I Ain't No Messiah

"What do you mean?" Louis asked with a deep frown. "And who the hell are you?" He added as the doubts pledging his mind were threatening to drive him crazy.

"Foolish mortal. Didn't you just pray to me a few moments ago?" the voice boomed. "And who the hell are you to question me?" the voice sounded pained.

Hearing this, Louis instantly turned pale in fright as he wondered how he managed to piss off the being that will determine if he goes to heaven or not.

'The lord has got an attitude, he couldn't help but mutter in his head before speaking.

"I mean no disrespect, Lord. I am simply trying to know which of my friends stabbed me in the back" Louis said with his hands raised as if to show he comes in peace.

"Hmph! Well if I must answer your question I will ask you a question. Who makes up your board of directors?" the voice responded in a haughty tone.

Hearing this, Louis shivered as a chilling feeling went down his body, causing his eyes to dilate due to shock. Louis knew he had stepped on the toes of many in the past and already had a long list of people who he suspected may want him dead, but never did it cross his mind that the same friends he sat on the round table with would entertain such thoughts.

"Keep your friends at arm's length and your enemies closer. I'm sure you have heard of that." the voice spoke again, leaving Louis with a deep frown.

He could remember reading the book, Fifty Rules of Power when he was much younger. In that book, it explained why friends should never be involved with one's work. The person closest to you is the one most likely to betray you.

Why?

While one may assume it's safer to be surrounded by friends when building an empire, the truth remains it's the worst mistake a man can make. When a man grows, he believes he can make everyone around him benefit, but the reality remains those benefits are nothing compared to the success of the man and the glory that comes with it.

In the end, when the world looks up, it is the man they see and not the friends by his side. He moves around with his friends thinking this is enough to satisfy them, unknown to him the envy is hidden behind their smiles.

What makes you think they don't want to be the one gifting?

What makes you think they want to be considered second-rated when standing beside you?

What makes you think they do not want to be the center of attention?

Prestige and respect are the ultimate goal of all men. This is what we crave, and for this most men are willing to give up anything, be it family or friends.

Think about it. Why do you think, in the past, kings and emperors were assassinated? Most of them died young and in gruesome ways, yet men still scrambled for the crown without a second thought.

Brothers killed Brothers, fathers killed their sons, sons killed their fathers. While greed plays a part, the reality remains that it is in our nature to seek respect and prestige.

While showering gifts on your friends, pulling them along with you, and giving the unmerited positions of power in the empire you build, gratitude dwindles, and entitlement sips in. At first, they wait for you to give, but soon they will attempt to take.

The case is reversed when a great act of kindness is shown to an enemy who knows he is undeserving of your goodwill. They are pledged with the burden of gratitude and will be pushed into a life of loyalty just to repay your kindness.

"My mistake started even before my rise to glory. When I decided to ignore that little but vital piece of information." Louis said in a tone filled with regret.

"You understand now," The voice chuckled as if it was pleased with how fast Louis's brain worked. It finally understood why Louis was able to rise fast as a human.

"They won. I lost. What happens now? Do I get shipped to hell or what?" Louis said in a calm tone.

"Ooh? You seem to have accepted your situation." the voice chuckled.

"A man like me can never make heaven. Unless the lord is not who the world paints him to be." Louis said with a strange smile on his face.

His words attracted a brief silence from the voice, which made the dark room feel tense. Louis felt like the lord was about to judge him and send him off to hell, but the response he got was unexpected.

"Have you heard of the word, atonement?" the voice asked.

The question left Louis in shock for a short while as he wondered if he had the chance of avoiding hell even after all the crimes he committed while on Earth.

"The world is not what I expected it to be. It is not what I wanted it to be." The voice began explaining. "Evil has ruined it and good men are trying to fix it, but the bad ones are not playing fair."

"I sat here and watched good men trying to protect this world I built fall one after the other. The cause of this evil is spreading and gaining strength, and because of this the universe is on the brink of destruction…"

"Hold up, hold up. We are still talking about Earth, right?" Louis had to interrupt with a shocked tone.

Does he look like a superhero born to save the universe?

"You committed great evil during your time on earth. It is only natural you are given a task of greater importance if you wish to atone." The voice said in a stern tone.

"That doesn't mean I have to save the universe where my killers live! You know, heaven ain't looking that attractive anymore." Louis responded with a frown. "I ain't no messiah." 

Protecting this universe meant his killers were safe is not something he planned to do. Unfortunately for the Lord, he is too petty to act selflessly.