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[img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/2b4925ee-b215-4b89-a794-5058a6c53e13.png[/img]
[colour=lightseagreen][h1][b][i]Ashalla[/i][/b][/h1]
[b]Goddess of Oceans and Storms[/b][/colour]

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[img]https://i.imgur.com/fTD5yRH.png[/img]
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The sickly stench of decay seeped over the ocean like an oil spill. Dead fish of all sizes floated in the water, their bodies blackened with white lesions. The few creatures who were still alive, as discoloured as the dead, swam without awareness, their faintly glowing eyes staring blankly ahead. A lumbering whale did not even notice the smaller fish eating its tainted flesh, so dulled were its senses by its affliction. Beds of sea grass and algae had turned from vibrant green to black and white, colouring the ocean a dreary grey. All around was nothing but death and decay. Even the things which still moved could not really be called alive.

A furious voice like a crashing wave cut through the gloom. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“What is this?”[/b][/colour]

Ashalla rose above the water’s surface to look down upon the desolate scene. She could taste what remained of the creatures here (although part of her wished she couldn’t), and the decay of their souls was similar to that she had tasted in the Angler Leviathans. A conversation came to her memory.

[colour=forestgreen]“Orvus seemed quite enamored by them. He claimed they were the future. I’m concerned he’ll try to make more of them and other kinds of similar… entities.”[/colour]

[colour=orange]“If Orvus finds a way to replicate whatever caused this, he could inflict this state on all life, and then it [i]will[/i] become a problem for the rest of the world.”[/colour]

[colour=lightseagreen][b]“That would be a problem. [i]If[/i] he finds a way.”[/b][/colour]

[colour=forestgreen]“If he’s half as dedicated to the cause as I suspect he is, he will.”[/colour]

And now Orvus had, as Phystene had warned. Ashalla should have foreseen this, for Orvus was a god, so had the power to follow through with his word.

Ashalla cast her gaze over the water once more, and her eye caught a white mote floating in the breeze. A pseudopod rose up beside the mote and wrapped around it. The mote promptly began to dissolve, and the watery limb froze to ice, trapping the mote before it could finish dissolving. The pseudopod grew around the ice and lifted it to be level with Ashalla’s gaze. It took only a moment’s scrutiny for her to discern the mote’s function and purpose.

More motes floated over the sea, carried by the wind and the waves. Squalls flitted around Ashalla and the motes, whipping up the water into churning waves. Her eyes traced the path the motes had taken. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This cannot continue.”[/b][/colour]

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Dark clouds spiralled around the Maelstrom, lightning arcing across the sky and lancing into the swirling ocean. Countless squalls flitted about in the torrential rain and cyclonic winds, feasting upon the energy which fuelled the unnatural storm. The storm seemed to intensify slightly as Ashalla arrived, the storm which was the goddess merging with the storm of the Maelstrom.

In the heart of the Maelstrom the clouds turned from dark grey to desolate black and the ocean surface was churned into a mist by near-sonic winds. The area would have been in total darkness if not for the supernatural lightning which lit the storm with crimson light. And those scarlet beams hid something else in between their flashes. Something large and so, so angry, its shape but an image here and there as it moved around the new pretender storm. There was a new sound within the Maelstrom, louder than thunder and the sonic winds, an eerie call of a low rumble, growing in intensity before a beam of all consuming scarlet rippled through the clouds and straight for Ashalla.

The beam struck the clouds, although whether it had actually done any harm was impossible to tell since the clouds constantly shifted and blended with the storm around them. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Move aside,”[/b][/colour] commanded a voice of thunder.

The thing fell before her in a torrent of tentacles and sharp, biting teeth. With eyes ringed with hate it looked upon her with impunity. It pulled back, its chest beginning to glow as it craned its neck, opening it mouth to reveal crackling energy. But before it could unleash its anger, it stopped, the glow subsiding and as quickly as it had come, the clouds swallowed it from her view once more. The path was open. Warily, Ashalla advanced through the Gateway.

On Veradax, clouds billowed out from the Gateway and coalesced into a towering cumulonimbus which was the goddess, joining the natural storms of the shattered moon. Around her was nothing but a blanket of cloud and plains of dust. Ashalla cast out her senses until she found another white mote drifting on the wind, being slowly sucked towards the Gateway. She rolled out in the direction the mote had come from, a few squalls trailing behind her.

As she travelled, a scattering of objects marked the dusty plains, and the goddess paused to inspect them. Pieces of a curved wooden hull arced out of the dust. Tattered canvas billowed in the wind. Articles of worn Shengshese clothing hung from splinters. To one side lay a piece of wood carved in the likeness of Shengshi, and to the other side lay a statue resembling her own oceanic form. There was a pensive lull in the weather. Then there was a huff, and Ashalla carried on.

Eventually, Ashalla came to a valley, one beset by broken rock on either side; jagged and lonely they watched as Ashalla made her way into the twilight of the moon. The path was long, and slowly tightening, until at last she rounded the final corner. In the distance of the large clearing, there stood a figure of stars before the tree that had brought her there. Like a crown, the monument of soul decay, the Mar Tree, was the origin of the mote and wore many upon its blackened branches.

[color=black]"I knew you would come here before the Mar Tree eventually, Ashalla."[/color] came Orvus’ voice as he turned around.

Ashalla filled the sky before Orvus and looked down upon him. A voice of howling wind spoke. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The destruction caused by this tree of yours must cease, Orvus.”[/b][/colour]

[Color=black]"You are right."[/color] he said, looking back at the tree. [Color=black]"When I created it so long ago, I was angry at the world and broken in my tainted beliefs, thus the tree came. But now… How can I justify such a thing?"[/color] his voice was but a whisper now.

The turbulence in Ashalla’s form seemed to calm to a more natural level. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Then we can neutralise this danger,”[/b][/colour] she said.

[Color=black]"How?"[/color] Orvus asked, turning around again. [Color=black]"I have not the strength to destroy it. However, I could turn it off if you wanted."[/color] he said.

Ashalla’s voice had almost lowered to a melodious whistle. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Yes, turning it off would be lovely.”[/b][/colour]

He lowered his head and shut his eyes. Before him the tree began to lose its glow, the humming ceased, drowning in silence. Then it became nothing more than a dark, blackened tree, as the last of the motes were swept up by the current of wind.

[Color=black]"There. It won't make anymore."[/color] he said.

A branch of cloud split off from Ashalla and brushed against the orvium tree, engulfing it momentarily and tasting it. The arm lowered and Orvus was likewise swallowed in cloud before the pseudopod withdrew. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Good. Thank you for your cooperation, Orvus.”[/b][/colour]

He nodded. [Color=black]"Is there anything else you require?"[/color] he asked.

There was a brief rumble. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“No.”[/b][/colour]

[Color=black]"Then you should not tarry here, this sphere is dangerous. Even to gods."[/color] he said softly.

Ashalla huffed. Then the wind changed, and the storm was gone.

[hider=Summary]
Ashalla sees the damage caused by the Mar Tree, and is incensed.

As Ashalla traverses the Maelstrom, she is confronted by the Gate Lord. But, as quickly as the Gate Lord comes, it departs, as though called off.

Ashalla gets to Veradax. As she travels, she sees the ruins of the Zhengwu. Then she makes it to the Valley of Shadows, where Orvus is waiting for her.

Orvus has had a change of heart since creating the Mar Tree, and turns it off at Ashalla’s request. Ashalla departs peacefully.

[b]The Mar Tree is now inactive.[/b]

No Might spent.
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