Kiba ran a slow hand through his hair as he stood in the center of the throne room looking at the intricacies of the stained glass. A half smile graced his lips as he watched the sunlight dance through the patterns of the windows. It must have taken the artisans a lot of time and effort to put together such a spectacle, but it was all appreciated by those that came to visit the temple. Not only would it be something to be proud of in the moment, but they could brag that they were the ones to work on the Goddess of Life’s throne room. They most likely would have experienced a boost in their commissions from such work. Kiba noted to himself to ask Ang who she had used to potentially commission them for the new guild hall that he and Kythe were working on. The diowolf was going back and forth between all of his obligations to make sure everything was working perfectly, but he realized that something was going to give at some point. And that was when the Champion decided to take a visit to an old friend in order to let his brain relax for a least a moment.

He moved over to one of the large columns to lean up against it with arms shoved in his pants pockets. The meeting up had been overdue for multiple reasons. Things had been a little odd with the separation of the diowolf from Angela’s acolyte, Anemone. She had been a light in the darkness in his mind when he needed support the most. The nymph had been there for him. It was then that he felt that he had unknowingly used her for his own mental sanity. He cared for her deeply, but not in the way that he was thinking he was. Kiba leaned his head back against the coolness of the column as he stood there thinking about how difficult it had been to come to that conclusion. It had been even more difficult to speak it into life and end things properly with the woman. She had been kind, just as she always was. Kiba still felt guilty for how things had developed.

Then there was the death of Angela’s sister and the close end of the entirety of Revaliir. He could not stand another home dying on him and his family. A world was being built by his family here that they could not lose. Not only that, it was not sure that they would survive like they had luckily done from DaeLuin. It kept him up at night where nightmares of the Void returning to finish what it had set out to do the first time. A shiver ran down his spine as he thought about it.

No, he would do everything in his power and ability to keep that from happening. The diowolf would not lose everything that had finally come together for him and his loved ones. They were happy and healthy. Despite what Ria was going through, she was still happy. Kiba turned his head to look where he was sure Ang would show up. Hopefully they could talk as friends and piece together what should have already been discussed before. Schedules were too busy, but it still needed to happen.

“My lady you have a visitor.” Melina was very patient as she stood outside the door to the goddess’s room.

“Tell them to come back another day… Maybe next month?”

“My lady… It’s been two weeks since you holed yourself up in the room.” Melina was concerned but the goddess didn’t answer her. The only person she would speak to was Lord Drae and she would only take care of Wisteria when needed. This was unlike her. It didn’t take long for the Maiden of Life to realize that the goddess was depressed.

Melina was a slender woman just into her womanhood, or so it appeared. She had long straight dark brown hair and gentle eyes. She made her way into the throne room and clasped her hands together as she bowed to Kiba. “Thank you for visiting Lady Angela today but…” She tilted her head and made a face. “She says to go away and come back another day… Next month, maybe.”

It was clear that Melina wasn’t done though as she reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. “It isn’t like my lady to be like this. She’s holed herself up in her room for two weeks now. I know you from Anemone… I’m the other maiden Melina.” She bowed again. “Please, if you are good friends with my lady like Anemone has said… Can you try to get her to at least open the door? I have no right to ask you of this but… She’s barely functioning in her current state.”

His brows knit together as he stood there waiting for Angela to join him. It was unlike her to not arrive when a visitor came specifically to see her. Not only that, Kiba was more than certain that if she knew it was him that she would not have delayed to greet him. Call it overconfidence, but the diowolf knew that they were friends to a deeper level. He frowned as he pushed away from the column to tap the tip of his booted toe against the floor in an effort to stave off boredom. His bi-colored eyes shifted their gaze towards the woman who entered, and his frown deepened to see that it was not Angela. If anything he thought it would have been Anemone to greet him if not the goddess. ’What is going on?’ he thought to himself.

The diowolf crossed his arms over his muscled chest while waiting for the maiden to speak of what was happening. His disapproving features were not directed at the woman, but there was something more going on then was being told. Kiba clicked his tongue with a shake of his head. Hands lowered before he let out a snort. ”Next month? Yea, that is not how this is going to go,” he replied with another incredulous laugh. He looked at Melina to see the sincerity of her pleading. ”Yea, that door is opening today. She is not going to hold up in her room from everyone. Time to get out into the world. Especially, if I just lost my own home.”

He was still in shock from the fact that Lord Lokir had stepped down from his anointed position. It was going to be an adjustment considering he had based his new life in Revaliir around being the Champion to Strength. Many things were going to have to adjust, not the least being finding lodgings for himself and his followers. Not everyone went their separate ways. Kiba rubbed his forehead; that was a problem for another day.

”Let’s go break her out of her funk.” The diowolf shoved his hands back into his pockets while leading Melina through the temple to where he knew where Angela’s quarters were. The doors were closed to all outsiders. Gaze narrowed at the door that blocked his path. ”Ang, you have to open up. This is getting ridiculous. You have people who need you. You can’t hold yourself up in your room.” Kiba knocked on the door with no answer given. Teeth grit together tightly as he attempted to come up with what to do next.

What he ended up doing was not polite. He burst through the door. Inside he looked around to find the goddess sitting in a chair beside the fireplace that lit the room. She looked nothing like her Aspect or her personality. There was a dullness around her that did not fit her personage. Kiba took in a breath before he crossed the room to take up a seat across from her next to the fire. ”Ang. What’s going on?” He sat on the edge of his seat to place a gentle hand on her knee. It was a light touch, but one to express comfort from a friend.

Melina was relieved once he said that her lady’s request would not be granted. “Thank you.” The maiden bowed to Kiba once again as she hastily brought the fallen champion to the goddess’s door.

“LEAVE.” The entire temple shook from her booming voice but behind that amount of force was no threat. There was just a steep silencing sadness. What Kiba found when burst into her room was Angela wrapped up in a blanket and her night dress’s sleeves falling off as if too big or she wasn’t trying. Her red hair was all nested and in knots. She had at least moved from the bed to the chair… Which helped from Serci, who had been the only one to talk to her.

Still even after he talked to her she had decided to stay put. The crackling of the fireplace was filling the silence as Kiba approached. Pulling the blankets closer around her she looked at him. Her face seems to twist in a discomforting way before she started to sob again. She flung herself onto her friend and burrowed her face once more. Melina closed the door so no one could interrupt her.

“I can’t stop thinking about it. I can’t get the feeling off my hands. Kiba, I can feel her in the soul-stream. I put her there.” Through the sobs she managed to grip onto his clothing a bit tighter and took heaves of air in-between them. She was suffering. She pulled herself back to look at him and the tears still hadn’t stopped. She knew she looked rather pathetic. “I just can’t do this right now.” Even though she didn’t have a choice in the matter. She wasn’t talking about him but life. "How can I take care of everyone else… If I can't even help one person who was in need?"

His gaze narrowed at the closed door as Angela roared her demand. Kiba would not give her what she wanted that day. No, she might have wanted to have peace, but she needed to be around those who cared. He hadn’t seen her in sometime. The only times they had been together as of late was in time of war or when her life was in the balance. When he crossed the threshold of her door the image in front of him hit Kiba hard. Angela did not look herself for grief had taken a hold of her mind and body. The diowolf crossed the distance while keeping a wary eye upon her as she sat in her chair unmoving. He did keep a watch to make sure there was a steady breathe moving her shoulders at the very least.

A seat was taken up across from her in hopes of seeing some spark of life in the goddess. He wanted to see a spark of anything to know that her heart was still there. It took little time for her to fall into sobs and upon him. The diowolf gathered Angela up in his arms to rest her on his lap in order to cry comfortably on his shoulders. His arms wrapped around her too slim form against him to allow her to let out the despair that was eating up her mind and body. Eyes closed as he began to rock her softly as if a father comforting his child. Words failed him. All he could do was be there for her to let out all that she was holding up in her chest.

He lightly began petting her hair in an effort to soothe her through the heaving sobs. ”She was suffering either way, Ang. It was necessary. She was given a release.” Kiba shook his head slowly before lifting her head from his shoulder. ”Listen to me, and listen carefully. She was possessed. Left aside in her own body. There was no control for her. A prisoner in her own body that had to ability to be set free unless granted death. A goddess of death could not have granted herself what was essential.” With his thumb he wiped away the tears that had made tracks down her face. Kiba shifted her hair that looked almost too limp in comparison to the healthy volume it normally was.

”You will take care of everyone else because that is your job. That is your instinct. More will come and all must be ready. This time, we know of the potential threat. I am sure there is much more known than what I do by you all in the Pantheon. You must stop trying to take everything on your own shoulders. There are the other deities that are with you. They are entrusted with the same amount of responsibility for our world as you are.” Kiba took a light breath before he looked her over. She was full of sorrow and weariness. Food and rest would be the best antidote for the moment until she could sort through her emotions. It would take time, and he wasn’t sure how much they actually had.

With Angela still in his lap he lifted a hand and conjured an apple. ”I need you to eat something. It will help.”

The petting was quite soothing to the goddess who let out sobs full of grief. His words made sense and she knew all of that so why did she feel the way she did? Angela knew that she looked so weak and helpless… She wanted to lie and say it was all part of her pact. Surely the pact was part of it but this large overbearing feeling she had… It was her heart crying. His thumb was oddly cool to her but she figured her face must have been so hot from the tears that even someone like Kiba was cool to the touch in that spot as he wiped her tears away.

The red-haired goddess let herself have a sniffle or two as she tried to calm herself enough to talk. “The next time will be far worse… We know only taste of what's to come and it scares me… Honestly, it does.” Her green and red eyes looked at Kiba through the puffiness and sniffles that remained as the tears subsided for the moment. “I know more than anyone else that I need to be able to care for everyone.” Her hands planted themselves in her lap as she played with her fingers before gripping tightly onto her skirts. “I never thought I would feel this pain again and maybe that is why I’ve faltered so much.”

She closed her eyes and tried to center herself. “When I killed Lyre and my husband Wyatt… I was a wreck for centuries and I won’t deny that I closed myself off a good portion for a very long time. Adraejen has managed to get me to open that part of my heart but I wasn’t expecting such a loss… Dalanesca was like my sister and she was the godmother of my firstborn with Drae. She was very much family.” There was a calming to her voice that was masking the pain she knew she felt. “I’m very lucky I didn’t cause a sphere shift in my grieving state… It’s happened before.”

With her still in his lap, she looked at the apple he had conjured. “I know.” With a shaky hand, she took it and bit into it. It was small shallow bites where it was obvious she was forcing herself. “It’s made me realize I need to change some things… I can’t do it in my current state but when I am ready and before the time has come my changes will need to be made.” Her lip quivered a bit but bravely she shivered it down and a shaky breath left her lips before she bit the apple once more.

“I certainly must look like hell. It’s embarrassing you have to even see me like this,” there was her wit and charm or at least a worthwhile try for it. “I’m supposed to be the most experienced god in our pantheon and I can’t even squish a bug…” It was obviously a reference to her unwillingly to kill though she did it when needed. “Out of all the gods, I would wager I would be the weakest if not for the bit of earth magic I know. Yet, when things happen I am the first one looked to for some sort of direction. It’s all a bit too much right now I will admit. Though Shiloh does a good job at trying to direct some form of answer… The same with the others.”

Her fingers slid over the skin of the apple as she looked at where she had bitten. “It almost makes me wonder how much more I can take before the world tree lets me go.” It was a very mortal feeling and one she didn’t like very much. “I am certainly not unbreakable.” Her voice was quiet and meek which was very much unlike her. "It's been so long since I've felt a loss quiet like this… I do feel disgusting though… I haven't bathed or brushed my hair in weeks." She rolled her eyes a bit at herself and ate the apple a bit more heartedly. She was good at masking the pain but every once in awhile through her bites she would slow as if in thought before forcing herself to eat. "Lucian threatened me that if I died again I wouldn't get grandchildren from me… Can't very well have that now can I?" It was idle chatter and something she desperately needed for the time being. "Can you help me at least not look like a mess? I would be very appreciative of it."

There was a mixture of emotions that Kiba felt toward the goddess. This was not her usual self, and Angela knew it. Due to the state she was in, it was exactly why she was hiding away from everyone that could possibly see her. She was pushing all of them away in order to process what she was going through. Even so, Kiba knew that this was dragging on far too long. Where the hell was Drae? The diowolf grit his teeth tightly as he continued to pet her hair in a soothing manner. The red haired goddess needed the help and support.

It helped him to see that she was able to look at him directly in the eyes. Though it was words of impending doom to come upon them that most had already felt, she was able to use a steadying tone. She needed rest. The sadness, fear, and exhaustion were evident all over her now pale features. The usual spark that was within her mixed eyes was softened. Kiba was determined to see that returned.

He pet her back and shoulders as she spoke of the past pain that had been endured. The diowolf knew that he was treating her like a child in a way, but sometimes it was necessary to feel the comfort. There were no words that he could procure to explain the sympathy for the losses she had had in the past and recently. He didn’t know much about Dalanesca. It was something he was slightly ashamed to admit even to himself. Kiba paid little attention to the other gods while he had been Champion for Lord Lokir. He knew more about Dalanesca’s Champion than he had about the goddess. Nix had come to visit him to admit some long past atrocities. It had been difficult for him to pardon her, but bigger issues still loomed. With her goddess gone…what had happened to the woman?

Kiba leaned back in his chair watching Angela take small bites of the apple. Whatever had happened before, it was important to get this woman back on her feet. A small satisfied smile sparked on his lips as he watched her make the attempts to follow his instructions. It was a start. ”Changes are good. They are important. Wallowing is fine for a time, but we all must move on. You know as well as anyone that there are those that are depending upon you. That’s not what I want to focus on as we talk about what happened. I worry about you. You may be a goddess, but you are still a woman…a person.” Kiba chuckled lightly as he collected her wild hair to begin braiding it neatly as he had done for Teu many times. ”This is a time to find your strength in that pain. I know you can do that Angela.”

She asked for help. It was an even bigger step in the right direction. In an easy move he stood up with Angela held tightly in his arms. Kiba shifted her slightly so she would feel the most comfortable. ”Well, yes we need to get you cleaned up. Let’s get you in a nice warm bath. Clear out all the dirt, tears, and snot from your face,” he teased. Kiba gave a quick nod towards the door to use his magic for it to open. The woman from before, Melina, still waited outside the door. He gave her a pleased smile along with a nod. ”Our Lady will be taking a nice relaxing bath as well as needs new attire. I am sure that you already have these ready.”

The diowolf followed Melina through the temple to where he had not traveled before. All he could surmise was that it belonged to Angela’s private quarters. There was little that he kept track of as they moved through the temple. A feel of increased humidity could be felt as he followed into a room where a waiting bath lay. The diowolf found a plush chair off to the side to place Angela. From there he kneeled before her to remove the sandals on her feet. ”I am going to leave you with Melina now. Get cleaned up. Soak for a while. I will go make sure some food is put together for you. New clothes and a nap should help you feel better. Everything else can be dealt with later. Self-care first.”

He stood while looking down at the woman. Nothing but a small smile could be seen on his lips that reached his eyes. Lightly he brushed her cheek before placing a kiss on her forehead. ”There are things that can’t be changed. Then there are things that we can. Let’s work on the things that we can. Get in that bath.” With a final wink, Kiba turned and left the room. He would find the kitchens in order to find some soothing foods for her stomach. Once he was satisfied, Kiba brought a tray back with a pot of tea.

Waiting outside the room, the diowolf sat on the floor with the tray beside him. Head was leaned back against the cool wall of the temple. There he would wait until summoned to help get the goddess into her bedroom for a rest. After she ate something, of course.