#but don't get me wrong they absolutely obliterated a good chunk of parabola with their army in the process

[esteemed-excellency]

update: Hiram talked to his mirror self and they're best friends now. don't mind the landscape in ruins around them

The thing is: he always strives towards his Heart's Desire, but there's always something he's not willing to do. He's not willing to relinquish his control over London to the fingerkings, despite his many, many deals with them. He's willing to balance the worst kind of deals if it means circumventing their authority on a larger scale, not allowing them to seep into the city en masse. He plays as red on the Chessboard to spread as much chaos as possible manipulating all parties into destroying each other, backstabbing all those who get in his way, no matter the collateral damage.

[The thing is: he always strives towards his Heart's Desire, but there's always something he's not willing to do. He's willing to relinquish some of his control over London to the fingerkings, to achieve a larger goal. He allows many people to be possessed to strenghten his control over Parabola, trying to balance the collateral damage, just to backstab the fingerkings afterwards. He plays as red on the Chessboard to spread as much chaos as possible to prevent all parties from making progress. But he's not willing to lose a part of himself in the process.]

He always wants to know more, no matter the circumstances, and no matter the cost to himself. He's his reflection, and his reflection is him. They both despise each other's choices, but they both have their goals, no matter what they're willing or unwilling to do to achieve them. They're the same person, and they share a desire. They wish to know more, and so they do. They both play as red on the chessboard, but that's just a means to their ends. They're both the same person with their own reflection.