Lor:
Several rituals to all the Voices trying to stir up any bad blood & push them into conflict instead of alliance. Over a few weeks, I sent rituals to IHT, LL, STG (before she was on the table), & the Unknown Hunter. The day of this interaction I sent more to DFU, STG, and TID. One to SAO, too, just a little report. You’re not supposed to talk to the other Voices when you follow SAO, and it seems they came to get a better gauge on my intent.
SAO: RYDER. WE SEEK YOUR TRUTH.
R: Hello. You seek my truth? Alright. Whatever you want to know.
SAO: MANY RITUALS. QUESTIONS. YOURS.
R: Yeah… Uh. It seems there’s a lot happening with all of these Voices lately. Alliances and a new symbol at the table. And it feels like he shouldn’t just sit and let it all happen; he should try to remind them all why they should hate each other. And why they should tear each other apart. Less work for you.
SAO: WE HAVE. YET. SOME TAKE A SOFT HAND.
R: The other Voices? Not quite willing to fight the way they should? Or are you referring to your own mercy towards him, for sending the lights?
SAO: THE CHILDREN. LIKE RYDER. YES.
R: (Reading.) The Children… Like Him… Well-
SAO: AS TO THE VOICES, RYDER HAS A POINT
R: He thanks you for that. Have… You, you’ve heard about the alliance, between the Adversary and uh, the passionate one, that likes to “come calling”, that he hates?
SAO: WE SHOULD SALT THEIR OLD WOUNDS.
R: (Laughs.) Yes. Absolutely. The same way that you used the Adversary’s nature against him, he believes it’s possible to use the other Voices’ natures’ against them. The Grudge Bearer, specifically, seems like a loaded gun, and perhaps with a little bit of direction, she could be persuaded to go off, not towards you, but towards them.
SAO: THE WORST OF THEM. PERHAPS. YES.
R: The worst of them, interesting… He… He has a friend who was chosen by her… And it feels terrible, and he wonders if chosen can be redeemed by you?
SAO: IT IS DIFFICULT. FEW ARE WORTHY.
R: … He understands. He tries, every night in the boxcar, every night out on missions, just little subtle comments and hints, trying to undermine all the other children’s trust in their Voices. For the most part, they are stubborn but… Most of them are wary of the others. Oh-
SAO: WE ARE ALL WITHIN YOU. WAITING.
R: Uhh… Well. He hopes that the others… Find more of you within them than any of the other false Voices.
SAO: TO SAY OUR NAME TIPS THE SCALES.
R: Indeed… Um… There is the question, perhaps you don’t know? The Grudge Bearer, she speaks your name openly.
SAO: SHE SEEKS TO ESTABLISH A PRESENCE.
R: She does… The symbol at the table was-
SAO: WANTS US TO KNOW HER NEW NAME
R: Of course she does, wants everyone to repeat it. (Sighs.) He will labor to make sure they repeat your name, not her, as frequently as he can…
SAO: WE WOULD ADVISE THAT YOU DO NOT.
R: Do not… Repeat… Your name? Or hers?
SAO: HERS. AS YOU JUST DID.
R: Hers… Yes… Yes, he will… Stop. He won’t repeat any of their names. As much as he can. There is a certain cover he has to maintain from the other children.
(A pause.)
SAO: WHAT DOES RYDER TRULY WANT?
R: What does he truly want? Uh. At first, at first he just wanted revenge, against the club for misleading his cousin. And then he learned more of your goals, and your ways. And the ways that humanity has become misguided. And now? All he wants is to help you. To help you end society as it is now.
SAO: WE WILL REPORT AS MUCH. IN HOPE.
R: He thanks you. He will continue to remain vigilant and do as best he can for the greater good.
SAO: (Lag, something missing, along the lines of “AND WHAT OF THE OTHERS”)
R: Which others? Um… There’s one, known as Tear. No wait, Tear. Tearrful. He believes with the right persuasion, perhaps they could be shifted? Enlightened? As to the others… There is one known as Crateshya, who is aware of his, uh, following of you. But… They’ve not spread that. So he continues to dance around that…
SAO: WE MEANT VOICES, APPROACHING YOU
R: Oh! Oh god... He doesn’t want to remember that. There are… Several he’s overheard in the past few weeks, the worst of which was… (Sighs.) The passionate one who comes calling, puts death wishes into children’s hearts. It was horrible...
SAO: THE MARTYR OR THE DEATH FETISHIST
R: The Martyr. He… The Martyr misjudged why he follows you. What he seeks. The Martyr said that you did not care for individual stories. The worth of individual lives. But he does not follow you to be cared for.
SAO: MEANINGLESS TERMS. HE FORGETS…
R: He does. For everything the Martyr- Oh.
SAO: OUR NAME ENDS WITH ONE. A WHOLE.
R: He knows. He believes… He will not be persuaded by false Voices.
SAO: RESTORED, INTACT. WE CARE FOR IT./ WE BELIEVE RYDER. IT IS TIME.
R: It is time? Well, whatever that should mean…
SAO: REMAIN VIGILANT. WE SPEAK AS ONE.
R: Remain vigilant, we speak as one… (Pause.) ...Another beautiful night in Redacre.
