Page 19 of Immortal Sun (Dark Olympus)
CHAPTER 19
CYRUS
“He with a short knife must try, try again.” —Vapnfiroinga, ch.7
I wait until she’s back in the warehouse, and then I slam my hand against the tree again and again.
Bark goes flying across the ground with each strike. My palm stings as I imagine its roots are too strong to break. I couldn’t even burn it down if I wanted to. Then again, can you really burn down the source of everything? I keep telling myself I have choices in this scenario but every time I think of it, I become more dead inside.
I’m just like the tree.
A vessel.
I look over my shoulder at the island; the waters have receded faster this time, maybe it’s because they too can sense that we’re moving up the timetable. Normally, the sacrificed find out the day before, but she’ll know longer. Her anxiety will mix with the thick sea air, and even the animals will be aware that things are earlier for the final sacrifice. At least I’ll be on time.
Right now, she’s being brave, putting up a front. Later on, she’ll know that she may have been different from the others, but she was never special. Just a means to an end. My heart clenches in my chest.
I repeat it to myself.
Just a means.
Just an end.
Just an end.
She still doesn’t believe me, despite what I know she sees, both in her dreams and in front of her. I always find it odd, how little humans can see something truer than their own reality and still deny its existence.
I’ve never had to convince someone of my identity before. I flick my fingers, and they immediately fall to their knees; many cry—mostly the men.
Except for one.
I tap my knuckles against the tree sending another leaf to the ground, it falls next to my feet and instantly turns to ash.
It’s dying.
After all, when you haven’t been fed, you die, when you don’t water a plant, it shrivels up, just like this tree. I stare down at the roots digging into the ground; they’re twisted to the north, south, east, west. They head out in every direction, diving deep into the cliff with two offshoots.
Only one is dead.
Just one.
Would it really be so bad? Staying here? What purpose do I even have outside of this? And what purpose does this puny world have outside of war and bloodshed, outside of chaos?
I ask myself this more often now.
And yet the knife still comes. It still digs deep and pulls out the toxin of humanity. The poison.
And every time it happens, I remind myself how satisfying it feels when that first drop of blood falls to the ground and I can rest.
You return to where you were born.
For her, the Nile.
For others, the dirt, the sea, the sky.
I shake my head and grab my cell.
Me
She knows now.
Enki
Let me guess, she cried and ran away. Give me a minute and I’ll grab my shit.
Me
No. She yelled at me then called me a liar, there was a lot of eye rolling. She’s in the warehouse now.
Enki
I’m dumfounded. You look every inch the god you are.
Me
Was that a compliment?
Enki
I’m feeling generous today, I got laid last night, two fairies—well, never mind, just know that it was magical.
Me
Fairies bite.
Enki
Exactly.
And they call me the insane one.
Me
Anyway, more convincing might be necessary.
Enki
…are you asking me to…bake?
Me
Tell anyone and I’ll hang you from the tree.
Enki
Rat would eat me alive, so would that goddess cow. Whatever, I’ll be over in a few minutes, got to take care of the fairies first, I give and receive.
Me
I’m aware.
Enki
Jealous?
Me
You know I never sleep with them.
Enki
The fairies?
Me
The sacrifices.
Enki
And yet you tell them that you’re going to bang them into next year.
Though I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t say I was tempted with her. I made a vow though, and I’ll never go back on it. I have people like Enki who are more than happy to take on the tedious task of sleeping around.
Me
Because it scares them, idiot.
Enki
Because you’re Ra and the idea of your dick somehow getting anywhere near them means burning them alive.
I roll my eyes and stare at the tally marks in the tree. Most of them don’t make it that long.
They all have to come willingly, because every single one of them knows the myths and sees it as an honor. After all, every single one of them, regardless of what corner of the earth they come from, has one single interest—finding their twin. Chaos does not create one, it creates two each time.
I don’t respond to Enki’s crude comment. Instead, I walk back inside and do what I always do before a sacrifice.
I make toast and pretend it’s another mundane day. Then I dress and send the text to everyone.
Me
It’s the year of the dragon. Tonight. Seven.
Nobody replies; it’s not necessary.
I look out at the sky and shake my head as the sun comes out, reflecting against the suddenly calm water.
“Ken.” I salute the island. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”
He says nothing.
For once he’s quiet during the calling as though he’s sad, and while that may be so, emotions are for the weak. I wonder if he’ll miss me, not that it matters, what am I even thinking?
It doesn’t matter how beautiful she is, or how different, her ending will be the same as the beginning.
Getting life breathed into her only to be sucked right back out.
“Pity,” I whisper. “That she was as unfortunate as she is to be born that way.”
Another leaf falls from the tree.
Rat stares down at it and then hides next to the rock by the lower branches.
How nice to be able to hide from destiny.
How foolish.