The Unbidden: A New World (1) (Short Parts)

Part 2

God blinked Her eyes a couple times, bringing Her head back slightly. It looked as though his actions heavily offended her. Gregory's eyes narrowed once more, and his stance visibly changed. He stood in a half-crouched position perpendicular to God, holding his sword up toward Her direction with both hands.

"Y'are clearly not a deity of any sort. I'll ask ya' again: How do ya' know all of this information, are ya' an assassin? Who do ya' work for?" he asked in a loud, intimidating voice.

"I already told you, you dolt. I. Am. God!" She exclaimed, clearly mad.

"An' I already told ya'. If ya' don't answer mah question, I'm gonna have to kill ya'," he stated matter-of-factly.

His words left God speechless. She stood there in shock, somehow unable to comprehend what was happening right now. A moment passed in utter silence before Gregory moved. He took a single step toward God, shoving his sword toward Her head at a speed almost faster than I could track.

"Wait!" I shouted, moving toward the two of them with a hand outstretched.

Just before the tip of his blade made contact with her, a red aura appeared around him. His movements stopped completely as he became locked in position. My eyes widened in surprise. I just stopped him from killing God! I didn't know how, but I did it. She was surprised, both at the sudden attempt on Her life and his failure on no part of Her own. She turned to look back at me, then back to Gregory, then to me. She moved out of the way quietly and brushed down Her gown and cleared Her throat.

I lowered my hand and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. At the same time, Gregory's movements continued and his blade lunged forward into nothing causing him to stumble downward. He managed to catch himself, and looked toward me.

"Ya one o' them special peoples, eh?" he asked, pointing his sword at me.

I panicked a little as all the attention was on me now. I could hear whispers coming from what must've been everyone in the crowd. God cleared Her throat once again, causing Gregory to turn his attention toward her.

"Now, if you will believe me, we need you to help us. You! What is your name?" God asked, directing Her finger and gaze to another armored individual in the crowd.

He seemed a bit confused at first, as he had backed up into the crowd just before the incident. Once he realized She was directing Her motions toward him, he stepped forward and puffed out his chest a bit.

"My name is Lazarus Giant-Killer," he spoke loudly.

"'Tis right. Lazarus Giant-Killer. You were part of an elite mercenary troupe that was tasked by the king's guard to eliminate a nest of giants, hence your last name. You also had an affair with several women while you were with your wife despite knowing 'tis a dreadful sin to commit adultery ... I forgive you though," She stated very matter-of-factly with Her hands on Her hips and a glowering smile on Her face.

Lazarus was baffled, and the crowd around us murmured amongst themselves. A couple of them shouted out his crimes and his atrocities to the faith, causing others to join in the demeaning. He looked about before returning his gaze toward God's. I could tell he was rather agitated. Doesn't seem like God is entirely as nice as everyone likes to think, I thought. Gregory chimed in, bellowing over the rest of the village. He paused briefly before speaking.

"Lazarus has committed adultery, or so She says... But how do we know, based only upon the words of this vixen? She appeared in the village so suddenly along with Her robed mage and began spouting things as though She knows. If this woman truly is God, then why does She not smite Lazarus for his adultery as per Caedic tradition!? Why does She have Her pet following Her if She is God? This is not our God, nor is She anyone special!" His words had become very articulate as he spoke to the village.

"You!" he shouted, pointing at me.

"You must be the mastermind behind this ploy in some attempt to assassinate me. I do not know what wrong I have committed to warrant this act of aggression, but I assure you, you will lose your life today!" As he neared the end of his words, he charged at me.

The distance he covered wasn't much, as he was on me amost as fast as when he attacked God. In the time it took me to blink, I felt a sharp pain run through my stomach. I didn't notice it immediately as my mind caught up, but once it did, I lost my breath and coughed up some blood. My eyes widened at the realization: I was just stabbed in the gut with a sword. In one motion, Gregory pulled the sword out of me and pushed me back by my shoulder. I toppled to the ground, clutching at my wound and coughing up more blood.

I looked around before finally making eye contact with God. Her eyes were wide with surprise. Even in a new life... I still managed to do nothing. I thought I was supposed to be a hero, I thought. I felt my consciousness fading quickly and my body becoming increasingly colder. My hearing had begun disappearing as well.

I didn't hear God run up to me, nor the fight that must've happened as She did. I could hardly see Her face through the tears in my vision and the blackness that creeped steadily toward the center of my sight. I can't believe this is how I'm going out, I thought.

I felt my life leave my body. There was no white light, no tunnel, and no hallucinations. I saw, heard, felt and sensed nothing. It made sense since I took God from Her throne. All the souls in every world and universe had nowhere to turn to since She was no longer there.

As I began to ponder my situation, I felt a pulling sensation in the blackness. I had no way to fight it, and I truly didn't believe it mattered. I was already dead. Again. What's the worst that could happen? I thought.

The pulling sensation grew stronger, and suddenly I felt myself being pulled through the nothingness. Light passed from behind me on all sides. I was being brought through the light in the tunnel, but... From the opposite way. I opened my eyes with a coughing fit while dry heaving.

I looked about myself, feeling where the stab wound should've been. I looked next to me and saw God's face filled with relief. I looked behind Her to see Gregory on his rear, his face filled with shock. I also noticed a light shimmering that surrounded the two of us.

"What ... what happened?" I asked, looking toward God.

The relief on Her face seemed to have lasted but a moment as Her brows curled and Her lips pursed. She grabbed my robes and began to shake me violently.

"You cannot go dying like that! I was unaware that my powers even worked anymore. You need to be more careful! You are supposed to be the hero of this world, and I cannot leave if you die from something as small as this!" She spouted, breaking down in tears near the end of Her words.

Out of some weird instinct, I moved my hand onto the top of Her head and began to stroke it. That went on for a couple moments - Her crying and me stroking Her head - before either of us realized what was going on. I quickly removed my hand from Her head and pulled away. God let go of my robes and pushed in the opposite direction.

I mumbled an apology, but She probably didn't hear. I think She might've said something, though. When I looked at Her, She was gazing away from me, Her silky hair blocking Her face.