a little young for that

[alicornucopia]

There is a red-eyed teenage boy - or so it would seem - positively interrogating the bar.

"Redreed wine?"

Aren't you a little young for that?

"I don't actually want any right now, but you know what it is?"

Of course.

"That... is interesting." He taps his fingers on the bar. "All right - I do, actually, want a chocolate iced planet."

And he gets a little square pastry, frosting on the top, and turns on his barstool to watch the comings and goings.

~~~

with Giles

with Lazarus

Comments

[jellyinthemix]

"Yes, that does seem to vary."

[alicornucopia]

"I'd imagine. Although maybe just being a firebreathing dragon would give me a leg up where you're from if I'm ever, improbably, stuck there by mistake, it'd kind of put a damper on my education."

[jellyinthemix]

"And I wouldn't recommend learning our magic instead. It has its benefits, but also its hazards."

[alicornucopia]

"Well, so has our sort, is yours worse?" inquires Kaylo.

[jellyinthemix]

"Possibility of addiction, possibility of exposure to miscellaneous corrupting influences, possibility of coming to the attention of various gods or godlike beings who may or may not be friendly..."

[alicornucopia]

"Does it kill you if you get a big spell wrong or try one too big for you? That's basically the worst thing that can happen with the kind I'm learning."

[jellyinthemix]

"It can kill you, but not usually under those exact conditions, I don't think. Reading the wrong book or using the wrong magical artifact is a likelier cause."

[alicornucopia]

"...Reading books will sometimes kill you?" He shakes his head and utters a word that declines to translate.

[jellyinthemix]

"Yes, if for example the book is binding a demon and reading it allows the demon to achieve physical form."

[alicornucopia]

"That doesn't seem like a very good way to go about binding them, then, does it?"

[jellyinthemix]

[alicornucopia]

"I suppose if I summoned, say, you, all I'd have to do to let you out to do whatever you liked would be smudge the chalk, but I could ward the chalk," says the dragon.

[jellyinthemix]

"And I am not a demon," he feels compelled to point out.

[alicornucopia]

"It'd be the same if I summoned one of your demons," shrugs Kaylo, "but I wouldn't know how to aim at one of those, as I have, thankfully, never met one."

[jellyinthemix]

"I wouldn't assume that no demon you might summon from my world could break whatever binding you might impose. As long as you never plan to test the theory, however, feel free."

[alicornucopia]

"Ostensibly, literally no offworlder can get out of a summoning circle without someone outside it smudging the chalk," says Kaylo. "Which has been tested, but probably not on the exact species you have in mind, here."

[jellyinthemix]

"I don't have an exact species in mind. This is just long years of experience with demons as a whole speaking. I might bet on your wards against a common Fyarl or even a master vampire, but not against a hell-god. And there are any number of species who can, for example, eat magic, or subvert any power or force that is turned against them except under very narrow circumstances. Or move through any surface in which their image is reflected. Or command the mind and soul of any who hear their true name."

[alicornucopia]

"If I did not value my life I'd probably want to come check out all these fascinating - things," says Kaylo. "Maybe if I hit three thousand and have most of my list of study topics whittled down."

[jellyinthemix]

"Well, none of the above has managed to kill me yet. You're free to take that as a reassuring sign."

[alicornucopia]

"You're probably a third my age," snorts Kaylo. "Forgive me if I'm a little more cautious."

[jellyinthemix]

"Naturally. No, in all seriousness, not visiting my world is a wise decision. I could recommend some demonology texts if you want to learn the details from a safe distance. Guaranteed one hundred percent demon-free."

[alicornucopia]

"How well-substantiated are those guarantees?" Kaylo inquires.

[jellyinthemix]

"I have personally read all of these books, and no demons emerged. I do know the difference between a book of binding and one of the more ordinary sort."

[alicornucopia]

"And these aren't liable to be picky demons that will sit tight in their books if they don't like the look of you or something?"

[jellyinthemix]

"No."