Ch30: The Meeting P5
Chapter 30: The Meeting P5
~30.5~
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"Are you okay, Elysia?" Iris asked. Out of concern, she stood up and started to walk over, but Alethea waved her off.
"You clearly want to do something that you think we won't agree to," Orion said calmly, earning some confused glances. "You've demanded quite a lot already. You asked for retroactive permission to restore Lady Maya's body, you've ordered all to return to Elysium, you took us to the core and baited us into doing something stupid," Orion glared at Dimos for a moment, "but now you're concerned we won't agree?"
Shocked, Kye looked up at him. The look he saw in her eyes took him aback.
She can make that sort of face? What?
Soon she felt a hand on hers, but from her left, rather than right. It was Joey. "Mother, please do not feel as though you shouldn't ask. They have no reason to deny your request."
"Joey, you know what she wants?" Alethea asked. Even she didn't know.
Joey nodded. "Mother and I are soul-bound, of course." Joey stood up and took her mother's hand between her own. "Please, speak. You are the most noble soul of all. You have sacrificed more for everyone than they could ever know, and you have spent your entire life living for the sake of others. Even now, you want to request something for the sake of another, for the people you love."
"I believe you as well, Elysia," said Astraia. "We've been soul-bound for only a short time, but that time has been enough to understand who you are. Though my words may be taken selfishly, I support you in this."
"But what I want to do is so far out of the ordinary that..."
"Make your request, King of the World," Orion said. Noah and Adaal echoed him. Kye looked up, and each nodded. She looked at Iris and Nephele, receiving nods from them as well. Then she looked at Atalante, who also nodded.
Kye stood up and her throne disappeared. She took a deep breath before speaking, "I wish I revive three mortal souls."
All five of the older leaders and their escorts were shocked, some with their mouths hanging open. Even Alethea, Allison, and Luma were surprised.
"I cannot divulge the identity of these souls, but I wish to revive them."
Nephele shook her head. "Elysia, we need at least some details."
Kye grimaced again. "They died long ago, in the Ten Realms."
"How long ago?" Noah asked. "A few years? A decade?"
"Many millions of years."
Atalante took her turn being shocked. She figured out who Kye wanted to revive.
"W-what?" Iris stuttered. "You've only been living in the Ten Realms for just over two decades. How could you possibly-?"
Kye shook her head. "Joey mentioned it already. This request is not for me. I don't know these souls personally. I merely wish to reward someone who is deserving of a reward."
"A reward so significant that you're asking for not one, but THREE resurrections?" Noah said.
Kye nodded. "Yes."
Noah's mouth hang agape for a moment, then he grimaced. "... fine." He crossed his arms and looked down at the table. "I agree to this."
"You are agreeing to this?!" Orion exclaimed, taking his turn as the one with his mouth agape.
"... yes."
Iris sighed, but added her agreement. "I will agree to this. For the King of the World to request this as a reward to someone... that person must be quite the noble soul, too. But, I have a condition. I will speak it after the others have given their answers."
"Very well," Kye said with a light nod.
"I... hesitate," Nephele said. "Elysia, you are the King and I wish nothing more than to serve as a proper vassal... but I must ask... why must the reward for this person be resurrections?"
Kye hesitated to answer, but forced it out. "This person has suffered through something I would wish on nobody and has lived with it ever since."
"You don't have to do this," Atalante said. "Kye, please. I've long accepted it. And, I've moved past it."
Kye shook her head. "No. You haven't."
"So then, the reward is for Atalante?" Nephele asked, her eyes narrowed. "And you've already figured out what Elysia wants to do for you?"
Atalante nodded, not looking away from Kye, who struggled to meet her gaze. A tear fell from one of Kye's eyes as she stared downward. She collapsed to her knees, more tears raining from her eyes to the floor.
Atalante jumped up and stepped over to Kye. Alethea also jumped up, but stopped short, not knowing what to do. "Kye, you don't have to do this! Please, I will be fine. I don't want you to put yourself out for this!"
"But you haven't moved past it!" she suddenly shouted, finally meeting Atalante's eyes. "You hear every prayer in the Ten Realms... with two exceptions."
"What?"
"You don't hear mine. Only Eve hears mine."
"And the other?"
"Your own."
Atalante's eyes widened. "Pardon?"
"I hear your prayers, Lanti. Every night, I hear your voice, without fail. Every single night! You weep for your children. You have not moved past them."
"Stop..."
Kye continued, "I hear their names every night..."
"Don't..."
"... You stand in front of their memorial in your private chamber..." Kye stood up, having built up the courage she needed.
"Don't give me hope."
"... And you speak their names..."
"Kye, don't give me hope!" Atalante lunged at her, but only to embrace her. She hugged the female king in a desperate attempt to silence her.
"... and I can help you."
"Kye... please..."
Kye pulled Atalante away and smiled at her. She then turned back to the other leaders. "Since she figured it out, I'll give you the details. It's a story of something that happened a little over ten million years ago, when Atalante was the Crown Princess, rather than the Empress." Atalante collapsed to the floor, crying. Kye nodded at Alethea, and the pink-haired girl embraced her mother. With Atalante taken care of, Kye returned her attention to the others. "This is the story of Artemios, Alexandros, and Athanasia... a story of a heroic sister who would not leave her little brothers behind."
The room began to fade away, soon replaced by a somewhat familiar sight to some of the present company. It was the Atlantis throne room, but it was different. Nobody could see anyone else, or even their own hands, but they heard Kye through her magic.
"In the year 3965, before year 0 on the Atlantis Calender, a disaster struck the prosperous Empire of Atlantis."
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Revision: 2024-9-17