I ventured out into those vague cosmos of his wall, walking among the clouds. I stood on stars on dust, treading ever carefully between those myriad millions of souls that swam through the storm.
They say only the truly firm and fervent in faith can hope to see Thandir. I had never been a believer in my life in the Trinity and its dogma, or the Emperor, who I saw as just a Tyrant that minted himself as something special, but in this moment of seeing the glory - and I could not deny the Trinity had glory in this all - I was paralyzed by it in my belief.
And that was what allowed me to see him ahead in the empyreal road.
BGM:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDqIBYTWbjE[THANDIR] "Another cometh fro, witnessing mine Lokas."
I stopped, staring dead ahead. In the mist of the clouds, I saw a figure whose body was like armor holding a trishula of gold, their lower half wrapped by a long sarong which fell past even his feet, almost molding with- No. It was one with the environment. He himself was part of his own smaller Heaven, a replication of the true Heaven. His Lokas.
His Lokas were the Heavens below. Mini-Heavens, if you would. They were all created with his Hallowed Wall of gold. It was bigger in the inside.
He turned to me, hand over his heart. His chest bore the character that described his very being, his crown and mustache were part of his helmet-head, as he chose for his physical form of Materia to be an intimidating armored god. His very sight invoked pressure and I felt as though I was trapped in a corner facing him, when I could flee anytime and leave his Lokas.
[THANDIR] "Seeth mine work, of but one of three. Quiz upon it. Never-ending, shall this Soul Storm spin thereunto New Eternity's vale. Mine work is endlong till HE on high shouldst impose mine vale. Yae, I thole tenfold for He. All Souls shalt I task, for I begged this appeal, O'EMPEROR THEE! LET ME BE THE BLESSER OF ALL SOULS! And THIS HE ANSWERED UPON! So praise BE!"
'You oversee all souls...? But how can you if souls that die go to the Afterseas...?
[THANDIR] "Thou must understandeth, mine claim art staked. Thine Souls wouldst yon Darkness claim only whence faith hath failed. Hath one denied upon the power of thy God, thy Emperor, wilt thou embrace antithesis."
[THANDIR] "I am Lord Thandir, of the Lokas. I am one of three. Thou hath come before mine countenance to see a God. Nay, many and resolute art thine pretenders below, all of them shalt claim Godhood but out of guile. None hath seen truth, and none hath a hope of reaching it. Thither thee to Heaven, for all thine strokes shouldst see thee awakened. Whether thou move on thy feet or in spirit, thou shalt see it and be blessed. Acceptance of this shalt see thee through. Search the scriptures and realize. Open thine eyes."
