A compliment, from the Reaper? Jigano's lips twitched as well, but he only offered a slight shake of his head. "On its own, merely a guide. Without the proper tools and skills and specialties to utilize it, it's of little use. I was at my strongest when I served as part of team, using that knowledge I'd gained to guide and protect, being protected and directed." That was the difference between the Oracle of Lore and bard of fallen stars who had challenged nascent gods, and the skinshifter who stumbled through Caido, striving and so often failing when he had once walked the memories of stars and worlds beyond his own. Yohgel and Oni, Rizz and Jenny. Then, later, Isuma and Hiraku. They had not agreed on a great many things, had often bickered and tweaked each other's noses, tested boundaries and driven each other more than a little mad.
But they had known each other's skills, stood side-by-side as equals, depended on each other, and whenever the chips came down they had worked as one to carve their way towards the future. Twice, Jigano had been betrayed by Rizz and Oni... but they had still been close to him, fighting as one against outside threats. Each had strengths to shore up the weaknesses of the others. Hiraku had been his bodyguard and had become his closest friend. Isuma had helped to hold his tarnished conscience true and had led his army while he tried to save the others from the shadows. And perhaps because he had trusted too few and tried to take too much on himself, he had failed in the end. Or... perhaps, it was only starting to trickle through his white-haired skull, his friends had made their own choices. Some portion of blame was still his, and always would be. But maybe, just maybe, not quite so much as he had been claiming.
Alone, Jigano was a far less potent threat, especially without his magic, and he knew it all too well. Together, with those he trusted? Knowledge and knives, magic and mayhem, and no end to the possibilities that could coalesce within that maelstrom.
But they had known each other's skills, stood side-by-side as equals, depended on each other, and whenever the chips came down they had worked as one to carve their way towards the future. Twice, Jigano had been betrayed by Rizz and Oni... but they had still been close to him, fighting as one against outside threats. Each had strengths to shore up the weaknesses of the others. Hiraku had been his bodyguard and had become his closest friend. Isuma had helped to hold his tarnished conscience true and had led his army while he tried to save the others from the shadows. And perhaps because he had trusted too few and tried to take too much on himself, he had failed in the end. Or... perhaps, it was only starting to trickle through his white-haired skull, his friends had made their own choices. Some portion of blame was still his, and always would be. But maybe, just maybe, not quite so much as he had been claiming.
Alone, Jigano was a far less potent threat, especially without his magic, and he knew it all too well. Together, with those he trusted? Knowledge and knives, magic and mayhem, and no end to the possibilities that could coalesce within that maelstrom.
