accept
Infra's hand was reaching out towards the second, half filled glass of whiskey with a darker tint and less ice. His words caused a momentary tremble in both her arm and face. She picked up the glass, took a large shot, downing the strong alcohol that burned her throat and caused her to shudder in delight for a moment.
Before she twisted her head, looking at him with a helpless look.
"How could I.. stand back and watch the man I've placed all my hopes and dreams in die?" she said, with a gentle whisper, almost sarcastic and slurred.
Her figure looked frail ,only for a moment, before her confident smile returned. She watched his vague reaction and felt a deep anger. His face seemed clueless, nonchalant. Infra felt a burning rage fill her entire body.
"Relax! I managed everything well this time, right?"
"..."
"Relax?"
Her voice stretched out, trembling slightly. Infra stood up, holding the glass in her hand before she lifted her hand and tossed it at the wall right beside Zell's head. Her glass smashed, bursting into countless shards of crystal glistening in the light. Several shards shot past and sliced open his cheek, creating slight cuts. A small trail of blood flowed down his cheek.
"Ok, relax, right?"
"That woman would never let you live if she didn't taste your blood. You survived by sheer luck, you would have died today. Vampires differ from those inside the books you read. To them, blood is more sacred than the gods they worship!" She said. As her voice became close to shouting. Her anger was so intense, she hyperventilated. Which caused her chest to heave up and down in anger.
"She drank your blood by luck. Do you understand the concept? Because she was a vampire, you escaped without losing your life! Vampires don't live by sucking blood, they absorb mana from things they kill. This applies to both males and female. They only drink the blood of their spouse, nobody else!" Infra said, like teaching a child.
She stepped forward, her voice filled with fierce emotions, and hoped he would see her point. Her eyes seemed to beg that he understood her. The small heart in her chest couldn't withstand seeing him die, not after she placed their hope in this boy. Sure, there were others under different gods. However, this boy was different, especially to her as a god of beasts.
--|Infra: 'Do you understand how much each of your beasts loved you? None of them with the slightest resentment when dying for you? Can you not understand why I care for you more than any other goddess?'
Infra felt helpless as rage filled her body. Not at the actions or his efforts to survive.
She felt frustration that he still treated the game as a game. Not taking everything seriously, choosing to grind in a safe area before entering a high level zone. He acted confident, pandered to some women and almost died, if this was 6 months down the road. Then his life would be over!
"If that talent didn't trigger, you would have died. This time it's 24 hours. Next time it's your life and everything you now hold dear."
Her heart thumped with rage. He could make such a light joke despite knowing how hard to future is. A simple mistake could end your entire group and camps life. Zell knew this more than anyone. As the weakest fighter and most useless existence against the demons, he fought smartly with his head and survived until near the end, when even the gods fell completely.
But this? He gets a few cute girls and starts acting like a harem protagonist.
Infra scoffed, her foot stomping the sofa beside his head. The intense waves of power causing his insides to rattle and pulsate, destroying the backrest where she kicked.
"Did you think it would be easy to fight the demons after gaining a second chance?"
"Are you feeling like some kind of hero?"
"..."
He couldn't speak, partly because he felt shocked. She always supported him in the past. Her words shocked him deeply, because almost everything was right. He felt things would be easy now. Some naïve part of him also started thinking of himself as a hero...
Infra leaned down, her right leg bending, not caring about him seeing between her legs. He could feel her hot breath on his face, a slight taste of whiskey and dried fruits as she brought her face close together, their noses almost touching.
--|Zell: 'Despite her being so angry... Why are you crying? What makes you so sad?'
Both her hands grasped his tattered clothes with a tight grip and shaking him roughly.
"Well, wake up! Even we, as gods, are fighting with our backs against the wall! This mere second try? Peh!" Infra said, her lips spitting on the ground as she grasped his chin tighter.
"The gods are powerless. What will one human do? Are you stronger than all 265 of us combined? Can you understand the frustration of these damned shackles upon shackles stopping us from even saving a mere child!? Can you imagine the despair we feel as gods? Unable to save our beloved believers?"
Tears spilled from her eyes, the frustration from failing Tessa in the first cycle. Her weak self, unable to contend against the powerful demon gods. She couldn't even protect this young man, whom she placed far too much hope on. He needed time to become the man she envisioned.
Infra narrowed her eyes with a sharp glare as she began planning the future. This glare contained all her hatred for the demons that destroyed their people. Also hatred for her own weak self that died so easily.
She clenched her teeth so tight, she almost snapped them, causing a gritting sound
Infra once again took a deep breath. Her cheek now resting against his, closing her eyes as she used his face as support. Like she was tired of everything. Now speaking with a softer voice.
"I know this isn't your fault, but there are no second chances. Zell, please understand I say everything only to motivate you. If anyone can survive this, I hope you can."
"We have lost the goddess of time, to send this planet back five years. She used everything and abandoned her godhood to save your planet, Asteria."
"Please...."
"I beg you"
"Don't be a hero, anything but!"
"If anything, please be a villain! Be selfish and act to save yourself and those dearest to you. Don't act like fools in books. Fuck the rest of the world. I don't care what path you choose, how you do it."
"Massacare"
"Plunder"
"Cowardice,"
"No matter what sin you commit, I will be there! This Infra will accept everything you do!"
"The world, even the gods, may turn against you. Yet I will remain your sole ally!"
"I apologise, for getting so angry... To me, you are a beacon of hope in this dark myriad of despair and loss..."
"So please, don't leave my side... I cannot fight alone!"
Infra gently removed her left glove, placing her palm on his face. Her soft fingers stroking along his cheek before lifting his chin. His breath was erratic as the beautiful goddess stared into his eyes. She gave him a gentle peck on his lips. A quick kiss with only the faintest of touch. Yet the sound of their lips parting filled the room.
"The goddess of Beasts Infra once again beseeches Zell Delacroix."
"Do not become her hero, saviour or martyr!"
"Become her Villain, tyrant or sinner!"
"Do you accept?"