Chapter Text
There were many things in the world that made little sense after the first waves of despair hit the planet setting off the End of Days. People were suddenly dissipating into soulless aetherless monsters that devoured and murdered. Magicks long-woven frazzled into strands of useless aetherical fibers, no longer holding their effects. The very convocation that everyone trusted didn't seem to be able to stop these events and chaos ruled this once peaceful planet; its shepherds just as panicked as the rest of them.
So it's no surprise that these very same leaders would come up with some harebrained scheme like sacrificing half of the planet's remaining population in order to summon a god to shield them and stave off the End of Days and then later sacrifice even more life to later bring back those lost. Nor should it surprise anyone when a counterbalance group came up to stop them only to have to summon their own god to get to the root of the problem that the other faction was masking the symptoms of. Azem hadn't wanted to be a part of either faction even when her best friends and mentor had been the leaders of those factions. In fact, it made it even harder to choose a side since it meant choosing a parental figure or a dear friend and forsaking the other.
What surprised her, however, was when Venat came to her only days after summoning Hydaelyn.
"Azem, Dez, my dear protege... Listen carefully to me," she started as they sat drinking some tea, Azem tapping her foot impatiently. There were too many people out there suffering from the left over monsters running amok to be having a leisurely pot of tea with Venat. She didn't want to admit it, but this new visage she wore also disturbed Azem. It reminded her too much of how her mentor had changed. The serious expression on her face also seemed uncanny and unnatural on the usually calm, content smiling face Venat usually showed her. She stuffed down her impatience and nodded. Venat being this serious meant that it was of grave importance, changed form or not.
"Good. Your soul from the future visited me while I was in Elpis some moons ago..." she paused there to let the reality of this oddness sink in. Azem, who'd seem many things and was arguably only less widely traveled than just Venat herself, struggled to find this particular piece of information plausible. But then again, nothing made sense since the End of Days... though if what Venat had said was true, this particular exchange took place before the end of days occurred. Deciding to just listen, she nodded again, sipping her tea, suddenly grateful for the warm comforting liquid being available for this conversation.
"You had mentioned that Zodiark had been slain and the End of Days was once again upon you. Somehow you'd come back to try to figure out what happened to cause it in the first place." Azem suddenly wondered how such calming tea bittered instantly on her tongue at the mention of the End of Days restarting. Swallowing her embittered drink, Azem leveled Venat a stare, wondering when this odd tale would begin making sense.
"We found out about an experiment Hermes was conducting. As it turns out, there's another energy besides aether that can affect aether if in large enough quantities, but aether cannot affect it back similarly. It's the energy based upon emotions and desires, Dynamis he called it. Hermes had utilized this energy to make Meteion, that little blue-haired bird creature in Elpis. Meteion has siblings that he sent out into universe asking other civilizations that may be present out there what their meaning for living was." Azem could feel her head beginning to spin. Why did Hermes' experiment matter to the End of Days and why was Venat telling her this? She wasn't exactly loved for her eccentric ways and wanderlust so it's not like she'd be able to sway the convocation into removing him from the seat of Fandaniel.
"Those Meteions sent out only met with despair and dead civilizations. Not a single civilization they found was intact. As emotional creatures, they were affected by this despair... and began to collect it unintentionally. We can only speculate how things happened next, but they came to the conclusion that to offer an eternal slumber to all living creatures was the kindest course of action. They came together into a being called the Endsinger and began singing a song of despair that would destabilize aether and attune it to this dynamis which is where those beasts came from. The aether of those souls who succumbed to despair attuned to the song and converted into a creature made of dynamis."
"So why are you telling me this? Obviously you didn't find a way to stop the End of Days with my future soul so what use is there to telling me all this? Shouldn't I be out there trying to save as many souls as possible instead of listening to this?!" Azem was growing increasingly frustrated by the long-winded explanation when all she wanted to do was be out there helping people.
"Because I need you to be my spearhead when Zodiark and I go to attack the Endsinger and change the future. There's a high chance that if we bring anyone who was involved in summoning Zodiark or me, they'll be consumed to fuel us if we get too weak. We need someone strong and unrelated in order to fight on even if Zodiark or I fall in this battle. I want you to be that person, Azem."
There was a stunned silence between the two of them as Azem stared down into her teacup. Many thoughts crossed her mind, most of which circulated around who else could take on this burden. Alas, everyone she knew was either involved in summoning one of the two gods or weren't as strong as her. Venat poured herself another cup of tea and pushed a plate of sweets towards Azem in a conciliatory gesture. It felt like hours of Azem mulling over the various possibilities, circling back to herself time and time again trying to escape this fate that was surely just as bad as death... but there was no other way. She finally took a deep breath and looked up at Venat.
"I understand. Let me say my goodbyes and I'll be ready in the morning." Venat pushed a cookie against her pupil's lips with a wry smile that spoke of how she knew this wasn't what either of them wanted. A sense of fondness ran through Azem as she remembered the days when she was just known as Desdemona, the troublemaker child who would wander outside of the confines of the city when no one was looking and Venat would come collect her from whatever dangerous situation she inevitably got herself into.
"Take your time. Call for me when you're ready. Zodiark and I are ready when you are."
The hours remaining before she would leave wouldn't be many, but she knew what she wanted to do. Who she wanted to say goodbye to.
***
Warping into Amaurot was always odd to her because of how rarely she was in the city and it was even weirder now to see the architecture damaged by these dynamis beasts. But her moment of disorientation ended as quickly as it began as her two best friends quickly warped to her side - a habit from before the End of Days as it was often Azem taking a heavy injury that would cause her to return to Amaurot without being summoned. They'd become so attuned to her specific aether fluctuation when warping in that they were always almost there by the time she fully materialized.
"Where's it hurt, Azem?" Hythlodaeus asked as he immediately began pushing healing magicks into her without even checking if she was actually injured. Emet-Selch at least had the wherewithal to look her over before fretting which is how he noticed she wasn't injured. With a scowl and crossed arms, he began looking past her body to her soul to see if it was an internal injury... but still nothing.
"I'm not hurt, you two. I... wanted to have dinner together. It's been too long since we've spent some time together..." she didn't really think out her excuse well enough, but Emet and Hythlodaeus knew her better than to push her for details she wasn't ready to offer if she was willing to be with them. She'd eventually tell them what it was that was bothering her.
With a relieved sigh and grin, the violet-haired man laced an arm with her and took up his place by her side. "Well of course I'd love to have dinner with you! If Emet-Sulk over there is too busy to grace us with his presence, I'll do my best to make up for his absence~" he teased, knowing exactly how to needle their friend who was inevitably going to say yes anyways. After all, they'd had a bit of a falling out since the whole summoning Zodiark thing happened, but both men still felt very strongly for their obstinate and slightly dense danger-prone friend. There was no way either of them would pass up the chance to reconcile with her when she was the one offering an olive branch.
"I'm not so incompetent as to not be able to spare some time for my long traveled contemporary. And unlike some people, I can remember a whole three syllable title just fine." Without much fanfare, Emet laced his arm into Azem's free arm, knowing she would initiate if he didn't anyways... and this allowed him to quietly let her know that he appreciated her coming home.
The warm reception and nostalgic bickering made Azem feel both better and worse. Her heart squeezed with the bittersweet emotions as the knowledge that she'd never see them again after this sank in. But she had to go and delaying it any more than she already planned to would likely jeopardize Venat's plans. So she set her heart aside and smiled as best she could at the two of them. "Then let's go have dinner at Hythlo's place! He's got the best space for these things after all." The sounds of Emet nitpicking details about Hythlodaeus's kitchen and dining room and Hythlodaeus refuting them with tact and zeal followed them until they arrived at the aforementioned place.
Cooking up a satisfactory meal didn't take long even if it did result in some spilled cooking wine on Emet's hair and bit of flour dusting both Azem and Hythlodaeus in retaliation. A little bit of magicks later and all three were seated at a lovely table with a feast before them, clean of all signs of the previous kitchen war. Conversation flowed between them smoothly with minimal bickering and not a single word brought up about what the plans were for after this dinner. After all, the three were feeling that this fragile peace they'd made would be broken all too easily if any of them mentioned tomorrow. Even when their plates were empty and they were just chatting with each other over the used dishes, none wanted to break this moment and so all continued to pretend like dinner couldn't be called done yet.
When Azem yawned, the stress of many days fighting alone, feeling betrayed and disappointed by all her close loved ones and the new mission on her shoulders finally caught up to her, she leaned her head against the closest person's shoulder, Hythlodaeus. An idea came to her and she grinned mischievously, making Emet feel a chill run down his spine. He prepared himself to immediately tell her no and to stop being so reckless, but her words caught him off guard.
"I don't want to leave tonight. Why don't we all go lay down together like we did when we were kids?" she suggested, smiling innocently up at them. She knew it was inappropriate for someone to sleep in bed with another person unless they planned to sleep with them. She knew they didn't have this kind of a romantic relationship to ask these things of them... but she still wanted to be with them up until the last moment before she left with Venat.
Both men exchanged a surprised look before silently coming to an agreement. Hythlodaeus scooped Azem up and Emet snapped the dishes clean and away as they walked to the master bedroom. "I think that's an acceptable way to make up, don't you Emet?" Hythlodaeus chirped, looking at Emet.
"It only works because it's Azem suggesting it. Anyone else and we may have had to forcibly retire them." There was a little smirk on Emet's face as he watched Azem's face redden at the princess carry and the two men working together for once without complaints. "Though I don't think we can ever let Azem forget that their chosen mode of making up is to go take a nap together like children," he teased, almost grinning at how indignant Azem was becoming. "If you aren't careful, I'm going to forget you're the graceful world-traveled Azem and start calling you Dez again," he purred, chuckling when she squeaked at the sound.
Once they were in the room, it wasn't a surprise when they arranged themselves so that Azem was in the middle of them on the bed. They often felt the need to flank her for fear that she'd be distracted by some small thing or other and wander off into danger. This time was no different... or perhaps only slightly different. If Azem was being this clingy and hadn't said anything yet, it meant there was something massive on her mind and that she might figure out what she was thinking about in the middle of the night and leave before either woke up if they didn't have a good hold on her. As she opened her mouth to complain, Emet growled and kissed her to silence her. It was highly effective even after he pulled back.
"A blush like that suits you much better than whatever was about to come out of your mouth," he teased, secretly worried that he'd misread Azem's feelings and that this whole weird situation was about to implode. To his chagrin and relief, Hythlodaeus didn't miss a beat and kissed Azem as well, effectively stopping her from thinking or reacting to his kiss first. At very least her anger would be split in two now.
"I couldn't let you be the only one to get to taste her lips! Stingy Emet!" Hythlodaeus pouted as he pulled back, and looked into Azem's dazed eyes also searching for any sign that they'd just crossed a line they should've known better than to cross.
Poor Azem could only stammer and blush as she tried to process what'd just happened. Before today, a large part of her was convinced that both of them only saw her as a little sister to tease at best and that her romantic feelings weren't feasible. But they are! The thought repeated in her head making her feel like she was flying on Argos's back once more until a stray thought occurred to her and brought reality back down on her. Only until tomorrow...
A small seed of despair settled into her stomach as she realized they could've had a long loving relationship if only she'd been brave earlier. But instead all they had was less than 12 bells until she marched to her death to save them and the world from a horrific death. So why not make the most of it? Why can't I have a beautiful memory to take with me? she thought as she reached a hand out to both men's cheeks. After all, it'll give them something to remember as well. With the idea settled in her heart, she put on her best seductive smile and ran her hand down their necks to the top of their robes.
"Why don't we all deepen our relationship tonight instead of a nap, hm?" she suggested, smiling more when the two men nodded to each other and leaned down to give her a memory they'd all never forget.
***
When morning came, Azem felt sore and tired, but happy. She basked in the warmth of the two chests protectively curled around her, one wide and strong, the other small, but soft to lay her head against. There was a small little annoyance at the back of her mind that was slowly beginning to ruin her blissfully sleepy state, but she knew better than to acknowledge it before she absolutely had to. Even when those strong arms behind her tightened around her waist and a voice purred into her ear "Good morning Dez," she knew better than to allow herself too much cognizance. She resisted with a whine even when the more lithe arms moved from her back to stroking her mussed hair.
"I think we were too rough on her for how tired she was," a lilting voice commented, gleeful mischief resonating under the beautiful tone. It was only when she started getting attacked by kisses on her nape and eyes that she gave a loud groan and flailed her arms to shoo her lovers away so she could wake up properly. Flopping onto her back, Azem rubbed her eyes and stretched with a wince as many things popped and moved into position. With a low groan she rubbed the areas of her spine that protested her activities and sleeping position only to find another hand join in with healing magicks soothing the muscles and nerves.
"That was quite the show there. Am I supposed to take that as an open invitation?" Emet asked as he leaned down to recapture the mound he'd conquered the night before. There was a brief moment in Azem's mind where she was about to flirt back when suddenly that annoying thing in her mind came blaring to the forefront. She had to leave today, this morning by the letter of her promise to Venat. Sensing something had changed in her, Emet paused, hovering over her chest as he looked up at her face. "What's wrong, Dez?" he asked in a calm void that didn't belie the nerves he felt fraying. Did she regret taking their relationship further last night?
"I just remembered... I promised to go see Venat today." The room went silent, a bit of a frost to the atmosphere. It was widely acknowledged that Venat had summoned Hydaelyn for the good of the star, but the fact that she wanted to go against Zodiark just didn't sit well with many people since Zodiark was able to help them avert the End of Days. "I'm going to be with Elidibus as well. You don't need to act like that. There's something they both want me to do," she explained calmer than she felt as she silently swallowed up all the mounting fear and panic, grief and loss of what she'd only just gained. It took Emet a moment to parse the information in his mind and get over the fact that she was leaving their bed to go meet someone else, but when he finally recalled that final bit of information that Elidibus had been chosen for Zodiark's heart, he suddenly didn't feel any fear about her somehow being pit against them again by her mentor.
"Is that so? Well, we'll just have to continue this later... Perhaps at my place since I have the best bed of the three of us?" he offered with a small smirk as he took a quick jab at his long time friends. When Hythlodaeus didn't rise to the bait, he looked over at the silent man, confused as to why he was just there sitting and staring at Azem. He snapped a few times in front of the man with a grumpy "I know she's attractive, but if you stare so hard at her like that you're going to start seeing each individual piece of aether she's made of!"
Hythlodaeus blinked and looked at his friend, a confused look on his face as he seemed to be figuring out a puzzle. "What did you say? I wasn't listening."
"Dez has to go see Venat and Elidibus. I was suggesting we all meet up at my place tonight since I have the best bed. If you want to be left out, then that's more Dez for me," he goaded. Emet was disappointed to only get a half a rise out of his friend this time around.
"No, I'll be there," Hythlodaeus murmured as he turned his attentions back to Azem, staring intensely while he seemed to be thinking really hard as she dressed. Azem, however, felt his behaviors were odder than normal and wanted to ask if anything was wrong, but if she stayed with them any longer, she wouldn't be able to leave and the star that they stood upon might disappear. It's better if only one of us three dies rather than all three of us, she reminded herself as she steeled herself to give them both one last goodbye.
Fully dressed, she smiled at both of them. It's probably better to bid them farewell here so that they are delayed by getting dressed, she mused as she came over to Emet and leaned over the seated man who had always been her rock to lean against when she needed support. With a happy little purr, she kissed him with no rush to her action, taking the precious time she could to memorize how his lips felt against hers. She wanted each little piece of her aether to remember this moment so that she could always carry his warmth with her. When she pulled back, she gave him an almost sad fond smile as she whispered for his ears only "I love you Hades. Bicker though we do, I've always loved you just as you are." He smiled at her and grabbed her, pecking her one last time.
"I love you too, Dez. Whatever task those two have for you, be sure to make it clear that the third chair has need of you this evening and come back quickly." He let go of her, not seeing how her heart cracked hearing that, especially since she nodded as she headed to the still distracted violet-eyed man who could tease her and yet make her feel like the most special woman in the world at the same time. When she tilted his head up to her face, he blinked, his concentration broken as he lost himself in her eyes for a moment, completely focused on her.
"My Hythlo, don't you dare forget that I love you, not even as a joke. Make mischief all you want, but that's the one thing you can't joke about," she told him, her smile tinged more playfully. He saw, though, that her eyes were filling with a storm of negative emotion. Before he could even get a word out, she kissed him just as she did Emet, not allowing him a moment to think about it. When she pulled back, he was dazed just as she had intended. "Promise me you won't forget that I love you nor will you joke about it?" she said, offering her pinky out. He nodded as he wrapped his own around hers.
"Of course I won't! I finally somehow got through to your heart! I'd never joke about such a thing!" he refuted, looking almost offended as the words she said sank in.
She smiled and stepped back from him and the bed. "Good." She looked between the two of them. "I'm sorry I couldn't be with you for longer, but... I do love you both," she told them as she called on Venat with a simple magic spell. As her words settled into their minds, cutting through their sweet dreamlike atmosphere like a bucket of ice water, both tried to reach out to grab her, suddenly remembering her propensity to escape them when they didn't flank her. Venat appeared behind her and wrapped her arms around the woman, the both of them dissolving like a fever dream in front of them, their hands grasping for even just a small hold on her aether only to come up with nothing.
A colorful swear left Emet's mouth as he immediately tried to trace where the magic went only to hit an interference spell. Azem had woven it, not Venat, and the reality that she'd planned to leave them this morning ever since she'd come back yesterday sank in. "She planned... to leave us..." The words felt like sand in his mouth, but what else could he do? She wouldn't let them follow. Something in his gut told him that she wouldn't be back and that he'd noticed too late.
Hythlodeaus leaned onto Emet's defeated shoulder, beginning to cry and sob. Perhaps reality had set in even sooner for him? Emet wondered half-hearted as he felt his chest hollowing out even more. He'd given his heart to that woman and she was taking it with her to do whatever with Venat. He began to even doubt Elidibus would be there to potentially save her.
"Hades," Hythlodaeus choked out with a sharp sob, grasping at his friend as he began to break down even harder. The intensity momentarily distracted Emet as his friend was never this distraught. Even if Azem had been their life-long love, this level of grief before they'd even had a moment to fully process what was happening didn't make sense. "Hades, Dez... she-" he broke off into a coughing sob for a moment, Emet finally hugging his friend and rubbing his back. "-con-conce--eee-ved," he choked out, the word not making sense.
Emet was about to ask him to repeat what he said when Hythlodaeus took a deep shuddering breath and looked into his eyes, his own red-rimmed already and his heart destroyed. "Dez conceived last night!" The words seemed foreign to him. He tried to dig up the meaning to it, coming up first with the idea of concepts being conceived meaning they're created. But that didn't seem like something to make his friend lose his mind like this. Thinking over it again, he tried to grab onto anything that could give meaning to the word and match why his friend was so upset.
"I saw them Hades... she conceived two children. Their souls... their souls were bright lavender and green..." he whispered, his voice cracking. Emet slowly began putting two and two together. Azem's soul was a bright outstanding blue. If you mixed it with Hythlodaeus's violet soul, that would definitely be a bright lavender color... and my own soul is yellow-gold so mixed with a bright blue would be rich green color, yes. That does make sense. As he tried to make sense of why this information was so important, his brain actively tried not to acknowledge it. Something inside him told him he didn't want to figure out this puzzle or he might be more broken than the man crying in his arms right now.
Soon he started to feel that thinking about the colors was growing dangerous, that he'd figure out why this was important, so he backed himself up from that thought quickly only for another word from Hythlodaeus's explanation to hit him like a choco meteor. Children. The word normally elicited a cranky expression from him even as he secretly found children delightful to be with. Today it elicited an elated grin from him that he hadn't even realized was on his face. His dear friend held onto him sobbing and watching for the moment he'd realize how cruel fate was. When he saw him grin, it hurt his heart even more because it was obvious he'd forgotten the other crucial piece of information.
"She conceived?! This is great Hythlo! I don't get why you're crying your eyes out here, but when she gets back tonight we should-" All of a sudden the rest of the puzzle clicked into place for Emet. When she gets back tonight... But she apologized for not being able to be with us for longer... She's not coming back. The moment he realized it, the strong and wise Emet-Selch crumpled into his friend, suddenly no longer able to bear a mantle like Emet-Selch. Instead he felt like he was just a very young powerless Hades once more waiting for Azem - Venat - to come save him from a feral creation in Elpis yet again.
The two broke down in each others' arms, feeling that a significant part of them had died that day.
***
Azem had never been one to back down from a battle, even if she wasn't supposed to be able to win it. As she fought alongside Venat atop Zodiark, dodging planets and withstanding waves of despair with her sheer will to let her lovers at least survive, she vaguely wondered if they'd ever forgive her for swooping in and stealing their hearts only to go off to a battle where she'd die. There was a small part of her that regretted never being able to give them children and a serene family life - or even much of a romantic life - but she cherished the memory of the three of them together last night. Each heartfelt word, hazy confession, and sweet nothing helped fuel her and push her to put an end to this misguided soul wreaking havoc.
But it was an unwinnable battle, as she well knew from the beginning before they even came here. The Endsinger swiped and knocked Venat from in front of her leaving her open for attack. She couldn't move quick enough to dodge the second swipe that took out some skin from her side, not too deep but still strength-sapping. The Endsinger seemed to pause then and look at her closer.
"You... you possess two more souls, how queer. They do not despair nor hope. Inert, like the souls embraced by the song of despair... but these have never despaired. They are so small too... I know I've seen these somewhere, but where?" it asked as it looked down at Azem who was trying to heal the wounds in the small reprieve.
"Ah!" it called out as it realized exactly what was going on. "You came here to fight me while you're with child? Do you wish for me to grant them eternal sleep first? What a dedicated mother. I shall offer your children eternal sleep quickly and painlessly before they can ever know such sorrow as despair." It took Azem a moment too long to realize exactly what the Endsinger was talking about, Zodiark's hand coming up to shield her from the blow the Endsinger threw a great amount of energy into. It crumbled his hand, their footing unstable as the pain from such a hit made Elidibus stumble in his flight. He was quick to correct course and smooth out even as his mind reeled at the information that Azem was somehow with child. The hand crumbling in front of her made Azem finally snap back into action, her mind catching up to the current situation all too quickly. This is what Hythlo was looking at that morning, she thought with a heavy heart. I hope he never figures it out. My poor children... to be created inside of me right before I go to sacrifice myself is so unfair to you. She readied her weapon once more with renewed vigor and let loose her rage, anguish, and vitriol at the situation against her foe.
"Venat... If I can finish this, will you reserve just a little energy to send them back to our aetherial sea so that they can be born someday?" she asked as she ignored the taunting the Endsinger was now sending her way. Venat looked over her shoulder and hesitated for only a moment before nodding.
"I promise you I'll send them back. I'll make sure they are born to loving parents," she told her as she focused back on the rampaging amalgamation of despair in front of her. Azem took a deep breath and let all other emotions, regrets, and sadness leave her as love and hope for the children she made with her lovers welled up to take their place. The sounds, sensations, and soon even thoughts left her as she harnessed the power of dynamis for her own purpose, soon eating away at the Endsinger's powers with how potent her hope and love were. With the last of her strength as her very soul began unraveling from conducting so much power, she flooded the area with peace, hope, and love. As her consciousness dissolved with her body, she could sense that the Endsinger had been purified of despair. The threat to her lovers and children was no more so she could let go without worry.
***
Venat was amazed by just how much stronger Dez seemed to get after hearing that she was with child. She didn't let it distract her from her job of protecting her. She could feel the swelling power, the likes of which none of them had ever even fathomed. It was right before the woman's soul burst that Venat realized she'd have more than enough power to get both her children, Zodiark, herself, and Dez herself back if she could just stabilize Dez's soul in time. She turned around to try to keep her together only for the precious pupil she raised to tear herself completely apart to unleash serenity and hope throughout the entire universe.
A wave of regret roiled through Venat at the idea that if she'd just been a moment earlier! But the thought was shoved aside as two small specs of lavender and green caught her eye. She quickly, carefully cradled them, surprised they weren't torn apart by the shockwave. As she pulled them closer, she found that a small tatter of Dez's soul was wrapped around them. Despite being torn apart, her soul wasn't disappearing at all!
A small flake of blue came drifting over, not unlike a flower petal. Then it swirled around the mass in her hands before zooming straight for it, melting into the scrap of soul Dez had left behind for her children. The soul scrap seemed to strengthen as it absorbed the blue flake. "Her soul is coming back together!" Venat exclaimed with excitement as she looked to her counterpart who was now looking at her, readying for the flight back to their home.
"Then you'd best hold onto that little sliver so she knows where home is... And maybe let her be the one to birth those two when she's ready to be reborn?" he offered, smiling at the idea of Dez getting to create her family after such a monumental task.
"Yes, I think you're right. I'll help her rebirth after her soul is whole and back home." Though the wait would be long, they had all eternity to collect her and set right the life that had been cut short for the good of the universe.
***
Modern Eorzea was a very different place than it used to be when the ancients had ruled the world. The poor fractions didn't even know they were sundered and incomplete. The world had sundered in the final blast of despair from that little bird thing Hermes loved and only Amaurot had survived unsundered because of the power of the convocation's wards had been strengthened with Zodiark's powers. So many were sundered and such odd things had cropped up. I wanted to stay in Amaurot, but this idiot lover of mine seems to like this Frappes that the Sharlayans have made. I don't understand why he likes such sugary messes, but if it makes him happy, I won't say no... too many times. Especially since I know that one of the only things that keeps him going is these little outings to go soul-sighting. I've long since given up on ever hoping to see her soul again, let alone the souls she carelessly created before heading off to battle at the edge of the damn universe basically ALONE!
"Hades..." came an unusually calm and even Hythlodaeus's voice. "I could be wrong... but that little dragon-girl over there... what color is her soul?" Hythlo has NEVER been wrong about a soul's color even once so why is he asking me?!
***
When Emet had looked at the Auri woman with his soul sight, he too wondered if he was somehow losing his touch after all these years. "Bright... blue..." he murmured to himself as the implications set in. He began approaching the young woman only to meet her eyes, see confusion on her face and then watched as she recoiled and hid behind a larger auri male.
"She forgot us..." Hythlodaeus whispered as his drink now seemed too sweet. "After telling us not to forget her..."