The God had spoken of a being that wasn't bound by the Will of Arcadia, someone who could go against the natural order and save her and her brother's lives.... "A Devil"
If Penelope was being honest, she felt conflicted about the dial on her brother's arm. On one hand she hoped it will never break so that they could be able to live even though it would be a difficult life but at least they would be alive.
On the other hand she hoped it will break so that she could have the chance to meet that Devil that will be able to free them from this life but unfortunately that God had said it was only a chance and if the Devil didn't show up they would die.
Death.... Penelope raised her face to look at the skies. She was unwilling, how could she not be. She hadn't fulfilled all her wishes nor those of her brother, she hadn't even told him that...
She looked towards the horizon, even from here that was so far out from the walls she could see that behemoth. It steadily moved towards the shelter one step at a time and as for how it was brought over, most likely it had something to do with that Zooman. As to whether he did it on purpose or was just an unlucky event brought about by Peter's calamity she wasn't ready to find out.
Her eyes glinted with determination as she rushed out of the building and headed towards the cabin where her brother was. No one noticed or even bothered as all their attention was grabbed by the behemoth in the distance.
Such a powerful beast was far beyond anything the Northwind Shelter was capable of resisting. At least against the Horde Raiders they were able to muster some fighting spirit but against this harbinger of destruction they could only give up. Even the Daystar Canon at full power would not be able to leave a scratch on it.
Penelope ran in a mad dash. Sometimes she fell down but she quickly stood up, the dress she wore was too long so she tore off everything below her knees. The high heeled shoe she wore was slowing her down so she kicked it off and ran barefooted.
Even in the face of such disaster she wouldn't give up. What inevitable destruction, what unavoidable calamity. With or without the Devils or Gods she had survived till now and she can sure as heck continue surviving without them.
She finally saw the cabin as well as her brother standing at it's door with his head gazing into the distance while a blank look was on his face. As she got close she could hear his mumblings "I caused this, I killed all this people, I'm a calamity, I don't deserve to live..."
Penelope tried to call out to him but he was unresponsive. Eventually she raised her hands and gave him a smack across the face and only then did his eyes clear up a bit. When he saw the figure in front of him, his eyes glazed over for a bit before he suddenly started rushing into her embrace and crying.
"Sis just kill me. If you kill me this thing will definitely go away, I would have done it myself but even though I know I'm at fault I'm too much of a coward to kill myself. Please sis, if it's this way everyone won't have to die, if it's this way then-"
Smack
Penelope slapped him again as her eyes showed fury towards what her brother said. She slapped him once more before quietly pulling him up and heading towards the South gate.
Peter was at a lost initially but when he finally understood what Penelope was trying to do he pulled his hand back and stopped running. Penelope looked viciously at him before forcefully seizing his hand and running.
He tried to struggle but he was physically weaker than she was and although it wasn't obvious Penelope had more strength than she showed. When she saw that Peter was resisting too much, she pulled him onto her back and piggybacked him as she continued running.
Peter barely had any weight and he was too tired to resist due to his physical condition. He could only continue crying on her back. Penelope ran past the passed out residents and the one's hiding in their homes as she headed for the south gate. There was a booming sound behind her and she didn't even have to look to know that the Northern Gate was destroyed. Finally she spoke to her brother with an unnatural conviction in her voice
"You have to understand something Peter. Nothing and I repeat nothing will separate you from me. Not that behemoth, not this people, not death or even the so called natural order has such ability."
"Bravo Bravo. What daring, what drive. Child you have the heart of a Devil indeed. Hahaha what a joyous day."
The world suddenly turned gray with all the colours of the world being devoured by it and everything froze in time except Penelope and her brother who also retained their colour. The skies above suddenly turned dark, no it turned black. Blacker than black, a darkness so deep that looking too much at it could draw one's soul into it.
Penelope recalled what that God had said and her eyes lit up with excitement. Although she said she would live on without the aid of Devils or Gods, that doesn't mean she was adverse towards their help.
In the deep black skies two golden suns suddenly appeared but they brought no light and instead seemed to blend with the black sky. It took a while for Penelope to realise that those weren't suns but were eyes, the Devil's eyes and at the moment they seemed to be filled with interest as it focused on her.
"Interesting, very interesting. Your gift is quite useful to me indeed, with this my odds will increase by no small amount. I'll deal with you lass later, for now tho....He who is brave towards the weak but cowardly against the strong, He who values life over valor and glory, He who seeks to survive above all else, Temirbek 1 show yourself or I'll drag you out."
Suddenly in the endless dark sky, a trailing white light shot out from the horizon and quickly approached the two Golden Suns. When the light faded away, it showed the figure of an old man who seemed as though he could die in the very next moment but his eyes shown with extreme vitality.
Penelope and Peter looked with shocked eyes as they recognised this figure. That year the calamities brought about by Peter weren't as strong as they were these years but were without end.
Not a single moment did they not live in fear of dying in the next moment. Then at one point, someone took pity on them and told them of a God who came on top of a very high mountain once every 100 years to drink the water that accumulated at its peak.
At this time many people would climb the mountain in hopes of reaching the peak and getting to meet God. It was said if you could meet this God and you pleased him, he would grant you a wish.
Initially, Penelope didn't believe it and thought it was some old folk tale despite Peter's complete belief in it but eventually she found out it wasn't an old folk tale but a real event and people had previously benefitted greatly from it and even the statue that was worshipped in the temple of this town was an image of the God that came to the mountain.
Penelope saw the hope for her and her brother to live and was going to give her all to seize it. She brought her brother who at that time was not physically weak and together through tricks, betrayal and manipulation made her way to the top of the mountain.
At the peak she saw a very old man who seemed as though he were about to die bending over a naturally formed pool and scooping out its water before drinking and savouring it then smacking his lips.
However she wasn't decieved by his outwardly appearance. The temperature at this peak was so low that even their breaths would freeze over and it was only with a special robe and a specially brewed drink she seized from one of the mountain climbers that she and her brother were able to brave the cold but the old man was only dressed in rags that even exposed his skin and his eyes....if any part of his body seemed alive then it was his eyes.
The vitality within them seemed to be able to fill whoever he looked at with life. The old man was still drinking but despite the cold and her and her brother's weakness she didn't sit down or let her brother sit instead she held him up and the two siblings waited in silence.
The sun finally set over the horizon and the man was still scooping the water, drinking it, savouring it before smacking his lips. The moon rose to its highest point and the winds got even chillier that the robe wasn't able to completely resist the cold and the specially brewed drink had already finished.
Just when she was about to fall into the cold embrace of death. The sounds of scooping suddenly stopped. Penelope forced her eyes open and noticed the water in the pool had finished and the old man was currently looking at her with a weird smile on his face.
"Child you were able to stand still without disturbing me despite the conditions while I savoured this centennial spring water as such I am very pleased. "
Penelope was excited and she quickly turned to her brother but noticed that her brother had already shut his eyes. In this cold, to sleep at this time meant death. In the end, Peter did not have the resilience his sister had so had succumbed earlier.
Penelope eyes faded but then she looked at the old man. Who let out a laugh before waving his hand. As he did the cold winds suddenly turned warm and on this barren peak, trees raised from the ground and grass grew out. Flowers bloomed and the night became day as gentle rays of sunlight fell upon the peak.
Her brother who had stopped breathing, woke up with a start before looking around. Penelope was joyous, not just for her brother being alive but at the ability of this God. With his powers he would definitely be able to save her brother.
She quickly brought her brother before explaining the problems she faced. The God who seemed casual about everything frowned slightly. He looked closely at Peter before letting out a sigh.
"Child I apologize I am unable to grant this wish of yours. Your brother's affliction is actually brought about by the gift he has. In fact were it not for the fact that you had a gift that can restrain his gift then he would have died years ago...." The old man specially took his time to explain the situation and the more Penelope heard the more despair crept into her heart.
She and her brother were twins and each had a gift. Her's was a gift of fortune. Some may call it luck or favour but generally good things will always find its way to her and people will easily find themselves attracted to her.
Her brother however had a gift of misfortune. A jinx if you may. As long as he lives, misfortune and disaster would follow him and people will be easily irritated of him.
If it were an ability brought about by evolution he may have been able to do something about it but this was a gift granted by the natural order. In actuality gifts were very rare and were it in a Dome, those with gifts would be treasured by them.
Even the Heavenly Court, the representative of the mandate of Arcadia would be delighted to find someone with gifts. He in fact was a member of the heavenly court however even the Heavenly Court would not be able to handle her brother's gift. He adviced Penelope to come with him and as for their brother she should abandon him.
If she agreed to come with him he would be able to train her into an expert that could walk the world unhindered but she refused without a second thought despite her brother's protest.
In Peter's opinion, his fate was already destined and could not be resisted but he didn't want to drag his sister down with him. Penelope however would have none of it and instead pleaded desperately with the God to do something.
The God was touched by her love for her brother and as such inscribed the dial on her brother's hand while telling her of it's limitation as well as giving her the prophecy of having a chance to encounter a Devil who would be able to completely solve her problem.
Then he disappeared, the day became night again while the forest wilted away and the cold winds surged forth however the chill in Penelope's heart from that day was even colder.
Now before her eyes she saw the same God standing in the sky above. The dignity he had while he was talking with her was gone and instead an aura of timidity surrounded him as he looked at those two golden suns in the sky.