A response letter from Amunet to the Queen of Styxia, with little context or confirmed date of writing.
What We Know About Death
To Her Majesty, Queen of Styxia: What We Know About Death
Your Majesty, Queen of Styxia,
Your Majesty, I've received your letter from a few days ago. Truly, as you have stated, the immortal Golden Age has become a thing of the past since the birth of Thanatos on Amphoreus. I believe that we shall never return to that era again.
I am aware that the faith in "death" held by Aidonians is viewed with trepidation by other city-states. This is not difficult to comprehend, for the aversion to "death" may stem from a deeper logic inherent to life itself. In your letter, you expressed a desire to understand "death" and sought my thoughts on the "torment of immortality." I am truly humbled by your request. I am aware that immortals and mortals perceive the world very differently, and I am uncertain if any counsel I can offer is worthy of one who has witnessed all the ages. But since you seek an answer, then an answer I will attempt to produce, with my reflections on the topic.
In essence, I would summarize it as thus: It is because all things must end one day that all things gain meaning, and therein lies the meaning of life. This is why we devote ourselves to "death" and revere it. It is a simple yet complicated concept. If this intrigues you, then please allow me to elaborate further.
In Aidonia, we offer blessings to our children every year, congratulating them for taking another step toward "death." We hold various ceremonies and holidays (such as their coming-of-age rites) to commemorate every special and pivotal moment in life, for we know that what has passed may never manifest again in our fleeting existence. We make heartfelt farewells to our loved ones at departure, wish for one more tomorrow with each other at the end of the day, and whisper goodnight before we are taken by our nightly dreaming.
We grieve our losses, and consequently, rejoice in our gains. We learn how to cherish things this way, and from this cherish comes bliss, even if this bliss is fleeting for immortals. Yes, this may sound absurd, but it is true nonetheless: It is "death" that brings us joy.
But for you and all immortals who lived through the Golden Age, there is a world of difference.
For instance, I heard that in Styxia, there are never solemn ceremonies or holidays, or even anything that could be described as "reverent," "elegiac," or "commemorative," because such things are unnecessary. In the long span of immortality, nothing is of great import, and thus, nothing is worth commemorating. To immortals, all actions and thoughts are but echoes from a distant past, destined to reverberate into the future eternal.
As the saying goes, "There is nothing new under the sun. All novelty springs from forgetfulness." I believe that, for the immortals who have experienced everything and must continue to experience everything, all things are but dull and tasteless relics. If there are things to be considered "entertaining" by the immortals, they are surely beyond the understanding of us mortals bound by death.
I believe by now the answer is made clear: To escape the "torment of immortality" you mentioned in your letter, the answer I offer is "death." From the moment Thanatos first walked the lands of Amphoreus, philosophers have argued that "immortality" is but a curse, and that extending life, in essence, is but repeating the mundane. In fact, those who held such views may have been the founders of Aidonia itself.
Under the threat of "death," we weigh every choice carefully, for each choice implies something "irreversible" and "irrecoverable." Some philosophers once suggested that our lives exist in a state of "eternal cycle," meaning every choice you make is infinitely magnified in this eternal cycle, and even the smallest deviation can alter your life therein. I imagine it to be difficult for an immortal to empathize with the unbearable weight implied.
We know that the moments we experience are not eternal, nor can they even be considered segments of eternity. They are but fleeting illusions. Every action in this delicate life can be our last, and every face will blur and fade like those seen once upon a dream.
Therefore, Your Majesty, if you ask me my understanding of "death," then permit me to define it with my understanding of "life," for they are one and the same. And in this journey of life, "death" is not our final destination, rather, a piece of luggage we must carry. If confusion still troubles you, please do not fret. I am expecting a visit to Styxia in the near future. Then, I will tell you all that I know.
Finally, allow me to conclude with an Aidonian blessing: May the shadow of Thanatos shroud us so we may learn the splendor of light.