44. Sorrow and Sin | Beyond the Firmament: Tales From the Cosmos

Beyond The Firmament

Tales From The Cosmos

44. Sorrow and Sin 

- Written by Gift C Enyadike Jr

Diohlatas had seen mortal barbarism across the many worlds. He had empowered it where Da Vaada deemed it righteous and necessary. Even if humans had a seemingly limitless capacity for it -Again, not judging- it did not trouble him. 

No, it was not what they were doing that day, but whom they were doing it to. 

Though He appeared as a mere man, He could not hide who He was. It was Da Suun. The living image of Da Vaada, in face, voice and authority, beaten, mocked, wounded, spat on while carrying some sort of... stick. 

Diohlatas finally spoke.

"An... execution?"

"Indeed," answered Sevaasi.

"What... crime... could He... possibly have committed?"

"None."

"Then there... must be a mistake..."

"You accuse the Father of making mistakes, Avenger?"

"Of what do you speak, deceiver?"

"You're missing it."

The arbiter returned his many gazes to the scene below. 

Da Suun had been stripped of his clothing and nailed to two of those sticks in the shape of a cross, which was then erected between two other supposed criminals. All the while, the crowd largely cheered for this. Did they not know who He was?

"FATHER!" Da Suun called out, "FORGIVE THEM! THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO!"

The humans would not have heard him, but the heavenly hosts all did, and they gathered. Even the Paadlan all stopped to watch. 

It was the first and only time that the war between the two sides had ceased, and they all watched the proceedings. 

Diohlatas was disturbed. Something was wrong. How could this be happening? These creatures, the humans, were they not made in His image? Why would they desecrate Him so? And why would He allow them to?

Da Vaada said nothing in response and then...

"Oh... my God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?"

The cosmos suddenly darkened in a way that not even the stars could contend with, and the angelic hosts were all shaken like never before. Even the Umtlik stopped their silent song, and the Orámis turned their sights to Udamu and shed tears.

None of them, not Diohlaatas with his many eyes, not the archangels Huun and Laam, not even Onárstil at his highest, had ever seen Da Vaada's face. 

But they knew... They all knew He was looking away. 

He was looking away as His Son, His true and only Son, was at the mercy of men. Tiny, insignificant men.

"We must stop this!" Diohlatas declared. 

"Yes, we must!" came the voice of the Titaness, Fari, who had come next to him. "These mortals will burn for this."

Their paths were blocked by the hosts.

Sevaasi's minions, however, descended upon Teyra unimpeded, drawn to the sheer injustice of this event as moths are to a flame. Moyon himself merely laughed before following so that he could have a closer look.

"What are you doing?" Diohlatas demanded, "Don't you see? This is the Evil One's doing! Save Him, we must!"

Then came the voice of Huun,  "This is the Father's will, Avenger. Do not interfere." 

"How can that be?" asked Fari.

"You did not tell her?" Huun inquired of the arbiter, "Of the first fall? In the Garden?"

"Enmity between the woman's offspring and the serpent's," Diohlatas replied, "How does this relate?!"

Da Suun's body was weakening. He was not long for this world. 

"I WILL STOP THIS!" The arbiter screamed, and from behind his remaining wings came swords, and he charged into the wall of his brethren.

Laam blocked him before he could reach them, "You defy the Father's will?"

"I do what the Father will not!"

As they collided, Da Vaada's own voice came down upon them, freezing them all in place, "Silence."

All truly did go still in the cosmos. Even the Chiliad, locked away in Kurisstac, ceased its tortured screaming. 

All that could be heard was a single, weak and quiet voice. A final breath.

"Father... It... is... finished..."

And then Da Suun, who served Da Vaada, Da Suun who was Da Vaada, died.

The Earth shook, and the wave spread to the outer reaches of space. 

All of creation and beyond felt it. The souls welcomed into Udamu felt a disturbance foreign to their paradise. The Puraserpa was aroused from its slumber, but did not dare rise from the Depths. The denizens of Kurisstac, among whom were Da Vaada's own kin, were struck. No doubt, even those condemned to Pla'daali might have felt it as well. 

The force, the sheer WEIGHT of the Almighty's grief cannot ever be described, cannot ever be equalled. 

Nor can the rage of the Arbiter.