King's huge frickin' book of randomness galore:The ultimate

True judgement

The bells weren't only ringing on earth.

No, of course not.

They knew too.

All of them.

Frantic, like mice, they sprinted back and forth, chattering in complete and utter panic. And amongst it, were the little feet, quick as lightning, of a minor under someone very important.

"Gabriel! Gabriel!"

There, stood god's messenger, his high lady; or as she saw herself.....his secretary, in clear words.

"I'm here; and I heard. Rocke isn't here. He's down there. I've already tried reasoning with him."

"Did-"

"No. he'd be /here/ if he listened, wouldn't he?"

"But what do we do now?"

"At this point, phel, whatever he says, and we just hope that's anything. It's clearly too late for anything else."

Back on earth, he ran. He ran, like, one might say hell.

"No no no no no....She didn't....It's not his time yet!"

Dread seized him. Took him over and willed him forward. All the way to what little remained.

"No...."

Then, it forced him to the ground, right in front of his precious father.

"No....Father no! Father!"

Father Wells.

He'd spent his entire life a god-fearing man. Yes, even since he was young, god's word was on his heart. He was a good man, a faithful man. He would give and give, and didn't expect a single thing in return.

So good, In fact, so giving, he could warm the troubled heart of god himself.

So giving, he had to be destroyed.

So giving, he smiled, even then. He talked with his colossal killer. He talked, right up until he reached his full size and wiped both he and his church away.

All that remained, was it's brilliant, ruined remains, and the poor priest's broken, battered body.

Like a bulging dam, his mind began to give way, the wood of his abused rationale bursting as it all flooded:The pain, the doubt, the delusion, the dread and fearful rage, going beserk and swallowing his frail, tangible comfort.

All he could do then....

aaa....aaaahhhh...

Was scream.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Scream as the flesh was torn from his clueless, mortal persona.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Scream as the pain overtook him.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAHhHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

Scream at the unfairness, the cruelty...

"Reyyyy ......AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Scream at her.

She thought she knew pain?

Betrayal?

Going mad from the hellish grievances forced upon her?

She didn't know anything.

All she was, was a spoiled brat stamping her feet.

All they had known together. All their sweet, blissful moments. All the exchanges of love....

They burned.

He loved her. It was true.

More than he could ever say.

When she destroyed his work, he withstood it. When she turned her back on him again and again and tried to manipulate him, he withstood it. He couldn't help himself. He broke when she told him to break. Even now, he knew he was reacting exactly how she wanted. He was her doll, and he couldn't make himself stop dancing. He couldn't cut his strings, and something in the back of his mind was fine with it. She wanted fury. She wanted to fight? 

She was going to get her wish.

"HEAR ME!"

In a bright, brilliant flash, a light that blinded all who beholded, and that was everyone in Lymn, they watched, stared wide-eyed as....nothing happened?

No....

All was the same....

Everything that the nepehelim had done, all the destruction he had caused....

It was gone.

Buildings were back in their proper places, homes were truly secure. 

Like magic, all was forcing itself back into place, with the cause right at the center, standing on a particularly large piece of floating rubble.

"Behold me, my children. You know me by many names. Eloheem, the lord, the almighty.....but call me none."

He gave a simple sigh.

"Just call me Rocke, wont'cha? That's who I am. Rocke. I'm here. And that means Reya's makin' a mess. Oh yeah, that's her name, by the way. Reya. And THIS is what she's doin' to my people."

He held up the body of the priest.

"This is her vision. This is what she's gonna do to all of you. If you let her. Reya strives on fear. On hatred and pain. I've watched each and every last one'a you for a very long time. You forged your own ways. You made your own paths amongst your infinite cluelessness. You don't know a damn thing. You don't understand a damn thing. And your fine with that. I tried to be one of you. Hell, I still am. And I couldn't even BEGIN to understand....."

He smiled.

"And I love every damn second. Not knowing, not caring, forging a path in the nothingness of the earth, and burrowing your name uncertainly in this suspended rock....It's amazing. I love you. I love each and every last goddamn one of you. It's time I show that. Reya, she don't stand with anybody. Everybody else stands with her. She surrounds herself with poor bastards just as shattered and broken as she is. But you ain't broken; not yet. I've watched you believe in me, for whatever reason, endlessly. Able, babel, the prophets, all of it. You never lost faith. Never lost hope. This man? The one I'm holdin'? That's Reya's pet giant killed? He believed in me. Till the end. And he died for it. You shouldn't believe in me. I'm a horrible father. And yet you do. So....Believe in me one last time, and you can see for yourselves what's stronger. Her reasoning...."

Rocke gently unclasped the cross from his dear priest's neck, putting it on his own. He'd give him strength, even from beyond he'd be with him now.

His eyes snapped open, bright light once again blinding all who stared, the rugged, dirty brown man that stood high above them all shining in terrifying glory, wings to envelop the earth sprouting from his back.

"Or my judgement."