9 Chapter 9: Stay or Go?

"Achlys can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"If you're so excited about this," Odin says. "How come I haven't seen you smile yet?"

"I'm the goddess of sadness and misery." Achlys says running forwards. "I can't smile. Even if I could, sometimes there's just nothing to smile about."

"Have you even tried?"

"What's the point?"

"Fair enough." Odin says. "We're almost there, go a bit faster now would you?"

"Alright." Achlys says, not sure what to say. As she runs faster. "This isn't some sick joke is it?"

"Nope," Odin says. "At least not to me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means we're here."

"What?" Achlys looks forwards and stops. She looks around as she stands, looking towards a door leading into the mountain.

"Stay here for a minute." Odin steps towards the door and knocks. He waits, and knocks again. The door opens, as an old man with a large wooden staff steps out of the door, the old man walks out with his long grey hair and beard flows out.

"Odin, why did you take so long?" The man asks Odin.

"You can ask the kid that my lord." Odin replies.

"My lord?" Achlys asks. "Wait does that mean he's the one?"

"The one?" The old man asks.

"Yes, the one above all." Achlys says. "That's you right?"

"The one above all is so formal." The one above all says. "Just call me Max."

"Max?" Achlys asks. "Isn't that just a bit underwhelming?"

"Well I wanted to be called Jesus but someone in the mortal realm took that name already." Max leaves. "Odin, do you mind giving me and Achlys a minute?"

"Yes my lord." Odin says as he walks away.

"So formal. It really annoys me." Max says as he looks at Achlys. "So, what's going on?"

"You should already know my lord." Achlys says.

"Oh, not you too." Max says as he walks over the edge. "Take a seat, we need to talk."

"Okay." Achlys listens as she sits down next to him, looking over all of heaven.

"Look Achlys." Max says as he looks at her. "Look at it all. My creations, my people. Safe and happy. I've been looking at all of them, all at once."

"Your creations?"

"Yes, my creations." Max says. "I remember millennia ago, I woke up here. Alone in the darkness, with only the power to create."

"So you created everyone to give yourself company." Achlys asks.

"Yes, that's how it started." Max says. "However I wasn't accepted by the people I had created. So I came back here, as I watch my people live aimlessly, with no one to follow."

"So you created the gods, us." Achlys says.

"Smart girl." Max says with a smile on his face. "I created the gods to help control my people. To guide them, and to make sure they don't go berserk, which led to the creation of you."

"I was supposed to guide the mortals?" Achlys asks.

"Yes, however, when I created you, I had the sole intent of having you control their sadness and misery instead of you absorbing it full on. Which led to the screams." Max says. "I may have created all knowledge, but like the mortals down there I still have so many things to learn. One of those being you."

"My lord-, Max, you know why I'm here." Achlys says. "If you've been watching me for as long as you say, then-"

"I know." Max stands and looks at her hesitantly. "Achlys, are you sure of this? I don't want you to have any doubts in your mind about this. Once I do this, there will be no going back."

"I'm aware Max." Achlys stands up, ready for her fate. "The best part of the journey is its end."

"I'm sorry for causing so much of your pain, Achlys. Now stand back." Max says as Achlys takes a few steps back. Max lifts his wooden staff and begins to twirl it in a circular motion. As the air around him turns into pure energy as it flows towards the staff. Max points the staff towards Achlys' palms as she lifts them up, as a tiny green diamond forms and lands in her hands. "Take the gem, hold it above your heart and break it."

"Thank you Max." Achlys says as she holds it above her heart, ready to break. Until a giant blast of electricity strikes Achlys as the diamond becomes nothing but dust. Achlys falls to the ground as she sees the dust being swept away by the wind. "NO!"

"Achlys I'm sorry." Achlys looks upwards and sees someone who she knew she couldn't trust.

"Zeus, what are you doing?" Max yells.

"Sorry old man, but you will not hurt my friend!" Zeus yells as he plunges towards the two, ready to attack.