Morgunov needed a moment to deconstruct that statement. But only a moment. “Oh. Right. Because I’m also an inventor. And we’re the worst by default, according to your twisted logic. Of course.”
“There is far more to it than merely that, and I think you know that.”
“Oh yeah? So you’re tellin’ me that I’m worse than Arnel the Terror? Really? Look, I know I’ve done some messed up things, okay? But that guy literally cooked people alive and ate them in front of their horrified family members.”
Germal paused. “...Okay, well, I never met Arnel. And I said that you’re the worst I’ve seen. Not the worst to ever exist.”
“Wow, what a cop out. And still definitely untrue! You must’ve met Hada, right? Oh, unless you are him, I suppose. In which case, dang. You’ve really got no room to be calling me names.”
“Hada does deserve admonishment, true. Which I have provided, on many occasions. In fact, it might be my single greatest pastime. But Hada is also a god, which affords him special consideration. You, however, deserve no such thing.”
“Oh, so that’s how it works. I’m not part of your privileged little club, so off with my head, eh?”
“In essence, yes. Ah, but now, perhaps you are thinking that you might like to join?”
Morgunov stopped on that notion for a bit. After all he’d just heard, there was no more repulsive idea to him than what Germal had just suggested. “Yeah, sure, man. Do I have to learn a secret handshake?”
“No. Unfortunately, there is no set path to godhood. No advice that can be granted. ‘Tis something that one must arrive at in solitude. Or become a vessel and agree to incarnation. Might you be interested in that?”
“Oh, you mean giving up my corporeal form and sense of self in order to transform into an entirely new being?”
“Indeed. If you are amenable to the idea, then I can arrange it. There are many of us who are awaiting new vessels.”
“Interesting! You can do it just like that, huh? Simple and easy?”
“Quite.”
“And you’re sure I’d make for a suitable vessel? I’m not too messed up or unworthy or anything?”
“Of course. You would do fine.”
“Well, alright then! Let’s make that happen, pal!”
“Truly? I thought you would be more--”
Morgunov waited. He would’ve smiled if he could've.
“...You’re lying,” said Germal. “You have no intention of incarnating with anyone. As soon as I free us, you will try to kill me.”
“Well, duh. That was always going to happen, Germy. You’re the one who decided to put your balls on the table and confront me. You can’t honestly expect that I’m gonna let you get outta this unscathed, can you? But I do find it funny that you almost didn’t realize it in time! You must be really eager to find vessels for all your little buddies! How quaint!”
“You are a bastard.”
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every day at noon PST by ~400 words.
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Monday, April 29, 2024
Page 3577
“I don’t think that I do,” said Morgunov, though that wasn’t entirely true. “You’re tryin’ to tell me that there’s some grand, invisible force that’s been creating great geniuses throughout history? And that only one can exist at a time? Why would that be true? Seems pretty inefficient to me. If the goal is to create Order, then the more brilliant minds there are, the better. Limiting it all to just one, singular dude sounds stupid as hell.”
“I never said Order was smart, now did I?”
“Oh, c’mon, that’s the best you’ve got? You’re supposed to be the greatest liar in the world, aren’t you? Come up with something more convincing!”
“What could be more convincing than the simple truth?”
“Eheh, oh, please. The best liars are able use the truth as if it were a lie--and vice versa. Think I’m not aware of that? Gotta say, you’re really leavin’ me quite unimpressed with your abilities so far, fella. Fumblin’ the bag, as the youngins like to say!”
“Well, I did tell you from the beginning that you were overestimating me.”
“Aha! True enough!”
“But alright. I cannot claim to know what Order is thinking--or if it even thinks anything at all, for that matter--but I do feel that you are misconceiving something. A true Fury is able to take inspiration from their contemporaries, as well. Not just from those in the past. So your idea that more would be better is rather moot.”
“Hmm.”
“Additionally, would more actually be better? They do say that too many cooks spoil the broth, no? Perhaps Order believes something similar.”
Dang it, that was actually a good point.
Morgunov still had more to follow up on, though. “Okay, so the Furies are, what, the greatest minds of their eras? And yet you also told me that I’m not one of ‘em? How can I not qualify, huh? After all I’ve done! That hardly seems fair!”
“‘Tis not a matter of intellect alone.” A beat passed. “Though I’m sure you would be found wanting there, as well.”
“Eheh, ouch! So what else factors in, then, hmm?”
“Personality, of course. Temperament. Desires of the heart and soul.”
“You sayin’ I’m not pure of heart?”
“Not at all. Your heart is perhaps the purest black I’ve ever seen.”
“Really? Ever? You’ve known some real mean buggers from across all the Ages, haven’t you? And yet you honestly think I’m the worst?”
“Yes. I do.”
“I never said Order was smart, now did I?”
“Oh, c’mon, that’s the best you’ve got? You’re supposed to be the greatest liar in the world, aren’t you? Come up with something more convincing!”
“What could be more convincing than the simple truth?”
“Eheh, oh, please. The best liars are able use the truth as if it were a lie--and vice versa. Think I’m not aware of that? Gotta say, you’re really leavin’ me quite unimpressed with your abilities so far, fella. Fumblin’ the bag, as the youngins like to say!”
“Well, I did tell you from the beginning that you were overestimating me.”
“Aha! True enough!”
“But alright. I cannot claim to know what Order is thinking--or if it even thinks anything at all, for that matter--but I do feel that you are misconceiving something. A true Fury is able to take inspiration from their contemporaries, as well. Not just from those in the past. So your idea that more would be better is rather moot.”
“Hmm.”
“Additionally, would more actually be better? They do say that too many cooks spoil the broth, no? Perhaps Order believes something similar.”
Dang it, that was actually a good point.
Morgunov still had more to follow up on, though. “Okay, so the Furies are, what, the greatest minds of their eras? And yet you also told me that I’m not one of ‘em? How can I not qualify, huh? After all I’ve done! That hardly seems fair!”
“‘Tis not a matter of intellect alone.” A beat passed. “Though I’m sure you would be found wanting there, as well.”
“Eheh, ouch! So what else factors in, then, hmm?”
“Personality, of course. Temperament. Desires of the heart and soul.”
“You sayin’ I’m not pure of heart?”
“Not at all. Your heart is perhaps the purest black I’ve ever seen.”
“Really? Ever? You’ve known some real mean buggers from across all the Ages, haven’t you? And yet you honestly think I’m the worst?”
“Yes. I do.”
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Page 3576
“How did you get your hands on the Vessel, anyway?” said Germal. “It should have been guarded by a cluster of feldeaths.”
“Oh, you knew that, huh?” And a thought struck him. “Wait a minute! Don’t tell me! You went and tried to grab it yourself, didn’t you?! Only to find it missing after putting yourself in so much danger! Ahaha! That’s what happened, isn’t it?!”
Germal said no response, which prompted Morgunov to just keep laughing.
“That’s excellent!” said the Mad Demon. “Wish I’d been there to see you scurrying about like a scared mouse!”
“Tell me how you snuck it out,” said Germal.
“Curious, eh? Alright, fine. I lured a clew of worms over to distract the big fellas for me while I made off with the spoils. Which involved more than just the Vessel, by the way. In fact, I’d nearly forgotten about that old thing until you brought it up.”
“Ah...”
“So there. Satisfied yet?”
“I suppose so.”
“Good! Then we can be done with this whole thing and get back to the real world!”
“You have no further questions for me?” said Germal.
Morgunov paused. Truthfully, he wanted nothing more than to get back to ripping this guy in half as soon as possible, but he supposed he shouldn’t waste this opportunity while he had it. Plus, something else was occurring to him. “If you’re saying that, then you must have additional things to ask, mm?”
“Perhaps so. You are a font of knowledge, Demon. I should like to make use of you while I still can.”
“Ooh. A threat and flattery. What a charming devil you are, Germy. In that case, I’ll indulge you a bit longer. Tell me. What are the Furies, exactly? How do you define them?”
“I’m surprised you do not already know that.”
“Mayhaps I do. But I still want to know what your twisted and stupid perspective is.”
“Kehe. The Furies, dear Demon, are the great agents of Order. They are a troublesome collective that span the breadth of history, often linked together unwittingly. They are one--and also many.”
“Hmm. One and many, huh?”
“The collective supports the one. The emergent head of a given era. Only one exists at a time. It becomes the focal point to which flows all the troublesome toils of the others. And when the head is slain, another inevitably emerges. A hydra, of sorts. I am certain that you know exactly what I speak of. And that I am not lying, yes?”
“Oh, you knew that, huh?” And a thought struck him. “Wait a minute! Don’t tell me! You went and tried to grab it yourself, didn’t you?! Only to find it missing after putting yourself in so much danger! Ahaha! That’s what happened, isn’t it?!”
Germal said no response, which prompted Morgunov to just keep laughing.
“That’s excellent!” said the Mad Demon. “Wish I’d been there to see you scurrying about like a scared mouse!”
“Tell me how you snuck it out,” said Germal.
“Curious, eh? Alright, fine. I lured a clew of worms over to distract the big fellas for me while I made off with the spoils. Which involved more than just the Vessel, by the way. In fact, I’d nearly forgotten about that old thing until you brought it up.”
“Ah...”
“So there. Satisfied yet?”
“I suppose so.”
“Good! Then we can be done with this whole thing and get back to the real world!”
“You have no further questions for me?” said Germal.
Morgunov paused. Truthfully, he wanted nothing more than to get back to ripping this guy in half as soon as possible, but he supposed he shouldn’t waste this opportunity while he had it. Plus, something else was occurring to him. “If you’re saying that, then you must have additional things to ask, mm?”
“Perhaps so. You are a font of knowledge, Demon. I should like to make use of you while I still can.”
“Ooh. A threat and flattery. What a charming devil you are, Germy. In that case, I’ll indulge you a bit longer. Tell me. What are the Furies, exactly? How do you define them?”
“I’m surprised you do not already know that.”
“Mayhaps I do. But I still want to know what your twisted and stupid perspective is.”
“Kehe. The Furies, dear Demon, are the great agents of Order. They are a troublesome collective that span the breadth of history, often linked together unwittingly. They are one--and also many.”
“Hmm. One and many, huh?”
“The collective supports the one. The emergent head of a given era. Only one exists at a time. It becomes the focal point to which flows all the troublesome toils of the others. And when the head is slain, another inevitably emerges. A hydra, of sorts. I am certain that you know exactly what I speak of. And that I am not lying, yes?”
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