False Gods

Book IV: Of Princesses and Peons

Chapter XXXV

I woke up looking at the night sky. I... was warm. I took a deep breath of clear, crash air as I looked at the stars sparkling down on Alrest. It was... calming. Everything was hazy for me, where was I?

I sat up quickly and looked to see a fire to my right. I grabbed my head as the blood rushed from it and I was given a splitting headache.

"Don't be so hasty peon! Youre injuries are bad enough as it is!" a voice said.

I looked past the fire to see Sheba, sitting down on the ground with her back on the bathtub, the girl made of water sat next to her, and looked much smaller than normal. It then occurred to me that my lips and throat weren't parched.

"Did you...?" I started before she cut me off.

"We shared water with you, yes. You don't appear to have any damage apart from sever ether damage, so we did our best with what we had. You should be grateful," she said abruptly.

I was taken aback a bit. "I... thank you, Sheba."

She nodded and we sat quietly for awhile, looking at Elysium's beauty.

"The desert sure is pretty when it's not trying to kill you," I commented.

She nodded. "To be honest, with you traveling around with that Aegis and all, We're surprised that isn't your opinion on every woman you've met so far."

I laughed a bit. "Well so far it's just Juliani and Lieutenant Uzuki that's trying to kill us."

Sheba changed the subject. "Why'd you save me, peon? You didn't seem like you were that in love with me."

"I could ask you the same thing," I chuckled before sighing. "I'd rather see you safe and sound than find you dead, knowing I could've helped. I'd do it for anyone honestly."

"Even Adonis or a random stranger, even if it meant you'd be seriously hurt or worse if you intervened?" Sheba asked in shock.

"I mean, I'd have to punch Adonis a few times for his lies, but yeah. There's no point in killing people when you can give them a chance to learn from their mistakes. That's why I don't like Juliani, she treats people she believes are lower than her as puppets! It's not ok! I don't see how anyone could think like that about anyone...."

"Well, it's still much better than following around a random girl who only takes advantage of you," she responded.

"What do you mean?"

Sheba seemed annoyed. "Are you not aware that that girl is just using you?!"

"Who? Mythra?"

"Yes Mythra! She gave you a giggle and a wink and now you're following her to the ends of the earth!" Sheba pointed out.

"I'm helping her find her memory! And Granny wanted me to help her too!"

"The memory that she almost completely has now? Why are you still with her? She knows who she is! Why are you stuck helping her?!"

"She hasn't lied to me yet! She's honest! Why would I want to abandon her in a world she's not familiar with?!" I was annoyed, irritated even. Not because I felt she was insulting Mythra but more so because I was afraid she was right.

"That's what makes a girl like her so dangerous!" Sheba argued. "She doesn't have to lie. She may have the purest intentions in the world, but that doesn't mean that you will be held responsible for anything she does or can't do. Are you seriously so dense that you'll continue going along with this foolish endeavor?"