(1408)(Levels of Knowledge) Chasing the Sun

[Yog-Sothoth]

Aurum nodded at the curator's instructions and made her way over to Miach who had picked up the knife. They had to work together to do this and so she pressed in close beside her fellow mystagogue and wrapped her hand around the knife hilt. Given the small weapon and tight space it was impossible not to touch the man. She pushed her uneasiness out of her mind at the closeness and focused on the task at hand which was the ritual and where they would cut to end the life of this beast. Aurum waited for her colleague to ready himself and for any signal that they were to begin.

[Miach]

Even though he had always refrained from doing it, Miach did as he had seen done at times in Africa. The lifeforce of the bull left his body, and could be seized by those with the knowledge of such things. Miach did.

It was vain, but the doctor couldn't help but shed a tear - whether at the Fated Bull's death, or at the beauty of what he could see through his combined Sights, he couldn't say. Meanwhile, he shared not only a link of Fate with the bull, but also some of that Mana, and felt his own increased, improved by that grim harvest. Sadness and elation combined were a powerful mix of emotions.

[Yog-Sothoth]

Aurum felt the knife meet resistance as it cut into the beast's flesh. She winced slightly as the animal was dealt the fateful blow, but kept her eyes on the bull and the ritual to perform her function in the rite.

She was uncertain about the events since she saw the bull having never taken the life of anything larger than an insect. However, it was surprisingly simple in the end. While she felt bad for the creature she was grateful for the opportunity that it gave her to further her understanding of the nature of mana and how it related to her awakened condition.

She watched as the bull quickly fell under the knife and the blood shot out of the animal. She was both horrified and fascinated at the quantity of the blood and while she did her best to avoid the warm, life-giving liquid she didn't come away unscathed. The scene unfolded so quickly and she could see the animal losing vitality and could actually see and feel the mana tied to the life.

With difficulty Aurum ignored the guilt over the dying spark of life in the large brown eyes of the majestic bull and concentrated on the instructions from the curator. She focused on the mana that the ritual generated and drawing it into herself feeling it become a part of her. The power held within life and the inevitability of death was heady when she realized how close life and death were. That momentary change...the transition between living and dying intrigued her, because one second it was a bull...the next a corpse. What exactly was the truth in that split second of transition?

[Miach]

“Understand the Miracle.” Miach felt a lot, but to say that he actually understood it would be an overstatement. He felt vibrant and alive, full of the energy given up by the Bull for his sake. The feeling was miraculous. Its source... he purposefully looked straight up, far from the peaceful animal whose Fate had been met at his hand.

“Like Mithras who fired a bolt into a rock and was rewarded with 'water,' you have sliced into a life and was rewarded with the same, with Mana. All around us, is the water of creation and life that we know and understand as Mana. All around us, Magic blossoms.” Blossom. The choice of word felt strong when you had just killed a beast. And yet, it didn't feel out of place. Indeed, it seemed as if each and every living thing around were themselves beautiful because of their Inner Light.

“It joins us all: Blade of Grass, Bull, Human.” And so it does, Brother Bull.

“Now. Release the Mana you've gained and let it roam free, watch and observe.” Release it ? Willingly abandon the gift they had forcefully taken from their living brethren ? Miach's first urge was to deny Tyria's demand. But he remembered his place, and quickly curiosity took the better part of him. Why was she asking that ? What would happen next ? What...

Reluctantly, the young mystagogue complied, and willfully purged his body from some of the Mana that was gracing him. Slowly, slowly, as if it were taken from him, he let it slide out. And all around him he could see the gathering of a myriad of rainbow-hued will-o'-the-wisp dancing to the tune of his beating heart, ebbing and flowing from him, tantalizing him to join them only to buzz away the moment he attempted it. Reaching out for it vainly, Miach was in transe, and could see nothing, could conceive of nothing beyond that colored mist surrounding him.

The only Reality for him was the Mana around.

[Miach]

Bump Aurum Yog-Sothoth