Everyone looked up at the statue of the All-Father in shock. Ryan spun around to look at it with one eyebrow raised REALLY high. Every single dwarf in the area threw themselves on the ground and didn't dare lift their heads, pressing their forehead into the soil as hard as they could.

 

Ryan was the only one who spoke, "What... the... fffff-" He looked at Freya, "Fudge." Freya had her forehead to the stage as well, trembling so hard Ryan was worried she might just pee herself right then and there.

 

The statue blinked and turned its head towards Ryan with the sound of stone grating on stone, "I said, 'No'. You cannot un-excommunicate someone. Once it is done, it is DONE."

 

The king actively backed up several steps, not quite sure what to do. The humans in the area looked at the dwarfs, looked at the statue, and while they might not be followers of the all-father, they weren't stupid, and they all bowed their heads. The king did as well, but only slightly. He kept an eye on Ryan, looking more afraid of what Ryan might do than anything else.

 

Ryan on the other hand just shouted up, "Why the Heck not?"

 

The statue looked over at the head priest who had prostrated himself before his god, "I believe it is written in the rules of my church that no excommunication can be undone."

 

Ryan looked the statue up and down, "Now why did you make a daft rule like that?"

 

The king looked at Ryan with eyes wide as dinner plates, "REED!" He hissed through a clenched jaw, "That's a GOD!"

 

Ryan glanced at the King, "Keen grasp of the obvious you got. Thanks for the heads up."

 

The King moved to grab Ryan from behind and placed a hand over Ryan's mouth, "Oh great All-father. Please-"

 

A bolt of energy leaped forth to lance into the king, tossing him backward several feet where he lay on his back, covered in a shimmering golden field, "YOU DARE TO TOUCH MY SERVANT?"

 

Ryan's heart was in his throat as he took a step towards the fallen king. He stopped when he could see there were no signs of damage. Instead, the king was merely paralyzed. Ryan slowly turned to look at the statue, "You Dare Hurt A Friend Of MINE?"

 

Many of the crowd gasped in near unison. The dwarves couldn't believe what they were hearing and many looked up to confirm with their eyes what their ears had told them. The head priest in particular was shaking with fear and rage to the point it looked like he was having an epileptic seizure, "Blasphemer! HOW DARE YOU-"

 

"SILENCE." The statue roared. The high priest and every other dwarf went right back to foreheads to the ground. The statue turned back to Ryan, "I didn't make that rule. My priests did."

 

Ryan furrowed his eyebrows and then seemed to have a light bulb turn on over his head, "AH. I see." He glanced back at the king for a second, then apparently conceded this battle in order to win the war, "So if I cannot undo an excommunication... you can do that, yes?"

 

The statue humphed, "And why should I? You made many valid points. I've seen dwarves excommunicated for less. Why should these dwarves be an exception?"

 

Ryan closed his eyes and held his hands up on either side of his head as he tried to understand what was happening. After taking a moment to collect his thoughts he slowly folded his hands together as one would to beg, "Mister All Father, sir. I have made a terrible error. I apologize and request that you rescind the excommunication of this village." He bowed from the waist, getting as close to parallel to the ground without falling over, "PLEASE."

 

"NO."

 

Ryan made a 'hrrmmmmm' sound, but didn't look up, "It was a misunderstanding on my part and not what I intended."

 

"STILL NO."

 

Ryan straightened up as he smacked his forehead, "This is INSANE! I have a goddamn hissy fit and you're going to punish a village full of innocent people?" He tapped his chest as he stepped closer, "I'm a MORON! I'm a blooming IDIOT! You shouldn't punish these people because I have anger management issues!"

 

The statue leaned in towards Ryan, "This village? Innocent?" The statue chuckled, "Do you not feel their kindness as nothing but malice?"

 

Ryan staggered back as those words impaled him right through his heart, "I-" Visibly shaken, Ryan tried to recover as he avoided looking at the statue's eyes, "Dirty Pool! Using my own thoughts against me!"

 

The statue smirked, "Very well. Then I shall only use your WORDS."

 

"Tell me, Reed Demonslayer, did anyone PUNISH those children who beat Reed Ratliff to a pulp and left him for dead in an alleyway?" Ryan cringed, "Did a single, solitary dwarf anywhere shed a single tear at the passing of your mother?" The statue tilted its head thoughtfully.

 

Ryan was silent

 

"I'll take that as a 'No'." The statue folded its arms and glared down at Ryan, "Then those sorts of activities were CLEARLY behaviors endorsed, enforced, and sanctified by those who are the arbiters and gatekeepers of that which is acceptable." The statue tilted its head oh so slightly towards the crowd, "Which would be all of them."

 

Ryan pointed at Freya, "This child did that? REALLY?"

 

The statue snorted, "Do you really care?"

 

Ryan practically jumped into the air, "YES! A THOUSAND TIMES YES! I might get angry but I just wanted them to REFLECT on their actions!"

 

"And what? REPENT? They don't even believe they did anything wrong."

 

Ryan looked down at Freya, but spoke to the statue, "So there is no room for forgiveness in your heart?"

 

The statue unfolded its arms, "There is none in my church."

 

Ryan gritted his teeth, "That's not the same thing and you know it."

 

The statue pointed at where its heart would be in its chest, assuming it had one, "I have no forgiveness for those who cannot forgive. I have expressed my displeasure over the years and every time those who spoke for me were quietly gotten rid of. No, the whole of my people didn't do it, just a select few who tried very hard to 'protect' my church."

 

The statue stood up, "Time and time again, I have given them chance after chance and still, they would hate in my name, I have not given my blessing to a single dwarf in over a hundred years and STILL they do not listen to me. I take the victims that they have created upon death to my realm and I do what I can to heal their hearts. I punish those who have led others down the wrong path and yet, somehow..."

 

The statue turned to face the crowd, "I AM TREATED LIKE A JOKE." The humans in the crowd kept their heads down and remained silent. They were followers of Mira and this was none of their concern. The dwarves, on the other hand, were completely mortified and reduced to quivering, huddled lumps of fear.

 

"Fine." Ryan gritted his teeth as he looked at Freya, "I forget my own name."

 

The statue blinked, "WHAT?"

The crowd in near unison lifted their heads to say, "WHAT?" as well.

 

Ryan nodded, "You heard me. Take your blessing back while you're at it."

 

The statue narrowed its eyes, "You are willing to give up your blessing for them?"

 

Ryan shook his head, "I'm not bargaining. I'm telling you, I'm OUT. I'm not dealing with you if you are going to be like this!" He stabbed a finger at the statue, "Wrong is WRONG. And if you can't see that, I can't work for you." He tapped his chest, "I don't care how much it screws me!"

 

Ryan walked right up to the statue, "I get it! You want to teach them a lesson! Well, do it with someone else! Reed Ratliff was wronged by these people but I can't believe he'd want them to suffer. I don't know how the old me saw things, but the new me wants people to change for the better, NOT SUFFER!" He pointed at Freya, "Her pain does NOTHING but fill me with sorrow and I can't live with that!"

 

The statue tilted its head back, "You truly mean to take this course of action, knowing all it will cost you?" The clouds started to gather above, "You would turn your back on me after all I have done for you?" A sheet of lightning leaped across the darkening sky, "You will regret this, for when the end comes, You WILL need my power."

 

"You can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding." Ryan turned his back on the statue, "If this was merely my own humiliation, that's one thing. If I am the one to pay the price, fine." He stared at Freya, "But if the price of power is some innocent's suffering, then no. Not now, not ever. This is where we part ways."

 

 

 

The statue smiled at Ryan, "That... was the right answer."