Gods of Malcea ✔️

F O R T Y - F I V E

"If one suffers, we all suffer. Togetherness is strength. Courage."

-Xamdú

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Karos breathed in the cold air and exhaled watching as it formed small clouds. There was much beauty to be found in winter if one only just looked hard enough to find it. Being with Ake, was like watching the snow fall. Every memory being like a snowflake, unique and short-lasting. He continued to walk on ahead as he saw Fariel staring at him.

"We are nearing Gasa."

"Is there something I should know?" Karos asked and looked at him awaiting his reply.

"The blacksmith... Oraanu... Karos, I have many things to tell you. With the stars falling from the sky, I must tell you now."

Karos closed his eyes and reopened them again.

"Go on."

"Miracles... had been looking over you for some time."

Karos blinked, unfazed.

"But he is dying now."

"Dying?" Karos asked stopping in his tracks. "... Then Oraanu... "

"He is fine."

Karos stared into his eyes filled with worry he had not noticed before.

"Oraanu... killed the only blacksmith that I knew to go to. I failed you in that. As I went to look for another, Miracles stopped me."

Karos did not like the direction of where his story was going. He pursed his lips and lowered his eyes not bothering to hear another word. Fariel was his closest, truest friend. He wanted it kept that way, but Fariel continued on.

"Because he is the god I had served until now."

"So Analia was right about you keeping secrets?"

"A secret that had kept you alive and well all these years."

The snow crunched under their feet sounding out his erratic heartbeat.

"It does not matter to me," Karos said as he looked at Fariel. "None of it does, Fariel."

"As their games began, Miracles decided it would be best to go look for you... before Mercy or Malice. But you are of Malice's creation and so she had marked you as she had marked many before you since that time."

"Ah, yes, of Mercy and Malice's past love and love between the dragon and human," Karos smiled.

"He told you?"

"Yes, he had."

Karos saw Fariel stop and stared at him, mouth agape.

"He tried once to tell me when we had come to Sydania's place. He told me he had realized he was in love with me then... and tried to confess with the story of how the dragon became human." Karos scoffed away a smile. "He told me it was fate... him and I, but I do not think so."

"What is it then? To you, I mean."

"... I am not sure, but like you with Oraanu, I just want to be with him. If there is such a thing as fate then it is cruel and unforgiving."

Fariel looked away from him.

"Just how much must I prove to be with him, I wonder."

"Karos... "

"I do not care about this world or the gods or the people in it, and I would have gone on uncaring if it was not for him because this world is the one I must share with him. I am selfish."