As the morning crept up behind the horizon, it felt good to glide in the magic cart. Soaring at speeds no steed could match, Brax felt a tingling sensation in his stomach which spread through his body and enlightened his core, his heart. He didn't think about the exhausting amount of magic he was expending, because the euphoria of flight felt better than anything he had experienced before.
The great azul sky.
The wind in his bristly hair.
A misty cloud dream.
Thy symphony of colors and scenes passing by each instance, Brax began to wonder if his time on the planet had been a waste. Had a beautiful, vibrant life always been waiting for him just beyond where his eyes could see, or was his decades of silent suffering preparing him all that time? The answer was a mystery, but one thing was for certain: he would walk forward and never lose sight of himself again.
Cygnus studied the dimensional map sitting on the cart's carpet floor. With a metallic tablet that allowed him to draw upon it with sparkles from his fingertip and save memos, he wrote down potential points of interest surrounding the area they were headed to. He checked the notes he was sent by his fellows down South.
Odd energies permeating the lands. Sightings of a titanous figure that appeared and disappeared like mist. Shrines of the elder god Sango crumbling out of nowhere. The omens of prophets gone mad. Anomalous energy. Divine Corruption. Gods. Angels. Humans. There were so many ominous uncertainties occurring at once that he felt overwhelmed. He'd need as many trusted hands as he could gather to put the pieces of the overarching puzzle together. Allies he could trust and would not falter, even should he fall.
As they approached a forest with trees that clouded the skies, Cygnus looked up from his work and turned to the others.
"We're approaching the forest which separates the West and the South," Cygnus said. "I'm not sure what we'll find in the Southlands, but I assure you, it's nothing good. If either of you wishes to back out, now's the time."
"Shouldn't you have given us that option a while back?" Brax asked. "We're far from any towns or cities now."
"There's a hidden medicinal village around here. I know someone there who can transport you back, if you wish," Cygnus said.
"You say that, but you know we ain't able to run with our pride in tact now," Brax muttered.
"I'm quite aware," Cygnus said with a smirk. "It's merely an obligatory courtesy. You need say nothing. I already know your answers."
Cygnus sighed and brushed the strands of hair in his eyes, blown by the wind.
"Have you fellows heard of a Southland god called Sango?" Cygnus asked.
"Can't say I have," Brax said.
"I only know those of the East," Xinyu said. "No news from anywhere else comes in or goes out."
"But you know of elder gods, yes?" Cygnus asked.
"I've heard the word, though I ain't too sure about all that mythology stuff," Brax said. "They're like the rulers of heaven, right?"
"In essence, yes," Cygnus said. "As far as the mythos goes, there are four main heavens which dictate each of the lands, and they are more dominant than any other pantheon. Each of these heavens has a king god, said to be stronger and have more influence than any other in their respective kingdom. Odin, the wise king of the Northland heavens. Zeus, the mighty head of the Westland heavens. Sango, the thunderous warrior king of the Southland heavens. I'm not sure about the East, but I presume there is such a figure."
"Ah! The one you are likely talking about is the Jade Emperor," Xinyu said. "But the debate of who is the strongest is not clear. There are others who are equal to or can even surpass him. Warriors, monkeys, ascended, and other gods."
"You're quite knowledgeable about something that's so mythologized over here," Cygnus said. "Why is that?"
"It seems the gods of the Eastlands are much more present in human affairs than they are here," Xinyu said.
"How mysterious they are! You must tell me about your lands sometime," Cygnus said. "Well, regardless of whether or not they are actually the strongest, the elder gods are said to be the kings of the gods and the ultimate authority of the world. Every other god, angel, deity, and being above or below the heavens is theirs to command. If it were they who desired humanity's destruction, Arthur's plan to fight back wouldn't be a possibility, as we'd already be gone. But! We're still here, no? That proves one imperative fact: whatever corrupted the angel is acting separate from heaven's highest order."
"So yer sayin' that whatever corrupted that angel ain't even a god?" Brax asked.
"Not necessarily!" Cygnus said. "I'm simply saying it's not an elder god, and probably not any other high-up god, either. It might be a lesser god that's working in the shadows and perhaps is even conspiring against the heavens."
"This sounds like somethin' that's not our problem," Brax said.
"Do not be hasty in that assumption, Brax. The gods will always bring us into their conflicts," Xinyu said.
"Precisely, and the angel's attack proves just that," Cygnus said. "Think about it analytically. Corrupting angels, deities, and spirits is troubling, but what if that possibility extended to the gods? What if this strange disease could infect the highest beings in existence? They may not be able to be destroyed, but perhaps there is a phenomenon in which they could be controlled. The gods are a mysterious force, and the scope of godly magic is certainly beyond mortals. Who's to say that there aren't lesser gods dissatisfied with the natural order of the world, and seek to throw it into chaos?"
"That would make sense," Xinyu said. "We have been destroyed by them many times before, and this would not be the first. "
"No matter what the intention, to control all the heavens is frightening, especially if they're resorting to such tactics to seize them," Cygnus continued. "If they were to corrupt an elder god such as Sango or Zeus, then the world as we know it would come crumbling down without a possibility of salvation. We must act before anything like that happens."
"If that's the case, what do y'all plan to do?" Brax asked.
"Our goal shouldn't be to run or fight, but in actuality, to expose any secret conspiracy and let the heavens and fate know that an enemy lay amongst their ranks," Cygnus said, turning to Xinyu. "A secret that should be hidden and confined to the heavens– sounds familiar, yes?"
"It is almost like you think you have me figured out," Xinyu said with a smile. "But I know nothing of this corruption or heavenly assailant. The secret which I wish to expose differs from yours."
"How mysterious, and here I thought I had cracked the case," Cygnus said, amused. "Regardless, our goals still intertwine, the way I see it. One and the same."
"Intertwined, yes. The same? I disagree," Xinyu said. "Your goal is to figure out the cause of calamity and to stop it. You believe that using your brain, you can outsmart fate and save this world, and that is where our desires differ. As I said when we first met, I wish to destroy this terrible world. Only from complete obliteration can something new be born."
"Didn't ya say you were just after the heavens?" Brax asked. "Don't tell me you were plannin' to kill off humanity too?"
"It is merely an allegory, Brax! Do not make me out to be the villain," Xinyu said. "I do not wish for anyone to die, and I do not want this enjoyable world to go away, but lives will be lost, and the fault will be mine. This thorny path I tread runs inevitably toward a moonless night, yet I am sure it is right. That is because only in the midst of the darkest night can I show you all the most beautiful sunrise."
"Ya say that, but from what I'm hearin', neither of you has got actual plans," Brax said. "What the hell are you actually gonna do if a god is actually involved?"
"I do wonder that myself," Cygnus said. "Anyhow, this is all just theories and postulations for now. Who knows what's to actually occur beyond the moment? Realistically, we're trying to find a way to stop something that can't simply be cast away with magic. It's spooky stuff from a distance, and it doesn't help that our enemy may lie in the heavens."
"Is that right? Then what the hell can a few fools like us do?" Brax asked.
"The only thing we can!" Xinyu said. "We fight until we are good and dead, and maybe a little bit after that."
"Would you prefer to start with the wind, or the sky?" Cygnus asked, mockingly. "Honestly, there isn't anything to fight. I really do admire your spirit, my friend, but before we can do anything, we must uncover everything, and find a solution that outpaces even fate."
Xinyu walked to the front of the cart and stretched her open palm to the sun, reaching for something she could never touch. The hot ball of fire that Icarus and so many others sought after and fell for. The star that shone longer and more brightly than any other, something that was so close, yet so far; an eternal pillar of hope. The sun, a warrior that always charged and retreated in a perpetual battle for the sky, was something so impossible, brilliant, and never-ending.
"I shall take the sky, and you the wind," she said. "When the path is hidden in darkness, we will become the sun and move forward so others can follow. It does not matter if we cannot see blinded in our own might, because our aim is true."
"What kinda nonsense are ya spoutin' now?" Brax asked.
"I don't know, but it's always handy to have folks with a few screws loose on your side," Cygnus said. "Invaluable jokers."
…
When night began to fall, they decided to stop in the middle of the thick trees that stretched high above. They had found a clearing with a puddlish pond, and despite it being stagnant water, had the clearest liquid they had ever seen. Cygnus looked closely and noticed the rotund scaly dwellers at the bottom, 'feegles', which were responsible for filtering the dirt and bacteria out of the water, and thus deemed it well enough to drink. After rehydrating his cracked lips, Cygnus then became absorbed in his map, childishly obsessing over it as if his life depended on it. In the grand scheme of things, perhaps it did. His face was bright with an unbreakable focus that illuminated the darkness. Xinyu widened her eyes at him, looking straight into his soul. She inched closer and tried to distract him, to maybe get him to relax, but unbeknownst to her, this state of intense focus was relaxing to him.
Since Cygnus didn't notice Xinyu's pestering, she gave up. She instead rolled over to Brax, who was staring into the fire-lit pond. The water was so transparent that they could see their reflections like a mirror, and the starlit galaxy backdrop looked like a lovely twinkling painting. The crackle of burning branches and howling night creatures sang the shrubby forest to sleep with a tranquil lullaby of hoots and chirps.
"Hallo, Brax!" Xinyu said playfully. "What are you thinking about in your mind?"
"Nothin'," Brax said. "I mean a lot. I just… I can't believe I'm here. I've met some incredible folks in such a short period of time, and it just doesn't seem real. I spent all my life wasting away, and now suddenly everything's changing. I don't know how to feel about it. I'm happy but also scared. And even though they seem to be okay with it, I can't help but feel guilty I left them behind."
"That is a heavy weight," Xinyu said, nodding. "But I think change is okay. Maybe some things will change to be good while others will be bad. As long as you move forward, you can never have regret because it is the path you pave."
Brax was envious that Xinyu always knew what she wanted, and she was always full of joy. As long as she could get what she wanted, she could smile. She could smile and move forward, bringing those she chose in the blazing chariot.
"Why?" Brax asked.
"Why what?" Xinyu asked back.
"Why… why did you ask me to come along?" Brax asked. There was hesitation in his voice, but he had to know. "I'm nobody. There was nothing I could offer you when we met. I ain't special, so why me?"
"I do not know," she said. "But you gave me a lovely-smelling perfume, and that made me happy. Maybe you were not special to others. Maybe you were the dirt this kingdom was built upon. That is okay, because after traveling around with you and seeing your courage, I now know I made a good friend. You have a most kind heart, and that is special to me."
"I see," Brax said. "I'm happy."
Xinyu's face lit up, and she couldn't suppress her big smile.
"Really?" she asked excitedly. "I am glad you're happy. I hate when people are sad. Maybe we are kindred spirits! I know what it is like to be the dirt beneath everyone's feet as well."
"You're pretty interesting," Brax said. "I've never met someone so joyous."
"I must be joyous!" Xinyu said. "If I am not joyous myself, then how can I make others smile?"
"Why are you so focused on making others happy?" Brax asked. "I don't really get it."
"The answer is not so complicated. It is because I love seeing their faces light up!" Xinyu exclaimed. "I like the way their cheeks puff when they smile and how their pupils get really big, like they are trying to take everything in. It makes me happy, and it reminds me of my sister."
"Your sister? Where is she now?"
"She is there." Xinyu pointed up at the starry sky. She was still smiling, but there was something strange in her eyes. She was rapidly blinking as a bit of dust flung into her eye. Perhaps it was a bit of ash from the fire. Or something else. When he thought about it, Brax realized that he didn't know anything about her.
"Can you tell me about your past?" Brax asked.
"My past is not so special," Xinyu said. "But if you really want to know, I will tell you another time. It is a very long story, and I do not feel like telling it. Tonight, we should rest so tomorrow we can be full of energy."
Xinyu's aversion made Brax all the more curious. He wondered what kind of place that girl could have possibly grown up in to have made her so happy and kind. At first, he thought it was a cultural thing, but he quickly realized there could be no other human being like her. There was only one Xinyu, just like there was only one Brax.
Not long after, they both fell asleep, side by side, staring at the stars.