Inside the temple, the silence was treacherously winding. Yvaine finally fell asleep, despite refusing to lie down in a comfortable place, and preferring to stay close to her master. Linus had also fallen asleep, leaning his head on Mikhal's lap.
Well, Mikhal was the only one awake.
Even if he tried to close his eyes and empty his mind, he could not sleep. His mind would be too treacherous and play tricks reminding him of things dying. It was useless try.
The colored eyes rose to Koa, who hung up the incense near the statue, and then turned to face him. As if he felt the weight of Mikhal's attention. However, Koa's focus went down to the young boy who was sleeping recumbent.
"I think you should know who this kid is, right, young man?"
Without seeming surprised, Mikhal just lowered his eyes to the young Linus. His fingertips slowly pulled the collar of the boy's shirt, exposing the mark on his neck that confirmed his identity.
"Is that why you recognized him? You said his smell was familiar."
Koa approached in deaf steps, stopping at a good distance. His voice sounded lower than his usual duller tone, sharing a secret.
"If I could, I would welcome every pilgrim. But the gods of Keonna would turn against Belice, and this would become an endless battle."
"It seems that Keonna really hates the pilgrims, doesn't it?"
Koa turned his face, the countenance looking even sadder.
"Not all of them. Ereghast always reached out his hand with kindness to such people. If he were still here..."
The mere mention of the name of the supreme god made Mikhail shudder. A name that caused him vertigem and made him look at Cale immediately. The fingers clenched over his lap, in an effort to restrain himself.
"He reached out to such people... or to your own people?"
Mikhal did not look away when he felt the weight of Koa's gaze coming from the corner of his eyes. Although he tried to stand firm without showing any hesitation or weakness, it was difficult for him to touch on such a subject.
At the end, Koa tilted his head and looked away.
"I can only be responsible for the dragons, not the humans. I have no divine blood and no contract to protect them. Although I would not think twice about showing my claws to the enemy again."
The way Koa said that last sentence echoed as a strong threat to Mikhal. He swallowed dry and lowered his eyes to watch Linus sleep on his lap. It was a human child, but somehow the mark on his neck choked Mikhal. He sighed and covered the mark, pulling a blanket over the human. Linus snuggled up even more on his lap.
"Pilgrims are being hunted by monsters and humans. Even a dragon egg has become a target. Should I think that any remnant of the ancient people will be hunted if they do not have adequate protection?"
"It is what we have faced since the last war. But we, dragons, have already found peace in the arms of Belice. Unfortunately humans are the only ones to remain lost. If at least the Voice was heard once more..."
This time, Koa looked towards Cale. The demigod slept deeply on the altar, without moving a single muscle. He hardly seemed to breathe. However, the marks on his arms and legs shone brightly.
Mikhal was unaware of those symbols, but felt an ancient and divine energy coming from them. He knew it was ancient, since not even his family could have such a divine energy... pure.
"Do not throw such responsibility on the shoulders of the boy" asked Mikhal, raising his fingers as he picked up the fallen flower by his side "The burden he carries is already too heavy. And he is not strong enough to carry the world."
"Do you think it matters before fate?" Koa asked seriously, and Mikhal could only close his eyes to own flower between his fingers "You are a puppy too, you think you know the mysteries of life. You may even know the secret that is hidden in your blood, and how it ruined an entire breed... but you still have the innocence of a puppy."
"A puppy, hm?" a smile sprang from Mikhal's lips "Why do you think I'm not seeing something? Do you know anything, Koa warrior?"
He just tilted his head and supported it in his arms, looking tired and melancholic.
"The human boy... a pilgrim from a long-destroyed land. It was not by chance that he met a cursed demigod who carries the symbol of the Universe itself."
Again the uncomfortable feeling spread through Mikhal's chest. His pupils dilated and his fingers clenched in the fragile stem of the flower. Its pink petals took on a white hue when it suddenly froze.
(...)
Cale was already tired of walking. His legs trembled and only his stubbornness pushed him forward. He felt that his eyes burn for not taking them away from the ghost of Aries.
It had been some time since they left the garden of rememberance, the beautiful crystals containing lovely and precious memories for Aries. The curiosity of Cale still tried to come back to spy a little more, but it was the shame of seeing that huge crystal again that prevented him.
"Haa... even when we go—"
A strong wind blew through them, almost carrying Cale away. Covering his face with his arms, Cale grunted trying not to crawl. Only that it was difficult when he had nowhere to lean.
"A great warrior, reduced to a mere theiodesmos of a cursed heretic!"
The voice that shouted it furiously, along with a warm breeze, made Cale petrify.
What had he just heard?
"Forget the heretic! Once in the World of Chaos, he will be killed by the god of chaos. The bond will be broken, and you as guardian must return to where it should never have gone."
Cale turned his heels, looking around for the owner of that distorted voice.
"Give it up! He will never come back. Nuria would never let anyone escape his prison. Stop with that, Aries!"
"Who's there?!" cried Cale clenching his fists. "Damn... Aries, what the hell is that?"
The ghost continued his walk without stopping. Cale kept an eye on him, looking for any sign of another being nearby. Obviously the voices were talking about him. But who would say such things to Aries?
"He is alive, Aries. I can feel that his destiny is still held among the stars."
"Yvaine?" Cale raised his eyes to the red sky, unable to see anything beyond.
"I hope you're not looking for that heretic, Aries. Get back to being a warrior before you too are punished by heresy."
That voice made Cale stop walking. His body warmed up and his fingers clenched as he recognized that annoying, overbearing voice.
"Krynt..."
The ghost's steps also changed in resonance with that voice. The footprints in that desert burned in flames, and the white eyes turned into reddish tones.
Cale hurried to follow him, having his surroundings turn into a dark and gloomy forest. Thorns scratched his bare legs, leaves and dried flowers stuck to his face delaying him and almost losing the trail of fire.
"Aries, wait!"
Forcing his tired legs to follow the ghost, Cale chose to ignore all pain so as not to lose sight of him. Reaching out to reach him, he could swear that he would be able to hold him in his embrace if it were not a mere ghost of a memory.
Falling on his knees as he left the forest, Cale panted.
Damn.
His body hurt. He was exhausted. But nothing compared to the fury of hearing those voices saying such things to Aries.
"I'll find you... and together we will make each one shut up and bow down before us" Cale muttered.
When he raised his head to know where the ghost was, Cale's body froze completely.
An area that should be a green field seemed to face a dry grotesque and the disregard of the gods. The grass was pale and dead, trees dried and with thin branches resembling claws, flowers seemed never to have decorated the landscape. But there was a huge stone building emerging from the earth.
A pair of hands raised to the heavens, with handcuffs on their wrists. It seemed as if someone imprisoned under the earth begged for his freedom.
Around, scattered like mere wandering ghosts, translucent figures of gray color. Figures such as Cale rknow once in a while.
Stunned, Cale walked among the figures, each of them murmuring something.
"Are you sure he's a warrior? He looks more like a criminal..."
"Maybe he is like the master. I heard that he is attached to a master who was judged as a heretic."
On the other side, he saw another ghost of Aries, translucent as the others, fighting against human knights. Watching the fight, Cale could only widen his eyes before the despair that Aries showed in trying to advance.
"Do you wish to go against the divine judgment, warrior? You know that you have received mercy, for only your master carries sin. Still, do you want to go against the divine who protected you?"
Who said that?
He looked like someone who wore the symbol of the god of order and divine laws.
Cale turned his face and continued to walk. Voices kept shouting insults against him, disdaining Aries just for being his theiodesmos. Cale's fingers closed and amethyst eyes became cold as the burning flame of revenge fed on such memories.
Until the longing voice made him shudder.
Quickly Cale turned, looking for that phantasmagoric sea the owner of that voice. He who reduced his thirst revenge in a childish cry. Hastening the steps, Cale looked for a specific memory, not even knowing how it would be. He just wanted to see.
He needed to see.
"Master Gaspar" whispered the voice of Aries before the figure back "I will not stop looking for him. Even if I am cursed as he is, even if the gods forsake me... I am unable to leave him behind."
Cale was amazed, finding the memory.
The Aries of that memory was completely wounded, kneeling on Gaspar's back.
What the hell had happened to him?
"I was able to intervene in Kevhorn's decision this time. After all, you acted on my orders. How can you refuse an order from me? Even if they despise me, I am still a local deity under the name of Gaspar. And I am the father of that child."
"Dad..." Cale extended his trembling hand to the figure of Gaspar, who turned his face as if he could really see him.
"I will not give up! Nothing in this world will make me give up that guy! Damn! How dare he claim me as his subordinate and disappear like that?!!! How would he dare to abandon me?! I will make him come back and take responsibility for making me so weak!"
Gaspar's smile was gentle, and his hand shaved Aries' blond hair.
"I'm grateful to know that my blood will never be alone. Aries, Guardian of the Warriors... bring back my son. Follow him and never leave him. Be kind to that cowardly child. Bring him back into my arms. I cannot lose another ///// for divine greed."
The memories faded, and the ghosts turned to the huge stone pavements. Cale also saw himself doing the same, surprised once again to see the figure of the ghost of Aries, with crown of thorns and flaming steps. He looked at those gigantic hands and touched them.
"AAAAAAH!!!"
The visceral cry that the ghost gave, shook heaven and earth. Cale felt the bond tighten within him, and a lonely tear flowed from his face.