TEYVATS DIVINE CREATOR [✓] ; g. impact

049

You woke up, bleeding. You checked your arms and saw the wounds, where you assumed some kind of wires or tubes had been. You felt the dull pain at your arms and back.

But then again, you wouldn't know because you were unconscious the whole time.. yay!

Would it have been more terrifying if you were awake? Maybe not knowing what happened would save you a lot of trouble. You lifted yourself up so you were sitting down. Your head was pounding.

Only then did you realise what colour your blood was. Red. Not the godly golden colour it once was. You sat there, staring at it. The official sign that they had been successful.

Aether entered the room with a box of some bandages. He silently kneeled next to you and wrapped your arm. You did not retaliate, whether that be you were simply too tired or you didn't have the clarity of mind to.

"I understand now." he said, under his breath.

Your eyes averted to his wearily. They bore no anger towards you like the first time you met.

"It never meant anything to you. Because it wasn't real." he whispered, softly.

You had never seen him so sweet. The few times you saw him before, he was either frustrated or somewhat cold. You felt yourself grow nervous.

"With extracting your power, we came across some of your memories, too. Some questionable.. but I won't push you."

You didn't know how to respond. He said it so sweetly and genuine and your brain was frying itself trying to find out why.

"How is Lumine?" you spoke up. You didn't know how to feel.

Aether cleared his throat. "Not the best currently. She's going through it right now."

"Why are you here?" you asked, finally. You didn't expect him to care, not at all.

"To check on you. Wouldn't want you to run away, would we?" he chuckled.

Blank stare.

"Oh. Don't worry, we'll let you go eventually, just not yet. Your excellency." he tried to smile. "Or maybe now you should call me that instead?"

He saw your deadpan expression and winced. "Sorry, not funny?"

//

Soon enough, Lumine decided to you a visit. She brought some bread and water with her on a tray. She looked as though she'd been crying. What makes her think she had any right cry when you literally- oh well.

"I really am." she mumbled, "Sorry, I mean."

"Seems you didn't take my advice? What a shame." you said, smiling.

She flinched and handed you the food. You two sat down together while you stared at her blankly.

She started crying and you just watched.

"I'm sorry, please forgive me! Can't you fucking understand, I- I didn't want to.." she sobbed.

"But you did. Do you not see the problem here?" You questioned if you could really blame her. Her God, or her Brother. A hard decision.

She got up and left, but you could still hear her sulking in the other room.

Lumine had thought that maybe once the curse had lifted, she'd be okay. But she still loved you, as a friend more than anything.

And those romantic feelings were still ringing at the back of her head. Less, but still evidently there. But in her heart was regret, pulling her down. She had broken your trust, shattered it. There was no going back, was there?

It was undoubtable. The curse was still there, lessened, perhaps. Yet still there.

You haven't lost everything. Your connections with the people around you, although a curse it could very well work in your favour. People in love with you opens opportunity, opportunity for manipulation.

'Every other piece works with the King.'

Nahida's voice spoke in your head. Maybe this curse wasn't a curse at all.

Maybe Lumine and Aether progressing into power is like that one move where a pawn becomes a queen once it reaches the end of the board? Ah, right. 'pawn promotion', was it?

But the realisation hit you like a truck. And suddenly, everything made sense. The role you had to play as the King. You didn't have to be powerful to be important, after all.

But you're no longer a God now. You do not have much opportunity anymore.

You hoped for another chance. Just a singular chance to make things right again.

Maybe.