Things Lost and Found (a Waglington and Mianite fanfiction)

Chapter 86

The song for this chapter is actually two songs: "This is the End" and "If You Want It" by Relient K. They're technically separate songs, but they flow together. Also, no, this is not the finale. That'll probably be Chapter 87 or 88 (if there even is an 88). Don't freak out. These songs just seemed extremely appropriate... They also have a specific place in the chapter to start listening.

Botan's rant is based heavily on the dialogue from the finale, of course. *tips hat to the bts team for coming up with such a grand story and making it a reality*

Warnings: Blood and death (?) (I mean, WH did just kill Mianite. What did you expect?)

*Donella's POV*

One would think that when an individual as powerful as a god fell, it would be an extremely memorable and ostentatious event. Now that I had witnessed such, I found myself focusing on the being holding the sword, rather than the collapsing form of Mianite. Mianite had been such a commanding presence, but he was nothing compared to this. Part of my distraction was surely due to my ability to see auras, but even the mortals gaped at World Historian. The man—if I dared call him such—was almost lost to me amidst his pitch dark aura, though I could make out his slim, wiry build and the dark grey of his skin.

"Ah, ripe for the harvest," he said, idly wiping his sword clean on Mianite's suit. Once satisfied, he continued talking. Everyone noticed how he did not bother to sheath the weapon. "After I slew Dianite, it was only a matter of time before the weaker brother rose up." He looked at Mianite with mingled contempt and disappointment one last time before dismissing him.

Dianite growled where he stood next to Mot, all hints of tiredness gone. Here was the one the Lord of the Nether should seek revenge on. Though anger blazed in his eyes, he held himself back admirably. World Historian spared him a calculating look. An idea occurred to him, and his dark lips below sunken cheeks twisted into a grin as he began to pace. "He deserves a eulogy. When Mianite was young and the others not yet born, I loved him. As he grew, I saw his complacency. He was like me," the Historian added, a touch rueful.

Who is this? He speaks as if he was there to witness the gods' growing up. It had never occurred to me to think of Mianite, Dianite, or Ianite as anything less than mature gods. The notion did not sit well. Perhaps World Historian had inserted himself into the histories he loved—like some of the professors at the college were prone to do—and had forgotten what was present and what was past. I would not be surprised if his view of reality was warped. The mortals must have wondered something similar, for I could hear them talking in hushed tones. The dark-robed figure didn't pay them any mind.

Looking back at Dianite, he grinned again. "Dianite fulfilled my hopes for Mianite and became what I yearned to be. Even Mianite began to grow strong despite his bad genes. As they grew into their powers and shaped the world, envy gnawed at the lining of my sanity." Bitterness crept into his voice as he said this last. He gave a soft chuckle and stared off into the distance as he continued, "Then there was Ianite. She was my favorite. At least she understood her smallness."

I glanced over at Dianite again and saw recognition light his red eyes, recognition and fear. The Historian's voice took on a hard edge as he looked at the rest of our group for the first time, "If you had dreamt all your life of power, only to see it flourish in your children while your own body crumbled, how would you feel?" No one dared answer. "At least I have this on my side; my name means 'long life'. You wonder who I am? I go by many names. In countless worlds, I am known simply as World Historian. Many of you have met me in another world under the title of The Shadows. Here, my birth name long ago was Kikoku Botan."

Dianite and Martha paled at this revelation. He was telling the truth then. Mot whispered, "I thought you said your father died centuries ago."

"I thought he did."