{ a few minutes more }
The dark, silent waters of the Lac of Unmaking shimmered with an unsettling, emerald glow around Aki. He stood chest-deep in the ancient liquid, the lingering cold fear of the Child God's intense heat replaced by a far more immediate and complex tension. The being gripping his wrist was a child in form, no older than eight, but the golden eyes fixed on him were epochs deep, filled with the calculating, possessive intensity of a cosmic sovereign.
"My champion," the Serene God murmured, his voice a perfect, melodic counterpoint to the Lac's quietude, and his small, warm hand tightened on Aki's arm. "Such an agonizing, beautiful choice. I see the price in your flesh, Aki. And the Echo… she gave everything."
Aki felt a profound, unwanted surge of heat return to his face, making the water around him feel cold by comparison. The Serene God's unwavering gaze was not merely gratitude; it was an intimate, total assessment of ownership.
"She knew I'd never accept you being bound to this overgrown puddle, Axiom," the Child God stated, turning his golden gaze to the enraged Guardian standing on the bank. His tone was dismissive, utterly ignoring the fact that he was currently tiny and helpless.
Axiom, her red eyes blazing, took two deliberate steps toward the water's edge, kicking a stray piece of charred moss with deliberate force. "You haven't changed one bit, little tyrant. Arrogant even when you're seven years old and stripped of your dignity. Your champion broke my oath and stole my power. He is our debt, not your pet project."
The Child God smiled, a slow, ancient, unnerving curl of the lip that felt totally alien on a young face. He leaned closer to Aki, pressing his cheek against Aki's wet shoulder in a gesture that was both unnervingly childlike and deeply possessive.
"Did you hear that, Aki? Our debt," the Serene God purred, his voice a low, melodic vibration that traveled right through Aki's chest. "But I saved your life, didn't I, sweet champion? I paid your years. That makes you mine. And you're blushing. You're blushing when you told me you were straight ."
Aki's entire upper body turned a fiery red. He tried to pull back from the intense pressure, but the Child God's small hands were now clasped around his torso, holding him with surprising, stubborn strength. The situation was agonizingly awkward and highly thrilling in its absurdity.
"Look, man, I told you," Aki stammered, pulling at the boy's shoulders without hurting him. "I'm Aki. I'm human. You're a god. This isn't… this is weird. Let go. We have a universe to save, and a friend to check on."
The awkwardness was not just Aki's. It was suddenly a three way psychological conflict:
Lyra's Fury (Internal Jealousy): Within Aki's core, Lyra's consciousness, fragile but potent, surged with a sharp, painful jolt of jealousy. It wasn't just romantic; it was a furious, protective anger. He's treating you like a trophy, Aki! her voice screamed silently in his mind. He forgets the cost! He forgets I'm here! The surge of emotion made Aki suddenly jerk his body with an uncontrollable, aggressive spasm, nearly throwing the Child God off balance.
Axiom's Rage (External Jealousy): Axiom witnessed the entire display , the possessive hold, the successful healing, and the resulting emotional chaos in her valuable debtor. Her jealousy was purely territorial and political.
"Release the champion, you golden eyed parasite!" Axiom shrieked, slamming her fist onto the obsidian bank. The impact sent a cascade of emerald light through the water. "He is barely stabilized! He is not your personal water toy! Your mind may be ancient, but your body is that of a dependent. You are in no position to issue demands or stake ridiculous claims!"
The Child God merely tightened his hold on Aki, looking at Axiom with utter contempt. "Axiom, I recall a time when you found the act of my attention flattering. Now you guard my possessions? You are a simple border guard, Axiom, always have been. Lyra's sacrifice gave him true purpose; my attention will give him meaning. You have nothing to offer but fear."
That was The Crushing Truth for the Powerlessness ( >_< )
The Serene God, furious at Axiom's dismissal, tried to assert his will. He extended a small hand toward Axiom, intending to blast her back with a wave of pure divine power.
"Be silent!" the Child God commanded. "I am the Serene God! I command the light—"
He paused. His brow furrowed with confusion, the ancient wisdom in his eyes replaced by a momentary, terrible vulnerability. The gesture of power produced only a single, weak, flickering golden spark that died instantly upon hitting the air.
The sudden, crushing reality of his imprisonment hit him. He was awake. He was whole. But his power was gone, still sealed somewhere within the Architect's vast, dark systems.
The small body pressed into Aki's chest trembled. The golden eyes, moments ago filled with arrogant, teasing confidence, now welled with ancient, devastating sorrow. He was a god, stripped bare and helpless. The full weight of his current reality a powerful mind trapped in a vulnerable body, totally reliant on the man he was trying to dominate, crushed him.
Axiom, seeing the flicker of divine failure, allowed herself a cold, vindictive smirk. "Oh, the misery! Powerless, reduced, and desperate. Now, does the golden eyed tyrant understand why he needs the 'simple border guard'?"
The Serene God drew a shuddering breath, his composure slowly returning, powered by sheer, millennia-old pride. He released Aki, though his gaze remained fixed on him.
"Very well," the Child God whispered, the melodic voice now laced with bitter determination. He climbed out of the Lac, leaving the water as clean and dry as he entered it. He was small, naked, and radiating pure, unadulterated menace.
He turned to Aki. "I require my twin. The one the Architect defiled. Bring me Kael. I need to assess the full damage of my brother's malice and what kind of weapon he will make."
The focus had snapped back to the core mission, but the possessiveness had simply shifted from a physical display to a strategic command. The Serene God had claimed his champion. The true war was about to begin.
***
Aki, relieved to be free of the physically awkward embrace but still reeling from the emotional whiplash, quickly followed the now-dripping Child God out of the Lac. He grabbed the ceremonial robe he had discarded and covered the small god.
Axiom threw her hands up in exasperation. "Of course. Bring the contaminated one to the clean zone. You're predictable, for an ancient trauma."
The Serene God ignored her, his golden eyes fixed on Aki. "Fetch him, champion. He suffered my brother's touch. His essence is a blueprint for the final design. And he's yours, isn't he? A friend. I must understand the things you value."
Aki nodded, his mind now focused on the tactical necessity. He understood the demand: Kael's corrupted soul held the key to the Architect's final plan.