The Spirits of Baybar
Hayreddin did not know how much time had passed as he knelt on the ground, weeping for Ravenna, but it can't have been long. When he finally looked up, the inferno continued to rage around him. The grief's hold on him was absolute, and as he rose to his feet unsteadily, he made his way towards the flames, intent on letting them take him.
"No…"
Hayreddin stopped. He thought he heard a whisper. But when he looked around, there was no one. He turned to face the flames once more.
"No…you still have work to do…"
Hayreddin whirled around, wild-eyed and furious. "Who's there? Show yourself!"
"The world needs you…mankind needs you…"
"Show yourself!" screamed Hayreddin. "I can't save anyone and you claim the world…mankind needs me? Show yourself!"
"We will…but first…we show you this…."
The visions took him.
XI XI XI
He saw a globe, floating in a deep darkness, circling a blazing yellow orb of fire, while in turned circled by a smaller grey orb. Somehow, despite having never seen anything like it before, he knew it was a world, orbited by a moon and orbiting a star.
He studied the world closely, it was blue, with continents on it and beautiful.
A name floated into his mind.
Terra.
A feeling of longing…a longing for home filled his heart then.
Then, to his wonder, he saw…things…no, vessels, departing Terra. Some landed on the nearby moon, others went to other worlds within the system and still others set of far into the darkness.
He saw worlds, colonised by mankind. He saw cities rise, technology such as he had never imagined developed, culture cultivated across the vast gulf of space. And at its heart, driving it all forward and holding it all together…was Terra.
It was glorious, mankind from all corners of the…galaxy…another alien word…building a vast empire…
But then…something happened…storms…unnatural storms erupted all over space…cutting off the various worlds from Terra…
Darkness fell…
Another name floated into his mind…Old Night…
He saw eruptions all over the continents of Terra…he saw the oceans boil away, mountains crumble and forests burn, leaving nothing but desolate radioactive wasteland. Worst of all, he saw mankind turning upon each other, carving out individual nations and fighting each other in wars that further damaged the already wounded world.
Self-destruction seemed inevitable.
But then, a glow lifted the fog of war, and he beheld the god in golden armour once more, his face lost in his own golden radiance, striding forward at the head of an army of superhuman giants. In a war that engulfed the world, he saw the god forcibly drag mankind from the abyss of extinction, and began a reign of enlightenment and hope.
He saw more superhuman warriors created from the ranks of humanity, and mortals themselves all rallying to the golden god, who led them to the stars. He watched as the golden god led his armies in liberating the worlds of mankind from the enslavement of strange, grotesque beings, watched as they rediscovered and embraced their estranged brethren.
And he saw the discovery of demi-gods.
Their radiance hid their faces, but he could see details.
He saw peerless generals and warrior kings.
He saw a savage barbarian king, flanked by two strange lupine creatures he had never seen before.
He saw a cowled, embodiment of death.
He saw a gladiator, standing atop a pile of monstrous bodies.
He saw a warrior astride a titanic eagle, soaring the stormy skies.
He saw an angel, the sea of humanity calling out to him in adulation.
He saw another demigod, but this one was clearly the best of them. Clad in white armour with gold trim, and a red eye emblazoned on his chest, the perfect warrior strode alongside the golden god in their quest to bring Salvation to mankind.
He saw a sea of monstrous green beings, so numerous that their presence choked the world. He watched as mortal men bravely fought the savage beasts. He watched as the demigods and the superhuman warriors descended upon the green monsters. He saw the angel and a warrior in white, with a top-knot and wielding a scimitar, standing back-to-back and dealing death to the beasts. He saw a red giant, wielding sorcerous powers to bring down a machine of war whose scale was impossibly vast. He saw the gladiator dive into the horde of green, blood splattering as he laid about with his axes. He saw a beautiful warrior in an immaculate armour of purple, laughing as he danced about the beasts, his sword a whirling dervish of death. He saw one of the peerless generals, determined and undaunted, leading the superhuman warriors against the vast tide of green monstrosity. He saw a golden demigod, leading warrior-priests, as he swung his mace at the monsters, every swing sending several of them flying into the sky. He saw the avatar of death, dark and brooding, reaping the souls of the beasts. And he saw the golden god, leading them all.
He saw a monstrous warlord, clearly the leader of the green monsters, roaring with rage as it fought the perfect warrior with the red eye on his chest. The battle was hard-fought but the warrior emerged victorious, roaring his triumph as he threw the beast's broken body from a high tower.
He watched as the sea of humanity, mortal and superhuman alike, stood together and paid homage the golden god and the demigods. His heart soared, such a future for humanity was glorious.
"It will not last…"
The whispers returned, cold and unwelcome, casting a shadow over the glorious scene.
"They will be betrayed…"
"…and all will be lost…"
He saw other things. He saw the golden demigod, howling in grief as he knelt in the ashes of a ruined city. He saw the angel, fighting desperately against a horde of monsters. He saw the perfect warrior, with only a handful of loyal soldiers, surrounded by enemies. Everywhere he looked, he saw the demigods fighting desperate and doomed battles. He saw humanity overwhelmed and consumed by monsters…
No…not monsters.
Daemons.
"No…" he whispered as he saw the worlds of mankind fall.
"No…" he whispered again, as he saw the demigods fall.
"No…" he whispered yet again, as he saw the golden god, a corpse on a throne of gold, screaming into the darkness for all eternity.
"NO!"
The darkness took him. But he was still aware, and he could hear the voices.
"They will be betrayed…and all will be lost…"
Stars appeared above him, illuminating his surroundings. He seemed to be floating…floating in a void.
"But there is still hope…Hayreddin…and it lies with you…"
Beings appeared around him, four of them. They were glowing, translucent and spectral, seeming to phase in out of existence.
"Who are you?" he asked, his eyes wide as he stared.
"We are called many things, Hayreddin. We exist across the myriad of worlds in different guises with different names. On your world, we are called the Spirits of Baybar."
"You are the spirits?" whispered Hayreddin.
"Yes, dear Hayreddin. Know this, what we have shown you, what you have fought is but a fraction of what humanity will face should you fail."
"But who are those…gods?"
"They are not gods, Hayreddin. They are men. Men of vision and power who seek to bring an age of enlightenment and peace for mankind all over Existence. Their work is great and noble, but already threatened by treachery."
They pointed to him. "But you can save them. Seek the one who is born of the Storm. Learn of him, watch over him. The two of you are the key in the war against the Anathema."
"The Anathema?"
"He who threatens to destroy all. He will create a Master of War, and when he does…he will betray everything…and everything will be doomed. Unless you stop Him."
"But what can I do? I couldn't save anyone!" cried Hayreddin. "Ravenna…my parents…"
Suddenly his eyes flicked up to the Spirits. "My parents, they were sacrificed to you! You killed them! All of you!"
He drew himself up to his full height, terrible with rage and rushed at them. He attempted to strike them, but they melted away like mist at his touch, only to reform again. Again and again Hayreddin tried to hit them, to kill them but failed. Finally, he fell to his knees, exhausted.
The Spirits coalesced around him, their presence gentle and soothing.
"Dear Hayreddin…we have whispered to the people of Baybar for countless millennia, but sometimes, they understand things differently. What Beduin did to your parents, what he claimed to do in our name, was not what we wanted."
"Then why didn't you stop him?"
"We cannot directly intervene with affairs of mortals…we can only whisper…and guide. We are so sorry for your losses, Hayreddin. Your parents and Ravenna dwell with us now…and one day…when your time comes…you will see them again."
"I will?" asked Hayreddin, looking up.
"Yes…but only when your task is done."
The spirits began to fade, and Hayreddin suddenly felt as though he was falling.
"Now go, Hayreddin. Seek the one born of the Storm. Stay by his side…and you will know what to do. Hurry…the island will soon be destroyed…"
"Wait…what happened to Ravenna…what corrupted him…"
They whispered back, their voices fading away…
"The forces…of the Anathema…"
The darkness took him once more.
XI XI XI
Hayreddin found himself on the shore of the island, near the raft. The fires had consume the jungle, and the head was suffocating. In the distance, the mountain was crumbling, rivers of flame pouring out of it like blood.
Without hesitating, Hayreddin, leaped towards the raft and began to push up, grimacing at the high temperature of the heated waters. When he was far enough, he leaped aboard, picked up the raft and began to row. He rowed and rowed, never stopping, determined to get away from the island where he had seen and done those terrible things.
When he finally did look back, he saw the mountain crumbling into the sea. He felt a pang for Ravenna and all the men who had died. But knowing he could do nothing, he rowed on.
Every day, he rowed. Even when the wind was favourable, he'd set up the sail and row. He never stopped, save for a few minutes to eat and drink. And then back to the rowing. The physical act felt good, it kept him focused, kept the grief away.
He rowed on, not really carrying which direction he was going on, just wanting to flee away from the horror of it all.
Day turned to night, into weeks, then months…possibly even a year…Hayreddin did not care to keep track of the time.
When he finally came into sight of land, he was surprised. He had almost forgotten what it looked like. He kept rowing, and landmass grew larger and he could see details…a sea wall…behind which was a bustling harbour.
A wall…Hayreddin's Wall.
He had reached Nuba.
Long pent-up emotions stirred and before he knew it, tears were falling from his eyes, but still he kept rowing.
When the harbour guards sent out a boat to investigate, they realised who he was and quickly took him aboard and brought him into Nuba. Word of his return spread quickly through the town and a crowd of people had gathered to see him, many of them cheering, not noticing the haunted look on his face.
When he got off the boat, Hayreddin looked around, looking for the one face he cared to see.
He saw her.
He made his way through the crowd towards her, and his grief grew heavier when he saw the child in her arms and the older child at her side. Reluctantly, he looked into her eyes. There was relief, gladness and joy there, but also a question.
Hayreddin fell to his knees before her.
"I'm sorry, Isan…I'm so sorry…"
She understood. Without a word, she stepped forward and embraced him, holding Ravenna's youngest child between them carefully.
They both wept.