When the gods first came down to the world beneath them, he hadn’t known what to expect. There was fear, there was hate, there was reverence. It was a mixed up ball of emotions that poured forth from the people below and he found these emotions confusing, frightening even. He’d experienced mortal emotions during his long life, true, but he was never shown the variety that appeared all at once. The area he landed in was deeply religious, worshipping a god that didn’t exist. It amused him, until the whole country fell into turmoil. Then he found himself hunted down by the people that had worshipped a false god. During that turmoil, he met with one of the Pallums that was trying to flee the country. After some talking, they decided to do it, together. They spent weeks with each other, with him getting to know the Pallum girl while he told her of his adventures. It warmed his heart to see her smile and look at him with awe not as a god, but as a soldier, as a monk. He came to care for the girl as their party grew, all intent on fleeing the war torn country. And soon, he began to care for the other Pallums that made up their group while they, too, got used to him. He wondered if this was what having a familia was like. Once they crossed the border, everyone agreed to go their separate ways. It saddened him; this bonding experience was just like when he first met that monk meditating under a tree. It was fulfilling, meaningful even. And it kept him from being bored. As he bid farewell, he decided to head back into the country to find more people that wanted to escape the havoc of their home. Mortals were capricious beings. For the entire duration he stayed in the Pallum’s former empire, he found that the mortals were unique, no two person being the same. Some were kind and giving and helped him ferry people out of the country to somewhere safer. Others were cruel and selfish and would betray him when he entered their home with a group, promising them lodging. Others still were standoffish and fearful, never once helping those in need and continued to live a fulfilling life. It never ceased to amaze him how different they all were and what they were capable of. When he first came to the world below, he had some inkling as to what the mortals were like. Though being in a state of constant war forced him to see how fragile they all were, rather than learn about peace. While ferrying the fleeing mortals, he found out how alive they could be just by breathing the very air. Even while on the run, they could still smile and laugh at the little things in life. Things that the gods took for granted were suddenly very meaningful down below. Live every moment like it was your last, that was the unspoken message to him. With the experiences he made through the underground railroad for Pallums, Bishamonten set off to find something new to learn.
