But this was Terna’s country, her favourite human civilization. This was where people poured their generosity as much as they poured water to their plants - indeed, those who were in need, those who came from outside, would find the Alay people a pleasant surprise. They would be greeted with pleasantries and food along with a home to stay provided by the Alay. The Alay didn’t view foreigners or poor people to be a burden and instead saw them as deprived of love and care. Their devotion to the Caring attribute of Terna was indeed shown through.
The Alay in Kalaki were all dead. Anam assumed that was so, seeing no hint of human life creeping out of the destruction. Tall buildings collapsed as parts of them were punctured; corpses brought scarlet drops on the background.
Terna walked forward, a slow step at a time. Ilal and Anam followed from behind. No word came from her as she inspected the monstrosity. She passed by dead children; she passed by unattached limbs and pools of blood. Then, she watched the sky. Trails of red gas faded among the clouds before heaven was a pure azure. No birds chirped nearby; all the lining trees escorting the roads had fallen due to the holes on them.
‘They did this,’ Terna whispered, forcing Anam to stop in his walk. He recognized her cold voice, a warning to all who lived. ‘They didn’t destroy Alasia, but they destroyed its heart. Kalaki was where everyone gathered to barter, to sell, to give and to take. This was where every exchange began.’ At her sides, her hands open, looking like the claws of an eagle. ‘They should know that. Deshar was Kalaki’s busiest day. They knew that, yet they killed. All of them. They didn’t spare anyone.
‘The Alay were innocent!’ Terna shouted to the air, to the nothingness that didn’t reply. ‘They were good people! They didn’t mind if their golds were spent to provide food and water to the needed ones. They didn’t mind if they had to work harder to feed an extra person in their homes. They knew what was right to do; they knew how to be the best of men. And this,’ she paused, looking around her with a frantic movement, ‘this was how they were treated! I promised them good life. I promised them heaven in the afterlife. I wanted to reward them for the good they had done.
‘They didn’t ask for this!’ she shrieked, crouching over a woman who held two children in her embrace. Her hands shook as she traced the blood coming from the woman’s head. When she arrived at the woman’s hands, she grabbed them tightly. Her head was bowed, but Anam saw drops of tear falling down, blending with the blood-covered hands. He retreated; at this point, no one could control Terna. Ilal sensed that too as she joined Anam.
They could hear Terna uttering something. Then, the goddess’s head snapped to the sky, and she said louder, ‘They. Will. Pay.’
The ground beneath Anam’s feet vibrated and he wiped the sweat starting to form on his forehead. Then, he floated to the sky, followed by Ilal.
‘By the name of Rendarin Queen, the Mother Creation,’ Terna shrilled, forcing the ground to shook more violently, ‘I will never forgive the violation of lives of creations, the bypass of laws of deities.’ The blue in the sky darkened, mirroring Terna’s current emotion. ‘The entities in my planet Earth unwelcome and unannounced, and they would be judged. They have committed a crime in my territory, and they would be punished.’
Earth replied with a quake. Anam could hear it all; the thunder-like sound, vibrations multiplied in volume, and the state of Kalaki. Everything and everyone shook, as if displaying the torment they had gone through while the entities were there ravaging the whole thing.
‘By the name of Rendarin King, the Father Destruction.’ Terna’s words, the second half of a Child’s vow, overcame the quake. Drops of rain started to fall from the gloomy clouds dominating the sky. ‘I will never forget the unprecedented destruction of outsiders, the bypass of harmony long time built.’ Raindrops attacked the ground like bullets, relentless. Terna’s clothes were wet. Ilal’s and Anam’s were soaked. All of them didn’t care about it all. Terna’s vow would start the Children’s war against the entities.
Terna stood. ‘I, the second daughter of Rendarin Queen, born from Her Majesty’s Will, am responsible for this cruelty.’ Her voice was as booming as the thunders flashing from time to time. ‘I will avenge the deaths of my worshipers. I will persuade Children of the Queen and Children of the King to join my quest in bringing judgment to the entities. The Children will not sit still.’
‘We will not sit still,’ Ilal said quietly.
‘We will not sit still!’ Anam shouted. Terna had persuaded him over one hundred percent, and his blood was pumping like crazy. How dare the entities did this to them? How dare they belittled the Children’s authority by acting this way? He shook his fists, flexing his bicep. Profanities he bellowed to the damned criminals. He felt like a deity of hatred had taken over his body as his ring spun without control. He felt -
‘Calm down, brother,’ Ilal said. Anam was sure she had been watching him acting like a madman. Her calm assurance brought blushes to his cheek. ‘I appreciate your energy, but it’s uselessly demonstrated.’
‘Um, yeah, sorry,’ Anam said meekly. He focused again on Terna, watching the goddess’ wrecked emotions shaking the Earth and bringing down rain. She was always honest to everyone and herself.
Eventually, the quake lessened and rain stopped. The gloomy clouds still ruled the sky. Terna slowly stood up and turned to them. The whites in her eyes had branches of red; she let her face stay tear-stained. ‘We’re going to hold a meeting. Between us, Children of Rendarin Queen, and them, Children of Rendarin King.’ Her voice was controlled and she walked like a queen in revenge.
Ilal nodded.
Anam’s heart stopped beating for a second. Children of Rendarin King, born from His Majesty’s Will. Also known as Children of Destruction. He couldn’t wait to see them. Well, he saw them everyday in Hell and Heaven and other planets. Except for one. The eldest of them, Arxey, the God of Black Hole, showed himself once in fifty years. He wasn’t leader material like Nevea, but he was divinely hot. Hellishly hot. This meeting… it would be an opportunity for Anam to confess his feeling towards him.
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