The power of the Gods was truly a frightening thing. All reason points to such a conclusion and yet many forget their awesome power. These were the beings that brought existence unto itself. Those who can rewrite reality as easily as breathing. And yet mortals are struck dumb when they perform such a simple miracle as curing the sick or banishing death.

It is only times like these. When Virgil stood face to face with such a minor miracle that he remembered the Gods power and gave them their proper fear. Only times like now when the sea of horrors that threatened to overwhelm Virgil and Pim was reduced to nothingness in an instant.

A simple flash of light. That was all it was. Yet, when the light faded. All that was left was ash and in its center stood a gray lifeless Hokron spitting blood from his mouth.

***

We sat in silence. The seamstress in my arms. Her tear had dried and all that was left was her soft breathing. I couldn’t help but feel my eyes draw to her chest as it slowly rose and fell. I would always try to peel my eyes away from her yet in my moments of weakness my eyes would always wander back to her,

She was truly beautiful.

“I’m sorry for doing this.” She finally spoke. “To think I spent so much time crying into a stranger’s arms. How embarrassing.”

“It’s fine. Torture does that. You know…. brings out the worst in people.” The thought of my cursed rampage still fresh in my mind.

“Oh please, pain is nothing new. It just brought back bad memories. I just hate the feeling of being locked up. Being powerless and not being able to do anything. It makes me feel….. weak.”

“Yeah, I know how you feel.” I said with a soft chuckle.

“No you don’t. You’ll never be able to understand. You’re a challenger. By your very being you will never be powerless or helpless. No matter what happens you’ll always have another chance. So long as you don’t give up you will never be trapped. Never experience what it’s like to truly be betrayed by someone you love and respect. To be abandoned by the very Gods themselves”

The seamstress curled into a ball as she said the words. Her voice breaking and staggering as she ranted. I wanted to tell her off to make her realize how much I’ve suffered to admit she was wrong but I couldn’t. Looking down at her soft and vulnerable form I couldn’t even begin to get angry with her. So instead I let her vent. Let her get it out. Give her someone to lean on. The very thing I would have wanted.

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We sat in silence again. Both of us waiting for the other to make a move. I decided to break the stalemate.

“Why don’t we get moving. The rest of the caravan could use our help. You could use some new clothes as well, yours are kinda trashed.”

The seamstress looked down only to blush at her destroyed clothes that left little to the imagination. Something about watching the once confident woman who spent our entire first meeting teasing me blush in embarrassment was pretty amusing. I tried my best to keep a straight face but when she tripped from trying to stand up too quickly, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. This only added to the embarrassment and soon the Seamstress was beet red.

“Oh, will you stop!” She yelled as she began to playfully attack me.

I was forced to take a few of her punches as I got up. But after I was standing, I was able to catch her arms and bring her rampage to a quick end. This only earned me a nasty glare from the seamstress and a few kicks to the shin.

“Look if you stop hitting me I’ll give you my cloak. Ok.” I offered. Doing what I could to halt my laughter. She took a while to consider making sure to kick me harder and harder every moment she spent deliberating.

“Fine.”

With her answer I released her hands and threw the woolen cloak over to her. With a sigh she flipped it over her shoulders and wrapped herself. I don’t know if she saw how hard I was trying to hold in my laughter or if she was genuinely upset but the seamstress gave me one more glare than kicked me in the back of the knee. That was when the flood gates opened. I fell down laughing.

All of the stress, anger, sadness and worry I had built up while in Utradem flew out as laughter. Tears streamed down my eyes as I rolled on the ground and my breathing began to falter. The Seamstress did not take this kindly.

“So, is this what your really like? Just some big tsundere?”

“What’s a tsundere?”

“Nothing, nothing. It was just a thing from where I’m from.”

Her eyes narrowed as she began to ponder. After a sigh she let out one final kick to my side.

“What was that one for?”

“Being an asshole.”

With our final exchange over we made our way up the stairs and out of the cellar. Just as my foot met dry ground, I heard the sky begin to rumble.

“Oh, looks like the solstice is ending.” The Seamstress said nonchalantly.

As if on cue light began to fight back the darkness of night and peel its way across the sky. The world cracked and struggled as the light and dark fought for dominance over the sky. We both sat in silence simply watching the battle between light and dark. It took a while In a flash of triumph, the light blocked out the night and claimed victory over the skies. Soon a beautiful light poured over every inch of land I could see.

As light began to warm my body I couldn’t help but speak my thoughts aloud.

“Maybe this world isn’t so bad after all.”