exsilium | audio;

Entry tags:

audio;

[It's a brilliantly sunny day, everyone. It's raining, of course, but not lightly enough to turn to mist and block the light, and not heavily enough to drive everyone indoors.

The cause for the brilliance is sitting atop the highest structure he could find near the center of the city, shining like a star. Best not to look at him directly. You might even want to buy sunglasses, although there's probably no one who sells them.

He's not illuminating the whole city, of course, but he's trying.]

Greetings all, 'tis Balder the Brave. If others can bring snow, I thought I might try to bring the sun. Let me know if it is too much. And if you would, entertain me with your best stories. I ask not that they be true, merely interesting.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Alas, I can only move the clouds but briefly. I am neither the God of Light nor the God of Storms. The skies answer not to Loki.

[Looking down into the streets again]

What the people need is freedom, freedom to feel the sun again. They and we gods as well.

[Balder thinks to himself that if Loki calls him a bird in a cage again, he will kick him off the ledge in the satisfied knowledge that Loki will be fine. But he's not actually irritated with Loki yet. It just seems terribly familiar.]

If you could free yourself, you would have.

Aye, I would have. And many others as well.

[He makes a broad gesture]

They all deserve freedom. None of us Imports belong here, this is not our home.

What do you propose?

[And Balder reminds himself that he probably shouldn't listen to it, whatever it is. He's being far too relaxed.]

I know not, but we are no strangers to such situations.

We tried to find freedom when our brother brought us to Midgard. We can seek it here as well... And this time we need not struggle alone.

[And destroy the Initiative... Loki feels this need burn inside him. They deserve to die, to suffer for dragging him here against his will. They need to die for him to gain access to their resources and start on his next move.

His face shows no hint of these thoughts.]

Edited 2013-03-01 02:47 (UTC)

Loki. It was you who sought freedom.

[And at their expense. But Balder is still feeling calm for some reason.]

[Loki wills a hurt expression to his face. It is the face of a child arguing that they were "only trying to help"]

Aye...for all of us.

You are not helping your case.

[He bows his head.]

Does my Lord Balder disagree?

Would you see these people suffer?

[Balder hesitates a long moment before answering. He is trying to force himself to think and not be a fool, for once.]

I would not have them suffer, but if you can propose nothing then there is nothing to discuss.

[Loki is silent as well, not because he does not have an answer, but because he does not want to seem like he is planning anything.]

I have spent many years in exile and have learned much. Often the best way out of a prison is to trick the jailor.

If they are to be liberated, then...

[He trails off, leaving Balder to complete the thought on his own.]

['Many years in exile' ...

Balder has exiled Loki recently. Carrying this thought through, Balder was the one to construct the prison, he was the jailer and the one to be tricked.

Of course he knows this is not what Loki means, that Loki has not lived through this yet. But Balder has completely lost Loki's train of thought for his own.]

... yes?

[He looks meaningfully towards Balder, squints at the brilliant light and turns his head with a low sigh.]

...Then we shall have to trick the Initiative themselves. No easy task.

[Balder contemplates the skyline for a while.]

True.

[He finally turns towards Loki.] Then it shall be yours.

Shall I take that as your blessing?

You shall take it as my acknowledgment that I cannot stop you from doing what you wish.

Besides, would my blessing not burn?

My only wish is to see us all returned home.

[He reaches out and places a reassuring hand on Balder's glowing shoulder, eyes still downcast.]

Nobody deserves to live in a world without light.

Oh? Then what about them?

[And here he sweeps an arm across the landscape.]

The natives would be better off without our presence. 'Tis the Imports that draw the United Earth's wrath. If not for us, this island would not have been attacked from the sky.

[A pause, and his hand drifts back down to his side.]

You were not here for that.

...We are a danger to them, my liege.

Are freedom and light not worth a little danger?

[It's an idle argument on his part, but if Loki wants to convince him he'll have to put some effort in, Balder has decided that at least.]

Dare we interfere with their world though it may mean the deaths of many?

[He sighs.]

What of the Imports' worlds? What of ours? Where is Asgard now without its king?

[Loki, you are always interfering with other people's worlds and causing the deaths of many.]

Asgard does not need me.

...My Lord Balder thinks far too little of himself.

I merely state the obvious.

Asgard may do better with the two of us trapped here.

Do you truly believe this?

audio;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

Re: action;

action;