Re: Svarik and the company II

[Mirach]

"It might," Svarik nodded. "But I don't know if I can feel relief, knowing what lurks in the sixth layers. I've been too close to it..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Anger and wrath... can be terrifying. " Zephir only agreed quietly, a little hoarsely, as he spoke from experience, too. " There's such pure anger, in sixth layer. It's violent and violating, and it's overwhelming. I understand your hesitance to relax... But if I may, if you keep thinking, that you can't relax, until this, and until that.. You'll never relax again. " he brought himself to note, barely audibly. " When... When you're in lot of pain, and misery... When life is bleak.. You need to learn to look forward to... little victories... like climbing up the stairs, or having a good meal.. little, good things, along the way... otherwise, life becomes unbearable. "

[Mirach]

Svarik looked at him and nodded softly. "Did you learn to relax, then?" he asked. "Or just to enjoy little vicories enough to forget bigger worries flr a while?"

[VisAnastasis]

" I.. Keep myself busy. When you're busy, you don't have time, to think about bigger worries. I plant flowers... I feed birdies... I work on the garden... " Zephir whispered. He hesitated, before admitting quietly. " Why should I think about home and people I've lost, about things I've been through, about hostility of this foreign land? I have no power over my situation... I focus instead, on things that I can do. I can still walk, I can still breathe.... I can see better now, at last... Little victories, little power makes it bearable. It's... too late for me. I am always in pain and tense. I don't think I'll ever be able to do more, than look forward to little good things along the way, if they happen to come.. "he shook his head. " But it's not too late for you yet. I... would like... like... " he seemed to struggle, to admit the sentiment, as if tense to pass the line. " I would like you to be able to have more.  You.. you're a good person. It's not too late for you to change your point of view. You can have a good life, if you learn to not let  your past cloud your judgement and overwhelm you... "

[Mirach]

"You are kind to wish me that. But I don't think I am overwhelmed," Svarik said. "I am just aware of the sixth layer. I don't want to let fear influence me, but I can't forget that they are there, either. I don't think that we shuld forget..."

[VisAnastasis]

" We are not forgetting. " Falcon spoke up quietly to remind them. " I made a deal to remain living so I can deal with that, remember? " he whispered. " You two should seriously relax - you need not worry about anything, I'll take that matter up from here. "
Zephir seemed more withdrawn and hesitant with Falcon speaking up, not trusting him as honestly, but even so, he nodded lightly.
" Sir... Sir Falcon.. is true, in some way. " he whispered. " We are not forgetting their existence. It's just, it's too huge, too big bite, for a short mortal life... I think both of us will be long dead, by the time solution is found to that matter. Since it's too far and immense, and out of power of our lifespan... Why should we live our life wary of it and always glancing at it, when there's no way we'll live long enough to see it taken care of? "

[Mirach]

"You are right about that... in one way. Mortal life is too short to worry about that. But Falcon made that deal, and I'm not going to leave him alone in it. It is our worry now. But I said myself that we should live one life at a time, didn't I?" he turned to Conrad. "But it's hard to be aware that they are there and not worry..."

[VisAnastasis]

Falcon seemed a little uncomfortable. He scratched his chin a little, and he seemed a little hesitant to do so, before admitting it.
" One life at a time... " he murmured. " That's an arrangement. Through, to admit... I am sorry, Svarik. I am not saying you're not a good friend - it wouldn't be hard to let you go, if you weren't... But you're not into this whole eternal life gig. I respect that, although it's regretful. " he whispered. " I just think that.. realistically... chances that you will keep up with me... they're... slim. I don't believe you'll have stomach, to digest such long life. So, you could say that, I'm mentally preparing myself, that you'll stick around longer than most, perhaps, but not too long. Certainly most likely, not as long as Erdel, or Simbel, or Tide. By my free estimate, I'd give it, like, caps of couple hundreds, thousand years top... And that's not nearly enough, to end war yet, by any stretch not enough. So, you can say that Zephir is right... about you two not having to take it too seriously. From certain point of view, you shouldn't worry about it... "

[Mirach]

"And exactly because you are saying that and not giving me much trust in this, I will have to stick around just to prove you wrong, you know?" Svarik said, a little jokingly and a little sadly. "And even if not, your worries are my worries, no matter if I am here long enough to see them fulfilled or not... I don't think we should stop worrying. There is a reason for worry, closing our eyes befor it doesn't help. What would help.is to be prepared..."

[VisAnastasis]

" I'll do what I can to do prepared, naturally, you little rascal. Geese, that's all the point about immortality.. " Falcon smiled, although mirthlessly so, more as if to comfort Svarik than from feeling cheery. " So that I have enough time to figure things out... "
Zephir observed them quietly.
" It's not really something that time as itself can solve... Or something you can *prepare for*. There'd be no salvation to any of us, if demons breached into our layer of the world. Remember, it's not just war they'd reignite. No. They'd be destroying all in their paths, true, but even worse... They'd bring their corruption with them. They'd sew it across all they come across. Plants would die, animals would go berserk, humans would go mad... Their dark miasma and anger would taint the whole world... " he whispered. " I heard.. Stories. Terrible stories, of Sixth layer. There's a barrier around it, and demons can't breach it, but Spirits can, you see... And few are that ever dare stay a moment in that hell. It stinks of decay and blood and sweat... The scouring desert heats blister skin of water demons to blood, and forest demons that are learned to live in shades rather dig themselves into the rough knife sharp sharpels of sand than stay on dry surface. No trees. No streams. No shelter. Only dessert heat. They can not restore themselves by passing through layers, so many that age unless they do so are in agony of a body that tries to regenerate and decompose in the same time. The strongest demon generals, still sane enough, but twisted in need and agony and anger, rule with iron fist, and molest their underlings, forcing children upon female demons in order to make more soldiers for the army. Hate breeds army in larger and larger numbers, and brings to world children corrupted and deformed from birth. And not just for the future soldiers. There are terrible rumors. I heard that.. that they even, like... when hunger is too hard to bear... they'll bear children or force children upon their underlings just to .... eat them. They use demons with faster healing like cattle, tearing of their flesh for food. Some of my friends found baby bones, laid in shallow graves, but gnawed over completely. Others found a herd of low demons,tied down among the rocks using rope from someone's bowels. It's monstrous savagery. " he gulped. " It's devastating environment, that breeds devastatingly deep hate and resentment. They'll cover world in darkness if they're set lose... But in the same time, I don't see any healing or hope for any of them, as long as they're stuck there... They are far too removed, from what we'd consider normal... For all we know, Thief, as terrible as his fate was, to have to eat souls to survive, had it best from them all.. Literally all they have in sixth layer, are each other.... No food, no comfort, nothing... just scorching anger and scorching  sand... "

[Mirach]

"We need a plan then, and sooner the better," Svarik said. "It might take thousands if years to carry out, but we need to start now. It sounds to me like we can't do anything about the demons there, while the layer itself is like that. We need to figure out how to chanhe that layer and make it green and fertile..."

[VisAnastasis]

Zephir tilted his head at that, seeming suddenly more intrigued - and it was no wonder, for someone like him, that loved greenery so much, to be interested in that.
" Whole sixth layer is a dessert, though. Nothing grows or lives there. Not a tree, or a flower, or a blade of grass. No seeds take root, nothing. No animals, naturally... Not even maggots. Now it's even more spoiled so, with weight of miasma.... Any you plan to make it fertile? " he replied wonderingly, his voice a little louder and higher, as if in rush of interest, he forgot his place, and expressed his thoughts little more freely, with more color and eloquence. " It is not an easy quest you want to give yourself... It's dangerous to stay there for long, so if you'd try to plant life there, even under assumption you'd get it to live, you0d have to do it quick and in secrecy, not to get caught... And there's the problem of access. " he whispered. " nobody is quite getting that barrier... Whole layer is inaccessible, and all the gates to it are too. It's complex barrier, though... It only stops demons, somehow. Spirits are the only ones that can enter it back and forth freely... Only way demonic souls can leave that awful place is with death. "

[Mirach]

"Or by finding a way how to breach it, like that almost did..." Svarik murmured. "I'm not saying I know how it could be done, making the sixth layer a better place for life... But I think that tbe way to ending to war leads through there, and with setting it as our goal, I think I could actually relax..."

[VisAnastasis]

" It is rumored that Death had set it up, so if anyone knows how to work around it, it's him. " Zephir replied readily, speaking more freely, with that goal in mind, trying to figure out constructive response easing his timidness, giving a glimpse of a more bright, resourceful mind. " Brute force or song doesn't work, but something might. There is, of course, a pending matter of big gate being present in the crypt. But now, within the crypt, there's not darkness any longer... There's a part of you. A part of you that's connected to Little Simbel,  extension. They are part of cycle - mountain heart, land, Simbel, your other part in crypt, and the Vein... But most important part of that link, is link between Simbel and you. Your other half is directly in bounds with both Simbel and  largest gate to Sixth layer. That's immensely interesting coincidence, and advantage. " he whispered. " Do you notice how Simbels' essence, when he's stronger and happy and sated,  isn't limited to this layer alone? It sips across other layers, not all, but those closest to him... There's no barrier to it, and it's life bearing presence. Everything blooms and is soothed under its touch. Hypotetically.. " he cleared his throat. " Hypotetically, if we could reach agreement with your other part to have more concious, closer bond with Simbel, they could make their joint presence sip in through the gate, from *our* side, without opening it. If there's any land, or any remnants of any life deep under the surface, with time, White's presence will nourish it and promp it to grow.... And it'll soothe pain and hurt, too... It'd be.. a good.. as Riversong would say... " he blused. " .. an experiment. "

[Mirach]

"That seems almost poetic..." Svarik smiled faintly. "I wouldn't expect that tearing in half would coincidentally be that useful... It woupd be great if it would work..."

[VisAnastasis]

" I'll have to admit, it is a little more than just poetic or theretical... I'm saying theoretical out of... out of healthy restrain. " Zephir blused a little, despite in a moment, a little bit of brilliant, kind confidence shone through the vulnerable smile. " But if your other half would be willing to put effort into it, it'd not just something that could work, but something that most definitely should. Simbel's presence.. It is... remarkable thing. It kills demons at touch of his waters, yes.. But in the air, it's soothing, and inviting, to all demons alike... His aura is just so pleasant, that it doesn't matter that it's Spirit's one, it brings pleasure to demons and spirits alike. As long as Simbel is well fed and tended, with nothing ailing him.. " he smiled a little at creature that was curiously turning pages of the sotrybook Falcon brought, unaware of talk about it. "... it is not in his nature, to not bring pleasure and calm to those around him... Pleasure and life. "

[Mirach]

"Attacking the demons and trying to destroy them would not work," Svarik said with deep conviction. "It would only worsen it and fuel their anger. They expect nothing else. But this might actually work. I think we should try to convey that to my other half. The sooner we do it, the better."

[VisAnastasis]

Falcon narrowed his eyes, his attention seeming peeked as well.
" Hmm... How do you feel about, like... Now? " he said suddenly. " We're actually free today, and you're tense about it, as all of us are.. I'm just saying. Maybe we could have a little trip to the fort, together.. " he enveloped whole group with his look meaningfully. " All of us. A little picnic in the free field of the fort... Some free air and relief to our concerns, under guise of working. It's certainly calm you, I think..  "

[Mirach]

"We we'll need to get into the second layer to talk with him," Svarik said slowly. "Do you want to do that right now?"

[VisAnastasis]

" I don't feel like Being Semai right now. " Falcon admitted, his reply being honest, but only partially, as he was thinking about baby Svarik could find out about by accident. " Lot has happened. I'd rather have us have some time to let it set down before we bind again. I have lot of things to think through. We don't have to become Semai to talk with him, though, right? I don't feel like being that intimate for a practical talk.. "

" Maybe.. I could help... " Zephir whispered hesitantly. " I have a form of a little colorful southern bird in the second layer... In it, I can sing freely, and pour my heart into songs... But I can also speak human language, through its sensitive vocal cords.   I can speak with your other part for you, while you watch us... that is, if you'd want me to. " he blushed, as he revealed shyly. " I often would use that to my advantage... Spreading messages to various Beings is much easier through flying through second layer, than by foot...."

[Mirach]

"Thank you for the offer," Svarik nodded. "That might be best. I don't feel too eager to be semai right now, either..."

[VisAnastasis]

" I don't feel... safe, wandering around the second layer on my own. I don't feel... comfortable, meeting strangers, all out of the blue... " Zephir admitted, glancing at king a little tensely, as if it was taking a lot of effort for him to speak of his vulnerability, a little afraid he'll be shut off. " You'll.. still go with me... right? To... to make sure he'll hear me out... "

[Mirach]

"Yes, of course," Svarik nodded. "We will go together. It is a half of me, after all..."

[VisAnastasis]

Zephir nodded, viibly relieved, his features relaxing.
" A.alright then. " he stuttered shyly. " Can I leave my bag with Simbel? I'll feel more safe, with him looking out for the Bell's and other flowers... They're too precious... Or.. should I carry them with me? " he asked hesitantly. " If it's other half of you.. I assume it must like Bell.. right? "

[Mirach]

"I think yes," Svarik nodded. "But yoi don't have to bring them. What do you think Bell.would like more?"