Editing Contradiction

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{{Infobox_character
|name=Contradiction
|aliases=*The Second Mind
*Inventor
*Far thinker
*Redemption
|species=[[The Minds|Mind]]
|status= {{Status|Deceased}}
|affiliation=[[The Minds]]<br />
[[Bodies of Fellden]]<br />
[[Geneva Scala]]
|occupation=*Guide of Selphid-kind
*Creative researcher
|residence=Gathering Citadel
|first appearance=[https://wanderinginn.com/2021/11/14/8-51-d/ Chapter 8.51 D]}}

The '''Second Mind''', referred to as '''Contradiction''', is one of the leaders of the [[Selphids]], and is geared towards creativity and innovation.

==Appearance ==
As a Mind, it looks like a vaguely rotund mass of bodyless Selphids.

==Personality==
The Second Mind is much more genial than its peers. It is more animated and speaks more like an individual than a collective, and does so purposefully. It tries to be polite when conversing with another.

It does not approve of the [[Third Mind]]'s actions of abducting [[Geneva Scala|Geneva]] and manipulating her thoughts as it sees fit. It thinks this is a poor way to make allies of another world, and that they should've supported Geneva until she came to them willingly. It thinks that these are the same mistakes that led to the infamous Selphid Empire. It is displeased that the Third Mind thinks itself a leader of the Selphid people.

It is frustrated that the other Minds do not think the individual can surpass the collective. It sees this line of thinking as flawed, and understands that the majority is not always correct.<ref name=":0">[https://wanderinginn.com/2021/11/14/8-51-d/ Chapter 8.51 D]</ref>

==Background==
The Second Mind's main focus is on arts and innovation. Two-thirds of the Selphids it accepts into itself are those that had left [[Baleros]]. It does this in order to gain an outside perspective as to how other races see Selphids.<ref name=":0" />

It reached the rank of Second Mind by proving its wisdom. It supported [[Niers Astoragon|Niers]] and trusted [[Velan]], but also foresaw the Goblin King's madness and saved countless Selphid lives. It hired [Bards] such as [[Barelle]] the Bard to influence people's opinion of Selphids, and its decisions are the reason Selphid adventurers can travel to other continents without being hunted on sight.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2022/10/30/9-22-gn/ Chapter 9.22 GN]</ref>

==Chronology ==
The Second Mind met met with Geneva while she was in captivity at the Gathering Citadel, after a recent failure with the Third Mind swayed a majority of Minds to let them meet. It taught her how to resist the intrusions of the Third Mind, so she could negotiate her cooperation with them instead of being exploited.<ref name=":0" />

It continued to train Geneva in telepathy, and worked to have her released. It voted to have her released to Niers, but was outvoted in favour of stalling, which made it suspicious as to what Dictum planned. It's suspicions were confirmed when it discovered that Geneva's memories had been tempered with. It tried to rally the other Minds at the Citadel, but they already sided with Dictum. After 9 hours of fighting, Contradiction was forced into compliance.

Even in its weakened state, it tried to aid Geneva. It allowed her to see [[Okasha]] again, having punished her for her transgressions. It stopped Geneva from eating meat from [[A’ctelios Salash|A'ctelios Salash]] during a break-out attempt by the [Psychic Guardians], and took the meat away. 

When Niers arrived to free Geneva, it asked Idis to help her escape, killed her when she tried to alert the other Minds, and freed Okasha. Then it confronted the other Minds, urging them one last time to turn away from their current course. They refused and forced a merge, which is when Contradiction revealed its plan. It had eaten the meat of A'ctelios Salash, just enough to turn all of its constituent Selphids but not enough to satiate, and destroyed the rest before fasting. The hunger spread to the other Minds, rendering them insane. What remained of Contradiction used its telekinesis to unearth the Gathering Citadel, and called on the world powers to destroy it. It perished when the nations struck.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2022/11/02/9-23-ggggggggg/ Chapter 9.23 GGGGGGGGG]</ref>

==Powers and Abilities==
As a Mind, it can use telepathy and telekinesis. It can create a mindscape to visualise information, and call upon the experiences and memories of its component individuals. It can presumably manipulate the thoughts of those it connects with like the Third Mind, but chooses not to.

==Trivia==

==Quotes==

*([https://wanderinginn.com/2021/11/14/8-51-d/ To] Orell)
** “''Wait. Wait. Orell, guide them forwards. I almost have it…''”
**“''DAMN.''”
**“''Fetch me the beetles. And the eggs. I’ll eat them.''”
*([https://wanderinginn.com/2021/11/14/8-51-d/ To] [[Geneva Scala|Geneva]])
**“''Rather, I make an effort to act as an individual. To play games. To tax myself and rest. The other Minds tend towards collectivism. To survive, we must create different opinions and points of view. Each one of us is made up of Selphids we choose to accept into ourselves. Yet that is our great weakness.''”
**“''When we are together, we think as one. So you meet a gestalt of all. Here, you meet separate nuances of us. Just as a single Selphid is a personality. I am the Second Mind. Inventor. Far thinker. The Selphids who embody my personality and will are not like the Third Mind. We are in opposition, they and I.''”
**''“The Third Mind communicates its findings. Another world. Implications of worlds, plural. How were you transported? The First Mind is investigating a gateway. The anomalous events of the Summer Solstice. Wistram. It is all concerning, but I am concerned with'' you'', Geneva Scala. This is wrong. The Sixth Mind understands. Selphids are hated because we are the ‘bodysnatchers of Baleros’. Because we made empire and slaves of people in ways even Roshal could not. Now, look what happens. A full circle.”''
**“''Ah. Aaaah. What a revealing lie. We cannot lie, because we think. But we reveal ourselves.''”
**“''We are not leaders of the Selphids. To clarify: this Gathering Citadel is one of the ruling bodies. The Minds certainly occupy a leadership role. But we have not been stewards of Selphids in every era. Or even universally today. Selphids, individuals, have historically commanded us and we act as advisors/guides/aides. I consider that possibly superior to this. The Third Mind believes Minds are superior to ordinary Selphids. Revealing.''”
**“''Because I choose to accept Selphids into myself that have a certain perspective. I am represented by Selphids of every kind. From [Warrior] to [Mage] to [Potter]; only a few Minds are specialized, such as the Fourth Mind. Yet I did not screen by class. I deliberately incepted into my being two thirds Selphids with a particular quality. Will you guess?''”
**“''Flaw.'' ''We are not superior beings to Selphids. We are superior in our own ways, just as they are in their own. An amalgamation of thoughts has vulnerability. Chief of all—to complacency. Uniformity. Decay.''”
**“''Geneva Scala. You make one assumption wrongly. Like Idis. You think we are invincible in our role, in thought. Thought? I have studied our own nature.'' Thought ''is as weak as flesh, only with different faults. I can aid you. All I need is to teach you. Do you wish to learn? The consequences will infuriate the Third Mind. But it will stymie the Third Mind. There are ways to fight, even among Minds.''”
*([https://wanderinginn.com/2021/11/14/8-51-d/ To] [[Idis]])
**“''What is creativity? How would I judge that, Selphid to Selphid? As to authority—no. The answer is simple. I chose travellers. Selphids that left the shores of Baleros. They are in me. The ones who lived all their lives abroad, from Chandrar, Rhir, Izril, Terandria. Who understand how we are seen abroad. Who think differently.''”
**“''Your guilt is moral, Idis. You have it now. Where was it when you received orders from Calectus to take Geneva Scala?''”
**“''Why do you see [[Calectus]]’ words as absolute? Because he is an [Honor Guard]? That is a class. Because his orders came from the Minds? That is absolutist thinking. You observe we are divided. Ergo, we are not perfect. Therefore, we will not always give you orders without flaws. So yes. Be guilty.''”

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Selphids]]
[[Category:Minds]]
[[Category:Baleros]]
[[Category:Deceased]]