Broken Providence

(40) A New Era

Aleodei limped from the burning and broken down buildings. She held the stump of her left arm. Belm, Claire, and Ephialtes have all escaped to safety. she was so tired, but it was finally over. No more Trinity. No more Infernals. She did it, She really did it. Mod, Arielle, Duin, all the people who suffered this disgusting war are finally avenged. She kept walking into the forest, unknown to the fact that her eyes quietly sobbed, escaping the survivors surveying the ruins.

She was well deep in the forest when she stopped and stood quietly. She looked up and took a breath, she thought of Duin, and how amazed she would be with all of these trees, with the sky so blue and the grass so green. Her heart broke and her eyes welled up with tears while her wounds bled and her bones ached and then, she collapsed.

When she woke she was in a big tree, the inside was hollow but so tall.

"where-" her throat burned, "where am I?" she muttered as she struggled to regain feeling in her remaining limbs and felt her eyes puffy. A hidden figure turned to show a girl the same age with curled horns, hair, and pointy ears. Her hair was a halcyon green and she was light-skinned.

"You're in my house," she said curtly. Aleodei struggled to sit up, grunting as she flipped back down. "I saw you collapse, we're deeper in the forest than where you fell though. I'm Stegga and don't get up you're pretty badly injured." She moved to a stove type of thing near the fireplace. "It was pretty hardcore cauterizing your wounds like that though I still have to cut them open," she said pouring a bowl of strange-looking soup.

"You're... Drigenife?" Aleodei asked in disbelief. The girl nodded and offered the bowl. Aleodei stared tiredly and shocked.

"This is usually where you tell me your name," she said sitting beside the cot.

"my name is Aleodei... I thought all Drigenifes were killed," She said sniffing the bowl. Stegga nodded.

"Like you I presume, I was able to hide, in this tree," she said gesturing the tree. Aleodei looked up and began to sip carefully. "Why are you hurt?" Stegga asked sitting closer. Aleodei set down the empty bowl.

"I destroyed Trinity," she said pausing, feeling the warm soup go down her empty stomach. "and the Infernals. It's been a long day," she said sighing. "I got stabbed and my arm was crushed," Stegga leaned forward in disbelief gaping.

"You took down trinity??" she asked standing. Aleodei nodded roughly. She moved to embrace her, Aleodei winced as she held. "Thank Deus! our people have been avenged," she said crying and full of relief. She pulled away Aleodei stiffly put her hand down. "Sorry- guess I got a little carried away," she said sheepishly and moved back. Aleodei smiled.

"What happened to your face? I thought it was another wound but there's a scar already," Stegga asked. Aleodei's smile faded and shrugged.

"Got mind-controlled then tramped by a building" Aleodei responded flatly. Suddenly she remembered. "May'Qli!" She stood in agony but still in a hurry.

"Your familiar is here," Stegga said pointing to a small brown cat near the fireplace fast asleep. "Also is this what I think it is?" Stagga asked holding up the teapot. Aleodei nodded carefully. May'Qli must've gotten it while she was rampaging throughout Trinity.

"May'Qli! come here," she said reaching out. May'Qli slowly woke and jumped in her arms.

"Glad You're okay boss," they said purring. Aleodei cradled her in her arms. "You're such a brat," kissing her little head.