Zja (prime)

Zja Baba Race Human Culture Tehir Profession Wizard Affiliation(s) Hand of the Arkati Likes bugs, stories

In the beginning... Qoobaba died at Caligos, the night Charl's fury swept over the island. Ghezresh did not save him, for he had another to repay. Cast aside, the soul was consumed by lowly eels, who shredded and slurped his soul down like a wet, wriggling sardine. When day broke the Eve of the Reunion, that body did not belong to him any longer. This kindness Ghezresh lent unto the-sky was not one of reward for devotion, no. It was a contract, a contract like any malevolent being might craft with a mortal: The sky would provide [translation unavailable], in exchange for [results hazy, try again]. Thus it was done. Rote and written, her fate sealed. Days turned to weeks as she battled the body that now housed her soul. The sky could not cry in this form. Zja could not fly either. The deal was unacceptable, but there was no going back now. Or was there? It was She who had risen. It was she, the sky of the-sky, Zja. Zja was borne from the apoptosis of Luukos's maw. But her mind was not the same, and she was not alone.

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"Why do birds fly instead of run?" asked the child. The woman leaned in close to tell the child a story she once heard...

"You see...

In the beginning, Avocet was thirsty.
She was a small creature, vulnerable as prey.
But Avocet dared not try, for between them
Lay Jackal and Serpent in the sand and in the reeds.

One day, Avocet noticed the sky had no jackals.
The sky had no serpents either, so Avocet, she took the sky.
Avocet took sky beneath her fingers
Avocet took the sky beneath her feet.
And so, Avocet did soar above them.

She could see the whole of the oasis.
All around, Avocet could see.
But around the water's edge, stood Yierka.
The Jackal and Serpent did not dare come near Yierka.
Avocet could see everything so clearly now.

So Avocet landed on Yierka's back, though he did not notice.
From his back, she was led to the water's edge
Where a cool drink rewarded her.
Then back up his snout and crown she skittered,
When Avocet's thirst was quenched.

From that day, Avocet knew that as long,
That as long as she kept the sky beneath her feet,
Jackal and Serpent cannot attack.

This is why Avocet flies, girl-child."

Why do birds have beaks?" asked the child. The-sky leaned in close to tell the girl-child a story she once heard...

"You see,

In the beginning, Avocet was hungry..."

The story continued on for some time, until the woman completed the route of her tale, from a struggle progressing to victory. Story complete, the-sky stood up to go. But the child beside her said, "Why do birds have feathers?"

The woman chuckled to herself, deep laugh lines accentuating a jaunty grin.

"You see girl-child,

In the beginning, Avocet lived in trees..."

But there was something to the story that the girl-child didn't know: far beyond where the sand met the sky, a massive oasis licks at the earth. In that pool, where unfathomable dangers lurk. They were not of the sky as Avocet, nor were they of the land like Yierka, Jackal and Serpent. No, no this creature was of the sea, zhi-zio, qut-qoritz hozh zhi zome. The Big Waters past the sand were infested with creatures just like Her.

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