Thirteenth: Killing the Mood (Video; un: Caster/forward dated to 14th)

[colchismagecraft]

[tw death/afterlife talk]

[Unlike last Valentine's Day, Caster didn't come to the network late that evening looking for a distraction- instead, she used the chance to shatter romantic moods, and ask a question that had been playing on her mind for some time.

Of course, the video was dark, poorly lit and as suspicious as was traditional with her- the lower half of her face only visible by the gleaming of a strange potion brewing nearby.]

Good evening, Avalon. For those I haven't met yet, I go by 'Caster' here.

For anyone else who's grown tired of the day's festivities and would like to humour me- I have a question. Tell me, what is the afterlife like in your worlds? There are so many legends, after all, and I'm always interested in hearing in how they differ.

[A pause for thought, before adding, by way of deflection: ]

Ah. I'm working on some new potions at the moment- do come by if you're curious.

Comments

[colchismagecraft]

That is the problem, isn't it? Different regions have different Gods, Underworlds, beliefs- and they will never agree which is true. It is the same regardless of age, to an extent.

...What is 'Celestia', as far as you're concerned?

[commediadellanime]

Celestia is the realm of the gods, which has both granted the seven Archons their power while shackling them to Celestia's rule. It's said those with a Vision granted to them by Celestia and the Archons can ascend to Celestia and achieve godhood, starting a new life in that paradise - for as much as it's living at that point.

[His smile is bright and cheerful, completely at odds with what he says next.]

I plan to reach Celestia and dethrone the gods, destroying them where they stand and seizing their power for myself.

[colchismagecraft]

Interesting...Your world sounds quite different from mine. So, what role do those Archons play? Are the intermediaries between humans and the Gods?

For me, the idea of overthrowing the Gods themselves is laughable- after all, they are beings that can destroy the lives of any mortal on a whim.

[commediadellanime]

Ah, no, no. They're gods themselves, or other such divine beings like adepti or spirits, they're just different from the ones in Celestia - or so I've heard from Her Majesty, the Tsaritsa.

[One of the benefits of a position of power was getting knowledge on the schemes and motivations of a particular Archon.]

Archons differ from other gods on Teyvat because they possess a gnosis - it grants them dominion over one of the seven elements, but it can be... removed from an Archon, which weakens them considerably. Even still, an Archon can die like any other god. Most of the original Archons have already died, replaced by someone or something else. Only two of the original Archons were left by the time I was born, and neither of them have their gnosis anymore.

[colchismagecraft]

Ah...that would make sense. It seems they've largely faded, then, in your time?

It's strange, how as time moves on, the Gods lose some of their influence. The same happened in my world.