abraxas inbox

[magicalarchaeologist]

Comments

the boy got grounded

[thedevilwhorose]

[Istredd will feel a sharp, brief spike of panic

it's settled relatively quickly]

So the kid got "put in timeout" for trying to use his definitely-now-confirmed emotion-transfer-whatever ability when guards pulled him aside for questioning but he's fine.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Trying as in he intentionally attempted it, or that it was an accident?

[thedevilwhorose]

Think of the smart, ideal answer and guess the opposite.

[So. It was on purpose.]

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Genuine surprise felt and then dismay.]

He just started being willing to use his magic intentionally and this is how he decides to do it? I didn't realize I also had to communicate that the guards here have magical defenses.

[thedevilwhorose]

He's a stressed-out teenager.

Why do you think I was so worried about him getting pulled?

He's not in the dungeons at least; he said they put him in some room until the morning. [Lucifer really wants to know about that room but there's no way Wilhelm will be able to figure out anything about it.] So it could've been much worse.

[magicalarchaeologist]

His youth probably is the only thing that saved him. If it was one of us, we would have rightfully been imprisoned for real.

[ Just. Baffled. Why are teenagers? ]

Clearly I had a different teenage experience, as all we were trying to do was keep living and not become an eel.

[ This is the first time he's mentioned the eels. ]

[thedevilwhorose]

[Now that Lucifer's initial flare of panic is gone, he.............. may or may not be laughing mentally at Istredd.

All in. Good humor, really.

Look, he's been dealing with this kid since Day 1 of Abraxas. Alllllllll the drama and angst and stupidity.

Welcome to the party, Istredd! You basically chose this, twice over. Once because of general magic-instructing bullshit and twice because you chose Lucifer and therefore inherited Lucifer's Problems(/people).

But the laughing is cut by instant confusion.]

... I'm sorry, eels?

[magicalarchaeologist]

They condensed students who weren't strong enough to graduate into eels so they could absorb their magical energy for the Brotherhood's use.

You become a mage, die, or become an eel.

[ THIS IS VERY NORMAL DON'T @ HIM. ]

[thedevilwhorose]

[Lucifer remembers Istredd saying something about them using their lifeforce to store for magic.

But eels????? REALLY?

HOW IS THIS WHAT ISTREDD CONSIDERS NORMAL?]

Okay but....... why eels. Why specifically eels.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Probably because the collective power absorbed from them was in a giant glowing white pool so eels made sense.

[ Istredd focuses and mentally shows him a glowing structure. ]

I didn't ask, the intention was to become a mage.

[ And therefore not worry about eels or death. Survival was very key to all mages from the day they were taken. ]

[thedevilwhorose]

Interesting.

[It might actually be the first time Istredd's shown him something rather than felt.

It's just. Vaguely surprising, is all. Lucifer's the one that operates with imagery when he can, easier than to lead down the tumbling rabbit hole of his thoughts.]

Glad you didn't become an eel.

[This is, unfortunately, followed by an odd imagination of a slithering eel in Istredd's bed with a very concrete placeholder?, laughing thought.]

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Istredd does lean more toward cerebral and talking over images, but it really cannot be overstated how large that pool is or what it contains. Some things do need visual aids.

He smiles at the almost sweet reply and then laughs at the image. There's amusement in their bond. It's ridiculous. ]

Would you like me better if I was silent and slithery?

[thedevilwhorose]

I'm the only snake of this partnership of ours.

[It's his brand, okay.]

[magicalarchaeologist]

You're not very snake-like. Not that I've studied snakes extensively.

[thedevilwhorose]

I suppose I've become more "catlike" in my "old age."

I was the snake the slithered into the Garden of Eden. Good times.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Catlike I would absolutely say. You lounge on everything and like high perches. You're also independent and aloof at first but warm up.

[ All things Istredd like about him. ]

A literal snake? You shapeshifted?

[thedevilwhorose]

More illusions than anything. You're not the only one skilled in them, at least I was. I was quite the trickster in my youth.

[There's a minor underlying of sadness at the word 'trickster', but it's outweighed by his pride at his ability.]

[magicalarchaeologist]

It wouldn't be hard to be good at them again, if you've already got the knack for it. I can show you.

[thedevilwhorose]

I wouldn't be able to easily prevent from pulling from myself for that, which only spells disaster for me.

Enchantments though, that I'm interested in learning.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Luckily you have a mage placeholder to teach you things you're lacking.

I hope Wilhelm learned a lesson from this.

[thedevilwhorose]

Your optimism is adorable.

[magicalarchaeologist]

He has to learn a lesson from this!

[thedevilwhorose]

[there is only laughter]

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Istredd mentally flicks him. ]

I'm serious!

[thedevilwhorose]

So am I! He's an Earthen teenager! It's like--his job to make mistakes. A lot. Constantly. It's exhaustive.