I have been standing at the base of the staircase for some length of time now. Despite Lord War's insistence that everything is under control, I am certain it is not. I have been watching Elias and his gang of do-gooders from the shadows since this "celebration" began. I thought Lord War had been watching them from his throne. Apparently not.
I cannot believe how idiotic he is being. I really hope he's putting me on, because we stand to lose everything Lord War has created if Elias manages to rally the others. And he is absolutely rallying the others. Felix, though he has a sickeningly friendly nature, has never gotten that close to the goddess of Chaos before. He thinks he's being inconspicuous, but he's too stupid to realize his stare is lingering far too long on those he dubs acquaintances instead of friends.
Lord War can't possibly be blind to all of this. Part of me wants to march back up those stairs and say all of this, and part of me knows it will be met with the same rage and subsequent laughter he already showered upon me. So here I am, standing at the bottom of the staircase, brooding.
I have lost sight of Kaija and Elias, but I have lost sight of them a few times this evening, and they have always re-emerged from the crowd, clinging to each other like teenagers whose parents have said they can't go to the after party. They can't go to the after party, of course, but that's not the point. Yuck, is the point.
Shit. I still can't see them. As I scan the crowd, somewhat frantically, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I shove it off, and twist to see its owner, Apollyon, standing beside me.
"Lord War needs to speak with us. Perhaps you should pay more attention," Apollyon scoffs.
I am torn between stabbing him, and doing as I'm told. Since I stand to lose more if I don't follow directions than if I don't allow myself a moment of impulsiveness, I make my way back up the staircase to Lord War's throne. Although I am still annoyed about our previous interaction, I must admit I am intrigued by what Lord War might have to say.
As we approach his throne, Lord War stands and moves toward us.
"Finally. You two are actually gods of Sloth, I swear. Never mind that, though. We have a party to crash, boys. Lord Death,the newest brides, and all the gods, save us, have taken leave of the festivities. Lord Death thinks he's being clever, but no one knows how to plot better than I, and I recognize secrecy and deception when I see it. Lord Death has been playing a dangerous game for centuries, and tonight, he will finally lose it."
Oh thank everything I hold dear. He was putting me on.
"I stand with you, Lord War. Let us finally end Lord Death's constant betrayal," I state.
Apollyon side-eyes me, probably angry that I managed to pledge myself to Lord War's cause first. I smirk at him.
"Would the two of you quit ogling each other and follow me?" Lord War taunts. "I've reason to believe this meeting is happening in the art gallery, which is not close."
I smile in the knowledge that Apollyon never got to speak his allegiance. Neither of us dare to speak as we follow Lord War to his destination. I should not have doubted that Lord War was simply waiting for the right time to make his move. Destroying Elias for seemingly no reason, on the day of the banquet no less, would not necessarily be met with applause. Lord War needs to end Lord Death while Lord Death is actively betraying him, actively challenging his power. Lord War is far more intelligent than I give him credit for in my weaker moments.
I glance around me as I walk. The palace grounds are so...much. There are things everywhere. For how vast the grounds are, you would think there would be more open space. Maybe there is open space, but I'm so distracted by all of these flowers and fountains that I can't focus enough to find it.
Apollyon keeps trotting ahead of me, attempting to be closer to Lord War. At first I find it obnoxious, and then I realize I keep trying to catch up to him so that he is not closer to Lord War. It seems that I am just as much of a puppy. Ew.
Every step Lord War takes is purposeful. His stride is powerful and precise. This walk will not end in a small is a battle march.
After what feels like an eternity, we arrive. I can hear Elias's voice ring clear throughout the art gallery, even though we have not entered it, yet.
Lord War appears to be biding his time. Waiting to pounce. He is listening intently, and so I listen intently, as well. Apollyon is looking at me angrily. I shoot an annoyed glance at him. It's not like one of us can listen harder than the other.
It is evident Elias has been speaking for a time, as he is already talking about how we aren't really gods. Or maybe he's smarter than I thought, and he's getting straight to the point because he knows Lord War will end him soon. Either way, his words are irrelevant. Lord War will best him, and Lord Death's foolishness will be dismissed.
"We cannot continue in our current way of life. We cannot continue pretending to be that which we are not. We cannot continue growing fat and blind on the pain and tears of others. War has lead us down a path of darkness that has destroyed countless lives, tearing families to shreds. We have allowed him to rule for selfish cowardice. We have lacked the strength to stand against him alone, but if we stand together, we can set this world back the way it should be!"
I wish I could be shocked by Elias's words, but Elias has always been a fool. He has always had a soft heart for the mortals. We have power, why should we not wield it? What on Earth would be the benefit to us? Surely, after centuries of subjugation, these mortals Elias is so fond of will not embrace us, change of heart or no. He is trying to bring us all to an end. I am torn between rage and curiosity. I want to know what foolish plans Elias has made for building this new world, but at the same time, angry beyond belief that he would willingly tear this life from me.
"A world of freedom and respect for one another—with powers or no, we are all human, and we should all stand together!"
As Elias is finishing his last sentence, Lord War moves into the room, Apollyon and I close behind. I look around. Many of the others are nodding in agreement. Have they lost their minds? They have. They've lost their ever loving minds. Do they not know what Lord War can and will do to them, even for the simple betrayal of nodding along?
"What is this?" Lord War booms. On the surface he looks amused, a smirk dancing across his lips, but his eyes betray him, as they always do. He is angrier than I have ever seen him, and I have seen him angry many times. "Having a party without inviting your Alpha? That's quite rude."
We are all in grave danger. War is so calm that he is joking. This will escalate quickly, I think. War will not be able to control himself much longer. I can practically feel the rage oozing from his pores. He will go after Elias, but Elias has friends here, too, and they will fight for him. Idiots. Elias has done nothing but cause trouble, and they should renounce him, here and now, for showing us all exactly how treacherous he has become. As it stands, more than one with power will have their blood spilled this night.
"It's no party, War. Things are going to change," Elias says with conviction.
Lord War's nails have dug into his palm, and a small drop of blood falls from his hand to the floor.
"Says who?" Lord War's mask almost shatters, but he snatches back his composure before anyone other than me notices. "You, you traitorous filth?"
War takes a single, powerful step toward Elias, but Elias doesn't flinch. He seems prepared to fight, no matter the consequence. What has come over him? Can this Kaija woman, or a book I can only assume she gave him, really be worth his life? Can anything be worth your own life?
Before Elias can reply, Felix steps forward. This should be good.
"Says all of us!" Felix shouts, Kayleon moving to stand with him. I smirk a little. These three think they can defeat Lord War, especially with Apollyon and I at his side? Felix is far too spritely to do much damage. Kayleon, though solidly built, is far too unsure of himself to be victorious in battle. This may not be an easy fight, but it is one we will win.
"The way we're living is wrong!" Felix states. "We cannot continue making slaves of our fellow men." Except yes, we can. Shut up, Felix. Stop trying to ruin everything.
"Our fellow men?" The sound that escapes from Lord War is bone chilling. I suppose you could call it a laugh, but there is no joy in it. "You really want to place those pathetic insects on the same plane as us? We were born out of the darkness of the Cataclysm with these powers. Do you really believe we were not meant to use them?"
Yes. Exactly. Lord War will talk sense into these people. They cannot possibly be swayed by a man who flounces around like a kitten. And Elias? They haven't been swayed by him thus far, why would that change tonight?
"We were not meant to make ourselves gods." Oh my. I don't think I've heard Elias spit his words out before. He has always had great contempt for Lord War, but his disrespect is usually masked by his formality. Not tonight.
"We didn't. The people did that all by their little selves." Lord War is jerking his head around. I think he's trying to cock it and look condescending. I hope it's working on Elias, because I think Lord War looks insane.
"And we should have stopped them." The only head I want to hit against the wall more than my own right now is Elias's. This man is so delusional that he honestly and vehemently believes everything he is saying. Why would you stop someone from worshipping the ground you walk on? Why would that attention be a thing to renounce? Why would we put the lives of mortals ahead of our own? It's nonsense.
Lord War is laughing now. He clearly finds Elias to be just as ridiculous as I do.
"Oh, my little god of Death...you were the last one I found and pulled under my wing. It's a shame you weren't more grateful to me. Your talents are impressive." Lord War's voice has taken on a demonic quality. The danger in it is other-worldly. What is Elias thinking? Surely he sees how this will end?
"You've been defying me all along," Lord War continues, his words dripping with that same demonic tone he spoke with moments ago. "I thought you'd learn when I killed your little pets, but then you even went so far as to steal one of my Offerings, and now you're staging a coup. It's high time I teach you a lesson."
Lord War draws his sword so quickly that I have only a fraction of second to register the movement. Elias mirrors Lord War's motion, his own weapon unsheathed and ready to fight. Felix and Kayleon leap into action, but Elias waves a hand at them. "No," Elias demands, "this is between War and me."
I am torn between excitement at the prospect of Elias finally being out of our hair, and annoyance that he is defying Lord War yet again, especially in so public and so grand a way.
Lord War is circling Elias, waiting for the right time to make his first move. Elias hasn't moved an inch. He seems frozen in place, moving his head every so slightly as he watches Lord War move around him.
"You will regret ever challenging me, Lord of Death." With those words, Lord War attacks. I watch as Lord War and Lord Death exchange blows. I am entranced by Lord War's skill with a blade. He blocks every blow Elias attempts to land, even managing to avoid a slash at his torso that any other would have been taken by. Lord War catches my eye, and I know this is mine and Apollyon's signal to join the fight. Elias has his back to us, and we have the perfect opportunity to aid Lord War in taking care of this nuisance once and for all.
As we raise our swords for battle, Kayleon and Felix step forward, blocking our blows. "Now, now," Felix scolds, "if we aren't allowed to play, you all won't be interfering, either."
Chaos erupts, both literally (damn that woman, she doesn't even try to control herself), and figuratively. The others all face off, each choosing their side. This is not how I envisioned this going. I assumed the others would see Lord War's show of force, and realize he is truly our Alpha. I assumed they would resume their rightful place beneath him, and leave Elias to his fate. Why are they standing against Lord War? It is not possible that they don't know the consequence of their actions. Lord War will win. He has to.
I don't have much time for my thoughts, as Felix begins slashing at me with his blade. I deflect the first few blows easily, but quickly tire. I have nowhere near the endurance or strength of Lord War, and will not be able to fend off Luck's blade for long. As panic tries to overtake me, I lash out wildly at Felix. He isn't expecting such an uncoordinated attack, and I manage to knock his blade from his hands. I lower my weapon slightly, and laugh at him. Lord Luck, eh?
But that was foolish of me, and unfortunately I realize my mistake too late, as Felix charges and knocks me to the ground. My blade escapes my grip, and Felix and I tossle for a moment before rising to our feet. We draw our daggers. I may not have the strength to wield my sword for long, but I am agile, and can best almost anyone with my dagger. Felix will regret this fight.
As we dance around the gallery, landing small blows on one another, I catch a glimpse of Lord War and Elias. Lord War's blade is firmly in Elias's shoulder, and it looks as though Elias narrowly avoided losing a limb.
My attention is diverted as Felix slashes at me again, cutting my chest. I hiss at the stinging sensation, and lunge toward him once again. He dodges, and I feel his arm wrap around my neck, his torso pressed against my back. I feel the sharp tip of his blade at my throat, and bile rises from my stomach. Terror grips me. This cannot be my end.
"Stop this!" I hear a woman scream. Lord War's bride, Kaija, is running toward the battle, looking frantic. I dart my eyes about, not daring to turn my head, and see that Elias is on the ground, blood flowing from his shoulder wound, and from his side.
"Kaija?"I hear Elias say in disbelief, and also fear. He is back on his feet, and she goes to him. After briefly looking him over, she stands at his side, and turns her attention to Lord war.
"None of us are any match for you in a contest of strength, War," Kaija says confidently. What is this woman doing? She's just as mad as Elias. Where is all that fear she had for her offspring during the banquet? Surely she realizes facing Lord War head-on is far more dangerous to her and her child than dancing. What is there between these two that they would risk everything to defy Lord War? "However," she says, "as Elias said, we have only to stand together, and it is you who will be no match for us."
Why is she so confident? She has seen all that Lord War can do. She has no doubt seen the scars he left on Elias' body. She has been attacked by him, and seen the living conditions of his brides. She trusts completely that Elias will stand by her. That they will do this together. And Elias believes the same. How? And why?
"You," Lord War spits out. "You're the cause for all of this. Death has been a pest for centuries, but it wasn't until you came along that he actually got up the nerve to defy me."
Those were my thoughts, exactly. What could a mortal woman have to offer Elias that would be better than the power he holds here? Does he not realize how miserable his life would be outside these walls?
"He had the nerve all along," Kaija says with certainty. "He just needed a good reason."
Does she think she is the good reason? Is she the good reason? Can there even be a good reason to challenge Lord War's reign?
"Well, isn't that precious?" Lord War says mockingly. "Tell me, Offering...what happens if I take away his reason?"
Lord War quickly pulls a spear from his back and sends it hurtling straight at Kaija. That will end this. That will break Elias, watching Kaija die.
Felix releases me as the spear leaves Lord War's hands, and I scurry off to the left so I am no longer in his reach.
I turn my head just in time to see Elias send Kaija flying off to the side, and I watch as the spear strikes him squarely. My hand flies to my mouth, which is open wide in shock. He didn't. He couldn't have. Why would he do such a thing? Why would he sacrifice himself for her? I fall to my knees. My mind is racing.
I stand, fury and confusion rushing through me as I watch the others wrestle Lord War to the ground. I feel hands grabbing at me, pushing me back to my knees. I thrash, trying to free myself, my eyes never leaving Lord War. There are too many hands on me. There is too much going on. I stop fighting, frozen, as Lord War begins to speak.
"Do you really think they'll accept you if they know what you really are?" Lord War is screaming, his voice raw with anger. "They'll hunt you down and kill you all! At least I've already taken care of one of you for them!" He has not stopped fighting completely. Every other word or so, he jerks violently in an attempt to escape the others' grasp. He is laughing uncontrollably. He seems to have lost all semblance of sanity. His eyes are wild, and his movements are sporadic and uncontrolled.
I feel one pair of hands leave me, and watch as Felix crosses the room to be by Elias.
My eyes keep darting back and forth between Lord War and Elias, though I am not doing it on purpose. I feel like I have very little control over my own mind right now, let alone my body. Lord War is still laughing, though much more quietly now. His head is shaking, and his body is making an attempt to rock back and forth, although those restraining him are making it difficult for him to do so.
I forcibly move my head so that I am looking in Elias's direction, and I see that Kaija is crouched down beside him. She is saying, "No, no, no, no," over and over again. Why is she doing that? It's obvious what has happened to him. It's obvious he cannot survive the blow. Saying "no" won't change anything. And what difference does it make? There are plenty of men in this world. She can simply choose another, can't she? She was going to be a bride to Lord War, and now Lord War is unhinged, subdued, and, it seems, unable to hurt her. Lord War is...powerless.
"Kaija," Elias says, pulling me out of my own thoughts and back into the present moment. His voice is weak, and it is clear that speaking is difficult for him. "Are you injured?" he asks her.
What? That man is lying on the floor, in a pool of his own blood, facing his imminent death, and he is thinking about whether or not she is injured? Why? What is going on between these two? What are they playing at here? What is this connection they seem to have? It's terrifying.
Elias lifts a hand to Kaija's face, which obviously causes him discomfort. She is shaking her head as he cups her face. He winces. This man is living his final moments, and he is willfully putting himself through additional pain to comfort someone else. My mind is numb. I cannot understand this behavior. I try again and again to think of a reason he would do this, but none comes to me. My mind keeps drawing blanks.
Kaija is bent over Elias now, crying about it not working. What? What is not working? Fuck. I am even more confused now.
"Miss Kaija," I recognize Reseda's voice speaking. "My name is Reseda, and I have the power of healing. Our powers don't work on one another. I've already tried. I'm so sorry."
So Kaija does have power? The baby really is Elias's child? What power does Kaija claim to have, since Reseda has the power of healing? What the fuck is going on here?
"No," Kaija says. She sounds almost angry. Why would she be angry? Does she feel stupid? Maybe she doesn't have power, and those who do are taking pity on her because, well, she seems rather pitiful right now? "It has to work. I have to heal him. I can do this."
Is she worried about having someone to raise her child? Because rumor has it Kayleon has been tricked into raising some poor woman's child. You'd think after all the trickery Kaija pulled within the palace walls, she'd have no problem pulling a little outside of them.
What was her goal? I thought it was to usurp Lord War, which she has done. Her task is complete. She no longer requires Elias's aid. Does she have a secondary motive, one that necessitates Elias's survival?
"Kaija!" Elias exclaims forcefully, and I am once again dragged back into scene before me. "Please, Kaija. It's all right. You're safe, and that's all that matters."
That's all that matters? That Kaija is safe? What of his own life? What of the empire Lord War built? What of our futures? What will happen now? How can Kaija's safety be the only thing that matters to him? Why does it matter at all right now?
"No, it isn't," Kaija laments. "I need you, Elias."
Something in the tone of her voice, the way the words fall heavy from her lips, belies a meaning other than her need for his participation in a further plot. She says the words as though she needs Elias as she needs air to breathe. Is this woman as mad as War? Does she really believe she cannot survive without a bedroom companion?
"And I will never leave you," I hear Elias say quietly.
Um. Yes, you will. Soonish, I think. They're both insane. We're all insane. Lovely.
Elias has more to say, though, and so I strain to hear him. "I'm just going on ahead to wait for you in paradise."
What. The fuck. Is he talking about? Maybe he's rambling because he lost so much blood.
Kaija lets out a sob. "But I'm one of you," she says through continued sobs. "It could take forever for me to get to you."
Okay, so she is for sure one of us? Maybe? Also, where the fuck do these two think they are going? Have they looked around them? This palace is Paradise. Isn't it?
Elias is speaking again. I really have to try to focus. "..seven hundred years for you, Kaija. I will wait to the end of eternity if it means seeing you again."
I feel like I've been struck, hard. I can't seem to pinpoint where I've been struck, but it hurts, and I'm not fond of the sensation. Can one person really mean so much that you would wait eons to be with them? And seriously. Where the fuck is this place he's waiting in? Because, again, I'm very, very sure he is dying.
Elias is taking breathes that rattle his entire body now, and Kaija is wiping blood from his face. Yes, definitely dying.
"What am I supposed to do without you?" Kaija's words bleed from her. It sounds as though she is dying, too. That funny feeling is back, and I am even less fond of it than I was the first time.
"You'll live," Elias whispers. "You'll do what you know you have to do. For the first time in over seven hundred years, the people are free to do and believe as they please. You have to show them how. You are bridge between those with power and the ones without. Use that heart of yours, and help them, Kaija."
Use that heart of hers. Perhaps it is my heart that's hurting? The pain does seem centered in my chest. I wonder briefly what is wrong with it, then force myself to focus once again.
"How?" Kaija pleads.
"You've been a free thinker all your life," Elias states, his voice growing weaker with every word. "It's part of why I love you. You'll figure it out." I clench my jaw, and squeeze my eyes closed. Why does this hurt so much?
I glance back to where War is kneeling. His lips are moving, but no sound is coming out. The rocking, though subtle, is still present. He's no longer jerking around, but that doesn't make it any less difficult to watch. Suddenly the thought strikes me that I don't know what I will do without War. I shove that thought down, as the sheer terror I feel at its existence makes me sick to my stomach. I don't want to think that thought right now. My head is spinning, and hurting, and pounding in rhythm with my heart.
"You were supposed to stay with me until I grew old and grey." Kaija seems to be choking on her words, and I see that tears are flowing freely down her face.
"I know," Elias answers her. "And that I truly do regret. My time with you on this earth has been far too short."
"And our child…"Kaija trails off.
Now, Elias is also crying. Am I crying? My face is wet. Maybe my face is sweating. I do feel hot. Yes, probably I am sweating. I have no reason to cry. Crying is something weak people do, and I am not weak.
"Our son," Elias says, his hands on Kaija's stomach. He is having a difficult time breathing, and, therefore, speaking. "It's a boy. His name is...Davian...It means beloved."
I am sweating far more profusely now. I wonder why I am sweating only on my face? Perhaps it has something to do with the pain in my chest. I wonder if they will let me see a healer after this. I think there is definitely something wrong with me. I...I need to focus, and stop worrying about my sweaty face. I still have little to no idea what is actually happening here, and that is frightening me. I keep feeling bile rise from my stomach, and I continually swallow it down.
"You're sure?" Kaija says.
"Yes." Even that one word is difficult for him to speak. "And I'm…so sorry. I won't be there…to meet him with you… There is so much…I'll miss…"
I wish he would stop talking and die already. Each time he speaks, that feeling in my chest gets worse. I don't like that feeling in my chest. I don't like any of the feelings I am having, and I don't much care for the feelings everyone else seems to be having, either.
"At least," Elias continues. "At least I was able to protect you. You'll both be…safe."
He has absolutely no way of knowing that. What if the pregnancy has complications? What if War breaks free after he dies, and murders Kaija, their child, or both? He must be making himself feel better about dying. They seem to think the worst part about Elias dying is that they will not be together for a time, instead of the Elias being dead part.
Felix is now crouched beside Kaija, and he and Elias are...holding hands? I can't see well, since Kaija is blocking my view. No, no. Not holding hands, just grabbing each other's arms. Still weird though. Felix is focused solely on Elias. I've seen Felix use his power enough to know that he is using it now. He's touching Elias, so he must be reading his thoughts. What could Elias be thinking? Releasing his grip on Elias, Felix squeezes Kaija around the shoulders, then moves a few paces away.
"Tell him," Elias says to Kaija. "Tell our son…that I loved him. Tell him I loved him…and you…more than life itself. And tell him…I'm sorry…for not—"
"No," Kaija says sternly. "I will tell him you loved us. I will tell him of the strong, loving, incredible man that was his father. I'll tell him how you gave everything to make the world better for us and that you gave your life to keep us safe…but I will never, never apologize for you. You are going on to Paradise before us because of your sacrifice. I want you to run through those gates with your head held high. You are my husband, Elias, and I am so proud of you."
Kaija leans down and kisses Elias. I am terribly confused by everything she has just said. I have never viewed Elias as strong, nor incredible. I am not convinced a single thing about this new world they envision will be better. I don't even know what their vision is. I am utterly bemused about this "Paradise" nonsense, and now there are gates, too. And why is she so proud of Elias? He technically lost. He is dying, after all. Why is that something to be proud of? I wish at least a small part of this made sense.
Elias and Kaija exchange the phrase "I love you". Then, Elias takes a shaky breath, and breathes no more.
These are tears. I can't deny that now. But why do I have tears leaking from my eyes? This whole scene should seem pathetic to me, and yet I am crying over the death of someone I have hated for centuries.
I squeeze my eyes shut in an attempt to stop the flow of water coming from them. It works a little, but not enough. I realize no one is holding me down any longer, and I lean heavily backward, my hands barely keeping me from falling flat on my back. I feel utterly spent, as though I have spent days on end in unceasing battle. The pain in my chest is unbearable, and I do everything I can to shove that pain away; to calm my racing thoughts; to regain some miniscule amount of control over either my body or my mind. I don't even care which one, at this point.
Kaija is wailing, but her wailing contains words, and I feel like I should hear those words, so I listen.
"...I survived and did everything I knew to do! I have been faithful to You!" Kaija is looking upward. I also look upward, but I do not see anyone up there to speak to. "God, if this is a test, I cannot bear it. Losing him is far beyond my strength. Please, I know that you give sufficient grace in all things, but don't ask me to bury this man. Not now. Please, grant me the gift of life for him. Please, Father, spare his life! Allow me to use Your gift this one final time. I don't know how to live without him anymore. I don't know how I'll carry on alone."
Apparently she's speaking to her father, who is both invisible and can stand on the ceiling. Interesting. Although, she called him God, first. Yes. So, she is speaking to a god. I wonder if this god is from that book Elias was holding when we first arrived in the art gallery. If the god Kaija is talking about can give people life...I shake my head, trying to clear it of all these scattered ideas that don't make sense.
"If he cannot live," Kaija continues, "then please, Father, let me die with him. Please, just just let me be with him...please…"
These tears are getting ridiculous. I can't even see properly anymore. No matter how forcefully I try to rid myself of the pain in my chest, it only continues to grow more intense. My breathing is quicker than it should be, and I can't keep my train of thought focused.
Barnaby and Diggory are comforting Kaija. People are pouring into the art gallery. My head is throbbing. I lean forward and hang it between my knees in an attempt to dull the ache.
People are shouting in disbelief. Kaija is strewn across Elias's chest sobbing, "Please, please,please…"
"You may as well stop pleading." I whip my head up at the familiar sound of War's voice. "Death has never been yours. Since the Cataclysm, his life has belonged to me. I could have ended him long ago. Perhaps I should have. I would have saved myself a lot of headache. I told you I would break you. Who knew it would be something as simple as getting rid of that pathetic wretch that did it?"
Suddenly, my head is somewhat clearer, though it is still aching. I'm shocked that War has managed to speak coherently. It seems Elias' death snapped him out of...whatever the hell he was doing over there. Quite the opposite of the effect it had on me…
"You shut your mouth!" That's Felix. My eyes are puffy and I have to squint a little to see properly, but I can't mistake that voice. It has grated on my nerves many a time during this long, long life.
Kaija rises, leaving Elias's side, and the woman who would have been Elias's newest bride takes her place beside him. Kaija is approaching War. His twisted grin is plastered on his face, taunting her.
"His name is Elias," Kaija says angrily. "And his life has never belonged to you. For seven centuries he has fought you. His body is enough evidence of that. You may have won battles along the way, but you never broke him He's the one person you never broke. No matter how many times you knocked him down, he always got back up, and he always went right back to fighting you. He was so smart you didn't even know it most of the
time."
Kaija is circling War, using his idiosyncratic move against him.
"And now look at you," she continues. "Despite the empire you built, and despite all your power, here you are, in the end of it all, on your knees, watching as your dominion crumbles. I have spent my life under your thumb. The last four months, you have tortured me in every imaginable way, and tonight, you have stolen my husband. You have stolen the father of my son. You have taken everything from me."
She keeps holding her stomach, as though touching it helps her in some way. I do not understand how it could help her, but doing so seems to add even more strength to her voice.
"Despite that," her face is emotionless as she meets War's stare, "I pity you. For all your effort and all the power you collected, you are nothing. You have nothing. You will die pitiful, and alone, and utterly insignificant. Though you have stolen everything from me, you will hold authority over my life no more. Would you like to know why?"
War doesn't look particularly interested in why, but he does look a little defeated. That is the first time I've seen that look in him, and I hate it. There is a feeling in my chest again, but it is not the same feeling I had when Kaija and Elias were speaking. It feels...oh fuck me. I have no idea how it feels. It feels confusing. There. Done. Kaija is speaking again, and I have to pay attention.
"Because for however brief a time, God granted me the love of that man. That man is stronger than you could have ever hoped to be. Through all of your cruelty, he held on to his humanity, and the crowd of people circled around him now is proof of that. He rallied all of these people to fight you, and he won. And here you are, as harmless as a dog on a leash. Your evil is done, and we will carry on. His blood will carry on through our son, and we will build a new world with the true God as our direction…just like Elias wanted."
There's that other chest feeling again. The one that isn't quite as confusing as the one I had when I looked at War.
"That was a lovely speech," War taunts, trying to be witty, but those eyes of his betray him, and I know he is wounded. "In the end, though, am I not the stronger of we two? Whatever my status otherwise, here at the end I am alive, and he is dead."
Quite true. Irrelevant to everything Kaija just said, but true nonetheless.
"That is true. He is dead. But if God will grant me the strength, he will not be that way for long." Kaija walks back over to Elias.
Kaija spends quite a long time simply touching Elias' chest. Nothing is happening, and people are starting to glance awkwardly at each other, many casting pitying looks in Kaija's direction. I was excited to see what this God person could do, but it appears he can't do much of anything.
Just as Kaija hangs her head in defeat, I hear Barnaby speaking.
"It's happening," he marvels, growing more and more excited with every word. "Kaija, you're healing him. This is how it starts!"
"That's not possible!" War rages. "I killed him! That isn't possible!"
I look over at War as he screams. He looks...furious, yes, but also panicked. He really does get riled quite easily. All Kaija's hands are doing is glowing, for goodness sake.
Speaking of Kaija, she is looking into a space it seems only she can see. The glow from her hands is faint, but it seems to grow in intensity as time goes on. It's interesting, for sure, but I don't know how much stock I can put in a god who can only make someone's hands glow when they touch a dead body. That's more odd than anything else, really.
Kaija makes a noise that sounds an awful lot like she is in pain. Diggory argues with her, telling her she must stop. Good luck, Diggory. I don't think that woman believes she must do anything.
As Kaija continues to glow and argue with Diggory about whether stopping the glow is a good idea, everyone else starts making a lot of noise. I can't concentrate well enough to make any of it out, although I swear I heard the word "life" quite a bit. Kaija and Diggory are now yelling to hear each other over the din, and I begin to wish very much that they would all shut up. The noise is oppressive. I press my hands against my ears, and curl into myself, hoping to block some of this out.
It works. Soon, I can't hear a thing. Keeping my ears covered tightly, I rock back and forth, attempting to calm my nerves. My mind is trying desperately to fire off thoughts, but it is shooting blanks. After a good length of time, I look up from the floor, and I see Elias standing. My mouth falls open, and I gasp, then quickly crawl backwards and press myself against the wall. What the hell is going on?