The sun begins to rise over the horizon. A bright pink color quickly followed by orange hues, and eventually leading to blue skies. The November air is crisp as the leaves have begun their transformation.
Beginning your morning as you do every morning with a walk around the grounds. The leather bound book under your arm, as you grasp the worn out coffee mug in your right hand. Every step leads to the sound of crunching leaves under your feet.
Of course, unlike every other day you’ve walked this path, your bench near a small pond is occupied. Every other morning there isn’t a soul around. You take a deep breath as you approach the man in a mask.
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“The gathering doesn’t start for another few hours…” You meekly say as you get closer to the bench.
“End it….because in a moment of weakness people can be blinded by their own hubris.” The masked man said as you walked up behind him. You set the book down and place your cup down. You use both hands to prop yourself up as you both stare at the pond before you. “The vanity of men will be the undoing. That’s why I must stay focused. It’s why you must be vigilant. Have you furthered your research?”
“Yes.” The masked man picks up your book and begins to rifle through the pages. He pauses every few pages and then continues. With a quick pat of his hand on the bench next to him, you sit down. Holding onto your coffee mug. You take a sip and clear your throat. “So is that good enough so far?”
“So far, it’s admirable.” The man grinds his foot on the top of the soil beneath him. He takes a big breath and exhales, letting out a slight cough. “So on the third day the creator created Pangea and the lush forests that at one time covered the land for as far as the eye could see. The earth was in essence created for life, without life. People will tell you over time life would come to exist on its own, and maybe they are right.” He coughs once again and holds his hand towards the horizon. “It’s funny really, when you think about it. What this planet would be without life. The beauty would never be disturbed. Pristine. Being able to breathe air so crisp that you could taste it.”
“What does this have to do with anything?” You asked with a quizzical look on your face. The man hands you the book back and taps on the cover with his index finger.
“That right there. That’s the point of all of this. This battle that I am about to embark on, was ruined by the others. Like the earth on day three, it was pure, it was innocent and it was Eden. We as a society will never see this world in its true essence. All we are told are second and third hand stories. Leaps of faith to keep us in line. Walking that narrow path between good and evil.” He flips the book open to the first page. “This….. this book is a second hand tale. I loved it, but it’s subject to the interpretation of the first witness. Just read the first entry.”
You grab the book and read the first entry. How you haven’t read it already is a mystery. In your wanting to gain the approval of the man, you went right to work on your dedicated entries. The paper is old, and slightly brittle. It’s not cracking or breaking but without a delicate touch it could easily be ruined.
**
When I was summoned here, I thought it was to learn about this man, but in the short amount of time I’ve been with him, I’ve learned more about myself.
He talks with a calmness in his voice that can garner and captivate the attention of millions if he wants to, but he’s content allowing others to find themselves. He has talked about going to war, and what it takes to win.
Yet from his demeanor he treats war as if it’s something that can be won by words alone. He talks about the opposition in a long winded form. Tearing them down brick by brick, all for the sake of hypothetical shaming.
**
You reach the end of the page and gently turn it over. The man glances over and then back out over the pond.
“That was a different time. There were different rules that everyone abided by. The guerilla warfare tactics hadn’t been introduced.” He quickly flips to the middle of the book, and taps another passage. “That right there is where everything changed.” You look down and you’ve flipped past this one before but never actually read it.
**
And it was just that quickly the war was over. He stood victorious over his enemy. I have seen him do battle with many of a foe, and the end is always the same. He never acknowledges the enemy, and walks off.
This time is different. The look in his cold blue eyes is no longer driven by fire, but it seems as if it’s remorse. From my perspective it seems as if he’s at the end of the line.
There are seemingly no more challengers for his throne. He drops his sword and shield to the ground. Only to be attacked by those closest to him, all for their own gain. I sit here helpless, as I could’ve easily turned the tide, but was warned not to intervene. The scoundrels left with the spoils of war. He was left to die, battered and bruised.
I walked up to him and reached down to help him to his feet, only for my hand to be cast aside. The look of helplessness covered his face. Slowly he sat upright, grabbing a handful of the soil beneath him. As he opened his hand, a breeze blew the dirt from his hand. He looked at me, and with a smile said.
“Your services are no longer required.”
**
“It was at that moment I knew that there was more work to be done. Watching the dirt drift from my hands brought me a level of clarity that I hadn’t had in a long time.” The man stands up and motions for you to follow him. He leads you down a path with trees on either side. With his hands clasped behind his back the two of you walk in silence. There are no ambient sounds. No birds whistling, no branches cracking in the distance. Just calm and serene.
“It was at that exact moment.” He finally breaks his silence, as you pull out the book quickly and begin writing. “That I knew what needed to be done. The wars for me were all but over. The people had spoken. The flock left me high and dry. I had my own personal Judas. I was sold out for the betterment of the world.” A slight chuckle comes from the man. “And where did that lead them? They thought salvation from the outside would lead the world into a new era, but all it did was cast a light so dim and pale that everyone was basically blind to what was about to happen next.”
He stopped right there, he didn’t chortle or clear his throat. Only through the mask, could you see his eyes clear as day. Sunken into his sockets, bags under his eye lids. Clearly he was a man that was tired, but driven. There was still a fire behind those eyes. You could sense he was ready to fight.
The two of you continue the walk down the path. Off in the distance the sanctuary is seen. From a smoke stack, a dark cloud plumes into the air. You can see a few people working on the grounds, raking the leaves and tossing them into a bonfire. The two of you stop at the top of the hill looking down on the sanctuary.
“People will tell you that we are a cult. That these people are my followers. They are misguided. We are more of a family here. Everyone is free to do as they wish. Come and go as they please. We offer a home for the deprived. A meal for the hungry.” The man places a hand on your shoulder. “Well almost everyone. You have a job to do, but once it’s done you too are free to do as you please. Let’s go inside and see what we’ve learned so far.”
The two of you walk down the slight hill, passing by a few of the congregation members. You are a few paces behind him as you enter the grounds. Their eyes locked on the man and as you pass they stop their duties and follow behind.
Into the steeple you walk. The echoes of the feet against the marble floor fill the room with a lively vibrance. You and the man walk towards the podium, as you take a step towards the pews he reaches back and motions for you to follow him.
At the podium the man waits for the congregation to settle down. You take a spot standing behind the man and off to his right. Your book firmly in your hands, as you place them behind your back. You stand at attention.
“Ladies and gentlemen we are once again gathered here once again as we march towards the battle of our lives. No longer will we sit on the sidelines and allow us to be overlooked. Underappreciated and cast aside.” The man looks over the room and points to a woman in the front row. “You were deemed unfit for society by your own parents. Set out into a cold unforgiving world, all because you made a simple mistake.” He quickly shifts his hand to the other side, pointing towards a sickly looking man with disheveled hair. “You came to me looking for a home. A place to belong. You were one step away from taking that fateful plunge, and I…. no we set you on a different path.”
“That’s just it, isn't it?” He begins to point to each person in the congregation. “Each of us has a different path we have to take. There is no such thing as destiny. There is no such thing as prayer. We need to be ready and willing to fight, tooth and nail. Inch by inch to get what we need, no. To get what we deserve. To get what is supposed to ours in the first place. That’s why my path is so much different than yours.” The man takes a step back from the podium and reaches a hand out towards you. As you hand him your book he gives you a quick nod. “My Witness has been watching the world around us. He has been granted permissions to leave the grounds, to hear what the world has been saying about us. Right here.” He holds the book up and shows it to the congregation. “In this book is everything people have been saying. I’m going to read it aloud for all of you to hear. This is what the world really thinks of us and our endeavors.”
The man flips to the back of the book where you have made your initial notes. He slowly turns his head towards you. “This is it?” He asks, as you give him a half shrug and nod. He shakes his head in disappointment and then looks back over the congregation.
“There have been many people vocal enough to use my ‘name’ despairingly. They look at me as some sort of fodder for the battle that is about to happen. The only canon fodder there is in this battle are the likes of Marf, Ms. Ash Quinn, Alias, Reggie, Barney, Themis, and the rest of the…. undesirables. That’s not to say that you don’t have a chance, but I’m not here to placate anyone. I said I was going to take all of you as threats, and I intend to do just that. When you are looking back upon this moment, be gracious. Be happy and take solace in the fact that I not only deemed you a threat, but that I also took it easy on you. You are forgiven. You are blessed, but most of all you are not worthy of my light.” The man closes the book and sets it off to the side on the podium.
“I don’t know what this world is coming to these days. So much hate and anger built up in some of these men. I look at a man like James Evans. Like me, an outsider. Like me deemed lesser because of the unknown. Yet unlike the rest of the field, I know that you’ve won many accolades in your time. You’ve been to the top of the world. You’ve also brought something upon yourself that you didn’t even realize. The second you decided that this was something you wanted to strive for. Something you wanted. You showed your cards. James I want you to think long and hard about what you’re going to do next. I’m willing to make another man’s wife a widow. I’m willing to allow a child to grow up fatherless.” There is a slight gasp from the congregation, but the man continues. “Are you willing to subjugate them to that? Like the rest of the canon fodder, know when you’re beat and just go home. Live a comfortable life with your wife and child. This isn’t for you.”
“And the likes of Christopher Page. The Chronic one himself. I see that over the past year you’ve done well for yourself…” The man has a small clap to himself. “Just not as well as you had hoped huh? So many opportunities. So many failures. So many chances at redemption only for you to fail. Sure you’re a ‘fighting’ champion in your own right, but even you have to admit that isn’t quite true. You stand by with that false title on your shoulder, dreaming you could be him. Hoping that for one second you will be held in the same regard as him. You won’t be. All you’ll ever be is the guy with Robert Main. This battle isn’t something to grow your Legend, quite the contrary. This is going to show the world that you are nothing more than a man who should’ve quit when he left the first time. It’s going to prove to the world that you are nothing more than a myth.”
“And finally, as we reach the closing of this sermon, we have Corey and Thaddeus.” The man shakes his head and scoffs. “These two seem to think that they are the only ones that should be standing at the end of all of this. I’ve seen what has been said on Twitter by Thad. Saying that it’s a forgone conclusion that he is going to walk out the winner. A bit pompous if you ask me. That is simply the wailing of a small child wanting to be placated by daddy. That’s what you want right? The adoration of your father? You just want him to love you? Is that why you act the way that you do? Is all of this just a cry for help? Thaddeus I’ll be the one to tell it to you as it is, you will never live up to your father. You will always be known as his son. It’s perfectly acceptable. Don’t try so hard kid… you just might end up dead.”
“Finally Corey. The man who has so much to say, but so little substance. You’re overcompensating for something. I wonder what it could be?” The man drums his fingers on the podium seemingly in deep thought. “I wish I had the time to tell you everything, but I’m afraid it would just miss the mark, but I’ll start small first. You’re empty. You’re hollow. You are no longer the killer you were once made out to be. You’re alone. You’re frightened. That’s why you refer to us as a cult… you’re longing for what you know. You don’t have Dyson anymore. You no longer have your pit bull ready to attack. You’re more afraid of me than I am of you. Don’t deny it. We all see it on your face, when you have your little list, compensate all you want to make yourself feel better, it isn’t going to make a single difference. I’m going to do to you what Shawn Warstein should’ve done at March Madness.” The man takes a deep breath and exhales slowly.
“I’m going to cut your racist fucking head off, and bury in the earth so deep that you will never see the light of day again. You will forever be remembered as the first of many who will have tried to end me. I’m going to make an example out of you, whether you believe me or not.”
The man once again takes a deep breath and walks off of the stage. You aren’t far behind him as the two of you reach the door. He placed a hand on your chest and stops you before you reach the threshold.
“Grab a few of them. I’m going to need a few grave plots dug out in the field…. The earth needs to be fed again.”
The man walks out of the door into the courtyard, you turn around towards the congregation as the door closes.
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