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It was once told that many grand cycles ago, back when the original Eternal Haven was felled at the hands of Supay, the many Fantastic Creators were given a special tool by Inti, the Sun God, called the Creator's Rod -- a large, golden scepter that has the power to shapeshift into any design the user befitted. Among its other capabilities, this allowed the Fantastic Creators to move, destroy, transform, and more importantly, create any object that one could imagine. This gift was bestowed onto all deities in Their pantheon, as well as the two most important deities: Wiraqocha, a tiger with the flaming heart of a warrior and the eternal God of Everything, and His brother Pacha Kamaq, a yellow triceratops with limitless knowledge and the Defender God of the Earth. All Creators utilize this instrument in Their unique fashion, and amongst the souls They protect and look after, it's the defining symbol of a Fantastic Creator.

Unbeknownst to all, however, the Rod that was given to Wiraqocha and Pacha Kamaq had a unique special property, one that truly separated Their staff from the rest of them. Inti had crafted this specifically for the two deities, as he knew that it would take an immense amount of power that only Wiraqocha and Pacha Kamaq were worthy of wielding: by fusing together one willing soul, a piece of Their own divine power, and Their respective batons, the Creator's Rod would be upgraded to a much stronger instrument, with the soul used now forever residing within the Rod and taking the most honorable role of the Fantastic Creator's companion. Inti had trusted Them with this power, knowing that They would elect a soul who would be willing to not just serve the gods Themselves, but to live up to the expectations of one.

Wiraqocha, astute and impulsive as He was, took the first step in finding a suitable candidate for this position. Pacha Kamaq would not warm up to this idea for a while longer, until a particular incident during one of the early cycles of the universe where He almost had perished. It was from then on that the two worked together to find willing hosts for Their holy instruments, but after many cycles and futile attempts, they both decided to not intervene with each other's soul search. They had conflicting desires -- Wiraqocha longed to keep His position as close to Him as possible and looked for what could be considered a "successor" to Him should He come to pass under any circumstance, whereas Pacha Kamaq only wished for a disciple to have around that could act in His place at any moment.

Many more cycles would come to pass without any luck from either brother. Wiraqocha complained incessently that most of the souls They create do not live up to the standard He was hoping for, almost angry at this statement. Meanwhile, Pacha Kamaq quietly waited for the right soul to spawn with time, though He had His doubts if it would ever come to be. He tried multiple times to create the specific soul He was looking for, but to no avail, only furthering His worry. With no conclusion in sight, both Wiraqocha and Pacha Kamaq let the idea phase out of Their minds. In an act of desperation, the final wish before the most recent cycle reset came from Inti himself, yearning for the two brothers to finally find the souls They seeked for so long.

With a brand new universe having been completed and Pacha Kamaq having found a suitable planet, the Fantastic Creators got to work, granting the souls They kept the gift of life once more, as every cycle before it. In due time, Supay would appear once more, as it was agreed since the beginning, to bring said souls the curse of death, but in exchange, He was to guide them out of the limbo in Kay Pacha, the living world, for their final judgement. And as it has been foretold, both new and old souls would have the chance to experience this cycle a limitless amount of times, either by choice or by obligation.

And so it was: After many centuries in the current cycle, a considerable haven had been amassed by the Fantastic Creators, with many souls living in perfect harmony in Hanan Pacha, the world above the Earth. This was nothing new for the Creators, as it was Their sworn duty to protect them and shape them into impeccable warriors should the worst come to happen. But one such day, Wiraqocha couldn't help but feel as if something was off about this crowd. A feeling most unpleasant, by His standards, attacked His heart, as if a snake had just bitten it and infected it with poison. He felt uneasy, concerned, perhaps, and the mental strain it caused was much too great to ignore...

Wiraqocha stood up from his throne, a wincing face replacing the normally stoic and commanding one He was best known for. He began walking down the steps in front of His throne before being temporarily stopped by His brother, Pacha Kamaq, who had come to notice His brother wasn't Himself at the moment.

"Are you alright?" Queried the triceratops to His tiger brother, "I can feel as if you're upset about something. Where are you headed to?"

"Ah-- no, brother," Wiraqocha slightly fumbled over His words before regaining focus. "I believe I simply need a short walk to clear my head. It appears it has been filled with thoughts least tolerable, but it is nothing a trip to the Citadel cannot fix."

Pacha Kamaq quietly nodded, still sitting down on his throne beside His brother's, and remaining pensive for a short moment. "Right. Should I be honest..." The deity slumped back into his throne as he sighed and continued his thought while Wiraqocha resumed descending the steps. It would not be long, however, before His brother would speak up once more. "...I believe I, too, have been plagued by these ravenous visions for some time now. I understand not what they mean, nor what they look like in their entirety, but they bring Me a slight fear."

Wiraqocha stopped once more, this time having completely descended the stairs before Him, and turned to His brethren with one hand extended outward to Him. "It seems We are equally disoriented here, then. Would you care to come walk with Me, perhaps as friends, to ease the pain Our hearts have instilled on Us?"

"I'd love to, but I'm afraid I cannot join you right now," replied the holy triceratops, a hint of shame in His words. "There is something I must attend to in a few moments, and besides, You know Me well, brother. I focus better by Myself than with others. Perhaps with time I can figure out what this aching sensation is."

The divine tiger nodded, lowering his outstretched arm and turning his back to Their thrones. "That is fair. Do what You must, and if You find anything of use, please do tell Me." With this exchange completed, Wiraqocha resumed His path forward, crossing by the large stone slab in the center of the throne room, that which is used to discuss important topics amongst the pantheon. The tiger would wave His arm around again, though this time to summon forth His Creator's Rod. It materialized out of a small rift and fell for a short while, landing directly into the divine tiger's hand, who gripped it tight. Pacha Kamaq could see as His brother now left the throne room through the small archway on the opposite end of the room, His form still visible for a moment before He strolled off to the left, following the light grey path underneath His feet.

"Oh, my impulsive brother," silently cried the esteemed yellow dinosaur, "just what will you do now...?"

---

The Citadel in Hanan Pacha was expansive and extended for kilometers in every direction, suitable of a haven that housed a limitless amount of souls. When a soul wasn't waiting for their turn at life, they resided here, and when it was their time to descend to the living world once more, they would rush to a special altar just beyond the Citadel's limits to experience life anew. It is said that many souls generally like living through life, and various will wait outside the appropriately named Altar of Life patiently, hoping to go back to the living world again the moment they are allowed to.

However, just as there are many who enjoyed the gift of life, there were also those who despised it and would do anything to avoid going back below. Many such detractors cite that their experience with life was horrible, in part due to the amount of unwarranted hatred that they experienced across many lives, while others mock that being sent to the world under Supay would have been a better outcome. Indeed, the souls that roam Kay Pacha are from both the upper world of Hanan Pacha and from the depths of the Underworld, Uku Pacha, and many are the tale that rebels above would purposefully commit heinous acts while in life, such that they could be forced down to the Underworld upon death.

Enter Rumi Katari, a serpent soul that was already coming up with such a plan, in secrecy, so that he would be reunited with his true master, as he puts it. His cold-blooded biology also translated to his behavior, employing careful planning to all his actions and swiftly fooling potential critics into thinking he was but a tame, shy man, wronged by the many lives he lived. In part, he was truthful: He once took pride in exploring all of Kay Pacha and even considered becoming a helper at the Altar of Life so that he could help those see this vision. However, it would be one incredibly traumatic life he lived that would completely flip his perception...

Rumi remembered this scene as clear as the day that Inti illuminated. He awoke in limbo, gasping for air and struggling to get up, feeling incredibly resentful yet with joy that he ended up here. Gathering his thoughts, the serpent finally stood up to observe that he was in a jail house of sorts, completely barren save for a single bed to the side and large bedsheet that draped down from the ceiling. Upon closer inspection, Rumi came to realize that he was staring at a noose, to which he instantly remembered that he had gone out like this... and then it all came flooding to his memories.

In life, he was a simple human male with no big aspirations. However, this would change when his boss, the person he trusted the most at his work, one he would consider a great friend, backstabbed him by framing him for sexual assault against him, as well as threatening to blackmail him. He was confused and distraught as he was jailed for these nonexistent claims, but it became even worse inside here, where he would be abused in many cruel ways. His mental health got so low as a result... that he finally decided to end it all. The memories of all this plagued Rumi's head as he rushed out of the jail cell, now as a ghost; sure, he was aware how bad life could get given the chance, but there was something off about this particular event, he just knew it.

That was when he encountered Supay, or at least a mirage of Him. Seeing the Deity of Death was enough to twist his stomach into multiple knots, but it was what He said next that terrified Rumi. Supay claimed that the soul of his backstabber was actually his friend as well, and worse, his own mentor from the altar, Chiuchi Sut'i. Rumi initially didn't believe it, but the more He talked to the serpent, the more questions he was asking himself, until it became too much. Before he could be sent back to Hanan Pacha, Rumi rushed as fast as he could back to his old workplace, determined to get his answers.

If a soul is stuck in limbo, they aren't able to interact with anyone in the living plane, but they are able to see their soul within any living person, giving souls a chance to perhaps keep tabs on particular souls throughout the rest of their life. Although they aren't in total control, the soul themselves serve as a grand influence on the living being they inhabit. All of this, Rumi was taught by his supposed mentor, but now... he watched at Chiuchi's soul controlled the boss, the man that imprisoned him in life. A bond that was once unrivaled between the serpent and his mentor, practically a father to him, had finally shattered to a million pieces as Rumi dropped to his knees and wailed in pure anger. Supay exploited this moment of weakness to implant the suggestion to Rumi: Seek revenge. He would promise Rumi unparalleled power and a surefire way to eradicate his once-mentor... if he could reunite with him in his next life.

And that is what Rumi would plan. For the following months that he was back in Hanan Pacha, his mind would swirl with ideas, carefully planning how he would influence his next life to get the best chances at encountering Supay again. All so that he could put that bastard Chiuchi in his place, for vehemently betraying his trust and all of his teachings. And today, that serpent stared outside at the Altar of Life, an uneasy feeling in his stomach once more, though this time showing disgust at the place he once cherished. He gripped his hands, a cold smile starting to creep up his face despite his uneasiness.

"Soon..." the serpent quietly muttered to himself. "I will be back with you, my master..."

A loud commotion nearby suddenly interrupted Rumi's thoughts as he only glanced to the side with his eyes. He wasn't quite able to see what was happening, but the cheering and subsequent praising was enough to get the idea: a Fantastic Creator had decided to cross the citadel. Quite a rare sight, he thought, but it seemed a little excessive this time. Rumi eventually turned his whole body to see who it was that decided to grace the commoners with Their presence... and found himself staring right at Wiraqocha, the highest deity of all of them. Any thought he has in mind had vanished completely, standing in both fear and awe at the fast-approaching tiger that walked within a small cloud of souls trying to cheer Him on.

"Oh, he's there! Please, Our Fantastic Creator above all others! You must lend him Your help!" One of the souls from beside the Creator of Everything pointed directly at Rumi, still completely dumbfounded and unable to move as the distance between the both of them closed rapidly. It would be at mere meters now that Wiraqocha would finally turn His vision to Rumi, but as the two locked sight with each other, the both could feel a massive strain in their hearts suddenly act up once more. For Rumi, it was pure terror. He mustn't be found praising the Underworld here, or else the whole plan would fall apart. He was so close to finally being able to execute it, the serpent just had to survive whatever the heck this was...

But to Wiraqocha, that pain in his heart told Him everything He needed to know. The serpent he was looking at hosted a well of power, one that had since been locked up and stowed away from everyone. The serpent felt wronged, unworthy, unable to continue spreading his vision of showing just how beautiful life is, all because of a nasty life he had lived. Furthermore, He found that the serpent had now taken up a certain desire for a power of sorts... and the pieces seemed to fall into place. Wiraqocha didn't understand it completely, but it mattered not. This serpent was going to need more than just help... Could it truly be, the tiger wondered, the soul I was...

"...you." Wiraqocha opened his mouth to speak. His voice was soft now, so as to not startle anyone else around Him. "Would you mind telling me your name?"

The serpent remained shocked, unable to process that the highest ranking Fantastic Creator was before him. "...Rumi K-Katari... My Lord."

The tension between the two seemed to reach an all-time high, and the crowd of onlookers and praisers took note, now reducing themselves to just whispers amongst each other as the tiger broke away from his cloud of preachers. He slowly walked forward to get a better look at Rumi, who was frozen stiff and growing more and more nervous the longer this scene went on. The distance between the two was now minimal, allowing Wiraqocha to very slowly reach his hand out to Rumi's head. His grandiose tiger paw gently brushed the serpent's smooth scales, sending an even colder shiver down his spine. Rumi would probably be in a different kind of heaven if he wasn't a changed soul, evident in the fact that all he could do right now was let the Creator of Everything caress him while saying nothing. It almost felt humiliating, as if Supay wanted to give him a much bigger challenge before Rumi found Him again...

Meanwhile, in Wiraqocha's head, He assessed the soul in front of Him again. He truly was lost now, wasn't he? Whatever had happened in that past life, it had made the serpent change his direction, and if he wasn't careful, he could end up in the wrong hands. With the immense power he held back, it became apparent that He had to do something now. And yet, Wiraqocha thought, there was always more to discover. in the split second He had observed him, the tiger's thoughts had swirled once again to the idea of doing more than help Rumi. This soul... could He have His answer at last? Could this actually be the soul He wanted to fuse to his Creator's Rod? There would need to be a lot of work done before this could happen, but... Yes, he would be capable enough with time, surely, if He could just...

"...I believe we have a fair share to discuss, you and I." Wiraqocha spoke up once more, making up His mind in a flash. "I have been told you have lost your way. Perhaps it would be beneficial to talk this out, the two of us."

Rumi remained in shock, nodding his head once not daring deny the most important god in front of him. "Ah-- yes. I would... I think You are correct... and I would like to speak to You, uh-- Sir." The fumbling over words, the constant stammering, the onlookers... it was becoming too much to Rumi. The plan was fading away slowly in front of his eyes, and there was little he could do about it.

"I will ask that this be a private manner," Wiraqocha turned His head to His incessant followers, simply giving a warm smile to them to reassure them that it will be fine. "Now, come with me, my child."

His large tiger hand shifted down to Rumi's shoulder, and with a wave of the Fantastic Creator's scepter, the two disappeared in a bright light, leaving behind the large crowd of onlookers. Everyone raised their questioning voices as they all asked themselves why the two seemed to have such a strange and predominantly adverse reaction to each other.

---

It had been a good fortnight since that fateful encounter, and to Wiraqocha, Rumi's negative thoughts had all but dissipated. The small discussion that the two spirits had that day led to the discovery of Rumi's true potential as a warrior, with Rumi even admitting once that he had some thought about dedicating his time to becoming a Light Warrior. Following this, Wiraqocha devoted some of His time every day to teach the serpent not just what there was to know about being a soldier, but also select sacred knowledge that could serve useful to Rumi if he decided to pursue that path again. Of course, this was just the beginning of an extensive training regimen for Rumi so that he could be adequately prepared to fuse with the divine tiger's staff much later down the line, but this was still a secret only the two most important Fantastic Creators knew.

For Rumi, however, this unexpected detour turned out to be a lot more beneficial to him than he had anticipated. Now armed with knowledge most souls didn't know about, he became incredibly confident in being able to go through with his desired outcome of finally meeting Supay, and this time with bountiful intel that could help his master. Despite this, though, there existed a small asterisk somewhere in Rumi's head, one that he couldn't seem to shake off as easily... Sure, he was now under constant watch by, well, the Fantastic Creators themselves, but persistent surveillance was the least of his issues. Rather, Rumi felt as if there was something that was being kept from him. Something that, if Wiraqocha were to exploit it, would spell trouble for the cold-blooded snake. He would need to be on the lookout...

Rumi pondered this while overlooking a small cliff. Just beneath his feet and kilometers away laid the westernmost limits of the Citadel, visible from his perspective but still much too large to fully appreciate. As much as he was fascinated by how beautiful the sight was, Rumi knew he wouldn't stay here for much longer, and he wouldn't be allowed back for a long while, if ever, should his plan succeed. The serpent had already made peace with this outcome, knowing well it was better to just leave all of this behind without any fanciful farewells.

"It'll only sting once," Rumi sighed, quietly muttering to himself. "But then no more. I will serve my time in the living world with patience before I finally meet you again..."

Rumi then glanced away in shame, remembering now that Wiraqocha would probably watch him defect to His sworn enemy, and gulped. "Although..." The serpent twiddled his fingers behind his back, daring not to entertain this outcome, as that would certainly ensure his complete erasure. "No, I believe I need a new solution. I can no longer just jump into this like I would have. I require some sort of distraction."

Rumi remained thoughtful for just a moment before nodding to himself and planning out his new directive. As he did so, he would turn around to walk home by himself, as he had been doing for the past two weeks after he was done with training for the day. What Rumi did not anticipate this time, however, was Wiraqocha's presence the moment he turned around to trot back to the Citadel. As soon as Rumi discovered Him standing there, his whole body tensed up incredibly tight, and his eyes went wide. He would let out a dreadful gasp, holding his breath by habit. How long had He been--

"...what distraction, if you do not mind Me asking?" asked a curious Wiraqocha, with a voice that seemed in part genuinely clueless on what Rumi's true intentions were. This only answered Rumi's question in the worst manner possible, and his knees would start to tremble slightly at the thought of being completely at the mercy of the Creator of Everything.

The serpent's usually cool and collected behavior was once again nullified, Rumi finding himself tripping over his vocabulary in a desperate attempt to counterattack this horrible ambush. "Ah-- My Lord, I was, well... They're just my personal thoughts! Nothing more, heh." This will be my end! The serpent thought...

"You are acting tense again. Did I happen to listen to something sensitive?" Wiraqocha pressed a little further, still unaware of what He had just walked into. "Or perhaps this is about someone close to you?"

"Eh, yes, actually!" Rumi interjected almost immediately, grasping at straws just so he could successfully escape this encounter. "It's about my... my back-- mentor! Chiuchi Suh-- Sut'i. He's been gone for a while, see? He's still living life as if he didn't--" Rumi once again caught himself drifting away from the topic at hand out of bitterness and gulped. The more he stared at Wiraqocha's half worried, half concerned face as he went on, the more the serpent felt like just giving up now.

"Hm, yes. Chiuchi, I happen to remember him," Wiraqocha pondered, somewhat brushing off the nervousness Rumi was going through as a product of being startled. "You truly are lucky to have had him as your teacher. The Altar of Life without him would just be an altar, you know. Were you... perhaps planning to greet him when he comes back from Kay Pacha?"

"Eh, yes. I was therefore wanting to create a... a distraction, such that..." Rumi's voice once more trailed off, with no more words that could possibly finish this sentence. The serpent was on the brink of losing everything -- if he were to pray now, it wouldn't be to anyone, as Rumi felt like he had disgraced both factions.

"...if you wish for it to be a surprise, you should do a better job of hiding it." And yet here was Wiraqocha, smiling at His little joke, still oblivious to the fact that someone He decided to trust was going to end up betraying Him. "Though, if it is Us you are worried about, fret not. We do not have any urgent matters to discuss with Chiuchi at the moment, so plan all you like."

At last, an opportunity to leave while Rumi still could. The serpent began to walk, albeit very shakily, while giving his thanks to Wiraqocha. "Ah, well, I had, um... no doubts about that! You have my gra-gratitude, My Lord!" Yet, in his eagerness to prove everything was totally fine, Rumi decided to engage in one more exchange. He found the strength to calm down, if for a moment, and continued, "Being honest, I... I still miss him. I didn't think we'd be separated for this long."

The divine tiger nodded. "That is understandable. Chiuchi has a way with his pupils, always forming strong connections with them. Even a Fantastic Creator such as myself can still learn a lot from him."

Rumi stopped in his tracks for a moment, partly out of respect if Wiraqocha would continue His musings, and partly out of surprise. He needed to get out of here, but perhaps... "Ah...? What sort of... teachings?"

Wiraqocha's face seemed to scowl for a split second before transforming to disappointment. "For example... Chiuchi always seems to be a bright light for his students, always showing compassion even in the face of darkness. It would be... rather shameful of Me to admit that I still do not understand how that can be possible." Wiraqocha glanced away for another second, perhaps uncomfortable about sharing this with Rumi.

"Yes... His soul truly shines bright," Rumi egged on, hoping to finally wrap up this conversation. "So bright, dare I say, it could even rival Inti himself."

Wiraqocha chuckled at this remark, nodding in appreciation. "Absolutely. And in almost every past life he has lived, you can see this influence. A truly astonishing specimen."

Rumi bit his tounge, now getting riled up at how Wiraqocha was praising him. This seemed like a good moment to finally leave. "Hm-- Well, My Lord, I think I should--"

But Wiraqocha once again kept him locked to his position by continuing His thought. "Curiously, I do believe he left a note before his most recent trip. I know not who it was addressed to, but he entrusted Me with it until he could personally deliver it. Possibly, he had no time left before We had to leave for his ceremony."

The ceremony... When the priests and keepers of the altar are beckoned back to Kay Pacha, they get a special ceremony, as a sort of good luck sermon, attended by a Fantastic Creator of their choice, if they wish to have one present. In Rumi's last reincarnation, he was actually part of Chiuchi's ceremony, as they both descended to the earth together at his request... but no Fantastic Creator was present. Why did Wiraqocha...?

"Eh, if I remember correctly," Rumi talked once more, now very worried about what this meant, "last time we went down together. I'm fairly certain I don't remember Chiuchi inviting a Creator to his ceremony that time."

It was here when Wiraqocha's seemingly indifferent face turned into that of confusion. "...you DO realize that his last descent was 5 years ago, right? We sent a small summary card to you detailing that he had come back up once before leaving again. You told Us that you had read it... right?"

And Rumi gulped heavily. He remembered seeing a card appear in his doorstep a day or so after he had come back, but he immediately ripped it apart the moment he saw it was about Chiuchi. He had no business with him anymore, after all -- why would he ever want to read what his traitor was up to? This wouldn't have been a hinderance at all had he just swallowed his pride and read it... The serpent began to tremble, no response escaping his lips. It was all over now, for certain.

"...so you did not read it." Wiraqocha now darted an eye at the serpent, beginning to see Rumi nearly topple over from nerves. "I must admit, that is a strange thing to lie about, unless you hold anger to your mentor somehow. From what I can see, that appears to be the case."

Rumi began to open his mouth, but all that came out were nervous wheezes and pants as his heart raced a mile a minute, affecting his breath with it. It was only now that Wiraqocha finally connected the pieces together but remained completely calm about it. All He did was narrow his eyes as He kept staring at the serpent.

"...Rumi." His voice was soft and just barely audible. One of His hands gently rested on Rumi's shoulders, allowing him to feel how panicked the serpent was right now. "I want you to tell me the whole truth. Whatever it is that is causing you anguish, spell it out for Me, and no matter what it is, I will do my best to help you. This is what Chiuchi would want right now."

The serpent was now completely cornered. He hadn't felt this defeated and hopeless since that encounter with Supay. The dread coursed up his spine once more, and all he could do was pray to whoever it was that laid beyond this world, if such an entity even existed. With teary eyes, Rumi forcefully wriggled Wiraqocha's hand off of him and walked behind Him, beginning to sob. "I... There is no more hope left for me. I do not expect forgiveness."

Wiraqocha turned around to look at the serpent, still confused at the ordeal, but knowing he was about to say something incredibly impactful. "...Please go on. Explain yourself this instant, so We say." The tiger's voice turned a bit louder, sterner, but not enough to be a ferocious roar.

Rumi looked on for a moment at the Citadel he chose to abandon and, with no other option left for him, laid out the truth to Wiraqocha: "My Lord... I have done the unthinkable. I have praised the Deity of Death and have made many arrangements to meet Him upon finishing my next life. I have pushed everyone away to complete this vision, and was willing to betray You as well to get what I desired..."

The serpent was facing away from Wiraqocha during this exchange, as he could not bring himself to even imagine how horribly He was taking these news. Rumi continued, beginning to sob in regret. "But I only did this because of Chiuchi! I trusted him, gave him my everything! And yet, in life, he had the gall to backstab me! Was that always his influence? Whatever happened to the shining soul I saw here!? Why did it have to be me!?"

At this point, Rumi yelled to the sky, letting his whole body tense up and unravel itself. There was no more planning, no more vision, no more life. The best he could do now is proclaim his whole sadness since he wouldn't be alive for much longer to leave it festering within him. "I dedicated my being to the altar because of him! We had a strong connection, and he decided to throw it all out, for WHAT?! Just so he could put me in my place? I can't go on bearing this pain, Wiraqocha! I don't even want to know WHY he did what he did. I committed a horrible crime in trusting Supay when I met him after my death... But it was to simply feel whole again..."

Rumi finally collapsed to the ground, hunched over and knees bent as all he saw through his teary eyes was his own hands. "I don't deserve anything now. I've failed to come to Supay, and now a failed traitor stands before You, having upset everyone! Please just end this misery, Creator! Kill me now, for I do not have neither the strength nor the dignity to do it myself! CEASE MY SUFFERING!"

Silence fell across the cliff that the two stood upon, save for Rumi's own wails. The serpent remained hunched over, still saddened and only expecting the blunt eradication of his being at the hands of the Fantastic Creator behind him. Rumi's thoughts began swirling again, though this time it was of existential crisis. Would he ever be alive again? If he were to be kicked out of Hanan Pacha, would he even have the privilege of roaming the earth's limbo? What would happen to his soul if he were to be eradicated? What even is the absence of a soul? He's heard many rumors that others slowly forget the eradicated soul until not even their memories remain... What would he have done different to avoid this confrontation, this pain...? It was too much for Rumi to think about...

So much to think, that he only barely registered Wiraqocha's large hand covering the top of his head. "...Hm. So He was correct about you." The tiger muttered to himself and stood up once more, leaving Rumi momentarily before raising his Creator's Rod high in the air. "Then We shall see if My brother was also right about the circumstances." With a wave, a large pillar of light surrounded the two beings, and a large woosh of air passed by them as they were warped off to somewhere.

Rumi eventually found the strength to look up from the ground, now somewhat smelling a familiar scent of carpet washed in lavender. What he saw shook him: He was back in the company he had worked for in his last life, and more specifically, he was in the boss's office, just like how he remembered it before he was dragged out of there to be jailed. How cruel, Rumi pondered, that this will also be the last thing he'll ever--

"Get up, Rumi," Wiraqocha commanded, still fairly stern in his voice but remaining at a moderate volume. "We know Our reasons for sparing you... but do believe Me when I say that it was incredibly difficult."

Rumi tried to do as he was told, only managing to kneel in complete disbelief as he turned his head and saw Wiraqocha again, eye to eye. He would... live? After all that? "What...? Why?" The lizard once again shuddered, still in abject despair. "After I tried to defect from You...?"

Wiraqocha looked away, a bit of a scowl forming. "...if it were up to Me, you would have had your soul completely desecrated. However, My brother, bless His tactful heart, had seen a vision that played out similar to this." The Fantastic Creator began to pace around Rumi as He spoke about this incident: "My brother, Pacha Kamaq, had admitted to seeing strange visions for various days that brought Him great pain. After I had first encountered you, Rumi, His visions grew crueller, but a clearer image had now been presented to Him: something, or someone, was plotting to destroy the haven We allow you to walk upon, ravaged by the misguided influence of a demonic entity. Pacha Kamaq proposed that the only way to defeat this evil was to show it compassion, which I initially refused. But as time went on, it became clear to Me that the vision was somehow referring to you."

Wiraqocha completed one lap around Rumi, who was still trying to process how he was still alive. The tiger eventually stopped walking and stood in front of the serpent. "I took the time to peer into your thoughts just a few seconds ago. As We see it, you have been led on by Supay after witnessing Chiuchi inhabiting the human that betrayed you in life. That fiend has convinced you that the only option now is to seek revenge, and yet, I could not help but notice that you have not truly committed to this idea. Something held you back and has been doing so all this time. Luckily for you... you are about to witness what it was."

"I... Creator, I don't understand..." Rumi was now completely confused, managing to finally stand up on his feet and holding his head with one hand, while wiping away his tears with the other. His outburst was so explosive that his mind was practically strained beyond its limit, giving the serpent a splitting headache. Wiraqocha's information dump did not help matters. "I had... no doubts about this plan. I would end my life in ruin, and then meet Supay. What could I have possibly...?"

Wiraqocha stepped aside, as if He was revealing something behind Him. "How about you have a look for yourself?"

Rumi looked straight ahead and saw his old boss from the previous life. He was on the phone talking about Creators know what... but this time it felt weird. He could feel Chiuchi's spirit somewhere in the room, like the last time he was here in limbo with Supay, but it no longer felt like he was attached to that backstabber. The serpent grew more lost. "But... That's supposed to be Chiuchi, right?" Rumi pointed one finger over to the human in front of him.

"Look again," Wiraqocha retorted, "and focus your inner spirits on the soul you seek."

Now Rumi scowled, still managing to keep himself stable while dealing with the situation at hand. Closing his eyes (and wincing with pain as his mind hurt him for doing so), the serpent let his mind focus on Chiuchi, as much as he didn't want to. He was definitely somewhere here. But if it wasn't the boss, then what else? There was clearly no other living entity in the room, right? Rumi decided to move around to see if there was anything behind the boss. Such a ridiculous concept, it was, but that appeared to be the only explanation...

...and he found a dog. A large, adult golden retriever was sleeping peacefully in a special pillow made just for him. Rumi once again focused on his desires, like Wiraqocha had taught him. And beyond the surface level thoughts that Rumi saw of the dog running around in a field or distant memories of his primal ancestors... He saw him.

Chiuchi, too, was sleeping. From within the depths of the canine's mind laid the sleeping mentor, blissfully unaware that he was being observed by the soul that erroneously though he had betrayed him.

An enormous pit welled in Rumi's stomach again. It felt like despondence most incomprehensible.

Supay had fooled him to do His bidding.

As quickly as he had discovered this, Wiraqocha warped the two of them back to the cliff face in Hanan Pacha. Rumi was completely petrified, unable to mentally process anything anymore.

"...I do not like doing this... but for you, I must make an exception." Wiraqocha very slowly walked to Rumi, letting his large hands gently wrap around the serpent again, before slipping them inward for a soft hug. "You, who have been misguided by a insolent being, are forgiven. We have seen your lost soul follow a false prophet, but We know it wasn't your fault. You were simply unprepared and witnessed the Deity of Death in his prime potential, allowing Him to corrupt you. Now that you bathe in The Fantastic Creators' splendor once more... you see the truth."

Rumi was, understandably, floored at how much was happening all at once. All he could ever muster to do was weakly hug back the Creator, prompting a bit of a discomforting grunt from the large tiger. "Eh... this still feels foreign," quietly confessed the Creator, "but if it is truly the only way to undo the visions We have, then I must comply."

The serpent said nothing, but he once again started sobbing. He dug his face deep within the divine tiger's stomach, his muffled yelps the only thing expressing what he felt at the moment. Wiraqocha placed one hand over his head to comfort him some more.

"...what is this fuzzy feeling...?" Wiraqocha pondered to Himself as He felt something linger within Him. It felt like Rumi's face in His stomach, but it was... kinder. More free-flowing and, perhaps for a lack of a better-fitting word, jovial. Was this exchange supposed to make Him feel... happy? It still seemed like a distant memory, this sensation, but Rumi seemed to have opened His eyes to it...

"...yes, there is, uh, something else you should know," the Creator finally broke apart the hug, very gently and with a bit of reluctance (?). Rumi was still sobbing quite uncontrollably, but he managed to look up once more to the deity. "I had previously mentioned Chiuchi had left a letter to me, and I had told you that it was to be turned in later to someone else... Well, the truth is that the letter was actually written for you, and I was to turn it in at his request 'when the time is right'."

With one free hand, Wiraqocha spread out his hand, and from his palm formed a rectangular piece of folded paper, which the tiger pinched and gently descended to give to Rumi. "I believe this is for you to read now, then..."

Rumi would slowly tug the letter from the Fantastic Creator's hand to eventually open it. He still felt horrible about having attempted to betray everyone, and reading the letter out loud only seemed to make this resentment grow worse:

"My esteemed Rumi Katari: If you are reading this, then it should serve as a warning call. After we descended down to Kay Pacha together, I was reincarnated into a beetle, but every night became incredibly restless as I had appeared to develop intense visions of you in a sort of perilous state. The last dream I ever had in that life was of you seemingly praising the Deity of Death. I don't know what circumstances you have fallen upon, but please take my words and my teachings to heart. Always remember that everyone in Hanan Pacha will always have your back.

"I cannot write more for now, as I will be late for my ceremony. Please stay safe, and remember that a kind heart can guide you through all obstacles."

"Signed..." Rumi sounded defeated, hanging his head in utter shame. He couldn't even complete reciting the letter, now realizing that even Chiuchi somehow discovered his plans before he even hatched them, and worse, he was counting on him to not fall for it. Now having been embarrassed twice, the serpent dropped the letter, entering a deep depression and hesitatingly stating who wrote the letter. "...Chiuchi Sut'i."

"He never told Me why he was so concerned over you," Wiraqocha stated afterwards, watching as Rumi lost all of his emotion in mere seconds. "I assume it was because he had thought I had some knowledge on the matter already, but My brother and I only began having these visions around the time you came back here."

The two beings stayed in silence again. There was very little to say from this point forward, but Wiraqocha elected to stay in place as he had felt Rumi needed the company. The tiger would reluctantly go for another hug, but He was interrupted as Rumi muttered something to himself.

"...atone." Rumi's voice was so soft it couldn't be perceived that well by the much larger deity, prompting him to stop where He was and ask what he had said.

"Ah-- May you repeat that...?"

The serpent didn't restate his thought, at first. But in the small moment of silence that followed, his hands formed into fists, and Wiraqocha could almost see that the serpent was gritting his teeth in ire. Rumi would finally raise his head and look straight at the Creator, with all but one request, being shouted at the top of his lungs:

"My Lord, please allow me to be your eternal servant, such that I can atone for my misdeeds!"

Wiraqocha was somewhat taken aback by how loudly he proclaimed this, almost gasping at how sudden this attitude change was. "Wha-- Rumi, I was about to--"

The serpent didn't give him a chance to complete this thought before he spoke up once more. "What I did was unforgivable in the eyes of the Creators, even if I was misguided. To have still been privileged with Their blessing is a miracle by itself! I do not deserve to have been forgiven so easily, which is why now I want to be Your servant for as long as I exist as both my formal punishment and to thank You for allowing me to continue my existence. This won't undo the aggravation I have made by my actions, and I will never expect it to, so please, my Fantastic Creator! It's the least I can do to not make me feel so horrible!"

Wiraqocha had to hold both hands on the smaller being's shoulders just to get him to stop talking. "I know this is all very intense for you, and dare We say it, I completely understand why you feel this way... which is why it is incredibly lucky that I chose to specifically train you for this sole purpose."

Rumi cocked his head in confusion. "Wh... what do you mean, My Lord?"

A smile finally crept onto Wiraqocha's face. "Take notes for this extra lesson for today... because it will be the most important piece of information I will ever grant you." With a wave of His hand, the Fantastic Creator summoned forth His Creator's Rod, it materializing in His hand moments later. He then did something the tiger was still unsure about... but this time, He wasn't making the choice.

Wiraqocha extended His staff towards Rumi, allowing the serpent to see the whole thing so close for the first time. "...hold it in your hands. We shall allow you to feel its power, for a moment..."

Rumi's brows furrowed. Was this some sort of joke...? Even after all the emotions he's gone through, it still feels like he had to go through more hoops... but regardless, the serpent did as he was told. His scaled palms extended outward to the golden scepter in front of him, the sheer power that it had already being felt from just hovering his hands over it. A bit of hesitation later, Rumi finally gripped both hands on the rod... and a cold wave of pure strength rushed through his body. It sent incredible shivers all over, but instead of feeling dark or dreadful, it felt overflowing with vigor.

And then, his vision whited out to reveal just one image: Wiraqocha standing proud and tall, raising His Creator's Rod in the air, and Rumi standing right beside Him, the serpent adorned in the same clothes as that of the gods, with a silver sword drawn in hand. As quickly as this vision appeared, it faded away, seemingly knocking back the serpent, which in turn made him let go of the rod and end the sequence. Rumi wildly looked around, struggling to catch his breath after this, before staring ahead to Wiraqcoha, who had His eyes closed. He'd open them again after a few seconds, chuckling.

"...so It has decided well." Wiraqocha was now smiling at the serpent, as He finally was about to explain the true reason he was here.

"Rumi Katari, reinvigorated serpent who nearly defied the Creators... This is the beginning of your real training. At its conclusion, you will be fused with my Creator's Rod, and you will live on for eternity as My eternal companion, not just a servant for My desires, but to carry on My legacy. Such will be your duty from this point onwards, so We say."

The serpent simply stared back at his Creator. All he could do was give a single tear... along with a simple smile, finally realizing what this meant. "...Thank you, My Fantastic Creator... I'm not worthy of this blessing, but I will do my best!"

Wiraqocha would nod in agreement. "You will grow to be an amazing warrior. We will make sure of it."

---

Pacha Kamaq walked forward with a light skip in His step. The Creator of Earth was accompanied by another figure just beside Him, a tall puma, who carried a small stack of papers in one hand. The two figures were on their way to the throne room, but just before they could enter there, Pacha Kamaq had to show the puma a special surprise.

"As you are aware," Pacha Kamaq began as they patiently waited outside the throne room, "your duty as my companion is to lead the way around any obstacles that come Our way, as well as harbor all the knowledge We possess. Up until this point, however, I've neglected to tell you that you won't be alone in this endeavor."

"Oh?" The puma spoke up, looking up to his deity in awe. "Who is this other soul, then? Do they also serve under You?"

"Nay, Osqhollo. This soul instead serves under Wiraqocha. You two are special beings, as My staff and My brother's are the only two Creator's Rods that can fuse with a willing soul." Pacha Kamaq chuckled, now looking to His side as he caught a glimpse of two other figures fast approaching them. "Though, this is still a secret to all, even the other Fantastic Creators. I would imagine some'll get jealous once We break the news to them, Illapa especially."

"Ugh... Spare the thought, My Liege?" Osqhollo quickly shuddered, a previous incident involving the Ruler of Thunder still fresh in his mind. "I still haven't gotten over, well, that."

"Heh, My apologies. You'll have plenty a distraction, however." The yellow dino eventually turned His whole body towards the figures, now seeing who they were as they walked across the cloudy surface of Their haven. "Here they are, at last..."

The large tiger, Wiraqocha, was visible from Pacha Kamaq's viewpoint, and He, too, was accompanied by another figure beside Him, a serpent figure that walked alongside him with almost the same amount of pride and confidence as Wiraqocha. As they both arrived at the front door of the throne room, Wiraqocha greeted His brother.

"Rimaykullayki," the divine tiger bellowed to the two in front of Him before turning his attention to His brother, "I am glad to see you have trained your disciple well."

"But of course, Wiraqocha," the other would proclaim. "I wouldn't trust anyone else to do it for Me. On the same vain, Your disciple also seems to take after Your image, somewhat."

Wiraqocha gave a rather smug smile, before simply proclaiming back, "As I should expect." The tiger now looked down at the two souls, stepping back for a moment alongside His brother. "Now. Rumi Katari, this is Pacha Kamaq's companion, Osqhollo Qhawaq. I expect you two to get to know each other for a bit while We prepare the throne room for Our first initiation together."

Pacha Kamaq would chime in soon after. "You'll have more time to know all about Us later. For now, relish this time you two have together, as I am certain the both of you will find some familiar company quite comforting."

The two Fantastic Creators now walked past the two souls, opening the doors to the throne room. "Please stay here, and We will summon you once We are prepared," Wiraqocha instructed. With this, the two divine figures disappeared behind the golden doors, leaving the puma and serpent alone.

"...hm. I didn't think it'd be that abrupt." Osqhollo blurted out just moments later. "Truly, I still don't like meeting new faces..."

Rumi looked at the serpent in a bit of surprise. "Really? I don't know what it is, but to me, you felt like the type of being that would be chipper at the thought of new friends."

The puma was somewhat surprised by this assessment, mostly because he wasn't entirely wrong. "Well... I guess you are right, but to be frank, I still feel like I stumble quite a lot when trying to form any meaningful connection."

The serpent gave a warm smile and stuck one hand out towards Osqhollo. "How about we change that, then? My name is Rumi Katari, Companion Serpent of Wiraqocha. What's your name?"

The puma lightly gulped, before extending his free hand out to shake the serpent's. "...Osqhollo Qhawaq, Disciple Puma of Pacha Kamaq. I'm happy to meet you!"

Rumi nodded, before breaking up the handshake and continuing the conversation. "So, Osqhollo... how were you selected to be Pacha Kamaq's trusted soul?"

"Oh, that's a bit of a doozy," the puma replied. "My Liege had hosted a competition not long ago, and willing participants stepped up to prove their mettle. I was amongst one of the finalists, but a tragedy struck the competition for the final leg. It's quite the story to tell, but in the end, I managed to expel a malevolent presence from one of the Fantastic Creators, allowing Pacha Kamaq to see the true potential I had... even if I didn't win the competition in the end."

Rumi smirked, enjoying this overly condensed summary of events. "Heh. Wish I was there to witness it, that must have been intense!"

Osqhollo appeared to fluster a bit, before replying. "Well, it's not that winning was all that important to me... Uh- Anyways! You said you wished you were in this competition? How didn't you know about it is my question, since it was so heavily advertised all over the Citadel..."

Rumi's smile sort of faded as it was now his turn to tell how he got here. "Ah, well, I may have been gone from this place for... months now. I purposefully exiled myself from this community, that was, until Wiraqocha rescued me."

"...rescued you?" Osqhollo's face now resembled worry. "How did that happen?"

Rumi sighed, looking at the puma with some regret still present in his eyes. "That, too, is quite the story..."