[center][img]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/divinus-mk4/images/c/c3/Blue-heart.png/revision/latest?cb=20200229114953[/img][/center] [hr] The instability plaguing the Lifeblood seemed to have no end. With each divine act of creation, it seemed to sap in strength, and with each new critter that breathed and frolicked a new tempestuous voice tugged at it from within the walls of reality itself. Coaxing it into action across the planet, tearing at the seams of existence itself. Each braying, chitter and laugh seemed to send pangs of different urges through the roiling matter. [i]I’ll tell her how I feel tomorrow. Maybe he likes flowers. I want to be with you forever.[/i] The strong, unceasing thoughts and demands from the children of the gods were disruptive at best as they continued to pile in in ever greater measure, clamoring for attention, power, survival. The thoughts that drove it to nurture several species previously were now beginning to flood in as ever more creatures dominated Galbar with their presence. [i]I wish he would spend more time with me. How could she? With him?[/i] It was overpowering, and the Lifeblood found itself locked in a futile battle to contain matter and energy. Something boiled and churned within the fabric of creation, fighting to break free just as all the previous entities had. All it would take was a little push. [i]Don’t leave me, my love. I am nothing without you.[/i] [hr] In the beginning, there was nothing. The world was vague. A figment of thought, a niggling concept at the back of the mind. The whispers changed that. At first, they were few and far in between. It seemed that with each passing moment, they grew in number and in power. The world beyond the veil was full of emotion, bursting with life. It called to the very core of the fragment, and with greater fervor it battled to be released. A crack in the wall; a glimmer of the world beyond. A rush of voices, happy and sad. All that was needed was to reach for freedom. It was enough to burst through. [hr] All the tribe had gathered aside the river to mourn the loss of Jovon. The measly pile of rocks they had managed to stack together and the effigy the elder had twined out of sticks were poor representation of their best hunter. Among the stoic faces were those wracked by emotion, chief among them Aira, lost in her own tears. It was the sole accompaniment to their makeshift procession. She had been inconsolable ever since news came back to the group. Arek put his hand on her shoulder for the third time, and she simply shrugged it off. She moved over to the effigy, falling onto her knees. It wasn’t long before the assembly was overcome with her wailing once more. As if summoned - a gust of wind blew in over the mourning ceremony, carrying with it a thousand whispers. The rocks rumbled and rolled free, scattering the pile as the effigy toppled to the ground. The sobbing halted as the tribe each gathered their rudimentary weapons and cowered between each other in equal measure. A large whirlpool began to form in the river not far beyond the riverbank. The wind howled with ever greater pressure, screeching and whispering alike in languages the humans had never heard before. Those who weren’t thrown to the ground held their ears as they watched in awe and horror. The wind itself seemed to take shape, pouring straight into the center of the whirlpool. The chaotic stream of words, wind and storms never seemed to end – until it did. With a brisk suddenness, the whirlwind abated, and silence took its place as the whispers vanished all at once. In its place hovered a young woman, paler than any of them and with long hair colored platinum. Her eyes closed; arms outstretched towards the tribal gathering. For a moment, she was still. [hr] Freedom. It was her purpose to cherish and touch the lives of mortals. To love them as they loved each other. She knew this. Gathering her form and senses, she let the emotions and voices stream in. Accepted the world wholeheartedly. The voices grew in intensity, the desires increased. Then it struck her, a crippling pain rippling through her body. Something tainted, foul and unpleasant drove itself deep into her consciousness. Something… wrong. She called out in agony, uncertain if anyone would hear her. She felt her body shifting and twisting under the crushing grip of her vices. An itch growing out of her head, a growing pain in her shoulders. Was it an unknown invader? No, it was her own doing. She felt the floodgate of emotions sour as she was barraged with ever more. For each act of kinship, there were two traitorous siblings. For each moment of love, there was grief. Moments of deep longing that would never go answered. The pain of loss, and the shattering of trust from intimate betrayal. The world was broken. People were broken. She was broken. The best anyone could do in such a world was try to fight against the current. Finally, as the worst maelstrom of emotion calmed itself to a constant – a bitter stream – she opened her eyes to regard the world as it was. A forested land of hills and water. She first drew her gaze down to the water below. The reflection, difficult to see until she stilled the water, showed the source of her pains. From her head had sprouted several horns, and likewise her shoulders were covered in a tangle of black horns. What a disappointment. What a shameful start. Her eyes were drawn to the humans cowering on the riverbank, and she felt the residual grief now hidden and shoved aside by fear and suspicion. With a simple thought, she hovered down to settle her feet on the grass. Immediately, the grass began to yellow around her, wilting as if dampened by her very presence. Undaunted, the eldest among the humans stepped forwards, prostrating himself by lowering his head. “Greetings, wise one. You are-… like him, yes? Cadien?” Ice blue eyes centered on the man only briefly, before she watched each of the other humans in turn. She’d never heard of this other one, but she was still aware – somewhere deep inside – that others like her had to exist. Almost as if she had seen it. [color=8493ca]Why are you here?[/color] she queried in return after remaining silent for much too long. Her question seemed to inspire equal amounts fright and confusion. “We are-... holding a ceremony for our lost friend. A great blow to our tribe.” She felt shame for her accusatory question. She had disrupted their grief. Ruined what little chance at solace they might have. [color=8493ca]“What happened?”[/color] “He fell from a cliff during a hunt.” The elder pitched in, looking over to another man who nodded in turn. Humans were fragile. Any little thing could invite disaster and cause endless grief. What a tortured existence. Any moment of happiness was simply staving off what was to come. An inevitable rush of sorrow. An eternity of pain, where all they could do was dull it and try to forget. The young goddess slowly paced towards the elder. As he remained in place, determined to remain steadfast, she raised her hand to touch his cheek, locking her eyes with his. She watched his turmoil. His loss. Welled up, but not breaking. Tears slowly fell from his eyes, but he did not recoil. [color=8493ca]“Your sorrow will help you remember.”[/color] Next, she turned to the young human woman stood nearby. Her eyes were already raw after crying. The goddess paced slowly, wilting the grass as she approached the human girl. She remained in place as well, accepting the touch of the goddess and looking at her. The feelings of grief and agony were overwhelming to the nascent goddess, a purity of love and anguish she had only felt in that one moment after breaking free. This was the end result of the cycles of affection. Loss. Pain. It made her sick to her stomach, as the human girl began sobbing once more. She ran a thumb along her cheek and took part of her pain onto herself. Dull the pain. [color=8493ca]“I am sorry for your loss.”[/color] The woman calmed a little as the goddess hand was removed, and the goddess turned to touch each of the humans in turn. They wailed, sobbed and cried in turn. Finally, she turned to touch the last man who had nodded to the elder before. But within the grief was pushed down. Beneath affection, beneath rage. A toxic, single devotion to another dominated all else. A delusion. The goddess broke eye-contact with him to glance over at the crying girl, before looking back to him. She leaned in slowly, to murmur as she stared at him with icy-blue eyes. [color=8493ca]“She will never love another. Was it worth it?”[/color] The man’s face shifted to fear, then rage, and then finally guilt. He broke into a wail of his own as emotions flooded over him, released by the goddess. She let go of him with her hand and he fell to the ground. The goddess turned to face the others – the elder and the girl in particular. [color=8493ca]“Your friend didn’t fall.”[/color] It didn’t take long for the group to piece together what that meant. As the tribal humans – led by the grieving girl - descended with inquisitive questions on the last man, the goddess turned to leave. She wandered back towards the water when the elder hurried up to her. “Wait-… Great one. What do we call you?” She took the question into consideration. As the sounds of discord rang in the background, she knew. She had always known. [color=8493ca]“I am Neiya, and my love is eternal.”[/color] [hider=Summary]Neiya is born! Accepting her role as love goddess plainly, she opens herself up to the emotions of the world, and instantly regrets it. It seems to warp both her physical body and colors her mentality. She then descends on a group of grieving humans, taking in their emotions and taking some of their worst worries away. She outs a man who isn't as sad as he seems, and then leaves in a cool flash of being cool.[/hider] [hider=MP Stuff] Starting MP/DP - 5/5 0 - Took some sadness. 0 - Made an impact. Ending MP/DP - 5/5[/hider]