"I was so scared." Aurora said still sobbing.
"It's alright, you are safe now." Zander said soothingly, holding her closer. If had perchance arrived a little late, then he would have never forgiven himself.
Her breathing returned back to normal, Zander was right, she was safe. But, Zander..how did he...know that she was falling off a cliff, how was he able to catch her in mid-fall?
She looked up at him, and saw something that shook her - his eyes, instead of the pure dark eyes that she was familiar with, she was now seeing a glowing golden eyes.
A god's eyes often glow when they use their powers, and to save his alkarite Zander had to teleport.
"Your eyes...they are..." Aurora paused still staring at them. He blinked and they returned back to normal. Zander was certain that she now knows that he was not human, and there was no lie that could cover up for what she has just seen.
"Put me down," She said, her voice weak and tiny. Zander did as she asked. Her shawl has flown off, because of her near fall to death.
She felt really cold, and her night dress was not helping at all. She cuddled herself together, constantly biting her lower lip.
Zander watched her, she looked very small and fragile.
"You lied," she said.
Zander made an attempt to come closer, but she moved backwards.
"No," she whispered, "Who are you, or.... What are you?"
Then suddenly someone yelled terrifyingly, they turned towards the direction of the sound. And Aurora saw that the yell came from the cloaked man. He looked terrified, and he was holding his hands over his face, as if they was danger in sight.
"I'm sorry," he pleaded, "The great impaler, please...don't be offended, I had no idea that she was your own." the cloaked man said.
His words were confusing to Aurora. Who is the Great Impaler? And why did the cloaked man refer her as his own? She turned back to Zander.
"What is he talking about?" she asked.
"Forgive me, please Great Impaler!" the cloaked man kept pleading.
"Why is he calling you the Great Impaler?" she asked again, her level of confusion was just increasing.
"Because I am." Zander answered sincerely.
Then again the cloaked man yelled, "Please, pardon me"
Zander turned to him, "Shut up!" he ordered.
Aurora was amazed at how the cloaked man kept quiet immediately - Is he that scared of him?
He then turned back to his alkarite.
"Are you a grim reaper?" she asked suddenly.
"No, I'm not" he answered.
"Then are you a ghost?" she knew that he wasn't but, she was running out of options.
Zander smiled at the nature of her questions, she wasn't even close to the real truth.
"I am not that either" he came closer to her and this time she didn't move backwards.
Zander didn't want to keep her in suspense anymore, and because of that he said, " My name is Zander Leviathan, and I am a war god from Axis Mundi."
*****************************
Aurora felt lightheaded at what she has just heard - a god? She just couldn't believe it. She has heard about gods, they were powerful supernatural beings that rule over the human world, she has also heard that they do not commune with humans. She has also heard that no human has ever seen them, except the messengers.
She has just heard so many things - and she couldn't believe that she has been talking freely with a god all this while, she couldn't believe that a god has been in her house, eaten her pastries, cuddled her to sleep...her mind was in a state of bewilderment.
"You are a..." she trailed off, still finding it hard to believe.
"You don't believe me?" Zander asked.
Of course she believed him, she was sure that he was not lying. Everything fits perfectly now - his looks, his attire, his attitude, his pure utterance. It all made sense now, that was all distinguishing features of a god - at least that was what she heard.
"I...umm, I ... I don't know... " she said. She wanted to find out what he was and now that she has, she was feeling very nervous and tongue-tied, being careful of her very words because she was speaking to a freaking god!
Zander could feel the anxiety that was coming from her, perhaps telling her that he is a god has made her nervous and uncomfortable.
He brought her closer, "You don't have to be nervous or scared" he told her.
Aurora looked at him, "But, you are a god."
"Aurora, that doesn't change anything. " he said. "I'm still your favorite customer." he added.
Aurora dumbly stared up at him. She has known now why he didn't tell her the truth from the very first time...because if he had, Aurora wasn't sure if she would have believed him, she would have probably thought that he was a crazy person claiming to be a god.
"So, you didn't die" Lucas said approaching the war god and his alkarite. Zander felt Aurora tighten her hand on his's, like she was afraid of the grim reaper.
"Were you expecting her to?" Zander asked.
"I thought you wouldn't make it on time, and she would have gone splat on the ground." the reaper said.
Aurora snuggled closer to Zander when the reaper came closer to her. Lucas bent a little to met her height. "Do you know how many times you have escaped death?" he said.
Aurora blinked, "No." she answered.
"Two times, you have escaped death twice now, because Zander keeps saving you. Next time you might not be so lucky." he told her.
"They won't be a next time." Zander stated strongly.
"Are you sure? Because trouble always finds this your alkarite" he said staring at her.
Aurora held Zander tighter as she looked up at him.
"That's enough, Lucas. You are scaring her." Zander said.
"Ah, whatever. I don't understand why you are so overprotective of her." he said and stood up straight.
"I don't need this anymore" he said as he brought out her death card, and it vanished, leaving a hint of smoke behind.
Aurora was still wondering if this night was real.
Zander turned Aurora to him, "Stay here, I'll be back"
Was he leaving? But she didn't want him to leave. Nevertheless she nodded. And he walked away towards the direction of the cloaked man, Aurora kept her eyes on him, but the grim reaper suddenly blocked her view.
"What are you looking at?" he asked her.
Aurora frowned, but Lucas found it adorable.
"He's coming back, so relax." he said and continued, "If I receive your death card again, am coming to collect your soul."
"You won't," Aurora told him.
"Don't be too sure" he said.
When the cloaked man saw the great impaler coming, he moved back immediately.
"What did I tell you about stealing human's faces?" Zander asked the demigod.
"You...said that I should abstain from it" he answered.
"And did you?"
"I can't help it" he admitted.
"If I see you anywhere near her ever again...well, you know what I'll do."
The demigod nodded, "I'll stay away from her, I promise."
"Now, fall."
The demigod looked at the edge of the cliff. "I...I should fall off the cliff?" he asked with an unsteady voice.
"Precisely," Zander knew that the fall wouldn't kill him, but he was going to get some serious injuries.
The demigod stood up, when he was hesitating, Zander asked "Do you want me to help you?"
"No" he answered as he fell off immediately.