Mercy & Fire

22. Revenge and Justice

Rovan
(!) Profanity and child/sex abuse  — not depicted only mentioned.

Trapped between the veil of consciousness and dreamscape, I found myself wandering through an empty field flowering with pink, white, and green. Some were as large as watermelons, and some were as small as a coat button, but their fragrance wafting through the air had me feeling as if I was bathing in expensive scented oils.

Again, I felt that overwhelming feeling of peace, but this time, there was no watcher listing my charges against me. This time, it was just me, the field, and the warm sunlight filtering through the rushing clouds above. At the same time, though, it felt as if there was a vitality thrumming through the field under my feet and up into my bones, like a heartbeat other than my own.

As I kept walking, I felt like I was following a trail, and the farther I went, the more the flowers seemed to tilt toward the direction I was walking.

Finally approaching a small opening among the growing flowers, I stopped short in my tracks. A wind stirred and gathered increasing strength until the flowers were forced to grow thicker and stronger against its force. They weaved and twisted around each other like large moldable tree trunks until slowly, the shape of a grand throne began to form. Only some of their petals were released into the wind creating an ethereal image of beauty and grace.

"Get on your knees and shield your eyes." It was a still voice coming from the rushing wind all around me.

I obeyed immediately, still trying to pretend that I was not at least a little bit afraid of what was going on. Honestly, I was trying to figure out how I was still standing in the midst of the wind, but it seemed to skirt around me as if intentionally protecting me from its undoubtable power.

My knees dug into the flattened blade of grass, and I shielded my eyes using my arms. Then he spoke.

"Son of man, you chose wisely."

I knew that the grandiose throne that formed was undoubtedly for the one speaking to me right now. His voice was calm, strengthened with authority and wisdom.

I felt breathless as I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling intense heat, undoubtedly from the bright light enveloping the man before me.

Trembling, I asked, "Who are you?"

"I have many names, but you've heard me by the title of Most High. All life flows from me."

In a second, every single hateful thought I had toward the believers and temples of the Templemen came back to my memory. I didn't particularly care for their god, but I didn't particularly care for any god. None of them ever answered my prayers, and when I realized how childish it was, I stopped. But there was something about the Templemen that made Dhernon harbor a specific hate.

Even now, I felt a battle begin to pull at me from the inside.

All I could do was ask through gritted teeth, "If that's true, why? Why now?"

There was a pause.

"Child, all the victories you had were because I allowed them. I allowed you to grow mighty among men, and I allowed you to do all these things because of your heart. Your heart never hardened beyond the point of no return." He said. "You may think it's because of your strength or the strength you gained from those unclean spirits. Even they fear my name, and they fled the second you allowed me into your life."

I frowned, failing to understand what he was saying and how that justified anything he did or allowed.

"Rovan, I am going to restore everything that's been taken from you. So long as you humble yourself and repent of your past, I will not punish you as I punished Moherav."