The Hellilift Carriage ride was a bit tense, at least for Sophia. Being a God was hard, like really hard. You could disappoint people with just one wrong word, and maybe with another, you could construct an entire city. Some would use this power to their advantage, they’d go power mad and set up statues to themselves, meanwhile poor Sophia just wanted it to be over.

Stupid green, why’d I have to wear stupid green? She cursed herself inside her own head. One too many people tell me I look great in it, and it becomes the only thing I wear- great! Now I’m a God! How in the hell did that happen, did they just choose the color of their god out of a hat or something… Oh, shit, it’s cause the sky is green isn’t it- I bet that’s why it is… does that mean they think the sky is my shirt?

Sophia would really like to ask someone these questions but seeing how she was supposed to know everything, that would have come off a little weird. It would be like asking the teacher for the test answers- not a good look.

Sitting in silence for most of the trip, Timothy was trying his best to keep a low profile. He knew he had messed up with his silly hill remark and he wanted to make up for it somehow. Perhaps he could ask the questions that Sophia could not, he would just have to phrase them correctly. “Xulut-Indula?” He piped up.

The Priestess was looking noticeable less enthused as time went on, Timothy hoped it was just because she was getting tired. “Yes?”

“I was wondering…” Wording, wording, how should I word it? “As a… young person… I have only worshiped So- The Goddess a little while. I was wondering how long this ‘worship’ has been going on?”

In the seat across from him, Sophia’s ears perked up.

“We have followed the Goddess for generations!” The question somehow relit the spark inside the Quiludian. “It has been going on for hundreds on hundreds of years!”

“How interesting!” Timothy beamed, being absolutely genuine. “I wonder how it started!”

The Priestess blushed. “Well, it truly started when the Goddess herself molded this world by hand.” She couldn’t help but glance at Sophia’s hands- which was a bit uncomfortable, and she quickly responded by slipping them into her pockets. “But the worship of the Goddess started when the Prophecy was read.”

“The Prophecy?” Said Timothy, who then realized that he should probably pretend he knew what that meant and changed his tone quickly. “Ah, yes- the Prophecy, I totally know all about that. But I never really knew where it came from!”

“Oh, no one knows how the Prophecy was started.” Xulut-Indula was quick to explain. “It is said that the knowledge of it was simply given by the Goddess herself. Well, that is one theory that people are inclined to follow. Some think that it was found scribbled on one of the walls of the Great Caves of Tallizumdul.”

Sophia mouthed the words ‘the mountain,’ to clear up Timothy’s confusion.

“Wow, neat.” Timothy twiddled his thumbs in apprehension. “So, how did that Prophecy go again?”

The Quiludian raised one of her three eyebrows at the Goddess, ‘this is your follower?’ She was trying to say. “Yes… of course, I’ll tell you.” She cleared her throat. “While there are many translations of the Prophecy, all agree to these simple facts: The Goddess herself, who breathed life into our world, will one day return to the place she created. From the stars she would fall and, when it is her time of choosing, she would deliver the ground itself from its lasting slumber!”

“And then?”

“Then the world will rejoice and be plentiful.”

“How would she ‘awaken’ it?” Sophia winced as she caught her mistake a second too late, thankfully Xulut-Indula didn’t notice.

“Only the Goddess- you, your Holiness, know when and how.” Then she decided to add with a coy smile. “Though that doesn’t stop the artist folk from depicting how they’d imagine it.”

So that’s up with all the paintings. The ‘Goddess’ realized. “Nothing stops an artist from doing anything, especially when there’s a big mountain involved.”

“Oh, speaking of which, we are just passing it now!” The Priestess gestured out the window to where the Hellilift was currently taking them by the mountain.

As she had mentioned before, on either side of Tallizumdul and dug deeply into the ground were two large cave openings. From afar the entries into the cave seemed like they formed a sort of M on the mountainside. The holes were wide and spacious and surrounded by what looked like futuristic mining equipment. Sophia wasn’t sure, but she thought she could hear a gentle pounding- like something digging into metal.

“Do these count as two of the Holy Sites?” Timothy asked casually, unaware that he had blocked everyone’s view by placing his face on the glass. Thusly, he didn’t notice Xulut-Indula nod.

“The Lavender!” As the Hellilift moved along, Sophia noticed despite Timothy’s blockage that the ship was no longer smoking and had been moved into a slightly less uncomfortable-looking position.

“Yes, the repairs on your Holy Vessel are nearly complete.”

Sophia breathed a secret sigh of relief, maybe we can get out of this mess soon.

After a while, the Hellilift just like before placed them all safely at the final Holy Site. The two friends glanced at each other as they realized it was the same exact shape as the last site that they had visited. Another glance happened when they were led up an identical set of stairs and led up to an identical golden door.

“This place is known as Mendulla, it is the final Holy Site on our journey!” The Priestess explained, voice full of passion and life.

“Is it, uh, like the other two?” Sophia asked, voice full of slight boredom and sarcasm.

“No, unlike the Great Caves who share appearances and Vendulla and Aendulla who are alike- Mendulla is unique.” And, with a slight tilt of her head towards Timothy, added. “I hope this one is to your liking.”

They didn’t have time to wonder about what was on the other side before Xulut-Indula breached open the doors- this time light did not pour in because there was a cloud, but you get the point.

The two looked out and eagerly sought out the ‘unique’ thing they were supposed to see. Below them sat… the same thing as before. It was quite boring actually; it was the same massive mound of dirt surrounded by the Colosseum. The only difference was that this one didn’t seem to be maintained as well- there was a giant crack down the middle of it giving it the impression of a sort of ground football.

“Wow!” Timothy exclaimed, dropping to his knees. “My Goddess you have truly molded a beauty with your own hands! I weep in its presence!”

Both Xulut-Indula and Sophia exchanged a look that can only be described as ‘is he for real?’

Blurp-Bleep!

Xulut-Indula pulled up the sleeve of her robe to reveal some sort of communication device strapped to her wrist. While this technology was far beyond any of our understanding and way more powerful than a radio tower- it could easily be described as a Space-Apple-Watch. The Priestess turned and gave a meek smile. “I’ve got to take this.” She left through the doors, closing them behind her.

Sophia fought the urge to say something sarcastic- and lost. “Well done, Timothy. I’m sure that display really convinced her.”

“Do you think?” He said, bright-eyed. “I really went for it, you know!”

It’s hard to insult an idiot, and Sophia just rolled her eyes. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it! I mean, I do admit that the Holy Sites were a bit disappointing but the rest of it was just a beauty!”

“Maybe for you.” Sophia crossed her arms and looked away. “I’ve got to be a God, and it feels like I’ve failed.”

“Well, I’d imagine that only a God would be good at being a God.” Timothy put plainly. “That’s why they call them Gods!”

She didn’t know why but that almost made sense. “I hate it, I wish we could just leave and be done with it.”

“Oh dear, I’m sorry to hear that,” Timothy waddled over and went for a hug- but withdrew when he saw Sophia curl her fingers into a fist in preparation. “I imagine that it isn’t easy, especially with all those eyes looking at you.”

“More eyes than usual.” Sophia snickered. “It’s just that… I can’t imagine myself as this sort of person that I’m pretending to be- it feels wrong, like I’ve crawled into somebody else’s skin. Heh, I guess I’m just bad at being anyone besides myself.” She gestured towards herself, aggravated. “Look at me, I’m not a Goddess! I ain’t the stuff of prophecy! I’m just a person, but still these people would probably follow me into a volcano if I asked them to. I don’t like this power; it feels like I could just explode everything in a second!”

Timothy’s cheery nature diminished a little bit as he listened to what she had to say. “Back at the orphanage, the kids and I used to play this game called ‘Simon Says.’ We would take turns being the leader or ‘Simon,’ well they would, they kept skipping me. But anyway, Simon would tell everyone what to do and they would all have to do it, but the trick was that if the leader didn’t say ‘Simon Says’ before they told you to do something, you’d get kicked out. I never liked Simon Says, it always felt like someone was trying to trick you into something but still you’d have to play along anyway.” He looked up at her and managed a weary little smile. “I guess it must feel like you’re playing the galaxy's worst game of Simon Says right now.”

Sophia nodded. “Yeah, it does kinda.”

“While I never really got to be Simon, I imagine the best thing to do is just play along and make sure everyone’s happy- until it’s not your turn anymore.”

Sophia wanted to roll her eyes, how the hell does that help? But the look in Timothy’s eyes told her that all he wanted to do was be useful. “Thanks.” She said, reaching over and giving him a friendly tap on the arm, “Timtam.”

He looked confused. “What?”

“Oh, just trying out a nickname.” Sophia smiled. “I do it for all my friends.”

Back through the doors, Xulut-Indula walked in. This time she wasn’t alone but came with two other armed Guards. “An incident has occurred back at the Palace, Goddess.”

Sophia felt her heart drop, that tone, she had heard it before. It was the same one her mom had used when she found out what she had secretly put in her brownies- the voice of someone who knew your secret. “What happened?”

“Apparently one of your Disciples has become injured.” All pretense of worship was dropped from her voice. “It would seem that there are things we all must discuss.”

…

The chapel was still crowded with people, where else would a Quiludian be on a day like today? The Royal Guard had just returned from his chat with the Goddess’s Disciples, strangely they weren’t with him. He took a seat in one of the front pews and waited, presumably for the Priestess to return, which after a long while, she did. Xulut-Indula returned closely followed by the Goddess and her fair-haired Disciple, her eyes immediately locked with the guard. She approached him and they both showed themselves over to the other side of the room where they began mumbling.

“Timothy, I don’t think this is good.” Said Sophia in a whisper. “They’re on to us.”

He would have responded but he was listening, instead, Timothy’s mind was elsewhere. “Sophia, where’s Alex and Neil?”

She looked around, but they were nowhere to be seen. “I don’t know.”

“Do you think they’re okay?”

“I don’t know, I…” Sophia bit her lip as she struggled not to get overwhelmed. “I don’t know but they better be, I swear they better be!”

Sophia began storming towards the two chatting aliens, someone needed to tell her what was happening now. “Goddess?” Xulut-Indula exclaimed.

“What is going on?” She demanded. “What’s happened.”

Zerat-Mondul stepped in front of the surprised Priestess. “One of your followers had a bit of an accident, I’m afraid.”

Sophia thought as she bit her tongue. “Who was it? Who got hurt?”

The two eyed each other. “That’s not important.” The Guard responded, coyly.

“The hell it isn’t!” Sophia walked straight up to the man and put her face up to his, she was a little bit shorter than him, but the effect was the same. “I’m going to ask you again, who got hurt?”

Xulut-Indula shook her head, “It doesn’t matter.”

Fire spread across the soul of Sophia’s body. She reached over and pulled the woman but the robes and screamed: “Of course it matters! They’re my friends and if you did anything to hurt them, I’ll… I’ll…” It was all she could muster to not shed a tear. “Just tell me, Neil or Alex, who was it?”

“Say that again?” Said Zerat-Mondul putting an orange-ish hand to his ear.

“I said,” Sophia repeated as loudly as she could. “Neil or Alex? Who’s hurt?”

The two exchanged one final glance at each other before both broke out into disgusting smiles. “I knew it.” Said the Royal Guard. “Now, bring them in!”

Timothy watched as the doors to the chapel opened again and out stepped his lost friends escorted by a large number of guards.. Alex looked worried like he had seen something terrible happen. Neil looked different- he looked hurt. Timothy gasped as he saw that a new bandage had appeared on the side of Neil’s neck, he was clutching it tenderly and he looked like he didn’t want to cry.

“What’s happening?” Sophia’s world was spinning, she could tell whether or not she was standing or flying.

“Followers, Friends!” The Priestess spoke her arms outstretched to the congregation. “Before you stand not your Goddess in Green, but a heretic using her visage as a means to blasphemy this Holy City!”

“That’s a lie!” Shouted Timothy from the back.

“I speak the truth, unlike you!” The Priestess yelled back. “Our Royal Guard conducted a private investigation and discovered that these outsiders speak nothing but deceit.”

Sophia hated how proud Zerat-Mondul looked, his chest was puffed out like he was already waiting for a reward. “Yes, I took it upon myself to look into this matter further. I had my doubts the moment I lay my eyes on these so-called ‘Disciples’ rotting in their holding cells. So, I decided to try and pry the truth out of them!” Here he pointed over to Timothy with a smirk. “At first, I wanted to question the one who was clearly a fool, but alas he fled me and I was forced to work with the next best thing.” He turned and looked at poor Neil, whose eyes couldn’t look up at him. “But I will give these heretics this, even at the end of my sword did they refuse to crack- no matter how deep I pushed.”

Neil winced, Sophia saw the reaction and a wave of anger she never felt boiled up inside of her. She knew that if Zerat-Mondul dared to come any closer to her, she would beat his face into a pulp- there was no swaying her from this notion.

The Guard continued, unpleasantly full of himself. “But ironically, the truth would come out of what I thought to be the smartest of this band of liars. Neil, was it? No, perhaps it’s Alex?” Alex felt a turn in his stomach, the realization of what he had done dawned on him like the world’s worst lightbulb. “You claimed to me that the Disciples of the Goddess had given up their names in devotion to her but yet, as we have all just heard with our ears, she calls you out by name! How interesting.”

“I…” Alex stammered; he was at the end of his rope it would seem. “I’m sorry.”

“Now, as I recall, I asked you another question as well, didn’t I? I asked you, ‘how do you punish a heretic?’ Guess what? You responded correctly!” The Royal Guard drew his Oath-Blade as did the rest of the guards that had gathered. “As blasphemers of the highest order, I call for your immediate execution! Guards, cut them down!”

The crowd gasped at the revelation, and so did all those who were about to be put to death. Sophia watched as Alex and Neil were thrown to their knees while Timothy attempted to make a run for it. He got as far as the door before a guard grabbed him and slammed him to the ground. In the next second, she saw all their swords raised, priming themselves for the killing blow.

It was silly, but at that moment the only thing she could think about was that stupid Simon-Says conversation from earlier- and then it clicked.

From deep down, past the self-doubt and the whirlwind of confusion and anger, she found a voice resting inside her and she used it now. “STOP!” Her voice practically echoed throughout the entire city, all eyes immediately turning and looking at her with attention. “I am the one you obey! I am the one you pray to! I am the one who molded the ground and made the sky! I am the one who fell from the stars! I AM YOUR GODDESS AND YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME!”

Some people in the crowd immediately dropped to their knees and started praying, others just watched on with amazement.

“You’re a liar!” The Priestess spat.

Sophia breathed; she was doing it. “Have you lost faith, Priestess? You would take the word of a guard over the word of me?”

Zerat-Mondul shook his head and came up to Sophia, “You’re not fooling us, heretic!” He raised his sword to strike.

“No!” A voice from the crowd cried out.

“Leave the Goddess alone!” Declared another.

Soon the entire assembly were shouting out in her defense.

“Don’t you see? Did I not show you proof?” The guard demanded, but yet his hand was stopped by their screams.

“Zerat-Mondul, can, you be sure?” Said an old man in the front pew. “Can you be certain you are not striking down our Deliverer?”

The guard scoffed, but he knew that in his heart he couldn’t be entirely sure, it was what he was taught. “No,” he said turning to Sophia. “But there’s one way to find out.”

“You don’t mean?” Xulut-Indula went wide-eyed.

“I do.” He said, raising his blade to the Goddess’s neck. “If you are truly our Goddess, then you can complete the Prophecy.”

“I choose when to awaken the ground!” Sophia declared, remembering the details.

He pressed the sword closer. “Then awaken it, now.”

Now if you have been paying attention, you’d probably know that Sophia was in fact, not a god- I do hope I’ve made that clear. Right now, it would be very convenient if she was, but that wasn’t in her cards. She felt the panic rise up again, she felt it muster in her soul. But the same old stupid conversation replayed in her head. “I’m Simon.” She muttered under her breath. “I tell you what to do.”

“What?” Said Zerat-Mondul, confused.

“I said, I’m your Goddess!” She beamed as her eyes fell onto the stained-glass window in the back of the church. “And I will complete the Prophecy, but I need to be on top of a really big mountain first!”