Belford's Heart

Chapter 36: Return

The seats that rose around them quickly became filled with every Thelonian within the city as Kressida pulled Evelyn to look up at her. Their eyes had dimmed slightly, revealing Evelyn's irises again as the warmth of Kressida's presence was stronger than ever before. She could feel her purpose closing in on her. She knew that her fate and her destiny were held so close to her now, and the beauty of its purpose brought further tears flowing from her face. It was too overwhelming to bear witness to her. The feeling was like a soothing touch embracing each and every particle of her body. Kressida had given her peace. More than that, Kressida had gifted her with a love so long lost to her that it was like the first rain to ever fall upon her, or the first embrace of someone warm who truly cared for her.

There was further confusion in that moment when she forced her eyes closed to collect herself, and the same gentle face greeted her from the darkness that followed. At that moment, she did not wish for her eyes to open. The man looking back at her was not any man, nor was he merely a goliath. This was someone who took upon the call of the creators of the world and took her at his side and took on a world far away from everything he knew. The woman she was in that darkness could not feel the one who stood before the gathered masses of Kressida's followers, but she could feel the heat of her fate to come. She could not scream, she could not take the body that had again been stolen from her, and so she only looked upon the man who appeared before her.

"I have failed you," Evelyn's voice dissipated into the nothing and total-black of the void surrounding her. She was not allowed tears, but she felt every bit of the anguish in her words. "I am so sorry, Belford. I am so sorry, I-"

He could not speak back to her, but he softened his face. That face, the calmness and peace held within it were a truth where the euphoric presence of Kressida had again stolen her away from the world. She felt the emptiness within her chest as she knew the heart within her chest was not her own, and again she wanted to surrender to her fate. But he was still there. The strong face of the boy who grew quickly into the man who carried her across the world. She calmed herself, allowing his warmth to envelope her true self as her eyes forced her back into the main chamber of the Eternal Peak.

The room was warm, and the stone walls and openings surrounding her were painted in blue and violet. All the people of Thelos had gathered for her, and to look upon her beauty that had been given to her by Kressida. The violet woman stood beside her, her face gleaming in joy and excitement as she held out her hand to Evelyn. Again she was embraced by an absolute feeling of warmth. The same euphoria that had her floating above the ground channeled itself in every vein. Her heartbeat was powerful within her chest. Each pulse sent a bright flash of violet into the chamber, and the crowd grew and grew in volume as Kressida led her to the center of the platform.

She could feel everyone's golden eyes shining upon her, and she breathed their energy into her body as Kressida turned in each direction to address them. Thousands of people, an entire city proclaiming her as a blessing made true by their creator. She would crown him creator above all creators, the one to carry the world into the same warmth and euphoria that she felt in that moment. She smiled, and her eyes brightened along with the light of her heart beating within her chest, as Kressida moved to speak.

"Here, at last, before the end of suffering!" Kressida's voice was a torrent of warmth, and she was so beautiful standing beside her that Evelyn could only stare at the movements of her mouth as she continued. "Here, at last, standing with our lost child! She, the one who holds the coronation of our creator within her! And I, his humble servant, shall give him his ultimate crown!" The crowd erupted around them, and Kressida smiled in all directions, channeling all of her warmth into the bodies of all who followed her. She turned to Evelyn, focusing entirely on her as the world stood still to bear witness to them. She rubbed her hand between Evelyn's shoulders. Every point of her touch was another explosion of euphoric pleasure as she leaned down to speak. Her voice was soft in contradiction to the one she just bellowed her final proclamation to all of Thelos. "Now, my child. Walk with me into the end, and join me for the world's new beginning."