The Bar (4997 CE)

A hooded figure sat by a table on the far side of the bar, shrouded in darkness. The inside of the building was particularly dark even for an edge bar and smelled faintly of blood and hops. Clearly a high-class establishment. The figure was admiring the edge falls off the island. The Deishei river was one of the main rivers flowing to the island's perimeter, perpetually spilling over the final edge after its long journey across the island. He was thinking about the journey of the water's one-kilometer fall to the ground where the shadow dwellers lived, oblivious of the different kind of life atop the islands. They relied on this overspill for nearly all their water even though it arrived at the ground as a fine mist.

The rulers of the islands were called The Chosen. They wielded and controlled unimaginable power. To the Shadow dwellers, these were gods. This man knew different. He knew the true story. At the center of the bar, some commotion was brewing. He glanced in the direction of the noise, suspecting that he had come to the right place finally. As he peered out from under his hood and spotted the troublemaker.

A disheveled man causing the commotion was drawing a crowd. He was shouting about false gods.

"They are lying to us! These are no gods! Pathetic! Has nobody noticed the amulets they wear? That is the source of their power." He raved, spittle flying. He paused to down his drink, ordered another one, and then continued when he saw his audience had grown sufficiently large.

"They are just people. If we had amulets, we would be godly too. I urge everyone to stand up and fight the oppression! The rebellion is already underway!" The little man was going red in the face and he doubtless had much more to say. But the cloaked figure had heard enough. This was definitely the man he had come to see. The figure rose, fully a head taller than the rest gathered around.

"Stop your blabbering you insignificant little man!" The hooded figure told the raggedy man, finger pointing. He spoke with enough authority to render the bar silent. "What you are doing is treason. Punishable with a boat ride off the edge."

The ranting man did not lose a step and shouted: "And who do you think you are shithead?"

The figure dropped his hood. The cloak fell open and his amulet flashed in the lamplight.

"I am Kez Visat. Chosen of The Mother Goddess, Bearer of the Island and the Waters. Seer of All and Lord of this land."

The little man flinched but again regained his composure. He staggered forward toward Kez.

"You're tough with that trinket on aren't you milord." He said mostly to the crowd. "But take it off and we will see the measure of you."

As he said this, he raised his fists. All eyes were on Kez. He took a deep breath, removed the amulet, slamming it down on the table before him. Kez's brow furrowed. He had not expected this much Dutch courage.

"Then come and face me." Kez challenged. "If you are correct, I am without my power. Face me like a m…"

Before The Lord of Sight could finish his sentence a gunshot rang out. A man in a far corner of the bar had shot at Kez and was already fleeing. Yet Kez remained standing and unmoved. The bullet dropped placidly and impotently on the floor. The Seer closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He flexed his fists, knuckles cracking. The raggedy man's eyes and nostrils flared as the realization seeped into his booze addled brain. He was dead and he knew it. But between him and the door stood a God. A real and properly angered God. A God he had been denouncing for some weeks now. Kez took a few steps toward the cowering figure and picked him up under his arms like a child staring straight into his eyes. Then he simply whispered. "The next time you have a shit idea, keep it to yourself. Understood."

The now silenced rabble-rouser understood and shook his head frantically. Hoping desperately that none of his friends saw him piss his pants. But they had seen and did not care as they had nearly done so themselves. Kez put the man down gently and stretched his arm back to the table he had been sitting at. The amulet rose and swiftly flew to his hand completely shattering a stone column on the way. Kez donned the jewellery, adjusted his robe and put his hood up. The bar remained quiet save for the God's heavy footsteps as he walked out without looking back. Victory was his today. There was just a matter of the shooter. He looked up to the cold evening sky and took off, flying to the central spire of the city.

A short while later Kez arrived at his quarters. They were small for his status, but contained everything he needed in the short times he could take from his busy schedule. He hung the robe casually. Pretending not to notice the presence in the room. Impatient the other man spoke.

"I was sure I'd miss. But my practice paid off. Maybe I could use you for target practice again."

The God turned and faced the other man. He was very nearly the same size as Kez, but dressed in black. In the shadow of the dark room only his salt and pepper beard was visible.

The words hung in the room like a cloud.

Both men started laughing.

"By The Mother Seilus. I'm glad you didn't. Imagine the madness if you hit a patron."

Seilus still smiling removed his hood. His skin was pale and showed even in the dim moonlight.

He said: "Oh, I don't know. You painted a pretty big target on your back for a second there Kez."

"A necessity my friend. I don't think anyone paid attention to which way you went either. So, I think we pulled it off. Hopefully, this amulet nonsense will stop now."

Seilus lit a pipe and leaned back casually against the God's bedpost. He said: "Well the only people who know that that loon was correct are standing in this room. He just didn't account that it has a lingering effect. Though he must have gotten the idea somewhere. For now, I think they'll lay low."

"Thankfully," Replied Kez, "imagine what a mess it would be if people start thinking they can just take an amulet and poof godly powers. If only it was so simple."

Seilus took a deep drag and asked: "So what's next?"

Kez looked out of the tower window. He could almost make out the bar from here, even though it was nearly fifty kilometers away. They didn't call him The Seer without reason. He chuckled to himself though his mood remained dark. Fully one-half of the massive floating city he presided over, lay before him. He briefly felt very tired of all the responsibility that came along with it. He frowned and sighed.

"Sadly old friend," he said to Seilus, "what comes next I will take no joy in. After tonight nobody on the island will know but me."

"Oh?" Seilus said. And then realizing what that could mean he took a step back and said again: "Oh…"

"Relax old man. You know me better than that. You are my closest friend on the island as your father was before you. You've been at my side since you were a boy. I know you can keep your mouth shut when you have to. The rest of the time I wish you could do it at least partly."

Kez put both of his hands on Seilus' shoulders with a warm smile and said: "No Seilus Sandseeker. Against my own wishes, I must ask you to leave the island on a mission that may have you never return. There is nobody I trust with this but you."

Seilus put out his pipe and put his hands on the broad shoulders of the God and his best friend.

He smiled and simply said: "It will be my honour to serve my Lord and my friend. What's the job?"