Seven Sons of God Part I

Percy was pedaling hard to make it to Omni-Comics in time for his weekly Dungeons & Dragons game. The way his orange hair whipped in the wind was eerily similar to flickering flames. Percy’s flaming locks and quick-wit inspired his current character; Pyas St. Drake.

After four years of playing, Pyas had recently stopped an uprising of fiends led by an Archdemon and was moments away from being pardoned for a murder he did not commit. If all went according to plan, Pyas the Branded would be Pyas St. Drake the greatest wizard in the world which would bring him one step closer to becoming the Lord Prestige of the order of the Prism. Percy could not be late for this session.

Finally, he came to a halt next to Adam’s truck. Percy unhooked his messenger bag from his bike and placed his violet Schwinn Stingray delicately in the truck’s bed. Adam was the party’s barbarian and the closest thing the friend group has to a jock. So, he guarded all the valuables the others were afraid to bring into the store. As Percy’s prized possession, the Schwinn was always left in plain sight. With that dealt with, Percy entered Omni-Comics.

The owners of Omni-Comics prided themselves on their wide selection, promotion of lesser-known creators, and maximizing the available space to decorate with so-called epic collectibles. So, Percy was greeted by the familiar sights of walls lined with comics and graphic novels, shelves that touched the ceiling packed with more comics, figurines, and collectibles. This month the promotional display was dedicated to Latinx/Hispanic creators. Percy would check that out sometime later. Percy passed glass display cases filled with the latest dice and cards while on the way to the gaming room. Since he would be passing the cooler on the way, Percy grabbed his favorite caffeine source and stopped to pay for it.

Philippa was working the register, as usual on weekends, so Percy chatted with her for a bit. “Tonight’s going to be a good night, Phil. Will is starting a new story arc for us, so perfect time to make up a character and join.”

Phil laughed. “Sorry Percival, someone has to guard our invaluable inventory with their life. Friday 3-11, Phil Morgan answers that call while you men have all the fun.”

“One day Phil, you’ll have an off weekend and that session will be legendary.” With attempt nine hundred and ninety of awkward flirting with Phil in the books, Percy walked away.

In the other room of Omni-Comics, they kept the tabletop and card games. There were also seven plastic tables. Percy found his friends at their usual table, the one on the far-right side of the room. He scolded himself internally. Percy was five minutes early and he was still last to arrive.

Will looked over his Dungeon Master’s screen and waved. He went back to making last-minute notes right away. Percy caught snippets of the conversation the others were having as he approached. It sounded like they were debating if there would be a character death tonight. Percy didn’t think they would notice him sitting down but they all paused the conversation to cheer his arrival. “PYAS, PYAS, PYAS!” they cheered in unison.

“Our beloved wizard has arrived. Maybe we will all come out of that tower alive, after all.” Sam said.

“Let’s not put the whole burden on Percy. I believe he burned the high-level spell slots massacring fiends. Like a boss, I might add.” Nate retorted.

“At least we’d go out swinging.” Adam offered. Forever the fighter.

Percy offered nothing to the speculation. He enjoyed taking it all in while he got settled. He did glance over at Will to try and ascertain Will’s thoughts. A futile effort. Any Dungeon Master worth their salt reveled in the chaos and paranoia of their players and knew to reveal nothing until the precisely appropriate moment.

As expected, Will had finished his final preparations and was placidly observing the eager chit-chat of his players. When they all realized Will was ready silence fell. They turned their attention towards him as a sly smile crossed his face.

“Hello, Bastards of Destiny. So you’ve crossed the Forgotten Fields. Nearly sacrificing your lives, like countless want to be heroes before you, to reach God’s Mount. Throughout all your trials and tribulations you have learned these unknown persons have pulled the strings of fate for all, possibly for all of the time. Now that you stand before their ivory tower, what would you like to do?”

“I will turn toward my brothers and say,” Then Adam became Aldous, the mighty Dragonborn barbarian who united his race and is reshaping their purpose in this world. “I will not face these vile puppeteers without my weapon drawn. I will carve a path to them with you at my back.” Adam turned towards Will. “I turn to face the door with Warbreaker aloft.”

“I walk forward to stand beside Aldous firmly but gently gripping the wrist of his sword hand because I believe you said the words on the door were written in Celestial.” Will nodded and moments later Sam received a text. Presumably the meaning of the words before them. He seamlessly became Sastiel the Aasimar druid who abandoned the Celestials to find happiness among humans. “Careful, we must heed these words before we enter. It says, Speak your destiny. Your worth will be measured. God’s Mount takes all but welcomes none.”

Edward cried out defiantly as Eclan Lockey. “Curse their destiny. We are the bastards the world forgot, and we proved our own worth time and time again. I’m here to defy oppressors one last time.”

As if in response, the script on the door began to emit an ominous black glow. It expanded until the previously impeccable white stone door was swallowed by utter darkness. “Well, that seems…terrible.” Nohk, Nate’s Triton Monk was peeking over their shoulders. “Good thing you all have me to do the heavy lifting.”

James as Jeric, the Dark Elf Assassin, spoke up. “I glare at the black light with my coldest stare and say False gods must die.”

Finally, Pyas piped up. “Always the melodrama with you lot. At least let me read the energy to see if it’s safe,” Percy looked at Will. “Arcana check?”

“Go for it.” Will encouraged.

“A twenty-nine.”

“With Detect Magic and your overall knowledge you are able to ascertain that the light is cloaking a mix of very powerful illusion, conjuration, and time-bending magic. But, it’s ancient. The kind of magic arcane scholars spend their lives studying to no avail.”

“I won’t waste a lecture. Just know it’s probably safe to walk through. Shall we?”

One by one the self-proclaimed Bastards of Destiny stepped into the light not knowing what terrors await on the other side. Thus began a marathon session where Percy and his friends pushed their characters to their limits. They came face-to-face with some of their characters’ darkest secrets, flaws, and sins. They worked together to get to the top of the tower. They fought, lied, questioned, and snuck around to come face-to-face with the Primes. The secrets they unraveled through Will’s storytelling shook the group to their core. In the end, they were faced with a choice; claim the power for their own and possibly play into the hands of destiny, something they have fought against since day one, or rid the world of the plague called religious devotion and let the world sort itself out.

*

“Wow, major lore drops all night long. It would take about ten more years of weekend-long binge sessions to explore every angle.” Eddy was talking aloud pretty much to anyone who would listen while organizing his dice.

“We also could’ve died a hundred times in the last six hours,” Adam gave Will a sarcastically angry glare. “By the way whoever needs a ride is welcome.”

“There’s no timeline in D&D I could keep it going forever if you want and way more than a hundred times, Adam. For the record,” Will winked. “Also I could use a ride.”

The group thanked Phil for putting up with them all night and left. Only once they were outside, did they realize it was storming and pitch black. Adam, Will, and Percy ran for the truck. Sam, Nate, James, and Eddy ran for Sam’s Thunderbird. Their departure was delayed only by James yelling out the window. “My house, we’ll watch some space opera show I found.”

Adam nodded and moved to follow Sam as he pulled out. Percy occupied himself by staring out the window. He found himself mesmerized by lights, signs, and colors as they zoomed by in a car. Percy had been that way since he could remember his first car ride.

Tonight, Percy’s eyes were drawn upward by the rapidly changing colors of the sky. At 10:00 at night, he expected to see inky blackness, maybe speckled with stars and a few clouds. The rapid shift from black to turquoise then pink, orange, red-green was beyond unusual. Percy was no astronomy expert, but he had never heard of a phenomenon like this occurring in Oregon. He slapped Will on the shoulder hurriedly without looking. “Will, do you see this?”

“Yeah, it’s trippy man,” Will was dismissive. He looked up for a second then returned to scrolling through his phone. Probably his post-session summary.

Percy looked to see if any other cars on the road were seeing this. He saw diligent drivers with their eyes on the road just doing their best to see through the rain. Even the rain was unusual to Percy. It was moving slowly. Percy could count the drops. He looked over at Adam, who seemed just as confused. “So, I’m not losing my mind?”

“No bro,” Adam replied. “Text one of the others up ahead. Ask them if they’re alright and tell them I have to pull over.”

Percy started to reach for his phone. It slipped from his sweaty palm. For a second he thought the thunder rumbling sounded like laughter. Then everything went white. As if everything was erased from existence. A pillar of golden light opened up a hole in the whiteness from above in front of Sam’s car. He hit the brakes causing him to spin out. “Shit.” Adam pulled hard to the right to avoid hitting his friends. He sailed over the curb and into the nearest parking lot. Percy closed his eyes to steady himself and kept them shut tight.

“What the fuck was all of that?” Will was looking around wildly at their surroundings. “If you two are okay we should check on the others.”

Adam grunted his agreement and lurched out of the truck while rubbing his neck. Will scrambled out after him. Percy exited from the passenger side. He was only mildly surprised to see the world had gone back to normal, or so he thought because they were standing in the Olive Garden parking lot and he could see the other stores and restaurants in the complex. As he made his way over to Sam’s car, Percy noticed their vehicles were the only ones around when moments ago dozens of late-night travelers had been on the roads.

As they surrounded the other car Nate was helping Eddy out of the backseat and Sam was running around to the passenger’s side. “What’s happening? Is James okay?” Adam’s worried tone was obvious.

“He hit his head on the window. Someone get the first aid kit from my trunk.” Sam pointed in the appropriate direction. Will was the quickest to move.

Meanwhile, James’s eyes fluttered open. He gently moved Sam’s hand from his head. “I am awake you know. I’ll be fine. Can we talk about the world glitching out?”

“I second that,” Eddy dry heaved. He was bent over as if he expected to puke at any second. “My head is pounding. I was really hoping I was seeing things because of this migraine.”

“I must apologize about the pain. He must have already determined you to be the prophet. Otherwise, you wouldn’t react to my presence. Hello,” They all looked to see who was speaking. Twenty feet away, in the middle of the road, stood a person with long silver blond hair, a pointed chin, and cat-like amber eyes. Their robes looked like spun silver. On their chest was a script none of them could read. “I am sorry for startling you. It took more of my power than I expected to displace you from your time stream. He only gives us enough power to accomplish whatever errand he sends us on.”

“Concussion or not, I don’t love the enigmatic tone,” James grumbled. “Who the hell are you?”

“Humans and their irony,” the stranger smiled at their private joke. “You may call me Heriel. I’m afraid I cannot answer any of the numerous questions you all are too afraid to vocalize. It’s not my place. The boss will do a better job. Whether you believe him is of course up to you.”

“Heriel…what are you Celestial?” Adam laughed but he was nervous that his joke was a little too accurate.

“Again with the questions. We really have to go.” Heriel replied with an increasingly condescending tone.

Percy stepped up. “We’re not-“ He was cut off by a wave of Heriel’s hand. All at once, the seven friends were cloaked in a gold aura till it filled their vision. When their eyes started receiving input again, they found themselves somewhere else. The gold, orange, and pink light appeared to go on indefinitely. The ground beneath them shifted under their weight but did not fold. It was made of some cloudy material. Heriel was gone. In search of something in their surroundings that made logical sense, the boys were drawn toward someone sitting, legs crossed, in a singular wooden chair. They appeared content sitting by themselves and taking in the appearance of the new arrivals.

Whoever this individual was, they were well-muscled, probably well over six feet tall if they were standing, their hair was a feathery mane of auburn intermingled with strands of blond and brown. They wore plain brown pants and a vest. But it was the eyes that were astonishing. Silver irises against black pools. Every few seconds spots of color would lit up the black pools like stars in the sky.

“Were you going to finish that with going anywhere,” Their face split into what Percy thought was supposed to be a friendly smile. The lack of emotion behind the eyes made it predatory. “Would you look at that cut and Eddy, you’re pale. Heriel lacks tact, I am afraid.” With a snap of their fingers, James’s gash was stitched up and the color returned to Eddy’s face.

“This has to be a fever dream,” said Nate.

“That we’re all having at the same time?” Sam replied.

“The idea that we’re all on another plane of existence is insane, right?” offered Will.

“Probably more insane that I think that makes perfect sense. Too much gaming.” Percy was terrified.

“Allow me to explain. Throughout history and across the multiverse I have gone by countless names. I won’t bore you with all of them. Simply put, you know me as God.”

“We’re dead. We died. Cool.” James said.

“Yeah, God is a buff Santa Claus. Calm down, everyone.”

“Adam, always on the defensive,” This being now calling themselves God looked fake stern. “I thought this appearance would be most suitable. Revealing myself to be an unfathomable void is how someone like Lovecraft is set loose upon the world. How would you like me to prove it? I did just heal you all. Please boys just listen. You’re here for a reason. Reason being I’m old and tired, so tired.”

The seven friends shared quick glances. They silently agreed if they just accepted the impossible fact that they were standing before God they would get out of wherever this is much quicker. Percy found himself taking charge. “What do you want then?”

“I have an offer, Percival. Absolute power split amongst the only seven people I trust in the cosmos and a vacation for me.”

“This is God’s Mount.” Percival was awestruck “Will, you are the best DM ever.”

Shut up,” Will whispered as if he could still avoid being noticed by God.

What I’m hearing,” Somehow being healed had made James more irritable. Possibly a rash mood given the circumstances. “Is God wants to hang up the cleats and let us do his job?”

“James, the creator of all existence cannot be gendered. I am beyond that. But, yes, I suppose I sound lazy, entitled, reckless, even heartless. What you all don’t understand is even with infinite universes and infinite worlds at my disposal, I never got it right. You know all those comic books you love so much; it’s all happening out there somewhere. I thought if I gave some people powers, they could figure it out. Nope. The same goes for the Forgotten Realms and so on and so on.”

“So, all that power and nothing changes? Why shoulder us with that burden?” asked Percy.

“I’m not being clear,” God rubbed his temples. “I don’t care what you do with the power. I shouldered myself with too much responsibility. I refuse to ask another person to do the same. Do what you want. Inevitably some version of yourselves will get it right. I trust you.”

“If we say yes,” Eddy spoke before realizing what he said. He faltered under the stern gaze of his friends.

“I thought you would ask.” God waved their hand and the seven plain outfits of Adam, Will, Nathan, Sam, Percival, Ed, and James were replaced by the outfits worn by their respective D&D characters. This was accompanied by a rush of power. The kind of power that made someone feel as if the essence of creation would bend to their sheer force of will. It was chilling. It was pure. It felt right.

“I’ll do it.” It was Sam. He was wrapped in the furs and skins of mythical beasts. He exuded the confidence of a king as they looked upon their bustling empire.

“Definitely.” Eddy faced God with no fear.

The others could only muster nods. Even Adam and James were swayed. Whatever they were feeling or seeing was promise enough that this was the right choice. If it was anything like magic coursing through Percy’s body, begging to be released, he understood their change of heart. In an instant he had become Pyas St. Drake; the most powerful magic user in the cosmos. It was better than he ever imagined.

“Good luck, Bastards of Destiny.” God’s words washed over them as everything around them faded. They all understood now that they were in some private corner of Heaven. God’s throne room.

But now they found themselves standing in James’s driveway. All in the plainclothes they left the comic shop in maybe three minutes ago. Three minutes had changed them forever. Was it for better or worse?