<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/ZQc7Deq.jpg)</div><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Rin</span></strong>(https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=337368.msg16018996#msg16018996)<br/><strong>Time:</strong><em>Year 2</em><br/><strong>Tags:</strong><em></em><br/><strong>Actions:</strong><em>The end is just a beginning</em><br/><br/>Rin watched through the coming months of the little babyphants and mortals who communed, sometimes with other animals, sometimes not. She was especially glad when the little snails had arrived to share a story, having left for the cave as soon as they'd heard of it oh so many months ago. She'd offered to have them carried by other animals, but they'd politely declined. Life moved at a different pace for all. When the Lil' Grumpus came though, her heart....she couldn't describe it. A hope, a sadness, all at the same time. She'd talked all those months ago when she'd left the cavern, having sulked in the grove for days with Blossoms who had helped her come to terms that sometimes things would always be left unfinished, there would always be regrets.<br/><br/>Mostly these days, she watched the little mortals though. She rarely had to guide them, or interfere. Though she often would bring them new stories or invite new animals, but then they did that themselves these days too.  Her creations were largely self sufficient and the little ones all knew to be kind and nice and welcoming. She did other things of course. Talked with the Mother Elephants to learn (always learning) and talked with her fellow spirits. She also spent time with Blossoms who helped her understand the nature of some aspects of her fiery abilities and what she had created. That stories told were lines to the past, and that these lines extended into all directions. Rin had found if she focused hard enough she could see...fainter lines into a direction that wasn't space or direction but time. There was no words, no images, but little flares where important things were to happen. The larger the flares, the more important these things were. At least...that's how it felt to her. It felt right and true.<br/><br/>Then came the day. Rin was flying back to the meeting place, having found some rather neat ways to mix flowers and waters together to make new colors to try. She thought perhaps they might enjoy painting faces this time. A fun pretend. Nearing the meeting place, a burst of...pressure knocked the spirit from the air, tumbling her into the ground. Blinking and adjusting she looked towards the village. There was a large gathering of mortals around one of their wooden places. She had to know. She'd become well versed in avoiding the big mortals, and slipping through the throng was no big task to a brave spirit such as herself. Peering in, she saw one of the little wriggle monsters, fresh from the big mortal. But....something was wrong. The big mortal they always had when someone was ill was moving frantically. Applying this, pressing here. The little wriggler was growing colder though.<br/><br/>Blinking her eyes she saw the line, and what had knocked her from the air. The line from this wriggler was the brightest she'd ever seen before, with large...huge flares down the line. But the line was fading. The wriggler was fading and all these important and big events would never come to be. It had been the first big flare, popping like one of the bubbles in the pond. She felt...oh no....a slight chill in the air.<br/><br/>Turning her head, she saw the Reaper emerge from the other place, ready to collect the little one. Zipping over towards the Reaper she stood in front of her. The Reaper was one that was inbetween places she was unseen, unheard by mortals and  briefly bathed in the energy so was Rin. The little fiery spirit stamped her foot in the air stood her ground. "NO. You can't have this one....not now...she's important!" the voice that had sounded so fierce then turned small, pleading "Please...."<br/><br/>The Reaper shook her head though and moved past the spirit. Rin stared after her, feeling so helpless in that moment. The Reaper, she knew, was just doing what she had to do. She knew the island would endure without the wriggler, even be happy eventually. But it would be...less without those flares. Those moments of greatness, of potential that all mortals had, but this ones were especially great. She wished she had time to ask Blossoms or her other spirits or the Wise Old Elephant.<br/><br/>She thought, quicker then she'd ever thought before and her fists unclenched and she smiled...then looked worried as she looked back at the rest of the island. She didn't want this story to end, she wanted to play forever with her companions. There was so much to learn, to see, to do that was left undone. To give all her energy to the little wriggler though....the fire enough to sustain a mortal would take all she had. She would be gone. She would miss all the friends she'd made on this journey and...she was scared.<br/><br/>A sharp, brief wail drew her attention back and that worry, that trepidation faded from Rin's face and she flew forward with a will that had never been stronger. She gave much of her energy as she flitted back towards there. A burst of fire flew towards the Grove, a final hug for Blossoms, a hug filled with images and love and goodbyes. A burst of fire flew towards the meeting place, a goodbye and a reminder to always be good to each other. A burst of fires flew towards her fellow spirits that remained, asking them, when they could, to check on the little mortals for her and that she hoped their journeys would continue on. After each burst she faded a little more from the world, flying slower, almost invisible at this point to a mortal eye a mere shimmer.<br/><br/>Still she made it in time, just as those fingers were about to collect the small mortal, Rin's reached out first. She looked back and smiled at the Reaper. Not a smug or victorious smile, but a smile that spoke volumes. That this was how it had to be....maybe it was how it was always going to be. The Reaper, though her expression was always unreadable, seemed curious by this turn of events and what would happen. Certainly Rin had never heard of anything like this before , and hoped no other would have to be heard of again.<br/><br/>Rin could feel her energy flowing into the little wriggler, as her memories started to dim. It was going to take everything she had to keep the wriggler going and she...let go into that forever darkness that Blossoms had described. If that was her end....she would be fine with it. As all that made up Rin began to fade, the final memory, a wonderful, beautiful voice calling a tiny spirit forward, kept her happy in those final moments....and then was gone.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>An eternity of nothingness later....but still only seconds later...new mortal eyes that seemed somehow old opened. Warm and safe and curious and wriggly.  She let out a happy noise....