[center] [h1][color=brown][b][u]Arryn[/u][/b][/color][/h1] [h3][color=orange]Avatar of Kalmar[/color][/h3] [/center] [hr] [color=orange][i]Arryn.[/i][/color] [color=brown][i]Yes?[/i][/color] [color=orange][i]I hear that, instead of searching for Li'Kalla, you have instead decided to teach some mortals how to hunt.[/i][/color] [color=brown][i]I... I have.[/i][/color] [color=orange][i]That is now your new task. Keep doing it. And Arryn?[/i][/color] [color=brown][i]Yes?[/i][/color] [color=orange][i]Next time you think to go against my orders, consult me.[/i][/color] [color=brown][i]Yes, master![/i][/color] [hr] The conversation had come as a relief. His master had approved of his actions after all, and there would be no punishment. Instead he had been ordered to continue doing it, which suited him fine. He had come to enjoy his time among these Selka. They were good listeners; willing to learn, and grateful for his teachings. Anhaf was good company too, and a good leader - at least when he wasn't relying on gods to solve all his problems. The Ubbo Tribe's skill had increased to the point where they could now hunt without his leadership, and often came back successful. Though he had cautioned them against the dangers of over-hunting; if they drove all the animals away, they would face the same issue as before. And if that should come to pass, which it very well might, then they would have to move their village. Or find another way to collect food. Spending time in prayer would not help them. Anhaf had accepted this explanation with a nod, though the Selka chieftan had felt a certain sense of failure when he realized he had spent so much time in prayer when he should have acted. As to the rest of the village, most had come to accept Arryn's presence. Instead of respect or fear, some had even come to look at him with genuine affection, as Arya had. Such displays from the girl had irritated him at the time, but now he realized he missed it. One day, when one of the Ubbo called him 'Arry' as he flew past, the bird froze. Wordlessly, he took off away from the village, into a tree some distance away, and would have remained there for hours. But thinking of the past would do him no good, and the people who looked to him for guidance would be worried, so a few minutes later he returned to the village. None of the Ubbo called him 'Arry' again, believing that the name had insulted him in some way. [hr] Then, one day, when the bird had decided to go hunting on his own, he returned to find a strange sight. A colourful bird stood perched on Kalmar's altar, and a dozen selka, Anhaf among them, stood before it with trepidation. As Arryn flew closer, images were transferred into his head. He saw an image of Asceal, who was accompanied by what was perhaps the most beautiful creature Arryn had ever seen. He was snapped out from his shock when, from her beak, a stream lies and half-truths poured forth. The message went on, and a dash of hypocrisy was soon added in. By the end of it, Arryn was clenching his beak with anger. [color=brown]"Begone!"[/color] he shouted, flying forward at a lightning speed and slamming into the Alma's side to drive it away. [color=brown]"Take your lies elsewhere!"[/color] he shouted as the creature was pushed away by several feet. The Alma's response was to turn on them, and then, recognizing the threat, began to launch beams of light at him. Arryn dodged and evaded the attacks. The Selka screamed and ran. Then Arryn was upon the creature. He pinned it to the ground, and with furious pecks and slashes, his claws and beak tore through flesh and metal until the creature was dead. A wail was heard behind him. Arryn turned to see a Selka male, lying face down in the dirt, a smoking black hole in his back. A woman and her child hovered over him, crying, while others stood nearby with mouths agape. One of the huts had been set ablaze. The sight filled Arryn with even more rage. Asceal and Azura had caused this. Anhaf approached with bow in hand. "What happened!?" The Selka chief demanded. A horrified expression dawned on his face as he took in the destruction. "What was that creature? What did it show us?" [color=brown]"Lies,"[/color] Arryn answered. [color=brown]"And it tried to slaughter us because I saw through them."[/color] Anhaf blinked, and was about to ask more questions, but there was a more urgent crisis at hand. He called for a healer, and begun organizing the rest of the village to work on containing the fire. [hr] Hours later, when the crisis was over, Arryn was once again in Anhaf's hut, the Selka chief sitting before him. "What again did I see?" The Selka chief asked him uncertainly. "Was any of it true?" [color=brown]"Some,"[/color] Arryn conceded, [color=brown]"But it was twisted."[/color] "How so?" [color=brown]"She said you had an immortal soul. There was some truth to it, but not the whole truth. When your body dies, only your soul remains. But in time, your soul will decay too. The soul itself will remain, but you won't; your mind will fray, and you will be driven mad, until eventually you cease to be."[/color] Anhaf was horrified, and could find no words. [color=brown]"Katharsos, the God of Death, prevents that from happening. He takes your soul and burns it down to soul ash, ending your suffering. That soul ash then goes on to form new souls, so life can continue. There is a finite number of souls, and souls are needed for life. Without his system, we would get to a point where all life would cease, and we would have nothing but mad, decayed souls. Katharsos did not create soul decay; he only made a solution to it."[/color] "So it's necessary, then?" Anhaf asked. [color=brown]"It is. Azura can protect you from Katharsos's pull, but that will only allow you to decay into nothingness, and deny new souls the chance to be born. You will find no salvation or rebirth as a crystal."[/color] "Then why is she doing it?" Now the Chieftan was confused. [color=brown]"I don't know. But I don't believe it is to protect you, as she claims. I think she intends to hoard the souls for herself. If her intentions were honest, she would not need to resort to lies and hypocrisy to see them through."[/color] "What do you mean?" [color=brown]"She claims she wishes to save all souls from Katharsos's pyres, yet she allowed that griffin to burn. She claims she values free will, yet she lies and withholds information, before admitting to 'saving' the ones at the pyres without their consent, which I assume means 'stealing.' She also says these crystals will be brought to secret locations, but they won't remain secret for long now that she has announced their existence to the world - gods and mortals will seek them out, and they [i]will[/i] find them. Either she is trying to manipulate you, or she did not think this through. Is that someone you would trust to care for your soul?"[/color] "No," Anhaf said. "No it isn't." He tensed in rage, and his eyes glistened. "Her bird [i]murdered[/i] Pallamino..." Arryn nodded. [color=brown]"The bird murdered him when I called it out and tried to force it to leave. Why do you think it did that?"[/color] "Because it didn't want to leave, or because it didn't want to be caught in a lie." Anhaf found himself wiping away a tear. Arryn nodded again, and then there was a sad look in his eye. [color=brown]"The Goddess who was with Azura was Asceal. I met her. I liked her, and I trusted her. To find out that she was a part of this..."[/color] his voice trailed off. "What will you do?" [color=brown]"We must inform the rest of your tribe. After that, I will inform the rest of the Selka. And while I am at it, I will teach them some of what I taught you, as well. Remember: when the time comes, do everything in your power to resist the Alma. Do not trust Azura or Asceal. Until then, try to live your life as normally as you can."[/color] "That will be hard," Anhaf said, steeling himself and rubbing his eyes. "They will not take this news well, knowing that only fire and decay await them. What do we do if another bird appears?" [color=brown]"I don't know. Don't attack it. Ignore it. If it attacks you anyway, then pray for aid. Kalmar, Kirron, or I might be able to help you, but I can promise nothing."[/color] "Why couldn't they just leave us be?" [hr] They had gone outside, and they had told the other Ubbo Tribe the truth as Arryn perceived it. Given how the bird had already murdered one of their own, and they were desperate for something to soften the grim news that the Alma had carried, it was not hard to convince them. When the time came, they would defy the Alma and accept the natural cycle of life. It was then that Arryn announced that he would be leaving, to help the rest of their kind. Most were sad to see him go, and a few begged him to stay, but the bird had to wave those concerns off. [color=brown]"Anhaf is a capable leader, and there are two gods you can pray to for guidance if things turn dire. You will weather this crisis, as you have weathered others. Ignore Azura, and continue to live as you have been taught."[/color] And with those words, the Avatar departed. [hr] [hider=Summary] Kalmar contacts Arryn, telling him to abandon the search for Li'Kalla and continue teaching the Selka, which he does. One day he returns to the village to find an Alma broadcasting its message. Based on what Arryn had been told of Katharsos's system, as well as the wording employed in Azura's message, Arryn believes that Azura is using lies and half-truths to manipulate the masses. He attempts to drive the Alma away, but is forced to kill it when it opens fire, killing an innocent Selka in the process. Because Azura's message did not explain what Soul Decay actually was, or how Soul Crystals prevent it, Arryn comes to the (false) conclusion that Soul Crystals do nothing more than trap a soul until it decays naturally. He continues to deconstruct Azura's argument, pointing out flaws and inconsistencies, until eventually Anhaf is swayed. The rest of the Ubbo Tribe is convinced as well, and then Arryn leaves to spread the truth (as he perceives it) to the other Selka. [/hider]