My Mortal Gambit

My planning for freedom had begun in earnest. I tallied in a notebook that Asa manifested for me. It was satisfying to finally have a private medium to organize my thoughts.

Ydunn, like the other gods, needn’t sleep. Is there any time of the day when she is particularly at time’s mecry? Sometimes she sprawls in trees in “leisure” like when I first arrived, although, in that case, she could still sense when I come and go. Additionally, I don’t know how much of a head start I need to escape. It could be anything from five minutes to an hour or a complete vanishing act to evade her.

Obviously, Ydunn has no other mediums, so she is largely free to bother and follow me.

“You are deathly quiet,” she hummed into my ear.

“I normally am,” I replied after silent seconds.

“Hmm. Lately, it is like you are looking somewhere far away when you should be looking at me. Really, you still owe me blood and-” she mouthed.

I stopped listening. If she had telepathy that identified the user’s location or a sensing feature in the emblem, then any plan of escape was doomed, I figured in rising panic. I stifled it inside my fist.

“How does your telepathy and emblem work. Could they sense me anywhere if I got lost?” I asked.

She eyed me curiously. “No, my telepathy only works if you are in the talisman, and no emblem has a location-sensing agent. Telepathy is a rare and significant power to begin with. It isn’t in line with most of the god’s core essences.”

I could breathe a sigh of relief. Just not now.

“You sacks of meat don’t age; you starve. Never from a famishment of carbs. From chasing after carbs. Money. Fame. Ladies,” Ydunn foretold.

I eyed her outburst in attentive unrecognition. Ydunn is many things. Not a vague sage.

“That was one of my only memories as a human, Astrid. It is what my mother said and applies to you,” she continued with a grim expression. “Sacks of meat end up dying the same. It doesn’t matter from where on Earth you’ve come. The hundreds of lives I’ve seen. You can never contest with the world, least of all the gods. You are never adequate. Don’t hope for a life you will never receive. In fact, forget about everything and don’t think. Your people can only be kept as pets. I-I’ll do that for you.” Ydunn determined, forming a gesture with a hand on her chest.

“You have human memories, but you kill and torture them nonetheless. You speak in understanding, but act as a devil.” I felt my blood rumbling, and I barely held my tone.

She softly shook her head. “You haven’t been given the power and perspective I was given by the transient gods. The marriage of the tailisman I offer is an ascension of the human form. It gives power.”

“Look, I don’t care what justification you can give. Can you leave me alone?” I’ll improvise. This could be the exit strategy. Just mope out of sight and leave with no trace.

“Human life, this human that. Who cares? I can give you a blissful life, so don’t try to leave. I know that is what your actions and training in the talisman have been leading up to. I could see the writing on the wall.” She countered, pacing closer with her hands drawn behind her back.

I considered her proposition a final time.

Back home, I would walk the streets, and the lights on the streets would stare at me. It felt like not much else did. At least in a positive light.

Being held in encompassing light and coddled by a partner is one way to live. It was utterly enticing. You are a pet. You don’t have to concern yourself with anything. You can kick your legs up. You can be happy.

Who doesn’t want to be happy?

But I made a pact. And I know Ydunn and myself.

I want to reach the top. I want to save people who can’t save themselves. That is how I wished this world would be.

So I made my answer.

“I’m sure I’m only going to be kept around as long as you are bored and need someone to relieve your pent-up frustrations,” I voiced, rising up to her. I was the bare bit taller in the staredown. “You can’t love a human or protect a human.”

“Well, Astrid, I’ve come to understand who your patron god is. It is a real pain to kill another god, even the charlatan, Asa, but it is of no consequence. You should worship me alone. It is clear your attention and choices are divided.”

“How old are you?” I inquired.

She batted a starry eye. “Asking a lady for age? That hasn’t happened in thousands of years.”

“Exactly, I don’t think our union would last more than a month.”

Her mouth was ripe with delight. “You don’t want to be with me so much. Do you have any idea how much that makes me want you?” she voiced.

I turned my head away.

Leave me alone, dammit. What am I going to do when Ydunn takes to battle? Asa can’t fight someone this strong, and I’ve not matured enough to tip the odds. I forced my brain to work faster than I considered possible as my palms sweat. Most of the paths I imagined were bloodbaths on our side or uncertain. The only viable path I glimpsed was to expand the god game of Metagenesis that we played.

“How about a contest instead, Ydunn? Whoever becomes a morphic god first between you and Asa. I will be theirs.” I declared right down into her wild glare.

“Couldn’t I kill Asa first?” Her cheeky voice replied.

“If that makes sense, considering it will weaken your position and power for a possibly long future. If you are seen as spent, the other gods will take their chance.” I gambled.