Chapter 6 - Decision

She had taken him to her place. Her place, besides crawling with guards, also had several patrols wandering from room to room. He could even feel the resonance of power coming from them. Gods! And more than one! gods as patrols? Who the hell had that kind of clout! It was big enough to give someone pause.

The room they were in was fifteen meters of sturdy white stone, this place didn’t have any fancy carvings or artsy construction. Compared to the rest of the house it was simplistic, in an austere military style. The front door was a slab of iron flanked by gold-plated statues of wild beasts in action. Each one had to weigh thousands of kilos, intimidating enough to refuse visitors from hundreds of kilometers away.

When Rhema had entered the first thing to greet him was a faint fragrance, a jade fireplace and light of several elegant lamps illuminating the room.

In the center was a veil that blocked his view of the rest of the chamber.

The veil was ingeniously placed to separate the room down the middle. Its panels were painted with vaulted mountains, precipitous seas and a ferocious beast. The scene had a deep romantic charm, but looking at it filled Rhema with an inexplicable sense of oppression.

Rhema looked around the several hundred-meter large room and saw that it was stuffed full of all manner of things. There were complete suits of armor, a model of a delicate and beautiful rare sword, beast heads mounted on the walls, and beautiful tapestries. Power and beauty, carnage and grace, blood and art – both came together expertly here.

This was getting akward. While he was looking around, she had been staring at him dearly, like an old friend. He sat in an ornamental chair just in front of her. She was humming a particular tune. It seemed familiar but he couldn't even think clearly.

He looked back at her, he could see gentleness but there was a ferociousness to her demeanor, a beast lurking inside. He was on edge, as though electricity coursed through his body.

He realised she wasn’t just looking at him. She was scanning him—reading his entire being.

He couldn't move then his stomach clenched and his whole body tensed as if he were bracing for a hit, and the electrical feeling subsided.

The woman raised an eyebrow as if he'd surprised her. She glanced behind him and said something in the ancient tongue, he recognize but didnt understand, hieroglyphs glowed bright and the the room seemed to fade away. A spell! He recognized the ancient tongue but didnt know what she said. He knew many words from study but not enough apparently.

"Be at ease" she said with smile. We're still in the room, its just an illusion to prevent the gaurds from listening in on our conversation.

Rhema frowned in confusion. "Why dont you just send them away. If they're your guards, you can ask them to leave can't you?" He asked.

It had been bothering him why she had people follow her everywhere and why her house was filled to the brim with gods.

Her smile turned bitter "I wish it were that easy. Im under house arrest."

Rhema's was shoked, a primordial, under house arrest?

She saw his suprised expression and smiled again "what exactly do you know about me?"

"I don't realy know much, I read about how you stepped down from your position after your husband's..." he trailed off

She frowned "Humph..It's to be expected. Oodua, as thorough as ever"

Rhema was surprised Lord Oodua? The godking? What does he have to do with this? He thought.

"I wasn't myself for a while after my husband's... and i caused a lot of problems, so its its understandable why they would want to keep an eye on me."

Rhema tensed visibly. Wait she caused problems for the council of the gods?!

"It doesn't matter if you dont remember anything, as long as I do then thats enough." She suddenly pulled him in for a crushing hug.

He was taken aback. Why was she doing this. One shocking action after another. He didnt know how to react.

I asked your teacher to speak with you and he reluctantly granted me permission but we couldn't find you in his domain. He already knew where you could be and thats why we both came looking for you at Ogun's domain.

I just needed to know if you remembered me. You never asked to see me and I began to worry if you have forgotten me. That's why I begged your teacher to permit me just this once. I might never see you gain after this but this moment....its enough. I understand why now, and I believe it's better this way"

Then she pulled away, leaving him gobsmacked. "Ignore everything I said. Im just a woman going senile in her old age" she said chuckling depreciatingly.

He looked at her and she didn't seem a day over 400 years old. But he understood that the gods could appear as they wished.

She seemed to sense his thoughts. "Don't think too much" was all she said. "Im sure you know about the earth realm" she said suddenly changing the topic.

Yes he did know about it. Who didn't. Every soul has a chance to go to the earth realm for their 100 year trial in order to acquire godhood status and a divine sobriquet. He wasn't old enough to go on the trial but he knew everything to be know about it.

Earth realm was a place that lord Ochala created. Every soul originates from there. It was lush, green, had oceans of water on its surface and, of course, life. It was also where Lord Ochala defeated Chaos.

To become a god you had to be born anew into the earth realm and rise above mortality and gain divinity in a hundred years. You would be born without your memories but will have a special mark on you. You will understand you're special and on a mission.

If by hundred years, you aren't able to gain divinity, you return to Nirvana as a powerless soul. The lowest on the rungs. Unable to take another trial until another 200 years.

The primordials never went through this trials as they were born as gods. Well except Zango and Yao, who replaced Ochala and Janaina.

You aren't old enough to go there now, are you? She enquired

He didnt know where she was getting at but he took his time before he answered. "No, not anytime soon too. Im just 160 years old. That's still a long way to 200 years."

I see, such little time left. She muttered under her breath then.

Little time left? Did he mishear?

"Nevermind little Rhema... You remind me of him soo much. I needed to know what it feels like for him to be around. He was such an inspiration. Ingenious. The best of us."

"He was stubborn too" she smiled. Im stubborn too. Too willful infact but he was like a minotaur, once he made up his mind to do something, he never stopped until he achieved it. From bringing forth order, to the establishment of the gods, creation of the realms and even...you" she spoke in a passionate way.

Rhema just listened amidst his confusion. From what he could deduce, she was a lonely person and just needed someone to air to. She couldn't talk this freely with the other primordials because of their existing rift. He sensed it the way Lord Laakaye reacted to her.

"I have had a lot on my mind and I wasn't just brave enough to face it. Thats why i requested to see you. If after seeing you, if my mind wasn't changed then, i will know im on the right path"

She went silent, seemingly lost in thought.

"Did you change your mind?" He asked, breaking her from her silent thoughts

"No I didn't. Im only more convinced it is something I have to do" she said

Rhema didn't know what she was conflicted about but he was glad to help. He seemed to start to enjoy her presence. She didn't look so terrifying anymore. So he smiled.

She lit up at his smile.

Wait, won't your gaurds be suspicious of your current activity?

Huh them? She pointed at a space. He couldn't see them but he knew they were there.

"They aren't aware of any illusion. They are seeing a completely different conversation. About your favourite tea and biscuit." She said

"Wow, you can do that?" Rhema asked. He knew she was the former primordial goddess of the elements, but using illusions was a speciality of his teacher through hieroglyphs.

Of course I can, she puffed her chest with pride. "Im impressive." Her face then changed, our times up. The light dissolved back and the room and the gaurds appeared once more, unaware of the conversation that just took place.

"Your teacher will be expecting you" she said gloomily. His ears perked at the mention of his teacher. He had almost forgotten he had a punishment to go back to. Teacher wasn't going to spare him this time.

"Thank you for your time" he said as he stood up. She didn't reply instead her icy demeanor returned. He felt pity for her. He would come visit her again he decided. He began to leave through the path she led him through when they came. Ignoring all the guards on the way.

After he left. The room was enveloped by the illusion she used with Rhema but it covered the only four guards in the room. Cold wind brushed the four of them and the temperature in the room plummeted. The warm and humid room became bone dry and cold as the grave.

She spoke "I have decided"