So it wasn't a trap but rather a whole realm inside of a forest. The lighting was dim and light on the eyes. It was eternally night as if time stood still. The trees parted and a small lake was in the middle of the forest. We walked the shore line and stopped at the edge of the water. It was still like it was glass. A figure was standing on the surface of the water looking up at the crescent moon that was suspended in the air. They had short pale pink hair, their back was turned so I couldn't see their eyes. They were outfitted in white and pale gold. Seth looked at me and then followed my gaze, he sucked in a breath.
Lucas walked across the water to them and they turned. Baby blue eyes. Their form glowed like a star and where a young adult man once stood, a taller and longer haired man with white wings stood in his place.
'Greetings.' He said, 'I'm Maetel.' He walked over to us and then looked at Seth, 'Quite a journey you all had to get here.'
"It was surprisingly easy." Seth blurted out.
Auri nodded in agreement.
'I guess I'll thank Khrysos for that.' Maetel brought up a hand to his chin in thought.
What?
Maetel's wing twitched as he frowned. 'Kinnarus has been preparing for your arrival as I've been calling in reinforcements myself.'
Ry made a face as if he was saying, are you serious and you've got to be joking? Auri was poking Maetel's wings out of curiosity. The god didn't seem to notice. Seth grabbed her arm and yanked her back from him. He shook his head and Auri dropped. Her fox materialized next to her and shook its tiny demonic wings. Auri poked at them dully, not really interested.
To be honest, I kind of want to touch Maetel's wings too. Maetel's wings are beautiful. At the tops of them were golden bands decorated where his wings bent and his wing tips were lightly gold too.
"If we went toe to toe with Kinnarus, we are bound to lose." I said after drawing myself together.
'Well, I know it sounds impossible, but it's not. I, Avalorne, and Khrysos will be aiding you all.' Maetel folded his arms.
"What if that dragon comes back?" Seth grits his teeth.
'Highly likely.' Maetel said materafactly.
"Woah, hiding nothing there." Ry whistled.
'The age of gods will be reenacted in a few days ■■■■■■■■ will appear in the Holy City once again and Kinnarus will fall.' Maetel smiled.
"You sound so confident that we will win." I blinked.
'I am the god that oversees fate and the future. I only know what I know and I do know that you all will win. Don't look at me like that, I know I'm being cheesy.' Maetel turned to the moon that floated above the lake. Water flowed from it into the lake. It glistened like gems.
"What's that?" I asked.
Maetel looked at me, 'When the laws of this world were created, this moon rose from this very lake. Its reflection shines in the night sky. The second moon resides within the home of the Dragons.'
--------
Seth talked with Maetel alone for a while. He came back with a complicated look on his face. Seth glanced over his shoulder and then looked back at me. He sat down beside me and Auri came over and flopped into his lap. Seth ran his hand through Auri's hair absently. I smiled at him and Ry started a fire to cook food. Maetel sat down next to Lucas, his wings vanished from his back. The priest looked at Maetel and sighed.
"You're unnaturally human for a god." Lucas said.
Maetel smiled with his eyes and lips, 'you think so?'
"Well, yeah, but what is even your original form?" Lucas asked.
'Uh…' Maetel spaced out and he furrowed his eyebrows before answering, 'Oddly enough, I was once human. I ascended to godhood after my death. The gods of Astoria took pity on me and my soul transcribed the heavens. I was brought before the gods of Astoria and one of them took me in.' He paused, 'I guess the form you saw me in before I noticed you all. Is my original form.'
"Is that your human form?" Lucas asked.
'Yes.' Maetel nods, 'Short pink hair and salmon colored eyes. I was part of what is now called Novaria. I was a half blood of the fae folk. Which explains my odd hair and eye color.'
"Fae?" Lucas frowned, "I thought they were just made up."
"If Dragons exist, why not the Fae, bright one?" Ry huffed.
Lucas glared at him, but stayed silent. Seth reached out to the fire and Fulminus zapped at his finger tips. An explosion followed and smoke went up. Ventus blew the smoke out of the air and I saw Maetel with his wings around Lucas and Ry. Seth was shielding Auri by curling himself around her. Seth opened his eyes and unfolded himself from Auri.
Maetel chuckled, 'careful, this place here heightens your powers attuned with the elements of this world.'
"But Fulminus isn't as responsive to me as Unda is." Seth sighed and got up. "You told me what you could, but it still makes no sense." He walked away.
"Process what?" I looked at Maetel. "What did you say to him?"
'Key information about himself.' Maetel crossed his legs and drew his wings back.
"Which was?"
'None of your concern.' Maetel gave me a look.
I shivered. For being so nonchalant at times, he is still a god. I forgot that I was talking to one. He has wings! How could I forget? Think Kliene. Think. I sat back down and I felt Avalorne's presence draw up my neck.
'You get so worked up over this boy.' Avalrone said to me, 'He'll be fine.'
"So do you." I hissed back. "You tell me to keep an eye out on him, and don't you dare say no."
Avalorne stayed quiet. I huffed and looked back at the fire. Maetel's lips curled into a small smile.
'Is he giving you a hard time?' Maetel asked.
I froze and looked at him. "How… Did you know?" I felt Avalorne's anger alongside mine.
Maetel smiled lightly, 'Whether I like it or not, I'm bound to him.' He held up his hand and pulled down his sleeve. A thin light golden thread was wrapped around his wrist and it connected to me. He tried grabbing it but his fingers passed through the strand.
"You're connected to Avalorne?" I said quietly. I was stunned.
Maetel sighed, 'To some extent, all of us gods are. I'm just more deeply connected to your dog.'
Avalorne bristled. Maetel glared at me. No… not me, him.
'Quit hiding! If you have something to say, say it to my face!' Maetel shouted.
Lucas, Ry, and Auri flinched. Maetel was glaring hard. I was sweating from the sheer force of Maetel's gaze and the pressure Maetel was exerting was hard. I wished Avalorne would stop hiding in my body. What a chicken. I gasped and felt dizzy. Avalorne…
Just like that the pressure lifted. I saw a flash and from my blurry vision. I made out Avalorne in front of me in his smaller form. Bastard… about time. Maetel turned his nose and folded his arms.
'About time.' Maetel echoed my thoughts.
Avalorne grumbled, 'You're still the same as ever.'
'Yeah? So what?' Maetel said a bit hurt.
'You're childish.'
Maetel instantly started to flare. Lucas and Ry bolted away from him. Auri shrank behind me. Avalorne just sat there. Maetel's aura collided with Avalorne's and I covered my face as it went around Avalorne, not touching him. I could see a faint brown glow around Avalorne that protected him from Maetel. That same color rose from me and Auri. Avalorne licked his paw absently and Maetel's aura died down.
'You done?' Avalorne tipped his head.
'No.' Maetel scoffed.
'Save your anger for something else. You're going to injure the kids.' Avalorne flicked his tail.
Maetel got up and Avalorne grew in size. He was at least six feet tall, not his full height. Maetel grabbed one of Avalorne's wings and pulled it out. 'Aww you're mimicking me!'
Avalorne pulled his wing back and tucked it. 'Stop.' His wings vanish from his sides and he bats Maetel like a cat.
I looked away. This was getting awkward. Who knew that the gods could act like this. Auri sat in my lap and I sighed. She looked around and drooped. Auri was looking for Seth. Ry came over to me and knelt.
"It's time to sleep." He murmured.
I looked at the gods. They were still talking. I sighed and Auri got up. I looked at the eternal starry nebula night sky. I opened my menu and summoned my mat and blankets. Auri laid her stuff next to me and I covered us with our Mira blankets. I pulled her over and draped my arm over Auri. She smiled and I smiled back. Ry laid at my back as he usually does by habit. Since we are in a realm, we don't have to do night watch. We'll all finally have a full night of sleep. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
—
'You feel that you'll stray away from humanity if you don't proceed with this? It's a risk… A big risk. Are you sure?'
"Yes. One day someone will find me and save me from myself. I only hope that my new self will be strong enough to endure that long."
'■■■■■■■■…'
"Heh… Don't mourn for me, friend. I know that you two will do as you're told." They sighed.
'We will, but it ultimately falls down to you to follow through.'
"I know… It's a matter of time… and Raetrix is very generous with that."
'You sacrifice so much for them. You're different from us, you know.' A laugh, pained. 'Take care, old friend. We'll make this quick.'
—--
I woke up and saw that Auri left my side. I sat up and sighed. Ry was talking to Lucas. Auri was running around with her fox. She was smiling brightly. I got up and looked around. Avalorne was sitting at the edge of the lake looking up. Avalrone's dark brown-black fur glistened in the night sky. Despite it being morning, it was eternally night here. I walked over to him and he glanced at me.
'Maetel would never tell you, but he… foresaw his own nation falling into the hands of Kinnarus. He fought with himself mentally about it and talked to the other deities. You see, people think Maetel is the weakest god since he claims to be, but in terms of all of the other countless gods, Maetel is high in the ranks. He may have been from this world, but he rose higher than most.' He looked away.
I sat down next to the big wolf and smiled. Avalorne may be grumpy, but he cares about others he likes. If he's telling me this, he must deeply care about Maetel. I noticed that the two of them have a history, but why does it seem like they are at odds? The two of them must have had a fight. I looked back at the god and he was looking at me from the corner of his eyes. I grinned and scratched my cheek with my finger. I was nervous.
'You want to know about my history with the fae?' He grumbled.
I glanced to the side. What should I say… He shifted and looked away too. I froze and my jaw dropped. Is he… pouting? I gawked, why is he pouting?
'Maetel and I were friends with a god that transcended the heavens. Through them, we were able to establish the foundation of humanity. Though back in the old era, the Fae folk ruled Lunoris. Us gods didn't arrive on this planet until their prayers reached the divine thrones of Astoria. Yes, there is a place called Astoria here on your planet. The gods could travel freely to and from that place. That's why in history, it's called the Realm of gods and dragons.' He paused and I nodded.
'Our friend answered that wish and sent two beings, myself and Kajimil to Lunoris to help aid the Fae against the Bloodbourn. Of course on this planet there is wolf-kin, a race connected to my very own. I wasn't as welcomed as Kajimil was. Wolf-kin was another race that was at odds against the Fae.'
'Kajimil easily won over the Fae's trust and soon won over the Royal family. That's where Maetel comes in. When Maetel told you that he was a half-fae, it is a big lie. He's the last Royal heir to the Fae Folk as his kin was murdered before him. Kajimil and I were only there to give guidance, not to intervene, which drove Kajimil angry.'
'Kajimil shook their fists at my dear friend as the majority of the Fae folk were slaughtered. What good were we gods if we didn't do anything? Kajimil turned his back on Astoria and left. I however… brought Maetel before the divine thrones of Astoria to give him another chance at life.'
'My dear friend accepted my proposal and Maetel ascended the ranks and now fills in the role where Kajimil left vacant.'