(it) was Lilith the White, the Grey, the Venerable, whom rose then in balance with Zehir.
...
Zehir, in a breath, said to the mortal:
"Do not try the patience of Lilith, for She is subtle and quick to anger."
But he did not understand. And so he slew the raven before its time had come, and brought upon himself Her wrath, and he was ended.
...
Erathis spoke now, saying, "Justice, the divine order, must reign. A soulful life for that of a raven is not an equal exchange, and thus is injustice."
"What makes equal the pauper and the prince? The soulful mortal and the soulless animal? The Primal and Divine? The Metallic and Chromatic? We are, all of us, made equal with one another in death."
...
Tiamat called Lilith then, for the fate of the world, and the place of power, would be decided. And with Her by Tiamat's side, the Prime Deities were rebuked.
...
For a Wishmaker never truly dies. Their Essence is the Eternal Song.
In the darkness of death, Lilith did meditate;
On Bahamut, who had taken Her life,
On the mortal whom she had made equal to the raven,
On the Havoc that the Betrayers had wrought,
On Her fate, Her Sundering, and Her deeds.
A million visions came to Her from across the lands;
Visions of rivers and oceans turned to blood,
Of hordes of Abishai prowling through villages,
Of swarms of Vargouille flooding the skies,
Of pillars of fire and torrents of hail cutting across continents.
And then, there came the Voice.
"It is enough," it declared.
"Who— who is there?" begged Lilith.
"Just us," it replied.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"I am... who I have always been," it answered.
Lilith now opened her eyes, and saw before her the mortal she had struck down long ago.
It continued, "It is too late for me now, my Queen. It is not too late for you."
She reached out towards the mortal, but it was gone, and despair fell unto her.
The raven appeared now, and spoke to Her:
"We are a dying people, my Queen. Betrayers and Primes alike. Obsessed with eachothers death, until death is all we can see, and death is all we deserve."
"The Prime Deities started it, declaring themselves First among Equals," Lilith insisted.
"And will you continue it? Until there are no more Metallics, and no more Chromatics? If both sides are dead, no one will care which side deserves the blame. It no longer matters which side started it, my Queen— it only matters who is suffering."
"No— no, I have an obligation to uphold the balance and honor the Sundered."
"And how have you chosen to honor the Sundered? What is there left for them if all of Creation falls around us— there is nothing! No hope, no dream, no future, no wish. Unless we turn from the cycle of death towards something greater. If we are a dying people, then let us die with Honor, by helping the Primals as no one else can."
"You have let them distract you," the Raven continued, "blind you with hate. You cannot see the battle for what it is. We must realize that we are not alone. We rise and fall together. And some of us must be sacrificed, if all are to be saved. Because if we fail in this, then none of us will be saved."
"Why now? Why not earlier? Where have you been?" Lilith begged.
"I have always been here." replied Bahamut.
...
(Jonah got sleepy and made a note to continue reading later.)
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