Chapter Text
Stargazer toyed with the invitation in his hand, twirling it over and over, watching it float as stardust ebbed around his hand in shimmering spirals of gold and blue. It flittered and twisted this way and that, never still, imitating Stargazer’s own mind. He eventually let the spirals fall away into nothing, the letter tucked safely in his doublet.
Undoubtedly receiving a letter from Illumina was unusual enough, but to have it stamped with his official seal and inviting Stargazer into his home was even more queer. The land of the Silvering Waters was always covered in a thick fog – so thick that even light cannot penetrate it. Stargazer had tried, illuminating a comet in his palm and sending it outward, but the fog covered its track, shrouding it in a translucent sheet of white and grey that seemed to shift and writhe like a living thing. It unsettled Stargazer deeply. The sky had no business with the sea; for fish cannot fly, and birds drown.
With the letter, the fog granted him permission to traverse the never-ending moat that guarded Illumina’s land, each step revealing a small rock peaking from the surface of the water. Those who entered without permission were trapped to wander the twisting mists for eternity, and Stargazer was glad he wasn’t one of them. Eventually, the fog lifted, fading away to reveal the steps of a towering gate, its walls and prongs shimmering like wet veined marble and mother-of-pearl.
The ruler of the Silvering Waters awaited atop a gatepost, his namesake blade in hand, its hue of lilac so light it appeared silver, the handle carved in patterns of waves and its pommel decorated with a large, immaculate pearl. Illumina’s face was stern yet solemn, hollow but not empty, his cheeks caved in. Salt-white hair fell unbridled to his waist. His body was donned in a simple lace robe, leaving one shoulder bare and clasped at the other with an iron brooch. Behind him, a sea-serpent’s tail whipped, flattened spines speaking a warning to those who dare to test him.
As Stargazer approached, Illumina descended from his post, sheathing his sword. A faint smile ghosting his chapped lips, he extended a hand to greet Stargazer.
“Ah, so you’ve decided to come. I was afraid you wouldn’t show,” he said, a hint of mirth in his glazed eyes.
“Well, I couldn’t exactly deny such an intriguing letter now, can I?” Stargazer replied, hoping to mask his unease. Illumina, to his knowledge, was not to be underestimated, vast in mind and cunning.
“Perhaps so. Do invite yourself in.” Illumina turned, waving his hand to part the gates. As soon as they passed the threshold, it closed behind them with a thunderous clang. In front lay vast pools of water, their surfaces glistening and dappled with beads of light. Stargazer frowned, somewhat disappointed by what was supposed to be the mysterious land Illumina presided over.
“Is this it? I assumed something far…grander beyond those lavish gates.” Stargazer said dryly.
Illumina simply gave a weak half-smile. “The Silvering Waters are unlike other lands you may have come to know, my lord of stars. For what you seek is not above, but below.” He gestured to the puddles in invitation. “Follow me, and you shall see what I mean.”
With a glance back, he dived into the largest of the pools, the only trace of him being the gentle ripple of the water’s surface where he had disappeared. Stargazer tentatively braced himself at the edge of the pool…and dived in after Illumina.
For an instant, his lungs filled with liquid. A pitiful twist of fate, to drown on another god’s premises. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak, couldn’t…
“You may open your eyes now, Lord Stargazer.” Illumina’s voice propagated through the water, somehow unmuffled and crisp.
Slowly, Stargazer forced his eyes open, his vision blurring only slightly before focusing, revealing small lights floating around him, little glowing white orbs scattered as far as he could see. They looked like tiny stars in a teal-blue sea. He could breathe, he realised, as he took a deep breath, then another and another. Illumina must’ve noticed his bewilderment, the corners of his lips turning upwards crookedly.
“You are lucky, my lord of stars,” he commented. “Everyone but you has, let us say, not lived long enough to see these lights.” He cradled one in his hand, before closing his fist, putting it out.
“Now, why not let yourself breathe, and follow along.” Illumina turned, and Stargazer realised that he no longer had legs, but instead, Illumina’s lower half was engulfed by the serpent’s tail, its fins raised to glide seamlessly through the currents; But he made no mention of it, and followed silently.
The lights crowded around them as they progressed further into the depth of the lakes, providing a light below as the light from above faded. Soon, they were in total darkness, if it were not for the orbs. Stargazer was positive that if he were to try to spark a light of his own, it’d be useless in the face of the cold, tenebrous depths of the Silvering Waters.
A part of Stargazer was uneased, from the unexpected invitation, to the layers of security this place contained, a place where even his own powers were dampened, to say his suspicions were raised would be a vast understatement. While acts of crime had their own punishments and consequences, the act of god-killing was undocumented, and although it was unanimously agreed upon that such a severe act should not be committed under any circumstances (the sheer implications of it would insinuate chaos for the lands), Stargazer was well isolated from the other lands, allies, away from his domain and away from most his power. It was the perfect opportunity to seal him away, use him for whatever this god’s whims desired, or…
“We’re here.” Illumina announced, putting an end to Stargazer’s train of thought. He shook his head and looked up, and up, and up…
Before them both were pillars of towering silver, granite and gold, ornamented with bushels of amethyst and lapis that grew along veins embedded in the rock. They merged in spots to form a palace of sorts, if one could call it a palace. One particular tower shadowed the rest, stood in the very center, giving the pillars the look of a giant stalagmite. It had no walls, because no one could climb the steep, jagged walls of rock, let alone make it down here at all. There were no windows to peek through, no battlements for troops, nothing that truly showed that this was a place of royalty and strength, except its large, imposing frame, one that Stargazer found himself gaping at.
Illumina saw him staring, and gave him that weak half-smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Do they not have palaces where you’re from, my lord? I was sure the phrase ‘castles in the sky’ had to come from somewhere.”
“Yes, we do,” Stargazer replied quickly, gathering his bearings. “But none like this.” His own abode was a maze of stardust and nebulae, shifting and stirring like sand in a never-ending desert, but to see something so grandeur yet lifeless, shook him to his core.
Illumina extended a hand towards the entrance, a set of stone doors inlaid with pearls. A pattern glowed where Illumina had touched it - likely an enchant - and they gave way with a deep groan.
“Right this way. I’m sure you can find whatever it is you’re seeking inside.”
That made Stargazer halt in his tracks. Deeper meant more danger, more risk. Yet the temptation of finding out the contents at the heart of the most mysterious land drew him in. Unbidden curiosity made him follow, trailing behind Illumina as the doors shut behind them, shrouding them in darkness.
Stargazer, too deep in his own mind, had not noticed that the inside of the palace was dry, only snapping back to reality upon almost tripping over his own feet due to the sudden shift. His skin prickled at the cool air inside, the smell of saltwater and dust lingering in his senses. The walls were lined with sea lanterns that casted a light aquamarine hue upon the hallway, revealing arches and columns imbued with lines of crystal and marble. Furniture was nowhere to be found, nor was decoration of any kind. There were only the lanterns and the visitor.
Illumina had assumed his bipedal body once more, his feet moving without so much as a whisper across the tiled floor. Stargazer rushed to catch up, the click-clacking of his shoes echoing through the halls and rooms of which there seemed to be far too many. Most doors were closed and locked, the contents within kept from prying eyes and hands. Illumina strode past all of them, showing not a hint of interest in letting him peek behind even one.
As they descended into the heart of Illumina’s palace, Stargazer was tempted to ask what exactly was it that Illumina wished to show him, and why was it so important? But he held his tongue, fearing the worst. Something told him the lesser questions asked, the safer he’d be.
At last, they arrived before what appeared to be a wall, but upon closer inspection, Stargazer noticed a thin slit running down the middle. A door.
Illumina activated another enchant, his fingers barely ghosting the marble surface, runes appearing in short white lines then disappearing just as quickly. The wall gave way, turning on invisible hinges, stone scraping against stone in a low screech as a way was shown behind it. A long, darkened corridor stretched out before them, and faintly, Stargazer could see light coming out of the other side.
Again, Illumina took the lead, the air around him shifting with every step he took, his eyes showing hesitant determination, as if he were forcing himself to show whatever it was he wished to show. Well, that’s interesting, Stargazer thought to himself, noting how Illumina seemed to hasten his pace the closer they got to the exit. Gone was the placid smile that greeted Stargazer; his face was as cold and hard as the marble around them. Still, Stargazer kept his vigil, contenting himself with watching. Illumina seemed tense, his muscles taut even as he lifted his hand to unlock the hex.
The door slid open with a loud screech, the rasp of stone on stone echoing off the walls in a deafening series of reverberating grinding.
Light flooded Stargazer’s eyes, his vision going white as he flinched away from the sharp contrast. When he finally regained his bearings, Stargazer couldn’t help but gape at the sight before him.
Curved, transparent windows stretched from floor to ceiling as far as Stargazer could see, filled with water and plants and other natural aquatic material…but housed no life inside them. Golden plaques were arranged in rows, one for every tank. Stargazer approached the nearest one, his eyes roving over the inscription:
“Follower Mackerel. Subservient, pious, swift but held back by her own shortcomings. Family: unknown. Origin: Lost at sea in the mortal realm.” He read aloud. His chest gave a sudden twist of dread. “Where are we?”
Illumina’s grin held only quiet animosity and pride. “My treasury, my lord of stars. The one place that no one has seen. No one…but you.”
His blank eyes pierced Stargazer like ivory daggers, his gaze oppressive and judgemental. Stargazer felt unnerved, afraid even, but he couldn’t show it. There was no room for weakness, especially not in another deity’s presence.
“Why are you showing me this?” Star asked
“Because, my lord of stars…” Illumina began, voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone. “...I prefer to show, rather than tell.”
He snapped his bony fingers, and Stargazer felt a strange sensation spread through not just the hallway, but into the tanks and beyond, searching, finding.
And find it did.
In moments, the previously empty tanks were filled with people, one for each tank. They all bore some kind of aquatic trait, be it a tail, fin, webbed hands and feet or something else entirely. But one characteristic was shared throughout all of them: that lilac-grey-ivory skin with streaks of gold that their master bore so proudly. Utterly, undeniably, his.
The air between them grew heavy, laced with tension and apprehension. This wasn’t a mere invite anymore, no, this was a show of power, a demonstration. There was more going on behind the scenes of this facade.
Stargazer inched backwards, stardust gathering in the palms of his hands. He needed out, a way to get back to his domain. Escape.
“Is something wrong, my lord of stars? You weren’t expecting such company?” Illumina still held that calm, collected grin as he locked eyes with Stargazer. Yet, it no longer bore the ghostly charm Stargazer found himself so infatuated with. It bore malice, deceit, and the signature look of a hunter who had just caught his prey in a snare.
Stardust gathered behind Stargazer, ready to take any form he willed it to be. Illumina tilted his head almost pitifully.
“So eager to attack, I see. But you know you wield no power here. Here is my domain, my dear lord of stars. Far below the skies you call your home; surrounded by my people. Did you think you could get out so easily?”
My lord of stars. That was no honorific. It was a reminder of who exactly Stargazer was. The ruler of the night sky…who held little power against the lord of the waters.
Illumina and his Followers had him on all fronts, the treasury entrance locked and sealed. He was trapped. Stargazer glanced around, keeping his face as neutral as possible.
“You intend to kill me, Illumina? Law forbids you to do so, in case being holed up in your watery warrens has…impaired your memory.” Stargazer said. It was true: no god shall kill another for the sake of maintaining peace amongst the lands. For if the heavens tremble, what shall become of the people beneath it? He was scrambling for answers, for a semblance of control over the situation. He couldn’t waste time pondering his fate, only make do with what he has.
Illumina chuckled, low and rich and dark. “No, I have not forgotten, my lord of stars. In fact, I never intended to harm you.” He offered a bony hand. “Only to make a deal.”
Stargazer was astonished, to say the least. “A deal?”
“Yes, a deal. If you would hear me out, perhaps you may find my propositions enticing.”
Curiosity got the better of Stargazer, as it always did. No matter how it turned out, Stargazer would make it out alive. Or at least as alive as Illumina would leave him.
He took Illumina’s hand, gloved digits slipping into thin fingers covered by skin so tight it looked translucent.
“This way, my lord of stars. Shall we walk?”
Stargazer followed.
-
The hall stretched on forever, and so did the rows of Followers that idled in the viewing windows of the treasury. Stargazer read and skimmed through the metal plaques – names, death dates, a blurb of their lives – all read and forgotten in an instant. Once a soul chooses their god, they are no longer a concern to the rest of the pantheon.
“Now that you’ve gotten a good look at my treasures, shall we discuss the terms of our deal?” Illumina’s voice struck through Stargazer’s mind.
He simply adjusted the mask on his face and fell back into step with Illumina. He would play the part, if that was what it took. “Ah, yes. The terms. I assume you already have a few in mind?”
“Of course. I’m sure you’re aware of my…precarious position in the eyes of the pantheon correct?”
“Well, it was one of the reasons I was colored so fascinated by your sudden invitation. As far as I know – and as far as you've told me – I'm the only one who has ever set foot in these halls.” Stargazer replied.
Illumina smiled, though it offered no resolve for Stargazer. “Sharp-witted. You see, I don’t want to stir up any trouble for you or your people. I only request a guarantee of sorts.”
Now that had Stargazer’s attention. “A guarantee of what?”
Illumina sighed. “If I or my people were to ever come into danger, you would support me. The sea working with the sky. Doesn’t that sound interesting?” Illumina kept up his grin, his expression unsettling, a veneer to cover up the whirlwind that undoubtedly spun within him.
Glowing, pupiless eyes stared at the two as they walked past. Stargazer turned the prospect over in his mind. “And what do I get from this?”
“My treasures.”
Stargazer paused, both in thought and in his path. Impossible. “Are you implying what I think you are?”
“Yes, my lord of stars. I’m requesting to swear fealty, if you would take my people as your own.”
No, that couldn't be. “Perhaps you should give it more thought, Illumina. To ask for such a-”
“I have made up my mind.” Illumina interrupted. “You’ve seen my Followers, my lord of stars. They are mine, yes, and I care deeply for them, but I’m sure you could use more people under your wing. I've heard many things about you; and I'm sure you are more than capable.”
A soul intake. Inviting Stargazer into his treasury was a show of power after all…the power Stargazer could wield for himself. If he accepted the deal, Illumina would be granting him partial control over the Followers in exchange for refuge in his skies, while Stargazer could maintain rule over his own people. Now the question is, why would Illumina do such a thing?
It smelled like a trick, a ploy. Something was off. A deity was responsible for their own souls, their own believers. To swear under another deity was to concede defeat, to offer power to another, to admit inferiority. It was the ultimate disgrace. Yet here Illumina was, proposing to reign under Stargazer for the sake of his people.
Had he gone mad?
“Illumina, I’m…afraid this is no time to dwell on such a sensitive topic. I will reconvene with you at sundown tomorrow. I must discuss this with my council.” Stargazer replied, clearing his throat to cover up his shock.
“Yes, yes, of course.” Suddenly, Illumina looked flustered, nervous, his mask slipping. It was back as soon as Stargazer noticed, that ghostly smile returning to its place on Illumina’s thin lips.
Out of the corner of his eye, someone caught Stargazer’s attention. There was something odd about the Follower. Their face was somber, solemn – not unlike most of the Followers – but they had a sense of loss and regret, as if a great tragedy befell them at the time of their death. They were also much larger than the other Followers, a size beyond what mortal bodies could possibly achieve on their own. Once something great, now a mere servant.
Their plaque was even more intriguing. Only their name was inscribed in gold plate: Follower Sword.
A shadow suddenly fell upon the plaque, making Stargazer look up. Before him was the named Follower, their body muscled and toned, while their bottom half was a long violet tail with jagged fins. Two spiked purple horns sprouted from their forehead, two rings of runes circling around one. Their gaze followed Stargazer as he inspected them – the sole evidence of life Stargazer had seen so far among this morbid greyscale congregation.
Follower Sword dipped his head and swam lower to where Stargazer was. They placed both hands on the glass, eyeing Stargazer with a restrained curiosity. It seemed like they wanted to get closer to Stargazer, wonder and tentativeness coloring their face. Stargazer placed a hand over theirs, smiling softly as a friendly gesture.
For a second, he could’ve sworn Sword’s eyes widened. But as soon as Illumina appeared beside his reflection, the Follower returned to their normal, deadpan expression, only nodding their head slightly as their master passed.
Stargazer’s eyes noticed something on Sword’s shoulders. Thin, raised, uneven lines on their skin that ran down to their back: scars, crawling all over their body like spiderwebs. Burnt flesh covered their arms and torso, unlike from the ones on their shoulders. Stargazer wanted to linger, wanted to examine this particular Follower who was so different from the rest, but alas, he was unable to as Illumina walked past him and he hurried to catch up.
They paced some few meters past Sword’s window before Stargazer said, “That Follower’s plaque was blank.”
Illumina gave him a slow blink in response before saying, “Few inphernals die without cause, without reason. Some had nothing meaningful during their short lives. Some inphernals don’t even remember their past life.” He turned back to the front, feigning nonchalance. “That one simply had the unfortunate luck of having all three.”
They went on in silence for a while, Stargazer reading the plaques, except now he was searching for others like Sword’s, but none of them were as blank. All had at least a date or cause of death. He even saw a small newspawn, their eyes still, unblinking and lifeless. Died due to asphyxiation, he read, smothered in their caretakers’ bed. Gruesome. Not gory nor the unfortunate loss after a hard-fought battle with an invisible enemy none of them understood, but simply sad. Their parents’ love killed their child. Stargazer sighed and left the young one behind.
He searched for similar scars on the others. Bright tendrils swirled and crested like waves on all the Followers’ skins – soul marks, an indicator to the soul’s death – chasms of light that splayed on their heads, body and limbs. They could be found on every dead mortal that entered the heavens, Stargazer’s own people included. Thinking back, did Follower Sword even have the same shining lines running on their skin?
“That Follower didn’t have soul marks.” Stargazer said abruptly, realising his discovery. “ None of these souls have scars either.”
Illumina stopped, turning towards Stargazer. His cold eyes betrayed nothing. “What scars?”
Stargazer furrowed his eyebrows. “The Follower had scars on their backside – almost as if a whip lashed them – only heavenborn can possess such things.”
Illumina stepped closer, an ominous presence seeping into the air around him. “What are you saying, my lord of stars?”
Stargazer met Illumina’s eyes. “I’m saying that one of your Followers is no worshipper of yours, Illumina. They are heavenborn.” Stargazer knew he should be watching his words, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he couldn’t control what came out of it. Besides, he had nothing to lose if Illumina did end up hurting him. “And all the plaques I’ve seen are not nearly as uninformative as Sword’s. Who is this Follower, Illumina? And why do you intend to keep them hidden?”
A beat of silence passed. Stargazer could hear his heart beating in his ears, felt it in his throat. Would he be cast out, shunned from finding out more? Perhaps he would be the first to shed ichor on Illumina’s marble floors. Nothing could be taken back now.
Another beat. Illumina stepped closer. Stargazer prepared for the worst. His skin felt cold. The only breath he could hear was his own. Did Illumina even breathe?
The ruler of the Silvering Waters had a gaze that could pierce the walls around them, a subtle warning carved into his blank, unseeing pupils. Despite their cloudiness, Stargazer saw a bitter vitriol in their depths, something that told him that he should never have mentioned the Follower. It felt as if Illumina could tear his mind open and flip through his thoughts like the pages of a book.
“I believe our discussion has come to an unfortunate end.” Illumina announced tersely. “You may see yourself out, my lord of stars. Your letter is imbued with a two day passage into my land. I await your response to my terms.”
With that, Illumina gestured for Stargazer to leave, his fingers intertwining with a spell. Fingers of lilac light wrapped around Stargazer’s arms and legs. The last thing he saw before being blinded was Illumina partially turned towards him, acknowledging him out of the corner of his eye, barbed tail swishing along the hard floor of his palace.
Then Stargazer was back before the fog, the waters gone far ahead of him.
There was no time to waste, only decisions to be made. Egobworder would definitely talk Stargazer's hearing into oblivion once he returned.
The invitation was in his hand, and with it, all the answers he sought.
A blink, and Stargazer was gone too.