5th Metal / open video

[godsays]

[ The video turns on Zane, who is somewhat disheveled, but, to the discerning eye, different than usual. Something too intent and high-strung has been muted, and there is a dangerous hint in his eyes. ]

Cassel is... hurt.

Someone needs to collect him.

Level 4, Cabin 12.

[ And video off. ]



[ ACTION SPAM (edited to add) ]

[ And now Zane is in zero.

He sits alone, arms crossed over his chest, his face hard and blank.

Come and visit! ]

Comments

Spam

[bodilesswarrior]

Assuming that's true, does that mean they deserve the life they have?

Spam

[godsays]

[ And, of all the possible questions, he sure wasn't expecting that. ]

I'm not sure I've ever met someone who's gotten what they deserve.

Spam

[bodilesswarrior]

Then your world needs changing.

Spam

[godsays]

Someone changed it.

It made it worse.

Spam

[bodilesswarrior]

That's the risk you take. [She leans forward, hands clasping together.] But is it better, to watch and do nothing?

Spam

[godsays]

Accuse me of what you want, but I didn't do nothing. The siege of Luthadel was made up of my tactics.

Spam

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her voice softens.]

I'm not accusing you, Zane.

Spam

[godsays]

You'd be the only one.

Except for Cassel.

[ He says this last with a scoff. Who'd thought that Cassel would be the one to show Zane respect? The first time they met, he had talked about Zane being afraid of showers.

Zane's eyes fall to the cup of tea, and he finally takes a cautious sip. ]

Spam

[bodilesswarrior]

[The sip makes her smile, just slightly.]

People get angry, when people get hurt. They don't always look past the results to see the context.

How's the tea?

Spam

[godsays]

Not... as bitter as usual.

[ The tea is light, actually, especially compared to what he's used to, a taste that spreads slowly and sits pleasantly. ]

What do you call it?

Spam

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her smile widens.] Assam. It's named after the region it comes from, in a country called India.

Spam

[godsays]

[ Countries. He supposes there were places beyond the Final Empire - weren't there? Disorganized places, tribes, perhaps. The blurry distant borders.

(He continues to examine himself for any mood-altering or perception-altering qualities, brought about by the tea.) ]

I didn't do nothing. [ Returning to their topic from a moment ago. ] I would have run the army better than my father did, if I wasn't insane.

Spam

[bodilesswarrior]

Did you do anything for the Skaa?

Spam

[godsays]

I barely noticed the skaa.

[ Until they became useful. ]

Spam

[bodilesswarrior]

You accepted the way things were.

Spam

[godsays]

I worked within the world I had.

Spam

[bodilesswarrior]

[She arches an eyebrow.] If you were willing to do that you wouldn't have had an army.

Spam

[godsays]

I was born to a man who wanted to be king. An army was part of my world.

Spam

[bodilesswarrior]

Did you inherit his goals or make your own?

Spam

[godsays]

Mine were... parallel.

[ Yes, then, to both. ]

Spam

[bodilesswarrior]

[A slight, thoughtful nod.]

So what were they?

Spam

[godsays]

I was his weapon.

Only sometimes he didn't know what I was doing.

[ But it was all for him. ]

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[bodilesswarrior]

[Sudden and sharp.]

No one is a weapon.

Spam

[godsays]

I was. She was. It wasn't how things were supposed to be, but it's how things were.

Spam

[bodilesswarrior]

Changing the world means not accepting the way things are. For you or for anyone else. [But she stops, then, and gives her a slight, rueful smile.] But that's a lot easier said than done.