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The twin suns were shining especially bright today; hot enough to feel the rays beaming down from the suns but not so much that it feels blistering. It’s the perfect temperature for sunbathing on your own private deck, after carefully obscuring yourself from any potential onlookers.
I lazily reclined in my chair, soaking up the sun with my bare skin. Even my wings, at rest, were getting some sunlight, gentle warmth flowing through them. Gods, when was the last time I got a chance to just relax like this? It was a rhetorical question of course.
Ever since the occupation, the Goethians have been stricter about the dress code; no nudity on their watch, except for bathing. And sex, but that was more implied than anything. I winced a bit, thinking how the cold-blooded bastards have been ruling over everyone thanks to their new toys. But what could be done now? Better to just focus on what you can control than make yourself sick over what you can’t control. And just as I was mentally musing to myself, frantic knocking came at my door.
“Damn,” I muttered as I hastily got dressed. Pants and boots were easy enough to slip on, but the jacket was a nightmare. Apparently the newly state issued uniforms didn’t consider Ramun biology, so the Goethians just haphazardly cut holes into the back of the jackets. Cold blooded and cheap; what’s not to love about our new overlords? Once I finally stretched wings into the narrow holes and zipped up the top, I ran to the door and swung it wide open. I was greeted by my closest friends, Tambaray and Zozar, each with dark, brooding looks in their eyes.
“Akillas…it’s urgent,” Tambaray said, the grimace never leaving her face, her voice coated with dread. “The Goethians…they’re at the plaza! They’re preparing to destroy the statue of Agnis!”
My eyes went wide as I heard her words, my blood running cold. “Please, Tambaray…tell me you’re joking.”
Zozar’s lips curled into a snarl. “Yes, because she’s known for her hilarious jokes, especially ones about serious matters. You damn fool,” he spat. Admittedly, I deserved that drubbing.
“Please don’t argue you two! Akillas we need you to help talk them down. Hurry before it’s too late.” Without a further word, Tambaray turned around and spread her wings. She jumped off the slowly started gliding down the city below.
I was about to follow her lead when I felt a hand get a grip on my wrist. I turned to see Zozar’s sharp eyes burning into mine. “You’ve been doing it again, haven’t you Akillas? You know the Goethians don’t take displays of nudity lightly, especially if you’ve been hiding it.”
I tried to play it off as I usually did, “Oh come now you have no proof…”
Zozar cut me off before I could continue further, “It doesn’t take five minutes just to answer a door and you clearly weren’t bathing. Damn it Akillas, take the laws seriously. Your negligence will get us all killed.” With that, he turned and descended to the city. Not wanting to fall behind, I spread my wings and flew down the city, trying not to let Zozar’s words get to me.
The three of us managed to make it to the central plaza where everyone was crowded around the Agnis statue. Our planet’s personal god, the Father of all Flames, stood on His stone perch as people were squabbling on both sides of the statue. The Wodans, slimy fishmongers serving as the Goethian’s lapdogs, on one side trying to move the crowd away and the Ramun on the other side, yelling and hollering at the Wodans to get away from Agnis.
I ran up waving my arms, trying to get their attention. “Hey hey, my fish friends! Care to tell me why you’re crowding our most sacred treasure?”
One of the Wodans spoke up, “We’re just following orders bird man. Major Baella ordered us to clear the area to take down this eye sore.”
My breath caught in my throat when I heard that name. “M-Major Baella? What is he d-doing here?”
Another fish man chuckled and pointed, “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
I turned around at breakneck speed and sure enough the fish bastard wasn’t playing a joke; strutting down towards the plaza was General Baella, clad in his Goethian Army uniform and cold, scaly flesh. He was flanked by more Wodans, one of whom was carrying a large box. At six feet and seven inches, all eyes were on the towering giant as he quickly approached the statue.
He stopped before Agnis and turned to me, his dark eyes burrowing in my soul. “Ah Akillas, so good to see you! There seems to be a skirmish brewing in this area; would it trouble you to explain to me what all the fuss is about?” He spoke calmly and smiled down on me, baring his dagger like teeth. It would have been less frightening if he were frothing at the mouth and screaming obscenities.
I gathered up as much courage as I could to respond to his question, “Well…you see General…this statue is sacred to our people. The Ramun have worshipped all the gods and have special reverence to Agnis. As such it is very distressing to these…Wodans tell us to back off our own god. So, if it wouldn’t trouble you…can you call off your men?”
I looked at him pleadingly, hoping my pathetic attempt an explanation would somehow appease him. Baella looked at me and then turned his gaze towards the statue, rubbing his chin all the while, as if in deep thought.
“Alright I think I understand the situation now. Rest assured Akillas, the lot of you, you have no reason to worry.” His grin grew even wider as his narrowed his eyes at the statue. “You have no need for your god anyhow.”
He turned around before I had a chance to respond and quickly approached the Wodan holding the box.
“Major Baella what do you mean!?” I choked out. He ignored me, grabbing something from the box.
I tried to reason with him one last time, “General, forgive me if I’m overstepping my boundaries here but I don’t think you understand how precious this statue is to us!”
Just then, Baella turned around once more, now carrying what appeared to be a large black weapon in the shape of a bazooka. The crowds started panicking, running away in droves as soon as they caught sight of the weapon. Even the Wodans were clearing the area.
I suddenly felt two hands grab onto me and sure enough Zozar and Tambaray were dragging me from away from the general. Baella simply kept smiling as he loaded up his bazooka, aiming it at the statue.
“Look at your reactions; this attachment towards old gods is unhealthy,” Baella calmly stated as he steadied his aim, “I think that getting rid of this eyesore will only be a benefit for you all.”
He pulled the trigger on the weapon and within seconds it released a powerful beam of sickly green energy. In the blink of an eye, the statue of Agnis-Father of all Flames, Bringer of Light-had been reduced to a smoldering pile of rubble.
Satisfied with his handiwork, Baella handed the weapon to one of his men and then made one final announcement, “You are now freed from the chains of your old gods; consider it a favor from me to you. What was once a symbol of the old world will be erased as we lead you all to a newer, better future. But if you insist on having something to worship, the Goethians will gladly be your new gods.”
The general took a bow and sauntered off, his men flanking him once more, going about as if nothing happened. The rest of us could only watch where His statue once stood, too numb and dumbstruck to properly mourn. It seems the Goethians have taken one more thing from our people.