Helios
Lord Zee
DX3214
Vec
Change was coming rapidly even as Ur-Nikatel had begun his great journey to an opposite end of the fragment as Ze’kelia had spoken. At least he had managed to spend some time with his bonded till they were split apart. It was warming too, the world beyond just when the Su’une arrived, his mind was ablaze with designs to send to his bonded, she worked harder to keep things warm than he did, but he hoped she appreciated the art.
There was plenty to see in his travels, from a growing green life, the mountains in the distance, the rivers and streams crossed. Perhaps even the little life that scampered about his feet, the beasts that thought him prey or threat, he could dissuade them easy enough. He had come across a stalk of some sort the other day, it was dead he could tell, it had grown or was formed very tall, almost as tall as himself. He had ripped it out of the dying earth with its branches intact. It made quite the useful tool to make such things flee without harming them too badly.
He was lonely. It was a wonder that so much changed but the lack of any to talk to stayed the same. Of course if most were the size of the Goddess he had seen so far he suppose one could not blame them for staying out of his path. Even as he mused he had to keep an eye out for the Su’une, it grew closer. He had little time to go searching for little things that might speak with him, he did not know what he would say in any case.
Did they hunger and thirst as he did? He had the magic of the bags carried to sustain himself, did others like those the annoying beasts must feed upon, did they feed like he did? Did any speak? Or were most solitary beings without concerns of talking, or perhaps were there ones larger than him? He felt the rumblings of the ground, was that a distant movement or the land in chaos?
He knew enough to explore as he went, perhaps he would find something interesting there…
“Find Light’s Fall.”
Goloné objective was given to him by the god himself. “Find Light’s Fall. The place where the sun falls from the sky and the moon rises in its place to race across the skies back east.” It wasn’t the only thing he was charged with, but it was the first thing. He had marched through the wastelands through day and night. Following the sun at day and going the opposite way of the moon at night. At first he thought the mountains would be slow to traverse. Not hard. Nothing was hard for him. Things sometimes just took longer. Luckily for him he had found a pass through the great mountain range.
A pass heralded by black rocks that had been flung into the wasteland. As if a great brutish force had crawled a gash straight through the rocks. Sometimes animals tried to attack him. Most failed. As powerful as their jaws were, his body was made of solid metal and stone. They gnawed and scratched to no avail. Eventually they left him alone.
Once again the sun was falling but it was close. So very close. He would find where it would land tonight for sure. Goloné kept walking through the now strange green land. He passed trees and walked through a river and then he finally saw it.
Gigantic would not do justice to its size. It was titanic then, perhaps. His god would make that judgement, when he would examine Goloné’s memories. For now the golem just observed the great creature. If it’s prophecies were correct, the sun would land very close to the titanic creature. Was it coincidence it fell so close? Or was it part of a greater machination?
Ur-Nikatel was not one who other came upon without his knowledge. Blessed with eyes to see light and a nose to smell all, ears to hear all, he was one of great senses. It was therefore known to him when the great thing came upon him and stared, for he assumed that’s why it did pause. He could hear it long before he saw or still did not yet smelt it.
It’s steps had resounded through the land clearly and loudly as it pounded the earth with each heavy step. It was a curiosity to be sure, but one to be investigated later, perhaps a small image could be woven into the light pattern he sent to his bonded this throw?
The Su’une approached in its rapid pace and from high elevation at this point, glaring with bright light and warmth to light a world. His trunk reached up in a practice motion and deftly caught it as it landed securely in his snout’s grasp. His digits roamed the edges, it grew dimmer, his pattern in his minds eye shared, those with sight lesser than he might see only the mix even bright as it was, but he and his bonded knew better.
A toss to the sky and the Su’une went forth again, arcing again to the grasp of his beloved bonded. His eyes turned downward once again, he had a new curiosity to explore, his steps too resounded through the earth as he approached the strange thing.
As the sun fell, Goloné noticed how dark everything far away became. Everything casted long shadows. Then darkness crawled in between those shadows as the sun dimmed. The golem made sure to memorize as much as he could. The cooling of the air, the dimming of the light. It would be important. He wasn’t entirely sure for what, but it would be important. The most important thing though would obviously be the titanic creature capturing the disk and hurling it back.
Then, much to the surprise of the golem the creature seemed to divert from its previous path and turned towards his general area. None of the prophecies predicted this. He kept standing still as his mind began to make new prophecies. Had the titan somehow noticed him? Would it take offense to its observations?
“Hail titan of the sun.” He then said when the creature was close enough. Though nothing on its body moved. He didn’t even have a mouthpiece to move. His face was entirely flat with only two beady, green glowing eyes. The ripples on the air were caused by something magical inside of Goloné.
And the great elephant spoke back, “I am Ur-Nikatel, the first spoken, Su’une thrower. Who, and what are you? I have not seen any such thing like you before, nor have I heard the words spoken since my creation. You are a creation of a god as well?”
With his words and questions the giant brought his great trunk down near the Golem. Examining for smell and conditions that he could tell from such. It was a curious thing already he could tell.
Ur-Nikatel, First Spoken, Su’une thrower. These things were heard and remembered.
“I respond to Goloné.” The golem said in its unique way. “I am golem. Half-born by Exo, the Explorer and completed by Uwné, the Crafter.” Current prophecies showed that answering the questions without trouble would bring about the safest outcome so far. Those prophecies, for a moment, were questioned in accuracy when the great trunk had come down just a second ago. Though it would appear that the creature had no interest yet in destroying his shape.
“My task is to find answers to questions. One such question is now answered, oh Ur-Nikatel, First Spoken, Su’une thrower but it created many more. Would you deign me worthy enough to share your knowledge?” To a mortal knowing emotions it would all be heard with endless humility and respect. In truth the speech was a mere fabrication. Created to placate whatever Goloné was communicating with. It had no pride to stand in the way of it. Nor a concept of self-worth.
His trunk pulled back pulling some water out of a sack strung along his side as he heard what the golem had to say. Speaking now again to the golem in reply, “I’m not concerned about worthiness Goloné the half-born. I will trade you answer for answer. We will travel together for a time, come with me and ask your first question.”
With that his trunk reached down once more close to the golem, his digits outstretched.
Few of the prophecies predicted this but Goloné was not one to cast away opportunities. It’s shape moved again. Disturbing several birds off of it as it set foot upon the trunk. “Answer for an answer indeed. What is the exact nature of the object you are throwing, this Su’une?” It was known as the sun but it was not in line with the mortal tales of what had once illuminated the world.
“It’s exactly nature is magical. To be precise it was made by the creator of my bonded and I, Ze’kelia, the Goddess of Light, born of the deep light, she who fought the river, champion who slayed the monstrous rock thrower. She made the Su’une to enlighten the world, admittedly my bonded makes it brighter than I try to, I find a dimmer light is better for my art.” He spoke as he moved the golem from the ground and onto his back, it was a solid enough surface given the size difference of the two.
He set a path off back along his original route heading south, and asked a question of his own, “Tell me then, what is the nature of Goloné the half-born?”
“All golems share the same fundamentals. We are made from stone, metal and magic.” Goloné said. “I myself am tasked with observing the world and finding answers to the questions my creator posed.” The golem remained moveless upon Ur-Nikatel’s back. For a few moments he also remained quiet. Inside strange, tree-root like structures were pulsing. Creating prophecies and gauging their likelihood.
“Where could Ze’kelia be found.” It eventually asked.
“I do not know for sure. She had wings and is extremely mobile, last I know she was headed to the central highest mountain.” He took a moment to get a snack from his other sack along his side, eating slowly he replied in a moment after finishing, “Where is your creator?”
Another was already heading out towards the central mountain of the continent. The apparent source of the newly dubbed Khatem river. So those questions were covered now as well. That was good. “Uwné the crafter god can be found should one follow the coast down towards the south. After you pass through the mountains he is close. He rarely leaves that place and never for long or to go far.”
“How do you view the mortals made of flesh and bone?” Goloné then asked, in accordance with the principle of preservation of mortal life. One of the few principles Uwné had carved into his very heart.
“The Crafter hmm...” Ur-Nikatel waited and listened thinking, continuing his pace and slowly thinking.
He replied, “In truth most seem rather focused on biting me or running or hiding, it care little for me except I pass. Some is quite beautiful I have to admit, there was a flying one that was quite pretty I saw a long time back. I have encountered none that were as eloquent as you or I, I expect they managed to hide better with my coming.”
And so the two went back and forth for some time.
Until Goloné suddenly fell silent. The prophecies were nearing an end. The principles that were carved into him could seemingly no longer guide his actions. With every question he had seen that unknowability approaching. And now he had to ask himself: what now?
A full hour passed until Goloné spoke again, finally having found a solution to his unknowing: “Can you throw me so your bonded will catch me?”
He had walked in mutual silence and with its breaking had to sadly answer, “No, I cannot. The Su’une is enchanted to reach my bonded perfectly, you are not.”
“Then I am afraid our paths must split here, oh Ur-Nikatel, First Spoken, Su’une thrower. My principles demand I either seek more distant lands or return to my maker.” Goloné said, showing no sadness in voice. The moment the request was declined, any prophecies concerning it were removed from Goloné’s mind without second thought.
"Very well, I think I shall go speak to your maker, may continue to accompany me or I can let you off here." His trunk moved slightly in anticipation of a response.
“A moment please.” Goloné said as his mind went over the hundreds of prophecies made. “We share a direction, fair Ur-Nikatel, First Spoken, Su’une thrower. It would be an honor to accompany you to my maker.”
"Then we shall set forth!" His voice thundered through the air as his steps did through the earth, towards the mountains the two went, towards the Crafter God.
