[centre][img]https://i.imgur.com/9Iopafo.png[/img] [b][sub]LORD of the DEATH-ROAD | WATCHER | DEATHDART | SHEPHERD of SOULS | MASTER of the SCALES of JUSTICE SOVEREIGN of the AFTERWORLD | LORD of SOULS[/sub][/b] & [color=deepskyblue][h1]Chailiss[/h1][/color][/centre] [hr] [centre]Blinding Love[/centre] On the Eternal Field of Champions, beneath the Tree of Knowledge, in the tree-hollow leading to the Chamber of Weighing and Judgement, sat the creator and sustainer of all souls, the Lord of the Death-Road, and the Master of the Scales of Justice. Voi the Deathdart, face of darkness hidden beneath his hood and eyes of blue light gazing into distances beyond mere sight, neither sighed nor wept for Mish-Cheechel the Avenger or Zima the Zimmer. Though the likes of Mish-Cheechel were blinded by the likes of Phelenia to the true source of all mortal suffering, Voi was in no way blind. “This, too, will pass. That’s how it is.” The god murmured, looking away and rubbing a gloved hand across the inside of the hollow. When he next lifted his gaze, it was to find his long-awaited visitor approaching. [color=deepskyblue]“You are not easy to find, Voi.”[/color] Chailiss spoke, as he flew across the expanse that separated them. Voi stood as the other god approached. “And yet you have found me, brother.” Chailiss wore the guise of his true form, but much smaller, before that too changed as he landed by the Tree of Knowledge. He took on the form of a man, cloaked in white with icy eyes. He approached Voi and stopped at a respectable distance, before bowing. [color=deepskyblue]“I apologize for coming unannounced, but I have need of you in this my troubling time.”[/color] The Sovereign of the Afterworld approached the Warden of Winter and the world shifted momentarily. When it returned to normalcy, two cushioned curule chairs had appeared and Voi gestured for the other god to make himself comfortable. “Be seated, brother, and steel your kind young heart. Sorrows never come by their lonesome, but march in endless legions to strike the grieved heart low. That’s how it is. But whatever it is that troubles you, I will aid you in what way I can.” And so saying, Voi sat down and leaned forward, his blue pinpricks staring attentively at the winter god. The winter god looked around after finding the world about them so subtly changed. His attention soon after fell back upon Voi and he sat down, leaning forward as well. He crossed his fingers together and laid his chin upon them as he spoke. [color=deepskyblue]“You are kind to a strange kinsgod of yours. It does me good to see that and I thank you for it. First I must ask you, what is this place we are in? Long did I travel in this underworld of yours, seeing and hearing many things but none of those places were quite like this.”[/color] Voi looked around and then nodded. “It is true, this place is different. It is not a place of trial, like those that come before it, and it is not a place of judgement, like that which comes after it. This is the Field of Champions, where the weapons of the worthy are laid down after a long journey, and where preparations for judgement are made. Mortalkind has yet to learn, however, and so none have yet passed through here on their way - save two, but that is quite another matter.” He turned his gaze on the enormous tree. “And this is the Tree of Knowledge. Questions come here for an answer.” The god turned his face back to Chailiss. “I never thought that even divine questions would be answered here, but here we are.” Chailiss raised an eyebrow. [color=deepskyblue]“Then I am the first of our kind to be here?”[/color] “That you are,” Voi affirmed, “although there was one divine interloper some time back. He came by a rather unconventional back route of sorts, which I have not been able to replicate. You are the first [i]here[/i] though, yes. You honour me.” [color=deepskyblue]“Honor…”[/color] Chailiss frowned slightly at the word before moving on. [color=deepskyblue]“And I am honored to be had. Though, I suppose what you say isn’t too surprising. Only few care for what happens when the living die. Others do not, or are obsessed with stopping it completely. Others… they would seek the doom of everything. Do you know who the interloper was?”[/color] Voi was quiet for a thoughtful moment. “I… do know, yes. He is the one known to bjorkkind as the Singing Maker; our drunken brother, Jiugui. Why do you ask?” [color=deepskyblue]“Simple curiosity I suppose.”[/color] Chailiss gave a small smile. Voi chuckled. “I can appreciate that. I too am rather the curious sort. Our brother Jiugui is… quite entertaining.” [color=deepskyblue]“I know nothing of him besides his name and the impression he left upon the bjork. A drunken god… who would have thought?”[/color] He leaned back and crossed his arms. [color=deepskyblue]“You did say two others, mortals, had visited this place? Who were they, might I ask?”[/color] “There is no need to hide it, I suppose.” Voi enunciated slowly. “They came together, and tried to leave together too, but…” he did not quite sigh, but rather simply paused. “It was Mish-Cheechel, the manbjork whose people you buried sometime back,” the god did not bother to explain how he knew this, but continued, “alongside one of yours, going by the name of Zima.” The other god’s eyes lit up and he sat straight. [color=deepskyblue]“Zima? Zima is the name she chose for herself? Zima…”[/color] he smiled. [color=deepskyblue]“It is a good name, I am glad to hear it.”[/color] But his smile faltered and with a sigh he looked to Voi once more, [color=deepskyblue]“What happened, Voi? Where is she?”[/color] “Mish-Cheechel happened, brother. She stood right here,” he gestured to a spot right before the tree hollow, “one step away from the promise of eternal bliss.” He leaned forward. “She could have been happy. That’s what she wanted, she said as much. But…” he sat back, “she thought to go try find happiness with Mish-Cheechel - and Mish-Cheechel is many things, but happy he will never be and happiness he’ll never bring.” He looked down. “I guess love blinds us to what stands in plain sight. That’s how it is.” The blue pinpricks beneath his hood flickered momentarily, but then returned. “So they took the path back to life together - and I told them that way lies pain, but they did not heed me. I told them that they had chosen to go together and had best keep to that, else their pain would blossom into true suffering. That’s how it happened. They did not keep together brother, what am I to do? Go look at them now.” Chailiss stood, fists balled. A cold mask spread out over his face. [color=deepskyblue]“What has befallen my daughter, Voi? What has this Mish-Cheechel brought upon her? Why would she listen to him? Why?”[/color] He sighed, utterly defeated, and sank back into his chair. [color=deepskyblue]“No. You are right. Love does blind us all. It would blind me to rage but my heart cannot take more violence against any for a long time, if ever.”[/color] He leaned forward, grief splayed out on his face now. [color=deepskyblue]“Please Voi, please tell me. What has become of my daughter? What have you done to her? Please.”[/color] “Not I, Chailiss, not I. They did this to themselves. Don’t seek her out, it will only mount pain on your pain. If in time she can overcome her suffering, she will find you. Of that I have no doubt.” He slid from the chair and bent on one knee before the other god. “Don’t ask me again, because I will not withhold it from you. Just know that if you do, the answer will do nothing but inflame your pain. There is no need, trust me on this.” The other god’s eyes became downcast as he gave Voi a small nod. [color=deepskyblue]“Apologies for assuming… I do trust you, Voi. But I do not have the luxury of being oblivious to the plight and pain of one so dear to me. As her cre- Father. Love, after all…”[/color] he gave a weary smile, [color=deepskyblue]“so tell me, please.”[/color] The Lord of Souls rose and returned to his seat, head bent pensively. “Your daughter has become something neither completely living nor entirely dead, cast from the underworld to wander the material plane. I can’t say if she knows who or what she is anymore, or whether she can even feel. Where she goes, no good feelings remain and all is suffering and discord. She [i]is[/i] suffering and discord. That’s how it is, brother - I told them, ‘do not go there, do not walk there, there is only pain there,’ but they did not heed me. That’s how it is; that’s how it will be until she awakens to the truth of suffering. None can save her but herself, no one can and no one may; she herself must walk the way.” The god brought a hand to his face and said nothing for several minutes… until at last he rose from his feet. His eyes were raw. He had never looked so haggard as he was now, and sorrow was his expression. [Color=Deepskyblue]“Thank you for telling me. Even if she can’t be helped by another, it is my duty to at least ensure she cannot harm others. I must go now, before it is too late. Your hospitality, despite the heavy news, was a pleasure, Voi.”[/color] He began to leave but stopped. [Color=deepskyblue]“Homura will seek you out soon. She wanted Zima as a witness to stand trial for attempted murder, to be reprimanded. I don't think she’ll get that wish but I thought you should know to expect another.”[/color] Voi did not say anything for a few moments, but then nodded slightly to Chailiss. “I will expect her.” As Chailiss began to walk away, Voi spoke up again. “Though, brother, there are surely many witnesses. What crime is this?” He turned to Voi. [color=deepskyblue]“Phelenia will be called to answer for her needless murder against the bjork. I’m sure you will be of most help to Homura when she comes asking for witnesses.”[/color] Voi’s blue eyes flickered. “Hmm, odd indeed. What need is there for witnesses when the perpetrator has not denied the deed? Because that’s how it is. Perhaps..,” he glanced up at Chailiss, “well, it would be cynical to say it, but maybe there is another matter she seeks me for, which she has withheld from you. I will expect her in any case.” [color=deepskyblue]“I am sure Homura can fill you in on all she needs. Her mind is alien to me.”[/color] Chailiss continued on his walk and Voi walked after him. “I’ll walk with you a while. You seemed rather a little… off when I mentioned honour earlier. Is there something you hold against Homura?” He glanced at Chailiss with twinkling eyes, “other than what is known, of course.” [color=deepskyblue]“That goddess thinks that everything is a perversion of what it should be. That nature is an abomination that cannibalized upon itself, that death has no place in the cycle. That all of the mortals should be kept upon her sacred path. I can make no sense of it no matter how many times I listen. She has offered me the chance to kill her upon every occasion we have met if I thought she would fall down a darker path. The most frightening thing about it is that she is serious.”[/color] Voi glanced at his brother as they walked. “If Homura is anything, she is passionate. When first we met she created her spear - Daybreaker she called it - and pointed it at me, pressed it right here,” he tapped his chest, “things could have gone rather awry if I were the angry sort.” He paused thoughtfully. “She spoke to me of war then, asked me what I would do when war came. I guess that says something about her - always looking ahead, always preparing for the worst. Always seeing the worst. You need gods like that, they’re the ones who come through when everything goes wrong. That’s how it is. It might mean she misspeaks sometimes - what, with her eyes so fixed on distant disasters - but it should not be held against her. She just cares very deeply. That’s how it is, brother.” The god looked heavenward. “I doubt she meant what you think she did about death. She knows the importance of balance to me, the importance of life and death to me - to all things. She is passionate, that’s all.” After a few seconds, he looked at the other god with twinkling eyes. “Did you see how she dances? It is beyond beautiful.” [color=deepskyblue]“You speak highly of her. I cannot say I have seen her dance. Perhaps you could ask to dance with her when she comes? Might do her good to take her mind off things for a time.”[/color] Chailiss mused, causing Voi to chuckle awkwardly. [color=deepskyblue]“But regardless, I am sure you will find out exactly what she means and what she doesn’t mean when she seeks you out. Passionate or not, maybe if it comes to it, you can reason with her where others have failed.”[/color] Chailiss looked straight ahead as he spoke, arms at his side in a slow pace. “W-well.” The Lord of Souls mumbled. “I’ll do what I can. She’s not bad. And you’re not either.” He fiddled with his grey gloves. “Do you think-” he stopped himself. “Ah, no, that’s stupid.” He cleared his throat. “But speaking of dancing, it appears that a certain other dancer has managed to find her way north, and is not in a good way at all. Our sister Rosalind even now bleeds her life out in your domains. You should see to her.” Chailiss stopped in his tracks and peered down at Voi out of the corner of his eye. [color=deepskyblue]“Why is it that such sorrow strikes my heartland?”[/color] He then fully turned to Voi. [color=deepskyblue]“How are you certain of this?”[/color] Voi glanced at Chailiss then shrugged slightly. “There were witnesses, and word reached me. Now I don’t know if a god can bleed to death, but she will be finding out if something is not done soon. That’s how it is.” [color=deepskyblue]“A few of our kin have already passed… But Zima…”[/color] His eyes became downcast as he wrestled with the decision. [color=deepskyblue]“You said Zima would wander… Then I hope I will be able to find her before she does something terrible. Now,”[/color] he placed a hand on Voi’s shoulder, [color=deepskyblue]“where is Rosalind?”[/color] Voi raised his gloved hand and snapped his fingers, causing a gyrating wisp to form up before them, which slowly took on the shape of a small bird of swirling blue flame. “My little friend here will show you to her.” The blue bird hovered in the air before them, then beat its ethereal wings of flame and shot off. “Godspeed, Chailiss.” He looked to the bird, then to Voi. [color=deepskyblue]“Thank you, may we meet again on happier tides.”[/color] He let go of the god and began to shift into his divine form, becoming snow, but his voice echoed ever on to his fellow god, [color=deepskyblue]“you know more than most that life is fleeting. Ask her to a dance,”[/color] before the snowflakes became a distant orb and the god of cold was gone. The Lord of Souls watched his brother leave with eyes of widened blue, then chuckled and shook his head. “Clever snowman.” [hr] [list][*][hider=Summary] -Chailiss arrives in the Field of Champions and visits with Voi. The two gods discuss many things and questions are answered. -Eventually their talk arrives upon Zima and Mish and after some prodding and reassurances, Voi tells them the fate of his daughter. This devastates Chailiss and he makes a move to go after her and at least contain her. -Voi travels with him for a time and they talk of Homura, the need for witnesses and love. Voi eventually tells Chailiss that Rosalind is bleeding out in his own realm. Coupled with a dire choice, Chailiss decides to go bring aid to Rosa, noting that Zima will have to be by herself for a time. -Chailiss leaves Voi on good terms and tells the Soul God to ask Homura for a dance when she arrives to visit him. [/hider] [*][hider=VIGOR] Chailiss [indent]1 (gains +1 for Yolly week) None spent[/indent] =2 vigor Voi 3 Vigour [indent]--Create the Eternal Field of Champions - A great field of grass, earth, and knolls, at the centre of which stands the enormous Tree of Knowledge. All souls who are armed with weapons and armours to protect them along the Death-Road and through the Trials ultimately end up here. This is the place they shed all their equipment and magics so as to move on to the final judgement in the Chamber of Judgement and Weighing. These weapons and armours can be found littered across the Fields, and any living person mad enough to brave the underworld may be able to find their way here and claim a mighty prize. This is a permanent divine quest that any living non-divine can take. --Create the Tree of Knowledge - A tree of enormous size in which is an equally great hollow. Anyone who wishes to pose a question to the Lord of Souls, or is after some form of knowledge that has evaded them in the world of the living, can come here in pursuit of it. Those who complete the divine quest to reach the Eternal Field may opt for a philosophy or certain technology as a prize, as opposed to arms and armour from the Fields.[/indent] [/hider][/list]