Faction Fall of the Gods (Pantheon of Zaathru)

[Forrest Dinn]

Forrest sat with the twins, anger spinning as he played off the events of the meeting regarding the outcome of the false God. When he was born he had thought his father the picture of power and leadership, but in the short time he had been breathing, it had been proven his mother, paranoia and all, was the one who was truly looking out for their interests.

The events played over and over as his father shut down the tribunal before it ever even got started. It was clear he had no intention of ever letting it take place, and even refused to allow another be called until they proved their judgement could be trusted. But Forrest wondered if he meant trusted, or adhered to his way of thinking alone. No, Forrest knew from that moment it wasn't the judgement of the Pantheon that was misguided, but the will and weakness of his father.

He looked to Semi who had been instructed to be there with him and stood. "Sister, can you manage these rascals on your own for a time? I need to find father?" when she responded in the positive Forrest ruffles the twins hair before exiting and seeking out the proprietor of the Dinn line.

He found him in deep thought sitting alone, Forrest had no idea what had caused this or what he was planning but he leaned against a column and folded his arms over his chest. He didn't care what he was interrupting, if he was to protect this family, this conversation needed to happen sooner rather than later.

"Father, we need to speak."

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Deep in thought indeed.​

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Arcturus was sat on the ground in the garden they'd used to host the trial, in the very center where Theryn had been kneeling. Before him on the ground was a pile of sand, and the fingertips of his left hand gently brushed through it. His eyes were closed, though not in rest. Quite the opposite, Arcturus' lips were gently moving in soundless whispers, and his eyes shifted beneath the heavy lids. Entranced was one word for it. His brows were furrowed, shifting slightly every few seconds as he sifted further and further through his chosen medium.​

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Then he stopped, clutching just the tiniest dusting of sand between his thumb and index. He drew in a slow breath, then opened his eyes. He did not immediately acknowledge Forrest, his eyes still seemed distant, as he used his right hand to bring forth a small vial from his belt of curiosities and proceeded to deposit the sand inside. With a wave of his hand the rest of it was fast dispersed, sent out over the surrounding city and onward back to the desert from whence it came.​

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"Forrest," he finally said, lifting his head to stare at his youngest-oldest son. He gestured to the ground ahead of himself. "Please, sit." ​

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His voice was more strained than usual. Quieter but not softer, in fact it was quite hoarse. Like he hadn't drank in days.​

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"I know you do not agree with how things were handled. Please, speak what you will and then give me the respect to let me reciprocate in kind."​

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Forrest Dinn ​

 

[Forrest Dinn]

Forrest worried a little at the weariness within his father. He walked slowly to the middle of the room and slowly took a seat in front of his father.

"I never intended this to be a one sided conversation father. I want your feedback, to know where your mind was at because I have.......concerns." he paused slightly before adding the last word because he wanted to gauge his father's reaction and be wanted to say a word that wouldn't immediately spark a fight.

"Tell me, had that boy not been so young, would you have acted in the same manner?" it was a serious question and the answer would determine how the rest of the conversation would go. He knew his father would immediately see what he was trying to get at and he was anxious to see if he resorted to rationality or anger. He let the question hang in the air for as long as his father needed.

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

As Forrest sat across from him on the ground, Arcturus tracked his path with his eyes and said nothing, not until he was seated. He gave the boy time to say his initial words, and found that it wasn't just an attempt to berate him that came from Forrest's mouth but a hope for genuine conversation and feedback. Odd, he'd expected something slightly more... volatile. Wouldn't have blamed him if it had been, even.​

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He ruminated on the question for a moment, then turned his gaze from Forrest to peer out over the city.​

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"There's a certain naivety and innocence that you cannot truly fake. Maybe on the surface, yes, but there are tells. With the Force? More so. That boy came here bright eyed and eager to find divinity, true divinity, in Rhiannon, and the rest of us. It was not simply his age which had me speak up, and quite frankly had Rhiannon not acted the way she had toward Pharus I might never have intervened. But she did, so I did. How are you at reading people, Son? Truly reading people? As a child I had my thoughts used against me. Slavers making offhanded comments in the hopes that I'd let something slip in my mind. Something they could punish me for... A horrid trick in the wrong hands, but it has its merits. He wasn't lying, his thoughts were sincere."​

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So it was that Arcturus shook his head.​

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"So no, had it been someone else, someone meaning us harm, I would not have been so relaxed about the whole thing. I've killed men barely past their childhood years, women too. Bathed in their blood, feasted on their flesh, and used them in sacrifice even before we found this world and had to do so in the name of divinity. I have also seen fit to snuff from existence other threats which have come our way. That boy... That boy is no real threat. But if he ever becomes one?"​

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Back to Forrest his gaze drifted.​

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"If he ever becomes one, I will see to his execution myself."​

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Forrest Dinn ​

 

[Forrest Dinn]

Forrest sat and listened to his father speak. He had a point, he knew more of the force and of pretenders than Forrest but the fact of who he was supposed to be that itched at the back of his head. He didn't want an outright fight, both his mother and father had been in perilous moods since the day of the temple meeting and Forrest had no inclination to suffer under either of their tempera. No instead he would get his information through the guise of curiosity.

"I see. Being new to all of this, regardless of the power I feel coursing through me being born of the force, I have a few, follow up questions. Isn't it possible for someone to be hide their ability with the force? Being the supposed trickster god, isn't this something that could very well be something he is capable of? I don't mean to question you father, but you've put me in charge of the safety of this family and this planet and it's inhabitants. Having a rogue force user making us look bad is dangerous."

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Arcturus was glad it was just the two of them as Forrest's next question arose. His son was too caught up in the lies they had formed on this world to realize the truth of it. But that was okay, it was something that he could clarify now.​

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"We are not truly Gods, Forrest, and if I somehow muddied that when creating you then I apologize sincerely. This is all... pretend. A way to preside over the Natives; they saw us as their Deities, and we are simply leaning into that. I am not really Desdinova, you are not really Anhur, and Theryn is not a trickster God. He isn't actually Lysius, he didn't even know who Lysius was until they named him it. I reckon he still has no idea who Lysius is."​

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He could see how those lines had been blurred though.​

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"There is always a chance that those we believe we can trust are actually deceitful and wrong, but finding suspicion in each and every person we come across will only lead to a life of paranoia and unhappiness. Sometimes we... we need to trust. And if our trust turns out to be misplaced? Then we will remedy it with swift action. I did not let Theryn go without having eyes upon him, Son. That boy is on a very tight leash. And if it comes down to it, I will deal with him ruthlessly. Until then? Until then we exist, no more than exist - we find a way to thrive."​

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There was a running theme as of late when it came to Arcturus' conversations, and though it may have been cliché he decided as much needed to be said here too.​

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"You are here to protect, yes, but that is not your sole purpose. I made you to be our son as much as a guardian, Forrest. Live life to the fullest, my boy, find happiness and peace for yourself, things to do when there's no wars to wage or threats to stomp out. Surely I must have imbued you with some sense of wonder... An urge to make, or dance, or play?"​

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Forrest Dinn ​

 

[Forrest Dinn]

Forrests eyebrows shot up as his father admitted to the falsity of everything they were. "No father, the fact we aren't dieties was made crystal clear, but admittedly, I felt I was the only one of us that recognized it as such. It seems everyone here has leaned into the fact so stoically that the lines between truth and lies had been blurred bring recognition. I'm happy to be wrong in that assumption. The reason I've been leaning so hard on those lies was to try and make a point. I'm afraid your judgement had become clouded when it comes to children, it what you persieve to be a child. A weakness, it seems, I have also acquired through my birth."

Forrest nodded his head in thought as his father spoke more of trust. It would seem he also picked up some weaknesses or his mother, but that was to be the case in the way in which he was born. "I have inherited some of mother's tendencies as well, but being born for what I was born for, that paranoia seems more a strength than a weakness. It was made clear to me my job was to protect this family, this planet and the people on it. I believe that also means protecting the lie in which we hold firm to. I trust you to make the decision that's needed should it come up, but the fact he was so blatantly willing to use his powers, and then not conform to the story we have structured, thereby putting us all in danger. We are powerful, and we have mostly treated the locals well, but if the entire planet rebels against us, it will be hard, even for us, to route that kind of offensive. And the leash you speak of, is more likely to fall on the side of the people than the Pantheon. I don't trust him or his pet."

Forrest had to take a few moments to think after his father spoke. He hadn't been alive long enough to really think about it. "I don't know father. I haven't been around long enough to wonder about anything but the safety of the Pantheon, of our family. My first experience alive was this meeting so it seems the priority fell where it needed to fall, I haven't had time to think for myself yet. My own domain, that is an ambition. Taking control of my own area, my own people, that I think I could thrive with, but until things are settled here, I don't know when that would take place.