It hadn't occurred to him that Maea would lie to him, but it had occurred to him that something might have lied to Maea. Sowing discord between naturals and outlanders, destabilizing the Hollowed Grounds even more, could be useful to certain malicious spirits even before the Barrier had fallen. Stirring anger and resentment against the Voice for making copies of people would even be useful to any or all of the old gods, not just Ludo. Had it been a sad truth, shared to strengthen Maea's almost-rule? Or an insidious lie meant to shake it apart? Finding the source of it might not even be possible now that the barrier was down and all manner of things from the Hollowed Grounds let loose in the world again, but Jigano decided to err tentatively on the side of believing in the message as much as the messenger.
He listened to her worries, a small, proud smile tugging at the corners of his mouth at her analysis as she proved yet again why she was Loreseeker. "The gods can take space and do strange things with it," he said first, with a wry smile. "The inside of the Spire was - still is something separate from this world. There is a space within the Fae Village that is, too. Size and space aren't the same barriers to gods' constructs as they are to ours. And fires don't need to burn forever..." He set the lantern down and flipped a corner of his cloak over it to hide its glow as he gestured up to the stars above. "Some fires burn longer than years can be counted. If the Voice harnessed a fraction of the power of those fires, she would have all the power she needed and more." He paused, brow furrowing as the mention of years sparked a train of thought of his own.
"But... you said the device took centuries to build? If it was made to bring through Outlanders to free the Voice that's not possible. We have records in the Atheneum showing Outlanders arriving almost as soon as the barrier went up." He was unworried about the device still being tied to them, tilting his head at her in a comforting smile. "Nothing will happen, I'm certain. That we can arrive Attuned or become Attuned is proof enough that we are part of this world now, no matter where we came from before or how we got here. And whatever happened to those who might be our templates is... well, I know it sounds callous, but it's largely academic since we have no way to see back into our previous worlds to find out."
He nodded slowly at her desire to ask the Voice - or send someone else to do so - but could only offer a shrug. "I think it's a good idea," he said slowly. "Though... I'm not sure who I would trust with the information. Perhaps Rexanna... though she's certainly been through enough already. Still, if you think it was meant to help you rule, it is up to you whether you want to share it with her." He watched her as he unshielded the lantern again, seeing the flinch but uncertain what had caused it. At least he could reassure her about their souls, and again his lips tilted up in that crooked half-smile. "No harder than being born a mage here," he pointed out. "Not so different from that at all."
He listened to her worries, a small, proud smile tugging at the corners of his mouth at her analysis as she proved yet again why she was Loreseeker. "The gods can take space and do strange things with it," he said first, with a wry smile. "The inside of the Spire was - still is something separate from this world. There is a space within the Fae Village that is, too. Size and space aren't the same barriers to gods' constructs as they are to ours. And fires don't need to burn forever..." He set the lantern down and flipped a corner of his cloak over it to hide its glow as he gestured up to the stars above. "Some fires burn longer than years can be counted. If the Voice harnessed a fraction of the power of those fires, she would have all the power she needed and more." He paused, brow furrowing as the mention of years sparked a train of thought of his own.
"But... you said the device took centuries to build? If it was made to bring through Outlanders to free the Voice that's not possible. We have records in the Atheneum showing Outlanders arriving almost as soon as the barrier went up." He was unworried about the device still being tied to them, tilting his head at her in a comforting smile. "Nothing will happen, I'm certain. That we can arrive Attuned or become Attuned is proof enough that we are part of this world now, no matter where we came from before or how we got here. And whatever happened to those who might be our templates is... well, I know it sounds callous, but it's largely academic since we have no way to see back into our previous worlds to find out."
He nodded slowly at her desire to ask the Voice - or send someone else to do so - but could only offer a shrug. "I think it's a good idea," he said slowly. "Though... I'm not sure who I would trust with the information. Perhaps Rexanna... though she's certainly been through enough already. Still, if you think it was meant to help you rule, it is up to you whether you want to share it with her." He watched her as he unshielded the lantern again, seeing the flinch but uncertain what had caused it. At least he could reassure her about their souls, and again his lips tilted up in that crooked half-smile. "No harder than being born a mage here," he pointed out. "Not so different from that at all."
