Heart of Stone

"Now, where were we?" Urmu asked this question with pride etched across his face, nearly bursting at the seams with the feeling of finally getting one over on Anak, who had seemed so far out of reach just seven months ago.

"You were basking in your pride, instead of asking yourself if the blood of thousands, hundreds of thousands, is something you want on your hands." Anak spoke in an even tone, still not looking Urmu in the eye. "King Gel-ad, is that your answer then? Will you refuse the Lord Triac?"

"I refuse." Gel-ad narrowed his eyes and his voice seeped with loathing. "If we're finished-"

"I urge you reconsider, oh king!" Anak interrupted suddenly and loudly, his eyes wide and his heart palpitating violently. "If you refuse now, untold devastation will come, not just for you, but your household, your city, your whole kingdom. If you don't repent now, the blood that calls out from the ground will reap it's cost!" Anak's genuine display of fear and concern unnerved the king, and he felt a sense of deja-vu at the words spoken, but he was far too distracted to care by his hatred for his son's killer, the rebel standing in front of him, mocking him just by being alive.

"I've heard enough." King Gel-ad barked. "Now you will atone for the death of my son. Guards-!"

A horrendous scratching noise, like the grinding of bone against slate interrupted the order, and before long, a new hole emerged in the palace ceiling. Standing, or rather floating, in the center of the hole was Shora, ragged hair flowing up and backwards as if she were in water, her eye sockets radiating a vibrant mixture of bright colors, too blinding to keep eye contact with for longer than a second; even more noticeably her massive tongue, usually her most unmistakable feature, was nowhere in sight. She had a crazed smile on her face, and oversized claws extended from her dainty fingers. She opened her mouth, exposing a dismembered tongue as she spoke in a mirthful tone. "I hope your not planning on imprisoning my liberator, King Gilly." She giggled with girlish delight as she descended to the floor through the hole she'd clawed open.

His face red and swollen, King Gel-ad struggled to contain his rage as his name and authority were taken lightly by this goddess. She was a goddess so he couldn't vent his anger on her. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, he spoke in a tightly controlled and muted voice, "He nearly killed you, goddess. Don't you remember, Lady Shora?"

"Hmph. Don't call me that, who said I was Shora? ShhHhora was dull, with rigid speech and rigid thoughts. I'm much more flllexible." The goddess twirled in place and winked at the king flirtatiously. "Call me Shot-L'pav."

"Shora, stop this!" Lisma barked, the anger in her voice disguising the panic in her heart. The Shora she knew could never act like this. This was almost like a completely different being, it made her fear that this Shot-L'pav was a real entity, and it had taken over her comrade. She was already distressed enough with the emotional turmoil she suffered through during the tower incident.

"What'ssss the matter, kiddo? You seem scared." Shora, or rather Shot-L'pav, put on a gentle demeanor, like trying to calm a frightened toddler.

"This- This isn't you. Who are you?!" Lisma cried, shuddering uncontrollably as she took an involuntary step back.

"I'm the same me, Lizzy, juSssSt liberated. Shora was a restriction I placed on myself, but my heEero-" Shot-L'pav gazed lovingly at Anak still standing before the throne, keeping an eye on the situation while he kept Yothr safely in his reach. "He broke my Shora cage to pieces, and set me loOose. I'm back! And better than ever." giggling once more, Shot-L'pav skipped over to Lisma and kissed her on the cheek. "So don't let him die, okaaAay?"

Lisma looked closely at the girl before her, wanting badly to believe it was true. "And... your tongue? What about those claws?" She probed, hoping the answers may enlighten her about what happened to her comrade.

"Well, whenever I tried to dance I would keep stepping on my tongue, sooOooO I just cut it off." Shot-L'pav smiled pleasantly as if it were perfectly rational to think this way. "And the claws are just a partial toad transformation, nothing special." She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Toad...?" Lisma's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Toads don't have claws, do they?"

"What are you even talking about? Of course toads have claws. Real long ones, see?" Shot-L'pav snorted in derision as she raised up her overextended talons, as if it were the most common of knowledge. Her glowing eyes flashed yellow and she began to gaze at her claws with adoration, as she hummed a delightful tune.

Lisma sighed. She had a few ideas of what might have happened to Shora. Though strange and irrational, this Shot-L'pav was likely the real Shora. "Shor- I mean, Shot-L'pav, we can't allow this human to live, there's- are you even listening to me?"

"Hmm? What was that? I'm sorry I got lost in thought." Shot-L'pav jerked her gaze away from her hand and smiled innocently at the frustrated goddess of luck.

"Anak must die. He's a threat to us all, including you. He has no love in his heart for any gods but his own." Lisma forced herself to speak patiently, trying to get through to the newly christened Shot-L'pav.

Shot-L'pav shrugged and shook her head. "I don't mind. He can try to kill us later I guess, but fair's fair. He freed me once, I free him once." With a sudden burst of speed, Shot-L'pav appeared instantly by Anak's side, grabbing hold of both he and Yothr before they could react. With a kick, she leapt in the air and flew to caved in ceiling.

"Stop her!" King Gel-ad roared in desperation, but nobody moved, not even Lisma. "Goddess, do you condone this?" The king asked, his voice nearly cracking from the mixture of anger, grief, and fear.

"Let her be. There will be other opportunities to kill that so-called liberator." Lisma sighed, "He and the Oracle both promised a blood reckoning. I can't let that happen."

"The Oracle..." King Gel-ad whispered, growing pale. He suddenly remembered why Anak's warning sounded so familiar; the prophecy given to him out of spite by that temperamental girl, the Oracle, had been almost the exact same. "What have I done?" He whispered tremulously and held up a pair of shaking hands. "Will I ruin this kingdom I built from the ground up? The first great seat of power in this world, Haskud, will it fall because of mere slaves?" The king clutched his dark hair with distress as he contemplated the future.

"Enough! Get ahold of yourself, King Gel-ad. What's done is done. The future is not immutable and neither is prophecy. There is still some action we can take." Lisma advised the king with her steady words of wise counsel.

The king, letting her tone still his nerves, released his hair and sat up. After a moment, a sly grin crossed his face. "You're right. You're always right, Lady Lisma." He let out a brief chuckle before continuing. "Urmu."

"Yes, My King." Urmu snapped to attention behind the goddess of luck, wisdom, and war.

"Get your regiment and surround the slave quarter, nobody is allowed in or out, slaves included. We'll just have to halt labor for a few days. Maybe less." The King commanded confidently, clearly having a plan in mind.

"As you command." Urmu gave a swift bow, and departed, Lisma continuing to follow after him.

Gel-ad shook his head in amazement. "That is one lucky kid." He mused. Turning to Sam-el by the entrance, Gel-ad beckoned for him to approach. "You're getting sloppy, captain of the guard. Two uninvited guests burst into my throne room in one day. Not counting the goddesses." His voice was partially berating, partially teasing.

Sam-el immediately knelt before the king, head bowed in shame. "My King, there is no excuse for my incompetence. I will atone with my life if I must." He kept his head low, and half-drew his blade, in preparation of the order to die.

"Why would I ever let the one loyal man in my retinue die?" Gel-ad shook his head. "I was thinking of promoting you to a less active post, something that befits your dedication, your service... and your age."

"My King, I am unworthy." Sam-el felt tears springing to his eyes, as happiness threatened to overwhelm him. Not only would he not be admonished for his mistakes, his life's work was finally being fully acknowledged. A promotion past the station of captain of the guard was equivalent to guaranteeing nobility.

"Not at all." Gel-ad smiled. "That Aru... he isn't suited to being War Master, and his loyalty is in question. Still, I intend to use him to fill the vacated post."

"May I ask why, My King?" Sam-el didn't disguise the confusion in his voice. If Aru couldn't be trusted, how could he ever hope to fulfill his duties as captain of the guard?

"I have a test in mind for that underachiever. If he comes through, I'll know without a doubt that he's ready. I want you to bring him here personally. Then I'll explain to the both of you."

"At once, My liege!" Sam-el jumped to his feet, saluted vigorously, then bounded out the door.

Gel-ad looked up at his ruined ceiling, the images depicting his glorious conquests completely shattered by Anak and Shot-L'pav. "I will not let my kingdom fall apart." He swore to the skies.

Above the atmosphere, watching forlornly, Raguel and Uriel shook their heads in sorrow. "You already have." Raguel softly whispered.