#and also so lonely and desperate and infatuated
Just because Zerxus doesn’t care that he’s being manipulated, doesn’t mean he doesn’t realize it.
I don’t think he was walking into that room with blind faith in his ability to save the devil, I think he went in ready to fall on his sword like the good Paladin he is. From what we know he was having that dream for weeks, and now everything is going to shit around him and he’s coming to realize that his friends are lying to him. I think he’s starting to see the fall of Avalir as inevitable, so he made a desperate plea to the only god that has ever reached out to him.
“The other gods screwed you over, I get that they screw us over all the time. When the time comes remember me, remember that I healed you. “We’re your children too.” Yes you chose the primordials but we’re still a part of you and you’re a part of us. My son isn’t biologically mine but he’s my son and we’re your children too. I will help you, I will aid you if only you will remember me. If what you’re saying is true I’ll help you return to a state of neutrality. Oh you stopped me, okay. You’re the Lord of Lies and I’m too trusting. Still, remember me. Come find me.”
When giants fight and the city falls it’s the people on the ground who will suffer the most. I don’t think Zerxus is trying to stop the apocalypse, I think he is trying to save his son. He’ll fall on his sword, he’ll destroy himself, he’ll show the Lord of Hells mercy if only to gain mercy for the mortals he cares about. He won’t let anything bad happen to his son.
The Paladin with no faith in the gods has thrown himself on the mercy of the fallen god with no faithful followers because really what else could he do?
