The Unknown Divinity

A Parent's Revenge

The next day approaches and thus sun breaks, the two take to the road while Tiko keeps a watchful eye on the forest surrounding them. Tiko says, "It will take about two days for us to reach the next city if we keep our pace. Do you know what you plan to do once you reach it?" Astraeus looks down at the dirt beneath them as they walk and says, "In all honesty, nothing comes to mind. I know you told me to try looking for my father but I can't even think of a good start for that." Tiko looks at him sincerely and says, "Hmm, then how have you been living up to this point?" Astraeus answers, "I just did what I was told. Grandma told me to do things around the house like clean, Kaja told me to work, and most of the things I've ever done were because someone told me to."

Tiko takes some time to think and then comes up with an answer, "Perhaps your goal can be to help others? You are quite an adaptable boy, you understood all the basics of my survival training rather quickly. If you use that skill you can be a perfect helper and bring conclusions to other's problems. Of course, helping others can help you as well." Astraeus looks at him quizzingly, "How would helping others help me?" Tiko responds, "Karma, because you are actively helping others they will be entitled to provide you with a sort of reward for your deeds. If you help a rich noble they could sponsor you with gold. If you help an inn keep they can give you free lodging and food. Or you could even help someone who has seen your father. In a sense you are just building good karma to help you on your journey, of course, you will also build up bad karma."

Astraeus looks confusedly at Tiko and he continues, "By helping one person you may also end up antagonizing someone else. If someone needs help from bullies and you are able to keep the bullies away then they may shift their focus toward you instead. Maybe by helping that noble, you ended up foiling someone's plans to take their fortune. To put it simply, a good deed may reward you but that good deed may be seen as a bad deed in another's view. Just like this whole conflict between the nations of Fos and Erebos."

The boy asks, "How is it similar? I thought Fos was trying to prevent Erebos from doing something evil like taking over the world?" Tiko pats him on the head, "A naive worldview Astraeus. Let me ask you something." Astraeus nods and he continues, "Let's say you are on a walk and someone trips you, how would you feel?" Astraeus responds, "I would be rather angry." Tiko then asks another question, "Then would you do something about it, like tripping them as well" He responds, "If I get the chance." Tiko continues, "Then when you trip the other boy he will most likely respond back by doing something such as putting ants in your pants. Will you continue fighting them?" Astraeus answers angrily, "Of course."

The man smiles and says, "Now you two boys have been fighting for a long time now but what if you found out the boy never tripped you to begin with and you probably tripped on yourself? What will you do?" He answers, "I would probably want to stop fighting." Tiko laughs, "Of course you would but what about the other boy? He wouldn't care that you attacked him on a false pretense, you still attacked him and now you two are constantly at each other's throats."

Astraeus begins to think but Tiko still goes on, "That is how this whole war between Fos and Erebos is and always will be nothing but a squabble and neither side knows who truly started the whole damned thing. Each side comes up with their own excuses as to why they even continue because they don't know the truth, all they know is that they must keep their god happy and to do that they must fight for any reason they can think of."

Tiko takes a breath and apologizes, "Sorry for ranting, I was essentially forced to fight in a war for Fos about forty years back and it left me with a rather distasteful view of the country." He shivers while whispering, "Never again." Astraeus asks, "Forty years ago? How old are you Tiko?" Tiko answers confidently, "I'll be 132 in a couple of months. Those of Elven descent can live up to about 300, so in human years I'd be similar to a 20-year-old." Astraeus looks surprised and tries to count that many years on his fingers. He stops when he realizes he doesn't have enough.