《Of Solace and Sin》 Act 1 "Solace" Act 1 Solace Comfort or consolation in a time of distress Contents God Wakes Up And Makes A Friend A New God Is Born and Has Many Thoughts And Feelings About Everything Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Naive God Gets Bored And Ventures To The Mortal Realm God Learns About Hard Work And Food Production Life, Death, and Moving On The Young God Meets A Royal Beauty Rendezvous In The Garden, And The Prince¡¯s Fears Revealed God Given Sweetness, Taken From My Lips A God And His Prince Bathe In Silver Recuperation Only Leads To Questions For A Grieving God The Princess Who Was Loved The Goddess Who Was Lost Gamble and Gossip at The Dawn of A New Age An Unlikely Friend For The God of Stars Twenty-Four Years in The Mortal Realm Verge of War//What Death Does A God Talks With Beasts God Wakes Up And Makes A Friend ¡°The God of Celestial Bodies has returned! He has returned! Rejoice, my brothers and sisters, for his arrival is upon us!¡± The Kingdom which sat in the Hand of God was buzzing that day. There was a conference happening which required no small amount of preparation and an extra seat to be procured for the new arrival. As the god in question, Solis minded his own business, kept to himself, and tried to make it appear as though everything was normal as if he hadn¡¯t just been released from a six-hundred-year-long prison sentence. He even thought he was doing an alright job, until the doors opened to the palace¡¯s conference room and he was met with the thinly veiled skepticism of the very gods he¡¯d once rebelled against. The day was already feeling like a long one. ¡°Solis,¡± it was the voice of the god of war, the ruler of this place. ¡°How nice of you to join us.¡± Aeris¡¯ words may be sharp, but at least he made room for Solis at the table and then poured the god a generous cup of wine. Solis only bowed his head and thankfully, the rest of the meeting progressed without any need for him to contribute. He was naive about this world, The Heavenly Realm, he could admit that. The things the other gods spoke of were foreign and strange to him. Solis had also wrongly assumed that more deities would be born during his absence, but at the table were all the same faces. Truly, not much had changed; Aeris was still sitting pretty with his title of eldest god alive. Caishen, the god of wealth, sat by his side, a carefully arranged smile on his lips that never touched his eyes. Tstovin and his Seraphim were here too. It seemed aggressive to bring soldiers to a heavenly conference, but the god of storms and sea was anything but polite. Solis sat straight-backed and watched them all interact. He briefly caught the eye of the god of games, a reckless man with a cheerful grin and the attention span of a box of nails. Solis was under the impression that Euthos was not very well respected by the others, yet for some reason they kept him close at hand. Perhaps because his stories were the best. None of the other gods had a sense of humor worth a damn. ¡°The Mortal Realm has more resources now than ever before,¡± Caishen said pleasantly. ¡°The number of temples and worshippers has also grown exponentially.¡± Across the table, Tstovin shifts and crosses his arms with a scowl. ¡°Don¡¯t get used to it. The mortals are like stupid little fish. If one swims in a direction they¡¯ll all follow, but their attention span is limited.¡± ¡°And?¡± Aeris said, ¡°Does this mean you predict a decline in worshippers?¡± The god of war leaned back casually and gave the other man a faint smile. ¡°I seem to recall your own devotees multiplying rapidly over the last few centuries. Trade by way of sea will do that. Or, do you have such little faith in the attention span of your own¡­ little fish?¡± From what Solis remembered, Tstovin was very likely to become agitated or violent after being talked back to, but the god only grumbled under his breath and pretended to stop listening to the rest of the meeting. Solis tuned most of it out as well. He didn¡¯t know why or how he should care about any of their mindless chatter. Worshippers, power, and offerings- Do they really care so much about these things? Solis thought once again, that between humans and gods, mortals really got the better deal when it came to existing. ¡°Unless there is anything else, I believe that concludes our meeting.¡± Aeris met everyone¡¯s eyes, and Solis forced himself to not look away when it was his turn. ¡°Not yet, I have something to say.¡± It was Prentis. Solis hadn¡¯t gotten to know the god of nature very well when he¡¯d first entered The Heavenly Realm. He did have an idea of his character, as a self-proclaimed pacifist, plus, he respected the god¡¯s ability to be blessedly quiet at conferences. ¡°I would like to extend an offer of hospitality to Solis. If I am correct in assuming you require a place to stay, just until your own domain can be established, I would be honored to host you for as long as you require in Ruewreath.¡± Solis had only been partially listening, so he was startled when he heard his name. Now, everyone¡¯s eyes were on him, clearly waiting for a response. It seemed like the best answer was one that would keep their attention off him for as long as possible. He tried to come up with a smart way of saying it, but his brain felt like mud and he was positive he was going to have another dizzy spell sooner rather than later. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Oh¡­ okay?¡± He earned a soft nod from Prentis and the disinterested acceptance of the rest of the gods. The meeting came to a close shortly after. Outside the palace, Solis paused on a balcony, unsure where to go. In the past six-hundred years he hadn¡¯t spent a lot of time in The Heavenly Realm and explored probably only twenty percent of it. He knew Ruewreath was in the east and was said to be a shady, peaceful place, but beyond that, he was as clueless as the day he was born. ¡°Solis, it is a pleasure to meet you again.¡± Turning toward the voice, the young god bowed politely, quietly studying what he could see of Prentis¡­ The god of nature and medicine was tall like an oak tree, but limber and thin. His skin was a warm ochre color and dappled with birthmarks both brown and red. His dark hair was tied in a simple half-up half-down look, with long tendrils hanging beside a well-proportioned jaw. His dark green and shades-of-autumn robes were simple but seemed to serve a purpose. Prentis had many satchels and pockets hanging off his various belts, most of which emanated some form of healing aura, so they likely contained poultices or spiritual herbs. Overall, Prentis gave off a sense of stability and ease that Solis felt was sorely missing from his own life. Staying with him in his home in Ruewreath would likely be worlds away from the murky darkness of Vriseon Prison. Solis was extremely thankful that he only remembers bits and pieces of his time there¡­ Also rather lucky was the fact that the god of nature didn¡¯t seem overly chatty. Solis didn¡¯t want to chat, he didn¡¯t really know what he wanted to do, but it wasn¡¯t chat. Prentis walked alongside him in companionable silence, all the way from Killera, and up to the main gate of his kingdom. Solis had never had the chance to visit Ruewreath in the past, but all the rumors held true. It was shaded by an endless sea of oak trees, of varying colors and heights. The soil smelled damp and rich, and all around creatures and nature flourished, peaceful, as their god strode by. Much of the buildings and houses leading up to the palace seemed to be made in a very human style; thatched roofs, and wooden beams. Solis glanced sidelong at his benefactor and tried to remember if the god was known for liking the mortals too. He¡¯d have to ask, just as soon as he rested¡­ ¡°Just through here,¡± Prentis said softly. It was the first thing he¡¯d said in a while, and Solis only nodded in response, following the god through the large double doors and into the main foyer of Ruewreath. Solis was sick to death of opulence and gold trim after having spent much of the afternoon in Killera, so the soft wood and potted plants everywhere were indeed another breath of fresh air. Instead of showing him to a spare room and leaving him there like he imagined Prentis would do, the god took him to a private study, his own, it would seem, and asked him politely to lay down on the raised cot in the corner. Solis had no reason to refuse, so he did, sighing in relief to be off his feet. He really wondered why all his muscles were this sore, having not used them in centuries¡­ probably just another side effect of his power drain. He¡¯d have to spend a lot of time meditating now, to rebuild his strength. Solis could hear Prentis puttering around the room, humming some tune under his breath as he seemed to take several tinctures from his shelves and a sprig of some plant growing by the window. ¡°Your home is lovely,¡± Solis said at last, feeling the need to speak so he didn¡¯t just fall asleep in the god¡¯s workspace. Prentis turned and smiled, bright and open. ¡°Thank you very much! Admittedly, I spend little time here keeping it this way, but my Chorus is always around tending to things. Ah, please feel free to call upon them if you need anything while I am away¡­¡± After another little bit of silence, save for Prentis¡¯ quiet humming, Solis lifted his head slightly and muttered; ¡°What are you doing?¡± The other god eventually came over, hands full of bottles and various medicines. He set them down at a table near Solis¡¯ feet and then sat on a well-worn stool. Prentis¡¯ expression was content but focused, as he raised his hands and opened them to feel for the energy which should be coursing through Solis¡¯ meridians. Solis is a bit embarrassed, knowing what he will find, but there¡¯s nothing he can do as the doctor checks him over. Eventually, Prentis sits back and looks at him, face to face. There¡¯s a small worried frown curving his lips now, but he doesn¡¯t look disgusted or disappointed, so Solis admits to himself that it could be worse. ¡°They really did a number on you.¡± Prentis sighs, shaking his head. Solis can¡¯t help but wonder if the frown and somewhat frustrated tone are actually not for him at all¡­ ¡°My power will regenerate eventually,¡± Solis decides to say. ¡°I will heal.¡± It feels strange, those words. A long time ago he was sure he would never recover, but apparently, time was a killer to everything, even grief. Solis has a strange moment of clarity amidst all the tumultuous pain that¡¯s been inside him for the longest time. He decides then, that he doesn¡¯t want to go back. It¡¯s a freeing concept. I don¡¯t want to get hurt again is the core of it, though, and Solis knows as well that it is foolish to try to avoid pain. After many long centuries, he has been shown again and again that be it a mortal or a godly body, there will always be something diametrically opposing you, bracing itself against your life as you tremble under its weight. Some people use the strife as a stepping stone, a jumping-off point¡­ inspiration to continue living, because that struggle gives them courage. Solis is tired in many ways, but he¡¯s mostly tired of persevering, especially persevering through a life that no longer feels like his own. He doesn¡¯t want to roll over and die either, but he doesn¡¯t want to fight so hard. Prison must have sapped it out of him, or maybe it was the power drain. Or, losing the only person he ever loved. Prentis was talking to him gently, something about how long it would take for his energy levels to renew, and how he¡¯d give Solis some medicine to help ease his body into it. Solis just lay there and nodded every once and a while to prove he was still listening. His mind, however, was lost far away, in a distant land¡­ a time he realized he could never allow himself to go back to. If being shackled beneath a mountain for six-hundred years didn¡¯t shatter him, falling in love again definitely would. A New God Is Born and Has Many Thoughts And Feelings About Everything Mount Kacia, on Akacia island, at the far north of Piris Lake. It was a place where sapphires mixed with rock and dust, magma flowing from cut wounds down the precarious slopes. The fires there had burned for a thousand millennia but shone brighter whenever a god was being born. When azure smoke filled the skies and the universe held its breath, the body and soul of a deity were being formed at the center of Mount Kacia¡¯s kiln. The months before Solis was born were supposedly very calm. The fires burned peacefully, with not a single cloud in the sky. His appearance in The Heavenly Realm was what they called a fortuitous occasion. He wasn¡¯t so much planned as he was spat out in a mess of ash and flames by a progressive universe ready to expand. There hadn¡¯t been a god of celestial bodies in a very long time. Solis was immediately popular. The very first thing he saw when he opened his eyes, was the cool blue of the lake lapping at the island¡¯s shore, and a ridge of imposing mountains in the distance. Solis thought about how grateful he was to be so far away from that looming darkness, a streak of fear against the horizon. Little did he know that he would be entombed there in a measly few years, by his own hand. Even knowing, he likely still would have descended¡­ Solis was enamored by the little beings that came to the island and tittered around him, draping thin fabric over his shoulders and cleaning the dirt from his face. He liked their soft voices, the way they all looked happy he was here. This Chorus, the Chorus of the god of war, had been sent here upon learning of his birth, and after a quick explanation of where and who he was, the creatures took him with wide smiles to the palace in The Hand of God; an enormous rock formation which had risen slowly with this mighty god¡¯s growing power. Solis viewed the palace and the hand as they arrived and wondered quietly to himself if, when the god of war was firstborn, the hand was just the tip of a thumb or a single finger¡­ ¡°The God of Celestial Bodies has been born!¡± The Chorus sang as they entered the palace. Solis felt cold in the robes they had dressed him in, but he also didn¡¯t want to impose. He was young, and the other gods were so old. He realized, even as he stood before most of them in the great hall, that he must seem very pitiful and weak. ¡°Welcome to The Heavenly Realm, child. We are honored to have you among us.¡± The voice was powerful but genuine. Solis thought the other gods looked untouchable, a tad fierce, and he searched his own thoughts for a touch of that impact but found his soul was a white slate. In a way, he realized he was the most powerful out of them all, because he was the purest, and could now become anything. Of course, within reason. Solis was introduced to many faces, many gods, more Chorus members, even Seraphim- the gods¡¯ soldiers. Solis was told he would have to cultivate a lot to be able to harness the energy required to form these angels. He was fascinated by the discovery that unlike himself, made out of something, the Chorus, Seraphs, and Auditors, were maintained by a god¡¯s spiritual power. If he wanted to really show off, he could one day imbue a mortal with his godly essence and bring them to live a new life in the heavens. The idea of human beings was endlessly appealing to the young god, who indeed, soaked up so much knowledge on that first day that his first meditation that evening felt like falling headfirst into deep water. Solis felt lucky, the longer he lived, to be surrounded by so many who wished him well. He could stay in Killera at Aeris¡¯ palace until his own could be constructed, which truthfully he wasn¡¯t overly passionate about, and he could wander, read, and cultivate wherever he wanted to grow his powers and learn new skills. Every day was a new experience. He failed more often than he succeeded, but he was told the first few years were always hard. There was the weight of a whole universe on his shoulders, after all! Solis found his powers growing exponentially the longer he worked on them, his affinity for stars and planets showing him the way and leading him to a satisfying set of rituals that he was always eager to perfect and hone. There were many nights that he held galaxies in the palm of his hand and watched them spin, turning them inside out, seeing star matter, watching it all burn brilliantly before his eyes. Solis knew who he was, and he was happy. Not long after his first year, Solis was allowed to finally visit the god of the forge and have his own spiritual weapon made! It was a very exciting time. All the other gods had their own weapons which they used for a variety of things. To Solis, besides the technical advancements he could make in his own power, he was looking forward to seeing what it would be! ¡°Spiritual weapons are not like normal weapons, and can never be broken or remade. Don¡¯t let another god use your weapon, it would be disastrous. Also, if a human gets their hands on your weapon, please don¡¯t let me know about it. I¡¯ll be very put out, and also, unable to help.¡± Khalkeus told him strictly when he arrived in Tstemor. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The god¡¯s home was in the far west, and to Solis, was really a huge mess compared to the other palaces he¡¯d seen. Khalkeus was a busy woman, obviously, being the god of blacksmithing, weapons, and invention. The mortals were finally learning how to bash two rocks together, so the god was frantic, already preparing more and more things for the other realm to bash together in the near future. Solis appreciated Khalkeus¡¯ efficiency. The moment he arrived she led him over to her main workstation and told him to begin circulating his energy. He¡¯d gotten pretty good at this in a year, so he did so with ease, then the other god approached him with what looked like a big vat of churning bright green soup. It bubbled grotesquely, looking unappetizing in the extreme. Solis hoped he didn¡¯t have to drink it¡­ As it turned out, he merely had to add a thin ribbon of his own spiritual energy into the mixture. Not a problem, he cultivated fast. This amount of energy would be renewed in a few weeks'' time. ¡°The weapon will be linked to you spiritually and physically. I assume you¡¯ve seen the others wield theirs? I have a mallet, Euthos has his dice¡­ Tstovin and his stupid spear-¡± Solis had indeed studied everyone¡¯s weapons closely. He thought they resembled their masters. And, he agreed with Khalkeus¡¯ observation of the god of weather¡¯s spear, which the man used often, and without mercy. Solis waited in the welding room for many hours, occasionally peeking over at what Khalkeus was doing, but she¡¯d usually feel his eyes and sigh loudly, so he tried to busy himself thinking of other things. After a long time, long enough for the young god to wonder if the others sat here and waited patiently, which he really doubted of some of them, Khalkeus made to stand and donned a thick pair of gloves. Solis watched in eager anticipation as she reached into the still-bubbling bucket and fished around in it, looking preoccupied and bored. When Khalkeus raised her hand, Solis¡¯ eyes grew wide, sparkling with awe. Speechless, he stared at the object the other god was holding, lapsing into daydreams about wielding it, and the stories the humans might one day create about Solis up there in the sky, working away in the heavens with his trusty¡­ what exactly was it, again? Khalkeus hummed, seeming more interested now, and turned the gleaming object to see all angles. Solis already felt connected to it, like it was a smaller piece of himself, maybe an extra limb, or an additional sense outside of sight and smell. It felt good, but a little daunting at the same time. Did he have to name this beautiful thing? Did it even desire to be his spiritual weapon, or was he forcing it? Oh no, what if they ended up having a miscommunication?! ¡°Hold out your hand. Don¡¯t look so nervous.¡± Khalkeus sighed again. Solis swallowed and did as he was told. When the object was placed in his hand, he felt a surge of power tingle all the way up his arm. Suddenly, he felt silly, imagining his own spiritual weapon would dislike him when it clearly shone as bright as a star the moment he touched it. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen a spiritual weapon similar to yours before,¡± Khalkeus said, looking pensive. ¡°There¡¯ve been blades, pens, instruments, even ropes. Your uniqueness knows no bounds.¡± Solis, not knowing any better, preened at the perceived compliment. He smiled as he held up the shining arc, feeling it warm in his hand. It was almost a complete circle; the ring going from thick to thin as the ends tapered off. It felt weird; smooth and strong but also oddly flexible and squishy. He poked his fingers into it and laughed in surprise as he felt answering tingles in his chest. ¡°How do I use it?¡± He asked Khalkeus, eager to give it a try. ¡°How should I know? It¡¯s your spiritual weapon, only you can wield it. Go to Auriel and throw it at some trees, see if anything happens¡­ don¡¯t get too close to Tstovin¡¯s territory or he¡¯ll smite you.¡± Solis went to the little island in the middle of the lake and waved his weapon around in the air, thinking maybe it could shoot out energy. It didn¡¯t. He did try throwing it at some trees, apologizing in his head to the god of nature to whom he¡¯d scarcely said hello at all. His weapon did do something interesting when he threw it, slicing the tree in two easily and then returning to his hand in a smooth arc. He smiled widely, more than a little excited to show it off the next time there was a heavenly meeting. He imagined walking in with it and seeing the other gods¡¯ eyes linger on its angelic glow. Pride welled up in Solis¡¯ chest, and it felt a little stuffy, but also sort of good. The more he played with his weapon and the more trees that met their end, the more the young god began to think it really did resemble some sort of heavenly halo. It certainly shone bright enough¡­ That was how he thought to raise it above his head. The moment he did, he saw a flash of light, and then the weapon was suddenly gone from his hand! Solis panicked, whirling around anxiously, muttering to himself as he tried to find it. Maybe it was hiding? He eventually reached back up, and when his hand passed over the top of his head, he saw that flash again, and the weapon was back in his grasp, just the same as before. Solis stared at it, wondering what this new little trick was about. He imagined it must be a convenient place to store the thing when he wasn¡¯t using it. He tested it, of course. He put his weapon away, then brought it back. He tossed it around, calling it back to him without even a spare thought. It always returned. So loyal¡­ Solis returned to Killera after many hours of fun, and after a bit of meditation to calm himself down, since he¡¯d learned ages ago that it was frowned upon to run through the hallways when one got too excited. The young god began his work again, this time, with a shining glow beside him, ready to be taken up when he needed a little extra light. Naive God Gets Bored And Ventures To The Mortal Realm It had been another long year in The Heavenly Realm, much of which Solis meditated through to steadily grow his power. He was still leagues away from the others, and after being saddled with so much work at his new station, the poor god was burnt out and in desperate need of a change of scenery. Ever since he found out about their existence, Solis thought the human beings were supremely interesting. At first, they seemed like little insects; they had hives- families, they worked the land and built dwellings, and were impressive architects and inventors, of course, in part thanks to his peers. So curious about how these humans lived, and how vastly different it was from the Heavens, Solis gave no notice and immediately descended to The Mortal Realm, a place that mirrored the home of the gods and was known to the locals as L¨¢chender M¨¹n¡­ the laughing face. After traversing the mountains past The Ether¡¯s Gate, Solis¡¯ first interaction with humans came as he arrived in a small town. Aware that his godly status might dissuade the mortals from speaking with him, and not wanting to frighten them, Solis had made sure to don a disguise which he hoped was the human equivalent of his heavenly body. No glow, no otherworldly beauty¡­ and he made sure to stow away his halo, of course. Also, at the last minute, he decided to also remove his godly robes as well, thinking they were much too conspicuous in a land of mere mortals. So, there he stood, at the center of town, watching the humans go about their day with great interest. A few young women hurried past with healthy blushes and lingering looks, and Solis was pleased, thinking this must be a sign of acceptance into their culture. He found he had an immediate fascination with human offspring, and would have liked to inquire about their function in a mortal society past what he knew of human genetics, but very soon a group of men approached him and demanded to know his business in their town, a place they called Churchton, which seemed to heavily worship the God of Wealth, judging by all the statues. Solis couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Caishen was really blessing these people with good fortune, or if he¡¯d even heard of them at all. ¡°Who are ¡®ya? Why are ¡®ya here?!¡± Someone yelled. Solis was surprised that these humans were so aggressive! ¡°My name is Solis,¡± he replied good-naturedly. ¡°I am here to see you.¡± He watched as some of the humans shuffled awkwardly and avoided his gaze. There really was no reason for them to be frightened¡­ he stepped forward, hoping to clear up any misunderstandings about why he was there. ¡°I am very young and curious about this place. I have many questions, which I am hoping you can help me answer.¡± An older man raised his chin and his voice only wavered slightly as he said- ¡°But, son¡­ that still don¡¯t explain why ¡®yer naked as the day ¡®ya were born!¡± Solis paused, realizing that the men before him were all wearing various articles of clothing. He had to smile, finally seeing a similarity between this place and The Heavenly Realm. ¡°Oh, indeed. Is it also not appropriate in this town to be naked?¡± A few men huffed with laughter, some others scowled, but finally, the old man who had spoken raised his eyes to the heavens and seemed to utter a prayer, before fetching a large sheepskin blanket and draping it over Solis. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The young god¡¯s heart was so warm at that moment, feeling as if he was being taken under the wing of a benevolent, learned teacher. The old man sighed and waved the rest of the crowd off. ¡°Better come with me,¡± he shook his head. ¡°Perhaps a drink or two¡¯ll shock some sense back into ¡®ya¡­¡± As the sun began to set, Solis followed the man into a packed building that smelled of many things, all of which made the god¡¯s nose itch. He sat at the barstool; a fascinating piece of ingenuity, to be sure- and listened to the chatter of the patrons as the old man served him a drink. Solis¡¯ impression of the men was that they were freely enjoying themselves. It was loud, boisterous, and a bit shameful, some of the things they said. Surely not something you¡¯d ever see anywhere in Heaven. The young god took it all in. ¡°So, what is it ¡®ya wanna know?¡± The old man leaned on the bar in front of him, having to shout slightly over the noise. Solis, who had been intensely scrutinizing the pitcher of drink in front of him and the myriad of bubbles that floated to the surface, looked up and smiled wistfully. ¡°Everything!¡± At some point later on in the evening, Solis found himself congregating at a large table, listening intently to the slightly slurred advice of the half a dozen distinguished gentlemen present. He took great care to commit every word to memory¡­ ¡°When a lass fancies ¡®ya, she¡¯ll be real coy about it! Barely sayin¡¯ what she means-¡± ¡°But don¡¯t forget! Women like an in-the-market sorta man. You know, he could have his choice of pickings-¡± ¡°I see,¡± Solis nodded intently. ¡°So, the goal is to be widely desired while working under the assumption that the other party is being deceitful.¡± The men all paused, several pairs of eyes blinking at him, then one of them huffed and reached clumsily for his drink. ¡°Yeah. Sounds about right!¡± Solis returned to his own drink with a smile. Now he would be able to better relate to the humans! Their mating customs were so unique¡­ The next morning saw the young god waking in a dizzy pile from underneath one of the tavern¡¯s tables. He sat there, blinking for a long while, trying to remember what he¡¯d been thinking just moments ago. It was lost behind a hazy curtain, and his head was throbbing painfully. Satisfied he had experienced the full extent of what this town had to offer, Solis was about to leave and continue on his journey. He was stopped by the tavern owner¡¯s daughter coming down the stairs, seeming hesitant and shy. When she held out a pair of trousers and a heavily worn white blouse that looked a bit too large for him, the god beamed at her. ¡°Thank you very much! I have none of your currency, though, so how should I repay you for this kindness?¡± The young woman tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear and blushed, then leaned in to whisper something in his ear. Solis nodded, agreeing. He dressed quickly behind the bar and then left with a little wave in the women''s direction. He figured he¡¯d find the thing she¡¯d asked for around town, so he went off to get it. After a lot of confusing conversations with the villagers, Solis learned, in fact, that the thing she desired was not for purchase, though no one seemed willing to explain to him how else to get it. He gave up with a defeated sigh, having apparently made enemies of half the townsfolk with his inquiring¡­ It was not easy being new. Still, shockingly, his departure from Churchton was met with a small goodbye party. He thanked the men for their help and their wide array of stories the night before. Solis was overjoyed when a few young women came over to say goodbye as well, their children running back and forth between his legs or clinging to their mother¡¯s necks helplessly. Solis found his heart was very weak to human babies. He started crying when one of them reached out a little hand and squeezed his nose with a stunningly strong grip. He would have to make it a point to return to this town someday and pay these nice people back for their generosity. Until then, he would continue on. This realm seemed to have so much to offer, and Solis was thrilled to discover it all! God Learns About Hard Work And Food Production Moving along the coast at a steady pace, it was then Solis¡¯ journey took him to an even smaller town, a place called Faise Fatori. It was mostly farmland, with fields both flourishing and bare all pressed up against each other, bordered on some sides by tiny houses and even tinier barns. Solis spent his first afternoon there staring across the fence at a field of large animals, delighting in the way they chewed the grass and seemed perfectly content doing nothing else. Cows¡­ he thought, remembering what the folks in Churchton had called them. Miraculous creatures- ¡°Hey, mister?!¡± Solis looked up. Coming down the path from one of the barns was a young man. Solis had a bad sense of age, however, so in fact, this child was only a boy. ¡°Hello!¡± The god waved, gesturing excitedly at the field in front of him. ¡°Did you see? Cows!¡± The man¡¯s eyebrows raised and he blinked. ¡°You¡¯re not from around here, are you?¡± Solis shook his head. ¡°Well, it¡¯s getting dark. I¡¯m going back to my mother¡¯s house after finishing up my chores.¡± Solis was pleased for him. ¡°That is good!¡± The man stared at him. Solis wondered if he could tempt the cows to come closer if he held out some blades of grass¡­ ¡°Do you have a place to stay?¡± The man asked. Solis shook his head. ¡°No, but I am glad you do.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure when he¡¯d accepted the young man¡¯s offer, but Solis ended up spending the night in a barn that evening, listening to the chickens roosting above his head on the rafters, and the nearby sounds of the rest of the farm sleeping restlessly. In the morning, a woman came and seemed startled to find him among the hay bales, but then the young man from before appeared and explained Solis¡¯ situation. He was given a few odd looks by the woman, but in the end, she agreed to let him stay in their barn as long as he helped her son, the young man, with his chores. Solis had never heard of chores. He decided to study them closely under the watchful eye of the young man, a master of the art, certainly¡­ ¡°But, this is excrement.¡± Solis was dumbfounded. To think- the humans put this stuff back into their bodies?! The young only man huffed, taking the shovel from Solis¡¯ hand and showing him again how to scoop, then tip the piles of waste into the wheelbarrow. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s to help the plants grow. It¡¯s like food to them. Here, try again-¡± Solis was unconvinced. Since when did food need food? He¡¯d never heard of such a thing! But, since he was no mortal and was being treated so kindly by these new friends, he decided to put aside his skepticism and do his best. By the end of the night, the god had learned all manner of things; eggs, which tasted so good once you opened them, actually came from chickens! The farm cats were not only there to be gently petted and scratched, but they also helped catch mice, which were considered pests even though they were so tiny. Horses were an enormous help on a farm, and, if rewarded with a portion of the garden¡¯s produce, could be convinced to let the humans sit astride their backs! There was so much to be done, that by the time Solis stumbled back into the barn to take a rest, he felt physically sore and tired, the likes of which he¡¯d never experienced before. Being mortal was truly exhausting, plus, he kept having to urinate, which, at the beginning of his journey seemed extremely diverting, but now felt like another chore among his list of many others. How did humans do it?! ¡°Hey, Solis! Aren¡¯t you coming?¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The young man poked his head into the barn. Kerick was his name. His mother was called Ema, and their horse was called Patti. Solis enjoyed all of their company but found Patti to be the supreme conversationalist. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Kerick smiled, ¡°It¡¯s a full moon tonight. Everyone in town is gathering to celebrate and give thanks to the gods. Come on!¡± Solis was intrigued but also deeply embarrassed. Here he was, a god in disguise among humans. Surely it was in poor taste to give praise to himself? The Farmer¡¯s Great Hall was very unlike the ones in the Heavens. At first, Solis was overwhelmed by the amount of people crammed into such a small space, but when he was shown to an empty seat on one of the many benches surrounding impressively well-stocked tables, he relaxed and immediately found himself included in the villagers¡¯ conversations. ¡°You might not know, Solis, but the full moon is an important time for us farmers! It¡¯s when the veil between us and the Heavens is thinnest. From the moonlight, us and our land receive prosperity and blessings from the gods!¡± Solis was once again struck by how naive the humans were about certain things. It wasn¡¯t their fault, they were just a new species, how could they be aware of things like lunar phases and Tstovin¡¯s pull with the sea? They¡¯d learn in time¡­ Solis himself was quite fond of the moon. It was largely unproblematic, which was nice, especially when other celestial bodies could be temperamental at best. Solis thought of the moon like a well-adapted child, able to look after itself without his interference. It wasn¡¯t, however, a portal through which the Heavens bestowed any blessings, but the humans were free to think as they wished. ¡°May I ask¡­¡± Solis said, after his third helping of food, which was delicious despite the horrors he had seen the humans do with manure- ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± One of the elders of the village smiled at him warmly. Solis was so grateful the mortals were kind¡­ ¡°What gods do you worship?¡± Solis was a little shy asking, but he just had to know! If they had holidays on the full moon and believed in the gods, surely they were his believers! He would have to return in his heavenly form and hand out actual blessings! Maybe some more cows were in order¡­ ¡°Oh, well. We don¡¯t really bother with particulars,¡± the elder said, waving his hand. ¡°If the gods see us worshiping one over another they¡¯ll get jealous and cause our crops to die, so we just pray to the collective.¡± Solis wanted to cry. That isn¡¯t how it works! But he couldn¡¯t say that. He couldn¡¯t tell them that, unless they were direct, their prayers were not reaching the Heavens at all. It was okay. Now that Solis knew, he could figure out a way to redirect their prayers to himself, without them having to change their beliefs. It should be simple. He was content as he listened to the rest of their conversations, knowing that he would be able to help them after all. As folks began to trickle out of the Great Hall, Solis was finally introduced to Kerick¡¯s sister, Ema¡¯s other child. The young woman had recently been married to one of the elder¡¯s grandsons, who had gone through the trouble to build her a little cottage behind one of the smaller pastures. Solis listened to their tale; how they met when they were young, how they¡¯d fallen in love, and the dowry of seven pigs that was handed over once they¡¯d been engaged. Solis stared at the beautiful couple dreamily, his heart aching as he wondered if anyone would ever think he was worth a dowry of seven pigs¡­ ¡°I keep rushing home early from the blacksmith,¡± the young husband chuckled, pressing a kiss to his wife¡¯s cheek. ¡°I¡¯m more anxious than even you, darling.¡± ¡°For what?¡± Solis said. The young woman giggled, smoothing her hands over her belly. Solis stared, utterly speechless, at the enormous bump under her clothes that he hadn¡¯t noticed before. He had never seen a human like this and wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Had she accidentally swallowed a planet? ¡°This baby better arrive soon is all I can say,¡± the woman sighed. ¡°If I spend another day off my feet I think I will die of boredom.¡± Solis was quiet as he put two and two together. Children were extremely rare in the Heavens, so suddenly being in the human realm was literally an entirely new world. He was suddenly reminded of chickens and the eggs they laid. Apparently, human women were capable of doing the same, except with babies instead! ¡°You¡¯re making one? A child? Right now?!¡± Solis couldn¡¯t contain his excitement. The woman laughed, ¡°I¡¯ve been making it for months. Here, come feel-¡± Solis was hesitant as he gave over his hand, not wanting to cause any harm. The woman smiled, pressing his palm to the side of her swollen belly. He wondered if it hurt to be so full¡­ Suddenly, there was a gentle thrumming, like the heartbeat of a little bird, right under his hand! Solis gazed at the woman with wide eyes and she laughed again. ¡°Now, imagine feeling that every second of the day.¡± She shook her head, sighing. Solis imagined it, but could only imagine it would be wonderful since it was a reminder of a child about to be born. He wondered if, when he was coming into the world, The Heavenly Realm ever shook slightly, or felt the beat of his own heart¡­ He fell asleep that night in the barn and spent hours dreaming of it; of birth, children clinging to their mothers, and what it might feel like to be born into a world already attached to something, something to call your own. Solis woke up to a chicken roosting in his hair and felt like he was finally starting to learn what it meant to be human. Life, Death, and Moving On Everything dies, even gods. Solis knew this, but he hadn¡¯t been prepared for what death does to the living. Solis has already spent three weeks in Faise Fatori without even feeling the time. Days really fly when you¡¯re out all the time, shoveling hay, or mooing at cows, or pulling water from the town well¡­ who knew hard labor would give the young god such a profound sense of clarity and focus?! Solis had been eagerly awaiting the next time the village would gather for a full moon feast, as it was a chance to eat a lot, talk even more, and shirk some responsibility for a while. As much as he loved farm chores, he loved chatting with the villagers even more. Grateful he¡¯d been accepted into their little community, Solis had decided to do something special. His plans of thanking the village as a whole would have to come later when he was back in his heavenly body, but for now¡­ ¡°You¡¯re much better at this than the other men.¡± Solis beamed, pulling gently at the loose tufts hanging from the edges of the blanket in his hands. He was proud to be good at something, and more than a little excited to hand it over to its intended recipient when the time came. The ladies of the village had been more than welcoming when he¡¯d inquired about their own daily tasks. It was an immense amount of work, and Solis found he was terrible at most of it, especially cooking. There was always either too much or not enough water, and he could never get the proportions right! Anyway, after telling them his plan for gifting the soon-to-be-born newest member of the village something special, the women ushered him into one of the house¡¯s sitting rooms, where a group of them were already hard at work, fingers roving over what Solis had discovered was called a loom. He had spent that morning learning diligently, and found that he had a real talent! Solis had a fascination for anything tactile; soft, warm fabrics, or silks that would glide across skin being his favorite things to wear in The Heavenly Realm. Now, as a human, articles like that were incredibly hard to come by. Imagine his joy when these helpful ladies taught him how to make his own soft clothes! Solis had his gift for the infant perfected by that evening, and by the next, had accrued a small basket of woven tapestries, knitted socks, and a blanket that had turned into a shawl after one unfortunate incident with the shears¡­ The god was thrilled! It was still two nights before the next full moon feast when Kerick started hollering from the pasture, waving his hands and shouting- ¡°Quick, quick! Come quick! My sister is having her baby!¡± Solis grabbed his gift and hurried outside. The sun was just starting to set, its waning light turning the horizon a pretty pale pink, and as he sped down the path to the little cottage, Solis quickly joined the little huddle of onlookers, the villagers- anxiously awaiting with hopeful smiles, the newest addition to their extended family. Everyone stood still and quiet, a few exchanging hushed whispers. When Ema finally peaked her head outside the cottage door, her apron appallingly stained, she breathed a deep sigh of relief which was echoed among the dozens of villagers, including the young god. ¡°Well? What d¡¯you say?! Is it a pretty lass or a strong lad?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t leave us hanging!¡± The villagers laughed and smiled in jest. Ema put her hands on Kerick¡¯s shoulders, as he had come to stand by her side. ¡°We won¡¯t know for a while yet,¡± Ema shook her head. ¡°Go home, everyone! I¡¯ll send the boy with news when there is some-¡± Some people groaned and pouted, but stumbled back to their dwellings with excited murmurs of what the young couple might name their babe. Solis was the last one standing, and after a moment, Ema approached him, her soft eyes quickly finding the blanket still in his grasp. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Solis didn¡¯t know how these sorts of things worked. The baby would be born, but when? How did the mother know when the time was right? Was the father also aware? Were the gods? Ema smiled, gesturing at the gift. ¡°Do you want to give it to her now?¡± Solis blinked, unable to speak, so he just nodded and followed Ema and Kerick into the little house. It was only two tiny rooms; a small kitchen with a table and a pair of mismatched chairs- flowers delicately arranged in a spotless vase- and a door that led to the bedroom, containing only a mattress and a pile of bedding on a wicker chair. Solis stood in the open doorway and watched as Kerick went to his sister¡¯s bedside, taking over the cloth from the father-to-be¡¯s hand and dabbing the brow of the woman in bed. She lay half under the covers, her skin pale and damp, a tiredness in her smile but a spark in her eyes that spoke to her youth and spirit. Solis saw the way she leaned into her husband¡¯s embrace, her eyes closing in comfort as he kissed her cheek, as was his habit. The young god found the sight to be the most wonderful thing he had ever seen¡­ ¡°Solis has brought you a gift, sweetheart.¡± Ema said gently, ¡°Do you feel well enough to receive it?¡± ¡°Mn. The pain has passed again. Solis, what is it you have there? Come, sit-¡± Solis gingerly sat on the edge of the bed. With so many people in such a tiny room, he expected to feel unease, but within this home was only belonging and warmth, the kind only humans were capable of. Solis basked in it. ¡°It is for you, and¡­ the child.¡± He said softly, handing her the blanket. Her husband helped her take it, and the young woman smiled. Solis watched the way her fingers splayed over the weave, clutching it, feeling the softness. He imagined her little one being bundled up in it, feeling safe inside something that Solis had created. He wanted that to be his gift more than anything. Peace. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered. ¡°I like this color.¡± Solis had chosen it because it reminded him of the young woman¡¯s eyes, and had thought the baby would find it especially comforting. Kerick chatted in a low voice with his sister, then mother, occasionally shooting an anxious glance at Solis. When his sister¡¯s eyes closed in pain, white fists gripping her husband¡¯s sleeve as she held her breath and shook, Ema sent Kerick and Solis both out to wait in the yard. The sun had almost completely set as Kerick walked the length of the log fence around the house and played a few games of slingshot with Solis. They entertained themselves in near silence, every so often pausing as they heard the nearby sound of a breathy cry or scream. Solis hadn¡¯t known birth could be so violent and painful. He was suddenly grateful he didn¡¯t remember his own, and could only hope the same was true for humans as well. When the stars came out, the crickets began chirping, and the almost-full moon was a gleaming sphere in the midnight sky, Solis finally looked up to see the cottage¡¯s door opening slowly. Ema stepped out, strangely stiff. She didn¡¯t smile. She didn¡¯t wake Kerick from where he had fallen asleep with his head pillowed on Solis¡¯ lap. Ema closed the door. And leaned against it. And cried. Solis liked to think he had become somewhat proficient in understanding mortal emotions. He knew that humans cry for a variety of reasons; sometimes when they¡¯re happy, scared, angry, or alone. But the wail that tore from Ema¡¯s lips as she sank to her knees in the dirt on the porch of her daughter¡¯s home, simply could not be misconstrued as anything but grief. Kerick shot up, suddenly alert. Solis stood and watched as he ran to his mother and hugged her, demanding to know with a shaking voice what had happened¡­ if his sister was okay. Solis had not stopped to consider that there could be an outcome to this evening besides the one he¡¯d imagined in his head. He suddenly realized how naive he had been, watching the way Ema shook and wept as she tried desperately to clean her bloodied hands off on her skirt. The village was silent that night. They were silent in the morning too. It was a silence that ate away at everything, and Solis discovered a fascinating thing about humans while listening to it. Grief, when felt, saturated them. It was in everything, but it was deep in their silence. They seemed to have to distance themselves from their sadness, even as they felt it, as if letting it too close, close enough to touch, close enough that it slipped past their lips, was a death sentence of its own. Humans didn¡¯t like to talk about dying. Solis found it strange, for a species that did it so often. There was no full-moon feast that month. Solis tried to talk to Kerick but the boy would only yell at him and run off. His grief was somewhat sharper than the others¡¯ and Solis knew there was nothing he could do. Life and death were not his domain, unfortunately, though now he wished it was. The god stopped at the little cottage a week later on his way out of town. He hadn¡¯t meant for any of this to happen, but it did. Humans must feel so helpless. Solis felt helpless, as he looked through the cottage window and into the bedroom¡­ A blanket that would never bring peace was folded on a chair. The Young God Meets A Royal Beauty Solis had been walking along the coast for several days, sticking to the sandy beaches and pebbled shores, and sleeping on the ground under the cover of trees when night came. After so long in the company of others, Solis found the loneliness depressing, but he tried to put his best foot forward, and exploring the largest forest in The Mortal Realm seemed like a good way to do that. Well, it seemed like a good way¡­ that is, until he got lost. The Aer Ari Forest, right at the heart of L¨¢chender M¨¹n- truly, the border separating north and south, and a genuine sight to behold. The trees were all a rich auburn color this time of year, the shade feeling cool and peaceful and easing all of one¡¯s worries. Besides the colors of amber, gold, and brown, there were also little gleaming insects that floated just overhead and stuck to the trees. They looked like little stars blinking at him, and Solis spent a long time following them before he realized he had taken complete leave of his senses, ay- his sense of direction. He knew there was a large kingdom to the west, and another to the south, but he didn¡¯t have a good view of the sun from here and was having trouble pinpointing which direction was which. The sameness of everything wasn¡¯t helping. Solis examined one golden tree, then another, then stared at a toadstool, and a bird, but it all looked identical to what he¡¯d just passed! There¡¯s a river around here somewhere, he thought, still haplessly following the star-like bugs. If I can find that, maybe it will lead me to civilization! Solis was feeling rather good about his plan when the young god came to an abrupt halt. He had been so wrapped up in his head that he hadn¡¯t been paying attention to his surroundings, and to whether or not he was alone¡­ Just ahead, a dark figure lay in a careless but graceful sprawl upon the branches of a sturdy tree. They added a touch of violet and coal to an otherwise sunny forest; hair like an inky smudge, and flowing robes like an orchid grove. Solis was stunned. Is he a god? He thinks, staring unblinkingly at the man in the tree. He imagines he must be, for he had never seen another mortal like him in this realm before. The creature is so beautiful that Solis feels time slow to a trickle. He is barely aware of the sun traveling through the sky and the chorus of nature all around him, compulsively watching the steady rise and fall of the stranger¡¯s chest as he breathed. Solis knew about sleep. Now that he was accustomed to a mortal body, he even knew about dreams. His mind wandered, a sense of ease warming his heart as he imagined the kind of dreams this glorious creature might have- ¡°Who are you? Do you want to die?!¡± Solis blinks. Oh¡­ Rich, velvet-black eyes are staring at him now, expression tense. He hadn''t even noticed the man in the tree waking up! Well, there was no turning back now! ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to wake you,¡± The god said sheepishly. ¡°My name is Solis. Please, accept my sincere apologies. And, you are?¡± Now that the other man was sitting up, Solis was noticing more details. The person in front of him was young, but he couldn¡¯t tell how young¡­ older than a baby, but younger than what he considered to be a man. So, age unclear. He was male, which could be seen in many ways; from the sharp lines of his jaw to the flat, bare chest peeking out from inside silken robes. Solis was a little mesmerized by the sun-kissed color of this person¡¯s skin. He had not met a human who looked like this before; tanned and willowy and adorned with gold and gems, some even hanging from his ears. Solis wanted to ask about the gold hoops and how they were attached because he hadn¡¯t found holes like that in his ears yet, but then the boy spoke again. ¡°You mean, you don¡¯t know who I am?¡± Solis smiled and shook his head, ¡°Not at all! I was just looking for the river when I happened to walk this way instead. By any chance, do you know where I could find it?¡± The person in front of him was giving Solis an odd look, part disbelief, but mostly curiosity. Solis realized he himself felt similar things for this stranger¡­ After a moment, the boy raised an eyebrow and his expression changed. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°The S?nh¨¦ River. How can you be from here and not know where it is?¡± Solis shrugged. ¡°Perhaps, it is because I am not from here?¡± The boy didn¡¯t blink for a moment as he stared at him and Solis eventually had to look away. Had he said something wrong? Was it really not good to have a limited understanding of this realm¡¯s bodies of water? He looked up again just in time to see the young man gracefully leap from the tree. He landed on the forest floor with an ease that likened him to a barn cat¡­ Solis used to love watching their little paws run across the rafters at high speed, they were so agile and sweet. As the stranger placed his arms behind his back and cautiously approached Solis, the young god had another sense that the boy possessed a feline¡¯s nature. Those eyes, Solis thought, once again struck dumb. Surely, he cannot be of this world- After being looked at from head to toe by the stranger, Solis held his breath as the young man said simply; ¡°My name is Cyndras. The river is this way. Come, I will show you.¡± What luck! And perhaps even a new friend for the wayward god! And to think, he might have just wasted an entire day watching him sleep! Solis followed Cyndras for a long while, noticing things all the time. Despite being several inches shorter, the boy had a healthy stride and a purposeful kind of walk. It felt like the forest simply moved out of his way as he went along. Solis was content to watch this from behind until he heard the nearby call of waterfowl and smelled the clear, cloying scent of a sun-warmed river. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s beautiful!¡± He cried, abandoning the well-worn trail and high-stepping it through the undergrowth in an attempt to get there sooner. When Solis was finally at the bank, he paused, closing his eyes for a few seconds then opened them again, taking it all in¡­ The S?nh¨¦ River had three main branches that flowed in several directions but met in the middle in a deep lake. They were still on the edge of the Aer Ari Forest, so this must be the southernmost tributary. Solis could just barely see where the river began to grow wider in the distance, leading straight to the branch up north. The bank was sandy, and covered with sticks and leaves. More trees lined the river and a few had even crept inside or fallen down and made shadowy homes for a wide variety of plants and animals. While the water was definitely moving, it was moving so slowly that on its surface you could see a near-perfect reflection of a cloudless blue sky and the trees from the bank. It was like glass, so perfect and inviting. Solis had already been thinking about peeling off his outer layers during the brisk walk over here, but now there was an even better reason! He looked around for a place to leave his clothes, but there was only the sandy beach and a few overturned logs where a home of frogs seemed to live. He didn¡¯t want to disturb them, and besides, now that Solis knew the mortals liked to remain modest and wear clothing too, he had grown so fond of his human clothes. He liked flowy skirts, silken robes, wool shawls, and knitted socks. Solis enjoyed feeling all the different textures of his clothes, occasionally fiddling with and flattening them just to twist his fingers in the various fabrics. Solis liked beautiful things; crisp rivers and silk swaying on a person¡¯s lithe frame as if it had a life of its own. That being said¡­ ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to join me?¡± The boy¡¯s voice was decidedly coy as he shed his outer robes, then inner, then started untying his pants. Solis gulped and stared. That being said, his concept of beauty had changed dramatically ever since he had first caught sight of this young man. It seemed too early to say for sure, he was still quite young himself, but Solis only had to take one glance at Cyndras¡¯ bare skin, already glittering in the water, to know that he was witnessing the most beautiful creature in the universe. The most beautiful creature, who was calling his name. ¡°Yes,¡± Solis had to blink a few times to remember where he was. ¡°I will join you.¡± Because Cyndras had shed all of his clothing, Solis did the same. After wading into the river and taking several moments to celebrate because of how soft the squishy sand felt between his toes, Solis raised his eyes to where the sun was currently playing in the other man¡¯s hair. Cyndras stared out at the river and ran a careless hand through his shoulder-length dark curls over and over. Solis was halfway through a thought about how elegant the boy¡¯s shoulder blades were when Cyndras turned to him with a blatantly curious stare. ¡°So?¡± The boy raised a dark eyebrow, ¡°What do you think?¡± Solis looked down at the water. It was crystal clear and still¡­ peaceful, and the perfect temperature with the sun still high in the sky. He swept his hands through the river a few times, enjoying the soft splashing sounds. The god smiled. ¡°It¡¯s lovely! I believe I will come here often.¡± Cyndras pursed his lips and tilted his chin up slightly without looking away. Solis wasn¡¯t sure if his expression was meant to be as alluring as he found it. Fascinated by the extremely aesthetic curves of the boy¡¯s body, most pressingly his trim waist, Solis gazed openly, content to look for days. He was enamored by Cyndras and his beauty, but more than that, the young god was intrigued. Never in his life had he seen someone so flawless, and something ached in him as Solis began to wonder how deep that beauty went, and if he would be able to see it better from up close. ¡°You¡¯re strange.¡± He hears Cyndras say. Strange was bad, wasn¡¯t it? Solis blinked, lowering his eyes carefully. Maybe the boy was shy, and didn¡¯t want all this attention? ¡°Sorry¡­¡± After a moment, he hears a slow sigh, and then Cyndras starts running his damp fingers through his hair again, the curls completely untamable and sweet. ¡°Everyone I know wouldn¡¯t be caught dead staring at me so blatantly,¡± Cyndras says, his voice bland. ¡°They could lose their eyes for less.¡± Solis is about to stammer out another apology and a soft plea to keep his eyes when the boy looks over his shoulder again. Strangely enough, Solis doesn¡¯t see shyness or disdain on his angular face, merely curiosity. As much as the young god has for him, if not more. ¡°I like it.¡± Cyndras tells him, ¡°So, stare as much as you want.¡± Solis resolved to do exactly that. Rendezvous In The Garden, And The Prince鈥檚 Fears Revealed Versilla; a sprawling kingdom on the far west coast of He?ter, an enormously wealthy city composed of immense, looming towers built of marble and jade. It is said that from the tops of its spires, one can see all the way to The Ether¡¯s Gate, and at the ocean¡¯s shore the echoes of wind passing through the city creates a whistling sound, like sirens... It is also where Cyndras was born. Solis had been very excited when Cyndras told him this, and even more so when the boy invited him there to see his home. Solis had only ever seen human farms and small towns before, so the idea of an enormous kingdom rivaling that of the gods¡¯ was very interesting to him. Not to mention, it would mean more time spent with his new friend. That had been over a week ago. Cyndras had led him inside the palace gates through the city in the dead of night that very first evening they met. Solis had been grateful that the boy was showing him the sights of the city, all lit up with the moon high overhead. It was indeed wondrous. Then, a torchlight shone down the empty street and Cyndras had yanked the bewildered god straight into an alley. ¡°MhMmhghh?¡± Solis was trying to speak but the boy had pressed his hand over his mouth to silence him. Cyndras waited until whoever it was had gone, the light fading away, before he sighed and removed his hand, eyeing Solis disinterestedly, like he fully expected him not to address why they¡¯d just done that. ¡°Why did we just do that?¡± The very foolish god said. Dark eyes were even darker at night, Solis realized, staring at the young boy¡¯s face in the moonlight. He really found Cyndras to be a new expression of Heaven, more godly than gods, each and every time he looked at him. The boy frowned slightly, which only made his stormy gaze more alluring. ¡°The Prince is missing,¡± Cyndras said. ¡°It will be unfortunate if the guards discover him before he is done with his errands.¡± Solis nodded. He didn¡¯t know what that had to do with them, or why it meant they had to run, but it became a sort of game between him and Cyndras, who had told him to also call him by his nickname; Cyn. They weaved in and out of alleys, dodging lamplight when they saw it, sticking to the shadows and pausing to check that they were alone. The young god was truly having such a nice evening following the boy, that by the time they¡¯d traversed the entirety of the lower kingdom and come right up to the palace¡¯s front gate, he had completely forgotten what his new companion had said about princes and guards. He was about to remember¡­ ¡°My Lord! Where have you been?!¡± ¡°My Prince! Are you aware of the hour?¡± At the gate, there was a small commotion. Solis stood there and watched in awe as the horde of men and women, all wearing either aprons or armor, wrenched open the door and began to hurry Cyndras inside. The Prince, it turned out, looked back at him and smiled. Solis felt the world around him suddenly turn vibrant, that impish grin cutting right to his core. ¡°This man is my guest,¡± Cyn said to no one in particular. ¡°Find him a room, put it next to mine. And give him better clothes.¡± Solis glanced down at what he was wearing but before he could ask what Cyndras meant, he was being shooed inside the palace of Versilla. What followed directly after was a whirlwind, one the god does not remember very well. He was taken by two older women to a room with an indoor hot spring. After bathing rather awkwardly, they brought him up several grand flights of stairs to an ornately furnished bedroom, complete with a balcony that faced the sea. Solis stood there and looked at the view for several hours before he eventually went to sleep. He wondered if Cyndras was in a room like this, and he thought he should definitely take Versilla¡¯s designs into consideration when he eventually built his own palace in The Heavenly Realm. As it turned out, Cyndras really was the Prince! Not that Solis doubted it for a second, he was just surprised. Among the mortals, royalty was often treated like or above gods, so surely Solis¡¯ first meeting with the young man was less than appropriate. He grappled with that thought for only a single morning, before Cyndras came to his room with a barrage of lady¡¯s maids and several trays of food. They ate on the balcony and Cyndras was surprisingly quick in answering all of the god¡¯s burning questions. ¡°Your father and mother are the King and Queen of Versilla?¡± ¡°Apparently so. Pass the salt.¡± ¡°Do you have brothers? Sisters?¡± ¡°Three sisters, all of them younger.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ how old are you?¡± Cyn smiled over the rim of his cup. ¡°Why don¡¯t you guess?¡± Solis cringed, then blurted out an age he thought seemed a few years younger than what he actually assumed Cyndras was. Just in case¡­ The Prince¡¯s uproarious laughter must have meant he said the right thing. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Solis spent an entire week like that, in Cyndras¡¯ company. Every day the Prince would come to him just after sunrise, they¡¯d eat breakfast, and then take a stroll around the palace gardens, a place that Cyndras seemed to love wholeheartedly. The young god felt drunk with happiness, completely greedy, and eager to feel all of Cyndras¡¯ attention on him at all times. Even when they walked together in silence, Solis had the distinct sensation that everywhere Cyn went, good things followed. Some afternoons were spent in the palace, but more often the Prince took him outside. Cyn loved the outdoors, growing lazy and satisfied in the sun. A week after they had met, Solis was lounging around, propped up on some pillows in a pavilion in the gardens, watching with fond but dreamy eyes as the Prince yawned again, stretched out in a patch of sunlight like a warm and happy cat. It was an absurdly nice day in Versilla, but at noon it was verging on too warm. Solis slipped into a half-awake lucid dream while Cyn continued napping, the Prince arranging his pillow until it suited him again and then laying on his stomach, baring his naked back to the sky. Hours drifted by like that, birds and insects turning the garden into a living being of movement and sound. When Solis eventually woke, it was too warm, honeyed eyes on him, looking without being seen. Solis took a deep breath, and Cyndras¡¯ eyes shifted up. The young god often watched various emotions cross the Prince¡¯s face, but almost never in his eyes. They always seemed slightly glazed, or preoccupied, as if the boy was watching something play out inside his mind at all times. That was why, when the god saw the flare of panic on the boy¡¯s face, he didn¡¯t expect it to reach his eyes. Except, strangely, this time it did¡­ Cyndras shifted distractedly, then collected himself with a single sigh and moved to sit up. Solis watched him go through a series of stretches; arms, neck, and back, each one punctuated with an absurdly noisy moan. The Prince was quite fond of making the god blush. With a satisfied smile, Cyn leaned back on his hands and stared at him with a demure tilt of his head. ¡°I had a nice dream,¡± he said. Solis, ever eager to hear what went on inside his mind, replied with an excited blink; ¡°What was it about?¡± Cyndras closed his eyes, leaning his head back with a long sigh and fully allowing the god an opportunity to stare at the shape of his collarbones and throat. Solis swallowed. His throat was dry¡­ ¡°Mmh, how unfortunate.¡± The Prince lamented, his voice a lazy drawl. ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten almost the entire thing. There is one scene I do recall, however. Do you want to know what it is?¡± Solis nodded, for some reason he was unable to speak, although the Prince did tend to have that effect on people¡­ ¡°A throne, somewhere far away. I am sitting in it, and there is one of my subjects at my feet. He is holding my ankle tenderly, and then bends and kisses my foot. I don¡¯t remember what happened after that, isn¡¯t it disappointing?¡± Solis hums, imagining. A dream that seemed very vivid, almost prophetic. Solis knew that as the only son and eldest child, Cyndras was very likely to be the King of Versilla one day. It was a thought he¡¯d never had before that moment, but one that he decided the Prince must have on occasion, maybe even in his dreams. ¡°Perhaps, someday you will be the King and your dream will come true.¡± Solis smiled at his friend, hoping to see the boy¡¯s playful lovely grin reflected back at him. Except, Cyndras didn¡¯t smile. He didn¡¯t do anything for a long time and for many minutes they both sat there, Cyn staring silently at the ground and Solis wondering what he could be thinking. They sit for so long that eventually, a heavy cloud passes overhead the garden. It takes away most of the sunlight, the warmth, and the birds¡­ then, as the rain begins to fall, the clouds darken, mirroring the expression on Cyndras¡¯ face. ¡°I will never be King.¡± Solis listens to the sound of his voice amid the splattering of thick raindrops on the pavilion¡¯s roof. He shivers. Cyndras finally looks up. ¡°You may as well know, since we see each other so often.¡± The Prince scoffs, rolling his eyes. ¡°I am never going to lead this city, I can¡¯t. My parents, my father¡­ to them, there is only ever perfection and failure, and I was never perfect. My sisters, if they were older, if they were born as my brothers, then perhaps there would be a future for this kingdom. As it stands today, I am a placeholder for someone else. My father will not hesitate to use me as a token of peace; better than a war prize, he always says. Ah, I can¡¯t stand it! You¡¯ll never know how lucky you are, Solis, to just be. I¡¯ve had to be something all my life, but what I am is never enough!¡± Solis had never heard Cyndras talk that much before. He wished he could breathe all his words in and hold them in his lungs. He wanted to memorize each one. The Prince was staring at the rain now, a distant but decidedly frustrated expression on his face. Solis crawled over to him and sat by his side. He often wished to be closer to Cyn, to know the heat radiating off his skin, the softness of his hair, the way his hands might feel if he held them. Solis had never wanted to know those things more than right now. Because he wasn¡¯t sure how to ask, the clueless god settled for gently patting the Prince¡¯s back. He watched parents do this for young children when they were inconsolable, and something about the way Cyn¡¯s shoulders hunched and he held his breath told the god he was probably pretty close. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Solis repeated what he¡¯d heard, but then he added- ¡°You can cry.¡± Cyn jerked back as if he¡¯d been hit. When his eyes landed on Solis again, that fear was back within them and Solis was devastated that he¡¯d caused him to be afraid. The Prince breathed harshly for a moment, sputtering- ¡°Y-You¡­¡± Then Solis watched his lips purse, the Prince hissing; ¡°No matter what, they must never see me cry!¡± Cyndras turned away from him after that but didn¡¯t leave, nor tell him to. Solis watched him catch his breath, wondering if holding back his tears for so long was actually damaging the Prince¡¯s heart in ways he couldn¡¯t see. It¡¯s okay, Solis thought. I have time to make him realize that I am not one of them. That he is perfect to me. One day, it will be safe for him to cry. And I will love this little human all the more for it. God Given Sweetness, Taken From My Lips As a mortal, Solis watched the days go by with a lingering feeling of loss. Everything the humans built was so fleeting, and yet, he had found a reason to stay, to make every moment matter. Like that, eight months had passed by, spring turning to summer, then summer to fall. In the cooler seasons, Cyndras was much more of a homebody, reading or playing games with Solis as they huddled near the fireplace or shared meals in private. Solis was discovering, slowly, the way the young Prince thought and felt. Solis believed him to be the most interesting, complicated, wonderful human he had ever met. He also believed that the Prince was very lonely. That was okay, Solis thought, as long as he was able to relive a small percentage of that loneliness, he was doing right by his friend. The young god wanted nothing more than to see Cyndras¡¯ eyes light up and his smile appear. Nothing made Solis happier. That was why, when the god went to the Prince¡¯s door that evening to see if he wanted to take a stroll before dinner, the echo of silence from the room, when he knocked, worried him immensely. Cyndras always answered right away¡­ ¡°Cyn?¡± He called. Nothing. Solis paced back and forth and wrung his hands, not wanting to intrude but concerned about his friend. Cyndras had seemed so reserved recently, always something on his mind. He assumed the Prince would feel relieved with his father away for the last two weeks, but it seemed to only make everything worse. Eventually, Solis couldn¡¯t wait any longer, he apologized in his head to the Prince for invading his privacy, as he carefully opened the door and peeked inside. ¡°Cyn? Is everything-¡° The Prince was standing there by the window, leaning over his desk with his head bowed. Solis noticed his heaving breaths and the scattered mess of paper, pens, and ink that had obviously been swept off the desk in a fit. Solis knew Cyndras was sometimes quick to anger, but it burned out so fast and always meant something else. He¡¯d learned to be patient with him, and loved seeing the effects of that in the trust Cyn placed in him. However, the god had never seen him in a moment like this. Deciding whether or not he should even come in, Solis frowned, saying softly; ¡°Are you hurt? Can I help you?¡± ¡°No. Get-¡° The fury in Cyndras¡¯ voice was cut short as he inhaled, a sob dying in his throat as he clenched his fists and hissed- ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do¡­¡± Solis knew that was probably true. Nevertheless, Cyn would often say that just his company made difficult things easier. Solis wanted to be there for his friend, even if all he did was sit in silence and listen. Solis walked into the room; opulent and tidy to the extreme, save the papers scattered on the floor. Solis saw an open envelope with the royal seal, but turned his gaze away and focused instead on his friend. Cyndras was still shaking slightly, but when Solis came closer and hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder, the Prince let out a shaky exhale and grew very still. Solis was prepared for Cyn to complain at length, or even just stand there and fume over whatever was wrong. He didn¡¯t expect the Prince to suddenly stand up straight, then look at him out of the corner of his eye and say; ¡°Actually-¡± Solis was about to smile and ask with relief what he could do, when he felt Cyndras¡¯ hands on his chest, clutching the front of his robes. There wasn¡¯t even a pause before he was spun around and pushed roughly onto the empty desk, the Prince yanking him closer and bending to press his lips to the stunned god¡¯s wide-open mouth. ¡°Mph?!¡± Solis was very confused, and he blinked a few times in surprise as Cyndras laced his fingers behind the god¡¯s head and forced his tongue into the wet cavern of Solis¡¯ mouth. There were several sensations he found pleasant; Cyndras¡¯ warm breath on his face, the racing of his own heart and the desperate way the Prince held him. But, Solis felt something unsure and uncomfortable slither up his spine, and he winced, feeling Cyn¡¯s fingers tugging on the long strands of his hair, his teeth biting down on the god¡¯s tender, swollen lips. Between them were the combined sounds of heavy breathing; of Cyndras panting, and Solis making urgent, questioning little hums and murmurs that never quite left his mouth before the Prince would swallow them up. It felt strange. It felt good. It felt like he was having something stolen from him in a very deliberate, exposing way, and he realized the longer it went on that if Cyndras had only asked, the god would have been happy to give him this, just maybe without the sting of teeth and nails that made him flinch, but still not want to stop. Solis was very, very confused. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Deep in his heart he still held a delicate want, a desire of softness, of care and concern. The young god wished to feel connection, and belonging. Understanding. The only thing he felt he understood about the Prince at that moment was that his anger over whatever had made him so upset was being taken out on Solis. The god¡¯s hands fluttered skittishly to take hold of the Prince. He held his waist and gripped his arm and very slowly but firmly pulled him away. Solis felt like his lungs had shrunk several sizes, and at the corners of his eyes there were unshed tears, but he held tight to Cyndras and caught his breath, willing the Prince to look at him and speak to him in a way that helped him understand. It seemed like Cyn was having a hard time opening his eyes, a grimace on his face and a pulled-tight frown as he seemed to hold his breath and wait for something¡­ was Solis supposed to speak? He cleared his throat, and then said; ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Solis felt cold and unmoored as Cyndras ripped himself away, stumbling across the room as he shouted- ¡°Nothing! Why can¡¯t you stop?! Why can¡¯t you just¡­ everything, stop!¡± Solis sat there on the edge of the desk and watched Cyndras pace around the room, stopping and starting and sometimes shouting with outbursts of anger. Cyn took a pillow from the bed and threw it against the floor a couple times, then screamed at it- ¡°Useless! Worthless existence! My best is never good enough! My best days don¡¯t even measure up to their worst! I do everything they tell me to; classes, and lectures, and being perfect! And yet it¡¯s still never enough!¡± Solis watches, and listens, and then when Cyndras throws the pillow one last time and then crumples to the floor in a fit of violent sobbing, the god is there, picking him up and pulling him into his arms before even a single tear has fallen. ¡°This is ridiculous- I am ridiculous! How can you even stand to be around me?!¡± Cyndras cries, crumpling like a leaf in Solis¡¯ arms as the god rocks him gently and pats his back. Never before have they hugged like this, and Solis closes his eyes and leans his cheek against the Prince¡¯s head as he lingers for a long moment in the warmth and the feel of it. ¡°It will be okay,¡± Solis says softly. He doesn¡¯t know if it will be, but Cyn doesn¡¯t need him to be honest right now. ¡°How?!¡± The Prince chokes, shaking. ¡°My father, he¡¯s going to send me away. Marry me off to that swine in Xesith as a way to keep the peace treaty alive. And that¡¯s all I¡¯ll ever be! A pawn, a plaything for that self-righteous Prince! They¡¯re just waiting for a chance to get rid of me¡­ father wants me to go there next month to start the courting process, but I would rather die!¡± Solis hugs Cyn tighter and reaches up a hand to stroke his hair. It is as soft as he imagined. He wishes Cyndras was still kissing him violently. That, at least, was better than hearing him cry¡­ ¡°You won¡¯t have to go,¡± the god promises. ¡°I will make sure you are safe.¡± Cyndras pulls away, sobs wracking his small form as he stares up at Solis and blinks, dazedly. The young god sees the redness around his eyes and nose, and makes another promise that he will never let Cyndras cry alone again. The Prince sniffles miserably, ¡°H-How?¡± Solis doesn¡¯t know. He takes Cyndras by the hand and carefully lays him down in bed, tucks him under the covers. Warm and safe, Solis breathes a sigh of relief as he sits by his friend¡¯s side and squeezes his hand. ¡°I am a magical being from a far away land, and you are the person I have chosen to protect.¡± Solis watches the Prince blink. Once, twice, then again. Then Cyndras begins to laugh. It starts as such a quiet sound, then he covers his mouth and wheezes- ¡°That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard! Ah, why do I like you so much?¡± Solis has no room left in him to be unsure. After seeing Cyndras¡¯ smile back on his face where it belongs, even blurred by tears, the god slides easily into the bed beside him when the Prince beckons. When Cyn pushes him back and moves to rest his head on Solis¡¯ chest, the god lays there and wonders what might have happened to this little human if he hadn¡¯t come to The Mortal Realm all those months ago. Luckily, Cyndras will never have to be alone again. The Prince tucks his head under Solis¡¯ chin and reaches across to rest his hand on his shoulder. It is¡­ warm. Solis never thought he would have this. He never thought he would get a chance to be warm for someone. From here he can¡¯t see the Prince¡¯s face, but he can feel and hear his breathing. Gentle, even, steady. He thought he¡¯d fallen asleep, but then Solis heard the Prince mumble tiredly; ¡°Where are you from?¡± Solis hummed, wondering how to answer. ¡°A place that seems far, but is actually quite near. Different, but the same in many ways. I have no parents, no siblings, but many¡­ peers. I am still very young, and have not seen much of the world, but I have made many friends and am very content with my life. It will be a shame when I have to return home, but I will visit this place as often as I can-¡± Solis was going to go on, to talk about his happiness in finding Cyndras that day in the Aer Ari Forest, but before he could utter another word the Prince¡¯s hand on his shoulder squeezed, and the boy whispered softly; ¡°Stay.¡± Solis closed his eyes and let dreams take him. When he woke, it was with the Prince still in his arms. The young god wished more than anything to make Cyn¡¯s request a promise. There was no reason to return to The Heavenly Realm just yet. Someday he would but for now, Solis held Cyndras tighter, smiled, and stayed. A God And His Prince Bathe In Silver Cyndras was beautiful in the moonlight. Even turned away, the curve of soft shoulders kept catching Solis¡¯ eye, and by the way the Prince was humming, a teasing smile playing on rosebud lips, he knew exactly what he was doing to the poor god. Up on the Prince¡¯s balcony the wind whistled past, tugging gently at Solis¡¯ loose hair and shifting Cyn¡¯s sheer robes even further down. Solis¡¯ eyes found the small dimples at the base of the Prince¡¯s curved spine, his mind supplying what it would feel like to press his lips to that delicate skin. He imagined a kiss would fit perfectly in the little hollow¡­ ¡°You¡¯re so far away. Why?¡± Cyn¡¯s voice carried evenly over the wind. The Prince turned his head, allowing Solis a glimpse of his flawless profile in the moonlight. There truly was nothing else to say¡­ the man before him was perfect. Solis went to him without a second thought. As his arms wrapped around the Prince¡¯s waist and pulled him close, Solis¡¯s heart ached at the amount of love he felt. He settled his chin gently on his lover¡¯s bare shoulder, unable to stop himself from bending to press a kiss across that slightly chilled, warm-brown skin. He heard Cyndras exhale, ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± The seconds passed slower than they ever had before. Solis wasn¡¯t entirely sure what it felt like to lose one¡¯s mind, but he would imagine that it felt like counting the freckles on his lover¡¯s neck and realizing that each one mattered more to him than all the stars in the sky. Without time to judge him, the young god was more than content to stay there and explore the hollow of the Prince¡¯s throat forever, but soon a deep chuckle pulled him to the surface of his reverie. ¡°The rest of me will be jealous if you give all your attention there.¡± Solis nuzzled softly behind the Prince¡¯s ear as he heard the other man sigh. ¡°Come now,¡± Cyn chided gently. ¡°The night may be young, but we still shouldn¡¯t waste it.¡± Then there was a hand moving Solis¡¯ own up to the fastening on the Prince¡¯s robes. The god could feel the Prince¡¯s heart pounding steadily beneath¡­ ¡°Hm? Go on. You remember how, yes?¡± Solis inhaled, ¡°Yes.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. He heard Cyndras laugh. The years had been kind to Solis. They had been kinder to the Prince, who had blossomed into the most exquisite beauty The Mortal Realm had ever seen. He was lauded for his poise and mediation skills, the best in the kingdom, while being feared and admired by enemies and friends alike. Solis feared and admired his lover in many ways too, especially when they were like this. ¡°There you go, ah-¡° Cyndras sighed. ¡°Touch me like that. Slowly. Perfect¡­¡± The praise from his lover¡¯s lips sent a shockwave of joy through Solis¡¯ body, and he let out a soft moan. After many heated moments, Cyndras slowly turned in his arms, hugging him tightly, bringing their bodies flush together and carding his fingers through Solis¡¯ long blonde hair. ¡°What if I told you I wanted you just like this?¡± He heard Cyn whisper directly into his ear. Solis¡¯ eyes fluttered closed and he shivered, lost in bliss. ¡°Right here,¡± the Prince¡¯s voice was silken, trailing over his skin like the fine robes that were already sliding from his form. ¡°Out in the open. The sky and stars can be my witness. Would you like that, Solis? Would you like to see if they can hear my cries all the way in Xesith? In the Heavens?¡± The poor god was going to die. It always felt like too much, being with Cyn. He always felt like he was going to burn up from the heat, from the amount of love he felt. Solis craved that oblivion like nothing else¡­ ¡°Hah, ngh-¡± Solis loved the sounds that Cyndras made. He loved the helpless way he gasped, the fire burning in his eyes as they held each other, learned each other, again and again. It was always too much. It was always never enough. Underneath a sea of stars that Solis knew by heart, he touched and was touched by the one that knew him best. The god liked to take his time, and Cyndras liked to humor him. There was so much skin to feel, to kiss, to worship. Solis blessed every inch of his lover, and then buried himself inside, desperate to watch the Prince writhe and groan beneath him. Solis particularly liked the way Cyn¡¯s eyebrows drew together, lips falling open when he moved just right. There was nothing more exquisite than watching their love play out on Cyndras¡¯ face. ¡°I love you¡­¡± the Prince whispered, and Solis kissed him in response. He had found many ways to express his feelings while in The Mortal Realm, but nothing ever seemed to express it all. When words failed him, he spoke in actions. When those weren¡¯t enough, Solis threw himself at his Prince¡¯s feet and gently kissed his ankle, begging to be the bridge that would carry him across the river, across the moat, across the stars. Solis wanted to be muddied, be bloodied by Cyndras¡¯ hands on him, his soles crushing into his back. He wanted to be torn apart and remade until the universe gave him the strength he needed to shield his lover from all pain. Solis has lived and walked by his Prince¡¯s side for almost three years now, and it still stuns him every time to hear ¡°I love you¡± on those cherry-red lips and know that that voice is speaking to him. Recuperation Only Leads To Questions For A Grieving God His energy levels are returning to normal after the power drain. Solis doesn¡¯t know why he feels mostly depressed by that fact. The last four months in Ruewreath passed largely uneventful, the one thing of note being that, as his mind and body began to heal- Prentis called it trauma processing, Solis began having dreams again. Memories, really. Memories about him. In the early days, fresh out of Vriseon Prison, Solis didn¡¯t want to think about him at all. Why would he? Cyndras was gone. It had been centuries since he had lived. Solis was here now, in The Heavenly Realm, alone, but he was still alive and somehow that meant he had to find a reason to keep going. Clinging onto his dead lover like he could will him back into existence wasn¡¯t going to do him any favors. It hadn¡¯t then. After slowly regaining his strength under Prentis¡¯ careful, steady hands, Solis¡¯ dreams begin to take on a life of their own, his memories clear and potent as they sweep him up, pulling at him like tendrils under the sea. Sometimes it¡¯s okay to wake up gasping, to meditate and ground himself, to stay awake through another chilly dawn. He makes it through. Other times, Solis relives a memory so vivid that the moment it rips itself away, he wakes up screaming, holding on with bloody fingers to a life that isn¡¯t real. Solis has come to accept several things over the course of the last few months. He isn¡¯t fully satisfied with the list, but he repeats it in his mind occasionally when he has quiet meals with Prentis, or sits outside to watch the Chorus play in the orchard. Cyn is dead. They punished me for loving him. I did not deserve that. Cyndras did not deserve to die. Love is not a sin¡­ Solis also accepts that, while he can never go back and change things, and his heart feels like a stone in his chest that he¡¯s dragging along, he still loves Cyndras, and he does want to know if he¡¯s okay. It could be morbid curiosity that compels him to uncover the fate of his Prince, or just the unwillingness to accept that he is truly dead and gone, but Solis knows that with every breath in his body and despite all the hells he has endured in his name, that man was the best thing to ever happen to him and he would rather die himself than not know what became of his soul after six-hundred years. Punishment be damned. So, when all is calm in The Heavenly Realm and Solis has a chance to sneak away, he travels by himself to a place he¡¯s never been, to speak with a god he has only met once, on the worst day of his life. Stratoveria is on the outskirts of The Heavenly Realm, in the distant north. A tangled mass of brambles and vines grow from the earth, wriggling and twisting in a grotesque display that resembles a pit of snakes. Solis touches down just outside the misty fortress gate, knowing that the god of life and death will sense him the moment he arrives. It is so dark and full of gloom, Solis can barely see two steps ahead of him. That, coupled with the ominous, rolling black fog that vanishes the bottom third of his body, Solis has no issue agreeing with the rumors; that Leviathyn enjoys making the other gods extremely uneasy. ¡°Hello?¡± Solis calls into the void, undeterred. ¡°I am here to ask you something very important. My name is Solis-¡± ¡°Sssssolisssss¡­¡± The voice comes from behind him, but when he turns he sees nothing. Leviathyn is clearly up to his old tricks. ¡°Yes. We met once, or¡­ I think we did? In The Mortal Realm.¡± ¡°Yesssss,¡± he hears Leviathyn chuckle. ¡°The day that boy died in your arms. I assume you are here to ask me what happened to him¡­¡± Solis turns again, struggling to see through the darkness. Eventually, he makes out a slightly distorted form just ahead. The shape of a man, or perhaps a woman. Either way, they exist as a faceless swirl. Solis tries to take a step closer, but the shadow seems to move with him, always a careful distance away. Solis plants his feet and takes a steadying breath. There is a chance Leviathyn will go to the other gods with this, but he highly doubts it. The keeper of Stratoveria is the oldest in The Heavenly Realm, after Aeris, of course, but somehow has made friends with no one, content on being recalcitrant neighbors with the rest of the realm. Solis has never heard of a time when Leviathyn was seen outside of his domain, except of course that rumor Euthos spread; that he would travel to Ixotus just to reanimate the dragon bones and cause a riot in The Heavenly Realm as the gods tried to tame the undead creatures. Solis had always found that tale amusing, enjoying the thought of Aeris, and maybe even Tstovin ,panicking about the living corpses scaling the tiles of their fancy palace roofs. Whether or not Leviathyn will tell the others, Solis has already made his bed. He will lie in it, even if it turns out to be a coffin. ¡°The boy who died,¡± he says, chest aching. ¡°Did he ever come back? His soul, I mean¡­ did he reincarnate?¡± There was not an infinite number of souls, that would be impossible. Solis should know. The universe had a set amount of energy, which could be neither destroyed or added to, only changed. Human souls, their life force; a kind of cosmic energy, were recycled in an endless wheel. It made a lot of sense to Solis. Mortals lived such short lives, afterall. A soul could leave a body and be integrated back into the universe before being reborn once more. Occasionally, it would take time, some souls had grace periods, but the soul itself remained the same. And more importantly, recognisable. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. As the god of life and death, Leviathyn was not only aware of the cycle of reincarnation, with an intimate understanding of who was who, but the god could alter things in the mortal world; take a human¡¯s remaining lifespan and add those years to another soul. Solis didn¡¯t and would never understand how Leviathyn knew who should live and who should die, he was simply grateful that his own job was to do with stars instead. ¡°You¡¯re very brave for coming here¡­¡± Leviathyn said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that. Did you not learn your lesson? Did the gods not teach it to you?¡± Solis frowned, ¡°What lesson?¡± He hears a hissing, echoing laugh. ¡°Clearly, you haven¡¯t learned a thing. How fortunate!¡± Solis was beginning to have a headache from the sound of the creature¡¯s laugh. It felt like it was scratching around in his brain, trying to pry something loose. ¡°Please,¡± he begs. ¡°Just tell me what I want to know. Is he alive?¡± Leviathyn is quiet for a moment, then Solis hears a whispered- ¡°That one¡¯s been alive many times, many times indeed, my oh my. Sssolisss¡­ that fairy living in the tree stump will give you a better answer. All I can tell you is; if you want the boy to live, do not look for him. Let him go.¡± Solis sets his jaw. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I don¡¯t know how- He hears Leviathyn¡¯s skittering laugh one more time, and then the shadow before him disperses entirely. When Solis hears the god¡¯s voice again, it is coming from everywhere, every shadow. ¡°Foolishhhh¡­ learn not to trust so easily, boy. Now, leave.¡± And then Solis is alone. He comes to his senses quickly, which he is surprised by, because the knowledge that Cyndras has lived many times and that his soul could be alive out there in The Mortal Realm right now, should really screw with his head more than it does. Maybe some part of Solis already knew. Already prayed. The ¡°fairy living in the tree stump¡± is actually a god living in a lake. The tree is a hollow thing, a great big oak, taller than a mountain, and the home of one of the least problematic gods in Solis¡¯ opinion; Kulao. He had only met the man in passing at certain events, and rarely spoke with him one on one. That is why Solis is just a bit surprised when he sets foot on the bridge that leads to Atrimor, and is immediately met with the god-in-question¡¯s smiling face. ¡°Solis! My dear, how are you?! You seem to be doing well! Is there a reason for your visit? A social call? A bit of advice of a romantic nature? Come, come! I¡¯ll send my Chorus to fetch us some tea and you can tell me all about it on the lake!¡± That was how Solis found himself sitting in a little boat, on a picturesque lake filled with lotuses, drinking tea with the god of love. A god who, perhaps more than any other, owed him a few explanations. After getting situated and when Solis finally found a break in Kulao¡¯s speech, he asked, point blank, what he wanted to know. The god of love smiled, but lowered his gaze with a sigh. ¡°I was wondering when you were going to come visit me.¡± Kulao said. Solis blinked. ¡°So, you know?¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, yes, of course. I am not only the god of love, but I am also the god of fate! I understood your passion for the mortal Prince, he was quite lovely. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Solis was holding his teacup so hard he could feel it cracking¡­ Kulao stared at him, a slightly pitying expression on his face. Solis thought he had gotten used to the gods looking at him like that, but apparently not. ¡°Solis, it was not only my decision, the universe was in bad shape after his death and it was determined to be the safest course of action to sever that string entirely.¡± Confused, Solis asked; ¡°String?¡± Kulao blinked- ¡°Of course! Silly me, you probably don¡¯t even know! Here, let me show you!¡± Then the god extended his hands out in front of him, facing each other, and Solis watched the tiny threads glow to life between his palms, like a tangled, messy web. ¡°Fate-string!¡± Kulao wiggled his fingers gleefully, the cords vibrating as he did. ¡°What¡­ do they do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really very simple,¡± the god explained. ¡°You see, each string ties a soul¡¯s fate to another. It¡¯s not always romantic either, fate-lines connect all sorts; children, enemies, friends, even strangers! If your life has been altered or impacted in a significant way by another person, you will have a fate-string in common.¡± Solis was mesmerized, staring at the glowing web, and his voice was quiet and hesitant as he said- ¡°So, he and I¡­ our fate-line?¡± Kulao nodded, ¡°I do not create people¡¯s fate, but I can occasionally alter it. Splicing or splitting cords is not necessarily in my job description, that would be like Leviathyn killing someone on a whim, completely randomly. Unfortunately, there are times when the greater good takes precedence. The gods met, Solis, back then. We came to the decision that it was safest to sever his fate-string where it met yours.¡± ¡°But, what does that mean?!¡± Solis was close to crying. Kulao remained steady and nodded, gazing at him with a pinched frown. ¡°Your soul and his no longer have any connection. It would be dangerous to try and find him again, so I do not recommend it. Besides, love between a mortal and a god has never ended well. Such is the way of the world. Say, have you ever heard of what happened between Sichor and her intended? That loudmouth Euthos spread endless rumors back in the day, but the reality is far from the gossip. Oh, you poor dear¡­ sit back, rest a while. I¡¯ll tell you the story of Sichor and Lamollie. Perhaps, it will make you feel a little less alone." The Princess Who Was Loved The goddess of beauty and music was a shut-in, but she didn¡¯t mean to be. There was simply nothing in either realm that interested her enough to emerge from Grimiere. Her twin brother, the god of history, continuously spoke about the benefits of having friends and seeing more of the world, but Sichor was unconvinced. What would be the point when everything she loved and wanted was right here, within the walls of their home? Beauty, music, and art¡­ she¡¯d think, playing her flute calmly. That is all I need. The goddess adored her collection of paintings, and walked the halls of her music room daily, tending to and cleaning each instrument with care and scrutiny. Sometimes her brother would be home, and she¡¯d find him in the study, engrossed in another ancient, brittle text. They would have tea in silence and when Metir was finished reading, he would sit back and regard her with a smile. ¡°Dear sister,¡± he¡¯d say. ¡°How was your day?¡± ¡°Good, brother. And yours?¡± ¡°Ah, I spent the afternoon in The Mortal Realm again. It really is incredible! Did you know that the humans perform plays about us? The gods, I mean. They are mostly full of inaccuracies, but amusing nonetheless. Perhaps, you would accompany me one of these days and we will go see one?¡± Sichor blinked. ¡°I will have to see if my schedule allows it.¡± Her brother chuckled, ¡°Your schedule? You mean being alone and playing through every sheet of music in your collection?¡± Sichor nodded. Precisely. Her brother didn¡¯t bring it up again for several weeks, but then one morning when she was walking about, Sichor happened to overhear him talking to the god of love in hushed tones. ¡°I am worried about her, Kulao¡­ she has never gone outside ever since we were born, and she has no friends-¡± ¡°She has you.¡± ¡°...not the same-¡± Sichor left, but ended up pacing the halls, staring blankly at the paintings on the walls, for once unimpressed by their color. She wasn¡¯t trying to ignore the rest of the world, and she didn¡¯t mean to worry her brother. Perhaps, it would be best if she could put his mind at ease and try. Just for a few minutes, she could try to be normal. She told her brother of her plans and he smiled wider than she¡¯d ever seen. He asked if he should accompany her, but she didn¡¯t want to stay very long and told him as such, so he agreed it might be good for her to explore on her own, at her own pace. ¡°There is a rumor I¡¯ve heard while in The Mortal Realm,¡± Metir said, smiling slyly. ¡°About a Princess, a great beauty¡­ the greatest in the world. They say she has the most beautiful singing voice, and the neatest calligraphy, and can even dance! Perhaps, you could investigate if it is true?¡± And, because Sichor was only doing this for him, she said; ¡°Yes, brother.¡± The kingdom this Princess was from, Freytide, was nestled in the high, snowy mountains. Sichor donned a mortal disguise, which felt extremely suffocating, and made her way on foot for several days to reach her destination. Most of what she discovered along the way about the humans was that they are very stupid, and have no regard for beauty. Sichor even starts to wonder if the mortals have a concept of beauty at all- That is, until she sees her. Princess Lamollie is what Sichor lives and breathes for. She never imagined that this kind of divine beauty could be housed in a mortal body, and for a long time, all she can do is stare from the edge of the crowd. The Princess had come down to the village that day in order to sing some songs and dance with the commoners, and Sichor finds that not even their grimy, reaching hands and whiskery faces can detract from the Princess¡¯ charm and poise. Her voice carries over the wind and right into Sichor¡¯s heart, and in those moments all she feels is joy. A sense of purpose washes over her, and in her mind, she curses her brother for convincing her after all these years to do this, when Sichor would never be able to have the object of her desires. Feeling bereft and unlike herself, she heads home and locks herself in her bedroom. Her brother checks on her every hour but she cannot even rise out of bed and has given up on all her instruments, allowing them to age and gather dust. Sichor stares at the ceiling and remembers that voice, the voice of an angel, and realizes that she would rather die than never be able to hear it again. Resolved to do whatever she can to win the Princess¡¯ heart, she descends again to The Mortal Realm, this time with her brother, as his worry has only grown. They stay in the village of Freytide and Sichor ¡°enjoys¡± her brother¡¯s tour and guide to the realm¡¯s customs, while her heart longs for the woman at the top of the highest tower. Sometimes, when the Princess comes to the village, Sichor will be there. With her she brings music back to the goddess¡¯ heart, and beauty in every form; her visage, her song, and her dance¡­ even her soul, Sichor realizes with a pang, is the most gorgeous thing she has ever seen. To think that such a beauty is mortal, fragile, and not for her to protect and cherish, is the greatest of sins imaginable. After watching Lamollie from afar for several weeks, Sichor¡¯s brother leaves her with a bid to take care and enjoy her vacation. That is when the goddess enacts the first part of her plan. Every god born from Mount Kacia is agender, and their physical sex at birth is either fate, chance, or an unconscious wish their soul makes. Because of this, and their ability to change shape, Sichor creates a new disguise for herself, and then travels to the castle grounds. This time, she hopes she is in a form the Princess can love. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. At the palace gates Sichor is turned away, despite having the image of a well-to-do young man. He tries waiting in the village for Lamollie, and hesitantly approaches the Princess after another beautiful performance for the commoners. Sichor is so tongue-tied and awe-struck, that when at last he finds Lamollie¡¯s eyes on him, he can only gape and stare. Incredibly rude. He doesn¡¯t fault the Princess one bit for frowning, then turning away without even a farewell. He tries again, this time in an older, much more handsome form, one that had every woman in the village tripping over their feet as they tried to look back at him. Sichor only cared for one person¡¯s gaze¡­ He managed to run into the Princess just outside the palace gates, and with a small boost of confidence and no small amount of bravery, Sichor approached her again and bowed low. ¡°Princess, it is an honor to-¡± ¡°Get up.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°I said, stand up-¡± Sichor straightened his back and instead of a sweet smile, was met with the Princess¡¯ unyielding glare. Ah, he shouldn¡¯t have gotten his hopes up, once again¡­ ¡°I assume you are here to ask my father for my hand, so I will inform you now and save you the time. I am already betrothed, so please, return to wherever it is you are from and spread the word. The Princess of Freytide is taken!¡± And with that, Lamollie spun on her heel and ran away. Ran. Sprinted. Sichor didn¡¯t know how long later it was when she came to, but she had apparently wandered into the forest just outside the village and was in her preferred female form. The rain was coming down hard, or had been, so she was soaking wet. Her mortal body shivered, but Sichor just sat there and let her tears mix with the rain, washing everything away. Unfortunately, no matter how long she sat, her heart would not go back to the way it was before. Sichor was ruined by this love. She wished she could scrub it off her skin¡­ A branch snapped under someone¡¯s foot, and then the trickle of rain began to slow. Sichor blinked up at the sky through the trees and wondered why it seemed as if the sun was beginning to peek through the clouds. ¡°Hello? Are you okay?!¡± The goddess froze. It was the Princess! She hadn¡¯t meant for Lamollie to see her like this, so she panicked and tried to leave, but she must have been sitting there for too long and when she tried to move, her legs crumpled beneath her and Sichor fell to the ground with a frustrated sob. Despite all her praying, the Princess came closer. Then, despite Sichor¡¯s genuine begging, the beautiful woman knelt, in the mud, and reached out a delicate hand to the goddess¡¯ knee. Sichor winced. She hadn¡¯t even realized she had scraped it. ¡°You¡¯re freezing!¡± Lamollie gasped, stunning Sichor once again by taking off her own cloak and draping it over the shivering goddess¡¯ form. As if in a dream, Sichor stares blankly and watches the woman check her over for other injuries, fretting and frowning over her twisted ankle and cut lip. Sichor had really not paid any attention to what she was doing on the way through the forest. Somewhere, distantly, she¡¯s surprised it isn¡¯t worse. She likely could have fallen off a cliff and not noticed at all. ¡°Come with me, darling.¡± The Princess cooed, helping Sichor to her feet with gentle hands. ¡°This is no place for you.¡± Sichor allowed herself to be led by the girl through the village and up to the palace. When Lamollie took her into the castle, then into a room, Sichor could only gaze at the Princess, completely struck dumb, as the beautiful woman hurried around, muttering something about how Sichor was in need of medical attention, food, and a nice, hot bath. ¡°...¡± She still couldn¡¯t say anything. She tried, but no words would form. Sichor might have sworn that she would never speak again, so content to just listen to and watch Lamollie caring for her tenderly, but then the Princess¡¯ hands were lifting up her dress¡¯ skirts, and Sichor heard her own gasp like it was echoing through her very soul. Lamollie blinked up at her from the foot of the bed. Sichor hadn¡¯t protested being laid down, nor the tea she was absently sipping, but then the Princess grasped her bare ankle and ran her thumb lightly across the band of bruising, and the goddess no longer felt like she could be contained in her own skin. ¡°...please, don¡¯t-¡± she choked out. Lamollie frowned, but it was softer, more sweet than before. ¡°Does it hurt a lot? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± Sichor wanted to cry again as the Princess treated her wound. She longed to clutch the girl tighter and lay bare her soul, tell her; no, please. I fear if you keep touching me, I will be robbed of something vital when you stop- Lamollie was too kind. Sichor could not understand why she was doing all of this for her, a stranger, when she had no reason to. Sichor was not even a real resident of the village, nor did she have anything to give back to the woman besides her devotion and undying love. Her care was so undeserved, it nearly made the goddess sick. Then, Lamollie came back and guided her into another room. It was warmer inside and smelled peaceful and soft. Sichor almost believed that she would be able to sleep here, if not for the sight of the tub of water and the Princess carefully moving to undress her¡­ ¡°Hhp!¡± Sichor grabbed the woman¡¯s wrists, but Lamollie only stared at her, a soft teasing smile on her lips as she said; ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re still shivering and your hair is damp, this will help you not catch a cold. Come on, be a good girl. In you go!¡± Sichor was unable to speak again, and wholly unable to deny the Princess anything, so she let herself be stripped and set gingerly in the warm water. The feeling of it on her chilled skin made her jump and hiss, but she settled back and tried to hide her blushing face behind her knees while Lamollie moved around behind her and hummed in that goregous voice, the one that made Sichor see stars. The goddess jerked away and frantically looked at the Princess¡¯ face when she felt her hands stroking through the long strands of her black hair. Lamollie just smiled at her, warm brown eyes crinkling at the edges and making her look younger and sweeter. Sichor swallowed. What should she say? Was this allowed? Did she actually die from a broken heart earlier and had ended up in some other world where her every wish was fulfilled? That didn¡¯t seem likely. She had never felt more alive. As Lamollie played with her hair, brushing the tangles from it and washing it with a lilac-smelling soap, Sichor placed her chin on her knee again and wondered why her plan had failed so marvelously, and yet she had still ended up exactly where she wanted to be. Maybe that was fate. Eventually, Lamollie¡¯s hands slowed and Sichor tilted her head. She saw the Princess out of the corner of her eyes. She was staring at her. She looked happy. ¡°Why?¡± Sichor hadn¡¯t even realized she¡¯d spoken, until Lamollie sat back, thoughtful, and then whispered; ¡°For you. Because, the way you were crying¡­ I¡¯ve cried like that. I wanted someone to be there with me so much at the time, to tell me that everything would be okay, but no one was. If I can be that person for you, then that makes me happy.¡± Sichor nodded slowly, her eyelids drooping. She heard the Princess laugh and then somehow she was being pulled from the bath, dried and dressed and swaddled in a mountain of blankets on the softest bed she¡¯d ever known. Sichor was half asleep and in the process of trying to come up with something memorable and warm to say in return to Lamollie, but then the candles were extinguished, and the goddess fell asleep faster than she¡¯d fallen in love. The Goddess Who Was Lost The goddess of beauty and music didn¡¯t spend all of her time in The Mortal Realm. Just most of it. After all, why would she ever leave when everything she loved and needed was right here, singing and dancing through the streets? ¡°Sisi, come on! Over here, hurry, hurry!¡± Lamollie was in a mood to run, and how could Sichor ever disappoint her? It was a beautiful spring day in Freytide, and the eve of the Princess¡¯ eighteenth birthday. The kingdom was in high spirits, Sichor moreso, because the love of her life was glowing with happiness and spilling songs from her hearts like offerings. The goddess gratefully took them all. At the top of the next ridge was where she and the Princess spent the morning, gazing out at the horizon in partial silence, until Lamollie saw something which caught her eye and she eagerly pointed it out. After six months, Sichor had spent a lot of time getting to know every one of the girl¡¯s odd habits and quirks, including; rambling, humming, and getting her dresses torn in her frantic race to catch a glimpse of the sunset. Sichor continuously found the Princess to be beautiful, even when she fell. Because she knew the girl so well and shared such a close friendship to the point where they spoke about all things; life, death, romance, music, and everything in between, Sichor immediately knew that when Lamollie didn¡¯t gasp and gesture excitedly at the hawk that was swooping low overhead, something was wrong. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked. The Princess smiled, but it seemed more faraway than usual. Lamollie gently reached over and took the goddess¡¯ hand with a sigh, lacing their fingers together as she has done many times. Sichor blinked to refocus and then opened her heart as the Princess began to speak. ¡°My birthday is in two days,¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lamollie pouted, ¡°I will be of age.¡± ¡°...yes.¡± The Princess scoffed, turning to her with a curious but long-suffering smile, one Sichor saw often and cherished alongside the others. ¡°Father is finally able to marry me off without mother interfering¡­¡± Sichor squeezed Lamollie¡¯s hand and her jaw tightened. Never before had the goddess wanted to interfere in the lives of the mortals, and she¡¯d never had the desire to kill them either, but ever since hearing from Lamollie about the King¡¯s desire to send her away as a bride for the ¡°betterment¡± of the kingdom, Sichor has wanted to do ugly things to the man. And all potential suitors. Blessed by beauty since she was born, Lamollie has been fighting off unwanted attention from the male species for a long time. Far too long. Eventually, she just started telling them she was engaged and that usually put an end to things. This was the lie that she had told Sichor that day¡­ a lie that the goddess was very happy, wasn¡¯t true. Unfortunately, if Lamollie¡¯s father had his way, it seemed like it wouldn¡¯t be long before the Princess was wed. Hmh. Not if Sichor has anything to say about it! Lamollie tugged on her hand and the goddess looked over. She never got tired of looking at the young woman, and didn¡¯t think she ever would. She was the only human whose soul shone through, whose beauty traveled with her like a shadow, or a ray of light, and Sichor knew she was the only person she would ever love. Protecting Lamollie and keeping her happy was all that mattered. Sichor would make sure no unworthy hands touched her, and she would continue to work to make her own hands worthy too. The Princess turned eighteen and while Sichor waited for the news that her father had plans to betrothe her to some fool, she and Lamollie continued to meet. In the forest, the hills, the village, and the palace. Nowhere that they went mattered to Sichor, as she beheld Lamollie¡¯s beauty and kindness everywhere, always. Sichor was at one of the taverns in the lower town one day, waiting for Lamollie to join her with a bouquet of flowers in hand. The goddess normally didn¡¯t like to pick them, preferring that their beauty remain as long as possible, but she couldn¡¯t help herself today. The desire to see the smile light up Lamollie¡¯s face when she saw them was too strong. Except, that day the Princess never came. Sichor waited a longtime, before finally leaving to wander the town in search of the wayward girl. It wasn¡¯t often Lamollie got sidetracked, but it had happened once or twice and she always hugged Sichor and apologized profusely¡­ Eventually, the goddess was in an area closer to the palace when she heard Lamollie¡¯s familiar laugh. Her heart lifted, and she turned toward the sound, but what she saw was something strange. The Princess, talking animatedly with someone, putting her hand on their shoulder, grinning and shaking her head. Sichor was used to this treatment, but she was used to Lamollie doing these things with her. Yes, the Princess was friendly toward most everybody, but this was strange¡­ Lamollie was talking to a man- A boy, Sichor scoffed in her mind, and was about to trudge over there and place herself by the Princess¡¯ side where she belonged. She froze suddenly as she watched the girl lean up on her toes and give the boy a quick peck on the cheek. The goddess¡¯ feet couldn¡¯t decide where to take her, so she just stood there, watching awkwardly as the two kept chatting and Lamollie consistently reached out and touched the young man; his arm, shoulder¡­ It¡¯s fine, Sichor told herself. She is touchy. But¡­ she couldn¡¯t help but complain in her head; why isn¡¯t she touching me? After a few more minutes, the Princess¡¯ gaze wandered and happened to fall upon her. Sichor looked away, and was about to vanish into the crowd in embarrassment, when Lamollie called her name and waved her over with a big grin. The goddess could not disobey. She stood before the two of them rigidly and did not under any circumstances pretend to be friendly, even if Lamollie was hanging off her arm and talking at length about what good friends they were. ¡°-sorry, I lost track of time!¡± The Princess pleaded for her forgiveness like she expected, and then gestured at the boy. ¡°I ran into an old friend! Sisi, this is Khepri, his mother used to work in the palace when we were kids. We were just catching up and I must not have even noticed how late it was. Can you forgive me? Please?¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Lamollie smiled, ¡°Thank you. Oh, Khep, didn¡¯t you say you were just in town for the week? Shouldn¡¯t we all go eat together and talk some more?¡± Sichor glared at the boy, who was about Lamollie¡¯s age and looked to her like a loaf of bread on two knobby sticks, but her glare softened somewhat when she saw the sweetness in his eyes when he looked at the Princess. Sichor imagined she must look like that too. She hoped she did. ¡°No, sorry.¡± He smiled sheepishly, ¡°I have to drop off my work at the blacksmiths. But I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, yeah? You still go to the peak to see the sunrise?¡± Lamollie nodded and smiled, ¡°Of course! We will see you then, Khep. Oh-¡± The Princess felt Sichor pulling her away and she laughed, waving back over her shoulder as they scampered; ¡°Goodbye!¡± Sichor didn¡¯t know where they were going, she just wanted to go away. Lamollie followed her all the way back to the lower town again, but pulled her to a stop outside a bakery. They stood in the shade of a pear tree and the Princess let go of her hand. The goddess mourned. ¡°Are you mad? You look mad.¡± Lamollie bit her lip, ¡°Don¡¯t be. I really didn¡¯t mean to be late, we just started talking, and¡­ if you think I can talk, just wait ¡®till you hear Khepri get started, I-¡± Those brown eyes fixed on hers and Sichor had to work hard to take care of the frown she was most-likely wearing and replace it with something more neutral. She swallowed, fighting for control over her words, to ask the question she was dreading the answer to. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Is he the one you love?¡± Lamollie¡¯s eyes widened and she stammered; ¡°W-What? When did I-¡± ¡°The time you cried.¡± Sichor said, ¡°Like how I did. You said you cried once, and you wanted someone to tell you everything was okay. Was it him? Because you love him?¡± The Princess was looking away from her now, but a faint blush colored her cheeks. Sichor loved seeing it, but she hated why it was there. ¡°A long time ago¡­¡± Lamollie whispered, ¡°Yes. It was him, but not anymore. It¡¯s been so long, I was shocked he even remembered me.¡± ¡°No one could ever forget you.¡± Sichor said. The Princess looked up at her with sparkling eyes and then she smiled gratefully and hugged the goddess. They fit together perfectly, Sichor just a little taller so she could put her chin over the other girl¡¯s head and hold her close. She savored everything the Princess gave her, every little shred of her love and care. Sichor was unhappy that Lamollie¡¯s love might be diverted and given to someone else, but truly, she was unable to be upset with the girl when all she had done was be honest and sweet in every way. He might be someone she loved once, but I am special to her too¡­ Lamollie would never choose between us, and I would never ask her to. The idea of taking anything away from her that she loved, that brought a smile to her face, was abhorrent. Sichor would do anything to keep that smile alive. And, so she did. She sat on the ridge with Lamollie and the boy she used to love, and listened to them talk, and tried not to stare directly at the sun. She had a meal with them, and tea with the Princess later in the week, who admitted with false innocence that Khepri had decided to stay in town a while longer. ¡°He found a job at the forge¡­¡± Lamollie sipped her tea and avoided her gaze. Later on, Sichor was in the Princess¡¯ bedroom for the first time in weeks, invited in with an absurdly sneaky grin, as it was far past her time to be asleep. They sat on the bed, and Sichor couldn¡¯t help but smile at the Princess¡¯ boundless energy. She was practically vibrating with excitement as she blurted out; ¡°He kissed me!¡± Sichor waited patiently for the girl to explain. Lamollie squeezed a pillow to death as she pranced around the room and hopped on and off the bed, divulging a tale of great romance and courage about how Khepri had taken her to the ridge earlier that evening, and after talking about the old days, had taken her in his arms under the full moon and kissed her. The Princess was a superb storyteller. The goddess had chills. ¡°-and then, he did this thing where¡­ Sisi, did you know that people sometimes kiss with their mouths open?¡± Sichor had chills for all the wrong reasons. ¡°...I was aware.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. He did that. It was amazing, I felt like I was flying! I think¡­ I think maybe I want to do more, be more to him, you know? Like, maybe I never fell out of love with him or something.¡± Sichor was silent, proud that she didn¡¯t cry as her heart was broken. Lamollie had collapsed on the bed beside her and was playing with a strand of Sichor¡¯s hair as she hummed a pleasant tune. It wasn¡¯t one the goddess had heard her sing before. ¡°Sisi?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The Princess turned to her, a serious expression on her face suddenly. ¡°I¡¯m going to run away with him.¡± Silence. Nothing but the wind outside the Princess¡¯ bedroom windows and the sound of their hearts beating at different speeds. Lamollie tugged at her hair and smiled cutely. ¡°You have to help me, okay? Otherwise I can¡¯t do it.¡± Sichor stared at her, at everything she ever loved or needed. She nodded. Her Princess smiled. Their plan was fairly straightforward. Sichor got the gist of her conversation with Khepri and from what Lamollie told her, they had done a lot more than confess their love in the past few weeks. A lot more. Sichor felt as if she was following the Princess like a kicked dog, clinging to her hand even after she¡¯d let go, and begging for the scraps of a love that was never hers to keep. Was it her fault, when she hadn¡¯t known she was only holding onto that love for safekeeping? Still, the goddess did as she was asked. She helped Lamollie escape the confines of the palace, of her father¡¯s weaponization of her marriage. Sichor and Khepri traveled to a town a few days away in the middle of nowhere, and Sichor intimidated the landlord of a small cabin until he lowered the price. Khepri paid with everything he had. Sichor helped the Princess pack what they would need, and she went with her to the peak one more time to say goodbye to the view. Sichor helped her sneak away in the dead of night, and led the night guards away when they got too close. The couple met in the woods and Sichor held her breath as she watched the way Lamollie ran into Khepri¡¯s arms and he spun her, both of them laughing in relief. ¡°It¡¯s over, we¡¯re free!¡± The Princess said, shining in the dark. Khepri tucked a lock of hair behind Lamollie¡¯s ear and smiled at her the way Sichor wishes she still could. ¡°We couldn¡¯t have done this without you,¡± The goddess blinked. The boy was speaking to her. ¡°Thank you.¡± Sichor stared at the two of them, thinking that they looked incredibly beautiful together. Lamollie fit right in his arms, and he held her tightly but with a gentleness than the goddess was grateful for. Still, that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t long to rip the Princess from his grasp and take her far, far away¡­ Sichor had once had a hall full of paintings, and a carefully crafted music room that was perfectly ordered. She was obsessed with tending to her belongings, and sometimes felt overwhelmed by the amount of music and art she would never be able to consume with its creation being so unending. She hadn¡¯t meant for Lamollie to be the thing that made all other beauty pointless. She hadn¡¯t meant to deprive her, or steal her away from what made her happy¡­ what gave her that enchanting glow. Sichor could not put the Princess behind a glass case, or a picture frame, and look at her, or sing with her when she felt like it. Hers was a beauty that she could not own, could not keep, and that made it all the more precious. The goddess wanted her, she needed her, she loved her more than life. But she could not pull her away from the person she loved, anymore than she could make the Princess love her instead. Sichor let her go. Lamollie hugged her before they went and kissed her on the cheek. Sichor felt it soak into her skin like a brand, like she would always wear it from now on. She reached up to the Princess¡¯ cheek and watched the smile spread across Lamollie¡¯s face for the last time as the girl went to her lover, and they both walked away. The goddess returned to The Heavenly Realm that very night, locking herself in her room without even a word to her brother. She stared at the ceiling and thought about humming one of Lamollie¡¯s songs, but she would always feel a knot rise in her throat before she could try. Sichor watched the snow falling outside her window and remembered the way the Princess¡¯ hair used to tickle her nose when they hugged¡­ the scent of her skin, the curve of her lips. Lamollie had the softest tawny hair. It hung in a long braid over her shoulder, or in loose waves around her face. Her brown eyes were deep but warm, turning into amber pools in the sunlight. There was beauty and music in every breath she took, and every smile she blessed the world with, and as Sichor lay there, she realized that her own love meant nothing compared to the brilliance of Lamollie¡¯s. Because her brother meant well, he sent for the god of love to come speak with her. Sichor came out of her room to have tea with the man, only because she was tired of the view from her bed and felt guilty over making her brother concerned. Again. Kulao was somewhat of a menace in Sichor¡¯s mind, a collector of gossip and other people¡¯s broken hearts, but she listened to him talk so that she could tell her brother she did. Metir was so happy to see her walk through her art gallery that it almost made that suckup¡¯s speech on grief worth it. Kulao didn¡¯t know grief. He had never been in love. Sichor knew grief, in fact, she felt she had quite an intimate relationship with it. Grief knew her down to her bones, inside and out, insane and enamored. Grief was hers, to keep behind a frame and look at when she felt like it. Sichor was in her brother¡¯s study one day, many years later, and she was in the mood to help him organize, as he could be very haphazard with his work¡­ She knew exactly how he wanted everything, so she straightened and tidied his desk, dusted the shelves, and put things to right where they were askew. It had always calmed her down, things being in their place. It was probably only because of that that she found it; the envelope tucked inside a book, hidden behind a stack of encyclopedias. It must have fallen or been misplaced, she thought. Sichor opened the book, finding it was a compendium of history and culture of the frigid northwest of the human realm. In the index she was able to find a list of characteristics of the land, including the towns and kingdoms that have arisen in that area. Now, there was some small town called Keepenvel where Freytide used to be. Sichor searches the list and finds the old kingdom though, fingers shaking as she flips to that page. Her brother had written about the government, cultural events, flora and fauna, the climate, anything and everything except the Princess. When Sichor was finally getting fed up reading about the mating habits of the crested bark finch, she turned the page to discover that the last ones had been ripped out. She frowned. That was very unlike her brother. He was a bit disorganized, but not clumsy or lazy. He did his job well, and would have noticed something like this and fixed it, afterall, he couldn¡¯t call himself the god of history if some of it was missing¡­ That was when Sichor glanced down at the envelope which had been stuffed inside the book. It wasn¡¯t sealed so she opened it, and sure enough, found the missing pages. As she read, Sichor came to understand exactly why her brother had removed them. Lamollie had been free from her kingdom for only a short time before her father had sent men out to look for her. They told the world that the Princess had died in a tragic accident. Her people mourned her kindness and her songs, but in truth, she was found a few towns over in the little cabin with Khepri¡­ and their daughter. The pages don¡¯t go into detail, but Sichor understands. Betrayed and abandoned by what he saw only as a means to expand his territory, the King had his daughter killed for running away. The boy, a tradesman, was killed too, for stealing her. They were killed in their home, under cover of night, in the silence between midnight and dawn and before the sun had risen. The child was killed too. Sichor puts the pages back in the envelope, closes the book, and sets it on the shelf in the exact same place she had found it. She walks down the hall of paintings, into her music room, and sits before her favorite instrument; a white jade piano that never needed to be tuned. It was pristine. It was perfect. She played the songs Lamollie used to sing. Sichor had them memorized by heart. There would never be another song that mattered more. The goddess wrote the notes down, the lyrics, and she played until her fingers bled. For a very long time, forever, actually, the only proof she had been in love would be this song. The goddess played it once, and then never again. Gamble and Gossip at The Dawn of A New Age ¡°So, you see¡­¡± Kulao smiled politely. ¡°You are no longer connected at a universal level, therefore, even if by some miracle you were to meet him again in another form, the edges of your fates are frayed. He would just slip right through your fingers. Oh, that¡¯s not to say I believe you are destined to be alone forever! No, no! Far from it! Most gods, over the course of their lives, have multiple partners! Love is still a beautiful thing, Solis, even without him. Don¡¯t give up.¡± Solis looked at the god before him, and wondered if he truly believed that. ¡°How can love be something beautiful when it has taken everything from me?¡± Kulao was silent for a long time, and then began to steer the boat back to shore. ¡°Ah, are you attending the banquet at Killera this evening? It should be quite the spectacle. Perhaps, we could continue our conversation then? As of now, I¡¯m afraid I must return to my Chorus to prepare. Will you¡­¡± Solis knew what someone trying to flee a conversation looked like. He wanted to grab Kulao and demand more answers, demand to know why the other gods deemed his love inferior. Why they had taken every chance away from him to find his Prince again. Instead- ¡°Yes,¡± Solis says. ¡°I will be there. Thank you.¡± He returns to Ruewreath feeling exhausted and more angry than he¡¯s felt in a long time. Centuries. Is he upset with himself? For bothering to dredge this up and go searching for answers in the first place? Angry at the gods? Surely, not all of them agreed to take his love away from him forever. Not Prentis. He wouldn¡¯t. Would he? Solis found his host in the forest on his way into Ruewreath. The man smiled and asked how his afternoon was. Solis didn¡¯t know what to say, so he just said ¡°fine¡± and then hurried away. Prentis knocked on the door to his bedroom moments later, finding the god of stars in a messy sprawl on the floor, his unseeing eyes fixed on the ceiling as he wept silently. ¡°Oh, Solis¡­ come here, sweetheart. Off the floor-¡° Prentis sat him on the bed, perched beside him, and handed him a handkerchief while he patted his back. Solis wiped his tears away and stared at his feet, feeling numb and wishing he was back in prison because at least there he didn¡¯t even have the option of finding out the truth. The truth was painful. He wished he didn¡¯t know. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± Prentis asked softly. Solis just shook his head and pouted. ¡°Alright. Would it be alright if I took your mind off whatever it is?¡± Solis blinked wet eyes at the god and said desperately; ¡°How?¡± Prentis gave his knee a little pat and then floated over to his wardrobe. Solis wore basically the same thing everyday; traditional, plain white robes and a simple sash. They were comfortable and served their purpose. After all, who did he have to impress anymore with something more ornate? Prentis searched through the barely used closet and muttered under his breath, finally exclaiming with a little ¡°ha!¡± And producing a bundle of cream and citrine colored robes with real gold details. It was fit for a king, a man rich in both wealth and happiness¡­ a well respected god. Solis was none of these things. Prentis was giving him a soft look. It reminded Solis of the way he felt about tiny woodland creatures in The Mortal Realm. This little thing, so innocent- Solis felt like the last thing he wanted was to attend a banquet with the other gods, especially in Killera, but with the attention finally shifted away from him he should probably just go and not make a social pariah out of himself. The god took the robes from Prentis with a grateful nod and what must be a grimace instead of a smile, because his friend chuckles softly and squeezes his shoulder before he leaves. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Solis. I¡¯ll be there the entire time, and we can always leave early. No one will mind.¡± Solis desperately hoped that was true. Killera, as always, had spared no expense. Why would they, with the god of wealth as their patron? Solis and Prentis entered the event with Aeris¡¯ entire Chorus to announce them. The palace was enormous, and the opulence carried them through the halls and into a grand foyer where the majority of the gods were already in attendance. Solis saw several silk-draped chairs around a long table in the middle of the room. Delicacies from every corner of The Mortal Realm were placed upon it for the gods¡¯ amusement, and on a pedestal in the corner of the marble room, part of Caishen¡¯s chorus sat and played instruments of both human and heavenly creation. It was as shallow as Solis expected. Prentis was apparently good friends with many of the gods whom Solis had barely met, so he began introducing them and including Solis in their conversations as they mingled and chatted. Solis was trying to remember everyone¡¯s names and at the same time not forget his own, when the announcement for the last god was made and once they were all present, Aeris, with Caishen by his side as usual, called for everyone to be seated. Solis sat beside Prentis and the god of history and literature. He¡¯d probably have to ask his name again later, like an idiot¡­ ¡°Welcome, everyone!¡± Caishen began, his smile giving nothing away. ¡°We are honored to host you today in Killera, and hope everything is to your satisfaction. With that said, I believe Aeris has a few things to announce before we get started.¡± Aeris stood, at the head of the table, and Solis stared at him unblinking. If the gods truly did agree together to sever his fate with Cyndras, Aeris must have been a deciding factor. Who, at this table, would disobey the god of war? Who, besides Solis¡­ Aeris¡¯ voice was friendly and even as he spoke to the room. ¡°As most of you know, The Mortal Realm is currently entering a new era, and with it will come a new wave of knowledge, invention, and discovery. After much consideration, I have decided to assign a few envoys to The Mortal Realm to oversee and aid the humans in this important process. Their understanding of both math and science is paramount to their ability to comprehend the world they live in, so with that in mind, Metir and I have spoken and agreed that he will have continuous contact with the humans to facilitate their growth. Solis, I do not believe we have had a chance to speak yet, but I would also like for you to descend and oversee the mortals¡¯ understanding of astronomy and celestial navigation. Our banquet today is to mark this occasion, as our realm is deeply affected by the mortal world, and as we prosper, so do they flourish. Thank you everyone, and please, enjoy!¡± Solis heard conversations start up again and the clatter of dishes and silverware, but all he could do was sit there in silence and try not to scream. What double standard was this?! Centuries ago, the gods, with Aeris leading them, had rallied to remove him from The Mortal Realm by force, and now? Now¡­ they were sending him back? Just like that?! Solis couldn¡¯t help but feel it was incredibly unfair. Since when was he a second-class deity?! Just because he was young didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t deserve to be treated with respect, and have the freedom to make his own choices. Why did the gods get to decide where he went and who he loved? Why did they get to decide his fate? Then, Solis wondered if this was perhaps how the mortals felt when they prayed, believing there were beings in the Heavens that had the power to arbitrarily determine the course of their lives. It was terribly aggravating. Solis wanted to whisper to Prentis and tell him he wasn¡¯t feeling well and needed to go back, but to his surprise and annoyance, the others began coaxing him into conversations with them across the table, and despite everything Solis still didn¡¯t want to be rude, so¡­ This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Yes. I am enjoying my time in Ruewreath, thank you for asking.¡± The god of history, Metir, apparently, smiled at his response. Solis wasn¡¯t surprised to see him here, since he knew the man was close friends with Prentis, as well as Kulao. He was, however, surprised to see the god¡¯s sister. Sichor, the goddess of beauty and music, was ice-cold and looked like stone. Solis could never understand how she and the smiling man sitting next to him were twins; gods born on the same day. They were completely unalike. ¡°I am happy to hear that,¡± Prentis chuckled wryly. ¡°It has been many years since I''ve had a houseguest, and I believe my humble abode was not quite up to their standards.¡± ¡°Oh, button it, would you? I already apologized to your Chorus and besides, it was over two-hundred years ago. We¡¯ve all agreed no grudges are to be held after the second century!¡± Solis stared across the table at the god who spoke. The man was glaring playfully at Prentis. He¡¯d seen him many times, spoken to him maybe never, but had already formed a concrete opinion as to his personality and wit. Euthos lowered his wine glass to grin directly at him, and Solis shifted uncomfortably in his chair. The god of games and mischief was a raucous sort, the kind you might laugh at in public but scorn in your mind. Solis was actively trying not to gain his attention this evening, but it seemed he was just about out of luck¡­ ¡°Oi, you there! God of Stars, what¡¯s the matter with you? Looks like you¡¯ve got a fire lit under your ass hahaha-¡± Everyone at the table collectively sighed. A few centuries and a lifetime ago, Solis might have said; No? I do not. Now, he simply gave Euthos a patient smile and muttered- ¡°It is nice to meet you.¡± The god threw his head back and laughed, nearly tipping out of his seat. When he was level again he huffed and the sharp glint in his eyes convinced Solis he was about to be truly regretful he hadn¡¯t just stayed home. ¡°Wait until the third round of drinks,¡± Euthos winked. ¡°Then you¡¯ll really meet me!¡± It turned out that Solis wouldn¡¯t have to wait long. Of the twelve gods in The Heavenly Realm, there were only two missing; Leviathan, for obvious reasons such as he shunned everyone else, and Inyaga, the god of beasts, who, according to rumors, was little more than a beast himself. With ten gods sitting in a great hall, it wasn¡¯t long before sparks flew. Literally. ¡°Say that to my face, you blubbering drunk!¡± Euthos rolled his eyes at Tstovin, who had jumped entirely on top of the table at some point and was now threatening the other god with his heavenly spear. Electricity crackled in the air and Solis felt his hair standing on end as Tstovin¡¯s anger grew. ¡°Very well-¡± Euthos launched out of his seat and began circling the table, waving his arms and singing like a lunatic; ¡°OUR GREAT GODDESS OF THE SEA HAS YET TO LOSE HER VIR-GIN-I-TY!¡± ¡°Solis,¡± Prentis put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°You should probably duck.¡± Veins bulged on Tstovin¡¯s forehead as he seethed and lashed out, an arc of lightning soaring over their heads. Before his strike could land, it was easily dispelled by a burst of energy from Caishen. He glared at the two troublemakers and gestured pointedly at the door. ¡°Behave, or I¡¯ll send you to Khalkeus¡¯ dungeon. Again.¡± Euthos cackled, holding his stomach. ¡°Oh! Yes, please! Missy, do you still have room for the likes of me in your, ahem¡­ dungeon??¡± Solis disliked Euthos immensely, but was mollified by Khalkeus¡¯ response. The goddess hummed softly, expression bland as she said- ¡°I have room for you in a vat of boiling water.¡± Euthos snickered, plopping back down at his seat and putting his hands behind his head. ¡°Promises, promises¡­¡± Before anything else could start, or Euthos could offend someone else, a member of Aeris¡¯ Chorus came in and whispered to his god. Solis watched the man¡¯s expression shift slightly, from neutral to slightly impatient, but he adjusted quickly and stood. ¡°Forgive me, everyone, but I must see to something urgently. Please, feel free to stay. I will return as soon as matters are settled. Caishen, if you would follow me?¡± The two of them left swiftly, and from there the mood of the room drifted into a quiet lull, the conversation no longer shadowed by the two most powerful gods¡¯ impressive and slightly stifling auras. Solis relaxed with an audible sigh, and beside him he heard Metir chuckle. ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time!¡± Euthos slurred, half-collapsed on the table as his gaze fell on Solis again. ¡°Say, God of Stars, what is it you know about the ins and outs of The Heavenly Realm? Gossip? Dirty secrets?!¡± Solis shook his head. He knew nothing. Euthos¡¯ grin was sharper than flint, but before he could start up again Kulao yanked him back into a proper sitting position and sighed. ¡°If you¡¯re going to spread rumors, you should at least be sure they¡¯re based in fact. None of your sugarcoating, fiend. Tell the story right, or do not tell it at all.¡± Euthos stuck his tongue out but giggled and began to wave his hands again. It appeared it was physically impossible for him to sit still. ¡°Alright, everyone¡¯s already heard most of this before, but in respect for our newest little brother, I will say it all again!¡± Solis heard Prentis sigh and saw him reach for his drink. ¡°Here we go¡­¡± ¡°So,¡± Euthos grinned. ¡°Back in the day, and I mean way back, like before most of us were spat out of that big blue rock, Caishen was the goddess of wealth, and Aeris was her secret lover! Juicy, I know! So, how did the Heavenly Couple end up like this, you ask? Hah! Well, after Caishen had Aeris¡¯ child, she discovered to her horror that the god of war and peace did not truly feel the way she did, claiming it was only a simple affair. There was a lot of back and forth then, but it¡¯s rumored that they had plans to toss the baby into The Mortal Realm and cut all ties with it! So scandalous!! Well, word got out about the child, and it was right at the start of Aeris¡¯ powergrab, so I¡¯m sure you can only imagine! They were forced to keep the baby, but Caishen sent it off to Aeris¡¯ Seraphs to be raised and trained alongside them, and shortly after, she became a he and the two of them never spoke of their affair ever again! They say that Caishen was so embarrassed by the whole ordeal that she could never look him in the eyes after that, and now, the god of wealth has settled for a place at Aeris¡¯ side, as a business partner instead of a lover. Truly, who could have imagined?! No wonder Caishen works so hard, he must fear the day that Aeris decides he doesn¡¯t want him around at all!¡± Solis was wide-eyed but the other gods just frowned and looked away. It was just so sad! Why had Aeris not reciprocated Caishen¡¯s love? And, now they could only dance around each other like this, never really saying what they mean? It was too much. Solis felt unhappy imagining it, and remembering all the times he¡¯d seen firsthand how Caishen answered the second Aeris called. Too cruel¡­ Then Solis thought some more, and before he could think better of it, he asked out loud; ¡°What happened to the baby?¡± ¡°Well, you see-¡± Before Euthos could start up again, Caishen and Aeris returned, this time with a different Seraph than before. Solis vaguely recalled seeing him around, but wasn¡¯t sure if he was misremembering. Many of them looked the same. Everyone around the table bit their tongues and silently prayed that they weren¡¯t about to be scolded by the oldest gods in existence, but then Aeris and Caishen sat again and the god of war beckoned his Seraph to stand closer. The man bowed his head, one hand behind his back and another, as always, fastened around the blade as his side. Solis wondered what the business the two gods had to attend to was about¡­ ¡°Thank you for your patience, everyone.¡± Aeris hummed, ¡°As I said before, the envoy mission to The Mortal Realm will proceed as soon as possible. Metir, my understanding is that you will be working mostly in the southernmost region, and Solis, the north. Solis, since you are not yet accustomed to a mission of this kind and duration, I have asked my most trusted Seraph to accompany you and be your guard. He will also report back to The Heavenly Realm on your progress, so you need not worry about that. You three will depart immediately, any questions?¡± Solis wanted to hide behind Prentis¡¯ shoulder or climb under the table and cry, but he could not. A Seraph to guard him, of course¡­ Aeris wasn¡¯t doing him any favors, he was making sure Solis didn¡¯t disobey again. There would be eyes on him at all times for the foreseeable future, and Solis couldn¡¯t bear the thought of what they would see. He glanced up at the Seraph again, noting his bowed head and cold expression. Something tugged at the back of Solis¡¯ mind, but he ignored it. This was fine, he could make friends with this scary person and maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so bad to return to The Mortal Realm if he wasn¡¯t alone. Solis swallowed anxiously and forced himself to rise. He could feel all the gods watching him closely as he circled the table to stand before the Seraph. Dressed in the red and gold that all Seraphim wore in Killera, he cut an imposing figure, but Solis saw the flicker of surprise in the man¡¯s eyes when he approached him and held out his hand. He thought, perhaps that was a good start. ¡°Hello, my name is Solis. Thank you for accompanying me on this mission, mister¡­?¡± The Seraph didn¡¯t speak, nor look up, but he did eye the god¡¯s hand warily. Solis felt embarrassment creep up on him, but he was saved when Aeris gave a firm nod in the other man¡¯s direction and he felt the Seraph let out a soft breath. ¡°Iphis.¡± The man said, ¡°I am at your service.¡± Solis caught the amused smile on Aeris¡¯ face and the tight-lipped frown on Caishen¡¯s. Oh, he frowned a bit sadly¡­ so, this is the child? ¡°Good luck down there.¡± Prentis smiled, hugging Solis once more before they left. The god¡¯s eyes watered and he wished he was capable of thanking the other man in a more meaningful way, but he could only nod and try his best to smile back. ¡°You will be alright, Solis.¡± His friend said, ¡°But, don¡¯t forget, you won¡¯t be alone.¡± The warning in Prentis¡¯ words was clear, and as Solis left with Iphis and Metir to The Ether¡¯s Gate which would take them to The Mortal Realm, he reminded himself once again of the truth. I truly cannot trust anyone. And, when mortal, I should never trust myself. An Unlikely Friend For The God of Stars His traveling companion was frighteningly quiet as they made their way from the Ether¡¯s Gate over the ridge. Metir had gone by boat directly to The Southern Basin to make his accounts, while Solis and Iphis continued west. For the most part, The Mortal Realm looked the same; trees were still trees, the sky was still blue, and the sights and sounds were painfully familiar. What was different, was having a stranger by his side. Iphis did not care to stop and look at flowers like Solis did. He didn¡¯t even look up at the double rainbow as they grew nearer to Godsarm Lake. Solis didn¡¯t know if the man was just very focused on their mission, wholly unfriendly, or bitter that he¡¯d been stuck with Solis in a job that was very clearly meant for someone beneath his rank. Aeris¡¯ most powerful and trusted Seraph, and he was relegated to babysitter and spy. Solis would feel upset too. He tried to keep that in mind as they continued on in silence, and while the god pondered the potential lineage and history of the man beside him, he also thought forlornly of the last time he was here. It was hard to suppress those flashes of memory when everywhere he looked, something reminded him of that time. ¡°I missed this place.¡± Solis said to no one, but what he meant was; I missed how I felt when I was here. When I was with him¡­ Iphis didn¡¯t say anything, and the god began to wonder how much he had been told of Solis¡¯ past. It seemed they were both wary of each other. It didn¡¯t bode well, if Solis was meant to be working here alongside him. When at last they came to a large town on the coast, Iphis led Solis through the bustling streets of the market and straight up to a narrow building with a sign labeled Inn. Solis realized he was both dreading and anticipating getting a chance to look around, but it seemed the Seraph was under strict orders to arrange their accommodations promptly and forthwith. The innkeeper gawked at them for a second too long, and Solis momentarily panicked, thinking he¡¯d done something stupid like descend in his heavenly body. No, it was the scowl on Iphis¡¯ face. It opened doors and apparently also people¡¯s mouths. They rented two rooms for a month, but Solis overheard him asking the innkeeper where they could find a more permanent residence. Solis gulped. This was¡­ he was really stuck here, wasn¡¯t he? Ah, well. As much as he would miss Prentis and Ruewreath¡¯s comfort, there wasn¡¯t anything too terrible about doing his work from among the people. Whatever intentions Aeris had by sending him here, he was right when he¡¯d said the mortals were making big strides. Solis could feel the tension, the rhythm of the universe coiling taught. It was going to be a generation of discovery, and it would be glorious if Solis had anything to do with it. Everything would be fine as long as he didn¡¯t make any enemies. As Solis climbed the stairs to his new room, he nervously glanced at Iphis¡¯ back. What could he say to encourage his new friend/watchdog that he wasn¡¯t going to be any trouble for him? Solis tried to plaster a smile on his face but it probably looked a little constipated. ¡°Just so you know, I-¡± The door slammed right in his face. Solis sighed, glowering all the way across the hall. His room was extremely cramped and modest. There was a bed, one pillow, and a dresser that was more like a box without its lid. He couldn¡¯t go anywhere, he couldn¡¯t go back. As much as he despised it, it appeared he would have to go forward. Solis sat on the bed and crossed his legs, closing his eyes and tapping into his celestial map. There was much work to be done; visiting the humans in dreams, visions, inspiring their investigation and their work with star maps, and otherwise readying the universe for the mortals to discover it. He would pace himself, go slow, and give the humans their best chance. It was the least he could do. He realizes that even without being forced to go, Solis would have made this choice eventually. He did want to repay the mortals for their kindness, and as a whole they were a truly inspiring bunch. He could do this¡­ he could look forward. Solis could forget. Solis, as it turned out, could not forget, but he did try. Apetis, the city beside the ocean, was a progressive place. It never slept, and after the first year and moving into the cottage at the edge of town, neither did Solis. He was juggling too much to sleep; first his assignment in The Mortal Realm and then the extra work the Heavens had given him. There were charts to be made, logs to be recorded, and prophets to be selected. For the most part, Solis thought he was handling everything reasonably well. It wasn¡¯t even until the end of the third year that he started thinking¡­ Hey, maybe never seeing the light of day is bad for me? It wasn¡¯t as if Iphis refused to let him leave, Solis just hated dragging the man away from whatever important errands he was running just to supervise him. Iphis, like Solis, was everywhere at once (metaphorically speaking on Solis¡¯ part) but unlike Solis, the Seraph was also assigned the perilous task of reporting back everything they did and learned to The Heavenly Realm¡­ well, to his father. Indeed, Aeris was Iphis¡¯ father, and Caishen his¡­ father? Solis didn¡¯t really understand and it was clear Iphis didn¡¯t either. They shared a home together, of course they spoke on occasion. Iphis liked to respond in single word answers, and Solis never understood when to stop asking questions. When the door slammed in his face, he knew he¡¯d gone too far. From what Solis gathered, mainly from the Seraph¡¯s cold glares and eyerolls, he had been raised by Aeris¡¯ Seraph and had only learned the truth of his birth many years later. Solis imagined it would be very painful to be discarded, buried like a secret, but still beholden to a father that would never recognise you as his son. If Iphis had a grudge against Aeris, or Caishen, Solis didn¡¯t see it. It appeared that the man was steadfast and loyal, admirable qualities, but Solis wondered if it was still admirable to have loyalty to those who have already let you down. Wasn¡¯t that like betraying oneself? Anyway, it was strange. Life in The Mortal Realm was just very strange. It was never-ending work, and eating every two to three days, and perfectly clean, unscuffed shoes because he never went outside the walls of their home. Solis listened to the ocean and the birds through the open window, and he did his best to not remember. It was harder than he thought. Solis seeks out Iphis when he starts being unable to work. It has been five years and every breath feels like glass when he recalls how his love could be out there right now, maybe only one street away, but he cannot go to him or even begin to look. The Seraph is exceedingly unimpressed when the god of stars flops down on the floor and begins to cry. ¡°I can¡¯t do it!¡± Solis sobs, frustration and exhaustion curling into one poisonous mix and threatening to spill from his throat. ¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore!¡± He kicks his legs and bangs his fists on the floor, a part of him hoping that if he makes a big enough nuisance out of himself that Iphis will drag him back to The Heavenly Realm for punishment. Maybe he could sleep another few centuries off his life in Vriseon¡­ it was sounding better by the day. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. When he had screamed himself hoarse and snot and tears were trickling down his face, Solis turned his miserable eyes up to the Seraph who was both his captor and companion. He glared at Iphis. Iphis glared back, but in a way that made Solis feel strange and prickly, like he was being seen in his entirety and not just looked at. What a spectacle he¡¯d made of himself. He had truly fallen so far. Solis¡¯ tears kept flowing and he began to sputter- ¡°I don¡¯t care what the other gods think! I-I¡¯m tired! I can¡¯t live like this! He was taken away so suddenly and I never even got a chance to grieve, all my pain and anger and confusion is still here, sitting in my throat, in my chest! I can¡¯t follow their orders when I don¡¯t know what happened to him! I won¡¯t! I simply refuse!¡± Solis crossed his arms with a hmph and a sniffle, then turned his head to the side, fully prepared for Iphis to yank him up by the hair and drag him before Aeris. There was nothing Solis wanted more! Instead¡­ The Seraph yanked him up by his collar and shoved him out the front door. Solis landed on his hands and knees and as he drew in a great big breath of cool, fresh air, his eyes prickled and swam with white as he tried to adjust to the sun. He heard Iphis walking around him, then the footsteps stopped. When Solis looked up again, the man was still glaring, seeing him, truly seeing his wounds as the god knelt there and bled before him. Solis still preferred this over pity. ¡°We are out of potatoes.¡± Iphis said, his tone far too scathing for his words. Solis blinked. ¡°...what?¡± Iphis scowled, putting one of his hands threateningly on the blade he always wore at his side. When he spoke again, Solis couldn¡¯t help but feel a ribbon of amusement curl through his chest. ¡°Take a walk. Go to the market. If you want stew tonight, get potatoes.¡± The god was confused in many ways and maybe that was what snapped him out of it. He stood a bit shakily, squinted at the sun, and dusted off his robes exceedingly awkwardly. When he inclined his head to the man indicating he should lead the way, Iphis scoffed under his breath and moved to go back inside. ¡°Go by yourself.¡± Solis froze. By¡­ himself¡­ alone?? He had hardly done anything alone in the past five years. It was wholly alarming to note that he had spent more time in Iphis¡¯ icy company than with the love of his life. Solis felt a pit form in his stomach as he watched the man go inside, his hand hesitating on the door. The frown Iphis gave him when he turned over his shoulder told the god one thing. He¡¯s not trying to get rid of me, or shirk his responsibility. I think he might actually be doing this as a kindness¡­ Iphis hissed- ¡°Go!¡± Solis took off along the beach and scampered barefoot into the city, where the afternoon market was in full swing. It had been such a long time since he¡¯d felt this level of freedom, in truth, it was a little scary. Solis leaned into that fear as he wandered around, shopping non-committedly and chatting with the townsfolk as he did. The human¡¯s stories always improved his mood, so it was no surprise that by the time Solis returned to the little cottage, the sun had already set and he was smiling from ear to ear. The god was painfully exhausted. His feet hurt, his heart hurt¡­ he wanted to take a bath and go to bed. Unfortunately, when he went inside, Iphis was still sitting up fully alert at the small dining table with its two mismatched chairs. Solis closed the door behind himself with a nervous swallow, and carefully plodded over to the man. A sharp questioning look made Solis drop his bags of groceries on the table and hurry away. He retreated to his bedroom and listened at the door for any angry footsteps. All he heard was the sound of the stove being lit and Iphis bringing out their one large pot from underneath the sink. Neither knew how to cook, so they usually just threw in everything that tasted good and added some water. Solis could agree that they had similar tastes, so he let Iphis cook. Iphis shops, Iphis cooks¡­ Iphis keeps a watchful eye on me so I don¡¯t do something stupid like run off and fall in love. Solis banged his head on the door a few times, pitying himself. He felt useless and silly and embarrassed over crying in front of the man, who would more than likely report back to Aeris about the incident, if he hadn¡¯t already. Solis couldn¡¯t even keep up with his work, letting their mission slip away from him as he stayed inside, miserable, wondering why he couldn¡¯t just move on. When the sounds from the kitchen stopped and Solis thought maybe Iphis had gone to bed, he snuck back into the room and tiptoed to the counter. The god yelped when he found those familiar piercing eyes staring at him from the table, as still as a stone statue. Iphis tilted his chin at the full pot which emanated a scent that was making Solis¡¯ stomach growl. The god pursed his lips, wondering how shameless he could be, then decided that the man had likely already seen worse from him, so he grabbed a bowl of stew and sat down across from Iphis at the table to eat. For a while there was predictable silence, and Solis felt that maybe he should break it by thanking the Seraph for his little taste of freedom today. It would make him angry, but it would make Solis feel better. Before he could say anything, Iphis muttered under his breath- ¡°If you can no longer hold it in, just cry. I will not tell anyone.¡± Solis blinked, unsure what he was hearing. He couldn¡¯t ask, because then the Seraph was leaving, retreating back to his own room and shutting the door carefully. Solis sat back, then leaned forward and ate, then went to bed without washing, feeling too tired. They went ten years like that. Things were good, until they weren¡¯t, and then they were terrible, until the sun came up and the birds still sang and Iphis put too many potatoes in Solis¡¯ stew because he thought he liked them the most. He didn¡¯t, but he ate them gratefully. Year sixteen and seventeen were¡­ hard. Mainly because Solis¡¯ work was easing up at last and he had all this extra time throughout his day to think. He hated thinking. He hated it. Solis hadn¡¯t told Iphis that he¡¯d started going to the tavern in the city and drinking alone until he passed out. He didn¡¯t want him to worry. When Iphis worried, it made Solis feel guilty, like he¡¯d let the other man down. Iphis ended up finding him one night, completely out of his mind, stumbling across the sand, growing frighteningly close to the dark water lapping at the edges of the beach. The Seraph yelled at him and rolled his eyes a lot, then dragged Solis, limp like a wet dish rag, all the way back home where he placed him by the hearth and started fanning the flames. Solis hiccuped and shivered even through the blanket held tight around his shoulders. He stared at the fire, then at Iphis, then at the floor. He wasn¡¯t sure what he wanted, but knew it had a name, and that he remembered. ¡°Cyndras,¡± Solis hummed, nodding drunkenly. ¡°Did you know his name was Cyndras? I think it¡¯s pretty. Like hyacinths.¡± Iphis ignored him in his special way that meant he gave no response even though he was listening. Solis frowned and continued. ¡°I started¡­ loving him, and then I couldn¡¯t stop. And now, it¡¯s all still pouring out. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll never be empty, just always half-full. Always missing him.¡± Iphis was finished tending to the fire so he sat back and seemed to stare out the window. He was probably still listening, so Solis went on. ¡°He might be out there. He might be back. What if he¡¯s alive and I never find him? What if¡­ what if he gets hurt again, and I could have stopped it?¡± Solis heard Iphis let out a shaky sigh. Still intoxicated and partially asleep, the god shook his head and tried to figure out why it looked like the Seraph was leaving. ¡°Okay,¡± Iphis said, like it was the easiest thing in the world. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go find him.¡± Solis blinked a few times, then hiccupped again. ¡°R-Really? But¡­¡± he frowned. ¡°Won¡¯t you get in trouble?¡± Iphis rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯d rather spend a thousand years in Vriseon then have to keep listening to you weep!¡± And with that, the Seraph left, slamming the door behind him enough to rattle the windows. Solis sat there, drunk and wondering why it felt like he had a friend. ¡°HicCCupP!¡± Twenty-Four Years in The Mortal Realm It takes Solis seven years to find him, and he gives up more often that he¡¯d care to admit. Iphis, to his credit, doesn¡¯t let Solis laze about for long, even when the god begs to stop looking. It isn¡¯t because Solis has stopped caring, but because he is afraid of what will happen if he finds him. Cyn¡¯s soul, a stranger¡­ the idea of it feels so upsetting and wrong that for a long time Solis doesn¡¯t even want to look. He gets glared at whenever he brings it up. ¡°Stop complaining,¡± Iphis says. ¡°He has to turn up eventually.¡± That¡¯s what he always says, for seven years, as he and Solis scour The Mortal Realm in search of his missing Prince. The work is draining, emotionally, of course it is, the years flickering by like stars burning out in an indifferent universe, heedless of the time. Solis searches in his godly form, obscured by a costly, threadbare cloak with concealment spells woven in. It¡¯s exceedingly difficult to blend in with the humans this way, but without the use of his powers he has no hope of telling one soul from another¡­ Cyndras. I can only pray that I will recognize you after all these years, if you are truly here¡­ if you live. Solis makes many journeys alone at the start; to villages, kingdoms, and valleys, but among those great oceans of souls, is never the one he is searching for. Iphis encourages him when the god refuses to go on. ¡°You can¡¯t give up.¡± ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t I?¡± Solis pouted at the man, ¡°He won¡¯t even remember me if I do find him, so what¡¯s the point?¡± Iphis just kept walking. Solis sighed and trudged ahead. Over the years they¡¯d been almost everywhere. It was reasonable to assume that if Cyndras had been reincarnated, he might live near Versilla, since souls sometimes followed a family line, but the kingdom where the Prince had lived once upon a time was nowhere to be found. Swallowed up by the neighboring kingdom of Xesith, Versilla had been overtaken in a war at some point after the Prince¡¯s death. Now, there was a small branch family of the surviving inhabitants where those emerald spires used to stand, but nothing recognizable to Solis. He wandered the unfamiliar streets of that place for months, seeing nothing of interest, until Iphis dragged him away to another corner of the world to continue their search. Xesith, the largest kingdom in The Mortal Realm and at one time, a thorn in Solis¡¯ side. It was as vast and densely populated as he remembered from a trip a few years prior, but the idea of spending an extended amount of time suffocating on those cobblestone streets and dusty paths, just made the god want to turn tail and run away. As the largest kingdom, Xesith was of course home to the largest population. Over forty-thousand people, and on their last visit Solis had stared at every single one he could find, searching, looking for some sign that what he¡¯d lost could be found. But the souls just looked like souls, and the god was no closer to an answer than he was at the beginning. In his godly form, Solis was unable to communicate with the humans, his true voice a frequency they could not hope to hear. He had to stick to the shadows, rely on Iphis to lead the way, and the cloak that always covered him from head to toe. Seeing a god in their midst has not always had a positive impact on the humans, and Solis would like to make the least amount of waves possible. It is there, in Xesith, that he and Iphis spend the remainder of their time in The Mortal Realm. Solis searches sparingly these days, aching at night for the answer to a question that he is too afraid to ask out loud. Somehow, Iphis is able to steer him in the proper directions when he strays; away from the tavern, away from the sea, to the mindless bliss of sleep¡­ Solis would let it all go, if he could, but he doesn¡¯t. He searches. And in their twenty-fourth year in The Mortal Realm, Solis finally finds him. The god hadn¡¯t actively looked in weeks, too tired to bother, so he almost misses the sudden flash out of the corner of his eye that tells of an unusually vibrant human soul. Solis sees them occasionally; prophets, old-souls, artists, but this one is different. This light tugs at him in a way that forces him to move. He follows it, completely mindless, for an hour. The glow leads him to the very outskirts of Xesith, to a small neighborhood with a view of the sea. With the sun nearly setting the dockworkers are just coming in, and people hurry home, calling and racing down the narrow streets. Solis finds his way to a house no bigger than a large cupboard, the tin roof tipping and bowing between two other buildings. A crooked door with peeling paint swings back and forth on its hinges, letting out a soft squeaking sound, and as Solis approaches it he feels his heart rise up into his throat. He waits with bated breath for the universe to give him a sign; that this either is, or isn¡¯t right. He gets nothing from the universe. Instead, a soft humming can be heard from inside, and then the voice of an old woman calling- ¡°Stop loitering and come in, will you?! My porch can¡¯t take the strain!¡± Solis¡¯ eyes widen as he fumbles his way inside the small house. It is as narrow and cramped as he expected, made even smaller by the amount of quilts, clothing, and sewing instruments covering every surface. Solis stands there, one foot inside, and stares at the little old woman rocking back and forth in a squeaky chair. She waves a careless hand at a neatly made bed, piled high with frilly blankets and aprons. ¡°Make sure you give the ones on top to the girl at the bakery, she just had her baby. I want to know if the clothing fits. Ah, feel free to come back tomorrow if your mother¡¯s already closed the shop, I don¡¯t want you out after dark on account of me.¡± The woman doesn¡¯t even look at him. Solis holds his breath, unable to stop himself from lowering his hood so he can take a good look at this person¡¯s soul. His eyes water as he realizes that there was no way he could have ever missed it. Even without their fates tied, Solis recognizes his Prince. He recognizes him, and he loves him, and it still aches just as much as it did back then. This is¡­ this is Cyn. The old woman still hasn¡¯t turned to look at him, and as Solis takes another hesitant step inside and his foot presses into a loose board, he sees the woman still, her expression shifting in a heartbeat. ¡°Who are you? You¡¯re not the neighbor¡¯s kid¡­¡± Solis blinks away unshed tears, managing to transform into his human body with barely a gust of wind. He pauses, takes a good long breath, and then says- ¡°Hello. My name is Solis.¡± The woman turns to him, but her dark brown eyes are focused elsewhere. He sees her surprise, but then she clicks her tongue and leans back in her chair. ¡°Well, alright then. I¡¯ll give you two coins if you can run this bundle to the bakery on the corner before nightfall. Think you can do that, young man?¡± Solis swallows, nods, then manages a nervous hum. The woman smiles with only half her teeth and Solis is about to move to the bed to grab the blankets and clothes when she hobbles to her feet and hands them to him herself. Solis watches as she moves, stiff and slow with old age, and when she passes over the fabrics, their hands touch and he feels her cold, frail skin, wrinkled and sagging over the bones in ways that his Prince¡¯s had never. Solis sees Cyndras in her unseeing eyes, her soul that of his long lost lover. The decades have added to it, of course, this is his Cyn with some new complexities, some wisdom, hopefully some joy, but this is his Prince nonetheless. ¡°Bakery on the corner,¡± he says, staring into her aged face. ¡°I will return.¡± She waves him off, collapsing back in her chair with a sigh that sounds exactly as tired as Solis feels. He runs the whole way there. Upon returning, Solis spends what little pocket change Iphis still allows him to carry on a bouquet of flowers at a closing market stall. Cyndras¡¯ door is still open when he comes back. ¡°That was fast! I¡¯ve got your coins right here. Oh, what¡¯s this?¡± Solis was the picture of a blushing maiden as he held the flowers out to the woman, and she took them at last when he pressed them into her hand. Her smile was like a balm to his weary soul. He sighed. ¡°A gift. To say¡­ thank you.¡± The woman stilled, then threw her head back and laughed uproariously. ¡°Oh, you are a character indeed! Sit, sit! Let me get you some tea.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°I don¡¯t want to impose-¡± ¡°Shush! Where is my, ah-¡± Solis stood by the door awkwardly while the old woman placed the flowers in a vase and brought out a kettle. Before he could ask to help she had already thrust a pail in his direction and demanded- ¡°Fetch some water, will you? Then you can tell me all about what brings you here, my young friend.¡± Solis went to the well and brought back the water. The woman had him sit on the bed while she sat in her chair and lazily fanned the flames of the stove. Solis felt as if someone had stretched a second out until it was long and thin, and he was riding on the edge of it, time immaterial as the rest of the world went by on its own. He couldn¡¯t sit still, fidgeting and restless as he listened to the woman, his heart memorizing the sound of her voice. ¡°You¡¯re new here, aren¡¯t you, child? I know everyone, and you¡¯re definitely a newcomer. So, what is your business in Xesith, besides helping little old ladies with their chores?¡± Solis blinked. ¡°Oh, yes¡­ I am here looking for the love of my life.¡± The woman smiled, her cheeks rounding slightly as she stared at nothing at all. ¡°Lovely, just lovely. I do hope you find the one you are looking for. Ah, those were the days. You remind me of him, actually. My husband was soft like that, and too kind, far too kind for his own good.¡± Solis sat up straighter and managed to only sound a little aggrieved at the news his beloved had been married to someone else. ¡°Your husband. Was he¡­ a good man? Did he treat you well?¡± The woman nodded, her hand slowing and the embers beginning to fade. ¡°Very much so. We were blessed with a long and fulfilling life together, but sadly he passed eleven years ago. I miss him often, but life goes on.¡± Solis captures every word and selfishly tucks them away in his heart, desperate for anything from his lover, even fondness for another man. It meant Cyndras¡¯ soul was happy at least, he told himself. He didn¡¯t have to be alone, and maybe that¡¯s one of fate¡¯s little mercies. Once the tea has been made, the woman, who he¡¯s discovered is named Ito, settles back into her chair with a cup of her own. Solis has to pace himself, afraid to push and ask for too much. He feels that now that he has gotten a small piece of his Prince, he is greedy for it all. He wants to know everything, feel everything about Ito¡¯s long, fulfilling life. The life that he missed. ¡°I really don¡¯t get up to too much these days,¡± Ito laughs into her tea. ¡°They really never tell you that a lot of being over a certain age is managing what to do with your time; sleep, or eat, or work. The neighborhood shops keep me fed and employed, and since it¡¯s just me, I don¡¯t have to worry about much else.¡± ¡°Are you not¡­ lonely?¡± Ito hums, considering. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I feel lonely anymore. Certainly I used to, after my husband passed and I began losing my sight. I spent years weighed down by my grief, but life is too short to dwell on things you have no hope of changing. And I don¡¯t really mind having myself for company, so no, never lonely.¡± Solis is about to tell her that he is grateful for that, but then she chuckles and waves her hand. ¡°Oh, listen to me! That is to say; I appreciate your company, Solis. You¡¯ve humored an old woman and let me talk your ear off. My apologies, and thanks.¡± Solis gulps down the remainder of his tea and hastily replies- ¡°Not at all! I¡¯m¡­ very happy to meet you, and would like to listen to more of your stories if that¡¯s okay.¡± Ito raises an eyebrow but smiles and nods. Solis settles into the warming lilt of her voice like its a second skin. He realizes that she has the same cadence as Cyndras, and even the things she says sound like words his Prince might have uttered once upon a time. Solis drenches himself in every little detail, and finds his heart light and unburdened in a way so familiar and good that it nearly makes him cry. ¡°It was a lot indeed! Growing up in a house that small, with that many kids. I always thought I¡¯d have plenty of my own, but we weren¡¯t so lucky. That¡¯s just life. The only way to get over something like that is to outgrow it. My husband always said "lean into it,¡± just lean into the hurt a little more and eventually, maybe you¡¯ll find that it isn¡¯t as bad as before.¡± Solis stares at her. Ito stares off into nothing and then when she hears his silence, lapses into another story about her and her husband¡¯s failed attempt at maintaining a farm. Yes, Solis thinks, laughing for the first time in years. My Prince would never have lasted a day on a farm. Or, if he had, he¡¯d have complained the whole time¡­ ¡°Ah,¡± Ito sighed. ¡°We found out rather quickly that it wasn''t the life for us. I¡¯d grown up in the city and my husband just wanted me to be happy. I probably made it a little hard for him sometimes, my moods changing on a whim. He used to say I was like a shooting star; gone before you can lay your eyes on it. I miss the way he looked at me more than anything. I''m glad that, as the years pass, I still haven¡¯t forgotten that.¡± Solis wishes he could tell her that he hasn¡¯t forgotten the way Cyndras looked at him too¡­ ¡°So, young man. What¡¯s the story between you and your true love?¡± Solis almost faints right then and there. ¡°Oh, he. I-¡± Ito¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°He?! Goodness, you¡¯re really not from around here! That¡¯s okay, that¡¯s okay! Love is love, right? Anyone that thinks otherwise must live a very unfulfilling life. So, tell me all about him! Where did you two meet?¡± The god swallows nervously before answering. ¡°The forest.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Was it love at first sight?¡± Solis nods. ¡°He took me to the river and flirted shamelessly. I am embarrassed that I didn¡¯t understand until many years later¡­¡± Ito chuckles, ¡°Sounds like a real charmer.¡± Solis blinks tears away. He was¡­ ¡°Oh, mercy me-¡± Ito huffs a few minutes later. ¡°I¡¯ve kept you too long. Isn¡¯t there anywhere you need to be?¡± Solis stands, cleans up the fire and washes the cups. He listens to the creaking of Ito¡¯s chair behind him all the while, and tells her with hope bursting in his heart; ¡°Nowhere. I could stay, if you need more help.¡± He would stay close regardless, but leave he did, after Ito insisted it was far too late and he must return home. He doesn¡¯t think he can tell her that he¡¯s finally found his home, after all these years, and that it¡¯s with her. Solis waits on her porch until daybreak, huddled under his cloak to stay warm, and as the sun rises on the water, he finally hears Ito stir from inside. He tried to leave many times throughout the night, knowing he was being strange, but he could never get his feet to move. ¡°Huh? Oh, my dear! You¡¯re freezing! Come inside, come in quickly!¡± Solis finds himself bundled in some warm, fragrant-smelling quilts in Ito¡¯s chair, and he can¡¯t even bring himself to be embarrassed when she asks him what he¡¯s doing, and he says through chattering teeth- ¡°Can I stay?¡± ¡°Good heavens, child! Ah, yes. Are you warm enough?¡± Ito feeds him and then lays in bed for a few hours and catches up on some of the sleep he¡¯d deprived her of the night before with their long conversation. When she wakes again, she sits up and does some sewing, all the while chatting aimlessly with Solis, and then they eat lunch. ¡°Sorry, dear.¡± She says, sighing. ¡°If I had more energy today I¡¯d go out and get fresher things. You don¡¯t deserve stale bread.¡± Solis, who was already cherishing a third bite, swallowed thickly and said- ¡°No. It¡¯s the best. If I could eat it forever, I would.¡± She snorts and goes back to take another rest. Solis waits patiently for her to wake again, but as the hours pass and the sun outside the single small window dims, Ito doesn¡¯t get up, and the god begins to pace with worry. Is it cold? Should I get her warmer blankets? Maybe old women just sleep a lot, what do I know? But, maybe I should get her a doctor, just in case? In the end, Solis still couldn¡¯t get his feet to drag him away, even to get a physician, so he kneeled beside Ito¡¯s bedside, carefully threaded their hands together, and held very, very still as he listened for her breathing as it softly stirred the air. He stared at her aged face and his mind supplied a younger version, what she might have looked like in her youth, perhaps a bit more like the young Prince he knew. She was from a country that his Prince had almost gone to war with, and she had married another man, but this was his soulmate, and Solis loved her even as she took her final breath. Tears were drying on his face by the time he came back to his body, and then Solis didn''t know what happened. One minute, he¡¯s crouched beside Ito¡¯s bed, trying to will himself to let go of her unnaturally cold hand, and then the next he¡¯s wandering through an unfamiliar part of the city without a clue where he¡¯s going. His thoughts evaporate as soon as he has them, so he ends up walking in mindless circles, not even feeling each step. There is a hollow ache tugging at his chest but everytime it threatens to rise, Solis makes another directionless turn down another dark street and his mind resets, numbing him the same way his ears and nose eventually turn frigid and cold. Time slips away from him again and when he blinks awake, he has somehow ended up in the outskirts of the Aer Ari Forest, kneeling underneath a tree. He must have walked for hours. The sky is pitch black. Solis is shaking so much that it feels like he is his own earthquake. Tears hit the ground beneath him and drench the soil, while his sobs, like thunder, roar and echo through the deep darkness of a wood he once loved. For a very long time, he doesn¡¯t even realize he isn¡¯t alone. When Solis¡¯ choking sobs turn into gagging, and then he begins to heave and wretch, crumpling to the ground in a miserable heap, he suddenly feels a heavy hand gripping his shoulder. It pulls him out of the sharp sting of grief for all of two seconds, and in those seconds, Solis is able to clearly see Iphis sitting there, crouched beside him, his expression a complex mix of pity and shame. Solis pushes him away at first, probably muttering nonsense, but then Iphis¡¯ arms wind around him and he is being hauled into the Seraph¡¯s chest, pressed tightly against him like an anchor gaining traction on the seafloor. Solis collapses into him, and is only partially aware of his own sharp, frantic breaths, and the distant thrum of his heart; the god¡¯s entire nervous system forcing him to relive a centuries-old memory over and over again as he shakes and cries. Solis shouldn¡¯t have looked. As the sun takes what feels like a small eternity to rise, that is all he can think. He shouldn¡¯t have looked for his Prince. He knew what he would find. Twenty-four years in The Mortal Realm¡­ He¡¯d lost Cyn in twenty-four hours. Verge of War//What Death Does They are in the Aer Ari Forest when it happens, and Cyndras is in one of his moods. Solis has been trying to catch him for twenty minutes, but the Prince is being coy and climbing trees, laughing as he runs away. Solis can¡¯t help but fall in love with him more and more, as every second passes. Cyn is giggling like he doesn¡¯t have a care in the world, and as he clings onto the trunk of a tree, watching with sparkling eyes while the god circles him, he calls out and shouts- ¡°And what will you do when you catch me, fiend?!¡± Solis plants his feet and glares at his lover playfully. ¡°I will hug and kiss you. So, come down.¡± He hears Cyndras laughing, and then the Prince starts climbing again, putting even more distance between them. The god can hear him breathing and moving quickly, clearly enjoying teasing him. ¡°No. You will have to catch me first!¡± Solis is reaching up for a low-hanging branch when he hears it for the first time. A high-pitched whistling noise shoots past his head, and then it disappears. Solis pauses and frowns, thinking it sounded strangely familiar, but he doesn¡¯t know from where. He continues up the tree and is a little more than halfway up when he hears the sound again. This time, he also sees it; a shining golden arc cutting across his vision, instantly recognisable with its warm angelic glow. Before Solis can even wonder what its doing here, tumbling through the air without his order, he hears Cyndras gasp from above. ¡°Solis? Did you-¡± Several things happen in one instant. Leaves rustle overhead, Solis hears Cyndras go silent, and then watches as his lover tumbles from the tree. Panic gripping him, Solis transforms into his godly form and manages to catch the Prince before he hits the ground, but its a near thing. Then Solis is cradling him in his arms, staring at Cyn¡¯s usually expressive face and wondering why there is a spot of crimson flowing from his Prince¡¯s inky black hair¡­ ¡°Cyn?¡± He shakes him gently but the boy¡¯s head lolls back. ¡°Cyndras?!¡± Why isn¡¯t he waking up?! Right about then is when Solis thinks to reach out and feel for the Prince¡¯s heartbeat and energy. He closes his eyes and finds it; Cyn¡¯s heart beating rabbit-quick but his energies rapidly unraveling. He is fading faster than Solis can urge lifeforce through his veins, and probably his heavenly energy is only burning Cyn up from the inside. Whimpering when he feels the Prince¡¯s blood soaking through his clothes, Solis abandons everything he was ever taught about not interfering with things as natural as death, and just slams every ounce of power he has straight through Cyndras¡¯ body and prays that it will work. He is no healer, but every god is capable of small miracles¡­ Gasping, Cyndras¡¯ eyes fly open and he heaves a few times, coughing in Solis¡¯ arms and blinking away tears. Solis shakes as he holds him, unable to do anything but cry and whisper; I love you, I love you- ¡°...love you-¡± He isn¡¯t sure if it was Cyndras or him who said those words, because just as fast as he is awake and breathing within his arms, the Prince is crumpling to the ground and growing still, the blood pouring from his head bubbling and sizzling as if it had been heated to a thousand degrees. ¡°No! No nonono-¡± The young god panics again and, feeling his lover¡¯s life slipping through his fingers, does the only thing he can with only half his heart working¡­ Solis searches the surrounding area and finds the closest living thing. It is a small purple flower, growing just under the shade of the tree Cyn had climbed. Solis presses one hand through the earth and touches its roots, and with the other, uses the remainder of his power to scoop up the rapidly snapping threads tying the Prince¡¯s soul to his body. Solis wills the universe and everything inside him to let it work, sobbing in frustration and agony as at first, nothing happens. Eventually, like something finally gave way, Cyndras¡¯ soul separates from his body. Solis shakes and cries as he feels it travel through him, using him and energy as a conduit and settling peacefully in the flower, where the roots and dirt and sun will keep it alive and safe. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! The god cradles his Prince¡¯s body tight against his chest, shaking hands brushing blood-stained locks from his face, and as he sits there and feels Cyndras grow cold and stiff in his arms, Solis also sees the unmistakable shine of the boy¡¯s soul and energy as it seals itself inside the little flower and gleams brighter throughout the night, as if his Prince was reaching out, telling him he is still here. Solis isn¡¯t sure how much time has passed when he is visited for the first time by death. The man, more shadow and shape than anything else, floats in front of him through the trees, whispering in Solis¡¯ ear about human things, like letting go. Solis is a god, not confined by mortal things like grief and death. He will hold onto his Prince if he wants to, for as long as he can; he will water him, and give him shade and sun, and sing to him to help him grow, and if death wants to try to take him, Solis makes it very clear to the shadows in the forest; he would rather see the whole world burn first. Things become very, very simple for the young god, and even when Leviathyn doesn¡¯t leave, and informs Solis that his actions will have terrible consequences, everything is still very, very clear. ¡°You are beautiful,¡± he tells Cyndras, and the flower shines. ¡°I love you. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you again-¡± ¡°This decision will have lasting effects on nature,¡± Leviathyn hisses from the dark. ¡°Your fate, as well as the young Prince¡¯s, will be altered for eternity.¡± Solis shoots him an angry glare, curled around his Prince¡¯s sweet petals as he has been for¡­ a long time, surely. ¡°Then leave! Leave me to my fate!¡± The god cries, ¡°Let us have our eternity. Please, just go away!¡± The god of death vanishes after that, and Solis is left alone with the little gleaming flower. It isn¡¯t until he hears thunder brimming on the horizon that the god even thinks about consequences again, and when finally there are footsteps echoing through the forest and he is surrounded, he just glares at them all and huddles closer around his Prince. ¡°Solis,¡± a god says, but who cares which one it is. ¡°You have violated the laws of nature and reincarnation. The universe has been badly wounded by your actions. Come with us now, and your punishment will be light.¡± Solis doesn¡¯t understand why they won¡¯t just leave the two of them alone. They¡¯re not hurting anyone! No one will ever have to know if Solis just keeps the little flower alive in secret. Why do they care so much? And why should he care about reincarnation¡­ meeting his Prince again in the future, when Cyndras¡¯ soul is here, right now, shining inside the protective curve of his body. So alive, and so, so beautiful- ¡°Solis, please. Don¡¯t make this any harder than it has to be.¡± Solis sees red. He shouts, screams himself hoarse, throws rocks and little shards of spiritual energy at the gods and their Seraph, but it doesn¡¯t do anything. Even when Khalkaeus comes closer with godly chains in her hands and Solis panics and lashes out with all his strength, the most damage he manages to incur is to himself. Solis fights. He fights them with bare hands and teeth until several Seraph are injured and Solis has a broken jaw. He kicks and scratches and lunges at everyone who gets close. Eventually, he hears someone sigh heavily and feels something cold and sharp land in his neck. Solis collapses but fights to keep his eyes open. Whining brokenly, he manages to see the last moment that his Cyndras¡¯ soul is in this realm, as the gods dissipate the flower and his Prince¡¯s spirit fades into the air. Solis screams so loud that an avalanche starts in the mountains and buries a small town. He screams until the earth cracks, the trees fall, the oceans swell¡­ he will never know, but his rage ended up fueling two wars in The Mortal Realm and several minor disasters; forest fires, tsunami, and storms. Planets collide and stars implode. None of the gods were prepared for the likes of Solis¡¯ love. When it shattered, the realms were thrown into a chaos like they¡¯d never known. The little god of stars was locked away under the high mountains in Vriseon Prison. He was bound in heavenly chains forged by the hottest fire, his wrists shackled to boulders larger than even the tallest mountains in The Mortal Realm. The first thing Solis did when he woke up in that dark place was try to escape. He even managed to get one arm free by breaking it, before the gods were alerted and he was forced into a medical coma. Time passed in a hazy blur for the poor god, who roused only long enough in seven hundred years to cry bitter tears at the loss of his lover, outraged and exhausted by the weight of his grief, which was numbed only by magic and the oppression of a very large mountain. Solis¡¯ powers and energy grew stagnant in his heavenly body as the years passed, and over time, he forgets who and what he is. Even without the sleeping aids, in Vriseon there is no time, no light, or sound, or feeling. Solis relives Cyn¡¯s death a thousand times like it was yesterday and then lapses into a few decades of sleep where nothing and no one could remind him who he is, even if they waved Cyndras¡¯ soul right in front of his face. This poor god slept centuries off his life, tucked away like a secret without even the smallest idea of how and why his lover had died in the first place. Solis would stir occasionally and feel a burning deep inside him that made him want to scream. He doesn¡¯t remember it, but he would often swear it to himself with every ounce of consciousness left in his body during those moments he found lucidity. He would wake up one day, and he would discover exactly what had happened to his Prince¡­ And then Solis would make the universe pay. He swore he would make every last deity pay in blood. A God Talks With Beasts ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± The god of stars wanted to roll his eyes. That makes two of us¡­ Iphis was pacing under the light of a full moon, his arms crossed anxiously even after Solis had told him to sit down. It was getting painful to explain over and over and now he just wished the Seraph would stop talking about it. His friend wanted to help, and that was kind of him, but Solis didn¡¯t want help. He wanted oblivion, and that was not something Iphis was able to do. ¡°You found him,¡± the Seraph repeated once more. ¡°He was there, his soul or whatever, but then he just¡­ died? Just like that?¡± Solis nods. ¡°Yes, just like that.¡± When Iphis seems to realize he wouldn¡¯t add more, he starts to pace again, muttering under his breath about fate and what it can go do to itself. Solis frowns. ¡°I was told a long time ago that my actions would have lasting consequences. Perhaps this is what they meant.¡± Iphis stills, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Our fate-string has been severed by the gods, so maybe that¡¯s it. My fate and Cyndras¡¯ fate is to never meet again-¡± ¡°But you did meet! You did, I just¡­¡± Iphis growls and huffs. Solis sighs. ¡°Be together, then. We are not meant to be together.¡± After a moment he smiles, then laughs until tears fill his eyes. ¡°I must have been very stupid to have done this to myself¡­¡± ¡°Solis!¡± Iphis snaps, ¡°This is not your fault!¡± Solis stares up at his friend and in the faint brightness coming from the moon, he sees that impassive face, Iphis'' carefully layered expression of dissatisfaction and contempt, and Solis is grateful there is at least there is one person who feels anger on his behalf¡­ besides himself, of course. That must mean he¡¯s not as crazy as he thinks he is. Before Iphis can lapse on and start ranting about the situation again, Solis watches the man go tense, his brow furrowing and his jaw clenching while he listens to a message through the Seraph¡¯s telepathic communications array. ¡°Unbelievable!¡± He spits when finished, and Solis goes to stand unsteadily, leaning back against a tree. ¡°They want you to take me to them, don¡¯t they?¡± Iphis shoots him a look that says he would rather chew glass, but Solis just grimaces and straightens his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m ready for them, Iphis. Let¡¯s go home.¡± The Heavenly Realm is suspiciously quiet when they arrive, and the general consensus of the Chorus they run into on the way to Killera is that Aeris is very displeased with him. Solis does roll his eyes, managing to pull a rare smile from Iphis when he says; ¡°And? What else is new?¡± Unsurprisingly, half the gods are already waiting for them in the great hall, and then Solis has to physically restrain himself from cursing up a storm when Caishen shoots him a critical look and Aeris tells him to kneel. Solis is halfway to the floor when he feels Iphis yanking him back, and then the entire Heavenly Realm is dead silent as Aeris¡¯ most trusted Seraph extravagantly defends the realm¡¯s most problematic little god¡­ loudly, and unapologetic. Solis can only stand there and blink in shock as Iphis pushes him out of the way of Aeris and Caishen, and begins to shout- At his parents! ¡°If you¡¯re going to punish someone, punish me! It was my idea to look for the boy! Before you pass judgment on Solis for seeking him out, remember it was me who told him to, and it never interfered with the god¡¯s work in The Mortal Realm! You have no recourse. Solis, let¡¯s go!¡± Solis is already being yanked by the scruff of his collar, halfway out the door, when he hears Aeris speak. ¡°Stop.¡± He doesn¡¯t raise his voice. The god of war doesn¡¯t have to. Solis feels Iphis tense and shiver, and inside the god is thinking; oh no¡­ I hope we can survive this with all of our limbs intact- ¡°How dare you?!¡± Caishen seethes, ¡°Talking this way to a god is punishable by death! You would really sacrifice everything to defend this person, when we know full well of his transgressions?¡± To Solis¡¯ surprise and against his mental pleading, Iphis turns to the gods again and immediately drops to his knees. ¡°Then kill me. But let Solis go¡­¡± The stunned silence in the room is shattered by Kulao¡¯s anxious laughter, the god of love coming closer to the center of the room and waving his hands while calling- ¡°Please, please! Gentlemen, there is no need for violence! I thought this was a happy occasion; the god of stars has returned to the realm after many years away! Aeris, Caishen, surely just because he sought out his old flame doesn¡¯t mean we aren¡¯t still happy to see him, isn¡¯t that right?¡± The expression on Aeris¡¯ face told Solis all he needed to know. The god would have no issue killing his own son just to save a little face¡­ Iphis was in danger. Solis somehow managed to bite back his rancor and kneel beside his friend, and despite the Seraph¡¯s aggrieved begging and insistence that he stand, Solis held firm and lowered his eyes to Aeris¡¯ feet. ¡°I take full responsibility for my actions,¡± the god¡¯s voice rang clear and true throughout the great hall. ¡°Seeking out the Prince¡¯s soul was my own decision, and I will accept any punishment you deem necessary, my lords. It was truly not my intention to cause harm.¡± Solis didn¡¯t look beside him at Iphis, even when his friend called his name in desperation. Solis did not want to be punished for finding Cyndras again, but he would also like to avoid losing one of his only friends if at all possible. As long as Iphis kept his mouth shut, they should be- ¡°Fine,¡± Aeris waves a hand, like he couldn¡¯t care less, and maybe he couldn¡¯t. ¡°You were explicitly warned it would be dangerous to seek him out, but you did anyway, and for that you are banished with your powers sealed to the wastelands for ten years. It is a light sentence, considering your history, Solis. I expect you to make use of the time to think. As for you-¡± Solis can¡¯t help the way he tenses when Aeris looks at his son. Beside him, Iphis is no doubt glaring daggers at his father, and it doesn¡¯t help that the rest of the gods are here to see him standing up to the man in such a public way. It wouldn¡¯t matter that they were blood relatives, Iphis is Aeris¡¯ Seraph, and disobeying him would have consequences. Aeris¡¯ gaze didn¡¯t linger long as he said- ¡°Such a waste of good training. You can go grovel to one of the other gods for the scraps off their table for all I care. Don¡¯t let me see your face here again.¡± Excellent, Solis breathed a sigh of relief. He didn¡¯t kill him¡­ But, Solis could feel the way Iphis was swaying, and the wash of pure vehemence that was more or less radiating from his skin. The man was a loose cannon, that much was true, and Solis was going to have to risk it all so that he didn¡¯t go off. Pushing his luck, the god got to his feet, blocked Iphis with his body just in case, and bowed to Aeris fully, saying- ¡°With my lord¡¯s permission, when I return from my banishment, would it be possible to take this one as my Seraph? After all, if there is no more use for him here, I¡¯m sure I could find him a job, maybe even the construction of my own domain, so that I may better serve the realms.¡± Aeris was already moving away, onto another conversation with someone else. He waved to signal they could leave and for Solis, that was a blessing in itself. He didn¡¯t bother to stay and say hello to Prentis, who he knew would be anxious to talk to him and see how he was, Solis just grabbed Iphis by the wrist and dragged him out into the harsh midday sun. Outside, the god whirled on him, clenched fists tightened more in worry and surprise than anything else. Iphis just stared at the horizon while Solis ranted up and down the balcony. ¡°What the hell were you thinking?! Are you suddenly suicidal? Iphis, that was really stupid of you, why didn¡¯t you just let me take the blame?! I could only be sent away for a time, but you could have been killed!¡± Iphis huffed a laugh and crossed his arms, but then he grimaced and shot the sun an angry glare. ¡°None of what happened back then, or now, is your fault. I am tired of them pretending they¡¯re the only ones with morals. It¡¯s sickening!¡± Solis blinks, then something dawns on him and a sinking feeling begins to creep up his spine. Feeling exposed and unused to it, the god takes a step back and says; ¡°Did you¡­ were you there? Back then?¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Iphis grumbles under his breath but then nods sharply, once. Solis feels like he¡¯s freefalling. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± No! It wasn¡¯t okay! Iphis, his companion for more than two decades, was there on the day that Solis¡¯ world came crashing down around him? And he just¡­ never said anything? What was going on?! Solis didn¡¯t know whether to feel hurt, angry, or confused by this revelation, so he just ended up feeling embarrassed. Iphis had seen that¡­ him at his worst, his most vulnerable. And then last night too, after losing Cyndras again, Solis had turned to the man for comfort. Why would Iphis even bother to defend him, knowing first hand all of Solis¡¯ failings. It was impossible to make sense of. Solis was too tired to try. ¡°I guess we can¡­ talk about it later,¡± Solis clears his throat. ¡°I¡¯ll be back to keep my promise about taking you on as Seraph in ten years. That is, if you still want to.¡± Iphis didn¡¯t respond, and he didn¡¯t even turn around when Solis muttered an awkward goodbye. It felt uncomfortable to wander off into the distance without him, but Solis knew they would meet again. Hopefully Iphis would be able to bite his tongue until then. Maybe he should have told him to lay low in Ruewreath with Prentis for a while, but oh well, the man would just have to figure it out. Solis has his powers sealed, which more or less makes him human and useless, and then he trudges off alone to the wastelands as instructed, although Solis doesn¡¯t really think the name fits. Wasteland implies there is nothing, but the northeast of The Heavenly Realm is actually very full. Home to the illusive god of beasts, Quokwin is an expanse of desert, brittle trees, and hills. The wind blows at night and makes everything very cold, but during the day the sun shines down and fries little defenseless gods. Ten years would certainly be a punishment after all¡­ Solis makes a home by the edge of the freshwater lake for the first few nights, but the wind is too cold and he keeps hearing the sounds of creatures bigger than him, which doesn¡¯t bode well without powers. The sand dunes aren''t much better, and after traversing the entirety of the land over the course of two weeks, some animal or natural resource always drying up or making him have to move, Solis is half out of his mind with grief and loneliness and physically too tired to go on. Then, on the thirteenth night, when the moon is only a sliver in the sky, Solis startles awake to the feeling of being watched¡­ ¡°Hello?¡± He calls, but the wilderness doesn¡¯t reply. After a few minutes he can no longer keep his eyes open, so he drifts off into a fitful sleep, occasionally stirring to the sound of faint breathing, but never seeing anything. When the dawn begins to break over the horizon and Solis is kneeling by the lake to wash the sand from his lashes and brows again, he finally stills at seeing a face looking at him from the other side of the bank. Well, not so much a face¡­ was a skull a face? The creature was large, easily as tall as two men, and still somewhat humanoid while remaining beastly. It had two thick arms and two thick legs, all four tipped with black claws, and aside from the white creature skull where its head should be, there was also a visible rib cage protruding from a massively hairy chest. The creature was so still that Solis wasn¡¯t even sure if it was alive for a while, and then when he started to move away it mirrored him, curved, branch-like horns like two enormous trees as the beast walked on its hind legs closer. Solis was concerned with this new development, right up until the beast halted before him and tilted its head. Up close it really did seem like something out of a child¡¯s bad dream; hollow eye sockets and massive claws, but then Solis bowed gently, assuming the identity of the creature, and before he knew it, he was raising his head again to a tall man with long white hair, his skin entirely translucent and pale to the point where Solis could see his bones, organs, and veins. The god of beasts looked him over, then huffed and jerked his horns in the direction of the lake. Solis blinked. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m very sorry. I did know this was your domain, and I didn¡¯t even introduce myself! Apologies, my name is Solis. I¡¯ve been¡­ um, banished here? Just for the time being. And¡­ and you are?¡± Solis already knew, but if he was going to be stuck in Quokwin for the next ten years, it might be nice to know one person, even if they were only acquaintances. When the god before him spoke, it was with a deep voice, forced out of his lungs that, if Solis risked a glance, he was sure he¡¯d be able to see moving- ¡°Inyaga.¡± Solis swallowed and nodded. ¡°Nice to¡­¡± Before he could continue, the other god was walking off. When he was up to his knees in the lake, Inyaga transformed into a beast again, this time with the lower body of a serpent, and Solis watched, dumbfounded, as he slowly slipped under the water¡¯s surface inside a ring of foamy bubbles. ¡°Meet you.¡± The god sighed, feeling defeated once more. That went well, I guess. I mean, at least I wasn¡¯t eaten¡­ Over the course of the next few months, to Solis¡¯ surprise and also great relief, he manages to get closer with the god of beasts. Unexpectedly, he finds Inyaga to be one of the kinder, more level-headed deities, despite first appearances. The god, be he in the form of a man or beast, would occasionally just follow Solis from a few yards away, ducking behind a dune or a tree when Solis would look back. He was very shy at first, and almost never got closer. Solis decided that that first morning must have been the god finding out who Solis was, and after deciding he wasn¡¯t a threat, just wandered after him for a few weeks. Solis began having distant, one-sided conversations with the man, who he¡¯d learned was somewhat of a creature magnet¡­ any animal within a certain radius would inevitably be called to Inyaga. It was sweet, until the time Solis woke up by the lakeside with Inyaga only a few feet away and a swarm of ants biting him all over. The other god is no more of a mystery than Solis finds himself to be, these days. Truly, is wanting to be separate from the other deities really so crazy? Inyaga eats when he¡¯s hungry, sleeps when he¡¯s tired, plays when he¡¯s bored, and the rest of The Heavenly Realm calls him some sort of societal outcast just because he doesn¡¯t want to do what they all do? Solis should have come to the wasteland years ago¡­ Inyaga is in his most human form one night, already a few years into Solis¡¯ banishment. The god of beasts was curled around a slowly dying fire that Solis had lit after too many bitterly cold nights, and now a group of birds were settling down and making a nest in the large man¡¯s white hair. Solis chuckles at the scene, finding the way the other god is lying to be very reminiscent of a lazy house cat in The Mortal Realm. A bit like how Cyndras used to sleep¡­ Solis supposes, if Inyaga is the god of all beasts, it would make sense that he had characteristics of every creature, no matter how small and sweet. Earlier in the day, Solis had undertaken another fishing expedition to the center of the lake, since he had to eat much more often without his powers. Inyaga had swam circles around him for about an hour, obviously enjoying Solis¡¯ fumbling, and then suddenly there were about three dozen fish flying out of the water and smacking the stupefied god right in the face. He caught only one, but fell with a splash shortly after and it escaped again. He heard Inyaga¡¯s bubbling sigh from beside him, and then the other god submerged again, clearly giving up on Solis¡¯ fishing endeavors. It was nice of Inyaga to allow Solis to stay safely in his land, be sheltered by his trees, and fed by his beasts. Solis had become somewhat expectant to find some manner of edible creature laid out by the remnants of his fire, and Inyaga not too far away, licking his paws or cleaning the meat off some bones. Inexplicably, Solis had made a friend. He never spoke in words, but the god felt they had an understanding. Sometimes loneliness was best shared¡­ The god of stars was exceedingly lonely at times, and truly, nothing made it better. He had terrible nightmares of Ito¡¯s cold hands, her breathless body, or purpling eyelids. Flowers haunted Solis the way he wished his love would. There was not a day that passed that the god did not think about Cyndras, and not a day that passed where he did not curse his own existence for being the thing that led his lover to such a fate. ¡°I wish I could have known then,¡± Solis says one night to Inyaga. ¡°I wish someone could have told me I was going to lose him. Maybe then, things would have been different. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t have held on so tight.¡± Solis knows how foolish it is, but he can¡¯t help it. He is a very foolish god. When the ten years are up, Solis¡¯ powers are slowly and gradually restored, and he leaves Quokwin with half a dozen sunburns and a heavy heart as he watches Inyaga stare at him forlornly from the lakeside. He promised he would return, even just to catch up soon, but first there is something Solis must do. Ruewreath is more or less how he remembers it being; blessedly shady, calm, and cool. The Chorus greets him before he¡¯s even at the gates, and then Solis is being led excitedly right to Prentis¡¯ workroom, where the man in question almost breaks the bottles he¡¯s holding in his hurry to run and hug him. ¡°Solis! Oh my goodness, it¡¯s been so long! How are you?¡± Prentis¡¯ concern and his familiar dark eyes soothe something in Solis that he had forgotten was there, a kind of innocence. He wants to collapse in the other god¡¯s arms and cry woe is me, and tell him all about the injustices of the heavenly and mortal realms alike. Solis swallows that urge like it is ten thousand poisonous pills, and stares right at Prentis with a resolute little frown. ¡°You have to help me do something, and then I will never ask for anything ever again.¡± He says. Prentis¡¯ eyes widen, but he tells Solis to sit down and asks him what¡¯s wrong. Solis goes into just enough detail about what happened in Xesith with Ito so that he only cries a little. Prentis hands him a handkerchief and tells him to go on. Solis tells him about the fate-string, the gods¡¯ punishment, and how he is afraid Cyndras¡¯ soul will continue to die if and when Solis manages to find him again. Like clockwork, he will lose his Prince in eternity¡­ ¡°What can I do to help?¡± Prentis says, and Solis thanks his lucky stars that he really does have a small handful of true, wonderful friends. Does he deserve them? Probably not, but he also won¡¯t question it. ¡°I want you to put up a block in my mind, so that I do not remember anything about Cyndras. That is the only way to ensure I will never seek him out again, and never unwittingly cause his death.¡± Prentis stares at him for a moment like he¡¯s gone insane, and maybe he has. The desert sun in Quokwin certainly gave him a hard-earned tan, so why not brain damage? ¡°What, but that¡¯s-¡± Solis reaches out and holds one of Prentis¡¯ hands. He will resort to begging if he has to, he has certainly done worse¡­ ¡°I know you can, you were the one who put me into the coma when I was in Vriseon Prison, it should be easy for a god of medicine. Just make it so that all of my memories of him are sealed forever. It¡¯s the only way to protect him from what I might decide to do.¡± Prentis shakes his head, ¡°Solis, no! You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying. Think about this, please. Without your memories of him, and the love you shared, you would no longer be the same. Everything he brought to your life, all the ways he impacted you would be lost. That would be the most tremendous death imaginable. I won¡¯t allow you to hurt yourself in that way!¡± ¡°With these memories¡­¡± Solis almost shakes as he grits out, ¡°With this love¡­ I am afraid I will live to do something much, much worse.¡± Prentis is silent for a long moment, then he says; ¡°You believe you will become a danger to others?¡± Solis nods, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I already am?¡± After a while, his friend replies. ¡°As a healer, there is only ever one thing I strive for, Solis. Do not make the patient worse. As your friend, and as a physician, I cannot say for sure whether taking your memories would truly be the helpful thing. Perhaps, you are meant to rise above your pain, or use it for something beautiful in the future. I would be robbing the universe of that beauty if I did what you ask. Please, let us think of another way.¡± ¡°Prentis, please!¡± Solis wept silently, ¡°Kulao said that love between a mortal and a god never works out, so is that it? I was born into this world already fated to end up a mistake, tied in reverse to a man I can never have?! We are gods! What rules are there that say my Prince had to die and I had to be the one that killed him?! I would still rather see the world drown than see him cry. I would rather die than continue in this life without him, without his love that was so selflessly given. He loved me so much, too much! He loved me to death and I love him even after death, and if the only way we can be together is side by side in our grave that the heavens bless, so be it!¡± Solis dashes to one of the shelves in Prentis¡¯ apothecary and grabs an entire row of bottles, managing to swallow a handful of their contents even through his tears and the other god yelling and trying to hold him back. ¡°Solis! Solis, stop. I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m so sorry, sweetheart, please stay awake-¡± He only faintly hears Prentis¡¯ voice through the ringing in his ears and the whole world slanting sideways. Solis drifts away to a faint metallic taste rising up the back of his throat, and the sound of his friend crying softly, promising he will make everything okay. Solis remembered making a promise like that once¡­ Despite all the odds, he is still trying to keep it. Act 2 "Sin" Act 2 Sin An immoral act or transgression against divine law Contents The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Rogue Thief Procures the Help of a Passing God The Prince¡¯s Other Lovers Falling For The God of Stars Sanctuary The Uprising Kills The Prince Remembers His Past Life Universe Alterations And A Trial By Fire Reunited In The Heavens To Be In Love One-Sided The Unbroken Bond Rogue Thief Procures the Help of a Passing God ¡°I don¡¯t care what was said, you were told not to take any action!¡± Even with his voice echoing harshly through the woods and the rest of the rebels furiously avoiding his gaze, Aidben still glares up at Cyrus, as if the bigger he puffs himself up the more sense his argument makes. As one of the youngest and highly opinionated members of their little band of thieves, it was only natural he¡¯d challenge authority. That didn¡¯t mean Cyrus was going to go easy on him though. ¡°If you were really doing what you promised we¡¯d be out there right now fighting the bastards instead of hiding here, waiting for them to kill us!¡± Cyrus puts a hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder and digs his fingers in just enough to make him wince. ¡°I am not leading a bunch of brainless street trash,¡± Cyrus says. ¡°This is a revolution. We need to be one step ahead of them, and we need to think with our brains instead of our hearts. If you can¡¯t do that, then you¡¯re better off shooting sticks and shit with the other little orphans on the palace steps. Go see if they can use you as cannon fodder, I¡¯m done!¡± Cyrus wanders off to put out the rest of his ten million burning fires, but he¡¯s distracted through it all, chewing the inside of his lip and wondering if he was too harsh on the boy. I probably could have handled that better, he admits, sighing after triple checking their borders for the night. It was dangerous to be so close to Bastia, their guards ever on the lookout for Cyrus and his band of rogue villagers, but they needed to be alongside The Gold Road if they had any hope of intercepting food, weapons, and supplies before they reached the kingdom¡¯s gates. This is a war! Cyrus reminded himself for the thousandth time, I don¡¯t have the luxury of coddling the rage of the poor hapless youth. They can fall in line or be lost in the fray¡­ Call him selfish, stupid, and mean, he was going to win this war for his people and he was going to do it soon. Cyrus had no more time for being nice. It was on his way back through the forest toward their camp when he heard the first branch breaking. Then another, and another¡­ Whoever it was seemed to be taking a leisurely stroll through his territory, and well, he couldn¡¯t have that. It would be unseemly for the local ruffians not to rough somebody up. He¡¯d scare them off and maybe get a satchel of gold out of it for his trouble. All in a day¡¯s work- Except, when Cyrus stepped behind a tree in order to prepare his surprise attack, the sounds of movement stopped. Confused, he waited with bated breath for a while in silence, noticing the distinct lack of birds in the area, as if they¡¯d all been spooked. ¡°What are we looking at-¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Spinning, Cyrus just about collided with the man but managed to gain control of his limbs. The idiot had somehow been able to sneak up behind him and was just standing there, staring patiently, like Cyrus wasn¡¯t about to rob him for all he was worth. ¡°You, you!¡± Cyrus huffed, taking the blade from his sleeve and using it to gesticulate as he caught his breath. ¡°You scared the hell out of me! Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s dangerous in this part of the forest at night?! Are you stupid?¡± The stranger smiled brilliantly and for some reason, Cyrus felt his mouth go dry. ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± the man said matter-of-factly. ¡°Are you stupid too?¡± Unable to think of a retort, Cyrus sighed deeply and brandished his weapon at the stupidly beautiful man, because beautiful or not, he was going to get robbed, it was just principle at this point. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Jewelry and valuables,¡± Cyrus motioned. ¡°Come on, cough it up. I know you¡¯ve got something on you, what with all that silk.¡± Oddly enough, the stranger began to empty his pockets. Hmm, Cyrus didn¡¯t think his rusty hunting knife was very imposing, but maybe to a lovely guy like this it wasn¡¯t worth the risk. He probably had plenty of money wherever he lived, he might not even miss whatever Cyrus could get his hands on in order to feed his people. The young man was more than happy to give over about a dozen pieces of finery, along with two money pouches. Cyrus weighed them in his other hand and hummed, about to stow his knife and be on his way with a warning, when the stranger blocked his path and said- ¡°What are you going to do with it? The money.¡± Cyrus nearly rolled his eyes, but something in the man¡¯s tone made him pause. He could choose not to answer. He could lie, or just run away¡­ ¡°I¡¯m going to buy food for my people and weapons to help them revolt against our tyrannical King. Why, what were you going to do with it?¡± Again, shockingly, the man smiles. ¡°Can I see?¡± Against his better judgment, Cyrus leads the stranger back to their camp, muttering about a dozen warnings that if he tries anything he¡¯ll just get Cyrus¡¯ knife in his back for his trouble. The crazy man follows him jovially, practically talking his ear off about his travels, and then when they get to the main clearing he goes very still and quiet. Cyrus already has his hands full with the villagers approaching him with requests for help, and by the time he remembers he¡¯s just led some random person into their midst, he looks over and finds said stranger on the forest floor, playing and roughhousing with the littlest children who still happened to be up. That¡¯s it, Cyrus thought to himself, watching two little girls putting pigtails in the man¡¯s light blonde hair as he played pattycake with a young boy. He¡¯s insane¡­ ¡­and really fucking adorable, but that¡¯s beside the point- ¡°Oi, you there! Stranger.¡± ¡°Solis.¡± The man says, without even looking up. Cyrus blinked, stopping in front of him and the children and scowling. ¡°Excuse me?¡± The man just smiled, ¡°Solis. My name. Now, we are not strangers.¡± Cyrus rolled his eyes, ready to just throw him out when he looked again and saw the little boy; Emry, was his name, already curled up and asleep in Solis¡¯ lap. Despite himself, Cyrus felt his heart soften. The children deserved to get all the sleep they could. How could he possibly interfere? The look on Solis¡¯ face was one of extreme peace, like it had been his goal all along to befriend the children of the forest and soothe all of their fears. Cyrus was more than a little embarrassed to realize he was jealous, seeing others get that kind of no-strings-attached comfort when he was stuck fighting for their survival everyday. Unlike the kids, his nightmares were never soothed, but oh how he wished a kind stranger would come into his forest one day, scoop him up, say; ¡°Rest now, you¡¯ve done enough. You¡¯ve done well-¡± and that would be the end of it. Throat tight, Cyrus was aware he sounded too hostile as he jabbed a finger at the man and barked- ¡°Stranger or not, you still can¡¯t be here. Don¡¯t you understand? We are in contempt of the King, he will kill you, and us if he finds us here!¡± Solis just patted Emry¡¯s back and thanked the two little girls for his new ridiculous hairstyle. They giggled and then hurried off to find their mothers. When Solis¡¯ eyes at last raised to him, Cyrus found himself speechless at the amount of conviction in their amber-gold depths. ¡°And if I told you I could help? What then?¡± Cyrus smirked, unable to stop from sizing the other up. ¡°Oh, my apologies Young Master! How dare I not see all the advantages of using your expert skills in my war. Please, enlighten me! What could you bring to our cause, besides bushels of gold and lullabies.¡± To his surprise, the other man thought deeply for a moment. ¡°Do you not have a need for gold and lullabies?¡± Cyrus was struck dumb and before he could regain his wits, several of his people approached him with inquiries and he was stuck once more with his millions of burning fires¡­ the exhausted young man didn¡¯t even realize that by the time he was finished for the night and had turned in to sleep a measly two or three hours, he¡¯d completely forgotten the stranger again. Ah, let him stay, Cyrus thought, already drifting off with a bone-deep tiredness that sucked him quickly into the murky hollows of sleep. Who am I to turn away one more lost soul? Let them all congregate here; fools, the lot of them! Cyrus, a thief down to his very core, slept that night without a clue of the god in their midst. He couldn¡¯t have known that this stranger was his long lost love, nor could he have known of all the ways in which this god would live to wound him. If he had, Cyrus might not have slept as well as he did, listening to someone humming gently from beside the burned-out flames. The Prince鈥檚 Other Lovers Cyndras was a beautiful Prince, and lived in the rich land of Versilla, so of course there were many that hoped and prayed to catch his eye. Until the god of stars none were successful, but over the years several tried, some for the better, and others the worse¡­ When the Prince was young he received many proposals, but the King never paid them any mind. For the father, his son was useful for only one thing; a bride to be thrown at the most dangerous enemy in the hopes of establishing peace. So, Cyndras waited, lazing his days away in his youth, content to be a general nuisance to the hearts of ladies and men alike. And then, out of the blue, a stranger came with golden hair and a smile like a summer¡¯s day. The Prince was immediately fascinated by this person, and grew very attached, treasuring the man like one would a loyal pet, for the young Prince didn¡¯t know how to have anything else. It was a fair autumn day in the kingdom of Versilla when Cyndras happened to be standing on his balcony, looking out at the bright horizon. It was early, frost still lingering on the grass, so the Prince had draped a thick fur cloak over his shoulders and settled into the warmth. He thought about nothing at all, how could he, with a view such as this? He had plans that afternoon to explore the palace catacombs with his new friend, and the Prince was full of a nervous glee at the idea of getting to frighten the man. Or, he thought with a shiver, better yet, if I pretend to be scared myself, what better way to excuse stepping closer and demanding he save me from the dark? Cyndras was very practiced in the art of being coy, though he ended up coming off a bit indifferent at times. He was also practiced at being lusted over and crooned at, so when he heard a loud voice coming from the balcony several meters away to his right, the Prince adjusted his cloak and lowered his lashes coquettishly¡­ ¡°What a beautiful morning! Indeed, it is made even more lovely with the sight of you, my Prince!¡± Cyndras gave the stranger a cursory glance and, finding that he did not immediately recognise him as someone from the palace, though the man was dressed very well and appeared flawlessly handsome, the young Prince gave a disinterested yawn and responded. ¡°Forgive me. I have heard such sweet words before. They tend to be a bore.¡± The Prince was about to return to his bedchambers and begin his day, when the man called out again. ¡°My Prince! Please, is there nothing I can do to prove myself to you? My feelings are genuine! Let us meet, and you will see!¡± Already used to giving potential suitors the run around, Cyndras waved a hand dispassionately and began retreating to his room. ¡°Alas, I also have feelings, but unfortunately for you, mine are for someone else.¡± Thinking that was the end of it, the Prince dressed and for another day in a row had breakfast with his sweet companion. Solis was lovely to have around, Cyn could really imagine keeping him. It was very interesting to have a friend without ulterior motives, and unless Solis was very good at lying, which seemed unlikely, the Prince felt like he might really have found a cute little puppy to nip at his heels for the foreseeable future. It warmed him in a way that no morning sun, nor fur cloak had before. Cyndras was content. Despite his earlier refusal, the man on the other balcony tried again¡­ Cyndras was returning to his room one night when, upon entering, he was accosted by the scent and image of a sea of flowers; roses, of the most vibrant red and softest quality. He picked one up, finding that all the thorns had been cut with extreme care. In their midst was a note. My dearest Prince, Though your heart beats for another, my heart will continue to beat only for you. Here is one flower for every month you have graced this earth with your beauty, for you are the rose of my life¡­ Yours, always Metir Cyndras was even a bit touched as he threw the note in the fire. At dinner that evening, he made a big show of bringing Solis into his room, whispering with feigned excitement about who his mystery admirer could be. His friend stared at the roses with undeniable fondness, and when Cyn pressed one into the man¡¯s hand, Solis turned several shades of pink before stammering that he could not take Cyndras¡¯ gift. The Prince made sure he went back to his room that night with several. In the end, the balcony stranger; Metir, if the note could be believed, propositioned the young Prince no less than six times over the course of several weeks. Cyndras admired his persistence but thought nothing much of it. There had been others who¡¯d toiled away at his heart for years. It wasn¡¯t until the Prince was out one day, wandering through the market stalls trying to steer an overly excited Solis through the bustling streets, that Cyn even saw the man again. It was obviously a coincidence, judging by the expression on his face. Cyndras had just finished dabbing off the powdery remnants of the fried dough Solis had nearly inhaled, and then his eyes met Metir¡¯s over his sweet puppy¡¯s shoulder. Balcony-man blinked, startled, clearly in the middle of making a purchase, then his gaze flickered once to Solis and he seemed to stiffen¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right, the Prince thought, a little dizzy at the mere idea. Why don¡¯t you go ahead and think this innocent bean is responsible for my heart straying away, go on- Cyndras fixed all his attention on Solis, which really wasn¡¯t a hard feat as the man was making those gooey-eyes at him again while he blushed and laughed at the mess he¡¯d made. Cyn leaned in and pecked his cheek, genuinely enjoying Solis¡¯ wide-eyed stare and even more so, balcony-man¡¯s abrupt coughing fit. The Prince didn¡¯t see, nor hear from the man ever again, yet that wasn¡¯t the end of his list of almost-lovers¡­ Somehow, after Solis had wormed his way quite dastardly inside Cyndras¡¯ heart, there was still the threat held over the Prince¡¯s head involving an arranged marriage. It went on for several years, this back and forth with his father, and would often end in screaming matches where one or both of them grew so angry they broke things. Cyndras hated the parts of himself that were a reflection of the King, but more than that, he hated that he knew in his heart that his father would not hesitate to marry him off if it suited his needs. What was a poor, good-for-nothing Prince to do under such dire circumstances? Truly, the only thing was to become good for something¡­ It wouldn¡¯t have happened without Solis. Cyn thinks the man must have worked harder than even him in those years; studying, learning everything there was to know about government, politics, and the tensions with their neighboring kingdom of Xesith. Cyndras too, applied himself for perhaps the first time in his life, and found much to his surprise that almost everything could be solved eventually as long as he had someone by his side who thought the world of him. Solis loved him so much that the Prince forgot what it was like to hate himself. Blossoming under such care and devotion, Cyndras attended conferences with his father¡¯s senate, the governors of various sects, and presented solutions to policies those old farts had been trying to bury since he¡¯d first been born kicking and screaming into this world. The Prince made a name for himself in Versilla. Instead of an idolized beauty dozing in the dappled sun, he became fiercely beloved by his people for his devotion to fair laws and peace, and while both enemy and friend alike still lusted for the man he had become, there was no doubt in everyone¡¯s minds that Cyndras would not hesitate to place a drop of poison in the well if it meant protecting himself. For that reason, Cyn was feared, and he was respected. Of course, during the beginning of his heyday, while still in the process of proving himself to their neighboring kingdoms, the Prince was also deeply scorned and mocked. It was a rite of passage, he knew. He also knew that one day, all those who stood against himself or his realm would face their own reckoning. It was a promise he¡¯d made to himself after that summer in Xesith, during one of the first peace talks. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. It was a memory he would never reveal to Solis, and a secret he would indeed take to his grave¡­ The Prince had been deeply discouraged to find he could not bring his lover on their journey, but their retinue was small and it had to stay that way if they were going with a show of good faith. Cyndras scoffed at good faith, but he still obeyed. Even if Solis had been there, it wouldn¡¯t have changed anything¡­ Xesith was hot, muggy and dry, and Cyndras had been exhausted from the journey upon arriving. Of course, that meant his required attendance at the reception was highly contested by the young Prince. Couldn¡¯t he, in good faith, retire for the night and show up bright and early to the conference? No, not at all. Being a Prince, Cyndras was very accustomed to fancy parties. He¡¯d normally drift about, maybe flirt with the waitstaff, but ultimately tire of the frivolity and other people¡¯s agendas. That night, upon their welcome into the neighboring state, Cyndras was hurried into the traditional formal attire of the Xesith royalty and unceremoniously led into the main hall, the reception already in full swing. After maintaining an air of civility the whole night, and going along with the Xesithian King¡¯s bid to hold an impromptu early meeting in his study, Cyndras was more or less dead on his feet. It didn¡¯t help that he¡¯d been steadily consuming the glasses of wine shoved into his hands all night. With official plans to really explore the possibility of a treaty and trade agreement in the morning, the King sent Cyndras off, instructing his eldest son and heir to escort the Versilian Prince to the guest chambers. Cyndras really should have insisted that he could find his room alone¡­ Prince Ranmei, the very man Cyndras had been pseudo-engaged to for the last couple of years, was ten years older than him and overall a bully. From what Cyndras knew of him, the man was conceited, selfish, brash¡­ the type to lord his strength over others and get satisfaction at stealing power where he could. He was impulsive, foolhardy, and that night, he somehow had it in his head that Cyndras could possibly be interested in an oaf like him. Hah! Utterly laughable. The bigger man stopped outside a door in a dimly lit hallway and Cyndras immediately knew he was in for trouble. This was not the guest quarters. He had, in fact, already seen them. ¡°Prince Ranmei,¡± Cyndras began with a semi-aggravated sigh. ¡°I am very tired and do not wish to be late to the conference tomorrow. Thank you for your guidance, but I believe my accommodations are on the other side of the-¡± ¡°Hmph, you are funny¡­¡± Cyndras¡¯ eyes widened as he was suddenly being cornered by the bigger man and pushed back against the wall. Clenching his jaw in clear annoyance but otherwise staying still, the Prince leveled a piercing glare at the man and said- ¡°If you would like this treaty to move forward, sir, you will maintain your distance.¡± Cyn narrowed his eyes even further¡­ ¡°Please.¡± But Ranmei just kept getting closer. He grinned, a horrible sharp grin, and Cyndras gagged a little when he smelled the alcohol on his breath and saw the pieces of meat still stuck in the other man¡¯s teeth. Vile creature. To think, I was ever going to share your bed- The elder nosed at Cyndras¡¯ throat a bit and shuffled forward. ¡°Our engagement may have fallen through, but you¡¯re here now. I can still take what I want. And, if you¡¯re so worried about the peace treaty, you¡¯d better do as I say.¡± Cyndras wanted to laugh right in his face. He didn¡¯t. He stood there, quietly, and weighed his options¡­ Kick him in the dick and run, but likely say goodbye to the treaty. Was war and instability really worth preserving his dignity? Cyndras was truthfully a little torn. Then, in his mind¡¯s eye, he saw Solis. His beautiful lover and best friend¡­ even if Cyndras couldn¡¯t fully commit to ruining a peace agreement for the sake of his pride, he could conceive of ruining a whole lot more for the sake of his love for that man. Solis had shown him nothing but tenderness and truth. Cyndras had known from the moment they met that the other was vastly morally superior. It was never a hardship to give himself to Solis in every way, and Cyndras would rather give up his life, his Kingdom, and his crown, just to ensure his promise to Solis was kept. The promise of their love, young as it may be. So, I guess there really is only one thing to be done¡­ The Prince allowed the bigger man to turn him nice and disheveled; wrinkled clothes, hair pulled out of its intricate ties, bruises all up and down his throat. Cyndras thought about the weather and his soon to be prevalent acting skills. When he felt sufficiently groped, Cyndras delighted a little too much in the sound of Ranmei¡¯s grunting wheeze as the younger Prince grabbed him by the shoulders and delivered a legacy-stunting knee to the groin. Running as fast as possible to the kitchens which were relatively near, Cyndras busied himself with tearing a few seams of his clothes and biting down hard enough on his lower lip to draw blood. The run had worked up a sweat and by the time he crashed through the kitchen doors and was graciously taken into the arms of the four or five older ladies who served as chefs, Cyndras was flushed red, a bit out of breath, and was successfully crying and sputtering all over the place. ¡°H-He! It was s-so terrible!¡± Dissolving into a fit of sobs, the Prince let himself be held by one of the women and listened to them all croon and murmur in outrage for his state of distress. ¡°What could have happened?!¡± ¡°Oh, you poor thing¡­¡± ¡°We should inform the King immediately-¡± Cyndras gasped, shaking his head and blinking more fat tears from his eyes. ¡°No! You really mustn''t! The Prince would be outraged!¡± The women gave him both pitying and aggrieved looks, while he shook and tried to hide his face. ¡°This was obviously Ranmei¡¯s doing¡­ that stupid boy-¡± ¡°He is so heartless!¡± ¡°How could he hurt our guest?! The King must be told!¡± Cyndras hugged and let the women comfort him while one of them snuck off with a determined scowl. Mere moments later, Cyndras was drying his bloodshot eyes while bowing to the King of Xesith, who looked uncomfortable to be standing in the kitchens, likely a place he never had any reason to be. The man gently took him by the shoulders and told the cooks to get back to work, but it was clear the women were standing by listening. Cyndras was a bit grateful¡­ ¡°My dear¡­¡± the King shook his head in distress. Whether it was real or not remained to be seen. Cyndras needed him to react to the news of his son¡¯s actions in a public place, but without embarrassing the royal family by taking his story and tears into the main hall. Servants were legendary when it came to palace gossip, so Cyndras was convinced he would be treated as amicably as possible by the King, who needed to show kindness and concern for the visiting Prince, as their budding treaty was still in the works. Neither side wanted to be the first to cause a scene, but Cyndras had been given no choice. He just hoped he could do it with the least amount of consequences for himself and his kingdom. ¡°Allow me to apologize for my son¡¯s foolish actions. I hope you were not too frightened, he can be an impulsive boy¡­¡± Cyndras wanted to quip that this impulsive boy was already a man ten years his senior, but he bit his tongue and instead made his voice a little watery and thin as he blinked tears from his eyes and said- ¡°Thank you, my lord. I fear the Prince and I had a simple misunderstanding. I would not be able to bear it if this hurt our kingdoms¡¯ friendship in any way, so¡­ if the Prince and your Lordship could forget this incident, I will as well.¡± The King, of course, was pleased to hear this. One of the cooks offered to escort Cyndras back to his room and then he retired for the night after an extensive bath trying to rid his skin of those disgusting bruises. For the most part, the following weeks passed uneventfully. Every now and then, Cyndras would get a strange look from a passerby, or hear whispers in the halls. It seemed the rumor mill had done its work and he was protected from seeing Prince Ranmei nearly everywhere he went. The man himself largely avoided Cyndras, and the one time he spoke to him after that night was when the young Prince was set to leave. ¡°I hope you will return soon, Cyndras.¡± Ranmei managed to look both hostile and sincere as he smiled and bowed. It had been an important trip. The work they had done would affect his Kingdom for many generations. Still, Cyn spent the entire ride home in the carriage thinking a variety of thoughts, all of which centered upon how much he wished to never set foot in Xesith ever again. I used to be so nonchalant about whoever fancied me¡­ my, how things change. Cyndras decided that it must be Solis, the man who single-handedly taught Cyn that he was not just a pretty face nor beautiful vessel to be used and admired by others on a whim. Cyndras used to believe, truly, that he had been cursed with beauty, and because of that, he was destined to a life of loneliness, never sure who loved him for his soul versus his face. That fear of being separated from everyone by this unseen partition had always been what he used both as a shield, and an excuse. To find things to hate in others, and despise in himself. How strange, he thought, watching Versilla appear in the distance. To be so sure of one¡¯s place in this world, only to find with a simple perspective shift, nothing was ever as it seemed¡­ Cyndras was many things, in fact, he was still discovering most of them. He was beautiful, and he was full of rage. He was lazy, and passionate, and sometimes wanted to just disappear off the face of the earth, like the sun dipping below the sea and blinking out of existence. Cyndras was many things, and what he was pleased to discover was that at his core, he was stubborn. And he held grudges for many, many years. That would prove to be an unfortunate truth for the eldest Prince of Xesith. Peace treaties aside, Cyndras was unable to overlook pure unmannerly behavior. If it took a year or two for the impotence-causing poison to find its way into Prince Ranmei¡¯s goblet, Cyndras didn¡¯t mind. He had also discovered he possessed quite a multitude of patience. Falling For The God of Stars ¡°A god has died-¡± ¡°Granny, how can you say that?! You will bring bad luck!¡± ¡°The signs are there. A shadow has fallen over the realm and war is on the horizon. Luck has nothing to do with it, it is nature.¡± Cyrus was glad he had lived too many years already to be frightened by the words of a village seer. The children didn¡¯t know any better, so they sat wide-eyed and quivering by the fire as the old woman plucked the feathers from a bird. ¡°Hush now, you¡¯re going to give them nightmares!¡± One of the mothers cried. Cyrus wanted to mumble something about the truth of their circumstances already giving the little ones bad dreams, but he was quickly called away from his eavesdropping by the morning patrol. There was some sort of incident on The Gold Road that had ended with his men losing more than half of the usual supplies, and now he was having to ration their remaining assets and coddle his soldiers¡¯ bruised egos. Cyrus was trying to hold onto a bit of common sense here, he knew these villagers weren¡¯t soldiers, it was just not a distinction that mattered much anymore. They were here, they were rebels against the King, and they were fighting. They were soldiers. And Cyrus was just trying to lead them in any direction that would save their lives¡­ It had begun slowly, a gradual shift of wealth and power into the hands of the Kingdom¡¯s rulers. Cyrus had watched it happen during his youth and felt the effects of the imbalance more than most; poverty and homelessness were always easy ways to get brushed aside by the upper class. Then the turning point came. It started with sickness, and with that plague, the true intentions of their King came to light. After that, with the economy and resources in shambles, protests started, and all threats of an uprising were quickly squashed by the royal guard. That didn¡¯t stop the violence, if anything the King¡¯s show of strength and indiscriminate punishment only fueled the rebellion¡¯s fire. Cyrus had been a young teenager during the years of the plague and subsequent totalitarian regime implemented by the government. What were the reasons for any such power grab? It was simply greed, and a disregard for human life. Cyrus had watched the violence bloom like a bloodstain on the streets of his city, and had himself been on the business end of the royal guard¡¯s swords a few too many times for comfort. What started as lockdowns and curfews for ¡°public safety¡± quickly devolved into armed guards patrolling the streets, laws being thrown out in favor of bribes and who-knew-who, all out chaos in the lives of citizens as the King taxed the poor to high heaven and postured to the neighboring lands with his perceived wealth and power. It was killing Cyrus¡¯ kingdom, and it had to stop. If he had to cut off the head of the beast himself, so be it. There would not be a new generation of orphans like him, forced into slavery to pay for food and medical expenses. He would not allow it. Starting a rebellion hadn¡¯t really been on his radar, then one day there was shouting in the streets, and Cyrus had been too dizzy with rage at the soldiers beating down an old woman who couldn¡¯t afford her bills. He¡¯d accidentally started a riot, and as the one who had thrown the first punch and somehow the only one with a clue what to do when they ended up outnumbered, Cyrus was promoted to rebellion leader as a good portion of that neighborhood had rallied with him to fight back. They¡¯d been chased off by the royal guard into the forest, but Cyrus had spent a good portion of time there throughout his life, so he knew how to survive. Keeping nearly forty other people alive, at first, had been the straw that nearly broke his back. Over the course of two years, others had come to find them, since the situation in the Kingdom had been growing steadily worse. Now, at nineteen, Cyrus was in charge of nearly one hundred and fifty human lives¡­ more, because his people refused to stop having babies with each other even after he made several pleas with references to their lacking resources. There had been a surprising common thread that tied him to all these folks, one that the young man hadn¡¯t really expected, because when faced with the kind of oppression they had endured, most people were too afraid to make change. Cyrus had somehow begun a movement which was taking their Kingdom by storm. They had people stumbling blindly into the forest with their hands up, begging to be a part of the revolution, and a quickly growing army of young men who could fight decently well. Cyrus had started sending out small groups to intercept shipments to Bastia at the very start of their situation, simply to gather supplies, but now it was much more of a strategy. They were stealing needed items right from under their King¡¯s nose and were beginning to amass a large collection of not only wealth, but weapons. Cyrus was convinced that they could hold their own in a defensive battle, but more than that, he was cautiously optimistic that in a few more years they would have what it took to overcome the might of their oppressor. That was why a setback like losing over half of a shipment meant he spent the next few days in a sour mood. Shockingly, the only one who really took notice of him having less patience than normal and snapping at others, was their newest arrival¡­ Solis had unintentionally become group nanny for the children that were old enough to have legs that could carry them out of the safe zone of the forest. Cyrus would be returning from a hunt or a patrol, and would often hear giggling in the bushes, or hear the pitter-patter of little footsteps followed by heavier ones; a flash of golden hair in his peripheral vision and then Solis would be there, scooping up the little ones and hanging them upside down as they swung like devilish monkeys back to camp. Admittedly, Cyrus was having a hard time finding the man¡¯s presence disruptive when it meant free child care. He ate and slept pretty sparingly too, and held his own when it came to hunts and foraging, so it wasn¡¯t like Solis was more trouble than he was worth. There was also the little bit about him being able to tell when Cyrus was in a bad mood, and that was strange, because Cyrus wasn¡¯t used to having to explain himself to others. It wasn¡¯t¡­ bad though. No, it wasn¡¯t really bad. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cyrus glared at the man as he dug his knife out of the tree again. Usually it helped him vent his anger, but today it was only making it worse. ¡°Nothing-¡± ¡°When humans say nothing, they usually mean something. So, what is it?¡± Cyrus was in a mood to yell at someone and hack up some foliage, but he forced himself to take a breath. When he threw his knife into the tree again it bounced off and landed with a sad thunk on the forest floor. He seethed, clenching his fists. ¡°Maybe it would help if what you were throwing at was a little more malleable¡­¡± Before Cyrus could ask what the hell the other man was saying, Solis reached down, picked up his blade, and held it out handle-side toward him. Cyrus took it hesitantly, and then the other man went to stand in front of the tree and extended his arms, smiling like a fool. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m ready!¡± Cyrus stared at him like he was insane, and he was. They didn¡¯t get many medical supplies out here. If you got hurt that was bad enough, but if it got infected, that was pretty much the worst thing that could happen. Sitting on your ass for however long an infection took to run its course wasn¡¯t only anxiety-provoking, but it fostered resentment among friends. Cyrus had seen it first hand. He¡¯d also seen his people push through injuries, as he himself had, never wanting to fall behind. Solis was playing around like this was some sort of joke. Well, Cyrus wasn¡¯t laughing! Glaring, the man gestured with his knife and huffed- ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for your games, Solis.¡± And then something else inside him said; ¡°I¡¯m not like the children who follow you around.¡± Solis just shook his head, ¡°No. You¡¯re not. And you¡¯re not in the mood to talk about whatever is upsetting you either, so I thought I could distract you. I¡¯m sorry it wasn¡¯t funny.¡± Well, now I just feel bad¡­ Cyrus suddenly felt awkward and unbalanced, unsure in his skin in a way he wasn¡¯t used to. He almost never felt his age anymore, but when he was around Solis he really felt like some stupid kid. Sometimes Cyrus wishes he could be more like the man. Solis was always kind to everyone, and he was patient no matter what, and always seemed to know the best thing to say. He was always just there too, wherever he was needed. Cyrus would often turn around to ask someone for help and the man would be there in a blink, willing and able. There was no talk of how hard the work was, how Solis didn¡¯t get anything in return, just the pleasure of their exhausted company and a few acres of trees. Cyrus hadn¡¯t a single clue why he stayed. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Cyrus starts, then something makes him bite his tongue. God, why does this feel so awkward?! It¡¯s not, I¡¯m just going crazy- But looking at how open the other man¡¯s face was, his amber eyes intently listening, as if Solis was going to be there no matter what problem Cyrus had, and whether or not he even asked for a fix. Cyrus didn¡¯t know what to do with that level of¡­ kindness? Is that even what it was? Was Solis not just a rich little lord, spending time away from his real responsibilities for a while? Cyrus had no reason to expect him to stay for long. Maybe that was another reason he felt uncomfortable. What¡¯s to say, someday there would be a problem or a situation that Solis didn¡¯t want to help him solve? There was nothing tying him to their cause, no allegiance, nothing¡­ he could leave whenever he wanted. Cyrus was upset by the thought of it. And, he didn¡¯t know why. ¡°Nevermind,¡± he tried to laugh it off, quickly stowing his blade and then turning around, like hiding his face will keep the other from seeing his confusion, or the tears gathering in his eyes. Cyrus is tired. So fucking tired¡­ of being a leader, when he¡¯d only been living for himself for the past decade. He was tired of problems, of the millions of fires to put out, and a hundred mouths to feed, and the hope of his Kingdom resting on his young shoulders. He was tired of being angry. Cyrus was tired of the headaches it gave him, and being so fed up with everyone and everything. Solis was like a glimpse into another way of life, of being at peace, and Cyrus felt himself wishing beyond all hope that he could grasp that peace, touch it, taste it for himself, heedless of responsibility or fate. Cyrus wanted to be done, but since he couldn¡¯t, he was angry. He had no illusions of surviving this war. He¡¯d made his peace with that, but now, here was a stranger who seemed to embody everything Cyrus wished he could have, and there was a knot in his throat at imagining the day Solis would inevitably leave, and that vision of the future would be taken from him. God, he was so confused¡­ The next time Cyrus spoke to Solis alone was a few days later. The man had been strangely quiet, not like his usual self for a while, and Cyrus had in fact gone looking for him at dusk, surprised to find the man cross-legged under a tree, meditating with a distinct frown on his normally bright and eager face. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Cyrus said, putting his hands on his hips. When Solis opened his eyes, it was clear that the answer was something very serious. Despite himself, Cyrus immediately knelt and reached out a hesitant hand, placing it on the other man¡¯s knee in an uncharacteristic show of support. Cyrus was finding, oddly enough, that in his heart he possessed endless softness for this stranger. ¡°What happened?¡± He asked, in a tone far gentler than any he¡¯d used before. Solis drew in a shuddering breath, then seemed to nod. When he glanced up at Cyrus, there was a strange flicker of stillness between them that the boy was afraid to admit he felt, just in case the other hadn¡¯t. Maybe it was just deja vu, but¡­ he could have sworn he had a sudden recollection of being chased through this very forest by Solis once upon a time. He really must be losing his mind- ¡°Can I tell you something?¡± Solis says, a little out of breath. ¡°A secret?¡± Cyrus nods. He¡¯s pretty good at keeping those. Whatever it is must be hard for Solis to get out, because he stops and starts a few times. ¡°I am actually a god¡­¡± Cyrus feels like an idiot. When Solis sees his expression, his eyes crinkle at the edges and he laughs awkwardly, then clears his throat. ¡°Ah, that feels strange. I¡¯ve never told anyone. We¡¯re not really supposed to, you see¡­ I am from The Heavenly Realm, but it¡¯s a mess up there right now. A god recently passed away, so there¡¯s all this traffic in the communications array. It feels like shouting in my head, all the time. It can be very disorienting. That is why I was trying to meditate¡­¡± Cyrus just blinks at him, waiting for Solis to grin and say he was joking just to get a reaction out of him. That doesn¡¯t happen, and Cyrus is left even more confused than before. Solis is obviously waiting for his response, but he really doesn¡¯t know what to say. What is more believable; that this man is just crazy, or that a god of The Heavenly Realm decided to take a vacation and spend a few months living in the forest with a band of rogues? ¡°I, uh¡­ can prove it, if you want?¡± Solis smiles a bit shyly. Cyrus sits back and then Solis closes his eyes. Only a second passes before Cyrus¡¯ hand shoots out to take Solis by the wrist, and then he¡¯s stammering- ¡°N-No, no. I believe you. You don¡¯t¡­ have to prove it. Don¡¯t, please.¡± Why he did that, he couldn¡¯t be sure. Maybe it¡¯s because he would rather choose to believe that Solis is telling the truth, over having to face the certainty that he is either lying or crazy. Cyrus thinks he can handle blind faith. Anything, instead of Solis being out of his fucking mind. Cyrus doesn¡¯t think he can take that. The other man blinks, then smiles. ¡°Okay.¡± Because Cyrus is a fool, he releases the man and breathes out; ¡°Who died? You said¡­ someone-¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Solis frowns again, ¡°The god of life and death passed away. He had lived for many centuries and according to the others, died peacefully, of old age, which for gods usually just means a lack of power. I didn¡¯t know him well, but a god¡¯s passing is always a difficult time for everyone in The Heavenly Realm.¡± Cyrus swallows, anxiously stammering; ¡°S-So, is that why you¡¯re here? To¡­ get away?¡± The man pauses for a bit, then shrugs. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not sure. I came here a long time ago and just never left? The Heavens can be so strict and confining. I really prefer it here. Things just feel¡­ a little more important in The Mortal Realm, you know?¡± Cyrus lays there in his tent that night and can¡¯t seem to bring himself to sleep. There is a freshly burning truth inside his heart that hurts like nothing he has ever known, and as the hours pass, he continues to refuse to admit it, knowing it will kill him if he does. So¡­ Solis is a god. Or, he is a fool, and I definitely am, for having fallen in love with him- Cyrus is afraid to admit that, even knowing this, it changes nothing. How did he get here, huh? Finding peace in a man who might very well have come from the Heavens? Wanting a man who is likely just insane? Cyrus wishes he could forget him, so it would hurt a little less on the day he inevitably had to return, fade back into obscurity like the heavenly fool he is. Cyrus wishes he didn¡¯t have to grieve a love that would never be. Sanctuary Cyrus has been trying to catch the ¡°god¡± in a godly act for weeks now, but to no avail. He isn¡¯t even sure why he bothers, truth be told. Solis must just be confused. The man is heavenly to look at, but he is no deity. Still¡­ Cyrus finds his eyes on him more often than not. Part of that meant Solis accompanying them on hunts every other day. Cyrus was one part enraged and two parts aroused by the man¡¯s stealth in the forest, while consistently proving himself to be a bumbling idiot most other times. It could have been Cyrus¡¯ fault that day, what happened; as he admits to being a bit distracted by Solis¡¯ expert snare-weaving abilities and knife skills, or it might have simply been plain old bad luck. Either way, there were no gods on their side that afternoon¡­ Cyrus had just finished tying the third squirrel to his belt when he heard the spine-chilling whistle that meant there were Kingsmen nearby. He had taught it to all of his people, but it was used for emergencies only and to help others get away. If someone from their hunting party was using it, that meant that soldiers were getting close. Close to their camp. Thankfully, Cyrus had plans for things like this. He had strategies, he had- Shit¡­ he had Solis! The man perked his ears up at the whistle and blinked those amber eyes at him innocently. Cyrus had already stashed his knife and was hauling Solis to his feet by the time the other could even ask. ¡°What was that?¡± Cyrus shushed him with a finger over his mouth, and then began to drag the man along. Solis didn¡¯t ask questions and merely ran along beside him, his feet light as he followed Cyrus down an unmarked, windy path, which led them deeper into the woods and further away from his people. Trying to keep calm and alert, Cyrus measured his breathing and kept putting one foot in front of the other. After running for a few minutes, he stopped to try and see if they were being followed. Unfortunately, right at that moment, Solis apparently decided he was getting too warm, and began unceremoniously stripping out of his shirt. It was a hot day. Cyrus was sweating too. He could feel it dripping down his nose and drenching his clothes. Breathless and tongue-tied, the young man spent just a few too many seconds staring at Solis¡¯ lithe form; his skin as pale as the moon and just as luminous. Was it really fair for someone to look like that?! Cyrus didn¡¯t think so. Here he was, draped in moss and squirrels, and there was Solis, looking like a fucking jade statue- ¡­not a god, but am I certain he isn¡¯t an angel? Of course, it was right then that the two men heard the first arrow fly past them and land directly beside Cyrus¡¯ head, splitting open the bark of a tree. ¡°Shit-¡± Cyrus grabbed Solis and shoved him forward. Admittedly, being within shooting distance was already not great, but Cyrus really didn¡¯t want to get caught by the soldiers. He had seen what they did to their own citizens who couldn¡¯t pay their taxes, he really didn¡¯t want to know what they were capable of doing to a deserter who had incited a revolution. ¡°What should we do?¡± Solis panted beside him. Cyrus just gritted his teeth, ¡°Shut up and run-¡± Urgency gripped his lungs, and Cyrus stumbled a bit when he realized he could hear rumbling footsteps behind them, not too far away. He couldn¡¯t look back, but he was certain that a few more arrows landed along the path as they careened through the forest. Okay, so maybe he didn¡¯t exactly have a plan for something like this¡­ Fuck that! The plan was; get the Kingsguard as far away from the camp as possible and try not to get killed in the process! So far, Cyrus was doing a terrific job! That is, until he heard the cutting sound of an arrow whistle right by his ear, and then Solis¡¯ sharp inhale. They were both still running with aching limbs, their hair and clothes getting snagged on leaves and branches, but when Cyrus heard the other man gasp in pain, his heart seized up and his feet followed. During that lapse of concentration, Cyrus tripped, quickly finding himself face-first on the ground in a painful sprawl, his ankle hooked over a twisting tree root and his pride smarting something fierce. ¡°They¡¯re over here! I see them-¡± There was so much blood rushing to his head, Cyrus thought he was about to explode, then he felt himself being yanked to his feet and the next second, he was being stuffed inside the gaping hollow of a large tree. ¡°...?!¡± Cyrus squeaked a little indignantly and then froze. Out of the corner of his eye there was movement. Solis had snapped a leafy branch down to hang over the hollow, but through the gaps Cyrus was able to see the broad, armored backs of the soldiers as they swept through the forest, turning over rocks and logs, clearly searching. For them. Cyrus had no idea where Solis had disappeared to, he could only hope that the man was also hidden. Holding his breath, mind completely blank, Cyrus could barely focus on anything besides the cool interior of the tree and the sound of the Kingsguard walking back and forth just a few meters away. After a few minutes, the soldiers began to walk off, but Cyrus still couldn¡¯t draw in a breath and soon, he began to shake. Sweat had cooled all over his body and the dark shade inside the tree was making him shiver. Moving slightly to adjust his intensely uncomfortable stance in the small space, the man winced as he felt a twinge in his ankle. It would be more difficult to run now if they needed to, but he couldn¡¯t stay in the tree forever, and Solis still needed to be found- ¡°Cyrus?¡± He startled as a thin whisper floated to his ear, but just like that, Cyrus suddenly felt he could breathe again. ¡°Solis??¡± The man¡¯s handsome face appeared outside the hollow and he blinked. ¡°It¡¯s me. You can come out now, they¡¯re gone.¡± Still shaky, feeling a bit nauseous from the adrenaline and the pain in his ankle, Cyrus climbed out of the tree, clutching onto Solis¡¯ hand as the man helped him out. ¡°How did¡­ where are they?¡± Solis gave him a pensive look and carefully began leading Cyrus away. He really did put the least amount of weight possible on his bad ankle, but still, it was wobbly, and felt like putting his foot into a ring of fire. Solis noticed, of course, looking down at Cyrus¡¯ foot and frowning. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Solis, they can¡¯t be far. We need to¡­¡± Cyrus huffed, shaking his head to stave off the dizziness. ¡°We need to keep-¡± Oh gods, was he going to be sick?! From a little thing like this? Absurd! Solis looked back at him gravely, and then all Cyrus can remember is losing his grip on reality, darkness enveloping him exactly like the hollow of a giant tree. When he finally woke, it was to the sound of a steady stream; a trickle of water echoing through a wet cave and the faint breathing beside him of Solis, who had apparently carried Cyrus, completely passed out, into an underground spring. Cyrus inhaled deeply, the cool air smelling of moss and cold water; obviously they were in a cave system that connected to The Sanhi River. Cyrus couldn¡¯t recall how they¡¯d gotten there at all¡­ ¡°Ughh-¡± Solis helped him as he struggled to sit up, collapsing back against the jagged cave wall with a sigh and a curse. Cyrus felt less nauseous now, but still a bit dizzy. He also had no clue how much time had passed. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Solis asked, his voice nothing more than a whisper. ¡°Your leg¡­¡± Cyrus didn¡¯t try to move his foot, he knew it was at least twisted, but there was nothing he could do. Surprisingly though, when he did risk a glance down at his foot, he found it had been bound tightly in strips of pale linen, and tied with a sturdy knot. Glancing over at his companion, Cyrus¡¯ heart thudded when he saw that Solis had not put on his shirt again, even though it was very chilly in the dark cave. The fair-haired man sniffed awkwardly and turned his head, obviously hoping Cyrus didn¡¯t comment on his state of undress, nor the whereabouts of his clothing. Cyrus suddenly wished he could disappear; float away down the river, anything except stay here with this strange silence between them and an injury bound in Solis¡¯ torn clothes. When the hell did I turn into a maiden in need of rescuing?! Clearing his throat, Cyrus tried to focus on what was most important, and as always, that was his people. ¡°We¡¯re near the river?¡± Solis looks back at him and nods. ¡°How close to camp?¡± Solis stills, then shrugs a bit guiltily. Cyrus can only sigh. ¡°Well, we need to get back as soon as possible,¡± Putting most of his weight on his good leg, he stands, clutching the cave wall for stability and fighting off a shiver as he realizes how truly cold he is. Solis must be miserable. ¡°As long as the Kingsguard are no longer following us, we should be-¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Cyrus freezes. Slowly, he meets Solis¡¯ eyes. The other has also stood, and is currently looking directly into Cyrus¡¯ eyes with a very peculiar pinch to his brow that truly tells of nothing good. Even with Solis reaching out and grabbing him, carefully trying to ease him out of the way, nothing can stop the creature sliding down the wall from a low-hanging root. Likewise, nothing can prepare Cyrus for the heart wrenching scream that spills from his throat as he first feels a serpentine-tongue flick against his neck, and then the snake¡¯s fangs sinking deep into his flesh. Two pinpricks of fire quickly devolve into shooting pain all the way down his spine. Cyrus jerks away, flailing and falling into Solis¡¯ arms as he begins to feel a sinking weight radiating from his extremities and threatening to bring him to his knees. Cyrus watches his vision go blurry, and the vague outline of Solis holding him close and easing him gently to the ground. ¡°... stay¡­ awake-¡± He can just barely hear through the cotton in his ears. Ugh, it feels like there¡¯s something in his mouth, keeping his jaw from opening so he can respond. It¡¯s so frustrating that Cyrus begins to cry. He doesn¡¯t remember crying before in his entire life. All he knows is shooting pain, and his muscles stiffening, and something warm and heavy around him, like a thick fur pelt or the arms of an angel. Maybe I¡¯m going to heaven, he thinks numbly, as he falls away from the world¡­ Maybe I¡¯m finally done. Cyrus drifts in and out of consciousness, wheezing and sweating and pale, until eventually Solis has transferred enough Heavenly energy into his body to be able to clear some of the poison from his veins. He is by no means a medical professional, but after so many years hanging around Prentis, he has definitely picked up a few things. The trick was to be delicate, purposeful¡­ not all mortal bodies could take the strain of a god¡¯s blessing, but Solis knew this one could. Cyrus was strong. His soul- magnificent¡­ Solis would do whatever he could to help him live. That is why, when the young man begins to shiver and weep silently in his arms, the god pulls him closer and finally inspects the bite wound. He immediately frowns at how swollen the back of Cyrus¡¯ neck has become, right where it meets his shoulder. It¡¯s raised, the skin reddish and hot. Two puncture wounds ooze blood and pus, the redness descending all the way down Cyrus¡¯ shoulder, halfway down his arm and all the way up his neck. It looks horrifying, and horribly painful. Solis will have to make it better¡­ Apologies, he thinks, gazing at the little human¡¯s pained expression. Hopefully this will make everything alright. Solis tightens his arms around the young man¡¯s shaking form, then pulls him closer in his lap. With a brief inhale to steady himself, the god opens his mouth and presses it down around the wound. Cyrus makes a high, gasping noise, wincing and shifting away, but Solis holds him tightly and seals his lips around the bite. The snake¡¯s venom will do nothing to him, that is why Solis closes his eyes as he begins to suck it out, focusing entirely on using just enough pressure so that he doesn¡¯t cause Cyrus any undue pain, nor more bruising. After all, the last thing he would want is for his courageous benefactor to feel awkward around him after this. When Cyrus opens his eyes, he is leaning on someone¡¯s strong, bare shoulder. It takes him several seconds to remember where he is, and then another few to remember why he should definitely not be alive right now. ¡°Ow¡­¡± he grumbles, wincing as he tries to sit up. He can¡¯t, so Cyrus just plops back down. He was less dizzy than before, but he was so damn tired. Feeling his pillow shift slightly, Cyrus manages to turn only enough to look at Solis out of the corner of his eye. The man is watching him, gaze soft, concern so evident on his face that Cyrus really has to take a second to remind himself how to breathe normally. ¡°What-¡± he swallows past a painfully dry throat, ¡°What happened?¡± Beside him, he hears Solis sigh. ¡°Snake died. You did not.¡± Cyrus huffs. Yeah, he didn¡¯t feel dead. Death wouldn¡¯t ache as much as this. Too exhausted to even reach up and feel for the wound on his shoulder, Cyrus closes his eyes and drifts. Eventually, he catches the faint sound of a gentle whistle; Solis snoring softly in the dimly lit cave. It brings a flushed smile to Cyrus¡¯ face that doesn¡¯t leave for some time. It¡¯s odd¡­ the longer they remain there, the longer they become one with the earth, the water, the stone; the more Cyrus begins to feel that he never wants to get up and leave. There could be soldiers at the camp right now, setting fire to the trees, but Cyrus cannot find any energy in him to care. His fears are world away, his nightmares- caught in snares. There is only running water, a slight aching sting in his shoulder, and Solis¡¯ warm skin under his cheek, slightly damp but beautiful, and a perfect place for him to rest. Cyrus wants to live here forever, not in a snake-infested cave, but in this moment. He wants it so much, he forgets he doesn¡¯t have it. He forgets that there is anything else. That is why, when Solis eventually wakes him and informs him that the coast is clear, Cyrus immediately begins to cry. The fair-haired man¡¯s eyebrows draw together and he frowns, tilting his head the way he tilts it at animals in the forest when he doesn¡¯t know the exact species. ¡°What is it?¡± He asks the young man, ¡°It hurts?¡± And, because Cyrus cannot tell him the truth; that right now, Solis is, to him, the only Heaven he has ever wanted to believe in, the only God he sees, Cyrus just bites his tongue and nods sharply. Yes. It hurts, he thinks. It hurts knowing that we have to stop being wounded, that we have to go back to living our lives now¡­ Why can¡¯t he just stay here? Die in Solis¡¯ arms some more? With him, Cyrus could imagine a thousand deaths that would be made peaceful by the man¡¯s mere presence. A thousand fires that he would let burn, as long as the other was warm, and by his side. Anything would be better than this life where Cyrus can¡¯t have him. The Uprising Kills He knows when he sees the amount of weapons they are trying to smuggle through the borders, that the war is starting. Cyrus readies his people as much as he can, but what is there to really say besides; you¡¯re probably going to die tomorrow, just pray that it can be for something important¡­? As far as an actual battle strategy goes, he doesn¡¯t have much, mostly just overwhelm them with numbers. So, they prepare what they can; swords, and rags dipped in flammable oil, and spears that the old men carve out of tree branches. The elderly who cannot fight prepare the camp to protect and watch over the children. Cyrus sees Solis giving the little ones a stern talking to about staying together, and he can¡¯t help but feel a twisting in his gut as he sees their little worried faces and realizes that if they fail and don¡¯t return, the children are not going to make it either. An eerie silence fills the forest, as no one seems to know what to say. Cyrus doesn¡¯t want to give up before the battle has begun, but all the words his people are too afraid to speak out loud just prove to him how dreadful their task really is. No one would suffer this torment if there were any other choice. At least he has Solis on his side, always there to ask what he needs from moment to moment. The light in the man¡¯s golden eyes draws away a portion of the darkness, and Cyrus feels a tightness at the back of his throat everytime he sees Solis glance at him. Cyrus wants to thank him for¡­ whatever he¡¯s doing. A small part of him longs to pull the beautiful man deeper into the pitch-black forest, to spill his guts about how he feels. They might not live beyond tomorrow, and Cyrus aches at the idea of dying with regrets or words left unsaid, but truly, he cannot bring himself to put his love out in the open when it might just as soon be stained with blood. They have a chance. They have breath in their bodies, and if by some miracle they manage to set into motion a change in their Kingdom¡­ if Cyrus lives to see it, he will thank the sun for every day it rises, and he will tell Solis the truth; that he is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen, that he loves every single day they spend together. That is, if they live. If they don¡¯t, Cyrus will just have to be buried with secrets. That realization tastes bitter on his tongue as they finish readying supplies, and Cyrus gathers his people at the edge of the forest. They are technically within Bastia¡¯s borders now, the Kingsguard likely on patrol, but it¡¯s still dark, and besides, Cyrus knows these woods like the back of his hand¡­ However, little did they know that that very night, the cruel King was being visited by a god in his dreams; a god cloaked in visions of blood and death. The god whispered to the King that he would win the war, but only if he wielded a very special sword forged in the Heavens. The King woke just before dawn with a gasp, and there, on his nightstand, was the sword exactly how it appeared in his dream. If Solis could have known this, perhaps he would have told Cyrus something different instead of the words he whispered as they waited to attack¡­ ¡°Good luck. I believe in you-¡± Cyrus¡¯ heart ached, everything in him begging to reach out and steal a kiss from the man, just in case they didn¡¯t make it. The young thief could only smile bitterly and force out the words; ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little redundant, coming from a god?¡± Solis¡¯ laugh eased all of the tension in Cyrus¡¯ heart, which truly was no blessing as just then, a ferocious scream echoed through the woods and everyone snapped to attention. With that one cry, The Battle of Bastia commenced¡­ Cyrus was going to be brave if it killed him, and it very possibly would. He led the attack; the first line of their strongest young men clashing like steel against the abrupt surge of soldiers that swarmed them at the kingdom¡¯s gate. There was so much noise, it felt like the air was vibrating with it. Cyrus could barely move; they were so crammed into the mess of bodies and blades. He was pressed shoulder to shoulder with both friend and enemy, each army pushing at the other, slashing weapons with no real room to swing. It was obvious very soon however, that Cyrus¡¯ people outnumbered the Kingsguard. Once that first line of soldiers stumbled and fell, the rebels took the momentum and ran with it, trampling the first few rows and widening the playing field so that more weapons could be drawn from all sides. Cyrus had been using all his strength to push back and now his arms were screaming at him. He was using his knife and a pitifully dull sword mainly to keep soldiers off him, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he was actually killing anyone. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Adrenaline made his ears ring and his heart pump, forcing him to keep going as their entire army descended on the gates. It was shockingly easy to push through them¡­ one second they were slamming up against the iron barns and the next, Cyrus was among those that fell over each other as the gate bowed and burst open. With blood-chilling shouts, they flooded the streets. The soldiers they were met with on their rapid-paced march to the palace were few and far between, and Cyrus felt a small flicker of hope within reaching distance. He could almost envision his kingdom flourishing under a fair rule. Gods, he wanted that for his people so bad- They deserved it, after all the hell they¡¯d been put through. And, Cyrus felt he deserved to be done¡­ Their battle continued again at the palace gates themselves, but these were for sure locked and bolted; guarded by the fiercest soldiers, all of them wielding weapons far stronger and more powerful than any Cyrus could have gotten his hands on. They also had horses. Which is about to really fucking suck- ¡°In line!¡± Cyrus shouted to his men, ¡°Extend spears!¡± This had been part of his butchered attempt at training¡­ he had once upon a time apprenticed at a stable, so he did know a thing or two about horses. Less about their cavalry, but Cyrus was making do. His men had just fallen into a half-assed formation, spears pointed out at the attacking guards, when suddenly the gates to the palace were forced open by what felt like a gust of strong wind. It knocked everyone on the street off their feet. Cyrus was flung into the window of a nearby shop as he distantly heard people screaming and horses whinnying in distress. As the gust settled and Cyrus managed to crawl his way out of the broken shards, wincing as he felt a sharp twinge in his shoulder, suddenly all he could do was freeze at the sight before him. If I had any doubts about Solis before, I sure as hell don¡¯t have them now¡­ There the man stood, at the barren center of the street between two halves of a completely battered, blown-away war. Almost everyone was still on their ass; a few horses and Kingsguards were trying to struggle to their feet, but the blast had incapacitated the entire fight. It had touched everyone except Solis, who was currently fending off the King of Bastia himself, with what looked like a beam of pure light. Unable to see his movements, Solis fighting at a clearly inhuman speed, Cyrus watched from his pile of broken glass as Solis handily out-maneuvered the King and blocked blow after blow, even landing some of his own strikes with whatever Heavenly weapon he had procured. Cyrus had never seen a god before, but it was still so clearly Solis that he almost wanted to burst into tears right then and there¡­ I prayed for someone like you to come and save us, the boy hesitated to admit. I just thought it was going to have to be me- The King was bleeding from several wounds, however Cyrus¡¯ breath caught when he saw that Solis was too. When the King swung again, this time his broadsword landed, slicing a thick gash down Solis¡¯ side. The man cried out in agony, stumbling and flailing as his blood gushed and hit the street in a horrible, audible stream. Cyrus began to panic. Wasn¡¯t Solis a deity? Could he really be injured so easily?! He was obviously in so much pain¡­ could he not just heal it? Cyrus¡¯ own pain from whatever he¡¯d done to his shoulder, and the glass that was making itself known deep under his skin, was becoming harder and harder to ignore. He felt his eyelids wanting to close, a bone-deep exhaustion threatening to drag him under, but still, Cyrus forced himself to stay awake. Not only that, he forced himself to move. If he could just get to Solis, if he could get to a sword, if he could help the god, maybe everything would be- ¡°Ahh!¡± Cyrus looked up just in time to see the King pulling his blade out of Solis¡¯ chest. Something he hadn¡¯t even known he possessed, shattered inside Cyrus, as he watched the man crumble to his knees and then fall bonelessly to the ground, eyes glassy and unseeing. In the mere seconds it took to happen, Cyrus was already getting to his feet. Gone was his exhaustion, in fact, there was only one thing he could feel as he ran straight towards the King with nothing but his bare hands to rip flesh from bone¡­ Cyrus felt death. He felt Solis¡¯ death; like a knife in his spine, pulling him down to the ground and telling him to lay there a while. He felt his own death; looming before him as he walked straight into its clutches. Cyrus felt the death of this wretched King, as the boy screamed incoherently and grasped the man by the throat, choking him and making him bleed. He felt death, even as the King¡¯s sword pushed deep inside Cyrus¡¯ heart. He barely felt it. He did, however, experience an odd surge of strength, the sensation making him feel almost euphoric as he felt and heard the King¡¯s neck snap, his body slumping to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. Cyrus stared down at the blade sticking out of his chest. He realized he could not take a breath, that it was stuck in his lungs, and that he could also no longer feel his legs. They collapsed beneath him in the next second. Fingers going numb, vision going dark, he still tried to reach out through the pool of blood under him to find the pool where Solis lay. The man was still so beautiful, even with crimson on his pristine white robes. Cyrus almost grasped the god¡¯s hand, but his injured shoulder wouldn¡¯t let him reach that last inch. Dammit all to hell, the boy thought numbly, as he bled out¡­ I should have really given him that kiss after all- The Prince Remembers His Past Life Reincarnation possesses a fundamental understanding; that through living many lives one will ultimately discover the essence of who and what they are, and their purpose in the universe. As nothing new is created, only recycled endlessly, with souls being no exception, certainly there are people who have been reincarnated billions of times. Perhaps they have split off into multiple others after reaching a certain state, or maybe they eventually grasped the purpose of their existence and were enfolded back into the ether to be remade again. By that logic, some souls must have experienced everything humanity and nature has to offer, many times over. Yet, when the learning is done, where do those souls go? Over time, they eventually become a large collection of lessons learned, starting out near the beginning as a tuft of mossy grass, or a single leaf. The lessons at the beginning are small and largely insignificant; water is life, sun is life, cows are death- There is a spiritual pattern to all beings, like the stratum of a great mountain. Like the lines of the earth, this spiritual texture illustrates the layers of new soul growth on top of old. What began as a slow deposit of knowledge and understanding on a fundamental level, became over the years, a weave of intricate choices and beliefs. The core of a person may stay the same while this new growth blooms around and over it. That is how Cyn¡¯s soul was constructed, a very, very long time ago. Some believe that karma plays a role in reincarnation, but more than right or wrong, the individual soul looks for what it missed out learning in the last life and goes where it needs to to fill the void. Whatever lesson is standing between it and its growth, is where the light chooses to shine. Like humans, souls are always learning, always reaching for the top rung of a ladder they have no hope of seeing the end to. Once upon a time, Cyn¡¯s soul was in the process of discovering humility, among other things. He was born in a very religious household, eventually growing up to live in a monastery and take vows to live a simple life devoted to others. That was a significant turning point in his soul¡¯s journey, like the dawn of a new age. After recentering himself in that life and gaining a newfound focus, Cyn¡¯s soul progressed much faster. He went on to live a handful of lives after that, all of which brought him closer and closer to his purpose. Unlike other souls, Cyn¡¯s was very unique, as it had been present, though very different and hardly recognisable, at the beginning of everything. As such, he had very important things to learn, and a very important destiny to achieve. It blurred together after a while. A soul cannot always influence where it goes, sometimes consciousness flickers away and it flows with the wind, landing in a spot that seems a little strange or pointless. You might wonder why there was the short life of a farmer in between that of a Prince and a spinster. Who can say, and who can say what his soul learned on that trip besides how to plant a field of vegetables, but in the end, it all brought him to where he needed to be. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Cyn¡¯s soul experienced everything mortal life had to offer and kept going back for more, like it had something to prove. There was pain, as there always is, and there was beauty and loss and acceptance of the bigger picture. Stubbornness, sure, and truthfully that never really left, only made more sense over time. Cyn was a collection of truths about the universe. A reflection of its greatest strengths and infinite weaknesses. He was created resilient in order to achieve great things and shape the fate of both realms, and as the universe made room for his ascendance, so too did it hold its breath for the picturesque storm he had brewing in his heart over the course of several lives. The Prince¡¯s soul was reborn once again, but not in a mortal body. The first thought Cyn had, as he opened piercing blue eyes on The Heavenly Realm, was- I remember¡­ And indeed, the god remembered it all. There was a flutter of movement on the horizon, and then he was staring at a wide-eyed group of faces, all hesitant to meet his gaze. Cyn already had a pretty good idea of where he was, and with a wealth of knowledge about who he was, his choices were very clearly laid out for him. They were clearly already made. ¡°M-My Lord?¡± One of the angels stammered, ¡°What should this humble Chorus call you? What is your name?¡± The god of life and death thought for a moment. Inside, there were conflicting ideas. His answer was not so straightforward. I have been called many things. I have been Prince, and rebel, and lover¡­ father, mother, child, brother. What name, if it exists, haven¡¯t I been called in my thousands of years of living? Finally, with no true answer, he gave the angels before him a steely glare, and as he spoke, his voice traveled throughout the Heavens and made his ascension known to all the beings in the realm. ¡°Sin.¡± The deity said, ¡°Like an act against God, my name shall be a warning to all.¡± Then, the Prince raised his eyes to the Heavens and delivered his first act as god. It was infuriatingly simple to call a recently departed soul back into existence, especially that of a deity, since they tended to linger for a while after death. Cyndras pulled carefully on the precise thread he needed, and like that, he had plucked the other man from the tapestry of the deceased. The universe itself trembled as he played with it, teetering like a glass about to fall from a table, but Cyndras remained steadfast and calm. Before long, there was a familiar rumble stirring in the heart of the mountain. Cyndras had been very particular. This would be his lover with all of his memories intact. As beautiful and powerful as the day they met in his life as a Prince. Of course, it was easy; he had access to Solis¡¯ memories, his body¡­ his very life. And, snatched out of the blankness of space, the god of stars came tumbling to shore, awash in blue smoke and whispers of fire. Now, Cyndras thought¡­ Take me to the god that had us killed. Universe Alterations And A Trial By Fire Solis was still asleep as Cyn carried him in his arms through Ruewreath and straight to the healer. It really is so convenient, already having this wealth of knowledge of all living beings, Cyndras thought quietly, looking down at the face of his sleeping beloved. When they arrived at the gates, the god of medicine ushered them in with a stupefied expression on his face, only mollified the moment he caught sight of Solis. Cyndras was aware that they would need a safe place to recover from their rebirths before taking on the first order of business, and subsequent revenge. Cyn could be patient. He could be patient and calculating when it came to his lover. ¡°I¡­ cannot believe this!¡± Prentis blinked, astonished as he ran his hands above Solis¡¯ body to feel for spiritual wounds. Cyndras knew he would find none. The healer¡¯s gaze flew to him and he immediately demanded- ¡°You! What did you- how did you do this?! The block in his mind was flawless, it couldn¡¯t be removed!¡± Cyn crossed his arms over his chest, which was draped in a cloak procured by the Chorus on the island. Solis was wearing a similar garment. ¡°You must not have heard.¡± He said, mostly bored. Cyn wished Solis would wake up soon. They needed to get the tearful reunion out of the way¡­ ¡°God of life and death,¡± he watched the other man raise an eyebrow. ¡°At your service.¡± Prentis was evidently speechless, but then there was a distinct inhale of breath from the table, and Solis shot up with a gasp and several flailing limbs. ¡°What happened-¡± Prentis was clearly going to offer an explanation, but smartly moved away when he saw Cyndras¡¯ eyes on the god of stars. Cyn went to stand before his lover and carefully placed a hand on his shoulder. It settled something deep inside him, to feel the man so solidly alive and real. He would never allow Solis to be hurt again. Swallowing back a sudden tightness in his throat, Cyndras waited with bated breath for the god to look at him. When those amber eyes turned, and Solis took his first look at his new form, something crystal clear and smooth like running water flickered to life between them. It was pure energy, and it was felt by both gods, as tangible as their own spiritual cores thrumming and pulsing in their veins. Cyndras was not worried Solis wouldn¡¯t be able to see him. He was concerned the man would still grieve his other lives, despite them all being an intrinsic part of him, but that could come later. For now¡­ ¡°...it¡¯s you-¡± There was a hiccuping cry, and then Cyndras was being pulled into Solis¡¯ arms. As gods, it was not inexplicable for them to have enormous strength, enough to crush boulders and break chains. Despite not wanting to hurt him, Cyndras crushed Solis against his chest, holding on and tightening his hands around the other¡¯s back as if this single hug could seal them together for the rest of time. And with any luck, it would. ¡°My love,¡± Cyn said softly, stroking the other¡¯s hair. ¡°Do not cry. I am here.¡± In the quiet room, Solis sobbed into his chest, shaking hands roaming all over as if making sure he was real. When Solis pulled away first, to reach up and touch Cyn¡¯s face; his neck, his hair, and then the lines of his jaw and softly curved cheeks, all while gazing at everything he touched like it was a language finally coming back to him, Cyndras couldn¡¯t take it anymore and bent to press a kiss to that stunned face. There had been so many kisses shared between the two of them, in so many lives, but this single, seconds-long one was the most pure and delicate of them all. Cyndras felt his power surge upon contact, and then an answering little pull, like Solis¡¯ energy was greeting him for the first time. When Cyn pulled back, he first heard a gentle gasp, and then got to see the lost expression on Solis¡¯ dazed and heavy-lidded face, as he swallowed thickly and murmured- ¡°You¡¯re a god¡­¡± It was less of a question, more of an observation of fact, but Cyndras still felt a little excited to hear his lover¡¯s reaction. Yes, he thought, and I¡¯ve been on my way to you for some time now. I just didn¡¯t know it. There would be time later for a full reunion; eternity, in fact, so Cyndras took Solis¡¯ hands and softly stirred him back to life before he began asking his questions. ¡°The Heavenly Weapon that killed us,¡± Cyn said gravely. ¡°It belongs to a god. Which one?¡± Solis frowned, looking puzzled for a few moments. ¡°I believe I can help with that¡­¡± All of them turned at the sound of the new arrival, and then Solis breathed out softly- ¡°Caishen?¡± Prentis clearly wanted to make himself scarce as soon as possible, and muttered something about being back soon with tea. The god of wealth approached the bed where Solis was still sitting, and Cyndras instinctively stepped in front of the man. ¡°That¡¯s close enough.¡± There was a touch of surprise on Caishen¡¯s otherwise indifferent, inexpressive face, and Cyn had a private laugh with himself as he watched the other god assess him, likely able to feel the immense power that Cyndras was born with. Lucky him, he didn¡¯t have to meditate and cultivate his strength for years on end just to be taken seriously. His energy had been building since his soul¡¯s first human body, and now he had centuries worth. Caishen did regard Cyn with a level of respect. The god backed off gently and inclined his head. ¡°It is an honor,¡± he said simply. ¡°Your presence in The Heavenly Realm is most auspicious. Unfortunately, I come for another matter, one which involves both of you.¡± Cyn felt Solis tugging on his sleeve gently, but he didn¡¯t take his eyes off the other god. Cyndras possessed many strange unique abilities, and an innate understanding of things, to a degree. He was currently looking and judging Caishen harshly for the callousness he knew resided in the man¡¯s heart. Cyndras wanted him nowhere near his lover¡­ ¡°You will explain,¡± Cyn ordered. ¡°Quickly.¡± Expecting Caishen to at least bristle at such a demand, Cyndras was momentarily intrigued by the other god¡¯s small nod, and the slight hunch to his shoulders. Caishen was a very proud man. Obviously, there was something very heavy weighing on him for this show of desperation. ¡°It has come to my attention that a heavenly weapon has found its way into the hands of a mortal. The two of you have indeed seen it, first hand?¡± Cyn manages not to flinch, but he does hear Solis gasp. When Cyndras uncovered his memories, it meant all of them, including the memories of his death in The Mortal Realm. Cyn wishes he too could forget¡­ ¡°Indeed.¡± Cyn grits out, ¡°What is it to you? Who is the owner?¡± Caishen raises his eyes to them gravely, and speaks in a monotone voice. ¡°The god of war. Aeris.¡± Cyn glowers. He should have known. Wasn¡¯t all of this; the shady business with their fate, banishing Solis again and again, all Aeris¡¯ doing in the first place?! Already stalking out of the room, prepared to go straight to The Hand of God, Cyndras was stopped by Solis jumping up and grabbing onto his arm. ¡°Wait! What¡¯s going on? I just¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡± They heard Caishen sigh, then the god said slowly; ¡°After Solis was killed by the weapon, of course, we all felt it. Then, fingers started being pointed; at Khalkeus, for allowing a mortal to wield a Heavenly Weapon, even Prentis was under suspicion for being the one who placed the block in Solis¡¯ mind to begin with. Only I knew the truth. Before Aeris carried a crossbow, he wielded a broadsword. The same one used to end both of your lives. As I¡¯m sure you are aware, only the god who owns a Heavenly Weapon may descend with it to The Mortal Realm. I haven¡¯t told anyone else what I know, but no doubt Aeris is aware that I do.¡± Solis let out a shaky breath, ¡°Why are you telling us this? Don¡¯t you, um-¡± ¡°Forget whatever you think you know about me!¡± Caishen snapped, ¡°Euthos doesn¡¯t know what the hell he¡¯s talking about. Just come with. A hearing has been called in Killera to address the situation. I will bring this evidence to The Heavenly Court, but I wanted you both to hear it from me first.¡± A grave expression crossed Caishen¡¯s face then, and before the man swept out of the room, he hissed- ¡°Is it time Aeris faces all the consequences of his lies!¡± When everyone arrived in Killera, Prentis included, The Heavenly Palace was already in chaos. Seraphim and Chorus members were rushing around everywhere. Today, every god was in attendance and there was so much to be done. The Heavenly Court was rarely called for a hearing, and never before had the accusations been so terrible¡­ Even the god of beasts was there, standing to the side, watching it all go down. Cyndras entered the palace behind Caishen and Prentis, but beside Solis. Their arrival cued the beginning of the hearing, and as they took their places on the eleventh and twelfth chairs, the absolutely silent room found all eyes on them. Before leaving Ruewreath, Solis had been adamant that they dress more appropriately. He got the cutest blush across his nose and under his eyes when Cyn took stock of his thin attire, and stated it would be a shame to change out of it. In the end, Solis returned to his comfortable white robes with no adornments, and Cyndras decided to go for a shock factor instead. After all, how many times did one get to make a first, and hopefully terrifying impression, on the other gods? Cyn met the flighty gazes of every attendant surrounding the round court table, his exquisitely clear blue eyes; like uncut diamonds, the only part of his face they could see behind the long silk mask. Every single one of their gazes flickered away¡­ ¡°Welcome to Killera,¡± Caishen said evenly. ¡°We will begin at once. Khalkeus, you will be my first witness. Please, rise.¡± The goddess stood, hands behind her back. The gods never needed to swear on anything. Their word was law. That was why finding the liars among them could be terribly¡­ time consuming. Caishen began succinctly. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Two-thousand eight-hundred years ago, did you or did you not, forge a spiritual weapon for the god of war?¡± Khalkeus¡¯ response was even¡­ ¡°I did.¡± ¡°And what was that weapon?¡± ¡°A broadsword.¡± Caishen continued; ¡°Was this the only weapon you forged for the god of war?¡± ¡°No. Upon reaching a certain level of power, it is uncommon but not impossible for a god to possess two or more weapons. Aeris came to me several hundred years ago with a request for a crossbow.¡± ¡°And is it true that only the god whose spiritual energy runs through a Heavenly Weapon may carry it to The Mortal Realm?¡± Khalkeus nodded, ¡°Yes. In another¡¯s hands, a spiritual weapon would be unable to pass through The Ether¡¯s Gate.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Caishen said, and Khalkeus took a seat while the god of wealth continued¡­ ¡°There is indisputable proof that the Heavenly Weapon which was found in the hands of a mortal and caused the deaths of both Solis, and Cyn¡¯s previous mortal life, belonged to the god of war, Aeris. Only he could have descended with the sword. Now, I would like to call the god of love and fate as my next witness. Kulao, please stand.¡± Gentle murmurs and unsure glances circled the table, as almost everyone began to understand the ramifications of what Caishen was saying¡­ ¡°As the god of fate,¡± Caishen said. ¡°You have access to both the fates of mortals and gods alike, do you not?¡± Kulao chanced a glance across the table at Aeris, who remained impassive-looking as ever¡­ ¡°Uh, yes¡­¡± Kulao shrugged, clearly nervous. ¡°Would you please show us the fate-line of the god of war?¡± Now, even louder, more uncomfortable murmurs rippled throughout the room. Asking to view one¡¯s own fate was the most taboo, absurd request! Caishen knew that, but didn¡¯t look the least bit concerned. Kulao¡¯s shifty eyes eventually found Cyn¡¯s. The god of death stared the other down intensely, and the whole table heard Kulao¡¯s big gulp of air as he quickly turned away. ¡°O-Okay,¡± Kulao stammered, reaching out slightly shaking hands. ¡°For the trial¡­¡± And with that, Kulao brought a fate-line out into the open between his palms for all to see. It was golden, swaying delicately, but full of twists and curls, even knots. From all over, thinner, or even frayed strings could be seen in contact with the center string. There was one line, almost just as thick, at the very end, effectively cutting it off. Kulao bit his lip, looking guilty. ¡°For full disclosure,¡± he said. ¡°This is not the first time I have shown this fate.¡± The gods whispered amongst each other, and even Caishen managed to look surprised. Cyn felt Solis shift a bit in his seat beside him. Caishen¡¯s eyes narrowed on Kulao, and he said thinly- ¡°When was this?¡± The god of love frowned, hesitant, but still mumbling clearly; ¡°Many centuries ago.¡± ¡°What were the circumstances?¡± Caishen said. Kulao¡¯s shoulders slumped slightly. ¡°Aeris came to me long ago, during the time Solis had tried saving Prince Cyndras¡¯ life by tying his spirit to the¡­ anyway. Aeris came and asked to see their fates. There was no reason to refuse, so I showed him. It just so happened that one of their fates was deeply entwined with Aeris¡¯ own, in fact, Cyndras¡¯ fate was, in no uncertain terms, to end the god of war¡¯s life. Aeris¡­ he asked¡­ he asked me to sever the Prince¡¯s fate-line where it intersected his, but I could not. It was a matter of life and death, I had no way of changing it. Instead, Aeris told me to sever Cyndras¡¯ most important connection; his fate-string with Solis, in the hope that without it, the Prince¡¯s soul would be unable to fulfill its destiny of bringing about the end of Aeris¡¯ life. I couldn¡¯t¡­ say no, it was Aeris¡¯ discretion to choose a punishment for the both of them.¡± Kulao was sobbing now; ¡°I¡¯m so sorry-¡± And then, all hell broke loose. ¡°No! Stop, someone-¡± Everyone around the table stood as Cyn shot to his feet and was halfway to Aeris when he suddenly felt Solis¡¯ hand on his wrist, yanking him back. ¡°Restrain him!¡± Another god shouted, but the cry was for Aeris to be stopped, as the god had knocked over several chairs and seemed to be trying to flee. Chaos erupted as Seraphs filed in, mostly Aeris¡¯ and Caishen¡¯s, but Solis¡¯ Seraph, Iphis, arrived too, and wasted no time blocking the god of war¡¯s path. ¡°Let go-¡± Cyn hissed, trying to shake Solis off, but his lover held firm, keeping him carefully out of the fray as Aeris¡¯ Seraph surrounded the table and Caishen called loudly for order. ¡°Everybody, stop!¡± He cried, ¡°No one moves. No one leaves, until this court is adjourned!¡± The gods stood stock still, eyeing each other tensely, no one but Iphis brave enough to block Aeris¡¯ way out. The god of war¡¯s expression remained as impassive and neutral as ever, though he radiated a tenseness that was putting everyone on edge. In fact, it wasn¡¯t only him¡­ ¡°Is that-?¡± Several gods shuffled away from Solis and Cyn, and though he was aware that from his body, black smoke had begun to drift throughout the room, until some of the Seraphs gagged on it, Cyn was still surprised to find that this physical manifestation of his power was also unpleasant for the gods. Cyn could feel Solis¡¯ hand on his wrist tighten and re-adjust, as if the god of stars was finding it difficult to be so close to him. That thought, along with the certainty that Aeris would be going nowhere, made the god of death slowly retract his claws. The darkness swirling around the room settled, and everybody collectively took a deep breath. ¡°Aeris,¡± Caishen said, fixing the man with a murderous glare. ¡°The fact that you dare upset these proceedings in an attempt to escape only goes to prove your guilt! What do you have to say for yourself?!¡± Hands politely behind his back, Aeris regarded the room, but his eyes never found either Solis or Cyn. Cyndras was in the middle of fantasizing about the various ways he would kill the god as soon as he was able to get his hands on him, when Aeris spoke¡­ ¡°Kulao speaks the truth, however, I would like this court to take into consideration the fact that; when this occurred, Solis was a brand new deity, in no position of power, with no significance to the grand scheme. I, on the other hand, was an old god, powerful enough to lay waste to both the mortal and heavenly realms alike if I desired. A powerless, insignificant god and his mortal Prince had no right to interfere with the future I was creating. Their fates, at the time, were small compared to my own. As gods, what is an ant hill besides a momentary hindrance?¡± ¡°As gods-!¡± Everybody startled, eyes going comically wide as, to everyone¡¯s surprise, Solis released Cyn¡¯s hand to step forward and shout directly at the god of war, fury sparking deep in his amber eyes¡­ ¡°As gods, what is a child besides the fruit of our labors?! The blood in our veins, and the ones to which we bestow all our knowledge and future? If you are truly so arrogant that you could forget this, oh god of war and peace, then I¡¯m not ashamed to say you will be forgotten as the realms move on! Your temples- reduced to ash! You cannot bury the next generation without also damning yourself!¡± ¡°There¡¯s¡­ more.¡± Kulao sniffed, wiping his eyes. ¡°Oh, wonderful! What now?!¡± ¡°You seem to be full of secrets, Kulao.¡± Prentis narrowed his eyes, ¡°What others have you kept from us?¡± The god of love gave the room a bitter frown. ¡°Like any of you wouldn¡¯t have done the same! Who here could have willingly gone against him? Honestly?! I had no choice!¡± Caishen raised his hand, silencing everyone. ¡°Kulao, please. What is it?¡± The god finally was able to dry his tears, but when he spoke, it was hushed. ¡°I am unsure of its relevance to Aeris¡¯ plot, but¡­ in Cyn¡¯s very first mortal life, long before he was a Prince, he was born into a body both mortal and heavenly. He was Aeris¡¯ son-¡± ¡°Preposterous!¡± ¡°How can this be?! Caishen?¡± Caishen¡¯s expression was measured, but a deep fury radiated from within. He turned to where Aeris was still being watched very carefully by Iphis and the other Seraphs, and said suspiciously calmly; ¡°Is this true?¡± Aeris¡¯ expression seemed quite puzzled¡­ ¡°I was unaware.¡± That seemed to be the truth, but Caishen immediately exploded- ¡°How many children have you fathered?! Just how many! And to think, all this time you have been running from your fate, which is to die by the hands of no one short of your own son! Fate is cruel, but it is not without a sense of justice!¡± ¡°What should we¡­¡± Metir muttered, ¡°Do about this?¡± ¡°Yes, is there a way to punish him like he deserves?¡± Khalkeus nodded. Prentis quickly raised a hand, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we ask those he has wronged? What do Solis and Cyn suggest we do about Aeris¡¯ transgressions?¡± All eyes turned to the two of them again, and Cyn stared directly at Aeris who was looking away, as he said; ¡°Five minutes. Everyone leaves. I take care of him¡­¡± A few gods muttered something under their breath and shared awkward glances, but no one wanted to speak out against the new god of death. To Cyn¡¯s surprise, Solis returned to him and lightly squeezed his shoulder, whispering only to him¡­ ¡°We cannot,¡± the god of stars looked pained, but resolute, even though he was still shaking. ¡°His power affects so much in both realms. It could be a disaster for the mortals if he were to suddenly perish.¡± Cyndras longed to say; who cares, but Solis¡¯ point was well-made and it was obvious very quickly that besides universal ramifications, no one really seemed to know how to successfully kill a god as old and as powerful as Aeris. Cyn was certain he could figure it out, but the mood of the room was set, so he resolved to stay silent. He could be patient. Well, he could try¡­ At last, after much deliberation, Caishen announced the verdict. The gods remained standing as it was said, witnesses to an historical act that would indeed change everything. ¡°Severing a fate-line for your own personal gain, and to save your own life, bestowing a heavenly weapon into the hands of a human, and causing Cyn¡¯s death in The Mortal Realm, not to mention the centuries of torment Solis was forced to endure including unjust punishment, imprisonment, and banishment under your orders, this court sentences you to a lifetime in Vriseon Prison; a generous sentence, given your actions are more than enough to constitute a death sentence. As it stands, no one at this table wants The Mortal Realm to incur any more universal unbalance that might take place as a result of your death. With luck, someday there will be a new god of war and peace born, who will not be swayed by the same power you have wielded. Until then, I would not expect many visitors in the coming centuries.¡± Aeris was sealed under the mountains that once held Solis, by the very same chains. The god went willingly, and not a single rumble spilled from the prison door as it was shut forever¡­ Aeris truly did not expect any visitors, so when the door that was meant to be sealed for an eternity opened again that very same night, imagine the god¡¯s surprise. And then, imagine his terror at seeing the god of death himself walk in alone, with no Solis to remind of any morals, and no one else to hold him back. The god of war was not often frightened, nor did he blanch at gore and death. Yet, faced with his own, quite literally staring him in the face as it walked closer, Aeris indeed paled, his eyes going wide and his breath freezing sharply in his lungs. ¡°Before you kill me,¡± he said, flinching at his own words in the silent cave. ¡°I wanted you to know that I truly had no idea you were my son.¡± Behind that silk mask it was unclear, but Aeris thought he saw the god of death smile¡­ ¡°Would it have mattered? Knowing?¡± ¡°...perhaps.¡± Then Aeris watched as Cyn sighed, moving to take something from his belt. It was a beautiful curved sickle, with a transparent, glass-like blade with a blue diamond set in the handle made of ivory. It had a cold sort of energy, but elegant; unsettling, like a beautiful corpse. The god of death turned it over and stared, transfixed and obviously proud of his weapon. ¡°I had Khalkeus make it this afternoon. Nice, right? A good tool for the work I am about to take on. A shame I haven¡¯t had a chance to see how it swings yet¡­¡± Aeris holds his breath as the god of death circles him and speaks- ¡°I did have many ideas¡­ a cut for every year you stole from Solis and I? Or, perhaps one for every life I have lived? We could certainly be here for a while. But, then I realized something. It¡¯s odd, I¡¯m still discovering so much about my power¡­ did you know that a single touch from a weapon forged with the god of death¡¯s soul, and you perish almost instantly? I don¡¯t even have to draw blood. Clean, and efficient. I¡¯m starting to see the benefits to this thing called fate. There will be no red, glorious death for you. Nothing that could draw any sympathy from the universe. It will be cold, and fast, and over. Insignificant. That must drive you mad¡­ the god of war, so powerful. Reduced to an ant hill under my boot.¡± Cyndras grinned, ¡°I won¡¯t even stop you if you want to beg.¡± He waited for Aeris to speak, but the man did not, only lowered his eyes and held his breath again, waiting for the end. Cyn raised his weapon, holding it above the god¡¯s face. Cyn¡¯s reflection glinted on one side of the blade, and Aeris¡¯ the other¡­ Justice, Cyn thought, as he lowered that fine curve onto the god¡¯s skin. The weapon chilled in his hand as it made contact, and he could hear Aeris¡¯ skin sizzle, though no mark was made. The god of war¡¯s eyes widened and he gasped. For a second, there was only emptiness in his cold, frozen gaze, and then he seemed to find some last tether to his consciousness, managing to wheeze out the words; ¡°So strange¡­ when I looked¡­ you were not¡­ my son-¡± And then Cyn felt his soul vanish from the body. Aeris slumped over, his head lolling back as the chains pulled taught on his wrists. Cyn returned his weapon to his belt and did not bother to seal up the prison when he left. If others wanted to come and witness what had become of the great god of war, they were more than welcome to. Cyndras would even smile and wave. Reunited In The Heavens Things were very different from before. Of course, so many of Cyn¡¯s memories are disjointed and hazy, behind a layer of time and fog. Solis¡¯ recollections are the same. It¡¯s obvious they have changed as people, so it makes sense that their love looks like something almost brand new. With Solis feeling most comfortable at Ruewreath, Prentis agrees to let the two of them, plus Iphis, stay for the meantime until something more permanent can be arranged. Cyndras returns from Vriseon that evening and walks through the orchard. He finds Solis sitting by the large window in their shared bedroom, and even though Solis clearly cannot bring himself to ask, Cyndras knows the other god knows where he was, and what he was doing. The setting sun flickers through the window, casting a gentle glow across the room and Solis¡¯ face. Cyndras places a steadying, grounding hand on his shoulder, feels the other man sigh, and then carefully places a finger under Solis¡¯ chin and brings his gaze up to him. The god of stars looks at him softly, wholly in love, but Cyndras still wonders if a part of Solis can¡¯t help but view him as a stranger. In a way, he supposes he is. ¡°Come to bed?¡± He whispers, and Solis nods slowly. They hold each other until it is dark outside, neither willing to close their eyes; Solis because he is afraid to fall asleep and wake up alone, and Cyn because he is unsure what to say to settle the unanswered questions between them. Maybe nothing needs to be said. Maybe they just need time. The next morning, Solis wakes in a panic when he doesn¡¯t feel Cyn¡¯s warmth at his side. Cyndras has to jump quickly back in bed, abandoning the tea he was setting out in favor of cuddling and soothing his lover¡¯s raging fears. Cyn feels a knife plunging deep into his chest whenever he listens to Solis weep, and shake apart in his arms, crying out desperately- ¡°You were gone! Y-You¡­ I didn¡¯t know where you were!¡± They relearn everything. Cyn waits for Solis to wake, and they set up tea together. Finding each other again in this new life wasn¡¯t the end, there was work to be done. How could they heal several thousands of years worth of wounds overnight? It was impossible. Cyndras was slightly impatient, a bit anxious to get to where everything was okay. Still, he went at Solis¡¯ pace, and found that it really wasn¡¯t all that difficult. Days passed much more happily with his lover at his side¡­ Their first time in their heavenly bodies was a slow affair, neither wanting to rush. Cyndras was able to put aside his concern over what Solis would think of his brand new skin, and Solis was able to set down his grief. For the first time in too many years, there was no need to worry; they were together, all expectations pushed aside in favor of discovering what it meant to be close again. To Cyn, Solis was different in subtle ways; more hesitant and reserved, and always getting lost in his own head. Cyn¡¯s differences, on the other hand, were stark and mapped out delicately with touches and soft looks from the god of stars, as they lay side by side in a silence parted only by heartbeats. Unlike in the past, Solis was now the smaller of the two, but only just; a few inches shorter than Cyn and lithe, delicately built with petite features and hands. Cyndras¡¯ new body was taller, sturdy and sleek, with defined muscles and strength in places he¡¯d never had it before. The god of stars was soft and pale, while the god of death was sun-kissed and covered from the neck down with darker markings in a mosaic pattern, similar to the swirls of a galaxy. Solis mapped it many times, retracing his steps at the end to find his way back to his lover¡¯s lips, where he placed a delicate, grateful kiss. The two spent a long time staring into each other¡¯s eyes, long enough that they began to notice their own reflections. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful,¡± Solis would whisper, again and again. And Cyndras would think to himself; no, that is you that you are seeing in my eyes¡­ And then Solis took Cyn¡¯s face in his hands, looked closely at him, and said with tears brimming; ¡°I wanted to give up so many times. I tried so many times to be apart from you, but in the end, your love changed me in ways that I could not undo. Cyndras, my Prince, my love¡­ I want you to keep ruining me this way. Ruin me in every way, and until I die, I will only worship you.¡± Solis was crying by the time Cyn opened him up and slipped inside. It was impossible to tell if they were happy tears or heartbroken ones, but Solis still whimpered and cried out for more- for everything, and Cyndras blessed his lover with a kiss, giving him it all. Without needing to abide by rules like sleeping and eating, the two made love for days, only resurfacing once they¡¯d begun to satisfy their desires, and even then, Solis and Cyn were more or less glued at the hip. Everywhere they went, they went together, never wanting to let the other out of their sight. At times it bordered on unhealthy; their attachment and lingering fear, but the reasons behind both were understandable, so no one spoke ill of the newly proclaimed Heavenly Couple. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Rumors floated, some true, some wildly not, but Solis felt that every single one, if he cared to hear them, were music to his ears. Each was proof of his Prince being in his life again, of their love and commitment to each other for eternity. Solis would have to thank Euthos for being the bane of The Heavenly Realm. The racy gossip genuinely tended to make his day¡­ There was one person, however, who did not enjoy the rumors of sounds coming from Solis and Cyn¡¯s bedroom, seemingly at all hours, or the wildly inaccurate idea that Solis was carrying the Prince¡¯s child, having altered a portion of his anatomy in secret. There was one in the realm who could not sit still when he heard these words, his skin tingling and throat closing as a silent scream lay still and dying at the center of his heart. One normal day, just like any other, Solis and Cyndras were in the back garden of Ruewreath, sitting under the shade of a beautiful willow tree. It was a lovely, warm day, and Solis was laying with his head nestled comfortably on Cyndras¡¯ lap, the god of death stroking fingers through that sunny-blonde hair, as birds chirped and a nearby fountain gurgled and bubbled rhythmically. Half asleep, Solis was happily daydreaming when he heard Cyndras speaking in low tones to some of Prentis¡¯ chorus. After a few words were exchanged, Solis finally opened his eyes and lazily looked up. Three Chorus members and one of Prentis¡¯ few and far between Seraphs, were standing near with their heads bowed low, stricken expressions immediately causing Solis to sit up in alarm. ¡°Darling,¡± Cyndras said, placing a light hand on his back. ¡°Something has happened to Iphis.¡± Solis could only blink. Iphis? He had last seen the Seraph only two days prior, clomping around in the forest outside Ruewreath. He had muttered something about traveling somewhere, but wasn¡¯t very clear and had mostly already walked off while Solis tried to understand what he was saying. ¡°What? Did he get hurt?¡± If Iphis was injured, Solis would definitely bring him straight to Prentis and help him receive the best care. After all, Iphis had not only been his close friend for years, but ever since Solis had returned from his banishment in Quokwin so many centuries ago, around the time he¡¯d purposefully forgotten about Cyn, Iphis had also been Solis¡¯ one and only Seraph; the soldiers of the gods. Iphis really was loyal to a fault¡­ if he¡¯d been hurt, he¡¯d probably apologize for not being able to be ready and present if Solis needed him- ¡°He¡¯s died.¡± Solis looked from Cyn, to the Chorus, then back again. He must not be understanding. ¡°What do you mean? He¡¯s-¡± Cyn met his eyes. Oh, right. Cyndras was the god of¡­ he was the¡­ He must have felt it happen. The look in his eyes told Solis that much. And suddenly, all of Solis¡¯ plans; to give Iphis more time off and freedom to explore if that¡¯s what he wanted, to take his opinions into consideration when building his and Cyndras¡¯ home someday¡­ all the conversations Solis still hadn¡¯t had with the man, that he thought he had plenty of time for. That was all¡­ gone? ¡°What-¡± Solis¡¯ throat was tight, and as Prentis¡¯ Chorus bowed again and carefully shuffled off, Cyn turned to him and placed a warm hand on his shoulder. ¡°What happened?¡± Solis was grateful that Cyn told him plainly, with no pitying looks nor missing details. Solis needed to hear it all. According to the Chorus, Khalkeus had been notified by her Seraphs of a breach in one of her armories. Before they could stop him, Iphis had broken in undetected and rifled through all of the weapons before leaving without taking anything. Thinking it odd, Khalkeus managed to track him all the way to Akacia, but when they were almost there, they saw Iphis¡¯ silhouette standing on the ledge. He jumped straight into the volcano from which all gods are born before anyone could even call out his name. This happened today, just under an hour ago. Solis had been lying here in Cyndras¡¯ arms under the shade of a willow tree as his friend and protector had killed himself. Why hadn¡¯t Solis known? ¡°He was my best friend¡­¡± the god of stars wept, shaking, his face pressed into Cyndras¡¯ chest. ¡°Why would he do this?¡± Cyn put his arms around him gently. ¡°It is alright to cry, my love.¡± He said, ¡°And it is alright to be angry at him for leaving in this way. As for why he chose to do it, unfortunately we may never know.¡± Except, Cyndras did know. He had known the why for a while. It was just a statement of fact, like; the sky was blue and the grass was green¡­ Iphis was in love with Solis. Cyn also knew that Solis didn¡¯t know. Previously, he¡¯d seen no reason to tell him when Solis had no similar feelings for his Seraph. Now, with Iphis dead, and Solis miserable, he thought again of revealing it, but in the end decided not to. He didn¡¯t want to make Solis¡¯ suffering worse, nor confuse him with more questions that he would never have answered. Cyndras couldn¡¯t fault Iphis for loving Solis. It really was a very easy thing to do¡­ and, knowing what Cyn did of the Seraph¡¯s life, it made sense. To Iphis, loving the god of stars was like breathing. When he could no longer do either, death was the only alternative in his eyes. It was heartbreaking. Cyn longed to be able to look into his lover¡¯s tearstained eyes and know that someday he would heal from this wound, but he had no guarantee of that. Like most wounds, it would heal with time, but the deeper trauma and the pain of the scar, might stay with Solis forever. The fact that Iphis could love Solis so much and still not see that his death would hurt the god deeply, was a testament to how little Iphis really thought of himself. Cyndras wished he could have known of the man¡¯s plan to die. He wished he could have stopped him. But, he¡¯d only felt Iphis¡¯ soul passing right at the moment it had happened, and without another universe-altering miracle like the one he¡¯d managed to pull to bring Solis back from the dead, there really was nothing to do except grieve. It was hard for Solis, since he blamed himself, positive it was something he had or hadn¡¯t done which tipped his Seraph over the edge. In a way it was true, yet Cyndras believed there was no point hurting him with that knowledge; the truth that, if Solis had only felt the same, Iphis would have jumped at the chance to be his. For Solis, for a long time, there was only the past to reflect on¡­ despite him being unable to see it all. To Be In Love One-Sided Iphis had known he was different since the beginning. As a Seraph, he was either a mortal brought to The Heavenly Realm to serve his god, or he was created and maintained by his god¡¯s spiritual energy. And yet Iphis was neither of those things. The other Seraphs were rigid and distant, lacking emotion or any deeper thinking past their perceived duty. Iphis used to wonder why he acted and spoke and fought and trained like them all, but he felt things so differently. He was fourteen years old when he learned the truth¡­ In Killera, like in many places, the Chorus were responsible for most of the gossip that floated about. Iphis was heading back to the sleeping chambers he shared with the younger Seraphs when he heard a group of Caishen¡¯s Chorus whispering inside a hidden alcove in the halls. ¡°It must be so embarrassing for our Lord! Why didn¡¯t they simply send the child to The Mortal Realm and be done with it? Why keep him here?¡± ¡°The God of War and The God of Wealth are very powerful, perhaps they were hoping their son would grow up and be powerful as well¡­ worthy of them claiming him-¡± ¡°Being the child of a god does not guarantee special powers, you know that! I heard Aeris just didn¡¯t want his reputation to sour if word spread that he¡¯d abandoned his child¡­¡± ¡°Then why bother to make him a Seraph?! Phsst, honestly! If they wanted to be rid of him that¡¯s no skin off their teeth, but if they wanted to keep him why not just announce their son to the world? Hiding him among Aeris¡¯ Seraph feels almost worse than abandoning him!¡± ¡°The poor boy. He must not even be aware he is training to grow up and serve at his father¡¯s command-¡± ¡°True, true. Ah, and our Lord won¡¯t even look at the boy when he enters a room! How unfortunate, poor little Iphis. He would have been happier living a mortal life¡­¡± Since that day, Iphis finally knew why he was different. But knowing didn¡¯t help. Iphis continued to train as a Seraph and despite those around him that were emotionless and impossible to talk to, deep inside he held a tentative hope that someday his parents could be proud enough to call him their son. It could have been that which motivated Iphis to train harder than everyone else, or it could have been the fact that the Seraphs trained their children and recruits with a singular determination and allegiance to their god. Iphis grew up to become a perfect fighter, and in the palm of his father¡¯s hand, he was the greatest weapon the god of war ever used. And yet, that did not earn him Aeris¡¯ love. Iphis doesn¡¯t even remember hearing anything from or about the gods that spoke to them having hearts; they were all selfish beings, blinded by power, completely oblivious to the feelings of others. Iphis saw it everyday, and for a very long time, centuries in fact, he believed that he was in the wrong realm, a mistake of some kind. How could he have been born from those two gods- those gods as cold as statues, when he had felt this burning inside him for as long as he could remember? He had a consciousness inside him that no other Seraph possessed¡­ It drove Iphis mad trying to conceal it. And then, something happened. Iphis was called to The Mortal Realm along with a handful of other Seraphs to capture and imprison a very dangerous man. The God of Stars. Iphis stood in the forest that night; a night that felt like it would never end. He watched for what felt like a small eternity as one by one, countless Seraphim were injured, repelled by the force of the little white god¡¯s rage. Iphis had never seen a deity express so much feeling, ever, in his life. He was so distracted and confused by the sight, that he didn¡¯t even notice Aeris sighing in agitation and bringing Solis to the ground with a single burst of power. ¡°Take him to Vriseon. Tell Khalkeus to meet me there,¡± Aeris said, voice low. Iphis merely bowed his head in allegiance and went to where the god had fallen. Shockingly, Solis was still awake, he just could not move. Perhaps he was fighting with everything inside him to stay conscious, because he was whimpering, shaking, and turning various shades of red and blue as his eyes rolled back in his head. Iphis took hold of the back of the little god¡¯s collar and was about to head off with him, when he heard Solis cry out. It was a cry of pure anguish, and Iphis was too stunned for a moment to truly understand it. Later, he would hear from others about the entire messy event; Solis¡¯ dead mortal lover, and the foolish lengths he went to to save him, acting out against the gods in the process. In the moment, Iphis could only blink at the little white god and try to control his own heart lest it try to burst all the way out of his chest. How was it that Solis could feel this heartache so deeply? He was just a god. And his Prince had been a mere mortal. Was Iphis missing something, or had someone finally been born who had the same pain within them that he felt all the time? Iphis was too caught up in his duty to think clearly then, so he obediently went with Solis to the prison and left him there with Aeris and Khalkeus. Iphis always bowed so low to his god, a part of him deep inside cowering at his father¡¯s majesty, another part seething in anger at the recognition he never received, and a third part begging; father, will you ever see me? I¡¯m here, I always have been- Iphis went on his way, resuming his duties without thinking of the little god of stars trapped underneath the mountain. It was hundreds of years before Iphis would remember the golden god, and of course, it had to be at the behest of his father; his god ordering him to The Mortal Realm to keep an eye on the flighty thing. Solis was completely different to how Iphis remembered him. Not only was he shy and timid, and a touch awkward, he was also exorbitantly ridiculous. Iphis was unused to disorder, it didn¡¯t really fall into a Seraph¡¯s scope. Battle was a choreographed dance and killing was methodical, nothing like whatever Solis was. Iphis didn¡¯t understand how there could be such a whirlwind of a person up there in the Heavens, in charge of such important things as the stars. It was marginally frightening. At the beginning, Iphis just tried to busy himself with reporting back to Aeris in a timely fashion, but he was reporting through the communications array and it only took a few minutes out of every day. The rest of the time, besides navigating through life in The Mortal Realm, which he vastly preferred to the Heavens, Iphis was also busy cleaning up all of Solis¡¯ messes. There had never been a more clumsy God in all the universe. Solis wasn¡¯t only a mess in every sense of the word, he was also very clearly at his wit¡¯s end. Iphis didn¡¯t know what seven hundred years in Vriseon Prison felt like, but he could imagine. It definitely didn¡¯t help that Solis was without the only person he¡¯d ever loved. Iphis began to notice the god slipping, but he wanted nothing more than to tell his father that the little god of stars was being obedient and doing his work well. That was how the Seraph turned from watchdog to babysitter¡­ It wasn¡¯t his fault Solis needed someone to take care of him. Iphis was just trying to keep the little god out of trouble- a time consuming, arduous task, to be sure. Solis had good days in between the bad, and those could be enjoyable. Seeing his face light up when he was interested in something, or tasted something delicious, or danced around with the children of the village¡­ Those moments always settled something deep inside Iphis that he didn¡¯t want to analyze. Then, there were the bad days. Solis fell so far and so fast it was like he was a shooting star. Iphis could barely hold onto him, the god slipping right through his fingers. Solis would cry, beg for just one more drink, beg to go to sleep, or to be locked back beneath Vriseon, left to die, or left to drown himself in the sea¡­ Iphis couldn¡¯t count the number of times he¡¯d found the lonely god wandering down the beach, tripping over his feet, dazed and often drunk, mumbling to himself about his Prince while he wept. It was more aggravating than anything he had ever experienced in his life; watching Solis waste away under his care. Iphis refused to allow it! So, they began to search for this missing Prince. Humans reincarnated, right? It was only a matter of time before Solis found him, and then he would stop wandering listlessly into the sea, and begin glowing more often. Like he was supposed to. Solis liked to pretend to give up. Iphis pretended to force him physically and with emotional threats to keep searching, like they both didn¡¯t already know that Solis could no more give up on his Prince than he could forget him¡­ After many years, it felt like they had scoured the entire realm, but still, there was no sight of him. Iphis saw the way Solis was hanging on by a thread, how the stress of just getting through each day was eating away at him. That is why, when Iphis sees Solis wandering through the streets of Xesith one evening, trailing after an old woman with a walking stick, Iphis just leaves him be. He figures, either he¡¯s found his Prince, or he¡¯s on another bender. Either way, they¡¯re nowhere near the ocean. What''s the worst that could happen? Solis didn¡¯t return for many hours. An entire twenty-six, in fact, and when at last Iphis gave up on him coming home, he went out searching for him, using his skills as a hunter to locate the wayward god. Heart beating frantically as he made his way through the forest, Iphis eventually came upon the little god, and he froze at what he saw. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. It was just like back then¡­ Solis was lying on the forest floor, half out of his mind and sobbing in pain, yet there was no physical wound Iphis could treat. Solis had discarded his concealment robe and lay there shivering in his human form, completely soaked from head to toe in sweat, his skin tinged a sickly blue-gray color. Iphis kneeled at his side and went to pull him into his arms, just to get him off the cold ground, but then Solis began to heave and after retching for a few moments, Iphis could no longer take it anymore and tugged the god into his lap. Wrapping his arms around Solis¡¯ quivering form, Iphis closed his eyes and prayed for perhaps the first time in his life. He didn¡¯t know what he prayed for; for Solis to stop crying, for him to be okay¡­ maybe just for the sun to rise faster so that this night would end and they could try to pick up the pieces of the little god¡¯s heart. Iphis didn¡¯t know what he wanted to happen, but as the warmth gradually came back to Solis¡¯ body and he stopped sobbing so violently, he heard him exhale brokenly. ¡°I lost him¡­¡± And it was then that Iphis understood everything. This is bad. This is terrible, the Seraph thought, consoling the god of stars until the sun began to rise. I love this little god- Iphis had known for a long time that Solis was in love with his Prince. He had seen that love bring Solis to the depths of sorrow and the peaks of rage, and he had watched firsthand how he never gave up. Iphis didn¡¯t delude himself into thinking his feelings for Solis were of the same caliber- the stuff that could move mountains and tame seas, but that night he began to understand that his feelings were still love, and that no matter what happened to him, he only cared that Solis was somewhere safe and warm. Iphis realized that night, as he held the god in his arms, that he would do anything for him. The freedom that knowledge gave him made him feel more powerful than all the gods combined. For the first time in his life, Iphis realized why he was different. He was different, so that he could love this little god¡­ And yet, despite Iphis being willing to sacrifice everything to keep him safe, Solis was still punished for seeking out his Prince. The Seraph could not bring himself to look directly at the god¡¯s face as Solis came to know the truth of their first meeting. Iphis could not say goodbye, it hurt too much after living so closely with Solis all this time, but then, he also could not bring himself to look away from the god as Solis left. So many times, Iphis wanted to go to him, to take him away from The Heavenly Realm and their hypocrisy. Stay with Solis in The Mortal Realm forever, and help him move on from his Prince¡­ Iphis may never be the one Solis loved, but that was okay. Iphis could love him on his own. Part of loving Solis was being patient. Iphis also understood that now, cast out of Aeris¡¯ Seraphs, he had none of his father¡¯s power backing him. He was unable to protect Solis like this, so Iphis returned to The Mortal Realm and spent a lonely ten years preparing for Solis¡¯ return. Not once did Iphis regret his decision. Because it was never a choice. Iphis may have been raised to be loyal to only Aeris, but he was not just a simple Seraph, he was also the son of war, and he knew in his bones who he would end up dying for. Occasionally, Iphis would return to the Heavens to check up on Solis and listen for any news, but no word ever came from the god of beasts in Quokwin. Iphis also busied himself with continuing Solis¡¯ work. He¡¯d learned enough over the course of their years together that he could at least make sure the humans remembered the god of the stars for when he could come home. Iphis made sure every single inhabited corner of The Mortal Realm was worshiping Solis adequately, so that he would see a full resurgence of power when he returned. It was the least Iphis could do. The promise of becoming Solis¡¯ first Seraph was¡­ like honey dripping down his throat every time he imagined it. Iphis wanted nothing more than to be a weapon, a tool for his god to use. He imagined being able to worship Solis and proclaim his undying loyalty. To know that it was probably the closest thing to loving the man as he was ever going to get. After ten years, Iphis¡¯ dream came true. Solis returned with little fanfare, one day simply emerging from Quokwin and traveling by foot to Ruewreath. Of course, Iphis was ready to come to him as soon as he called, but he stayed back and waited for Solis. When the god finally emerged from his friend¡¯s palace, he was like a different person. Solis had¡­ changed, lost his memories of his beloved Prince. The god of stars was unbearably rational now, and didn¡¯t stop to look at butterflies or flowers. His happiness never glowed, but his bad days were also never so dark. Iphis had to grapple with this change, while feeling like the guiltiest bastard that ever lived. On one hand, Solis was no longer burdened by a love which had wounded him so many times. On the other; the Solis that Iphis had loved was literally made from the love his Prince had shown him, combined with the grief Solis carried which caused him to be so gentle. Iphis was in love with a different Solis; one created by a love that Iphis had no business being a part of. Nevertheless, Solis called for Iphis, and somehow, amidst the enormous holes in his memory, he recalled the promise he¡¯d made to him, to take him on as Seraph. To Iphis¡¯ great joy, his god had not forgotten their time together, and sometimes it felt like nothing had changed. It was when Iphis expected to find Solis¡¯ sunny smile or awkward stumbling that he was reminded of the missing pieces. Cyndras had really shaped so much of his god¡­ Iphis had never been more thankful for the Prince¡¯s existence, nor more heartbroken over his death. Iphis was Solis¡¯ best, and only Seraph for¡­ a very long time. They alternated between the realms, moving around a lot as Solis seemed to have a hard time sitting still. Iphis found that, despite Solis being different, he was, at his core, still the one he loved. Sometimes it was hard to find that spark, that piece of familiarity, his ridiculous little white god. But, Iphis was patient, and he had time to search. Sometimes¡­ occasionally, Iphis would become very stupid around his god. He couldn¡¯t help it. He and Solis were the closest people in their lives, and sometimes his mind liked to wander, lingering on possibilities. The way Solis smiled at him, the way he laughed and shared stories about the most intimate details of his life¡­ Iphis was greedy when it came to his god, he always told himself that this was fine, that being Solis¡¯ Seraph and close friend was good enough, but his wretched, burning heart always wanted more. More. Iphis ached for more. It was his deepest secret and most terrifying truth. He lay awake at night knowing that he would perish without Solis in his life, but if he revealed that to Solis, the god¡¯s response might not be the same. Iphis knew the bloody fool so well, he could picture precisely what he¡¯d say. ¡°Oh my¡­ goodness. I just, you never- oh, Iphis. I don¡¯t know what to do!¡± Solis would explain gently how he had never experienced what the mortals referred to as love, and that, while he was so lucky and grateful to have Iphis¡¯ loyalty, he just didn¡¯t know what to do with anything more. So, Iphis was content with ¡°good enough-¡± Alas, he should have made the most of it. Solis was on another one of his vacations in The Mortal Realm, and Iphis in the Heavens, when the Seraph got the news. Felt it, actually; a chilling ripple passing through Iphis¡¯ body as he felt the universe go dark. He confirmed with the others as soon as he could breathe again, but his worst fear had come true. Solis had died, and Iphis hadn¡¯t been there to protect him¡­ What good was all his training, all his love, if he couldn¡¯t even save the only person that mattered? Iphis was so lost without Solis. He could finally truly understand the depth of the god¡¯s grief over his lost Prince. Suffice it to say, the entire Heavenly Realm was put on high alert when said Prince was reborn as the new god of death. Iphis heard it all after of course, too busy drowning his sorrows in The Mortal Realm and imagining drowning himself at sea. When he finally raised his head far enough out of his glass to see straight, it was a sight unlike anything he could have imagined. Solis was alive. He stood in all his glory in shades of cream and gold. His beauty was like the physical prayer Iphis that had been whispering since he could recall; love me, love me, won¡¯t you love me, love me on purpose, without fear, somebody love me until I fall apart¡­ Somebody, choose me. Solis had been resurrected from death by none other than his old lover, Cyndras. The new god was as regal as a King and as frightening as an unmarked grave. Iphis watched the way Solis looked at him, and felt something inside him dying every single time. Solis had returned with his memories intact. Iphis was both ecstatic and repulsed by it. He felt like he was looking at a ghost. It had been so long since he¡¯d seen this side of the god; the side that stared with wonder at the moon and laughed with crinkled eyes. He was a little clumsy again, a little bashful. He was everything Iphis had fallen in love with, and now more. Solis had been so happy to introduce him to Cyn, after all the chaos of the Heavenly Court had been taken care of. Iphis bowed to his god¡¯s lover and couldn¡¯t help but notice his blade. Aeris¡¯ body had been found in the depths of the Vriseon Prison, right where he¡¯d been chained. Iphis couldn¡¯t help but wonder if his father had thought about him before he was killed¡­ he also wondered if he cared. Supposedly, this Prince was his half-brother. Why not? Iphis couldn¡¯t be hurt by anything else anymore. Why should this be the thing that does him in? Solis beams at the both of them when the god of death places a hand on Iphis¡¯ shoulder, and says in a low voice- ¡°Thank you for being by his side. I am relieved he wasn¡¯t alone.¡± Iphis hates the way he admires Cyn. Maybe he¡¯s just been seeing him for so long through Solis¡¯ eyes¡­ As the days pass slower than ever, Iphis realizes that he should have been happy with ¡°good enough¡± while it lasted. Yes, he was still Solis¡¯ Seraph, his one and only protector, soldier, weapon¡­ but, he did not belong to the god, and he was not the most important person to him. Maybe he never was. Iphis shouldn¡¯t be surprised. Like a sunrise peeking above the mountains, Iphis suddenly sees the truth and all its splendid colors; Solis does not need me anymore¡­ Iphis refuses to be bitter, and he refuses to cry. What use is that when he cannot even be used by his god anymore? Solis is protected by the only man standing in the veil between life and death. There is nothing Iphis could be, or do for him, more than what Cyndras has already done. There is nothing Iphis can do for Solis that Cyndras cannot readily do. Solis doesn¡¯t need him. Iphis shouldn¡¯t be surprised. Stupidly, he still is. He doesn¡¯t know when he started believing in forevers¡­ must have been his god rubbing off on him. There is nothing in Khalkeus¡¯ armory that will work, but he still checks. Maybe Iphis is hoping to be found. Maybe he wants to be brought before the Heavenly Court and punished for breaking in; chained beneath the mountains of Vriseon and made to sleep a thousand years. But, no. Iphis cannot leave this up to fate. It¡¯s done him no favors so far. Standing on the ledge, overlooking the endless blue abyss that awaits him, Iphis prays for the last time. Love him, he begs, hoping the universe is listening- Love him for me, because I cannot. Love him on purpose, without fear. Love him until he is whole¡­ Iphis steps off, into the yawning pit of the volcano from which all gods are born. His last thought was of a little white god; the first person to show Iphis what love was, and only one to ever make him want more. The Unbroken Bond Solis was a little uncomfortable taking over Stratoveria with plans to rebuild a palace of their own, so it was Cyn that had to explain it¡­ ¡°That¡¯s how the heavens work,¡± he smiled softly at his lover¡¯s cute, unsure frown. ¡°Sometimes the old land is reclaimed by a new god, sometimes it stays empty for years and years until someone takes it over. Leviathyn knew that too, we are not doing anything wrong. Do you not want a place of our own? A home?¡± Solis shrugged, wringing his hands. ¡°Of course I do. But, isn¡¯t it a little¡­ rude?¡± Cyn grinned, going over to the other god and sweetly taking his hand. ¡°We can start small if that makes you feel better,¡± Cyn gave him a look. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to share the halls of Ruewreath with Prentis forever.¡± Solis flushed, looking away, no doubt remembering their host¡¯s awkward request one early morning to keep it down, as they were apparently frightening the Chorus. Solis took a deep breath and looked up at Cyndras through his eyelashes shyly. ¡°Alright. Small changes¡­¡± Eventually, due to Solis and Cyn¡¯s different auras than Leviathyn, Stratoveria itself began to take the shape of their love. Darkness receded and sunlight began to shine on the north, plants growing and trees providing shade for the animals that decided to come and call this new flourishing land their home. Cyndras was able to convince Solis to rebuild and update a few portions of Leviathyn¡¯s terrifying palace at a time; first a small main house in the orchard that had seemed to grow overnight, and then more and more, until after the first few months, their kingdom had bloomed into a stunning, golden beauty. With exquisite gothic architecture from the original castle, and new stained-glass windows depicting Solis and Cyn¡¯s story and life together, it had become a picturesque haven, and open to all visitors, as long as they could stomach the heavenly couple¡¯s overt displays of affection at all times¡­ ¡°Verseria? Do explain¡­¡± Prentis asked one late morning in their courtyard. Solis poured the tea and chatted at length with his friend, while Cyndras busied himself half-listening and interjecting, but mostly refitting and hanging the birdhouses on the low-hanging trees which surrounded their garden. He was the god of death and life, afterall, and growing things and things with wings flocked to him in droves. He spent more time outside than ever before in his previous lives. Solis was smiling shyly and risking sly glances at his lover while he answered- ¡°We lived our first life together in Versilla. This was Stratoveria, and I didn¡¯t want to completely obliterate the history of what Leviathyn made, so we merged the two. I think it suits us. Verseria; the beauty of the past and the sweetness of the moment.¡± Prentis chuckled, raising his teacup for a toast to his old friend. ¡°Well said,¡± the god smiled. He was happy Solis had finally settled down. Their halls and courtyards often saw visitors, as Solis was a social butterfly when he was feeling up to it, and Cyndras humored his lover in all things¡­ Besides a deep bond with Prentis, Inyaga would often make the short journey from Quokwin to visit them, and Solis discovered with intense happiness, that the god of beasts got on very well with Cyndras, the two able to share intense and detailed communications with a single look. There was something to be said for the innate closeness between the gods of beasts, and that of life and death; things so naturally paired. Solis was pleased. On those rare occasions that Kulao or even Euthos visited, Euthos mainly because he was bored and wanted to spread more salacious gossip, Cyndras usually made himself scarce. Solis and Cyndras had a lingering distrust for the god of love, even though the man had apologized at length and even cried into Solis¡¯ arms one night, to the god¡¯s great confusion, but then there was Euthos. And, frankly, if Cyn was able to quell the rumors of his and Solis¡¯ secret love-child by him not being present, then so be it¡­ ¡°And what do you suppose those four were doing in Khalkeus¡¯ private chambers for two days, huhh?!!¡± The god of mischief waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Solis reached for a cookie, shrugging. ¡°Well, Inyaga said they were making love with e-¡° ¡°Ppppffffft-!¡± Euthos spit out his tea, coughing and throwing up his hands. ¡°...eachother.¡± ¡°What?!?!! He just TOLD you that?! Solis blinked, ¡°Yes? We¡¯re friends¡­¡± Euthos collapsed back and then hummed, a pleased and somewhat sinister smirk appearing on his face. ¡°Khalkeus does have some interesting skills in the bedroom. It doesn¡¯t surprise me that the god of beats was intrigued. But Tstovin?! And Metir???! Impossible!¡± Solis only shrugged again. Euthos was by and large a trouble maker, it was practically his job, but he was overall harmless. Solis was dumbfounded and more than surprised one evening when Cyndras finally thought to explain why the little devil lived and was allowed to roam free throughout Tstovin¡¯s kingdom. He truly hadn¡¯t considered it before¡­ ¡°But,¡± Solis was blushing furiously. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Tstovin¡­ hate him?¡± Don¡¯t we kind of all? Cyndras smirked as he readied for bed, brushing through his long black hair and evenly parting it into strands. ¡°He probably does. But you know gods¡­ doesn¡¯t our hatred look a little bit like love in the right light?¡± Cyn was exceedingly busy that first year, what with their new home being built, taking on a small Chorus of his own and advising Solis to do the same. Plus, his work was always there, lingering in the back of his mind like a bothersome little splinter. Cyn was able to balance it, of course, but between that and his personal life, there were bound to be a few¡­ dilemmas that popped up. Insecure and concerned that Solis might secretly miss how he used to look as a beautiful young Prince, Cyndras went one day to the goddess of art and asked her to search her relics for a painting. Miraculously, in Sichor¡¯s brother¡¯s archives, there was a phrase or two about him in a book about Versilla; and a portrait made when Cyndras had been seventeen lay on the opposite page. I looked very different¡­ perhaps Solis wishes I could be more like this young fool- If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Nothing about their life together made Cyndras think this way, but he often got jumbled up and confused about who he was; there were a truly endless number of lives colliding in his head at times; was he Cyndras, was he Cyrus, was he Ito, or was he just a god of death, and maybe all of them are insane? ¡°Is it possible to create a copy of this?¡± Cyn asked the god of art. Sichor hummed, ¡°Would you like to search The Mortal Realm for a suitable artist? If not, I can do a recreation. It would only take a week.¡± The god of death nodded, ¡°Yes. I think that would be preferable.¡± He had yet to descend to The Mortal Realm, and truthfully, was a little hesitant to do so. With all his memories of so many past lives, Cyn wasn¡¯t as naive and carefree as that Prince had once been¡­ On his way out of Grimiere, Cyn runs into the god of history. Metir gives him an odd look and a nervous smile. He looks the same as back then, and Cyndras can¡¯t help but tease the man. ¡°Thank you for the roses.¡± ¡°...ah?!¡± Slipping out quickly with a soft chuckle, Cyn returned to Verseria and waited patiently for his gift to be ready. When the day came, he presented the gorgeous portrait to Solis, who admired it with tears in his eyes before gently setting it down and hugging Cyn around the waist. ¡°Thank you,¡± the god of stars sighed. ¡°I will cherish it forever-¡° ¡°Don''t you¡­¡± Cyn paused, unsure, as Solis kissed behind his ear. ¡°Want to put it up right now? To¡­ look at?¡± Solis leaned away and smiled gently, eyes crinkling. ¡°Soon. I have that very same Prince in my arms, after all. How could the real thing ever compare to a painting, even one as beautiful as this¡­¡± That night, like many others, was lost in the passion of two souls becoming one. It was as easy as breathing; to be together, to be connected in every way. Solis often thought about that old mortal phrase ¡°my better half¡± and he truly did believe it when he saw the light of his stars reflected in his lover''s eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t see it before, but now I do.¡± Kulao told them one day in Verseria. ¡°See what?¡± Solis asked, intrigued. The god of love smiled¡­ ¡°Did you know that in the case of soulmates, the fate-line will eventually repair itself? No matter what damage befalls it, the universe will always pull them back together. Again and again, throughout all eternity.¡± Solis shared an awe-struck look with Cyn. ¡°Does that mean-¡± Kulao chuckled, ¡°Yes. Your fate-line is repaired. It took so long that I didn¡¯t even notice, but your future has been healed. You will never have to be apart again.¡± Cyn and Solis took a stroll through The Mortal Realm that evening, the first of many. Solis was pleased to be back, but Cyndras was wary. Lucky for him, the god of stars was right by his side, ready and able to soothe all his fears as they arose. Together, they explored the fresh growth of what was once the Aer Ari Forest. These days the wood was littered with paths, both man-made and carved by animals. Light posts dotted the roads¡¯ borders at intervals, and at dusk, their candlelight flickered gently, showing the way. Solis and Cyn got lost together, and when at last they came to a beautiful clearing beside the bank of the Lumi? Gulf, Solis held his breath, tears filling his eyes but not falling as he watched his lover stare at the moon-dusted field of purple¡­ Cyn bent to pick one of the flowers, and as he gazed at it, a fond smile curved his lips. Before Solis knew it, his lover was pressing the flower into his hands, the most gorgeous naked love on Cyn¡¯s face, as the god of death presented the god of stars with the very flower that once held his soul. Solis stared at his lover¡¯s beauty in the dark, then at the flower¡¯s amethyst-like glow as it absorbed both of their spiritual energy, turning immortal in their touch and crystal-clear like glass. This is not the first life I have loved you in, my Prince¡­ Solis thought. And it will not be the last. After Solis and Cyn left that evening for The Mortal Realm, Kulao returned to his home. Atrimor was beautiful, as it always was; large branches curving over a gentle, still lake spotted with lotus flowers¡­ it was everything the god himself tried to be; peaceful, sweet, and most of all, unassuming. Upon crossing the bridge which led to the lake and stepping foot into his intricately carved boat, Kulao traveled across the serene water, his eyes gazing off into the distance where the Alesor Mountains painted thick ridges on the horizon. Aeris¡¯ body lay at the base of those mountains, buried under their suffocating weight. Kulao imagined that the god¡¯s soul likely had a difficult time finding its way out, when he¡¯d been killed¡­ The god of love landed his boat on the dock which connected to the roots of his tree, but he didn¡¯t step off. For some reason, perhaps it was seeing the new gods of Verseria today, but Kulao could not shake off the memories this time. They were as vivid in his mind¡¯s eye as the flowers which bobbed gently, to and fro against the hull of his boat. Some of them felt like blood he could never wash off. Kulao had been a newly born god out of Akacia when the god of war approached him and offered to take him under his wing. Aeris was already becoming quite powerful in The Heavenly Realm, and was very charming; good with his words and always ready with a kind smile. Kulao, being young and naive, fell deeply in love with him¡­ Swayed by the elder¡¯s wishes, and influenced also by his own quickly developing abilities in love and fate, Kulao gave Aeris everything. The two were secretive about it, but were only romantically involved for a short while when the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Caishen, was born. Of course, Aeris was immediately there to offer Caishen a place to stay. Kulao was pushed to the side. Too young still to know any better, thinking he¡¯d done something wrong, Kulao went to Killera to see Aeris, but ended up discovering him in bed with Caishen instead. Embarrassed and angry, Kulao returned to Atrimor and pretended nothing had happened, secluding himself in his work for several years and finally learning some hard truths about the world¡­ Caishen and Aeris were romantic partners for some time, and were beloved by the Heavens. As fate would have it, Caishen eventually fell pregnant with Aeris¡¯ child, and while Caishen was ecstatic, Aeris was not. He informed Caishen that he would take the child away as soon as it was born and abandon it in The Mortal Realm. Caishen begged to keep it, and Aeris only agreed after Caishen swore that the child would be raised by the Seraphs, and never be claimed or referred to as their son. To make matters worse, Aeris immediately pulled away from Caishen, claiming that their love affair was just that. He even spoke about how ¡°appreciative¡± he would be if Caishen ¡°stopped embarrassing herself-¡± Heartbroken, Caishen went to the only person she could think of for help; the god of love. Caishen tried to beg Kulao to sever her and Aeris¡¯ connection, but Kulao was not strong enough. If he had been, he would have severed his own fate with Aeris long ago¡­ Instead, Kulao took care of Caishen during the months of her pregnancy, and while Caishen was despondent and devastated, Kulao bore witness yet another of Aeris¡¯ conquests falling for him, and then being horribly disappointed. Once the child was born, Caishen refused to see it, claiming the baby was the reason she and Aeris didn¡¯t last. Kulao took the child to Aeris¡¯ Seraph and told them to raise the boy to be the greatest soldier The Heavenly Realm had ever known. When Kulao returned to Atrimor however, he found that Caishen had transformed himself into a man and was adamant that nothing had happened. When Kulao mentioned anything about the last few months, or his and Aeris¡¯ relationship, or the child, Caishen pretended he couldn¡¯t hear. When Caishen returned to Killera, Aeris also acted like nothing had changed. He continued his partnership with Caishen, now as mere business partners, with Caishen taking on a large role as Aeris¡¯ event organizer and mouthpiece. Desperate to do everything he could to make Aeris need him in any way, Caishen devoted himself to gaining more and more power, and serving Aeris as well as he could. Meanwhile, having seen firsthand the heartbreak Aeris caused, not only in The Heavenly Realm but with the mortals too; through his various affairs and callous wars which ripped loved ones apart, Kulao wished desperately to use his abilities to sever Aeris¡¯ fate, ending his control over both realms, unfortunately, he still could not. Despite the fact of his power not being great enough to influence a god¡¯s fate, Kulao also knew that all the blame would fall on him if anything befell the god of war¡¯s destiny¡­ So, Kulao waited. After a very long time, an innocent little god named Solis was born in The Heavenly Realm. Kulao watched the god and his young lover for years; the two of them soulmates unlike anything the world had ever known. Deciding that using the strength of their love was his best chance to get revenge on Aeris, Kulao set a plan into motion. As soulmates, even if Solis¡¯ fate with the young Prince were to be severed, their fate would eventually repair itself. Solis was so in love with Cyn, and so young, that Kulao knew he would do anything to keep the Prince alive. Even defy the gods. Kulao descended to The Mortal Realm disguised as a gust of wind, and was able to steal Solis¡¯ heavenly weapon and use it to kill Cyndras. In the end, Aeris came to Kulao to see the couple¡¯s fate, and for that, Kulao was ready. He showed Aeris a false image of their lines; one on which Cyndras¡¯ fate was to end Aeris¡¯ life. Kulao knew that with Aeris¡¯ pride and self-righteous heart, he could not allow that to come true. Eventually, by the grace of the gods, it did. Kulao received his revenge in the form of his old lover¡¯s body buried under so many miles of stone. It may have taken several thousands of years, but what¡¯s a few millennia between gods?