shadows

game of gods (1)

Down in the dining room, the three were sitting as comfortably as the night allowed. Quiet. Warming themselves with a late night coffee. Each lost in their own thoughts. Each wondering about the outcomes of their choices.

And then there were four.

“What’s this? Coffee? I don’t remember there being such a drink back in the day. Doesn’t look much. But sure smells tempting. I would like a mug. Now.”

It was a picture that was disorienting. That was Anton’s face. And Anton’s voice. Even Anton’s expressions. But it wasn’t Anton. That was a god in Anton’s body. How could it be anything but disorienting.

Eustace was the quickest to her feet. She rushed to the kitchen. Brewed a fresh mug. Served the god with the nicest attitude.

“A good servant,” Anton commented. And laughed at the delight on the old woman’s face. He took a sip. Gave himself a whole minute to ponder on whether he liked the coffee. Decided he didn’t. Put the mug down on the table. Slid it away. And stared at the company, “I do have a question. A doubt, I must say. Precision is always good. So, the three of you performed the rite. The ladies are one team. The boy the other. Both teams were on the same page, about everything. Except that girl up there. The ladies offered her up as a sacrifice. The boy didn’t. What do you think I should do? Who should I side with?”

Anton sat smiling as Krom and Eustace glared daggers at each other. He waited just long enough. As the fight was beginning, he slipped away into the shadows. And was gone.

-

Anton opened his eyes to a room that felt familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. It was large in size. The largest he could imagine. And grand. Anything he could imagined was in there. And it was shrouded in an unworldly silence.

“This is the shadows.”

The voice came from directly in front of him. Anton looked up and unsurprisingly found himself staring at the shadow which was still the same amused.

“What do you think?” The shadow asked.

“What do you think I think?” Anton asked in reply. “You’re a shadow. And this is the shadows. I can see why you’re amused.”

The shadow burst out laughing. “You’re different.”

“Huh?” Anton tilted his head looking confused. “What are you talking about?”

“The you before. The you now. The two you’s are different. You don’t have a split personality. Let me see. What else could it be. Ah. I know. You don’t want to show this you to her. Your dear Milan. Is that it?”

“You’re not Tremor. Are you really a god? Or is that a lie too?”

The shadow went quiet for the longest while. Staring at the boy. Studying every inch of the boy. Studying the boy’s calmness. Wasn’t difficult to see that the boy wasn’t faking it. He truly was calm. And that got it thinking. Maybe, this would work. Maybe this really was an opportunity.

“You’re right,” it said. “I’m not Tremor. That battle crazy maniac has gone on. That i***t was always lucky. Not to say I was always unlucky. I was just lucky to draw the short straw this time. When it mattered the most. Anyway. I’m Miuyi.”

Anton sat up. Miuyi. He knew that name. Milan truly cared for him. She made sure he was well read in everything that mattered. And the gods mattered more than anything else. Miuyi was the god of the night. One of those quiet gods, why were so mysterious that they were frightening. Miuyi was also one of the stronger gods. The legend of the blood night had to do with Miuyi too.

In the beginning, the blood night was just an astronomical phenomenon. It was one of the most beautiful of the nights. And it was that beauty that attracted a demon over. And when the demon refused to leave, because it was so enamoured by the blood night, Miuyi had to intervene. Force the demon out. And make sure it kept away. The demon swore to find its way back. And Miuyi supposedly wished it good luck. He was that kind of a god. Just so powerful and so very cool.

“Let’s play a game,” Miuyi said.

He could see through Anton’s thoughts. Not that Anton had such a revealing face. Miuyi had just seen so much, Anton was but a slight challenge. Not even demanding much effort from him.

He didn’t care for Anton’s reply. He smiled. Laughed. And continued.

“I’ll give you a ticket,” Miuyi said. “A window. You cal find anyone. Pass on any message. Do anything you want. I will not stop you. I will not interfere. I will not hinder. I want to see what you will do. Show me.”

Anton wasn’t sure he understood. And so, he was in no hurry to answer. He remembered all of Milan’s lessons. And one that she stressed was very important was that there was no such thing as a free meal. This was also one of those lessons he understood well. And so, he stared at Miuyi. Allowing himself the time to calm down. For his heart to beat slow, at a normal pace. For his breath to lengthen. And when his voice was as steady as it could get, he spoke.

“There’s no such thing as a free meal.”

“You’re very right,” Miuyi said. “Unfortunately, you don’t have the opportunity to learn of the cost. So, what are you going to do?”

“I will take it,” Anton answered. Every bit of him oozing certainty.

Miuyi smiled. A very different smile. He wasn’t surprised. He was expecting this. He was hoping for this. He put up his hand. And snapped his fingers.

-

Anton found himself in a white world. He thought he would need longer. Finding the person he wanted to talk to. Figuring out the message he wanted to pass. He thought it would take forever. And that would be okay. After all, Miuyi hadn’t specified a time limit. But he didn’t want to take any chances.

The best way to change everything was to go back to the very beginning. And that was exactly what he did. He went back to before he was born. He thought of his mother. He saw her, floating in the whiteness. She was dreamy. He thought he would feel something. She was his mother, whom he had never seen. He didn’t feel anything. Maybe because he was running short on time. Or maybe because he had a god on his back. He thought about what he wanted to say. He kept it simple.

“You must live.”