Friends and Immortals

[Ti'niva]

75th Vhalar, Arc 709

Ti stood outside the temple awaiting his friends arrival. It had been a long time since he went inside the sacred place, too long since he has shown his affection to his races creator. He had been taught when he was younger that not worshipping those who granted you life was foolish, it had stuck. But his love of the immortal, Moseke, stemd from much deeper than his father's scolding from not praying. Something deep within him was thankful to her, and he also loved all the things she loved and created.

It was a breezy day and the leaves rustled and a few would occasionally flutter down from above. It was not too cold but the wind did make it feel worse. Ti could hardly wait to escape to the warmth and the protection of the temple. He pulled his coat closer around his neck. His hair was tied in a nest bun rather than loose today as he had grown tired of its flapping.

He looked around at the people who moved between the buildings of the rather small forest city. Some were working, some shopping, some were children playing and others were just wandering the city talking with there familiars. He wondered how strange that must appear to Finn to see them walking around talking to themselves. Although not all did it as their connection grew older so did their ability to communicate non verbally, through thought.

He sighed as he began to pace back and forth in front of the temple. The stone felt strange bellow his feet, he was so used to the forest floor that stone felt cold and hollow. The lifeless material appeared so empty. He found himself stepping off the step and onto the ground bellow he felt Inc on the rock and this was much more normal and comfortable. He saw his friend approaching and waved to him with a smile.

[Finn]

It seemed that their bond has strengthed ever since the last time. An invisible chain in his mind has snapped and whatever it bound before, it was no free. It made Finn feel better. One thing was for sure. Ti did no shy away from him, nor did he rejected Finn for the show of fragility. In fact, his little friend invited Finn to visit the temple devoted to Moseke. Whilst the boy was most likely aware of Finn's inner spiritual turmoil as he was just about starting to find his way to those Immortals that meant the most to him, Ti still appeared to think that keep the mind open was the best way. And Finn would agree even if he had to pry the mental gates open himself. Perhaps, it might do him good to witness how to worship a higher being, in what ways devotion would show.
Coming wrapped in warmer clothes as was usual, he paid no attention to other Sev'ryn aside from occasional greeting. He grew accustomed to most of them randomly talking to themselves as it was meant to be conversations with their familiars. Blessed were the Sev'ryn for a comfort of someone who would never leave them. One could almost grow jealous.
In the mid-trial Vhalar air, Finn felt as if Zi'da was already knocking on the door, begging to be let in. For now, he chose not to shave yet. Beard seemed to be quite handy in these conditions and as Telar said, once they'd get to Viden, then they'd both be grateful for it. On this day, he just pulled the coat a little closer. He was arriving in the centre of Desnind and the tall, perfectly circular structure came into his view. It was the temple.
For a moment he stopped in his place. Who was Moseke again? In the few arcs of freedom, he learned little of the Immortals and what he knew was a scattered knowledge of no concrete form or consistency. Yet, each time his eyes landed on any religious structure, Finn felt in awe. In awe of the fact the people built or chose to worship in a certain location because that's where they felt the most connected to their guardian as if they could not feel aligned with them elsewhere. Wasn't faith supposed to be ever present? Finn thought it should be, but perhaps he was just an idealist with little practical knowledge or skill.
From the corner of his eye, he saw a hand waving and knew it belonged to his young friend. However, the scarce sunlight as it hit the surface of the temple kept him hypnotised and locked in place for a moment longer. Moseke was the Immortal of life if he remembered it correctly and something about that place certainly spoke of vitality and vigour. His heart quickened and he felt the usual, almost butterfly-like wing fluttering in his chest.
"Good trial, Ti. How you?" He greeted his friend upon arrival, settling more and more comfortably into Xanthea with each day that passed. At last, his eyes also dropped from the building if only with hesitation to look at the boy with a wide, unchecked smile.

[Ti'niva]

Ti saw his friend approaching, he was seemingly in awe of the large and beautiful temple behind him. He began to wonder what temples in other cities looked like, were they big and made of stone. He was working off of the little things he knew about buildings outside of the forest city. He knew they used stone and chopped wood, maybe they were a mix. The concepts intrigued him, he could not imagine having as much freedom and fluidity in the buildings if they were not sung from a tree like many here in Desnind were. He shook himself due to the cold and a chill up his spine as his friends voice filled his young and sensitive ears. He was asking how he was yet he still seemed distracted by the immense tree temple behind him.

"I am well how, how are you?" he asked in turn impressed by how well Finn had learnt Xanthea in his short time around the Sev'ryn people. He smiled and turned to face the temple which his friend was still admiring. "Beautiful isn't it. I have only been here once before, when I was very young yet I remember it like it was yesterday." Some how the temple had tattooed itself into his memory, maybe it was the statues that stood inside or the small tree grown from a cutting of the Ojọgbọn. One thing he knew for sure was that he felt safe inside, like he was under the watchful gaze of the cities two immortal lovers, Ymiden and Moseke. His gaze came down to the entrance strange enticing too him the stone archway leading to the inside of the trunk. He stepped up the steps to the entrance and beckoned his friend to follow him inside. Ti stepped in over the fresh hold and into the large round room.

It was dark inside besides the center of the room where light shone down from the holes in the roof to the small tree at the center. A small stone wall was around this sapling, and before the wall stood two large statues. Ti smiled at the sight of them especially the one of the woman. He turned to his friend with a broad smile as he pointed over to the two statues. "The man knelt before tiny person, he Ymiden. And the woman holding child hand, that Moseke." Ti whispered, he was happy to be back in this holy place it was a place of life and spirit. "The tree behind statues and wall, that Besryn." He pointed to the sapling so his friend knew what he was talking about.

There were a few people spread around the room, a hunter knelt praying before a smaller statue of Karem and on the other side someone knelt before a statue of Vhalar. Ti also noticed two members of the Oludïbọ Cïkäkkẹn who seemed to be discussing something together at the back of the room. It was quiet in the temple yet something about it seemed loud, maybe it was the rich sense of life inside the place. It may have been only he that thought it but the whole place seemed to make you feel alive. Ti inhaled the fresh air as he began to walk towards the statue of Moseke, he began preparing a prayer in his head.

[Finn]

Confident. He felt confident in Ti’s presence for some reason and that was a step closer to happy. At least, his wide smile could tell as much.
”I’m good. Curious about the temple and your immortal.” Telar could teach him everything, all the knowledge there was about the Immortals. He could take Finn to these sacred places and point out habits, customs and more. But it was nothing like going to the same location with a native. Someone who truly knew and understood the significance of each move and word. The connection was stronger that way, Finn believed. And so as they made their way towards the structure. The awe he felt only grew to an almost overwhelming level. His miniature sense of self, his fleeting nature as a human was squashed the moment they entered the temple.
It was magnificent. The contrast of darkness and light, the grandeur so humbly dressed in simplicity, it all knocked the wind out of his sails and left him stranded on the sea of unspeakable impressions. His eyes did not know where to look first and for a moment as he was looking here and there and everywhere, Finn almost felt like his head was spinning and he was about to topple over onto his backside. Next to him, Ti appeared fine, trying to explain what was what. With sheer willpower, Finn forced himself to focus. To anchor himself to reality, he latched onto the first thing that his little friend pointed out - the statue of Ymiden. Upon the realisation, Finn then lost his ability to move. He wanted to learn about Moseke. Yet, there he stood, stuck in the spot, noticing Ti walking away to do his spiritual deed whilst Finn was locked onto the Immortal that almost felt to be calling to him. This was the strangest sense of deja vu he has ever experienced.
Antiss, the snake man, he told him to seek help outside his relationships, to forgive himself as that would help him settle. Ymiden...could this be a coincidence? He almost felt like uttering to fill the gawking expression with comedic tragedy of a man who could not control himself. Alas, he didn't.
Almost stumbling in the direction of the allure, beautiful Moseke has been forgotten for the time being. Nature and life were for the Sev'ryn to cherish. Ymiden was for men who sinned and needed absolution they could not find elsewhere. Or so Finn felt. Yet, he knew not how to pray, but as he arrived at the foot of the statue, he could feel his knees weaken, his mind forced into humble submission by dead stone and astonishment. Could this be...the man for him adore and worship?

[Ti'niva]

Ti'niva briefly looked back to see his friend, he seemed to be in shock or maybe it was awe, he could not tell. But he did not follow him, he instead walked towards the statue of Ymiden. He wondered if maybe Finn worshiped the man already, or maybe there was some kind of connection there that he had not told Ti of. He watched him momentarily as he approached the statue and knelt before it. Ti wondered if the man had prayed before, if he had ever visited somewhere so dedicated to religion. He had only visited the temple himself a few times himself, but he remembered it all so beautifully and perfectly. He finished his small pilgrimage to the statue and knelt himself before it.

He lowered his body onto the floor and looked up towards his creator. She was strikingly beautiful yet the stone took away from her beauty something that was not living did not seem natural to represent the Immortal of life. He looked down to the ground and closed his eyes in respect, he collected the words he intended to speak in his prayer. "Oh Moseke, it has been some time since I last prayed, I apologise for that and am hoping to devote more of my life to you." he paused and lowered his voice not wanting his friend to hear him pray for him. He felt shy about what he was doing but he could not resist requesting her help with his friend. "I am here to pray today for my friend, I am hoping that you will be able to help him. He has something dark that lingers in his past, something that he regrets and is ashamed of. I pray for you to let him leave this behind him, grant him a new life free from his pain and suffering. Please guide him and help him through this hard time, I am doing my best yet I believe he needs something more to help him see that he is a better man now." He looked over to his friend as he saw a man that was free and attempting to better himself. "For me I ask only for the continued strength to help my new friend on his quest. Thank you Earth Mother."

The last words left his mouth and he stood before the statue. He tipped his head before moving in between the two statues and looking over the wall to the small sapling in the centre of the room. It was so small and appeared weak, although he had heard that it was dangerous and could be used against the Tunawa. He thought about the strange tiny beings, he had only seen one or two in his life and they had always intrigued him. He wondered what the tree that had provided this sapling was like, he hoped to visit it, it was an incredibly sacred place. The small tree appeared sad to him like it had been forced to be the way it was, he wondered if it missed its mother tree. He stood and awaited his friend to finish his prayer, he thought his friend would appreciate the small tree and the story behind it. He scratched his arm as he looked around him, nobody had yet left the temple and the two religious leaders were still stood discussing something. Part of him considered eavesdropping on the conversation he was curious what religious people talked about. But he waited just admiring the temple and giving his friend time to pray, he appeared to be quite taken by the immortal of rebirth.

[Finn]

He had no idea what to say or do. To him, he was staring at a face of a stranger made eternal in stone for reasons that eluded him. Was this how Ymiden really looked like? The Immortal of Forgiveness looked youthful, carefree almost. It somehow invited compassion for whatever deeds anyone has done. Did forgiveness start with compassion? Finn’s eyes looked around, from left to right, landing on Ti who was knelt down, his lips moving in a quiet prayer. Should he also humble himself to that degree and speak words he did not know? Reverting his gaze back to the man who was worshipped by many and to whom Finn felt drawn as if being lured by a mysterious promise. Shifting his weight somewhat nervously, there were words that were pressing against his lips felt shameful to speak out loud. So he found himself closing his eyes and lowering his head a little. If he couldn’t see and could somewhat hide his face, others wouldn’t see his cluelessness, right?
Ymiden… He started in his mind, even the name thought shakily, his heart drumming in his chest. He has prayed before, but it was in the dark, on his own and never in a sacred place. Finn never felt impurity so strongly. As if anything he could ask for would be disregarded by the powerful entity. I...never prayed before like this. In a place like this. I don’t really know how to do it. He shifted from one leg to another again in a hint of uncertainty. I come to you on a recommendation from a...friend. I mean, I don’t know him that well, but he told me I need to seek counsel outside those I have now. It made no sense to him but it was a combination of frustration and determination that kept his wordlessly spoken prayer going. He told me I need to forgive myself. But...I don’t really know how to do it myself. I have done things I feel I should be punished for. By law, I should be imprisoned if not executed. He could feel his palms begin to sweat. Speaking of his sins even in his mind was not something he was accustomed to doing. Especially in public where he felt like someone might suddenly be able to read his thoughts, see the rotten core inside. But I have done them to be free. I had to… I couldn’t… He couldn’t figure out where he was going with this and he just about reached the point of tension where it felt like he was being torn in two directions. I just need some guidance. That’s all. Whatever you do, wherever you are. I need help. I need to forgive myself...and others as well...perhaps. And I know I can’t do it on my own or with those close to me. If they knew… The light felt weak as it pierced through his eyelashes. It was like sun rays when one was drowning and fought their way to the surfaces. It was fleeting, threatening to be taken away at will. Finn felt that he was emerging from a confusing dimension into the old world knew, but hoped it would not be the same as he remembered it. Yet, his gaze landed on the very same stone face that looked down on him unchanged. The eyes were unseeing. No salvation was delivered and Finn felt conflicted, unsure and not even liberated.
The man huffed. The stone looked impersonal and uninterested. For a moment a pang of memory stabbed at his heart with the resonance of beliefs he knew were buried but like dead men awoken by a necromancer, they tried to claw back out from the dirt. He had to look away. He was no extraordinary case for an Immortal to suddenly materialise here and free him from this internal agony. He was but a man with heavy conscience just like anyone present. Rolling his shoulders, he tried to release the stiffness from his body. Finn also tried to avoid looking back at the statue again so he looked for his friend who he found by the small wall.
”Hey,” he said quietly as he arrived next to the boy, gaze set on the sapling which appeared vulnerable to him. A smile was settled on his lips as he also tried to mask his mismatched feelings that he was experiencing after the supposedly religious and spiritual experience. His curiosity trying to cushion it all.
”That’s the Besryn, right?” His head nudged towards the small tree, his casual demeanor doing the trick of masking his inner turmoils.

[Ti'niva]

Ti smiled as his friend joined him at the wall, Finn seemed conflicted to him but he decided to ignore it. "Hello." He responded in turn to his friends greeting. He continued to look at the sapling and recall the story of the tree in order to tell it to Finn. He was sure his friend would enjoy hearing the Sev'ryn tale and a little history about the city in which he was staying. "Yes that Besryn, the one tree ever be grown from Ojọgbọn." He stated as he prepared to tell the relatively short story as Sev'ryn tales go. Besides he didn't need to tell all the boring parts, his father had tortured him with those and he did not think them necessary for his friend.

"Besryn mean Baby in common. This sapling is only one to come from cutting of Ojọgbọn. Many arc past was this cut and men who took cutting were Oludïbọ Cïkäkkẹn, or tree singers." He looked over to the two priests who were deep in discussion still. He nodded his head in their direction, "They be members of Oludïbọ Cïkäkkẹn and worshipers of Aiséirism religion to Moseke. They have been blessed by Moseke and can make grow by singing to plant." He said with a smile, it was quite fascinating and something that intrigued Ti, the idea of singing a plant to do your wishes was just, incredible. "They sing and plant grow like they want it, that how the city of Desnind was made, they sang walls out of the ground." It was good for him to revise his own history it was not something he had heard since he was a lot younger. "Besryn is stubborn tree, it no grow fast or easy and Oludïbọ Cïkäkkẹn find hard to prompt grow. It is important to our people and is protected. But it no grow for us it stay here in temple and be a sight for us to see a piece of Ojọgbọn." He said as he felt his mind wander to the thought of the mystical tree again.

"It short story, not huge or crazy, but nice." He said explaining why his story had ended up being more of a lesson on the religious faction that was mostly in charge of the city. "I want visit Ojọgbọn one day, it is a place of great interest to me, and Tunäwä live there." He said his eyes lighting up at the mention of the little green people, he looked over at Finn. "They are interesting, little green plant people, you know of them?" He asked curious how well people outside of Desnind new of them. He did not imagine the tiny people traveled that much.

[Finn]

Ojogbon? He has never heard of that tree. But then, he knew very little of all the details of Sev’ryn history, if much at all. The sapling that was planted in the earth before them, looked detached from whatever the greater tree must have been like. As the gentle light hit its leaves, the green shades became vibrant, leaving room for imagination of what its greater self might have looked like - the grandeur similar to that of this temple; the life comparable to that buzzing within Desnind; the unity that these people represented. However, the tale was getting more intriguing as Ti’niva was recounting it.
Singing to plants to make them grow? He sure was not aware of that at all. Could faith achieve that? Could believing in an Immortal bestow a blessing on someone to then make something like this happen? Have these abilities? Many times he found himself wondering how the city came around to being. How was it that Sev’ryn could live inside trees? Whether it was a miracle of nature and it was only here that trees grew in these extraordinary shapes, or whether the reason lay elsewhere. Now he knew and the fact of the creation was striking.
But when it came to Tunawa, it was something that he was slightly familiar with. He has heard of them before. Telar told him about the race on their way to Desnind, during one of the nights on the ship when Finn wasn’t thinking that the sea would swallow them whole. The Tunawa were small people that looked like plants as far as he remembered. It was a strange thought, however. Something Finn would have considered was only to be present in fairy tales and not in the real world.
”Yes, Telar mentioned them briefly.” Finn replied, his eyes still looking at Besryn in contemplation. “They sound intriguing. Have you ever seen one?” He asked with curiosity, his eyes then gliding over the space to look at his friend.

[Ti'niva]

"I saw them when I younger and live in the city, but only few, maybe three." He admitted, being rather inexperienced with them himself. "They very interesting, very small and odd." He said admitting that he found them very different and intriguing. "Maybe you see one before you leave." He said as he looked to his friend. He looked around him and towards the rest of the statues around the room. "You worship Ymiden? Or is this first time? You have many first here in Desnind." he asked, hoping he wasn't prying into a too sensitive topic. He knew his friend had a dark past, and it did not bother him, but he did not want to upset his friend by dragging it up, especially not here in public.

Ti smiled to his friend as he looked towards the sapling yet again. He wondered how much it represented its mother tree, was it like a miniature version, or did look unique. It was a sad but beautiful tree, he wondered why it grew so slowly and why it was so opposed to the singers who attempted to entice it into growing more. He had so many questions he wanted answers too, maybe it was just his young mind, but he was wild with imaginative ideas about why the tree was so stubborn. His favourite was that it was a sulking child, one that would not move until it was given what it wanted. It made a smile cross his face as he considered it.

"I hope one day to understand this tree, I want know why it like this," he looked into his friends eyes curiosity burning in his own, "I want to understand lot's of things. And when I understand, I want be able tell you, friend." He smiled a comforting and friendly, a smile showing his happiness about having made friends with Finn. He was thankful for having met the man and he quickly thanked Ymiden for sending this man here for redemption. He hoped his friend had found what he was looking for in the city of trees, home of the two immortal lovers. "One day I visit you in your home, then you be my guide." Ti smiled and looked back away from the man as he thought about him leaving, he could already feel the loneliness that would follow.

[Finn]

Indeed, the Tunawa sounded intriguing. Small wooden people that were foreign to Finn. He would love to meet one but asking Ti where he saw the few he mentioned was not going to bear any fruits. The boy said he barely remembered. But he'd look and maybe he would find some. His train of thought was then disrupted by Ti's question. Looking back, Finn's gaze fell on the cold stone in the shape of a man that Finn wasn't entirely sure how to feel about. The conflict swelled rapidly inside his chest behind the mask of contemplation.
"You're right about that one." Finn then replied with a chuckle, eyes sparkling with amusement at how correct the boy was. There was a lot that Finn experienced and he doubted it would end there.
"First time." Finn clarified with a simple nod, his lips pulling into a thin line for a moment as he turned back to look ahead.
"To be honest, I am not even sure that I did it right." The following chuckle was a little more forced, more uncertain. He found it easier admitting to Ti when he did not know something. The bond created over language learning, the fact that Finn allowed the young one to peak onto the surface of Finn's inner self, it created a sense of comfort and safety where Finn did not feel endangered if he expressed such weaknesses. Moreover, speaking to a child made it all seem somehow of a lesser gravity.
Yet, looking at his little friend's enthusiasm, his dreams and desires, hearing what he wanted to achieve, it helped Finn cast away his clouds. Smile abducting the frown to replace it with a ransom for momentary happiness. The boy knew little that there was no home for Finn to return to, that the man has decided to never go to the area again for many reasons. However, he would not let that ruin the young one's excitement. He would not put out the spark of determination that he saw burning in the boy's hues. So he stayed silent, simply watching the boy as he looked away. The profile of Ti's face was etching itself into Finn's memory.