#helianthus is deimos' grandfather

[thegrimdarknarratorx]

"Ms Von Cannes, you don’t have to do what this Helianthus figure told you to do, you still have a choice to fuck his magic speeches and continue with your amazing plan!” The Acolyte insisted. She hadn’t stopped bombarding Maelle with these demands ever since she returned to Earth.

“I’m not doing this for Him, my dear. I’m doing this because it is the right thing to do.” Maelle reminded her gently.

Just like her morals, her appearance had changed a lot. Her hair had been cut shorter to a reasonable level and she no longer dressed like the most pretentious being in the galaxy. In fact, she just wore a simple suit, like Jonathan had and under other circumstances, the Acolyte would be swooning very appreciative of this change.

“’The right thing’,” the Acolyte repeated, dumbfounded. “My Goddess, he really did brainwash you, didn’t he?”

The other sighed, slowly getting tired of her accomplice’s accusations. “No, He didn’t. It wouldn’t be free choice otherwise.”

“Was it even a free choice to begin with?” The Acolyte grumbled under her breath.

“He simply....pulled out the parts of me that had the ability to empathize with people’s pain, that didn’t throw compassion and love away for the sake of my own greed.” Maelle ignored her.

“And I’m not suffering from this development, in fact, I feel much lighter. I know I don’t have to look over my shoulder all the time, afraid that someone might catch up and take me down.”

The Acolyte’s expression turned sour. “My Maelle was never scared of anything.”

“...you don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Well, anyway. You don’t have to try and ‘fix’ me, my dear, as much as I’m grateful for your continued support. I’ve yet to become a different person.”

“So what, you’re going to cancel all our plans and....apologize?”

“I don’t know. I should. I feel terrible. I owe them all an apology, but I’m...nervous of their reactions. After I treated them like that...” The Acolyte said nothing.  “We’re not too different.” “Yes we are!” “Why? Because I have powers? Because I live longer?” “Because you’re destined to be great, Maelle!”  “That doesn’t automatically mean I should hurt others. I can still be powerful and be kind.”  She glanced over at the Acolyte, who stared down at her feet. She could feel disappointment and anger radiate off her, but couldn’t guess where it was directed at.  

Maelle remembered the promise she had made to Helianthus and stepped over to the Acolyte. She should return her identity, just like she said she’d do. She wanted it and she was sure the Acolyte-

But the other woman recoiled from her as if she had been stung.

“Do not touch the Sigil.”

“My dear, I’m just trying to remove it. You shouldn’t belong to anyone but-”

“No. It stays. It stays until my Goddess has returned.”

“I am the so called Goddess you keep referring to. And I want to give you back what belongs to you.”

The Acolyte’s eyes burned with hatred, even from behind the veil, she could see it. An old part of hers sparked with pride at her insistence.

“You are not my Goddess. You are not my Maelle either. And you will not touch her Sigil, or her Magic, because she is far from done. I know Ms Von Cannes will come back.”

“I am her.”

“You’re a sniveling, watered down copy of what she once was. I refuse to believe that Maelle was ever this pathetic.” The Acolyte spat. “Do what you must do, but do not expect my support.”

She tore the veil off and threw it at Maelle’s feet in anger. In a blink of an eye, she had melted back into the shadows.

Maelle sighed.

She felt guilty for the Acolyte’s anger, of course, she was the one who had promised her greatness and a spectacle beyond what her human mind could comprehend.

And now she was going back on her words, resigning to be what she had called herself in the first place, nothing but a Disciple to the Keeper’s Vessel. The Keeper, a soft, gentle goddess, merely existing to exist. She doesn’t bother herself with the troubles of the Universe and only demands sacrifices every now and then.  

Maelle knew she could talk her out of human sacrifices, though. And instead, offer dreams and charms and star dust.

She turned and walked to the Vault, ignoring the demons still flitting about. They wouldn’t cause any trouble now, not anything major at least.

The Vault seemed different, she could tell, even before she opened it. Something about the air had changed. As Maelle pushed the large doors open, she saw what had happened.

Every cage holding every suffering human was gone. The Acolyte had gotten her message shortly after the conversation with Helianthus after all, and had carried out her orders.

The path to the Keeper was free now.