[Rambling]

Begin.

The Duck, the Hummingbird, the Heron, the ████, the Sparrow, the Cardinal, the Flamingo.

All caged by the ones that dance around the fire.

The ones that dig the pits in the woods.

The ones that leave the marks.

The ones that birthed them, but were not mothers or fathers.

The process required blood of their own.

One day, a wounded owl came and granted them a key.

The ones that kept the cage took the owl away to the pit in the woods.

The young birds looked at the key.

The Flamingo was the most graceful of them, the quickest.

She was the smallest and youngest, at least she could get away.

So they squeezed her from the cage and sent her flying.

She flew throw the trees, through the traps,

to the place that help could be found.

Once she reached them, they would be saved.

She shouldn't have.

The keepers saw the missing fledgling

and bound the rest tighter.

But the ████ was nimbler by far

squeezing out and through the gaps.

But the others...

Just as they slipped off

They came.

They punished the wicked.

They saw the remaining birds.

Something was wrong, what were they doing?

...NO... PLEASE NO...

---

2200 AC

I live in Gloomlight now. Inexplicably, Skinwalker heeds my words as advice, and praises me for wisdom.

Personally, any wisdom I have is a coping mechanism.

...I don't want him to know what I was.

But I think it doesn't matter to him. He wants me to be myself. Makes me promise.

...

You all should be here, with me.

But that's never going to happen.

We begged for help.

We got injustice.

The love is gone, there is justice.

Justice is gone, there is vengeance.

Vengeance? Vengeance.

Anyone would wage war with the gods themselves if you push them hard enough.

But I don't want to wage war with the gods.

But I know what I want to wage war on.

...

I'm afraid.

Because now, more than ever before...

I want to bathe in those the blood of those bastards.

But what about forgiveness?

What about sympathy?

How can I sympathize with the animals I know nothing about?

Even the greatest foe in Meranthe right now...

HIM I understand somewhat.

After all, again, anyone would wage war with the gods if pushed enough.

...I sympathize...

...but he's a butcher now...

All the lines crossed. All potential for reversal cut.

All paths away ignored.

...will I end up like that, if I went back to Enobora, and found them?

Would it be the first stumble at the top of the staircase?

...

Anyway...

The Oracle and Mother Superior are almost disgustingly in love.

Something happened to the Druids, but they're recovering.

...there was a golem named Grock...

...there was a creature called... 'Bleem' or something...

Seneschal is a cat. And something... else.

Krausmas was... alright. Never been to one of these parties.

Even if Castorli and that alchemist crashed it for... no reason.

...something's trying to spread rust plague... again, I hear.

And the Mugens...

...I don't want to speak with Ilia.

...but I understand wanting to kill your parents.

He has a good reason.

...my eyes and ears remain open.

...but I've been... failing to speak not.

Oh well.

Who cares?

Caius?

...of course not.

Open your eyes to the darkness, and drown in its loveless embrace. The gods will not be watching.