Today is the day my dream comes true. Now, I know that statement just made all of you with a stick up your ass roll your eyes, but trust me when I say that my dream isn't your typical teenage boy fantasy. I'm not talking about some lofty aspiration that I set my sights on, like becoming a coal miner or some other prestigious member of society. If only fate liked me well enough to give me a quick death. Every night my dream comes for a visit, and every morning I hang myself, praying for release. No, my dream has been haunting me since the moment I forgot how to die.

          "Get your ass down from there and get yourself ready! Everyone is already out there!"

          My eyes snapped open upon hearing that grating voice. Vision blurry and unfocused, I tried to pinpoint where the squealing was coming from. My attention shifted as I sensed movement to my left, and my eyes focused on the intruder. Seeing who it was, I choked out what would have been a sigh had I been able to breathe, and closed my eyes. He could wait. Drakus, the bastard, was using his words again. I hate it when he does that. Every time he speaks, I feel like barbed wire is being used to clean out my ears. Unfortunately for me, he seems to have a fondness for making ears bleed.

          Wooden boards creaked as I heard his footsteps coming closer. I can ignore bleeding ears and footsteps any day of the week. Still, I haven't perfected my meditation techniques well enough to ignore being shoved by grimy hands. I opened my eyes as the world turned sideways. My arms flailed, trying to catch my balance. That instinct is a handy thing to have, unless you're trying to kill yourself. In this situation, it only made me look incompetent and spaghetti-like.

          "I don't know why I expected you act differently today," Drakus said, shoving me hard enough for my dangling feet to slam into the wall. I gasped as needles of pain shot through my legs.

          My obvious pain didn't even phase him. "Figured you would have come to your senses by now. No Caste of any note would welcome this cowardly display." 

          His words didn't bother me much, and the pain I could handle. I never cared much for our society's caste system, and you get used to the pain after trying to hang yourself every morning. What concerned me was the fact that I was now spinning as I dangled from my noose. I hate spinning. You may be bold enough to point out that, all things considered, spinning—a rather mundane affair—should be the least of my concerns, given the rope around my neck. If I were anyone but myself, such a statement would ring true; however, my soul appears to like this fleshy cage of a body. And that body, my body, forgot how to die.

          What does being unable to die have to do with spinning? Absolutely nothing. And that's the point. I get dizzy, and immortality doesn't do a damn thing for me when I'm puking my breakfast out. I could feel bile beginning to rise at the back of my throat. The only genuine tragedy would be all the wasted food when I threw up on Drakus. Still spinning, I choked as vomit tried to escape past my restricted esophagus.

          Drakus, to his credit, didn’t hesitate. Pulling out a dagger strapped to his hip, he made quick work of my noose, and I crashed to the floor, sucking in a deep breath. My entire body ached, and for a moment, I thought I might not spew my last meal everywhere. That thought died as Drakus looked down on me, a scowl on his face, and slammed his left foot straight into my gut. 

          Goodbye my sweet, delicious pancakes.

          I vomited half-digested morsels all over his feet.

          If my regurgitated food bothered Drakus, he didn't show it. That unnerved me. He has two moods, total indifference and blind rage, and I can never predict which one he'll be in. Every time I speak to the man, I say the wrong thing. So, laying on my side and covered in vomit, I closed my eyes and chose another option- silence.

          "I want you ready for the ceremony in thirty minutes," Drakus said. I heard him sigh, then he continued, "You may not care, but Rhia watches us all today. No one will tolerate a selfish brat who makes us look bad on her sacred day."

          My eyes opened wide as I felt a calloused hand grab my shirt collar before he lifted me back up to my feet. Still disoriented from the sudden movement, I staggered, unaccustomed to supporting my weight after hanging for an hour. Drakus reached out with one hand and grabbed my shoulder, steadying me.

          "There are things worse than death, Arsis. Don't forget that. If we don't see you on that platform with your peers, I’ll let the Church decide your punishment. I’ve heard they can get creative."

          His voice softened. "I never liked you, and I'll be glad to have you out of my sight, but I don't hate you either. See that you don't cause Rhia to revoke her blessing." 

          Well, damn. That was the closest thing to affection Drakus had ever shown me. Maybe he isn’t so bad.

          Feeling awkward, I said, “Um, thanks for your concern?"

          The man laughed. Then shoved me into the wall before striding out of my room.

          Nope, never mind. He's still a bastard.

###

          Thirty minutes later, freshly bathed and draped in ceremonial robes, I stood on a massive steel platform in front of the largest temple in the world. They lined us up shoulder to shoulder, all five hundred of us waiting for the ceremony to begin. There were thousands of Sunedi in attendance. I stood straight as a washboard, trying not to draw attention to myself or the bulge at my hip, hidden by my robes. I could do this. Today, my dream would come true, and this nightmare would end.

            Shifting my gaze from the crowd, I looked up towards the statue of our goddess, Rhia. She was carved from granite and stood over four hundred and fifty feet tall. Barefoot and wearing a simple dress that accentuated her natural poise and grace, she stood guard in front of her temple grounds. There was a level of detail carved into her hair that spoke of genuine craftsmanship. It hung loose, flowing down her back to reach her waist. Her face held a loving yet commanding expression- one glance at her, and you knew she would do anything to protect and lead her people. She could be seen from anywhere in our little nation, a constant reminder of where we come from.

          I’ve always wondered how anyone could have created something so perfect. The church tells us that Rhia herself carved the stone after she led us here to Sanctuary. I wonder if that is true?

          We Sunedi have few things in our lives that could be called beautiful. We are a people born of scarcity, and so we live by necessity. There’s no place for art in our world. We live and die as laborers, breaking our backs to keep the dome running for just a little longer. So, when I look upon Rhia’s statue, I can’t help but wonder why a being such as her, who personifies beauty and vitality, would ever care about us mortal men. What did we do to deserve her protection?

          I drew my attention back down as a figure walked before my peers and I. He looked to be around sixty years of age. Though he was dressed in the traditional robes of his station, it was his age that told me he was Cardinal of Sanctuary. Sunedi don’t live long. If our jobs don’t kill us, we’ll live to the ripe old age of fifty. Rhia’s Cardinal, however, lives to seventy. 

          Idle chatter ceased when the crowd noticed their leader arrive. He stood still for a moment, facing the masses, savoring the silence, before spreading his arms wide. The platform under me vibrated as two panels began sliding apart in front of our leader. A massive megaphone rose in the space where the panels used to be. Metal on metal screeching deafened those closest to the machine.

          Damn, it wasn’t that awful for last year’s ceremony.

          It took a full minute for the contraption to lock into place in front of the Cardinal. Ever prone to theatrics, he somehow remained in that ridiculous pose without budging an inch, arms still stretched wide.

          “Good morning, my fellow Sunedi,” the Cardinal began. His amplified voice, a soothing bass I could fall asleep listening to, echoed throughout the crowd. “Today is a day of change. It is the only day of change. With it comes the unknown. Life and death.”

          The Cardinal gestured towards the artificial sky. Towards our prison. “At all costs, we must keep Sanctuary alive by maintaining our labors as Rhia commanded us. We are the last of mankind. One mistake, and life itself ends!”

          I shuddered. This was playing out exactly like my dream predicted. My breathing became shallow, and my heart rate soared. The magnitude of my task settled on me. I should have ended myself before today.

          “That is why we gather here under our goddess’s gaze.“ The Cardinal paused, gesturing towards Rhia.

          “Change is her domain. She carries the wisdom that we lack, and on this day, as we have done each year for millennia, we allow the unknown into our lives. We do this under her protection. We do this to survive. Join me in celebrating another year of Sanctuary!”

          The crowd erupted into cheers and praise for our creator. Despite my growing anxiety, I smiled. I, too, adore our goddess. Seeing the last remnants of creation worshiping her touched me. I felt something on my cheek. I raised my hand, touching my face. Was I crying? I don’t remember the last time I did that.

          Rhia. Goddess. Why are you making me do this? Can’t you see that they adore you?

          The sermon continued. “Today, we bid our eldest members of society farewell. If it wasn’t my place to guide you into her arms, I would join them. I envy those who leave this world to be in Rhia’s presence. We must make room for the next generation, for with them comes vitality and strength. This is not a final goodbye. Though we may not recognize their faces, our new children carry the souls of those departed. Without this reincarnation, we would have ended long ago. This is Rhia’s greatest blessing!”

          I stopped listening. The Cardinal wasn’t saying anything we didn’t already know. The old is made young. This is why no one lives past fifty. We sacrifice ourselves to serve the nation. We cart off the old folk towards the edge of Sanctuary and wait for the gate to appear. In return, she provides an equal number of newborn males. No one understands why, but only those called by Rhia may pass through it.

          Around a thousand years ago, some idiot Cardinal thought they could try to prevent the ritual. They forbade anyone of age to pass through the gate. Terrible idea, that was. Without the sacrifices, they didn’t receive newborns that year. It was a colossal disaster. The elderly ended up getting sick and died anyway, never having their chance at reincarnation. Because the gate only opens once a year, we lost an entire generation of laborers. Not only that, but the Cardinal himself grew ill and died. No one was ready to replace him. The void in leadership almost led to civil war. Never again did we miss a sacrifice.

          The crowd roared again, snapping me from my thoughts. Ah, I guess the sermon is over. My heart pounded in my chest. Nothing could calm my nerves now, and I missed my chance to back out.

          “Youth of Sanctuary!” The Cardinal turn around to face us. “Are you prepared to take your place as a member of the Sunedi workforce? Are you ready to guide your forbears to the gate?”

          We could only respond one way. Five hundred voices sounded as one.

          “Yes, your grace.”

          “Let us march then!”

          And so we marched to the gate.

###

          The Cardinal led us down off the platform in a single file procession. We headed straight for the crowd, and they parted as we grew close. As we traveled passed the people , I made eye contact with as many Sunedi I as could. If I do this, I’ll damn well make sure I never forget these faces. They were dirty, still grimy from their labor, but a current of excitement flowed through them.

          I looked to my left. Perched on an older man’s shoulders, a boy who couldn’t be much older than five was waving at me. His smile was bright and full of innocence. I couldn’t hold the boy’s gaze. Guilt overwhelmed me. Shifting my eyes towards the ground, I continued walking.

          I’ll admit, I almost ran off into the crowd after that. My nerve was failing me. What if my dream wasn’t from Rhia? What if I was just going mad, hallucinating a false prophecy? I knew I was just looking for any excuse to change my course. I had ten years to work through those doubts, why should they plague me now? It was too vivid, too real, to be anything but a direct message from my goddess. Shaking my head, I brought my attention back to my surroundings.

          Rust coated just about everything I could see, from the steam-powered factory just beyond Rhia’s statue to the coal miner's barracks on the other side of the dome. Mechanical beasts of burden stood next to a few men. Together, they were the farmers who kept us fed, doing their part to sustain our community.

          There are stories about animals, ones who had flesh and bone just like the Sunedi. I’m not sure how I feel about that. Flesh makes us different from the land and brings us under the great goddess's protection. I’m not willing to share that. It’s said that they once lived among us as part of our community. We labored together but also ate of their flesh. Simply put, we were barbaric. Those days are no more. That was before the land was poisoned- before Rhia led us to Sanctuary.

          Sanctuary.

          That’s what we call our home.

          Sanctuary is dying. It’s treason to say that out loud. Looking at the eyes of the surrounding men, I can tell they understand. Today’s excitement is a brief escape. I see their fear, their hope, and their determination. They know that even if today goes as planned- we are still a dying people. Our machines are becoming unreliable, and we’ve lost the knowledge to repair them. Our harvests grow smaller each year as the soil fails us.

          The procession slowed as we passed under Rhia’s statue. Grouped together next to her right foot stood this year's sacrifices. This close, it was difficult not to marvel at the size of Rhia. Her big toe was about as tall as a grown man. Imagine if beings that massive existed. The thought was both terrifying and comforting.

          The elders remained still as we approached, watching us with interest. These men were ready to pass into their next life. They weren’t wearing any ceremonial clothing. Instead, they wore the uniform of their respective caste. They were to die as they lived, ready to serve the needs of our nation.

          Ahead of me, the Cardinal gestured for the sacrifices to follow us. We continued walking, and as we did, a sacrifice would pair up with someone from my generation. I was towards the middle of the procession, so I could observe the reactions of my peers as the older men paired with them. Most appeared uncomfortable. Others embraced their Elder, both men seeming to take comfort in the embrace.

           When it was my turn, I just nodded to the man, saying nothing. He smirked but didn’t break the silence. I matched his stride and followed those ahead of us. We had been walking for at least five minutes before my curiosity got the better of me. I shouldn’t, but the man was about to die. He wouldn’t be telling anyone anything.

          I turned and asked, “Do you believe that Rhia will really save our people? That she knows the future, and it’s her hand guides us towards brighter days?”

          He looked surprised by the question, but shifted his expression to one of contemplation. The man met my gaze for a while, saying nothing. His eyes were slate gray, a change that comes to those about to pass on- they unnerved me. I felt the weight of his scrutiny upon me as he decided how he would respond.

          “Will knowing my opinion change what you believe?”

          “Well, I supposed not, but—”

          “But what?” He asked. “If what I say changes nothing, why ask?”

          Caught off guard, I answered with the truth, “I ask because I want to know if I will be forgiven by my people for what I am about to do.”

          Shit. I shouldn’t have said that. Maybe he wasn’t listening and didn’t hear the implied treason.

          The old man grinned. “I thought that might be the case.”

          Fuck. I’m screwed. We’re screwed.

          Wait, what did he say?

          “Huh?” That was all I could manage. What did he mean? He knows. But then why aren’t I being dragged off in chains to await bloody torture?

          The Elder broke out laughing. It was a deep laugh, one that I rarely hear, a full-blown belly laugh. I guess my confusion is hilarious. Did I miss something? I glanced around, worried someone might overhear. The others were lost in their conversations. Thank Rhia.

          I turned back to my senile companion. “Elder? Are you okay?” I asked, more out of shock than genuine concern.

          He waved me off, his laugher fading. “Yes, lad. I am more than fine. You should have seen your face, all serious and melodramatic one moment, and then wham!” He made a fist and punched the air in front of him. “You looked like you couldn’t decide whether you wanted to tackle me or faint.”

          At that, he placed an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close. He whispered, “You didn’t think Rhia would make you do something so insane by yourself, did you?”

          “But I never dreamed of you. In my dreams, I stand alone,” I said, still confused. How did he know? Did Rhia show up to him too?

          Rhia? If you can hear me, please tell me what the hell is going on?

          My prayer remained unanswered as the Elder spoke, his tone playful, “I think you forget that Rhia has a sense of humor. She had no reason to show you everything, just enough for you to play your part in this. Where do you think the explosion will come from?”

          “Explosion? Wait, I thought that would be just a coincidental accident? Do you mean… you? You’re the one who sets it off?” I stared at him, disbelieving.

          “Oh, it’ll be an accident, all right,” he said, grinning. “I’ll accidentally hit this here detonation switch.” He pulled out a small cube the size of his palm. “My fingers tend to slip in my old age.”

          Despite the gravity of our conversation, I couldn’t help but smile. I wasn’t alone.

          “Don’t think I ever got your name?” I asked.

          “It’s Orion.”

          I held out my right hand. “My name is Arsis. May Rhia damn us both for what we are about to do.”

###

          Orion and I were silent for the rest of the walk. There was nothing more to say. It took the better part of a half-hour to get to our destination. All one thousand of us stood before a massive steel wall. Machines hummed around us as they performed essential maintenance on the structure. Massive pipes, their diameter twice the height of a man, ran down along the wall of the dome, one end vanishing beneath the ground. Every so often, steam would hiss out of a pipe, evidence that our semi-autonomous machines couldn’t keep up with dome repairs.

          My anxiety had eased after meeting Orion, but it came back full force the moment the Cardinal turned to address us. Did he know what Rhia planned for him? On the verge of panic, my hand brushed against my hip. Good, it was still there.

          “Elders of Sanctuary,” the Cardinal began. “You know what is to come, so I will make this brief. Each one of you is here today because you earn it. You worked hard for the good of the nation. Now is time for you to rest. Give Rhia my regards before you come back to us. Thank you for your service. That is all.” 

          He turned his back to us and began to summon the gate.

          His voice was thunder as he bellowed, “Oh, goddess! Great Rhia. We come to you, as we do each year, to give of ourselves so we may receive your blessing.” The Cardinal sunk to his knees and spread his arms wide. “We lay ourselves at your feet. We dedicate ourselves to your glorious name. Please accept our offering of love!”

          Silence.

          Others from my generation looked around, wondering what went wrong. Then it happened. A vertical line of blue light rose from the base of the dome wall. It continued to rise until the line was around one hundred feet tall. Then the gate ripped open. Blue light filled my vision, blinding me. It sounded like fabric being torn, but on a cosmic scale. It was as if the universe itself was being ripped open.  For all I knew, that was precisely what was happening.

          My eyesight returned after a moment, but my words failed me. The gate looked like the surface of a radiant blue lake, its beauty reminding me of Rhia. It was purity itself, and it called to me.

          “It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen, isn’t it?” A voice behind me said.

          I jumped. Turning around, I saw Orion standing there, enthralled by the light of the gate.

          “Rhia’s tits! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” I didn’t stay mad long and answered his question. “It’s unreal. My dream never came close to what I’m feeling right now. It’s like an all-encompassing peace just washed through me.”

          Orion smirked and looked down at me. “You should know better than to use the goddess's tits as a curse right in front of her, boy.”

          Before I could respond to that, he asked, “Are you ready?” All signs of mirth faded from his expression.

          “I think so,” I lied. I would never be ready.

           The Elders began to pass through the gate. I turned around to ask Orion something, but no one was there. He had vanished.

          “I guess he’s ready,” I mumbled to no one in particular.

          When I saw the last of the Elders vanish, I made my way to the front, getting as close as I dared to the Cardinal. I knew I should be panicking but I somehow remained calm. If it weren’t for the weird energy radiating from the gate, I would have wet myself by now.

          The newborns appeared. One at a time, at first. Then, as if some spell had broken, hundreds crawled through.

          Rhia, why? How could you ask this of me? I pleaded to my goddess, knowing she wouldn’t answer.

          Tears fell down my cheeks as my hand went to the weapon at my hip.

          Then the world exploded around me.

###

          Everything became chaos. The blast knocked me to the ground, and I fought to reign in my senses as I remembered what I had to do. I tried to orient myself, but smoke filled my vision and all I could hear were the screams of my brethren.

          “Orion, where are you!” I screamed.

          He didn’t answer. Rising to my feet, I started walking forward, hands stretched out in front of me as I stumbled along. The explosion had come from above, raining dust and debris down on us. It wouldn’t kill anyone; still, I found it difficult not to panic, my body unable to comprehend what my mind already knew. This was just a distraction so I could perform my duty.

          My brothers weren’t trained to handle situations like this yet, and it showed. They ran to safety, shoving me aside as they fought to be free from the ash and smoke. I barely noticed them, my thoughts focused on the task at hand.

          Ahead of me, I heard the cries of an elderly man. The Cardinal. My pace quickened, knowing this nightmare would soon end. As I approached, the smoke cleared just enough to make out the form of Sanctuaries leader. He lay on the ground curled up in a fetal position, hands clutching his right leg, where something protruded at an awkward angle. Hearing me approach, the Cardinal looked up, his expression changing from panic to relief, doubtless assuming I had come to help.

          “You, Boy! Oh thank Rhia, you’re here. Hurry and help me!”

          I saw why he wasn’t getting up. Skewering his right leg and buried deep in the ground was a broken pipe, three-quarters of an inch in diameter. His hands were covered in blood, clenching around where the steel and his leg met, struggling to keep the blood from pouring out.  How he was still conscious, I did not know, and I was grateful for it. He deserved a chance to make his peace.

          I knelt down next to him, just out of his reach, and said, “Greetings Cardinal, I don’t know if you know me, my name is Arsis.”

          “I don’t give a damn what your name is boy.” His breathing was labored, and agony gripped his voice. “Get this damned thing out of my leg so I can take care of this mess!”

          I did not grant his request. Instead, I asked, “When you became Cardinal, did Rhia speak to you?”

          The Cardinal’s expression turned from one of agony to fury.

          Venom laced every word as he said, “You overstep your place, boy. Question me again, and Rhia will cast you down. If you won’t help me, begone and fetch someone who will.”

          It was the conviction in his tone, self-righteous and arrogant, that sealed his fate. I knew he did not have Rhia’s blessing, but I needed to see for myself the depth of his blasphemy. The Cardinal was not a god, nor should he speak for Rhia. His place was to lead us, to guide us towards her perfect will. Never should a priest of Rhia claim to command her power as this man had just done.

          Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, hardly noticing the burn in my lungs as smoke filled them. “I understand now why this must be done. Forgive me, Rhia, for doubting you.”

          “What are you talking about?” The Cardinal asked, panic creeping into his voice. “I am your Lord! Answer me when I speak to you. I will ruin your-”

          I didn’t let him finish. My right hand went beneath my robes to the weapon at my hip. Opening my eyes, I aimed it at the blasphemer’s chest and fired. A beam of light the size of a man’s arm shot from the muzzle of my makeshift phaser. The Cardinals flesh exploded in a cloud of red mist, leaving nothing recognizable behind.

          “Holy shit.” I didn’t expect it to work so well, considering my “phaser” was just a laser welder I modified after stealing it off a maintenance machine.

          Still shocked, I shook my head, hoping to clear my mind- there was more to be done today. Trying not to vomit, I passed the bloody mess that used to be Sanctuary’s leader, and walked closer to the gate, closer to the wailing children. Ash still hung in the air, but it no longer obstructed my vision. There was no looking away from this.

          Newborns were sprawled everywhere, all of them still alive, the glow of Rhia’s gate illuminating their tear-stained faces. It broke what was left my heart. The world faded around me—all I heard were the cries of the innocent, pleading for help. This was the end of my dream, Rhia’s divine purpose for my life. Born for the sole purpose of killing these children, I am nothing more than a mean to an end, a tool to be used by one greater than I. 

          Raising my phaser, I left my Sunedi nature behind and became a knife held in Rhia’s cruel hand.

          All became silent.

         They would never cry again.

         I sank to my knees, arms hanging limp at my sides, exhausted. Empty. This nightmare was over at last.

          “Will you let me sleep now?” I knew she wasn’t listening. She never did anymore. “Your will is done, and I am tired. Let me rest.” Lifting my bloody phaser, I pressed the muzzle beneath my chin, its heat searing my flesh. The pain was welcome, allowing me to feel something, if only for a moment.

          I pulled the trigger, and everything went black.

          Sirens blared around me. Startled, I opened my eyes, unsurprised to find myself alive and well. That was expected, Rhia wouldn’t let me escape my punishment by dying. The sirens concerned me—we didn’t have sirens in Sanctuary.

          I found myself in the same position as before. The destruction caused by the explosion lay in front of me, small fires still burning among the wreckage. Behind me, blood coated everything in sight, but Rhia’s gate was no longer there. I don’t know why I expected anything different.  It felt like a lifetime had passed since I carried out my task, but it couldn’t have been more than a few minutes. What am I supposed to do now?

          Before I could think too hard about that question, a brilliant red light flashed on and off throughout the entirety of Sanctuary. Along with the sirens, it was as if the dome itself was screaming in anguish, mourning the loss of its youngest generation.

          “What the hell is this?” The dome didn’t have an alarm system.

          A brawny arm grabbed my shoulder, breaking me from my confusion. I turned around and found Orion standing there, expression grim.

          “Orion?” I asked, not sure if I could trust my eyes. “I—I thought you left with the rest of the Elders?”

          “Come on,” he said, ignoring me. “The rest of the Church will be here any second. You need to run.”

          “Run?” I asked, not comprehending. “Where would I go? I can’t hide, the Church would find me within a day or two.” I shoved his hand off my shoulder and stood up, looking him in the eyes. “Besides, I deserve whatever they’ll do to me. I won’t hide from this.”

          “Boy, don’t be a fool!” Orion shouted, anger and desperation showing on his face before he stopped himself. He took a deep breath, visibly calming, and continued, “Look. Arsis. Remember what I said about Rhia only showing you part of the plan?”

          “Yes,” I replied, not liking where this was going.

          “Your part in this isn’t over yet. She asked me—”

          “Bullshit. I’m done. Don’t lie to me.”  I refused to listen to his nonsense. I’ve had enough for one day. “Rhia would have—”

           Orion grabbed the collar of my robe and pulled me close. His face was only a few inches away from mine, and if I wasn’t immortal, his glare would have killed me on the spot. 

          “Shut up and listen, boy.” He paused, making sure I wouldn’t fight back. When I didn’t resist, he continued, “I do as I am bid by Rhia, as do you. What comes next isn’t like what we did today. No one will tell you what to do. I can only set you on the path, and you must walk it, unaware of your destination. Let instinct guide you and know that Rhia watches over you.”

          “What if I refuse?” I asked.

          “We don’t have the luxury of a choice. You should know that better than anyone.” He looked past my shoulder at what I had done, and his anger slipped, fading into sorrow.

          As much as I hate to admit it, I understood. He’s as much a tool as I am—our lives are not ours to live. Sensing my resignation, he lessened his grip on my collar, and I stepped back a little.

          The strange alarms were still going off. That worried me. Maybe Orion knew something. “What’s going on with the red light and siren? I thought we didn’t have an alarm system?”

          Orion grinned. “We don’t.”

          I was about to ask him to explain what he meant when I heard men shouting.

          “Damn,” Orion cursed. “We’re out of time. Looks like the friendly priests are here for a visit.”

          Great, I forgot about them. “Where are we supposed to go?”

Orion started running along the wall of the dome. “Follow me! I have an idea.”

What he said earlier was right, I didn’t have a choice, and so I ran after him.

###

          We didn’t get very far.

          The Church has governed Sanctuary for millennia, and there’s an excellent reason for it. An organization doesn’t rule a nation for that long because they tuck you in at night and sing you lullabies. Maybe Rhia wouldn’t have given me such a shit hand in life if they did. Instead, the priests prefer standard tactics like religious devotion, social shaming, and force.

          Priests are law-keepers, meaning they know how to put down riots, catch runaway criminals, and beat the shit out of you. So, when a group of five priests appeared in front of Orion and me, it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but it was. Chalk it up to the morbid whims of a goddess ruining my day.

          We slowed our run, stopping twenty feet away from the priests.

          Orion bent close to me and whispered, “There’s about ten more of the idiots coming up to surround us. Don’t do anything stupid. Let me talk to them- get their guard down. If they give us a chance, we’ll try to run for it.”

          I wasn’t that confident. Our new friends had murder in their eyes. There’s no way they missed seeing all the blood, so if the senile Elder thought he could sweet-talk fifteen angry men, I wasn’t stopping him.

          Taking a step in front of me, Orion held his hand up and called to the priests, “Thank Rhia you’re here. Goddess bless you! There was a massive explosion, the main oxygen pipes collapsed, and everything went to shit. Please help us, I beg you.”

          He sounded pathetic to me, but the priests looked to one another, themselves on the verge of panic at the news. Orion dropped to his knees and started sobbing. I hadn’t known the man for long, but he didn’t seem like the melodramatic type. His acting skills were impressive.

          One priest, who acted as their leader, said, “Stay where you are. You need to tell us exactly what happened here. Where are the newborns?”

          “I—I don’t know,” Orion said, looking confused. “I don’t think they ever came through the gate. I never saw them.”

          For a moment, I thought the priest would buy it, but his voice dropped low, each word promising death, “Answer me this, why are you still here? Did you think to escape from Rhia’s embrace?”

          Orion hesitated.

          That was enough for the priest. “This blasphemer has provoked Rhia’s wrath.” His voice rose, fighting to overpower the sirens.  “She refused us our next generation because of this man’s selfish behavior! Arrest him!”

          That was our signal to run.

          At least, it should have been, but a deafening pop cut through everything. The priests froze, trying to understand where the sound had come from when white smoke billowed out from the walls.

          Seeing our chance, I grabbed Orion and ran, hoping the smoke would cover us.

          My lungs burned as we ran. “Hey, old guy, what is this stuff?”

          “Don’t know. Don’t care. So long as we get away.”

          “Whatever it is, I don’t think it’s safe.” I coughed as it became harder to breathe. Laying down for a nap suddenly seemed like an outstanding idea. I slowed our pace to a brisk walk. It was all I could manage.

          Orion looked at me, worried, “Probably not, but it looks like the entire dome is drowning in the stuff. Try breathing through your robes.”

          Logic, what a novel concept. I tried to congratulate Orion for this wisdom, but the words weren’t coming easily, “That’s—that’s a good…” I stopped walking. “Good…”

          Good what? I had to tell Orion something. It was getting hard to think. Damn it, what was good?

          I was so sleepy.

          That was it! I turned to Orion, unable to keep my eyes open. “Naps are good! Goodnight.” I fell to the ground.

          “Arsis!”

          I thought I heard Orion say my name, but I didn’t care. Nobody should interrupt nap time. Rhia should make it a sacred activity, then Orion could leave me the hell alone. My eyes closed as I awaited bliss.

          Just before I lost consciousness, a blue light hit my closed eyelids, almost disturbing my sacred nap. That was okay. The blue light was peaceful, just like Rhia. Beautiful.

###

          My head was pounding. It felt as if an ax had split my skull in half. I groaned. Rolling onto my side, I tried thinking back to last night. My memories were foggy, the pain making it difficult to remember. Did I get drunk? That would explain my headache. I haven’t gotten that drunk in a few years.

          I don’t remember dreaming last night, either. Why does that sound important?

          Wait.

          No dreams. I took a moment to appreciate the magnitude of that revelation—Rhia did not visit my dreams. Memories slammed back into me, and my headache redoubled. They were too much, and I didn’t want them again, yet they filled my mind forcing me to relive that moment.

          The ground jolted beneath me, breaking me out of the trance. Hearing the low hum of a motor, I sat up, confused. Was I in some type of vehicle? I had expected to be imprisoned by the Church—there was no way we had escaped the priests. They’re good at what they do, and I had fallen asleep—that would have sealed our fate.

          Rubbing my eyes, I opened them slowly, careful not to blind myself. I wasn’t in prison, that much I was sure of. I was in a hallway of sorts, as wide as it was tall, perhaps ten feet in both directions. It was dark, but a faint light about one hundred feet down allowed me to see my surroundings, not that there was much to see. As far as I could tell, I was the only one in the hallway.

          I stood up, leaning against the wall for support. Faint vibrations ran through the walls, and while I had assumed I was being transported in a vehicle, I tossed the idea out. The hallway was too large for that. Nothing in my Sanctuary education explained what I was seeing, and that had me worried.

          Maybe I was trapped deep beneath Sanctuary, in a place only the priests knew of? That’s certainly possible. The Church does have a few secrets, and if I were underground and near an active mine, that would explain the vibrations. It was the only reasonable explanation I could think of, so I decided it must be the case.

          Wherever I was, Rhia wanted me there; that’s what Orion told me, and I believed him. I wasn’t sure if that was a comforting thought. Now that I had done what she asked of me, I want nothing to do with her. She asks her servants to give up everything and gain nothing in return. I hate her for the life she stole from me, and for the monster I’ve become. And yet, Rhia is my goddess. My soul is bound to her, to be used as she desires. 

          Deciding that standing in an empty hallway was less than ideal, I started walking towards the light. I made it about halfway before the ground trembled, knocking me off my feet. Before I could regain my footing, I was launched forward, tumbling at least a dozen feet.

          “Damn it.” I cradled my head in my arms, and pleaded with the empty air, “I know I heal fast, but could you at least wait until the first headache recovers before giving me a fresh one?” 

          Was it just me, or did that feel like inertia?

          Curious, I held my ear to the wall and listened—nothing. The sound of a running motor was gone. I was rethinking my conclusion about where I was. It’s just my luck to find my way onto a mysterious ship of cosmic proportions. The idea excited part of me—I’d be considered a criminal if I was in Sanctuary, but what if this someplace else? Not only would I be the only Sunedi to leave the dome in millennia, but I could also create a new life for myself, one that didn’t involve prison.

          The hallway shook again, this time accompanied by the sound of a massive door slamming. It reverberated through my body, sending shivers down my spine. My instincts told me I should wait inside the hall for a while before going out to explore, just in case I wasn’t welcome here.

          After waiting for thirty minutes, I left the hallway, finding my self in another empty room, only marginally brighter than the hall. I stood, unable to comprehend what my eyes were telling me— the place was massive. The only thing I could compare its height to was Sanctuary itself, being maybe two- thirds as tall as the dome, well over three hundred feet tall. From where I stood to the other end of the room was easily one hundred fifty feet. This was the most impressive display of engineering prowess I had ever seen, considering this entire room appeared to be only one part of some giant cargo ship.

          “I don’t think the Church could keep a secret this big,” I whispered.

          That meant I wasn’t in Sanctuary anymore. So then there were other Sunedi living outside the dome. If this cargo ship is anything to go by, these Sunedi were far more advanced than we ever were. Is what Rhia wanted me to see? Had we locked ourselves inside a bio-dome for no reason? Were there others living outside the dome and thriving?

          I had to speak to someone. This was too big a revelation to keep it to myself. I bet these other Sunedi don’t even know we exist; otherwise, they would have helped us rebuild. That must be it. In that case, it was up to me to create some alliance.

          Excited, I ran to the other side of the room, looking for an exit. As I approached the wall, I noticed that it was angled in a way that the first side wasn’t, and that puzzled me. For master engineers, these people don’t appear to understand the concept of symmetry, and I still couldn’t find the door.

          Then it dawned on me. I can be an idiot sometimes, and today was no exception. The entire damn wall is the door! The odd angle a result of some careless Sunedi leaving the door open. I just never imagined anyone would need to build a door so large, but it made sense considering the size of the cargo they probably transport in this monster of a machine.

          Grateful for careless men, I made my way out of the cargo ship.

          Now outside the cargo ship, I stood inside a hangar, large enough to fit at least two other full-sized ships. The amount of resources it must have taken to manufacture this hanger must have been astronomical. It only confirmed my suspicions about these Sunedi—we needed their help to survive, and they have more than enough resources to do the job.

          I found it odd that I still couldn’t find anyone to talk to. A hangar this large should have hundreds on staff. We didn’t dock all that long ago, yet the place was empty, and the lights were turned off.

          There were giant windows high on the wall to my left, letting it a fair amount of light from outside. It was still daytime, which probably meant I had been sleeping for at least a full day. That means it’s breakfast time, and I haven’t eaten a damn thing. I dislike being drugged by mysterious clouds of gas, especially when it causes you to miss out on pancakes.

          Just like in the cargo ship, the hanger had gargantuan doors, which were also left open. Interesting. Everything here was so foreign that I questioned everything I had ever been taught. Did the Church hide this from us, or are they as ignorant as the rest of us?

          Five minutes later, I was standing in front of a door taller than the statue of Rhia. There was a gap around ten feet wide, more than enough space for me to pass through. It was much brighter outside, so much so I had to squint to avoid becoming blind. One hand held up as a visor, I walked past the door and into a new world.

###

          “Rhia’s tits. Where the hell am I?”

          I was wrong. Oh Rhia, I was so wrong. This wasn’t a new Sunedi nation. As my eyes adjusted to the change in lighting, my confusion continued to magnify. Everything around me had the same unbelievable scale of the hangar. The street in front of me must have been at least a mile wide, and it stretched further than I could see in either direction. I was standing on a smaller road made of concrete, maybe a few hundred feet wide, which ran alongside the main street. Buildings ten times the height of Sanctuary towered on the other side of it—their walls made of glass windows reflected warm sunlight in my direction.

          Sunlight.

          That was impossible, the sun hadn’t been seen since in ages; it was one reason life outside a bio-dome was impossible. Yet, I could not deny what I saw. Something told me I was about to see a lot more impossible things in the days to come. Nothing Sanctuary had taught me would help me here.

          I walked further outside. The air was almost sweet as I breathed it in; I had no idea that was even possible. It was nothing like the acrid stench of Sanctuary, and I welcomed its fragrance. After what Rhia had put me through, the world had drained of color. That was as it should be. Beauty didn’t exist in Sanctuary because it didn’t belong there. It was a place of brutal labor and cruel goddesses, but here—here with the sun shining and the pure air, was a place of unknown potential. Some of the colors flowed back into my perceptions, as I began to hope for a change I so desperately desired.

          Ensnared with awe, it took me a minute to notice the ground trembling. Like the pounding of my heart, there was a rhythm to the tremors. I looked to my left and froze; panic and adoration both seized me tight enough that I thought my heart would burst.

          She was a goddess, towering hundreds of feet tall, who else but Rhia could she be? She was a mile away, wearing a blue knee-length dress that clung to her massive thighs as she strode towards me. Long blond hair hung down to the middle of her back, and atop her head were a strange pair of earmuffs. They were like what we used to protect our ears back in Sanctuary, but hers were bright pink and didn’t cover her ears enough to offer any protection. She had a carefree expression on her face, head bobbing rhythmically as she walked.

          Multiple things clicked into place as I pieced everything together. This must be the goddess’s domain. Everything I had done up to this point, all the murders and death, had led to this moment. It was meeting with Rhia I wasn’t supposed to have for another thirty-eight years.

          Each step she took shook the ground with such force, I was surprised it didn’t split in two. Rhia was approaching with incredible speed, her stride eating up the distance in seconds.  Still in half a daze and having no better ideas, I fell to my knees.

          “Blessed Rhia, I am not worthy to be in your presence. I am here to serve you,” I said, prostrating before my beautiful goddess.

          She didn’t respond. Her footsteps were almost deafening as they came closer.

          “Have I done something wrong, oh pure one?” I risked looking up, concerned I had offended her.

          “Oh, shit.”

          That was all I could manage before a blue sandal the size of a building came crashing down on top of me, my bones shattering underneath its weight.

          I used to kill myself each morning, and a day ago, I shot myself in the head. I know pain well—or at least I thought I did, until that moment. When I shot myself, my head was completely blown off. That meant I had blacked out until my skull pieced itself back together, meaning I missed out on the worst of the pain.

          Apparently—through some twisted logic designed to torment me—having my entire body splattered into oblivion wasn’t enough to warrant unconsciousness. I felt my organs exploding and bones snapping. If my eyes hadn’t popped, the pain would have been blinding.

          I laid in a puddle of blood, unable to hear or see anything, my bones beginning to knit themselves back together. I had never burned myself at the stake, but I assume it must be similar to what I felt as the blood flowed back into my body. Every part of me was on fire, and I started screaming as soon as my mouth reformed. My eyes and ears came soon after, restoring the last of my missing senses.

          It took a few minutes before the pain receded, leaving me exhausted. Breathing like I had just finished running a marathon, I sat up, my head darting back and forth, searching for Rhia.

          She was gone.

         Was that really her? It had to be—the Church taught that Rhia was the sole creator of the universe. We use the words “woman” and “goddess” interchangeably, so that must be her… Unless it wasn’t.

         My mind was racing, on the verge of an existential crisis. I knew I couldn’t trust information learned from the Church, but did that mean that Rhia wasn’t the only goddess? If so, how many were there?

          While I attempted to wrap my mind around that insane proposition, I once again heard the familiar impact of a goddess’s footsteps. Damn, Rhia, or whoever she was must be coming back this way. Panicked, I swung my head around, searching for a place to hide but found nothing I could reach quickly.

          Wait a minute—the footsteps were coming from the wrong direction, so it couldn’t be the same goddess. My suspicions were confirmed as I saw another, different woman turning a corner to head my way. I was beginning to think beauty was intrinsic to all women. She was just as gorgeous as the blond, her wavy red hair fell down to her ass, blowing gently as she walked. I drew my gaze towards her chest; it was almost spilling out of her low-cut black blouse. Neither Rhia nor the blond had a chest so large, and I felt a strange sensation between my legs at the sight of it.

          Before I made a run for it, the goddess tripped, and she came tumbling down like a tree felled by an ax. I sprinted away as fast as possible, trying to escape being crushed yet again.

          Behind me, a high pitched voice shouted, “Damn shoes!”

          I turned my head back as I ran and watched as she landed face-first on the concrete just feet from me, the impact sending me sprawling. Her freckled face was close enough that, if I wanted to, I could have reached out and touched her. I held my breath, fear and awe warring inside, freezing me in place.

          “Shit, that hurt,” the goddess said, lifting her face up. Blood covered her upper lip.  “I told Marie these shoes were stupid.”

          Then she saw me and froze. It was her shocked expression that gave me the confidence I needed.

          I dropped to my knees and bowed before her. “Hello, goddess. It is an honor to meet you.”

          “What. The. Fuck.” She sat up, towering over me, and wiped the blood from her lip, confusion evident on her face.

          She pointed a massive finger at me. “You just talked!”

          My neck strained as I looked up at her, “My name is Arsis, your holiness. What shall I call you?”

          She didn’t hear me.

          Standing up, she backed away from me. “Holy shit, you just talked!” Her hands flew to the sides of her head, clutching her hair. “It talked. Am I going crazy? What even is that thing? It fucking talked to me!”

          I struggled to keep my balance as she paced back and forth in panic, the ground rumbling with her every step. Of all the reactions I was expecting to receive, that wasn’t one of them. She was a goddess, so I thought she would be—I don’t know—more regal? If anything, I should be the one confused and panicked, not her.

          Her frantic pacing stopped, and she met my gaze. I shuddered. She was as tall as Rhia’s statue back home, a being of pure power. It was one thing to be stepped on by an unaware goddess; it was another thing entirely to have one’s full attention, contemplating what she might to with you.

          She then lowered herself onto all fours, bending down so her face was a mountain hovering over me. Her hair fell around me, blocking out most of my surroundings. I glanced down, past her looming face to find her large chest resting on the concrete, breasts pressed together, showing ample amounts of skin. My dick stiffened at the sight.

          Was that supposed to happen?

          It only ever got hard in the morning, and no one in Sanctuary seemed to know why. So then why is it hard now?

          “I—I am sorry I freaked out like that,” the goddess said, blushing. She spoke softly now, her voice tender, “I just didn’t plan on finding a tiny…” She gestured towards me, not seeming to have a word for my kind.

          “Anyways, I was startled is all. Um…” She hesitated, biting her lip. “If you don’t mind me asking, what are you?”

          “I am Sunedi, your holiness,” I replied. “I am a man… I thought you would know that, being a goddess.”

          Her eyes opened wide. “A man?” Her head rose a dozen feet, eying her surroundings as if to check that no one heard her.

          I introduced myself a second time, “My name is Arsis. I am honored to be in your presence.”

          She laughed at that. It was a rich laugh, reminding me of Orion, except where his was loud and gruff, hers was delicate and charming. Embarrassed, I stared at her chin, unable to look into her eyes. Did I say something wrong?

          “My, you have impeccable manners, don’t you?” She smiled. “My name is Amelia.”

          “Amelia… What a wonderful name,” I said.

          Her face turned even more red at my compliment. She opened her mouth to respond, but quickly shut it.

          All traces of joy became replaced with fear as she whispered to me, “Someone’s coming. It’s not safe for you here.”

          I didn’t have time to react before I felt two giant fingers around my torso, lifting me off my feet.

          “Sorry about this,” Amelia said. “I’ll explain later.”

          Wind rushed against my face as I, still held by her fingers, was shoved between her breasts.