Edit 2nd to last para: Not* Kahoul's and River's story.
We didn't get any background to how khoal dealt with river's death because he was a willing accomplice to his death. He didn't even have the mercy to make river's death less painful. But he got what he wanted out of that sacrifice. He got Kaveri. We won't get a redemption arc bc he loves a side character and this is not kaveri's and his story, but River's story.
It was always khoal's choice to be the god of pain. He wants power esp bc how the emperor wronged him with such extreme punishment 1000s of years ago. He could have reincarnated with kaveri ages ago but he chose not to. Instead he chained kaveri and later turned him into a catatonic husk. I wonder if he really loved kaveri. How could he be satisfied with an empty doll that looks like kaveri in his bed? How could he not be moved by kaveri's suffering enough to let him go? I can only be certain khoal loves power, he probably loves pain since that is the source of his power but he has always had a choice unlike river or kaveri so I do not sympathize with his character.
Thats an interesting theory, and I dont remeber the story enough to know if it actually true but I would have to understand the process of reincarnation and if Heil is the God of death you'll hopefully eventually going to get that background since I don't remeber the lore lol. Im not it convinced we're not getting a redemption arc or atleast some closure since Kahoul and River has unfinished ties. Its fine to let him keep suffering if thats what he has to atone for but thats not cleanest way to end the story. It is also possible he became the God of pain to get kaveri back and once he say the opportunity he took it, it was a horrible choice yes but I dont think he thinks power is everything since he still feels grief and pain and wants to makes things right with River. If power was everything to him he wouldn't want to see Kaveri again in the first place and I feel like he would side with the Red goddess much more loyaly. This can be seen my River's empath ability that he is suffering through something. I do agree that he probably doesn't understand the process of letting go (revenge, kaveri, River, etc) but I dont think he's completely hopeless in this story. I dont mind if he becomes an antagonist but in terms of River's development as a god I'm not sure if he's just going to leave him knowing that Kaveri is like that and Kahoul not knowing what to do with him except to protect River and Heil from the goddesses plans. The process of letting the person he loved when he was alive as a human probably never crossed his mind. Tbh unless we get his thoughts through all of this its hard to figure out if this character is as awful as you make him out to be since there always another side of the story that we don't know. It depends on the reader if it actually effects you but it probably won't change anything so thats that. Hope you have a nice day (ノ≧∇≦)ノ
So I stopped around when Heil and River got together it just kind of lost me? My next few comments will just me my opinions based on memory of like a year ago lol so I might have some of the story mixed up or may have misunderstood it.
Anyways, I'm really just waiting for the whole Kahoul redemption arc. Honestly the way River ended up as his bride was a recipe for a bad ending relationship. Kahoul was never ready to go into another relationship even if he was mainly interested in guys. Kaveri wasn't able to fully let to either and as a result was used as a pawn in Red hair god's plan.
I know people are really happy of River's new relationship and I agree its better this way but its been engraved in my mind that Kahoul is also a main character is this story. So I was expecting more background of how he dealt with Rivers death, Kaveri's breakdown and stuff and maybe that already happen but im really emotionally damaged by this :,) to read any further so if it did can some1 summarize it for me or tell me which chapter?
Anyways I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want some closure for Kahoul. I understood River being miserable even being around him because of how Kahoul treated him and I get it but at this point whose gonna help him get through this? Watching 2 people love move on makes it that much harder to bear. He's mentally, physically, and emotionally damaged. I'm glad River is willing to meet halfway and understand his plan and go along with it (according to the few chapters I skipped around to, please correct me of I'm wrong) but it doesn't look like River is going to be the one helping in his recovery, if any at all, or atleast not now.
Redeeming yourself and learning how to let someone go is hard to learn on your own and having that kind of guilt carried for so long is hard to shoulder. He really has become the God of pain, and im a bit afraid what is going to happen to him. I know I'm getting really emotional about this and its probably because I relate to Kahoul the most in this story, making a decision you felt was right but could never recover from the consequences of it, especially when your loved ones are involved.
I felt this could've been a great bittersweet story about River and Kahoul. Especially with the misleading cover and title. The relationship between the two was so developed in the first season (albeit not ina the best way (in terms of good relationships)) so it felt kind of awkward getting into a second romantic storyline. I mean its still great and all, puts a twist the love triangle trope with the God action and backstory but I didnt come to read that. I came to read to seeing the relationship between the two people grow and I guess it still did, not in the way I was expecting though lol. I mean they didn't even have to end up together, but learning for eachother and growing as people couldve been pretty neat as well. I guess I'm only saying this this story has established that this is River's story, now Kahoul's and River's story. It obviousl that Heil is endgame and I dont mind that st all, in fact I support it, its interesting to find a story where instead of growing as characters through love, Kahoul and River are going to grow through regret and learning to try again.
I'll come back probably when the story ends just to see how the author writes Kahoul's journey. Thanks for going through my 4am rant I just had to let out my system, take my opinion with a grain fo salt. Have a nice day. (´ ∀ ` *)