[ WP ] You stand in shackles before the king . `` You have angered the gods for the last time ! '' his high priest declares . Stubborn as you ever are , you look to the sky and defiantly reply , `` Prove it . ''

Seth stood in shackles before the King. “ You have angered the gods for the last time! ” his high priest declares. Stubborn as he ever was, he looked to the sky and defiantly replied, “ Prove it. ” 
 
 The high priest went ballistic. He was shouting but it was falling on deaf ears. A sliver of vulgarity nearly escaped his lips. Seth spied the corner of the King ’ s lips turn upward for just a moment, before returning to his usual expression of regal solemnity. 
 
 “ I have heard from the heavens, ” the high priest blurted out. “ You shall be struck by lightning by the end of the month! ” 
 
 “ Indeed, I shall, but only if you tie me to a metal pole taller than anything in its vicinity. My weather department has already issued an advisory to the farmers predicting heavy thunderstorms by the end of the month. Now I see that you **believe** in science too. You may not be a lost cause after all. ” 
 
 The high priest fell to his knees and began to pray. He was buying time to come up with his next move. Seth watched him closely while feeling strangely at ease in the heavy shackles. The blood of its previous occupants defined the scars in the little scratches and crevices. He wasn ’ t struggling, he was on the attack. To seal his fate, first they needed to seal his mouth. 
 
 The priest stood again and began to laugh. “ The gods have decreed. You will die of a mysterious death in the cells. Such is your fate. ” He spat the last words out of his mouth. 
 
 “ I will like this to be put on record. If it truly happens as such, I would have been murdered by the high priest. He is still unable to show proof of his connection to divinity and is diverting our attentions elsewhere. I am not a non-believer of the gods. I merely do not believe in the high priest's self-proclaimed prowess as a messenger, and if the gods would have me killed for that, surely they would first show us irrefutable proof of the high priest ’ s devoutness and prowess. ” 
 
 That was when the King stood from his throne, killing off the high priest ’ s next retort. “ I do think the debate has been captivating. Is it not? ” He put his hands together, and the applause from the hundreds of subjects rocked the walls of the grand Royal Hall. 
 
 “ Now, neither of them is wrong. They are merely gods ’ followers in their own right. Myopic as we are, we do not see the beauty of harmony among the phenomena of the world. But while they are lacking, they are not sinners. They shall not die for this lack, because the gods are benevolent. Are they not, high priest? ” 
 
 “ Indeed they are, ” he made a show of raising his hands to the skies, falling to his knees, giving a deep bow in the direction of the King and kissing the floor. It was probably meant to signify the grace of the heavens, or something. 
 
 “ Guards, free this man. Let us three retreat to my office for further studies of the gods ’ grace. The rest of you are dismissed. ” 
 
 They gave a collective bow to the King and shuffled out of the Hall. 
 
 Seth was fuming as he followed the guards to the King ’ s office. He knew the King saw his point, but let the priest get away with it again. The citizenry and the students will continue to be misled by made-up gods and their wants. 
 
 “ Your Majesty – ” the high priest began. 
 
 “ High priest, ” the King cut in, “ your show of prowess was enchanting indeed. I am humbled by the gods and will consult with you separately about it. ” 
 
 The priest was visibly taken aback but recovered quickly, “ As you wish, Your Majesty. ” He backed his way out of the room. 
 
 After the door closed shut with the echoing weight of finality, the King was the first to speak. 
 
 “ Seth, you almost died out there. ” 
 
 “ I was doing just fine. I had the priest in a corner. And if I died revamping our education system to focus on science rather than make-belief, it would be worthwhile, ” Seth said, before adding, “ Your Majesty. ” 
 
 The King sat down and gestured for Seth to take a seat on the opposite side of his study table. “ Seth, tell me: the high priest is a fool, is he not? ” 
 
 “ Indeed he is, ” Seth answered quiety, not looking at the King. 
 
 “ How do you think such a fool got to this position of power? ” 
 
 Seth was about to answer, then caught himself. He closed his mouth again, realization coming to his eyes. 
 
 “ Leave the fool be, Seth. I am only human, and the people will lose faith in me at times. But they will not lose faith in almighty beings that are sung about in songs and scriptures. And most importantly, the fool is harmless while I ’ m here. ” 
 
 “ Your Majesty. ” Seth stood from the chair and knelt in front of the King. He had been a fool himself.
