The Death of a God

"The Death of a God"

a short excerpt

Gary Baker, April 2011

(final piece to a larger project)

Jolarie pressed her eyes shut fearful for her life, as the blade-arm of 'Artemis the Wise' lifted her chin ever so slightly to force her gaze upon her one-time god. The tip pierced the flesh of her lower chin, dangerously close to her jugular vein, dripping a solitary trail of deep maroon blood down her neck where it began to pool in the indents of her collar bone.

Meters away lay her newest invention, the single-handed armaments weapon, beyond any reach that she could possibly achieve. And Artemis smiled deeply.

In the distance Raspora's body should have lain, but with Artemis's power instead was gone. Evaporated into dust, most likely. She should have been able to save her; Raspora had always looked up to her, and when the youth had needed her idol most Jolarie had failed. She was weak, and Artemis had proved as much. Why hadn't she seen that everything would end this way? That the one who she once proclaimed as great, subsequently denouncing, would really be all-powerful and take his revenge upon her for her stupidity.


Surely Jolarie's death would somehow make things right. The rebellion would be disbanded, and any who still opposed would find the same fate as their leader.

Artemis nudged the blade deeper into her skin, beginning to push into the muscles of her neck, sending a searing burn outward into her whole upper half with the intensity of a sun melting in her throat.  The scrapes, bruises and deep gashes that covered her blackened mud-covered chest, arms, and face now seemed non-existent. Artemis bent his elbow in preparation for Jolarie's righteous execution. Leaning his head towards hers, he smirked broadly. "Say goodbye, bitch!"

"Goodbye!" Came a voice from behind Artemis's figure. Raspora's voice.

Artemis spun, forgetting about the rebel leader, to face his godly foe. And Jolarie's armament weapon, no longer on the ground but in Raspora's charred fingers, aimed right at his face from only an arm-span away. Before Artemis could act, Raspora pulled the trigger and burst half of the gods face into a gelatinous explosion that dropped the one-time god into instant annihilation.

Even as the body plunged to the side, onto the burnt ground beneath, Raspora lost grip on the weapon and fell to her knees in exhaustion.

It was over.