The Gilded Ones Quotes
"Blessings to he who waketh to witness the glory of the Infinite Father."
"Blessed are the meek and subservient, the humble and true daughters of man, for they are unsullied in the face of the Infinite Father."
"Only the impure, blaspheming, and unchaste woman remains revealed under the eyes of Oyomo."
"Despised are the marked or scarred, the wounded and the bleeding girls, for they have polluted the temple of the Infinite Father."
"And upon the fourth day, he created woman – a helpmeet to lift man to his sacred potential, his divine glory."
"It would have been better if you had just died."
"The words of a woman should be as sweet as fruit and honey."
"Never allow an alaki to live, nor anyone who aids her."
"I don’t know why I expected common jatu to use it."
"Oyomo preserve us," Britta breathes, staring at all the sights.
"It’s good to be home, Brother," Masaima says, grinning.
"Please let them be true," I pray silently as we make our way down the street.
"I’ll never wear a mask now, never be able to adorn myself in the sacred coverings of purity."
"Remember, this will be tough, but you will overcome it. May fortune guide you," she whispers.
"We were lucky, weren’t we?" I squeeze her hand.
"Do you swear fealty to Emperor Gezo and his armies?"
"Well met, Keita," I say, forcing myself to push my discomfort away.
"Extend them to each other in the spirit of fellowship."
"I chose to survive, rather than being executed the moment I walked out that door."
"No additional scrolls to fill with this one."
"Bring pride to Otera in the coming years, alaki – both you and your uruni."
"We’re monsters, and they’re going to treat us like monsters."
"We have to get that book, then – the Heraldry of Shadows."
"I want to survive long enough to leave this place. I’ve already had enough of dying."
"We could use it on raids, spot the deathshrieks before they ever appear. It might give us an advantage."
"This does not make us friends," she snarls.
"It’s only a light run. Back home, we used to run for miles."
"I intend to survive long enough to leave this place. I’ve already had enough of dying."
"Dance of death. She’s going to get us killed, this one."
"I’m a demon, and I will survive this to win my absolution and a life for myself."
"You are in the perfect position to attack, or evade."
"I shall now demonstrate the first form."
"I was afraid you were too pretty to get your hands dirty."
"I think I’m something much better. I’m your uruni, now until the day of our deaths."
"Fight or die – either way, our lives are not our own."
"They call us demons, but are we really?"
"Ensure that you keep your unholy ways well to yourself."
"You have to be careful of oddities, Deka. Sometimes, they can be dangerous things. Sometimes, their mere existence makes them dangerous."
"I want you to keep the memory of my scars. I need someone to remember what happened to me. I need someone to—"
"We don’t hesitate to use our ability again."
"The physical body – it heals. The scars fade. But the memories are forever. Even when you forget, they remain inside, taunting you, resurfacing when you least expect."
"You see, I have a theory, Deka. I think that every time you use the voice, you do so using all your energy. That’s what causes the exhaustion."
"They might need us now because we’re valuable, might pretend to accept us, to reward us – but never forget what they did to us first. If they did it once, Deka, they’ll surely do it again, no matter the flowery promises they give."
"When you called to the deathshrieks, yer eyes – they changed. But then the rest of you began to as well."
"I want you to see. Remember those scars you saw long ago? Look now."
"Just a pet," I repeat, at a loss for how to explain.
"You do seem to be very perceptive while in the combat state, so I would err on the side of listening to it. If it tells you your pet is safe, then it is safe. For now…"
"You will not die, Britta," I command, forcing my will into her, threading my energy around her like a living web.
"What are you, Deka?" Belcalis whispers. "What are you?"
"Deathshrieks and alaki! We’re one and the same!" Katya cries.
"It was Deka’s voice," Belcalis explains. "It’s growing more powerful, and the way she looks now when she uses it…"
"She’s my partner, my responsibility, and only I know how to end it." Keita says, his voice filled with determination.
"No, you can’t do this, Captain!" Keita shouts, "Let me kill her. I’m her uruni – I should be the one responsible for her."
"You brought this on yourself, alaki," Captain Kelechi says, raising his sword.
"I’m sorry," Keita says, bringing the sword down on Deka.
"Deka, how can you be awake?" Keita gasps. "You’re still healing!"
"Of course I’m alive," Keita says, "Why wouldn’t I be?"
"I didn’t know you could wake in such a state."
"Neither did I, I want to reply, but I remain quiet, smile down at Ixa."
"Warmth spreads through me, tears pricking at my eyes."
"How could I ever have thought he would betray me?"
"The thought resonates through me, and along with it, the horror of understanding what they are. What they were."
"The world is changing now. We’re going to make it change – make it better."
"I have my answer, and it is sweeter than anything I have ever known."