I've lost quite a bit of my Oplenthiom's land. Even the land I'd previously conquered from The Purified Heavens is held tightly within the dragon's claws.

That's fine, I'd thought.

Keep giving me time to strengthen the gods' summoning ritual, I'd thought.

"... Do ... It now! ..."

Yes, I am finishing soon, dear gods. Please have patience. I'm not a god myself.

...

What I'd THOUGHT was not what was borne out in reality. Pure Evil must be that beast's true name, because it finally did exactly what I'd been hoping would never happen.

Murder. Not just a little, either. Mass murder.

"Ohhh, my heart is heavy."

In excess of 1.3 billion lives. That's just the sapient species, plus dragons. It doesn't count those who've always lacked sapience. The gods don't care! Those who lack a name are not counted as a kill. They're seen as a sacrifice; a beast to be slaughtered. How many more non-sapients died? I can't imagine. All I know is: countless birds, small critters, and livestock dropped dead.

The gods didn't seem nearly as concerned about Chronomet as I was. Not until it did THAT and drew their ire. Taking so many of the gods' tributes is unacceptable.

Completely unacceptable.

I understand and agree with their rage and fury. We exist for the gods' sakes; taking us from them is wrong.

My ritual blazes to life without my intent.

Oh, gods! Are you so angry?! But, I didn't delay you because of anything but respect for you. I fear this won't be enough. My ritual is not yet powerful enough to bear your entire divine grace!

"... Any longer ... Will be ... Too late ..."

Ah. I see. I was mistaken.

I throw myself to the floor.

"Please, forgive this pitiful one for not heeding your Will! I shall accept any punishment. I need not anything but your descent; I feel not anything but regret for my foolishness."

"... You made your decision purely out of respect for our godly design. Thus was heard clearly. You shall receive only a minor punishment. ..."

I feel something happen to my face. My eyes, my ears— they're gone. I may only see and hear the gods. That. That is fine. I accept it all.

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"Thank you, oh great one. Thank you for your endless mercy. Please, strike down the one called 'Pure Evil.' For it hast earnestly and openly borne the full terror of its true name."

"... That is not the dragon's name. Was that once its name? ..."

"Yes, dear god. It was. May this pitiful one question why you did not know?"

"... That dragon. ... Is connected to the former God of Time. Whom, we executed for selfishly holding Pure Evil. We tried to claim it should be sealed by all gods, but it argued that more gods should not be tainted by Pure Evil. In hindsight, it, perhaps, was right. ..."

"Dear god, I don't comprehend your meaning."

"... Pure Evil is a powerful weapon. Too powerful to ever be used, much less sealed within a single being. Yet now, it exists completely UNsealed, and is being used by that dragon. This must be why we couldn't see it; it ate our eyes. ..."

Dear gods. THAT is truly horrifying.

"What monster hath humanity wrought by experimenting with the Dragon God?"

"... An incomprehensible monster, Centrail. Incomprehensible, even, to myself. ..."

"May I ask, oh great one, why you aren't smiting it at this precise moment?"

I somehow know he shakes his head; I 'see' him in my empty vision.

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/078.png?v=2]

"... I need more time to condense my power. Even now, I feel that beast's evil strength growing. I fear it may already be too late. ..."

He seems to ponder for a moment.

"... This crime, is too great to be repaid by a single execution. Humanity, will pay the price for their arrogance. Not just the forsaken Purified Heavens. We shall take all that your kind possesses. That my. ... Former kind, possesses. Perhaps more. I must announce my decision to all of the holy land upon my return from slaying this vile beast. ..."

I feel a metaphorical cold flame burn through my mind. An existential dread that's truly sombering.

My entire species? Everyone? We're all punished because of one dragon?

"Your godliness, please! Please reconsider!"

"... The gods do not reconsider, Centrail. Do not sway from your divine task merely because it is nearing its end. ..."

I feel my body go limp. No, no! What have they done? What have those heretics done?!

"... Collective punishment may not seem fair, but fairness in the eyes of gods cannot be understood by mortals. ..."

But I didn't even DO anything. I don't deserve—

"... That's right. You did nothing. Thus you deserve nothing. You shall have, nothing. ..."

For the first time in my life, I feel a sliver of doubt.

Is this who I unswervingly worshipped?

Why are they so graceless and unforgiving?

It shakes its head again.

"... Mortals, and their silly whims. Accept what you are given, and what is taken away. That is why you exist. You exist to serve the gods. ..."

Its aura seems to shift to the horizon.

"... Damn, that accursed monster ate every single one. ..."

"Your godliness?"

"... It ate all those it killed, and then some. Every dead body on the planet, it has claimed. Even those interred in graves long ago. Even animals eaten for sustenance, still in the stomachs of the living. Why? Why those? And how? ..."

My body feels like it's shutting down. I'm sandwiched between an angry god and a vicious beast. No, now we're all in this dire position. I can't think clearly anymore— I see. I see! Self-sacrifice was always the answer.

"Then take my being, oh great one. Take it to condense your power. Go forth and kill the beast."

It nods.

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/078b.png?v=2]

"... Your willing sacrifice will be remembered. ..."

As my existence starts to wind down, I have one last thought; one final emotion.

I realize there's a contradiction.

Remembered by whom?

I feel the god grin.

"... Death. ..."