Svarik and the company I :)

[Mirach]

"Maybe, if she can discern these things. So she wouldn't keep someone here against their will, even if they can't fly to reach the exit?" Svarik asked. 

[VisAnastasis]

" She is good. She does not force people to stay. Alas, she can't bring anyone to surface. This is all she knows. She has no concept of outher world above her. " Willow whispered." If you can not fly out, you have to stay. But this place is of healing and comfort. You feel no pain or hunger here. San makes everyone that fall down here happy, and takes care of them. She can create anything she can see in your mind to make perfect environment to suite you." creature spoke, as if speaking of a child, with great love and admiration" She takes care of everyone as long as they live. She will be amazing when she matures, I know. I can't wait to see her form on her own one day."

[Mirach]

"A golden prison, then..." Svarik murmured. "Though I'm sure it's not her fault. Still, do you know if there are some here who cannot get out on their own? Maybe they don't want to, but they should have the choice. We could help them and take them with us when we leave, because we can't stay here."

[VisAnastasis]

" I do know Spirits never come if they are not able to go back. This is good, safe place to rest - they rest, and then leave. The kinder ones often carry humans and frigjtless Spirits back to surface if they want to. We have fewer humans here now, alas. All villages around this place moved far away, so they only throw in here sick or deformed children or criminals these days. I apologize, but I can not let you take those out. " Willow replied quietly, but with firm authirity. " Sam trusts me. I looked after her for long while, and I know best. If I let criminals out, they could do harm to others. If deformed children would leave, they could not survive in outher world. I can take care of them best here, with Sam, where they can be loved and pain free. They are unwanted above, but here, they are loved. I am sorry, but I love Sam, and I can not let her do something ill to your lovely human world unknowingly, before she is knowledgeable enough to distinguish evil from good, and I can not let you take away little ones we love. "

[Mirach]

"If that is so, I will accept it," Svarik nodded with some relief. "I was afraid there might be people or animals who fell down by accident. My animal companions were very curious about it last night, and if allowed near, I suspect they could fall here..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Oh, San adores animals, so she invites the willing ones to come. Animals jump down here all the time. I love animals too!" Creature proclaimed suddenly with some delight, as mention of them seemed to please demon." I can not touch them, but I am happy just watching them prance around and play. You need not worry for them, they are safe, little guest. Usually those are ones like deer, ducks, stray wolfs sometimes - but evey now and then, somebody throws in newborn pups or kittens. Just recently I had a batch of five cute little kits. They are most endearing critters! I can not cuddle them, but my dear little human friend Rooth looks after them, I am sure San would let you see them later if you like kits. " He said quietly, curiously peeking in in bag in whichever king held Sunshine.

[Mirach]

Svarik took the clue and took Sunshine out if the bag so the demon could see her. "I see San is kind to them... But I wouldn't want my companions to fall here. I would miss them."

[VisAnastasis]

" I am sorry about that. This is far out place from villages, so pets rarely venture here. But I understand." Creature whispered, leaning closer to him to observe cat with delight. " If I could help get them home, I would, you understand. But my powers are bound to ground and soul of the earth. Fly I can not, and little I can do anymore now that I am ill. I can only look after those that fall too. " He added, shyly acknowledging he may have bigger role in managing powers of the place Beside just being a passive inhabitant.

[Mirach]

"You are here for a long time already, aren't you?" Svarik asked. "Do you know San well?"

[VisAnastasis]

" I humbly can say that I do. She is wonderful. She loves when she is talked to warmly, and I have little to do but talk to her and with humans we adopt from outher world. " Creature commented more brightly, seeming more open with them with sight at warm fuzzy cat, and when speaking of someone he loved. " I am not sure how long I was here. I stoped counting long ago. It is just very nice to be with San. I give her my joy and thanks, and she eases my pain and keeps me protected. We have great friendship. I was here for so long I have grown to be her favorite. She is especialy responsive to me. I can't wait for her to one day take form before me, but I know I may have to wait for it for many eons. "

[Mirach]

"She is a very interesting creature," Svarik said.  "I've never met someone like her... How do you know it's 'she', by the way?"

[VisAnastasis]

" I had not known for first couple of thousands of years, but there are nuanses you can distinguish with time. She is genderfluid, and she perhaps will be able to chance genders - but some ways in which her mind works is very delicate and motherly, so I took freedom to speak with her as of woman she will likely become one day. But if I make mistake, it really won't chance much to me. " Critters said sincerely and shyly. " Many personifications of forces that develop personality with time, like Death, Time, Gaia and Solstice, take form of gender they are most comforable at times. When she matures enough to take form too, I imagine exploring her gender would be natural step to her. I desire nothing but to make sure no one harms her. "

[Mirach]

"Is she a personification of a force, like them?" Svarik asked. "What force is it?"

[VisAnastasis]

" You can't really put clear cut label on any personifications of force, little human. They are just forces, and we then name them as we see fit, but one word just marks them, but explained all of them not. Death may be labeled as Death, but it is not abstract Spirit of Death, but a personification of a soulful soft force of healing through whichever would of dear just happened to pass through. " Willow explained patiently. " My San is hard to label to.. You rarely can label someone like this, that is still in infancy... "

[Mirach]

"I see... maybe when she matures, the force she represents will get a name, and some will use it even without realising it is actually a person... But all of those you named are either spirits or yokai. Will she discern herself in that way as well?"

[VisAnastasis]

" I do not know. I only know she will be splendid, for sure. " Willow said, as he gently caressed the tree that was part of her, and vibrations around them grew warmer and more playful, as if responding with her own vague joy at his gentle touch. He as well seemed pleased that they knew term  *yokai*. " " Many critters that were thoughtless force of nature before they developed awereness of surrounding and took forms of people, instead of evolving from lowered firms, are often strange mozes of both, little one. Solstice is bright with powers of Sun, and has essence of a Spirit, but thrives around critters who are happy, draining strenght from joy around him too. Time is counted among Spirits, even though his soul is filed with primordial chaotic vibrancy Yokai have. " He explained, seeming quite knowledgeable about the subject, and whole look of him seemed in many ways indicating he was collector of knowledge in his prime. " Death is most complex and feared..  None really can glance into full dept of his soul that I knew of, is what I say, little one, and its ful of many complex layers and colors that exist since time began. Spirits and himself both claim he is a Spirit, but his force, his source is one that eats away pain and suffering that it touches, and grows ever strong  with that. Death itself too thrives when people around him are gentle to him, and when their souls are in tune - in same way Yokai when people around them are in tune. There are rummors he also breaths both oxigen and carbon at will, depending whichever he prefers." Willow smiled." Beings that are not born, but formed as extention of force they represent are most strange and delightfully ambiguous, is what I am saying. San matures and may lean more one or the other side, but I will love her none the less.  "

[Mirach]

"You know a lot about these ancient Beings," Svarik said. "Have you met some of them personally? Do you have any friends outside that you would wish to send a mesaage to?"

[VisAnastasis]

" I had friends before The war, little one. I am known as a Yokai of the willow bark, but my father was The Yokai of all healing trees, a famous Yokai whose healing powers were tied with manipulating living matter, while my mother was Yokai Beekeeper, Queen of Bees, who had great gifts of controling minds of lesser things, and reading thoughts. Children of mixed parents often have special talents. I  had lot of special gifts - I could take upon myself pain and injuries of others, I could cleanse bad memories in mind and triggering sensations in flesh, I could make all that feels painful and bitter sweet... I was able to view minds of others as clearly as some view back of their hands, and I could clear it from headaches and ache. I could bring acceptance where hurt and anger were once.  Most famous healer of all, Death and Gaia both, were my beloved teachers once.  I was healer and collector of knowledge. I could learn all  someone knew and wished to share just by brushing ones's hair and reading his thoughts. I loved to research ways I could understand best and ease all critters, and I had many friends on both sides, once, and had many students on both sides too. " Playful demon smiled a little wistfuly, before his smile faded. " But then came the war. I have no Spirit and Yokai friends no more, and human friends whose plagues I have taken upon myself so they would not die under it are long ago dead, I deem... I thank thy for the offer, sweet child of men, but I need no messages sent to outher world. "

[Mirach]

"You would stay here with San even if you would be healed from the illness, wouldn't you?" Svarik asked. 

[VisAnastasis]

" It would be very neat to not have decaying flesh, that's for sure, little human. " Meadow king could hear a heartfelt chuckle, coming out from beneath the rough barky mask. " Just as neat as having my unrestrained powers again, and being able to touch others again, to breathe and teach others freely. But I carry the weight of tens of thousands individual plagues upon my single sholuders, little one. I doubt you have the power to lift them from me. None the less, it changes little to me - here, I am kept safe from awful prosecution of Spirits and Yokai alike, and I have San. I have been absent from it so long that I have no purpose or home in human world anymore, but I have purpose with her, and wouls never abbandon her for this dear little life I still have. She needs good guidances to grow up well, and if I leave her to world to educate her, it would be for naught - for humans have grown too ignorant, Spirits too proud, and Yokai too cruel. I will make sure she is loved properly so she can become the best she can be in this unsafe world. "

[Mirach]

"I know you will," Svarik nodded. "And maybe she will be able to heal you when she matures. It's good that she has someone like you... Do you think I can greet her? Does she understand words?"

[VisAnastasis]

" More tone of words than words. More warm thoughts than warm words. She can't think in complex way yet, but we fit well because I can read her vague thoughts and respond to them the way that pleases her, and so slowly help her learn more and more of world around her She had made greath progress since we met. Our powers fit each others well. Through that expoloring I managed to get to know her so well since we are together. " Willow explained patiently, his mouth seeming to have endless praise ever ready for creature he was able to devote all his love and care to. Unlike Cernunnos, he seemed less restrained with old customs and less secretive and cautious, but there was the same nice feeling of peace and charm around him that was nice to be around, and same warmth in his voice that made it pleasant to listen to him. " But I can see you are player, and I can see you have a flute made from unicorn horn. It's a rare and precious item. " he acknowledged it quietly. " San can sense your thoughts... And she loves gentle thoughts but she loves music. If you would desire to play something merry for her with pure intent and kind heart, little one, you would do me a great service. My lungs are rusted, and I had not been able to play any music for quite a while by now. "

[Mirach]

Svarik's face brightened with the request. "I would gladly do that. She likes merry songs, then?" He listened to the place for a while to figure out what to play, but it was too alien to him - he never met a similar creature before, and so he wasn't quite sure about its responses. He started to play one of Mole's merry songs first, to see the reaction to it.

[VisAnastasis]

Like Willow told them, her conciousness was still vague and unfocused, and it was wired in way that it was reading into people's desires and intentions, in order to respond to them in way to make them happy. It was a powerful whirl of magic circling around them at all times, being soothing and gentle, and trying to guess what they desire. But as it felt they desire to play for it, through the whirlwind of power, he could feel that there was a pleasure within it: Willow apparently conditioned it in such ay that it recognized when attention is payed to it, and draws satisfaction from it. It focused its vacant chaotic attention at them, delighted by melodies and attention behind them, and breeze around them was tinckling lightly, mirroring his melodies.

[Mirach]

Encouraged by that, Svarik played more songs, both Mole's and his own, meant for the strange forming entity but also for Willow.