Summary:Lucent and Zahara discuss the nature of love, to the backdrop of Eden's newly-birthed splendors.
XP:L1, Z1
Tags:< A Pyramid of Gold | Sol Invictus Logs | The Heart of Night >
Lucent overlooks the gardens of Eden as the Dragon Kings work their magic, creating the foundation to greater plants... so much had grown there in a mere month. He plucks a ripe tangerine and peels it with his far touch. "You worked wonders here, Zee."
zahara twists some daisies into an elaborate circlet. "An oasis in the desert."
Lucent Lucent looks up as a shadow falls over them, Amika resplendent as she had been few times before. The Lioness-head lowered itself to them and Lucent begun to pet her. "And well-protected. I envy you, Solar Circle Sorcerer."
zahara looks up at Amika and smiles. "Don't envy me too much, Lucent. Power has its price."
Lucent "You managed to avoid it, right? Even with all the suffering..."
zahara "In some ways, yes..." She looks out over Eden pensively. "I once said that anything was worth the power I wield, but I was naieve."
Lucent "But it worked, right? Even if it was a terrible promise..." He looks at Amika as the scorpion bows its legs, the lioness-head purring and breathing out sparks. "... even then... and... if it only hurt yourself, it would be alright, wouldn't it?"
zahara "Are we still talking about me?"
Lucent "Maybe."
zahara "It did work, yes. And I have done much... good with it since."
Lucent "You saved the world. That's got to count for something. Lucent's soul, too."
Lucent "I am sure he was very grateful to you to the end of his days."
zahara "But not yours?"
Lucent "Mine have not ended yet. Not yet. I am grateful for you, you know. I have always been."
Lucent "If you had not done that, maybe I would not exist."
zahara smiles a little. "You believed in me."
Lucent "I still do." He smiles to her, "I wish you would believe in yourself, more."
zahara shrugs. "Someday perhaps."
Lucent "Did I help at all?" He walks towards her, putting a hand on each shoulder. "You have cried so much since I showed up..."
zahara closes her eyes for a moment, then looks into his. "Yes, Luc. You did. There were times I would have been completely lost without you."
Lucent looks into her eyes, then smiles. With a single step foward, he embraces her, tight. "Then we are even, Zahara Zhan, greatest friend I have had in my entire, short life. Then we are even."
zahara hugs him back tightly, her breath catching once in her throat. Then she pulls back a little and looks at him with concern. "Why this new emphasis on the shortness of your life?"
Lucent meets her eyes, sad. "You cannot tell?"
zahara cups his chin in her hand and looks at him intently, then reluctantly shakes her head. "You still look like my best friend to me."
Lucent Tears swell in his eyes, all too human wiping them, his voice breaking from its immaculate tenor. "I... I do. And that is real. That... that cannot be taken away. That is me."
zahara hugs him again. "It is real, and so are you."
Lucent "But I have no idea who... or WHAT I am. Beyond that..."
Lucent He does return the hug, his tears sliding down to her
zahara "Does it matter so much? You are what you do, what you believe, who you love."
Lucent "Even if it is all based on a lie?"
zahara shrugs a little, "My whole life until last year seems like a lie to me now. I don't know how to answer that yet."
Lucent does not let go of that all-too-long hug, chuckling a bit. "I love... I love you, you know."
zahara smiles, and ruffles his hair playfully. "I love you too."
Lucent smiles brighter than before, that almost-blinding one he had when so happy! "I wonder if SHE understands how much I love her, too..."
zahara "Varanim?"
Lucent nods
zahara looks thoughtful, "Yes... I think she does." She decides not to spoil the moment by mentioning how that is not necessarily making her happy.
Lucent "I got her plushies, you know. And she has yet to rip them apart for Necromancy, I think."
zahara chuckles. "Only you, Luc, would do something so sweet."
Lucent laughs, carefree. "Thank you." He nods. "Take care of her, will you?"
Lucent "I... know I will end up hurting her." He dries some of his tears. "I always do."
Lucent "I do mean for the best, though. For her to be happy..."
zahara "We always hurt the ones we love," she says quietly, "don't we?"
Lucent "Yes." He whispers, "Always.
< A Pyramid of Gold | Sol Invictus Logs | The Heart of Night >