∞

[monzun]

 

Monzun has been trying their Hand at a little necromancy.

Some gods had skill in that, but Monzun had only known those as enemies; otherwise, humanity itself had better luck in reviving themselves through spiritual means. It’s a skill they find tricky at best. Healing the body is only part of it. The ‘spirit’ (or ‘soul’ or ‘life force’ or ‘ghost’, for just a few mortal terms) is just as necessary.

The Void is distant, but some of the spirits of humanity appear to reach for it. Monzun’s first successes caught such spirits and forced them back into their bodies before they could be left behind, with the memories of what they were trying to reach for gone when commanded to explain.

Generations pass.

Monzun’s reach extends agonizingly slowly.

If anything, learning to conjure bodies for spirits may go against the revival of gods lost to the Void…but any skill has its use. Mortals are exceedingly grateful for revival. Faith spreads and empowers their Creed-boosted capabilities even higher.

Monzun continues trying.

(If there is any god that chose to reign over death, they have yet to show their Hand or anything else at Monzun’s interference. The crueler, more paranoid part of them expects retaliation eventually. The kinder part of them wonders if they should eventually take on this duty, with how terrified so many seem to be of it. But this is all for later.)

Eventually, they find their reach beyond anything they have yet to know. Still far short of finding lost gods, but still encouraging.

A lost soul.

They bring their holy fingers around it and Heal and build and read its memories, growing a skeleton and wrapping it in all its needed parts for functionality.

Monzun comes back to the world in the shadow of their Temple holding a very odd man, their massive Leopard Creature standing to sniff and prod at him.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[redprayer]

Of all the answers Rezo could have predicted, the last one would have been something like that. He might have disrespected the god with an incredulous scoff if he weren't so confused. To live here in peace? He doesn't even know where 'here' is.

For a time, Rezo is silent. Perhaps it's because of the silence that he's able to hear distant drumbeats. Voices? It's jarring to realize there truly are other people out there, unaware that Rezo is here and in the grasp of a god. Are they living peaceful lives like Monzun claims to want for him?

Monzun speaks again, and Rezo finds the order oddly calming. Whether he passes or fails, it's still reassuring to have a test laid in front of him. It's a little like having a goal to hang onto. But how does he explain his role?

"I was... a priest of Flare Dragon Cepheid."

A poor one. And a vessel of Lord Ruby Eye.

"I traveled the Barrier Lands working as a healer in the name of the Gods."

Searching for greater and greater power.

"I was also a senior member of the Sorcerer's Guild, and I taught others of the different schools of magic I had learned."

It was a useful way to find and train underlings for the pursuit of my personal goals.

[monzun]

Monzun does not recognize the name, but in truth, they recognize few. Mortals can be fickle little things, and the ones that recalled the gods that lived in generations past discarded as much as possible, or guarded the remaining scraps of handed-down memory with deep fear.

Frustrating, but after Nemesis' horrifically cursing their own land for generations when they were gone for a measly century or so, they can extend sympathy. Gods, plural, indicates his peoples' allegiances changed often.

"You sound most loyal to your Flame Dragon Cepheid. I do not intend anything dangerous to you for following that god," they assure in soothing cant. "I would like to know of them, and of your healing."

[redprayer]

Rezo actually hadn't considered that Monzun might harm him for following Cepheid, but he can hardly manage to worry or not worry about that when he's jarred by Monzun's question.

How... How does someone not know of Flare Dragon Cepheid? He's Cepheid.

But then, Rezo hadn't known of Monzun.

Rezo takes a breath and thinks of all the times he's been called upon to tell the stories of Cepheid, particularly to children young enough that Cepheid was still little more than a strange statue that the adults would gather around. And he dutifully begins to explain.

"There are many stories told of how Cepheid and his counterpart, Ruby Eye Shabranigdu, came to be. When I was a child I was told that they were born from the clashing of powerful astral energy within the Sea of Chaos that surrounds the world. Cepheid loved the world and sought to protect it, while Lord Ruby Eye hated the world and sought its destruction. And while Cepheid was nourished by the love of humanity, Lord Ruby Eye fed upon their pain.

"From primordial times the two have battled over the fate of the world. Cepheid was aided by his servants, the holy dragons, while Lord Ruby Eye created powerful demons. Their final battle occurred thousands of years ago, when Cepheid was finally able to break Lord Ruby Eye into seven pieces and seal those pieces away.

"Having neutralized his enemy, Flare Dragon Cepheid used the last of his strength to create the other four gods of our world. These are the Dragon Kings: Aqualord Ragradia, the Water Dragon King of the North; Flarelord Vrabazard, the Fire Dragon King of the East; Airlord Valwin, the Wind Dragon King of the West; and Earthlord Vangort, the Earth Dragon King of the South.

"After creating the Dragon Kings, Cepheid sank into the Sea of Chaos. But though he was killed, he did not entirely die. His power and presence still lingers in the world, and the Dragon Kings and the holy dragons keep vigil over the world in the event of Lord Ruby Eye's revival. And the gods and the demons continue to fight over the world to this day."

Rezo hasn't gotten into how he himself fits into all this, even on a cursory level, let alone told Monzun of his work as a healer. But that's already quite a bit of information to digest, if Monzun truly has no background in all of this.

...pretend they said Flare Dragon in that last one. my mistake, not theirs hgfdj

[monzun]

Monzun listens carefully, and their Leopard does as well, pausing in purring (though not in petting).

Parts of this tale are familiar. Old as time, old as cycles, old as gods being cruel and kind. The destruction of all seems pointless, however, and either a misunderstanding of humanity or of Monzun--they naturally presume the former. What is a God without...well, anything? People, at least, even if only seen as easily-killed and replaced fodder, are necessary for existing.

This is a weakness most gods would not admit to. Certainly Monzun has not, and they are less fearful or arrogant, they believe, than 'Lord Ruby Eye'--or Nemesis, as they naturally draw parallels to.

A god that died but did not die is just as doubtful. Gods that fought in the Void itself piques their interest heavily, however. And humans, for all their faults and fragility, have their own power...

If a priest of a dead god is here...perhaps he can be more helpful than only for practicing their own revival skills.

"I do not know of any of these gods." They aren't certain what a 'dragon' even is. Some of their people claimed these things should be slain in Monzun's name. So they appear to be something frightening. Something that almost sounds like a Creature.

...What rule is it that a god needs to have only a single Creature in the first place? Nemesis had the Guide and Ichor--and the Ogres, were those Creatures, or demons?

("Hey! Don't besmirch my bad name!" their cruel conscience chides.)

"And I believe I know why," Monzun says heavily. "There has been a terrible war, and much history and the gods are gone."

[redprayer]

A terrible war is an all-too familiar tale to Rezo, but the last part makes Rezo's blood run cold.

Gone?

The Dragon Kings, all gone? And what of Lord Ruby Eye's five retainers?

Yet it's not impossible. Gods and dark gods can be killed. The last that Rezo had heard, not only was Cepheid dead, but so was Ragradia.

And- Rezo reflects- during the terrible events of the Incarnation War, the demons had ensured the people of the Barrier Lands loss access to the holy magic that called upon the gods' power. Rezo himself only knows a handful of holy magic spells, gained from over many decades of research and delving into ancient ruins. And he's never been able to use them.

But he does know a great deal of black magic.

"I need to test something," Rezo says abruptly.

Rezo squirms, attempting to sit up or get a proper hold on one of the creature's toes(?) but going still again as he remembers that he's not actually sure how far off the ground he is.

"Er. Would you ask your beast to put me down?"

Tagging from work's questionable wifi

[monzun]

That is not the response Monzun expected. Perhaps the anguished wailing will come later.

"If you like," Monzun answers curiously.

A sound cracks through the air like the snapping of massive fingers--as that is exactly what it is, directing Sweetheart to place him down in the grass at her feet. The many, many storeys of height down it is.

[redprayer]

Rezo gets an odd sense in his stomach as he feels himself going down, down, down, until quite suddenly he feels grass tickling his feet and ankles, solid earth beneath him. He stumbles as the beast lets go of him, and he has to grab onto its foot to keep from falling over.

It takes him another minute to catch his breath and his balance. Once he feels somewhat ready, he cautiously lets go and takes a few steps away from the beast.

He's not sure where Monzun is in relation to him, and rather suspects that the answer is irrelevant, but he nevertheless tilts his head upwards to address them.

"Th-thank you." Best to be polite, especially considering his next request.

"I'd like to try casting a few spells. Is there something I can use as a target? Preferably large, that won't cause too much trouble if it's destroyed." He makes a little hem hem noise and adds "And unless standards have changed considerably since I was alive, I shouldn't go near other people until I'm wearing something."

They brought him back from death, so surely Monzun can conjure up a robe or something...

[monzun]

"You have destructive spells?" Healing, he said, so they could have expected this, but spells in plural? He said he was a priest, yes, but still...!

Their fascination grows. A Priest of someone known as Flare should know Fireball, they conclude. "I shall provide you with a tree of nearly any size, from bush to building," they declare.

Clothing, however...

Monzun scrutinizes him for a few moments. Mortals are all of similar size to them, other than the most obvious differences of 'child' and 'adult'.

Their presence vanishes as they flit from Village to Village, peering at outfits that would be the easiest to wear. They have all the time in the world, but they'd rather not waste time.

Meanwhile, Sweetheart yawns and lays down somewhere behind Rezo, shaking the ground and rustling the grass. "Rrr-rrrhm," she says, petting his hair again.

Monzun is waylaid by their people trying to honor them. It's very sweet, but not necessary. Nevertheless, the quality of clothing they end up with is quite higher than the usual commoner would have been provided with, or what Rezo would have been given had they simply snatched one from a drying clothing line.

"I've obtained..." What is this, actually. They press F1 scrutinize the object. "...a Formal Chiton." They hold it out in front of his face without thought.

[redprayer]

He doesn't know how to feel about Monzun's apparent surprise. In theory Rezo has destructive spells. In practice, well, that's what he's trying to find out. And a good-sized tree would be a useful target.

"A larger one would be ideal. Some of the dark magic spells I know are quite potent."

He's not sure how Monzun will provide a tree, if they'll carry him off or if they'll make one grow nearby. But instead of doing either of those things, they just... vanish. He can't say exactly how he's aware they've left, only that he no longer feels their mighty presence.

What he does feel, as he stands there, still stunned, is the grass beneath his feet, the air flowing around his body and-

"...Eh?"

-And the beast's paw fingers brushing over his head repeatedly. Petting him more.

"I wonder," Rezo says, turning partly around towards the beast, "Why you seem so enamored with my head." He doesn't think anyone's ever pet him before, not even when he was a small child and it might have been appropriate to pat his head. But at least he's grown increasingly sure that this beast holds no hostile intentions towards him.

While Monzun consorts with their people, Rezo winds up seating himself on the ground and simply letting himself be. Focusing on the sensations of his body and the environment around him keeps himself from growing anxious over Monzun's absence, and it's almost pleasant. As painful as life can be, he reflects, having a living body is a luxury one shouldn't take for granted. Even if he still doesn't have his goddamn eyesight, at least he can hear, smell, touch.

Eventually he feels Monzun's presence draw close, and then their voice reverberates into his soul once again. On a more mortal level, Rezo can faintly hear the rustle of fabric in front of him and feel the slight block in the flow of the air. A formal chiton, they say? They almost sound uncertain.

"I believe this will do," Rezo says. If nothing else, he at least will have some fabric to wrap around his hips and thus look like he's making an effort not to be a pervert.

He stands and reaches out to take the cloth from Monzun, examining it with his hands to figure out where the head and arm holes are and how it might fasten. It takes him a bit, he's used to clothes that are more... tailored. But he's eventually able to pull it over his head and tie some of the cloth over his shoulders, leaving him in what is essentially a loose tunic.

"How does it look?" Very normal question to ask a god.