<span style="font-style: italic">That's right...</span>Uriel thought.<span style="font-style: italic">Humans bury their dead.</span>For whatever reason, what to do with dead bodies was always determined by a society's religion, or lack-thereof. For Vortians, the method was liquidation.<br/><br/>The Vortians had two Gods--for consolation when known science couldn't explain things. Regnè, the giver of life, depicted as a white-gold female Vortian, was one. Sylvatier, the patron of empathy, depicted as a dark red male Vortian, was the other. Sylvatier was responsible for the binding effects of blood, and he offered shelter to those who's blood he had let weaken. In other words, Sylvatier supposedly felt guilty when he allowed Vortians to die, so he offered them a home with him. To get there, though, they needed a ladder to the heavens. The bodies of dead Vortians were boiled down, until they were mere liquid. Then, they were poured over the roots of trees. The trees would drink them up and grow taller, until they guided their souls to Sylvatier.<br/><br/>It wasn't quite as ridiculous as it sounded. Vortian blood had an effect on plants like a super-fertilizer. The trees on Ig'zaalta were enormous because of it. Also, trees were considered sacred on Ig'zaalta. To cut down a tree was to sever the path of many souls to heaven. It was a crime punishable by death, with cremation to follow. As a result, Vortians skipped the wood faze and went straight to stone and metal. Their technology progressed much faster than most races because of it.<br/><br/>It was risky, but Uriel couldn't deny this human the right to see his fallen mother. Her conscience wouldn't allow it.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #BF80FF">"I will take you to see her,"</span></span>Uriel said.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #BF80FF">"We will make time for your visit on our way to level five."</span></span>A moment later, Rhofel returned with "waffles, topped with syrup, whip cream, and strawberries." Whatever that was.