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Author's Notes: I would like to sincerely apologize to all those who waited patiently for my last update. Not only did school and real life continually decided to interrupt my daily schedule, but I also had the most severe case of writer's block! Additionally, since I wished to end this novel (Yeah it's a novel! To count, on MS Word, it is single-spaced, about 467 pages long with 394,379 words to date! And people wonder WHY I'm tired? )
I hope you forgive me for taking so long with this update and enjoy the last of the story! =)
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CHAPTER 30: El-ahrairah Explains It AllThe world was numb, a feeling of silence, but Justin welcomed it gratefully. He could almost stay here in such a deep, eternal slumber of rest and recuperation forever. Traveling with the Watership Owsla and barely stopping to catch their breaths due to the persistence of their pursuers from Elil-rah's army never left much time for respite. Justin could honestly decide, though he was barely consciously thinking about the matter, that he had never slept so deeply and intensely.
"Justin..." a figure bathed in white whispered and the boy could feel a warn hand being laid against his face as the ethereal spirit drew closer into the cross-bearer's line of sight, though the illumination was so bright, the boy could not discern the form that was only inches in front of him. Then the hues of gray and black swirled away into a new burst of brown, gold, and blurry yellow. Feeling soon returned back into his tired limbs and muscles as the adolescent groggily woke up from his unconscious state.
"Uh...wha-...ugh..." the human muttered thickly and messily, disoriented.
His eyes sharpened the fuzzy images around him until he realized he was staring directly into the kind, sage face of El-ahrairah who was leaning over him with patient interest, his eyes soft yet with a touch of anxiety. Their noses were mere inches apart.
Startled, Justin nearly jumped out of his skin with a yelp, but he calmed down immediately once he realized he was overreacting. After the sudden jolt of adrenaline and distressed alarm, Justin managed to wheeze out several cool breaths while sitting upright. El-ahrairah looked slightly amused at the scene of the flushed teenager.
"Sorry," Justin muttered sheepishly, "You nearly scared me to death a minute ago."
The Prince of Rabbits simply nodded his understanding. Unable to say anything out of sheer awkwardness and temporary loss of cognitive thought, Justin looked around only to realize that he was once again in El-ahrairah's personal chambers, still immersed with the light of warmth and homey welcome. The bed of ivy and dock leaves that El-ahrairah first laid upon while he was infected with the black curse now served as a temporary infirmary for Justin's rest and recuperation. Justin then realized that his arm was no longer broken, that all the injuries he sustained while journeying to El-ahrairah's warren had vanished without a trace! Not a single cut or bruise remained on his flesh. He was healed, renewed, and free from all his ailments!
"My…my arm!" gasped Justin, still woozy from getting up.
"I healed you from your injuries once you fainted from the strain of the war," El-ahrairah said simply.
Still a bit lightheaded, Justin placed a palm against his warm temple, groaning, "How...how long was I sleeping??"
"About a bit more than one day," El-ahrairah stated, "ever since the battle with Elil-rah had ended."
Justin had totally forgotten about the battle, and he snapped to attention immediately, blurting out in a rush, "What?? What happened??! Did we win?! Is the warren safe??! Is everyone safe?! What happened to Elil-rah?! Where's Hazel?! What happened??!"
El-ahrairah placed a gentle paw on Justin's forehead, temporarily silencing the teenager into a conscientious, courteous, calm and attentive state.
"Justin...be calm. I will answer your questions...all of them."
Justin looked at the Prince of Rabbits questioningly.
"Huh? What...what are you talking about?"
"Justin, please...listen to what I have to say. You need to hear this, almost as much as I need to tell this to you. So please, save your questions for later and listen to what I wish to impart to you."
Justin remained silent.
El-ahrairah looked a bit uncomfortable as he carried on, resignedly, "Throughout your entire journey, you and the rest of the Owsla of Watership Down have carried your mission and duty without hesitation and lack of hope...and there is little I can do to repay that faithfulness. Yet, as you do remember realizing previously, there have been many unanswered question from the very beginning about this entire matter of the cross-bearer and how you had came to be in the spiritual land beyond life, the Garden of Eden. And I realize that, if nothing else...you deserve to know the entire truth about everything, about why you were the one to bear the cross, about how the prophecy came to be, and why certain events, which cannot be possibly explained, have denied the limits of time and space and reason in order to come to the aid of you and your friends."
The human adolescent's eyes then widened as he realized that El-ahrairah was truly going to reveal everything to him, without second thought. Suddenly, Justin's mouth felt very dry as his mind, which had the list of unanswered riddles and queries he so deeply wished to ask, was now wiped clean out of his memory. Thankfully, El-ahrairah needed no prodding to begin talking.
El-ahrairah gave a grave sigh before he started the long toll of eventual, sorrowful history.
"I...I wished I could have told you everything from the very beginning, from the first two times I met you, but circumstances beyond my control prevented that. Not to mention that Frith and God forbade me from telling you more than enough information as necessary. They both felt that the less you knew, the safer it would be for you to carry out your mission to defeat Elil-rah."
Justin was confused. El-ahrairah had met up with him before?
"Wait! El-ahrairah...we've never met! How could you have possibly told me all this, even if you wanted to?" the teenager protested.
El-ahrairah then cryptically smiled and, to the adolescent's amazement, the Prince of all Rabbits began to change and shift the shape of his body, his golden fur now turning into tanned, leathery skin and his physique becoming taller, gangly, and altering into a bipedal-upright position. In just mere seconds, Justin then gasped. Standing before him was the kindly, quirky, grizzly old man who sold Justin his cross at the swap meet next to Justin's church, only a little more than several months ago. The same wrinkled face, the wild-growing hair, the toothy grin, but now, the boy could see that El-ahrairah's eyes were still the same, full of powerful warmth and blue with the endless yawn of the encompassing oceans. Wide-eyed and slack-jawed, Justin could only gape at El-ahrairah as the rabbit transformed back into his regular, animal form.
"You...you can shapeshift?! So...so...it was you. You were the one who gave me my cross!" Justin marveled in shock.
El-ahrairah nodded as he continued, "Yes, it was I who bequeathed you with the jewel that would soon be the one link to your destiny as the cross-bearer. In the physical world, your world, it would only be an ordinary silver bauble...but when Frith and God brought you into the Garden of Eden, it would fulfill its role as a source of power to protect you and the guardian rabbits from Watership Down I sent to retrieve you, and not to mention to be the lone light in the inevitable duel with Elil-rah, as was promised so long ago."
At these words, Justin instinctively cradled the cross in the palm of his hand. He was stunned, and a bit disappointed, that instead of the pure crystal jewel of the sun and light, what lay against his callused skin was nothing more than a silver trinket. It was no longer the precious, orange stone of might and power that Justin was accustomed to while staying with the Watership Owsla.
"When Elil-rah started to infect me with his spells of darkness, I was too weak to fight him and continue on the ongoing war between my Owsla and his. I knew then that the time had come to summon you into the land beyond life and help me defeat Elil-rah. So with as much strength as I could muster, I sent my spirit into the world of men and disguised myself as the elderly, commonplace seller into order to attract your attention and be able to give you the cross necklace. Such a feat was possible for me because Frith made me a pillar in the land beyond life, and one of the powers blessed to me was the ability to disguise myself into any form of my choosing, much like your antagonist Silverweed...and I was the best candidate to discreetly hand you your bequest without suspicion on Elil-rah's part since I already know how to communicate with men," El-ahrairah droned in a subdued voice.
At these words, a sudden comprehension then dawned on the teenager. Justin could not believe he hadn't realized it before when it had been staring at him in the face for so long. He was communicating with El-ahrairah right now...in the human language...just as he had done before with the anthropomorphic rabbits of Watership Down.
"Wait a minute! You...you can speak English??"
The Prince of all Rabbits smiled humbly. He commented, "I was wondering when that realization would come to you. I was a bit surprised to see that you did not immediately guess upon that fact when you had healed me from Elil-rah's curse. Yet, I understand that with all the chaos and urgent danger arriving from all sides, I don't blame you for not grasping it sooner."
"So...that was an additional gift Frith gave you?? Because you became a pillar?"
The Prince of all Rabbits said, "No. Again, I repeat, I had the ability to speak in both Lapine and English before I became one of the caretakers in the land beyond life. And also keep in mind, regardless of how powerful Frith is, he could never had given me that gift even if he wished it so...for Frith does not have that sort of power and authority."
Justin's brow crinkled a bit before he asked hesitantly, "But...I thought it was a tremendous taboo. Strawberry told me that it was forbidden for any animal of Frith to communicate and breach the world of humans, and Blackberry told me how since we're from different worlds, it was impossible to learn each other's language, much less interact with each other."
El-ahrairah then showed a look of guilt. He said quietly, "I am aware of the consequences of such actions, young Justin."
Justin at first was confused, but then he guessed that El-ahrairah must have done something improper and illicit in order to learn the English language. Then Justin remembered the conundrum he and the other Watership rabbits realized about the word "cross-bearer", an expression in English. If El-ahrairah could communicate with the adolescent, then that meant...
"You were the one who named me as the cross-bearer, weren't you?" the teenager asked softly with reverence, "You named me with the word 'cross-bearer', even though it was an alien term to rabbits who could only speak Lapine. It was you, wasn't it?"
El-ahrairah shook his head, bewildering the boy.
"No, it is not so, young one. Regardless of my ability to commune in the language of men, I was not around at the time when Adam and Eve were banished from this paradise for their betrayals nor was I granted the authority or a special role in the fates that determined the role of the cross-bearer and your prophetic destiny in the final battle with Elil-rah. So...no, I did not name you 'cross-bearer'."
Justin was even more floored. El-ahrairah was such a plausible choice.
"But...if you didn't name me as 'cross-bearer', then who did??"
El-ahrairah then gave a sad smile as he ushered the adolescent to the pool of water supplied from the underground spring of water at the far side of his cavern with his forepaw. He said mysteriously, "Look into the pool, and you will find your answer to that riddle."
A bit puzzled, Justin slowly walked to the pool and knelt down where he could see the black pool of water, murky from the shadows, but its aroma and liquid vitality were as clear and pure as crystal. El-ahrairah then ambled up to the pool and, whispering a few words of power, he dipped a paw into the spring, breaking the smooth surface of the water and sending soft ripples to snake across the plane, shimmering Justin and the Prince's reflection. To the boy's surprise, what he saw next was a clear image of Elil-rah himself, in his demon, five-headed form, standing in a plane of infinite darkness, shrieking in pain as a column of light cascaded down from above and engulfed him. The smoky, ethereal form of the evil demon, still just as frightening and terrifying as ever before, was thrashing and writhing in pain as he scuffled and struggled to not give in to the aura of pure sunlight. What Justin was witnessing...was a battle between Elil-rah and...something.
"El-ahrairah, what -??" began Justin, but the Prince of all Rabbits shushed him.
"This is a apparition of what happened in the past. What you are witnessing now is the first battle when Elil-rah had massacred thousands of pure, innocent animals, when God had created the creature of man to fight and overpower the evil beast, and his imprisonment into the nothingness of limbo. What you are seeing now is his banishment and the final declaration of the unavoidable battle that would form the prophecy of your coming. Be silent and watch, and your questions will be answered."
Justin, with a pounding heart, bit his lip as he saw the image of Elil-rah snarl with absolute malice at the source of the light above him, which was still pummeling the dark beast with the purest rays of light and hope.
"You cannot do this to me!!" shrieked Elil-rah, "I swear, by the infinite darkness, you cannot keep me here forever!! By what right can you do this to me, you damned fools?! You underhanded, unfair, bloody cowards!! You cannot to this to me!!! This cannot be!!! This shall not stand!! I will escape and overpower your pitiful confinements, and I will continue to kill and obliterate all until there is nothing left!! I will, without end, destroy everything blessed by you and the precious men of God!! You will never stop me!!!"
From the source of light came a deep, ethereal voice, calm and radiating untold wisdom and ageless omnipotence, stating "Even so, dark beast, we will not stand idly by and allow you to wreck havoc on those we hold dear and those who have no desire for malignant destruction of all those of the light. We have given you a chance to peacefully coerce and live by the creatures of our worlds with grace and benevolence, but you have haughtily and callously exterminated many races of beasts I had blessed on that eventful day, and as such...I have wept. I wept for those who placed their trust in me, I wept for being lenient, I wept for my mistake of oversight...and I have also wept for not being able to do more than what I must do now...for if it were within my reach, I would surely kill you for the vengeance of my children's deaths."
"You were always a weak fool, Frith," sneered Elil-rah, smirking despite the power radiating from above, "A deluded imbecile who was too fearful to stand and face me, but instead, needed to call for help to summon the being who sent my master to the depths of fire and brimstone so many eons ago...like a true coward. You could not kill me even if you wished it...for you do not have the power to do such an achievement."
It was worth noticing that Frith became angry (if the intensity of the light surrounding the demon beast now becoming harsh and even more scorching was any indication), but did not give in to his temper.
"Regardless, God has sent me to tell you this: he has a proposition for you."
"And what trickery would this be?!" snarled Elil-rah suspiciously.
"We both know that you will not stop in your quest to cover and overpower all creatures of the light, so what we propose is a battle, a duel, if you will. This shall be a fight of combat that shall determine your fate and the fate of all creatures of the Good side. He will select one lone human, a creation and child of God, to battle against you in the future. I do not know when or where, but this one will be of His choosing. So, here are the terms: you will be given one last chance to destroy and rule over all we have created in the Garden of Eden, but in order to do so, you must defeat the chosen child in the final battle of the upcoming war between your forces and the human's forces. It shall be the deciding challenge. If you win, the human forfeits his or her life and there will be none to stop you from declaring yourself as the unholy master of all animals and creatures of my brethren, and, sadly, I cannot do anything to reverse such a decision. Not even God shall recant this agreement; it shall be final and irrevocable. However, if the chosen human wins, you shall forfeit your life...for God will grant the chosen human the power to destroy you and your entire legacy of evil. And this is possible, for your own master could not stand against God's will himself, so do not be pompous enough to believe you, a servant of Satan, could ever have a fool's hope against His might. Well...what say you? Do you accept?"
"YES!!" howled Elil-rah with exuberant, sick delight, "You fools will regret the day you have meddled in my affairs!! I shall gladly accept your pitiful challenge to halt me!! One lone human?! You pitiful dunces!!! It took entire armies of men to subdue me, but they could not exterminate me, and yet you expect me to fear a single child, no less?!! Very well then! I shall kill your so-called 'chosen one'! Until the day he or she arrives for the day of reckoning, I shall raise massive armies, ruthless assassins, and beasts of the most unimaginable terrors and depravities known to men. Your one child will not stand to my power!!"
"Then so be it...but...now I shall tell you in what role I shall play. The one who will battle you will not be alone for I will not have it so."
Elil-rah seemed slightly troubled at this statement, and even more angered at how Frith managed to gain a single hand over the enemy. The beast snarled, "I do not recall that being part of the bargain, you smug, lying wretch!"
There was a note of self-satisfied amusement in Frith's voice as he clarified, "Think of it as retribution from the animals you brutally slaughtered. I said the human will have forces to fight against your own Owsla of evil, and though God will chose the human, He gave me the authority to choose the creatures to fight for and aid the chosen one. Therefore, God shall prophesize the coming of the one meant to fight you...but I will additionally prophesize and chose the strongest and mightiest animals of my blessings to come and protect and fight as the army of the chosen child of God. And these animals will not easily submit to your power for they will be persistent, unyielding, powerful, and cunning to no ends. They will truly be more of a match for your forces. But may the fates and God protect this child for the inevitable war...for it is a huge cross to bear, a responsibility too far for any human to abide by."
Elil-rah's eyes glowed in the unholy crimson color of spilled blood as he purred, "A cross to bear, eh? Very well then, you fools! I shall wait for that day...but now I shall warn you a declaration that you, yourself, could take back to your foolish friend. Hear my words!! From this day on, I curse your chosen human, and the instant he or she comes within my grasp, I shall send all of my loyal servants to destroy and kill your 'cross-bearer'!! Do your hear me?! So it is and so it shall be: you have just damned your chosen child of the chosen trial to his or her fate!! Your child shall bear the cross to endure the suffering and hate of my anger and judgment, only to die by my hands!! I now swear, by all that is evil and dark, I will not rest until the one who bears this cross perishes!! For it is and always will be, I curse and damn the name of my enemy as 'the cross-bearer'!!!"
With that said, the light surrounding Elil-rah vanished as Frith retreated into the obscure shadows above, leaving Elil-rah to his delusions and building, disgusting desires, whispering softly, "Then let it be so...and may God help us all...for the sake of this 'cross-bearer'."
The pool of water then shimmered once again to dissolve the premonition of the past, and El-ahrairah then looked up to see a shaken and very astounded Justin, his eyes crinkled in horror and his face clammy with surprised bile.
El-ahrairah, understanding how much of a shock it was to the boy, hopped until he and the teenage Justin was side by side, and compassionately, he placed a warm paw on the adolescent's shoulder.
Justin whispered in horrified astonishment, "Elil-rah...named me...as the 'cross-bearer'???"
El-ahrairah gave a small nod.
The teen just continued to stare at the dark pool of water, still unable to grasp or comprehend fully what he had just seen. After a few hazy minutes of blank thoughts, he finally managed to croak, "But...but why would Elil-rah...name me?? Why...why would he give me his blessings??"
El-ahrairah then said solemnly, "It was not a blessing, Justin, but a curse. When Elil-rah declared that he would allow one lone human as the cross-bearer, he was cursing you and your existence, forever marking you as a target of his hate and ruthlessness." He paused before continuing, "Justin, you need to understand that your cross, your power, your role as the cross-bearer...it is both a blessing of power from Frith and God...BUT, it is also a curse from Elil-rah and the evil darkness that loom behind, a sole promise that you will be scorned, hated, and pursued until the ends of the land beyond life to be killed and destroyed. Do you remember the additional tidbit of the King of Yesterday had told you and Fiver during your trials in the forests of Yesterday and Tomorrow?"
Justin then realized what the Prince of Rabbits was leading to. He still remembered the saddened words of the stag as he told Fiver and Justin: "Though meant for good, there are two sides of the one who bears the cross, just like night and day, air and land, spring and winter, and thus, peace and chaos. At the time of revelation, the one who was to heal shall also be the one to die, where there is life, there will be death, for the cross brings grave danger of unspeakable horrors to the Prince of a Thousand Enemies."
"He was telling the truth, wasn't he?" Justin asked, strangely resigned and calm, "It wasn't just because I was just a human, but because I was the prime target to Elil-rah, wasn't it? What the King of Tomorrow said, it really was another part of the prophecy about me, wasn't it?"
El-ahrairah nodded, affirming with further detail, "When God decided to chose the one human to become the chosen one, Elil-rah's promise to destroy all who hold dear to the proposed human were made as part of the prophecy. Apparently, the chosen animals who would protect and fight with you would also share the danger of being attacked by Elil-rah and his Owsla. In other words, Justin, your burden would also become ours. And the other animals, such as those who persecuted you in the forests of Yesterday and Tomorrow, though I understand their fear, were unwilling to take an active stance against Elil-rah, for fear of his retribution upon them, yet they were not unwilling to take an active stance in punishing and harassing you. For you see Justin, to those animals, you are no different from Elil-rah, for their reasoning stands is that a human is a human...and as such...they are all evil."
"Gee, that makes me so much better," quipped Justin dryly, "So why couldn't the cross-bearer be an animal? I mean, Hazel and the other rabbits, Sneezewort and Lousewort, even Snitter and Rowf, all of them are really strong and they can take care of themselves and fight and defend themselves against soldiers and members of Elil-rah's Owsla. I mean...I mean..." Justin appeared to be a bit troubled and in pain from his questioning, and the Prince guessed what it was that was so incommodious.
El-ahrairah supplied thoughtfully, almost murmuring, "In other words, why were you, specifically, chosen, considering that the rabbits could fight as well without you? Why were you declared to be the cross-bearer, considering how you are not physically able to defend yourself, how you cannot participate in anything strenuously tolling, and how that there could be any human who is many times apt at strategizing, fighting, and is a born leader? Thus, how could there be any possibility that you, perceived as weak by many, can be expected to fight such a monumental war?"
Justin gave El-ahrairah a dry, laconic look, but nodded. The rabbit leader had pegged him down exactly.
El-ahrairah then spoke with a hint of fervent resolve as he uttered, "Justin...you remember what Dandelion had told you, that no animal or beast blessed by Frith could ever withstand fully against Elil-rah, for there is not a single one who could resist his influence as much as you could. Animals live on instinct and they have no free will. They live, fight, and toil for one thing, and one thing only...to survive. Though there are several aspects of loyalty, most animals, though there are several exceptions, follow those that can benefit them the most with luxury and safety. That was why Elil-rah had such a varied and colossal army. It was not because the creatures that joined him truly believed that Elil-rah was their true lord and master over all of them, but simply that they did not wish to be on the losing side of this war, especially with so much at risk in the land beyond life. After all, why endanger themselves when they could join Elil-rah and live in relative peace and harmony...even if it would be under his rule? Why settle for grass, silf, and fruits when Elil-rah promised them endless riches of food and power and powers that could truly allow them to be lords of all they ruled? Any creature in nature, regardless of it being the tiny ant to the mammoth elephant, has the one, solitary hunger and drive to survive with the least amount of sacrifice necessary. It is not a greedy or selfish principle to live by...but simply, it is one based on instinct. And you yourself have seen this firsthand. After all, you have seen the animals of the forests of Yesterday and Tomorrow demand you death once you entered their kingdoms. You have seen the bison, the King of Yesterday, try to cheat you into a painful execution by preventing Hazel and the others from defending you at the trial. And...I am sorry to say, you have seen this in my own warren, when several of my loyal subjects of my kingdom had wanted to sacrifice you to Elil-rah to save themselves for they feared terribly the aftermath of the battle you would bring here. Elil-rah himself knew of this, and that was why he was able to easily exploit that instinctive, primal fear and convince many of the pillars to abandon Frith and follow him instead."
"But not all animals live by that code," Justin argued, "Sneezewort and Lousewort changed sides after Volgnamass betrayed them and after I healed them because they wanted to pay me back for helping them. And Snitter and Rowf were always loyal to Prince Rainbow because he was their master and the one being that treated them with respect and kindness. That's why they followed his orders to protect me, even though they were a little reluctant to do so. And you're also forgetting something I just remembered: if all animals followed that rule, then why did you and the rabbits of Watership Down resist Elil-rah?"
"Ah, I was wondering when you would ask me that...as it is a pertinent question. Yes, it is true when you say that myself, Hazel-rah and his faithful band from Watership Down, Snitter, Rowf, Sneezewort, Lousewort, and even, to some extent, Woundwort himself, were able to resist Elil-rah's luring and temptations, or at the very least, were able to realize where their true loyalties and calling lay. Yet, we all had one common factor: it was because of your influence, your heart, and your strengths of trust and friendship and kindness. That was what has touched all of us, those foreign aspects of human compassion that is never possible to receive from another animal of Frith. Ever since you were given life, I have watched you and seen you grow, despite the sadness and -"
Justin's eyes widened as he heard that last sentence, and he blurted out, unconsciously being demanding, "Wait! Wait!! What...what did you just say??! You...you watched me??!"
El-ahrairah replied, "Yes, young one. As you recall, I told you I had met you twice before you had entered here in the land beyond life. The second time was when I masqueraded as the kindly, old man who sold you your cross shortly before you were summoned into this realm. The first time was before that incident, when God and Frith allowed me that one day to bless you the instant He decided that you would be the one to fight the chosen battle. That first time...was when you emerged from your mother's womb, when you were born into the physical world."
Justin remained still, overwhelmed and dazed with confusion and disbelief. El-ahrairah then had a warm, fatherly smile dashed behind his whiskers as he affectionately murmured another bombshell.
"I have always known you, Justin Bralusi Vannerley."
Justin's head popped up, his shock rising. El-ahrairah called him by his full name, first, middle, and last.
"My name..." Justin wondered aloud slowly, "How...how did you know my full name??"
El-ahrairah's eyes twinkled as he gave a small smile. "Because I was there when you were given birth of life...and I was the one who had christened you by your birthright as the cross-bearer. And I was also the one who had given you the surname, 'bralusi'."
The adolescent's jaw dropped before he succeeded in finding his voice. "Uh...I...I don't remember my mom ever telling me a rabbit gave me my name. She told me...that the name came from one of the coat of arms that bore itself as the family crest on her side of the family, from the name of a distant uncle."
El-ahrairah shook his head as he replied mysteriously, "She told you that...because it was what I asked her to inform you, so that your birthright would not be made apparent until the final day and hour of your arrival."
"But...but why would my mother listen to a rabbit?? Uh...no offense. But...I think anyone who was approached by a talking rabbit would get...well...kinda freaked out."
El-ahrairah then smiled as he leaned over to the pool of water again and touched in with his paw, whispering another prayer of power as the silver, opaque spring began to darken and flicker into another illusion of a memory from long ago. Justin didn't need to ask what El-ahrairah was showing him as he immediately recognized the people appearing in the image of the water. It was his mother and father, inside a sterile white room, and with growing clarity, Justin then could see a baby bassinet of clear plastic with a red-skinned, whimpering newborn wrapped in a blue, cotton blanket and a white, cloth cap. Justin then gasped as he saw a paper nametag plastered on one side of the bassinet was inked with black marker, "JUSTIN". The teenager then knew what he was seeing: it was the day he was born and he was witnessing his mother and father arguing in the hospital room. The liquid memory then started to play.
"Damn it, Laura!" bellowed a red-faced, younger, drier version of Justin's father, "Do you always have to be so stubborn?! And where are we going to find room to keep it?! Money's tight enough as it is!! Look, the kid'll be a lot happier if he goes off to some other couple for adoption! I mean, look at us! We can barely keep up our payments as it is without needing another mouth to feed!"
Justin's mother was shrill as she protested, "Brad, we can manage! Please! He's your son! I couldn't bear to give him away! Please, don't act like this! I know we can find a way, and let's not argue…please! This is a joyous day and he's your son as well! Don't be like this…please! Our first child was just born, and we should both be very proud!"
Justin's father stormed off into the hallway, disappearing from sight, but not before muttering over his shoulder, "Hey, you want to have kids so badly, you care for them! And we wouldn't be in this mess if you didn't abort the brat like I asked!"
Justin felt the tears of hurt well up in his eyes as he witnessed this, and El-ahrairah nuzzled the young human's cheek with his nose, whispering with sorrow, "I'm sorry you had to witness that."
The teenager tried to shrug it off and blinked easily enough. He replied flatly, "When you grow up with a man like my dad, you realize it's not so surprising. It's nothing, really. I've always been rejected for most of my life, so why should this be any different?"
Both the Prince of all Rabbits and the adolescent turned to the pool again.
Justin's mother gathered herself by cradling her face in her hands, apparently crying but hiding her tears from view. El-ahrairah was now in the room, and after staring at Justin's mother and the open door from where Justin's father stormed out with a sad, pained expression, El-ahrairah then hopped over until he was squatting on the floor next to the bassinet that contained the infant Justin, who was now sleeping softly and quietly. El-ahrairah had a look a prideful, quiet yet intense fondness and caring on his whiskered face.
Justin turned to the rabbit next to him and asked, a bit bewildered at what he was seeing, "How come my mom didn't see you??"
El-ahrairah said shortly in order to not distract his friend from witnessing what was about to happen, "Another gift of power from being a pillar. Just continue watching, young one."
In the flashback, El-ahrairah then softly glided on the air until he was floating next to the depressed woman on the hospital bed. El-ahrairah then whispered softly, persuading Justin's mother with his empathy and power of suggestion, "Braslusi…Bralusi…complete his birthright…complete his legacy. Name him 'Justin Bralusi Vannerley'."
"Bralusi??" Justin's mother looked up from her hands, her face now dry, confused and muddled at the fact that she, in her mind, came up with such an odd, foreign name for no apparent reason. El-ahrairah then whispered softly in her ear, "It is the name of a distant uncle, one from your side of the family…a name that speaks volumes and will highlight the spirit of this child. Name him, 'Justin Bralusi Vannerley'."
El-ahrairah then flew, walking on the very essence of air, until he was squatting with the baby Justin in the plastic bassinet. El-ahrairah then smiled warmly as he placed a furry paw as soft as goose down on the forehead of the infant. The benevolent prince then said softly with his halo of starlight gleaming around his head, "I wish I could stay here for a while longer to watch over you, young one. Blessed be, and be it so…"
Immediately, El-ahrairah was luminous in golden sunlight, every bit of his pelt and fur shiny with warmth and life of the heavens above. Justin then saw a single spark of glowing yellow emerge out of the radiance that surrounded El-ahrairah, twinkling and flickering like a baby flame. Slowly, the spark of El-ahrairah's heart descended into the human baby, disappearing into the child's chest and for a brief moment, Justin saw that his past self was, like El-ahrairah, was softly radiating with yellow and orange. From the window of the hospital, light from the sun was breaking through the overcast clouds and entered into the room, and to Justin's amazement, the baby bassinet was draped with a single ray of illumination. Finally awake from his slumber, the newborn gurgled happily as he vainly tried to raise his arms, almost as if he wished to tough El-ahrairah. The leader of all rabbits then chuckled affectionately as he touched his nose against the toddler's forehead before fading softly into nothingness.
El-ahrairah whispered finally before he disappeared completely from view, "I will see you again, young one. We will meet again someday, I promise you, my child."
With a flash, the remembrance faded like the mist on an early spring morning, and Justin, despite the astonished disturbance, crinkled his eyes at the large golden rabbit in front of him. El-ahrairah still kept his firm yet deep gaze locked with Justin's hazel eyes. The teenager didn't know what to think about the new revelations that were displayed to him; he was both touched and bothered.
"All this time," Justin said slowly and thoughtfully, "I…I never knew."
El-ahrairah then gave a wide smile.
"In a way, your mother was not lying when she told me you were named by an uncle. It's just that this relative was so distant from your bloodline, he was practically nonexistent. But…I can tell you with absolute certainty that regardless of the marvels I had witnessed, the miracles of life and death I had seen, the battles and creatures I have fought and won…none of those compared to how much joy and pride I felt when I came to you on that very day, seeing you, and marveling at how you have now grown into the benevolent yet powerful warrior I see standing before me. You were almost like one of my own sons."
Justin gave a sad smile, sighing with fatigue, "You're one of the few who thinks so."
El-ahrairah could see that there was still some hurt lingering in the boy's heart, and it pained him for what he was going to ask the child to do by the end of the day. The rabbit then commented, "Do you see now, Justin? Your obtaining the cross was no accident or act of oversight. Though I do not know the complete and full reasons of why you were chosen, God and Frith sent me to you the very moment your soul was given life in the physical world and that was the day I gave you my heart as a present and symbol of my loyalty and friendship with you, that I would be bound to honor and protect you, like a brother and father. When Frith told Elil-rah that he would select the most resilient and cunning creatures ever known, he chose members of my kingdom and family to carry out this grave responsibility, to carry the weight of the land beyond life at the time of the final battle. When I was first told, I…admit…I was truly scared and terrified. I did not ask for that responsibility, yet Frith warned me that I and my subjects were the only creatures suitable and capable enough for such a task. Being a trickster and a pillar multiplied my powers many-fold, and after all the devious and cunning plans of utmost brilliance, Frith knew that if any animal of his blessings could ever succeed in the war against Elil-rah, it would be myself and my legacy."
Justin just looked at El-ahrairah with studying eyes, taking it all in, and the Prince of the Thousand then turned sharply to his human friend.
"Did you ever wonder why you developed such a fascination with the tales of Hazel-rah and his band of followers from Watership Down? How you developed a love for the stories and such ever since you were a young kitten?"
The teen faltered, despite it being such a simple question. He stuttered, "I…I guess because it was interesting, and well, the more I read about it and the more I watched the video and read the stories about you and Hazel and Bigwig and everyone else, it sorta…I dunno…I guess it grew on me. I mean, I immediately fell in love with the characters and how they were so kind and different from the other rabbits in their warren, and how they went though so much just to find a home. I guess…it appealed to something in my heart and -"
"There," encouraged El-ahrairah, interrupting the teenager, "What you have just said, that was it. That was a key in this entire matter. It reached out and touched your heart, in ways that few stimulants in the physical world of men could ever have done. Do you not realize it yet, young Justin? The reason it spoke out to your heart was because of the piece of my soul was linked to yours, and as such, hearing about the tall, brave tales of Hazel-rah and his faithful band of warriors inspired you, encouraged you, and made you yearn for them, almost as if you knew them intimately. It was what touched you, made you more familiar with the legacy of Watership Down and Hazel-rah with morbid interest, and it was the sole knowledge that helped prepare you for the inevitable time when you would be summoned into the land beyond life and become the cross-bearer as prophesized. For if you never had the slightest inkling about Watership Down, if the void in your heart was not filled with the stories of Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, and all the others soldiers of the Watership Owsla, and if you had no idea about the facts of the Christian faith and God, you would have never been able to survive the trek to my warren and defeat Elil-rah. Do you not see, yet, Justin? None of this was coincidental or accidental. It was all part of His plan to have you fulfill your destiny to vanquish Elil-rah."
Justin then remembered a very important fact he figured out once he and the Watership Owsla arrived in the meadows of Fenlo.
"But…but…" Justin genuinely flustered, "How is it that the stories were true to begin with?? I mean, in my world, a lot of people like these stories too, but…but it couldn't have been true! It was fiction, a fairy tale, a story to entertain, but…but it's not like it was a history book or some sort of account of something that actually happened! So, how could it be possible that what Richard Adams who authored all this turn out to be the real deal??! How could this all be true?!"
El-ahrairah then gave a little twinkle in his eye as he said secretively, "All I am allowed to say, young Justin, is that God works in mysterious and wonderful ways. And despite the beliefs of men, every story, regardless of plot, character, or culture, has some seed of truth, has both a link to what is real and what is fantasy."
El-ahrairah then shot a proud, knowing and pleased look at his friend.
"Do you know why I gave you the name 'bralusi', young Justin?"
Justin shook his head.
"In Lapine, it means 'beloved'." The teen's eyes were a bit blank at this, so the Prince explained further.
"It is because rabbits and all creatures that were not blessed by Frith do not know the true extent to how deep emotions can run. You are forgetting that though us beasts of Frith live by instinct and necessity, we have no free will, and as a price...we have no such things as love, the deep bond that is only given and blessed to humans, for out of all creatures in the world, only men know what love truly is in their hearts. Granted, we have feelings of attraction and devotion and friendship in the realms of animals, but that it a poor comparison to the light in men's hearts, to the brimming power that acts as a driving force, allows humans to go past their limits and expectations, gives them hope and determination, and above all, encourages and heals all wounds."
"But...it's not always a good thing," Justin sighed, "Because we have free will and emotions, we're also capable of being evil. You said so yourself."
"True, and that is why you needed a piece of my heart, my spirit, to help balance out that inequity so that you could use the light of Frith and God to your full potential, for its true purpose of protecting those you cared about and for restoring the land beyond life. However, the jewel of light was not your only source of power," El-ahrairah said meaningfully.
Justin's brow crinkled in concern, puzzled.
"Do you remember that there were times when your cross surpassed everyone's assumed potential? Did you ever remember that there were times your were allowed to do the impossible, in the periods when you and your guardians were bleakly at the edge of defeat? Such as when you managed to disintegrate Lord Brock's cloak of resistance off his body even though it was made from one of the strongest and darkest magic unheard of by both humans and animals? Did you ponder how you were able to have the cross come back to your possession even though Greenweed, disguised as the human Damien, had it within his power?"
Justin then realized El-ahrairah had a point. It didn't add up. The teen then said weakly, "Holly said at that time, it was because of my heart, that the cross knew that I had a purer heart than Damien, so it came back to me."
El-ahrairah then smiled enigmatically as he continued.
"Not so, young one. As you remember the Black Rabbit of Inle himself telling you that humans are never intrinsically pure of heart, that out of all creatures in the physical world, they are the ones with the most tainted darkness and sin. And you, despite being the cross-bearer, are no different from any other human. Yet, did you ever think why this was so? Did you ever wonder why it was so that you were able to achieve such things, even despite the fact that your cross, your item of power and light, was relieved momentarily from your grasp? Did you ever question why your soul could have so much light and power to become a formidable force to any minion of Elil-rah's Owsla?"
Justin shook his head as he realized that there was a grain of truth to those words. If the cross really was his limited source of power, then out of the many times he had his cross stolen, he would have never been able to do such things as mentally contact Buckthorn during his trial with Hufsa or extract the piece of It from Hazel's heart when he was possessed in the holes of affliction. Also, he has additionally realized that he would not have been able to communicate with the animals that lived in the forests of Yesterday and Tomorrow since only animals empowered by El-ahrairah's trickery or Elil-rah's malice could be given the gift of human speech. And he would not have been able to do the unattainable even with the cross such as bringing back the dead lark from limbo that Prince Rainbow had heartlessly "killed".
"So...so what was this other source of power?? Was it...was it my heart?"
El-ahrairah said with a small smile, "Close, Justin. It was the piece of my heart that was also in you. As we share the same name, 'The Prince of the Thousand', we also shared the same soul, as Elil-rah had previously revealed to you. Yet, he did not recognize that this would also bless you with additional powers that stemmed from my own aura. Though I was too inflicted with the darkness and evil to even fight against Elil-rah, you and that one lone fragment of my heart and soul was enough to grant you supplementary protection by providing a hidden cache for untold might and valor that not even Elil-rah would expect. As such, that one shard of my aura allowed you to achieve things with your cross far greater than you could have ever been able to do alone, and the more time you spent with the rabbits of Watership Down, the more powerful it would become. Of course, it was also the same for Hazel and his Owsla too the minute they met you."
"Huh?" Justin was dumbfounded from that last statement.
El-ahrairah then explained with a sad smile, "This relates to your question of why you were chosen to be the cross-bearer, even though a stronger and more capable and independent human could have been picked for such a perilous mission. As you have noticed before, you progressed to survive in the land beyond life, endured many moments of pure terror and unadulterated dangers and bloodshed…all because you grew to trust and depend on the rabbit guardians that I sent to protect you. Had you been a strong, robust and capable human being who knew how to fight and trek through the wild terrain, you would not have needed the shelter of my loyal Owsla, and you would have been more confident in your abilities, a stronger force to be reckoned with, a true warrior worthy of the cross…"
Justin then looked glum as he heard this. None of those characteristics applied to him at all. Yet El-ahrairah then spoke something incredibly contradictory.
"…and by doing so, you would have betrayed all of us."
"What???" Now Justin was completely floored.
El-ahrairah then said with great conviction, "Justin, it was pride. It was the sin of pride that God and Frith feared from men. By the heavens above, even I myself, the Prince of all Rabbits, showed great scorn and contempt for all those who were supposedly beneath myself, and with that pride came great foolishness and sadness for it was also the day Frith created the Thousand to prey on my families and children. If you were a true example of a strong, courageous man with a fighting spirit, as every bit of a confident, reliant and proud man like Damien, then there would have really been no need for you to depend on the protection and security of Hazel-rah and the other rabbits I sent for you. Nor would there have been any reason for you to trust myself and to fulfill your destiny. It would have been possible that you would have thought that you were far too talented and superior to ever waste your time and energy helping out 'lowly' animals, creatures that, by popular opinion and creed, you were meant to rule over and be the lord and master of all, just like Elil-rah had so ardently and foolishly believed."
"But I would never do that," Justin protested, "I care too much about Hazel and the others to even betray them like that."
"I know," El-ahrairah conceded, "for even though you had no absolute reason to, your meek spirit, your tender heart and your willingness to trust the rabbits with your life was what made that bond between Hazel and the Watership Owsla possible. Think about it, young one. When you first arrived in the land beyond life, you were alone, scared, and had no idea of where you were or why you were here, except you did quickly realize that your very life was in grave and immediate danger. There was no possible way you could survive in the wilderness on your own. All animals blessed by Frith have physical talents that could put mortal men to shame, for men cannot run like the wind, they are too weak to pull the plow, they have no fur to shelter them from the heat and cold, and they cannot fly and swim with the greatest of natural ease. Regarding their hatred of men, it would not take much for the other inhabitants of the land beyond life to sense you and to seek retribution for past grievances by killing you. No other animal or rabbit I could have sent to protect you and inform you of your duty as the cross-bearer would have easily gained your trust and your faith and your friendship. It would have been difficult, even more so when you would be asked to fight against Elil-rah. In the midst of fear and panic, you needed companionship…and love. You have been denied of it so long from your own race and father, and I wanted to make the excursion to my warren as blissful as possible for I cared for you too much to see you go through this journey alone. And that was why I solely chose the rabbits of Watership Down along with Campion to assist and escort you. After hearing stories of their journeys to Watership Down and after how they had bravely brought Woundwort's misguided reign to an end, you would have confided in them for you already knew that Hazel and the other rabbits were kind, dependable, good creatures, and you always had the underlying hunger and desire to meet and be with them, to have them as company. If it were not for those stories of Watership Down in your physical world and if it were not for the piece of my heart that awakened your judgment to trust and depend on Hazel-rah, the mission would not have been successful. You might not have believed them. You might have refused to fight. You might have given up as the hardships became more unbearable. You may have even requested for a bargain with the dark Owsla and Elil-rah himself, hoping to find an easy way out. Yet none of these things had happened. It was for one reason, and one reason only…because you loved Hazel and the Watership Owsla. It was because they treated you with compassion, kindness, and understanding, as if you were one of them, not as a stranger or a burden or a detestable human. That was something that you truly desired, more than anything power or riches could have ever given you. That was why Woundwort's mirage of temptation when he tried to dissuade you from your mission to heal me failed when he showed you images of a wholesome family, unbroken and welcoming, of popularity and general admiration, of having a role of great authority and respect. It was because you loved the fellowship of Watership Down far more than anything Woundwort and Elil-rah could ever offer you."
Justin then remembered how often he had heard Fiver and the other Watership warriors comment so many times that he had a spirit and a heart almost exactly like El-ahrairah. Looking back on it, it was literally the truth.
El-ahrairah paused to let that sink into the boy's mind before he continued, "However, this does not mean that the only reason you are good, kind, and compassionate and gentle was because of any intervention due to my influence. I chose you because I could sense, even as you were but a mere baby, that you had great potential for gentleness and love stemming from your soul. Being meek and sympathetic and humane is not a weakness, but it is your greatest strength, the most wonderful power God could ever bless mankind. It takes much strength and courage and self-control to be gentle man than it does to be a vain, reckless, impulsively brash one. And it was why I sent the Watership rabbits to protect you and become your own personal fellowship to escort you back to Fenlo. You see, Justin, originally, Hazel-rah and the others were only ordered to defend and protect you with their best of ability for they cannot die once being spirits in the land beyond life, and, as Blackberry had previously said more than once, if the current cross-bearer failed in his mission, another could have simply been summoned in his or her place. Yet, as time passed, the Watership Owsla began to grow fond of you, your nature, and most importantly, they saw you far more than just a weapon that could save them and their world. They soon learned to love you as their friend and brother, a bond that had deep meaning in the unity between human and animals alike. For it was that love that helped them move on from their past hurts, their regrets, the mistakes and sorrows in their lives that ate away their soul and gave them no respite, even after death. That was why is was additionally important for Hazel, Fiver and the rest to be neither men nor rabbits, but rather, new creatures in between, along with the cross-bearer to be a human. For only a human knows the true extent and capacity to radiate love and hope to others, yet sadly, creatures and beasts of Frith are not capable of such light and virtue, just the burning desire to survive and defend and live. Even in their new forms, Hazel-rah and the Watership Owsla could never harness the light of the cross nor would they be able to receive their blessings of power to equalize the war against Elil-rah's Owsla. This is because no animal of Frith can ever generate the virtue and unrequited compassion that comes so easily to the race of men; we are not capable of emotions to such an extent. Yet, since the cross-bearer was human, the cross-bearer could share his spirit with certain animals if they ever established a deep and meaningful bond between each other, like family and comrades and allies. And that was what you did, Justin. You shared your heart with your rabbit guardians and friends. You gave them hope, friendship, merciful kindness and compassion and respect, the saving graces that cannot be received from any other living thing other than man, and it was these merits that gave them the courage, the drive, and the strength to carry on and overcome their burdens. And by doing so, you additionally shared the power of the cross with them, making them into formidable warriors that not even Elil-rah's minions had a chance of defeating. Had you never helped Holly and rather abandoned him instead, Holly would have never been able to stand up against Greenweed and defeat him. If you did not help Silver with his painful family grievances from his past, he would have never been blessed with the power of levitation and made a powerful ally with Scry-rah, weakening the hold Elil-rah had on the other pillars. And if you had never remained loyal to Strawberry, he would have never been able to use his gift of seismokinesis to avenge your death by Cowslip and Silverweed along with being able to see beyond his old, shameful past as a rabbit in the Warren of Shining Wires. For you see, only the rabbits of Watership Down, the few animals who you could depend on fully and learn to love and cherish, could be entrusted with the mission to provide a faithful and strong fellowship to the cross-bearer. I had been given only one chance for the ability to bless Hazel and the Watership rabbits with the gift to speak in the language of men, to have new forms not natural to rabbits of Frith, and to walk upright and have a human soul. In those forms, it would enable the band of Watership Down to help you fight against Elil-rah, by combing your hearts and souls together to multiply the intensity of the power of the cross to beyond Elil-rah's wildest expectations, and thus, completely obliterated him to the hell of nothingness at the final battle. For as you shared you heart with them, the rabbits of Watership Down shared their hearts and strength to sacrifice every ounce of their auras and vitalities into the cross, blessing it with their love for you. For that was the true power of God…not the trinket, not the blessings of might and weaponry and power, not the human soul, but love."
"Uh…no offense El-ahrairah, but that sounds corny," commented Justin with a sour yet bemused look.
El-ahrairah then smirked mischievously, like a royal king being caught playing in the mud like a wild schoolboy, saying, "Corny, maudlin, sappy, it may be…yet it does not change the fact that it is true."
"Wow…just…wow. Thanks…thank you for sharing."
"And thank you for listening, young one."
Justin gave a deep sigh, sensing that El-ahrairah had explained all he needed to, and right now, the teenager felt a bit light-headed but at the same time…relieved, excited, and happy. Elil-rah was gone. That meant no more battles, no more attempts on Justin's life, no more cautious paranoia of thinking that the next evil messenger would pop up and try to assassinate him or his friends…
The grin on Justin's face became wider as he thought of this. The Garden of Eden was, after all, a paradise. He really could enjoy a prolonged stay here. No pollution, no bullies, no cramped buildings and irritable, mindless chatter, just wide, open plains, fresh, pure air, sparkling water, and adventure beyond the eye could see. And there was so much to do now that he was free from his duty. The battle had ended; all the animals were now in peaceful bliss, so there couldn't possibly be any danger from exploring and wandering. Justin needed a break, and it was not like he would be missing anything back home.
Justin then said gleefully to El-ahrairah, "Well, now that it's over, I can stay here for a while, right?! I mean, Hazel and the others wanted to show me so much about the land beyond life! Bigwig said he'd take me out on one of his expeditions with his Owsla, and Buckthorn told me that he wanted me to visit the Black Rabbit of Inle again just to say thanks…"
El-ahrairah's face fell when he heard this. Frith and Inle and all the blessings of the world, may God forgive the Prince of all Rabbits for what he was about to do.
"Justin, you can't stay here," he whispered quietly, tragically.
The teen, oblivious, then commented rashly, lost in happy thoughts, "Oh, I won't stay here forever, El-ahrairah! I know I can't live the rest of my life here, but it'll be so cool to just relax here for a month, maybe two! I know I'll come back home eventually, but even so, I'll visit again frequently and I'll -!"
"No, Justin. You do not understand. It is not that easy. You can never come back. You must go back home now."
The chubby adolescent then stopped, white in the face, his heart actually refusing to beat for a second out of dread and disbelief.
El-ahrairah then said the worst possible thing Justin could ever hear in the Garden of Eden.
"Justin...you must return back to your home before the sun sets...or you will die."