Chapter 176: What is Renasir Ari going through?
At the same time, other gods appear in the arena. Spirit beasts are dismissed right away by God Noras. He glances at Adira who is carrying a child.
"Is she your daughter?" He asks him. The child is weak for a halfling.
"Yes," Adira answers Noras. The pressure from all the gods might harm his child. The ehr is also too strong. The child's channels must be strengthened slowly before she is exposed to the dense ehr. "I need to leave. Deal with these two."
Kresi yells, "What about Ai?"
The dark god scowls at her. But he can't stay here a second more. In the next second, he's gone. The barrier appears around the dark castle, repelling the strong flow of ehr.
"He got the name." Rilyah replies with an uneasy voice, "But he's also missing with the Renasir."
"You have stirred quite a trouble, Rilyah." Mirinae scowls at her daughter. "Even if Cina wasn't in his right mind, you knew that Renasir shouldn't have left this world at that time. Why did you do that?"
Rilyah lowers her head. "I heard the light god and the dark god talking about taking care of Ai. I wanted to save him. There was a prophecy that the dark god will separate Renasir's daughters from her. Parisa told me that a long time ago. That's why--"
"What did you say?" Kresi takes a step forward. "Daughters?"
The third moon pales. "I mean…"
"Didn't Adira return with only one child?" Mahuna questions God Noras. "Is another one with Renasir?"
"It means that she didn't abandon her daughter." Aren comments, "Renasir Ari wouldn't do that anyway. She's not that kind of person. There might be a reason."
Cina glances at Rilyah and sighs. The third moon is biting her lower lip, distressed. It's clear that she has dug her own grave. Then again, he's also in trouble. If he had told the truth to the dark god…
"Rilyah, I think that you should reveal the truth." He pats the moon's back. "Everything, starting from the prophecies."
The third moon nods. There's no other way left. She has made a mistake and accidentally revealed that there are daughters.
"More than ten thousand years ago, Parisa came to me." Rilyah reveals everything that happened truthfully, "I lied because I was afraid. We were going to go back after creating the seeker gate."
"You!" Kresi shouts. "How could you do this? If he had been there…"
"She didn't do wrong." Noras interrupts her, "Adira might have destroyed the world and all the realms in order to find his second daughter."
"What about now?" Kresi folds her fingers into a fist. "His second daughter will be suffering in a strange world. Ari's life might be in danger. And Ai? What about all of them? That world is too far. In any case, Adira needs to know that Ari didn't abandon her child."
"Before that." Mirinae glances at her daughter. "My daughter needs to be punished for her crimes. Noras, send her to Qeshaya."
"Mirinae, what are you saying?" Sion frowns at her. "That place is only for the grave sinners. Rilyah's crimes are…"
"Dark God's daughters are harmed." Mirinae meets her husband's gaze. "Cina couldn't remember, but Rilyah knew that it would be harmful to Adira's daughters if Renasir Ari leaves this world like that. She lied to the Dark God and hid important prophecies from all of us. What do you think Adira will do if he finds out the truth? He will destroy her. Before he hears of this, send her to Qeshaya. She needs to be punished for her sins. Let her stay there until Renasir and her child return to this world."
Rilyah's breathing is uneven. She doesn't want to go to Qeshaya. Her memories will be lost for sure. She might become someone like Cina or something worse. What about Ai then? How is she going to…
"I should be punished too." Cina sighs. "But I want to apologize to the Dark God before I am sent to Qeshaya. I should have told the truth to Adira, but I was also afraid of him."
The third moon glances at Cina, realizing her mistakes. She has never thought of apologizing to the Dark God. If Ai finds out what she has done, she will be hated by him.
"We can't send you to Qeshaya." Noras says to Cina, "You have already been there recently and your body hasn't recovered. You might never recall your memories either. Besides, your sin is that you lied to the Dark God. However, you are also needed because only you can create the gate. Rilyah's sins are graver and it can't be ignored. We will send her to Qeshaya right away."
Raya and Riha burst into sobs when they hear that. Mirinae hardens her heart and casts a spell on Rilyah, binding her memory. Nobody knows how effective this spell can be. Qeshaya is unpredictable.
Someone drags Cina's away from Rilyah. When he looks at the person, he realizes that it's none other than Eshyal.
"Is there no other way?" Cina asks Eshyal. "I can't bear to see her suffer."
"Adira paid. You paid. She must also pay." Eshyal pushes him out of the circle. "Stay there. You can still redeem yourself by helping Adira. Don't be emotional. It's a law of this world."
The third moon, knowing that she must face the punishment that she was afraid of, bends down on her knees. She shuts her eyes closed, shaking as the air begins to change around her. Chains grow from the ground, enveloping her body. At that moment, she opens her eyes and looks at her mother.
Her mother is crying.
"I am sorry."
Rilyah mouthes before she's swallowed by Qeshaya.
The goddess of nights and wishes break down into tears. "My daughter, my daughter,"
Rilyah is too young. Can she survive Qeshaya? The forbidden prison can even damage a primordial god. What if nothing is left of Rilyah by the time Renasir Ari returns?
"If you are suffering like this," Kresi --who has been watching everything quietly -- utters," what is Renasir Ari going through?"