then it becomes, it becomes, it becomes a problem, then--

[monzun]

Monzun watches over their people. They teach their Creature. That was all they knew and all they really wanted initially, when they were freshly-created, and perhaps it ever would have been if another god's cruelty hadn't cut in.

Their goal had never been to be the only god. It was that, and then it had been surviving to oppose Nemesis, and now he was gone, and it seemed they were the only regardless.

("Eh, screw 'em! What've other gods been but trouble for us, huh?")

("Well...It is a bit lonely. And Khazar's actions are the only reason we're around today, isn't that right?")

The power of the Creeds trickle back alongside the power of the people. And then torrents, and a flood. The Miracles they use grow stronger beyond even Wonders' assistance.

Generations of their people live and proliferate and die, and Monzun's strength doesn't waver, but increases even as the populations settle lower than the war efforts and post-war burst their levels to being.

("Yeah! We're badass! Even if it could use a lil more fireballin' to make all this peace more exciting, Boss.")

 Their Creature and people are safe. They revel in being only gentle without consequence but worshippers' occasional disrespect, and they find they care little about that--unless they harm others in their village, and then Creature gentle scolding or abrupt relocation across the land tends to work nearly as well as lightning would have.

Their intervention is needed less even as they notice more. Little beacons where their people were, somewhere well beyond the seas, still worshipping where it once couldn't reach. 

And something else. A shard of someone.

Another...another god? Near their people? The numbers waver, some converting to the other, fewer converting to Monzun, as reasonable without them there to demonstrate their power. 

They need to look. 

("Could be a fresh threat we need to squash.")

("Or they may be a new god in need of a Guide?")

A fragment of them even hopes...

...

...Nemesis' brutality means their consciences say nothing while their Teleports are slowly practiced until they look something closer to a Vortex the old gods used.

It's not quite as large. Redder. But far more than a simple Teleport.

The day comes where they reach across the Lands and place it where they sense their lingering people and that god.

("Let's go!")

("It's so exciting! But we don't need to rush quite yet--")

Monzun takes some time to look over their nearest people and discuss. Khazar brought them Disciples; they could bring some possibly willing to convert to another, although they seem confused by the conversation. Do any of theirs know Miracles? Oh? Yes? One of Sable's decedents picked up the Wood Miracle, they hadn't realized that was possible--

A part of them is distant, distant, distant.

Monzun reaches for their Creature and finds they stare down into the Vortex.

Ah. 

It seems their impatience was noticed and acted upon.





In another part of Eden, a Vortex opened on the side of a mountain that Monzun's old Temple still stands on. The air splits with a shocked bellow as a massive Leopard Creature steps onto nothing and tumbles down into the water.

Ouch.

Only a little ouch. It wasn't that far, but Sweetheart wasn't expecting it. She stands and shakes the water off a little--oooh, fish. Scoops up a handful of fresh fish to eat, and then turns around to claw up the mountain to peek over the edge.

There are a few people! Worshipping wrong, or maybe just frightened. That's okay. She's pretty different now. She doesn't mind when they take off running when they un-freeze.

...Most of the trees she grew are missing. She doesn't like that, she worked hard on those.

She climbs up all the way--oh, the Temple's smaller, or she's so big as to match?--and immediately gets to Miracle Watering the withered ones in the worship sites left.

Comments

[lethys]

His confusion permeates the air between them both.

The Guide? They wish him to live, yes, he can see why a god might favour such a beast - but for that to be the fuel for this rage?

Lethys cannot understand them. This, over a Creature, over one not even their own... Unfathomable. Confusion pivots into disgust and disdain, then into morbid curiosity, and before he knows it he is beginning to sift through the dustier corners of his memory for anything to compare this to, and the moment he catches it that book snaps shut quickly. The feeling mutes.

He does not try to understand. They have questions, besides.

"Should Nemesis have returned and found I had done nothing to advance his cause," he explains, "I would surely be punished." A beat. Lethys stares at the sea, whipped by the wind into frothy turbulence. "Should you have returned and found your Lands seized, the outcome would be the same. I faced a difficult choice." It is spoken simply. That was his truth.

"But I felt that Nemesis was no more. Now that you are here, I know I made the right one."

Perhaps they will dislike his pragmatism. Lethys finds he is too confused over their behaviour to play that guessing game, and simply waits quietly for their judgement.

[monzun]

They understand it. Dislike hearing it, as of course, of course Nemesis would have done such a thing --!

The future. The now. What Monzun can do, now, amidst the rumbling skies.

"Perhaps you should consider building another Temple there now."

[lethys]

The snow glistens and cracks underfoot. A woman sets her feet between the heavy prints of wolves, and follows them to the altar. Heathen, perhaps, though she prefers devotee...

Lethys' attention snaps back into himself like the whip of coiled rope. He hadn't even meant to reach, that time. Perhaps it is this that makes him a little more eager to consider their words in earnest.

Caution. This must take caution.

His experience screams that this is a trap. But he is learning Monzun. They are different to Nemesis. Perhaps there is a chance.

"That is not the way of things," he says, testing. There is a sliver of doubt that does not quite make it into the words they hear.

[monzun]

"The way of things could lead to your... banishment, should disaster befall this Land nearer to your Temple. I do not desire this, much less if I cause destruction out of my... higher power."

Monzun's tone stays fairly dead, though their distaste for the word 'banishment' comes through even now. It is more correct than previously assumed, and yet it seems so gutless.

[lethys]

So they are permitting him territory.

(The lurch at the realisation he might go back is not entirely unexpected. Perhaps it was relief at the chance to take another step away from the end. He silences it.)

Lethys, my ally, you have earned my favour. I have a present for you. What strings will Monzun attach? There are no other gods there for him to conquer in their name. What will they do with their Villages? ...Raze them, perhaps. Although that does not seem like their style, suddenly. He is listening when they say things like 'I do not desire...'

It is simply difficult to fully believe - especially with the storms battering at his Shields.

"...I see," is all he says. "Then I will... consider."

[monzun]

...That's all?

Well.

"It would be wise."

There are fewer striking his Shields, now. The Storm on that side of the mountain has moved on as they predicted. There are fires in their forests, set and just as quicky quenched.

They know storms. Monzun has made them plenty of times, if only for the sake of occasional impressing with a dash of fearful awe while still keeping it on the harmless side. Their name is such for a reason. It feels terribly ironic, now, there is one running loose around them here.

"I do not plan to cause such. But I did not plan this. I expect you desire me to stop as much as I do," they say, sounding drained, sinking, sinking until the waves nearly clip the bottom of their symbol. "And here I expected our Creatures to be the highest concern this day."

[lethys]

Lethys watches them, keeping his thoughts to himself for a little while.

This is a far cry from the behaviour he is used to. Nemesis never faltered even once. Monzun has the power of the Creeds, yet here they are, faltering.

Once again he is reminded they are young. He knows now that their understanding of the world was never granted to them much further than the Guide and Khazar, and he knows each were permitted little time with their... student.

They are lost. This is key, even if he does not know how he ought to use it.

Slowly, easing into the thought:

"You are not the first god of Eden whose power outgrew them."

[monzun]

"...Is that so?"

Their tone holds a faintly skeptical edge, despite genuine belief in his actual words; Monzun's deeply limited experience leads them to presume Lethys refers to Nemesis. They do not trust in anything Nemesis may have done with his growing power.

"And how did this turn out?"