[ There is a soft note of delight, though it is a dark sort of delight, endemic of someone who truly does enjoy the company of devils in her own way. ]
Bold, to simply accept, but I like boldness. [ Another laugh. ] Though I inquire less of your...properties, and more of your people. Society, castes, and what it is like in your own hells ā if they are even called that.
Let's call it... cultural exchange.
[ Just like Sebastian has pride, so does Akua. She doesn't ask to make this easy for her to learn about how to bind Sebastian, but because she wants to know. ]
Well, āknowledgeā is a very deep pool, no? The terms are technically met when I give you anything you did not already know.
[ Itās still playful rather than barbed, but he does feel the need to point out that itās not so boldā¦ At least if Sebastian chose to interpret the exchange by the letter. Yet itās fairly easy to guess that itās not his intention here. ]
Hm. It is an interesting this to request, though. And actually quite valuable, relatively speaking, for much of it I would not be able to share, were I bound by the rules of my world. So, I suppose that is as good a place to start as anyā¦
[ He hums thoughtfully even so, since itās a broad subject. Just like anyone else were they to be asked to explain their entire society, a starting point is difficult. But the rules that govern demons are a rather core part. ]
It is a realm of contradictions. It is chaos, for that is the natural bent of my kind, but it is far from anarchic. Order is strictly imposed, partially because of primeval accords, partially because it is the natural way to ensure our continued existence. Chaos is short-sighted, after all. Were my kind allowed to go unchecked, they would descend upon humanity like locusts and glut themselves. So, order must be imposed by necessity, and that creates the structure of our society as well as its castes, yes. And for those, I will use human classifications, but think of them as analogies more than directly equivalent.
At the bottom, you have our equivalent of children. A pure demon is not born, it simply is. From the primordial dark, all the evils of humanity, whatever it is you may wish to imagine, they are all true. It is the endless font from which we flow. They are barely thinking things, but as they consume each other, a ball of the dark will eventually be granted the right to āexistā. So, a step above them are the smaller, more bestial creatures. Sentient, certainly, but lacking in power. Imps are the best known, but your little friend would be at this rank as well. They are often familiars, for at this level they are still somewhat safe for humans to handle. But it is at this point they also gain their hunger.
Technically speaking, what all demons from my world feed upon is suffering and anguish. It is why our realm exists as punishment. Through that primeval accord, the souls of the wicked are sent to our realm to be tormented forevermore. Imps and the like begin to partake in this to feed themselves, but they also begin to know power and preference. You learn what you like from a soul. You learn how to extract it. And those that are skilled are named by their betters. Once a demon obtains a name, they can begin to play at the grander games of our realm.
Our realm is not purely one of human suffering, after all. It is one of politicking and war just as much, but those are our personal pursuits. For once you have a name, you may start to play at the grand game, as we call it. Those with names are recruited into Legions, and these Legions follow what you would expect from militaristic ranks. From undying cannon fodder to clever tacticians, a demon becomes wiser here. More dangerous. You serve your master and fight wars unending against their enemies, for here, it truly becomes about power. We feast on the flesh of our defeated foes and take their wisdom, their abilities granted by their master. You will find intelligent, clever demons here, as well as the half-breeds born from humans. [ shoutout to my man raphael ]
Yet, every demon that hungers for more than endless war wants the same thing. To kill and eat their master. There are but seventy-two demons who command Legions, and their names are synonymous with titles. Play the grand game for thousands of years until you find your masterās weak spot and strike. Consume them and steal their name, and you steal their power. It is demonic nobility, essentially. These are the enforcers of order in our realm, and the most dangerous and powerful demons there are. Within their ranks, they are subdivided further into everything from kings to presidents, but to human conception, they are all akin to gods. Our realm is shaped to their will, and their powers are vast. Nigh unkillable, unless you are clever enough to figure out their one, true weakness. So, these positions do no change often. I have seen entire Legions annihilated with a thought simply because one member was lucky enough to stumble upon the weakness without even knowing what it was.
And high above them all is the Light-bringer, Lucifer. The world of humanity knows of him and sees him differently depending on the religious lens through which he is viewedā¦ But it is true that he is our realmās overseer. Where he came from or how he came to impose order upon us, I cannot say, for I do not know. But if there is a being that we exalt, it is he, if only because he could unmake any of us with a thought. He is the sovereign, and every demon bows to his will. How lucky, then, that he is impartial and all-seeing.
[ Itās all explained warmly, with a panache thatās near hypnotic. Sebastian is an excellent speaker when he chooses to use the skill at its fullest, and its seen here. And similarly, she might notice that he doesnāt say a single thing about his position here. Itās all enticing, forbidden knowledge, since heās telling the truth to imply that he couldnāt be so specific normally. But in the wealth of information, the specificities that could apply to him are lost. Only someone incredibly sharp would even notice. ]
ā¦And with that, you know the truth of my realm more than any mortal or even any tome from my world! Why, our record keepers would be quite cross with all of the detail, but how fun that they are not here to enforce their will, hm?
[ Akua offers a rich, delighted laugh at his jest, but she listed with rapt attention through all of it. Sebastian likely does not need to know that Akua will not Forget the information that he provided so easily, but her first thought when he finishes is that she wondered what position Sebastian held in this. Not the children, or even imps. She suspects he is of the higher echelons, given what she knows of not only his capabilities, but that's pure guess.
She does not hide the suspicion, in fact, just to give him a little boost to his demonic ego. ]
So different from the demons we know, but the concepts are... similar in other societies of my world.
[ In fact, she thinks, demons sound like the Drow in her world. Certainly, the amount of power was different, Drow varied from merely able to use Night to ones like the Tomb-Maker, whom were so ancient that their power was vast, but hardly limitless. Demons seemed to have a similar society, but with the power dialed far higher. ]
I feel honored to gain this knowledge. It's a shame those in your realm will likely never know that you shared this, unless you think that your Light-Bringer could have survived what happened to our worlds, hm?
Though, if your record keepers come calling, I think I'll keep this knowledge to myself, hm?
[ Thereās a little shrug of emotion, but even so, the sense that comes with it thatās complex. Sebastian respects him, that much is clear, and itās not even the sort of begrudging respect that might come from someone with eons-long plans to maybe overthrow him. Itās genuine. But it is not loyalty. Where demons may use human titles, they do still amount to a metaphor to help explain their hierarchy. The social contracts that the words would imply in the human world simply donāt exist. Lucifer is the ruler of all demons, yet there is no love for him. It simply is, just as the sun is in the sky. ]
I can say that if they did, you would not pay the price, at the very least. That would solely be my problem to bear. But it would not be the first time.
[ He sighs. But slyly and subtlety, heās directing her away from the topic that has value, at least to him. What he offers is no less interesting and no less enticing in terms of knowledge and Sebastianās place within the fabric of his world, but it doesnāt bear the same teeth. ]
I once caused quite a ruckus very much accidentally. But it serves as a good demonstration of the sort of balance between our realm and the human realm that I meanā¦ As well as an interesting example of how very fragile humanity is once greater forces touch it, even following such rules. To make a very long story short, I introduced a disease to a force besieging my master to force them to retreat. It was effective. They did.
[ He doesnāt even need to say it, almost. The ābutā is palpable, which is why he gives a little pause, as if he were drinking from a glass of wine to punctuate the conversation. ]
ā¦But not before catapulting their dead into the city. It was the origin of a plague that swept through a great portion of the world. Much to my surprise.
[ Genuinely. He never could have guessed what would happen, because there had never been anything quite like it before. A staggering number is delivered with the emotional equivalent of another shrug, even so. ]
It is terribly hard to know with any accuracy, as the world was simpler back thenā¦ But around twenty-five million died, as best as we can guess. I received the credit for it. And the punishment as well.
[ The flicker of understanding -- respect but not Loyalty is clear -- Akua Sahelian, after all, was Praesi -- and the blood of the First Betrayal, at that! She knows what it is to respect and wish to be the instrument of the downfall of a Rival. Gods Below, did she ever. A good rival was worthy of both respect, and a leader was always a Rival, after all. She knew what it was to respect someone that she would just as suddenly betray and destroy. It was Normal, really. At least for people (or creatures, perhaps?) like them.
But she allows Sebastian to guide her away from it, though he will get the sense that she Allows it, more than that she is ignorant of it. She has her own suspicions, and whether he was weaker than she suspected, or not, it was not of much consequence. After all, she had dealt with Demon Lords before in her dealings and contracts. It was a mark of her respect that she held him in such high esteem, after all. And of such respect. ]
That is still quite staggering. [ She admitted, ruefully. ] My own Doom was only hundreds of thousands of souls. I cannot even comprehend that many people existing on Calernia, frankly.
You must be quite powerful, to be capable of such great destruction.
[ She'll allow herself to be guided, but that does not mean she will not point out the places to which they would diverge back. ]
[ What fun it is to play with people that arenāt easily misled by his clever, careful words. He notes that she hasnāt been distracted at all, really, but he doesnāt allow the amusement to filter through. Her deft handling is proof to him more than anything else that she has indeed dealt with demons, and not minor ones, at that. But conversations like these were always a very fun dance. ]
Ah, I only ever claim that credit for myself in jest, I admit. Truthfully, it was a miscalculation on my part, so I cannot take much pride in it. I thought the disease may wipe out the city, perhaps, but the fact that it spread so widely and viciously was unexpected. Humans are weak and fragile, but they are surprising above all, as it turns out.
[ He laughs with a warm and honeyed tone, but in this context, itās undoubtedly cruel. His āmiscalculationā had such dire consequences, but that was indeed why demons were held to such strict rules. Even a weak demon operated at a different level than any human, and their whims or errors could be costly. Demons were hardly shepherds of humanity, but they overlooked the flock with enough attention to make sure the herd was kept well enough to provide sustenance.
ā¦Not that heās a weak demon, of course. His principles wonāt allow him to take credit for such destruction, but nor does he like the reverse where the implication could be taken that he was imprecise or incapable. Sebastian is no different than any other demons in that respect. Their greatest weakness was always their pride. ]
But yes, I am powerful. Less so in Horos and Kenos, I admit. At āhomeā there was no weapon made by human hands that could harm me. So long as I was in their realm, I was immortal and invulnerable. [ ā¦Essentially. He doesnāt think the scythe of an errant Grim Reaper counts, or at least not for what he means in this case. ] I could create more, was stronger, fasterā¦ A great many of my abilities have been considerably reduced from what they were. But I can accept it as a trade-off for my freedom.
[ Because even reduced as he claims to be, heās still more than fearsome. There are very, very few Shard-Bearers he thinks even come close to his level of ability, and heās talking to one of them. But. He is also curious as a result— ]
Though, all that saidā¦ What was your Doom, Ms. Sahelian?
[ She listens and understands. Power on such a scale, diseases in particular were notorious for getting out of hand. It took careful control ā precise, and even that was no guarantee. How many people had moved through Liesse, when she had enacted the Still Water protocol? How many more could she have been able to destroy, had she waited? Her own madness had been her undoing, after all.
Her need to dominate.
She would have truly been Dread Empress Magnificent, had she succeeded, the legacy of Triumpant returned again.
It is why she understands Sebastian's own... humility, in a way. Things like this did tend to get out of hand, though she was certain that there was some pride there for it. Her lips curled, in communion, acceptance that he may have seen it get out of hand, but it was impressive, nonetheless. ]
My Doom was much smaller, I am afraid. Only hundreds of thousands of souls, but in my world that is a staggering count. I sacrificed the lives of my people of Liesse to power a weapon, and the calculated loss of that energy, I used to propel my city to fly. Their bodies, infected with a disease called Still Water, to convert their bodies to my undead army.
I leashed the collected history of souls of another city within my lands, to use their limitless, unending power to open permanent gates into the hells, to allow as many devils as I wished to come through.
[ She says it with a mix of pride, and guilt. Pride at the complicated mature, even in communion, Sebastian can sense the shape of it. Her power, her calculations. How much it took, how it was unheard of to circumvent Keter's Due. She had done the impossible.
And yet. That was many lives. So many lives. ]
Unfortunately, the Doom of Liesse was for my own pride, and no greater purpose.
[ His surprise and interest is just as clear in Communion in return, even muted as his emotions tend to run in such a direct connection. As with many things, hearing about the feats that were possible in some worlds is impressive to him, and even if what sheād done is absolutely not something that would be possible in his world, heās still fascinated by it. Itās nothing short of a marvel.
However, what she feels in relaying the story is far more interesting to him. The pride is expected. The guilt is not. Heād often wondered how someone that had delighted in wickedness and dark dealings had ended up in Meridian rather than Zenith, and he feels that this is part of that question answered. Itās also the sort of thing that makes him hunger. He wants to dig his claws in, pry out that guilt and force it to overtake her. Do more, do worse until she could scarcely exist without it in the back of her mind. It would be delicious.
ā¦But heās well-practiced enough at this point that this doesnāt actually slip through Communion. He doesnāt want prey to know itās prey until itās far too late. ]
My, my. I did not realize you were such a friend to my kind. Allowing us free passage is quite the kindness.
[ He laughs, since theyāve also talked about this enough to know that itās a bit different. Her devils werenāt quite the same as him, but it would still be no less fearsome, he imagines. Also foolish, really. He wants to ask why sheād even want that, but thatās a curiosity. His actual question is more pointed. ]
Ah, but armies of Walin-Falme to overtake a city at my command? A face-serpent to lay waste to any whom oppose me? [ This one came with the idea of what it was. A hundred-foot serpent with faces for scales, their voice a chorus of those faces screaming and hounding as it spoke. Truly, horrifying. ]
I could have Bound any devil that I wished with merely a command, after all. We were in no danger, and when it comes to Devils, there is no kindness to be found. [ She says it as Sebastian already knows, but she says it also as a reminder that she was not one to be underestimated.
Even as she does not sense the hunger of the Demon before her, in wanting to corrupt. Pride before the fall, etc etc. ]
I do miss it, of course. I'm Praesi, to deny it would be to lie about whom I am.
It is, however, my punishment, to live with the knowledge of what I did, and live I should have. For an eternity, had Creation not been destroyed.
[ Thereās a sense like an acquiescing bow of his head as Akua offers her reminder of her prowess, and oh, he doesnāt forget it for a moment. Heād only seen her magical power once, and it was formidable, true, but her experience was what he respected more. He may not be capable of feeling fear, but if there was a Shard-Bearer that caused him to feel trepidationā¦ It was Akua. Given the right knowledge and the simple want to do so, he has no doubts that she could best him with magic. It was a demonās weakness, and he would argue it was his only one.
However, itās why he keeps things amiable with Akua. She could learn the information necessary, but he could keep that fate at bay by showing that it was better for things to be amiable. He was fun and even helpful, so long as thatās where his whims were. But heās sure she knows that the moment she tried to exert any chain upon him, sheād make a deadly, patient enemy in a moment.
ā¦But thatās the fun of it for them both. They had a healthy respect for each otherās skill and knew the dire consequences of exerting it. ]
Oh, I understand missing it. I miss my own skill and influence that has been lost to me, certainly. Punishment, howeverā¦
[ —But naturally, he doesnāt speak of that unsaid undercurrent. Thereās no need to draw attention to it. Not when something more interesting is before him. ]
I imagine it will not surprise you that I do not understand that portion. But I suppose that is what is different between us. Demon and human.
[ He hums thoughtfully, a warm, honeyed noise. ]
Would you want to feel as I do? To be incapable of feeling guilt?
Mm, if I met a demon who felt remorse, I would wonder what was wrong with it.
[ She says, blithely. For demons were not human, they did not see lives as what they were, and even Akua had once not. She would have seen her works as a necessary action ā for she had possessed the power to do so. That was it. She could, so it was right. Iron Sharpens Iron, and if it did not, then it was merely something to be sliced through.
His question, however, catches her by surprise. ]
I once was.
[ She admitted. ] Liesse was not something I regretted, after I did it, Sebastian.
[ No. It had taken years of dedication, to making her into a Person. With Emotions. ]
But without it, I would not have been able to help change my world. [ And achieve relative immortality, is not spoken, but there's a flicker of it, in this communion. ]
[ His only response to the first part is a laugh that acts as agreement. Fair enough! Any demon that felt remorse would surely consider it a curse, if they were able to survive at all. In fact, the idea of it is a bit funny to him. Were he still needing to defend his title, that would be a lovely punishment to inflict on some upstartā¦
But. Heāll just keep that in mind, should it ever be needed.
For now, heās focused on the turn in conversation, since he does find it genuinely fascinating. What an odd human Akua always proved to be. ]
How did you come to regret it, then? To me, that would seem like a weakness.
[ Itās not a comment that bears an edge or even any judgment. Heās just stating his perception plainly as he attempts to piece it together. ]
However, it would be inevitable, that my transgression would be punished. By a hero, or the Warden, or someone. I would have been snuffed out. A once-in-a-generation talent.
In fact, I was, really. I was a shade for many years. And during those years, I was... forced. To have Friends. I saw a different way of doing things, aside from the sharp cruelty of my Praesi people. I saw that one could be hard, and villainous, without... simply snuffing out the resources that we would need, to perpetuate our rule. And I saw how every time a villain got closer to victory, we were snuffed out. We had to be better than heroes. While they could allow the story to take them where they needed to go, we had to be better, smarter, stronger. Villains would be eradicated before they even had the chance to be their fullest selves.
Between Providence, and the mere existence of Trismegistus, it kept the balance of everything outside of Keter tipped toward Good.
So, I wanted to change the way the deck was stacked. We had no choice, and Villains would always lose, in the end. Providence had sole control over both parts of the story, and Providence would always favor the heroes.
[ There's a touch of amusement, there. Sad amusement, but still amusement. ] And now there is Calamity, to balance out Providence. Something to help the Villains succeed, and prevent them from always falling from grace.
[ Sebastian listens with interest thatās clear in Communion, but it also doesnāt take long for it to be tinged with confusion. Itās still intrigued, but the way that Akua talks about these circumstances is unexpected. Itāsā¦ oddly literary. (lmao) Heās not completely sure how to take it. Even with hearing so much of other worlds and their circumstances, there are still times where he encounters something wholly new. ]
How very restrictive.
[ Thatās his first comment, because itās what occurs to him first. It sounds like a place heād loathe, since it doesnāt seem like a place that a demon like him could thrive. In fact, he thinks that if this were what his kind were subject to, they likely could band together for something after all. If there would ever be something for demons to band together under, it would be to absolutely destroy and raze such a system, or destroy themselves trying.
So, he can relate to her goal. But the emotions that come with itā¦ Not at all. ]
Your world sounds as if itās governed by the sort of God that many religions in my world imagine. Well, of a particularly extreme and zealous flavor, at least. I always thought their vision a terrible, naĆÆve bore, for humanity is interesting because it is not so simple as only good or only evil. Or Heroes and Villains, in your case. My world certainly had nothing governing balance between good and evil. It simply was what humanity made it. Or interpreted it as.
[ A thoughtful noise follows , but it fades into a laugh and the impression of a shrug. ]
My, you must find Kenos quite refreshing, if this is how things were for you. Even Horos, perhaps.
[ She said, with a laugh. ] Before, it was all about maintaining a level of balance. We have gods, but they are not the ones that directly touch the world, but instead the laws and rules that hold us in place. I've felt their attentions, the Weight of my choice, and the burden that it lays on ones soul.
[ It's all complicated, and she won't bore Sebastian too much with all of the details. There's a Lot, and it's all complications and not ones that are relevant here. ]
I can say, that the impulse to monologue has not struck me once since arriving.
[ A laugh flickered through communion, at that. ]
Which, while I do not think would be a prime opportunity to defeat me here, it is refreshing to simply have a conversation, instead of lay out the details of my plans. I think... a place like this is what my world was going to become. There were Villains trying to do what they thought was best, after all, and Heroes who would not have compromised an inch to save the life of an innocent. It was all very...
[ There's the sense of... fond derision. Akua, after all, once had fashioned herself to be in line as Dread Empress Magnificent. Once, she loved her world, and the Wonders she would have created. ]
[ Thereās a sense of befuddlement the more Akua explains, because Sebastian had thought it was just an unusual naming convention, but the more she gets into itā¦
Is Akuaā¦ very literally a fictional characterā¦? (lol)
Sebastian is suddenly very full of questions, but heās also not sure where to even start with them. He had run into this sort of dilemma in Kenos before where he just has to accept that perhaps some things are simply going to be beyond his understanding, but he doesnāt like it. As particular and knowledge hungry as he is, having to come to that conclusion seems like a horrible cop out. But. If sheās indeed not beholden to such rules anymore, as heās plainly seen himself, heās not sure itās worth picking throughā¦
(Or, that is simply too meta of a thread, theyāre not allowed to have that conversation) ]
My, it does sound it. I thought I had it bad with all of the rules and restrictions that Hell and Heaven by extension places upon my kind, but they seem quite fair by comparison.
[ Someday, near the end of the game, they can gab about the weird worlds, and bringing that behemoth back into the world, and Sebastian can feel second hand embarrassment that this TV-Tropes world will be brought back to existence.
As it is, Akua only has another flicker of amusement. ]
Likely, yes. It may even be more forgiving than our own Angels and Devils, whom are... particularly hamstrung by the Narrative. [ Yes. Capital N Narrative. Boy. ]
Above and Below are, I am afraid, merciless taskmasters, and I have become foolish enough to become the personal messenger of Below themselves.
Edited (that was a joke just for you) 2023-11-09 06:13 (UTC)
Well, I would imagine so. [ Now that he can see Akua's world (?) in this new light, some things that she's explained before make perfect sense. ] There is scarcely a tale I have read where the Devil wins. I suppose that is too depressing for mankind, but it is more realistic. Save for the Covenant I was unable to fulfill by virtue of being plucked to Horos, I have never failed in one of mine, after all.
[ He wouldn't count Ciel's as a failure either, though. More...overcome by events. It hardly seems fair to count that circumstance against his otherwise perfect record. ]
Why, it occurs to me that as popular as the works of my world seem to be, I could make a few literary recommendations that may amuse you! There are a great many where the imagination of the author was so delightful that many a demon picked up some of the habits that were espoused for the fun of it.
I would enjoy to see what you find amusing. Particularly in this area. The imaginations of those who dream of devils and demons are always so... particularly devious. I can believe that they would capture your interests as well. [ The collective 'you're' ]
[ He's pleased to hear it, since no one ever appreciates the delightful irony of this! How fun! aka I guess they're starting a book club, help, ]
Well! My personal favorite will always be Faust by Goethe since it is a delightful and personal tale of a human being tempted... The godliness of it is a bit much, but as I said, you can only expect so much from humanity.
Besides that, there is Inferno by Dante Alighieri, which imagines Hell oh so delightfully. It is also wonderfully petty! A poet just made a book of everyone he hated and described their various ironic tortures and torments, and it is a renowned work of literature for it! It is followed by two other poems, but skip them, for again, the godliness ruins all the fun. But I will say that this work is by far the most influential in Hell. The torments were lovely, so nearly all have been taken up.
And finally, I do also enjoy Paradise Lost by John Milton, though it is the least accurate for our kind. It tells a story of how Lucifer came to have his position in Hell by being an angel that rebelled against God. That part is true, but little else. It is a romantic poem, though. It reflects the sorts of things I enjoy about humanity, but I would not spoil that. I think it would be more interesting to hear your opinion.
All of which you are welcome to borrow from my personal library if you cannot find them, by the way. I can create them with no more than a wave of the hand.
Oh, you're too kind. I always forget that you have such delightful powers of creation.
[ Really, it's not that the creation is what's so shocking, but that he remembers entire books. She almost has to laugh, for of course Hayame would truly choose this creature to have such a tiff with. Sebastian was everything she was not, from his inhumanity, to the cultured demeanor.
Akua, of course, would enjoy reading these books, quite a bit. ]
And when I'm done, we'll have to do dinner. I will want to hear your thoughts as well, once I make my way through them. I am sure you'll have plenty of commentary. And I think I'll be curious how these hells compare to the reports of our own.
[ Which of course might make one wonder what it's like at its full capacity if such a thorough and truly miraculous power was the diminished one... But it's not something Sebastian is all that concerned with. Honestly, of all his abilities that were reduced, he doesn't mind that one in the slightest. The need to conjure up a stronghold or the like really doesn't come up all that often. ]
So, I would be delighted to have you over for dinner to discuss them. I believe you know me well enough at this point to know that there is little I would enjoy more!
[ It's an earnest, honest truth, even though that's inherently funny for a demon... For all his wickedness and cruelty, he really does have perfectly mundane and innocuous hobbies. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Bold, to simply accept, but I like boldness. [ Another laugh. ] Though I inquire less of your...properties, and more of your people. Society, castes, and what it is like in your own hells ā if they are even called that.
Let's call it... cultural exchange.
[ Just like Sebastian has pride, so does Akua. She doesn't ask to make this easy for her to learn about how to bind Sebastian, but because she wants to know. ]
no subject
[ Itās still playful rather than barbed, but he does feel the need to point out that itās not so boldā¦ At least if Sebastian chose to interpret the exchange by the letter. Yet itās fairly easy to guess that itās not his intention here. ]
Hm. It is an interesting this to request, though. And actually quite valuable, relatively speaking, for much of it I would not be able to share, were I bound by the rules of my world. So, I suppose that is as good a place to start as anyā¦
[ He hums thoughtfully even so, since itās a broad subject. Just like anyone else were they to be asked to explain their entire society, a starting point is difficult. But the rules that govern demons are a rather core part. ]
It is a realm of contradictions. It is chaos, for that is the natural bent of my kind, but it is far from anarchic. Order is strictly imposed, partially because of primeval accords, partially because it is the natural way to ensure our continued existence. Chaos is short-sighted, after all. Were my kind allowed to go unchecked, they would descend upon humanity like locusts and glut themselves. So, order must be imposed by necessity, and that creates the structure of our society as well as its castes, yes. And for those, I will use human classifications, but think of them as analogies more than directly equivalent.
At the bottom, you have our equivalent of children. A pure demon is not born, it simply is. From the primordial dark, all the evils of humanity, whatever it is you may wish to imagine, they are all true. It is the endless font from which we flow. They are barely thinking things, but as they consume each other, a ball of the dark will eventually be granted the right to āexistā. So, a step above them are the smaller, more bestial creatures. Sentient, certainly, but lacking in power. Imps are the best known, but your little friend would be at this rank as well. They are often familiars, for at this level they are still somewhat safe for humans to handle. But it is at this point they also gain their hunger.
Technically speaking, what all demons from my world feed upon is suffering and anguish. It is why our realm exists as punishment. Through that primeval accord, the souls of the wicked are sent to our realm to be tormented forevermore. Imps and the like begin to partake in this to feed themselves, but they also begin to know power and preference. You learn what you like from a soul. You learn how to extract it. And those that are skilled are named by their betters. Once a demon obtains a name, they can begin to play at the grander games of our realm.
Our realm is not purely one of human suffering, after all. It is one of politicking and war just as much, but those are our personal pursuits. For once you have a name, you may start to play at the grand game, as we call it. Those with names are recruited into Legions, and these Legions follow what you would expect from militaristic ranks. From undying cannon fodder to clever tacticians, a demon becomes wiser here. More dangerous. You serve your master and fight wars unending against their enemies, for here, it truly becomes about power. We feast on the flesh of our defeated foes and take their wisdom, their abilities granted by their master. You will find intelligent, clever demons here, as well as the half-breeds born from humans. [ shoutout to my man raphael ]
Yet, every demon that hungers for more than endless war wants the same thing. To kill and eat their master. There are but seventy-two demons who command Legions, and their names are synonymous with titles. Play the grand game for thousands of years until you find your masterās weak spot and strike. Consume them and steal their name, and you steal their power. It is demonic nobility, essentially. These are the enforcers of order in our realm, and the most dangerous and powerful demons there are. Within their ranks, they are subdivided further into everything from kings to presidents, but to human conception, they are all akin to gods. Our realm is shaped to their will, and their powers are vast. Nigh unkillable, unless you are clever enough to figure out their one, true weakness. So, these positions do no change often. I have seen entire Legions annihilated with a thought simply because one member was lucky enough to stumble upon the weakness without even knowing what it was.
And high above them all is the Light-bringer, Lucifer. The world of humanity knows of him and sees him differently depending on the religious lens through which he is viewedā¦ But it is true that he is our realmās overseer. Where he came from or how he came to impose order upon us, I cannot say, for I do not know. But if there is a being that we exalt, it is he, if only because he could unmake any of us with a thought. He is the sovereign, and every demon bows to his will. How lucky, then, that he is impartial and all-seeing.
[ Itās all explained warmly, with a panache thatās near hypnotic. Sebastian is an excellent speaker when he chooses to use the skill at its fullest, and its seen here. And similarly, she might notice that he doesnāt say a single thing about his position here. Itās all enticing, forbidden knowledge, since heās telling the truth to imply that he couldnāt be so specific normally. But in the wealth of information, the specificities that could apply to him are lost. Only someone incredibly sharp would even notice. ]
ā¦And with that, you know the truth of my realm more than any mortal or even any tome from my world! Why, our record keepers would be quite cross with all of the detail, but how fun that they are not here to enforce their will, hm?
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She does not hide the suspicion, in fact, just to give him a little boost to his demonic ego. ]
So different from the demons we know, but the concepts are... similar in other societies of my world.
[ In fact, she thinks, demons sound like the Drow in her world. Certainly, the amount of power was different, Drow varied from merely able to use Night to ones like the Tomb-Maker, whom were so ancient that their power was vast, but hardly limitless. Demons seemed to have a similar society, but with the power dialed far higher. ]
I feel honored to gain this knowledge. It's a shame those in your realm will likely never know that you shared this, unless you think that your Light-Bringer could have survived what happened to our worlds, hm?
Though, if your record keepers come calling, I think I'll keep this knowledge to myself, hm?
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[ Thereās a little shrug of emotion, but even so, the sense that comes with it thatās complex. Sebastian respects him, that much is clear, and itās not even the sort of begrudging respect that might come from someone with eons-long plans to maybe overthrow him. Itās genuine. But it is not loyalty. Where demons may use human titles, they do still amount to a metaphor to help explain their hierarchy. The social contracts that the words would imply in the human world simply donāt exist. Lucifer is the ruler of all demons, yet there is no love for him. It simply is, just as the sun is in the sky. ]
I can say that if they did, you would not pay the price, at the very least. That would solely be my problem to bear. But it would not be the first time.
[ He sighs. But slyly and subtlety, heās directing her away from the topic that has value, at least to him. What he offers is no less interesting and no less enticing in terms of knowledge and Sebastianās place within the fabric of his world, but it doesnāt bear the same teeth. ]
I once caused quite a ruckus very much accidentally. But it serves as a good demonstration of the sort of balance between our realm and the human realm that I meanā¦ As well as an interesting example of how very fragile humanity is once greater forces touch it, even following such rules. To make a very long story short, I introduced a disease to a force besieging my master to force them to retreat. It was effective. They did.
[ He doesnāt even need to say it, almost. The ābutā is palpable, which is why he gives a little pause, as if he were drinking from a glass of wine to punctuate the conversation. ]
ā¦But not before catapulting their dead into the city. It was the origin of a plague that swept through a great portion of the world. Much to my surprise.
[ Genuinely. He never could have guessed what would happen, because there had never been anything quite like it before. A staggering number is delivered with the emotional equivalent of another shrug, even so. ]
It is terribly hard to know with any accuracy, as the world was simpler back thenā¦ But around twenty-five million died, as best as we can guess. I received the credit for it. And the punishment as well.
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But she allows Sebastian to guide her away from it, though he will get the sense that she Allows it, more than that she is ignorant of it. She has her own suspicions, and whether he was weaker than she suspected, or not, it was not of much consequence. After all, she had dealt with Demon Lords before in her dealings and contracts. It was a mark of her respect that she held him in such high esteem, after all. And of such respect. ]
That is still quite staggering. [ She admitted, ruefully. ] My own Doom was only hundreds of thousands of souls. I cannot even comprehend that many people existing on Calernia, frankly.
You must be quite powerful, to be capable of such great destruction.
[ She'll allow herself to be guided, but that does not mean she will not point out the places to which they would diverge back. ]
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Ah, I only ever claim that credit for myself in jest, I admit. Truthfully, it was a miscalculation on my part, so I cannot take much pride in it. I thought the disease may wipe out the city, perhaps, but the fact that it spread so widely and viciously was unexpected. Humans are weak and fragile, but they are surprising above all, as it turns out.
[ He laughs with a warm and honeyed tone, but in this context, itās undoubtedly cruel. His āmiscalculationā had such dire consequences, but that was indeed why demons were held to such strict rules. Even a weak demon operated at a different level than any human, and their whims or errors could be costly. Demons were hardly shepherds of humanity, but they overlooked the flock with enough attention to make sure the herd was kept well enough to provide sustenance.
ā¦Not that heās a weak demon, of course. His principles wonāt allow him to take credit for such destruction, but nor does he like the reverse where the implication could be taken that he was imprecise or incapable. Sebastian is no different than any other demons in that respect. Their greatest weakness was always their pride. ]
But yes, I am powerful. Less so in Horos and Kenos, I admit. At āhomeā there was no weapon made by human hands that could harm me. So long as I was in their realm, I was immortal and invulnerable. [ ā¦Essentially. He doesnāt think the scythe of an errant Grim Reaper counts, or at least not for what he means in this case. ] I could create more, was stronger, fasterā¦ A great many of my abilities have been considerably reduced from what they were. But I can accept it as a trade-off for my freedom.
[ Because even reduced as he claims to be, heās still more than fearsome. There are very, very few Shard-Bearers he thinks even come close to his level of ability, and heās talking to one of them. But. He is also curious as a result— ]
Though, all that saidā¦ What was your Doom, Ms. Sahelian?
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Her need to dominate.
She would have truly been Dread Empress Magnificent, had she succeeded, the legacy of Triumpant returned again.
It is why she understands Sebastian's own... humility, in a way. Things like this did tend to get out of hand, though she was certain that there was some pride there for it. Her lips curled, in communion, acceptance that he may have seen it get out of hand, but it was impressive, nonetheless. ]
My Doom was much smaller, I am afraid. Only hundreds of thousands of souls, but in my world that is a staggering count. I sacrificed the lives of my people of Liesse to power a weapon, and the calculated loss of that energy, I used to propel my city to fly. Their bodies, infected with a disease called Still Water, to convert their bodies to my undead army.
I leashed the collected history of souls of another city within my lands, to use their limitless, unending power to open permanent gates into the hells, to allow as many devils as I wished to come through.
[ She says it with a mix of pride, and guilt. Pride at the complicated mature, even in communion, Sebastian can sense the shape of it. Her power, her calculations. How much it took, how it was unheard of to circumvent Keter's Due. She had done the impossible.
And yet. That was many lives. So many lives. ]
Unfortunately, the Doom of Liesse was for my own pride, and no greater purpose.
It was, in a word, senseless.
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However, what she feels in relaying the story is far more interesting to him. The pride is expected. The guilt is not. Heād often wondered how someone that had delighted in wickedness and dark dealings had ended up in Meridian rather than Zenith, and he feels that this is part of that question answered. Itās also the sort of thing that makes him hunger. He wants to dig his claws in, pry out that guilt and force it to overtake her. Do more, do worse until she could scarcely exist without it in the back of her mind. It would be delicious.
ā¦But heās well-practiced enough at this point that this doesnāt actually slip through Communion. He doesnāt want prey to know itās prey until itās far too late. ]
My, my. I did not realize you were such a friend to my kind. Allowing us free passage is quite the kindness.
[ He laughs, since theyāve also talked about this enough to know that itās a bit different. Her devils werenāt quite the same as him, but it would still be no less fearsome, he imagines. Also foolish, really. He wants to ask why sheād even want that, but thatās a curiosity. His actual question is more pointed. ]
Do you miss such power now?
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I could have Bound any devil that I wished with merely a command, after all. We were in no danger, and when it comes to Devils, there is no kindness to be found. [ She says it as Sebastian already knows, but she says it also as a reminder that she was not one to be underestimated.
Even as she does not sense the hunger of the Demon before her, in wanting to corrupt. Pride before the fall, etc etc. ]
I do miss it, of course. I'm Praesi, to deny it would be to lie about whom I am.
It is, however, my punishment, to live with the knowledge of what I did, and live I should have. For an eternity, had Creation not been destroyed.
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However, itās why he keeps things amiable with Akua. She could learn the information necessary, but he could keep that fate at bay by showing that it was better for things to be amiable. He was fun and even helpful, so long as thatās where his whims were. But heās sure she knows that the moment she tried to exert any chain upon him, sheād make a deadly, patient enemy in a moment.
ā¦But thatās the fun of it for them both. They had a healthy respect for each otherās skill and knew the dire consequences of exerting it. ]
Oh, I understand missing it. I miss my own skill and influence that has been lost to me, certainly. Punishment, howeverā¦
[ —But naturally, he doesnāt speak of that unsaid undercurrent. Thereās no need to draw attention to it. Not when something more interesting is before him. ]
I imagine it will not surprise you that I do not understand that portion. But I suppose that is what is different between us. Demon and human.
[ He hums thoughtfully, a warm, honeyed noise. ]
Would you want to feel as I do? To be incapable of feeling guilt?
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[ She says, blithely. For demons were not human, they did not see lives as what they were, and even Akua had once not. She would have seen her works as a necessary action ā for she had possessed the power to do so. That was it. She could, so it was right. Iron Sharpens Iron, and if it did not, then it was merely something to be sliced through.
His question, however, catches her by surprise. ]
I once was.
[ She admitted. ] Liesse was not something I regretted, after I did it, Sebastian.
[ No. It had taken years of dedication, to making her into a Person. With Emotions. ]
But without it, I would not have been able to help change my world. [ And achieve relative immortality, is not spoken, but there's a flicker of it, in this communion. ]
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But. Heāll just keep that in mind, should it ever be needed.
For now, heās focused on the turn in conversation, since he does find it genuinely fascinating. What an odd human Akua always proved to be. ]
How did you come to regret it, then? To me, that would seem like a weakness.
[ Itās not a comment that bears an edge or even any judgment. Heās just stating his perception plainly as he attempts to piece it together. ]
Why did you want to change your world?
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[ She said, with a small sigh. ]
However, it would be inevitable, that my transgression would be punished. By a hero, or the Warden, or someone. I would have been snuffed out. A once-in-a-generation talent.
In fact, I was, really. I was a shade for many years. And during those years, I was... forced. To have Friends. I saw a different way of doing things, aside from the sharp cruelty of my Praesi people. I saw that one could be hard, and villainous, without... simply snuffing out the resources that we would need, to perpetuate our rule. And I saw how every time a villain got closer to victory, we were snuffed out. We had to be better than heroes. While they could allow the story to take them where they needed to go, we had to be better, smarter, stronger. Villains would be eradicated before they even had the chance to be their fullest selves.
Between Providence, and the mere existence of Trismegistus, it kept the balance of everything outside of Keter tipped toward Good.
So, I wanted to change the way the deck was stacked. We had no choice, and Villains would always lose, in the end. Providence had sole control over both parts of the story, and Providence would always favor the heroes.
[ There's a touch of amusement, there. Sad amusement, but still amusement. ] And now there is Calamity, to balance out Providence. Something to help the Villains succeed, and prevent them from always falling from grace.
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How very restrictive.
[ Thatās his first comment, because itās what occurs to him first. It sounds like a place heād loathe, since it doesnāt seem like a place that a demon like him could thrive. In fact, he thinks that if this were what his kind were subject to, they likely could band together for something after all. If there would ever be something for demons to band together under, it would be to absolutely destroy and raze such a system, or destroy themselves trying.
So, he can relate to her goal. But the emotions that come with itā¦ Not at all. ]
Your world sounds as if itās governed by the sort of God that many religions in my world imagine. Well, of a particularly extreme and zealous flavor, at least. I always thought their vision a terrible, naĆÆve bore, for humanity is interesting because it is not so simple as only good or only evil. Or Heroes and Villains, in your case. My world certainly had nothing governing balance between good and evil. It simply was what humanity made it. Or interpreted it as.
[ A thoughtful noise follows , but it fades into a laugh and the impression of a shrug. ]
My, you must find Kenos quite refreshing, if this is how things were for you. Even Horos, perhaps.
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[ She said, with a laugh. ] Before, it was all about maintaining a level of balance. We have gods, but they are not the ones that directly touch the world, but instead the laws and rules that hold us in place. I've felt their attentions, the Weight of my choice, and the burden that it lays on ones soul.
[ It's all complicated, and she won't bore Sebastian too much with all of the details. There's a Lot, and it's all complications and not ones that are relevant here. ]
I can say, that the impulse to monologue has not struck me once since arriving.
[ A laugh flickered through communion, at that. ]
Which, while I do not think would be a prime opportunity to defeat me here, it is refreshing to simply have a conversation, instead of lay out the details of my plans. I think... a place like this is what my world was going to become. There were Villains trying to do what they thought was best, after all, and Heroes who would not have compromised an inch to save the life of an innocent. It was all very...
[ There's the sense of... fond derision. Akua, after all, once had fashioned herself to be in line as Dread Empress Magnificent. Once, she loved her world, and the Wonders she would have created. ]
Messy.
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Is Akuaā¦ very literally a fictional characterā¦? (lol)
Sebastian is suddenly very full of questions, but heās also not sure where to even start with them. He had run into this sort of dilemma in Kenos before where he just has to accept that perhaps some things are simply going to be beyond his understanding, but he doesnāt like it. As particular and knowledge hungry as he is, having to come to that conclusion seems like a horrible cop out. But. If sheās indeed not beholden to such rules anymore, as heās plainly seen himself, heās not sure itās worth picking throughā¦
(Or, that is simply too meta of a thread, theyāre not allowed to have that conversation) ]
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My, it does sound it. I thought I had it bad with all of the rules and restrictions that Hell and Heaven by extension places upon my kind, but they seem quite fair by comparison.
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As it is, Akua only has another flicker of amusement. ]
Likely, yes. It may even be more forgiving than our own Angels and Devils, whom are... particularly hamstrung by the Narrative. [ Yes. Capital N Narrative. Boy. ]
Above and Below are, I am afraid, merciless taskmasters, and I have become foolish enough to become the personal messenger of Below themselves.
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[ He wouldn't count Ciel's as a failure either, though. More...overcome by events. It hardly seems fair to count that circumstance against his otherwise perfect record. ]
Why, it occurs to me that as popular as the works of my world seem to be, I could make a few literary recommendations that may amuse you! There are a great many where the imagination of the author was so delightful that many a demon picked up some of the habits that were espoused for the fun of it.
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[ She sounds amused, but interested. ]
I would enjoy to see what you find amusing. Particularly in this area. The imaginations of those who dream of devils and demons are always so... particularly devious. I can believe that they would capture your interests as well. [ The collective 'you're' ]
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Well! My personal favorite will always be Faust by Goethe since it is a delightful and personal tale of a human being tempted... The godliness of it is a bit much, but as I said, you can only expect so much from humanity.
Besides that, there is Inferno by Dante Alighieri, which imagines Hell oh so delightfully. It is also wonderfully petty! A poet just made a book of everyone he hated and described their various ironic tortures and torments, and it is a renowned work of literature for it! It is followed by two other poems, but skip them, for again, the godliness ruins all the fun. But I will say that this work is by far the most influential in Hell. The torments were lovely, so nearly all have been taken up.
And finally, I do also enjoy Paradise Lost by John Milton, though it is the least accurate for our kind. It tells a story of how Lucifer came to have his position in Hell by being an angel that rebelled against God. That part is true, but little else. It is a romantic poem, though. It reflects the sorts of things I enjoy about humanity, but I would not spoil that. I think it would be more interesting to hear your opinion.
All of which you are welcome to borrow from my personal library if you cannot find them, by the way. I can create them with no more than a wave of the hand.
slowly pulls my copies off my bookshelf
[ Really, it's not that the creation is what's so shocking, but that he remembers entire books. She almost has to laugh, for of course Hayame would truly choose this creature to have such a tiff with. Sebastian was everything she was not, from his inhumanity, to the cultured demeanor.
Akua, of course, would enjoy reading these books, quite a bit. ]
And when I'm done, we'll have to do dinner. I will want to hear your thoughts as well, once I make my way through them. I am sure you'll have plenty of commentary. And I think I'll be curious how these hells compare to the reports of our own.
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[ Which of course might make one wonder what it's like at its full capacity if such a thorough and truly miraculous power was the diminished one... But it's not something Sebastian is all that concerned with. Honestly, of all his abilities that were reduced, he doesn't mind that one in the slightest. The need to conjure up a stronghold or the like really doesn't come up all that often. ]
So, I would be delighted to have you over for dinner to discuss them. I believe you know me well enough at this point to know that there is little I would enjoy more!
[ It's an earnest, honest truth, even though that's inherently funny for a demon... For all his wickedness and cruelty, he really does have perfectly mundane and innocuous hobbies. ]
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Then plan to receive me in the near future.
[ SIGHS. Maybe she'll think to pull a lil prank on Sebastian for fun too ]