" Are there any questions? "
Tom asks the room. Everyone remains silent, so Tom gets up as he concludes the meeting.
" Excellent. Let's get some shut eye before we go back out tomorrow. "
He says before grabbing the book and leaving the room. Everyone else then stands up together and Roary approaches you as Gareth and Reylesh walk off to do their own thing. Mimi stands close at your side as Roary asks you a question.
" So? What do you think about Voldoor? "
You look back at him with an exhausted glare as you give him an answer.
" You were absolutely right about the people here. The stuff I've seen tonight alone was enough to make me despise this city and everything it stands for. "
Roary gives you a satisfied smile as he puts his hand on your shoulder, giving a response to your answer.
" What did I say, eh? Now you understand why our King was so hesitant on having his people worship The Dark Ones. If our verse wasn't at stake, then there's absolutely no way that he would've gone along with your plan to save us. "
Reylesh then comes back into the main room with a smile on her face. You can obviously tell that she was eavesdropping on your conversation as she approaches.
" Yes, I have to thank you for having the other half of Aria pray to me. Their prayers and worship gives me strength, and I've felt more powerful here recently than I ever have before… "
Reylesh then looks up at Roary with an attitude as she speaks to him.
" Although, I've noticed that there are those who still refuse to worship me even after I've become deified in their lands. How incredibly reckless it must be to put their own trivial morals above the well-being of their universe… "
Roary stares at Reylesh coldly as he responds.
" So you're Reylesh, huh? I'm kinda disappointed that the first God I'd get to meet is the one that I don't care about. "
You can feel tension building between the both of them, so you interrupt to calm things down.
" Right now you're on the same side, so let's keep things cordial between the two of you, okay? "
Mimi yawns and Reylesh immediately looks at her, switching her attention towards her to make conversation. Roary scoffs and walks away.
" Well you must be Mimi! It's nice to meet you! I'm Reylesh. Have you ever met a Goddess before? "
Mimi nods her head as she responds.
" Yeah, I got to meet Faerah and Aatu and Noeh and Izael back when Star Faller was trying to save Mama. All of their realms are really pretty, especially Faerah's! "
" Oh? So you've been to Immortal Realms too? You're really a lucky girl. Most mortals only ever get to see one, and that's when they go to the afterlife. "
Reylesh says in a friendly tone as she smiles.
As you look at them talking, you notice that Reylesh is barely taller than Mimi, and you're surprised that she's behaving herself like Tom asked of her when you were in the elevator.
Mimi continues talking to Reylesh.
" Mama and Papa are in the afterlife with Faerah right now, actually. After this is over, Star Faller said that I can see them again as much as I want! Now that I think about it, Mama wouldn't want me talking to you. She said that you're bad and you make people do bad things… "
Reylesh smiles smugly as she grabs Mimi's hand gently and looks at it. You protectively watch her like a hawk as she responds to Mimi.
" That's not necessarily true, Mimi. I don't make people do anything… People do bad things because they want to, and I just give them a little encouragement. When people are bad, it's not because I told them to be… it's because it's in their nature to be bad and they have to learn to be good. Everyone is bad when they're born, and I just appeal to the natural side of them that they've learned to bury and hide as they get older. "
Mimi looks at Reylesh confused. You carefully listen to their conversation and prepare to interject if it goes somewhere unsafe.
" Everyone is bad? "
Mimi asks as she thinks about it deeply. Reylesh nods her head as she replies.
" Yes, Mimi. Everyone. Think about it. Have you ever had bad thoughts or wanted to do bad things before? Did you hear my voice telling you to do it, or did you want to do it on your own? "
Mimi nods her head subtly as she thinks, standing beside you silently. You can see the cogs turning in her head as she processes Reylesh's perspective, then she speaks up and gives her interpretation of it.
" Mhm. I have wanted to do bad things before, but I chose not to… So that means it's a choice, and that good people are only good because they choose to be… "
" Very good, Mimi! The truth is that mortals too often try to point their finger at another to take the blame for their actions, but ultimately it's always themselves who are responsible for their sin. You're very bright for your young age, Mimi. I'm impressed. "
Reylesh says in a proud tone as she looks at Mimi with wide eyes and lets go of her hand.
" That's kinda messed up tho, isn't it? "
Mimi asks as she looks down and continues to think.
" It's not fair to blame you for them not choosing to be good. "
Reylesh smiles softly as she answers.
" Yes, Mimi. It is messed up, but that's the way mortals are. Self preservation is at their core, and that means they'll oftentimes try to avoid accountability for their own deeds if it means sparing them from the consequences. Ultimately, every mortal pays for their decisions in the end. That's why I exist. To test the character and goodness of mortals and to punish those who choose to be bad. "
Mimi stands there and thinks for a moment, then she replies to Reylesh with a grateful smile.
" Okay, I think I get it now… You're really not as bad as the people back in the village said you are. "
Reylesh nods before giving Mimi a soft smile and a response.
" Thank you, Mimi. I'm glad you listened with an open mind. It's no doubt that you'll become one of the greatest mortals to ever live one day. I can see it within you now. "
Mimi blushes as she hugs your leg and Reylesh looks up at you to ask you a question in a playful tone.
" Need some company tonight? "
You look at her with a blank stare as you shoot down her attempt.
" Nope. I'll probably rest out here though. "
Mimi looks up at you as she talks to you with a tired voice.
" I'm getting sleepy too, Star Faller. I'm gonna go to bed. "
You look down at Mimi before getting down on one knee and giving her a hug.
" Goodnight, Star Faller. "
" Goodnight, Mimi. "
You say before she heads off to the bedrooms and you sit back down on the couch. You close your eyes and lean your head back as you take a deep breath and relax.
Reylesh sees that you're making yourself comfortable, so she tries again.
" I think I'll sleep out here too. "
She says as she sits next to you. You can feel her on the couch getting closer to you, so you talk to her sternly without opening your eyes.
" Touch me and I'll throw you off the balcony. "
You feel Reylesh stop, then sigh before getting up and going to another couch to make herself comfortable too. You peek your eyes open and look around to see Roary going into his own bedroom and Gareth in the kitchen washing Mimi and Roary's dishes. You look another direction and see Tom standing in front of a giant window like he was back on Gareth's cruiser, staring off over the city as he silently meditates.
You close your eyes again and begin to drift. Your breathing slows and you can feel reality slowly blur as you drift off into sleep. Before you know it, you're in a dream state and everything is black, yet you can still think conscious thoughts. You're at peace for a long while until you get a sudden feeling of fear and eeriness that engulfs you. Everything stays black, but you feel like you're not alone in your mind anymore. Within the abyss comes an ominous voice that whispers to you from behind.
" 𝕭𝖗𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗... "
You try to turn around but you can't because you're not physically present in this dream state. The voice continues to whisper to you and the words feel like they're crawling up your spine as they enter your ears.
" 𝕱𝖆𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗'𝖘 𝖑𝖆𝖘𝖙 𝖘𝖔𝖓… 𝖗𝖊𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖓𝖊𝖉… 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖕 𝕱𝖆𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗'𝖘 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖘𝖙… "
You feel a large hand wrap around the back of your neck. It begins to squeeze slowly as the whisper exhales in your ear. Its grip gets tighter, and you begin to suffocate in the blackness. You're losing your breath and you're paralyzed, unable to move. It feels as if the abyss is consuming you as it seeps into the pores of your skin and penetrates your heart.
As you fall helplessly into this nothingness, you begin to see a faint vision in front of you. You're in a red room. Tied down. Arms and legs apart. Laying on an altar. Naked. You're… a woman. Pregnant. There are robed men surrounding you. Hoods. You can't see their faces under their hoods. They have knives.
let me go.
You're crying. Pleading for them to release you. There's blood. Blood everywhere. You're laying in a bloody puddle. One of them approaches you.
someone help me.
He puts himself between your legs. He opens his robe. The rest of them watch silently as they stand around you.
not again.
make it stop… why are they doing this to me? It hurts. My insides hurt… I feel something in my stomach growing. It's sharp. It's stabbing me. I can't see through my tears when I'm crying.
someone… please… kill me…
" Abbadon? "
You suddenly wake up and see that Gareth is standing in front of you with a concerned look on his face. You realize that you're covered in sweat and it feels like your heart is beating out of your chest.
" Are you alright? What's wrong? "
Gareth asks you as he continues to stand over you. You take a moment to regain your breath and clear your mind before answering him.
" I'm… I'm fine… Just a bad dream. That's all. "
" That's impossible. "
You hear Tom say in front of you. You look over to see him sitting across from you on another couch with a worried look on his face as well.
" Somniohm was destroyed, remember? "