Kingdom in The Sand

The Counsel of Gods (21)

The force knocked Marie-Fey to the ground and when she opened her eyes again, the chamber was gone.

Everything of her world was gone.

She lay in the middle of a starfield and the silence was absolute.

No one was there. She was completely alone.

Until the stars started to fall around her. They drifted from the sky, from all directions, gathering together, coiling around each other until they started to form the shape of a tall male.

The form stepped forwards as he came into being, bright and brilliant and featureless, the outlines of his hair and clothes drifting in a non-existent wind as he held a hand out towards her.

Maire-Fey stared at the outstretched gesture, then looked up at where the eyes would be. He withdrew his hand at her hesitation and bowed low to her.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"Are you him?" Marie-Fey said, his voice thin. "Are you the little god who gave a mortal immortal power because he lost a star?"

"Yes," the god replied, guilt clear in his voice. "I was young and be they gods or mortals, children make mistakes."

"Yes, you certainly made a mistake," Marie=Fey muttered, her voice dark and bitter. "Where are we? What has happened?"

"You succeeded in striking Zahir."

"Is he dead for good?"

"Yes."

"What about the others?"

"The spirits of those who protected you have been destroyed. There is nothing left to recover. Their deities of death shall handle them, is their souls can be found. Your brother and Gharam are alive. Zaydan and Maanah are not."

"Fix it!" Marie-Fey shouted, her voice ringing out around them, reflected back by the stars. "Bring them back! They shouldn't have died! Maanah should not have died! Zaydan shouldn't have died! This was your fault! This was because of gods and mortals paid the price! Fix! It!"

"I can give you one."

Marie-Fey gaped at him. "Excuse me?"

"I can give you one of them. I cannot return both."

"WHY?!"

"One is still connected to Zahir. To bring back Zaydan without Zahir, it is possible, but it will diminish me for a time. I cannot bring back both Zaydan and Maanah together. I am not strong enough yet. I am still a young god."

"How can you give me the power over their lives? That isn't fair! How can I put one live above another?"

"The world of enchantment is rarely fair, for mortals or deities. Both is beyond me."

"Then bring me a god greater than you!" Marie-Fey snarled, shoving to her feet, feeling weak and unsteady but fixing her blazing, icy eyes on him.

The god just remained silent however and Marie-Fey closed her eyes because she knew who she was going to bring back.

"Maanah. Return Maanah to us."

"Oh? The kingdom you live in will be I chaos without someone to lead it. Zaydan is of greater importance than Maanah in this world. Would it not be wiser to bring back—"

"They are equally important, are individuals!" Marie-Fey snarled, daring his continue that thought. "How dare you suggest otherwise. Maanah should never have been caught in this hell! She should not have died! She was innocent in all of this. How can I condemn her? Zaydan should be returned to us, but he has lived many lives. Maanah has barely started. If you force my hand, I choose her... besides, someone is waiting for her to come home, I cannot separate them when I promised to protect what they have."