“It is symbiotic. It has to be. The relationship between a citadel and its Hermit Titian. We have to trust that it's symbiotic. We have to trust that it does not hate us for what we must do to survive. Our lives are entwined with that of the titan. If it were to die, we would be left adrift in the cold vacuum of space; incapable of our hunts, slowly drifting to our demise..”
The high priestess, Secura, spoke to Eman, who held on to the story like a broken safety line, a useless symbol of safety quickly drifting away.
“My Holyness, forgive me, but I am but a simple cleaner; I do not deserve your words.”
Secura leaned forward on the throne, eyes twitching with a look of pity and scorn. “ Boy, if I speak. I assume you listen. And if I believe you to be listening then my judgement is that my words are fit to be reaching your ears.”
Eman’s eyes flashed with panic, in his attempt to grovel he had placed himself in ever more danger. He was given a moment to think as the Titian groaned, shaking the very throne and chattering his teeth.“ Puh... p pardons of the ancients, my Holyness, I would never...”
Secura raised a hand, silencing the young man. He flinched, of course; Eman didn't imagine being struck by the high priestess would hurt any less than her lessers. “Indulge me, why do you think those words aren't for your ears?”
“My Holyness I would never...”
“Answer me or I'll have the guards toss you in the bile harvester.”
“I..I.III”
Secura raised her hands to her mouth, about to make the shrill whistle that would call the guards back into the room.
“It is Heretical!”
A smile crept across her face “heresy...”
“It is Heresy Priestess; to suggest our relationship is symbiotic is to suggest we have nothing to offer but our worship.
She began to chuckle
“It...the Titan loves us! it must for it protects us.”
The Lady Secura, her holiness, High priestess of the citadel, began to laugh; a howl which echoed through the chamber of her throne roam with the cackling glee of a school child. It nearly drowned out the next words out of Eman’s mouth
“The, the titian cannot die... it cannot...”
“Ha haha, ah ha hahah.. And what., hah aha heh, and what is heresy if spoken through my lips boy.”
“...”
“Boy!”
“...Truth”
“Truth, exactly”
“Why me, please, why me?”
“Because you will not be missed, a sickly cleaner who questions where we get our food from, who wonders why its colder the further you are from the core of the ship. Because you would not be missed.”
“Oh...”
“A comfort is, boy, that I will miss you.”
“Oh?”
“It is a heavy burden one must carry, the future of the citadel relies on my knowledge, passed on to only the most devoted members of the congregation.
“So I am to?
“No, I am going to kill you, right here in the throne room and my guards won’t care, because they know what you have done, or what I say you will have done.”
“...”
“This Burden is too much to pass but once in a lifetime, it is like a breath held, it must be exhaled from time to time. The lives of all we care about rest on the back of an angry god and we attempt to satiate it with prayer.” Secura drew a short dagger from a fold in her cloaks, wicked yet simple in its design.
“...”
“I just needed you to understand, anyone... I will miss you”
Secura lunged across the short distance separating her from Eman; her body was strong, her will tempered and her skills with a blade vast. The spritely cleaner could only tokenly raise his hands in defense.
But then the Titan groaned again, The room shook violently again. The careful grace of a dancer turned suddenly to the clumsy steps of a drunkard, as Secura tripped on her own feet, and rolled haphazardly into Eman.
The Roar seemed to energize Eman, whose basic survival instinct urged, no begged him to reach for the blade.
The two tussled for a moment, until with pained breath and bloodied hands, Eman rose from the floor, dagger in hand and priestess dead at his feet.
...Now just how long would the guards wait before returning.
About the Creator
Griffen Helm
Griffen Helm; Writer of Things.
Fair Warning my work can be pretty violent, rude, lewd, and explicit; including themes of depression suicide, etc.
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Best Artwork by Gustave Moreau
French Symbolist artist Gustave Moreau was known for his brilliant depictions of mythological and religious themes. He studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and took private art courses with artist Theodore Chasseriau. In 1857 Moreau went to Italy and studied the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Giovanni Bellini. He became the professor of the artists Henri Matisse and Georges Rouault at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. The Musée National Gustave Moreau is in Paris.
By Rasma Raisters6 days ago in Art
Catherine: The Unshakable Heart of the Monarchy
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Her brand of influence—rooted in challenge and controversy—cannot compete with Catherine’s enduring presence. The public craves stability, someone who embodies calm, resilience, and authenticity. Catherine provides that in abundance, and the contrast is unmistakable. Enduring legacy outshines transient disruption. Ultimately, Catherine’s rise is not a threat to the monarchy—it is its lifeline. She is the bridge between tradition and relevance, connecting generations with quiet confidence. The very qualities that some may perceive as challenging palace control—her popularity, her grace, her resilience—are precisely what sustain public trust. This isn’t a story of rivalry; it’s a lesson in the power of character, the influence of consistency, and the enduring appeal of authenticity. History has a way of remembering who strengthens institutions and who allows petty conflicts to erode them. 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