(A/N: The early parts of this chapter contain two voices; the minister speaking to the congregation, and Code Weber speaking to himself. To avoid confusion, "dialogue" will be used for the minister, and 'dialogue' for Code Weber.)
...
'Who is god?'
...
Flashback to Five Years Ago.
Lancelot Orphanage, Old Kona Street, Hazen.
...
"To know is to grow... and to grow is to live," the minister proclaimed from the altar before the gathered congregation.
The Lancelot Church was filled with many children and a few adults, all seated in silence, listening to his sermon.
'Who created the world?'
"This world was created by our great lord, Aethrauzon, the father of fate and sorcery. He brought peace out of chaos, creating a safe world for humans and other creatures."
'I never once believed in the existence of beings greater than humans... or ones we should revere.'
"We, as humans, should live lives of purity, equality, and total obedience to Lord Aethrauzon."
'What truly fascinated me was the insincerity and delusion of humans. The Aethric Tenet preached equality.'
"Between life and death lies the spiral of return!"
'But no one wants equality. Why are some rich while others are poor? Why are some strong while others are weak? Why should someone's joy come at the cost of another's grief?'
'I kept asking. Each answer only gave birth to more questions.'
'Life isn't equal. Even Aethrauzon, who commands equality, isn't equal. Why is he a god while we are merely humans?'
'Why does Aethrauzon live forever when he claims life is bound by mortality?'
'Why do I have no parents? Why am I a failure? Why does nothing ever work for me?'
'Why must I be the odd one out. The one without friends, the one they call "loser"? The one no one wants?'
...
(A/N: From here on, "dialogues" belong to others, not the minister.)
"Monster."
"Stay away from him."
"Of course he's the one who killed his parents."
"He might even be a demon."
'I heard it all: their hisses, their whispers, every single word.'
'Then, one day, a question sank into my mind. The culmination of all my doubts.'
'Why do I even serve god?'
'Why should I serve someone who makes rules but never follows them?'
'So I made a decision. One that led to my exile... and the destruction of the orphanage.'
'They said I was a monster. A loser. A failure. That I didn't deserve to live.'
'So I made my final choice...'
'The one who made me a monster, a loser, who made me without parents...'
'...I'll kill him.'
"I will kill god!"
...
Back to the Present.
...
"Hehe..." Code chuckled, blood dripping down his face.
His body was smashed against the boulder. His left arm was twisted, his legs bent at impossible angles.
Every fiber of his being screamed in pain, yet Code laughed.
"Code!" Elara screamed, rushing toward him.
"Code! Are you okay?" she cried, eyes wide and wet.
"I'm sorry... the barrier was supposed to work. I don't know what happened," Elara stammered, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Code wanted to raise his head, to smile and wave a hand.
To say, "Nah, it's not your fault."
But his arm was broken beyond use, and his voicebox was shattered. No sound came out.
"Let me cast a healing spell quickly!" Elara said, closing her eyes and beginning to pray.
'Nah... it's pointless,' Code thought weakly.
'Aethrauzon's blessings only work for believers. I don't believe in god. There's no grace for me.'
'Nemesis has finally caught up... for all my blasphemies and sins.'
Then...
THUD!
The demon's foot struck the earth again.
It was coming closer.
"Lord Aethrauzon, grant me thy power..." Elara prayed, a white glow flaring from her palms.
She smiled as the light shone...
But the moment it touched Code's body, it fizzled out.
"Uh?" Her eyes widened. "What's happening!? It's supposed to work!"
Sweat poured down her face as the demon advanced. Time was running out.
She began another prayer, desperate.
'Shit... she's running out of time!' Code cursed inwardly.
"Lord Aethrauzon, grant me thy healing strength—"
The light died again.
THUD!
The demon loomed behind her now.
"No! It's supposed to work! I'm sorry, Code! I'm sorry!" Elara sobbed, pressing her hands together again.
But before she could close her eyes, a touch stopped her.
"Uh?!" She gasped, eyes snapping open. "Code?"
He was holding her hand. Barely, his body trembling, his back half-raised, his face blood-streaked.
His lips parted as if to speak... but no words came. No sound formed.
'Tch...' Code grit his teeth, trying harder and harder.
'Why? Why won't you sound?'
He struggled, forcing his breath.
'Even if it's just one word... I need to tell her. She's running out of time.'
'Please... even if it's only one word... please.'
He mustered every last bit of strength and forced the air from his lungs.
"R–r–r..." he stammered, clutching her hands tightly.
Elara leaned closer, trying to hear.
"R–r–run... away...!"
Her eyes widened.
"I–I can't do that!" she cried. "I can't just leave you here! I can't—!"
But before she could finish...
"I said run!!" Code roared with the last of his strength.
"Please... run."
Elara staggered back, trembling. She didn't want to go, she couldn't, but the look in Code's eyes said otherwise.
He was begging.
"I–I promise to get help as soon as I get outside!" she sobbed.
Code's lips curled into a faint smile as he let her hand slip free.
'Thank you...'
With a jolt, Elara turned and sprinted away, her figure darting past the demon, whose senses couldn't detect her through the fading divine protection.
She didn't look back. She knew she couldn't.
Because if she did... she'd never forgive herself.
She ran into the darkness. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of something, white and humanoid, sitting on a branch.
But she didn't stop. She just kept running.
Code watched her silhouette fade into the forest.
'She was really beautiful...' he thought, smiling faintly.
THUD!
The demon drew closer to Code, who could do nothing but stare.
'She doesn't deserve to die with a useless failure like me.'
The demon's eyes gleamed with hunger, thick saliva dripping to the ground.
It raised its colossal foot over Code's head.
'All I wanted was to live. I didn't ask for anything else. I didn't ask for wealth. Or peace. Or happiness. I didn't even ask for death.'
'All I asked for... was life.'
'And yet I don't even get that?'
'All my sufferings...'
Flashes of memory crossed his mind. The stones, the laughter, the rejection, the names, the tears.
'All my sorrows...'
The demon's foot began to fall.
'And I still don't get to live?'
The foot descended.
"Life is unfair."
Those were Code's last words before his eyes closed, and...
BLAM!
The demon's foot struck.
The whole forest shook. Birds scattered, trees trembled.
Then silence dawned.
A cool wind swept through the leaves as moonlight pierced the canopy.
'What's that...?'
'Is this... heaven?'
Then, suddenly...
Code's eyes snapped open.
He still couldn't speak, but what he saw made them widen.
The demon's massive foot; the one meant to crush him, was frozen inches above his face.
He was alive. Barely breathing, bleeding out... but still alive.
'What's happening?' he thought. 'I'm supposed to be dead.'
'Is this a dream? A flashback? Am I watching myself from hell?'
Time itself seemed frozen.
Then...
"Oi, wake up already!"
Code's eyes darted left to the voice.
'Uh?!'
Standing beside him was a man. White hair, black hoodie, baggy jeans. The lower half of his face covered with a silvery mask.
He was... impossibly handsome.
But the most shocking part...Code wasn't in heaven.
The demon's foot hadn't landed.
The masked man had caught the massive limb effortlessly, one leg braced against its sole.
"Yo," the man said casually, waving.
...
To Be Continued...