The deep tracks of Abiral's boots were quickly covered by the icy wind. Despite his light layers, Abiral did not feel Mother Nature's cold breath nor did he succumb to sickness by the winter's frost.
The system his [Divinity] gave him covered this much, making him immune to nature's forces.
Abiral took two more deep breaths before collapsing onto the forest's ground.
This was the place where criminals were punished by Divinity's Rule, a fancy way to say, a place where worshippers use humans as their plaything to legally unleash their strengths at high levels.
However, Abiral had no issues with that since those who were incarcerated did deserve it. Cells were typically filled with senile perverts, thieves, and murderers.
However, Abiral wasn't in the forest as a criminal—he was here because of his appearance. He was hiding from the prying eyes of those in the royal after-party banquet.
The celebration had been held earlier in the day when it was warmer, Abiral still dressed in its vibrant colors.
The women there were to put on a show. They danced to entertain the royal family who were gathered in the middle of the plaza, right where the gates opened so others in the villages could come and watch.
Their dances are visualized with luminescent lights as they move. This was normal here since the women were 'sisters' from one big family under the [Divinity], Dmitri.
Dmitri allows his chosen family to entertain others with this capability. He showcases his influence through the dances of the performers.
When they make a swift movement with their legs—he paints their movements red. And when they flash a smile he makes the halo that flashes around their heads momentarily, an ugly green.
Many rumored that Dmitri had a bias against his chosen family since he'd only host women. They had become prominent dancers now.
In the past, the paintings showed both men and women rejoicing in dance to worship Dmitri.
Dmitri is believed to be irritated by this change and tries to sabotage the dances with the color scheme of period blood and nausea.
No one knows for sure what brought about that switch since it's confidential by request of the Cardoso Family.
What that family possessed because of their [Divinity] isn't something spectacular, or money-making but enough to get by.
Playing tricks on the eyes that watched them as they paraded the floor. Something only they could do in that kingdom.
When the dancing was done, a young woman named, Kijek Cardoso spotted Abiral in the crowd, happily skipping over to him.
She twirled in front of him after his eyes were focused on her. Allowing him to see the jewels pouring from her feet to her torso, making their way to bedazzle her upper body as well as revealing clothes to captivate him.
Abiral looked unappeased as Kijek finished her colorful presentation, looking past her shoulder to watch for any threats in the crowd.
Kijek motioned to the other woman to come to her side, in an instance, all the woman dancer's attention was on Abiral.
In unison they all exclaimed braiding his long black hair into two parts, secretly pushing colorful flowers into the braids as well as they circled in motions around him.
Placing a mirror in his hand, they all gathered around smiling behind him, grasping onto his shoulders, and cheerfully playing with his new hairstyle.
Abiral got up, hovering over them, and thanked the ladies to make a getaway from the attention he was gathering.
Kijek reached her hand out pulling down on his figure and gave him a farewell kiss on his cheek.
Abiral's face contorted in disgust but managed a chuckle at her gesture and nodded goodbye to them all.
Everyone usually gathered at a close friend's home or in caverns with night beds as the night commenced.
To which he did the same, Abiral made his way to his quarters as well. He had been covered in powder of all kinds of colors from the celebration.
An elderly maid took notice of his new look and bashfully exclaimed with a hand drumming at her large chest at how charming the colors made him.
Bringing out his dark brown eyes, and suiting his black hair, while also complimenting his tall figure.
He flashed a quick smile to her and went to his room, opening the large window into the balcony, and jumped.
After a three-story fall, Abiral landed in a crouched position, his hands pushed into the ground.
The bones in his feet shattered at this, while the joints in his legs dislocated but Abiral kept a sober face. Waiting on the healing effects from his [Divinity], Ludus.
Within two minutes, his bones peered from the skin like a sew and needle—reconstructing itself.
He had lost count of how many broken bones he had, there was almost no pain with it after experiencing it on numerous occasions.
He took another breath and returned to the now, lying in the snow's casket. Inside he was broken, thus the summer to others had a different turn when it came to Abiral.
His arms sprawled out as he groaned in pain. The only thing his [Divinity]'s system couldn't heal was the curse. Since it was doing the opposite of that—it was worsening it.
Unlatching the loose shirt he wore, Abrial's forearm veins were plagued in the color black and not a festive pink or red color.
It disturbingly stretched around his body, mostly covering his sides. For the last year of his life, he had endured a disease-like punishment.
He swore at Ludus's name while he rolled onto his back, 'Damn her.'
The center of his chest felt as if it had a large bowl filled with water residing on top of it.
The dark color of what should've been crimson red stained at his mouth and streamed down the side of his cheek coloring the kiss mark that once was there.
His eyes bled the same color as his veins, while the trees tauntingly stared back down at him.
The drumming of his overworked heart banged inside his chest—his body was ready to surrender.
The proof of his pain was painted over him, his lifeless completion and limited mobility strained him.
Humiliation crept inside his ears as he looked up at the night sky, the moon had brightly lit her guards and beautifully covered herself in protection.
Yet, who was protecting him, when his 'guard' began to work against him?
No doctor could see Abiral's declining health as he appeared perfectly fine in front of them, it was thought to be his body shutting down from tasking labor.
They couldn't see the battle he was fighting, one that consisted of his savior.
Abiral understood that [Divinities] saw human lives like a game of cards. If you kept getting the winning deck, wouldn't you keep playing?
[Divinities] were an entity, they weren't a she or he, maybe nothing at all. Yet humans find it easier to refer to something when it has a name. Humanizing something more captivating than the human's understanding. Despite it being offensive, [Divinities] entertained this allowing humans to give them names based on the faces they displayed.
The majority of [Divinities] chose a feminine appearance, and because of this humans believed it was women who ruled the sky.
The entities who choose an appearance similar to a woman's gained more supporters.
It must've meant that the more fans you had, the more you were allowed to get away with it. It was easy playing pretend, being the illusion their fans wanted.
They appeared in a way that would make humans favor them more.
Taller, with a striking physique, and even upholding a seductive form to merge into a human crowd.
Abiral could even claim that the girl he saw earlier was Dmitri having his way of fun with him.
No one would be able to tell the difference between humanoid and nonhuman.
Abiral was ready to meet his host, it was easy calling for her but knowing this fact didn't make it any more easier for him to do it.
Just like his first life and now he wasn't afraid of the permeable darkness nor what the curse did to him.
The only different thing was the other person in his life, Hama.
Abiral contemplated with the black tears being sent down, 'Would Hama still be by my side?' His breath felt haggard again and his throat felt more choked up.
The longer he stayed in the forest the more the curse made him feel like a stranger in his own body.
Reminding him that he wouldn't still draw a breath if it wasn't for it. Abiral was corrupted. Though, none of it mattered to him anymore.
He screamed out to the trees, "Ludus, I command thee to appear! You b-"
Ludus's voice cut him off, 'Now, now. What is it this time Abiral?'
There was a time when Abiral brought Ludus gifts and enjoyed her presence.
She brought him the curse, Hama, and a fate that is corrosive to everything before it. The sound of her voice ringing in his head and not in reality, pushed his sanity to the edge the more it occurred.
Ludus's behavior felt as if unfazed, almost the same as the two had begun.
Her voice was soft-spoken it could come to him in his mind or physically like she was speaking.
Even when her mouth wasn't moving or pronouncing the words. The form she took was considered the same as a high-grade gem.
When she would appear before Abiral, she showed herself in her truest form of purity. There was no connection of a human except the body she had created for herself.
Except she was none of those things as she stood hovering over Abiral.
Her face was cracked as if it had been shattered into many pieces. At the moment, Abiral blamed it on his blurred vision, it was no question that Ludus was there.
Her voice would begin to feel as if it would burst Abiral's eardrums.
Ludus held a hand on Abiral's forehead, 'You can't be sick now, are you?'
Abiral had no strength left in him to swat her hand away, "Cut the act out," Abiral could see a smile creep onto his host's face.
"You don't believe I'm the only one in the wrong, do you, Abrial?"
He let out a hack before responding, "Of course not. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my lovely host."
Ludus's voice spoke into existence this time and not in his head, "Is that so?"
Her eyes started to deepen back to their sockets, showing no makeshift of a normal human's makeup behind but a hollow hole full of darkness.
With another second, Abiral could feel a shift in his environment—Ludus brought them to their 'home,' instantly Abiral felt rejuvenated.
No pain existed here as it all was a figment of imagination. The only difference was how it was an endless place of shallow water that barely reached past his knees and anything you thought of materialized instantly.
Abiral rose to his feet, here there was no use for clothes, shoes, or anything at all. All you needed was yourself. His long hair was free of the flowers and there was a soft breeze to make you feel welcomed.
"Ludus-"
"What exactly did you want Abiral? Should I have made you a king in this life?" At this a throne emerged and Ludus sat upon it.
A blade had formed in Abiral's hands, "I should've just really ended it," he threw it at her head.
Piercing through her head, Ludus did not flinch at this—calmly taking it out before continuing.
In the end, [Divinity]'s don't feel like a human, and they aren't made like one.
They're much more than that. If they all decided to—humans would cease to exist.
"Does that matter now? You have the choice to do just that or finally uphold your side of the deal and amuse me. What did you think was going to happen, Abiral?" The tone of her voice became sharper and the bones in her throat flexed.
A thought crossed his mind as Ludus's words reached him, 'What even is my real name?'
The growing pains began to make his muscles feel as if they were being separated. His pulse pounded like a fiery drum, counting down quickly to his last beat.
There was no turning back after this summoning of his [Divinity], this was the start of a war with an ending he had to create.
He met her eyes straight on, "It's time we separate, Ludus."