Week 1, Sunday Post-Execution - Varian

[fragileprophet]

[I hope you were ready to watch some #pathetic, Varian. Ion's on his way to...he's not sure, his room, maybe, but all at once he feels his energy leave his body. The stress from the trial, all the emotional conversations, being on his feet for so long, his injuries, the attention...suddenly, he can't keep going, even though his destination is only so far away.

Without warning, Ion loses hold of his staff. It goes clattering down the staircase in a loud series of clangs and vibrations from the tuning-fork head at its top, and he falls heavily against the wall, sinking down to the stair. This...this is fine.]

Comments

[alchemenace]

... Sorry. That's probably not something you want to think about either, right?

[ at least that's what he's assuming by the hesitation ]

What's the "Order of Lorelei"?

[fragileprophet]

I don't mind.

[It's easier to talk about than public drowning, honestly.]

Oh, sorry. The Order of Lorelei is a religious institution--I'm its leader.

[alchemenace]

[ please don't ask me about religion in corona ]

Oh. [ wait ] Doesn't that mean the other Ion was a religion leader too? But he's...

[ why are your religion leaders literal babies ]

[fragileprophet]

[I'll have mercy.]

Yes. He was the Fon Master before I took his place.

[He smiles in understanding.]

So young? It was written in the Score that a boy named Ion would be the Fon Master, so he was given away by his parents at a young age so he could be groomed to rule upon the death of his predecessor, Fon Master Evanos.

[alchemenace]

[ ion should probably not be sharing that backstory but it's fine. it's fine. varian is too distracted by how un-disneylike tales of the abyss is ]

So the "Score" is some kind of prophecy? And that's why they just... gave him up?

[fragileprophet]

[Look. He trusts. Varian. Not to tattle on him. PLEASE DON'T TATTLE.]

Yes. The Score is a prophecy that was recorded by the founder of the Order of Lorelei--her name was Yulia Jue. It detailed the events of the world for the next two thousand years...and in that time people have learned to follow it, well, religiously.

[It's too apt not to call it what it is, honestly.]

I personally don't agree with it.

[alchemenace]

[ he won't tattle it's fiNE ]

After everything that happened to you guys because of it, I can see why you wouldn't. [ and he only knows. like. only two things. ] But wouldn't that kind of clash with ... leading the religion about it?

[fragileprophet]

[He laughs a little, somewhat sadly.]

Yes...my opinions have caused a bit of a rift, I'm afraid. And in the end, because I'm not the real Ion, I'm not treated all too kindly by those who hold power inside of the Order.

[Looking at you, Mohs.]

But it's alright. I think everything will work out eventually. I've continued to do my job as I've been tasked to do it...and in a sense, I still do believe in the Score. I just think that people should be using it as an idea, and not law. I believe that the Score is just...one recording of many possible futures that can be made, but as long as people continue to follow it so rigidly, it'll only continue to act as a self-fulfilling prophecy.

[alchemenace]

You're not the "original" Ion, but that doesn't make you any less real.

[ mohs needs to be thrown down a pit. anyway ]

That... makes a lot more sense to me. I mean, well, obviously I don't know anything about the Score or what's in it, but it sounds like it kind of contradicts the whole point of free will?