Time to go home, the cat cried to his mistress. He could feel his life-force flowing away…but no! It was him, he was rising from his body, caught in a surge of power and elation. He threw out his arms and spiraled upwards, forever upwards, up into the coming dawn.

The Divine Realms

A spot of light shimmered in the middle of the floor of the Court of the gods. Mithros banged his spear on his shield for attention: all fell silent as the shimmer solidified and became visible. The Goddess stepped forwards to greet the newcomer, a tall, lithe man with silky black hair and purple eyes. He shook his head, as if coming out of a daze, and blinked. The Goddess held out a hand to him. "Come here."

He took the offered hand and walked closer. The Goddess tilted his head back until she could look into his eyes, then nodded. "You have done well, brother."

The man smiled. "I did only what you bid of me, sister." His voice was low and slightly scratchy. "But-"

"Yes?"

"I miss her. I miss Alanna." He turned his head to blink away a tear he hoped no one had noticed. "Can I ever go back?"

His older sister shook her head gracefully, if not sadly. "No, my brother. Your time on earth is done. However, I can grant you a place in the stars, at my feet."

His eyes shone. "Thank you, sister. This means more to me than you can ever guess." Softly, he added, "My own place in the sky, to watch over her forever."

He bowed as the Great and lesser gods filed out, nodding to him. As he turned to go, a hand caught him by the arm. He turned and looked into the pale eyes of Shakith. He smiled. His favorite sister. "What was it you wanted, sister?"

"You loved her." It was not a question.

His eyes filled. "I didn't realize it, when I was-with her," he said softly. "When I was a cat. But now, now that I can never go back-yes. I loved her. What was there not to love? It was impossible not to. Yes, yes, yes. Sister, you don't know how good it feels to say that, and how painful. Just think-all that time, and I couldn't do anything-had no reason to-and now, now that we'll never see each other again, I finally realize the truth." He glanced around the empty courtyard. "And no one to hear me but you, sister. No one cares about some lesser god, a, a mere guide for mortals. No one pauses to think what might happen, after the two are torn apart. You know what it's like? Losing a bit of yourself, and each time, a bit more, until you feel there's nothing left, and you just let yourself drift until you're called upon again." Teary violet eyes met distant milky ones. "Do you understand, my sister? Can you?"

"I do, more than you know." Her voice became distant and prophetic. "But what is this I see? A girl, a young, powerful mage, and with her…" Her voice became ragged; her breath caught in her throat. She blinked. "You will go again, my brother, and do more than you ever thought you could. You will go again." She straightened, and, with the air of a lost person, wandered out of the room. The man, catlike, walked to the golden throne and sat down. Alanna…he'd never really said her name out loud before. "Alanna," he said, just to say it. But his sister was right, he would never see her again, for she would find someone else. "It could never be," he whispered, and wept. "Never."

And so, Reader, this lesser god, a guiding spirit, wasted through the years, stayed, waiting, always waiting for the day she would come, watching her from the stars, and always wondering, wondering, weeping, and wasting away, until one day…

What happened?

That I will not tell you. Will this wretched, divine creature's life ever be completed? Or does he simply disappear into some eternal cycle? His fate lies in your hands, dear Reader…

And there I leave it.

a/n:

And so our godlike friend disappears into the mists of time until one day, The Authoress Herself decided to write another chapter! Ideas (Suggestions are welcome) :

Who is the girl Shakith Saw? (probably some distant several-generations-passed relation to Daine)

Where does 'Faithful' aka the Nameless God appear and what's his name as a cat?

What happens to them?

Thank you people! Next chapter coming soon.