Jacob disappeared with the aura. William, who'd seen him vanish from the corner of his eye, turned toward the place Jacob had formerly been standing and, not seeing him, started looking around frantically. Then he called out, "Jacob?"

Jacob chuckled. He replied, "You're looking right at me. What kind of game is this?"

William's eyes widened. He exclaimed helplessly, "I can't see you."

Alarmed, Jacob asked, "What?"

"Apparently, you're now invisible."

Suddenly, a warm musical voice rung out. "Do not be afraid."

William whispered, "That's the voice that warned me not to speak to Brian!"

Kaila agreed, "You are correct, William."

Jacob inquired anxiously, "Who are you? Do you know why I'm suddenly invisible?"

"My name is Kaila, and yes, I do."

Annoyed, Jacob snapped, "Care to share that information with the rest of the class?"

Kaila laughed. "You are a feisty one. It's no wonder that Evan…"

She stopped abruptly and sighed.

A few moments later, she continued more somberly, "You have become something else. You are no longer a wandering soul, but a God."

William and Jacob exclaimed, simultaneously, "A God?"

Kaila chuckled. She responded firmly, "Yes."

Jacob sputtered, "How? Why?"

Kaila took a deep breath. After taking a moment to ponder how she should proceed, she answered, "Inddhe, the Goddess of war and the military arts, as well as the meter out of punishments, approached Evan, another God, and informed him that you needed to be punished for your insolence."

William inquired woefully, "For speaking to Brian?"

Kaila replied solemnly, "Yes."

Jacob interjected, "Becoming a God hardly seems like a punishment!"

"It's not. You see, that other God, Evan, he…"

Kaila had no idea what to say. How could she explain Evan's feelings, his great sacrifice? She sighed deeply.

"Evan took an interest in you while you lived…"

Kaila had a "Eureka" moment. Suddenly she knew exactly what to say.

More confidently, she stated, "Much like you took an interest in Brian and Justin."

William nodded slowly.

Kaila continued, "After William died, Evan saw that you were in deep mourning, that you wished to follow William into the void. That's what the ancient Greeks referred to as the underworld."

She paused. She decided against telling Jacob that, before offering him release, Evan had prolonged his suffering, albeit out of love.

"Evan gave you the release you so eagerly sought."

William's eyes widened.

"He also…how would people say it these days, mmm…brokered the deal whereby you would get to spend 1000 years with William on Earth."

In a solemn voice, Jacob said, "I owe him a great debt."

Sadly, Kaila revealed, "Unfortunately, you will never be able to repay that debt."

Confused, Jacob asked, "Why not?"

She started to reply, "Evan…"

William interrupted, though very softly, "He paid the price, didn't he? Took Jacob's punishment?"

"Yes. He was stripped of his Godhood and banished to the deepest recesses of the void."

Jacob was dumbfounded. After a few long moments, he finally managed a helpless "Why?"

Feebly, she responded, "He knew that you were unaware of the consequences of your actions…"

Astonished, Jacob protested, "But to pay such a high price…"

William suddenly understood everything. The God had done what William would have done to save Jacob, had he been able. In almost a whisper, he declared, "He loved you."

"What?"

"He must have. What other explanation is there?"

Jacob asked, "Is this true?"

"Yes."

Still trying to understand, Jacob said, "So…"

"You took his place. We have to maintain the balance."

"The balance?"

"The balance between male and female and good and evil. There are Gods and Goddesses, some good, some neutral, some evil, some higher and some lower. Evan was and you and I are lesser deities."

William inquired carefully, "What does that mean exactly?"

"Lesser deities are imbued with the same basic abilities that all the higher deities possess, but those abilities are weaker, and lesser deities may have others they are unaware of. They also lack knowledge and experience. So you must test your basic abilities and discover others, that is, your special abilities, grown out of qualities you possessed in life. You must also acquire knowledge, experience, and, most importantly, followers. Very few mortals know the names of the Gods and Goddesses, for our names matter little. But if a person comes to know "God" through you, worships you, and seeks your guidance and protection in times of trouble, that person is counted as one of your followers. All these things give you greater power. If you accumulate enough, you might one day become a higher deity. But it's a God-eat-God cosmos. The higher deities rarely help the lessers, and they, well, most, covet others' power and are stingy with their own. But they are like this for a reason. If they do not maintain their power, they are either demoted back to lesser deities or part of their dominion is taken from them."

"How do you even become a lesser deity?"

"When Elesne, Queen of the Gods and Goddess of the sea, the moon, dreams, philosophy, creativity, psychotropic drugs, madness, love, and passion, senses potential in a dying mortal, she grants him or her Godhood. You were not chosen by her, but when Evan told Inddhe that he wanted to bear the forfeit in your stead, Inddhe certainly communicated that to Elesne, assuming Elesne didn't already know, which she probably did, for she sees much, perhaps all. Elesne must have agreed. If not, you would not still be here."

Jacob asked hesitantly, "So…in order for me to gain dominion over something, as Elesne and Inddhe have, I must become a higher deity?"

"Yes."

"I know you told me that I need to accumulate power first, but supposing I do, what then?"

"Elesne observes the lesser deities closely. When a lesser gains power comparable to that of the higher deities, she gives that deity some of her own and, based on that deity's special abilities, dominion over part of the cosmos. A deity with dominion draws additional power from the energy of whatever it is he or she has dominion over. For example, Inddhe, goddess of war and the military arts, grows in strength when she is able to incite wars and other armed conflicts. Hence, her name, Inddhe, means "to burst into flames."

A question had been burning in William's mind for some time. Finally, he mustered the courage to ask, "Speaking of Inddhe, who was it that sent her? Was it Elesne?"

Kaila replied quickly, "Oh no! No. No. Elesne is the epitome of understanding, kindness, and generosity. The most good of the good deities. She would have forgiven Jacob. It was Hakam, the lawbringer, God of reason, mathematics, political science, the law, and education. He is neutral, not evil, but he is cold. For him, rules are rules, and any infraction must be punished, though, of course, Elesne can intervene."

Jacob demanded hotly, "Then why didn't she?"

Kaila sighed softly. "Everyone, be they mortal or God, must be true to their nature. Elesne, being the Goddess of love, must have been deeply moved by Evan's sacrifice. But as such, she knows that true love, that is, unconditional love, love that makes you want to give your beloved everything, is a blessing, even when it causes you pain. Evan would not have thanked her for sparing him."