Ereshkigal has called Wraithvine to an island deep in the sea where nothing is going on. Inhabited by normal crabs, far from trade winds, no merfolk or shipwrecks in the vicinity, no more than background levels of magic. What is here that the Goddess is so insistent? -- Deathshead419
There's something people do to busy people that starts with, "While you're up," or, "While you're there," that will inevitably irritate the busy people in question. Gods do it too, but only to those sworn to the god's aid.
Between teaching Nimnae lessons he wouldn't forget, with most of the year between now and his next birthday, Wraithvine got The Call to investigate a small island to the south.
It would not take long to get there, nor to get back. So it promised to be a relatively quick trip. Wraithvine knew the lure of the quick trip that ended up taking centuries or more. But hir goddess had promised that ze would be back before Nimnae's next petulant attempt at a birthday wish. And the goddess always kept her promises.
So Wraithvine left hir instructions for Nimnae's family, and borrowed a boat to see the island to the south. There were no shipwrecks, no marooned souls - living or dead. No merfolk, no fishfolk, no mad gods nor fallen temples. Crabs, yes, but no crab gods. No dangerous, flesh-eating plants. No tropical Trolls about to rampage. No outrageously venomous spiders. Not even a mildly irritated bird. Even the leyflow was humming along without a hitch, glitch, snarl, knot, or vortex.
There weren't any caves that lead to the extensive caverns of the Everdark. Most of them were ordinary and slightly boring volcanic lava tunnels. The volcano that caused them was long dead.
It was entirely tranquil. A little patch of land that civilisation didn't think worthy of barging in on. There was no room for a village, let alone a city or a trading network. It could, with a little effort of an inhabitant, support one person.
Ze sat on the remaining peaks, watching the sun set and waiting for the appearance of the Daughter Moon. It was a beautiful view. Picturesque and relaxing. There she was. Peeking out behind her mother and shining in her rebirth veil.
"Goddess," ze whispered. "Why did you lead me here?"
The stars glistened, the moon shone. The waves lapped audibly on the shore and the creeping crabs fought over seaweed. The goddess took her time, as she always did. When she decided to speak, she said, You were getting too tense. You needed a holiday.
Wraithvine sighed. "That boy needs an epiphany. We might have to gift him one."
Hir goddess remained silent. Now was not the time. Ze would have a few days to enjoy some peace before returning to hir work of reforming a terrible child.
[Photo by Raphael Bick on Unsplash]
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