Ace

Death is an inevitable thing. No one can escape death no matter how long they live, but what doesn’t die is the memories of someone that remains with the living. These memories can be bittersweet, you find joy in thinking of the fun moments you share with that person, but the sorrow is unavoidable as the realization they are no longer with you set in.

There are no more memories with that person to be made.

This is a fact that weighs heavily on the sole person sitting in the lone temple. The sun slowly descends from the sky, casting its orange rays upon the land, bidding the world goodnight. Most would be venturing back to their homes, getting ready for the time of rest, but that was not the case for this individual.

 She just blankly stared at the land from the entrance of the deteriorating palace of stone that she once considered home. Her tall figure radiated the feeling of sorrow, her posture slouched, no longer standing tall as a god should. Her deep purple hair didn’t sway above her in the same carefree manner nor did her eyes glow as brightly. She was withering just like the gardens that surrounded the temple.

 A soft sigh escaped her lips as the black markings on her face moved like ink in water across her skin. Her elegant black and purple gown was tattered, and the ends were pressed with blood and mud. Her shadowy wings behind her seemed to slump down as she retreated into the stone temple, no longer wishing to see how it was crumbling on the outside.

Death was a horrible thing and being the god of it made you just as bad. She reminded herself, deeming the pain she felt from loss as a punishment for who she was. She glanced at the discarded instruments and weapons on the floor, the lingering feeling of their owners still present.

‘They were gone; you killed them.’ The voice whispered as the weakening feeling crawled up the god’s spine.

‘I had no choice, they were ill.’ She pushed back in her mind, trying to rationalize with her own feelings of doubt.

‘They loved you, yet you killed them. You deserve to be alone. You will always be alone.’ The voice kept chanting as the memories flooded her mind. Death after death. Some simple and quick, others drawn out and painful, yet they were all still as damaging to remember.

“Just shut up!” Her voice echoed through the empty chambers, reminding herself that she was alone, and it was just her thoughts that were speaking to her. She slumped down against the wall, resting her head against her knees.

It was quiet and she hated it. When the others were around the temple it was always full of conversation and music. There was laughter and cheers as stories were told and wine was shared. The god closed her eyes and tried to pretend that everything was just as it was before the corruption spread through the gods. Before she had lost every single one of them, mostly to her own blades.

The night carried on as the God of Death stayed in her little ball, not wanting to face the world alone. She had managed for the first 50 years, but as each decade creeped by, the overwhelming feeling of loneliness was hard to ignore. Even after their passing there was still more death. People had resorted to offer her sacrifices, hoping to appease her, but that wasn’t what she wanted. Seeing the corpses of the young women and men displayed in front of the temple brought a nauseating feeling to her gut. They were young and still had so much to live for, yet the cruelty of humanity coiled around them and wouldn’t let go until their blood was coating the stone stairs. It made the dormant feeling of hatred boil up within her, pushing the urge to wipe out the humans around closer and closer to the surface.

She rose to her feet after many long hours of not moving, deciding it would be best to leave the temple for some time. Cracking and popping echoed through empty air as the shadows that made up the extra appendages slowly absorbed themselves back into her body as she shifted into her human appearance. She sifted through old clothes and covered herself fully, hiding any bit of her pale skin. Death reached down and grabbed a dusty mask off the ground, slowly wiping it off with her sleeve to reveal the intricate paintings of butterflies that popped against the black base. She slid it over her face and slipped out of the temple in the shadows of dawn.

.

.

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The sun rose once again, casting its warm rays upon the grassy grounds. The wind gently swayed the trees, leaving the leaves dancing in the breeze. A young woman hummed a soft tune with the birds as she traversed across the grassy fields towards the Temple of the Gods. The stories had spread about their deaths, each seeming more painful than the last. Her heart throbbed for the sole remaining god, not being able to comprehend how lonely she must feel.

She pulled her curly brown hair into a low ponytail as she reached the top of the stairs, allowing her to view the weeping garden that once bloomed so beautifully. She was determined to bring it back to life in hope that it would make the lone god feel better.

This was just how Siliva was, a woman with a big heart wanting to help those who were in need. She was not noble nor was she the daughter of a rich family, but that didn’t stop her from doing everything she could to make someone’s day more bearable.

That was what brought her here. She was always told to avoid the sacred grounds as only priests and sacrifices were allowed to step foot here, but she disregarded their words, willing to face a god that could be angry at her for trespassing. Silvia wanted to offer her something different. She never notices any change when another person was killed here, so she decided to offer something else, even if it was as small as replanting and caring for the garden.

She smiled as she dove into the work, taking breaks in the shade of the wilting trees to escape the harsh rays of the summer sun. Silvia was covered in dirt and loose leaves by the time the sun began to set, reminding her that it was time to return home. She looked at the progress she made with a pleased smile before making the trip back to the village.

This was only the start of her work. She returned every day to plant and tend to the garden, the feeling of pride swelling in her chest as it began to look livelier once again. It had been a month of hard work and long days, but Silvia regretted none of it.

This day was the same as the last, Silvia packed her bag and made her way back to the temple, this time just to weed and water it. She skipped her way up the stairs as her green eyes glimmered with pride at the sight of the flourishing plants. Her laugh of triumph seemed to echo through the temple entrance, funneling down the empty halls, drawing the newly returned god out of her chambers and out towards the entrance.

The god was not pleased by the joyous laugh, assuming it would be another cruel display of humanity. Her face twisted into one of a scowl as her golden eyes darkened. She moved silently down the halls, the feeling of anger boiling more and more with each step closer to the entrance. Her lower set of arms held a sword in each hand, while her upper set came together in something like prayer hands as small chants in the humanoid language escaped her lips. She was going to kill whoever it was that dared to show her another gruesome display.

She immerged from the darkness and readied her weapons to take off one of the priests’ heads, but instead of seeing a group dressed in robes with a young human bound in rope, she found a woman diligently plucking weeds from the flourishing grounds. Her eyes widened in shock; she had not noticed the change when she arrived late in the night.

Silvia stood up and discarded the weeds in a pile before turning around. She jumped in surprise as she noticed the looming figure standing at the edge of the temple, staring her down with those haunting golden eyes. The white pupils seem to narrow in on her, observing her every move. She felt herself stiffen at the sight of the two blades that the god held, yet she felt captivated by how elegantly she moved her four arms. Her skin was as black as the shadows, slowly fading into a pale tone the closer they got to the core of her body. The whites of her skin seemed to swirl with black lines that danced freely across the pale flesh.

“You,” The god called out, her voice resonating in the air.

Silvia slowly got down on her knees, pressing her face into the ground as she bowed to the god. “Please forgive me for entering without your permission!” She cried out as fear flooded every part of her body.

“Were you the one that did this?” She questions, her voice holding no aggression, only curiosity.

“Yes,” Silvia responded timidly as she hesitantly raised her head to look at the woman. To her surprise, a soft smile decorated the god’s face.

“It looks as beautiful as it did several decades ago.”

Silvia smiled, flashing a toothy grin at the god, no longer feeling fear as she watched her set her swords to the side.

“You can rise; you do not need to bow before me.”

Silvia complied with her words, rising to her feet and dusting off her skirt. “I’m glad you like what I did. I was afraid you would get angry at me for coming up here.”

The god stared at the woman for a moment before walking closer. She gently placed a hand on the woman’s head and smiled down at her. “You came here and worked hard just to replant this garden; I couldn’t possibly be upset at you for this. May I know your name?”

Silvia looked up at her large figure once she removed her hand. “I’m Silvia,” She introduced with a small chuckle. Standing next to the god made her realize how small she was compared to her. Silvia barely reached the woman’s hips as she stood next to her.

“Silvia, may I ask your reasoning for doing this?” Death asked as she lowered herself into a sitting position, allowing them to be at a more equal height.

“I wanted to do something nice. I had always heard the stories about the other gods’ deaths growing up and I thought you would be lonely. I also thought it would be a nicer offering then what the priests in the town do.”

The god hummed at her words, truly touched by how far she went to attempt to make her feel better. “So, what do you want? You brought this as an offering, so what is it that you desire from these actions?” She questioned.

“Well, if there is anything I really want right now is to be your friend,” she replied without hesitation.

“My friend?” The god questioned, her brows furrowing in confusion.

“It must be lonely being here all by yourself, so I figured offering to be your friend might make you feel a bit better.”

“You worked diligently for so long yet ask for nothing but friendship in return. I do not understand you.” The god was baffled by this woman’s motives. They were so pure; it was almost hard to handle.

Silvia let out a giggle and walked over to a small pond, gently plucking a lotus flower out of it and handing it to the god. “Well, if you want to understand me better, you can always be my friend.” She smiled.

The god let out a chuckle and accepted the lotus with a smile. “Well, miss Silvia, I accept your request of friendship. As long as this flower is still blooming, we will be friends,” She giggled. Silvia watched with awe as the god chanted a few foreign words, causing the lotus in her hand to slowly turn into gems that shone brightly in the sunlight.

“From this day on, you may call me Ace,” the god said with a gentle smile.

“Well, Ace, I am honored to call you, my friend.”

It was a warm night in the city, people scattered the streets, enjoying the exciting nightlife Onyx city had, oblivious to the dark secrets the city kept hidden in the shadows.

It was one step after another, soft clicks following each step across the roof of the casino. Ace’s cold eyes gazed down at the people, scurrying around the streets like ants. She took a seat on the edge, her legs dangling in the air as she just continued to watch.

“This city is so filthy, yet I can’t help but be drawn to it like a moth to a flame. I can’t help but want to see people at their worst, I want to push people over the edge, to be the vilest version of themselves. I’m so close to corruption, yet I still teeter on the edge.  Will I fall and lose myself to this madness, or will I remain balancing on this thin line?” Ace spoke, her voice ringing out in the air, talking to only herself.

A soft chuckle echoed behind her, followed by the sound of heels clicking against the roof. A figure took a seat next to Ace, her golden eyes shimmering as she gazed at the woman.

“Ace, my dear, you worry far too much. You must remember that I am here to keep you sane, to keep you balancing on that delicate thread.” The woman spoke, her voice smooth, soothing the worries that consumed Ace.

“Azalea, you put far too much faith in me.”

“You are my god, the one I pray to at night, the woman I worship. I would hold on to a thread if it meant keeping you sane. I will make sure that you do not fall, so that I can always be beside you.” Her words were soft as she wrapped an arm around Ace, pulling her closer.

Ace let out a soft hum, finding comfort in Azalea’s touch. “You are one faithful believer. I have strayed from my path as a god, yet you continue to follow me.”

Art dump idk :/