Khenal
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Peek: What Lies Beyond
🕑 Added 2024-10-07 01:11:19 +0000 UTCEmarlo looks at the log he chose to craft with, wondering if he should pick something better. Most of the others have already started with their projects, taking to Lord Thedeim's afterlife with gusto. He's certainly not complaining, but he's worried the project he's chosen isn't good enough.
Lord Thedeim suggested chairs, and though most have moved on to making the large community workshop, Emarlo feels drawn to making a chair. There really is a lack of good seats around. Sure, there's a couple simple benches, but none are the real project that will help prepare them for what comes next.
It feels strange to the ratkin that a chair might be that for him, but despite his misgivings, he knows in his heart that this is what he needs. The log is a perfect fit for him. It's has so many knots, and it seems to have a bit of rot set in, too. Part of him demands he chop it into fire wood and toss it into the hearth, but he ignores it. This log is his life, and despite the flaws, he knows there must me something he can do with it. Lord Thediem seemed confident, after all.
So he takes a chisel made from the hardships of life and starts carving. The rot and doubt are removed first, and though he would have expected them to be most of the log, the pile of shavings is smaller than he expected. The first part is always the hardest, the first hurdle the tallest, and now the log is clean, he takes the fouled wood to the hearth to get a bit of warmth even from the worst of him.
He sets the log up on one of the cut ends, taking some time to plan out his chair. There's still so much he can and should leave behind, so little he can see right now that's worth keeping. But there's a lot more to the log and to his life than can be revealed at a simple glance.
Wrongs against him he's clung to, wrongs he's done that he never atoned for, the petty small things that are so easy to let pile up; all are slowly carved away, let go. He forgives the wrongs against him, and when he burns them in the hearth, he can chat with the others, hear their own stories and regrets, and get perspective on his own, and sometimes forgiveness when the light of the flames reveals the transgressions against his fellows.
It hurts to know he hurt them, but to forgive and be forgiven is the comforting warmth of the fire of the hearth in the workshop. There is so much to remove, so much to process, that when he realizes he's done with most of it, it comes as a shock.
And what he sees in his chair is even more of a shock. The little gifts he's given to friends, family, strangers, the times he's been a shoulder to cry on, or a hand to uplift; every burden he helped carry, literally and figuratively, all the little things that seemed so small in the moment, he sees now as the foundation of his life and his chair.
He feels a soft orange glow and approval from behind him, but when he turns, Lord Thedeim is already gone. The encouragement remains, however. He sands with the pain of a scraped knee and the grit of determination, bringing the grain of his life out for all to see. The knots of the hardships of life bring interesting shape to the grain, the difficulties helping the triumphs stand out all the more.
He stains it with the blood he spilled, of his enemies and his own, the sweat of working the smelter and of building the courage to talk to that pretty girl, and the tears of triumph and despair. Life is all of that and more, and he works to bring it all into perfect focus.
When he's done carving, it looks good, but it's missing something. He weaves a seat and backing, filling it with friends and family, relishing in their comfort and support. Training together, planning pranks, sharing meals, singing, dancing, laughing, crying; all the comfort of those around him all his life. Some were there from the beginning, some only at the end, and others staying only briefly, but all helped make life better.
He sets the cushions and smiles at his work, taking a seat and closing his eyes as he contemplates his life. He thinks it was harder than most, but when it's all said and done, would he have made as good of a chair if it was different? Maybe, maybe not. In the end, he supposes life is what you make of it.
The warmth of Lord Thedeim radiates from behind him, and he opens his eyes to smile at the incomprehensible orange void.
"That looks like a good chair, Emarlo."
He smiles, too satisfied with what he's done to get up and kowtow, even as he knows Lord Thedeim doesn't want that kind of adoration. "I... I think it was, yeah."
"Are you ready to see what's next?"
Emarlo stands and nods. "I am. Not to... to go beyond yet, but to go back. I want to see more. There's so much here to see, I don't want to miss it."
Though he can't see Lord Thedeim's face, he can tell he's smiling at that. "I hope you'll have a more peaceful chair next time. This one came out beautiful, but I know it must not have been easy. I hope you'll be back before you go beyond, Emarlo. Good luck out there."
Emarlo feels himself drawn toward Lord Thedeim's orange void, and through something. His perception shifts, memories become hazy, and his eyes close as he curls up, feeling so very small. Around him is warmth and a gentle quiet rhythm beating. It lulls him to sleep, but he can feel one thought reverberating through his entire being, a thought that will guide him going forward.
Life is what you make of it.
Comments
Robinn57
Yeah I think it's a blank slate with maybe a tad bit of momentum
Robinn57
Thank you for making something so beautiful.
Ben Bass
TYFTP! That was really awesome, it looks like Thediem’s afterlife is doing good for those that go there. I really enjoyed this peek, thank you!
Ethan Barrow
TFTP!! This one was really nice, I may or may not have teared up. Best of luck Emarlo.
Marrowtooth Rattel
I’m not crying. I’m NOT crying. IM NOT CRYING.
Tsume Eiranis
This was wonderful... I usually read your posts at work but I had to stop because the waterworks kept coming. Thank you so much Khenal. This is truely touching.
Kali Smith
Beautiful!
Laetitia
I agree with you. This chapter touched something deep inside me and nearly made me cry. Not an experience i have often, especially with online novel. Thank you author
Thomas V.
“He sets the cushions and smiles at his work, taking a seat and closing his eyes as he contemplates his life. He thinks it was harder than most, but when it's all said and done, would he have made as good of a chair if it was different? Maybe, maybe not.“ Yeah, I felt this one. I’ve had my fair share of trouble, but the person that came out of that crucible is one I can be proud of, and that’s not a point I ever thought I’d reach in life. Good stuff.
LinaBoeckwurm
Beautiful. Just... Beautiful...
Demonlord
Thanks for the absolutely amazing peek 😊 This really touched my heart and nearly made me cry
Demonlord
Everything is possible for the afterlife of the god of change
Demonlord
Only truck-kun can hit hard enough to stamp the memories into the soul
Anthony Felscher
Nope, stone cold sober and the onion cutting ninjas got me too.
Anthony Felscher
You need the truck to keep the memories...
Anthony Felscher
I guess he made the right one.
Cantharellus Cibarius
Bro made ONE CHAIR and immediately got ready for the cycle of rebirth lol.
AbyssalIceLord
Im guessing that is why Thediem says I hope youll come here again before you go to the Beyond, because im guessin he is given a completely blank slate so therefore he may be born as a dwarf that follows order or an elf that follows the Magic Mother. So i think, and im just guessing here, but i think all the Gods have something similar to this exact thing, having people figure out there life in the afterlife and either sending them beyond to another planet to reincarnate as a Human or god knows what else they could become lol. I have a sneaking suspicion that Order just sends all his people to the Beyond to become whatever else on another planet immediately lol
AbyssalIceLord
I gotta say, this is probably one of the best written, thought out and concise chapters i have ever read. Not long, but holds the weight of a million words and provides an after thought that we all could take with us. Exceptional work and Exceptional world you have and are creating! This writer is going places fast AF!
druidofthewolf
Wonder if he will go to the same after life after his New life what if he becomes a paladin of the shield how does the shield deal with preparing followers for reincarnation or beyond and is the beyond going to another reality?
Jerramy Scoggin
Damn Kehnal. This is a hell of a peek. I dont know if it is said enough, but your improvement since chapter one is becoming ever more noticeable. Just finished re-listening to book one on audible before reading, and im shooketh despite book one being great.
Herakilla
Thanks for the peek!
Micah Metroka
As an aside, since Thediem is the god of Change, does that also imply he's potentially the god of potential and rebirth?
Micah Metroka
Thank you so much for the chair story! The idea of going back to make an even better chair next time is beautiful! And the beating of a new heart in the womb, <3
Marla Parraguirre
Hey! I came here for entertainment! Not for tears at my workplace! Warn us if you gonna be sending us onion cutting ninjas!! XD This was a beautiful peek! Thank you so much for sharing this part of your world woth us!
Juno Tubolino
Oh my god, this is poetry, straight prose. Absolutely beautiful writing
SamHawke
does it count as thediem was reincarnated with a truck? collateral reincarnation~
Speedsaber
Someone got reincarnated without the standard issue truck. It's enough to drive you crazy, I call hacks.
architectural engineer
oh, dear lord. well written. might have been the cannabis, but this brought a tear to my eye!
Shawn Rehm
Oh I love this. Even as his memories fade he holds on to the most important lesson he learned from the afterlife.
Austin Miller
Reincarnation via chair is not what I expected for how Thediem's afterlife would work, but it fits.
Kevin Neely
Neat
