Of Nothing and a Missing God
Elsewhere and Elsweyr
"It is Transformation that begins and ends all things. Beginning is change, Ending is change. All things merely change, Transform."
"Atahva? Atahva, come. Come, come!"
Jonoud and Jotha scurried to their mother's house at the edge of Alabaster. Their excitement showed almost to the point of obnoxiousness that only children can reach. Atahva and her sister, Tsavori looked up from their work at the twins as they bounded in with pleas to come.
"Jotha, Jonoud. Please, kittens. Calm yourselves and explain to Khajiit what you wish," Tsavori spoke first, as the elder of the two sisters.
"A creature. Hass'Qanar and Omashi are already there. The creature. Khajiit saw the creature come from the sea, as driftwood from Black Marsh," breathed Jotha.
"Yes. Khajiit is correct. A blue creature. Jonoud thinks it is dead."
"Dead? You are certain, yes?"
"No, Mother-Atahva, Mother-Tsavori. Jonoud did not see the creature move."
"Come, then, kittens. We will consult Hass'Qanar Sava and Shojo Atani. They are Khajiit elders, yes? Come. Lead us to this creature."
The small group of Khajiiti left their comfortable home and moved through the streets of Alabaster. They enjoyed the walk amid keeping the twins Jotha and Jonoud in line. As they progressed closer to the beaches, the females noted the presence of a small group ahead of them. Tsavori picked out the Elders immediately.
As they came closer, Jotha noticed Omashi'Ran knelt over the blue anomaly, examining it.
"Is it alive?" Jonoud's small, mewling whisper carried a tiny tremor. Too young to be exposed to the Gladiators, he had not yet seen a dead body, or one alive but wounded. The worst he and his brother had known were sickness and the eras of poverty everyone faced at least once in their lives. His brother clutched paws with him as the Elders looked up.
"Yes, as far as Khajiit can tell. Alive, but in need. Kittens Jotha, Jonoud, we reward you for bringing Elders. But, Khajiit must warn you now, to stay away as we keep this creature. We may need to consult the Deep Studies."
The Deep Studies. It was their way of referring to the long-dead Dwemer ways of Science and soul stones. It was the way when Magic could not be enough, rare as that was. Here, the Khajiiti family stood in awe of a creature that repelled all things deemed Magic by is own body. It struggled to survive, straddling a gray line between here and another place. Between here and the After.
It rejected Magic. It welcomed the Deep Studies. Hass'Qanar Sava picked up the unimaginably light creature. Omashi'Ran, Shoja Atani and Zahr Ma'Vani followed solemnly behind, as if they were carrying one on the verge of death. Atahva and Tsavori led their kittens away in silence as Jotha threw a glance up at the Twin Moons and his brother gave voice to the prayer within both siblings' hearts.
"Massar, Secunda, Mother-Cat. Grant this one's solemn prayer. Grant Life to our strange visitor. Khajiit does not wish death."
Elsewhere and Elsweyr
"It is Transformation that begins and ends all things. Beginning is change, Ending is change. All things merely change, Transform."
"Atahva? Atahva, come. Come, come!"
Jonoud and Jotha scurried to their mother's house at the edge of Alabaster. Their excitement showed almost to the point of obnoxiousness that only children can reach. Atahva and her sister, Tsavori looked up from their work at the twins as they bounded in with pleas to come.
"Jotha, Jonoud. Please, kittens. Calm yourselves and explain to Khajiit what you wish," Tsavori spoke first, as the elder of the two sisters.
"A creature. Hass'Qanar and Omashi are already there. The creature. Khajiit saw the creature come from the sea, as driftwood from Black Marsh," breathed Jotha.
"Yes. Khajiit is correct. A blue creature. Jonoud thinks it is dead."
"Dead? You are certain, yes?"
"No, Mother-Atahva, Mother-Tsavori. Jonoud did not see the creature move."
"Come, then, kittens. We will consult Hass'Qanar Sava and Shojo Atani. They are Khajiit elders, yes? Come. Lead us to this creature."
The small group of Khajiiti left their comfortable home and moved through the streets of Alabaster. They enjoyed the walk amid keeping the twins Jotha and Jonoud in line. As they progressed closer to the beaches, the females noted the presence of a small group ahead of them. Tsavori picked out the Elders immediately.
As they came closer, Jotha noticed Omashi'Ran knelt over the blue anomaly, examining it.
"Is it alive?" Jonoud's small, mewling whisper carried a tiny tremor. Too young to be exposed to the Gladiators, he had not yet seen a dead body, or one alive but wounded. The worst he and his brother had known were sickness and the eras of poverty everyone faced at least once in their lives. His brother clutched paws with him as the Elders looked up.
"Yes, as far as Khajiit can tell. Alive, but in need. Kittens Jotha, Jonoud, we reward you for bringing Elders. But, Khajiit must warn you now, to stay away as we keep this creature. We may need to consult the Deep Studies."
The Deep Studies. It was their way of referring to the long-dead Dwemer ways of Science and soul stones. It was the way when Magic could not be enough, rare as that was. Here, the Khajiiti family stood in awe of a creature that repelled all things deemed Magic by is own body. It struggled to survive, straddling a gray line between here and another place. Between here and the After.
It rejected Magic. It welcomed the Deep Studies. Hass'Qanar Sava picked up the unimaginably light creature. Omashi'Ran, Shoja Atani and Zahr Ma'Vani followed solemnly behind, as if they were carrying one on the verge of death. Atahva and Tsavori led their kittens away in silence as Jotha threw a glance up at the Twin Moons and his brother gave voice to the prayer within both siblings' hearts.
"Massar, Secunda, Mother-Cat. Grant this one's solemn prayer. Grant Life to our strange visitor. Khajiit does not wish death."