Meddlesome Gods: The Call of the Eighth God - Liam's Test

Summary Liam felt the call of Echo once more. He knows very well it means he will face the test the God spoke of.   Participants Liam Santua, Echo   Related Logs Plot: The Call of the Eighth God   IC Date December 14 1225   Date of RP Mon Jul 03 2023   Location Temple of the Gods - Mountain Peaks - Sanctified Mountain - Seat of the Gods   Room Desc Stepping into this massive stone temple is nothing short of a holy feeling, even when the building is clearly starting to fall to ruins. The walls and floors are starting to crack and some of the stained glass that acts as windows is shattered. The stained glass windows depict the creation story of Atharia as the people know it. The wooden benches creating four rows of six have started to fall apart. The golden stage at the front of the temple has become dull from not being maintained. One the stage is a crystal podium. The silken banners that hang from the ceilings reflect each God's colors, from their glow to what they typically prefer to wear. Everything about the temple speaks of disuse and a lot of care being put into it, which includes some of the most valuable of materials. Tables that add decoration to the room have tarnished silver vases on them with dried, dead flowers and faded papers with information. A couple bookshelves hold aged books that tell stories of the Gods and mortals of the world. The statues to the Gods scattered about the temple, however, are perfectly intact, each one looking as if they had just been put there. Each one depicts the Gods in a way that those that created it see them. No expense has been spared for them, they are created from the finest of marble and adorned with the most expensive and flawless gemstones that can be found. Upon the back wall of the temple, behind the stage, are shrines devoted to each of the Gods. Each one reflects a God and their tastes in some way and has a place to give prayers and offerings. There is no mistaking which shrine is for which God, as each of them have something distinguished about their preferences and presence. What truly shows the disuse of the temple is skeletons that skatter about the room. Many wear the various robes of the Gods, making it clear they never intended to leave the temple, and some wear clothing that were, at one point, in fashion. Some of the skeletons are seated on the benches still intact, one leans against the podium, some are simply collapsed on the floor. Though they are skeletons there is a clear feeling that they all died with the blessing of the Gods.

There is no dreams this time but Liam knows he is once more being summoned by Echo. His day is difficult, in both good and bad ways. Santuan people hoot and holler, in a pleasing way, at him and sing his praises. He also finds himself loaded with paperwork all royalty must do eventually. Essa ends up hurt, Liam finds a lucky coin. IT is just a series of events that made his day far more chaotic than it was suppose to be. He had plans, no doubt. Echo does not do his summons in a simple way, she likes to make it take time to click it is a summons. Such is the way of a chaotic God. Liam, as previously, will inevitably end up at the first temple to the Gods. There he will find Echo perched on her shrine. As with previously, Echo looks exactly like the type of person Liam would desire most. Maybe the God does not have a true form.

Liam finds his day exhausting, he had plans to spend it with Essa in both dinner and talk specially after the days events that went on at Mayata's temple. But when she is hurt during the day its seems to affect him more then it really should, perhaps just the wryness from the days events. But then he finds himself back at the temple of the gods after setting Essa settled in and resting. When he gets in the temple he thinks he just finds himself here to get away from things but then there is a Echo and the Prideful man's lips twitch as his eyes fall on the very lean attractive man that sits on the throne.

Surprisingly, Essa did not fight Liam's making her stay home and letting him be without her to protect him. It is likely Echo had a hand in keeping her pacified. Echo doesn't move his perch as she offers a grin too, "You answered, Santuan Prince. I figured you'd be so bold as to ignore my call this time." Not many would dare ignore the call of a God. Her hand is lifted as he bids Liam closer, "I considered doing the tests I promised as a group but I decided individually would be more fun." More fun for Echo, she might not make it fun for the ones he tests, though.

Liam breaths deeply, "I should have known my day went as it did because of you." he tries to not move forward, to deny her this little bit but his eyes search over the God and moves forward but then catches himself and stops. "If I had realized it was you Echo I just may have been so bold to deny you." his mind of on Essa and other things, his eyes squint..."A test for what?"

"For if you mortals deserve the fun I bring, silly prince." Echo's idea of fun, thus far, doesn't seem so much to be that. Up he stands, stopping just before Liam and lifts her hand to grasp the chin of Liam and she grins, "Are you scared, Prince Liam? Everything I do is for my own fun, after all." It is hard to say if Echo is evil or not, as his actions don't really indicate either way. As Echo's touch lingers Liam will start to feel dizzy, his vision blurring and his body feeling like it will collapse once Echo lets go. As his hand falls away Liam can hear the words 'Let the test begin for you, Liam Santua." then Liam hears laughter from the God before Liam passes out for a brief spell.

"What if I do not want your fun." he stands there watching the chaotic god, when she stands. He does not move but looks to her as she stoops over him, when her hand grasps his chin he frowns at her grin. "Scared?" as soon as those words leaves his mouth he blinks, that feeling coming over him, "What...What are.." he breaths deeply trying to fight that feeling, trying to stop it but he can't. His knee's buckle as she walks away, that laugh echoing in his head as he falls to the temple floor.

"IT is cute when they think they really have a choice when it comes to me." says Echo aloud as Liam's world shifts. He is in the Santuan Palace in Santua Kingdom, wandering around it, looking for something that is lost. The palace feels distorted and abnormal yet, at the same time normal. He on some level knows something is not right but enough that he would question it. He could easily dismiss it as one of his relatives messing around with magic rather than recalling that Echo is testing him. At the moment he only knows very far back in the recesses of his mind that he is in a test so, for now, it just seems oddly real.

Liam blinks wondering around the palace looking around, he knows something isn't right its feeling off but he just can't put his finger on it. His blue eyes look around, the first person that hits him is Essa.."Essa!?!" he calls out as he walks the palace halls, "Why is she not here.." he continues on, peeking into the places he knows she might have herself tucked away, "Essa!?!" He calls out again for her.

Essa missing is likely what is 'lost' for him since she is so rarely away from his side for more than a very brief period. As he calls for Essa there is no response from her. Such an odd thing for Essa. His wandering of the palace brings him to Essa's room, connected to his. Her room is always connected to his. The door is open and the room is lit. There is a shadow that can be seem moving about in the room. Likely Essa. Maybe she didn't hear his call?

Liam breaths a sigh of relief, slipping into her room. "Essa, did you not hear me calling for you?" he says in a soft voice as he moves in further looking to the person he saw the shadow of. "I have been looking for you through the palace." he smiles as reaches a hand out to touch her arm.

When Liam enters Essa's room, knowing full well she always has her door open in case he needs her as his servant, and speaks with her 'Essa' has a cold expression on her face and she is dressed in a way that is not how she usually does. Her outfit is elaborate and expensive compared to the simple and inexpensive look she goes for. Her style of dress and her cold expression is unsettling, they don't suit who Essa is. Her voice is distant and she jerks away from Liam before he can touch her, "You are behaving to familiar with me, Prince Liam Santua. I am here to do my duties not play fan girl for you." She gives him a disdainful look, "It is not like I want to be here or around you. Especially since you betrayed the Divinus Kingdom and became a Santuan." Essa doesn't think or talk that way! She just unconditionally supports Liam and gives her thoughts in a gentler way.

Liam blinks his hand jerks back watching Essa like someone just punched him in the chest and he was winded. "Essa? What is this?" he looks her over, he knows this is not her. This is not the Essa that he has known most his life and has grown to care for, perhaps the only person he truly trusts in his life. "Essa, stop this talk what is going on? Why are you dressed this way and speaking in such a way to me?"

Everything still seems 'normal' about the palace but something still feels wrong. "It is me gaining a spine, Prince Liam Santua. Or would you prefer me to stay a weak and helpless person? Just a doll to do your bidding?" Away she turns to stat pulling clothing from her closest, "I have merely understood the truth about you and not hide from it. You are a terrible person. I speak to you in the way you deserve." The tone of her voice is cold, almost cruel. However, when she says 'truth' something about the word seems like it should not be used. From the sleeve of the dress she wears Essa pulls a knife, "Perhaps, Prince Liam Santua, I should end you. Remove someone like you, humm?" The Essa who always encourages him to be strong or hides him when he isn't is saying that? Her words don't fit. They feel so wrong.

Liam shakes his head as he watches her, "Essa, this isn't you!" he snaps at her watching her, "Where is the woman I have grown to know, so protective and caring." he moves in closer to her, "No, Essa snap out of whatever this is!" he moves a hand to grab her wrist, "YOu would never do this! You never harm me, you rather protect me then see harm done to me!" his eyes search hers frantically, "NO, this is all wrong!"

As Liam draws closer up her hand lifts but even as the current Essa she is no combatant. Against the grip she tugs and the knife clatters to the ground, having fallen from her grasp. The feel of her skin almost seems fake. "Are you sure about that? PErhaps the fairy tale life you led as the fake."

Liam watches the knife fall to the ground, even with it falling to the ground her words. They cut like daggers, "Why, why are you talking this way Essa..." his fingers tighten on her wrist as if trying to tell if she is real or not, his heart pounding in his chest. "Stop talking this way!" he looks to her, the hurt, pain and yes a frightened look on his face shows, "How, why are you doing this Essa?"

"Doing what? Telling you as it is?" Against the hold she pulls away, trying to escape. His tightened grip doesn't get a reaction from Essa so it is a good bet that she is not real.

Liam pushes her away with a hard shove, "NO! Your not real! This isn't Real!" he bends down to pick up the knife, "Your a lie!" he steps towards her, fear showing in his eyes the one thing he fears losing is gone and its making him panic.

"Am I? what are you going to do about it?" asks the Essa he has connected to be fake. Her face is starting to distort a little and the 'room' seems to fade just a little, "You are so certain I am a lie."

Liam watches her start to distort, "Yes you are!" he shakes his head he steps for her but its Essa he can't hurt her! He drops to his knees his hands moving to his temples. "Stop this! I can't! NO! I won't lose her!" he cries out.."I can't!" he breaths heavily sweat starting to bead up along his fore head and temples.

The fake Essa continues to distort and the room continues to fade. The real Essa that the fake was physically modeled after by Echo still pushes though. Her powerful concern has made root in the fake Essa, unintentionally. The hand of the fake touches his head, "You won't." the words have Essa's kind tones but still the coldness of the fake to it. The copy might not be real but even though Echo tried to filter out the love Essa has for her prince from the copy it was not completely erased. Finally, Essa fully disappears and the floor Liam looks upon is the one of the first temple. Was he transported in somewhat? Was it all in his mind? Whatever the intent of Echo's 'test' was, one thing Liam can be certain of is that where he was, was and illusion. Now that he is out he can clearly understand the Essa was a fake. When Liam is ready to he will see Echo once more seating on his shrine as she watches Liam. "Didn't I tell you it would be fun?" Echo has quite the skewered idea of 'fun.'

Liam breaths deeply as he is there on his knees, if he had something he could right now he through something at Echo. "How dare you!" the anger wells up in the prince as he gets to his knee's. "That was not fun!" he barks loud enough that his voice echo's in the temple. The prideful man stands there his chest heaving slightly as he contemplates what he wants to do to Echo.

"I dare to do what I want." says Echo, "Remember, I am a God." She doesn't stand but suddenly he is before Liam, "I might keep that in mind if I were you before acting on your thoughts. I am, after all, LArthin's partner." That is news. Larthin never mentioned having a spouse. To anyone. "I am his delightful little secret." It is still unclear is Echo is evil because despite horrible actions there is no malicious intent felt in his actions. She has no true malice, for now.

Liam frowns as he is before her watching the God, "God or not it gives you no right to play as you do!" his frown depends even more as he takes a breath in, air hissing over his teeth. "Step Mother." he says in a displeased tone, "Father does not like when his children are toyed with, if you are married to him you should know this."

"Being a God gives me the right to do what I want, Prince of Santua. Just as you have more power over your pretty little servant. Are you certain she stays at your side by choice or does she by duty?" At Larthin being used as a threat against her Echo laughs, "Oh, I know he is fiercely protective of his family. This does include me. Yet, I mess with him and his family all the time." Perhaps a hint that Echo is somehow involved in the unknown powers that the Council of the Devoted seem to have.

"I have never done her any wrong! I have never harmed her! She has all she ever needs and more if she wished it." he watches the God in front of him, "If she wished to go I..." he swallows hard at the thought, "She could go..."

"Have you thought to show appreciation for those that serve you? She is exceptionally loyal to you. I suspect even if she were to fall in love, you would still be her priority." A God doesn't suspect anything. They tend to know. Echo smiles and pats Liam on the cheek, "You kept me well entertained. You passed my test. Though, other tests must be complete before I decide if I will let you keep your memories of me or not and become a 'known' God." With that Echo disappears with a puff of smoke.

Liam shakes his head, "You have no idea how much I appreciate her, I...." he watches Echo a look of utter hurt on his face as he watches her. With her words and her vanishing he crys out in utter fustration letting it echo through the temper as he falls to his knees breathing heavily.