Page 24 of Deliverance
“Stand behind me,” Simeon commanded Mateo, who followed orders. “Kijani, stop this madness!”
“Do not interfere, Simeon. I do this for all of us. Eloy’s selfishness will be our ruin,” Kijani growled.
Eloy leaped across the wide crack in the ground, toward Kijani. “It is you who is selfish!”
“You would have us as weak as you,” Kijani snarled.
“Is being mortal so bad?” Eloy asked.
“Yes,” Kijani growled, then directed more of his power to collapse the ground beneath Simeon and Mateo and both had to lunge out of the way. The ground continued to crumble like dry dirt as they crawled desperately to avoid being swallowed up by the hole that was chasing them.
Eloy punched Kijani as hard as he could, sending the god rolling, then skidding across the ground. The action ceased Kijani’s powerful attack against Mateo and Simeon. He knew Simeon would survive the fall, but Mateo wouldn’t survive being swallowed up by the earth. This had to end now. He stormed over to Kijani and punched him again, this time bloodying his nose. Only a god had the power and strength to cause harm to another god.
“Do not make me do this, Kijani, please,” Eloy begged, before punching Kijani again.
This time, Kijani was able to block the blunt force of the blow and shove Eloy off him. He climbed to his feet and charged Eloy, roaring in rage as he did. Eloy’s eyes widened when he saw the wildness in his friend’s eyes. There would be no reasoning with him, not now, at least. He was on the defensive as Kijani delivered blow after blow, and was able to block half of them. He grunted when he was struck by Kijani’s fists, feeling pain for the first time in centuries. He countered one of Kijani’s punches with one of his own, sending the god staggering backward, and he followed it up with a burst of flame as a warning.
“Do not make me do this, Kijani!” he pleaded once he had the god’s attention. Kijani stared hard at him, his expression full of pain and resentment. Both of them were bleeding from various wounds that were already healing.
“It isyouwho is makingmedo this,” Kijani stated, then he raised both of his hands, causing the whole area to rumble. The trees toppled, crashing to the earth as more cracks in the ground formed and opened wider. Eloy knew this was Kijani’s final attack. No way would Mateo have a safe space to run to. His chest heaved with the rage he felt at Kijani’s actions, but he knew… knew that somehow it might come down to this moment. Eloy leaped forward, tackling Kijani, wrapping both of his hands around the god’s neck.
“Eloy,” Mateo cried out, forcing Eloy to turn to him.
Eloy’s eyes bulged when he saw Mateo grasping for the ground as his body hung into the abyss. Simeon was struggling to free his feet from where the ground had trapped him thanks to Kijani’s skillful attack.
“Mateo!” Eloy screamed as he released Kijani’s throat, freeing the god, who coughed and gasped for air. He raced over to Mateo, leaping over cracks and holes until he reached him. He grabbed Mateo’s wrists with both of his hands. “Hang on!” he said as he began to pull Mateo from the seemingly bottomless pit he’d been dangling over. He pulled Mateo up and Mateo scrambled out of the hole and into Eloy’s protective arms. His heart was pounding more fiercely than it ever had when he was in the arena.
“Kijani, stop!” Simeon yelled just as he managed to break free of the earth by using his wind to brush the soil away.
Eloy looked up just in time to see Kijani rush toward them, knife in hand. Simeon leaped in front of them just as Kijani’s blade came down toward Eloy’s chest. Instead, it struck Simeon, piercing his flesh and bone until it reached his heart. Simeon gasped in pain as blood began to seep from the wound. Kijani backed up, his mouth open in shock at what he’d done.
“What did you do?” Eloy yelled. He let go of Mateo to grab Simeon, who was laying helplessly on his lap, having sacrificed himself to save him. Eloy quickly inspected the weapon, seeing the ornate jeweled handle and noting its celestial origin. “It is a god’s blade. Oh Simeon, no… no… no.” Eloy’s hands trembled as he reached for the blade, removing it. “Please heal,” he prayed, although he knew it was futile. For a god, being stabbed with one of the four God’s Blades was their end.
Simeon gasped for air as blood bubbled up from his mouth. He reached up, his hand shaking as he placed his hand over Eloy’s, patting it softly as if to tell him it was “okay”. Eloy’s lips trembled with both rage and sorrow as he watched the blood pour from the wound in Simeon’s chest. He shook his head as tears began their descent down his cheeks as he felt heartbreak for his friend.
“I am sorry, Simeon,” he said.
“I am not. Li…live… Eloy… lo… love,” was all Simeon could muster to say as his life began to drift away.
Eloy pressed his forehead to Simeon’s and growled in his ire. He could feel the heat rise up within him, boiling like a volcano ready to erupt. He looked up at Kijani with eyes redden with tears, he teeth bared in his fury. “You did this!”
“I… I did not—” Kijani stammered.
“Enough!” Eloy roared. “Goodbye, Kijani,” he said before using his ability to engulf the god in an orb of fire.
Kijani screamed as the flames singed his flesh. He called upon his own power to encase the flames, to smother them with dirt. The flames started to die out until a gust of wind blew the dirt away and gave new life to the flames, creating an inferno surrounding Kijani. The god flailed about, his arms waving erratically as the fire devoured him alive. The two gods continued to burn Kijani until his body fell to the ground, lifeless and charred beyond recognition. They watched, both crying as Kijani’s soul departed his body in a golden mist that ascended to the sky. They knew that Hersi had called the god home finally, now that his human vessel had been destroyed.
Eloy sighed, then looked down at Simeon right before the god took his final breath. He then watched as Simeon’s soul left his vessel in a golden hue toward the heavens. He leaned down, kissing Simeon’s forehead. “Thank you, my friend. May Hersi welcome you with peace and love, for you were always the best among us.” Gently, he placed Simeon on the ground, then turned his attention to Mateo, who was also crying.
“I… I am sorry,” Mateo said.
Eloy shook his head. “It was not your fault,” he said, then wrapped his arms around Mateo, holding him close to his chest. He felt Mateo’s arms around his back, squeezing as hard as he knew the human was capable. He kissed the top of Mateo’s hair, which was covered in dirt from Kijani’s attacks.
“Come, Mateo, it is not safe here,” Eloy said, then carefully rose to his feet on the unstable ground. He helped Mateo rise, then lifted Simeon’s body and gently put it over his shoulder. He led the way through the cracks and crevices, passing Kijani’s charred remains. He stopped for a second to mourn his friend, saddened that his jealousy had led them to this moment. “May Hersi be merciful to you, Kijani. We will see each other again.”
“Are you going to leave him?” Mateo asked.
“I will return for his body once I get you to the safety of my temple,” Eloy explained. “Let us go.”
