Bareshnum [Mazda, Arcadia]

Perhaps this was nothing more than a matter of necessity, but even so, Mazda did not relish the thought of speaking with Arcadia for even one second longer than was required for his efforts. Even if she showed him the due worship, her presence appalled him. A god who refused to bend herself to the rules of pantheon was not something that he would abide in his presence, and certainly not simply because she was considered dear to his former vessel.

"Arcadia."

He spoke nothing more than her name as he entered into her quarters, certainly not asking her permission and having no intention of seeking it. Even if she had demanded he leave, he would do nothing of the sort. After all, this was his domain, and more pressingly, this was a matter of...divine intervention, so to speak.

"Come. You and I will be traveling."

"There is only one place in this world that I would wish to bring you, and it is only in these singular circumstances that I would ever think to bring you to it."

Taking her hand without any warning, and certainly without any consideration for whether or not Arcadia would agree to such contact. Her consent in these matters was irrelevant, given her character and her nature. Mazda would correct such things. With but a few of his divine words, Mazda brought them both quite far from the City of Lights, to a place where the sun had set and where there was nothing but empty tranquility. They stood within the ruins of an ancient city, much of the stone worn away, atop a mountain which in turn was surrounded by a great lake. It was silent, a desolate place, one not touched by human hands in a great many years. Mazda considered it better this way.

"Disrobe."

Mazda, of course, understood why he had brought Arcadia to this place, but whether or not she understood was wholly irrelevant to him. If she asked, he would elucidate her, but he saw no reason to waste breath on the inconsiderate. Here, in this holy place of Kuh-e Khwaja, surrounded by the sacred waters of Kasaoya and under the light of the stars, Mazda would offer a blessing of forgiveness to even this vile creature. Such was the benevolence of the sun.

Her arrogance was almost enough to invoke Mazda's wrath, were it not for his intentions of mercy. But, of course, the sun was merciful, benevolent. He had already aimed to offer this cretin his forgiveness, and he would do so regardless of her attitude toward him. He doubted that she could comprehend the nature of his blessing, regardless.

"You will be absolved of your sins, and cleansed of your wrongdoings. Take solace in this blessing, for precious few would be given such kindness."

Bringing his hand up to her head, Mazda took hold of Arcadia, his palm upon her forehead as each finger held her where she stood. She would not be able to wrench herself from this grip, not without assuring her death. And that, certainly, would not have been the outcome Mazda sought.

"This place is one of rebirth, where the holy maidens will one day bring forth the manifestations of my will. You, certainly, are no maiden, but in my kindness I offer you rebirth still. A purification by the light of the sun itself."

Mazda was not one to take the words of lesser creatures into any particular account, if they were not words of value. He did not care whether this vile woman objected to his methods or not. She would understand when he was finished with her, and that was all that mattered.

However--

"Do not think to compare me to a mere delusional child. His grasp of this divinity was nothing but mental disease, instability and weakness carrying him to power that was not his. I am my own power, and though you may have been that which freed me, I do not pretend that I owe you any kindness for this."

His grip tightened upon her, if only barely, as he was not one who allowed his emotions to control his actions. To bring her any harm ran counter to his aims, and Mazda was not a man who would give up on his goals.

"Your rejection is meaningless when your existence is so wholly clouded in sin. When we are through, only then will I acknowledge any rejection, if you still wish to make it. But know that to accept the sun's love and mercy is a far greater existence."

And, with that spoken, Mazda forced one of the fragments of his very being into Arcadia. With the point of contact between his hand and her forehead, it was not particularly difficult. He imagined that this would likely be something of an agonizing process, given the scope of such a purification as this. But such things were necessary. The holy flame did still burn those it blessed, and to create a more perfect being from this harlot was a grand blessing indeed.

In most instances, Mazda would simply have annihilated whoever attacked him with such ferocity. But it was understandable, given the agony she was undoubtedly in. He even felt the faintest degree of pity, enough so that he offered a brief few words of his Avesta to ease her suffering at least some modest bit. Of course, the wounds themselves were inconsequential to him, and his hold upon her did not lessen one iota as he continued to force this aspect into her being, to clear out all which was impure and which was sinful.

"Your blasphemy is forgiven. Accept this penance, even knowing it is agony. It will pass, and afterward your existence will surely be far more pleasant."

This was, of course, only the first step, but Mazda would not simply abide a sinner such as she to remain in his presence in the meanwhile. Her existence was a great benefit to him, after all, and he knew quite well that there had been a loss of life unlike any other in history not long ago. He had begun to accumulate those lost souls, the power of that fractured realm, but it would take more time than he was willing to tolerate Arcadia as she currently was. So, for now, he would simply bring her to salvation, create a more beneficial version of one who could yet be saved.

The aspect of the Skies slipped away from him, through Mazda's arm and into the mind of Arcadia before him. He knew that offering this to his beloved Helle had not been such a tragic process, but she also had not been so violently opposed to it, so filled with filth that needed to be cut away. He did not relish this torment, even upon one so despicable as the demon before him.