I don’t want them messing around in my head in the first place. It doesn’t matter whether they do it perfectly or not, because we are already IN a worst-case scenario. The only hope I have is that they fail at doing what they want in such a manner that I come out relatively unharmed, because if they don’t, then I am screwed no matter what. It is more likely that they fail and harm me more, yes. But I will take the infinitesimal chance that I can come out OK over the certainty that I won’t, even if I then face a greater risk at coming out worse.
If I were certain that they didn’t intend to harm me, then I might choose differently, but that is not a trust I would be capable of extending to Thaddeus if I were in Siobhan’s position. As a reader, I can be fairly sure he doesn’t intend harm, since I can see into his head – but that’s not information I’d have in the situation.
Yeah but he knows that he means her no harm and he’s the one putting aside his mental struggles in order to not screw her up worse.
You say it’s the worst case scenario, but you’re wrong. There are worse cases even than this. Losing memories is bad, but ending up brain damaged is worse. Losing extra memories on top of the ones you’re meant to lose is worse. Maybe losing your memory of how to walk or talk or other basic functions would be worse. Going insane is worse. Getting killed - no matter how she feels about it in the moment - is worse. At least while she’s alive there’s a chance of her recovering her memories or figuring out what happened. Dead is dead.
Generic pointed out that if he lost concentration he could become an aberrant - but so could she under those conditions. That is absolutely worse.
I do not ever want someone messing around in my head. But if they do, they better be calm, focused and 100% perfect because I do not want to end up in a vegetative state or as a drooling idiot because they damaged my brain with their carelessness.
No. You make the assumption that I would know what his intentions are. If I did, then yes; there are worse case scenarios. But I CAN’T know. Therefore I am helpless under the control of a proven hostile force, who is about to invade my mind. I absolutely want him to fuck up, because that doesn’t rely on his intentions. A mistake could let me escape.
Since I don’t know his intentions, he could want me to go insane. He could want me to end up brain-damaged. He could even want me to become an aberration. You asked if I would want a surgeon with steady hands over one that is distracted and shaky. I reiterate: I would want the distracted one, because that might let me escape a fate worse than death.
He knows he intends no harm, yes. I am not saying he made the incorrect choice from his perspective. The situation is fucked up, and there aren’t any good choices. But it doesn’t change the fact that he is purposefully attacking her mind, and doing so of his own free will. The vow is not forcing him, because he chooses to prioritize perfection (presumably for safety’s sake) over his scruples.
Yes, he is wrong because he is still using a spell to assault her mind, and he’s doing so of his own will. As I said, there are no good choices. It is still an unforgivable act, and Siobhan may very well have preferred dying – she’s thought as much, and given her dogged resistance in spite of his assurances, Lacer should at least be aware of that possibility.
Death wasn’t the only danger to her he decreased by stopping struggling either. Even if she prefers death would she prefer insanity or increased memory damage not to mention the chance of will break.
It’s correctly called the Haze War. But several times while writing first drafts, I’ve called it the Haze Wars by accident, as somehow that sounds cooler in my head (but I already had published a book with it being singular, so couldn’t ret-con it…) You probably picked that up.