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Post by Azazel, the Godsdeath on Jan 22, 2024 14:43:30 GMT -5
Azazel smirked at Lucian's rebuttal.
So brazen, so naïve. Tell me, Arteron, what do you think of our little gr'usha's ability to defend himself? I would disembowel the weakling before the mortal even knew his guts were missing. Such a fight is almost not worth it, save for his superior tone. Those who cannot defend themselves adequately should curb their tongue, lest the strong decide to trample them first. Even so, Arteron, even so. If not you, than the myriad other monsters that stalk this land. He would not make for an appropriate disciple.
Thus concluded as to the aptitude of the draconynh, the manipulation demon continued the conversation only out of a sense of propriety and his own starved need for attention.
"Dear little gr'usha, you can't begin with a statement as intriguing as that without the expectation that the other party will want you to share. Reveal your inner political machinations to me. Tell me the question that burns within your heart."
Azazel's smirk was still wide and lazy, but it began to lack the dangerous undertones that it previously carried. If this mortal was no longer a relevant player in his machinations, he would be a case study into the mind of a soon-to-be subject.
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Post by Lucian Lucifen on Jan 22, 2024 21:17:43 GMT -5
"I want to introduce democracy into the government of my homeland." Lucian blurted out, the words spilling over like gushing water. "It's likely a far-off dream, but seeing proof of concept will prove my point. Those who are governed should have the opportunity to have a say in how they're governed." Passion and a hint of anger towards the system of government of his home infected his voice, turning it strained.
His tail was swishing back and forth slowly, now closer to the body language of a cat, representing mild annoyance. He wasn't annoyed at Azazel at all, but rather how the government of his home treated its citizens. The common folk were the ones putting in the most work, and the nobles were exploiting that.
He let out a sigh, trying to release the tension in his body. This was something he was very passionate about, but he knew that he shouldn't get too overly excited about it. People likely would rather not deal with him ranting about how democracy would be important in a system of government. Especially since most people outside of his island home likely already had a similar opinion to his.
"Apologies if that came off as... forceful." He spoke, his tone softer now. "I get rather emotional about such a topic."
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Post by Azazel, the Godsdeath on Jan 23, 2024 13:35:35 GMT -5
Azazel frowned deeply at the draconynh's juvenile fantasies about such fanciful governance.
How thoroughly uninspired... Arteron, I have no desire to continue this fruitless conversation. You may end the mortal if you wish. No. My blood has cooled and the mortal's impertinence has been countered by his naivety and weakness. See this out or do your own dirty work.
Azazel's anger at the insubordination was roused, as anger showed on the vessel's face.
I could simply order you to do my bidding by the use of your true name... Aye, you could, but that would be an affront to your pride wouldn't it? The great Azazel: losing a debate to a mere wrath demon and resorting to force? Talk about barbarism.
The manipulation demon's irritation boiled over into his snide tone as he addressed the mortal at last. "For what purpose? Does the farmer ask for the ox's opinion, or the gardener for the trowel's? Ruling should be left to those with the aptitude for it, lest the masses drag down the march of progress with their petty infighting. Tell me, gr'usha, do you honestly think that carpenter would have relevant insight to matters of state, any more than a noble would be able to craft woodwork?"
Azazel sighed, tempering his speech from his outburst of anger from Arteron. "There are extraordinary examples of those willing to fight to rise above their station, but make no mistake: it is a fight. The majority of mortals are neither equipped nor desiring of such struggle."
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Post by Lucian Lucifen on Jan 23, 2024 13:57:30 GMT -5
He gave Azazel an almost spiteful side-eye, disagreeing with the notion that the populace would not know better.
"People aren't tools, though." The draconynh pointed out, gesturing a little with his claws. "Nor should they be treated as tools. They have thoughts and feelings. And although each person does have their own specialty, they can give insight to that specialty."
Lucian paused, thinking. What would be the best way to explain this?
"Let's use your example of the noble and the carpenter," he began. "If there is a storm, who would know best how to begin to rebuild the homes destroyed by the winds and rain? The carpenter would. But a single carpenter wouldn't be equipped to fix that entirely on their own. However, a noble could organize funds towards the effort, and delegate tasks. But, a noble wouldn't know how to best rebuild. Thus, a noble would need the consultation of the carpenter."
He shifted in his position, trying to re-adjust to be comfortable again.
"Regardless of what you think, I still want the best for the people of my island." He spoke, his tone taking on an uncharacteristic chill. "And who would know better than the people themselves? They are beings with sentience. We cannot control them, and we do not have the right to control them."
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Post by Azazel, the Godsdeath on Jan 23, 2024 14:08:33 GMT -5
That response prompted a dark chuckle that eventually morphed into full-bodied, inhuman laughter. "You speak of rights, as if their conception was anything more than the fanciful conjecture of people of privilege to assuage their quaint moral sentiments. Mortals are tools, admitted even by your example, albeit subconsciously, for what is a tool but an implement with a purpose? The carpenter works wood, the noble administrates, and your silent mind accepts what I have spoken even as your 'enlightened consciousness' balks at the ugliness of the truth."
Azazel favored the mortal with the gleaming of his dangerous green eyes again. "You can hate me for the truth I speak, massaging your own bloated ego with consolations of being so moral, but when your juvenile ideology runs up against the nature of the very people you supposedly fight on behalf of, what good will come of your self-righteousness then? Mortals are bound, every one, to that which they most desire. Some will take your words at face value, slaughtering their way to the top for their master of ambition. Some will bury their heads in the sand, hoping that sloth will protect them from vengeance's zealous eye. What precious few will take to the full promise of your message, to take full responsibility for their lives? No, people would rather have someone else to blame for their lot."
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Post by Lucian Lucifen on Jan 23, 2024 14:34:00 GMT -5
The draconynh's eyes narrowed as he paid attention. Mortals. This man just referred to people as mortals. There was something going on here. Either this person was actually an immortal being, or he's become so engulfed in illusions that he's better than others.
"I already acknowledge my own fault in the situation." Lucian countered, tail swishing back and forth behind him. "I was born into a system that benefitted me at the expense of others. I am not the epitome of morality, merely someone who has gained insight into how the world is flawed, and how to possibly make it better for people to live in."
His claws dug into the palms of his hands, their sharpness threatening to break past the soft scales and skin to reveal blood below.
"People are people, yes. Each driven by their desire." He agreed. "But each being driven exclusively by their own desire would have led to this world falling to chaos. There is clearly good and empathy within each person. Otherwise, we wouldn't have enough structure to form societies in the first place. We rely on and help each other. And, my job as a tool, as you put it, is to care for the happiness and safety of my people."
He turned towards Azazel, his fiery golden gaze fixing onto him. "Based on your words, you aren't actually a human, are you? So what right do you have in stating your insight into how human beings, as well as people in general, function when you are not one yourself?"
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Post by Azazel, the Godsdeath on Jan 23, 2024 14:46:46 GMT -5
Glinting emerald orbs challenged golden ones, without a hint of hesitation or empathy. "Remember what I said about the dangers of impertinence, little gr'usha. If you're so convinced I'm not human, perhaps you ought to phrase your responses a little more respectfully."
With his eyes never leaving Lucian, Azazel quickly and efficiently summoned [Summon: Possession] his wicked double bladed weapon to his hand, its edges so jagged that no normal healing could remedy. He held the blade between them, gleaming green being obscured at intervals where the blade's serrations hid them as he drew the weapon horizontally between them.
"Morality and virtue are the lies we tell ourselves to hide the bare truth that the weak banded together, making rules and systems to protect themselves against the strong. You believe in such virtues because you were indoctrinated to do so, all for the sake of a simple contract, preventing the predators among you from devouring the prey. Woe betide you if the strong should ever realize the indignance of their complacency. The whole house of cards would come tumbling down.
"Contrary to what you might think, I have no desire to dismantle mortal society. I want to drag it into the future, kicking and screaming if I must. Your myriad inefficiencies offend me. Mortals require a guiding hand with vision, otherwise it's so many blind men in a circle."
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Post by Lucian Lucifen on Jan 25, 2024 11:46:45 GMT -5
Lucian raised his claws into the air as a sort of act of surrender. This... man? Entity, he'll go with entity, just pulled out a sword on him. Then again, if this person was really some sort of inhuman immortal being, why would he need a sword to kill him? Regardless, this being summoned a sword with clear intent to swipe at him.
...Wait a minute. Lucian could also summon his weapons. He didn't exactly have a sword per say, but he still had something.
"Nice trick," he replied. "But I can do that too."
Light danced around his hands for a moment, distorting the space around them. And, in a flash, his throwing knives were summoned to his claws. They were rather stylized blades, almost looking closer to kunai due to the odd shape of the blade resembling more of a diamond shape than that of a regular blade. However, it was only that, style. But, even so, he made his point, he too had the spell Summon: Possession. To be fair, it was a rather handy spell.
"I'd rather not fight however," the draconynh clarified. "I'm sure you're much more experienced in combat than I am, and I'd likely die. Which would be detrimental to my goals."
He tightened his grip around the knives, unsure of what would occur next.
"And yeah, maybe the strong can potentially destroy the weak. It doesn't mean that they should. The strong should protect the weak if anything," he spoke. "But my question is what makes you any better than anyone else in supposedly guiding people, hm? You have yet to prove that you'd be competent at doing so, other than these tirades and now threatening me with a sword."
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Post by Azazel, the Godsdeath on Jan 25, 2024 12:00:26 GMT -5
Lucian's words prompted another dangerous chuckle from Azazel. The demon drew close before speaking again in low tones. "I don't make threats; I make promises, gr'usha. Thank whatever god you cling to that I have not promised to kill you, for you would not 'likely die'. Your blood would water the meadows of this place as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow."
The demon leaned back, the barest hint of a smirk on his lips, but his eyes spoke of an otherworldly indignance. "Why should the strong protect the weak? I've already told you that I don't subscribe to your petty notions of morality, so using such language of expectation and responsibility means nothing to me. There are only facts: society would be further advanced if the strong trampled the weak underfoot towards progress instead of hobbling along to assuage the infirmities of the lessers. As for my qualifications... I need not prove anything to you. As if you were the arbiter of what was effective in this world." The demon let out another full-bodied laugh before eyeing the draconynh again.
"The one virtue I can ascribe to you is your steadfastness. Unfortunately, as now, that tendency will blind you to the truth even when it stares you directly in the face. We could go round and round in circles all day, talking past each other, but frankly, I've got better things to do with my time."
Seeing that the rain had stopped, the demon hopped down from his root chair and looked back at Lucian with a smirk, fashioning his body [Astral Soul, One with the Cosmos] and clothes [Morph Suit] to exactly mirror the dragonkin before dashing off into the woods.
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Post by Lucian Lucifen on Jan 26, 2024 20:07:57 GMT -5
The draconynh was about to reply to the being, but was quickly startled as the other turned into a replica of him. "What the-?"
Thankfully, he had still been sitting, so he couldn't really stumble back. If he was standing up, he certainly would be stumbling. Instead, his body just jerked back suddenly in surprise, as if he was about to run into something with only seconds to stop himself.
As the other raced away, it dawned on Lucian the problem with this. Oh no. Oh no no no, this wasn't good. A malicious entity was now running around disguised as him, this really isn't good. What if this guy commits crimes while blaming him? Or is otherwise rude to people while pretending to be him? He couldn't have this person running around ruining his image?
...Well, what little image he had thus far on the Isle. He hadn't really gotten to know too many people just yet. But it could still result in people having a bad first impression of him! As much as he loathed to admit it, he still would rather have people like him and not dislike him.
There was one thing he could really do here, and that was chase Azazel down.
"Oceans below..." He muttered under his breath, before taking off after Azazel, his claws digging into the earth and grass below his feet as he ran.
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Post by Azazel, the Godsdeath on Jan 29, 2024 10:43:24 GMT -5
Azazel noted his pursuer with a little smirk. As ever, mortals were utterly predictable. Of course, should the demon have wished, he could simply have summoned his demonic wings, infused the vessel with otherworldly energy and been far away out of the hope of the little draconynh ever reaching him. The manipulation demon still had a sliver of hope for getting enjoyment out of the little mortal, however, and so as he rounded a thicket of briars which obscured his form from Lucian's eyes, he quickly scrambled up a tree and sat nonchalantly on one of its boughs, one of his legs dangling idly, just out of reach of an outstretched arm.
As his pursuer rounded the natural bend, the demon favored him with an impish smile, all the more unsettling coming from Lucian's own face. "I don't know how things go among the dragonlings, darling, but a little tip for human society: it's considered gauche to chase so openly and relentlessly. You must allow your partner to breathe, else you'll be seen as an aspiring captor rather than a partner. Did you need to get the last word quite so badly?"
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Post by Lucian Lucifen on Jan 29, 2024 21:20:22 GMT -5
Lucian looked rather annoyed as he finally reached and caught up to Azazel, his tail swishing behind him rather slowly in this anger. Before, it had been acting as an almost rudder as he was running, and now it had gone back to its usual motions indicating how he felt. However, he couldn't help but shudder as he heard a voice that was not his coming out of his replica. It felt incredibly uncanny, like something was wrong with the universe.
"First of all, I was raised in largely human society, so I already know it's uncouth to chase after someone directly if it's romantic intentions," the draconynh spoke, a slight growl in his voice as he was losing some of his composure. "Secondly, you transformed into me! And considering your behavior earlier, I couldn't exactly trust you not to do something atrocious while wearing my face. Even if I don't know most of the people in this land just yet, I still want to make a good first impression when I finally do."
He could feel the water beginning to burble within his drake gland, ready to fire if needed. It likely wouldn't hurt Azazel should he fire it, but still getting shot with a barrage of water wasn't exactly fun.
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Post by Azazel, the Godsdeath on Jan 30, 2024 10:41:50 GMT -5
Azazel adopted a toothy grin with Lucian's face, his grown tail swishing with dangerous delight where it dangled alongside his foot off the branch. "Oh forgive me. I can definitely see you're an authority on romance. Why, every burgeoning heartbreaker is unable to gaze at the bare stomach of another." The demon's words were between sneering and teasing, clearly malicious, but not roused enough yet to be fully mean-spirited.
"Surely, you realize that I have better things to do than going around besmirching your... well, as-of-yet-undetermined name. Quite full of yourself, you are. Perhaps your privileged upbringing subtly invaded your mind more than you think. Besides, what's your game here? You chased me down, so you obviously have some type of way to wring compliance from me, right? Do you plan to follow me around for the rest of your days to ensure I won't get up to any underhanded activities? And when you eventually lose sight of me or get bored, what's to stop me from ruining your honor then, hmm?"
Azazel was clearly having fun toying with the mortal's illogical solution to this problem. The little dragonling wouldn't have had to worry if he didn't question my wisdom. Never pick a fight with someone who might be stronger than you, lest you be trampled underfoot...
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Post by Lucian Lucifen on Feb 3, 2024 17:04:03 GMT -5
Lucian rolled his golden eyes, which was quite an accomplishment considering it was hard to see the whites of his eyes and therefore the motion was a bit tricky to do. Azazel was really getting on his nerves! And it didn't help that the other was continuing to talk while wearing his face.
"Well, option one, I could just ask you nicely." The draconynh pointed out. "Please don't go around wearing my face causing chaos. Please? You clearly know I don't like it."
He couldn't help but chuckle, though, as he brought up the second option. "Option two... I just deal with it the same way anyone else deals with some creature causing issues and needing to learn a lesson. I'll just spray you with water."
With his drake gland readied, he shot a blast of water at Azazel, moving at a rather fast speed considering the amount of water pressure needed to hit a target that was not only far away, but above him. His goal was not to actually hurt Azazel, however, just spray him with water enough to teach him a lesson. ...And maybe knock him out of the tree, that would also work in his favor.
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Post by Azazel, the Godsdeath on Feb 5, 2024 16:26:47 GMT -5
Azazel merely rolled his eyes at the well-telegraphed attack. There was no intent to kill; Lucian seemed even hesitant to seriously injure him. With a wave of his hand a shimmering field of force appeared before him, parting the stream of water into twin rivers around himself [Force Wall].
"You know, darling, normally I'm a fan of the strategy of diplomacy with a dagger as backup, but in your case, the dagger is more like a wet noodle: not nearly as effective. Not that I think you could harm me even if you wished to, mind, but you'll certainly never land a blow with such weak resolve."
The demon's eyes glinted as he looked down at the draconynh, retaking his vessel's normal shape. "Nevertheless, you've amused me, pitiable as you are. I'll humor your request. I think you'll find that the world will be harsh enough on your idealism."
Azazel hopped out of the tree nonchalantly, reaching out to touch Lucian's shoulder. "I truly do pray you mature before you find yourself gutted in an alley. Few are as forgiving as I am."
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