abraxaslogs | Rewriting history with the stories we tell

Archangel would mean nothing to Istredd, there is no real equivalent in his world. Lucifer would have to explain, although he's gotten some clues that he isn't all he seems. Those wounds he had would have killed a normal person, possibly, and he refused to go to a real healer, and they healed very quickly comparatively. What are you? is too impolite to ask. Even Istredd has some niceties trained into him.

"There is no better place to learn new magic than one drowning in it. The amount of magical energy in the air is overwhelming." He genuinely sounds wistful. They wield incredible power themselves as mages in his world, but it is harder to find, harder to draw upon. It takes enormous control and strength of will. He can speak a spell here and it immediately works. All of his own magic feels stronger, especially when he is in the Horizon. These people have no idea how lucky they are.

"I will say I am still adjusting to being so confined here. We mages can teleport anywhere, typically." Istredd is not someone who is comfortable in a cage. His freedom back home was important.

It's been a bit since he's filed away knowledge from Istredd. This is different--a personal point about Istredd himself, and something that Lucifer can later work with when he's ready to move on from Thorne. Even if Istredd may disapprove of whatever methods Lucifer goes with, well, if freedom is involved...

Lucifer can't afford to lose allies; he knows this for a fact, and it's never mattered much before Abraxas. He could always find new people that wanted to step up to the plate and serve him.

It was harder here. Everything and everyone were Works In Progresses. Throwing it all in the trash after he gets anywhere is just a waste.

(He thinks about his Father and the drafted multiple worlds and if he looks like he's suddenly choking on nothing for a moment, Istredd better not ask.)

"I should be able to move freely," he says, leaving out the method, "I can't make it far though." Not to mention that it hurts, but that's Lucifer's own falling, not Thorne's influence. "But I don't do well under lock and key."

Understatement of the Year Award goes to...

"I'd say I'm surprised anyone does, but I'm not. There are many mages who feel better in the confining spaces of our home or the courts they were assigned to."

They do have more freedom than this place, though, even the ones who like the gilded cages they found themselves in. They can travel and work their magic and occasionally see one another. Or come when called. Even Istredd comes when he's called, like it or not.

"I was rare in having the amount of freedom I did. I was never going to be a courtier, and so they left me to my books and research."

They did want to know what happened with his studies. Stregobor may not have gotten a true protege out of him, but as cruel as the man could be, he did see everyone as useful. And he wanted answers from Istredd, especially anything that could be useful to him. Except he stopped listening the moment it was no longer in his interest. Typical.

"I've never cared about politics and I'm not going to start now. But the mages here seem to be the best bet at getting to the Singularity. I wouldn't know how to deal with somewhere like Free Cities, who apparently believes destroying it is the answer."

He isn't going to talk about his own Cage. The only reason Wanda knows is because of the nightmares, and while that has worked out for him in regards to her, he's not about to lament about his life story. It gets him nothing in return but sympathy and that's worse.

But Lucifer doesn't think Istredd's studies in the big dumb rock are stupid, so his response is emphatic.

"Right!" Lucifer crows. "It's an artifact of untapped potential! Besides, how do they destroying it isn't going to make everything so much worse for them?"

"Exactly!" This is why he likes Lucifer. He's a smart man, not at all as short-sighted as most people he's met over his life. He tolerates his bookish roommate to a degree most people would not either, so he appreciates that.

"My first guess would be it's not them wanting it to die and more not wanting Thorne to get it. So destroying it rather than letting Thorne use it would be an extremely stupid choice that nevertheless would make sense to them." Istredd is very used to people in power particularly making very bad decisions that hurt everyone around them, and not actually caring about that. Very 'as long as I get mine' attitudes among the powerful.

"I think Solvunn's where some of our attention should be. Their connection to the old gods and older magic seems like a source everyone's ignoring."

So a case of people making irrational decisions just because they don't want the other guy to win.

... Lucifer has no idea what that could be like.

"Solvunn's my interest because they claim non-intervention," he says. "In my experience: no one is ever truly neutral. And despite our mutual-friend Wanda being from there, I don't know a lot about the place."

He wants to, but at the moment he's... not in the mood to talk to her much. As though she'll prod him about his not-brother. As though he should ask about his not-brother.

The less he knows is definitely not better, but he just wants to plead ignorance for awhile.

"All of Thorne's books on gods are useless. I had hoped there was some reading between the lines to parse reality from fiction--that works from my own world, but..." He scoffs.

"It's not neutrality either if they provide supplies to both sides." Istredd is sure it is a good thing that they did. Supplies are necessary for the people who will undoubtedly starve or struggle anywhere outside of the castle. But it still isn't neutral. "It's more likely they'll just see where the wind will blow. But they used to be owned by Thorne once. I doubt they'd let that happen again."

Meaning they may be peaceful now, but if Thorne's eyes turn to them again, neutrality may very well be dropped. He thinks logically they should have already partnered with Free Cities.

"I worked within the system of an empire called Nilfgaard. It thrived off kingdoms looking out for themselves first and everyone else second until it came for them next. It's all very logical, but unwise." Istredd himself just was interested in what he could find out from Nazair, but he heard the people and their opinions of their new overlords. It was interesting. What he's saying is that he assumes once Thorne destroys Free Cities, if they manage it, they'll find a reason for Solvunn next. It's just how these things go.

"As for the gods, it's typical they think it's all fairytales, but I think it's possible they are very real. Perhaps they've been quiet for awhile to avoid human nonsense."

A pause, curious. "Thorne owned Solvunn?" he repeats. He's done a lot of research and for as much as he thinks Solvunn is the faction to pay attention to--well, he's had a rough time adapting to Abraxas. Absorbing a lot of information but still missing important tidbits.

"Thorne was looking for any excuse," he says, "real or fabricated." He stops there, a pointed look at a spot ahead of him. Paranoia, once again. He knows even those few words are dangerous enough on their own to speak.

A conversation for another time, in a nice warded bedroom.

"Thorne once dominated most of the entire continent." This is why Istredd's historian mindset usually gets him information quickly. He knows where to look and who to ask. Most people don't think that sort of thing matters, but it's his go-to when arriving somewhere new.

"My guess is that they've been scheming ever since that changed to get it all back. Having an excuse to go to war with one of the rebel factions and perhaps conquer it again? One way to do it. They won't stop there when they can have it all."

And that is why he thinks Solvunn should be wary. Watching how things go for now might make sense, but he also doubts they're fools there. They have been smart enough to play this right for now. Maybe there are gods protecting them after all. He's heard of stranger things.

"That's how conquerors are. And the current royals would probably see them getting the rest of the continent back as the biggest success of their line."

He knows Thorne is the powerhouse; it's the only reason that he has some comfort being in there, cage and all. Thorne has the ability to do the most damage to the continent. The greatest chance he has at reattaining any sort of power.

But for their current problems it doesn't really matter.

"Istredd," he says the name sharply, commanding, to cut through all his theorizing. He turns his pointed look on the man. A lilt, "Stop talking."

He refuses to risk it. Too much being surrounded by witches and demons that knew how to listen in on a conversation.

"Let's focus on what we need to do." He makes a face, and adds, annoyed, "For Thorne." Which he doesn't at all care for, but it's about reputation.

Lucifer is smart because Istredd is absolutely likely to keep on theorizing and talking out his thoughts, and while he considers himself fairly dry and nonjudgmental at the moment, it can easily be seen as critical of Thorne. He's being critical, that's for certain, and he stops as soon as Lucifer says his name like that.

He understands right away the why and manages to look appropriately sheepish when he realizes how much he'd run his mouth. There are in fact ears everywhere around here, and the Queen is in particular in no mood for critics of her regime.

"You're right, of course. For Thorne."

Rewriting history with the stories we tell

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We can wrap here lol poor Lucifer with this fool