Only God
Chapter 49 - 45 I Am Thirsty

Chapter 49: Chapter 45 I Am Thirsty

On the island near the Ancient Chaos.

Kneeling on the ground, Al gazed into the Ancient Chaos at the edge of the world.

He had witnessed the flames that burst forth and ignited the sky, seen the sallow power subside and no longer surge recklessly.

For some reason, at this moment, which should bring joy, Al instead felt not an iota of happiness.

On the contrary, the corners of the Prophet’s eyes stung, and a tear fell abruptly.

He looked in astonishment as the tear hit the ground.

A tightness gripped Al’s heart, and he sensed in the depths of his being what had transpired within the Chaos.

Yarlessto, still not having regained his senses, stared dumbfounded at the burning firmament.

No more rain fell from the sky, and the waves of the great sea gradually calmed.

Al watched the Ancient Chaos intently, the aged prophet involuntarily walked toward it, nearly tumbling into the sea.

His hands joined in prayer, waiting, his heartbeat becoming more frantic with each second.

Yarlessto, seeing his father approach the edge of the sea, came back to his senses and followed.

He intended to say something, but seeing his father only staring at the Ancient Chaos, silent, Yarlessto held his tongue.

"Lord..."

Al murmured.

A restless emotion overtook the old man’s body and soul, his eyes tearing more and more.

He felt his legs could barely hold him up.

"What exactly have you experienced..."

Al mumbled to himself, hoping to see that familiar figure emerge from the Ancient Chaos.

The flames burned in the sky, and there were no sounds of human suffering or despair in the world; the portents of destruction all settled down, submerged beneath the waveless surface of the sea.

For a long, long time...

Al knelt, not knowing how long he had waited, his hands joined the whole time.

The Prophet’s thoughts were in disarray, trying to find tranquility, yet unable to achieve it.

He didn’t know what he was thinking.

Amidst the chaotic clutter of his mind, he only knew the Great Flood of the End had receded.

The people on solid ground prayed and pleaded.

And so,

God embraced humanity’s suffering and despair.

"Father, Father!"

Yarlessto, facing the Ancient Chaos, widened his eyes,

"God! It is God!"

Al opened his eyes and frantically stood up from the ground.

Following Yarlessto’s exclamation toward the Ancient Chaos, he saw a figure, radiant with light, stepping out and slowly approaching the island.

But...

The light dimmed.

Giant clouds passed across the sky, the branches of berry-laden forests shook, springs flowed turbulently through the soil, Al watched the figure approach, undisturbed by anything.

Al watched as He descended and then strode across the sea, to stand on the island, before him.

Seeing Him, the Prophet’s tears streamed down his face like a river of stars.

The light about God had dimmed.

For He had divided His spirit, parted His very existence.

God was exhausted, or rather, was about to fade away.

What would happen after His demise, only God knew.

Al did not understand these things; he simply saw, God’s figure ethereal, as if reaching the twilight of life, aged and weary.

God approached Al.

Al felt a warmth; that light shone upon him.

He saw, a pair of outstretched hands.

Al’s spirit quivered, his entire body trembling.

He saw the figure sway as if about to fall, those hands still extended.

The old man approached, slowly and steadily, until when he arrived before Him, those hands embraced him.

Al was so aged, so gaunt, yet at that moment, he felt his own age and frailty were but a fraction of His, but still those hands embraced him. Al trembled, along with his soul, as tears rapidly fell into the soil.

In the embrace, Al realized that the light upon God was dimming, His figure was becoming increasingly ethereal, and he was powerless to stop it.

God’s eyes were almost closed, as if He would sleep forever.

"Lord!"

In a daze, Al’s call seemed to bring God back to reality. He looked at Al, seeing within the old man’s body, a beating soul.

God smiled contentedly.

"My spirit is upon you."

He said.

Al was suddenly inconvincible, trembling violently, filled with sorrow, lament, powerlessness... various emotions clashed within his aging chest.

Gradually, Al felt the touch of the embrace he was in fading; he watched God in dismay, seeing His figure even more ethereal than before, inevitably heading towards an untouchable illusion.

God released Al, placing a broken Unihorn’s horn into the canoe.

Then, He walked towards the depths of the island.

The father and son followed, with Yarlessto’s eyes also moist, watching that figure.

Even he could sense that God’s presence was slowly receding. And a part of their own lives was irretrievably being lost.

God reached a clear spring on the island.

Al approached Him.

God sat by the spring, gazing into the distance, and Al knew, His gaze spanned a vast distance.

"Al..."

God began to speak.

The Prophet with moist eyes stepped forward, just like his own father.

"Some say I am without grace, as the end times approach, some curse me, forsake me."

God shared calmly with him.

Al listened in silence.

"So now..."

A gentle breeze passed by, God still looking into the distance,

"do not say I haven’t granted grace, for my love has been enough for you to squander."

The flames in the sky gradually died down, no longer burning, Mars fell across all corners of the world, God’s spirit came upon the creations, settling into the physical shells of those with feet planted on the ground.

Al shed tears, gazing at God, whispering:

"Lord, Lord..."

The end times had arrived, a great flood sweeping across heaven and earth, everywhere it reached laments filled the land,

God embraced humanity’s suffering and despair...

But,

who could embrace the pain and tribulations of God?

His love inspired faith, yet His pain broke hearts, leaving them feeling powerless to share.

Al watched His figure slowly sink into illusion, gradually unreachable.

The Prophet rushed forward, attempting to embrace his God.

However, the old man touched nothing, and his tears fell upon his own hands.

God felt His own existence slipping away.

He knew it was time for Him to rest, perhaps like a person nearing death, not waking again, or perhaps after a long slumber, slowly opening His eyes.

In any case, it was a lengthy period; by the time He completely awoke, it would likely be untraceable.

God grew weaker, exhaustion enveloping Him, filling Him, and in a moment, it seemed He had returned to that afternoon walking toward the Aegean Sea, when He had heard the call from the darkness.

Before closing His eyes, God stretched out His hand, a glint of light drifted through the woods, landing on the father and son’s canoe.

Thus, Al and his child would be able to return to the Logos Kingdom the following day.

Afterward, God slowly closed His eyes.

The green grass had fed the lambs, now it would thirst, light had entered the darkness, now it would dim.

As the last bit of consciousness faded,

God subconsciously murmured:

"Al, my child, I thirst."