Heart of Life

Hopscotch

"You're me."

"I am you."

So..."

"So I'm a very distant relative, which is a distant situation to the pair you are viewing below. That is the reason that we can converse, and they must go about it like barbarians." You look from your silver-armored predecessor to the arena below, in which Timber and Tiambre are having what could be considered a classic moment of dramatic fighting. The dialogue is really unnecessary, but Tiambre and Timber both have a flair for the dramatic. They're the same personality, after all, just circumstantially different. You, on the other hand, are a little bit different than that. Since your title was passed on in the proper fashion, your mind is very well sorted, yet smoothly meshed. His experience and knowledge is all yours, and as a result, you've lost all the innocence and naivety you didn't realize you needed so badly.

Since you're not disillusioned and you're bearing the cynicism that Faolein has passed to you, you are totally different than before. Now, it's Timber that's going to depend on you, because he's going to have to sacrifice that bond that you share with your ancestor in order to spare his own sanity. You're the responsible one, the knowledgeable one, the one who's going to have to be the one to keep everything in line. That's how Faolein was forced to treat Tiambre until the day he died protecting her from Eve, mother of Christianity and vessel for the demon Lilith. Now, it's your job to make sure that Timber survives until he, too, finds his own ancestors to share his legacy with.

You look over again and see that Faolein has left you to your thoughts, which is really fine. You actually like this peace now, because it symbolizes that you've finally found your true meaning and power. It's of absolute importance that Timber thinks you lose it outside of the grove, as he loses his. It's not that you really just want to lie about it or protect his ego, but you have to teach him what you know from Faolein's knowledge of Tiambre. You also have to try and act a little closer to how you were before, so as to seem in character, so to speak. That's going to be hard. You've changed a lot since then.

You watch as Timber's trials are about to start, and then you close your eyes. It's time to return to your body.

You're infuriated that he kissed you in public. Of all things, and with his tongue. Gods it was amazing. But that's beside the point! You're stuck in London, and being chased by malicious spirits, because he has the accuracy of a blind carrot. You glance at the spirit as he tugs you into a run, but your vision is better. You can see that there is a god guiding them, and you presume it's probably a nameless god, or at least one you don't recognize. You're relieved when they stop chasing you, but as Timber shoves you to a halt in a rather darkened area, shockingly empty of people, you realize why. In front of you stand three figures, with silver wings extended in perfect unison. Angels. That means that God is waking up, which is not good.

You look at Timber, who's trying in vain to summon his weapon, and you finally push him aside. "Loren, don't--"

"Shut up, you aimless treehugger." You hold your hand out, and in your grip appears your trident, which takes the shape of a sword at your thought; your armor appears. It's heavy, but comfortably so, and you are prepared to defend. That is your purpose. You're not really the guardian of the River, no. Faolein and you both know--you're the guardians of the guardians of the Tree. "Who wants to die first?" you inquire, and you can see the chill crawling up Timber's spine. The angels, who are helmeted, turn slightly to look at each other, and finally, the leftmost figure steps forward and removes his helmet. He's blindingly perfect, but you've seen better in the eyes of the one person to catch your own eye.

"I am Michael, and more powerful than you. Do you truly challenge me? It would be so much easier for you to die." You narrow your eyes slightly; no, it wouldn't. You shake your head slightly, and then you hold the sword out in challenge, manifesting a shield in your other arm. The angel nods and summons a two-handed sword of his own, and he charges you.