[avalon] IC Inbox

[emet_sulk]

I am currently not available at the moment.
If you were directed here by Hythlodaeus, kindly inform him that any messes he creates are his responsibility to clean up.

If this is Hythlodaeus: Please act like a bureau chief for once in your life and stop referring complaints to me.


(A place for private network messages or overflow threads from Isle of Avalon!)

Comments

[problemsoncauthess]

Ardyn merely laughs, poking at Emet's hand with a ghostly finger. It goes right through.

"But I am not touching you. Do calm yourself, my boy."

He isn't quite aware Emet is magnitudes older than him.

[emet_sulk]

He sneers, again trying to wave off Ardyn's hand like one might at an annoying fly.

"Do not call me 'boy' either. I am magnitudes older than you. I have seen stars die."

Well, mainly because of a certain little bird... But details!

[problemsoncauthess]

Well, that catches his attention. Ardyn instantly perks up, leaning against the desk, eyes fixed on Emet.

"Really? What was it like? Quite exquisite, I imagine."

Ardyn may or may not be an even shittier Fandaniel.

[emet_sulk]

He scowls and turns aside. The last thing he needs is another Fandaniel.

"Hardly. They collapse and grow quiet and all fades to dust. No spark of life at all, not even flora."

[problemsoncauthess]

Ardyn hums, seemingly unperturbed by the description. If anything, something like peace seems to come over his expression.

"I take it you are not fond of the idea? The quiet, the stillness?"

[emet_sulk]

"No. Who would enjoy living on a dead star? The idea is abhorrent - as abhorrent as thinking it better than encouraging life to thrive."

Should he be angry at Hermes for what the man did? He remembers the man standing with the rest of them at the end of it all, as fire rained from the sky and beasts ravaged their city.

He starts sketching idly. With Ardyn lingering he can't truly focus, so none of his rough thumbnails really please him.

(points at ardyn) this is what you look like during your villain monologues, emet

[problemsoncauthess]

"Encouraging life to thrive," echoes Ardyn - but in a much more sarcastic tone, raising his arms for a moment and slowly turning in a half-circle as though he's addressing a crowd. He lets his arms fall then, strolling around Emet's desk until he's opposite the man.

"But life feeds on other life. Life strives to extinguish other life. I think... that you need to be more accurate with your wording."

He smiles slowly, though there is no good humour in it, and leans closer, hands propped up on the desk's surface.

"It is suffering that you encourage. The strong devouring the weak and being devoured in turn by those even stronger. A wonderfully endless cycle of pain, fear and despair. How many creatures will you sentence to death so others may thrive, hmm? How many have you sentenced already? I wonder if you remember."

HE'S GONNA SHANK YOU A SECOND TIME, ARDYN

[emet_sulk]

His grip on the pencil grows tighter. It's a wonder it doesn't break under the strain. Unwanted memories come flooding back: of the cave with its bodies piled high, of his shade reminding him of the cost, of his friend's body lying upon the altar--

Without thinking, he lunges out of his seat and tries to grab Ardyn by the collar...only to grasp empty air. He nearly pitches over the table; he does end up scattering some of his loose work across the floor. Righting himself with effort and breathing heavily, he glares at the ghostly man across the table, fists clenched tightly atop its surface.

"If I hadn't made a promise to my bonded, I would bring you back to life myself just to kill you again in the most exquisitely agonising way possible," he hisses.

that's halfway to flirting in ardyn's book

[problemsoncauthess]

There's unmasked delight on Ardyn's face; he does not even move as Emet lunges at him, either used to this kind of interaction or used to being ghostly. But more importantly - and perhaps dangerously - there's a curious fire in his eyes as well.

"Your 'bonded', you say? I should like to meet them, I think. But I do thank you for your generosity!"

He steps back to give a sarcastically elaborate, low bow.

"It has been so long since I was last spared... Yet I am moved to ask - how would you kill me? Perhaps it would not be as agonising or exquisite as you might think."

sorry kiddo he's already taken >8(

[emet_sulk]

He forces himself to sit back down. He'll not get any work done today, that is certain.

"There are ways to dissect a man whilst he yet lives," he says darkly. "Normally I would not have the patience for it. But I could make an exception."

He would rather die before he let anyone take Hythlodaeus from him again.

it's ok it can be hateflirting ;)

[problemsoncauthess]

Ardyn watches him curiously, obviously taking all of Emet's reactions in, but not looking worried about the threat in the least. His experiments with magitek soldiers were fairly close to what Emet is describing, anyway.

"Hmm? You've got experience in such things, then?"

:WEARY:

[emet_sulk]

"Experience," he sneers. "The world is terrible enough without my contribution. No, I simply had ample time to observe all the cruelties of mankind. One cannot help but take in some...lessons in the process."

He wishes he didn't know things such as how long you can starve a man or deprive them of water without killing them. He wishes he didn't know which nerves can set one's whole body afire and which provoke involuntary functions. There are so many, many more ways to be cruel rather than kind.

[problemsoncauthess]

"Oh yes, yes. People do tend to be quite inventive when it comes to such things, yes? What would you say is the worst thing you've borne witness to?"

His tone is still casual, as though he's just making polite conversation about the weather.

"I can start, if you would prefer. Though I would say it may be a little difficult to pick out something that one would qualify as 'the worst' I have seen."

[emet_sulk]

"I would rather not," he replies tersely. "I'm not playing this game with you. Go bother someone else."

If only he could silence a man twice.