Chapter Text
You awaken on a dusty, bloody battlefield - body torn to shreds from head to toe.
Being at war with other gods and winning countless times in this era is nothing new - to you, at least. But...there is, in fact, something peculiar about all of it.
At the end of every bloodied day, you remember not a single detail. Everything you see is a squirming haze - like the refracting light on the horizon in the middle of a hot summer day. And, more often than not, you black out during the heat of the battle. To your still-living foes, you're nothing short of a savage beast with a human face. A face that gives away nothing to your inner turmoil.
No one truly knows what fuels your blinding bloodlust, not even yourself. Your life has been like a mirage, after all. Your theories are manifold. Perhaps a curse haunts you after encountering a tough enemy - you could never conclude the truth behind all of it. Despite all of the blood and murder, your life is rather insipid from your point of view. It's a symptom of a rather forgetful memory, you figured this out a long time ago…
That night, you find your favorite clearwater mountain stream. This area - dense with green thickets and full trees - brings you an uncanny form of tranquility and clarity. Meaning: you think of nothing - absolutely nothing. It allows you to become one with the smooth-flowing brook. The chilly water washes away the blood...and your mind. While the peace is short-lived, it helps in the long run.
Whether you're meditating or somehow fell asleep despite not needing it, you're apathetic about which it is.
All that matters is that you have found quietude.
The morning rises as always, alongside the chirping birds and gentle breezes. The sun hardly shines through the numerous trees. The forest of evergreens always shades you from the day star's blinding light.
It's another day - another day to avoid other gods at all costs. You will not surrender your life, but theirs will become forfeit should they cross you. Outside of battle, you've grown tired of war and battle and blood - inside and out. Your mind weary, your body aching.
But, you must push forward. As you have done for innumerable centuries.