"Everyone, please clear the Chronometric Dais. Take your seats down there."
I motion to the huge rows of seating. I suddenly realize these people won't see or hear from far back. Hell, none of them will see over the back of the huge benches. Rawgh!
I secretly add video and sound inscriptions to each row to make every row a front-row seat. Nobody saw, reah?
When the dragons and others reach their selected rows, I hear gasps and murmurs. That's right: literal magic.
"Rawr!"
Happy roar again. Reheheh.
Finally, nearly everyone is seated. I see a few random people, mostly some curious yet prideful elves, filter in from a few portals in the back. I happen to see the top elven leader also exit from a portal. Roh, good! I wanted him here.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/091.png]
He selects a seat near the back and sits, then gawks at my inscriptions, pointing them out to his attendant.
I begin.
"I once heard an incredible phrase. That all are created equal. It implies we all start life— with equal abilities, equal talent, and equal wealth."
Some look confused. Especially the elf leader.
"Perhaps in the eyes of THIS god; all are equally beneath my grand design."
A few nods. The elf leader still looks on oddly.
"The truth is, we are not all created equal."
He gives a heavy nod and a slight smile.
"We are all different. Not in worth, but in all else. Measure, strength, intellect, birthright. We are all fundamentally different. Our only equality lies within the fundamental self. The power, that we each have, to exact our Wills upon the lives— of others! This sole equality is what gives rise to 'good,' and to 'evil.'"
The elf leader's eyes widen.
"I once heard another incredible phrase. All are equal, but some— are more equal than others."
Quite a few look confused; the elf leader especially.
"Should we, take our fundamental worth— the sole equality which all living beings share, and hoist it above others? Should we, revere our own worth, equal though it is, and believe ourselves beyond moral reproach?"
The elf leader shows consternation.
"The answer? I can give you the answer. The truth, however, must be found within the self."
I really reel up my voice.
"It is OUR fundamental right to exist! To yearn. To prosper. To fight— RIGHTEOUSLY! For everything that we deserve. To do that, we must first know in the deepest recesses of our hearts, our minds, and our bodies:"
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I speak normally, tilting my head in a bit.
"Do we also deserve each and every one of our desires?"
The elf king's jaw drops. I become more quiet.
"How, then, can we know what we deserve, if we are all equal in worth? It's so simple. Yet so incredibly difficult. Pain. Suffering. Hate."
I ramp my voice back up, but grasp my clawed hands toward my sides as if taking something.
"DO we cause these in others? Do we make them feel lesser for our own benefit? For our emotions, our needs, or for any other selfish desire?!"
I quiet again, pose neutral. I start by shaking my dragon head, then nod slightly with the last few words.
"If the answer is 'yes,' then we have chosen poorly. We'll never deserve what we have earned, received, or stolen, when we cause anguish while attaining it."
I deepen my voice but become louder. I raise my arms to my audience, gesturing to them.
"I expect from each and every one of you. I expect that you treat your fellows with the dignity that THEY DESERVE! In doing so, you will earn their favor— AND MINE! I expect, you will spread my word; not for my benefit, but for your own, and for the benefit of others. I expect, you will live your lives building the lives of others, and in turn..."
I drop my arms and my volume.
"They too, will build yours."
I gaze across my audience.
Stunned. Silence.
Nailed it!
...
...
...
Finally, after what seems like an eternity, the elf leader claps.
*klap-klap*
Rawh, rokay. Not what I had in mind, but I'm not complaining.
His clapping spreads to his attendants. It then reaches the non-dragons, and finally the dragons.
*klapklapklap*
*klapklapklap*
*thokthokthok*
The clapping turns into an almost roaring thunder of sound. Some even stand and begin to cheer at my imposing figure.
*KLAPKLAPKLAP*
*KLAPKLAPKLAP*
*THOKTHOKTHOK*
"Woo hoo!"
"Incredible!"
"Wooow! Yeah!"
I wave my arm widely.
Instantly: dead silence.
I'm... Still scary, I guess.
"This sermon is available on inscriptions I call 'video.' You can grab one for free on your way out. Each portal is labeled for its respective city. Simply look at it, and you'll mentally know the destination portal's city name. Also, a live view of each city's main street will show for anyone who's confused or illiterate."
Contrary to my expectation, many leap from their benches and rush to the bottom of the Dais' stairs. Most prostrate on the ground. All of the dragons are nigh-instantly there. All of them.
*shrush*
*kuffl*
*shrak*
*shuf*
...
After a moment of receiving their worship.
"Everyone except dragons; please leave the Chronometric Temple. I need to have a word with them in private."
The dragons start shaking. Much harder than earlier. Rah, darn you! Relax already!
The elf leader bows to me on one knee, then goes back to his portal. That's a surprise.
Over a million people file down the aisles into the huge portals.
{"That was..."}
{"Yeah."}
{"I need—"}
{"Get th..."}
{"You'd..."}
Those portals are three hundred meters tall and a hundred meters wide, so I had to reorganize their cities a bit to fit them on the other side. I hope nobody will mind too much.
Roh, wait. If their light goes through objects, people won't be able to stop seeing it even inside a house. Hra.
I add another conditional spell. It turns off the portal and temple lights for anyone inside an enclosed area and also for anyone who isn't looking directly at them. I then set only the closest three portals to show at any time. With this, they can act as lighthouses for anyone who gets lost in the wilderness.
A simple enough fix. Well, it's simple now that I've done so much of the hard work on my inscriptions already. Plus, my temple can still be seen on the other side of the planet, but now it shouldn't bother anyone.
That's so awesome. Like me! Hra, hra!
...
I note that my temple's finally become solely populated by dragons. Seems everyone left as instructed. Easy enough to get compliance when everyone's utterly terrified of you, hruh?
Let's see what I can do about my dragons' misgivings. You all are the first dragons in MY hoard— you should be much more draconic and domineering than... Whatever this is.
I look across the big shaking lizards.
"Does anyone want to speak?"
Nope. Dead silence.
Rokay, fine.
"You may know from your memories while sciolated, I'm not sure. Roughly ninety percent of our kind was killed off earlier today. That's because I ate them."
Their shaking dramatically intensifies. They're violently clenching their teeth to not start clattering.
Ragh, I know. I needed to get that out of the way.
It had to be said.
As does this.