Hestia's Wish [2019 ONC Longlist]

9 | Heartless

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The strong smell of brimstone filled Hestia's nose. She fought the urge to bend over and gag at its putrid odor. A few individuals tried to hide the sound of their coughs with the loud clattering of their armor. The man next to her, whom she didn't know, looked as though he was about to expel his stomach's contents at any moment.

She shifted her balance to her left foot in an attempt to put some distance between the two of them in case he decided he couldn't take it any longer.

"Is this all of them?" a feminine voice asked. Although Hestia could not spare a look to confirm, she knew it was Lady Aries. Her voice gave Hestia goosebumps; it was so cold and distant, yet filled with disgust. She rubbed her arms behind her back, trying to rid herself of the prickly feeling that lurked uncomfortably under her skin. Her voice was different than any other person:, it held an otherworldly amount of authority that was capable of making stars and minor deities cower in her very presence.

Hestia's curiosity got the best of her as her eyes darted over to the right. Commander Darius was stoodstanding with a woman whothat she presumed to be Lady Aries. There were many different stories about what their ruler looked like. Many described her to be a goddess as beautiful as her mother with a volatile attitude just like her father. Others described her as a phantom, a being that hid itself in the shadows like a vulture waiting to feast upon its prey.

However, she looked nothing like either version. She was dressed in a flattering low-cut red dress and matching stilettos that accentuated every curve of her body in a seemingly perfect way. It almost was as if her entire body was made of fire, as it moved against the wind's breeze. If not for the foul smell that she was emitting, every man in the vicinity would be at her side whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

Her skin was of a ghastly pallor, devoid of life and color, yet smooth like marble. She looked like a being that was lodged in some unknown crevice between the Underworld and the surface world. It made perfect sense considering her father was once the Guardian of the In-Between.

Her fierce, red hair blew around her in untamed flames, the ends of her hair crackling ever so often. It was entrancing to see a person of myth standing before Hestia's very eyes. A part of her was terrified to be exposed to the Celestial's crushing pressure that her presence created, but another part of her couldn't help but want to reach for the sublime sovereign. She had become a moth to Aries's flame.

The illusion of beauty instantly shattered when their leader turned around, revealing her face to everyone in the vicinity. Her eyes were completely black, empty, and yearning for victims just as a blackhole wished to snuff out the light. A ram's horns rested on either side of her head, reminding everyone of her identity and her father's legacy. The being that was once their protector, was now their oppressor.

Kyril, the fool that had challenged Hestia for a battle earlier, reached for Lady Aries in a moment of weakness. When his hand touched her, he instantly retracted his hand, letting out a blood-curdling shriek of agony.

The rancid smell of burning flesh began to infiltrated Hestia'sher senses, making her head spin with nausea. She dug her heels into the ground, trying to remain upright as her nausea began to compromise her stability. To make matters worse, the man next to her began vomiting on the ground.

She crinkled her nose, taking shorter breaths to minimize the amount of contaminated air she was inhaling.

Lady Aries looked at Kyril, her lip curled in disgust. "You dare touch me, mortal?" she asked in a booming voice. She moved closer to him, little wisps of fire appearing on the ground with every step. She reached out and roughly grabbed him by the collar, not caring that her touch seared through his armor. A small amount of smoke appeared as her hands began to furiously glowed bright red.

Hestia shivered at the sight of his calcinedated skin. It continued to spread up his arm, destroying the surrounding skin beyond repair. She gagged when she caught a glimpse of necrotizing skin hanging from exposed bone and tendons. If he didn't die from the burn or infection, he would surely die at the hands of their ruler.

His escape attempts weakened over the course of time until he became limp in Lady Aries's grasp. His eyelids fluttered several times, threatening to close. "My apologies for being late, Commander Darius," he mumbled weakly. "I was shining my armor." It was clear that his mind was overwhelmed from the state of shock his body was currently in.

When his end didn't come, Hestia's brow furrowed in confusion for a moment. She didn't immediately understand the reasoning for Lady Aries's hesitation. Her eyes widened in horrified realization, their ruler had meant to torment him before finishing him off. 'Ákardos...how can anyone be that heartless?' she thought.

Even if she disagreed with Lady Aries, she knew that she lacked the power and courage to refute the punishment. She looked away, unable to watch any further. When her eyes landed on Alastair, he stared back at her with unrestrained fury. She couldn't tell if he was still angry with her for being here or Lady Aries's brashness, but his face said it all: you can't protect them all.

She knew that she couldn't, but listening to those unspoken words was nothing more than a painful reminder of the feelings of helplessness she had yet to overcome.

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A/N: This chapter has been dedicated to draphy! Thank you for reviewing this novella in its entirety. To my fellow readers, if you haven't gotten to already, please check out her isekai novel, The Wings of Storm!