Child of Gods Tasks - First Task: Valeria's Flowered Sword
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One night while having a restful sleep in Elysium, at first, before the overpowering sensation too 'return home' strikes her. It doesn't feel like a homesickness urge to return home that causes restlessness it is a sudden and intense hit of the urge to go back to Santua. The longer it takes her to leave, the more intense this feeling gets and the desire to return home seems to chant in her head. The chant is much like a song you can't stop from repeating. 'Go home, go home, go home' just repeats over and over again, endlessly, until she steps foot (or her wolf does) on Santua lands. The urge switches from 'go home' the moment she crosses the border to 'Go to the forest.' Whatever feeling is driving Valeria to 'return home' seems to have a specific place in mind. The forest she is being pulled towards Valeria knows is one of the more dangerous Santuan forests and that they have not, yet, started to work towards developing it. It would require more effort to 'colonize' than some of the forests around the land do. The overpowering desire, though, makes it hard to think, to plan ahead and bring others along. It is very possible that Valeria knows that it is the sacred item she is to find or create calling to her (up to you if she makes the connection or not).
Valeria frowns at this feeling- it's not one like she's had before. And given what she knows... it's probably best to follow it. She gently wakes up her wolf- who so often sleeps in Kamala's room, whispering to the girl gently. "Nash and I must travel to Santua." she says quietly, "Do not worry. Ozymandias and the others will be happy to look over you while we're gone. Go back to sleep and dream sweetly." She says to the girl as she leads the giant of a wolf out from the room- it's easier to sleep after your parents have been murdered when you have a dire wolf nearby.
She, with this driving urge, sets up to travel. She takes her time, despite her growing desire to run. To tear off into the night- leveraging her will to ensure she'll have all the supplies she needs on any journey before she's off, at speed, on Nash's back.
The closer she gets to where she should be going, the less the urge is. It never goes quite away but it does tell her she is going in the right direction. Though the forest she is guided, some how not hindered by the typical difficulties one faces when trying to traverse through a dense forest. Sure, it isn't easy but not as difficult as expected. Once she has found a clearing. Flowers fill the clearing. They climb up the trees, cover the ground like a floral bed. Flowering vines spread across the top of the clearing, where one would usually see the sky, to create a dome. At the center of the dome the vines drop down to the ground, spiraled together to crate a pillar of sorts.
Slowly, carefully, Valeria heads towards the pillar. She dismounts- "Stay. Guard." she commands softly as she carefully makes her way to the center of this place- her awe of it's beauty held in check as she takes a slow, quiet breath. "What wonders." she whispers, eyes flitting from place to place. Curious. Happy to not feel such an odd urge... and so very full of wonder.
The scent of flowers here is heady and tempting to sink into their embrace but, really, that particular desire is not hard to resist. When Valeria approaches the flower vine pillar it looks like it is a living and breathing body over vines. They seem to pulse, similar to a heartbeat. The temptation to touch the pillar is harder to resist. Were it not a warrior like Valeria the pulsing plant would likely be far more terrifying (you can decide how terrifying it is to Valeria, if at all).
Valeria's terror is well tempered. She's been in so many fights before- and so she uses her foresight to see what might happen if she touches this thing. Reaching out and then looking forward with her intent to touch it. Careful to not yet complete the act as her vision swims and the future of moments later would be laid bare to her.
Normally Valeria's foresight does not leave her wondering but this time all it shows her is a green light that appears when she touches the pillar. This unnaturally pulsing becomes more intense, the harder the pulse, the more temptation Valeria feels. It is up to her if she forgoes the unknown or touches despite only knowing that the light is all she knows will happen.
Sometimes, it is fair to throw caution to the wind. She puts one hand on her blade, and reaches out so carefully with her weak hand- to touch the pillar. It had called her here, yes? Home. TO this place. Perhaps that is enough... and it is so lovely here, she will give it a chance to prove her wrong. TO harm her, or.. .to aide her.
Once she touches the vines pillar a brilliant green light fills the clearing, it is blinding. The flowers wilt and the vine pillar splits open. The bottom half of the pillar and its flowers is the only thing that remains of the flowers. Even their wilted remains fade away quickly turning the clearing into a normal one, save for that half pillar, which really, is more like a stand. When the light fully fades a figure stands on the pillar, its hand pressed against Valeria's. It is a small thing, the size of a pixie. Well, more specifically, the size of Tinkerbell. It is made of flowers and vines and bears Valeria's features. "Princess Valeria." it whispers, the scent of intoxicating flowers filling the air with each word. "Welcome. Do you know why you were called?" The 'pixie's' voice even sounds like Valeria. Though, its mannerisms don't quite match her like its appearance.
"No." Valeria replies, 'I don't. But... I was called, so... here I am." she says, as she slowly draws her hand away from the creature- looking at it with both wonder and careful consideration. She lets her hand fall from her blade, for now, but remains ready. She is, at heart, a warrior.
But not one with a desire to kill, or even maim. She fights because she must, and since so far nothing has gone wrong.... she'll let this play out. "I like the look." she notes, with a playful smile.
The vine being gives an amused smile to the Princess, "Not even inklings, Questing Knight? Process of elimination is a good friend. I look like you, I came from something flowered, and you know you have a task." The little vine being's hand falls as well, "I am a part of you, you could say." says the being in response to the playful comment, grinning.
"It is unwise to speculate on the workings beyond mortality. However, if you are requesting I guess- I'd say that I have a task ahead of me." Valeria says softly, taking a slow and quiet breath. "And you and I... must be related somehow. Likely through my Mother." she posits, "But.. these are guesses, and not answers."
"Rarely are there clear answers when it comes to the Gods being involved." says the little 'pixie'. Forward it steps, bouncing onto the hilt of the sword and sitting atop it, and likely the hand of Valeria, "You, Princess, need to get me to yield to you. By whatever means you feel would give you the success and not me." Her head shakes, "We are not related. I am you, you are me." Up the 'pixie' looks. "So, Princess Valeria Santua, cause me to yield to you."
"If you are me, and I am you- then no." Valeria replies simply, as she begins to walk over towards the wolf- taking something from her bag. A bottle of pre-brewed tea. She returns to the side of the blade, and fairy and sits. She drinks for herself- and then offers quietly to the fairy. "The strong heart yields not to itself." She states simply, "Only to justice and right thought." Part of her personal philosophy. "One should not be ruled by such desires, to yield or be yielded to... it's..." She pauses a moment, "It's not what my Father believes, but it is what I believe. The world is better when things work together."
"But, Princess, I am what you need to become what you are meant to be. So, what would your alternative proposal be?" The little vine being hops back to her pillar and pulls a small piece from it to form a little cup and holds it up to Valeria. "What will you do to succeed? So that you do not lose what you need to do as the child of Attia?"
Quietly, Valeria pours some for the tiny vine and fairy. "That we work together." she says simply, "Partners in the task ahead." she continues. "I do not yield- you know that. Not in the way you, perhaps, expect." she says softly, "Or that which most people expect when speaking of another yielding to them. It goes to follow you would not yield in that manner either. It is better then to speak to you, and ask you simply to join me in this task. Perhaps I am the hand that commands the blade, but the blade is always a partner in the quest."
A sip from the cup after it is full is given by the 'fairy' and she tilts her head, "You don't easily waver from who you are and what you believe, do you?" Up one hand of the pixie lifts, palm up, "Take it." encourages the little being. "The choice is always yours, to take my hand or not." The tiny fairy has started to get a green glow to her once more, as does Valeria's weapon and the pillar the fairy sits on.
"Who I am is important to me. What I do is important to me. My beliefs are important to both of those things- so, yes. I try my best to waver little in those things that are truly important." Valeria replies quietly as she slowly finishes her tea and then stands to take the hilt of the blade, as suggested. She takes it with all her will, and belief behind it- she must do this to aide her Mother. She must do this to protect people. To do right in this world. Hopefully, this blade would be her partner in this great, unending task.
Once Valeria agrees to take the pixie as hers Valeria's old sword completely shatters, becoming dust as it falls tot he ground. The little pixie becomes a blade molded perfectly for Valeria. The voice of the pixie whispers, "My name is what you wish it to be." Potentially the last time that voice will be heard. Like all the other flowers the remaining bit of the pillar wilts away then the remains of it disappears. It is like the flower 'dome' never existed.
The clearing starts to brighten with a brilliant array of rainbows, announcing Mataya's presence. However, she doesn't appear. Instead Valeria can feel a brush to her cheek as if being touched there. Like the last time the princess was with the Goddess she gets visions filling her mind and the intense emotions the Goddess always has. She sees visions of how powerful the blade is when she wields it. Though not undefeated, Valeria sees she won't be easy to win against when she wields her new sword. As those visions fade she can see herself holding the blade high, towards the Gods, specifically her mother. There is no doubting Mataya is showing her that Valeria succeeded. Through the whole thing Valeria feels happiness and pride. Its clear that is what Mataya feels in regards to the princess and it spills forth like aa waterfall.
Valeria takes a slow breath, looking at the blade and nodding. "I will, then, give it proper thought." she says softly, "And name you properly as I would any partner." She assures the thing- even as her old blade turns to dust in it's scabbard, before blowing away to be replaced with the new blade. She takes a moment to pray- quietly- to her Grandmother, Mother, Uncle, and Grandfather. Thanking them, and looking back towards her *very* confused wolf, who's not sure where the flower he was eating has disappeared to- but seems distrustful of the pinecone it has become. Until he just chews it up out of confusion. "Nash, you dork." she whispers, rolling her eyes. The prayer is done- and it is time to go home.
The feeling of Mataya's presence fades away, leaving Valeria with a shimmering light to guide her back out of the forest should she need the guide. She is quite deep in the dense forest. It will be more difficult to get back but not impossible, especially if she uses the guide.