dualisnet | UN: presage

[He does have to chuckle at that, ah yes. Those ones are something else. Entertaining, briefly, but ultimately it was short lived. They weren't generally intelligent enough to offer stimulating conversation.

Oh, that mood shift was very palpable. Especially considering he was an empath, so he very much felt it. In this case he would have felt it regardless, the shift was so potent.]

I see this AI takes after the worst tendencies of mortal kind.

[He murmured quietly. So, the Head wasn't one to toy with. Which was fine, Murmur wasn't one to make empty threats nor boasts. Any warning he offered he fully intended to back up with action, as Jack had already witnessed a small piece of his capabilities.]

I do not imagine an artificial being to be particularly susceptible to fear and intimidation. Particularly that which may as well be a bluff.

Oh, they weren't bluffing. They liked to set off homemade bombs in strategic places - train stops, public gatherings, that sort of thing. They weren't trying to intimidate the machines - they wanted to shake up the people who were still people, get them to join so they could put their heads together and come up with a plan to take the Head down. Why they thought that level of violence was likely to bring people to their side is a complete mystery. As you can see, it didn't work, and now they're all dead.

[all except the bartender from earlier, and she clearly had no designs on continuing the heart's work. and maybe it's a little hypocritical for jack to criticize the heart's methods, considering she also uses fear as a tool to show humans something they should know. but there's nothing to be done about it now. the heart is dead, the city is deserted, only a few people remain and they all know the nature of this place. she shrugs, and crosses through another intersection, pointing to the leftmost path for mumur to follow, pausing to draw another arrow underneath the painted heart.]

Weren't you going to tell me a story, before we were rudely interrupted by Iterations?

...

[Yes he is most certainly shooting her an incredulous look. That... yeah that sounded like one of the worst thought out plans he'd ever heard.]

So they tried to... terrorize people into assisting them, with a plan they didn't even yet have?

[Yes, listen, it's all very sad when mortals die and all that, but honestly that just sounded stupid. Fear can be a powerful motivator, but like any tool there were proper ways to use it. Spontaneous acts of poorly explained violence upon the group you're beseeching for help is not one of them.

Another mark, another heart. Those might come in handy next time he decides to come down to do a bit of research on his own.]

Ah, yes, did you wish to hear more of the Thresholded angel?

[she nods, and returns his look with her own thoroughly unimpressed expression.]

Yup, exactly. Not the most well-thought-out strategy, obviously. You can see why I wasn’t so keen to jump on that bandwagon. I mean, I’m all about resistance efforts and overthrowing oppression, but you have to be smart about it. People like that are the same kind of people who give anarchists a bad name. Plus, they were running on a totally authoritarian hierarchy, and I don’t do well in those sorts of power structures.

[another intersection, another path chosen with another painted heart, and jack marks another arrow in chalk.]

I do, actually, want to hear about the Thresholded angel. You’ve got me very curious about what happened.

A well executed rebellion can significantly alter the course of history, many times they are they only way to implement a much needed drastic change. [He shakes his head.] Disappointing.

[He's sometimes a fan of rebellions. Not ones so poorly formed and executed, however. It sounds like they only managed to hinder any progress that might have been made with the other people who had been captured.

By now he had picked up the pattern: Follow the hearts. Though right now he was mostly concerned with following Jack, who he did hope would also lead him back out given he expects his faculties will be somewhat compromised after he's finished with the heavier version of his work.]

Well, as you might expect the existence of a Celestial not bound by the laws of either the Eternal City nor the Halls of Morning was quick to cause a stir. Both rising to action to bring the being to heel. Of course, her consent was never a matter of concern.

[Celestials aren't very good at that whole taking choice into account thing.]

Of course, fate would not set her upon an insurmountable task without assistance. For her feeble prayer could be heard by one, an angel so far fallen from grace he could scarcely hold up his wings any longer. Not the most useful of guardians, to say the least.

[jack frowns as murmur begins the story; she already doesn’t like the direction it’s heading. attempting to control another sentient being doesn’t sit well with her on principle, and the fact that murmur refers to the being in question as her sounds like an all-too-familiar case of patriarchal misogyny. but she’s no expert on celestial culture.]

Was she actually doing anything harmful, or was this just a case of “you’re different so you must be controlled”?

[Oh don't worry, it gets worse. Though she might be surprised that at least in this instance her gender didn't play a large role in the reaction: Celestials are just terrible to each other wholesale.]

Her "crime" was being a Celestial with a soul, thus granted true free-will and lacking alignment. Hell wanted her for power, to corrupt an angel's soul would prove a huge boon. Heaven wanted to put her in line, where all angels belong. So they believe. They do not tolerate dissent, having forgotten that since she was born mortal she would reasonably be exempt from the same laws we are typically bound to.

[For what it's worth, though his tone doesn't change pitch very much and monotone seems to be his permanent default, there was just the slightest hint of disgust in his voice. Very slightly, but it was there. Clearly Murmur didn't agree with either side here.]

So, as far as the Eternal City was concerned she needed to be brought in line and properly trained as an angel, or be eliminated. Rogues are not tolerated. Unfortunate then that her role was more complex than that, for she was a herald to change. Just as the war and first Fall permanently altered the course by which we act, her existence opened a new door.

[yeah, sorry, that's not a crime. as one of the begotten - a monster - not to mention a woman, a lesbian, and a witch, jack has a short fuse for oppression and as much empathy as she can call up for those stuck in an unfair situation like this. she's angry on this poor ensouled angel's behalf, and she stops abruptly, turning to murmur.]

You do know this is super fucked up, right? Like - aren't angels supposed to be the good guys in the cosmic scale?

[He paused when she stopped, expression still largely unreadable. This strange neutrality was just his way.]

I assure you I am distinctly aware. Heaven had lost it's way, too long have they secluded themselves in their lofty palace away from the horrors of the mortal world. Far too concerned with maintaining status quo, and control, than performing any genuine acts of good which they are so vaunted for.

[Oops did he get ranty? He got a bit ranty. There's a hint of emotion there, the frustration and fervor of one who has been fighting this very fight.]

Fear not, before you ask, I have not counted myself among their number for quite some time. Mine has ever been a different task, at times in opposition to my brothers. For what it's worth the girl's guardian did eventually pull his feather-brained head out of his ass and proceeded to demonstrate what it is to be just as is fitting for one of his station.

[One had to wonder just how things ever got that bad in the first place. And yes, that is an angel swearing. It doesn't happen often but he can!]

Edited 2020-10-13 11:29 (UTC)

Never been so glad to be an atheist, [she mutters, but seems to be taking murmur's answer in stride. the rantiness is appropriate, but jack does note it's a bit of a departure from his usual demeanor.]

So, what does that mean, you don't count yourself among them? You don't consider yourself an angel, or you just skipped out and haven't been back in a long time?

[He is a bit uncharitable toward his brethren. Then again, if it weren't for their failings then the suffering he put his beloved through would never had to come to pass. So... he has reason for the bitterness.]

The latter, it is undeniable that I am an angel. That does not mean I must bow to the whims of the Eternal City.

[There's a beat, as something she'd said he wanted to go back and touch on.]

You mentioned you believe we are the "good guys" in the grand scheme. That is not an adequate description for our function. First and foremost we are created to execute His will, swiftly and obediently without question. Whatever that will may be. It is humans who prescribe us with the mantle of "good". Indeed one could argue there are numerous roles we have played that would reject us from the qualifier of "good".

[Too philosophical? He's not sure.]

At the core of it all, however, is free will. Or the perceived lack thereof. With Father's long silence my brethren are left floundering, grasping at what few directives remain. Struggling to maintain a stranglehold of order on an otherwise chaotic existence. Given this, zealotry was to be expected.

[That is perhaps a more fair assessment of what's happened.]

[jack is silent, paying close attention to what murmur says. she decided at a young age that religion - especially her parents’ faith - had nothing to offer her, so she never sought out the details, just rejected it wholesale. it’s an entirely different perspective than what’s commonly said of christianity.]

Obedience without question is authoritarian bullshit. That’s how Nazis end up building an empire out of most of Europe and systematically murdering millions and millions of people.

[being an angel sounds like torture, jack thinks, if it’s under that stipulation - an existence of servitude in obedience without question. her earlier flare of anger has cooled to a low simmer, but now it’s not just for the wronged angel with a soul - it’s for murmur, too. he’s clearly not happy about the situation either.]

Well, you seem to have your head on straight, at least. How did that happen?

[There are things the humans get right, and plenty they do not. At the end of the day the rules that govern the angelic choirs were quite different from those expected of humans. That was one of the main sources of tension between them, though mankind knew little about it anymore. Angels held grudges for a very long time.]

Precisely. So you understand how it has come to pass that questioning alone is akin to heresy. In such an environment, extremism is the only possible outcome.

[At least she had more option to get out than he did. Her soul allowed her the liberty of choice, and in the end she chose neither. No one could blame her, least of all Murmur.

Her question earned a huffed, somewhat rueful laugh.]

The Sight is not a common gift among my brethren, I expect it grants me a unique perspective they are not privy to. Most are warriors, soldiers through and through. They have no need for intellectual pursuit, and see little value in studying the ways of mortals. We are... flawed beings. Proud, short-sighted. It is not uncommon to view mortals as lesser, and instead miss the valuable insights one might achieve through studying you. As long lived as we are we resist change by nature, but you grow and advance rapidly, never fearing to reach beyond your limits. It is through observing these patterns I have learned a great deal about the nature of life.

Both yours and ours.

[Ah, again he found himself in a strangely introspective state. This emotion he had no word for, it troubled him, yet perhaps it wasn't so terrible a thing to touch on subjects he'd never had the privilege of discussing with another. So very long has he only had himself for council.]

I apologize, this is likely more than you wanted to hear about for one evening. I do not often have the pleasure of genuine conversation.

[He's lonely.]

[all of this is extremely illuminating for jack. it’s clear that humans got a lot wrong about celestials and their history, or at least the awareness of them in her society is grossly inaccurate. the picture murmur paints for her is much more interesting than the fluff shoved down her throat as a child by her parents and their insistence on her sunday school attendance.]

I don’t mind. [she smiles faintly.] I, um - I don’t talk to people a whole lot in meatspace anymore, not since college. It’s actually a pretty nice change. I’d say maybe I should do it more often, but most of the people left in this town hate my guts.

[she’s lonely, too. but she has been for most of her life, so she has accepted that’s just how it is for her.]

What was her name?

[It was interesting how perceptions had changed over time. Particularly when considering the source material for their ideas hadn't necessarily changed that much. The implications were there within the text, the nature of angels as unyielding servants yet that wasn't an attractive presentation for beings supposed to serve their Creator. Funny how their ideas became softened to be more palatable with time.

Murmur had nothing to sell, and therefore no reason to lie to her about his existence and that of his brethren.]

Heh... I understand the feeling, [He really does. He wasn't even a cruel demon, but a demon's a demon and will always be treated with suspicion. That hadn't changed just because he got his feathers back.] Why is that, if I may ask?

[To be fair the forgemaster didn't hate her, but he was also off in his own little world hammering out what weapons he could for... not much reason at all. They made a paltry group for a resistance.]

Eloa, I believe it was.

[He'd not gotten to know her very closely.]

[monsters have a bad reputation, too - they’re synonymous with bad, evil, and the wiser ones have learned to be cautious about their true natures, lest they draw the attention of their enemies.]

Eh, they’re sore that I didn’t immediately rush to their side to help. But I had a good reason - historically, my people and our Kin tend to get a little murdered by Hero types, and there were a lot of them here. I had to watch them, make sure I could trust them before offering to help. Apparently, that makes me the bad guy.

[she shrugs. their reaction wasn’t surprising, but it was somewhat disappointing all the same.

oh well. jack learned a long time ago that it wasn’t worth fussing over if people didn’t like her. she points to the path ahead of them and starts walking again.]

So what happened to Eloa?

[jack has a feeling she’s going to be angry about it, but she wants to know anyway.]

[They and demons share that intimately. While historically humans have called upon demons for power and pacts, or to perform tasks on their behalf overall they were nothing more than monsters to be eradicated. Much as Jack experienced.]

Your caution is understandable, though I am not surprised at their reaction. I've experienced similar in the past when my brethren expect me to use my Sight to turn events in their favor and grow angry when I refused to do so. They never did appreciate hearing that their actions have far-reaching consequences and it's not as simple as telling them what to do to get their way.

[He shook his head. Long ago he'd learned not to get involved unless he was supposed to. Fate needed to be left to fall how it would lest he cause catastrophic change.

Murmur moves to follow once again.]

As I said, her guardian did eventually come to terms with his function. She was certainly the unfortunate victim of numerous squabbles in between. In the end I do not know her long term fate, she was to be the herald for change. Her presence awoke a long sealed, dormant power within her guardian. I cannot imagine he will remain as such forever, Archangels are poorly suited to the task. Stretched too thin they cannot devote their energy to an individual the way a ward deserves.

People get so bent out of shape when you say no, [she comments, with a click of her tongue and a shake of her head.] You'd think they'd be a little more mature about it, but apparently not.

[maybe it was the way her parents were with her, but jack learned to expect people to say no when she was young.]

So ... Eloa was just the start of a new era? And a catalyst for her guardian angel to realize his power? [that's ... actually not that surprising, women are so often nothing more than a plot device for male characters in so many stories.] Are there more angels with souls now?

Angels, in particular, very much dislike it. [They are definitely not. Angels hate being refused, and tend to be very bossy. Murmur sometimes accidentally comes off that way, though he's far less inclined to be annoying about it than most.

Maybe because he too was more accustomed to hearing it than his brethren.]

In a way, yes. Unfortunately. I was unable, [And uninterested, at the time.] to follow her journey to completion. One can only hope that she broke free of being tied to another's fate. However, she was not the catalyst for his power, she was the catalyst for all of us. Her existence marked a turning point, an understanding that we are not necessarily as blindly bound to a single directive as we believed. That we also possess free will.

[Something which would rock the foundations of Heaven. He shook his head, shrugging faintly.]

That I do not know at this time.

[not having an answer for what became of eloa is unsatifying, but that thread falls to the side in light of murmur's revelation as to what her existence brought forth for the celestials.]

Oh ... huh. [she halts again, glancing to murmur.] I can't imagine that went over well with anyone. Humans have debated over whether they have free will for millennia, but I'm guessing their concepts of their own existence are a bit different than angels.

[she turns her light up to a piece of the wall marked in strange glyphs.]

This is it.

[Unfortunate he couldn't provide anything more detailed in regards to Eloa. As she wasn't his ward she wasn't his responsibility, and he had more than enough responsibility to deal with. ]

Predictably opinions remain split, resulting in significant instability. While I do not anticipate [He knows it won't happen.] another rebellion, there will likely be a fair few who cannot accept and will ultimately Fall.

[They certainly did have very different concepts. Imagine spending your existence acting as stewards over a species you largely find distasteful. There will be plenty who are displeased to realize they didn't have to all this time.

That, however, is neither here nor there. No, now he had a new task to oversee. Standing back he regarded the sigil for a few moments, tracing and memorizing its lines before raising his hands to hover just over the wall.

Now came the fun part.

There wasn't any fanfare, no sparks of light or radiant auras but it was clear something happened when he pressed his hands to the wall. If not through any distinct sensation of magic but in the way Murmur went quiet and still, eyes unfocusing as he seemed to droop slightly. It was quiet, a tense stillness in the air as all the world but those sigils, and the history and pain attached them, fell away into nothingness for Murmur's perception.

The uncomfortably tense silence stretched for agonizing minutes, made all the longer by the strange sensation that seemed to permeate the air around the angel.

Then, all at once, it broke. He reeled back, choking and gasping for breath as he fell to his knees stricken by the memories of those long deceased thanks to the Head's plague. Reflexively his wings flared out of nowhere, massive and filling far too much of the narrow corridor as they tried to both hold whatever threat he was under at bay and keep some semblance of balance while he recovered from experiencing a whole lot of death.

Sorry Jack he didn't intend to try to batter you with his wings just hug the wall it'll be fine.]

[jack isn't sure what to expect here - she's never been around someone like murmur doing this type of reading. she can guess it must take a good deal of concentration, however, so she stands very still and remains silent while murmur works, keeping alert to make sure they're alone - giving murmur the protection she promised.

she doesn't see his wings, so she can't dodge out of their way, and she ends up blown backward onto the ground, shocked and gasping to regain her breath. her phone, knocked out of her hand, skitters across the tunnel floor to a stop a few feet away, throwing the tunnel farther into the dark.]

Ouch ... hey, are you OK? [jack slowly starts pushing herself upright again.] Ugh, and did you catch the license plate number on whatever just ran me over?

[Concentration and energy. He appreciates her willingness to remain silent and watching his back, because he most certainly promptly lost the ability to do so himself as soon as he began.

Oof, he felt that, but it takes several more long moments of coughing and wheezing before he's regained enough composure to swallow the wheezing and attempt to speak. His wings beat feebly, trying valiantly to keep both themselves and him off of the ground.}

Apologies.

[He wheezed finally, breath evening out, but he remained where he was for the moment, to be sure he had his composure about him before he tried to stand.]

That... I will say the Head could give the Plaguelord a run for his money.

[There, now he's feeling more himself as the visions pull back and the present day can take hold again.]

Are you alright?

[He didn't mean to wing bash her.]

Yeah, no joke. At least Skynet had the decency to just drop nuclear bombs on everyone.

[another pop culture reference he probably won't get. oh well. she stands by it - nuclear bombs would've been a quicker death than a lingering virus that basically liquified your insides over a period of weeks.]

Yeah, I'll live. [she's managed to at least sit upright now.] Was that you, or did something come at us that I couldn't see?

[Actually this one he does know! Ever since that movie fear of murderous AI and Skynet has become something of a human theme. One must be ever adaptable when it comes to methods of torment.]

Points for creativity, I suppose.

[A faint breeze as he beat his wings to help lift himself back to his feet before raising a hand to shine a light out for them both so that Jack could find her phone. No, he hadn't bothered to put the wings away, rather too late for that.]

That was me, I'm afraid.

[And the culprits were huge, no wonder he accidentally knocked her over. No one ever quite manages to paint the wings right, they'd never fit reasonably on a canvas.]

UN: presage

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