Serpent of Flame The Warming Heart The Burning Goddess The Inferno Incarnate
╔═══╗ Heat ╚═══╝
Heat. The transfers of energy between systems or objects from high to low energy. A description that lacks a spirit or character to the interaction. An invaluable tool or fact, that is something many can agree on, yet they too lack understanding in the essence that Yoliyachicoztl knows so well.
Heat is energy and transfers, yes, but it’s the warmth for life, the boiling water, the sweltering rays, and the molten stone. It’s the cooking pot’s savior and the dry forest’s doom. Heat has no bearing on your drive, what is good or evil, it is energy that doesn’t seek to spread, it simply does. Yoliyachicoztl keeps no reservations or easy personifications, she knows it to be elemental, unfeeling, uncaring, incorruptible. There is no thought, nor desire. Heat that burns the hand and flesh, and saves another from the biting cold, lets the plants grow as they were meant to, and drives them to flame.
In a practical sense of what Yoliyachicoztl does is quite simple in form, but its applications are many. In short, control over heat, its generation, and transfer. But importantly not its destruction or removal. In practice, this can be as simple as heating an object, to the potential protecting an object or person from being too cold or hot by drawing or dumping heat into the surrounding. Heating a forest till it bursts into flames, or diverting the energy of a lava flow away from a village. A stone that ever provides heat, lava, and magma flows heated to perfection and the insight and power to protect and allow life to flourish under the hottest situations. Heat is energy, and as such has wide and far-ranging applications from the simplest of things that may lead to great changes.
A boon of heat may provide the foundations for a deep lightless ecosystem, or an ever hot stone the beginning of cooking, fire, and metallurgy. Life that can live and thrive in the hottest of environs protected and benefitting from the heat where others would crumple and burn. Heat and Earth are a Volcano’s parents, and deep underearth heat allows the solid deep stone and metal flow, passages for those who love the warmth more than any surface temperature may allow in normal times. Heat properly applied has applications a thousand or a million fold.
╔═════╗ Persona ╚═════╝
Sweet, caring, kind, thoughtful, bland, indifferent, and calm. These words are not often used to describe Yoliyachicoztl. Given the opportunity to describe herself, she acknowledges that she is impassioned and spirited. However, truly knowing deeply the goddess, it’s not so much that she has such a strong drive and goal that needs to dominate over all others. Rather, she holds something close to her that must be protected, reached for, a golden paradise that she can feel but not know.
Others drive her mad in how they cannot see, they cannot feel how she can get closer to that goal, that perfect world she knows she can reach. She doesn’t know how, or what it is, just the feeling that it’s there, that she can each and almost touch it. To bring forth heat and more, to get just a bit closer. Perfection drives her closer and closer but she doesn’t know how to reach it. There is no grand plan, there is only action, forward-reaching driving above and beyond what came before, what failed to get there.
To others, to those who can’t see inside her mind, know what she can feel in the deepest core of self, it doesn’t always look pretty, productive, or always sane. Some call her ill-tempered or ungovernable or uncontrollable. Perhaps that may even be fair at times, but she knows she is right, that she just has to reach that perfect golden time and they will see what she could feel all along.
╔══════╗ True Form ╚══════╝
Although for many reasons a deity may take many forms, a true form in some else. For Yoliyachicoztl a serpent of heat, such ponderous energy dragging along materials she moves through, the earth and molten stone gives her the appearance of a lava serpent, the water boils and steams, the air turns to plasma and fiery burning. Regardless, the form itself merely impacts these things, not of them inherent. She moves constantly in this form, more so than she does in almost every other instance, giving the impression of this serpentine movement and evasion. More so this form is often quite a large serpent of heat as so described. Often this form may be seemingly cataclysmic in relatively low-energy places such as the surface of [redacted].
Generally, when out and around she takes a smaller form or one less disruptive such as some mortal guise or another less eye-catching view. Her true form is usually impactful, a large wave of intense and unyielding heat can cause many things to melt and burn just passing through.
Serpent of Flame The Warming Heart The Burning Goddess The Inferno Incarnate
╔═══╗ Heat ╚═══╝
Heat. The transfers of energy between systems or objects from high to low energy. A description that lacks a spirit or character to the interaction. An invaluable tool or fact, that is something many can agree on, yet they too lack understanding in the essence that Yoliyachicoztl knows so well.
Heat is energy and transfers, yes, but it’s the warmth for life, the boiling water, the sweltering rays, and the molten stone. It’s the cooking pot’s savior and the dry forest’s doom. Heat has no bearing on your drive, what is good or evil, it is energy that doesn’t seek to spread, it simply does. Yoliyachicoztl keeps no reservations or easy personifications, she knows it to be elemental, unfeeling, uncaring, incorruptible. There is no thought, nor desire. Heat that burns the hand and flesh, and saves another from the biting cold, lets the plants grow as they were meant to, and drives them to flame.
In a practical sense of what Yoliyachicoztl does is quite simple in form, but its applications are many. In short, control over heat, its generation, and transfer. But importantly not its destruction or removal. In practice, this can be as simple as hearing an object, to the potential protecting an object or person from being too cold or hot by drawing or dumping heat into the surrounding. Heating a forest till it bursts into flames, or diverting the energy of a lava flow away from a village. A stone that ever provides heat, lava, and magma flows heated to perfection and the insight and power to protect and allow life to flourish under the hottest situations. Heat is energy, and as such has wide and far-ranging applications from the simplest of things that may lead to great changes.
A boon of heat may provide the foundations for a deep lightless ecosystem, or an ever hot stone the beginning of cooking, fire, and metallurgy. Life that can live and thrive in the hottest of environs protected and benefitting from the heat where others would crumple and burn. Heat and Earth are a Volcano’s parents, and deep underearth heat allows the solid deep stone and metal flow, passages for those who love the warmth more than any surface temperature may allow in normal times. Heat properly applied has applications a thousand or a million fold.
╔═════╗ Persona ╚═════╝
Sweet, caring, kind, thoughtful, bland, indifferent, and calm. These words are not often used to describe Yoliyachicoztl. Given the opportunity to describe herself, she acknowledges that she is impassioned and spirited. However, truly knowing deeply the goddess, it’s not so much that she has such a strong drive and goal that needs to dominate over all others. Rather, she holds something close to her that must be protected, reached for, a golden paradise that she can feel but not know.
Others drive her mad in how they cannot see, they cannot feel how she can get closer to that goal, that perfect world she knows she can reach. She doesn’t know how, or what it is, just the feeling that it’s there, that she can each and almost touch it. To bring forth heat and more, to get just a bit closer. Perfection drives her closer and closer but she doesn’t know how to reach it. There is no grand plan, there is only action, forward-reaching driving above and beyond what came before, what failed to get there.
To others, to those who can’t see inside her mind, know what she can feel in the deepest core of self, it doesn’t always look pretty, productive, or always sane. Some call her ill-tempered or ungovernable or uncontrollable. Perhaps that may even be fair at times, but she knows she is right, that she just has to reach that perfect golden time and they will see what she could feel all along.
╔══════╗ True Form ╚══════╝
Although for many reasons a deity may take many forms, a true form in some else. For Yoliyachicoztl a serpent of heat, such ponderous energy dragging along materials she moves through, the earth and molten stone gives her the appearance of a lava serpent, the water boils and steams, the air turns to plasma and fiery burning. Regardless, the form itself merely impacts these things, not of them inherent. She moves constantly in this form, more so than she does in almost every other instance, giving the impression of this serpentine movement and evasion. More so this form is often quite a large serpent of heat as so described. Often this form may be seemingly cataclysmic in relatively low-energy places such as the surface of [redacted].
Generally, when out and around she takes a smaller form or one less disruptive such as some mortal guise or another less eye-catching view. Her true form is usually impactful, a large wave of intense and unyielding heat can cause many things to melt and burn just passing through.
Traveling along the eastern peeks of the mountains was far more peaceable than her journey south or even the meeting on the highest peak. The Su’une was shining, they had started curving northward again a while back, she had some interest to see how they went as the lands up here were really quite a bit more interesting than your usual affair. Fungal lands, shining Su’une, terror moon in the sky, all a bit more than the usual thi-
That last one was definitely new, its light was all wrong and definitely not a reflection of the Su’une. The contemplation of this led to an almost collision with one of those eastern peaks which prompted the probably wise decision to set down and do a bit more exploring of interest on foot, or at least closer and less mid-mountain flying.
The lands were certainly strange, fungi dominated, even upon the trees they lived. Yet, the strange sights would not stop there, within one of the valleys sat a strange group of creatures. They seemed to be made of bones formed into strange skeletons, upon their head were animal-like skulls, from big cats to deer to boars to even bulls. The group was currently sat around a small campfire, a few sacks surrounding them.
Down Ze’kelia swooped, the strange and lively lands were interesting, but people living within it would no doubt be more so. Bones and campfires, sacks and animal like skulls. There was much to talk and to know it seemed.
She landed a fair distance away, she made herself shine noticeably and called out to the group, spreading her arms to show her openness, ”Hello there! May I approach and take part of your good fire, warmth and light?”
She briefly paused raising her hand not carrying the light spear, now a basket held there, ”I come bearing gifts!” Down Ze’kelia swooped, the strange and lively lands were interesting, but people living within it would no doubt be more so. Bones and campfires, sacks and animal like skulls. There was much to talk and to know it seemed.
The beings looked quite shocked at her sudden appearance, gazing up and down upon her and the basket in her hand. A being, their head akin to that of a Jaguars, finally spoke. “And who might you be?” Their voice near monotone and equally as grating.
She smiled warmly within closed lips as she replied, ”Ze’kelia, Goddess of Light and maker of the Su’une,” she lifted her spear to point it out in the sky, “And who are you? Such an interesting group in such an interesting place!”
Still she kept apart, not having been invited to approach, but lazily walking at a distance as she spoke to them.
The group looked up to where her spear pointed, before turning their attention back to her. “Ah so you’re the one who made it? Well many thanks to ya”. The Jaguar headed one spoke, “As for us, we’re Azrath, I personally am Xeth, leader of this band.” They gestured to the others, who kept seated upon the grassy floor of the valley.
”Well met Xeth the Azrath, may I approach? I admit handing off a gift is difficult at a distance.”
She stood facing them once again, her wings twitched briefly before folding once more behind her. ”I assure you I only wish to know more about you, the Azrath and how you came to be, such a fascinating people, and so clever and good of you to keep a fire going for sure!”
Xeth nodded “Aye, you can join us,” they gestured to a spot empty in the circle the group had. “Wouldn’t mind the company”
Smiling again she stepped forward joining the circle in the empty spot. She reached out holding the basket off to one of the Azrath as she spoke,”What’s all your story then? What is your side to the tale that ends in us meeting here at your fire?”
The Azrath took it, setting it gently next to the sacks by them. Xeth thought for a moment, before speaking. “Well, to keep it short: we are not from here, we come from another land, one we had to flee in order to survive, less we die. Our leader, Valix, led us to this new land” They gestured once more, this time to the trees around them. “There, we met this other being, Alzria is her name, another goddess i believe, she took us in, gave us a home, and so, here we are, foraging for supplies for our new home.” The others nodded solemnly along.
Ze’kelia nodded to his words before replying, ”A valiant people so ready to seek out a better life in such dangerous times. I must admit I would love to meet this Alzria, but first I would ask you, what do you lack?”
”I mean it simply, what would you search for that you wish to have?”
Xeth thought for a good moment, looking at the other Azrath and speaking in hushed tones to get their opinion, finally, they spoke. “In truth, it’d be great to have some, more game around, the local fauna is fine, but nothing that really, pops out you know?”
Ze’kelia thought for a moment finally replying, ”I think that’s quite manageable, I’ll avoid something too fancy I think and go for something suitable and simple enough that suits your needs. What should you want from a kind or kinds of creatures? Need you furs? Meats? Fats? All and more?”
“Meat and Fats would be preferable, the furs we have down.” Xeth replied, the others nodding in agreement, they continued “Though I do not know how we’ll repay you for doing us such a favor.”
Ze’kelia nodded at his words before turning her head in askance at his last ones, replying she spoke, ”Do not worry so much about repaying this to me, focus on eachother and doing good there.”
She pointed her spear towards the fire speaking again, ”Bring forward light with you and keep it dearly. Keep others warm and yourselves, be good. Try to do that in full earnestness and you will have repaid me.”
She then turned without waiting for a reply, from her spear shot light forth out over the grass and a distance aways shapes too form and fled. Small ones that scales reflected the light, larger ones that walked with many long legs before tendrils grabbed and lifted themselves up into the fungal forest, and large slow beasts, armored and greedily sucking up the grasses.
The light dimmed and she turned back saying briefly, “Three to keep it interesting, lizards are good for a short meal and some of the larger ones once they grow a bit might have some pretty scales. The fungal crawlers have a good amount of meat on them, but be careful hunting them alone, a good partner at least if it tries to wrap you up. And the beasties eating up the grass over there,” she pointed back with a thumb as she settled down by the fire, “Stick them good after boxing them in and pushing some fire in their face, they have a good sense of smell and are almost blind. They’ll rear up and that’ll expose enough of their underbelly to get them swiftly. Should have good meat and the plates they have might be useful for a little while after harvesting.”
She sighed, and looked up to the sky, evidently satisfied.
Xeth nodded, gazing at the new forms that now lived within the forest. “Aye, that’ll do just fine,” they gestured for one of the other Azrath to keep the things they were told in their mind, so they could tell the others. “You said you wished to meet Alzria right? We should probably be heading back soon, we can lead ya to where she lives, well, at least to the base of it.”
Immediately as if barely containing energy she bolted back to her feet saying somewhat calmer than her motion would suggest, ”Oh that would be just wonderful of you. I should be able to handle myself from the base of wherever just fine.”
They chuckled at the goddess’ response, slowly bringing themselves upward and motioning for the others to do the same. “Very well, it shouldn’t be too far, and it's not hard to miss.”
It was not a lie. The Azrath led Ze’kelia up the valley, retracing the steps they had done earlier in the morning through the strange fungal forest. They came towards a large peak in the distance, easily the largest peak in the range, its cap thrusted towards the sky. Soon enough they came onto a valley just at the base of the mountain, throughout it she could see other Azraths moving about, some constructing houses of stone and wood, others gathering up the foraged supplies, and even some tending to furry beasts with long tusks and horns. Some looked up as the group came close, waving towards the foragers, and giving a strange look to the goddess.
Xeth gestured upwards, high up towards the mountain, at roughly the middle point one could see a mist covered ledge, whatever was hidden behind it kept away from prying eyes. “Fly up there and give a knock, she’s sure to answer, don’t tell her I sent ya there though, just in case.”
Ze’kelia nodded and said, ”Thank you, I’ll remember you, privately, Xeth the Azrath.”
With that she did take flight with a great stretch of her black wings. Soaring up and around the mountain till coming up near the ledge spotted below.
The mist obscured most of her vision as it began to settle around her. Soon, she could see before her a massive metal door, easily able to fit large creatures with ease, upon it was inscribed a beautiful set of images, depicting a vast array of creatures and monsters, all seemingly connected and together, alongside this there were two set of large iron knockers, each one designed to look like that of a monster’s head, with a wicked snake in their mouths.
Muttering briefly, ”Quite fancy...”
Soon however she was using one of the knockers, announcing her presence to a hopefully receptive goddess.
For a few moments, nothing happened, just silence and the sound of mountain winds whipping through the area. But through the door, muffled noises began to come through, noises of animals and creatures, and other things. Finally, a loud creak and shuddering of metal sounded, and within the great door, a smaller door at the bottom opened up, and out stepped a strange looking figure.
She was adorned in a tattered black and purple robe, legs and eyes covered in bloody robes, chitin and fungi covered arms, tattered black wings and a swishing blade tipped tail, and finally countless scars covering her purple skin. The most notable oddity being a small gelatinous figure sitting upon her shoulder, jiggling seemingly happily.
She smiled a smile full of wicked sharp teeth. ”Oh hello there! And who might you be?” She asked in a strangely cheerful voice.
With a deep bow she replied, ”Ze’kelia, Goddess of Light. Pleased to meet you to be sure.”
She was smiling as she came up from her bow, cheerfully continuing, ”I hope I’m not interrupting anything important charming Lady...?” She trailed off fishing for a name spoken in reply.
”Alzria,” the figure replied, giving her own bow in response ”And you’re not interrupting much, I was just attending to my children” she gave a pet to the slimy creature on her shoulder, it jiggling in response.
”Lady Alzria, perfect. Just the Goddess I have wanted to meet,” Ze’kelia’s smile grew even wider. ”I’d like to give a gift and take some of your time to talk.”
She held out a basket that formed in her free hand, stones of a brilliant patterns and colors, all gently radiating warmth. She spoke, continuing, ”Some pretty stones, although they serve a dual purpose, I’d hope your children enjoy warm things? These stones will stay ever gently warm.”
Alzria took the basket, inspecting the rocks within, handing one to her slime, which quickly shot out a tendril and took the rock inside it, jiggling once more in joy. ”I'm sure they absolutely will” she spoke with a chuckle, ”You said you wished to talk yes? I believe I can afford some free time to talk, so, what brought you all the way to this land?”
Ze’kelia stood and played with her hair some, standing her spear on its end and speaking in reply, ”In truth I was just flying above in my explorations after creating the Su’une the lights the world form above. I came across the Azrath and well, in short order I heard about you and wished to talk, to know you.”
”I see, well, what exactly do you want to know?” she smiled once more, setting down the basket of rocks by the door.
”Oh you know, just what you’ve been up to, your accomplishments that sort of thing. Sharing some stories and about our deific power and all.”
She waved her hand vaguely as she spoke, mimicking the openness of her suggestion of conversation topic. Her focus changed briefly to the slime, she made a small light show to try to entertain before continuing, ”The Azrath spoke highly of you so I of course wouldn’t mind hearing the story there. As well I’d love to hear more about your children, do you take care of them just yourself?”
Alzria chuckled, shaking her head slightly ”No not alone, when I found the Azrath coming here from their homeland, I figured I could lend them a hand, help them set up shop, in exchange,” she gestured towards the large gate, and the sounds within ”They would become caretakers of my sanctuary and my children, they have been a great deal of help as well, they’re very eager to create their new home it seems, from what their leader has told me, their old home was quite the dreadful place.” She seemed to trail off, looking around the area, before finally pointing up towards the sky, especially the bright disk ”So that is your creation huh? I’ve always been curious how it flies across the sky like that.”
Ze'kelia looked up and replied with a smile as she turned back, "Yes that is the Su'une, it is thrown by my two Guardians between each other and well, enchanted to find the target of each throw. I can show you what they're like, quite big each Guardian is, One is called Ur-Alz(f)elia, shes the closest to here. The Other is called Ur-Nikatel, he's further away."
"I'm very glad you have some help, raising children and caring for them can't be very easy." She paused to waggle a finger near the slime, "Even ones as cute as you!"
The slime wiggled around in response, the rock inside barely moving around. ”Yes my children can be quite the handful, and Guardians huh? I suppose something as important as the Su’une should be protected,” She stared back up towards the sky, her gaze seemingly locked on something up there, before her head snapped back to Ze’Kelia ”While I would love to see what they’re like, I dare not leave my Children for too long at the current moment, the Azrath have been much help, but alas they’re still inexperienced, I’ve had to stop some of my children from gnawing on them here and there.”
She giggled at the little slime before speaking to the Goddess once more, "Understandable fully I know. I should expect they'll grow out of that in time. I should let you know at the highest peak there seems to be some accumulation of Deities doing things there, setting up little places and such. I hope to see you sometime, although I have not so much interesting in hunkering down somewhere. Perhaps we can meet up and relax sometime when your children are in a good place?"
Alzria nodded in response ”That sounds wonderful, once things settle down I’ll be sure to stop by the place, I’m sure at the very least they’d appreciate having our representation there if they’re trying to get all the deities together.” She looked back towards the great metal door next to them, as more sounds emitted from within. ”Anything else you wished to ask about? I should be heading back inside soon, I'm sure Valix is already reaching his limit in dealing with my children.”
"One last thing, what exactly are you the Goddess of? So that I can at least tell others if there's ever any relevance in conversation dearest Alzria." She smiled warmly as those last words left her lips.
Alzria smiled a big smile, the scars near her lips seemingly creaking under the pressure. ”Nightmares!” she replied in a jovial tone.
Ze’kelia smiled back, “Thank you! I hope you do well with that!”
The light Goddess leapt off the ledge and flew south west. Alzria smiled once more, picking up the basket, and heading back inside to the noise of her sanctuary.
Ze’kelia is heading east along the mountain range and runs into some Azrath, she gives some gifts and talks to them including a local group leader called Xeth. She gets their story and is interested in meeting Alzria. She bribes them with some animals in the local environment to hunt and they both with show where to find Alzria and tru to keep in mind being good people and light stuff perhaps.
Ze’kelia comes up to a ledge with a big door and knocks on it upon being directed by the Azrath as per Alzria’s location. The Goddess of Nightmares comes out with a slime and the two goddesses talk for a bit. Ze gives some heating stones for Monster Momma’s kids and Alzria answers some questions and talks to to Ze a bit. They part amicably with Ze heading south west likely to the other side of the continent.
Nothing truly great or major. Some fairly mundane but odd species (might be a bit tastier than usual), some heating stones and various gifts. And some light shows.
Change was coming rapidly even as Ur-Nikatel had begun his great journey to an opposite end of the fragment as Ze’kelia had spoken. At least he had managed to spend some time with his bonded till they were split apart. It was warming too, the world beyond just when the Su’une arrived, his mind was ablaze with designs to send to his bonded, she worked harder to keep things warm than he did, but he hoped she appreciated the art.
There was plenty to see in his travels, from a growing green life, the mountains in the distance, the rivers and streams crossed. Perhaps even the little life that scampered about his feet, the beasts that thought him prey or threat, he could dissuade them easy enough. He had come across a stalk of some sort the other day, it was dead he could tell, it had grown or was formed very tall, almost as tall as himself. He had ripped it out of the dying earth with its branches intact. It made quite the useful tool to make such things flee without harming them too badly.
He was lonely. It was a wonder that so much changed but the lack of any to talk to stayed the same. Of course if most were the size of the Goddess he had seen so far he suppose one could not blame them for staying out of his path. Even as he mused he had to keep an eye out for the Su’une, it grew closer. He had little time to go searching for little things that might speak with him, he did not know what he would say in any case.
Did they hunger and thirst as he did? He had the magic of the bags carried to sustain himself, did others like those the annoying beasts must feed upon, did they feed like he did? Did any speak? Or were most solitary beings without concerns of talking, or perhaps were there ones larger than him? He felt the rumblings of the ground, was that a distant movement or the land in chaos?
He knew enough to explore as he went, perhaps he would find something interesting there…
“Find Light’s Fall.”
Goloné objective was given to him by the god himself. “Find Light’s Fall. The place where the sun falls from the sky and the moon rises in its place to race across the skies back east.” It wasn’t the only thing he was charged with, but it was the first thing. He had marched through the wastelands through day and night. Following the sun at day and going the opposite way of the moon at night. At first he thought the mountains would be slow to traverse. Not hard. Nothing was hard for him. Things sometimes just took longer. Luckily for him he had found a pass through the great mountain range.
A pass heralded by black rocks that had been flung into the wasteland. As if a great brutish force had crawled a gash straight through the rocks. Sometimes animals tried to attack him. Most failed. As powerful as their jaws were, his body was made of solid metal and stone. They gnawed and scratched to no avail. Eventually they left him alone.
Once again the sun was falling but it was close. So very close. He would find where it would land tonight for sure. Goloné kept walking through the now strange green land. He passed trees and walked through a river and then he finally saw it.
Gigantic would not do justice to its size. It was titanic then, perhaps. His god would make that judgement, when he would examine Goloné’s memories. For now the golem just observed the great creature. If it’s prophecies were correct, the sun would land very close to the titanic creature. Was it coincidence it fell so close? Or was it part of a greater machination?
Ur-Nikatel was not one who other came upon without his knowledge. Blessed with eyes to see light and a nose to smell all, ears to hear all, he was one of great senses. It was therefore known to him when the great thing came upon him and stared, for he assumed that’s why it did pause. He could hear it long before he saw or still did not yet smelt it.
It’s steps had resounded through the land clearly and loudly as it pounded the earth with each heavy step. It was a curiosity to be sure, but one to be investigated later, perhaps a small image could be woven into the light pattern he sent to his bonded this throw?
The Su’une approached in its rapid pace and from high elevation at this point, glaring with bright light and warmth to light a world. His trunk reached up in a practice motion and deftly caught it as it landed securely in his snout’s grasp. His digits roamed the edges, it grew dimmer, his pattern in his minds eye shared, those with sight lesser than he might see only the mix even bright as it was, but he and his bonded knew better.
A toss to the sky and the Su’une went forth again, arcing again to the grasp of his beloved bonded. His eyes turned downward once again, he had a new curiosity to explore, his steps too resounded through the earth as he approached the strange thing.
As the sun fell, Goloné noticed how dark everything far away became. Everything casted long shadows. Then darkness crawled in between those shadows as the sun dimmed. The golem made sure to memorize as much as he could. The cooling of the air, the dimming of the light. It would be important. He wasn’t entirely sure for what, but it would be important. The most important thing though would obviously be the titanic creature capturing the disk and hurling it back.
Then, much to the surprise of the golem the creature seemed to divert from its previous path and turned towards his general area. None of the prophecies predicted this. He kept standing still as his mind began to make new prophecies. Had the titan somehow noticed him? Would it take offense to its observations?
“Hail titan of the sun.” He then said when the creature was close enough. Though nothing on its body moved. He didn’t even have a mouthpiece to move. His face was entirely flat with only two beady, green glowing eyes. The ripples on the air were caused by something magical inside of Goloné.
And the great elephant spoke back, “I am Ur-Nikatel, the first spoken, Su’une thrower. Who, and what are you? I have not seen any such thing like you before, nor have I heard the words spoken since my creation. You are a creation of a god as well?”
With his words and questions the giant brought his great trunk down near the Golem. Examining for smell and conditions that he could tell from such. It was a curious thing already he could tell.
Ur-Nikatel, First Spoken, Su’une thrower. These things were heard and remembered.
“I respond to Goloné.” The golem said in its unique way. “I am golem. Half-born by Exo, the Explorer and completed by Uwné, the Crafter.” Current prophecies showed that answering the questions without trouble would bring about the safest outcome so far. Those prophecies, for a moment, were questioned in accuracy when the great trunk had come down just a second ago. Though it would appear that the creature had no interest yet in destroying his shape.
“My task is to find answers to questions. One such question is now answered, oh Ur-Nikatel, First Spoken, Su’une thrower but it created many more. Would you deign me worthy enough to share your knowledge?” To a mortal knowing emotions it would all be heard with endless humility and respect. In truth the speech was a mere fabrication. Created to placate whatever Goloné was communicating with. It had no pride to stand in the way of it. Nor a concept of self-worth.
His trunk pulled back pulling some water out of a sack strung along his side as he heard what the golem had to say. Speaking now again to the golem in reply, “I’m not concerned about worthiness Goloné the half-born. I will trade you answer for answer. We will travel together for a time, come with me and ask your first question.”
With that his trunk reached down once more close to the golem, his digits outstretched.
Few of the prophecies predicted this but Goloné was not one to cast away opportunities. It’s shape moved again. Disturbing several birds off of it as it set foot upon the trunk. “Answer for an answer indeed. What is the exact nature of the object you are throwing, this Su’une?” It was known as the sun but it was not in line with the mortal tales of what had once illuminated the world.
“It’s exactly nature is magical. To be precise it was made by the creator of my bonded and I, Ze’kelia, the Goddess of Light, born of the deep light, she who fought the river, champion who slayed the monstrous rock thrower. She made the Su’une to enlighten the world, admittedly my bonded makes it brighter than I try to, I find a dimmer light is better for my art.” He spoke as he moved the golem from the ground and onto his back, it was a solid enough surface given the size difference of the two.
He set a path off back along his original route heading south, and asked a question of his own, “Tell me then, what is the nature of Goloné the half-born?”
“All golems share the same fundamentals. We are made from stone, metal and magic.” Goloné said. “I myself am tasked with observing the world and finding answers to the questions my creator posed.” The golem remained moveless upon Ur-Nikatel’s back. For a few moments he also remained quiet. Inside strange, tree-root like structures were pulsing. Creating prophecies and gauging their likelihood.
“Where could Ze’kelia be found.” It eventually asked.
“I do not know for sure. She had wings and is extremely mobile, last I know she was headed to the central highest mountain.” He took a moment to get a snack from his other sack along his side, eating slowly he replied in a moment after finishing, “Where is your creator?”
Another was already heading out towards the central mountain of the continent. The apparent source of the newly dubbed Khatem river. So those questions were covered now as well. That was good. “Uwné the crafter god can be found should one follow the coast down towards the south. After you pass through the mountains he is close. He rarely leaves that place and never for long or to go far.”
“How do you view the mortals made of flesh and bone?” Goloné then asked, in accordance with the principle of preservation of mortal life. One of the few principles Uwné had carved into his very heart.
“The Crafter hmm...” Ur-Nikatel waited and listened thinking, continuing his pace and slowly thinking.
He replied, “In truth most seem rather focused on biting me or running or hiding, it care little for me except I pass. Some is quite beautiful I have to admit, there was a flying one that was quite pretty I saw a long time back. I have encountered none that were as eloquent as you or I, I expect they managed to hide better with my coming.”
And so the two went back and forth for some time.
Until Goloné suddenly fell silent. The prophecies were nearing an end. The principles that were carved into him could seemingly no longer guide his actions. With every question he had seen that unknowability approaching. And now he had to ask himself: what now?
A full hour passed until Goloné spoke again, finally having found a solution to his unknowing: “Can you throw me so your bonded will catch me?”
He had walked in mutual silence and with its breaking had to sadly answer, “No, I cannot. The Su’une is enchanted to reach my bonded perfectly, you are not.”
“Then I am afraid our paths must split here, oh Ur-Nikatel, First Spoken, Su’une thrower. My principles demand I either seek more distant lands or return to my maker.” Goloné said, showing no sadness in voice. The moment the request was declined, any prophecies concerning it were removed from Goloné’s mind without second thought.
"Very well, I think I shall go speak to your maker, may continue to accompany me or I can let you off here." His trunk moved slightly in anticipation of a response.
“A moment please.” Goloné said as his mind went over the hundreds of prophecies made. “We share a direction, fair Ur-Nikatel, First Spoken, Su’une thrower. It would be an honor to accompany you to my maker.”
"Then we shall set forth!" His voice thundered through the air as his steps did through the earth, towards the mountains the two went, towards the Crafter God.
Ur-Nikatel, the great elephant of the west, marches on. On his travels he encounters a strange creature. Goloné, a golem. One made smart enough to survive the world. The golem, upon finding “Light’s Fall” , observes the elephant catch the Su’une and throws it back. When his task is done he approaches the golem. The two exchange words and knowledge. A question for a question. As they traveled together. In the end Goloné finds that he must return home. Ur-Nikatel decides to also head in that direction, towards the Crafter God.
The wretched throng scrambled up the mountain in slow motion. Bodies worn hard and made desperately tired from the long journey now moved only at the insistence of addled minds. Leading the desperate procession was the sole man among them undiminished, a figure whose energy never faltered as he helped the others along even while carrying a child on his back. Newly named, Orynn Kaseyk, the God of Defiance, led the first mortals into the divine city at the center of the world. Upon seeing it, some of them even smiled.
Most struggled to stand. The God among them could keep their minds focused and their spirits unbroken, but he had made no effort to accomplish for them what they couldn’t have done for themselves. Yes, he had led them here, and helped them along. He had not summoned a golden chariot and spirited them all off to safety as some of his followers now silenting gazing upon the divine city realized he most likely could have done. Had they the strength, they might have asked.
The God was not likely to answer if they did. The truth was they were right, and Orynn could have saved them all if he’d chosen to, but sometimes the truth wasn’t helpful. All of them would have died if he hadn’t led them to safety. Around him they had the strength to imagine questioning a God when they couldn’t even stand, and they’d probably do it if they were capable. When he left, the questions would die, not that that made it better.
As it was... Orynn had allowed them to save themselves. He’d given them the strength to do what they knew had to be done, and he’d given them a direction. They had refused to die, others had not. Everyone had accepted the risks.
And the reward! Orynn looked out at the nascent Divine City almost as surprised as the raggedly clothed and travel weary humans behind him. He waved his people forward, which they managed, and remarked to himself, ”They’ve been busy.”
Ze'kelia flew around the great heights of the central mountain of the continent. She didn't know exactly what she was looking for, after all she wasn't exactly sure what someone who hits people with rivers looks like. She had been imagining a sort of animate water thing, or a mean looking giant of some kind. Unfortunately nothing so obvious was present in her initial survey, she'd been ignoring most of things going on in the place for now as she'd been trying to discern anything of particular note to her imagination.
Although she did see a group of people at an edge of the whole place, they didn't look particularly river-make-y but they did have a rather worn look about them. She hoped at least they wouldn't be too inclined to throw rocks at her.
She dived down towards a rock that she could sit upon and still have an height advantage over them, gently squeezing an orb she carried as she stood just after landing. Standing tall with spear in hand, she spoke down to them as politely as she managed, "Excuse me, do anything of you happen to know who unleashed the northern River?"
A few of the more lively looking examples of the assembled humanity spared her a curious glance, but none answered her question before continuing their slow trek towards the heart of the divine city. They were, it seemed, supremely disinterested in being delayed. Their leader waved them on and looked up at Ze'kelia with a knowing smirk, “That’d be me and Lonn. North, south, west, all of them. I’ll throw a little credit I’Iro’s way, for the sake of fairness.”
”WHAT ABOUT ME?” The shouted question came echoing down from the top of one of the half-constructed structures. There, leaning dangerously over a would-be-balcony, was the short, tan Goddess named Astella. Even from so far away, her frown was evident. ”I WAS THE FIRST TO FIND THE WELLSPRING, YOU KNOW!” She shouted again, before disappearing into the structure, followed by the sounds of absolute chaos as several things tumbled down the stairs and a few scaffoldings broke.
Orynn grinned as she Goddess spoke, waiting until she vanished from view to speak hushedly in Ze'kelia’s direction, “And that’s about all she did do.”
Ze'kelia watched the little amount of by play, her head swinging between the apparent leader of this little herd and the short yelling Goddess. Flapping her wings and soaring down her perch she first soared over the uninterested group saying, "Thank you for your supreme unhelpfulness!" Waving a hand to have baskets appear laden with colorful cloths and fruits.
She ended her short flight coming to a stop in front of the evident leader. "Now!" A broad smile that quickly devolved as she continued, "You and 'Lonn' hit with me a river! Did you maybe think of actually paying attention to the consequences before you went out and did something like that?!"
After an apparently unprepared outburst she composed herself also whispering, "And what is a wellspring if I may add?"
“No.” The Orynn responded flatly, staring down the Goddess. He managed the pose for nearly ten seconds before a budding smile ruined his act and he spat out, “But you did!”
Orynn lapsed into a fit of barely repressed laughter as he added, helpfully, “When it hit you!”
By the time he was finished the God of Defiance looked simultaneously shamed, and no less pleased with himself than when he’d first made the joke. With a pronounced ‘whew’ he steeled his features, somewhat, and answered Ze'kelia’s last question as he regarded his followers ahead combing through their gifts, “And The Wellspring, unless you find another, is where all the water on this fragment comes from.”
“Y’know,” he went on soberly, “Popping the cork on it probably saved the lives of a lot more people than came with me, if you’re one to care about those details. Not all of us are.”
Ze'kelia replied as she fell back onto a helpfully newly made bed of furs, "Ugh, I just wanted to hit some jerk for hitting me and you had to go and make all this morality things, totally ruined."
She laid there a moment, taking a look over at the small group before her eyes shifted back to Orynn once more, "I'm Ze'kelia by the way, Goddess of Light and maker of the Su'une." Finishing with a vague wave towards the solar disk in the sky. "Who are you?
“Orynn Kaskye, God of Defiance. Friend of Humanity, maker of assorted plants, and a popper of the worlds cork,” The God introduced himself with a grin and a wink, “But you can just call me Orynn.
"Well nice to meet you Orynn! Or maybe Lady Orynn as someone I met earlier on my journey here had the intent of calling deities..." After speaking Ze'kelia, leaned in close whispering, "Are those ones you brought a humanity by the way?"
”YES!” Came the shout, muffled behind a pair of intricately carved wooden doors. Those doors shot open, pushed by the short Goddess. She was wearing a silver-coloured noblewoman’s dress and her hair, which was longer than Orynn remembered, was tied styled in a fancy braid. She was panting, a couple beads of sweat rolling down her brow. ”Those.. Are one humanity, yes! Careful Zekee, or they might stick to you like lost kittens. Kinda like they stuck to the one-who-had-no-name-but-is-now-named-Orynn. You don’t want that, they have no concept of privacy.” She explained with a smirk, chuckling under her breath as a nearby man walked off sharply.
After a moment of silence however, a white and furry cat’s head peeked up over her shoulder. She grinned and relaxed her posture, walking closer to the pair of Ze’kelia and Orynn. ”Astella’s the name, by the way.”
"Well, hello Lady Astella! Or just Astella perhaps?" Ze'kelia said with a grin, "A humanity huh? Also...
...Zekee?" Ze'kelia laid back on her bed of furs saying further. "This does seem to be a rather more built up place than most, and is on the highest mountain at that. What exactly is this place special for? Why did you lead the uh, one humanity here Orynn? It seems like there could be better places for building up in any case, space does seem at a premium when building on a mountain."
”She started building up,” Orynn directed a perfunctory gesture towards Astella, “I just brought them to the place they were least likely to die, and hey what’s a city without people anyway?”
”I’m not actually involved in any building. Not directly, at least. I just helped I’Iro make the schematics she fed into her lil worker crabspiders. Nowadays I’m just making sure everything goes smoothly and that they have enough materials to keep working. There is one thing, though...” Astella ran her hands through her hair and wiped the sweat off her brow before sighing, ”You do know the sewers aren’t done yet, don’t you, Orynn? Who’s gonna clean up all the mess? I’Iro’s workers aren’t programmed for tha-” She was cut off as some high-pitched whirring, followed by a small explosion rung out through the whole area.
In the distance, one could see a half-finished structure begin to collapse, kicking up dust and dirt into a large cloud that soon fell over much of the city.
Astella groaned and slouched, rolling her eyes. ”Not again… These little crabspider bots are impressive, but they can be so dumb sometimes... ” The short Goddess rubbed her temples and swiftly turned around and began to move towards the collapsed structure on the other side of the city. She lifted her left hand as she walked away, waving her farewells to the pair. ”I’ll see you guys around. I’ll take care of the mess over there while you two help the humans set up around here.” She half-shouted just before she turned and disappeared at a bend in the main street.
"And she's gone again. I wonder if it's me?" Orynn watched Astella vanish behind the bend as he spoke. With his eyes lingering on the wall he remarked, "Eh, probably not."
”Naw I think it’s a good chance it might be you, I mean you can be pretty rude although I suppose it’s best we don’t speculate too much. Don’t know what’s inside her head after all.” having evident lounged on her furs long enough, Ze’kelia hopped up and lazily meandered around continuing off her brief quip, ”So what do you do being a God of Defiance. Do you just like being contrarian or...”
“I couldn’t honestly say I don’t!” The God laughed, “But what do I do? Whatever I want to! And I encourage you to do the same. For me? Now? That’s keeping myself and as much of this place is left alive as I can.”
“That’s fair enough, I wanted to light the place up a tad and well I did at that!” Ze’kelia walked around and peered after the group of humans who had gone back further into the city. “Where did you even find a group like that? Have they really managed to survive much out in the barrens? I didn’t see much chance of that out in the world, even with the rivers- I’m not sure that’ll do much.”
“I got a tip from a like mind as to where I might find them, but they’re the ones who survived and made it here. Don’t listen to Astella, by the way. Humans will surprise you even when you’re not underestimating them.” Orynn was still smiling as he spoke, but his tone was humorless, “As for chances, whether this fragment is doomed or not, I don’t think I care. Neither did they. None of us plan on dying. No point lying down and watching everything fall apart, chance or not, better to die fighting if that’s how it's going to be.
She snorted at his words replying dryly, "You have a real talent you know."
"I didn't start out bringing light to this world to have it be a comfort in death. I started bringing light to make it a better world, even if I have to chain it all together to keep it from falling apart I'm not one to give up easy even if I don't trek out to save a few souls Orynn." She turned back to face him. "So what now?"
“I thought so, but you never know.” He punctuated his sentence with a pleased little shrug, “I don’t expect all of us to be on the same page. A few might need convincing. As for what now? I’m planning to head west, see if I can save anyone or anything else out that way. The Humans can manage themselves, sewers or not. What about you Ze'kelia?
"Plans plans plans! I don't know, more water can't hurt right? There's a lot of land and not a lot of rivers comparatively I suppose." She looked around, flying up to get a better view, she pointed somewhere to the north east, "That would be a good direction right?"
“Might be,” Orynn hedged, “I’ve been around. Nowhere north of here though.”
"You know its a bit greener than I remember it but... A sudden blast from her spear vasporized some rock and a huge gush of water spilled forth on the north-eastern side. ...I'm sure it'll be fine. There now I made a big river for all of them. Should put it all in order up there."
The God of Defiance watched the lip of the crater lake collapse as a frothing torrent erupted from the formerly placid crater lake. An infinite source of water poured out, shattering the rock left cracked and damaged by Ze'kelia’s spear until the new river racing out from the mountain dwarfed its peers in scale and intensity. Once the chaos had begun to subside Orynn snapped his fingers and added with a wide grin, “While you’re at it!”
He bent over and went rummaging around until he eyed a weighty rock which he promptly picked up. The God brought it to his ear and seemed to share a hushed conversation with the object before appearing to unceremoniously whip it at the westward rim of the crater lake. Accelerated by a God, when the projectile met the rim it had more than enough energy to detonate.
By the time the dust faded another river, less than half as powerful as Ze'kelia’s, but a river nonetheless flowed west. Orynn eyed his, and Ze'kelia’s, handiwork and nodded approvingly. The God shouted to his counterpart, “Good to meet you Ze'kelia! And if you wouldn’t mind, don’t tell Astella this was me!
And thereafter dove into the river he’d unleashed with a wave, letting it sweep him down the mountainside. In a low voice, "I'm not sticking around that long..." and a quick flight eastward over the lip and down the mountain to travel along the eastern peaks.
Ok listen up here’s how it went down:
Zekels rolls up to Orynn and the cannibal gang and is like, hey whats with the river heading north, humans ignore her while Orynn talks about unclogging the wellspring with peeps, humans get gifts from Ze’kelia for being unhelpful and Orynn makes a bad joke during Ze’kelia’s anger. Orynn also deflates said anger with talk of morality while Astellia comes up to join the little gather. Some back and forth ensues on what everyone has done, what to do, Astellia dips at one point and Orynn and Ze’kelia continue a bit longer before bursting out two rivers. Orynn floats away west on his, Ze’kelia makes the Chak’s river before heading along the eastern range. Astellia is left unknowingly with all the humans and two new rivers haphazardly taken out of the wellspring.
-Big River to the NorthEast through the Chaklands -River heading west threading the needle -Nobody hit Orynn for his bad sense of humor
Light streaked like one of the new found stars in the sky, but brighter, moving across the heavens. Different from the various burning lights that had so recently streaked down from the sky before the stars were gifted to the heavens, this light was closer and by some margin ever so brighter and more luminous that it seemed to light up the world below.
If one had the sight for it they would see not just light, but a woman carrying a spear and darting through the sky, gliding on leathery wings and propelled ever so fast as she herself glowed amid her dress of fancy form. If one had the hearing for it they too would hear the exclamation, “Wait, that’s not a funny tree, that’s a person!” before that woman descended down upon the sea the reflected her shine so well, to a bank by the river flow.
She landed gently nearby but the pale woman paid her no heed, so engrossed by something she saw in the water. It didn't take long for the luminous lady to approach, in fact in took a very short amount of time before she was sitting down next to her saying, “So my name is Ze'kelia, light is kinda my thing, and who the f- I mean who might you be?”
The woman blinked and then her eyes gazed upon Ze'kelia's reflection as if she was picking apart the goddess' every detail. They sat in silence for a few moments and then the woman turned to the goddess with a frown. "How uncouth." she said in a rich, velvety voice. An air of authority laced within it. The woman stood up, arms folded behind her back as she walked around the Light Goddess, head held high. "Is that anyway to greet a fellow Divine? Rushing in without a modicum of patience? Asking who I am with such disregard for pleasantries? Sitting with such poor posture?" she came to a stop before Ze'kelia and looked down with a frown that turned into a dazzling smile. "Well, we are new after all so it can be forgiven." At once her deamnor changed and she seemed to relax as she extended a hand to the Goddess. "I am Wyn, Goddess of Beauty. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Ze'kelia, Goddess of light." her voice lost its air of authority and became softer, friendlier even.
Ze'kelia feigned a look of extreme suspicion after the sudden change of tone. She rammed the butt of the spear into the ground, before smiling warmly and taking Wyn's hand as she began to stand. She paused to kiss Wyn's hand as her head came up and then laid her other hand on top holding it for a moment. Wyn smiled further at the display. “And a pleasure it is to meet you Lady Wyn, Goddess of Beauty!” Ze'kelia then let go doing a small flourish with both her hands.
“You are more pleasant by far than the first thing on this half-blighted land, an ugly creature on three legs that threw a rock at me, a big one!” She paused to pick up her spear once more, resting the butt of it on the ground. “I'm traveling to see who exactly hit me with this river you see, oh and to head up to the big mountain over there to give a signal to my two giants to start throwing my light disk. I've been thinking of names for it, I figure actually making this dark place a bit more enlightened and warm might do it some good. What do you think of...”
Ze'kelia threw her arms into the air and with a flourish of her spear an array of lights appeared behind her as she spoke, “THE SU'UNE!”
She kept gently wiggling her spear above her head as she awaited a response.
Wyn clasped her hands together and tilted her head to the side, her smile never fading. "My, you are quite the charmer and just a ball of energy, aren't you? A wonderful combination darling, one I have no doubt you'll realize how easy it is to fall for." she said nonchalantly before bringing a hand to her chin. "Now, let's see, the Su'une did you say? You know it's quite funny that we'd meet actually, as I was going to work on that very same solution. The water behind me needs a light source to fully realize its potential and here you are. Oh and no, in case you were wondering, I did not hit you with that river. I came from it actually and it no doubt comes from the same place you're heading. But oh, the Su'une… I suppose it could work." she said with a nod.
Ze’kelia twirled her spear around her head before bringing back down to her side as she spoke, “The water needs some light huh? It might be a while till the Su’une gets up above, I could always make a little something for your dear little place here Lady Wyn...” She trailed off leaving the option open as she renewed her smile looking directly at Wyn the whole time.
Wyn raised an eyebrow. "And kind too." the goddess said, curling a strand of her hair with a finger. "I did have a bit of an idea. Come, let's take a stroll you and I." Wyn smiled before turning around. She then began to walk on top of the water, in the direction of endless sea.
“A stroll yes sounds wonderful!” she eagerly followed although with a noticeable lesser amount of grace walking on the water for the first ten steps or so catching up, ”You know, I went for a bit of a stroll once before, actually I don’t actually know if it could be called a stroll. Probably a bad word for blasting your way out of a dark monster filled cave system. Awful design let me tell you, wasn’t a single sign or anyone helpful at all!”
Wyn put her arms behind her back and interlocked her fingers as they walked. "Yes you mentioned seeing something… Foul. It pains me to hear that you have had such a difficult awakening, Lady Ze'kelia. Such monsters have no right to even look upon your brilliance, if I be so bold to say. It is an affront on our divinity to allow such creatures to exist. Fortunately, I have not come across anything monstrous yet but if I do… Well. " she smirked at Ze'kelia. "I will remind them of their placel."
Ze’kelia absentmindedly tapped the spear but against the water surface as they walked, sending ripples of light off below. ”Now aren’t you the charming one Lady Wyn, be bold as you would, I’d hardly hold it against you. I have been thinking this world is lackluster to live in, it sucks a lot. It’s dark, cold, the ground is dusty and a rather odd color in most places. It could use a great deal more beauty so I am glad to have you around with such an eye and care for it.”
"Oh that's just what I'm here for, dear. The calling to turn the world back to beauty, back to a livable state. For what, you might ask? Who knows? Perhaps it's just something to do? Perhaps it's why we came into being? All I know is that this world is ugly and I, or in this case, we, must fix it." Wyn went silent, as if she was contemplating something but it wasn't long that she piped up again. "We have come along way already, haven't we? This spot will do." she unfolded her hands and placed one over the water in front of her. There came a sudden groan and the water bubbled. A large piece of land rocketed up from the depths at their feet, sending them high into the air as they stood upon it.
Ze’kelia kept silent as she thought on a few of the questions and even as they rose up with the land. Finally she did come to speak turning to Wyn, ”What are we to do Lady Wyn? You seem to have a solid idea in your own mind of things.”
When the land came to a stop it was a sizable island. Pools of water had collected on the gray stone as most of it returned to the sea in thunderous noise. Wyn turned to Ze'kelia and eyed her again. "Not to worry dear, you'll see and all will be made clear." she brought up her hands and made a box with her index fingers and thumbs, placing it in front of her face as she looked at Ze'kelia with an eye closed. "That'll do perfectly darling." she said to herself then turned back towards the island. She raised her hand and the ground began to rumble again. Stone gave away to white as something emerged from the center of the island. It rose, first revealing a hand, then the top of a head, then shoulders and wings sprouted with an unrefined look. An outline. It rose further, towering and towering above. When it at last stopped moving a giant statue stood before them. It was far larger then any ruined monolith or hill but not as large as a mountain. Its outline resembled a woman with a hand outstretched, spear in the other, striking a pose. Wyn hummed to herself then flicked her fingers and the stone began to break and crack, but the goddess did not look concerned at all. Great chunks of rock began to fall with mighty cracks upon the island, sending dust into the air.
This rent on for several moments but when the noise died down, Wyn summoned a wind that blowed the dust away, revealing a magnificent statue of Ze'kelia. It was an immaculate display, with details weaved into the stone like the fabric she wore, all the way to individual feathers. Her build was appropriate to her current form, but her face was enhanced, perhaps far too beautiful or with a hint of an artistic flare. "If you could place a light within your palm, it would be appreciated, Lady Ze'kelia." Wyn said, one hand on her hip and the other touching her chin. She stared at the statue but her face conveyed little to what she was thinking.
Ze'kelia had awaited patiently as first the stone was shaped and then detail added, growing more aware of what exactly was being formed here. Somewhat stunned by the whole thing she calmly did as asked, an orb of light flickering through the spectrum came into her hand as she stared up at the construction. A single look, when she had taken a very long while to shape a physical form to her idea not too long ago.
"Ah, there it is, light. It's warmth shall illuminate this sea for time eternal. Bringing about beauty untold. Thank you, Lady Ze'kelia." Wyn said to her, then snapped her fingers and turned around to look out over the sea. From behind her the rocks groaned again and formed a hexagonal platform beneath the statue. Smaller statues, that maintained the same visual appeal, formed on the corners, each depicting Ze'kelia holding an urn. From those urns a a stream of water gushed pooling into rocks as they flowed to run off the island. A stream ran by them and Wyn reached down, placing a finger within and then bringing it to her lips. She tasted it. "Salty. Perfect. Come Ze'kelia, look upon the view you created." she said. Ze'kelia flapped her wings, bolting herself to a easy landing by the edge to look out onto the fullness of the landscape.
With the added light, what was once a rather dreary look had transformed into a wonderous view. Her light painted the water crystal clear, and where the salt began to mix with the water, the particulates reflected and sparkled. It was a spark of hope in that dreary world and would only grow better as it aged. Wyn finally spoke up again, "I imagine your… What was it again, suun? Sun? When that illuminates the world it will only look better I think. Or I should say, hope."
"You know, Lady Wyn, I think this world has waited long enough for the rising of the Su'une. My Solar Disk, I shall think it might be good to get that going, so you might see for yourself."
With that comment made she flew up into the air and held her spear with both hands, aligning it upward towards the sky and unleashing a great burst. It wasn't blinding, it slowly drifted up luminous beyond anything else higher and higher into the sky. A small trail of plasma and heated atmosphere was left in its wake, bright anywhere else except in the wake of this light. When it seemed so far above the surface, so far above even the highest mountains it exploded out in a great wave of light.
Mostly low energy, high in wavelength, the least harmful to most that which still lived. Some in the higher bands of visible light stayed as did others not absorbed quickly into the atmosphere, heating it ever slightly. And the light faded from the sky once more, dimming...
...until from the North, almost as far as one could go and starting low in the sky. A bright light arc'd, from east to west, it was blinding to look at and warm, warmer than anything had been for a long time in most places along the surface. It radiated out over, so low that some were blocked by mountains or hills. Then it landed somewhere unknown, and then a light flew from west to east, not as bright, but warm still if less so. One could look and see this clearly, the best eyesight could tell a beautiful design of colors and light shifting as it flew, but from a disk so radiant and small that to most it appeared white in their merging, soft and gentle light. It flew in an arc slightly higher in the sky, going slightly further east than the first light.
And then it began again when it landed, eachtime moving a bit further, a bit higher. One could see that eventually it would be high in the sky and enlighten all that it could reach.
"I think my Guardians got the message Lady Wyn!" Ze'kelia called back below as she circled slowly down again.
Wyn gave a clap as she smiled up at Ze'kelia. "Marvelous darling. Oh what beauty your light will illuminate one day." Her lips curled into a frown however. "But right now it paints how much work is still needed to achieve that dream. I think it best we depart for now. For you have to hunt down whoever hit you with that river, and I must busy myself with tidying up this place we now call home." she said, her frown relaxing.
Ze'kelia landed once more speaking softly, "One last thing Lady Wyn before I continue on my way and you continue with your work."
She held out a small crystal orb, to the other Goddess and displayed one in her other hand after letting go of the spear where it stood in the air as she left it. She squeezed the one held out and it glowed red as the other glowed blue, she stopped and then repeated for the other. Squeezing both at once made them glow purple.
"So that no matter how distant on this world we may both remember each other and let the other know."
Wyn looked upon the orb with great interest, then back to Ze'kelia. "How kind of you, Lady Ze'kelia. Hmm, let's see." she said, hovering the orb closer. Upon further inspection she touched it and the orb sparkled, then a crystal band grew from under it and she placed it on a finger. She held it up towards the light and it shimmered. "You are sweet, thank you." Wyn said softly.
Ze'kelia smiled and waved as her wings began to beat and she took off, turning to head upriver towards the mountain once more. Wyn watched her go, a devious smile playing at her lips.
Ze’kelia flies up river until she comes across a lady along the banks of an inland sea. She very unceremoniously introduces herself to Wyn which causes some authoritative talk before she adopts a very smiling and happy venere. They talk for a bit, sharing who they are and some facets. Wyn leads Ze’kelia away over the water before eventually making an island rise and adding a neat statue of Ze’kelia, although face touched up a bit with the artist's mind there. Ze’kelia adds a light to the statue’s outstretched hand as other statues pour salt water into the sea. They have some talk of Ze’kelias plans over such and the need for light. In which Ze’kelia mentions her solar disc, the Su’une as she calls it.
With the minor light given and some more talk Ze’kelia decides to give the signal now, sending a light way up into the sky which explodes in the higher light frequencies down to barely in visible light. This starts the two Guardians way in the north throwing the solar disk between them. East to west bright and warm as a sun, west to east as a beautifully crafted art upon the disk in light, appearing white to most unenhanced eyes serves as bright and warm a good full moon.
Starting very low in the sky the disc slowly begins to go both further and further across the horizon but also higher and higher in the sky. As a source of light and warmth spreading to all of the Fragment in time.
Ze’kelia gives Wyn a paired light orb and then departs on pleasant terms to go to the central mountains and find who hit her with a river, as Wyn has her own plans.
-Light burst as described lighting and hitting all over Galbar from its explosion after rising in the sky. Light in higher wavelengths of light to barely into the visible spectrum. Gives signal for the Solar Disc, the Su’une, to begin to be thrown between the two Guardians Ur-Nikatel and Ur-Alz(f)elia
Hi, I was wondering if there would be room for one more character? I had a god character from another rp, that was the god of memories and dreams. Would that be an acceptable character?
Hello! We certainly could still have a new god character, there is some overlap with extant gods however that isn't necessarily a problem. I'd like to encourage you to come onto the discord to discuss this if possible, so that we might be able to help you rework your character for this roleplay.
Light, dwindling in the darkest corner as monsters and those who have sunk to the level of the same flee ever further from the dark to the last spots of light. Where above in the upper surface world lightning struck and brief flashes still gave illumination even as cold and dark set in so strongly. It was in the heart, the deep corners where heat radiated still from cooling and dying light from the cataclysmic energy of destruction that had befallen the old world.
In that deep hidden pocket where living creatures had long abandoned with the chaos and quakes of the destructing world a coalescent came to be, a formation in that dying light around a single thought of a being not yet born.
No. Not yet done.
Some unleashed thing with the apocalypse or disappearing divinity had sprung forth new hope and new creation. Light sprung forth anew with a new being born in its midst with words coming forth in the after effect of such a creation she spoke, “Golly gosh it's darn cold here!”
Perhaps not the most eloquent first words but firsts rarely are.
She settled in form, clothing and body forming solid even as the radiance only grew stronger in that dark deep cavern, sealed by quake and rock. Black leathery wings and pale skin, glimmering hair of blue and gold. She gathered that light still radiant around her and formed a spear of light. Shining ever greater with power infused as she spoke to herself, “I didn’t come into being just a few seconds ago to be trapped somewhere so boring.
She lowered the spear pointing it at a sealed tunnel and her wings flared outstretched as she prepared to leap into flight, “Even if I have to force my way out.”
A blast of searing high energy boomed through the cavern as she took flight through the mix of plasma and gaseous rock, flying further out of the caves, blasting and melting her way through as needed. She maneuvered deftly, twirling her body this way or that, a half folded wing to change direction or a twist to pass through a small space.
Still it took a while, a lot of melted and vaporized rock, paths carved and traveled, reversed and confused. While light returned it was trapped, still taking time to map and figure out how to move forward or get out. She never accepted that this was there was to see, she knew who she was as a name came to her mind, to put forth her identity.
She was Ze’kelia, and she would not be denied her brilliant lighted world.
Her speed and power scared trapped monsters and underworld beasts alike as she fought and flew and clawed her way forward, her way out.
In truth although she tried a lot, the caves were too complicated and twisted with rock and quake changes, so it left only one option as it seemed the ground solidified.
Boring a whole straight through solid rock was a hard task, but possible, especially if you had the brilliant energy of light to blast through.
Ze’kelia finally flew out upon the side of the continental mass. Into open air and circled around, she pulled out some stone for an outcropping, or created a bit as it were, and rested. Laying back facing upward to sky she closed her eyes even as she had seen. “This world stinks, but I guess here I am. So dark, so pointless, so…
...noisy?”
She heard a strange sound, one she had not heard before, a rushing shushing, a crashing and breaking quiver through the air. It wasn’t an earthquake for one, it came from the air not her outcropping. She opened her eyes and sat up trying to locate the sound. She shot a light back from where she had come from, looked below the outcropping, off to the sides in the distance away from the small bit of cohesive land remaining.
“Huh, it sounds almost like its coming from above?”
Ze’kelia located the source of the sound when she looked up, just in time to be hit with the full force of a new river coming over the edge of the land. So strong it knocked her back to the ground of her outcropping and then soon broke off the outcropping itself!
Ze’kelia was not one for easy defeats, a blast of light to vaporize the water, and the rising up by flapping her wings and once more coming to a rest, this time on the side of the surface of the continental mass itself. She set down with the calmness one would have come to expect from her, this is to say, she kicked half a dozen rocks off the edge and screamed a bit before blasting some light to vaporize tha last bits of water on her before sitting down in frustration and exhaustion.
“It’s always the next thing! Well guess what you stupid world? I don’t agree, you’re cold and dark and I’m gonna make you better, no more darkness! No more pointless unending cold! No more stupid waterfalls out of nowhere!”
With that out of the way, and the world at large properly chastised for its unladylike behavior, she laid back down and with a huff and closed her eyes once more.
“A big rock, no a disk, able to be as bright as I want it, and it could be warm and nice and this world could stop being so darn-”
An approaching stomping caused her to bolt up and open her eyes, two large creatures, one approached fast on three legs, holding a rock. It was many times her size and she had to quickly open and flap her wings to get out of the way in a quick roll.
“Hey! Excuse you!
The creature just roared and beat its scaled and furred chest, gazing back with fifteen, it had clearly lost three, eyes.
“I’m so done with this,” she said raising her spear. “Ha!”
With that last exclamation and bolt of light seared skin and scale and burned fur, leaving lightly charred and burned flesh as what was that roaring creature fell backward as a remnant flesh. The other cautiously approached and dragged it a short distance before beginning to eat its former compatriot. Ze’kelia muttered, “Ugh, this world just keeps getting better and better…”
Ze’kelia had a thought as she sat down again, and she began carving. Or more precisely she began picking up rocks and melting them with light between her hands trying to get the shape she wanted, testing out ideas. Practicing.
She was a quick study, you know, compared to the rocks, the dead creature, and his friend eating him.
Several thousand attempts later she had got it! The perfect defender, servant, a being perfectly designed for destroying mean strangers and building the new world she wanted. A thrower of the sun, defender against threats big and small, smart and communicative too, with a good sense of art. They were to be mighty and big, large tusks to fight and stab and club, trunks with dexterous digits to manipulate and throw as good or better as her own hands could. Four large legs to support and carry its might, large ears to hear, and good but small eyes to see. They would drink water and eat all that this land could make.
She had done countless tests.
“Grrr! Raauggh!” Ze’kelia made the noises as she smashed the Guardian figurine into a smaller one she had made of the creature that attacked earlier.
Countless tests.
And knew that this was truly the superior being, so as the two that had come upon her came into twos, so did she make two of her great Guardians! A new couple and bonded pair that would throw her enlightened power over the world so all could know light and warmth and such clearly good things!
She also, thankfully, remembered to make the actual disk she meant to give them, it was a bit harshly bright so she adjusted it to be controllable by the thrower. One could choose how much of what kind of light, of a pattern or form. Although at its brightest it might be a bit hard to look at still…
She was catching up her two Guardians, they clearly had a strong bond as they kept checking to look back at each other as she told her story, she knew they had such clear affection that wanted to check and make sure that the other was hearing the same tale!
“...and so that’s how I created you two! Now! What are your names, I thought of my own amazing name as I’m sure you could tell.” Ze’kelia paused to smile and give a flip to her hair as she stood speaking up to the two towering Guardians. “Oh! I almost forgot, I’ll make bags that’ll have as much food and water as you need! But don’t be shy about getting any more, too many nasties about. What was I saying? Oh right! Your names!”
Clearly this was of great import to them she could tell, they had to both look at eachother once more before one spoke, “I shall be Ur-Nikatel.”
He spoke with a crisp voice, even as the other spoke soon after, adding a shrill of her trunk to the middle of her name. “And I shall be Ur-Alz(f)elia.”
Now she had let them speak, Ze’kelia launched once more into communication, “Great great great! So I’m gonna fly to that big mountain in the distance, kick whoever hit me with that river, and then give a signal that you two should start splitting up and throwing the Disk of Light between you two. It should be able to track between you two well enough if you give it a decent throw! Okay byeeee!”
With that she took off in flight towards the mountain, a shooting light in the sky leaving the two giants alone together with their magic gifts and the ever so important disk…
Ze’kelia is born! In a cave. Deep underground. Fear not, she makes a spear with light and starts blasting around, and can’t find her way out. Until she just goes in a straight line! And makes it out the side, resting on an outcropping she made.
But what’s this? A sound onrushing! But she identifies it as the full force of water of a river going over the edge and about to hit her! One very drenched Goddess and a number of angrily thrown stones later she rests on the shore of the continent, bemoaning how it sucks and is dark and cold. She decides to do something about that, when she is attacked by a creature! She then basically just burns it with the light spear, not that hard when your a Goddess.
A lot of thought, ‘testing’, and minor chaos later, she had created two Giant Guardians that…
...okay they’re basically big elephants with more intelligence and more and better digits on their trunks. She gives them a disk of light that could be a new sun for the world, some bags that magically give food and water, and tells them good luck I’m going to beat up who hit me with a river, I’ll send a signal from the mountain when you should split up and start the disk throwing!
Basically made two great big super Elephants to do cool stuff, immortal and all. Gave them magic bags for food and water. Also gave them the future sun/maybe moon in terms of light to throw across the sky when she gives the signal later. ABout it besides shooting off towards big central.
Helios
Lord Zee
DX3214
Vec
