Axlan’s Point of ViewLet me tell you a story about gods and monsters. Namely the former and how they disguised themselves to seem less like the latter. This story isn’t just a story, you see. It was the truth. Reality that became a rumor. Myth. Legend. But it was true, you see.Humans always had this funny way of playing off what really took place. People in power threw dirt over it to try and get the masses to follow what they wanted to believe. Sheep and wolves. An endless game of tug of war.Yet I will always remember where this story started. With the goddess of spring and her undying love for everything and everyone around her. Including her love for her lonely heart.The air was brisk for an early spring morning. All the animals in the forest had quieted down. Became part of the dull drum of the rest of the world. This was my everyday life, although I knew it was illegal to be doing what I was doing this time of year. It didn’t matter.Food was scarce and the crops weren’t read
Marzanna's Point of ViewAll of this was dull. From the orgy in front of me to the feel of my throne.Everything was just a dull haze. A hollow echo inside of me.I have lived for so many years. Seen it all. Done it all.Men and women fell at my feet the moment I appeared. Some envied me but they were swiftly dealt with by the other gods. No one dared oppose the person that fed the world. That brought crops and harvest and food to their world. Dull.Meaningless.I needed a challenge. Stimulation. Or just an honest companion. One that didn't love me at first sight. Hate would also suffice.It gave me more of a challenge, you see. Something to look forward to.Gerovit challenged me. Drove me to be better in every way. Drove me to adore life and death all the same. But he was far gone from this world.And I had no way of getting back to him.That hollowness in my chest increased. Swallowed me whole as I sat and watched people in the throws of passion.They were lucky. All of them. They
Marzanna's Point of ViewFuck Ixion indeed. The bastard had deigned to fuck me senseless for the last decade and then departed without warning. Left me to watch over his domain.What could be so pressing that he would simply leave without a word? It's not like I had asked him to be with me for eternity. On the contrary, I had made it extremely clear that I wanted nothing of the sort.So, one dead deer won't fucking harm him.Besides, keeping Axlan alive and around me might give me a bit of entertainment. From his reluctance to accept the proposal to the hard lines on his face, I knew he wasn't eager to be around me.This was like a breath of fresh air to me."Are the shackles really necessary?" I asked, keeping my eyes trained on the man in front of me.He stood between two of my guards. Looked more uncomfortable now than he had when we were in the orgy. It only confirmed that he wasn't very eager to be in my presence. Little did he know I visited my animals almost every day."Yes, g
Axlan's Point of ViewHer aloof nature was an enigma. The air around her seemed less shiny than the rest of the world. I had thought it would be the opposite. Maybe it was just my anger towards her that dulled the effect.She hadn't fluttered an eyelid when I took off her guard's head. Didn't flinch when I came straight at her with my sword raised.Her personal guards were better trained, I was sure of that. The ones that led me with her weren't even close to a match. They were lax. More reserved.If I tried the same stunt with her personal guards, I might just end up dead.She knew this, somehow. Predicted the outcome. Knew I would run at the first chance.And none of this seemed to faze her.Marzanna set a lazy pace for our long walk. Hadn't called any other guards to her side. Just remained silent as we trudged forward.Her long silvery hair bounced off of the back of her dress in waves. The small crown she wore sparkled in the sun. With just her outfit alone, I could buy a better
Marzanna's Point of ViewNights were the hardest for me. Reminders of Gerovit sat heavily on my mind at night. Off in the distance, my wolves howled their songs to the moon. Sang sweetly to their young and loved ones. I envied them. One partner for the rest of their lives. Raising their children together.Dying together.Even though neither I, nor Gerovit, had passed away, it felt like it. Stifled me late at night when I lay in bed alone. The sheets beside me cold and my memories a trap that I couldn't escape.Thus, I was out and about in the temple, as usual. Nights had become my alone time. Time to walk about. Reflect. Mourn...Mostly mourned lately.With Ixion being gone so often, I was more alone than ever before. My mind was cast into idle with his constant ministrations to keep me occupied. Now that I had no other god or goddess to keep my mind occupied, it wandered to the life I had before this.To the city we lived in. Each faction. How all of us worked together to create pe
Marzanna's Point of View"Rub down, like I taught you. From the crook of her shoulders to the back of her body," Ben instructed. Calm tone. Just another night for him. Although I knew full and well this was the first and only wolf that hadn't tried to bite his arm off whilst trying to help. Shiva wouldn't dare. My tender hands ran along the path he told me to stroke. Felt her supple fur beneath my fingers. Swore I could feel my heart plummet when her heart sputtered.Her last two births had been troublesome. With Ben at my side, we produced healthy pups but Shiva barely made it out alive. Refused to eat or drink a single morsel for nearly a week afterward. All of the pups were hand-fed.I had milked every damned drop of their milk from another wolf mother. Ensured to keep them warm at night. None of them stayed with her. Remained in my rooms for the next three months. "Her heart..." I sputtered as I stroked down again. It was fluttering wildly beneath me. Her breathing was labori
Axlan's Point of ViewA scream broke the night. Raw with pain. Ripped through my ears with a hefty blow.The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I gripped my mug of ale tightly. Head whipped in the direction of the animal pens. To where I knew Marzanna was busy delivering the wolf pups.From here, I could see the trees right in front of all the enclosures. Flames from the torches flickered just below the branches. Licked at the sky.Until they were snuffed out. All at once. Not even one was spared.Seconds passed before a second boom echoed from behind the trees. A loud crackling sound followed and I watched as the trees bowed toward me. Nearly touched the ground with the tips of their branches from the force.Icy cold sliced through me. A billow of white chased the crackling sound. Static filled the air around me. The feeling of lightning filled the empty space where the static couldn't make its home.Almost like a storm was approaching and would leave thousands dead in its wak
Axlan's Point of ViewThe riders came in first. All leather armor and tight-fitting clothes. Preening as they went. Dewy-faced priestesses gawked at them. Openly giggled as the men wound their way up the path.Next came the hounds. Dreery beasts with barely any fur to spare. Or those were just the front lines. The hunting dogs that had been used one too many times. Because the hounds that followed behind them were splendid. Black coats gleamed in the afternoon sun.And at the very end came the hunting god himself. Ixion. His attire was much like the men at the front. Just a whole lot more intricate. Woven with gold strands. Even his boots seemed to have gold woven into the leather. A peacock preening over his domain. Smugness lined his face.Every priestess on the property had come out to see them arrive. Mooned over the steel-faced men who barely regarded them as anything more than cattle. They reminded me more of their goddess by the day.Luckily, Marzanna would never allow her mai
Marzanna's Point of ViewIxion was a brooding force beside me as we walked. His eyes frequently drifted to the bundle in my arms. Barely contained anger simmered on his face when he looked at the little pup.Focussed on the white fragile thing for longer than was deemed appropriate, considering she was so close to my chest.Although, I knew he was angry with me for causing the scene in front of everyone. I had undermined him in some way. Knew I had but couldn't bring myself to care. Not when so many other emotions stormed inside my mind.Shiva was dead and now Ixion was here. Like a knight on a horse appearing when he is needed most. But I had needed him long before this instance. As a friend. Confidant. And he hadn't been here because his male pride had gotten the better of him.Rejection was the one thing Ixion hated, even before we fell from our world. As children, he pined after me. Tried his very best to become mine. When I chose Gerovit, he seemed to vanish from my life. Retra
Axlan's Point of ViewThe riders came in first. All leather armor and tight-fitting clothes. Preening as they went. Dewy-faced priestesses gawked at them. Openly giggled as the men wound their way up the path.Next came the hounds. Dreery beasts with barely any fur to spare. Or those were just the front lines. The hunting dogs that had been used one too many times. Because the hounds that followed behind them were splendid. Black coats gleamed in the afternoon sun.And at the very end came the hunting god himself. Ixion. His attire was much like the men at the front. Just a whole lot more intricate. Woven with gold strands. Even his boots seemed to have gold woven into the leather. A peacock preening over his domain. Smugness lined his face.Every priestess on the property had come out to see them arrive. Mooned over the steel-faced men who barely regarded them as anything more than cattle. They reminded me more of their goddess by the day.Luckily, Marzanna would never allow her mai
Axlan's Point of ViewA scream broke the night. Raw with pain. Ripped through my ears with a hefty blow.The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I gripped my mug of ale tightly. Head whipped in the direction of the animal pens. To where I knew Marzanna was busy delivering the wolf pups.From here, I could see the trees right in front of all the enclosures. Flames from the torches flickered just below the branches. Licked at the sky.Until they were snuffed out. All at once. Not even one was spared.Seconds passed before a second boom echoed from behind the trees. A loud crackling sound followed and I watched as the trees bowed toward me. Nearly touched the ground with the tips of their branches from the force.Icy cold sliced through me. A billow of white chased the crackling sound. Static filled the air around me. The feeling of lightning filled the empty space where the static couldn't make its home.Almost like a storm was approaching and would leave thousands dead in its wak
Marzanna's Point of View"Rub down, like I taught you. From the crook of her shoulders to the back of her body," Ben instructed. Calm tone. Just another night for him. Although I knew full and well this was the first and only wolf that hadn't tried to bite his arm off whilst trying to help. Shiva wouldn't dare. My tender hands ran along the path he told me to stroke. Felt her supple fur beneath my fingers. Swore I could feel my heart plummet when her heart sputtered.Her last two births had been troublesome. With Ben at my side, we produced healthy pups but Shiva barely made it out alive. Refused to eat or drink a single morsel for nearly a week afterward. All of the pups were hand-fed.I had milked every damned drop of their milk from another wolf mother. Ensured to keep them warm at night. None of them stayed with her. Remained in my rooms for the next three months. "Her heart..." I sputtered as I stroked down again. It was fluttering wildly beneath me. Her breathing was labori
Marzanna's Point of ViewNights were the hardest for me. Reminders of Gerovit sat heavily on my mind at night. Off in the distance, my wolves howled their songs to the moon. Sang sweetly to their young and loved ones. I envied them. One partner for the rest of their lives. Raising their children together.Dying together.Even though neither I, nor Gerovit, had passed away, it felt like it. Stifled me late at night when I lay in bed alone. The sheets beside me cold and my memories a trap that I couldn't escape.Thus, I was out and about in the temple, as usual. Nights had become my alone time. Time to walk about. Reflect. Mourn...Mostly mourned lately.With Ixion being gone so often, I was more alone than ever before. My mind was cast into idle with his constant ministrations to keep me occupied. Now that I had no other god or goddess to keep my mind occupied, it wandered to the life I had before this.To the city we lived in. Each faction. How all of us worked together to create pe
Axlan's Point of ViewHer aloof nature was an enigma. The air around her seemed less shiny than the rest of the world. I had thought it would be the opposite. Maybe it was just my anger towards her that dulled the effect.She hadn't fluttered an eyelid when I took off her guard's head. Didn't flinch when I came straight at her with my sword raised.Her personal guards were better trained, I was sure of that. The ones that led me with her weren't even close to a match. They were lax. More reserved.If I tried the same stunt with her personal guards, I might just end up dead.She knew this, somehow. Predicted the outcome. Knew I would run at the first chance.And none of this seemed to faze her.Marzanna set a lazy pace for our long walk. Hadn't called any other guards to her side. Just remained silent as we trudged forward.Her long silvery hair bounced off of the back of her dress in waves. The small crown she wore sparkled in the sun. With just her outfit alone, I could buy a better
Marzanna's Point of ViewFuck Ixion indeed. The bastard had deigned to fuck me senseless for the last decade and then departed without warning. Left me to watch over his domain.What could be so pressing that he would simply leave without a word? It's not like I had asked him to be with me for eternity. On the contrary, I had made it extremely clear that I wanted nothing of the sort.So, one dead deer won't fucking harm him.Besides, keeping Axlan alive and around me might give me a bit of entertainment. From his reluctance to accept the proposal to the hard lines on his face, I knew he wasn't eager to be around me.This was like a breath of fresh air to me."Are the shackles really necessary?" I asked, keeping my eyes trained on the man in front of me.He stood between two of my guards. Looked more uncomfortable now than he had when we were in the orgy. It only confirmed that he wasn't very eager to be in my presence. Little did he know I visited my animals almost every day."Yes, g
Marzanna's Point of ViewAll of this was dull. From the orgy in front of me to the feel of my throne.Everything was just a dull haze. A hollow echo inside of me.I have lived for so many years. Seen it all. Done it all.Men and women fell at my feet the moment I appeared. Some envied me but they were swiftly dealt with by the other gods. No one dared oppose the person that fed the world. That brought crops and harvest and food to their world. Dull.Meaningless.I needed a challenge. Stimulation. Or just an honest companion. One that didn't love me at first sight. Hate would also suffice.It gave me more of a challenge, you see. Something to look forward to.Gerovit challenged me. Drove me to be better in every way. Drove me to adore life and death all the same. But he was far gone from this world.And I had no way of getting back to him.That hollowness in my chest increased. Swallowed me whole as I sat and watched people in the throws of passion.They were lucky. All of them. They
Axlan’s Point of ViewLet me tell you a story about gods and monsters. Namely the former and how they disguised themselves to seem less like the latter. This story isn’t just a story, you see. It was the truth. Reality that became a rumor. Myth. Legend. But it was true, you see.Humans always had this funny way of playing off what really took place. People in power threw dirt over it to try and get the masses to follow what they wanted to believe. Sheep and wolves. An endless game of tug of war.Yet I will always remember where this story started. With the goddess of spring and her undying love for everything and everyone around her. Including her love for her lonely heart.The air was brisk for an early spring morning. All the animals in the forest had quieted down. Became part of the dull drum of the rest of the world. This was my everyday life, although I knew it was illegal to be doing what I was doing this time of year. It didn’t matter.Food was scarce and the crops weren’t read