Celebration
The estate is illuminated by thousands of candles, massive pillars of wax dripping across the sandstone. Nearly every nook and cranny is filled with light. It is said to be customary in the Desert Cities to light a candle for the deceased to guide their soul to the afterlife. There are more people than Lumi had ever seen in the estate. People dressed in beautiful kaftans, gowns, and tunics. Women in colorful silk choli with sparkling sarongs around their shoulders walk about with an air of pomp and untold confidence. Merchants and princes from the Desert Cities gather en masse to celebrate the life of Rashid Sarkis, friend of Emir Ziad Zeybek.
Khimi is lost amongst the cacophony, along with Mido and Augustus. Though Khimi had kept his smile, Lumi could see through Khimi’s ruse. Khimi must have drank an entire barrel of spirits by this point, his hand is fixed to Rashid’s shamshir at his side, keeping his shaking hand steady. Lumi can tell that Khimi is exerting every ounce of his stamina to keep his composure around the false praises and kindnesses of his merchant and political rivals. This is something Khimi excelled in; putting on a show. He is quick to smile and bow when necessary, to smirk and laugh when needed. But Lumi knows Khimi hates it, there is nothing more that Khimi would rather do than be free and travel.
In the only place void of candles and lanterns, Lumi hides. Silk banners and streamers hang from the balcony above the courtyard and drape down the many columns. Frogs croak in the darkness from the pool, their mirrored eyes reflecting the light at Lumi. This spot is special, it was where he first told Khimi about his tribe, and where Khimi explained the significance of Stella Solaris. He looks up to the stars and seeks the ancient star. Raucous laughter erupts from the hall behind him, the sound of Khimi’s laughter sticks out to him among the rest. Lumi can hear the unevenness in his breaths, he can nearly smell the alcohol from an entire room away.
Lumi ponders to himself, his feet kick through the shallow pool. How can he be so…comfortable? He sighs to look up from the mirror-like water and finds a set of eyes peering at him from the surface of the water. It had felt like ages since he channeled his divine energies. Lifting his hand before him, he whispers the words which spring to his mind. A small mote of light appears above the water with a scintillating sparkle before fading into darkness. The pair of eyes vanish beneath the surface.
Lumi groans and falls onto his side. There is nothing about the night that he enjoyed thus far. Rashid’s body is surrounded by acolytes from the Sepulcher of Rites, and Lilith had constantly provoked him throughout the evening to consider their offer. Had it not been for Rashid’s final words pointing to Ziad as the culprit, he may have suspected Lilith. A low growl rises in his throat, his hand extended over the edge of the water. His nails bite into the flesh of his palm, a ball of flickering flames appears above the surface of the water in a conflagration and expands then contracts rapidly. The shadows of the courtyard vanish, the orb grows larger and larger. Sweat beads down Lumi’s face, his struggle to keep control visible in his intense effort.
The orb breaks apart, a hail of flames rains down over the pool and tiles. A blue and golden banner crackles when the flames lick against the tasseled bottom. Several people shout and clap from the other side of the estate. Lumi sits up straight and rises to his feet, both hands in front of him, while he begins to focus his energies over the pool. The orb appears again and expands and contracts.
“Lumi,” Nina exhales from behind. “If you’re intending to just burn the place down again, perhaps I shouldn’t have put the fire out in the first place.”
Lumi keeps his eyes on the pool, maintaining his concentration. “N-Nina,” He croaks, the light expanding further outside his control.
“Calm down,” Nina whispers swiftly from behind him. “Breathe,” she adds, her sandals clicking over the tiles. “You have the control, Lumi. You’re more powerful than you know.”
Lumi turns back briefly to look at the elven woman glaring at the burning orb, her bright green eyes fixed on the flames. “I can’t, Nina…I can’t control anything,” he admits quietly. “I-I can’t do anything.”
“Nonsense,” Nina whispers. “Hold your focus, Lumi,” she whispers, “Your choker…its purpose was intended to help you focus your magick.”
“W-What?” Lumi grits his teeth, his ears stand up, “Help me!”
Nina sighs and holds out her hand while she steps beside Lumi, “One day, Lumi…you’ll have to learn to control your magick,” she whispers, her eyes illuminating briefly. The water from the pool rises and consumes the flaming orb. “I can’t always put out your fires.”
Lumi looks back down into the water, the flames sizzle and vanish. Lumi drops onto the tiles then dips his feet into the water, the golden anklets sway on him with the steady rocking motion, “Thanks,” he whispers while he releases a heavy breath and lays back onto the tile. “I know how to make fire…but I can’t really put it out.”
“Listen,” Nina replies. “You should be celebrating with everyone else. Though I barely knew the man, I am sure Rashid wouldn’t have it any other way,” she says, taking a seat beside him.
“Why?” Lumi asks, shaking his head. He grabs at his tail swaying behind him and holds it over his stomach. “There is no reason to celebrate. Rashid is dead because of me…Khimi is…being the weird Khimi that everyone wants him to be. But everything feels so empty.”
Nina’s brow raises, “Lumi, it’s bad luck to frown at a celebration of life in the Desert Cities. Nothing that happened was your fault. You know it as well as anyone. If there is anyone to blame, it is Emir Ziad and the men under his employ.”
“I know…” Lumi whispers, “But I still feel responsible! I j-just keep thinking about everything that happened. I keep thinking that Rashid would be in Sidi now…how happy everyone would be if I hadn’t met Khimi.”
Nina clears her throat, “Lumi, you can’t think like this. Had you not met Khimi, then where would he be? Imagine it…for just a moment. Do you think he would be happy?” She asks, intensity rising in her voice.
Lumi stays quiet. After a moment of contemplation, “I don’t know where he would be…but Khimi is the only thing that makes me happy.”
“Then you need to take that feeling and focus on it. The happiness that you feel when you’re with him, the warmth and joy that he brings you.” Nina begins with a silvery edge to her tone. “Quit focusing on your worries. Quit focusing on all the things that are beyond your control. Take control of the things that you can…”
Lumi rises from beside the pool, “What can I control?” He asks, opening his palm back over the pool.
“Everything, Lumi. You have so much potential,” Nina whispers. “You can channel the power of the gods if you should choose to.”
“I can’t,” Lumi says, choking back a sob. “Because when I do, people get hurt.” His tail stiffening behind him.
“Calm down, Lumi,” Nina whispers. “Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed,” she says, tilting her head up at him. “Focus!”
Lumi thinks back on his time with Khimi, focusing his thoughts on all the joyful memories. He can feel his hand gripping at his chest, the memories flow into his mind. Their first kiss at the temple, the first time Khimi ever held him in public. Khimi’s lips against his neck, his teeth biting at the tender flesh. It is not the focus Nina had spoken of, but Lumi can feel the heat forming before him from behind his closed eyes. His memories of Khimi continue to pour into his mind.
The light before him grows more intense, and Lumi’s eyes open suddenly. His aetherial blue eyes shift to the vibrant crimson, a symbol of his divine status. Khimi. It is the only thing that comes to his mind. A burst of laughter from the Grand Hall breaks his focus and the realization rushes back to him. Ziad wants to kill me. Anger seeps into his rapidly beating heart, a sudden pain in his chest.
“I’ll kill him,” Lumi whispers under his breath.
“Lumi?” Nina questions. She stands, her eyes fixed ahead on the rapidly expanding inferno.
The fire roars, burning with the intensity of the fire that took Rashid’s life. The orange glow shifts to a fierce and fiery white, light pours past them. Lumi is deaf to Nina’s calls, the pounding of his heart in his eardrums deafens him. His hatred for Ziad grows by the moment until he wants to scream. The sudden hiss and sizzle of the water smashing into the flames awakens him from his trance. The water splatters across the tiles, then splatters back into the pool in a deluge of hissing rain.
“W-What?”
“Lumi…you lost your focus,” Nina sighs and takes Lumi’s arm. “You’re going to get yourself or someone else killed if you don’t learn to control it,” she whispers. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she gently taps his choker. “This is supposed to help you focus and control your magick. Use it.”
“Well, it’s not helping,” Lumi grumbles, his gaze fixed above the pool at the smoldering banners.
Nina smiles, “Gods’ help you,” she says, “Tell me something, Lumi. I want you to be honest with me. Is there even a bit of you that wants to be the Saint of Flames?”
“I-I don’t know. I want to be the Saint of Flames…but I have my own goals too.”
“The goals of the gods will always come before your own, Lumi,” Nina whispers, brushing her fingers along Lumi’s bare shoulder. “Khimi is your soul, Lumi…you are a fated pair. Together you can find a way to forge ahead. Now tell me, what do you want, Lumi?”
“I know…what I want,” Lumi says almost to himself. “I want to share my life with Khimi. I want…to make people happy. I want to be stronger. I want to never worry about failing anyone ever again,” he mutters quickly. The words were spoken almost like a mantra, they are thoughts that he had obsessed over, things he wished for. “When I am stron—”
“You don’t need strength, Lumi,” Nina whispers, embracing him. “You’re already the Saint of Flames. You can’t do anything about that…but you can decide your own fate.”
Lumi tilts his head, his ears twitching at Nina’s words. “What do you mean?”
“It’s simple,” Nina says, shaking Lumi’s shoulder. “You decide your own fate. Just because the gods chose you, it doesn’t mean that you must throw aside your life. As the Saint of Life, I cannot tell you to abandon your role, but as Nina…I want you to be happy. You understand?”
Lumi looks at Nina with surprise in his eyes, “After everything you said with Lilith? About starting a temple in Rhaz?” he asks in a whisper. “Are you sure?”
“You have my blessing to pursue whatever it is that makes you happy,” Nina says with a reassuring smile. “I can’t speak for your gods…but I trust in my heart that you have the power to forge your own path, the power to be happy.”
Lumi turns his eyes away from Nina’s. “I do want to be the Saint of Flames though, Nina,” he says cautiously. “But…first, I just want to be with Khimi. As long as we can be together. I want to enjoy every moment with him.”
“What you asked about,” Nina responds quietly while she adjusts the brooch on the white silken gown. “Bonding your souls. I am sure it can be done…but there will be ceremony and tradition behind it.”
“Then…it’s possible?”
Nina nods slowly but releases a heavy sigh, “Yes, but it has never been done with someone of your status…Lilith looked further into what you spoke of. It seems Gilbert knows a great deal more about it than we had anticipated.”
Lumi looks up with excited and hope filled eyes, “So then we just need to go to the north? Then we can find out everything?”
“The Bastion of Sages…it is in the far reaches of the north. But he could at least help you take the first steps forward,” Nina says with a sudden cheeriness. “I…would also like you to take Augustus and Mido with you. Khimi had already inquired about using Mido to help transport Rashid’s body to Sidi. I agreed to his request, but I think the travel and journey will help them grow stronger.”
“I-I need to grow stronger too,” Lumi replies. “If I don’t learn to control this magick…”
A spring of emotions flood through Lumi, and he drops to his knees. Tears drip across the sandstone, his body shakes with heavy sobs. Since Rashid’s death, Lumi wants nothing more than to scream and cry. The feeling of weakness had invaded him, he hated how weak he felt, how there is always so little he can do. Rashid’s final moments had played over and over in his mind. He pulls at a length of his blond hair. I can’t help anyone…how can I help anyone?
The image of Khimi standing beside him at the Sun Temple enters his mind. Khimi’s skin is weathered with age and though his cheeks had kept their sharpness, there is a calm about him as he takes Lumi’s hand. The skin along his hand is wrinkled and spotted from the harsh years in the sun, yet Lumi’s remains as soft as it was in the present. Khimi, I can’t live without you. His heavy sobs echo across the courtyard. Lumi presses his face into Nina’s shoulder. The image in his mind is many years off. But Saint Nina herself would often comment, how quick time turns once you no longer keep count of the years.
Nina looks down at Lumi, “Why are you crying?” Concern in her soft voice.
Lumi does not respond but continues to sob, his tail tucks beneath him. I don’t want to be a saint. The thought comes to him with a violent lurch in his gut. I can’t help anyone. Nina stands against him, pristine in her vivid white gown. Her hand strokes through Lumi’s hair while she holds him still.
“You are the Saint of Flames,” Nina whispers. “But you are strong even without being the Saint of Flames. Throughout my years at the temple, I have never met anyone with more fire in their belly than you.”
The words fall soft on Lumi’s ears, which twitch in response. “I just feel so helpless,” he mumbles. “I can’t just watch Khimi grow old,” he adds, glancing up at Nina. “I’d rather die than see Khimi grow old while I can’t do anything about it.”
Nina scoffs and brushes Lumi’s hair from his face. “You’ve got so many years before you even need to wor—”
“No we don’t!” Lumi shouts, “We don’t,” he repeats, his hands tangle into the white silk of Nina’s gown. “There is so much danger around us…ALL the time!”
Lumi’s shouts are deafened by a sudden CLANG, the ceremonial bell marking the passage of Rashid’s soul rings out throughout the city. It is quickly joined by the CLANG…CLANG of what sounds like a hundred more across Rhaz. Lumi’s face shakes, his fingers tightening in the gown.
“I WILL not,” Lumi begins, his teeth clenched, “Be powerless,” he growls. “I won’t let anything happen to Khimi…not ever.”
Nina wraps her arms around Lumi, squeezing him tight as if to hold in his heat. Lumi’s skin is hot to the touch, an unnatural clamminess about it. “You’ll find a way,” she mutters into Lumi’s ear. “You’ll find a way to keep him by your side. You’ll never be alone, my little lion.”
“What if I can’t?” Lumi cries. “What if I fail? What if the gods don’t want us to be together?”
Nina clicks her tongue, her lips drawing nearer to Lumi’s ear, the bells ring out in the distance, “The gods want you to be with Khimi.”
The bells begin to fade, Nina’s words have an edge to them that make him feel as though he is swimming through honey. His fingers tighten, the fabric against his nails straining from the tension. Nina’s words are clear and powerful, as if she knows something Lumi had not been privy to.
“You’re still the Saint of Flames” Nina adds quietly, “But what you do with it. Well, that is up t—”
“I don’t want to be the Saint of Flames!” Lumi mumbles, his eyes flickering with a scarlet hue. “Not yet, anyway…I have to be sure,” he whispers to himself.
“Be sure?”
“Be sure that…whatever happens to Khi—to us, that we can find each other in the afterlife,” Lumi says, his body shakes and his rounded ears lower.
Nina manages a soft laugh, thrusting Lumi back at arms length, “You’re so worried about dying already,” she says in a whisper. “And you haven’t even begun your journey.”
“Have you ever loved anyone?” Lumi asks softly. “Someone that you wanted to spend every moment with? Someone who you didn’t care if they saw you in your worst moments?” he adds even more softly.
“The Saint of Flames…a paragon of the gods…undone by love,” Nina whispers to herself. “Of course I have loved,” she whispers. “But the man that I loved enough to want to spend eternity with is no more. I…very much like yourself, knew from the moment that I laid eyes upon him that he was the other half of my soul.”
“Really?” Lumi asks eagerly.
“It’s of no consequence now,” Nina announces. She takes a step away from Lumi. “Eternity is forever. As an elf, I would normally live for nearly ten of your lifetimes, and even then I could not imagine spending an eternity with anyone but him. But still I find a way to love. To move past it.”
“Really?” Lumi chuckles and wipes his cheek. “There was never anyone else?”
Nina closes her eyes and releases a deep breath, releasing Lumi’s hand. She stands there in silence, patiently waiting for Lumi to calm himself. “No,” She mutters in response. “The things that happened to him…they were unjust. And I don’t think that my heart could ever beat so strongly for anyone else ever again. So, I understand you, Lumi. I know how important love is, I know what it can make us do. It can drive us to the brink of insanity, it can make every unbearable moment bearable. It can fill us with hope. I want you to find that happiness, I want you to go to the north and realize your destiny. Now, we should discuss kinder things, before I get too emotional.”
There is a long silence, neither speaks until Lumi glances hopefully at Nina, “You…want to send Mido and Augustus with us?”
“I think they will make good companions for your journey, don’t you think?” Nina asks, a smile forming on her lips.
“Maybe…” Lumi replies, looking away from Nina. “I rather enjoy traveling alone with Khimi…”
Nina gives Lumi a knowing look, “You’ll need friends, Lumi. You and Khimi can not handle everything alone.”
“I’ll make friends…I always do.”
The candles around the courtyard begin to dwindle down to the end of their wicks. Nina and Lumi stand across from one another, shuffling in the darkness. Another sudden laughter erupts from inside the estate. A servant in a white silk wrap, equally pure as Nina’s gown, approaches with a platter of assorted fruits and nuts. He bows before gesturing to the plate of dried figs, olives, and nuts. The young lapine servant looks up from the plate, his ears perk up to their points.
“Lumi,” the lapine whispers, “Khimi said you should eat something.”
Lumi’s cheeks turn red in embarrassment, “I’m not hungry,” he whispers in response, his eyes still fixed on Nina just feet in front of him.
Lumi watches Nina carefully pick an olive from the tray. With a gentle hand, she presses it to his lips and into his mouth. Lumi caresses his own abdomen, he can feel his stomach rumbling with hunger. It had been days since he had an actual meal and somehow amongst all the clamor and excitement, Khimi still thought of him.
“You should eat,” Nina suggests, gesturing to the tray. “The lord of the house sends a servant to tend to you, it’s rude to dismiss them.”
Lumi sighs, “Thanks,” he grunts and grabs a handful of nuts and dried fruit from the tray. “Tell Khimi…I ate.”
“You should really eat something,” He whispers, then bows his head, “But, I will give him your message,” he offers with another bow before turning back toward the festivities.
“I’m sorry,” Lumi whispers after the lapine leaves the courtyard. “I didn’t mean to get so ups—”
“Don’t apologize,” Nina chuckles. “It wouldn’t be a night with Lumi if there were not a few tears shed…or curses shout at the heavens.”
Lumi forces a smile from behind the fig pressed to his lips. “I-I…thank you, Nina.”
A Few Drinks Many
The celebration had finally come to a close, the final hours of the celebration were not nearly as lively. The merchants and nobles of the Desert Cities made their departure from the estate in grand fashion. Wagons and carriages with silk and satin covers hurry from the gates with their escorts of guards. Lumi sits in the courtyard with Nina and exchanges stories about Khimi and his adventures. Nina listens and laughs at each of them. Without Lilith causing Lumi any discomfort, he had been much more open with his experiences.
Shortly before dawn, Lumi and Nina had begun to wander the estate, exploring the various chambers and cellars. Hundreds of bottles line the walls in perfect and even rows in the cellar. With Nina’s modest provocation, Lumi pours himself drink after drink while he lies on his side, sharing story after story and reminiscing of his days at the temple. The alcohol only aids in loosening his lips, making it easier for him to share the details of his relationship with Khimi, which continuously rose Nina’s brow. Lumi rolls onto his bare stomach, his skin against the cold tile of the dark cellar, a single candle between them, its wax dripping over the floor. Olives and sliced meats rest on a silver platter between them.
Nina purses her lips, a calm on her face. Lumi can tell there is something on her mind, something that had been left unsaid during their conversations in the last few hours.
“How quickly did you realize that Khimi was the one?” Nina asks with a hint of curiosity. “Not that it matters, but was it truly from the moment you met?”
Lumi kicks his feet and smiles up at Nina. “Ever see someone and just know?”
“So it was from the very first time?”
“Know that they’re the person…? The moment I saw Khimi in the temple,” Lumi whispers. “I saw him looking over an ugly ewer…I felt my heart, i-it was like it was exploding.”
Nina clicks her tongue then pauses and remains quiet until she speaks again, “I can’t say the love I felt was quite so sudden. But our conversation made me think, is all.”
“How about you tell me about Augustus and Mido?” Lumi asks with a drunken smile while kicks his feet behind him. “Khimi seems to think they are decent people.”
“Interesting,” Nina chuckles under his breath. She pulls the white gown over her knees. The colorful glass tips against her lips while she sips slowly. “Augustus is Lorian nobility…and Mido was raised under his family’s care. Truthfully, that is about as much as I know about them.”
Lumi’s face screws up, “Aren’t you supposed to know everything about your followers and clerics?” he teases playfully. His ears twitch delightfully, his tail flops to and fro.
“It’s complicated,” Nina mutters with a hint of color in her cheeks. “People come from all over and seek an audience with me…sometimes I can hardly remember their names.”
Lumi smiles, “What kind of saint are you?”
“A forgetful one. When I called Eustes back, I told them about the appearance of the saint of flames. When I commented on who it was…they both perked up,” Nina says, a smile crossing her lips in return. She plucks a large olive between her teeth. “So, I thought it would be natural for them to be your travel companions. I pray I have not selected wrong?”
“Was there anyone else?” Lumi whispers under his breath. “Anyone at all?”
“Eustes,” Nina says, narrowing her eyes at Lumi before she spits the pit into a small kerchief and places it on a small plate. “Eustes was the natural choice, he is quite fond of you, after all. You’re both equally…vivid characters.”
Lumi groans, “Anyone but Eustes,” he says, gently swaying from side to side.
“He’s not so bad once you get used to his…abrasiveness,” Nina says with a sharp exhale, “I shouldn’t keep you,” she announces and stands with a swiftness. She looks to the stairwell. “I’m sure everyone has knackered themselves out with all the festivities.”
Lumi takes a drink from the pewter chalice beside him, “Thank you…for mending my bones and saving me…again.”
“You were lucky that I was still inside the walls of Rhaz,” Nina whispers, setting her hand on the railing, “This may be farewell again, Lumi. So I will bid you good luck on your travels and pray for your success.”
“Farewell?”
“I have a duty to return to my temple for now,” Nina replies swiftly. “And I’ve kept you awake much too late, it seems,” she adds while she begins to climb the stairs.
Lumi stands from the floor and blows out the candle. Then rushing and stumbling behind Nina in his haste. At the top of the stairs, she shocks him with a sudden embrace.
“Promise me that you’ll be safe. Promise me that you’ll follow your heart,” Nina whispers with a kiss on Lumi’s forehead.
“I-I’ll do my best,” he murmurs, returning her embrace until she breaks away with a final farewell.
The members of the serving staff work diligently to clean the remaining debris from the celebration. Handmaidens in sheer black loincloths from the sepulcher sleep about the room, splayed out on colorful pillows and cushions. Other figures smoke hookah in small groups on floor cushions, barely acknowledging Lumi’s appearance.
Lilith spots Lumi and waves him over. The light of dawn begins to break through the windows of the estate. The handmaidens lay about Lilith, some leaning against her while she takes a long drag from the pipe. The smoke pours from her nostrils, somehow making her devilish appearance more menacing.
Lilith’s head tilts back over the cushion. “Surprised the saint was still here,” she murmurs without looking from the ceiling. “Well…one of the saints. What were you two doing?”
“Huh? We were just talking about…things,” Lumi groans with a confused look.
Lilith looks down from the ceiling. She lowers the pipe from her lips, “Little sun, I want to offer you a word of warning. Snakes, like all reptiles, often seek out the sunlight. In your tenure, there will be dozens if not hundreds of serpents who seek you out…it’s best to snuff them out before they try to dim your light.” Her words read like a warning, cruel and distant.
Lumi watches Lilith push herself to her feet, shoving two handmaidens onto the cushions beside her with carelessness. The two scantily dressed women slump drunkenly, their mouths open and drooling. Lilith’s steps are slow and purposeful, one before the other. Her soft pale feet glide across the marble floor. The gilded rings and beads hanging from her horns clink rhythmically. She stops and leans down to look him in the eyes. The soft contours of her body are accentuated by the gauzy material across her form, her supple nipples stand erect. All the priests and handmaidens of the Sepulcher of Rites are dressed in such a way that leaves little to the imagination.
Lumi gulps uncomfortably, her lips draw nearer to his rounded ears, “Lilith…?”
Lilith’s arms wrap around him, her lilac skin brushing against him. “Little sun,” she whispers. “Be careful of the company you keep. Darkness comes in all forms,” she adds drunkenly. “Be it in the form of pure evil, or hidden behind an angelic guise. Trust only your heart, little sun.”
“I’ll be careful,” Lumi whispers in response, his ears twitching at her words. Her hands wrap around his tiny form and squeeze him tightly against herself. “Do y-you need me to bring you home?”
The devilkin’s sharp teeth bite Lumi’s soft round ear, “No,” she whispers defiantly. “But…Khimi needs you,” she adds quietly. “He will need you, little sun.”
Lumi winches, Lilith slumps on top of him, her saliva drips into the coarse fur of his ear. “I-I know,” he mumbles. The full weight of her body leans on him, and he claps his hand uncomfortably against her back, his nails pulling at the thin fabric.
Lilith turns to the north, her cheek atop Lumi’s head. “Mark my words, Lumi,” she sneers. She hiccups loudly, sharpened painted nails pointed directly ahead. “Your Temple…is f-filled with hate. They will come for you…but you mustn’t trust them.”
“I…know about the temple,” Lumi mutters, while she continues to mumble nonsense in his ear. “Lilith, come on.”
Lumi drags Lilith back to the seat around the hookah. Lilith slides from Lumi’s shoulder and collapses onto the cushions beside the handmaidens. She reaches for Lumi once again before her hand falls back to her side, her head slams against the handmaiden beside her. Within a few moments, Lilith begins to snore loudly. Lumi pinches his ear where she bit, faint raised bumps remain where her teeth had been moments before.
The sun’s light bursts through the window and pours across the sleeping revelers. A smile crosses Lumi’s lips. The rays of light are warm and inviting. The warm embrace of the sun washes over him, and he lays across the table next to the hookah. White smoke rises from the burning coals, the smell of the dried fruits inside the bowl fills his nostrils. It is a pleasant and comforting scent, one which Lumi attributed heavily with Khimi. The smell would often linger on Khimi for hours after his meetings.
With his hands placed over his chest, Lumi closes his eyes and ruminates over Lilith’s words. How am I supposed to help Khimi? He takes the hose from the hookah and brings the wooden pipe to his lips. There is a fruity taste to the smoke. Blueberries, he thinks, taking a steady drag. There is a pounding in his head, something that is accompanied by his drinking. He can not help but wish he was with Khimi at the moment, but he had neither the strength nor the patience to scour the estate.
“You’ve been busy,” a familiar, albeit somewhat annoyed voice snips.
Lumi’s eyes shoot open in surprise. “Y’sol!” He says aloud. The aslan goddess stands over him in a scarlet sarong, her abdomen exposed before him.
“You’ve been busy,” Y’sol grunts again, her gaze crossing the room hurriedly. “Is this how you spend your days growing stronger?”
“I-I’m trying,” Lumi whispers quietly, “Rashid…has crossed to the afterlife. This was his celebration of life.”
The goddess clicks her tongue, “My, have the celebrations changed this much?” She asks herself. She spots the handmaidens from the Sepulcher, “It does seem some things have not changed, at least.” Her tail flicks back and forth in amusement, a golden chain rattles from golden rings. “I have only a few moments to share.”
“Something happened?”
“Perhaps, but you are still too weak to handle such a task,” Y’sol says sternly. “A threat of darkness descends. There were members true to our cause who have been lost. As the Saint of Flames, you should guide the faithful.”
Lumi’s brow furrows, “Now?”
“Are you opposed to leading your Faith?” Y’sol responds with a sharp air to her voice.
“We…had plans to go to the north,” Lumi whispers.
Y’sol’s expression becomes more amused, her eyes narrow. “Why’re you going to the north, Lumi?”
“I t-thought that you knew? I figured you watched us all the time,” Lumi sputters uncomfortably.
The goddess stifles a laugh, “Sorry, no. Lumi, I have better things to do than watch you at every moment. But I can feel when you are in danger.”
Lumi sits up suddenly, “But I was in danger recently,” he swallows.
Y’sol scoffs, “You’re in danger all the time. I cannot protect you at every waking moment. You must learn to be stronger. You need to learn to defend yourself.”
“The–”
“You need to be aware of your surroundings,” Y’sol lashes out. “It won’t serve any of us, including yourself, if you get killed. Now, tell me why are you going to the north?” She asks with a hint of frustration.
Lumi bites his lip. His mouth opens and closes several times, contemplating his words carefully. “We’re going to see the saint of knowledge,” he asserts abruptly.
Y’sol sits on the low table beside him and releases a heavy sigh, “What information does the old raven have that I cannot offer you?”
Lumi clams up, the goddess looking down at him with a queer gaze. “Souls,” he whispers. “Khimi and I…want to share the same afterlife. Y-You said it yourself, the life of a saint was filled with peril.”
Y’sol nods slowly, then presses her thumb against the center of her head in thought. “The process will be simple, by no means. It will require a convocation of the gods…that much is certain. But the bastion would be the best place to find answers to the questions you seek.”
“D-Do you approve of our union? You won’t stop us?”
“I already stated that you and Khimi were destined for one another,” Y’sol mutters quietly. “However, you must heed me when I call upon you, Lumi. Remember that.”
“Of course,” Lumi huffs, offering a bow. “W-What do we need to do?”
“Fortunately, it seems your journey coincides with our plans.” Y’sol crosses her legs. “Vampires of the north have moved deeper into the south, a dark cloud hangs above the Northern Cities and its citizens retreat within the walls for protection.”
“W-What?”
“What do you mean, what?” Y’sol scoffs, “vampires.”
Lumi groans, “I thought that those were just stories?”
“Nonsense, vampires are very real,” She claims, pausing to observe Lumi’s expression before continuing. “Their leader, Emil, has steadily helped them rise to power in recent years. Without the Saint of Flames to spread the light of the gods, the vampire scourge has grown into a substantial threat.” She pauses, her aetherial blue eyes peer into Lumi’s. “A city north of Loria on the border of the snow realm known as Cochon has become a spot of conquest for the vampires.”
“What can I do against a vampire?” Lumi asks with a puzzled expression. “I can barely control a ball of fire.”
“You’re the bloody Saint of Flames!” Y’sol sneers. “You can channel our power! Vampires have a natural aversion to our order…make it a show of force. Force them back into the north.”
“Vampires are scared of fire?”
Y’sol rolls her eyes, “Vampires fear light, which is half of the powers that you wield.”
“What should I do?” Lumi whispers, drumming his fingers on the table. One of the handmaidens stirs slightly from her sleep. “Show them light?”
“You have time to figure it out. But, I only pray you have enough strength to display the power of our order,” Y’sol responds firmly. “I must depart, but I wish you well, little lion.”
“Wa—” Lumi calls, the goddess fades before his eyes.
A handmaiden stirs from her sleep and pushes a limp arm from her, “What’s all the shouting?” She asks, then drifts back to sleep.
Lumi sighs with a heavy breath. The appearance of the goddess would often bring an anxiousness that only Khimi could abate. With poise and care, Lumi tiptoes past the sleeping handmaidens and edges around the corner of the room and back down the hallway. His bare feet pad against the marble floor in his haste. The estate is in a wild state of disarray. Broken glass litters the halls and outer courtyard. Though he had drunk heavily of the wine in the cellar, Lumi had become instantly sober the moment the goddess spoke to him. Khimi’s room had been locked during the festivities to prevent any disturbances, should the lord want for privacy. Lumi prays while he bounds across the estate that Khimi had already returned to his chambers.
The morning sky is a beautiful burnt orange color. It makes him think of the days he spent with Khimi in Betset. In Betset, Khimi had told him that he wished to spend their lives together while the sun moved slow across the sky.
The morning mist laps against him during his brief walk under the awning. He crosses his arms to warm himself from the nip in the air. Determined to see Khimi, Lumi dashes through the cool morning air and pushes against the chamber doors. The black grained wood creaks from the force and opens with a screech.
The tile floors are frigid, the braziers in the room unlit. The morning sun filters through the blue window across the room, but the curtains Lumi had drawn days ago are closed. Beneath a mound of covers and sheets was a massive lump. Khimi! Lumi leaps onto the bed with uncontrollable excitement, tearing into the covers and calling for Khimi out loud. Pushing and shoving against Khimi, Lumi receives no response.
“Khimi!?” Lumi whispers, panic in his voice.
Khimi remained still, dark bags around his eyes. Though Lumi had only seen Khimi shed a tear a few times, he is confident that there are wet streaks down his cheeks. Fearful of Khimi’s slow response, Lumi shakes more vigorously.
A thin smile whips across Khimi’s lips, “I’m awake, kitten,” he replies, trying to keep an even tone.
“Why’re you like this?!” Lumi groans in exasperation. He moves to tuck his feet beneath the blanket. “It’s so cold…why didn’t you start a fire?”
“Drank too much,” Khimi groans. “You want me to make a fire?”
Lumi nods vigorously. The coarse tail curls under his legs. “P-please,” he shivers, his teeth clattering in protest of the cold.
The brazier at the foot of the bed roars to life with a swift motion from Khimi’s hand. The heat surges towards them, illuminating Khimi’s form. In the dimly lit room, among the flickering shadows, Lumi knows the moment the light crosses over Khimi’s face. He had been shedding tears, and for some time. Khimi’s expression changes from his typical proud smile to a dour frown. Lumi cups Khimi’s face in his hands and looks up into his hooded eyes.
“It’s okay to cry,” Lumi asserts. His soft lips press against Khimi’s stuttering chin. “It’s okay.”
Unable to respond, Khimi folds his arms over Lumi’s shoulders and pulls him into a tight embrace. The smell of the burning wood and the sound of the crackling flames fill the quiet room. Then with a sudden hefty sob, Khimi’s body shakes violently against Lumi’s.
Khimi is a creature of pride, one who would never show his true feelings except to those who were closest to him, and sometimes not even to them. Lumi holds onto Khimi, his nails biting into Khimi’s back. The tips of his fingers trace along the many scars and wounds, his lips jam against his lover’s chest. Khimi’s lips part between Lumi’s ears, placing kiss after kiss, his jaw still stuttering. The sound of the Lumi’s purrs steadily rise while he listens to Khimi’s heartbeat.
“I know,” Khimi murmurs finally into Lumi’s ear.