{se} oh shit, forgot I'm a vampire
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Cameron Davis
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Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#15


"Maybe," Cam echoes, but they sound even more doubtful about the possibility than Wessex. They're smart enough to realize that if the Fae hate the Ascended, the only way the Ascended will be setting foot in the Greatwood is if they conquer it in the coming war. And while Cam obviously doesn't want to lose that war, they're not sure they want to win it like that, either.

"It's OK." Cam smiles at Wessex's fumbling. "Most of the people I've hung out with so far have been Ascended anyway. And you're just trying to be careful ... Mom," they add, jokingly.

"Yeah, I went to Torchline for LongNight. Did not seem like a fun time. I'm glad you got rid of the monsters, though." Cam had arrived at the beginning of Deepfrost, but they'd made sure to miss LongNight in the Grounds. Now that Wessex brought it up, though, they were curious ... "What were they like? If you don't mind me asking."


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Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
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#16
Laser beams we're about to awesome all your dreams
At least they haven’t bungled it up too bad. She’s grateful to be given a pass and lets the subject drop, moving on to… ‘happier’ things, like LongNight Monsters.

“The LongNight Monsters?” she echoes back at them, brow furrowing a bit. She takes a needless breath and then falls silent for a moment, wondering where in the world to begin. “They were both creatures to be pitied and utterly horrific creations. It wasn’t their fault that they were the way they were, but their evolution was… terrifying. They’re the one thing I’ll never forgive the Voice for, because she made them and she needed them, but it could have been done… in a different way, I think.”

Wessex leans back more, staring up at the ceiling. “They tortured the Grounders. Psyhologically. And we couldn’t go anywhere, so - we had to endure. They could make their voices sound like real people we knew. Some could appear like actual people. They liked to burn things down, would kill whole families if someone let them in the house. And I think they enjoyed it, too. That horrible week of freedom.”
WESSEX
Cameron Davis
Artist

Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#17


Cam stares at Wessex in shock and horror when she describes the LongNight monsters. Oh, the monsters themselves aren't that outre to them -- they've seen similar things in fiction many times, though the fact that these ones are real, that their victims are real people, makes it so much worse. If this were just a story, Cam would say they sounded cool, but obviously that's not the case.

But what really bothers them is one detail: "The Voice made them? What did she need them for?"

They know there's been a lot of conflict between the Voice and the other gods, but they can't see how having such creatures roaming the Grounds -- tormenting her own people and innocents -- benefits the Voice in the least.


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Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
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#18
Laser beams we're about to awesome all your dreams
“To… perfect her techniques. To work on upgrades for us.” Her jaw clenches, an old habit of picking at her nails briefly resurfacing as she struggles to meet Cameron’s gaze. As she fidgets, elbows to knees now and slumped forward bit, he demigod finds herself wanting to apologize for the goddess, as if she were the one who enabled such a terrible thing to happen.

“And in the end it worked. She gave us the powers to set her free. But like me, there are other former Grounders who can’t forgive her for it.” People who’d had families and friend massacred. It’s as bad a crime as setting the whole Grounds inside a bubble, and with that kind of perspective, Wessex can see why some consider her worse. “It’s easier to look at LongNight and say, you’ve terrorized us for a hundred years rather than look at the overall effects of being stuck in a bubble. Terror hits a little differently than a slow but steady decline.”

And then, of course, there’s the Blight.
WESSEX
Cameron Davis
Artist

Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#19


Cam's face remained in a deep, worried frown despite Wessex's explanation -- they weren't sure that made it any better. They rubbed their own shoulder, feeling a little sick at the thought that the technology now inside them had come from experimentation that resulted in such horrifying monsters being unleashed on the Grounders. Part of them, the cynical part, whispered, No such thing as a free lunch. Most things at home had come with ties to some horror or other, if you dug deep enough, so they really shouldn't have expected their Ascension to be any different. But, still, it struck a hard blow to their opinion of the Voice. For the first time, Cam wondered if maybe people had a good reason to hate her.

"You can't forgive her?" Cam asked, their voice a little shaky. They wanted Wessex to say no -- wanted to hear that you could follow the Voice without excusing her mistakes. Her atrocities. "I mean, I don't know, I think I'd take the bubble -- there was no way to, uh, fix that without the monsters?"

A what if question that Wessex couldn't really answer, Cam realized, as much as they wished she could. They could ask all day long if some other path might have worked, but this was the one that had. Cam shook their head slightly. "It just seems ... I don't have the words. Are there any, uh, other issues I should know about?"


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Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
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#20
Laser beams we're about to awesome all your dreams
“No,” Wessex replies quietly, affirming her stance again. “None of our Gods are perfect - except Caido, maybe, but we don’t know him at all. I can’t forgive her, but then I can’t forgive any of them. I believe in her vision and I can hope that it’s the right way, I can see how she’s reconnected the world and healed people. But like any child, it’s best to be realistic about your parents. Don’t put them on a pedestal.” She sighs, but there’s a hint of a smile there.

“The Voice has flaws. She isn’t infallible. But she gives without asking for anything in return, she’s brilliant, actively figures out a way to change and improve things, and she doesn’t think any other race is…  an abomination, you know?” Shrugging, the demigod seems to land somewhere between acceptance and hope, all too aware of both her power and her powerlessness in this fucked up situation. When she lays it out, it’s an easy choice for her. For others, they land differently.

“I even think that most people on the Old God’s side - the Outlanders, at least - don’t think of us as abominations. They just… got angry at being brought here, or  found a God here similar to one of their own, or found it’s easier to follow the majority. I mean, Safrin’s gorgeous and heavy-handed on the manipulation. It isn’t easy to resist her.” Wessex shakes her head sadly, thinking of people she’d prefer not to have as enemies. Budding friendships torn away, working relationships and mutual respect dashed against the rocks. It’s a mess now.

Their other question hits her belatedly and Wessex backtracks a bit. “Anyway, I don’t know if there was another way to get out. Can’t hardly expect a god to roll over and just accept imprisonment, can you? I mean, would you? Looking over at them, it’s clear that the General doesn’t have any kind of concrete answer to their question, other than she wouldn’t take imprisonment lying down either. Wessex is a fighter. And maybe that’s why she can turn a blind eye to more than she likes to admit.
WESSEX
Cameron Davis
Artist

Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#21


Cam listened to Wessex's perspective carefully, nodding as she spoke. She was right. The Voice might not be perfect, but at least she wasn't calling for the extermination of the Old Gods' followers -- that made the Old Gods the villains here, in Cam's book. The way Wessex spoke of the gods reminded Cam of how they'd thought of politicians back home -- don't make the mistake of thinking any of them are flawless, but support the one who aligns with you best, despite their flaws. It also reminded Cam of the Earth mythologies they'd studied, where the gods did horrible things but had to be respected and worshiped anyway.

"I get it, I think." Cam flashed a quick, constrained smile. Perhaps the best thing to do would have been to try to stay neutral in this conflict, but ... no, their conscience wouldn't allow that, actually. Not with genocide on the table. "Whatever the Voice has done, the Old Gods want to exterminate her followers. Even if I weren't one of those followers, I'd know that was wrong."

Quietly, they added, "It's weird how many people are OK with that. How can they just go along with it? I mean, I guess I get the ones who view us as abominations -- well, not 'get' them, but if that's what they tell themselves, of course they'll attack us. But I don't think 'it's easier' or 'this god reminds me of home' is a good reason to try to kill an entire people. And I can't imagine how they do."

Cam had to think about Wessex's question. The truth was, they probably would roll over and accept imprisonment, if getting out were so costly -- years of torment for the Grounders at the monsters' hands. But they wouldn't argue against Wessex's desire to be free. "I mean, I wasn't here then. I don't really know how bad it was. So you're probably right."


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Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
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#22
Laser beams we're about to awesome all your dreams
“I don’t know either,” Sad and quiet, her mind drifts briefly to Hotaru and Amalia. No, just Hotaru, really. “I guess to some the ends justify the means? One told me they’d once lived in a world where an outside God came in and destroyed everything, so therefore they distrusted all outside Gods. Or something like that. And another said being neutral never worked out, and even though they didn’t want us murdered, the rest of their friends and family chose the Old Gods, so they were going to as well.” Shaking her head again, Wessex’s fists ball up into a glimpse of her frustration. “I was so close…!”

But in the end, cowards will be cowards and men will be men.

On the plus side, if she’s dead, she won’t have to deal with any of that bullshit afterwards. And if she’s alive… well, Wessex would be lying if the thoughts of revenge didn’t linger in her head when she is well and truly alone.

“I don’t know. I’m often wrong.” Waving it all away, she sits forward a bit and tilts her head in consideration. “Maybe the moral is that there are no absolutes. No one’s perfect. Everyone has regrets and things they’d do differently in hindsight.”
WESSEX
Cameron Davis
Artist

Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 17 - Endr: 15 - Luck: 8 - Int:
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#23


"I guess people do tend to side with their friends and family over anything else." Cam didn't realize that Wessex had once been friends with these people, that they had sided against her anyway. They sighed. "I mean, I know there are no moral absolutes and nobody's perfect, but there's still right and wrong. And destroying a entire people definitely counts as wrong in my group -- there's no good reason for that. And attacking people just because they follow the 'wrong' god? That sucks."

Cam raised their head, a bit curious about something Wessex had said: "What were you so close to? Getting them to understand? Peace? If enough people want peace, why does there have to be war? God, this is why I'm an atheist."

They'd gotten a bit off-topic there, and they supposed they weren't exactly an atheist anymore, but still. Religious war. Nasty.


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Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
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#24
Laser beams we're about to awesome all your dreams
“I don’t know… convincing someone we were worth the difficulty, I guess? Actually winning something?” She snorts suddenly, far harsher than intended. “That probably says far more about me than it does about them.” The need to win, the need to feel wanted… like it or not, it permeates half the shit Wessex does sometimes. It makes her feel the insults more keenly - even when they aren’t personal.

She’s not just fighting for her existence, she’s fighting for some deep-seated part of herself that is super needy and could seriously benefit from a lot of therapy. Even when she’s wallowing a bit, she’s hyperaware and eager to turn the questions back on Cameron.

“I’m sorry you got dragged into this. I’m glad you’re here, but it’s not… fair.” All this talk of wars and rules and death and things they ought to be aware of. She can easily imagine it might be making them regret their decision, even if they just said they would never agree with the Old Gods’ desire for a massacre.

“What’s an atheist?” It suddenly occurs to her that she has no idea what that word means.
WESSEX
Cameron Davis
Artist

Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#25


Hearing Wessex's words mostly just makes Cam feel sad. Convincing someone we were worth the difficulty ... That was the crux of the matter, wasn't it? Most of the Ascended's enemies didn't actually want them dead; they'd just decided that the Ascended weren't worth standing up for, weren't worth fighting for. It made Cam glad to be on the Ascended side, actually -- they might not be brave, exactly, but at least they weren't that kind of coward.

"It's not fair for you either," Cam pointed out. "And I didn't get dragged into this. I mean, I didn't know everything, but plenty of people warned me that the Ascended weren't well-liked. I made my choice."

It was better to believe that they'd chosen the Ascended side themself than confront the fact that in the end they hadn't had that much choice, what with needing their medication and struggling to eat and sleep. But they could have gone to the Old Gods for help, and they hadn't, and every time they heard more about the Old Gods' genocidal tendencies, they were more glad of that.

"Oh, an atheist is someone who doesn't believe in God." Cam realized as they spoke that in Caido's context, that might need a little more explanation. "I mean -- so, back where I'm from, there are a lot of different religions, but none of them are really proven; you can't meet and talk to the gods like you can here. And the main religion where I'm from is Christianity, which has a single, supposedly omnipotent God. But I don't believe in him. I guess in Caido an atheist would just be someone who doesn't follow any god."


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Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
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#26
Laser beams we're about to awesome all your dreams
“Thank you,” quiet and sincere, there is more in that thanks than Wessex (who has actually become quiet eloquent over the years) could really convey to them for their affirmation of their choice. She’s a bit tired of talking, honestly, and the topic is obviously making her sad. It would probably make anyone sad.

Once they explain what an atheist is, Wessex brightens for a moment.Oh, then I was one too, for most of my life. Pretty much up until I ascended.” Which might sound weird, to just make a giant decision without believing in what the Voice stood for. But things were different four or five years ago. Vastly different.

Standing to go and peek out a window, the general notes that they’ve been in there for quite some time and the sun is starting to set. “The sun is going down, you’re probably safe now if you’d like to try to get home.” And she can always assist with that too, of course.
WESSEX
Cameron Davis
Artist

Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#27


Cam smiles at Wessex's thanks; they can hear that there's feeling behind it. That feeling sounds a bit sad, though, so their smile is bittersweet. It still hurts to know how many people have sided with the Old Gods and their campaign of annihilation, but at least they have each other, right?

Another smile and a nod at Wessex's declaration of atheism. Part of Cam wants to inquire further -- to ask why, if Wessex didn't follow the Voice already, she decided to become Ascended. But Wessex sounds tired, and Cam doesn't want to overstay their welcome. Besides, they're quite familiar with the kind of need that would drive someone to the Voice and what she could offer regardless of their theological opinions. That's just one more thing Wessex and Cam have in common, they think, and they like having things in common with Wessex.

Cam goes to the window and peers out. "I think I can walk home. Thanks for the assist."

This conversation, even with the dark turns it took, has been preferable to hanging around the Temple all day -- or burning in the sun.

- FIN


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