CHAPTER 13
When the scabbard queen was but a little girl, his brother was in line for the throne. She loved her brother very much. He used to pull her off from the ground, twirl her around until she was hysterically laughing.
When his little sister came running towards him with joy yelling «Brother! brother!» to him even if he was in a bad mood, it would cheer him up.
It was such a good memory for the scabbard queen that if things that happened didn`t happen she would `ve been a very good person just because she had such memories. When a person has good memories that person has solid proof that good things exist in this world. That solid proof wards of any downward spiral that would cause one to become a twisted mess.
However, her brother's love didn't end well.
When a king died, the princes would gather for the last man standing sword fight. The one who won would become the king.
When her brother had to attend such a tournament she was amongst the crowd. The young prince was no match against his much older brothers. Scabbard queens mother suddenly closed her daughter's eyes with her hand. She picked her up and tried to leave the premises.
The scabbard queen forcefully peeled off her mother's hand from her face. She caught a glimpse. Her brother was laying on the ground. His eyes were popped out of his head. somebody had stomped on him.
With memories she had with her brother ending like that, the facts of the world has changed for her greatly. It proved good things exist in this world yet evil is more vicious and powerful. Every good thing has to be protected. Protected with jealousy and swiftness.
She was later forced into a political marriage to a neighboring country. The prince she married had later has become the king. The scabbard queen had worked hard for that.
When the scabbard queen died in the hands of the court led by her son she understood the demand and necessity of justice but even in her last breath, she taught her son to be a naive fool who ignores the facts of this world and operates on fantasy. In her head, she did what she had to do. To the bitter end, she didn`t realize that the facts of her world were different from the facts of her son's world at all.
After the young king did the Saddam thing, ho excused himself to his room. He sat there holding back, gulping away his tears.
Stuart approached him and attempted to say something to his ear. The king interrupted him:
«Show yourself!»
What the king got himself as response sent chills down his spine.
« Ahahhha, I knew I wouldn`t able to fool you for long. »
The king's eyes filled with terror. He couldn`t hold back that response you give in fear, a full-body muscle contraction. It was as if at that moment, he was made of wood.
«Find a large silver mirror, and call Grotto too. I will visit again midday tomorrow.»
Stuart excused himself out through the wall.
The king was shaken. First, his mother's death after all his siblings died then this horror show. Was he going mad?
He ordered the large silver mirror in the guest hall to be carried into his room. He asked Grotto to accompany him to a tea in his room.
``Well since I`m found out I might as well go for the reverse pascal's wager.`` Stuart taught to himself as he entered the king's room through the wall once more.
King and the philosopher were sipping tea in front of the mirror.
A skeletal figure descended into the field of vision. The thing was wearing tattered aristocrat's clothes. Both the king and the philosopher held onto their chairs. Their eyes were wide open, their pupils were dilated by the sheer terror they feel.
«I`ve got news from beyond the grave.»
The king looked at Grotto. The man`s face was really pale. It was clear that the philosopher was seeing the same thing.
He regained his composure:
«Wha-what do you want.»
The skeleton on the mirror shifted his gaze towards the king.
« I don`t want anything, nay I can't want anything for I am dead. When you die the afterlife is different from what you have been told.»
Grotto regained his composure, his curiosity defeated his fear.
« When you die you are judged by your deeds. If your deeds are good you are sent somewhere to eternally suffer. If you did bad deeds, lived your life in cruelty, selfishness and ....»
The philosopher interjected:
«What do you mean good people suffer in the afterlife! that`s stupid, doesn`t make sense.»
Stuart gazed at the man whom`s world turned upside down :
«Let me finish.»
Grotto got ashamed of his sudden outburst.
«I`m sorry Mr.skeleton please continue!»
Stuart had a brain fart for a moment:
«What was I saying?» Stuart stared out of the window for a hot 5-6 seconds. «Ah yes, there is a paradise for bad people out there. It`s all created by a goddess called Ishtar.»
Grotto interjected again:
«So everything the church peddles is falsehoods also.»
The lich nodded.
«I`ve been whispering into people's ears, trying to plant corrupt ideas into their heads so they can go to paradise. The more influential a person is the more bitterness they can cause. The more bitter they are the more likely it is their descent into an immoral life. That`s why I`m here, talking to you two. I wish to maximize the number of people who make it to paradise»
The king sat up straight. «Who were you before you died?»
Stuart averted his gaze to the ground remembering good old times, the blissful ignorance of how bad things really are.
«I was a rich man who accomplished a large scale operation that helped the downtrodden. My deeds landed me to Ishtars pits where I experienced unbearable pain and humiliation. I had to do very dehumanizing things to get out of there. Now I`m in this form, can only be seen through silver mirrors, can only interact with silver objects. All I can do is talk.»
Grotto interjected for the third time:
«Just because you want to reach paradise doesn`t mean you can make other people suffer for it. The ends don`t justify the means!»
Stuart hit him with the reverse pascal's wager:
« Compared to eternal bliss in paradise any mortal suffering is minuscule.»
The king fell into deep thinking and processed it all:
«Assuming everything you say is true I don`t agree with how you responded to it. If such an evil goddess exists we should do everything we can to hurt or at least displease such deity. We shouldn`t bend to its whims.»
«Grotto you are my you are my witness, I hereby declare myself the enemy of Ishtar, the goddess of all creation!.»
Stuart admired the king's sudden and through decision.
«Your grace you wouldn`t say that if you experienced the fiery pits.»
The king squinted his eyes:
«Maybe. But this is my decision now. And also, I hereby banish you from this country. I understand what you are trying to do however i have duties as a king. I can`t have you wreaking havoc on my court. I will install large silver mirrors on every hall and gathering place so you can`t do what you do easily.»
The lich flew away, leaving behind a flabbergasted king and an astonished philosopher.
It was time to make his way towards another country.
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