Starfall's Wish - Chapter 15 - First Draft (Patreon)

The last of the sun's rays filtered through the stained glass windows, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the cold stone floor. Yuka could still feel the phantom warmth of Mabyaku's hand as she jerked her own away from his grip. She backed away from him, her green eyes wide with confusion and fear.

"I'm not your wife," she whispered, her voice trembling.

"No, indeed," he replied, his stoic expression betraying none of the emotions that surely roiled beneath the surface. "However, now we have time to think."

"Think?" Yuka echoed, her heart pounding in her chest like the beating wings of a caged bird. "What are we going to do now?"

Mabyaku's multihued hair shimmered as he turned away from her, beginning to pace the length of the room. His long strides seemed to devour the space, and Yuka couldn't help but watch him. The silence pressed down on them, heavy and suffocating.

"Yuka," she said, breaking the oppressive quiet. "We can't just do nothing."

Mabyaku stopped pacing abruptly and turned to face her, his indigo eyes meeting her green ones. "I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But something Lord Yukyo mentioned..." He trailed off, leaving Yuka hanging on his unspoken words.

"What did he say?" she asked, desperation seeping into her voice.

"Never mind. It is too dangerous to discuss here," Mabyaku responded, his face turning somber.

She could see the weight of the situation bearing down on him, and it tore at her empathetic heart. Yuka wanted nothing more than to reach out and comfort him, but the distance between them felt vast and insurmountable. Instead, she settled for offering him a small, reassuring smile. "Together, we'll find a way," she said.

Mabyaku nodded, though his eyes remained clouded with uncertainty. He resumed his pacing, and Yuka could only watch as the man who had once been her captor now appeared as vulnerable as she felt in that moment. She wondered if there was any hope for them, or if they were merely pawns in some twisted game played by cruel gods.

3 - 4

"What did he mention?" Yuka asked, her eyes fixed on Mabyaku, searching for the truth hiding behind his silence. The air in the room seemed to grow colder as she waited for his answer.

"He said that the gods themselves have witnessed our union," Mabyaku replied, his voice barely audible.

Yuka's brow furrowed with confusion, and she bit her lip, trying to make sense of his words. "What does that even mean?"

Mabyaku was perplexed. His gaze drifted to the window, where the shadows of the day stretched long across the floor. "The more I think on the matter... Yuka, what does 'Theng' mean in the language of your people?"

"It means 'sky'," she answered, still confused, a shiver crawling up her spine. Where was he going with this?

He asked another question, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "And Dīl?"

"Thunder?" she replied hesitantly, her heart pounding like the drums of an approaching storm.

"Yes," Mabyaku nodded, his face pale as if haunted by some terrible vision. "The gods of the sky and thunder, come down from the heavens." He paced back and forth, his footfalls echoing through the chamber like thunderclaps.

Yuka gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "You don't really mean them, do you?"

"Do you remember the night at the inn?" Mabyaku asked, stopping his pacing and staring intently into her eyes. "The power and skill they showed that night. For the first time since I was young did anyone besides Lord Yukyo make me fear for my life."

A chill swept through Yuka as the memory of that night came flooding back – the fierce battle, the overwhelming power displayed by Theng and Dīl, the terror that had gripped her heart. She looked at Mabyaku, her eyes wide with disbelief and fear.

"Are you saying Lord Yukyo plans to use the gods... for his own gain?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Mabyaku's jaw clenched, and he nodded solemnly. "It seems that way."

Yuka's stomach churned as the gravity of their situation sank in. They were caught in a web spun by divine beings, and it seemed there was no escape. She looked at Mabyaku, his face etched with concern, and felt a strange mix of fear and determination well up within her.

"Then we must stop him," she said, her voice resolute. "Together, we'll find a way."

Mabyaku met her gaze, and for a moment, Yuka saw a flicker of hope ignite in his eyes. It was a small flame, but it burned brightly against the encroaching darkness that threatened to consume them all.

5 - 6

In the dimly lit chamber, shadows danced across the walls as Mabyaku paced back and forth, the tension in the room palpable. Yuka's eyes darted between the flickering candles and Mabyaku's furrowed brow, her heart growing heavier with each step he took.

"Yuka," Mabyaku said, his voice carrying the weight of a terrible truth, "there is now no doubt in my mind. Lord Yukyo plans to sacrifice the gods to increase his own power. His current might is far beyond any strength mortals could hope to muster. After the ritual, he would rule not just this world, but would alone be able to cast down the World Tree into the abyssal void, destroying all that has ever been or will be."

Yuka felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she imagined the horrifying consequences of such an act. Her hands trembled, and she clenched them together in a futile attempt to still her nerves.

"What are we going to do?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I am not sure," Mabyaku admitted, sitting down on the edge of the bed, deep in thought. Yuka moved to sit beside him, placing her hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. He flinched slightly at her touch, then stood up again to resume his pacing.

"Is there no one who can help us?" Yuka questioned, her voice tinged with desperation. "We cannot let Lord Yukyo succeed. It would mean the end of everything."

Mabyaku shook his head, his face a mixture of frustration and fear. "Even if we found allies willing to stand against him, how could we possibly defeat a being so powerful? And with the gods themselves under his control..."

"Then we must find a way to free them," Yuka interjected, determination blazing in her green eyes. "If we can release the gods from Lord Yukyo's grasp, they might help us to stop him."

For a moment, Mabyaku stopped pacing and looked at her, his eyes filled with uncertainty. Yuka could see the battle raging within him, torn between hope and despair.

"Perhaps...," he hesitated, his voice trailing off as he resumed walking, his long hair swaying with each step. "But how? We do not even know where they are being held or what kind of ritual Lord Yukyo intends to perform."

"Then we must gather information," Yuka suggested, her mind racing with possibilities. "We need to learn everything we can about Lord Yukyo's plans and find a way to thwart them. It won't be easy, but we cannot let fear paralyze us."

Mabyaku paused in his pacing once more, studying her face intently. The intensity of his gaze made her feel as if he were peering straight into her soul, searching for any trace of doubt or weakness.

"Very well," he said finally, a hint of resolve creeping into his voice. "We will try. But we must be cautious, Yuka. If Lord Yukyo discovers our intentions, it will mean certain death for both of us."

Yuka nodded, swallowing hard against the lump that had formed in her throat. She knew the danger they faced, but the thought of doing nothing – of allowing Lord Yukyo to destroy all she held dear – was even more terrifying. Together, they would face the impossible and fight for their world, come what may.

7 - 8

Yuka watched Mabyaku for a while in silence as he wandered around the room, deep in thought. The dim light from the flickering candles cast eerie shadows on the walls, accentuating his furrowed brow and the tension in his strong shoulders. Each of his steps was slow and deliberate, as if he were trying to navigate an unseen labyrinth. Every now and then he would stop and stand still, seemingly lost in thought before continuing on his journey around the room.

As she watched him pace, Yuka's heart ached with worry for both her father and brother, and also, for Mabyaku. She could see how much this burden weighed upon him, the way it threatened to crush him beneath its immense weight. And yet, he continued to carry it, refusing to relinquish even the smallest portion of the load.

After what seemed like hours, Mabyaku sat down and buried his face into his hands, his multihued hair covering his ageless features like a curtain. "It is hopeless," he whispered, the despair evident in his voice.

Yuka's heart sank at his words, but she refused to give in to the same crushing despair that had overtaken Mabyaku. "No, it can't be hopeless," she said, her voice shaking but resolute. "There must be something we can do."

Mabyaku shook his head, his eyes hidden behind his long fingers. "I have tried to think of a plan, but I can not come up with anything. Lord Yukyo has all the power, and we are just too powerless in his grasp."

Tears pricked at the corners of Yuka's eyes, but she stubbornly blinked them away. "But we can't just give up. We have to try," she insisted, clenching her fists in determination.

Mabyaku looked up at her, his eyes tired and defeated. "What can we try? We have no power, no allies, nothing."

Yuka thought for a moment, desperate to find some shred of hope in their dire situation. An idea struck her, like a sudden ray of light piercing through the darkness. "What if we try to find allies? Surely there must be people out there who are against Lord Yukyo's rule."

Mabyaku shook his head, his expression bleak. "We have not the time for that."

"But we have to try something," Yuka insisted, her voice growing stronger with each word. "We can't just sit back and let Lord Yukyo destroy everything we hold dear. We have to fight back."

A silence fell over the room, as heavy and oppressive as the darkness that surrounded them. Mabyaku's gaze seemed to bore into her very soul, his eyes searching hers for any hint of doubt or hesitation. And yet, despite the enormity of the task before them, Yuka did not waver. She knew that they could not afford to fail, even if the odds were stacked against them.

9 - 10

Mabyaku remained silent, hiding his face from her. Yuka shook her head in frustration, the weight of their situation bearing down on her like a leaden anchor. Leaving Mabyaku to his thoughts, she stepped away from the bed and approached the window of her chambers.

The heavy shutters blocked any hint of light, casting the room into an oppressive darkness that mirrored the despair that threatened to consume her. With trembling hands, she threw the shutters open, allowing the golden rays of the setting sun to stream in, casting shadows that stretched long and thin across the floor.

Yuka's breath caught as she gazed out over the city, the sunlight painting the rooftops and streets below in a warm, honeyed glow. She could see the hustle and bustle of everyday life, people unaware of the danger that loomed over them all. Her home, once a place of comfort and solace, now felt like a prison, its walls closing in on her, leaving her with no way out and no hope of survival.

Tears began to slip down her cheeks, each droplet a testament to the pain and fear that clutched at her heart. She clenched her fists at her sides, anger beginning to flare within her as she considered the possibility of losing everything she held dear to Lord Yukyo's twisted ambitions.

"Damn it," she muttered under her breath, her voice choked with emotion.

Yuka turned abruptly, her emerald eyes blazing with fury as they locked onto Mabyaku's bowed form. "You're just going to surrender, aren't you?" she spat, crossing the room in a few swift strides. "To roll over and heel, like a dog."

"Yuka, please," Mabyaku responded, his voice barely audible.

"Please?!" she seethed, grabbing him by the hair and forcing him to look at her. "You're going to go through with the ritual, stain your hands with more blood? How much more do you need? My family's? My friends? How about all of existence?"

"Yuka, I--" Mabyaku began, his eyes swimming with pain and regret.

"Is that enough for you?" she cut him off, her voice rising in anguish. "Why don't you spill your own for a change?"

Mabyaku stared at her, his face a mixture of shock and sorrow. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came, leaving him just as powerless as he had been moments before.

Yuka released her grip on his hair, her anger spent and replaced by a crushing despair. She sank to the floor, her legs giving way beneath her as she sobbed, feeling every ounce of hope slip away like grains of sand through her fingers.

11 - 11

Mabyaku's silence continued to weigh down the air like a heavy fog, suffocating any possibility of understanding between them. The tension finally snapped as he found his voice, his eyes wide with disbelief. "My blood?"

Yuka's grip on his hair slackened, and she released him. Mabyaku's head drooped back down, his multicolored tresses cascading over his face like a waterfall of sorrow. Her heart throbbed in her chest as she gazed upon his forlorn figure, but the anger still burned within her.

"Get out!" Yuka screamed, her voice cracking in desperation. "I never want to see you again!"

Her hand flew up, connecting with his face in a sharp slap that echoed through the room. Mabyaku's head jerked to the side from the impact, but he didn't utter a word. Instead, he stood abruptly, the muscles in his tall frame tensing with each movement.

His stoic expression sent a shudder through Yuka, a stark reminder of the man whose loyalties had always been so divided. She watched as he walked out of the room, his footsteps a steady rhythm of defeat. The sound of the door closing behind him resonated like a death knell, sealing the chasm that had opened up between them.

Yuka threw herself back down onto her bed, burying her tear-streaked face into the soft pillows, and her body wracked with uncontrollable sobs. The once plush bedding now felt like a cold slab beneath her, offering no comfort or respite from her despair. As her tears soaked into the fabric, she couldn't help but wonder if she had made a terrible mistake.

Had she pushed away the one person who could have helped her save their world? Had her anger driven a wedge between them that could never be repaired? The questions swirled through her mind like a tempest, threatening to drown her in a sea of doubt and regret.

Mabyaku's words echoed in her head: "My blood?" Had she been too harsh, demanding a sacrifice that he wasn't prepared to make? Or had he simply been unwilling to share the burden of their dire situation? She couldn't be sure, but one thing was certain – they were both now more alone than ever before.

With each passing moment, Yuka's heart grew heavier, weighed down by the enormity of their task and the crushing isolation that now surrounded her. As she wept into the night, she could only hope that somehow, against all odds, they would find a way to overcome the darkness that threatened to consume them all.