Page 78 of Monsters in Love: Lost in the Fire

In the midst of my confusion and conflicting emotions, a figure emerged from behind me. The sun, having cast its long shadows among the largest of the debris, created shadows that revealed another entity I wasn’t expecting. I took a step back warily and immediately my body tensed in my fight or flight instinct.

Why didn’t I feel this with Isolarel? Why now? What was this thing? With another step back, my hands felt along the walls of the crater, hoping to find a loose stone to use as a weapon if need be while never taking my eyes off the thing in front of me.

It was a being of pure light, radiating a different warmth that seemed to counteract the scorching heat. It didn’t make any sense to me, continuing to defy logic. But what hasn’t, thus far?

"Do not be afraid, mortal," the figure spoke, their voice deceivingly soothing and gentle because I felt anything but safe around them. As if they could read my mind, the being smiled and my hand gripped harder around the stone behind me. "Isolarel is being punished for his hubris—for daring to challenge the gods."

If Isolarel hadn’t toldme first, I would have been shocked. Unlucky for this being, I could only look at them with further suspicion. Why appear after the exit of Isolarel. Why now?

“You must know that Amun watches us all. I couldn’t very well let Isolarel go unpunished.”

"Who are you?" I managed to stammer out, my voice barely audible over the crackling of invisible flames. It was the only thing my mind could equate it to. Was he… was he the god of the sun that was punishing Isolarel? How could he be in two places at once?

"Ma’at and Shezmu had a time bickering over what should happen,” he chuckled, avoiding my question. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, wondering if he was purposely leading me away from the facts that mattered the most. Who was he really?

His smile didn’t fade as he stood there, pompously staring at me. With a sigh, he finally answered the original question.

“I am Seth, the keeper of the judgements," the figure snickered before adding, “at least for Isolarel.”

His name nullified my theory as to who it was. The name didn’t sound in any way related to the sun. The more I listened to his androgynous voice, the more my mind labeled him as male as well.

"It is my duty to maintain the balance between mortals and the divine. Isolarel, was once a demi-god who decided to bypass the rules—he sought to harness the power of the sun. As a result, the only thing he received that day and every day thereafter, was his curse.”

My palms were sweaty. I took in all the information that was given to me with a grain of salt but at the same time with the awareness that it might have been my suspicions playing at me. What if what was spoken was true? Was it truly Isolarel’s fault after all? But he didn’t seem anything but tame and hurting when I found him.

"But why was he being chained to the sun?" I asked, my voice trembling. The images bombarded me again as tears burned in my eyes. One tracked down my cheek as I clenched my jaw, waiting for the answer.

Seth sighed, a flicker of sadness in his eyes before it quickly returned to seriousness. "Isolarel's punishment is a reminder of the consequences of defying the natural order. He will forever be bound to the sun, eternally tormented by that which he sought—to forever die in its searing heat."

Our shadows crept until the sun finally reached its highest peak. Have we truly stood here this long? Or has time become warped because of the being before me?

Sorrow pierced my heart as I realized the magnitude of his punishment. Years of being brought up with the ideals of science, and here I stood before the unfathomable. The gods were not to be trifled with, and the consequences of their wrath were unimaginable.

I watched as Seth took a few steps around the crater, examining its size and destruction. After a few moments, he stopped and turned to me, his expression never changing. "You have witnessed a punishment that few mortals have ever seen. Remember this lesson, and let it guide you in your own journey. The power of the gods is not to be taken lightly."

With those words, Seth faded away, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The sun continued to move across the sky, its rays casting a golden glow over the world as if all was well when it was the complete opposite. How could life go forth after everything that had happened? How could no one have witnessed what Isolarel had admitted to be something that has gone on for an endless amount of time? I couldn’t be the first to stumble upon him, could I?

None of this made any sense as my temples throbbed. I ran a hand through my wayward strands. I couldn't help but feel a sense of newfound fear and defiance. I needed to find a way to free him, now that I understood what I had witnessed.

With a surge of determination and anger for Isolarel, I threw the rock in the direction where Seth once stood. It skidded against another large piece of debris, not at all as satisfying as I thought it would be. With a scowl, I rubbed my hands together, then ran toward the wall of the crater and lept, digging my fingers and toes into the jacked side to get leverage for my climb.

Weariness from lack of sleep threatened my vision but I pushed forward, grunting and straining my muscles. Sweat poured down my face and back as I slapped a hand then an arm at the top of the crater’s lip.

Did I think climbing was bad? Nothing compared to pulling my tired body out of the giant hole that wanted me to fall back into its belly. But I persevered and made it, flipping onto my back, panting beneath the blistering sun.

I stumbled through the desert, the weight of what I had witnessed and the visit from a god weighed heavily on my mind. Isolarel’s screams of agony echoed in my ears, haunting my every step. I knew I had to find answers, for his sake and mine.

Even the gods had to operate on some sort of logic, didn’t they?

When I finally reached civilization, I wanted to fall over but chose to lean against the closest building’s wall instead, catching my breath. The bustling streets and familiar sights of the city offered little solace as my thoughts remained consumed by the events of the night and early morning. I made my way to the library, hoping that within its vast collection of knowledge, I would find the answers I sought.

The library was a sanctuary of tranquility, its shelves lined with countless books waiting to be explored. I wandered through the aisles, my fingers grazing the spines of the volumes as if searching for a connection. The scent of aged paper filled the air, a comforting reminder of the countless stories and wisdom contained within these walls.

I was thankful for the air conditioning as my body quickly cooled and regained a bit of energy the longer I was in it. I selected a book at random, its title catching my eye. It was an ancient tome, its pages yellowed with age. As I opened it, the words seemed to come alive, dancing across the page. The book spoke of ancient legends and forgotten myths, of gods and their wrath. Could it be that what I had witnessed was not a mere coincidence?

I delved deeper into the pages, my mind racing with newfound knowledge. The gods, it seemed, were not to be trifled with. They held immense power and were capable of inflicting unimaginable punishments upon those who dared to challenge them. The chains that bound Isolarel to the sun were a symbol of his hubris—the consequences of defying the divine order just as Seth mentioned.

“I hate that he was right,” I mumbled under my breath, as if I could use mere written history to prove him wrong. If he was truly who he said he was, I was the one who needed to put down my pride and listen.

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