[center][h2][b]A Change of Heart[/b][/h2][/center]

[centre][@Crispy Octopus][/centre]

Shengshi had only been to this tributary once - yet it marked such a monumental milestone in his existence that its location came to him as easily as sight. The familiar, docile beck had barely changed since last time, its sweet, young current doing its best to shove along what little sediment and detritus it could. The snake shot a look over his shoulder - would Anxin escape in his absence, he wondered?

He took a deep breath and let out a coarse sigh. In all honesty, he could not care less anymore.

The spot still had the tracks and markings of recent activity, the river bank cluttered with rustled leaves and skid marks from a tea table. The snake leaned down and picked up a handful of the wet sand from the riverbank, the very same that gave her that beautiful complexion.

“Xiaoli,” he whispered, his heart sinking his torso until the snake had fallen onto his tail, one hand closed around the sand in the river and the other clutching his welling eyes. A few hacking sobs escaped with otherwise silent demeanor. He felt the familiar pull - the kind he had felt for some time now. The cellar had not been opened since that day - not a drop of wine had clouded the snake’s mind. 

Yet, as sober as he was, he still portrayed a being that would repel Xiaoli - a monster in mind and soul, rotten from skin to core. He had convinced himself of such, yet why could he not act as if he had?! 

He drove his fist into the sand with raging speed, sending out blades of wet sand that sliced through the trunks of a selection of trees on the opposite bank. The snake’s ragged breath was all that coloured the silence after the trees slammed into the ground, sending many of the local birds flying.

Scarcely a moment later a glowing figure swooped down, landing with enough force to shake the ground.  Asceal stood in the newly formed clearing and glared at Shengshi as she strode towards him. Curses, the snake panicked momentarily, not now - not now! He discreetly wiped his tears and slowly got back on his tail, instantly masking with sorrowful face with an inviting smile.

“Ah, Asceal, dearest. I had not expected us to meet again so soon! What brings you to my kingdom?” the snake said in a voice that could oil wooden furniture.

“Nothing pleasant,” The Goddess scowled, her voice dripping with barely repressed anger, “Tell me Shengshi, what’s this I hear about you threatening to murder Kalmar’s falcon?”

What goes around, comes around, you fool, the snake thought to himself. There was a pause, followed by a deep drag through the snake’s nose.

“Oh, my dear… I could not lie to you,” he said, tipping his torso in her direction and extending his arms forward in peaceful gestures. “Your purity of soul; your strength of will; wisdom of mind - all are qualities which I deeply respect in you, and I will add that our friendship is dearer to me than all the wealth in creation.” He remained bowing. “As befitting of this bond, this mere snake requests simply that You perceive its words as the truth - and accuse me not of being without honour and honesty. Is this pact satisfactory?”

For a moment Asceal looked dumbfounded, but her expression quickly soured.  “No, Shengshi, it isn’t.”  She looked down on the bowing god and seethed, “I have spent the time since our last meeting tending to the casualties of our peers callousness and malice, and now, now I have to stop the gods I thought my friends and allies from tearing each other apart.  You expect me to believe you?  Then rely on the truth, not any bond which I have more than enough reason to doubt at the moment.”

Obstacle ahead, the snake thought. Adapt - remain calm, yet be direct. He straightened himself up, put one hand behind his back and let another one tug absent-mindedly at his beard. “So be it - the bird known as Arryn speaks the truth. He interrupted me in my own home, nay, commanded me to hold my tongue as I critiqued his master’s lack of finesse in his cultural education.” He took a deep breath. “I will admit - I may have overreacted. Thus, while it wounds me to admit it - for you, my dear, I will. The Hunter’s avatar has spoken the truth about the vicious lord of the rivers. Now, how will you handle it?” he inquired, raising an eyebrow.

“Ahhh!” Asceal cried and buried her face in her hands, “You…  Both of you, how can you be such fools!?”  She looked up and glared at Shengshi, “Do you understand what you’ve done, Shengshi?  And not just you, both of you.  Insults, slights, for such petty nonsense I hear that you would have murdered Arryn had the girl known as Arya not intervened.  Even as it is, Kalmar, being no less prideful than you, will demand recompense for this.” 

The Goddess slumped and sat down on a nearby log, her fury ebbing, “Orvus threatens to annihilate everything we’ve created, Sartravius burns entire islands, Melantha menaces Aelius in his own home, and instead of facing that together we conspire to destroy ourselves.  This can’t continue, Shengshi, it can’t.”

Remain calm. She does not understand your etiquette completely - you know this. Just… Remain calm and do not lash out. The snake visibly appeared to be bottling up all manner of emotions, the hand on his beard occasionally twitching. She is good at heart - a little direct, perhaps, but good. Give her some leeway. “... P-... Petty non-... Nonsense?” he whispered menacingly. No… No, what are you doing? Contain yourself, you fool! There was another deep breath, followed by what Asceal could have sworn was a series of numbers being counted. As the silence returned, the snake sent her a stare that, in all physical aspects, could be described as a smile; however, even a mortal could have seen the black bile and sanguine fury that bubbled behind those eyes. CONTAIN!

“Very well,” the snake said.

“Very well,” The Goddess muttered, her eyes filled with something that approached pity, “I won’t pretend to understand what it is that’s driving this feud, Shengshi, but please, please put it aside when Kalmar comes.  I’m begging you.  If you two come to blows, it isn’t just one of you that will lose, we all will.”

The snake’s hand twitched again. His eyes fell down, specifically on Xiaoli’s river, and the black bile in his eyes turned to crystalline tears. He raised his head and cast a weary, teary gaze at Asceal.

“Sister, can I speak from the heart for a moment?”

“Of course.” She answered, her voice weary. 

“In this moment, I cannot even recall what it was that started the feud. My mind - my soul has received a wound far deeper than the Hunter could ever inflict with any sacred sword. I have not been myself for a while now - I do not need this animosity clouding my psyche, too.” He flicked a tear away. “Aboard my ship is Anxin, or Arya, as Kalmar named her.” He rolled his tongue off his fangs, as if saying the name had left a bitter taste in his mouth; however, he then promptly continued. “I will return her to Kalmar when he arrives, as the wise would offer drink as a mark of peace.” He sighed. “I shall let the world know that the rivers will run in the Hunter’s name as much as my own - with the gesture, I shall let the world know that the snake has surrendered.” Upon finishing his sentence, the snake visibly relaxed, as if an enormous strain had been lifted off his shoulders. Good, he thought. Pride is worth sacrificing if I can get her back.

Asceal smiled weakly and nodded, “Thank you, and I apologise for my outburst earlier.  For what it’s worth.”  She regarded Shengshi sympathetically and patted the log next to her, “As for this wound, I can only hope it heals.  Whatever it is.”

The snake sighed, slithered over and sat himself down on the log. “I have been a beacon of hypocrisy, my dear. I have strayed from the path to the goal I set upon my creation and let pride, wine and foolishness consume my soul for too long. For this, my servant, nay, my companion left me.” He chuckled. “I mean, while you were scolding me, a large part of me wanted to break every bond I have had, have and could ever form with you. How could she not abandon me?” His eyes went skyways and his mouth remained partially open, as if the soul within needed to breathe.

“Pride always has a cost,”  The Goddess put a hand on Shengshi’s shoulder and looked up with him, her eyes focusing on Heliopolis, “I’ve paid it myself.  But we aren’t defined by our failures Shengshi, we can’t be.  If she left because of what you’ve been, why can’t she return for what you will be?”

The snake chuckled. “Your scolding today was a start. I intend on correcting my behaviour, starting by quelling that gruesome hubris bottled up within me. I only pray that my outrageous actions can ever be forgiven - at the very least put aside - by Kalmar. That will likely not happen, but the rivers adapts to the obstacles in its path…” He stood back up and slithered towards the river.

“I thank you for your wise words, dearest sister,” he said wearily. “Forgive me for parting, but there is much to prepare for.” He dipped his hand into the river and scooped up some water; he put the cupped hand to his lips and drank, inciting a quiet whimper. He paused and cast a sideways look over his shoulder.

“Farewell.”

Behind him the Goddess smiled and repeated the word, “Farewell.”

The snake hummed curtly and slithered off into the woods.

[hider=Summa Summarum]
Shengshi takes some time to travel to the river where he created Xiaoli. He is visibly weary from everything that has happened of late, not even caring if Anxin should escape in his absence.

Upon arriving, he contemplates his actions against Arryan and Anxin (or Arya), as well as his general inability to be sensible.

Asceal appears and demands to know if Shengshi threatened Arryn. Shengshi first tries his usual, oily demeanor, though becomes more direct upon seeing that it doesn’t rub Asceal the right way. He admits the truth, saying the threatened the bird.

Asceal scolds his, as well as Kalmar’s, prideful stupidity and warns Shengshi about the consequences for all life if they don’t band together against those who would destroy it.

Shengshi is, in truth, furious at the scolding, but manages to bottle up his emotions, agreeing to settle for peace by returning Arya to Kalmar. He looks at Xiaoli’s river again and breaks down, explaining how dissatisfied he is with his own character, his hypocrisy and his hubris. Asceal comforts him.

After their talks, they part ways, Shengshi saying he has much to prepare for.


[/hider]

[hider=Might Summary]
Asceal: 0FP/0MP - No Might spent.


Shengshi: 0FP/0MP - No Might spent.
[/hider]