“How is your blood tasting, you wannabe-Hitler-motherfucker?”
“F-F-Fuhrer Hitler?” The God of the Purge coughed, and blood sprayed from his mouth, but this time I saw it coming, so I leaned back out of range of the bloody spittle. “You… You are from Earth?”
Chime.
I reset back to my save point with a wave of my will as my mind raced with possible questions to pose, but then the God of the Purge was dying in my arms once more.
“Where are you from?” I asked with furrowed eyebrows. “What part of Earth?”
“You… You are from Earth?” The God of the Purge sputtered out blood, and the light faded from his eyes once more.
“Answer me!” I growled as I shook his lifeless body, but no answers were forthcoming.
Chime.
“I’m from Earth!” I practically shouted. “How did you get here?”
“You… You are from Earth?” the God of the Purge gasped out before he died.
Chime.
Chime.
Chime.
Fuck.
He died dramatically each time, and it started to get a little old, but I wasn’t done trying just yet. I was the God of Time, and I needed answers.
Chime.
“Skip the bullshit last words and tell me where you’re from!” I shook him in an effort to speed up his mental processing.
“You! You are from Earth?”
I rolled my eyes and let him fall to the ground.
I could already tell this was a waste of time, but at least I had unlimited time at my disposal. I needed one hundred percent completion of this video game-like medieval fantasy world I’d been summoned into, and if there were more people like me here, I needed to know.
Was I the only god in this world?
I was skeptical of the legitimacy of the God of Purge’s claim to immortality, and I’d efficiently proven he was indeed mortal, but so was I, in a way. The supposed god I’d just killed had abilities, too, though, and my mind began to race with the possibilities and questions his existence unlocked within my mind.
Flying, laser eyes, shapeshifting… Anything was possible. Maybe the others just hadn’t proclaimed themselves yet like I had. Anyone I met could potentially be someone from Earth, hiding amongst the people.
Chime.
“You… You are from Earth?”
Chime.
Chime.
Chime.
I reset countless times in an effort to get more information out of the dying god, but I got nothing but the same four words from his lips, and I eventually gave up and stood over his dead body as I processed what had just happened.
How had this man come to be in Sorreyal, or the Zaborial Isles for that matter?
Was he even a man?
He had to be, right?
I’d killed him fair and square, but I did have to retrieve a magical talisman to be able to block his mind-control powers. The amulet was heavy around my neck, but its presence wasn’t as comforting as it had been before the God of the Purge failed in his attempt to thwart me.
“Who the fuck even are you?” I asked the dead man, but I didn’t expect a response.
A noise behind me reminded me of the presence of the formerly zombified followers of the poser god, and I glanced around to see how they were faring. The bald priests shook their heads like they were waking up from a dream, and they blinked at me in confusion for a long time before their gaze fell to the corpse at my feet.
“What… What happened?” a turquoise-robed man nearest me asked. “Where are we?”
“We’re on Za Isle,” I explained in a comforting voice. “You were being mind-controlled by this asshole I just killed.”
“You? You saved us?” The man shook his head in awe. “I am grateful, but I do not know what you saved me from.”
“You have no memory of your time spent following the God of the Purge?” I frowned.
The mind-control shit must have been stronger than I thought if it could erase memories so completely, but I felt even more sympathetic toward the victims of the poser god’s quest for power.
“The last thing I remember is walking up the steps to the Grand Occulta Athenaeum.” The priest pressed his lips together as a look of concentration crossed his face.
“What’s your name?” I struck out my hand in a friendly manner. “I’m Bash.”
“Zino,” the priest replied as he glanced down at my hand in confusion. “I’ve heard the name Bash before, but my memory is still foggy, and not much is returning quickly. Forgive me if we’ve met before, but I have no recollection.”
“Nope,” I chuckled. “There’s a first time for everything, though. Nice to meet you.”
“I should return to the library,” Zino fretted. “They will think I have abandoned my post.”
“I’m sure the High Priest will understand,” I assured him with a smile. “There’s boats on the shoreline, but make sure the others are okay as well before you hightail it back to Nanau.”
“I have never been to Za Isle before,” Zino informed me as he wrung his hands. “I do not know the way home.”
“If no one else can lead the ships back,” I said. “Then I’ll show you the way. I’ve done it a few times now, so you have nothing to worry about.”
I wondered how Sarosh had managed to locate the island of the First High Priest, since not even the common priests of the islands knew where it was, but then I remembered she’d been entering the library, so she’d likely found a map there somehow.
Now, what she’d had to do to gain access to the stacks was a whole other question entirely.
Thinking of the library reminded me of the deal I’d yet to strike with the High Priest. I’d left his summons back in the inn, and we’d yet to meet in this timeline, so I’d be able to make a dramatic entrance and know everyone’s names already.
This was going to be fucking awesome.
I squatted down beside the God of the Purge’s corpse, and I grabbed a fistful of his hair before I placed the sharpest spot on my panabas beneath his neck. Then I sliced through his nape, severed his spinal column, and ripped through his esophagus as I swiftly removed his head from his torso.
I’d need proof of my victory, after all.
A few of the priests threw up, but I couldn’t tell whether it was from the gruesome scene or from the mind-controlling effects. Perhaps some were having memories of evil deeds performed against their will, but those were questions for later. My first priority was to get everyone back to Nanau to show the High Priest my trophy and make my demands.
Once all the formerly zombified priests were gathered around me, I scanned their faces to make sure they were okay, and then I cleared my throat until all eyes locked onto mine.
“The so-called God of the Purge placed a spell on your minds,” I explained. “You will not be held responsible for the actions performed while enslaved to the man controlling your will.
“Who are you?”
“How did you kill him?”
“Will he return from the dead?”
There were also a lot of questions asked in the Zaborian tongue, but I wasn’t familiar with it, so it sounded like gibberish to my untrained ears. Everyone began talking at once, and the heavily accented voices were difficult to tell apart from one another, but I waved my hands to signal for silence. A quiet murmur fell into scattered mutters, but eventually silence blanketed the crowd, and I began again.
“I am Sir Sebastian, Archduke of Sorreyal, Dragon Slayer, Red Hands the Pirate Bane, and the God of Time.” I let my words sink in for a moment before I continued. “I came here to seek knowledge from the Grand Occulta Athenaeum when I heard about the evil man terrorizing your islands. I sought him out just in time before he sent you all to your deaths in the tomb below.”
I scanned the faces to gauge their reactions, but my gaze was met with awed silence. I wondered how many of them understood my words in the common tongue of Sorreyal, but they were mostly priests, so I assumed there was a similar level of education as I’d experienced in the library.
Zenda’s melodic accent sprang into my mind, but I waved the thought away and refocused on the people before me.
“Follow me back to Nanau, and I will take you to the High Priest to report all you can remember.” I flashed them a friendly smile. “I even killed the sea monster stalking the water between here and Nanau, so it should be a peaceful trip home.”
Hushed murmurs swept through the crowd like a wave, and their bald heads were pressed together as they exchanged opinions about my words. Most spoke in their native tongue, but I could tell they were impressed by their wide, awe-filled gazes flicking in my direction.
I waved my hand in the direction of the path to the shoreline, and the group of formerly zombified victims followed behind me like little ducklings after their mother. They were all so quiet, though, so I glanced over my shoulder several times as we made our way through the forest to make sure everyone was doing okay.
“Not much further,” I said after the monkeys howled at us, and a few of the people startled.
We made it to the beach a short while later, and they filed toward the boats without a word. Then the tiny ships were pushed away from the sand, and I had to rush to get ahead of the pack. The boats covered the surface of the water, and each vessel contained ten or so people, so it would be challenging for us all to stick together, but they seemed to be managing so far.
After we crested the waves pushing against the island, I rowed hard to outpace the rest, but once I was comfortably in the lead and visible to all the other vessels, I settled into a more leisurely pace.
I tried to get a headcount of the people following behind me on the waves, but there had to be at least twenty boats, so roughly two hundred Zaborians had escaped with their lives.
My boat stank of fish and caviar, but I didn’t care. I was returning victorious despite the unanswered questions still lingering, and my women would be incredibly impressed with my display of power. The High Priest would bow before me, too, and he would let me have whatever I wanted.
This was going to be awesome.
I unfurled my sail after a while as my thoughts turned to the reward I would soon receive. It was the best way to advance my powers, and I was eager to get my hands on it.
My powers had certainly grown a lot already, and I thought back over everything that had transpired since I’d first been summoned by the asshole wizard, Raijin Thornheart. I used to be a cog in a wheel at a call center, but then I laid my head down on my desk for a few minutes of shut-eye. Except, when my phone’s alarm chimed, I woke up somewhere completely different.
Shortly after the worst monologue ever, Raijin had shoved a wicked curved dagger into my heart, and I died.
But then I heard the chime and woke up in the same spot as before.
I died countless times in that first encounter, but then I’d hacked the fight scene by figuring out every possible outcome. I’d killed Raijin and his fourteen goons before I’d activated the holographic words declaring me to be the God of Time.
I’d learned about my powers bit by bit, but it was easy enough to figure out. I could make a save point, and when I died, I would respawn at that point in time. Or I could reload back to the moment I wanted with a wave of my willpower.
It was cool as fuck.
“Your Holiness!” a voice called from one of the ships trailing behind me.
“What’s up?” I hollered back over the waves slapping against the sides of the small sailing vessels.
The priests all looked skyward in confusion, and I snorted in amusement.
“Was there only one monster in these waters?” the priest called back in a loud voice.
I scanned the ocean’s surface for any signs of movement, but we were still a ways away from the spot where I’d encountered the fish that now occupied the bottom of my boat. I didn’t see anything moving beneath the glassy waves, but danger could still be lurking in the depths.
“There’s nothing to worry about!” I called over to the worried priests.
I was confident about my ability to lead people to safety, but they’d only just met me, so I didn’t blame them for being skeptical. I’d been a little skeptical of myself when I’d first discovered the town of Addington, but now it had been renamed to Bastianville in my honor, and it had become a thriving trading center.
That was where I’d met my loves, Mahini and Elissa, who were back home in Bastianville with my babies growing in their wombs. I was eager to get back to them before my children were born since I didn’t want to miss out on the birth of my first baby, but with the fast travel mechanism I was about to acquire, I would never have to worry about that again.
I needed to get there the long way first, though.
I’d traveled all over Sorreyal before I’d departed across the Eastern Ocean to the Zaborial Isles. My first quest had taken me only a short distance to Castle Bullard where one of my wives’ father awaited news of his arrogant son’s death by my hands, but after a dragon attacked the castle, I’d been sent on a whole new adventure.
The dragon hunt had taken me to meet the king of the realm, and I’d earned his favor by killing the great winged terror once and for all. That was the same time I’d encountered Sarosh preaching the God of the Purge’s religion to the people of Ivywood, but I’d managed to convince the priestess and her followers to question their master’s desire to sacrifice their lives to his cause.
As the God of Time, I’d accomplished a lot during my short term in this medieval fantasy world, and I’d done everything from finding lost children to ending curses, and everything in between.
Then, once I’d gathered a good deal of power and political favor with King Frederick, the attempts on my life and the lives of my women started, and I had to put a stop to the assassinations before being able to sleep peacefully again. I’d ended up pitting an enemy duke against his own court wizard so they killed each other without any evidence of my involvement. Then I’d personally unraveled the threat against the throne, and I sent three more traitors to the executioner’s block.
When my political duty was performed, I was able to focus on my own goals again, so I sent out inquiring runners around the realm in search of answers. I needed to know how to turn dragon remains into armor, and how to fast travel from one point to another.
The only thing that had stood in my way was the God of the Purge, and now he was no longer an issue, but I wasn’t completely satisfied.
I had more questions in need of answers, and I wouldn’t stop until I’d uncovered every single detail. If there were other gods out there from Earth, I would find out soon enough.
The rest of the journey back to the main island was uneventful, but I kept a watchful eye anyway. There was no telling what dangers lurked in the ocean waves, and while I talked a big game and had succeeded against the monstrous fish, there would be little I could do against a whale or something of that size.
But I would do whatever I had to do to reunite with my two lovely ladies, Evangeline and Caelia. They were still in the inn where I’d left them earlier this morning, but they were surely awake by now and must be wondering where I’d snuck off to.
I debated with myself on whether or not I should go straight to the library or to the inn first, but in the end, the severed head dripping blood onto the bottom of the boat swayed me toward visiting the High Priest before returning to my women.
The dock came into view, and everyone worked together to tie up the plethora of small sailing vessels before we strode onto the planks. Then I spotted some fishermen hauling their catch of the day, and an idea struck me.
I still had a giant fish on my boat, but I wasn’t sure what to do with it, so I quickly crossed the distance to the fishermen and waved in a friendly manner.
“Hello,” I said as I plastered on my most charming smile, but then I pointed to the giant fish in my boat. The creature was large enough to be visible from that distance, and the widened eyes of the Zaborians made my chest swell with pride. “Can you take that from me? Use it to feed your families.”
The Zaborians exchanged a series of rapid-fire words in their musical tongue, but the confusion was written on their faces as plain as day, so I signaled for them to follow me before I returned to the small sailing vessel.
The recently freed victims were still pouring onto the docks from the boats, and they looked to me expectantly as I led the Zaborians to my vessel.
“For you,” I said slowly, and I used my hands as I spoke to clarify my words. “Eat. Full bellies.”
I mimicked eating and rubbing my stomach, and realization dawned on the fishermen’s faces, but then they quickly jumped into action. A moment later, the blue-skinned men had hauled away the bulk of the massive fish.
“Zuka morta,” they muttered in my direction before they scurried down the docks with their load, but I had no idea what the words meant.
It was a long walk to get to the Grand Occulta Athenaeum, but the victims would need to report there regardless, so it was better to get it over with.
I was also eager to “meet” Zenda for the first time all over again, and I pictured her sapphire eyes welling with surprise when I spoke her name before we were introduced. The beautiful Zaborian was the daughter of the High Priest, so I needed to be careful how I approached her, but I couldn’t help feeling drawn to her beauty and intelligence.
“Alright, everyone,” I said in a voice loud enough for all the victims to hear. “Follow me, and we’ll go see the High Priest.”
“We know the way,” Zino murmured beside me in an apologetic tone.
“I have a few words to exchange with him myself,” I said as I grabbed the God of the Purge’s head from the boat, and I held it away from my side so the blood wouldn’t drip on my griffon feather boots as I marched up the docks to the street leading up the hill. “And I’d like to make sure no one stops any of you along the way.”
The others followed in my wake with a little bit of hesitance at first, but then they quickened their pace to match mine, and we made swift progress through the dusty, quiet streets. I expected to see a few merchants and servants wandering about, but every avenue appeared to be deserted. I heard murmurs from within the shadows of houses and businesses, though, so there were people around.
The line of Zaborians behind me trailed from the streets down to the dock, and the roughly two hundred people resembled a parade as they followed me through the port city and up to the giant library at the summit. Returning them to their lives would greatly improve the ghost town feeling in Nanau, but I wondered briefly if there were other troubles plaguing the people of the Zaborial Isles.
The steps leading to the library had my calves screaming for relief by the time we reached the summit, and the priests all sighed gratefully when we passed beneath the shadows of the entryway.
Bertram sat behind the desk directly inside, and he was already pushing himself to his feet as his eyes widened to the size of saucers at the sight of the large crowd pouring in through the front doors.
“Don’t bother, Bertram,” I said with a dismissive wave of my hand. “I know where the High Priest’s office is located. We’ll see ourselves in.”
Without another word, I began to lead the way to the stairwell, and the mix of priests and other Zaborians trailed behind me in awed silence.
“You’re dripping blood all over the floor!” Bertram’s face was turning a deep shade of purple as he trotted to keep up with my pace. “How dare you invade this peaceful sanctuary of knowledge!”
“I am on a mission from the High Priest,” I explained without stopping or slowing down. “He just doesn’t know it yet.”
The severed head swung in my hands with each step I took, but the blood had mostly bled out of it already, and the hole at the base was clotted. Bertram was being overly dramatic, but I chuckled to myself as I continued on my way to the stairs.
We ran into Evenar as we entered the corridor, and the older priest frowned as he took in the chaotic scene approaching him.
“Is there some way I can assist you?” he asked.
Evenar’s eyes flicked to the severed head, and his eyebrows twitched with curiosity, but he held none of the aberration that Bertram showed. His stoic calm gave me pause, and I respected the man, so I paused long enough to nod my head in his direction.
“I know the way, thank you, though.” I flashed him a friendly smile. “You are welcome to join us if you wish to sate your curiosity.”
“I would.” Evenar’s lips twitched, but he quickly schooled his expression back into unreadable stoicism.
Bertram made a disapproving tutting sound, and Evenar shot him a corrective glare, which made the younger priest swallow the noise. I chuckled again, and then I continued toward the stairs. We gathered more followers as we went, and I imagined the two familiar priests with us gave them permission to join as well. I could feel the eyes on me, and I puffed out my chest in pride.
I was the God of Time, and I remained undefeated against any foe.
The High Priest would be wise to give me what I wanted.
My parade of victims, curious priests, and other Zaborians arrived at Zenda’s desk, and I paused to breathe in the sight of her. The High Priest’s daughter reminded me of ocean glass, beautiful and delicate in appearance, but sharp and powerful as well. I wanted to get to know her better, but I also didn’t want to ruin any possible alliances with her father, either.
I would content myself with imaginings for the moment, but I longed to explore every inch of her alien-like skin.
“Zenda, is your father in?” I asked as I marched up to her desk and plopped the head down on the edge. “I have a gift for him.”
Zenda’s sapphire eyes widened, but no fear flashed through her gaze as she stared at the severed head intently. I was impressed, but then she turned back to me with a fiery expression on her face.
“How dare you sully the sacred wood!” The daughter of the High Priest glared until I lifted the severed head from her desk. “This is made from an ancient tree who gifted this world far finer things than death and destruction! You will honor its sacrifice!”
“It’s just a desk, jeez,” I chuckled.
“To a foreigner, it may be just a piece of wood,” the blue-skinned historian said in her melodic accented voice. “But to me it is a piece of living history continuing to serve my people. It’s energy still lingers, strange man. Now, how do you know my name?”
“It was only a joke,” I said as I resisted the urge to laugh. “Your desk will be fine. But this is the God of the Purge’s head. I killed him, and I thought maybe your dad would like to hear about it.”
“How… How did you know he is my father?” Zenda seemed to finally begin to process my words, but I still didn’t regret the head gag. It was good to see how people handled pressure, after all, and the High Priest’s daughter had proven herself to be more than capable of standing up for herself.
“I need to see your father,” I repeated. “I can see myself into his office if necessary.”
“I must first know who you are and how you come by your information.” Zenda pursed her lips and narrowed her sapphire eyes with obvious skepticism. “My purpose here is to filter out those who would waste my father’s time, and I certainly think some random dead man’s head counts as such.”
“Your father summoned me to the library to request I kill this man,” I said as I flashed her a cocky grin. “Trust me, he’s going to be grateful for the interruption if it means I saved a bunch of his priests’ lives.”
Zenda’s deep blue eyes flicked to the horde of people crowded behind me and listening intently to the exchange between us, and doubt filled her gaze as she looked back at me. The silence stretched on for several moments, but I held my tongue still as I waited for her to make a decision. I could have easily stormed past her to the High Priest myself, but I could always reset back to my save point if things went south, so I wasn’t worried about going the slow route this time.
“I will… Ask my father if he is available,” Zenda said at long last.
Zenda bowed her head before she darted toward the massive doors behind her desk, and she opened it just enough to slip in through the gap. I waited patiently, but my gaze never left the entrance to the High Priest’s office. The pale blue-skinned woman returned shortly after, but her eyes were wide with wonder as she stared openly at me.
“The High Priest will see you immediately, Your Grace.” Zenda bowed her head even lower than she had the first time, and her eyes remained locked on my face as I made my way to her father’s office.
Zeydon must have told her who I was and confirmed my words, and I couldn’t help the shit-eating grin that stretched across my face as I crossed the threshold.
“Greetings, High Priest Zeydon,” I said in a friendly tone as I held up the severed head by the hair for his inspection. “I have a gift for you.”
The ancient-looking leader of the Zaborial Isles was already on his feet and crossing the distance between us, and the look of awe on his face was unmistakable. His sky-blue eyes widened as he stared into the unseeing orbs of the God of the Purge, but after a long moment of silence, the High Priest tore his gaze away from the dead man’s head and met my eyes.
“How do I know this is who you say it is?” High Priest Zeydon schooled his expression into a stoic demeanor that gave nothing away.
I jerked my chin in the direction of the people standing behind me who were gaping around at the High Priest’s office like this was the first time they’d seen it, and the wonder on their faces amused me.
“These witnesses were victimized by the God of the Purge’s mind-control powers,” I explained with a coolly arched eyebrow. “They shouldn’t be held responsible for anything they did while under the influence of that asshole’s magic.”
“Of course not,” Zeydon agreed as he tilted his head in agreement. “I will have to corroborate your story before I give it full credit, I’m sure you understand.”
“Of course,” I echoed with a smirk. “But you were the one who summoned me.”
“You had no way of knowing why I requested your presence,” Zeydon pointed out in a calm voice.
“I’m the God of Time.” I shrugged. “I know all things.”
“I must question the witnesses.” High Priest Zeydon narrowed his sky-blue eyes.
“Fine.” I held up my hands in surrender, and the severed head in my grasp swung wildly, which elicited a few shocked gasps from the scribes at their desks. “I’m a patient god. I gave this guy a whole three seconds to talk, and it seemed to end well for him.”
“You dare to threaten me?” High Priest Zeydon furrowed his brow, but his tone was still deadly calm.
“I meant nothing by it,” I said in a hurried tone, but I considered resetting back to my save point.
I could be smoother, and I wanted a more shocked reaction to my revelation, but that was challenging since I was a stranger to these lands. I needed to gain their trust, but I could only do so after learning more about them.
In the end, I decided to let the clock continue to run since I wanted to glean more details and clues I could use on my next run through.
My goal was one hundred percent completion in every aspect of this world, and I couldn’t do that with the semi-shocked reactions and skeptical glances I’d received on this run through.
I waited patiently while several of the victims told their versions of events, but they were all similar enough to confirm what I’d already told the High Priest. One witness swore I was bathed in a glowing white light as I fought the evil shadows of darkness, but I attributed it mostly to exhaustion.
Finally, High Priest Zeydon sat back down at his desk, and he gestured to the cushioned seat on the opposite side of the wooden structure.
“What are your demands?” he asked as he got straight to the point.
I cocked one ankle up onto my knee and steepled my fingers together as I let his words hang unanswered for a long moment, but then my gaze turned to the people standing behind me.
“First and foremost,” I began, “these people did nothing wrong, and I need your guarantee they won’t be punished for any wrongdoing while under the influence of the God of the Purge.”
The murmurs of gratitude behind me were more than reward enough for that request, but it was important to me that no one continued to suffer after the death of the God of the Purge. I was reluctant to call him a god, but I didn’t know what his real name was, so I’d have to come up with a nickname or something.
“You have my word.” Zeydon inclined his head. “You have other demands?”
The High Priest’s sky-blue eyes scanned over the people standing behind me, and relief washed over his face a couple of times as he recognized victims from among the ranks of his priesthood.
“Of course,” I chuckled. “I didn’t come to the Zaborial Isles to fight a god, but it just so happens we can help each other out. I saved your people from certain death, so the least you could do is reward me with unlimited access to the library.”
“Done.” Zeydon nodded decisively, and the scribes burst into a flurry of activity. “Is that all?”
I didn’t doubt the news would be spread through the entire library the moment our meeting was resolved, but I was used to being the topic of rumors and other gossip.
“I need your fast travel amulet necklaces,” I said as I met his gaze with steady eyes.
The High Priest said nothing for a long moment, but then he let out a tired sigh, and he nodded his assent.
“Very well, Great One,” Zeydon replied. “I’m surprised you know of their existence as I have the only set ever created. The mysteries of their crafting were lost to the ages, and I have long hoped to reverse engineer the process.”
“I’ll share the knowledge if I ever figure it out myself,” I promised, but then a smirk twisted my lips. “I have one last request.”
“You wish for more than my most prized possession?” The High Priest’s eyes bulged slightly like I’d punched him in the gut, and I realized just how important the fast travel magic was to him.
The God of the Purge must have really fucked with the Zaborial Isles if he was worth so much as a dead man, but I wasn’t complaining.
The High Priest waited patiently for me to make my final demand, but I let the silence stretch a little to add weight to my words. Surely, the man’s daughter was a more prized possession than some piece of magic jewelry, but then again, not all fathers were awesome.
I’d vowed to be the man I always wanted for a father, but all I knew so far was what not to do.
“I wish for Zenda to assist me with my search for knowledge in the library,” I explained. “She is an avid historian, and I’d like to learn more about your territory.”
I heard a gasp from outside the portal, and I knew the First Daughter had been eavesdropping, and she was surprised by my request. Now, whether her gasp was one of excitement or dread was another mystery I would solve with time.
“I would be honored to have the First Daughter assist the God of Time,” the High Priest said as he sighed with relief.
His response made me wonder if there were more powerful secrets he was hiding, and I made a mental note to dig out everything he could teach me about magic.
I nodded in acceptance of his response, but I remained silent for a long moment as I considered what else I could demand. There wasn’t much else I needed. The secrets contained within the library’s walls would be enough to occupy me for a very long time, but who knew what other powerful items the Zaborians had.
“My final request,” I said. “Is to have one single magic lesson directly from you.”
“I am a shrewd teacher.” The High Priest’s eyes widened in surprise. “You are certain of that?”
“Perfect.” I grinned. “I’m looking forward to it, if you’re willing.”
“This is a simple matter.” A smile twitched the corners of the High Priest’s lips upward. “It is done.”
“Alright,” I said as I placed the Wannabe-Hitler’s head on the floor and opened my hands. “I’ll take the fast travel amulets now, thank you very much.”
“I must first unhook my essence,” the High Priest said with a shake of his head. “Return tomorrow, and I will surrender them to you.”
The older man probably just wanted a chance to say goodbye to his precious, but just like Gollum from the Hobbit, he’d have to give it up eventually. I could afford to wait a day, but any longer than that, and I would get impatient.
Besides, I could always reset back to my save point and try a different dialogue tree in order to acquire the amulets immediately.
A wicked grin slid across my face as I reset back to my save point with a wave of my willpower.
Chime.
“You… You are from Earth?”
I paid Wannabe-Hitler no mind as I dropped his dying body to the ground, and I turned to the priests shaking their heads as they came back to reality once more. I quickly explained what had happened to everyone, and then I cut off the God of the Purge’s head before we made our way to the boats.
The trip went swiftly, and then we made our way up to the library, but I made a new save point once we passed beneath the shadows of the awning. The stone floor was cool beneath my boots as I crossed the room to the corridor, and I didn’t even glance in the direction of Bertram behind his desk.
“Where do you think you’re going?” The bald priest quickly caught up to me, and his wide eyes scanned over the people trailing behind me.
“Enough, Bertram,” I said in a firm tone. “You can join us if you wish to find out, but I don’t have time to argue with you.”
I pushed past him without another word, and I walked right by Evenar without stopping, but I had a similar conversation with the older man as I headed to the stairs.
I skipped the dramatic display of the severed head on Zenda’s desk, and she seemed more pleasant as she checked to see if the High Priest would see us. I invited her to join the show as well, and we all crowded into the large, circular office as Zeydon rose from his chair.
The look on his face as the people filled his office space was priceless, and I wished I had a smartphone to snap a picture of it, but I satisfied myself with the mental image.
“I am Sir Sebastian, the Archduke of Sorreyal, Dragon Slayer, Red Hands the Pirate Bane, and the God of Time.” I puffed out my chest and straightened my shoulders. “I have answered your summons, and I have killed the God of the Purge as you wished. Your people are free from his mental enslavement, and they bore witness to his defeat. Question them if you wish, but know that it is a waste of time.”
Zenda pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at me, but Zeydon had a thoughtful expression on his face as he considered my words.
“What are your demands?” The High Priest tilted his head in acquiescence.
“I have a few.” I smirked. “Number one, every victim is considered innocent of all crimes committed while mind-controlled.”
“Very well,” Zeydon agreed. “And?”
“I get unlimited use of the library,” I said. “And Zenda assists me whenever I need her help.”
“The First Daughter would make an excellent guide through the library,” Zeydon said. “I approve.”
“Good.” I grinned. “You’re going to love the next one.”
“Oh?” Zeydon tilted his head to the side with an expectant look on his face.
“I need the fast travel amulets,” I said, and I held out my empty hand palm up. “Right now.”
“I…” The High Priest hesitated as his eyes widened to an impossible degree. “How did you learn of their existence?”
“That’s irrelevant,” I said with a shrug. “Hand them over.”
“They are a precious secret I have guarded for my entire tenure as High Priest,” Zeydon argued in his slightly accented voice. “I require privacy.”
“Everyone except Zenda can go about their business,” I declared loudly, and a few grumbles of disappointment followed my words, so I flashed a stern glare at the gathered people. “Return to your loved ones and celebrate your lives. You all came close to death on this day, and some gratitude is in order.”
That hushed them up, and then they began to file out of the High Priest’s office. Zeydon nodded to his scribes, and they rose from their desks to follow the people out, but they remained crowded by the portal, so Zenda crossed the distance to shut the massive carved doors.
“Now,” I said as I held out my hand again. “It’s time to give them to me.”
Zeydon sputtered out a couple of words in his native tongue, and I made a mental note to learn the language of the Zaborial Isles as soon as possible, but then the High Priest began to reach into his robes. My heart thudded in my chest as he pulled out the necklace encircling his neck, and his hair clung to the chain as he looped it over his head.
Then High Priest Zeydon placed the necklace in the palm of my hand, and the warmth of the magic radiating from the amulet sent shivers up my spine. It was powerful, and it had advanced my own abilities in ways I couldn’t even imagine just yet.
“Your reward, Great One,” Zeydon said as he inclined his head.
I was the God of Time, and now I could be the God of Space, too.
Science had nothing on me.