whatever comes, let it come
what stays, let it stay
Whatever else this man was, he was a leader, and he had soldiers, and the last thing that Loren wanted was for the people of Halo to think the people of the Hollowed Grounds were weak. ”She has us to represent her. I’d be happy to give you a demonstration of my abilities if you think I am a less than adequate substitute.” In fact, the summoner was practically itching to unload his magic on the annoying stranger. Leader or not, he was a dick. However, Loren had learned at least a little patience in the past couple of seasons, so he kept his calm facade up. Go Loren.Although he probably should’ve defended Adam from the stranger’s words, the summoner honestly just wanted to applaud at the end. He couldn’t have said it better himself. And hopefully it would get the dark-haired man to shut up, at least long enough for Loren to establish a toehold here.
Nope. No such luck.
Still, the Launceleyn let the village idiot Adam dig his own grave. Unfortunately, for the dark-haired man, he didn’t really have the authority to negotiate on behalf of the people of the Hollowed Grounds, not like Loren did. However, the summoner was intrigued in this organziation that Adam spoke of. A problem for another day. Assuming they survived this one. Between the hosility before them and the unstable Spire behind them, Loren wasn’t sure they would.
After all, it would be difficult to get through this, given that the leader seemed to have quite a bit of information the summoner lacked and given that Adam seemed hell-bent on fucking things over for them. ”Again, excuse my companion. As he said, we are cold and tired after our ordeal, and would welcome some hospitality. I am sure you are well aware of everything pertinent within your lands." That seemed diplomatic enough. "Adam is right about one thing. We mean you and your people no harm. And we have goods and services to offer.” Now if only the dark-haired man would shut up.
However, just because the stranger was aware of everything in Halo (maybe) didn’t mean he knew everything. Especially about what the summoner had been through. ”Can you?” He raised his eyebrows, as if daring the stranger to try and understand Loren’s life. However, it wasn’t important what the leader did. It mattered what the summoner did.
And didn’t do. Which included put up with more shit. Fuck this. Loren wasn’t going to be jerked around by a smug asshole (though that pretty much defined his entire relationship with Neron, which was a point in the stranger’s favor). He didn’t like mind games when they were verbal any more than he did when they were mental or magical. ”My older brothers are dead or gone. None of them made it to this world” Then again Caido did resurrect people, and people did land outside the Spire. So there was a chance, however small, that Loren’s twin had come through. With a new face, somehow.
Therefore, the summoner would trust, but verify. ”Alright then. If you are who you say you are, prove it. Tell me something only my twin would know.” Names of all their siblings; the last thing the two of them did together; something from their childhood beyond vagaries that anyone could guess at. Maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to get Loren to listen to his instincts and his subconscious, both of which were screaming at him that somehow, beyond all belief, this was his twin. His long-lost, elder twin. The fucker who’d tortured the summoner basically his whole life, and pushed off work on Loren, and generally made his life a living hell.
Neron or not, though, the summoner’s goal and duty were clear. And the smug asshole might know a lot, but Loren had a shit ton of knowledge as well, particular in regards to Halo and what it could offer. ”Open borders and mage glass.” His voice came out confidently, as it had this whole time. As most of the soldiers left, his eyes flicked towards them and then back. ”Then let our scouts and hunting parties into your citadel. In return for that, and mage glass, we can open our own borders to your people, and trade you what goods you need.” That seemed a more than fair exchange to Loren.
Time to seem if maybe!Neron was going to be as much of an idiot as the real Neron was.
what goes, let go
LOREN
