Post by Sleeves on Mar 4, 2014 17:23:46 GMT
045
He is already waiting, standing next to the mantle with a glass of red wine in hand, as Hallam escorts the blond man into his office. They have set up their temporary headquarters in the Mundane city of Istanbul, one of the largest in the world.
“Basileus Renwick?” Daedarus asks, offering his free hand.
“At your service,” the blond says as they shake, “I must say, Mr. Cain, it was quite a surprise to discover a Harbinger with roots in Elberon. For years I believed myself to be the only one.”
“As did I,” Daedarus smiles thinly, “Please, have a seat.” They sit. “Wine? Tea?”
“Wine, thank you.” Hallam pours a glass of Merlot before fading once more into the background.
“Now, Mr. Renwick, we are like-minded men, are we not?”
Basileus nods guardedly. “I believe so.”
“Both Harbingers, both passionate and intelligent-”another nod“-So how is it that we have found ourselves on the opposite sides of a war? How is it that an intellect such as your own has come to bear Locust wings?”
Something venomous stirs behind the other man’s eyes. “Are you insinuating that my loyalties lie with some upstart political faction?”
Daedarus tsks lightly. “Come now, Mr. Renwick, playing pretend is for children. Everyone in this room knows that the Cabal is your brainchild. And I do believe you’ve just answered a question with a question. I’ll rephrase mine for you if you don’t understand: what is the difference between you and me?”
“The difference,” Basileus hisses, knuckles white as he grips the arm of his chair, “Is in our Magic, Cain. Surely you are not so naïve.”
Daedarus sighs, honestly disappointed, “What a pair we make. I am naïve and you are nothing more than a bigot.”
“It’s not bigotry if the prejudice is justified.”
Daedarus sits forward, elbows on his knees, and meets the other Harbinger’s green eyes, “And is it justified, Basil? Is it really?”
The older man launches himself from his seat, “YES! YOUR KIND KILLED MY WIFE! YOUR KIND TOOK HER FROM ME!” His face is red and he is breathing deeply and around them the furniture is shaking and the lights are flickering. After a tense moment, he sits back down and attempts to collect himself, the rage on the blond’s face replaced with weariness. “She was pregnant…and they took her from me,” Basileus finishes softly.
Daedarus gives the man a moment to deal with his emotions. But only a moment. “Surely the actions of a few do not characterize the nature of the whole. Not all Dark Magi are evil and not all Light Magi are good. We are not defined by our Magic, but by our humanity.”
“And what would you know of humanity?” Basileus scoffs, “Already you have the blood of women and children on your hands, Cain. Your men have slaughtered dozens in your name and you dare lecture me about humanity?”
Touché.
Circa 1935.
There are no 'right' sides in war.
Monsters
He is already waiting, standing next to the mantle with a glass of red wine in hand, as Hallam escorts the blond man into his office. They have set up their temporary headquarters in the Mundane city of Istanbul, one of the largest in the world.
“Basileus Renwick?” Daedarus asks, offering his free hand.
“At your service,” the blond says as they shake, “I must say, Mr. Cain, it was quite a surprise to discover a Harbinger with roots in Elberon. For years I believed myself to be the only one.”
“As did I,” Daedarus smiles thinly, “Please, have a seat.” They sit. “Wine? Tea?”
“Wine, thank you.” Hallam pours a glass of Merlot before fading once more into the background.
“Now, Mr. Renwick, we are like-minded men, are we not?”
Basileus nods guardedly. “I believe so.”
“Both Harbingers, both passionate and intelligent-”another nod“-So how is it that we have found ourselves on the opposite sides of a war? How is it that an intellect such as your own has come to bear Locust wings?”
Something venomous stirs behind the other man’s eyes. “Are you insinuating that my loyalties lie with some upstart political faction?”
Daedarus tsks lightly. “Come now, Mr. Renwick, playing pretend is for children. Everyone in this room knows that the Cabal is your brainchild. And I do believe you’ve just answered a question with a question. I’ll rephrase mine for you if you don’t understand: what is the difference between you and me?”
“The difference,” Basileus hisses, knuckles white as he grips the arm of his chair, “Is in our Magic, Cain. Surely you are not so naïve.”
Daedarus sighs, honestly disappointed, “What a pair we make. I am naïve and you are nothing more than a bigot.”
“It’s not bigotry if the prejudice is justified.”
Daedarus sits forward, elbows on his knees, and meets the other Harbinger’s green eyes, “And is it justified, Basil? Is it really?”
The older man launches himself from his seat, “YES! YOUR KIND KILLED MY WIFE! YOUR KIND TOOK HER FROM ME!” His face is red and he is breathing deeply and around them the furniture is shaking and the lights are flickering. After a tense moment, he sits back down and attempts to collect himself, the rage on the blond’s face replaced with weariness. “She was pregnant…and they took her from me,” Basileus finishes softly.
Daedarus gives the man a moment to deal with his emotions. But only a moment. “Surely the actions of a few do not characterize the nature of the whole. Not all Dark Magi are evil and not all Light Magi are good. We are not defined by our Magic, but by our humanity.”
“And what would you know of humanity?” Basileus scoffs, “Already you have the blood of women and children on your hands, Cain. Your men have slaughtered dozens in your name and you dare lecture me about humanity?”
Touché.
Circa 1935.
There are no 'right' sides in war.
