After our discussion on brainwashing, Sul and I didn't have any in depth discussions for almost two weeks. It dodged my occasional questions and changed the subject when possible. After a couple days I decided to wait until Sul was ready to continue the interview, one of the times I did get an answer from Sul, was about the Minoans, apparently there was a labyrinth that housed a beast half man and half bull, but the Minotaur had been a sorcerer dabbling in arts he could not control.
I didn't have to wait long though, as The D'jinn spoke up as I returned from class on a Tuesday. "I'll tell you of the Midnight war now, if you'd like." I blinked in confusion for a few moments my mind shelving what I'd been thinking of and pulling up the information relevant to delving into the secrets of the past.
"Yes, let's cover that today." I dropped my messenger bag and grabbed a notepad and pencil before taking a seat at the table. "Midnight war... you said that began around..The fall of Babylon correct?"
"Yes."
"...so short answers today, how did the war start? you said it was with the angels correct? Tell me about them."
"I never directly met or saw any of them, they are beings of great power and that is about all I know. I did not fight in the war.. that was the duty of the Val'krul, the D'jinn actually trained for combat. Most were volunteer, but as the war progressed conscription began. I had recieved my notice before I was captured and locked within the amulet you found."
"Was it the angels that captured you?"
"No.. while the amulet itself is angelic in origin it was used by humans at the direction of the angels I would assume."
"I thought you said, the angels don't interfere with the affairs of mortals."
"We were at war, the Val'krul are trained to kill, things we don't do out of moral obligation we do out of necessity during times of strife, I would assume it is no different for the angels."
I nodded as I thought over the things that happened on a daily basis in parts of the world. "...So the war, how did it start? And why is it called the Midnight war?"
The D'jinn sat there quietly for a time. "...As to why it is called the midnight war, I believe it was because it happened mostly out of sight for the lesser races, in the shadows and during the dark of night away from prying eyes."
"Perhaps it was kept secret out of pride?"
"I don't follow your logic."
"As in the belief that the angels and D'jinn were above the petty squabbles of the lesser races? Revealing that the "gods" were at war would somehow make it seem like both the groups were not above the barbaric cruelty of war?"
"...That is an interesting spin on things.......I don't know if you would make an excellent politician or philosopher..."
"Did you just praise me?"
"Possibly."
"Once again.... why did the war start?"
"A difference of ideals, when your race was young the angels had attempted to guide and help you. This resulted in strife among humans. They believed that those that the angels helped and those that they didn't were blessed and damned accordingly as a result there was infighting between families and camps. Horrified at what they'd done the Angels returned to their flying citadels and forbade interference with the lesser races. D'jinn are a.....were a....younger race compared to the angels, we watched what they had done and learned from their mistakes. Rather than overtly reveal ourselves as "greater beings" we chose to live among the "lower beings" as equals, teaching where we could, and learning our own lessons where we would. Eventually the angels decided our "interference" had caused too much harm and hardships to the "lesser races" and we were given an ultimatum. "Cease, or we will be forced to act"."
"....so if I'm inferring correctly, because D'jinn culture was so intertwined with that of humanity's culture it was impossible for you to do that?"
"Humanity and the other races, you keep implying your kind are the only sapient beings living on this world, you need to stop that....but you are right. D'jinn culture was so tied to that of yours that to abide by the requirements of the angels it would be the wholesale destruction of our own identity as a people."
"So what did you do?"
"We prepared for war, and lost."
