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[4thprince]

tbh

Comments

[guylining]

Huh.

[ Somehow, that's weirder than what he was imagining. ]

So they're not like, angels or something.

Okay. And so humans, they know that all of these people exist?

[4thprince]

( Kai scoffs. ) They like to imagine they are.

And of course they do. Why wouldn't they?

[guylining]

[ Nate shrugs. ]

It's the big secret in my world. Telling is against witching law. The others prefer to do their shit in secret, makes it easier.

[4thprince]

Odd. ( he shrugs in return though. )

So I take this all to mean you don't know Witchspeak?

[guylining]

[ Nate makes a face. ]

What is that, like Latin?

[4thprince]

I don't know Latin... but like this. ( And Kai moves his fingers in different positions, looking similar to sign language. )

[guylining]

[ Nate leans forward a bit, watching the gestures. They're not familiar to him, but after a moment, he moves his own hand through a series of gestures, and circles of flame start to cycle his fingers, his hand, his wrist. ]

Gestures or movements can make spells, like tracing symbols in the air instead of speaking the words, or drawing them on the ground. I don't recognise what you're using, though.

[ He closes his hand into a fist, and the flame rings wink back out. ]

[4thprince]

( Kai laughs. ) Do you not need intention to stop yourself from accidentally waving a hand and making a spell occur?

It's a language, not magic. Spoken with hands.

[guylining]

Of course, I mean you always need intention.

[ Nate sits forward a little. ]

So it's like sign language. Why do you call it Witchspeak?

[4thprince]

Because witches created it when they were being persecuted. A silent way to communicate across cages if necessary.

[guylining]

Oh!

[ They were persecuted in Nate's world, too. Or at least, humans tried. A long time ago, which led to a more intense mandate on secrecy. One that Nate hasn't always agreed with.

But that's a story for a different day. ]

Okay. Cool, so...the gestures you made, what do they mean?

[4thprince]

( he repeats the gestures. ) 'Do you understand' essentially. While almost all witches know Witchspeak now, if you need to be certain this was the most common way to ask.

[guylining]

[ This time Nate copies him. ]

So it's how they find each other.

But how is it that you know it, are you part of witch society?

[4thprince]

I'm the Witch King. ( he smirks, letting his head fall back against the wall he's leaning against. )

[guylining]

[ Nate looks up at him, reading that smirk. ]

The Witch King.

You lead the witches in your world?

[4thprince]

( Kai laughs and shakes his head before waving his hand and letting the smirk fade to amusement. )

No. It's a pointless title given to me by people who don't know me and make me out to be more than I am. The Witches don't have leaders like that.

[guylining]

[ Nate lifts his eyebrows, and then nods. ]

Maybe those people want that to change.

You're definitely closer to the witches than my people are to demons. As a rule, I mean. Do you get along with humans?

[4thprince]

Humans gave me the name. Not the Witches. ( he corrects. ) Not that it offends them.

( the amusement fades a bit. ) What do you think if they're giving me obscure names because they don't know me? I'm plenty friendly with plenty of humans but humans are wide and varied. Some will always fear what they don't know.

[guylining]

Mmm.

[ Nate hesitates, then leans forward. ]

At the risk of causing offence again.

Where I'm from they'd be right to fear. You, your people, the other demons...you don't want to hurt anyone in the mortal world?

[4thprince]

( Kai rolls his eyes. ) And where you're from do humans not kill each other?

( he sighs. he knows he can't help but bite so often. ) Of course some have at some point in time. We're not a monolith. But no more than other humans have hurt each other.

[guylining]

[ Nate nods. ]

Right.

So, it's not like, the purpose in life of demons is to capture the deceased souls of humanity and torture them for all eternity, or anything?

[4thprince]

( Kai looks shocked and taken aback by the statement. ) Why would it be?

[guylining]

[ Nate's eyebrows come together. ]

Because that's...what demons do, it's their... [ He sighs. ] ontological purpose. They're driven to it, by nature, it's why one of their high princes wanted to consume me when I landed in his realm. It's...you know, a whole thing.

[4thprince]

Again, where you come from. ( he knits his eyebrows together in return. ) But I am sorry for your experience.

[guylining]

[ Nate shakes his head. ]

It's nothing you have to be sorry for, don't be silly.

But so...what is it like where you're from, then? Why did humans call you a king?