7 Chapter 7: Afterthought

I'm not prepared for what comes next. This lore drop is too crazy. I need a breather. I need to bring myself back to Dior's comforting touch. My hand was last in hers, If I can just focus my attention to it, I should be able to break out of this trance.

Real words. Raw emotions. The texture of the warm smoky air and the emission of light hitting my retinas. I miss that feeling. I don't want to be trapped within the confines of our tripped out minds. Enough of this telepathic bullshit.

Dior senses my discomfort and gently rubs my shoulder to get me out of the eerie state of using my third eye. It takes me a moment to get familiar with my surroundings again. When I regain my composure, I direct my attention to Zara to get to the bottom of this.

"Why are you telling me all this? Why does it matter?"

"Because we don't have to be pawns to be trampled on anymore. We can stop this war." Zara says.

"Oh yeah sure, let's have the four of us put an end to this gargantuan war. What do you want us to to do? Wipe out our own kind? Or even worse, have us fight the literal demigods that live in the floating ocean? Get the fuck outa here. Dior back me on this, these guys are out of their minds yeah?" I'm baffled and angry, this was a waste of time.

One look at Dior and I know I've misjudged her. She's actually interested in hearing their schemes. Wow. I would have thought I'd known her better than that. I expected her to be level headed and smart like she always is.

"We are not in favor of either side, and we are not few in number. Zara and I are barely the middle ranks in this rebellion. There is an anonymous leader, said to be one of the sovereign, and they go by the name of Seke, the forsaken one. This is not a whimsical matter, we believe fate has lead us here. Don't you wish to know what happened to your parents?"

My blood boils at the mention of them. My hands ball into fists and I let out a frustrated growl.

"How. Do. You. Know?"

"We know more than you can imagine about our world. Our kind have a way of relaying things to each other, nothing goes unnoticed."

"You expect me to believe y'all are some space wizards who knows all things? I'm no dumbass. My friend spanked your friend over there with ease, and you guys just happened to stumble on us. We aren't going to be a part of your silly gang. I'm happy with my little life. My parents are dead. Bye bitch."

I get up to leave, I can feel Dior's hesitancy but she reluctantly follows. It's odd seeing her follow my lead, up until a day ago the roles were reversed. I know she'll still give me a hard time once we make it back to the orphanage.

As I near the entrance of the cave, my mom appears before me. The fuck? This can't be real. But she is. Right there in front of me.

Her gentle green eyes sparkle like emeralds and her crescent smile floods my heart with warmth like a candle flame. I nearly lose my balance.

My eyes brim with tears as I reach up to touch her face; but my hand goes through her cheek, feeling nothing but cold air. I hang my head in defeat as the tears trickle down.

These bastards fooled me, used my soft heart to make me hesitate to leave. I turn to Zara and see her marking burning in her left eye. Directly in her pupil, the etching of a peacock is glowing bright red. 

She is a vessel of the demon of illusion. What a way to mock my heart. To trample on my trust. Why are they so desperate to make me stay? I should kill them both.

Dior embraces me from behind, reading my thoughts before I take action. She rests her head on my shoulder and whispers in my ear.

"This is our chance to make real change. To avenge your parents. To create a new life for the kids back at the orphanage. To put an end to this madness. Don't you want that? Aren't you tired of scavenging the abyss? Aren't you tired of watching your friends die without purpose? With this at least we mean something, our lives might amount to something."

"I've never been tired of surfing the abyss with you. I've never wanted anything more than to stay with my friends back at the orphanage. Sure, I'm deathly afraid each time we go out. Sure, I hate to see the few kids that die to ghouls every now and then; but I still have you, I still have most of my friends back home. I'm content with that. If we do this, all of that might be lost. I don't need this to feel like my life has meaning. You mean something, my life back at the orphanage means everything, this petty bullshit means nothing in comparison."

"This little life of yours, it's a fantasy, it's temporary. Snap out of it. The gods did not bless you with your strength just to sit on it and enjoy company. What we could achieve might last forever. I am doing this with or without ya tits."

She pulls away but I turn around and grab her shoulders.

"Why? Why do you believe them? Why do you care?"

"Do you really care about me? About the kids back home?"

No, please, she can't play that card with me. This isn't fair. I don't want this to happen. Anything but this. I want to go back to yesterday, and prevent our run in with the illusory diver, never having been enlightened with this troubling knowledge, never having to make this difficult choice.

"Please... just let me kill them."

Her beautiful yellow eyes study my face. I can see the reflection of my scared expression in them. She leans in and plants a soft kiss on my forehead. Then, like a fleeting thought, the moment is over, and she leaves me to join the two followers of Seke.

I take a moment to process my options. Without her it all goes to shit. She is my closest friend. My dearest ally. My only cornerstone to my cozy life back home. I swallow my pride and submit to her will.

***

We're in the clouds again, but this time we share one board. I'm sitting between her legs because I'm shorter. I can feel her calves straining as she surfs. I clutch my retrieved pendant, clinging to the sense of comfort it brings me.

We left the other board with the two hooligans' that sold their dreams to Dior. I'm still pissed about that; but it is what it is.

Dior has her own motives and agendas; I haven't developed a sense of my desires yet. I only follow her will. I'm okay with that. For now at least.

I could have just ran with my super speed but it is still dark out and the abyss is covered in fog, crawling with unknown ghouls.

I'm happy here, in-between Dior's thighs. It's a bit dangerous... ya'know with my flaw and all, but I can afford to savor small moments like this.

We ended our conversation with Zara and Perada on good terms. They told us to pack our things, say our goodbyes and prepare to enroll in the garrison academy by tomorrow.

Apparently they have connections and can get us in. All my life I marveled at its walls and bubble of protection. I never even dreamed of making it inside that civilization.

To walk in there and enroll in the prestigious education system with the intention to burn it all down brings butterfly's in my stomach. I feel like a giddy kid opening a wrapped present. Can't wait to squash those soft peakies*.

The clouds part revealing a giant tree with small cottages scattered throughout its high branches.

Clear glass domes cover each section, making each tree cottage look like a giant snow globe fruit, hanging from the magnificent large tree.

"We're home", Dior's melodic voice chimes.