A guest of the efreet

[Anastasia]

Thus you ride out into the lands just beyond. Rougher land to be sure and atop one rocky crag is Nasir. He is on a magnificent stallion of a nightmare, bigger than yours in every way, several times over. He seems content to look over the landscape, taking it all in.

[Nephrite]

Moore will just ride towards Nasir!

[Anastasia]

Nasir turns his massive black steed as you approach. "I did not think you so wise as to resort to dominating a worthy steed."

[Nephrite]

"I can't say it was my first choice." Moore admits. "But this is an auspicious time we live in, the divine walk among us and on prime worlds, old enemies become new friends, you know." A smile and a shrug afterwards. "I wanted to respect your culture while I'm here, the same as I'd expect you'd do if this meeting took place in Celestia."

[Anastasia]

Nasir turns away at that as Cresiel looms, "Meaningless." Nasir declares, "The way of Creation is that all power flows from strength. You make token gestures of respect because of our strength, nothing more."

[Nephrite]

"Unless I'm misremembering our last encounter, wasn't it one of your entourage that perished to our strength?" Moore asks. He isn't trying to be hostile in the question, but it will probably end up coming off that way.

[Anastasia]

"A tactical retreat," Nasir says with a hint of sourness, "As you yourself employed in that battle."

[Nephrite]

"No... no I'm pretty sure he died." Moore corrects him. "I remember taking all of his stuff. But you're right, you did indeed run away, after all your talk of strength, and, if I remember correctly, 'the hand of oblivion,' was it?"

A pause before he continues. "I didn't come here to insult you, Commander Nasir. But if you're going to respect someone else because of their strength, shouldn't you respect the one who leads the forces who caused yours to rout?"

[Anastasia]

There is a pause here, a heavy pause. Cresiel floats forward ever so slightly, a hand on his weapon.

"I do not respect an amateur who got lucky," Nasir bites out, voice rising.

[Nephrite]

Moore takes in a breath. "Commander Nasir." His tone is different -- stern, commanding.

"I don't know which is more strange to me; that you as a high-ranking officer in the Grand Sultan's army cannot respect the strength of another foe, or that you'd actually admit to someone that you were bested by an amateur." He says, with a shake of his head. "So what does it say that I respect you, even after losing to us? Am I fool for respecting someone of lesser strength?"

[Anastasia]

The look you get is burning as Commander Nasir spurs his mount on, "I say that you can go fuck a marilith's writhing snake cunt." With that he nudges his nightmare along, which takes off at a fast trot.

[Nephrite]

Moore looks over at Cresiel and throws his hands into the air. "And I went through all of this trouble to be a hospitable guest, too."

[Anastasia]

For whatever reason, that makes Cresiel smile.

"The unworthy part of me considers that a second triumph over him," he observes, "There is always something gratifying in seeing an enemy lose his composure."

[Nephrite]

"I think Zaphkiel himself would agree with that attitude." Moore says.

He turns the nightmare back towards the stables. "Maybe we can find someone less ignorant to talk to." He says.

[Anastasia]

Cresiel nods at that and follows, as...

Next move?