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33,550,337th Recurrence, Light Calendar 3960, Marmoreal Palace
“Alright, when you've tired yourself out, remember to come back. I'll be waiting for you here!”
Caelus gave Cyrene a tired smile as he quickly exited the bathing chamber. Though he was exhausted from the day’s events, he had something that he knew he needed to do. Resting before the banquet tomorrow night could wait, getting ready for the battle against Phagousa could wait. The only thing on his mind right now was a certain sea siren.
Hysilens.
He had known of her before, from his questions to Aglaea about the previous owner of the room he and Dan Heng stayed in. It started with an idle observation of just how much space there was to store food, which led to a loud snort from the usually impassive weaver, followed then by short story about her dearly departed friend. Aglaea seemed to regressed several decades when she spoke of the raven-haired knight, reminiscing with a wistful smile about arguments from centuries ago and recounting the minutia with eidetic accuracy.
Dan Heng had elected to step out after a while, but Caelus found himself mesmerized by tales of the enigmatic Demigod of the Oceans, how she had come to land, then served under Imperator Cerydra for over a century before seemingly vanishing right after the Imperator’s death.
It had been just curiosity in the previous recurrence, but now Caelus found himself unwittingly dredging up the information he had squeezed from Aglaea, all just to find Hysilens right now. Tired as he was, something told him that this was going to be the last chance he had to have a proper conversation with her before the battles ahead.
He paused as he entered the Hall of Respite, doing his best to recall what Aglaea had once told him about Hysilens’s habits. He glanced at the black door with gold trimmings on the far side of the hall, remembering that Aglaea had once mentioned a bar that Hysilens would occasionally go to if she wanted to drink outside of her room. He quickly made his way to the door, pushing it open and continuing further as he returned to thinking about the girl who had stunned him with her beauty.
Aglaea’s description of Hysilens hadn’t done her justice, at least in Caelus’s opinion. The strength she had when blowing back three Titankin at once, the grace she had when she ran to him, silencing him not only with her powerful gaze but also a single finger to his lips. He couldn’t have moved, not even if he wanted to, for the girl in front of him had robbed him of his mental faculties just by being so close to him.
Caelus shook his head, ridding himself of his embarrassment as he found himself in front of a regal-looking door. Recognizing the symbol at the front, with a large chalice supported by a stone pillar while watched by an eye from above, Caelus took a deep breath, summoning all his courage and walked through the door.
Only to be leered at by a large green dromas.
The large beast grunted, sniffing the surprised Caelus for a few seconds. With a loud grunt it shook its head and began to glare at Caelus. Too surprised to react, Caelus was almost knocked out of the bar when a voice came from inside.
“Ah, Little Gray Fry is with me,” Hysilens called.
The dromas paused mid-motion and slunk its head back. It gave Caelus a suspicious look before gesturing for him to go in. Caelus bobbed his head and slowly made his way in. Hysilens was sat at the bar, holding up a goblet with golden liquid sloshing around it.
“Come, sit,” she gestured airily at the seat next to her. Caelus resisted the urge to gulp, taking a few tentative steps towards the bar to sit beside the black-haired beauty.
“Thanks for that,” he muttered, glancing at the table as he spoke, his eyes scanning the drink in her hand. “What is that?”
“Honey brew, though it’s not very strong,” Hysilens remarked with a shrug. “I find myself without my usual bath, so I must content myself by drinking here instead.”
Caelus dipped his head slightly.
“Sorry, about that,” he mumbled.
“It’s alright,” Hysilens dismissed. “You and the pink sea hare are our cherished guests after all. Speaking of which, where is she? I was under the impression that you two were joined at the hip”
Caelus looked up in surprise, his eyes meeting her pearlescent ones for a brief moment. His eyes widened as he felt his words fail him for a moment.
“I … we … we aren’t like that,” he stammered. He took a moment to compose himself, taking a deep breath before continuing.
“Cyrene is … a friend, I guess? She used to be a pink rabbit-like creature but now she turned into a girl, so I’m not quite sure what to think.” Hysilens paused, giving him a look.
“So, she isn’t your mate?” she asked bluntly. Caelus quickly shook his head.
“If anything, I’m just watching over her until my buddy gets back,” he explained. “I’m single.”
The awkward pause that followed made Caelus want to run out of the room. Only when Hysilens began to giggle slightly did he realize that he hadn’t completely made a fool of himself.
“Ah, a situation not too dissimilar to mine then,” she commented. “Many seem to think that the Imperator and I share a … closer bond than we really do. As I said to you earlier, I am just a swordfish at her side, nothing more.”
“I … see…” Caelus replied slowly. He glanced up, noticing the white scales underneath her eyes, finding himself captivated by their intricacies, almost not hearing Hysilens’s next question to him.
“So, little gray fry, why did you come to seek my audience?” Hysilens asked after she took another sip. “I could feel you rushing out of the chamber doors like a shark on the hunt.”
“You could?” Caelus asked surprisedly. Hysilens’s smile widened slightly.
“The change in dampness in the air was quite apparent,” Hysilens replied with a hint of smugness. “Also, your current is very distinct.”
Hysilens took a longer sip before she continued.
“It’s warm and calming, like a tender flame,” she mused. “Yet powerful and resolute, like a bonfire.”
Caelus nodded along for a moment until he realized she was looking straight at him. Her pearlescent eyes seemed to light up as she scrutinized him. In that instant, all he could see was her, as the world faded away around him. The pearls and seashells that adorned her face, her blue and purple dress, illuminated by the faint glow of the bar. The soft bubbling of water from her abdomen up to her ribcage. Her ethereal beauty snatched his mental faculties from him, wresting all mental function until she spoke again.
“Why are you here?” Hysilens asked again, with a small hint of irritation building in the back of her voice.
“Sorry … but you’re so drop-dead gorgeous… I can’t…”
Caelus didn’t even register what he had said until a few moments later. The bar seemed stunned silent at his brazen declaration, only to be broken by a mirthful giggle from Hysilens. She put down her goblet, placing a red glove to her lips as she struggled to contain herself.
“Oh, Gray Fry, I …”
Her laughter rung out from beneath her glove, filling the bar with a melodious sound. Caelus slumped into his seat, feeling his cheeks burn red as he fought his urge to run away. He had faced the Antimatter Legion, Emanators of different Paths, and even several Titans, yet he couldn’t even muster a proper conversation with the girl he had been thinking about all this time. Still, embarrassed as he was, he couldn’t help but smile. Her laugh warmed his heart.
After a few more moments of mirthful chuckling, Hysilens was finally able to calm down. She gave Caelus a radiant smile and glanced at the dromas at the door and made a gesture with her hand. It glanced back, then thumped the ground twice.
“Thank you, Dux Liberalia,” she intoned, turning back to Caelus. “I have gotten us a private room, gray fry. Let me take you there.”
Hysilens swiftly moved from the bar stool, downing the rest of her drink as she did. She gave Caelus a gold-tinged smile as she extended her hand. He tentatively accepted the gesture and was pulled to his feet by her surprising strength. Without another word, Hysilens grabbed his hand and began leading him deeper into the bar.
They took a few turns before leading him into a small room. It had two plush sofas, as well as a fairly large wooden table in the middle, perfect to place a drink or several. Hysilens escorted Caelus into his seat before turning and elegantly planting herself on the seat on the other side.
“Well, now we can talk without prying fish,” she noted with a measure of mirth. “I’ll get a round of drinks, is there anything specific you want?”
Caelus, who had been slowly rocking on his knees, suddenly perked up.
“The Feast for the Titans,” he replied confidently. “Full course, undiluted.”
Hysilens paused, peering at him through her long bangs.
“Really, do you think you can handle that?” she inquired. “No human has made it past the fifth cup without stopping, Chrysos Heirs included.”
“Well, I’m … built different, you could say,” Caelus replied with a smile. “Plus, I wager you’ll match me.”
Hysilens’s eyes flashed. A small smile made its way to her face once again, and she couldn’t help but chuckle slightly.
“Very well then, ‘Deliverer’, let Hysilens, daughter of Phagousa, take your measure in this contest of drinking,” she replied seriously … before beginning to giggle again as she left to get the drinks. Caelus smiled, his nervousness beginning to dissipate as he got more comfortable with talking to her. After a few minutes, Hysilens returned with a pair of light-blue glasses.
“Here you go! The first round is the Flight of Janus,” she announced. “Savour its sweet-yet-powerful kick.”
Caelus took the glass from her. It was heavier than he expected but he knew what he had to do. With a quick heft of the glass, Caelus raised it to his lips and quickly drank its contents. He felt the kick immediately, as a rush of sweetness enveloped his mind. It was as though the ocean breeze swept through the room, refreshing, yet gusty.
“Impressive, Gray Fry,” Hysilens replied respectfully. “I didn’t think you’d down it in one gulp like that.”
“Well, good honey brew is meant to be drank in one go, right?” he replied with a smile. Hysilens mirrored his expression as she too downed her drink in one big gulp.
“Exactly right, Gray Fry. You have a good sense for these things,” she praised. She took the other glass and, with similar flair, quickly downed the glass in a single gulp, crooning slightly as she felt the refreshing gust fill her momentarily.
“You are a little different than I expected,” Caelus commented, putting down his glass. “I thought you would be more serious, or at least less willing to talk to me, like earlier in Dawncloud.”
“Well, I’ve had a few drinks,” Hysilens replied, putting her own glass down. “Also, I’m not on duty right now. Before you is Hysilens, daughter of the sea, not Dux Gladiorum, the Imperator’s Blade.”
“Then… I guess I’m Caelus, member of the Astral Express, rather than the Deliverer of Amphoreus,” Caelus mimicked. “Nice to meet you, Hysilens.”
“You too, Gray Fry,” she replied, smiling teasingly.
“You aren’t giving up on that nickname, are you?” Caelus asked, his brow furrowing slightly.
“Well, your hair is gray, and you’re a little fry. So, the nickname fits,” Hysilens explained, maintaining her teasing smile. Caelus exhaled a little, playing up his annoyance even if he didn’t really mind the nickname.
“I’m going to need to think of an embarrassing nickname for you too then,” he grumbled.
“I’ll be waiting~” Hysilens replied. “While you think, I’ll go get the second round!”
Hysilens bounded away, leaving Caelus alone for a few minutes. He leaned back, relaxing into the seat as he mulled over what he had planned to do. Vaguely, he recalled that Cyrene had mentioned that they’d need to get through Hysilens in order to convince Cerydra to assist them. At least Hysilens seemed happy to talk to him, even if she probably thought he was just a massive idiot at this point.
The raven-haired swordfish soon returned with a pair of glasses filled to the brim with azure liquid. She flashed a glimmering smile as she placed both glasses on the table with an audible thud.
“Aquila’s Remembrance,” she declared. “Legend has it that this was a brew concocted by the Sky Titan as a gift to Phagousa when they reconciled after their many squabbles. It is also Seneca’s favourite drink.”
“Bottoms up then,” Caelus replied, taking the glass in hand.
“Is that what people beyond the sky say when toasting?” Hysilens asked. “If so, then yes, bottoms up!”
The pair clunked their glasses together and downed the drink in a single gulp. Caelus felt as though a chilling gale swept through his body. It was quick, direct, and somehow still oddly refreshing. He exhaled audibly as he put down his glass, twirling it slightly while he kept it in hand.
“Oho, so you can indeed hold your drink. My compliments to you, Little Gray Fry,” Hysilens remarked.
“I’ve had stronger,” Caelus replied with a smirk. “Knocking me down isn’t that easy.”
“Good, I’d be disappointed otherwise,” Hysilens replied, placing her own cup down daintily. “I told Dux Liberalia to bring us the next few rounds, so we can talk without interruptions.”
Hysilens glanced over at him, scanning him for a few moments before reaching her hand out.
“The stage is yours, Little Gray Fry,” she intoned invitingly, batting her eyelids as she spoke. Caelus steeled himself, allowing the unexpected assault on his senses to roll over him.
“In that case, I have something for you,” he replied, reaching into his coat. Hysilens gave him a curious look that turned into one of recognition when she saw what he was holding.
“A Boneflute of Fish-Calling?” she breathed, her eyes lighting up in wonder. “I haven’t seen one of these in decades. Where’d you get this?”
“I actually crafted it myself,” Caelus explained. “When I was exploring Styxia in the past recurrence, I stumbled upon the recipe in an old book that somehow survived all those years. My treasure-appraising buddy told me a bit about what these were, so I decided to make one for fun.”
Hysilens picked up the grey flute, examining the coral adornments and seashells for a few moments.
“You know, you’re supposed to play it for fish to come up to the surface,” she remarked. “Then, if a sea siren answers your duet, that’s when you can trade with her.”
“Ah, I didn’t know,” Caelus replied, rubbing the back of his head. “The book didn’t go into detail about it.”
“A detail lost to time, I suppose,” Hysilens replied with a shrug. “It is what it is.”
She paused, slipping into contemplation for a moment.
“Ah, but I am without scales to trade with you,” she noted, handing the flute back to him. “I’m afraid I cannot accept this flute.”
“Take it as a peace offering,” Caelus replied, shifting back into his seat to avoid her hand. “An apology for barging into your room while you were bathing.”
“I already told you, I don’t care that you saw me bathing,” Hysilens remarked dryly. “Don’t feel the need to make right what isn’t wrong.”
“Then… just take it as a gift?” Caelus asked, looking into her eyes. Hysilens froze, seemingly caught off guard by his insistence. After a few moments, she sighed, taking the flute and putting it by her side.
“I’ll have to think of something to trade to you,” she muttered her brow furrowing slightly. “All I have are the pearls and shells that are parts of my outfit. I wouldn’t mind parting with them, but Dux Goldweaver would scold me for ruining my look.”
“Yeah, Aglaea would probably complain about having to design a new outfit for you,” Caelus agreed. “Something about balancing each part to make sure the correct bits are emphasized.”
Hysilens giggled.
“Heh, you know her well,” she remarked. “Too true. I’ve heard so many of her criticisms over the years, I could become a weaver myself!”
Caelus chuckled at her joke, their mirthful laughter harmonizing for a few fleeting moments. Dux Liberalia took the opportunity to enter, providing the pair with another round of drinks.
“Thank you, Dux,” Hysilens said to the dromas, raising the wooden goblet as she spoke. She turned back to Caelus, with a challenging look in her eye. “This is Georios’s Delight, a brew supposedly made to placate the Titan when it went on one of its rare rampages. Do try to drink it in one go~”
Caelus smirked, clinking his glass with hers before quickly draining its contents in one go. The green liquid poured like a raging fire into his throat, scalding, yet quickly giving rise to a burgeoning calmness in its wake. Caelus slammed his goblet on to the table, which Hysilens matched with equal gusto.
“Whoa, that really kicks,” Caelus remarked, twirling the goblet slightly. Hysilens simpered slightly at his remark.
“It is supposed to be strong enough to placate a Titan,” she reminded. “A little kick like that isn’t even a tickle to Dux Terrae, let alone the Earth Titan itself.”
“Dux Terrae?”
“Ah … you may know them as Terravox, the Demigod of Earth,” Hysilens explained. “They are a great dragonfish, the Dromas King, who has sworn their loyalty to the Flame-Chase.”
“You sound like you know him well,” Caelus noted, glancing pointedly at the goblets they had just drained.
“Terravox was key to the battle against Georios,” Hysilens explained, idly swirling her empty goblet as she spoke. “Where the Imperator’s army faltered, Terravox stood tall, forcing its way into the mountain and conquering it after a three-day battle.”
“It’s surprising that the Imperator’s army wasn’t able to defeat Georios on your own,” Caelus remarked, glancing intently at the distracted Hysilens. “Did the Imperator not deploy you for that mission?”
Hysilens paused, muttering something too quietly for Caelus to hear.
“What?”
The black-haired siren looked up, gazing at him through her bangs. A small pout had etched itself on her face, as her face flushed with a hint of gold.
“I … couldn’t complete the hunt…” she muttered, slightly louder than before. Caelus didn’t reply, electing to wait for her elaboration.
“It was deep underground; I couldn’t swim properly…” she complained. “… I could have slain the Titan if I tried again, I know it!”
Caelus laughed, making Hysilens’s pout intensify more as she glared at him.
“It sounds like you enjoyed the hunt at least,” he commented, affixing Hysilens with a knowing gaze. Her pout quickly vanished. She blinked, before a small smile returned to her face.
“You’re right, I did,” Hysilens remarked, gazing fondly at the goblet in her hand. “It was a glorious hunt, even if I was unable to triumph in the end.”
Caelus stayed silent for a few moments as a thought popped into his mind. He unconsciously bit his lip, wondering if he should voice the question weighing on his mind before curiosity got the better of him.
“You … don’t enjoy your usual ‘hunts’, do you,” he asked quietly.
Hysilens froze. She glanced at Caelus, her expression rapidly regressing to the melancholic aloofness that she commonly wore.
“As the Imperator’s humble subject, I cannot freely express my views on this matter,” she replied coldly. “Please, forgive me.”
Hysilens affixed Caelus with a withering look, warning him from treading any further in the topic as she curled up slightly. The bubbling water in her midsection slowed considerably, as though waiting with bated breath for his next words. Despite the daunting situation, Caelus knew what he needed to say next.
“I know a girl from beyond the sky,” he began. “She is an enforcer and is known galactically as a terrorist who has killed millions, if not billions of people, wiping out cities and even destroying a few planets in the name of the Finality.”
Hysilens didn’t react, simply waiting for him to continue.
“She once told me that she had to shut off her emotions when working, to preserve what little remained of her heart. She said that it was the only way she could enjoy life, eat the Oak Cake Rolls she loves so much, or relax in the calm meadows that she likes to hang out in.”
Hysilens’s expression was unreadable as she mulled over Caelus’s words. Slowly, her frosty demeanor softened, and a hint of vulnerability peeked out from under her long bangs.
“… it … never gets easier, does it,” she murmured. Caelus shook his head.
“It shouldn’t ever,” he insisted. “But… if you truly believe in your cause, the Imperator’s cause, then that is enough of a reason to swing your blade, isn’t it?”
Hysilens was silent for a few moments.
“In the end, I am nothing but an instrument of my master’s will,” Hysilens murmured melancholically.
“Didn’t you say that the Imperator gives us all the right to our own thoughts?” Caelus recalled. “Can’t you … ask her to not assign you such ‘hunts’?”
Hysilens glanced up, smiling sadly as she twirled her goblet.
“I am the only fish for these ‘hunts’,” she replied. “The Imperator’s trust is hard to earn, and the completion of these ‘hunts’ are critical to the Flame Chase’s success. So, I must swim as she commands.”
Caelus furrowed his brow, feeling a burgeoning irritation at the white-haired monarch.
“She’s quite insensitive, no?” he murmured.
Hysilens paused, blinking a few times.
“Don’t let her hear that, or she’d have you imprisoned for slander,” she replied, as a modicum of mirth returned to her eyes.
“I’ll make sure to tell her to her face then,” Caelus remarked indignantly.
His comment elicited another peal of giggling from Hysilens, who raised her glove to her lips to try to contain herself. Caelus couldn’t help but smile as he watched her relax, her hunched shoulders opening up more as she relaxed back onto the plush seat. Dux Liberalia popped its green head in once again, this time carrying two glasses filled with white liquid at the bottom and blue liquid on top. Hysilens “oohed” in recognition, taking the goblet and swirling it slightly.
“This is Talanton’s Last Whisper,” she explained, smiling a little as she examined the cup. “Cerydra asked me to make her a cocktail fit for her, and so I mixed some moon-fruit juice with a blue brew that warms you like an eternal flame.”
“That’s pretty fitting,” Caelus remarked. “Do you make it for her often?”
“Cerydra doesn’t drink frequently,” Hysilens replied, her expression falling slightly. “Only really during banquets, and even then, I have to badger her into doing so.”
The pair clinked their glasses together and quickly drained them in unison. Caelus felt the rushing fire threaten to consume him as the blazing liquid surged down his throat. It felt powerful, even a little unnerving, as it burned down his gullet, leaving him gasping for air.
“Powerful, right?” Hysilens remarked with a smile. “You have done well to make it this far. Only Verginia has come close, and even then, she needed to take a break after this cup.”
“That … was tough, but rules are meant to be broken!” Caelus replied through gritted teeth, steeling himself as he felt the aftertaste surge through him. Hysilens giggled a little, twirling her glass.
“You’ve already made it to the fourth cup,” she noted. “You may be the first human to actually complete the Medley.”
“That’ll be… urgh… a bloody fight to the end…” Caelus murmured. He felt his senses waver as his body took stock of the quantity of alcohol he had consumed. Though his vision began to swim, he continued to stay awake, grinning weakly at Hysilens.
“Heh, spoken like the Imperator herself,” Hysilens complimented, twirling her glass. “You know, you actually remind me of her sometimes.”
“I do?” Caelus asked, surprisedly, taking a moment to mull over her words. “Because I barged into your room while you were bathing?”
“No, no, she’s never done that before,” Hysilens replied with a chuckle, staring at her empty glass as she put it down.
“You both share a heavy burden that has been foisted upon you by others,” she noted. “Yet both of you continue to chase your goals without fear.”
Hysilens took a moment to think, twirling her glass before she continued.
“Cerydra is like a blazing sun, powerful enough to compel everyone to follow her. She is blinding, scalding, but she is a light that shines all the way to the bottom of the sea.”
Caelus mulled over her words for a moment. Hysilens had a strange expression on her face, flitting between wistful and contemplative as she fiddled with the goblet in hand.
“I’ve read a bit about her exploits, and the legendary campaigns you two have gone on,” he mentioned. “You two have accomplished a lot together.”
“Not just me, Gray Fry,” Hysilens reminded. “Labienus and Seneca are just as instrumental to the Flamechase army’s glories on the battlefield. Apollonius served with valuable insight taken from the Grove, and Verginia has always been our adroit scribe.”
“Oh, I didn’t know,” Caelus mentioned. “I’ll have to talk to them more; they sound like they have some stories to tell.”
“If you have time, talk to Terravox as well,” Hysilens mentioned. “They are a being longer-lived than even I. Though they are tight-lipped by nature, I’m sure someone as easy to get along with like you can get him to recount some tales.”
Hysilens flashed a glimmering smile at Caelus. He felt his heart palpitate, as his cheeks burned from the captivating gaze of the sea siren in front of him.
“I’m … not as impressive as you’re making me sound,” Caelus admitted, the words falling out of his mouth before he could stop himself. “I … I’m not even supposed to be the Deliverer of Amphoreus. That title belongs to my buddy, who is holding back Irontomb as we speak.”
Caelus put down his goblet, relaxing his muscles completely as he continued to let out his emotions pour out.
“By the time I made it to the Vortex of Genesis, everyone else had died. Trianne, Castorice, Anaxa, Agalea, Hyacine… oh god, what happened to her…” Caelus broke off, his words failing him as he recalled what Dan Heng had grimly told him about what the pink-haired physician had done to preserve the sky for the fleeting moments before Era Nova was completed. He struggled to force down the bile that threatened to escape his throat, but he held still. His comrades, his friends, they deserved to be remembered, even if their memories were forevermore lost to time.
“Cipher… I heard she stalled the Flame Reaver to her last, Tribbie and Mydei kept him at bay until their bodies gave out, Trinnon stayed with us until the very end, opening the portal while Dan Heng …”
Caelus trailed off again as memories of his missing friend surfaced once more. He and March, they were still missing somewhere. Herta and Screwllum had assured him that they were fine, but something in the back of his mind still made him worry.
He missed them, he missed them dearly.
A few tears began falling from his eyes as he realized just how lonely he had been feeling. All his friends were gone. Even Mem, his erstwhile companion, was now Cyrene. She had done her best to be positive and upbeat, but it was difficult to reconcile that the pink, bunny-like creature he had grown attached to was now a girl who looked so eerily similar to Phainon’s old friend. Who was she? Were they the same person? Where did she come from? The questions kept coming, and he didn’t know where to go. Caelus coughed and was about to begin speaking again when he felt a finger to his lips.
“You needn’t say any more, Gray Fry,” Hysilens murmured. “Though I cannot claim to know your strife as well as you do, I can at least empathize with the losses you have endured.”
Caelus paused, wanting to speak, but the sea siren’s finger kept his lips pursed. She glanced at him with a soft, understanding gaze and slowly retracted her finger.
“Would you like an embrace, Little Gray Fry?” she asked softly.
Caelus blinked twice, then slowly nodded. Hysilens smiled sweetly, swiftly slid over to his seat, and quickly enveloped him in a chaste embrace. Her skin was surprisingly cool to the touch, and Caelus could feel the bubbling of the ocean water in her midsection on his own. It pumped slowly, pulsing calmly and regularly, like a soft heartbeat that slowly calmed his racing heart down. Slowly, he too returned the embrace, lightly pressing her closer to him.
“… loss is a constant on the Flame-Chase Journey,” Hysilens intoned wistfully. “I myself have endured many losses during the war against the Black Tide, both in the ocean and on the land. My sisters and I were tasked by Phagousa to keep the Black Tide at bay, and many of them succumbed to the corruption. Those who haven’t perished now serve the corrupted Titan we will soon be hunting.”
Caelus shuddered as his tears began to try up. He hummed, nodding for her to continue.
“When I first came ashore, I thought my heart had hardened and wouldn't accept companions from this strange sea. Instead, I found myself slowly beginning to care about the humans that marched with me. Ulixes, the cunning lancer from Kremnos, Zelos, the pious martialist from Januopolis. They were my companions for decades, yet they fell during the defence of Okhema. Countless others as well, too many to mention.”
“How… do you keep going on?”
“To make sure that we lose nobody else,” Hysilens replied. “So that the banquet at the end of the Flame-Chase is as full as it can be.”
Caelus felt Hysilens’s embrace tighten somewhat. The bubbles in her midsection had sped up considerably, matching her increasingly hurried breathing pattern. Words he had once heard echoed in his mind, and he felt it only right to bring them up.
“For those we have lost, and those we may yet save.”
Hysilens started slightly, grabbing him even closer to her than before.
“That… you worded it better than I could, gray fry,” Hysilens murmured. “You are correct. For those we have lost, and those we may yet save.”
After a few moments of contemplation, Hysilens began shuddering slightly. Though initially alarmed, Caelus soon realized that she was giggling again.
“What’s up?”
“I was trying to comfort you, but you ended up comforting me instead,” Hysilens replied between chuckles. “You really are a warm harbor, little gray fry. A warm, comforting current that makes sure all those around you are well.”
Caelus rubbed the back of his head as he pulled away from the embrace. From beneath her bangs, he could see that Hysilens’s pearlescent eyes were slightly glassier than they were before. She blinked, and the unshed tears vanished.
“I suppose in that regard, you aren’t much like Cerydra,” she murmured.
“You’re right,” Caelus replied with a sigh. “I’m no great hero, just someone who is way in over his head.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Hysilens replied quickly. “Besides, do you think that the Imperator doesn’t have her own doubts? That she isn’t sometimes just a fish lost at sea?”
“Even if she did, I doubt she’d show it like I do,” Caelus replied defensively.
“No. She’d shut herself in her room, not allowing anyone to see her. After the one of her rare losses at the Battle of the Skiana, she wouldn’t see anyone three days,” Hysilens replied. Her face was marred by an irritation Caelus hadn’t seen before, as she continued her tale.
“I stood outside her room for three days, playing a song to keep her company,” Hysilens said. her lips pursed slightly as she recalled the exasperating memories. “She would barely eat; she didn’t sleep; and only focused on her chessboard and figuring out a strategy to defeat the Skianian fleet. And when she left her room? Just a nod at me, ‘Thank you Dux Gladiorum,’ and not a word more”
Hysilens let out a sigh, seemingly relieved to have finally spoken her piece. She stood up, knocked on the door, and waited for a moment before the green dromas popped his head back in, this time with a pair of metallic goblets filled with red liquid.
“Mnestia’s Heartache,” Hysilens remarked. “A brew that needs no introduction.”
Without waiting for Caelus, Hysilens quickly downed the brew in one go. Caelus too followed suit, feeling the rushing tide of the brew surge through his body. It seemed to directly go to his heart, causing it to throb, much like it had earlier this night.
“Much better,” Hysilens murmured. “I quite needed that. Please forgive my earlier outburst, it was unbecoming of me.”
“Yeah, don’t worry about it,” Caelus replied, fiddling with his goblet. The obvious question had entered his mind. He hesitated, unsure if he wanted to ask, unsure if he wanted to know the answer.
“Um… Hysilens… can I ask…”
“What my personal thoughts on the Imperator are?” Hysilens finished. Caelus’s surprise was evident as he glanced owlishly at her.
“Were my thoughts that obvious?” he asked embarrassedly.
“To this fish, yes,” Hysilens replied with a wry smile. “Your current grew misty, like a storm just took root in your heart.”
She giggled slightly before she continued.
“In truth… I am unsure,” she replied slowly. “I do not feel the honeyed pinings of Mnestia for her, nor do I feel the heat of Nikador surge in my heart when she isn’t around.”
Hysilens paused for a moment to think of how to continue.
“I feel a great gratitude to Cerydra, for rescuing me from the abyss that I had thrown myself into. I was lost, trying to find clarity through bloodshed, a wandering swordfish with no master to call her own. She is … my sun. My light, my fire. She … holds my heart; bound by the oath I swore to her that fateful day.”
Hysilens glanced at Caelus, watching to make sure he was following her every word.
“But… she is distant, and cold. An eternal fire, colder than ice,” Hysilens explained. “She guards her heart with a layer of permafrost, and even after a century of servitude, I have yet to understand the whispers in her heart.”
Hysilens sighed, her gaze downturned as she continued further.
“If I yearn, it is for Cerydra to finally let someone into her heart. Be it me, or someone else, I simply hope for her to find a companion, a friend, who she can open up to. As a swordfish by her side, all I can see is her loneliness, yet I am powerless to help her in this most crucial way.”
She glanced back at Caelus, a small, sad smile now adorning her face.
“Perhaps you–” she began before abruptly stopping herself. Her words hung in the air for an awkwardly long moment, before Hysilens coughed slightly, shaking her head.
“Actually, no, you two would be a horrid pair,” she muttered quickly. “She would burn out your warm harbor, leaving nothing left … and you would not be able to keep up with her incessant demands…”
Caelus chuckled a little as he watched Hysilens continue to babble, earning him a small pout from the sea siren princess.
“You’re right,” he interrupted, his grin widening. “She seems like she’d need someone completely selfless, able to devote their entire self and being to her. Someone able to set aside any wishes they may have in order to fulfil her selfish whims, and to spend an eternity conquering for her ambitions.”
Hysilens shot him a look.
“That is a poor description of me at best,” Hysilens remarked, her expression turned downcast. “I already offer everything that I can to her, and I know it’s not enough. I sing, I dance, I play, all at her command, yet she refuses to budge.”
Hysilens stays quiet for a few seconds, her goblet resting on the old wooden table as she stared silently at it. Her expression turned frosty, much like it always did when she thought hard about the Imperator. Caelus took in a deep breath, casting away his hesitation as he decided to speak.
“She must know how much she means to you,” he asked quietly. Hysilens’s forlorn expression turned wistful for a brief instant.
“I know she enjoys hearing my playing,” she mentions. “But she is always quick to raise her guard, to keep it from entering her heart. I know not if she cares, only that she is determined to remain alone. Sometimes, I wonder if she even knows what I am playing for.”
“But… you’ll be by her side, all the way to the end, right?”
Hysilens smiled sadly.
“As a subject, and nothing more,” she declared with finality. “I believe, deep in my heart, that she will always only consider me just as one of the Imperator’s subjects. Even on her deathbed, that will not change.”
The green dromas peeked it head in at the point, offering four cups this time. Hysilens glanced over, thanking the dromas then at the drinks. She paused, giving the cups a confused look.
“Thanatos’s Misery?” she asked aloud. “It’s supposed to be Cerces’ Elucidation … but I suppose this is more fitting. The other is Zagreus’s Whimsy… which is a little less so.”
The pair silently took the dark-purple drinks together. The heavy feeling in his heart seemed to only compound, as though the reaper’s scythe had found its way to throat. He glanced at Hysilens, watching as she seemed to sink deeper into her seat. She rested her head on her left sleeve, her melancholic gaze affixed on the empty glass as she curled up completely. She looked ephemeral, like a bubble about to burst at any moment if Caelus didn’t say something.
“So… we should get her a sun…”
Hysilens blinked.
“A what?”
“A sun, you know, a big star. One so bright, so blinding, that she can’t look away from it,” Caelus elaborated. “One that can melt that permafrost around her heart, to make her understand that you stand together with her.”
Hysilens gave him an owlish look.
“That… is absurd…” she began, rising out of her curled state. “Besides, what makes you think she wouldn’t rend that sun from the skies, force it to swear fealty to her, and make it one of her dukes?”
“In that case, then she’d have a sun at her side to conquer the stars with,” Caelus replied with a smile. “One that will make sure she is never lonely again.”
Hysilens’s melancholy cracked as she couldn’t help but titter gently at his outlandish joke.
“And where would you find such a sun, Gray Fry?” she asked. “I don’t suppose you’ve spoken to any sentient stars?’
“None so far, but in the vastness of the universe, who’s to say there isn’t one?” Caelus replied, playing up his smugness. Hysilens broke out into a fit of giggles.
“In that case … she’d finally have a companion fit for her …” Hysilens remarked.
“And you’ll be there too. And I will as well,” Caelus reminded. Hysilens looked up.
“But–”
“She will always need her most loyal knight,” Caelus affirmed. “The one she can trust with all her heart to carry out her wishes no matter what.”
Hysilens looked up at Caelus, her bangs obstructing her vision slightly as her expression shifted, turning from melancholy to one of pensive hope.
“I am just a little fish…” she murmured, eyeing the Zagreus’s Whimsy in the corner of her eye. “That burden, it is too great. The brilliant sea of stars is so blinding, yet Cerydra’s ambitions burn brighter still…”
“Then, I will bear that burden with you,” Caelus replied quietly. Hysilens shifted, her bangs parting to allow their gazes to meet.
“You … will?”
“As a fellow subject of the Imperator,” Caelus began, “and also as a friend. I don’t want to see you lose yourself to your duty.”
Hysilens was stared silently into Caelus’s eyes for a few moments. An hour ago, he would have been frozen in shock, mesmerized by depths of her eyes. But now, his eyes were unclouded, as he stared back with brimming conviction.
“You… that… I don’t even…”
Hysilens shifted her gaze, murmuring to herself as she shifted slightly in her seat. Her right hand came up to fiddle with her long right bang as she looked up at Caelus.
“That’s the first time … you are the first … to offer to share my burden like this. My first …” she murmured. With her cheeks tinged gold, she reached out to the glass of Zagreus’s Whimsy.
“Let’s drink,” she announced. “To our unbreakable promises.”
“To our unbreakable promises,’ Caelus agreed.
Their glasses clinked, and they once again downed their drinks in a single gulp. A rush of color seemed to fill his vision, reminding him of the wonders of Penacony. He felt the world lurch, but somehow, he didn’t feel ill or upset. He felt his head hit the table, as his gaze lolled to the side. Hysilens reached out to him, holding a goblet of clear liquid in hand.
“Cerces’ Elucidation,” she murmured. “Please drink, I promise it will help.”
Too far gone to put up any resistance, he opened his mouth, allowing the sea siren to pour the liquid down his throat.
And suddenly, he was able to sit up.
“Wait… was that…”
“Water, yes,” Hysilens replied with a coy smile. “Cerces legendarily despises irrationality and thus does not like to consume alcohol. Thus, no drink more perfectly suits them than this, don't you agree?”
“That makes sense, I guess,” Caelus mumbled. “I definitely feel more lucid, how does that work.”
“Well, the brew is more complex than just water,” Hysilens explained. “I won’t bore you with the details, just know that it’s supposed to help with the remaining drinks.”
“I think I need a minute…” Caelus murmured, still feeling a little woozy from the rapid shifts in emotions that he had just felt.
“Understandable, Little Gray Fry,” Hysilens teased. “You have already trodden far further than any human has gone on this medley. Only three Titans remain.”
“I won’t fall back…” Caelus murmured. Hysilens laughed softly, her right hand playing with her bangs once more.
“I’m certain you won’t,” she agreed, sitting back in her seat. “While I wait for you to gather your senses, I will entertain one question from you. Take it as an honor for lasting this long. Please, ask away.’
“A question?” Caelus asked groggily.
“Yes, anything,” Hysilens replied, smiling sweetly. “What more do you want to know of me?”
Caelus didn’t need even a moment to reply.
“What do you want to do after we are successful in the Flame-Chase journey?”
His question struck Hysilens by surprise and she froze partway through playing with her bangs. Her eyes locked onto his, scrutinizing him for a moment before briefly looking away.
“What I desire is the same as always. A feast.”
“What kind of feast?” Caelus murmured. “Can you describe it to me?”
Hysilens paused for a moment, caught off guard by the insistence of the question. All other times this question had been asked, she had not once thought more about what the affair would entail.
“A feast that overshadows all others must have food and drink to compare,” she began. “Delicacies from across the world, with brew to match. The plates would never run empty; the cups will never run dry.”
Hysilens smiled as she continued to imagine.
“There would be a massive bonfire, and a giant grape pit for anyone to make their own brews, poets singing of the glories that we have won, bards plucking at harps, and the sound of laughter ringing throughout the city. Song and dance would ring throughout the majestic halls, as attendees totter about drunkenly, and making merry in a sunlit courtyard.”
She smiled, imagining the scene in her head before continuing.
“The entire Flame-Chase army would be in attendance. Labienus, Seneca, Apollonius, Verginia, and I will hold a fine toast, drinking from one of Phagousa’s Twelve Vintages, as we watch over the event from a balcony. The Imperator would be presiding over the feast and all her subjects. She would have a peaceful smile, one that has finally achieved the long-awaited victory. Though she will have grander plans in the future, for this one feast, she will let them rest and enjoy the festivities.”
“Wouldn’t you go join her for a drink?” Caelus asked, his mind beginning to knot itself back together.
“Oh, I would,” Hysilens replied quickly. “Just later, when the majority of the attendees were deep in their cups. Seneca would have lost to Verginia in another drinking contest, and Labienus would have long since fallen asleep. At that point, I would take a cup of the sweetest nectar up to the highest dais where the Imperator would be standing, gazing up at the stars. She would nag and try to push me away, but after a while, we would … hmm…”
Hysilens paused, deep in thought, gazing intently at the empty goblet.
“What is it?” Caelus mentioned.
“It feels like something is missing,” Hysilens confessed. “I haven’t included how you, or the other Demigods to come would partake in the celebration.”
Caelus thought for a moment, immersing himself in the dream that Hysilens had conjured up.
“I think I can complete your picture then,” he noted quietly. “Tribbie and her sisters would be trying to drink, failing to finish even a few small glasses, but being happy all the same. Aglaea and Anaxa would have a loud argument while completely drunk, while Hyacine and Castorice try to mediate bertween them. Cipher would probably be goading them along. Phainon and Mydei… they’d be trying to out-drink each other, only to fall when you bring out your stronger stuff. All the while, Cyrene would be laughing with everyone and recording down what happened.”
“I … can see it too,” Hysilens mentioned with a smile. “But you have forgotten to mention yourself. Where would you be in the celebration?”
Caelus froze.
“I … don’t know…” he admitted. “I can’t really picture myself there.”
“Then I must insist that you come along with me throughout the whole affair,” Hysilens demanded. “You and I would make sure the entire feast is going as planned, the music to everyone’s liking, the food and drink flowing like rivers into the sea. We would toast with each of the comrades we fought with along our journey. At the end, we would both ascend the silvery steps to toast with the Imperator under the sea of stars.”
“Wouldn’t I be in the way?” Caelus asked, feeling slightly embarrassed. Hysilens laughed, shaking her head merrily.
“You would be the guest of honor!” she declared. “Plus, I have a feeling that you and I together would be able to convince the Imperator to finally drink the undiluted Talanton’s Final Whisper that she still has yet to taste.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll join for one drink,” Caelus conceded. “But afterwards, you two deserve your moment alone, away from everyone else, to savor the victory that you two have earned.”
“Very well,” Hysilens yielded, smiling radiantly as she got up, leaning back into her seat.
“It will be the eternal feast. The one that Phagousa once promised, the one that the Imperator promises. And now, the one that the Deliverer promises as well.”
She flashes Caelus a coy smile, as though daring him to disagree.
“Well, I asked for a reason,” Caelus replied with a reassuring smile. “I’ll know what to do when the time comes.”
“I will hold you to that,” Hysilens chirped back. Caelus nodded, smiling resolutely and sitting up properly. The green dromas once again popped their head in, making a few sounds as they placed a pair of mugs with blood-red liquid within them.
“From the last of the Calamity Titans, Nikador’s Wrath,” Hysilens announced. “This was made using Verginia’s notes on the most potent drinks from Kremnos. I found it a little too watered down, so I increased the potency a bit more to suit my liking.”
With another clink, the pair quickly their drinks once more. Caelus felt as though he had been set on fire, burning with an intensity that rivalled a sun. He shuddered, feeling the effects of the brew quite potently clash with the drinks that he already had. Hysilens seemed no worse for wear and instead was quietly humming a tune to herself.
“Having trouble, Little Gray Fry?” she teased. Caelus tottered slightly.
“Nothing … I can’t handle … I … can keep … going,” he murmured. Though his vision swam, he still managed to keep himself upright. He had one more question he was determined to ask, even if only for Hysilens’s sake.
“What … do you … want … after?”
“… what do you mean?”
“After the feast … what do you want to do?”
Hysilens stared at Caelus for a few moments. The mirth faded from her eyes as she beheld him for a few moments.
“That’s… also the first time I’ve been asked that …” she murmured. She looked away for a moment, off into the distance.
“I suppose, I will set off on the Imperator’s quest to conquer the stars,” she remarked detachedly. “It will be a difficult task, preparing for such a grand ambition.”
“That’s what Dux Gladiorum wants,” Caelus argued. “But what does Hysilens, daughter of the sea, want?”
Caelus’s comment shocked Hysilens into silence. She exhaled, her arms falling loosely by her sides as she contemplated his question.
“I … don’t know,” she replied after a while. “I … I’ve never thought about it. Ever since I embarked on the Ocean Titan’s crusade, I have only known bloodshed. The feasts I have had … they were what tided me between the battles … the blood…”
Hysilens curled up slightly, bringing her knees up to her chest as she pondered this final question further.
“You… you’re an insightful gray fry,” she teased lightly. Caelus offered her no response, forcing Hysilens to continue herself.
“I suppose… when everything is done. When the cups have run dry and the guests have gone home … I would like to make myself a new violin,” she murmured. “Long ago, I meticulously crafted a violin using conch shells and pearls. The blades I use to this day are the remnants of that violin and its bow…”
She sat up, breathing in deeply in and out.
“I want to make a new violin, one that is free from the wails of spilled blood. I want to compose melodies that move the heart, songs that come from my own.”
Her declaration was met with a reassuring nod from Caelus, who smiled warmly.
“I ... will make sure you’re able to do that when we are victorious,” he noted softly. Hysilens smiled widely, her cheeks tinged gold as she did.
“Then, when you do, I will compose a song and play it to you at the ocean at the boundaries of the world,” she declared.
“I’ll have to come up with some dance moves or something,” Caelus remarked. “It’ll be our little duet we perform with one another.”
The two began giggling, then laughing together melodiously. For a moment, time seemed to pause as they basked in the glow of their newly made promise. Then, it shattered, as Hysilens’s teleslate suddenly came to life. She picked up the device, forcing the mirth to quickly drain from her expression as she read the message that had just come in.
“Ah … the Imperator calls,” she mentions. “I am to report to her anon.”
She glances at the empty goblets that they had on the table, frowning slightly.
“It seems we cannot finish our medley tonight,” she mentions, glancing at Caelus. “Probably for the best, considering your current predicament.”
“Does she need you to get ready for the banquet?” Caelus asked. Hysilens nodded.
“Perceptive again, Little Gray Fry,” she replied with a wry smile. “I have a particularly difficult task ahead of me, so I will need to make some preparations. With luck, my task will be dealt with by the time the banquet proper has begun, so I can at least participate in some of the festivities.”
“We can finish the last two drinks then too,” Caelus offered. “Otherwise, Kephale and Phagousa would be lonely.”
“Mayhaps,” she remarked. “If I am able to steal a few moments after the banquet, I would like to do that.
Hysilens stood up, elegant as usual despite the number of drinks she had consumed in the past few hours. She glanced at Caelus, nodding farewell gently and turning to leave. Though deeply intoxicated, Caelus felt a nagging feeling somewhere in the back of his mind. For some reason, he felt that he needed to say one more thing, or he would lose the opportunity to forever.
“Hysilens, wait.”
The sea siren paused, looking back at him.
“What is it, Gray Fry?” she asked, almost timidly.
“I just want you to know … no matter what happens, do not give up on making a choice, even if you’re about to be forgotten.”
“What… do you mean?”
“The value of choice lies in unwavering resolve… so never, ever lose faith.”
Hysilens stared at him for a few moments before she slowly nodded.
“I will take those words to heart. Thank you, Caelus.”
With those parting words, Hysilens exited the room, leaving Caelus to rest in the room under Dux Liberalia’s supervision.
Hysilens took no more than ten minutes to get out of Marmoreal Palace, onto the streets of Okhema heading out of the city. As she walked, she quickly schooled her emotions, getting back into costume for the role that she had to play once more.
The Imperator was already waiting at the gates with the fragment of Tribios waiting with her. Though her expression remained as blank as usual, Dux Gladiorum could tell that she was deep in thought, though what was on her liege’s mind was beyond her comprehension.
“You took longer than I expected,” the Imperator commented.
“Please forgive me,” Dux Gladiorum replied, bowing her head slightly. “I was having a drink and the time passed faster than I expected.
The Imperator shook her head.
“It is of no consequence,” she replied dismissively. “Just … hmm…”
“Imperator?”
“Your eyes, they do not seem as empty as before.”
“What do you mean?” Hysilens asked. The Imperator didn’t immediately reply, her lips remaining pursed as usual.
“You were with the Deliverer just now, weren’t you?” the Imperator asked. Dux Gladiorum nodded.
“I was. If it displeases you, I will refrain from meeting him in private ever again.”
“No, no that’s not what I …”
The Imperator took a moment to think before looking directly into her subject’s eyes.
“Helektra, my subject, … treasure the warmth that the Deliverer possesses. For it may one day be the only warmth that you will feel.”