“So, you’re telling me… he let Yforno make his own creatures when he couldn’t do it himself?” Voolio was pacing the floor, head on hand. It was night.
“Yes, but only five of them are left,” Bauwls said, still sitting on the stool.
“Where’d the rest of them go?”
“They were washed away in the first age by Wriling’s flood, remember?”
“Oh yeah, that’s right! Why did he do that again?”
“To get rid of the beautiful life Moosa had created.”
“Ok, now I’m confused. Why didn’t Wriling just wipe the universe clean? He made it, right?”
“Yes, but… hm… oh yeah, he couldn’t! Moosa used his power to block Wriling from doing it! Ithia did too, since she has to protect the elves.”
“I think I get it now,” Voolio said. “Moosa made all the people and plants and stuff.”
“Except for the elves, Ithia made them, and Yforno’s creatures.”
“Except for them, and he-”
“Oh, and the five guardians of the Wood, too.”
“Yeah, so he created most of the important things and then disappeared-”
“Not all the important things, just the living things.”
“Ok, so Moosa created most of the important living things, then disappeared.”
“When all the other gods did.”
“With the other gods.”
“Mhm.”
“So, where did they go?”
“To Oth, I guess?”
“Oth? Oh yeah, Oth. So, it’s basically heaven, right?”
“Yup.”
“So… heaven’s real?”
“Yup.”
“Hmm… did they say why they left?”
“No.”
“Huh.”
“No one knows why they left,” Bauwls said, sitting back down. “Now, Voolio, I have a question.”
“Yeah?”
“What do you think about Moosa?” She looked at him, fists under chin.
“I’m kinda torn,” he said.
“Why’s that?”
“Well, I’m a half-orc.” He smiled weakly.
“Oh… oh!”
“Yeah.”
“So your magic, it’s…?”
“Dragon magic.”
“Yeah, Moosa and dragons don’t have a good track record together. So, you’re a sisaba, then.”
“No, I also got magic from my orc side, it’s complicated.”
“Oh, trust me, I know.” They sat quietly for a bit; Voolio began to feel awkward.
“But you still think Moosa is cool, right?” Bauwls asked.
“Well, obviously.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah, I mean, the way you tell it, Moosa seems like a nice guy. The nicest guy, even.”
“He is!”
“Have you talked to him? You know, in a dream?”
“No,” Bauwls said.
“I thought you said that dreams bring you to Oth.”
“They do.”
“So, why haven’t you seen Moosa yet?”
“I don’t… I…” Another awkward silence. They started to talk at the same time:
“I have faith that he-”
“Sometimes I dream about-”
“Sorry, sorry, you go first,” Bauwls said.
“No, it’s alright, you go.”
“No, I’m ok,” Bauwls said, raising her hands. Voolio sighed.
“I wonder when Gnom’s coming back.”
The door burst open. Outside it stood a small, frantic, dirtier than usual garden decoration.
“Hi guys!”
“Hi Gnom!” both of them said.
“What’ve you been up to, little guy?” Voolio asked.
“Come with me to a tavern and I’ll tell you! You won’t believe it!”