Freedom in Purpose

The Ambassador slowly blinked open his eyes to the distant sound of growling thunder, the ever-present rush of rain tapping gently against the windows of his bedroom. Was it morning already? Or was it actually morning? The sparse intervals of sleep the guild master of Dies Irae got always left the man in a state of some perplexity. It was highly possible that it was morning, or evening, though the light of a dull, stormy day would still illuminate the world outside. Johann slowly sat up, tired, glazed-over eyes scanning the room with considerable sleepiness. The man took a deep breath, exhaling sharply before tossing aside the sheets and, with slow steps, making his way over to the wardrobe at the other side of the room, picking up the coat of his Ambassador Uniform.

"Good morning, sunshine! Did you sleep well?", the voice of Mars would ring out inside his head without much delay. As usual, the man ignored the ever-present babble of the Seal and continued on. He had truly gotten quite used to the constant background noise by now, and so the mocking voice of Mars affected him little. As per usual, the best way to respond to this was to not respond at all. Johann had learned his lessons.

What he needed more than anything right now was something to wake him up, most likely a decent breakfast, or whatever else was available alternatively, and a hot coffee in any case. The man wasn't normally a fan of the dark, energizing liquid, but it would do for situations like these. The man swung the coat over his shoulders, still wearing the white shirt and the simple black pair of pants he had passed out in underneath. The matching hat would cover his messy silver hair, for now, his whole appearance looking more like improvised formality than anything else, but it would do ... for the time being. His mind was on other things, mainly something to fill his empty stomach.

Ambassador von Weiss made his way through the foyer and entrance to his accommodations before finally stepping out into the hallway of the West Wing, where the members of the guild lived. His destination, for now, however, was the Mess Hall located in the East Wing. Slumped steps would eventually find their way down the staircase and, eventually, into the Throne Hall itself, the main structure in the center of the guild hall. Heading for the hallway that led to the East Wing, Johann already looked forward to the meal that awaited him soon when suddenly, a voice rang out, echoing through the expansive hall. The Ambassador turned his head instinctively, his eyes falling on ... well, someone. Someone he had not seen before specifically. The man wouldn't need to wonder what they were doing here, as the mysterious newcomer promptly proclaimed their intentions not long after announcing their entry.

Which brought up another issue. As far as Johann could tell, and he double-checked by taking a quick peek around, he was the only guild member here at present ...

... meaning he would have the honor of greeting the new arrival.

The Ambassador, despite this exact thing being his job, was not too thrilled. He was barely conscious and would rather do something else right now, this being one of the times where he wished Sivvy would actually take over, but at present the rose-haired girl was nowhere to be seen, and so there was only really one option. Begrudgingly, the man would walk over, greeting the newcomer from a distance with a quick, formal "Hello".

He stepped closer, following up swiftly, "So you've come to join Dies Irae, have you? Well, it seems today is your lucky day ...", the man tried to suppress a yawn, but only managed to do so with little success, "... I am Ambassador Johann von Weiss, the guild master of Dies Irae. Welcome to Amber Island, I hope you had a pleasant journey". He quickly worked through an official introduction in the hopes it would bring him closer to the desired coffee. Actually, that brought up a valid point. "Are you thirsty? Hungry? Come, meal's on me, and you can tell me what brings you to Amber Island and Dies Irae". With these words the Ambassador turned, throwing an expecting look over his shoulder.

It seemed that, luckily for the Ambassador, the young lad was keen on taking him up on his offer, a circumstance that Johann appreciated, even if it was simply for a hearty reakfast and talk over a cup of coffee, though the God of Ishgar still didn't know what time it actually was, his brows rising when the other addressed him once again. "Oh? Is that so? I had no idea ...". That would explain why there was no one to be seen in the Throne Hall, or even the normally so busy West Wing for that matter, apart from the occasional member quietly hurrying through the hallways. "I don't think so, Mister Everlash. Is that correct? Anyway, I just happened to be around. I suppose my sleep schedule is somewhat out of the norm for outsiders", the man answered after pondering over his words for a short second. It was true that the Ambassador slept when he felt like it, and his newfound constitution allowed for days, perhaps even weeks before a night of rest was needed. It appeared that the new arrival had, in a bit of fortune, simply caught him at one of those rare times.

The idle chatter had been enough to kill the time it took to walk through the broad hallway before finally arriving at an open archway that led into yet another hall-like room, though this time, rows and rows of tables and chairs lined one side of it from end to end. The Mess Hall of Dies Irae, enough to comfortably accommodate all members of the guild at all times. Even now, at this time of day, the smell of freshly baked bread lingered in the air, the well-oiled apparatus that as the kitchen and its staff never closing or slowing down. To one side of the room, the extensive breakfast buffet had already been set up, despite the fact that the room was not full at the slightest. Not too surprising. In any case, the Ambassador lost no time, grabbing a plate from one of the stacks before making his way through the assortments of various breakfast foods and baked goods and grabbing whatever he felt like before finally pouring a cup of steaming hot, dark-ish liquid, setting his sights on one of the nearby tables. The newcomer, of course, was also free to do the same, the Ambassador hoping that the other would join him at the table once he was done.

Of course, there was still some blanks about the newcomer that required filling-in, and should the other join him, the Ambassador wouldn't remain silent. The man took a sip from his coffee, the warmth of the drink immediately beginning to revitalize him. The Ambassador took a deep breath. "So, Mister Everlash, Eli, whichever you prefer ...", he would wait for the other to answer before giving a nod and continuing, "... what brings you to Amber Island and Dies Irae specifically? Our organization holds a ... distinct reputation amongst the guilds of Earthland, so I assume there must be a similarly distinct reason for taking the long, harsh journey to this very guild?". Perhaps Johann was a tad too curious, and the other could, naturally, refuse to answer, though still, the Ambassador hoped he could find out more about him.

The man was glad the other had indeed decided to join him at the table, the conversation that ensued capturing his attention. It wasn't every day that a new recruit stumbled into the guildhall of Dies Irae, after all. With quiet sips of his coffee, the weariness from earlier would slowly but surely fade away, the Ambassador now fully awake and focussed on the newcomer called Eli. "Of course", the silver-haired Rune Mage replied quickly. Everyone had a past to deal with, Johann out of most people understood that well. Still, from what he was saying, the young man seemed to be quite determined, not just eager to advance the goals of this very guild, but also his own, getting stronger in the process. Johann couldn't help but smirk. It seemed he had understood well what DI was really about. It was a good start. He used the others pause to give him a nod. "I'm glad you seem to be have set yourself a goal, Eli. The pursuit of strength is a goal most virtuous, indeed".

The next part would be proving his determination, which, as if the young man could read the Ambassador's mind, the other would promptly do, Johann's eyes following his hands before finally resting on the small pouch the other had produced for just a few moments. So he had made the journey all the way here on his own? Certainly, it would've been risky, if not outright dangerous to do so by oneself. And yet, the newcomer seemed like he had persevered, for the goal that he, that the guild had set themselves. It was admirable, the Ambassador had to admit. Johann nodded, his eyes still on the pouch before rising back up to those of Eli, noticing the sanguine flash of magic within his oculars as he did. Johann could clearly feel the stirr in the back of his head, Mars' attention caught by this unusual display of magical prowess. It starkly reminded the man of his own demonic oculars, a small smile curling a corner of his mouth upward. It was most intriguing, indeed. The Second Seal would be sure to make a mental note of that ...

Though, Eli was still not done, delivering a speech that couldn't have been more perfect in its wording. Johann's smile broadened into a grin. The young mage reminded him of himself when he had been younger. Eager, determined, curious. Who was the Ambassador to take this away from him? "We are all human, Eli, and we all make mistakes", Johann touched on the other's points when he had finished speaking. "The key is to learn from them. And that is what you have come here for, I presume? To learn, to become strong. I think, Eli, that you are more than qualified to be a member of Dies Irae. Not just that, I would be proud to call you a member of my guild".

The Ambassador took a deep breath before exhaling sharply, his demeanor and tone changing at once, his warm, soft gaze turning a little more neutral, though holding a slight glimmer of excitement. "I, Johann von Weiss, Ambassador of Dies Irae, accept you as a Soldier of this guild". He reached into the pockets of his long coat, pulling out a vial of crimson liquid and uncorking it with a practiced motion. "Please specify the location for your guild mark for me so I can grant you the cross of Dies Irae that identifies you as a member".