It seemed there was no running from it. Riven would rather avoid getting involved with that man if he could help it. But even in his current state, he knew that line of thought was just wishful thinking.
The strange man was gone, but that didn't mean that whatever he left behind would be easy to deal with. That man, whatever he was, it wasn't normal. It wasn't something that normal people could deal with, it wasn't something Riven could deal with.
Just his presence, a couple of playful words completely tore down Riven's mask and left him reeling in mental pain that he couldn't comprehend.
Even just a remnant of him — Riven dreaded it. He wanted to run from it.
The width of his mouth irks you, so unnatural, no man should do that. It irks you the same way a baron does, when you serve him food and they eat like a starved animal, the sound of their saliva and the crunching and the tearing of flesh and the squeezing of juices. It irks you but there is nothing you can do about it.
His crescent eyes. The way they curved down in delight as they look down upon you as prey. A toy for his enjoyment, a pig to be fattened. Those eyes look upon you like a sadistic child looks upon the toys they have long grown tired of, thinking of the most depraved methods of reigniting their love for the playthings.
Yes. There is nothing you can do to men like him. Like the Baron's and the Earl's at the theatre.
Riven shivered as memories flooded the front of his brain. Memories long damned, long forgotten.
Quaking, another cup of tea poured.
And this devil. Whatever he is. It's far above me. I'll just put my head down. I'll just put my head down and survive. I'll survive and find another way to find Mana. Even if the door to join the Black Order closes, there has to be other ways.
Pour. Drink.
Mana…
With those memories came faces. And Mana's was the one that stuck.
Within a field of grass, a boy sat beaten and bruised. The boy was strange, his left eye was red, and his hands were abnormal.
A man of large stature walked towards the boy in a tragedy mask. He crouched to level with the boy and switched the mask, now wearing a comedy mask.
The boy looked at him strangely, but when the man took off the masks, revealing a face that was unsure of what to do, in disbelief that his performance didn't work to calm the boy down, instead leaving him confused and creeped out.
The boy laughed at this face, which strangely reassured the man. He smiled. "What's your name boy? I'm Mana Newman"
…
A smile crept onto Riven's face.
"I can't run, can I? If I do, I won't make it to England. I won't be able to join The Black Order. I won't be able to find Mana."
And there was something else, too.
"There are also some… people on this train. I guess it would leave a slightly bad taste in my mouth if I just left them to their fates?"
Adam's body whirled in agreement. If he hadn't been such a terrifying fellow, Riven would have been laughing from the belly at how hilarious the old prick looked right now.
"You've come to a somewhat mature decision. I suppose this shows you've grown, however minute that growth is. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
Adam's gears turned, reflected in the spinning blue diamond shapes on the screen that looked like an eye. They spun and reformed into the eye shape before collapsing again, the pace varied, but the rotations were mostly quick-paced.
"As for the matter of what to do, I have conceptualised that man's nature and may have an idea of how to deal with him."
"So. You've got concepts of a plan? That's reassuring." Naturally, dealing with supernatural phenomena left behind by an unknown being with a plan based on conjecture was a sure way to meet an early death. And naturally, Riven wasn't very excited to carry this 'plan' out.
"Your concerns are valid. Our situation isn't promising, we can only pray that my line of thought is correct." Adam's 'eyes' stilled.
"Before you returned to the cabin, I was preaching to that girl. Sophia. I believe that is what drew that man here. As well as my nature. Do not ask about that latter part, it is still too early for you to fully understand."
Riven stroked his chin, the teacup placed off to the side as he stared intensely at the wall in front of him. "Your preaching? You think your preaching is what made him interested?"
Adam 'nodded' with his entire body. "As I mentioned, we don't have a lot to go off of. But I have a strong feeling. I can tell. I can also tell that he was drawn to my nature, as was I to his." Adam's blue lights dimmed.
"Do you know the myth of the Golden Age of Humanity?"
"The one with the ancient people and stuff, right? Uh. I me-"
"You don't. I see. Not nearly as well enough as you should." Adam cut Riven off, who rubbed the back of his head in performative shame.
"In the old world, one with nine planes and over eight hundred minor planes. Humanity thrived under the guidance of the Gods. Apart from the plane of origin where humanity was first cultivated, and the dead plane where no god existed, each realm fostered a unique divine kingdom."
Riven's posture shifted, he leaned in. This lesson sounded like it would be interesting.
Tesserak's realm, the smallest of them all but an impregnable fortress of layered technology and spires where simulations of time and space occurred. "His" followers tirelessly studied his contraptions and brought
Faelithar's realm where flora and fauna existed in scale and bizarreness that tested nature's limits. Humans hunted and harvested within the conventions of Faelithar's traditions.
The Flame Father Velgrith and his dutiful soldiers. "His"realm was the most terrifying of all, his followers carried the will of "His" flame in their hearts, like the living undead, you could not stave them off as long as the slightest bit of energy remained in their bodies.
Selantha's realm, where the freest thrive. Beauty, art, and freedom. Those were "Her" only three maxims, and her followers lived by them.
Solion… The Ancient Sun God. Adam did not elaborate much on "Him", to Riven's dismay.
Eyreus the dreamer, "His" realm was a haven to those who were weary.
And Thal'Zirra. Adam didn't speak much on "Her" either.
— These are the Seven Orthodox Gods that humanity prospered under, in their divine kingdoms. They prospered until humans were forced to flee.
Where there is strong light, there are equally dark shadows. This remains true even at the level of gods. At the siege of seven evil gods and their followers, the orthodox gods helped humans flee to the plane of origin, each giving a parting gift.
Tessarek gifted you the Warmind that protects the plane from external threats, Faelithar put his children into your world for harvest, Velgrith injected the world with energy, Selantha gifted the oceans and seas, Eyreus gifted the moon, Thal'Zirra gave you "Her" charms to exorcise evil spirits, and Solion gifted the Sun.
Even though humans have long been cut off from the Divine Kingdoms of the Gods, they still worship the Seven Orthodox Gods, whose sacrifices and gifts allowed humans to live in peace within the Plane of Origin.
That is the myth of Humanity's Golden Age, as well as the Creation Myth of the current world that they live in.
"And what does this have to do with that man?"
"I have already stated it. It is merely a feeling. He is naturally antagonistic towards the divine, and he has the aura of a follower of the evil gods." As usual, Adam's words were incredibly vague and difficult to make any tangible sense of.
Riven sighed at this answer. "You know what, if you're gonna do another round of 'I can't fully explain this to you', just don't bother explaining at all. Just give me the important parts."
Adam entered a state of deep thought once again, the eye of blue diamonds breaking apart and reassembling repeatedly. "The man is drawn to the gods. I can feel his remnant somewhere on this train, it is much weaker than himself but it is still far too much for you to handle. But it seems dormant as of now. That is what we have to work with."
Tapping his chin, Riven drew plans in his mind. The working of his brain wasn't as visible as Adam's, but his contemplation showed in other ways, like the rocking of his right leg.
"So, we have an idea of how to draw it out, but direct confrontation is off the table." Riven's eyes drifted to his left. "It'd be hard to lay a ritual trap in a crowded train." He started biting his pointer while bashing his knees together.
"I can't think of anything. We don't have enough information. Planning to draw it out shouldn't be that hard if what you're saying is true, but we've got no idea what to do once it's awakened."
Exhaling, Riven stilled his moving components and sprang to his feet. He rolled his hood down, placed five fingers around his face, and stepped towards the door.
"It's time to investigate."