Andria Andromeda Rivera and The Chalice of Belief

Old Retold

Your past is not you- but something you once did. Let it consume you, and goad you into worse, and you'll fall deeper. Learn from it, change for the better, and there'll be a light no brighter.
- Unknown

"You speak, stranger, of the girl who stole off the chance of another?" The Domina asked, eyebrows raised somewhat hostilely.

Yilla looked at Eava sharply, "Or perhaps, of your own ally? How do you know her?"

Eava didn't give that last statement a response, and Yilla noticed. Eava didn't care, she was too busy trying to make sense of the situation.

"Eava Rivera stole from one of you?" She asked, frowning, "How so?"

Runi looked like she wanted to say something, but the Domina cut through her, "It is a long tale."

"I don't mind." Eava said quietly.

There was a pause, and then a flicker of hesitation, before the tale begun.

"This is a dark, dreary place," The Domina said, "and we have been stuck here for Quietus knows how long."

Eava frowned, "Why, though?"

"How is the state of the world up there? Have you ever heard of Quietus?" She asked.

"Yes..." Eava said slowly, "He is an embodiment of fear, and therefore, immortal, and plans to take over the world- though now that I think of it, if he is fear, why would fear want to take over the world? Also, won't that mean it has sentience?"

The Domina looked over her consideringly, "He is not fear, child. He is almost nothing, now."

Eava felt her breath hitch, "What...?"

"He was but an ordinary man with rather.... too deep set, and yet, arguable thoughts." The domina said, "He didn't want to die, like much of us even now, but he took it to a new level. At the time, there was an epidemic in the country. People were suffering unbelievably, and his experiments to preservation, and, in a way, immortality, had little to do with it... The place was not normal, you see."

Eava swallowed hard, yes, she was beginning to see.

"He tried so many things, even before the epidemic came to that part of the land, to preserve those who lived within the area. A magician, he was called- one who could control the very earth and sky. During one of his such trials, he poured magic into the very ground, imbueing it with sustenance. Barriers stretched across the city, as far as his magic could go without weakening..."

She paused, then continued, "Most people within were saved. Slowly, things were handled, and while the world outside withered and suffered, the situation at home was in hand."

Eava did not miss the use of the word 'home'.

"He was a hero." The Domina said, "A savior in the minds of all. This only strengthend his resolve to cheat death... Soon, though, his grandfather died, and I believe he was one of the few Quietus actually loved. It was then that things started to go haywire.

He had mood swings, and so, his magic would not really obey his will. This in itself was not much of a problem, but his will was volatile, and after several overreactions and injuries, the public mood began to sway. He became the pitied, old man, and his fall from grace began."

That sounded sad, Eava thought.

"It was, indeed." The lady said, and Eava realised that she'd voiced her thoughts aloud, "but sorrow is a part of life, he should have faced it instead of just.." her voice turned sharper, "He was a clever fool- thinking of ways to achieve his ends but not thinking of the repercussions. Magic, though you may not understand it just yet, girl, is primarily directed by, perception, belief, and will."