The God of Nature.
Elyon.
Eve.
All of them were looking at each other.
What separated them was a valley that split the Colosseum in two.
Elyon didn't realise until his high came to an end.
His chest was hurting, no more like his heart was.
Outside the arena, a sea of madness tore through the streets of the Colosseum. Drenched and covered in blood, they were running for their lives, but more importantly, they ran to avoid being judged.
Fathers forgot their families in search of safety.
Mothers forgot their children in search of safety.
The elders didn't let the youth find safety for their own safety.
And the children were abandoned by their parents in search of their own safety.
All of them fled for a chance of survival, yet if they had just stood there with their families, they would have been safe. They would've realised that no harm would come to them.
The judges of countless deaths fled like rabbits when it came to their survival. Yet they cheered for others' deaths like the most normal thing.
Humans are selfish.
Amongst the ruling crowd, a lone woman was staring back at the Colosseum.
Sarah didn't enjoy this; all she ever wanted was to bring money in for her family, since her father had gotten sick. She didn't like violence; she didn't like whatever was going on. She almost started crying; she didn't know if Eve was alive or not. She didn't know what was going on; she was scared.
Once the crowd had fully fled, she saw a white bench. Behind the bench, a fountain. She sat and wept; she once remembered some words that her mother told her. That one day, a prince will come to her rescue. In that moment, she wished that her mother's words would come true.
---
What stood in front of Eve and Elyon left both of them feeling uneasy.
They didn't know what a god was supposed to look like, but they never imagined this.
On the other side of the valley, there lay a man? Barely standing on his own two feet.
Flesh burned so badly it charred even the bones, which were visible. Hair which was once there is no longer there. A bald head made of scorched ends. A mask, which was made of plain wood, was left intact on his face, obscuring the very flesh which was beneath it. A piece of the skin on his forearm fell on the bloody sand when he tried to move. His ribs were sticking out like a cross.
By all means, he shouldn't be alive. His wounds are so severe that it is physically impossible to remain standing, let alone try to walk.
The God of Nature was in pain, and the world will know his pain soon enough.
"Elyon...Eve...Why, why, why are you two looking at me with such pity?"
A voice so harsh came out behind that mask that it sent shivers up Eve's spine. It was obvious that his vocal cords were also burned. Eve wanted to say something, but the words died on her tongue.
"No need to express your empathy, I know already, you weren't envisioning this sight before you"
The god started laughing weakly, which sounded more like a fork on glass rather than a normal laugh.
By now, the valley had closed fully..., and they were in each other's reach.
"Would you look at that? The world brought us closer, so if you want to fight...Let's fight"
Elyon was the first to break the silence from their side.
"You are in no position to fight. What happened to you?"
"Happened? HAPPEN! For the last hour I...I...I was blistering in the heart of the earth. Yet I didn't die, didn't...didn't"
The god took a step closer towards both of them, and a piece of flesh fell from his thigh and onto the bloodstained sand.
"You two did such fancy work to bring me here. Yet, you met a boiled corpse..."
The god began to cackle.
"You should've died, Elyon. Why do you deprive those in need, with your selfish desires? Breathing, thinking...making CHOICES."
Now it was Eve's time to speak, even though she was reluctant.
"God of Nature, tell us about the other two gods, and we will show you mercy."
Elyon looked at her with an angry gaze.
Yet the god only laughed and took a step closer.
Both Elyon and Eve could smell the charred remains of the corpse in front of them.
"Mercy? MERCY? Don't make me laugh, it hurts. I am nothing more than a man who dreamt of love and looked where that brought me. You talk about mercy like you wield it. Yet how many people died by that mercy?"
The god gasped painfully.
"Elyon...Eve...Before I succumb to my wounds. I want to tell the two of you something. I hate the world; I pulled its eyes out with my teeth. I tore off its head and examined its brain. Did everything in my power to break it, yet nothing happened."
In the distance, a flock of crows began to stir awake.
"Nothing, and I meant it. NOTHING! You two will do or ever do, will end this...nightmare. We remain as artefacts dressed in pretty clothes, encased in an oblivious enclosure. Only to dance beautifully for the world."
"WE..."
The god took a step forward, his femur broke under its own weight, and then he landed on top of the sand. He gripped the sand with all his might, then he began to crawl towards the two of them, his body visibly struggling.
"I HATE THIS CRUEL WORLD WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BURNED BEING. MY HATRED BURNS HOTTER THAN THE STARS WHICH YOU LOOK UP TO. BRIGHTER THAN THE SUNNIEST OF THE DAYS. AND MORE PURE THAN ANY LIVING THING ON THIS HARSH SOIL. MARK MY WORDS, WE WILL SEE EACH OTHER IN HELL."
And with those words, the God of Nature fell prey to his wounds.
---
In the tribunes, there was a man. He got up from his seat then he walked out without a worry in the world.
He wasn't like the mindless flock of impotent wastes of skin.
---
Eve and Elyon were just looking at each other. They didn't understand what happened, nor did they comprehend his last words.
Eve looked back at the corpse, and she thought:
Was I stressing over nothing? I thought...Is it that easy to kill a god?
Eve didn't know what to think.
Elyon's hand found Eve's shoulder.
"I'm not sure what happened, but you did great out there. That's why you are my number one student."
Eve remained quiet for a bit as she kept looking over the corpse.
"What are we supposed to do now? It's not like we can go to heaven or hell just by knocking."
Elyon thought for a few seconds.
"Yeah, you are probably right. So, how about we go on a vacation first?"
Eve looked back at him.
"What are you talking about?"
Elyon looked at her.
"North to meet up with Aureth. I'm not sure why, but I have a feeling we will get some answers there."
Eve silently nodded
"Let's go north, then"
[End of volume one: Curse of the gods.]