38What turns humanity to war? What makes them fight? Greed, power, and the greed for power, for one. Fear, betrayal and revenge, for another. Maybe a rebellion; the lower class rising to take power. Hell, I could even start a religious war, show myself as whatever god I so choose and gain an entire church of supporters.
A few comments here, a lie or two there, and maybe a couple of water-to-wine style miracles, and any one of those situations could result in war. Could. All of them, however... now that would be mayhem.
And mayhem is the effect I'm looking for.
I spent the next few months planning out my attack; figuring out who to tell what to and the best way to do so, theorising how to best use humans as puppets, and stuff of that sort. I am finally ready to begin my master plan. To either save or destroy the world.
And... cue doubt. Is destroying humanity such a good idea? Is giving them this power going to wipe just them out, or take everything else with them? Is there any other, less risky way?
I shake it off. Life is getting weaker with every passing day. I don't have time to start again. It's this or nothing, all or bust. I can do nothing but my best. And that leaves my last fear.
The other entity.
Pain.
Death.
What if he figures out what I'm doing? I couldn't resist his powers of...persuasion... last time, what makes me think I will be able to now?
This time, you won't be alone. A now familiar sense of well-being washed over me with Life's words, and I knew I would be able to do it. I don't know how I knew, but I was more certain of it than I was of grass being green or the sky blue. So I set upon my mission of lies, deceit and war, so at peace in myself that no-one would guess I was about to try to destroy humanity.
As soon as I was out of the protection of the Antarctic, I was attacked by Death. He knew I hadn't killed Life, and hadn't broken the barrier. He could tell I was out against him this time. And He can hold a grudge. I was bent over in excruciating pain, His cackling, surreal laughter filling my mind. He talked to me using the pain; I don't know how, but I knew exactly what He meant. A sharp pain, receding to a dull ache told me that my time was now short. A feeling as if I were being pulled apart telling me I was deteriorating. The overall message; you're going to die slowly and painfully, watching yourself become a vegetable. I would have to hurry.
As soon as He knew His message was delivered, He left me rolling around in pain. Constant, unending pain. I knew that that wasn't going to change.
I continued my journey, travelling from country to country, city to island, outback to coast, spreading my web of lies and deceits. I left communities that didn't trust each other, their leaders or their country. I left families feuding and governments falling apart. I broke century old treaties and established wars between old friends, as well as age old enemies. The streets were filled with riots, and people who would once have never hurt a fly were making plans to kill their neighbours. Overall, I was good at causing distrust and war.
While I was doing this, I was slowly falling apart. I could feel myself getting weaker, and the pain growing. My hair was falling out, and my skin was starting to wrinkle. I was unable to move without pain, and my senses were dulling. I was getting older, faster than anyone should. This was Death's curse. This His way of killing me. Me, who He had created. And it was working.
I felt it was time to head back to Antarctica. The barrier could now, safely, go down. I think.
A/N: I know, it's been a while. The next chapter may come this week or next year, I don't know. I hope it was worth the wait.
~Maya.