Godhood | ONC 2024

Chapter Two

Palya ignored them as she was still thinking of how to break free from the gods.

"Why are you holding me captive?"

This time around, it was God Ugut—the deity with the cleft chin—who answered her.

"It's not so much holding you captive as making sure you don't do anything reckless," he said, his voice as clear as the waters he claimed to command.

"What?" Palya's eyebrows furrowed. His words didn't make sense, as she'd had no plans of doing anything aside from figuring out what would happen to her.

The other god, Tungi, chimed in with a more informative response. Unlike the other deities, he held no trace of irritation at all. He did, however, hold her arm more firmly, demonstrating that he was just as serious as his comrades about keeping her in place.

"Most void-deities tend to cause unintentional harm when they first harness their power," Tungi said.

"Is that what I am?" Palya asked. She paused her fussing, sensing that the gods must not mean to hurt her in front of those who worshipped them.

Goddess Magulana nodded.

"A void-goddess, mistress of destruction, and maiden of the silent night," she said as she approached. Palya could only angle her head away as the goddess leaned forward to study her. "A deity who can undo the blessings we bestow upon human lands. You can destroy my warm days by making them colder, for example, or chase away the nourishing rain by Ugut."

The deity's inspection was cut short when Iloyu spoke again.

"That's stupid," he said, but not with the disdain he previously held. His face revealed that he simply thought the idea impossible. "I've never heard of any void-deities misusing their power before."

By then, the onlookers had raised their heads halfway. Some even dared to stand straight, too curious about the situation and perhaps emboldened by Iloyu's brash refusal to genuflect to the gods. Palya couldn't believe how he could interact with these powerful beings so candidly.

Thankfully, the gods seemed to be taking his behavior in stride. After all, there was nothing Iloyu could do that would genuinely threaten them. The sky-goddess could summon lightning to strike him down if she wished, but she luckily didn't.

Goddess Magulana turned to Iloyu instead, more than willing to answer now that she didn't have to worry about the new goddess escaping them.

"That's because void-deities are kept in an eternal slumber, where they can't lose control or betray the other gods. Either of those can cause calamities and spell the world's end."

No sooner had she finished speaking when Palya's father came into view. Palya, who had been too distracted by the knowledge she was gleaning, failed to notice the man pushing his way through the crowd. His disappointed voice interrupted their discussion.

"Of course something like this would happen." He looked at her, and she could do nothing but duck her head in shame. "I thought you wouldn't be a disappointment for once, but clearly that's not the case. When it comes to you, nothing ever turns out the way I hope for."

"I'm sorry, father," she said, not wanting to vex him.

Unfortunately, her precaution proved futile as soon as Iloyu's uncle appeared too.

"So much for bragging, you bastard. Your daughter is a harbinger of doom." The old man then bowed as low as he could to the sky-goddess, who looked unimpressed by his pretentious display. "Lady Goddess, please do away with the girl before her calamities befall our villages."