>>6128126You hesitate. The recitations do speak of the afterlife as eternal contemplation of Ansàrra’s mind, one with the bliss of the Sunbirther. To take part in the final song, all of you with your own proper voice. To sing together with Kishirra and Bragia, as equals under Her light…
“I don’t believe in Ansàrra because She gives me something back,” you whisper. This is a conversation you only ever had with Master, but something inside you feel inspired. “She merely gives me all I need: an open path between me and her enemies, strength enough to wield Her wrath, and compassion to share peace with my friends and one day with my family.”
“Your Goddess extends your life, heals your ailments, cures your illnesses, gives you good land to toil and clean water to drink.” She shakes her head. “She gives you all this, paying it all out of her own flesh, and you think she gives it all <span class="mu-i">for free?</span> That is a foolishness I don’t want to have any part in.”
She does not understand.
“It’s not that Ansàrra gives it all for free,” you reply, watching the Asterite. You hated her, for a couple hours, then felt pity for her, then… you could live with her presence while you suggested strategies, but now you feel for her something you felt for Willow before. The tug on your heart that you get seeing a lost creature, holding itself onto sheer rock, unable to climb higher and unable to let go. “It’s that She does give it at all. That someone would do so much for us.”
Sandora shakes her head.
“I fight night and day — and especially night — against a nameless force for ownership over my soul. I’ll gladly hold onto it rather than give it away to someone else for a warm meal and clean water. I already have both, anyway.”
“I don’t think Ansàrra owns my soul,” you reply. “I think She would take good care of it when it is time, though.” A pause, as you recall something you heard in the town. “We haven’t seen Saint Kishirra be reborn again in more than a thousand years, haven’t we?”
“I suppose we did not. Not yet,” she adds, raising her gaze to her sky.
>You remember Willow’s words. “Is your Crow around us right now?”>Maybe it’s just because you just finished praying, but wouldn’t you repeat your offer? A late conversion is better than no conversion.>You decide to let go of this kind of discussion. There’s still the matter of how she fits into your group. You'd rather talk about that.>[Suggestion]my plan is finally complete, at last there is theological speculation on /qst/. also, this and the next update may not seem like much, but as you will see, these words and your next ones will be exceedingly important. as always, thanks for playing.oh, and we ARE getting off this boat. it's a promise. 