ORIGIN - a polyphonic prayer

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Purity's fur was splayed out at strangle angles as he sprinted down the tunnel- a rare occurrence for him, yes, but he had been craving the altar's light for days, now. He knew how far he could usually go, but he'd never been this far away for so long, and he took a risk. He knew this. Six days and unrecognizable emotions pounded behind his eyes, drowning out higher senses and driving him to destruction.

His pelt was evidence of that. His heart beat with his panting as he skidded into the altar's resting place, his dull pelt turning a lighter shade of grey in its light. He was here, he had returned, and nothing in here helped the familiar tugs at his mind. Granted, here, they tended to be outside of his mind. It was comforting in a way. The physical presence of whatever gripped him gave him some form of affirmation- no, he was not losing his mind. He couldn't be. He was-- something's just happening to him, something... Exhilarating.

The cat stood in the altar's glow and stared up to it. His pulse pounded in his ears, and he shut his eyes, grimacing for a brief moment.

If only he understood, truly, what was happening. He'd been in and out for so long, and yet no answers came to him, just this strange thing in this strange cove, awash with its strange light. Opening his eyes, Purity slowly brought himself closer to the altar, ears flattened back. "I've been... Away, for some time," he breathed out, his voice quiet and reverent. "I see the kitten has taken care of you, while I've been gone." He'd seen the strange, cat-like Ultraviolet off and on, and particularly he'd been missing the strange being as he often rested outside of the altar's room anymore.

He'd been missing almost everyone who came into it, really. Perhaps that was his problem- he didn't spend time in here, anymore. And yet, it felt so strange sometimes, and even he needed to step away.

He should not have. Shutting his eyes again and letting out a soft hiss, Purity turned to the side and pressed his back against the smooth material of the altar, arching it before laying down. He was tired from being away for some long, tired from destroying himself and tussling up his fur, tired from running home. Why did he run? He had so much energy before, but being here, he felt exhausted, like the weight of his emotions came crashing back like a tidal wave.

Stretching out one forelimb, Purity's hooked tongue ran down the length of it, smoothing down wild fur and hopefully bringing some sanity back to his mind. What would he even say, if someone saw him like this? No- no one could see him, not while he was driving himself to his own demise. And so, he proceeded to smooth out his own fur, struggling to bring in order to his fur in the strangely comforting (and yet wholly maddening) voices emanating from all around him.

Corruption: +3 [44]

It would have been a visit to the Bonebound. Nothing more. He would have passed through this tunnel like normal: quickly but not with any undue haste, certainly not at a speed that suggested he might be afraid of the accursed place. Perhaps given the monster guarding Canis a little kick to show his disdain, even.

But the cat dashing down the tunnel at full speed, then disappearing into a mysterious hole? That was unusual. That was suspicious. Who was he running from, or to? Why did they hide out in such a miserable place? There wasn't anything nefarious going on here, was there?

If there was, then it was Zhusha's self-appointed duty to investigate. He descended into the Hole after the cat, whispers prodding at his mind the deeper he went.

It was similar to what he'd been hearing ever since the failed Ursa assault, and suspicion deepened. Whether this cat was affiliated with chaos beasts or mind-controlling fungus, both associations were damning. He was likely not any sort of good character, Zhusha decided.

When at last the darkness gave way, it was to a light that was all wrong. His snowy feathers were now dark, smoky grey-black, and the cinnabar patch on his head shone a pale cyan—not that Zhusha could see it.

But it was wrong. The cat looked wrong, too, as did the stone all around them. The one at the center even seemed evil, which was ridiculous until it wasn't. Stone was not evil, but this one was. Unnatural, alien, sickening.

Suspicion wormed its way deep into Zhusha's heart and stayed there. "Who are you?!" he demanded at the cat, though it came out as more shrill than authoritative. "And what are you doing here, in such a disgusting, unnatural place?" His voice cracked at the end, jumping pitches. Zhusha cursed in his head. Was he not drinking enough water? Or did the universe hate him?!!!

@Purity

Purity glanced up mid-lick, his tongue over his paw. His veins were still pounding in his ears, but he'd calmed a little now- calm enough to glare to the crane.

After a moment, his expression softened in an attempt to look welcoming, the feline stretching out and curling his back. Ahh- a newcomer to the altar. Purity shut his eyes for a moment and rumbled out something that wasn't quite a purr, but was close enough to be mistaken for one. "You may call me Purity," he meowed, stepping away from the altar. Something was worrying at the crane- that much was obvious, from their panicked tone- and Purity forced himself to calm his nerves and bring himself back to the voice of reason.

It was hard, when he didn't look all too great. Maybe he looked like some madman rather than a sophisticated creature, and alarm bells rang in his mind at that. He wasn't ready to be seen yet, he needed to be alone-

Shaking his head, he shoved that all down, taking on a look of innocence. "A disgusting place?" His tone was near-offended, though mostly in joking, as he curled up one paw dramatically to place it on his chest and his ears flattened to the sides. "This is my home, my dear," he purred, rumbling out a soft laugh. "Though, I haven't been here in-- a few days, so it is rather out of shape, right now, I presume."

He glanced about and- no, it looked the same as ever. Though, the word 'unnatural' rolled in his mind- that part was true enough, after all, and he paused for a moment before turning his eyes back to Zhusha. "You aren't wrong about it being... Unnatural, though. It's a strange place, and it's one I've been trying to understand for some cycles, now." He stepped back, turning to the altar before curling his head back, pointing with his tail to the strange slab. "By now, I'm certain you see how the colors have shifted, and can hear the whispers this place... Emanates. It's unnatural, but I find it utterly fascinating." His voice was quiet and near reverent, like a preacher talking of their church or higher power. His head tilted as he watched Zhusha- even if his face was welcoming, his pupils were thin pin-pricks, and he watched the crane's every move.

@Zhusha

Even with a welcoming expression on his face and seemingly innocent words, that suspicion remained deep-seated. Zhusha could hardly be called prudent in his actions, but now, with who he trusted? It might be a fairer description.

Still, Purity did not appear to be straight-up feral, like Draconua, and that at least was a point in his favor. Though he seemed a little too obsessed with the whispers, a little too enamored with the wrongness. He could not be trusted, but maybe he wasn't completely evil either.

He narrowed his eyes, subtly clearing his throat to ensure there would be no repeats of his first mishap. "I am Zhusha. And what do you think you're getting out of your 'investigation'?" His suspicion and skepticism was not so subtle, deliberately unveiled to ensure Purity knew what he thought of this whole thing. "Don't go mad yourself as you study it. It's an evil place. Nothing lives here, so why bother?"

@Purity

If Purity had eyebrows to raise, one would be cocked up to his forehead. But, as it stood, all he had was a cat boy, with a tail tip that flicked once- twice, then, as he tilted his head gently.

A good question. What was he here for? "It's very interesting to me, I suppose," he spoke, clearing his throat in turn as he gathered his thoughts. There was suspicion- there always was- to these things, outright rejection or utter fear of it. "It's here for a purpose. For-- driving people mad, for helping them to become better, to just be evil or good- I don't know. Truly." He sat on his haunches as he curled one paw up, looking back to the altar as he contemplated what to say.

It was for the first time in a long time that he spoke without fanaticism. He spoke with truth, without an underlying purpose to it, and he slowed for a moment as he realized that. Why was he so obsessed with the altar? Why did he care? A noise heard only by himself rose from the back of his throat, a soft escape of air as he let out an uneasy breath.

He cared, because it made him care. And, there wasn't damage in that, yet. He hadn't died. He wasn't mad, in his books- he was here. He was sane. And he needed to know more.

His claws flexed out of his paws for a second before pulling back in, a shiver running over Purity's long coat as he resolved his thoughts. "Someone has to understand it. And if it's truly evil, then we'll find some way to be rid of it. But, it feels nothing more than a tool to me- something that can be used for good or evil, for better or worse, in the hands of whoever's under its... Influence." Had he aimed to use its influence for himself? Perhaps, but he didn't consider himself to be evil in it. He wanted to know. He wanted to survive- to never be trapped again, alone, abandoned in a burning cave, fearing death if he tried to escape.

"So, I don't know what I'll be getting out of it. I don't know what it'll do to me, and it has been strong in its influence, but I am in control. Others, can be in control too, if I could only understand this."

There was the fanaticism coming back, his digits curling together as his claws ached in his toes. His fur rose just slightly as he curled his tail in closer. He wasn't looking to Zhusha- it looked like he was fascinated by his own paw, his mind struggling to turn over just why this place because his obsession over the cycles.

@Zhusha

Zhusha eyed the Altar distastefully. Sure, he had no actual evidence it was evil. But it looked bad, and his instincts on that had never been wrong before. Look at Draconua, for example. He was amazed that the other Gembound had allowed her into the party.

And now, the Altar, too, threatened to be a stone Draconua. Disguising itself as not pure malice, but power. Potential. And what would it do once it had drawn the Gembound into its grasp? Probably turn on them, and ruin them.

(He really needed to come up with a better word for living things than Gembound. He despised the idea of being bound to anything.)

I am in control, Purity said. "Good for you," Zhusha replied, and tried not to sound sarcastic. "And what are your findings so far? If it is a tool," and he did not hide the distaste in the word, "what is it good for? What has it enabled you to do, that you could not have done without it?"

What made it worth the risk? he wondered, his eyes catching the rainbow shimmers that danced on the Altar's surface, and again rejected the temptation to step closer. The power of Draconua had surely been tempting, too, before it had all gone wrong.

@Purity

Purity glanced back up to Zhusha, not moving his head. One ear flicked- while he couldn't gauge the tone, the phrase itself set off alarm bells in the back of his head, and chaos began to reign in the darkest pits of his mind. 'S̴h̸o̵w̷ ̷h̷i̶m̵,̵ ̴t̴h̸e̸n̸,' something cried and whispered all at once, and he turned his eyes away.

He shut them, breathed in as Zhusha finished, and sighed out quietly. Purity placed his paw down- the claws still ached when he pulled them back- and he returned to watching the crane. "It has not affected me. Not yet. But I have seen someone- a dog, Max- disappear into the void, an ability that would prove useful for avoiding certain situations."

His fur raised. If he had that power, would he have been trapped in Orion? Or would have he caught himself in the wake of this magic, and tear himself apart? "I have not met many others who've accessed the true potential of this power. But, I will admit, I don't get out much." He turned to regard the altar once more. "But I have seen people in the process, who have gone mad from misusing this tool. They were st-" 'Strong,' he was about to utter, but he realized he'd been echoing something in his mind, words put into his mouth by something from deep within him. Shaking his head, Purity cleared his throat and returned his attention to Zhusha.

"Perhaps it's the process of alteration. The price to pay, or a test. I don't know. What I do know, is that with this, I might be able to prevent danger again." He finished the last word with a hiss, before taking a moment to shut his eyes and recenter himself again. His tail flicked behind him, and he could feel his fur on edge, but he was calm. He convinced himself of this- he was normal. He would use this tool, show this being that it was worth it. It was worth it.

At least, he hoped so.

@Zhusha

The feathers at the base of his neck ruffled. Purity's mention of a dog disappearing into the void had set all sorts of alarm bells ringing in Zhusha's head. True, it could save someone from a dangerous situation, but he just couldn't shake the idea that such magic was evil. Plus, the idea of cowering in some dark, cold void wasn't exactly nice. He wanted to be able to fight a threat, not hide helpless and alone.

Which brought up a second concern: even if the stone itself didn't have some kind of offensive magic that could make it dangerous to approach, how would the people of the world deal with those it had empowered and corrupted? With the ability to disappear into the void, any kind of evil would be able to hide among good people and ambush them when they least expected it. If the altar could truly grant such power, that just made it more dangerous. All the more reason to destroy it before it was too late.

Zhusha stared at Purity with narrowed eyes as the cat cut himself off, then started speaking again. Who knew if Purity was on the brink of insanity? He kept closing his eyes and looking away and looking altogether very suspicious. His fur was fluffed up: a sign of agitation? aggression? In any case, the cat was being weird, even though he claimed he was in control and would only do good.

"If it gives people power, then drives them to corruption, then it's even more dangerous." He spoke flatly. "There needs to be a way to make sure that you don't become a threat. Especially with the kind of magic you mentioned." If only he had a way to destroy the altar, or cave in the tunnel that led to it! He had seen magic capable of such destruction, but never managed to cast a single spell himself.

He considered for another moment, not breaking eye contact with Purity. (If he didn't squeeze his eyes shut again. A hallmark of insanity?) "Can you find someone strong enough to keep an eye on you? To stop you if the altar begins to corrupt you?" Zhusha's frown deepened. "If you insist on coming here, you need a backup plan."

@Purity

Upon closer inspection, it was obvious that the cat was not right. The way he carried himself, in a constant act, always moving, pausing to calculate just how he should appear. His fur was unkempt, his eyes a bit too wide, his teeth glinting a little too much in the Voidlight of the room.

He'd been driven mad.

Purity let out a single laugh, more of a huff under his breath, with a rise and fall of his shoulders. "Perhaps. But you have seen how these caves deal with those it does not like. It burns them out, destroys homes and Gembounds alike, all for- what, anger? No- I am not prone to such anger. Rage does not become me." His eyes squinted as his head tilted- perhaps it was obvious to Zhusha and Zhusha alone that he was grasping for straws, struggling to justify what he wanted.

He knew this magic was not right. But with it, perhaps he could destroy much more, and he would have the power to remain alive. Nothing could challenge him again, make him feel so small, so worthless, never again.

He took in a large breath and let it out, sitting up straighter. "Perhaps." His eyes flicked over the crane- how much should he goad them? His lips twitched just slightly as he considered, before a slow blink of his eyes and a turn of his head. "There are not many who visit, here. There is the child, but I have no seen him in some time- and I have yet to see any negativity come from this altar. Doug was a good soul who accepted its power, and yet he remained unchanged, still his..." He struggled to put his words in place.

"Well, he was rather excitable before, and he was still quite... Soft, afterwards. I don't believe the altar will change me to the point that I lose myself. If I did, I don't doubt the caves would try to burn me out again." He sneered, letting out another single huff, his eyes turning back to stare into Zhusha's. "I trust that the natural order would rather keep me in check. After all, is that not the way of this system? The evil is destroyed and flushed out, and the good prevails?"

Not that he would ever be evil. No, not him... Not Purity.

@Zhusha (sorry for not replying! if it's a couple of days and i haven't replied feel free to bug me about it aa)

You have seen how these caves deal with those it does not like.

Zhusha frowned. "I haven't, actually," he interjected, wondering if there was anyone the entire world didn't like. Draconua, of course, came to mind as the most probable candidate, but she was still alive as far as he knew. Unfortunately. If only it were so easy to destroy danger!

You could if you had the power Purity says the altar will grant. The thought came unbidden, and Zhusha actually grimaced with disgust at himself. The idea of even entertaining such a thing! He'd destroy the altar itself first, if he could.

For some reason, the idea of a child visiting this place tugged at Zhusha's heart. Weaker and with life experience than grown people, they should be shielded from such things. But if Purity was telling the truth--and somehow, he didn't think he was lying about this--it would seem that the child's (Doug's) soul remained pure and good. "That is good," he breathed, his voice softening. "I would like to visit this Doug one day." Not to see if they were a threat that needed to go, as he had considered with Purity, but more to check on them. What could drive a good, gentle child to this place? he wondered, with no small amount of concern. Had something hurt them? Did that thing need killing?

Purity's last words, however, did not sit well with him. "There is no natural order to save us all," he said fiercely. "We cannot sit back and wait for some outside force to get rid of our enemies. There can be no one to do it but ourselves! And there is much danger in such attempts. People have died--I have seen it--and people will die, but there is still evil in the world!" Zhusha thought of Draconua, of the mind-control fungus and the worm, of Wyvern and Giggle buried beneath snow and blackened earth, and his face darkened.

"And even if good does prevail in the end? How many will have suffered in the meantime? Better that the threats had never existed in the first place, or were recognized and eliminated before they became dangerous." Zhusha paused, and narrowed his eyes. "But you say that you were hunted, before? What for--or was the culprit another one of the evils that roam the world?" If Purity was the victim, questionable though his choice of habitation might be, Zhusha would add his attacker to the growing list of 'things that need to be punished and/or killed' without hesitation.

@Purity don't worry about it ahh

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