The Mad God (On hold)

Chapter Three - Part two

“Luvesi, we have to think about preparing our contingency. We’ve warned the people again and again; we don’t have much more time to waste,” Lasinn said, before adding softly, “I really doubt we have much time left at all.”

“So you would prefer to kill them?” Cekoti asked, clenching his fists. “They ignore us, yes, but is that any reason to kill them all to stop the use of magic? You criticise the current system for killing unjustly for speaking out, how is this any better?”

“They no longer value our word; we’ve lost all face to them. What are we supposed to do? Allow the world to destroy itself and do nothing to try and stop it?” Lasinn snapped.

Cekoti leaned against the stone wall, watching his brother pace back and forth, like he always did when he was unsure. His hair flopped each time he took a step, the black strands clawing at his eyes. Cekoti sighed; he and his siblings had lost face because of his actions. If he hadn’t killed the Dynskelorm then they would still be respected, still be listened to. If he had just died when he had been poisoned… If his siblings hadn’t saved his life then maybe they would have been listened to… Maybe.

“But do we really have any other choice? Is there any other possible solution?” Lasinn ran his hand through his hair again, tearing at it. “I mean, we could try and create our own world? I know we joked about it before, but maybe that would be better? Leave these people to die by their own actions. That way we’re not responsible for killing them?”

Cekoti stared at his older brother. Did he really think that could excuse their actions? They would still be killing everyone, abandoning them. What about the hundreds of thousands of people outside of Lyum - those that hadn’t heard of the crisis that they all faced? What of the tribes? Could they really be punished for something that wasn’t their fault? They couldn’t abandon the world. He would rather be dead; maybe it would have been better if he had died. At least then energy wouldn’t have been wasted saving him. He wouldn’t have killed the Dynskelorm.

 “That’s an interesting idea; we could correct any wrongs that people made in our world. We could nurture them, guide them. We could act like Gods, walk among men and help them,” Ranak said, his eyes lighting up with eagerness; like always, following Lasinn, trying to get his approval. “How would we go about creating a world though? And is there even enough energy left over to do so?”

“It’s absurd; you made this mess in saving me. This is only happening because I’m alive, I’m at fault. We should try and fix the problem, not run away from it!” Cekoti panted heavily, struggling not to punch the wall in. He instinctively allowed a trickle of magic to enter through his aura, calming him. “What happens when this world fails? Will you run away from that one too? How do you know our Gods haven’t done exactly that?”

 “We wouldn’t allow that; the Gods have abandoned us – they keep to themselves, and yet we still celebrate them. Honour them even, and why? What have they ever actually done? Do we know they even exist? Maybe the tribes have it right; maybe the land itself should be revered. But it changes nothing,” Lasinn said, stopping dead in his tracks. “The only thing that matters is that this situation cannot be fixed; the people won’t listen to us. The Council won’t listen to us. Even the Alddrian politicians refuse us meetings. So what are we supposed to do? Die here along with the rest of them? With their corrupt politics, the scheming, the assassinations? Do you really want to die with the people that killed our parents?” His eyes narrowed, his voice turning cold, lathered with pain and suffering.

 “Enough,” Luvesi said, her eyes daring anyone to say something. “We have to stop this bickering. We’re not going to kill anyone if we can avoid it, but what if it’s the only way? What if we decide to create our own world later on but we have no idea how? Or even a way of killing all the magicians without using too much magic? We need to flesh out our contingency, as you put it, and make it so we can switch at any time. First we try to save the people, try one last time. If they don’t listen then we take another path. Simple as that, agreed?”