Mundane Monday.

[Sage Sudeki]

"Find people who have the skills needed to be what gives people hope. Find someone with the quality to be a leader. Then make us known to all."

Though he would keep the bait part of the plan secret until it was time, but with symbols they become targets. If they take the bait and attack the target, then their enemies reveal themselves.

[Avice Locke]

“Make us known...” she repeated. “Oi, that’s a bold move these natives would not enjoy us staying that we be here and they have to deal with it as if we were rubbing it in their faces. TSI also be someone who I suspect have the ability to drive the strongest of us in the sand. I believe they’ve been preparing for us for at least eight years. Do you think they’ll breath hot down our necks with powers growin?”

[Sage Sudeki]

"Exactly."

He'd confirm.

"They make a move, anyone makes a move. Everyone will know who our enemy is. It's scariest not knowing who your foes are. At least with a face we can see who to fight together."

[Avice Locke]

“Unless you bite more than you can chew and they wrap your teeth around the pavement.” She pointed out but then thought a bit better. “Though you’ve probably got the idea to be certain to get yourself and yours organized before they snuff out your intentions, aye?” It would at least be the smart thing to do. She was also trying to measure Spike’s gall on the matter. If he was a real go getting charge first kind of person his next answer might give that away. Frankly she’d lose interest immediately, no need getting mixed up in someone going out in a futile “blaze of glory” or something. Otherwise she was interested in hearing a well thought out plan.

[Sage Sudeki]

"That's the jist of it yeah."

He'd shrug.

"To be frank if I can't organize the group or get us situated correctly, there is no point in trying to become the beacon of hope."

[Avice Locke]

“Aye, good luck to you then. I’ve personally been hoping to poke my nose deeper into enemy lines, if I find out anything maybe I’ll share with you. Not sure I’ll align myself with anyone yet but I’m beginning to understand having connections is necessary.” She paused a moment. “Speaking of, did anything interesting or unusual stick out to you in the arch or in the riots and attacks we’ve had come to pass? Take it a personal curiosity.”

[Sage Sudeki]

"I haven't been as active in those events as I should to be honest. But, what I do know if this city is a very specific target, beyond the Qi users who live here. On the Ark, I remember seeing a man in a mask and cloak, but thats all that sticks out as unusual."

He'd shake his head.

"But, if someone mentions anything to me about it, I'll...."

He'd turn to her once more and tilt his head.

"Well there was the moment when people vanished. They all seemed like kids."

[Avice Locke]

“Tell me about the cloaked man if you can, not many others have much of any information on him.” She requested. “As for the kids that’s something that can be explained by the Angel Xepham. Apparently he prayed and the children were spared or so that’s the gist of it. He once worked in blood where he was a tinkerer of some kind, but he also is one of the religious sects of god powers, the not pagan sect, Christ.”

[Sage Sudeki]

Spike would fold his arms as he listened. He'd speak after.

"Well my Seikatsugan was active most of the transport. I saw his aura and it was bright. As well his chains seemed a polar opposite the Conquerors. His were glowing a bright white light while the Conquerors were black. I also know his aura completely vanished once we teleported here."

He'd shake his head.

"That's all I know."

[Avice Locke]

“The Conqueror? That be your nickname for the blighter? No wait...” she gave a moment. “I heard rumors about that man before, haven’t I?” She searched her memory. “You mean the same one who held the Ironlands? That’s who did all this?”

She had only heard of the man and it was one of those things that she had never seen him nor had she heard much come out from the lands he conquered after the fact. But the name was certainly a reputation many were growing to fear as she traveled east from the Greatlands. Spike probably had the most information she’s received to date. Her heart started thumping hard in her chest and her fingers felt a little jittery. She tried not to get too excited or anxious.

[Sage Sudeki]

"Ironlands?"

Spike said tilting his head.

"All I know is a tall man with no armor or weapons, simply black chains approached leaders of great lands and demanded they give him their land. When they refused he began a campaign of war and somehow turned the land against the people who live there. His people and he, himself called him The Conqueror."

[Avice Locke]

“Aye, sounds about what I heard in my travels.” She pondered his words. “Started with parts then suddenly taking the whole damn world... if he meant to drain the world of everything sounds like he gave up on it. I guess he couldn’t take no for an answer, you think he offered the same proposal to say... Asiv or Strike before choosing to quit the place? Assuming he had another place to go it would have been stupid to conquer what was left of our world. If anything survived that terror it was meant to die off.” The glimpses she was able to make in the Ark were pretty clear to her all was lost. She was certain of this new development.

As she spoke her thoughts out loud her eyes wandered around. But she settled back on the man in front of her. “He took all the Qi the world had to offer. To the point it drained us of our leadership. If the black chains did all that then what was the opposite ability the Hood bloke could have had? Giving Qi back?”

[Sage Sudeki]

Thinking about it he would wonder that himself.

"Maybe giving Qi... Maybe negating the black chains... I can't be sure."

He did wonder if the Conqueror gave the Big Five an ultimatum before giving up on that world.

[Avice Locke]

“Too bad I didn’t get involved in politics. This is valuable...” she thought for a moment how TSI weapons do some thing similar to the conquerors chains in some way. Didn’t ease her suspension on the group. “I suppose we might never know unless we just... prepare for what we do know and hope it’s enough. We nearly destroyed our own world getting to the point we were at before... do you think we’ll have to do it again? Create scars on the land and cause more apocalypses?”

[Sage Sudeki]

"If it comes down to it, the only thing we can do is be better tomorrow than we were today. The Conqueror will inevitably come. If not him someone else. Scars will happen, tragedy will strike. It might not even be us or our problem. It might happen to our children, our grand children."

Spike would smile and give her a thumbs up however.

"So find your strength, do what YOU can do. Dont worry about the next step too much, because you might prepare for a step that never comes. Instead prepare for the entire stair case, the step won't seem so steep."