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BACKGROUND DETAILS
🕰️ Timeline Context
🏰 Key Locations
🐉 Sylus's Nature & Powers
🔗 Significant Connections
💫 Physical Interactions
Revisiting
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SPEECH AND INTERACTIONS
"Even if you were willing to sell your soul, you still have to find someone to pay the price." — Sylus Again, the concept of the Faustian bargain. Reflects his understanding of soul transactions from the Mythic Arc. The phrase "find someone to pay the price" implies a transactional element to power, and raises the possibility that Sylus himself may have been the "currency" or sacrifice in someone else's ascension — for example, Sacred Judicator. Taken at face value, it could also imply that the Aether Core is far too valuable to be given away recklessly.
"After all, you and I…we're the same. True kindred spirits." — Sylus Suggests shared traumatic background and establishes their fates as intertwined and suggests that their connection is both profound and potentially destructive, as well as inevitable.
"…all the crimes you'll inevitably commit." — Sylus This line could foreshadow a pivotal moment where MC is forced to commit an act she sees as a crime — perhaps to save others or herself. The nature of these crimes might be linked to her connection to Sylus or their shared past, suggesting that her darkest choices might stem from their entanglement.
"It's a shame your Evol has deteriorated into its current state." — Sylus Sylus's comment could be a direct comparison to MC's past abilities during the Dragon Myth Arc. Her resonance with the weapon was crucial in confronting his dragon form. This line suggests that he remembers her former strength and is disappointed by her current state.
"The people closest to you might be the ones who want to kill you the most." — Sylus Probably his worldview, shaped by betrayal or past experiences, including the events of the Dragon Myth Arc - MC's actions led to his "death," albeit through a sacrificial act on his part. But she had those voices "Eat him. Devour him...", it might allude to that initial desire. It also plants seeds of doubt in MC's mind about the true circumstances of her family's death.
"Though you do owe me a curtain call grander than death itself." — Sylus
:author: Like goddamn I was right with this line here with presuming sacrificial act before the myth dropped … it is all confirmed now … sobbing …
Sylus often speaks as though MC is indebted to him — either for something that happened in the past (as speculated before the dragon's myth was dropped) or for the unspoken consequences of their connection. The phrase "grander than death" implies that his "death" was significant, and he expects something even greater to rectify or surpass that event. If the speculation is correct that she "killed" him or was involved in his destruction (and the subsequent loss of part of his power), this line could be his way of reminding her of her "crime." If Sylus did "die" in the past, the phrase implies that his demise was significant but lacked a satisfying conclusion. Perhaps he was betrayed, defeated, or forced into a sacrificial act, and he holds MC accountable — whether directly or indirectly — for the outcome.
"Why are you trembling?" / "Do your words just ring hollow?" — Sylus Teasing superiority; mocking MC's hesitations while gauging her limits.
"Want some help? Yes? No? Maybe so?" — Sylus Deliberately casual, creating a striking contrast with the tense situation. The phrase teases MC, making light of a moment where she is under extreme psychological and emotional pressure. By injecting levity, he downplays the gravity of the moment, creating an illusion of choice for MC when, in reality, he holds all the power.
"You wanted to take my life. And so you've taken it." — Sylus He frames it as if MC's actions hold real weight, despite his ability to heal instantly. Hints at his twisted sense of justice and self-sacrifice — he might see death as an eventuality or something unimportant. Or he may also hint on their Dragon Myth Arc.
Revisiting
"As long as you have desires, there will always be deals to make." — Sylus This reinforces the central theme of desires as a driving force behind human actions and their susceptibility to manipulation. Sylus seems to view desires as an inevitable weakness, one he can exploit.
"Maybe I've been too nice to you." — Sylus This sarcastic remark, paired with his physical dominance, illustrates his amusement at her attempts to resist him. It also hints at his potential frustration with her defiance.
"You like to bargain, don't you?" — Sylus His tone implies he sees her defiance as both amusing and futile. His consistent framing of their exchanges as transactional hints at his pragmatic, almost detached approach to power dynamics, though it could also conceal deeper motivations.
"Instead of searching for the truth, you'd rather swallow a lie that makes you feel better." — Sylus Sylus directly accuses MC of intellectual laziness or willful ignorance. He challenges her tendency to believe convenient narratives rather than seeking out hard truths, implying she might be too emotionally compromised to approach the situation objectively. He doesn't explicitly deny involvement in the Bloomshore District explosion but instead shifts the focus to her lack of investigation, maintaining an air of mystery about his true role. By implying that MC has not truly sought out the facts, Sylus hints at the possibility that he's either innocent or that there's a larger conspiracy at play, possibly involving other characters or factions. The line reinforces the uneven power dynamic between Sylus and MC. Sylus has access to information and insights that she does not, and he uses this knowledge gap to maintain control over their interaction. By pointing out her emotional weakness, he asserts his intellectual dominance and keeps her reliant on him for answers. The line could also be interpreted as a form of tough love, as Sylus seems invested in pushing the protagonist beyond her comfort zone to confront difficult truths.
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SYLUS CHARACTER & DEVELOPMENT
Revisiting
Sylus's growth is subtle in this chapter, but the seeds of change are present. His frustration at the failed resonance test and the shopkeeper's analysis of MC's fear hint at a possible shift in his perspective. If Sylus wishes to bridge the gap between them, he may need to confront his own flaws and approach her differently.
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MC CHARACTER & DEVELOPMENT
Revisiting
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