I think I may have angered them more. I had meant to weather their rage with healing magic, but a blow to the head is not at all conducive to one's concentration. And so I- [ He settles back into her arms, but doesn't quite meet her eyes. She's going to tell him he was right to run. He knows it. Everyone is going to hell him he was right to run. He would tell him he was right to run, if he was not himself. It's just hard to accept. It feels like cowardice. ] -I retreated.
[ He only pauses for a second, because he doesn't want her to tell him that retreating was the right thing to do. So he preempts it. ]
-the correct option, I know. Second only to never trying in the first place. But one that will no doubt be interpreted as another broken promise.
[ ...and it's not what she wants to hear but- ]
I would still see their anger quelled. I would see them saved, if I could. They are no different from what the people of the first might have become without your intervention.
[ Saran is merely very quiet at this. She listens to him speak and can see quite plainly in his eyes and by the fact that he avoids looking directly at her that this means a great deal to him-- is something he holds close to his heart. And of course when he reveals why it is so important to him, she understands only too well.
When he puts it that way, not even she can really find it in herself to argue the matter with him. To debate the merits of abandoning this reckless endeavor no longer seems to make much sense or fair. By sheer virtue of just mentioning the people of the First, he veritably defangs any argument she could make anyway. If the people of the First were worth saving, were worth fighting to cure even the slightest bit, then so too should the people of the Thirteenth be worth the struggle.
The trouble is... Sarangerel has learned in her time as the Warrior of Light that one, unfortunately, cannot save everyone and that by saving one, inherently it almost always means dooming another to damnation. As she looks down at him and strokes one of his ears soothingly, she's not sure if G'raha accepts this. ]
I do not know if we can. Even Emet-Selch and the Ascians deemed that shard beyond salvaging. Can we truly save them? And how do we do it? What will happen to the other shards if we do?
I know that they should never have abandoned it lightly. They must have considered every option open to them before giving up, I am sure. To accept that their people would never be whole again- it must have been heartrending- [ It's a terrible thing to think about. If he had to accept that part of Saran would be lost forever - what part would it have to be for him to give up on that fight? Would he give up on her ever having her own smile? Her own laugh? The warmth in her voice when she talks about those closest to her? He can't think of a single fragment of her he would be willing to leave for hopeless. Nor any fragment of Lyna, or Krile, or anyone else he cares for. ] -but they would have considered every option open to them. Every way a rejoining could still occur. Their aim was never that the people of the thirteenth would live on as sundered souls, ever-divided from the source.
[ And he sighs, leaning into her touch. It still hurts, but with the benefit of the medicine her comfort is more pleasant than everything else is painful. ]
I thought, once, that I would bring them a bounty of light aether. All wrapped up in flesh, to gorge themselves upon until the two extremes found a balance. But, happily, that option is now lost to me. And I assure you that dramatic sacrifices are off the table now.
[ He raises a good point, of course, as is expected of G'raha Tia. It is obvious to Sarangerel that he has been thinking about this for a long, long time, even before he mentions his now-defunct plan to steal away with the light aether she collected from the Lightwardens in the First. That he's put so much thought into it already is a sure sign that he is resolved to see it through, regardless of risks, and even if Sarangerel was unwilling to find a solution to this problem, there would be no way for her to stop him now. It's too important to him.
Her blue eyes glance away from G'raha's lovely face when he does mention his old plan, a little spike of anxiety suddenly rising in her gut at the thought of him essentially being devoured by the voidsent like that. She has to forcibly push the thoughts out of her mind and she suddenly begins to stroke that ear less as a means of providing comfort for him and more to provide it for herself. Gods, is she ever glad Emet-Selch intervened when he had, even if he had meant to kill G'raha and weaponize her. Had it not been for that, the Crystal Exarch would have surely made his escape. ]
I am no scholar, Raha. I do not think I can help you as much as you need in this quest...
[ She sighs and frowns, frustrated with herself, her lack of knowledge. This is not exactly a time where swords and brute strength are useful. ]
...but you have my support. However you think to use me, you need only tell me and I will do it. Wherever you need me to go, I will go. Whatever it is you require from me to see this through, I swear to you that you will have it. Together, mayhap we will find a way to save the Thirteenth yet.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sandwichbasket) wrote2021-11-26 01:03 am
no subject
[ He only pauses for a second, because he doesn't want her to tell him that retreating was the right thing to do. So he preempts it. ]
-the correct option, I know. Second only to never trying in the first place. But one that will no doubt be interpreted as another broken promise.
[ ...and it's not what she wants to hear but- ]
I would still see their anger quelled. I would see them saved, if I could. They are no different from what the people of the first might have become without your intervention.
no subject
When he puts it that way, not even she can really find it in herself to argue the matter with him. To debate the merits of abandoning this reckless endeavor no longer seems to make much sense or fair. By sheer virtue of just mentioning the people of the First, he veritably defangs any argument she could make anyway. If the people of the First were worth saving, were worth fighting to cure even the slightest bit, then so too should the people of the Thirteenth be worth the struggle.
The trouble is... Sarangerel has learned in her time as the Warrior of Light that one, unfortunately, cannot save everyone and that by saving one, inherently it almost always means dooming another to damnation. As she looks down at him and strokes one of his ears soothingly, she's not sure if G'raha accepts this. ]
I do not know if we can. Even Emet-Selch and the Ascians deemed that shard beyond salvaging. Can we truly save them? And how do we do it? What will happen to the other shards if we do?
no subject
[ And he sighs, leaning into her touch. It still hurts, but with the benefit of the medicine her comfort is more pleasant than everything else is painful. ]
I thought, once, that I would bring them a bounty of light aether. All wrapped up in flesh, to gorge themselves upon until the two extremes found a balance. But, happily, that option is now lost to me. And I assure you that dramatic sacrifices are off the table now.
no subject
Her blue eyes glance away from G'raha's lovely face when he does mention his old plan, a little spike of anxiety suddenly rising in her gut at the thought of him essentially being devoured by the voidsent like that. She has to forcibly push the thoughts out of her mind and she suddenly begins to stroke that ear less as a means of providing comfort for him and more to provide it for herself. Gods, is she ever glad Emet-Selch intervened when he had, even if he had meant to kill G'raha and weaponize her. Had it not been for that, the Crystal Exarch would have surely made his escape. ]
I am no scholar, Raha. I do not think I can help you as much as you need in this quest...
[ She sighs and frowns, frustrated with herself, her lack of knowledge. This is not exactly a time where swords and brute strength are useful. ]
...but you have my support. However you think to use me, you need only tell me and I will do it. Wherever you need me to go, I will go. Whatever it is you require from me to see this through, I swear to you that you will have it. Together, mayhap we will find a way to save the Thirteenth yet.