Gilded

Hour 1

Sitting up in bed I can still hear them prattling on about the Golden Age. Trading hilarious stories until they erupt into raucous laughter was the only pause to their incessant talking. Before leaving my room, I marked again. I used to count every morning but now I know by heart; it is day 10,036. It’s been 27 years, 6 months, and 1 day since Three Head left us. That’s when everything stopped. The need to eat, drink, even breathe. There is no more night and day, only a dull orb that hangs in the sky providing just enough light to see. We were abandoned not only by our god but by life itself. That’s when we realized we had no idea how to deal with challenges beyond what to wear to the next banquet. All we did was party, lived in excess, and reveled irresponsibly.

The celebrations were epic. We were always so happy. Even outside of the parties all people would talk about, not finding a way to stop the plague that was traveling through the eastern quarter, or the dangerous beasts encroaching on the western perimeter. One day, Three Head gathered everyone together at the party, in front of a large screen, showing the eastern quarter, and with a single clap they opened up the earth and we watched as the earth swallowed up an entire town. Instead of crying or screaming in anger, we rejoiced; because we believed Three Head was doing this for us, out of necessity, and mercy. We saw it as kindness. Most of them, the prattlers, still believe this. I shake my head, freeing myself from my thoughts, and head downstairs.

Going down the stone stairs slowly, and quietly to not alert the prattlers I slip on an age-worn part of the stairs and tumble down the rest of the way.

“Ugh, thanks Three Head,” I said, irritated.

The oldest of the group looked up from their prattling and mustered the only bit of real emotion I had seen in years.

“You shall not say Their Name in vain!!” The prattler screeched while the others moaned in sorrow. I stood there stunned as I hadn’t heard them say much beyond their stories since they left.

The shock was short-lived as they quickly returned to their prattling. I grabbed my walking stick and opened the door, they stopped once more.

“My darling child come…”

I closed the door on the prattler's call to join them. Terrified of their sirens call that only lead to desperately reminiscing like them, dressed in clothes from the golden age and clinging to the memories of that dead era.

Walking up the stone pathway lined with towering and collapsing buildings, overshadowed by the height of the Three Head temple. Even as I approached it, all I could hear was the prattlers. Each building was filled with them. Their laughter rebounded off the high walls of the buildings filling the area with that raucous noise. Before I knew it I had broken into a mad sprint towards the temple, trying to escape their siren call. Terrified of living in the putrid comfort of cursed memories.

The gates leading to the temple were at least twenty feet tall and sixty feet wide. Many months were spent sitting at the gates terrified of what laid beyond. But that was years ago; ten years, six months, and twelve days ago to be exact. Now I knew exactly what to do. Walking around the right side of the gates exactly thirty-eight feet and six inches. There was a door, it was hidden in the shadows and just small enough that I had to crawl through.

The door led to a courtyard; a plain stone area except for the statues of Three Head. Each one highlighting a different head. The first one is carved out of a red and pink stone, the second one a dark gray with gold lines running through it, and the final one a pure white opal.

Hour 2

The doors into the temple itself were blocked by two giant faceless statues. One wielded a scythe while the other two swords. They stood guard during all of the Three Heads rule. When Three Head left they closed the doors and have been standing there ever since. All I had to do was climb up the faceless statue wielding the scythe. Then at the top of the scythe, I opened the small window door. All I saw was the statue of Three Head on their throne and the room filled with their petrified priests. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed movement among the priests. I quickly climbed down and ran to them. Then I heard a groaning come from one of them.

Hour 3 – Hour 9

Every once in a while they slightly moved, and I could hear them try to talk. I feared they would just be another prattler, reminiscing about the supposed golden age.

Hour 18

It was not actual language but they were actively making noise.

Day 6,387

Not wanting to miss whatever this was I stayed into the next day.

Hour 1

They opened their eyes, and even tried to stand up. Sadly they didn’t have the strength.

Hour 5

With my support they were able to stand up, they tried walking to the statue but immediately fell over.

Hour 12

After many attempts we were able to make it to the statue. They put their hand on its foot and raised their head to the sky. At first nothing happened then a wrenching screech erupted from their mouth as a heart-shaped locket on the priests neck glowed a bright white. The statues eyes lit up and the sound of stone on stone scraping resounded through the building as the petrified priests stood up and raised their hands high. Then a bright white doorway appeared. As I touched the doorknob all I could feel was wind rushing by me as I flew into the sky.

For a second I saw it all. What we had been and what we had become. From the destruction of the golden age to this lifeless existence. Then it was gone, all around me was white. I saw in the distance there someone was sitting down on a throne. As I focused on them we appeared next to each other.

There they were, Three Head: The Goat head, The Boar head, and The Pig head.

“The Chosen One! After so many years you have finally arrived. Now that you have brought the heart shaped locket that imprisoned us here you can free us.” The Goat head said, as The Pig and The Boar smiled and loudly cheered.

“Why would I want to free you? You abandoned everyone who worshiped you.”

“Oh no! What heresy are they spreading!” Pig yelled aghast

“No no no, that is nothing but lies!” Boar called out angrily

“The truth young one is that our high priests banded together and used a cursed locket to imprison us in this realm.” The Goat said honestly as they stood towering above me

“Why would they do that?”

“There is no way to understand the plans of madmen!” The Boar yelled

“Ruthless! Spiteful individuals who wanted our power!” The Pig screamed

“I promise we were imprisoned here, but we have no true idea as to why.” The Goat said reasonably

“Just so you know life has been a lot better since you all were imprisoned here.”

“Ha, you must be joking!” The Pig laughed nervously

“If you believe that then you know nothing of the Golden Age.” The Boar yelled

“My poor child, have they truly brainwashed you in this way? How have they convinced you that the hell you live in is better then our Golden Age?” The Goat said sadly

“We can live freely without having to worship a so-called god,” I say as I spit at their feet “We mock three head and your golden age.”

“You truly aim to wound, insolent child!” The Pig called out with tears in their eyes

“Their powers must be vast to pull such thick wool over your eyes!” The Boar yelled with lament

“Day in day out they talk of our Golden Age, that is all they can think about. You may call it free because you are free of worry. But it is not true freedom, in this hell you live in you do not eat or drink. You don’t even have to breathe. Everyone is still alive and will stay alive for all eternity. This is not immortality this is your so called freedom from the wheel of life! That which makes life worth living.” The Goat yelled out passionately

“How do you know so much about our world?” I said as I stared directly into The Goats eyes

“We are Gods!!!” The Pig screamed

“We are omnipotent!!!” The Boar bellowed

“Stop it stop it. They obviously don’t believe us.” The Goat said

As The Goat said, they shrunk down to human height and their robe became a three piece suit. The left side aka The Boar with red and pink, the right aka The Pig with pure white fabric. While the center with The Goat was gray with streaks of gold.

“After supporting us for so long why did you leave?”

Three Head lounges back in their throne.

“It was fun at first, the dances, the banquets. They were all so much fun.” The Goat said sincerely

“Until it wasn't!” The Pig chimed in

“Eventually they all blend.” The Boar said bored

“So we just left.” The Goat said

“You left because you were bored!” I yelled angrily

“Do not raise your voice at us!” The Pig said sternly as they sat upon their throne

“You shall know what it means to feel our wrath if you disrespect us again.” The Boar said

“I don’t care about you.” I said nonchalantly

“Even now they hurt us so.” The Pig said as they sobbed

“Goat, tell me this. Every time something bad happened from the plague to monsters. Why was your only plan to bury it with an earthquake?”

“It was the easiest solution. You have no right to ask that question as if you have the moral high ground here. Yes, I did kill those people without a second thought, but you were always there at those parties cheering just like everyone else.” The Goat said with an accusing glare

“I know I was there, there is not a single day that passes without those memories screaming at me. Just because I was there doesn’t mean I’m wrong. It doesn’t mean that what you did was right!” I say as I collapse to the ground in tears of guilt.

“Doubting the decision of a god is heresy!” The Pig squealed

“They have disrespected us for the last time! Can we punish them now?” The Boar asked eagerly

“You will not lay a finger on them. This is always the best part. The brave hero conquers evil but must now choose a reward…”

“I want you to end mine and my world's existence.” They said interrupting The Goat who stood there stunned

“Wait what!!??” The Pig screamed

“Nonsense!! Utter nonsense, that is no reward!” The Boar yelled aghast

“You didn’t specify what I could or could not ask for.”

“A truly unique person. I do hope we meet again.” The Goat smiled as a massive snake like grin spread across their face

“If you honor my request that will never happen.”

“Oh I’ll honor it to the best of my ability. But nothing is ever truly gone just changed.” The Goat said with a mischievous grin

“What do you mean!” I yelled as The Goat clapped and for me and the hell I grew up in everything went dark.

Until the light of life shines upon them once again.