Story
The immortal Highlander sat on the grass, in one of many hidden retreats he possessed. This one just happened to be in Andorra, and the sun shone brilliantly upon flowers in bloom. While is younger clansman would be busy practicing sword kata, sword form after sword form, Connor's idea of relaxing was very different. But that was why he was here, and Duncan was still in Paris.
Since taking the head of the Tau-tau Adept, and immortal Ninja Master Cho Burren, the first to be instructed by the Moshuh Nanren; taught by Lin Tao himself. His idea of training now consisted of sword cuts, of which today he had done over five thousand; his torso, arms, and hands slick with sweat.
A pink flower caught in a breeze, swayed from side to side, as if dancing to a tune only it could hear. The cold air helped refresh him after such exertions, a welcome coolness to his heat. Over the last century, he had cultivated apples on a nearby tree, and rising briefly to grab one, only to sit again held the fruit in callused hands. He admired its shape, and almost symmetry, it had taken on that earth green colour signalling ripeness; ready to eat.
Connor bit into it, juice dripping down his chin, its sourness made him wince. How he had forgotten that they were always like this, this early in the year. The natural sugars in the apple revived him, and the fluid needed.
Contentedly munching through his second apple, three figures, or rather animals appeared out of thin air; the largest was a lion, the others a dove and lamb respectively.
"What the hell?"
A voice like a living tornado spoke, it was the Lion. "A species is chosen once a year to see the Godhead, to test their understanding; and the worthiness for them to survive. Last year it was the Centauri; this year it is turn of humans!"
Sourness in the immortals voice, "Great! But why me?"
The lamb trotted over, nuzzling against his leg affectionately. He returned the gesture, rubbing its ears gleefully, enjoying the non-conditional attention. Slowly its head moved towards the apple, and it took a bite; chewing animatedly. "Do you like this little fellah?" He gave the lamb the remnants of the fruit, and regarded the Lion once more. "So you're God?"
"Perhaps you would prefer another of my forms?" The Lion, Lamb, and Dove disappeared to be replaced by Hindu Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
"I think I preferred the lamb actually", and once more the representation of the woolly mammal rubbed his hand, seeking affection. "What is it I'm supposed to realise, cosmic peace, futility of death? You tell me and get lost!"
The sky darkened, becoming black as sack cloth, the sun winking out, like a giant had closed its one eye. "What is the point to your life?"
"I've often wondered", he remarked, refusing to be cowed before a being claiming godhood. "None probably"
"Very good" answered the Dove, alighting on his shoulder. "Why do we come to a species age after age?"
The immortal shrugged tired shoulders, "To see how we change over time, how our answers become more critical of you". He looked at the three for a second, able to briefly see under the veil, that none of them were really what they seemed. "Perhaps, you hope that we may surpass you"
The Lamb bleated, in mock laughter. "Did you know that the Centauri call Me, the 'Great Maker', many star faring races call Me the Star Maker in awe of my creative abilities".
"And we know you as Jehovah, Allah, and Yahweh?"
The Lion flared red, and an explosion of flame roared outwards, knocking the immortal from his feet. His skin was burned and blistered, clothes in tatters, his garden too had suffered Divine Wrath, also. "That is nothing to do with Me!"
The burnt flesh healed, although his hair would take some time to return. "You fear us". The Lion roared in what Connor presumed was laughter, which caused the Earth to quake, and sky to split with multiple peals of thunder and flashes of lightning. "I created the laughter and the suffering; every motion and emotion".
Still not afraid, and for some reason he did not know why. "You visited Clive Lewis didn't you?" he inquired. "Yet despite the violence he experienced during the First World War, and losses in later life. He saw in you hope; completely misunderstanding your true nature", he pointed accusingly at the Lion; face contorted and voice raised in anger. "It was this fallacy that stove him to write of Narnia – creating the character of Aslan". He shook his head sadly. "You torture, and use as you please, you certainly not worthy of worship!"
The Dove beak warped, allowing it to smile, and canine teeth suddenly visible that were not there before. "You learn!" It roared, "Very good"
Turning away in disgust, "You make me sick!"
"Go on" said the Lion.
The Lamb carried on speaking, where the other left off, "My names are disease and death. But why", this last statement caused a frisson within his preternatural metabolism. "You're after something in us, some spark you lack". The Lion struck out knocking the Lamb to the ground, its jaws closing around its neck. Blood flowed from the stump, within moments the Lion had consumed the whole animal, hooves and all.
It then squatted down, and from the faeces arose the Lamb once more. "Do you not comprehend now?" His muse was working furiously, he didn't really want to think of it was a bolt of divine inspiration, all things considering. "Love and compassion" he ventured. "That is the emotion we have that you lack! You are cruel, mean, spiteful, lacking any real humanity; but then it was our arrogance that made you such"
The Lamb nodded once in acknowledgement.
"But why" cooed the Dove, "would we even bother to come here and ask these questions?" Connor could not help but think he was being railroaded somehow, each question leading him down a particular alley. Thinking back to the Hindu Trinity, each was a representative of one Absolute Reality, the lesser Self being unimportant, being replaced by the Absolute Self or Atman. "You're testing us and every other species".
It was then Connor's thoughts took a somewhat downward turn, as he looked at every person he had met, loved, and every acquaintance. In many cases some events seemed fated, Duncan's loss of Tessa Noel, the death of Richie Ryan - at least to his perspective; while others were completely random, cancer, being hit by a car. Why? He thought. There must be a reason. "It's a grand experiment on your behalf, by potentially putting your betters through every trial and task, you seek not to understand us; but to understand your Self" he cried triumphantly. "For we, and presumably others have introspection and that is again something you lack, and like the rabid animal you are, someday we will either tame you; or put you down"
Gone was the form of the Lion, Lamb and Dove, as were the Hindu Trinity. Before the eyes of Connor Macleod, of the Clan Macleod was the true form of It, a thing beyond love, hate, a thing of no humanity whatsoever. A thing with nothing in common with any species throughout this cosmos, or any other – it is these things he saw. A being of such power, a maw of such utter blackness and despair, things would never be the same again.
Rooted to the spot he remained, his mind unhinged by such a sight. A purifying rain fell, to wash away the flaming destruction of earlier, one that did nothing to help the mind of Connor come to terms with the revelations.
Authors Note:
This part of a story that Greg Bear wrote called the Visitation, with my own interpretation.
This could form chapter 3 of Man of Swords.
The idea of God is also drawn from the 2000AD comic book. The Star Maker comment is from an author who in 1941 wrote a hard core science fiction story that included the idea of living, sentient stars, way ahead of his time; Olaf Stapledon we salute you Sir, rest in peace.
Both principles so Lovecraftian that I couldn't help but add it as a story.