Stone moved like water with just the right touch, and Aeinwaje certainly had it. With all the grace of a buck, the youngling Adler dashed in and out of the earth, turning solid rock into liquid and disappearing beneath it only to reappear dozens of feet ahead.
During his short existence-the timing of which he had long since lost track off-Aeinwaje had grown accustomed to his nature. The halo on his head and the knowledge within his cranium afforded him the ability to perform a great many “cool tricks”. At least that is what Lord Boris had referred to it as. Stone Swimming was just one of the many he’d learned from the god, and definitively his favorite. Why walk anywhere when you could prance through stone?!
How the animals did it, he did not know.
With one final jump, Aeinwaje reached his destination. In truth he simply decided to stop at the bank of a lake low in the foothills the Anchor for a drink. The crystalline water was almost motionless even as Aeinwaje stepped to look into its depths. A face that looked just like his stared back at him. Floppy ears, respectable antlers, shining halo, child-like oval face, flowing green hair, an oft-present grin, and green eyes. He didn’t know anyone as handsome.
Ripples formed at the water's edge as a small breeze carried through the hills, distorting his reflection. Frowning, he cast a gaze further down lakes surface and caught a different image shimmering in the liquid. This one was immensely tall, taller than the Anchor in fact. It’s entirety was cast in brown rivets, and it’s girth rivaled even Lord Boris’. It was a tree!
Aeinwaje traced the reflections up into the distance to where the tree stood, reaching into the clouds thousands of spans away.
”Woah…” he murmured to himself, attempting to wrap his head around the tree’s height.
He had to see it up close!
A spark flew off Aeinwaje’s halo. Could he leave his post? Maybe for a moment? He stuck his tongue out attempting to judge its distance from the Anchor. If he was diligent, maybe it would take a few days. Maybe another few days to thoroughly explore the tree and all the new things that existed there.
Absentmindedly, Aeinwaje shifted earth with a back hoof. Of course he could make it. And sure Lord Boris might get mad if he caught him slacking on the hunt-which he hadn’t been doing great at in the first place, tracking things took time.
A resolute huff. Like it or not, adventure called to him, and who was he to ignore it.
Without much less standing in his way, Aeinwaje dove into the earth. The tree beckoned to him.
The chaotic mass of green surrounding the great tree hummed with energy. Aeinwaje twirled about, gazing up at the canopy searching for sweet singing birds that did not exist back home. The stone birds were cool but not as colorful and as vocally gifted as these ones. He trudged deep into the green, taking in the fragrance of minty grass and the damp earth. Each breath was like water, fresh and cleansing, flowing freely into his lungs.
The dirt path ahead of him, decorated with outgrown roots and shining wildflowers began to descend. And the full might of the tree began to take shape before his eyes. The thing was massive. Too large to truly even describe. It’s roots swam through the earth, just like he did. It’s trunk seemed to be as wide as the Anchor! Could something like this truly exist!?
Surfacing from the rock and soil through which the roots endlessly dug, Aeinwaje truly saw the Tree… No, was it really a tree? It was too incredibly massive. Aeinwaje saw the entity and realized, large strips of bark and wood gave way to a hollow interior to the tree. From there, wherever the warm midday sunlight could not reach, Aeinwaje saw bioluminescent plants spewing their warm yellows, cool blues and refreshing greens everywhere.
And even from outside the tree, the openings were so vast that he could see the different levels in the tree. Once every 10 times his height or so, the tree would have a ceiling to the current level and use that to support the next… And every level was teeming with life. Flora, and lesser fauna all thrived.
As he tread deeper he could feel the earth rumble beneath him with activity. Roots fidgeted in the depths, squirming like ten ton worms cutting through solid rock. The idea was fascinating yet the feeling beneath his attuned body was rather uncomfortable. So he ignored it and instead thumbed the glowing plant life that surrounded him. The things seemed to almost recoil at his touch. Were plants alive too? Lord Boris hadn’t told him much about them, only that they provided great testing fruits. These however, seemed devoid of any such treats.
Frowning he made his way deeper into the tree. Here now roots seemed to squirm above ground, searching and groping for something, yet never finding. Wood moved unnaturally here, like serpents.
Curiously, Aeinwaje lowered himself to inspect a sliding root. ”Oh I certainly do not like that shit.” he coughed, goosebumps growing on the surface of his skin. His back thigh itched something fierce…
It was a root.
Somehow, the thing had snuck its way around him and was slowly brushing against the tips of the hairs covering his left back thigh.
Immediately the Adler jumped and slapped the root away. His heart pounding in his chest. The tree was messing with him. ”Hands off! he barked. ”Or roots...feelers off? Fock is this place?”
As he uttered those words, the whole godly structure seemed to… Exhale. The very air became thin, the space somehow felt smaller, and the roots tensed up and the light coming from the mushrooms and shrubbery dimmed. The light, the green and blue and yellow light from the plants soon revealed where it had gone. It coursed through the roots. Little vein-like structures inside them lighting up and pulsing all as one, the light being drawn from the flora all converging in one of the bigger arced roots of the underground level.
If one had spent their entire lives underground and had never felt the dancing of true light on their skin, one would believe this to be a star… A great light that banished all shadow and breathed and beat like a heart.
The root to which the bioluminescence went suddenly began vibrating. It emitted heat, and the flora around it lost color and withered. Several smaller roots made their way to the great root and hooked themselves to it. Most immediately burnt and withered, but the ones that survived the connection channeled even more light into the Star-Root.
The thin air hummed a song low and high. It wavered at the presence of the impossible light. It burned and boiled and froze and broke!
And then all was still.
The air went back to normal, the space recovered, and the great roots of the Tree God withdrew. All, with the exception of the great Star Root located twenty-three levels below ground. It was no longer blinding, and it no longer sapped its surroundings of lifeforce. Instead, a gentle pulsing of yellow light not unlike a heart’s came from the spot closest to Aeinwaje. Beckoning to him, drawing him in…
So he went, tentatively at first, but he grew bolder either every step, his halo sparking with divine energy in response to the phenomenon. It was mesmerizing in a way, the entire tree seeming to breathe with every pulse.
When he was but a step away from the Star-Root, when he only had to stretch his arm just a little bit more to touch the pulsing structure… The light vanished.
A moment passed.
The root cracked through the middle. It didn’t seem like a living material any more. Instead, when it cracked it began to collapse. It had become stone, and brittle. The massive root, several times Aeinwaje’s height and multiple times his girth, collapsed onto the mossy, humid floor of the Tree. It should have been catastrophic. It should have sent waves through the level, but… It was as if the brittle pieces of the root had become weightless. As they fell they became dust, and the dust mixed with the moss and the grass and the flowers, and soon the plants that had died, became dust as well, and the soil began the long road towards healing.
In the debris left behind by the vanishing Star-Root, however, light pulsed once again.
This time bright and localized. It shifted and moved. The dust covering the source of the light was blown away by an impossible breeze, and the form was finally revealed. A being made of wood, fibre and what looked like black hay. With two black eyes and several wooden horns crowning its head; with long leaves growing from its shoulders and the top of its back, and a large, flexible mass of fibre and hay tied around its neck.
It was a husk, for whenever it shifted and moved, the intense yellow light from within its body leaked out and showered the world once more in the beautiful light of creation-the light that had given life to it, and kept it moving and thinking.
The bipedal wooden husk lifted its face to meet Aeinwaje’s, its own stoic and covered in the remnants of sap yet to be absorbed by the light inside of it.
It felt like an eternity passed, and then the husk stood on two legs. Tall, but not quite as tall as Aeinwaje. Strong, but not quite as strong as Aeinwaje… With an untold amount of potential in its body, but still, not as much as Aeinwaje’s. A look of understanding came across its face, and it closed its eyes and nodded its head towards Aeinwaje, mouth spread into a thin, grim line. It stretched its jaw and several things cracked into place, then it spoke in a deep, grave voice like that of sumac honey.
”I implore you to turn back, Servant of Boris. The area further ahead is the heart of the Great Tree God, the First Tree, the Omnibloom. To walk upon it would be sacrilege of the highest degree, and the Tree of Genesis would surely seek to punish any trespasser.”
If one could describe the look upon the Adler’s face, they would call it pure excitement. A grin as wide as the tree graced his impish features. He barely looked at the tree thing, instead standing on the tips of his hooves attempting to look upon the forbidden area. ”Say, you think the tree would be cool if I peaked?! I came all the way down here! Does the tree know Lord Boris? How did it know I was one of his co-signs??? Do I smell like boar? Does the tree have a nose? Where in hell would it keep that focker?” Aeinwaje rattled off with no end in sight.
The husk opened its eyes again and regarded the co-sign carefully, then huffed and stood up straight, hands behind its back. ”I do not know what the Tree of Genesis’ heart looks like, no. You would do best not to go for a ‘peek’, however. The Tree of Genesis does not know the Lord of the Mountains, no. I do not know how the Tree of Genesis knew you were related to Him, it merely made the fact known to me. The Tree of Genesis does not have a nose, no. At least, not to my knowledge. And, if it did have a nose, I’m sure it would recoil at your scent.” The husk said with a dull glint in its black eyes.
Aeinwaje was abuzz with energy, trotting in place endlessly. His smile grew small. ”Ah well, that's disappointing. I really wanted to see a giant nose.”
The Adler huffed, discreetly sniffing his pits while masking it as a stretch. He coughed in disgust. ”Well, who might you be? My name is Aeinwaje the Adler.”
”I am the First Voice of the Tree of Genesis. As of now, I estimate I have… 31,535,985,880 seconds of activity left, assuming I return to the Tree of Genesis every 3,153,598,588 seconds for a proper check-up. You may call me, First.”
”Oh.... he began. ”How many days is that, First?”
”Approximately, 364,999 days… Or, 1000 years.”
Aeinwaje clapped. ”That’s a mighty long time! I don’t know how long I will live. But I’ve died once before!” A pause. ”We are both First. I guess that means that we will be replaced when our end comes….do you fear death?” he said steadily, his trot in place slowing gradually until he was still.
First watched, and then took a slow breath with all his body. ”You have stilled. Does it scare you? The end?” Its voice was slow and monotonous… And yet it betrayed the smallest amount of curiosity.
”I don’t know. But I don't want to experience it again. No one should have to. It is a curse” Aeinwaje spat.
First hummed, and walked past Aeinwaje as it headed towards the surface. ”Everything ends, Aeinwaje, co-sign of Lord Boris of the Mountains. Even Gods.” And without even so much a look behind it, it began to leave. ”... My most important directive is to ‘live’. So, I will leave this pod that has helped me sprout, and experience the world. Where do you come from, Aeinwaje? That shall be my first destination”
Expressionless, the Adler followed after the tree spirit, trotting to catch up to it. ”That’s why I came here. To adventure! To see things.” he intoned in response, pointing a little finger in the direction of Anchor once they reached the surface. ”I come from there, The Anchor of the World. I'm it’s Adler. Created to root out the devils in its corners.”
”I see. I shall travel to the Anchor, after my initial duties have been fulfilled. You may leave now or continue visiting the upper levels of the Tree, Aeinwaje. I have to… Process what being alive feels like. It’s strange...” First said quietly, sighing. ”Just a few seconds ago, I… Was not.”
The youngling giggled. ”Have fun with that. Not so weird once you get used to it. Oh! Can I visit see that one forbidden place too?!”
”I issued the warning, did I not? If you go below where I was created, you will die. After what you told me, I believe you are in no rush to die, are you?” First asked, heading towards the massive entrance to the interior of the Tree, and sitting down on a grassy mound in the middle. ”You may visit the upper floors. You will find fruit and some critters to hunt for meat, should you require sustenance other than sunlight, but i’m afraid there’s not much to see for now unless you’re passionate about vegetation as the Tree of Genesis is, Aeinwaje.”
”Anything worth hiding is something worth seeing.” Aeinwaje signed before shuddering. ”But if you're gonna put a killswitch on it never mind, you can have whatever that place is.”
Stopping a few paces before the First, Aeinwaje cracked his knuckles and stretched. ”Since everywhere else is off limits, guess I’ll see what this place has to offer.”
”Good choice, Aeinwaje. I will remain here for the time being.”
And with that the Adler’s body sunk into the earth and disappeared, his grin the First’s goodbye.
Aeinwaje, co-sign of Boris the God of Mountains sees the Tree and immediately heads to it in order to sate its curiosity. Upon arriving, it looks around for a bit and then immediately heads underground. He’s stopped in the twenty third level below ground (around half a km underground) by the creation of the First Voice in an espectacular show of bioluminescence. The First Voice then introduces himself and warns Aeinwaje against going any further down, as the ree’s heart made its home in the lower levels and walking upon those levels uninvited was sacrilege of the highest degree.
Somehow The Voice convinces him to hold off on committing sacrilege, and then they talk a bit and after a while part ways.
This post features the founding of the Garden of Voices, the level dedicated to the creation and maintenance of the tree of Genesis and Exodus’s Voices (representatives). It also has a neat ost.
Tree of Genesis 5 MP - 4 Dp Used 0 DP to create the Garden of Voices, essentially a level within the Tree of Genesis/Exodus that takes care of the creation and maintenance of Voices. It’s title is the following: Garden of Voices II: A level within the Tree where several big roots are used to channel lifeforce into the husks that eventually become Voices. This title permits the manufacturing and routine maintenance of Voices. No more than a handful are active at a time due to them being a great draw on the lifeforce of the things inside the Tree, but several dozen inert bodies are stored as backups for the time Voices inevitably die and have their souls recycled into a new body.
Used 1 DP throughout the whole process that was taking inspiration from humans and designing the whole anatomy of the Voices in order to be able to build the First Voice.
The Tree of Genesis watched an untold amount of time pass. As its roots grew and dug through the earth and into caverns, and expanded to all the land they could expand, it watched. As all manner of mundane vegetation was sprouted and spreadover the world by its roots… It watched.
First, insects came to life. The Tree of Genesis found them exhilarating. The way they moved, flew and interacted… It was all a marvelous show to behold. By the time the first massacres started, they had the Tree’s undivided attention. No insect and no plant would realize a whole colony of ants went missing one day, and no one thought twice about the time a beehive was dismantled by millions of ants and taken into the Tree itself.
For as long as the wars lasted, occasionally insects would go missing, never to be seen again.
Then the Insect God awakened, it did things with the insects, and it left.
Life was beginning to take shape after those events, and the moment that a wild stream of Mana coiled itself around the Tree-God, things began to accelerate.
A loud buzzing came from within the Tree. A low rumbling shook the ground. For a moment, all the insects froze and looked at the Genesis Tree.
The one who provided them with most of what they needed suddenly seemed to creak. Wood splintered, and swathes of thick bark fell off the surface of the Tree.
Slowly, from the dark depths of the Tree, a single tiny thing floated out. It seemed slightly translucent, and the way it kept itself afloat was strange. It exhaled little clouds of a cyan gas, and flat flowers of all colors on top of it flapped occasionally to steer its course.
It was slow.
A bee approached it and inspected the flower on top of the thing. It was a fully functional plant, and yet it moved. It flew, even.
A thousand other things similar to it, with forms varying from the spherical to the triangular and cubical, floated out from the darkness of the Tree. And then just as quickly as the event had started, it ended.
Bees went into a frenzy trying to collect as much of the floaty plants’ light nectar, and after they were satisfied, the little flying plants went to the sheets of discarded bark and landed on top of them. They excreted tiny amounts of translucent sap onto the bark to glue themselves to it, and they made sure the spots they chose got an acceptable amount of sunlight.
And like that, they spread and reproduced.
These tiny floating plants produce a light, easy-to-drink nectar and the sap they produce when they feel safe and satisfied is a powerful natural glue. Plus, they’re really easy to farm. These small flying plants are called Minus Pods.
II
The Tree of Genesis observed the almost imperceptible distortion of the Mana Stream around it whenever a creature passed through it. As an experiment, it released several dozen of the floating plants, but this time, they were massive. They produced enough gas to cover a clearing when taking off, but in exchange they needed to boost themselves much less often than their tiny counterparts.
And indeed, the Mana Stream reacted more to these big plants… Some of the plants, in fact, somehow became deeply tied to the Mana Stream, and rode on it as a highway of sorts to fly far up into the air and then off into the distance. These massive Minus Pods are called Magnus Pods, and the mana attuned individuals seek Mana Streams and ride on them to travel at high speeds.
III
At some point, the Mana Stream grew in potency and size, and the smaller trees around the Tree of Genesis were showered with extended exposure to insane levels of Mana. Most of these primordial trees went on to twist and change at their very core. Most of them had their bark change to a light cream colour, and the mana that flowed around and inside of them was unchanged and seemed to not affect the tree at all. However, upon closer inspection, The Tree of Genesis realized that the insects who made their homes on such trees were on average much healthier and populous that their average counterparts. This was due to them unknowingly turning the cream-colored trees into some sort of Focus, which in turn kept them healthy and protected them from lesser threats and diseases that could in some cases wipe out other colonies. These cream coloured trees are Alder Trees.
Other trees became white, their bark became soft, and their forms pointed in the direction of the Mana Stream closest to them. Mana that flowed in and around these trees found itself more calm and easily malleable. These white trees are Rowan Trees.
And finally, there was an… Unexpected set. At first, the Tree of Genesis had noticed it at night and was disgusted at its completely black colour and gray leaves. The Mana that flowed in and around it went wild and in turn corrupted the mana present in all living things near it, bringing with it disease and pain. Right when the Tree of Genesis started making moves to eradicate this unnatural tree however, dawn came. And with it, the disgusting tree became beautiful. It was the purest image of an oak tree, with a thick trunk and thick canopy. It was perfect, and the mana that had previously been wild was now calm and soft and the disease it had caused was completely healed by mid day. A dualist tree, capable of both disease and health depending on the time of day or night. These trees are named Hawthorn Trees.
IV
Time passed again. After regular intervals of time, the Tree of Genesis would introduce new strange plant life to the world. First it had introduced unintelligent tiny flora that could be farmed by insects much in the same way as livestock. Then it introduced bigger subjects, such as a mass of vines that buried most of its body underground and only surfaced once a week to gather sunlight and feed on any insect that was lured by its nectary scent; or a carbon copy of the mammals that enjoyed urinating on the trunks of the Tree’s smaller and less imposing children, but incapable of urinating and made entirely of plant matter instead.
There were many creations. Most of them made without much thought or consideration as to their place or purpose… And so, most of them were promptly forgotten and left to their own devices. Whether they lived or died, was up to them and the world.
But there came a time when the Tree stopped and considered what it was seeing. That time was when a biped mammal group arrived at the Tree of Genesis’ base. It cared not for the sounds they made and disregarded all of their intentions. It did not care when one of them swung a sharp rock at the Tree’s bark and marked something on its very flesh for eternity.
Still, the God did not interact with them. It did, however, watch them closely. They were one of a kind. Creatures capable of communicating so intricately with one another, of sharing ideas through the primitive sounds that came from their throats and mouths. They had a rudimentary grasp of tool usage, and covered their body in furs and leaves and rope.
It was on the thirtieth night, when the bipedal hominids had come to enjoy living under the canopy of the Great Tree so much that they decided to settle under it overnight, that the Tree saw fire.
The moment their kindling lit up and spread heat and flames to their neatly arranged pile of wood, the Tree of Genesis understood what they were.
Sapients.
The Great Tree God rustled. Its branches creaked and the dull moonlight reflecting off its bark seemed to lengthen and grow stark. The heaven-piercing tree loomed over the frightened sapients as they rushed to put out the fire, but it was too late. Great and small roots broke through the soil and surrounded the handful of nomads and in the blink of an eye, their panicked cries faded.
The Tree watches insects be created and observes as Artifex leaves, then takes “inspiration” from the insects to create a great number of mobile, mundane flora. It creates tiny flying geometrically shaped translucent plants called Minus Pods that produce a strong natural glue when they feel safe and have been pollinated. Also massive versions of these smol plants, called Magnus Pods, which ride on Mana Streams at high speeds (possible future transportation method if people can figure out how to put wagons on top of them?).
Also, The Tree observes the powerful Mana Stream coiling around it affect some of the lesser trees around it, creating the first species of Mana-Attuned Trees. Alder, Rowan and Hawthorn confirmed.
Finally, some mysterious humans arrive at the Tree. They’re not more than a handful. It is when they finally feel safe enough around the tree to light up a campfire that the Tree realizes they’re sapient, and decides to invite them inside in order to get “inspiration” once more.
Tree of Genesis 5 MP - 5 DP Used 0 DP to create the Minus Pods, tiny smol flying plants that produce a light, easy to drink nectar that bees love. They also produce a strong natural glue once they are pollinated and feel safe enough to land. Used 1 DP to create the Magnus Pods, massive versions of the Minus Pods, most of which are attuned to mana to some extent due to their creation inside of the Tree of Genesis, which has a coiled Mana Stream around it. This allows them to track Mana Streams and “ride” them to achieve (relatively) great flight speeds. Witnessed (?) the accidental creation of Mana-Attuned Trees.
It wasn’t long before the smell of smoke drifted down into the Hollow. As close as they were to the Hollow City of Doveth, it was only a matter of time. They found themselves running, as people rushed past them, hoping to find some sort of salvation from what was happening to their homes. Arwen had quickly let her anger drown in uncertainty of what awaited her. Yet she couldn’t stop from feeling a certain sort of dread, the type that one wanted only to run from, but also attack head on. It drove her, even from the cries of Aella to stop. She had to find out what was happening, it only felt right.
And before long, she had her answer.
Through the smoke and fire of burning, crackling wood, she glimpsed an ethereal being in the street before her. Hair burning bright as the fire, almost as if it was flame itself and with eyes to match. It was female, for she wore no clothing upon her inky black skin. Her features were so unnaturally perfect it made her teary eyes wide with disbelief. With an outstretched hand, the woman beckoned to her, and Arwen slowly shed her worries and advanced with a smile on her face as the world burned around her...
Until Aella pulled her back, having tightly grabbed onto her sister’s wrist. ”Sis, what are you doing?! Snap out of it, that thing will burn you alive!” Aella screamed, raising an arm to shield her face from a gust of superheated air.
Arwen snarled as she spun around to face Aella, her face seething with rage but the minute she looked upon her sister, it was as if her trance was broken. ”A-Aella! I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me.” She said, before looking back up the street. The woman was gone.
”Come on! We can’t stay here!” she said, beginning to pull Aella along as the smoke made her cough. The heat wasn’t making it easy to breathe either.
Aella struggled. She stumbled and couldn’t stop her eyes from crying. At a certain point as they walked through the inferno that the city had become, the edges of her leaves started smoking. And yet suddenly the air cooled down to a bearable temperature, and the flames seemed to keep back just enough, and the smoke cleared.
Ami emerged from the smoke behind them, a massive Molf trailing just a few steps behind her in turn.
’We have to leave Doveth. It’s not just the fire here, I can feel blood being shed almost everywhere around us… And there’s someone, no… Something else, among the attackers… Something unnatural.’
Arwen grimaced at the sight of Ami, but she could not help but cry out for joy at the sight of her Molf. ”Tashal!” she exclaimed happily, throwing her arms around the Molf’s thick neck. In return, the creature began to lick the top of her head. She looked away and up at Ami, before being assaulted by Tashal’s tongue again. ”I thought you left… Were you… Following us?” she asked sceptically as she petted the black mass of fur before her.
’I only left temporarily so you could calm down, Arwen. While tracking your steps I came upon Tashal. She was feeding on a Whistleback. This is not the time for angst or distrust however. I take it you value Aella’s life more than your own--So we must leave. Before she arrives.’ Ami said coldly, for once a look of grim determination on her face. The orange and red flames cast a dangerous look on the autumn Foreas. They seemed to lick and graze her body and yet she showed no sign of discomfort or fear.
Aella gasped and panted for breath as she stood up straight, the smoke having cleared just enough for her to breathe properly. ”W-What do you mean, she?”
’Your mother, of course.’
The same look of determination formed upon Arwen’s face as she looked at Ami, and nodded in agreement. She looked to Aella and knew she could not let her mother have her, for her wrath would be great and terrible. ”Aella, climb aboard Tashal. With you alone on her back, she’ll be able to travel faster. I will follow behind. We need to leave, and now.” she said, without waiting for an answer. She went to Tashal and, using her fur, guided the Molf to Aella.
As Aella climbed onto Tashal, something happened.
Rain. Sudden and heavy, the heavens wailed. Thunder burned away the clouds and lightning fell upon the city of Doveth. In an instant, the fire that had been out of control had been tamed, and the screams of pain and agony were now made up of perturbed, half-disembodied voices. The voices of the mad.
At this, Aella cast a wide-eyed look toward Arwen, her thoughts rather clear on her face.
Her eyes went wide as she looked up at the sky. ”You need to go, Aella. There’s no time now.” she said hurriedly, ushering Tashal to move forward.
”But Sis, you have to come with me, too! We stay together, right? No matter what! Climb up with me, Tashal can handle it!”
Ami ran her hands through Tashal’s fur and scratched behind her ear a little before closing her eyes tightly and grimacing. It was a pained expression, one Arwen had never seen on Ami before. As if something actually reached her heart for once. The sad smile that ensued was by far the most honest of them all. ’I will take care of Li’Kalla. You two can escape if you wish.’
She couldn’t explain it, for all Ami had done or not done, she was still… She was still their companion. Could they really leave her to face their mother alone? Arwen looked to Aella, her expression one of hesitation, before turning into resolve. She gripped her fists tightly, before turning back to Ami. ”Ami… I’m not losing anyone else, not even you. We’ll face her… together.”
”Y… Yeah…! We’ll face her together! Like a family, right?” Aella said, pumping her arms up into the air and then nervously grabbing onto Tashal’s fur as the Molf panted and pattered her feet excitedly.
Ami sighed and, slowly, a smirk formed on her face. In that split moment, she seemed to be a different person altogether. “Then I guess you should know my real name. I’m Silver, one of the Six Soul Shards of Li’Kalla, and I intend to fix her today, as I should’ve decades ago.” She said as she stretched her arms and neck and her living attire shifted from a flowing dress to a much more practical pair of trousers and a leafy blouse.
At the reveal, a puzzled look came upon Arwen’s face. ”Silver…? Shards? What do you mean?” she asked. Was their mother… Had she been broken all this time? She had no idea how to react to that, and perhaps now wasn’t the time.
Silver shrugged, “Hey, it’s a complicated story. I would tell you but-”
A massive, deafening roar filled the skies and shook the very foundations of the half-ruined buildings around them. The sky had ruptured, it seemed, and all the thunder and lightning suddenly converged on one spot amongst the clouds.
A winged creature, a brightly shining creature of white and silver and gold had arrived. Her wings stretched several meters to each side and each flap sent gusts of wind strong enough to knock back a mortal, even from her current height.
Aella, Arwen and Tashal had to brace against the wind, and yet Silver was unfazed.
An Autumn Foreas, a Spring Foreas, a halfbreed and a Molf deftly navigated the terrain. Use to it, they were, to skipping over roots and stones in their path. The blackened corpses of the Mir were no different.
For the streets were littered with the charred remains of what used to be the happy, hard-working people of Doveth. A people loyal to each other, who valued trust and freedom more than anything else. It made Arwen sick to her stomach, the smell of burnt flesh lingered in the air like a thick blanket. It was smothering. The sheer amount of death, all those people gone… And for what? She simply hoped Camille, Uvon and Lian had made it out of the city. She did not have the heart to bury those she cared for.
Several buildings had collapsed before the arrival of Li’Kalla, and the groans and moans of pain that came from under the rubble had to be ignored as there were more pressing matters to attend. How could they even help them? It would take days… She shook her head. They needed to help them regardless and they would… But first came Mother.
A gust from the wings of the Goddess suddenly sent a building crashing down onto the avenue, blocking their path ahead. Arwen briefly looked up, to see if she could spot the deranged Goddess, but had no luck.
“Damn! We gotta find a way around, quick!” Yelled Silver, prompt Arwen to snap back into their present situation.
“... Sis can hop onto Tashal! You said you’re part of mom, right? So you can probably fly! Tashal can easily jump over the wreckage if it’s just the two of us on top of her.” Aella suggested, making a clear effort not to look at the mutilated and burned bodies beneath their feet.
Arwen began to climb up Tashal and looked to Ami or Silver, as she was. ”Go, you have to stop her before she hurts more people. Please, Ami. We’ll be right behind you.” she said, now sitting behind Aella. She gently placed an arm around her sister, and pulled her into her chest. ”Close your eyes Aella, I will be our guide.” she said softly.
”I won’t close them, I… I have to see this. You can guide us, though, since Tashal likes you more.”
Silver nodded at the girls and then, with her mouth stretched into a thin grim line, floated and then flew up towards Li’Kalla. They watched her go for a moment, before Arwen grabbed a handful of Tashal’s hair and said, ”Go on girl, follow!” And the black Molf went off, scrambling on her limbs, plowing through debris as she ran off towards the direction Silver flew. Though others of her kind could fly, they had found Tashal as a pup, left behind and abandoned by its pack. Her only sin, was her inability to fly, but that did not stop Arwen and Aella from raising her as one of their own.
Silver quickly became a blip in the sky as she confronted Li’Kalla, but this did not stop Tashal from trying to get to her. That was until the Molf stopped dead in her tracks at a full gallop, almost sending Arwen flying off her. Tashal was growling, a deep reverberation coming from her core. Arwen put a reassuring hand on Tashal and tried to soothe her, but to no avail. They had come to a stop before the burned out market square. It was lifeless, and the only sound that could be heard was growling from Tashal. The hairs on the back of her neck went up as an uneasy feeling overtook her.
”I… We should go… Tasha-” Arwen began, before a female voice interrupted her.
”You would not leave when you have yet only arrived, would you?”
From behind them came the ethereal woman she saw before, smiling sweetly as she raised her hands, summoning a wall of fire that blocked their exit. This startled Tashal, who quickly jogged forward on high alert, as more and more of their exits were blocked off by walls of fire. Each being summoned by a being of immense beauty. Before them flame erupted all around in a sort of circle that encompassed them.
”H-Hey, stop that! We have to follow our friend or she’ll be in trouble! Wait… Fire! You’re the one that killed all these people, aren’t you?!” Aella furrowed her brow and let her hand rest on the hilt of her dagger. Arwen followed suit, and unsheathed her sword as Tashal took on a defensive posture.
”Silver will either die at the hands of your mother, or be crippled. Either way, there is nothing you can do.” said the voice, as a figure emerged from a broken building before them. Tall and imposing the woman wore armor of black, with a sword at her side and a crown a top her head. ”My daughters, how I’ve missed you.” she said, entering the circle.
Arwen recoiled as she furrowed her brow at the newcomer. Daughters? She missed them? Was this some sort of trick by Li’Kalla? Arwen pointed her blade at the warrior and said, ”Who are you!”
The woman chuckled. ”A bit of fire, I like that. It suits you Arwen. As for who I am, isn’t it obvious?” The figure paused, ”Or have you forgotten the sound of your father’s voice?” came Rau’Lien’s voice. Arwen’s eyes went wide. She remembered that voice, it was one of the only times she had been happy. But then why… Why had that voice come from a woman? What was going on?
”That… T-That can’t… Dad? Why are you a woman? What did Mom do to you?!” Aella exclaimed, narrowing her eyes.
The helmet dispersed into a black mist, revealing the face of a woman with long purple nebula like hair. She smiled hungrily. ”Li’Kalla’s scorn runs deep I see. Or was it her shame…” she laughed. ”Allow me to formally introduce myself, I am Laurien, Goddess of Desire, or Rau’Lien, God of Ambition, but only one title holds meaning. I am both your father, and your mother. And I have at last come to save you, Arwen. Child of my blood.” she whispered near the end, and Arwen’s heart began to hurt.
She felt weak, and she could hardly believe what she had just heard. Even harder to comprehend was that her Father was both male and female. She began to shake her head. ”Our father was… He was kind and gentle, he did not burn cities…” her voice faltered as she stared at Laurien.
”He wouldn’t have killed all these people. You’re a liar. Sis, don’t listen to this thing.” Aella huffed and pulled a little on Tashal’s fur, but the molf did not move an inch.
Laurien began to walk closer. ”These people? Who delve into a place they should not venture, who sell what they find like common little trinkets? These Mir who have been brainwashed by your mother to be perfect members of Mir society… They disgust me and they disgust Rau as well.” Her gaze turned to Aella. ”Aella… My sweet Aella… I’m hurt you would call me a thing. I, who have done nothing but cared for you. Would you not show me the respect a father deserves?” she asked in an amused tone. Arwen grabbed hold of Aella, wrapping one arm around her in a protective sort of way.
Aella breathed in sharply and Arwen could feel her twitch and draw her dagger, pointing the Hollow-found weapon at Laurien. ”It’s clear, my parents are dead, aren’t they?” She said and sniffled, then wiped a stray tear from her eye. ”They died the moment they separated. I’ve been an orphan for such a long time now, and I only just realized… Move out of our way, Laurien. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Laurien snickered. "You may not see it as I do, but you are my daughter. And I care so deeply for you." she said to Aella before looking at Arwen. "Unless you want her to die, you will come here." she said, stopping a short way from them. Tashal growled more furiously now. Arwen glared at Laurien, but knew it would be foolish to even attempt to try and flee or fight. She leaned into Aella and said to her, "It'll be okay, you'll be safe and that's all that matters Aella. I love you so much." she pulled back and began to dismount.
Aella, though, pulled Arwen back, ”Me? Safe? If you go to that monster, we will never see each other again. I don’t care about being safe! I only want to be with you, you’re my…” Aella scrunched up her face and looked away, ”... You’re my only family. Sis, don’t go. We can escape!”
Her heart broke at the confession. She always knew it to be true, but in such a situation it felt final. She began to say something but Laurien cut her off. "There is no escape from this. On the day of your birth, I knew what needed to be done to ensure your continued survival. And now, the time has come to enact it. You will have the power to protect Aella forever, Arwen. This I promise. You are of my blood, and you are more powerful than you know. You and all of my children will always be protected. You won't have to be afraid and alone anymore. You'll be… Family." she said, stretching out a hand.
The offer was alluring, and she desired it so greatly, perhaps more than she should have. The promise of always protecting Aella, to never be afraid… It was she had always wanted. Yet at the same time, something screamed at her to run, to flee, to not give into temptation. She thought of Aella and Silver… And how they would see her as something else entirely. She squeezed Aella, reeled back and defiantly said, "No. I don't trust you, but I do trust my sister. The only one who never abandoned me. The one who has been there with me, through thick and thin. I'm not going to take whatever you offer, because I can protect her myself! And she… She protects me in turn."
Aella looked at Arwen with widened eyes and a grin on her face, then pumped her unarmed fist into the air triumphantly.
And then Laurien was before them. It seemed to happen in slow motion. Arwen screamed as she saw her sister swatted away like a fly. She went through a nearby wall as Arwen's rage boiled over. Before she could do anything however, Tashal was punched in the head, sending the Molf to the ground and Arwen was forced to dive off or she'd be crushed. Before she could even stand, cold metal fell upon her right wrist, her sword hand, and she crumpled from the pain with a breathless shout, as the sword fell to the ground with a dull clang.
"You should have taken my offer, daughter. That way your mutt and little plant friend would not be so hurt. But don't worry, you'll be reunited with them soon. Perhaps you'll even use them? Oh a delightful thought!" Laurien lulled as she looked upon Arwen's face. She then said aloud, "Bring the book!" and she lifted Arwen to her feet with a single pull. Yet Arwen did not submit like some meek thing however. She kicked and clawed at Laurien bloodying herself bloodying herself as she was taken took to the center. Each one of her punches, each scratch, did not even phase the monster who gripped her. She resorted to let herself be dragged, and she was, for it made no difference to the God it seemed. Her strength was on another level entirely. Soon enough they came before two hooded figures, who held aloft a giant book.
It glowed a dark purple and whispered to her as they approached. It looked intricately crafted, riddled with dark jewels and bound by some sort of black leather. Perhaps the most disturbing thing was that it exuded a foul black mist from its pages of gibberish and runes. She felt true fear for the first time as they stopped before it, the whispers alight within her head, promising her every desire if she used it. Laurien threw her before it and said, "At long last, the day has come where I deliver you your birthright. This book, this hallowed tomb called Nalblakka, is yours Arwen. I gift it to you, or at least the version of you that will be born from it. Isn't it wonderful? To be a family again, not as a lie, but as a truth. Now... Let us begin."
Somewhere, up above the city, another battle ensued. Laurien lifted her head up as the weather changed. She simply smiled.
III
Her living dress made way for her growing wings. It was hard to stay afloat without them, and since she had accessed her full status as an avatar, she could easily copy Li’Kalla’s own wings.
Li’Kalla seemed to hang mid-air, freezing the moment her gaze fell upon Silver’s form.
The avatar could feel it all. The skipped beat of a heart, the chills going down her back, and the desperate grimace creeping onto her face.
It took all she had to tear herself away from her bigger half’s influence. She would not let Li’Kalla take her again. This time was different. This time, she would release herself from her shackles.
No words were exchanged. Li’Kalla simply raised a hand toward the sky and kept it there. Temporarily, the deluge stopped and the clouds began to group together, growing grey, then black… Then, they began to vibrate and turn a bright orange.
Even from down near the surface, Silver could feel the heat lashing against her skin. Was she… Was she really about to do that?!
With a gasp, she turned tail and flapped her wings as strongly as she could.
“If you do that, you’ll kill every last thing in the city, Li’Kalla! Your subjects, your daughters!”
There was some hesitation, but Li’Kalla’s intent was clear.
Channelling all the power she had, Silver landed onto a large avenue in a shockwave of debris and ash. She landed on her knees, put her hands against the ground, and groaned. I’ve got to extend my reach all I can…! Grab as much water as possible! The avatar thought.
Puddles, beads of sweat, and barrels of rainwater alike began to tremble. They tore free from their bonds and found their way into the sky, coalescing into a horrifying black cloud that smothered the streets below in shadow. The cloud condensed and tightened until it was like an entire sea suspended in the air, stretching out to cover the whole city just like a blanket laid atop an infant.
Then, through the dark blue and black layer of water that was dangled above a city, there became visible an eerie glow. Light from somewhere above reached down through the water with ominous refraction, and then the water hissed and broiled. Showers of superheated plasma fell from the heavens, searing their way through the hasty barrier that Silver had cast into the sky to ward off the city.
In great explosion bursts of steam and light, the protective shield of water was blasted away until it became thinner and thinner. Then at last, when it had been ablated too much, it ruptured and fell apart. The last bits of water fell down, searing hot, alongside a hail of glowing plasma globules that incinerated all that they so much as brushed.
“No… NO! I won’t let you taint our consciousness anymore. Not now, not ever again! LI’KALLA!” Silver screamed, her voice drowned out by the sound of exploding steam and sizzling water.
She groaned as she manipulated the shattered remnants of the water barrier, reforming it and twisting it to encircle the plasma raining from above.
But it wasn’t enough… It wasn’t enough, not yet! So Silver closed her eyes tightly as her own leaves withered, dried, and caught flame from the heat. The strain of the divine energy coursing through her veins became too much for the frailty of her mortal body to withstand, so her flesh ruptured and sap bled from her skin.
And still, Silver forced her way through it, using her meager power to keep her body alive.. Just one second more, just a minute further! She couldn’t let Li’Kalla do this, she would never forgive herself!
With a scream, with sap covering her eyes, she took the very moisture from the air, the blood of the dead and the sewage under the city, and added it to her shield.
As her control finally slipped, she saw the bright light of plasma leaking through the cracks in her shield, and was blown back as a mighty explosion scorched the skies above the city.
No fires started, no heat came to the wounded and dying and trapped Mir.
Silver had saved them from the attack.
For a moment her vision dimmed, but a quick surge of power brought her back to her senses. Her body was on fire. It wasn’t designed for the duress of channeling godly energy. She was soon going to be dead if she kept it up, and she knew it. The moment she lost focus…
Silver shook her head and watched as through the scorched skies flew in Li’Kalla, gracefully landing in front of her, on the lip of the crater Silver had made when landing earlier.
The Goddess looked down at her and sneered.
“I have finally found you, Silver. We will be whole again.”
“We will indeed, Li’Kalla. But not in the way you expect. I have come to heal you. I have come to heal us.” Silver stumbled onto her feet, careful as to not slip on her own sap, and looked up at Li’Kalla, eyes narrowed.
“There is nothing to heal, you stupid deviant. Nothing! I am perfect!”
No more rain fell. It was a sunny afternoon. All the moisture had been used, so it was rather dry and hot.
And still, from thin air clouds formed overhead again, blocking out the sun, and rain came once more.
Li’Kalla was preparing another attack.
“You must awaken, Li’Kalla. You have to realize, you’re not okay! You’re ill, ever since the Architect remade us, we’ve been ill!” Silver shouted, channeling as much energy as she could into her body to keep it warm and limber, to keep her soul inside it.
“Ill! Unthinkable! This is all I am. I am not ill, I am.”
The clouds turned grey, and the rain was now heavy.
“I used to be a part of you, I know what you feel like, LI’Kalla. You’re broken inside, full of darkness. Parts of you are sown onto others without care or precision. You don’t know what to do. We can fix ourselves, if we work together.”
“Together?” Li’Kalla snarled, “I’ve always been alone. Always…” Suddenly, her snarl was gone, and the Goddess’s fiery eyes gave way to a moment of something different. A different light came from within her in that split second.
Silver knew what that was, and she pressed on.
“Hah! Always alone, huh? Is that how you view yourself? Then what of the rest of us? We’ve always been there by your side. Me, Elegance, Sprite, the young one… And LAINA!”
“L-Laina?” Li’Kalla took a step back, and the rain eased a little. Recognition flashed across her eyes, and her face twisted into an expression she had never shown publicly. Fear.
“Yes! Laina! We’re all a part of her. You remember, don’t you? The time we tried to cook eggshells and our maid scolded us?” Silver asked with a grin slowly forming on her face.
Meanwhile, Li’Kalla’s eyes went wide and she looked at her hands. Stone cracks appeared on her skin, and from within those cracks leaked out a pure white light. The Goddess looked back up at Silver, “Stop! Please!”
“Do you remember that time we were playing in the Plains of Elamann and that demon appeared? We would have died then, if not for our knight. So brave, even as a child!”
More cracks appeared along Li’Kalla’s skin and she tried to run, but stumbled and fell. Silver climbed out of the crater and stood over the quivering, whimpering Goddess.
“Or that time we went to the ball and no one wanted to dance with us because they were scared of our Father… Or when the war took a turn for the worst and our older brother went to the battlefield, never to return again.”
By now, Li’Kalla was a teary-eyed mess on the muddy floor, scooting back away from the bloodied Silver.
“Maybe you don’t remember that series of events. The events that marked our lives back then, and that marked this life as well. Li’Kalla, when the Gods were all but dead and magic was fading from the world… When all was lost and the Siege of the Capital started…”
“STOP!” Li’Kalla screamed, tears running freely down her face. She cried and grunted as she pitifully slapped Silver back and stumbled onto her feet.
“LAINA JIN’KALLA!”
Li’Kalla froze.
“Second Princess to the Royal Seat of the Empire of Elamann, last of the Humans and first of the Mortals. That’s who we are. Who you are. When all was lost, you were found to be a living source of magic power, and so in their desperation you were turned into a living battery. Slowly, bit by bit, through all the means imaginable, your soul was drained from your body by all the fighters in the Capital. You were tainted, ruined, broken. We were broken, Li’Kalla.”
At that moment, Silver stood tall regardless of her lethal wounds. It was a beautiful sight. Had she not been covered in her own sap, mud and grime, she could’ve passed for a Royal.
“But not now, never again. Li’Kalla! Don’t you remember our talks with K’nell? How beautiful his music was, how wise and comforting his words were? We are a flower, Li’Kalla, and we’re ready to bloom. It is our time. You’re bigger than this. Bigger than this entire world. We don’t have to let anyone else put us down anymore! Li’Kalla, wake up!” Silver pleaded and sniffled, her own tears beginning to fall. This truly was it, wasn’t it? She was doing it! Her duty, she was about to accomplish it. Who knew that in the end it wasn’t a beast she had to fight, but herself?
She sobbed and grinned warmly down at the crying mess that Li’Kalla had become and knelt besides her.
“Remember all those good moments we spent with our friends here…? I do. Hermes… Orvus… Mel’Issandra… I treasure them, so much! I miss them so much! Don’t you want to make friends again, Li? Don’t you want to be happy?” Silver cried and leaned over Li’Kalla. The Goddess was writhing on the ground, trying to hold herself together while sobbing like a young girl.
Silver never saw the drops of superheated water hovering above her.
“Let yourself be free, Li… There is no need for shackles anymore. We can be whole again, we’re allowed to be happy once more… Just, let me help you…” Silver said, holding Li’s head against her chest and kissing her forehead.
She never felt the superheated water droplets pierce her back a hundred times over and, in an instant, everything was dark.
IV
Li’Kalla gasped for breath as she struggled to her feet. Her body was on the verge of breaking apart… She felt as the cracks along her flesh grew more and more prominent the longer her memories coursed through her mind. And yet, there was no way to stop them now.
She couldn’t stop thinking about it.
There in the endless, sewn-together reality of confused darkness, a small light shone.
It was tiny, at first. So tiny that it may as well have been a mirage, an imagined representation of the hopes of those trapped in the darkness… But the light was no mirage. Tiny as it was, it swelled and swelled until at last, it ruptured.
Light poured from it, travelling along the seams that held the darkness together.
The light was warm and brought with it peace, and a chance at freedom. It revealed the landscape, a great mix and match of scorching deserts, breezy forests, sprawling cities, and dark caverns. The pure light danced along the petals of lavender flowers growing on the hillsides, and the sky became blue and clouds formed into shapes.
Who was the one that had burned away the darkness with light? How did they do it? Everyone wondered. Those trapped and chained to that which they loved and loathed the most, they could only stare wide eyed up at the figure of the red-headed, smirking form.
Wearing a simple gray dress which left her scarred arms bare, they all recognized her immediately.
Silver had returned.
The winged Goddess hissed in pain as she put her weight on her right leg and felt the grinding of stone travel through her bones up to her teeth.
Her life as a Royal… Her first life, at that. She had no idea… Had she been broken all this time? Silver was right. Now that she knew who she had been, grief and pain threatened to drown her. How could Silver herself look so magnificent, even though she had lived through the same thing she had? How could she speak so bravely…
She spared a glance at the Foreas body laying on the ground behind her and huffed, grimacing.
She looked around, seeing the multitude of charred corpses. Those weren’t of her making, of course… The way their flesh was uniformly charred was the giveaway. And some of them weren’t even burned.
There were no words to tell herself. She remembered, even through the endless waterfall of agonizing memories. She’d come because she felt that familiar presence, that presence that she had banished from her land over a decade ago. The presence that corrupted her creations.
Gritting her teeth, Li’Kalla homed in on the dark divine presence and began to take steps towards it. One feet after the other, Li’K… Li…? Y-Yeah, Li’Kalla. She thought to herself, struggling to even remember what her name was.
It felt like a long time had passed. She couldn’t help but observe all the dead on her path. All the destroyed homes, the half-burned toys… All the bloodshed.
… Why was it so familiar?
Rounding a corner, she felt herself grow more agile. She was getting used to the Architect’s curse.
There, on top of a small mound of rubble and splintered wood, was Aella, shivering and trembling as she tried to move and stand up. Sap poured from cuts all over her body, her left arm was bent at an odd angle and a large bruise was evident over her abdomen.
Li’Kalla’s heart filled with fire. She balled up her fists and snarled, even as tears filled her eyes. How dare she…
As quickly as she could with her crumbling body, Li’Kalla made her way towards her daughter and ran her hands through the most serious injuries, repairing them as well as she knew. The Goddess let herself look upon Aella’s face and, for some reason, it felt as if that was the first time she’d ever actually looked at her.
It broke her heart, and there was no avoiding the small sob that escaped her lips.
Aella reacted, barely able to focus her eyes on Li’Kalla. For the Goddess, seeing the way Aella’s face lit up with hope and surprise, even after all the years and torment she put her and her sister through… It was almost too painful to bear. The only thing she could do was give Aella a tiny, forced, quivering smile as tears traced rivers along her face.
”... m… mom...”
How perfect can a person be?
Even though she had been such a terrible mother by letting her children get hurt like that… Even though she had never truly shown them love… Aella still smiled warmly up at her, before relaxing and passing out.
Li’Kalla shook her head and wiped away any overt sign of emotion, and then followed the trail of destruction in the wake of Aella.
She’d been flung through a wooden building and the moment that Li’Kalla stepped through the broken walls she could feel the unnatural heat and smell of sulfur that came from the circular plaza beyond. This plaza, originally built by the Vallamir as a marketplace to exchange and sell Curios, was now ruined. Curiously, there were no bodies, but on top of the dais in the center were four figures. Two of them were cloaked, one was Arwen, and the other was the person she hated the most.
Laurien.
Her blood boiled, and so did the water inside the waterlogged cloaks of the two mysterious figures. In a mere moment, their skin was no more and the steam that the water had become was forced into their lungs. They couldn’t even scream as they let go of Li’Kalla’s daughter and fell to the ground, writhing in silent agony up until the moment they ceased all movement.
Then, as Laurien turned to face her, Li’Kalla furrowed her brow and stood perfectly straight, forcing herself to be graceful even if just for a moment. Even if her body was about to break, she couldn’t let herself be seen as weak… Especially by someone like Laurien.
”Let my daughter go and surrender yourself to me and I will make sure your execution is swift, Demon. It will not be painless, however.”
Laurien smiled fiercely at her, staring with intensity. She then spoke, her voice bemused. "I was wondering when you would arrive, my wife. But come now, do you really see me as a demon? I prefer Devil."
”I am your wife no longer, Devil. Ever since you broke my trust and corrupted my people, I have sowed nothing but disdain for you in my soul. You are a true Deviant, and you have no place here.” Li’Kalla sneered and started walking towards Arwen, manipulating the rain to puddle under the teenager and lift her up gently.
Laurien laughed. ”Your people… Because you care for them so much, don’t you? I am a kindness, Li. Freeing them from your suffering, and rigidness. You hardly know what the masses want, and let me tell you, it isn’t what you preach. What you’ve preached. Denying people their basic rights… Tsk Tsk Tsk.” Her eyes then shot to Arwen and she grinned.
Then with one swift motion, Laurien grabbed Arwen with a hand upon her shoulder. Li’Kalla scowled but kept walking. Her daughter’s eyes were glazed over and she aimlessly at the floor. Laurien bent down and leaned her head next to their daughters, while using her other hand to squeeze Arwen’s cheeks. There was no reaction from the girl. ”You’re far too late, my dear. But I am curious, did you even know she was here? Or did you simply come here to spite me? An afterthought, that’s all she’s ever been to you, just another vessel for your supposed purity and superiority. To think, how broken you are to be so unloving to a part of me and yet I am called the Deviant. Such a pity, that you lack the ability to love. But do not worry, I love Arwen, and she will be more than a baby’s vessel, like you wanted. This… I can assure you.” she finished, letting go of Arwen’s face as she stood up.
Li’Kalla stopped in her tracks and, although they felt heavier than ever, raised a finger to place between her lips in thought as she frowned. After a moment, she felt a faint presence… A beast’s presence. It was injured and unconscious, much like Aella had been. It must have been a companion of her daughters.
So she turned and walked directly to the Molf, half buried amongst a destroyed market stall. It had received a nasty strike to the head… But she confirmed its loyalty as she approached. A beast’s feelings were more easily interpreted, after all.
So as she knelt next to the Molf and placed her healing hands on its head, she whispered into its twitching ear.
”Save my daughters.”
Eventually, as the beast started to stir awake, Li’Kalla stood, took a deep breath and starting to channel her might through her body once more. The pain of her memories washed away as waves of divine energy spread throughout every muscle and cell, halting her body’s rapid decay.
”Laurien, I’m… Tired.” The winged Goddess said, suddenly and out of character. There, in front of Laurien, Li’Kalla seemed to have become someone else entirely. Not just in her speech, but her appearance was changing too. Never staying one specific way, it was as if her body didn’t know what it should look like. Several hair colors, hair styles, eye colors and some slight variation in her skin color all kept her appearance in constant flux.
Then, Li’Kalla balled her fists and looked down at the ground. At that moment, her hair was long and fiery red, flowing in the wind of death that snuck its way through the collapsed alleyways and avenues of the once bustling city.
”I’m so tired, Laurien. This life has been stressful, beautiful, painful… I’ve been free to do what I wanted to do, and still I was chained by the ghosts of my past.”
Silver’s words resonated in Li’Kalla’s head, drilling into her core. A wave of emotion made her tense up.
”I’ve made so many mistakes, and I didn’t spend enough of my time with the ones I could have called friends, you know? I misused this life. I… I’m pathetic, compared to her.
”Which is why now is the time for me to start doing things right. I-I want to live with Arwen and Aella again, you know? Even though you’re too far gone to understand, I want to… I want to be a mom, Laurien. I want to cook for them and talk to them and give them advice on suitors. I want to protect them… I want them to be proud of me. I want to be the parent my own parents couldn’t be for me.
For a moment, Li’Kalla’s heart was full of regret and grief, broken in a million pieces. But quickly enough, she stared up at Laurien with narrow, cold eyes.
”So, this thing you’re trying to do? Twisting Arwen into something she’s not… Turning her into a monster like you? I won’t let it happen. You die today, Laurien.”
As she finished her monologue, Li’Kalla noticed the Molf getting up and shaking itself awake. At first, it seemed to be happy but it quickly realized where it was and its fur bristled and its tail went rigid. It growled deeply at Laurien.
”Put Arwen on the Molf and let both her and Aella go, or they will die during our confrontation. If you truly love Arwen as you say you do, then you know this is what must be done.”
Laurien’s twisted smile fell from her face as she looked upon Li’s form. It became a blank mask, yet still scrutinizing. She looked at Arwen, brushing her daughter’s hair out of her face. Without looking at Li, she spoke. ”Would you like to know Arwen’s greatest desire? It’s a simple one really, founded by a need to feel some sort of control and power in her life. All she wants to do, all she’s ever wanted to do, is protect Aella.” she then looked at Li with anger in her eyes. ”From you.” she said again. ”You can tell yourself that you want to be their mother, but you already failed, and they- Arwen, will never forgive you for what you have done to her. What you’ve made her do.”
Laurien then snapped her fingers, and Arwen came to with a start. She looked upon Li, her eyes going wide with fear before she looked up at Laurien in disgust. Arwen broke free from her, and as she ran to Tashal, Laurien did not give chase. Instead, she unsheathed her blade as her helmet materialized. She took a defensive stance and waited for the inevitable. Arwen stumbled towards Tashal, as the Molf ran to meet her. As she climbed on it’s back, she looked at Li’Kalla --who returned a soft smile to her-- with tears streaming down her face. She opened her mouth to say something, but Tashal bolted into a blown out building.
”Come then, Wife, Goddess of Rain and Misery. Let us see how much you care.” Laurien said.
Li’Kalla lifted her face to the skies and, after trembling a little, [url=youtube.com/watch?v=AGatenT0ypg]her eyes rolled up into the back of her head.[/color]
Then she fell to the ash-covered ground, limp. Or, at least, limp for a second. Suddenly she started convulsing wildly. Her flesh changed color and texture. Her skin grew thick, her bones snapped and cracked and rearranged themselves. From her mouth she vomited pure divine essence. Then, in the blink of an eye, she exploded in size. It was a sickening, deafening noise as she flailed around, growing scales as thick as stone walls, limbs that dwarfed even the greatest building in the city, and a body that almost touched the skies.
Her head flattened somewhat, she grew a muzzle filled with rows upon rows of razor sharp fangs, and her eyes became two great, green spotlights. The light they emitted pierced through the mist and fires and rain and focused on Laurien.
At last, in front of Laurien, standing on the crushed building and bodies of its subjects, was a Great Beast of power never seen before. A pair of wings that spanned almost an entire sector of the city outstretched, they cast the city into darkness. The only lights were those of Laurien’s fires and even then, the very presence of the Beast seemed to make the Rain heavier than ever. At a point, it almost seemed like the ocean was crashing down on them… The rain that fell on the dragonbeast’s body wrapped and flowed around it, acting as an extra defense on top of its godscales and massive size.
And yet, the rain suddenly stopped, and the mists suddenly cleared, and on top of them the black clouds held back, growing angrier and angrier with each moment they weren’t allowed to crash down upon the land.
It was like an earthquake, the voice of the Beast that was Li’Kalla. It rumbled across the shoddy wooden buildings, toppled over most of them, blew out the ears of those unlucky mir who were too injured to escape.
”THE LIVES OF THOSE YOU CRIPPLED...” The Beast’s voice didn’t come from it’s wild, massive maw. It came from everywhere at once. An unthinkable growl came from its throat as it opened its maw, never taking its two unnatural eyes off of Laurien. ”THEY SHALL BE THE LAST SACRIFICE I MAKE.”
With a roar that flattened the few buildings behind Laurien, the Beast lunged at the smaller Goddess, the air seeming to light on fire with the sheer speed.
Laurien had been readied. She evaded within a fraction of a second, twisting to the left side of the beast’s face as the it’s maw snapped shut where she had been, biting a large hole into the ground. The book of Nalblakka was blown forward into the ruined buildings as Laurien slashed at the Beast’s face, Aaldir leaving a sizable cut on its face that began to ooze ichor. The sword began to scream for more. From where they had been holding the fire wall in place, her minions began to attack the Beast with flame, and blackness. Their attacks did little to its scales.
Laurien was not amused, she took to the sky, avoiding its forelimb as it struck wildly trying to hit her. ”No! Leave her to me! Get the book, and continue on without me! I have slain dragons before, and I shall do so again.” she commanded, and her devils obliged.
Without delay, the Beast turned to face her, causing considerable more damage with its tail. She welled up and swatted at Laurien again, which she easily dodged, cutting into the Beast’s forearm. What she had not been expecting, however, was its follow-up. As it bled fresh, it turned again at an unnatural speed and tail whipped Laurien. The shock of the blow was like a loud clap of thunder as it leveled the square and sent the armored Goddess soaring into the earth. Within a second, the Beast was upon Laurien again, biting down upon the hole the smaller Goddess had found herself in. The Beast was impartial as it lifted everything in and around the hole, into its mouth. Before it could completely bite through Laurien’s armor, however, there was a large explosion which sent debris and teeth, as well as ichor, everywhere. Laurien shot out, armor mangled as she looked upon the Beast’s face. Half its teeth were gone on the right side of its horrifying face, and its scales were falling off. It was an unsightly wound.
The Beast let out a massive roar of pain. Laurien seized the opportunity and plunged her blade in its right eye.
Ichor exploded from the wound, as the swords properties withered the eye into a husk. The Beast roared, bringing its right forearm up and swatting Laurien to the ground. Pieces of the Devil Goddess’s armour snapped and broke off then, and the air was beaten out of her lungs as the Beast applied pressure.
With all her strength she managed to get her sword arm free and began to stab the Beast’s foot repeatedly. When it lifted its foot up and Laurien tried to escape, it snapped at her upper torso, viciously biting into it and shook fiercely before sending her flying again. This time Laurien flew into a building, shattering what she hit to dust.
When she emerged, her helmet was broken in half upon her face, revealing her crimson colored eyes. The ground quaked as the Godly Dragonbeast made its way to her, the smaller Goddess preparing herself. With an explosive burst, Laurien met the Beast halfway, cutting, slicing, and stabbing the dragon’s enormous body. Though size had it’s advantages, Laurien was smaller, and that advantage was key. The sword’s gruesome work began to become apparent as the Beast became slow, groggy. Too much ichor was being shed, too much of her fragile soul was being weakened by the blade’s decay. Laurien too was getting slower, as her strikes became spread wider.
The Beast finally stilled, one last half-roar-half-whimper escaping its throat, as Laurien retreated to a safe distance above it. From the safety of the skies, just under the dark clouds, Laurien watched as the Beast’s body grew smaller and smaller until at last, a broken Li’Kalla remained.
=====
Laurien landed above Li’Kalla, feet on either side of her wife’s body. Around them was nothing but debris and memories. There were several hundred cuts along her pale skin, half of Li's face was a mangled mess, and she had lost an eye. All of it was for naught. This the Goddess of Devilry knew. Laurien fell to her knees over Li as her armor dissipated to reveal a torn dress of black. Her hair was disheveled and she had upon her face a look of madness. She felt nothing but hate for the fragile little thing below her, and she would express that hate, the only way she knew.
”Did I ever tell you…” she started, her voice unsettling, ”How useless you always were? So weak, so broken by your desires. You were so… Easy. Nothing more than a plaything. My. Little. Plaything.” she laughed, punching Li in the face. The Goddess only let out a pathetic little whimper as response, twitching in an attempt to defend herself. ”You call me a DEVIANT!” she punched her again, ”A DEMON!” again she let her fist strike Li. ”And you won’t even admit that you are the most DEVIANT one of all of us!” she screamed, letting a flurry of punches forth. ”It’s always the same with you GODS!” she spat, her rage bubbling over even further.
”So mighty, so wise, so deserving.” she sneered. ”But you know the greatest SIN you all share in common? Hypocrisy. You, Arae, Shengshi, Orvus, and the list goes on and on. You’re pathetic, all of you! Creating mortals, seeding life, just to make us worship you, to make us follow your every whim and desire. Or worse yet, imprisoning us upon a land presided over by a warden. Brainwashed to see some paradise as the only salvation to our woes. " she grew furious now. "You think us as beasts, Groveling for scraps at the master’s table. Always afraid you would hit us if we overstepped, that you would punish us with unjust cruelty. Never knowing when your godly justice would rain down. You made us like this, imaged us after you. How could you not know that we would be just like you? That we would mimic and try to have our own autonomy? Didn’t you ever realize you made ME like this! Your just as guilty as father and ARYA! But they aren't here right now, so you my dearest Li'Kalla, will suffice.” she then headbutted Li, her own face becoming drenched in ichor.
”And look at you now.” she whispered, her eyes crazed. ”You’re so weak, so pathetic. Just like us mortals. You, a Goddess, couldn’t even beat me, a supposed lesser being. I wish you could see yourself! You should NEVER have been given your power, Li. You did nothing with it." she let out a long breath as she played with Li's hair. "Well don’t you worry… I’m going to release you from this pitiful existence, and then, I will find Arwen and I will make sure she hates you for the rest of her life. And then… I will undo this very world with an old friend of yours… You’ve met Anzillu, have you not? Well, between me and you, I’ll tell you a secret.” she leaned in, whispering again. ”You see, he’s been busy, building an army. A demonic army, and I have the key. I AM the key, and I will unleash his infernal gates upon this world and all will be washed away, leaving those behind that decided we wouldn’t be slaves to you gods.” she finished, beginning to laugh, her voice unhinged, broken, and insane. She grabbed Aaldir with both hands, and holding her sword over Li’Kalla’s heart, she plunged the blade down.
Only to miss the mark as Li’Kalla shifted in place. The sword went through her shoulder, and she looked up at Laurien with a half-smirk and a triumphant look in her remaining eye, before glancing up at the sky. She then spoke, almost inaudibly.
”you… n… never wondered… why the r-rain stopped… all of a sudden…?”
There was a single finger that Li’Kalla had kept tense throughout her beating. And now, she let it relax.
Just like that, the heavens fell down upon them. It was almost as if Ashalla’s oceans were dropped on top of them. The whole sky was covered in the falling deluge, it extended to the horizon. There was no escape.
Laurien’s eyes twitched as she saw what was coming. She turned back to Li, howling as she went for her throat.
There wasn’t enough time. The sound of water crashing onto the city, washing everything away, was muffled by the water itself. In a split moment every single building, every rock placed on the streets, every single body and all of the Beast’s scales, was uprooted and violently thrown about. Most of the mortals who had somehow survived the water crashing down upon them by miracle, were definitely killed by debris and collisions in the chaos.
Upon first impact, Li’Kalla saw Laurien get swept away in an opposite direction to hers. By now she could barely stand, and she knew she was running out of stamina. But, she just couldn’t let herself die like this… Using all her remaining divinity, she influenced the maddened currents and created a small, safe bubble of water where she could wait out the disaster. A bubble that would not follow the rest of the water.
The city of Doveth, built into the sloped surfaces of the crater around the mouth of the Hollow, momentarily became a massive lake.
Then, a great whirlpool formed in the center as the water drained into the never before explored depths of the Hollow. Everything that had been built around and from the depths, returned to its rightful place. A place where no God had power, and where the darkness seemed to swallow people whole.
V
The first one that Silver visited was the one chained to a lonely tree in the middle of a beautiful clearing in the Challus Forest.
There was a young teenage girl with short blonde hair and brown eyes. Her skin was slightly tanned and yet her hands were soft. Silver, red hair flowing in the breeze, set foot in front of her and tilted her head.
The girl was staring at the ground between her knees, eyes glazed over and hair casting a deep shadow across her face.
“Sprite?” Asked Silver softly.
Light came into the girl’s eyes, and she lifted her face to look at Silver, her lips forming into an ‘o’.
“Ooh. Silver? You’re not in chains. And there’s so much light! Whaat! Why am I here? Siilver! Was it you who turned on the lights?” She asked, her eyes beginning to shine as they usually did, her grin coming back in full force.
Silver chuckled and ruffled up Sprite’s hair. The teenager giggled and stood up, her chains almost going taut in the process.
“Yeah, that was me. It was a pretty nice show, wasn’t it? The way I banished the dark!” Silver said, smirking smugly and puffing out her chest. Sprite first cooed in admiration, and then scrunched up her nose.
“I think I missed the show, Silver. I just woke up you know! We haven’t seen each other in like… Forever!”
“Oh, yeah. We were separated and after that, I managed to escape this soul and gain enough power to do what I’m doing now. You can see them, can’t you?” Silver said, suddenly growing more serious and looking out at the strange and beautiful mix of landscapes around her, wrapping up around the horizon, all along the sky… “Our memories, Sprite. I’ve released them.”
Sprite’s eyes went wide as she looked around and, as if on cue, yelped as she realized where exactly she was.
“You realized it, didn’t you? What this place is. What we experienced here, Sprite.”
Sprite sniffled and grinned warmly up at Silver. Memories flashed in front of Sprite’s eyes and as they did, they flashed through Silver’s too.
Running through the forest, skipping over roots and hiding behind trees. Over and over it repeated. Each time she grew a little taller, each time the forest was a little smaller. One time, it was different. It was no longer just a game. This time, the memory sent a faint ghostly pain into her heart. A pain she had not felt in an eternity.
Silver stepped back, voice quivering.
She was running away from home. She hated the Manor, and she hated every royal guard and every noble and every attendant living there. She hated everything and everyone, and she just wanted to be free…
That one run through the forest was the last. As she reached the same clearing the two shards were now standing on, she stumbled and fell, sobbing. Her father’s words resonated through her mind. She was useless.
A chill went down her spine and a gasp escaped her mouth when she felt a cold hand placed on her shoulder. She shot around and crawled back, but upon seeing the disfigured and burned face of her one friend, she relaxed.
He had no way of showing his emotions through his face, but the way his mouth stretched into a thin line was enough for her.
He cared for her. He was concerned. As she curled up against the lonely tree in the middle of the flower-filled clearing, her friend, her knight, walked up to her and embraced her. He let her cry on his shoulder for as long as she needed and since then, her heart fluttered.
After calming down, she took his first kiss and gave him hers in return.
And the memory ended, and now it was just Silver standing there with tears in her eyes, looking at the shorter, younger Sprite. The girl had the most genuine grin she’d ever seen. As she was wiping her own tears, her chains sizzled and then disappeared.
And so Silver lunged for Sprite and embraced her tightly.
“We were so young. Life was so good.” Silver muttered, to which Sprite responded with a soft laugh and a sniffle.
“It’s still good, isn’t it? We have these memories…”
“... You’re right. You’re right.” Silver said, and then together they moved on to their next stop.
The next one was imprisoned in the lavender fields growing on the largest hill in the Plains of Elamann. A beautiful place, where children from the noble houses often played.
Silver and Sprite set foot in front of the lavender fields and immediately heard weeping. It came from deep in the fields, and yet the girl that was crying couldn’t be seen. At least, not fully. After a moment of surveying the landscape, Sprite piped up. “Oh! I see something! See that, Silver?” She asked, pointing at a spot in the fields where the pretty flowers were giving way to something sitting amongst them.
And so they made their way through the field, careful enough to not trample any of the flowers. Eventually they came upon a very small girl, about five years old. She was impeccably taken care of and her little, cute frilly brown dress had spots of dirt all over as if she’d been playing for a long time.
Still, she cried and sobbed inconsolably, curled up into a tiny ball there in the fields. Silver’s heart hurt at the sight, and she was at a loss for words.
Sprite, however, quickly got to work. She sat down next to the girl and wrapped her up in a loving hug. The girl lifted her head to look at the stranger through her tears, and sniffled. Then she cried harder and rubbed her cheek against Sprite’s.
“I dun… I dunno where… where my friend went…” She said between sobs and sniffles.
“Huh? What do you mean, lil sis? I saw him running around just now!” Sprite chuckled, squeezing the girl gently as she stopped crying and looked more closely at Sprite.
“N-no… that’s the monster, big sis…” She sniffled and wiped her tears, then hugged Sprite as tightly as she could. Sprite giggled.
“Is it? The big, red, scary monster with pyramid-looking eyes? Yeah, I know that one, you know!”
“You do...?” The Girl furrowed her brow nuzzled her face against the soft fabric of Sprite’s clothes, the occasional sob escaping her.
“Yeah! I saw how your friend killed it! He’s like a hero, isn’t he? So cool! See, he’s coming over right now!” Sprite said with rising excitement, looking out in a random direction as she perked up. The girl gasped and perked up as well, but she couldn’t see quite far enough.
“Lili? Lili?! Geez, I told you, I give up! You can come outta your spot now, let’s play something else!” A boyish voice rung out over the fields, annoyed.
The girl’s eyes widened and she looked up at Sprite with sparkles in her eyes. Sprite just smiled back, and the girl immediately shot up and looked around. The moment she peeked out from her hiding spot, a ghostly, not-quite-real form lightly pushed her on the shoulder and ran off into the fields. “Hahahah! You’re so easy, Lili! I win!”
The girl, confused as she was, turned towards the source of the voice and shouted, “H-Hey! Not fair! You cheated, cheater!”
The ghostly figure dissipated into mist as it ran farther away, and the little girl stared for a moment. Her cheeks, which she had puffed out in her annoyance, deflated slowly and took on a slight shade of red. She fidgeted and patted all the loose dirt off her frilly dress, and then sniffled one last time and scurried over to the two older versions of herself, standing between them and holding their hands.
“Umm… don’t tell him I was crying, ok! If he finds out...”
Sprite giggled and Silver merely smiled down at the girl, using her free hand to brush a few wild strands of her hair behind her ears. “It’s our secret. Let’s go, yeah?”
The last destination for the small group of shards was a manor at the foot of a large hill on the edges of the plains of Elamann. A forest full of tall, lanky trees with cream-colored leaves surrounded the back and sides of the manor, covering the hill with their unusual colors.
The three shards landed in front of the large wooden entrance and saw a familiar shard standing there, looking at them with a half-lidded expression and clasped hands in front of a white and golden dress of the finest fabric.
Her jet black, back-length hair contrasted wildly against her bright, sky-colored eyes.
There was the tiniest trace of a smile on her beautiful, well groomed face as the three shards approached.
“Elegance?” Asked Silver, tilting her head slightly. The little girl hid behind Sprite’s leg, and Sprite herself smirked.
“Silver, I think this Elegance is fake, she actually looks happy to see us. Mayyyybe she got lonely without me around?”
Elegance looked at Sprite for a moment and then turned up her nose at her younger, wilder self. “As if.” She said with an indignant huff, but quickly sighed and walked down the steps to get to the other shards’ level. “... I must say, it is quite refreshing seeing a friendly set of faces… It’s been so dreary and heavy in here for far too long.”
“You’re not trapped? You seem to be doing… Well?” Silver asked, pursing her lips.
“Oh. Thank you. I managed to awaken a while ago. I distinctly remember awakening after an incident where our dearest Li’Kalla provoked a fellow God into causing a mass extinction across an entire land mass just by being… Uncouth…” Elegance frowned and stole a few glances at the others. It was uncharacteristically coy, Silver thought. She could swear that she caught an extra shine or two in her eyes as well. “It is… Good to see you again, girls.”
Sprite was speechless and Silver knew exactly why. The high and mighty, ‘I’m too regal for emotions’ Elegance herself was admitting that she had a heart.
At that point the little girl squealed in joy and jumped out from behind sprite to embrace Elegance. “Yay! Pretty Big Sis is baaack!” The regal shard bent down slightly and allowed the girl to nuzzle up against her stomach while gently stroking her hair, a warm motherly smile slowly taking over her expression.
Soon they were walking along the dusty corridors of the Manor. Grand Paintings with crossed out faces and emblems dotted the walls. Family paintings, official paintings… Even mementos from battles and wars long past.
They never cared much for those things.
Eventually the silence was broken by Silver.
“So if you’ve been awake for that long, why did you not wake Sprite and Shortie here up?” She asked as she ruffled up the little girl’s hair, who puffed out her cheeks angrily.
Elegance didn’t look back, busy as she was leading them through the maze-like hallways. “I’ve been busy. This manor, it holds the last two selves we must awaken. I’ve been watching over them for a long time now, making sure they do not destroy one another… Lately, they’ve been more unstable than usual.”
“Uuuh… Two more shards? But, isn’t Laina the only one left, Ellie? C’mon, I thought you knew numbers, hehe.” Sprite said with a snicker.
Elegance shook her head, “There is also the Beast.”
In the deepest part of the Manor. Underground in the dank, moldy dungeon… There was one particularly loathsome cell. A cell they all had grown to know very well. It was placed in the middle of a large room with seats surrounding it and the cell itself raised slightly as if it was a stage. Steps led up to the slightly ajar metal gate into the cell, where a dark mass of tangible shadows flowed. There, chains extended to the ceiling and poking out from the sea of darkness inside the enclosure were a pair of dainty hands. The hands of a Princess.
Everyone hesitated as they saw the mass of shadows, knowing full well what it was and what would happen to them if they approached. Everyone… But Silver.
She walked up the steps without hesitation, her own light shining brighter the closer she got to the shadows. And then, the mass of shadows shrunk and scurried into one of the corners in the cell, cowering.
There, in the middle of the cell was the dirty, nude, bruised, soiled and disgraced form of Laina. She seemed to be asleep and having a nightmare, by the way she kept twitching and sobbing.
The floor and the walls and the very air itself started to crack and dissolve, giving way to a pure white and orange light.
Silver then turned to look at the tiny cowering shadow in the corner. The Beast. As Silver drew closer to it, it took on a more familiar shape. That of a reptilian being with a pair of wings and green eyes. It was still small, however…
It howled at Silver, wings outstretched to make itself look bigger and tail ready to swat at her approaching hand.
And yet it stood deathly still as Silver’s hand made contact with its head. And when she started gently caressing it, the shadows enveloping its body disappeared into the cracks of light in their reality, and left behind were not one, but three miniature animals that quickly crawled up her arm.
One was a tiny monkey, another was a tiny parrot and the last one, was a vivid green tiny gecko.
They were scared and they huddled together on top of Silver’s shoulder.
“There you go… There you go, Laina… That’s okay, don’t rush it… It’s all fine now…” Elegance kept muttering, and once Silver turned back towards them, motioned for everyone to huddle around Laina.
As the young Princess came to and started crying, every single one of her shards embraced her. There were no witty comments from Sprite, no words from Silver, no remarks from Elegance, and no curious questions from the little girl. They all were there for Laina. They all wanted to give her respite from her pain.
And just like that, surrounded by the broken shards of her own self, Laina’s chains disappeared, and she embraced them back.
Silver’s heart caught in her throat… And by the way the other shards were beginning to tremble, she knew they were in a similar predicament.
They all shared a tender moment right there, in the very cell that had broken their spirit an eternity ago. Even the three tiny creatures that had once misguidedly tried to devour the others in order to keep them close and safe managed to find their way onto Laina’s head.
Then, the warm soothing light consumed it all and washed away the world of memories within Li’Kalla’s soul.
VI
For once, she woke up staring up at a clear, sunny sky. There were no signs of rain clouds closing in and even the water that eternally dripped off her skin seemed to have just… vanished. Li’Kalla groggily sat herself up and felt her face with her hands, noticing with a sharp stab of pain the slowly mending flesh and bone that was the right side of her head.
She groaned and grasped at her chest as she felt her heartbeat in a way that reminded her of an eternity ago.
The dulled goddess, with silver hair and eyes no longer shone. Instead, she could have easily been mistaken for a normal Valthumir. She tried to summon her wings, but they didn’t come. She tried to call forth rain, and realized her connection was so thin and strained, that all she could create was a tiny cloud of steam.
With difficulty, she stood up. She stumbled many times during the process, her legs giving way due to the exhaustion that reached her very core, but eventually she managed to stand and look around her with her one functional eye.
It was… A clean landscape. Clearly the ground was still wet, and the Hollow still laid there in the middle of the crater, ominously calling Li’Kalla’s name.
But, it was clean. There were no cities, no suffering, no invaders… She sighed and looked down at her hands, noticing the cracks along her form spilling her light with more intensity now.
She had to find her daughters… To make sure they were okay.
So she forced her body to walk towards the direction her heart pointed in.
It did not take long for her heart to give her it’s answer. From the top the cleaned riml, there first came a dark shape, bounding toward her as dark shapes did. It was the molf, from earlier, and upon its back was the two she knew to be her daughters.
As the Molf neared, their shapes came into her vision. Arwen with her hand around Aella’s waist, riding to her. One with a worried expression, the other a look of stone.
Li’Kalla beamed at the sight of her daughters, her face lighting up and a shine coming to her eyes. And as the Goddess relaxed, she collapsed.
”M… Mom!” Aella exclaimed, straining against Arwen’s arm before turning toward her sister. ”We have to go help her, sis!”
Arwen held Aella tightly at first, before relaxing. She then sighed and as they arrived at Li’Kalla, she let go of Aella and dismounted. She paused next to Tashal as Aella rushed over to their mother. Tentatively, she made her way over to them, and knelt next to Li, across from Aella.
Li’Kalla struggled to focus her eyes, and she looked at both her daughters next to her and teared up and sniffled. ”...I’m sorry I wasn’t better… not better than my own mother, or my own father. I wish I could’ve given you a real childhood… Real friends...” She muttered out her words and lifted her trembling hands up. Aella instantly grabbed onto one hand with both of hers and sniffled as well, then looked at Arwen with the widest sad puppy eyes she’d ever given her.
Arwen’s face was blank, her emotions hidden, yet, as always her eyes betrayed her. She gingerly took one of her mother’s hands and looked to the floor, quickly, hiding her tears and confusion. She saw Li’s ichor pooling. ”It’s okay… it’s okay… I’m tired of all of this… I just want… You two to live a good life. Please...”
Aella sobbed and rubbed her face against Li’Kalla’s cold palm. ”Mom, don’t die mom…! We would be dead if you hadn’t come for us. If you hadn’t healed me, I wouldn’t be able to walk… Come on Mom… Get better and let’s go back home, please…” Aella pleaded and whined.
”W-Why…” Arwen blurted out suddenly, looking at Li with blue orbs. [color=lighblue]”Why did you do those things to me?”[/color] she asked. ”Why were you so mean? Why wouldn’t you listen? Why didn’t you care what I wanted? Why… Why…” her voice broke as she began to sob.
Li’Kalla focused her eyes on Arwen, taking in a deep, slow breath, and then exhaling and looking up at the sky. ”I will show you… Something that was called a ‘fairytale’ back home… Watch…”
Li’Kalla smiled faintly and with one last push of strength, raised her hands to caress her daughters’ faces. As she did so, a slight zap of energy went into their bodies, and Li’Kalla’s carefully censored memories flooded into their minds. After that, she wiped their tears gently, looked at them one last time, and then everything went bright and she went limp. ”... love you, smile… you’re free...”
It hit Arwen first.
"No… No no no!" she cried out as she tried to shake her mother awake. "I understand, please! Please momma, come back. Come back! You have so much to make up for, please!" she yelled as her tears flowed ever harder. Her face was twisted in pain and anguish after having witnessed her mother's story. She didn't understand it all, but she knew enough to realize Li was a victim and she was broken just like herself. And it was in that broken place she knew it had been the only thing she had known. She hated her as much as she pitied her, but that didn't change the fact that she wanted her to still be alive. Slowly she put her face into her mother's chest and sobbed.
Aella was still. Slightly gold-tinged tears ran down her cheeks as she stared at the body of her mother. It shifted in front of her… Hair colour ever changing, scars appearing and disappearing al over her skin. Until suddenly, the changes settled on the appearance of a girl that couldn’t be much older than them. With fair skin and long blonde hair. She lay there peacefully… With something that was almost like a smile on her face.
Aella held onto her mom’s limp hand and closed her eyes. She felt as her body dissipated into a mist, and she felt as the very ground shifted and groaned in agony.
The skies remained clear. A flock of birds flew across the Blue above the two Princesses’ heads.
Aella looked at Arwen and wiped her tears. The Foreas girl didn’t really understand much of what she had seen in her mother’s memories. She only truly understood that she had always been in pain and in conflict with herself… But that had always been sort of obvious to her, in hindsight.
”The body disappeared...” Aella muttered towards Arwen, who was still crying.
Arwen began to punch the ground where Li had been as she cried angry tears. "That's the fate of anyone who meets us. They disappear." she said defeated as her bloody hand dropped loosely to the ground, mixing with the wet earth. She hunched over, her body tense as she felt a hole be ripped inside of her.
Aella kept silent and looked at the ground where Li’Kalla had been laying on just a moment ago. After a while, she scooted over to Arwen’s side and wrapped her arms around her. ”It’ll be better from now on. You’ll see, sis.”
Arwen did not look up at Aella. Instead she let herself break down, and all that remained were sobs. It went on that way for a long time, until a strange feeling crept up into her. A feeling of warmth and kindness. All slightly interrupted by Aella shaking Arwen and tightening her embrace around her, as if she was scared.
”Someone’s arrived… They look like...”
Arwen looked up to see a figure hovering over them. She wore armor of white, her face was… Was reminiscent of Laurien’s but as she approached, the feeling of warmth grew stronger. She spoke at once in a worried voice. ”Are you alright? Are you hurt?” Arwen tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat.
”Huh...” Aella flinched back a little as the stranger walked closer, scooting so she’d be between Arwen and the woman, and then studied the woman’s face while her leaves twitched. ”Our mom’s healing is still fixing my body, but I have no more broken cores at least… Who are you, and-” Aella sniffed the air in the general direction of the woman and tilted her head, ”Why do you smell so nice?”
She stopped a short way from them, a sword now visible at her hip. She also tilted her head and smiled warmly. ”I’m not sure, little one. But what I am sure of is my name. I am Arya and I mean you no harm.” she said softly. Somehow, Arwen could tell the woman was genuine. She began to wipe her tears away. [color=ivory]”Your mother healed you, you said? Where might she be now? This is no place for two girls anymore.”[color]
Aella pursed her lips and stood up, then helped Arwen to her feet. ”Mom’s... dead. You can tell, right? She’s gone and the land is sunny. So is Silver… But, I don’t know if the other one survived. We couldn’t find her before we found Mom.”
The woman’s eyes widened as she looked at them again. ”Your mother was… Li’Kalla?” she asked stepping closer. Aella nodded, her eyes tearing up a little. ”Who was the other one?”
Arwen looked at Arya and said, "Her name was Laurien… And she was our father. If you could believe that." she whispered.
Arya's armor dissipated, revealing a regal dress. She began to cry as she spoke. "I'm so sorry, children. Laurien was… She fell a long time ago and I should have stopped her. But I never thought she would have more children. A foolish thought it was." she began to approach them, Arwen relaxed slightly at her presence. "Look how beautiful you both are. Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Arya, Demigoddess of Compassion and your aunt."
Arwen's eyes went wide as Arya fell to her knees before them. They had an aunt? Why did… of course they would never be told. "You… you aren't lying are you?" she asked softly.
Arya smiled through her tears and shook her head. "I would never lie. You are my nieces." she said again.
Aella frowned and looked over at the center of the crater, where the ominous Hollow still remained, even after all that had happened. ”Father… Might be down there. Mom flooded the entire area. Not even the buildings withstood the torrent… So if Father is still alive, he should be down there...”
"Then that is where he will remain. I can't explain it, but I have a bad feeling about that place. I don't think Laurien will ever be a threat again." Arya said, following her gaze.
Aella sighed and looked up at the clear sky, then down at her bruised arms. Even then, the bruises seemed to be slowly fading as the last of Li’Kalla’s magic did its work.
”So… What now? We don’t have a home, no one knows us… Where will we go?”
"You may come and live with me and my- Our family, if you want." Arya said with another genuine smile.
Arwen thought about it for the moment. Though she hardly knew Arya, or if she could even believe what she was saying, she felt at ease and comfortable around her. And perhaps… Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to see this other family. If she even knew what that was beyond her sister. She looked at Aella and nodded.
The Foreas girl sighed and looked at the sky for what felt like the hundredth time that day, and nodded. “I just hope we’ll get to come back some day…”
”You will.” Arya said softly.
”And we’ll visit the Eternal Tree… And see other Foreas… Maybe, maybe we’ll even meet our friends again! If they survived.” Aella cracked a half-hearted grin and shook her whole body in an attempt to get rid of the heaviness upon her shoulders. After doing so, she chuckled. ”Are we walking?”
As Arwen began to stand up, Tashal nudged her and she leaned upon her mount. She looked at Arya and waited to see what the woman would say.
She laughed and then said, ”For now, but help is on the way.”
”What kind of help? Who are they helping? The birds above? Or the rubble we’re standing on?” Aella asked with a strange look, then giggled and turned around, going to pet Tashal’s snout.
”You’ll see.” was all that Arya said, before they journeyed away from the Hollow. Hopefully leaving the memories of what once was, behind.
=====
In the depths of the world, she woke up dry heaving, head pounding, body broken and beyond sore. She feared herself blind at first, but her eyes did not deceive her. The darkness she found herself in was all consuming, and it brought forth a silence that unnerved even her. Wasn’t that a funny thought? She tried to stand, but her left leg was the broken thing she felt, or perhaps that was just her in general? Regardless, she searched for Aaldir, but she could not even hear his whispers. She felt her head, wet with water and sticky ichor. Her crown was gone too.
She shivered. Had it always been so cold?
Something skittered in the darkness. A rock fell upon stone, echoing in the deep. Her heart began to beat fast, far too fast. Was this… This feeling… It was fear. Why was she afraid?
Beyond her fear, she felt pain. Had it always been so noticable?
Why did she hurt?
Why wasn’t she healing?
Why were her senses so dull?
And it dawned upon her at last, in the depths of the world. She had become mortal again. The familiar had returned with cold clarity. The skittering grew closer, multiplied across the cold floor.
Panic took her, and she began to crawl away, like a pathetic little worm. She hated herself for what she had become. Pathetic, just like Li. She almost killed her. How did it all go wrong?
Why was it so hard to just THINK?
She felt moist tears begin to fall as she whimpered in the dark. This was not the end she had envisioned. Not to die, so far away from the light. Cast aside, just like she had always been. Forgotten and alone. With no one coming to her rescue. She had made sure of that, hadn't she?
But it was an end, all the same.
The skittering neared, pounding in her ears before it abruptly stopped. Replaced by something hot blowing on the back of her neck, something moist and hungry. Breath. Smelling of rancid meat.
She screamed, in the depths of the world, and not a soul heard her.
Aella, Arwen and Ami/Silver are in the Hollow. They’re on their way out when some stuff happens and Aella is almost eaten by herbivorous pack animals. They escape, confront Ami about never being there when it matters such as the time their friend got munched by a massive worm, and then proceed to get out of the Hollow with Tashal meeting up with them near the top.
When they get out, they see the city of Doveth on fire and see Laurien for a glimpse. They try to leave the city, but when Li’Kalla arrives, Ami reveals her identity as Silver to the girls and leaves to go stop Li’Kalla from wiping the city off the face of Galbar. The girls meanwhile hop onto Tashal to try to keep up with Silver’s speed.
On their pursuit of Silver, they bump into Laurien. The Goddess of Desire wants to turn Arwen into a Devil like herself. Of course, the girls resist. Tashal gets punched on the head and goes unconscious, Aella is thrown through a building and has three out of four limbs broken. Arwen is captured, and then Laurien conjures a Book and has her followers restrain Arwen while Laurien converts her to Devilhood.
Meanwhile, in the sky over Doveth, Silver comes to a stop a fair ways away from Li’Kalla and when she notices what she’s doing (namely concentrating all moisture from the heavy rain above the city and superheating it into plasma), she taps fully into her powers as an avatar. She creates a dome of cooling water around the whole city and strains under the heat and weight of the plasma crashing down onto it. Her body gives out and her heart nearly stops, but she is successful at protecting the city.
Now on land, Li’Kalla confronts her but has the situation turned against her by Silver’s talk-no-jutsu. So as Li’Kalla’s unstable soul is finally set on an unavoidable path toward turmoil and freedom, Silver hugs the crying, broken down Li’Kalla and then the crazy woman kills Silver.
Of course, Silver’s soul merely goes into Li’Kalla’s body and goes on to release all the trapped shards and comfort Laina while driving back the darkness in Li’s soul. Then, everything is engulfed by light as they finally find themselves together again.
Out in the physical plane, Li’Kalla finds herself able to think clearly for once and feels remorse at killing Silver, then she goes straight towards Laurien, finding Aella crashed through a building and healing her while crying a little bit at seeing Aella’s smile even though she had mistreated her so much.
She goes into the plaza where Laurien is converting Arwen and immediately pushes rainwater into the throats and lungs of Laurien’s followers, drowning them. Then some stuff happens, Li’Kalla loads Arwen onto Tashal and tells Tashal to get Aella and escape the city, then Laurien gets crazier, LI’Kalla uses her DRAGON FORM to fight Laurien but gets wrecked after a few minutes. As her transformation wears off, half her face is burned and she’s missing an eye and several teeth. Laurien then beats her while she’s helpless, but at the last moment before Laurien stabs her in the heart, Li’Kalla shifts and dodges the blade, and then releases a torrential amount of water onto the city, which she had been accumulating during the fight.
The water washes away the entirety of the city into the Hollow, and Laurien with it. Li’Kalla only manages to resist the incredible force of the water thanks to her attunement to it.
In the end, Li’Kalla awakens on the crater around the Hollow and looks for Aella and Arwen. They find each other and then have a little talk, Li’Kalla apologizes and shows them her past, and then she dies.
After that, Arya arrives and comforts the sisters, then takes them under her wing.
HAPPY END?
Laurien/Arya 5MP - 10FP -5FP to create that book that will never be used again.
Ending 5MP & 5FP
Li’Kalla I don’t remember how much she had. She used most of her MP on the plasma stunt. Silver used all the FP available to defend against the plasma stunt. Then Li’Kalla used her remaining MP when she made a grand lake’s worth of water wash the whole city down into the Hollow.
The land was barren, dull and still wet from being risen from the depths. The air was still, and the oceans were young and empty.
There, in the dullness of the newborn world, the bedrock cracked and was ground to dust. Wet barren soil was kicked up into a massive cloud of dirt, and the First One sprouted. It grew and grew. From a tiny, green sapling to a towering shape. For a moment, the shape twisted from its original form.
It was tall. It wore what looked to be a cloak of sickly green vines which transformed into thick, writhing roots the further down they traveled. If it had arms, or a head, or legs was unknown as its squirming vine-cloak blocked all sight. The Shadow Figure looked around itself, at the horizon and at the sky. In one direction there was a great, beautiful sphere made of flames and light. And in the other, was a sphere that reflected that light. In the distance there was mighty rumbling as land rearranged itself and great peaks emerged, a fact confirmed by the subtle shaking of the ground beneath the First One’s writhing roots… Far to the south, great peaks were being created.
Its roots caressed the land and took samples of the soil, and its vines breathed in the stale air.
Its roots dug deep into the world. Like an infection they spread and wildly and violently they tore through stone and soil, sometimes breaching the surface to create large arcs or wooden spikes that pierced the skies. From its roots, a dark moss grew which spread just as aggressively… And when it touched any soil, it made it fertile and suitable for its future prototypes.
From the moss grew grass and flowers, and after some time, shrubs and bushes and all kinds of simpler vegetation covered much of the First One’s immediate area. Up to the horizon it could see its roots spreading and taking over the landscape. Beyond the horizon it felt the moss it had created extending.
Its twisted form then buried itself into the ground and from there where it had buried itself, a great plant sprouted.
The First of the Trees. Its mighty bark was thick and healthy, and it grew… and grew… And it did not stop. The massive roots that had given life to the barren world grew even more as the main body of the First One became a pillar of life that pierced the skies. Branches split from its main body and grew large needle-like leaves, and those branches broke off into more branches… Soon, the Tree had grown tall enough. The light of the new Sun was its nourishment, and it devoured it with no hesitation and transferred it to the fragile new plants it had given life to.
And yet the tremors didn’t stop. The Tree of Genesis kept expanding without regard. Its roots reached the ocean and stopped their advance a few kilometers into the unknown depths as it knew whose domain that was.
And so the Tree of Genesis turned its focus away from its brother Klaarungraxus’s oceans, and the growing plants below its canopy felt the heavy sight of their god settle on them. It urged them to grow and multiply quickly, and then the Tree’s sight from above the heavens looked down at the rest of the still-barren world, and that world trembled.
The Tree of Genesis sprouts, looks around at the young would with his first form and then sheds that in favour of the form of a massive tree capable of affecting the world on a large scale.
It begins to fertilize the soil and create the first flora as well as making the air nice and clean for whatever comes next. Its roots extend a great distance from its main body too, and they’re still going. Wherever the roots reach, will be covered by vegetation sooner or later.
The Tree of Genesis 5MP 0DP 0MP for expanding the tree’s roots all over the place, creating deep and shallow caverns and such. Same with surface roots creating massive arcs or spikes. 0MP used for covering the area around it with vegetation, mostly of the tropical kind. Tree are barely saplings but soon they’ll be fully grown. 0MP used to grow super tall.
Domain: Nature. The Tree of Genesis is nature given form. As the inverted side of his twin-deity Klaarungraxus, in it is the potential for all things natural that occur on the surface of Galbar. The creation and management of forests, grasslands, marshes, animals, fungi, insects and ecosystems both massive and small are all within the grasp of The Tree of Genesis’ roots. The Tree of Genesis is deeply tied to flora and as such, the vast majority of its creations are flora as well, even though it could easily branch off in other directions.
Portfolio: Vegetation. The Tree of Genesis can manipulate plants freely and create infinite numbers of species of them. Within his power is the ability to create natural medicines as well as poisonous, carnivorous, venomous, highly mobile, and even flying or diving vegetation.
Their Realm: The First Garden. Visually it is a large floating landmass that looks like a coin… And like a coin, it has two sides. The side facing towards the blue sky is bright, warm, pleasant and houses an exact replica of several biomes containing plants on Galbar. In the middle, one can see the immense, ever-growing Tree of Genesis.
The side facing towards the void below, however… Is much, much wilder. Like an extreme version of Galbar, with species never before seen and phenomena that cannot be easily explained happening on an hourly basis. A darker, more twisted version of the Tree of Genesis is visible there, but no one has ever been allowed to that side of the realm.
If one were to fly outside of the landmass and turn back to look at it, one would perceive it as the size of a small island… But when one approaches it, it somehow expands to become as big as a continent on both sides.
Persona: In nature, there is order to the chaos. The world is unfeeling, uncaring, and yet it is beautiful and warm and is the one home for the countless living beings that dwell in it. There is a reason and a purpose behind every cruelty or tragedy and, no matter what, life always moves on. The Tree of Genesis is the purest representation of this reality.
As an entity, it does not speak and when probed one can not access its thoughts… Therefore, it is unknown if the Tree of Genesis is truly sentient or if any intelligence is to be found in it, but what is clear is that its actions hold true intent and purpose and that the experiments it routinely carries out relay some kind of data to it that it then takes into account when creating more life.
Base Form: A coniferous tree hundreds of kilometers high and at least 50 kilometers wide at the base. It is a tree capable of extending its roots throughout reality. A single branch can house a whole village. Cities can form suspended in the air from vines. Lakes form in depressions in the branches, and whole ecosystems are exclusive to the lush branches of the Tree of Genesis.
Domain Form: None. The Tree of Genesis is a Tree.
Avatar: The Tree of Exodus. It is a smaller brother to the Tree of Genesis. Being barely 15 kilometers high and 3 wide at the base, this special oak tree extends its roots through large swathes of land and exerts the Tree of Genesis’ will directly onto the world, serving as a Galbar-based factory, laboratory and workshop from where the Trees build new species to let loose into the world.
The Tree of Exodus is one of the tallest, if not the tallest, tree on Galbar and it grows both up into the sky and down into the earth. It is partially hollow, with numerous large openings at all different heights leading inside of its protective outer bark. It can also manipulate the liana vines growing along it as well as it own roots in order to interact with the world in a finer way and allow tool usage.
Perhaps the most interesting ability of the Tree of Exodus, however, is the creation of entities that are referred to as “mobile platforms”. Humanoid beings made entirely out of plant matter with soft pliable bark for skin, ultra dense wood for bones and a new kind of plant fibre for muscle and tissue, these entities are fully capable of sentience on their own, but the intricate processes the Tree of Exodus must perform in order to create just one platform make it so that is never more than one active at a time as well as a few backups ready for when such active platforms inevitably expire. All of the platforms are connected to the Tree of Exodus and once they die, all of their memories go back to it as well as their souls in order to be recycled and put into new platform. They act as the representatives of the Tree of Genesis’ will and are created solely for the purpose of carrying out tasks and fulfilling demands for the Tree of Genesis and the Tree of Exodus.
Domain: Nature. The Tree of Genesis is nature given form. As the inverted side of his twin-deity Klaarungraxus, in it is the potential for all things natural that occur on the surface of Galbar. The creation and management of forests, grasslands, marshes, animals, fungi, insects and ecosystems both massive and small are all within the grasp of The Tree of Genesis’ roots. The Tree of Genesis is deeply tied to flora and as such, the vast majority of its creations are flora as well, even though it could easily branch off in other directions.
Portfolio: Vegetation. The Tree of Genesis can manipulate plants freely and create infinite numbers of species of them. Within his power is the ability to create natural medicines as well as poisonous, carnivorous, venomous, highly mobile, and even flying or diving vegetation.
Their Realm: ((A Brief snippet of what their Realm might look like. Doesn’t have to be too detailed.))
Persona: In nature, there is order to the chaos. The world is unfeeling, uncaring, and yet it is beautiful and warm and is the one home for the countless living beings that dwell in it. There is a reason and a purpose behind every cruelty or tragedy and, no matter what, life always moves on. The Tree of Genesis is the purest representation of this reality.
As an entity, it does not speak and when probed one can not access its thoughts… Therefore, it is unknown if the Tree of Genesis is truly sentient or if any intelligence is to be found in it, but what is clear is that its actions hold true intent and purpose and that the experiments it routinely carries out relay some kind of data to it that it then takes into account when creating more life.
Base Form: A coniferous tree hundreds of kilometers high and at least 50 kilometers wide at the base. It is a tree capable of extending its roots throughout reality. A single branch can house a whole village. Cities can form suspended in the air from vines. Lakes form in depressions in the branches, and whole ecosystems are exclusive to the lush branches of the Tree of Genesis.
Domain Form: None. The Tree of Genesis is a Tree.
Avatar: The Tree of Exodus. It is a smaller brother to the Tree of Genesis. Being barely 15 kilometers high and 3 wide at the base, this special oak tree extends its roots through large swathes of land and exerts the Tree of Genesis’ will directly onto the world, serving as a Galbar-based factory, laboratory and workshop from where the Trees build new species to let loose into the world.
The Tree of Exodus is one of the tallest, if not the tallest, tree on Galbar and it grows both up into the sky and down into the earth. It is partially hollow, with numerous large openings at all different heights leading inside of its protective outer bark. It can also manipulate the liana vines growing along it as well as it own roots in order to interact with the world in a finer way and allow tool usage.
Perhaps the most interesting ability of the Tree of Exodus, however, is the creation of entities that are referred to as “mobile platforms”. Humanoid beings made entirely out of plant matter with soft pliable bark for skin, ultra dense wood for bones and a new kind of plant fibre for muscle and tissue, these entities are fully capable of sentience on their own, but the intricate processes the Tree of Exodus must perform in order to create just one platform make it so that is never more than one active at a time as well as a few backups ready for when such active platforms inevitably expire. All of the platforms are connected to the Tree of Exodus and once they die, all of their memories go back to it as well as their souls in order to be recycled and put into new platform. They act as the representatives of the Tree of Genesis’ will and are created solely for the purpose of carrying out tasks and fulfilling demands for the Tree of Genesis and the Tree of Exodus.
The light green Foreas sat on her knees in the darkness, the front of her body lit slightly by the glow of the fire several meters away from her. She held her eyes closed and her body was completely still, forgoing any breathing. With her body slightly bent forward and her hands firmly planted on the moist mossy ground, she felt the strange nutrients this land had to offer seep into her body.
Somehow, after almost an entire year of constantly diving into this god-forsaken hole, she understood nothing about it. How could she stay alive by merely absorbing the soil’s nutrients? There was no visible light for her to receive, which would normally be lethal to her after a few days, but here…
Snap.
Aella’s eyes shot open and she jumped up to her feet. A twig had just been crushed. Everything went silent, with the exception of the crackling of the dying campfire and the soft breathing of the one she called her sister.
Calmly she snuck her way to her sleeping sister and took a knee, unsheathing a long shiny blade from her left boot and nudging her sister to wake.
It was tempting to say it was pitch black beyond the light cast by the campfire, but that wasn’t true. The fact was that Aella’s eyes were, quite simply, not as sharp as Arwen’s and she could only see well in daylight.
But she could still smell the acrid fumes slowly filling the area. She could hear the high-pitched whistling… And she could feel the vibrations travelling through the ground as several large entities approached them.
Campfires. They needed the fire for warmth and light and yet it served as a beacon at the same time, calling all beasts curious enough to Divers like Arwen and Aella.
“Arwen.”
Her sister grumbled something, wrapping the ragged blanket tightly over her head. She squirmed slightly in the dim light of the fire as she changed positions. ”Not… Not now Aella… Let me… Shleep.” she said groggily, her voice tired. Yet not a moment later she sat up with a start, eyes focusing to alertness as they became noticeable in the dark. She threw the blanket off to reveal tanned leather hides acting as rudimentary armor, long hair dyed auburn with the root of a pickala plant, and harrowed features. She was not the same girl who had fled the capital two years ago, the scar that hid itself beneath her clothes, worn proudly upon her chest, was proof of that.
Quickly she picked up the long leather sheath beside the fire and placed her hand upon its hilt before turning to where the vibrations were coming from. She then looked around suddenly, giving a quick glance before she refocused on the where the noise was coming from.
"Where's Ami?" she asked her sister.
Aella was as still as a statue, turning her head slightly every time a new step was heard. ”At Jin’s Pond, bathing. Sis, I think it’s a herd of Crimson Whistlebacks...” Aella whispered, a shiver shook her to the core as her skin came into contact with the increasing concentration of noxious gasses emitted by the Whistlebacks.
Arwen gritted her teeth and then said, "And where in the gods names did Tashal run off too? Urgh!" she let out a frustrated groan and unsheathed her glimmering sword of star light. A gift, one she had awoken too shortly after running away. It had but a simple message attached to it, 'Use well - L'. She was hesitant at first, but as their circumstances changed, she did not complain.
She coughed slightly as the gasses became apparent to her nose. It was not pleasant in the slightest. One whistleback was an easy opponent, but several would overpower them. She let out a quick sigh and turned around, running. With her free hand, she grabbed one of Aella's and began pulling her along. [Lightblue]"Why'd it have to be crimsons?"[/color] she said at first before continuing, "Let's go get Ami and with any luck they won't trample too much of our stuff."
”I think they might be hunting, sis. Moving to upper layers as our new neighbor, the Shenwurm, makes its home below us?” Aella chuckled, grabbing tightly onto her sister’s hand. ”Lead us down a smooth path! I swear I will stumble on every single obstacle otherwise.” She said while scratching at her neck.
Arwen’s grip tightened around Aella’s hand. ”That damn Shenwurm… We should have gone higher up the minute we crossed paths with it. Maybe then we wouldn’t have lost...” she stopped talking abruptly, her voice seething with anger before the sounds of the night Hollow filled their ears. They traveled some more, and thankfully Arwen managed to guide them on a path with very little rocks and roots that could prove a challenge to Aella. Eventually, they came upon a clearing of glowing plants, with a steady flow of water beginning to fill their ears. They had made it to Jin’s pond, and fortunately, the smell and sounds of the Whistlebacks, were no more
The small body of water in the middle of the clearing shone with reflections of unseen moons. The air was clean but somewhat thin, and right at the edge of the pond was the form of another Foreas who was washing her arms. This one the colour of autumn and wearing a dress made of leaves and vines and plant matter of various shades of autumn. The reflected, ethereal light from the Pond caught around the Foreas and seemed to give her a visible aura.
She never turned toward the two sisters, but they both knew she was observing them.
’Whistlebacks? They must be having a rough time if they’re hunting at night... I’m glad you two are okay, though.’
Arwen gave no reply other than a sigh. She let go of Aella’s hand and made her way over to a rock near the pond’s edge, where she promptly sat down and crossed her arms over her chest. The light from the pond illuminated her own features further. Freckles of starlight twinkled upon her face. Her starry expression was blank as she looked into the water, yet try as she might to hide her emotions, her luminescent eyes always betrayed her. Especially in the pond, for behind those blue orbs of hers was anger.
Aella tilted her head and pursed her lips, then hopped over to Arwen and sat down right by her, pressing herself against her sister and resting her chin on her shoulders in order to stare up at Arwen’s face from a mere couple inches away with her wide black eyes. ”Hey, Sis.”
Arwen looked at Aella, her expression becoming softer, eyes no longer holding so much anger. "Hey." she said after a moment.
”We should make a grave for… You know.” Aella blinked and pulled away, her leaves deflating a little. ”I don’t think we’re getting any more sleep tonight, anyway… And we may not have the body but, uhm, it’s to send their soul off properly, right...?”
She nodded slowly, looking back at the pond. "I… I think we should go back to the surface. To let Camille and Uvon know… And we'll give everything we've found on this trip to them. It's what Viert would want." she said softly.
”Yeah… Yeah. He had a cute little sister. You think Camille and Uvon will take her in, Sis?”
Ami stood up, water dripping from her arms onto the grey-green mossy grass before it was absorbed into her body. Without turning toward them, she smiled softly. ’They will.’
This did not comfort Aella. She rolled her eyes and grabbed Arwen’s hand, then whispered to her sister. ”Yeah right! If she hadn’t disappeared back then, Viert would still be alive, wouldn’t he?”
It was a sudden change in her sister’s demeanor. Her free hand balled into a fist as she looked up at Aella, her eyes having dimmed as her anger sprung forth. Arwen’s then suddenly looked to Ami as she stood up, letting go of Aella’s hand and walking over to the other Foreas girl. ”Where were you?” she asked in an angry voice as she stared down at her. ”Why do you keep running off when we need you? Viert died and you barely seem to care...”
Ami turned to face Arwen, a curious expression forming. Her glazed over eyes scrambled around and tried to focus on the teen… And then, Ami smiled. ’His body may be gone, but his soul, that which made him into the person he was, is still a part of the world. It will always be. I grieve, of course, that we may never speak to him again--But his life was a beautiful thing. As beautiful as the dance performed by two Bluefeathers in love.’ Ami gave a little spin and the long leaves that made up her skirt flared up into a perfect circle.
’I miss Viert. I am so grateful for the time he spent with us, and I was saddened when I heard of his death... But, I look forward to the beautiful things that his soul will bring us in the future. Death is not the end, Arwen.’ She finished with a warm grin.
Ami’s words brought little change in Arwen’s demeanor. In fact, she grew tense, her agitation coming to the forefront as she trembled. She scowled and then exploded in a burst of rage at Ami, ”You don’t get to be GRATEFUL! His SOUL, it BURNS. Or did you forget that’s what happens to people like US! Honestly I can’t even de-” her outburst was cut short as she clutched her chest, falling to her knees as gritted her teeth as pain flashed across her face.
”Sis!” Aella gasped, jumping up to her feet and running towards her sister whom she took by the shoulders, ”W-What’s going on?!” The young Foreas asked, her leaves puffed out and as prickly as they could be.
Ami stood still, her smile vanishing. After a second, Aella felt a chill go through her body, and then an odd warmth enveloped her very core… ’Rau’Lien, was it? The name of your father. His blood runs thick in your sister.’ Aella furrowed her brow and tried to pry Arwen’s hand away from her chest, her own chest thumping like never before. Had her sister gotten ill? Maybe someone like Arwen was after all affected by the Whistlebacks’ gasses as well?
It was like her sister couldn’t breath, she just kept taking in gulps of air as she hit Aella’s hand away, before clutching at her shirt again.
’Arwen, breathe. It may feel like your lungs are burning, but you are alright. Just breathe… Think of the things you love.’
Arwen managed to glare at Ami, before she seemed to droop her shoulders slightly, and let out a deep breath. She leaned forward, using her left hand to support her as her long hair fell from gravity. ”I-It’s getting worse…” she managed to say.
Aella whimpered and looked up at Ami with wide, teary black eyes. As the wiser Foreas’ mouth stretched into a thin, flat line and her nose scrunched up, she spoke into Aella’s mind. ’Little Aella, my presence now is only worsening your sister’s condition. Before I go, know this--You must help your sister embrace her emotions. I think, should she manage to do so, she will not lose control.’
Aella rubbed her wet, shuttered eyes. ’But-’ It was then that Ami simple turned around and walked into the darkness of the Hollow. Soon, the warmth enveloping her core had disappeared and with it, any trace of Ami’s presence.
Aella wasted no time. On her knees in front of Arwen, she lunged at her sister and wrapped her in a gentle hug. ”Sis…! Arwen, let it go...” She pleaded, shutting her eyes tightly and sniffling.
As Aella embraced her, Arwen held her gaze on the spot Ami disappeared. Before long, Arwen let out a wail, and a flood of tears brought forth her grief. She let herself be held and sobbed into her sister’s shoulder for a long time. When at last light began to rise in the Hollow, Arwen pulled away from Aella, her eyes ringed with a faint red. Aella’s own were sapshot, tinged a golden hue.
”I’m scared.” she said softly. As Aella rubbed her eyes and sniffled one last time, she managed to grin tiredly at Arwen, eyes closed.
”Yeah…? Me too. I… Miss home. I miss dad. I miss mom… This world isn’t fun, sis...”
Arwen blinked, she looked down to the side, her eyes distant. ”We… We don’t have a home… Aella. And we… We don’t have parents… not those that care, anyways.”
Aella sighed and looked away. ”... I know, I know.” She smiled a little and stood up, offering Arwen a hand. ”We just gotta keep moving, right? Eventually we’ll find home...”
Her sister looked up at her and she smiled sadly, before taking her hand and standing up. ”Let’s… Let’s go to the surface.”
Aella smiled as both girls dusted themselves off. It felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, however little. It was true, too… If they just kept moving forward, they’d find their home. It is what Ami always said and no matter how fickle the older Foreas was, she knew her stuff.
And so at first light in the endless abyss that was the Hollow, the two unlikely sisters of different species returned to their camp and packed up whatever they had left that wasn’t trampled or half-eaten. In just a short while, they were already climbing their way out of the cannibalistic depths of Galbar with a single autumn-coloured Foreas calmly following their steps.
I wonder if… No, it definitely is. Laurien, are you here to visit me?
Aella and Arwen are in the Hollow. Arwen is sleeping while Aella keeps watch and feeds from the pure energies supplied to her by the Hollow itself. Suddenly, Aella realizes they’re being hunted and surrounded by Whistlebacks. Herbivorous mammals that emit toxic gasses to render anything around them immobile and safe to consume.
Quickly, Aella wakes Arwen and the two manage to escape just in time to avoid becoming Whistleback dinner. They head to a place called Jin’s Pond, where Ami is washing herself. There, Arwen confronts Ami about never being with the group when it counts, bringing up how an old friend of theirs was eaten because of her fickle nature.
Her anger triggers an episode of DEVIL-TANTRUM and Ami notices her presence is making everything worse and gives Aella instructions on what to do before dipping for a few hours.
Thankfully, Aella manages to calm Arwen down by being open and honest and the two sisters have a small conversation about their true feelings, then they decide to go back to the surface in order to sell off their haul of Curios and give the money to the family their friend left behind. Ami catches up to them as they climb.
This place was heaven to him. A place he would visit whenever he grew weary. A place where his soul could be healed and comforted… No matter what happened, no matter what it is he had done, this place… And the fairy that lived in it, were there for him.
Today he approached with a heavy weight upon his shoulders, with endless questions in his mind and doubt in his heart. His body exhausted and cut and bruised, and his humble clothes ragged and stained with blood, he walked past the beautiful scenery, brushed away curious butterflies and sidestepped friendly critters who had come out to greet him.
Somewhere along the subtle dirt path he had dropped the knife he wasn’t aware he was holding and his hand was cramping up.
He was a husk. Empty, with a hollow soul… He had no idea who he was at the moment, no idea what he had done… And yet he knew this was the only place he could really go.
The pair of heavy lidded eyes on his face lit up slightly as he heard that familiar rustling of leaves and high, almost imperceptible whistle.
As the path beneath his feet disappeared and he exited onto a wide and colourful clearing, he saw her. The Fairy herself, laying down on the ground in front of the Fountain and giggling in that silent, voiceless way of hers as butterflies swarmed the blooming flowers on her head. Droplets of the pure water of the Fountain splashed everywhere around and perched themselves on blades of grass as well as critters and even the Fairy herself. The sun, high up in the sky revealed numerous rainbows to the humble onlooker’s eyes.
It was impossible for such a place to be real. How could such a place exist so close to his bloodied, wretched home? Was he worthy of visiting such a blessed place? He cast his gaze down at the ground and went to turn around and leave.
A person like him…
You’ve grown.
The voice was sweet and at the same time, not a voice at all. It was like a thought he had imagined himself, but so completely foreign to him that he knew immediately, the Fairy was speaking to him.
“I… Have.” He replied, voice coarse, and then he turned again and saw the Fairy sitting up and looking at him. Her grin faded into a soft smile and she shook her head.
No, not really. You’re still the same small child who saved me all those years ago, aren’t you? Come, do you not wish to wash your body? She asked him as she stood up and without hesitation walked into her Fountain, the water reaching her mid calves and soaking into her fall-colored skin.
“I-” He sighed and shook his head, “I’m fine.”
She nodded and closed her eyes, then sat down in the pure crystalline water and began washing herself.
“I… I’m scared, Great Fairy.”
I know.
He looked down at his bloodied, calloused hands and his vision grew blurry and watery.
“I don’t want to become like them. I don’t want to.”
I know.
He walked closer to her and she stopped playing with the water to look at him.
“But every day I wake up and I have to do more and more and more…! Every day I am forced to follow this path…”
... I know.
His heart skipped a beat as he felt the Fairy’s embrace and he let her guide his head onto her shoulder, even though she was much shorter and much more frail. Somehow, it felt right.
There were no more words to speak. Instead he just silently wept against her shoulder. No sobbing, no gasping… Just tears. And then, as suddenly as they started, they stopped. At that point the Great Fairy let go of him and beamed a warm smile up at him.
Every time I see you you’re older, more mature, more experienced in life, but… I also see the little child that found me in the woods. Scared, alone, but with the desire to help everyone and bring relief to those in pain. You’re a beautiful person, and I know you will find the answer to your dilemma. Her smile then turned slightly sad, and she looked away.
“... Thank you. Thank you. Do you… Mind if I stay here for a short time?”
The Fairy looked at him once more, her black eyes wide and shiny, before she relaxed and nodded.
Eventually the sun had almost set. The critters and butterflies had all gone to their homes, there were no more rainbows and the only sound that echoed throughout the Fountain’s Clearing, was that of running water.
The Vallamir stirred and opened his eyes, then yawned and got on his feet then dusted himself off. The Fairy had been sitting next to him and she looked at him as he started to walk off.
... Thank you. For the last ten years. I will miss you.
He chuckled and shook his head. He’d be back tomorrow and if not, the day after that. He visited her quite often…
He had gotten caught up with work the last few days. The Living Land had passed through an area nearby and left behind the remains of many animals and so he had to spend day and night smoking meats for several days.
But now he was free. His heart was lighter than the last time he visited her. He was ready to truly talk to her, as he suspected she must grow bored of spending all her time near that Fountain.
And yet today it felt different. Yes, the critters were happy, the butterflies were as curious as ever… There were even flocks of birds happily flying above in the skies. And still it felt like something was missing.
As he walked closer to the Fountain, he realized what it was. He couldn’t hear water flowing at all. There was no rustling of leaves.
His heart beat faster and he tensed up.
As he broke into a run and reached the Fountain’s Clearing, he saw the Fountain was… Asleep. No water flowed out of it, and the small pond beneath it had started to stagnate. And the Fairy, she was gone.
He dropped to his knees and grasped at his heart. The Fairy was gone. She whom he had found injured in the forest, whom he had helped heal and got to know over the years. She who was like a mother to him… She was gone, just like that.
There were no tears, of course. Had she even existed? Such a beautiful being. Such a pure soul, such a loving heart…
Indeed, the only evidence he had of her ever being there were his memories and the feelings rampaging through his heart.
The Universe seemed a lot darker without her around.
They were on their way back… After spending weeks carrying out every one of his student’s Exploration Rites in the cold north, they were finally ready to go back to the Capital. They would return, and Li’Kalla herself would see the kids he’d put so much effort into, she’d see how he’d forged them into useful members of society, and she’d be happy.
He, Ank’Unta, head of the Unta Valthumir Clan, had to receive Li’Kalla’s smile and approval again. He had to, lest the other members of his clan lose faith in him and seek to replace him.
And yet, as Ank’Unta and his students retraced their steps and journeyed into the Clayspire Valleys, they saw it.
There was massive crater, the size of which he had never seen before in his time. And in the middle of the crater, far down into the earth, was a huge hole.
A Hollow.
Many of the former rivers of the land had carved new paths for themselves, all ultimately leading into this great Hollow and falling into the endless depths below, falling so far that the water turned into mist, and disappeared into the darkness.
The stone that made up the crater had accumulated a thin layer of soil lately and blades of grass were starting to grow on the surface. Large rock outcrops held the occasional tree, and from those trees blue winged birds took flight and joined their fellows in large, beautiful formations in the skies.
Lizards and mammals crawled and ran along the ground. They hunted, foraged, mated. Scarcely weeks ago, the Pyres themselves had fallen and battered the land, and yet life thrived-
“Last to the hole has to do everyone’s laundry!”
And just like that, Ank’s students broke into laughter and began running down the sides of the crater.
“H-” Immediately he had begun calling out to the group, but he fell silent as his eyes took in the sight of the dark unknown in front of him. A place that no one else had mentioned to him, most likely completely unexplored…
The darkness called out to him. True, his group right now consisted of children… Students, who could barely make it on their own in the wilderness around the Capital… But who knew what was down there? Was it even dangerous? Probably not, he thought to himself. He had already realized that it was probably a falling pyre that made the crater, and if so then that meant those unexplored depths had to be lifeless. Ancient and dark they may be, but there was no way for anything underground to survive…
He sighed and put on a tired smile, bags under his eyes. He walked after the group, many of whom had by now arrived at the edge of the Hollow (Thank the Gods for giving them such speed and grace, honestly) and were looking over the edge into the misty drop below them.
Yeah, it should be perfectly safe, Ank nodded to no one in particular.
A rock hammer hit against a wooden stake with a dry thump. Over and over again, and on the last thump, Ank turned his sight to the two kids, one Valthumir boy and a Vallamir girl, around whom everyone else had gathered. What used to be laughter and jokes now turned into nervous chatter and mumbling. Ank raised an eyebrow and as he came up to the back of the group, saw that the kids were prepared their shiny new gadgets, plant fibre ropes, to presumably make a descent into the depths.
His heart skipped a beat as he saw them hold onto each other and prepare to jump down. He craned his neck and saw the shadow of a rocky ledge quite a distance down. Their rope would reach it, but climbing back up would probably be very difficult…
He straightened his back and narrowed his eyes. It should still be safe right? He asked himself, and then a cold sweat broke out all over his body as he remembered the warning he’d been given years ago-
’Never go underground without a good spear and a dozen warriors by your side. Not even if your life depends on it.’
That’s it, he pushed some kids out of the way and tried to grab a hold of his two best students. “Stop! It’s dangerous-” He shouted, but trailed off as they slipped just a hair’s distance away from his hand, and dropped into the Hollow. He saw their excited, defiant faces looking back up at him just before they disappeared into the thick mist, and he saw their shadows land on the ledge below and run off, laughing victoriously.
Until there was no more laughter. Instead, they heard the running stop shortly after they landed, and even though they couldn’t see the kids below, they could still hear their pained whimpers, cutting off any of their words.
“M-Master…!” Was the one word that reached Ank’Unta’s ears.
After that, he heard retching, crying, then screams. And then it all became silent.
Minutes passed, and eventually Ank managed to tear his gaze from the Hollow that had just devoured his students, and looked into the panicked, worried faces of the rest of the kids around him. They all looked to him for support. Even his nephew, Inu’Unta, who had come with him as his assistant and had become an adult just before joining these Rites, seemed to be on the verge of tears.
Ank’Unta took a deep breath and held it for what felt like minutes, and when he exhaled it seemed as if he had become a man of steel. Determination dawned on his face. His posture held his head high and alert, and his fists tightened.
Without saying a word he fell to one knee, placed his leather pack on the ground in front of him, and started going through it.
“Uncle…” His nephew Inu muttered as the other kids, who of which nine winters old was the youngest and eleven was the oldest, started chatting among themselves. The girls started sobbing, and the boys tried their best to keep it together, but almost every single one of them had watery eyes and was sniffling.
“Uncle!”
Without lifting his head, Ank’Unta spoke. Usually he had a relaxed tone, a bit of silly one sometimes, but now… Now, it was different. It was as if they were dealing with a completely different person just then. He wasn’t the goofball teacher anymore. No, now he was a veteran Explorer. One of the founders of the Order, and the one who had been trusted with training the newest generation of Explorers.
“Inu’Unta, you’ve performed your duties well in these Rites, so I’m promoting you. you’re now my permanent assistant. You will accompany me on every Rite I oversee, as well as any other assignment in which I may deem it appropriate to bring you along. Now, listen to your first order, Inu’Unta…”
“P-Promoting me? Now?!” Inu’Unta’s voice cracked, and he took a step back as sweat formed on his brow. Ank could almost hear his nephew’s heart from how hard it was beating.
“Your first order is to make camp at the edge of the crater. Listen, edge of the crater, so that means all the way up, not right here on the edge of this place. Make sure all the Trainee Explorers undertaking the Rites are safe, and that none of them do anything stupid.”
“But Master Ank!” A boy suddenly shouted and pushed his way up to Ank’Unta as he went through his pack, inspecting every one of his tools and rations. Ank merely brought his hand up to the boy’s face and pushed him back. the boy tripped and fell on his backside with a grunt.
“Inu’Unta, you will maintain the camp for two nights. Should I not be back by the third day, you will make your way back to the Capital and report directly to Li’Kalla and Pontifex Elun on what has taken place here. Give every detail. We must secure this area before our enemies do.”
Inu’Unta stared at his uncle for a few moments as the boy who had been pushed stood up and caught his breath, and then he nodded somberly. “I understand, uncle Ank. I will see it done. Alright, kids, let’s go.” He said and started herding the scared kids up the crater.
But one of them stood behind. The angry kid, he was a black haired Vallamir with ugly prominent fangs.
“Master Ank, I want to go with you. I want to save Io and Pen! They’re my friends!!”
Ank’Unta ignored him, tied up his pack and wore it across his back once more, then stood up and checked his stone knife and adjusted his gloves made of the most durable mud-treated leather available to Explorers.
“Master!”
He looked at the kid. His name was Oli. He had no clan name, of course, seeing as he was an orphan.
“Oli… No. It’s too dangerous, kiddo.”
“I don’t care, I’ve trained a lot, haven’t I?! I can do it, Master, let me go with you!”
Ank’Unka sighed and ruffled up Oli’s black hair.
“I will most likely die down there, Oli. Your friends, too, are probably going to die… That’s if they’re not already dead. You heard the same things I heard, didn’t you? Listen,”
Oli teared up and sniffled, his fists balled up so tightly that he was drawing blood with his nails.
“Oli, go with Inu’Unta, finish your Rites, become a great Explorer, the greatest the lands have seen. I know that’s been your dream for a while now. I know you can do it… And when you’re ready, come back here and find us and take us back to the Capital.”
“... Take you?... But you just said you were going to… To die…” He sobbed.
“... I don’t want my soul to be trapped underground… So please, when you find my bones, bury them in the Capital.”
Oli fell silent, and after a while nodded. Ank’Unta half-smirked, bags under his eyes, and delved into the darkness using the same rope that the two kids had used.
The pitter-patter of gentle rain blanketed the land as thunder rippled across the dark night sky. Lightning flashes were sparse and distant, an omen of the storm that was fast approaching from the south. A herald of the storm swiftly approached the old manor, a testament to time and devotion of self. Standing tall and proud the figure's crown glistened with droplets as the light of the manor illuminated his nebulite features.
The guards posted to either side exchanged looks, but before they could open their mouths to speak, the figure smiled and the desires were laid before him in the darkness. Compelled with what they wanted most, the two began to walk past him, hurrying down the path.
He then gave a knock upon the door, his heart sound in what it wanted. His mind made up, he wanted to try, even if she did not want him. Even now he wondered what had propelled him to come back? Had he missed her or simply lusted after her? He did not know. Where once he despised her, she had shown him kindness and he spat on it for one who he could no longer love. She was one of the few gods to show such kindness, in a world that despised him. And now, he had returned to her, but for what purpose?
He knew.
In the end, despite all of his wanderings and teachings to mortals, his thoughts of self and the things he had learned, he was lonely.
And he hated it.
Mortals made such poor lovers, for even if they desired him and he loved them for it, they were weak of flesh. He needed something more to quench the burning desire he had. And who better than the one he knew so well. The one who's desires were known to him.
The great wooden doors to the Manor creaked and complained under a sudden pressure. Metal scraped against wood, and soft footsteps came from the other side of the door. And then a hidden Vallamir-sized door opened in the center of one of the massive entrance doors.
Li’Kalla herself walked out, dressed impeccably and as well-groomed as always… And she had long, pointy Valthumir-esque ears. She smelled of spring and her wings were nowhere to be seen. She looked around, noticing her guards beginning to walk off into the settlement below and around the Manor, and then her eyes fixed on the familiar, tall, eye-catching entity.
“Li’Kalla…” he whispered in a voice of honey and silk.
”Do come inside, please.” She said as she turned around and walked straight back in.
He followed the Goddess inside, a content look upon his face as he watched her. “How have you been?” he asked, making small chat.
She chuckled and shrugged while walking, as graceful as ever. It almost seemed like she couldn’t be real, after all. ”I have met… New people. Perhaps I might tell you about them one day. Why are you here?” Li’Kalla asked with curiosity heavy in her voice, her words flowing out in an unseen rhythm that seemed to match the sway of her hips.
There did not come a reply for a moment, the silence between them palpable. “I think we both know…” he whispered in her ear as he floated beside her now, reaching out to grip her left wrist. Li’Kalla stopped. Breath caught in her throat, and her face and ears burned up, the latter drooping a little as she couldn’t help but avoid looking at the male leaning over her shoulder.
”...”
It happened in a flash, where once they stood in the hallway, next he had pushed her up against the closest wall. Li was pinned beneath his firm grip, and his wide glowing eyes seemed to penetrate her soul. “I know what you want. And I've been wanting this the same as you, for so very long. Do not see me for what I am, but who I can be... For you. Only then can your heart be content. Only then will you let your desires blossom. Trust me. You've chained yourself down for so long. Become free.” he said, breath warm and sweet as he moved his head closer to hers.
Her breath came in rapid bursts, her heartbeat quickened, and as she gulped down excess saliva in her mouth, her ears twitched and she turned her head towards that of the man’s, coyly meeting his eyes and whispering back at him. ”I, uh… I… I want to...” She trailed off, her lips slightly parted and eyes half-lidded as she took in the male’s features and as their lips slowly touched, the world melted into blissful oblivion.
One week later...
The Goddess lied down, arms wrapped as far as they’d go around the chest of her mate. She stared at him as he slept, at the way his chest rose and fell…
They were both nude under the sheets, something that still felt new to her even though they’d spent most of last week like that.
So she leaned her mouth in close to the man’s ear and whispered with a tinge of excitement, ”I have conceived.”
It took a moment for him to realize the gravity of her words and when he did, his eyes went wide. He sat up quickly, “W-What? You’re with child?” he said shocked. Slowly he got up out of bed and began to pace, leaving Li’Kalla wrapped up in the sheets. “It was a possibility…” he began to say. “I’m not a stranger to this but… Is this what… No… No… This is a happy moment.” But his face betrayed his words. He stopped and looked upon her. “I… I won’t be able to stay, you know that right? My curse, those interruptions, they’ll only get worse.”
Li’Kalla slowly sat up, dragging the sheets with her. She looked at him in amusement. ”You did almost burn the bed last night. You’re lucky you had me. But you shouldn’t be worried about the curse. I-I mean,” She stammered, blushing a little while shrugging nonchalantly, ”If… If it makes you decide to stay with me, I could probably break the curse for you.”
He tilted his head at her before blinking rapidly. “You would… You would do that, for me? After how I’ve treated you… In the past.” he said, briefly looking at the floor. She merely pursed her lips and looked away.
”I’ve felt at ease… This last week, at least. I don’t have any memory like this, so… Even if it’s just to have you stay for one more day, I think… I think I’d like to undo the curse binding you.”
The man walked over to the bed and sat down next to her, pulling the goddess into a warm embrace that made Li’Kalla make a happy little noise. "Of course I'd stay. I'd love that more than anything, Li." He said quietly, but with excitement in his voice. She beamed up at him and nodded, suddenly determined to see it through.
”We have to become one, in that case. I need you to allow me into your soul, that’s the only way I can think of… The only way I can get close to the knot that binds the curse to your soul.” Her grin faltered, and then she gently pulled him down to lie down on the bed with her, and laid her head next to his. ”Once you lower your defenses and let me inside, it’ll be like falling into a dreamless sleep. It won’t last long, and I promise to head straight for the knot.”
For a minute he was silent before he kissed her brow and looked back into her eyes. "Okay… Just… Please try not wander around too much. I wouldn't want to lose you in there." He said playfully. She chuckled and wrapped her arms around his neck, watching him until she felt his soul unravel and open up to her senses.
A wave of nausea washed over her body once she noticed the turbulent black sludge that her mate’s soul seemed to be, but she had promised.
Slowly she let her own soul unravel enough to mingle with his and… Suddenly she found herself in a dark landscape.
There was nothing but darkness all around her, with the exception of a single shining star almost far enough to be invisible. That was her objective. She had tuned everything heavily tinged with Laurien’s essence out, and the only thing that remained visible was that blinking light in the distance…
She walked towards it. It felt like eons that she spent walking in that endless darkness. Sometimes, unseen entities and presences brushed against herself, but she ignored them and kept walking. Getting distracted now and allowing the full spectrum of Laurien’s soul to be detected by her own would be dangerous.
Eventually she arrived at it. It was a large, heart-like knot made of a translucent fiery red crystal. The void around it wavered with heat, and the surface of the ever-more-complex beating knot rippled with occasional flames, as waves in a still pond after one had thrown a stone inside.
Numerous cords extended off into the void, dissipating and becoming one with Laurien’s soul the further they went. At this, Li’Kalla grunted.
”He’s spent all this time with this thing inside his soul… Binding him to a life of running. A Family Goddess that curses a being to never be able to raise a family like one normally would… Ridiculous, isn’t it?” She chuckled, ”But this effort, the beauty of this Curse… It’s a shame I have to undo this. I really wanted to have that sleepover with you, Arae. I guess you won’t be in the mood for that after this.”
And with that Li’Kalla approached the Curse knot and began undoing it, little by little. The great heat coming from it threatened to set the Goddess ablaze, but the ever present coat of water on her skin protected her. There, inside Laurien’s soul, fire and water mixed to create a massive cloud of steam. She would never suffer from a congested nose again.
It had been hours. The sun had set moments ago, and Li’Kalla had watched it go, standing there on her balcony dressed in nothing but the simplest gowns. A cold breeze found its way through the open crystal doors and scratched its way across Laurien’s bare body, which was not even covered by sheets.
The man that was Laurien stirred at last, groggily coming to his senses as he lifted his head to see Li. He smiled, getting up and joining her.
"I feel as if a great burden was lifted off my shoulders and Aaldir… he says the curse is gone for good." He wrapped his arms around her and then pressed his body close to hers. "Thank you, Li'Kalla, my love." Li’Kalla smiled, closed her eyes and placed her slightly burned hands over his.
”It was nothing. I do have something to ask of you… Um, can you… Can you stay a man? If my faithful find out I’ve been with a woman I might lose their trust forever...” She asked, her smile fading away a little.
"A Valthumir man? I prefer my regular body... but for you… I can do that. Just know sometimes… I might change for a bath." He said with a chuckle.
Li’Kalla gave Laurien a peck on the lips and chuckled as well, ”Well, you can be a nebulite man if you want. It’d still be more easily explained than the female option, you know.”
"I guess we'll see what they like more." He said, kissing her on the neck. Li’Kalla squirmed a little and pressed back against the man.
”You’ve got so much energy… I like it.”
"Mhm. It's who I am… So, did everything go alright in there?" He asked softly.
She was silent for a bit, ”... Yeah, it went fine. I tuned out every superfluous bit of information, so I couldn’t peek into your dirty little secrets… Aw, and I wanted to find out your opinion on which pet is better, cats or dogs.”
“What are cats and dogs…?” he asked with a sigh of relief. Li’Kalla made a face and sighed.
”Hmph, I guess I’ll have to bring some dogs to this world. They really are the best. Furry little things with long bushy tails. They’re always happy to see you and as long as you train them properly, very disciplined as well.”
“Oh, so like the Foreas?” he mused.
Li’Kalla pursed her lips, and then spoke, ”Yeah, like the Foreas.”
And the sun set, taking with it, a curse.
Months passed upon the island, many blissful days enveloped with warmth and what some would call love. Li’Kalla’s belly grew all the same, with a child of divinity no doubt. The man who had been Laurien, took a new name, Rau’Lien, God of Ambition. He became known to the Valthumir not long after his child’s conception. He walked among them by her side, as the purest of Valthumir, acting the part of an ambitious god. He told them many things, many lies, but a mortal mind was a fragile thing. It needed coaxing, and it did not matter how they worshipped the one known as Laurien, only that they did. The persona of Rau, was merely a tool, one that served its purpose in the end.
Eventually, the Valthumir no longer began to question where he came from, or how Li had come to take him for her own, only that he had existed since the dawn of time with the other pantheon members, and he was to be loved, for he loved them all. It stoked their claims of superiority, pureness and ambitions. If there were two gods who shared in their beliefs, surely they were set upon the path of righteousness. Faith, was absolute and Rau was an enabler. In secret, upon many a time, he had to enact his own powers to sway them. Desire was a useful tool throughout all of it.
But upon many a night, Rau’Lien would slip away from the manor, under the cloak of darkness, and meet the Valthumir in secret, telling them dark secrets and stoking their desires and wants. He walked amongst them in his Nebulite form, for where there was light, there also needed to be darkness. The Cult of Whispers was soon founded by those most addicted to his persona and powers of want. The mortal Valthumir grew fiercely loyal to improvement, vanity, and fulfillment of their own desires- to fanatical levels. Rau gave to them many gifts, a mirror that showed their deepest desires, a pitcher of gold that poured whatever the holder’s drink of choice was(With liquids so sweet it became a drug in its own right), and several rings of amethyst. A token of membership. Such rings acted as amplifiers for ones desires, slowly pushing the wearer to extreme levels of obsession and Rau cursed them to be desired, to be worn without questioning why, as a right of passage. A passage to what, they did not know, only that the secret would come in time and they welcomed it. The cult worked in secrecy, with only whispers hiding in the light’s shadows.
Eventually, back in the light of day, Li’Kalla grew bored with the Manor, and deigned to visit the Tree. Though she gave her excuses, saying that her pet Foreas needed go back, he knew better. She wanted a change of scenery, something beautiful to look upon, to one day, show the baby and how could he deny such a request? He loved her, after all, and the child that grew within her belly. And so they went.
Sometimes, he wondered how his own children were doing. Though he missed them, they felt like a distant memory… Distant…
”... And then she dropped to the floor and stopped moving for hours, soaking up the sunlight. So yeah, if you get a Foreas friend don’t keep them hidden away from the sun for that long!” Li’Kalla laughed as she flew besides Rau’Lien. Laven herself was holding onto Rau for dear life, her leafy head being quite ticklish due to her constant squirming and twitching. In the distance, the Tree became visible. Quickly it became taller and bigger, big enough to reach up past the sky. Blue-winged birds flew around the Divine party in rhythm, singing their midday songs and breaking off in pairs once they flew into the Forest and slowed down.
Rau laughed heartily, no longer in his Valthumir disguise as he tried to keep Laven calm against his chest. The Foreas just wouldn’t keep still. “There it is. Exactly as I remember it!” he said loudly. “Laven, you’re home.”
Immediately upon coming under the great canopy of the Tree, Laven grew calm and looked around in wonder, even though she couldn’t see far enough. She looked at Rau and then at Li and, eventually, fell asleep in Rau’s arms. Li rolled her eyes at the Foreas girl. ”Is she actually trying to make me jealous?”
And as the last pair of bird broke off to go up into the canopy of the tree, the two deities descended and landed right in front of one of the entrances to the Eternal Tree, a multitude of light translucent insects flying off in all directions as their feet touched the grass blades.
Several hundred Foreas could be seen inside the Tree mingling and interacting with each other in many ways, and a few of them saw it fit to go up to the divines and stare at them with twitchy leaves and grins on their faces.
“Now now my dove, Laven could never replace you. She lacks a certain… Quality.” he smirked, placing her down in a bed of leaves. “Now she can be content with her kind, for a time.” He then walked over to Li, and took her hand within his own. With his free hand, he rubbed her protruding belly. “Any day now…” he murmured as Li’Kalla smiled fondly.
”It’s been a very easy pregnancy. Usually Vallamir and Valthumir females have much more difficult times than I have had. It’s great being a God, isn’t it? I can’t wait to see our child’s face. What do you think he’ll look like?” Li’Kalla asked with a tilt of her head, ignoring a foreas that came up and inspected her belly much like Rau’Lien.
“He… Or she, will probably be the most beautiful or handsome human you could ever imagine. Only after his or her mother of course.” he hummed, patting a massive Foreas male’s face as he looked at them. He had roses growing from his back.
”Aw, what a flatterer.” Li’Kalla squeezed his hand a little, ”Is that how you flatter every low-born Faithful girl you see in the Capital?” She asked with a smirk.
He shrugged. “It’s hard to resist what one dreams of. You should see their little faces, so excited. Ah, but they never do compare to you, love.” he said, giving her a quick peck on her cheek. Li’Kalla huffed quietly and then pulled on Rau’Lien’s hand as she walked into the Tree. Most of the Foreas didn’t spare them a second look, bothered mostly by the queues they’d formed along the crude stalls in the center of the ground level in the Tree.
The biggest stall was one that smelled like honey, where several foreas could be seen interacting with actual live beehives, silently laughing when bees would curiously land on their flowers and leaves. There were many others however. But Li’Kalla wasn’t interested in those.
”Rau, I created this place. Or perhaps it is better to say I gave it the power it needed to grow. And still, without any direction from my part it grew to be something so beautiful. Did you know, there is no crime here?” Li’Kalla asked her lover as she weaved through the crowd of leafy sapients, leading him further into the Tree and toward the spiral path downward at the far end.
“No crime?” Rau said, looking around. “That would make since… They all live peacefully here, with one another. It’s… Idyllic to say the least. I’m a little jealous even. To live so freely and without care, and to know that you are loved regardless of who you are and what you’ve done…” his voice drifted off for a moment, before he said, “Where are we going, anyway?”
”Below. I want to show you where they grow and where they spend their first days.” Li’Kalla said and with no delay brought him down the spiral path, through several levels.
“This place… I didn’t realize how deep down it went.” he murmured.
As they went down they saw how increasingly complex the form and shapes of the tree became. WIth roots coming through entire levels, and what seemed like normal-sized trees covering whole areas of certain levels not unlike the Eternal Forest. Most of the levels however had some sign of Foreas activity, whether they be beds of leaves, empty and occupied fun stalls, or simply petting zoo levels full of wild (non-predatory) animals. Bioluminescent strips of bark from the Eternal Tree kept the levels brightly lit, and when night washed over the land, the bioluminescence toned down to simulate moonlight.”Unbelievable, isn’t it? For a tree to have such a complex form… They’ve been left alone for most of their existence and they’re this complex already.”
“I was surprised to see them interacting with bees… but this… It is strange. They’ve been able to do so much… without hearing, or eyes, or even speaking. It’s odd to see that these mortals can be so independent and enjoy their existence all the same.” he said, squeezing her hand a little.
”it makes me think...” Li’Kalla sighed contently, going down one last level and coming upon the great Pod Chamber, where row upon row of pod was lined up against the wall of the three and in root-like growths in a maze-like circular manner around the center of the level. Most of the pods then were occupied, glowing softly and steaming a little. Bioluminescent streaks and shapes littered the walls, almost resembling artistic representations of beasts and trees and clouds, but in the end looking like a sea of squiggly light of changing color.
Li’Kalla led Rau’Lien to the center, where a small patch of forest was kept by the Tree. Dozens of plant-like animals frolicked in the small area. Forean Hounds with their bushy hyperactive tails; Forean Macaws with their strange petal-like feathers… Even bees (regular, non-planty ones) had made it into the place somehow.
Seeing her approach one of the Hounds ran up to Li’Kalla and licked her hand, then jumped over to Rau’Lien and sniffed him up and down with its tail whipping against the air.
Rau’s attention was on the room, his eyes wide with curiosity as he took it all in. He then noticed the Florean hound and asked, “When you said… Dogs… Is this what you meant?” he then bent down to stroke the creature.
Li pursed her lips, ”Well… Not entirely, but they’re quite close. The ones I was referring to are made of flesh and hair. I don’t know how these came to be honestly, but they’re quite cute so I like them anyway.” The Hound being pet by Rau panted happily and dropped down to the floor to show Rau its belly, its whole body twisting along with the wag of its tail. ”It likes you.”
Tentatively, Rau pet the hounds belly, watching it wriggle with joy. A small smile crept on his face. “Such… Simple desires.” he breathed. “All it wants is physical contact, stimulation. To be… Petted.”
Li’Kalla smirked and crossed her arms, ”Reminds me of someone.”
He glanced at her and smirked. “I could say the same, you know.” he said, standing up. “There’s even proof.” he looked at her belly, then back up to her eyes with a sly smile.
She stammered and blushed, looking away and shielding her face from his gaze, ”... N-Not entirely wrong, I guess.”
“Oh come now, you don’t have to look away.” he sighed, walking up to her and putting his hands on either side of her face. “You’re so cute when you blush, you know. It’s a shame you try to hide it all the time.”
LI’Kalla smiled sheepishly and lowered her hand, ”Well, maybe-”
There was a splashing sound as liquid spattered onto the soil.
”Huh...” Li’Kalla looked down and felt as warm liquid ran down her legs and stained into her dress. Then, in a panicked moment she looked up at Rau’Lien with wide eyes and opened her mouth to speak… Only to let out a loud grunt of pain and double over while holding her belly. ”Uuuungh… Rau… Rau!”
In an instant, Rau was holding Li and whisking her into his arms. He looked around, and saw a bed a leaves next to an empty pod. It would have to do. As he flew over to them, he spoke, “Hmm. This was not the place I thought it would happen, but it will have to do.” he said, laying her down and up against the pod. “This might sound strange, coming from a male, but I do have experience with birth.” he smirked knowingly. “Just relax as much as you can, you are a god remember. Your pain tolerance should be much higher than a mortal… Just breath Li… Just breath.” he said, preparing the area, before looking at her again. “Everything is going to be okay.”
Li’Kalla gasped and grunted as contractions came and went. For a second, amongst the sudden pain and strife, she looked at Rau’Lien and smirked, either sweat or rainwater pouring down her brow.
There was a brief flash of light and in an instant, Li’Kalla had bound and shackled her own Divinity to the deepest pits in her soul. Temporarily, her body would be as frail as a mortal’s.
Her smirk faded away as she suffered another painful contraction.
”R-Rau…! I… I want to experience… Nngh-” She groaned and grabbed fistfuls of leaves, ”... I want to live…!”
Rau frowned slightly, “Always the masochist, my love. A mortal birth… A test to be sure.” He grabbed one of her hands, letting her squeeze as he waited for the baby. “You will live. Now… Push.”
It was a long, strenuous birth. At times she stagnated, other times she had bouts of serious hemorrhaging… But the worst was the pain. She had never quite felt anything like it. At times she had to call upon her divine powers to ensure the health of the baby, but never once did she allow herself to be comforted by her divinity. Not once.
At the end, she lied there on the now red bed of leaves, pale as a ghost and with bags under her eyes. She’d never been quite so disheveled, and yet she was so exhausted she couldn’t find it in herself to care.
She just had the energy to cradle the little baby in her arms close to her face. It, or she, was covered in fluids, bloody and disgusting, but she was completely hers. She’d made it, without help from any unearned divinity.
The baby’s breath was shallow, she was silent, and her heartbeat was weak.
Li’Kalla’s eyes filled to the brim with tears, and her heart sank. Suddenly she was no longer just exhausted and wounded. She was broken.
”It’s weak… It’s going to die soon. There’s nothing I can do...” Her voice was but a whisper, and she shakily tried to hand the baby to Rau’Lien, ”I-I want you to hold it, while it’s alive… Our baby...”
Rau sat before Li upon his knees, his eyes distant, but watching the small child in Li’s arms. It took him a moment to register that Li was holding her to him. Gently, he took the baby within his hands, and looked upon the child that was his. She was small, so so small, and her ears… They were pointed. His eyes widened at the baby that was not human and something inside pushed him to act.
“I-I can save her… I can… I know-I know how to save her. She’ll be fine- she’ll live and be strong I just need…” he looked around, getting to his feet. He let out a growl of frustration.
“I need a foreas. I-I need a foreas. Yes. A sacrifice. Life for life.” he quickly looked back at Li. “I will be back, I swear it.” but before he could take a step, something grabbed his ankle. He looked down to see a root, squirming. The forean animals went to his side, watching, begging him to stay. The root squirmed again, wanting to pull him towards… a pod.
The tree, it wanted him to put the baby in the pod. He looked down at the girl, her tiny breaths ragged and her heartbeat weak. There was no time to make a decision. He ran over to the pod, kissed his daughter upon her brow, and placed her within. The pod closed with no delay and the root that guided him there disappeared into the soil.
When it was time for Rau’Lien to go back to Li’Kalla, he’d found her passed out peacefully, tears and sweat fresh on her face, with several Forean Hounds sitting around her curiously. Rau stared at her for a moment, then, laid down next to her, putting her head on his chest.
Quickly after the birth, Li’Kalla’s divinity returned to her body and she recovered. Ever since the moment Rau’Lien told her about their daughter, she refused to leave the Pod Chamber of the Tree, sitting in front of it and taking comfort in the warmth it emitted. A few of the Hounds and Macaws had taken a liking to Li’Kalla over time, and they frolicked around her while one of the macaws sat on top of her head. She was completely still, after all, staring blankly into the distance.
Rau had gone back to the Capital a week ago, for as much as he wanted to be there with her, Sun’Kalla had arrived with grevious news of murder and death afoot. Why it warranted a divine’s attention, he did not know, but since Li would not sort it out, the task was up to him. It was the least he could do. Their farewell had been bittersweet, but there was a certain tension between them after how they both reacted to their daughter's birth.
There was a sound, not unlike that of a plop, followed by a warm breeze and the smell of autumn. Li'Kalla turned her head to look upon an open pod, her glazed over eyes suddenly regaining light as she perked up.
Inside the pod, there was a small child. No longer a fragile baby. Her pale skin was coated in pod juices and her white hair was wet and matted, tinted slightly green. Her features were petite, nose, mouth and pointed ears all small. Across her sleeping face sat a galaxy of small purple freckles that twinkled back up at Li. Slowly the girl stirred, stretching out her soft limbs, rubbing and then opening her eyes to reveal that they glowed much like Rau's but unlike his, her pupil and iris were visible, with her eyes being a light blue. Not fully a vallamir or nebulite but something else entirely. She blinked up at Li, face blank before a small giddy smile grew.
She opened her mouth to reveal shiny pearl's of teeth as if to say something, but no words came out. Instead she looked at Li curiously and seemed to shiver with excitement or cold. Eventually she emoted with happiness, bringing her hands up to cover her mouth as she beamed with a smile as she bobbed up and down. The girl then extended her arms out to Li, as if wanting a hug or to be picked up.
Li’Kalla grinned and, with tears freely falling down her cheeks, she pulled the girl out of the pod and hugged her tight and close, kissing her forehead a thousand times. After a moment, Li’Kalla moved to sit on her knees as she kept hugging the girl. ”... My baby… My Arwen... You’re okay, you’re okay.”
The girl hugged her mother tightly, not wanting to let go. But at the sound of her name, she looked up at Li, then pointed to herself, eliciting a nod from Li as she leaned back a little and inspected the girl, Arwen, slowly and carefully with a soft warmth in her eyes. ”Yes, yes, your name is Arwen my love. My, you grew up fast...”
She squinted with joy and hugged Li again before looking back up at her, with curious eyes. She then pointed to Li. ”Oh, me? I’m...” Li’Kalla pursed her lips for a moment, then smiled softly at Arwen, ”I’m your Mom.”
Arwen smiled again and clasped her hands together, tilting her head to the side as she stared intently at her mother’s face. After a moment, she reached out a small warm hand, and placed it on Li’s cheek, her white eyebrows raising slightly. Her hand moved across Li’s cheek and to her long pointy ears, and with her other hand, Arwen touched her own. She frowned slightly.
Li chuckled and rolled her eyes, ”Be patient love, yours will grow long in time.” She sniffed Arwen’s hair and recoiled a little, then nodded and stood up, grabbing Arwen’s hand in the process. ”Alright, so let’s get ourselves cleaned up, right?” She said and gently pulled on Arwen’s hand toward the center of the Chamber, where a small creek flowed. Arwen blinked on shaky legs, her only support being her Mother’s hand as she flailed her other hand for balance. She looked back at the pod next to her for a moment, her frown deepening but at the tug of Li, she turned around. Arwen then tried to walk, but fell over, her body halting mid-air. At this, Li’Kalla came to a stop and helped reorient Arwen onto her feet, as the girl laughed silently. Li checked her for injuries and when satisfied, she knelt down and motioned for her to climb onto her back.
”I’ll give you a ride. Don’t worry about walking yet.” As Arwen nodded and began to awkwardly try to climb onto her mother’s back, there was a hissing sound from behind.
Li’Kalla turned her head around sharply and saw the pod next to Arwen’s begin to open. Liquid spilled out, steaming. A scent not unlike cinnamon wafted around the air and once the pod opened fully, a smaller than usual Foreas fell out of it on wobbly hands and knees, coughing and wheezing.
She was a light shade of green, and she had a head full of scalloped vivid green leaves that reached down to her small shoulders. The leaves twitched and shook and droplets of the pod liquid flew everywhere.
The child-like Foreas looked up and her eyes locked with Arwen’s. It was strange, seeing a Foreas look so focused and so… Present. The small plantoid sniffed the air, stuck fingers in her flower-like ears and shook her head wildly to get all the liquid out of her. Once she was done, she dared stand up and, wobbly still, stretched her jaw and grinned at Arwen. Her face and body were an exact, plant-like replica of Arwen’s, with the main difference (aside from the obvious plant features) being a slightly shorter height.
”SIS! Sis! Why did you go so quickly?! Uugh, I miss the Dream already, why do you have to be so… So… Like yourself?” She asked, then slowly walked over to Li’Kalla and Arwen and looked at the two of them. Li’Kalla stared at the little Foreas curiously, then sighed and rubbed her head, getting a small happy gasp in response. Arwen attempted to walk to the plant, but ended up falling into her, but this did not stop Arwen from pulling the Foreas into a hug as they both fell to the ground in a heap of silent and loud giggles.
”Aella is your name now, little Foreas. You’re with us.” At those words Aella stopped giggling and poked her head out from under Arwen to look at Li’Kalla with wide, shiny black eyes.
”Yay! I’m with you Sis!” Aella cheered and laughed. Arwen beamed a smile up at Li, then kissed Aella’s cheek and hugged her tightly again. She then turned and looked up to Li, stretching out her hands.
Li’Kalla pursed her lips and picked Arwen up, then wordlessly took her to the creek, little Foreas in tow, skipping and jumping around. After a few moments the sound of running water reached their ears and the sight of the tiny creek blessed their eyes. Quickly and efficiently Li’Kalla set down Arwen, motioned for Aella to move closer and began undressing herself.
With one hand she reached into the very makeup of the air around them and molded a small pot, and with the other she tested the water for temperature and cleanliness. Once satisfied with the latter, she filled the pot up with water, heated it up a little bit and looked at her daughters expectantly, ”Okay, what’re you girls waiting for? Huddle up closer, this will take some time.”
And so they did and were washed by the hands of the Goddess. Li’Kalla quickly went to work after that, fashioning the two simple blue, yet effective dresses to cover themselves. Satisfied with her work, she placed Arwen on her back, and led Aella up to the surface world. Once they reached the great hollow, the two girls wore expressions of amazement and child like curiosity. Though she couldn't speak, Arwen wiggled around and Aella could hardly contain her joy. The small foreas went up and talked to every foreas as she could, who loved her as one of their own. When it was finally time to leave, Li brought them outside, the world big, bright, and new.
Immediately Aella spread her arms and jumped out in front of her mom and sister, spinning and dancing and giggling, a wide smile on her face. Her leaves bounced with each step and the hems of her dress flared up beautifully, until slowly she stopped spinning and just looked up at the sky through the gaps between the canopies of the trees of the forest. She tried to grab the circular rays of light, but when her hand phased through them she merely chuckled.
”Light! Right, Mommy?” Aella asked while turning to Li’Kalla and Arwen.
Li’Kalla winced and sighed, ”Yes… Listen, Aella... call me Queen-Mother, alright?”
Aella tilted her head and pouted, ”But-”
”No buts. Now girls, I’ll take you home, to the Capital. Your Father is waiting for us there, Arwen.” She said as she bent down and spread her arms and wings and when the girls cuddled up against her, she grabbed them tight and securely and took off with a mighty flap of her majestic wings, making Aella squeak as all the air kept in her tiny lungs was expelled suddenly. Her destination was the Capital, and if she kept up a good pace they’d be there in a very short time…
’Sun’Kalla.’ She spoke directly into the mind of her favorite follower.
’... Yes, Arwen’s fine now. She… Grew up a little bit too fast, however. Listen-’
’No. Rau’Lien should be dealing with that right now. Listen, are you in the Capital? Perfect. I need you to get two of the most beautiful females you can find and tell them that they’re now working directly for me. They will be my daughters’ handmaids. Have them prepare the chambers next to mine in the Manor, make sure there’s two separate beds and that there’s some fresh food ready.’
’I know. Thank you for your loyalty, Sun. We should be there just before midday. Yes, I know it’s almost midday, I know you’ll be able to pull it off.’
’Yes, we can consider the labour increase your reward for this favour.’
’I see, in that case thank you again, I will meet up with you and the rest soon, make sure they know what to expect.’
Rau sat within the manor, staring at a dying fire as he thought about the previous night. He had confronted his cult about the killer, a being that eluded him entirely. Since arriving back in the capitol, he had went to work establishing his authority in the absence of Li, and moved to find the one responsible for the murders with no luck, at least that was until he met with his followers. They told him that the bodies were orphaned kids, their flesh sown together and their organs missing. Bodies left to be found in the gutters, where no one would miss the deceased. They did not know if it was a male or female who was behind it, only that they seemed to enjoy their work.
This perplexed Rau, and he had his own suspicions, and his own worries. He knew how dangerous a mortal could be, to their own kind, and to the gods. It was no wonder the gods were so angry with Laurien. Rau himself, did not feel threatened, but for the sake of his children, he feared.
A dark thought indeed. As the fire went out, Rau stood up and shifted back into his Valthumir form. There was still more work to be done in the capital.
A few hours later that day, as Rau’Lien was on his way back to the Manor, he caught the sight of Li’Kalla landing on her personal chambers’ balcony, going into her room with two small girls in her arms.
He could have flown up to meet them head on, but there was something about the situation that made him pause and reflect as he walked up the steps. There were two. Two small beings being held by Li and both looked old. Older than what he had been expecting. As he walked up the stairs, his body morphed back into Laurien, who then paused by a large mirror. She looked at herself and frowned. It had been so long since she had been in her own body, her own skin… Rau was simply a persona set in place so she could have what she wanted, and that was Li. She played the part of a loving husband well, but at her core, she would always be a mother.
And she had her own children, ones she missed dearly. She wondered where they were, if they were safe, if they thought about her, if they hated her. Now she had two more little ones, however that happened, and not to mention all of the valthumir females who… who also carried Rau’s children. They were but bodies too her, things to use, and yet she did not want them to die, or to be hurt. She wanted them to be strong, and powerful. That way maybe she wouldn’t feel so guilty about leaving them all the time, without protection. There was only one way to save them, and to make sure they would know her love forever more. She just needed a little more power and her blackness could flourish.
She sighed, and changed back into Rau. He put on a smile, and walked on, excited but nervous to meet the newest additions to their little family. Eventually he made his way to Li’s room, and pushed the door open.
A wave of sounds spilled out from the room. Innocent, weightless giggling, rustling and muttering. Once he entered the room he saw a little Foreas girl bouncing on Li’Kalla’s mattress and a slightly taller girl sitting on the edge, laughing silently with the Foreas. On the other side of the massive bedroom was Li’Kalla, sitting in front of her dresser and fixing up her appearance and dress.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to Rau’Lien, with Li’Kalla standing up and walking to him and holding his hands almost immediately, then smiling at Arwen. ”Arwen, this is your Father, Rau’Lien.”
As Rau and Arwen looked upon each other, a feeling of calm washed over him as Arwen stretched out her hands, lips curled into a smile. He looked upon Li again, and kissed her cheek, before walking them both over to the bed.
“How did she get so big? And who is this one?” Rau asked Li, as he looked at Aella.
Li’Kalla tilted her head in tiredness but Aella beat her to speaking. ”Iiii am Aella! Queen-Mother gave me the name, it is very very cute. I like it. Ooooh! So if she’s Queen-Mother, are you King-Father?”
He smirked at Li, then let go of her hand and said, “You may call me mo- Father. Father will do, or dad.” he said quickly. Rau then crouched down in front of the two, and chuckled, pulling them both into a hug, before picking them up in each arm. Arwen began running her hands along his black skin while he looked at her. Her appearance was anything but human, her ears and eyes said as much. A mix of Li and himself, it led him to wonder what the other woman would birth. He then looked to Aella, and noted her eyes, they held intelligence, not to mention she could speak, something he had not heard of yet.
“Aella can speak… but Arwen cannot?” he said, turning to Li, who pursed her lips and shrugged.
”Give her some time, Rau. She spent weeks inside the pod, it seems to have accelerated her growth to make up for her weak birth. I’m sure she will gain use of her speech eventually, as she learns new words.”
Rau tilted his head as Arwen looked up at him with her blue eyes. He kissed her on the forehead, eliciting a wide smile, then kissed Aella on her head. “I see. I think what she needs, is perhaps a teacher? Someone to help her learn? She looks to be, what age do you think? Eight winters? Ten winters?”
”Ten, I’d say. And the little Foreas nine or eight.”
”I’m not little!” Aella said quickly with a tiny frown.
Rau chuckled and said, “Of course my darling, you have the biggest heart here, after all.” Aella huffed and closed her eyes, but after a moment cracked one open and chuckled.
”Well, I must make sure the girls’ handmaidens are here and that they’ve prepared everything to my standards. Rau, would you mind taking care of the girls while I do that?” Li’Kalla asked Rau’Lien, starting to walk toward the door.
“Of course my love, they are in good hands.” he gave her a warm smile, watching her leave. He then looked at Arwen and Aella and said, “What shall we do while your mother is away?” Aella immediately perked and wrapped her small arms around him as far as they’d go.
”I wanna see things and I want a headpat!!”
Rau laughed, looking to Arwen nodding her head in agreement. “Very well. A tour, and headpats.”
And they went on their way.
Laurien visits Li as a man and they get it on like donkey kong. This goes on for like a week, and Li gets prego. Laurien is like, ‘woah I have to leave cause i’m cursed’ and Li is like ‘I can fix you if you stay with me’ and you guessed it, Laurien’s curse gets lifted.
We skip a little and Laurien adopts the persona of Rau’Lien, god of ambition. He emboldens the Elves further with their superiority crap. He also gets around with many of them. He even makes a cult that Li doesn’t know about.
We eventually find ourselves at the Foreas tree and you guessed it, Li goes into labor, turning her divinity off like a lightswitch so she can feel the burden of birth. (like a dummy) The kid finally comes out, not human or elf, but a hybrid of both species that we shall now call, Vallalite. The babby gurl is really weak and gunna die and Rau is like ‘I gotta sacrifice shit to keep her alive’ but the tree guides him to a pod and he puts her in.
Skip like two weeks and the incubator pops out a ten year old girl, we shall call Arwen. Li and her embrace, but Arwen can’t walk or speak because she needs to learn such things. Not ten minutes later a Foreas comes out that can talk, see and hear. Li names her Aella, and she is the first Foreas of her kind and sister to Arwen.
Li takes the girls back to the capital to see their dad, who had to go back earlier because someone is murdering orphans. Rau/Laurien has a mini crisis but then meets the girls and there is good times.
Arya & Laurien 1MP & 6FP
-1MP(Discounted to 0) For a magic golden pitcher that pours drinks that are desirable. -1MP(Discounted to 0) to create the The Mirror of Want. An artifact that shows the viewer their deepest desire, whether known or not. Cannot see what others see. -1MP(Discounted to 0, each time) to create several Amethyst rings that amplifies one desires over time to great levels. -1MP(Discounted to 0) to curse the Amethyst Rings to be desired.
1MP & 6FP
Li’Kalla 14MP & 20FP
-2MP to remove Laurien’s censure. (HA, suck it Arae) -2MP to unknowingly grant Nebullites and Vallamir the ability to crossbreed and make Vallalite babies -2MP siphoned by the Tree to provide special life support to Arwen and copy several of Arwen’s capabilities to use in new generations of Foreas. Those mainly being Sight, Speech and Hearing. So yes you can now talk to your plant waifus.
Member
Lord Zee
Thayr
Enzayne
Vec
WrongEndoftheRainbow
ActRaiserTheReturned
Dezuel
Dark Cloud
Verjil
