If you're that concerned about Hope, the best thing you can do is inspire hope in others, and maybe stop people murdering each other. Those of you who filled up the orbs Love gave you did well at helping him.
Some time ago now, Rey had told Caedra that the gods can be contacted by visiting their temples with intent. Or something like that - Caedra really isn't sure how that works. But she dislikes the phone, and doesn't trust it at all to be useful in giving her an accurate assessment of what these creatures that call themselves gods are. So she makes her way on one cold night to the now-familiar temple to Rage. The place where she met Ivar, the place where she successfully determined she can bring her Abyssal companions through for a time. The place where she was reborn, in the ruined remains of the bloodstained magic circle out front, formed anew from ichor and hatred after some of the city's residents took out their vengeance on her.
Caedra does not know how to attract such a creature's attention of course, and that already angers her. She has a lot to be angry about - it is the nature of the tanar'ri, to foster that rage and turn it against the multiverse. So she does what comes naturally for her. Stands in the middle of the temple, sword extended and eyes defiant, and calls out to the creature that pretends it is divine.
It's always so interesting when angrier ones come to her temple. Do they even notice her influence on their emotions? It doesn't matter either way, but still, sometimes Rage wonders.
"'Demand'?" She gives a quiet snort of laugher. "Who can say no to that?"
She steps out from the shadows, tall (very tall) and red-haired in her human form.
Huh, it worked. Not that she had expected Rey to lie about it, but still.
The human appearance doesn't really surprise Caedra, at least. It's a common choice of avatar for those who can create one, to give a form to speak with that is reasonably approachable. The height, also, is expected from a creature that likely wants to appear intimidating. The red hair? Nice touch. It's a good look.
"To talk. I have questions. I also have a proposal, as it seems your kind have difficulties with controlling the very method by which we arrived here, and I have a possible solution to remove all of you from the grasp of the Null entirely - but the questions come first, if you are willing to take the time to give answers."
"What, my presence here isn't enough anger for you?" she says, only half-joking.
"Fine. First, I need to know what to call all of you. You're not gods and you can't possibly normally refer to each other as such in your own language, it's ridiculous. What race are you?"
That gets a half-amused laugh out of her. "We're not gods in the sense most of you think of, no, but it's the best word that can be used to describe us. You'll get used to it."
Ugh, no, this is more disgust than anger. But Caedra can tell there's no point pressing.
"Fine, I'll just continue casually insulting all of you by coming up with alternatives. Then - I'm curious. Why am I here?" Caedra's frown softens a little, betraying her genuine curiosity slightly. "I shouldn't be wanted here. I imagine you know what I am, and what my people represent. Why even allow me to exist in this sickening little world of humans and other mortals - and why keep me here?"
There are follow-up questions to this she is intent on asking, but she needs to know Rage's answer to this first, even if the answer seems simple and obvious.
"All I know about you is what little I've gleaned since you got here. I know you're not human, and I know you have an interestinf set of powers. But the details, what you represent, aren't really something I'm concerned with."
A host is a host, after all.
"As for why you're here -- the Door brought you. If you want any details, ask Sorrow. The Door is what brough you here, and only Sorrow knows how to make it send you all back. People come and go as things are now, but no one has a choice in that. You're here because of the Door, and you stay here because of it."
Oh, no, that's quite interesting, but she hides her surprise. That's less than she had expected, for creatures who have demonstrated themselves to be reasonably powerful. She had suspected, of course, that the Door brought all sorts of people in beyond their own control, and had heard rumors since that they didn't really know how to control much else about it either, but this seems to confirm those rumors.
That is, if Rage isn't lying to her. Caedra has always been much better at telling her own tall tales than verifying those of others. But she sounds sincere.
"Then the Door - does its means of transporting us and imprisoning us extend beyond the range of your own powers? I've heard those lessen outside the boundaries of this city."
Rage doesn't have reason to lie. None of the gods do. Their new, squishy hosts are free to think what they will, however, and so far, it seems like a divisive topic amongst them.
"If it's the Door you want to know about, you really should go talk to Sorrow. I don't know more about it than what I've told you."
"I don't care about the Door in particular," she grumbles. "I meant - no, fine," she says, stopping herself. If the Door is keeping her here, it probably doesn't matter how far out she goes. It's not the powers of these assholes that's keeping her here after all. Good to know. It's probably this Door that has everyone's souls locked to this plane, too, out of her reach.
"Fine, new question. If Sorrow is the only one who knows anything about that Door, how much do you actually trust him?"
"It's strange that he is allowed to have some control, some knowledge over something so important without telling you about it. You keep telling me to ask him about it, but what makes you think anything he says is honest if he keeps the rest of you in the dark?"
This probably will go nowhere, Caedra realizes. But she wants to know. And it ties in nicely to her proposal, anyway.
"Sounds like you're making some pretty big assumptions. Does every person in your world know everything about everything, or do they specialize in one thing or another? Is there ill intent behind not sharing every detail of a specialization to others, or is it just a matter of everyone being busy and trusting each other to share what's really pertinent? What makes you think anything anyone says is honest?"
Pausing a moment, Rage sighs and crosses her arms. She looks calm, though, and looked so through what she just said.
"Do you have further questions before we get to your proposal?"
There's a lot she could say to that - no of course not everyone knows everything, but there are so few of these creatures, wouldn't they try to share their knowledge about something as crucial as this Door? As for honestly, well. She certainly doesn't trust anyone, always has to watch her back. That's normal. She doesn't expect honesty, just knows most other creatures in the multiverse do.
But, fine, Rage seems ready to move on and Caedra suspects pressing the issue wouldn't get her any farther.
"Fine. No, I don't. But you've done a fair job of convincing me that you are utterly useless, so congratulations there. I had come to you suspecting you might at least understand where I'm coming from. If you thrive on pure rage, then there are probably none here who can serve you better than myself and my people, but perhaps I'll have to go elsewhere. I can generate quite a lot of sorrow or fear as well. They can take credit for saving your race rather than you."
Either she'll get curious, or Caedra has begun to burn what might have been a bridge, but if Rage continues to act the way she is then she doesn't deserve the deal she can offer her. They go through so much effort to run from the Null when planehopping is child's play to her and her companions in the Abyss, after all.
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