Chapter Text
“The Eternal Land known as Amphoreus is nothing more than the Scepter's endless, lonely extrapolation…”
Lygus’ cold voice explains the nature of Cyrene’s dear world, as she stands behind Phainon’s tense figure pointing his greatsword right at the villain’s throat.
“A bottomless well of fury, aimed at the God who cast it aside.”
At that moment, she knew nothing of Aeons, Emperor’s Scepters and the powers of the Cosmos. She knew only this: the Black Tide had devoured all of Amphoreus, ravaging the land, killing its people without mercy.
The false sky was broken, torn into a million pieces and burning away to reveal the true stars that lay beyond it, weakly flickering.
“Every generation of heroes, gods, and worlds was born only to be destroyed by it.”
Of the thirteen Flame-Chasers, only she and Phainon remained. Their most determined warrior, who always fought for all those who couldn’t; their most devoted of priests, who prayed to Oronyx to show her the path to the Era Nova. One wielding the Coreflame of Worldbearing, the other safeguarding that of Time.
Despite their statuses as Demigods and all that strength taken from the Titans, they stand utterly powerless in front of the orchestrator of Amphoreus’ downfall.
“This is the endpoint of Amphoreus's calculations: a perfect equation of Destruction.”
If Lygus had a face, Cyrene is sure he’d be grinning widely, yet it’d be stained by the insanity that led him to carry out his actions. Instead, you can only hear the satisfaction in his voice, the excitement he feels to see his plan coming to fruition, as he stands in the middle of the Vortex of Genesis, arms splayed wide as if to present his achievement for all to see.
“The golden blood flowing in your veins... It comes from The Blemished One, whose name is Destruction itself. And Amphoreus's Chrysos Heirs were, from the very beginning, fuel for the Aeon to burn the universe.”
To be turned into the weapon an Aeon will use to raze everything to the ground and salt what little remains. To think themselves as Heroes, then discovering they are anything but. To fight for survival, for a promised new world, free of suffering.
“Do you two really think, as petty little demigods, you can change the outcome written by the stars? What makes you think you're capable of doing that?”
They lost.
The realization creates an all-encompassing void in Cyrene’s mind, devouring every thought, every feeling.
There’s nothing she can do as she watches, frozen, as Phainon screams in pure rage and throws himself at Lygus, swinging his greatsword with all the strength he can muster.
There’s nothing she does as the two of them fight, destroying the whole place around them – stone pillars cut in half, massive chunks of the ceiling dropping to the floor, weakening it enough that all it takes is a single shot from Lygus’ weapon to make it give in.
There’s nothing she wants to do as she falls into the deep, dark sea below the platform.
Cyrene wakes with a jolt, a choked gasp tearing out of her throat.
It takes her sleepy brain a moment to remember that she’s safe, in her own bed, in a place far away from Amphoreus.
Her hands tremble faintly as she rubs the sleep out of her eyes, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself.
It was just a nightmare.
Two weeks have passed since she came here with that General, and there hasn’t been a single night she didn’t dream of Amphoreus – of what could’ve been.
None of it matters now because it’s all in the past, immovable and set in stone. What’s done is done, is what Cyrene tells herself to ease the burden of guilt that relentlessly bears down on her soul.
All she can really do now is keep going forward and tread the unknown path in front of her, just like her brave Nameless friends do every day.
There’s something wet and rough lapping at the sweaty hair stuck to her forehead.
“Ugh, Khaos…” Cyrene finally opens her eyes to the almost familiar view of a small pink snout right up on her face and curious light blue eyes fixed on her.
Cyrene picks the little kitten up and places him on her chest and the ferocious creature immediately starts purring. She runs a hand over his soft, pale fur, while the other caresses his brown-striped face that he pushes into her palm as if asking for more pets, more warmth.
The nice lady of the cat shelter she went to said that he’s just a few months old, and that he’s extremely lively. Just a few hours in Cyrene’s home and he’d put scratch marks on the living room’s curtains – hence his new name. Still, Cyrene doesn’t mind having something so cute and cuddly destroy her stuff, as long as he keeps her occupied.
“Alright buddy, I know why you’re here,” Cyrene says softly, picking Khaos up in her arms and getting off her bed. She walks to her little kitchen as the cat plays with her long strands of pink hair, then lets him go and fills his bowl with his favorite treats.
The Yuque’s artificial sun shines bright through the windows, bathing the small space in gold. It’s a wonderful day, and Cyrene thinks she might just take a stroll outside this afternoon.
She finds herself slowly strolling alongside a small street canal that she’s learned leads to the Aurum Alley, the city’s main point of interest for tourists and merchants alike. Cyrene has been there a few days before to buy herself some pieces of clothing since her dress was beyond repair, after she received a letter from Yao Guang with probably enough money to last her a lifetime and an encouragement to “try and blend in”.
So that’s what Cyrene did: she bought herself so many colorful tunics, robes and traditional accessories that she’s only ever been mistaken for a Vidyadhara because of her pointy ears. Most of the time she just went along with it, showing off the smallest bit of her powers and creating little sculptures of ice in fancy shapes.
Children’s laughter rings in the air, coming from a little further up the street. It’s a sound Cyrene is gradually getting used to again, in her leisurely strolls around the Yuque. To see kids play around and have fun warms her heart and helps dispel the shadows that creep in every time she lets her thoughts wander freely.
One of the kids, a young foxian girl with hair the color of incandescent embers, notices Cyrene passing by and shyly waves at the older woman. Cyrene gently waves back with a smile and blows the little girl a kiss. From her hand, a snowflake flutters over to the child, coming to rest on her nose – her friends see it too, and they all start giggling together.
The girl’s face turns as red as her hair, but the smile on her face is wide and proudly shows the gap where a tooth is missing. Cyrene sends her a playful wink before continuing on her walk.
She can’t help thinking about what Amphoreus will be like, once it’s finally restored. Will it look the same as ever, with its lush forests and prosperous cities, cultivated fields painting the landscape a golden colour and small, tranquil villages – or will the land be scarred by the many battles fought upon them? Whatever awaits her planet, Cyrene is sure her friends will take great care of it.
The noise coming from Aurum Alley is growing ever louder as Cyrene approaches. There are vendors and merchants everywhere, trying to sell their products to anyone passing too close to them. Food stalls with queues of dozens of people waiting for their turn to grab something for lunch.
Nothing really grabs Cyrene’s attention until her eyes fall upon a crowd of people gathered at the entrance of a small building. All those people are trying to look inside, and they’re staying strangely quiet.
A sign outside the door is the first hint Cyrene gets at what’s going on. Below the script in Xianzhou language, a single phrase written in Common.
‘Final match of the Annual Yuque Cup card game tournament.’
Her Nameless friends had mentioned once, how the Xianzhou is big on strategy games, whether played with cards or tiles. This tournament seems interesting, so Cyrene decides to check it out.
She wiggles her way past the people outside, passing by a screen lit up with the players’ scoreboard. On top, and with a considerable gap from second place, is written ‘Madam Yao’ in bold letters.
Cyrene’s eyebrows raise in surprise and she quickly moves to get a look at the table in the middle of the room.
The moment Cyrene sees her, Yao Guang’s gaze is already locked on hers, as if she’d seen the pink-haired woman even before she’d set foot in the building. That intense look is all the acknowledgement Cyrene gets because a moment later, the General is already focused on the game and her opponents again.
She looks satisfied, Cyrene thinks when she notices Yao Guang’s loose posture and relaxed features. With a lead of that many points, playing in the finals is probably nothing more than a formality.
Her opponents look extremely focused, to the point where their poker faces crack at the tiniest misfortune. One of them, an elderly man dressed like one of those people who works at the Divination Commission, back when Cyrene first arrived on the Yuque, seems to be already out of the game – no cards in his hands as he watches the others play.
A few more rounds, another player out.
Everyone in the room seems to be holding their breath as they watch their General and the last competitor fight for points. The stakes are so high that the first mistake any of the two make will also be their last.
Yao Guang looks more and more amused as the rounds pass, lazily watching how the young girl in front of her thinks carefully on her own strategy. She seems to be doing remarkably well, since she has her own smile on her face that creases the edges of the bright green eyes, almost hidden by her short, slightly messy brown hair.
Yao Guang draws three more cards from the small pile on the table and her face lights up in a way that is glorious, the look in her eyes is that of someone who has just found a treasure.
“I’m afraid our match ends here,” Yao Guang says as she spreads her whole hand of cards on the table, showing everyone her winning combinations. The look on her face, while unbearably smug, also seems genuinely happy.
If Cyrene had to guess, playing cards – or any other fun activity – must be quite the rare occurrence for someone as busy as a Xianzhou General. To see this woman so elated after winning a game has Cyrene looking at her with fondness.
The whole crowd cheers loudly at the end of the match, chanting the General’s name until they’re stopped by an elegantly raised hand and Yao Guang’s calm voice thanking everyone for participating. Then, all are encouraged to leave in an orderly manner and enjoy the celebrations outside. Cyrene chooses to stay put.
“Well played, Little Que!” says Yao Guang as she lightly ruffles her young opponent’s hair after she got up and walked over to her. The girl bats her hand away, muttering complaints with a pout on her face, the disappointment of losing written all over her face. The black and jade green robes the girl’s wearing are unlike anything Cyrene’s seen someone on the Yuque wears, though they’re distinctively Xianzhou in style – perhaps she came here from another flagship.
“Wouldn’t you agree with me, Miss Cyrene?” Yao Guang’s attention is on the pink-haired woman now, who quietly lingered by a window. Her eyes are as sharp and attentive as ever, but there’s warmth lingering in her irises too.
Cyrene straightens up immediately when she realizes she’s being spoken to.
“Oh, of course! That was quite an exciting match,” Cyrene says as she approaches them, bowing her head to the young woman. “I’m Cyrene. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Qingque. You play?”
“Uh – no. I don’t know any Xianzhou card games.”
“Heresy!” Qingque swiftly turns to the General, “You haven’t taught your friend how to play?!”
Thankfully, Yao Guang is too busy debating with Qingque about the proper ways to introduce outlanders to traditional card and strategy games to notice the way Cyrene’s cheeks faintly heat up at being called friends so naturally.
It’s a reaction that makes little sense to Cyrene. This woman basically saved her from a cruel end, without asking for anything in return – instead giving her a place to stay in and enough resources to last her ten lifetimes. They’re not friends, just… acquaintances, colleagues.
The General is objectively beautiful and charming, and Cyrene can tell that she’s truly a good person at heart, even if she hides behind her mysterious façade.
How could those pretty blue-violet eyes ever hold any malice, when they look at her in such a way that Cyrene could lose herself into them, and she really needs to get it together because she just realized that it’s just the two of them left in the room and they’re staring at each other.
Yao Guang smiles warmly, studying the look in Cyrene’s eyes.
“Fancy a card game?” Yao Guang asks softly, now that the room is quiet. “I’ll teach you the rules, then we’ll go for a few matches.”
“Sure,” Cyrene says as she moves to the offered seat at the table, the General moving to the opposite one. “I’ve never been all that good at playing cards, though.”
Yao Guang hums thoughtfully. “Somehow, I doubt that.”
“It’s true! You’ll see how unlucky I am.”
“Then I guess you’ll have quite a rough time against me.”
Yao Guang starts setting up the table, giving three cards to each of them. Four more cards are placed face-up between them, the remaining pile set on the side.
“Go easy on me?”
“Never, Miss Cyrene.”