"They’re coming from all over."
Paul stood before the dragon king and his pet. "Men are closing in on the capital. Not just hillbillies from the hinterlands, either — citizens from Dalton, Harlan, Santana, and everywhere else have heard the rumors. No one wants to miss whatever is coming."
Aurelius summoned his avatar. "Nothing is coming," he said. "It’s all theatrics on the part of Amalek. He has no army. He can’t oppose me."
Paul shrugged. "They’re still coming. Maybe not just men, either. Some of the rubes claim to have seen giants traveling by night."
Aurelius’s avatar rolled his eyes. "Fairies too, I suppose?"
Paul said nothing.
"The plague isn’t scaring them away?" asked Aurelius.
"Doesn’t seem so," said Paul. "They either don’t believe it or don’t care."
Aurelius looked at his pet king. "I want the gates closed for days before the equinox. Announce it ahead of time. The city will be sealed both before and after the new year."
"I will see to it," said the king.
Aurelius looked at Paul. "And you," he said, "I want you to spread whatever rumors you must to keep the masses at bay. Tell them a winter storm is coming. Tell them gangs of rapists roam the capital. I don’t care. Just discourage them."
"I’ll do what I can," said Paul, "but nothing seems to work right now. People are inspired."
"So uninspire them," hissed the dragon king. "Demoralize them by any means necessary."
"Will do," said Paul.
"One last thing," said Aurelius. "Should Zebulun Koh show his face anywhere near the capital, I want him assassinated. Have killers on retainer for this sole purpose."
"Yes, sir."
Zebulun and friends stayed away from the main roads. They traveled by night, at times, to avoid attention. Twenty of the forest folk came with them, determined to witness a miracle. They reached the capital three days before the equinox.
A host of people surrounded the city — people from all walks of life. Rich and poor, fair and common, urban and rural came to witness something special. They came in the hope to see something none of them had ever seen: a genuine miracle. The angels said it would happen.
On the second day, Quinn came to Zebulun and said, "Someone wants to meet you."
Zebulun went with him. Quinn took him to a huge tent made from foreign cloth. Upon entry, Zebulun was greeted by thirty cyclopes.
"Welcome, Zebulun Koh," said the leader. "I am Xeninikos. Our aristocracy sent me to your world, along with my honor guard, to witness this supposed miracle the jinn told us about."
Zebulun looked around. Apollo and Helios were there too. Had Davion been present, he would have recognized Sophokrates as well.
Zebulun looked at Quinn. Quinn shrugged.
"You told the fairies to spread the word far and wide," said Quinn. "I guess they didn’t limit themselves to our world?"
Zebulun looked at Quinn with mirth, then turned back to Xeninikos. "I welcome you. You won’t be disappointed."
"I hope not," said Xeninikos. "I’ve brought one of our most eminent historians to bear witness. I hope also that our peoples can open relations again, should your revolution succeed."
"I would like that," said Zebulun.
Zebulun and Quinn headed back to their camp among the tens of thousands who converged on the capital.
The assassin stalked Zebulun Koh through the crowd. One last kill. This one was worth enough that he could retire to the islands in luxury.
"I’m so glad the giants made it here!" said Quinn as they walked. "And the forest folk. Some of the people I’ve talked to came here from Axolotl, or from one of the island kingdoms. Whatever happens here, word will spread to all corners of the world. And to others!"
Zebulun nodded, lost in thought.
One poisoned blade. That’s all it will take. This dose could kill a dozen horses.
Zebulun felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention like soldiers. He whirled around in time to see Daniel, the madman he had healed on the road, pick up his would-be-assassin by the neck and left wrist. The assassin dropped the throwing star from his left hand.
With his right, the assassin drew a knife and stabbed Daniel in the chest. Daniel gasped and snapped the man’s neck. The assassin’s crumpled form fell to the ground. The crowd around them went silent.
Daniel clutched at his wound, his breathing ragged. His wound hissed and bubbled; the assassin had penetrated his lung. He fell to one knee. Zebulun ran to his aid.
The crowd watched in awe as Zebulun laid hands on the muscled giant before them. His wound closed. His flesh healed into a jagged scar. He stood and took a deep breath. The crowd murmured with excitement.
Daniel looked at Zebulun with pleading eyes. "I’m sorry," he said. "I know I’m not supposed to kill, but he was going to kill you."
"How did you come to be here?" asked Zebulun.
"I came south after you saved me," said Daniel. "I was afraid to go home. They all think I’m a monster. I wanted to start over."
"Then I had a dream: Ram and Luva spoke to me and told me I had to come to the capital and save you from a murderer. They even showed me what he looked like. They said it would be my redemption."
Daniel looked at his feet. "I don’t feel redeemed. I feel like I’ve just killed one more person."
Zebulun put his hands on Daniel’s mighty shoulders and looked up into his eyes. "Thank you for saving my life. Know that you are forgiven for your past sins."
Tears fell from Daniels eyes.
"Redemption," said Zebulun, "is a long road. You may need to do far more to help others before you’ll feel whole."
He nodded to Zebulun. Zebulun let him go.
More and greater numbers flocked to the capital. At least sixty thousand people camped outside the walls. Men came with their wives, children, and livestock in the hope for something better in life. Purpose. Meaning.
On the eve before the equinox, Quinn came to Zebulun and said, "Dude! You have to bless me this evening."
Zebulun regarded Quinn with curiosity. "Of course," he said. "I’ll bless you and Davion, just in case there’s trouble."
Quinn smiled. "Great!"
Zebulun blessed he and Davion as the sun went down.
Excitement grew as the evening wore on. The encamped host shared food, music, and stories with one another. People met others who they would never encounter in their ordinary lives. Strangers came to understand one another.
Twenty-nine military dragons circled in the air above the capital. They watched for any sign of aggression. The gates stood closed, but the dragon king ordered his dragons to remain vigilant. A brigade of soldiers manned the walls in case of insurrection.
The full moon rose high into the night. Thousands of fires burned in unison around the walls of the capital. Folk songs from hundreds of villages and clans rang out for all to hear.
Amalek looked at Quinn. Ready? he asked.
Quinn just grinned and climbed into his harness. Amalek took to the air.
Aurelius and Regulus sat coiled atop the royal palace at the top of the highest hill in the city. They watched with contempt as the throngs of livestock danced and celebrated below. Even the cynical residents of the capital were out in the streets to witness.
Sir, whispered Mahazioth from high above, I see Amalek.
Aurelius looked up. What is he doing?
Nothing yet, said Mahazioth. He’s just hovering a thousand yards up, outside the city walls.
Keep an eye on him, said Aurelius. I don’t know what treachery he has planned, but I want you and your dragons to kill him the moment he gives the order to attack.
Acknowledged, said Mahazioth.
Amalek soared up on thermal winds. Quinn smiled. Amalek was right. Flying never got old.
It was two minutes to midnight when the host of angels appeared.
They appeared first as new stars in the sky, then expanded — far beyond their usual dimensions and efforts — so that all those who surrounded the city could see. Hundreds of creatures of light, of all shapes and colors, manifested for the people below. The crowd gasped in astonishment, then murmured in excitement.
Davion looked up in surprise. He cried out, "Lao!"
Lao looked down on Davion with mirth and winked.
All of a sudden, the hundreds of angels became thousands, then tens of thousands, then hundreds, and then an uncountable number that rivaled the stars in the sky. One hundred thousand people cheered.
Then a new star appeared, brighter than all others. It grew in size, as if growing closer and closer to our world. Within moments, it shone brighter than the moon. Moments later, it shone brighter than the sun. It wasn’t long before it shone brighter than any light anyone had ever seen. All men, cyclopes, and dragons shielded their eyes from light more powerful than any of them had ever experienced.
A voice rang out. It seemed to come from the light, but also from everywhere.
It said:
I am Ur.
With my will and my word, I created The Law.
The Law gave birth to the world.
The world gave birth to life.
Life gave birth to thought.
Thought gave birth to me.
I am the beginning and the end of existence.
Welcome, all of my children. I visit my blessings upon all who witness this day.
Zebulun Koh is my prophet. Make him your king, and you will know happiness and prosperity like no man has ever known before. You will have a nation strong and kind. Your grandchildren will live in a better world.
I AM UR!
The light faded. The star receded into the heavens. The crowd sat in awed silence for several minutes after Ur vanished, then burst into a cacophony of cheers and bedlam. The revelry would last all night.
Regulus looked at his cousin, the dragon-king, and asked, What do we do now?
Aurelius let out a long, low hiss: the draconic equivalent of a sigh. He looked at his young, naive cousin and whispered, We surrender.