Confrontation/Chapter 13

And so I became the agent of the destroyer. Faced with the utter contempt of my people and enraged by one abuse too many, I accepted the gift that he offered. I expected some bright heavenly display to mark my fall into his clutches, but I got none. What I did get was healed.

The wounds that had been so cruelly dealt to me vanished in a moment and I found myself standing there alone, as if I was uninjured. My robe had been repaired, too, replaced with a deep crimson purple robe with golden trim.

'Finally,' I could not help but thinking, 'I am dressed and treated as I deserved to be treated. I only ever wanted to give my life in service, yet always I was turned away in contempt. Now I will turn my revenge on those who rejected me. For I have given my service to the true lord....'

"Yes, Xilar," the voice said. "Now you see the way. Go now and rise out into the field. You need to complete your transformation. Consider what you find there, and do as you feel led to do...."

Obeying my master, I stood and ventured out across the grassland, considering the village as I passed. 'Rubble,' I thought as I continued my path down the long winding trail opposite. I had nearly come to the place I first heard the voice when I instead took a turn into the grassland to the far side of my homeland.

Here I walked for a good long time, considering it with greater and greater disgust. Here was the source of my people's strength, a fertile valley. I was distracted by my rage, nearly tripping over the Moglo-habilis that had set up a picnic at the edge of the field.

"When I am done...." I said to the creature with contempt, "this will be a vast desert and you will have no place to sit and eat."

I did not know from whence the words came, but suddenly they felt right.

The creature uttered some kind of bleat in the language of all moglinkind and I was suddenly infuriated by this too.

"Cannot even speak a proper language," I sneered at the thing, and kicked him, which only caused him to bleat again.

Infuriated anew, I grabbed my staff and finally began my work.

The poor creature did not stand a chance. By the time I was done, it was little more than a puddle with chunks floating in it.

"Good, Xilar...." the voice crooned. "Now we are ready to really begin...."