12. Deities and Demons (Azeroth)

Karissa did not want to spend much time with demon after, their romance became a bit awkward and he gave her all space she needed. In the mean time he tried to find deity if destiny. Ghost was struggling as her location was not clear, there were so many spotting listed, and as he visited them all, he met with empty space and no traces of god. Soon he started to fear he might not be able to meet her at all, or that she might have crystalized due to lack of faith in fate from people.

-My lord, the books also say, that it need to destiny for you to meet her,-Ghost tried to cheer up his master while turning pages of one of the old tomes.

-I don't care about destiny, i need to meet her,- he rubbed his forehead sitting in his arm chair,-I am afraid something bad will happen, i have really bad feeling about it.

Suddenly he felt a shift in the air around. He could taste electricity in his mouth, when he turned around he saw bright light. All primary deities caused the same effect for all their subjects as well as they emitted such bright light, he couldn't tell who this was. But for brief second he wished it wasnt his mother.

-I heard you were looking for me,-and eerie voice sounding like thousand souls speaking together echoes through room. Demon quickly jumped on his legs to bow for goddess in front of him, Ghost hoped in opening his mouth to present according to all formalities, but goddess raised her hand.

She looked like a regular woman in white loose dress and with white linen loose dress which flowed like there was wind, her face slowly and repetitively shifted from child, to adult woman, to old woman and skull. Her brown hair were tied back into intricate bun with braids adorning it, and some flowers were present to make her seem more friendly.

-My goddess, I did looked for you,-he bowed his head low.

-I will listen to your problem,- she placed her hands in front if herself calmly waiting.

-I got involved with censer, i need to know her destiny,-he held his breath while waiting for her answer.

-You have no right to know destiny of censer, but you have right to know yours as a betrayer.

-I did it for her, it is not a crime,- he looked up at goddess. Everyone made it look like a biggest sin, or a terrible mistake.

And it was, breaking of contract could be punished by death by High demon King and their father. Only thing he valued above every law was contract. If it was in place it had to be honoured no mater the cause. It was the whole essence of demonic existence and he broke the contract by not submitting.

-And you will do it again, there is turmoil happening, goddess of plague is trying to bring back black death and wishes to become primary deity. Censer of this time will have to stop it by killing her,- her voice wasnt shocked at all. She obviously knew all possible outcomes in the world.

-But, no other censer was able to fully kill the god.

-There is always first time or another way, for now, you will have to bring her with all censers. That is all you need to know, you may not speak about this with her, or her destiny will change and consequences can be grievous,-the goddess word was as absolute as contract. He felt the power getting stuck in his throat, yet as she was about to leave Azeroth quickly added.

-Will Austeja be revived?

-Her destiny is still being weaved. The choice haven't been made,- with gust of wind electric feeling was gone and room became empty and very silent.

-She wont be able to do it,- he clenched his fist.

-Maybe we can change it?- Ghosts ears perked down. He didn't want Karis to get hurt. He spent so long watching her to keep her safe he got accustomed to it.

-I wish,- he sighed,- what is she doing now?

-She is working on her laptop. Her grandma is visiting her,- Ghost quickly checked and let them have their privacy again.

-Get me with god of knowledge, i need to talk with him again. He must help me this time, otherwise he is useless. I hate how much i have to rely on Gods these days, they dint care about anything but themselves,-he mumbled while putting on his formal cape which was passed to him by Ghost.

In few hours they were traveling realm again, he was desperate for answers even if he needed to use force. As a minor deity, he was not as strong and could be injured rather easily.

-I know what you came for and i know what to do,- old man was smoking a pipe by his hut when Azeroth landed.

-Tell me,- he walked to him ignoring Ghosts try to do formal announcements and it visibly upset the rabbit. He rapidly pawed his owners side in frustration for such disrespect.

- You need to unlock unholy part of her,- Azeroth quirked his eyebrow.

-What do you mean? Censer is holy power,- so little was actually known about censers that every news surprised him.

-Every power need balance. Censer is holy tool, but such pure energy can only protect itself from one enemy at a time, it doesn't have good judgement, and with such good energy it will not want to harm anything else, even if that means it could get harmed. I know your brother was locked by it because he tried to rip out the box. Stupid by my opinion. Now, power like this need balance, otherwise it will be easily corrupted and corruption is dangerous power. That's why each censer has a weapon. If you ask your 4th brother, he could tell you. He was also involved with one. Long long time ago.

-But he is mute,- no one from family knew what actually happened, just that he lost his only lover. He was oldest of the brothers, by now, it was even possible to say, he was first out of all of them, as we was created by primary deity of plague and disease, which have been frozen in crystal for longer than anyone could remember.

-He still can give you all information you need, his host isn't disabled. You never know, maybe brothers connecting might save her,- he looked away continuing to smoke his pipe,- It is surprising how deity of plague continuously makes disabled demons as her sons to rule and protect the realm. You folk are really unlucky. Oh before you leave, 17th brother is struggling with his beloved one as well. I think its time to visit some family,- he smiled to Azeroth nodding and they left without proper farewells.

-This is really unacceptable,- fumed Ghost on their way back,- formal addressing was put in place for a reason, its our primary task and you don't even let me do it. You are a prince after all, act like one,- Vincent chuckled at his guardians anger.

-It is all right, there were no one else around to hear things, do you think everyone announces each other when they meet?

-They must. Right?-Ghost was not known for being naïve, but this idea of perfect world made Azeroth amused.

-Before we go home, i will want to visit Austeja, you can go ahead and keep an eye on Karis, i am worried Devil will try something,- rabbit nodded his head and headed of forward fully turning into aerial mist and Azeroth took other way off.

He landed in meadow with this massive 4 meter tall bee hive. Various different size bees were buzzing in and out doing their daily works. The workers looked like regular bees, they were different sizes and provided pollen and honey to the hive. The bees inside were a lot larger and they redistributed honey for safekeeping. The rules of normal beehive didn't really applied here, as there was no present queen to increase growth, therefore each bee was magically kept alive for all these years in order not to completely grow extinct. That's why caretakers infused honey workers eat with fairy pollen to prolong bees normal lifecycle continuously. A lot deeper into the hive there were more humanoid looking bees, in various heights, there were those who were barely a meter tall and were simply guardians, like Ghost to Azeroth, and a lot taller ones human size but rather skinny, they were secondary deities and considered as queen bee's caretakers and attendants. They protected Austeja's body with their life and made sure no one would harm her. The primary goddess of bees, brides and pregnant women and had been crystalized long time ago. A tall 2 meter height bee with somewhat humanoid shapes 2 legs and 4 hands, which ended up with human like limbs. Her eyes used to be bigger than normal, yet instead of normal iris they were fully black and a bit bulging out. She had antennae and slit insect like mouth which always hid long tongue. Her chest was puffy and big covered in fuzzy fur with black and white stripes, which hidden hardened chest underneath for more protection. Lower part of body was slightly humanoid and somewhere around abdomen she had something like bees belly attached which as a lot elongated. Unlike the other bees she had 6 sets of wings to manage to get her up flying due to the size of her body. Austeja had honey yellow hair that were somewhat wavy and reached down her waist, she used to wear white linen skirt and linen scarf around her neck.

Right now she was trapped in this beautiful crystal, which had hints of veins tied into honeycomb shape, with her hands locked for a prayer. She knew she was getting weaker for a long time and managed to get crystalized in position she preferred to.

One of attendees saw Azeroth feeling walls of beehive getting pollen all over him as he tried to navigate in blind. Since inside constantly shifted due to honey distribution it was hard to memorize it all. All of them knew demon and his hopeless romance with goddess. One attendee which glowed rather dimly came closer taking him by hand and led to crystal, while other cleaned him off the pollen so it wouldn't be wasted.

Demon prince looked up at the crystal which was so dark, and rested his forehead on cold rock.

-I am sorry, i don't think i can wake you up just yet. But i wish to see you again, to tell you i found someone. Also to tell you how worried i am about her,-he helplessly chuckled,- why i have to suffer like this. Why we were created like that to eternally suffer with little hints of happiness which come and go like hints of sun rays during cloudy day. Why us demons need to suffer?- he closed his eyes standing back. -I miss your light, i hope we can talk again one time, and next time i will finally be able to see you,- demon smiled, usually he kissed the crystal, but for past several decades he didn't do it anymore.

He finally understood what Karis meant when she said she was so used to being with Jack, that she mixed her feelings with just being used to something. Azeroth liked Austeja because she was nice, she knew how to satisfy and he needed someone to not feel lonely.

Many demons struggled to find their purpose, hoping that deities they serve to will help, loosing their minds once realize, that they were abandoned, imperfect, or just tools of control, Azeroth already went through that stage and admitted that his life may not need to have a purpose.