No more pleasantries. No more games. Hadama looked into Dorian's eyes and saw death within them. His own the least among them, to this existence that had seen suns die. But there was honesty there as well, as clean and cold and cutting as the space between stars. A truth more harsh than daylight, offered like a lily upon his grave.
The question came, then. The opportunity. And for all that his expression did not change the weight of his next words settled upon Hadama's shoulders. A world rested there. A future, intangible and heavy beyond measuring so that he drew in a slow, deep breath and held it while he assembled each word with precision before speaking.
"This world, for her ransom." For all its boldness it was a simple price. One world, for an irreplaceable existence. "Take her, and all your people. All of the pieces of the Void that remain here. Take them gently and leave us in peace, Dorian. Return to the places beyond the stars. Beyond the reach of Caido's gods, and Mort's Halls. Perhaps there Dahlia can be returned to what she once was."
And if his voice was quiet and inescapably young compared to that which he spoke to, still it was steady as he inclined his head slightly in recognition of the loophole that had almost been left.
"Go, and give your word that the Void will not return."
The question came, then. The opportunity. And for all that his expression did not change the weight of his next words settled upon Hadama's shoulders. A world rested there. A future, intangible and heavy beyond measuring so that he drew in a slow, deep breath and held it while he assembled each word with precision before speaking.
"This world, for her ransom." For all its boldness it was a simple price. One world, for an irreplaceable existence. "Take her, and all your people. All of the pieces of the Void that remain here. Take them gently and leave us in peace, Dorian. Return to the places beyond the stars. Beyond the reach of Caido's gods, and Mort's Halls. Perhaps there Dahlia can be returned to what she once was."
And if his voice was quiet and inescapably young compared to that which he spoke to, still it was steady as he inclined his head slightly in recognition of the loophole that had almost been left.
"Go, and give your word that the Void will not return."
