Is this place Heaven or Hell? [OpenHentai x Sophia Titor]

"Huhwh-what!?" She sputtered jerking her head back toward Ruta, surprised that the woman was preparing to walk off into the ruins still entirely naked "S-shouldn't you wait till you are dry, and clothed, and perhaps bring a weapon, like that wooden spear? We have no idea what we will find down here-" Or what we will learn She finished under her breath.

Quickly the taller woman scrambled to her feet, attempting to pull her linen trousers and white tunic over her still damp body. Erect nipples poked against the thin fabric much to her dismay. "I-I should come with you." She didn't want to go, but she didn't want to be left alone either. What if Ruta never came back? She regretted that her concern wasn't some selfless desire to protect the other woman but more of selfish preservation. Her own continued survival had been solely because of Ruta, without her, she feared she would not last down here.

She began to follow slowly behind her, eyes fixated on her butt as her hips swayed before her eyes. She had been so distracted by Ruta's perfect form that she almost didn't notice an archaic carving on one of the crumbling walls. "Castella's grace." She muttered as she turned after catching it on the corner of her eye to inspect it closely. It was infact a depiction of Castella, atleast a crude drawing, using symbols that were recognized as being linked with Castella, the high born angel, protector of all. The unsettling nature of the drawing was that it depicted her devouring people, who were lined up in reverent worship.

"What manner of mockery is this...."

Ruta smirked, “Slanderous, or maybe there’s more truth to it than we know?” She examined it more closely. She didn’t know the language of the angels, but she could tell this was clearly a depiction of Castella. A pinnacle of the Lightsworn’s fate, even a Grayward could recognize that. She didn’t understand what this was though. Ruta would never depict the angels as vicious man eaters. Holier than thou and overly righteous being who’d smite anyone who disagreed with them, maybe. Not this though, feeding on those that swore servitude to them. Ruta spark a flame in her hands and illuminated more of the archaic carvings.

Ruta saw another crude carving, it was of the demoness Yasma. It depicted her with her harem of women, oddly she standing before them, the carving depicted them as looking lifeless. Ruta furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand.” This didn’t line up with any of her teachings. Yasma worshipers were firm believes in love, not wanton murder. Her follows drew power from lovemaking, not taking life. None of the demons were for the mass murder of innocence. They taught fairness, respect, and familial bonds. Yes, they embraced debauchery and sin, but this was inhumane.

Ruta clutched Erisella’s shoulder as she read the carving, “This has to be a cruel joke.” She spoke the demonic words to herself. “Ipsa butyro dilectus in sanguine virginum. Yasma'bathory.” She bathed in the blood of her beloved virgins. Yasma’bathory. Ruta couldn’t believe what she saw. Did these ancient people know something they didn’t? Or was this merely slander? If so, then why in the demon's tongue?

This was what she feared, she sensed it from the beginning, her dreams tried to warn her. Erisella was known to have prophetic dreams from time to time, but they were always masked in confusion and it was often difficult to tell peculiar dreams from those that predicted the future. "My dreams warned me of this." She whispered as she turned to gaze upon Ruta's sour expression upon reading an inscription of one of her own deities. It was possible that Ruta was correct, and these carvings on the wall were nothing but slanderous falsehoods from a civilization long dead...but what if...what if these people weren't a people of angel and demon, but those that lived under their reign, their terror.

There was more under the depiction of Castella, which roughly translated to The Ravenous; Her beauty and grace unrelenting, we bow so that we may be graced with her light, and give unto her our children so she may feed.

Erisella bent down to pull away some dried brush and rubble which depicted another drawing of Castella, beautiful, but with sharp, terrible teeth, and another line; her teeth number in the thousand, hidden away beyond stunning beauty The walls within this run down town square seemed covered in carvings and ancient language, which seemed to be an old form of demon and angel, some times meshed together. She was certain there were depictions and writings of all the angels and demons here, The angel Uriane, Izalith, Cormai, Ven, and more, but before either of them turned to find more, she turned to the other woman, her pale face laced with fear.

"R-ruta we should go back. my dreams warned me of this, a truth we may not want. It' may as well all be blasphemy, I refuse to believe it..b-but I refuse to know more. We should return to the fire, please."

Ruta clutched her fists, she wanted to heed Erisella’s warning, Ruta did not believe she was steering her wrong, but she wanted to know more. “Go back to the fire if you want, I need to get to the bottom of this. None of this makes sense.” It truly didn’t and that bothered Ruta more than anything. This was not the god’s she knew. The god’s she worshiped. Shava had never spoken to her directly, none of the gods had to her knowledge, so what was this?

Ruta looked at the different depicts. All of them either angels or demons. Ruta stopped at one depiction of Shava. Her goddess. The demoness of fertility. She lorded over many humans, all in one massive orgy. This didn’t bother Ruta, this was not a common depiction of Shava’s worshipers, but the words chilled her to the bone.

Shava ordered her followers to spread her will. Men spreading her seeds. Woman bearing her sons and daughter. Though her sons and daughters, they bore more of her sons and daughters. Those who wrongfully refused Shava’s love shall be forced to accept her love.

Rape. There was no other way Ruta could justify that last declaration. The very antithesis of what she believed. How could this happen? Did these people hate the demons and angels so much that they publicly marred their visage? What if it was true? How could history had distorted their teachings so much? It made Ruta shake as she looked at it.

It was understood that Castella had gifted her light to a chosen few, and that light was passed down through family lines. Some family lines were much stronger in the light which was a sign of their devotion to that angel, but if what she had read was correct, it meant that families sacrificed unwanted children for her gift. Did that mean those with the strongest ties to the light were descended form those who fed Castella the most? She didn't want to believe it, the idea was horrendous. That her gift, her blessed light was steeped in the blood of the innocent who had been fed to a monster under the guise of beauty. This was why she dared not look upon any of the depictions of the other angels, especially Izalith, the angel of the ocean sun, another of which her family line was particularly devoted to. She dared not read it but she did not do what Ruta suggested either, instead standing in a whirl of her own dizziness before turning to watch Ruta who was shaking on the spot.

Unlike Ruta and likely other graywards who took the time to have an understanding of their enemy and the other side, most lightsworn knew very little of the graywards beliefs and their demons. They knew a couple by name, but name only, any imagery or what they represented was lost on them, since to them, they all represented sin and evil. "Who is that?" She asked in a wavering whisper as she looked upon the depiction of Shava. She wasn't aware of Ruta's devotion to the demoness or her significance, but could tell by her body language that what she saw, was something she hadn't wanted to see.

"They're lies...they have to be, created by non believers who hated both sides, that must be it." She stepped closer toward Ruta, tempted to place a comforting hand upon her shoulder, but decided against it. Ruta still being naked made the idea of the gesture uncomfortable.

Ruta shook her head, “My goddess, Shava. This must be a lie. It wouldn’t make sense otherwise. Why would I be blessed by my goddess if that was her desire?” She pointed at the depictions of rape on the walls. There was one way she could test it. She didn’t like it, but would Shava really grant her strength if she asked. Ruta closed her eyes and prayed, she prayed for what she thought was unspeakable.

What would Shava do? Would Ruta be given her blessing and strength. Ruta prayed hard. She Pray to Shave to show Erisella the ways of her righteousness. Even if it meant by force. Ruta felt nothing. Was her connection to Shava not strong enough currently? No, she felt demonic energy all around her. It was in the air she breathed. Was Shava denying her, because Ruta did not have any desire to force herself onto Erisella? She couldn’t trick a goddess. Though that didn’t give her a concrete answer. If Shava had given her the blessing she prayed for, Ruta would have been far more worried.

That would have meant Shava did condone such inhuman acts. Ruta kept moving, wanting to learn more. She needed more answers. She had to make sense of this. Even if it was just some cruel, sick prank. If she could at least confirm that, Ruta could sleep a lot easier. Instead her mind was filled with more questions. Questions she felt had answers if she just dug a bit deeper.

"Shava...hm" The lightsworn often accused the graywards of being sinful rapists but Ruta had taken great offense at the assumption, but here on the wall Shava was seemingly depicted as the matron of rape. It looked awful, the very idea was disgusting to her, but it seemed the other girl shared in her horror at this depiction. "W-we should go back. Please. I-I don't like this." Something didn't feel right. The more they stood here within this place looking on these depictions, she thought she could feel the lonely despair. The beauty of the caverns she thought was due to angels once walking this ground, and maybe they did but....

Unbeknownst to Erisella, Ruta sent a silent prayer to her goddess Shava to show the lightsworn the ways of her righteousness. "Please, let's clear our heads and get warm...we can..." She paused as a strange sensation overcame her, a warmth through out her body. Her first thought was her light returning to her, but it felt different, off. The warmth collected between her thighs, causing her to gasp, cheeks darkening. Her eyes darted back to Ruta's naked form, so beautiful, so perfect. A memory from her dream flashed before her eyes, pushing herself onto the girl who rejected her advances. It was a horrible dream, and yet she felt compelled to re-enact it. Shava had heard Ruta's prayer to show Erisella the ways of her righteousness, just as the lightsworn foresaw in her dream.

"R-Ruta." She whispered, fear in her eyes as she stepped closer, lust consuming her. She needed her, and if she wrongfully refused her love, she had to be forced, it was the only way. Approaching Ruta form behind, she quickly, gripped her by the shoulder, spinning her around before pushing her up against the wall. "i-I can't....help it, it's too much you're too..." Tears were welling up in her eyes as she pressed her lips against her neck, kissing down along her collar bone. It was as if some other force was compelling her, fueling her lust and desire.

Ruta’s eye’s widened at Erisella’s advances. What was this? What had come over the holy knight? “Erisella, what are you doing?” Ruta looked into her eyes. This wasn’t right. She did look like she was embracing the lust. It was consuming Erisella. She was being overtaken by lust. A compulsion. What was this? How was this happening? Resisted, not for her own sake, but for Erisella’s. An outside force was controlling her and forcing her to have sex with Ruta. What was it though? Was there someone controlling her, or something.

Suddenly, Ruta remembered. Her prayer never reached her. Or did it? Had Shava shown Erisella the way of her love, by force? Was it Shava who was compelling Erisella to embrace her lust and debauchery. Ruta closed her eyes and prayed hard for Shava to relinquish her control. She didn’t want to subject Erisella to this. Ruta made a mistake testing her powers on Erisella. It was her fault. Ruta hoped Shava would listen. Ruta even begged Castella to take control of her follower once more if angel would even listen down here. If nothing else Ruta figured an angel would not stand for one of her disciplines to be controlled by a demon.

Ruta’s body warmed up instantly as she felt Erisella’s kiss, her hands gripping her forcefully. It didn’t bother Ruta, and if this was Erisella acting of her own accord Ruta would have happily welcomed it. No, this was unnatural. Not at all what Erisella or Ruta wanted.

She pressed her body against the nude form of the grayward as she kissed along her collarbone and shoulder, hands gripping the other womans hips forcing her to stay against the wall. "I-I'm sorry i-I c-can't help it" It was just like her dream, she needed her and she didn't care if she said no. "P-please, I need you, I can't help it anymore, your beauty, your femininity, I can't fight the sin, I crave you." An outside force had taken hold of her, fueling her lust, but it had not placed anything that wasn't already there, it merely fed it, allowed it to grow unchecked, something that normally would have been held at bay by Erisella's conviction and restraint.

Every kiss against Ruta's flesh made the lightsworns legs weaker and loins burn. She had only felt this in dreams previously or in fantasies which were usually quickly extinguished via punishment, but now she was acting on it for the first time and it felt wonderful, even though she knew it was wrong in so many ways. Slowly she lifted her head from Ruta's shoulder to look her deep into her eyes, Ruta's eyes had the look of concern, and worry, where Erisella's was full of deep wanting and desire. Leaning in close, she pressed her lips against hers, longing for a deep sensual kiss, when she felt a presence leave her. As if heeding Ruta's prayers once more, the unrestrained lust faded.

She ground her hips needily against Ruta's as their lips parted, when she finally willed herself to push herself off of the other woman, gasping and sputtering, not in disigust but in horror of her own actions, wide eyed, she reached up to clutch her own throat. "i-I'm sorry I'm sorry! Heavens wings what have I done!?" She fell to her knees a few feet away from her, tears streaming down her cheeks as she wept "I-I didn't mean to I'm sorry I'm sorry, please forgive me." She pleaded

Ruta got on her knees and calmly wrapped her arms around Erisella. “Calm down, it’s not your fault.” It was Ruta’s fault. It had to be. Some cruel trick, but why would Shava do this to them? Especially Erisella. To be completely honest Ruta didn’t personally feel violated, she was just far more worried about Erisella. “It’s my fault. I tempted fate. I would have never done this if I knew that would have happened to you.”

She figured worst case scenario Ruta would have been overcome by her own lust and Erisella would have overpowered her and snapped her out of it. That or Ruta would have wrested enough control to end the compulsion. Even the thought of being forcefully compelled by her goddess didn’t sound right to her. Ruta had never seen practitioners of the faith do this. Graywards never used compulsion magic. “I’m sorry Erisella. Are you okay?” She was way more concerned about Erisella’s wellbeing than her own. Ruta was a sexual creature, but a virgin, and repressed sexually, so it had to be scary being overwhelmed by lust the way she was.

Ruta held her tight. Realizing her naked state probably wasn’t helping, but she was hoping Erisella would ignore that for now. Though, how could she? Erisella just forcefully molested Ruta. Craving her body sexually. It must have been traumatizing.

The blonde woman cried out as the nude grayward returned to her side and wrapped her body around her "A-ah! n-no please, don't touch me, I can't fight my own desires!" She whimpered and pleaded with her, but soon realized she had control over herself now, she no longer felt the strong need to force herself upon Ruta, so instead she leaned her head down, resting it against Ruta's bare chest, sobbing. "W-what do you mean it's your fault? It's my fault! i'm the one who couldn't fight it! the sin that's been compelling me since I got down here. Between my own sinful desires for other women that i've repressed for years and the dream I had of you last night, clearly I was simply too weak to fight it any more." She didn't understand what Ruta meant and simply believed it was her own weakness that overcame her, but regardless she let the truth out, about her desires and her dream.

"You're the one I should be asking that too...you're the one that I...pushed onto with out your consent! I'm a disgrace to my order. I need to get out of here, between losing my light and fighting my desires..I-I this place it's horrible and the slander on these walls, it's all too much!"

The strong lightsworn crusader continued to weep into her bosom, before she lifted her head and willed herself to push the naked woman away gently. "P-please let's return tot he fire...and put on some clothes...I...I can't stop myself from staring at your body..." She bit her lip, feeling so utterly and completely ashamed.

“I need to explain myself first. I can’t explain your dreams or repressed feelings, but those actions you just took weren’t your own.” Ruta paused and stood behind Erisella so she didn’t have to look at Ruta’s naked body. She took a deep breath, “I didn’t believe my powers would be bestowed on me if I asked Shava to something unspeakable. Turns out I was wrong, but even then, I would have never guess Shava would have compelled you to try and force yourself on me. At worse I thought maybe Shava would compel me, and you could have stopped me, but not this.”

Ruta stared at the ground, not knowing what to believe anymore, “I would have never even thought this if I knew it would have actually worked. I’ve never seen someone use compulsion magic before. I didn’t think it was possible. So that’s why it wasn’t your fault Erisella. I forced you to sin. It was my naivety that caused you so much pain.”

"I...w-what?" She continued to hug herself, still on her knees, grateful for Ruta moving out of her gaze as the woman spoke to her. It was true the pair of them had seen things down here that spat in the face of their beliefs. Did that mean Ruta made an peculiar prayer to Shava in order to test the weight of the inscriptions? That would mean it was Ruta's fault she felt this way! Rage washed over her expression, yet it faded as soon as it came, and went unseen by the other girl. It didn't matter if it was Ruta who caused the compulsion, she didn't force these initial desires on her, they were always there, that was on her, that was her sin. If this was true, the dark revelation was not that it was Ruta who accidentally wished this compulsion over her, it was that the inscriptions on these walls may have some weight to them, and that is what truly scared her.

"S-so what i did to you, against your consent...y-you're okay? I didn't hurt you or make you feel violated?" It was a relief if true. She didn't know how to feel about the prayer to shava, she couldn't be upset because it was still her own lust. Amplified maybe, but it was still her own.

Breathing a soft sigh, she climbed to her feet slowly. "C-can we go back now?" She averted her gaze, focusing on their feet only.

Ruta nodded, “Yes, we’ve seen enough for today.” She stood behind Erisella and let her lead the way. Ruta started speaking after a long awkward silence. “What you did to me didn’t upset me. I was more worried about your mental state. Should I have felt violated? Maybe? Honestly I’m not upset you were lusting after me. Sex is very much a part of who I am. Even though it’s everything you repress. I can’t say it bothered me, because it’s a sign of deep admiration to me.” She was sure that wasn’t how Erisella felt about it.

“I’m actually flattered you find me attractive.” Ruta chuckled and tried to put a litter spin on it. “I would have never thought I could sway a woman so steadfastly abstinent with just my looks.” She wasn’t making fun or Erisella or calling her weak, more that Ruta was kind of touched by the sentiment. She could use these thoughts to distract herself from her real concerns though. Why Shava had done that to them. Maybe it was Shava’s way of bring the two closer? Ruta wanted to believe this. She wanted to believe her Goddess was a benevolent being. Not a malice force of evil lust.

Erisella walked ahead of the naked woman, her arms wrapped tightly around herself willing the heat between her loins to lessen as she dealt with the insecurities of her desires. It was true she didn't quite know how to feel about what had happened, but still blamed herself although she was grateful that Ruta wasn't upset or bothered by it. "You're flattered?" Her cheeks burned again as Ruta boasted of swaying an abstinent woman with her looks. "T-that's not-you didn't...I..." Rage and embarrassment burned just as hot as the desire between her legs. It may not have been her intent, but her words did not alleviate the tension, infact they shamed her even more. She had never felt as weak willed a she did right now, while the grayward mocked her.

Just as they reached the fire, she turned, scowling toward the naked woman, arms still wrapped tightly around herself. "Y-you are attractive-and I hate it. I hate that I am stricken by it, it's wrong, or atleast that's what I've been told all my life, and despite all that I can't help but feel...can't help but need it, and now for the first time ever I'm over come, something which you took responsibility for, and yet now you mock me for it? Laugh in my face!?"

Erisella breathed deep, willing herself to calm, as she spun herself back around and sat down next to the dying fire, clenching her jaw, keeping her eyes trained on the flame, refusing to even cast a glance in the naked womans direction.

“Whoever said I was mocking you? I am a sexual creature. Hearing you say this is the highest form of honor for me. Yet you keep denying what is inside her your heart.” Ruta wanted to understand that Erisella had nothing to be ashamed of. That fiery passion wasn’t sin, it was her true self trying to come out. She sighed, “You are blessed by your angels the very same was I am blessed by demons. Why would they in turn constantly be tempting you? Do you really think that just because you see women differently than others that you’re any less stalwart to your cause?” Ruta hoped any of that would reach Erisella.

Ruta sat by the fire, making sure she was out of Erisella’s sight. She didn’t want to fan the flames further. Even then, Ruta had a lot of questions herself. Those depictions were getting to them both, and it was infuriating. Now she had wished they’d never found them. She’d wished she’d tempted fate, by asking Shava to do what she did. Ruta still wanted to believe it was Shava letting Erisella embrace her true desire, but if so why like this? It did more harm than good Ruta thought. Now Erisella was upset with her, and Ruta just wanted her to be more accepting of who she was.

"I-I want to believe that...I wish I could. But I can't, I am being tested that is all this is, my devotion is being tested."

It would have been easy to be furious with Ruta, or blame her for everything. Infact she surprised herself that she wasn't placing this whole debacle as Ruta's fault. It would have been easier, it was becoming evident that this was the lightsworn way. Never taking blame, always shifting it to the enemy, or someone less important. Standing above the rest while looking down upon them. For an order that prided its self on being above sin, they were built on a lot of hatred.

She hugged herself tighter, eyes fixated on the fire, blinking away tears. Only a day down here in these slanderous caves, trapped with an enemy and she was already questioning her faith. Was she weak? Or rising as above the sheep? If there was any truth to the wall scripture, or her dream, her order was not what she believed it to be. The one dream came true. She forced herself on Ruta, compelled by an outside force but still, it played out very similarly. Perhaps Ruta was right about one thing, or atleast she wanted her to be right, about her attractions. Ruta was a good person. They disagreed on things sure, but time and time again, Ruta proved to be noble despite all her sexual proclivity. Maybe her own attraction was indeed something she had no power over, just naturally born differently and then raised to hate herself for it. But then her teachings would resurface in the back of her mind echoing that her faith was being tested, and that she was being corrupted, it was enough to tear her apart.

Finally willing herself to stop sobbing, the woman rose to her feet, smoothing out the wrinkles in her tunic gently, before turning toward the naked grayward. "I need to go back to that place." She whispered softly, but the certainty was thick in her tone. "I didn't just have a dream which showed me forcing myself on you, I had others, one vaguely implied our orders may not be what we believe they are, or atleast, that is how I am interpreting it for now. I've exhibited prescient dreams in the past, which were said to be bestowed upon me by Ven, Angel of the Inner Eye. I need to see what it says about him if there's anything at all...and there's something else I wanted to try too. You can come with me or stay, up to you."

Before Ruta could reply, she began walking back in the direction they returned from.

Ruta nodded and stood up, Erisella was already on the move before Ruta could say or do anything, so she quickly followed behind her. Whether Erisella would be upset about her nude state or not was not Ruta’s concern right now. She could be mad at her about it all she wanted later. Ruta just wanted answers and this surely was going to be the quickest way of getting to the bottom of this concern. Ruta just hoped that Erisella was as precognizant as she said she was. Ruta never received visions from her goddess, but the blessings she felt were real.

Here they were once more, facing the terrible scrawling of her goddess and many others. Ruta read over them more and more trying to make sense out of them, but every image depicted the angels and demons as equally foul and heinous beings. It was disturbing on a number of levels, but mainly because it painted not only her gods, but Erisella’s gods as monsters demanding sacrifices. Yes, Orlin, Demon God of the Harvest, was appeased by sacrifices of crops every harvest seasons under the moon, but that was tradition, and certainly not living sacrifices. Even slaughtering a goat was appropriate in Ruta’s eyes, but human sacrifices to appease the gods? That was unheard of in this day and age. “Have you learned anything?” Ruta asked stoically.

She didn't even bother to ask Ruta to put her clothes on this time, for what ever reason she had chosen not to, and well maybe it wasn't very lightsworn of her to admit it, but it wasn't her place to make demands of Ruta, so she ignored her and pressed onward. By the time they reached the town square once more, she saw the girl at the corner of her eye peering at the other carvings. It was tempting to get lost in them, but she knew what to expect, there was no sense in sullying her image of the other angels she worshipped, not until she saw what she needed to see. Each wall within the square was full of art and scripture. She wasn't sure of these were murals at a time depicting the laws of the land, or warnings to the citizens, but it didn't matter.

She had made a full circle before realizing that Ven wasn't there. "Not yet." She muttered, biting her lip. She needed to know. What was he? a god of lies? deception? horrific visions? Anything to discredit what she saw in her dreams, or discredit what they were seeing here, but nothing. She was just about to give up, when she glanced toward some crumbling stone steps over taken by brambles and broken walls, blocking a collapsed structure that may had served as a bell tower at one point in time. "One moment." She stepped over the overturned stones, and climbed over a fallen piece of wall, grateful that her arm had magically healed.

There atop the heap was a cracked, brass bell, large and covered in the same scripture, depicting two images, one that sort of looked like Ven, but not as she was used to and a demoness. The inscription was repeated twice, one in angelic the other in demon, roughly translated to; The god of two faces. Ven and Velka, but is neither Ven the Angel of the Inner Eye, nor Velka Demoness of Sight, nor Male, nor Female. Keeper of Man, Friend to neither Angel or Demon. Holder of true sight.

"R-Ruta come here quick, I need you to read this bit that is in the language I can't understand, I need to know if it says the same thing. I do not know of this Velka, is she a demoness of sight to your people?"

If this was all true it meant that the graywards and the lightsworn worshipped two different people that were one in the same, not only that...the inscriptions here spoke positively about this one...none of it made sense.

Ruta rushed over and climbed over the over turned stone structure. Seeing the angelic and demonic inscriptions. Ruta read the demon tongue and repeated roughly what Erisella read. Mimicking back to Erisella, confirming her suspicions. Ruta looked truly confused. “Velka is the demon goddess of Sight, but in a more intuitive sense. No Grayward has ever demonstrated precognition before to my knowledge, but followers of Velka have been known to be blessed with a Mind’s Eye. The ability to see deep within a person. Does this imply that they’re the same being?” That was even more confusing. If they weren’t a demon or angel, what were they? Were they even a ‘they’, was this an it?

The keeper of man was even more confusing, “So was this being a human god? An omniscient being who watched over mankind?” This still didn’t answer Ruta’s questions about what these depictions of the other gods meant. This one was in considerably worse condition. Was it older, the same age? Ruta also closely examined if the carvings were even in the same style as the others. Maybe this bell spoke the truth and the rest was blasphemy?

Ruta paused and looked closer at the bell. It was in the final words. “Titular de la verdadera vista?” Holder of True Sight. “It didn’t think about this at first, but this is very archaic compared to contemporary demonic tongue. Et verum coram titular.” Ruta pointed at the text and then pointed to the angelic words. The characters matched. Holder of the true sight used the exact same characters in both demonic and angelic.

Ruta echoed exactly what she expected, she merely stood there, listening to her speak, stern faced. This being, Ven or Velka, seemed to be the only god mentioned in this place that was a defender of humans, all the others came with a catch, a terrible terrible price that over centuries somehow became forgotten or mistranslated. For some reason, what she saw here and what Ruta repeated only confirmed her suspicions. She believed now that nothing here was slander but in fact the truth of their religions, sealed away from the light of day, preventing humans from knowing the truth.

Suddenly, Erisella turned around, hopping over the rubble, breaking into a quick pace. For a moment it may had appeared to Ruta that she was making a frantic break for it, but she came to a slow just as quickly, stopping infront of the wall that depicted Castella, the angel of light with an insatiable hunger. Perhaps her light couldn't reach her here, not because the light was forsaken in such a place, but because the people of centuries past stopped accepting Castella's light and so she was hidden from view in this place that rejected the carniverous angel. Driven by the need for truth and a confidence that had set upon her, she picked up a small, thin rock, harshly dragging its edge against her left palm. "nggh" She grunted as fresh blood dripped form her flesh.

"I give you but a taste, my Goddess Castella, so that your light may reach me, even here!"

She planted her bleeding palm firmly against the rough depiction of the vicious looking angel, smearing it with fresh blood. For a moment, nothing happened, and then a burst of bright golden light shone from Erisella. She could feel the warmth of her angels grace, as if, this small gesture had allowed it to reach her at last. She had already convinced herself that all of this was true when she saw the writings of Ven, but now it was all proven, atleast in her eyes. The return of her light and the meaning behind it didn't frighten her. She knew it must have meant that her family line fed Castella many sacrifices long ago, and perhaps once she had more time to dwell on it, the ramifications of that truth would upset her, but at the moment she felt relief, not because her light returned, but because she was right, all of it, her entire life, was a lie.

The light around Erisella's glowing form faded, the bleeding hand healing instantly before she fell to her knees with a defeated sigh. "There you have it."

Ruta gritted her teeth and pressed her hands against the stone depiction of her goddess. Shava, an immoral pleasure seeker, she didn’t deviate much from Ruta original beliefs, but the difference that did exist were substantial. “Confringes.” The stone cracked under Ruta’s hand and turned to rubble. Destroying the frightening visage of her goddess. “This still doesn’t make sense. How did the Graywards and Lightsworn just forget about all this heinousness? It doesn’t add up. More importantly, we’ve practiced these ideals for centuries, why would the angels and demons continue to bestow their blessing if humans weren’t worshiping them the way they intended?”

All Ruta wanted was answers. There had to be some missing piece to this. What was Velka really? Where the angels and demons both malicious forces? Why did the two sides allegedly exist in union? Were they not always sworn enemies? Maybe these were ancient customs and the gods themselves have abandoned these practices. Then why did Shava compel Erisella to have sex with her? Ruta’s head was practically spinning from all the questions. She sat down beside Erisella and asked one simple question. “So, what do we do now?”

She watched from the corner of her eye as Ruta destroyed the wall depicting the goddess shava, before returning her gaze toward the ground. The one positive out of all of this was that her light had returned to her. It would make their survival down here significantly easier, or atleast it would make her much more useful to Ruta, who had done most of the work for the both of them, but now she would be able to heal injuries, provide light in the darkness, and bring them warmth when needed, everything else however was shattered, her entire existence was a joke, her beliefs, her order, all of it. There was too much here to be a coincidence.

As Ruta sat down next to her, she shrugged, sulking somewhat before leaning to the side and resting her head upon the womans shoulder. "We should return to the fire, I need rest, but then we need to find a way out of here, I'd rather not be found by the lightsworn." She didn't say it outloud, but she had no intention of returning to the order.

Ruta nodded somberly. It was a sobering feeling, knowing so much of what she believed was somehow a falsehood. It didn’t make sense. She was either too smart to believe this was all there was to it, or too stubborn to accept the reality right in front of her face. Erisella was hurt by this even more. Ruta could see it in her eyes. The pain of her reality being turned completely on her ear. That made even less sense. As much as Ruta hated the Lightsworn, it wasn’t because they were malicious, it was because they were too just and righteous to see anyone as equal or right that wasn’t them.

Ruta sighed and put an arm around Erisella’s shoulder. They should get back, but she wanted to make sure that Erisella could at least muster the strength to get up, or if she just wanted to sit and process things. Ruta let Erisella rest her head on her shoulder. Rubbing Erisella’s upper arm sympathetically. They both seemed to be without direction, but they had each other. That was all Ruta felt they had right now. Learning a potentially horrifying truth about their world that no one else seemed to know, or willingly talked about. The least Ruta could do was keep up a brave front. She smiled softly for Erisella. Hoping it was a glimmer of hope that everything would be okay for them. Or maybe it was for Ruta’s own sake, that she put on a smile? Maybe if she did she could trick herself into thinking everything would be okay?

Erisella nodded in agreement, but did not rise. She felt so heavy, now that she had accepted everything she knew to be a lie. She had no intention of returing to the lightsworn if she escaped this place, but she did not plan to turn to the graywards either. As far as she was concerned the angels and demons were the same thing. Monstrous manipulators that demanded sacrifice and sin. What even was sin now? Was it simply a point of view? Everything used to be so simple, so black and white. She was good, their enemies were evil. Light and dark, all of it was plain as day. But now she couldn't help but question all of her actions as they sat there in silence, all of her self hatred, and the executions done in the name of justice and light.

Turning to cast a glance at Ruta who offered her a light smile in return. There was pain in her eyes too although she could tell she tried to hide it. Ruta was so strong contrary to her small appearance, she respected that, she respected everything about her. What would she do? Would she return to her graywards despite what they learned? or would she too wish to run, like her, perhaps strive to uncover more truth?

For once in her life, she decided to act on her own feelings, not on the lies she was spoon fed. Throwing caution to the wind, she leaned in toward that smiling face, pressing her lips against Ruta's gently. She did not force the kiss, it was feather light, signaling that she could pull away at any time.