A Star's Element - 8. Soul Filled Answers

Tobias

The demon, Yezmo, must have remembered he was supposed to take us to our room first, because he came running down the stairs two at a time and waved for us to follow.

Clearly he wanted to get in bed with Raiyo as soon as possible.

Luno stands at the same time that I do and then we follow him.

Yezmo would make loud grunts and sighs, wanting to yell at us to hurry up so he can get to his booty call.

I saw the look on Raiyo’s face before he went up the stairs.

Yezmo is in for a big surprise.

I must say that I didn’t expect this from Luno. He doesn’t really have any parents. He is a star. A literal star.

They are the purest things. Possibly even more so than an Angel.

Well, obviously more than an Angel.

Angels are the worst. They constantly try to bring souls to their side. They thrive on it.

It’s disgusting.

So many humans die to causes that Angels create. Yet the humans think they are their saviors.

Idiots.

It got rather interesting when the Gatekeeper decided to take a visit.

I was a bit scared that maybe there would be a clashing between the two gods. Thankfully, Raiyo banished her quickly.

I could practically feel the heat of her anger through the stone castle’s wall. Thank the gods Raiyo didn't feel like fighting. I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to kill her.

Well, obviously he'd win. He can't die!

It also helps that Raiyo just happens to be one of the most powerful gods in Thymestrys.

I wonder how Luno feels. He isn’t really supposed to be here. He is supposed to be high in the sky with his countless brothers and sisters. It must be weird to learn that you have been brought down and chopped away into the shape of Raiyo.

All that, simply because the Moon God wanted a toy to fuck.

It’s disturbing.

Apparently he was also meant to be a weapon? I can’t really imagine him as such.

He brings life. How does one change his very nature?

I guess it is good that the Gatekeeper had intervened. Yet, why would she take care of him?

He looks like Raiyo, or as least related to him. Sure, he has the white hair with flowers, or his pretty eyes are the brightest silver that I have ever seen. His skin is a little darker, but he still looks like the god her husband had an affair with!

Wouldn’t that hurt her more than anything?

I glance over at Luno next to me and see he is staring at the ground as we walk.

He has his hand on my arm to guide him.

I can imagine he is having a bit of an existential crisis at the moment.

Of course his life has meaning! Has he not seen what he has done already? He has brought back life! That is possibly the best thing anyone can do in this world. Surely he must see that?

I’ll have to ask him when we reach the room...that only has one bed.

I roll my eyes to myself.

Raiyo sure has a funny way of messing with things he shouldn’t.

Yezmo pushes open a wooden door.

“You will be staying here.” He says before he starts walking back where we came from. “I do not know how long the king wishes for you all to stay.”

He continues walking until he rounds a corner and is gone. Headed straight for Raiyo’s room.

Luno finds the restroom and immediately locks himself in there. After a moment, I hear water running.

I guess a bath will do him good. I could use one too.

I don’t really sit on anything because I don’t want it to get dirty. I don’t really know if Raiyo would care for it, I am sure he has people who clear around for him.

Always best to play it safe here.

I really don’t want to stay here in Enfierna honestly, but we haven’t slept in about a day.

Luno said I should have slept or taken a nap before we left, but it felt weird.

He was doing work, though he was only waving his hands around, and I just sat in his little shack watching him.

It felt wrong.

I pace around in circles and when I walk past the bathroom door, I hear soft crying.

Dammit.

What am I supposed to say? I’ve never been good with...others.

I feel a strange pull to comfort him. I just don’t know what to say. I could barely handle him when I made him cry.

The guilt was excruciating.

I take a deep breath and knock on the door.

Instantly I hear the crying come to a stop and water can be heard splashing around.

“J-Just a minute!” Luno calls out, his voice a little shaky.

I step back from the door and stand in the middle of the room.

I scratch near the bases on my horns and awkwardly wait for Luno to come out.

The sound of glass breaking comes from the other side and I immediately reach for the door.

It opens just as my hand brushes against the doorknob.

Luno looks up at me but immediately ducks his head to hide his face. His curls sit around his face and it looks pretty cute.

A thick little blanket of snow.

Interesting how it is the exact opposite of Raiyo’s black hair. Was that intentional by Morgoren?

Luno walks past me with a black robe. I don’t like seeing him in that honestly. It is almost like I am looking at Raiyo. It creeps me out a little.

Thank the gods his white hair helps to fight the image.

“I accidentally broke a little mirror.” Luno says. He walks towards the bed and pulls the covers off of one side to crawl in.

“I already set up a fresh bath of water. I warmed it up too.”

I nod my thanks and turn to the bathroom.

As I close the door, I take one peek at Luno and see his swollen red eyes. I frown before turning to clean myself.

I ease my armor off and set it up on a small bench that sits next to the bathtub.

I see a broken pile of what must have been a handheld mirror.

Well if we die, I can blame Luno.

The water is nice and warm.

I give a sigh as I sink down into it. I lean my head back and close my eyes.

I must say, it’s a little too quiet. I’ve constantly been around creatures and Luno.

Luno usually doesn’t shut up and just constantly keeps talking, even if I don’t respond at all. I do not know if he does that for himself or if he thinks he is helping me in some way.

At first I found it annoying, but now...it feels strange not hearing anything.

He’s just quiet.

Before, when I would wash myself, he would just talk to himself or his friends. I don't like it at all.

Speaking of his friends, I am pretty sure we left the phoenix on accident. The feathered serpent around his neck is still there.

I have a feeling that when we get back, the bird will be rather cross with me.

I need to speak to Raiyo tomorrow. I need him to help us stop whatever force is killing the world. Surely his little messengers would have found something by now.

This has been happening for quite a few years now.

So many humans have died to some random plague-like thing. It has attracted the Angels and their numbers continue to grow because of it.

It must be stopped.

I wash my hair and grab a sponge to scrub on my horns.

Luno does not seem very afraid of me. I find that a bit strange.

Usually everyone freaks out and thinks I am going to curse or kill them. Of course I wouldn’t.

Not unless there was a reason to.

I guess he didn’t really know what a demon looked like, which is weird.

His mother, the Gatekeeper, had kept him in the dark, simply because he was a star who was shaped into a form that resembled Raiyo?

There must be something else behind all that.

Gods wouldn’t be so petty and do their own thing such as that. They usually go for a more dramatic flair with their troubles.

When I finish with the bath, I quickly dry off and brush my teeth.

While I don’t really know what to say, I vaguely remember reading that children who rested with their friends or loved ones would feel better.

I doubt it would be wise to hold Luno till he falls asleep, but I could always ask if he wants to. I don’t really mind. He just shouldn’t get used to it.

It will be a one time thing and nothing more.

When all is done in the bathroom, I open the door to the bedroom. I find the bed is empty.

Well, Kulu the snake is there, but Luno is missing.

I sigh and sit next to the snake. It’s tongue is hanging out of its mouth.

That is...interesting.

It might be dead actually.

I poke the snake’s head and he blinks up at me.

Okay so it isn’t dead.

I look up at the door that leads out to the hallway. I can already guess Luno is making his way to Raiyo. No doubt with more questions.

Perhaps I should leave him be? He has to come back to sleep after all. Plus, I have a feeling he is going to see something he shouldn’t. Something that even I shouldn't.

Raiyo does some sketchy things and I don't want to get involved.

~~~
~~~

Luno

“Just follow this hallway until you find a great set of golden doors.” The demoness says with her finger pointed to a dark hallway.

“You can’t miss it.”

She walks down the stairs and goes back to her spot.

I take a deep breath and begin my walk through the dark castle.

It is a lot darker in this area.

Where Tobias and I are staying, it is filled with white marble.

Here there is black marble, but there is also small strings of orange that glitter their way through it.

I pull my robe tighter around me.

Black wisps constantly fly around and past me. I guess I could always just follow them if I were to get lost.

They all lead to Raiyo.

They must know when to leave Raiyo alone since only one had visited during that...disturbing talk.

It is a very strange feeling, knowing you are just a clone.

I feel...I feel...I don’t know how I feel. My mind is telling me that I should be angry or sad. Maybe both? My heart is telling me that it doesn’t matter. I have done things that Raiyo hasn’t.

He hasn’t done what I have right? He can’t bring life or control great degrees of magic as I can. Can he?

What if I am just telling myself these things to make myself feel better? Lies made so that I can feel like everything is alright and everything is normal.

No.

Everything is not normal and everything is not alright. I have been cheated of information that I should have learned long ago. I should have learned what I was and why I was created as soon as Mother was able to tell me.

I am not a child!

Why? Why would she deny me all of this? Would this all not be considered important? I know I think it is!

I just learned I was made because the Moon God had wanted to do...things to me, simply because he was denied Raiyo.

Why did he have to choose me? Out of the millions of stars in the sky, why did I have to be the one burdened with this?

I feel cheated. Yes, cheated. What if I am missing out on life as a star?

What is that like? They don’t really move. Well there are the shooting stars but still. That's a rarity.

Perhaps I am not missing out on much. Right?

A moaning sound distracts me from my thoughts as I near the gold trimmed wooden doors.

I frown and quietly rest my ear to the door.

I hear chanting and a low moaning sound. It sounds like someone is dying.

Does Raiyo need my help?

I knock on the door and wait for an answer. At first there isn’t an answer, the chanting keeps going.

I knock again.

The chanting pauses, “Come in!” Raiyo calls, he sounds a bit breathless.

I push open the door and see something I really did not want to see.

Raiyo has even less clothes than before, only sitting with his underwear on and a thin robe that hangs off his shoulders, barely covering anything at all.

The giant demon from before, Yezmo, is hovering over him.

Raiyo’s black claws are digging into his chin, they are glowing at the tips a bright orange.

Where they are digging into Yezmo’s face, there are scary black lines underneath his skin. They pulse towards Raiyo’s magic and then Raiyo leans close to Yezmo’s face.

“Your soul is mine, Hetachep meclia brun marr.” Raiyo’s voice echoes like a thousand whispers.

Yezmo’s skin begins to pale into a light grey. His once muscled body turns into a shriveled up mess of skin too tight on bones.

Yezmo lets out one final breath of life and then he disappears into ash. Before it can fall onto Raiyo’s skin, it flares up like paper falling into a flame.

Smoke added to Raiyo's body.

Raiyo’s gives a sigh of satisfaction and moves to stand.

I step back.

Where his clothing from before had covered up in strange ways, it becomes clear that he was indeed hiding something.

There are tattoos all over his body. Thousands of small symbols are all over his arms and hands. All except the thumbs.

There are some with special images.

A wolf is over the area of his heart, Flowering vines cover a place below his ribs, another curves around his belly button and the third vine curls upwards along his hip and up his stomach.

More demonic symbols are all over his legs until it reaches his upper thighs.

Raiyo seems to realize I am looking at them all since he turns in a slow circle.

His back is fully covered in markings that shape into scary looking wings.

They are not at all normal tattoos. They seem to be alive!

They burn a bright orange glow. It is almost like a living fire is forever flaring under his skin. Embers flickering under his flesh.

Random pulses of life seem to ripple through them as bright yellow heat flies through the lines.

It’s beautiful. Why would he ever want to hide it?

“Since you got a good look,” Raiyo turns to me with sly smile and runs his claws over the middle of his robe and over his stomach.

The robe really doesn't hide anything.

“Do you mind telling me why you interrupted my meal?”

I shiver before giving a small nod. All of a sudden it has become hard to keep eye contact with him again.

“Come,” He says, motioning to a couch sitting by a fireplace, “would you be so kind as to lend me your hand?”

I nod and hold out my hand. He takes it and he seems to give a genuine smile at the touch.

Strange.

Raiyo leads me to sit and I just stare at the fire as he slowly drags his fingers against my hand.

We don’t really say anything. I can thankfully tell he isn’t staring at me this time.

I guess he is waiting for me to start talking? I don’t really know how to start.

There are so many questions. I just feel so...lost and useless.

“You are not.” Raiyo’s voice says in my head.

I peek over at him and see he is gazing into the fire. He has a smile on his face.

“It is fine to be lost. Angry even. I know I was when I learned about you.”

I jerk my head to the side. “You can stop that now.”

Raiyo laughs, the echoes seem to reach into my mind.

He speaks out loud, “Call it a habit then. It isn’t everyday I get to peek into a star’s mind.”

I jerk my hand away from his claws and keep my eyes on the floor.

“Why...Why would Mother keep all this from me?” I ask.

Raiyo leans back and drums his fingers on the armrest.

“Well, as you can see, I am not Taisla, so I don't have a perfect answer. Though I do have experience with her, which you clearly lack. To put it simply, Taisla is a bitch.”

My eyes go wide at that.

“She does whatever she wants, whenever she wants. She gets into everyone’s business, she causes mayhem for others. Taisla likes to keep others in the dark. It is her way of being the one who holds the cards.”

I frown at that. It doesn’t really give me answers.

“Yes I am aware that isn’t that answer you want. Unfortunately, that is the best answer I can give you. She is a god. Like all gods,” He gestures to himself, “We tend to do what we please. It isn’t great, even I try to keep to myself, but Taisla and Morgoren...those are the worst. “

“That is my father right?” I whisper.

Raiyo’s eyes seem to burn brighter.

“Absolutely not. Neither of them are your parents. Morgoren took you from your home and made you into something that would have done more damage than good. Thankfully that stupid couple are constantly at each other's throats, otherwise you would be a weapon used to bring destruction into the world.”

“A weapon? What kind of weapon?” I feel my hands shaking and quickly hug myself to keep them still.

“I do not know, but I am glad Taisla managed to stop it in time, even if she is a gigantic bitch.” Raiyo says.

He seems a little lost in thought after that. His mask disappears for a moment.

For once I don’t see just a god, but someone who is angry. Someone who was wronged and wants the world fixed from those who wronged it as well.

Yes, Raiyo is good. Kind of.

The memory of Raiyo eating that demon’s soul flares back into my memories.

I shiver and hug myself even tighter.

“I do it because it makes me feel again. Yezmo was causing more damage than anything to the humans. It wasn’t in vain.” Raiyo says. The mask has returned and his fiery gaze turns to me.

“You think too loud.”

“What do you think about this? About me?” I ask, a bit concerned for my safety.

I don’t want to possibly get on bad terms with him. I find him interesting, in a creepy kind of way.

“I find you as a living compliment, it is not everyday that sleeping with a god manages to make them crazy enough to create a clone.” Raiyo chuckles to himself and turns back to the fireplace.

“You should return to Tobias, Luno. We will speak more tomorrow. I have a task that would work deliciously with your powers.” He grins at the word deliciously and I can't help but shiver.

I bite my lip and give a nod. I quickly stand and make my leave.

I wanted to ask more, but he had asked me to get out. I would rather not make him angry over something like that.

Just as I open the door to my bedroom, a thought sparks into my mind. He had said my name.

Raiyo already knew my name!