(no subject)

[samahl]

Who: Cyril Lavellan
Broadcast: Open
Action: SS Starduck
When: Afternoon


[Cyril seems much better to anyone who happened to see him during his bender. He's put together once more, perfectly groomed and wearing something that compliments his frame. He seems cheerful, though a little thoughtful.]


I think I have a rather morbid question to ask, but one I find myself dwelling on recently. Bear with me...

If you knew you were facing your death, perhaps through illness or some magic that was slowly tainting your body, what would be the one thing you'd want to do?

When I try to think of my answer, all that comes to mind are lewd, shallow things. For once, perhaps, I'd like my answer to have more meaning. Perhaps hearing what you would do will help?

Comments

[samahl]

That is a surprisingly complicated question.

I would say it was more of an accident that I ended up with the magic through my body. I was near a ritual one no one was meant to stumble upon and I tried to help the people targeted by it. My friend wasn't there, but he gave the powerful object at the center of the ritual to the one performing it.

That person I destroyed, but my friend's magic remains.

[twosoul]

Then you did kill the person responsible. The hand that wields the sword is at fault, not the person who forged it. [Magic, rituals--he can't help but think of the Hive and their sword logic.]

But I hope your friend learned a lesson about accountability, too.

So I guess if you already took care of that part and you still didn't have long left it'd be--hmm. Either spend the rest of my time with the people I care about the most, or go out on a suicide strike that would make my death have as much meaning as my life.

[samahl]

I feel as if those two options may be direct opposites of one another... And it sounds like what the Wardens do.

Which do you lean more towards?

[twosoul]

Depends if the rest of my friends wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, too.

But if it came down to it, I'd gladly give my life to save someone else from the same fate.

[samahl]

I understand that.

One of the things that coming here taught me is that there are countless others in other timelines who suffer what I suffered. I would take all of it if it would spare them.

[twosoul]

[He pauses for a long moment.]

That's a sentiment worthy of a Guardian. Someone who's willing to sacrifice themselves so that other people might live free of the Darkness--my brothers and sisters would welcome you among us.

[samahl]

I...

A Guardian? Do you mind explaining that a bit?

[twosoul]

Oh! Right. Keep forgetting other people don't have Guardians.

[He thinks about it for a long moment. How to explain without getting too technical?]

A long time ago, my people lived in a Golden Age, but then the Darkness came and it collapsed. With its dying breath, the last source of Light let out a hundred thousand tiny sparks, and each one sought for a person it could infuse with the Light. But they each only had one shot at it, so they looked for certain qualities - devotion, bravery. Sacrifice. Someone who was willing to give their life so that others might live.

Some of them looked for hundreds of years. Some of them are still looking. But some of them - they found people who had made that sacrifice, who didn't just talk the talk but who had gone through with it and died - and then infused their spirit with the Light. They came back fresh as dawn, no memory of who they were before, but with those core personality traits still there. And their Light helps them to come back again and again, as long as it isn't drained by the Darkness. A Guardian can suffer a million deaths and still fight, because we never give up no matter what the cost.

[samahl]

I see...

They sound incredible. Though their lives do not sound easy.

[twosoul]

[He almost makes a flippant remark, but--it's not easy. There are Guardians who had quit, who had chased a true death, who had given up. But for every one of those, ten more join the fight.]

It's not easy. But it's worth doing.