Huichi's Turn & Zun's "Drinkers"

Life, Relationship change

Huichi-2 has been taken by Zun-2, who reveals the race of The Drinkers - remnants of the Prime that have been altered by a Harbinger in the same fashion that the Stewards created the races of the Maia, Nakhasi, Grizzla, and Pukta. The Drinkers have the ability to drain the Giver’s life force from other living things, extending their life indefinitely. Zun-2 wants Huichi-2 to join him in using Drinkers as successors so that they can be together forever.

Huichi, horrified, but realizing she can’t stop Zun-2, agrees and takes on the Drinker form first, to become Huichi-3. She then immediately attempts to drain all life and power from Zun-2, who barely escapes with his life and goes into hiding.

Huichi-2 was with Zun-2 during Syla’s death because Zun-2 had stumbled upon a new race derived from the Prime. These, however, were not created through the influence of any of the Stewards - one of the hidden Harbingers had observed and studied how the Stewards had created their races and then had used that to create his own from a small pocket of the Prime that had managed to remain hidden over the centuries.

Zun-2’s discovery was entirely accidental and he reacted in a knee-jerk fashion, immediately engaging and defeating the Harbinger and imprisoning it. Zun-2 was next set to destroy the new race, but as they cowered in terror, one of them reached out with a power that allowed this new race to drain the lifeforce from any living thing; however, it was meant to be used against “normal” living beings, not Stewards, and abruptly exploded when unable to contain what it consumed.

Zun-2 was horrified - in part because of what these creatures could do: it hadn’t hurt him, and as far as he could tell he suffered nothing from it, but the mere fact that it was capable was a terrifying turn of events. Zun-2 was also horrified at himself, though - he realized this creature had only struck out bravely in order to save its family. They looked destitute, terrified, and pleaded for mercy. It was no choice of their own to become as they were, but by will of the Harbinger.

Zun-2 granted that mercy and said he would claim them as his own creation, so they might be welcomed into the world and by his siblings, but they would forever be in service to him. He also made two of them agree to become successors to the Steward-ship - one for himself, one for Huichi-2. He imagined that a Steward that transferred its power to one of these creatures, whom he named “Drinkers” (until he could think of something better), would then truly be able to live forever by finally tapping into the limitless lifeforce that channeled from the Giver and through all of life on Alathor - albeit, in perhaps not the most noble way, but it would be controlled…

Zun-2, offering a “surprise,” managed to lure Huichi-2 to meet the new race. She, too, was fascinated by them, and introduced herself and listened and talked with them to try and help alleviate their fears. Zun-2, pleased to see her so enamored with them, then revealed his plan to her.

Huichi-2 listened and remained quiet, but inside she was horrified - Isoko’s original passing of her Stewardship was of necessity, all of them had agreed to only do it out of necessity. Zun-2 had created these creatures simply to use as vessels (or so he made it seem) - and, worse yet, he had done it for her and so she felt responsible. She had long noticed his fascination with her, but this was too much - if he could do this, what would he do when he found out about Syla and her children?

Deciding on a resolution, Huichi-2 outwardly agreed to his plan. She asked Zun-2 to allow her to go first, so that he could watch over and care for her if something were to go wrong, and since he had done this for her, to which he agreed. She selected a beautiful, fiercely independent young Drinker woman named Molvena. In preparation that evening, she sat with Molvena and learned her story, and then told her own, purposefully detailing her concerns with Zun - without saying it directly, the Molvena knew what Huichi’s intentions were, and without saying it directly, she agreed to assist.

The next day, the ritual was performed and the Stewardship power and all of the memories and essences of the line of Huichis were passed onto Molvena.

Immediately after, she turned on Zun-2, attempting to drain all his life and power. This time, Zun-2 barely escaped with his life and fled. Molvena, now Huichi-3, said goodbye to her fellow Drinkers and rushed to return to Syla - only to arrive too late.