THE CIRCLE OF GODS (A Blood of the Gods counter-story)

Part 11

Circle of the Gods 

Darius, Akakios

The leader's face appears in his portal window. "It is done. I have warned them. But I will stay and make sure they do not hurt the mortal." His eyes glance around the stone-pillared room to his friend who is caressing the half-moon glyph of Selene portal. He asks, "She is watching Xerses?"

"Yes."

"You worry for her?"

"I cannot help myself."

"So, it is decided then?"

"She is my equal. I care for her."

"Then I congratulate you."

The warrior whispers. "I will tell you after having performed a part of the Erabon bonding, in this plane, that I feel something I did not know I lacked."

The leader pulls his attention more fully into the circle of gods. "Good. See where it leads you. I have an admission of my own to make. I am suddenly dissatisfied. I have worked our entire time here to learn and grow so that the Ktisis would have me, but still, I am not Ktizo, not creator, any more than Xerses is. I do not understand, and I begin to doubt myself."

"You?"

"Yes, Akakios. I feel an emptiness, here." The leader presses his hand to his chest. "My mind is finished. I know all I can and all that is possible. I practice my many skills and I feel that this earth does respond to my nudges yet..."

"Yet you are unsatisfied and feel you have been misled." The pacing slows and then stops as the warrior stands before the leader's glyph, that of a human form.

"I do brother. I do."

"I feel that too and privately I think we all do. Our time here has been most unfulfilling." The warrior touches the portal windows carved sill.

"But what can we do about it?"

"I think there is only one thing to do. Think outside of ourselves."

"You mean think about the humans?"

"No. Of course not. I have thought about them plenty and it does me no good." The warrior god shakes his head full of black, braided hair. "I mean think beyond what you know and have learned. Think outside what you have seen the others do. Attempt to do what is right, here." A dark fist taps an even darker chest.

"What feels right?"

"What IS right. I know that you have only used one organ on this rock, but perhaps the others are vital too."

"Are you suggesting I need to use my heart now that my brain is complete?"

"Yes. It is where you feel this new emptiness, so perhaps it's worth a shot."

"Have you done it?"

"Well, no, not really, but since I opened my heart to Selene, I do feel different."

The leader begins pacing again. "Interesting. I will take this under advisement Akakios."