Page 1 of Lies Among Gods

Chapter four

Part 1

Chapter five

Snippet from “The Book of Natural History”

By Priestess Antonella Killoran

Follower of Elio, God of Sun

Written in the year 748 AD

On our hands and knees, we crawled, our eyes searching the vast expanse of the skies of Elyndra, pleading for help. Mere heathens, we scurried about the land, living in the sunlight with trepidation of the shadows of night for fear of the creatures that were concealed there. Our food dwindled, and our tribe was dying; hope seemed a distant star we could not reach for.

Then, a brilliant light pierced through the veil of darkness, illuminating the land at our feet. A divine figure gracefully descended, carrying with him the essence of the sun. We stood in awe, filled with fear and uncertainty as we kneeled before him. This celestial being introduced himself as Elio, the Sun God. His golden robe shimmered as he walked, bringing with him the scent of warmed honeyed amber and citrus. He stood tall andproud, with golden eyes that seemed to reflect the golden rays of the sun themselves as they looked at us kneeling before him.

Elio graciously shared with us heathens the knowledge of fire creation. He guided us on the sacred path as we constructed the first temple to honor him and his teachings. He taught us how to worship him properly. Callen, the leader of our tribe, became his first high priest. Through the teachings, he guided Callen to create the first book, The Radiant Path.

As seven full moons passed and the golden sun bathed the horizon in a warm glow, two ethereal figures gracefully descended from the heavens above. Mira, the Ocean Goddess, adorned in shimmering blue robes, brought with her the salty scent of the vast seas and the rhythmic sound of crashing waves. Petro, the Earth God, cloaked in earthy brown garments, emanated the rich aroma of fertile soil and the gentle rustling of leaves. As their divine presence graced our humble village, a sense of tranquility enveloped the air, a feeling of harmony with nature. Life, once barren, flourished under their benevolent gaze, and we, in awe, worshiped the three gods with reverence and complete devotion. With their blessings, our food resources multiplied, the fields abundant with the vibrant colors of nourishment. But as the bountiful harvests grew, so did the echoes of conflict; the distant rumblings pierced through our once serene lands.

We name that moment the First Illumination—the turning of the world’s hourglass. It was marked as Year Zero After Descent, and all that came before was cast into shadow as the age Before Descent.

Chapter six

CHAPTER 1

In the age before worship, we mistook survival for living, never knowing how dim our existence truly was until the gods taught us to kneel. With the gods among us, purpose was assigned, and no life existed without divine approval. To worship was to belong, and to belong was to survive. The gods taught us that harmony required obedience.

Snippet from “The Book of Natural History” By Priestess Antonella Killoran

Some rejections fall like rain—soft at first, then soaking straight through to the bone. Lyra Nymphaea bit her lip, a salty tang against her tongue as her teeth dug in, fighting back tears. The parchment in her hand swam before her eyes, the ink blurring before she pressed it to her chest. The paper felt so rough to her fingertips. Sixteen, two weeks ago, and she’d dared to apply to serve at Elio’s temple.

Wiping at her wet cheeks, she pulled the letter back; the paper crinkled in her trembling hand. She squinted, praying fora mistake. But the stark, crimson word ‘denied’ glared back, a brutal slap to her hopes.

What will I tell Adrian? Will he hate me?Tears, warm and slick, traced a fresh path down her cheeks, blurring the world before her. A knot of dread tightened in her stomach, a cold, creeping fear whispering that his disappointment would shatter her world if he found it. A lump formed in her throat as she bit back an anguished cry.

On her sixteenth birthday, she had gone to the heart of Elyndra, the Celestial Ward, where the temples of the fifteen gods were. She had traveled from her province, Stoneward Fields, part of the earth god Petro’s worship area. This had been her first attempt to apply to one of the gods. She could still see the towering temple of Elio, its golden facade shimmering in the sunlight, the sounds of chanting echoing through the air when she applied. The elites worshipped Elio, the sun god, including Aiden’s family, promising a future that felt lighter and easier. If the right god accepted you, doors swung open, ushering you into hallowed halls of academia and lucrative career options. Their society depended entirely on which divine presence favored them. Rejection, however, would cast one adrift. Your home, your friends, and every facet of life revolved around the deity you worshipped.

I am one of the rejected ones, a rejected soul. My life is over. How will I ever be able to fix this?She squeezed her eyes shut; the darkness punctuated by flashing images. A cacophony of mental noise—thoughts like colliding cars - filled her head. A cold sweat prickled her skin as she desperately sought a solution.

Wiping stinging tears, she gazed at the off-white ceiling. The crumpled paper clenched in her fists mirrored the crushing weight in her heart. There are plenty of couples who worship different gods. He would not break up with me over this. We love each other. I love him. He loves me. Right? Maybe I’ll justpretend I didn’t get the letter and reapply. After waiting two more weeks, I can try again to be an Elio worshipper. I can figure out what I did wrong and fix it. I can fix this.

Nodding to herself, she knew that was the best course of action.I didn’t need to tell anyone that Elio had denied me. Plus, how would they know unless I told them?With a weighty sigh escaping her lips, she jumped out of bed. She walked to the trash can. She ripped the letter, the paper crackling sharply, into minuscule pieces. The fragments fluttered, a silent flurry, before landing in the metal trash can.

Lyra meticulously prepped for school, her auburn hair brushed to a sleek, straight curtain that cascaded down her back, catching the morning light. A whisper-thin line of eyeliner accentuated her dark green eyes, which held a soft yet vibrant gaze, often revealing the quiet tide of her emotions. Her delicate features, softening an angular chin, gave her face a pixie-like, almost ethereal quality. She was a classic, timeless beauty. Standing five feet six inches tall, the soft fabric of her favorite dress highlighted her naturally slim build. The soft leather of the flats molded to her feet as she slipped them on. The last time she’d worn heels, towering over Aiden’s five feet seven inches, a frustrated hiss had escaped his lips, a sound like scraping gravel, as he’d accused her of mortifying him.

She was trying to put up a false confidence that she was not feeling. Sleep had eluded her as she had spent half the night researching why she could have been denied and how she could fix it.What is it about me that the Pantheon did not like? Why wasn’t I chosen? Did I answer a question wrong? Was Iwearing the wrong clothes when I applied?She still wasn’t sure what she would do, but she knew she would do whatever it took to fix this before anyone found out. She’d poured over websites, determined to absorb every detail. The hum of her laptop would fill the quiet room as she navigated online practice tests, her brow furrowed in concentration, the cool plastic of the keys a familiar comfort beneath her determined touch.I will pass this time; I will be prepared.

As she walked down the school hall, clutching her notebook to her chest, she heard the murmur of voices as she passed.It’s all in your head; they don’t know.The metallic tang of the hallway air did little to cut through the nervous flutter in her stomach. As she yanked her locker open, the clatter echoed unnervingly, and the worn cover of her biology book felt cool and smooth beneath her fingers. Mid-turn, a sharp, familiar snicker sliced through the low hum of locker doors slamming shut and distant footsteps. Her head snapped around, the sudden movement making her vision blur for a second, a desperate hope for solace in the one face she trusted above all others.

“Hello, Clara,” she smiled at her best friend since elementary school.

Clara’s bleach-blonde hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail that emphasized her sharp cheekbones. Her icy blue eyes, the color of a winter sky, mirrored the vibrant blue of her skirt that swished with her movements. Her shirt displayed the logo of their favorite band, Fallen Boys, its ink slightly faded from wear. Emily stood beside her, clad in worn denim jeans and a t-shirt, just like Clara’s.

“Hmph,” Clara snorted while rolling her eyes. “I’m surprised she even showed up today.” Clara turned to look at Emily, who rolled her brown eyes.

“What?” Lyra whispered. “Who are you surprised is here?”