Fields Of Gold

Kara walked out, into the garden and smiled. The cool breeze was perfect, not chilly, despite the current season. She looked around all of the garden, taking in it's autumnal beauty. Leaves gently blew around her, and the ground was littered with them. She decided to move them all into a pile with her telekinesis. Raiden spotted her, sweeping the leaves away. She turned when she was done and smiled.

"I know you are there. I don't need to be psychic to know that. And before you say I shouldn't be up, I couldn't sleep".

Raiden sighed.

"I wasn't going to berate you".

Kara sighed.

"'I'm sorry. I guess I am just waiting to be told off. Whenever I do my own thing, it usually backfires, so my parents get to say, 'I told you so'. I just didn't want to hear that again".

Raiden tilted his head.

"What has gone wrong?"

Kara looked to the pile of leaves, which now had diminished, it was a fraction of the size it was moments ago. She pointed to it.

"I am clearly still out of it. That has gone wrong. I tried to tidy up, but the wind has rendered my work futile. I can't stand just sitting around. I know I am injured but I want to train. I am not tired in the slightest, and I want to at least do something".

The Elder God did not know what to do, and with his uncertainty came dark, ominous looking clouds in the sky. The young woman frowned.

"I'll go back inside. I can see how much of an effect my disobeying you is having. I will try and sleep. Goodnight Raiden".

Raiden huffed, white smoke came out of his nostrils, much to Kara's chagrin.

"I am not used to having company, is all. I will try to not turn into a third parental figure. I highly doubt you need another of those. How are your ribs? Your face looks to have healed nicely".

Kara shrugged.

"They feel fine. And you can check you know, with that 'aura' you have. I won't bite your head off".

Raiden checked her over, and sure enough, her ribs were indeed fixed, and her nose was healing. He smiled.

"I don't even know hoe you can stand to look at me. I look like I went ten rounds with a hoard of Tarkatan, managed to keep all of my limbs, but my face, and body tell another story".

More white smoke escaped the God's nostrils as he exhaled.

"I should have gotten there sooner".

Kara put her hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.

It did not reassure him though. What was preying on his mind was if he hadn't have gotten there in time to stop Smoke from grounding Kara's entrails into the carpet and hitting her with her own severed limbs.

He had known the young Lin Quei since she was a baby. Watched her grow up, watched her stumble, only to regain her footing and try again.

When she cried, when she laughed, smiled. Those times of happiness and despair, and of utter despair right now, were mixing together, in a pool of poignancy. And not just for him.

Kara now, saddened him a little. Now? She hid her feelings, and only ever cried twice in front of him. She barely smiled, and if she did, nine times out of ten, it would be a forced smile. One to tell the world's prying eyes that she was happy.

He did not wish to pry, he never had been the type too. But when someone under his wing was struggling to hold on, above violent waves of self loathing and never quite feeling good enough, he couldn't help but want to help them. Help her.

Kara waved her hand in front of him, and he gave a small nod.

"I shall retire to bed. You may do as you wish, know that. I will not berate you unless I feel it necessary".

Her mouth quirked the minutest amount upwards, and she patted his back.

"I'll be okay. I don't think you get enough credit for what you do. You deal with affairs in Earthrealm and Outworld. Also with the other Gods. You train fighters, fight yourself. You always come out on the other side. Perhaps a little worse for wear, but you've survived many conflicts and saved many people. I am grateful that you saved me, but I wish to go home. I want you to have a little peace in your life, maybe a sense of normality. And I am certainly not a peaceful, nor normal person".

Raiden smirked.

"As a God, I assume that I cannot be normal, nor have normality in my life?"

Kara smirked back.

"Please. You are a God, THE god. The eldest, strongest, most formidable God in all of existence. People would kiss the very ground you walk on if you wanted them too. You are anything but normal. You are extraordinary, and the fact that you want anything to do with me is astounding".

The thunder God's smirk faded and he looked rather glum.

"Don't remind me. I have seen many miserable sights, witnessed pointless wars started over trivial things. I have centuries of memories, and yet, I am lonely. I know I am not supposed to feel that. I am not even sure that I am suppose to feel anything. If the people ever found out, then I may appear as nothing more than a glowing failure of a man, who couldn't even protect any of them".

Kara stunned the God by wrapping her arms around him. The hug was not returned and became awkward, so she moved away.

"You never have been, nor will be a failure. And besides. Your glow helped many out of a darkness that they never saw an ending too. You are a beacon of hope, and light for many. It must be a huge burden, and if I can, I wish to share some of that. And whilst I am here, and when I return, you will no longer feel lonely, that I swear".

She walked away, and just about heard the God's reply.

"Return? You wish to come back here?"

Kara smirked and when she got to her room, she looked over the balcony at him.

"Of course. You still owe me a fight".

Raiden chuckled and went back inside his home.

Kara got changed into her pajamas and found herself grinning.

For an old man, he's alright.

Did I just call Raiden old? Oh Gods.

She laughed into her pillow for quite some time before falling asleep.