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[magicalarchaeologist]

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[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.

[magicalarchaeologist]

You know that I don't want the young people here to have to grow up like I did, but there has to be a middle ground because this is a mistake they're only going to overlook once.

[thedevilwhorose]

You can be the one to tell him the disastrous idiotic mistake he made because I sure as hell didn't. Last thing I need his him spinning with negative thoughts stuck in a room.

[Speaking from experience? Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.]

[magicalarchaeologist]

When did I get stuck with the tough love role?

[thedevilwhorose]

You're his teacher and I'm smart. [Smarter. Because he knows how he'd react to someone telling him he was an idiot when he couldn't do anything about it now, it basically could be an overlay to their own conversation after Lucifer was interrogated. And maybe he shouldn't be basing all his reactions and judgments towards Wilhelm on himself but

well

he knows those best]

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Somewhere Istredd is massaging his temples like any tired put-upon academic. ]

Maybe I should teach him how to detect magical defenses so he'll know better the next time he thinks of it.

[thedevilwhorose]

[Somewhere Lucifer is Grinning Like a Loon.]

That's actually a good idea.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Yes, I occasionally have those.

[thedevilwhorose]

Miraculous.