The Black Gods War

Haizzem, why can I not instead bring peace to this land?
    Emptiness.
    Do my wishes even matter? Can all this momentum toward bloodshed even be stopped?
    Mya stepped toward him and caressed his face from cheek to chin. It felt refreshing all the way down to his toes, like cool water on scorched earth.
    We only need the Pawelons incapacitated, so they cannot alert their army. I don’t want you to kill them.
    Mya faded from sight like mist warmed by fire.
    The Pawelons stirred on the hill above. Caio knew he might have only seconds before their arrows or magic reached him and his friends.
    Caio stood taller than he’d ever stood before, raised his arms, and closed his eyes. He squeezed the rod in his right hand and expelled his goddess's power toward the Pawelons. A booming, wet, sucking sound startled him, forcing him to open his eyes and witness Mya’s miracle.

    ~~~~~

    Lucia watched Caio raise the rod, then heard Ysa’s sword and shield humming a barely perceptible tone.
    Ysa, empower his prayers!
    And then Caio was gone.
    The Pawelon base became the epicenter of an impossible phenomenon. Countless water droplets appeared out of the dry air and flew toward the enemy forces as if in slow motion—yet the water covered the Pawelons in a matter of seconds.
    Lucia felt her head spinning as she gazed at the divine handiwork. Something like a small sun covered the Pawelon fort, but instead of a fiery ball, the sphere was composed of deep blue water like the stormy Rezz Ocean. Its circumference chopped violently.
    Muffled screams escaped the watery prison like a haunted chorus, emphatic but indistinct.
    A sudden pain seized Lucia’s heart. She raced toward the hill drawing her sword. “Caio!” Damn you, father, you should have known he wasn’t ready for this! She held up her shield to block any incoming arrows or magic, leaving it up to her goddess whether she’d live or die.
    The yelling behind her revealed that Ilario was close by and the warpriests trailed him. The sounds of her heavy exhalations and clanking armor almost drowned out the wails of the trapped Pawelons.
    Strangely, her legs moved more easily as the climb grew steeper.
    It’s like I’m running downhill.
    She felt a tangible force pulling her body upward toward the liquid sun, even with half the distance still to go.
    From behind, Ilario screamed her name.

Chapter Thirteen: Astrapios and Brontios

    CAIO FOUND HIMSELF SUSPENDED ABOVE the Pawelon outpost, hovering in the air. Countless hostile faces screamed at him from below. He yelled back in their language, “I didn’t come to hurt you!”
    WHY, Mya?
    The water droplets seemed to float toward him so slowly in that moment—so quickly in truth—accumulating rapidly, sticking to him, pooling around him, until he was submerged in the cool water, along with all the Pawelon soldiers. Water-soaked rays of sunlight cascaded around the edges, giving Caio hope that he might swim free. His legs kicked and his arms dug through the water—but his body stayed anchored in place.
    I’m at its center.
    I’m trapped.
    Angry voices dribbled into his ears along with the rush of sloshing water. His already cool skin felt colder. Most of the Pawelons struggled to escape; some of them floundered, as if they didn’t know how to swim. None of them got away. Caio realized that whatever force kept him in the center of the sea also trapped the Pawelons inside.
    Two swam toward him with spears in hand and rage burning on their faces. Caio felt the spirit of the leading Pawelon, a veteran determined to see his iron cut through Caio’s body. Caio’s heart and chest heaved as the water swirled around him. The Pawelon drew close.
    Caio jerked aside as the spear’s tip thrust past his chest. A hard surge of water crashed the Pawelon into him and their bodies collided, grappling.
    A fierce hand grabbed Caio’s wrist. Fingers dug into his throat and he choked on cool water. Caio shoved the hand off his neck and tried to expel the liquid from his lungs.
    The second Pawelon swam close, ready to thrust his spear. The strong arms of the veteran wrapped around Caio’s chest from behind, restraining him. Caio thrashed, overpowered.
    I’m going to die.
    The spear came at him. I forgive you. The blade pierced his chest, glancing off his ribs. Caio bellowed, bubbles erupting from his throat. Blood gushed from his chest, a murky red cloud in the blue.
    Vine-covered Lord Oderigo flashed in his mind. Caio’s eyes closed, his