Gone We Go 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

Zalair slowly opened his eyes as he felt cold air around him. It took him a moment to realize he was tied up to a tall wooden pole in the middle of a snow storm.

"You're finally awake, your highness," came a snickering laugh.

Zalair looked around, spotting a man dressed like a knight with light gray hair and golden eyes as piercing as the sun. "Who are you?"

"Efreet," he answered, slightly bowing, "Lord of the High Heavens."

Zalair noticed a six-pointed star on the man's forehead. "So… You're one of them?"

"Of the highest of the gods who created this rock?" Efreet questioned, then nodded. "Yes, I am."

"Why are you doing this?" Zalair asked, struggling against the rope.

"Don't bother, it's too tight." Efreet chuckled. He waved his arms behind him as he turned to show a burning city. "Look there."

"The palace!" Zalair tried to jump up. "What'd you do?"

Efreet smiled to him, "I instigated on the people to the north. They came raiding down with hatred in their hearts and burnt your precious land."

"What about my family?"

"Your family?" Efreet blinked, "All the royal family members are locked away- taken prisoner."

"Why?"

"Because they were a threat." Efreet nodded. "Oh, and do you want to know who led the attack on your precious home?"

Zalair's glare grew hard.

Efreet leaned down toward him, "Enmu and Aleon."

"What?" Zalair went into shock. "Wh… What…? Why?"

"Enmu became a part of me after he'd been in me so long."

"You poisoned him."

"And corrupted Aleon," Efreet waved his head. "Yeah, yeah. I know how you'll take this. But don't blame me. You don't even really want to be here do you?" He knelt down close to Zalair. "A small fragment of the goddess Orion- sent down to punish me. And after so many years of fighting, aren't you tired of it all?"

Zalair struggled again. "You coward! Face me like a man!"

"But," Efreet waved an arm, laughing, "I am not a man, so I cannot face you as such."

Efreet turned looking over the snowy hills down at the burning city and palace. "This world needs to be wiped clean. The laws they gave are too vile and impure. Why did they let this world be filled with so much evil? If we're gods, shouldn't we try to protect it and keep everything well and good?"

"You're wrong, Efreet!" Zalair said, making the other turn. "The world you envision can't be any better than what you're doing now!"

Efreet shrugged, "Brave words…" He knelt next to Zalair again, "For someone who can die so easily. Shall I rape you again."

Zalair spat at him. "Back off!"

Efreet straightened up, glaring to him. "That's all right. I'm sure in time you'll realize how corrupt your gods truly are." He waved his hand, the ropes on Zalair falling. "Go. Find your friends in the burning land below."

Zalair got up slowly. "What? You didn't kill them?"

"I could," Efreet nodded. "Four fragments of my sister gods are not much threat to me."

"Then why do you keep killing us?"

"Because," He turned to him, "You become eyesores."

Zalair pointed at him, "What do you want then?"

Efreet smirked, "Trying to reason with me, are you?" He closed his eyes, "What I want is for this world without laws to start making sense again."

"Explain it to me." Efreet stared at Zalair. "How do you expect me to understand when you're like that?"

"I see." He nodded. "You've gotten wise." He shrugged, crossing his fine arms. "Orion and Crux stood for justice, and all that was good. Pyxis served as the dead and Hydrus was…"

"I know the story." Zalair interrupted. "Where do you come in?"

"I was their mediator, to make peace if anything happened." Efreet shrugged. "But when they got the power to create this world, and the laws were written, they themselves fell corrupt."

"…How?"

Efreet turned to Zalair, pinning him there with his piercing eyes. "They didn't want a world where there was happiness. They wanted a world where there could be odds and ends- so that the people would have a need to pray and rely on the gods."

Zalair blinked, "Then you…"

"I opposed them, saying that'd be too cruel to do to innocent beings." Efreet shrugged. "They locked me away. With great difficulty, I managed to escape when a man sacrificed himself in our name."

"Who?"

"I believe you refer to him as 'Chris'." Efreet shrugged. "I came down, and they sent fragments of themselves after me- loyal warriors to fight in their name of justice."

Zalair looked down slowly, trying to think.

"I killed the warriors over and over again." Efreet continued. "Then one was given a holy sword, able to lock me away again. I fought with all my might, and took it from him. The sword was sucked into my body. Anyway," he looked to Zalair, "The Ten Knights that serve you are loyal and true."

"So?" Zalair shook his head, "What if you're lying to me?"

Efreet chuckled, "I have no reason to lie to someone who's been told so little, or has forgotten the facts. Deep within your memories, there are parts from Orion herself. Search for your own justice, and pick a side."

Zalair stared at Efreet.