“Why aren’t you healing me already!?” Apis shouted at the poor priests who moved around the room in panic. “I’m still bleeding!”
Theos tried to peek without getting caught, Lapis was nearby and doing the same. She was shaking as she watched the man suffer from the wounds, trying to swallow a laugh. He would have laughed if the man hadn’t challenged him into combat to the death, he did not need to attract this insane person’s attention while he was in a clear state of fury.
The man was covered in stabs, all the same shape and size but in different directions. Theos was familiar enough with the blades they had to know that those wounds were indeed made by Heras. “You really are good at fighting, huh,” he whispered to himself.
They were all deep cuts too, all of the wounds were still bleeding, and Theos wondered why the man wasn’t dead already.
“Why aren’t they closing!” one of the priests exclaimed as he plastered more of the strange powder.
“Careful, you fool!” Apis slammed the man, sending him spiraling to the ground. He grabbed onto the powder plastered wound and hissed, large sweat beads were gathering on his forehead.
Lapis snorted before hiding behind the wall, Theos moved as soon as she did and hugged the wall with his back.
“Did one of you just laugh at me?” Apis asked, words threatening death.
“What?”
“Why would we laugh at you?”
“We know better than to laugh at you.”
“Shut the fuck up and heal me already,” Apis howled, something shattered on the wall shortly after. “Or get me that brat of a girl to do it.”
Theos lowered his eyes to meet Lapis’. She was still holding a laugh even though he could not tell why the situation was so funny to her. “I am the one stopping the healing,” she whispered. “Look…”
They both glanced again, watching the blood stop oozing out. “Finally!” Apis laughed in triumph while the other priests looked at each other in confusion. The entire area, even the running water, was turning so pink with his blood. Then the wounds opened again, and that made Apis rise and stomp the ground with all his strength.
Theos went back behind the wall, breathing heavily. “How much blood does this freak have?” he leaned in and saw the man covered in flowing sanguine streaks. “We have killed a giant desert scorpion that bled less after it was dismantled.”
“He’s special,” Lapis whispered back, and it sounded a lot like an annoying story for her. “Has some sort of divine blessing on him.”
“Like from a god?” Theos frowned.
“You!” Apis interrupted their conversation. “Go and get me the high priest, or his brat of a daughter. Right now!”
Lapis moved and pulled him into one of the corridors, the priest came rushing out of the room and passed without seeing them. He could still hear Apis howling in there. “Is he going to die?” not that the idea bothered him since he sounded like the kind of guy that the world would do better without him in it, but he felt quite conflicted by the idea of Lapis letting him die on purpose.
“One can hope,” she said dreamily. “That pest of a man will survive even with his head cut off, I’m sure,” she added with a grumble.
“What now?” Theos leaned against the wall. “Had your fill?”
“I’ll let him bleed out, maybe he will pass out at least,” she said, her head going around the corner. “Your friend did this, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, those are dagger wounds,” he nodded. “His dagger was bloodied when I got it, so they probably fought…” he paused for a moment, hand on his chin. “His head wound was strange, though. And you said something about it being…”
“Addled,” she said.
“Yeah, what do you know about that?”
Her face turned into a thoughtful expression before she spoke. “How much do you know about the first Astral?”
“Not much,” he admitted. “I mean aside from the hearsays and rumors.”
“So the first Astral was called Shar,” she began, “the other ones were called after him, the second and the others that followed are called after him,” she smiled when Apis began howling again. “Shar was horrible, a terrible man. He would murder, pillage, take women slaves, and leave men with their limbs cut out in the middle of the desert. All of that happened before he even became an Astral…”
Theos remembered what Heras said about the man murdering their tribe. The stories aligned with one another to him at least.
“When he found the goddess,” Lapis leaned next to him, “the gift that was given to him was a blade, a curved, blue, serpent’s fang sword. That sword has been owned by the temple guards' commanders ever since.”
“And that was the blade Heras was hit with,” Theos concluded. “What does it do?”
“As you noticed, he wasn’t thinking straight, because the blade is venomous and its cuts don’t cause bleeding because the venom makes the blood congeal on the wound,” she said. “I’m actually surprised he managed to fight and win against Apis – and I’m sure he wasn’t alone – then escape out of here, and out of the city-”
“Hold on one moment,” Theos raised his hands, Lapis stopped and he continued. “Venom? Heras is poisoned?”
“If he was hit with the blade,” she nodded.
“Is it deadly?”
She lowered her eyes, remaining quiet for a moment before she parted her lips, “very.”
Theos rubbed the bridge of his nose. “How long?”
“It should’ve been in the first couple of hours,” she said, voice lowering, “but you met him long after that, he was still speaking, he knew who you are, and the wound was on his head- and I’m sure he is okay, he is strong to fight back, just get him back here and I can heal him and-”
“I can’t bring him back,” Theos closed his eyes and crossed his arms. “I can’t leave. If I manage to catch up with him somehow, I can’t bring him back here.”
Theos’ mind tried to find a solution through all of this, his head was blanking out though.
“I can protect him if you are worried about that-”
“He doesn’t like the people of Shinar,” Theos huffed. “That Shar guy killed his people.”
“Oh,” she responded.
“Is there really nothing that I can do?” he said, more to himself than her.
“Sometimes the best thing we can do is pray and wish the best for them,” she joined her hands together, he wanted to snap out but she quickly gave him a mischievous look that did not sound like she believed what she was saying. “Or…”
“Or?” he stared.
“We can go and find that scroll that you wanted to check on earlier.”
The scroll that had something, maybe. “Yeah,” he nodded. “Yeah, let’s go and find that scroll.”
“Alright then,” she smiled, “but first…”
Lapis turned for a moment, she stayed that way for that moment, until the large bald man screamed again, before turning back to him with a winning smile. “Let’s go!”
-
They claimed one of the small rooms at the corner, making sure no one saw them as they moved about. That was simple since the place was empty after the attack happened, apparently. “Something about old speech lexicon,” he whispered to Lapis who was rifling through the piles inside the stone shelves.
“There are a few of those,” she grumbled. “Did he not say anything else?”
Theos shook his head. “Wait,” he thought. “Something about… Akh… or Ba maybe?”
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“Those are old speech words,” she nodded, “maybe just get all of the scrolls and we can see if anything sounds familiar.”
He nodded and grabbed the ones she pointed before they went back into the room. Theos placed the scrolls on the stone table then joined Lapis on the long stone bench and watched her unfurl one of the scrolls.
“Akh or Ba?” she said as she unwrapped the wooden scroll further and further while she read it.
“Yeah, or… uhh,” he tried to remember what Akh-Ba used to say, “Ka? Xen?”
“Xam?” she pointed. “The form of power, this is something like a worthy sacrifice that feeds one’s self,” she said.
“Okay,” he leaned in, looking at the symbol, a crescent pointing down with two blades piercing it.
“A place of power, that could feed back to one’s self, too, related to the afterlife- what is this?” she turned to Theos, frowning.
“I don’t know,” he said, “find the others?”
She stared at him with her deep blue and gray eyes, he turned and met them before saying. “Please?”
“Okay,” she nodded. Her fingers followed the characters until she stopped on a symbol, it was like the arms of a person asking the divine for something, praying, raised up high into the skies. They also looked much like the hands of shades, he shuddered. “This one.”
“What?” he got closer.
“Ka, the essence and the receiver from the underworld,” she said, “and this one, Ba,” she pointed. The symbol was like the lantern they used for shards, but the shard was on top as well in the center of the square, with a kneeling man figure next to it. “The Aspect…” she turned and looked into his eyes again. “Theos, what is this?”
He stared back, “I don’t know,” he said through clenched jaws.
“Akh, the proper death, the superior mind, death under the light…”
Another symbol, a head, just a dismembered head. He placed his finger on it.
“This sounds like an evil god,” she said, “something that takes sacrifices, something that is from the underworld, something that takes the form of men, this is- this is…” she mumbled before her eyes widened in realization.
“Something like Dion,” he said.
“No, not the same,” she looked at him.
The sacrifices at the top of the temple… he looked at the crescent symbol. The underworld… the pit? A spiritual being? Taking forms of people sounded a lot like the Astrals. He kept the thoughts to himself as he thought. What was it that Heras found that made him act like he figured the secrets of life and death?
“No,” she shook her head, not responding to anything he said rather than reading the words.
Praying, shades… Akh-Ba and Dion being similar…
“I don’t know what he was looking for,” Theos huffed and leaned back. His eyes went to the ceiling. “I don’t get it.”
Lapis stared at him as his hand went to the Akh and the Ba, “Akh-Ba,” Lapis pronounced the words, slowly.
“What would that mean?” he frowned, “If it was just the two words together then something like… the head and lantern? Aspect?”
“Something like the god of Mind, or Aspect of Death,” she replied. “There is something you are hiding, isn’t there?” she turned to face him again.
“Yeah,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense though,” he thought about Akh-Ba. “Aspect is like a god, right?”
“Depends,” she thought, “it could be a number of things, a part of death perhaps, or a god, or something powerful.”
“Do you know what it could be?” he asked.
“The only thing that comes to mind is the first war,” she hummed. “Shar was chosen, even though he was a horrible and ruthless person, because of his combat prowess. He was able to lead the war against the savage tribes of the Black Dunes.”
“The Black dunes had tribes?” Theos scoffed. “The place is filled with undead, sphinxes, and Amu knows what.”
“According to things I’ve heard, and read, they lived there long before most of those creatures existed,” she explained, “the savage tribes were in constant fighting with the monsters of the Black Dunes crater, which made them a strong and capable tribe of warriors. They worshiped a god that demanded them to strive until they were perfect,” she leaned back on the stone bench.
“Is that god the same one as the one here?” he frowned.
“No,” she leaned in. “I don’t know,” she admitted, “this mentions death, not strife…”
Theos huffed out and closed his eyes, “alright.”
He went quiet, trying to solve whatever this weird puzzle was, it did not help he did not know how to begin solving it, and that he only had some bits and pieces that made no sense. Akh-Ba was involved, the words it said were a hint maybe, and Heras knew about other things that he did not, and just thought they made sense for him.
“You look constipated,” Lapis laughed.
“I’m trying to think,” he smiled, “failing to think, and I don’t know what to share with you, because you are probably smarter than I am…”
“Hm,” she nodded, “it is good that you know that I am smarter!” she smacked him on the shoulder and it hurt him, he swallowed the hiss, though. “I wish there was more for me to go on, but if you can’t share, or don’t want to, I would totally understand.”
“I think I need some fresh air,” he stretched, arms high above him. “Think we can leave?”
“We have been in here for a while,” she grinned. “I have some food stashed on the top of the temple if you wouldn’t mind chancing another brush with arena death.”
Well, it was a lovely scene of the city, with cool air and a quiet surroundings, maybe he could think in there. As long as there weren’t more guards or priests bothering them up there, it would be a good place for it and no headache of course. There was also the problem of that asshole of a commander of the guards, but…
“I think I can take him on if he is that injured and you make him bleed some more,” Theos stood up. “Lead the way,” he bowed to Lapis.
“Oh my, how brave,” she sniggered, “I’ll make sure those wounds flood the entire temple so you can have a chance at victory, then.”
“You have an eye for those things,” he winked at her.
“I have an eye for a lot of things, sir Theos,” she smiled as she left the tiny room, “I’m still to get a measure on you, though.”
“What kind of measure?” he smirked.
“We shall see,” she said as they snuck between the corridors, seeking the top of the temple.
-
“What is this?” Theos took the soft and sticky brown ball shaped thing. It smelled like food, but it was the first time he ever saw anything like it. Nothing from the spread in front of him looked anything like anything he’d ever had, in fact. There was a bowl of these browned balls – drenched in what he assumed was honey – another of flattened sticks shaped into disks, what he assumed was shredded meat but way too white… and that was just the beginning of the food, not to mention the few clay bottles of drinks.
“That’s luqat,” she took one and popped it into her mouth, and it found a home in her cheek as she pushed it aside to talk. “Fried dumplings, covered in date syrup!” she spoke in delight.
“Uh huh,” he put the piece back and licked his fingers clean off the syrup, it tasted sweet and somewhat sour, tangy in a way. Too sweet for him, but it would be great after something that was salty. “And that?”
“Shredded tubers,” she pointed at the sticky disk things. “Roasted quail cuts, shaflo – citar sour milk on batter bread, roasted grains with spices, and pit cooked bull leg,” she pointed at each of the dishes before he stopped her.
“Okay, okay,” he grabbed one of the bottles and a clay cup. He tilted it to pour her the cup and she shook her head. She pointed towards another one, instead. Theos picked and poured the drink. “I recognize that smell…” he sniffed.
“Muted blow,” she said, smug, cheeks swollen with the sweet dumplings, “I liked it so much I got myself a few bottles!”
Theos grumbled remembering the Blue crescent’s owner. He was glad he found his wife on the counter when he returned, as the man went to sleep, and she gave him the room back with no problems. The stablehand was not excited about the return of that citar, though. He poured another cup for himself, it smelled bitter and sweet, strange and opposing flavors that worked well together in this drink.
It being nonalcoholic gave the drink extra points from him, he did not like not being clear minded.
Theos went for this quail meat, soft and succulent, with a delicious char on the skin parts. “What kind of animal is this quail?”
“It is a small bird from the Greenbelt,” she said, taking a piece for herself. “A very cute looking bird.”
“I guess being delicious didn’t work so well for them,” he said.
They soon finished the bowl of quail meat and moved to the others.
“How come there are no guards chasing you around today?” he said, looking towards the empty stairs leading to the arena.
“They are stretched thin, with the gate duty and whatnot,” Lapis froze for a second.
“What?”
“Oh,” she blinked, “nothing, was just making sure he started bleeding again.”
“Man, you are petty,” Theos grinned. “Remind me not to get on your bad side.”
“Were you planning on doing that?” she glared at him before smiling again, and he hoped it was a joking glare.
“I would never dare,” Theos chuckled, “I am sure I used all of my good luck when I met you.”
“Oh?” she blinked.
“I am grateful for this encounter,” he said, “even if you ended up tossing me on the ground and stabbing me a few times.”
“Don’t say it like that,” she grumbled as she took a big sip out of the cup. He offered her the bottle and she extended the cup to get the refill. “People will think I’m a monster or something.”
“The cutest monster I’ve ever seen,” he replied.
“Stop this,” she demanded.
“Alrighty,” he laughed as he took a bite out of the dumpling piece. Yeah, too sweet for him.
“My lady, my lady!” a priest came running up the stairs, “I am glad I found you, this is a matter most urgent. The commander-”
“Should wait until I am in the mood to have pity on him,” she interrupted, tossing another dumpling into her mouth. “He can sit there and bleed for all I care, maybe it will make him for a better man if he got rid of some of that foul blood.”
“But he passed out, my lady,” the priest looked appalled.
“Good!” she grinned, “the sleeping does not sin, is that not your teachings, as well?”
“My lady?” he blinked, confused, terrified.
“That monster of a man does not have any power over me,” she said, “it is the most simple and obvious fact any of you should realize by now. He values strength. I am stronger than him. He will come to me and ask me to be healed after his failure, and maybe – after I deem his apology satisfactory – I will allow him to be healed by my hands.”
The priest just stood there, eyes darting between the two of them.
“You may leave,” she smiled as she waved the man away, he turned to leave and she called out. “Oh, please tell everyone that I don’t want any of them to bother me, no one comes to the arena today.”
The man wanted to say something but a raging whirl passed them, making the man sway and almost fall.
“I am in a most horrible mood.”
The man vanished.
“Now we will have this place all for us,” she told him. “So, what should we do?”