by T. R. Hamby
“It won’t,” Roone said soothingly. “Trust me. Look at Them; she’s been around for millennia and she hasn’t been corrupted.”
“Them is different from me.”
“Your humility is staggering,” Roone said, in a good impression of an annoyed Mel, and Andreas laughed.
“It’s just….so much,” he whispered hoarsely. “I don’t know if I can do it.”
He sounded grief-stricken again, and Roone took his hand. Andreas was suffering so much loss--the loss of his family, his life, his humanness. Now he was closer to a god than any mortal had ever dreamed of reaching. It wasn’t a gift. It was a sacrifice.
He lay back down not long after, and Roone slipped out of bed once he was asleep. He wanted to make sure the others were all right.
He left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. He looked up, and was startled to find Michael, Mel and Gilla sitting in the living room, talking quietly.
They paused and looked at him hesitantly.
“Sorry,” Roone said, embarrassed. “I thought I would….come out.”
They looked at each other. Roone noticed there was no anger, no disgusted expressions.
Michael jerked his head to the seat beside him. “We’re talking.”
Roone hesitated for a small moment, surprised. Then, before they could change their minds, he hurried over, sitting beside Michael on the sofa.
“How’s your eye?” Mel asked.
“Could be worse.”
“And Andreas?” Gilla asked worriedly.
Roone wasn’t used to all the attention. “He’s sleeping.”
“Good,” Michael said, nodding.
There was a pause.
“We were talking about Michael’s dreams,” Gilla finally said.
“Yeah….” Mel murmured. “Strange that you have them in the first place. Why now?”
“Maybe because God is angry,” Gilla said. “He’s weakening….you won’t answer him….”
Michael shrugged, shaking his head. “It’s just memories. Detailed memories….”
“Did you have another one?” Roone asked, frowning.
Michael nodded darkly. “Just half an hour ago….a memory of him and his brother Adel, when they were children.”
And he looked at Mel. “It was bizarre, seeing you as a child.”
“Was I cute?”
“Gangly.”
“Sounds about right. Had to grow into all this.”
“So these are random memories of Father’s?” Roone asked, steering the conversation back on track. “Or maybe what he’s been remembering now?”
“Maybe he’s pensive?” Gilla continued.
“Remorseful?” Mel suggested.
“But why would that allow me to see what he’s thinking?” Michael asked. “I get he’s angry, and he’s trying to contact me, but how does that allow me to see his past?”
They were quiet, stumped.
Roone frowned. “When’s the last time Father said anything to you?” he asked curiously.
Michael thought. “In London….no, Dublin….that’s when I lied to him, said we weren’t working with Them. That’s the last time we spoke.”
He frowned, remembering. “Them’s shield made speaking to him difficult. Like a bad connection on a phone line. Distant….he couldn’t read my mind. He had to guess that I lied to him about Them.”
Roone cocked his head, frowning. “What if….he’s trying to reach you, but all you’re getting are his memories?”
A pause.
Mel looked amazed. “He lowers his defenses when he reaches out to you….and Them’s shield acts as a sort of block to him. He has to….I don’t know….open up enough to reach you. So now you can read his mind--and right now, he’s feeling fucking nostalgic.”
“Maybe,” Gilla said, but Mel and Michael were nodding.
“He could also be far away,” Mel said thoughtfully. “He hasn’t known where we are….he’s probably been up there in his freaky little Father World wondering where we were hiding.”
“He’ll know now,” Roone said. “After that fight.”
“Wonder what he’s trying to say,” Michael said.
“‘Come back?’” Roone suggested, and they chuckled.
Michael frowned. “What if we….let him in?”
Mel stared at him. Then he seemed to consider it. “We’d have to ask Them….see if she can lift the shield….”
“Only if it doesn’t put everyone in danger,” Michael said firmly.
“But is it worth it?” Gilla asked warily. “Can’t we already imagine what he would say?”
“Come back to the dark side, and he won’t kill all of us,” Mel murmured.
“It could still be worth it,” Roone said thoughtfully.
“Father wouldn’t trust you,” Mel said quietly, looking at Michael. “You’ve already lied to him once, and he saw through that.”
They nodded, all frowning, all troubled.
Roone remembered when Father had spoken to him. His whole life he had revered Father, but he had never thought that Father would deign to speak to someone as lowly as him. Then he had--to trick him into murdering Gabriel.
Anger bubbled up inside him--but so did an idea.
He looked at Michael. “What if it isn’t you he speaks to?”
Michael frowned. “Who else would he speak to?”
“Me.”
There was a pause as the three studied him, as though he had sprouted two extra heads.
Roone felt himself flush. “He tricked me, remember?”
They scowled at the memory, and he continued, “What if I’m still….trickable?”
Mel and Michael exchanged dark glances, and Roone felt a distinct chill in the air.
But Gilla was nodding. “Yes….he may still think you’re gullible. That you’re only here for Nora. He might try to trick you again….if you step outside of Them’s shield.”
“No. He could kill you,” Michael said firmly.
“He could kill you too,” Roone replied calmly. “Who’s worth more?”
“Oh, Roone; don’t say that,” Gilla sighed, but Roone continued.
“It’s true. Let’s not pretend. He already thinks I’m insane. We might get information. Useful information.”
The three looked at each other, at a loss for words.
“We’ll ask Them,” Mel finally said. “She might know more.”
“Let’s give it a week,” Gilla said. “Give Andreas time to recover. When--if it happens, we can have two gods watching.”
Roone agreed, and they nodded thoughtfully.
A week was a long time in these circumstances. But Gilla was right; Andreas needed time to breathe, to rest. To accept what was happening to him. They could wait a few days.
But when it did happen--Roone knew that it would--he would have to be ready. Father, he imagined, was a very difficult Being to trick….and it would be up to Roone to do it. Roone, who had been so easily tricked himself.
He hoped this time he would be stronger.
Barry
The week went by quickly. Andreas rapidly recovered, and while he recovered they talked and planned.
Them, to everyone’s surprise, was on board with Roone tricking God.
My shield is almost like a circle, she explained as the eight gathered in the living room. It surrounds you, and fades the farther to the edge you go. The middle of the creek is closest to the edge. You could speak to Father there without him reading your mind.
“Brilliant,” Barry said, after Andreas repeated her words.
“And I’ll be nearby,” Andreas said firmly.
You have to be careful, Them warned him. Remember, everything is still new. You can’t control your power yet.
“I want to learn,” Andreas replied.
He was completely healed now, and restless. Them had been indisposed for most of the day--she had been working on something for them--and he had paced, eager to begin his training. The power inside him made him
twitch, flex his muscles. Barry could see there was a lot of force being contained, could feel it.
Them was gentle. Tomorrow.
“There must be something you can teach me now.”
Patience, maybe, Them replied wryly, and Andreas’ lips twitched. I would have worked with you today, but I was busy.
“What were you up to?” Mel asked.
I’ve been talking to some people, Them replied. To some of my Valkyries. I’m going to send them down to you. To fight with you….if the need arises.
Barry felt a thrill. “And we’ll train with them?”
“What are they like?” Gabriel asked, intrigued.
“Oh, they’re fantastic,” Andreas said, and everyone turned to him.
He was grinning, a mixture of fondness and amusement on his face. “They’re strong women, from all sorts of ages and times. They train in combat every day, and they find souls to Ascend when they’re not training.”
“How many are there?” Michael asked.
Nine hundred, Them said. And there are some men, too. They aren’t all women.
She sounded amused, and Barry smiled. It was lovely hearing her sound happy.
“How many? And when?” he asked.
Tomorrow, she said firmly. And we’ll start with ten. I don’t want to take too many away from their duties. Not just yet.
“So back to God, then,” Nora said. “Them, you said your shield is weakest in the middle of the creek. So Roone, you’ll go out there, and….”
She trailed off, turning pink. Roone was firmly avoiding her gaze, flushed and embarrassed.
Barry felt an ache.
Everyone had been much nicer to Roone since the battle. Barry suspected it was due to a mixture of guilt at the way they had treated him, and gratitude at what he had done for them in the great fight. They were forgiving him now….but that clearly didn’t help his feelings for Nora.
Andreas cleared his throat. “So we agree Roone will go out there and speak to God. But what will he say?”
“We have to look at it from Father’s point of view,” Michael said darkly. “He thinks Roone is vulnerable, easily tricked. He’ll offer a deal--betray us for Nora.”
Roone flinched, but Michael continued on. “He’ll want details about Them….and probably about you too,” he said, looking at Andreas, “since you exposed your power during the fight.”
Andreas nodded darkly.
“We have to lie,” Nora said. “What can we think up about Them that we can tell God?”
Gabriel shrugged. “Can’t be that complicated. Just tell him she’s a goddess. We don’t know where she came from. The end.”
“It has to be more detailed than that,” Michael said. “It has to be believable. Like we’re giving him something useful.”
There was a pause.
“We could always….tell the truth,” Mel said cautiously, and everyone looked at him warily.
Barry immediately tensed, and so did Andreas, sensing a hot flash of anger.
“You’re making her angry,” Barry said instantly.
Mel looked unimpressed. “If we tell him that Them’s Reina, it’ll make him even more afraid. His long-dead wife, who he murdered, is suddenly a powerful goddess? It’ll terrify him.”
None of you understand, Lilith breathed.
“Because you won’t say anything,” Andreas replied soothingly. “Help us understand.”
There was a silence. Barry squirmed, fearful that Them had left. He hated making her angry. And it wasn’t just that….there was fear in her voice. He sensed it, and it worried him.
Finally there was a sigh. Do it, then.
“Please don’t hate us,” Barry said quickly.
She managed a chuckle. I don’t. I promise.
“So we tell the truth,” Mel continued, nodding. “Only some of it, of course. Give him what he wants.”
“Scare the shit out of him in the process,” Gabriel said.
“Then we’ll ask him what he’s planning,” Michael said.
“Too obvious.”
Gilla shifted uncomfortably, glancing embarrassed at Roone. “Ask if Nora will be safe,” she said. “If she’ll be protected. He might tell you what he’s planning then. Reassure you.”
Barry didn’t see that working, but it was better than nothing. “When?”
“Tonight,” Andreas said decidedly, looking at a now pale Roone.
Tomorrow, Them said firmly. We’ll have some lessons first.
“Can you teach me something now?”
There was a pause. Barry could tell Them was thinking.
Maybe, she said, if Roone is willing.
Barry repeated her words, and Roone and Andreas frowned.
I’ll show you how to heal, Them continued, although I’ve never done it before either.
“Then why are we doing it?” Andreas exclaimed, horrified. “I’m not putting my best friend in danger.”
Barry noticed Roone looked pleased upon hearing the words “best friend.”
“It’s okay,” Roone said, peeling off the bandage over his eye. “I trust you. Both of you.”
“You shouldn’t trust me,” Andreas replied instantly.
This requires a lot less power, a lot less control, Them said gently. You can do it.
“You haven’t even done it,” Andreas shot back.
Just trust me, she replied patiently.
Andreas heaved a sigh, looking very nervous.
“All right,” he said quietly, straightening on the sofa.
He and Roone faced each other. Roone’s eye was still red, weeping blood, and the lacerations above and below it were still stitched up tight, red and angry.
Hold your hand out, Them instructed, and Andreas carefully held his fingers over Roone’s eye.
Roone stayed very still, looking as if he was trying not to blink.
Now imagine it healed, Them continued. Deep breaths….think of it like Creating that clover….
Andreas frowned. Barry could tell he was holding back, afraid to hurt Roone.
But everyone watched as, slowly, Roone’s eye began to heal. The lacerations knitted themselves back together, leaving behind a scar, and the eye became white again. The pupil, however, and the once green iris, were now opaque.
“Oh, Roone,” Gilla sighed.
“What? Does it look bad?” Roone joked, and there were chuckles.
Andreas studied it. “Can you see anything?”
Roone squinted, and shook his head. “Nothing. Everything’s from the right eye.”
“Shit.”
“Sorry, mate,” Barry said, but Roone didn’t seem bothered.
“I have the other one,” he said, repeating his words from before.
He’s suffered so much, Them murmured, and Andreas winced.
Barry felt a pang too. It seemed that all of Roone’s life had been a series of sufferings.
Try Nora now, Them said, and Andreas eagerly turned to Nora.
They removed the bandage, and he held his hand over her palm. The tissue pulled itself back together, leaving a thick scar. Andreas had her flex her fingers, and was relieved to find that her motor function was intact.
“But this is great,” Nora exclaimed. “Now we won’t have to wait around to heal if we’re injured.”
I don’t think it stops injuries from being fatal, though, Them said sadly. I wish it could.
“It’s still incredible,” Barry said.
“And useful,” Mel added.
They looked around at each other, heartened by Andreas’ first lesson.
“So, tomorrow,” Nora said firmly.
Everyone looked at Roone, who nodded darkly. “Tomorrow.”
“May I have a word?” Barry whispered as everyone dispersed.
He went into the study. He could feel a sense of puzzlement coming from Them, wherever she was, and he steeled himself. She wouldn’t like this question.
He closed the door, sat down on the sofa and took a deep breath.
<
br /> “Now’s the time,” he said firmly. “You have to tell me who you are. I know you’re not Reina.”
He expected anger, but instead he sensed pain.
I won’t burden you, Barry, she sighed. And it isn’t fair--you being the only one to know.
“You have to tell someone,” Barry replied insistently. “You have to get it off your chest, don’t you?”
She was quiet.
Barry was firm. He wasn’t going to give up that easily. It was time he knew.
“You and I have a connection,” he said quietly. “You gave me life. There’s some of you inside me, isn’t there? That’s why I can hear you.”
Yes.
Barry nodded. “I trust you,” he said. “So….you know….trust me. Someone has to know, and you have to tell it.”
There was a long silence. Barry held his breath, waiting.
Then Them said, Come walk with me to the stables….I don’t want Andreas to overhear….
Barry sat on the bench in the stables, frowning at the floor. Above him the horses whinnied, eager for apples, even though he had already given them two each.
Them was silent, waiting. Barry could sense she was nervous.
He finally took a deep breath. “All right. Okay.”
He felt very strange. Part of him deeply regretted having asked her to tell him. The other part was relieved.
It all made sense now.
Are you angry? She asked anxiously.
His lips twitched. “’Course not.”
I haven’t told a soul, she whispered, not anyone, not ever….
Barry felt a pang. “I don’t know how you did it. By yourself like that.”
A pause.
I don’t know either, she breathed, and her voice broke.
Barry shivered at the sound of her tears. “Don’t cry.”
There was a weak chuckle.
Now you know, she said. Please don’t tell the rest. Please.
“I won’t,” Barry replied, “’course I won’t. But….I think you should tell them.”
No--no, I can’t.
Her voice was almost panicked.
“Okay. Okay.”
They were quiet for a moment. The horses huffed, tugging at Barry’s jacket with their teeth. Barry finally got up and went to the bin where the apples were kept.
Thank you, Them finally said.
Barry frowned. “For what?”
