{"id":140134,"date":"2024-01-15T20:04:53","date_gmt":"2024-01-15T20:04:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/?p=140134"},"modified":"2024-02-10T20:07:30","modified_gmt":"2024-02-10T20:07:30","slug":"the-god-in-the-bottle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/?p=140134","title":{"rendered":"The God In the Bottle"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nIn my defense, I hated my job, but it\u2019s not that I didn\u2019t like the perks. I made my own hours, didn\u2019t punch a clock, and didn\u2019t have to answer to a boss. Yes, most of my clients were scary people, but there was no one I had to be scared of<\/em>\u2014which couldn\u2019t be said for the guy sitting across from me.\n<\/p>\n

\nThough Jerry Franck was pushing fifty, he had arms and shoulders like a piece of wrecking equipment. Nevertheless, there were sweat marks on his shirt, and he hadn\u2019t taken a sip from the glass our waitress had set in front of him.\n<\/p>\n

\nTo my left, Aldous Finn was the model of a pencil-thin accountant, but that was only to those who didn\u2019t know him. To me, he looked like a hatchet. Finn was the numbers man for the local syndicate, and Franck was just the owner of a nearby hardware store. There I was, the fulcrum between them, and I already knew which way it would tilt. In the silence, I bit into a slice of the house supreme.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWe don\u2019t mean disrespect,\u201d said Mr. Franck. \u201cThe other tenants and I would simply like to talk about our payment schedule.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nFinn\u2019s question had been, \u201cAre you fuckin\u2019 unionizing on me?\u201d I considered Franck\u2019s response.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cTechnically true,\u201d I said. \u201cHe wants to be respectful, and payments are on his mind.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cBut?\u201d said Finn.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cHe didn\u2019t answer the question.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWe ain\u2019t unionizing,\u201d Franck said. \u201cWe had a meeting, that\u2019s all. We\u2019re not arguing about the protection, but we feel we ought to negotiate. In good faith.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI nodded while chewing. \u201cAlso true.\u201d But my scalp itched. \u201cExcept for that last part.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cReally. Have you been talking to someone, Mr. Franck?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nHe stiffened. \u201cI\u2019d rather not say.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI took another bite, thinking, Don\u2019t dig yourself deeper. <\/em>Pleading the Fifth rarely worked with the Mob.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cAnother family,\u201d said Finn, \u201cor the cops?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nJerry froze. His eyes twitched my way. I shook my head and reminded myself that this moron had dug his own grave.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cMake it two questions,\u201d I said.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cAnother syndicate?\u201d said Finn.\n<\/p>\n

\nJerry didn\u2019t blink.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThe cops?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nOnly an Inquisitor could have noticed the tiny flinch.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cBingo,\u201d I said, and reached for my beer.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI see,\u201d said Finn. \u201cMr. Franck, why don\u2019t you tell your associates that I\u2019ll bring this matter up with my employers, and to expect a resolution real soon.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nFranck shook, and I wondered if he\u2019d brought a gun. I knew damn well that Finn\u2019s partners at the next table were armed. That\u2019s why I always held these Q&A sessions in crowded restaurants. I put down my drink, looked away from Mr. Franck, and waited for the moment to pass.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYou can go now,\u201d said Finn. Once Mr. Franck had left the booth, Finn set an envelope next to my plate. \u201cY\u2019know, Sid, I wish you\u2019d come over full time. Be easier than this freelance shit.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cPass. But thanks for the pizza.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cDe nada.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI took another bite instead of watching Finn leave. My teeth were still buried in the crust when the restaurant\u2019s lights turned red. Looking back at the room, everyone had frozen, and the door to the street glowed green.\n<\/p>\n

\nCrap. <\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\nNot for the first time, I wished I could hold my breath and pretend to be human. Gangsters I could handle, but I fucking hated gods.\n<\/p>\n

\nBetween one moment and the next, a god stood in front of my table. He\u2019d squeezed himself into the form of a man wearing a gray business suit.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI am Wealth. Don\u2019t pretend not to worship me. Your presence is commanded by the Highest.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nAlways knowing when people were lying made life among humans a headache, but being around gods was even worse. Everything they said was true by definition. Even when they tried to lie, their words carried such force that the world would break to accommodate them. When a god as powerful as Wealth called, it was more than a half-breed like me could resist.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWhatever you say, Chief,\u201d I told him.\n<\/p>\n

\nHe pointed at the door, and I stepped outside to a world cloaked in haze. The only light was a glow across the street, where a demon dressed as a chauffeur stood next to a limo so wide that the alley had stretched to make room. When I slid into the back seat, the inside was utterly dark. Or rather, it felt like my eyes had been turned off.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThis is he.\u201d The voice came from everywhere, including my bones. If spoken by a human, the words would have been a question. Gods didn\u2019t ask questions.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYes, Lord,\u201d said a woman whose words buzzed the air. \u201cSidney M\u00e9pris. The portents are clear.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nThe darkness faded, revealing the limo\u2019s interior to be the size of a small boardroom. On my right, Wealth radiated disdain. Across from him, a fox-haired goddess lounged in a loose, silver pantsuit.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe god in the middle inhabited his seat like a throne. Every inch of him gleamed as if sculpted from onyx. Rings shone like starlight on both of his hands. Without hesitation, I knelt and bowed my head.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cLordship.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI Am,\u201d said the god. \u201cYou are the misbegotten spawn of a lesser deity, but as with all things you have a purpose. Your moment of use has arrived.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nYay, me.<\/em> The weight of Lordship\u2019s presence was so strong that it was all I could do not to prostrate myself.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cMy sister will instruct you in the task you are to perform,\u201d he said. \u201cOnce you discharge your duty, the meaning of your life will be fulfilled. After, you may live the remainder of your days howsoever you please. I care not.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI waited, unmoving, my knees like cement. I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d be able<\/em> to move without a direct command. It finally came from the goddess on my left.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThis is where you say, \u2018Yes, Lordship. Thank you, Lordship.\u2019\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYes, Lordship. Thank you, Lordship.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI lifted my eyes. Lordship and Wealth were gone. Only the other remained.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cHave a seat,\u201d she said. \u201cYou\u2019ll want a drink.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cHell, yes,\u201d I said, slumping into the seat. \u201cJack and Coke, hold the Coke.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nShe grinned. A glass appeared in my hand as if it had always been there.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cMy brother isn\u2019t a people person. I\u2019ll try to be less portentous.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI sipped the whiskey. \u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ve met.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cCall me Insight. You\u2019re Scorn\u2019s boy. I know her, though I wouldn\u2019t call us friends.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cFew would.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cAgreed.\u201d She kept smiling. \u201cThis job is nothing you can\u2019t handle, but it is important. An Epoch is ending and another is set to begin. When this happens, certain rites must be performed to ensure a smooth transition. This time there\u2019s a problem. One god is refusing to take part in the ritual.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWhy doesn\u2019t Lordship command him?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWould that he could. No, our prodigal has sealed himself into a personal retreat that no other god may enter. A human might, but a human couldn\u2019t convey Lordship\u2019s orders. One of our blood, however\u2026\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI laughed. \u201cJesus. You want me to break into a god\u2019s hideout and serve a summons.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nInsight darkened. I\u2019d learned to swear by imaginary deities mainly to piss off my mom. In this instance, I might have pushed my luck. The goddess went on.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThe signs indicate that of all our offspring, you have the best chance of overcoming the temptations our brother will place in your path. Once you reach him, you\u2019ll deliver Lordship\u2019s command that he attend the ceremony.\u201d She handed me a seal of red wax. \u201cThis contains the power of Lordship\u2019s Word. When you deliver his message, break the seal and our brother will obey.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI turned it over in my hand. The seal bore an emblem that my mind refused to register. In its place, another question rose up.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cTemptations? Who are you sending me after?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nInsight smirked.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYour uncle Revelry. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll have loads of fun.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\nRevelry\u2019s tower stood in the heart of the city. It stood in every<\/em> city, the nexus of the worldwide party scene. I would have dropped in myself more often if not for the chance that Mom might be around. Most clubbers followed Scorn on various social media, whether or not they knew it. Under the circumstances, though, I presumed even she was barred entry.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe beat shook the sidewalk a block away, but that\u2019s not what had my teeth on edge. The thought of delivering the Word of a god, no matter the issue, made me want to vomit. I\u2019d given up a lot for the sake of independence\u2014working freelance for criminals and living off the social grid to stay off my family\u2019s radar. But to Lordship, my freedom had never existed. I felt His will in every step I took.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe line for the club stretched around the block, so I made for the hotel lobby on the other side of the building. Inside, the thump of the music next door was canceled by state-of-the-art soundproofing and ambient jazz. Glass elevators and transparent balconies sparkled overhead like a cavern of diamond. When entering Revelry\u2019s mecca, one couldn\u2019t help but stare.\n<\/p>\n

\nI wore a suit and tie that screamed \u201cofficial business\u201d and kept my face in the practiced, blank expression of someone who wasn\u2019t thrilled to be there. I strolled toward the first-floor bar and through the door to the kitchen as if I had every right. A lone dishwasher gave me a sidelong glance, but didn\u2019t say a word as I beelined to the staff elevator. Once inside, I hit every button starting from the top until I found one that didn\u2019t need a pass card.\n<\/p>\n

\nAfter going up an interminable number of floors, the lift opened onto an empty business center, large and extremely well-furnished, the kind used by media moguls traveling abroad. I circled the floor, looking for a way upstairs. Since Insight had liked my chances, I had faith that a solution would present itself.\n<\/p>\n

\nI turned a corner and froze. My own name stared back at me, stenciled on a polished office door. Well, shit.<\/em> I\u2019d been made. With a snort, I shrugged out of my coat and undid my stupid tie. The placard read \u201cSidney M\u00e9pris, Independent Arbitration Services.\u201d Revelry\u2019s rep was all about pleasures of the flesh. I hadn\u2019t expected that to include career placement.\n<\/p>\n

\nAnd yet\u2026\n<\/p>\n

\nAt my touch, the door swung open. Inside was a panoramic view of a neon-lit harbor. Hong Kong? Singapore? Wherever, it was nowhere in the time zone where I\u2019d entered the building. There, the night had been fresh. Here, the horizon simmered with the dawn. On the desk, within reach of a chair I could sink in forever, was a crisp, black day planner. Its pages were empty, but the flyleaf held a client list of movie stars, restauranteurs, and celebrities of every stripe.\n<\/p>\n

\nI understood the offer. No more dirty cash, no more strong-arming innocents. The word \u201cIndependent\u201d almost glowed on the door. I couldn\u2019t help rubbing my hand along the leather chair. As an opening shot, it was masterful.\n<\/p>\n

\nBut Lordship\u2019s seal burned in my pocket. If I didn\u2019t keep moving, the penalty would outweigh anything Revelry had to offer. I closed the planner and left. No matter what I wanted, there was no going against Lordship\u2019s will.\n<\/p>\n

\nIt didn\u2019t take me long to find the emergency stairs. I climbed five flights, passing music and moans behind every \u201cprivate\u201d door. At the highest landing, there was silence. There was also no handle or knob; this door only opened from the other side.\n<\/p>\n

\nI fingered Lordship\u2019s seal. If it carried his Word, did it also have a touch of his power? I pulled it out, held it against the door, and did my best to emulate a god\u2019s manner of speech.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI am Lordship\u2019s messenger. I will not be denied. This door will open.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nIt did, and I stepped through.\n<\/p>\n

\nAt once I was struck by the smell of the ocean and the sound of crashing waves. Before I could turn around, the door slammed shut and vanished. In its place stood a concrete wall under a corrugated metal roof. To either side were stacks of bottles in plastic crates. Thin light came from around a poorly framed door opposite where I\u2019d entered. I sighed and pushed it open, expecting the worst.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe worst was a beach. Plastic chairs stood between me and the waves like an undisciplined army. By the height of the sun, I was somewhere in the Pacific. Where I wasn\u2019t<\/em> was Revelry\u2019s tower. Lordship would fry me for good.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cLook like you need a painkiller.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI turned to find a thatched-roof bar next to the shack I\u2019d emerged from. A dark man with a cocktail shaker smiled like I was expected.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWhere are we?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cHid.\u201d The man emptied the shaker into a cup and passed it to me. \u201cNo need to worry \u2018bout whoever\u2019s chasing you.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cNo one\u2019s chasing me.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cSure about that? Few come here aren\u2019t chased by something. The devil his own self couldn\u2019t find you in this place.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nSo this was offer number two. I smiled. I hadn\u2019t been tricked out of Revelry\u2019s temple. I was still in it. The seal throbbed in my hand.\n<\/p>\n

\nCommand him,<\/em> a voice said. Make this insect show the way back.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cNo thanks,\u201d I told the voice, setting down my cup. \u201cI need to move on. Point me the way?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nThe barman shook his head. \u201cForgot it years back. Take the drink, friend.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI really wanted to, but instead I walked to the surf. Which way to go? I closed my eyes and listened with my Inquisitor\u2019s ears.\n<\/p>\n

\nCoward,<\/em> said the voice. Use the power you\u2019ve been given. Show some spine, you little bastard.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\nThe muscles in my jaw tightened. I\u2019d assumed the voice was Lordship\u2019s, but now it sounded like Scorn. That was better. I\u2019d learned to ignore her at a very early age. Besides, I had something else to listen for. There, over the surf, at least a mile to the left, came the thump of a sound system. Gods were so single-minded.\n<\/p>\n

\nFollowing the beach, a resort came into view. Despite it being midday, the music was that of a nightclub. A man in a blazer at the door held out his arm.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cPassword,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYou\u2019re shitting, right?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cNo sir. You don\u2019t have a bracelet, so no admission without the password.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nDamn this insect. Force him out of our way. <\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\nThe seal scorched my hand, but I couldn\u2019t let it go. I was not <\/em>using Lordship\u2019s power on a human. If he was lucky it would only kill him. But what if the power to command wasn\u2019t all the seal gave? I gripped it through the pain and focused on freezing time like Wealth had in the restaurant.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe world slowed. It didn\u2019t stop altogether, but I didn\u2019t need it to. I wanted the guard responsive, but not completely aware. I aimed all my senses at him. He wouldn\u2019t be able to speak, so I\u2019d have to rely on subliminals.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cTwenty questions. Is the password a phrase?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nNo.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cIs it a noun?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nYes.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cIntangible concept?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nNo.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cAnimal?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nBingo.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cMammal?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nDon\u2019t know.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cFor fuck\u2019s sake. Does it have four legs?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nYes.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cFirst half of the alphabet?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nYes.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cAardvark?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nYes.\n<\/p>\n

\nHoly shit.<\/em> I thought I\u2019d have to go through the whole dictionary. The seal cooled, and time resumed.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cAardvark,\u201d I said.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cEnjoy the party, sir.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nThe room within the resort was dark, and the windows showed a skyline at night. The music that had seemed so near now echoed from many floors below. I was back in Revelry\u2019s tower.\n<\/p>\n

\nA woman with chocolate skin in a dress like an elegant candy wrapper emerged from the shadows. \u201cHello, Sidney. I\u2019m Zebeth. I\u2019ve been looking forward to meeting you.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nShe turned on the lights, revealing an empty lounge.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cSid, please,\u201d I said. \u201cSidney is what my family calls me.\u201d No need to look for the next roadblock. I assumed it was Zebeth herself.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI am <\/em>family,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m Revelry\u2019s daughter, so I guess that makes us cousins. I hear you\u2019re an Inquisitor. That must be taxing.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cIt pays the bills.\u201d I thought about easing into one of the chairs, but decided against it. \u201cYou knew I was coming.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cDad knew somebody would. We didn\u2019t know it was you until you crossed the lobby.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cAnd then the half-assed attempts to stop me.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nShe looked hurt. \u201cNot stop you. We can\u2019t overcome Lordship\u2019s will, but we did want to show you alternatives to delivering it.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nShe wasn\u2019t lying. Neither, as far as I could tell, was she leaving anything out.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cSo what\u2019s the deal?\u201d I asked. \u201cWhy doesn\u2019t your dad just attend this stupid ceremony?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nHer eyes widened. \u201cThey didn\u2019t tell you?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cGods don\u2019t tell shit. All they do is give orders.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nZebeth pursed her lips. I could see her weighing how much she could reveal.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cMy father doesn\u2019t want to take part in the rite because it will him cost his life.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWhat?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cIt\u2019s not my place to say more.\u201d Truth, as she understood it. \u201cBut I\u2019ll tell you this. You have more choices than you know. My father can\u2019t counter Lordship\u2019s command, but Lordship can\u2019t touch you in this place. As long as you\u2019re here, we can give you a decent life.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI\u2019d be a captive.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYou\u2019d choose <\/em>to stay.\u201d She put her hand on my arm. \u201cYour gift is to know truth. Mine is to see desire.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cLike that office downstairs? That was good. I liked the beach too, but it would\u2019ve got boring.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nShe shrugged. \u201cConsider that our showroom floor. But now that I\u2019ve met you, I can see what you really want. What you need,<\/em> more than anything.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nAt that I pulled away. Something in how she spoke made me feel hollow.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cLet me show you.\u201d Her plea was honest, and not in the brutal way of gods. Before I knew what was happening, she pulled me to an elevator. The doors closed, and Zebeth inscribed a glyph on the control pad with a fingernail. The car rose in silence, and for longer than it should have. It finally opened on a hallway lit by daylight.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nShe said nothing. The carpet was green and the walls were beige. Doors lined one side, spaced like hotel rooms. Zebeth chose the second, put a finger to her lips, and gently pushed it open.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe room was full of children. A television in the corner played cartoons, but only a few of the kids were watching. The rest played in groups of three or four, building towers of blocks, having dinner with stuffed animals, or bringing fantasies to life with crayons and markers. At first, I couldn\u2019t make sense of what was being offered. It\u2019s probably thanks to the company I kept that my mind went someplace very dark.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI hope you can explain this right fucking now.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI\u2019m sorry?\u201d said Zebeth.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cDo you want me to pick one?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cNo! We don\u2019t\u2014\u201d She stopped, took a breath, and pointed at a boy playing with a train. \u201cThat\u2019s the richest investment banker in the city. He wanted to be an engineer, but his father forced him into the family business. That girl over there is an oncologist. She faces death every day. The one playing beside her is her mother, who has Alzheimer\u2019s. Here it doesn\u2019t matter. They can be innocent and free.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nMy anger disappeared into a hole with no bottom.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYou think I want this?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYour mother is the goddess of Scorn. I don\u2019t presume to know what that\u2019s like, but I look at you and see a man who never had a childhood or the chance to mourn its loss. I see someone who yearns to be free from other\u2019s expectations. I see that desire in the core of your being. That\u2019s my gift. Am I wrong?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nShe wasn\u2019t. I watched the children for several long minutes.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cHow much does it cost to magic yourself back to childhood?\u201d I asked.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cFor you, nothing. In return for not delivering Lordship\u2019s message, you may stay here as long as you want, at any age you want. You can live your whole childhood, a new childhood, over and over. You\u2019d never have to go back to the world of liars and criminals. You\u2019d never want for food or shelter. Or love. You\u2019d finally have the love the child inside you deserved.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nDamn you, Zebeth.<\/em> Lordship\u2019s seal was weightless in my hand. I could drop it there and leave it behind. But I had to know. Gods giveth and they taketh. All the things I\u2019d seen in this place were dreams I knew I\u2019d never have. Yes, I could spend my life in hiding, but a prison was a prison, no matter how good the room service. As hard as it was to look away, I turned my back on Zebeth\u2019s heaven and asked the Inquisitor\u2019s question.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWould it be real?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nHer shoulders sagged.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cNo.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nInside, I felt something crack. Lordship\u2019s power surged through the dam and I let it fill me, no matter that I\u2019d be my uncle\u2019s executioner. For all her offers, Zebeth couldn\u2019t save him.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI have a summons for the god of Revelry,\u201d I said. \u201cTake me to him now or get the fuck out of my way.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nZebeth dropped her eyes. \u201cFather will receive you.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n

\nA spotlight shone in an empty club. A man who looked like a Jamaican Santa sat at one of the tables. His eyes had the twinkle of someone who\u2019d chosen to savor his last few moments.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWelcome, son,\u201d he said. \u201cHave a seat if you like.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nZebeth remained standing. I joined my uncle at his table and pulled the seal from my pocket. The god sighed.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cLet me guess. As a scion of the Holy Blood, you\u2019ll issue Lordship\u2019s decree that I submit to the Rite of the Dragon. I\u2019ll have no choice but to obey.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cMore or less. I didn\u2019t even know what all this was about until Zebeth mentioned you dying.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYes,\u201d said Revelry. \u201cI\u2019m surprised our Lord didn\u2019t gloat when he sent you. Shall I explain what the ceremony is? After all, you\u2019re a seeker of truth.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI wasn\u2019t in a hurry. \u201cPlease do.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWell, there\u2019s this dragon. Or not. It\u2019s sort of a metaphor for the void at the end of all things. At the close of each Epoch, be it fifty years or ten thousand, the dragon stirs in his sleep. If he wakes, he\u2019ll devour the universe and shit out a new one. Humans call it a Big Bang.\u201d Revelry chuckled. \u201cThe only way to calm the dragon and let the universe continue is by sacrificing a god.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cSeriously,\u201d said Sid.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cIndeed. At the dawn of human history, Peace was thrown to the dragon. The French and American Revolutions occurred after Contentment was fed to the beast. Patience got the chop and the Industrial Revolution began. There have been so many over the ages, ideas and concepts we no longer have names for. And now, Lordship has his finger on me. Zebeth, be a dear and bring the Chateau Lafite.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cIt sounds like these Epochs have been accelerating,\u201d I said.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cDoesn\u2019t it, though? Almost as if Lordship\u2019s been poking the beast in its den so he can get rid of those of us he doesn\u2019t like.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cSo Lordship\u2019s not just delaying the end of the world. He\u2019s shaping it by deciding which gods die.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cPruning, he calls it,\u201d said Revelry. \u201cButchery, says I. He has all the power in creation and an infantile lust for more. He\u2019s spent eons ridding the world of any concept that might distract from the worship of His might. Eventually he\u2019ll be the last, the Alpha and Omega, and only then will he let the dragon wake. Whatever that final Epoch looks like, I imagine its destruction will be a mercy. Ah, the wine.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nZebeth reappeared with a very old bottle and three stone goblets. The Chateau Lafite was so dark it was nearly black, and the wine\u2019s bouquet filled the room like a warm summer night. Revelry and I clinked our cups together.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThere\u2019s part of my soul in this,\u201d said Revelry. \u201cIn every bottle of wine, every stick of bubblegum, every lover\u2019s embrace. After I\u2019m gone, no one will enjoy anything in quite the same way. Oh, it\u2019ll be slow to fade, but I think you\u2019ll soon know the difference. I pity the world your children will inherit.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI\u2019m sorry it has to be this way,\u201d I said.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cGo on then.\u201d Revelry drained his glass. \u201cDo as our Lord instructed.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI held the seal in both hands, but paused.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cHe didn\u2019t.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWhat?\u201d said Revelry.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cLordship. He didn\u2019t give the order. He said I would do my duty, but he didn\u2019t give the instructions. That was Insight.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nRevelry looked puzzled. \u201cBookish fellow? Balding? Tweed jacket?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cNo. It was a woman. Silver suit, red hair.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nRevelry lit up like Rudolph\u2019s red nose and exploded in a full-on belly laugh. Zebeth\u2019s jaw went slack. I shrank into my chair, feeling like the butt of some joke.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThat slippery devil,\u201d said Revelry. \u201cYou\u2019ve been lied to, Inquisitor. Lied to by a god.<\/em>\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cBut she said\u2026\u201d Call me Insight. Call me <\/em>Insight. \u201cHoly shit. Who was she?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nRevelry shook his head. \u201cOh, she\u2019s Cunning, that one.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nIt took me a moment to realize he\u2019d answered my question.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWhat exactly did Cunning tell you?\u201d asked Zebeth.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cShe said I was to deliver Lordship\u2019s command that Revelry attend the ceremony.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cAttend<\/em>,\u201d said Zebeth. \u201cNothing more?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nThe hairs prickled on my skin. \u201cNo. Like I said, I didn\u2019t even know what the ceremony involved until you told me.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWhat does it mean?\u201d Zebeth asked her father.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cIt means we say no more,\u201d said Revelry. \u201cMessenger, I have a request and I grant you the freedom to choose. I ask that once you\u2019ve discharged your duty, you attend the Rite of the Dragon as my guest. If you agree, you will be there as a free agent. You may watch, listen, and act as your conscience dictates. What do you say?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nInsight\u2026 No, Cunning had lied to me. There had to be a reason. Could the act of deception itself be a message? Whatever the cause, I felt there was something hanging in the air, waiting for me to grab it.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI\u2019ll come.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThen please, do your duty. Exactly <\/em>as you were instructed.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI gave Lordship\u2019s command and broke the seal.\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n

\nThe Rite of the Dragon was held in a chamber deep below the Hagia Sophia. The atmosphere of ancient dread was so thick that I had to stifle a laugh. The room was less like a place of worship than a Victorian operating theater. Or closer still\u2014an inverted Aztec pyramid with a bottomless pit in place of the altar where priests would cut out their victims\u2019 beating hearts. I wondered if Lordship missed those glory days.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe room appeared empty until Zebeth and I followed Revelry down the steps. As we descended, dozens of gods flickered into being, each in their niche of power. How many more had there been before Lordship started chucking them into the dragon\u2019s mouth? My mother sat scowling in the third row. I looked away as soon as I saw her. On the lowest tier sat the real Insight, hunched over the pages of some dusty tome.\n<\/p>\n

\nLordship, Wealth, and Cunning were the last to appear, standing between Revelry and the pit. Cunning looked curious, Wealth merely bored. Lordship\u2019s face gleamed. I stepped forward, knelt, and offered Him the halves of his seal.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYou were not required to attend,\u201d Lordship said. \u201cYour function was complete once you discharged your obligation.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI like to see things through.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cVery well.\u201d He motioned for me to rise. \u201cIn a few moments, you will be responsible for the death of a god. Few mortals have ever been so honored.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI bowed, then backed up next to Zebeth. Under my breath I said, \u201cWe\u2019re not getting out of here, are we?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nEver so faintly, she shook her head.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThe end of an epoch is upon us!\u201d Lordship declared. \u201cLet all bear witness.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nHe drew out a knife, one like the flint shards that cavemen once used. Insight stood and read from his book in a high-pitched voice.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cOh Holy, Most Holy, hear these words, the words of the Book, the Book of All Time. Hear of the passing of Ages and Kings, and the Dragon, devourer of all.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWE HEAR,\u201d the gods intoned.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cSo it passes this day, this last of all days, that the whirl of creation closes its arc and the heavens shine upon the Way.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWE OPEN THE WAY.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nThe pit turned blacker than black and I staggered, pressed down by a force even older than gravity. Zebeth grabbed my arm to keep me from falling. Insight continued.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThe Way opens to darkness. The Way opens to the abyss. The Way opens to the dragon\u2019s maw.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWE DRINK TO HONOR THE DRAGON.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cBring forth the sacred goblet,\u201d said Lordship. Wealth produced a golden cup, the kind that a sports team would keep behind glass. As soon as I saw it, my throat went dry.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYour pardon, my Lord,\u201d said Revelry. \u201cPermit me a final request.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nLordship\u2019s mouth visibly twitched. \u201cSpeak.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nRevelry gestured to his daughter, who produced an unopened Chateau Lafite.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThis is my finest bottle,\u201d Revelry said. \u201cI present it for the ceremonial offering. I would be obliged if my peers would drink it in remembrance.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nLordship shrugged, then nodded. Zebeth bowed and handed the bottle to Cunning. The goddess was about to pull out the cork when a crazed inspiration struck me in the head.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWait! He\u2019s lying!\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nThe eyes of all the gods fixed on me like a mountain.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYou lie,\u201d said Lordship. \u201cGods do not.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cHe said it was his finest bottle,<\/em> not his finest wine. We emptied that already. I don\u2019t know what\u2019s in there now, but it isn\u2019t what you think.\u201d My heart beat against my ribs. I\u2019d seen enough con-jobs to know I had to be careful.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cTrickery.\u201d Lordship spoke like a man with shit on his shoe. \u201cEven from the god of drunkenness and perversion I expected better.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cMay I see that?\u201d I asked. Cunning handed it over with the slightest of smirks. She must have known something was up. After all, she\u2019d created this opportunity.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThis farce has gone on long enough.\u201d Lordship held his knife against Revelry\u2019s throat. \u201cThe wine is a mere formality. All that is needed is that a god should die.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nTrue enough, <\/em>I thought. I had lied, of course: the bottle in my hand wasn\u2019t the same as before, but it was a bottle of wine nonetheless. There\u2019s part of my soul in this, <\/em>Revelry had said. And thanks to having carried Lordship\u2019s seal, I knew what it meant to hold the power of a god in my hand.\n<\/p>\n

\nI gripped the bottle by the neck, took two steps forward, and swung it at the back of Lordship\u2019s skull. The bottle smashed, dousing both of us in Bordeaux. Lordship wavered and toppled into the abyss. He didn\u2019t even scream.\n<\/p>\n

\nThen the pit was just a pit, empty, six feet deep.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWhat\u2026\u201d said Wealth. \u201cWhat\u2026\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cShut up,\u201d said Cunning. She loomed above me like a cobra to a mongoose. Or was it the other way around?\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cKill him,\u201d said Wealth. \u201cBurn him. Flay him.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cNot in that order,\u201d said Cunning with a smile.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cKill him!\u201d came more shouts, while others called for worse. I shrank lower and lower as gods screamed for my blood, all except Revelry and Cunning. The latter turned to address the others.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cBe silent.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nShe didn\u2019t raise her voice, but they obeyed. Cunning picked up the knife that Lordship dropped. At first, I assumed she meant to use it on me, but she slipped it into her pocket.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWe cannot punish this mortal for obeying our Lord\u2019s command,\u201d she said. \u201cWe all heard it. \u2018You will be responsible for the death of a god.<\/em>\u2019 Those were my brother\u2019s exact words.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cSemantics,\u201d spat Wealth.\n<\/p>\n

\nCunning shook her head. \u201cOur brother spoke carelessly and paid the price. The deed is done.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cBut the assassin must die!\u201d came a screech from the gallery. Fucking hell, it was my mother.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cOne day,\u201d said Cunning, \u201cbut he must not be punished. Wealth, did our Lord not decree that once the son of Scorn had discharged his duty, he would be free to live his life as he pleased?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nJust as the thought began to cross my mind that I was about to get away with deicide, I watched Wealth\u2019s mouth twist like a constipated octopus to give any answer but the truth.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYes,\u201d he said at last. \u201cHe did.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThere you have it,\u201d said Cunning. \u201cScorn\u2019s son was an instrument of destiny as prophesied by the Highest among us. No punishment will be laid upon him. The dragon has been appeased and the ceremony concluded.\u201d She swept the assembled deities with her gaze. \u201cBegone.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nThe gods disappeared, slowly at first and then in a drove. Zebeth threw her arms around her father, who answered with a mighty laugh. Cunning relaxed with a self-satisfied grin. On the verge of shaking apart, and not knowing what else to do, I approached her.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cIt looks like you\u2019re the boss now, my Lady.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nCunning held up her hand. \u201cAh-ah. Thanks to you, we live in a world without Lordship. I can hardly inherit a power that no longer exists.\u201d She leaned to whisper in my ear. \u201cBut don\u2019t tell the other gods, eh? They aren\u2019t very clever. It\u2019s an occupational hazard of always being right.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cJesus,\u201d I said, then caught myself. \u201cSorry. Shouldn\u2019t say that here.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cNo one\u2019s to stop you,\u201d Cunning said. \u201cYou\u2019ve finally won what you always wanted. You\u2019re completely and utterly free.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nI was, wasn\u2019t I? If no god could ever control me again, perhaps I could start by making my own choices\u2014better than the ones that had led my life so far.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cSo what now?\u201d I asked. \u201cI suppose you aim to be the last god standing?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cNext to last.\u201d Cunning nodded toward Revelry, who was describing to Zebeth the banquet he would throw to celebrate not being dead. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t want to live in a world without your uncle. No, when the last age dawns and Revelry is the only god left? That\u2019ll be one hell of a party.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Jared Millet was a public librarian for over twenty years before quitting his job to travel the world and write full time. His dark fantasy trilogy, The Battle for Majadan, was published in 2021-22. His short fiction has appeared in Apex, On Spec, Translunar Travelers Lounge, Leading Edge, and Kaleidotrope. Jared’s travel writing, including tales of ten months spent circumnavigating South America, can be found at TheEscapeHatch.net. Updates about new and upcoming stories can be found at JaredMillet.com.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In my defense, I hated my job, but it\u2019s not that I didn\u2019t like the perks. I made my own hours, didn\u2019t punch a clock, and didn\u2019t have to answer to a boss. Yes, most of my clients were scary people, but there was no one I had to be scared of\u2014which couldn\u2019t be said …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107883,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,14,20100],"tags":[20101],"class_list":["post-140134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fiction","category-publications","category-tcl-45-autumn-2022","tag-the-colored-lens-45-autumn-2022","entry entry-center"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/107883"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=140134"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":140135,"href":"https:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140134\/revisions\/140135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=140134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=140134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=140134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}