Re: Svarik and the company II

[Mirach]

"The Vein *is* music," Svarik said slowly. "Trying to reach into it with music might not be heard from within... Maybe it really is more like a flower, and doesn't enjoy talk, but watering and care... Not watering in literal sense, in this case, but caring for the place..."

[Mirach]

"The Vein *is* music," Svarik said slowly. "Trying to reach into it with music might not be heard from within... Maybe it really is more like a flower, and doesn't enjoy talk, but watering and care... Not watering in literal sense, in this case, but caring for the place..."

[Mirach]

"The Vein *is* music," Svarik said slowly. "Trying to reach into it with music might not be heard from within... Maybe it really is more like a flower, and doesn't enjoy talk, but watering and care... Not watering in literal sense, in this case, but caring for the place..."

[VisAnastasis]

" If I may tie in, I don't exactly understand all of the subject... " Hans voiced himself calmly, leaning back. " But from what you say, I'd judge you are right. You really shouldn't bother much about its emotional needs - just plant a really good garden and hire a decent gardener if you can - and I think even that's overdoing it. If it's a gentle place like Sea Heart, sure, coming sometimes and playing for it is nice, but it really is completely self sufficient. "
" Yes. " Tide tied in quietly. " Veins and Hearts are like living things, but they are made of streams of music. From what I can understand, it seems you build your soul into that stream of music so it became part of the chain. Sheer force of music alone should be plenty to feed it - and as for company, I think you shouldn't really come much to it, if you hope it to develop some relationship with you anew. If you come often, it won't miss your presence, and if it doesn't start missing you, then it won't start developing personality outside of its function. Force without personality is just a force, and developing personality and interest takes time - just let it Be, and see what happens. "

[Mirach]

"That may he best," Svarik nodded. "I feel kinda bad for it not responding when Falcon gives it so much effort and time from his tight schedule. It's a part of myself after all..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Can I help you not feel bad about it anyhow? " Tide asked suddenly, looking little worried for Svarik, hearing all that strange story about his soul being split and existing outside of him, it being something he could relate to, having his own heart beating and existing in his human friend beside him. " I wished I could mix you up a fun tune, but... I can not play for you right now like this... Maybe if we meet again... But is there anything else I can do to cheer you up? " he asked hopefully. " Do you require a hug, or perhaps a warm beverage? We have tea leaves here, so I could warm you all up a tea... "

[Mirach]

"A tea would be nice right now," Svarik nodded thankfully.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide took tea herbs and the teapot, filling it with bottled water. He didn't need to use fire. He was just holding it in his hand, and breathing into it gently, a hot steam coming from his mouth.
Couple minutes later, the tea was ready, and he smiled, and filled the cups to everyone who wanted it, Svarik, Xia, Melody and Sage.

[Mirach]

"Thank you, I didn't know you could do that," Svarik said and with the cup of tea he leaned back and watched the sun setting over the sea.

[VisAnastasis]

" One of the low demons I ate back in my day was a coal demon, warm and fuzzy, born from a volcano. I got couple of nice little tricks from her. She was resisting a lot at first, but I am grateful that I have her as part of Me, when I got to know her." Tide smiled fondly, tapping at his heart, as if greeting some inner part of him. " I used to be Many demons, I told you. Each of them were battling for prevail in my mind, until I could take it no longer, and started my path to enlightenment. Only when I was able to perceive, meet, and understand every demon I have ever swallowed, and acknowledge their worth and dreams, could I earn their forgiveness, and could I become one. Coal demon had a very short unhappy life before, and was suffering over it being ended by me. I acknowledged her pain, and she forgave me, and was happy then, when she became one with me with that renewed trust. Sparkle. That's her name. I have her ability to breathe fire and can warm people around me. I am happy that she became a part of me. "

[Mirach]

"It's hard to imagine how it feel, having to many inside you. Are you one of them, the strongest individual consciousness that overcame the others, or are you a sum of all of them?"

[VisAnastasis]

" It was very hard for me... Once I realized I did not remember anymore. I did not remember to whom demon my mental voice belonged to. It was a devastating realization to me. I was lot of mental voices, but I did not know anymore who was the original me. That is why I went on my quest to find out, and started thinking and meditating before concept of meditation even was invented, or any human was around to embrace it. " he smiled brightly, his face beaming rather proudly. " I took time to browse through all chaos in my mind... And to talk through every single individual, to remember their life and acknowledge them. It was awfully hard and painful... Like having hundreds different voices in your head, trying to get out... But not being able to. I kept going, though. It took me over thousand of years, one for each soul I have swallowed, but I did it. I met them all, and learned names of all of them. Once they became me - at last I remembered my own first life - where my mental voice came from. I remembered that first demon as he was, before he ate anybody.... But by then, I was not that person anymore. " he beamed. " After each new person that found peace within me, their mind blended into mine... And became Me. It's like when you mix lot of colors of clay for long time, until they all become of one color. I used to be just one demon once in that chain of eating, but now, I am sum of all of their dreams, desires, all pasts and lives. Who I am in sum of many, but they have been me for so long and been happy like that for so long, that I am just One now. I am a wave, a wave with water that's sparkling with 1231 different lives, that all at one point ended into mine. Well, it used to be that much... " he corrected himself with some embarrassment. " Now it's 752 souls. I may have... given parts of me over years, to those who needed it more. But only with consent, when I felt in my heart that it was right. "

[Mirach]

"Like you gave your heart?" Svarik asked, unable to imagine it otherwise.

[VisAnastasis]

" Quite like that. I used to have three hearts once, I only have one now. I actually gave away my first heart to Erebus, because his own was too damaged in one of attacks at Spirits when war just started. I gave him a heart so he could live. I had to, when I sow him on the battlefield, with his wife weeping above him. That's how we met. " critter smiled at fond memory. " War was long and hard. Many demons upon whom I came across were very hurt. I used to be very powerful once, but I am much weaker now, because I gave away most of most powerful bits of me to give others better chance at life... " he smiled shyly. " That is why I have many friends now... From those that managed to escape... Lot of me beats in souls of many critters. "

[Mirach]

"That's very nice and selfless from you," Svarik said. "You have my respect."

[VisAnastasis]

Demon chuckled, seeming all flustered, and he reached under his mask, to dry a tear, it seemed, as he was rather touched by king's simple kind praise.
" Well, it's maybe nice, but it's not really smart, I guess. I've given away lot of important bits of me... I am a bit slow now. But I am happy. I wouldn't have so many nice friends, had I not. "
He glanced shyly at both Sage and Hans. Spirit grinned at him softly and embraced him around shoulders reassuringly.
" Sure you would, silly guy. " he grinned at him reassuringly. " You would have many friends, only not us, per se. When me and Tide met, I was injured too. " he explained to Svarik. " He could not give part of himself to me, because I was Spirit, but he sacrificed part of his soul in a spell just the same none the less, to save me from vicious demon that attacked me, and to keep me alive till I got better, and protected me ever since. I wouldn't live without you, you silly. And Sage- he wouldn't live without you either, without your heart. Two of us would not become your friends or your Semais, if you wasn't so nice - but goofball, of course someone would! " he started tickling the shy old demon with affection, as he apparently needed to be encouraged and talked kindly to often to feel at home. " You would have just as nice friends and Semais, or ever better, you silly goofball you! You are the best... " he moved his mask aside a little to kiss his cheek amiably, at which demon chuckled gratefully. " You can find as many friends as you'd like, everywhere, and we're happy you chose us... "

[Mirach]

"You can hage two Semais?" Svarik asked, thinking that if Bell could become Death's Semai like he ever wanted, it might help them both to heal, and maybe Jake could be convinced to return as well.

[VisAnastasis]

" I don't know if everyone could. But my mind is of specificno kind. It is like goo. I can adapt to any mind, so I can be Semai to anyone. I can have as many Semai as I like, I think. " Tide explained between chuckles. " I can act as a mediator mind, too, and connection two people if they are my Semai, but not each other 's Semai. "
" Yes, three of us always do that at long night. It is very cool. " Hans confirted." Me and Sage are both Tide's, but not each other 's Semai. We can not bind on our own, but we can do it when with Tide. It's like one powerful streamy treesome, ha! " He jested.

[Mirach]

"What about the others you become Semai with? Can they only be yours then? And could you become Semai to someone who already has one?"

[VisAnastasis]

" Once I bind with others, they can only be mine if they never had other Semai before. If they had Semai already, then it doesn't matter - they will be both Semai of me, and Semai of the original person they bound with. So.... Yes.. " Tide said more slowly, as he felt Svarik had something specific in mind. " It doesn't matter if a person already has Semai or not. If it wants to bind with me, then I will be able to adapt. I can bind with many people at once... It's just a very private experience, as you know, so I don't have habit of doing it just for the sake of it. I only had couple of human Semais along the way... And now, I am content with Sage and Hans. It is nice for me - but I can bind with pretty much anything that has a mind and ability to understand consent and give it. I only have to be comfortable and safe with person I bind with, so we can all be relaxed and so bond can be stable and pleasant for all involved... " he then added slowly, as he inquired to see if Svarik was asking for himself or someone else. " I am comfortable with you, for example... "

[Mirach]

"Thanks," Svarik smiled a little. "I'm comfortable with you too, but I already have a Semai and don't want another. But before the Long Night, some hasty decisions were made because we needed more Semai... I was wondering if they could be amended, and if there are more Beings like you who have this ability. Maybe some don't even know about it because they never tried..."

[VisAnastasis]

" I think I am like this because I  used to be so many demons before I became one. It's fate more common in Demons than Spirits, I'd guess, but from what I've seen so far, most of creatures that ate many demons tend to remain just many demons. They still tend to be quite frightful and ugly for humans, with hundreds of eyes, or hundreds of arms, things like those, extra limbs, mishapen structure.... They did not take time to know themselves. I do have lot of multiple body parts, like I had extra hearts or livers, or two stomachs, and in some forms, I still have more eyes or hands, but I feel myself refined and unified with all that I am. But none the less, because I used to have so many minds, I feel my mind is so flexible still. " Tide shrugged shyly, as he was trying to respond to king as truthfully as he could on mysterious subject. " Your mind needs to really be adaptable, to be able to bounce into right shape to be universal Semai and compatible to all. Thanks to all the years I have spent getting to know every inch of my mind and understanding myself better on my path to enlightenment, I am able to do this. " he said shyly, but then, he inquired more cautiously. " Who are those you speak of that had been wronged by the hasty choices that had to be made during long night? Are they human? Humans should not be a threat to us, so I guess I could.... Don't get me wrong, I can not undo the bond they entered, and it's not save for me in your city, but if we get through this, you could send them to me here for a while. I would not mind becoming Semai to them if it would help them resolve their feelings, and I understand your chances of finding someone with mind like my own and willingness to do it, instead of eat you, are very slim. I could help. If Death becomes a child, it should be safe for us again, so if air is clear from malevolent Spirits, maybe I could even visit you there, then. " he offered, it seeming to trigger him to wish to help, whenever he'd hear of someone's misfortune, specially at something so intimate as being Semai.

[Mirach]

"They are not humans, but Spirits," Svarik shook his head. "Forget I asked, please. I wouldn't want this from you. I was just wondering if it could be possible that one of them has this ability without knowing about it."

[VisAnastasis]

Tide grew little restless with that response. He gulped.
" I will trust your judgement. I know you only wish me well. I can't really forget, but I will let it go. I try not to interact with Spirits more often than I have to. You never can really tell clearly if they want you ill or not... No offense. " he added to Melody shyly. " Just speaking in general... But please, if you have any question else that you think I could reply, please do ask. I don't want to meddle too closely, specially right now, with Death being there, as I don't want to endanger my friends, but if I know anything that could help them, I will tell you truthfully. As for your question - they can not know if they have the ability if they never tried, but if they for sure know their soul is soul of one person alone, not former soul of many people, then they probably do not have the ability. I am sorry.  "

[Mirach]

Svarik nodded. "I don't really know that, I never thought about asking if they have one soul or more... But they would know."