"Welcome to Arna,"
Lucifen and I stood in his palace room, the crystal floating at its center, radiating brilliance.
It felt surreal to be in someone else's world, but I didn't allow that to distract me from what he had just said.
"Why do we need to pick off the other gods?" I asked. Lucifen had sounded sinister when he mentioned it.
With a wave of his hand, he gestured for me to follow him out of the palace room.
"Let us talk and walk."
---
The palace was very similar to mine in its contents, though the interior design was different.
For example, while my chambers were on the first floor, his were on the second.
"You ask why I speak of picking off the other gods. But let me ask you, why not? If we don't strike them, then they will strike us. It is only obvious."
I understood where he was coming from. I had met the gods firsthand, so I knew the evil that could brew within them.
"But there is hardly any incentive for killing another god in the Abandoned Worlds. They have little reason to attack us, especially with bigger threats to worry about, like the beasts that Osidon spoke of."
"Oh, but they do have a reason, Vale, the same reason that I mentioned. Every god will wish to strike before being struck. Of course, if the opportunity arises for us to create an alliance with another god, then we will take it."
He makes a good point, yet the idea doesn't sit right with me.
Lucifen led me outside, and I was met with something that surprised me.
Snow was falling from the sky, so heavy that it covered the ground completely.
Not only that, but the palace seemed to be surrounded by a forest, and in the distance, through the trees, I could see other houses scattered about.
"It can't be? Is this where you arrived when first brought to this world?"
Lucifen nodded and began to lead me through the trees.
"Yes. If I were human, it would have bothered me, but we do not feel the cold. It has its uses, especially being so close to the trees. It has provided us easy access to wood."
Every now and then, I saw settlers clothed in thick furs, going about their daily tasks.
Some carried buckets, others carcasses of creatures unknown to me. Some chopped wood, and I even saw a man and woman walking hand in hand.
"Things seem to be going well in your world. What is its population?" I asked, curious.
"84."
At first, I thought I had heard incorrectly; there should be no way for him to have gathered more than double the disciples that I had.
"I believe it is linked to my Unique Worldly Attribute," he explained.
"Which is?" I asked, but he changed the topic, waving it away as though it was of little importance.
"There is something I want to show you before our time runs out."
So he has set a short time limit for this visit. He does not completelt trust me yet, though I cannot blame him.
I was led further through the trees until we eventually reached a short single story building, though its width and length were much larger than even the palace.
Beside the doors were two wooden carved statues, and for a moment, it took me a while to notice what they depicted.
"These are sculptures of you?"
Lucifen shot me a smile as he pushed open the door.
"You have yet to see anything. Take notes of what you will see."
Inside the large building was a simply designed interior.
There were rows of stands, enough to hold roughly a hundred people, all facing towards a raised wooden platform, with two large candle holders on either side.
At the back of the platform was a large bell hanging from the ceiling.
He led me to the platform, so that we stood atop it, looking down at the stands.
This looks like a modest church.
Woosh
I looked to the side and saw that both candles had come alight, casting an orange glow over the platform.
"The Second Tier. In time, you will learn."
So the Second Tier has something to do with fire. Perhaps elemental control? It would make sense and is definitely an important aspect of godhood.
Then Lucifen walked over to the bell and rang it. It was an incredibly loud sound that must have been audible for at least a mile.
"And now we wait," Lucifen said, as he stood at the front of the stage, looking towards the stands.
A minute later, the first man walked in. He wore brown robes, but what stood out to me most was the necklace he wore.
I enhanced my senses and noticed that a symbol hung from the necklace.
A star?
The man made his way to the stands and waited patiently.
Then another person entered, a lady, wearing the exact same attire as the man, with the same necklace.
Then another person walked in, and another.
Tens of people dressed identically began to file in and make their way to the stands, and within ten minutes, they were completely filled.
During this time, Lucifen and I had stood on the platform in silence, waiting.
Once the stands were full, I realized that Lucifen hadn't been lying.
There were certainly more than 80 men and women in the stands.
Finally, the doors were closed, and Lucifen and I stood a level above the men and women.
"Welcome again to congregation," Lucifen said, his voice quiet, yet somehow carrying throughout the room.
"Before we start, I would like to introduce you to my friend, Vale. He, too, is a god, though there is no need for you to worship him as you do me. He has his own world, with his own disciples. Today, I would just like for you to show him the devotion you have towards me, something I am so proud of."
Lucifen clicked his fingers, and one of the candles went out instantly.
On cue, the disciples held up their star pendants and kissed them, before clasping their hands together and closing their eyes.
Then, they began to speak.
"Blessed Star. You are the light in the darkness. The path for the lost.
You are the breaker and the mender. The creator and the undoer.
Forgive us of our evil thoughts, for we know that you hear all.
Punish us when necessary, as you know when a heart is stone.
You are the beginning and the end. The alpha and the omega.
Please watch over us, O Blessed Star."
After the prayer, Lucifen snapped his fingers again, extinguishing the other candle, and the men and women rose to their feet and began to leave.
I was speechless.
This is what he wanted to show me?
Once they had all left the building, I was left standing with Lucifen.
"What was that?" I demanded, as Lucifen turned to face me.
"That, Vale, is how a god should be treated."
His response annoyed me.
"But we are not truly gods, not the type that they believe you to be. You did not create them, nor can you hear their thoughts. You are not omniscient, omnipotent, or omnipresent."
Lucifen's smile left his face, replaced by a stern look.
"But is that not what I strive for? To rise through the tiers of godhood and become a true God? It is only right that my people worship me as they should, regardless of whether I had to tell minor lies to get there."
Deception. This god... Can I trust him?
"Our time is running out, but I wanted to show you this so that you could learn from me. Ensure that you have established yourself as a true God amongst your people, Vale. This is what will separate us from the other gods. We must make ourselves deities worthy of worship."
Silence hung in the air for a few moments, as I was unsure what to say.
"I will be in contact with you soon, though I'm not sure when. There are some things I must attend to. In the meantime, gain strength so that we can tackle one of the Abandoned Worlds together. We must stay ahead of the others at all times."
Before I could respond, I heard a humming noise inside my head, and my vision began to fade.
Moments later, I lost consciousness and was returned to the crystal inside my palace.
Lucifen... I said to myself. Have I made a mistake in befriending you?