The War of Gods

Chapter 3 - Part 3

 "Why are you all acting like you've committed treason?" Joel asked, after being told the truth. Not that he didn't know it already.

"We did commit treason, Halfling." Mavar rebutted.

"I'm a gnome."

"Tomayto tomahto."

"Hey! Proverbs are my thing."

"I don't think that's a proverb, Joel." Nerith said, still packing her things.

"Tomayto tomahto." Ha! Nobody took proverbs from him. They were his thing, you see.

"Shouldn't you two be packing your things as well?" Nerith said.

"What I have is on my body already." Joel said.

"You don't even own a backpack?"

"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."

Nerith sighed at that. "And you, Mavar?"

"I always have everything packed." He answered. "Never know when an emergency will come about."

Always had a plan, that one did. Joel never did like that about him. Plans more often got in Joel's way than they actually helped him. Nature was his guide; he didn't need no stinkin' plan.

"Well," a new voice said, "I guess you all better get going then."

Jordan stood at the tent entrance with his arms crossed. He didn't look very happy.

"That sad to see us go, kid?" Mavar said.

"Why do you keep calling me 'kid'?" Jordan rebuked. "I can't be that much younger than you are."

"You haven't hung out with many elves before, have you?" Nerith asked.

"Can't say I have." Jordan admitted.

"Lucky you." Joel said, idly.

Mavar glared at Joel, then sighed. "What's this about, Jordan?" He asked.

"What's what about? I just came to say goodbye. Or is that not enough?" He gave an exaggerated regal bow. "Should I bow down like this? Or would you rather me going on my knees? Since you're God's Chosen and all now."

"Wow, champ," Joel said, "you almost sound like we're happy about the situation."

"You almost sound like you aren't." Jordan said.

Joel started at the comment. Nerith stopped packing her things for a moment as well. Were they happy about the situation? Joel found that he didn't know yet. He hadn't had much time to think about it yet. He hadn't had much time to think about much of anything, to be honest. Even the mysterious presence didn't bother him as much anymore. It was still there, he just didn't pay any attention to it. He guessed it wasn't much of a mystery anymore, anyway; it was just the "God" keeping tabs on them, obviously. Nerith and Mavar likely felt it too.

"We're not." Mavar said. "I don't think you have any idea of what you're talking about, Jordan."

"Oh, then please enlighten me, O'Captain." Jordan said.

Nasty mood, sheesh. Joel thought to himself. It was starting to bother him. Conflict always did; the emotional kind anyway.

"I would, if I wasn't just as clueless, you buffoon." Mavar said, calmly. "But we need answers. We are being toyed with. Even worse, we are being toyed with by something that claims to be 'God', and I know that to be a lie."

"How can you be so sure?" Jordan said, some of his anger dissipating, giving way to someone genuine curiosity.

"Because I've met God, and that wasn't it." Mavar said, as if matter of fact.

Silence.

Ooookay.

Jordan's curiosity faded as quickly as it appeared. "This was a mistake." He said, turning his back. "Good luck at being pawns, or whatever."

With that, he walked away.