As the arrow formed of shadow burst away without even a whistle to mark its strike, Vallerian grinned. Now this, he thought as he formed another arrow from the smoky shadows that seemed to pour out of his skin, this could be very useful. Vallerian let loose again, the arrow a dark mark in the brilliant light that exuded from Celeste.

The girl, apparently, had exploded again; handy that. When Vallerian had first awoken after his evisceration -he shot another arrow at X, still a bit testy about being gutted like a fish- he had thought himself taken by the Chaos. Shadows had pooled around him on the ground then, seeping out of his every pore. Charlotte nipping at his ear, nearly three times her normal size, had dissuaded him of the motion of his death. That and he wasn’t sure if he had ever felt so alive. A fact that, considering his state moments earlier, he found very welcome.

Charlotte, glowing gold-silver wings the same span as a man from head to toe, shot from Gardinal’s side once more, striking into X with a powerful force as the pale Korek tried to rip free from Vallerian’s arrows.

“None of that now…” Vallerian muttered, pulling and loosing three more arrows formed of shadow in quick succession. The three pitch dark points flew past Gardinal, seeming even darker against the man’s glowing silver armor. The design was a bit dated, seeming more out of an ancient tapestry than a smithy, but it made an impressive sight none-the-less. Sparing a moment to glance at Celeste, still floating and glowing with her head thrown back the way she did, Vallerian shook his head. He really had no idea what exactly was going on here, but Charlotte was fine, he was fine, and he wasn’t about to question a turn of luck. Cent knows he’s had little enough of it in his life.

The arrows struck X all at once, piercing flesh and stone alike. Shadows poured from the black shafts, coalescing into twisting dark curls of smoky shadow on the ground. Roaring, X tried to push himself forward, but lay still as the arrows pinned him in place against the column.

Slowly, he strode over to the man, filling him with more arrows, pinning him down. The arrows came quick and easy now, and his eyes seemed sharper than ever. As though he could see perfectly even in the harsh shadows cast by Celeste’s glowing.

All at once the light faded. Not gone, but no longer the sun-like torrent of light that pulsed through the courtyard. Turning to Celeste, he saw her, glowing still if softly. Slowly her form floated down until her feet touched the ground.

Then she turned, and stared straight at X.

***

Celeste turned to see the First Mother, to witness the glory of Ethinia Most Merciful herself. But as she turned, the world of light and water bled away, returning her to the temple courtyard.

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Lifting a hand before her face, Celeste saw it formed of pure silver-teal light. The light, the grace, the power of the Mother above, made up her form completely now. She could feel a oneness with the world, could sense every tree and flower for miles. Could feel their strength, growing against the adversity of stone. From every insect, mouse, and bird, to every Khazimi, Sherya, and any other of the godborn. She could feel it all, could sense their souls, and it was exhilarating.

Lolling her head to the side, a languid movement that made her feel as though she was floating in water, she spotted Vallerian. Her eyes struggled to see the flesh of the man, shadows wrapping him in a cloak of smoky black, but his soul radiated brilliantly in the dark. It was a pained soul, a soul at conflict with itself. But it was an enduring, ancient thing. It might be lost, confused, but never hopeless.

An arrow burst from those shadows, and her eyes tracked its smoky trail through the air. Following the black form past Gardinal, who’s soul stood strong and powerful. It was a bulwark against the dark, unmoving, unchanging, and unbending. A strong soul that she could lean against, but full of cracks in its foundations.

Then past Gardinal, she saw him, X, pinned to a fluted column and guarded by Gardinal. She saw X and saw the dark filthy taint putrefying his soul. The Chaos, its twisted claws suffocated all that Morkad was. There was but a faint flicker of what Morkad had once been, the rest having been consumed by the twisted Chaos. But Celeste formed a wan smile. Morkad was not gone. Not completely.

Willing herself, Celeste floated to the ground, her feet gently touching the cracked marble. And as her feet fell upon earth, flowers and grass burst forth from between the cracks, life springing anew. Slowly, purposefully, she walked toward X.

She knew what must be done.

X stared her, pinned by shadowy arrows to the wall, his face gaunt and terrified.

“Do not fear me Morkad.” She spoke, her voice a tempest that seemed to echo out into the night. “The Mother has sent me to help you, and I will do what I can.”

“No.” X muttered, as she neared. “You are weak. The Chaos it is…” He trailed off as Celeste stepped up to him, a veritable garden left in her wake. “…you… you are impossible.” Fear tinged his eyes, abject terror clear on his face.

Celeste lifted her hands, cupping Morkad’s pallid face in her palms.

“The Mother forgives all Morkad.” She whispered to him, tears forming in her eyes, tears that glowed bright with light and floated up into the sky like stars. “and you shall have forgiveness as well.”

Celeste thrust the light into Morkad. Every ounce of grace that filled her to the brim with the Mother’s light exploded out. A torrent of energy cascaded through her glowing hands, crashing into X. It collided with the soul of the lost man and burned away the Chaos. She could see it, the black rot on his existence, the fetid corruption, and she could see it washed clean from him. She kept pushing, and X screamed. He screamed as his pasty pale skin grew rich and red. He shouted as his face filled out once more, handsome features replacing daemon eye and gaunt cheeks. X howled as every last plate of chitin, clawed hand, and daemonic skin was burned away and replaced with new healthy flesh. The arrows of shadow burned away at her light, pushed forth from his skin.

Then it was done, and Morkad fell, collapsing to the grassy stone.