Divinitas

Author\'s Note: The previous chapter (045) was the last chapter to \"The Present\" story arch. 046 marks the beginning of \"The Past\" story arc, and is set several thousand years in the past.

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046 - Light the Candle

… and Illuminate the Past

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Cold silver eyes glared into his. Silver irises flecked with white, ringed with a grey that was almost as black as the pupil. The pupils suddenly contracted, giving a momentarily illusion of pure silver eyes.

\"A Child of Fire.\" A statement, not a question. \"Ruby eyes, flaming hair. And covered with ash and soot. Impossible that you be anything else.\" Blatant distaste tainted the voice of the owner of the silver eyes.

The world seemed to materialise around him. The boy with the silver eyes sitting opposite him, the beautiful interior of the carriage they rode in, swaying gently as if they were travelling on clouds.

\"They tried to burn you at the stake, didn\'t they.\" Another statement. So sure and full of himself. Haughty almost.

Ruby eyes dipped from the silver ones, down the boy\'s slender feminine form. Fine white clothing covered his dancer\'s limbs. Pearls strung on blood-red ribbons wove through his silky silver hair. And encircling the boy\'s thin wrists and ankles were elaborate, decorative shackles, made beautifully from white gold and studded with diamonds that sparkled in the daylight like so many twinkling lights. Were it not for the delicate chains that linked wrist to wrist and ankle to ankle, the boy would have looked like a prince of the highest order.

\"A common fate for a Child of Fire, where men are uneducated and superstitious.\" The silver-eyed boy spoke as if he were above mankind. Of a different ilk altogether, as if he was not of the same flesh and blood. He didn\'t even hate them… They weren\'t of enough interest for him to hate. \"I know your story. It is ordinary. Your parents banished you because of your fiery touch. Disowned you; declared they had no such child as you. You\'ve roamed the land since, trying to survive, hating your kind for abandoning you, yet longing to be one of them, to be accepted.

\"Then, by accident, you set the crops or a village on fire, and they declared you a demon born from the fires of hell, risen from the underworld to spread your flames and bring death and destruction.

\"So they sought to return you to your realm by burning you. But of course, a Child of Fire does not burn. He merely becomes covered with the ash and soot, whilst his clothes wither away to nothing, and the fire eats at the timber to which he is staked. Terrorised by fear of what you might further do to them, they sought another way to dispose of you. The most common is to bury you alive. Return you to the earth from whence you came.

\"Correct me if I\'m wrong.\"

There was no real triumph in the silver-eyed boy\'s disposition as he concluded his analysis of the other who sat across from him, mute and staring, his naked and dirty limbs covered only in a pure white silk sheet. It was as he said. Ordinary. Usual. A mere repetition of fact.

Elemental Children were rare. Few knew of their existence, of their true power. The Children of Fire numbered no more than any other of the Elemental Children. It was the simply that their heat and light drew mortal eyes to them, gave them cause for alarm, made the stories to grow and twist into something evil and demonic.

The red-eyed boy made no reply, merely broke their gaze after a long moment of silence. Charcoal- and dirt-ingrained fingers clutched the sheet to him tightly, leaving smudges of blood and black on the white. Blood from where his hands had been torn, trying to dig himself out of solid rock.

\"The Tenshi killed the other Sacrifices that were offered in my city. They took only me. They slaughtered all the other Children. Ten is eradicating all the Elemental Children from Chikyuu for some purpose.

\"But rather than take one of the Children of Fire offered… they detoured to the middle of nowhere to take you from your rocky grave. I saw with my own eyes that the other Sacrifices were true Elemental Children. And most certainly the three Children of Fire offered had the Gift…

\"Beauty may have been the only reason. They were not pretty enough. You, for all your dirt covered skin and mattered hair, are in ways aesthetically pleasing as I am. They were common, average at best.\"

The ruby eyes shifted back to the silver ones that had never left his charcoal-stained face. \"I don\'t understand any of your words…\" the boy finally whispered out. His throat was still raw from all his cries and screams that had fallen deaf upon human ears.

Their carriage rolled to a gentle stop, and the finely-dressed boy stood, giving a small careless shrug of his shoulders, making his delicate chains jingle. \"You\'ve already made your choice to come and play your part in this story. Whether you understand or not no longer matters.\" Soundlessly the door opened, spilling warm sunlight into their little world. \"Know only that you are the Property of Heaven now, and mankind is beneath you. Hate them for what they have done to you, and use that anger to win, else die as the other Sacrifices have this day.\"

The boy watched as the other stepped off the carriage, making it rock just a little as his weight left it. There was no need to tell him to hate humanity. He did, without reserve. He left humiliated and ashamed. To be burnt, to be buried alive. To then cry and cry to be saved until there were no more tears left to water the rocky ground.

Summoning the last of his lingering strength, the Child of Fire stood, the sheet clutched around his shoulders and falling to the ground, covering his bare state. It was into bright warm sunlight that he stepped, blinding his crimson eyes before allowing the view to overwhelm them.

A palace of white towers, whose turrets were topped with long flapping white and silver flags, loomed above him in a fairy-tale setting. All too quickly the illusion was taken from him, as a large hand took hold of his sheet-covered shoulder and pulled him close, pressing him against a tall warm body before a huge white-feathered wing covered him.

\"Do not linger, Child of Fire. Do not stare,\" a gentle voice commanded softly. It was impossible to tell if it was male or female. But no feat at all to know what manner of being held him and guided him. A Tenshi.

The red-eyed boy was too shocked to rebel, to do anything but walk where he was lead, blind and shielded from all around him. He had not understood much of what the silver-haired boy had spoken of in the carriage. But he knew of the Tenshi. The winged beings that looked human, yet were not. He had never seen them before now. Only heard of their existence as he had wandered through the countryside. But that boy… he had said so easily the Tenshi had killed others like himself.



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Amethyst eyes glared, perfect lips set in a displeased line. \"The answer remains no, Deus.\" Golden hair flared out in the calm air as the owner of the violet eyes pulled his chin away from the hand that held it. \"You knew the answer before you invited me to Ten. Tell me, do you really want my soul that much, Lord Deus, or just my body?\" The voice was mocking, yet the warning underneath it was unmistakeable.

Deus laughed, drawing his hand back towards himself and running it through his pure white hair. The winged god seemed to notice for the first time that his long hair was loose, its ribbon having fallen away in their amorous play. Graceful fingers picked the silver ribbon up from the rumpled sheets of his bed, easily unravelling the bow and tying it back around his silky hair, to let it fall in a cascading stream between his wings and down his back.

The youth lying beside Deus merely watched, his amethyst eyes revealing nothing. In reality, there was nothing to reveal. He felt nothing for the ruler of Ten who so enjoyed their little sessions together. He had felt nothing towards anyone for as long as he could remember. So… why did he lie with Deus? Why lie with the God of Ten, when he was the God of Chikyuu, and the God of Soul at that?

\"A frown mars your perfect face, Aether. Do you grow tired of my company?\" Deus wondered, raising a perfectly formed eyebrow and running his finger tips along the other\'s jaw.

\"I\'ve always been tired and bored of your company, Deus,\" Aether answered, allowing the caress. \"You are of Ten, I am of Chikyuu. The fact that you fuck me is inappropriate to say the least.\"

\"Such inelegant language, Aether,\" the higher deity reprimanded with a smile. The sound of his wings stretching and unfolding filled the high-ceilinged room, their large white feathers brushing up against Aether\'s naked body.

Aether arrogantly gripped one as it slid off him, yanking it free from the huge wing. \"But true,\" Aether returned, violet eyes watching with a hard cold gaze as the winged deity rose from the bed. The God of Ten turned, returning the twilight gaze with his endless sky blue eyes. Aether closed his eyes and ran the stolen feather across his face, feeling the softness of it against his eyelids. \"You, Lord Deus, sleep with too many mortals and deities to count. Once, and only once, as if you\'ve taken all pleasures from your victim in that one moment of passion, and they weren\'t worth a second glance. Don\'t give me your innocent face. I know through the light of your soul. I don\'t need your words or the loose lips of others to know…\"

The God of Soul turned his body to lay on his back, one long slender leg drawn up just a little, giving the impression he was posing for another\'s viewing pleasure. He traced the feather down his jaw, trailing it along his throat, tilting his head back to expose it all the more. The violet eyes were closed all the while, a playful and knowing smile on his perfect lips. When he brushed the tip of the white feather over his nipple, the youth arched his back, giving forth a soft moan before his hand, as if with a mind of his own, continued its journey down his body.

\"But for some reason…\" Aether finally continued in a husky whisper, \"You always invite me back…\" He let his head fall to the side, slowly opening his eyes to see Deus watching him with intense blue eyes. The feather slid down the tender cleft where leg met hip, pausing just a moment before trailing it up his arousal. Aether\'s free hand clutched the rumpled sheets exquisitely, hips straining against his self imposed torture. \"Perhaps, my Lord, it is because I refuse your request…?\" Each word was just a little strained, just a little forced, as if Aether would rather give all his attention to himself rather than speak to the deity who watched him, spellbound. \"To give half my soul to you… so you may rule supreme over Jigoku, Ten, and my realm of Chikyuu…\"

The words halted for a moment as Aether squirmed, his breathing heavy and face flushed, as the feather continued to make fleeting contact with his length, its only intent to drive the God of Soul to the edge of insanity.

Deus\' hand suddenly reached out and closed around the wrist of the hand that held the feather. A feather from his own wing no less. It was like watching Aether hold his own hand and directing it to move over his artwork of a body.

Aether was spellbinding. Each movement, each sound, each touch. His emptiness and lack of self preservation made him a rarity, one who abandoned himself to the moment and respected nothing and no one, the God of Ten included. The God of Soul was one who did what ever he wanted, and to Deus, that trait was more than intoxicating, with the potential to be dangerous.

A soft laugh broke out from the other, and clear violet eyes mocked him. Aether\'s hand released the sheet he had been holding on to and threaded itself through Deus\' white hair, effectively loosening the ribbon again and bringing the higher deity to lean doloseloser to his face. \"Somehow, though, my instinct tells me you have another reason for wanting a portion of my soul. You love me, don\'t you. And whilst I willingly give my body to you every time you ask, you will never have more than that. So, you would have my half my soul to keep you warm in your loneliness.\" Aether gave him a beautifully cold smile, twisting his hand free and releasing Deus\' hair at the same time. He s gra gracefully, dropping the feather as if it were of no worth as he did so, before dressing himself in his previously discarded clothes.

\"I won\'t deny it,\" Deus finally spoke, his easy smile spreading over his lips once more. The momentary anger he had felt towards the beautiful creature for playing him so easily had faded. After all, being angry served no end. Soon enough he would rid himself of his unhealthy obsession with the God of Soul.

The God of Ten settled his wings behind him, and summoned his clothing to his body. The white cloth quickly covered his tall frame, soft and comfortable, airy as Aether often described them. \"I am sure some day I will have something you would want to trade a mere half of your soul for…\"

This time Aether let his laughter ring throughout the enormous room. \"Something I would want, Deus?\" The violet eyes shot him a demeaning look. \"Don\'t say false words to me. You know very well that to find something I would want is an impossible task, much less something I would trade a part of my essence for…

\"By the way, why have you had your Tenshi kill off so many of the Elemental Children? They are of Chikyuu and under my rule. I could very well take this as an act of invasion on your part.\"

It was Deus\' turn to laugh. \"If you cared enough, Aether. But you don\'t, now, do you? It\'s rather sad, that you\'re the God of Soul and so apathetic towards everything. The God who can see and understand all souls if h wis wished.\"

\"Answer my question, Deus,\" Aether commanded with a serene smile, edged with venom.

Deus returned the smile. \"As a gift to you, Aether. The Divine Beasts of the Elements are yours. But you in your lack of care have forced them to seek out and live in humans they love.\" Deus\' smile widened. \"To replace the love you deny them, wouldn\'t you say?\" The God of Ten continued when Aether made no comment, merely watched him with an unchanging demeanour. \"So I have had my Tenshi kill their vessels, limiting them to a mere handful. I will continue to kill them until there is only one Elemental Child remaining to each Divine Beast. When there is only one… I will make that Child into a God. Something only I can do. Something I am willing to do for you.\"

The displeasure returned to Aether\'s eyes. \"The Divine Beasts are part of the balance in Chikyuu. Whilst I may not care about them, they are necessary. I know your \'gifts\', Deus. You say gift, implying it will be given without a price, but there is always a price, and I know what you would be asking for in return.\"

\"Let me have my fun, Aether. You have nothing to lose. The Divine Beasts are yours and always will be. They serve you and protect you and love you. But they need a body to stay in because your heart has rejected them as it has rejected everything else.

\"You need not take my gift. It is only the vessels that would be mine. The Divine Beasts will keep their role and be the balance of elements in Chikyuu. The only difference is their vessels will be eternal and utterly beautiful, and will reside in Ten… Don\'t you want to see what I am capable of? What I would do to try and please you?\" Deus asked as an afterthought.

Aether gave an elegant shrug and walked pass Deus. \"What does it matter? I have no say it in when all is said and done. You are above me, and I can not stop you even if I wished. You are wasting your time though, Deus. I am not interested.\" The God of Soul paused at the door, hand resting against the handle. \"I\'m returning to Chikyuu when I find my sister. I assume our little session is over for this visit?\"

\"Of course, if you so wish.\"

The God of Soul disappeared through the ornately carved door before Deus had even finished speaking.

\"Brother,\" a voice spoke up, addressing the God of Ten, drawing his attention away from Aether\'s departure.

Deus turned, eyes automatically seeking out the darkest area of the room. The air shimmer, shadows parting to reveal light. Another winged deity appeared in the darkness, his usually pure white hair and wings drawing the shadows to themselves, giving them an ice-blue hue. The figure dropped to one knee before Deus, a salute of loyalty, before rising again, storm grey eyes meeting endless sky blue.

\"All the Elemental Children who possess the traits you\'ve specified have been retrieved,\" the younger brother to Deus informed him apathetically, the electric blue markings on his face almost glowing in the gloom. The storm grey eyes showed no emotion, just as his handsome face was little more than a living mask.

The God of Ten smiled. \"Thank you, Cyaneus. I hope my asking you to pick up the Child of Fire buried in the caves were not too much trouble?\"

\"No. My Tenshi were in the area, disposing of the unnecessary Elemental Children and taking one Child of Air. They merely made a slight detour.\" Cyaneus paused, as if considering whether or not he should speak further on the subject. \"Though, in my opinion, that Child of Fire was the most…\"

\"Dirty and pathetic of the lot?\" Deus provided, the smile widening. \"Let him be cleaned and clothed before you make a final appraisal of him. One who can call my attention from Chikyuu with his light is certainly one worthy of a second glance…

\"Do not look so worried, Cyaneus,\" Deus reprimanded, placing his hand on top of his younger brother\'s head and smiling into the grey eyes. \"Despite the God of Soul\'s unwavering belief in his inability for his heart to be moved, I will move it. And when I do, I will have him pay with half his soul to satisfy his own heart.\"

And, the God of Ten vowed silently to himself, to satisfy his own infatuation and put an end to this ever-growing weakness.

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