Sublime

Chapter 33: Sublime (self-titled)

It was a real shame, Anuka thought. I wish they could've been together
longer. It was a happy day when I fond out. She was so happy. I saw a
real smile and real eyes. Inside, they were confused, but
happy.....

"Mother, you're stalling again. I would like to hear the rest tonight.
It's getting late," said her daughter with eager eyes.

"Huh? Oh, yes. I'm sorry. Where was I..." Dead eyes.
....

Earacphitty was down in the ocean city, Ahna'KoRieni. Veo was with
her. They stood in Lord Kao's once known office.
"You have to fight," Veo said.

"Yes." Earacphitty didn't look at him.

"You hate that, don't you?"

"Yes. I'd hate it even more if you fought."
Veo didn't respond.

"Are you?" Earacphitty looked at him.

"No. I'll stay here, if I must..." Veo stared at the ground.

"If you want to fight, go ahead. I'm not making you stay here, I don't
own you," Earacphitty said. She hoped to Shikia he wouldn't though. If
she lived, but lost him... she would die once more, and she couldn't
stand the pain anymore.

Veo looked at her. He smiled. "I know. If there are helpful things to
be done here, I will stay. Otherwise I'm going- but, I'll be careful, I
promise."

Earacphitty smiled, though she screaming inside... At least the
screaming had died down after she finally gave in to Veo.

They walked out of the office. Outside a general ran in to them. He
stopped &; bowed. "We're sending troops today," he said.

"When?" Earacphitty asked.

"Fifteen-hundred, my queen."

Earacphitty nodded. "That gives me three hours to get ready," she
mumbled.

"Whoa," Veo grabbed her arm. "You're going? So soon?"

"Veo, I want to get this war over with," Earacphitty said.

"Can I come with you?"
Earacphitty didn't speak for a moment. Oh Shikia, I don't want to
leave him so soon, but if he comes... I don't want to loose him
either... He dies, I die. "It's- it's up to you," was her reply.

"Then I'm coming," he said; Earacphitty flinched.

The general looked at them."Good. Two great warriors.So,
fifteen-hundred, third level, SSDB."
He walked off.

Earacphitty and Veo went to their rooms to suit up for departure to
Geri. Earacphitty jumped when she opened the door to her room.

"Anuka," she said, breathing slowly. "Do you need something?"

"You're with him," Anuka said, a grin spreading on her face.

Earacphitty stared at her. "Yes," she said.

"So..."

"I'm happy. Better than the day the Nirvanite bomb hit."

"Well, everyone's doing better than the day the Nirvanite bomb
hit-"

"You know what I mean, before the bomb-"

"I know, I know. Well, I'm glad. It must be wonderful for you... a
change, to think about yourself for once."

"Yeah... Thanks, Anuka. You- ... Thanks." Earacphitty smiled, a real
smile, no suffering hidden behind it. "And, now I have to go to war."
She sighed. "You see what I get for being happy."

"Just make sure he's safe. And when you get back, you'll be together.
Forever."

Earacphitty didn't speak.

Anuka walked out the door, but before she closed it behind her, she
said, "Good luck." It made Earacphitty smile and flinch at the same
time.

When Earacphitty got to the third level, SSDB, Veo was already there.
Soldiers were trooping into the huge battle ship. Fifty officers were
boarding, and ten generals.

Officer Leigi was there. He smiled and bowed to Earacphitty.

"Thank Shikia I came after the speeches," Earacphitty said to Veo; he
laughed. "Did you have to make a speech?"

"Yeah," Veo said. "But I only made it to about ten words."

Earacphitty smiled. "Was it phony- the other peoples' speeches?"

"Pretty much. Not as bad as the Sigia."

Earacphitty's smile faded. "Yeah well, they didn't even know the Sigia
would be worth crying for, did they? They all died before they could
say anything...."

Earacphitty and Veo entered the ship last. They threw glances at each
other. They took their last step on Su'Cantanna together...
....

"She's gone?" Geninice said. She sat next to her brother Kren, who was
next to his twin Gien. "She didn't even say goodbye?"

"She said goodbye to me," Kren said.

Geninice looked up. "No way!"

"No he didn't, Gen," Gien said. "Kren just said that 'cause he's the
only guy without a girl." He smaned.

"That's not true!" Kren protested. Geninice and Gien laughed.

"You kids be nice to each other," Xiona said, holding a liquor bottle
in her hand. "When i was your age-"

"Xiona," Geninice interrupted. "If Kren and Gien were Su'Canntanian,
you would be their age."

Gien nudged Kren. "Who's your girl?" he whispered.

"What?" Kren snapped.

"You said you had a girl, so who's your girl?"

Kren paused. He whispered, "Xiona."

Gien stared at him. "Xiona!?"

"Shut up," Kren snarled.

"What?" Xiona said when she heard her name.

"Huh?" Kren looked up as if nothing had happened. "Nothing, Xi, keep
drinking."

Xiona raised her eyebrows. "Xi?" she muttered.

Gien scooted closer to Kren. "When did this happen?"

Kren glanced at Gien. "Before you came from Earth."

"Wow..." Gien proved Geninice. She leaned over to him. "Is Kren really
going out with Xiona?"

"He is!?" she gasped. "Not ah."

"That's what he said."

"He's full of-"

"Hey!" Xiona yelled, swaying a bit. "Wha' the hell are you three
whisssperin' about!? Eh? Hic."

"Uhh," Gien looked to Geninice; she mouthed something to him. "What?"
he whispered. He shook his head. "We're talking about you,
Xiona."

Kren threw a nasty look at Gien; Geninice stared at him. Gien
shrugged. But Xiona didn't say anything, she just slowly slithered her
way down to the floor.

"Where's mother?" Geninice asked abruptly.

"With father," Gien said.

"Oh, right." Geninice shook her head. "Will they ever stop?"

"If I had a choice, I never would," Gien said.

"Well of coarse you wouldn't." Geinice scowled

Gien laughed. "Yeah, of course!"

"I have to do something." Geinice put her elbow on the counter and
rested her chin on her fist. "Xiona... Never mind you're too drunk.
Gein," she whined.

"What," he mocked.

"You want to go out to the city?"

"I am going out to the city, but not with
you."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because what?"

"Because I'm going out with someone else."

Geninice mumbled something that made Kren laugh. "Kren?"

"What?" he said.

"Will you go out with me to the city?"

"... I don't know."

"Oh! Xiona!" Genince exclaimed.

"Whoa." Xiona stood up slowly. "No reason to yell, honey dear."

"Are there any kids on this planet?" Geninice asked.

"... No. We're born as... 'teens' you might call it."

"That must be hell on a mother," Kren said.

"Oh no. We don't have children like humans do. Technology &; Energy
made sure of tha'. Once we, a female, has a... 'good egg', she sends it
to a sort of 'mother computer' that will birth it for her. Then the
mother takes it."

"And," Kren said, "It just grows into a teen body in the
computer?"

"Yep," Xiona said.

"Huh. I think that's nice. Get rid of those years of wanting to be
older," Gien said.

"Why in Shikia's name would you want to be older?" Xiona yelled.

Kren pointed to Geninice.

"Oh. I see. The younger want to look mature, and the older, younger.
Ironic. But Geninice has looks, like her mother."

Kren glanced at Geninice; she showed no notice. He and Gien glanced at
each other with relief.

"Alright kids," Xiona said. " You gotta' go. Got a big group t'night,
'cause of the war. They wanna' get drunk one last time, before they all
die."

Geinince, Kren and Gien stared at Xiona. They stood up and took their
leave, though.

"Well, see you guys later. i gotta' date." With that, Gien took his
leave.

Now it was just Geinince and Kren. Kren felt a bit awkward towards
Geninice now, being Narcia's daughter, but she was still, and always
his little sister.

"If you're going out with Xiona," Geninice said, "how come she booted
you out too?"

"Ok," Kren admitted. "I'm not going out with Xiona, but don't' tell
Gien, ok?" Kren grinned.

Geninice returned the grin. "I promise."

"Thanks. Well I gotta' go." Kren started
to walk off.

"Why? Do you have a date too?"

"Ahh, I just got something to do. I'll see ya' later." He turned down
one of the corridors.

Geninice frowned. "Bloody hell..."

....

"What happened?" Cellius said. She sat, wrapped in a towel, next to
Karkoff.

"Dark Lords- Ro'Kiahians, broke through. They took over. Stagaria's
gone... So is Earth ... Should we restart here?" Karkoff looked
down.

"I see no other choice. We just have to ring up all the survivors,
which Su'Cantanna is pretty much doing for us."

"Yeah, but will they like it hear? Around another kind?"Karkoff
said.

"They'll love it here. It's beautiful. The people are friendly and
accepting. They'll love it," Cellius repeated. "Plus, we really have no
other choice."

"Yes, you're right. I guess the boys were as well... I just didn't
want to them to leave too."
Karkoff said, watchful of Cellius.

"Too? Where's Genince going?"Cellius said.

"I know Geninice is- was her's. She wants her back."Karkoff
said.

Cellius sat very still for a moment, then said, "What are you talking
about?"

"Narcia."

"... Oh. How did you-? Never mind. Why does she want her back?"

"I don't know," Karkoff said. "She's changed. Kren told me she yelled
her heart out to him- such a silly woman, full of emotions. But now...
Have you seen her?"

"No. I don't want to."

"She's just... mature now," Karkoff went on, ignoring Cellius's last
statement. "I guess she's trying to start over, and she wants her
daughter with her, since she... Anyway..."

Cellius tilted her head, but she never pushed on an unwanted subject.
"Well, are you going to let her take our daughter away?"she said.

"Well, one: I said to her no. Two: It's not up to me, it's up to
Genince."

"And... What did Geninice say?"

"Geninice don't know," Karkoff mumbled. "I figure if you didn't tell
her, I shouldn't."

"Well, I'd tell her now, now that her mother wants her."

"But your her mother,"Karkoff said.

"Yes, but she must decide if she... if she wants to start over... with
her real mother," Cellius said. She was always good at hiding her
emotions, except anger, but she was rarely angry.

"Well, by all means, go ahead,"Karkoff said.

"Why me?"

"You said you would."

Cellius shook her head. She looked up smiling.

"See? It's harder than you think," Karkoff said.

"I suppose it would... upset her," Cellius said.

"And that's the least."

"Yes, but she would cool off. She's just going through a rough time.
It's been a hard life, living in the new 'Dark Ages'. She never got to
see the world- with permission. She never saw Earth before it
died."

"Yes she did," Karkoff said.

"Well yeah, but she was too young to remember."

"Yeah. But so? The boys had to go through the fighting and the moving
and they remember that. But I don't see them so emotional and
irrational."

"Yeah well, they were under your order. You were too rough on them,
and now they don't wont to even be on the same planet as you... I'm
sorry, I didn't mean that... I don't know how she came to be the way
she is," Cellius said going back to the subject.

"Narcia blood," Karkoff laughed.

Cellius laughed too. "No, that's not funny."

"Yes it is."

"You'll have to admit though, she's been great through all of this. No
complaining. It wasn't until recently, too, that Geninice started
acting strange... It's probably hormones."

"I guess... Do you want to-"

"Not again, Karkoff. Let's go to sleep."

....

It seemed so quick, the trip to Geri. No one on the ship was
ready.

Earacphitty sat between Veo's legs, laying her head on his chest. She
watched the young soldiers shake. She smiled at them &; they smiled
back nervously.

"They say it's worse than the Sigia," a soldier said. "Is that
true?"

Earacphitty's face was so calm. "They're wrong. I hope. But you won't
find out if it is worse. We won't let it go as far as the Sigia
did."

They trusted their queen; that made her scared.
Officer Leigi came in. He always raised spirits.

"Ok soldiers. This is the first time I'm ever going to say this,
either because I'll be dead or- just because it's a stupid idea."
Slight laughter. "You gotta' think like humans for this." ...
Silence.

"But," a soldier spoke out. "We don't want Gerian land-"

"Or their money," another said.

"Or their power- as if they have any," another muttered.

"Or their hearts," one in the back said.

Leigi folded his arms. "No, not like that. And Soly," he said to the
soldier in the back, "I think you're thinking of Metnapughts, humans
don't fight other creatures for their hearts... no that I know of.
Anyway, I meant, think of it as if it's a game." Not a breath. "Like
those digital reality war games you boys always play..."

"But," a soldier said, "that's a game. This isn't."

"No, really," Leigi said sarcastically. "No, you have to pretend this
is a game. Like humans... except they don't pretend." Leige
shuddered.

"But, this is very serious, sir. Are you ok, sir?"

Leigi looked at Earacphitty desperately, but as far as Earacphitty was
concerned she was just another soldier. Leigi looked back at his
confused soldiers. He shrugged. "Good luck, kids. We're with ya' all
the way. You won't get a scratch. We're landing in ten. Get your gear
on." He walked out.

The soldiers trooped out onto the open field. Earacphitty saw the
soldier she talked to in the Mainframe. He had a brave face, but his
eyes were bloodshot with stress and fear. If only the computers could
fight, Earacphitty thought. Veo held her hand tight.

Anuka turned her head and saw them. She kept hidden within the army
group.

On a hill, not far away, another army came, the Gerians. They were on
time, eagerly on time. Lord Setteh was in the front; Earacphitty's
blood seemed to freeze; Anuka clutched her stomach; the soldiers
shuddered.

Earacphitty walked up to the front of the army. She convinced Veo to
stay with the generals in the back; Best Setteh not know about us, or
he'll know how to kill me...

Setteh spotted Earacphitty with ease, despite the distance. "She's in
the front," he whispered what seemed to himself. Then a cold, pitiless
voice said, "Of course... She's beautiful..." Setteh glanced to his
side. "Should we fight now?"

"Move closer," the voice said. "Make this fair. It will be their
last."

The Gerian army moved closer to the Su'Cantanna army by Setteh's
command.

"Are they fighting?" Leigi yelled to an officer on the other side of
the army.

"I don't know," the officer replied. "Put the shield up, just in case.
This is the first and last time we're going to be unfair. It's for the
universe's sake"

"FOR SHIKIA. FOR OUR QUEEN, ALLINADONA," the soldiers yelled in union,
out of habit. Earacphitty was concentrating so hard on Setteh that she
didn't even notice.

Leigi pulled out his halo comp. and typed something in; a transparent
shield covered the whole army. You could almost see the shield shimmer
with protection.

"They have a shield on," the voice said at once.

Setteh blinked. "Shields aren't allowed in war."

The voice laughed. "How tricky of them. It would seem they are
cheating this time. Ha! As well they should."

I hope they didn't get the Earth god, Earacphitty thought as she
scanned the Gerian army. The Gerians had made their way over now, with
only only five yards parting them.

"Shields aren't allowed," Setteh yelled.

"Nor is unexpectedly bombing our planet, or killing another kind in
order to use their god to destroy us," Earacphitty replied. Then she
yelled, in fear that they might have the Earth god, "They'll try and
destroy you too!"

The Gerian army glanced around at eachother, whispering "She
knows..."

"Fair enough," Setteh yelled back after moments silence.

"What do you want, Setteh?" Earacphitty yelled.

"... The stone," he replied.

"For?"

"Power. Freedom."

"Power's not happiness, freedom's not real," Earacphitty said.

Setteh glared. "Life isn't happiness, nor is it real. But we believe
it to be. We want what it provides. We want to believe they're real and
we want to posses them, happiness, reality."

"And how are we," Earaphitty gestured her army, "stopping you?"

"You have the power. You have the voice. You make the rules."

"Setteh, I would give you my power and position if I could. I hate
being who I am, it has only brought me suffering, but in being mother
of the New Age Planets, everyone- all of you- are like my children and
that's why I can't give you my power. Here are three specific reasons;
one: you think only for yourself and you would mentally kill all others
for your own happiness. Two: power drives you insane, it is the worst
and most depressing thing to posses. And three: There's no rules to
make, no improvements- that I can think of. There's nothing to do,
except to destroy people like you. Narcissistic people, who will do
anything to get everyone else to kneel to their death."

"Well, maybe if you give the power to me- us... I might stop," Setteh
said.

"Your messed up statement made it obvious why i wouldn't. I don't know
what horrible planes you would have put into practice. You don't know
what is is to be God."

"Maybe I would," the voice said. Slowly, like water trickling down and
wiping off His invisibility, the voice, Jehova, appeared. Young Gerians
and Su'Cantannians, who were too weak to withstand His presence, died.
Others were nearly transfixed. Anuka closed her eyes, though. Veo
looked at Earacphitty in fear- for her.

Jehova walked up to Earacphitty. Almost out of instinct, Earacphitty
changed her appearance, the one she had made for Cellius. More pressure
was produced in the atmostsphere for the Gerians. The Su'Cantannians
felt relief.

Jehova smirked. "You never met your mother did you?" His red eyes bore
into Earacphitty's yellow.

"No," Earacphitty said. "You're Jehova?"

"Yes, Jehova. Thank you for using my name. You know how it annoying it
is to always hear pleadings of 'my lord' and such."

"Yes, I know it's annoying. Though I would think you would like it,
being what you are."

"Hmm. And what am I?"

"From what I've heard a big ass."

"Yeah, well... what would you do with pathetic creatures like them?"
Jehova sneered.

"Well I wouldn't confuse and torture them. As some say, 'they weren't
born monsters, they were made monsters'. Plus, you made them that way,
"pathetic"."

"I didn't mean to-"

"Well than don't take your mistakes out on them. You know, you don't
know what it is to be god. You're not a god, you're a tyrant. The
hardest thing to be is a god, and even I don't fit the perfect
description. You must become more mature then all your creature, be
infinitely forgiving and patient and kind and understanding. You never
get to think about yourself! You never get to to what you want to do!
YOU'RE TRAPPED! FOREVER, IN AGONY! THERE IS NO YOU, IT'S JUST THEM! I
DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT IT IS. I DON'T KNOW WHY I HAD TO BE GOD. BUT I AM.
AND IT KILLS ME..." Earacphitty breathed. "You... you have nooo
idea."

Jehova stared at her. "Maybe that's so for your kind, but my kind....
Humans want to believe there's something better than them, to protect
them and... yes, love them... They like war. They like power and beauty
and strength. They want me, I fit their description of
'perfect'."

"Their perfection view is deformed," Earacphitty said.

"It doesn't matter. They are happy with me."

"No they're not. Most of them don't even believe in you now, out of
hatred.The ones who do believe in you are considered insane. And they
are, because they made you up. They've never seen you! You're in their
heads."

Jehova was silent. "I suppose we better fight. I'm sorry I've kept you
waiting- but one thing... you have to fight me before you can fight
them," he pointed to the Gerian army. His eyes flashed.

Earacphitty looked at her people; a few nodded to her, indicating it
was all right. She turned back around to see Jehova standing closer.
She nodded. Jehova curled his lipless mouth. Next thing he had
disappeared. Earacphitty looked around. Suddenly, she started to
disappear too. Both armies stared at her in confusion.

....

Earacphitty reappeared on what seemed to be a different planet- if it
was a planet at all.

The sky was midnight blue. West to her was a beach that led to a
luscious forest. North, south &; east was an ocean of some sort,
which Earacphitty was standing on. The water though, was like a liquid
mirror...

"Do you like it?" someone said, behind

Earacphitty. She wasn't startled, though, it was his voice that made
her flinch.
Earacphitty turned around to Jehova. She looked around again and said,
"Sure. What is it?"

"My home...."Jehova said.

"Did we come here to fight?"

"Mmm-hmm. Alone."

Suddenly a thought struck Earacphitty; Veo... Is that why he brought
me here? So he could Veo. Does he even know about me and Veo? I don't
know how he could, but I don't know how he could do many
things...

Jehova was saying something. "... that's why, if you wondered... but I
suppose you're eager to fight."

"I'm never eager to fight," Earacphitty said. "I'm eager to get
home."

"You'll have to kill me to get home."

"Which I will. I can't die-"

"And I'm already dead.... anyway, there are many other ways to kill
you, Earacphitty..."

Veo.

"Yes, you have it. Veo."

Earacphitty bit her lip; she thought she would either vomit or throw
up her heart. "No..." she whispered.

"It's ok, you'll die soon too." Jehova smiled nastily.

Yes, she thought, I would die too. Be at peace... but what if I don't?
What if my written life was wrong? What if I live forever alone... an
empty body... Earacphitty shook her head. She hurled herself at Jehova.
She grew her nails into him. She scratched and scraped at him. She
wanted his 'pure' and white body soaked in red.

He wasn't pure. He wasn't good. "You're not good!" she screamed.
"You're not pure!"
She thought she was attacking him because he threatened to kill Veo.
She thought she was saving Veo. But soon she really wasn't sure if that
was the reason.

She just suddenly hated him so much. She had been controlling and
patient all her life, now she was just letting all the years of
suffering explode out on this filthy being. She didn't know if it was
for Veo, or if it was for her... She thought. About her love. The book
said she was to have one love, but was that true as well? Would Veo be
the only one? Earacphitty didn't know. She didn't care. Veo made her
happy and she was never happy in her life. Ever. Veo made her happy, he
gave her that feeling that was so pure and so rare in life. That
feeling might not last forever, but Earacphitty wanted to feel it as
long as possible, and she wasn't about to give it up to some basterd of
a god.

She clawed and clawed. She could hear Jehova's cries over her screams
and pounding heart; they meant nothing to her, only that she was
hurting him.

Finally Jehova started to fight back. He used his free hand to slam
Earacphitty out of the way. Earacphitty felt her skull shatter. Blood
dripped from her mouth. She lost balance and fell down, just as she
started to get up.

Jehova was throwing tons of his power. Nirvanite ate away at
Earacphitty. She gritted her teeth and arched her back, while tears
poured from her eyes. She pounded her chest, trying to make her heart
pump faster. She was about to jump up and attack back, but... she saw
Veo, lying next to her. He said something. I love you.

Earacphitty saw he was bleeding. She stared into his peaceful eyes.
She loved him so much then and it made her so sad. In spite of the
pain, she reached over and stroked his cheek. She smiled and mouthed,
unable to speak, 'I love you, too.' Veo smiled. He closed his eyes,
took his last breath and...

Earacphitty kept smiling. She crawled up and looked Jehova.

"That's for attacking me!" Jehova roared. Earacphitty kept smiling.
She ran towards Jehova; he knocked her down with ease, but she got
right back up and threw a bolt of Energy at him.

The Energy made him fall back and groan. Earacphitty took her chance
and plunged her hand into his stomach, deadly Energy flowing from her
heart, to his. Jehova gasped.

He yelled and screamed, but where of no use. Earacphitty's blood
dripped from her mouth, covering Jehova's last pure skin. Light seeped
out from her mouth...

....

Anuka woke up on Jehova's home. Jehova had brought her here in case Veo
wasn't enough. Anuka was running now.

....

Earacphitty let go and rolled over. She looked at the dead Jehova. His
dragon was gone.

Earacphitty painfully crawled over to Veo. She laid on his chest. She
whispered sweet words to his dead body. She started to fall asleep. She
dreamt her last blissful dream.

Before she died she felt all was sublime.