"I never thought of it that way." Ted said.
"That...that's actually brilliant," Narissa agreed.
Lucius's mask smiled at them. He had returned to his smaller size, and said,
> Your accolades for my wisdom are noted,
>
> Let's hope it doesn't make my ego bloated
"For a while there, I thought you were going to attack us," Azrail admitted. "I must say you're a lot calmer and more level headed than I expected."
> Logic cares not for emotion.
>
> Love. Hate. All irrelevant.
>
> Foolishness is what I shun,
>
> While I embrace true development.
The shape-shifting creature explained.
"Hey, so do you want to come with us? We're all sort of trapped here. So we may as well make the best of it, right?" Ted suggested. "I mean, it's not perfect, but things could be worse."
"Yeah, worse huh?" Narissa scoffed. "At least he seems like less trouble than some of the people already out and about."
Lucius's mask twisted into a frown.
> I am no he,
>
> Nor am I a she.
>
> For your tired terms of gender
>
> Are meaningless to me.
Azrail raised an eyebrow. "Aren't genderless creatures like angels generally referred to by masculine pronouns? And Lucius feels like a male name to me."
Lucius turned towards Azrail and slithered up towards him. They held out their mask towards his face and the face twisted into a scowl as they said,
> Your mind is small, fragile, and limited.
>
> You see patterns in far different subjects.
>
> I may be genderless as you have said.
>
> But your tired traditions are just my rejects.
>
>
>
> I can not mate, breed, or reproduce.
>
> Stolen novel; please report.
>
> For I am perfection and incarnate truth.
>
> Respect my intelligence, my lack of weaknesses,
>
> And the power my lack of distractions boosts.
Uh, yeah whatever you say dude. Death shrugged before he leaned towards Ted and lifted his hand to whisper into his ear. They got a little testy there, huh?
Ted sighed and shook his head. "Death, seriously. How do you forget every single time that whispering doesn't really work for you?"
Huh? What are you talking about bro? Death asked.
"Were you trying to whisper to Ted?" Azrail asked. "Your voice just sounded the same as it always does."
Narissa sighed. "After all that trouble you caused me down there, I should be a lot more upset with you. But, that's like being angry at a puppy. They just don't know any better...yet..."
Lucius took a step back from Azrail and looked slowly from one person to the next as they proclaimed in their myriad of voices,
> Your antics amuse,
>
> They distract from my losses.
>
> So I shall join you.
"Huh? You didn't rhyme that time." Ted pointed out.
> It's rhythm, not rhyme I tell you.
>
> My words so sublime to your crew.
>
> The rhythm you feel,
>
> Your ears know the deal.
>
> My speech truly is a virtue.
Lucius explained in their interesting way of speaking.
"A haiku and then a limerick," Azrail remarked. "Though, with some of your eccentricities I am a bit surprised you aren't exclusively speaking in iambic pentameter."
"Well, I'm glad at least you seem to understand it." Ted added. "Although, I have to say half the words you said sound familiar, but I honestly have no idea what they mean."
"They are types of poetry," Sid explained. "However, the limerick is less obscene than is normally expected of that style."
"Obscene? Poetry?" Ted scoffed.
Yeah, isn't poetry all frilly and lovey dovey or whatever? Death added.
Azrail smiled. "Hah! Obscenity has been with humanity for as long as thought has. Modern people do not hold a stranglehold on dirty thoughts." Azrail expounded. "Why, I remember on an expedition to these ancient ruins we found some old tablets. Our translator took weeks going through each of them."
Azrail smiled and shook his head as he continued his rant, "Well, when she finished, she just stormed out of her tent, and reused to speak to anyone. The other guard and I were suspicious. As, unearthing ancient ruins always runs the risk of letting loose some sort of trap, or madness among those who go knee deep in it."
"So, of course we had to go after her, and sneak into her tent and see if we could piece together what happened. We split up. He went after her, and I made my way into the tent. I had lost rock, paper, scissors to him you see." He continued.
Dude, is this going anywhere? Death interrupted.
"Of course, of course." Azrail said dismissively. "Now, where was I? Oh yes. She had extensive notes, and they were in Cyrillic, which I can read. Within no time, I knew why she was upset."
"Well, are you going to tell us?" Narissa asked. "Or do you plan to keep rambling?"
Azrail shook his head. "Why, they weren't ancient knowledge hidden away from mankind. They were, how should I put it...AH! They were essentially dirty letters sent between two lovers. All manner of promiscuous things filled those tablets, the acts they spoke of! Hah! It'd make a prostitute blush."
"I don't..." Ted started to speak, and then just gave a defeated sigh. "That's where you were going with all of that? They wrote dirty letters? You basically already said that as the preface to your story."
Yeah man, feels like you're kind of just wasting time? Death shrugged. Like if your friend was trying to set a trap for us back home, and you were trying to make sure they had enough time to finish.
> Your example I must say, is oddly specific
>
> Perhaps your vision sees a future, horrific?
Lucius mused as they started to walk away.
"Hey, wait." Ted said as he reached out towards Lucius. "Where are you going?"
Lucius turned around and their empty mask stared blanky at Ted.
> Is this not how you came?
>
> So to return we must go the same.