How dare you! raged Gurgaldai ezen Celegan.

Tuya held him on the borders of her consciousness, pushing against his wrath. She scrambled away from the cliff’s edge, clinging to renewed hope glimpsed upon the edge of the world, as her entire field of vision became the violent storm of his consciousness spiraling around her like a cyclone.

He battered her with as much fierceness as any ever had, blood dripping from her nose as he forced his mind upon hers. How dare you think of dying on me, Tuya! How dare you waste your strength! How dare you be a coward!

Tuya’s frail defenses cracked like bones smashed by Gurgaldai’s Aldar. He penetrated the cracks, seeping into her mind like evil water, filling every trench in her consciousness until he assumed absolute authority. Unable to withstand his wrath, Tuya surrendered her most recent thoughts to Gurgaldai. Desires of death to avoid life with him, dreams of flying away from pain, and most recently, of riding the abomination across the evil waters to where she could hide from him and be free of the pain of living in his Hollows.

Disappointment inundated her. You cannot hide from me! Sorrow followed the first wave. Even you, the one who helps others for nothing in return … even you betray me.

Gurgaldai’s pain, his awareness that there was not a single person in all the world who cared for him, was large. It did not matter that he was the strongest man in existence, conqueror of the mightiest race of men to ever stride Celegana’s earth, master of the Spire. Everyone would betray him, find any lapse in strength and exploit it, and he would have to crush them all. Even her. Even the girl with the great strength, shining eyes, beautiful face, and brave heart, would not make his pain smaller. She was just like every other.

Tuya understood such loneliness, such hopelessness, such craving for someone to trust, for someone to make your pain smaller. She cried for him as she cried for herself, for the unloved boy and girl unlike any other and exactly like every other.

Gurgaldai recoiled from her empathy, as if touched by the fiercest heat, as surprised as if he were a khorota given a kind word by a tamer. Gurgaldai pulled back from her, keeping most of himself beyond reach of their link. The sharpness and intensity of his anger dulled and softened. He watched the world’s end from her eyes, following the abomination as it floated toward the Hollows.

You would cross the evil water atop this desecration to escape me?

To escape my pain, Tuya answered. I cannot live with this pain.

His annoyance prickled against her. Even with him holding back much of his consciousness, it was sharp. Cowards do not breed conquerors.

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Tuya’s annoyance jabbed back at Gurgaldai. She refused to reduce her worth as a human to a glorified weird rock with the sole purpose of birthing a mighty tamer. That was one of the many, many reasons she would rather die than live with this pain. If even this beautiful boy could only see her as such a small part of her possibilities, what hope did she have that this pain would ever grow small?

Then be more! Defeat the pain! Conquer it!

You know nothing of my life, tamer! I have no power to change the world you create for me!

With each thought, Tuya’s rage grew, as did her will to survive, her will to push back against those who hurt and hurt and hurt everyone else until the world is naught but misery and suffering. She slammed into Gurgaldai, throwing his consciousness from her. The cyclone of foggy vapor swirled around her, pulsing with his thought. Their minds touched, remaining distinct as they communed as equals.

You have power! he transmitted. If you want to change the way things are, do it! Be more than this cowardly creature hiding in her hollow, withering away like some pretty flower waiting to die! Be more, Chosen, and you shall be more than just a vessel for my seed! Be more and you can do whatever it takes to make pain smaller! Be yourself and we shall restore this broken world!

Her whole life, tamers told her what she was. Nothing. Insignificant. Weak. Worthless. She knew nothing else. Like Makhun, he was trying to trick her so that he might find justification for her suffering. She would deny him such.

No, he answered. Do not mistake me. If you run, I will catch you. If you hide, I will find you. If you attack me, I will defend myself. We are equal parts, both working together with the strength to remake Celegana’s world. I do not want a Chosen who merely obeys me and carries my seed. I want you to show this world your power. Be strong. Be brave. Make pain smaller. Be yourself, Tuya.

The words seeped into Tuya, like water into the sands. If I fight against the tamers who make my pain, if I protect the women in the Hollows, if I defend myself, you will allow it?

Yes. His pleasure permeated the space between their minds. Cowards do not breed conquerors nor do they restore the Wholeness. Show me your will to live. Show me your power.

I will.

Gurg’s satisfaction caressed the edges of her mind. That is what I want from you. Show them that you are unlike any other. Unlike any other except me. The satisfaction shifted, turning into something sharp, like the thorns of a flower that looked pretty but could leave you bleeding and in pain. Do not return here again. Do not allow yourself to wither away. Do not be a coward. If you do this again, you will be brought to me before you have proven yourself. Do not disappoint me. Chosen.

Gurgaldai’s consciousness whirled away, returning to the Spire, leaving Tuya alone on the cliffs. She breathed in the air, wanting to live this life, wanting to change her fate and the fate of others who spent their seasons oppressed. She would try to be as Celegana made her, a person to make pain smaller, to help good things grow, and to provide shelter from cruelty. Thus, she vowed to the Goddess, eying her Spire and the trees she left behind for her children, to restore balance and harmony where the Hollows had known naught but domination and discord.

Alas, finding the first step was ever the hardest when your last step was so far away. The answer came to her as the abomination carrying dark people over the evil water encroached upon the Hollows. From high atop Celegana’s Spire, several large taming consciousnesses flew toward the farawaylanders. Tuya stood upon the cliffs, staring out at the lives of those she would protect first.