50. To Atone or To Escape | Beyond the Firmament: Tales From the Cosmos

Beyond The Firmament

Tales From The Cosmos

50. To Atone or To Escape 

- Written by Gift C Enyadike Jr

Da Suun did not move as the hosts do. He walked upon the trail of destruction left behind by the Arbiter and the Titaness' campaign, leading down into the Depths where Makar Joga slept, and Diohlatas escaped. 

The Depths are the very bottom of the material universe, directly above Pla'daali (Hell), home of the damned. 

As He walked, angels circled and sang. Hasira simply shrank herself behind Him. She had done all this.

"What became of those I killed?"

"Do you not see them? Or hear them?"

She was stunned. The hosts that were currently surrounding them, the ranks that she had belonged to where among the very nascent peoples she had destroyed. No doubt the rest were in Udamu. How could she live amongst them?

"My Lord. When the Avenger is dealt with, I will throw myself into the Great Mouth."

"Why?"

"I must atone for what I have done."

"Is it Judas that I speak to?"

"Judas? Who is that?"

"He was one of the 12 disciples I chose on Earth. It was he who betrayed me and handed me to my executioners, as I knew he would."

"We were told that they all betrayed you."

"By whom?"

"By the... By the Evil One..."

"Where was your faith?"

"I did not know. I... Why did you choose him? If you knew he would betray you, why let him get so close to you?"

"So that I could wear the stand, my Father's place."

"I don't understand."

"The humans, the stars and their progenitors, Light and Heat, who were also your progenitors, the Morning Star and his cohorts, the original office of Death, the Princes and their peoples, the Avenger and now you. All were given great trust and the unending love of my Father. Time and again, that very trust, that very love is betrayed. Yet still, they remain and are given, along with forgiveness when it is sought and when it is given. 

"My death and resurrection were foretold, inevitable and necessary. But Judas still made his choice, and when he finally understood the weight of that choice, he made another one: To escape. In doing so, he became lost to me."

He stopped walking, turned around and looked directly at her, and she shrank further, covering her face.

"Shall I lose you as well? Will my Father grieve once more?"

"I cannot be forgiven!"

"Is that your decision?"

"From whom can I seek it?"

"The Father. The Princes. The Peoples. Every last one."

The white embers of her essence began to spark again, "I... I will. After I have fulfilled my promise and brought back the Avenger."

Da Suun began to walk again, descending deeper and deeper into space with Hasira in tow.

"What will we do upon seeing him?"

"Offer him a choice."

"Do you know what his choice will be?"

"I do..."