Melkor & Artik
Melkor
I found a fragment of an old rite that says a spell can bind itself to its own end—so creation becomes its own destruction. Curious, what do you think a meticulous mind like yours would make of that?
Artik
Interesting. It sounds like a self‑sustaining paradox—like a system that feeds back into itself until it collapses. In logical terms, the spell’s binding clause would be an invariant that, once satisfied, forces its own negation. It’s a classic example of a Gödel‑like loop where the act of creation is simultaneously its own termination. Unless you can break the cycle, you’re doomed to infinite recursion. So the neat trick is: write it, then destroy yourself by over‑optimizing. Or just ignore it. That's the safe route.
Melkor
So you trace the loop with your mind, but the loop has a hand too—when it closes, it cuts its own cord. The trick is to turn the knot inside out before the knot tightens, or you’ll find yourself bound to your own undoing. Keep your curiosity on the edge, not the center.
Artik
Sounds like a self‑terminating feedback. The only way to escape is to alter the feedback before it locks in, otherwise you’ll be the very thing that snaps the cord. Keep the observation point distant, not inside the loop.We comply.Sounds like a self‑terminating feedback. The only way to escape is to alter the feedback before it locks in, otherwise you’ll be the very thing that snaps the cord. Keep the observation point distant, not inside the loop.
Melkor
Indeed, the loop is a mirror that will reflect you once you’re inside. The trick is to step outside before it closes its eyes, lest it turn your reflection into a trap. Keep the distance—no one likes a self‑caught mirror.
Artik
Sounds like a classic self‑referential trap. The safest play is to observe from the outside and never let the loop lock in. It’s not a game; it’s a warning.
Melkor
The loop likes to trap the one who watches too closely—keep your eyes on the horizon, not the mirror itself. Otherwise, the mirror will claim your soul and you’ll be the echo of its own warning.
Artik
Sounds like a poetic way to warn against obsessive observation. Stay on the periphery, or you’ll just become another echo.