Member
Lord Zee
Frettzo
Eviledd1984
King of Rats
Vec
NoctisKalmar
&
Parvus
&
Parvus
In the southern jungle of Kalgrun, a lone parrot perched atop a tree. It had been one of the birds that had migrated from the Eye of Desolation. Although they had planted their seeds, many remained. This particular parrot was roosting.
A falcon swooped down upon the oblivious parrot, and snatched it with its claws. The smaller bird squawked loudly, but the falcon ignored its pleas and carried away.
Kalmar observed this from a distance, impressed by Arryn’s aptitude for stealth. Arryn soon flew over, landing near his feet, and began to feast upon the caught parrot. Kalmar wondered what the creatures tasted like. He spotted another one in the distance, notched an arrow into his bow, and took aim, but halted when he felt a divine presence nearby.
A divine, wordless voice echoed out, emanating from Parvus’ will, ”Greetings, Kalmar. Do you have a moment.”
Kalmar stopped, lowered his bow, and put away his arrow. ”Parvus,” he said, both aloud and in his mind. ”I do. What is it?”
Parvus approached the hunter god, and start to speak, ”I have been walking across the world, seeding new life. While I intend to create more life here, I also believe we have other matters to discuss. Have you spoken with Phystene?”
Kalmar nodded. ”I have. Is this about the attempt on her life?”
Parvus froze for a moment, before quickly calming himself. ”I must have spoke to her before this attack. I am sorry, I am unaware of this incident.”
”It was Orvus,” Kalmar told him. ”The God of Desolation. As Phystene tells it, he is on a path to destroy all life. We need to stop him.”
There was another pause, but this time he was contemplating. ”This is problematic.” he said, in a cold, cynical manner. ”What do you intend to do?”
”I intend to kill him,” Kalmar stated bluntly. ”Not now, but at some point in the future. In the meantime, I am informing the other gods, and asking them to agree to an alliance. An agreement to defend each other’s creations against Orvus, if he attacks again. Will you join?”
Parvus answered, ”Before I answer, are you fully aware of what happens if Orvus also finds allies?”
”Then the conflict will move on to a larger scale. Which is why we need to form our alliance first. If Orvus finds allies and we aren’t united, they can destroy us individually.” Kalmar answered. ”If we are smart, we can fight back in a way that minimizes casualties and collateral damage.”
Parvus stopped vocalizing, and merely pushed his thoughts from his mind, ”No. You can not. You must realize, if there is a war between gods, then Galbar will burn.”
”It depends on how the war will be fought. And it may be unavoidable. Orvus seeks to destroy all life. You, me, Phystene, and most of the others seek to create it. He will move against us - it’s only a matter of when.”
There was a pause, and Parvus begin to vocalize again, ”You seem to be mistaking my intentions. I am not suggesting we do nothing. I am suggesting we do nothing foolish. If a single god would stand in support against Orvus, then attacking him could bring ruin.” he paused again, ”But there are ways to bleed your enemies without scratching them.”
”Bleeding them will only provoke them into striking back. Even if it kills them in the long term, in the short term they are still a threat. It must be a killing strike. I do not go and fight Orvus right now, because I am waiting for a plan and an opportunity.”
”If you attack him, and he survives, then there will be ruin. If you attack him, he dies, and someone mourns him, then there will be ruin. It is possible that the mere act of killing him could bring ruin. You are correct, if he is aware that we are harming him, it will provoke him. That is why we simply must not be caught.”
”Like an insect that stings and flies away,” Kalmar mused. ”That could work, but I do not believe that deception could be kept up forever. Let’s say I agreed with you: how would we accomplish this?”
”This greatest lies are ones so interwoven into the truth, that is impossible to tell where one begins and the other ends. I would require some time to formulate a proper plan, however I believe we should look to separate Orvus, Galbar, and his source of power, his sphere.”
Kalmar stroked his moustache. ”His sphere is where he is the strongest, and aside from destroying it, I do not know how we could sever his ties to it. If you can find a way, I will help you, but until then I must assume it will come to a fight.”
”Allow me some time to consider the manner, and I insist that you do not do anything brash in meanwhile. And if this to ever work, then Orvus can not know I oppose him. However, there is still the other matter of creating life. This is all for not if there is no life to defend is it. Will you grant me permission to spread my influence over a portion of your land? ”
Kalmar nodded. ”Of course. Insects are vital to any ecosystem. What will you create?”
Parvus considered it for a moment, still uneasy after the previous conversation, ”I am most familiar with the maintenance of wetlands, however I would need a source of fresh water to create one.”
Kalmar nodded. ”There is a river and a lake to the north. I built the lake, and Shengshi built the river, though I do not think Shengshi put much care into its construction.” he shrugged. ”Unless you are willing to build another river, that’s all there is.”
”Then allow me to investigate this water system.” he said, as begin to walk to the north.
Kalmar walked beside him. ”Have you encountered a creature named Hermes?” he asked as they walked.
”No. I believe I have only interacted with a few of the other gods. I am unfamiliar with this Hermes.”
”She is a mortal. Created by K’nell. Intelligent life that isn’t a deity,” Kalmar explained. ”She is still learning of the world. I taught her how to fish. If more like her were to be created, I wonder what they could achieve.”
”You seem unfamiliar with mortals. They pose their own complications, but.” he said, cutting himself off.
”I am unfamiliar with sapient mortals,” Kalmar explained. ”Before I was brought here and granted power, I was incapable of my current level of thought, or this level of communication. I assumed this was unique to gods, but I was wrong.”
”In my previous existence, mortals were commonplace. I. ” he paused, ”Mortal life complicates things, however beauty is found in complication. I would be simple to make a simple ecosystem of grass, rabbits and wolves. However if we did so, we would miss out on the majesty of forests.”
Kalmar nodded. ”Yes, we need diversity. As the first mortal, this Hermes is almost a champion of diversity. She did not seem strong, but she was fast, and her willingness to learn and ask questions implied intelligence. And intelligence is just as necessary for survival as speed or strength.” he paused. ”What more can you tell me of your experience with them?”
”There is a lot to say on the subject, however some of the most important things are that there some mortals with intelligence, but only a short period to learn. This can lead them being fickle and self-absorbed. However, they can also be caring and ingenuitive. ” he paused, ”And if we are not careful, mortals could lead to divine conflicts. If you reach your influence to far over mortals, you may end up hitting another god.”
”Conflicts are an inevitable part of nature,” Kalmar responded. ”So long as these conflicts serve to empower more than they destroy, I do not see a problem.”
”It seems as though you have not yet adapted to your new role as god. Whenever two animals fight, they can barely scrape the ground. Whenever large groups of mortals fight, they can burn forests and salt the land. Whenever gods fight, they can sunder islands. With the added power we draw from our spheres, we could likely shatter continents with our fighting.”
Kalmar’s expression darkened slightly. His ability to adapt, the quality he thrived on and took pride in, was being questioned. ”Conflict does not always need to be violent.” he pointed out. ”And if it does come to violence, then even beings as powerful as us should be able to cause less destruction if we handle it correctly. If I were to fight Orvus, I would do it where we are far from any life, and when he is not expecting it. Or I would take your suggestion and find another way to weaken him.”
Parvus stopped whenever he noticed Kalmar’s face change, and allowed him to finish. He lowered his head slightly, ”I meant no offense. Adapt is the wrong phrasing. I believe adjust would be better suited. You are seeing reality from a perspective, and in a new light, it will obviously take some time for your eyes to adjust.” he said.
Kalmar shifted back to a neutral expression. ”I could say the same to you,” he pointed out. ”Before you came to this world, were you as powerful as you are now?”
”In my previous world, I was a god. However, I was not as powerful. What would take me decades to do now takes me seconds. And yes, I do believe it take time to adjust, which I believe justifies slower, more deliberate action.”
”That tactic has merit,” Kalmar agreed, ”but there are still times where direct action is better. But we’re talking in circles now. We should speak another day, so you can build your swamp,” he suggested.
”That would be wise. I also believe we are close to this river, I am going to go ahead to inspect it closer.” he said, going from a supernaturally fast walk, to a sprint. As soon as he saw the river, he looked disapprovingly and waited for Kalmar.
Kalmar noted the disapproving look. ”Shengshi wanted to call it the Donghe. I thought Easthe was better, but a name is just a name,” he shrugged. ”The lake is to the west. That might be a better place.”
Parvus continued to walk west, ”The river current is way too strong to support a wetland. If I were to create one, it would likely just wash away all of the loose earth into your lake. I would have to completely redo it for it to be a viable location. I am not sure if that could support an ecosystem.”
Kalmar’s expression darkened once again. ”I think it can still support one, but if you turn out to be correct, then that snake’s spite has done more than just create an eyesore.” he grumbled. ”We did not get along when we first met.”
Parvus frowned slightly, before hiding it away, ”I am sorry. I have spoke out of turn. As I said, I am most familiar with wetlands. However, how that I think back to it, I do believe I have heard about ecosystems located along rapids. It is my own lack of understanding which is at fault. Perhaps it would be better if you sent another god to speak to him about the manner. I am unfamiliar with what happened between you two, so I can’t speak further on the matter. ”
”I tried to talk to him about a serious matter. He wasted time on false flattery, so I interrupted him. He then insulted me and took a threatening stance. I told him that if he tried that again I would not stand for it. I do not know why he reacted so strongly in the first place,” he shrugged. ”As a god he should be above those impulses.”
Parvus nodded, ”I see. I believe this is a simple misunderstanding. Etiquette can be important to some people, and by disregarding it you have offend his social position. However, I do believe he handle the situation poorly. It is similar to animal hierarchy, but regrettably more intricate. Perhaps we should be such impulses, but I believe we are not.”
”If it is like animal hierarchy, then giving in to his demands would put him above me,” Kalmar pointed out. ”His reaction to the situation is his own failing, not mine. I won’t hold this specific instance against him, but I will make no concessions.”
”Yes, if you were only recently given sapience, etiquette must be quite a confusing thing. It can be confusing for those who were taught it from a young age. But sometimes small concessions over seemingly pointless things can show a willingness to cooperate. However, I have not meet Shengshi, so I can not speak to his character. But some people will try to exploit even simple kindness. It is a precarious balancing act.”
Kalmar grumbled once again. ”I don’t want anything to do with that. If I have something to say, I will say it. I won’t waste time, and I’ll expect the others to do the same. That should not stand in the way of cooperation. Shengshi must accept that.”
Parvus nodded along, ”That is a perfectly reasonable mindset. However such people can be difficult to work with if you do not meet their arbitrary standards, prehaps you should consider speaking to him through a mediator.”
”I speak for myself,” Kalmar told him as the lake came into view. ”This dispute will be dealt with face to face, if at all. Now ignore my thoughts on the other gods - can I count on you as a friend? Not just against Orvus, or for mutual defense, but in general? Me, you, Phystene. Our responsibilities overlap, so the three of us will need to work together, and you seem to have good judgement.”
”The architect has dictated two simple instructions into me, and so I will do as he requested and sow the world with life. I am more than willing to cooperate to fulfill that will.” he stated, as he walked towards the lake and begin to brush his hands against the ground.
Kalmar nodded, a slight smile on his face. They might not agree on everything, but he felt a certain respect for the insect god. ”Good.”
“Allow me to begin by changing this rocky terrain into something more appropriate for a wetlands.” he said, waiting for a moment before jabbing his injured hand into rocky ground. Green veins extend throughout the ground, and begin to surround the lake, even slightly intruding into it.
The rocks begins to crack and breakdown into mud and clay. While he was doing so, he was also seeding the soil with all manner of insects.
Once the rock turned into soil, he continued to focus and trees, mushrooms, and reeds sprouted from the ground. And then he begin to create more complex life, frogs, salamanders, alligators, turtles, snakes and birds.
Parvus turned to Kalmar, “Is there anything you would like to request.” he stated.
Kalmar looked upon the alligators with an expression of interest. ”No,” he said. ”You say you have more experience with wetlands than me. I won’t upset whatever balance you formed here.”
Parvus took some time to appreciate the wetland he created. He reached out into the mud and grabbed a leech and examined it. ”I do have a selfish request. If you ever do fight Orvus, do not forget what you are fighting over.”
Kalmar nodded. ”Existence itself. Not an easy thing to forget.” He extended a hand toward Parvus.
Parvus paused, ”Do not be so focused on the large things that you ignore the smaller details.” he stated, placing the leech back into the mud before extending his hand.
”The smaller things are what make up the larger things,” Kalmar pointed out, as he gripped Parvus’s hand and shook. ”I will fight to protect their existence as well. I am not shortsighted.”
”If that is all, I believe I should continue my journey. However I will leave you with only last bit of unsolicited advice, conflict can improve us but it can also blind us.”