Rey Jihara's Story

Haiviu looked on as Carissa seemed to look at him quizzically. When she did recognize him he was not terribly surprised. "A pleasure." He said, a slight bow of his head toward her. It did please him that he was known, what was more it pleased him that she was enamored with the appearance of the gift he had given her something that would bring her joy like that. As she continued to smite them even going into a very simple dance, a little fun twirl about, one just to explore the tool that she was given.

When she finished, he gave her a smile, yes there are quite beautiful and have a most dazzling effect. Do not forget to practice your control over the local air. He lifted hiding up and flapped pushing himself up into the sky sending dried fall leaves up into the air. Taking hold of the wind, he pulled the leaves around him. Grabbing each lesson its own little current off air, guided them to whirl around him spiraling around him on their tiny currents. As they closed in on him, the kaleidoscope of colors began to organize themselves. Green to yellow to red, the colors organised into swirling stripes. The leaves got tighter and tighter around him until the closed into a sphere. The leaves sealing for just a moment before blowing out and fluttering to the ground. Where Hairviu once was, only gifs voice remained. "Go with my gifts and my blessing. May the sky hold over your peaceful times.

Scire's face brightened along wide violet eyes as he dug through a multitude of pockets for the keys he'd brought with him. Out came sacrificial daggers, an egg shaped object with a metal ring in it, a handful of fountain pens, and several copies of a book with ancient lore. The books were deposited onto the ground but fell into neat little piles. He finally produced a metal keyring with strange makes of every nonsense description some difficult to recognize as keys at all. He grabbed the ring in his gauntleted hand and pulled another from it manifesting a smaller subset of them with one ephemeral key only recognized by Azeal.

Scire nodded at the bow of Renwick a servant. Where he had the moths others kept intelligent tools. He couldn't help but connect the whole web of his followers rather than dedicate thought to new blood. Still he admired the focused servants however they were made.

He offers the new smaller keyring and wax-sealed map to the god of hope and will, Azeal. With a sharp-toothed smile he says, "I came because something tells me you'll make a good neighbor. Should you find your house on this map of my furthest warrens. With a key to a side door to your domain or at least as close a one as my moths can make quiet yet. It's only polite I provide access to it. My warrens reach toward new knowledge in all directions but there's only a map if the moths can write it. One must secure one's inventions, you see. The keys will tell you where the entrance is but don't worry about my bleeding birds at the entrances they know better than to prey on visitors that belong."

Creep

He just sort of stood by, watching on as the three strange humanoids went forward and received gifts handed to them by some sort of... God? He couldn't remember the fellow in the slightest, there wasn't many he'd recognize right away even if he'd met them before.

After the man was finished distributing goodies to the mortals he flew up, turning into a rainbow of sorts before disappearing whilst leaving his little goodbye message. Creep mostly just stood by, hands in his pockets.

Guy really didn't notice me just standing here huh?... I must be really unremarkable. Not surprising. He thought to himself, just kind of looking at the quirky scenario before him.


He might not of been the sharpest blade, metaphorically speaking, but he could listen well enough to know they were on a mission for the gods. That fact was also not surprising. He was usually prepared for unusual things to be the result of some god or goddess screwing up or acting strange yet again. That way he could still be pleasantly surprised by genuine oddities. Then again there were also those times were genuine oddities took to being gods themselves. Those were also disappointing.

"So I see you're on a quest for the gods." He opened, hopefully making himself heard once again to the three who seemed to forget his presence. "I hope you won't leave me to keep guessing the goal they set you?"

He cast a glance over to the person who was now revealed to be a beastkin who had changed into her armor over in the shrubs. "Hm, a beastkin." He muttered under his breath with a curious note. What god could she belong to I wonder...

"Azeal is indeed the one that had appeared, however if it was from the sky or from the ground remains a mystery. However it is nice that you have also shown up, we don't have to explain this situation when we got back." She spoke bowing her head in the deities direction. She then turned to Azeal as he asked is she did not mind company on their search. With a smile she replied. "Of course, I decided to willingly find her on my own time. I don't mind if you tag along, it would make for more pleasant company and a less lonely trip as we search for her." Azeal smiled, “Thank you, I am very curious about Bashemath and hope she can explain some things to me.” However when Azeal mentioned Xyr being pleasant her smile disappeared and was replaced with a frown. Azeal watched as she went into a full blown tirade about Xyr and all he anguish he caused, her voice full of anger as she went on for several moments before she covered her mouth with her free hand, surprised that she raised her voice in such a way.

The flowers growing near Edna seemed to realize her distress and wrapped themselves around her. Just as suddenly as she was mad, her smile returned. "Oh dear...Apologies for raising my voice like that. Xyr is not a nice topic for me. I understand why he does this, I just dislike what he does. Again, sorry for my sudden burst of anger. I am normally peaceful and friendly." She apologized and bowed her head low. Azeal raised an eyebrow at the sudden switch in personalities then waved a hand dismissively, “ No need to apologize. I was being sarcastic when I said he sounded like a pleasant fellow but I understand how such a being would be quite an irritant.” Azeal said.

As they were speaking the Hanan which had been part of their company began to trill. It was musical and familiar, very familiar. Azeal snapped his head to the creature as it sang what he recognized as Abaranne's lullaby. He watched as the creature wiped the black tear stains and draw a symbol for the sun on it’s head. The meaning was not lost on Azeal who stared blankly at the creature for a moment before slowly smiling, “You’re full of surprises my friend.” He said as he reached over and pet the creature in a gesture of thanks, “Thank you friend.” He said to the Hanan.
"Hah, I am lucky my master is a tolerant one, I was sent here specifically by Hazarmaveth to greet you, Azeal, and offer you passage to Raelenea should you ever choose to go," Renwick said with a chuckle pointing upwards beyond the sky at a mass set aloft amidst the Astral Sea. "Given your connection to the Great Essences, I suppose it would not be hard to find a way, but in case you can't, then take this as a call for passage." With this he reached into his cloak and pulled out an ornate black bell with a blue glow within, signed with some symbol signifying that it was less a toy and instead something far more important. Renwick handed it to Azeal who took it in his hand, "Ring this should you find yourself otherwise incapable to make the trip, as for me, I am behind on my duties," he said, taking another bow to everyone. Azeal nodded, “Thank you Renwick, for all the help you have given me I am extremely grateful.” "It was nice to meet an old face, needless to say it is rare, I hope you find what you are looking for, and luck in your quest, friend." With this he once again took wing and flew out away from the group.

Azeal looked over the bell a bit more before placing it on his belt. Scire's face brightened as he dug through a multitude of pockets for the something. Out came sacrificial daggers, an egg shaped object with a metal ring in it, a handful of fountain pens, and several copies of a book with ancient lore. The books were deposited onto the ground but fell into neat little piles. Curious Azeal picked one up and looked it over, “Hmm, lore books. Very useful in just about every situation.” Azeal said as he respectfully placed the book back. Scire finally produced a metal keyring with strange makes of every nonsense description some difficult to recognize as keys at all. He grabbed the ring in his gauntleted hand and pulled another from it manifesting a smaller subset of them with one ephemeral key Azeal somehow recognized.

Scire offered the new smaller keyring and wax-sealed map to the god of hope and will. With a sharp-toothed smile he says, "I came because something tells me you'll make a good neighbor. Should you find your house on this map of my furthest warrens. With a key to a side door to your domain or at least as close a one as my moths can make quite yet. It's only polite I provide access to it. My warrens reach toward new knowledge in all directions but there's only a map if the moths can write it. One must secure one's inventions, you see. The keys will tell you where the entrance is but don't worry about my bleeding birds at the entrances they know better than to prey on visitors that belong." Azeal took the items and had to take a moment to process what the man said, but then smiled and nodded, “Thank you God Scire, this is all very new to me and I appreciate you and you’re moth’s assistance.” Azeal bowed to the god in thanks for his assistance.

As Edna sits quiety as the others continued to talk, she continued to weave her flowers in silence. She listened to the others Gods talk among eachother, of course it was clear that she had no more topics to speak of. But she decided to wait paintiently until they all finished their conversation. Azeal mentioned that he wanted to find Bashemath as well and wanted to tag along. It would be rude to just up and leave him behind.

Of course it was a little awkward for her to sit still in silence as the others all seem to know what they were doing. However a thought crossed her mind, they were near a town right? It was called Hoffngard, that name was familiar because that's were she sent her hero to meet up with the others. They must have seen the massive event and chances are they were coming soon.

With that thought in mind Edna finished her cup of tea and placed it on the tray before focusing on the flower weave she was doing.

Kana Na-Ahn
_____________

As a very rare occasion, Kana gave something similar to a smile. Action is always satisfying to young elementals, and this was finally the type of event she liked to see. Gifts in hand, she watched the god leave, then felt an overwhelming enthusiasm to just move. Elementals do get that sometimes, and often when the elder ones are struck by it they cause abnormal earth tremors, weather patterns, heat waves, and the like. Thankfully, Kana did not yet have influence over the earth, and it was exhibited by striding purposefully towards the gate in front of them.

"Alright, let's go!" she called, not waiting for a response. "First order of business, let's figure out what that light show was about. If it's nothing, we need to move on our mission.

Holding her new sword crossed downward in front of her body, she approached the gate. Kana wasn't sure the best way to keep hold of something this big, but for now it was comfortable enough to simply hold the impressive artifact.

Scire pushed up his glasses and nodded at Azeal as he took his leave gleefully, "I see you have things to do and I have an artist to check into. More art for the galleries! Ever expanding these days they find so much inspiration in suffering."

Done with this little side-interest away he walked toward the same entrance he'd come in. Produced from one pocket Scire dropped a flyer for a curiosities shop run by one of his moths. Reasonably nearby it existed next to some place that sold tea. While he had a sense that it should go here there were too many fluttering wings in his mind to remember why. By the name of Oghma he thought the fellow collected knowledge and crafting tools. Scire'd had him making something or other. The breadcrumbs in his wake got used when they needed to be in the web of things. Honestly he left them all over. The waterproof parchment fluttered and whirled before catching on the edge of a bush.

Rey Jihara

---

Feeling eyes upon her, Rey drew her ears back as she felt shame overtaking her and rushes to cover her beastly form behind her robes, then glances about for who spotted her and prepares to place her mask back on. She knew it was her fault, she behaved like a child with a new toy and let her excitement get ahead of her better judgement. This embarrassment, however, was soon replaced by curiosity, her ears perking up from under the robes as she scanned the forest, hearing voices in the distance... and a familiar sweet smell like that strange woman in the alleyway.

She snuck about deeper in until she spotted something, a small gathering of a woman, a strange animal, and a man. They certainly were no average travelers based on how the man and woman were dressed. Something was alluring about the man, a kind of presence she can not comprehend or see exactly, but sensitive enough to recognize it as being there, and he has a kind face on top of that. Before she knew it, in a daze her feet began to carry her towards them with mask still in hand and stood before them looking much like a deer caught in the path of a wagon. In the back of her head she already knows these people are no mere mortals.

"Ah, I," she mutters, barely capable of forming a cohesive sentence structure as her large glazed green eyes stare on. With a gasp she soon realizes she had not yet masked herself and immediately falls to her hands and knees with her face down. "This one has shown dishonorrr by displaying its wicked visage, forgive it!"

Bashemath

---

As if by response to Shale's very presence a crescendo of hisses can be heard all around in the woods about him as the Black Ichor is made aware of him. Eyes belonging to the various infected creatures in the multitudes now intensively track his every action. The feeling soon thick in the air was less fear, but instead contempt.

"For what purpose is this blight, why does it defile us," comes a message conveyed purely by intention rather than spoken words. In the old ages it was referred to as a voice in the wind by mortals, prominently used by the Rishon including Abaranne herself when speaking to all her children.

While Bashemath may represent a the conscious will of the Black Icor, much like a living body it delegated autonomous systems to react to various stimuli, this of course includes an autoimmune system. Unlike a body, however, this defense system was smarter and can hold a grudge, and it is only natural for it to despise a disease.

"Plague bearer!"

Scire pushed up his glasses and nodded at Azeal as he took his leave, "I see you have things to do and I have an artist to check into. More art for the galleries! Ever expanding these days they find so much inspiration in suffering."

Done with this little side-interest away he walked toward the same entrance he'd come in. Produced from his pocket Scire dropped a flyer for something onto the ground. The waterproof parchment fluttered and whirled before catching on the edge of a bush. Azeal took the items Scire gave him and placed them in his robe before standing. He walked over to the bush and took the parchment and looked at it, “Huh, curiosity shop. I’ll have to visit some time.” He said as he pocketed the parchment. Suddenly Azeal heard, "For what purpose is this blight, why does it defile us," Azeal looked around looking for the source before turning to Edna, “Did you say something?” He asked. But upon looking at her he suddenly heard the voice again, "Plague bearer!" The shout caused him to jump and look around rapidly for the source, but he saw nothing. Azeal stopped suddenly and realized what he heard was very familiar, not in it’s tone or sound, but in its feeling. But He did not have time to ponder this as a rustle brought caused him to turn and look at the bushes. From the bushes came a creature he had not seen in awhile, a Beastkin. As far as he could tell by the features it was a she and she appeared to be in a daze as she walked towards them, with a mask in hand. He had to admit he liked Beastkins, he found them quite pleasant to look at and pleasant company back in his time.

She came to a stop and stood before them looking much like a deer caught in the path of a wagon. "Ah, I," she mutters, barely capable of forming a cohesive sentence structure as her large glazed green eyes stare on. Azeal smiled, amused with her responses but not dismissive of her state. With a gasp she suddenly fell to her hands and knees with her face down. "This one has shown dishonorrr by displaying its wicked visage, forgive it!"

Were she not in some sort of distress he would have found her cat like speech amusing. Instead he frowned and walked closer to her, “Wicked?” He thought for a moment and concluded she was talking about her face, “You? Wicked? Nonsense.” He stopped next to her and knelled down next to her, “You are neither wicked nor dishonored. I can’t imagine what would make you think that, so please, stop hiding your face. It is a dishonor to yourself and saddens me for you to conceal your face.” He said softly but firmly, like a parent trying to coax out a child from their hiding place, “Come now, don’t hide such a lovely face.” He said, trying to get her to stop hiding.

Kana Na-Ahn
_______________

Beastkin are fast. A "slow and steady" analogy is often applied to the young earth elemental who likes to move, but doesn't move naturally as fast as, say, a beastkin. As they entered the forest, Kana fell behind slightly and assumed the role of following Rey. Suddenly, she fell on her face pleading for some type of forgiveness. Catching up, she saw someone standing above Rey in a sort of comforting way, and she felt the same aura or signature as she had from the gift-bearer: deity. Surely, she had never received training in terms of deity-courtesy, which presented itself plainly by her response.

"Who are you? she asked bluntly. Looking around at the other signs of disturbances, and being slightly annoyed at both encountering yet another being of higher power and seeing her new travel partner prone on the ground, she continued: "And what is going on here?"

She reached out slightly to Tir'Ish, which a general request for help. He/It was still close, so she knew he/it would sense her communication. Waiting for responses from both deities, Kana shifted her grip on the new sword she had.

Edna still weaved in silence, however a few things got her attention. Something rather important. The forest sensed a big disturbance, something sinister was walking and the woods seemed...afraid of it. She was worried for what was going on, however she soon looked at a beastkin that had stumbled on their little site. She recognized her as Rey, she was with the scouting party. However if she was here...that meant..."No need to worry yourself. We were not speaking of very highly important things. Just chatting about history and other things bring our new guest up to date on current events. Although I had a feeling I knew the scouts would come here soon. No need to trouble yourself, this was not a very good place to have a private conversation so all is good." She spoke with a smile and waved at Ray in a welcoming manner.

Behind Rey, Carissa continued forward to where he heard the talking of people growing louder and louder. She was curious about the meeting, and as soon as she came into view of the Gods she noticed one very important figure for her. "Edna!" She exclaimed with a smile on her face as she ran forward disregarding the others and hugged her. Edna returned the hug in kind. "It has been awhile since we had met in person. It is good to see you doing so well Carissa." She replied as the two stopped hugging and Carissa immediately turned red knowing full well that she had just done something so embarrassing just running up to a known God and hugging them like an old friend.

Of course Edna did not mind the random hug, she welcomed it. She was not certain of the others however.

Creep

He had asked his question. One after another the three women left, not a single one actually answering him. Not a single one even acknowledged him.

The cool breeze blew across his pale skin, a sensation filling him before long. He looked down at his hands, checking himself with some worry.

"I haven't become a ghost, have I?" He genuinely worried as he was quite puzzled by the absolute lack of any response from those he had just spoken to. Being new to this god business it wasn't too far fetched to him if something had happened to make him intangible and invisible to mortals. He was quite concerned that perhaps his lack of non-insect acolytes was resulting in his dissipation as an entity.


"You guys can still hear me right?" He spoke, asking the bugs residing inside him.

"Yeszz" The ear wig answered, putting at least one concern to rest. He breathed in and let out a deep sigh, walking in the general direction that the three had went before suddenly stopping again.

Hoping along the ground was a small grass hopper who seemed to have broken antennae. A most unfortunate thing to happen to the diminutive creature. As it hopped close he took it up onto his palm, holding it up as it held still. While it wasn't intelligent enough to hold any kind of conversation he still held an empathic link with the insect, able to transmit his intentions and commands directly to it in a form it would recognize.


"Here now. This'll make things a bit better... I hope." He said despite knowing it had no clue as to what he was saying. With the hand not holding the cricket he reached under his shirt and dabbed his finger into one of his old wounds. At the end of his index and middle fingers was a small dab of strange white honey. Holding the ghostly pale substance before the cricket he put forth the offer to eat. Not requiring much motivation to do so the cricket bared down on the silky sticky substance, consuming it voraciously.

Setting the cricket back down it hopped away, this time back towards the woods. It was still unable to steer due to it's broken antennae however it wasn't long before it leapt before a tree and nestled in a crook at it's roots, doing something most crickets aren't able to do. It covered itself in a strange goo and let itself harden into a cocoon like stasis. Here it would stay until it's metamorphosis was complete. The disease within it hadn't left, sealed within as it begun it's transformation.


As for Creep he continued along, eyes shifting about warily as he proceeded, until he eventually arrived at a clearing where these three women all came up upon... Some people having a tea party? Was that what was going on?

He wasn't familiar enough with the gods to identify them by sight. They looked rather odd but then again the three women were all rather odd themselves. It wasn't his first instinct to assume the people who were gathered at this spot were gods and a goddess.

Sort of stepping out from the wooded portion of the land he approached the tea party, giving a tentative wave before stopping short of everyone.

"Um... Hello there. Y-you can see me right? Somebody?... Anybody?" He quietly asked the group of them, too shy to really step up and announce himself. Truth was he didn't really care if people noticed him in general, only that he wanted to make sure he wasn't fading from reality.

Rey Jihara

---

It was strange... instead of a reaction with suspicion she received words of comfort. This man is strange, he spoke as if he either does not know or care what her race had done, where most would become alarmed. What is more, and embarrassingly, referring to her face as... lovely, not even beastkin refer to each other as such! She does not think herself as any beauty, nor does she bother with more fanciful practices to look so, basic cleanliness aside. It was not that she does not appreciate the compliment, but the compliment just confuses her.

"But I," she begins to respond to Azeal before raising her head slowly to notice Carissa addressing one of them with familiarity. She referred to her as Edna. "Edna!? The goddess Edna?! In the flesh? W-what arre gods made of? Wait, what brrrrings you here? J-just curious is all."

She looked back to the man, still on her knees.

"Then, m'lord too arrre a god? Ah, I am Rey Jihara, serving under Ha-zar-mav-eth."

Lumina's ears perk up and looks over at Creep who stood apart from the others, looking rather pathetic and lost. In response to his pleas for acknowledgement to his existence, the creature sits up and lets out a chirrup as it twists its head to the side as if to pose a question about his emotional state. Rey glances at the creature, making note of the black of its eyes. Infected. She then looks over at the subject of its attention.

"Oh, I'm sorrrry, we werre in such a hurry that... didn't even get yourr name."


Bashemath

---

There was a moment of silence before a response would come to Shale, they were either deciding if it was worth the time for greater pursuits, or sizing him up. The presence thickens as more direct attention is given. One of the vessels of Bashemath, the young woman from the alleyway of Hoffngard, dangles from the tree, suspended on black tendrils jutting from her back upon a branch like strings on a marionette.

"Something like me is symptomatic, one you've yet to properly diagnose," a more clear voice breaks forth, distorted yet clearly that of the young woman. "Something like me is aware of itself, of a growth directly linked to the death around the great tree, and my growth thas been increasing as the years go by. Mostly animals, starting with the smallest, gradually including larger animals, predators. In response birth rate increases as the forces of nature try to balance themselves yet I grow faster than that... why?"

Shale observes the woman thoroughly, and seems to stand there simply idle, plotting his next move. While it would be beneficial to him to simply run away, he supposed that he would be shamed for cowardice. He could fight, but there was simply nothing for him to fight at the moment. Finally, Shale spoke up, the swirling darkness increasing its rotation ever so quickly.

"Ever changing, always growing. That is a form you simply cannot take if you want to survive in the harsh environment that is life. Step down, or the sons of creation will be on your heels more quickly than you can prepare."

Bashemath

---

Bashemath's avatar looks crestfallen for a moment after hearing Shale's response, and lowers her head and sighs. As soon as she does, however, she snaps her head back up, a wild grin on her face and breaks into laughter that echoes through the woods.

"What nonsense it is this that you speak, it sounds almost as if the shadows blinded you as much as that other mad god," she shouts, her tone crackling. "Is it not the nature of life to grow and change? Or is it... that by your definition that life equates to stagnation?! That which refuses to grow or change is doomed to desolation! Doomed, like Aettean!"

There's a brief pause, as the avatar slaps her hand over her face, half covering it, frowning once more. The atmosphere quickly grows grim.

"Of course, something like you cares nothing for life," she echoes starkly, some kind of deep resentment was not even trying to hide itself. "You say I care nothing for life, yet you gods look down upon a dying world without batting an eye. Are you so long disconnected from pain? To compassion? As for Aettean being doomed, the very reason it survived the fall was because Abaranne gave into it her very being as the great tree. And that is slowly waning. Father is probably skulking away in his own misery to even notice."

Shale ponders the response to his statement very thoughtfully. On one hand, they are right, but on the other hand they are still causing trouble, and Shale still refuses to admit defeat. "Listen, pest, You clearly do not understand godly bodies in the slightest. I would continue quarreling with you, however I have yet more of my job to you. I hope you understand clearly that this is not a victory for you, and you shall be defeated when I have the time.

With his words, Shale disappears into shadow once again, leaving behind some black mist in the air, with one last word for Bashemath to hear.

Pest.

As more people gathered together, Edna responded to Rey. "Please do calm down. I understand that meeting the Gods in the flesh must be a rather...interesting event, but at least compose yourself. Take a moment to breath, and you may rise." The Goddess spoke, very caring and very friendly. She did not want her to just stay on her knees in a panic. They did not bite...at least she is sure no one here bites anyone.

However Edna and Carissa both heard the quiet God speak up, almost like no one acknowledged his presence. "Of course we can see you Creep. Not often you come around the others. But I am pleased to see you doing well." With her response, Carissa jumped in surprised. He was a deity! She never seen him before or heard of him before! "If it counts, I can see you as well! Although if you were invisible then it would be difficult to talk to you." She added.

Rey Jihara

---

"I'm sorrry, I am so used to being eitherrr looked down upon at best and fearred at worst," she murmurs rising up. "And everr since I've learrrned to read I've been verry interested in gods, how they live, how they work, how they came to be... I just got... carrried away."

She looks to Azeal, then looks down, she still did not know how to having her face referred to as lovely. She had long grown distrusting to the faces of beastkin, nearly disgusted even, and much rather preferring to ones like humans and similar. To be called lovely, it felt good regardless.

"Thank you," she says to him, bowing. She then hears Edna speak and snaps looking back at Creep, eyes wide. "Wait, you... a god? Wait... Crrrreep? Ah... should I... rrreally call you that? I mean... if your name is Crreep then I suppose I wouldn't be actually calling you one."

She scratches her head, more worried it was a derogatory nickname than anything else. Plus, he didn't seem that creepy to her, just strange, if anything was creepy, it was what laid ahead of them.

Bashemath

---

Pest, he calls me?

The atmosphere over the entire forest slowly shifts as Bashemath's mood has taken a for the worse. The conversation with one dark god was enough to annoy her, but now two have undermined her. One who wants to manipulate, and another who seemed too arrogant to even listen. "They think they are so unique, perhaps they will listen if I were to show them otherwise," she says, pondering. She walks along the great tree, looking out among the creatures around her. Basalah, Tenebris, and Lumina were missing, and yet she could only feel Lumina's presence. It was peculiar. "Lumina, return."

Lumina stands up with ears drawn back, a clear sign of fear in her eyes. Her master was very unhappy and needed her. Without so much as a sound, she takes off into the direction of Bashemath.

"That was strange," Rey comments, drawing back one ear. Her hair stands on end as she too felt some dramatic change in the forest, something flowing inwards towards its core.

Creep

"Of course we can see you Creep. Not often you come around the others. But I am pleased to see you doing well."

He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phew, That's a relief. I was getting rather worried there since for a bit there it was like I was talking to trees. Well, not the talking kind I mean. You get the point."

He was certainly a bit surprised to see a goddess there. Well, he assumed it was a goddess. It had been a while since he last saw Edna, he hardly even remembered her name let alone what she looked like. Luckily his surprise was mostly painted over by the strange experience that gripped him just moments ago. When Carissa chimed in he looked over to her somewhat quizzically.


"If it counts, I can see you as well! Although if you were invisible then it would be difficult to talk to you."

He nodded in response.

"That's true. I guess I'm not so much invisible as forgettable then."

His sense of self deprecation leaked it's way into his words. He couldn't really help it as it colored a great deal of his thoughts. Despite what his subjects might attest he never saw much importance to himself. Despite all that the lady and the beast-kin both were looking at him with expressions of surprise.


"Wait, you... a god? Wait... Crrrreep? Ah... should I... rrreally call you that? I mean... if your name is Crreep then I suppose I wouldn't be actually calling you one."

He just sighed. "It's exactly what you think it means." He explained, putting his hands in his pockets as he paced a bit, looking down at his shoes while he spoke.

"I figured since most people'd just gonna call me that anyways I'd just cut out the middle man, make it easier for them."

After his brief explanation regarding the name he looked up to Edna, an eyebrow quirked in a quizzical manner.

"Say, it might not be my business but you lot don't come out frequently. Why're you having a..." He looked out, examining the scene before him. "Tea party out in these parts of the woods? Enjoying a change of scenery or is it anything to do with these fine ladies?"


He didn't want to be confrontational but he was quite curious as to why she'd come down and have a tea party right in front of where her worshiper was headed. Gods and goddesses were weird like that, setting up scenarios rather than just coming down and talking straight to them. Unless Edna really was just having a tea party. Seemed unlikely but it could happen.

She scratches the back of her neck, Creep had certainly a rather pathetic presence to him, like a floor mat perhaps. It was not the grand image she had come to expect of a god, then again, she does not know much on the actual image of gods to start with until recently. Still, with Creep, it was less like she was seeing a god and more like a man who's dreams have all shriveled up and died.

"To be honest," Rey began, retrieving her mask. She figured, since Creep was a god then there was no problem in letting him know just what was going on. Calming herself some from her previous panic, she started to show more poise than previously displayed. "We were sent to obserrrve the behavior of the Black Ichorr. Simply scouting, of courrse. I'm sorrry if it seemed like..."

She thinks for a moment, rummaging through the events that have transpired recently.

"That woman had the same scent as the animal that was herrre," she says under her breath, somewhat startled, pacing and rubbing her chin, then stops and looks over at Creep again, brow raised. "That must have been Bashemath, that is, the name the Black Ichorr calls itself. Strange, she dislikes the gods, but she cerrtainly did not dislike you."