VIKTORIA//ANCHOR IX

There are Gods, whose ascendancy is prophesied by men and women of great stature and wisdom. But, then, on the other hand, there are Gods whose ascendancy, none know of, yet at the same time, they do; tis them, that are the true kind of Gods.

A prophesied entity- whether humane or supernatural, whether man or god– can, never be truly a superior force. For, how can a mere mortal, gaze into the future and prick and prod through it, till he sees the coming of his own creator? Is it not, foolish? Is it not, madness?

A prophecy is naught but an elaborate lie, a flimsy jest, at the coincidental nature of reality and, by extension, our existence. Any ‘Great Being’, would have no need or want of a prophecy to inspire its return. It will, simply do so, at its own leisure. For, how can a God, be enchained by the turbulent sands of time?

It is such, philosophical, thoughts that do plague him at the current moment; the views of the magnificence of this world beyond worlds, are simply incomprehensible to his mind. Stare too long and the mind would rapture into inconceivable ramblings.

The girl remains unperturbed, prancing and dancing her merry way across these primordial halls of a world, unknown to even Gods. It is this, that gives him pause, does the girl, know of this place? Of its origin?, his mind whispers yet such questions remain unanswered– perhaps, for the better. Afterall, there are some questions that are better left unheard and uncontemplated.

The girl is strange. Her fear of death had evaporated near instantaneously, upon the man's unceremonious death. Tis was understandable, yes.. but, weird in a way that he could not quite point out. He shook his head, this whole place has queer mannerisms.

“I don't, quite believe that I caught your name,.. miss?”

The little girl stopped, tilted her head and side-eyed him; her golden eyes searching for something. She hummed, “That is, a curious way to ask for a name.. is it not? I had thought, knights were masters in the art of conversation….. you are a knight, aren't you?”

Charles nodded in affirmation, a lie but a necessary one, “Of course, of course. Tis only so, that I have learnt the art of the sword, conversation simply couldn't be perfected in such a little time.”

“Little time?” The girl parroted.

“Yes.. well, you see, I am considerably young for a knight. At least, in the purview of my land,”

“Oh,” The girl raised a brow, “How, old are you then?”

“Eighteen, nearly nineteen, give or take,” Another lie, Charles was a bloody fresh seventeen, not even near eighteen, or fucking nineteen. But, then again, telling the girl that the ‘gallant’ knight who had saved her, was barely eighteen would be harmful to this…. quest.

The girl hummed once more, and with a small grin, “Well, nice to meet ya, Sir Knight. My name's Viktoria!”

“Nice to make your acquaintance, I am Sir Charles, Lady..?”

“Oh, aren't you, a greedy knight, Sir Charles? Doth my name, not fulfill your desire for knowledge,” She tilted her head in confusion and curiosity, “Besides, I doubt your name is, just, Charles. There must be a surname, I'm sure,”

“I- I.. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Viktoria,” Charles did not press the girl, any longer.

A few minutes of walking, or rather him following the girl on a merry blind journey, Viktoria suddenly piped up, “Engel,”

“Engel..?” He questioned, taken aback by the word. Did she, mean to say Angel?

“Yes.. Engel. That is, my surname. Viktoria Engel,” Without pause, she peered back at him and flashed a smile.

He nodded, “And, I'm Charles.. Charles Arvell,”

“Oh. I already knew that,”

Wait what? He opened his mouth to question, but she was quicker to intercept, “Shush! There's no more time for tarrying about, she grows stronger by the minute!” Her piece said, the girl sprinted off with him, hot on her trails.

She.. she, who the fuck did she mean?

“Most likely, the overseer of this place,” A voice piped up in his head, sending warmth to his core.

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“Pleiades! Where.. where were you?!”

“Nowhere..? I have been here, the whole time, boy. Is thine mind, alright?” Pleiades mocked, though, he could hear a slight concern in his voice.

“Oh.. oh, I- I see. It's.. it's just that, that I- I felt you gone, like a ghost of a memory,. You becoming silent and.. and just gone!”

“Well, calm yourself, Charles. It must be.. this place, disturbing your mind,” Pleiades’ words soothed his rampant mind.

“But- but… no, no, you're right. It's this fucking place with its wrongness and perfection and heaven knows whatelse,”

“Most definitely. Even, I am having trouble at some portions of this place– it's an unnatural realm, one that perhaps, our gaze was never meant to behold. Tis curious, though,”

“Curious?” He questioned, intrigued.

“Yes, infinitely so. Tis baffling, to imagine a creature which could have forged such a world, it has the handiwork of Lilith yet the brutalistic design of Celeste with the beastial murals and frescoes of mine own invention,” He paused, in thought or in shock, Charles did not know and, perhaps, never will as Pleiades did not bother continuing.

The girl had stopped, he realized, alarmingly late, if the girl's countenance was any indication; brow lifted in an unimpressed manner, lips twisting ever downwards into a disheartening frown, even as her eyes lit up with natural wonder over the views through the balcony.

“Tis unnatural, Sir Charles, for a man to converse with open air, as if tis were his greatest.. ally,” She spoke, a touch of alarm bleeding into her voice, unconsciously. He made to defend himself, it would've been hardly proper for a knight to be considered on the same standing as an ill minded buffoon. However, much before, he could mount his defense, the girl interrupted, “There is, no need, for that, Sir Charles. I shall make an,... exception, this once,” With a pause, she added, “Only, this once.”

He nodded at that, with a grimace on his face. A defense of mental stability was still mountable, however, it would require divulging information and knowledge that, at least for his betterment, are better left, unspoken. Besides, that is without considering, the overall complexity of the unique situation. Tis an unnatural bond, between him and Pleiades– to expect, a mere child to understand it, would be incredibly foolish.

The girl, Viktoria, allowed the silence to hang over them, for a few moments more, soaking into the calmness and mind-rapturing sights of the place. Or, that is, what he thinks, she must be doing.

“There,” Viktoria begins, shattering the calm calamity of the silence, her finger pointed towards a structure built atop a massive mountain connected to this labyrinth by means of a vast bridge, “That is, where she is… that is, where your freedom is, Sir Charles,”

The structure, located across the dense forests and lakes shrouded in malevolent fog, was built in the likeness of a colosseum. A closed colosseum, to be precise– its roof being adorned by a serene dome built with a most curious material; one that shone, at certain angles, a deep ocean blue and, at other angles, would resonate a deep forest green.

And, that was, without mentioning the main building itself. From, as much as he could see, the building was built of bright snowy marble with rich golden adornments. Clearly, the entity that had designed this realm, had an unhealthy obsession with glamor and, in a way, purity.

Purity, because, tis what the pallette represents– at least, in his view. Shining warm Gold and the snowy swirling marble, had always been associated with the Arya. The pure and untainted Arya's, whose cities, are said to have been made of such pure rocks and gems, and nothing else.

“But, this work.. tis not of the Arya’s, boy,” Pleiades interrupted him, nipping the budding theory in his mind, before it could flourish and take root. Tis, a pity. He, rather liked that theory.

The girl seemed, largely, unperturbed or amazed by the grandiose sight. The little mind, most likely, focused and streamlined to one line of thought; confronting this.. woman. Wait!

“Wait, who.. who exactly, are you referring here? Is it, something that I'm.. supposed to know?” Charles questioned. While, yes, Pleiades had given, roughly, an answer to the question– it had not been ratified by the girl. Which, in simpler terms, means that the answer was a, mere, theory. Not something workable.

Besides, Viktoria's words did cut out, this ‘meeting’ between her and this mystery woman, into a bloody confrontation. All the more reason, to know of her.

Viktoria let out a small laugh, although to him, it sounded much more akin to a mocking scoff, “Ah, I would be, pleasantly, surprised, had you known about her.. for, tis incomprehensible, not to mention, impossible for you, to know anything; and I do mean anything about her,”

“Really?” Charles raised a brow, unimpressed by the lame attempt at shrouding the woman in a cloak of enigma and mystery.

“Yes,” Viktoria answered without missing a beat; her tone, carrying the seriousness of a soul reaper.

“Well, then, shouldn't I know of.. her?” He implored.

“That, I believe, is not necessary,” He made to interrupt but Viktoria was quicker, “Eh, do not beat yourself over it, you will find out…. eventually,”

Uninterested in any further conversation, Viktoria began walking. Like a loyal knight, he followed in her trail.

“The girl, is certainly.. unique,” Pleiades spoke.

“She is, isn't she?” He asked, rhetorically with a chuckle.

Pleiades chuckled, although his sounded more grave, “She is, yes. But, I feel you do not, quite grasp, just how…. extraordinary, she is,”

Charles paused, for a moment, taken aback. At Viktoria’s curious look, he snapped out of the untimely surprise and continued walking.

“What, exactly, do you mean?” He asked, beseeching the godling in his mind.

“I mean, exactly, what I said, boy. She is, more than what she seems. Be.. cautious with her, if you would?”