Inyoninko rose, positioning herself in the middle of the central aisle, and faced Eshuumina but did not assume the same stance. Legs together, hands in her pockets, head bowed but dark red eyes watching, she began. "According to the Recollection of Shtenamuunin. But who was to blame? Maluurzhamitirzh, the two-faced god of reputation and the spoken word, could point the finger at any of them. They could point their fingers at Shtenamuunin, how easily they would. They could point their fingers at themselves and the other gods, or the forces of life, death and being. They could even point their fingers at the mortals who came and left, were born and died, created and destroyed across the Istua. But even Amitirzh, one face of this god, the face that oversaw gossip and storytelling, would tell you that blame was little more than a word, a word to encompass feelings no single individual could comprehend. They would ask you, Why is it, in the eyes of Uurenshi, the god of reason and ambition, there is no right or wrong?"
Dark blue eyes narrowed at her.
"But do not be so quick," she continued, "They would warn. To assume that emotions are the answer. Because look, look if you will see, Anuukal, the god of creation and essence, is blind, bereft of all feeling and sensation, and look, Karashi, the god of nature and control, lives without material or substance. Where does emotion come from? Why, it is the second likeness of Uurenshi. It is she who conveys emotion, mood and color. But even in her second likeness, she has no sense of right or wrong, so where is blame to come from, if she cannot decide that an act or person is wrong?"
Eshuumina opened her mouth to interrupt but Inyoninko used the next words to silence her. "Yes. Amitirzh is right. Blame, whether conscious or not, requires a decision that something or someone is wrong." She paused, taking a moment to keep herself from smiling. "So in her mess of misdeeds and mistreatment, though she herself had suffered, was the Divine One to blame? Forgiveness would imply so. But Shtenamuunin did not know forgiveness, neither did she know blame. Even during her time as a mortal, she failed to comprehend these notions. If to do wrong was to hurt another, both intentionally and unintentionally, then the Divine One was wrong for she had mistreated, underappreciated and abandoned her gods. Does it matter that she was burdened and pressured by the forces of life, death and being? Does it matter that she slept to survive? Does it matter that her power had been compromised, diminished and fear conquered her?"
Inyoninko waited for any reaction from Eshuumina but blue eyes refused to show weakness.
"Amitirzh," she stressed, "would click their tongue and shake their head. What a simple thing this blame business, they would say and for the rarest moment, Amitirzh would look to their other face, Maluurzh, the overseer of censorship and silence. Yes, Maluurzh would say, There are no words with presence enough to hug the skin, heal the blood or revive a rotting heart. I am quite familiar with this condition. It is why I keep my silence."
She advanced a step down. "But for this, you are misunderstood, Amitirzh would say, Why, how many a time yet have you frightened me with your violent, even murderous, ways? You do not speak with your displeasure, so how am I to do what will not displease you? I will simply continue to do what I do."
She advanced another step. "Words can only encompass what consciousness can grasp and what senses can be gained, Maluurzh would say, you as well as I more than anyone should know. There are things of our being we cannot grasp and cannot sense, and so, if we cannot, how are we to make words of these things?"
She advanced again. "Amitirzh hummed for they knew it was right. You are right, they said."
Cringing, Eshuumina cut in. "That is a fact we have all established!" It was not quite right but it was the next line in the script. "Need you say what we already know?"
They stared at one another.
"You cut out what suits you."
"You're just supporting my point."
"Because you missed it."
Eshuumina scoffed and set her hands on her hips. "How can I miss my own point?"
"By basing it on what little you gleaned." Before Eshuumina could respond, she added, "Are you implying that any of Amitirzh's words are excessive?" Dark blue glowered at her. "While you made a nice speech. It misses the most fundamental point of Amitirzh's words."
Eshuumina folded her arms, continuing to glare. "And what," she stated, "Would that be?"
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