Against the midnight blue sky, the house looked like any other in the area―a white rectangle with a few windows, covered with animal skin from the inside. On closer inspection, the building was crumbling like old bread. Icy and bitter wind rattled the condensation-covered animal skin, the noise of the flapping being the only disturbance to the eerie silence encompassing the surroundings.

As Velyts trudged inside, he was immediately welcomed by the rotten stench of expired food and feces littering the corners of the chamber. Barely managing to hold in his vomit, he pinched his nose and peered in the darkness, past the dirty furniture and old spiderwebs clinging to the walls, and to a bow and quiver carrying four-fletch arrows. He rushed to grab a hold of them, disregarding the shooting pain in his shoulder.

The bow was crafted of flexible, slender yew wood; on the quiver was carved what appeared to be a woman holding in her palms a star―it was the Sun from the Pajoian myths, an androgynous being most peasants from the kingdom reverenced, their only salvation from a life utterly exhausting. In the midst of his anxieties almost completely overwhelming his mind, Velyts recollected the scene of the Sun descending from the heavens to personally punish the Eagles; in spite of its stupendous powers, it was eventually defeated, thus perishing the sole being keeping the small kingdom in unity… Well, that last bit was debatable.

Squeezing the bow in his hand and slinging the quiver over his shoulder, Velyts stumbled out of the house, making his way slowly back to the battle. His thoughts were a cacophony of sweet whispers of encouragements and whines of distress, his entire form frozen not from the chilly winds, but from discomposure. He clutched his shoulder one last time, before speeding up his pace.

“...persuade me? Trying to get me back to a life of misery?” The man’s deep voice was carried by a blow. Velyts immediately switched to tiptoeing to another building farther away from the scene, but still close enough for him to see their figures somewhat properly.

“No, that was never my intention. Die for the sultana for all I care, and I can guarantee you the Sun won’t send your soul to reincarnate. It will die deep within the Grot of Life.”

As Velyts entered another building as quietly as possible, he could distinctly hear the man’s strained laughter, a fruitless attempt to mask his disconcertment. “Oh, come on, you know it’s nothing but a bad excuse of a god. Comparing it to the Denan gods, who have been actively protecting their empire, ours is just hiding away! Humans have to do anything on their own nowadays, Users are gone fighting with whatever monsters they find, as if that solves the problems!”

“Do you really think so?” Afi’s calm, yet pained voice interrupted him briskly. “Gods should not baby the humans like a mother would a child. The Dena Empire has birthed one too many gods along the centuries, hence the powers they possess are little. In contrast, the Sun not only guides the souls during reincarnation, but also creates life. I know it, you know it.”

Afi hesitated. Velyts peeked through an opening in the animal skin-covered window and noticed her barely keeping herself upright. She was conversing with the man, all while trying to summon any of her strength left for the decisive blow. With that in mind, Velyts decided to climb up the stone stairs and onto the roof of the building, overlooking the battle from a distance.

He was positioned exactly behind the man, meaning only Afi could perceive his presence. She was huffing, the skin on her right hand burnt from materializing too many arrows.

Velyts inhaled silently the cold air, feeling his lungs expanding. This is it. I can do this. I’ve attended archery classes back in middle school, it should be just as easy as before… I hope…

“It’s―” Afi lifted her head, her eyes catching the sight of Velyts standing proudly on the rooftop of a building and preparing to shoot at the man. An incredulous expression flashed across her features, before resuming her poker face expertly and staring back at the man. It all happened in a second, but it was sufficient for Afi to reignite the fire within her. “I-it’s about time you admit defeat. My powers may dwindle during the night, but the daylight brings the protection of the Sun. And it’s about to be daytime.”

“You think that frightens me?!” The man threw his head back and laughed heartily, exposing his straight nose bridge. “The Sun this, the Sun that! Once the God of Desert takes back his rightful place on his throne, all these threats will be meaningless! You’re nothing without the gods’ support. I know it, you know it.”

Afi made a gesture as if she was shaking her hand, but it was a signal for Velyts to prepare for his attack.

And so he did.

The string was a bit tighter than he had initially expected, making it challenging for him to draw and release the arrow. He felt blood gushing out of his wound, but nevertheless he endured the aching, awaiting another small signal from Afi.

“Yes, I’m well aware, but do you know what I taught myself to do after you quit your job as a mercenary?” She let go of the bow and materialized two arrows in her hands. “I can also use them as daggers.”

She briskly glanced in Velyts’ direction and charged at the man just as he materialized his own white daggers.

Have a taste of this! Velyts gritted his teeth and aimed at the moving man with difficulty, before releasing the arrow. Taking note of the approaching arrow, the man made a move to the side, which was anticipated by Afi; as he avoided the arrow, she stabbed one of her daggers in his leg and kicked him hard in the shin. He hissed and jumped back.

“You looove to play dirty, Afi, don’t you?” He growled and put his palms together. “Cloud Nine!”

Cloud Nine?! Velyts’ hand quivered uncontrollably.

The man’s rings promptly turned both a startling violet, glimmering with intensity in the darkness of the night; then, followed a powerful earthquake, toppling over buildings in the vicinity and making cracks in the pathways. Velyts was thrown violently to the ground by the earth’s movements, the very sharp pangs causing black spots to emerge before his eyes.

Unexpectedly, something burst out of the ground; it was a griffin of a considerable size, its eyes the same tint of violet the man’s rings had. It flew next to the man, ready to pounce on whatever target at his command. 

Afi shrieked, “you cannot control deities as you wish! That goes against the Primordial Laws!”

“Watch me!” He replied enthusiastically, raising his arm to point at Afi.

The griffin opened its beak to concentrate energy in its mouth the size of its entire head, the color a garish yellow and flashy enough to cause Afi to cover her eyes. It was as if it was molding a star, casting a glaring light on the surroundings.

“Do you wish to join me now, Afi?” The man’s front was shrouded in darkness, whilst his back was washed by the brilliance of the light, creating a halo resembling the one saints had―except, he was anything but a saint.

“Never,” answered Afi.

When Velyts came to again, he clutched his head and groaned, patting around awkwardly for his bow. His eyes hurt from the fulguration; the bright light was there for a moment, but then gone the next. Still dizzy from the earthquake and the blood loss, he reckoned it was a storm.

He had to be in his room… he had to. Perhaps he had fallen asleep watching his favorite series yet again… the TV must have turned itself off… His hand touched sand, finer than the one he had at the beach, too.

That was when, through his muddled thinking, he realized it was not his room.

Velyts crawled to the bow, groaning each time his shoulder grazed the ground and leaving a trail of blood in his wake. His fingers touched the string, the handle and struggled to bring it closer to his body. He could recognize some noises nearby, but could not identify the voices.

“...Sun…lost!...guardian…”

Despite being very disoriented indeed, every fiber of his being screamed at him to move, to hide, to defend himself from the impending danger. He could sense it, but who was threatening his safety? Or, rather, what?

“...it back…”

Another earthquake, this time not as powerful as the previous.

Another dazzling light. Velyts closed his eyes. He wished to doze, oh, how he yearned to have some peace and quiet, yet the racket just would not cease.

Another earthquake.

Silence.

Velyts sighed in pleasure, feeling himself slowly lose consciousness and welcoming the numbing wind as his own blanket for sleep.

Cold fingers suddenly pressed against his carotid artery, presumably checking his pulse. Velyts flinched.

Then, they retracted and something else grabbed a hold of his body. Paws.

Just as he felt himself getting hoisted in the air, his head slumped.