Chapter 17 - Should I bother getting Involved?

Chapter 17 - Should I bother getting Involved?

Primordial Calendar 097, Summer Season 8, and 23rd day, Purgatory Waystation

"Should I really become involved in the affairs down there?" After the confrontation with the chaos entity, the Purgatory Waystation stationmaster finally decided to look into what happened. "Well, I did help create it. even though the chaos entities took over, or should have, once everything was terraformed." He frowned in confusion. "There should be some records of what happened in the time following the creation of Javelin somewhere around here." He walked the halls of the Waystation.

"Greetings, stationmaster." A record keeper saw him coming. "How can I assist you?" She looked perplexed. "Does your visit have to do with Snarva's arrival in the station office of operations?" Now, she simply looked annoyed.

So, news spread about the confrontation. "Unfortunately, yes, it does, I fear." The stationmaster exhaled in frustration as he looked around at the neatly organized scrolls, boxes, and shelves holding texts, paintings, and other means of recording information.

He looked from the shelves to the records' keeper with dismay. "Hmm, this may be more difficult than I first thought." Regarding the confrontation and wild rumors, well, that was normal. After all, it wasn't often that an actual deity set foot in a small place like this. "There was a bit of a mess earlier." The stationmaster confirmed.

The records' keeper tapped her jaw. "I see. So, you want to know about the changes that have come over Javelin and what else you may need to know to defend your position?" Her eyebrows rose slightly. "I'm surprised you even want to do that, honestly."

"While I wasn't one of the more powerful beings involved in the creation of Javelin, I did have a hand in creating the more spiritual species."

The records' keeper winced. "You mean the beings that had civilizations in the skies and underworld?"

"Yes, well, it hasn't been something I'd had to worry about this entire time." Their choices, in the end, had led to his demotion from a powerful deity to simply a Purgatory stationmaster.

The records' keeper grunted in disbelief. "You say that, but are you now having to look into what was going on that is bringing more refugees through the gates of the astral realms?" She folded her arms with a scowl and then dropped them to her sides when he remained silent. "Don't give me that nonsense." She slashed a hand through the air.

She had a point. The stationmaster winced a little. "Yes, although those species have long since chosen to intermingle with the citizenry and diluted their abilities into something negligible." That didn't bother him so much as what other choices they'd made had on his status.

She glowered at the stationmaster. "They did more than that." Disapproval flavored her voice. "Don't you even know your own name anymore?" She tilted her head.

He rubbed an ear. "Why did I need to remember it before now?" Now, it appeared that he would have to deal with some aftereffects he hadn't known would ruin his peace of mind.

The records' keeper glared. "Do you even know my name?"

"Ferina Gale, the eastern wind deity." Yes, he knew her name quite well. "I was one of the creation and later custodian deities of the southwestern portion of Javelin." The stationmaster shrugged with disgust. "Not that it did much good."

Ferina snorted. "Since you've shown me some common sense, I'll help you."

The stationmaster closed his eyes for a bit. When he reopened them, a faint smile curved his mouth. "I appreciate what you're capable of doing, Ferina." After all, he was one of Javelin's custodian deities despite his distaste for such designations. "I'm not particularly interested in being venerated."

Now, he had a quandary on his hands. "What am I known as down there anyway?" He hadn't possessed a name in such a long time; now, when it mattered most, it was no longer present in his memories. "Will I have to descend to the earth to find my identity again?" That didn't make him feel so great, either.

Ferina shook her head. "Your name is Gavel, "One-Eye" Percival, and you were known as a spear master." She regarded him dubiously.

Spear master, hmm? That did fit with his fragmented memories. Just when he was about to have a breakthrough, Gavel almost fell. "What in the world?"

Rough tremors rocked the foundation of the Javelin and rattled all the floors of the Purgatory Waystation, which had also become a viable world of its own.

The transient beings yelled and screamed frightfully, having no idea what was going on. Even Gavel was at a loss. He eyed the massive scroll that appeared on the floor where he was standing. Gavel knelt down to examine it. "Huh, he's already begun mucking around, it seems."

"Who?" Ferina studied the intricate description of the Cytherian humanoids. "Ah, so you mean this is something new and designed to help the citizens navigate the stages better?"

Gavel shrugged. "More like giving them the ability to adapt to whatever conditions happen after the oceans evaporate, among other apocalyptic events are set to happen." He rubbed his forehead. "Well, I did give him free rein to do something about the situation. This wasn't what I expected, though." He was baffled by the choice the author had made. "Guaranteed, this'll really ruffle Snarva's scales." Gavel was amused.

Ferina rolled her eyes. "What else is new?" She looked from the scroll to the waiting list of transients. "Interesting, the amount of people waiting to enter has just reduced by about 50 percent."

They had some breathing room before the next potential extinction event came and went. "I shall send most of the remaining ones here elsewhere." None of them were suitable to live in the Waystation permanently. Gavel had already determined that much. He promptly acted upon his decision and turned his attention back to Javelin. "I shall have to join the others and discover what is happening myself." It was not something he wanted to do, but it was necessary. Ferina shrugged. "I shall accompany you." She'd summoned her most capable assistants. "I needed a break anyway."

With that, the two left the Waystation to join the citizens, who were very shaken by all the changes in their lives.