So this is what prison looks like from within.
Aia sighed as she and Raven stayed behind the metal bars. She remembered the time the god of lie was imprisoned because of an unexpected trouble. She followed him as the god helped out a boy.
She did not expect to be in a similar situation.
When she asked the knight to run with her and not look back, Aia only wanted to avoid the knight to witness how Raven would handle the situation.
Upon her signal, Raven knocked out the young man chasing them in the woods. He may be a Black Wolf, but Aia saw that he was also terrified while chasing them. He was still new to killing anyone, but he must kill to survive.
She knew the young man would attack from behind while they were in the open land. And so she thought that was the perfect plan. But she forgot to consider other people who might get involve. And those who might know more about them.
It might have been decades since the gods and the goddesses may have already left the human world. But some humans are still superstitious, while others know their history well. They passed their knowledge on to their family or their tribe.
Monsters and magical beings were becoming rare since humans learned to hunt and kill them. But the situation proves that most humans still know how to spot a human from a demihuman and someone who only looks like a human.
When the men surround them, they look afraid of what she and Raven might do.
Raven stepped in front of her. But Aia held his cloth from his back and signaled not to do anything and let them be. The men pointed their spears and swords and led them to an iron cage. And she just let them leave.
Fear was evident in their eyes. They do not wish to slaughter anyone. They only wanted to protect themselves.
It was getting cold as the night passed. Raven hugged Aia from behind, giving her the comfort she needed. She could not die from the cold. But Raven knew how Aia hated that kind of weather.
“I know you are worried about what could happen now. But we are on the right track,” Aia said to Raven.
Raven hugged her tighter. And Aia smiled.
Then, he tapped her shoulder and moved his neck as if gesturing to the place where they were standing.
He was referring to what she said to the knight earlier.
“Are you wondering why I did not tell them the truth?”
Raven nodded.
“Well, I did not lie, didn’t I?” Aia smiled.
Raven glared at her. He does not like it when she delays her answer.
“I may be the goddess of truth, and all deities may not be able to lie. But it does not mean we could never stop ourselves from answering anyone. Long ago, a human friend had taught me how terrifying the truth could be, especially if it was about oneself. But I did not learn my lesson well. Forcing someone could reveal our vulnerable or horrible side. It was that truth that made me feel so little. Being the goddess of truth seemed useless, for all immortals could not lie except for the god of lie. It was why he chose that power in the first place. And I chose mine, thinking it would help him see what I was seeing when no one could utter their entire truth. I am left to deal with the humans, but even that is something I could stop doing at any time. So, I did.”
Aia leaned into Raven to hug him back.
“I apologize for leaving you behind. I thought by doing so, you will be free.”
Raven seemed astonished. But he soon nodded and understood her. Then, Raven looked worried before staring back at her.
“No. I no longer wish to tell everything I know. But that does not mean you will be left in the dark again.”
Raven tapped her shoulder twice as he hugged her. His gesture says he was okay with it as long as he was with her. Raven knew how words could be limiting sometimes.
“Is the young man in the woods alive?” Aia tried to look back.
Raven nodded.
“I am relieved to hear that.”
Raven made a sound of disapproval. He still hates that someone chases and tries to harm them.
Aia laughed and reminded Raven about their task.
“He is not who we are after.”
“Who are you after?”
Aia looks at the knight standing behind the other side of the cage. He seemed different now. Gone are his flirty attitude and friendly smile. Raven clipped his hands and prepared for any attack. Meanwhile, Aia is pondering on how to answer his question.
“Answer me. I want to know the truth,” the knight demanded.
Aia flinches. It was now rare for her to hear a direct request from a human. But is he sincere?
“Which truth? The partial truth, the half-truth, or the truth only you wanted to hear?” she dared him.
To state the truth is something she yearns to do as she keeps on existing. But she learned to dance around it if she sensed the one asking was not ready to hear it.
“Everything,” he said firmly.
“Not even I know everything.”
“But you are an immortal, are you?” he dare asked. “Why did you not fight and kill those men? Why did you not escape?”
“Because it was unnecessary,” she admitted. She could no longer hide the truth if someone is insistent or desperate. She would always have a soft spot for those beings.
“Was it? Or is it because none of them was the man you are after?”
“I am not here to kill someone,” Aia said to clear his wrong impression of her that did not offend nor shocked her. What surprised her was that a human, unfamiliar with their kind, could talk as casually as he pleased. But now, the knight seemed hesitant. Then, he stood straight and asked the goddess again.
“Can you help me find my father?”
“Why must you ask me this?”
“Because you are the first immortal that I met.”
“Find a second one or a third one.”
“If it is that easy, I would not ask you this. Your kind is hard to find now. No matter how many people suffered or died—” he seemed angry. He recalled the effects of the ongoing war and how innocent people were becoming slaves. “You abandoned us. Did you?”
Raven stepped forward and wanted to punch the man. Aia could feel it. Raven knew the humans had first abandoned her. It was an insult to hear that question. But Aia tapped his shoulder and moved towards the knight.
To not make her statement seem like a blow, she only whispered.
“Listen, William James Miller. I am not here to help you or your people.”
“I’ll help you find your man. Then help me find my father. Agreed?” he stated his terms as if she did not speak. He moves his hand forward for a handshake.
But Aia only looks at his hand.
“We do not trust each other.”
“I trust you now,” he insisted.
“Is that why you did not tell me your real name is Jacque?”
“How did you know that?” he said.
He was surprised. But in an instant, he appeared as the confident knight again.
“Forgive me, my lady. Yes, I am called Jacque, The Fox. Here, we do not go by our surnames. We were either forbidden to carry our old name. Or we chose to forget that part of ourselves.”
“Or you go by a name you come up with because you have none in the first place.”
“Yes, most of us here were either orphans or abandoned children. Some never had the chance to meet their parents,” Jacque agreed.
It was common knowledge how the people in the Kingdom of Knaves lived. It is a place meant to scare children in her old village. It was so they would aim to be good men.
The Kingdom of Knaves is like the entrance to the kingdom of the god of death. It was because death was so common in that place. It will not be a surprise if the god of death walks in the streets to gather human souls.
But Aia thinks Klaus prefers to collect souls on the battlefield. He gets to enjoy how mortals risk their lives for their kingdom. As if not realizing they are making themselves as an offering.
“When I was a child, the people around me would say mean things about my mother. They said her family abandoned her. Some even said she had disgraced them because she gave birth to me. I only wanted to verify the truth.”
It tempts her to look into his past and give him all the answers. But as Aia kept staring at Jacque, she could only listen to him as he asked for a favor.
At some point, while they were in the forest, Aia thought her power was dwindling. Now that he seems desperate, she can only guess that his father is among the gods. The gods who enjoy seducing women then leave them behind. That is how fickle-minded they were sometimes. And how careless. His father might not even dare wonder if he left the woman pregnant.
“What else do you have aside from the standard demihuman traits?” she asked while staring at him and trying to control her curiosity. It was odd that she was learning to guess.
On the other hand, Jacque was curious about how the goddess knew so much. Possibly, she asked one of the men who put her in a cage. Or she remembers someone mentioning his name. But he often kept it a secret that he was indeed a demigod. Jacque needed to confirm how she knew about that piece of information.
Was this a test? Is she making him tell her the entire truth?
“What makes you say I’m a demigod?”
“I trust you can keep a secret since you and I are somewhat alike. I am the goddess of truth.”
Oh, he was doomed. He lowered his shoulders. How can he expect to lie to this goddess? She does not even need to interrogate him. Yet she did.
“Other than quick reflexes, fast healing, heightened senses, superhuman strength, and speed. What is your specialty?”
That caught his attention.
Aia had only observed all she mentioned while they were in the forest. There was no need for him to know about her ability.
“What specialty are we talking about here, goddess?”
She sighed as if she was running out of patience. And Raven is observing her. It was the first time Raven heard her talk to a human as if the knight was her equal and not beneath her. And he does not like it.
“Magic,” she told him.
“Oh,” he said while looking astonished.
“Oh? That is the only word you could utter?”
“I… have no magic.”
It was her turn to be astonished. Aia tried looking into the eyes of Jacque again, but her powers seemed useless. Again.
It was odd. But Aia told him the truth.
“I cannot help you.”
“But… why?”
“I know nothing of your father. Usually, the specialty of a demihuman is our clue to know who your parent is. But since you have none, I also have no answers. And, as you know, I have other things to attend to.”
Jacque does not want to let her go.
He might never get another chance to meet a deity. But Jacque doubted if there was anything else he could offer in return for her aide.
With her help, Jacque sensed he would find his answers or his father, but was she telling the truth?
Of course, she was telling the truth. She is the goddess of truth!
Jacque castigated himself before composing himself.
“So you did not know who my father is?”
He knew her answer would conclude their conversation.
Aia looked at him and could not produce a quick response.
It was bizarre. Yet intriguing. That never happened to Aia before—to not know the truth. No matter how long Aia stares at Jacque, she cannot give him the answer. There was a barrier around him. It makes it hard for her to use her powers even without him sensing it.
It was urging her to find out more about him.
But there is a task at hand. And no other deity can do it but herself.
“I am sorry,” she said softly. “I cannot help you. I do not know who your father is.”
It is her final reply.
He bowed to her and stepped back.
“No need to apologize, my lady. I do not doubt the answer you have given me.”
And with those last words, he walks away.
Raven stood next to her and tapped her twice on her back. He was telling her she made the right decision. And maybe Raven is right. She should avoid trusting humans again because she might realize another truth she was unprepared to uncover.
Just like what Gray taught her…
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