Ria's Adventures
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Godslayer Lysette: Chapter 264
🕑 Added 2024-11-08 13:32:16 +0000 UTCChapter 264: The Journey So Far
Lysette sat on the rooftop at midnight after a long afternoon of more shaping the land and moving the trees to prepare for the canal and river project. It’d be another week before it would be fully dug up and ready for waterflow. Even then, carving out the lake and outflow river and building all the other structures would take months. Maybe a full year. In the best case scenario.
Despite her eagerness to move forward with the project, the crisp yet not cold air and the moonless sky above both served as solid reminders. The end of winter had arrived. Tomorrow would mark the start of spring, at least per the acolytes of Thosse. That meant it was only a matter of when Terean soldiers would march on Ciricu’s doorsteps, here to eradicate the vicious demon lord and secure money or power or glory or the good graces of their patron deity. Celestials know how far some people would go to make their deity happy.
And they certainly wouldn’t omit espionage as one of their weapons. An ugly taste, one that smelled of iron, welled in her mouth just thinking about it.
Mirae had reported that no one approached the twins as they talked amongst themselves for the better part of the afternoon before returning back to their housing complex for the evening. Whatever they talked about, Mirae either didn’t know or was refusing to answer, and that suited her just fine. If it was a matter of the people’s safety, she trusted Mirae to tell her, and if it wasn’t, she trusted Mirae to keep whatever they overheard— hopefully nothing— to themself.
She leaned back on the slightly slanted rooftop and watched the stars twinkle. Beautiful, despite knowing that it was the Domain of her hated enemy.
Thoughts drifted. She still didn’t know where exactly the Celestial realm was. Apart from that one odd vision when she first implanted the Scrying Stone into her left eyesocket, she’d never before seen it before. And even that vision could have just as easily been a figment of her imagination or a delirious phantasm brought about in the throes of pain. Indeed, it could just as easily be up in the sky or some parallel world to the human one, one invisible even to her enhanced sight.
Someplace she’d have to go, to do the impossible. To travel to the dominions of the primordial deities and do battle with them in their own homes. Something that was considered impossible even by other true gods, and the one thing that had thus far prevented the war from devolving into catastrophe. To cast them down from their high places, and then ensure that they would never again threaten the people of Aimarion.
Another deep breath. She had to include herself among those. Loath though she was to admit it to herself at times, but she was a threat as well. No matter how much she convinced herself that she was doing the right thing— whatever right was anymore— she was still acting on her initiative toward people who might counsel her otherwise but could never subdue her by force. Creating a world for humanity alone— whatever shape that might take— would necessarily mean creating a world that had no place for her. One that might permit Lysette Barenete, the human herbalist, to live her life, but would never countenance Lyse Barret, the woman who fancied herself the Godslayer of Humanity.
But she didn’t mind the thought. Being excluded from the world, imprisoned within the nothingness beyond it, it didn’t seem so bad. As long as Mirae was there with her, to share eternity within the abyss was not an unwelcome end for the journey upon which she was traveling.
They leapt up onto the rooftop as Lysette leaned up to gaze out to the westerly horizon. Their fingers interlaced with her own, softly, so gentle and cool despite their strength. Strength of heart and will and body alike, to have gotten where they were now.
Lysette kissed them. Softly, gently, a methodical peck of the lips, but one that lingered for several moments. Just long enough to taste the barest hint of sugar lingering upon them from a leftover cookie from their lunchtime meal. Sweet, tender, delicious.
Mirae pulled her in closer, and she obliged for a minute. She pulled back and licked her lips, enjoying every bit of her love’s lingering chill. And then she leaned back down and gazed up at the celestial zenith, holding their hands and sitting in silence.
Half an hour passed. Stars moved little by little, dancing along in tiny circles with only a single one directly to the north stationary among them. It was peaceful, possibly the last night for a very long time that the people of Ciricu could sleep with surety that there wouldn’t be an ambush under cover of darkness.
Her mind wandered to Zarielle. Despite their rather heated altercation the last time Lysette had seen her, the Goddess of Darkness hadn’t yet taken any further action against her. She thought it more than a little strange— already multiple gods had taken direct action against her. And plenty more were no doubt scheming, seeking to undermine her from within. But Zarielle, who knew her proclivities and capabilities better than any other, still seemed content to do nothing.
The only explanation that made sense was that Zarielle was still using her toward unknown ends. Mirae had suggested as much before. Lysette had agreed that their reasoning was sound, and yet, that raised even more unknowns. Just what was the political situation with all the Celestial gods? Who were friends, who were allies for now, and who were enemies?
“Love?” Mirae said, snapping her out of her fugue. “Is something the matter? You seem… off, somehow.”
“Thinking about a lot of things.”
“It’s the end of the winter.”
“That’s part of it, yes. Thinking about our journey so far. About where we were when this whole thing started out. And where we’ll be going.”
“You know that I’ll go where you lead me, right?”
“I know you’ll always offer to. Selfishly, though, a part of me hopes that you will stay by my side for all eternity just as we’ve promised each other.”
“It should be all of you wanting that.” Mirae leaned in and lay their head on her chest. “Your heartbeat. So gentle and soft and warm. Just as it warms my icy heart hearing it.”
“I’ve never thought of you as icy. Your abilities, yes. But not you.”
“That’s because I long ago learned to suppress my heart. My family. We survived together, but we were struggling for so long that we rarely had time to indulge ourselves in any sort of family activities. And once I came to the Academy and had to endure the hate of people who could not understand or accept me for me, I–”
“It’s okay, Mirae. You have always been warm and kind to me, and that is why I am so worried that you might follow me all the way to the end. Because I do not believe you deserve the same cursed fate that I do.”
“Cursed fate?”
“I am a demon, Mirae. Perhaps not by my conscious choice on that night half a year ago, but I continue to affirm that with my words and actions every night. That strength may be necessary, but it is a cursed power borne from the deaths of others. I damn myself with every use, and–”
Mirae kissed Lysette, driving her warm tongue into her mouth. Warm and loving and tender at first, but then sloppier and more passionate as they straddled her and rubbed against her body. Lysette flushed, stifling her desire to moan for Serrena’s sake, who would no doubt have an ear out, listening for signs of invasion. She wasn’t sure which would be worse. Being accosted by Serrena, or having Aurie watching for her own amusement.
“Not now,” Mirae said. “Right now, I want to feel you.”
“But–”
Lysette tensed as Mirae continued to kiss her, and then she relaxed, allowing those worries to abate, if for only a moment. Though she wished they would stay away forever, that the two of them could enjoy eternity together, Lysette still worried. A single tear flowed down her face, then another, and then yet more until her face was glistening in the starlight. And they didn’t stop coming, only accelerating as Mirae stopped kissing her and started holding her, burying their head into her chest as that once-steady heartbeat accelerated into a sprint.
“Please, love. Share your burdens with me. Tell me what troubles you. Even if I cannot handle them myself, I would still want to know. So I can ease your burdens just a bit. Carry even a piece of what troubles you for even a few moments.”
“I don’t fear my own death, Mirae. I am the Demigoddess of Reciprocity. Vengeance and Retribution are both part of that. Both of those often end up changing their wielder, and rarely for the better. I have–” Lysette trembled. “I have accepted the possibility that I will succumb. Even if I survive this war, I will be irreparably damned for it. That does not scare me. But the–”
“It’s okay, Lysette.” Mirae stroked her cheek. “Share with me. Share it all with your partner.”
“I worry that I might hurt you. Or that you might get hurt because of me. That everyone here might get hurt because of me. But that’s not even the worst of it.
“Dying doesn’t scare me. Even being imprisoned outside of time and space in an endless void doesn’t worry me. But I’m scared that I will have to exist for eternity without you.”
“You won’t, love.”
“I– I don’t want you to damn yourself the way I already have.”
“You haven’t, love. You–”
“I love you. And you love me. Those facts are as true and immutable as the sun rising every morning and setting every evening. As sure as the stars dancing in the night sky, that winter will give way to spring, then summer, before descending back into autumn and then winter’s embrace once more. But every time I fight and people die, I lose a bit of myself. I become that little bit more willing to do whatever needs to be done to protect what I have left, no matter how immoral the actions are. I–”
“Shh.” Mirae stayed silent for a full minute, neither making a sound beyond breathing or the synchronized beating of their hearts. “If damnation is where your path lies, then I want to follow.”
“I can’t let you sacrifice yourself for–”
“It’s my choice to make, of my will. If you believe so strongly in the world that you want to create that you are willing to damn your eternal Spark for that, that is your right. But it’s my right to follow you on that path just the same. If you want to stop me, you’ll have to kill me.”
Lysette looked into Mirae's eyes. They were the same eyes, big and beautiful and light brown that twinkled along with the stars high above. But they were full of a fire uncharacteristic of a deity who commanded mastery over Ice in all its many forms. Unmitigated resolve of a type Lysette rarely saw, the resolution that forced reality itself to bend to accommodate it. And in the face of such overwhelming resolve, Lysette was powerless to do anything beyond submit to it.
“I could never.”
Mirae smiled. “I know. And I know that somewhere down there is a caring spirit, one willing to sacrifice herself for what she feels is best. I just hope that you remember what I said earlier. You are not alone. You do not have to carry those burdens by yourself.”
“There are things only I can do, though.”
“And there are things only I can do. Things that Serrena and Solanna and Aurie can do. Things that all our friends, the Tereans, the Ciricuans can do. Would do. Want to do, even. Look at how excited Lyon has been all day! He’s still not asleep yet at an hour after midnight, for your sake!”
Lysette smiled.
“When war comes, we’ll face it. But until then, let’s focus on all the things we can build. The trinkets we can Create, the lives we can improve and the vitality we can infuse into this town that we call home. Will you do that? For me?”
Lysette took Mirae’s hands in her own and stared into those beautiful eyes once more. “Those eyes? I could do anything for those eyes.”
Chapter 263: https://www.patreon.com/posts/115536759
Table of Contents: https://www.patreon.com/posts/101896170
Chapter 265: https://www.patreon.com/posts/115678374
Comments
Ria Corvidiva
If Book 3 is Lysette embracing her inner darkness, then Book 4 might be more 'coming to terms' with her darkness and learning to accept it-- tap into it, even-- without letting it darken her journey completely.
Ria Corvidiva
This is likely a spoiler for you since I don't believe you've read any of my other works, but tt's worth noting that 'outside' is not empty. All of my stories share some aspects of their cosmology. Namely, while physical laws may differ, the worlds do share a sort of Liminal Space between then.
Bielna
A relaxing, yet deep and thoughtful chapter of reflection about the future, near and far. I particularly like the contrast and how they both complete each other - Lysette thinking about what is right in the future, the price to pay for the path she follows once they reach the end, and Mirae thinking about what is right in the present, how to empower others and give them control of their lives, to do right by them in terms of freedom and choice. A reminder that no matter how dark the path gets in search for the "greater good", it still matters to do small kindnesses along the way.
Jessica
Again, Mirae saves the day! Had there been any doubt in their mind, Lysette might have been tempted to try and push them away, but now Lysette will always have that reminder of her better self that Mirae sees in her and she might have the motivation to do better to save them. Of course the worst case scenario would be both of them trapped on the "outside" with no better world to show for it, but I'm not going to abandon Hope (now that the Domain has been reclaimed).
