[center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/fTD5yRH.png[/img] [color=black][b]0 MP/0 FP [/b][/color] & [color=f7941d][h1]Kalmar[/h1][/color] [/center] [hr] Orvus stood in silence beneath the Mar Tree. It’s motes of decay danced around him as if they were attached to strings, but this was not his focus. He faced away from the tree, to the place where [i]she[/i] had been born. He still couldn’t quite wrap his thoughts around how she had come to be, or what had given her life, but Orvus knew she was of him. A small part anyway. Her appearance was the only thing they shared in common, that much was true. For in the brief moment she had stood before him, Orvus realized he would only bring her pain and suffering if he remained in her life. She had a soul, she had happiness, she had emotion. But most importantly, she had a desire to be everything he was not. That was why he had said those terrible things. That was why he made her cry. Why he made her feel so [i]wrong[/i]. She couldn’t stay on Veradax, it would have killed her, the Mar Tree would have killed her, but perhaps the greatest threat to her life, was in fact himself. So he sent her away, to Galbar, easing the otherwise hard journey. An act of kindness, for though he told himself she would be better without him, it still hurt to watch her go. Her screams for him were still haunting, but day by day they lessened. In time, maybe they would fade, but he wouldn’t forget her. No, because if he did forget, Veradax would claim her for its own, and that was a fate worse than death. Still, he was troubled. The dream constantly reminded him of what he wanted most- to feel and to be happy, but he knew it could never be so. She could have provided that comfort, but would have suffered for it. For fate was cruel and unkind, and he was growing tired of feeling. Orvus turned around to the tree once more, and reached out his hand to touch it, but halted when a new voice spoke in his mind. Kalmar, God of Hunting wanted to talk? Orvus could only imagine why but he was in no mood to speak. Just like before, he sent message of his own, weighted down by his negative emotions and dark thoughts. Kalmar would feel just how uninterested Orvus was. [color=f7941d]”Orvus,”[/color] Kalmar repeated, so unphased by the dark thoughts that he kept the exact same tone, [color=f7941d]”We need to talk.”[/color] So, it seemed his siblings were all stubborn. First Arae, now this one. Perhaps a more direct approach was necessary? [color=black]”I am uninterested in talk, Kalmar.”[/color] Orvus said without emotion. [color=f7941d]”We need to talk anyway,”[/color] came Kalmar’s response, equally emotionless. Growing irritated, Orvus spoke again, [color=black]”Then speak and be done with it.”[/color] [color=f7941d]”We will speak face to face,”[/color] Kalmar insisted. [color=f7941d]”On the northeastern corner of Galbar’s largest continent there is a tall mountain. No traps, no tricks, no fighting. I am waiting there.”[/color] There was silence between the two gods for a very long time as Orvus contemplated. He had no great desire to travel to Galbar where he was weaker, and at the same time, he did not trust this one’s words. Yet, he was intrigued. Here was a god that matched him in tone, and commanded, not asked, for what he wanted. Did he have any idea who he was talking to? Or did he simply not care? [color=black]”Very well.”[/color] Came his short response, and with nothing else to stop him, he summoned the storm winds and they carried him up, off towards the gate. His return, for better or for worse. Kalmar had not expected that to work. Yet it had. Interesting. All there was to do now was wait for Orvus to arrive, if he truly was on his way. So, wait he did. He considered the possibility that the god lied only to get him to stop talking, but decided Kalmar instead to give Orvus the benefit of the doubt. When he arrived on Galbar, Orvus immediately realized that his gateway had been confined to one location. By who, or what, remained a mystery but it did little to calm his aggravation. In fact, he grew angry that such a thing had happened. It was meant to do what he could not in absence and such an affront would have to be corrected, but not now. He other duties to attend to as he fell to the ocean floor, and began to walk. It did not take him long to find the correct heading, and so he walked, noting the new life that flourished beneath the waves. Oddly enough, he did not see any Leviathan Anglers, but it was inconsequential. They were merely an experiment and as such, he did not care what became of them. He made landfall at dusk, and so he walked on with purpose. Behind him, dark storm clouds followed in his wake. It would not be long now. Kalmar felt the first drops of rain strike his hair and began to frown. Perhaps he would not come. Or perhaps he was deliberately taking his time. The thought annoyed Kalmar. But then, in the distance, a dark figure approached. He saw the mountain first, then a top it, Kalmar. Up until that point, his body had been dull. The only illumination were his eyes, and as he neared, he erupted once more into his original form, painting the world before him with a small glow as the storm arrived. At the base of the mountain, his head snapped up to look up Kalmar, unphased by the rain. For a moment he stood like that before bending his knees, and jumping. The mountain was tall, so Orvus had to dig his weigh into several times as he used the momentum to fling himself up. When he reached the peak, he landed with a consider thunk and slowly stood to his full height as he looked down upon Kalmar with an unwavering gaze. [color=black]”Speak.”[/color] he uttered in an aggravated tone. Kalmar didn’t even blink. [color=f7941d]”I am not here to coddle you, or to tell you that you are misunderstood,”[/color] he said, rather bluntly. [color=f7941d]”I will not claim to understand you either, because I don’t. But before we begin, I have some questions. Why did you attack Phystene?”[/color] Lightning flashed around them as the thunder rumbled behind. Orvus listened, his apathetic stare did not move as Kalmar droned on. But there was a certain way he spoke, blunt and to the point, that Orvus almost respected. Curious, so this one knew what had transpired between he and the nature Goddess and it only confirmed to Orvus that they were plotting against him. But then why talk at all? After a moment Orvus spoke. His tone cold, [color=black]”Phystene created life that I cannot feel.”[/color] he paused, then added, [color=black]”I wouldn’t expect you to understand what that’s like.”[/color] before the rain was the only sound that could be heard again. Kalmar was not sure what Orvus meant. [color=f7941d]”Why did that anger you?”[/color] he asked. [color=f7941d]”If you cannot feel it, that means you do not know what you are missing. So why?”[/color] [color=black]”I know exactly what I’m missing.”[/color] he said bitterly. His thoughts briefly turning towards the dream and his mood soured further. Why was this so important to know? Was it not obvious? [color=black]”Phystene represents life. I represent destruction. Must you know more?”[/color] he stated flatly. [color=f7941d]”Yet destruction can be productive,”[/color] Kalmar pointed out. [color=f7941d]”I am proof of that. And you do not even need to represent destruction. You can learn other skills.”[/color] [color=black]”Destruction, no matter how productive, is still destruction. Look to the moon, there is your proof.”[/color] he paused, letting the thunder reverberate around them. [color=black]”Balance. That is what Arae called it. I must represent what I was tasked with chief and foremost. Whatever would the Architect think of me if I did not perform to my utmost ability?”[/color] he said with a hint of sarcasm. [color=f7941d]”Everything Phystene creates is intended to serve a purpose,”[/color] Kalmar told him. [color=f7941d]”If you want balance, then your destruction needs to serve a purpose as well. Destruction for the sake of destruction serves no purpose.”[/color] [color=black]”You do not understand.”[/color] he said coldly. Lightning flashed, illuminating his body against the torrential rain for a brief second, [color=black]”I did not say I wanted balance, Kalmar. My destruction can only serve my own purpose. For each and every one of us, has their own perception of the word.”[/color] [color=f7941d]”But how do you perceive the world?”[/color] Kalmar asked. [color=f7941d]”What is your own purpose? Destruction may have been the first power you adopted, but the Architect also gave us free will. The power to grow and change. You can become something else, or you can take what you already know and apply it differently. Why not?”[/color] Orvus was silent for moment, the air becoming palpable as it grew. The word, echoed in his head over and over again- purpose. It led to a choice. Creation, or destruction. That was what K’nell had asked, that was what he had asked himself. Now, Kalmar asked him the same. [color=black]”I can’t.”[/color] he said. [color=f7941d]”You can,”[/color] Kalmar cut him off. [color=f7941d]”This is your struggle. We all have struggles. Overcoming them is how we grow. It is how we survive. If you give in to your struggles, if you admit defeat, you lose.”[/color] [color=black]”And now, you understand.”[/color] Orvus said softly. [color=black]”We all lose in the end.”[/color] Kalmar nodded. He already knew that. [color=f7941d]”True. But small victories can be found before the final defeat. We must not give up. We must continue to exist. To give up is against our nature.”[/color] [color=black]”Our nature?”[/color] he said rhetorically. [color=black]”No, [i]your[/i] nature. Come now, Kalmar. Don’t you see how ironic your words are? The God of Hunting, one whose purpose is exactly that- To exist. Do not preach to me of victories, of nature. It is meaningless to me. We all lose, and if I can speed up that process, the world will be better for it. Then we can all die and fade, together.”[/color] he spat vehemently. [color=f7941d]”No it won’t,”[/color] Kalmar told him. [color=f7941d]”Destroying something does not make it better. And not everyone wants to die. Most want to live. Why do you need to drag everyone down with you? Why not end yourself, and let the rest of the world move on?”[/color] [color=black]”I am selfish. I do not wish to end, not here, not now. Not until the world is quiet.”[/color] he spoke softly, his eyes expressing a terrible sadness. [color=black]”You wish to know so much, but I will answer all of your questions with this- My Soul is broken. Frayed. I cannot feel that which is whole. So I will not drag them down with me, they will be swallowed and broken and frayed and they will come willingly.”[/color] he finished. [color=f7941d]”They will not.”[/color] Kalmar told him, eyes narrowing. [color=f7941d]”Life resists. Life adapts. Life prevails. The entire universe could burn and [i]something[/i] would still cling to existence. If your soul is broken, then fix it. If you can’t feel, then learn to feel. Otherwise, you are an obstacle and a threat, [i]and I will kill you.”[/i][/color] Lightning struck again. There was anger in Kalmar’s eyes, but he continued. [color=f7941d]”You want to live, but you don’t want to admit it. This goal of destroying everything is just an excuse to justify your continued existence. Stop the excuses. Find another purpose, or die.”[/color] Orvus looked away from Kalmar and up into the rain. He watched the droplets, they reminded him of souls in a way. So many, so vast, but the storm would end eventually, and when it did, the rain would come to an end. Once again, he was at the precipet of the choice. He was denying the truth, Kalmar was right in that regard. He wanted to live, that was true, but not like this. He could not fix his soul, and he could not feel because of it. Could that change? Could he find another purpose? There were so many emotions, and thoughts, and desires, and choices, all spinning around in his head like a whirlwind of pain. What was stopping him from changing? What was stopping him from his purpose? What did he want? What did he truly want? ‘Creation or destruction. Creation or destruction. CREATION OR DESTRUCTION!’ screamed in his mind and he couldn’t take it anymore. He looked back down and to Kalmar, his expression wide, portraying a variety of conflicting emotions. He was trembling ever so slightly, his lights growing brighter and brighter. But then there was a flash of lightning and when the thunder boomed again, Orvus was gone, leaving Kalmar alone atop the world. [hr] [hider=Summary] Orvus reflects upon his ‘daughter’ before Kalmar calls. The two gods then meet atop the summit of Mount Chop. They argue back and forth. Orvus believes his purpose is to destroy, while Kalmar believes that Orvus must either change his purpose, or apply it in a more constructive way. This continues for some time, but just as Kalmar seems to have gotten through to him, Orvus vanishes without a response. [/hider] [hider=Might Expenditure] No might spent on anything. Orvus; Started With: 0MP & 0FP Broke sad boi Portfolios: 10/10FP Towards Asteroids Unlock > Not Purchased 3/5 Towards [b]Soul[/b] Decay Unlock > Not Available for Purchase [/hider]