Completed For Love of the Father [Jack Benefort]

[Litani]

Timestamp: 25th day, Summer season, 513 Location: Laviku's Tower The time was long past. She had come here to honor her father's memory and yet her true Father had not received His due. Litani smiled softly, sadly, to herself as she traversed the path to Laviku's tower. Considering the Sea God, she felt her mind slip into the meditative contemplation that had sustained her throughout the coursing riptides that had been her life thus far. To think of Him as her true Father wasn't easy but it was an act of devotion; she remembered the day when she had tried to tell Tromik, the man who had sired her, who had loved her more than life, that she had no need of a Divine Father - she had Rak'keli as her Mother, and him, and he was perfect. Tromik had smiled almost bashfully and soaked in the compliment that she had given, yet gently insisted that she seek solace in her spirituality, for he was a mere mortal and sure to disappoint her. How wrong he was. He'd only disappointed her by ceasing to live. Still, this was the life she had now, and she knew no better way to honor them both. Garbed in a simple dress of linen, carrying her satchel over one shoulder, the young Konti felt the softness of white sand and the flecks of black pebbles beneath her feet... She passed grasses waving in the breeze, said farewell to the tall trees of the city and made her way out onto the outcroppings which housed the Tower of Laviku. The imposing structure looked like home to her and she smiled, approaching it with an open heart and a curious mind. Once she was inside, a priestess of mid rank greeted her and politely inquired after her needs whilst visiting the sacred place. Litani smiled, assured the other woman that she would certainly signal if she had reason to, but that she only meant to meditate and pay her respects. With a solemn nod, the priestess left the Konti to her own devices and, in short order, Litani found herself ascending the stair case towards the balcony. The ocean winds, the sky in its splendor, they called to her and she could not help but step out to drink in the absolute beauty that surrounded her. Not for the first time, she blessed both the Gods she worshiped for guiding her Calling to the splendor of Riverfall. And so she stood, eyes half closed, wrapped in the sea breezes of a summer afternoon, looking out upon the resplendent Suvan... lost in her thoughts.

[Jack Benefort]

Jack sat on the beach of the Suvan Sea, lost in thought, though not his usual kind of thought. Very often one might find him in a place like this, contemplating some event in his past, or considering the size and beauty of the sea, or wondering about a person he had met earlier that day, or thinking about Zeltiva. But his thoughts had been turned elsewhere. Since arriving in Riverfall, he had been forced to consider the gods more than he had in his entire life. His experience with his new friend Tyral in particular has impressed upon him the desire to investigate the divine. It was becoming more and more apparent to Jack, every day, that the gods were really real, and they mattered. In particular, Jack felt an affection for the god Laviku. All his life, if any god was going to receive any thought or reverence from Jack, it was going to be Laviku. After all, he grew up by the sea. He was used to meeting Konti and Charoda and Svefra who were all quite enamored with the god of the seas.

It was a particular thing Tyral had said that struck him. ‘Laviku is everywhere’. As though Laviku was more than just a person to pay homage to so that your ship doesn’t wreck at sea. It reflected an attitude of more than just reverence. It was worship. And that was what intrigued Jack. He had never participated in such a thing on a personal level, in any way that was impactful or mattered. Now he was thinking that maybe he should. He hated to acknowledge it, but he knew that he had real issues in his character. There were times when it was brutally obvious to him that he had only left Zeltiva to run from the truth. He was not trying to go on some glorious quest. He was trying to escape his father’s words. He had, multiple times, given voice to the truth that Jack knew about himself and hated: He had no idea who he was. He was skin deep. He wore his mask and was entertaining and useful enough that people never thought to dig. He did not want them to, because he wasn’t sure what they would find. He wasn’t sure who he really was, and ‘honoring his father’ by traveling and teaching was a good enough excuse to start running.

But he felt that such times might be ending now, and it scared him. Was he being brought here to be broken by the gods? Did Laviku have some desire to use him? Would worship change things? He wasn’t sure why such thoughts occurred at all, but he knew it was worth a try. So, getting up from the sand, he began to walk down the beach toward the tower, ready to see what was in store.
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The tower was truly a place of wonders. Glass formed cages for the water inside the tower walls, and all manner of marine life was on display. It was a beautiful and utterly fascinating place, full of wonder and more than a little mystery as Jack pondered sights he’d never seen before. It was all wonderful, but Jack quickly lost interest. He could be fascinated any day, but he wanted to learn why he had come here at all. Why Laviku seemed to be drawing him in. Seeking to be in the open, away from the claustrophobia of the inner tower, he walked out onto the balcony. He quickly took in and cherished the view, before realizing he wasn’t alone. There was a Konti woman with him on the balcony. At first he didn’t intend to speak, but he couldn’t keep himself from interest in this woman. Not simply because of her beauty- though she was quite fair, to be certain. No, it was an aura she seemed to carry with her. She exuded peace and an atmosphere of just what Jack had detected with Tyral- it was worship he was seeing. ’Perhaps this woman, like Tyral, like Riverfall as a whole, has been put here for a reason. Laviku, I am going to trust you on this.’ He thought, semi hoping Laviku heard him. He walked over to her, standing a few feet to the side, still looking out into the sea. Then, leaning his head in to speak, “It’s quite an amazing view isn’t it? An amazing place really. You know, I came to this city not having the slightest bit of care for the gods. But since I’ve been here, it’s like I can’t escape them. It’s like this ‘Laviku’ is coming after me, trying to draw me here. Do you know what I mean?” At this point he realized he was starting to ramble to a stranger and snapped to attention. “Ah, I apologize, I’ve forgotten my manners. My name is Jack. Might I ask yours?”

[Litani]

The hollows of her mind felt themselves stretch across the horizon, meeting sea and sky at that place where they touch so intimately, so perfectly that they thread together as one... Quietly, her thoughts circled down to the cool depths of canyons unseen and then spiraled up again to the heights of the feathered cirrus clouds so pristinely perched... Only her mortal hands, holding steadily to the rail of the balcony, reminded her that she was anchored. Steady. Not soaring. Only them... and nothing else. The rest of her, the parts that mattered, lavished in the meditations of Laviku, Father of the Konti... Father of the Sea. And here, of all places, she felt most close to Him - she could smell the salt of the sea spray, feel the scent of death and recycled life as shelled creatures fed fish, fish fed predators, hunters died and fed the tiny shelled creatures... She could imagine the coral reefs a half mile out, see the schools of fish colorfully dart in and out of anemones and sponges and coral caves... she sent her greetings ahead, promising to visit soon. And, most of all, she could feel Him. Perhaps it was for that reason that the tall, slender Konti gasped so sharply when Jack began to speak - for his voice was so unexpected, so earthy and cerebral, and so many leagues away from the passionate currents and cresting waves that had been her meditation. A hand flitted over her heart and she stepped back, closing her eyes, laughing softly for having been so thoroughly startled. Gently chuckling, she let him finish his introduction and internally she was forced to laugh - another... how is it?! Do I just have that kind of face, perhaps? The face that tells a stranger that their secrets are safe with me? Perhaps I missed my calling..! With a soft smile, the Konti recovered her grace and she inclined her head in a gentle measure, letting the sun's rays play their games of iridescence across the scales which lined her features so subtly. "My name is Litani," she replied in a low, smooth contralto voice. "A pleasure to meet you. And yes... I do know what you mean. I have been drawn my whole life. But then... the sea is in my blood." Her smile, just then, was both peaceful and contemplative, free of fear or apprehension or even the faint shock from a few moments before. She was at her ease and it showed through every fiber of her being as she stood there wrapped in ocean breezes, basking in the radiance of the sun. "The Konti are the daughters of Laviku and Avalis... we are drawn by Them and to Them, as a matter of course." Politely, she fell silent then, but her attentive eyes were on the new face before her and she waited in silence, allowing him the space to make a response, should he so chose.

[Jack Benefort]

When the konti woman gasped at Jack's approach, he very quickly turned red. Obviously he had broken some level of concentration of meditation in which she was engaged. He very quickly started to worry that she might be upset and that this would all lead to a bad scene when he had only meant to make a gentle inquiry.

'Oh no,' He thought, 'What have I done? I knew this whole "gods" thing was a bad idea!'

But as he reached the tail end of his thought, the woman returned to her former state of peace and calm with remarkable ease and grace, and as she spoke to him, Jack found himself quickly calming, extremely relieved that he had not incurred any sort of negative response- indeed, she seemed a little amused at the entire situation, and as she stepped back and chuckled, Jack found a little bit of the situation's humor himself, now wondering why he had been so worried, feeling silly for thinking she would be upset. He felt foolish for placing such a potential judgement on her- especially as he recalled his past experiences with the konti. He had still yet to meet one of a combative disposition. Indeed, from the first konti he had met near Zeltiva as a child, to this one now before him, it seemed that they were by and large of a contemplative spirit. Many more times than not in his experience, they were given to seeking their callings with divine drive, and of great desire to know and please their gods. And for all that, Jack now felt like a bit of a fool for thinking, even for a moment, that he'd managed to find a konti who would be upset at him.

'I'm just a bit nervous is all,' He thought to himself, 'This whole thing is so new and foreign to me. But hopefully she can help.'

She then replied in a soothing voice- one that truly matched the aura and spirit of peace and contemplation that she had possessed both before and after his interruption. "My name is Litani, a pleasure to meet you. And yes... I do know what you mean. I have been drawn my whole life. But then... the sea is in my blood. The Konti are the daughters of Laviku and Avalis... we are drawn by Them and to Them, as a matter of course." As she finished speaking, she looked at him, still possessing that same peace, and continuing to infect Jack with it as well, as he continued to feel more at ease in speaking to her.

He did not reply immediately, instead opting to spend a few moments thinking on what she had spoken. He looked away from her face and out to the sea. As he thought, he watched the waves crash against the base of the tower, and listened closely to the rushing, unique sound they made, finding it to be remarkably helpful for thought.

'Drawn by them and to them? What must that be like? Perhaps that is the very thing I myself am feeling, this insatiable desire to find Laviku. After all, it is such an alien thing to me- to one like me, who spent his life learning to trust his sword and his wit, not some distant god who cares only for his priests and sea creatures. So where does this come from? Why do I care about these gods? I even find myself desiring to be known by them! Perhaps they ARE drawing me.' He did not understand it, but it was obviously true to him. It was the only thing he could think of to explain it. So he turned back to the konti woman- Litani, she had said her name was- after those few seconds in turbulent thought.

This time, he was not so defined by any peace or nervousness as he was by depth of thought. It was obvious on his face that he was conflicted and his wheels were turning. Then he spoke, his voice now deeper and lower than usual, reflecting what his face was making known. "You say that you are drawn by them and to them. If you don't mind me asking," As he spoke, the sunlight caught his eyes, causing him to squint and shield them with his left hand, "What is that like? To be drawn to a god?"

As he awaited eagerly her answer, he realized that he had not had thoughts this serious pertaining to his own life in a very, very long time. He was a little nervous about it, but somewhere wrapped up in fear, he was hopeful that this long journey- Not through a dangerous world, but through his own turbulent soul- was coming to an end.

[Litani]

Litani's laugh was soft, silvered, and quiet. She turned her eyes to the floor of the balcony upon which they stood and sighed softly, thinking over what the man had said. She knew what he asked. Or so she thought. In effort to lighten the question and the subject, she raised her left hand to his sight and smiled lightly, saying, "I know what it's like to be drawn ON by a God... does that count?" She smirked, allowing him a moment to see Rak'keli's winged serpent on the back of her ring finger. "I was born with Rak'keli's mark... She knew me before I could breathe." She smiled softly, wistfully, speaking of the Goddess as a parent. "Laviku is different... " Trailing off slightly, the Konti bent to set her satchel upon the ground and turned to face Jack. She reached up with both hands and brushed her hair back from her face, turning slightly into the wind to keep it back. There, the scales so signature of her race trailed along the edges of her hairline, dusted the upswept curves of her cheek bones and eyebrows, and disappeared beneath the collar of her shirt as they trailed down the sides of her neck. As she extended her right arm before him, the same - tiny trickles of scales shimmered down the length, curving in and out of the lines near her elbows and circling her wrists like bracelets she was born to wear. "If Rak'keli marked me... Laviku made me. " Another of her soft smiles graced her features, letting the loveliness of her trust in the Gods set the tone for her words and expression. "It is easy for me to feel and know the Gods because I can see the ways that each one has set me apart from all others... I know whose name is writ upon me. For me, it is simple." She shrugged her slender shoulders softly and gave Jack a subtle smile. "For you, perhaps it is not so easy... but nothing worthwhile ever is."

[Jack Benefort]

He listened to her words as she spoke, and tried to fully appreciate the wisdom she was offering him. She showed him the gnosis of Rak'keli on her left hand, and the scales which accentuated her face and arms, signifying her status as a creation- a child- of Laviku. She spoke of the way she knew the gods because she could see the ways they had set her apart. That for Jack, it may be more difficult. It was these last two ideas that captured Jack, that made him think, and held him in thought for seconds after Litani had finished speaking.

'They have set you apart,' he thought to himself. 'They have set you apart with your body. You bear the mark of Rak'keli, as do many of your people. And the scales show that you are the workmanship of Laviku. But must you follow them? Are you really so drawn because you are made that way? Born that way? Is every Konti destined to be ruled by love for Laviku and Rak'keli? It cannot be so. Worship is mental first, then physical. If I were bound by what my blood says, I never could have loved Athanasius as my father. We may be influenced, but we choose our own way. Don't we? But then, why am I here- me, who has cared so little for the gods? Do I disprove my own theories? Perhaps her markings are not the sentencing of a judge, the strings of a puppeteer, but a cause for worship and reverence. They incite it, they draw her to her makers.'

Then, moving forward in his thoughts to the next statement, that it would be more difficult for him, he continued, 'So how do I know whom I will follow? I was not born with a gnosis, and the human race is one of great diversity. I cannot call one god my patron just because of my blood or appearance. So what then? She was right, this is difficult to know. But I feel she was also right in saying that it would be worth it.'

Concluding his train of thought, he looked her in the eyes, still shielding his own from the sun and its blinding rays. He continued to speak in a low voice, "I must thank you, Litani, for humoring my inquiries when I so rudely interrupted your day. You have proven a great source of wisdom and things on which to think, which is exactly what I had hoped. And I think you are right. I think it will not be easy. Indeed, I expect it to be rather difficult, thinking about it now. And worthwhile too. But I am not yet finished with my questions, and for that I must briefly apologize. I am something of a neophyte in the world of religion, as I alluded earlier." At this point he turned to face away from the sea, tired of the sun catching his eyes, and leaned against the balcony, turning his head to maintain his gaze on Litani.

"So let me ask you this: You have the mark on your hand there" He gestured towards her hand, "And you have the scales, and you can breathe underwater and all that. But what does that have to do with being drawn? Do you feel the need to worship Laviku and Rak'Keli just because you were born with a body that displayed their touch? Or do you choose to follow them for other reasons?"

[Litani]

"What does that have to do with being drawn...?" "You must do as you are Called, Lit..." Blue, human eyes swam across her memory as she listened to Jack's voice. Her eyes focused on his face, but they saw only shadows. "Do you feel the need..." "...I have always known that about you." "...Laviku and Rak'keli..." And now the voice in her thoughts grew deeper, the eyes grew lighter, their words cut a dagger through her heart. "Maybe... just this once... They will listen." "...do you chose to follow Them?..." Memories collided behind her eyes, so vivid and so real... she was holding her breath, stock still, unmoving. Scenes overlapped, voices talked over each other, blending one into the next. If only she could reach... "I understand why you must go." "You will always have a place here if you need it." "I don't want you to go." "You must follow your heart." "You will always have a place here if you need it." "I might not always be here..." But then, with a flicker of the light, they were gone. And the unyielding walls of Laviku's tower slammed into her senses again, barring her from the life that was no more. They were both gone, out of sight, out of her world - one because he was gone, the other because she had gone. She told herself, again, all the reasons why she'd left. But still, she wanted nothing so much as to cry. ...some seconds after he was done speaking, the Konti blinked herself back to the present time. Suddenly, there was a smile where ghosts had been before. Not for the first time, she silently blessed Avalis, the sister of Rak'keli, for not marking humans with Her insights. He'd never understand. Another blink, a soft and slow breath, and she was herself again. Calm, serene, observant... As if reading something about the way he reacted to the strong sun, Litani bent briefly to gather her satchel and, as she pondered, her movements drifted them towards the welcome shade of the inner temple. He'd asked why she worshiped as she did. What was there to say that he might care to hear...? She sighed inwardly at herself. Don't even bother making the same mistake twice, idiot. Don't even think about it. Hell... twice? More like the millionth... nevermind. She pushed her inner monologue back down into the corner, buried somewhere behind the soft smile and gentle blue eyes. "It is difficult," she said then, answering him at last, "for me not to feel gratitude to the Ones who've made me who I am." Her voice lost its footing then and caught in her throat; she covered the fact with a faint cough, as if to clear the warm sea salt air from her lungs as the cool of the inside greeted them. After a few seconds, she went on, "Rak'keli's grace allows me to heal the wounds of others... I am drawn to do it, in fact. How could that be unless She was real, and cared for me?" Her slender shoulders rolled a shrug through themselves in a languid, relaxed manner. "Did She mark me, or did I chose to follow her? The answer is yes." Her left hand rose to brush its fingertips along her hairline, feeling the delicate, iridescent scales there. "Laviku... well, He is whom I've come here to find, and to grow closer to." Stop talking before you ruin everything. Her internal chorus was not particularly kind to her. You've given him enough, now shut up about it and let him think it over. Again, she silently sighed at herself. ...Father, sometimes I wish I could drown the darker parts of myself in You... truly, I do.

[Jack Benefort]

As he finished speaking, there was a pause. Looking at Litani, her face did not look like the face of someone who was simply mulling something over, or thinking of a good reply to a question. She looked.... Lost. As though she was dreaming with her eyes open. But just as suddenly as it seemed to have come, whatever it was departed, and Litani seemed to suddenly become aware of her own existence again. Jack decided not to say anything or press the issue. They were talking about deep, important things, and such conversations sometimes brought up things from within people. That was hers to own and hers alone, and he did not consider it his place to pry about what may have been on her mind. She could speak as freely as she wanted to, but he would not pry.

Without speaking, Litani retrieved her bag and led Jack off of the balcony and into the shade of the inner tower. He was very grateful, as she had probably taken notice of the sun's blinding him. Without its glare in his eyes, it was easier to think, easier to speak. Even after walking into the temple, the silence between them continued. It was not an intense silence, nor an awkward one- at least, not for him. Looking at her face, he could tell she was thinking. And that was good. He did not want to do something like this with a person who didn't use their brains. He would be willing to wait a very long time to hear an answer, and he knew from what she had said already that her answer would be a good one.

She spoke of her difficulty in not feeling gratitude toward her creators. She spoke of the experience of being drawn to do something and choosing to do it herself as one and the same. It was a very interesting thought to him.

'Can that be, that you can be chosen for something and choose to do it yourself at the same time? That you can be marked and choose to follow separately? At he first he was a little incredulous toward the idea, but he quickly found himself defeating his own thoughts. For all of what he knew about civilization in Mizahar, people had been chosen to do things. They received markings from gods, kings, owners. And yet they defied, chose their own ways even in light of having their ways chosen for them. They overcame their oppressors by ignoring that they were marked. Perhaps it is similar with the gods. You can be marked by a god, but you don't have to follow them. You choose to live the life of one so marked of your own volition. Litani, you choose to heal because you love to heal, and you love to heal because Rak'keli allows you the grace to heal and to love it.'

It was finally starting to click for the young man that religion was not just some lightly made choice when taken seriously. You were chosen by the gods and they were chosen by you. You entered into a willing relationship with the deities that governed the universe, a two-sided thing. A living thing.

"I... I think I see," Jack said, as Litani concluded her speaking about Laviku. " You do not simply make a choice, and yet, you do. You choose them as they choose you. It is like a friendship, but more than that. Am I correct? You love Rak'keli and heal by her grace, and you heal because you desire to see people healed. And yet at the same time, though you choose to heal, though it is your own heart that longs to help others, it stems so much from Rak'keli and her gift to you. It is like you are choosing each other at all times."

He hoped the conclusion he had come to was correct. He felt different than he had ever felt before while discussing this and thinking on it. It was this great feeling of anticipation, of not knowing quite what you've stumbled upon but knowing you have found something valuable nonetheless.

[Litani]

"All is choice," the Konti said quietly as they moved within the sheltering shadows of the tower. "Each relationship, every decision... all is choice." With a brief pause, Litani glanced around the interior, truly seeing it for the first time as well. As they spoke, her meandering steps did not so much lead as guide them along the wall line, pausing every so often to observe the guarded and displayed specimens of the sea. Some were quite breathtaking - at one point, an entire section of the outcropped wall was fashioned of some manner of hardened glass which allowed a view of the life within from 3 sides. Here, she lingered for some time, enjoying the ability to watch such small, unassuming creatures as shrimps and crabs pick their way among the waving, colorful coral. "You have the right of it, yes," she confirmed quietly whilst her eyes tracked a colorful fish within the enclosure. "I could tell you that I would have studied medicine and healing even without Rak'keli's mark but... I wouldn't know. I have had it since birth." For better or worse, eh? Inwardly, Litani sighed, too tired at the evoked memory to even carry on an internal monologue about it, much less voice it aloud. "I can say, however, that I have studied the body rather extensively and I would consider myself... capable... even without Her gift. Still, She makes life a lot easier." With a glance over her shoulder, she flashed him a smile then, one of her gently bright and open expressions that reflected both contentment and sincerity. "The Gods are not without Their answer to our worship... of the two, you might argue that we are the greatest recipients in the relationship." With this, she turned to face Jack entirely and yet looked down at her left hand, thoughtful and quiet for a moment. When she spoke, it was a slight effort but she forced herself to voice thoughts which usually dwelt only within, sensing perhaps that he needed or wanted to hear them. "Without Them, I would be alone," she said softly, lowering her hand and raising her eyes to regard the human. When she looked at him then, it was almost as looking into him, as if her eyes could speak their own imploring and curiosity directly. " I cannot pretend to know what has drawn you to the Gods... I can only tell you that I would be lost, without purpose, if I did not know Them to be with me." She stopped speaking then and let her eyes fall away, first to the floor and then wandering back to the enclosure of coral and fish and shrimp. At her profile, the edges of her pale features took a sort of curious color that contrasted delicately with the scales around it - she looked to be blushing, actually. A deep breath wound its way into her lungs and caused her shoulders to rise, then gently fall.

[Jack Benefort]

As they spoke, the two walked along through the tower, not with much purpose in where they went, but rather with the aimless yet guided step that seems to come hand-in-hand with deep conversation. Jack had not seen anything like the wonders on display here before. Some kind of glass that was stronger than glass enclosed miniature marine environments within the walls. It was as though Laviku had taken a blade, cut a piece of his domain from its home, and placed it, suspended, inside the tower. Truly, many of the sights therein were nothing short of breathtaking. Many creatures Jack had only seen on sale at fish markets in Zeltiva. Things like crabs and many different varieties of fishes that he was accustomed to eating or catching, rather than observing. There were other things as well- things he did not recognize. Plants that were alien in appearance, almost defying the definition of what he considered a plant to be. Things that were like fish and yet were nothing like anything he had seen. Even this smallest glimpse of the world beneath the waves shattered any preconceived notions of the smallness of the world below. He realized for the first time that if Mizahar is so diverse on its surface, it only makes sense that the depths of the seas would at least match it.

He recalled the day when he was a child and met a Konti for the first time. He had gone to such great lengths to sneak away from home and play with the other children, but they would not have him. They rejected him. Said he was too rich, that he was too noble, that he was just being condescending. They judged him and wouldn't have anything to do with him, all because he was raised by a wealthy man. If only they knew what he now knew- he was of the same blood as their fisherman families. Alone and despondent, he wandered the edge of the town until he met her- Her name was Eleret. He saw her and, in his youth and general ignorance, assumed she was nothing short of a goddess. She did not reject him or despise him. She welcomed him into her presence, and humored his inquiries. He remembered his shock at discovering that there was a race of women who were 'as much of the sea as the land.'

In retrospect, it was interesting that it always seemed to be the those of the sea who were opening his eyes, again and again. In Zeltiva, in Mura, and now in Riverfall. Over and over, Charoda, Svefra, Konti. And he had been so drawn to this place- to Laviku. Was it because Laviku drew him, or was he drawn to Laviku because of his children? Perhaps he and Litani were truly in the same position- chosen and yet choosers.

As he finished his statements and they both observed the wonders that were set around them, there was a brief, albeit comfortable, pause. And then, Litani spoke. She confirmed that Jack had been moving in the right direction with his understanding. She spoke more of her own will and Rak'keli's grace working together, and it seemed to him that they were one and the same thing. Litani was a skilled doctor on her own, and Rak'keli provided a gift that aided that. They were- in unison- pursuing the same goal. It seemed to Jack that to have your own will and desires aligned with those of your gods must be a grace in itself. She then made a statement that truly stirred him to thought once more:

"The Gods are not without Their answer to our worship... of the two, you might argue that we are the greatest recipients in the relationship."

'Hmm. You might argue that we are the greatest recipients...' Jack thought to himself, going over the statement once more and trying the consider its truth. 'It should seem so- after all, they did create us. But this seems to be more than just a recognition of the creator by the created. Litani is speaking of personal truth. In her relationships with her gods- Avalis, Rak'keli, Laviku- she receives more than she gives. But what do we give, and what do we receive?'

He was poised to ask about this when Litani turned to face him. She paused for a moment, simply looking at her hand, and he recognized the atmosphere that surrounded her. It was that expectant feeling, when one person has something important to say, and as such it cannot be easily spoken. There is a weight to such things, a sacredness that demands the respect of those present, and it speaks for itself, without words, needing only to be felt. And so Jack remained silent, and patiently awaited whatever it was Litani wanted to say.

"Without Them, I would be alone," she said, with a voice that belied the truth that the words she was now speaking carried the weight he had felt they would. It was not like what he had heard from her up until now. She had been cheerful, full of smiles and calm, but these words were more of an effort, and softer spoken. And the words themselves, aside from any tone or weight, struck him. 'Alone. You would be alone?' He inhaled deeply and slowly, as emotions stirred within him. He recalled the days as a child when he had been so alienated by his peers, felt such a stranger in his fathers home. He had been alone. He remembered the days after his father had passed, he had been alone then too. And he considered his current state, the state that- in part- had driven him to this place now. He didn't even know who he really was. He dodged the answering of his own questions of identity by remaining alone. And in her statement, in her confession, he could sense a sameness to himself. Maybe not in lack of character, maybe not in confusion of identity. But that core of being alone, it was something she very clearly understood.

She then looked into his eyes, and it was as though she was looking into his own soul. He slowly exhaled. Her eyes seemed to speak to him- they were like their own words, wrought and spoken just for the occasion. They knew why he was here- they knew of his pain, his failings. They knew that he needed what he was to find in this place, and they beckoned him to find it, spurred him on somehow. She continued to speak, with true words now.

"I cannot pretend to know what has drawn you to the Gods... I can only tell you that I would be lost, without purpose, if I did not know Them to be with me."

With these words spoken, the Konti turned back away from Jack, facing the enclosed piece of the sea once more, and he noted her skin- scales?- Her visage change color slightly, in a manner reminiscent of a blush, like one would experience when embarrassed or flustered. It reinforced his suspicion that what she had just shared was something very personal- very close to her heart. And as he thought on it for a few moments, it was something that began to infect his own heart as well. This time, instead of spending so much time in thought, he decided to answer her confession with one of his own.

"You speak of being alone without them," He said, moving so that he stood about a foot from her, just beside her, and faced the enclosure. "You say that, they give you purpose by being with you..." At this, he sighed deeply, in preparation to speak of his own turmoils. "In truth, I came here- was driven here- by those very things. Being alone, even though there are many who would call you friend. Being without purpose, even though you have a noble and worthy cause to pursue. Throughout my life, it has been people like you who have pointed my way, who have opened my eyes when I could not. Always those who follow Laviku- Konti, Charoda, Svefra. His children seem to guide my way and keep me alive. I wonder if my own sense of being alone is because I am like you- a child of his. A child who has not known his father. My own father, and the man who raised me- both are dead, and I have long been without anyone to call by that name. But perhaps it is that Laviku has desired not to share such a title with another."

There was a pause then, as Jack wiped at his cheeks. Tears had begun to trickle down his face while he spoke. Inside himself, he felt all manner of emotions and turmoil and unrest. But most of all, he had a profound joy that rose up within him. He felt something he had never felt before- He felt content. He felt as though he had found his home. Then, he folded his arms across his chest, and resumed, "You have said that we are the ones who receive most in our relationships with the gods. I think you have proven that to be true today. I feel as though I have received more than I could have fathomed ever existed for me when I walked in this place."

Then, he ceased speaking, wanting to savor the moment, and wanting to allow Litani an opportunity to speak, as he realized that he had tended to dominate the conversation between them unwittingly.