So.. Manda's kinda going through an anxious phase with me, and I hear therapy through your characters can be rewarding owo It'll be a short one, probably but who knows.

* Note: Manda will be mask-less in game for a while he's going through this, and will have a complete mask redesign when he recovers.
It would be better not to approach him during that time, or at least not to expect him to interact with you in his normal way.

However, if you choose to sit with him, he'll certainly appreciate your company later.

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What a peculiar sight it was to see, when the orange stag lowered his head to drink from the Pond. The sight had frozen him in place, his body temperature dropping much faster than would have been considered 'healthy.' Though it was merely the reaction of his unstable state of mind, in a way the stag felt much more colder than even the winter air that surrounded him from every possible angle. He couldn't understand where he was or how he had gotten to where he was now, the only thing he understood was simply the truth that was laying right before his eyes.

His candles - they had no light. No fire, not the usual joyful bouncing that the flames did whenever his mood changed. Not the warmth that they usually shed around him, not the guidance that they gave him during the cold nights. Not the memories he had of when he made the turn for the better all those years ago. It was all lost now that the fire had gone out, the light that the Gods had given him as a sign of good fortune and their forgiveness. Nothing - all of it was empty.

The stag's legs were shaking, his fur sticking to the skin underneath like glue - he didn't understand what was going on. A feeling of shock was overtaking him, and the inside of his mouth felt unnaturally dry. Even though the healing effect of water was just inches away from his face, the orange stag couldn't have been able to drink anything. He felt nauseous, the increasing pace of his heartbeat doing little to help his fast breathing. Why were the candles unlit?
To a normal deer, this would have hardly been a problem to panic about, given that they would only light up on special occassions or if they somehow managed to find a source of fire. Manda's little lights had been a gift from the gods, a point in his life when he had become a better individual, a loving member of the Forest. The point where he had become the giant teddy bear, the protector that he was known as. During all those years, the candles had never shown signs of going out, not even in the most harsh of winds or the most intense of rainy storms. Their light had been infinite, an absolute part of him and his personality, a manifestation of the link between him and the Twin Gods. Yet now all of that was gone, taken away from him in the blink of an eye.

Don't the Gods care for me anymore? Is that why they've done this to me?
It was his first line of thoughts, an irrational explanation that wanted him to feel miserable, to feel loved and pitied. The lack of a part as important as this had laid a heavy anchor on his heart, and the pressure in his chest felt as if it was killing him from the inside. He couldn't understand, he couldn't fear anything else but fear - maybe a deep hatred towards himself. Maybe he had done something to deserve this, maybe he had done something to anger the Gods.
What did you ever to do to help anyone's pain? You're pathetic, you're miserable. You're nothing. The feelings of self-loathing began to fill his mind, the next thought that much more miserable than the previous one. It felt as if everything he had done before had gone to waste, his identity something that could be stolen just like that without warning or a change to prepare himself for the change.

A rage, a hatred long since forgotten began to boil deep in his chest, a feeling that he had blocked away years ago. An emotion so tough that it could as well be called 'aggression'. The hate towards himself, the disgust towards others and an anger directed at the world. All feelings that should just go back into his mind, feelings that should never have the chance to return. The reminder for everything he had done - and a fear for everything he would do from now on. Nothing seemed to matter, as the stag thought he had been abandoned by the Gods. Abandoned by those he had been loyally loving and worshipping for all these years. In a blind rage, the orange stag violently shook his head, to the point where his old, crackled skull mask fell on the ground next to him.

The stag's gaze locked onto it, his scarred face showing a loathing expression that almost any normal deer would have been afraid of. In the back of his mind, he knew that this wasn't who he was, this wasn't how he was supposed to be acting like. It was a furious, beastlike state that had been triggered by the betrayal.
The mask was no different from the candles - it, too, had been a part of him for many moons. He had not removed it even among the company of those he loved. He was afraid of others seeing who he was beneath the mask - a frail, weak individual who just couldn't let go of the past. Even now, the deer skull reminded him of the first time he had met with the frightening Velocity. It had been the month when the stag had been granted the privilege to wear this same mask, and it always reminded him of his lost love. Camomille, his most beloved, had been there to witness it all, and spend the whole day with him alone. The mask still triggered a series of her images, in all which she smiled brightly. It only added to his self-hatred, knowing that he was clinging on to the past like a fool and hiding everything from others. "If you want to break me, why not just take this - stupid thing - as well?! He screamed as he stood on his hind legs, adding some weight onto his forelegs. He was going to end it.

Without hesitation, he let his strength fall onto the mask, shattering it into a mass of incomprehensible pieces that scattered around the area. The sound of it breaking, crackling under his weight made the pain in his chest much worse, but he found strange satisfaction in it, pressing his legs harder against it. The memories scattered similar to the pieces, a happy smile replaced with the thought of seeing her frowning at him - walking away from him forever.
Feeling a little bit calmer, the stag took a few deep breaths, the cold air immediately going into his throat now that he wasn't protected by the skull. In all honesty, he did want to break down and cry, but it was not suitable for a man to do. He had to be strong, he had to face this by himself. Others couldn't be bothered.
He turned his gaze towards the Twin statues that adorned the hilltop, and whispered a foul line of words. "I hope you are satisfied - I let go of all my 'earthly bindings.' But if you even dare to think that I will bow down to you after this, to beg for forgiveness, you're wrong."