Page 275 of Interion

It felt wrong and right, leaving Kiara confused.

“The vessel is in danger,” the female voice said, and the chimera stood up, staring at the emptiness before her. Understanding flooded her mind, for the presence allowed it. Her claws lengthened and her tail swayed, testing her strength. “The time has come to fulfill your destiny.”

“Is it over?” she asked, feeling...

If Kiara were a person, she would say she felt sad, but she was a creature with half a soul and, as such, only understood flights and maneuvers in the blue sky. So she would describe it as her heart plummeting into the limbo within her chest.

“Your stay here, yes,” the presence spoke, devoid of any feeling. Cold and empty, just as part of her soul remembered. And her soul remembered the emptiness and the hunger. In the past, she had hungered for everything. “I will be waiting for you in the Divine.”

“Can’t I stay with them?” Kiara asked, preparing her heart for battle.

Now she remembered the battles, and she didn’t like remembering. But it was necessary—that was what she was there for, wasn’t it?

“Only if you want to renounce your place in the Divine, at my side, where you have always dwelled,” the presence spoke, and her voice was charged with an ugly feeling. It emanated danger, like the crackling of electricity in a poorly positioned sinil stone. Kiara recognized the feeling—Zion emitted it when the female had nightmares.

“And what will the consequence be?” she asked, dragging her claws across the first barrier. It dissolved like butter. The chimera had learned from a young age that there would always be consequences for defying a Goddess’s order.

“What? Are you actually considering not returning?” the presence said, her voice more rigid this time.

Perhaps it was a challenge, or just curiosity. Kiara couldn’t tell, but she kept her serious gaze while slicing through the second barrier. Half-souls didn’t have feelings, yet there she was, asking for something. It was strange and new for the Goddess, who only knew that she didn’t want to give up her creature. It was hers to do with as she pleased.

“I hunger for this place,” Kiara responded, and her eyes glowed.

The Goddess looked at her with contempt: it was the first time a divine being had asked to stay on earth. But she understood—after all, that half-soul perhaps wasn’t even worthy of sitting at her feet. Especially this one. Never had been.

“The consequence of not returning now is never being able to return again,” said the Goddess without blinking. Her nostrils flared as she looked down at the chimera. “If you choose to stay, you will lose your immortal soul and your place at my feet. You will be mortal, with two years of life at most, and when you die, your existence will be lost in the limbo of the universe,” the Goddess said, challenging her. Calistra was capricious and didn’t like to lose. The Goddess of War would never accept defeat easily. “Do you accept?”

Kiara held her gaze, shattering the last barrier with a sweep of her tail. She felt free, and chimeras understood freedom better than anyone. She was finally getting the chance to break her chains. This was the first time the Gods had ever asked what she wanted—before this, Kiara hadn't known either. She hadn't learned to speak, had no feelings, only hunger. She'd been seen as less than nothing.

“You know how this battle ends. You accepted the outcome when I gave you this mission—you know you'll lose your physical body, and if you go through with this agreement, you'll lose your spiritual one too. Why do you want to stay now?” Calistra tried to sound more cordial and kind, the way she was depicted in paintings around the world. A lie.

Kiara met her eyes as an equal—something she'd never had the courage to do before. She had been the Gods's toy, a failed, broken, useless experiment. In the divinity's eyes, she still was. But in her own heart, she was worthy, like every creature on earth. According to Kyller, she was intelligent; according to Zion, she was strong. And above all else, she was someone who could feel—and that alone made life worth living. Her heart raced as she answered:

“Because I love them, and I don't want to leave.”

The Gods stared at her for a long moment, then burst out laughing. Kiara understood the laughter was scornful—half-souls don't feel, after all—but she knew she was different. She had discovered what it meant to love, along with countless other feelings and the words to describe them. And now she refused to give that up.

“You don't know what that is. You were made for only two purposes: to protect and to kill,” the Gods hissed.

“You're wrong,” Kiara replied. The Gods's single eye glowed red, promising blood for such disobedience. But without her other eye, she was powerless in the earthly world. “I didn't know what love was because you never taught me.”

“What pathetic drivel,” the Gods mocked. “If you stay, you'll die.”

“I know exactly what I'll face, but I also know there's a chance of victory. I saw it in Seijhe's predictions.”

“Almost no chance. It will only be possible if the girl stops groveling and unlocks the gift.”

“I believe in her, and I'll try,” Kiara replied, sniffling.

“Foolish creature. The receptacle isn't strong enough. By being this selfish, you might kill her too, and then all the effort until now will have been for nothing. Is that what you want?”

The Gods seethed, losing patience. Kiara didn't yield—her decision was already made.

“I'll never put her life at risk.” But the word selfishness still echoed in her mind.

“You already are. Do you accept anyway?”

The Gods smiled wickedly, and Kiara wondered once more what selfishness truly was. Was it a form of love? Or were they the same thing? They had to be the same thing, because her desire to stay came from love.