☀️ Arselia and Akonia

- "Merely a human." - The Arselian superior sighs. - If you were faced with a demon, an evil spirit, or a ghost crucifying itself in its humanity, would you truly want to take its words to heart?

- I would not want that very much, it is true. And yet, over the years my life experience has taught me that things are not always so straightforward. Evil deeds and intentions are evil—there is no doubt about that—but the opposite is also true. For example, I happened to witness a scene where the spirit of a long-dead person was soothing the souls of executed brutal criminals, preventing them from causing chaos and poisoning the lives of living people—not for any selfish purpose, but because he had been bound to this duty in life. Such a thing was new to me, and if someone had told me about it, I would not have believed it, but I happened to behold this fact with my own eyes.

Moreover, the sincerity of your decision to cross this threshold is easily called into question by the fact that you walk in the company of a bodyguard ready at any moment to pounce on any source of danger to you. - Bruno shifts his condemnatory gaze toward the Lord. - I have encountered reckless fanatics of Rinze, Rishists and Gnostics who pervert the laws of nature, Tevta brigands devoid of humanity, but for a son of Anuzish to swear his love for a simple alien, not even a celestial or an otherworldly goddess, in the middle of a temple hostile toward her, in the presence of its own superior... If I kept a diary, I would certainly add an entry about this unique experience.

- This son of Anuzish is under my supervision. His origin and some of his sins are known to me, but he has sworn not to do evil, and in these words one feels a sincerity uncharacteristic of his dark soul. Let his past sins remain with him, but if he does something good or even simply commits no new ones... If this is at least the minimum that can ensure my existence, then this matter no longer seems so futile to me, superior, - the priestess humbly bows her head.

- Our world, like any other, lives by certain rules. For example, those born to crawl cannot fly, and mortal shells, to sustain life, require the gifts of nature, and each is allotted a specific term. All this is necessary for the harmonious existence of our planet, but otherworldly entities try with all their might to disrupt this order of things. Look at yourself, for instance; though you look like us, surely you are also endowed with certain peculiarities or abilities not of this world? At the same time, their nature and your intentions toward them mean nothing—it is something that should not exist, no matter how tempting the fruits of their "correct" use may be. One does not need to look far for an example of the consequences of the blasphemous application of these powers—Nephiria, the land of the undead, is one such case. Monogath and those he turned may well think that their idea to defeat death, hunger, and other "inconvenient" features of human life is a noble idea, but I think you will agree that it is not. Of course, if what you claimed about yourself is true... In the time of the war with the celestials, it was all the same, only on a much larger scale. If not for Arselia and our righteous ancestors, this world might no longer exist.

- Despite the differences in our natures, many constants of reality remain immutable from one space to another. I have heard of this country, and the existence of something like it weighs upon my soul because I can easily visualize it. And yet, before you stands not a phantom, but ordinary flesh and blood. My... "peculiarities" are not as unnatural as you might think based on my aura. I, of course, do not dare claim that our beliefs and worldviews are identical, but there are points of convergence. I have not heard the names of these heretical gods; where I had the misfortune to come from, we also revere nature in its embodiment—the forests, mountains, oceans, deserts, the people and animals that inhabit them, and the eternal cycle of existence to which these entities are subject. Not being a native daughter of Anuzish, I still cannot help but feel warm and familiar feelings toward her, in her gentle wind, the rustle of leaves, or the rays of the celestial body warming the skin, so little different from those I am used to. If there is something good I can do for Mitten to confirm my words, then please, let me know.
However... If it is not taboo within the framework of this conversation, could you tell me a bit about Arselia? I feel in my heart that it is critically important, but so far I cannot formulate why. Unfortunately, my understanding of this matter is currently at a rather approximate level...