I'm So Sorry

Chapter Sixty-Six- Greta Is WHO?!

"Woah! Okay now, let's not do THAT!"

Dara held his hands up defensively, trying to back away from the branding iron. But it wasn't going to be that easy, no. There were barriers set around the place, and without his magic, Dara couldn't do anything to get away.

"Stand still, beast-man." Lustre commanded, his voice ringing out oddly. Dara shivered and stepped slightly to the side, looking around for an escape. For some reason, Adele's eyes widened in shock.

And Dara quickly went still, valuing his life too much for this shit. He had to be still- Lustre had used a voice command that puts any light creature magically weaker than him under his control. That was a close call... But Adele wasn't saying anything, so she must've not actually saw. 

Dara grit his teeth and closed his eyes, bracing himself as Lustre pulled his robe a bit to reveal his chest. And then there was pain. 

A hot, searing pain burning through his skin and magic flowing into his body from the opening flesh. It was terrible and smelled even worse, but Dara refused to scream. As a spy, he had endured training for similar situations- torture, death, killing... He was prepared for it all.

But that didn't mean he liked it!

He stood there for what felt like hours, but was probably only a minute max. The iron's magic ran through his veins smoothly by the time it was pulled away, but Dara didn't sense anything different about himself. What was that enchantment?

When the iron was removed, he stayed standing. He wasn't showing any emotion or pain whatsoever, but on the inside, he wanted to scream and cry. No, he would stay strong. He would wait, watch, see what they want from him and the best course of action to get out of there.

He wanted to stab them in the back for daring to even think about taking him away from his princess... No. They would suffer from taking him from his family. His sisters must be so worried... His mother and father... But there was no need to worry. Soon these bastards would see that they messed with the wrong mutt, he could even bring their heads back home for his big sisters as a souvenir.

...That sounded like a damn good idea.

'...No. No, I won't. I'll be patient, I'll be understanding. I'll be their little pet for now... There's a war coming anyways. That's my chance to strike.' Dara gave a small huff and finally took a step forward, making sure to make it look forced and painful. He stumbled and fell in Lustre's direction, ears pinned low in meek surrender as he took the trust fall. Lustre held him up with some difficulty, letting Dara lean against him as they left the shrine and headed towards the house. 

"...That seemed painful, I apologize. I will try to be a better host after this, I do not wish to be your enemy. Now, for the last phase in the ritual, should we just flip a coin?" Lustre blinked up at Dara, making everybody seem to try to distance themselves from the two. "Wh-what?" Dara coughed out.

"Brother, do not speak of the next phase in presence of others. It is bad manners." Thoran, the eldest of the brothers spoke up. He was a gentle giant as well as the tannest of the brothers. His slight tan made him look more out of place than the subtle difference should. His short white hair had bangs covering one of his eyes, and teeth almost as sharp as Dara's. He looked intimidating, but the way he held himself, his gentle eyes, his bangs, and his soft tone all showed that he should be anything but. 

He was an interesting one, that was for sure.

"Ah, my apologies, Thor." Lustre continued in silence. 

When they got back to the Luvlin mansion, Dara was met with a new challenge after Lustre flipped a coin. 

"It's heads." Lustre put the coin away before stretching and turning back to Dara. "Allow me this moment of self-indulgence, captive. If you would humor me, that is?" Lustre sat Dara down on the edge of the bed, in which the other didn't resist, too confused to get what was going on.

And then Lustre kneeled before him, and it clicked.

'WHAT THE HELL HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?! WHERE'S SARA WHEN YOU NEED HER?! SIIIIIISSSSTTTEEEEERRRRR!!!!!!!'

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"...Did they put me on drugs without me realizing? Also, if you're Greta or 'God' sometimes, what are you other times?" 

Dark was getting confused now, glaring slightly at the foxcin... 'God'. 

"When the moon is not full, I am one with my chosen ruler. This world has several different rulers and different kinds and levels of ruling, but my current chosen one is..." 

Dark's eyes widened as a name was whispered into the wind. "B-...But how is that possible?! No, you can't be-!"

"Hush, children! I am merely a part of their soul when the moon is in shadow. They are not me, and throughout the years, none of my chosen ones have ever known that I was with them. But I am them, I share their names, experiences, and memories when I'm with them- though it doesn't work the other way around."

"...I can I believe you about the 'God' thing. The light species always believed that this world's god was a female anyways. And dark species were never much for religion, so you taking form of a rare creature in a place that's sacred to light species? Makes sense. But I have a test for you, Greta... If you really are who you say you are- this 'leader of your choosing', or whatever you called it... Tell me, what's my favorite flower?" Dark smiled slightly, leaning back.

"That is a trick question, children. For you are not singular... But you did throw me a bone for this question, didn't you? Right now, your favorite flower is the stargazer lily. Isn't that right, Damien?" 

Greta flicked her tail, possibly gesturing to the blue aura around Dark. Black and red were gone from his eyes and aura, leaving only a gentle blue. With that, Damien could only sigh. "Well, if you know that much... You are certainly who you claim to be. I have no further question or argument." And with that, Damien shifted and the black and red returned, making him Dark again. 

"Thank you, my children. Now, I shall take you home. I see that is the only way your heart will heal. But first... Are you at peace with your decision?"

"Yes."

"Very well then. The contract is prepared, all you have to do is read it from your heart... And in that moment, your request will be granted. Take it as a favor... From an old friend." 

For a moment, there was a ripple, and Dark saw that familiar white fur again... 

"And from a close friend."

She changed again to a different, more familiar form before shifting back to her foxcin form. "You... Your previous chosen ruler was... It was To-" Dark opened his mouth to reveal his old friend's name, but in a flash, he was being swept away back home.

Some things were best left unsaid.

For now.

"Wait, wait, wait a minute!"

"Didn't you say not to interrupt?"

"Quiet!... This is so fucking weird... Dark met God? And she is like, in somebody???"

"...Wait, you mean nobody except for Dark knows this? You'd think he would tell everybody something like that."

"...Maybe... I... He just didn't have time to, it must've slipped his mind in the chaos. And besides, what kind of fucking conversation starter is 'hey, I met God!'... I can only wonder who she is right now."