𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.
It's the beginning of a new age when Jaylah Imperatrix seemingly returns from the dead to reclaim her throne. And in perfect timing.
In her absence, evil has be...
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Act 1 Chapter 14 ALEXANDER
Perhaps it was because I was not one of the wealthy elite, but I would never understand why people gave their souls away to dead gods. I supposed the rich had time to spend on frivolous things, if the shining gold decorations on each statue was any indication. That money could have been loaned to suffering citizens, and instead it was melted to honor a dead deity.
Then again, I never was one much for charity or selflessness myself, so perhaps I couldn't believe that. Likely it was just my cynicism.
I turned to the princess. Eyes closed, she remained perfectly still—the eleventh statue in the room. I turned away indignantly; this was clearly going to go on for much longer than I would have liked. Not that I would have liked to be dragged here in the first place.
To assuage my fidgety boredom, I settled for peering up at the statues in distain. My gaze was instantly drawn to Draven, god of evil and violence. My personal favorite. His shadowed face was twisted into a devious smile, as if he was about to do something terrible but still wanted to keep everyone guessing. Golden snakes grew from his scalp where hair should have been, but I wouldn't hold it against him.
Despite his less than pleasant reputation in the legends, he was still decorated with the upmost finery: the jewels of the snakes' eyes, the solid marble of his carved body, the pure silver clasp of his cape. I figured the reasoning behind it was out of fear of invoking his wrath. My theory was bolstered as I took in the man beside him, Thanatos, his deep-set eyes boring into space—the only ones to be covered with onyx rather than simple marble. Signifying his relations with death, his face was gaunt and bony, while fleshy blue arms gave way to gilded skeletal hands. Around his similarly carved feet, a sleek, ruby-eyed hound sat, its jaw curled in a snarl. Unbelievers fell to Thanatos. And the true evildoers went straight to his pack of otherworldly dogs, the Hounds, to be devoured alive. It was a good thing I liked dogs, no matter how bejeweled, because I knew where my soul would go.
All the gods were widely feared for their otherworldly power. But Death invoked such terror it came full circle to be revered. The same with Evil.
My lip curled as I imagined the thousands of sacrifices this temple had seen, going back all the way to ancient days. Animals slaughtered, gold melted, incense burned. And for what—a bunch of deities that died ages ago and probably hadn't been good anyway? Bullshit.
I believed you had to make your own luck. If you wanted something, you took it for yourself. No matter the cost.
Opening her eyes, the princess finally got up and took one last look at the ornate temple. I took several impatient steps to the door, wanting to get moving for the day.
