Shattered Ice and Fury

Chapter 12

Master Orhye listened carefully to Celeste's every word once she finally calmed enough to explain her tears. Knowing she could trust him, she didn't hold back any detail. His skin began to pale as she spoke, making Celeste want to wail anew.
Not only did she possess Anahita's spirit, but she had to look forward to three other deities waking up. And there was no escaping that. Their souls were intertwined. Master Orhye had been painfully correct when he had spoken earlier. Anahita was now human, just as Celeste was now a goddess. She wasn't going to think of the implications just yet, or she'd start to spiral. Now was not the time.
But that wasn't what scared her the most. The impending war was what had her freaking the fuck out. What terrified her was a god such as Demodius willing to unleash terror upon the world. A world that, as far as she and Anahita knew, she and her friends were stuck in.
She also couldn't decide what would have been worse, Demodius possessing others to kill and spread evil or Demodius creating a bloodline of dark gods, opposite to Ananhita and her siblings. Celeste could only imagine his lineage would be cruel and relentless. But then again, she thought, Anahita had just threatened to silence her forever if she didn't cooperate with the deity's agenda. Perhaps they wouldn't have been so different.
Anahita didn't like that, and she cursed the goddess out internally.
Then, her heart dropped even further into her gut. She thought of Alice. Oh shit. Even if they found all parties responsible for dragging them into this mess, would Demodius really allow Celeste to escape with the souls? Especially if her presence was the only thing keeping him awake. To what lengths would he go to ensure she stayed in this world? What was he even capable of?
Master Orhye finally spoke after a long, thoughtful moment, snapping Celeste out of her own spiral of negative reflections.
"We won't tell anyone but the royals about Demodius, the upcoming war, and your predicament. Or I suppose it's a blessing, not a predicament. Goddess above, you are not only my goddess but all four and... I should be bowing at your feet," Master Orhye spluttered with a shaky breath. There was no sign of the light-hearted man as he spoke. He was all nerves. He actually bent to lower himself onto his knees, but Celeste caught his arm.
"Don't you dare," she snapped, "And what do you mean? We have to warn everyone! Demodius has woken up because of my being here; I'm not going to sit around and leave everyone in the dark," she wrung out her pant legs as best she could as she spoke, "People have to know what they're facing."
He straightened and shook his head. "I understand that, my goddess, but-"
Celeste interrupted with a glare. "Oh no. No no. None of that shit either. It's just Celeste," she demanded as she began to pace. 
Master raised a brow but nodded before trying again. "I understand, Celeste, but we don't want to cause kingdom-wide panic either." He paused, then exhaled out of his nose. "So, this is what we're going to do. You and I will inform the prince so he and the king can prepare the kingdom for the upcoming attacks and warn the other kingdoms. Meanwhile, you and I will continue training so you can eventually withstand the immense power inside you. There should be no need for the Anahita to take over indefinitely." Master Orhye reached out his frail hand and placed it on her shoulder, halting her pacing.
Celeste's heart sank, and her hands shook with fear. She hadn't forgotten the goddess's threat. How could she? But hearing it from Master Orhye's mouth solidified what she already knew to be true. Being silenced and not having control over her body long-term might as well equal death. Anahita and the other gods could end her before she ever gets the chance to run into Demodius.
She sucked in a shaky breath and decided, "I have to tell my friends. This isn't fair to them. We have no way of getting back right now, and I have no choice but to follow Anahita's orders. I... I have to tell them what happened." She blinked fresh tears away as they threatened to escape, " but we won't tell anyone about the other three souls until we have to. That includes the royals."
Adrenaline began to cours through her as the shock and initial panic faded, and it had her hyper-focused on what needed to happen next. She worked well under stress. She had learned that a long time ago, but this was like nothing she had felt before. She clenched her trembling fists and began the walk back towards the city on suddenly strengthened legs.
She quickly realized that she had forgotten her bracelet, but suddenly, it felt unnecessary. It felt wrong to have it tied to her wrist when it was quickly becoming clear to her that she was tied to this world. So Celeste didn't falter or turn back. How could she when she suddenly had so much weight on her shoulders. The bracelet was a crack in the foundation that needed to keep her standing strong in that singular moment, but her heart lurtched at the thought of giving up. So she promised herself then and there, that she wasn't giving up. Even if it ended up being the end for her, it didn't have to be for Alice and Jack.
The Master followed. "That's fine," he conceded. "For now. But perhaps Alice should stay ignorant of everything. That girl already has too much to sort through."
She shook her head. "It's not our place to decide whether she can handle it. Besides, if I kept this from her, and she found out some other way..." She'd probably lose her best friend, and Celeste wouldn't sacrifice that for anyone.
"Of course, of course." Despite how fragile Master Orhye looked, he caught up to her fast pace with ease.
They rushed to the Golden Cowry and found Jack and the Archivist sitting on the edge of a walkway, their feet dangling over the edge.
"Where are the others?" Celeste asked, slightly out of breath. She noted that her cardio was the first thing she'd have to work on. Celeste could feel Anahita's disapproval, and so she cursed her out internally again, knowing and not caring that the goddess heard every poisonous word.
Jack stood quickly.
"Why? What happened?" Her friend asked, glaring at the Master.
"He didn't do anything," Celeste huffed, and Jack stopped glaring but didn't avert his gaze, "but I need everyone back here."
The Archivist rose calmly.
"Master Orhye, please summon them. They have been gone for quite some time. They could be deep into the city by now," she explained.
"Of course." Master Orhye nodded and descended one of the many sets of stone stairways. Without hesitation, he crouched before the water, revealing a small sharpened shell from around his neck, previously hidden beneath his top, and pricked his thumb. He then smeared the blood over a specific sigil covering his arms and mumbled something under his breath. The water around his hand rippled, lifting slightly along the water's surface. Whatever he summoned or created raced down the canal at an impressive speed, disappearing.
"That should do it. Let's wait inside." Master Orhye wiped the blood off his arm with the water from the canal and clenched a fist around his thumb before turning and retreating to the Golden Cowry, the Archivist on his heels.
Jack and Celeste stood dumbfounded before rushing after them.