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odinpusrex) wrote2016-06-28 11:46 am
odinpusrex) wrote2016-06-28 11:46 am
odinpusrex) wrote2016-06-28 11:46 am
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You're not an object. You're a person.
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[He does not comment on the object or person thing. He disagrees, of course, but that is a different matter.]
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[He can infer what Barnabas is getting at, given context clues, but at this point he wants to hear the full story. Or as much of one Barnabas is willing to give.]
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[Mankind does not care about the world, nor each other, when it comes to their own satisfaction.]
Naught is infinite.
[At least when it comes to the limitations of mortals, anyway.]
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Tell me how your world's magic ran dry. You can probably guess, but that's not my intent for any of this.
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[His voice stays even and measured, though he does not say more on the matter. His hatred does not stop him from doing what he believes is right, but he cannot say he's surprised that Jayce, like most men, will choose negligence for hatred's sake.]
As you said before, magic is a resource, just as aught else. A lake can run dry, a field can be made barren. A world can die. When aether cannot provide the demand placed upon it by those that ever seek contentment at too steep a cost, even magic will find itself withering.
Mankind saw the power of crystals, of magic, and wanted for it in all aspects of life. To lessen the burden of living. To seek contentment, comfort, and to secure it man chose sword and flame. The crystals could not sate such an appetite for power, and so they saw fit to enslave the Bearers, to exploit the Dominants, and the demand of magic grew ever higher. The land bled dry of life for the very magic they covet so, and yet they continue marching ever towards their own demise.
This is the inevitable end of such a path, mankind cannot be trusted to walk it.
[Conveniently he's leaving out the start of all of this, about who made those crystals in the first place, but that's because Jayce hasn't earned that sort of privilege!]
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[One last quip before he listens to Barnabas' explanation. He listens, brow furrowed, lips pursed. In the silence that follows, there's no argument in Jayce's tone:]
So what's next? What's your solution? Because that's the thing about mankind and discoveries- someone will discover it. It's only a matter of when. If it wasn't Viktor and I's discovery, it'd have been someone else.
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[The unfortunate thing about mankind, they will ever seek more than what they have. Never satisfied with their lot...]
You and your partner may be possessed of good intentions, yet should you hide your discovery, or attempt to warn others of its dangers...man will like as not prove deaf to all save the hunger of his own heart.
[There's a pause, before Barnabas adds:]
It is...desire that man must be freed of, for it drives him ever further towards the precipice that would be his ruin.
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And if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. Desire is innate to mankind.
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The idiom almost pulls a smirk out of Barnabas, not that it'd be visible anyway. Though that split second suggestion of amusement fades rather quickly.]
Indeed it is.
[He doesn't exactly sound mournful in his tone, yet there's a thread of despondency to his words.]
Heavy is the burden of wisdom, though with its guidance one may shield the world from sufferingβfor a time. You may not be able to stop the inevitable, but you may delay it all the same.
[Not that Barnabas really trusts that Jayce is better than any other human he's dealt with, but he's been able to get them to follow the correct path when he's acted as though he's had faith in them to some degree...]
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He has to believe that education and strong moral conviction can prevent Hextech from its worst uses, once he and Viktor are gone. Desire will always be something mortal beings have to fight against, but if future generations could be taught to only seek helpful discoveries, maybe... maybe that could be good enough.
Barnbas' mimicry of kindness does have the impact he wants, and Jayce's responding aggression fades.]
The heavier burden is not being able to carry this wisdom with me back home. I could solve every problem Runeterra's ever had, and it wouldn't matter if I couldn't take that knowledge back with me.
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[Certainly there is some strangeness involved when some leave and then return. Their memories seemingly...paused between those gaps. Barnabas doesn't fully understand it, however, the evaluation isn't complete, and perhaps that is why.]
Mayhap once we have proven our worth, our memories will persist. Your wisdom yours to keep.
[Though, Barnabas would rather lose his memories if he could. Sever them from his mind...they would only distract him.]