Post by TheBaffMan on May 28, 2015 15:18:36 GMT
Eternal life, immortality, to exist forever. Many in the world, consumed by desire, greed or fear had pursued this path, yet even the few who had truly attained it did not get what they had asked for. 'To live forever is to be as the gods are, to sit among them and shape the world eternally' a scholar had once said, yet such arguments and beliefs had a single, simple flaw. If there is one thing in the world that is undeniable, is it the transient nature of life, be that life in the form of a farmer performing the late-season harvest, or the mighty being that calls in the winter afterwards. Eventually life must fade, change, grow and wither; everything obeyed this law, and did so absolutely. Thus, even in a world of concepts, ideas and ideals, both false and real, there exists one thing that stands above all others. The concept of change - that of the transient nature of all things in this and the other worlds. So great is this concept that you could never find it within the Aether, instead one simply observes it by the shifting concepts that fill the vastness of space within.
The material realm is not a place that pure concept can exist; the world will reject it, like the body would a disease. Such things are snuffed out, erased, or forced to conform to something that can exist, given shape, identity. A being such as Hunger could be considered something akin to a deadly plague, one that would ravage the entire world if left unchecked, destroying the laws by which the world maintains itself. Yet, as history often told, even plagues could be defeated, the land salvaged afterwards. All one needed to do was burn the disease away.
Contrary to what beings as great as Hunger may think, the world is not so weak as to wither and die without fighting. Even for a concept as great as transiency, which towered above others so as to rule them, could be forced into a visible form for a short period of time. Serj's spirit, his emotions and memories, his desire for life and his attachment to his family, every moment of passion, anger and drive had been brought forth into a world altered by ideas. There is no greater spark of the transient than sentient life, for they, more than anything else, understand and seek out their goals before their time comes to an end, even if that goal is to defy the law to which they are bound. Even the immortal eventually perish, either by their own hand or by that of another. Thus, in the gentle pushing of Serj's being towards the Aether, Soulfire has been born. Were it to run rampant as Hunger was, everything would perish in the flames.
But Transiency had been bound by the world's laws, if only for a moment. The flames bore a form, one Tristan Brudge could behold with mortal eyes. In this battle, this part of history, Serj and the flames were one and the same. His wish, his desire to save those around him from a terrible fate, guided even the greatest concept to a course of action. Hunger had raised its great, warped arm, intending to devour the flames that dare to oppose its greed, its desire. Instead of swinging down, as it would to sweep away any resistance, it stared down with it's bottomless eyes, going all out to devour whatever was beneath it.
Bright blew flames rose towards it, not even resisting the great pull of the monstrosity's hunger. Flickering with life, the eye began to absorb everything, pulling the light towards it so as to leave the world in darkness. Twisting, coiling, roaring, the flames stood just as defiantly, yet did not fight back. Instead, as Hunger had wanted, the flame faded along with everything that had once been Serj, leaving the other Chosen and the poor boy alone in this horrific scene. Pulling back and standing proudly on its warped, spindly feet, Hunger let out a screech the likes of which distorted the very concept of sound, the very fabric of reality rippling in its wake.
Until the roar halted abruptly, the beast frozen in place.
For in that darkest of moments, within the jaws of utter defeat, came a flicker of light. Within the devouring eye could be seen a bright blue pupil, burning with purpose. It erupted immediately, pouring from the eye, flames spreading, burning the very idea that Hunger could exist eternally. Instead of blasphemously causing the world to change because of it, Hunger was forced to obey its own change. Soon, all that could be seen was a giant, oddly humanoid shape, burning in blue fire that lit the dark sky above, a mesmerising sight contradicting everything that had been shifting and altering beyond reality's means, for what stood in that open field that day was the truest burning light Tristan would ever see in his lifetime. Nothing could deny its existence, and in being so, the world's warping came undone, shifting back to a place that could once again be seen and understood.
Yet, as quickly as it had come, the moment passed. Transiency was no longer bound to will, yet it was also no longer bound to flame. Its shape vanished in a flash of light, and in its place stood merely emptiness. The rock beneath was not charred, the woods surrounding were blowing in the breeze without even a grazed leaf. The only evidence left of the world that had once been was the bloodied corpse of Azek Brudge, and the distinct lack of anything resembling an Uncle's existence in this world. In front of their eyes, the morning sun gently peaked above the trees, illuminating the tomorrow that had finally come in a glistening, radiant light.
Black hair flowing gently in the breeze, the Chosen turned his eyes to look across at the young boy who had seen more than any mortal should. Soon, even his memories of his uncle would fade - Soulfire was an absolute in its transiency, and took no prisoners in the wake of its use. Yet, instead of letting such a thing come to pass, he took a few steps towards the boy, regardless of his thoughts or feelings at the time. Reaching down, he placed a hand on Tristan's forehead, a brief blue spark shining from his palm before it faded.
"It may not be the wish of the world, nor the laws that govern it, but you will remember this... you must."
