Wikki'thich-hie (D9 LE)

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

As a white moon rose on the horizon the Black Moonset stood at the edge of the cliff looking down into the pool below. In his hands he held a smooth stick with little ornamentation. He brushed his fingers along the length of the staff... the scent wafted up towards his nostrils... and a foreboding feeling... nay... memory began swirling about his mind.

He sat down cross-legged near the edge and brought the stick up in front of him.

For our future...

He closed his eyes and brought the stick to his nose inhaling a deep breath into his lungs...

[Canary]

Black Moonset felt the scent fill his nose, surround him, and some part of him leave himself behind. His mind descended into the fog of dreams, toward a great light within. Within a moment, he found himself standing on the balcony of one of the great domes of the capitol city. He had visited only once, in his childhood, before it was destroyed. Near him stood a Nezumi aglow with his own inner light. There was something familiar about him, but it was hard to place just now. The being said nothing to him for the moment.

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

The immediate response Black Moonset felt was fear... all their lives Nezumi were taught to fear the Wikki’thich-hie. The Dream World was filled with dangers... but within in they all felt a strange call. For Black Moonset he had wandered in the Dream World from time to time... sought for something that never revealed itself... Until now.

Standing atop the balcony he felt... at home. The call for all the Nezumi was located here. The City... somehow lost in the World of Dreams. The view of the misty city in front of him directed his fear. Gave him focus and strength. Controlling Fear to make the best decision in the moment was what Brave-Warriors-Who-Remember were made for.

His fear turned him in the direction of the glowing being... Fear of a future bereft of this city.

He stepped towards the being... looking closely as he stood up to his full height.

[Canary]

"Look up," the being intoned, and it was quickly revealed the bright light was coming from more than him. Above, a golden light in the sky became brighter and brighter as it streaked through the sky toward the city, the sound of it burning through the air filling the Black Moonset's ears. Anything the Transcendent might have said afterward was drowned out by the horrendous noise, and only one thing could be heard afterward. A voice said, "No...!"

Then impact. The blast knocked him off his feet as his vision whited out to the city crumbling around them.

Then the world faded back in to the capital as it stood now - the balcony was still intact, but crumbling, and much of the building had collapsed. The buildings nearby were in the same shape or worse. Visible below was a massive crater that opened at the bottom to a yawning portal of green light. Nearby, apparently unaffected, was the Transcendent, who was now looking at him. Now that he could see closer, he could see he was carrying a staff and dressed in a pale draping cloth, and had pale fur and red eyes that instantly reminded him of T'tok. "The terrible day when air became fire and heaven fell from its perch to crush our glorious home beneath its blackened corpse. This is what remains now."

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

“The chief-of-chiefs did not listen... We lost much. But not all.” He said.

“We remain.”

[Canary]

"Indeed we do," he replied. "And now it is a question of whether we will continue to as we are. I have seen many possibilities. Tell me what you seek, Black Moonset." The Transcendent's eyes are unwavering on his.

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

There was something familiar about those eyes... but grasping what it could be was like grasping at a dream.

“I wish to know what to do to close that crater..” He said as he pointed.

[Canary]

"Tell me, young one, what opened the crater?" He asked instead of answering.

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

“The hairless ones say it was a giant child of the sun and moon fallen from the sky.” He replied.

[Canary]

"Yes. You heard the voice as the fall happened," he replied. "So if one used the power of Tengoku to open the portal, then one must use the power of that realm to close it."

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

“So... we can do nothing? We must rely on these ‘gods’ the hairless ones brought with them?” He asked with an abiding intent.

[Canary]

"No. The creature of Tengoku did not use its power itself. Nor can it do so now to resolve this," he replied. "It must give up the part of its Name that belongs to its home realm to the shamans. They and those hairless ones who can affect the elements must use their abilities in concert to close it. To do this, that part of its Name must not be sullied by the realm it is in now."

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

“So the Fallen-Rock-Man must relinquish his Heaven-Name... I must find shamans... and we must hurry... A race... against his Tomorrow.”

[Canary]

"Yes... His Tomorrow could be all of our Tomorrow," he agreed. "Help the hairless ones ensure the purity of the Heaven-Name. Convince Fallen-Rock-man to relinquish it. I will send dreams to the Shamans at the forward camp. They will know what they need to do if you manage this feat."

"Now... I need something from you in return."

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

He nodded. “What would you have me do?”

[Canary]

"You are fearless, Black Moonset, so I intend to charge you with something other might balk at," he replied calmly, eyes still on his. "I wish you to go to the Great-Great Forest where the large snakes of death sleep and retrieve one of their magical pearls."

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

“Now?” He asked in wonder.

[Canary]

"Once you finish your trek with the hairless ones," he clarified.

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

“One always should listen to Shamans and Rememberers... and you are greater than both. I will do as you ask.” He said with a bow.

[Canary]

"May you continue to skillfully outrun Tomrrow," he said, nodded.

With that, the scent fades and T'kkiri returns to awareness of his surroundings.