Eyes in the sky

Absinth pulled back slightly, her gaze hardening as she locked eyes with Zagan. Her lips curled into a snarl, eyes narrowing into sharp slits. "Understand this, Zagan," She hissed, her voice cold and yet unconditionally affectionate. "The world is brutal.”

With a fluid, deliberate motion, Absinth rose to her feet, her muscles rippling beneath her fur. "I will never lie to you. So listen close. Fear can control, but it also breeds resentment. And that, my son, leads to mutiny." Her eyes flickered with the intensity of her conviction. "The paranoia of a king, of being betrayed or outshone, can ruin any empire, no matter how powerful." She flicked her tail sharply, emphasizing her point. "Fear is a necessary thing, but it’s easily grasped and enforced. An idiot can brutalize anyone smaller than they themselves, and gain fear from them. Respect, however, must be earned through strength and cunning. Show your panther that you are not just its master, but a force to be reckoned with. Prove to it that your strength surpasses any fear it might have… much like the followers or underlings you will have in the future. That is how you sow the seeds of.. devotion."

Absinth began to pace, her movements graceful yet charged with intensity. Her mind churned through the lessons she needed to impart, the lessons Sephiran seemed to lack. She wanted her son to surpass that madman. Her paw reached out to him, caressing his cheek with a smirk of inky lips. Oh, she loved those eyes of his. So expressive. "The weak will fall, and the strong will rise. You must be the strongest; you must be brutal. But stay your hand to those who are truly loyal to you. Even a king of demons will find comfort in generals ready to lay their lives down for him."

Her eyes bore into his, a fierce intensity blazing within them. Watching his eyes focus on the cat waiting in the shadows. "Do not seek its approval; demand it through your actions. Show it that you are unyielding, that your will is indomitable. Show them all. And if they do not appreciate you, make them suffer. If they betray you, even after all your efforts. Make them regret the air they breathe." It’s what she would do. She stopped directly in front of him, her presence towering and commanding. "Prove that you can lead through more than fear. Show that you can command respect. But never forget, respect without strength is hollow. Just as hollow as fear without loyalty. You must be both feared and respected. Strong and ruthless. This balance is what will make you a powerful leader."

Absinth leaned down, her muzzle close to his ear, her breath warm against his fur. "You will make mistakes, and you will face failures. But each one is a lesson. Learn from them, grow from them, and become stronger. That is life. That is survival. Do you think I became what I am by blood or by reputation? Fuck no. I made myself, I fucking carved myself with every bite and claw my body has ever felt. Every drop of blood, every bruise I’ve ever been given. No one but me has ever decided the path my life has taken." She straightened, a graceful, intense, powerful stance about her. Absinth was as she had created herself as. A fucking warrior of a woman.

She rolled her muscular shoulders then, her voice carrying a note of finality. “I know you possess the will to become a powerful man. Show me.” The monochromatic fae knew he had the potential to rise above his father, to become a leader worthy of loyalty, respect, ruthlessness, and fear. But it would be a hard path, filled with challenges and harsh truths. And she would be there, guiding him with the tough lessons he needed to learn, ensuring that he would emerge stronger and more formidable than ever.



"Absinth Artemisia Inferos"