High above the mortal plane, seated upon a grand, shimmering throne in the Divine Realm, the Goddess of Sacrifices looked down into a crystal viewing pool, watching Kael unconscious in his room.
A dark smirk played on Anstra's lips. "Kael Redgrave... you have to endure this pain. This Eclipsed Of The Erased will finally forge you into what you're meant to be." She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. "And it will help you live a little better with the System of Sacrifices."
With a flick of her wrist, she closed the floating crimson panel hovering in front of her.
"Now," she muttered, standing up smoothly. "Let's go see how my dear sister is holding up."
Stepping through a shimmering portal into her sister's palace, Anstra called out, "Hello, sister!"
The Goddess of Destiny turned around from her vanity table, her expression heavy and tired. "Hi, Anstra. What brings you here?"
Anstra's soft smile faded the moment she noticed the black mourning robes her sister wore. Her expression hardened. "You're still going to his grave, aren't you? Niyati!"
Niyati gave a sad, apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Anstra. But I love him."
Anstra let out a long, heavy sigh. "Fine. I'm coming with you."
Niyati's eyes lit up with faint hope. "Really?"
Anstra nodded gently. "Yeah..."
Niyati practically ran across the room, throwing her arms around Anstra in a desperate embrace. "Thank you, sister. Lean on me if you need to."
Anstra gently patted her head, her voice softening. "After all... he was my nephew, too."
Niyati buried her face in Anstra's shoulder, fresh tears spilling over. "I already lost one child... I can't bear to lose Kael, too."
Anstra cupped Niyati's face, wiping the tears from her cheeks with a tender thumb. "Kael isn't going to die. You lost Arvion, yes, but Kael is strong. He'll survive this trial, and one day you'll even get to see him settle down with a wonderful wife."
Niyati stepped back, sniffling as she wiped her eyes. "I suppose you're right..." She paused, closing her eyes and pressing her hands together. "Oh, Supreme Gods... please listen to a mother's prayer. Keep my son alive, and bless him with a good, loving wife."
She offered a watery, hopeful smile. "I truly hope so."
"We should go," Anstra said gently, offering her arm.
Niyati nodded. "Yes... you're right."
Meanwhile, on Earth, Kael stirred in his bed.
He slowly pushed himself upright, groggily reaching up to touch his forehead. To his complete confusion, there were no horns, no angelic halo, and no throbbing pain. The nasty gash from the Infinity Room was completely gone, leaving smooth, unblemished skin.
Kael blinked, looking around. Wait... didn't I just pass out in the garden? How did I get back into my bedroom?
Swinging his legs over the edge of the mattress, he stood up and walked over to the door. He turned the handle, pulled it open, and froze in utter shock.
Standing right in the middle of his hallway was Vrita.
"V-Vrita?!" Kael blurted out, his eyes wide. "What... how are you even here?!"
Vrita crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow with a dry, teasing smile. "Is that really all you have to say? You're supposed to run up, give me a big hug, and say, 'Long time no see, my friend.'"
Kael blinked, a genuine smile breaking across his face as he closed the distance and wrapped his arms around her. "Long time no see... my friend."
Vrita patted his back warmly, her voice softening. "That's better, my little brother."
Kael pulled back, laughing nervously. "By the way... you somehow look even younger than before."
Vrita narrowed her eyes playfully, tapping his forehead. "Hey! Are you implying I used to look like an old lady?"
Kael quickly raised his hands in defense, waving them in the air. "No, no! I just meant you look stunning today, that's all!"
Vrita chuckled, ruffling his hair affectionately. "Look at you. You've really learned how to flatter people."
"I'm not flattering you, I'm just stating facts!" Kael protested with a grin, stepping back into the room. "Seriously though, what brings you out here?"
Vrita's expression softened into something more caring as she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small glass vial filled with glowing blue liquid. "Here. Take this medicine. It will keep those severe headaches from coming back after whatever spiritual shock you just put your body through."
Kael took the vial, staring at it in stunned silence. Wait... how did she know about my headaches? How did she even know I was hurt?
Before he could ask, a faint sound from the living room caught his attention.
Confused, Kael walked past Vrita toward the front hall—and stopped dead in his tracks, his breath catching in his throat.
"Who... who are they...?" Kael whispered.
Far away, in the quiet, solemn expanse of the divine cemetery, Niyati stood in front of a cold stone grave.
Slowly sinking to her knees, she placed a fresh white flower upon the stone slab. A single candle flickered softly against the evening wind.
"I hope you've found peace..." Niyati whispered, her voice cracking.
A hot tear rolled down her cheek, dropping onto the dark earth. She began to sob openly, pressing her hands against her mouth. "I can't lose Kael... Can I please bring him back now? Please...?"
Anstra stepped up behind her, wrapping her arms around Niyati's shoulders to steady her. "Let it out, sister. Cry as much as you need to. Don't carry this pain all alone. Your son can hear you from here... he knows how much you love him."
"Why did he have to suffer so much?!" Niyati wept bitterly, gripping the cold stone. "He could have lived a peaceful life here! He could have stayed by his mother's side!"
Anstra's eyes filled with sympathetic tears. "Sister... he thinks of you, too. He carries his own burdens."
"No!" Niyati cried out, shaking her head frantically. "One of my children is already gone, and the other looks at me with hatred—even if he tries to hide it!"
Anstra swallowed hard, unable to find the right words. She simply held her sister tighter, offering her a steady shoulder to lean on.
"Do you have any idea what it feels like in a mother's heart," Niyati choked out, her voice trembling with raw agony, "when both of her children feel so far away from her... like she doesn't even exist?!"
She grabbed handfuls of her dark mourning dress, her knuckles turning bone-white from the tight grip.
Throwing her head back, Niyati screamed into the empty sky:
"Arvion! Kael!"
Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, tears continuing to stream down her pale cheeks in an endless torrent. She took a ragged, shaky breath, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "Anstra... now I finally understand why some gods turn to wine. It's the only way to numb a pain this deep..."
"No, Niyati," Anstra said softly. "That isn't the answer."
Niyati glared up through her tears. "Then what is?! Tell me!"
Anstra opened her mouth, but no words came out. The heavy, suffocating silence of the divine realm swallowed her reply.
A bitter, heartbroken smirk crossed Niyati's face. "That's right... nobody actually wants me to be happy. The gods above want to destroy humanity, while I, along with the God of Creation and the other supreme beings, exhaust ourselves trying to save them!"
"Humans are nothing," Anstra said quietly, looking down at the grass. "They are just high-brained creatures wandering in the dark."
"Then why?!" Niyati screamed, her voice breaking entirely. "Why did my child have to nearly lose his life fighting for them?! What did he ever get in return?!"
She slammed her fists against the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. "And now... now there's nobody left who even cares enough to bring him a single flower! They don't even visit out of formality!"
Anstra stared at the dirt, tears dripping from her chin. She had no defense left.
Just then, the God of Creation walked up quietly from the path behind them. With a gentle wave of his hand, he cleared the wild grass and weeds away from the base of the grave.
Niyati turned her tear-stained face toward him, her voice hollow. "If mortal warriors are going to be forgotten this easily... I don't want any more wars. I don't want any more glory. I just want my son back."
The God of Creation closed his eyes, his expression full of sorrow. "You're right, Niyati. But some things are simply beyond our control."
"I don't care!" Niyati yelled, desperate. "Please, bring my child back to me!"
She dropped to her knees, slamming her hands together in a desperate prayer. "I'm begging you! Bring him back to me!"
"If it were within my power... I would do it in a heartbeat," the God of Creation replied heavily. "But apart from the Supreme Gods themselves... no one has the power to reverse death."
"Then I want Kael back!" Niyati cried, her voice cracking into agonizing pieces. "And tell me why Arvion is still trapped in heaven—why can't he come home?!"
Anstra squeezed her shoulders gently. "Sister, please... don't break yourself apart like this."
Niyati whipped around, her eyes blazing with a mother's fierce, uncontrollable grief. "In the end... I am a mother! How can I not fall apart when my children are suffering?!"
Anstra had no words left to comfort her.