“And I shall never let it be said that you lack conviction,” said Morgunov. “This whole thing was your doing, wasn’t it? This plot to ambush me?”
“Well, if you are to blame anyone, it might as well be me.”
“Ha! So casual! As if you did not plan it meticulously!”
“You are not as unpredictable as you think, Nibas. It was not that hard.”
“Mm! How irksome. You really know how to get under a guy’s skin, don’tcha?”
“I do my level best.”
A funny thought struck Morgunov, and he decided to run with it. “But if that’s really true, then you shouldn’t mind proving it, eh?”
“Proving what?”
“That it wasn’t that hard for you to ambush me! Because I’m so predictable, right? So prove it!”
A beat passed. “Heh. How would you like to me to do that?”
“Well, obviously, you should let me escape and then just ambush me a second time!”
Germal chuckled.
“C’mon!” said Morgunov, also laughing. “That’d prove your point more thoroughly than anything else! You know I’m right!”
“A tempting proposition.”
“Hoho! Perhaps you’ve got some guts, after all! Not just a bag full of underhanded hijinks!”
“Tempting, I said. But no. I think not.”
“Boo! What a chicken! A spoil sport! And, dare I say, an all-around fib-teller! You must not have found me predictable in the slightest! In which case, I believe this now counts as my victory. Too bad for you, Germy.”
“Truly, I am crushed.”
“Well, either way, it seems we’ll have to arrive at some sort of compromise here, eventually. I’m not letting you go unless you let me go, first. And since we’ve been gabbin’ for a good little while now and no one’s come a-knockin’, I’d say we’re well and truly stuck here.”
“Perhaps so.”
“Good, I’m glad you agree! So let’s talk brass tacks, then! What’s it gonna take for you to let me outta here, hmm?”
“Oh, well, what are you offering?”
“How about a big, friendly hug once we’re free?”
“Ah. Not a death sentence at all, I’m sure.”
“Of course not! Friendly, I said! How could killing you be considered friendly?”
“I’m sure you could think of a way to spin that.”
“Alright, alright. How about if I promise not to immediately rip your head off, then?”
“How generous.”
“Right? I mean, we both know you would deserve it.”
“I think I’ll have to pass on that one, as well.”
“Really breakin’ my balls here, man. Why don’t you try suggesting something, then?”
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every night at midnight PST by ~400 words.
Friday, April 19, 2024
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Page 3566
“In that case,” said Germal, “perhaps you could share what you’ve learned of me. At times, I feel as though even I do not know what I am doing or why.”
“Oho! How I wish for that to be true!” said Morgunov. “Very relatable, that notion! But of course it would be, wouldn’t it?! You’ve learned a thing or two about me, as well, I’m sure! Tryin’ to soften me up with some familiarity, huh?!”
“Interpret things however you please, but I shall not deny that I have been studying you. The Problem of the Furies is an ever cycling one, but you, ledo, only ever make it worse. Ignoring you would have been foolish beyond measure.”
Morgunov’s eyes might have bulged if he could have felt them. “The Problem of the Furies, you say? Well, now... that’s quite the juicy morsel you’ve just dropped at my feet! Hmm! I’m finally tempted to believe something you’ve said! Well done, Germy!”
“Either you die this day, or I do. There is no point in lying.”
“Said the Liar! Oh, and please, don’t say that! If I have things my way, you won’t be dying for a very, very long time!”
“All the more reason to bring your reign of terror to an end, then.”
“Ooh, is that what this has all been about?! Germy! Don’t tell me! Are you one of those secret, noble heroes of the ancient world?! Fighting wickedness from the shadows?!”
“Anyone who goes against you can be considered a hero.”
“Eheh. How mean. I can be heroic when I want to, you know. As a matter of fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that taking care of you, right here, right now, might just be one of the most heroic things I could ever do.”
“You’ve really built me up quite a bit in your mind, haven’t you?”
“It’s nothin’ you haven’t earned, dear boy! Or, cedo, as you would say? Yes!”
“Indeed. Ah, but you still have not told me what you know of my words. Please, go on and enlighten me.”
“I do love an attentive listener. Alright, then! Those words you use. They’re psychic markers, aren’t they? Meaningful to you in ways that are imperceptible to others. And I bet they make it easier to pry into the mind, don’t they? Especially when you want to leave a lasting impression on someone, hmm? What better method than to take on a memorable way of speaking? You do love mucking about memories, don’t you?”
For the first time that Morgunov had heard, the Liar of Lyste returned a laugh.
“I shall never let it be said that you lack imagination, Demon.”
“Oho! How I wish for that to be true!” said Morgunov. “Very relatable, that notion! But of course it would be, wouldn’t it?! You’ve learned a thing or two about me, as well, I’m sure! Tryin’ to soften me up with some familiarity, huh?!”
“Interpret things however you please, but I shall not deny that I have been studying you. The Problem of the Furies is an ever cycling one, but you, ledo, only ever make it worse. Ignoring you would have been foolish beyond measure.”
Morgunov’s eyes might have bulged if he could have felt them. “The Problem of the Furies, you say? Well, now... that’s quite the juicy morsel you’ve just dropped at my feet! Hmm! I’m finally tempted to believe something you’ve said! Well done, Germy!”
“Either you die this day, or I do. There is no point in lying.”
“Said the Liar! Oh, and please, don’t say that! If I have things my way, you won’t be dying for a very, very long time!”
“All the more reason to bring your reign of terror to an end, then.”
“Ooh, is that what this has all been about?! Germy! Don’t tell me! Are you one of those secret, noble heroes of the ancient world?! Fighting wickedness from the shadows?!”
“Anyone who goes against you can be considered a hero.”
“Eheh. How mean. I can be heroic when I want to, you know. As a matter of fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that taking care of you, right here, right now, might just be one of the most heroic things I could ever do.”
“You’ve really built me up quite a bit in your mind, haven’t you?”
“It’s nothin’ you haven’t earned, dear boy! Or, cedo, as you would say? Yes!”
“Indeed. Ah, but you still have not told me what you know of my words. Please, go on and enlighten me.”
“I do love an attentive listener. Alright, then! Those words you use. They’re psychic markers, aren’t they? Meaningful to you in ways that are imperceptible to others. And I bet they make it easier to pry into the mind, don’t they? Especially when you want to leave a lasting impression on someone, hmm? What better method than to take on a memorable way of speaking? You do love mucking about memories, don’t you?”
For the first time that Morgunov had heard, the Liar of Lyste returned a laugh.
“I shall never let it be said that you lack imagination, Demon.”
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Page 3565
“A stalemate does not favor you here,” said Germal.
“Oh? And how would you know that? I’m sure you have no perception of time, either. For all you know, this could last a good long while for us in here before anyone out there is able to interfere. Or even forever! Eheh! Now wouldn’t that be something?! Trapped together for eternity!”
“You would never abide such an arrangement.”
“Nor would you, I imagine!”
The Liar made no response.
Morgunov pondered the situation a bit more on his own, trying to assess himself. His thoughts may have been greatly diminished in this space, but he still felt like he had access to the full breadth of his memories. And his personality still felt entirely intact, for what that was worth.
Yes. It was really just his body that was missing. Interesting.
A root cause attack should have, theoretically, been suppressing every new thought, even these ones. He supposed it was because he’d pulled Germal in with him that it wasn’t working properly. Either that, or that ancient text had been full of shit. What had it been called again?
Of Minds and Manipulation, by Harundel the Greater.
Ah, yes. One of those silly Harundels. Perhaps that made sense.
“Still reading my mind, Liar?”
“I am flattered that you continue to overestimate my abilities,” said Germal.
“Mmhmm, mmhmm. That’s right. Never stop trying to downplay yourself. Always seek to make your enemies underestimate you. Eheh. Did I teach you that? Surely not. Doesn’t sound like me. So where’d you learn it from, hmm? You can tell me. Who was your mentor?”
“Oh, I’ve had many.”
“Yeah? Who was the most impactful, then?”
“I couldn’t possibly choose just one.”
“Mm,” hummed Morgunov. “Or perhaps you’ve had none at all? That’s another way of thinking about it, isn’t it? If you have enough teachers, then you cease taking after any of them, eh? You achieve that all-important originality, eh?”
“You flatter me again, ledo.”
“Ooh, the honorific! Who’s flattering whom now?!” Morgunov broke for chortle. “Y’know, I’ve learned a thing or two about some of those curious words you use. Words I’ve never heard anyone else use.”
“Is that right?”
“Sure is. What, did you think I haven’t been observing you over the years? You may be a sneaky boy, but you’re far from the first to hide from me. And honestly, you’re not even that good at it. Gotten too comfortable behind that big pupper of yours, I’d wager.”
“Oh? And how would you know that? I’m sure you have no perception of time, either. For all you know, this could last a good long while for us in here before anyone out there is able to interfere. Or even forever! Eheh! Now wouldn’t that be something?! Trapped together for eternity!”
“You would never abide such an arrangement.”
“Nor would you, I imagine!”
The Liar made no response.
Morgunov pondered the situation a bit more on his own, trying to assess himself. His thoughts may have been greatly diminished in this space, but he still felt like he had access to the full breadth of his memories. And his personality still felt entirely intact, for what that was worth.
Yes. It was really just his body that was missing. Interesting.
A root cause attack should have, theoretically, been suppressing every new thought, even these ones. He supposed it was because he’d pulled Germal in with him that it wasn’t working properly. Either that, or that ancient text had been full of shit. What had it been called again?
Of Minds and Manipulation, by Harundel the Greater.
Ah, yes. One of those silly Harundels. Perhaps that made sense.
“Still reading my mind, Liar?”
“I am flattered that you continue to overestimate my abilities,” said Germal.
“Mmhmm, mmhmm. That’s right. Never stop trying to downplay yourself. Always seek to make your enemies underestimate you. Eheh. Did I teach you that? Surely not. Doesn’t sound like me. So where’d you learn it from, hmm? You can tell me. Who was your mentor?”
“Oh, I’ve had many.”
“Yeah? Who was the most impactful, then?”
“I couldn’t possibly choose just one.”
“Mm,” hummed Morgunov. “Or perhaps you’ve had none at all? That’s another way of thinking about it, isn’t it? If you have enough teachers, then you cease taking after any of them, eh? You achieve that all-important originality, eh?”
“You flatter me again, ledo.”
“Ooh, the honorific! Who’s flattering whom now?!” Morgunov broke for chortle. “Y’know, I’ve learned a thing or two about some of those curious words you use. Words I’ve never heard anyone else use.”
“Is that right?”
“Sure is. What, did you think I haven’t been observing you over the years? You may be a sneaky boy, but you’re far from the first to hide from me. And honestly, you’re not even that good at it. Gotten too comfortable behind that big pupper of yours, I’d wager.”
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