Prologue (Godhearted)
The shadow wandered aimlessly through the darkened streets, shadowy buildings lining the endless cobbles. He called out, his voice barely a whisper against the silent world inbetween life and death. He glanced down at his hands, noticing how they seemed to fade a flicker as he moved, looking around some more before his eyes landed on a familiar shape. He began to run towards it, as the shape quickly faded from view, a mirage of his own corrupted imagination, as the shell of the man he once was sunk to his knees, feeling the hole in his chest where his heart was supposed to be. He couldn’t help himself, sinking against the wall of a towering building, burying his head into his hands with grief. He hasn’t meant for this to happen, not at all, and he only had himself to blame for his awful it had gone. He loved too much, and that love got others hurt. Ghosts of his tears slipped down his cheeks, curling up as small as he could make himself. He barely moved when he felt a phantom of his heart jolt roughly where it should be, or at the ghostly imagination of a hand on his shoulder. A voice spoke, a female voice, gentle, but with a raspiness to it. “Helio?” The voice whispered in his ear, and his head snapped up in shock. He was alone.
Skygg woke up, looking around before sighing. He knew where he was, of course, Orion’s ship, the jolting having stirred him. He glanced at his husband, sighing with a smile at how sweet he looked, tucked under Skygg’s tail with a little peaceful smile on his face. The mer gave M’eudail a kiss, before embracing him, falling asleep as the ship continued on its journey to save Helio’s heart.