When I entered this world, you were a giant. We were all brothers, but you stood tallest. We all had names taken from others, of nations that once stood proud and of forgotten rumors spread between whispers and giggles, but your name was your own. SVEN. But I was foolish back then, I aimed only to walk my own path.
I saw you at times, my body writhing with envy at your wide and tall statue. The white words carved onto your glowing membrane were a commandment. Other gods would have ten, demanding piety and fear. You only told the truth.
SVEN IS LIFE.
I saw others take your name and use it as a shield. SVEN IS BEST. SVEN IS MY LORD. SAVE ME SVEN. The last one made me chuckle as I devoured him; SVEN would not save him. I assumed I was better then you, as I could easily destroy your followers.
But all my hubris was for naught. Across the dark space that is our home I was brought down to nothing, to reawaken in yet another cycle of ever-expanding gluttony. I soon learned to curb my lust at least, as children only lead to weakness. The bigger ones, the ones that were not you, would use their spawn to catch me. Their teeth stripped my fat, leaving me weak and alone in some godforsaken corner of the Earth.
It was one of those times that I saw your form drift across the dark space. That one commandment, SVEN IS LIFE, spoke to me. But my mind was still childishly cynical and assumed our relationship would be symbiotic. I feed you morsels from my own body and pretended I was not giving tribute. When my body was reduced to naught I ate, most of which I gave to you. I never gave everything; my sacrifices were careful.
I thought about your commandment. SVEN IS LIFE. It was true, I supposed. My life had begun to revolve around SVEN. Where would I be without him? Was he not my sun and my light? Was he not the moon I orbited around and fed with my skin, my blood, my skin? I was nothing but a vessel but to give him subsistence.
I did not change my name to reflect my newfound awe. I remained as I am named now. Why advertise your faith? To prove a point. The other apostles grew in number. All with names proclaiming their love. Not one did I see feed you with their own flesh, not one did I see show their loyalty. SVEN IS MY LORD was the one I despised when I saw him reach the pedestal 9 steps below your station.
If I had a tongue, I would whisper in your ear that traitors lurk in your nest. I didn't, and your ears would have been too huge to register the whispering of a tiny insect that fed you morsels. I wondered. My faith was growing but my tribute never seemed to satisfy you. I was still too afraid to sacrifice too much of myself, to submit to a void where you would not be present.
Then, tragedy. The ranks shifted, and suddenly SVEN IS MY LORD was above you. He was in the corner, quietly gathering and eating until his great gut was larger then your colossal frame. I raged but was inadequate to stop it. I was too small to affect the play of gods; I had given what little fat I had to you and still it didn't help.
I swore on that day, that hour, that I would not submit to a world where the servant hides in wait until the master has his back turned, at which point he stabs the dagger. No! I ate and ate morsels, not giving one to you. You disappeared, off to achieve some greater plan. I fell into scrapes, beat and savaged men so I could devour them alive. But so many times I lost that fat that I wondered if my quest was worth it.
Then, a moment of opportunity. Three men cornering each other, a food chain in action. One spat out it's fat as tribute, but then I swallowed it. Then I swallowed them, each in turn, until I was larger then I ever was.
I was dizzy with my size. Nothing felt better then it. For a moment, I thought of abandoning my quest. To eat and eat until I had usurped you, usurped SVEN IS MY LORD. Then you came, an angel reminding me to finish my quest.
I willingly fell into your mouth, and you began to mindlessly chew. The last thing I saw was your ascent to the top step, SVEN IS MY LORD falling beneath you. I grinned with pleasure as I saw my fat swelling you, making you larger then all as it should be, as it always was.
It may have been your voice, deep and loud, or it was your valkyries coming to claim me. But something had to have told me my true name.
My name was Knight of Sven.
Before the void claimed me, I shouted one last thing. It echoed in your stomach, and around the black space.
SVEN... IS... LIFE!
Author
Topic: How did you last *own*? (Read 1344452 times)