Page 23 of Rise of the Gods: Vardor's Destiny
"Just think of me when you have the adventures of your life in America," she waved her hand as if what she was doing for me was nothing. And to her, it was. I loved her like a sister, and not once did the thought cross my mind that she might betray my trust.
The battle was epic and raged for two days. It was everything my warrior heart desired. The salted ground beneath our feet turned red with the blood of our enemies. The men around me were exhausted, but I used my powers to rally them again and again, just like Maezharr did with his.
Seven thousand warriors died in those two days and two nights. Their names would be sung in all eternity as they returned to their makers—a land that would forever be closed to me.
On the morning of the third day, Maezharr turned, leaving his remaining men behind to be slaughtered by mine. I pursued him for as long as I could, but the cunning coward burrowed into the sands of the desert that was slowly closing in on Orasis. As much as it irked me that he had escaped yet again, it was time to return and free Vaelora from her prison.
Asharat was just about to haul in the anchor when I arrived.
"Vardor, it is good to see you," he jumped off the ship and strode toward me, embracing me. His not using my formal address showed just how happy he was to see me.
I ordered the crate with Vaelora to be brought to our secret temple. I wanted to set her free in private, aware of the rage she would unleash on me. It was not something mortals should witness. It might be good for them to realize that they had to fear her too, but this wasn't the time for it.
"How dare you!" she fumed the moment I took the lock off. "You betrayed me!"
"I had to keep you safe," I said, kneeling by her feet, awaiting her killing blow. "Maezharr's armies were defeated, but the coward escaped." I filled her in on the necessities.
"You broke my trust," she screamed. I dared a glimpse up at her, and my heart nearly broke at the sight of her contorted face. It wasn't just from anger, that I could have dealt with, but there was grief.
"I'm sorry, my goddess. I only acted to protect you. You know I would never move against you otherwise."
"Do I?" She yelled in my face. "How do I know that? I can't trust you ever again."
She paced the room, "By the starlight, Vardor, I should kill you."
"My life is in your hands," I offered her my sword on outstretched hands. She moved to grab it, her hands shaking in barely contained fury. I had never seen her this out of sorts, and I was sorry for that. But I would never be sorry for keeping her safe. Never that.
She raised the sword and I lowered my head, expecting my head to roll. Would I finally be with my family again? Would I enter the afterlife like they had? Where did gods go when they died?
The shattering of the sword against the wall startled me. I lifted my head. Vaelora stood over me like a vision—so beautiful and ethereal even in her wrath. Her entire body shook as she stared at me; her eyes shone as if filled with tears. But that couldn't be; gods didn't cry.
"You leave me no choice, Vardor. Guards," she yelled. "I will not have you executed. I might regret that." A small smile curled the corners of my lips. My Vaelora, her mind was always composed, even in the midst of rage. "But I can't stand the sightof you, and you must be punished. Nobody is allowed to go against my will. Not even you."
"I will take willingly whatever punishment you see fit, my goddess," I said, holding out my hands to indicate to the guards that I would follow them willingly. None of them, not even Vaelora, would have been able to remove me otherwise.
"Your body will be mummified, and you will be buried alive to await my pleasure," Vaelora announced the next day at the steps of the main temple of Orasis. What was left of my army was assembled below, as were the jubilant citizens. For them, the war was over, and it was time to rebuild. My warriors, however, looked ready to fight for me like they had always done. I couldn't have that. With my hands bound before me, I stepped forward to the end of the terrace, overlooking the courtyard.
"I am willingly taking my punishment for defying my goddess. I will be awaiting her mercy at the time she chooses. Each of you fought bravely at my side, and I hope you will accept Asharat as your new leader."
Asharat stood to the side. I took it as a good sign that Vaelora hadn't ordered him executed.
"My lord, no," Asharat protested.
"Do this last favor for me, old friend. The troops will be loyal to you, and I know it. Protect our goddess with your life."
Asharat looked stricken, but he was a good man. He would serve Vaelora for the rest of his life and keep her lands safe.
With a nod, I turned to walk into the temple's bowels to endure my punishment. A solemn drumming sound followed me down: my soldiers, banging their swords against their crests in my honor.
I walked all the way through the temple, down into the lower level where the dead were prepared for their eternal rest. I might have been a god, but I felt pain like a mortal when they prepared me like every other dead body. After many agonizing hours, it was only my soul trapped in a husk that was still alive. My heart had been removed, along with my brain and my other organs. All blood had been drained from me, and I was soaked in salt. Thankfully, at this point, I didn't feel anything any longer, only the pain in my soul from not being with Vaelora.
Time passed, I didn’t know how much, and then I heard her voice.
"Hear me, Vardor. You will sleep now. The sleep of the eternal, only awoken when I speak to you. In my infinite mercy, I will not allow your mind to wither in your prison, unlike what you had planned for me."
There was no way to contradict her, to make her understand that I never planned on keeping her my prisoner. Her mind was made up and wouldn't change for a long time, if ever. That much I knew of my Vaelora.
"You will dream of me and our time together. You will dream of me in our secret Orasis, where I will live from now on. You will ponder your erroneous ways until I awaken you."
