Helios
Unlucky0013
Lord Zee
DracoLunaris
Frettzo
Vec
Eviledd1984
Kalmar
ButtsnBallsHomura
...wait this isn't Apostate's POV...
Setting: The Garden of Hevel
They marched southwest, through the red forest of Kel-Phelenia, until the trees turned verdant, and the song of the eastern sea was too far to hear. They traveled until the dead sea and the cursed soaring stones above it were visible in the west, and they had walked along its shores where menacing mist spilled forth from, where there was a terrible taste in the air, putrid like the stench of something foul and rotten.
Homura was not surprised by the lingering presence of Iqelis and his power that was so profuse in such a gloomy realm, but her lack of surprise did not mean that she wished to be anywhere near it. The red goddess also detested its close proximity to Keltra, as well as the other lands where life was found and cultivated. She scowled in the direction of the dead sea, and hoped that her infuriating brother could feel her scorn.
Her procession consisted of the three colossi burdened with thousands upon thousands of sleeping humans, the massive machines piloted by her three champions; Courage, Kindness, and Curiosity. Their journey had been peaceful, and Homura found herself free of stress for a moment as her gaze turned south to the great sea of grass that glittered beneath the light of the receding sun. She would divert more of her attention to the creatures she had seen spreading across the land at a later time, as she could not delay her delivery any longer.
The garden Apostate had described appeared in the distance, and it seemed their journey was coming to a close. The goddess was curious to see what Apostate would make with the humans she gave him, but the duel he had also mentioned only reminded her that he was still a fool. A fool with a good heart, she supposed.
Though the sun was descending, the light of day did not diminish as her golden spear blazed brightly like a second sun, Daybringer illuminating the path ahead and the world around her. Homura looked to see if the God of Defiance was nearby.
With her godly vision she didn’t need to strain her eyesight and quickly spotted the bandaged man sitting next to a much taller statue of his true form. Her gaze met his, even at the incredible distance, but he didn’t stand up — he stayed sitting with his legs criss-crossed in the grass and a long stemmed leaf threading between his fingers, a defiant gleam in his eye.
Despite their size, the colossi approached like the whistling wind, every step in otherworldly silence as though they were only ghosts that walked the land. Closer and closer they came until their shadows loomed over the Garden of Hevel. From atop the three titans, three champions waved at Apostate before convening on the middle colossi where Homura called to them. Her voice was clear, regardless of the distance that separated them from ground far below.
“There is no need to rush. Lay them on the ground around the statue, then wait while I speak with my brother. You are not to wander now, we can return another day. Those are your orders.” Homura said, as her champions bowed before setting out to their task. The red goddess leapt from the crown of the colossus to the ground close to Apostate.
“I have arrived. Your humans await your touch. Do you wish for me to explain anything, or are you aware of what you want?” She asked as she stepped closer to the seated god.
Apostate looked up at Homura (for the first time) and furrowed his brow. Flicking the leaf away he sucked in a breath. “I’m nervous, you know?” Despite the words, his voice showed no hint of nerves, but rather confidence.
“I will let you know if you make any mistakes.” Homura replied, her impassive mask and stern tone concealing any thoughts or opinions she may have. As she spoke, a mechanical whir and a grinding noise came from the middle colossi, as pillars and paths formed leading down its legs and along its equine body. The three Heralds of Honor had collected a few of their kin and laid them upon stone wheelbarrows that they raced down the newly created ways of getting to the ground.
“It will take them some time. I hope your patience is not worn before they are finished. Hmm… your temperament is fickle even at the best of times.” The red goddess commented.
“I’m made of smoke.” Apostate gave Homura a dirty look before standing up. Brushing stains from his pants, he then straightened himself out, now towering over the small goddess. His hand instinctively found the handle of his blade and gripped it. A pained look came over his face for a moment, a groan rumbling deep within him.
“Do you think they will be strong enough?” Apostate asked quizzically.
“That depends on the rest of the pantheon. No mortal is strong enough to stand against the fury of the Divine in war, but they are resilient in many other ways. Humanity is not a weapon to be wielded, brother. They are our opportunity to prove we are worthy of being called gods and goddesses, and are meant to walk beside us on the Sacred Path.” Homura answered, and her red eyes peered at the God of Defiance with an inquisitive shimmer, as though seeking something unknown in his visage.
Apostate frowned. “I think I was the one who told you that mortals are not tools — but what I don’t remember is what you said the Sacred Path was.” He turned to match her gaze. “So, what is it?”
“Hmm… Some things are difficult to describe using thoughts and memories, especially when I cannot see it in its entirety, but the most apt way of wording what the Sacred Path is… transcending the traditions and conventions that contain us, and changing our current situation where we cannot see each other from the other’s perspective. We are locked within a prison, and the Sacred Path is the way to free ourselves. If we stray, and wander lost and alone… we will all be annihilated, and there would have been no meaning to any of our creations, our choices, our struggles. I hope that you understand what I am saying… I fear that I will eventually be lost and alone when I discover that none of my kin wish to walk beside me.” Homura spoke with conviction at first, though she seemed to seek the proper words that would convey her inner truth, but as she continued, the memories of all the gods and goddesses that rebuked her reminded her that this journey she has embarked upon may not have a happy ending.
“I understood parts of what you’re saying,” Apostate admitted, “but then again we often hear and see the same thing but think differently — or so it always seems. In the end, I also don’t find the prospect of holding burdens alone to be too appealing, but that’s why we allied ourselves, right?” The god closed his eyes, for whatever reason, Homura didn’t know.
“Indeed. It is quite the arduous task, trying to understand each other, I think. Do not laugh, but I have trouble understanding my own Champions, and wonder whether I will ever truly know what they are thinking. I can see the shape of their inner fire, peer through their memories, and I know what their bodies will do before they have even moved, but I still do not understand why they act in the manner they do. Why can they hide their perspective of myself and the world around them, and create these barriers that prevent me from sharing my own perspective? Hmm… I know their minds lack the power to process information as fast as mine, but then why do my kin lack this ability as well? Apologies, I am wasting words now.” She bowed her head slightly in shame, and returned to watching the trio that were carrying more and more humans to the ground now.
Apostate leaned forward so their eyes would meet even with her looking the other way. “You don’t need to apologize, Homura. I prefer it when you speak openly, it reminds me that…” He furrowed his brow, thinking about his words.
“I don’t know,” He continued, “you can be rigid sometimes, and you either block out or pretend to block out so much. Sometimes I feel alone among the gods, or well I always do, except when you show that you’re capable of thinking like a mortal.” He paused and looked away, opening his mouth to say something but then closing it.
“You mean slower?” Homura tilted her head, bemused by Apostate’s words. “I prefer to think that I can be quite flexible when it comes to new ideas. It is everyone else that appears rigid… so stubborn at times, from my view.” She continued, and looked upwards to the sky. “Am I making another mistake?” She asked aloud, letting the question soar up towards the sky, to the dancing stars, and the darkness beyond.
“Well, you’re talking to me — so that’s not a good sign,” Apostate said simply.
“I would rather be elsewhere. There are still others among the Divine that I have not encountered, and more and more of our creations are being killed while I waste time trying to find a solution that may or may not exist. There is a point of no return, and if we let the world suffer too much, we will have failed our Lord, ourselves, and those that we love. I know there are other deities not like you, who will seek to undermine my efforts. We need to talk to our siblings and organize ourselves.” The red goddess replied, speaking indirectly to the god beside her, speaking to herself, and praying that perhaps her words were heard by more than just the two of them.
“It could be worse…” She muttered, and looked to Apostate with a forlorn smile. “At least you haven’t stabbed me in the back with your smoky sword, or something like that.”
“I’d prefer not to.” Apostate pinched his chin before smiling back. “Do you want to see one of my favorite things this existence has to offer?”
“I tend to disagree with what you find favorable, but please show me.” Homura gestured with her hand for Apostate to take the lead.
The other god took three dramatic steps until the pair was behind the statue. There in the shadow of the monolith, a lone yellow flower bobbed happily in the slight breeze of the gardens. Apostate grinned at the flower then looked back at Homura.
“This is it.”
Homura pondered what she saw for a moment, before looking at Apostate. “Hmm… why do you consider such to be, one of your favorite things, as you put it.” The red goddess asked, attempting to imitate the deeper tone of his voice, but failing to achieve the desired result, before she peered back at the flower.
The god of defiance snorted a chuckle before looking over at the other god. “I guess you’d have to see it from my perspective. I can show you that, if you want.” He held out a hand, his fingers turning into wisps of smoke that hazed upward. “Only if you want.”
“Show me.”
“Breathe in.” Apostate’s entire hand puffed into smoke, the tiny cloud washing over Homura, and though she did not need to breath, she opened herself to allow the smoke to pass through her physical form. Her inner fire shaped itself accordingly, trying to accommodate the smoke that pressed against it. At first, a deep anger erupted through her — only for it to quickly subside into a heavy pounding pain that rumbled in her chest. As it pained her, she saw Apostate himself mimic a look of pain for each jab on his face, but then through the overwhelming emotions, she felt something cool.
A radiant gold flickered hidden behind all the oppressive pain, and as her eyes fell to the flower, she felt it’s tiny defiant dance. Every shake of the flower seemed to quiet the pain, until all the harshness of before turned into a backdrop, a certain canvas for the better to be painted over. The flower was at peace, in odds of everything and in defiance, it was truly calm and the pure unaltered bliss that the flower put out was now beating softly in Homura’s chest.
Apostate hummed once, the small rhythm of his quick vocalization matching the beat of the bliss. He was looking at Homura, as if testing that she felt it as well. Appreciation shimmered in her being, an aura of reverence and revelations consisting of cascading colors and an otherworldly melody that resonated with the joyous motions of the little flower. It matched the hum of Apostate, and released its own cadence, though it reached out and gently caressed the yellow plant. She spoke, and her words reverberated throughout her body, but the sound originated from deeper within her. From the blinding light of sacred flame.
“Would you say this flower is more symbolic of Defiance, or Honor?” She asked, and both amusement and curiosity for whatever his answer welled up and filled her, easy to sense from behind the mask she wore. She had yet to banish his presence, and remained tolerant of the emotions and sensations he created from his smoke.
“I don’t know,” Apostate answered, “but I do know that in spite of everything that has happened and that could happen and that is happening, this flower dances. It knows that life is a fire, with each tendril of flame twisting and turning every which way, so that no flame is alike another — no life is identical to another, each guided by their own path to make a beautiful mosaic in the end. Independent, but together — free, but reliant. In the end I guess I just think it’s beautiful, it’s so simple and a god didn’t even think of it.” He looked at Homura but didn’t say anything more.
“I want to protect this beauty. If I have failed to make my intentions clear, then let it be known now. It has always been my sole prerogative to preserve such, and I will fight to defend it from those that seek to defile it.” Homura proclaimed, and the heat within her increased until it was hotter than any fire Apostate had known, and deep within the flames were things sharp and serpentine, like the shadows of sinister snakes, coiling and entwining themselves in the blinding fire.
Slowly, the smoke that had seeped into her was expelled, and Apostate could only see the mask once more. “You know, you have been rather rude to the flowers and trees of Kel-Phelenia. You do not have to disrupt their peace with every visit.” She said, crossing her arms while she looked at the God of Defiance. Daybringer simply stood by itself beside her, shining like a beacon as twilight bathed the land in dim light.
Apostate’s hand returned to its physical form and he gave it a shake. “There’s the chastising Homura, I was worried you were lost.”
“Your concerns were unfounded, as I would not wander astray so easily. Your words were… unexpected as well. Much more poetic than usual, I would say.” She tilted her head, and that inquisitive look returned, as though she was looking for something, but did not know where it was, only that Apostate seemed to be hiding it. “Why did you challenge me to a duel?” She finally asked.
“So I could defend those who couldn’t,” Apostated said, his brow furrowing. “I needed to be stronger, and I suppose I still do — but I don’t really want to fight you anymore, not like that at least.”
[b]“You are stronger. We fight together now, and your next foe will not not know what hit them. Know that I never had any desire to fight you as well. I saw no reason for us to duel, so I wondered whether I had offended you unintentionally, or if you were using this duel as an excuse to attack me. My concerns are now alleviated.”[b/b] Homura replied, and allowed herself to smile slightly, relieved upon hearing that the danger she fretted so much over had proven to be a test she considered passed now.
“I am certain there will be other times you will be called upon to fight. Our brother, Tuku, has had the honor of fighting beside our Lord. The King in Heaven will see your strength, and summon you when you are needed.” She continued, hoping her words helped him as well, though something he had said continued to prod the back of her mind.
“Maybe,” Apostated conceded. “But I am glad to hear your confidence in me. So the duel may be off, but we could still learn a lot from sparring with each other, no? A friendly bout... With friendly wagers.”
“Hmm… what do you have in mind?” Homura asked, as her arms unfolded, and she grasped Daybringer once more. The weapon lazily resting against her shoulder as she stood facing the God of Defiance with a readied stance.
Apostate tapped his cheek. “Well I’d be remiss as the attendant of Defiance if I didn’t pick something thematic.” He hummed to himself in thought. “If I win… you will do everything your own champions ask of you for an entire day — they will have free reign.”
“Then if I win, you will directly apologize to the denizens of Kel-Phelenia for your reckless behavior. Speaking of reckless, you apparently have not heeded my words. Why have you refrained from forging a weapon with which to properly defend yourself? I cannot invigorate it if it does not exist.” Homura pointed her golden spear at him, and exuded an aura of frustration as she spoke. Her smile had vanished, and her eyes accused him of being guilty, but the flames of her ire were mild, and she did not move to strike.
Apostate drew the blade from his hip and hefted it so as to point it back at Homura. As always, the blade was massive and if not for Apostate’s godly strength, holding it with one hand as he was doing would have been impossible — except this time something was different about the blade. Before, it shared the exact same aura as Apostate since it was a piece of him, but now it felt separate. He squinted at the Goddess. “Oh is that right?”
“Have you given it a name?” Homura inquired, lowering her weapon’s point to the ground, satisfied by his display.
Bouncing his eyes from the blade and back to Homura, Apostate cleared his throat. “Cleaver?” He said it more as a question than an answer.
“Cleaver…” She repeated, and she tilted her head in consideration of the name, letting the word shape itself in her mind. “It is a rather simple name, but perhaps that is appropriate considering its wielder. I have a suggestion, ignore it if you wish… but I would call it Warbreaker.”
“Warbreaker?” Apostate said, confused. “Why Warbreaker? Also, did you just call me simple!?”
“Though it is a weapon, its purpose is to protect life from death and destruction. To defend yourself from those that would harm you. When war comes, it will be broken upon your blade… a quicker end to avoid needless suffering and bring peace. I hope my reasoning makes sense to you.” The red goddess replied, and avoided answering the second half of his question with stoic silence.
Apostate rolled his eye at Homura’s silence and slammed his blade back into its baldric. “Fine, then. I’ll name it Warbreaker.”
“Come with me.” Daybringer embedded itself in the ground where the soil had turned scarlet, then the shaft of the golden spear suddenly and swiftly elongated, carrying Homura further and farther, higher into the sky as she held onto it. The God of Defiance arched a brow before flying up after her.
The opposite of a falling star, Daybringer’s light reached towards the heavens, soared towards its bright and fiery kindred whom illuminated the night sky. The two divine traveled far from the land, from Galbar itself, until they came to halt among the sea of stars, and cosmic beauty shone all around them. The red goddess stood atop the spear now, free from the weight of the world. Her hands reached outwards, and her voice echoed across the void.
“I am Homura, celestial servant of the King in Heaven! I invoke His name and command you! Heed my summoning and bend to my will!” Her words rippled in the darkness, and the stars heard the power of divinity in the small goddess. Daybringer pulsed, and was answered by a second pulse from one of the many children of light.
A rainbow river surged towards Homura, crashing down upon her, and washing her with its myriad of colors. The hands of the red goddess began to weave the stream, channeling it, directing it, and the two began to dance to the rhythm of an otherworldly melody. Slowly she moved, and slowly the light coalesced into a smaller shape. The celestial song continued, touching the fabric of the tapestry, sending reverberations through reality, as the music reached its crescendo.
Then it was over, and Homura held in her hands a small ruby. She looked to Apostate, and gestured with one hand for him to come closer.
"Should I be worried?" Apostate quipped as he floated towards Homura, eyes stuck on her hands.
“Unsheathe your blade.” Homura said, with the slightest shake of her head as she held out the shimmering stone suffused with divine power. It reflected the appearance of Apostate in its flawless facets, every edge sharp and clear, and in its depths was something more. A fire that blazed with life, the essence of a star.
"Ever the forward one." Apostate gripped the handle of Warbreaker and ripped it free from it's baldric. The blade reflected the light of the stars and with a toss he hefted it softly towards Homura.
The sword hovered before her, while she gracefully ran a hand along its length, heating the metal with her inner flame until it was searing white and ready to be melded once more. The weapon shifted and sang as she spoke to the ruby she held in her other hand.
“Protect him. That is all I ask. Know that I shall come when you sing, child of light. You will never be alone.” Then she pushed the red gem into the blade close to the base where it met with the handle, and the weapon was awakened further, infused with even greater power, before returning to its original shape. Afterwards, the Goddess of Honor returned Warbreaker to its wielder, and bowed her head respectfully.
“It is done.”
Apostate held the blade up to his face and turned it to watch the gem shimmer. He looked past the weapon and at the goddess in front of him. A soft grin formed under his bandaged eye and he tipped his head.
"I appreciate all you've done."
Homura allowed herself to smile slightly, pleased that her efforts had not been in vain, to not be rejected in the end. “Now that you have a proper weapon, I feel confident in advocating your strength when I speak with our Lord. We should… return to Galbar, my heralds will have finished by the time we get back.” The red goddess quickly climbed down her spear, until she had firmly grasped the shaft, and then descended backwards to the distant planet. Apostate was shortly behind her.
"You're going to tell the Monarch about me?" He questioned as they approached the Galbar.
“You are a warrior. You seek battle, to better understand yourself and your strength. I am the same. I will tell our Lord that we would like to partake in the fight against those that threaten creation. Are you opposed to this?” Homura queried back, her eyes closed and features returned to the expression devoid of any emotion.
"No, because I'll be fighting regardless — it's who I am." Apostate answered.
“It is only appropriate that you are recognized for your dedication then. Pain is a powerful motivation, but it should not be your only one. Seek rewards, brother, and feel pride. That is one of my beliefs.” The two deities came closer and closer to the land they had departed, and they could see that the three champions of Homura had almost finished their task. The Garden of Hevel was once more illuminated by the presence of Daybringer, and Apostate and Homura alighted upon the ground.
The Goddess of Honor pulled the bottom of her spear from the red ground, and the color quickly faded, returning to what it was before with no sign of being struck earlier. Homura looked all around her at the thousands of sleeping humans arranged around the statue. Her champions carried one more load down before approaching the two deities.
“Ninety thousand, all laid down here without any trouble. It’s time, ya?” Courage asked, as she and her two sisters approached. When they stood before the God of Defiance, the trio proceeded to respectfully bow.
“An honor again to meet you, your grace.” Kindness said softly, as the three of them arose.
The God of Defiance shook his head. “You still don’t need to bow to me.”
“It just feels right. It’s sort of selfish of us, but it makes us feel better. Maybe because we came from the Goddess of Honor, I think.” Courage replied with a chuckle, before silently signaling to her sisters. Without further word, the brash champion leapt from where she stood and alighted upon the head of Apostate’s metal effigy.
Curiosity joined her, and let out a gasp of wonder. “We weren’t struck down, Kindness. Come on, get up here!” But the third sister remained on the ground, and stepped beside her maker. Homura herself gestured to the sleeping humans and spoke to the God of Defiance. “Awaken them, brother. Let them experience the joy life offers them.”
Apostate furrowed his brow the moment his eyes found the humans. A hesitant twitch was on his lip and the sheen of worry was evident in his face.
“Joy,” he mimicked Homura, or perhaps was feeling the word for himself. He closed his eyes and held out a hand towards the many sleeping forms. Slowly his hand unraveled into wisps of smoke, climbing up his arm until pieces of his shoulder were missing. Flakes of black metal formed his face and his eye glowed like coal. His mouth moved and Homura could have sworn she heard him apologize.
The wisps of smoke shot from his arm and bloomed into a great hurricane, each pillar of smoke finding their way to the nostrils of the sleeping forms. The air whoosed and the sky turned grey as each human felt their lungs fill for the first time, eyes snapping open. As quickly as the smoke shot from Apostate, he recalled it — leaving the lungs of the stirring people, and letting them suck on fresh air.
Homura and her champions merely watched as their kin’s slumber came to an end, and the power of Apostate began to shape them. In a matter of seconds the awakened humans held the variety expected of a human, with shades of skin and hair of many colors — their eyes just as unique as well as their personalities which were already being formed around them.
Suddenly alerted, Apostate blinked and spun on his heel, staring at something far to the south. Looking in the same direction, Homura saw two Eidolons who stood watching the spectacle of the humans. They were wearing simple woolen shorts belted at the waist and hanging down to their knees. One held a sling, the other a wicker basket.
“Hmm… you should tend to your humans, I will speak with the newcomers.” Homura said, before she began striding towards the two eidolons from the south. She moved with otherworldly grace and was suddenly standing before them, though they had watched her come closer and closer, yet it also seemed she had appeared in the blink of an eye.
“I am Homura. I have no intention of harming either of you.” The red goddess said.
The one with the basket all but stepped in front of the other, cutting him off. “I am Tarowwe.” He stated with his chest puffed. The other gave him a sideways glance and answered.
“I am Cabel.”
“Hmm… There is no need to be afraid. What is the name of your Maker, young Tarowwe and Cabel?” She asked, her eyes on neither of them and both of them at the same time, shining more brightly than any fires they had ever seen.
She spoke softly, but her voice seemed to shift the air, to command it and the world all around. Her lack of horns and markings did not interfere with her ability to communicate through their kinetic empathy, as her mind brushed against their minds, and her thoughts were surprisingly gentle in comparison to her stern visage.
Cabel held out a steady hand and Tarowwe mimicked. Cabel spoke first this time. “We come from Avros… are you a spirit?”
“I am the sister of Avros. Do you know where my brother can be found? I wish to speak with him.” Truth and desire both danced together in her words and bright - almost blinding thoughts, her mind unlike any others the two eidolons had encountered. She believed in her own words, even if they sounded like madness, and her conviction washed over them like a warm breeze.
The two both knitted their brows, clearly confused.
“Avros is dead.” Cabel answered.
“Hmm… is Avros not the name of the deity that created you? I sense the still living essence of the divine within you. Your maker is not dead.” Homura replied, her thoughts shifting too fast for them to be understood by either of them. It was almost overwhelming, and then suddenly the connection was gone, and neither Eidolon could sense her with their kinetic empathy.
The pair started to back away, clearly distraught. Cabel put his palms up as he did. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, spirit, but we mean no disrespect to you or your family.”
“We really don’t,” Tarowwe added, “In fact, we love your family, right Cabel?”
Cabel made a face at Tarowwe before slowly nodding, but maintaining his retreat.
Then she vanished, and her voice announced that she had appeared behind them. “I am not a spirit, I am the Goddess of Honor. Do not lie in my presence again. Ah, you are as pitiable as those creatures in the north. Ignorant because your Maker was inept.” Homura said, between them and their planned route of escape.
“Homura!” Apostate’s voice boomed, causing the two Eidolon’s to flinch. The man was walking towards the group, and as he stopped on the other side of the Eidolons — trapping them in between the gods — he spoke again. “Are you harassing these mortals?” His voice was deep, but he had a friendly gleam in his eye.
“Of course not. I was about to offer them wisdom, and ask a favor of them.” She replied, and held up a hand, while pointedly looking at Apostate before turning her attention back to the duo. “You do not need to fear him either. He is more friendly than he appears, unless you are his enemy, I imagine.” She continued.
Apostate rolled an eye and turned away from the conversation, his ear still to it. Cabel shook his head, as if collecting a jumble of thoughts.
“I have a request!” He spoke confidently, though a sense of worry was laced in his words.
“Speak, child. I will hear your request.” Homura stated, and maintained an imperious aura despite the difference in height between her and the two Eidolons. Both of them squirmed in place for a moment before shifting on their knees, squatting a bit until they were eye-level with Homura.
“We ask,” Cabel glanced at Tarowwe then back at Homura, “we ask that you allow us to cultivate this land. Our people have dreamed about this place ever since we lost our pastures to the south. We need it.”
“Hmm… and what do you mean by cultivate? Why do you need it?” The red goddess asked.
“Our flock needs to eat its grass, and we need to drink its water,” Cabel answered. Tarowwe nodded enthusiastically.
“And perhaps we can take its wood to build, as well?”
“Then this is my answer; your flocks shall not eat its grass, you shall not drink its water, and you will not take its wood to build. The sins you have committed were forced upon you, but I offer you salvation. You may come to these lands, and you may cultivate them, but your carnage and crimes will be left behind. You will know love and generosity, truth and compassion, you will be the first welcomed in freedom’s fortress, where hunger and death has been banished. You may return from where you came, if you desire. The choice belongs to you.” Homura proclaimed, and standing so close to her, the two Eidolons could feel the power within her, more vast than the land they stood upon, more potent and terrifying than any enemy horde. To defy her was to defy the rising sun, the rain that fell from the sky, the burning touch of fire, the changing of the world. It forced them back.
They stepped backwards, nearly bumping into Apostate. They both looked confused, their mouths agape. No words came from their mouths, but as if reading their thoughts, Apostate answered for them.
“What do you mean?”
“You will not have to fear your neighbors, nor fear the pain of an empty stomach. Your herds will be safe, and you will have a home where you may rest when you are tired. Your families would be with you, away from the danger of those that prey upon the living. You would be allowed to focus on what is sacred and righteous, instead of worrying whether you will die a meaningless death. That is what I offer you. You may refuse and return to where you came from, but I expect your tribe will be disappointed. These lands have begun cannibalizing themselves, and though you may be blind to the consequences of your Maker, the results speak for themselves. Out of curiosity, why do you carry that sling? What is its purpose?” Homura ended her speech with questions directed towards Cabel, still speaking directly to the two Eidolons.
“What are you proposing?” Apostate interjected and stepped between the mortals and the god. Cabel and Tarowwe shared a glance and took a step back. Apostate was studying Homura’s face. “What do you intend to do?”
“They have known only oppression, brother. I wish to free them from the system that forces them to cannibalize each other, and alienates them from the beauty of the world. Their tribes are fighting among themselves, killing one another because our siblings have abandoned them. They have enslaved the beasts that roam these fields, and ravaged the plants that grow there. If I do not intervene, the cycle will continue and consume this land.” Homura answered, now facing Apostate with her common cryptic expression.
Apostate narrowed his eyes at Homura and crossed his arms, standing tall. “Cannibalize? Oppression? This is the strawberry all over again, isn’t it!?”
“Brother… These people need our help. We are the Divine, we have the strength to help them. Please, I am asking you to think about what will happen if we leave them to their own fates after instilling a hunger that cannot be sated and providing nothing to sustain them. The weak will become meat, and the strong will eat. It will be a feast for tyrants.” She continued, remaining still with empty eyes that refused to look away from the God of Defiance.
"I know they need our help," Apostate snapped before closing his eyes. Sighing, he placed a hand on Homura's shoulder and looked at her again with his emotional intensity. "How can you be so sure that your way is the right way to do that? You're the one who dispersed an entire race of your own only to judge and criticize how they live and the people you gave them to. I've been trying to tell you that the world needs change, it needs an end and it needs a beginning — that's the beauty of mortality, the beauty of your creation. You can't hide it away, it will wither. If you take away the needs, you're left with the wants — and an eternity of mistakes. I always hear you, but you never seem to hear me, or the others. Mortals drink from moving water, not the still — another lesson the universe taught them before us."
Homura averted her gaze, looking away from Apostate, to the land all around and seemed to consider his words in silence for a time. She spoke, but her tone remained in the same emotionless state. “You understand that you are making no sense. You are right, I do not know if my way is correct, but I can see that the current path we have laid will crumble beneath our feet. I am not refusing change, I am advocating it. Let us change this system. The universe did not teach them to drink water, brother, as their way of life was taught to them by us. The water was created by us. The mortals were created by us. It is the fact that our siblings seem to have casually discarded their creations which irks me. No mother or father should abandon their child before they can stand on their own. Please, let me help them.”
Apostate let go of Homura and crossed his arms again. “Tell me your plan, and let me judge you for once.”
“First we must end the fighting. Too many corpses litter the land south of here now, and more will follow if we remain uninvolved. They must learn how to live in harmony with each other, not afraid that their kin may lash out at them because there is a shortage of food, or because they seem vulnerable. The animals and plants will be stronger if they support each other, not consume each other. I suggest we allow these two to guide their people here, or bring them to Keltra where they can learn how to protect and sustain themselves. Then they can begin their journey on the Sacred Path. I even believe they have the potential to travel farther than us, brother. So… that is the basis of my plan. Truthfully, I would like to acquire more information regarding what we are dealing with before providing a more detailed plan for the future. It is too easy to make a mistake that we do not realize even exists.” Homura’s mask seemed to slightly slip away, as fire flickered in her scarlet eyes, and both conviction and hope faintly manifested in her voice.
Letting out a groan, Apostate pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t want to tell you that I agree with some of what you said, in the fear that I’ll disagree with how you intend to do some of those things.”
Homura merely nodded, before she continued. “If at any point you think that my methods are either inefficient or only worsening things, then please intervene. As I have said, I do not know if my way is correct. I am a rather pathetic goddess… I only know that there are those that need us, and they are dying because we have already failed them. I want to atone for my mistakes by saving any and all that I can.”
“I’d intervene even if you didn’t say please,” Apostate admitted, “if nothing else, it’s who I am to defend all against any force that pushes or pulls and limits freedom, no matter what that force may be.” His face twisted with a thought for a moment, then reset.
“That alleviates many of my concerns. I am much the same, though I find that freedom is too varied a term. I like it, and I often encourage it, but here is my experience with it. There is no such thing as true freedom. We are always bound by the unseen forces that weave through each and every one of us. However, these forces are not necessarily evil or good. You may fight against them, or embrace them. Apologies, I am wondering aloud again. Shall we help these two then?” The Goddess of Honor offered her red ribbon covered hand to him, and her head tilted to the side like a curious animal that had seen something interesting.
“Freedom is volatile, and so am I.” Apostate gripped Homura’s hand tight. He rolled her hand inside his palm gently for a second before arching a brow. “Why the ribbons?”
“I will tell you another time. It is nothing worth being noted. We have frightened Cabel and Tarowwe, so let us ease their fears now. This is your garden, would you prefer they come and live here, or would you prefer I escort them to Keltra? Ah, first we should ascertain whether they wish for our aid.” Homura bowed her head in deference to Apostate, and allowed him to speak with the two Eidolons.
Apostate blinked and then spun around, Cabel and Tarowwe already at least fifty sneaky steps away with their backs turned. “Hey!” Apostate boomed, causing them to flinch in place. “You can use this land, bring the others!”
“Thanks!” Cabel shouted back before starting a hurried walk, dragging Tarowwe by the shirt behind him.
Homura was walking back to the nascent humans scattered across the garden, passing through the crowd to reach her three champions who had begun tending to their awakened kin. The lively voice of Courage as she shouted inspiring words, and taught them how to stand and walk. Curiosity and Kindness provided support for those that stumbled, and needed some help before they had found their own balance, and understood their own strength.
The red goddess watched, and allowed any of the awakened humans to approach her if they desired. The light of Daybringer was not harsh to their eyes, it gently passed through them and revealed the shape of the land, the song of the sky, and the truths of the world, akin to the presence of the sun when it was high above.
“So why did you give them to me?” Apostate’s voice came from behind Homura.
“You are the one that claimed them. I have faith that you will protect and guide them. Otherwise, they will serve as another reminder of why I fight. For each piece of life that is lost, my dedication to defending it from the depredations of our kin only strengthens. Why did you accept my gifts?” She questioned back, and felt no need to turn to face him then. Her mind did not enjoy the paradoxical reasoning for her stance.
“Truthfully? It’s because I didn’t trust you,” Apostate answered. The god stayed behind her, paused in thought. “Why I’m still taking them, that’s debatable.”
Her head slightly shook in response before she spoke again. “Debatable how? Are you saying that you have some trust in me, brother?”
“We struck an alliance, I wouldn’t have done that otherwise.” Another pause. “Will you trust me in my choices?”
“Know that I have not turned my back on you out of disrespect.” Homura replied, as she contemplated what would become of the future, and wondered whether this was another step on the path of annihilation, or a step towards something wondrous and beautiful. She could only hope it was the latter, but the choice belonged to Apostate now. He could strike her down, or he could walk beside her and create a new world.
Apostate shifted behind her. “I didn’t think you did. I just want you to know that I intend to give these humans choices.”
“Indeed. I am against the idea of enforcing our will upon our creations, but we must also prevent them from destroying themselves. It is something I still struggle with. Perhaps you will have a better time than I.” The red goddess said, as she turned to look at him, and evident sorrow was visible in her eyes that were shrouded by shadows.
Resting his hand on the pommel of his blade, Apostate’s eye flickered over Homura’s exhausted visage. “I think we talked enough for one day.”
“Hmm… I should return to Keltra. The air dances with apprehension, so I assume another calamity has befallen elsewhere. Remember our promise, and perhaps one day we may even have the opportunity to spar for a time…” Homura stepped back, and her three champions suddenly looked towards her. An unspoken command went through them, and each began saying goodbye to the humans around them.
“Until then, farewell, brother.” The Goddess of Honor bowed to Apostate, before she returned to the crown of the colossi with her heralds.
“Don’t forget to rest,” Apostate said as he stood up straight, a small groan rumbling in his chest. “I’ll return to Keltra to fulfill another promise soon enough.”