Page 21

“Perhaps. But it’s the one I want the answer to.”

“Do you have any idea what you are rejecting?”

“No, but you said it yourself: I’m a scientist,” I affirmed and stepped closer to him. “Meaning what I want to know is motivated by my own personal desires, not that of the Gods.”

He took a step back, wrinkling his nose, a dramatic gesture meant to draw attention to my contaminated appearance and scent. I took another step forward. He glared at me, but stayed where he was. “As you will it,” He spat.

Only then did I keep a respectable distance from the God. “I ask you once more: Why are you so insistent on me asking you questions?”

“A God requires faith,” He began, seemingly careful with his words. “If I were to grant you favors without you, yourself, directly asking them of me, you would become my Champion.”

“Champion…” I drew out the word, letting the God decide if it was a question or a statement.

“I find the idea of granting you such honor repugnant. So an exchange it is: for the song you gave this child, I have given you a truth and as I vowed, I will now make an offer.”

“Very well.” It wouldn’t hurt to at least hear him out.

“This child with us.” The God gestured to the mass of shadow. “It wishes to be like you and I find the idea entertaining enough to make true its aspiration.”

I looked at the cloud of shadows, really examining it, from the smokey black form to the two little flickering lights peeking out, to its not-quite-male, not-quite-female voice. Then I asked the God, “How exactly do I fit into this?”

“This is the creation of a new species alike yet unlike your own race.” He rubbed his chin. “It will need time. In two hundred years, it shall meet its life-partner but until then it must absorb the world and take from it what it wills.”

“And you want me to watch over it?”

“For a time, yes.” The God smiled.

“What will you give me in return?”

“Three favors.” The God answered so quickly I was sure this was all planned. “But they must be stated here and now or be rendered void.”

“And how exactly are you sure I will watch over him well?” The question was most likely a mistake on my part, but curiosity was only natural.

“Because if you agree, once your favors have been granted, your souls shall be bound in friendship. Never shall either of you be able to betray the other and never shall you also feel the spark of lust for each other or each other’s life-partners.”

“Are both our life-partners female?”

“Yes,” He said. “But why the question.”

“Why emphasize the life-partner angle if from the start women not our own hold no physical interest to us?”

“Anomalies happen, it’s better to be safer than sorry.” He shrugged. “Shouldn’t your life be proof of that?”

“Perhaps.” I chuckled.

The God commented, “You’re stalling. Why?”

“That ritual is both invasive and harrowing.” I grimaced, taking a step back. “Moreover, my reproductive organs have only recently returned to a semi-normal state. The cause of which is due to my beloved’s existence, so even other males hold no interest for me. Given this, it might be better—”

“You will have three favors of a God.” He cut me off. “In your current situation can you really afford to reject such an offer?”

I clenched my fists, watching as my own vein exploded. The pain and adrenaline bringing a smile to my face as I completed the necessary steps of cell regeneration. I held my now rejuvenated hand in front of me, the blue lines of veins reflecting against too-pale skin between blotches of dirt and grime. I was alive and the fact that my hand had healed so quickly meant I was no longer alone. Only when I calmed myself completely did I lower my hand and look into the eyes of the God. “Then for my first favor, I want to see my beloved.”

“Why not ask to bring her here instead?”

“In my current state, it would only frighten her.” Or repulse her. But if she was the sort to enjoy a sloppy, careless appearance, I imagine my mother would personally ensure our union ended in disaster. “We will meet in due time,” I said, “The most important thing before any experiment is to gather data and information. If I don’t have that, how am I supposed to succeed?”

“Very well.”