abraxaslogs | [ OPEN / CLOSED ] i think i found a way to kill the sun

For a man so keen on being involved out of duty, Estinien is certainly selective about what catches his attention. But then, perhaps Geralt already knew that, from the very start, when the elf had zeroed in on Ambrose as a target, and then Thorne. He makes no remark on the lacklustre response. His impression of Estinien is that of a soldier through and through, with thought for little else other than finding things to fight for or over.

Not that it especially matters. Estinien is free to concern himself with what he will and disregard what he won't. He is not here to dictate another's path. Uncertain and vague as Estinien's answer is, Geralt takes it in carefully, anyway, for what details might be there. And he does find something: similar rejoinings.

Himeka had not mentioned that, though they'd discussed her ability to cross between worlds more than anything. Is that what it is? A continual coming together and breaking apart? He'd talked of the same with Julie, of her shifting land masses, and a pattern is starting to form. Is that what Thorne is so afraid of from the Singularity?

He does not, truthfully, believe a singular structure can bring about the end of the world. There must be more to it than that. But the Conjunction is an undeniable event. So is Himeka's sundering. Knowing what he does, it leaves possibilities open he isn't sure he likes. Something is here that he's missing, and he doesn't know what it is.

He turns towards the path between the mountains that starts to lead out of the domain. His head tips, acknowledging that he's heard what Estinien's said. "Your last rejoining. How long ago was it?"

Edited 2021-12-28 18:07 (UTC)

Estinien frowns to himself, casting his gaze to the grass and trees around them. This, he looks more troubled about. After all, his entire homeland lost much during that time.

"Seven or eight years, by now?"

He realizes now he isn't even sure what world was swallowed to create that calamity - what ascian machinations went into making it happen, on some distant shard. He hasn't liked to contemplate it in too much detail, ever since the concept was explained to him. Untold suffering, in some other plane, and devastation brought to Eorzea itself.

"None of us knew that was what was happening, then. Most still don't." The perspective of the Scions is something mostly world leaders are privy to - not because it's a secret, but because it's so far beyond most people's comprehension of reality. "An entire world and its peoples consumed, even as ours was thrown into chaos..."

There are so many unpleasant questions associated with it. When was the moment that the Source changed? That the murdered souls of another world were forced back into it? it's not the sort of thing he wants to contemplate.

"'Tis not something that happened naturally. 'Twas orchestrated by the remnants of the world that came before. It almost happened again more recently, but Himeka and the others put a stop to it."

As was their way. His faith in them is unquestioned at this point.

"I know not if your world was a similar affair, but with all that I've seen and heard... little surprises me."

What? The startled expression on Geralt's face is unmistakable. He'd thought, at most, hundreds of years. Not less than a fucking decade. He takes a moment, thinking about it, uncertain of where to slot this new piece of information. Give him a minute or thirty.

"Ours occurred over a thousand years ago. There's been little by way of peace since."

Only recently has the Continent started to pull itself together, and that's putting it generously. The only reason there's any cohesion at all is because humans took over, placed themselves in seats of power, mutated children to make them rid the monsters, and then started to fight each other once that was done. There's something incongruous about Estinien telling him he's seen things get better and then inform him his sphere suffered a cataclysm a mere eight winters ago. How the fuck does that even work.

Perhaps it's just not as shattering of an event. A smaller series of Conjunctions rather than a single large one. Estinien said one world consumed, didn't he? Only one. Not several. Something to consider. (Why is there always so damn much to consider.)

Estinien does contemplate that for a moment longer, if only because Geralt looked so shocked by what he'd said. He feels like it'd be a mistake to try to compare the events too directly, when he doesn't know the cause or true extent of the one suffered by Geralt's realm. It sounds like it may have been worse, or at least more chaotic. The most recent calamity had fucked things up, for sure, but it was something society had been able to move on from in a relatively short period of time, no matter what scars were left behind.

"...I take it the... collision of your... spheres... it wrought significant change upon your world?" Even more weird terminology to get used to, great. "Were the other spheres very different from your own?"

If that can even be defined - does Geralt know which sphere his people were from originally? Maybe that's the difference. While the other shards were distinct culturally, they mostly included the same ingredients as the Source, and were being added bit by bit. While things changed, it was more like weather - not fundamental changes to the makeup of reality.

"The Continent's races and monsters were separated until the Conjunction brought them together. They've been destroying each other ever since."

Even now—things are always shifting. Perhaps more so as of late. He left behind Nilfgaard and their ambitions of war, but he's little doubt it's continued on. The truth is, he doesn't know what world awaits him even if the door were to open again. If the Continent will be ashes, or how many of his brothers lived to see the winter. How many would have paid the price for violence begetting violence.

It doesn't make him feel better, seeing the tides turn the same way here. The Singularity is only a small part of things. There are stirrings in the Free Cities since Eifstide—an anger and fear that's been stoked. So far, discontent is all it is, but. He's been keeping an eye on it.

Well, that doesn't sound the same at all. Estinien frowns uncertainly, shaking his head slightly. He hadn't really thought the events were connected before, and now it feels even less likely.

"Sounds like a distinct phenomenon, then," he says. "Nothing new has ever been introduced as a result of rejoining... 'twas from the same source to begin with, after all." Especially not introducing new races. From his understanding, one of the goals of completing the rejoinings would be to wipe out the differences between the races completely.

"The shards are distinct culturally from having been separate so long, but it's all made of the same pieces."

The closest thing he could think of is the voidsent trying to enter their world, but even that isn't really the same. That shard was the same as the others too, apparently, before it was corrupted... but similar events could have unfolded on any shard.

No, it wouldn't be. That would make sense, seeing as they were a singular world broken in several not a multitude of them merging into one. Like piecing together a puzzle, more. It feels like a smaller phenomenon—similar, but not exactly the same. He'd thought, during his conversation with Julie, if the subtle shifts in how each world forms and progresses has to do with its proximity to the Singularity. It's a haphazard theory. For all he knows, the only difference is entirely fucking random.

Either way, he's got new details now, and though he adds little else about the Conjunction—it's simple in concept, complicated in its implications—he seems to be turning it all over in his head.

"So Himeka never actually crossed to another realm." That's a different matter than how he'd first understood her description, when she explained she was the only one capable of moving through a doorway. "She crossed to another piece of the same one."

It's good to know. It means Ciri remains the only one he's aware of who can traverse realms altogether. Not just across shattered pieces of a single one.

Estinien thinks about that and then nods. The terminology for that sort of thing has gotten complicated, as of late, but Geralt's distinction does seem relevant enough to acknowledge.

"Aye. Not in the grand scheme of things, it would seem. We never had cause to consider the idea of traversing to entirely new universes before ending up here. The shards were surprising enough on their own."

He pauses for a moment, and then adds:

"I've sometimes wondered if our worlds are meant to be the shards of the Singularity's whole. 'Twould fit with the Abraxian's conception of it, at least."

As annoying as it is to think about the Source being a shard of an even greater Source. It's all a bit much, really.

What, a world within a world? Like one of those nested dolls? His brows furrow. Perhaps. But it's as Estinien said: his own was never a shard of anything. They're individual worlds, collided and merged into one.

He needs someone else to talk to about this. Who is the problem. Maybe it's worth speaking not to another Summoned, but to someone at the academy in the city. A native of this world, familiar with its history.

The edge of Estinien's domain draws near. He sighs, and it isn't really directed at the elf at all. It's just—every time he learns something new, it spawns a thousand more concerns.

"Thank you for the sheep, I suppose. And the headache."

Estinien can relate to that, at least. He shrugs his shoulders, his wings unfurling, looking up towards the peaks of his artisan mountains. He's not worried about Geralt doing anything to his domain on his way out.

"You're welcome," he says, an expected amount of cheek in his tone. He gestures vaguely at Geralt's entire self. "Good luck with your... situation."

Whatever the hell is going on in Geralt's life he wouldn't know where to start, and it's clearly not desired. So, instead, that's how Estinien bids his farewell, leaping up into the sky and taking wing, circling over the mountains and back towards his flock

[ OPEN / CLOSED ] i think i found a way to kill the sun

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