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Chapter 4 - I'll Sacrifice For YouTime - Late Morning
Location - Black Fire Mainland, Southern Coast
Aleria looked off into the distance from the shoreline of the main Continent. Her hazel eyes unable to see the island from the horizon that Razanthic laid waste to in such a brief amount of time. She wondered deep down if the God had the power to sink the landmass under the depths of the ocean. She suddenly shook her head with a dark chuckle. Of course a God was able to annihilate an island on a whim. . she noticed the storm the deity had summoned was no more as well, not a single storm cloud as far as the eye could see. And judging by the area around her the storm never reached the mainland. A breeze blows through her soft black hair, the ripped one sleeved shirt she wore was all but gone, she managed to tie the tatters of it around her chest as best she could to stay modest. She looked down at her water damaged and charred pants as well, they didn't look too much better. Her shoes that she was wearing were completely incinerated away leaving her now healed yellow feet bare against the sand bank she stood upon. Deep down, she kept replaying what the mysterious man said in the cave. About how Aaron died because she was involved with Isra. . . the young woman brought her bare yellowish palm up to her face to stare at it in deep thought.
"Did Aaron. . ." she paused her train of thought as she looked over her right shoulder at Isra a few feet away. The goddess taking the form of a human was hovered over Aaron's corpse, examining his body for anymore injuries that might have been inflicted. Aleria looked down at Aaron next. . . his eyes were closed, black messy hair covering most of the sides and top of his face from the suns light. With the wound healed over on his neck the deceased man looked to be only sleeping. He looked so peaceful when he was dead. Aleria felt a deep sense of regret hit her gut again as she looked upon her dead friend.
"Did Aaron. . . really die because I had Isra as a friend. . .?" she wondered to herself, eyes beginning to water up again as she fought back tears. Isra happened to turn to see Aleria and her eyes watering, Aleria quickly snapped her face back towards the sea hoping Isra didn't see her about to cry. Isra rubbed a hand through her own hair before speaking.
"Aleria! Come help me." She called out catching the woman's attention. The black haired and hazel eyes girl turned to look at the green eyed goddess once again. Isra beckoning a hand over to her. "You want me to resurrect Aaron right? You should come help me prepare." Â She finished with a quiet sigh as she looked down at the deceased young man. Her free hand reached down to move the hair away from his closed eyes. He was really dead. . . Aleria walked over and sat in the sand without a word next to the body. Her eyes avoiding the corpse.
"So. . ." Aleria said quietly, as if she were becoming a victim of depression. "How does this work. . . retrieving the soul of a dead person? You told me it had to be agreed upon by you and Nevram, the deity of death?" She asked curiously as she turned to gaze upon Isra. The goddess nodded as a breeze whipped across the coastline blowing sand up gently into the wind.
"That's right. . . in order to bring back a person from the dead it requires approval from the God of death. . . the goddess of Fate. . . or the sole approval from the King of Gods. . ." she answered in a soft tone as she continued examining Aaron. She began to place her hands on his blood soaked clothes, a white light appearing again as the blood stains faded away. . . she was rejecting Fate again. Aleria couldn't help but be amazed at this power she possessed.
"King of Gods? You mean Desara?" She muttered to herself. "The one that nearly brought the end of the world?" She continued. Isra nodded.
"Yes, Desara is the only one who can bring back a dead person without approval from the death god. . . because he's so powerful the laws of death and life are beneath him." Isra said, looking up to the woman next to her. Aleria fell quiet, and then nodded as if she understood. Her eyes finally gazed upon Aaron's face.
"So I understand all that now. . . but the real question is, what exactly do we have to do to bring Aaron back?" She asked the inevitable question. The air was still and quiet for a long moment as Isra looked between her and Aaron.
"There are two ways. . ." she said quietly. "The first is called two for one. The second is called an eye for an eye. There are other ways but these two for a fact I know are the ones Nevram accepts without an argument. The other ways have never been successful." She said looking at Aleria again. Aleria tilted her head. . . she looked a little surprised the names were mortal sayings.
"An eye for an eye is just what the title says. . . if you want Aaron back alive you'd have to offer your own soul to the afterlife as compensation. Meaning you die in exchange for his souls return." Isra stopped speaking after that and awaited Aleria's response. Aleria didn't speak. . . she didn't know what to do.
"I die in return for Aaron's life? I. . . I don't want to die. . .I. . ." she looked upon her dead friend once again. His sleeping face gave her a warm feeling inside. Isra looked curiously and quietly between the two.
"Aaron. . . would you do the same. . . for me. . ?" Aleria asked Aaron in her head as she looked at him. She seemed to be seriously pondering it over. . . she was about to speak before Isra interrupted.
"Aleria." Isra said, the black haired young female returned her line of sight to the goddess of fate and replied.
"Yes?" She said in a soft voice.
"Your relationship with Aaron. . . I know it isn't my business to ask but. . ." Isra said looking down at Aaron again. "Would you really give your own life in exchange for his. . . why go so far for someone who's not related by blood to you?" She asked looking back to Aleria. Aleria fell silent,and stared at the ground in front of her. Bringing her legs up to her face and wrapping her arms around them as she rested her chin between her knees.
"That's a stupid question." Aleria said in a serious tone, startling Isra. "You're the God of Fate. . . you should know why I pondered giving my own life for Aaron's. As if you even needed to ask. . " Aleria scoffed now showing a deep annoyance that a Goddess of Fate. . . of all Gods would ask her such a trivial question. As if she were being mocked. Isra stuttered before shaking her head in disagreement.
"No I didn't mean it like that. . . I just wanted to hear your response. . . just because I'm the Goddess of Fate doesn't mean I can read your feelings for others. . . I'm sorry if the question mislead you." Isra said solemnly looking back at Aaron. "I'll shut up n-- Â . ."Â
"He's been my best friend since we were kids." Aleria interrupted an apologetic Isra. The words were soft spoken and remorseful. "Even though I was perfectly capable of handling myself. . . he'd always fight for me and protect me when I was in trouble. . ." she spoke raising her right hand in the air and crossing her index and middle finger. "Me and him are like this. . . we're closer to each other than we probably are to our own families. . . and now thinking about it. . . I hate myself for doubting if Aaron would have done the same thing for me." She sounded sad as she buried her hand into her face and went silent. Isra stared at the girl for the longest moment.
"Aleria. . ." she started to speak, but was interrupted again. .
"What's the other option? It helps to know both before I decide. . ." she said suddenly, she was caught between agreeing to the initial option versus worrying about her own life. A stray breeze ruffles Aaron's hair as his now pale skin showed no signs of life. Aleria deep down couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if that damn god didn't attack the island yesterday. . . Aaron wouldn't be dead and she wouldn't be feeling so much pain and guilt.
"The other requires a sacrifice of two powerful living souls in exchange for a dead one. . . one soul to compensate the initial exchange, another as a sort of bonus for not giving your own life. . ." Isra said quietly. "I didn't think you'd like this one." She remarked after the words were spoken. The silence that followed felt like an eternity wrapped in a few seconds of reality before Aleria broke the silence.
"Those are the only two options?" She said quietly under her breath. Isra nodded regrettably as the two sat around the corpse. Another eternity of silence followed. . . no birds chirped. . . no  wind blew. . . not even the waves of the sea swaying made much if any sound.
"I'll give my life for Aaron's." Aleria said suddenly in a hushed voice. Isra looked surprised.
"Aleria you can't be serious? You don't have to give your life for his there's the second option."
"I'm not scared of dying if it means I bring my best friend back!" Aleria suddenly said in a louder and serious tone shocking Isra. "And I'm not coward enough to kill other people to fuel my own selfish desires. . . nor to save my own life when there's a better way." She jerked her head up, eyes filled with determination as she stared Isra in the eyes with her own hazel orbs. "I'll give my life in exchange for Aaron's resurrection. Prepare it all." She ordered in a softer voice now. Isra was silent for a few minutes. . . looking at the sincerity in her eyes, and then to Aaron's body.
". . . I'm so sorry I got you involved in this Aleria. . " Isra said fighting back tears all of a sudden. "If I'd never became friends with you. . . you'd not have to die to bring a friend back from the afterlife. . ." she started crying over Aaron. Tears hitting his peaceful face. Suddenly the goddess of fate felt a body pressed against hers. Eyes opened to see Aleria hugging her tightly. Isra couldn't make out what was happening.
"Don't cry, Isra. . . you've been a good friend. . ." Aleria pulled her head back to look at the other girls and smiled as best she could. Tears streaming down her own face as well as she cried. "You've also shown me that even Gods can cry and feel remorse. . . if Fate led me to this. . . " she hugged Isra tightly again. "Then I'm glad Fate came and took me away in person." Her voice was soft, sweet, and reassuring. Aleria would then break off the hug and then to face Aaron. She rolled on top him, face hovering dangerously over the dead males. Isra couldn't do anything but watch as the woman spoke to her dead friend afterwards in perhaps the most heart breaking voice she's ever heard in all her existence.
"Tears barraged Aaron's peaceful face as his best friend cried over him. Her black hair brushing his cheeks. . .
"Aaron. . ." Aleria said smiling while she sobbed. "I'm going away. . . for a long time now. . . when you awaken I want you to behave. . . don't get into fights. . don't eat unhealthy foods like you used to when we were kids. . ." she was now laying atop him sobbing. Her forehead touching his and their lips mere centimeters apart. Isra was watching them. Her eyes so waterlogged to the point her vision got blurry. Aleria continued talking.
"Stay out of trouble. . Â get along well with everyone you meet. . . make plenty new friends! Don't worry about the small stuff. . . enjoy everything you do. . . and most off all. . . I want you to. . ." she stopped talking as she pressed her lips against his and kissed him. They stayed lip locked for what seemed forever before she pulled her thin lips from his cold ones and smiled again while atop him.
"I want you to live. . . Aaron. . . and never forget that you will always be in my mind. . . I hate I never got to tell you this when you were alive, Aaron but. . ." she sat up and rubbed her tears away before now hugging Aaron's body tightly. The sun shone its warm rays atop the two as she finished her goodbye.
"I love you. . . Aaron. . . and I hope you never forget the sacrifice I'm doing to prove to you how much I love you. . ." she said sorrowfully as she kissed him one last time. . . and got off him. . . and looked to Isra with a heartfelt smile.
"Thank you Isra." She said smiling, eyes closed as hair trickled over her face. Isra gazed upon Aleria with eyes full of sadness. "Thanks for letting me give my friend here a second chance at life. . ." she hugged Isra one last time before letting go.
"I'm ready. . . let's bring Aaron back!" She said nodding. Isra seemed hesitant. . . but nodded soon after. . . if it was what Aleria wanted. . . she'd give it to her. .
About an hour later. . . everything was ready. . . Aleria laid side by side to Aaron's corpse. White glowing markings covered her body from head to toe. . . as well as Aaron's as a soft glow emanated from the two. Isra had a palm on each of their chests. A soft white light around each heart. Aleria took one last look at Aaron's peaceful face, and extended a hand out to wipe away the hair from his forehead.
". . . Isra?" Aleria said in a hushed voice while she still looked at Aaron. Isra looked hesitantly towards Aleria.Â
"Yes?" She said solemnly. Aleria smiled again and closed her eyes towards Isra.
"Please. . . take care of Aaron for me. . . he'll protect you. . . I promise." She spoke assuring. Isra didn't reply. "And don't let him blame himself for my decision. . . promise?" Aleria asked sniffling. Isra looked away and to Aaron. . . a goddess doing all of this for a mortal because of a  grave error she made herself. . . and even now was she really about to promise something to a mortal and be protected by one in the same day?
". . . . I promise. . ." Isra finally said after a long moment of thought. Aleria nodded and waved to her a farewell.
"I feel my life slipping away. . . looks like this is goodbye Isra. . . thanks again. . ." she nodded as she laid back looking at the orange sky. Isra didn't reply. . . just cried.Â
"Live, Aaron. . . and protect Isra. . ." she said to the body as she felt weaker and weaker. Her life was slipping away. Out the corner of her eye she caught the faintest twitch of Aaron's eyelid as he was being revived. A small chuckle escaped her lips as her eyes finally closed. Her last sight being Aaron and the orange sky.
"Such a pretty view. . . she thought to herself as her eyes closed and she finally fell into deaths embrace. . .
A few minutes later. . . light brown eyes opened to see the world reborn. . . and once dead pale skin returned to it's natural yellowish butter color.Â
Aaron was back from the dead. . .
To be continued. . .
Location - Black Fire Mainland, Southern Coast
Aleria looked off into the distance from the shoreline of the main Continent. Her hazel eyes unable to see the island from the horizon that Razanthic laid waste to in such a brief amount of time. She wondered deep down if the God had the power to sink the landmass under the depths of the ocean. She suddenly shook her head with a dark chuckle. Of course a God was able to annihilate an island on a whim. . she noticed the storm the deity had summoned was no more as well, not a single storm cloud as far as the eye could see. And judging by the area around her the storm never reached the mainland. A breeze blows through her soft black hair, the ripped one sleeved shirt she wore was all but gone, she managed to tie the tatters of it around her chest as best she could to stay modest. She looked down at her water damaged and charred pants as well, they didn't look too much better. Her shoes that she was wearing were completely incinerated away leaving her now healed yellow feet bare against the sand bank she stood upon. Deep down, she kept replaying what the mysterious man said in the cave. About how Aaron died because she was involved with Isra. . . the young woman brought her bare yellowish palm up to her face to stare at it in deep thought.
"Did Aaron. . ." she paused her train of thought as she looked over her right shoulder at Isra a few feet away. The goddess taking the form of a human was hovered over Aaron's corpse, examining his body for anymore injuries that might have been inflicted. Aleria looked down at Aaron next. . . his eyes were closed, black messy hair covering most of the sides and top of his face from the suns light. With the wound healed over on his neck the deceased man looked to be only sleeping. He looked so peaceful when he was dead. Aleria felt a deep sense of regret hit her gut again as she looked upon her dead friend.
"Did Aaron. . . really die because I had Isra as a friend. . .?" she wondered to herself, eyes beginning to water up again as she fought back tears. Isra happened to turn to see Aleria and her eyes watering, Aleria quickly snapped her face back towards the sea hoping Isra didn't see her about to cry. Isra rubbed a hand through her own hair before speaking.
"Aleria! Come help me." She called out catching the woman's attention. The black haired and hazel eyes girl turned to look at the green eyed goddess once again. Isra beckoning a hand over to her. "You want me to resurrect Aaron right? You should come help me prepare." Â She finished with a quiet sigh as she looked down at the deceased young man. Her free hand reached down to move the hair away from his closed eyes. He was really dead. . . Aleria walked over and sat in the sand without a word next to the body. Her eyes avoiding the corpse.
"So. . ." Aleria said quietly, as if she were becoming a victim of depression. "How does this work. . . retrieving the soul of a dead person? You told me it had to be agreed upon by you and Nevram, the deity of death?" She asked curiously as she turned to gaze upon Isra. The goddess nodded as a breeze whipped across the coastline blowing sand up gently into the wind.
"That's right. . . in order to bring back a person from the dead it requires approval from the God of death. . . the goddess of Fate. . . or the sole approval from the King of Gods. . ." she answered in a soft tone as she continued examining Aaron. She began to place her hands on his blood soaked clothes, a white light appearing again as the blood stains faded away. . . she was rejecting Fate again. Aleria couldn't help but be amazed at this power she possessed.
"King of Gods? You mean Desara?" She muttered to herself. "The one that nearly brought the end of the world?" She continued. Isra nodded.
"Yes, Desara is the only one who can bring back a dead person without approval from the death god. . . because he's so powerful the laws of death and life are beneath him." Isra said, looking up to the woman next to her. Aleria fell quiet, and then nodded as if she understood. Her eyes finally gazed upon Aaron's face.
"So I understand all that now. . . but the real question is, what exactly do we have to do to bring Aaron back?" She asked the inevitable question. The air was still and quiet for a long moment as Isra looked between her and Aaron.
"There are two ways. . ." she said quietly. "The first is called two for one. The second is called an eye for an eye. There are other ways but these two for a fact I know are the ones Nevram accepts without an argument. The other ways have never been successful." She said looking at Aleria again. Aleria tilted her head. . . she looked a little surprised the names were mortal sayings.
"An eye for an eye is just what the title says. . . if you want Aaron back alive you'd have to offer your own soul to the afterlife as compensation. Meaning you die in exchange for his souls return." Isra stopped speaking after that and awaited Aleria's response. Aleria didn't speak. . . she didn't know what to do.
"I die in return for Aaron's life? I. . . I don't want to die. . .I. . ." she looked upon her dead friend once again. His sleeping face gave her a warm feeling inside. Isra looked curiously and quietly between the two.
"Aaron. . . would you do the same. . . for me. . ?" Aleria asked Aaron in her head as she looked at him. She seemed to be seriously pondering it over. . . she was about to speak before Isra interrupted.
"Aleria." Isra said, the black haired young female returned her line of sight to the goddess of fate and replied.
"Yes?" She said in a soft voice.
"Your relationship with Aaron. . . I know it isn't my business to ask but. . ." Isra said looking down at Aaron again. "Would you really give your own life in exchange for his. . . why go so far for someone who's not related by blood to you?" She asked looking back to Aleria. Aleria fell silent,and stared at the ground in front of her. Bringing her legs up to her face and wrapping her arms around them as she rested her chin between her knees.
"That's a stupid question." Aleria said in a serious tone, startling Isra. "You're the God of Fate. . . you should know why I pondered giving my own life for Aaron's. As if you even needed to ask. . " Aleria scoffed now showing a deep annoyance that a Goddess of Fate. . . of all Gods would ask her such a trivial question. As if she were being mocked. Isra stuttered before shaking her head in disagreement.
"No I didn't mean it like that. . . I just wanted to hear your response. . . just because I'm the Goddess of Fate doesn't mean I can read your feelings for others. . . I'm sorry if the question mislead you." Isra said solemnly looking back at Aaron. "I'll shut up n-- Â . ."Â
"He's been my best friend since we were kids." Aleria interrupted an apologetic Isra. The words were soft spoken and remorseful. "Even though I was perfectly capable of handling myself. . . he'd always fight for me and protect me when I was in trouble. . ." she spoke raising her right hand in the air and crossing her index and middle finger. "Me and him are like this. . . we're closer to each other than we probably are to our own families. . . and now thinking about it. . . I hate myself for doubting if Aaron would have done the same thing for me." She sounded sad as she buried her hand into her face and went silent. Isra stared at the girl for the longest moment.
"Aleria. . ." she started to speak, but was interrupted again. .
"What's the other option? It helps to know both before I decide. . ." she said suddenly, she was caught between agreeing to the initial option versus worrying about her own life. A stray breeze ruffles Aaron's hair as his now pale skin showed no signs of life. Aleria deep down couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if that damn god didn't attack the island yesterday. . . Aaron wouldn't be dead and she wouldn't be feeling so much pain and guilt.
"The other requires a sacrifice of two powerful living souls in exchange for a dead one. . . one soul to compensate the initial exchange, another as a sort of bonus for not giving your own life. . ." Isra said quietly. "I didn't think you'd like this one." She remarked after the words were spoken. The silence that followed felt like an eternity wrapped in a few seconds of reality before Aleria broke the silence.
"Those are the only two options?" She said quietly under her breath. Isra nodded regrettably as the two sat around the corpse. Another eternity of silence followed. . . no birds chirped. . . no  wind blew. . . not even the waves of the sea swaying made much if any sound.
"I'll give my life for Aaron's." Aleria said suddenly in a hushed voice. Isra looked surprised.
"Aleria you can't be serious? You don't have to give your life for his there's the second option."
"I'm not scared of dying if it means I bring my best friend back!" Aleria suddenly said in a louder and serious tone shocking Isra. "And I'm not coward enough to kill other people to fuel my own selfish desires. . . nor to save my own life when there's a better way." She jerked her head up, eyes filled with determination as she stared Isra in the eyes with her own hazel orbs. "I'll give my life in exchange for Aaron's resurrection. Prepare it all." She ordered in a softer voice now. Isra was silent for a few minutes. . . looking at the sincerity in her eyes, and then to Aaron's body.
". . . I'm so sorry I got you involved in this Aleria. . " Isra said fighting back tears all of a sudden. "If I'd never became friends with you. . . you'd not have to die to bring a friend back from the afterlife. . ." she started crying over Aaron. Tears hitting his peaceful face. Suddenly the goddess of fate felt a body pressed against hers. Eyes opened to see Aleria hugging her tightly. Isra couldn't make out what was happening.
"Don't cry, Isra. . . you've been a good friend. . ." Aleria pulled her head back to look at the other girls and smiled as best she could. Tears streaming down her own face as well as she cried. "You've also shown me that even Gods can cry and feel remorse. . . if Fate led me to this. . . " she hugged Isra tightly again. "Then I'm glad Fate came and took me away in person." Her voice was soft, sweet, and reassuring. Aleria would then break off the hug and then to face Aaron. She rolled on top him, face hovering dangerously over the dead males. Isra couldn't do anything but watch as the woman spoke to her dead friend afterwards in perhaps the most heart breaking voice she's ever heard in all her existence.
"Tears barraged Aaron's peaceful face as his best friend cried over him. Her black hair brushing his cheeks. . .
"Aaron. . ." Aleria said smiling while she sobbed. "I'm going away. . . for a long time now. . . when you awaken I want you to behave. . . don't get into fights. . don't eat unhealthy foods like you used to when we were kids. . ." she was now laying atop him sobbing. Her forehead touching his and their lips mere centimeters apart. Isra was watching them. Her eyes so waterlogged to the point her vision got blurry. Aleria continued talking.
"Stay out of trouble. . Â get along well with everyone you meet. . . make plenty new friends! Don't worry about the small stuff. . . enjoy everything you do. . . and most off all. . . I want you to. . ." she stopped talking as she pressed her lips against his and kissed him. They stayed lip locked for what seemed forever before she pulled her thin lips from his cold ones and smiled again while atop him.
"I want you to live. . . Aaron. . . and never forget that you will always be in my mind. . . I hate I never got to tell you this when you were alive, Aaron but. . ." she sat up and rubbed her tears away before now hugging Aaron's body tightly. The sun shone its warm rays atop the two as she finished her goodbye.
"I love you. . . Aaron. . . and I hope you never forget the sacrifice I'm doing to prove to you how much I love you. . ." she said sorrowfully as she kissed him one last time. . . and got off him. . . and looked to Isra with a heartfelt smile.
"Thank you Isra." She said smiling, eyes closed as hair trickled over her face. Isra gazed upon Aleria with eyes full of sadness. "Thanks for letting me give my friend here a second chance at life. . ." she hugged Isra one last time before letting go.
"I'm ready. . . let's bring Aaron back!" She said nodding. Isra seemed hesitant. . . but nodded soon after. . . if it was what Aleria wanted. . . she'd give it to her. .
About an hour later. . . everything was ready. . . Aleria laid side by side to Aaron's corpse. White glowing markings covered her body from head to toe. . . as well as Aaron's as a soft glow emanated from the two. Isra had a palm on each of their chests. A soft white light around each heart. Aleria took one last look at Aaron's peaceful face, and extended a hand out to wipe away the hair from his forehead.
". . . Isra?" Aleria said in a hushed voice while she still looked at Aaron. Isra looked hesitantly towards Aleria.Â
"Yes?" She said solemnly. Aleria smiled again and closed her eyes towards Isra.
"Please. . . take care of Aaron for me. . . he'll protect you. . . I promise." She spoke assuring. Isra didn't reply. "And don't let him blame himself for my decision. . . promise?" Aleria asked sniffling. Isra looked away and to Aaron. . . a goddess doing all of this for a mortal because of a  grave error she made herself. . . and even now was she really about to promise something to a mortal and be protected by one in the same day?
". . . . I promise. . ." Isra finally said after a long moment of thought. Aleria nodded and waved to her a farewell.
"I feel my life slipping away. . . looks like this is goodbye Isra. . . thanks again. . ." she nodded as she laid back looking at the orange sky. Isra didn't reply. . . just cried.Â
"Live, Aaron. . . and protect Isra. . ." she said to the body as she felt weaker and weaker. Her life was slipping away. Out the corner of her eye she caught the faintest twitch of Aaron's eyelid as he was being revived. A small chuckle escaped her lips as her eyes finally closed. Her last sight being Aaron and the orange sky.
"Such a pretty view. . . she thought to herself as her eyes closed and she finally fell into deaths embrace. . .
A few minutes later. . . light brown eyes opened to see the world reborn. . . and once dead pale skin returned to it's natural yellowish butter color.Â
Aaron was back from the dead. . .
To be continued. . .
Kevin Gates - Told Me