[OPEN] That sign isn't for me because I didn't read it

GIDEON

pulled out all your stitches

Gideon was too distracted in the throes of his passionate speech to notice in the moment itself, but later he would reflect and be surprised that so many were content to just listen or even seemed willing to protect him. The last time he had come to Torchline, there had been a distinct air of resistance against his ideas. Maybe they were finally coming around.

The first to question was a young woman asking for more detail, which he was glad to give. "I am Gideon Clemments. Priest of the Trinity Temple in Stormbreak and loyal servant of the True Gods. I'm assuming that is why they attacked - and of course, my associate Cian, who was murdered, was the leader of the Order." By this point, Gideon assumed the cat was out of the bag when it came to the Order. Besides, if they were going to make the kind of steps they had to, they'd soon be well known.

"The first that attacked was a young girl by the name of Mabel. You'll be glad to hear she is dead. The second was a tall, older woman with short blonde hair and a hard, evil look in her eyes." Embellishing his part, Gideon drew a hand over his face and stared across the crowd. "Mabel was overtaken - no, possessed - by their ghoul of a 'Goddess' and killed my companion. I was attacked with blades by the other and only escaped by the mercy of the True Gods. Luckily, I had means to get out of there." He clasped a hand to his chest as if savouring what life remained within.

He was about to continue in a similarly passionate manner about the crazed look in Mabel's eyes as the electric demon took her body, but then a child approached. Gideon stopped, unable to calm himself down enough to respond appropriately to the kindness - he just shook his head. Not that it mattered, because soon there was an adversary in the crowd, someone to direct his ire towards.

Watching Cam with dark eyes and a straight, domineering posture as they spoke, he scoffed out loud at several parts of their speech but said nothing until it was done. When they were finished, he took in a breath then began to laugh. Loud, high pitched laughing that echoed down the street, not joyous but angry and manic. "You think I'm scared to call you a liar?! You are a liar ten times over, just like every machine she spews out. Am I meant to take your word that you come for peace? Even if you do, what about when your Goddess decides enough is enough and takes control of your body? I've seen her do it. Like a puppet - she could take your hands and put them around the necks of anyone she chose!"

Hubris is a bitch