The Divinity's Curse

It was as if Ludus breathed life into him, changing his way of breathing and forcing him yet another thing to intake and embody.

Their kiss wasn't romantic, nor sensational. More so conversational if anything.

He was the first to open his eyes first, who'd thought the nonbeliever would be this close to a [Divinity], Abiral wanted to rub it in Wan...

'What was his name again?'

Ludus continued, while his mind was beginning to feel like static. Abiral's eyes wandered and noticed how her skin resembled a ghost shrimp. Animal-like skin one could see through. How did she know what form she wanted? 

It must've not mattered since she didn't put any effort into it currently, but how did she use to look like? Long before he had been born.

It was as if she no longer had to keep up appearances as they retained being bonded after he said yes.

'How would I know if this time will be better?' 

Abiral wanted to doubt if the entity in front of him was worth taking a chance on.

Instantly, Ludus's eyes opened and pulled away from him. He watched as her figure became taller than his. 

He was a kid again.

She bent down beside him and held his hand, "It's normal not to understand right away," her other hand came flat to the ground they stood on.

The water opened a space for Ludus. While it rammed against Abiral's legs. 

Her face raised to his eye level, "Here is our Home, it-"

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

The water grew to his height and splashed at his face before falling back down, returning to a calmer current.

She smacked her tongue, "Listen boy. I will only explain this to you once. Home is a figment of imagination to humans, to me-," she looked up at the sky panting that same purple he had seen when he first encountered Ludus, "This is my sacred place."

Abiral didn't feel categorized to be a worshipper of Ludus, but technically he knew it was that way. 

"How am I allowed to be in here? Not many people I know with a [Divinity] can be allowed in their host's haven."

His question was brushed off by Ludus as she continued, "Look behind you Abiral, there is no end here," the sky of her world continued well into the abyss and so did the water.

Unamused he hunched his back from how long he was standing beside her, "I could've told you that."

Ludus stood once more, releasing his hand and stretched her arms outward, "I'll say, you are slow but that doesn't mean you were the short stick I picked," a laugh boasted out from her, shaking the water, "Far from it."

"If you're so sure of me, why did you go crazy on me earlier?"

A sigh escaped her as her arms dropped to her sides, "I may have been overreacting. You see I am not a patient [Divinity]," wings began to pierce out from her back, "You don't need a spark to get used to your new life."

Abiral put his hands on his hips, "Okay? I have a new question now."

Her head tilted to the side as she looked back down at him, "And what might that be?"

"Answer me without any of your tricks," his hands motioned back at himself, "This boy...me, am I from the past? I assumed it was, but-"

She waved her hand at him, "Your people are always so close-minded even after having beings that have power beyond your imagination live amongst you by choice."

He turned towards her, wanting an answer, and not an insult for being human.

"It is none of those, this may resemble the past, or some history you learned. In actuality, this is another line of life entirely."

His hands ran through his hair in frustration, "What?"

She squinted at how his confusion remained, "You are in another realm Abiral, it may seem like Earth, and the similarities they share-"

"What makes this place different from the past from where I am from?" His fingers marked down as he went through a checklist, "They got [Divinities], they got humans, they have food, they have living quarters. It all seems pretty up to par to me."

The water had raised to his knees and Ludus was unimpressed by his obliviousness. 

A luminescent white line cut through Home in front of both of them. A familiar door became apparent the one he had seen Sophia through reemerged. He quickly understood that he only had to step forward to be taken back into existence.

"If I told you everything that you had no clue about, then what would that make you?" She brought him closer to her hips.

Abiral could only notice how it felt like his hair stuck to her, to the translucent apparel she wore. A cloth that gave her modesty but still flaunted the figure she had.

In every direction, it was as if he had become Ludus's underling.

'How do you outsmart a [Divinity]?'

"By working obediently under her," she flared her teeth at him with smiling eyes, "We are co-operating this Abiral. I may be bound to you and vice versa, but-" she grabbed both his shoulders and brought him in front of her. The door's gap increasingly felt smaller as if someone was closing the door. "Don't forget who gave you this life."

"Accepting you?"

"Precisely, like I said you are a killer Abiral, you have a purpose to serve in this life. However, I am not the only one benefitting from this, you have your freedom here."

The water receded.

Taking a step forward, that coldness he was used to rush through him.

Ludus called out as Home became a facade, "The longer you are Home, the more you succumb to the senses of your new life."

'What a way to send someone off," he held his hand out to the door wishing it would swing open on its own.

This would be the last seconds he'd remember Ely Calvillo.

'How do I make this life worth living without having to run errands for a [Divinity]?'

"Abiral?"

The door fledged open, and his eyes traced at Sophia's pin first, 'Blue flower.'

"Boy, look at me when I'm talking to you, who sent you over?"

He turned his attention to her eyes, it felt as if her head was being strained by the muscle mass her body had.

"The Elder."

Sophia's eyes creased at this, "Elder? You mean Clyde?"

'What a basic name...' He looked the other way quickly to hide his sudden repulsion, "Yes the elderly man."

She clenched her stomach letting out a thunderous laugh that moved throughout the room they were in, "He's barely past his late twenties!"

Abiral fought back the urge to laugh with her, instead, he dropped his head, "Apologies, he said you fetched for me."

"Correct, I'll be your teacher from here on out," she pulled Abiral to enter the room, "Fervia freshen up his hair for me, will you?"

The maid that was seated looked back at Abiral with broadened eyes, "Yes ma'am," she reached into one of the nearby drawers acquiring a hairbrush and string.

He remembered Ludus's warning and sat under her compliantly.

On the other side of the room, Sophia stood on guard by the door. 

Fervia's brush went through his hair's damp tangles brutely, despite this Abiral rid himself of the desire to cut off his hair.

"What will you teach me, Sophia?"

Her arms were crossed as if to flex her overgrown state, there had been long scars on her arms, and it was obvious that her skin was tough when touched, "How to protect and survive."

The repetitive movements of the brush came to an end and Fervia began to take his hair into one and tie it together. She rose from where she sat, took the hair that was stuck in the brush, and nodded to Sophia as she looked for ways to grasp his hair.

"Surviving from what?"

"How do you think I obtain this pin?" She traced over it with her fingers, moving it around in a circular motion, "By keeping this palace safe from the overseas horrors."

He looked over to her wanting a change of scenery as their conversation continued, "What kind of horrors?"

"Unwanted [Divinities]," she took his right shoulder and stepped back from him, solidifying he was to remain seated. "We get to deal with the fun stuff!" She flexed her arms and white teeth. 

'What about that is fun? I was just brought out of near-death; how quick it's all going.'

Abiral pulled at the end of her uniform shirt, "Isn't there training, experience, or at least a required age to be?"

"Yes, kinda, and no," she directed him to go at her pace, "But not all in that order, you're a bit of a special case."

"The infamous hidden eldest son I presume?"

Sophia's face stiffened at this, "Don't refer to him that carelessly boy, there's a reason not many know about him. Including those who work directly with the royal family, and maids as well."

"Why is he hidden?"