Lost in Aestia

4. The Sacrifice

God's Realm

Aryo slowly stands from the bed. His movements silent and not wanting to wake the Sik beside him. The beautiful female Sik that he bedded last night. He stifles a smile when he glances at her sleeping form. Gods barely cared whether they impregnated a sik or some lower being than themselves. The child with their blood hardly makes it to adulthood. Demons and fate had preyed on those children long before a would God know the child's name.

Why would a God care for something he doesn't even know the name of? Slowly, he takes one of the goblets strewn on the floor and poured himself more wine. A god might not be able to enjoy human things, but a Sik can.

Last night, he made her drink until she couldn't differentiate the floor from the ceiling. Her body limp and unsteady, her eyes dilated and her lips on a permanent lopsided smile. Then as the God of pain and pleasure, he took that feeling. He could feel the bliss of disorientation and the mysterious and sudden burst of confidence. No more inhibitions, which made him forget what room he was in. He didn't care whether he's with a higher God or one of the servants.

The sudden memory of last night made him want more. He craved for more.

He shakes the sleeping Sik awake. Her blue eyes slowly opening still groggy and a tad drunk from last night. She blinks, and when her eyes focus on the handsome God, she smiles so lustfully at him.

Her milky skin was supple and soft when he touched her cheek. He likes the feeling and weight of it on his hand, if he tries really hard, he can enter her most profound memories and pull out the good or the bad ones, but those were too old.

He wanted something fresh, something new. He slowly runs the pad of his fingers on her cheek. She purrs at the contact and even leans towards him even more. He sneakily enters his fingers into her mouth, something that should frighten the Sik, but she was thrilled at the taste of him.

He tips her head back and takes the pitcher near him to pour the wine lightly into her mouth. She seems to enjoy this and swallowed it all down in big gulps. He doesn't know whether she is doing this to please him or if she really enjoys being drunk and swimming with wine.

He notices her rubbing her thighs already in anticipation. This made him smirk, he knows that everyone wants him. Nobody would ever deny him of the things he wants. This was his power as a God. He waits for a low hum like feeling in her body and the heightened body heat, which was an effect of the alcohol.

With the pitcher empty and the wine consumed. The Sik licks his fingers and nips at them boldly. Her eyes heavily lidded while meeting Aryo's intense gaze at her. He smiles while he reaches for another pitcher of wine. The Sik's eyes widen at the sight of it a small urge to resist leaking in her eyes.

Aryo wouldn't let that happen. He wills the blankets to tie her hands to the bedposts. Her legs thrashing and move to grip his waist. He watches her swallow the wine down. His fingers bleeding from her bite. Some wine escapes the threshold of her mouth and pours down her swan-like neck and the middle of her breast like a waterfall of wine

It stained the sheets, but he didn't mind. Some maidens would come to clean his mess. He couldn't imagine what Heara would do or say when she sees this display. Knowing her devotion to him, she probably supports this even, but she wouldn't like that he bed the Sik to chase this feeling of bliss.

The Sik resisted the blankets, but it was useless. The sheets were tight on her ankles, and he was far too strong. He throws the pitcher away while the Sik catches her breath. Her breathing ragged, and she coughs. He loosened the blankets and pulled her to him.

Her whole body limp, and she feels as if she's on a cloud. She couldn't feel anything while everything was blurry, and every word she says was a slur. Her unfocused eyes struggle to look at God in front of her.

"Let me feel it" he licks the wine on her face. Tears and wine that he couldn't taste.

She murmurs something he could barely care while he feels for what she's feeling.

The hum of alcohol in her system. The throbbing off her head and even the burn of the blankets on her skin. He dips down to lick the wine of her body, and she moans.

He could feel it all. It's different from the usual monotonous life that he regarded so lowly. He heard other gods killing themselves or going to sleep due to having nothing to do. They couldn't taste or feel anything that much, but he was lucky to be this kind of God. He could borrow those feelings for himself.

He smiles to himself as he feels the carnal pleasure of s*x. That's what the Gods can feel. s*x is the one thing a god would ever have in this immortal life. He kisses her senseless, her body writhing and moving to touch his.

She whimpers, but he keeps touching her. She moans his name while he just listened. The Sik couldn't take the pleasure off what he can give. So all she could do was to try not to explode with it.

Girhoe watches the moon as it turns on its ellipse axis. He made it turn reversely then back to its initial rounds. All the while, he hears the water on Aestia sloshing and causing the sea levels into chaos. He ignores the fact that he is killing millions in front of the cat that hasn't left him alone since she sent that strange woman away

Bie had done nothing but pester this God to bring her human back. To bring her girl back. Aryo has left to be with his fiancé going him with this obese cat that could barely jump at his throne.

What are you doing? It asks. Girhoe barely glances at him. Girhoe doesn't even answer, and Bie doesn't mind.

Bie always asks a lot of things to humans that went unanswered, and he has gotten used to it. He stares at the moon as this God ignore him. My girl loves the moon, but she rarely has the time to stare at it recently. She is also infrequently home recently

Girhoe ignores him, he doesn't really care about the feline. One of the animals that were made that can communicate with the Gods. The humans were right for worshipping the felines, but some used it too much hence the God's took them away and let them live in the realm of the Gods

He stops turning the moon and instead urged it closer. It comes close by an inch, and he revelled at the feeling. The only pleasure that he seems to genuinely enjoy in this life or whatever he has. The feeling of the gravity of the moon, it feels as if it is pulling him along.

Doing this feels like the broken thing that lives in his chest, doesn't feel as defective anymore.

My girl loves the moon, but she says the moon loves no one but the sun Bie whispers, missing her human badly. Her tail has stopped moving as he stares at the moon that the God played with.

This piqued Girhoe's interest. It's not true though, how could he love the two suns?

Aera and Hadassae are the twin Goddesses that holds the two suns. The twins share the sky, and they share their men. He thinks a single woman is headache enough and having those two is just insufferable. "What kind of moon would love the sun?"

Shouldn't you be the one to know? You hover while it's morning as if you're waiting for her to sleep. When they are asleep, you pause and look for them by shining so brightly. Then you cry and turn away when you can't find them. Einith told me this

"Your human said that?"

My Einith said that Bie hisses at him when he suddenly stood from his throne.

"her name is Einith" he repeats. He felt for the word, and he never thought he'll say the word home and believe it belonged to that tar pit haired girl. He never saw someone who has such dark hair and dark eyes.

Did his father create a new race, perhaps? Did he give rise to dark people with such intense eyes and fathomable gazes? "Where is she?"

What makes you so interested in my girl? Would you bring her back? Bie says, almost expectantly.

"No," he says, a bit disappointed that this cat depends on him of such a selfish whim.

This is what happens when animals are owned by humans. They think they are owed something. Owed by the world to give them everything but the Gods owe them nothing. They should be thanking them on their feet for giving them life.

He slowly sits back down, his disappointment seeping into his bones and body. Right when he thought he had something to do and this cat disappoints him.

Fine then give me back to her Bie used the last of his strength to jump up to the throne and into his lap so the God wouldn't escape. Return me to her if you are not willing to give her back to me. I do not want my girl to suffer from being alone in this God-forsaken world

"God forsaken? Hmm, I like the sound of that" Girhoe feels the ends of his lips tip-up. "Who said that to you?"

My human often says it Bie answers truthfully, her eyes melancholic at the thought of Einith. She must be so lonely

"Why do you care so much for this human? She is only a human, there are others like her if you have not realized."

My Einith is special. Bie defends, he is slowly getting irritated with this God. He was thankful that the God on Earth were asleep if they are all the same

"Fine, I would return you to her" It was easy enough.

It would get rid of this annoying cat, and his mind would rest. He sighs and waves his hand without saying another word to the cat, and it faded.

He sighs in peace as he watches the moon again.

The Human Realm

"Who is she?! That dark figure!" one of the women said.

I sigh, a bit used to the idea that I can understand them now. I don't know what that "Moon God" did, but it seems it made me understood this foreign language. I held my breath, not wanting any more attention than I already am in.

I couldn't imagine that helping but it was better than running my mouth off. I couldn't find any food or water in the forest which was awfully weird. This world or whatever the hell this is looks less advance than the one I'm used to. So, there must be at least animals or berries I could've found in the forest. I've spent three days waiting for rain and hiding in the cave when there were magnitudes of earthquakes. I know that it wasn't safe, but it could have been worst.

I'm already in the worst part of things. I flinch when something is thrown at me. I see a woman clutching a sick baby filled with a pustule like a rash. "Get out of our town! You brought this to my son!"

I glare at her. How stupid for them to blame me for her son's rash. She moves back in fear with wide eyes. I hear bells and chimes which reminded me of a place. No, of someone. I turn, and it was the old lady, her eyes piercing through me. she lifts a shaking finger at me and grimaces

"What is the Moon God's sacrifice doing here?" Her shaking, ancient voice say.

"I was cast out" I answered since I don't want to hear any more conclusions by these panicking townspeople. "The so-called Gods you have are stupid and selfish. They are flashy for no reason too" I kick the dirt on my shoe, and I hear the marching of soldiers again. Coughs and moaning aren't far off.

The old lady's lip twitches uncontrollably—degeneration of the nerves. "You can speak now. You speak tongues. The Moon God is madder because of you."

"Your Moon God is a bored man who doesn't care about you. Why don't you stop praying for his mercy and just help each other out?!" I shout through the noise. More people were angered, and some even kneeled to pray. My hands and knees were shaking from starvation. I haven't had a decent meal at all. My hair matted and clinging to my face. No forms of water or existence of soap that I could acquire in that cave which I admit I smell horrendous right now.

"you insolent curse!" she slaps me, and her strength surprised me. How can someone so old and barely steady her hand have that power? I land on my side. It stung, but my rumbling stomach hurts more than my face right now. "you came here, wearing these strange clothes and spoke foreign words. You have cursed and doomed us all!"

I spat on the ground and glared at her. "it's your futile attempts to communicate to a God that doesn't want to do anything with you is what would doom you."

Her veins start to pop out of her neck. I could hear her grinding her teeth in a fury. "Throw her back to the sacred pool! We'll offer her head instead."

My eyes widen in horror. The guards took my arms, and I couldn't resist because I can't. I could barely stand as it is. I don't think I can fight men with spears. They pulled me and drag me back to that accursed temple on the mountain. I don't know what else to do anymore. I'm tired and depleted. I'm in an unknown world where my parents are still dead, and my cat is with delusional people.

Why is this strange land so readily accepted in my system? I didn't go in to shock but in survival mode. That's one of the reasons, I guess. So, this is my end. They quickly took me in the temple and laid me down near the glowing pool again—my head on the edge of it. I'll be executed, and my head would float on the surface of this shallow water.

"Moon God! Hear our prayers. The blood of this cursed witch might soothe your anger and let us not perish in your power" The old lady starts. I lean my head on the water wishing that I couldn't understand her. Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard. I could still her continue while I submerge my head in the water. I was pulled back before I could drown since it'll be better to die in drowning than beheading. "You think you'll get away that easy?" she sneers

I sigh, not caring anymore. "No, not really."

She huffs and moves back while a hooded figure comes to my side. I hear praying by the people below, and some jeers are thrown at me. I crane my neck to look at my executioner, and he was tall. His blonde hair long enough to cover his eyes, and his hood was slowly dropping from his head. his silver eyes meet mine. They were emotionless and looks all business as if this wasn't personal. This is his job, after all. His foot on the middle of my back to keep me still

This world is such a drag. I groaned and waited for my end. What is there to all of this anyway?

My stomach rumbles and aches again. I close my eyes to my impending death. Then I wait until I hear the old lady stop in the middle of her speech. So, this is how they do things? At least she gave me the mercy of not hearing her voice before I die.

Meow.

I stilled, and my eyes pop open. Is that...a Meow. I breathed in and used my last strength to carry the weight of the foot in my back. I see him panic and swing the axe, but I manage to roll away. A few of my hairs fall to the water.

Damn, that was f*****g close.

Meow

I turn, and there was Bie. He went up the stairs though he struggles a bit because his large round stomach keeps hitting the sharp corners of the stairs.

I noticed how everyone's eyes were looking at him. No, they were watching his every move as if they never saw a cat before. That's odd

The old lady was blocking his path, but she steps aside for him to walk. That's even odder

I hear the bell of his collar, and I rush to him. My heart beats again with hope and fills my whole body.

He jumps in my arms and snuggles to my face. his purring loud in my ears. I didn't care for the rumble of my stomach anymore. All I cared about was that my cat is here. The last thing that connects me with my parents.

It took me a while before I hear the murmurs. My mind focusing on the fact that everyone looks shocked and speechless.

What are they thinking? I wonder. Bie continues to rub himself on me and doesn't want to jump out of my arms.