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Description
"The stars," he says, looking up at the sky, "Do not tell you the future."

Tilik froze. What heresy was this?

"Have you never thought about this? The shamans, they say to obey the stars, but to obey, you must be able to disobey."

Tilik blinked. "I had never thought of it that way."

"Oho! Of course not." Xilix smiled, his body paint glowing in the moonlight. "That is precisely what they want."

"That is... a bit harsh."

"Is it? They think the stars are the future, but they only light the way." He leaned back against the spear that some warrior had thrust into the ground in frustration. "That is why the pinkskins prosper, and we still fish in the swamp." He looks up. "We have known the stars longer than they have drawn breath, but they have so many things we do not. Once, we had knowledge, magic, the best ways of doing things. But now?"

Tilik shifted uncomfortably. Many people knew Xilix had spent some time talking to the pinkskins - more than even the traders - but it seems their thoughts had infected him deeper than any had dared think. Should he tell the other shamans?

"I am leaving, soon," Xilix said abruptly, startling Tilik out of his reverie.

"What?"

"Leaving. The stars - the ones they say foretell danger outside of the swamp - they are not a warning for us to stay here. Disaster WILL come. It is not a warning to stay here; it is a guide, to go there, so that we may stop it from burning up the world."

"And yet, you are smiling," Tilik said cautiously.

"I am," Xilix said, laughing. "For the stars said I will not be alone."

Tilik looked at his friend for several long seconds, before he let out a sibilant curse, only drawing more laughter from his companion.

Created using MidJourney/NijiJourney.

Description
"The stars," he says, looking up at the sky, "Do not tell you the future."

Tilik froze. What heresy was this?

"Have you never thought about this? The shamans, they say to obey the stars, but to obey, you must be able to disobey."

Tilik blinked. "I had never thought of it that way."

"Oho! Of course not." Xilix smiled, his body paint glowing in the moonlight. "That is precisely what they want."

"That is... a bit harsh."

"Is it? They think the stars are the future, but they only light the way." He leaned back against the spear that some warrior had thrust into the ground in frustration. "That is why the pinkskins prosper, and we still fish in the swamp." He looks up. "We have known the stars longer than they have drawn breath, but they have so many things we do not. Once, we had knowledge, magic, the best ways of doing things. But now?"

Tilik shifted uncomfortably. Many people knew Xilix had spent some time talking to the pinkskins - more than even the traders - but it seems their thoughts had infected him deeper than any had dared think. Should he tell the other shamans?

"I am leaving, soon," Xilix said abruptly, startling Tilik out of his reverie.

"What?"

"Leaving. The stars - the ones they say foretell danger outside of the swamp - they are not a warning for us to stay here. Disaster WILL come. It is not a warning to stay here; it is a guide, to go there, so that we may stop it from burning up the world."

"And yet, you are smiling," Tilik said cautiously.

"I am," Xilix said, laughing. "For the stars said I will not be alone."

Tilik looked at his friend for several long seconds, before he let out a sibilant curse, only drawing more laughter from his companion.

Created using MidJourney/NijiJourney.