Twilight Elysium

Chapter 7: Who is this sassy, lost child?

You arrived at the temple when the moon hung high in the sky. The temple's marble pillars shone like a beacon in the night. You had collapsed on the steps before the large doors had opened for you. You had barely even seen the priest emerge from the temple before passing out.

~~

Have you ever heard of a time before humans?

When gods only had themselves to keep company?

Me neither.

The gods didn't keep records of what they did before us,

They only let us believe what we've made up.

Or perhaps,

They entrusted certain people with their history.

We can never truly know,

Can we?

~ Alistaphles, Sentiments to the Gods Vol. IIX

~~

    Soothing, angelic voices filled your ears. Had you finally succumbed to fate? Perhaps. The white walls of what looked to be an infirmary surrounded you. Another voice, one much closer than the choir, hummed a quiet song. You turn to see a lady quietly wringing out a wash cloth. She was dressed like a holy woman, the head nun, you presumed. She turned to you with a smile.

     "How are you feeling?" She asked in a soft voice, dabbing the wash cloth on your arms. It took you a second to find your voice.

     "I don't know. Where am I?" You mumble, trying to sit up.     She lightly pushed you back down.

    "You are at the temple of Asterion, my dear child. We found you on the steps, bruised and hurt. Did you come from Cigam?" You nod. "Oh, such a horrible tragedy. Did your parents leave?"

     You sniffle, "My mother told me that they would be fine and sent me here."

     The nun frowned, pushing your hair our of your eyes. She sighed softly, shaking her head.

     "You're one of the few that made it this far, we can at least offer you sanctuary for a few days before we have you send you out," she said, gently dressing the small scrapes you had on your arms. "Oh, where are my manners? I am sister Anita, head of the Asterion temple."
     "Thank you, sister," you whispered, gently rubbing your arms.

    "I wish I could get this pollutant out of your arms but I'm afraid that I do not have the cure for Serthum poison," Sister Anita apologized.

    "Serthum poison?"
     "Yes, its a rare and incredibly toxic poison. I'm surprised you're still alive," she marveled, gently turning your arm around. You winced when you saw your arm turning grey from the forearm down. "I think you should make pilgrimage to Nezetaran, there are scholars that still have the cure," Sister Anita said, "How did you even come into contact with Serthum poison?"

    You flush red, "I touched a statue of Lord Kars in the Center of Perception."

    Sister Anita scrunched her eyebrows together, "Statues laced in Serthum poison haven't been made since the gods stopped roaming the earth. We need to get you to Nezetaran."

    She helped you out of the cot and to your feet. You shuffle behind her as she led your fragile body out of the infirmary and into the central chamber.

~

    Santana rehooded himself and left the Forge. He looked over his shoulder at the now dim and still smoldering pot with a small smile on his face. As he ascended the stairs, he couldn't hear anything except the soft tapping of his shoes against the obsidian floor. His vision got hazy and the sounds of his feet weren't as clear. Santana felt himself slip.

~

    "Santana! Where have you taken my lambs this time?" Kars' smooth voice echoed softly through his bed chambers. Santana froze. The little herd of lambs he had led from Kars' study were snuggled up against him under his bed. He hushed their soft bleating. "Santana?" Kars cooed. Santana watched in fear as Kars' boots came closer to the edge of his bed. He heard the soft creak of his bed frame as Kars sat on it. The bed dipped slightly, just barely touching his head. He hugged the lambs closer.

    "Oh believe me if all of those endearing young charms that I gaze on so fondly today, were to suddenly leave you or fly in the night, just like fairy gifts gone in the sky," Kars sang softly. He hummed the tune quietly, gently rocking back and forth. Santana felt the lambs squirm and writhe in his arms. They filtered out from under the bed and nuzzled Kars' legs. "Santana," Kars said, "You can come out now."

    Santana crawled out from under the bed and tried to scamper away, only to have Kars snatch him up.

    "No," Kars whispered into Santana's ear, sending shivers down his tiny spine,  "You don't get to run away like you didn't take my herd away from me, thrice."

    Kars scooped up a lamb and held it to Santana. It bleated at him and nuzzled his face. Its tiny tongue lapped at his nose.

    "But they like me," Santana protested, "See? This one likes me the best."
     Kars chuckled softly, "It seems she does. You can play with them, on one condition." Santana's ears perked up. "You can play with them in my study. You can't take them out of there, but you can play with them as long as you like."

    The tiny, persimmon eyed god lit up in glee.

Updates will be later during the day (for me at least) because I have school again :)     Also, if the title keeps changing to Lasagna Bitches until I can make a better title(what this was called in my drafts lol), it's the same story. I don't know why its doing that