The air in the Citadel shrine shifted—not with heat or wind, but with something older, deeper. The chill of Halo never truly left the stone walls, but now it seemed to pause, waiting, as if the world itself held its breath. From the shadows cast by flickering candlelight, Safrin appeared.
Not in a burst of starlight nor a thunderclap of divine power, but in the hush that followed his plea. She stepped forward in silence, her form cloaked in layers of deep violet and midnight blue, the edges of her gown dusted in stardust that shimmered and trailed behind her like a comet’s tail. The goddess looked down upon Sah with unreadable eyes, heavy with ancient grief and fierce beauty.
Her gaze dropped to the dagger.
A single brow arched, a small curl teasing the edge of her mouth. "A weapon?" she mused, her voice as soft as snow and sharp as the blade he had offered. "I wonder, Wild Thunder—do you offer it to me as a tool? Or as something else?"
Though her tone was light, her eyes burned brighter now, flicking from the dagger to his bowed head. Safrin moved closer until her fingers brushed the weapon’s hilt, her touch trailing sparks of light across the altar. "It has been some time since we last spoke," she said—not unkind, but unflinching. "But then you've suffered losses of your own, recently."
Tilting her head, she let the silence stretch just long enough to make him lift his eyes. "Speak, Sah. Tell me what is on your mind."
Not in a burst of starlight nor a thunderclap of divine power, but in the hush that followed his plea. She stepped forward in silence, her form cloaked in layers of deep violet and midnight blue, the edges of her gown dusted in stardust that shimmered and trailed behind her like a comet’s tail. The goddess looked down upon Sah with unreadable eyes, heavy with ancient grief and fierce beauty.
Her gaze dropped to the dagger.
A single brow arched, a small curl teasing the edge of her mouth. "A weapon?" she mused, her voice as soft as snow and sharp as the blade he had offered. "I wonder, Wild Thunder—do you offer it to me as a tool? Or as something else?"
Though her tone was light, her eyes burned brighter now, flicking from the dagger to his bowed head. Safrin moved closer until her fingers brushed the weapon’s hilt, her touch trailing sparks of light across the altar. "It has been some time since we last spoke," she said—not unkind, but unflinching. "But then you've suffered losses of your own, recently."
Tilting her head, she let the silence stretch just long enough to make him lift his eyes. "Speak, Sah. Tell me what is on your mind."
