A Story Of A Meeting In A Rainstorm Xenuphthalizel: ::Even so far away from the strip, the night was lit up enough to see the buildings, at least during those moments when the lightning crashed from the sky. He wasn't happy, and he had no compunction about making the world suffer his mood - he was god, and they were nothing. They weren't even his people, but he information he had led him to believe there were those with knowledge here. The weather reminded him of his home, and he'd been mostly satisfied to watch in solitude - but he knew he was being followed.:: Typhon: ::The hulking mass of Typhon, clad in a non-discript black suit carefully chosen for how common it looked, was in fact not wet, despite the raging storm going on around him. A small bubble of calm surrounded the Storm Giant as he silently followed the little brown god.:: Typhon: ::the power coming from the recently awoken Theos was unmistakable, and Typhon was wise enough to let such an unpredictable predator get comfortable with his presence before any communication took place. If anything, Typhon was patient when he needed to be.:: Typhon: ::but those dreams, the roiling, burning power of the thing that invaded his head every time he slept, was something he could not forget. The thought of this little god invading his dreams gave Typhon a small, smoldering nugget of rage that he carefully guarded. He used it to help keep him focused, despite the lack of good rest.:: Xenuphthalizel: :: Xenuphthalizel also remained dry, being of the opinion that the forces he controlled would not dare to inconvenience him. He had let the tall man follow him, feeling him out, until he decided enough was enough. He was tired of these creatures acting as if they could hold any sway over him. It as with this thought in mind that he finally spun on his head, beneath the raised highway.:: What is it you want, godling? Typhon: ::Typhon did not respond at first, closing some of the distance he had maintained as they were walking. When they were about twenty feet apart the Storm Giant stopped, looking down at Xenuphthalizel:: Typhon: ::his voice was rough and low, like it was meant more for bellowing than speaking quietly:: What is it that you want? Typhon: You must want something. Xenuphthalizel: :: X sneered, not liking the need to look up at this other Theoi. He'd dealt with a few now, and none had been able to offer what he wanted, or to explain why he was here.:: Must I? I want what was taken from me. Typhon: ::Typhon's eyes half close, and the bubble of calm that surrounded him swelled to encompass the both of them, rendering the hammering noise of the rain and thunder nearly mute:: Typhon: What was taken from you? Xenuphthalizel: ::His face steeled... it was the question he'd been asking himself. He knew something was missing, and the lack of knowing what it was ate at him. Still, it wasn't as if there wasn't plenty to choose from.:: My people. My land. My sacrifices. I want my revenge on those who saw fit to put me in a box. Typhon: Who put you in the box? Typhon: ::the stoic-looking giant's facial expression is dead. His face might as well be made of stone. His tone is even but not hard.:: Xenuphthalizel: I will find out. Xenuphthalizel: ::He lifted his chin slightly, arms crossing over his chest.:: But I doubt is was you. I've met those who claim to be gods here. You are weak. And no match. Typhon: I was never in your land, brown god. Typhon: Your sleep was not in the order of things. Someone put you there? How do you know that? Xenuphthalizel: I remember that much. It was black and tight and hot, and it was under the mountain. ::He went on to explain a bit more, the description quite like the dreams.:: Have you ever felt your soul ripped apart? Typhon: Yes. Typhon: At the hands of the One God, as it is called now, El Shaddai as he once was known. He is angry that you are awake. Xenuphthalizel: :: He lifted a brow, not expecting that answer one bit.:: I care nothing for your one god. Xenuphthalizel: I do not know him. Why would he care? Typhon: It is not my god. Typhon: It cares for its own reasons. I do not know it well. I do not want to. Xenuphthalizel: And yet you offer his message? Typhon: I offer you the truth as I hear it. The One God wants your asleep. I want to know why. Typhon: The Greek and Egyptian gods woke you. I believe this is why they did. Typhon: And no one from this land will speak of you. Xenuphthalizel: I never heard of this god before I was ripped from my sleep. Greek, Egyptian. I never heard of these people before then. I am high god of the Akbani. My enemies fear me and my people. Typhon: Your people are dead. No one knows you. Or they pretend not to. Xenuphthalizel: :: He nodded slowly at this, knowing it to be true... he remembered their voices, their screams. His people had died with him.:: Why did they wake me? Typhon: I do not know. They had their reasons. Some said it was going to happen anyway. Some say it was done to anger the One God, who we all hate. Typhon: Almost all of our kind have been destroyed or broken by the One God. Typhon: He sees no other gods, only servants and children. Typhon: Sometimes gods wake in these times, gods from long ago. But you are different. Xenuphthalizel: He must be powerful, to have yo all cower before him. Typhon: He is. :;the grave way the Storm Giant says this must drive the point home even harder:: Typhon: He destroyed many of the gods of these lands without much effort at all. Typhon: His followers only see him. There are no gods for them, aside from him. Xenuphthalizel: My people looked at me that way. There were others, but I was above them all. They feared and respected. Typhon: For him, there are no others. Typhon: Nothing. Xenuphthalizel: For now. Typhon: Yes. For now. Typhon: Some few of us have a bit of our old power. Most are gone entirely. Typhon: But do not mistake your power for his. Xenuphthalizel: I care nothing for him. I have known other gods of other people. I simply want what was taken. Then I will rebuild. Xenuphthalizel: If it is as you say, I should be able to. You are all weak. Typhon: I felt you should know, is all. Xenuphthalizel: And if he what he is, then why am I here? Typhon: I do not know. Xenuphthalizel: None of which answers my question. What do you want? Typhon: I want to know why he cares about you. Typhon: I want to tell you that your power is fading. I have followed you for some time, and you are getting weaker. Typhon: I want you to stop letting your memories of imprisonment spill out into the world. Xenuphthalizel: I will tell you what I told the greek. Find what was taken, and I will stop my search. These mortals, they known nothing. the answer must be with a god. No human could have done what was done to my people. Xenuphthalizel: Or to me. Typhon: No. I do not care for your demands on me. I am not your servant. You disrupt me again, and the next time we meet, it will be on terms you do not like. Typhon: If you want help, though, ask for it. Typhon: You will find many interested to know more, especially if it means pain for the One God. Xenuphthalizel: Then who? Who leads you? You have a heirarchy. Typhon: You may have been the greatest god of your land once, but you land is gone. I destroyed the whole Greek pantheon, scattered them to the winds. Then the man-child of the One God tossed me aside like a crippled old man. Xenuphthalizel: I get skulkers and stalkers and mental probes and questions only. Xenuphthalizel: Then you rules these Greeks? Typhon: They are broken. There was a king, once. He cares not for them anymore. Xenuphthalizel: So you have no structure? No wonder you fail against him. Typhon: This war is not my concern. I do not need to be a king. Typhon: There is nothing in being a king. It is not power. Xenuphthalizel: I don't speak of a crown. But how do you fight this god if you are all separate? Typhon: I do not fight him. It is not for now, for me. Typhon: Others want to fight him, but are weak, or content with what they have. Typhon: Do want you will, Xenuphthalizel. I am not hear to imprison you, break you, or even kill you. I come to tell you want things are now as I know them. What you do is your will. I come to give you warning. Continue to intrude on my dreams and you will not like the consequences. Typhon: And since you do not have any of the answers I want, and I have told you all I know, I am leaving. Typhon: ::the bubble that Typhon extended contracts back around him:: Xenuphthalizel: You offer no answers. Be gone then.:: He waved the other god away, ignoring the fact that he was leaving regardless.:: If I learn the answers, do you want them? Typhon: Yes. Xenuphthalizel: ::He simply shrugged, making note of the answer.:: You were useful. thank you. Typhon: You are not alone here. There is no need to think you are. You will find many want to know you, and it would be better for all if you let them know you. Typhon: ::with that, the Storm Giant turns and walks back towards the city:: Xenuphthalizel: :: X watched him walk for a moment, before turning on his own way. The rain continued, perhaps with a little less intensity than it had had.::