asgardeventide | oo2 || Video

[When the feed starts, Athelstan is in his room, with one of Will's dogs stretched warmly across his lap. Athelstan rubs his fingers against her ears as he looks over the projection from his bracelet- right, recording.]

...'this is the end'. The tree has been- is being?- destroyed. I am not a commander of men, nor am I any sort of leader, but times are dire and I... [His lips press together firmly as he nudges the dog off of his lap- she makes a soft, indignant noise before skittering out of his room.]

Where I come from, the men worshiped these gods. This tree was their world, holding up everything they held dear. We must fight to keep it standing, we must- I can show you how these gods must be worshiped, I can tell stories of their exploits and wit, if that would give you cause to fight for them.

[There's a short pause, as Athelstan lets out a breath, contemplating his next words.] Even if you cannot fight, you must pray. All of your gods have guided men through their trials for hundreds of years- longer, in some of your worlds. They would not abandon us now.

[The words are encouraging, but his voice is hollow, preaching a message he's not sure if he can believe in.]

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I know of some of them, but I have my reservations about the ones I was told.

Which were those- if you don't mind me asking?

I don't. My family was protestant.

[ She pauses, realizing he may not know that chruch well. ]

Christian.

[...ah. Well, in Athelstan's case, looks are very deceiving.]

What are your reservations?

...

[ She pauses, simply because she's been raised to be very conscious of that. No, she used to be. ]

For all the times I was told that God had created Adam and Eve in his very image, I've wondered why such a perfect being could create beings that could be so cruel to each other. Or make a world that can be so miserable. I've seen many things and I cannot believe that anything or anyone created horrible things and be seen as gentle and loving.

I don't believe in any of it.

[That earns her a few moments of silence, and Athelstan understands- with so much clarity that it makes his heart ache. He remembers being on his knees in a foreign land with nothing but repeated words and a sense of injustice. He remembers axes through his brother's heads, their bodies hanging on the pillars. He remembers the abandonment, the anger, and lastly, the denial.

The memory is bitter, but the betrayal of it is fresh in his mind. When the tables had turned, and denial had put an axe in Athelstan's own hand... yes, he can see very well how cruelty is created.]

...it can be argued that misery and cruelty are the work of men. If the Lord had not created men with freedom to be cruel, then there would be no glory to be found in serving Him, no virtue in abstaining. Violence and anger, it is- [he makes a soft noise here. Fuck.] -I suppose Christians would call it the absence of their God.

Hm.

[ She had wondered that frequently in Rutledge as a child why there was no escape from it. She had seen her fellow patients beg for divine intervention. The dead would be taken through less conspicuous routes through the Asylum to avoid frightening the patients -- if they felt themselves to be in the mood. All these men and women proclaiming themselves to be healers and helpers.

Most of all, that horrendous excuse of a man. After all of that, Alice had stopped believing in any concept. ]

Hm. For all that is supposed to be created in beauty, it seems our fellow men have made great strides in not making it so. Most of all, there are those who say they are healers and saviors -- they're anything but.

Saviors can come in all forms.

[He says it before he can even think about it, and Athelstan stills for a moment after his own words, trying to think over their meaning.]

I- I suppose we've had different experiences. Many of the spiritual men I knew have been role models. [Though, y'know, give him about twenty four hours more back home and then we'll talk.] If their intentions truly lied with God- their God- then they would not do such things.

Edited 2014-06-03 10:00 (UTC)

If that is the case, then so have many, many people, including me.

[ She scoffs. ]

I prefer those who can at least acknowledge they have faults and are the least bit perfect.

I'm not sure what you mean.

[He tilts his head.]

They say "he without sin, let him cast the first stone", yes? You would be surprised with how many people forget that. How can you have true intentions to do good if you're not humble and meek?

I don't believe any man would claim perfection, miss Alice.

You would be surprised, Mr. Athelstan, far too surprised. There are not many men out there who think that way, bu they exist. They may not say it outright, but their actions reflect their feelings.

I am deeply sorry that you have met such men, in that case.

[ Alice tries not to do a double take. ]

It doesn't matter, does it? The both of us survived.

It matters. Such things should not happen. That they did is... regrettable.

The only thing that can be done is to move forward, that is all any of us can do. It just makes us more perceptive to others around us.

[He nods.]

A wise choice. Survival is better than vengeance, in any case.

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