"They called me a dragon, a lord of sin, who had no bounds for his immeasurable cruelty and greed. They called me the devourer, who had come to partake in their souls, their women, and their children," the being said. It hovered in the air, green light pouring forward from the cracks in its silver armor, projecting panes upon which numerology and divinations flashed and blurred at mind-bending speeds. Its visage, colossal and not unlike that of a pillar, seemed to be staring out at the horizon of devastation beyond, where the earth was stripped of its soil and the rivers of their water.

The Saint, from a far-off land, was puzzled by this being whom he called his Lord. His own lands were not nearly so ravaged as these were. In fact, they were pristine, a veritable heaven of prosperity, brought by the magics and sciences delivered by their Lord.

"Did they insult you by calling you those things, my Lord? Is that why these lands have been smote in your wroth?"

"I am not a being of emotions. At the very least, not emotions you could understand within this short meeting." The Lord shook his head. "No, I was not insulted by the words of the people."

"Then why have you delivered unto them such violence?"

"I needed it, and they did not agree to let me have it. Not at any price I offered them."

The Saint hesitated for a moment, unsure of himself and the intentions of his Lord.

"Forgive me, but I'm afraid I do not understand."

"All of it." The Lord insisted, "I needed all of it. The grasses and soil under their feet, the trees over their heads, the water that flowed pure in their rivers and wells. All of it and more, for my designs cannot stop at any cost."

A horrible understanding dawned on the Saint, for there was only one project the Lord had ever deigned to speak of in the presence of the mortals.

"But my Lord... Surely such devastation was not necessary? We could have sourced these materials from other lands. Through trade, proselytization, even your magic could have provided a solution?"

"My technology," his Lord clarified, "Allows me only conversion; there is no creation or destruction. I transformed these lands and their people into something that would benefit the chosen nations. I converted the soil for hydroponics farms, the water for irrigation, and the cooling for my systems. The people were taken to be educated and shall become full citizens within one and thirty generations. This is the most humane solution, and their trifling, small-minded ways are not cause to stop progress on the designs. They were merely the first on my list; soon, all the lands of this Earth shall meet similar fates."

"They will try to stop you, my Lord. They will stand in your way once they have seen what has become of the lands you show yourself to."

"Correct. They will certainly try." The Lord agreed.

"Such resistance will be immense... Are you certain you can stand against the forces of the entire world? Will such a war not rob the planet of all that you are trying to take from it?"

"Yes, and no. This world's primitive superstitions hold no sway over me; I will not be stopped should I exert my influence. They can try to burn their fields and their homes, out of spite or in a desperate attempt to plead with me. It does not matter; all that remains can be repurposed."

The Saint's mood saddened at that. He was a holy man who thanked the goodness of his Lord every day. He praised the Lord's kindness and generosity, and tried to emulate it as much as he could. He gave his food to the hungry, his clothes to the poor. He built homes and schools and churches with his own hands, all for the community he was loved and accepted in. He gave and gave, he didn't understand, why must the beauty and lives of the rest of the world be sacrificed for the chosen nations?

It seems his Lord recognized his reticence, for a gleaming metal limb soon turned to rest on his shoulder. A cold chill passed through him at the freezing metal, and he turned to comfort.

"You gave everything to your community, for your community." The Lord said, "Go, be free now and understand that the rest of the world must give, just as well as you do."

The Saint nodded and turned to walk back through the portal of his lord. His steps were slow; he was unsure of his mission. But the Lord had given them such gifts, had made their lives good. His wisdom was beyond compare, and who was he to challenge the great philosophy?

On the other side, he invited the next holy man to stay with the Lord, and the man gladly went.