The Question

A Story by Tuelo Segwai

I try and answer one of life's more interesting questions

The first thing ever was Xenon. He had a short attention span and so to pass the time He found a hobby. He created things. A few of them actually... In ascending order it goes; you lot and your realm, us and the first realm and then Him. There are countless other things in between but for now let’s just keep things simple. Anyway the first realm was one of the first things He ever built and in my humble opinion is still one of the best. But then I would say that; I was born there. My name is Oni and this is my story.

Like the rest of my Seraph brethren I used to live in the first realm. I’m not even going to attempt to describe the infinite wonders of the realm. Quite frankly I can’t be arsed. It takes too long and you have no frame of reference. Even if the infantile collection of grunts and hand gestures you lot string together and call language could even begin to paint a picture, your primitive primate cerebrum would just hand in its two weeks and that would be that. Just accept that when on the odd occasion I go all ‘anthropomorphic’ on you, I’m lying. I’m lying because I have to. What I’m about to tell you might make sense but then again it might not. The bottom line is that I have a point to make. You can either take it on faith or not. See if I care…

So there I was in the 1^st realm, chilling and relaxing like I always do when something very dangerous happened. My little voice spoke up.

We all of us, even Him, have two voices. There’s the big one that does the day-to-day stuff. For all intents and purposes, this voice is the controllable you. It deals with the tedious parts of existence like walking, paying your taxes and communicating with others, stuff like that. The other voice, the little one can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand it can be your greatest source of strength; it’ll take that drink out of your hand and drag you kicking and screaming onto the dance floor, regardless of how ‘thirsty’ and ‘not in the mood’ you may claim to be. It’ll give you something witty to say to that girl you’ve drunkenly salivating over for the past two hours. It’ll urge you to stand up from that second knockout you just didn’t think you could take.

On the other hand it’s that same little voice that will have you drinking doubles all night on an empty stomach. It’s that same voice that grabs your hand and sends it whistling through the air, its intended destination the arse of the girl on the dance floor. You know which one; the girl your little voice convinced you it would be a good idea to put down your drink and go and talk to. It’s that same voice that starts giving it the mouth when said girl shoots your barely coherent arse down and its that voice that thinks it’s funny to get knocked out by girls; twice. As useful as that voice can sometimes be, it very rarely thinks of consequences; when you hear that voice you can rest assured you’re about to do something either very smart or very stupid.

“Something’s not quite right?” said the voice. Generally I don’t have much trouble ignoring my little voice. I mean how hard is it not to listen to someone? This time however I couldn’t. I literally could not. Every time I blocked him out he’d just come back, louder than before, tap dancing and waving a big sign. The problem was that he had a point.

“What haven’t I got?” It was a good question, one that slowly consumed me. It became my focus, my muse. It took me quite some time to arrive at the answer but when I did, everything changed.

“Power”, I thought. I didn’t think it very loudly and I didn’t think about it for very long but then I didn’t need to. As soon as that snowflake landed the mountains started rumbling. “What is power? Who deals it out? If Xenon has it, how did he get it? What’s makes him so special?” Every time I answered one question a dozen more would spring up in its place, all of which had to be answered. I was like a Seraph possessed. It was an addiction. I didn’t want to know; I had to know. In the end I decided there was only one being who could possibly have any idea what I was going through, and so I went to see Him. In hindsight it’s possible that I could have phrased my line of inquiry a little better.

“So…” I slurred casually. “Who died and put you in charge?” What can I say? The question was messing with my head. “I mean, what exactly is it that you do that makes you so… great?”

At the time his reaction bothered me. If some one walked up and effectively doubted my infinite power, I’d break out my smiting stick and I’d smite them good. I would smite them quicker than you could say ‘just kidding your holiness, of course I’d never doubt you’re infinite power, that’s crazy talk. What’s that in your hand? The Smite master deluxe 6000? No, please… NO!’ He however did not. He smiled at me, sweetly.

“That is a very good question,” He said cracking his knuckles. “You see, it kind of works like this...”

The sensation of being transubstantiated from a being of pure spiritual energy into one that can exist in your material realm can be summed up in one word.

“Oh.” I said opening my eyes for the first time ever. I awoke in a chamber of light surrounded by a flock of people. Said people where arranged in a circle around me, bowed forward on hands and knees. After a moment an old man dressed in a crisp white suit stepped forward from the crowd.

“Finally, you have arrived.” He said, helping me to my feet. “Welcome…” As the old man spoke, tears welled up in his eyes. “...To your destiny.” Unsurprisingly I had a million questions to ask and the old man could see this in my eyes. “Rest my liege, all in good time.” He said, a joyous tear running down his cheek. Nodding I fell to the floor in a heap. I was asleep before me knees had even began to buckle.

I awoke in a large bed, covered in white silk sheets. The old man sat in the corner waiting patiently. On seeing me sit up he rose from his chair and came and sat on the edge of my bed.

“My name is Shazoo and you are Oni.” I opened my mouth to speak but the old man raised a knowing hand. “You were cast down from the realm of spirit for daring to defy Xenon’s will, yes?”

“I only asked a question…” I started to say.

“Quiet” my little voice interrupted. “Let us see where this goes.” Mentally I shrugged and let Shazoo continue.

“It is commonly accepted that Xenon created this realm for all material beings to live in peace in harmony.” Shazoo said. I shrugged indifference. It sounded like the sort of thing He would do. “However in recent centuries He has forsaken this realm. It seems he stopped…caring” Once again, tears welled in the old man’s eyes, although this time they were laced with sorrow. “A great scholar named T’doubl’ once foretold the coming of a seraph destined to find the sword Xenon used to forge this realm and use it to smite and overthrow Him.” It took a moment but I cottoned on eventually.

“Nah…” I asked with a sceptical grin. The old man smiled. “Do you see any other Seraphs named Oni appearing out of thin air in a chamber of light?”

“Yeah, but…” There was a huge metallic clang and smile on Shazoo’s face disappeared in an instant. “Saved by the bell?” I joked nervously. The look on the old man’s face told me this was no laughing matter. From a chest at the foot of the bed Shazoo withdrew two swords, handing one to me. “The Soldiers of Xenon have found us.” Shazoo said, handing me a sword. “We must defend our selves!”

“But I’m a lover not a fighter…” I said rising from the bed. Instinctively I heaved the sword from hand to hand.

“I’ll handle them,” said my little voice, swinging the blade around like a professional. What choice did I have? With my little voice in control Shazoo and I shared a moment, flung open the doors and ran screaming out into the chamber of light.

We needn’t have bothered. Masonic figure or no, two over sized kitchen knifes are no match for two-dozen semi machine guns. Shazoo and I both stopped dead in our tracks. “I didn’t even get to wound anyone,” my little voice sulked. Two smartly dressed young men in black stepped forward from behind the Soldiers of Xenon. Shazoo recognised them instantly.

“H’Dillion and Rensoe, High priests of the temple of Xenon, long time no see.” H’Dillion did a sweeping bow, sarcasm dripping from every orifice on his body. “Have you lost weight?”

“Lower your… weapons,” replied H’Dillion and reluctantly we did so. He walked over to me, grabbing my jaw roughly. “And you must be Oni,” he said yanking my head from side. “So you’re here to save the world?” His laugh filled me with a feeling I had never experienced before: fear.

“Take him.” spat Rensoe. From within the crowd a dart shot out and pricked me in the neck. As I fell into a deep slumber, H’Dillion’s words were the last I heard. “Kill everyone else.”

I awoke hanging upside down from my ankles, blindfolded, with my hands tied behind my back. “This is new” I sighed. Which was when a fist came slamming into my stomach, sending me swinging back and forth.

“Hey, honey, are you up yet?” It was H’Dillion. Rensoe was there as well, I could here him chuckling in the background even thought I couldn’t see either of them. “So hear you are,” CRACK! Another fist collided with my stomach. “Oni the brave.” They taunted. “The saviour” They screamed! As each one took turns pounding my body, the other would just suggest weak areas that ‘needed attention’.

As much as I hated the sound, I was thankful for the reprieve, no matter how short. “Now as much as I don’t believe a word of Shazoo’s moronic babbling, I know that a lot of people do.” He stepped forward and snatched the blindfold from my face. The light stung my eyes but I resolved to show any pain. “Imagine how disappointed your followers will be to find out you never even showed up.” With a flick of the wrist he produced a small dagger and drew it across my cheek. Applying a small amount of pressure H’Dillion pierced my cheek and I felt a warm trickle of blood, flow up my face. “Where” asked H’Dillion turning to Rensoe. “Is your messiah now?” With that H’Dillion plunged the blade deep into my chest and the rhythm that had beaten for less than a day, faltered and eventually ceased to be.

Just to clarify things, I obviously didn’t die. I mean my heart stopped and my pulse became non-existent but as any scientist worth his salt will tell you energy cannot be destroyed. When Rensoe passed by my prison cell a few days later he received the shock of his life.

“You’re alive!” he exclaimed.

“Am I?” I said not even attempting to mask my annoyance. “Oh yes. So I am…” There I was hanging in the same spot as before. The dagger still embedded in my chest. The cut on face however had completely healed.

“The prophecy was true!” Opening the door to my cell, Rensoe rushed to release me from my shackles. “The prophecy is true!” He eased me down gently.

“I doubt it. This is all a happy coincidence.” Taking a moment to steady myself I pulled the dagger out of my chest in one swift motion. The wound healed within seconds.

“We need to get you to the sword room,” Said Rensoe. “It’s this way.”

Moving quietly through the corridors of this vast building Rensoe gave me a quick history lesson. “This is the first temple of Xenon,” he said.

“No it isn’t.” I informed him. “I’ve been to Xenon’s temple. It’s much nicer than this one room shack.”

“Let me rephrase that.” He sighed. “This place is called the first temple of Xenon. They say when he inhabited this realm, this is where he lived.” He stopped dead for a moment, pushing up against a wall. I followed suit. Around the corner a squad of Xenon’s soldiers could be heard marching into the distance. Satisfied that they weren’t coming after us, we continued down the corridor. “Legend has it that when he left this realm,” continued Rensoe. “He left the sword he used to forge it here as well.” This sounded familiar.

We stopped outside a plain wooden door. It looked out of place compared to the grand spectacle of the rest of the temple.

“This is it.” He said. “Good luck.” Shrugging, I pushed the door open and went inside.

The sword room was everything I expected and more. It was an absolute dump. “Surely H’dillion or someone has tried to open this door before me?” I asked. Rensoe put his hands in his pockets, looking down and to the side.

“Well yeah…” his voice turned into a broken cough. “a few dozen died trying…” I span round and shot his a glare. “You didn’t explode into a ball of flames did you?”

I pointed to a podium at the far end of the room.

“The sword’s just up there is it?” He opened his mouth to answer and then thought twice.

“Now Oni… You’re highness…sir?”

I jogged up the steps to the podium to claim up prize; anti-climax doesn’t even come close.

“Is this supposed to be funny?” I said examining the large fish on the pedestal.

“Yeah kind of,” said a familiar voice. In an instant, I was back in the 1^st realm.

“What’s this?” I said waving the scarlet sea creature. Xenon smiled and took a sip of his drink. We were in his back garden, sat in the hot tub. He offered me a drink but I declined.

“That my friend is a red herring.” He chuckled gently to himself. “So what have you learnt so far? He asked like the presenter of a children’s television show. I stopped and thought for a moment.

“Not much actually. I’ve seen the lengths people will go to protect their beliefs and I’ve seen the courage others can find in them.”

“What you haven’t seen,” Xenon interrupted “Is the answer to your question.”

I nodded.

“I was getting to that.” Xenon held out his hand extending his empty glass. It filled of its own accord to the midway level. “Is it something to do with exploding into a ball of flames?”

“I’m in charge because if anyone lesser than me tried, all hell would break loose.” He said. “Anyone less than I just couldn’t hack it.”

“How do you know that? Have you even tried to see what would …” Now I understood. Well kind of. “Ah.”

“Exactly,” He said. “I’m here to do what I’m here to do just like you.” Two blocks of ice clinked into His glass. “Beyond that I don’t know anything else for certain. We have two choices; you can either take it on faith or not. See if I care…

I emerged back in the material realm, a changed Seraph. Rensoe lay on the floor bleeding from the neck. H’Dillion stood over his body clutching a sword of a design similar to the dagger he had used on me with a few days ago. Stood behind them; a squadron of the so-called Soldiers of Xenon.

“Alright,” I asked, casually walking down the steps of the podium. The look on H’Dillion face was priceless.

“I… killed you!” He struggled to find the right words. “You’re supposed to be dead!”

“Yeah well, I was going to die…” The squadron opened fire. A hale of bullets screamed towards me. Said bullets then froze in mid air, turned around and then tore the squadron to pieces. “So yeah, as I was saying…” Come to think of it, it was that look in his face that was priceless, the previous one weighing in at a few mere billion pounds of platinum. “I was going to die but then I thought I’d take over this place instead.” H’Dillion’s smiting still ensues. “You can get up now…” I said to Rensoe. He gasped, clutching his neck.

“Am I dead?” he asked. I shrugged.

“You were for a little bit, but not to worry, eh?” To be precise he was in the 2^nd realm but he didn’t need to know that. There’s no need to start complicating things so late on in the game is there? I extended a hand and helped him up.

“Come on mate, we’ve got work to do.” I said. I can’t help but love the way that man accepts new concepts so easily, nothing fazes him anymore.

“Like what?” he asked. I gestured around the room.

“Well for a start, my throne room needs a quick spring clean,” I said brushing a cobweb from my shoulder. “And then the sign above the door needed changing. Welcome,” I said spreading my arms out wide, “To the first temple of Oni.”