had an accretion of the media’s venom failed to reach the veins of this passenger? left to float about their anonymity — ignorant of history’s grim defeat — deprived in absenting all broadcasts? a pitiable abstinence, should obliviousness prove causal of their journey. fear does not climb, grasp, or teach this persona — a miscarriage in calibrating propaganda. the solemn dignity of man scrambles at the mercy of the empire, but it appears not all are aware of this. take my hand in yours — stranger of wanderlust — and i shall feed you to the lions if only to see your identity flayed.

night gathers, deriving shadows of those housed within ribcage stepping aboard. they prickle along flesh, clamped within stillness of palms as composure resonates ( tell me i am sane , lie to me mercilessly ). recurrence of daemons, drawing along the cracks of his poise with jaded parchment and putrid ink, takes an upsurge within the late hours. mutated escalation provides necessity of seclusion. he sleeps alone ( if at all ), he travels alone, and exhausts all remaining patience with liberal self-loathing ( a revulsion to burden mankind ). all to indulge the scorn of the moon. what a travesty to behold the façade of ‘ the chancellor ’.

this pair, unacquainted — they are detained by similar motives; to find the oracle ( capture her , imprison her ), and levy an impertinent dominance over her movements. she escaped, but not for long. her torments will catch up with her, among the skeleton of her fate. only this figure — a contour of flesh and audacity — holds not the same abhorrence for the girl. but that is a tale of glorious tragedy, to be exposed and carved beneath the smothering madness of ardyn’s charade. save yourself the tongue of a leech, and set the lake afire ( before it is too late ).

a rhapsody of sway filters the potency of balance. the engine gorges, consuming flawless motion of accursed height. the jolt of speed does not last — a fleeting binge of hasted departure — and permits the imperial guile of curst limbs to meander the slender hall of compartments. ‘ come out , come out , ’ his intellectual company sniggers and chortles, abrasive if their eagerness to discover, locate, and trap this party member. ‘ i saw you come aboard … he must be — ’ valorous disbelief counters his esteem. a woman. how unexpected. she recognizes his presence as swiftly as he regards hers, if not sooner. her expressive detachment articulates she had been watching him for a time, but how long?

“ what do you want ? ”

her words are terse; impassive. she has the spark of a lit match yearning for a pyre ( look no further , he shall provide ). the sheep becomes the shepherd, and he the blade to bring rise to a butcher. an underlying familiarity grunges her features. it was never a ‘ blessing ’ for the chancellor to recognize you, certainly not in territories now conquered by his employer ( an incompetent pawn ).

“ you’re a blunt one , i see . i was only curious as to who i may share this rather long travel with , and as you boarded alone —— it is a courtesy of mine to introduce myself . you are far more — striking in fairer lighting , i must admit . i mistook you for a outlaw prior to departure , hmhm … but i was mistaken , no — ? ” mauve were his words, a hue of deceit — yet charming in their audible stimulus. there was something more to her, hidden as the layers of magma beneath the earth.

who are you, really?