The Lonely God

50.

*Song above: She will be loved - Maroon 5 

-HER-

"Then what is it that bought you here?" She asks, letting her hands down. The smile from her lips is gone and now she looks very serious. Cold and calculative.

"You,"

"Me?" She cocks an eyebrow at me.

"I am here to challenge you," My voice echoes in the silent courtroom while everyone is frozen in their places. I find myself holding my breath in anticipation for her to react to it.

Ishtar surprises us both by letting out a giggle. Vest growls inside me, begging me for letting her take control so that she could lunge at her and tear her body to shreds.

I take a deep breath before I start speaking. "I challenge you in anything you are good at," This makes her laugh harder.

"Oh, dear you're so stupid," She says between her laughs.

"Or you're just afraid of losing from me?" This makes her stop laughing. She clenches her teeth and fists as she glares at me. I could see the wheels turning in her head.

"Let's finish this. I am tired of trying to get into Zaeris, anyway," She says as she sighs and for some reason I find my lips curling into a smile. All this time she was unsuccessful in finding a way inside Arles' Kingdom. I could feel the satisfaction in her to see me here. I have made it easier for her.

She turns around and slowly starts to walk towards her throne as she continues, "If I win, I'll have Zaeris and if you win-"

"If I win, you break our bond and lift the curse from Zaeris," I speak, my voice echoes in the courtroom and suddenly, the air around us thickens with tension. I feel Vesta go still inside me. Ishtar halts her steps and slowly turns to look at me while Nadal breathes sharply beside me.

"What?" She raises an eyebrow at me as she tilts her head at a side and studies me from head to toe. She lets out a little laugh before giving me a judgmental look and adding, "Your conditions are so silly but don't worry, you won't stand a chance against me. Your conditions won't be fulfilled," Vesta growls lowly inside me as she concludes.

"Lets' not come to conclusions so quickly Ishtar. For all we know, I could easily beat you,"

"ARE YOU QUESTIONING MY POWERS?" She yells. I hit a nerve.

"Sure," I shrug. I could feel rage radiating from Ishtar's body. Her body is visibly shaking. My fingers wrap around my dagger tightly under my cloak while I feel Oculus Reaper charging up with tension and tightening around my arm.

"I, ISHTAR, THE GODDESS OF LOVE AND WAR AND THE PAIRER OF WOLVES, CHALLENGE YOU IN A DUEL!" she bellows, shaking the floor beneath my feet. Suddenly, I feel a surge of confidence taking over me. I learned sword fighting from my mother. I can do this. I can do this!

"But!" she continues as she sharply turns around, and walks back to her throne. She looks down at me as she sits on her throne and tries to appear as an empress, "the sword and rules will be mine,"

I feel my blood run cold.

~

-HIM-

After having a small meeting with Archander and Haestus, I am walking back to my wing. Alone. I haven't seen her almost a whole day and my insides are aching to see her and touch her. Every fiber in my body is missing her presence.

I told Haestus to look for her previously. He came back with nothing. Where is she? It's making me more and more concerned and agitated for not having her beside me. I want to make up to her. I want her but she is nowhere to be found.