16

Adaline and Milo made the return to the God of Agriculture's cottage somberly, with dragging feet. The task in front of them was monumental. Impossible, even. Two mortals could not kill a God, much less a God who had never been killed before. By speaking those words, Cymis, their own half-brother, had forsaken them.

They found the cottage dark and cold. As they entered, Adaline's attention was again drawn to the farming tools by the door, which were glinting in the moonlight. She then looked down at her own arm, and the scratch Milo had given her accidentally. It had clotted now, but it must have been dripping the entire time her and Milo were in the temple. She hadn't really paid attention to it.

"Milo, could you get me a bandage?" Adaline asked, showing him her arm.

"Oh. Yes," Milo said. He went to the other room and returned with a roll of cloth. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's alright. Could you wrap it for me? I've never been good at doing that."

"Sure." Milo began to wrap the cloth tightly around Adaline's arm. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"How did you know that the fox-beast was Cymis?"

"I recognized him. When Silas broke his arm I went to the temple and prayed, and he appeared before me."

"Oh," Milo said thoughtfully. "Why didn't you ever tell me about this?"

"I was angry about it. Cymis denied my prayer. He said that Silas was a sinner." Adaline paused. "I suppose that he was right."

Silence seeped through the room like water through paper.

Adaline shifted her feet. "I also went to the temple a few days later to see if Silas was there. But he wasn't. Neither were any other Gods."

Milo still didn't speak.

"Where did you go when I was at the temple?"

"Hm?"

"You snuck off before I went there. Where did you go?"

"I came here, actually, to get the God of Agriculture's help in finding Silas."

"Oh. I didn't know that."

"...he wasn't very helpful, actually. He did not think Silas wanted to be found."

"Do you?"

Milo stopped wrapping. The question cut him to his very core. When he finally spoke, it was barely a whisper.

"No. I don't."

"Why?" Adaline's eyes were blades, flaying Milo's heart.

Milo spoke with a quiet, simmering anger. "Why would he have left in the first place? Why, in all those years, did he never come back? I did not know his reason for leaving those years ago, but now I know he probably left to hunt the Blood God."

"With his arm broken?"

"I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, Adaline! The other reasons he could have had for leaving are not as honorable."

"I don't think he wanted to leave."

"Then why didn't he come back?"

"Because he's dead, Milo."

Milo had known that was the answer, but Adaline's blatant phrasing still shocked him to the bone.

"He's not dead," Milo whispered futilely.

"Yes he is. He's dead and grieved."

Milo's breath caught in his throat and he bowed his head.

Adaline furrowed her brow, every inch of anger fleeing her countenance in a moment. She leaned forward to gently look into Milo's eyes. "You never grieved him?" She whispered.

Milo sobbed, burying his face in his hands to stem the flood of tears streaming down his face. Years of emotion was surging out of him all at once.

Adaline reached out and pulled Milo close, letting him cry into her. She put her chin on the top of his head. "It's alright. It's okay," She said.

"We never talked about it," Milo choked out between sobs. "I didn't want to think about it."

"I'm sorry. I should have said something."

"The God of Agriculture put the thought into my head...that he didn't want to be found...and I accepted it for so long, because I didn't--I wanted so badly for him to be alive out there, somewhere."

Something clicked in Adaline's mind. Her heart quickened. Her gut felt heavy. Ever since Etune had shown them the truth, there had been something bothering her. There was something familiar about the way the God of Agriculture had trained them.

"Milo," She asked, trying to force calmness into her voice. "Where did you find the God of Agriculture when you asked him to help you find Silas?"

"He was in his orchard."

"What was he doing?"

"He was sharpening his scythe." Milo sniffed. "Why are you asking me this?"

Adaline felt that the ground would fall out from beneath her at any moment. She stood up and ran out the cottage door, in the direction of the orchard, picking up her swords as she left.

"Adaline!" Milo called after her, running to follow. He tailed her as she sprinted through the fields, with no regard for the things growing there. They trampled potatoes and carrots and squash until Adaline finally reached the orchard and stopped.

The God of Agriculture sat on a stump, looking into the distance. His hand was bandaged.

Adaline's heart raced. She hadn't expected to find the God of Agriculture out here.

The God hummed a little tune, lilting and carefree.

Adaline gently stepped back, intending to leave. She knew she wasn't ready for this.

"Adaline," The God said gently, without turning around. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Adaline said.

"Are you okay, Milo? Why were you crying?" The God's eyes remained fixed on an unseen point in the distance.

"I...the trip to the temple went sour." Milo wiped his eyes. He could almost feel the fear radiating off of Adaline, but why was she scared?

"That's alright, Milo. There will be other chances."

Milo furrowed his brow. "...Are you okay?"

The God of Agriculture gave a short, curt nod and clenched his fist. Blood seeped between his fingers.

Adaline backed up, desperate to get away. She wasn't completely sure she knew what was going on, but she was certain it was evil..

The God of Agriculture spoke up again. "What happened at the temple?"

"Nothing," Adaline said quickly. "No one showed up. It must've been just a normal storm."

"Strange," The God of Agriculture said. "You've never lied to me before."

Adaline's blood ran ice cold.

"I'm growing tired of this. Go to your beds. We'll discuss it in the morning."

Adaline turned on her heels, walking quickly. She was already planning how she was going to pack up her things and leave forever.

"Wait," Milo said.

Adaline flinched.

"I want to ask you a question." Milo approached the God of Agriculture meekly. "Did you know we were the children of Feidlimid?"

The God clenched his fist again and didn't say anything.

"Because…you called us by our real names before. When you first met me you called me Cedros. And you called Adaline Esyn. And I was thinking...that you couldn't have called us that unless you knew." Milo wrung his hands nervously.

The God of Agriculture slowly stood up from the stump. He pried his eyes from the point in the distance he'd been staring at; a feat that seemed to pain him. He looked Milo in the eyes.

The God of Agriculture's eyes were bloodied. They were two orbs of complete crimson, and in their reflection was a view of the temple, as if one was looking out from the drops of blood left on the floor when Milo cut Adaline's arm.

Milo felt sick.

The God convulsed once, and the blood ran out of his eyes like tears. They left two streaks of rust down his cheeks and chin. When his eyes were focused again. He bent down to pick up his scythe, casually brushing the dust off of it.

"Years of work," He said. "Dashed in a moment by a little red bird. Twice! I never should have underestimated Etune."

"...I don't understand," Milo murmured. "What's going on?"

"No matter," The God said to himself. "I've got an eternity to try again."

Adaline watched in horror as the God's scythe started to grow, changing into an ornate weapon instead of a farming tool. The God himself also changed, morphing into a shape that was still distinctly human, yet filled Adaline with more fear than she'd ever felt in her life. The Blood God stood before her.

Adaline was flooded with the urge to run and never return, but she didn't. She ran forward, drawing her swords and blocking the Blood God's scythe swing just before it would've sliced Milo's neck.

The Blood God didn't hesitate. The scythe bounced off Adaline's swords and immediately swung again, this time aiming for Adaline. She parried it again just in time.

"Run!" Adaline shouted, parrying another swing with astonishing quickness. "Get out of here Milo! You're unarmed!"

Milo turned and ran faster than he'd ever run before. Adaline blocked three more blows, then found that her and the Blood God had switched places. The Blood God pulled back, and Adaline rushed forward, but the God kept pulling back, and started to run after Milo. He was lightning quick, and gained ground quickly. Adaline gave chase.

The three of them shot across the fields in the moonlight. High above, a little red bird flew.

Milo reached the cottage, flinging the door open and slamming it closed. He held it shut on the other side as the Blood God reached it. The God raised his scythe and lodged it in the wooden door with a thud. Adaline came from behind, thrusting her swords forward, but the Blood God dodged, wrenching his scythe out of the door and swinging it around down low. He caught Adaline's left leg, opening a large gash in it. Adaline buckled under the pain, dropping her sword, and the Blood God raised the scythe over his head, ready for the killing blow.

Milo's shield blocked the scythe with a clang. Adaline looked up to see him standing between her and Set, the very tip of the scythe poking through the wood and metal of Milo's shield.

Milo grabbed Adaline's arm and pulled her up, letting her lean on him. Set pulled his scythe back, taking Milo's shield with it. He brought his foot down on the shield, breaking it apart from the scythe, and lifted the weapon above his head, ready to fell both Adaline and Milo in one swing.

The twins closed their eyes, bracing for the impact. There was no way Adaline could dodge with her leg cut wide open, and there was no way Milo would let her go.

A little red bird swooped down from the sky, fluttering in front of Set's face. He yelped, batting at the bird, and then swung his scythe, gorily swatting the bird out of the air. It lay mangled on the ground.

Set panted, then brought his scythe back once again. Crashing through the tops of the trees came a giant fox's jaw, mouth wide to bite his head off. Set turned,bringing his scythe upwards in a panicked motion and stabbing the roof of the fox's mouth. The fox screamed, pulling back and wrenching the scythe from Set's hands in the process.

Adaline lunged for her sword, grabbed it, and pierced Set's heart. His arms went slack and his head fell down, as if he were looking at the tip of the sword poking out from his chest. He slumped to the ground.

For the first time in eternity, The Blood God was dead.

Milo led Adaline away from the body, then sat her down on the ground. He went inside the cottage and came out with more bandages, ripped off a section, and handed them to Adaline. Then he went to Etune, wrapping her up as best he could, then, gently cradling her in his arms, brought her to Cymis.

Cymis was lying on the ground, mouth agape, gasping for breath as he gushed blood. The scythe was still stuck in the roof of his mouth.

Cymis didn't seem to see Milo. His eyes were wild, unfocused. Milo came closer, gingerly stepping into the pool of blood surrounding Cymis's head. He placed a hand on Cymis's neck, stroking his fur.

"Can you heal yourself?" Milo asked quietly.

The beast let out a pained groan, raised his head up, and let it fall.

Milo held out Etune, trembling in her bandages, holding on to the last wisps of her life with all her might. "Can you heal her?" He asked.

The beast's eyes seemed to focus for the first time. His breathing slowed. He gave the tiniest nod, and as he closed his eyes, tendrils of green smoke curled around Etune and entered into her wound. The gash in her chest knitted itself together, and her eyes opened.

The tension fled from the fox's muscles, and he laid back with a sigh. The light left his eyes, and his body started to turn to ash. It crumbled away until all that was left was Cymis's true form: a red-haired man with a fox's tail, clothed in an emerald robe, his green eyes hanging open.

Milo walked over to Cymis's body and closed his eyes. Adaline placed her hand over her heart and bowed her head.

"Eternal thanks, Cymis," Milo whispered. "You will be grieved as a hero."

Etune raised her head.

"There...there is one last thing that you must know," She said. "You must know why Cymis grieved. Come close, and I will show you."

Milo carried Etune over to Adaline. They both leaned forward, and Etune lifted her wings.