Rosh sat behind his new computer happily tap-tapping away at the mouse. He only needs a few more diamond blocks to finish the koi fish he was constructing in the center of his main castle courtyard.

The office has fully transitioned from when it was in under the Captain.

A large executive desk stands in the center of the room. A sturdy caster chair supports the city's most influential Libertine. The walls are decorated with prints invoking the Renaissance.

The actual 200 room has a new pleather sofa and love seat, both are seated facing a modest flat panel television hanging on the wall. CNN reports the days' news.
More printed works adorn the walls in between short books shelves only beginning to be filled with books.

Rosh himself is well dressed in a blue polo and black slacks. The inkwork on his arms clearly visible. He works at his game with a determined focus.

Animus is to be expected any moment. Rosh wished he looked more professional. Not fro himself, but for Animus. If The New Heirarch was to feel like an Heirarch, he should be meeting with Order leadership that looked and acted like Order leadership.

It is all part of the image.

It isn't long before Animus arrives, dressed much more practically in a t-shirt and jeans.

It would seem any worry about image for this meeting is to be strictly one-sided.

Letting himself in, he quickly takes in the room before his eyes settle on Rosh, drawn in to the concentration etched on the other man's face. "You wanted to talk?"

Rosh looks up and grins wide. "Yes! Yes, please, have a seat sir. I wanted to tell you how the Ley shifting went." Rosh smiles warmly to see whether Animus would get comfortable. His eyea narrow slightly at the sight of Animus' casual dress. Maybe Rosh miscalculated something?

Animus sinks into the sofa, making himself as comfortable as he can. He pauses for an instant at Rosh's reaction, before smiling appologetically. "Too much formality feels like I'm ... hiding myself away from the world. If that makes sense? Anyway, the lines. Good news, I hope?"

Rosh stares with his mouth agape. "Uh.." is he lets out softly. Was this a ploy? Was Animus finally playing the part? He then looks about his office. Rosh was very much alone.
Animus was seated, not only across the room, but beyond a doorway.
What a statement?

What was with the power play? Rosh stuttered in his mind on how to react. It occurred to Rosh Animus was a former Thearch, but surely Animus was never that kind of Thearch.

Eventually Rosh comes to a conclusion, he stands, rounds the desk, and takes a seat in the loveseat across from the Heirarch, grabbing the remote as he passes to turn off the news.

"Of course good news. If it was bad news, Ruby would be the one reporting, and probably reporting my death." Rosh folds his arms and leans back into the chair. That Firey wolf tattoo peeking it's spade eye out under his sleeve.

"Something unexpected occurred. I think I filled the Mana Vortex, or corked it, or something. I want to investigate that further, whatever I did, it's not stable. I would have tried more, but I was distracted. Aurum and Ruby were bickering the whole time." Rosh rolls his eyes at the thought. "Further, a couple showed up, one was definitely a sleep walker..." Rosh cuts himself off.

"Sorry, the Ley Lines. I have yet to investigate what this did to the bridge, I wanted to fill you in before I went running off on another project. I must have drained the city something fierce filling that vortex thing. But everything seems, steady?
I guess steady is the right word. I'm sorry, I was winging that matrix the something fierce. About like learning to fly by jumping off a cliff."

Good, use something both he and Animus can relate too. Remind the guy Rosh does his best to be of use.
That was a great day after all. The whole flying exercise?
Simply exhilarating.
Except the part about being a pigeon.

Rosh watches Animus for his reaction, A thought struck him, and Rosh's gaze lowered to Animius jaw.

Would the man grit his teeth again?
Besides, Animus' eyes were far too wild, too primal to be comfortable.

If the Thyrsus notices Rosh's awkwardness in crossing the room, he shows no sign of it. After Rosh's report, he sits silent for a long moment, eyes drawn to the wolf tattoo as he processes what was said. A wish surfaces, to have been there, helping. Maybe he could have ... done what? You know so much about the lines? About dealing with Ruby since her change?

Finally, he nods slowly. "None of us knew what to expect. But I've been near enough to that thing to know how much of a problem it was. If it's at least stopped up, and the lines are still stable, that's as good as could be hoped for. Do you have an idea of how it affected the bridge?"

Briefly, Animus' mind tries to sift through what he knew about the park, matching it up against things he'd read from his library. A moment later, the he gives up with a shiver. Those dark subjects could be better thought of another time.

"This is just a guess, but I'd say it ripped apart any spell work connected to the Ley lines, And the Bridge was all jacked up into the Ley. I'd be surprised, based on what I think, if the Bridge spell was still completely functional. Something like me dispelling a matrix." Rosh makes a motion of pulling something apart with hands "On a bigger scale. Won't know for sure till I see first hand. I'll head over there, Sir"

Th Vortex broke down and consumed any spell matrix within range, Rosh simply wondered if it would do as much along the Ley, tearing off chunks of Mana everywhere it was connected for those fifteen minutes.

"We might want to check any Wards we have that were jacked into the Ley. If this thoiught is right, they could be compromised."

Something flickers across Animus' eyes. Fear? Worry? Whatever it is, the hints of the animal about him intensify the slightest bit. He well remembered the museum. "Talk to Henry. Have him look into the wards. We can't leave ourselves open." Then again, if he pierced Dee's wards, is there such a thing as not being open? Which only left the question of why they still had no leads on Vector, after so long.

"I will sir, Something else you should know. I've had dreams recently. Different then before.

A crowd, pressed tight into what looks like a of blue flame stadium. But it's cold, cold as if there was no heat in anything. The people all look up, and are buried to our knees in worms and maggots. Up above us, the stars shine down through the open stadium, bathing us audience in warmth and light.

Then everything flips. The stars are down, the people's legs are pointing up. A lightning bolt slowly snakes it way across the sky, and every star it comes across dies, until nothing is left under the people but the cold, empty night sky."

Rosh recalls with good memory. "I think it relates to our enemies. Probably Vector."

Animus listens somberly to the visions. Images half-seen, symbols half-understood in that fuzzy space at the edge of intuition. Already his mind is sifting through the details, trying to find links between disquieting words and knowledge he hardly dared think about.

And then, the name. As if their thoughts had run in parallel. Failure. He could have been dealt with two years ago, if only ... The Thyrsus' gaze momentarily drops, before reestablishing eye contact. "We'll find him, somehow." There's a slight hollowness in his voice, as if he's trying to convince himself just as much as Rosh. "But I don't think we can come up with anything detailed until something actually surfaces. Was there anything else?"

Rosh holds himself rather tight as he answers "No."
The reply of a soldier regretting having seen the enemy, and missing the opportunity.

"I may not be objective in breaking the vision apart. But I believe these stars, that they are Awakened souls. Vector will hunt us down. If we are to wait till he acts...."
Enough had been said to make the point clear.

Animus momentarily stiffens, pain flashing through his eyes as pieces rearrange themselves in an instant. How many have you failed to protect? How many more will there be? There's an edge to his voice now, almost of bitterness, and a half-buried need. "What else can we do? The Arrow patrols, but we cannot guard every mage constantly." Instantly, his thoughts flick to the one newcomer at the Rage, so sure of the city's harmlessness. And I've never seen him since.

Rosh leans back in his chair, eye closed in thought. In silence came insight. Or maybe foolishness. Ruby was never very clear how to tell one from the other.
"Perhaps we can predict his first target?" Rosh had no gift for other Arcana, but perhaps another Mage could narrow down Vector's targets.
"If the Arrow was in position, we could use Vector's own tactic as a trap."
How many times had the unlikely Heros jumped the villain by knowing were said villain would strike next. "But life ain't a movie." he quotes softly to himself.

Animus turns over Rosh's idea in his mind. It was a hope, a focus with which to force back the weight of failure, even if a slim one. "I suppose it's worth a try. I'll talk with West and see if we can arrange something."

There's a pause at the end, an implicit question.

"That's all from my end sir. I will investigate the Bridge, and meet with Henry over the wards." Rosh leans forward letting whatever was unsaid remain.

"There was a night sometime ago, I went out of line. I'm sorry for that."
Animus was withdrawing from humanity every time he needed strength.
It was evident with every jerk, every loss of attention.
Every moment thos teeth were bared against an unseen threat.
And Rosh thought he was bad off.
He watched the Heirarch wondering things common to him
Things like fear.
An Dream image of a Thrysus man in tune with Life, yet twisted by insanity.

Hands ripping.

"This path. You spoke of it that night. We should have congratulated you."

Hands tearing.

"I may be off base, but what is the end of your path? What is your goal?"
Rosh watched the Heirarch wondering things he found foreign to him. Things like disgust.
Outwardly, it was simple enough to project interest.

Animus shakes his head. "Congratulated? For a choice? It's the results that are worthy of praise or rebuke."

Rosh's next question is greeted with a moment of contemplative, almost brooding silence. Ankh. Once, thought of his former mentor had brought on its heals an almost unbearable wave of pain and grief. Now, just a twinge. Perhaps because with the Cabal he felt like he actually belonged again. Did she know? But then, she never plunged as far in as I did, so maybe ...

Finally, the Orphan meets Rosh's eyes, a weariness etched into his face. "I ... don't know. The path winds and twists, and I have no guide." Even as he speaks, he seems to pull inward slightly, as if to protect himself. But from what?

Rosh is again surprised by the Heirarch.
'So weak. Ho is he Heirarch?
WOuld that have been me is Andrade had been defeated?'

"A Choice can be congratulated, if it is a wise one. I have only known you to be wise. So maybe, maybe you think it common place."

Rosh leans back thinking his next words over carefully.

"Animus, Find your own way. Don't stay in one place like I have. I had my chance. I watched it blow up in my face."

'And now I'm circling the drain. Would anyone throw me a chance?
No. The world is never that kind.' "Life ain't a movie."

Animus nods briefly before his gaze suddenly snaps to Rosh's eyes. "Hey. Don't you sell yourself short either." He begins to stand, but hesitates long enough to wait for a response before turning to leave.

Rosh stands too with a nod of respect. "I've kept you long enough. Thanks for coming by." Rosh moves for the door of 200, opening it for the Hierarch. It seemed an awkward way to part. BUt there was nothing more to disucss.
And how was Rosh selling himself short?