#ugffhffh UGHHH LOOK I W R O T E SOMETHING WOAH.

[a-rogue-god]

THE MEETING.

The old wooden floorboards creak with each step. World weary eyes take in the dark chapel, every inch memorized like the back of his hand.

How many years has Gabriel known this place. Too many, some would say. Perhaps even Gabriel would say so.

He leaned against a pew for support, stopping to rest and take in some breaths. He was old. His body was failing. Even the short distance from his rectory to his chapel was enough to wind him. And yet he did not fear his impending death. Each moment brought him closer to it, he knew, he had been ready for it since the day he dawned his collar. If it came tonight, he wouldn't mind. He hoped The Creator and Mother would take mercy on him.

Gabriel began slowly walking up toward his altar, but stopped in his tracks again. A brisk wind picked up, despite it just being dead still seconds ago. A breeze blew past him, lighting the candles that rested atop the altar, flicking in the breeze.

A sign?

"HAVE YOU COME TO PRAY?"

The voice was everywhere and nowhere, in front, behind, in his head and out loud. Masculine. Feminine. High pitched, low. Echoey. Hard to place.

From the shadows, eyes appeared, looking everywhere before focusing on Gabriel.

Gasping, Gabriel stepped back, as the figure fully materialized, a vaguely humanoid looking thing, blacker than the darkest night sky, dotted with eyes. Teeth were visible, shaped into a wide smile.

It looked at him. It looked into him. It saw him for what he was.

"I KNOW YOU, GABRIEL. I'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU."

Shaking, Gabriel muttered, "W-what do you mean?"

"YOU DON'T TRULY WANT TO DIE, CHILD. YOU FEAR IT. YOU CAN LIE TO YOURSELF ALL YOU WANT BUT WE BOTH KNOW." It seemingly glided over to him, towering over the elderly priest. Gabriel stared at it, fear coursing through his veins as it continued: "BUT I CAN GIVE YOU STRENGTH AGAIN. I CAN RELIGHT YOUR FLAME."

"R-relight my f-flame? You mean-"

"I CAN PUT OFF YOUR DEATH. FOR AS LONG AS I WISH." It giggles, tilting its head and leaning in awfully too close for comfort.

Frozen in place, unable to move away from the being, Gabriel asks, "What's the catch?"

"SIMPLE TERMS, CHILD." It moves away, circling behind Gabriel, placing a cold hand on the priest's shoulder and whisks him up to behind the altar, making it so Gabriel could look out on the empty church. "I WILL PROLONG YOUR LIFE," It leaned over his shoulder, grinning still, finding amusement in whatever ultimatum it decided. "IF YOU SHRUG OFF YOUR WORSHIP OF MY SIBLINGS. AND WORSHIP ONLY ME."

It clicked in his brain immediately after, who this being was. The Rogue God. The God Gabriel was taught of ever since he was a young boy, not to trust, not to even think about. And here it was. After decades of being good, what did Gabriel deserve to be suddenly met face to face with it?

"I HAVE SEEN YOUR WORK, GABRIEL. YOU ARE A VERY CAPABLE PRIEST. YOUR FLOCK IS LOYAL. TRUSTWORTHY. YOU ARE A GOOD MAN. THEY WILL FOLLOW YOU."

"Why? Why choose me?"

The Rogue God giggled again, "I HAVE WAITED SO LONG FOR THIS MOMENT. FOR YOU. FOR A PRIEST WITH THE FORTITUDE AND STRENGTH YOU HAVE."

"Strength? I have no strength," Gabriel interrupted it, surprised it could even use those words to describe himself.

"YOU DO NOT SEE IT YET. BUT I WILL SHOW YOU JUST HOW STRONG YOU CAN BE. THE POWER YOU HAVE IN THIS SOCIETY IS IMMENSE. YOU WILL LEAD HUMANITY INTO A NEW ERA. ONE NOT SHACKLED BY THE OPPRESSIVE REGIME THAT YOU DESPISE."

The words weighed heavily in Gabriel's mind, what it said was true. Gabriel hated the theocracy that controlled his country's every aspect. He has seen too many innocents killed or imprisoned just for loving who they loved. Being who they truly were. He already welcomed so many "undesirables" into his church. He had protected so many-

"AND YOU CAN PROTECT THEM MORE." The God finished his thought, turning Gabriel once more so he could face it. "I SEEK TO CHANGE THIS WORLD. MY SIBLINGS HAVE BLINDED THEMSELVES TO THIS WORLD'S SUFFERING. BUT I AM SICKENED BY IT. WE CAN CHANGE IT."

"But I am just one man!" Gabriel exclaimed, "I cannot change the minds of hundreds of people- I cannot lead them-"

"I WILL BE WITH YOU." The Rogue took Gabriel's hands in its own and placed them against his chest, Gabriel feeling a warmth unlike anything he's ever known fill his chest, spreading to the rest of his body. The weakness he had felt earlier was gone, an unknown strength taking over. "WE WILL RESCUE THIS WORLD. TOGETHER."

"Yes. We will." Gabriel replied, with that Rogue laughed triumphantly and faded into the shadows once more.

"YOU WILL BE MY PROPHET, GABRIEL. YOU WILL SPREAD MY WORD."