Beneath the Sunless Sky

Chapter Fifty-Five

—Velara—

"I warned you of the consequences of hurting my pet," Virmira's voice drifted along the wind. Lulu stood with Rhaena, Taffa, and Eyje, each looking for the source of the voice, but she was not there, choosing instead to toy with them. "I warned you what would happen to the Savior of this world, the one you have the audacity to call Aer'Avyn."

"Hey, witch-tits!" Lulu shouted into the sky. "It's fucking rude to talk when you're invisible! You're almost as bad as the Creator! Why don't you use a mouthpiece to...?"

Her words were cut short as she was flung to the side, her body rolling as she groaned from the pain that blossomed through her body. When she looked up next, Virmira was there with them, her body hovering in the air as dark shadows swirled around her.

"You think we are alike?" Virmira's voice was ice-cold as she stared down at Lulu, her eyes betraying an unhinged fervor that set her teeth on edge. "You know nothing of the Creator or me, Elusia Vale. I am nothing like Him."

Lulu laughed, pushing herself to her knees. "Don't like Him either, huh? At least we have that in common."

"Is this a game to you? You think yourself invincible because you pretend to be a hero?" Virmira scoffed as she lowered herself to the roof. A dark smirk covered her features. "The heroes of this world are pathetic. They pretend to be strong as they defend the weak. They pretend they've faced true darkness, pretend they've suffered. Not a single hero of this world has ever faced a true test of courage. Face the end. Know you will die. Know that all you love will perish and turn to ash and be forgotten. Know all of that. Fight regardless. And then, then, you can think about calling yourself a hero."

"So, what, you go around killing people because you don't like our heroes? That's...the lamest reason ever to fight, you know?"

"Oh yes. The clever mortal knows the motivations of my mind. Shall I divulge all to you here? Shall I share all my hopes and dreams of the future so that we may better understand one another? So that you could offer me redemption?"

Lulu snorted with laughter. "That's fucking funny, witch-tits. Like I'd ever offer you redemption. You trapped Idelle in the Grave. You made Rhaena suffer. You made Oswin suffer. I don't give two shits why you did it. All I care is that you did. You deserve to die for the last two, but for the first? For that, I'll make you beg for death."

"Such brave words you hurl at the darkness," Virmira's grin widened. "Do you know where Idelle is right now? She's at the Abyssal Rift, but she won't make it. Her body's too weak. She's dying, mere inches beyond your reach."

Virmira turned toward the Rift as it began to pulse violently, the colors more vibrant as a howl emerged from within.

"A new Awakening. The first in a millennia. Just in time for another of my beloved pets to help me rip this world apart. Out there, beyond the borders of this city, across the ocean, on another continent, do you know who fights there?"

Lulu frowned, keeping her mouth shut as she waited for Virmira to finish.

"The one person you hate the most. How odd. You. Idelle. The Savior. All here. All in Velara. It's almost as though someone constructed all of this, dictated your every move to make certain you were all in the right place at the right time." Virmira laughed. "And what better reason to bring you all together than to kill you all at once?!"