Chapter 70: Chapter Thirty Three Part Two - Orenda

I wash down a mouthful of chicken with some seltzer when I notice a perplexed look on my brother’s face.

“What’s the matter?”

“Why is Azadou standing like a statue in the snow?” he puzzles.

I follow his gaze and look outside to see Azadou standing on the snow-covered lawn with his back to us, his dark silhouette bathed in moonlight and shadow. Even from here, I notice the tension in his posture. Call it intuition or just me being incredibly observant, but I can tell he’s nervous about something.

Aya and I share a glance and get up from the table, though with far less speed on my part. Aya holds my elbow supportively, helping me to my feet, and this time I don’t protest; grateful for help. We make our way outside and stand on the deck, observing Azadou with concern and curiosity, respectively.

“Azadou? Is everything alright?” I gently ask, wrapping my arms around myself to shield myself from the cold.

He turns to me, his obsidian hair and electric eyes giving off an ethereal shine as they reflect the light of the moon. “Everything is fine. Or at least I hope it will be,” he murmurs anxiously.

“Where did you disappear to?” Aya asks suspiciously.

“I went to see Oshmin to ask for his help.”

With perfect synchronicity, Aya and I lean forward, our expressions rivalling that shocked Pikachu meme everyone used to love – or still do; I don’t know.

“Why did you go to Oshmin?” I query, mystified.

“Why would you go to any God for that matter?” Aya adds, sounding just as perplexed.

“I told you I don’t want my malice tainting our baby, and I meant it. I don’t want them to be born to a monster,” he proclaims.

My face softens, “Azadou, we talked about this. Your malice hasn’t touched the baby in any way,” I try to assure him.

“But it will. It’s out there, spreading across this Earth like a plague, and I can’t let that be a world he or she is born into.”

“Or they,” Aya adds obnoxiously, earning an elbow to the ribs and a stern look from me.

“Ow,” he whines, rubbing his ribs, glancing at me with a sulk.

I look back at Azadou. “What does any of this have to do with Oshmin?”

“I asked for his help to restore the lives of the people I killed, and he magnanimously agreed to do so,” he announces, his expression showing clear signs of relief, while mine is probably looking like a gaping fish.

“Holy shit…” Aya breathes out.

“You…He…” I stammer, struggling to find the words.

My mind is reeling beyond belief. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Azadou is not only deeply remorseful for his actions, but so determined to ensure our child is born happy that he went to his sworn enemy and begged for their help to restore and save the lives of people that I’m sure he doesn’t even care about. If you had told me two months ago that Azadou would be standing before me trying to save the lives of humans, I’d call you certifiable.

“You’re saying he agreed?” Aya blurts out incredulously.

“He not only agreed, he’s already done it,” he proudly reveals.

I grab hold of Aya’s arm to stop myself from falling down. Someone might have to pinch me because I’m not entirely sure I’m awake.

“They’re alive?” I whisper.

Azadou nods, smiling softly at me. “Most of them. There were a couple that he said didn’t want to return,” he gently explains.

I nod, understanding what a huge decision that must have been for each soul to make. Maybe for those who rejected the offer, they felt they had more peace in their afterlife than they ever had in this one. Whatever their reasoning, at least they were given the option.

“I can’t believe you did that,” I muse softly, still processing the news.

“There’s just one thing left for me to do,” he states, taking a deep breath.

“What thing is that?” I ask curiously.

Before he can answer, Gabriella and Zarseti appear behind him, standing side by side, covering the backyard in a blanket of warmth and serenity. They stand there, statuesque and radiant under the light of the moon, and I can’t help noticing how the white streaks in Gabriella’s hair blend in seamlessly with the layers of snow around us.

“Please tell me we’re not about to have a celestial battle right on our doorstep,” Aya groans.

Gabriella chuckles, walking over to Azadou alongside Zarseti. “I can confidently say that won’t be happening,” she assures us.

My shoulders release from around my ears. I hadn’t even realised I’d gotten so tense, though you can hardly blame me. Historically speaking, Azadou doesn’t respond well when confronted unexpectedly by a God, especially when there’s more than one of them. To my surprise, Azadou doesn’t sneer, tense or even roll his eyes. He turns and addresses the two Goddesses calmly and respectfully, increasing my immediate need to be pinched.

“I assume you both know what I’m about to do,” Azadou surmises

“We do,” Zarseti confirms with a warm smile. “And we’ve come to help.”

“I understood needing Oshmin’s help, but this one I can handle on my own,” he states confidently. Still, I hear no signs of the usual bitterness the presence or mere mention of the Gods tends to bring.

Seriously, what is going on right now? Am I dead? Maybe I’m in a coma. Maybe Aya and Azadou never saved me, and this is all just in my head.

“Technically, it’s not you that we’re going to help,” Gabriella clarifies. “You’re about to change a lot of people’s lives. We’re just going to try and make the transition as smooth for them as possible.”

Aya and I glance at each other, our faces mirror images reflecting the confusion we both feel. It’s clear neither of us has a clue as to what is going on.

“I’ve already informed my daughters, and they’re ready to act once it’s done,” Zarseti informs him. She reaches out and places a gentle hand on Azadou’s shoulder, gracing him with a friendly smile that makes the silver of her eyes shine with warmth. “This was the day I always hoped for. It’s just one of many reasons why you were worth saving.”

I catch the way Azadou’s Adam’s apple bobs in his throat, and to further enhance my surprise, he looks at Zarseti with a sheepish expression. Azadou! Sheepish! Around Gods! What kind of Twilight Zone episode have I stepped into?!

“I’m…sorry,” he breathes out. “For what I did…and tried to do.”

I frown in greater confusion, unsure what he’s apologising for. The list is quite long, but I get the feeling he’s referring to something on it that I don’t know about.

Zarseti waves her hand dismissively, laughing softly with a light and airy sound. “More than worth it to end up here. I don’t hold grudges,” she says with a playful wink.

He nods, relaxing a little, but I can tell he’s still uneasy. There are clear signs of guilt on his face, and I just know the emotions he’s feeling right now must be wreaking havoc on him, but he’s handling it incredibly well.

“Will everyone be okay?” he tentatively asks.

“It’s going to be a lot for them to process, but the Delegation and makkares have been given a heads up and are ready to help everyone through the transition,” Gabriella assures him. “It won’t be easy, but you’re still doing the right thing.” With a smile, she gently punches his shoulder, “Hey, if I could figure out this whole God thing, then so can you,” she affirms brightly.

“I think you had a few advantages over me on the matter,” he opines in discontent.

I sigh with relief, placing my hand on my chest. There’s the cantankerous God I know! Believe me, I want Azadou to be a happier and less combative person, but a complete personality overhaul is going too far. A non-pessimistic, non-grouchy Azadou just isn’t Azadou. That’s like a fish that can’t swim or a bird that can’t fly. It’s just not the natural order of things. With his aggression more subdued, I’ve come to find him being a bit of a curmudgeon rather endearing. He’s the God of Malice for fuck sake! Sunshine, rainbows and unicorns are just not who he is. It’s not how he was made, and I accepted that from the moment I realised what he was to me. I don’t mind him being grumpy…just in moderation, that’s all.

Gabriella chuckles. “We’re ready when you are,” she tells him.

He nods, taking in a deep breath and closing his eyes. At the same moment, Gabriella and Zarseti take a few steps back. With perfect timing, Aya and I watch as their bodies billow with energy. Gabriella’s is a vivid dark green, like a deep emerald, while Zarseti’s is a vibrant fuchsia, but neither is as intense as the onyx waves emitted from Azadou. It’s larger, and the power and chill coming off it is enough to not only rival the winter air but make Aya and me take a few steps back.

Azadou’s hands are clenched at his side, and his brow is furrowed as he focuses intently on whatever task he’s trying to perform. My heart begins to pound in my chest, and I can’t help but feel waves of nerves crashing over me as I see him exerting himself like this. I know he has also been weakened from our severed bond, and so I can’t help but worry about the strain this might be putting on him.

Suddenly, a booming sound like an electric drum breaks through the air as a seismic pulse bursts from Azadou with enough force to bend back every tree around us as snow is blown into mine and Aya’s faces.

“Oh, real nice,” Aya gripes, brushing the snow from his face.

The woods around us soon fall eerily quiet, and a familiar coldness fills the air, more chilling than the winter breeze as I feel it pierce deep into my bones, and straight to my brittle essram. Aya and I look up towards the sky as an unsettling, muffled, buzzing sound gets louder and louder and louder until we see countless streams of black energy coming from all directions at breakneck speed.

My eyes widen in fear as one after another, the streams of black energy hit Azadou. My feet move before I can even think of what I’m doing, but I quickly feel Aya’s hands on my upper arms, firmly holding me in place. I look from him to Azadou, my heart pounding furiously in my chest as the streams keep coming, one after another. After what feels like an eternity, the streams stop, and slowly the black energy pulsating around Azadou begins to fade away. He slowly turns to me, his irises glowing like two electric storms in his eyes. The glow of his eyes dies down, his body relaxes, and he gives me a comforting smile.

I glance at Gabriella and Zarseti, their bodies still radiant with energy and their eyes closed in focus. A little more time passes when the glow around their bodies finally fades, and they open their eyes.

“It’s done,” Zarseti smiles at him. “You did well,” she says proudly.

Azadou takes a shuddering breath as tears begin to well in his eyes, the sight of it the final straw for me. I yank my arms free from Aya’s grip and race down the steps of the deck on shaky legs, over to Azadou and throw my arms around his waist, holding him tight, nuzzling my cheek against his chest and taking comfort in his warmth and coldness. After a few seconds, I feel Azadou’s large arms wrap around me, and I relax in his embrace.

He leans down until I feel his breath against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. “I don’t know what exactly is happening right now, but I rather like it,” he murmurs sweetly against my ear.

“It’s called a hug,” I mumble. “Just embrace it.”

I feel his chest shake with silent laughter, but it’s Gabriella and Zarseti’s laughter that fills the air.

“You’re in good hands,” Zarseti says warmly, and I can tell she’s speaking to Azadou, not me.

The sound of a throat clearing grabs my attention. I look back towards the deck and see Aya standing there with his arms folded across his chest.

“When you’re all done with this tender moment, could someone please explain what the fuck just happened?”