Gods or Chaos

“Place thine head beneath my feet.” 

“Say what?!” 

“Place thine head beneath my feet that I may bless thee.” 

“Do you know who you’re talking to? Drop that leg!” 

“A thousand curses shall be thine portion if ye do not as I ask.” 

“To hell with you!” 

“You dare not leave, young man! You will be paralyzed from the waist down if you leave this shrine without doing as I have commanded. Bend the knee, and place your head beneath my feet.” 

“Why did you switch from ‘thine’ head to ‘your’ head? It’s obvious you’re scared. Someone is about to defy you and put you in your place. You have been using the ancient tongue and the fears of the multitude to control lives, but I’m going to burn this shrine to the ground and demonstrate your powerlessness before the people.” 

“Young man! I beg you for your own good. Do as I’ve asked, or face the wrath of the gods!” 

“Wow! I understand your desperation. Someone is about to bring down this pillar of falsehood and prove to the people that the gods are nothing but your inventions and you’re no better than they are. I don’t think the people will be merciful, but if they are, you and your cohorts are going to start working like everyone else. Ahh! What did …?” 

“Well done, Naheru!” 

“Just doing my job, sir. No man should speak to you like that. I will inform the people that another blasphemer has been struck by the gods.” 

“Sure, go ahead… I don’t do this for myself. I do it for the people. They have to believe in the gods, or there will be chaos.”