The Black Lotus | Vol.1, The Eldenarian Artifacts ✓

37.

Makaela awoke in the sky.

A dark-skinned woman with golden stars glowing against her midnight complexion sat before her. She had full lips, rounded features, and striking eyes. Makaela couldn't help but notice how she looked like a replica of her mother. Hair bluer than the purest ocean spilled down her slender shoulders. Magic filled the air between them.

"Welcome, my dear." Her voice was softer than the clouds they sat upon.

Makaela froze under the woman's gaze.

"Lumi?"

The goddess nodded. "I've been waiting for a long time to speak with you."

"Waiting...?" She shook her head. "What is this? Where am I?"

"Nowhere. And everywhere."

Her lips curled. Now wasn't the time to be cryptic.

Lumi offered her a weak smile. The light in her eyes flickered. Her shoulders drooped slightly. Studying her face, Makaela noticed the wrinkles ruining her otherwise flawless skin. She frowned.

As far as she was aware, the seven gods were immortal. Ageless. But Lumi looked...off.

Something was wrong.

"Why didn't you help us?" Makaela's voice hovered an octave above a whisper. "We needed you during the purge. House Lumai...it's nearly gone."

Lumi looked down at her hands. "Centuries after we gave your ancestors magic, my brothers and sisters withdrew from this world, opting to watch from beyond the veil. Contrary to popular belief, our lifespans are not infinite. Someday, we'll leave this world. To prepare your people for this event, we vowed to cease interfering directly in the lives of mortals. The vow was binding; unbreakable." The stars glowing against her skin dimmed. "It pained me a great deal to watch the lightweavers die at the hands of Mauvorin's followers."

Makaela never knew of any pact. The history books simply stated the gods preferred to watch from afar.

"During that time, I've been battling my twin, Mauvorin," Lumi continued to explain. "I've managed to keep him confined to the depths of Nordor, but I will not be able to hold him forever. Out of the seven of us, he has always been the strongest. He will only get stronger."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"I'll be honest." Lumi's blue brows furrowed. "The Prophecy of Eight isn't concrete. Details and events change constantly. No one could've known when the prophecy was to begin. Your destiny has become very hazy in my eyes as of late. But one thing is for certain. You are the Light."

Makaela didn't know what to say. What could she say?

That title had been attached to her since she was born. It was inescapable. Like Minerva said, her life was tangled with Thorian's. They were two sides of the same coin. The light and the dark.

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked. "How am I supposed to defeat him?"

"I cannot answer. Only you can."

Annoyance exploded onto her face. She threw her head back and groaned, the noise echoing across the sky.

"I don't know what I'm doing!" Her hands flew to her face. "I need guidance. Every decision I make feels like the wrong one. I mean, I almost joined Thorian." She laughed at the absurdity of the situation. "And I don't even feel bad about that."

"Perhaps you should trust your instincts."

She tilted her head at the goddess. "Are you saying I made the right decision joining him?"