King Tinyl looked down at his hand. One of his was still clinging to mine and the other sat idly on his thigh.

"Well. I suppose I could start front the beginning." He looked out the window and smiled as some fresh snow began to fall. "Before the first war, there were hundreds of gods, maybe even thousands. Gods of every little thing you could possibly think of." His eyes were nostalgic, a small smile graced his face as he thought about the past.

"I was born during the first war. I was a normal person, just like you." He looked back at me and started rubbing circles over my hand. "My mother died when I was two. And my father was killed when I was 10. During the last year of the war. After that I was alone. I saw the mountains here in Droice, at the time it was a smaller kingdom called Capernia. Capernia became my home. I walked right up the mountains. You can see the ridge from this window."

He pointed to a steep ridge not too far into the mountains.

"I went there. I camped at the base of the mountain for a few days. Eventually, a little old lady found me. She scolded me immediately." He laughed lightly. "She rambled on and on about how unsafe it was for me to be there. And how I should never be alone again because I make bad choices. She took me to her home. She warmed me up and took care of me until I was 17. Then she set me loose. She told me to go make all the bad choices I could while I was young. So I packed my bag and started walking. I found Capernia's capital destroyed and abandoned. I searched for someone for weeks and no one ever showed."

Whenever he told a story in the past his eyes would have more green to them. This time wasn't an exception. Between the moonlight and his naturally color-shifting eyes, they almost seemed to glow green. I could have gotten lost so easily if I wasn't so interested in his story.

"Things were different back then. After the war, you could make your mark anywhere. So, I did. Little by little I rebuilt the small capital and restored it. I made some changes. But the houses were put back together, and the roads had been fixed. I thought no one would ever come to visit my little village until a group of gods did. Those gods were Rakuma, Cit, Onot, and Oldtur. I remember looking at them and kneeling. I knew these gods. These were the only gods that had survived the war."

He shook his head. "It was a rough war. Only four gods remained. And they gave me even worse news. Rakuma and Cit came to me and sat me on the steps of a house. They told me I was the last person they'd seen in the last 7 years. I laughed in their faces. And told them 'Nah, my aunties just down this road'. They followed me. And when I made it back to her but in the woods. It was abandoned. It was burned down and there was nothing but ashes left. It was embarrassing to be proven wrong in front of my gods. But even more embarrassing to cry in front of them too."

I saw his eyes begin to well up. That poor old lady cared for him, for years. And she was gone. He had lost the last connection he had and was being told that no one else survived. I saw the tear begin to fall and put my unoccupied hand to his cheek and wiped it away. "You don't have to tell me the rest right now Tinyl. I can wait until I come back."

He shook his head. "This is war. I want you to come back, more than anything. But it's not promised. This is the least I can do to calm you before you leave." I nodded and accepted his answer.

"My auntie was gone. And these gods felt horrible for me. They made me a deal. If I could find one person, where they had failed, they would grant me all I wanted. So I set out. They all came with me and a few months in, I found a girl. She was beaten up and malnourished, but alive. The gods all looked at me in shock. And they set out to find more people. Eventually, they had a few hundred people. They sent them all to me. And I started a kingdom called Droice, with Capernia's old capital as the start of my new one. I turned 22 eventually and the gods came back to me. They asked what else I wanted, and I told them I no longer wanted to die. Rakuma wasted no time telling me I was selfish and stupid. Meanwhile, Oldtur even warned me against it. I had to stop their lectures and explain. I didn't want to die because I wanted to see everyone else live. I wanted to see my kingdom grow and see the world in a thousand years. They warned me that everyone I love will die. And I'll forever be 22. I accepted it. But we put in some countermeasures. I'm a god yes, in all technicality. But I can die. If I'm beaten enough, I can die. And thousands of years from now I'll die of old age. I'm still mostly human, just far more durable. My body is only 24 years old now. And it's been 250 years since I became a god."

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He proudly tapped his chest and laughed. "I think I look pretty good for a 272-year-old man."

That caused me to chuckle a little bit.

"I was eventually made to pick what I would rule over. They didn't let me pick a core element because of my limited time. So I picked a few smaller things. I'm the god of the hunt, snow, and celebrations. And I love my place in the universe. I'm glad I get to see my people grow, and evolve. It means the world to me. Although it can be lonely being a god."

I tilted my head a little in curiosity. "How can it possibly be lonely. You have thousands of citizens who all love you as much as I do."

He looked at me and calmly closed his eyes. A small smile played on his lips. "And I love all of you. But I'm not above human desires, that's where I came from. We all want the same things, a place to sleep, good food, and someone to love. I have plenty of the first two, but the last always falls through. I can revoke my immortality at any moment. And I haven't for any of them. Maybe one day I'll meet someone who makes me want to be with them until I die."

I looked at him in awe. He was just stating and our hands. I didn't even notice him pull my second hand into his. They were folded neatly in his lap, and his thumbs ran circles over my knuckles. "Until I find my love I'm going to rule this kingdom and keep everyone safe. That's my job as king. And I really need your help to do so."

I nodded. "Of course. I'm excited to get started tomorrow."

A genuine smile came across his face. "You never cease to amaze me Anahi. I'm wishing you the best. I'll see you off tomorrow and bring some supplies you'll need. You and Janais make a great team. I'm going to be expecting to see you again." His eyes suddenly had more hints of pale blue and white, almost like a cloud in front of the full moon.

"I'll be back. Don't worry too much. You'll get wrinkles." He and I both laughed lightly. He stood up and slowly let go of my hands as he did so.

"I have faith in you."

I smiled brightly and stood up. The light fabric of my skirt hitting my ankles and my bare feet heading towards to door to let him out.

"Goodnight Tinyl. Be safe and sleep well."

"I will Anahi." He was halfway out the door and he caught my eyes. "I'll see you in the morning." He smiled at me one last time and pulled the door shut behind him.

I went back and sat in my window sill again. My legs dangling and swinging. I faxed outside and looked up at the moon. I memorized this spot. This feeling. This calm. Because tomorrow morning, it was time for war.

I saw a figure, dressed in black and green trotting down the narrow path to the capital. King Tinyl. I smiled as I saw him vanish into the woods. I got up and changed for bed. Tomorrow was a big day. I couldn't be groggy. I fell asleep once my head hit the pillow.