Tirian knelt at the feet of a god, ready to receive the power he did not earn. He had deceived a god.

Again.

"Do you swear to obey me, to follow my precepts, and to give me your Devotion, every day until the end of your life?"

Tirian resisted the urge to grin, maintaining his serious expression.

He'd almost bumbled his backstory. Still, Elmarad, the god of electromagnetism, was about to ordain him. Since Elmarad's ranks were growing so fast, he put little effort into remembering each of his acolytes. Such a burst of membership was the perfect time to get ordained.

"I do," he lied. "I swear to follow you, to serve you, and to seek your will, until my last breath."

Elmarad nodded. "Then I grant unto you the power of electricity and magnetism to bring to pass my will, to convert followers to my cause, and to protect my devotees in whatever nation you may be."

Elmarad reached down towards Tirian's head. Tirian closed his eyes. The god's hand was so close Tirian could feel the divine energy of the Endowment humming in the air. Anticipation built up within him, threatening to burst.

In the distance, he heard heavy footfalls echoing down the marble chambers. Someone was approaching fast, feet stomping in that way that showed fatigue. Worry struck home. Was he about to be discovered? Not now, not when he was so close. Inside, he urged Elmarad to hurry. Excitement bubbled within him as the risk increased. This was going to be very close.

Elmarad's finger finally touched Tirian's forehead, and he felt a spiritual door open in his Core, like suddenly discovering a new limb. A new space where energy could be gathered in and used later. A grin tugged at the edges of his lips, but he forced it down. There would be time for celebrations later. He ran through thoughts of seriousness, of sadness. That helped his hint of a smile dissipate.

He opened his eyes. Looking up at Elmarad. Elmarad nodded firmly. "You serve me now."

“Lord Elmarad!” a man shouted as he stumbled into the throne room. Elmarad and his high priests turned their gaze to the newcomer.

"We've been deceived! He's an imposter and a thief!" the man said, breathing hard and pointing at Tirian.

Elmarad's gaze snapped back to Tirian. Tirian put on his best look of innocence and confusion, as if he were hurt by the accusation. He wondered how the man had discovered the truth.

Elmarad's fingers suddenly crackled with energy. A tingle went up Tirian's spine. But he didn't let fear show on his face. “Are you a spy?”

Tirian raised an eyebrow. "A spy would never make it this far into your ranks," he said.

"But we received a tip," the man said.

Tirian stood up, causing everyone to flinch. Tirian let out a disarming smile. "Well, where did it come from? What did it say?"

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"It said you're insincere, that you don't wish for Elmarad to be your god. That you follow no god."

Tirian looked at Elmarad. Concern was on the god's face. He likely wondered if the tip was true.

"You still didn't answer my first question," Tirian said, "And be careful, you stand not only in the presence of ordained priests of Elmarad-" he signaled to himself and to the other priests in the room. "But the god of electromagnetism himself."

"It is odd that you would interrupt an ordination ceremony for a mere tip," Elmarad said, eyeing the man.

The man was looking flustered. "I… I got it in a letter. From one of my agents."

"How was it written?" Tirian said.

The man looked confused. "What… do you mean?"

"What type of pen, what type of paper? Any clues in what they wrote?"

The man paused for a moment, then pulled out a thin sheet of paper. Tirian snatched it out of the man's hand. He read the words. They said that Tirian was a liar, that he planned to spy on Elmarad.

“Now, here, it says 'I believe the heathen intends to lie to our god, to trick him,” Tirian said. "Honestly, I'm surprised you're even here."

"Explain yourself," Elmarad said. "I grow tired of this tedium."

"Exactly," Tirian said, keeping the smile off his face. "Your acolytes are among the most loyal and grateful to you. You destroyed a wicked god and took his place. For that, we are ever grateful to you."

Tirian gave a deep bow.

"Gratitude can be feigned," Elmarad said.

Tirian nodded.

"But true adoration cannot," Tirian said, "You are a god among gods, my lord. Your land is great, and your rule true.”

Tirian knelt again, "I feel this letter comes from some rival of mine, some petty fool hoping only to gain power from you. I came here because I believe in you."

Tirian looked around the room at the lower and higher priests. Some frowned, and some looked puzzled. "Did I ever ask to become a priest?"

The room went silent. He answered for them. "No, I didn't. I only wanted to serve in whatever way I could."

"It's true," one priest said. "When he was assigned to work as a cleaner in the smithy, he never complained. Not once."

"When others would argue your decisions, my god, he would defend you every time."

The man who had entered with the sheet frowned. "But it should be investigated!"

Tirian shook his head. "Many are jealous of Elmarad's priests. To serve under our nation's savior, to sit at his feet and learn magic and morals. Have former failed students shown resentment at those who succeeded?"

One priest nodded. "Yes," he said. "A few have, yes."

Tirian looked back at Elmarad. "Wouldn't you say that whoever offered these tips should be investigated? Not a man who has proven faithful in different tests time and time again?"

He gauged Elmarad's reactions. Elmarad's forehead was compressed, showing a frustrated scowl. Elmarad's nostrils flared, and the scowl deepened. That last bit had been too much. He was discovered.

Shit.

Before Elmarad could respond, Tirian acted. He drew on the kinetic energy in his Core and hurled himself into the air, his stomach flipping at the sudden movement. Tirian laughed and drew more energy to propel himself faster towards the ceiling, burning through energy that had taken months to gather.

"Kill him!" Elmarad shouted below.

“Been a pleasure!” Tirian shouted as he approached the skylight in the center of the throne room's ceiling. He thrust his hands out and let out a burst of kinetic energy and heat, shattering the rapidly approaching glass in an explosion of semi-liquid shards.

His hair stood on edge. Lightning would come his way any second now. He let out a scream as he tucked his arms and legs in close, scraping his arm against a shard of boiling glass as he shot out of the throne room and into the sunlight.

He spared a glance behind him just as a massive spiderweb of lightning and the deafening boom of thunder erupted from the palace roof. Tearing out stone and metal like pebbles. The flash left an imprint on his vision, and his ears rang with the sound, causing everything to go muffled.

He looked away and saw the entirety of Elmarad's stone and brass palace arrayed before him. Elmarad screamed in rage. But Tirian continued to fly, hurtling over the rooftops and toward the grove that bordered Elmarad's grounds.