I Believe in you - A GWH Story

I Believe in You - Chapter 5

Amaya sat on the balcony of the second floor of the temple, right above the entrance, overlooking the grounds in front of her. The sun was setting and the landscape was getting darker, but a few kilometers away, one of the big gas lakes still projected its wall of bright light upwards into the sky, standing out against the ever growing twilight. It was very soothing for the girl to just stare at it... but given the circumstances, it unfortunately failed at putting her mind off from what she had just learned.

After mulling it over for a few hours, she had come to the conclusion that she was unable to deny the veracity of Moon Snake's tale. Even though the goddess couldn't recall living any of it from memory, it still felt awfully real, as if it all had really happened. Something inside her immortal soul was clinging on to the story, unwilling to let go... the same way a crow does not relinquish its prey. However, Amaya felt sick just thinking about it. The notion that one is the master of his or her own fate had just been broken if her entire existence was determined by a curse. She was not free; all her actions were bound by it. Until the end of time, even the choice of who she loved would always be the same.

Darreek was a unique person, and the woman cared for him and esteemed him very much. She was so grateful to have met him, but truth be told coldly, she didn't know him that well yet. Would she be stuck to the same person for all eternity? Amaya's heart told her it was fine, that he could be trusted and that he was an awesome guy to spend multiple lives with. But after what she had learned, could she really trust herself anymore?

Besides, if she was already an immortal soul in the first place, then what was the significance of the divine gift Macha had left her with? The war goddess must have known about Amaya's immortality; there was no way she wouldn't be able to detect one of her own kind. Why hadn't she said anything, then? There were so many questions she would never get an answer for.

...Your affinity to the crow people you used to dwell with... Your divinity is of the night...

Amaya shed a tear. Macha wasn't just talking about the tengu of Hai Jing. She knew the real story, or at least suspected it, but didn't give her any heads up. If the black-haired woman had been aware of this sooner, she wouldn't have allowed herself to fall in love with Darreek. None of this would be happening... She wouldn't have brought her companions to perish on this forsaken world. At least she would die defending her honor and the Rebellion's cause, though. That thought gave Amaya some degree of reassurance. If nothing else, she had chosen this path and this home, and would gladly give her life up for them. She would never run from the duties she had taken upon herself.

Out of the corner of her eye, a moving figure distracted the night goddess from her trance. Lib was on the first floor, attaching something to the walls of the temple. Portable turrets. The alien was setting up their defenses. His courage and persistence were remarkable; Amaya had to give him that. The green-haired Muician saw his lady friend staring at him and smiled back, waving an arm in acknowledgement. The girl couldn't help but return the smile, albeit faintly. He really was the optimist one on the team.

Lib finished installing the turret and then proceeded to leap up on the snake head that covered the entrance. With another jump, he reached Amaya's location. Thanks to the alien's athleticism and the planet's low gravity, it was easy for him to move around like that.

"Hey there." He saluted. "Feel like helping me out? We still got a job to do, you know."

The young woman made an effort to hold her smile up. "The thought of having to defend the temple of the one who damned me to eternity is sickening."

Lib chuckled. "Can't say I blame you. Still, it's so hard for me to believe him. Are you sure he's not just screwing around with us?"

"I'm sure." Amaya replied sadly. "I feel it inside. There's no doubt anymore."

The Muician sighed and shrugged. "If you say so, princess."

She shrugged back. "I guess you're right, though. We should get a move on. If we're going down, we should at least do it fighting."

"Going down?" Lib questioned, raising an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? We're not biting the dust yet, are you crazy? We volunteered for this mission, and we're living to tell the story."

"B-but..." The girl stammered, confused.

"What, Your Royal Hissness decrees we all die tomorrow and that's that? I don't think so." He smirked. "I got a lot left to live for in my naturally short lifespan, so imagine what you two immortals have ahead of you. No snake's telling me where my limits are."

Amaya had to admire Lib's sturdy confidence in the face of odds that just got even more overwhelming than they already were, but she couldn't understand where it was all coming from. It was one thing to be brave, and another completely different thing to be delusional. And it would be out of place for her blue friend to be that.

"I appreciate it, but... I know what I sense. His words about the death curse are true, Lib, there's no denying it. I dearly hope you survive this, but I'm not sure Darreek and I will."

"Because Night Crow and Bright Crow are to die when they're reunited? Girl, you two met each other a while ago, and you're still breathing. Quite heavily in each other's presence, I gotta say." The alien added, cracking a small sly smile, to which the goddess blushed.

"Besides, neither of you two recognize yourselves as the deities of the tale." Lib continued. "Even though you might actually be them, it seemed as if the crows have to acknowledge each other for the curse to take effect. Well, that's what it sounds to me, at least." He shrugged.

That argument was a bit shaky to the young woman. Ever since she had seen Darreek for the first time, she had felt attracted to him, and not just on a surface level. It could have been possible the explanation for that feeling was that the spirits of the two crows were embracing each other, joyful of their reunion. The Muician did have a point, though. Maybe it was necessary for Night Crow and Bright Crow to consciously recognize each other through their mortal hosts. Amaya sighed. Lib was certainly something special.

"Any of this sinking in?" He inquired, grinning.

"Y-yes." The girl replied, returning the smile. Gosh, that was so contagious. She was starting to feel a bit better already.

"Awesome!" Her pal cried out, winking at her. "You heard that, demon?"

"Loud and clear." A third voice responded from above them.

Gasping, caught by surprise, Amaya turned to where those words had come from. Darreek was perched on the balcony of the third and final floor of the temple, right above the two, arms crossed and looking at them with an equally satisfied smile. The goddess of the night stared right back into those deep violet eyes, letting herself be caught by them... for she knew they could be trusted.

"I don't care if I'm Bright Crow or whatever." The man declared. "It doesn't matter if we're bound to some predetermined fate. Right now, in this very moment, we're creating our own experiences together, and that's the only thing we can really rely on, whether we carry immortal spirits within us or not. I choose not to fall prey to the words of the trickster Moon Snake. He believes he knows about Night Crow and Bright Crow, but what does he know about Darreek Stormwind and Amaya Bard?"

"And Liber Te René. Just saying." Lib contributed, earning another involuntary chortle from his lady friend and a nod from his guy friend.

"We will be victorious in the upcoming battle for ourselves and for the Rebellion, even if we're supposed to defend this moron's temple. If we really are who he says, fine, but the fulfillment of our destiny will have to wait for later." The demon said, holding his hand out to his beloved. "Ready to create experiences with me, darling?"

Even though she couldn't reach him from where she was ("Uh, dude, she doesn't have my amazing athletic skills to take your hand from here", the Muician was quick to point out), Amaya made the same gesture towards the person she was now sure she loved. How could she not? His words inspired her to stop brooding and take action, to be the goddess and the woman she really was. 

It was about time they completed the mission.

"I am."