Curiosity

[abyssbound]

Sender: Asura
To: Everyone
Subject: destruction

Does anyone here know anything about destroying gods? How about stories from your world about spells or artifacts that could strip a god's divinity?

[Yes, that's the entire inquiry. Asura doesn't care for mincing words on this topic.]

Comments

Sender: Emet-Selch

[recreator]

Methods for destroying a god, you say?
It sounds to me as if it's about time you hired yourself a band of heroes.

[Points for being straightforward, Asura. Regrettably, Emet-Selch is not.]

[abyssbound]

And have them do what? Hit it?

[recreator]

Slay it, of course. Certainly no easy feat, and yet I know of at least one Warrior capable of doing so. They've built up quite a reputation for it, in fact.

Either that, or find an even stronger god.

[abyssbound]

If the god in question could be subdued simply by hitting it hard enough, it would already have been destroyed. Unfortunately, it's too persistent for that, and there are no stronger gods in its own world.

[herewardbound]

Joker, I think they're asking for you.

[recreator]

[Well, fair enough. At last Emet-Selch sobers and offers something resembling a true answer:]

While I would suggest capturing and keeping it bound, given that you specifically used the word "destroy", I presume that is far from your goal.

Barring that, the obvious choice would be to discover and then to eliminate the source of its power. What manner of god is it?

sender: venti

[concierto]

[💦💦💦]

Why what a curious question to have!

[abyssbound]

[It's a good thing these journals only transmit written information and Emet-Selch can't hear or see the bitter laugh Asura lets out at that response.]

It's a god of destruction that does not wish to destroy, whose power is too much for even it to control. It's already bound, but its own uncontrollable power causes it constant pain.

Destroying it would be a mercy.

[b_a_n_g]

What's your definition of gods? From my experience, they are just powerful people who tend to be assholes, but perhaps yours is different.

sender: Ferran

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran wonders if his experiences counts as involving "gods"... but it's probably close, right?]

I'd think you'd need the help or the power of another god for it.

[abyssbound]

I'm not familiar with that name.

[abyssbound]

[Pffft, Venti, you're fine.]

It's not something you typically ask out of the blue, I know.
Do you have any thoughts on it or did you just feel like commenting on the strangeness of the question?

[abyssbound]

Of course there are those, too, but this particular god is a bit different. It never wanted to be a god, but it became one out of necessity to avert an unacceptable fate. It can't control its destructive power, and so it suffers in darkness where the only one it can hurt is itself.

[abyssbound]

That hinges on the condition that one god is capable of destroying another.

[b_a_n_g]

As most unwilling that come into power seem to do. It isn't an uncommon story.

If it is a god, I would suggest investing serious time into learning and mastering the new abilities granted. To search for a way to die is a waste of potential and it's the highest sign of personal weakness.

Everyone suffers. It builds character.

[noblegarnet]

I haven't seen any gods who can't be destroyed by another, so I guess so.

[leaving out the fact that he doesn't know if he's encountered gods at all. It seems logical, ok.]

If not just by one god, then my next guess would be several working together. Unless you know that the gods you're thinking of are resistant to that kind of thing?

[concierto]

[Look, he already got his godly junk ripped out of him once--]

It is quite strange. Yes why are you asking about something like this, anywho?

Poooossible content warning for mental health issues ahead

[abyssbound]

"Suffering builds character" is something someone close to me once said, though his views were misguided. He had also suffered more than anyone should ever have to endure. He thought himself worthless, hating and blaming himself for the suffering of those around him. He ran himself ragged taking on their pain and suffering as if it were his own, and though he was surrounded by people who loved him, he could not comprehend a reality where he was not hated. Overcoming conflict builds character, but suffering in excess just destroys the one who is suffering.

If possible, I would like to eliminate that god's power without killing it, but if killing it is unavoidable, then it would be an acceptable outcome so long as its power is also removed from the world.

[b_a_n_g]

Misguided from your point of view based on your experiences, but if this person had suffered as much as you seem to indicate, his world view was shaped by that. He was clearly taking on the pain of others to fill a void of past mistakes least they repeat them again and again. This suffering created focus and focus created purpose and purpose provided power to endure the suffering.

You know what they say: power cannot be created or destroyed, only changed. Perhaps you want the power of the god for yourself.

Sender: Diluc

[disdelusioned]

An entire war was fought between the gods in my world millenia ago. It would seem that the best answer I have is 'find a stronger god to kill them.'

And even that doesn't guarantee an end to divinity. There's a deceased god in my homeland whose spirit still remains.

[abyssbound]

[Phrasing]

Because I need to destroy a god. [ Obviously. ]

[abyssbound]

[ You. Asura doesn't like you. ]

You're making a lot of assumptions about something you don't have a clue about. I'll let it slide this time since you are ignorant, but I will not abide slander toward that man.

[ Reaper can slander Asura all he wants--he's long stopped caring about what people think of him, but speaking ill of Taishakuten is intolerable. ]

I have no interest in a power that would prevent me from living my life on my own terms.

[abyssbound]

Maybe, but in that world, there are no gods that can stand against that god and win.

The gods of Takamagahara forged an executioner's blade from the bones of the god of war. It was created to destroy the divinity of a god without leaving even a trace behind. Though I tried to use it on the god of destruction, all it accomplished was temporarily suppressing its overwhelming power.

[noblegarnet]

[Hmm...]

That is a puzzle. [He writes casually, as if actual deicide isn't a big deal.] I'd probably want to start looking into the origins of the destruction god, or trying to find a way to use those powers of destruction against it. If it's that good at obliterating things, maybe there'd be a way to turn it on itself.

[abyssbound]

I'd prefer to get rid of its divinity without killing the god itself if possible. Though it is a god of destruction, it has no desire to destroy; its power is simply too much for its body to contain or control.

As for the origin, it was not born a god. It became one in order to avert an unacceptable ending and redirect fate, but uncontrollable destruction and constant pain were the price it paid in return.