Everybody Has A Price

You are safe with me Pt. 2

Ianite and Dianite sat on my bed as I ran around grabbing bandages and wash rags. Dianite held his sister close. He whispered comforts to Ianite. I watched awkwardly, waiting for one of them to recognize my presence. They remained in their little world for quite a while.

I pretended to be busy, but I wasn't good at it. It probably came across as me just desperate for their attention. I went to Guard Tom and asked for some pies. He gladly helped me with that request. I went back to where I left the two siblings

"Take off your shirt," I demanded Dianite abruptly. He looked a little flustered to begin with but recovered quickly.

"Well this is moving a little fast, isn't it?" Dianite joked while removing his shirt. I was happy to see Dianite still being normal Dianite.

"This is going to hurt." I dabbed one of the cuts on his chest with the rag. His eyebrows furrowed at the contact. "I'm sorry. This is better than getting an infection." I continued to wash his wounds. When cleaning the worst lacerations, he would squeeze my free hand. I hated hurting Dianite even if it were going to help him eventually.

Once I was done, the god was covered nearly head to toe in bandages. The most haunting injury of his was the broken horn. It was quite obviously not the most painful, but it broke his spirit. He stared into his reflection on the glass window, lightly touching the sharp edges the remained from his horn.

Mianite or whoever worked for him decided to have some sort of mercy on Ianite. She didn't have as many lacerations as Dianite, but she did have many more bruises and burns. I found some ointment I had left from when I had been burnt by an exploration gone wrong. I covered each burn in the solution, then covered them in bandages. There wasn't much else I could do for the goddess.

Silence rested in the room. Dianite continued to stare at his changed reflection. Ianite stared into space, thinking about something I couldn't figure out.

And I observed.

It was an odd feeling that stuck with me constantly. I had finally figured out what it was.

Throughout my time living in the realm, I had a constant feeling of separation in my gut. I had always felt that I observed my life happening rather than living it. I felt disconnected from my body. It was like whenever I was depressed, I would be miles away from the other part of me. But, when I was elated, I'd feel all together.

A familiar knock broke the heavy silence. Guard Tom delivered the requested pies. Tom was one of the nicest people I met in the realm, and he continuously surprised me by his absolute pure kindness.

"I have the pies, Captain!" He spoke as if all worries were so distant and ridiculous.

"I really appreciate it, Tom," I thanked the guard. The pies were set on a small table pressed against the far wall. I suggested he stay with us, but he insisted he had other duties. Of course I didn't believe it, but I let him leave anyway.

Ianite had already helped herself to a pie. That was all I could ask for. She wasn't refusing food. I knew it would be hard for a body to just go from 0 to 100 on food intake.

"So," I started, "neither of you guys are acting very normal." My statement earned a few odd looks. "You guys aren't acting like you have the powers of gods." The gods that were just devouring food they should not have needed so dearly, refused to look my direction.

"I don't think it lasts forever, but Mianite he had most of our powers neutralized. I think we can still do small stuff," he said, mostly to himself. He twirled his finger in the air. It took a moment, but eventually a rose appeared.

Memories flooded back. The god sat in my spectre dimension, trying to get my attention, but I had ignored it completely. The rose was just one of the gifts he gave to try to 'buy' me.