Garren studied the god intently as he spun his tale.
“The combination of both cosmic beings created a power that threatened to tear the cosmos apart. If left to fully understand and hone your skills, you and your siblings have the ability to end both immortal races and the cosmos itself.”
The room began to spin in circles around Garren. He was lying; he had to be lying. Garren rested a hand against one of the statues and leaned heavily against it.
“Stand up straight, halfling, for that is not all,” Orrick snapped. “You see, there are Gods that would have used your power for their own purposes, to gain control and fully rule the cosmos if they didn’t accidentally destroy it instead.”
“Anthes,” Garren breathed.
“Anthes,” Orrick confirmed. “He has always craved power, craved full control, and would have destroyed both Gods and Zydells alike in the blink of an eye to get what he wanted. He discovered the existence of you and your siblings.
Zanos, the god of life and death that he is, wished to find a way to kill you all, but your mother, Allarina, hid each of you before he had the chance. She scattered you throughout the worlds I created. Rather clever of her to have chosen this particular world to hide you, really. It is one of the weakest I’ve ever made.” Orrick barked out a loud, uncharacteristic laugh before adding, “I’m surprised you haven’t yet killed them all, knowing what you are capable of. Have you even tapped into your abilities?”
Garren just stared at Orrick. “I–I…”
“You know, for one of the supposed most powerful beings in the universe, you’re rather disappointing.” Orrick came to stand before Garren then, smirking, said, “Maybe you just haven’t been provoked enough.”
Orrick's hand shot out quick as lightning, wrapping around Garren’s throat and lifting him from the ground.
Garren sputtered and gripped Orrick’s wrist with both hands, eyes wide as he felt the blood drain from his face.
“Come on, Garren, fight back. Show me what you are truly capable of.” Orrick’s eyes shuttered blue, frosting over with mirth, that amused smirk still spread upon his lips.
Garren flared his nostrils. He wanted nothing more than to see Orrick suffer just as much as the people of this world had suffered from his ruthlessness.
Garren could feel something rising inside of him, something cold and foreign. He welcomed it, allowing it to take over his body, his mind, every single fiber of his being, until a harrowing crack like the sound of breaking wood echoed around him. Then came the scream.
Garren blinked, and the cold that had frosted both his blood and bone melted. He looked down, realizing his feet were on solid ground once more, and saw Orrick collapsed, clutching what was left of his right arm.
The mangled flesh hung limply, bone splintered and poking through the skin in multiple directions. It looked as if a hammer had been taken to it, shattering it until it was barely recognizable as an arm.
“Fuck,” Garren muttered. “D–did I do that?”
“Well, I didn’t very well do it to myself!” Orrick lashed. “Put it back! Fix it!”
“I don’t know how,” Garren said, still staring at what he had somehow done. He looked down at his hands in disbelief, then bent closer to Orrick, reaching out his hands toward the mangled mess of bone and blood.
“Don’t touch me again,” Orrick growled, backing away.
“Do you want me to try to fix it or not?”
Orrick bared his shining white teeth at him before relenting. “I swear if you do something worse…”
“You’ll kill me?” Garren finished, raising an eyebrow.
Orrick seethed, narrowing his eyes at Garren. “Just fix it.”
Garren gingerly laid his hands back upon Orrick’s arm, closing his eyes, attempting to pull on the power he had felt spread through him. Like a scared kitten hiding in a dark hole, Garren coaxed it back from where it had stayed dormant all these years. Icey tendrils climbed through him once again, and when he opened his eyes, Orrick’s arm looked as if nothing had even happened to it.
The god only nodded at him in thanks, rubbing at his shoulder and bicep before pushing up to his feet. Orrick stared warily at Garren for a long moment before asking, “What is it you called me here for, halfling?”
Garren had almost forgotten the reason for this meeting. His mind and body were still reeling from all it had just discovered, but a single thought of Oriana brought him back to what was most important, saving her.
“I need your help.”
“Yes, you’ve said that.” Orrick crossed his arms and looked at Garren expectantly. “Well, are you going to tell me what you need help with, or should I go before you decide to practice your gifts on me again?”
“How would you like revenge?” Garren finally said. “How would you like to best your father?”
