The blonde’s sudden outburst was shocking, and all fell silent to listen to her rant. Words of frustration, she did speak. Words of pain and loss. Words of betrayal and sacrifice. How odd were these words to roll off the tongue of a human girl? How could she speak such a language so truthfully? He had experienced losing a family, and experienced betrayal and hatred in it’s rawest, most primal form. Here in Tetsukazu, it was one of those ‘deal with it’ situations. Your life was too short, too endangered to weep with your eyes closed, or to mute out any other sounds. Someone was always watching.
But why did this girl shed such tears, so moist? So full of regret and hatred? Nidhogg watched, and listened, and deep down, he wept with her. His soul cried and nestled her, comforted her and embraced her with the warmness of his beating heart. But he? Outside, he said nothing, not a word. He even let the human peers tend to his wound. His eyes only investigated the blonde’s. For man being so greedy, why were they so pained?
Nidhogg closed his eyes and breathed heavily through his nose. “No being in these lands knows the true tale of this land. It is a philosophy, and perceived differently. When I was a runt, small and feeble, my birthmother told me, ‘Oh Nidhogg, Nidhogg, let me tell you a tale. Sit, sit I say. Long ago, when the planet was young and beautiful…’” Nidhogg continued on.
He told them the child’s tale of how when the world was born, it wept and wept of how lonely it was. Of how ugly it was. Of how it was nothing but a heap of rock, and had no friends. The Little Testukazu wept and wept, until the lakes and streams filled it’s craters. Then came the Sun, big and strong and misunderstood. The Big Sun came up to the Little Tetsukazu, noticing his tears. The Big Sun said, “Little Tetsu, why must you cry?”
Little Tetsu replied, “Because I am ugly and alone. And so I cry.” The Big Sun smiled and pointed to his beautiful, sparkling lakes, “But look, Little Tetsu! You have beautiful, shining lakes! The fish and sea serpents will come to keep you company!”
And came the fish and sea serpents, just as the Big Sun said. Little Testukazu was thrilled to have made some friends, but the fish were quiet, and the Sea Serpents hid in their caves all day and night. So Little Tetsukazu was frustrated, and seeds of his anger popped onto his solid ground here and there. Big Sun came by again and asked, “Little Tetsu, Little Testu! Why are you so furious?”
Little Testu replied, “Because the Fish and Sea Serpents are silent, and refuse to chat with me! And so I am angry!” The Big Sun shook his head and pointed to his seeds, “But look, Little Tetsu! You have many, tiny seeds that will grow grass! The wolves and elk will come to chat!”
And came the wolves and elk, just as Big Sun said. Little Tetsukazu grinned gleefully as the wolves and elk would talk to him day and night, but the wolves and elk did not get along. The elk were slaughtered by the wolves day and night, and the Elk would eat his beautiful grass.
So Little Tetsu was confused, and shook nervously day and night. The Big Sun came by and asked, “Little Tetsu, Little Tetsu! Why must you shake?”
Little Tetsu replied, “Because the Wolves and the Elk will not get along, and they eat my beautiful grass until I am naked! That is why I shake!” The Big Sun sighed and looked at Little Tetsu, “Okay, Little Tetsu! Wait three thousand years, and the Great Tree will come!”
And just like that, three thousand years passed and came the Great Tree (which would be the largest, thickest, oldest tree in Tetsukazu today), which would attract animals from all over! Grass grew, and more trees came. But The Big Sun was never seen again, until one day where the Big Sun sat in the sky, motionless and silent.
Little Tetsu smiled and waved at the Sun, but no answer. The Sun and his friends, the Three Moons would rotate around for thousands of years, saying nothing, until one day, Little Tetsu wept again and a furious storm raged on Tetsukazu. Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, blizzards! All the animals hid as Little Tetsu wept. Little Tetsu cried, “Why do you ignore me, Big Sun? Why do you not give me things anymore?”
The Big Sun spoke softly, sadly, “Because you no longer need me, Tetsukazu. You are now beautiful, and have plenty of friends. I will stay far, far away from you and keep you warm. You have friends now, and your friends will take care of you. From the Wolf to the Fish, they are all responsible for you now. They have inherited my duty. You are no longer ugly, do you not see? You are beautiful. Now let me burn in peace.”
And that was the end of the story. There are other tales surrounding Tetsukazu, but this was the main, most popular child’s tale. Every being had a role to play, and if you were not originally here, what business do you have on Tetsukazu? That’s what Nidhogg thought, anyway.
Nidhogg sighed as he finished the story, a bang of fur covering his left eye. “This is something even you can understand. I, personally, refuse to accept you as apart of our circle… you are not yet children of these lands… but perhaps will change that perception…” He growled, a bit upset to admit that not even he had the power to deny any of their words so ignorantly.