It had been a full week since I'd first stepped foot into Denus's secluded cottage, and now, finally, the moment of truth had arrived.
The choice before him was simple in structure, but monumental in consequence—whether he would use his deity for the sake of his people's survival… or cling stubbornly to ideals that had already cost them so much.
He was seated across from me in the same lounge where we had spoken so many times before. His chair creaked slightly as he leaned back, resting one arm on its armrest.
I broke the silence first. "So, Denus," I said, my voice cutting through the stillness. "It's been a week… you already know what I'm going to ask. Let's not play riddles or dance around it—let's speak plainly."
A smirk tugged at his lips, though his eyes held none of the light that usually accompanied it. "Yeah, I figured as much. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't press me for an answer sooner. For a while, I even thought you'd forgotten. Guess I was wrong."
