In a World without God

Chapter 22

What could it be compared to? A wildflower blooming through the snow, heralding spring. Raindrops that moisten the parched earth. A star in the northern sky to guide sailors. The moonlight that warmly embraces those who wander through the night...

"This can't be...Why, why are you here?!"

Tibea shouted. Her voice shook uneasily, and her hazel eyes darted from side to side. Tibea retracted all sixteen tentacles she had been wielding, then crouched down and stared straight ahead. She looked like a frightened snake.

The people stared, stunned as if awakening from a long winter's sleep. They looked at her.

"No...it can't be."

"No, no! If that's really her... why didn't she come sooner?"

"You're right, she could have saved us earlier!"

And then a step. She, finally, took a step forward. Her feet hit the floor, white as sheep's milk, stained with blood, maggots, and rotting flesh, and the air shook. It rippled around her like a pebble dropped on a still lake. Blood, maggots, and rotting flesh were pushed dozens of paces away from her. A white cobblestone pavement appeared, and grass grew around her feet. Another scent wafted through the air, driving away the stench that Tibea had spread.

She had only taken one step, and their demeanors had changed.

"That look... that smell... .... Is she really...."

Several people knelt on the ground. The kneelers clasped their hands together and chanted with tears in their eyes.

"Oh... I, in my weakness and foolishness, spoke disrespectful words without believing that the light would come...

"Please forgive us, and please dispel the darkness before our eyes...."

No one dared to utter her name. Not even those who had become Tibea's feet. Maybe they were ashamed, maybe they were afraid, but Ishkur didn't care.

Ishkur did not kneel. He stood tall, frowned, and clicked his tongue. Ishkur was disgusted with the people. How could the masses be so shameless, swearing and cursing her a second ago, but now expecting redemption?

Ishkur studied her form; what did he care if she was a goddess or not? What did it matter if she was a goddess or whatever? What Ishkur was curious about was one thing: could he use her or not? Could she stand against Tibea with her power?

As she took her second step, her form twitched, and Tibea began to laugh.

"Hahaha! So that's it, you're just a shard after all!"

Tibea leaped to her feet and spread her sixteen tentacles wide. Tibea didn't care about the others anymore. She swung her tentacles, aiming only for her. But the tentacles could not reach her body. The rotting human flesh that made up the tentacles could not reach her and disintegrated. She clasped her hands together and chanted.

" 'O ye who have no footing on my father's earth.'"

Ishkur stared at the wall, racked his brain, heard the voice, and stroked the back of his hand. A cool, tingling sensation ran down his spine. It was like clear, cold water running through his ears.

"Return to the earth as Uraeus has ordained."

Then a huge circle appeared on the ground. It was so large that it covered the entire square. The circle shone as brightly as the full moon.

"Get lost, Lutea, how dare you do such a thing, you're just a shard!".

Tibea screamed, but she couldn't move. She lay motionless on her stomach, her body shaking as if she were being weighed down by something heavy.