Divine Apostasy Book 5 - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The goddess standing next to Ruwen wasn’t the barefoot Uru who perched on her cliff watching the sea and braiding grass.  Liquid sunshine covered Uru like plate armor. She held a ray of sunlight like a spear in her left hand and her white wings spread wide before folding onto her back causing the air in the room to roil.

Ruwen, Hamma, and Niall stared, frozen in place by the overwhelming power emanating from the goddess. Uru faced Niall, kneeled, and placed the spear across her knee.

In a whisper, Uru spoke. “Adjudicator, I request your presence.”

Pain filled Ruwen’s ears, like he’d dived too far underwater, and his chest wouldn’t expand, as if a giant gripped him tightly. A moment later the sensations subsided, and he took a gasping breath. Miranda stepped forward to his left.

Ruwen usually saw Miranda in her seven-year-old blond pig tail form Sift had named Blapy. When Ruwen had tried to get the Elders to obey him they’d destroyed the stuffed centipede Blapy had given him, and she’d appeared in this divine form to upgrade it. That had happened so fast he hadn’t gotten a good look at Miranda.

Now however, Miranda stood inches from Ruwen. Her Black wings half spread. Unlike the soft appearance of Uru’s wings, Miranda’s looked like black dragon scales. What Ruwen had thought looked like gold along the edges of her wings, he could now see were spinning constellations.

Blond hair reached the middle of her back, and the scales from her wings continued around her body in a flowing black robe that appeared like a window to the Universe. Her high cheek bones matched her sharp features, and he would have called her beautiful if he didn’t find her so terrifying.

“Eiru the Fair, I have answered your call. What is your need?” Miranda asked.

All traces of the playful mischievousness of Blapy had disappeared from her voice. This form meant business.

Still kneeling in front of Niall, head down, Uru responded. “My deepest thanks. I kneel in judgement and request your aid in fulfilling my punishment.”

Miranda clapped and Ruwen felt the pressure against every part of his body. A sphere surrounded all of them, and Ruwen guessed nothing in the Universe had the strength to pass it.

“Your sins, Sister,” Miranda said.

Uru looked up and into the wide eyes of Niall. “Niall Blakrock, I have sinned a thousand thousand times, and betrayed the trust of those weaker than myself for centuries. None, however, have suffered by my hand as greatly as you and your family.”

Niall’s hands trembled as he looked down at his goddess.

As if reading a list, Uru continued. “Knowingly, willfully, and against your will, I tampered with your memory, erasing all ties to your family. I did this for my own reasons, knowing the danger might separate you from your family for an extended time.”

“Niall Blakrock is your Ascendant,” Miranda said. “The Pact gives you this right.”

Uru turned her head toward Miranda and Uru’s eyes glistened. “My own moral code finds me guilty, and I submit to Niall Blakrock’s punishment.” Uru looked back at Niall. “From the bottom of my heart, truly and sincerely, I am sorry, Niall.” Uru looked up at Hamma. “I am so sorry, Hamma, for what I took from you.”

Uru faced Niall again. His hands had stopped shaking, and the awe had turned into anger.

“You took me from my family,” Niall hissed.

“I did,” Uru responded.

“You robbed my daughter of her father.”

“Yes.”

“You’re despicable!” Niall shouted. He walked in a small circle waving his arms as rage consumed him. “Shameful! Disgraceful!”

“Yes,” Uru whispered.

Niall stopped pacing and looked down at Uru. He pointed toward Hamma, and tears covered his cheeks. “You caused so much pain.”

“I know.”

Niall looked up at Miranda. “You have to do whatever punishment I say?” Niall asked. “Even if I tell you to kill her?”

Miranda didn’t hesitate. “Correct.”

Ruwen’s heart thudded against his chest. If Uru died here, then Ruwen had zero chance of survival, let alone replacing all the Spirit the True God had taken from the Universe. A terrible thought struck him. If Niall started to request Uru’s death, did Ruwen need to stop him?

Last Breath triggered as Ruwen panicked. Would he really attack his girlfriend’s father to stop him from getting the justice he deserved? What kind of monster did that make Ruwen? But if Niall did something drastic, it might doom them all. And a worse thought occurred to him. What if he tried to stop Niall, and Miranda prevented it?

“You said you’re sorry,” Niall said. “Would you do it again?”

Uru sighed. “Yes.”

Niall clenched his hands and Ruwen tensed, his stomach a knot of acid.

Hamma had remained silent this entire time. Tears covered her cheeks and she forced out a single word. “Why?”

Uru looked up at Hamma. “Because it was the only path that provided hope.”

Hamma swallowed hard. “Is that hope worth your life?”

“It is.”

Despair and anger flashed back and forth on Niall’s face. “You ruined our lives.”

Uru nodded. “Your pain is like an open wound that I carry wherever I go.”

Misery covered Uru’s face, and her shoulders slumped. Niall reached over and grabbed Hamma’s hand. He stood that way for over a minute, staring down at Uru.

Ruwen’s anxiety had nearly swamped the mental island Last Breath had created. If Niall asked for Uru’s death, then he likely doomed them all. Even knowing that, Ruwen didn’t think he could attack the man to stop him.

Niall relaxed, turned, and hugged Hamma. After a few seconds he released her and then pulled Uru to her feet.

“I believe you,” Niall said. “I’m not ready to forgive you. But I believe you thought you didn’t have a choice.” He faced Miranda. “There will be no punishment.”

Miranda nodded, and with a powerful thrust of her wings, vaulted into the air, moving through the ceiling as if it didn’t exist. Ruwen staggered from the blast of air, and Uru reached out and steadied Hamma and Niall.

“I do not deserve such mercy,” Uru said.

“Your conscious has punished you enough,” Niall said.

Uru still gripped Niall and Hamma, and Hamma put her hand over Uru’s. “Was it worth it? Did our family’s sacrifice make a difference?”

Hamma hadn’t used Ruwen’s name, but she knew this had all been for him. Even though he had caused none of this, he still felt guilty for the costs others had paid.

Uru locked eyes with Hamma, but Ruwen’s skin tingled, as if a thousand people watched him. “Your sacrifices, now and in the past, were critical steps down our path. The loss and pain you carry will never go away, but know that your sacrifices mattered. What you have sown, the Universe will reap.” Uru let the pair go, stepped back, and bowed to them both.

Uru faced Ruwen and put a hand on his chest, just over where his Core lay hidden under Uru’s internal shielding tattoo. “Your progress makes me proud, but I fear for your safety.” She tapped a finger on his solar plexus. “Push harder.”

Without waiting for Ruwen to respond Uru stepped by him and moved past the small altar. She placed her forehead against the metal wall, and in the quietness of the room, her words were easy to hear. “Welcome back, old friend. I’ve missed you, Lir.”

The entire temple vibrated, and the lights flickered. Uru faced them again, and this time she had a small smile. She placed three thumb sized items on the altar. “One for each Blakrock. To help balance the time you lost.”

The sound of crashing waves filled the room. Uru briefly locked eyes with each of them and then smiled. “I am so proud of you all.”

With no fanfare or dramatic exit, Uru disappeared, along with the sounds of the sea. Ruwen, Hamma, and Niall all stared at each other, as they absorbed the last few minutes.

“That was the both the most terrifying and awe-inspiring thing I’ve ever witnessed,” Niall said.

Ruwen thought about the last two months of his life and decided this might make it into the top five. He kept that for himself though, and just nodded.

Hamma gave Ruwen a small smile and remained silent as well.

Ruwen gathered his thoughts and tried to reassemble what he’d planned before two divine beings had interrupted them. “Chief High Priest Blakrock.”

Niall focused on Ruwen. “Yes.”

“As Chief High Priest, the High Priests in Deepwell and Stone Harbor report to you,” Ruwen said. “Your decisions are final.”

Ruwen thought about his Ascension Day and High Priest Fusil. Ruwen knew now that Uru had allowed the bribes, possibly even encouraged the behavior, to build up a terium supply that he’d needed to restore New Eiru. The thousands and thousands of sins Uru had referred to had likely been related to that.

Forcing people into a Class they didn’t want or giving them a Class they had no aptitude for if they could pay, served no purpose now. Ascendants should have the choice on how to direct their lives.

“From now on,” Ruwen continued. “Ascendants will state the Class they desire before they’re drugged. The Priests will honor these choices.”

Niall bowed. “As you command. I never supported bribery, but free choice will create an imbalance in the Classes.” Niall cleared his throat. “No disrespect, but we will soon have a severe shortage of Workers.”

Ruwen nodded. “Possibly, maybe even likely. But that will make Workers more valuable, which makes them more desirable as a Class choice. Eventually the system will balance out while allowing individuals to become the people they desire.”

“I like it,” Hamma said.

Lir, can you please communicate to your siblings that Niall is the Chief High Priest with final say on items related to the three temples. In addition, notify them of the changes to the Ascendancy process. All effective immediately.”

It is complete, Architect Starfield.

Hamma walked to the alter and picked up one of the small thin items Uru had left the Blakrock family. She whistled and shook her head.

“What is it?” Ruwen asked.

Hamma held up the thumb sized item for Ruwen to see. It was the tattoo of a large ship, the spray of a rough sea surrounding it. The sails were full of wind, and a figure perched at the front of the boat, hand outstretched, yearning to grab some invisible prize. Like Blapy’s tattoos, this one had amazing details, and looked like an expensive piece of art. “See for yourself.”

Ruwen touched the tattoo and immediately opened his log to read the description.

Name: Tattoo of Passage

Quality: Epic

Durability: Indestructible

Weight: 0.01 lbs.

Effect (Active): Teleport to linked tattoo.

Effect (Passive): All Attributes +5.

Restriction: Blakrock family.

Restriction: Soulbound.

Description: The Tattoo of Passage allows the wearer to teleport to a loved one by touching the tattoo and speaking their name. The destination tattoo will come alive, and if that Blakrock touches their tattoo, the connection completes, and the teleport is successful. For their sacrifices, the Blakrock family will never again be separated by more than a single step.

“That is incredible,” Ruwen said, awed at the incredible power of the small item.

Niall joined Hamma and reverently picked up the other two. His eyes glazed as he read the tattoo’s description and he gasped. He hugged Hamma. “What a gift. Now we just need to deliver it to your mom, and I’m not looking forward to the long trip.”

Hamma frowned at the mention of a long trip.

“I have another idea,” Ruwen said. “It will place you within hours of Deepwell.”

Niall frowned. “How is that possible.”

Ruwen pulled back his sleeve, smiled, and showed them the mark of the Shattered Sun.