The Corruption

Chapter 9

In the last chapter . . .

The walk back to the small clearance where they both woke up was made in silence. They sat down, facing each other, the torch placed next to them as a way to allow them to see each other well. "Can I see it..?" She spoke softly in a warm tone. He hesitated, but nodded, silently taking his bandages off. Her eyes widened with what she saw, her hands moved to cover her mouth in shock. "Y-You-"

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In a cave, Amare Island

The words refused to leave her mouth. A large quantity of wounds adorned his skin, both old and relatively recent ones... There were three main things that stood the most out for her. A sizable bruise of a mixture of purple and green on his abdomen, she could even swear there were traces of something like the bottom of a sandal. A few scars on his shoulders, that stretched trough his back. And finally... A deep looking cut that started just at his left collarbone and ended around the middle of his chest... It looked to be recent, but what more confused Hana was how he was breathing in front of her?... The wound looked like it had definitely hit his vital organs... She could only thank whoever treated him for saving him from such end. Misha stayed in silence, facing the darkness by their side, nervously scratching his hand. "Ah..." A small sound left his lips as he felt something cold on his hand, it was then Hana finally managed to get back to herself. Eyes softening as she carefully took his hand into hers, covering the small wound he made, her hands glowing blue as she used her healing magic, the warmness of the small flame that appeared... Misha had to fight the urge to lean into the warmth, still refusing to stare directly at her.
They stayed in silence for a while. Hana never let go of his hand, even after she was done healing him. Her mind lost in questions as her eyes focused on his hand. On the contrary, Misha had begun to drift away, disassociating his mind with present, something he had learned how to do long ago... The only sounds heard were their pulses and the fire from the torch, yet both fell into deaf ears as the only two people in there were too locked in their private prison.
After some time, the silence grew to heavy for them to hold, and the goddess was the first one who took the first step. "Who... did this to you...?" Her voice, merely a whisper, echoed loud and clear in their soundless space... Misha hesitated, his hands twitching. Hana was patient, in a way she even wished to tell him that he was under no obligation to answer her question, but before she could utter such words it was the god who spoke. Words like knifes cutting trough the atmosphere. "...father..." His hands did not stop twitching. Hana's eyes widened once more, nothing but pure shock visible on her reflection. Yet, Misha remained expressionless... Emerald eyes still focused on the nothingness that hid in the darkness... "It was... my father." That look. The same look that crossed his eyes during the fight against the monster. The look who made her shiver. She could not really bring herself to speak after his confession, her words refused to leave her tongue, making way for a truly uncomfortable tranquility to surround them. But it also only lasted a short while. This time it was the god who took the first step. "My father. My ancestor I should say, the... previous god of art." She only listening, moving her hands to fully cover his, trying her best to offer him any sort of comfort. "I am the son of Aika... and Phidias..." Those names... Right, now she could remember just where she had heard Misha's name... It was after all a notorious story that was brought up not to long ago...

Aika, goddess of music, and Phidias, god of art. A woman with beautifully pale skin, short and striking red-hair and gorgeous emerald eyes and a man with tanned skin, long brown hair and pitch-black eyes. A 'love' story of the centuries. Two of the most renowned deities for their beauty. It was said that it was Phidias who fell first for the cheerful woman, for her charisma and smile that could light up a moonless night, and that for a few years he would sing for her day and night in a terrible pitch who would only make her laugh. She eventually let her heart be captured by him and their love story came to it's conclusion. The epilogue of their life should have been the 'happily ever after'... But that was not quiet what happened... People started to notice how Aika became quieter after their matrimony, but most didn't think twice about it. 'She simply has matured' they said... The couple had a child, and ever since his birth Aika was not seen even when Phidias became famous on the casinos and related establishments owned by the god of games. And the next time she was seen... It was in the form of a corpse, her body dirtied in scars and bruises... hanging from one of the trees of their house... Phidias was concluded to be the murderer and duo to the rain of statements from the petrified workers on their temple was discovered to have physically and mentally abused her and their child... He was never found guilty formally, since when they discovered Aika they also found his lifeless body, likely murdered... Their son, who had already become of age by the time was send to the hospital in a hurry duo the deep wound on his chest and was never formally seen again...

Hana could barely hold the tears from leaving her eyes, yet that did not stop Misha's words. "My father was a sick bastard. He was not 'in love' with my mother... He was obsessed with her beauty." He paused, biting his lip with narrowed eyes before continuing. "When she gave birth to me... He said she lost it... Her 'worth' as he called it. And I..." He gave a dry chuckle+. "I was a failed product who took it's mother's beauty but failed to inherit it." For the first time since they sat down, Misha looked her in the eyes, a painfully sarcastic smile on his face. "He used to punish me for being alive. It was a sin. I was wrong to have been born. So, he beat me up every day. Locked me up in some corner without food if I made the slightest noise during my punishments. And... punished my mother when she tried to save me." He continued, looking right through her. "That day... My mother hugged me in tears and apologized. She said she couldn't do it anymore. That this was not living and existing was to painful to her. She said it was not my fault... and I knew it wasn't." The sound of tears hit the floor. "I knew it was his fault. His death... It was a final blessing." Another tear. "This scar didn't hurt as much as the others, because the darkness that engulfed me when I passed out was one, I had always experienced... It doesn't hurt anymore so..." He reached his hand, touching her cheek where her tears fell like waterfalls. "Why are you crying my Lady..?" Her eyes red and puffy, her whole body trembled with her tears as she stared at his eyes. In one swift movement she threw her body over his and engulfed his body with her arms. She didn't know what to say so she remained quiet, but just the warmness of her body was enough to offer Misha the solace he needed. A soft smile graced his lips, and he returned the hug, letting her cry in his stead as he only closed his eyes.
For a while they remained like that, and only when he could no longer hear her quiet sobs didn't, he spoke again. "You're truly beautiful Lady Hana..." He opened his eyes with a smile, even if she couldn't see his face right now. "But not like a canvas like I previously said... Because a canvas can only shine trough the superficial art of others, while your true beauty resides where most will not care to see." She stood quiet... Had anyone ever said such a thing to her? No... Of course not. She was the goddess of love, the personification of beauty. She was used to their superficial compliments. To their void less words of praise. Like a statue who could only be seen by it's appearance. But perhaps it was exactly this she has longed to hear for so long... For someone to see past her beautiful façade. It felt bittersweet... She should be the one comforting him but here she was being comforted... Yet she was deemed unable to lie to herself as the warmness spread trough her heart.
They stayed in their embrace for some more time, until they both felt the need to continue searching for an exit... It was time to face reality once more. He was the first to get up, a soft smile still brazing his lips, his eyes felt colder than before but still held that kind warmness in them as he stared at her... She felt like for once, it was truly her that was being seen. "My Lady, it's time to leave this place." She smiled back, grabbing his stretched hand as a way to receive help to get up, but even after that she did not let go of his hand, and neither did he. "Yes, I suppose it is." She replied in a soft voice, her eyes still puffy from before. He grabbed the torch and handed it to her before they got back to moving.
The engines were moving, there was something she had understood and yet she chose to ignore it for now. She allowed herself to engulf in her selfishness and wishful thinking. Just for a bit more... she just wanted to stay in the small illusion for a bit more.

Back on the temple, Amare Island

The day was gone, and the moon had risen. Lux and Arthur had both retired to their chambers to rest after the orders of the god. Amartya on the other hand sat still next to the unconscious form of Killian who laid quietly. There were a few times where some mumbles left his lips, but the god could not understand them only clicking his tongue as he watching him. "Seriously, you're to troublesome demon." He lifted his right hand to rub his temples. "Surely you knew there was something wrong with the flower, that's why you summoned your butterfly right." His words were quiet yet laced with annoyance. "I must be going mad by speaking with someone who's unconscious." He clicked his tongue once again before standing him, still glaring down at Killian. "Stop playing around and wake up, we've still got thing to resolve." And with the he left the room, not forgetting to leave a small familiar of his in the room to keep watch, after all the demon was someone important to resolve the current issue. And so, a medium sized platinum wolf appeared from the shadows, laying down next to the bed where the demon stood with his eyes closed...

What could the demon be dreaming about?