The Rival of Gods

Chapter Twenty-five: Meeting with a God

Sahshir's hand went to his sword at once. However, he found it was not at his side. The pain was also gone, and he looked at his hand to see it whole and unmarred. Around him was a snowy field. Elranor moved forward, but Sahshir turned his back on him.

"We have nothing to speak of, Elranor," said Sahshir. "The Heaven's Eye is Baltoth's."

"One more thing taken which he has no right to, then?" asked Elranor.

"Baltoth is Eternal," said Sahshir.

"And yet there are prophecies of his end?" noted Elranor. "Prophecies, he fears even now."

"That will not happen," said Sahshir, walking through the snow. "Baltoth accounts for all and fears nothing."

"Why do you serve him?" asked Elranor.

Sahshir halted and glanced back to the god. "It is my duty."

"Is it?" asked Elranor. "We're not your ancestor's servants of Safara? And their ancestor's servants of Garacel? And did not many serve Rammas for a time? Baltoth is a comparatively new deity."

"Baltoth brought order from chaos," replied Sahshir.

"And yet Valranor predates him, does he not?" asked Elranor. "Was he not the Lord of Order before?"

"Valranor was an imposter," said Sahshir simply. "He set himself in a place undeserved."

"Really?" asked Elranor. "Did not Baltoth begin as Lord of Pride? Why should the greatest of all gods willingly cede his chosen domain to an enemy?"

"For a time," replied Sahshir. "However, that title has passed to Adrianeth."

"What is he then?" asked Elranor. "Lord of Pride? Or Lord of Order?

"Or perhaps the agent of Typhos.

"Did he not wield the Blade of Chaos long ago?"

"Baltoth is," replied Sahshir simply.

"Or he is not," noted Elranor. "How can you know he is the supreme god you claim him to be? Do you truly believe him to be eternal? Or are you just using that as an excuse to seek your own ideology?"

"Your words mean nothing to me," said Sahshir with a shrug. "You are a liar, and you have no truth."

"You believe that virtue and justice must be sought, regardless of results, do you not?" asked Elranor.

"Of course," said Sahshir.

"A fine answer," mused Elranor. "I wonder if you truly believe it."

Then the view changed, and Sahshir saw three people. A man and woman clad in white, and a longhaired, dark-skinned boy. "This man was a tax collector in Calisha. He loved his family and sought to do his best in every situation. He gave extra money to help the poor and believed in Baltoth without his heart.

"Unfortunately, he was also skimming a small amount of money off the top.

"His son, who believed in Baltoth, reported him." The view changed to a ground of execution, where dozens of people screamed. Nailed to crosses, they were raised up in the sight of the people, their legs being broken. "And so the man was crucified alongside many others. To repay the debt, Baltoth sold his wife and child into slavery. The mother expired on the journey, leaving the son alone." The vision showed the boy standing over his dead mother before being dragged away.

"He was purchased, sent to the sugar plantations of Sorn, and worked to death over a miserable few weeks." Visions went before Sahshir as he watched the boy, starving and burned, waste away in a ditch.