Deiti
With a fallen gaze I stare blankly, the thoughts of my existence playing like a reel of scenes. Each memory holding its own key to the very foundation I felt crumbling around me.
I remember my father, my mother and my sister. Except for the incident in the darkened forest, nothing significantly evil sticks out. Even in the aftermath of that day, me running away in shame and Kuma finding me, she and father assured me it wasn't my fault. I had been extra careful after that day, especially around my buttermilk sister.
Life had gone on for some time without an event. Years probably. Whether it was control or avoidance I am unsure. My parents died not too long after us and the twins had grown. That had torn our family apart and I had sought refuge in Ischia. Hiding myself away in my pool, only surfacing when I felt the need for company. I enjoyed the brightness and warmth of my island home. The mere thought causes a faint smile to find my features.
My ear twitches to the shuffle of hooves and I am brought back to awareness. His voice is unwavering, much like my fathers, and I listen as any child would their father. His tone causes my thoughts to shift and consider all he says with truth. I had fought, for years. I had curbed the beast time and time again. Settling it in my chest each time it wished harm upon those undeserving of it. But the years have worn on me and over time exhaustion has allowed it to consume more and more of my essence.
There is a shift in my delicate face. A stubborn determination that tightens the muscle in my jaw and grits my sharp teeth. You're better than this Deiti. You're not the monster she claimed you to be.
His next questions ignite a spark in my neurons. I quickly contemplate all reasons, all similarities, all consistencies. Where did all the evil in my life stem from?
"Darkness," I mutter in response. That had to be the answer.
From the emptiness in myself to the black of night, the creature thrived in the darkest parts of my life. Chased away only by the love of my family and the warmth of home. Perhaps the beast was getting stronger now because I had neither. Just a vacant pit in my heart, longing to be filled.
My head rises as I look upon the beaming stallion before me, the glow of his halo casting an ethereal aura around them. "Thank you EverClear, I know what I must do now," my voice is sincere as I look upon the bloodstained gray. There was something in the stranger that calmed me, restoring my faith in myself and giving me hope.
With a bow of my head, I turn my scaled body towards the north and begin my trek to the Mountain. The water dragon had said you could find purpose there, so perhaps I could find salvation.
