Traveling with the Monarchs from the realm to their new home, Eon had picked up the ways of Tsillah. Or at least some of it. Still, his mind wouldn’t stop its constant ponderings. Worse yet, there was an aching feeling in his gut. Growing up in Athadia, religion was never of importance. Eon had actively denied the existence of the gods, or at least he had tried to. He had never wanted to be chained down by such beliefs. Strength and will came from within. He didn’t need gods, only himself. But perhaps such thoughts had angered the higher powers…
Athadia had crumbled beneath his paws, and he realized he wasn’t strong enough. Why he, of all beings, had managed to survive was unclear - but perhaps Tsillah had seen something in him. He was given a second chance, and that chance led him to her kingdom. He could no longer deny her. Still, part of him was afraid. It was foggy, but his sumber had brought him visions. Rather than dreams, they felt real but distant—something akin to an ancient history he had long forgotten. He wished he could still forget. The image of golden shackles chaining him in place danced in his subconscious. He wanted to free himself —but how? Would giving into Tsillah free him? Or was she the one who had him chained?
The thought of her presence, which he could very much feel, was both relieving and intimidating. Why had she chosen him….? What did she want with him? Perhaps his mind was still too clouded. Maybe he should seek out those who were more familiar with her. Perhaps an outside eye could help him interpret these visions. One wolf in particular came to mind. Enya had dedicated herself to Tsillah for… well, he wasn’t sure how long, but he knew the goddess was essential to her. She had also offered him kindness, a home, and shelter. If there was any wolf he could trust, it was her. He just hoped she wouldn’t mind him asking for one more favor.
His nose graced the grasses below him, sniffing to see if he could pick up her scent. He assumed she must be around here somewhere. The territory was newly established, and as a Monarch, he assumed she’d want to stay and protect their borders.
It was the warm summer air that reminded Enya that it had been almost a year ago that she had chanced upon Malachi. Already a year had passed by and yet again her roots had been torn from the ground and relocated with the intent to set in once more. Home. It was a term easy to define, and yet she wondered what a home really was supposed to be. She wondered what the intent behind the word was meant to be. Mostly, she wondered if she would ever truly find a Home. She began to think not. Already, she's existed for years upon years, roaming and forced away from lands, or driven out of them by her own blatant stupidity. Her last home... should she have tried to endure it? Was relocating really the right choice to make, or was it her running away again?
"Ahh" Enya spat with a rumbling growl, finding herself wandering further and further down a dangerous road. She shook herself, then straightened her fur back down. Shaking didn't make the doubt and heartache go away, but it definitely shook her mind from it's current track and let it divert to a more positive one. Home. She would make this her home. This was it. She would raise a clan devote to Tsillah with Caedwyn and Eon by her side. She would make this Kingdom, Duskorna, a place for believers, a place for the strong.
With new purpose in her step, she strode forward a couple paces to the edge of a creek. There, she stared down, stared back at the reflection of herself. She focused on the torn ear, at the hard look on her face. She looked, but she didn't see a single spec of gray hair on her face. By her count, she should have started graying out at least a year or so ago, if not longer. And yet, her reflection mirrored the reds and creams the same way they had looked when she had first found Caedwyn forever ago. "What is your plan for me?" she whispered, speaking not to anyone around her, but to her Goddess. "Will you let me make this my home if I am your devotee? I suppose I will see, for I have set my path to be for you. I have plans, my Goddess. Bare witness to them. To me." Her gaze averted from her reflection to the sky, or would have had movement not caught her eye instead.
Enya turned to see Eon approaching. Her tail wagged at the sight of him and she offered him a warm smile before finally letting her gaze look upwards. "Come" she called to him, inviting him to take a spot beside her. "I wonder if you heard my comments to our Goddess." She was indifferent either way. "So, how are you settling into the new place? I know it hasn't been long, but I hope it's been well?"
Eon had just heard the last of her conversation with the goddess. It was enough to make him think. Was this a good time? Perhaps. After all, he was inquiring about Tsillah, and it seemed she was already on Enyas' mind. Still, it echoed in his head. Her devotee? What exactly did she mean by that? Was she, too, chained by a god? The thought sent shivers down his spine as he desperately tried to think of something else.
His ponderings distracted him, and he almost missed it as Enya addressed him. He shook himself. "I—uh—I didn't hear much, uh—sorry." He looked up, finally catching the Monarch's gaze. She seemed happy to see him; perhaps he had misjudged the situation. He decided to accept the invitation to sit down beside her. He felt slightly more relaxed as he adjusted by the stream's edge. Sitting after his long journey to the crystal caverns felt good, but that strange feeling in his gut lingered. Ugh... what did it mean?
He could see his reflection rippling on the water's surface, though he refused to look at it thoroughly, instead listening to Enya's words. How was he settling in? Well, it was hard to answer. Everything seemed good on the surface. He had met with a couple of friendly faces, and overall, nothing particularly bad or substantial had happened, but he had to be honest with her.
"I've been settling in well, I think," He began. "The territory is nice, and I've met with a few faces already, but" he'd hesitate for a second before continuing. "Your goddess..." he'd start up again before correcting himself. "Our goddess, Tsillah. She's been trying to reach out to me. I can feel her." He could feel a strange fluttering in his chest as he spoke. She was there, just beyond the veil; he knew it, yet she remained elusive. "I can't figure out what she's trying to tell me, so I thought maybe you could help."
Her ear turned and listened as Eon took his seat beside her. Her gaze changed from the sky to look down to her side at him, smiling. She had a habit of forgetting just how small Eon was compared to her. He made up for it in his characteristics. She wasn't surprised to hear that he'd already met others who dwelled within the territories. She knew she could trust him to keep an eye out for strangers, and keep an even closer eye out for those who might cause trouble. The hesitation as he lingered, however, made her smile lessen as she tiled her whole head towards him. Good things usually didn't follow the word 'but'.
He claimed that Tsillah, their worshiped Goddess, was trying to reach him. Enya suddenly stood, twisting her entire body towards him, her ears perked up with excitement. "She's reaching out to you? Oh, Eon. That's wonderful!" She wondered what it was about. She quickly reached out to touch her nose to Eon's shoulder, a gesture of friendship and reassurance. A gesture of encouragement to tell her more. Realizing she'd forgotten herself in her excitement, she cleared her throat "Ah-hem" and forced herself to settle back down into a sit. Her tail, however, never stopped bouncing at the tip. "What is it she's saying? What do you feel?" What miracle was about to be bestowed upon Eon from their great Goddess?
Eon's eyes widened as Enya jumped to her paws, heart thumping in his chest. His head quickly turned to peer over his shoulder, scanning the surrounding area until he realized she hadn't jumped because there was danger. Now he just looked like an idiot. He'd shift his gaze upward to be greeted with her own gaze. There was excitement in her eyes, and he was able to calm himself down. Was he really so anxious every movement startled him? Why so was he so Jumpy?
Feeling even smaller than he did before, Eon would rise onto his own paws. When Enya touched her nose to his shoulder, he knew it was a gesture of reassurance and did everything he could to shove any lingering anxiety away. “Well…” Where did he start? Was there even a start? “Sometimes, I get visions of shackles around my heels.” Ugh, maybe he shouldn’t have started there. No, he definitely shouldn’t have started there. This sounded terrible. How could he make this sound better? “Do you think she’s trying to free me from them?”
There. That was one theory out. He wasn't sure if he should speak the other, though it floated around in his head. There was something in him that didn’t trust gods… but for some reason, Tsillah felt different. He hadn't immediately denied her as he had with other gods. What made her so different?
He had learned a bit during his time traveling with the two monarchs. He knew she liked to test her devotees with trials of strength. She wanted them to prove their worthiness because she had something to offer them. She offered what seemed like suffering. Below the suffering; however, there was knowledge, and there was growth. Through that suffering, she built her followers into their best selves. He could see his past from a new perspective by learning about her. All the god-awful trials he had to go through were her molding him into one of her great masterpieces with one piercing needle at a time. It was an art form. She was an artist, at least that's how he liked to look about it. There was just something about her teachings he wanted to be a part of.
No. The theory it was her was wrong. It was proven false at that very moment as he watched the excitement on Enyas' face. She wouldn't have that expression if Tsillah did not value her follower's freedom and individuality. He had gotten himself all worked up for nothing... hadn't he? Something still bothered him, though. If it wasn't her who had him shackled, then who was it?
“Sometimes, I get visions of shackles around my heels.” Enya listened attentively as Eon explained what he saw. He got visions? Was he magically touched to see the past, present, and future in the same way that she was? Her eyes examined Eon closer, studying any jewelry she saw. There. The earrings. Were they the channeling devices? Or, maybe he didn't even need them? She'd been so focused on the revelation that he also had visions that she nearly missed what he had actually said.
He had visions of shackles around his heels. He theorized that Tsillah was attempting to free him from them. No. That seemed entirely incorrect. Tsillah would never simply free someone from their own constraints. Her tail still continued to bounce with excitement, but Enya managed to keep the rest of her figure still and poised, her face expressionless as she pondered his words, or rather, how best to respond to them.
Direct and to the point, as was usual for her. "No. That is not Tsillah's way." Her voice lowered as she looked back down at her reflection in the water. She looked back at Eon, then motioned for him to do the same. "Look into the water. Look at your reflection. What do you see, Eon?" She closed the distance between them, standing once more on all fours, and hovered nearby - likely uncomfortably so. "Who do you see staring there, back at you?" Enya backpedaled to quickly step around Eon, then came up to his other side. This time, she remained a more comfortable distance away and looked back down at her own reflection again. "Tsillah does not offer solutions. She offers problems that we must endure and overcome. She will not free you of these shackles. She may enlighten you, test you, or guide you, but it is up to you to free yourself from these shackles you wear. Whoever they are from, wherever they begin, no one but you can shake them off. You cannot be given freedom. It must be earned." Her gaze snapped back to Eon again, her teal eyes reflecting her enthusiasm despite the low tone in her voice. "Who is it?" She paused, then unable to wait for an answer, asked again, "Who is it, or what is it, that is holding you back?" Oh, the possibilities in which that answer could be were endless.
‘Not Tsillah’s way’ was not what he had expected, nor did he want to hear from Enya next. Still, he tried to remain calm and listen to her explanation. It wasn’t worth getting worked up about. She motioned for him to look down at his reflection in the water, and he did. His blue gaze stared back at him. He thought he understood what she was saying now… Maybe. He relaxed. This was one of Tsillahs trials, wasn't it?
He was so fixated on the water that he didn’t notice Enya's movements, though he listened intensely to her words. They confirmed this was indeed a test. He squinted. Determination swelled inside him to pass whatever this test was. He got the impression Enya wasn’t going to give him answers. Tsillah wanted him to figure it out independently. This wouldn’t be as easy as he had hoped. He sighed, the question echoing inside his mind… who was it?
He stared into the water; the ripples seemed to form shapes now. It was almost like they were trying to tell him something, but he couldn’t quite figure it out. Doing his best to clear his mind, he concentrated on the ripples, shapes, and colors. Something was beginning to form now.
(Dice roll for perception)
If success: ------
The ripples seemed to dance in strange patterns. Gradually, he seemed to recognize more and more shapes on the surface, and the water appeared more flame-like than liquid. His surroundings began to fade, and his consciousness was transported to another time and place. A wall of flames surrounded him, along with a sense he was in danger.
Desperately, he looked for a way to escape. Over the fire was the only way out. Stretching his wings, he was prepared to fly upward, above the rising fires, but something stopped him. He had taken that path before already. He could remember it now; this was a vision from the past. He knew he wasn’t here to re-live it. He was here to learn something from it. This was a mere vision, and the flames could not hurt him, no matter how real they may have seemed at that moment.
He’d spin himself around, facing the being that stalked him. He knew this was some god, but it wasn’t Tsillah. The gods' eyes shined with the surrounding flames, a sense of sick satisfaction in his gaze. This was the one who wanted his chained. This was why he was so afraid. The startlement jolted him back to reality. His heart raced, and he struggled to catch his breath.
“There is another god who wants me in chains,” he said as he tried to collect himself. “They were made of an intense burning light… I…” He’d sit back down, once again glancing at his reflection in the water. The surface continued to ripple, but the shapes and colors were gone. “I … think it might have been Ohr.” The intense light seemed fitting. He was the deity of their enemies, after all. There was no other explanation. There is no other reason for a god to be so angry with him. It was a realization that perhaps he didn’t want but one that he needed anyway. Strangely, he felt less afraid now.
“I want to dedicate myself to Tsillah fully.” he’d state, a firmness coming over his vocals. “Do you think some kind of offering would help to connect with her more?” He’d turn around to face Enya again. “What kind of things does she like?”
If fail: ----
He could almost see it but was afraid to look. His heart beat heavily in his chest, and he closed his eyes. The vision disappeared. “I don’t know, maybe I’m not ready yet,” he’d say, a sigh escaping him. “I know I have to figure it out myself, but I’m hesitant.” Disappointment washed over him as he realized the shadows in his brain would continue to pester him. He knew they had a message but couldn’t look at them yet.
“I do still wish to honor our goddess. I knew she expects something from me, and I don’t want her to think I’m giving up. I just want to learn more about her first.” He knew that worshiping a deity often included offerings. However, he had no idea what things were usually offered to Tsillah. “Do you think some kind of offering would help to connect with her more?” He’d turn around to face Enya again. “What kind of things does she like?”
Character Roll 1: Successful Attacks must be above 500 to be successful.
567 was added for Level 3.
0 was added for Perception.
1 was added for B: Homeland Buff.
0 was added for A: No Enchantment.
Enya paused and held her breath as Eon's gaze lay fixated on his reflection in the water. She wished desperately that she could read his mind. What was he thinking? What was he feeling? Her teal gazed stared in wonder at him, watching, waiting to hear what he might say to her questions. Then, suddenly, his breathing quickened and Eon gasped. What did it mean? Eon, then, relaxed into a sit and Enya leaned in towards him. “There is another god who wants me in chains,”" he proclaimed. Enya's ears immediately flattened on her head. Which god would dare restrain one of Tsillah's followers from their true potential? She was about to ask who when he answered.
'I think it might have been Ohr'
Enya's ears flicked back forward at the mention of the name 'Ohr'. She'd learned of Ohr through her previous religious studies back when she lived in the kingdom with Meliodas. She'd been nose deep in books, trying to embrace his way of life all for her to dismiss her regardless. She never did like the teachings of Ohr. After growing up and believing in Tsillah for the majority of her life, Ohr's teaching seemed so... gentle and all encompassing. Through his teachings, she understood that all are worthy of his light. Every single creature is touched by Ohr through a piece of their Will. There were no tests. There was no feats of strength. It just... was. So, what was even the point of trying? Of doing? Believing? Tsillah drove her followers with the promise of purpose and success. Ohr drove... nothing. Sticking their noses into books just like she had in the kingdom of Melidoas', the same time period where she had become, physically, the weakest she'd been since her finding Vrolga and in turn, Tsillah. She had lost her faith, and she had suffered in Ohr's learnings.
A low, dangerous growl rose up from Enya's throat as she pondered the reality of Ohr holding back one of Tsillah's believers. It was an abomination! A threat to Tsillah's sake! Was it magic of their followers holding Eon back? Did this have something to do with their neighboring pack, Verdantis? The thought of magic users or spies in their territory casting a spell on Eon made her eyes dart around, searching the bushes and shadows for any would-be offenders.
Eon's statement, luckily, broke her from her growing aggression towards any potential trespassers. The growl in her throat lessened, and instead her tail started to wag once more. "Good. Eon, have you ever known a god to deny an offering to them? Gods are, after all, our foundations. They experience emotions the same as we do, I believe. I'm sure it's on an entirely different level. Could you even begin to imagine the amount of pride a god has? Tsillah have devotees literally dying to meet her. We live our whole life under her guidance, striving to be the strongest and best versions of ourselves so that we might one day face her in our final test." She let a smirk come to her muzzle, though still kept her eyes shifting around to spot anything rustling in the bushes. "Tsillah's favorite offerings consists of bones, trophies, or pelts as a show of strength to her. Do you have anything of that you will sacrifice for her?"
Eon tried to imagine the amount of pride a god would have. He couldn’t. He couldn’t even imagine being anything but a fuck up until recently. Any respect he was given was not directed towards him but to his lineage. He was told he was special because he was born into a special family. He didn't earn anything while a silver spoon was feeding him. The first time he had felt a sense of anything was when the blood laws were abolished. He had fought alongside the others of Athadia then and had seen a strength in them he had never seen prior. He almost felt proud to have stepped up as their leader, only to have everything ripped from under him when it came to light he was not actually a Valkyrie. Even the silver spoon that fed him was a lie. He had only gained a sense of "reality" through Tsillah. He had to lose everything to truly know himself. He knew It was Tsillah who had presented him that opportunity.
His attention turned to the feathers dangling from his right ear. They had supposedly been passed down the Valkyrie bloodline for generations. He was supposed to wear them with pride. Instead, they brought him shame. It wasn't until after Duskorna was established that he finally decided to wear them for their intended purpose. What once held a silver sheen was now dyed a vibrant pink and blue that matched his tail feathers. Knowing his 'ancestors' probably despised him for it gave him a sick feeling of satisfaction. That was if their souls even existed anymore. It occurred to him Tsillah could have very well swallowed them in battle. Where they may have failed, however, he could succeed. Perhaps he'd make his bloodline something to actually be proud of.
"It's not anything you listed, but I think it still shows my strengths." Without giving himself an extra moment to think it over, Eon yanked the feathered earrings out. He didn't want to allow himself the opportunity back out; he needed to do this, even if it meant tearing his ear. He wasn't sure how else to easily remove it in the moment.
