126 A hard decision
Ignis had in more ways than one had enough of the day. And it had just begun.
Getting tested by a god who for all intensive purposes was known for being mischievous. And protecting one of said god's servants from her master's mischief was enough to give him a headache.
He looked at the elven queen who was still kneeling on the floor covered in sweat. Her ordeal had been one very few could ever hope to live through. Yet by the grace of Ignis she had been allowed.
Not because she was chosen. No. It was because a country suffering the death of it's monarch would be a pain in the ass for him.
Felmenia slowly raised her head and saw the room only held Ignis and herself. And she heaved a small sigh of relief. Though Ignis was still in his full form he was not releasing any sort of angry power. So Felmenia felt more at ease.
"You truly have it rough with Mercury as your patron God. Though I thought Vara would have been a better choice. But to each their own." He said waving his hand about like he was swatting a fly from the air.
He turned away before summoning a stool made out of the Stone and dirt floor before falling into it with a thud.
Ignis was not entirely used to using divine power. It was altogether different from magic which came naturally to monsters. It was pure, simple, and straight forward. But the toll it took on the body was enormous. Like an Otaku who hardly used their muscles. It hurt at first. But over time the strain would lesson and the power would grow. How much depended on the effort on the one using it.
Not to mention each god held a different characteristic to their divinity. Longevity was a common trait as all gods were immortal. But the rare or legendary traits were what we are talking about. Thunder, Light, Fire, Demonic eyes, etc. These were what made Gods "Gods".
Zeus's thunderbolts, Persephone's control over death and plants, Aed's power over fire. All were classified as their unique trait and what made them... Special.
And the reason Ignis remained a lesser god was because his trait had not fully manifested as his powers were not trained and honed to their limit.
"I need to train with this more." Ignis thought to himself as he rested on his stool. His body aching and steaming from his workout. After about an hour he let out a sigh of relief as the pain ebbed and his body filled with energy again.
He stood up and stretched with a groan.
"hhhhhg, Ahhhh." He sighed.
The queen was still kneeling on the ground and had remained this way since the battle of wills.
"You can probably get up now. I don't think he's coming back. At least not for today." Ignis hummed as he turned to leave.
The queen remained on the floor but spoke loudly. "Lord Mercury visited me to say that this country is no longer under his jurisdiction. Right now we are godless. And without a god we have no divine protection." Her voice echoed through the chamber making Ignis stop in his tracks. Before he turned with a burning anger filling his gaze.
"He What!!!" He roared. His voice making the walls and ceiling tremble making little amounts of dust fall.
Felmenia seemed to shrink a little on the floor in fear that Ignis's wrath might fall on her. But she spoke quickly in hopes of abating it.
"He decreed that since we called on another god in his stead that we were no longer worthy of his bounties and protection. As such we have been exiled from his divine graces and are to appear no more before him." She whimpered.
Ignis was fuming from where he stood. The temperature rising till the floor was dry as a desert and the roots seemed to wither away in places.
(He decided to drop this country like a hot potato because they got a little outside help when he refused to respond. This is going beyond petty. It's childish!) He growled in thought as he crossed his arms and his tail lashed at the floor making a heavy dent from each impact.
He slowly managed to calm himself as he thought things through. This would allow for more followers and for a greater chance to use his divine powers. But it would also take up more of his time. (Perhaps bringing Sam and the kids along would be good if I'm doing things this way.) He thought as he suddenly heard a soft bell ring through his mind.
/Divine power has been detected outside the castle. We have calculated that it might be Mercury's present./ Sin said.
Ignis let out a sigh and looked down at the queen. "Get up before I cook you where you sit. I don't like grovelling and I don't like begging. If you want something, Ask. If you have a problem, speak. I'm not going to read a persons mind if they have no will to issue the plea or question out loud." He said bluntly before turning to the door once more. "We will discuss things later if that is what you wish. But you will come to me. As I am the one doing favors I shouldn't have to do a damn thing until I am Asked to." He said as he strode through the door.
His words echoed through the chamber making Felmenia tremble slightly before sitting up. Her eyes scanned the room to see if he was gone. Once she was certain she was alone tears began to pour from her eyes. "I have failed my people so often. I cannot hope to ask again for protection where we deserve none. " She whimpered as she cried.
A maid slowly entered the door and gently knelt next to the queen. Her dark hair flowed down beautifully as she slowly cradled the queen in her arms like a child. The maids face was covered by a thin veil. But her face was still obscured from view. "It is alright milady. There is still hope. You must reach out to our hope. And it shall be returned in kind I feel." She said as she picked up Felmenia and moved through a secret door in the chamber where she laid her on a bed of leaves.
"For now you need sleep." She hummed gently. Like a mother humming her child to sleep. Before the queens crying face softened. Her pursed lips and nearly pained expression gave way to a peaceful and dreaming face.
The maid stood up again except her clothes shifted into clothes made of night. Stars and moons danced about in the middle of her garb. Beautiful and long robes extended from the maid uniform till it was like they were never there.
And now. Standing beside the queen was none other than Nox. Not in her small form. But in a figure of her former glory. The only difference was her veil now showed her lips revealing a beautiful and peaceful smile as she watched the sleeping queen.
"Father should be pleased with this. He's worked so hard to save people. Not being recognized for it would be a shame." She hummed. Her voice sounding almost like a whisper in the night as she disappeared from the queens secret chamber.
Night had now fallen as clouds gave way to clear skies and the star filled darkness of space spread out above Melra. The grass shifted as a small breeze moved through.
Small animals seemed to sense something in the air. A change of sorts. Neither good or bad. But a change that kept them alert as heads were perked up at the entrances to their dens and nests.
Meanwhile, back in Ignis's room.
Ignis was pacing back and forth in front of Kyle and Val. Val having decided to visit every day as she hadn't become accustomed to life back at the palace yet.
Kyle's face showed a thoughtful yet serious expression. And Val's face was pale and seemed to be panicking.
"Mercury really abandoned my people?" She whispered amidst the tapping of Ignis's claws against the stone floor.
Ignis kept pacing and didn't reply.
Kyle looked over at Val for a moment before speaking.
"We dwarves bear a saying. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission. And we've always stick by it. Hence why our civilization has lasted so long and has advanced so much. But for a long lived God like Mercury... I'm afraid it's not that simple. He's been around long enough to see civilizations rise and fall. No forgiveness would be found in a heart as fickle and petty as that." He grunted as he lifted a goblet of elven mead to his lips. The red liquor dying his moustache a rustic color against his brown hair.
Ignis slowly nodded in thought as a dull look filled his face.
His thoughts turned to the gift Mercury mentioned before leaving. And if this god was truly so petty he would make it more of an insult than a gift.
This was what he thought of as his eyes slowly closed and he fell into a calming slumber.
