Absolute Chaos

The next day was similar to the last. Raijen, Amaunet and the others all helped the Otamian’s bury their people and soothe them of their great pains.

Amaunet had spoken quietly with Raijen as they worked, telling him in great detail of Chaos and the Alzphaeta Diamond. She spoke of Am-heh and Arawn and the soul of Shesmu that was floating somewhere in time. She was anxious about Shesmu’s soul, it was near impossible to find now that it was not within the living. Its foulness would be searching the lands, looking for another corrupt soul to merge with and feed its evil amid.

Raijen could tell she was avoiding anymore details of her departure, she knew he did not want to hear it. He could not believe his true love was leaving. Not just leaving Otamia, but leaving the Earth forever, never to hold his breathtaking Goddess again nor touch her flawless skin, never again set eyes on her exquisite design.

***

Night had come around and embraced them once again. Raijen walked from each small fire that the people had lit across the Niles banks making sure they were comfortable and had enough food and water.

Once settled for the night, Raijen now needed to speak with a few of his trusted friends, finding Amaunet, she helped gather them.

They all sat under the brilliant spray of silver stars that sparkled like tiny jewels over the Niles waters. Raijen could barely keep his eyes from Amaunet, a profound sadness consumed his whole essence and tattooed itself to his core.

Reluctantly he shifted his gaze from her sheer beauty and focused on his friends.

Kyzin stood to the side with Mieli, Maia sat close to Kaydir, their knees touching as they sat cross legged in the sand. Rakim and Kaiya sat on the rocks behind them with Kyzin’s sister Masika and the slave, Tabia.

Amaunet paced through the shadows for a few minutes after the friends had gathered, finally she stopped, sat next to Raijen and stared at the sand.

Looking from one friend to the other, Raijen began.

“I know the last few days have been very trying and we are all extremely tired, nevertheless we cannot stay here much longer. We must embark on a journey, the Alzphaeta Diamond is not safe here. We need to prepare the people of Otamia, it will be a hard journey across the sands and many different lands. The Ark of Chaos must be taken to its rightful home.”

Hot tears filled Raijen’s amber eyes, he looked towards his Goddess, her stunning sapphires pierced his soul before turning abruptly from him.

***

Holding back her tears, almost spilling from their brim, Amaunet then softly spoke to her friends.

“The golden Ark is resting for the moment under the great pyramid, but it cannot stay there...All that has occurred and will occur is even beyond my understanding. The Ark holds a power so terrible it could rip the universe from existence in a single heartbeat, the aftermath will be catastrophic, the agony and suffering of the cosmos will be horrific.”

Taking a deep breath, Amaunet continued.

“Mieli will accompany you to these new lands, these are the lands where humanity began. These lands are where the human race came to be. The Ark holds the entire key to creation, it can never be unlocked. This is Chaos’s absolute testament, her true and binding laws of the cosmos.” Dropping her head, Amaunet searched the sand beneath her.

“I will not be coming on this journey. As you all know, both Am-heh and Arawn’s souls need to be taken to hell, they cannot dwell here much longer. Earth is unbalanced, it is hidden in time, concealed from Chaos’s eyes......The lands where the Ark must rest are northeast of Otamia. In many moons from now, a few thousand years will pass, there will be a time of great deluge and destruction. The Ark must be kept safe from this great flood, the future generations must be prepared. The dark waters will swallow the Earth, wiping out all the great evil that has littered her magnificent terrain and only the pure will remain. Once these waters have subsided, the Ark will again rise from Akkad, Chaos’s absolute testament, the key to all of creation will again show the people the way.”

Amaunet paused, looking from one friend to the other, then continued.

“These strange new lands where the diamond must rest are where humanity came into being, where humans were blessed with the intelligence and emotions you all feel today. These great city Akkad is over a thousand miles from the Niles delta, it sits within the lands of Akkadia. The Alzphaeta Diamond will guide you, it will show you the way....I understand this is all very confusing, it is hard to find the right words.”

Standing abruptly, Amaunet darted her eyes towards Mieli’s, hers immediately locking with her Goddess and they both walked some distance from Raijen and the others, obviously conversing in private.

Raijen also stood, looked down at Maia and spoke.

“Maia, please could I have a quiet word.” Holding his hand out to his kin, he could see the confusion as she hesitated, nonetheless she softly placed her small hand in his, pulling her gently to her feet and they both walked up the snaking Niles shore, away from the others.

As they walked Raijen softly spoke, he now knew she was his kin, his blood. He was Maia’s uncle he thought, or something close to it.

Knowing the ancient laws of Otamia, the first girl born would always rule as Queen, it had always been the ways of the Otamian’s, even before the sun God Temu came to their lands, before they were named Otamian’s.

Theda was never given the chance to rule Otamia when her parents died, she was only eight years when they passed. Araphel was twelve, he was just old enough to reign until Theda turned of age and that day had never come.

The people were led to believe their Kings little sister was quite sickly, unable to reign as the great city’s Queen, he manipulated the people over the years, as well as Theda. Araphel managed to keep Otamia to himself, giving him the ultimate place in the cities great, yet tragic history.

“Maia....I do not have the words for your suffering, I know my father has caused you much pain and now that Araphel has passed and I thank Chaos above that he has....you Maia are the rightful Queen of these lands and all the people of Otamia. The male heirs were never meant to rule, unless a girl was not born, you know of our customs and our beliefs, you know this to be true. You have to lead what’s left of Otamia’s people to the new lands. The Angel Mieli will guide you. She will protect you and all of your people.”

Maia stopped walking, said nothing, she just stared over the dark horizon, watching an invisible nightmare play out in her mind.

He waited patiently for her to respond, knowing she was carefully sorting her thoughts before answering him.

“Raijen....I do not want this...I cannot take on this role...And you?, you say only Mieli? What about you Raijen. I know Amaunet needs to leave our planet, but will you be with us?.”

Raijen sighed. He felt his purpose in life was no more. The thought of life without Amaunet left him drowning inside, to feel the raw panic creeping throughout his blood was near unbearable, it slowly seeped into his misery, trying to take over his soul.

Quickly he brushed the fear and pain aside, continuing to speak with Maia.

“I will let Amaunet explain what she must do in more detail. She will need your help Maia. You are stronger than you think.” He hung his head, tears brimmed in his extraordinary light eyes. Maia grasped his hand and squeezed it, her tears also on the verge of a flood.

“Why would the people of Otamia even except me as their Queen?. They do not know who I am. I am just another Otamian to them. I am nobody Raijen.”

Shooting a stern look at his niece, frowning deeply.

“Maia...you are far from nobody, you are my kin!. You have had a hard life, you have come through great tragedies and you are still able to light up the whole room with your smile. You are kind, you are fair, you are completely stubborn!, yet above all fiercely loyal. All that has happened in the last few days to you Maia is beyond me. You are the most extraordinary woman I know, you will make Otamia a magnificent Queen!, you will lead the people to splendour!.”

What Maia had to endure from Raijen’s father was crushing his soul, he savagely regretted not killing Araphel when he had the chance many years before. If he had followed his heart, all the pain his father had caused since that day would have been avoided.

“If you tell the people of my origins, everyone who is still alive in Otamia already knows what Araphel has done to me. They cannot find out he was my grandfather!.”

“Maia...I do not know how else to explain it to them....We should not lie to the people.”

Maia sighed. “I do not want this Raijen, I don’t think I can. Our whole city has been left in ruins. Thousands of our people have perished, hundreds are injured, their minds are so fractured by what they saw, what they had to endure!....Raijen, If I could take all of their pain and force it into my own, I would!, I would do it in a fraction of one heartbeat!.” Maia sighed, her eyes searching her uncles.

“I do not know if I could ever soothe all the poor peoples pain,.....All of Otamia knows you Raijen. They all know you are not like your father. They respect and fear you. You must be their King!....Please Raijen.”

The fierce passion shot from Maia’s mouth, moving him beyond words, tears he thought had run dry stung the corners of his eyes again.

He could feel the sheer intensity of his nieces pain, her emotions ran deep, empathy swelled from her heart and poured from her soul.

Maia must be Queen!. She was born for it!. Raijen cleared his throat and turned to his kin, his light eyes crackled under the moonlight, searching her dark piercing stare.

“Maia, I cannot be King.....It was written long ago, the female line shall reign Otamia. These are our laws Maia, after everything that has happened over the last few days we need to respect them.....Amaunet will be gone soon...I could not rule without my own Queen by my side. Kaydir’s heart is true, his soul is pure, he loves you Maia....he loves you beyond words, he told me many moons ago now.”

Raijen’s hands flew to Maia shoulders, grasping them firmly as he continued.

“Kaydir will stand by your side, he will lift you from the darkness and heal each fractured scar you hold with just his fingertips. Every day he will feed you his pure light, giving you something to fight for. He will give you a gift so profound to hold on to, you will fiercely crave for more, desperately looking forward to each days new light, just to taste its virtue.”

Not realising how hard he gripped her shoulders, until she winced, immediately he released his harsh grip.

“I am so sorry Maia!...I did not mean to hurt you.”

Maia only smiled,

“It’s fine Raijen, I know you would never intentionally harm me.”

***

They spoke for sometime before the silence loomed in. Maia sat upon the cool sand, lost in intense thought, watching the stars above, wondering where Azure-Alkun would lie.

Her mind drifted to the trials that lay ahead, whilst forcing her rage over Araphel into the back of her now tainted soul.

She thought of Amaunet when she fell from the heavens, then of the intense Death Angel, Mieli, whom both terrified and amazed her.

Thoughts flew in every direction, Maia’s mind was swimming, she knew what she must do....

Finally, Maia softly spoke, agreeing with Raijen.

“We shall tell the people of Theda and my mother, but we won’t tell them of Araphel, they do not need to know he raped his own sister. Theda is dead, she can no longer speak of her shame.”

The relief was evident in Raijen’s eyes, bringing her to tears. Maia curled up against her uncles side while they silently stared at the dark horizon.