“Perhaps you would give us all a tour,” Lucian said, as they continued to sway. “Show us your inspiration and creation?”
“It’s thousands of years beyond anything I created. I can’t lay claim to most of what they’ve done.”
“And yet you’re still recognized as General Astarion, a man of legend. I haven’t shared the stories I’ve heard from everyone with the others,” Lucian said.
Star’s face heated. “I needed to protect Yuri.”
“And creating a god-like persona for yourself was key?” Lucian teased.
“Never,” Star said as he yanked himself out of Lucian’s embrace. “I took scions and swords among them many times. Trained them to protect and care for their people. Not me. Never me.”
The music stopped, and everyone stared at him. Star hugged himself. Anxiety filled him with fear. Would they hate him? Why did becoming mortal feel like he was floating one minute and falling through the dark the next?
“I was alone in the dark,” Star said, “but could travel beyond in spirit.” His gaze fell on Yuri and tears blurred his vision. “Any time I found you and tried to make your life easier, things went wrong…”
“That was part of our curse. But that’s all in the past,” Yuri said.
“I want him to give us a tour of Auroi,” Lucian said.
“That sounds amazing,” Yuri said.
Star winced.
“It’s very different,” Theo said. “Pretty, lots of green and city together, but people everywhere, too. Parks and buildings, libraries, and art. Not like most of Dahna that I’ve seen.”
Yuri stared at Star. “Why does us experiencing it, upset you?”
“Won’t you hate me when you find I lived in splendor and beauty?” Star asked. His gut churned, and he felt like he might throw up, another new experience of this mortal shell he had never hoped to endure.
“How did you live in splendor when you were little more than a shadow chained to a door binding away the dark worlds?” Yuri asked.
“Through my scions and swords.”
Theo shared a confused look with Yuri. “Then your scions and swords lived well, and you saw through their eyes?”
“I could use them, seraph. Just as I could use you.”
“And did you?” Theo wondered. “Did you strip them of their will and walk in their skin as though it were your own?”
“Only when they allowed it,” Star said. Yuri would have hated him for forcing himself on others. “I gave them the comforts I could for serving me. I gave them power, and they agreed to allow me control from time to time.”
“Okay,” Yuri said. “Do you have any scions or swords still alive in Auroi?”
“No, though there are some descendants of a few.”
“Would that make them your kids?” Theo asked.
“Oh,” Yuri said, eyes wide. “You have kids?”
“Our entire race is his descendent,” Lucian said. “How many got to sleep with the creator who wore the skin of a god-blessed general?”
“I never used that term.”
“God-blessed general?” Radu asked.
“The people speak of him with reverence. They tell stories of his heroics, saving them from everything from massive wavesto nightmare monsters coming through the Fracture,” Lucian added. “They are quite sad that he’s retired. I wonder if they would hold a parade in your honor if we visited?”
“That sounds like fun,” Yuri said. He put a careful hand on Star’s shoulder. “It sounds like you gave a lot of amazing things to your creation. Even if it wasn’t all from the magic of creation.”
