Audience - Euphausia

[holyspirits]

Comments

[trifocal]

[ a metaphor? in this canon? never. ]

... It is as it sounds.

To offer one's life to the Dragon God in a ritual of appeasement, that its wrath be stayed and the island be saved.

[hotfixer]

Why didn't you mention that before?

[ she doesn't sound offended but more like she has hurt feelings which is insane because they've spoken like five times. ]

[trifocal]

I... am aware of how outsiders view the ritual. They see it as barbaric, as indicative of a people who do not value life. It's not true, of course, but most mustari choose not to disclose many of the details of our faith with other tribes.

[hotfixer]

[ you know what that's fair she can't say she doesn't kind of think that. but she is thinking more on an individual level, so: ]

I think people would just be more upset that someone they care for is being sacrificed. Sometimes these kinds of things are necessary. [ so is it barbaric or not. don't worry about it. ]

But they're sad.

[trifocal]

[ ah... ]

... I think that my brother must have felt that way.

For what it is worth... I did not complete the ritual as planned.

[hotfixer]

[ she's like 'well kind of good but also you're dead anyway' ]

What went wrong?

[trifocal]

When I arrived at the altar, there was something else there. A creature I did not recognize as my god.

... A human.

[hotfixer]

Why were they there? Were they always there? What about the dragon?

[trifocal]

It latched itself onto the dragon, like a parasite...

I think that it must have been there for as long as the rite of sacrifice was practiced. For centuries.

[hotfixer]

What is the consequence of that? Does it harm the dragon? Is that why your island was in such a state of upheaval?

[ the longer she thinks about it the more she's like. actually i can't discredit that magic and human sacrifices are real and work in other worlds. who even knows.

also she's too rude to stop blurting out every question she has i'm sorry. ]

[trifocal]

It did seem to leave the Dragon God in a frenzied, violent state... but I believe the calamities were because of the human itself. Because it was a source of corrupted magla that spread to the land, bringing disease and desolation with it.

[hotfixer]

Were you able to fix the problem?

[ kill? the human? ]

[trifocal]

Yes. We were able to slay the human and free our god, so that it could at last return to its sacred vessel.

[hotfixer]

And then you don't need to be sacrificed?

[trifocal]

[ a nod. ]

Nor shall anyone else. I believe we have been mistaken about the truth of our traditions. The priestess is to give her life in service, not sacrifice.

[hotfixer]

That's a really unfortunate mistake to have made.

[ too lightly... ]

But I'm glad it got cleared up.

[trifocal]

... As am I. I was able to find a greater purpose, instead.

And... I am glad that I was able to return to my brother.

[hotfixer]

What did you do with the rest of your life?

[ your greater purpose. ]

[trifocal]

Once the village was saved, I decided to set forth to travel the lands beyond the island.

If I am to protect the island, ignorance will only be a burden. So I wish to learn more about the world and its people, so that I can use that knowledge to help build a better future for the mustari.

Although... those plans were cut short mere days after I made landfall.

[hotfixer]

Is that when you died?

[trifocal]

... Yes.

I met an unfathomably cruel man, and though I usually would not consider such a thing, I resolved to kill him. But I was inexperienced, and I was bested.

[hotfixer]

Do you plan to go back and try again?

[trifocal]

I must.

[hotfixer]

I understand.

It's hard for anyone to turn away from a second chance.

[trifocal]

... I suppose so. I was raised not to fear death, but... even so, there are people who I wish I had protected. If I return, I may be able to complete my duty properly.

[ also if you have any mems i would love one... ]