Dreams of Thunder

Mythology. A rich collection of epic stories about larger than life characters and over-the-top battles. I was in love with it.
And the more mythologies I came across, be it Greek, Norse or Hindu, the more I realized how similar they were. I wasn’t surprised when I discovered they’re said to have the same origins. An ancient peoples known as the proto-indo-europeans are widely credited to be the ancestors of all major myths. They migrated to different parts of Europe and Asia and took their stories with them.
What I found most fascinating was the relationship between the gods of thunder and lightning- Thor, Zeus, and Indra- belonging to Norse, Greek, and Hindu mythologies respectively. Obsessed with power and possessing a dark side, they were not the typical ‘Perfect’ gods, but were widely respected. And feared.
I started to dig deeper into their origins and stories. Even when I was at work or with friends, I wasn’t really present. My mind wandered into the realms of the gods.
One Sunday afternoon, while I was reading about Indra, it started to rain.
This is great, I thought. Made for the perfect ambience. I made a cup of hot ginger tea and sat beside the window.
Suddenly, the windows rattled as the sound of thunder tore through the sky. It was pouring like crazy now. I switched on the news for a weather update. I couldn’t believe what I saw.
“It’s the strangest weather event Houston has ever witnessed, ” the weather guy was saying as he pointed to my apartment complex on the map, “The storm clouds have formed only above this particular society.”
Is this because..No..It’s just a coincidence.
I stepped outside my apartment. The winds almost threw me off balance. The rain was thick and brash, changing directions on a whim. I could barely see my own hands. I shielded my eyes and managed to look up at the sky. The eye of the storm glared back at me.
Just then, a bolt of lightning struck the ground. I felt the electricity travel through me as I fell on the grass.
I’m dying. This is it. This is how I-
My train of thought was broken by a loud, thunderous voice that rattled my bones.
“I do not like visiting this wretched planet” it said.
A giant man stood in front of me. His towering presence was enhanced by his golden trident, which was embellished with other-wordly stones. His white, pupil-less eyes seemed like windows to another realm. The strong breeze made his long, silver hair dance wildly.
“I…Are you the god of thunder?” I managed to say.
He smirked. “Yes. You must be wondering which one I am?”
I nodded.
“But you already know the answer, boy.”
“You’re all of them.” I said.
“Each tribe added their local flavour to my original form. Though I am closest to what they call Zeus.”
He took a pause and looked at me.
“There are few remaining who worship me. You are the first true disciple in many years.”
“But people still worship Indra.” I said
He let out a sigh and blew a tree away.
“Those fools, they are lost in rituals. They worship their fears.” he bellowed.
I could hardly hear what he was saying. I was fangirling so hard.
“I..I love the rain and thunder” I blurted. I don’t know why I said that.
“That is..good to know. There is something strange about you, mortal. And I am not talking about your current behaviour. Your energy feels familiar.”
He reached out to touch my head. Windows shattered all around us as he let out a blood-curdling scream.
“It cannot be! She betrayed me. BETRAYED ME!” he shouted as he held his melting hand, the one he touched me with. “YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE NETHERREALM!”
I almost peed my pants.
“I’M SORRY. Please don’t kill me. I know nothing about what you’re saying. I’m just a fan. Please-”
“STOP BLABBERING, BOY!” he thundered, “Your mother lied to me. She found a way to hide you. Even from yourself.”
“Who-Who am I?” I asked.
“You are a god. And I am your father.”
A confusing concoction of excitement and fear brewed in my mind and made me dizzy. This was getting out of hand.
“Which. Which one am I?” I asked.
“One that was forgotten by history. And one that the future will not remember.”
With a quick movement, he threw a lightning bolt at me. But it just bounced off.
Zeus was taken aback. “I have to give it to your mother. Her protection charms have no match.” he said with a distant look in his eyes, as if fondly remembering her. “But I can still get rid of them. The only caveat is that your powers will be restored.”
“What are my powers?”
“Nice try. Do you take me for a fool?” he said, grinning.
“No sir. But-but you did tell me I’ll get back my powers. So I thought you were fine with sharing.” I said as politely as I could.
I think he perceived it as passive aggressive because lightning bolts flared out his nostrils.
He started chanting a mantra in a sanskrit-sounding language. His voice broke into a choir of voices, encompassing me from all sides. And then silence fell. The charm was off.
He prepared his bolt while I just stood there, waiting for death. I closed my eyes and desperately wished this was a nightmare. I could hear crackling sounds growing exponentially louder, but then everything went silent. I felt like I was floating in nothingness. Maybe this is what death is like, I thought. I slowly opened my eyes to find that I was laying on my bed.
Turns out it really was a nightmare. I can’t tell you how relieved I was. It felt better than a thousand massages. I decided to lay there for a while to enjoy the simplicity of boredom. After a while, I walked out of the apartment to breathe in the fresh air of a warm, sunny Sunday afternoon.
My new found happiness was short lived. In seconds, the clouds appeared out of thin air, and down came Zeus.
“You sent me all the way back. YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS.”
“I sent you back?”
“No, no you did not” He said with hesitation.
Wait a minute. I did send him back. I wished it was a nightmare and it came true.
He prepared his lightning bolt once again.
This time, I imagined the bolt exploding in his hand. There was a deafening blast. Zeus was on the ground, dazed. It worked!
As he started to get up, I imagined a thousand bolts piercing through him. He writhed in pain as silver blood oozed out of his wounds. He crawled towards his trident lying in the distance. Before he could do so, the earth cracked open. His body was now below the ground, with only his head sticking out of the crevice. I imagined the crack slowly closing up, pressing on his throat.
“Tell me my name, Zeus” I commanded with such confidence, I surprised myself.
He didn’t answer. I made the crevice close in faster.
“What’s my name, FATHER?”
“You’re…You’re Azeek, the god of imagination.”
“And these will be your last words.” I said.
The earth sealed shut, beheading him in the process. His severed head rolled towards me and stopped at my feet. An expression of utter shock was plastered on his face. Fitting for a god of electricity.
I didn’t know what to do next. I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep a level head with such an immense power at my disposal. No doubts about that. Also, there were many questions unanswered. Who was my real mother? Was she still alive? Do the other gods exist? I had to find out. But one thing was certain. I was quitting my corporate job without notice.
