Divine Matters

“Bring in the next subject, guard.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

“Hopefully, it’ll be someone actually worth- Welcome to the Divine Chamber, young lady. You are not of my usual queries.”

“Uh… N-no, Divine Holiness, sir…”

“Your Holiness is just fine; you do not need to bother your beautiful head with the nuances of titles.”

“Th-thank you… Your Holiness. Um, where do I stand to discuss my problem?”

“Normally, near the centre, before the throne. However, I feel a need that you require my full attention without such time restraints. Guards, please tell whoever is waiting that my court is now closed for the day.”

“T-that won’t be necessary, Your Holiness, it’s just a small-”

“Nonsense. I sense a great rift within your soul that requires a divine’s touch.”

“If you say so…”

“I do, now come – we’ll go where such delicate work can be administered.”

“Your Holiness? Ah… you mean right this moment. Coming, but where are we going?”

“To a place almost as divine as me, a place where a delicate flower like you will fit in quite nicely. Somewhere where mortal eyes have begged to see for generations, and I have a feeling you will greatly appreciate with how heavy your heart weighs.”

“I… I didn’t think it was so obvious, Your Holiness. Forgive me for bothering you.”

“It’s the Divine Holiness’s work to provide where mortal methods cannot.”

“Okay… This place is much bigger on the inside, and it was already large outside.”

“It is, I suppose. After so long, you forget how things look with fresh eyes.”

“A bit like looking at a box without seeing what’s inside for a while?”

“Precisely like that!”

“And this place, these stone walls and floors… Do they offer protection, or do they make you feel suffocated?”

“I don’t believe anyone has ever felt suffocated in such grandiose halls.”

“Wouldn’t they, though, to you? I’ve heard you hardly leave this cathedral. Giving orders of where to move soldiers and lead the nation.”

“To weaker souls, perhaps. But being divine, I don’t have such wariness. Especially since if things seem more tolling than normal, I can come to the place we are about to enter.”

“So… you don’t feel exhausted or overwhelmed by what you tell your subjects to tend to?”

“Of course not. For the good of the world and the realm, if I question my methods, my purpose, then my people will falter. Why would they believe in me if I cannot believe in myself?”

“I-I see… that seems like such a burden to hold yourself to such standards.”

“As I said, as the Divine Holiness, such… luxuries, as you would see them, are not something I can entertain. Now, through here is the most beautiful place in the world. Please enter and see what I mean.”

“This place is… wow. It’s so green and alive. Not even the forests I have travelled have such life to them.”

“It’s quite something, all these colours and plants creating a contained jungle of flora, all without the issues of fauna. The gardeners are masters of their craft, and the botanists who collect so many exotic species are also a special breed. There are probably every species of flower and rare tree from all over the world within this-”

“You even have an Asmus Wisteria…”

“I’m surprised you know that plant.”

“There’s no mistaking its blue to red flowers in the lush vines. Oh, I… sorry, Your Holiness. I’ve seen them only in books ever since I was little and have always wanted to see one in person – but being that they only grew in Asmus… That place has been gone for twenty years with a foul storm that neither child nor plant escaped its cruel grasp.”

“Is that what they say happened?”

“It’s in the textbooks… did something else happen to Asmus for it to vanish?”

“I wouldn’t say it’s wrong that a storm consumed it, but it was a storm of their own making. The people had stained the very earth with their traitorous faith in evil creatures, praying to them to consume any and all that threatened to stop them from bending the world to their whims. And in that desire, the world itself could not stand for such vile things to be upon her crust and cleansed them from tainting anymore of her. It was only after that cleansing did I order the Royal Gallant Paladins to investigate and ensure that integrating the land into Vayberuas would be safe. Now, while no one lives there right now, hopes to repopulate the soil soon with the good of the world are high.”

“You sound like you knew what Asmus and its people were doing and the disgusting powers they were invoking. Did you help the world get rid of such evil and filth?”

“I listened to the cries that our world was screaming out. So, like any proper god, I listened. What kind of god would I be if I had no world to help oversee? Like a kingdom and its people, a god is nothing without a world.”

“I see… That… That must have been horrible to witness. The taint you felt, the world’s wounds…”

“It was far from pleasant – but I did what I must. Storm or otherwise. This Asmus Wisteria will be seeded to Vayberuas soil soon to create a new plant with a new name to bring the only good that came from that forsaken pit. And with it, we will be able to finally leave that history behind to be forgotten, much like the world already has. Let’s go this way for a more uplifting discussion. You already seem to carry too much weight as it is; no need to add more to it.”

“Y-yes, Your Holiness. Um, I have a question, not the one I came for, but…”

“Ask away; this afternoon is for you and you alone.”

“Oh… well… um, how did you know I wasn’t one of your usual queries?”

“Well, most of the people that come to see me are nobles complaining about petty matters that their courts couldn’t solve. You, on the other hand, came in travel boots and a large bag on your person. And from what I can tell by the way you are holding it, there aren’t scrolls within save for possibly a map, meaning you are not a messenger.”

“I kind of am, but not the way you think.”

“I assume not. Here, this bench, you can set your bag there and lighten the weight you are burdened by. And perhaps you could lose a few layers; that overcoat looks far too warm for this weather.”

“I’m actually used to warmer weather, and they make the nights warmer still. However, I don’t know if I feel comfortable about taking off some of my clothes. I’m not dressed to your expectations…”

“There is no need to worry about expectations out here. If anything, the sight of is making me feel too warm.”

“If… If that is what you wish, Your Holiness, I can lose some of these layers.”

“I’m more concerned about being able to help you, and being able to see you without a shield of cloth will allow me to feel your soul clearer. Clothing is so… restrictive and blocks the true body that so many hide underneath, hiding their evil and souls with pretty garments that make the eye look at the glamour.”

“Is that why you wear such jewels and glistening white silk?”

“Ha, a joke from you. And here I was wondering if my presence had overwhelmed your genuine spirit.”

“A poor joke, admittedly. Apologies, it could have been seen as insensitive.”

“No need to apologize; only the jester is brave enough to speak to me in such a manner. It’s a relief. Now that you are less covered, sit with me here and we can discuss your worldly troubles.”

“Erm, there is hardly any space between you and my things…”

“That’s alright; it would be better for you to be closer.”

“If you wish.”

“There you go. You are… forgive my forwardness, but I don’t believe I’ve ever seen such a woman like you – one would think you were a goddess.”

“That’s ridiculous; I’m no different from any other woman where I’m from.”

“A place of goddesses? I’ve never heard of such a place in all the world.”

“Goddesses and gods, for even the men were just as beautiful.”

“Were? Oh dear, no wonder you are so burdened and why you came. What happened to your home?”

“A man and his evil people came… they came and murdered anyone they could get their hands on. It… I still see the events every night, freezing me to the core.”

“Hence the overcoat… There is nothing to worry about now.”

“No?”

“No. You are safe here and whoever that man is, they will be dealt with accordingly. The cruelty of such an act can only be responded to in turn when they are found.”

“Death?”

“Nothing less, beautiful goddess… Speaking of, I never did get your name.”

“Zenaida, Your Holiness.”

“Zenaida, such a beautiful name. And death will be granted to that man as soon as he is found. Can you tell me more about him?”

“No, but I know where he is. I found him.”

“Even better! Then, when you have shared everything you need, and I have provided you with all that I can, we shall go see the Gallant Paladins toge-”

“Oh, did my knife catch your breath?”

“What…”

“You decreed that only death would be granted to the man who destroyed my home and people. Well, you are him, Your Divine Holiness. You missed a child.”

“I…urgh!”

“Shh, you don’t get to speak, creature, destroyer of a country of gods and goddesses. You do not deserve to speak for dining on our very blood that you stole that night. And now, I’ve come to return a fraction of the favour.”

“I did not-”

“What if I just twist a little this way…”

“Zenaida, stop this-”

“Hm, I’m sorry. I didn’t quite catch what you were saying between the breathless screams.”

“Ah…”

“Turns out your divinity is only skin deep. And here I was hoping for a challenge and brought all these other options for nothing but a mortal.”

“Traitor…”

“I can’t be a traitor if I was never on your side to begin with. We lived as the world wished us to, what you claimed to. No, you are the only traitor here.”

“Nrg…”

“Bleed out and do it slowly. Feel every drop escape you and watch your world fade to nothing; just like how you made mine bleed and fade.”

“Zenaida… I… I did what was right for our world – Asmus’s people living as mortals was… killing us all.”

“No, you didn’t, and no, it wasn’t. You did it for your greed and pride, and we lived as you did over the decades. Eternally grateful for the good graces of our world’s boons. Goodbye, Your Divine Holiness. When you meet my ascended brethren for your judgement, make sure you take in what truly makes a god, and watch below as my people return to consume what you built with your lies. Then, be devoured by oblivion like all of your kind have before.”