Loyalty [Dianite]

C H A P T E R • S E V E N

Riley's thoughts were filled with the new realms she'd discovered that day. In fact, her contemplations were still plaguing her long into the night, which for some reason was a particularly hot one. She tossed and turned in her bed within the room that Tom had allowed her to use in his beach house, wondering what it was about the places she'd been that was keeping her awake. In truth, she knew exactly what it was, and she also knew that it was nothing to do with the End. The Nether was still calling to her, she could sense it as a soft but insistent tug on every fibre of her being, but she was simply a afraid of what that meant.

It was many hours before she eventually gave up, and sat up in bed, rubbing her tired eyes, which had long adjusted to the darkness. She rose quietly, and changed back into her clothes, deciding that maybe a walk would help her sleep. She padded silently across the floor, and squeezed out the door, wincing as it creaked on its hinges.

There were two paths she could take from the door to her bedroom. If she went to the right, it would take her through the kitchen, and out the side door of the house where the volcano lay quiet and dormant. If she went to the left, it would take her down the steps to the tunnels below the island, which she had helped Tom blast out over the past week or so. It would be nice outside - she could sit on the edge of the dock and enjoy the ocean breeze - dipping her legs in the water was still beyond her at this point in time. However, instinct told her to take the path to the left, and so she did, closing the door to her bedroom behind her as quietly as possible.

As soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs, Riley knew why she had come this way. The tunnels looped around, back under the stairs she had just descended, but immediately before her was Tom's Nether portal, it's black obsidian glistening in the light that emanated from the purple aura within its walls. Tom had decorated it with black and red clay, and with Nether brick slabs. Riley's footsteps were silent across the Nether brick on the floor, and she paused as she reached the portal, debating within herself. This was a bad idea, she knew. Jordan had told her how dangerous the Nether could be, and it was ignorant of her to assume that just because she could sense it drawing her in, it would be any kinder to her than it had been to anyone else. She knew too, however, that she would never rest easy until she knew what was going on, and so, taking a deep breath, she stepped up to the obsidian base, and allowed the purple clouds to engulf her.

"I knew you'd come."

Riley was startled by the deep voice that spoke to her almost as soon as she'd made it into the Nether. Once she was finished being dizzy from the teleportation, she turned around to see who it was that had spoken. The man before her was tall, with a dark complexion, hair, and eyes, and he was looking at Riley with unhidden curiosity. She could immediately sense the aura of power that seemed to dance in the air about him, and visibly manifest in tiny sparks of fire. In Riley's mind, there was no doubt about who this was.

"So why did Dec tell me that the gods never appear to followers before they've chosen their allegiance?"

Dianite, for surely it was him, raised an eyebrow at her, smiling slightly.

"Declan doesn't always tell the truth. But I couldn't tell you what his motives were for doing so. He should know that it was Mianite himself who convinced Karl he should join his side."

There was a tinge of annoyance to his tone, which made Riley wonder if perhaps Karl had been close to joining Dianite before his brother had showed up.

"Is that why you're here then?" She wondered, doubtfully. "This really couldn't have waited til morning?"

Dianite chuckled at her words, and shook his head, looking at her in amusement.

"You do know who you are talking to, mortal?"

Riley nodded without hesitation.

"Yes, Dianite, I know who you are. I know more about you than I know about myself, which believe me, isn't saying much."

"Ah, yes. Your memory loss," said Dianite, and suddenly the humour was gone from his face, and he looked more sober. "If I knew a way to help you with that, I would."

"So you are trying to recruit me," said Riley. "Okay."

"That's not exactly why I'm here," the God of Chaos responded. "I wanted to see what you looked like."

"What I looked like?" Riley repeated.

"I've been able to sense your presence on the isles ever since you arrived, but today, when you entered the Nether for the first time, it became overwhelmingly powerful. I couldn't stay away any longer. I am not here to recruit you, as you put it, because I already know what you will choose."

"How do you know?" She asked. "I've barely even decided myself."

In answer, Dianite stepped closer to her, and their gazes met for a moment. He reached for her hand, and as he grasped it, Riley could feel the warmth of the energy that pulsed beneath his skin, unpredictable, and uncontrollable. And beneath her own skin, she could feel an energy she never knew she had that was responding to his. She felt it rising to the surface, flooding her veins, and overpowering her senses. She turned to meet Dianite's gaze again in wonder.

"That's how I know," he said quietly, his dark eyes boring into her sea green ones. "It's the same energy, Riley. The same magic. You belong with me."

Riley almost forgot to breathe.

"This is magic?" She asked, allowing Dianite to move his hand over hers. "Is everyone like this? Is Tom like this?"

"The connection I have with Tom is different to how it is with yourself. I shouldn't have been able to sense you before you'd chosen to follow me as your lord, but I could. Our connection isn't a normal connection, but that's not a bad thing. Unique would be a better word to describe it."

"Tom told me about the connections that gods can have with mortals," Riley mused.

Dianite shook his head, a smile coming onto his face that softened his features.

"Do not worry about the nature of our connection now," he said. "All you need to know is that there is one. I need you to chose to follow me, to accept me as your lord before we do anything else. Will you do that for me?"

Riley nodded firmly, without hesitation. The fiery haired girl had already made up her mind before she'd even set foot in the Nether.

"I'll do it tomorrow."

Dianite looked at her for a minute, before nodding his head as well.

"Thank you, Riley. And one last thing. Do not mention our meeting here to anyone else on the Isles. Especially not the Captain."

"You mean Jordan?" Riley raised an eyebrow at him, and chuckled a little. "I ain't dumb, Dianite. He's been falling over himself to stop me entering the Nether. He's got an agenda."

"That he does," Dianite chuckled.

Both of them grinned at one another, with something akin to understanding settling between them.

"I will see you tomorrow then?" Asked Dianite.

"You will," Riley nodded. "Do you have to go now?"

"Well, you were the one complaining you were getting no sleep," Dianite shook his head in amusement. "I'm not keeping you here any longer."

"I am really tired," she sighed. "I want to explore in here though, I've never had the chance before."

"We will have plenty of time later on," he responded. "Go home now, before Tom wakes up and wonders where you've gotten to."

A/N: hmmm. I've messed around with this kind of dynamic a little before in my 'Powerful' story, (one person in the relationship being in a position of power over the other person) but it's gonna be even more obvious in this since this is a god-follower relationship. So hopefully I do it justice and don't mess this up.

Hope you're enjoying it so far! Leave a vote if you enjoyed the chapter.