Titans of the Current: Hands of God Edition

Part 9:1:2

We decided to break in Portugal before crossing the ocean into the Americas.

"So are you even going to tell me your name?"

His eyes look down on the city as we descend into the streets. "Lapiz."

"What kind of name is that?"

"It means fallen, and is highly befitting of me."

I set my feet on the humid and cold soil of Portugal's coast. I. Feel for him deeply. He has nothing to gain from any of his actions, yet he continually suffers loss. He fights only on the name of vengeance and compensation for what is taken from him.

Nonetheless, Lapiz is a gifted warrior. I take it from his experience as an adventurer in life made him a worthy combatant in death.

"What did we stop here for Lapiz?"

He begins to walk away from our location, "I'm going to see an old friend."

I follow in behind him, " what kind of friend? "

"Nelly, it's not safe for you to pursue me."

"It want safe for me to fight a gogori either, was it?"

"Well, this is even less safe. The people I'm meeting are serpentthiest."

"Snake worshippers?"

"Precisely, they hunted down two of every species of snake in existence. Even when the squall hit, the were only interested in collecting the new species of reptile that were driven into the realm. They also do extensive genetic experiments on themselves. At this point, the air they breath could melt you and petrify you at the same time."

"Then why do you get to go in?"

"Nelly, it's a little bit more complicated to destroy me."

Well fuck him. "I'll wait outside then."

"At'ta girl."

He manages his way upon a discolored patch of stone. He lifts his foot up and promptly taps it down twice. The stone opens up as Lapiz descends into seemingly eternal abyss. After he was no longer in sight, the stone slides back into its original setup.

It must have been an hour at least, and I'm still pondering just how long he will be down their. I pray he is okay. The air is beginning to chill at a brisk pace. Odd really, the weather seems the same, but I can sense bitter cold even through my armored garments. And my hands....

My hand! Ice is forming on my wrist! What is this. It's leaving.. A handprint... Made from frost?

Something is holding on to me. Ice begins to form around my wrist. Soon a figure of a hand became visible.

The freezing matter soon extended into an arm.

Before long, the figure has taken on the form of an entire him. More importantly, one I remember.

"Torpor.... What is this."

He looks different, as if in his glacial form his face was frozen in sorrow. "I trust that you understand now?"

"Of course I do! Lapiz told me everything! About how Etrius was assisted by you and Tamiel, and how you got a wish granted by that divinity. Most of all... How you used us, how your am used us. How you all are still using us so one of you can become god."

Torpor let's my hands go, but his body is still very close to mine. He seems strained somehow. But that's nothing compared to the strain I feel inside me.

"You used me! And you lied to us! So what is it? Your endgame? Let me guess, you want me to kill Etrius and Tamiel, because that will restore 'hope' to the world?"