I tire of this semantic sophistry that Elassa, Allasaria and Helenna love so much. I know Fortia tires of it too. What is the purpose of Divinity? What is the purpose of Man on Arda? What cause do we have for our existence? Humanity, at the very least, can take inspiration from the animal as to what it should accomplish in this world: find a mate and reproduce. They take so much joy from rearing their young that they have pity for those who manage to reach the end of their natural lifespans without children. What they consider Divinity’s greatest gift, agelessness, once again rears its ugly head. Fate has blessed us with a life unending in return for the ability to create our own life.
The purpose of man is to live, to flourish, to reproduce, and to die surrounded by their offspring. To try and take away the aspect of the family from them is to try and imbue the essence of Divinity onto them. Work is done to provide for their young, or it is done to achieve a state where one can attract young. Every noble virtue that humanity has ever conceived of stems from the immutable, self-evident, instinct to propagate and to nurture. To notice this behaviour is not a grand discovery, it is rely an ancient one that the likes of Elassa, Allasaria and Helenna have gotten bored of. It does not satisfy their fancy.
For the truth of the matter is that we want humanity to exist for an entirely grander purpose. It is from their mind that we have co, thus, it is almost necessary that they are here to experience the indescribability of joy. They must be on a quest to cause change, to lift this world up into a paragon of… Well, it does not matter what it embodies, the status of paragon and greatness matters more than the actual objective being achieved. The journey cannot ever end, it must be existential, it must go on forever, it must be one long endless march into the future. The process itself is the objective, the culmination and the ending is the failure condition.
Humanity’s purpose has to be grand, taphysical, spiritual, universal and total. It cannot ever be allowed to be simple and biological. Humans cannot be allowed to exist as re animals propelled by their instincts for it completes them. And it leaves us in a class of our own, truly alone, segregated from every other beast on this world by virtue of our own questionably-soulless biology.
At least, that is how the logic goes.
There exist others of course, I agree with Arascus on this topic. The semantic sophistry is worthless. Not only that, it can be proven wrong, those who are unable to dissociate themselves to humanity simply lack imagination. There are plenty of animals out there who do not reproduce, although none of them are natural. They are constructs of humanity, bred for purpose, wholly reliant upon it. The question of conception is not even raised in the first place. And if that does not describe Divinity, then I do not know what does. Divinity is a beast of burden, and its purpose is to be corralled into its area of expertise and put to work.
Divinity is cattle.
- Excerpt from “The Order of Things”, written by Goddess Maisara, of Order.
Today, in the evening, they would leave. Saksma returned back entered the living room of Olonia’s ho in Lubska’s Land of Gods. It was a huge mansion with all the requirents of modern living, Of Lubska had her own room, Saksma stayed in one of the many side-rooms for guests, although of them were grand. Each one had its own private bathroom, complete with a huge shower that would have made a grown man feel downsized. The doors had a single set of handles, those at the level of an adult’s eyes. Their springs were strong enough to need so pressure even by Saksma.
Inside, the kitchen was all white marble mixed with dark wood. That was Olonia’s style here. White stone and dark wood from her own forests. And a thick rug in front of the fireplace that a human would call a bonfire. Even the television was massive and custom-made, although they rarely used it. Every room had a Lubskan flag on the wall, or a small figure of Olonia or her eagle Bielik. Saksma smoothed down her black t-shirt and shorts as she found Olonia where the woman always stood since they had arrived.
Her friend stood on the patio in the back like a statue, the wind swayed her white snow-white hair, as bright as the coming snows. She stood there in a white shirt and dark shorts. Although the wall of glass that revealed the view of untouched mountains was soundproofed, Saksma knew that Olonia would be stood there silently. She had stood their silently yesterday, and the day before that, and before that. Every single damn day since Saksma had brought her here to recover from the expedition into Arika.
Before leaving, Saksma brewed tea. Olonia’s favourite, a simple mixture of blackberries and cherries that grew in the country. She let it sit for a mont, then decided she couldn’t wait in that white kitchen anymore. A mug in each hand, she approached the door and used her elbow to twist the handle open. The first snows of winter were finally beginning to fall, it wasn’t heavy yet. The spiny evergreen trees were tinged with white. “I’ve made tea.”
“Thank you.” Olonia said, Saksma ca to stand next to her friend. Olonia was shorter but… Well, the shortness was physical entirely. Ever since she returned from Arika, she carried herself like a heavy statue. Of Lubska took the tea and slled the aroma.
Saksma didn’t know how to begin entirely. Arascus had ssaged her on Olonia’s condition. What condition was there to give? Olonia couldn’t sleep or rest and save for that initial breakdown back when she woke up, she hadn’t cried. She simply… Well, Olonia’s ti was spent doing what she was doing now, just standing here lost in her own thoughts. Saksma had to all but drag her from the patio to go inside during the night, and she would be out in the morning before Saksma woke up from her own bed. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine.” Olonia replied in a soft tone. “The snows are coming.”
Saksma took a sigh. Let them drink the tea first, then she could give the news of returning to Ashen Skies. And if Olonia didn’t want to, then Arascus could go fuck himself. Saksma would think up of so reason to make sure her friend could get out of it. “What were you thinking about?”
“How beautiful the trees are.” Olonia said and Saksma nodded.
“It’s a very good sight. We should bring the others after all this is done.” Olonia did not reply. She just stood there, silently, breathing in the scent rising from the mug. Saksma wanted her old Olonia back, the one who would talk and have the snark in her. The one who had the guts to say that Epa under the White Pantheon was not enough for them. Not this Olonia that stared at mountains and hills and called them beautiful, not this Olonia who replied quickly and flatly as if every sentence was another end to the conversation.
“Have you ever thought of getting a dog?” Saksma asked. She knew the answer to this question already, but it was just to get Olonia talking once again.
“Long ago.” Olonia answered.
“A Doschian Shepherd I hope.” Saksma replied.
Olonia snorted in humour and Saksma’s heart felt as if it had just stepped onto a podium built out of pure victory. This was it. Olonia was still there. The Olonia that she knew and rember. “You wish.” Olonia said.
“I’ll get you one.” Saksma said. “Two even.”
“Get a whole pack.” Olonia said.
“Oh you bet I will.” Saksma said. She’d find the most unruly animals in her entire country and send them here. That’s what Olonia needed, life. Sothing to play with and watch. And hopefully, she would rember that there was more to life than just standing here and watching the mountains. “It’s a nice view.” Olonia smiled to herself and shook her head. “What? You don’t think so?”
“It’s what I’m fighting for.” Olonia said. Saksma turned back to the mountains. From how Olonia had described being under Ashen Skies… Saksma could simply not imagine it. Especially not in the Sassara. Agrita gave her reports, but Agrita ventured into them for a few days at a ti. A week was the longest ti she had spent there, and always close to the Ashfront, always with Olephia around. Agrita would talk of the filth, the chaos, the winds, the darkness, the way the world had changed. Olonia talked about the hopelessness.
Saksma stared into the bottom of her cup and looked over to see that Olonia had not touched her tea yet. “It’s better hot.”
“I’m savouring the sll.” Olonia said.
Saksma nodded and let her savour the sll until the tea got cold. Olonia sipped it a tea-spoon at a ti as the thin snow fell around them. When it landed into Olonia’s hair, it practically disappeared. “Winter’s my favourite season.” Olonia said quietly.
Saksma nodded. She preferred autumn herself, but winter was good too. “It’s going to be a heavy one this year.” That’s what everyone said at least.
“I hope.” Olonia said. “I hope it’s a winter to rember.”
Saksma wished she didn’t have to disappoint her friend. But now was the ti. Arascus had rang. Agrita was preparing, as was the fleet. The first tower was already being carried south for testing. And they would have to be there. “Olonia.” Saksma said quietly. How could she phrase it? The heartless Empire is sending us both back into Hell? “I…” Saksma began. “There’s a counter-attack being planned.”
“Oh.” Olonia said. “Ibya again?”
“Rilia.” Saksma answered and Olonia nodded.
“I understand.” Olonia said. Saksma nodded. She didn’t even want to know her friend’s logic.
“If all goes to plan, we’ll get back to see the winter.” Olonia smiled, closed her eyes and shook her head. Saksma didn’t know if she hated this new Olonia, or if it was fear. It wasn’t the Goddess who had been sent into Arika though, that was for certain. “What?”
“You don’t have to do that for Saksma.”
“Do what?”
“Try and cheer up.” Olonia held out her hand, a snowflake gently drifted into her palm. It lted in a manner of seconds. “Thank you though.”
Saksma sighed. “Arascus told .”
“To tell ?”
“He asked on whether you want to go.” Saksma said. “I…” She trailed off. She didn’t want Olonia to step under that black sky ever again.
“You don’t want to go.”
“I don’t.” Of Doschia answered instantly. Of course she didn’t want Olonia to go.
“Are you going?”
“Mmh.” Saksma said. “I am. Agrita too.”
“Then I am too.” Olonia said.
“You don’t have to.”
“I do.” Olonia said. “Because you two are going.”
“Agrita’s been under Ashen Skies already.”
“Oh?” Olonia asked. “Where?”
Saksma took a mont to answer. She didn’t want to. It was unfair. “Rilia.” She said quietly. Olonia didn’t reply, she just stared into her cup.
“If…” Saksma began. “I honestly really don’t want you to go.”
“I’m going.” Olonia said quietly. “I’m going Saksma, I’m not sending you two into that when I’m here.”
“Arascus is sending us.” Saksma said. “Not you.”
“I don’t care. I’m not letting you two go in alone. Where is it?”
“It’s nowhere dangerous.” It was just Rilia. No where else. Olephia was in the area. Everyone would be fine. They would have fleet support for artillery. They would have a full army, not an undersized Division of light infantry. It was…
“What are you doing?”
“We’re…” Saksma didn’t even know the specifics. “Arascus didn’t give the specifics. He said it might not work and that I shouldn’t get my hopes up but…” Olonia turned to Saksma and raised an eyebrow.
“But what?”
“But we’re installing a tower to cleanse Ashen Skies.”
Finally, there was sothing there. Saksma could see it. A fire in Olonia’s eyes, a fire that looked sothing like fury. “Saksma, do you know how long I spent in there?” The question ca out in a half-shout. Saksma nodded. “And you tell not to go?” Olonia lowered her tone, shook her head, and then gently put her hand on Saksma’s shoulder. “I’m sorry Saks.” She said. “But no. Don’t… I need to see it.”
“I…” Saksma said. “I just worry for you.”
“I know you do.” Olonia said. She pointed to the mountains. “But I have to go.”
Saksma wanted to cry. She wanted to break down here, grab hold of her friend, and never let go. “Why?”
Olonia raised her hand to those mountains. “So that I can see those mountains don’t have to be committed to mory.” She said quietly. “Because I need to see it done.” She looked away. “Because I hate them.” Even quieter now. “Because I need to see us do to their sky what they do to ours?”
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