Topaz

004

It was decided that the five had to keep watch over the newbies. With the news of them spreading around and what they'd already done, public opinion was not looking good for them.

The Semidioses thought that they'd keep Eligo away and instead put Ale and the twins on duty, so they were rightfully surprised when they were met with his hardened eyes once finally escorted back to the infirmary.

It didn't get better as the night went on. Out of fear something would happen, they elected a watch that would exchange every two hours. The seventh member they'd left behind was exiled from their group and slept on the other die of the room, and thus started yet another sleepless night.

Eligo watched as they switched again and again. First it was the person with leopard print hair, next was the female who seemed to be their leader. After her it was the tall female with light brown hair and flowers decorating her, and then that led him to now.

Eligo found that his unwavering stare was matched by a male with dark skin and blue earrings. This was one of the two that had followed him, and from what he heard the other was next on watch. It interested him how the duo worked, and from what Eligo could tell they communicated via hand motions he couldn't quite decipher.

"Who are you, exactly?" At three in the morning, quiet was broken. "What did you mean about my mom?"

"Who's your mom?" Eligo frowned. People still had parents these days?

"Agua. You said something about her totem." The male leaned forward, fingers catching the clothing of the male he was supposed to be sleeping beside. "Her's and Amor's... What happened?"

Eligo leaned back in his chair, sighing. "They were corrupted." he answered simply. "It's a... thing that happens sometimes."

The other frowned "You don't seem worried about it."

"Because I'm not." Eligo crossed his arms "I took care of it, and the totem isn't corrupted anymore." When the other looked confused, Eligo shook his head "I'm not saying anything other than that, earrings."

"Marino." The male stated firmly.

"Marino." Eligo echoed, nodding. "It is nice to meet you. I am Eligo, holder of totems."

"What do they do?" Marino asked, tilting his head.

"They're vessels." Eligo responded automatically. "... Which is something I've always been told. Never understood it, but the last guy told me that as long as a totem is taken care of, a Dios or Diosa can never die."

Marino sucked in a breath. "They're gonna need that right about now...." He murmured.

"Why's that?" Eligo tilted his head. "Does it tie into why you're all here?"

"Yeah, ever heard of the Sunbearer Trials?" When Eligo shook his head, Marino groaned "Crap."

"You're not explaining it." Eligo pointed out, frowning "Is it that bad?"

"It's only the greatest honor a Semidios can have!" Marino defended, almost like he was six. "It only happens once every ten years, and Sol chooses ten Semidioses they want as potential a Sunbearer. Usually it's only Golds-" Marino cast a look to the corner, where they'd isolated the seventh. "But sometimes Jades compete. There's six trials for us to compete in, ones that determine our rankings-"

"Wait wait wait-" Eligo interrupted "Sol puts Golds against Jades??"

Marino nodded "It hadn't happened for one hundred and thirty years until this year, but... there were a lot of new things, I guess." Marino sighed before continuing, mood dampened. "Anyway, we compete in crazy dangerous challenges to determine our rankings. The person in last place by the time all trials are up gets sacrificed," Marino looked at the leader-like female. "And the person in first place is the Sunbearer who has to sacrifice the person in last place."

"Sounds simple enough." Eligo leaned forward "What went wrong then?"

Marino sighed "We thought two jades were chosen this year, one son of Quetzal and one son of Mala Suerte."

Eligo frowned "Mala Suerte? Who's that?"

"Dios of Bad Luck..?" Marino's eyebrows furrowed "I thought you said you hold totems of all gods."

"I do, but not the Obsidian or the disciples of one."

Marino's eyes widened "So it was planned." he breathed

"What was?"

"By the end of the trials, one of Lumbre's kids -Auristela- was the sacrifice. Quetzal's son -Teo- was the Sunbearer." Marino spoke quickly now, as if he was figuring this out for himself. "Teo didn't kill Auristela like he was supposed to, he spared her- he said that the Trials were rigged-" Marino looked over to the seventh "Him."

"Mala Suerte's son, I suppose?" Eligo inquired "He doesn't look like someone who'd survive the trials, from what you've described."

"Teo saved him at the last moment." Marino replied, not tearing his eyes off of the sleeping body far away from him. "That's why Auristela was the sacrifice."

"I suppose Lumbre wasn't all that miffed." Eligo yawned "From what I remember, she has hundreds of kids- many are Sunbearers. One small sacrifice wouldn't kill her, right?"

Marino sighed "That's what we thought too, but she seemed more torn up over the fast that Auristela's brother wasn't the sacrifice over her."

Eligo raised an eyebrow "Sounds fucked up, but about right from what I know about parents."

Marino snorted "Well anyway, we found out that Xio over there is an Obsidian."

"Hm, makes sense." Eligo squinted "You all seem close to each other, I would assume it would be the same for him had he not done something terrible."

"He helped bring the Obsidian Dioses back." Marino said quietly, voice so low that Eligo almost missed the confession.

Marino flinched when Eligo stood suddenly, moving enough that the male he was next to also woke up.

"Hey- what are you doing?" Marino asked, eyes wide when Eligo turned to leave "You're just gonna leave us here?!"

"Come with if you want- wait if you wish to see Diego guard you." Eligo replied, slipping out of the room.