History Lesson II

JP with Bandorchu, Lucian, and Lorem

Hearing the history she had learned fascinated Tarmen, lofting his funk a bit so that he could listen. Once he could use both hands again he would need to get it written in a tongue he could understand.
For right now though, he could only think of yet another disadvantage for them.
It was interesting comparing the two worlds view on such power, one reviled and crushed it while the other risked the wrath of a god to keep it.
They had risked their deity’s vengeance and had so far… won.
It reminded him of Slivhiki’s decay, grabbing at weak cults to hold any presence. He had once held power too, no doubt.
Why couldn’t the same be done to Vastad.
The thought still unnerved him to his soul, going against forced that had been guides to his life, but in the spirit of driving ahead it was a possibility that could start here.
He looked to Alexis, his usual stoicism beginning to return to his features.

“So then this hammer’s reforgin’ would bring about what exactly?”

Alexis turned her attention to Tarmen.

“The Hammer played a role in the goddess’s incarceration, and it has a role to play in setting her free. That is the Brotherhood’s aim. They seem to be a sect dedicated to Ziarae, and as such at odds with Sister Locust. Hence their attack on the candidates, I would assume.”

Not aware of Alexis’s revelation, Tarmen found himself a little confused on their current predicament.

“Makes sense why they would want us dead, but are our goals any different to theirs then? Reforge the hammer, bring the family back together again and such? Seems we would be Islana’s enemy as well, right?”

Alexis expression turned pained.

“Yes.”
she said quietly.

“However. The Ether is a destructive force, and leaving things as they are is allowing it to flow into our world unchecked, corroding it. Leaving the Brotherhood to set Ziarae free on their terms on the other hand will dam that flow, but release a very pissed off goddess out for revenge. Really, that little world ending prophecy they have going around here? Beginning to wonder if our people’s arrival might be connected to its onset, but if we are necessarily the ones to bring it about.”

She took a very deep breath, because she was still coming to terms with her vision and could only imagine how that what she had to say would sound to them.

“… Fosia claims there is a way to set her free and restore the border against the Ether without her ripping everything apart in her fury.”

Gonyaul tried to keep his coughing to a bare minimum in order to hear every word and not be a distraction. He did his best to translate. Alexis’s information almost felt like a made-up bedtime story that he would have gladly have enjoyed on the way to dreams. The fact that it was all real and vastly significant to whether the world would orient itself back to its original design, or go spiraling off into chaos, was heart stopping serious.

“So real enemy is Ether? But no know where come from or why come?” He paused briefly, “Is these two only options. Brotherhood win or Alexis hammer win?”

He would have hoped if the world was going to be destroyed by it, that everyone would form an alliance against a common enemy. Yet, that didn’t seem to be the case at all. Everyone was too busy distracted by their own interests and attempts to seize power.

Alexis shrugged.

“Do nothing, I suppose. Hope the Twin Gods have some sort of solution to the damage that their acceptance of the Ether’s incursion into our world does. Or just leave it to be future generations’ problem if they don’t. And hope that the Brotherhood doesn’t have its way and succeeds to release an enraged goddess in the meantime.”