Rona
I shrunk my neck, avoiding his gaze.
"What do you say we do?" He asked, his voice was impossibly low. "I suppose a little punishment would be fitting."
"Oh no no." I stepped sideways, avoiding his gaze, "How dare I trouble your greatness. Regardless I didn't hear a single thing,"
"We might have to add lying to the list too." He took a step back, folding his arms behind him. "I bbelieve I can let this slide. this once."
His tone darkened toward the end, an inexplicable warning.
Next time, I won't be so lenient.
He tilted his head in my direction, "Stop dilly-dallying, little human. There's lots of things we need to see."
He held out his hand, "It will help with the nausea."
I stared at his outstretched hand for a beat too long before intertwining my fingers with his.
This time, I finally realized just how cold it felt.
The air hummed to life, fluttering around us in an invisible dance.
"Where are going?" I asked as my hair whipped around in the wind.
"Aren't you curious to see what the look like?" He stared down at me. "The souls on the other side."
It did cross my mind once or twice, "Didn't he say they were violent?"
"They are." His lips rose in a smile again, "And you said you weren't eavesdropping."
I slapped my free hand over my lips. "Rookie mistake."
A slow gasp left my lips as I took in the scenery around me.
Towering mountains. Dark skies.
We stood in what I hope was once a field. The green blades of grass were darkened to a crust and the smell of decay hung heavily in the air.
I subconsciously inched closer to the Progenitor's side.
From the corner of my eye, I spotted something moving along the thick grass.
Then black, soulless eyes staring straight at me.
It lunged, its red, razor-sharp tongue aimed in my direction.
My body wouldn't move. I watched as my life flashed before my eyes. Again.
The reptilian creature froze midair. It flailed its limbs, swinging its tongue wildly with only one aim in sight.
Me.
"Not today, I'm afraid." Relief washed over me in waves as I heard his voice.
That's right! I had an all-powerful god beside me.
The creature's eyes rolled back, its body shaking violently, pulled apart by unseen forces.
Black, gooey substance splattered on the ground as it was torn apart before my eyes.
I stumbled backwards in shock.
What just happened?
That goo... It just burnt every single thing it touched.
I steadied myself, stepping closer to the area mottled by burn scars and charred grass.
A flash of light caught my eye and I cautiously moved closer.
There was a black orb on the ground where the creature splatted on, no doubt from it.
Whatever this thing was, i had a feeling that it wouldn't be good.
"Look what I found," I called out, pointing at the obsidian-colored orb.
He picked it up from th ground before I could even retort.
"Wait! That could be dangerous." I warned.
He paused, staring at me like I had groan and extra head, before inspecting the orb.
"Sorry for being concerned." I muttered under my breath, staring back at the orb in his hand every three seconds.
Maybe it wasn't so dangerous after all.
Dark lines formed at the tip of his fingers, creeping into his hand as the orb shimmered to life.
Scratch that, this shit was dangerous.
He tossed it on the floor.
The orb split in two with an errie cackle, dark tendrils floating from within drifting into the wind.
"I shouldn't have done that." He whispered, staring at the spot the orb once was.
"... Picked it up?" I asked, placing my hand on my hips, "It would be a good time to remind you that I told you not-"
"Not that." He cut in, "I shouldn't have thrown it, Leopold would've wanted to use it for one of his experiment."
A mysterious look crossed the Progenitor's face as he stared across the field.
"They've evolved," he whispered, his voice barely catching the wind.
My gaze flickered back to his hand. The cracks were gone, his skin restored to its original pale hue.
I mustered the courage to ask, "Will your hand be okay?"
His gaze remained fixed on the mountains. "Of course it will."
"Now you see what happens when humans disregard Fate's will." He turned back to me and enunciating each word.
"Their souls become corrupted. Decayed."
"Is that what would've happened to me?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Luckily, I have you." I clasped a hand over my mouth. "Did I say that outloud?"
"Yes." His eyes seemed to glow as he stared down at me. "But there's a limit to how much I can do."
"I never really thought of you as someone who believed in the will of Fate," I muttered.
"There's a lot you are yet to understand, little human," he said vaguely, holding out his hand, "Now, to our next destination."
The Progenitor had a sort of duality to him, and right now, he felt nothing like the powerful being I cowered in front of yesterday.
'He feels like...'
"Are we going deeper into the mountains?" I asked, brushing the thoughts to the back of my head as I took his hand.
"At least I don't feel the nausea anymore." My eyes flickered open. "I could feel my intestines being turned inside out last time-"
A loud horn blared from below.
"Huh? That sounds a lot like..."