The Munams and I were all awoken at the same time late the next morning
by a loud trumpet blast that shook the very air around us with its
intense bass. For the first moment of our consciousness we were all
dazed and could not fully comprehend the situation, and for a brief time
we all sat unsteadily around the beach where we had fallen asleep. As we
grew more awake, we began to understand what had happened, or at least I
did, and I was frightened when I looked around and saw where the trumpet
blast had come from: the entire Zardovian and Canitaurian armies were
assembled around us, having somehow crossed over to the mainland in the
night, while we slept peacefully, unaware of their presence.
My first thought was for myself, and what would become of me in the
wrath brought on by my escape, but that soon vanished when I thought of
the Munams, for they were the enemies of those on Daem, even more so
than those on Daem were to each other. We were completely surrounded,
with the ocean on one side and the Zards and Canitaurs circling us in
the front, the former on the left and the latter on the right. All of
them were equipped for war, with swords, spears, and shields held firmly
in their hands, and thick, leather armor stretched across their chests.
The Canitaurs had especially come prepared, for they had brought all of
their atomic anionizers with them, enough combined fire power to level
the entire world several times over.
Within five minutes, all of the Munams had assembled behind me and
Ramma, who stood between them and the Daemians. They huddled closely
together and quaked slightly in fear, for they evidently thought that
their plans had been discovered and their enemies had come for revenge.
I, myself, thought that they had come for me, and Ramma's opinion could
not be guessed, for he was a statesman first and foremost, and when his
people were in need he rose to the occasion with all the power and grace
allotted to mortal beings.
Wagner and Bernibus broke the Canitaur's ranks and drew near to us in
the center, as did the King from the Zard's. They reached us in silence,
and for a long moment there was no talking, for all present knew that
something grave was about to happen, something that would decide the
fate of the men of this age, whether they would pass or fail the test.
Bernibus looked at me with entreating eyes, showing his sorrow at my
recapture and asking for forgiveness, but I had none to give him, for he
had done no wrong to need it. He had no power among the Canitaurs, but
was only a titled commoner, more like Wagner's groom than counsel.
I noticed that the Canitaurs were not wearing their anti-electron suits,
which was strange, for they had brought a few hundred atomic anionizers,
though I didn't question them about it, for the answer was evident
enough when I had given it some thought: the Zards had no such suits,
and were afraid that the Canitaurs would destroy them and Munams at the
same time, for while they were allies against foreigners, they still did
not trust each other. I still wore my suit given me for the raid on
Nunami, though I had forgotten about it due to its comfort. That made me
the only person on the earth still wearing one, the only one safe from
the anionizers.
It was an overcast morning, and the air was damp with a cold, wet wind
that blew in forlornly. The ocean's steady swoosh added to the scene,
making it as depressing as the night before was joyous, and in the
bluish half light all was colorless and hopeless. At length the King
spoke, saying, "My dear Jehu, I am very disappointed in you. Not only
did you flee from us irresponsibly, but you destroyed the Temple of Time
and the altar to Temis. Without the White Eagle, the prophecy says that
there is no hope for humanity."
Wagner added, "And now the only way left to bring about the completion
of the world once more is to sacrifice you using the old methods." This
he said with evident pleasure, no longer feigning to be my friend.
Here Bernibus entered the dialog, throwing away his timidness with one
quick motion and saying to Wagner, "You scoundrel! You said that we came
to retrieve Jehu, not to sacrifice him. How is it that you lied to me in
such a manner?"
"You fool," Wagner said, "If I had had my way, you would have been dead
long ago. You have no authority here, so begone."
Bernibus grew angrier, a terrifying state for a Canitaur to be in, and
he was a strong and powerful one at that, though his meek nature had
hidden it before. "You would never dare to kill me in the open, you
coward, the council would banish you," he said.
Here the King joined in once more, laughing, "He wouldn't, no, but I
would. Do you really think that we found your outpost on our own, oh
Bernibus the 'deputy kibitzer'? You know that we have no tracking
ability, and least of all in your own territory."
Bernibus grew more enraged, and the King was spurred on by it.
"Oh yes, you know what I speak of. Your brother-in-law told us where you
and your wife were living, and not only that, for he also told us when
you would be there."
Bernibus became even more flushed with anger and vehemently asked
Wagner, "Why, you heartless brute? What could you possibly value more
than your own sister's life?"
"It was a pledge to the Zards of our intention to abide by the
agreement, what more precious thing could I give then my own sister?" He
spoke calmly and spitefully, enjoying the end of his long charade of
nicety, "Besides, the council was falling for her peace talk, as they
always give great heed to every member of the royal family, and I was
not strong enough at that time to control them, as I do now.
Unfortunately for me you were out at the moment of the attack and able
to escape, but still it was a favorable outcome," Wagner said, sneering
at Bernibus' outrage.
But Bernibus was not to be taken lightly, and neither was he to let the
love of his life go undefended. He leapt at Wagner and grabbed the
remote to the atomic anionizers from his belt, where it was always
clipped. Wagner tried to get it back, but Bernibus was too strong and
hurled him to the ground. Then he took a few steps backwards and stood
his ground far enough from everyone to have at least a moment to react
before they could reach him. He held the remote out towards Wagner,
pointing it at him as if it were itself a weapon, with his thumb and
forefinger in position to set it off at a moment's notice.
"Bow before me now, Wagner, or I shall destroy us all," he demanded with
a grim smile that showed his resolution.
Wagner did as he commanded and fell to his knees in front of Bernibus,
saying in the same gentle, appeasing voice that he had first used on me,
"My dear Bernibus, do not be rash, do not act in anger. Let's talk this
over, and see ... and see if we can't find a peaceful solution," his
fear of death evidently caused him to stammer.
"You fool, do you think that I haven't heard that voice a thousand times
before? Do you think that I will fall for your same trick once more?"
Wagner put his face to the ground and groveled like the filthy swine
that he was, for he knew full well that if Bernibus set off the atomic
anionizers he would die. His life was completely out of his hands and
there was nothing that he could do to reclaim it, except to beg for
forgiveness. This he did, saying, "Bernibus, you do not understand, the
situation was more complex than you realize, and I had no choice but to
act as I did. Do you not think that it was as hard on me as yourself?
She was my sister, my only sibling. But there was no other way, I had to
put the advancement of our people over the life of anyone, even my own
sister, as you must do now, putting the advancement of our people over
petty differences."
Here the King interjected, "Bernibus, do not act rashly, I beg of you,
for if you set off the anionizers, than all is lost. Do you not realize
that if you do that, all that we have worked for all of our lives is
lost?"
It was Bernibus' turn to sneer, and he did, raising the skin above his
teeth and scowling fiercely at the King. "What is it that we have worked
for all of our lives? Do you still not understand? You and Wagner plot
to return the world to its former glory, each by his own way, but take a
look around you. The trees on Daem are taller and stronger than any
known before, the grasses are thicker and livelier, the waters are purer
and cleaner, the wind is fresher. You know no suffering. The prophecy
had nothing to do with you, and nothing at all to do with the
restoration of the world! Can you not see that what you have is far more
than you have need of, that there is no desire left unfilled in your
lives, except that of ultimate power? This world does not need to be
restored. Only your hearts have need of that.
"The prophecy was given for the Munams, who were left stranded here in
this desert wasteland, while across the ocean they could see the great
paradise of Daem, the great paradise that you took for granted. There is
to be no restoration of Daem to its original form, but a restoration of
the Munams to Daem. You struggle to restore Daem, but have no compassion
for the suffering of humanity across the sea. You are the fools, not me,
and you are the ones who have brought us all to the very brink of
destruction, to the ice ages which you have tried so hard to prevent. Do
you not see that Daem is already the paradise, that the only thing that
it needs for completion is the residence of the Munams? Jehu is not our
kinsman redeemer at all, he is theirs." Here Bernibus seemed to lose his
anger and passion and become meek once more, saying humbly, "You have
destroyed the life of one whom I held more dear than myself, but that is
past, and I will not destroy us all for vengeance.
"Zards, Canitaurs, and Munams, hear me now and listen to my words," he
continued, speaking to the amassed groups of the armies that had been
listening closely to his words, "We are not separate people at all, we
are not different races. We are not Zards, or Canitaurs, or Munams, we
are Daemians, and it is time that we came together, to help each other
instead of hindering. Look at how much blood has been shed, how many
lives have been lost, must we all be drowned in the blood of our
brothers before we realize that we are one people? Must we suffer more
than we already have in an attempt to undo what has already been done?
More pain will not negate the pain that has already been felt, it will
only result in more suffering than we have known up to this time. My
friends, we need not look for our redemption in the past, for it has
gone and though it influences us, we are not bound to its suffering. And
we need not look for our redemption in the future, for it is not yet
here, and when it comes it will only be what we make it. Instead let us
look for our redemption in the present, where it can be found, let us
put aside our hate and our divisions and become one flesh and blood, one
body. People of Daem, let us live in peace!" As he said this, the Zards
and the Canitaurs and the Munams all let out a joyous shout of
agreement, and there was seen on every face a remnant of the happiness
that had so long alluded them in their wars.
To emphasize his point of harmony and trust, Bernibus dropped the remote
to the atomic anionizers to the ground. But it would never land. Wagner
leapt forward from his groveling position and grabbed for it as it fell,
reaching out with all his strength. There was a sudden silence that
overtook everyone as they saw what was happening. Bernibus looked down
and saw Wagner leap, but he was too late to prevent him from reaching
the remote. There was no noise at all, for everyone looked in horror at
Wagner's plunging form. As if in slow motion, his hand wrapped around
the remote and he squeezed it so as not to let it go. But as he did so,
there was a loud beeping sound that came from his fist: he had triggered
the anionizers.
The eager faces of everyone there, of everyone alive on the earth, was
turned towards Wagner. The remote had a five second delay built into it,
and those five seconds were the longest of my life. Bernibus' eyes met
mine, and we experienced an intra-personal deja vu, the converging of
the presents of two minds. His face showed the depths of his being in
that split second, and he was peaceful. Though he was about to be
destroyed, he had no fear, no regrets, and in those five seconds, while
Wagner and the King were frightened and frantic at their impending doom,
Bernibus was as calm as ever. As I looked Bernibus in the eyes, I could
hear Wagner break the dead silence with a shrill scream that echoed
across the horizon and ripped through the hearts of every hearer. When
faced with death he had no courage, no strength to face the unknown
beyond the veil that separates life from death.
As I turned and cast my eyes across the horizon, I saw the faces of
hundreds of men, whether Zard, Canitaur, or Munam, and written on
everyone of them was a great despair, for they stood unprotected in the
presence of death. It was like the calm before the storm, those five
seconds, and through them time seemed to stop, to be non-existent, and
there was not a sound to be heard, except for Wagner's scream. Oh, what
anguish was written on the faces of all around, standing defenselessly
before the end with neither will nor way to stop its terrible approach,
oh, what fear filled their eyes as their mortality was made manifest
before them like a vulture's approach, oh, the pain, as fate stood
before their distraught faces and silently whispered, "And to dust shalt
thou return."
But then even that was silenced. There was no noise. As I looked upon
them they were destroyed, before my very eyes they breathed their last
and were no more. One moment they were normal and healthy, and the next
they disintegrated, falling into little heaps of limp skin and bones. In
that moment I felt a horror such as I have never felt before, a complete
loneliness, like a night that never ends. There was no one, nothing,
around me. The force of the blast had leveled the already flat terrain
completely. The ocean was suddenly solidified into the same lifeless,
inorganic mass that the land had become. Across the channel, Daem was no
more. There were no more trees, no more grasses, no more cities, no more
mountains, everything was leveled, decimated. The sky began to turn a
dark, bloody red, and the sun was hidden behind it. Like a disease it
spread across the horizon, devouring the light hearted blue and leaving
only red: lifeless, deathless red. There was no wind, no sound. I was
all alone, I alone had survived the blast because of my anti-electron
suit. I gazed in absolute horror across the field where only seconds
before thousands souls had been congregated. I looked at its emptiness
and I saw nothing, for there was nothing. They were all dead. Every
single one of them.