An Archer's Promise

Chapter 17: Duel

Beta read by Shigiya and DOOMRAIDER.

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-Thorne-

In the soft white-gold light of the new day, the hues of a luxurious bedroom moved from impressionist pastels to brilliant tapestries.

In Thorne's main palace, in a lavish chamber was Celestine, the Goddess Reborn sleeping on her massive bed. Thanks to the rise in temperature, it caused her to sleep without her blankets for the past few nights. Her divine form in human flesh presented bare to the world. Celestine continued to murmur her sleep as she buried her face in her pillow, sweat trickling down her face as she murmured in her sleep. Coated in a sheen of sweat that made her flawless skin glisten in the sunlight. She held one her pillow close to her person, as if seeking comfort in her sleep. Her bountiful chest pushed onto the soft fabric, causing them to press together, creating a valley for the accumulated sweat to disappear. Her long, smooth legs wrapped around the comfortable pillow, bringing it deeper in her embrace.

The sun was beaming through her room's silk curtains, as the rays of sunlight caressed her face. The Goddess Reborn started to stir from her slumber, her eyes opening to reveal her emerald eyes. She let out a cute groan of disappointment when the first beam of sunlight hit her face, signaling that it is time to wake up. Usually, waking up was a simple task for Celestine after having hundreds of years to get used to it. It also didn’t hurt that she liked to wake up in the mornings. She’s always been a morning person for most of her life.

“Why…”

She placed her hands on her face, wiping some of the sweat on her forehead and even felt traces of fried up tears. Starting to reflect on the dream and its meaning once again. Celestine felt a twinge of pain pulsating in her mind the longer she thought about it. That corrupted voice shook her to the core, able to clearly remember the words that it spoke. It felt wrong… vile; Despite being a peaceful Goddess, who would rather talk things through than fight, was ready to destroy the entity right then and there. It never happened before, not even against Olga during their worst moments.

Something deep in her soul told her that it was not anything that should not exist in this world.

She looked at the painting that she finished a while ago.

“Why can't I find you? Are you even real? Or have you yet to be born?” she muttered to herself, staring at the painting of the red-haired boy from her dreams.

Shaking herself out of her trance, Celestine crawled out of her warm bed. Not bothering to cover up her nudity, she walked to her wardrobe and put on her regular garment. A simple cloth which hid her intimate parts, even with these clothes, could hardly hide her beauty. When they first met, Kaguya, Claudia, Alicia, and even Maia were enraptured by her presence.

A fond memory of a stuttering Alicia came to her, making the Goddess giggle. A part of her wondered how she would compare against Olga. Both were equal in power and beauty, embodying the same aspect to their people. Symbolized as both protectors and mother figures to their people, their role is to create a peaceful life for everyone under them.

They used to be friends, in the past long forgotten by even the two elves.

Both dreamed to rule side by side and bring their people together. What happened? Why did they become enemies when their bonds were as strong as blood siblings? The longer they lived, the longer they watch over their people, the longer Olga only saw the darkness in humanity. Not like the latter couldn't understand her friend's rage. Seeing her people getting enslaved would have been intolerable to anyone. But when she offered a peaceful solution, Olga rejected it, her hate for the humans too overwhelming. Neither could agree on the course of action to take, and their small disagreement turned into a bloody war. If only she could change the past, if only she had been more firm and stayed by her friend's side… maybe…