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"As soon as I'm done with the council, we can," Derlik informed Luca. He continued with the gentle touches, fingers going up to run through Luca's hair. He continued down the path, not caring if anyone spotted him or not. It was hard to mistake his as anything other than the god he was, after all, so he knew they wouldn't try anything.
"Then afterwards we can go do something to take care of that stress of yours."
Luca clung to the god now, what did he mean by that? Dealing with the council? Was he planning something? Most likely- but he stayed quiet, not wanting to be reprimanded. After all, the god had threatened this morning to kill him. Messing with a god was a dangerous thing. And with the possibility of his mother getting hurt he stayed quiet. Something about his stress? Ah… He was very stressed… Last night and this morning had been stressful.
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Derlik tucked his head against Luca's shoulder, humming still as he held the human to himself. He made his way into the center of the village again, looking around.
"Hey!" He snapped, to get the attention of anyone and everyone in the area. He gently rubbed Luca's back, not making him look.
The village was busy with children dancing and playing around, the mothers or fathers watching fondly nearby. It was very clear that the village suffered nothing when they got rid of Luca. It was like the sacrifice had done nothing, maybe cheered them up a bit really. People in the village found him strange for his mismatched eyes, his small stature, his quiet ways. He tensed when the god yelled, burying his face into the gods shoulder, not daring to look. He could hear the laughter, the celebrating. No remorse or sadness for his sacrifice. The people quickly looked at the god, silence befalling the people as they gathered, and there was a tremor of sudden tension.
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"Well, isn't this a sight to see?" Derlik started. He took the time to glare at the people around him, holding Luca close to himself.
"I came here thinking it would do this place good to see the one you offered to me was still alive, but I think you're all fucking disappointed in that from how you seemed to celebrate giving him to me! I want everyone on the council to step forward, now." Derlik pointed to a spot in front of him, frowning deeply as he waited.
The village people stepped back to reveal five people, three men and two women. Each of them wore the symbol of the god standing in front of them. Each of them looked absolutely terror stricken. Luca didn't dare look at the people, keeping his eyes firmly shut tight, and his face pressed into the gods shoulder. Now that he knew the truth, now that he understood how truly worthless he was, he didn't care at this point. The god could kill him if he wanted, throw him away, but the harsh reality hit him hard. The council members dared not to speak, each of them bowing deeply, nearly groveling at the sight of their god in front of them.
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That same symbol was on Luca's neck, now, marking him as the god's. Derlik took a moment to gently run his fingers through Luca's hair, then turned to look at the five people groveling before him.
"What made you think this was a good idea?" He demanded, voice raising some. "EVery year I have ensured there has been a traveler for you to offer to me. Did you grow impatient?! Or did you just want to be rid of this man?!"
Luca didn't tense at the touch this time, to lost within his own mind. His chest hurt- no everything hurt at this point. The realization that he was never wanted in the first place. He felt dizzy, like he was losing control, spiraling within his own mind. Nothing made sense- not any more at least.
"We apologize, mighty one… We were fearful that a traveler wouldn't make it in time- we simply wanted the sacrifice to be on time- we swear." The woman's voice was shaky. It was a partial truth, that much was obvious. But it wasn't the whole truth.
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"You had three weeks more time for the traveler to come. The traveler did come, not three hours into the night. I'd guided him here myself." Derlik stepped up to the woman, taking her chin in his hand.
"And I would suggest telling me every single part as to why you gave me Luca before you get punished."
The woman's eyes widen slightly when she was grabbed, looking over at Luca desperately. "He does nothing for this village." She swallowed thickly. "He and his mother live on the outskirts of the village. He doesn't help the village, simply stays in his home or runs around in nature. He contributes nothing." Luca visibly winced at that. He stayed home because his mother had gotten injured when he was young. He hunted for their food, grew their gardens, did what he could for his mother. Of course he grew up secluded. The last time he was in a big village- no he didn't dare think of it.
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"So, you really did just want to get rid of him, then." Derlik was not happy with that. He tossed the woman down to the ground by his hold on her chin, and before she could even do anything to resist his head came down on her head. Her skull was crushed, blood staining Derlik's heel.
"If you are all so keen on getting rid of those you deem unwanted, you should have no problem doing that every year. No more travelers are ever going to be coming through here again. I'm going to cut you all entirely off from the rest of the world." Derlik lifted his foot from the woman's head as her blue soul orb pushed out of her chest. Derlik reached down to pick her up, looking her over before just tossing her to the side.
"No- wait please-" Her cries were cut off sharply and Luca tensed at the sounds of her skull getting crushed, and the metallic smell of blood rushed through his nose. He almost vomited- almost being the key word. If he had he wasn't sure what the wrath of the god would be. But what about his mother? His mother was still here, still alone. What if she got sent next? What would happen to her? "Sir-" He whispered hoarsely. "My mother- she could be next if that happens…" He knew it was useless to say such things, he was simply a toy to the god now- a doll as he had been called this morning.
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Derlik just ran his fingers through Luca's hair as he wiped his shoe off in the grass.
"Anyone having any objections-?" Derlik looked down as Luca did voice his concern, holding the man close. He considered for a moment, then lightly patted Luca's back.
"If she gets offered," Derlik assured him, though it was loud enough for the remaining council members could hear, "I'll raze this village to the fucking ground." The god offered a sweet smile that didn't match his words, humming softly.
"If no one else has anything to say, I'll be taking my leave." A threat- anything else said and the person might just end up like the dead council woman.
None of the villagers spoke, fear laced with their eyes, children holding on to their parents tight in fear, no one dared to speak a word when the god was speaking, no one dared utter a word of opposition. The body tossed to the side still continued to gush blood, and the remaining council members shook with fear. Luca however, was surprised that the god had listened to him, he doubted however that it was something that would happen frequently. He kept quiet now, not saying anything else. He didn't dare look up, didn't dare make eye contact with any of the villagers. The didn't look at him thankfully, to busy looking at the ground or staring horrified at the body.
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"That's what I thought." Derlik turned to walk away, pausing for only a moment when he came to the woman's soul, laying on the ground partially cracked from where he'd tossed her. He let out an annoyed sigh, leaning down to pick her up and putting her in his pocket.
"Let's go visit your mother now, hm?" Derlik patted Luca's back, walking out of the main part of the village towards her home.
The village watched them, a few people taking a step back when the god got closer. Luca barely opened his eyes when they walked away from the village. He didn't mind being carried around, he was just surprised the god was willing to carry him around like so. He was still his human size. When they came towards his home, there was a woman was sitting on a bench. She was staring up at the skies, knitting needles in her hands. She numbly looks over at the god and her eyes widen, standing hurriedly to meet them. She walked with an obvious limp, her eyes watering. She was shorter than her son, but only by an inch. Luca was a spitting image of her, the only difference was his eye color.
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Derlik continued to gently run his fingers through Luca's hair as he approached the house before finally setting him down. Luca was his doll, after all- why shouldn't he carry the man around? It was possessive, something to show Luca was his. The god gently patted Luca's shoulder, now, turning to his mother.
"I figured it would do you both good to see each other," the god said softly. He watched as the woman limped closer, offering his hand to help her.
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(owo)
(ALSO AAAAAAAAAA THE BACKSTORY TO THE VILLAGE I'M-)
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(This is probably about one or two centuries before Kye 👉👈)
Luca eagerly leapt out of the gods arms and grabbed his mother into a tight hug. He held onto her tightly, his eyes shutting as he held her. She sobbed softly into his shoulder, running a hand through his hair. He leaned into it, before she pulled away, cupping his cheeks with her hands. "Oh my sweet boy…" She whispered softly, "You're okay, are you hurt?" She looks over him worriedly before he shakes his head in a silent no. She nods and looks at the god, bowing her head thankfully. "I'm glad to know he's okay…" she mutters softly, a small smile on her lips. "Thank you for letting me see him again. I was so worried…" She inhaled shakily and smiled a bit. "But he's safe." She had tears of relief rushing down her cheeks.
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Derlik took a small step forward, nodding some.
"He'll have a much better life now that he's not dealing with those people in the village anymore," the god said softly. "I'm still shocked they were so eager to do something like this…" The god shook his head some, gently patting Luca's back. He was wanted, after all, by a god no less.
She glances at her son, and then the god. "He… He can still come back right? Come and visit?" She asks quietly, she knew it was inevitable that the god would want to take her son with him. Luca still held onto his mother. He didn't want to let go. The god made him into a *doll". A toy- he was just a thing now in the gods eyes. He kept his arms around his mother, fearful that he would have to let go. Have to go away with the god. He didn't want to. He was scared of the life he had to live now. Would the god turn him into a doll again? But his mother didn't know that, so he didn't say a word, not wanting her to worry too much.
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"He can," Derlik confirmed, nodding. It wouldn't be often, but the god would allow that much. He offered an assuring smile to Luca's mother, knowing just how much she would worry if she knew what Derlik had in store for her son.
"We need to get going now, though." Derlik held his hand out to Luca. The man had to come with him, pretend everything was okay if he didn't want to scare his mother.
She gave a relieved sigh, thanking him softly. Luca didn't want to go, didn't want to leave his mother. But she pulled away and smiles at him. "You'll be just fine, Luca. I'm so proud of you." He held onto her hand for as long as possible as he stepped back to the god. He looked down at the God's hand and inhaled shakily. He raised his hand and carefully took it, sparing one last glance at his mother. "She'll be safe right?" He glances at the god.
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"She'll be perfectly safe," Derlik assured. He said his farewells to the woman, picking Luca up in his arms once more and turning to walk away.
"Now, how does some stress relief sound after our long morning?" Derlik shifted so he was holding Luca to his side, like one would a child or a large doll, reaching into his pocket for something.
Luca nods, seeming satisfied with that answer. He inhaled quietly and took a deep breath before holding onto the god, and shutting his eyes. "Stress relief?" He asks quietly and looks up at the god. He didn't say much else, nervous now that the god was reaching into his pocket. He didn't want to think too much on what that might mean. He took a deep breath. He watches his mother slowly disappear, still watching that spot as the god walked. "Where are we going?"
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"We're going to go to a party," Derlik said calmly. He pulled something from his pocket, putting the end of it in his mouth and lighting the other end before offering it to Luca.
"Take a drag of this, hm? It'll help." The god hummed some as he offered the joint, looking out as they walked. It wasn't hard to forget this was the same god who'd so ruthlessly killed a woman, taken her soul and so casually trapped her in his pocket with how he was acting.
A party? Oh god- he hated large crowds. Absolutely hated them. "Do… Do we have to go?" He whispers softly, becoming tense again. He didn't like large crowds- he felt the panic bubble up in his chest. He looks down at the thing that the god was offering, becoming confused before he slowly took it and slowly took a drag. He coughed, but it wasn't horrible. He tilts his head a little bit more and took another drag before releasing the smoke into the air. It felt… kinda nice. He hummed and relaxed a little bit. That was nice… it helped him relax a bit more. He relaxed and leaned on the gods shoulder, a bit more pliant now.
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Derlik didn't answer Luca's question, watching as he relaxed more.
"See, this isn't so bad, hm?" The god watched as Luca relaxed against him, chuckling some before taking his own joint out and lighting it up.
"Mm…" The god smirked lazily, looking down at Luca. "I can help, if you can't handle the party."
He nods slowly, a relaxed sigh leaving his lips as he took another hit. He shuts his eyes and relaxed a bit more. "Yeah…" He murmured quietly and leaned against Derlik's shoulder before looking up at Derlik. "Yes please…" He murmured quietly. He didn't like parties, or people rather. Parties were okay as long as there weren't too many people. He eased against the god again and shut his eyes.
