When I Met You On Land

Chapter 6: Earthen Gods

Like any other god and goddess, the faces of the Terran Palace had serene faces, but fierce at the same time like the earth; beautiful but dangerous.
   Lakhires stared at them for a moment, until he came to his senses and finally spoke. His words came out in stutters, seeing the gods whose existance he had only heard about in prophecies and stories when he was mortal. "I am Lakhires of Skye Hall, here to make peace between the Earth and the Air."
   The gods looked at him with their warm and yet calculating eyes. One particular goddess, with blonde hair that shone like the sun during the summer and skin pale like that of an elf, spoke first. "To make peace, you say? We need proof. Proof that you wouldn't try to raid or attack our realm. You know about the feud."
   "I've heard of it. For proof, I have only been ascended two days ago. I don't know the gods like I did back in my mortal days. Now, they seemed to have warmed up to me," said Lakhires.
   "Oh? If that's the case... we shall discuss this. For now, an Elvosir will send you to your quarters." With a wave of her hand, a pretty young elf came in and took his belongings, guiding him to his said quarters.

                               ~~~

Her back ached from the mattress spread on the hard oak floor. Pink sunlight drifted through the window, and the sound of fishermen, farmers and the few remaining merchants setting up their work needs and shouting for assisstance sounded from outside the window.
   Klyamone stretched, and felt that sweet crack. The wind was cold, the sign of a coming autumn. She got up, and magically cleaned herself. For some reason, it had drained her of a little energy.
   She got dressed in a pale mint-dyed dress, and pulled her brown cloak over her for warmth. Taking her satchel with her, she went down the stairs, being mindful of the cannibalistic dog at the end of the hall, which was fast asleep after a hearty meal of a full cow.
   The day was still early, and the sun's light was a strong shade of red. She looked around, and saw that the woman at the counter the night before wasn't there. Perhaps she had gone off to torture some other poor servant, or she went to do some daily activity.
   The tables were void of drunken men, and young tired-looking servants approximately Palina's age were doing what was called their 'work', though they seemed to receive hardly a cent.
   She wandered the inn for a moment, stealing glances into various rooms in hope of seeing Palina. After looking into three rooms, she found the poor servant girl working her fingers to the bone scrubbing laundry. Piles of dirty laundry were piled high as a hill.
   "Pssst. Palina," Klyamone whispered. "Still want to get out of this place?"
   The girl's head turned to look at her. Her eyes turned from plead to reassurance. Reassurance that she would no loner have to live her life stuck in an inn where she had to be tortured for every mistake.
   Palina ditched the laundry, leaving it lying in the basins. Her arms engulfed Klyamone in an embrace. "Thank you, miss. But... what can I do about those?" She gestured to the load of laundry.
   "Don't worry about a thing, Palina," she reassured. In her mind, she pictured a sleeping Palina. She placed a finger on the girl's forehead, and her eyes started to shut. Another image formed in her mind. As soon as she conjured it, a robotic version of Palina appeared in her place as the laundry girl.
   "We should leave now," said Palina. "The innkeeper would be up anytime soon."
   In the deserted laundry room, a window was wide open. Below it was the stone ground of an alley.
   Klyamone looked down at the alley. Her powers as a goddess were weaker here, but they might come in handy. "Do you trust me?"
   "A little. You seem nice," said the girl.
   "Good. Now jump." Klyamone clutched Palina's hand, and climbed onto the windowsill.
   Palina's eyes shone with fear. To her, it was a choice between working her fingers off for the rest of her life, or go splat on the stone floor outside a window and cripple herself.
   In the end, she decided to put her trust in Klyamone. She grasped her hand tightly, making it turn white. "I'm ready."
   Klyamone gave her an unsure smile, and jumped.
   They fell down the window, air rushing in their ears. Just a second before their limbs would end up in odd angles, a bed of water appeared, in a fixed shape that would make a physics scholar throw up his breakfast.
   A screaming Palina landed into the water. She would've drowned if Klyamone hadn't pulled her out. They were lucky the innkeeper hadn't woken up thanks to her screaming.
   They were drenched, and Klyamone felt some of the energy she had the moment she got up vanish. She stumbled a little as she walked.
   The alley was empty, except for a desolate beggar who appeared insane. He laughed and hiccuped, dancing with his worn-out hat.
   The two scurried out, and Klyamone draped a cloak over Palina. They both had something to hide from the society around them.
   As they were almost at the Lotus Market, they bumped into a short, skinny man with a disfigured face like wet clay. His mischievous green eyes studied them for a moment, as if he could see under their hoods. He coughed, a rough, hoarse sound coming from his throat. Without a word, he reached into the pockets of his apron and threw a strange dust at them, making them cough and gag.
   "Sorry, but I had to do that."
   The two blacked out, their vision blurring until all they could see was the black backs of their eyelids.
   The man dragged them across the mossy ground, into some place they couldn't see nor feel.