#convo:ulgen&matt

[reidinthedeep]

Ironically enough, Matthew had been through enough shenanigans ever since getting his pact with Leviathan that walking around with someone dressed like that wasn't exactly the weirdest thing. Humans in a big city like that didn't really pay much mind to that kind of setting either, maybe they'd just think it was a cosplayer... Either way, it was probably too late for regrets as he was leading the way inside.

He didn't know that, in a way, this conversation was as unsettling for Ulgen as it was for himself. Perhaps even more.

So he rushed to get the best tray of chicken nuggets with fries and a lot of different dips to choose from before he made it back to their table. Matt, of course, brought some of the fanciest beer he could find in the place-- Probably not fit for a God, but it was the best he could do on short notice.

"Alright, we're all set now. You'll love these," he stated, sitting down across the table and being the first to take a sip of his own beer. Boy would he need it if he expected to process everything that was going on.

"I'm ready for all the philosophical questions now. Shoot."

One thing the god hadn't considered was his attire. His intimidating frame sported a long and silver-blue traditional Turkish Kaftan with fur along the long collar as though he'd just stepped from the time of the Ottoman Empire. Yet for him, this was his considered casualwear, when he was alone he simply wore his bulky furs that he'd skinned from fallen animals millennia ago.

That had seemed a little too much for present-day humanity.

"Mm. The smell is... inviting." Came the usual grunt from the god, never a being of many words as he stared at his surroundings with every step, noticing a few eyes drift towards him. His more sociable brothers made wandering amongst humans seem so easy.

Offering a single nod to his host, he pulled a little at his robes at the knees as he sat himself down by the small fountain, a heavy breath leaving as he found himself somewhat unnerved by the stark change to what he was accustomed to. He'd spent so long alone, hundreds of thousands of years watching over mankind and never setting foot on their soil, let alone sitting alongside them.

What had he gotten himself into?

[reidinthedeep]

@godwithoutend liked this for a starter

"Who are you?" Matthew asked, a clear hint of suspicion in his voice even when he wasn't trying to be aggressive. "You look human, but every cell in my body's on high alert when I lay eyes on you..."

How could it not, it was sort of a warning from his patron. That uneasy feeling was Leviathan's way of warning Matt not to play games with this creature. It had never happened before, so the warlock simply assumed that he had never encountered someone as powerful. That thought wasn't entirely reassuring either.

[reidinthedeep]

This was not the way Matt thought his day would turn out. Of course he nodded solemnly and turned his back on Ulgen to lead the way. Lucky for them, the one place he had in mind wasn't too far off. Just a couple of streets and a bridge to cross before they were met by the colorful exterior of a restaurant-bar named "El pollo loco".

"Here we are," he finally stated, turning around to catch Ulgen's expression upon seeing the place. It certainly didn't look too fancy, but he had no idea exactly what kind of standards a God would uphold. The food spoke for itself, though. Even from out there, the delicious scent of roasted chicken filled the air. "Come on, we'll take a seat at the little garden in the back."

The place was lively, for sure, but it wasn't too packed yet. It was easy enough for them to find a seat by the little fountain they had in their backyard.

"Now, I'm gonna go get our chicken and our beer, so sit back and start preparing all your philosophical questions. I'll be back in sec!"

"Mm. You may." It was definitely something that his brothers and sister would find more than a little amusing if they ever discovered that their dear all-knowing brother had gone for chicken nuggets and beer with a mortal. Though he supposed all-knowing maybe wasn't entirely accurate when it came to things like human food.

Did he know where and when the next drought would hit? When the next hurricane would sweep over what country? What nation would next fall? Yes. Did he have detailed knowledge about chicken nuggets? No.

Beer was at least something he had more of an idea about even though he'd never actually drunk any himself. Like his family, he'd only ever sampled wine and that was few and far between. Which differed from his younger siblings, some of which enjoyed a glass or two every now and then, some more regularly than others.

"Very well." Ulgen firmly agreed with a sturdy nod of his head, extending his arm out to show that he'd follow Matthew. "Lead the way."

[reidinthedeep]

Matthew had no idea how to deal with a god. Not that he intended to be rude by any means, but he had always been a very casual person in most settings... When faced with something so far off the norm, he fell back to something that he knew...

Like treating Ulgen as casually as he would any other friend.

Now, the idea that he could treat an actual god to chicken nuggets and beer was so incredibly farfetched that he couldn't possibly let it go, could he? When was he going to get such a chance in the future?

"Well, sir, would you allow me to treat you to some chicken nuggets at my favorite place?" he extended the invitation boldly, not even trying to hide the curiosity that this encounter had sparked within him.

"I will cover our expenses, of course. And I'll be more than happy to answer this and all of your further questions. It's quite an offer, if you ask me..."

Although the teasing didn't go entirely unnoticed, it also wasn't overly common in the Turkic deity's presence. Though some of his siblings did try to poke fun and be playful at times, Ulgen was far more stoic, on the outside he most often looked as though not a flicker of amusement could ever crack a single feature of his stern face. Not that it was true -- - but it wasn't everyone who got to find that out.

He wasn't exactly the most social of the gods, making it difficult to reach him deliberately. Like his sister, Umay, he was an invisible god, meaning he didn't appear to people lightly.

Until now.

"Mm. I do not know these chicken nuggets." Was it a surprise that it was the first time those words had ever touched his lips? "What mark do you intend to leave behind?" He asked outright, never really one to sugarcoat his words. Though Matthew's previous words did return to him. "Or would you prefer beer and further sustenance before we proceed?"

[reidinthedeep]

It seemed they were both in deep reflexion of one another's realities. The idea of an all powerful god never sit too well with Matt, but his deal with Leviathan had changed his perspective a little bit. If the thought about it, Ulgen was just another creature with power he couldn't fathom or comprehend who he could never win a fight against... In that regard, he wasn't too different from Leviathan. And since he had already accepted the existence of his patron from the depths...

This wasn't challenging at all, even if it still remained a little disconcerting.

"Well, mate. You're asking philosophical questions that require we sit down to chat with some beers and at least some chicken nuggets," he teased, if only buying a little bit of time so he could formulate a proper response.

"Of course it frightens me, but again- it's inevitable. I suppose what we humans do is... try to leave a little mark so the next generations can keep building on it? That's why we create institutions, things bigger than us, that last longer than us."

He knew what the other man was thinking. Pondering whether or not he'd heard correctly, that this towering stranger was indeed what he seemed to claim. A god. With what he knew already, was divinity truly too great a next step? He knew more of the world than most and now he'd simply uncovered another layer that had been closed to him. He'd been able to stomach the strange up until now, so the god had faith that Matthew could do it again.

"Mm." The diety murmured at first, not in disinterest, but in thought, contemplating his words carefully. "It is not for everyone." Meaning that most mortals likely wouldn't be able to handle the power he wielded in his hands or the immortal responsibilities that lay at his fingertips.

Would he be able to handle mortality? Living a normal life? Work an everyday job? Try to fit in enough experience into a finite existence and feel truly fulfilled? For once -- - he was uncertain. "How do you deal with the impermanence of your existence?" He asked out of genuine curiosity. "Does it frighten you? Your inevitable demise?"

[reidinthedeep]

To create life and watch over it? Was this man truly under the impression that he was a God? No, more than that, were gods even real? One way or another, Matthew would walk out of this conversation with a little bit of an existential crisis. Powerful as Leviathan was, he never thought of it as a God... But then again, he couldn't help the feeling that Ulgen was more powerful than his patron to begin with.

Could he really be...?

"What does it mean to live a mortal existence?" he repeated, not giving credit to his own ears because the idea of having this conversation with a god was both ridiculous and the most interesting thing.

"I suppose it boils down to two things: Not being all powerful and not living forever." Did that make sense to a god?. "The human experience is... learning to deal with those two fundamental truths."

"You may." If there was one thing that pleased Ulgen more than anything, it was respect. Not only did he offer to those he believed deserved it, but it was welcomed by others as well. Worship was another matter entirely, kept only for those who sought him out for gain. They had their own obstacles to pass just to reach him and so they gained a certain amount of respect for succeeding. He certainly didn't make it easy -- - deliberately.

"To create life and watch over it is not the same as living it." He admitted through that eternally pensive expression, his brow seemingly forever furrowed. "I... wish to see it for myself." Did that make sense to a human? "What does it mean to live a mortal existence?"

[reidinthedeep]

The bow was certainly disconcerning, but it fulfilled its purpose. The sight of this obviously superior being presenting himself to be humble and pacific enough to show respect was reassuring. The soldier relaxed his shoulders, even if every sense of his body remained on high alert because of Leviathan's warning.

"What is it you hope to understand? If I may be bold enough to ask," Matthew added, making sure to look a little less like a cornered animal and more like a person. "Hopefully our physical world has been welcoming."

Ulgen knew what lurked in the young man's shadow, what whispered to him in the dark, nudging him towards caution around a deity who held the entire universe in the palm of his hands. Yet the ancient being did his best to seem less -- - daunting, bowing his head as a show of respect as the man introduced himself. "Matthew" That rumbling voice repeated before the god stood tall once more, bearded chin raised with a sense of certainty that few in the universe could ever truly hold.

"Understanding." The answer was brief, Ulgen wasn't the most sociable of his family, or even his whole pantheon. "It is my decision to walk amongst your kind. For too long I have watched only from above." Billions of years and he'd finally wanted to see things from ground level. "No more. For now."

[reidinthedeep]

His pact with Leviathan had made Matthew more confident than he had ever been, which was saying something considering he was already pretty damn strong for a human before that. To find himself somewhat intimidated by this man was not something he took lightly, especially because he knew that the parts of him that were reacting to Ülgen's pressence were the supernatural senses given to him by his patron.

"Ulgen," he repeated, almost feeling how that name held power, even when he wasn't familiar at all with the god's background. "My name's Matthew. What-- What are you looking for here?"

It wasn't every day that a mortal was able to sense the deity's power. Then again, it wasn't exactly common for Ulgen to be wandering around on Earth's soil either, having spent billions of years watching everything that had come to pass and everything still to come from a distance. It was only recently that he'd decided to make a closer approach.

Though he was still battling with his less social nature.

"No harm will come to you. Not by my hand." The ancient being told him simply with a deep and bellowing voice, effortlessly coming across far more intimidating than he ever intended. "I am Ulgen."