Chapter 224: A Rejection of the Gods

Walking the streets of Danmor, Isis looked around; many stared at her with strange looks, seeing the mask, with a few whispering to one another, recognising it and hurriedly breaking eye contact and moving on. Looking back at Seth, he smiled and laughed. "Not many have ever seen a Lunarian but know the stories. When I told you before that Lunarians are one of the few people on Oros who can move around easily, I wasn’t lying. Luar’s history is magnificent but tragic."

"I learnt a little in my free time, but even now I find it hard to believe. You said you didn’t believe in the Gods, but what about the four miracles of Luna?" Seth paused for a moment, needing to think about how to answer.

"You misunderstand me. When I say I do not believe in the Gods, it’s not that I don’t believe they exist, but that how we understand them is incorrect. Everyone believes the Gods are protective watchers over humanity, but it’s all wrong. The Gods are vain, uncaring and detached beings. No amount of worship or love will ever be enough for them, so I reject all of them." With a wave of his hand, he chuckled, "Teacher understood this; it is why he laughed when he gazed upon them, because he understood that at the end of the day, the Gods are nothing more than human pretenders who masquerade as divine."

"Are you sure that’s the only reason he laughed?"

"Who knows? He never told me the whole truth behind what he felt that day; I only remember his laugh when he glimpsed it." With a nostalgic smile, Seth laughed to himself and shook his head.

"But they say the four miracles happened because of the murder of the four martyrs. That in Luna’s grief at the desecration of her chosen messengers, she punished the Farsagons." With a snort, Seth looked to the sky.

"Blocking the sun, tearing the land, drowning the Empress and cutting the Farsagon from its territory east of the sea. Sure, maybe Luna was truly heartbroken after their deaths, but in my personal opinion, she was just mad someone spat on her name when they killed the martyrs. It’s why, even if I love that teacher gave me the mask, I hate wearing it. Part of me knows that doing so accepts Luna as my God and wishes for her protection."

"So it’s a rejection of their promises?"

"Life is finite. Luna’s endless dance in Moonlight, the Lord of Creation’s heaven, Lady Death’s new world and the rest. All these afterlives preached are just methods people use to cope with the fact that they will die. But once you get over a fear of that truth, you understand that you don’t really need its comfort and can truly begin to live."

Isis thought for a moment. Touching the satchel on her hip and feeling her journal in it, she shook her head and stared into Seth’s eyes. "You can say that because you have cheated death, Seth. For many, hope of a better life to come is what allows them to live in hardship. They need to believe that their struggles will lead to something."

"You’re probably right, and I don’t fault anyone for clinging to that false promise. I was much like that as well, but I saw the truth. The gods don’t care; none of them. When I toiled in the fields with my parents, when my brother starved because harvests were light and he was too weak to eat, when I watched a bad person become rich and a holy man live in filth, I cannot say the Gods are real." Seth took a deep breath. Unlike his words, which were flat and almost dismissive after so long, his breath carried heavy emotion.

"Teacher opened my eyes to the world, and when he did, I was finally free from that chain. For a while, I had thought he was a God, a man who created miracles, who seemed to understand everything. It wasn’t just what he could do, but himself as well. In my whole life, I have never seen anyone as beautiful as he was. So elegant in every movement. His voice like music to the ears. He was what I believe Luna herself looks like."

Isis stayed silent, able to tell Seth wanted to say more. His brow furrowed and unfurrowed as he thought, finally ending with a frown that turned into a sweet smile. "But for all his elegance, he was vile. For all his beauty, he was vain. For all his brilliance, he would never share it with another willingly. You either learnt from watching or you didn’t. Even now, I cannot hope to match him in any way."

"Really? I’ve seen what you can make; I’ve seen the scars from your operations." A soft chuckle escaped Seth’s lips upon hearing her speak.

"In the entire world, I would say there are a handful as skilled as, or more so than, I am in runecraft, Isis. This isn’t arrogance, but simply because I learnt from him. Let me put it like this. You saw me grow the tree in Cras. I can make a seed bloom into a tree in a moment. He could use that seed and grow a forest. I can change my organs and extend my life. He discovered how to do that. The gap between such a thing is impossible to understand if you have never tried to discover something from nothing. How long do you think you would need to discover that?"

"I mean, it seems logical to reach that conclusion. Take from one person and put it in another." Seeing Seth about to counter, she smiled, "I understand what you mean; it’s not that simple. Centuries, maybe."

"It took him a decade to understand and put it in practice. And that was because he not only split his attention on other things, but also because he needed to do numerous trials to prove his theory. The thing is, and why I can admire but find him repulsive, is because, let’s say it was impossible, he would have never stopped. Hundreds, thousands- no matter how many it took- he would butcher just to try and prove he was right, even if it could never be possible."

"And it is why you stopped seeing him as a God?"

"It is why I realised they are false beings. A God should be benevolent. A god should protect and nurture. For a moment, when he took me away from hardship, I saw that belief. But the truth is, none have. I was taken because I piqued his interest. They say Luna did four miracles, but it is closer to say they were punishments. All of them were for destruction. Drowning a woman, cutting the empire in half, splitting the ground and dimming the sun. Can that really be called a miracle? Teacher, for all his brilliance, never shared anything completely. I am sure he left his legacy out there, but it is to be found, not given. There’s a difference."

"I see."

"It’s strange. I thought you didn’t hold a God in your heart." Isis stayed silent for a moment, thinking about the voice before her birth; the command she had wished to ignore, but somehow ended up following. Seth noticed the silence and leaned closer, an intrigued smile on his face. "You’re silent, much like when we spoke about fate. Will you not tell me?"

With a smirk, her eyes looked at him mischievously. "Tell me your age or your teacher’s name first." The two stared at one another before laughing, knowing that it was too soon to say. Looking away, her face fell, and she was happy that the mask hid her expression. She knew Seth followed out of boredom in his life, and part of her felt that the moment she spoke about the command, that interest would vanish. It scared her, wondering if he would run off and leave her alone the moment he learnt.

"You’re an idiot, you know," Seth said, his voice relaxed. Looking at him in surprise, he shrugged and grinned. "When you get to my age, Isis, reading a person is as easy as breathing. Whatever secret you are hiding will be interesting, I am sure, but do you think I will run off as soon as I learn it? I made a promise to help you get to Verat. If I learn it before we arrive, I won’t run off. I just hope it lives up to expectations."

"I’m sure it will." The two shared a smile and continued walking. Sniffing the air, Isis came to a stop and looked right, seeing a strange building that reeked of herbs, one people seemingly steered clear of. It was dark compared to the bright city and looked run-down, but the smell emanating from it seemed to call to her. Seth paused, seeing Isis stop, and, following her gaze, rubbed his chin.

"You smelt that?"

"Is that weird?"

"A little. That place has been around for a long time, but people never enter of their own accord. It invites you instead." Seth thought for a moment. "You can go in. It’s not dangerous, just strange."

"Will you come with me?"

"I have already been invited once. You don’t go a second time. I’ll be outside."