sheashannara

"'I don't serve you. You are not my god. And I owe you nothing.'

The bird hopped closer, just two hops, in that effortless way of moving that only birds can do. He cocked his head and regarded me closely. 'An amusing concept, that. The idea that men can choose which gods have power over them. Do you think that if you choose not to believe in me, I have no power over you? Do you think you can choose to have debts or not to have them?'...

'Serve who you like,' the bird replied callously. 'It does nothing about the debt you owe me. Do you really think that serving one god will protect you from the demands of another? Do you honestly believe that we derive our powers because you believe in us? What sort of an impotent god would that be? 'Believe in me so I can be a god!' Is that what gods should say to men? How about, 'Believe it or not, I can control your world'?' He turned his head and looked at me out of the other eye."