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"What now M'Lord?" "Follow it. This isn't its world. The eldritch we may tolerate but that thing? No, it would destroy us all. Send out word that the Lord of the East wants its head." "It shall be done M'Lord." He waited till the presence behind him retreated across the sands. Once he was alone again he pulled a small device from his coat and after hitting several buttons and waiting. A voice came drifting from the top of the device "Welcome to Night Vale…"
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The thing about Carlos is…well the thing is….he's not really here. Or there. The thing about being called a God these days is that people try to classify him now. Fit him into a describable box and leave him there. Give him a job, a name, and leave him to be covered in dust as the Parthenon are forgotten. But the ground and the air, the wind and the earth do not forget and nor do they ever truly let their children forget.
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"Everything about him was perfect and I fell in love instantly."
Hearing laughter from behind him Carlos turned to his second in command and found her smiling. "Well. Still got it I see. Gonna call for a sacrifice as well or just cause everyone to worship you?"
"Cit, don't. And English or something that the Police can understand, the poor officer in the trees is looking confused and- dazed? What did you do?"
The shorter woman laughed as she tossed night dark hair over a shoulder "I think it's the language. Probably one of those things you're suppose to not acknowledge like those Angels." Switching to English she continued "Speaking of, should I talk to them or do you want too? And whose calling the Cue and Ox?"
"You talk to Old Woman Josie and her Erikas and I'll call the girls. Where's the students?"
"I've got the undergrads unpacking and the grad students doing sweeps for 'scientifically interesting things.' Tongue got tied a bit there didn't it Mr. Scientist."
Carlos blushed "Don't. Just don't. Go do your job and I'll do mine."
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One of the things the new humans got right was his thirst for knowledge. It kept him going as civilizations rose and crumbled around them, as belief ebbed and flowed. It caused him to leave his lands under the watchful eyes of his closest companions and leave the familiar shores. He met many others with similar problems and saw the results of hundreds of thousands of years of worship falling beneath the belief in a singular deity. And his thirst grew.
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"Lights of Arby's."
Carlos glanced at the radio of his car. Today had been very stressful and the girls were going to tease him mercilessly for decades to come; he just knew it. After they yelled at him for trying to get himself killed. On the plus side, he had a date for the first time in forever. Literally.
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For everything the historians got right, they got at least 2 things wrong. He never needed sacrifices. There was no need. He created them and had no need for them to return to him. That isn't to say if they killed someone in his name that he wouldn't bring the souls under his banner; having those who would do anything for you were very useful.
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"So what's your specialty then Ms. Cit?"
"Stars."
Carlos choked at his second in commands response to Cecil's question. Just as Cecil turned to check on him Cit choose to elaborate."Astronomy is my field of study. The movement of the stars, planets, the whole heavens. And here I spend as much time studying the void as I can."
"That's Neat!"
Carlos took a deep breath before turning back around to see that Cit was showing sky charts to Cecil. She glanced up and shot a smirk toward Carlos before turning and asking Cecil what his favourite star was.
"The one that doesn't follow the mandated forecast. You know, it's always hanging out after the sun comes up?"
"You mean the Morning Star?"
"Only in such that it appears mostly in the morning provided that mornings aren't cancelled or anything. Yes."
Carlos couldn't help himself. He grabbed Cecil's wrist, spun him, and kissed him.
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The whole blending in thing was the Cue's idea. They suggested it and while most of their brethren were ambivalent towards the idea, He jumped on bored. He was a historian, an archeologist. An explorer and a sailor. Cit came with him most times, but sometimes another would join him instead. This time was different though. Ox asked a favour and they responded. Poised as Scientists, they traveled to one of her sacred places and the town that had been build there. And here they found…well here they found.
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"Metropolitan Area…"
Carlos snarled. Whomever, or whatever was on the other end of the microphone wasn't Cecil. It had taken him a fair portion of the week to leave the house, and now he was pissed. From the way the stars and void were moving, he figured Cit was at this 'Company Picnic' and maybe even madder then him. But that wasn't the biggest issue. No, it was up to the town to save itself. He was gunning for this Smiling God. A quick message sent with the wind brought Ox and Lina to him. Ox stayed to watch the town and his Voice while Lina joined him through the house and into the otherworld. She laughed at the desert and called her children before sending them to fetch those who wandered lost.
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Belief is a powerful, finicky thing. It can raise you up and bring you low. This He knew. The different types had their own ways of affecting those who were believed in. Now he had a human form whereas before he was feathers and scales. Now he had people who studied him, poked and prodded his legends as opposed to worshipping him. He had been here before and he would be here after and there was no changing that. He had seen the first of the creations and he would see the last of these creations. He had the Aztecs, the Incan's, The Mayans. But nobody had worshipped, believed, loved him like his Voice did. And that? That made him all the more powerful.
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He found out about Steve Carlsberg's comments later from Cit. He laughed at the fact that someone who believed so strongly in Cecil and Carlos would still consider Carlos an outsider but that was Night Vale for you. But what was done was done. The Smiling God was running and Night Vale was safe. Ox was keeping a closer eye on the town and Carlos? Well Carlos was in the Otherworld desert chasing the last of Strex and waiting. Waiting for the Smiling God to mess up; waiting for his kill.
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Epilogue
"A strange thing listeners! On my front doorstep this morning I found a head. It had 2 black pits for eyes, some weird inky substance as hair, and its entire face was a smile. One gargantuan smile, teeth pearl white, blood stained red lips pulled back. The Sheriffs Secret Police have informed me that it's the physical head of an anamorphic creature known formally as A Smiling God. So good news listeners! We will never have to worry about that particular Smiling God again. However- hostile takeovers, old oak doors, and the other myriad of strange and dangerous things are still in our future! And now for the children's science corner."
Epilogue of the Epilogue
"Carlos?"
"I'm here Mi Amor , I'm here."
"Forever my perfectly imperfect Carlos?"
"Forever Cecil, I promise."