He watches silently as she gathers herself, recognizing the mask she conceals herself behind in much the same way he does, and aching to see it. She should not need to know how to do that so readily at her age... thinks the man who learned to do the same before he even reached puberty.
He reaches out to lay a hand on her shoulder as she finishes speaking, and squeezes just a little before letting it fall away. He's not good at physical contact that isn't violence, but he wants to offer her something, however brief.
"That was the power of the Dixingren who led the Rebellion in our world, many thousands of years ago," he tells her quietly. Solemnly. "He used it on allies as well as enemies, warping their minds so that they would follow him unquestioningly, obey any order, no matter how horrific. Believe anything he told them," he adds, quieter still, gaze dipping down for a moment as he remembers the lies his didi believed for so many thousands of years, and still struggles with at times. "No matter how unbelievable.
"I don't know if anyone ever knew whether he started down that path thinking it was best for his people and was warped by the power it gave him over the minds of others, or if he was a manipulative opportunist from the start. It is... a dangerous path to tread." And one of the only powers he has ever encountered among his people that he believes to be nothing but pure evil. One he wishes he had never acquired himself.
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He reaches out to lay a hand on her shoulder as she finishes speaking, and squeezes just a little before letting it fall away. He's not good at physical contact that isn't violence, but he wants to offer her something, however brief.
"That was the power of the Dixingren who led the Rebellion in our world, many thousands of years ago," he tells her quietly. Solemnly. "He used it on allies as well as enemies, warping their minds so that they would follow him unquestioningly, obey any order, no matter how horrific. Believe anything he told them," he adds, quieter still, gaze dipping down for a moment as he remembers the lies his didi believed for so many thousands of years, and still struggles with at times. "No matter how unbelievable.
"I don't know if anyone ever knew whether he started down that path thinking it was best for his people and was warped by the power it gave him over the minds of others, or if he was a manipulative opportunist from the start. It is... a dangerous path to tread." And one of the only powers he has ever encountered among his people that he believes to be nothing but pure evil. One he wishes he had never acquired himself.