“LORD Aether!” Eleanor shouted, tears visible in her blue eyes. “Please, help us save the continent!”
“And so, you woke me up from my slumber,” the god said with no emotion. It’s like he didn’t even hear the desperation in her voice.
He slowly glanced towards Eleanor who was on her knees, almost looking like she was begging. And maybe she was. But the god didn’t care. He still appeared apathetic.
But when he turned towards her, he suddenly smiled. Smiling as if he was looking at a child who didn’t know anything. It was a very beautiful smile, as if flowers suddenly bloomed around them.
But somehow, the hope that the group of four first felt when they saw the slumbering god slowly dwindled. They felt at some level that things wouldn’t go the way they wanted.
“But my child, I couldn’t do anything to save this continent.” The god looked at the four, his gaze landing on him for a couple of seconds. And then he raised his head, as if waiting for something, or rather someone, to come. “Yes, only you can do this.”
Keith exploded at that nonchalant answer, especially after seeing the expression on the other’s face. What the f*ck was this?
“Hey, you shitty god!” he shouted to get the other’s attention. “Do you think we went through all the things that we did just for you to give us that answer?”
“K-Keith, stop–!” Eleanor said, pulling Keith back before the other truly attack Lord Aether.
“Haven’t you heard what he said?” Keith growled. “This guy doesn’t give a shit about this continent! If this place burned down right now, this guy would probably not even blink!”
“I hate to agree with him but you know he’s right,” Owen said. “We just wasted our time on this quest.”
Eleanor bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. She felt frustrated, angry, and sad. She also wanted to shout at Lord Aether, ask him just why he wouldn’t help them. But she couldn’t bring herself to. The teachings she received in the church just wouldn’t allow her to.
“You two stop. We shouldn’t question Lord Aether. I- I’m sure he had reasons for saying the things he said,” Clyde said, obviously more to himself than to the other two.
Keith scoffed at that while Owen only chuckled.
They all looked at the teenager sitting on the crystal slab. There was no emotion on his face, there wasn’t even any light in his obsidian black eyes. As if nothing could ever enter his gaze. Making him looked more inhuman.
Staring at the other, Eleanor gathered all the willpower remaining in her body. She kneeled down, bowing her head. Her forehead almost touching the ground. “Please, please help us, Lord Aether.”
Keith’s anger truly exploded seeing Eleanor humbled herself to this extent. He was about to pull her up but before he could the so-called god suddenly appeared in front of them. Traversing from where he was sitting at the middle of the lake to where they were standing.
Before any of them could react, Lord Aether snapped his finger. The moment he did, Eleanor stood up. Not because of her own accord but because she felt something pulling her body up.
“My dear child, the fate of this continent was no longer in my hands. It has been so from the moment I entered my slumber. But as I’ve said, it’s in yours. Humans who managed to find and wake me, only you can save this continent,” Lord Aether said.
His voice was very tranquil but full of apathy. That’s probably why none of the four felt peace hearing his voice. Because they knew that this god didn’t give a rat’s ass about these lands nor the people living in it.
Lord Aether leaned forward and whispered something on Eleanor’s ear. After doing that, he suddenly disappeared.
Keith cursed out loud. He wanted to ask what that damned god said to Eleanor. But all the words were suddenly trapped in his throat the moment he saw how deathly pale she was.
=====
The audience was still surprised by the sudden appearance of the teenager. Considering that the title of the movie was [The Sleeping God], they knew that a ‘god’ would somehow be included.
So, when the quest of the four started and it was all about finding the ‘god’ and waking him up, they thought that he would be played by a popular actor. But looking at the teenager, he’s definitely a newcomer.
Some of them recognized Astrid Townsend but most didn’t. That’s why they were confused at first when he appeared. They couldn’t fathom how such an important role was being played by a newcomer. Although the other’s appearance was certainly otherworldly, it certainly wouldn’t be enough. What’s the use of looks if there was no talent?
But their confusion and the feeling of absurdity disappeared the moment the teenager started acting. It’s like the other was showing them through his action that they shouldn’t judge him just because he wasn’t well-known.
Before they could immerse themselves in the teenager’s acting, he disappeared and they were attracted by the next scene.
With Lord Aether’s refusal, the group of four was devastated. A crack was starting to form in their relation. Keith and Owen shared the same opinion while Clyde still wanted to believe in Lord Aether.
Eleanor, on the other hand, seemed to be still in shock because of what Lord Aether had said. But she didn’t have time to wallow on that shock because after the god woke up, demons started attacking more and more people.
And it all happened simultaneously all over the continent. Its scale could even be compared to the subjugation that the human side initiated. No, maybe it was even greater than that.
All of this started the moment Lord Aether woke up. As if some kind of signal.
The four didn’t have time to delve into their failure because of these demon attacks. The moment they left the cave, they immediately had to fight a group of demons.
Because of this weird phenomenon, death and destruction filled the land. Almost as if hell finally descended down on earth.