The Divine Machine

0.10 // return

Staring up at the ceiling with Arkadon nestled under his left arm, Valos wished that he could pause time. Freeze that moment and make it last an eternity. Instead, all he could do was wrestle with his own fear and doubt. Everytime he closed his eyes, or his thoughts drifted out of focus, the image of the spear crashing through....

No.

He pushed the image away. No matter what he saw. No matter what future supposedly awaited. Valos was going to stop it. Looking down at the crimson hair falling across his chest, he realized that he would do anything to protect Arkadon. Even if it meant sacrificing himself or others. It was a sobering thought, one he didn't take lightly. But there was no denying the truth of it.

Thinking back to the conversation they'd had before Arkadon needed to rest, Valos's thoughts drifted to the Anoran Sea. To the intent he had when bringing it into existence. Not only had he desired to test his limits, but he'd wanted to create a group of beings untethered from the distractions of the body. Free to explore and create with the power of their imaginations. From what Arkadon described, Validar was everything Valos had hoped they'd be capable of.

A vast, cosmic space. A realm of physical laws and systems governing all aspects of life. Planets covered in lavish jungles and sprawling deserts. Organic matter, living and dying, their mortal tissue returning to the dirt to nurture and bring new life to others. Civilizations spanning collections of stars. It was no wonder the Anora were so captivated. That the shared dream was spreading across the sea faster than any dream that had come before.

So where did that leave Valos's vision of the Unmaker and the revelation that they would spring from Validar? Arkadon's theory was that the Unmaker would become a figure within the Anoran dream. That the scene with the spear of light was actually happening to a version of Arkadon that was somehow a part of the dream as well. Due to how much time he'd spent in the sea observing and gathering data, Arkadon assumed that the Anora had sensed his presence and would subconsciously incorporate him into Validar.

While the explanation seemed to match the facts, it was not what Valos witnessed in the Pulse. What he saw was not a dream. It was real. The same was true for Validar and the spear through Arkadon. He wished, more than anything, to be wrong. While he'd been mistaken about many things in his long life, this was not one of them.

And so they'd made the decision to return to Arien. To consult Arkadon's research and the research of others to see if they could find any answers. Valos had mixed feelings about the decision, given how much pain he'd experienced in the towering paradise he'd created. But he hoped that the time away had allowed him to gain enough strength and insight to successfully withstand the emotional onslaught. Plus, he couldn't deny being excited about seeing Gildimir and Celestia again.

Movement pulled him from his thoughts. Looking down, he saw Arkadon's hand moving across his chest, drawing circles with curled fingers. At first Valos said nothing. Again, how he longed to make that moment last forever.

"How are you feeling?" he asked eventually.

"Much better," Arkadon answered, his soothing voice reverberating off Valos's chest. "I'm sorry about that. Our conversation sapped my energy."

"No, I'm the one that should be sorry," Valos responded, squeezing Arkadon close. "I was so consumed with how I felt about everything that I didn't bother to consider your feelings. After everything I've already put you through, I need to be more attentive."

Arkadon leaned back and looked up, his bright smile and eyes dispelling all of the darkness inside Valos. "Speaking of being more attentive...we don't have to leave for Arien just yet."

"That's true," Valos answered with a mischievous smile. "Are you saying you want another cup of tea?"

Valos nearly burst out laughing at the confusion on Arkadon's face. Confusion that melted away as he realized that Valos was joking.