Lathander makes his path clear - 04DEC21
12
DEC/21
Oni moved in and out of consciousness. In one eye blink he could see the royal guards and the next eye blink he could see this six-foot bug friend next the great tower. He fought these states for as long as he could. Herman looked towards him, “let it go, it will be fine.” Oni’s head cleared. He was now in the tower realm, Herman was standing next to him. He was eating popcorn as he viewed a giant display in front of them.
Oni’s body laid upon the ground. Oni felt uncomfortable in the viewing of his own dying body. Vashir and a lone guard survived on the field. The guard was standing over Ixen’s body. He had a blade out and was yelling up to Vashir. No words could be heard but Oni knew what was happening. The guard was trading lives with Vashir. Oni filled with rage and screened, “never bargain.” He watched as Vashir changed from himself as Vashir and his new self Mar’iya. Oni knew for this moment his friend contemplated the query. Contorting from Vashir to Mar’iya. Oni thought to himself, “Vashir must win. The guard killed Ixen.
The guard headed to Oni’s body and started to yell some inaudible commands. Oni could see more of Mar’iya coming through. Most of the time he wanted Mar’ya with him but wanted his friend to only be Vashir. He knew it meant his own death, but he wanted vengeance and was willing to die for that vengeance. “Kill him”, was all Oni could think. Watch my death and bring this place to the ground. Herman ate another handful of popcorn and made that ummm sound.
A light came from behind Oni and cast his own dark shadow upon the display. A form of piece came across him, “vengeance is his way and not ours.” Oni looked at Herman thinking these words were coming from him but knew in an instant the words came from behind him. Oni turned with his own rage to the god he knew and loved and worshiped. Oni’s personal rage made him scream near unintelligible words to his god. “We bleed for you. We die for you. What more can we have but be the hate that must be needed to destroy the five?” He paced and stared directly to his god, “I follow you and bring your rebirth where I can, but rage is required.”
The rise of Lathander changed in front of Oni and became her old form, “you have done well. You and your friends have given so much and sadly must give more.” Now in Arnia’s form she reached out to touch Oni. A calmness came over him. Oni fought it to stay angry, but Lathander’s dawn calmed him. “You must bring the teachings, but your rage will never unlock all the glory.” Her eyes turned sad, and welled with water for Oni, “your journey is not complete yet. Your learning is not complete.”
Oni took in all his breath. He turned to the display to watch Mar’ya dragging his body to tent. The guards were dead. Oni was not able to witness how this happened. Had Vashir taken over to finish off the guard or had Lathander come in to help directly. He stood watching his friend drag all the bodies into the tent. Oni staring at the display, “forgive my anger. I have years of pain that must be reborn in doses.” Still staring at the screen but speaking to his god behind him, “what is my next task? …. I want to burn the Oasis to the ground. Should I seek this destruction?” Oni stood in his own shadow waiting for an answer. He became angry again, “well should I burn them all?”
Lathander moved next to him and calmed him again, “gods are powerful and can-do things you could not possibly understand. I cannot tell you what to do, only the evil gods give those commands.” As Arnia she touched the display and it seemed to change the scene. Oni could no longer see the scene he once saw, “I can tell you that you are the bringer of the gods, and the bringer of the word.” Oni, looked at Arnia, “can you do me one request.” He paused not knowing if he should make any requests, “can you never use this form again. It pulls at me in ways that confuse.” The image of Arnia changed back to dawns glory, “this was meant to help you feel better.”
Oni watched the display. He saw a city he never knew. He watched as a bullish man beast and a giantess dug the deepest of holes and buried a chest and a glowing orb. Like the sands in a great hourglass the scene changed and advanced over time. This city slowly died. Its ocean fled leaving an oasis in its wake. From the point of the pit a great palm grew. The glowing white palm grew in the place of the pit. Oni started to wonder if the chest was still present under this great tree. The dawn of Lathander seemed to dim into a sadness in some way, “great gods gave their immortal lives for this place. They could never rise again, for you and this world.”
Arnia touched the display again and it went dark. The dawn relit and turned orange in its morning glory, “you are the bringer of the word, even if you will never understand the word.” Oni had wanted to ask questions but as the words started to form in his mouth he blinked and saw Mar’iya standing over him. He was angry and looked hellish in concern, “fuck I am glad you survived.” Oni felt terrible as he came to his feet, “who survives?” Arnia stepped up, “only you and I.”
Oni smiled a sad smile as he was happy to see his friends but knew he would not see his other friends again. Oni stood padding his friend on the shoulder, “I know where we must go and what we must do.” Mar’ya’s smiled turned evil into Vashir’s stoic front, “burn them all.” Oni smiled again, “I thought that at first but no, at least not yet.” Oni saw a dark shadow cover his friend as he talked about burning vengeance. He felt a gloried warmth as he himself said “no”.
Oni looked at his friend, “that is his path, and not ours. There are so many innocent people here that deserve better than burnt ruins. Even if we are forced to kill the sons and sheik, we will not do it for vengeance but for justice. We bring a new path for people to follow.” Oni knew if he has any hope of keeping Mar’ya and removing the last vestiges of Vashir he must follow the new path. He started to speak with words and confidence he had never felt before, “sadly my friends our sacrifice in this world is to see the promise land but to never live within it.” He shifted as if giving a sermon to his followers. They were not his followers, but the words flowed as if they were, “We have seen the glory of the promise land. Our task and possible sacrifice is to deliver it for others, … even if we never step upon it again.” Oni shifted to hide them within the tent some more, “now let’s rest and our task will become clear.”