Born in the Flame

Chapter 25

"You're a gods damned liar." I hissed at Uzlos.

"What are you talking about? This is his house." He whispered back.

A few days later, we contacted Lautauis and set up a meeting at his home. Uzlos said his house was nearby. If by the house, he meant the entirety of the block we stood on. I had thought the "house '' would be something along the lines of what we stayed in. Nope. His manor was an entire block inside the city. I should have known better than to assume the flamboyant god would live in something similar to the house we stayed in.

"Uzlos, this is not a house." My brows narrowed on him. "What we are staying in is a house; a townhouse if you want to get technical, but no, this is a manor."

"Oh." He simply responded.

"Oh?"

"I didn't know there was a difference." He shrugged. These gods and their immortal wealth. It exhausted me by the day.

The front entrance was guarded by a steel gray gate. Metallic vines of flowers and thorns folded and curved along the bars. An elegant way of saying 'Stay the fuck out'. Behind the gate, a guard dressed in sleek black attire noticed us. As if Lautauis gave them our description, he opened the gate for us and motioned for us to enter.

"Ms. Silvertooth, Heir of Earth." He bowed. I chuckled at the discomfort that spread on Uzlos' face at the title. "Please, follow me."

Uzlos' memory had shown me the dawn elven version of divine luxury, in this manor, it was the darker version of that divine luxury. Instead of pristine white walls with ancient paintings, the walls were covered in murals. Shades of blues, purples, and pink silks danced along the ceilings, hiding multiple intricately designed lamps. My attention fell particularly on a mural featuring a large lavender and silver bear. Constellation speckled the beast as it outstretched itself toward the moon. Behind the bear, sat the city skyline of Yaanlian.

"That's his godly form." Uzlos whispered in my ear. Realizing I gawked at a self-worshiping art piece of Lautauis, I shuffled my feet to catch up to the guard.

As we passed, more and more murals graced the walls. Visions of the stars, various scenic views covered in darkness, and some that almost looked prophetic passed us as we walked. Each one had a distinct style and difference from the other's as if the god had commissioned a different artist to paint a section of the wall for every year he had lived his immortal life.

The guard led us to an open door that immediately stung my still-sensitive senses. Incense fogged the ground. The smell was so strong, I couldn't tell what incense the god was burning. I had recovered enough to leave the manor and endure minimal light, but this was taking the life right back out of me.

I discreetly began breathing out of my mouth so the smell wouldn't overwhelm me while we spoke with the god.

"I hear you at the door, come in." Lautauis' deep voice called out.

"Must you burn down a forest of incense right before we visit?" Uzlos asked incredulousness hinted in his cold tone.

"What can I say, not everyone is so lucky to re-experience the senses for the first time. Just one stick is not enough." The first time I met him, his poking and prodding were directed at Uzlos. It seems he felt comfortable directing his attention elsewhere. Unfortunately for him, I was not impressed or meek.

"I'm sure I could help you convince Mird to give it a try." I gave the god a faint smile in a challenge. While the two of us were clothed finely, but casually; the god before us wore mere scraps of silken fabric. It nearly looked like he just got out of the bath.