Author: JH24
Disclaimer: I don't own this series. Kid Icarus: Uprising was created by Masahiro Sakurai. The rights belong to Nintendo. The game was developed by Project Sora.
Spoilers: The story takes place after the end of Uprising.
My sincere thanks to Sumi-Sprite, booklover4816, rinsegaku and sapphire316 for beta-reading. Thank you so much. I'm really grateful for everything you've all done for me.
Thank you for all your advice, patience and support. I could never have done this without any of you.
Kid Icarus Uprising: In the wake of Chaos
An idiot. He was an idiot. Why had he even come here? Did he honestly expect it to end any other way?
Pit let out a helpless sigh as he leaned against the trunk of a large oak, sliding down until he was sitting on the ground and with the back of his head resting against the ancient tree. Its cool shadow gave him a moment of peace. He had tried to stand up, but his legs simply gave way. He was exhausted.
He wiped the corners of his mouth, and let out another sigh as he saw the fresh stains of blood on the back of his hand. Pit was one battered and bruised angel. He was only now beginning to realize the extent of his injuries. His left eye was already beginning to swell. He could feel sharp twinges in his arms and legs, a dull and throbbing pain in his back and chest, and a burning pain spreading all over his body.
His chest and limbs were covered with scraps, cuts and bruises. His tunic was ripped and torn in several places, covered with dirt and traces of his blood. There was a wound on his left shoulder that had a small stream of blood leaking out of it. Pit looked at his slightly bloodied wings and twitched in discomfort when he noticed the empty spots where a few feathers had been torn out. His injuries weren't serious enough to threaten the life of an angel, but they really did do a number on him.
Pit had no idea what had gotten into him, yet he had no regrets. There was no anger, no bitterness toward the humans who had done this to him. It was actually quite the opposite. He felt he deserved it; but he had never imagined there would be so much hate. Only now he realized how naive he had been.
The young angel looked up. He was sitting on a large hill overlooking the landscape, surrounded by farms, grasslands, and other hills. There was a river and a forest to his right, an old town - parts of it still broken and burned - some distance away in front of him, and a large cemetery to his left which was connected to the town by a long and winding road.
A jolt of pain pierced his wounded left shoulder, making him flinch and instinctively clutch the injured area with his right hand. This place wasn't just an ordinary town. No, he had been directly responsible for what happened to it. He knew the cemetery was larger than it should have been for a town of this size, and it was painfully clear most of the graves were recent. He flinched again as another wave of pain washed over his battered body, as if it wanted to drive the point home about who was to blame.
He had been responsible. After Hades had been defeated and peace settled over the world, Pit was regarded as the hero who saved mankind. A brave and selfless angel, who was worshipped by some as the new guardian of humanity. A number of humans even set up temples and shrines so they could offer him their prayers. Being worshipped was a concept new to Pit, and it was something he didn't feel comfortable with, let alone deserving of.
He had visited one of those shrines, which had been erected next to an existing shrine dedicated to the Goddess of Light, and it had been an awkward experience. The people of the nearby village kneeled before him, prayed to him, and offered him their possessions. The young angel had tried to tell the villagers they didn't have to do this for him, but they didn't seem to listen.
There had been something else as well. Despite their cheers and praises, Pit couldn't shake the feeling something felt off. He noticed it. Forced smiles, panicked stares, fearful eyes. It was as if the humans were hiding something right underneath the surface. They begged him to ask the Goddess of Light for her blessing and to spare their village for another year. Not understanding the meaning behind their words back then, Pit had reassured them everything would be alright and that he and Lady Palutena would protect them. The angel had left the shrine with an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was only later that he learned what had happened to the poor villagers.
Viridi was willing to give the humans another chance and pulled back all of her forces. In exchange, Palutena and Pit promised the goddess they would help her restore nature around the world, which had suffered heavily due to the war with the Underworld, the humans fighting each other, the Aurum invasion, and the Chaos Kin's reign of terror. After the war ended, many nations and city-states were plundering the lands for materials to rebuild their homes, much to Viridi's chagrin. But to the angel's surprise - and his relief - she still kept her word.
Yet as everyone seemed to move on, Pit found himself caught in a web of guilt and remorse. In the months that followed after the final battle, and despite Palutena and Viridi's attempts to hide it, Pit slowly found out the extent of the destruction and death the Chaos Kin had wrought. The teen was horrified when he learned what his body had done during those three years while he was trapped inside a ring. The usually cheery angel grew more and more silent, and despite Palutena's attempts to make him feel better - and she really had tried - the weight on his shoulders became almost unbearable.
He was plagued by recurring nightmares, dreaming of how he slaughtered hundreds of people— even children. Almost every night he would wake up screaming in terror, his shivering body drenched in sweat. It was as if his body had stored all the memories of those three years and was now mocking him with those memories over and over again. It was as if he was being haunted day and night by the souls of his victims; all crying out for revenge, crying out for his punishment.
Lady Palutena did everything she could; she spent time with him, listened to him, comforted him, and even organized a party together with Viridi. It was nice to see Phosphora and Arlon again, and Pit was surprised when Pittoo showed up as well.
Pittoo had recently become an officer in Viridi's Forces of Nature. Or as he put it: "She lets me fly, I hit stuff for her. We both win... me more than her."
Upon spotting him on the balcony, Pit quickly walked toward his twin and gave him a friendly smile. "I'm glad you came, Pittoo."
Dark Pit visibly flinched at hearing his nickname, but for once he didn't protest. Instead, the dark angel simply huffed. "It's not that I want to be here. It's just that I don't have anything better to do."
Pit gave him a teasing smirk. "Right."
Although Pittoo had tried to hide it, Pit could tell he had come here out of his own free will. It was clear he was worried... in his own way.
"Tell me something. Why are you still so down? Shouldn't you be fawning over Palutena or something?"
Pit's shoulders slumped. "You know why..."
The dark angel clenched his jaw and briefly looked away. "I don't get you. We crushed the Chaos Kin and saved Palutena. You saved me and defeated Hades, but now you're going to let that stupid bug win because of a few bad dreams?"
"It's not that easy, Pittoo. You know that."
"Whatever." Pittoo turned away from him, but then halted as he seemed to consider something. He held his hand underneath his chin as if in thought, and Pit couldn't help but smile at the sight. It was so obvious they were twins; he often took the same pose when thinking about something.
Dark Pit turned around, and to Pit's surprise, clasped his left shoulder. "I once said I found your upbeat personality annoying, and for the record, I still do." A solemn look spread over his features. "But I want my old twin back. This isn't who you are."
Pittoo crossed his arms, his usual confident smirk returning. He gestured outside. "What about it? You and me, Temple Plaza."
Pit looked at him in surprise. "You mean, right now?"
The dark angel huffed in amusement. "What's the matter? Scared of a rematch?"
Pit gave his twin a knowing smirk. "You're never happy unless you're fighting someone, are you?"
Pittoo smirked back. "Hey, you say that like it's a bad thing."
Viridi on her part invited Pit to her most beautiful gardens - a breathtaking and colorful paradise unlike anything he had ever seen - hoping it would lift his spirits. Phosphora challenged him to a series of games. Arlon tried to keep his mind busy by teaching him about etiquette.
He even had gotten closer to Cragalanche during his stay in Viridi's realm, which was kind of surprising considering Cragalanche couldn't talk, but they seemed to understand each other.
He appreciated everyone's efforts, but it had done little to ease his mind.
In an unusual twist, Lady Palutena had brought Magnus to Skyworld, and Pit had been happy to see his human friend again. During his visit, Magnus admitted he had grown fond of the little angel, and he was disappointed when he realized he couldn't help Pit either. Before he left, he gave Pit some heartfelt advice.
"Look, you're an angel. A good angel. You want to take the blame for what happened because you feel someone has to. I get that. But blaming yourself for something that isn't your fault isn't going to help anyone. And don't come to me with that stuff about the Chaos Kin. You didn't know. I don't blame you, and neither do your friends. So just let it go, alright?"
Magnus looked at Pit solemnly. "I know you want to go to the humans. But you aren't going to heal the wounds of the past with a simple apology."
"But you've forgiven me, and you're human." There was hope in his words.
Magnus clasped Pit's shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. The young angel glanced at Magnus's arm, then looked up at his human friend and broke into a small but appreciative smile.
"Listen, there was nothing for me to forgive because I know this wasn't your doing. But the rest of us..." Magnus paused as he briefly looked away, a somber look spreading across his features.
"They'll be looking for someone to blame. One thing you gotta learn about humans; we aren't exactly forgiving."
For a moment Pit smiled at the memories as he realized how lucky he was to have such amazing friends. They meant everything to him.
He stared at his hand, which was now stained with a mixture of fresh and dried blood.
After learning this town had been hit hardest by his body, Pit knew he had to come here.
The name of the town was Solis. It was among one of the many locations which had fallen victim to the Chaos Kin when it controlled the Forces of Light, including his own body during those terrible years. Most areas attacked by the Chaos Kin were abandoned by the humans, as the memories were too painful for them to return to their homes.
But the town of Solis was one of the exceptions. The survivors began to rebuild it, working toward a new future despite all the losses they had suffered. Nearly three quarters of Solis had been burned to the ground. Over half of its people - including women and children - had been killed. It had been nothing less than a massacre.
And that's why he had to come here. In his short-sightedness, in being his naive self, the angel had believed he could explain himself to the survivors of Solis. That he wasn't responsible, that Lady Palutena had been controlled by a being called the Chaos Kin, and that they didn't need to fear him or the Goddess of Light.
How wrong he had been.
He had asked - no, he had begged - Lady Palutena to bring him here, and that no matter what would happen, she wouldn't intervene unless he called out her name. He could tell it was one of the hardest decisions the goddess ever had to make, and it only added onto his guilt for putting her through this. In hindsight, Pit was certain Lady Palutena had already known what was going to happen.
When Pit landed in the town plaza, he could hear and see the shocked reactions of the humans around him. As he walked around Pit noticed that he was being watched. The people had stopped all their activities and were now staring at him, following his every move. It made him nervous. He remembered the feeling of his wings twitching, shaking loose a few feathers that were ready to molt.
But surprise turned to anger, and the young angel no sooner found himself surrounded by a hostile crowd. Their faces radiating a mixture of disbelief and hatred; their baleful glares piercing right through his soul. And Pit felt overwhelmed.
The silence had been eerie and foreboding, like a calm before the storm.
There were also people who were afraid. Some were fidgeting nervously, unsure about what was going to happen; others were looking at him and at each other in confusion. A group of people moved back warily when he tried to approach them; some of them screamed and ran away in terror. Pit's instinctive reaction to run after them to explain he meant no harm had only made matters worse. Chaos ensued as people tried to get away from him. It had made Pit painfully realize he was no longer an angel; in their eyes he had become a demon.
About half of the townspeople had fled from the town plaza after the chaos had settled. The humans remaining were the ones who hadn't been afraid of him in the first place. Or maybe they were also afraid, but simply didn't care anymore.
Pit tried to talk to them, his voice cracking with emotion as he tried to apologize for what had happened to their town. He tried to explain it hadn't been him, that he hadn't been in control of his own body. His words only made the situation worse. Some people began to cry, overcome by grief as memories of that day reawakened in them. Some laughed bitterly at hearing his explanation, others were simply seething with rage. The town leader, a human who appeared much older than his voice would suggest, stepped forward and yelled at the heartbroken angel, asking the teen how he even dared to set foot in their home.
"You killed dozens of my people! We begged you on our knees to spare our children, but you killed even them! So many of our men and women sacrificed themselves so that their families could escape. And now you dare to come here to tell us it wasn't you?!" The man's voice was incredulous, his body visibly shaking with anger.
"You slaughtered us. You slaughtered us like lambs for your goddess's altar!"
An older woman stepped up next to the town leader, using her wooden cane for support. "Our town of Solis was one of the last to fall during the destruction your goddess rained down upon us. There are some who say she has regained her senses, but as for us, we stopped praying to her a long time ago. I'll never trust the heavens again." She gave the young angel a vengeful glare, but Pit could see the pain of loss hidden within her empty and tired eyes.
Her voice creaked. "I watched you kill my husband, and when we returned to our homes I found the bodies of my sons in the streets. They, together with so many other brave souls, fought until the very last. They knew they would never see their loved ones again." There was a moment of tense silence. Her eyes narrowed. "You slaughtered them, all of them, without hesitation."
"You murdered my parents!" Someone shouted from the crowd.
"My wife! Why did you kill my wife?!"
"Your Centurions killed my sister!"
"My friend didn't deserve that arrow through his heart!"
"You burned our homes and destroyed our crops!"
At that moment Pit felt any glimmer of hope he still carried within shatter into pieces. There was no way they would ever believe him. And he began to fully realize the consequences of his actions. And to be honest, he wasn't even sure he would have believed it either if the roles had been reversed.
What had his body done!? No, what had he done?
He didn't know who struck first, but a fierce blow to the back of his head made him stumble forward. In a last desperate attempt to make things right, he fell to his knees, lowered his head to the ground and apologized and begged for forgiveness. But seeing the angel humiliating himself only seemed to infuriate the crowd even more. A wave of people descended upon him, hitting, kicking and punching him wherever they could. A woman came from behind, grabbed a hold of his left wing and tore out a hand-full of feathers; the stinging pain was even worse than he had imagined.
Pit knew he could have fought back. He could have defended himself... but he didn't. There was something that had stopped him in his tracks. His own guilt.
He felt he deserved every agonizing moment of it. With every blow he could feel their anger, their hate, but above all... he could feel their grief, their pain, their suffering. This entire town had been torn apart. So many of their loved ones had been killed. It was as if only now they had been given a chance to release their emotions. And the most terrible thing above all was the painful knowledge there were many other places that had suffered the same fate at his hands.
It was strange in a sense. Normally humans would think twice before attacking someone connected to the gods, but the people of this town… they had no fear. They had lost everything, and Pit realized there was nothing left for them to lose, except their humanity. And they were about to lose that as well.
They didn't believe in the gods anymore. The same gods who had betrayed them in the worst possible way.
Pit couldn't remember how long the beating went on. Only that his mind shifted in and out of consciousness. After experiencing another blackout, he was given a moment of respite, as if the humans were waiting on each other- waiting on someone or something. Pit realized something had happened that had given the townspeople pause. Grateful for the moment of calm, the battered angel slowly rose to his feet. He was panting heavily, drops of sweat dripping down his face, mixing with bits of blood that had leaked out of his nose and mouth.
After what felt like an eternity, the unsettling calm was broken when a man drove his fist into Pit's stomach. He fell to his knees, clutching his abdomen and gasping for breath. The town leader grabbed him roughly by his collar, picked him up and delivered a blow to his face.
He still wasn't fighting back.
There was another pause and this time Pit could hear voices; it almost sounded as if some of the humans were having an argument. The town leader let him go and went back into the crowd to where the voices came from. Not being able to pick up what was being said he could only look at the other humans through his half-closed eyes. He made use of the short break to regain control of his breathing. His body slightly hunched forward, he let his arms hang loosely.
Suddenly one of the men moved in, circled around and delivered a kick to Pit's leg, forcing him on his hands and knees. Another man delivered a kick to his stomach, the force of the blow flipping the young angel on his back. Someone grabbed his right wing, violently pulled the coughing teen to his feet and ripped out a clump-full of feathers, making the boy cry out in pain. Two humans grabbed him roughly by his arms and shoulders and held him in place.
Pit realized this was no longer about grief or loss. These humans, consumed by their emotions, had entirely given in to bloodlust.
He had looked at the man in front of him, searching for a glimmer of hope, a trace of mercy. Finding none, he lowered his head in resignation.
"That's enough, Pit!"
Lady Palutena!
There was a hint of panic in her usually calm and reassuring voice. "I know I made a promise but I'm getting you out of there. This has gone on long enough."
Even now the young angel resisted. "No, please, Lady Palutena. Don't! I can take this. Just let me stay a little longer."
A hint of frustration crept into her voice. "I understand why you're doing this, Pit. But what you're doing isn't going to bring those people back. What you're doing is not going to make the humans feel any better."
The angel sighed inwardly in defeat. "I know, Lady Palutena. I don't know why, but... I just have to do this. I need to."
"Oh, Pit." She no longer could hide the emotion in her words. "You're sacrificing yourself for something that was out of your control. If anyone is at fault here it should be me. I should have seen it coming, I wasn't strong enough to stop the Chaos Kin."
"This isn't your fault!" Pit blurted, his inner voice climbing into something close to a shout. "Don't blame yourself for this."
The goddess remained silent for a moment. "This isn't your fault either, Pit."
"But what about those people? I've seen them in my nightmares. I've seen their faces. I've seen them begging for mercy, only for my body to finish them off." He felt tears forming in his eyes. "What else am I supposed to do? Just walk away?"
"By coming here you're making their suffering worse. Letting them hurt you as a form of punishment isn't going to make them feel better. Revenge is never the answer."
Pit could feel Palutena was about to teleport him out of there, yet there was a hesitation. He knew that she cared so much for him. A feeling of guilt grew inside of him, and he realized what the Goddess of Light was going through because of his selfish actions. Shame overcame him.
Pit's voice came out in a raw whisper, broken. "I'm sorry, Lady Palutena."
"Praying to your Goddess?" One of the humans next to him sneered. "Of course you are." He smacked the back of Pit's head. "She was the one who sent you out here in the first place, didn't she?" He grinned from ear to ear as he stepped in front of the tortured angel, his dark expression filled with grim anticipation. "But she can't save you now..."
He licked his lips before taking out a dagger from his belt. The maniacal look in the man's eyes send a shiver through Pit's body, and the boy began to tremble in fear.
"We're going to make you suffer like you've made us suffer." He roughly grabbed the terrified angel by his left wing and pulled him closer, before holding the tip of his dagger against the base of Pit's wing. His voice became almost like a whisper, surprisingly caring and tender. "This is for you, my beloved Amara. My sweet and beautiful wife."
A voice boomed from the crowd. "We can't see anything from here!"
Another chimed in. "I want my children to see that angel getting punished!"
A young man stepped in front of the crowd and raised his hand into the air. "Let's bring him to the center of the plaza!"
And with these words the townspeople closed in on Pit and the man who was still holding him by his wing.
The distraught human let out a string of curses as the crowd forcefully pushed him aside. He made a desperate attempt to get closer to the angel, only to be pulled away from his target by two men, denying him of his personal revenge.
Pit could only watch in disbelief as the broken human was led away. The man was now crying, calling out the name of his wife over and over again. A wave of sympathy welled up inside him, but he knew there was nothing he could do.
The crowd jumped on Pit again, grabbing him by his hair, his arms and legs, his wings, his tunic. He let his body go limp as they carried him to the center of the town square. He could only imagine what they were going to do to him; however, he had not expected what happened next.
Viridi...
While Lady Palutena had made a promise, Viridi had done no such thing. Pit hadn't even realized the Goddess of Nature had been watching. And something that surprised him, and even scared him, was her fury after she revealed herself to everyone in the town.
As Viridi's image appeared in the sky and the ground began to shake, the townspeople dropped Pit to the ground as they recoiled in terror. They were still able to feel fear after all.
Viridi's expression was outraged and a wall of thorns encircled the town. Pit had never seen the Goddess of Nature like this before. There was no doubt she was about to unleash her wrath on all the humans involved. He desperately called out to her.
"Viridi! Goddess of Nature! Please hear me!"
Viridi's fury momentarily waned as her attention shifted toward the battered angel; her eyes softened as she took in his condition. "Pit? What are you doing?"
"I'm begging you. Please spare the people of this town. It's not their fault."
"Are you serious? Look what those humans did to you!"
"I know, but I deserve-"
"Don't you dare!"
Pit flinched at Viridi's outburst, and the ground beneath his feet began to shake once again. Many people were already fleeing the town square.
"Don't you dare say this is your fault! We've been over this!"
The angel lowered his eyes. "I know."
Viridi groaned. "Why do you always have to be such a..." She halted in mid-sentence.
Pit looked at the goddess with a solemn expression. "Goddess of Nature. Please grant an angel this request. Don't destroy the homes of these people." There was a moment of silence. Seeing the conflict in Viridi's eyes, he stretched out his hand toward her. "I'm begging you, Viridi."
There was another moment of tense silence. By now, the town plaza was almost empty, except for a few humans who had stayed behind. They were staring at the angel with their mouths open, stunned by the realization he was defending them.
It took Viridi every last bit of her restraint, but she listened to the angel's pleas for mercy. There was reluctant resignation in her voice. "Fine. I'll grant you your request. But I'm only doing this for you." And with these words Viridi's projection faded away.
Pit realized once again what his selfish behavior had caused. Not only had he hurt Lady Palutena but now he had hurt Viridi as well. He could understand Viridi's furious reaction, and was grateful for her coming to his aid. Having once been enemies, they had come a long way. Despite her efforts to usually hide it, Viridi did care for him, and he cared for her as well; however, that only made it harder for him knowing what he was putting her through. Having seen the killing intent she displayed toward the town, a cold shiver went down his spine as he unwillingly realized how things could have ended.
He felt relieved it had never come to a final battle with the Goddess of Nature. Viridi helped him save Lady Palutena from the Chaos Kin, something he would always be grateful for, and his opinion about her had changed over time. Viridi was very different from the Goddess of Light, never missing a beat to land another joke or insult, but he found that he enjoyed the banter between them.
As the people were fleeing to the outskirts of town or were locking themselves inside their homes, Dark Pit descended and picked up his twin, ignoring the few remaining humans who were now staring at him as well. He supported the injured angel with his entire weight, carefully letting him rest on his shoulders as he carried him into the air.
"I can't believe I'm actually related to you. How could you do this?"
Pit looked up. Despite the harshness of Pittoo's statement, there was no hostility in his words. There was a hint of concern, and what actually sounded like a honest question.
"I...I'm sorry, Pittoo."
"Going to the humans? How could you ever be so...?" Dark Pit didn't finish his sentence.
Palutena had intended to bring Pit home, but the young angel made one last request to the goddess, telling her he wanted to stay on the hill outside the town for a while. He could feel she wanted to protest, but she accepted his request in the end. Viridi on the other hand, protested loudly, telling Palutena she would bring Pit to her realm if she wouldn't take care of him.
There was a moment of tension between the two goddesses, when Palutena - although grateful to Viridi for coming to Pit's rescue - made it clear she wouldn't allow anyone to take Pit from under her care. Viridi groaned in frustration and reluctantly accepted the angel's wish. After commenting to Pit how he was "too soft on humans, as usual," and after Pittoo let him sit and rest against the trunk of the large oak, they both left.
To Pit's surprise, Pittoo didn't say anything. Instead, he had solemnly looked at him and given him a nod, before he took to the skies once again.
As a battered and wounded Pit shifted his position against the old tree he couldn't help but smile. Viridi and Pittoo both understood. They may not have agreed with his actions, but they did respect them, and he knew he had to thank them when this was over. He was sure they were going to chew him out later, and he wouldn't want it any other way.
"Rest here, Pit. I'll watch over you. No one will hurt you again." Palutena's words were comforting and reassuring. Even after everything he had put her through, she was still there for him. He could feel her presence all around him, gently holding the broken angel in a soothing embrace.
"Lady Palutena... Thank you."
And that was how Pit had ended up in this situation. Somewhere deep within his heart, Pit had already known how this was going to end, but he had still gone through with it. He had a hand in the release of the Chaos Kin. It was his body who had killed and tortured so many innocents. To him, it didn't matter if he was in control or not; their blood would always be on his hands.
He had come here to face the judgement of the humans.
The townspeople weren't coming any closer. They knew he was there on the hill, they could see him from a distance; but after Viridi's show of power, none of them were in any hurry to confront him again. Pit realized it would be best for him to leave as well, yet there was a part of him that wasn't ready just yet. A part of him that was telling him to stay, even though he had no idea why.
He took in his surroundings one more time, and his gaze halted when he was overlooking the cemetery. He saw a girl holding a basket of flowers and walking down a path, placing a flower at each gravestone. As Pit looked at the scene before his eyes, somehow intrigued at how the girl could remain so calm after what had happened with Viridi, he slowly drifted into sleep.
()()()()
Pit groaned, his gaze focused on someone in front of him, only standing a short distance away. It was a human girl, probably in her teens. Her eyes felt like they were piercing right through him, as if he was being judged right at this moment. The young angel clenched his teeth as he tried to stand up, but his battered body protested painfully with every move he made. He let out an agonized cry as he fell to his knees.
Pit looked up at the girl again through his half-closed and tired eyes. Desperation welled up inside of him.
"Lady Palutena, why didn't you warn me she was coming?" He asked as he mentally connected with the Goddess of Light. There was no judgement in his words, only surprise.
There was a brief pause before she answered. Her voice was kind and understanding. "Pit, isn't this what you wanted?"
"What do you mean?" A sense of panic lined his words. "What should I do?!"
"Talk to her, Pit."
Pit couldn't help fidget nervously. The young angel tried to look humble - as if afraid the girl would attack him if he made even one wrong move - before lowering his gaze to the ground.
There was a long silence before Pit finally found the courage and spoke up.
"Are you here for me too?" His voice quavered with emotion. He tried to hide his fear but he was sure the girl could pick up on it. For some reason, the idea that this young human came for him, and wasn't afraid like the adults of her town who had stayed behind, filled him with a sense of dread.
"I lost my mom and sister." Her voice was even, revealing no emotion.
Pit felt his heart sink at her revelation. Of course she had come here with the same reason as the other townspeople. He didn't know why he had expected anything else. She had lost people close to her too. People who had died at his hand. But she was the only one who seemingly showed no fear after Viridi's threatening appearance.
The angel trembled. He was scared. He was genuinely scared, and believed he couldn't look any more miserable to a human as he did now. He stood up, stumbled closer on his wobbling feet and kneeled down on one knee in front of her.
Pit had resigned himself to his fate. He didn't even dare to look up anymore. "Go ahead," he said softly.
He felt himself tense at the thought he would be hit or yelled at any moment. Back in the town, he could accept what the humans did to him. But now... the idea of this girl hating him, someone who had lost her loved ones, broke his heart. He wanted to say something, he wanted to say how sorry he was. But the words never formed. A lonely sob rose from his throat.
"This is for you."
Pit blinked in bewilderment. Almost afraid to look up, he raised his head and his eyes briefly locked with hers.
The girl was holding a large, pink Chrysanthemum that she had kept in her basket earlier, and - leaning forward - was now extending it toward him.
The young angel nervously rubbed the back of his neck. He glanced at the flower and at the girl before averting his gaze.
"Here, please take it. It's for you."
Pit looked up again. He did not understand why she was showing him kindness. But feeling worried he might disappoint her and after a hesitation, he slowly extended his hand and took the flower. The basket the girl was carrying was now empty; she had given him the last flower inside of it. He looked at the Chrysanthemum in his hands. It was beautiful. Looking at it filled him with a sense of peace, and even though he was undeserving of it, he felt a small sense of hope.
He looked at the girl with a mixture of confusion and gratitude.
"Why?" It was all he could bring himself to say.
"You're an angel. My mom always said angels are kind. Messengers of the gods who defend humanity in their time of need."
Pit bit his lip. "Some defender I am."
"I saw what happened in the town. What they did to you. I'm so sorry."
"You don't have to apologize. I totally des—"
"No, you didn't deserve this."
Pit wanted to say something, to tell her she didn't have to do this for him, but he wasn't able to utter a single word.
"It's true our town suffered a lot. I know many of us died." Her voice was solemn and respectful, sadness underlining her every word. "I knew many of them... We... We lost so many people and it changed us forever." Her eyes glistened with tears. "My father is the leader of our town. He was a kind and peaceful man, but he hasn't been the same since."
Pit lowered his eyes. The glimmer of hope he had felt disappearing. "You're mad at me."
"No, it's not about that, I—"
"You should be."
"But I'm not. Well... I was angry, and disappointed. If even an angel would do something this horrible, what hope would there be left for humanity to believe in?"
There was a moment of uneasy silence as her words lingered in the air. "But I don't feel like that anymore. Not after today."
"But..."
"When you were unconscious, I tried to stop them. But my dad and the others, they wouldn't..." She lowered her eyes. "They wouldn't listen. My father was so upset with me that he dragged me away from the town square." Regret filled her voice. "I wish there was something I could have done."
Pit looked up in surprise. "It was you?" He could not hide a hint of disbelief in his voice. "Back then when they stopped..." His next words came out almost like a whisper as the realization dawned on him. "...It was because of you?"
Suddenly Pit understood... The arguing he had heard in the distance... The town leader going back into the crowd... It was because of her...
She defended me...
The young angel felt tears welling up in his eyes. "Y-your own father dragged you away?"
There was a gleam of sadness in her eyes. "He said that if I really loved my mother and sister I wouldn't try to stop him." She turned and stared at the cemetery located at the foot of the hill. "My mother and sister were kind and compassionate. They never would have wanted this."
A wave of sympathy welled up inside Pit. Her words only added more onto his guilt. "I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." He wanted to say more but all he could manage was a strained squeak as he felt his throat closing up. Why? Why was she doing this? Wasn't it obvious he was guilty? Wasn't it obvious he was to blame?
Pit lowered his gaze as a tear rolled down his cheek. He sniffled. "Why?"
She paused for a moment, as if considering and weighing her next words. "I believe what my mother always told me. That angels are beings of light and truly care about us humans, even when we don't deserve it."
There was a moment of muted surprise. "Listen..." Pit started awkwardly. "I—"
"Please, just hear me out." Her eyes were pleading, filled with resolve. Pit began to realize the girl needed to say this - that she wanted to say this - but that even she didn't really seem to understand why she was doing this.
"When I saw you in the town square... You apologized, you tried to tell us it wasn't you... That it wasn't you who came to our town and..." She halted mid-sentence, and they both knew some things were better left unsaid. "You called out to the Goddess of Nature. Even after everything we did to you, you still wanted to protect us." Pit could see her swallow, and for a moment her eyes darted away, as if unsure. But she steeled herself. "You weren't lying; you were telling the truth. It really wasn't you back then."
She gave him a gentle smile. "I believe you, angel."
Upon hearing these words, a wave of emotions overwhelmed him. He was surprised when he realized how much her words meant to him; her trust, her kindness, her forgiveness. He wanted to say something... anything... to show his gratitude, how much her faith meant to him...
The words never came.
Instead, a sob rose from his throat as he reached out his trembling hand to the girl in front of him. She was surprised at first, but then a small but warm smile lined her features and she extended her hand. There was no doubt, no hesitation.
She wasn't afraid of him.
Something stopped him in his tracks.
"No..." He whispered, repeating the word louder. "No."
He pulled back, turned away and clenched his fist as a feeling of darkness forced its way inside of him, extinguishing the light he was feeling moments before.
"W-What's wrong?"
"Why would you believe anything coming from me?" There was sadness in the angel's voice.
"I..." The teen hesitated, as if unsure about something. As Pit turned around he noticed it. She had made herself vulnerable, and was thinking if she should continue. Pit knew the girl was about to share something close to her, yet something seemed to be stopping her. Seeing her pained expression, he was about to speak up, to tell her she didn't have to do this. But once again he could not find the words.
There was no denying it anymore. He wanted to listen to her. Hewanted to listen to what she had to say. If she were to leave him now... he didn't think he could bear the thought of that.
It was the girl who first broke the silence. "When my mother was killed by... by the one who came to our town..." Her voice cracked. "She sacrificed herself for me, taking an arrow that was meant for me..." Her expression saddened. The sorrow was visible in her eyes.
Pit lowered his eyes in shame.
"Even during her last moments, she told me to never give up hope, to never stop believing in angels and their kindness. My mother saw you many years ago. You were fighting bravely against the monsters of the Underworld." The girl paused and looked at him, there was something different about her expression this time, something Pit hadn't picked up on before.
"She told me you once saved us from Medusa and that she believed you would save us again from the darkness. Even after her death, I never stopped believing my mother. I wanted to keep her memory alive, and so I never gave up hope. And then you saved us from Hades…" She gave the mournful angel a gentle smile. "You saved us from extinction."
Pit couldn't lose his sense of disbelief. He clenched his fists and shook his head in near desperation.
"No, no, no, no, no, noo..." He looked up at the girl pleadingly, his shoulders and wings slumped. "I don't deserve this."
The girl look at him solemnly. "When I saw you in the village, I knew my mother was right."
"I want to believe in you. No, I do believe in you. You saved our world. And whoever it was back then who destroyed our homes, I know for certain now that wasn't you."
"But... all those innocent people."
"That wasn't you, right?"
"No, I... but—"
"Then stop blaming yourself."
She stepped closer, kneeled down and enveloped the angel in a hug. He tensed for a second, but then relaxed as he gently returned the embrace.
Pit realized he still didn't know her name.
"What's your name?"
"Agatha."
"Thank you... for believing in me, Agatha."
"What's your name?"
"Pit."
He heard the soft and grateful reply against his shoulder. "Pit, thank you... for saving the world."
And suddenly, it was as if all the darkness inside of him, all the guilt and shame weighing on his shoulders, vanished. The girl had wrapped her arms around him, giving him a comforting squeeze. Compassion, warmth, understanding. Another wave of emotions overwhelmed him.
He finally understood. And while he would never be able to entirely let it go, he now understood that blaming himself wasn't going to help anyone. The young angel smiled as a feeling of peace finally settled within his heart.
His resolve came back to him, stronger than ever. He was Pit, servant of the Goddess of Light. Never again would he let the humans suffer as they did in these past few years. It was too late for him to help the humans who had died, but he vowed to protect the survivors with his life.
He could hear the panicked voices of the townspeople coming closer, crying out the girl's name. He knew he should make a run for it, yet he didn't move, except for resting his head on the girl's shoulder. In response, she did the same and held him even closer. Moved by her act of kindness, Pit gently wrapped his wings around her in a warm embrace, wanting to protect her from the dangers of the outside world.
...It was a moment he wished would last forever.
Next chapter: Epilogue