GODS OF ASEROTH: The Prodigal Son: A monster is born (34 page)

    
Now, after all were settled and the gods were in their places, some of the men from “The Union” lifted the fully groomed and cleaned Lamfari, and brought him up to the stage on which Leosher and Meagon sat. Lamfari slowly walked into the center of the stage with the help of one of the men and then stood up as straight as he could, but not much, for his hunch did not allow him.

   
He curled his moustache with his eyes closed and stood silently for a moment. It was quiet in the yard and all over the world. All the people stood silently and waited for Lamfari to begin talking. Those who were outside were quiet as well and there were only minimal sounds such as the rustling of the grass and the waves in the water and the fish-eating birds in the sky.

     There was a cool breeze that
rubbed against the golden walls of the castle and rustled the green grass. The clothes of all standing in the yard, and outside the castle fluttered slowly. Only those who stood inside the castle missed the breeze but all other loved the cooling sensation.

     Finally,
Lamfari cleared his throat and spoke out loud in his feeble voice “Today, we have gathered here to witness two of the most important events of this era. This day, we shall receive the king of Thraenus and we shall witness the marriage of the king, and from this day forth, we shall receive the bloodline that shall be the ruler of Thraenus for all eternity.” He paused and smiled “Now Asurot, if you would please join me.”

    
After saying that, he simply waved his hand and a man guided him towards where Leosher and Meagon sat. Both looked marvelous and stunning. Lamfari was taken behind them and Asurot joined him behind them. Lamfari put his hand on their heads and Asurot followed him. Lamfari looked sideways, thinking that he was looking at Asurot but instead was looking to his right, and said “Repeat after me, my mistress.”

    
“Today, we stand here, witnessing the marriage of the soon-to-be-king of Aseroth and Thraenus and a beautiful commoner, Meagon. May both be flawless for each other and may together, they be unbreakable. May, together, they make a flawless empire that would stay in their bloodline for hundreds of generations and may the gods stay with them and may you stay kind hearted, even though you rule over everything that possesses a heart. Today, we, your kingdom, bless you,” the whole kingdom raised their right hand and pointed towards Leosher and Meagon “And we pronounce you man and wife.”

    
There was a rush of joy that swept the whole kingdom and each and every heart that lived on Thraenus and was present around the event, was filled with joy. Though the people outside the castle walls did not hear the ceremony, they blessed Leosher and Meagon and rejoiced.

     After the marriage ceremony had ended,
all the people in the yard were cleared and were told to keep their eyes up to the dark marble cliff that stuck out of the highest tower of the golden castle and looked over the crystal bridge and extended all the way to the back, the end of the castle where it looked over the high seas as well. It was a long ark-like thick beam that stretched over the castle and that was where the coronated king, Leosher was to stand after his crowning and address to his vast empire.

    
This was a period of rest, for the king was not coronated yet and in order for Leosher to be the king of Aseroth, he had to be coronated by Saulus, the father of the universe, the creator of the universe and the father of Asurot and Dadurot. After the yard was cleared of all the people including all the guards, Azar, Neiham, Urey, Usere, Virgil and Meagon, there were only a few individuals left in the grassy, cobble stoned, orchard-like yard.

     Only the gods
and Lamfari were left in the yard and soon, the sky went dark, pitch black, for it all was covered with thick dark clouds. It was highly odd for high morning to go so dark immediately. Dark clouds that covered the sky contained a thunder storm in its bosom and it was not from Fulmeus. There was lightning in the sky and loud thunder all around Thraenus. Children cried, for they were scared and the high winds made the waves of the sea high and made the boats the people were in, rock. But then, suddenly it all stopped. The water was calm again and the thunder had stopped. It was pin drop silence again and out of the thick black clouds came a bright beam of light. It was so bright that many had to cover their eyes, for they could not bear to look at it. It landed in the yard and even the gods had to shut their eyes, for it was too bright. It looked like the rainbow, bright and filled with colors.

     And just as the light began
dimming, out came a glorious being, a divine being, a holy being. When he came out, his glory sprinkled all over the world and all the dead plants and the nearly dead ones around him were rejuvenated. Even Lamfari, who looked like a hag, had been rejuvenated a bit with the glory that radiated from the creator of the Universe. Lamfari’s wrinkled skin tightened a little bit but since he was very old and Saulus did not intentionally do so, he was not healed and rejuvenated to his fullest.

    
The thick beam of colors faded away from behind him, the dark clouds receded and the thunderstorm stopped, for had Saulus commanded it. He wore a gold toga, and had milky white, silky hair. His beard was long and his moustache was brushed. Where ever he walked new, miniature, multi-colored flowers blossomed. He was bare foot and white in color and floated a little above the ground. His eyes were blue and there was no wrinkle on his clothes and body. His skin was tight and his arms were strong. He was immensely strong and glorious. His voice was deep, so deep that it felt like thunder but it was so soft that even silk envied.

    
Asurot quickly walked forward and bowed to greet her father.

   
“Hello father, how are you?”

    
“Good my child, how are you? I have not met you in ages.”

    
Dadurot coughed in the back to show that he was present too. “Ah, you my son,” Saulus smiled and walked towards him with his arms wide open “How are you?”

    
“I am fine, just a little disappointed, for I believe I should get the throne.”

    
Saulus smiled and his pearly white teeth showed “’tis is not a matter of beliefs, but a matter of what is right and just. I shall see who deserves it and who does not.”

    
For a being as divine as Saulus, he had a good sense of humor and very minimal regality. Only his speech and voice and appearance made him look divine and stuck up, but his personality was fun loving and bubbly. He loved his creations and the creations of his own creations.

    
“Now where is the one you all call, Leosher, my grandson. I have been observing him and I must say, he is quiet an interesting being.”

    
Leosher walked up to him with his back straight up with pride and arrogance.

    
“I am Leosher,” He said in a deep and firm voice, “And yes, I am marvelous, must I say.”

    
“Yes, you have changed your personality quite drastically,” Saulus smiled “You began the journey as a peace loving, soft hearted, poor man but  now, you are a power hungry, brutal and a lavish man.”

    
“Yes, I was quite surprised too but I am proud of it as well.”

    
“I did not say it was a good thing—I am disappointed in you. You may have served your purpose well but you have changed. You are not worthy of the throne unless you change your ways.”

    
Leosher was shocked and his arrogance was shattered, for he thought he was to be the king of Aseroth and now, he found out that he was not to be.

    
“My lord, my grandfather,” Leosher tried to convince him “I shall leave my nasty ways and shall follow the ways you desire me too.”

    
“I am not surprised,” Saulus said while looking around, “Go kill her.” Saulus said while pointing towards Arusus.

    
Arusus herself was shocked, for she thought Saulus, the creator, had gone insane but instead, this was a test for Leosher. Saulus wanted to see how brutal and heartless Leosher was.

    
Leosher, who was so power hungry, wasted no time and grabbed his Scythe which was a gift from Arusus, and quickly moved forward and swung his Scythe. Arusus was scared and she grew pale but she did not move, for she knew Saulus had something in his mind and just as the scythe was to touch her neck, it was stopped forcibly. It was stuck in air, as if something held it back but there was nothing holding it except Leosher and he tried his hardest to push it forward and slay his own sister to get the throne but all his tries were futile.

    
When Leosher looked at Saulus, he was shocked because Saulus’s arm was pointed out towards him and his finger pointed towards Leosher’s scythe. Saulus had stopped the scythe with just a flick of his finger. He looked graceful even when he was stopping Leosher who tried his best to finish the order.

    
“You will not get the throne.”

    
“Why not my lord, have I not attempted to follow your orders?”

    
“That was a test and you failed it. You have shown that you are too brutal and power hungry to rule as the king of Aseroth. You will be a threat to the other 7 realms which are ruled by peaceful rulers.”

    
Asurot stood at a side while her son, Leosher, begged Saulus to change his mind. Since there was still arrogance and pride in Leosher, he did not fall on his knees to beg but he still pleaded Saulus to let him rule.

    
“My word is final and ultimate; there shall be none to oppose my rule.”

    
Saulus looked at Dadurot who had a smirk on his face and then at Asurot, who grieved on the inside but had no emotions on her bright face. Then he looked back at the arrogant Leosher “You have served your purpose well but now it is time. It is time for you to live as a normal human.”

    
Saulus raised his right arm again through his golden toga and pointed it towards Leosher with an open hand, with his palm showing and in just a matter of seconds, white light began pouring out of Leosher in the shape of fumes and smoke. It was as if Leosher was being burnt alive but in reality, there was not even a scratch on him. As the smoke left Leosher’s body, he slowly became a normal man. His body shrank a bit in size and the glory faded away from his face. There was not much difference in him except his width. He was just a bit leaner now but still he was arrogant as ever.

    
“What have you done to me?” Leosher was left jaw dropped and his eyes were widened. He was numb with shock “I feel weaker and vulnerable.”

    
“I have simply made you a normal human. You are no longer a god and Asurot’s blood has vanished from your veins. You are no longer her son and no longer my grandson. You do not have a right on the throne of Aseroth and Thraenus anymore.”

    
“I was merely a pawn in the battles, used by the gods, manipulated by them—given false hope” Leosher tried to make Saulus feel guilty but he did not budge, he stayed firm and strong.

    
“You were not given false hope, you were given the right to be the king of Aseroth and Thraenus but you stripped it away from yourself. Your brutality and the hunger for power have taken the right away from you.”

    
Dadurot who thought that he was to be the king now, asked his father anxiously “Father, who is to be the king now?”

    
“The one you all call, Virgil—call him inside.”

    
Dadurot’s jaw dropped again as well as all of the others in the yard, for they had thought that a god was to be the king but instead, Virgil, a common wood cutter was to be the king. Saulus had chosen him for his good judgment, righteous decisions and humbleness which were the total opposite of Leosher. Although Leosher was an extraordinary war planner and strategist and was extraordinarily clever, Virgil’s humbleness beat him.

    
Soon, Virgil was summoned inside the yard and Saulus addressed to him.

    
“You have proven yourself to be worthy. You have been humble in all your journeys and though you were the brother of the king of The Empire, you did not change and stayed the same, humble and hardworking man that you always were, and therefore, instead of Leosher, you are receiving the throne of Aseroth and Thraenus, you are the one who shall rule both.”

    
Virgil was shocked for he had not expected such a reward for his humbleness but he was sad at the same time, for he knew how much his brother anticipated the thrones. Though he was sad, he knew that Leosher was not to be a good king, for he was too self-absorbed and only cared about things when he gained something out of them.

     “No—
no my lord, I am not worthy for such a magnificent throne” Virgil said.

     “Yes my l
ord,” Leosher joined “He is not—but I am. Give me the throne.”

Saulus
smiled at Leosher and looked at Virgil “You are the best candidate for the throne and though your brother is sad, it is your decision.”

    
Leosher looked at Virgil and walked up to him “Brother you know I lust and long for these thrones. Please decline.”