zenderael_ol | [E-mail: The Asha]

Entry tags:

[E-mail: The Asha]

[Hilariously, Lera doesn't know who the Asha is, exactly. She's using the e-mail provided by an aide.]

You may have heard of this, but a new Mazda was placed in power. This information will be revealed to the general public at a press conference on Saturday.

Nonetheless, I thought it prudent to inform you beforehand. You may have already met with my predecessor, who is now my Vice Admiral.

The press conference will include our response to Aerveas's aggressions.

Adm. Lera Savinkov
The Mazda

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Well, in all fairness, Gabe does have another email set up for Asha stuff. He's trying to keep the Asha separate from Gabe still. Though now with Lera apparently the Mazda, this is just weird.

He seriously wrote and rewrote this several times before just mentally saying "Ah, screw it", and replies as he normally would, so the reply doesn't show up until a good hour later.]

I've met you both, and you don't have to be so formal with me, honey. After all, we did trick shopkeepers together.

Do I get details about how it happened or am I just going to be left to wonder? Your predecessor wasn't exactly interested in details when I sent some of my predecessor's notes over. You know how she is.

Gabriel Chen
[All future emails have The Asha in place of his name; he's changed it for this one just so she knows it's him.]

[whaaaaaaaaaat]

You were the Asha! You could have said something, mister. :|

Good to know, though. The previous Mazda, ah, felt it was best to hand her power down to an Earther rather than... wait for the greycloaks to do it for her.

I know I could have, and I probably should have, but it was kind of nice just being Gabe for a little while. That and I didn't want you to treat me any differently just because I was the Asha.

The greycloaks again? We haven't heard from them in awhile. Well, that we know of...

Did one of them try something with her?

I know that feeling. [It's why she's friends with Iravati.]

Poison in her coffee. It used a magical component and she saw it.

It gets easier, at least, if it helps? I just don't want to forget who I was before the title, you know? I don't think the Asha before me could even remember that.

Huh. That's a new one, and kind of sloppy for them, too. I mean, how do you not realize the Mazda's going to be able to see the trail of magic coming out of her coffee or however it looks to spellswords?

Frightening... the past Mazda knew, but it seemed like a distant thing.

It was. I'm glad she caught it, though the price she paid, considering what was necessary to transfer power...

Well, the Asha before me was also not all there. He might have lost some of that when his mind snapped. You'll probably be able to remember, but there's a very real chance I might not if I break like he did.

Hey, no. :( You can't feel bad about it, okay, honey? She's still alive, and she got to make the choice herself of where her powers went. The others weren't so lucky.

Did... that happen with any Asha before? It might be worth investigating. It seems like a thing that can be prevented.

[Since if every Asha went insane eventually, that would be a... problem. It seems unlikely.]

That is true. And it was her decision to make. I have to respect that. And do the best I can.

I don't know. I mean, it could have happened, but if a mage is going to break, it's more likely to happen when a mage first gets the power. I don't think the Asha before me broke until after, though, maybe not even until after the merges started. That's the part that worries me.

Exactly. We can't let their sacrifice be a waste. The Ahura told me that.

He's right about that, I think. I'm not sure what to recommend you... but if he found something that drove him mad, I wouldn't recommend looking yourself. Lovecraftian forbidden knowledge seems like it could be a thing.

It probably is. Have you seen the World Library's basement? I mean, I haven't yet, but everyone tells me there's all kinds of nasty forbidden magical stuff down there.

The Ahura didn't think looking for it was a good idea either, but I can't shake the feeling that whatever the Asha before me found might be important. I mean, I kind of thought half of the stuff he said was just ramblings of a crazy person, but if he was right about the god-organs needing to go to people like us for the merge to happen with minimal damage, what else might he have been right about? I need to know, and, believe me, honey, I never thought I'd say that about anything ever.

I heard of it, but I haven't gone down there yet. [Probably a good idea, though. She'll ask for a tour of the World Library.]

I can't say I like the idea, but you're the Asha. You're the one who knows this better than any of us. If you feel there could be a significant link, then I say trust your instincts.

Just... be careful.

If you want to check it out, let me know. I'll talk to Beatrice and ask her to put together an escort for us to check it out together. It might be too risky for just the two of us without more training.

I'm trying to be. That's why I'm keeping it to sorting through his stuff for now, but if I find something that looks promising, believe me, I'm not acting on it until I talk it out with everyone, and work out nearly a dozen protection spells first.

I'll let you know. Might be better to have trained some first. Going together sounds like a wise idea, though...

If you do decide to look into that research, tell me first.

[Since it will be her responsibility if Gabe goes crazy. Chilling thought.]

Haha, yeah, probably. I've got some basics down, but that wouldn't be enough against half of the stuff that's supposed to be down there.

Well, if it's here at all, I need to find it first, but you know I would. You're the one who's going to have to deal with me if I lose my mind. Not that I'm really sure what "dealing with me" would consist of. Do you just lock me up somewhere or are you going to have to kill me?

I wish I knew for certain. Let's try to never have that happen, okay?

I know you can do this without losing your mind.

I'm sure as hell going to try not to. The second I start going on about needing to "get used to the Dark", please put me out of my misery, honey.

...all right. If it ever comes to that.

I know it's a lot to ask, but you didn't see him before he died. The way he was and how he was acting... I don't want that. I mean, I don't want to die, believe me, but I don't want that to be me, either.

[She doesn't want this. Anyone who would want this is beyond her ken. This is what Morvarid meant, she thinks. These are the sorts of decisions that can grind someone down.]

It's my duty. I'd never want to do that, but if it has to be done, I will.

I know. I hope it never comes to that. Thank you, though, honey.

Me, too.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[E-mail: The Asha]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject