by John Scalzi
After a few moments the pile took on a form. The form of the god as it was before.
The form breathed.
“It is alive,” Tephe said, to himself.
YES, said a voice in his head, warm and inviting and absolutely terrifying. GODS ARE HARD TO KILL. EVEN YOUR GOD IS NOT YET FULLY DEAD. WE WILL TAKE HIM. WE WILL BRING HIM BACK. MORE PUNISHMENTS AWAIT HIM FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE HERE FOR SO LONG, TO HIS PEOPLE AND TO YOURS.
“What of His followers?” Tephe asked, trembling.
THEY WILL LIVE AS THEY SHOULD HAVE LIVED, the voice said. WITHOUT DECEITS AND SUFFERING AND WITHOUT THE FALSE PROMISE OF SOMETHING BEYOND THIS LIFE. THERE IS NOTHING BEYOND THIS LIFE THAT YOUR LORD COULD GIVE. YOUR LORD LIED AND FED ON YOUR BELIEF OF HIS LIES. FAITH IS NOT FOR WHAT COMES AFTER THIS LIFE. FAITH IS FOR THIS LIFE ALONE.
Tephe thought of Shalle and all the others who had believed Their Lord and in a life beyond. He wept for them, and most of all for Shalle.
“And what of us?” Tephe said, finally. “What of the crews of these ships?”
YOU WILL DIE, the voice said. YOU AND ALL THOSE WHO TRAVEL WITH THESE GODS. THEY ARE FREE OF YOUR BONDS. THEY WILL LEAVE YOU WHERE YOU ARE AND YOUR SHIPS WILL BECOME COLD AND DARK AND AIRLESS. THOSE WITHIN WILL DIE COLD AND DARK AND AIRLESS DEATHS. ALL EXCEPT THOSE ON THIS SHIP.
“How will we die?” Tephe whispered.
YOU WILL BE FOOD. The voice said. THIS GOD WILL AWAKEN HUNGRY. IT WILL FEED BEFORE IT LEAVES. BUT BE OF CHEER. THIS GOD WILL LEAVE YOUR SOULS BEHIND.
“To what end?” Tephe asked urgently. “What becomes of our souls? Where will they go? What will happen to them?”
The new thing winked out of existence, leaving the resurrected god of the Righteous behind.
The god breathed, turned its head toward Tephe, and opened its jaws wide.
Tephe scrambled backwards, turned and ran for the portal of the godchamber. He yanked it open despite his pain and shattered chest. Behind him he heard the god lift itself to its feet. A clittering noise told him its claws were open. Tephe pulled the portal closed and caught a glimpse of the god taking ginger steps toward him.
The lights flickered around the Righteous as Tephe made his way to the command deck, more slowly than he would have liked. Around him crew moved as if in a daze, or sat, weeping. As Tephe made his way forward, the air had begun to thin and grow cold. Behind him, he heard screaming and slow footfalls.
Tephe reached the command deck as the Righteous fell into darkness.
“Captain,” Neal Forn said. “All of our systems are down. We have no power.”
“I know,” Tephe said, and pointed to the portal of the command deck. “Seal this portal,” he said, to the crew on the command deck. “And once you seal it, block it. Place anything you can in front of it. Now.” The crew moved at his command.
As the command deck portal shut, screams echoed down the walkways, close now.
Forn moved in close. “Captain, what is happening? We all felt something…”
“Our Lord is dead, Neal,” Tephe said. “I saw Him die. All the gods He enslaved are free. They are leaving the ships.”
“Without the gods, their crews will die,” Forn said, whispering.
“Yes,” Tephe said. “Sooner or later.”
There were screams right outside the command deck now.
“And us, captain?” Forn said.
“We will die sooner,” Tephe said, and turned to look at the command deck portal. There was what sounded like the clattering of knife points on it. “I am sorry, Neal. We will die much sooner.”
The portal was hit by something mighty, and hit again. The portal caved and buckled as if it were made of pulled taffy.
“What should we do?” Forn asked his captain.
The portal was ripped from its hinges. Captain Ean Tephe turned to face his friend.
“Pray,” he said.