“This one would feel that one’s cock once more… if he survives his wounds,” Odessa said with a coy side-eye.
“As if another’s cock could not replace his,” Kijani grunted.
“Perhaps it is more than his cock that Odessa enjoys from the human,” Simeon speculated.
“It is his cock and tongue that pleases this one,” Odessa said in her defense. “Nothing more.”
Simeon smiled and winked as if knowing she was hiding something. “If you say so, goddess.”
Kijani scoffed. “Let us hope he doesn’t survive his wounds then. Last we need is another god… or goddess getting attached to these humans.”
“Meaning?” Eloy asked him.
“You know my meaning,” Kijani stated.
Simeon rolled his eyes. “He fought bravely, Kijani, he deserves a second chance. I am sure that is all Odessa wanted to give him.”
“He fai…” Kijani caught himself before he said the world failed. Instead, he said, “He is nothing.”
“Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this final Game… at least in the way it is now. Are you ready to make the announcement?” Eloy asked.
“You seem pleased,” Kijani noted. “Far more now than you were when the fight first started. “Happy that your human survived?”
“You seemed to be disappointed that he did not die,” Simeon stated.
“He was unworthy of this victory,” Kijani said.
“And yet, it is his victory,” Eloy said.
Kijani remained silent as he ground his teeth together. He stared hard at Eloy and the seconds passed between the two gods before Kijani gave in and looked away.
“By Hersi’s staff, Kijani… he is but one human among many. Why does his existence goad you so?” Simeon asked.
Kijani gave a dismissive wave of his hand. “Make your proclamations now, before the crowd leaves.”
Eloy sighed, but rose to his feet to the silence of the crowd. He looked out among the many humans in attendance, making sure he had their undivided attention. “I hope that you have all enjoyed this Game.”
The crowd cheered and applauded in reply. Eloy allowed them to do so for a few seconds before he continued.
“Good. We gods have an announcement.”
The people in the audience, those who were standing sat back down and all gave the gods the respect of their silence.
“From this day forward, the Games will no longer be to the death.”
With that proclamation, some of the audience began to boo.
“Silence!” Eloy demanded, and a hush fell over the crowd. “We, the gods, have decided to make many changes. Ones that we will not see or abide being disobeyed. From this day forward, there will no longer be slavery.” This time, the crowd kept quiet, for fear of the fire god’s retribution. “All homes that have slaves must free them. Gladiators are no longer the property of their domini and are free to fight in the arena for their own pleasure and rewards of the great feast.”
Eloy paused to let what he had said sink in. He looked out among the crowd, particularly to the section where the Elite were sitting. Their faces told the god what they were thinking. As expected, the frowns and grimaces were evident that they were not pleased with this new world order. Eloy didn’t care if they liked the changes they were making, only that they obeyed them.
Simeon rose now, to stand beside him in a show of unity. “From this day forward,” he began, “there will no longer be currency in the form of rubios. Money promotes greed and greed is a sin we will no longer abide. We, the gods, provide. You, the people, shall have. From this day forward, all homes should have modern conveniences if the owner so desires. All homes will be where you can make your sanctuary, be it large, medium, or small. Grand, modern, or modest. No longer will you have to pay for your homes as the materials to build are provided by we alone, the gods. For every human will lift their hands to help their fellow humans in all things.”
Odessa rose now, to stand with the other two gods. There were murmurs around the crowd as the people took in what the gods were saying. “This one demands your undivided attention,” she said. Again, the people quieted and stared at the four gods. “This one agrees with these two. This one, the goddess of water, provides what nurtures you. This one will not do so for those who break our commandments. We, the gods, provide water, heat, wind, and earth freely. No longer will we hold back our blessings as long as our commandments are obeyed. You, the people, must also provide for each other for free. From this day forward, the system of the Elites is no more. No longer will one hold monopoly over all. Only the gods shall have such domain. No longer will businesses charge for their wares. What is available shall be shared and reproduced to share again.”
At that announcement, there was an applause, even as those who sat in the Elite section groused amongst themselves.
“Messengers have been dispersed throughout the lands to deliver these commandments to every house in our lands, including the badlands,” Eloy stated. “From this day forward, you are all equal amongst you. No man or woman is worth more than the other.” As he said the words, he felt his heart swell for he knew he was finally doing the right thing. This was what they should have done over two hundred years ago, and Eloy knew it.
Kijani rose now and shuffled over to the other three. “From this day forward, I, the god of earth, will provide. Food shall grow, life will flourish, and you will all receive our blessings as long as you are in obedience. You, the humans, will form your government with our guidance to ensure that our commandments are not broken. It must be a fair and just government for if not, you will feel the wrath of our anger. That is all,” he said.
The four gods stood among them, united in their proclamations. Together, they turned and walked away, leaving the crowd to digest what they had said. Each god went to their own limos that were waiting for them. Eloy climbed inside his, a smile on his face now that they had made changes. He knew it would take a while for people to adjust, but he would see it happen as would the other gods. Soon, he would be able to spend his time with Mateo and he couldn’t wait for that.
When he saw Mateo enter the sands, his blood boiled with the rage he’d felt at being disregarded. He had given Rama strict commands to not include Mateo in the Games, yet he had. The human would have to answer for that offense. Even worse was when he saw who Mateo’s opponent would be. None other than the Champion himself, Titus. His breath caught in his throat when Mateo looked up at him, as if saying goodbye. He couldn’t hide his pleasure when, during the fight, Mateo took the lead, injuring Titus into submission.
Still, regardless of Mateo’s victory, Rama had to answer for his insolence. He had put Mateo’s life in danger. Eloy could have watched his lover, the one human who meant the world to him, die a needless death. Simeon had been right all along, every life was worth something to someone and should not have been wasted for entertainment. They had stopped wars because of the cost of life, yet had forgotten their goals so many years later after reuniting the lands into one.
Eloy frowned, then called to his driver. “I will see the Ludus owner, Rama. Fetch him for me.”
“Yes, god Eloy,” the driver said, then turned off the engine and exited the automobile.
Eloy had hoped that Rama was still in the stands, contemplating the new commandments as were many of the humans. The wait wasn’t as long as he’d feared and when the back door opened with Rama standing there, Eloy beckoned the human inside. Quickly, Rama climbed in and took a seat in the limo opposite Eloy. He rubbed his hands up and down his thighs as if his palms were sweaty and he was trying to dry them off. Perhaps, he was. He looked down, not daring to look the god directly in the eyes, a most meek approach.
“Do you know why I called for you?” Eloy asked.
Rama swallowed and nodded as he continued to nervously fidget. His left leg began to twitch all on its own and he had no way to control it. “Yes, god Eloy.” Never had he been in the presence of a god and he could feel Eloy’s a
ura flowing through him, intimidating him… humbling him.
“Can you give me a good reason as to why you disobeyed my command?”
Rama licked his dry, trembling lips. “I had been sworn to secrecy, god Eloy.”
“Speak this secret or I will cut out your tongue.”
Rama froze at the threat; one he knew was not given idly. His teeth chattered before he found his voice again. “I did the only thing I could to protect Mateo, god Eloy. I had no choice but to bring the two to match. Please spare my life,” he begged, then fell to his knees on the limo floor, head bowed low, until his forehead touched Eloy’s feet, his hands clasped together as if praying, which he was.
Eloy’s eyebrow knitted as his lips turned downward. “Who has sworn you to secrecy?”
“Please, god—”
“Speak the name!” Eloy barked.
“The god, Kijani!” Rama blurted out. Eloy couldn’t see the human’s facial expressions, but if he had, he would have seen the fear in Rama’s eyes. How his opened mouth displayed his own shock that he’d given up the name of another god. His body began to tremble as he awaited what he was sure to be his death. Especially now that the gods would have no use of him. Mateo was no longer his to own or to give away, thanks to the gods’ commandments. All was lost.
“What did Kijani demand of you?” Eloy asked.
“That I pit Mateo against my Champion, Titus, god Eloy,” Rama replied. “He requested this of me before your request, god Eloy.”
“I see. Then now, explain to me what you did to protect Mateo.” Eloy nudged Rama’s forehead with his foot. “Sit back down. I will see your face when you speak to me.”
Rama took a deep breath and rose enough to sit back down on the leather seating of the limousine. He raised his face, but kept his eyes downcast. “I weakened my Champion with Rochelle’s Bane, god Eloy, in hopes that he would give a good fight, but live to see another.”
“Mateo’s victory was not clearly his own?”
Rama shook his head. “Not to the fullness, no, god Eloy. Had Titus not been altered, Mateo might have been the one to die upon the sands tonight,” he said.
“I care not, really. I would rather have Mateo than his victory over Titus. He is no longer yours to own, you do understand that, do you not?” Eloy asked.
Rama nodded. “Yes, god Eloy.”
“Still, I ask that you keep him with you for the time being. Tell him this is at my request. Take care of him until I come for him, do you understand? No harm is to come to Mateo.”
Rama nodded. “Yes, god Eloy. I will protect him.”
“Good. You will not need those gladiators any more in order to get the life you seek. No class separates you now from those you have envied. We, the gods, realize that this adjustment will take time. We have selected the most noblest among you to govern so that every human may have the life they so desire. Go now, get your house in order and see to the men who were in your charge. You will tend to Titus’ wounds, make sure he lives for the goddess Odessa has spared him,” Eloy said.
Rama nodded and bowed his head. “Thank you, god Eloy. I will.” With that, he quickly climbed out of the limo, closing the door behind him.
Eloy looked at his driver. “Take me home.”
“Yes, god Eloy,” the driver said. Before he put the car into gear, he turned to face Eloy. “God Eloy, what do the new commandments mean for me?” he asked.
Eloy smiled. “You may continue to serve as you have. Monetary gain is no longer important. You are no longer my servant. If you choose to leave, I will not punish you.”
The man looked away as he thought about his options, then smiled. “I would like to continue to serve you, god Eloy. I consider it an honor.”
“It is I who thank you,” Eloy said.
The man bowed as his grin widened, then he turned around to put the car into gear. Eloy smiled back, already the changes made were producing positive results. Soon, Mateo… soon.
CHAPTER SEVEN
TWO MONTHS LATER
“Ahhh, you’re finally up and about. Thank the gods,” Mateo said as he watched Titus shuffle around the medical bay where he had been recuperating for the past eight weeks. His wounds had been deep and the Rochelle’s Bane poison in his blood didn’t help him in his recovery. He suffered many infections, some the skilled medicus thought would be the one to take the former Champion’s life.
“No thanks to you,” Titus joked. “If you had sucked my cock just once, I could have healed faster. It would have been the least you could have done for nearly killing me.”
Mateo’s smile broadened as he approached the mighty gladiator. He hugged him ever so gently as to not injure him further. This was the first time Titus was strong enough to be on his feet. That was a great deal in part to the very rare medicines the goddess, Odessa, had sent to aid in his recovery. Had they not had those medicines, surely, Titus would have died. Something Mateo didn’t want to happen.
“I am just happy to see you upright, my friend,” Mateo said, then patted Titus on his muscular bicep.
Titus’ smile was notable, but bared a hint of sadness.
“What? You live, this is cause for celebration. Truly by the grace of Odessa’s mercy. She spared you in the arena and sent medicines to heal you. You should be ecstatic to have received such blessings from a goddess. I guess your cock meant more to her than you thought.” Mateo had added the joke in hopes of making Titus chuckle or at least smile.
Titus nodded. “Aye, I am happy. It is just… I feel that we… there is a rift.”
Mateo’s own smile faded as he realized what was on Titus’ mind. “I see. We are all free now, Titus.”
“I know. So where does that leave us?” he asked. “You called me friend… am I not more than that to you?”
Mateo walked away then, just a few steps as he pondered what he was going to say. The distance he’d put between them gave him some time. He finally turned to face Titus. “You will always be my friend, Titus. But I think we both have different paths to follow from now on.” He approached him again, and this time, took both of Titus’ hands into his own as he looked up into the gladiator’s slightly confused gaze.
“I do not understand,” Titus said.
“You have the goddess, Odessa’s, interest, Titus. You should go to her. You say you enjoy women as much as men,” Mateo said.
“I prefer men over women, but I can and do enjoy myself with them, aye. But even still, just because she has enjoyed my cock and conversation and has spared my life does not mean she wants to take me as her lover,” Titus pointed out.
“I do understand where you are coming from, but I cannot give you what you want,” Mateo said.
“Why, did I not give you everything?”
Mateo let Titus’ hands go, then took two steps back. “You gave me what you were willing to give me had I continued to give you what you wanted. We were never equal lovers, Titus. And though I care a great deal about you… I do not love you as lovers would love each other.”
Titus snarled. “You cut me deeper with your words than you did with your sword.”
“I speak only the truth. You know this. You know the times when I did not want to bed you or suck your cock, the threats you gave to me, both veiled and outright.” Mateo shook his head. “I do not blame you for this. The world we were forced to live in made us all do things that hurt others. I hold you not accountable. But still, I have known what equal love is. What true choice is. It is not in your arms. We are not meant to be, Titus.”
“And in whose arms did you experience these things if not mine? Was it the god, Eloy, the one who beckoned for you so often?” Titus asked.
“And if it was?”
“Do you think he can give you what you think I cannot?” Titus asked and hobbled a bit closer.
Mateo reached out, instinctively to help him, but Titus slapped his hands away.
“Answer me,” he demanded.
“Do not make this more difficult than it has
to be,” Mateo pleaded. “Instead, think about your feelings for the goddess, Odessa. Really think. How do you feel about her when you two have spent your moments in each other’s company? After and before the pleasure. She cares for you, Titus… why, she even visited you while you were recovering.”
“She did?” Titus asked softly.
Mateo nodded. “You should have seen Rama’s shock when she graced his door. My friend, I say this because I do care for you. I wanted freedom for you, so that you could have happiness. I beg of you, do not miss an opportunity that is best for you chasing one that is not.”
“Wise advice, young Mateo. This one can see now what Eloy has seen in the one that is you,” a soft, feminine voice said from behind them.
Both men turned quickly to face her. They gasped as they looked upon the beautiful goddess dressed in an iridescent gown of satin and lace with its flowing train. The gown shimmered as did Odessa eyes as she gazed at the two men. Mateo dropped to one knee and Titus grimaced in pain as he struggled to kneel before her as well.
Odessa held her hands out. “Do not attempt this foolish maneuver. Titus, you will rip your stitches,” she warned, forcing Titus to remain standing, but he kept his gaze down casted, as did Mateo.
“Th-thank-y-you goddess, for saving my life,” Titus managed to say in his humblest voice.
Odessa smiled and then turned her gaze to Mateo, who was still kneeling. “And you, rise.”
Mateo did as he was commanded, though he kept his eyes averted.
Odessa looked at Titus again and sighed. “It would have been such a shame and waste to have that one’s blood spilled upon the sands. Especially on the very sands that saw you rise to greatness. This one would not have it so,” she said. “Look upon this one, men, this one will see those faces.”
Deliverance: Book Three Finale (Gods and Slaves Series 3) Page 6