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Ish had been observing him for a long time.
In experiment 1.5, Saparata died prematurely at the hands of a selfish player. At the time, Ish didn't pay much attention to him; he wasn't even there to witness his death. He was just another player, another death.
During experiment 1.7, Saparata's death was also tragic, but poetic in a way. Saparata spent his last minutes bleeding out on the cold floor of the place he had served with eternal loyalty. He never had the chance to win a duel against seven escapees, but winning wasn't what he sought; his intention was to buy time for the other elite guards to escape. His sacrifice saved lives, and he died with a serene expression, knowing that he had fulfilled his purpose. That was the first time he looked Ish in the eyes.
In his third life, during one of Ish's favorite experiments: 2.0, Saparata reached high, founding his own nation in a desert, caring for his citizens like a good leader, and taking his own life so that they would not have to bear his sins.
Sometimes, Ish could still see the moment when that leader of Theria fell from the tower of his own nation, looking like the feather of a white dove, elegant, soft, but falling with the weight of a thousand tons of guilt. And yet, even though his body had been shattered and twisted like a puppet with broken strings, a smile was on his crimson-splattered face. He looked as if he were sleeping, and in his dreams was the peace for which he had worked so hard.
The fourth time, Ish's mission was to get a little closer to Saparata
Not too much to avoid raising suspicions, but enough so that the frequent questions asked in these types of experiments became more banal, more everyday, and even friendly conversations.
It seemed that in this new round things might be calmer. Saps just wanted to live on a small island, far away from problems and drama, but specifically from the government, for some reason that Saps himself did not know, simply thinking about politics generated anguish and displeasure for no apparent reason so he avoided it.
And Ish was secretly relieved. The fact that Saparata was far from civilization gave him a better chance of survival until the experiment ended. Saps would be safe.
But that wasn't the case.
Ish had forgotten the small detail that, although at the beginning of each experiment the players (subjects) spawned with their memories already erased, they always found a way to reconnect, like an invisible bond, despite being “completely strangers.”
Jophiel and Fluixon were the first to orbit around Saps. The bond between the three in the previous civilization was very strong; both were very close to the leader of Theria and were the most devastated by his death. That same invisible bond caused Saps' doom in the new world.
The dreams of tranquility unraveled as soon as he accepted Jophiel's proposal to be a mediator.
The god wasn't entirely bothered by it; in fact, drama and problems were what he always sought in every experiment, and they loved it, but this time there was a kind of unease because Saps would be in the eye of the storm.
And suddenly there were dead leaders here and there, all fingers pointing at an innocent man whose only crime was trusting his dearest friend.
Ish was no stranger to feelings; just because he was a god did not mean he was completely devoid of them. He had once been human too, with physical pain, basic needs, and his feet firmly on the ground instead of floating in the air most of the time.
And over the course of five experiments, he had lived with these people, listened to their reasons, their motivations, their fears, shared their joys, attended weddings and funerals, but he never empathized with their fears or their sadness, never mourned someone he knew might return the next time.
Why did he feel that way about Saparata? Why did he worry that he would die if he knew that individual would return? Why did he feel the need to help him, knowing that meddling too much in the experiment could cost him everything?
He was there even before he appeared in front of him at the mine. He checked him out for a brief moment when he spawned, curious black eyes scanning the forest around him, eyes full of life in the face of immensity. And Ish had to go about his business without being able to say hello.
Then Ish materialized in the mine, asking questions and chatting with the group of people searching for minerals, and that proud smile Saps gave him for the diamonds he had found remained etched in his mind.
He floated invisibly beside him during the tour of Tricolor, witnessing the invisible bond that Jophiel and Saparata still shared.
He witnessed the first meeting between the leaders of the Island, recording only the essentials. And amid the discussion and bustle, he noticed the mediator's small gestures, nervous gestures beneath his serene face.
He watched the construction of his house, Luminara's group was there helping too, they shared jokes and food under the silent gaze of the god.
Who would have thought that friendship would take such a drastic turn in a matter of time?
He knew about the trap but couldn't and wouldn't say anything. Throughout Fluixon's monologue, his mind never stopped thinking about Saparata, about the consequences—death— Saps would face by being turned into Flux's sacrificial lamb.
He didn't show up at the trap meeting that killed six people because he knew that if he had been there, he would have intervened to prevent Saps' fatal fate. He wasn't present, but he teleported as soon as he could, arriving during Saparata's escape and stopping in the middle of the mangroves to catch his breath and talk.
Eyes widened with terror stared at him with such intensity that the feeling pierced him, his words heaving as he tried to explain himself.
"It had- I- it wasn't me, someone was in the roof"
"Im screwed, what am I supposed to do?"
Saparata lay down on the ground, his limbs giving way after hours of fleeing through dense terrain and tripping over his own tunic, now stained with blood and torn by branches during his escape. Ish remained there when the fugitive fell asleep from exhaustion, making sure no one was dangerously close.
During the trial, he remained invisible behind the disheveled figure of Saparata, who despite his deplorable condition remained steadfast in his determination to defend his innocence.
Ish didn't miss the inscrutable look and strange smile plastered on the face of the prosecutor, Thomas5200, Fluixon's right-hand man, who was enjoying Saps' anguish.
"Guilty on all counts!" declared the judge, and the god remembered those past deaths. Was Saparata destined (doomed) to die every time?
Then there was an unexpected turn of events. Saps fled once again halfway through his execution, surprising the witnesses and the god himself with his skills. He disappeared into the sunset in a boat, one hand pressed against a bleeding wound that he would tend to once he reached land.
The journey to Yggdrasil passed in the blink of an eye, or at least for the god. The poor fugitive spent a couple of days rowing, with occasional breaks to eat the few rations left in his inventory and the fish he managed to catch in the turbulent waters between the two islands.
On the shore of Island One, the leader of The Covenant was already waiting for him, along with members of his nation, settled with carp, awaiting the Pandorian.
Two weeks passed until most of the wounds healed and Saparata's condition improved. During this time, Saparata felt like he was in a feverish dream, in which Turntapp's presence and brief conversations kept him anchored to his consciousness.
Once he was able to stand on his own two feet without his knees trembling, Saps and Turntapp set out on a journey to convince the other leaders of Yggdrasil to become their allies, which ended in rejection and an attempted trap from which they were able to escape in time.
During all these events, in which Ish was only able to check in on Saparata a couple of times, it was easy for him to notice the dictator's obvious infatuation with the fugitive, and Saps seemed happy for the first time in months.
The next couple of (days) months flew by. In the (tenth day) eleventh month, all the stories culminated at a single point on the map: Infernus. One of the best battles Ish had ever witnessed took place there. Aculon was incredible with his Iron Torch, and how could we forget The Wooden Fence during the first experiment? However, the battle fought at The Ashen Bastion was beautiful to watch.
He was so absorbed in the attackers and defenders clashing on the volcano that he lost sight of Saps. Until a member of his team sent him a message via communicator informing him about the duel between Fluixon and Saparata in the Colosseum.
He watched silently, attentive to every clash of swords, attack, retreat, golden apple consumed, every labored breath and hit blocked by a shield. Until the final hit was struck and Flux's body fell onto the stone sun of the colosseum floor.
In the purple of his eyes was the reflection of Saparata, as on all those past occasions, only for the first time those black eyes were also looking at him.
Saps was undoubtedly a very enigmatic and captivating existence, not only for him, but also for many other people, and Ish knew this because he had heard pleas that had Saparata as their motive.
“Please, let's meet again, under different circumstances”
“Please, have a good and happy life”
“Stay by my side in Westhelm, please”
“Please, may your smile never fall again”
“Please, reciprocate my feelings”
“Next time, don't leave me so soon again, please”
The end had arrived. For them, it had been a mere year, but for him and the others outside the dome (simulation) a little more than a week had passed.
That's how experiments worked, nothing was what it seemed and the less known the better.
At 12:00 on the last day, everyone fell into a deep sleep. Both islands remained in total silence, while the memories of the remaining inhabitants were slowly and painlessly devoured, preparing them for experiment 2.7, which was almost ready to be carried out.
Ish stood up next to the inert body of Saparata, who had fallen carelessly onto a patch of grass next to the grave that he had built for Fluxion, unaware of the god's gaze.
He slumbered with the same peaceful expression he had had when he died all those times before, but for the first time there was no blood staining the ground, only loose white clothes scattered like a sheet beneath him.
Ish lifted him effortlessly into his arms, enveloping the limp body in a strange, unrequited embrace. Saparata's head fell onto his shoulder, causing a cascade of silver hair to fall onto his neat black suit, a soft breath that tickled his neck, and a distant warmth was transmitted to him. It had been so long since he had been deprived of human touch, years since he had abandoned his own humanity when he was selected as a creator, as a God.
Hundreds of emotions had been captured on that serene face. Curiosity, happiness, pride, sadness, hatred, and relief. And Ish was happy to have been there to witness each one of them.
“I bet you had fun this time, huh, Saps?” But the words were carried away by the wind, without a reply.