My God Pushed Me Off the Cliff for Character Development

Enteng welcomed himself inside the room of the elderlies and children with a trembling crowbar in hand. Bright. The night was getting closer, but it was as though everything was conspiring to keep him awake.

They all looked at him. Three kids who lost their parents. Two grandmothers were trying to console each other, and an old man was staring out the window. Enteng wanted to laugh. He scratched the corner of his lips. Cold. His breath remained heavy. He’s aware of how he smelled. Sweat. Rancid. Bloody. The sensation of the fight last night ripped the side of his head and boiled the rest of his body. Lines. He could see lines leading to the deaths of these people by his hands. He even felt like dodging even if no one was there.

Something terrible would happen.

He’s an old man. He’s bound to have this level of instinct.

He said that he’d protect them. Joey would agree. Enang needed to be protected. George would guide them. Uncle would follow him, as long as it’s not at the edge of the cliff. These people trusted him, too, with their lives. Of course, he didn’t have to re-establish his control yet. There was no need for it. There was just something coiling his heart, strangling it with the thought of something bound to happen.

Funny.

He enjoyed Joey getting punched for acting like a bitch. Now, he wanted to run.

The crowbar trembled again.

He snickered and closed his eyes. George was supposed to be downstairs, but he could still imagine his prickly green skin in his mind’s eye. Lines. The white lines were still there, glimmering. He’s doing this right now in front of people. He must’ve been looking suspicious for a while now. The older ones didn’t care. The younger ones continued to play.

He had thought of it before. Now, it seemed more and more like a good idea. He tightened his grip on the crowbar. Would they accept his decision, though? It’s easier to run with fewer people, especially without the children begging for food and the old ones who would only slow them down. He wondered what they looked like.

Enteng took that first step and bashed the old woman’s head, splitting her skull and spilling her brains out. The rest of the people inside the room screamed. The sounds would need to die down.

He shot his eyes wide. Reality was often disappointing, but he was glad that he saw no blood upon waking up. It’s just him, heaving, trembling. He dropped the crowbar, trembling at the thought he entertained, sighed, and limped to the corner of the room.

They might get attacked again. He’s hurt. Uncle was in a worse state. They wouldn’t be able to protect Enang. Joey would probably fold. He looked at those people that pretended that he didn’t exist. The old ladies were wary and kept glancing his way. The old man seemed disappointed. The kids were being kids. It was the easiest choice he could make, but he couldn’t do it.

He laughed at himself, leaned his back on the wall and into the corner, and hugged his knees where he snapped into slumber.

It was night.

He woke up on that summit again, where he faced Tabu, who was casting him a mighty shadow under the moon. She didn’t seem to move. Everything beyond his steps was a fall to his death. She seemed as lively as ever. Again, there was no fear in his heart. Freedom, the joy of not being able to do anything but gaze upon this winged entity leering at him with her many eyes.

“We meet again, Tabu.”

“Oh… we’re doing this bit,” Tabu replied, her confused voice ringing the mountain. “You don’t have to be so formal. It’s just you and me, and some unwelcome and intruding third company. But there is a reason why I dragged you back here.”

“Oh damn… You’re here to kill me, is that it? Is this because of George?”

“No…” Tabu’s voice trailed. “Not yet, anyway. I don’t even know why that c-cute plant, I have to admit, is bringing himself into this conversation. I don’t need to apologize at all, but I am bad at speaking like a true God since I really don’t care, but it does sound cool.” She breathed and the bottom of the mountain rumbled. “I’m here to give you power. You have gained my favor, once more. I’m learning a few more words from your tongue, and seeing you grow, in accordance to who I am, pleases me.”

“Do you have any reason for not bringing this up earlier, like before I fought Rayan?”

“You seem to forget that you don’t get to question me.”

“Fair.”

“That, and me and my friend want to cuck that bitchass cunt, Apolaki.”

“Is that the guy…”

“The ‘guy’ that your little friend, Uncle, worships,” Tabu stressed her words. “So, with all of my power that I’d be willing to give… I will give you the ability to wreck shit. You get to be a badass and outdo that bastard’s champion.”

“Do I get to know why—”

“What would you feel if someone kicked your ass and their reason was that they could and that they should?”

“I’d be angry.”

“Exactly.”

“I see.”

“You don’t, but don’t worry.” Tabu chuckled. “You already got the gist of the Blessing of the Tempest. How does it feel to be allowed to kill something with one hit, to sever a head just because your weapon followed a line only you could see? I am that amazing. And this would be easy.”

“Okay, so… Do I just get to do this new power you’re talking about?”

“Yes and no.” Tabu continued. “I am aware of your tendencies and complications. And as someone who’s game to worship me and display my authority to others, I can’t let you kill yourself again. I’ll have you deal with your complications, and teach you how to use this ability by pure instinct. Again, no pressure on the time. I can’t have you half-ass this ability and hurt my reputation. This is like your Hyper-something Time Chamber.”

Enteng raised a brow, grinning. “Have you watched…”

“Memories.”

“I see.” Enteng raised his hands in surrender. “Do I go with an incantation first or—”

The tempest blew and pushed him off the cliff. He didn’t get to scream. His body tore through the wind, not giving him any chance to think at all, except to put both his hands forward to maybe shoulder the fall—everything turned to black after a wonderful crunch, maybe after a few jagged rocks.

He woke up gasping with his body in one piece at the summit.

“Use my authority. Allow yourself to summon the wind by your side. Turn it into your weapon and fly. Do that after you’ve moved on from… your desire to meet your family at that farm?”

Tabu seemed to question herself. But it felt like she grinned a bit when she pushed him off to die once more.

“Tootles. Damn,” she chuckled. “I feel like I’m going to say that a lot this time around.”