Astronomical investigations

The mermanta considered the Warden across the table, emerald eyes resting with a quiet contemplation on the questions he asked. Learning as much from the words that were chosen for those queries as he did from the answers he received in response to his own. What conclusions he drew he kept to himself, bending his sparing speech to satisfying the Resurrected Sword's curiosity instead.

"If I chose your path instead of Ronin's, would that free me from her hatreds?" he asked in return, sincerely inquisitive in how much distance Deimos had gained in his choice to remain apart. "When the War came, were you given a choice to remain in Halo and protect your home and loved ones?" A choice Ronin certainly had not been given. But how deep did Deimos's independence truly run? Therein lay the crux of the difference between the two options Safrin had presented him with.

The next question drew a longer pause from the mermanta, a request for information the Mer had not shared with landwalkers... perhaps ever. "We cannot access the wild magic of humans," he rumbled at last. He trusted Evie implicitly, and in turn he would trust his best friend's choice in husband to keep his people's weaknesses private. "We cannot access most elements. Cannot create items, mundane or magic, except from water and ice." Transient things, especially in Torchline's heat. "Much of our magic exists to entice humans into the water, and little more." Weak emotional influences, far less powerful than Hotaru's compulsion magic. Glamour that was less than skin deep. Granting temporary water-breathing to humans, for far less time than a cloudmanta crystal could provide. "The spells of greatest use I have already mastered. Water manipulation. The calling of storms. Aquaportation." A lift of his shoulders in a shrug that was small but held an ocean straining at the bonds and limits placed upon it.

Could a human, possessed of boundless potential since birth - or at least able to unlock it by attuning to or becoming cursed by the gods; if not both, as Deimos had done - understand what it was like, to be so limited?

But the question of time, so precious and so fleeting, a resource that Torchline would seem to have less of than other regions given the moon-island intruding in its waters unaware of machinations occurring in Stormbreak and elsewhere, hung even more heavily over the mermanta's head. He nodded agreement to the Warden's understanding of a question that only Safrin could answer, leaving that mystery between them settled as one neither of them could answer.

DEIMOS

ache first, but then let the cuts close
spit out the blood

The inquiry made his head tilt again, a narrowing of his eyes to ascertain his machinations surrounding the question. “In fairness, we share some of the same abhorrence.” And though Deimos wouldn’t name any of those in his head, it wouldn’t take much investigating on Hadama’s behalf to infer who he despised. “But I have not been forced to do anything on her behalf to those loathed.” He’d done it entirely on his own, and with good reasoning and merit. Would happily do it again if it didn’t mean uprooting politics or upsetting Ru.

The war was a different story though, and he had to wonder if it had been because of who he was, the power within his blood, or the ties and connections to the Old Gods. It might’ve been all three. “I was not. It was expected.” But he hadn’t balked, hadn’t denied, hadn’t crawled into the earth and tried to hide. The Sword knew the sway of battle like the back of his hand, and the only trepidation he’d had towards any of it had been leaving Halo behind – but they’d been so damned capable, stalwart, steadfast, and strong. “So it may not matter, loyal or demigod, in those cases.” Especially with the pending island debacle.

Information on the Mer was entirely new, and opened his eyes into seeing why Hadama might have even considered the demigod arrangement. He took the information in, no longer parsing through his papers as the Tidebreaker described the lack of elements, creation, or the scouring of enticements, seemingly fit for sirens. “And therein lies the temptation,” he uttered, nodding in comprehension. “But – if you become a demigod and cannot defend those you cherish, then what would it all be for?” The might and the glory would fade for something else far more dire and deeper. Or maybe Hadama had other insights.

watch your body pull itself back together
then let your soul do the same

He had spoken with Sunjata directly, and endured Safrin's displeasure at the mention of the Flood's name. It was the first time mere mention of someone had caused such strife in his prayers to her, and it was not difficult to make the connection between her response and the Warden's shared dislike of the man. A steel-colored brow quirked briefly, curious in spite of himself, but in the end he chose not to pry into the other man's personal matters. Instead he let his expression fall back into neutrality and inclined his head in acknowledgment of the answer given.

Another answer followed, straightforward and to the point, and the Tidebreaker nodded slightly at the confirmation that the independence of mortality would not entirely absolve participation in the conflicts of the gods. Always, there were limits, and it was good to know where they were. Especiall when Starfall looked to be another such threat. One that Hadama would face even without orders from a higher power. Though the island's presence in his waters made the problem much closer to home than a war in the distant Draig, requiring little in the way of deliberation.

It was his turn to speak, then, to answer questions that were rarely resolved when coming from a human. To admit to magic that had been sufficient for a simple smith, a simple chef, but was found lacking in a ruler who had learned of the greater possibilities inherent to the human soul, and who now faced enemies at his doorstep who seemed capable of taking his strongest magic head-on without flinching.

But to lose even that much? Deimos offered understanding and Hadama accepted it with an acknowledging tilt of his head even as he lowered his chin, head bowed in a struggle of contemplation. "That... is the price I do not dare pay," he admitted slowly. "In a time of peace, with time to strengthen myself, then yes. But now..." He looked up to meet the Sword's gaze. His own emerald eyes were far more troubled than when he had sat down; his decision less certain now. "Thank you. For you honesty. And your wisdom."

DEIMOS

ache first, but then let the cuts close
spit out the blood

The lengthy pauses made him consider turning back to his parchment, and did so as Hadama parsed through the granted information. There was much to consider and coincide between beliefs, possibilities, and other remaining quandaries, so the Sword didn’t begrudge the Mer as he seemed to be rifling through the sagacity. Picking up his charcoal, he brandished a few letters until the Tidebreaker spoke again.

Prices not willing or dared to pay – Deimos nodded, pondering over the time available as well. They had no way of knowing and hadn’t been given a timeframe, like with the war, and with naught but a swell of trepidation and apprehension, there wasn’t much else to go on. A waiting game while trying to strengthen their compounds, their homes, their livelihoods, fighting against a foe they could barely name or understand – all of it was a hard-fought balance that he figured none of them were adhering to as well as they would’ve liked. “You are welcome,” and with nothing else forthcoming, his brow arched once more. “Do you have any other questions?”

watch your body pull itself back together
then let your soul do the same

The Tidebreaker lingered in his chair, quiet and contemplative as he considered what other questions he might have for the Resurrected Sword. There was undoubtedly something he was forgetting to ask. Something he would think of hours or days from now, after Safrin's gift of unseasonable legs had worn off. Perhaps something that would tip the balance that he was now caught between, unquestioning faith tempered by pragmatic duty.

But he could not linger in the Warden's office forever. The night was moving onward, and Safrin was awaiting the results of this conversation.

"Many that I will remember later," he admitted. "But now... no." Deimos had answered the questions he had come with, and inspired several more that they had explored. It would need to be enough. The rest lay in Safrin's answers, and what would change in the world between now and then.

Hadama rose and bowed respectfully to his fellow leader. "Good evening. And... my regards to Evie. I should not linger." Not when Safrin could be a jealous goddess, and he had no wish to direct that ire at either himself or the Evergreen while on borrowed legs and borrowed time. There would be other chances to see his dearest friend, and hopefully soon.

~Fin~