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[colour=lightseagreen][h1][b][i]Ashalla[/i][/b][/h1]
[b]Goddess of Oceans, Storms and Ice[/b][/colour]

[Img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/357353496057610242/531937501057777664/sym1A1.png?width=240&height=301[/img]
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A clear glass bottle bobbed in the oceans, rising and falling with the waves. A cork stoppered the opening of the bottle, and within was a roll of white paper which was tied together with a little string.

It was a most peculiar thing, because paper was rare on Galbar and glass bottles even rarer. And here was this paper in a bottle drifting in the vastness of the ocean, where extraordinary luck would be required for anyone to find it. Anyone, that is, except for one particular goddess.

Water curled up and wrapped around the bottle. The water reached the cork and unstoppered the bottle. A tendril of water slithered into the bottle, wrapped around the roll of paper and pulled it out. A second little tendril of water pulled at the string, unravelling the bow it had been tied into, and the piece of paper unrolled. The water formed into a face, which looked upon the curvy letters written upon the paper in black ink.

[i]Dearest Ashalla,

    Your splendid lessons on music have not gone unheard by my own ears. In response to your hard work and in gratitude, I am hereby inviting you to a concerto in your honor, for all your work in the realm of music. The event is to take place at my palace, upon your arrival.

In salutation and respect,
K’nell[/i]

A burble issued from Ashalla. She deposited the now-slightly-damp letter and the piece of string back into the bottle and replaced the cork. Then she set off for Tendlepog.

[hr]
A grand storm brewed off the coast of Tendlepog, strong winds carrying it inland. Rain poured from the cloud and was whipped in all directions by turbulent gales. Thunder rumbled across the horizon and lightning flashed within the cloud, those brief moments of illumination outlining what some might have imagined to be a face.

The storm passed over the sheer cliffs which lined the beaches of the rotating continent. The wind whipped the coastal dust into dark clouds which rolled along the ground, before the torrential rain soaked the earth. The hardy plants which lived in this region soaked up the water greedily, making the most of this rare moment of rain. A small flock of shadowy crows took flight as the storm arrived.

The storm soon reached a ring of mountains on the far side of this sandy desert. Below the roar of the storm was the deep rumble of the mountains ever-so-slowly creeping their way across the continent. The storm ascended the mountain slopes and dusted the peaks with a light covering of snow.

Down the other side of the mountains, the storm rolled into plains which were painted ruby red as far as the eye could see. The sugary aroma of the red grass was pulled up into the storm, casting a sweet petrichor across the plains. Rivers meandered in nonsensical paths across the plains. Groves of trees stampeded ahead of the storm, moving to avoid damaging winds while still catching the rain. The lowing of tree-eaters called the members of the herds to hunker together into a single wooly mass in the face of the storm. Bilbies dashed through the grass to their burrows. Little cloudlings fizzed in awe as they beheld the majesty of the storm sweeping across the plains.

A single far off figure with blue hair seemed to either salute the storm, or cover her eyes as she stared at it, a gentle swear hanging on her breath before dashing to find some sort of cover. Soon, however, the storm overtook her, and rain soaked through her clothes despite what shelter she had found. Then an orb of crackling light appeared in the clouds and stared down at the Dreamer.

[colour=lightseagreen][b]“Daughter of Hermes,”[/b][/colour] greeted a voice like pouring rain.

"That..." Altansarnai froze, "...would be me?" A defensive crackle sounded from her hair, a dark cloudling zipping out defiantly between the dreamer and the storm.

[colour=lightseagreen][b]“You are the first of your mother’s descendants I have seen. You look very similar to your mother.”[/b][/colour] A breeze whipped through Altansarnai’s hair. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“And I see that my blessing has been inherited. How has Hermes been?”[/b][/colour]

A long silence over took the conversation, leaving nothing but the sounds of the storm to fill the gap. Dumpling popped between the god and the mortal, a look of intense thought plastered over Altansarnai’s soaked face. Occasionally she would blink the rain from her eyes, her arms defensively raised against the impending drops. 

“Ashalla,” Altansarnai finally recalled, cobalt brows knitted, “The God of the Ocean and beauty... inland?”

[colour=lightseagreen][b]“Yes. K’nell invited me to a concerto,”[/b][/colour] Ashalla said.

“Oh.” Altansarnai seemed at a loss for words. She took a step forward, one hand saluting over her eyes to peer through the curtain of rain, “I’m sorry, this is all very strange to me.”

There was a pause and a rumble. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Perhaps you could start with a proper greeting for a goddess,”[/b][/colour] Ashalla suggested.

Altansarnai seemed to hesitate for a moment, a mixture of emotions flickering past her dark eyes. With a small scrunch of her left eye she slowly knelt into the sopping mud. The reluctant dreamer held their breath and dipped their head in humiliating respect. Before another breath could pass through her lips, a different voice suddenly called through the rain.

“Your Majesty,” A rather hollow voice called from atop a dark horse. The thorn covered rider seemed uninterested in the soaking rain as it called out to Ashalla with a bowed head.

A second orb of lightning manifested in the storm cloud and looked at the rider. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Greetings, creation of K’nell.”[/b][/colour] The voice of the storm then spoke near the still-bowing dreamer. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“You may rise.”[/b][/colour]

Altansarnai rose back to her feet, wiping clumps of mud from her pants as she did. The rain also washed the mud from Altansarnai’s clothes and skin. Her eyes were cast down and away from the drops of rain, the echoing voice of the Warden filling the spaces in between the conversation, “My Lord is quite eager for your meeting.”

[colour=lightseagreen][b]“I shall continue shortly,”[/b][/colour] Ashalla replied. The rain around Altansarnai then eased to a light shower. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Daughter of Hermes, how is your mother?”[/b][/colour]

Altansarnai squinted as she looked up to the sky, blinking at tiny droplets. The dreamer seemed to gather her bearings with a large inhale, “She is well, but currently away on a quest of grave importance. She spoke much of you when I was young, thank you for your blessing.” Her voice was formal, the unusual tone causing Dumpling to crackle with confusion before retreating back into her hair.

The dark horse shifted uneasily and the Warden gripped his reins but remained silent.

There was a faint burble, and a voice like splashing raindrops said, [colour=lightseagreen][b]“That is good to hear. Does Hermes still dance?”[/b][/colour]

“Often with Mother Xiaoli,” Altansarnai answered, “And in the palace of the God of Tendlepog.”

[colour=lightseagreen][b]“Good.”[/b][/colour] Ashalla’s other eye seemed to scrutinise the impatient Warden before she said, [colour=lightseagreen][b]“I have a concerto to get to. Farewell, daughter of Hermes.”[/b][/colour]

“Farewell, Ashalla Goddess of the Ocean,” Altansarnai tipped her head again, blue strands sticking to her face.


The wind picked up again, blowing the clouds further inland, with the dark horseman following her dutifully. Soon clusters of houses and tents appeared on the plains, along with gardens and farming patches. More dreamers inhabited these houses, and Ashalla looked at each of them as she passed over, admiring her handiwork in colouring the dreamers and simply inspecting them and their homes.

Eventually, Ashalla passed the region inhabited by the dreamers and came to another ring of mountains. Unlike the first, which was quite barren, these mountains were filled with a unique ecosystem. Many varieties of mushrooms grew here, some as large as trees, and a large portion of them toxic. Chameleon squirrels and honey possums dashed for cover at the storm’s approach, and sphagnum moss flew erratically in the wind.

As Ashalla crossed the mountain range, the ecosystem changed yet again to a forest of oak and cypress. There were very few animals in this place to be startled by the storm’s arrival, for this was holy ground. In a clearing in the very center of this forest in the very center of Tendlepog was a platform of black marble. The clouds which were Ashalla gathered above the platform and spiralled around it.

[colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is the way to K’nell’s palace?”[/b][/colour] Ashalla asked the Warden, who was standing nearby.

The rider dipped a helmeted head, “That is the way.”

The clouds started to spiral faster. A cone of twisting wind and cloud stretched down from the storm and touched the black platform. White light blazed from the platform as the tornado made contact and expanded to cover the whole platform. The wind howled through the sacred grove as the dark clouds above twisted inwards towards the platform. The cloud above retracted inwards, until the last of it disappeared and the tornado imploded towards the ground. When the light of Limbo faded, sunlight fell upon the black stone from the blue sky above, and the air was calm.

[hr]
Reality folded into wrinkles all around Ashalla as color seemed to fade into non-color. Passing through these wrinkles, Ashalla witnessed an infinite number of little grains, each with an eternity of time. This portrait of what could be painted itself before Ashalla as she flew through the images of Limbo at incredible speeds -- surpassing even her greatest swimming speed. 

Ripping her attention from the grains of reality, a pulsing light called out to her -- signalling her. Ashalla flew forwards, willing herself towards the light. When she reached the light, it flared out and whiteness swallowed everything.

As color bled back into Ashalla’s vision, she found herself in an endless expanse of sea complemented with the backdrop of a crystal blue sky. The blue-green waters lapped at hexagonal pillars of ice, each growing out of the waves at different heights. Standing atop the center most pillar that stood merely three meters above the waves was K’nell. He wore his gentleman’s garb and a polite smile. With arms folded square behind his back, he tipped his head to Ashalla, “I see you have made it! Welcome.”

Ashalla’s form stretched up, a woman of water looking down at K’nell and around at the scene around them. She seemed hesitant. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Yes, hello,”[/b][/colour] she said absently, a voice like a submarine echo. A pseudopod reached up and licked K’nell. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“It’s not real,”[/b][/colour] she stated, clearly unsettled.

“And yet here we are,” K’nell smiled, “As real as can be.”

[colour=lightseagreen][b]“[i]We[/i] are real. I can taste that. This place, though…”[/b][/colour] she gestured expansively with an arm. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This must be the stuff dreams are made of.”[/b][/colour]

K’nell charmed a laugh and folded his hands over his lap, “Well, that is one way to put it for sure.” He held out a hand to the towering figure, “Would you like to join me on the ice?”

Ashalla reached out an arm which tapered into a narrow pseudopod which wrapped around K’nell’s hand. The rest of Ashalla flowed towards the pillar, and the sea rose to lap at K’nell’s shoes. Then the water bunched up in front of K’nell, and there stood Ashalla, now only a head taller than K’nell. Her torso had the shape of a woman as before, while the rest of her form flowed down and outwards like a dress which trailed off the edges of the pillar.

“Marvelous,” K’nell simply stated with a genuine smile. The gentleman turned his head out towards the horizon, where the crystal blue sky kissed the water, “Shall we begin?”

[colour=lightseagreen][b]“Yes, let us begin,”[/b][/colour] Ashalla said with a voice like a falling snowflake.

K’nell flicked his sight back to Ashalla briefly before looking back out at the horizon. Gradually the world began to dim, the sky of blue turning into a dark clearness. The water of the sea seemed to contrast the deepening sky, and the ice pillars glistened from some unseen light source. In total the orchard of pillars gently turned into an ambient glow -- but with the dim sky still overpowering. 

Letting Ashalla’s pseudopod slip from his hand, K’nell slipped a trumpet from out of thin air and tapped it to his lips. With a low, sweet tone, K’nell let out a reverberating tune, a saturating spot of deep red growing in the sky in tune with his sound. The light radiated the pillars pink, and as he switched notes, the color swapped to a soft green. Soon another trumpet joined from a different pillar, a glittering yellow appearing on the opposite side of the horizon. A ripple passed over Ashalla at the sound. She stretched out a hand and watched the colours dance through the water.

The other trumpet blasted an energetic challenge, the yellow pushing against the green. A curl formed on the edge of K’nells lips as a frollicking set of notes returned the challenge, the green swirling into the yellow. The yellow pushed back with a trotting tune, and then as the green clashed with it again -- a ripple of blue took over the center -- a sudden blast of strings erupting from the other pillars. 

The storm of strings washed over the trumpets, and a look overtook K’nell’s face. Tossing his trumpet to the ground, he tucked a violin under his chin -- a somber wave of sound turning his green a vibrant red once more. He racked his bow against the strings in a squirming call, the red battling with the loud blue of the sky as the yellow trumpet faded away. Ashalla twirled around as she stared up into the sky, watching and feeling the dance of colour and music.

With three loud racks, the red broke through the blue, shattering the concert into a sea of fluttering colors and turning the challenging string into a burst of different instruments. The blinking colors in the sky showered down as K’nell played -- the other sounds now working with their captor. A brief awed burble escaped from Ashalla.

The harmony stayed, slowly conquering the sky and turning the fluttering field into a swirl of organized color. The music dipped and rose, slowing to a nigh mystical rhythm, only to gradually quicken again. K’nell’s eyes closed in concentration and his mouth straightened, his violin leading the music on its rise -- the sound growing in volume. The strikes of the violin quickened, and the sounds of the brass loudened. K’nell let one eye slip back open, intent on Ashalla.

He sucked in a breath, and thrusted his bow dangerously across the strings of his violin with a shriek -- one of the pillars exploded into a wash of glittering orange, the music briefly dipping in surprise. Ashalla suddenly turned to look at the flare of orange but the violin was struck hard again, a different pillar bursting into a halo of purple, and then another in a burst of silver. One by one, each pillar surrounding the pair burst with the music, the sky aflame with dancing colors, with Ashalla turning to look at each one. 

K’nell brought his bow against the side of one of his strings, the vibration of the music and explosions catching in his chest as he lead the music in one final conclusion of pulsing light. The sky grew dim again as the music began to fade with each pulse of light, until the pair stood over the dim sea, with fractures of remaining color still glittering down from the explosions. Echoes of light sparkled within Ashalla’s form. As the final shard of light kissed the sea below, a soft flute edged in the distance.

With the flute rose a gentle harp, a pink hue rising in the distance. K’nell slowly smoothed his bow across his violin, bird like shapes with streaming blue tails appeared in the sky -- dancing towards the horizon. The soft harmony kept them in their playful dance, until the pink sky overtook the scene and K’nell suddenly dropped his violin.

A bench of ice grew from the pillar he stood at, and sitting upon it, an organ rose to meet his fingertips. Happy tones slipped from the pipes above, letting loose doves of bright light. The doves quickly mingled with the dancing birds of blue, creating a song of tranquility and joy. K’nell looked over at Ashalla as he played and slowly shifted to one side of his bench, one hand playing while the other offered a seat.

“Shall we be blessed with your own music?” He offered over a smile.

A surprised bubble rose through Ashalla, but she was swift to regain her composure and flowed into the spot beside K’nell. A few watery tendrils brushed over the keys of the organ, getting familiar with their feel. She glanced sideways at K’nell with a sweet smile on her aqueous lips. Then she engulfed her half of the keyboard with a pseudopod and the keys started to dance.

Ashalla’s tune found the harmonies to resonate with K’nell’s song, and the dancing birds above spun into pairs which danced along with their duet. As this rhythm set into place, a new motif slipped in beneath the other, and a ripple of yellow danced across the sky. This lively motif then surged to the fore, and the birds broke from their pairs to wheel across the sky.

The tune spun and evolved, Ashalla waving side to side in front of the organ in time with the music. As the tempo quickened, horizon was illuminated in shifting colours of orange, red, green, purple and blue. The waves in the sea picked themselves up and danced along with the music, all moving in perfect synchronicity.

A diminuendo washed through the music and the lights faded to a mellow lavender. The melody dropped from the organ, leaving the harmony to carry the music for a few beats. Then a voice like a trickling brook hummed from one direction. It was joined by a note from a voice like a light shower from another direction. A voice like rolling snow lilted over the top of the other two, light blue shading the sea. A chorus of watery voices rose from the sea to the accompaniment of the organ, colours dancing with the song in glorious synesthesia.

K’nell smiled warmly, eyes closed as he felt the music in the air and under his fingers. His mouth parted slightly, mouthing notes as he pressed them into existence. His fingers glided across the keys, the music suggesting a conclusion to Ashalla. Ashalla glanced over to K’nell, then she slipped away from the organ. The choir of her voices continued their resonant song as Ashalla glided from the pillar and twirled under the sparkling illumination of the sky.

Following her movements with accompanying notes, K’nell shifted to the center of the organ. Yellow light blossomed out from the sky above Ashalla and her voices lifted to a waltz. Her movements danced around the pillar, each arc of her dance flowing from each phrase of the music. Glittering crystals of ice spun into existence around her and split the light into a rainbow of colours. Then a voice like the rising tide joined with a counter-melody, green light pushing in from over the horizon, and another lady of water rose up on the opposite side of the pillar to Ashalla, mirroring her waltz.

Tension built in the notes as the first Ashalla danced with graceful flowing moves, only to be matched and bettered by the second Ashalla. Melody and counter-melody was passed between the two in their accelerating dance. The ocean heaved at their movement, and snow sparkled in their wakes. A red glow grew from the pillar of ice as the two Ashallas circled closer and closer, faster and faster. The ocean rose, the Ashallas stretched, and the voices became like thunder and waves. The spiralling women of water closed in around the pillar and blurred into a twisting wall of water, the world cast in a dark red as the music grew to a tumultuous fortissimo.

Then the wall of water shattered into billions of ice crystals, letting light flood back into the world and revealing a sapphire blue sky. The two Ashallas danced out from the snow together, holding each other close. They spun and moved, pausing and flowing along with the music. The strings urged them to move and spin, to stretch out and come back again. They paused when the trumpet called out. They flowed with K’nell’s notes across the organ. The two dancers traced out mesmerising patterns across the waves, with the orchestra of the Palace of Dreams following their every move.

The music ebbed and flowed, pink, yellow and green shining around the dancers. The song grew with a crescendo, and lustrous choir of Ashalla’s voices returned for the finale. A golden spotlight fell on the two Ashallas as their movements became bigger and bolder. Then one dancer flung out the other, and she spun in a great pirouette. The instruments trilled as she spun, and a spray of water flew out from her and surrounded her in a rainbow halo.

Finally she came to a stop, and the music ended with her, leaving the resonance of the sound hanging in the air.

The two Ashallas turned to look at K’nell with grins rivalling K’nell’s own. As the lighting returned to normal, Ashalla could contain her burbling no longer, and the sound of her mirth echoed across the entire seascape. 

K'nell clapped his hands, a chuckle following each resounding applause, "Marvelous, simply marvelous!"

The two Ashallas moved side by side and took a deep bow as K’nell applauded. Then the two Ashallas merged into each other and became one woman of water of a height closer to Ashalla’s original size. Her burbling grew as she said, [colour=lightseagreen][b]“You were marvellous too, K’nell!”[/b][/colour]

"Well thank you," K'nell feigned a bashful grin, "Really there isn't enough of such events as these to go around, and fewer to invite to. Your company has been a diamond."

[colour=lightseagreen][b]“Indeed. This has been the most beautiful concert I have ever witnessed, orchestrated by your own incredible artistry. Oh how I wish to give Galbar even a slither of the wonder which happened here today.”[/b][/colour] Ashalla’s burbling continued unabated. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Perhaps we could do this again some time.”[/b][/colour]

"I certainly hope you do," K'nell waved a hand as he dismissed the organ back into the ice. Turning his full attention to Ashalla he smiled, "And who knows, perhaps some day we might."

Ashalla smiled back, and eventually the burbling subsided. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“I should return to Galbar soon - dreams don’t last forever.”[/b][/colour]

"Who says?" K'nell suggested.

Ashalla smirked. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Perhaps for you they can. Yet how can I bring this beauty back to Galbar if I do not go?”[/b][/colour]

"My lady, you have persuaded me," K'nell stood up from his bench, "But at least grant me the single honor of teaching you something before you depart."

[colour=lightseagreen][b]“Of course, K’nell.”[/b][/colour]

K'nell took a step forward and held out his hand. He spoke a simple word that held no real meaning and as he did, a gentle wisp of light curled in his palm. He looked up from it and at Ashalla, "Sleep." He said, "If you wish to know how, just take it from my hand."

Ashalla looked at the wisp, a frown forming on her face. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Sleep, the regular period of unconsciousness required by fleshy beings to reverse the weakness of their tiredness. Why would I wish for that?”[/b][/colour]

"Color me selfish," K'nell's fingers curled slightly over the wisp, his voice toned with a drop of sorrow, "I guess I just don't want some dreams to end." 

A pseudopod reached out and brushed K’nell’s cheek. A rumble purred through Ashalla’s form. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Yet if I live my existence in a dream, then I won’t ever do anything real,”[/b][/colour] she said as softly as a snowflake.

Ashalla then drew back. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“I will always cherish the memories, though.”[/b][/colour]

"So will I," K'nell agreed softly, his fingers coming together.


[hider=Summary]
Ashalla finds a message in a bottle. It’s an invitation from K’nell, inviting her to a concerto.

Ashalla flies through Tendlepog. On the way, she meets Altansarnai. Ashalla asks how Hermes has been.

Ashalla dives through Limbo into the Palace of Dreams. She arrives into a dreamscape of water and ice, with K’nell there.

K’nell presents a concert of music, colour and synesthesia.

At the end of their time together, K'nell offers Ashalla the ability to sleep, but she refuses.
[/hider]