The Ninth Prophecy
The king

After his talk with Sheda, Damius walked out on the balcony of his tower to get some fresh air.

“I hope you wouldn’t mind some company?” Axion asked, coming from inside.

- “No, no, my friend. You are most welcome. It’s just that I am just a little upset. I just talked to Sheda you know...”

- “I know. Don’t look so surprised, you know I have few extra senses...plus I bribed the guards to tell me everything that happens down there.” Damius laughed.

- “You know, Axion - and I am guessing you had a similar conversation with Faris - I have absolutely no idea what I should do now. We were all looking forward to breaching Red Rock...But now that we have done it, there seems to be nothing there - just wasteland, in all directions.”

- “I don’t think you should worry about any of that. There has to be something beyond the wasteland. After all, we have our wasteland too. And what comes after it? The beautiful city of Nox. As for what you should be doing, I have no worries about that at all. You know, Faris was a wise man. He didn’t name you the next king for no reason. He saw more in you, maybe even more than you see.”

- “What did he see in me, Axion? What qualifies me for the position of the king of all the worlds, as the prophecy says?”

- “The fact that you were the only one who didn’t fight for the job at all. Only you didn’t play the game, that’s why you won. Faris was a good man, a good king. The problem is that he never wanted to be a king, it wasn’t in his blood. He was driven to fight for freedom. Freedom is all he wanted and all he fought for. Absurdly, he became the victim of his cause. Once he won, he became the prisoner of his idea. When he became a king, he was restrained by the responsibilities, duties and procedures. He never wanted that. He wanted to be truly, completely free, as he was with the Fraternity. He didn’t want to sacrifice his freedom. He sacrificed himself. That was his ticket out.”

- “Why do you think I have what it takes, that I don’t want something else?”

- “I don’t think it, I know this is who you are. Only you could have successfully concluded the impossible pacts with the drifters. Only you could get the drifters to fight for a cause instead for their desires and personal gain. Only you were willing to give away lordship to stay in the capitol, serving instead of ruling. Faris saw it all.”

- “So, what do you think will happen now, after all the bloodshed and destruction?”

- “From bloodshed we must learn a lesson. If you don’t learn from your losses than they will stay only that - losses. Just follow the message of the sword, my friend.”

- “You know, it is so hard. So many have died. There’s so much bitterness. Death still rules the realm. I can see that. So many dear people have died. The more we tried to protect life, the more loved ones we lost.”

- “Remember this, our king: Life is much like an ice cube: it melts faster when you try to hold on to it in your hands than if you leave it lying unattended. Whenever it melts, it vanishes just to supports life again.”

- “As always, you speak wisely. Knowledge I shall seek. I am lucky to have you by my side.”

- “Thank you. But, you know, you will have to become independent now. Not only you, but our kind as a whole. Now that there are no Illuminators, interpreters and prophecizers, you and you alone are the masters of your destinies. The prophecies were only a distraction anyways. The Judgment Book is closed for good. Now you and your people shall grow by yourselves, independent, unshackled, unburdened. That’s one of the greatest blessing the war delivered.”

- “We can’t say there are no more prophecizers. Luckily, we still have you, right?”

- “That’s right...But, there is something I have to tell you, Damius,” Axion said lowering his head and his voice. - “The new air...it brought change to me too.”

- “What do you mean Axion?”

- “At first, I wasn’t sure, but now it is certain. I am growing old. I am actually aging and fading away like any straightwalker should.”

- “I am sorry...”

-“Why?! There’s no reason to be sorry. I am glad. I’ve seen too much of what this life has to offer to wish to live it on. This is a blessing to me too. But don’t get your hopes too high. I will stick around for a while longer.” Damius laughed, although there was a tear in his eye. Then he looked over the wall towards the forest. Leaning forward, Damius pointed his finger to the woods and said: “Look Axion, do you see that?!”

- “Where, what is it?”

- “A bear...it’s a bear.”

- “Ha-ha-hah! Yes, indeed it is!”