BornAndTorn 66 The Pact 1

" As if I would give you all that hard-earned knowledge for free. You may be able to fool those pesky fanatics, but do you think that you can fool me after I have witnessed all your treachery? Otherwise, why would you willingly show such a memory to me? You, the person who normally keeps his memories shut tight suddenly is interested in exchanging information. This information is just a bait to lure me out and then give away all my secrets, without you having to lift a finger.

I want to know everything, your tactics and knowledge, your plans and aspirations. I want the full truth, to see whether or not you qualified enough."

And people say I am greedy. All I want to do is ensure our survival, that is why I want to gather as much knowledge as possible. Why are you even interested in my knowledge as well, as far as I am concerned you are nothing more than a projection or data as well. RIght now, even if there is still another version of you on the Real world, the both of you should be separated and there should be no way, you could transfer my knowledge to it.

Furthermore, my death means your death, so do not act like you are in control here. We are in the same boat, whether you like it or not, is not of my concern. The problem I am trying to resolve is the uncertainty of the future because I do not know what kind of enemy I might have to face in the future. If the Observer even appears in front of me right now, then there appears to be a lot of potential trouble ahead. Of course, you are free to do as you want but remember you will have to share the consequences.

" Extortion, kid? Seriously, you would not even be alive right now without me and you still have the gall to bargain with me. Hosting a madman is also a first for me. Without me, you are just a pathetic human with a weak frail body, so please spare me from your nonsense. All your fancy rhetoric does not help you when you can not back it up. Clinging onto your foolish ideals will not help us."

Hiding behind your insecurities is not of any use as well. Currently, we have to find a solution, a common ground. Things as honour, prestige and fame are worthless in my eyes. Also, I do not care what your aim is as long as I still can choose how to act. A degenerated human, an abomination, a monster those terms are just labels. I want the freedom to choose my own path.

" I can talk but you do not listen. I try to reason you try to believe. How should this work, if you refuse to work with me and just how far you willing to go? Will you fight humans, will you fight the Chosen, the Churches, Royal blood? What do you do when G.o.ds stay in front of you? You know nothing about this world. When will you see that your grand dream is nothing more than a grand illusion?"

When I was just a child, everything looked so big and scary. My parents were giants in my eyes and I was helplessly in front of them or anything else. But as I grew older the once strong parents were getting less scary by the day. The first magic spell I was. .h.i.t by? Absolutely horrifying, the pain was unbearable, but now after coming into contact with you, I do not even have to blink twice if I am hit by one.

So be it the Church, the Royal blood or even G.o.ds. What are those enemies, if not things I do not yet know about? As long as we can adapt to the changes, we will always prevail and besides, I doubt that G.o.ds would be interested in someone like me in the first place.

And if I was doomed to fail I would you rather not die against the lowest of the low, hiding away in shame and terror as life goes on around you? Not you cover in fear when everything I deem sacred and important slowly deteriorates under my self imposed cowardice? So what about you?

Will you let others dictate and define what you are?

" If I were a young boy going into the war I would have been totally motivated. Why should I seek a fight, knowing that it ends in my demise? There is nothing heroic about that, it is just stupid. What's the use of glory and honour if you are dead? Especially you should know that. "

Do you think I am seeking a direct confrontation? I am just a single person, how much impact can I have fighting an army, with just my body alone. They will not know what's happening to them, until its too late. Do you seriously think, I have not considered the influence of the G.o.ds? Especially after feeling the otherworldly pressure by that G.o.ds envoy.

If the G.o.ds truly do exist, then there are several things we can deduct or speculate about. If they choose envoys or something similar, then that either means they can not physically appear on the planet itself or they do not care enough to actually do so. Those G.o.ds will then equip people with the power to represent themselves, so their purpose is quite clear to gather followers and their faith that way. The alternative would be that they only do so out of very selfish reasons.

So if you want to fight and combat those G.o.ds, just divert or kill his or her followers. And the rest is laughable easy.

A king can die. The churches can turn against each other. Civil unrest can destabilize the whole system. What can be done when the whole world is burning? What can be done, when you are just a small piece in a plan, you have no control in? Everything they fail to comprehend will be explained by using their so-called G.o.ds. So what would happen if I were to disturb and partake in this delicate equilibrium?

If someone famous dies, it all becomes all part of G.o.ds mysterious and profound ways. Because questioning the intent of their G.o.ds is something that they would not even think about. A free reign, the freedom to do whatever I want, because I am the will of the G.o.ds. Is that not a perfect alibi, a perfect cover in this world?

" Are you sure that you are still sane? Listening to you I question whether or not I should start to seek another host. Besides claiming to be able to feel the G.o.ds influence, are you trying to make fun of me?"

From all the things I just said, you take offence to that one? Besides, I have felt that kind of pressure only 2 times so far and it was something I have not ever felt since. Or why would I back up and not kill that ice girl after our fight? Why would I let her live?

" As a young healthy male, I am sure you have your needs as well and she did not look too bad. At least that would be a suitable explanation for "that kind of reaction" that took place."

Great depending on my answer I am either a lecher or a eunuch. An age-old fossil, do I have to say more to showcase how irrelevant your opinion on this subject is?

" You seem awfully sensitive regarding that topic. If I had a body myself I would gladly offer myself, so that you can get rid of all that pent-up stress."

Be careful what you wish for, if you ever get a body I will hold you accountable and I will be the only person to enjoy it.

" As a being of my status, you need to be open for anything."

True if your whole existence is nothing more than a gigantic failure, you can not be picky.

" A bit ironic coming from you, who accepted my first offer without any hesitation in the world."

Before coming into contact with me you never even heard of irony. So what's ironic in this case?

" Arguing about this topic seems like the most obvious answer, so I will go with you claiming to feel the power of the G.o.ds"

That pressure could not stem from any human or beast. IT was even stronger than the reaction of my cells when it came into contact with the fire. It is very hard to find the right words to describe it. I did not see or feel the influence of the G.o.ds directly, but after my combat, with the Ice girl, I was nearly overwhelmed by it. It had not even a.s.saulted me directly, just the looming threat it gave off was enough to scare me away.

" Sorry to disappoint you, but what you describe is not the direct influence of the G.o.ds, not even I am capable of seeing it, it is your instinct of survival being really sensitive to the threat that their power poses. I have no idea, why such a feeling can be found in you. I have not heard about such a case, besides the fact that many strong magic users share a similar instinct. Though in their case it is causing a state full of desire and reverence. "

I am not going to bother asking you, how you got to know that fact. Mr Observer, was there any time, where the death of the Ice Lady or Laura was confirmed and what were the results?

' As of now, no death of either party occurred. Therefore I can not deduce whether or not your thesis is true or not. The data does not suggest that there is an underlying difference between a normal player and the 2 ones mentioned previously. The most likely scenario is that G.o.ds are attracted to strength and therefore support those who are much stronger than their peers.'

Have there been any irregularities in their behaviour?

' Their only noticeable change in their behaviour patterns appeared when they came into contact with you. Therefore I chose to ignore this correlation and began to search for other connections.'

Has there been any noticeable movement around those 2 players? If they themselves show no visible change, then maybe their surroundings start to show a change in different ways

' Their surroundings were not showing any kind of change that would be considered out of the norm. Though, the people surrounding disappeared one by one, as they both started to hunt on their own in the later stages of the event.'

" Are you trying to ignore me?"

No, since our negotiations failed, I do not have any purpose left in continuing our conversation.

"I had not expected you to give the minute I show the slightest bit of resistance."

I am not giving up I am picking the battles I am sure of winning.

" The only thing you win by ignoring me is a quicker death, but have it your way lets continue this conversation when you are willing to listen to my terms and conditions."

The only thing remotely fair that I could offer you, would be to share information and your knowledge in a point based system, where we can ask and demand different things. Each information or memory will cost a specific amount of points. For example, the memory I have given you for free is worth 5 points in your eyes. Then I now have questions worth 5 points that I can demand an answer for.

Let's a.s.sume I would ask you, what purpose the slime has and you value that information at 10 points, then I would have to show you another memory worth 5 points before you tell me about the information. Of course, you do not have to tell me about it, but this trade ends the moment one side does not hold up to his promise.

Lies and false memories are of no concern because for one everything we say can be verified to a certain extent and on the other hand, I doubt, that we would risk falsifying things for monetary gain when our very own life is on the line.

" Out of the sudden you are willing to talk and take a step into my direction, was that your plan all along, stating ridiculous terms and acting like a fool, so that I would be easily swayed the minute you began to falter?

Yes

" Why do you have to make everything so complicated?"

I would have been regrettable if you were willing to give away your knowledge for free. It would leave me with another chip to bargain with. Of course, the same stays true if you reverse the situation, if I just agreed to share everything with you, you would have found a way to take advantage out of me.

As you can read my thoughts coming up with a plan like this was the only thing I could do without giving away my intentions. We both have things we do not want to discuss and let the other know about. That is why this trading system lets us control how much information we actually want to give away.

Furthermore, our relations.h.i.+p can only go so far without a mutual balance. Blind trust, while admirable is nothing more than a foolish endeavour. It is a pipe dream to believe, that you are not taken advantage of. Take the most selfless person you can find, the heroes carrying all the hopes of the forsaken. They all share the same kind of mentality. I need to make the world a better place, I need to bring justice to this world. True selflessness a result of an ego trip how very fitting.

So it is in our best interest that we will use restrictions and boundaries to keep us in check.

" I agree to your terms but are you not afraid that It will come back around and haunt you?

Having to listen to you is punishment enough and besides the future is not determined yet. So why bother about any potential uncertainties, if I can shape it any way I want with my actions.

" It seems you are stuck with the role of the hopeless fool. Just be glad, that you have me by your side guiding and showing you the right path to take. Of course, the price has to be right, but that is a given."

You would make a good politician in my world.

" What is that?"

It is not of importance, or do you want to owe me some points already? Because it is you it will only cost one measly point.

" I will not fall for that scheme, call me what you want I do not care"

Your choice. Just for one measly point, you would have learned about the whole origin and its meaning. This explanation would lead you to a new outlook on my upbringing and its influence on what made me to the person I am. It would even give you knowledge about the culture and morality of men.

" It is just one measly point, take it as a sign of my goodwill."

There is no pill for regret. You should have taken the offer while it was still on the table. You should have swallowed your pride.

" You never planned on giving away that information in the first place right?"

Was it that obvious? Besides, that's enough concept you do not know it is called sarcasm.

" Oh, I did not know about that."

See you are a natural, you are using it perfectly already.

So Mr Observer, now let us discuss the terms on our cooperation.

" So we are back to ignoring me again? "

Mr Observer please do not mind the childish tantrum of a certain someone, as this person lacks any manners.

" Oh, all of the sudden the prices for information doubled. n.o.body could have predicted a development like that"

Now you are just being petty. Relax, in the future, I will find another bug extra for you and let it live in my body. I am always listening to your concern, but yet you do nothing but berate and destroy despite my good intentions.

So Mr Observer now that we can finally talk after the other party is currently busy sulking. Shall we start talking about our plans for the future?