The front door reformed, sealing the entrance. Ayii glowed with a light that calmed Elysia, dispelling her anxiety and permeating the room, holding back the pitch-black darkness. Shaking off the last of her nerves, Elysia slowly walked towards Ayii, taking Her in completely with each step. Through Ayii’s glow, Elysia could make out features of Her face and physique that were similar to her own. She was a spitting image of Elysia, aside from Her eyes.
“Ayii?” she asked, hope filling her voice.
Ayii smiled sweetly, like a mother seeing Her child after a long absence. Lingering pulses of light were left in her wake as She moved to embrace Elysia with palpable care. Elysia hugged Her back tightly, surprised by how much she needed the physical contact. After a moment, they released each other, and Ayii lifted Elysia’s face, watching the emotions dance tumultuously within her eyes.
“It is so good to finally see you again, my dear,” Ayii spoke eloquently. Her voice, though soft, echoed sharply in Elysia’s mind. Despite not seeing how vast the space they stood in was, the reverberation of Her voice gave a sense of its size.
“Why do I know you?” asked Elysia, staring at Ayii in confused hope, waiting for the answer to halt the uncertainty she struggled with. It had been eating at her, similar to the corruption that gnawed at their bond. The completeness she searched for carried on the words only Ayii could speak. Her memory lapse and the powers she used could all be brought back by the shine of the woman inside her. Ayii watched the ebb and flow of her emotions, boiling beneath, understanding their grip on her. She knew the feeling; after all, they shared the same body.
“It has been centuries since we’ve met like this,” She said.
Elysia’s eyes widened.
“The corruption implanted in you—I saw it coming, but I could not stop it. That attack, laced with a dense, dark, temporal energy, was the one thing I had hoped He would not allow him to use.” Ayii said, regret spilling from her lips like juice from old, bitter fruit.
“Centuries? Wha-what do you…?” Elysia began to ask, stifled by the mounting shock.
Ayii stepped back, Her hands upon Elysia's shoulders, bracing herself for how Elysia would respond to what She was about to say.
“You have been asleep for 500 years, my dear.”
Her words felt like a thousand needles climbing up Elysia’s neck and radiating through her body. She had never experienced such a phantom pain. Each splintering jab injected a dose of fear that compounded into the next. It reached her eyes, dulling the light they reflected from Ayii’s glow. Unbearable helplessness took shape, paving the path to an idea she had not known she rued. Coupled with the fear, it gripped Elysia so tightly that she became utterly still, unable to respond to Ayii’s words.
“It’s been 500 years since He nearly killed you,” Ayii spoke, breaking the haze of silence. “That blow sent us forward through time. Unable to react to His heinous actions, I called to you, but you were quiet. The light in your eyes started to dim as your warmth gave in to entropy. You were almost dead.”
Her pitch-black eyes welled with golden light, ready to spill forth and paint her cheeks. “I could not wake you, and I could not protect you from his time manipulation. We were ill-prepared for it.” Ayii continued as streaks of brilliant gold rolled down her face. “I used all my energy, my power, to keep your mortal form intact, healing you, hoping that you would awaken one day.”
Elysia, still catatonic, allowed her eyes to follow Ayii as She began to pace, wrestling with the unfortunate task of recounting their turmoiled past to Elysia.
“You and I are the only ones left from our time who would know the truth- who could undo what was done to Xyria. As I held you, using all my strength to hide and protect you, I watched Him, from afar, shape the world to His liking,” Ayii locked eyes with Elysia. “Although I could not see it all, I could feel everything. His manipulation of life and land - He’s done so much in the past five centuries, it is unfounded.”
As She continued to fill in the gap between Elysia's absence until the moment she awoke in the dirt, Elysia broke free of her shock. Interrupting Ayii, she asked, “Who is ‘He’ you speak of?” timidly fighting off the fear.
Ayii stopped in her tracks, fully understanding the reach of Elysia’s amnesia. “There’s two of them acting as one. Bonded in the same way you and I are.” Ayii paused momentarily before uttering the two names that sparked a memory for Elysia, “Imal and Uou.”
The room lit up. A portion of the darkness that covered the space vanished, revealing what looked to be the living room of a luxurious home. Half of the marble floor sparkled from the illumination, giving all the furniture and fixtures a lively radiance. The doors leading to several other rooms seemed unaffected by the recession of the darkness except one. The front door, no longer sealed by shadow and corruption, appeared like a typical front door of a home. A bit grandiose but normal, nonetheless.
”Imal…and Uou,” Elysia repeated, the fear that gripped her weakening. She closed her eyes, trying to picture the faces that belonged to the two names. The living room began to flicker with static. Increasing in frequency until the room completely faded.
As the static began to fade away, an image of a dark sky consumed the space. It glowed from distant flames, flashes of light among the dark clouds, and a figure in the distance careening towards Elysia. She watched it approach at a great velocity, startling her and causing her to jump out of the way. Elysia landed on a sofa, breaking the vision of the sky and returning them to the living room.
Ayii stepped to Elysia, offering her hand to assist in standing. Elysia, ignoring her offer, stood up on her own. Ayii smiled at the motion, knowing that the Elysia she knew would do such a thing.
“Even after all this time, it’s nice to know some things haven’t changed.”
“Thank you, though.”
The moment passing, Elysia spoke as she regained her composure,” Even though I was unconscious, You were awake?”
“It may seem like mere minutes between then and now to you, but it does not work the same on a god. I was awake. Trapped, but aware.” Ayii nodded.
“What did you see them do? How has the world changed?” Elysia asked, recalling the unfamiliar objects used by Xoital and the rebels.
“With most of My focus on preserving you, I could only see the changes as they drew close to where we lay. I saw His darkness planting seeds in the life that remained after the battle. I could hear His voice stretching across the countries, speaking to those who accepted His rule, weeding out those who did not. I could feel Xyria shift into imbalance, Uou’s command of death and darkness taking root in the planet.” Ayii continued. “From what I did see, technology has advanced tremendously. Their medicine, as you witnessed yourself, is a far cry from the archaic ways you remember. Out of all of His malevolence, that is one of the few good things that came from it. ”
Hearing the name again, Elysia asked, “Who is Uou?”.
“My other half. We were born together from Xyus.”
“Born together from Xyus?” Elysia inquired, the name sparking memories.
“Yes. Xyus…” She lingered on her words, staring as if she had just noticed something missing from them.
“Xyus is the Light itself, right? Couldn’t Xyus stop Imal and Uou from doing all of this?” Elysia asked. The idea of Xyus and Its memories beginning to return, causing the darkness to recede further, revealing more of the living room.
“Xyus IS Uou and myself, together. Imal split us apart. Somehow.” Ayii said, a pinch of anger in her tone. “He came into the temple and gave Uou a strength I had never felt Him have. His mere presence – the strength of his anger and ambition - put Uou into a frenzy, empowering Him. It was enough for Uou to pull away from Me.” Ayii continued. “When it happened, I felt…tired. I had almost forgotten that unusual feeling – of falling asleep.”
Ayii paused, pondering for a moment, realizing there were things She herself did not recall.
“I remember pilgrims coming from all over Xyria to commune with Xyus – to find their purpose in life. So many with hope, some afflicted with fear and doubt, but all leaving with a renewed sense of purpose.”
Elysia gazed at Ayii, remembering her own communion. A vision of it flickered, and a young Elysia, walking up the stairs that met the Golden Light, quickly faded away as Ayii continued her recollection.
“Then Imal approached, and I felt Uou tremble. The communion had always been a shared experience. We would talk as one, but with Imal, I felt muzzled in his presence. I had never experienced such limitations.”
The living room blinked, taking Ayii and Elysia to the moment Imal walked into Xyus’ Light. Elysia felt a heavy dread begin to clasp her throat like Life itself became conscious and wished for Death to take its place. The portal that housed the Light also shook at the scene. It flickered frequently as Imal communed, like a distress signal from Xyus.
The scene faded, and the living room returned. Elysia, with her eyes fixated on Ayii, asked, “How could a mortal be capable of severing a God?”
Ayii was silent. For the first time, Elysia saw fear seep through Her face. The brightness of Her glow could not hide it.
“I do not know.”
The room succumbed to a quiet that was bound by an ominous fear between them. A fear of a god not knowing a mortal’s potential.
After a moment, Elysia thought to herself, what can we do?
“Remerge myself and Uou.” Ayii answered, responding to Elysia’s thought.
Briefly surprised, Elysia realized that she was already in her mind. She let the intrusion of Ayii’s response go.
“It was our original goal then: To subdue Imal long enough to connect with Uou and join Us back to Xyus”
“How do we do that?”
Ayii paused, staring towards the back of the living room where the last of the darkness remained. A look of sympathy washed over Her face as She shifted her gaze to Elysia.
“What is it?” Elysia asked, noticing the shift in Ayii’s energy.
“There is something else.”
“What do you mean?” Elysia asked, puzzled by Ayii’s change in tone.
Ayii looked at Elysia with an expression of concern. The room faded once more, bringing them to a view of the Ansym Ocean, several miles off the western coast of Madera, once known as the Land of Perpetual Summer, home of the Light of Xyus. But the sight was far from the peace of summertime.
Below them lay hundreds of boats caught up in ravaging waters. The sky was filled with the rumbling of a once-dormant volcano, spewing ash and fire. The wind howled against their backs, screeching in agony. It was a world tormented by the birth of disparity and unhinged chaos. The coastline was a vignette of dancing lights – villages aglow from burning houses, tinged red from bloodshed.
Ayii and Elysia looked onward, watching the chaos play before them. Elysia felt overwhelmed at the sight of the world in such a state, but the most prominent emotion was anger. An anger that consumed everything within her.
Though she knew what she was seeing was just a glimpse of the past, it affected her as if she was still in it—experiencing the elements of war, death, and strife. She looked down at the rocky waters of the ocean. Ships that attempted to escape the tides capsized against the unforgiving waves that devoured them. Some crashed into one another, unable to control their direction, guided by the merciless wind.
Standing in front of it all was Imal. His eyes emitted the golden glow that he and Elysia shared. A distinct feature that represented their bond to the two halves of God. A remnant of the Golden Light that shined from Xyus’ Temple before the Severance.
Elysia locked onto him as anger boiled to the brink, her thoughts becoming jumbled and incoherent. As much as she tried to focus, she couldn’t. Her intention was always to subdue him long enough to put an end to his madness - but all the pain he caused twisted her at that moment. Seeing the chaos made her want to stop him for good – to kill him.
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Her anger evolved into a rage that outstripped the malignance Imal exuded. Elysia let out a blood-curdling cry towards him. She turned her sights to Ikar, the giant moon that closely orbited Xyria. Returning her gaze to Imal, she raised her hand skyward. Accompanying her movement was a force that pulled the ocean into the sky, filling the air with columns of water. The wind that blew the ships into each other now sucked them upward, creating a vacuum into the void. Imal himself was thrown off balance by the sudden flip in gravity. The land on the horizon broke apart, rising into the sky like pieces of disoriented meteorites.
Elysia released another scream, this one filled with the strain of her efforts. Her hand facing the sky curled, and Ikar cracked open, bleeding magma from its core. She curled her fingers tighter, and a chunk of the moon separated from itself, and the magma poured out into space, visibly cooling into rock.
Her third scream was the one that sent chills down Imal’s spine. Throughout their battle, he smiled and taunted her, seated in his confidence that she was not a factor in his endeavors.
Her third scream was the one he felt. Displaying such immense power injected him with a fear he did not know. Although brief, it was enough to wash the smile off his face.
Her third scream made him reconsider his actions, if only for a second.
Elysia cried out in an unnerving screech and hurled the mass of Ikar toward Imal. The mass, hundreds of thousands of miles away, catapulted down to Xyria at a speed that could only be topped by light. As it entered the atmosphere with tremendous force, it broke into several smaller pieces, still enormous in their own right. Each one collided with Xyria, creating explosions that covered thousands of miles. The ocean vaporized instantly, filling the sky with mist. Each impact shook the planet, sending shockwaves that rushed outward.
A moment of sobriety seeped through Elysia’s rage. She took in the aftermath of her attack, realizing the death and chaos she had created. Reaching her arms, she attempted to retain the ripple effect from her outlash. Her rage dissolving into remorse, the power she connected to, which allowed her to sunder the moon, was gone, and she found it mountingly difficult to hold back the inertial forces of the pulsing shockwaves.
As the humming of quakes and roiling fire rang, her arms trembled against the wave of destruction that howled, begging to be released from the epicenter of impact. She thought about all the people who died because of her anger. Elysia glanced over to Ayii, who watched with sorrow as she relived the agony.
The shockwaves rebounded inward and dissipated. She dropped her arms, spent from struggling against the incredible force. Before she could have a moment to gather herself, she felt a piercing pain in her chest. The air was knocked out of her lungs as she hunched over, coughing up a tremendous amount of blood. The shards of Ikar catapulted into the sky from the force of the strike, followed by Elysia. Before her eyes rolled back and consciousness escaped her, the last glimpse she caught was of two golden eyes staring back.
-- --- --
Elysia gasped for air as she came back to reality. Her eyes darted around the room, trying to focus on something to gather herself. Her hands, which she recalled were grasping Xende’s, were floating in front of her, holding nothing. She found the strength to calm herself and catch her breath, only to see Xende pass out in Xoital’s arms. Xoital flashed a look of relief as Elysia found her way back. She looked down at her mother and whispered in her ear softly, trying to soothe her. Xende, her eyes open and motionless, uttered softly, seemingly repeating what Xoital was saying.
Noticing this, Elysia couldn’t help but feel responsible for the current situation. Tears began to well up but before she could apologize, Xoital did her best to reassure Elysia of Xende’s state.
“She’s okay. This happens when she uses that medallion for too long.” Though she did not enjoy seeing her mother this way, she knew everything would be okay.
“Go. Collect yourself. I will take care of her.”
Elysia, wiping the tears before they could fall, walked to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Turning on the faucet, she splashed water on her face, attempting to dispel the emotions of her visions. The ability to pick the temperature of water was a soothing comfort. As she regained her composure, she stared into the mirror. Her eyes now aglow with the golden light she saw in her vision.
“Ayii?” she asked, staring into her reflection.
“Yes?” Ayii replied.
The medallion worked. The corruption that blocked her and Ayii’s connection seemed to have been removed. She dried her face and continued to speak with Ayii internally.
That vision – of me breaking the moon and throwing it – was that real? Elysia nervously asked.
“Yes,” Ayii confirmed. “At that moment, you were consumed by rage. There was no getting through to you. You forced your way into a deeper power I command, an Existential Element, and used it, changing the shape of the moon.”
An Existential Element?
“Yes. Beyond the elements of creation – fire, air, water, nature, life, and death, are the Elements of Existence. These elements have a farther-reaching influence, allowing Xyus to control existence itself. The four elements of existence – Light, Darkness, Time, and Space weave and dictate the very essence of the universe.”
Elements of Creation and Elements of Existence. So when I pulled the moon, what Existential Element was that?
“Space. I command the very space you stand in. Gravitational manipulation, which you used to stay in the sky with Imal, is just the surface of its capability. There are deeper levels it can reach - to a certain extent, reality as it is perceived can be changed through this power. However, I do not believe it is possible to use it without you submitting to me completely. We may be able to communicate freely now, but our bond is not deep enough for you to access this power at will. I also do not recommend using this element, for it is quite dangerous, as you experienced firsthand.”
Submitting to you? Elysia inquired.
“Back with the Guardians. You felt it. That feeling of being a passenger in your own body. That was me essentially taking control of you in order to save you and the Rebels. It was my last effort to fight against the corruption within you.” Ayii explained.
Our bond determines our power. Elysia pondered.
“Precisely. Back then, we were much further in our bond, and you showed acceptable control of my elements. But you’re tapping into an Existential Element at such a magnitude, with such mastery, was unfounded. I hadn’t expected you to wield it so acutely and so abruptly.”
What elements can I wield now?
“Once you are strong enough, you can potentially access all the elements I have dominion over Nature, Water, Light, Space, and Life. The skies are still dark within, and this house is still looming with shadow. I don’t believe the corruption is completely abated, only weakened.”
Elysia’s mind wandered to the potential of power she held within. If she manipulated Space before, she could do it again. And it scared her.
“I shattered the moon…” she said to herself.
“Indeed. Not an easy feat for your first attempt. But you were so angry, it might have fed into an unconscious strength you possess.”
Thinking about the landscape she saw in her visions, Elysia thought back to something Ishh had said earlier that day. “Down below.”
Just then, a knock at the door interrupted her train of thought.
“Can I come in?” Xoital asked beyond the door.
“Yes,” Elysia answered, placing the towel she used earlier back onto its rack. The door swung open with Xoital stepping over the threshold.
“How are you feeling, Elly?” she asked with concern.
“I’m okay.” Elysia replied, “I’m sorry about Xende.”
“She will be fine. She hasn’t used that medallion in a while, but this happens when she does for too long.”
She tried to mask it, but Elysia could see the concern take root within her. Reading her aura, she noticed its lower frequency. Elysia, working past her initial hesitation, rested her hand upon Xoital’s shoulder, offering comfort through her touch.
Xoital smiled appreciatively at the gesture but froze at the sight of Elysia’s eyes.
“What happened to your eyes?” she asked, staring, captivated.
She gazed into their golden glow, feeling as if she were being called in by a soothing tone that resonated with some part of her deep within. The intricate pattern of ridges and valleys of Elysia’s irises were painted in brilliant shades of golden yellow – like waves of sunlight crashing against the edge of a cliff at dawn. Xoital felt like she was falling into their mesmerizing appeal but would be caught by loving arms.
Elysia retracted her arm, realizing Xoital had been staring for some time. “My eyes?” She turned back to the mirror she used to look.
“It is the Light of Xyus. He shares the same eyes,” Ayii answered before Elysia could ask.
“It is from my bond to Ayii,” Elysia turned back to Xoital.
Xoital, breaking her trance, looked at Elysia, slightly puzzled at the name. “Ayii?”
Elysia, realizing she had not shared what happened while under the influence of the medallion, began to explain.
“I am from 500 years in the past.”
“What?” Xoital nervously chuckled.
“Five hundred years ago, a god named ‘Ayii’ was bound to me, and we fought against a man named ‘Imal’, who is also bound to a god, and lost. In our fight, he used some kind of time manipulation power to send me forward through time. This made it possible for him to create this dark, corrupted world.”
Xoital held a healthy dose of skepticism about all the myths her mother spoke of growing up. Hearing them from this mysterious woman she found lying in the grass this morning, she began to consider the possibility of those myths being true.
“So, everything mama has told me isn’t just ramblings of some vieja loca [crazy old woman]?” Xoital asked.
Elysia, though unsure of the last part, nodded anyway, “All of it is true. Even when I first walked in, she called me ‘Mother’. Your mother was speaking to Ayii. Xende could see Her through the corruption that inhibited our bond.”
“What else did Ayii tell you?”
For the next couple of minutes, Elysia shared what she had learned, this time at a less frantic pace, restating Imal, the Severance of Xyus, and shattering the moon.
“Wait, you broke the moon apart?” Xoital asked incredulously.
“I was so angry; I called a part of the moon down to crush Him with.” Elysia expressed with shame. Xoital was silent for a moment, then grabbed Elysia’s hand suddenly, rushing her outside.
“What are you doing?” Elysia stuttered out, doing her best to retain her balance as Xoital dragged her along. Though small, Xoital was quite strong when she was focused.
A few steps into their backyard, Xoital looked around, making sure no one else was in sight. It was hard to peer through the mist, so she gave a few sniffs to double-check any unknown scents.
“Xoi,” Elysia, now slightly frustrated with being dragged, forced herself free from Xoital’s grip.
“What are you do-” Elysia was quickly silenced by Xoital hand lightly pressed against her lips.
“Shh. Let me be dramatic.”
Xoital whipped up wind that gently guided them upward through the mist. It was thick and stretched higher in the sky than Elysia had anticipated. During the day, some pockets allowed light from the suns to pierce through, but the glow from the night sky was not strong enough to achieve the same feat. Passing through so much mist, Elysia felt her clothes beginning to absorb the moisture. A negligible discomfort for her, but a discomfort, nonetheless.
After nearly a minute, the two broke above. The glow of the three moons bounced off the top of it, giving a soft silver ambiance. Elysia marveled at the calm, wonderful glow until Xoital pointed upward, guiding her eyes to a long trail of rocks that led away upward into the sky, creating a kind of dilapidated staircase to a deformed moon. Jagged and two-toned, it still reflected the light from the suns, giving what luminance it could. Elysia’s marvel quickly morphed into fright.
“I did this?” Her question escaped with mild horror at the sight. She already knew the answer, but asking the question felt necessary – she needed to hear someone else tell her.
Ayii, able to hear and see through Elysia, replied solemnly, “You did, dear.”
Xoital watched Elysia, the sorrow building on her face, realizing the stories told by her mother were, in fact, the truth. Looking at the bubbling emotions in Elysia, everything began to click - the stories, the Scars, the great evil and corruption that plagued Xyria – her mother always spoke of these things – and Xoital took them with a grain of salt, but hearing Elysia repeat the same information, and seeing her reactions, she was inclined to believe it all now.
Mustering the strength to speak past the fear of her folly, Elysia asked, “Where are we?”.
“Zephyr.” Xoital answered, watching Elysia comprehend the consequences of her past actions. “Foreigners call it the ‘Unbound Archipelago’. Pffft. So lame.” she added, trying to inject humor in the moment.
She moved toward Elysia and began their descend into the mist. The vapor from the mist rushed past them, accumulating droplets on their faces as they passed. Once they touched down, Elysia, feeling she already knew the answer, wiped the moisture off her face and rushed into a nearby thicket.
“Hey!” Xoital meekly yelled, following after her.
Making it past the thick foliage onto a plateau of pale blue stone that came to a cliff, the women walked up to the ledge and took in the endless sky before them. The golden glow of Elysia’s eyes refracted from the tears that filled them.
Xoital, taking in the same sight, one she had always seen, looked to Elysia as she sunk into her sorrow.
“So you made these islands?” Xoital started, “I’m not gonna lie, this is impressive.” Half-jokingly, trying to reverse Elysia’s mood. To no avail. Elysia collapsed to her knees at the terrifying result of her power.
Ayii watched as well, seeing the aftermath of their last bout with Imal, feeling Elysia struggle with the idea of how destructive her strength was, and felt compelled to comfort her as well. “Do not fret, my dear. It was done in a moment when you were at your wit’s end. Do not punish yourself for your past transgressions. The powers of a god are no minor thing, after all.”
Her words were met with quiet as Elysia stared out into the distant lands.
The clouds floated underneath them, moving towards their endless journey into the immense expanse of Xyria. Below them, Elysia spotted what seemed to be an endless sea of trees, hills, and mountains. A serene silver lining until her gaze set where the land and sky met. A dark smog hugged the horizon. Setting her eyes upon this smothering fog, a thought broke through.
“Imal,” Elysia said aloud, marking the location of the smog in her mind.
“Imal had done far worse than these islands by the time we met him for battle. You intended to put an end to his tyranny.” Ayii attempting to ease Elysia’s pain again.
That doesn’t excuse it! Elysia thought angrily. There were people in boats beneath us. There were villages hit by the meteor. How can you say it was any better or worse than what Imal had done if I did the same? I may have been blinded by rage, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that innocent people were killed because of me!
Their inner dialogue seeped out into visible discomfort. Her knees met her face as Elysia curled up and hugged them.
“You lost control, but you were also trying to stop someone who is endlessly more terrifying and brutal in every way. Give yourself more grace, child. Your right choices far exceed your wrong.”
Elysia relinquished her restraint and allowed her tears to fall.
“You were not given a choice. We were bound by Xyus’ Will. You are doing your best with what you have been bestowed.”
Elysia tucked her head in, struggling with Ayii’s optimism and reality.
This is where I failed. She thought. I am a murderer.
Xoital sat next to her, resting her hand on her back. She could feel her sincerity gently pulse through. She didn’t believe it before, but this moment allowed Elysia to truly view Xoital as a friend.
As they sat in silence, a memory of her time with the Keepers of Light – times from her past, came to Elysia. Though a bit hazy, she recalled words she had once spoken. Flashes of robed figures in a moment of prayer - these words filled her mind, so much so that the only space left to put them was into the world.
“By the Will of Xyus,” Elysia recited.
The urgency of the words left as fast as they came. She softly lifted her head from her knees, letting her tears continue to fall as her sight set on the expansive view of the world below.
After a couple of minutes, they got up and walked back to Xoital’s home and slept.