ic inbox (tlv)

[weedeating]

[ This man is never going to check his goddamn inbox. But feel free to use this post for threading, messaging him, bothering Dimitri some other way, etc. ]

Comments

[badbutsad]

He was trying to help. [And that's more of a defensive mutter than a real comeback. He'd rather keep talking about magic anyway.]

But- yeah, there's ten major covens in my world. I belong to the highest ranked, the Emperor's coven. [He pulls his sleeve back, revealing the coven brand on his wrist.] Normally the brands prevent us from using other covens' magic, but as part of the Emperor's coven I have access to all the other kinds.

[weedeating]

[ Dimitri leans over to look at the coven brand. However, the admission that brands prevent people from using other covens' magic causes him to frown a little in annoyance. ]

That sounds counterproductive. Where I am from, there are no restrictions on who can use what magic. The only things that limit you are your innate talents and how much time you study. After all, even the healers and clerics need to defend themselves.

[badbutsad]

I mean- it's not really a good brand.

[He runs his opposite thumb over it, before he tugs his sleeve down again.]

We only have them because the Emperor of my world was trying to kill everyone. The sigyls are markers for a draining spell, one that was designed to drain the magic from every witch and demon with one in my home realm.

[weedeating]

[ Dimitri can't help but narrow his eyes at that. With no hesitation, he points out, ]

That's barbaric.

[badbutsad]

I'm aware. The Emperor... he wasn't a good man. But everyone believes he is. He's... [His ears press back a bit in an unsubtle twitch.] He's good at manipulating people. He's been doing it for hundreds of years.

[weedeating]

[ Unfortunately, Dimitri never gets to learn that his authority figure is also secretly sketch, way older than expected, and made a designer baby and/or Grimwalker for their own ends. Instead, he simply frowns, wrinkling his nose before, ]

I hope that your deal is to kill him.

[badbutsad]

[Hunter actually pauses, and stares at Dimitri for a moment.]

I don't want to kill him. He's my uncle.

[weedeating]

[ And Dimitri raises an eyebrow before pointing out, ]

Familial ties mean nothing. When I leave here, I am going to return home to kill my stepsister. What matters is that if someone is controlling, if they are overpowering and abusing the weak, it is the job of the strong to put a stop to that.

[badbutsad]

[...well he knows why Dimitri's an inmate now.]

You can't use strength to defeat power. That just gets you someone with more power and less control. You can't destabilise an empire and expect it to run functionally under new leadership while everyone's still mourning the last ruler.

[weedeating]

[ Dimitri lets out a cold, bitter laugh before, ]

You assume people would mourn that monster? You said those brands were to remove magic! If anything, whoever kills your uncle would be seen as a hero.

[badbutsad]

No one knew the sigils were bad. For decades they were the way the world worked. People were told from the day they were born that they were the will of the Titan. That the islands we lived on, only the Emperor could hear their voice and tell us what we were doing was sacrilege to it.

[He takes a deep breath, and Flapjack nuzzles his face softly.] No one thought the Emperor was evil. Except maybe two people, and since he made them wanted criminals, no one believed them. It's not as simple as you make it sound.

[weedeating]

But now they do know, [ said like it's the most obvious thing ever. ] Or at least you do.

So now it is simple. Kill him. Kill him to protect those he would try to hurt.

[badbutsad]

I am someone he hurt. And I don't want him dead. I want him stopped.

[He stands up a bit taller, shoulders squaring with his shift to a cooler, professional attitude, befitting a coven leader.]

People change. We can't give them the chance if all you want to do is kill them.

[weedeating]

[ Dimitri laughs at that. It's a cold, bitter, sarcastic sort of laugh as he growls, ]

Pathetic. Do you truly believe someone like that capable of change?! Your idealism will lead to even more dead!

[ More dead whispering in Hunter's ears, keeping him awake, haunting his every though. The boy is too innocent, too green for that kind of suffering. ]

[badbutsad]

I did.

[His voice is even, forcibly, and Flapjack gives him a worried look.]

I was his right-hand witch. But then I was shown what he was really doing. The horrible things he was using me to do. How- everything he told me was a lie, even-- [He hesitates, fingers wringing the air for a moment.] --even that we were family. He raised me to be his weapon. And when I realised it was wrong, I made an effort to change.

[weedeating]

[ There's a steely frown as Dimitri bluntly asks, with no hesitation, ]

And how much blood was on your hands before you made the effort?

[badbutsad]

Enough. [He grimaces faintly.] Too much. I-I don't know. I know I hurt people. I nearly got my friends branded too.

[weedeating]

[ Dimitri snarls, shaking his head as he looks over at Hunter. ]

Some might say that you also deserve death for what you did.

[badbutsad]

I did die. That's how I came here.

[Disregarding the circumstances being about Kikimora having a problem with him personally and not a vengeance quest...]

Here was where I realised it was wrong. Where I met people who cared about me for who I was, who wouldn't use me. That I deserved their kindness.

[weedeating]

[ Dimitri crosses his arms over his chest, looking over at Hunter with a frown. There's a moment before he scoffs, shaking his head as he grumbles, ]

Consider yourself lucky that you found people with a bleeding heart.