Chapter 41
FORTY-ONE
C er disappears, leaving us alone in the middle of the courtyard as we await our turn to use the designated portal. Thea is still happily chatting away, but I'm too busy churning the new information in my mind.
They are all deities. Forbidden to take part in the game.
Then what the hell are they doing here, and more importantly, why with me?
Why would they get involved with a powerless human?
Now it makes sense why Ze was so condescending or why he never stopped using the term human in such a derogatory manner. For him, I'm an ant—if that. But though this sheds some more light on his personality, it doesn't excuse what he's done or how he's behaved with me, or Thea.
He crossed a line, and for that, I can't bring myself to forgive him.
The line moves at an insane pace, and soon, we are almost in front of the portal. I shake myself from my Ze-ridden thoughts and try to put it all behind me—though it's easier said than done. Even when I should be watching for the competition and cataloging those who are left in the game, my thoughts always go back to my disappointment toward Ze.
"Do you think there are other deities participating?" I ask Thea.
"Hmm, who knows. The only way they can sense if a deity participates in the game is by their power signature. You see, to qualify as a deity, your abilities need to be at a certain level. It's why you undertake a series of exams that track your power signature until it's within the acceptable parameters for a deity. The game tracks god power signatures. It's why Cer and Ze were so careful with their abilities so they wouldn't trigger the game security mechanisms."
I mull over her words.
"But what if someone is as strong as a god but is not actually a god?"
I remember Ze telling me that although gods are forbidden from entering, others descended from deities or hybrids are not.
"That is reflected in the power signature. There is a level, but there is also a type of power that denotes whether someone is a god or not. The first thing that triggers the game is the level. If it's high, they look into the type of power used to determine if it belongs to a deity or not."
"And what happens if a deity is caught participating?"
She purses her lips.
"They're sent before the Supremes, who decide on a fitting punishment. The few times it's happened before, those deities barely got away with their lives."
I nod thoughtfully.
"I didn't realize it was this dangerous for you."
"I could get away through the loophole—technically." She forces a smile.
"It was Ze, wasn't it?" I ask softly. "The one who made you vow."
She purses her lips, yet her lack of answer is answer enough.
"I'm sorry. I cannot speak of it. I've already said more than I should have."
"It's fine," I assure her. "I do have one question, though."
She nods, urging me to speak.
"Do you know any god who would mark a human?" I say as I tug on my neckline so some of my marks are visible. She's seen them before, though, so she knows what I mean.
"No." She shakes her head. "Gods don't concern themselves with humans. They rarely leave Aperion. Why do you think a god had something to do with that?"
"Ze tried to heal them for me, but he couldn't."
She frowns, touching her chin with her forefinger as she thinks.
"You can ask my parents. They should know more. I am a youngling compared to them— and everyone else ." She chuckles.
Our conversation is cut short as someone purposefully bumps into Thea, making her stumble forward and almost fall to the floor. I grab onto her, helping her balance on her feet.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" a fake voice calls from behind, followed by a crowd of laughter.
I look back and see a group of guys leering at us.
Thea's lips twitch with annoyance as she releases a loud huff.
"Don't mind them," she whispers. "It's not the time to get into a fight."
I nod, although I'm not so sure. She seems fine with it, but the more I hear them chuckle behind our backs and purposefully belittle us, the more I wish I could just tell them to shut it. No matter my impulses, though, I'm aware that Thea is right. This is not the place, nor the time.
We continue quietly toward the portal as our turn finally arrives.
Thea grabs my hand and gives me a smile as she urges me to follow her.
One moment we're in P'davi, surrounded by the complex and the other participants, the next we're in a foreign location.
If before we'd been in the middle of nowhere, with a scant few buildings buried in the middle of the woods, now we're in the midst of a bustling street, people walking right and left all around us. What's more startling, though, is the fact that I don't see any of the other contestants around us.
The street is lined with shops on both sides, as well as street vendors supplying different kinds of merchandise. I spot some selling fabrics, toys, jewelry, and food. People are marching from one stall to another to look at the goods, and to my surprise, I can understand everything they're saying as they barter with the sellers to get a better price.
"Five asim," a woman says as she touches a luxurious beige silk.
"Seven," the seller counters.
"How is it that I can understand what they're saying?" I murmur to Thea.
She gives me a sly smile.
"The brew you drank doesn't only give you the ability to survive in any realm, but it also endows you with the ability to understand all spoken languages in the known worlds."
I nod numbly as I continue to stare around.
The pedestrians walk around unbothered, going about their day as if we haven't fallen right out of the sky. But perhaps this is a usual occurrence for them. The men are wearing tunics and pairs of loose pants, with belts fitted around their waists, which hold weapons and small pouches. The women are all wearing long dresses, their bodies fully covered. There's a corset molded to their waists that flows into a long skirt. Some have additional layers underneath, peeking out of the hem with laces and pretty frills. The gowns remind me of Renaissance dresses. Similar to my world, there's an immediate class distinction based on the material out of which the dresses are fashioned. The wealthier ones are wearing silky, bright colors while the others are wearing what seems to be cotton or linen.
"Where are the other contestants?"
"They probably ended up in different areas of the Kingdom. These portals aren't known to be extremely reliable," Thea says as she scrunches her nose.
Turning around, she studies her surroundings.
"We need to go that way." She points east. I can make out some tall buildings in the distance. "I'm not sure where we are now. I haven't been to Gaia all that often, but I know my way around the capital. I'll send a message to Cer to meet us there."
"Send a message?" I blink.
"Uhm, telepathically." She gives me a sheepish smile.
"Right. Because you're deities."
" Almost deity," she corrects, winking at me.
"Fine, lead the way." I nod at her, and we start walking.
All the while, I continue to study this new world, surprised to see many similarities to mine. But as I gaze up at the sky, I find one glaring difference.
There are two suns.
They half-overlap each other, creating an eerie effect of two semi-circles bound together. Yet the added heat doesn't blister my body, nor does it make me feel odd considering the different environment. So this is why that brew is required. Without it, I wonder what would have happened to my body under this double sun.
"How far is the capital?" I ask after we've been walking for almost an hour. No matter how much distance we cover, the tall buildings we spotted before seem to be just as far away, their shapes marring the horizon.
She purses her lips.
"I'm not sure. We just have to reach there. This is likely just a peripheral town."
"It's very busy for a peripheral town," I note. "Are these people deities too?"
"Oh no." She shakes her head. "Ninety percent of the living inhabitants of Aperion do not possess any powers. They're called s’Aperiotes. I should have warned you." She sighs.
"Why?" I frown.
"There is a hierarchy in Aperion, like in any other world. S’Aperiotes are at the bottom, and because of that, they're often treated as such. Aperion is a meritocracy, but that merit is based on power. The hierarchy is based solely on who has the most power. The Supremes are at the top, followed by the monarchs of each Royal House, then the nobility, the military, and the minor deities. These are the classes that have abilities. S’Aperiotes are last, even though they make up the majority of the population. No one really knows why they lack abilities. Some say it's because of migration patterns eons ago. Others say it's because they've been bred out to be powerless since the other classes mate strictly with each other. The law specifies that it is illegal for someone with abilities to mate with someone without. For that reason, the five classes have to get approval from the House of Moirai if they want to mate with someone. S’Aperiotes do not need this."
"I didn't realize your society was that strict," I note.
"You haven't heard half of it." She rolls her eyes. "To a degree, I understand why , but it doesn't make it any less constricting. Deities might be immortal, but most are not impervious. That means if one dies, another has to be ready to take that place so that the universe is in balance. Because of that, the fates check all potential futures and decide on which mate would be most suitable to produce offspring that could benefit the society—and the entire universe."
"If you don't like it that much, why don't you go somewhere else? You clearly have no trouble traveling between worlds, and compared to Ze and Cer, you're much more social."
A sad smile pulls at her lips.
"Alas, that is yet another law. Some classes are forbidden from ever leaving Aperion. You must always notify the military legal office of your departure and return plans. Otherwise, the Trackers would come for you." She sighs. "Because how could Aperion waste its precious resources?" She rolls her eyes at that.
"I see," I mumble. It seems utterly insane that deities would have so many rules. But I guess it's the whole with great power comes great responsibility spiel.
"Anyway, what I meant to say is that since s’Aperiotes are at the bottom, they're often mistreated. You have to be careful and only go out with me or Cer. You don't want to be mistaken for a s’Aperiote by a minor deity or one of those military pricks. They always like to pick on people," she explains.
"Got it." I nod, though the more I hear, the more I wonder how this could be a godly realm when it's rather ungodly.
Aperion really doesn't seem like a great place so far, despite the lively and bustling ambiance or the beautiful blue skies and the dual suns. If anything, the outside might be pretty, but the inside seems rather rotten. For one, Thea has made her dislike of it quite clear, and it's so sad to see the change in her demeanor now that we're here. Somehow she's more subdued, a sadness underlying even her usual smiles.
"I'm sorry you're stuck here," I whisper as I pat her lightly on her back.
"It's fine." She shrugs. "At least I have my family. I don't know what I'd do without them."
"You're lucky." I smile fondly. "I've seen the way you and Cer care for each other, and I am quite jealous. I'm all alone. I've never had siblings, and I can barely remember my own mother. My husband is all I have."
She takes my hand, giving it a light squeeze as she turns to look at me.
"It's why I want to help you win this. You deserve to know happiness. No matter what Ze says or does, you deserve to win. At least one of us should get a happily ever after," she adds sadly.
"Thank you," I murmur, tears of gratitude stabbing at my eyes. "I really appreciate this, Thea. You're a good friend."
She has a wistful expression on her face as she tips her gaze up to look at the horizon line.
"If only." She sighs, pressing her lips in a tight, sad line. She doesn't say more, but it's enough for me to realize this has something to do with the secret Ze was threatening her with. Considering how many rules there are in their society, her transgression could be very minor and still get her a dire sentence.
The mood changes, and Thea seems lost in thought as we continue walking. Every now and then, I notice her lifting her hand to her face and rubbing moisture out of her eyes.
There's a marked difference between the carefree Thea I knew outside of Aperion and the one now, and her words only serve to reinforce the fact that she's entirely unhappy about being back home. She's also remarkably quiet for someone who's always chatting about this and that.
I don't speak either, not wanting to intrude. But that doesn't mean I'm not sad about it, and I wonder if there's something I can do to help her.
Releasing a deep sigh, I turn my attention to the road, taking in our surroundings.
Now that we're out of the popular area, there are fewer and fewer people walking around. Every now and then, I see carriages being drawn around by something akin to a horse, but with the body of a human.
The suns climb up the sky, hitting their highest point and suggesting we've been walking for a while. Yet the capital is still nowhere near. The tall towers remain a dot on the horizon, and the more we venture out of the previous town, the more derelict the buildings by the side of the road look.
There are houses, but they're in poor shape. They are made of thin brown wood, and they all seem to be a similar size—a one-bedroom. The design is the same for the entire row, and that makes me wonder if these were not built by the state—otherwise, who would go for the exact model?
People go about their day, working on their gardens or drying their clothes in their yards. The families aren't small, certainly too big for a one-bedroom, but it quickly becomes clear this intermediary area isn't particularly well-off.
Isn't it hypocritical that a godly realm would have such poverty? When one thinks of deities, there's a rather romanticized version of perfection—not only are they powerful, but they are also wise and well-intended.
The evidence in front of me speaks of the opposite. The treatment of s’Aperiotes as the scourge of society makes it even more clear that nothing is perfect here.
Despite Thea's assurances that this is a meritocracy, I don't see it. How could it be when s’Aperiotes are never even given a chance? The upper echelons intermarry and preserve their wealth, powers, and status, creating new gods and new Supremes, while the others are stuck in a continuous cycle of suffering.
It's. Not. Fair.
Maybe as a human, I'd gotten used to life being unfair from the moment I was born. Everyone knows there's no such thing as a utopia of fairness. Yet humans still hope for one—they still cling to the belief that one day, that could be achievable. But how could that be when gods themselves ascribe to discrimination and unfairness?
I may have only been here for a few short hours, but already, I am...disappointed. Which in itself is such an odd thing considering I've never been overly religious after my brush with cult fanaticism. But I guess I still had the hope that there was something better out there—that there were higher beings looking out for us.
Instead, what do I get?
More entitled assholes who make rules to only serve themselves.
I guess some things never change, whether you are human or deity. But Thea did say that gods created mortals in their image. That must be where we got our selfishness and delusions of grandeur.
I'm so lost in my thoughts that I barely register the voice calling out to us. Startled out of my reverie, I turn to see an older man in shabby clothes by the side of the road. His hair is long and unkempt, his beard reaching his chest. He rests his weight on a twig as he limps toward us.
"Don't mind him," Thea says with a wave of her hand.
I frown.
"Spare a coin, miss," he wheezes in a groggy, rough voice.
"Do you have a coin?" I whisper to Thea.
"I don't have any money." She shrugs. "But even if I had, I wouldn't give it to someone like him." She scrunches her nose.
"What do you mean?" My eyes flare in shock.
"Can you see the blue stains on his shirt?" She nods to the old man who's getting closer to us by the moment.
I nod.
"They're from zantrax , a highly addictive substance that is extremely illegal. He's just going to use the coins for that."
"What does it do?"
Thea purses her lips.
"It momentarily gives the user god-like abilities. It's very brief, and it does irreparable damage to the body. It's also very expensive, which means people will do whatever they can to get more money to buy zantrax ."
I stare numbly at her. I guess not even godly realms are immune to drug problems.
"Let's go." Thea grabs my hand, urging me forward.
I let her lead me away from the man, still processing the information.
"Spare a coin, miss," he continues, his voice getting closer.
Fingers coil around my arm in a tight grip as I'm pulled backward.
"Spare a coin." He snarls, his face scrunched up in distaste.
"I'm sorry. I don't have any." I give him a polite smile as I try to take his hand off my arm.
"I. Don't. Believe. You," he enunciates each word as he lodges his fingers deeper into my skin.
I release a small whimper of pain just as Thea intervenes, placing herself between us as she tries to get him off me.
"We don't have any money. Go beg somewhere else," she tells him harshly.
"Give. Me. Coins," he continues, almost like a robot.
"Let her go or I'll hurt you," Thea warns, her claws growing in size. She uses them to prick at his hand, but he doesn't react to the pain.
His eyes are crazed as he looks at me, wide in terror, his pupils engulfing the whites of his eyes. His grip becomes even stronger as he bares his teeth at me, aggression rolling off him. He doesn't seem in control of his actions, merely responding to his instinctual need to get more of the drug.
"I'm really sorry," I try to placate him again. "We really have no money."
Thea digs her claws into his hand, drawing blood. At last, that seems to get a reaction out of him as he turns to her, his lips slowly pulling up in a sly smirk.
"You," he hisses. "You're one of them."
Thea blinks, her hand suddenly falling away as she takes a step back.
"We need to run, Luce," she whispers, and before I know it, she brings her clawed hand over his arm like a sword, detaching it at the wrist. His fingers dangle off my arm, but he doesn't even notice.
His expression turns covetous as he glances from Thea to me.
"You both are," he continues, taking a step forward.
His arm is bleeding onto the ground, but he ignores it. There's no flicker of pain on his face, nothing to denote he felt the blow. There's only his tunnel vision as he looks at us as if we're his next meal.
"Run," Thea says, taking my hand and pulling me into a sprint. And just like that, he follows, his feet moving with unnatural swiftness for someone his age.
"What's happening?" I ask, willing my legs to keep up with her speed.
"He doesn't need the money anymore. He knows how to get the zantrax from the source," she says, her breath coming in short spurts.
"The source? Us? But?—"
"Zantrax is made from the essence of a god. Blood. Body parts. Hair. You name it. It's why it's illegal. And it seems our friend over there is still on his last dose, which means his strength might be even greater than mine," she adds in a scared voice.
I chance a glance back at the running old man. He has a crazed look on his face as he's maybe a few meters behind us. In a matter of seconds, he's going to catch us. There's no doubt about it.
"Faster," Thea urges.
There are other people on the sidelines. But they mind their own business, pretending we're not in danger—that nothing of consequence is happening right on the road in front of their house.
"I'm trying," I breathe out. My lungs are burning from the effort, and I don't know how long I can keep this up.
"He's almost—" She doesn't get to finish her sentence as we both fall to the ground. The man tackles us down, using his good arm to grasp at Thea while waving his amputated one in front of me, splattering blood in my face.
He's spouting some gibberish as he digs his fingers into Thea's arms, all the while hitting me with the protruding bones from his wrist.
I kick my feet at him, hitting him in the stomach, but he doesn't notice or budge. He's single-minded in his focus of getting to us.
Thea's panicking as she kicks him too, and she manages to get him to lose his balance enough for us to slip from under him. I drag myself to my knees, ready to sprint. Thea pulls me up, helping me. But we barely get to make a few steps as he throws himself forward, grabbing us by the legs and making us stumble again.
I fall flat on my belly, the pebbles in the hard asphalt molding to my skin. I groan in pain, my body momentarily shocked as adrenaline and fright fight for supremacy within me.
The man howls, a sharp, gut-turning cry as he blankets us with his body. Not a second after, though, and another sound pierces the air—one that sounds like an explosion.
Hot liquid sprays on top of us, together with other bits of debris as the weight on top of us is suddenly gone.
I blink in shock, slowly turning to look at Thea, who is equally stunned.
We both roll over and find ourselves in a bath of blood and guts. The man is gone. Liquefied. There's only the stain of red and putrid smell that's left behind.
We stare at each other for what seems like an eternity. We're both covered in blood...and other substances from head to toe.