Chapter 7
My Legacy
As Sobek finished his tale, the arena was filled with an uneasy silence, the gods in the audience shifted uncomfortably, glancing at each other with an embarrassed look. While they would not openly admit it, they had indeed only ostracized Sobek solely due to his relation to Apophis, and now after hearing Sobek's side of the story and what their treatment towards him had molded him into. They felt a twinge of shame, especially since it was in front of the thousands of humans that were also in the audience, most of whom gazed disapprovingly at the gods for such a low and petty act.
Lenin stroked his beard thoughtfully after Sobek had finished his tale, "I see, so your drive to PROVE yourself is simply due to the fact that your peers ostracized you in your youth. And so now you hope that through Ragnarok, you will be seen as something MORE than just simply a mindless savage?"
Sobek glumly nodded, "Yes, yes you got it all correct, I am here only because I thought that beating a human in Ragnarok would win me RESPECT from the other gods. Pretty ironic don't you think? A god trying to be seen as an EQUAL to his peers by beating a LESSER being, and I'm even failing to do THAT. It's pathetic really."
Lenin scoffed, "I only see ONE thing that can be considered pathetic in this entire situation, Comrade Sobek. And it DEFINITELY isn't you losing the round so far." Sobek gave Lenin a quizzical look as he said this.
Lenin continued, "You claim to have this Primal Force power, yes? In that case, why not USE it. It sounds to me like you have been fighting this battle with a HANDICAP this whole time. There's nothing surprising OR pathetic with the fact that you have been struggling so far. In fact it's COMMENDABLE that you have mastered such powerful techniques outside your Primal Force. So why not just use it NOW to win the fight?"
Sobek looked around the arena nervously, "But that's the THING, I don't WANT to use it, I don't want people to see me in that form ever AGAIN, I only mastered it to learn how to control myself and be better equipped when fighting Apophis. If I use it ALL the time, I fear that I will only reinforce the idea that I am just a mindless monster who kills for sport." Saying that made Sobek feel even worse, he felt as though he was propelled all those years ago. Shamefully standing in the courtroom surrounded by the jeering disgusted faces of the other gods.
"But you said you COULD control it right?" Lenin's voice interrupted Sobek's train of thoughts. ''You said that you managed to learn how to control it and prevent yourself from going on another bloodlust-filled rampage, yes?"
"Well yes, I can but…" Sobek replied.
"But what? Comrade Sobek, if you know you CAN control it, and you know that you WON'T unintentionally harm innocents whilst using that power, why do you FEAR it so much? Simply because of what OTHERS might think? That is the only thing TRULY pathetic about this whole situation. The fact that you let your desire for approval obstruct your true potential." Lenin interjected.
Sobek stared open mouthed at the Father of Communism, "Wha-what did you say?" he asked dumbfounded.
"I'm saying that it is pointless fighting SOLELY for your legacy, tell me, what is the main purpose of you participating in this battle? Is it to win the hearts and minds of your fellow deities? Chasing after their admiration like a puppy dog? Or, are you here to WIN the first round of Ragnarok for the gods and bring HONOR to your pantheon? If your answer is the FORMER, you may just as well forfeit the match and leave the arena with your tail between your legs at this point." Lenin answered in a more biting voice.
Lenin continued, "You place FAR too much importance on how others will view you. While I agree that leaving a long lasting positive impact on the world is a dream many beings desire. It is in MY lowly opinion, that fighting NOBLY and TRULY for your cause, without caring for the biting remarks of OTHERS and how negatively they MAY view you, FAR outstrips the first in importance. That was a lesson I unfortunately only learnt when my time on earth came to an end."
— Shlisselburg Russia 1887 —
A 17 year old Lenin stood in front of four bodies swinging by their necks on the gallows, the body he was standing directly in front of was that of his deceased older brother Aleksandr Ulyanov, who like Lenin was a revolutionary and political activist. More specifically, he was a member of the" terrorist faction" in the People's Will party, who believed in fighting against autocracy through terrorism.
After a failed attempt on Tsar Alexander III on March 1 1887 using handmade bombs, Aleksandr, who served as the the main ideologies and bomb maker of the group. As well as his other Co-conspirators were all arrested and put on trial. While most of them were pardoned by Alexander III, Alexsandr and four other members were not, and were later executed on the 8th of May. Their bodies now swaying lifelessly in front of the teenage Lenin.
Aleksandr's role in the plot had tarnished his family's reputation and had caused them to be shunned by the liberal circles in Russia. Who believed that their entire family were radicals and terrorists, "Those young men were insane" a passerby whispered to his friend, as they stopped to stare at the hanged men. "I'll say, that one in the middle, Aleksandr, was his name I think? Apparently He was the mastermind behind the entire plot! They say he himself made the bombs that they planned to throw into the Tsar's carriage." The other passerby replied.
"He made the bombs? Good lord, how on earth did he learn how to make a bomb?"
"Probably from his parents, they probably coerced him and his siblings into their ideology, turning them all into radical terrorists no doubt!"
Hearing those words made Lenin's blood boil, his brother in his eyes, had died for a noble cause. He and his comrades had risked their lives to take down the Tsar, so that their people could finally be free, yet instead of praising their heroic and daring deed, the everyday folks of Russia had viewed them as insane terrorists, hellbent on anarchy, their legacy twisted and forgotten.
Lenin gritted his teeth, watching the two men walk away, before looking back at his brother's body, "I swear Aleksandr, when I finally lead the revolution and overthrow the Tsar. I will ensure you will be remembered as a hero, your legacy no longer tainted, those who had fought for a better tomorrow will NOT be forgotten." He thought in his mind, before finally trudging away slowly. But deep in his heart, Lenin also made a promise to himself, he would ensure that he would be remembered as the great leader who had spearheaded the nation towards a brighter future, his legacy would never be forgotten.
….
And so, after many years of war and exile, Lenin and his bolshevik party had finally managed to come into power, seizing power from the corrupt provisional government in a coup in the October Revolution of 1917. To Lenin, it finally seemed like he could implant all the reforms and upgrades he thought Russia needed through the Communist Ideology, surely he was destined to forever be immortalized by the people and his peers as the Father of Communism who brought equality and reform to Russia in their time of need.
Everything was coming up aces, and it seemed like nothing could go wrong for Lenin. But unfortunately for Lenin, his time in power would be short. And the legacy he would leave behind would be one shrouded in controversy.
— Gorki Russia January 1924 —
In the luxurious estate of Gorki, later named Gorki Leninskiye after the death of its most famous resident, Lenin lay sick and beaten on his bed.
Whilst he was in power, Lenin had indeed implemented many of the Communist policies that would benefit Russia, such as retribution of land, nationalizing industries and improving worker's rights. However, he also stubbornly refused to work with any of the other political parties, cracking down on his opposition and setting up a secret police force to deal with those he perceived as traitors. Causing him to be viewed as a dictator by many unhappy folks in Russia, with one woman even making a failed attempt on his life in August of 1918, which caused the Bolsheviks' oppression on the people to increase, and in turn making Lenin seem even more like a dictator to them.
This general unhappiness amongst the people led to many uniting against Lenin and his Bolshevik government, causing the Russian Civil War from 1917 to 1923, fortunately for him, his party had managed to come out victorious in the end, largely thanks to Trotsky and his Red Army. But before Lenin could continue his work to save his country, the immense stress from the civil war, assaination attempt and struggle to maintain power happening all around the same time, caused him to suffer from headaches, insomnia and he suffered two separate strokes in 1922.
By the third time Lenin suffered a stroke, he experienced a loss in his ability to speak, as well as being partially paralyzed on his right side. However by May 1923, he had regained some of his mobility and speech and writing skills, but still lay bedridden despite his seemingly slow recovery.
Lenin groaned in pain, had it not been for his poor health, he would have surely continued working even harder for the good of his nation. Especially after the long and grueling process to finally come to be in charge of his country, yet now he lay in his bed sick, tired and halfway to death's door. He had worked so far to finally have the opportunity to help improve and further his country through the Communist Ideology, yet that chance had been snatched away by his deteriorating body and health.
Whilst Lenin continued to lay on his bed, contemplating these thoughts, a knock on his door was heard, followed by the voice of one of his guards. "Chairman Lenin, there is a visitor here for you." Lenin sighed, perhaps it was one of his colleagues here to inform him of the ongoing events happening right now. "Let him in." He called out to the guard, before sitting upright on his bed with great effort to make himself more presentable for his guest.
As soon as his guest entered, Lenin regretted not asking his guard who his guest was, as Joseph Stalin closed the door behind him and flashed Lenin a grin.
In previous years, Lenin had respected Stalin for his help in raising funds for the Bolshevik party whilst they were in exile. However, after coming into power he and Stalin began to come into conflict with each other. When the Bolsheviks members were assigned to their jobs in the new government, Stalin was made General Secretary for the party, and while it did not seem like much to others, this job actually gave him the opportunity to consolidate his power.
As his job allowed him to give people jobs within the party, and by giving prominent positions to his friends and supporters, he was able to gain more and more power. Stalin also visited Lenin multiple times following his declining health, not because he genuinely cared for Lenin, but rather to create an image to others of him being one of Lenin's closest friends and most deserving successor. Him visiting Lenin today was one of those visits.
"Chairman Lenin! How are you today my friend! I do hope that your health has been improving in the past few days?" Stalin spoke with false cheerfulness and concern.
Lenin growled, "Spare me your act Stalin, we BOTH know you aren't here concerned about my health, you're just putting on a show to convince those gullible enough to fall for it."
Stalin smirked, dropping all the false sympathy from his voice, now speaking in a more sarcastic and condescending tone. "Ah well, even with your various health problems you are still sharp as ever my friend. You can't blame me though, when you inevitably pass on soon enough, we in the party will all be scrambling for the top spot in the power vacuum created, all I'm doing is just trying to get ahead of the others."
It was now Lenin's turn to smirk, for he still had a trump card he had yet to play ,"Is that what you think will happen, Stalin? That your colleagues will all blindly believe that I view you as my closest and worthiest successor JUST because you visit me regularly? I do hope that isn't your plan in its entirety or you will find yourself SORELY disappointed."
Stalin laughed, "Of COURSE not! I have already filled up the party with many of my own supporters who will undoubtedly help me take your position after your passing. And as for the matter of your secret weapon being your Testaments …."
Lenin felt a chill run down his spine, he hadn't revealed his testaments yet to the rest of his party members, in it he called for the removal or Stalin from his powerful position due to how much he abused that power, while at the same time nominating Trotsky as the best man to take over once he had died. However, it also contained Lenin's criticism on many of the high ranking Bolsheviks and how they were running the government. How was it that Stalin knew about it already?
"Lenin my friend, allow me to ask you, even though your testament calls for my removal from my position and from the party, did you not STOP to think that being overcritical of the other leading figures in the party might result in them having cold feet? Your testaments won't be a threat to me as NONE of our colleagues would want to openly admit to the faults you called them out for in it, and hence not carrying out its terms." Stalin jeered at Lenin who now wore a face of hatred and fury. "Your stubbornness and overcritical attitude has been your downfall time and time again. But rest assured when I take over the party, I will be sure to be a much better leader than you ever were."
And with that Stalin turned and left the room, leaving Lenin fuming but unable to do anything about what was to come.
"You keep interesting company in your government Comrade Lenin," A stranger's voice interrupted Lenin's train of thoughts out of nowhere, Lenin quickly turned his head around to his right where the voice came from, terrified at the prospect that Stalin may have sent an assassin to kill him after their conversation and speed up his ascent to power. However it wasn't an assassin who spoke, rather there in the corner of his room stood Prometheus leaning against the wall, evidently watching his and Stalin's conversation from the get-go.
Lenin recovered quickly from his shock before questioning this newcomer, "WHO ARE YOU? How did you get in here undetected by my guards? What are you here for?"
Prometheus chuckled, "Be at ease Comrade Lenin I am not here to harm you, I am Prometheus, the Greek Titan of Fire and Forethought."
Lenin laughed, he had read a bit of Greek Mythology in his youth and knew who Prometheus was, but he certainly wasn't buying that this man was the Titan of legend. "Oh VERY funny, how much did Stalin pay you to humor me in my final moments? You can leave NOW, or I will have my guards escort you off the premises and to a prison camp."
To Lenin's threat, Prometheus simply stretched out his open palm, and a fireball promptly appeared in it, flickering and blazing as he tossed it between his palms as easily as one might do to a juggling ball. Lenin stared open mouthed, now convinced of the Titan's identity.
After the shock of having an actual mythological being appear in his room wore off on him, Lenin spoke again, this time in a more respectful tone out of fear and awe, "So you ARE Prometheus? The same one who stole fire from the gods? What is such a legendary being doing in the room of a dying Politician? Are you here to take my soul to eternal damnation?"
Prometheus laughed, "Of course not, my sphere of influence does not include guiding departed souls to the afterlife, I came here because I wanted to speak with you before you pass on."
Lenin raised an eyebrow at this, "Speak to me? Why would ANY godly being wish to speak to me?"
"Because I find you rather interesting Comrade Lenin, I have been following your progress as a revolutionary to the chairman of the new government. You hoped that through Communism you could bring prosperity and peace to Russia, yet you also required for people to be unhappy and miserable so as to be able to jump start a revolution. And even after you came into power, people still experienced famine and suffering. You sought to bring equality and freedom by toppling an oppressive tyranny, yet when you were in power you caused millions to live in fear and oppression so that you could keep all the power to your party."
Lenin sighed, "You don't need to rub salt in my wound by listing all the horrible things that happened while I was in charge. My poor health seems to be Karma enough, I already feel my lifeforce force slowly fading, perhaps by the end of the day I will be dead. And then in whatever hell there is I will face due punishment for all my sins and failures."
"Ah true enough, but many other great leaders have also committed crimes and atrocities whilst in power to help achieve their end goal? You are not the first person to use the end to justify the means you know."
Lenin was now curious, "What do you mean by that Comrade Prometheus?"
Prometheus tapped the side of his forehead, "Remember that I am the Titan of Foresight, I am able to see into the future at certain points and learn of how things will develop. And from what I can see, even though your rule has forced the people of Russia into oppression, your efforts will bear fruits later on. Through your hard work, Russia will turn from a backwards and underdeveloped country full of illiterate peasants, to a modern industrial superpower, with one of the world's best educated populations, unprecedented opportunities for women, and some of the most important scientific advancements of the century."
Lenin's eyes widened with excitement, was this true, had his efforts truly improved his country in the future and had him hailed as a hero by generations to come?
"And how will they tell my story? how will they tell my tale? Will I be treated like a hero all the citizens adore? Will I be remembered as the Father of Communism who sowed the seeds that led the country to this bright future?"
Prometheus shrugged, "Some remember you as a hero who toppled an oppressive tyranny, but more remember you as a villain who replaced it with another." He stated bluntly.
Lenin's smile immediately disappeared from his face, while he was proud that he had helped Russia become the modern superpower it would be in the future. He was still disappointed, people would remember him more for the negative aspects of his reign rather than all the good he had helped achieve. Not that he could blame them for it, as there were quite a lot of negative and bad things that had happened during his rule. But it was still upsetting for Lenin that this was the legacy he would leave behind.
"Why the long face, Comrade Lenin?" Asked Prometheus, "Should you not be proud that your efforts will eventually lead to Russia's fruition? Or is there something else that troubles you still?"
Lenin sighed, "Ever since my brother died in disgrace for his revolutionary activity, I promised myself that the legacy I would leave behind would be a positive one where I am hailed as a hero and beloved by all. But it seems that EVEN though I have achieved my goals as a revolutionary and a politician, I have failed to uphold that promise to myself."
Prometheus smiled kindly, "Comrade Lenin, the legacy a person leaves behind on the world is indeed important, everyone wants to leave an everlasting positive impression on future generations to come. But if being well liked is the only thing on one's mind throughout their life, I find that they often become ineffectual."
"What do you mean by that, Comrade Prometheus?" Lenin questioned
"What I'm saying is that a person's legacy will only last so long before they are more or less forgotten for all the good they have done. Not to mention that it would be NEAR impossible for someone to have a completely spotless and pristine reputation, they are BOUND to have done things that aren't exactly moral in everyone's eyes. Whereas all the good things they have achieved, will live on forever in a way by benefitting future generations and helping them prosper, even if you aren't remembered for it. So don't fret over the kind of legacy you will leave behind, rather be happy for all the good things you have achieved in your life."
Upon hearing Prometheus's words, Lenin felt a strange heartwarming feeling, the Titan was right, placing too much emphasis and worry on his legacy had only resulted in him being full of regret and bitterness in his final days. While he was more at ease after hearing the Prometheus' words, Lenin still felt uneasy.
"But Comrade Prometheus, there is still no denying that my reign has caused millions to suffer. Surely even by looking at ALL the good I have done in my life, the bad will still outweigh it by a large amount? Will I not receive punishment in the afterlife?"
At this, Prometheus grimaced, "Ah, about that ….. Let's just say that Heaven's judging system is not the MOST advanced as many would like to believe." Lenin laughed softly, "Looks like even in Heaven there is corruption as well i see."
" No, no don't worry it isn't corruption, it's more of the gods NOT viewing what each individual on earth has done throughout their lives as worthy enough to warrant their judgment. Either way, you can expect yourself to see me around Valhalla after you pass." Prometheus quickly answered.
Lenin nodded, "I see Comrade Prometheus, then I feel that I must thank you, not only for accompanying me in my final moments and bringing me reassurance. But taking the time to teach me one final lesson before my mortal life ends."
Prometheus smiled, "It is the least I could do, Comrade Lenin, think nothing of it."
"However, I must ask, is this all a dream? Did I imagine this entire conversation in my final moments before I passed on? Is what you said about there being an afterlife real?"
Prometheus shrugged, "The next time you open your eyes and survey where you are, you can decide." And with that the Titan disappeared in a blink of an eye, as quickly and quietly as he had come. Lenin had a double take before glancing around the room to confirm whether or not the Titan was still there. Before sighing and resting his head back on his pillow. He could feel his heartbeats getting softer and softer, his eyes grew heavier with each passing second, he knew that the next time he closed his eyes, it would be his last time doing so on earth.
Oddly though, Lenin did not feel fear or sadness about dying, his conversation with Prometheus had brought him peace in his final moments, knowing that even though he was not remembered positively by all in the future. The effort he had given throughout his life had indeed resulted in something good. And to him, that was enough. With that, the Father of Communism closed his eyes and passed away.
(Present Day)
Sobek sat listening in silence as Lenin finished his tale, the Crocodile God blinked a few times before silently contemplating his own life and decisions. Was the human right? Was his desire for praise or admiration a fruitless endeavor? What was he here for? Just to gain the other gods' approval? Now that he thought about it, Sobek felt pretty stupid, was he really risking his immortal life in a deathmatch just so the other gods, who had always shunned him even though he had fought against Chaos incarnate itself to defend the world from being plunged into darkness and destruction, would finally accept him?
As much as he didn't want to admit it, Lenin was right, he had access to such a powerful ability that he could control and had mastered, yet he kept it locked away? He allowed his desire for approval, his constant struggle for others to remember him positively to clip his wings and view his birthright as shameful. And what had it all led to? He was miserable and still lonely as ever." To HELHEIM with that", Sobek thought, and with that he flung his stave into the wall next to the door he had used to enter the arena. The force of his throw caused it to be lodged deep inside the wall, parallel to the floor below.
Sobek then addressed Lenin again, "Your right Comrade Lenin, It IS pathetic, to allow my past mistakes and how OTHERS view me to obstruct my true power and potential, a pointless endeavor that will NEVER benefit me in the end. WHO cares what those uppity bastards on their high horses think! Very well then, you wish for me to use my Primal Force in battle once again? I will GLADLY grant that request."
Lenin smiled, "THAT'S the spirit Comrade Sobek! NOW shall we continue this match?
Sobek smirked in reply before suddenly dropping to all fours with a splash. "INDEED, let's FINISH this, Comrade Lenin, but don't forget, YOU asked for this. SO DON'T GO REGRETTING THAT DECISION!"
As he said that, a green aura began to surround Sobek, the sound of bones cracking could be heard as the Crocodile God began to grow in size, his scales seem to shift and ripple as they expanded, his hands and legs grew and shaped into massive claws. the scutes on his back grew as well, sharpening into huge spikes. From the back of his loincloth grew a whip-like tail, with spikes running down its back and ending with a huge spiked club. Sobek's snout also grew in length, now possessing two rows of sharpened fangs in his mouth, his new beastly look completed with two saber-like canines on his top jaw.
"Wha-what happened to Lord Sobek, Prometheus" Pandora and Göll asked with fear in their voices as she gazed upon Sobek's new form.
Prometheus grinned as he too, like many others in the audience, gazed in awe at the massive creature that now stood in the arena. Even though Sobek's new form had tipped the odds seriously out of their favor, he was still happy that Lenin had learnt from his words and passed it down to another. "That my friends, is Sobek's power at its very peak, it is a form that strikes terror in the hearts of even the most seasoned warrior. A form that holds immense raw primal power, but at the same time, requires the strongest and most focused of wills to use. It is…"
"AWAKENED PRIMAL FORCE, SOBEK, HE OF THE POINTED TEETH!"
As Ra watched Sobek's transformation, the Sun God smiled cruelly as his student finally had unleashed his true power. "At last, you're finally using it again, Sobek, this match has truly been decided once and for ALL."
Gazing at the humongous Crocodile monster that now stood before him, Lenin felt no fear but rather a rush of adrenaline, picking up his hammer once more and holding it in an offensive stance, he couldn't help but grin. This was the climax of the battle, the finale, he could feel it. If he won, he would have played an integral part in the salvation of mankind, and if he lost, he would have at least done so in a blaze of glory.
Sobek let out a thunderous roar that shook the entire arena to its core, causing large ripples to form in the large pool of water both fighters stood in, the water levels reaching well up to the middle of Lenin's thighs. While Sobek with his increased size and height only had his claws fully submerged underwater.
Sobek then looked Lenin dead in the eye, not with a look of hatred, or envy this time. But rather one of respect. addressing the Father of Communism one more time before their final battle commenced.
"Comrade Lenin, I have one request to make ….. DON'T DIE ON ME NOW!"
