A Good Person

High above Arkona, Morena’s candle burned out completely, disappearing without a trace.

“Look at that, Drago.” Veles pointed above him at the three remaining candles, all of which now burned brighter. “Your love pulled it off.”

“Are you saying that Milena defeated Morena?”

“Yes. But at what cost, I wonder?”

“What do you mean?” Dragomir furrowed his brow.

“I was there when we defined our abilities and limits. Morena’s were probably the most detailed… and complex of all.” Veles grinned. “Looks like your girlfriend is going to have a very important, albeit not very well-paid job.”

Before Dragomir could react, Perun leapt at him, snatching his axe in the process.

“Perun…!” Dragomir hissed.

Veles squinted at the God of Thunder’s candle. “Oh, right. You got a buff again.”

“I missed this so much.”

Perun swung the axe at Dragomir’s face.

“Not this again…!”

Dragomir tried to step back, but the axe was already too close, its blood-soaked blade gleaming in the reflection of his brown eye.

But then, it stopped.

A cold breeze brushed against Dragomir’s face as the axe clanked against the ground.

Perun stood frozen, a thick layer of ice covering his entire body.

Behind him, Milena aimed Morena’s staff at his back, bits of ice still sparkling around it.

“There… my revenge is finally over.”

“Milena?”

But it wasn’t just her.

An army of spirits stood behind her, their skin covered with frost.

“The villagers are safe. I had to get all of these guys under my control.” Even Milena’s parents were among the Navians. Mora, Rusalka… and her father, split into two Kikimora, dark silhouettes with impossibly long arms. “Why’d they call me an apostle, though?”

“Oh, the new Queen of Nav is here.”

“What?” Dragomir’s head snapped toward Veles.

“Do I really have to spell everything out for you, Drago?” Veles rolled his eyes. “She killed Morena and had to replace her. But it seems Milena didn’t become another Goddess. She only fills in for her… function.”

“It’s alright. It was my choice.” Milena aimed her staff at Veles. “Now you’re all alone. So tell us. What is your goal, really?”

Veles descended lower. “The old Pantheon of Gods was flawed. But I wasn’t strong enough to stop any of them.”

“So you orchestrated all of this to get rid of them one by one?” Milena asked.

“And used bohatiers to do your dirty work,” Dragomir added.

“Orchestrated? Damn, people really do overestimate me. I’m nothing but a former slave. Do you think I orchestrated my own rescue from an impossible world ruled by spirits? No… I’m no genius.” Veles flapped his wings. “I just… make the best out of every situation.”

“So you’re an opportunist.” Dragomir smirked.

“I’m just good at reading the room. Just like you, Drago. Do you really think I planned Jarilo’s Twelfth Commandment? No. But it did come in handy.”

“But that doesn’t answer our question!” Milena took a few steps toward Veles. “Are you trying to make slaves of us all?” Another step. “Do you want to rule over the world?” Another. “Do you want to make sure everybody feels more miserable than you?”

Milena pressed the end of her staff against his chin.

“Technically, none of that. But one could argue… all of that.” Veles glanced at the staff. “Ehm, excuse me, but you didn’t steal this, right?” He pushed it away with two fingers. “As the God of Trade… I will trade people’s freedom… for ultimate protection.”

Veles’ golden eyes gleamed.

Dragomir and Milena flinched, cold sweat rolling down their foreheads.

“Don’t look so mortified. Don’t you want to see that kind of world? Just imagine rewriting the rules of life itself.”

Veles turned to Dragomir.

“No more broken legs.”

Then to Milena.

“No more infidelity in marriage.”

Then back to Dragomir.

“No more danger… just a world where every human can be proud of the God. Because the God will protect them.”

“But what kind of sick world is that?!” Dragomir grabbed Perun’s axe and lunged at him, holding the blade against his neck.

“This is getting old.” Veles’ eyes traveled down to the axe.

“Are you trying to take people’s… free will?!” Dragomir shouted.

Veles ascended into the sky again.

“Take? When did I ever take something from anybody without a price?”

The bohatiers remained silent.

“I will trade it! Thanks to the Twelfth Commandment, people’s fear of death and spirits will rise. They’ll do anything as long as somebody offers a helping hand.”

“With my new powers, people will never have to worry about spirits again!” Milena pointed at the army behind her. “So there! Problem solved! You don’t have to do anything anymore!”

“Do you think you can travel the world and take care of every single spirit? Oh, please.” Veles giggled. “The seeds of my plans were planted with the two of you, my apostles. With humanity’s free will in my hands, they could even write new Commandments based on my desires!”

“But Rohd’s gone. How would you even write new Commandments?” Dragomir asked.

Veles looked back at his wings.

Dragomir understood the message.

So it’s just as I suspected… He was able to create Alatyr, so of course Rohd’s other abilities would manifest within him, too.

“But haven’t Commandments brought enough suffering?! Why would you risk that?”

Veles stared at him, saying nothing. Then his eyes suddenly filled with tears. “I can’t get enough.”

In that moment, Dragomir understood.

He thought of everything he had experienced with Veles. When he stood beside Levoslav as he betrayed Dragomir. The way he tried his grilled rib at the market. The trades they had made within his domain.

And then…

Dragomir came to a chilling conclusion.

Veles…

…was a good person.

But his addiction to godlike powers wouldn’t let him help people the right way.

“Veles.” Dragomir aimed the axe at him. “I realized I never really hated you. You’re just an insufferably annoying brat. So I…” Dragomir raised his voice and shouted loud enough for all of Arkona to hear him. “…will free you from those shackles!”

Milena stared at him. “Just what kind of history do you two have?”

“Let’s go, Milena! We defeated every single god by exploiting their weakness! All we have to do is find his!”

“Actually, I think I already found it.”

Chapter 52: END