Okko

"I tried to sleep but I couldn't, might as well do something, better than staying in bed and flopping around endlessly like a dead fish until the suns rise, Alan by the way

-I know who you are, I've been following you, with what you're trying to do now, Gwantavision, Okko

-wait.. you're the Artely who first introduced the idea of individuality and un-labeled themself

-in the flesh" Okko then sat down with a yixing teapot in his hand and small tea cups

"Come sit with me, Jasmin tea helps clear the mind and calm down the million voices screaming inside of your head preventing a good night's sleep, you need it

-thank you" Alan went and sat down, questioning his overly calm demeanour and friendliness, he then blew lightly on the tea and took a sip

"I hope you like it.

-it's really refreshing, thank you.

-refreshing to the body, rejuvenating to the soul, as it has always been. What's wrong my child?

-nothing, it's just..you're so friendly and welcoming, and Pnomal is cold-hearted and mean, I knew the unlabeled Artelys are divers but I thought they'd look up to their leader to some degree

-I am nobody's leader but my own, I am in equal value as any other creature here, including the Jasmin plant that graced me with its flowers to brew this tea.

...

Alan thought to himself "hah, wish you were with me when I had to prove to the striders that plants were alive, that was a real pain"

...

"Also, Pnomal looks up to me, a lot, it may not look like it but he does.

-then why does he act so..cruel

-a defense mechanism

-defense from what?

-from his heart

-what do you mean

-Pnomal fears himself, Pnomal controls Pnomal and keeps him tamed, if the brain lets the heart loose it may overtake and flood the body, but as long as the brain is in control, the body will not be flooded, the process will unfortunately compromise emotions.

-I'm still a bit confused, could you elaborate further on what you're trying to say?

-think of phobias, there are really only two ways to treat a phobia, and they're complete opposites yet lead to the same results, peace. There's the first method, avoidance, you just try to avoid what you fear at all cost, the downside is if destiny puts it in your path one day. The second option is exposure, you constantly expose yourself to what you fear in more invasive ways each time until you build an immunity, now this is extremely frightening at the beginnings which is why most people tend to choose the first path, and some people who chose said path manage to live their whole lives being able to avoid their fear, Pnomal being one of them.

-you're saying that Pnomal is a very sensitive creature so he fears his intense mourning and sadness, he fears what building close emotional bonds with people may do to him in the future if the relationship ends, especially with backstabbing or heartbreak, so he decided to block his emotions in the first place, so he could never get hurt

-You're a smart one." Okko replied as he took a sip of his tea

"That's a bit sad

-well, overtime it becomes less of something he pretends to feel and more of something he does actually feel, which is nothingness, so it's not totally sad for him. Unfortunately pure hearts do not have a middle, they are either attached to someone like a leech, or they're detached from everyone because they're afraid they'd get crushed if they do, and a shattered pure heart healing may take a lifetime, or more. However I'm still trying to figure out, when they go numb, did they build an extremely indestructible thick shell around their hearts, or have they killed the beam of light inside of it, I'm leaning towards the first one, I still catch Pnomal displaying signs of empathy every now and then, his shell is thick but his beam still pierces through a few small cracks in it, there's a reason they're called pure hearts, even when covered in debris they will still beat, the Phoenix never dies.

-wow, talking to you is something I've needed to do since day one, I love how you explain things

-oh I'm not special, I've just had time to be observant. Go to sleep kid, this tea session is over, I will visit you another time when you need me, until then, stay vigilant."

Okko got up and started leaving, before he could flap his wings, the human spoke "wait!"

Okko turned around, Alan said "thank you." With that, the Artely left, and Alan went to give sleep another try, one that ended up being successful.

...

"So, what do you want to do today?

-visit the hospice, Orahy

-sure, if that's what you want, thought you'd say training or something.

-feeling the agony of the sick is a part of spiritual training, subliminal feels, it's basically Lathinsé practice.

-if you say so. I can't really go with you so you have to find someone else.

-I was actually going to ask you not to even if you were able to, I want to go with Pnomal

-Pnomal? Your choices keep getting weirder and weirder by the second, what's gotten into you?

-nothing, I just want to go with Pnomal.

-it's also worth noting that his cousin is on there and he's about to die any day now, he's in very critical condition. Pnomal's cousin is the only family he's had for decades, they're more than brothers.

-I think I could help, it's actually why I wanted to go in the first place, I could cast a Tribakwiyan spell, maybe I'll help his cousin

-you could go ask him and hope to Qyn he'll agree."

...

"Hey

-no.

-I didn't even say anything yet.

-whatever it is, no.

-hear me out, please.

-make it quick.

-I was wondering if you could go to the hospice with me, I heard your cousin's there and.." before Alan could finish his sentence, Pnomal grabbed him by the collar and slammed him to the wall

"Listen here, I don't know what you're trying to do to my cousin, but I promise you, if you try anything stupid, your journey here will be over, we've seen nothing good happening since you've came, all that's been happening is pure havoc, first of all you disturbed the Logachtiges, then Sworvik decided not to come, which would've been a good thing if we haven't already put in the work, you got Hourer to be less hot-headed but we'll see how long that lasts, touch my cousin, I dare you

-fueled by anger and fear

That his loved one would disappear

They might've tried their elixir

but the damage seems too severe

Maybe Tribakwiyan magic will interfere

Rejuvenate the body cleanse and clear

And make progress that takes potions years"

Pnomal's hand opened releasing Alan and his whole body froze, he tried to move but couldn't, as if he no longer has control over his own self, he slowly grunted "What did you do to me?", using all of what's left from his willpower to speak