warforged | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Who: Zelos and Redsworn
What: Zelos is bored, thus people suffer.
Where: Ruby Sanctum
When: Anytime this week
Warnings: Swearing probably

[Zelos had no idea demonic apocalypses could be so...dull.]

[Okay, maybe that was the wrong word for it. But to Zelos, it's felt as though he's done nothing but train, gather supplies and fight demons for the past several months. And what the only village being a complete boondocks and the fact he didn't get along with a lot of the other Sworn- he couldn't help but start to feel a little like he was going nuts from the repetition. Even in Exsilium he had a job, books to read and a roommate to harrass. Not to mention a bed and a shower. This was painful!]

[And unfortunately for the Sworn, Zelos's boredom had a habit of turning on others.]

[So for the people that hang around the Ruby Sanctum, they might be finding themselves to be the victims of pranks and little annoyances. Practicing your fire? It might suddenly flare up a little (never enough to be dangerous- just startling). Sitting under the shade of the tree? You may have to watch out for falling nuts. Set something down and walked away for a bit? Wow, how did it move ten feet into the bush? Or maybe you found your armor has been painted on! Or any other assortment of mostly harmless, but irritating things]

[Or maybe you got lucky and avoided Zelos's pestering. Instead you might just find him sitting by the lake, looking perpetually bored out of his mind.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You know, a rented-out cat hardly makes it sound less dirty.

[The gutter is strong in this mind]

A mission? To where?

If this Azeroth is anything like the one history speaks of, there are a number of other empires out there. Trolls, Nerubians, Quiraji... all of them about to be blown when the Well of Eternity finally detonates and the map is rewritten.

[He runs a hand down his face, briefly.] Not that I expect any of them to be friendly. All three races are pretty much omnicidal. But I can at least see if they're there, and if there's an outside chance of diplomatic contact, I might be able to make it.

[He considers. Other than what he knows about Nepeta, none of those races sound familiar at all]

So....you want to go out alone on a giant cat and try to contact three empires that have a history of being omnicidal on the off chance they wanna talk before they kill you?

Is that what I'm hearing right?

[Mar thumps his chest proudly.] Hey, you're talking to the Wakener, I have a surprisingly good track record with this sort of thing!

...Seriously, I'm probably the best-equipped to manage it. Paladins are hard to stick down and trap, particularly when we use Divine Shield. That's why I worked my ass off to borrow the nightsaber -- I can outrun them easily enough once I'm on it.

[Mar shrugs slightly.] It'll be dangerous, but we need the information on what's out there. If, as I suspect, everything is at war with us, we need to be prepared.

[he tilts his head] I dunno...Paladin or not, still seems a lot of risk.

[But he gives a small defeated shrug. He'd offer to go but frankly, it's too dangerous and he sees it as a fool's errand. So he's not about to risk his neck over it]

But I guess it's not my call. Just about how long will it take?

Think of it this way. If they're hostile, we have to prepare for hostility from them. The Kaldorei and the trolls have been at war ever since the former diverged from the latter. If the Legion weakens their defenses, the trolls will take the opportunity to strike. We need to know if we should expect that, so we can prepare for it.

I can't take a second person, unfortunately. These things only seat one. [He pats the nightsaber's side.] I can't really guess on the times. I hope a few days, but if I don't find things as I expect them, it could be longer.

Of course they've been at war. I love dealing with interracial politics.

[And he gives a snort]

Trust me, I wasn't gonna ask to come. There's no way you could afford my rates for a mission like that. I just wanted to know how long we should wait until we can start wondering if you're dead.

Well, hope for the best, and when I come riding back in you can all be disappointed.

[That might just be a cut, cheerfully delivered, at the idea that Kaneis would refuse to come help even if he could. And then people wondered why Mar openly advised them to give up on the Red flight...]

[Except Zelos is more than happy to call him out on his bullshit. He feels no shame in that he wouldn't help. It's a suicidal mission with a guy he barely knows. ]

Aw, what? Did I piss you off?

It's not that I want you dead, but you're gonna go try to chat up a bunch of people apparently known for their violent tendencies. It's not unreasonable to assume anyone could get killed doing that.

If you can't recognize that risk, then it's no wonder people don't like you going off by yourself.

As usual for this Flight, you assume that taking a calculated risk is the same as failing to recognize a risk exists. [Mar simply shrugs. He's been avoiding the Sanctum for a month now specifically because of this attitude.] And similarly assume the fact that I haven't singlehandedly won the war against the Legion myself means that I have absolutely no skills and ought to cower from beetles, let alone Nerubians. I'm surprised none of the Red Dragonsworn have starved to death because they refuse to eat, since there's always a chance you'll choke on the food.

[There's no help for it. Do anything, and someone calls you an idiot for it. It's precisely the reaction he expected, and he turns back to mount the nightsaber.]

You should commiserate with the Vindicator. She doesn't believe I've ever done a single thing in my life either.

[He lets out a laugh] 'Course she doesn't believe a single thing you've done. I don't believe a single thing you've done. Why? Because we don't know you.

[He pushes a lock of his hair back.]

I mean seriously, you know how many tall tales I've been fed? My human lifespan's not as long as the rest of yours- but there's still been time for a lot of 'em. And most of them? Were incredibly false.

And here you are, a reckless guy whose clearly in love with the sound of his own voice, showing up and thinking the fact you can carry a big sword as proof enough for us to believe every crazy tale that comes out of your mouth! Nevermind you don't listen to us, and just about called us a bunch of cowards because I dare imply that this could be fatal mission.

Which the sword thing, by the way? Who cares. I knew a twelve year old who could lift more.

So yeah, Vastania, myself or hell, anyone in this flight, have no reason to believe you about any of your great feats or incredible capabilities. Especially when you seem to act like nothing but a petulant child whenever someone calls you into question.

But hey. Whatever. [He gives a little patronizing wave] Have fun on your little trip.

[Mar simply arches an eyebrow as he settles across the great cat's saddle.]

And that's exactly what's wrong with the Flight as it stands. Everyone is so busy insisting that it has to be the way they understand that every other possibility is dismissed out of hand. You'd rather I be a liar or insane that give any credence to what I've done, simply because you're not prepared to accept a world in which what I've done is possible. You came upon me in the midst of a fight against a small group of demons, and yet even after it ended, you refused to believe the evidence of your very eyes and still insisted that my efforts were absolutely, positively guaranteed to be fatal. In short, you'd rather make an enemy of me because accepting anything I say or do is utter anathema to you.

That's Valamia's attitude, as well. Forget hope. It's futile. Spend your efforts preserving your life for as long as you can, instead of taking the chance, because the chance is a lie. Don't step out of the Sanctum, because you'll die. Don't oppose the Legion, because you can't win. So yes. I'm calling you all cowards, because you've made it very clear that you will accept absolutely no risk to yourselves whatsoever, and you will take absolutely no risks for any purpose whatsoever.

[An afterthought strikes him, a case of selective judgment or hypocrisy he ought to raise, and he doesn't hesitate in the slightest to do so.] Oh, I should mention -- Nepeta says she has olive blood. While I'm away, why don't you spend your energies telling her that's a lie and she's crazy for saying it? Or is that somehow more credulous than the idea that I can maybe kill three demons reliably without dropping over dead?

Huh. How about that.

[a beat]

You really do love the sound of your voice.

[That's right. he ain't even replying to what Mar has to say. He feels it's not even worth it because Mar is doing exactly what he described him as doing. Acting like a sullen child]

Too cowardly even to answer.

[Mar says this without any particular rancor, just resignation. He'd been joking about transferring flights, but at this point, the red flight is, to his mind, a lost cause. Perhaps he can have a word with Krasus when he gets back.]

[In any case, he has no intention of sticking around and hearing from anyone else why he's dumb and wrong. He turns the nightsaber around, then urges it forward.]

[And he simply snorts in reply, and moves to relax in his spot again- not saying or doing anything to stop Mar. Since seriously dude, whatever.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only