Crown King: Return of The Labyrinth | ✓

Chapter 19: All Coming Back

The goddess grimaced.

"I never thought I would come across you two," she said, "but what's more surprising is that you're with this man. I've been traveling, hiding from Bahamut. I knew he was going to harm you"-Shiva glanced at you-"so I ran away to find you. I couldn't let them do that, to you we've created."

"Created?" Cloud interrupted.

Shiva turned to him. "Being an amnesiac you are, I guess I have to explain everything I can, the ones you're involved with. But I can't tell all that is about you, since I'm the goddess of snow."

"But, why would they kill me?" You knew it wasn't appropriate to jump into another question, but you had to know why. It gave you fear, knowing that the Astrals were trying to hunt you down, and maybe much worse-Shiva might die because of this. Four deities against one. It wasn't a thing you'd ever wish to happen.

"They think the humans have turned from them," she told me. "I thought-maybe they are right, but when I found out Bahamut and the rest have decided to hunt you down, thinking this is all because of you, no, they're being unreasonable. I don't know why."

"Look, we can talk this out with him. Maybe he'll-"

"There's nothing we can do to change his thinking, dear. Once the Draconian makes a decision, he'll never go against it."

"Which means we'll have to get rid of him," Cloud said, which surprised you and the goddess. "He wants to end (Y/N)'s life, but he's being inhumane."

Shiva's eyes gleamed. "You don't know what he can do."

"Whatever he can do, I'm not afraid of it."

Your eyes widened. What's gotten into him?

"Even if he is the king, we shouldn't be afraid of him. Yes, he is a deity, but that doesn't mean he'll just do whatever he wants to humans. It just shows how unjust and cruel they are."

"However humans are still infidel, no matter how you try to make them loyal," the Glacian elaborated. "When the line of Kings and Oracles were created, I was one of those who went against it. What if they eventually go against us? Yes, we guarantee them freedom, but we support their lives. We sustain their lives. We give them what they need if they show true faithfulness in us."

Cloud didn't respond.

She stared into his eyes deeply, more like freezing him. "Tell me, have you been faithful enough to your deity, when you were still living in Gaia?"

"What?" Cloud made a confused look. Of course he doesn't remember.

"The world you are currently in-is Eos. We, Astrals, are the ones who watch over it. There must be ones who watch over your home planet."

". . . I don't remember living in Gaia."

"Well then, I guess you're really into finding out who you really are, Cloud Strife." She glanced at you, and you felt what she was trying to tell you: Be ready.

For you knew that when Shiva would start to tell Cloud everything, you had to be prepared of what Cloud might say, or feel about you, when Shiva tells him that he used to love you. It felt weird and different at the same time. Yes, you did fall in love with him, but that was back when you were in Gaia. What you felt for him was different from what you felt for Noctis.

"Go on," Cloud said. "Tell me."

You closed your eyes, looking away and taking a deep breath. You wanted to stay there and listen what would Shiva say. You wanted to know if her words would be telling the truth of everything that happened, to make sure nothing was made up. But in reality, you weren't just ready. You were afraid of what he would think of you, of what he would say. It's giving you a slight dilemma, not knowing what to do.