vatheon | 6th Combo

Who: Lloyd Irving and anyone
Where: Island beach
When: Morning
Style: Either
Status: Open

[There aren't very many good places in Vatheon to get away from everyone. Not that Lloyd is trying to avoid anyone, but it's usually a good idea to go someplace out of the way when training with new mana techniques - and that's exactly what he's doing today. He'd found a good stretch of beach that was, for the moment, unoccupied - probably because of the chill in the morning air discouraging casual beachgoers. There might be more people in the afternoon, but he'd no doubt have called it quits long before then.

So, while he still has the beach to himself, time to get to work! Drawing both his swords, the teen in red runs through a basic warm-up before settling into a familiar routine. Without calling on his own inner mana, he goes through the motions of the techs he thinks are closest to what he's trying to achieve. Demon Fang, Tempest, Beast, they all involve molding mana around his blades. If he can just keep it there, instead of unleashing it...

Anyone passing by this particular stretch of beach will either see a teenage swordsman hard at work training himself - or they'll pass by just in time to get blasted by mana and sand from one of Lloyd's failed technique attempts.]

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[Exspheres. Cruxis Crystals. More than just increasing your power. It takes a moment for Lloyd to connect the dots, but when he does, his eyes widen with shock.]

Wait. You're saying you're going to turn everyone into angels? But that's-! That won't solve anything either! Race isn't the only reason people can hate each other.

The blood between the races will vanish. Everyone will become the same lifeless being, incapable of hatred. That is the only solution to humanity's most basic flaw.

[ Sorry, Lloyd. To him, it's really that simple. ]

...lifeless?

[Mithos can't be suggesting what it sounds like he is. He just can't. Surely Lloyd is misunderstanding.]

You make it sound like nobody will feel anything.

Have you not been to Welgaia?

[ A question Mithos has been meaning to ask. ]

[Lloyd's brow furrows, answering the question before he even opens his mouth.]

Where's Welgaia? And what does that have to do with this?

Derris Kharlan.

[ Mithos' eyes are narrowing. So, Lloyd doesn't even know the name of Cruxis' main base of operations... ]

Then we have nothing more to discuss.

Oh!

[He has heard of Derris-Kharlan, though. Even if he's never been there either.]

Wait, what do you mean we have nothing more to discuss? You didn't answer my question!

The term 'lifeless being' should be self-explanatory, Lloyd. If humans are incapable of hatred, then discrimination will disappear entirely.

[It's with a certain dawning horror that Lloyd begins to think he's grasping Mithos's plan.]

So you're... what? You're going to take away all of their feelings? What about happiness? What about peace? What about hating the homework your teacher gives you, or being bored, or excited, or all the other feelings we have?

There will be peace. There will be no more war, no more anger, no more hated. Human nature will be entirely replaced.

It's the only way humanity will ever learn to co-exist.

But then no one will ever live!

[He tries to imagine a world like Mithos is describing, and his mind balks at the idea.]

What would even be the point of living if no one felt anything at all?!

You say it would be better to live with pain than with nothing at all?

[ Mithos balks at that idea. ]

I've waited for four millenia to see humans change. They refused every step of the way. The only way I will ever see my sister's dream realized is by changing their very nature, even if I have to force it.

Yes, I am saying that! I don't want people to suffer, either, but if we don't have any kind of emotions at all, then no one will ever be happy, either! Isn't that just as bad?! [He shakes his head.] No, it's worse, because at least with pain, you know it can end, and you can still find moments where you're happy. What you're planning won't let anyone have even that!

[As he speaks, something deep within him solidifies, determination and a kind of pain. If Mithos refuses, if he stays with this plan...

When he speaks, his voice is low, almost anguished.]

I don't want to fight you, Mithos, but I can't agree with what you're trying to do.

There is nothing else, Lloyd. I have grown tired of waiting for what will likely never happen. Humans have left me with no other option, and I will not see Martel returned to a world that hasn't changed since the day she died.

[ Yggdrasill's wings flutter. ]

Then stay out of my way.

I can't do that, either.

[His voice is sober. He knows what it means to say this.]

I can't stand back while people around me suffer and die, and I can't let people become as good as dead. I'll work to change the world and make it a better place. I'll work with my friends to reunite the worlds so they don't have to fight for mana, and then we'll work together to show everyone that it doesn't matter what race they are. And I'll show you that we don't need to be lifeless to work together and live peaceful lives.

[He takes a breath, preparing himself.]

But even if you've given up, I haven't, and I'll stop you if I have to, Mithos.

[ Yggdrasill listened patiently, trying not to show his physical reaction. When he finished, Mithos turned away from him, turning his back to Lloyd. ]

We are not in Aselia, so there is nothing here for you to stop. But I don't care how many people have to die; half-elves will be free, one way or another.

[ And after that, he simply teleports away. ]

[Lloyd isn't sure whether he's relieved or not. He'd been more than half afraid that making that declaration would have made Mithos decide to attack. But this... Is this really all that much better? Mithos is gone, and he's still determined to carry out a plan that makes him Lloyd's enemy. Sooner or later they'll have to fight.

Lloyd's shoulders slump as he puts his swords away before turning and walking off. He doesn't want to think of Mithos as an enemy, but he isn't being given a choice.

It feels like he's lost a friend.]

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