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.
( 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.
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.
You do make it like I should be. ( Kai bites, as per usual, but at least with some amusement as Nate seems to be letting up.
but he takes a deep breath before he describes it. ) Demons where I am from are just those of us that reside in the underearth. At one point we did war with people, the Saredi specifically, but no different from how humans war for territory.
But a treaty was reached between our peoples. ( he leans forward a bit. ) Then there's really a large jump to me being called the Witch King. In a separate war on the upper earth, one started by some humans against the people of my continent, I was close to a man that led the alliance in my continent. Demons were rarer and Witches rare and in the end humans conflated me and my magic and my ties to witches and my high position as a sort of envoy of Witches. The Witch King.
I was no such thing, of course, but the reputation persists.
[ Nate isn't trying to displace guilt. He doesn't think that's what he's doing. It's just not so easy to ignore everything he's learned about demons for the last...
For a whole lifetime. That's how it feels.
He is interested in this, though. He's interested in the differences, it's just hard to not sound accusatory, or something. He's going to have to work on that. ]
So you got caught up in their wars. Is that still going on, the war? Is it part of why you were kidnapped?
Not their wars. Mine, too. The Hierarchs, our enemies, didn't distinguish between conquering humans or demons or witches. We were all there to be conquered. Though us demons were more to be killed or controlled. ( there's some tension as he talks about this, but he relents and lets it roll off as he always does. )
But no. The war has been over for nearly seventy decades. I was kidnapped to prevent my dissenting voice in the renewal of the alliance from the war.
I don't know what that means... pensioner... ( he sounds wary, like he can guess from context he's been had.
but he shakes his head. ) No, of course I do. But the alliance was made to combat the enemy. The enemy is long defeated, and I felt it was time to dissolve the alliance and give rule back to the individual peoples again.
Imperial. Yes. An empire, almost. ( that is what Bashat wanted. Kai's edge wanes a bit at the thought of Bashat, but he snaps out of it at the rest of Nate says.
he scoffs and rolls his eyes. ) I'm not important. I just acted. Bashasa was important. He's the one that taught me it's important to act.
[ it is important to act. Important not to turn away. Important to care. That part, at least, Nate can relate to. It makes him feel somewhat seen, and so he drops his gaze, and leans back a little. ]
Is that your friend, the one who was high up in the alliance?
What? [ That startles Nate enough to make him laugh. ] No, like when they stop work, and then they live off their pension. Hence the term. Like when they're seventy.
Well, yeah, that's because you're living in a feudal type of place, like this one. In my world there's workplace pensions, and healthcare, and benefits for people with disabilities, and all that jazz.
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( 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.
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[ 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?
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( 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.
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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?
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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.
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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?
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but he takes a deep breath before he describes it. ) Demons where I am from are just those of us that reside in the underearth. At one point we did war with people, the Saredi specifically, but no different from how humans war for territory.
But a treaty was reached between our peoples. ( he leans forward a bit. ) Then there's really a large jump to me being called the Witch King. In a separate war on the upper earth, one started by some humans against the people of my continent, I was close to a man that led the alliance in my continent. Demons were rarer and Witches rare and in the end humans conflated me and my magic and my ties to witches and my high position as a sort of envoy of Witches. The Witch King.
I was no such thing, of course, but the reputation persists.
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For a whole lifetime. That's how it feels.
He is interested in this, though. He's interested in the differences, it's just hard to not sound accusatory, or something. He's going to have to work on that. ]
So you got caught up in their wars. Is that still going on, the war? Is it part of why you were kidnapped?
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But no. The war has been over for nearly seventy decades. I was kidnapped to prevent my dissenting voice in the renewal of the alliance from the war.
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I mean, you look good for a pensioner. But you dissented. Does that mean you don't want peace?
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but he shakes his head. ) No, of course I do. But the alliance was made to combat the enemy. The enemy is long defeated, and I felt it was time to dissolve the alliance and give rule back to the individual peoples again.
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[ This involves way too much politics for Nate. He'd hate to have responsibility for what entire countries are doing. ]
That's a lot to deal with. Like, a lot to be all on you. I didn't realise I was walking in on someone, like. Important.
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he scoffs and rolls his eyes. ) I'm not important. I just acted. Bashasa was important. He's the one that taught me it's important to act.
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Is that your friend, the one who was high up in the alliance?
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I'm sorry.
Can't be easy, watching them age while you don't. Or losing them.
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[ Like Thorn will have to, if he has to remain a demon. Nate hates that thought. ]
Pensioner, it means like...when people get old and retire, that's what they're called.
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Well, yeah, that's because you're living in a feudal type of place, like this one. In my world there's workplace pensions, and healthcare, and benefits for people with disabilities, and all that jazz.
Might be in your world's future. Maybe.
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