The new moon being held up in the dark sky contrasts beautifully. Hue and I end our walk through the starry sky, and I slowly pull away from him as we gently descend onto the balcony. I take a few steps ahead, my back turned to Huedhaut.
"Abbey..." Hue calls my name.
I fidget with my hands, biting my bottom lip as I slowly turn around. He doesn't have to say anything, because I already know from the look on his face.
I sigh. "It's time, isn't it..."
I stuck a strand of my hair out of my face as I shy away.
"Thank you." He says with a sad smile.
My eyes widen at his words, as I snap my head to look at him.
Hue continues. "No matter how many times I thank you, it'll never be enough. I'm grateful to you, Abbey."
"N-no, its okay, you don't have to be. I didn't to anything, really." I shyly murmur. "We don't even know what made your mark of sin disappear. So, really, you don't have to thank me for anything."
Hue stands there, gazing deeply into my eyes.
"H-Hue?"
"It's fine. You don't have to understand why. But really, thank you."
A gust of wind howls, interrupting the quiet night.
"I can't stop thinking about what you told me before." Hue begins to say.
"And what's that?" With gentle eyes I gaze at him.
He smiles kindly. "You told me not to say that the goddess's life was 'sacrificed'."
"Oh yeah, that..." I nod, stroking a strand of hair between my fingers.
"Thanks to your honesty and directness... I feel like I understand now. She loved humans, so she saved them. It was a sacrificial act, but that's not all it was by a long shot.
As he continues to smile, it's like he's melting into the midnight blue of the night sky.
"If the goddess believed in a future for humans, then I can try and learn from that, too."
I look at him, rather surprised by his words. "Hue..."
"Please, remember this..." Hue takes his hand and cups my cheek. "Abbey, as long as you can dream of a future, 'wonderful' things will definitely find you."
His long slender fingers feel cool against my heated cheeks. Leaning in close, Hue drops a feather soft kiss on my temple.
"W-what are you doing?" A whimpering panic escapes me.
Hue smiles again. "The blessing of Huedhaut, god of Aquarius. Be happy, Abbey..."
I breathe. "...Happy?"
The word suddenly makes me feel empty on the inside. I don't think that's possible for someone like me...
"Please, be happier than anyone..." Hue tells me.
I find myself unable to smile, as an agonizing pain swells up from inside me, but I do my best to hide it.
"I want you to be the happiest girl in the world." He whispers into my ear.
After his unexpected words, Hue's body begins to faintly glow. The glowing expands until the once dark night is illuminated by the divine light.
"W-what the hell?" I grumble, trying to see through the light.
I use my arms and hands as a shield to block the light as I squint to see what's happening.
"Hue?!" I cry out to him.
"Please, this is it. Say my name with a smile." Hue calmly tells of me.
I step closer and closer towards the light, reaching my hand forward.
I shake my head. "N-no, please, Hue, I-I—"
"You're the reincarnation of the goddess, Abbey. I never wanted to meet you." Hue looks at the ground with a somber expression.
I stand there, feeling my heart slightly break hearing those words.
"I was scared." He says. "But..." Then looks up at me with a warm but weak smile. "Not anymore. I'm glad I met you, Abbey."
I slowly start shaking my head, feeling my chest become tight, my heart aching.
"Goodbye, Abbey."
"No!"
I scream in vain, lunging forward to cling to Hue, but the light collapses, engulfing Hue in it, and eventually the dark of night returns.
He's gone.
I stand there, frozen, staring at the spot Hue once was, until it all hits me at once and I collapse to the ground, staring down at my hands. Rumbling sounds are heard from above my head and it's not until I look up at the cloudy sky that I feel rain droplets fall on my cheeks. The rain gradually pours down.
"How could you...saying goodbye like that..." My hands ball into fists. "How do you expect me to be happy without you?"
On my knees, looking up at the sky, as the rain pours down on me, I do whatever it takes to hold back the tears. Thinking of Hue, knowing I'll never be able to touch him, feel his warmth again. Then the feelings I tried to suppress suddenly surface, and I can't hold back any longer. But with the droplets of rain, what's to know which are tears?
Damn it.... this pain, I never wanted to feel this way again...
I would've been better of never-
I try to muffle my sobs my grinding my teeth together and closing my eyes so tightly together.
I wish I had never met you, Hue!
"Aaaahhh!!!" I slam my hands off the pavement of the balcony, as I scream, splashing up the water from the puddles the rain formed.
Feeling lost, helpless, confused, angry...every sickening emotion that a being has, I only wish the rain would come down harder.
Few Days Later...
I set my phone down on the couch cushion beside me. Calling in to work claiming to be 'sick' for the third day in a row. When the truth is I can't face anyone without them mentioning his name.
Curled up alone in the dark of my apartment, on the couch, wrapped in my blanket cocoon. The only source of light being from the T.V. In the distance, behind the closed curtains and through the windows, there's the pitter-patter of the endless rain pouring down.
Continuously switching channels, until stopping on the weather forecast.
"-Steady rain we've been experiencing is predicted to continue. Experts are concerned the drastic reduction in hours of sunshine could affect..."
The voices from the T.V almost stifles the downpour outside but fills my quiet apartment.
My eyes may be on the T.V, but my focus is elsewhere, barely hearing a word is said. Ever since the rain, the world outside my window has been dim, damp, and cold for days, reminding me only of a depressing time from my past.
I sigh, tightening the blanket around me. "...I can't go back to feeling this way, I can't be stuck in this state again..." I mumble.
Even though the thought of Hue not being here hurts, I remind myself that there are five more gods who still have their own sins to absolve. To get out of this slump, I make it a goal: to erase there sins.
I pull the blanket over my head as I groan. "Not that I have any idea how to do that!" I fall onto my side, my head hitting the cushion with a bounce. "But, without me, they can't very well use their powers."
Peeking from underneath the blanket I look at the door, feeling conflicted.
"Hmm... guess I got no choice..."
Later...
"Tch, what is the Earth's problem lately?" Scorpio grumbles.
Karno chuckles. "So, even Scorpio is depressed by this nonstop rain."
I walk into the parlor of the mansion, observing the bickering between gods.
"I wasn't talkin' to you, damn it!" Scorpio barks before turning to scowl at me.
I don't respond with my usual witty, sarcastic comebacks, instead I just sigh and look at the ground.
"This is boring. I'm going back to my room." Scorpio says, getting up from his seat.
My shoulders slump as I regret coming here.
"Abbey." Dui gently calls for me.
"Hm?" I slowly raise my head.
"I made a cherry pie, it's really good. Do you want to eat it with me?" He asks, patting an empty place on the couch beside him.
"Dui..." I mumble his name as I blankly stare.
Ichthys appears, excitedly chiming in. "I want some! I want some! And I want to feed some to Abbey!"
Dui pouts. "Hey, I wasn't offering it to you, Ichthys."
I roll my eyes as a smile spreads across my face. "Pfftt..."
Dui notices. "Ah, finally! A smile."
Embarrassed, I place a hand over my mouth.
"I know!" Ichthys playfully sticks out his tongue. "I'll make some funny faces. I bet she'll smile even more then."
I see...they're trying to cheer me up. I think as I breath with a sigh of relief.
"Taking the bait as soon as it hits the water...Typical goldfish behaviour." Leon scoffs.
I look over a Leon, lounging comfortably in one of the chairs. "What?"
"The Punishments gods are just trying to suck up to you so you'll erase their marks." He says.
"Leo, don't say that. You'll just confuse her..." Karno disappointedly tells Leon.
Leon shrugs. "The goldfish is too careless. I was only trying to give her some friendly advice."
Leon turns away from me to look out the window.
You call that 'friendly advice'?!
Ignoring Leon's attitude, Karno gives me a small smile. "Don't worry. Listen to your instincts. They never steer you wrong. Dui and Ichthys want to see you happy, and I do too, of course."
"...Thanks, Karno." I return the smile.
However, I'm unable to feel any better even with Karno's words.
"Abbey." Dui calls for me again.
I look over at him.
"I slice the pie. I don't want it to go to waste. Eat it with us?" He genuinely asks.
"What?!" Ichthys whines. "But you just told me I couldn't have any!"
"What's up?" Teorus enters the room, probably hearing the commotion. "Did somebody say pie?" Teorus opens the parlor doors to call into the hallway. "Hey, Scorpy! There's pie!"
Scorpio barges in. "Shut up. Quit calling me in here for every little thing that happens."
I quietly observe as the gods. Seeing them lively like this it manages to take my mind off of things a little. And with that I can't but thank them.
Few Days Later...
One day after work, Emily invites me, or more like pressures me into going to a café with her.
"So, why did you a choose a café? It's dinner time, we could have stayed at work since it acts like a café and restaurant." I curiously ask her.
She rolls her eyes. "Oh, come on, we spend enough time there as it is."
"So why not another restaurant or even a bar?"
"Well, it's to hard to talk in restaurants and bars are to noisy."
I look at her strangely. "Really? Coming from you?"
"What? I can enjoy a café whenever I want." She huffs.
We grab our food from the counter and find a seat.
"Besides..." Emily begins to say, settling her self in her seat. "I wanted to ask you something."
I take a bite of my food. "Hm?"
"Abbey..." Emily looks at me seriously. "You've been pretty down lately. Everyone is worried."
I stop mid chew to look at her, tucking my food in my cheek. "I-I might be still getting over form when I was sick..."
"Abbey..." Emily's expression becomes worried. "Did something happen...between you and your boyfriend?"
I drop my utensil out of nervousness of where this conversation is heading. "Um...I-I don't want to talk about it." Quickly trying to recover my surprised reaction, I lower my head as I poke at my food.
Emily extends her hand across the table to touch mine. "Abbey, I'm sorry. It's totally understandable as to why you've haven't been in the best of moods lately."
I swipe my hand away from under her touch. "Emily." I firmly say. "Please, I said I didn't want to talk about it. I'm fine."
Emily knits her eyebrows. "Come on, stop acting all tough all the time. I could see, we all could see that you really care for him, didn't you?" She leans in closer. "You always seemed so happy around him, I don't think I've ever seen you have that much fun with someone before."
I irritably throw my utensil down on my plate, as a loud clank sound startles Emily. "What do you want me to say? That I loved him? That, yeah, I finally felt happy for once?" I slam my hand down on the table, locking my angry gaze onto Emily.
She looks at me rather shocked. "Abbey..."
Embarrassed, angry, and scared, bite my bottom lip. "Whatever..." I get up from my seat. "I'll see you later."
Hastily exiting the café, I throw up my hoodie, shoving my hands in my pocket as I make my way to my vehicle. The rain pours down, as my thoughts flood my mind.
I could never tell him that I love him...
...why though?
Because of who I was in my past life...
I hop in the driver's seat of my truck, slamming the door hard. My hands grip the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles go white. I rest my forehead against the rim of the wheel.
But... I really, really loved him...
With the weather still raining cats and dogs outside. It will be a while before the clouds clear and the sun shines through.
A Few Days Later...
Summoned by Vegas, I head over to the mansion with her.
"Sorry to bother you." She says with a smile.
"Don't worry about it." I shrug. "So, who is it that I'm helping today?"
Vega giggles. "Lord Teorus. He's a cheerful god. Hopefully he can cheer—" Vega stops mid sentence, even stopping in her tracks.
"Vega? What's wrong?" I ask worriedly, placing a hand on her small shoulder.
She gives her head a quick shake. "That energy."
I eye her suspiciously. "Energy?"
A look of sheer panic spreads across Vega's face as she turns to me. "...Lady Abbey, get down!"
My eyes widen, but the windows beside me in the corridor shatter. There's a flash of light and a crackle of power. I find myself grabbing Vega, pushing her away from the shattered windows.
"Abbey, Vega, are you two okay?" Teorus appears, holding me in his arms.
"Teorus..." I breath.
"Lord Teorus, that was...!"
"It's been a long time, Teorus..." A voice from down the hall, followed by echoing footsteps make there way closer to us.
"Zyglavis..." Teorus angrily responds to the voice.
I look up to see a tall man, about the same height as Hue, standing in front of us
Zyglavis smirks. "I can see from the precious way you're holding that girl that your obsession with humans is still going strong."
I scowl at the newly, introduced god with dark hair pulled back into a low ponytail that rests over his shoulder.
Teorus wickedly returns the smile. "You haven't changed either. Your face is just as scary as ever. By the way, you forgot to use the front door."
"It seems I've committed a faux pas. Earth's filthy air must've clouded my mind."
"Who's that?" I firmly ask.
"L-Lord Zyglavis, the god of Libra. He's very strict." Vega nervously replies. "He's the minister of the Department of Punishments."
I clue the information together that minister is the same rank as Leon in the Department of Wishes.
"Good to know..." I bluntly say.
Teorus begins to speak again, this time sounding a lot calmer. "Are you here to hang out? If you're looking for Scorpio, he's..."
Zyglavis raises his hand to stop Teorus from speaking. "I'm simply here on a errand. Please step back."
Teorus, pulling me behind him, frowns upon hearing this. "What are you going to do with Abbey if I do?"
I look back and forth between the two gods, feeling the intensity in the air.
"I'm sure you've already guessed that much." Zyglavis irritably answers. "It's foolish to ask a question you know the answer to." His strict gaze lands on me. "I'm going to kill that human, of course."
My eyes widen as a little gasp escapes my lips. Kill...me?
Zyglavis extends his hand. "Now, hand over the human, Teorus."
Teorus shakes his head, as his hand grips my arm tighter. "You're not the minister of my department. I don't have to take orders from you."
Zyglavis huffs angrily. "Insolent. Hand her over immediately or you'll be—"
"Wise decision, Teo."
Just as I was worried as to what would happen next, an oddly relaxed voice echoes the hall.
Leon walks up from behind me, standing next to Teorus. "She's an important tool for erasing our marks. I will not hand her over to you."
I look up at the almighty Leon, his overwhelming aura feels even more powerful and intimidating than usual.
His lips curl into a grin. "I thought I sensed the atmosphere on Earth grow just a little gloomier. And now I see why. Ponytail is here."
Zyglavis shakes his head. "I see you're enjoying your extended vacation on Earth. How nice for you, Leon."
Leon comes back with a snarky remark. "You're the idle one here, wasting time picking fights with Teo."
"I don't have time to chat, wild lion. Hand over the human."
"Didn't you hear me? I have no intention of giving you this goldfish."
"And what if I told you the Department of Wishes will lose a god if you refuse?" Zyglavis raises his voice. "If that human is not destroyed the heavens will lose Huedhaut."
Hearing the words and imaging the mere thought makes my entire body tremble out of fear. And the storm outside roars as the rain grows steadily stronger, but I'm to stunned to even hear the rain.
Zyglavis glares at me. "This is all your fault. The power of your goddess self is awakening inside of you. It's too much for you."
"What..." I instinctively look down at my open hand. The goddess's power...awakening inside of me?
"As a result, energies on Earth have been thrown considerably out of balance. Just take a look at this rain. How many days has it been since you've seen the sun?" Zyglavis sternly asks.
I step out from behind Teorus, rather angry with the accusations Zyglavis is making towards me. "Whoa, whoa, hold on a minute!" I gesture outside then back to myself. "This is my fault?!"
"Wait!" Teorus pipes up. "Even if that is true, what does that have to do with the heavens losing Hue?"
Leon remains silent, his expression turning somber.
Zyglavis looking unnervingly pleased with that reaction continues. "Judging from the look on his face, the wild lion has guessed what's happening." His face returns stern again. "Huedhaut is trying to give his life to save the earth."
My entire body shudders, as for a split second I had forgotten how to breath.
"But he doesn't have to. This can all be settled by killing just one human." Zyglavis declares, raising his hand to create another ball of light in his hand. "A weak human girl or a member of the Department of Wishes, the wisest god in the heavens and the ruler of Aquarius? The choice is clear."
This...can't be happening... I think through short shallow breaths.
Teorus reassuringly pats my on the head. "It's okay, Abbey. Leo won't kill you."
"Yeah...okay..." I point to Zyglavis. "But he will..."
"...That uptight stick in the mud acts like he's on the straight and narrow, but he really makes a mess of things every once in a while." Leon says, shaking his head with a smile as he talks a bout Hue.
"His desire to save the earth and humanity does not come from pure-hearted benevolence. He's in all likelihood being motivated by a lingering attachment to the former goddess' soul. Comical, isn't it?" Zyglavis says.
Ignoring Zyglavis, my mind is still trying to wrap around the fact that Hue is going to throw his life away. I can't worry about what will happen to me, I can't let him die!
Think, Abbey, think!
Unable to know why the divine powers of the goddess is awakening inside of me. But my inability to control that power has been causing all this rain, and it's affecting earth.
"Aren't there other options? Like getting rid of this power, or at least learning to control it?"
"But Lady Abbey, you can't get rid of divine powers, and you're human, I don't think there is a way for you to control it." Vega sadly explains.
Zyglavis chuckles. "Allow me to educate you. You are destined to die no matter what you choose. Your body cannot withstand the divine power residing within it."
Looking at my hands, out of anger I ball them up into fists, letting them fall by my side.
"There are only three options." Zyglavis continues. "Be exterminated by me and save earth, live until the earth is destroyed, or...sacrifice Huedhaut to save the earth."
I glare at Zyglavis.
"You die no matter what. It's just a matter of when." He states.
My fits begin to shake. So, this is it...no matter what I choose, I'm destined to die...
"There's no hope for you. Give up." Zyglavis hisses his words at me.
The words echo in my head as I taken back to a moment in my past, not as a goddess, but as I was as a child. Someone saying the exact same thing to me as I felt I was truly going to die.
However, I stand here today. Stronger and still alive, because I kept fighting. The past made me who I am today
"No." I stand my ground, looking him dead in the eyes. "I don't care what you say or what you do. I will not roll over and die so easily."
"Foolishness..." Zyglavis looking displeased shakes his head.
"I can't, not after what Hue told me! About him wanting me to be happy!" I yell. "I'm done with hopelessness, done with playing the lead in some stupid tragedy! And I will not have someone like you make me feel that way!"
I take a breath as I release my anger through my speech.
"Abbey..." Teorus smiles proudly.
"Haha, I'd expect no less of the girl with the soul of the goddess that stick in the mud fell in love with. You're fearless." Leon nods approvingly.
"Zyglavis. "I call the god's name.
"...What is it? You're quite bold to look a god square in the eye like this." Zyglavis furrows his eyebrows.
"I've escaped death before. And I really do not want to die." As I speak I feel energy bubble up inside of me. "But...Hue dying to save earth?" A wave of light rushes, unstoppable, to the surface of my being. "I refuse to let that happen!"
"Huh?" Zyglavis eyes widen.
"Divine power?" Leon gasps.
Everyone has a look of pure shock as they witness a glowing light surrounding my body.
When my clenched fists open, a gale-force wind rips through the air, pushing even the rain away. The wind resembling the one Hue created to save me once, a long time ago.
What the hell is this...
I remain to express my determined, angry expression to Zyglavis as puzzled thoughts fill my head as a tingling sensation courses through my veins.
...this...is the divine power?
Knowing the idea of that this power could kill me one day, it feels strange.
The all powerful wind whips my hair about, ruffling my clothes, physically pushing the rain and like a forcefield slightly pushing those around me back, but all I'm thinking about right now is what it felt like when Hue gently held my hand.
Vega pleads, as tears appear in the corners of her eyes. "Please, stop! If you release any more power—"
I take a step closer to Zyglavis, feeling the power I possess grow stronger as I think of Hue.
"Stop!" Leon orders, sternly.
"Why?" I bark back. "I'll die someday even if I don't use this power, right?"
"Abbey..." Teorus looks at me with sad eyes.
I clench my jaw, my eyebrows furrow, and eyes glaring. "I have to save him." My voice is gruff, as I yell over the power being release from my body. "I hate the idea of Hue dying even more than I hate the idea of giving up and dying myself!" I look at the gods. "I'm going to go and stop him before that can happen! And I won't let anyone get in my way!"
As I scream the words, another ripple of powers rushes out of me, different from the gale of wind I was releasing before.
"That's...a human opened up a door to a different dimensional zone?!" Zyglavis says, bewildered.
The scenery before my eyes falls away, and an empty black hole appears.
I did that...with this power... I think to myself as my instincts tell me its okay to go in.
Hue...I'm going to find you. I'm going to stop you from doing something stupid by doing something stupid myself.
You can't just tell me to be happy and then just decide to die all on your own!
I take in a shaky breath as I move towards the mysterious doorway. "I won't let you..."
"Abbey!" Teorus yells my name.
"Hey!" Leon shouts.
I stop and look back at them, sounding confident. "It's okay. I promise. I won't let Hue die."
The others seem to want to follow me, but I don't give them the chance as I continue to make my way to the black hole and fall in to it without a second thought.