[God Quest] Free your mind and heed the call

This time they came at midday, when the sun was highest in the sky and its light was strongest - or would have been if the grey clouds of Flowerbirth had not obscured it. Still, they knew that it was there as they ferried the various cages and terrariums of Void-infected flora and fauna into the highest chamber of the lighthouse. Flowers from several regions, pulsing with violet light and chilling presence were placed before the altar, a profane addition to the shrine that would soon be wiped clean, Hadama hoped. A vicious winespider and a malevolent Mata Mata with amethyst eyes twisted within their cages, perhaps sensing their impending fate, while a pineapple with a corrupted heart of ice promised a new generation of horrors if it was not destroyed.

Hadama shifted them grimly into position, flexing his fingers to shake the coldness from them as a pervading aura of despair and unease filtered up from the gathered company and filled the room, and then he looked at Flora and nodded in support. "Thank you," he murmured, grateful for her presence as much as for her help as they set their offerings atop the altar itself.

From the King, he offered a chalice of moon-pale silver filled with the Healing waters of the Fountain in the Court of Stars and a pure white feather sacrificed from his owlbear armor, its edges painstakingly painted in gold foil with a stylized sunburst near its center where the vanes were widest. Water and air, the elements of the Mer half of Torchline.

"Vi," he murmured, kneeling beside his co-ruler and bowing his head before the shrine. "The tasks are done. Please, protect our waters from the Void."

---

For Whom the Fires Burn
1. A thread of at least 3 Torchers (including 1 Mer) gathering stones from the Rainbow Road
[RQ] One rock, two rock, red rock, blue rock
2. A PQ dropping those stones all around the Arclight Ocean by boat. Must have 8 rounds.
[PQ] [RQ] in a town made of quicksand
3. A thread with at least 1 Torcher, capturing a void Flora or Fauna from every major region (SB, TL, H, HG, GW, KE), kept alive and brought at the time of turn-in. OR one vein of Void Crystal from within Starfall Island.
SB: [RQ] favored annihilation
TL: [RQ] If you like pina coladas
H: [RQ] [SE] Flowerfall
HG: [RQ] tinker tailor soldier spy
KE: [se] the albatross

your touch brought forth an incandescent glow, tarnished but so grand

Flora was there to help with the arrangement of flora and fauna of course, but no part of her seemed happy about it. No doubt this was because of what they were, of the sickly aura that seemed to pervade her every sense, and once it was done, the Doubletake hastened away from the cages just as far as she was able. Trying to catch her breath and shake of the overwhelming feeling of doom, Flora eventually sunk down at Hadama's side, closing her eyes and trying to fix thoughts of Vi into her mind.

For Flora's portion of the offering, the Doubletake had brought a volcanic chunk of obsidian from Apopo as well as a carefully potted sapling that was being encroached on by a number of void flora: fire and earth.

"Thank you, Vi." She added, her own voice small against the purple glow of the plants and animals.

vi

The sunlight beams in through the windows of the Aumakua, and with it, Vi simply is. Before his presence, the void flora and fauna seem to shrink back and away, as if able to see the truth of their corruption when faced with something so pure in comparison. Alas, the God of Life is not known for his gentleness or his mercy, and with scarcely a raise of a hand, the creatures disintegrate into their most base components, swirling in the air above the gathered trio.

"The Arclight is under my protection," he declares. "No void creatures may enter it, save for at the source of this plague." Starfall Island, of course.

Like so many lilac coloured stars, the remnants of the void scatter to nothing, but their presence might be felt within the barrier that locks itself across Torchline's oceans.

---

Torchline has completed their RQ and has received the following:

Vi's Barrier | A faintly visible golden barrier covers all of the Arclight and its boards (excluding Starfall). Void flora and fauna cannot enter the area.

Table base by Sky!

It was a staggering sensation of purity and power that made Hadama glad that he was already on his knees. He bowed deeply as the God of Life manifested, Vi's presence one of stern power but also of renewal and hope. If there was no mercy in his destruction of the Void flora and fauna for the corrupted creatures of Caido, there was at least a fighting chance for those that remained.

It was a humbling reminder of the power that Caido could bring to bear against the Void through the Old Gods.

"Thank you, Vi," the Tidebreaker said aloud, echoing Flora as his deep voice became rough with the depth of gratitude he felt when the barrier came into being across the waters that had been his home for most of his life. The Underwater City and the Mer within were now safe from the depredations of the Void.

Leaving only the Coast to defend.

One large hand reached aside to close around Flora's, squeezing her fingers gently as hope and determination strengthened beneath Vi's unyielding light.

your touch brought forth an incandescent glow, tarnished but so grand

Much as Flora was want to think of Vi as some sort of divine grandad because of his relationship to Ronin, as he appeared all familiarity and frivolity left the Doubletake's face, replaced only by awe and respect. It was rare for Flora to be stunned into silence, but gods if the creator of life didn't absolutely steal every single word from her lips, save for one.

"Thank you."

Feeling Hadama's hand against hers, Flora glanced subtly over her shoulder as her fingers closed around his. It might have felt like an uphill battle, especially what Starfall just there on their borders, but gods they were doing it.

They might actually get through this alright.

~FIN