REM: Seven - Awakening of the gods

The god with bad hair - ARLO

Omoikane's appearance was nothing like what Arlo had expected. For some reason, he had imagined that a god would, at the very least, look the part—radiating power, glowing with celestial energy, and maybe even floating a few inches off the ground. But standing in the center of the room was a man who seemed more like a wandering hermit than a deity. If Arlo had to guess, he'd put the man in his mid-thirties, though the scraggly beard and the wild hair suggested he could've been a lot older, if gods even aged at all.

This is a god? Arlo thought, his disbelief coloring his face. Seriously? His skepticism must have been obvious because the ragged middle-aged man turned his gaze toward him, one eyebrow raised in mild curiosity.

"New squad member?" the supposed deity asked, his voice calm yet carrying an undertone of quiet authority.

"Yes, your grace," Elias responded respectfully, bowing his head slightly. Arlo noticed Elias didn't seem the least bit surprised. Maybe he'd seen gods like this before, or maybe he was just better at hiding his reactions.

Without warning, Elanise stormed forward, her steps purposeful and angry, stopping inches away from the god's face. That same fire Arlo had noticed in her eyes before was back, blazing with intensity. He glanced down and saw her fists clenched tightly at her sides, as if she were holding herself back from throwing a punch. The tension in the air was palpable, a mixture of anger and grief barely contained, ready to explode.

Then she spoke, her voice trembling with fury. "YOU... you disgust me. You call yourself a god, a deity, or whatever you think you are. With all your so-called knowledge, you sent him there, knowing he would be killed. You're a DISGRACE. I hope to the other gods that one day you're forgotten about, that you fade away slowly into nothingness." Tears streamed down Elanise's face, the anger in her eyes giving way to a deep, sorrowful sadness. Her voice cracked as she fell to her knees before Omoikane, clutching the fabric of his robes. "Why? Why didn't you save him? Why didn't you warn him?"

Omoikane looked down at her, his expression unreadable. He did not move to comfort her, nor did he offer any explanation. He simply stood there, silent and still, as if her words had not pierced him at all.

"That's enough, Elanise," Elias muttered gently, stepping forward to pull her back. "Come on, Ellie, you've said what you needed to say," Cleo added softly, trying to soothe her.

Arlo watched as Elanise slowly rose to her feet, her body trembling. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and her nose was running, making her look more vulnerable than he'd ever seen her. Despite not knowing her for long, Arlo felt a sharp pang of sympathy in his chest. It was clear how much she cared for her comrades—and for Hisaka, his cousin. She was grieving, and Arlo could understand that pain all too well.

He wanted to reach out, to offer her some comfort, but he hesitated, unsure of what to say. What could he possibly say to make this better? Instead, he turned his gaze back to Omoikane, who was watching them all with a serene, almost detached expression. There was something about the god's calmness that rubbed Arlo the wrong way. It felt too casual, too unconcerned, given the gravity of what Elanise had just said.

Omoikane finally spoke, his voice steady and soft, almost like a teacher trying to explain a difficult concept to a stubborn student. "Elanise, your anger is understandable, but it is misplaced. Gods do not interfere in the way you think. We provide guidance, wisdom... not guarantees of safety. Hisaka made his own choices, as we all must."

Elanise let out a bitter laugh, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Guidance? Wisdom? Is that what you call it?" she spat. "You knew what would happen. You always know. And yet, you did nothing."

The room seemed to constrict around them, the tension so thick it was almost suffocating. Arlo took a step forward, wanting to diffuse the situation somehow. "Look," he said, trying to keep his voice calm and steady, "I'm new to all of this, but it seems like we're all on the same side here. There's no point in fighting each other when we've got bigger problems to deal with."