[ Sebastian prides himself on his understanding of humanity, though his observations aren’t dissimilar at heart from the methodical, ruthless approach they take now when flaying someone. They’re something to be observed, to see how they typically react to a given stimuli, and it’s what makes Sebastian especially adept at manipulating them. With memory that never falters, he can meet someone and within a few moments have an excellent guess at the sort of person they are and the way they’ll respond to his words because he’s likely met someone very much like them before. In his view, humans aren’t so unique as they like to think themselves.
However, Bondrewd proves to be more and more of an exception to that rule.
His dedication to science and discovery is rather new to Sebastian in its extremes, but it’s the small, personal details that surprise him most. It was what had stood out starkly in their first meeting, since for all the easy brutality the two of them have delivered twice now, it’s still clear that Bondrewd has far more respect for life than the demon does. Now, it’s coupled with the curious, reverent gesture to the pendant he wears and the rather surprising information that Bondrewd was a father. It doesn’t fit with things he’s encountered before.
Yet, even while Sebastian tries to piece together these personal mysteries and contradictions, he listens attentively all the same. At least if there was something that did fit well, it was Bondrewd’s intellect. It was a quality that Sebastian also tended to respect most. ]
—Their pulse is flagging, by the way. [ Sebastian notes before he responds, then shifts to look at their face for a moment. They’re losing color rapidly, and he can see the distinct way in which their tearful gaze is becoming glassy, so he nods. Yet, there’s no more than the simple, detached confirmation. ] It should not be long.
[ He looks back to Bondrewd. ]
It is possible that this was all one world, certainly. I believe the story I have heard that these are all pieces of other worlds, but— [ He shrugs ] Thus far, I have seen nothing so fantastic that it seems impossible for them to have once been connected. The world of man that I would visit seems relatively mundane compared to those I have heard of here in Kenos, but still, it was vast and varied. Highstorm and Springstar could certainly coexist, and there is nothing to say that the Scorching Isles and World’s End could not also, even if they were separated by a great distance, once. Even I had not fully travelled the world I would visit, after all.
[ Far from it. Earth was a place so vast that it was surprising, actually. With each discover of new land, Sebastian was genuinely surprised that humanity could be so far-flung and isolated from each other. ]
And for our worlds… Perhaps so. I do not know if Blight is what claimed my worlds, [plural in his case, naturally ] but those of us that came from Horos had a rather… different introduction to all of this. I could see it being possible that the Blight was to blame at large, or at least in part, though.
[ And, finally, because he cannot help his curiosity, ultimately— ]
no subject
However, Bondrewd proves to be more and more of an exception to that rule.
His dedication to science and discovery is rather new to Sebastian in its extremes, but it’s the small, personal details that surprise him most. It was what had stood out starkly in their first meeting, since for all the easy brutality the two of them have delivered twice now, it’s still clear that Bondrewd has far more respect for life than the demon does. Now, it’s coupled with the curious, reverent gesture to the pendant he wears and the rather surprising information that Bondrewd was a father. It doesn’t fit with things he’s encountered before.
Yet, even while Sebastian tries to piece together these personal mysteries and contradictions, he listens attentively all the same. At least if there was something that did fit well, it was Bondrewd’s intellect. It was a quality that Sebastian also tended to respect most. ]
—Their pulse is flagging, by the way. [ Sebastian notes before he responds, then shifts to look at their face for a moment. They’re losing color rapidly, and he can see the distinct way in which their tearful gaze is becoming glassy, so he nods. Yet, there’s no more than the simple, detached confirmation. ] It should not be long.
[ He looks back to Bondrewd. ]
It is possible that this was all one world, certainly. I believe the story I have heard that these are all pieces of other worlds, but— [ He shrugs ] Thus far, I have seen nothing so fantastic that it seems impossible for them to have once been connected. The world of man that I would visit seems relatively mundane compared to those I have heard of here in Kenos, but still, it was vast and varied. Highstorm and Springstar could certainly coexist, and there is nothing to say that the Scorching Isles and World’s End could not also, even if they were separated by a great distance, once. Even I had not fully travelled the world I would visit, after all.
[ Far from it. Earth was a place so vast that it was surprising, actually. With each discover of new land, Sebastian was genuinely surprised that humanity could be so far-flung and isolated from each other. ]
And for our worlds… Perhaps so. I do not know if Blight is what claimed my worlds, [plural in his case, naturally ] but those of us that came from Horos had a rather… different introduction to all of this. I could see it being possible that the Blight was to blame at large, or at least in part, though.
[ And, finally, because he cannot help his curiosity, ultimately— ]
Your daughter sounds a keen mind as well.