driftfleet | (no subject)

[..........

what the heck]

That's... that all sounds horrible. War brings out the worst in people as much as anything else. So much fighting and death, just so a single person can get their wish? What a cruel way to determine one's potential.

[He's seen the sort of destruction war can bring about- the damage it causes to the land and those living on or around it. And so much malevolence, too...]

The machine doesn't care about morals. Simply who is the strongest example of 'human'. Even if it's cruel, it is the truth. After all, war will always birth a hero.

[She doesn't look particularly happy, but her voice isn't particularly upset, either. It sounds more like she's just talking about an unpleasant fact, like a rainy day.]

A hero only to the winner's side.

... Not always.

Those who try to stop the war, those who try to end the suffering, those who give everything they are to save people... A doctor who runs into battle, unable to fight, only to try to save even one life... These are all heroes as well.

...I suppose.

[He's become somewhat disillusioned with the concept of heroes ever since finding out how many of them were hellions, oops.]

I'm against war, regardless, so I'm not a fan of this machine.

... I see.

[There's a strange, distant expression, but one that bears a slight hint of... Well, it can only be called sad amusement, at Mikleo's statement.]

It isn't the thousand-year-old story I spoke of before, but would you like to hear a different one? The story of a victim, whose very Origin was war itself, yet hated war more than any other.

[Oof. Why does he feel like he said the wrong thing, there? He stands by his words, but...]

If I offended you, I'm sorry. I'm sure there's a lot about the situation that I don't understand.

No... After all, I agree with you. War is in the end, always futile, and more trouble than it is worth.

But it does undeniably bring results.

Results aren't always a good thing, but such thoughts never seem to stop those who are eager to start the wars, unfortunately.

It's true. Honestly, mortal lives are such short, depressing things already, and still they rush to make things even worse... It's something you can never understand, looking down on them from above.

Going by that, and what you've already said... can I ask what it is that you are?

[It's already pretty obvious that she's not human, but beyond that, who knows.]

Well, isn't that a question... A fox, a shrine maiden, a lovely girl who dreams of being a good wife... But those aren't what you're asking, right?

I'm a goddess.

[...Yeah that definitely wasn't what he was asking. But a goddess, huh. It's rare that anyone makes that sort of claim. Even the seraphim don't really call themselves that, even if humans do.]

Are you associated with any specific power or mortal's needs?

... To be specific, I am but an embodiment of one single facet of a goddess's personality, incarnated as a mortal to achieve a desire of hers.

Specific power, or needs? Well... Not exactly. In the first place, by the time I became aware of mortals, I had already gathered many worshipers. It was pretty strange to look down upon the Earth and realize, oh! Those little things down there are offering such intense devotion to me?

But, well, I am needed. Or, my original self is. Though I am now my own separate being, I am still fundamentally a single facet of Amaterasu, the embodiment of the sun itself.

The sun...

[Okay, that's actually pretty cool. Someone like that would be on par with the Five Lords, those who have chosen a significantly more impressive vessel than your average seraph.]

Wait, a goddess who became a mortal? How does that work?

... Did you just seriously ask how a god did something?

...Yes? Even gods can have methods and processes you can study, even if you yourself can't recreate them.

[If he ends up meeting Maotelus you can sure as hell bet he's going to grill the bastard for everything he knows.]

I see. It's a nice thought, but unfortunately, you're wrong. It's mortals and spirits that have to bother with such trivialities as 'methods' and 'processes'. Gods simply have 'Authority'. Gods can make things just happen, simply because they have the right to do so. That is all there is to it.

That's... rather arrogantly simplistic.

[To humans, seraphim can just "make things happen", too, but they're still artes.]

It's the simple truth. Gods are not bound by the conventions of mortals, you know? A god has Authority- The rights of godhood. Alteration of events, creation of worlds, manipulation of the flow of time... There is no method. The results come simply because of the Authority of the gods.

[Not that it matters much. The Age of Gods ended thousands of years ago, and a god trying to use their Authority in modern times... Well, maybe it would be all right for a full-fledged goddess like Amaterasu, but as a Servant? Even the attempt would likely kill her.]

That might be the case for your world, but not mine.

[Their "gods" might seem like they're all-powerful, but a seraph is still a seraph.]

Hm... I wonder if that's better or not? No matter the world, a god is still nothing but a part of a system.

It works more or less the same if you have beings that are treated like gods to those who depend on them, I think. As you say, it's a system- as long as that system works, what one is is just a technicality.

I see. You're not drawing a difference between that type of god and a true god? Well, from anyone else's point of view, the difference isn't that important, anyway. But one who becomes a god through deification isn't the same as those who were truly gods from the beginning.

You're assuming there are no seraphim who fit that criteria.