#edward:korey

[oppulcnce]

"I'm sure this will mean nothing...But it didn't hurt," he said standing there staring at the lake that seemed to go on forever, unsure where or when he was. But one thing he knew was that he no longer existed. He felt the moment he became nothing, returning into the ever which he came from.

But he knew he was in her dreams, whether this was really him or not he was unsure. It felt the like the first time he is seeing her, but also a moment that's already happened. Maybe just an idea of him that Korey needed to see in her dreams. Or a memory of something that happened and she was dreaming of it fondly. "It feels very real," he said as the soft breeze brushed against his skin, the only thoughts he had were of the moments she made him feel something.

The darkness was not going to ask her if she missed him, he k new she did, for he missed her so much. His only happy moments being by her side, she turned him into a person. Someone who could smile, who could love, and who would sacrifice. Something he would do again and again for her, saving her was the only right thing he'd ever truly believe he'd done. At least in his lasts moments he could see that spark come back into her eyes, and was was able to go before he could see the heartbreak that would surely follow.

"If it's a very real dream, yours or mine-take my hand...Watch the water with me," he said holding his hand out to her.

@exsanguinatc

[oppulcnce]

"You were plenty strong but in war things never go as planned," he said squeezing his hands on her face. One of them was meant to be apart of life itself, she was kind, friendly and would find a way to never be alone. The opposite of him, no one would really accept him as their own. He wasn't even human despite the appearance he had.

"Destiny is cruel," he agreed, wishing to have had the chance let what they have grow. But as if it was all real and the moment was here, "I did think...For just a moment that being loved by you was the best thing that happened to me and you were the only one to ever love me."

He could feel his own tear escape from his face as he laughed at her ridiculous notion, "You did save me many times, from a hell, trapped alone till I forgot myself. Then you saved me from being alone, by giving me a companion and friend. And then again, you saved me from feeling empty, by filling me with love. You reminded me that I had a soul. You gave me hope and aspirations outside of vengeance."

"You should actually hate me from how cruel and distant I was, if I knew how important to me you'd become I would have opened my heart sooner," He said before wrapping his arms around her once again and pulled her into his chest the warm tingle of her touch under his grip. He could see the glow engulf them as their magics mixed once again.

Finally saying those words, shameful as they were, was a relief. Though the weight of her kingdom was still heavy on her shoulders, they were at least relieved of that confession. She wouldn't even tell Kaius that much, that she would've genuinely considered trading all of those lies to save the Darkness. He was too good. She feared that he would think less of her for it, and he already carried enough for her. He didn't need to carry that knowledge, too.

But her Darkness would understand. Even if this was just a dream, she was sure that he wouldn't flinch at the admission, but she did a lot more than flinch when he dared to call himself selfish. She tightened her grip on his hand and turned to face him. The water was far less interesting than he was anyway. It had been so long since she'd seen his face. She wanted to look at him for as long as she could and commit him to memory. The last time she'd seen him, she hadn't known it was the last time. She hadn't been ready. If this was all she was going to get, she needed to retain every tiny detail.

His own confession tore a sob from her throat. "You shouldn't've had to do it at all. We should've- I should've- I never should have let you. You'd still be here if- I'm sorry. I'm so sor-" her words cut off with another sob. She should have done better. He'd given her everything, and she'd let him down when it mattered most. If she'd just been stronger, he never would have had to sacrifice himself just to save her. Whatever his reason was, no matter how his words warmed her heart, it wasn't right. None of this was how it was supposed to be. He wasn't supposed to be everywhere. He was supposed to be with her.

"I hate our destiny." She blurted out, reaching up to wipe at her tears with the back of her free hand. More quickly replaced them though, spilling over onto his fingers when they found her skin and making their barely there kiss taste salty. He was right. It did feel real. It was soft, but the piece of her that was him still recognize him. She could still feel the way he awakened her magic. "If it feels real, then it is." She needed it to be real.

Then he said her name, and the light within her surged. While their touch had often been hesitant before she'd lost him, the two of them only just discovering what it meant to love, she didn't hesitate this time. Korey wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself to him. "It's not fair. I miss you so much." She gasped out before tipping her chin forward just enough to steal another kiss. "You saved me over and over. Before you even knew you were doing it, when you were just a story, you were saving me. I don't- why couldn't I save you for once?"

[oppulcnce]

Ever since he’d met the God’s and seen first hand what the magic of the world provided, King Oskar had thought he’d seen it all. But to see the darkness and light at once was something he hadn’t thought would happen in his lifetime. He honestly did not believe there was a human form to contain such a magic but here he was being proven that magic was nonsense and anything could happen. 

Still it was a moment of true relief, meeting the two, granted the man was a little standoffish but the woman clearly was the charismatic one between the two. But the tides would turn in this war, now that they had them on their side, the opposition would try whatever they could to keep them away. They were already doing their best to push the kingdom into a smaller area by sending monsters to the towns. But that wasn’t going to stop this fight for magic, freedom, and vengeance at this point. 

Which is what brought them to this point, not many people had the luxury or honor of walking through the doors of the God’s but this was a special moment. He promised them answers and that’s what they would get, he was a man of his word especially since she’d been so willing to help heal his injured men.

In this room, the God’s convened to speak to the humans, whether it was to update with the affairs of the God’s, to give warnings or to hide. But nothing or no one uninvited could enter this room, and currently it only held two of the God’s; Birel the Goddess of Strategy, and Riva the Goddess of the wind.  And at his request he guided them to hear the story from the beginning to really set things into perspective, showing much more was at stake than just kingdoms.

“I know it’s been a hard time for you, the hurt, confusion, anger, all of it must be boiling inside of you. But you must understand much of this kingdom feels that, they’ve been fighting a battle from before their grandparents. And I assure you it is not for nothing;” the Goddess said after having down proper introductions. But she was more about getting to the situation than dealing with feelings, that was for the mother to handle. 

Pulling a book from thin air that soon lost it’s pages and instead became an image as the book was opened. With moving images and runes that were untranslatable it was clearly depicting the story as the woman talked. “Long ago, my brother’s and sister’s created this world, we blessed the people with life and knowledge and magic. It seemed only fair to give a gift of ourselves to the people- make them in our image and whatnot. And that’s where Hestia our sister came in, she blessed them- and the human’s used it well. They grew, they learned, and understood more as time went on.” 

There was a pause as the images became something new, of murder and blood, “But some became paranoid, worried that sooner or later the humans would discover a magic to take on the God’s. But Hestia refused to take back her gift and the Mother did not force her hand either...And paranoia spread, it may have not been most but it was enough, that they destroyed....They destroyed Hestia in the hopes that her death would mean the gift would be destroyed.” She said but her voice caught in her throat as the situation still hurt as though it was fresh. 

With that Riva stepped in and took the book, turning the images to the next, which would be the darkness and magic an on earth spreading from a body shaped mountain. “Sadly, her sacrifice did the opposite, it sent everything into a spiral as magic was released everywhere- in the heavens, earth, everywhere. All kinds, and without Hestia as the vessel to control it all it became a bigger issue as everyone now blamed one another.” 

The images soon began forming shapes of humanoid forms before turning to specs of light. “New God’s were being born, entities that no one could control or understand. But Mother, being the insane being she is accepted them all, called them her children and allowed them as punishment to the God’s that dared harmed their sister. And it truly was a punishment at first, the humans were gaining more power, and these new creatures seemed endless in their magic. But then there were few who refused to accept such a punishment- and they turned on us, and found a way to end magic within the humans....By breaking the faith between the God’s. Without the worship of the God’s, with the fear of magic, they used paranoia and fear to convince the humans that they needed them. They spoke through the humans, the manipulated them, and put into place a kind of church that feared magic.”

Before turning to look at the Darkness with soft eyes, “You disagreed-,” she said accepting the entity made from  Hestia as a true creature as mother intended. “You were made from the pure darkness of magic, and you fought against them...However, they found a way to trap you for so long since there was no easy way to destroy you in the hopes that-”

“That I would remember nothing but the cave,” he said as he could see the shapes of the book colliding into one another. “So to protect you existence your fight...And so that humans can keep magic they fight,” he said pointing between the God’s and the King.“ He said before turning to look at Korey, wondering if this was what the Mother Goddess wanted Korey to find, if this was the knowledge she needed. But he did not know how to bring this up or anything up really, it was all a lot and for once the creature felt overwhelmed and he wasn’t sure what would be running through Korey’s head. He had brought her here to help her get revenge only to find out this was a battle of the God’s, that may be more than she was prepared to handle.

@exsanguinatc​

[oppulcnce]

His eyes briefly left the water as she made her confession, he would have cried alongside her but he felt peace. "Shh," with a shake of their head, before fingers softly brushed against her lips. "I would do it again, and again, because by nature I am selfish," the light that she brought to the world could never be replicated. But darkness, that could be found in every corner of the word, from the shadows, to the overcast, and even in the night.

"I already lived eons alone, I would not be able to bear the pain of being alone again after meeting you. In a moment, nothing mattered...And I didn't do it so you'd become a savior. I did it because you are the only person I've ever truly cared for, " he said feeling a pang in his chest as the idea of not saving her was even thought about. The ideal scenario would have been neither of them falling. Korey ascending to he throne as the Mother willed, and him being by her side for her life.

"You just need to look into the shadows, I'm everywhere now, It's like I'm swimming in a vast sea...Everywhere but nowhere at once. This is the first time I've felt grounded and I could only assume it's the Mother's doing. Giving us a boon for all the trouble our destiny's caused us."

His fingers gently danced along her jaw before he leaned in for the softest of kisses, worried that in this moment their dream world would disappear or crack into a million pieces leaving her. "That felt real too," he said as the tiny spark of electric magic they always felt was more of a numbing memory instead. "Korey..."he sighed softly before resting his forehead on hers, a tear finally falling down his face.

She didn't remember falling asleep. She didn't even remember getting into bed. It had to be a dream though. Because he was there. After all this time, she was finally dreaming of him. Ever since the Darkness had sacrificed himself for her and the future she was meant to bring, she'd never been able to dream of him. No matter how often she'd tried to conjure some echo of him at night by thinking of him when she finally found the time to get a few hours of rest, he escaped her.

And now her mind had finally given her a piece of him back. He seemed so real though. The way he looked, the sound of his voice- she'd been terrified of forgetting it all and that her memories wouldn't do him justice. This version of him was perfect. Every detail of him, tiny ones that she'd lost in the desperation of trying to keep him as a whole, was there, and it was only the serenity in his words that kept her from launching herself at him and into his arms. She didn't want to take that from him. Even if this was only a dream, he deserved to finally have peace. She'd taken enough from him.

So, she just gazed at him and basked in the presence that she'd missed so dearly and didn't bother to wipe away the tears that were suddenly rolling down her cheeks. There was still a hole shaped just like him somewhere on her soul. Regardless of whoever she met in life or whatever she did, the void that he'd left was never going to be filled. Though the pain wasn't as sharp these days and didn't consume her every waking moment, that particular wound was never going to heal. While his sacrifice had saved her life, it had left her with permanent damage.

Korey didn't want to think about that now though. He was offering his hand and inviting her closer, and she didn't need to be told twice. She stepped forward and took his hand, shocked by the way that he still felt like him and her magic responded to him even in a dream. It had been so long since she'd felt that particular sparking warmth beneath her skin that only contact with him provided. Her body recognized him despite the fact that this wasn't...real. It just felt that way.

She didn't know how long she stood next to him and looked out at the endless water. It didn't much matter here. There were words that had been weighing heavy on her tongue since she'd lost him though, that she couldn't keep contained anymore. And she certainly couldn't tell them to anyone else. "Sometimes I still wish you hadn't done it." She confessed in barely more than a whisper. "I know that you saved me and countless others. I know that you gave me what I needed to become who I'm supposed to be, but I just..." she sighed and tried to swallow down the burn of shame in the back of her throat. "There are moments when I wish I still had you instead of everything that you gave me."