Sweat beaded on Kai’s forehead. His heart raced like a thief caught red-handed. He clenched his jaw, straightened his back. A wide grin spread across his face.

  Sweaty frowns marked his crew. He couldn’t blame them. Facing a god was overwhelming.

  The massive eyes vanished.

  The eyes reappeared. Above the crew. Glaring down at Kai.

  No, that was wrong.

  The purple pupils examined the trembling prisoner. Long black eyelashes framed the ominous eyes.

  Doubt bloomed in Kai’s chest. Had he overreached? Could he truly build an alliance with a god? He’d persuaded Thread God to call him an ally, but that was an act. A bluff.

  No way out now. His smile tightened. He’d made his bed. Only choice was to lie in it.

  Kharon said Despair God was a fan of the family. Surely his worries were unfounded.

  The ominous eyes vanished again. Kai scanned the surroundings. Nothing amiss.

  “Kai.” Alira’s voice wavered.

  “She’s here,” he replied. “Close your eyes if you want to live.”

  He didn’t know if his companions could see the god’s eyes. His intuition said they couldn’t. Or shouldn’t. ‘Those commandments are not for us,’ Kharon had said. That exception didn’t apply to the rest of his crew.

  Silence filled the air. Strange. The prisoner had been screaming seconds before. The mutilated man on the ground looked different. Wrong. A soft smile grew on his face. The whites of his eyes were black. His pupils, purple.

  He levitated off the ground, hovering before them.

  Unimaginable weight pressed down on his shoulders. He struggled to stay upright. His crew staggered. Merek collapsed.

  A breathy, feminine voice escaped his lips. “Interesting.”

  Despair God.

  The prisoner’s body shivered, but the eyes remained steady. Her eyes. Kai bowed, showing appropriate reverence.

  “Everyone, bow before our guest, Despair God. But don’t look at her. Thou shalt not look upon the gods.”

  His crew fell to their knees, heads bowed.

  Laughter came from the prisoner’s mouth. Feminine. Melodic. Beautiful.

  Was this really Despair God? She didn’t seem despairing.

  “The fragment of the dreadful one told you about me, didn’t he?” Despair God asked.

  Kai lifted his head, straightened. Kharon had better be right about this. He met her black, purple eyes. Pain exploded. A hundred needles stabbing his eyeballs.

  His pulse quickened. Hands flooded with sweat. Bile scratched his throat. The pain vanished a second later.

  Peace replaced agony.

  Kharon was right.

  Kai nodded toward the possessed body. “Yes. He says you’re well acquainted with my family.”

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Despair God raised the prisoner’s left hand, studying it like checking nails for imperfections. Only two fingers remained. “He speaks truth. Your family’s work never fails to entertain me.”

  Was she referring to Kharon, Death God himself, or were there other family members out there? The prospect of more family complicated things. Threats or assets? Too soon to say.

  “What else did he say?” she said.

  What a bind. Lying to a god was risky. But Kharon’s words weren’t kind. Best to stick to pertinent information and omit the rest.

  “He said you’d be a great ally to have. That you might grant me a boon in exchange for—” Kai gestured toward the body she wore. “Entertainment.”

  Despair God’s unnatural eyes narrowed. “And? What else?”

  Kai cleared his throat. “He said you don’t cause despair. You just like to watch.”

  Despair God scoffed. “He called me a pervert, didn’t he?”

  Kai’s eyes widened. Cold sweat ran down his spine. He nodded. As if refusing to speak the words would save him.

  Despair God laughed. “That cheeky fragment. He’s just like the real thing. Kharon must believe in you a lot to leave a fragment within you.”

  His eyebrows rose. Words tumbled out. “What do you mean?”

  “The fragment is weak, but it can grow. You couldn’t ask for a better guide.”

  She sighed. “He is right though. I am a pervert.”

  His mouth fell open.

  How shameless.

  She shrugged. “I can’t help it. It’s my nature. I love despair.” She glanced at the prisoner’s missing arm and foot, then back at Kai. “It seems we’re birds of a feather.”

  He bit back his denial. Better to stay quiet. Her purple pupils brightened. She released a slow breath and bit her lip. “But these humans love causing despair as much as I love watching it.”

  The prisoner’s body trembled. “Ha! It’s so raw, so real, so true.” The prisoner’s tongue licked his lips. Slowly. “Better than anything I could come up with.”

  Kai’s brows furrowed. “So, you can create despair?”

  She laughed. “What kind of Despair God can’t create a little despair?”

  His muscles tensed.

  “But why would I? Artificial despair can’t compare to the real thing.”

  Her eyes widened. Purple eyes burning brighter. “I prefer watching the authentic stuff.”

  Kharon was right. She was a self-admitted pervert. He could work with worse. What did that say about him?

  A finger fell from the prisoner’s left hand. Stone met flesh with a wet sound. The prisoner’s skin looked smudged. His flesh was melting.

  “I can’t stay too long, but this body’s despair is delicious.” She licked a melting finger with the prisoner’s tongue. “His screams are music to my ears.” Her eyes rolled upward. “I suppose you’ve earned a reward.”

  She’d closed the gap. Inches separated them. He hadn’t sensed a thing. Purple eyes captured his gaze. Pain surged. The same pain he’d felt walking through Silas’s wall of flame. His eyeballs melting.

  His eyelids snapped shut. The pain disappeared as fast as it struck.

  He opened his eyes. The god was farther away again.

  “That should do it,” she said. “Consider it an advance payment.” A sly smirk crossed the prisoner’s melting lips.

  No description or information entered his mind.

  “Thank you…but what did you give me?”

  “The stubborn one will give you details when you use it. I expect great things from you, child. Don’t disappoint me.”

  Stubborn one? Balance God?

  The prisoner’s flesh slipped off his torso, splashing the ground like liquid. A muffled cry sounded nearby. He suppressed a retch and ignored it, focusing on Despair God.

  He frowned. “How do I use it?”

  She chuckled. “Figure it out.” Her voice was less breathy, more hoarse and malevolent. “Bring me despair, and our alliance will bloom.”

  No details on what it is or how to use it? Do gods love being cryptic bastards? Is it in their nature?

  No item or summon entered his soul. Must be some kind of attribute.

  An unknown attribute. No instructions, no explanation. He needed a test subject.

  The prisoner’s leg flesh hit the ground. Wet. Heavy. The puddle grew.

  Another muffled cry. The prisoner’s face was a melted painting. Despair God’s purple eyes burned even brighter.

  Her glowing eyes winked at him through the dripping flesh. “I’ll be watching.” She sighed. “This body’s despair is all used up. He’s crying in pain but—”

  The prisoner’s face contorted. His shoulders shrugged. “Too much of the same thing gets boring.”

  A wide smile split the melted face. “Don’t be a stranger, little fragment.” Her purple eyes burned bright enough to light their surroundings. Too bright to maintain eye contact.

  He looked away. Curiosity brought his gaze back. All that remained were burnt eye sockets and a levitating skeleton. The hovering bones crashed to the ground with a clatter. Bones, flesh and blood mixed into a disgusting pool.

  The perfect test subject - destroyed.

  The muffled cry sounded again. Kai turned toward the sound. Levi’s shoulders jerked up and down. His companions maintained their bows, gazes on the floor.

  Kai frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  Levi sniffed. “You said I could eat him.” He pointed to the fleshy sludge seeping between cobblestones. “I can’t eat that.”

  Kai shook his head. His gaze shifted to Nivis village. “There’s more food where he came from. Let’s visit his friends.”

  Patreon.

  Also: please follow, favourite and review the story - it helps me reach more people.

  I'm gonna start writing epigraphs soon. What lore elements do you wanna learn more about?