Out of the Summer Garden [Cyrus, Arcadia]

"That is true. I have done my best to bring in those I believe are of good character, who would align with my ideals, but if they would stand in the way of a secure world, I would have to find a way to rid us of them."

It was just the truth, bitter as those words felt to leave Cyrus' mouth. He did not like to think of such a thing taking place. Everyone who had joined the Vandenreich was someone who had come to help the world, someone that he had placed his faith in as Grandmaster. He did not wish to imagine that their views could suddenly come into such grave conflict.

"The quincy arts are an esoteric tradition. Spellcraft, manifesting one's will and one's conviction into the outside. All of it designed to destroy the spiritual and protect ourselves when no others would protect us."

As Arcadia sat up, Cyrus took her hands in his, fingers intertwining as he continued to look up at her affectionately. It was a sight he could have enjoyed forever, but at the same time, it was still a painful reminder that she could have kept him here for as long as she wished. He may have recovered in the loosest possible sense, but he was a far cry even from what he had been in the days before he stole godhood.

"I will need to study again. To practice, if I am to become strong without sacrifice."

"I see."

She smiled at his hands holding onto her's, it was a reassuring gesture which made it all the more peaceful to close her eyes to and think to herself. Another faint smile forming as her thoughts came to an idea, the bewitching red gaze look back at his calm blue one which betrayed the fact she had an idea in her head.

"If you're resolved in this path then I desire to be your first trial. Overpower me and prove that you have the mettle to stay true to your resolve or I'll keep you here until I tire."

Arcadia gave her challenge, it was quite the simple labour that she'd given him as she knew that she was not the most powerful but she was strong enough to pose a problem to him as he was now.

Such a smile would surely have been enough to shake Cyrus from even the most self-destructive of thoughts, but at the moment, when he felt genuinely confident, capable of achieving his aims and understanding of what it would take to reach that end, it was simply divine in its beauty.

"To overpower you... My, you certainly do know how to demand much of me even in the smallest measures, hm?"

He knew, realistically, that he was still not in a place where he could actually overpower Arcadia. His body was weak, and his abilities had faltered greatly. It was no surprise, after all, Cyrus had lost much of his own soul to hubris. But regardless of the reason, of whatever mistakes he might or might not have made, the fact of the matter was that Cyrus was far from who he had once been.

Still, he would not give up. Even facing a woman he could not match in strength, he made the effort even so, to lift himself, push her off and down onto the bed. But, of course, that was no easy task. If Arcadia wished it, frankly, it could well have been impossible.

She smiled at his words. It was an impossible task for something so simple, even as he tried to exert some force against her body Arcadia was able to match it and keep a steady gaze on him. A couple of moments longer before she cocked her head to the side.

"Mmm. Of course, my love. Though I may not boast the most power of a spiritual being I promise you that I will demonstrate the full extent of my will in this. Anything less would only be a disservice to how much you and your growth mean to me."

Arcadia explained, curious to see if he meaned to utilise some trick to overcome her challenge or if he could attempt to outlast her own resolve and strength before making his move then.

Unlike him, Arcadia was under no other arrangements that she had to meet or people that relied on her.

There was a part of Cyrus which certainly knew how he might have moved her off of him, made her lose her focus for long enough that he could push her away. He knew Arcadia's little weaknesses, the things that could catch her off guard. But he also refused to do that. Cyrus' every effort to become stronger had always been cowardly, dishonest. He had never simply pushed forward and done what good men did.

He would not walk that path yet again, even if he still knew in his heart that he was far from a good man. So instead, he simply continued his resolute attempts to push her up, regardless of how impossible it might have been for him.

"I am certainly blessed that you care so dearly."

The thought continued to cross his mind, how easy it would be to distract her. But it would be so fundamentally against his efforts, his wishes to better himself. He refused.

"Hmm?"

She pondered the lack of attempts, she was keenly aware of the more underhanded tactics that he could utilise which he very clearly was not intending to use. Arcadia did cast a more thoughtful gaze though while leaning into him a bit more.

"Are your other aspects idle in this trial?"

Arcadia inquired, curious as to what the perspectives of his other reflections were and if he was adamant on ignoring their input in the situation.

"Whether or not they might wish to be, I have certainly ignored their thoughts on the matter. Perhaps that is simply one more matter of my hubris. To feel as though they are foreign when they are simply one more part of me."

Cyrus knew that to speak on this was something of a delicate subject, but the last thing that he wanted was to lie about it. He had a long road to walk if he wished to become an earnestly better man, and to be honest was a part of that. He hated those other sides of himself at times, those reminders of his failings. Still, he knew that to simply ignore them was a fool's endeavor. He could not afford to do that. And so, he simply closed his eyes, and after a moment his expression shifted, the countenance of the Affectionate Flame now looking up at Arcadia.

"Perhaps there is a sense that I do not deserve to grow, either. A guilt which remains in my heart, knowing everything I have caused the last time I dared reach for power. Even in caution, it is frightening to wonder what I might cause with even a bit of ambition."

"Is that so?"

She poised to the affectionate flame, her garnet eyes narrowing at the man beneath her as he spoke one of his greatest obstacles.

"If you cannot accept what has happened then you will never budge me. You know that, chained by fear and burdened by regret, you falter. If you are to ever make your conviction steadfast then you will accept what you have done, who you are and overpower me with anything at your disposal."

Arcadia had realistically denied him an avenue in saying this, her demeanour shifting far more to her own commanding one which would make it a lot harder if he chose to try and seduce her or utilise a more underhanded tactic.

"I know that all too well, Arcadia. That I cannot ever simply run from my failures, for having done so is precisely why I am here, why I am unable even to move myself from beneath you. I would never dare to run from my mistakes. It would be the most cruel thing that I could do to everyone I hold dear."

Cyrus' hands tightened around Arcadia's the faintest touch as he said that. Even if he did not openly state it, his guilt was still clear. He knew exactly how she had suffered, how everyone had suffered. In many ways, he wished not to speak on it any further, but this conversation was vital. Honesty was vital.

"I cannot be weighed down by my regrets. I cannot let myself fail you all again because I am so embittered by having done it once before. To forget them would be nothing short of evil, and so I must simply build upon them. Create something on that foundation."

His eyes met hers as he released her hands, his touch trailing over her. Arcadia was certainly stronger than him, that much was true. But Cyrus was not outright weak. And she, regardless of strength, did not weigh terribly much. He knew perfectly well from experience that he could carry her, but for now, he simply allowed his touch to move to her legs, giving nothing away. Besides, there was still conversation to be had.

There was no resistance when his hands left her's but they would not back off, instead they had just moved to pushing down his shoulders instead and resumed the trap that she was for the moment. A prison that prevented him from escaping the weight of the discussion.

"Right."

She affirmed while keeping her resolved gaze on his.

"So take your burden and make it your strength. Seize whatever means at your disposal and use it to overcome the obstacle in your path. Your wings may be charred by flying too close to the sun but if weep over your blackened wings then you'll never fly again."

Now she waited for his answer, she'd given him all she could and in her mind there was nothing else she could do but serve as an echo chamber. Any action or step towards his own success was dependent on him now.