A new world

The word spread and soldiers were joyful, it was a wave of happiness to stop the fights and they cheered. They didn't know how the war ended, but they were enjoying the peace and Zaelia was hearing their celebration. She lived it like stabbings in her belly, her beautiful golden belly. 

The gods still alive went back to the Golden City in the sky, they preferred not to stay around Archanium at this moment. The Queen and the King were in a silent embrace, paralyzed by the situation and their sudden suffering. They could explode at any moment, and no being with self-preservation wanted to be there when it would happen.

Zarkhaïm, horrified by what he did, flew away right after Archanium told him to leave. His heart was ravaged and the vision of the Golden Baby would be haunting him for all his eternity. 

He came back to his city in the darkness in the North and Zuline was waiting for him as usual. She saw Zarkhaïm having an expression she never saw before. Something beyond everything she could imagine, a greater suffering than anything he could have felt in all their years of existence. 

She tried to run after him, but the King of the Shadows closed himself in his cave and blocked the entrance. Zarkhaïm cried. He cried for Archanium who had not enough force to cry anymore. He cried for Zaelia who lost much more than her humanity. 

He cried for the redemption they would never have, and, selfishly, he cried for himself and what he did. 

Eventually, Zaelia took the little body in her arms. She held it tight. They were not able to speak anymore. Archanium carried them and brought them to the Golden City on Earth. She sat on her throne with the little one and she stayed there, immobile. Archanium stood behind her, wrapping his wings around them, and the embrace lasted for a long, long time.

The servants saw what she had in her arms, and they ran away. They spread the news and everyone left the city in no time. People ran away as if a fire had started, but Zaelia didn't move. She was not even seeing them leaving. All her attention was on this little being in her arms, and her pain was growing. 

The sun went down and up again, a few times. They were not moving, not speaking. Talking would have made this more real, and none of them was ready to face it. It would have stayed a longer time like this if only Tridjan didn't come. 

"Archanium. Zarkhaïm and I want to speak with you. Peacefully." 

Archanium searched for Zaelia's approbation before leaving, and she nodded. He followed Tridjan in the middle of the Golden City. She was watching them from afar, her heart tightened as she saw Zarkhaïm. Tridjan was the one who spoke, Zarkhaïm remained silent, and it was better this way. Archanium would never have stood the sound of his voice, and they would battle for days again. 

"Our fight almost destroyed this earth and humanity. In order to avoid this, Archanium, you must leave this realm for good. I ask you to take your Golden City in the sky with your gods and leave for another world."

Archanium's voice was hoarse from pain and the long silence. 

"And where should I go?" he asked

"We will build a new world. A world for the exiled, all the ones who are unwanted," answered Tridjan

"You cannot control yourself, you cannot control her. You two are too dangerous for this world." 

Zarkhaïm remained silent, eaten by guilt and shame. 

They all knew that Archanium couldn't stay, he would interfere again. He would never resist being with his Queen. His beloved Queen. 

Archanium knew it too, and he was too weak to start a new fight alone against them both. He gritted his teeth, watching his brother from the darkness. The one that was once his only friend, his only confidant. His heart was bleeding to see him in front of him.

"I have a condition." he said with hatred

Zarkhaïm and Tridjan listened very carefully. They were expecting something absolutely terrifying, but Archanium had a plan and maleficent light crossed his eyes. 

If Archanium could turn a human into God by offering him light, it was known that Zarkhaïm could transmit his immortality and some of his strength to another being by giving his blood. He could heal and repair by changing the very nature of the human he was giving this gift. He could transform others into his kind. Zarkhaïm could have a family, the family Archanium just lost. 

Archanium stared at Zarkhaïm with all his hatred. He knew what he wanted to do, to ask, and how to resolve all of this. 

"Zarkhaïm, my dear brother. You will have the right to transform only one creature with your blood to keep you company in your eternity, and every generation created after you will have the right to transform only one being. »

Archanium had a sadistic grin before adding. 

"If, by misfortune, one day one of them were to create more than one creature, then I will take back the Golden City to earth and I will be the master of this world. When this day will happen, you, you will be my servant without any objection. Are you willing to, dear brother ? "

Tridjan wanted to object, but Zarkhaïm in his pain accepted without thinking twice. He accepted to risk the world's fate, he was so tormented that he was willing to endure the punishment of being alone for all eternity. Everything was good, as long as Archanium's heart could offload a bit from his anger and suffering. This way, Zarkhaïm was hoping that maybe one day he would find the force to forgive himself for what he did.