In the Youth of the Gods

A God was born in the Cosmos, a God destined for the world of Daladi.

It didn’t have any form yet, and so as it hurtled through the darkness between the stars, it collected stardust around itself without knowing. Thus did a comet of particles formed, long tail streaming out behind it. Time didn’t hold meaning for this God yet, so how long it was amongst the stars is unknown. Then it hit the atmosphere of the world, and it was surrounded by fire. The comets tail turned to smoke and it streaked across the length of Daladi’s sky. The heat reacted with the dust from the stars, hardening it into a smoky crystal. The God rocketed to through the thickening air, descending with a roar before smashing into a piece of land far from the light and heat of the sun. and thus frozen under a large glacial ice pack.

The impact of the God was devastating to Daladi. So great was the forces involved that the world tilted on its axis a few degrees. Thus, as it spun about in space, for half its rotation one end of the planet would be furthest from its source of heat while the other was closer, and vice versa. It was in this fashion that the budding world of Daladi got its seasons. The lower half of the world, which never got quite as far away as the upper, tended towards wet and dry seasons, while the upper half of the world tended towards warm and cold.

The God was scarcely aware of this shift, however, though it was its first legacy on this world, for the impact had been quite jarring. It’s coalesced crystal form was solid and unmoving, but the budding consciousness that had experienced so much in such a brief time reached out around itself. All it found was ice, and so ice it used. As the particles of dust had been drawn to it in the cold between Daladi and Mother Cosmos, so to was the frozen water. The God found, with expressing its will, it would move. By manipulating its surroundings, the crystal was encased in ice, with further chunks of ice surrounding it and moving at will. Then the moving ice began to roll over itself and for the first time, the God moved from one place to the other. It moved out of the collapsed crater where it had landed, and out to a sunlit tundra.

The God kept going in one direction, at random. Over the snow the ice rolled, like a small contained avalanche. Curiously, it added snow to itself on top of the ice, but found it crumbled amongst the impacts of its passing. The weaker material was abandoned. The next change to its surroundings it encountered was water. The water, realized the God, was similar to the ice but the liquid was found unsuitable to maintain a solid form. The ball of ice churned the water, propelling it away from the place of ice, floating between worlds of liquid and gaseous air.

Then there was sand. By now, the God had been struggling to keep itself above the warming water, as the buoyant ice had been melting away. Upon the beach rolled the ice. The Godling experimented, and traded the casing of ice for a form of sand. It was found that, with the small grains, it was immensely malleable and could take on any shape the God could imagine. As he experimented with itself, the sand made a consistent swishing sound around the crystal, and polished it to a brilliant shine. The Godling found the easiest way to move was still to roll, and began trekking inland. There, pebbles and small stones joined the sand and as the God traveled, the rumbling of rolling rocks was a constant companion.

In time, the God came upon an animal. It didn’t know what it was, nor did it truly comprehend how it functioned. This God did not yet have eyes. Its will, however, reached out to the creature and, as the sand and rocks moved towards the animal, it did the same. When they met, the God understood the concepts of breath, and sight and smell and sound and how the creature moved and that it needed food and water, and how the God did not. Naively, the God tried to incorporate the animal into itself. The creature did not survive. Distressed, and wanting to understand more about the life it had encountered but could no longer feel, the Godling set the sand to wear at the crystal, until two pieces had been cut away. They were shifted around to its front and with its divine will, they became crystal eyes and the Godling could see. It then began to experiment with the use of limbs, manipulating the sand and stone that was its body.

Life was spent away from life and as time passed for her brethren Jepath stayed an arm's length away from the rest of creation. Jepath had deemed herself far too good to be seen around her filthy barbaric siblings. But, years of isolation bred boredom. Jepath had spent most of her time causing conflict. Tainting water, hollowing out trees, and generally causing trouble had come to interest Jepath. While one could say that Jepath seemed to revel in destroying whatever it happened to be that her siblings created, she fancied herself as a creator. She was a creator of trouble, of mischief. Jepath liked to believe herself to be the epicenter of conflict. The way she saw things, she made life more interesting. Yet, despite this, Jepath took no credit for her work. Instead she spent her time in the backdrop of the world, always just out of her siblings' sights.

However, the new day was different. Jepath had deliberated for quite some time about whether or not being alone made her happy anymore. Trouble had become no fun when there was no one to share it with. Direct interaction would lead to a broader array of ways to pass time. So, wrapping her cloth around her person so as to appear what people would probably call “presentable” Jepath ventured into the woods just outside her cave of a home.

White hairs floated around her frame as she surveyed the forest. Deer? Well they were terribly stupid creatures, she certainly wasn't going to interact with them. Trees? No, they didn't make for good conversation at all. Gazing at the world with her snooty black orbs Jepath walked through the forest until she'd come across something that she didn't see all too often. Times spent eavesdropping had taught her that this particular liquid which seemed to be leaking from a tall bush was called blood. Common sense had led her to believe that bushes didn't bleed.

Peaking her head around the bush Jepath caught sight of a being she didn't remember catching sight of all too often. Perhaps it was because he had seemed to separate himself from the group as time elapsed. She wasn't certain, she didn't even know his name. Then again, she didn't know any names save for her own. Tactlessly she strode out from behind the bush, teasing smile on her lips and hands placed firmly on her hips.

“Well look here!” She gasped, striding closer, her one foot sloshing in the creature's blood. “I bet whoever made that wouldn't appreciate you killing it.” She grinned, her eyebrows raised as she poked the dead animal gingerly with her foot. She paused and looked the other being over, realizing she had an inch or two on him minus his antlers which caused her to straighten her posture even more so as to look bigger. Making a motion to grab the tip of his spear between her two lengthy fingernails Jepath began a long string of questions.

“What's your name? What's this? Did you make it? Why did you kill that animal? What's wrong with your body? Are you alone because there's something wrong with the way you look? Why aren't you wearing proper attire?” While Jepath wanted to seem enthused she deadpanned her way through all her sentences, trying to appear collected.

“I made the sun!” Jhera said happily. “And the Moon’s companion ring, so it wouldn’t be lonely up there. If you look up, you can see my firebirds, too – plants are all very well, and I had a lot of fun in my dominion making some of them, but I wanted something that could fly with me. Aren’t they wonderful? You should really try your hand at making some, you know.”

He smiled brightly, and then shot up into the air as a rolling impact shook all of Daladi, face milk-white with fright and annoyance. Wings still wrapped protectively about himself, he murmured: “Perhaps I’ll try one of sister’s creations later. We’ve got all the time in the world, after all! I want to know what could have made the whole world shudder – it could be interesting. Perhaps one of our brothers’ creations went wrong – that wouldn’t be very good.” He nodded.

“I shall ask one of my firebirds to stay with you,” he declared. “Wonderful creations, and they’ll always find their way back.”

So saying, still leaping from one thought and action to another in an instant, the fiery godling streaked skywards, a burning golden comet with a bright white core, speeding across the leagues of Daladi – over his own mountain range and the thick, lush rainforests it guarded, across grassland and the burning deserts whose endless vistas soothed his mind and whose relentless heat warmed him delightfully, until at last he came to a place where the land met a vast body of water, crumbling into it with the pounding of the waves.

A shining lump of crystal, still shifting and changing, all unformed, lay on the crumbled rock, sparkling and flaring with divine power. A godling, strange and new – it must have been the impact. Only a god had the weight to rock a world on its axis.

“Hello there!” he called cheerfully. “Have you a name? Welcome to Daladi; I’m Jhera.”

Zaccio stood in front of six hollow wooden posts, each filled with varying degrees of water. He lifted a small stone rod and hit each of the posts softly.

Bing!

Beng!

Byng!

Bung!

Bong!

Bnng!

He listened to each in turn, pausing to hear the melodic sounds. He started again this time varying his pattern.

Over the course of time Zaccio had grown even taller and more menacing. Nine feet tall with the lean muscle of youth, his broad shoulders and
long mane of wild blood red hair subdued in the low light of his spire. His tower, as he'd come to think of it, stood on the precipice of Daladi. It overlooked the vast cosmos, below he saw constellations and colors he never saw above.

All was still but for the sounds of the wooden posts, the rhythm gaining intensity, building to a-

CRASH!

Zaccio almost lost his footing and one of the posts splintered spraying him in chips of wood. "Rrrgh..."

He stood and covered himself in a dark mantle, matching his kilt which had dulled and lost it's sheen. Stepping into the antechamber Zaccio continued on his way to the outside. He would find the cause of this disturbance.

For untold millenia Cycnus sat in place,the cold,dark swampland that had taken root from his birth place had grown around him,the serpents and vermin that he had created slithered and skittered across his form that had labored for untold years to create the perfect,in his eyes at least, creature,that could both imbue terror,bring pain in all it's ecstasy,and sow death and grant him power.

The creature stood before him with it's mate,a nearly identical,female version. They looked down at him as he looked up at them,smiling with all the love a creator could for one of his most prized creations. Sure the swamp had been a feat,as had the vermin and the multitudes of snakes he'd sent into the world,but melding the forces he had to create what he had was no easy accomplishment,considering he had little to work with at the start.

The beasts sported horn on their heads,which were that of a male and female lion's,respectively, as was the large body,with huge,leathery wings,and then a tail,which was a large snake,complete with a head of it's own.

Cycnus had also discovered fire and bestowed it upon his magnificent creations so that they might better defend themselves.

He sat there smiling at them for a long,pondering filled time until it finally struck him.

He extended his arms towards them and they bowed as he said,"Chimaera,that is what you shall be called,now go forth and multiply my beauties."

And with that they both seemed to bow,and then turned,took wing and soared off into the blessed gloom.

Cycnus stood up and stretched,as he did roots and dirt and mud fell from his divine form,which had matured far beyond what he had expected.

He still possessed the white fire above and upon his head,which waved in the faint breeze and shown brightly in the gloomy marsh. He noticed he was much taller as well and his former attire had long since rotted off,leaving his gaunt form naked as could be. He smiled as he reach for a large fang his original and favored serpent had given him as a gift and cut a laceration into his chest,bringing forth a small tide of blood,from which untold amounts of vermin sprang at his bidding,and the blood he fashioned into a large,scarlet cloak which he draped around his shoulders.

He finished tearing his way free of the pool of dark blood,which was his favored resting place and looked around,something was certainly different,though he couldn't tell what,the only things he knew at the moment was that his marsh had grown to gargantuan proportions and that he could still feel death all across Daladi,and that it empowered him and he began seeing those that died,no matter their form.

"Interesting...",he whispered in his harsh,raspy voice,"Let us go see what the others have done,and if we can ask if they notice anything different..."

As he began walking through the dense foliage,his enormous,rotted looking wings folded behind his back,a large serpent came forth and followed in his wake.

Cern tried very very hard not to jump when the being appeared from behind the bush, where he had butchered his latest meal and started asking questions. He had learned over the centuries, that animals that jump when started, rarely manage to make it to safety. Instead he turned around quickly, to cover the slight hop he preformed, so that he could see the sibling that had both found him and been able to sneak up on the greatest (in his own option) hunter Daladi would ever have walking upon her. What he found was...well he would later label her attractive, goddess. Where he was covered in tawny fur, hair and tan skin, she was white in both hair and skin, with strips of red. She had also covered part of her body in golden cloth, which appeared much like the green one he had wrapped around his waist.

"I am Cern" the antlered god finally said, doing his best to keep a level voice and moving his spear away from those reaching white fingers, "And there is nothing wrong with my body or the way I look. What's wrong with you? Why are you all white? Are you all alone because you look funny?"

He stood there, watching the goddess and smoldering a little. Why she just walked up and basically started saying that he was ugly or unpleasant looking had ticked him off. He also didn't want to say that he was out here by himself because he was sure that the (most) of the other gods where angry at him for killing and eating their creations. She had provided him a good cover though. He waited for a few moments, preparing his answers for the rest of her questions, mostly for the last question she had asked. What was proper attire and why did it matter?

"This is my spear" he continued, thumping the gift he had improved against the ground (and making sure she couldn't take it), "And yes, I made it and used it to kill the animal because I was hungry. Whats your name and why is your attire proper?"

“There's nothing wrong with myself. I am the pinnacle of amazing.” Jepath announced proudly, taking a more haughty stance as she shook out her hair. “You must be a savage if you can't tell.” Taking a few steps closer Jepath got a closer look at the spear, her hands behind her back so that he wouldn't move it away. Quickly she shot her hand out and poked at the base, removing her hand with the same speed before straightening out her posture again. “And I'm all alone because I wanted to be alone. I'm the best kind of company, the only company I need.” Completely disregarding how Cern may have felt about it, Jepath reached out with her finger and prodded at his antlers, a new question bursting forth from her mouth.

“What are these?” She asked. However, distracted once more Jepath remember his previous statement(and question), stepping back with her hands folded behind her back once more. “My name is Jepath.” For a moment she pondered if she should, perhaps, put a title under it. A title would probably make her sound important. However, outright saying she was the 'creator of conflict' or something of the sort would make her come off as a tad trifling.

“And it's proper attire because I have my chest covered, not to mention most anything I do is the proper way to do things.” Jepath stated as if it was clearly the most evident thing in the world and that Cern must have been a fool for having to ask. Looking back at the deer, then at Cern Jepath's lips twitched into an impish smirk as she crouched to it's level. “Don't you think whoever created this would be mad when you killed it? Or did you simply not consider that?” She muttered in an almost bored tone, placing both palms on the deer's face. With an equally irksome smile she turned the deer's head in time with her's at Cern.

“But, don't worry. I promise I won't tell.”

The statement was true enough for the time being. Jepath didn't quite feel like giving out information of the sort so soon. She hadn't weaseled her way into the lives of the other gods, so there was no guarantee that they would believe her. Though, it was also due in part to the fact that she simply didn't feel like it. Most things Jepath did were on a whim, this was no different.

Aeons passed, time crawled within the darkened caverns strewn with nightmares. The world above slowly, majestically grew in scope as animals, trees, vegetation developed, evolved. Here in the hoary dark foreboding caverns deep in the bowls of the world, hidden from the sight of those who lorded over the upper world, the god known as Zotikos also grew and developed. The buds upon his head blossomed into curved horns, his legs grew long and strong, his arms and chest swelled with muscles as he used them to crawl and explore, to break and drag rocks to form his home in the darkness. With him grew the daemons, their minute forms becoming larger, knotted with muscles. Their faces twisted into grotesque forms with massive teeth, wickedly glowing eyes and more importantly, they attained a devious intelligence. His other minions, the swirling dark forms of nightmares continued to grow, ever expelled from the horrific dreams of the god-child, each slumberous journey brought forth new night terrors that slavishly circled and danced for him.

Seated on a massive high-backed chair comprised of oily black stone, the god of nightmares slumbered silently, his mind charged across the world among the shadowed nightmares unleashed to prey upon those living forms that could dream. Racing ahead of the hated rising sun, charging across continents and seas, the horde of nightmares pulling along their master, screeched and roared their perverse delight. Diving and darting among the creations of the other gods searching for dreaming forms to invade, to infest with their dread forms. For Zotikos sought understanding through the nocturnal sleep of those living above. Beasts, creatures great and small dreamed, had nightmares, had experiences of their lives which the nightmare god delved into. Reaching forth with his twisted minions he touched minds, stoked fears, savored the terror that flooded the sleepers. Within the sepulchral depths of the underworld, among the chanting forms of the myriad of daemons, surrounded by the shadowy horrors that tasted and touched the living, Zotikos continued to sleep. For deep in the frightful caverns hidden from the world, in the labyrinthine, claustrophobic tunnels the lord of nightmares observed the others.

Here in the haunted, frightful depths in the pale glow of lava, surrounded by sulfurous mists, the god of nightmares slumbered for aeons. His power ever growing with the birth of new species, of new life, of new dreamers. His minions continued to dance and chant to the sleeper, their twisted and grotesque forms bent to the will of their creator. The nightmares slithering, sliding and swirling in a billowing cloud around the great chair. Caressing the horned dreamer of vorpal talons and twisted horns made of scaled silver. The sleeper shifted slightly as a cruel smile briefly danced across black rubbery lips, exposing wicked teeth. A trail of vapor rose from flaring nostrils. The dervishes that whipped around the great chair increased their tempo, their inhuman chanting echoing through out the tunnels akin to a thunderous droning. The nightmare god was racing against the sun again.

Time passed, and Aislinn, like Daladi, had changed. Her once snowy white hair had turned a dark red, from the number of clay creatures and green stuff she had made, and her once nearly translucent skin has become solid, though was still pale. She had grown taller as well, with curves and swells of her flesh appearing. To accommodate these changes, Aislinn had modified her dress from her dark blue cloth, and made a much shorter, sleeveless one that stopped at her knees, making playing in her new green and amazing world much easier. She was quite pleased with the attire.

Aislinn rarely stayed in one place long, preferring instead to travel constantly with her wolf Circen, for wolf had long ago died of old age. Death at first, was not something Aislinn handled well, but she had come to accept that it was the fate of all mortals to one day die; it was the natural balance of things. And so, Aislinn made changes in her clay creatures to be like her first pair of rabbits. Like she and her siblings, there would be males and females, and they themselves would make more of their kind, as her own mother and father had done. This way, Aislinn was never alone, and her world would always be filled with creature to amuse her and keep her company.

Clay creatures were not the only things that Aislinn had created in the nameless amount of time that had passed. The earth itself seemed her willing medium, and Aislinn had created large and long holes in the group she called caves, in an attempt to see her favorite brother Zotikos in a dark place above ground, free of the light he so despised. She had filled these caves with numerous creatures to keep her brother company should he ever wander about them while she was not there, encouraged by his positive reaction to mouse (who she especially made willing to reproduce and make more mice to keep his company). Over time however, her brother had become somewhat of an enigma to her, and she was aware that she had not seen him in a very long time, though not for lack of trying she imagined on either their parts.

And so that longing brought her to one of her favorite caves, the one she had made in the Western forest land, in hopes of finally being able to see Zotikos again after all this time. She perched herself on a large rock in the cave with Circen, that oddly felt rather smooth and comfortable, waiting as she sent a mouse to deliver the message to Zotikos that she waited in her cave in the western forest, and wished to see him again if he was willing to come and play.

Cern was in a conflict of emotion, he stared at the strangely white sibling of his. The smoldering annoyance he had felt from the first time Jepath had opened her mouth, was swiftly growing into a burning anger. First she had called him ugly, now a savage (whatever that meant but from the way she had said it, it was something rude and insulting) and she had touched his antlers! Not to mention her whole attitude was infuriating. However, he was also confused. How did covering one's chest make their attire proper? He took a quick look down (which wouldn't really be noticed due to the fact that his eyes were a uniform soft, liquid black), at his bare torso. Why should he cover the healthy coloration of his skin or hid the play of his developing chest muscles? He had no deformities, crippled limbs or disease ravaged flesh to conceal, so there was no shame in showing off what their mother and father had graced him with.

"Its what I do" the horned god finally answered, "I hunt and eat. My sister will have to got over that fact. All our creations are mortal and die."

Although he had said it in defense of his actions, so to hid the guilt of destroying another's creation, the logic of his statement hit home. It was his nature to stalk, kill and eat. He didn't take much pleasure in it and never kill anything other then to eat it, he had even gone so far to subconsciously embrace his nature. He had been right in another sense, everything he had encounter that his sibling's had created had been mortal and died on it's own. It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The once horrible crime transformed into something worthy of a mild scolding. Of course he was very careful not to let this show, the white goddess in front of him might tease him.

"Please don't touch my antlers again Jepath" Cern continued, "And if your the only company you need, why are you....talking to me?"

Deep in the haunted caverns a solitary form moved slowly, fearfully. Followed by leering forms, vanishing from sight into the shadows. Creeping darkness, swirling clouds of morbid curiosity followed the mouse as it wound it's way through the tunnels towards the great oily black throne. Slowly the droning increased, a maddening sound that caused the small creature to shiver and pause, whiskers twitched as the small nose sniffed the fetid air. The God of Nightmares was ahead and the mouse was afraid, yet it had a task given to it by the goddess and it would endeavor to complete its task. Scurrying forward again the creature broke into the grand room of dancing daemons and swirling nightmares, the chanting as horrendous words of unknown and unknowable languages filled the air but the images that flashed in it's small mind almost drove the little beast mad.

Sensing a form other than his minions the God of Nightmares pulled his mind away from the thundering darkness that raced ahead of the rising sun. Casting his eyes towards the little creature, a long moment lingered between the two as the fearsome god, his eyes blazing with silvery blue light, his teeth exposed as the lips parted eerily. Leaping from his throne the figure landed with a thud near the diminutive form, crouching low he sniffed the creature and drew inward the sweet scent of his sister, Aislinn. Sweeping the frail beast upward in a mighty taloned hand he stood and stared. It had been...so long since he had had company, There was the tiny crystal figure and his sister Kryave but that was before he started to grow, before he built his home here in the fearful depths of the world.

The droning daemons and shifting shadows continued their maddening dance as Zotikos resumed his seat upon the great chair. Closing his eyes he gathered the shadowed horrors around him and began the long dreaming towards the surface where his sister waited. His body would remain in the Stygian darkness, yet his mind would roam with his nightmares to see his favored sister. He had much to share with her. The chanting and drumming increased as the daemons continued their eternal songs. Rushing from the haunting, misted and corrosive caverns the billowing cloud of darkness and fear swooshed mightily, issuing forth from hidden cracks and deep pockets of ebony. Malevolent forms swirled and rose around the goddess known as Aislinn, swirling blackness,oppressive grotesque forms, leering at her as they raced around the cave towards the opening where they created a massive semi-solid black wall. From a obtuse angle of rock and dirt the nightmare god Zotikos issued forth. His once lithe slim form, now larger and corded with black and gray muscles. The once bright silver scales tarnished and dull, the buds larger horns of abyssal black streaked with the silver of their father. A silvery-blue glow issued from the shaded eyes as the nightmare shimmered and flickered before his sister.

The wicked and toothy maw spread wide in a twisted smile, his voice an invasive sound as it seemed to swell around her form, “Sister...I have missed you.”

It seemed Zotikos had changed too, Aislinn noticed as her brother’s presence was announced by a whimpering sound from Circen. She comforted the animal gently with a soft pat to the head, recognizing his distress, and understanding it as a normal reaction mortals had towards her brother. Zotikos’ creations were so very different from any of the others on Daladi, she imagined that might be part of the reason. It seemed however, that his creations had changed as much as he had. The grotesque forms were not something she could ever have a natural affinity towards, but neither did she yet dislike them. She preferred to reserve judgment on most creatures until she had truly gotten a whole picture of them, but she did recognize that had they been the creation of any other god, their presence would have made her uncomfortable.

As it was, they were Zotikos’ creations, and s they were currently blocking any stray light for their master, their presence did not both her.

“And I you brother, it has been far too long.” Aislinn answered with dancing golden eyes, and a bright smile. “I brought you a gift.” She said swiftly, unlooping a strap from her shoulder, and presenting him with a bag made from the hide of a rabbit, and was filled with several of the bounties from her trees and bushes. The blackberries and almonds in particular she hoped he would enjoy.

“And what of your home? I have seen many of the creations of our siblings, but have heard nothing of yours.” Aislinn asked curiously.

"Because, Cern, I figured that if I truly am the best company, it's only fair that I share myself with the rest of the world." Jepath explained. Of course, she had left out the part where all she wanted to do was watch as the rest of her siblings fought over whatever conflict it was that she wanted to go about creating. No, of course, she'd leave that part out. The goddess had enough common sense to know that certainly wouldn't bode well with anyone she went about talking to. She also left out the part of her sentence where she would agree to not to touch Cern's horns again. She wasn't about to agree to something she knew she wouldn't hold up on, at least not unless it was brought to her attention again. Either way the young goddess had no problem with lying to her brother.

"Besides." She began again, getting up from her crouching position next to the dead deer. "I am sure you must get lonely out here by yourself." She widened her black eyes, similar in color to her brothers and allowed them to get a bit moister with feigned sympathy. Absently she brushed the blood off onto her arms as she said this, the red liquid traveling up onto the marking on her shoulders, giving the rings a more barbed look as her hair seemed to take on more gravity. Though, the white being noticed how irked her brother seemed to be getting. While she did take her joy from the expense of others, she wanted to keep him around long enough to get what she wanted. Granted, not even she was sure what that was just yet. Quickly Jepath's mind reviewed the short series of events that had just happened, and she began to back track through her speech.

"Though, I certainly cannot blame you for being upset with me." She began, waving a hand dismissively in the air. "I would be angry at me too if I were you and you were I." Jepath started. "I infringe upon your territory, I judge you, your way of life. Certainly I must have come off as rude. Though, I suppose years of solitary does that to a person." She began, listing off her misdeeds. Jepath placed a nail to her lip, wondering just what she should do to get onto his good side. The thought of an apology crossed her mind, causing her to feel a little sick at the mere idea of it. However, she justified her illness with the fact that the apology(for the most part) would be insincere and thus meant nothing. Thus, causing her pride to remain in tact. The only problem was that the god would have to accept the apology and fall for her act. Whatever the matter, Jepath was sure her dirty siblings hadn't even been clever enough to entertain the idea of insincerity. On the other hand, she didn't want to underestimate them.

"I am unsure if it would be too much to ask you to forgive me brother." Jepath tried not to grit her teeth at the word 'brother', not liking the idea of referring to any of her underdeveloped kin as her siblings. "But, I would certainly keep note not to be so brash if you did." Jepath smiled, folding her hands at her front. She attempted to keep a submissive stance, hoping that if she lowered her self(or appeared to lower herself) from her pedestal that she would be able to convince her brother to be at least slightly less irked with her. He would be a useful pawn in what she was planning if he went along with her act, she mused as the cogs in her head began to turn.

Shaping, forming solidifying the simulacrum of himself, Zotikos reached out and gripped the soft fur bundle, while unable to feel the sensation he knew it was something wonderful. His maw opened in a mischievous grin that had it not been his sister would have seemed horrific, the great razor sharp teeth dripped with ichor, a gray-green vapor issued from his mouth. With a thought several nightmares rose and took the item from him and rushed it back to his body in the underworld. Turning the silver-blue eyes upon his sister, drinking in her form, his nose wrinkled as he licked his black lips a moment, then reaching out he grabbed several of the shadowy nightmares and began wrapping them around each other. Twisting them together until they formed a single sheet of darkness, resembling an inky black roiling cloak of nightmare substance. Satisfied he handed the inky garment to Aislinn, his voice oddly delighted, “This...this will...it will keep you safe in the darkness for it is comprised of living nightmares.”

Glancing at the swirling dark wall that blocked the light from the cave, he murmured softly, “What of the others? I have been seeing them, their creations in my haunts.” Squatting down the great beast lowered his head then peered at his sister again, “There is much out there that they do not see. They are often at odds with one another yet they rarely see it. Tell me of them sister, tell me of them.” His jaw set, the fierce teeth gleamed wickedly, the wide horns reflecting the silver blue light from the shrouded eyes as the simulacrum waited.

Deep in the bowls of the underworld, the nightmares had reached their master, bearing the soft rabbit bag to him. The soft fur bag felt wonderful, felt so soft compared to the harsh world where he lived, the rocks and lava, the misting gasses and fumes. With a deep sigh Zotikos pulled the soft pelt bag to his chest and stroked it gently with his taloned hands. A huge grin spread slowly as he adjusted himself in the great oily black chair. It was good to have contact with Aislinn again, she was one of the two who knew of him, knew of his existence.

Above in the cave the shimmering image now appeared with the rabbit pelt bag against his chest, a grin on his face.