recalled correctly.

“Please, I welcome it”, he insisted as the Silver Tongued started to arrange the pieces. The darkness receded as soon as his hand had taken in the first marker. Interesting enough, Drae moved his own in between the Lord of Lies and the Lord of Light. He didn’t bother to mask his entertainment at the action with a slight chuckle. “A wild card, well this is unexpected but then again we haven’t truly been acquainted.” Uncertainty was a bittersweet saber, but he would let the game unfold as required and see with his own eyes of what Drae would do should the unnecessary become necessary. While Angela’s new spot could already be foreseen by him, Dal’s was watched with keen, narrowing eyes.

Just as he was about ready to discuss this complex activity, he ceased when he sensed another presence and turned when Naota was finally revealed. “Soon, Adraejen…” Xunatar reclined further into his seat as he recalled the last time he had spoken to the young man. He had been the first deity that he spoke to in Revaliir, but also the first to be irked by the demon. All he strive to achieve was to create more chaos to an already unstable environment and things escalated to a full blown debate in which saw Naota seemingly win. But had things happened after Xun’s ascension, how would the he had fared against the master of deception? All and all, his presence had only interested the demon more so, even if he wasn’t trusted. It was wise to have arm’s length when it came to himself, he would admit. 

“Why hello there. I was hoping that we would meet again, sweet prince.” He inhaled the fumes of his incenses and blew it out in a clean stream. “Gentlemen, It appears that we will be going without the ladies of this court today. Well in any manner, this before us”, he said pointing squarely at the board before them, “this is merely of a game of the unknown. Of things that have happened and have yet to be. The latter, of course, is guarded by the dark fog that had appeared earlier. The former, as you may guess is past transgressions. Both of our accords as well as the world’s.” As his words rang through the conclave, the board started to stretch and expand on all sides. Xunatar moved the growing board into the middle of the world and watched as the black and white tiles shifted into the likeness of a map of the actual world. Soon ship pieces were brought forth and sailed through the sea tiles, Soldier pieces represented that of armies as they constantly moved about that stood against each other before constantly falling over in an endless cycle. The god pieces found themselves hovering above on a secondary board similar to the original one they had been at the start. Xunatar moved off his throne and stood onto the board, not minding any of the pieces that got in his way and were crushed beneath his boot. They would come back as if nothing occurred and continue with their business. “Anything you can think of can become a piece or even a hazard of the game. It is not just my game alone, but all of ours. Through our actions, we shape the world, and the rest of the population do the same. A constantly changing world, but you did bring up an interesting point, Adraejen. The fog is another powerful force that can sway the world.”

His eyes lingered onto Naota, “But of what it brings, well, I’m afraid that it can’t seen until it comes. The actions I have taken in this game so far are merely situations that have already occurred…the Vault, my doing…the outbreak of Reaper’s blood, Dalanesca's…Surely you both can contribute actions you have partaken now…or later.” Smirking, he watched as the frost from Gifre’s Vault had seeped into the overlay of the world and had stained all that was Canelux. He knew that they were still recovering from the hardships before the true Glaciem season would arrive. Crops were still hurt from the unnatural cold and supplies and aid were being rushed to help. Adeluna was especially hit hard due to also being exposed to the addictive drug that the Reaper had unintentionally gifted them and then put them literally through hell itself to get her to help them. The city was easily seen with a dark red stain to the three of them. “Naota…Adraejen…if you curious as to what is the point of our pieces and their positions, it's rather simple. The Voice requires us to work together for the benefit of the world, but we all have our individual intentions and they may coincide or in some cases, differ. Shall we be able to co-exist, or will the divides be far too great? Perhaps that is what the fog could prove to be instead…"