Lumbering towards the ethereal creature in front of him Cassian blood soaked had griped his short sword a fierce tornado of emotions driving him forward.
Parallel to this the divine being pranced around his recently created playground. Filled with serenity as he grips the hair of his most recent toy. Effortlessly he drags the lifeless girl through the sea of discarded corpses. Admiring his creations he contemplates his next piece of art.
"Now what is your destiny" he mutters, lifting the corpse to his eye level. While doing so he glances past, laying his eyes upon Cassian.
"What do we have here? From where did you crawl out from"
The soldier remained silent, muted in anger.
"Not a talker, shame, I do adore a great conversation. You see this one here had a great voice, just gorgeous, rebuttals left much to be desired. But of what was available…" the mysterious being stated only stopping at Cassian's response
"Why?"
the words ripping the breath from his mouth. Knowing no response would satisfy his rage Cassian began to rotate the sword in his palms. Scanning the target, he wondered what it would take to kill the being in front of him. The brief silence immediately broken by the figures response.
"Boredom, and they were very dull".
His concentration shattered, Cassian stood in absolute confusion. How could a being speak with such arrogance. This simple statement shattered Cassian's whole world view, in all his time during the war he had seen many evil men, but he had never encountered a person that treated life with such little value.
"I must say, whatever you're planning on doing I would not recommend it." The being states gesturing at the soldiers sword.
"For what has happened by the will of a divine being" he paused before continuing noticing the lack of reverence that Cassian held.
"You are in the presence of Arrias, the god of guides and purpose."
Slowly swinging his had outwards as if to beckon adoration at the mere statement of his name. Cassian mind raced, overwhelmed with emotion he mustered all of his power to remain standing. Cassian had spent the majority of young life being told tales of the gods.
Stories about the gods dominated conversations of both farmers and warriors alike. However, despite the influence that these transcendent beings held over their lives few mortals ever encountered them.
But the uniqueness of the situation was only one reason why Cassian was paralysed in thought. Arrias was not just any god. The major deity held the esteem of being one of the four children of Primos and Pytha, the king and queen of the gods, as well as also holding the distinction of being a major god within the Eldor pantheon. More than this he was a special entity for Cassian personally in all the stories Arrias was present. It didn't matter if the tale was about another; God, apostle or hero; Arrias was there. The god of purpose, the one that guides. It was the dream of every child to one day be given a quest by the god and become a hero. Cassian was no different from his early childhood he dreamed of Arrias appearing before him to send him on a journey that would be sung for future generations.
Now here he was, standing but few meters away, loved ones dried blood staining his hands. A breathless silence permeated around the pair laying just above the smoke, Cassian stared deeply at the god a raging debate within his mind.
"You dare stare at a being, divine as me".
Mistaking his indecisiveness for arrogance, an irate Arrias flung the female corpse across the courtyard. The girls body rolling several times before landing at Cassian's feet her hair slowing parting across of what remained of a face. Cassian was struck with immediate recognition; the girl was Myla the daughter of the homestead cook. During his childhood he had spent a lot of time playing with the girl, so much in fact that their families often joked about their impending marriage. But despite the rush of memories the girls face brought Cassian felt no sadness or rage as at this point every further indiscretion was but drops in a bucket that could drain an ocean. To the contrary the sight of Myla brought Cassian focus as opposed to pain, after just a slight gaze of her face his mind was clear. There was no debate to be had it did not matter the beings divinity, after committing such atrocities justice must be claimed.
Clasping his sword tightly Cassian began to walk towards the god a single-minded goal engraved across his face. Arrias perception of which caused him lash out in anger. In a flash of light, the god summoned what Cassian instantly knew to be the guiding torch. The signature possession of the god of purpose, forged from a fragment gifted by Nova the goddess of stars, it would shoot out a guide in light to illuminate the path for chosen hero's. In this instance however the guiding torch would not fulfil its intended use. Arrias begin shooting sparks that slice through the air around narrowly missing Cassian, an intentional display of the gods awesome power. However, the young soldier remained unfazed, wandering headfirst into an unwinnable fight.
Now a few steps from the deity Cassian loosened his grip on his sword. The sight of which caused the god, inexperienced as a warrior, to instinctively relax. Rapidly Cassian strode forward whipping his arm out like a striking snake. Cassian had preformed this same attack several time with each execution becoming more precise. The process of slicing the opponents throat had become instinctual to him over several battles. However, this confrontation was not standard despite the obvious advantage Cassian held the blades tip had not even clipped a hair on the neck of the evil god. Arrias utilizing his superior speed had blocked the strike with his divine tool.
The attack only served to startle the god causing one of his feat to stumble back. An action that drove Arrias to a new height of rage. To the god even having to retreat one step due to the attack of a lowly mortal was an insult that could never be reconciled. Fuelled by this, the god launched a lighting fast kick striking Cassian directly in the stomach. The attack possessed such force that it lifted Cassian off his feet blasting him several meters back until he collided with the surrounding trees.
Sliding down from his wooden cushion Cassian began to violently cough up blood the entirety of his organs devastated from a single attack of the god. While he writhed in agony Arrias made a steady approach goading him after every step.
"The sheer guile to attempt such a pathetic strike against me"
A mask of absolute authority infecting every one of the gods words. Cassian regained a sliver of blurred consciousness back only to see the Arrias looming over him.
"So is this all you amount to" Arrias sneered.
The second the words left the gods mouth a mixed of dirt and blood splattered across his face, the flung fluid disguising a final adrenaline filled strike from Cassian. Having seen an opening for an attack the young soldier subconsciously grabbed the only thing he could a broken branch, that his falling body had created, using it as impromptu pike. Despite his Valliant effort Cassian's effort, similarly to his earlier attack, posed no threat to the god. Causing Arrias to answer by effortlessly griping the stick and ripping it from the young soldiers hand.
Growing tired of the mortals relentless attacks the spiteful god returned Cassian's makeshift spear back its user, piercing through the shoulder and pinning him to the tree. Looking at the result of his one sided onslaught Arrias Smirked. His previous rage completely dissipating at the helplessness of the one who caused it.
"I guess you are not my story" chuckled the god as he slowly veered away.
"You will die" Cassian spurted, his words filled with blood and spit, piling all of his strength to remain conscious Cassian continued his declaration.
"From this day forwards your life can be considered finite."
"Unlikely" rebuffed Arrias completely turning away before disappearing in flash. Losing sight of his foe Cassian began to lose consciousness fighting desperately to fight against his failing body only to eventually fall silent.