“Perhaps we should finish this discussion alone, Ashíel?” Dreya glanced around, reminding me of the multitudes surrounding us. Although my mind was full of confusion, even in its muddled state, I could still think clearly enough to understand that the rest of our conversation needed to take place in a more private location.
“Thank you for taking care of my daughter,” she addressed Kyrah and Agna, not bothering to brush away her tears as she turned towards my companions. “I will return with a suitable reward once I see her safely back home.”
“I can’t leave, Mother,” I stopped when I realized her intentions. “I’ve promised to help them; without me, the Nér-vrogan will slaughter everyone.”
“Your friends were just explaining this to me when you… woke up,” I caught the sideways look Dreya cast towards Kyrah, telling me of her doubts. “I would very much like to hear your version of events before making up my mind.”
“The command tent is only a short distance away.” Taking a quick look around to get my bearings, I was able to motion towards the encampment we’d made before the battle. “It should provide a decent enough location for our discussion.”
Dreya took hold of my hand as I showed her the way, and I hurried inside when my eyes began to well up once more. After giving up all hope of ever seeing my mother again, our sudden reunion was more than I’d been prepared for. Although I gestured for her to take a seat while I reined in my emotions, she hugged me once again instead.
“I should’ve never left you to figure things out for yourself, Ashíel,” Dreya’s voice faltered as she blinked away the mistiness in her eyes. “When you needed me most, I wasn’t there for you. I gave you space instead of staying by your side.”
“No, you did the right thing,” I wasn’t about to let her take the blame for what I’d done. “My heart was filled with anger; I wouldn’t have believed anything you told me.”
“We’re too much alike, you and I.” She smiled as we pulled apart. “Things would have been so much easier between us if you hadn’t inherited my temper.”
Wasn’t that the truth…
“What happened to me?” I abruptly changed the subject. “The last thing I remember was being wounded in the fighting.”
Dreya’s smile vanished in an instant, replaced with a grimace that she quickly tried to cover before she replied.
“You weren’t just wounded, Ashíel, you… died,” she swallowed hard, obviously just as uncomfortable in recalling my death as I was to discover it. “That’s what finally led me to you. I wasn’t sure that I’d know if anything like that ever happened, but your passing hit me just as powerfully as Insleí’s did, perhaps even more so.”
“I tried to bring you back, but Death’s Embrace failed.” I didn’t think anything was beyond that Artifact’s power—as a gift from the Goddess of Death herself, it could supposedly restore anyone’s life. “I was about to go see Lady Death and beg for your return when you found your way back on your own.”
“I don’t remember anything.” It troubled me greatly to know that there was some gap in my awareness. Clearly, something had happened between my… death and sudden resurrection, but I had no idea what those events were.
“Obviously, we won’t be able to resolve this issue today,” Dreya finally sat in the seat I’d offered her. “Perhaps we should discuss what we came here for instead.”
I ran my hand through Scar’s coat as he stood beside me, coming away with yet another handful of his fur. Although the cause of his strange shedding had eluded me before, after Dreya’s unsettling disclosure, I finally understood the reason for his condition. When I sat down, Scar settled his massive head on my knee as he saw the look of comprehension flash in my eyes.
‘You were dead, Ashíel, and I was about to join you.’
Thinking of how he must have suffered hurt me more than anything else. I knew then that I had to do all I could to protect him in the future—but first, I had to know what the fuck was going on.
“What am I?” Tearing my gaze from Scar, I asked Dreya the question that had been haunting me for years, only growing more urgent after I’d come to Runía and discovered my abilities.
“I have a sheet now, just like you,” her eyes widened in surprise at my disclosure. “It says that I’m not only a Sintári and Demi-Goddess but also something called ‘Unbound,’ but I don’t know what that means.”
“You’ll always be Insleí’s daughter, but you’re more mine than any of my other children.” I wasn’t surprised to hear her say that. Líann’s children had all taken after her; none of my siblings even bore a passing resemblance to Dreya. “Have you never wondered why that was?”
Okay, now that got my attention…
“The only way for us to conceive was for me to send your mother a thread of pure Essence,” she recounted the story she’d told me before. “I had to cleanse it of everything, save for what was required to give you life. Without anything of myself, the children I had with Líann took after her almost completely, and I fully expected that you would be the same.”
“But you were different right from the start, Ashíel,” Dreya smiled once more, obviously caught up in some memory as she continued. “You weren’t content with the emptiness I’d offered—you actually took from me instead.”
“I felt your pull the moment you came to life.” Roused from her reverie, she took hold of my hand as she met my gaze again. “Drawing on the bare Essence I sent you, demanding much more than you’d been given, yet still thirsty for more.”
“I didn’t know what would happen or how what you’d taken from me might affect you, but I knew right away that we shared something special,” she let out a sigh that was equal parts frustration and… pride? “What I was absolutely sure of was that you needed to be kept safe until we discovered the answers to those questions—without the proper guidance, the power you’d inherited from me could have been just as dangerous to you as anyone else.”
I’d finally learned to embrace the aspects of myself I’d inherited from Dreya, yet her disclosure made me see them in an entirely new light. There’d never been anything arbitrary in our strong resemblance; every facet of her that I possessed had been mine by choice. All the limits and boundaries that she’d set for me suddenly made sense as well. Those restrictions had never been intended to hold me down, but to protect me—not from the dangers of the world beyond the Imperial District, but from myself. Understanding all of this only made me feel even more guilty for my resentment, but I managed to look my mother in the eye when I replied.
“You were right to keep this from me; I never would’ve accepted the truth without discovering at least part of it for myself.” I couldn’t help but regret my spiteful actions and the bitter animosity that had motivated them. “I’ve wasted so many years hating you…”
My words trailed off when I realized something I’d overlooked until that very moment. Up until then, I’d only barely considered how my actions must have affected Dreya. She’d known the deeper significance of my resemblance to her all along, yet she’d held that secret inside when it might have healed the wounds between us. I could only imagine the pain she must have endured as I’d spurned her, yet knowing that I wasn’t ready for the truth, she’d never given even a hint of it away, choosing to bear the burden of my scorn instead.
“How can I possibly be angry with you, Ashíel?” Dreya lifted my chin, forcing me to look her in the eye once more as she read my thoughts—not such a difficult task considering how alike we were. “You are so very much my daughter, after all.”
I couldn’t help but smile as she said the words, knowing what she truly meant; despite the anguish I’d clearly caused her, Dreya couldn’t fault me for it. I’d lashed out at her in my ignorance, but the rage I’d felt had come from Dreya herself—she could hardly blame me for inheriting her legendary temper.
“I am,” I felt the smile pulling at the corners of my mouth as I said the words out loud. Although I knew there was much more we
needed to work through, now that the most pressing matters had been addressed, I felt that it was best to leave things as they were, at least for a while.
“I want to come home with you sometime, but I can’t leave Runía just yet.” Part of me chafed a little, feeling as if I was asking her permission to stay. “I’ve started something here, and I need to see it through.”
“Yes, perhaps now would be a good time for you to tell me what you’ve been up to.” Dreya leaned back in her chair, her expression betraying a sense of… amusement as she waited for me to begin.
Recounting the many weeks I’d spent in Runía took quite some time, and Dreya listened closely as I told her of the Nér-vrogans’ depravities and my quest to end them. My sudden discovery of the UI and the information I’d found there piqued her interest most of all. She even had me pull up my sheet for her, and we reviewed it in its entirety together.
“I won’t leave until I’ve freed everyone from the Nér-vrogan,” I braced myself for her reaction to what I was going to say next. “But even once I’m finished, I don’t think I can return to the Imperial District with you, at least not permanently.”
“Runía is my home now.” Her face froze as I declared my intention to remain. “I’ll definitely come visit you, but this is where I’m going to live.”
“This is quite a surprise,” she shook off her disbelief. “I had no idea you’d become so… attached.”
To be honest, neither had I. It wasn’t until I was faced with the prospect of leaving that I understood how much I wanted to stay.
“The Nér-vrogan are an evil that must be defeated.” Dreya nodded as I refocused our discussion on the enemy still threatening to destroy the lives of so many innocent people. “We may have won today, but this is only the first battle in a very long war.”
“After setting all of this in motion, I can understand your desire to see things through,” Dreya replied, oddly smiling at the prospect of my prolonged absence. “But I can’t help thinking that this conflict would be much shorter if you allowed me to help you, Daughter.”
In my youth, I’d fantasized about fighting side by side with my mother more times than I could remember. Her offer to aid me in ending the Nér-vrogan menace was literally a dream come true.
“Tell me you’ll bring Bane too,” I didn’t bother trying to hide my giddy anticipation.
“Oh, it’s been some time since we’ve had a decent fight; I doubt I could keep him away,” she laughed, both at my eagerness and Bane’s desire to join in on the Nér-vrogan’s slaughter.
“When can we start, Mother?”
“As soon as I settle things with Noxyl.” I felt the air chill as Dreya’s rage ignited. “I promised that bitch she’d pay if anything happened to you, and I’m not about to let her off easily.”
Rising from her chair, she was obviously preparing to leave that very moment to carry out her revenge when I placed my hand upon her arm.
“Take me with you,” I demanded, making it clear that this was no mere request. “I have unfinished business with Noxyl as well.”
“Yes, I imagine that you do.” Dreya’s lips curled up in a smile that promised nothing but pain for the Trickster Goddess before the room around me shimmered and then vanished.
* * *
Although the place we emerged was unfamiliar, I’d had it described to me so many times that I instantly recognized the hallowed halls of the Pantheon’s retreat. The moment we appeared, the broad marble passageway flared in a bright green light, illuminating its gilded walls with my mother’s unrestrained rage. Before she could take her first step, I channeled my own fury as well, adding the significantly paler glow of my own eyes to the display.
“We may face some resistance,” Dreya said, drawing to a halt when we came to a large set of ornately carved double doors. “There are those who share Noxyl’s resentment of me.”
“You are Dreya Sintári, Goddess of Justice,” my voice betrayed the pride I felt once more in recognizing my mother. “I don’t give a fuck what they think of you.”
“I don’t doubt that for a minute, Daughter.” A smile briefly broke through Dreya’s mask of outrage as she shoved the wide doors open.
The entire Pantheon was gathered inside the large chamber, obviously aware of our impending arrival. Contrary to every depiction I’d ever seen of them, each one was fully dressed for battle. The lines of the looming conflict were also clearly drawn as well, with Nentai and Set leading the faction that favored us, while Raithe and Noxyl were at the head of the opposing group. Only Uthalan himself stood apart from the two bands, completely unarmed as he interposed himself between Noxyl and us. Though the Trickster Goddess stood firm, I could sense her fear. My mother was not one to be trifled with; not even a Goddess such as her was safe from Dreya’s wrath, and it was clear that Noxyl recognized that her end might very well be close at hand.
“You’ve found your daughter, safe and sound, Dreya,” Uthalan spread his arms wide, pleading for her restraint. “There is no need for this.”
“I found my daughter dead!” The room flared still brighter as Dreya’s anger rose, and even though it wasn’t directed at me, her rage was a terrible thing to behold. “I told Noxyl she’d pay if any harm came to Ashíel, and I intend to make good on that promise, right now.”
On both sides of the room, the Gods’ hands drifted towards the hilts of their weapons as they prepared for the inevitable battle. The air surrounding me practically crackled with tension, needing only the slightest spark to ignite into a conflagration, but as Dreya moved to draw her blades, I stayed her hand.
“There’s something I need to say to her,” I let my voice carry through the room, ensuring that the others heard me as well. “Will you let me speak to Noxyl before you slay her?”
“She’s not to be trusted,” Dreya glared at her prey but offered no further explanation, nor did I need one—Noxyl’s tendencies were well-known to all.
“I will not harm her,” the Trickster Goddess’ face tightened as she looked for anything that might offer a delay in her sentencing.
As I walked towards her, Noxyl seemed equal parts curious and desperate for a reprieve. I don’t think anything could have prepared her for what I intended; she actually shuddered in surprise when I wrapped her up in a tight embrace.
“Thank you,” though we were close enough for whispers to suffice, I once again spoke loudly enough for all to hear. “Without you, my mother and I may have never reconciled our differences. I know it wasn’t your intention to do so, but it was your actions that brought us back together again.”
Noxyl was so utterly shocked by my genuine expression of gratitude that she didn’t even react when I planted a kiss on her forehead before retreating back to Dreya’s side. I’m not sure my mother was much better off; the look in her eyes spoke clearly of bewilderment.
“Come, Mother, we should go now.” Taking hold of Dreya’s hand, I pulled her gently towards the door. “I think we’ve accomplished everything we needed to.”
As we left, an ominous figure concealed behind the hood of a jet-black robe stood near the doorway. Lady Death whispered only three words as I led my mother outside.
“Well done, Ashíel.” Her cowl dipped slightly towards me, yet despite her grim reputation, there was something strangely… comforting in the way she’d spoken my name.
“I would have killed her,” Dreya finally recovered once we were back in the broad hallway. “I would’ve slaughtered all of them for what she did to you.”
“I know,” I soothed, certain that had been her true purpose. “But perhaps leaving Noxyl with the knowledge of how badly she failed is a more fitting punishment.”
“You may have my temper, but you’ve clearly inherited Insleí’s cunning.” Dreya smiled as she nodded in recognition. “She would be proud of you.”
“Can you take me back home now?” Her praise made me uncomfortable, reminding me of the rift that had once been between us. “My friends are probably getti
ng worried.”
“Of course, Ashíel,” she noted my obvious unease, yet still offered me a reassuring smile. “We’ll just need to make a quick stop to pick up Bane and let Líann know what’s going on first.”
Epilogue
Dreya’s idea of a ‘quick stop’ was quite different from mine. Although she made sure to send word to my companions informing them of the delay in my return, we spent nearly a full week at the Imperial Palace. Much of my time there was spent with Dreya, patching up our differences and trying to make up for lost time. I also took the opportunity to reunite with Líann and my siblings, Ravíenne, Caelen, and Immaní, and of course, Aunt Venna. Although I was certain that it was my mother’s intention to persuade me to remain with her there, she finally relented and brought me back to Runía.
By the time we arrived, word of our victory over Lord Tarvul had spread across the entire continent. People had come from all over to join our forces, swelling our ranks to many thousands. Among them were not only the former residents of the various Nér-vrogan Realms, but also emissaries from several orc tribes who wished to aid us as well. Negotiations with them had been a bit strained, but our sudden return served to ease the orc representatives’ concerns greatly. Although I was certain that the abrupt appearance of a Goddess and her dragon had a great deal to do with that, Dreya’s foresight also aided us immensely. Anticipating something along those lines, she’d made sure that the cadre of guards she’d brought with her included several orcs—most prominently, their captain.
The Nér-vrogan hadn’t remained idle in my absence, either. After Tarvul’s stunning defeat, they’d rallied their forces, massing together in an attempt to wipe out their opposition. The army they managed to assemble was quite an impressive force, and they may have even stood a chance of success had they been facing a more conventional foe. But the Nér-vrogan were up against more than just me and some ragged band of rebels; we had a Goddess and her dragon on our side.
Second Skin: Wayward: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 7) Page 25