Xelqua Rising || The Lost One AU

42.Fate v. Mercy

Xelqua was studying one of the statues in the temple. He knew the form of each one by memory now inside and out, having had lived here for at least a century now. Still, having nothing to do, He was looking over each one once more. Below each statue was a plaque engraved with galactic writing. Each one told a story of some hero.

This one had smote countless Listeners in battle, living to tell the tale. The figure stood triumphant, a sword ablaze in their hands, wings fully stretched out. Their left foot rested on top of a head of what Xel assumed to be a Listener, squishing it as if it were a large bug. It used to give him the creeps, but now he was unfazed but such a sight. He had seen his own kind do much worse, thousands of times over. Why was this any different?

"Hey Xelqua, did you see?" A voice said suddenly. He turned around, finding Symus standing there.

"See what?" He asked.

"You were not paying attention, were you?" Symus shook his head. How could it be that Xelqua hadn't even noticed that he had walked up? He did not need to express these disappointments; Xelqua already knew. "Anyway, you were invited to sit in on a meeting."

Xelqua opened his mouth to ask what the meeting was about, but by that time, Symus had already opened up his wings and begun to fly away. The blonde was quick to follow, although he stayed on the ground like always.

By the time he had arrived at the doors of the meeting room, Symus had already been inside for a few minutes. Xiomara and Miesall were bickering already, although they kept their fists to themselves thankfully.

Physolia was seated, her wings folded in and her hands in her lap, ready to begin. Xelqua had not spoken to her much, but he knew that she was pretty quiet, even for a Watcher. Symus was walking up to a seat and Azubius was near the center of the room, standing beside a circular obsidian spot in the floor. Looking around the other areas of the room, Xel guessed that he had been the last one to arrive.

"You two stop fighting about childish things and let us begin." Azubius said. The two Watchers obeyed immediately, finding seats on opposite sides of the room from each other. The former human followed Miesall, sitting beside him. The curly haired Watcher silently moved one seat away, causing the Xel to frown. He was still too worried about what the others thought, it would appear.

Azubius took a breath as he began to pace around the center of the room, circling the obsidian but not touching it. His cane struck the floor, a quiet echo following each time. "As you may see, I bring you no creature, though the nature of this meeting is indeed of one. The creature in question is yet to be born, you see." He began.

"If it has not been born yet, how could it disobey fate?" Xiomara interrupted, earning himself a frown from the wiser Watcher.

"It can not and has not." Azubius assured. "The issue does not lie there. However, the fate it has been given is indeed quite dire. As you know, the Great Ones will sometimes show mercy and put these creatures out of their misery."

Xelqua felt himself straighten up in his chair. What terrible thing could be so bad that even the Great Ones would disregard fate? Whatever it was, it must be serious. He saw himself glancing over at Miesall as if he couldn't already see the solemn line on his mouth with his detached eyes. An old human habit he could not seem to shake.

"The issue with this creature, however, is that he holds large power for his kind; he will surly be influential and will affect many other fates." The messenger of the Great Ones continued. He had now stopped pacing, a hand firmly on his cane. "That is of course, before tragedy will strike." He rested his free hand on top of the other and lowered his head as he fell silent. The action was to show that he had finished his explanation.