Rise of the Godking

By the time he finally came back to his senses, it felt like an eternity had passed.

When he did recover, the first question he posed was to the system.

"What is going on here?"

[It appears that the residents of this island are being punished for reasons unknown. They have been—]

Blinking, he hastily asked it to stop. His intention hadn't been to ask for a description of what was going on, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. No, he wanted to know why he was here, and how he could get out.

Before Daneel posed those questions, though, he paused, asking himself, first, whether he really wanted to know the answers. One part of him said that it was the most important thing to find out; after all, now, he had both the Angarians and the Graitonians relying on him, so it would not do to delay his efforts in finding the superior, and getting back in time to face that bratty kid when he came to take his share of crystals.

Another part went out to the people wailing on the crosses staked to the ground. It was the part that made up a lot of who he was. It was the part that had led him to make many of the decisions back on Angaria where his path had resulted in him caring for and loving even those he didn't know, at all, instead of just looking out for himself, and acting like a selfish bastard given such an amazing tool that could do good, but never using it for anything other than his own good.

The first part wanted to ask the questions. The second part wanted to go forward and ease the suffering of those he was seeing, even though he knew that it would be extremely dangerous and might just end his journey here and now.

The atmosphere of the island was so depressing that he found dark thoughts coming to him despite the peaceful serenity that had filled him before he had taken the step into the teleportation matrix. He kept imagining beings of power he couldn't contend against swooping as soon as he helped anyone, the encounter ending with him on one of the stakes, himself, with all thoughts of all others fleeing his mind.

Daneel shook his head, knowing that these were things that he ordinarily would not think about. It was extremely worrying to see that he was being affected in such a manner, so with concern, he asked the system whether there was anything present here that wasn't visible to the naked eye.

And of course, indeed, that seemed to be the case as it paused for a few moments, then gave the answer.

Daneel breathed a sigh of relief as he felt those thoughts leaving him even as the system spoke its answer. After all, his was a consciousness that had gone through all sorts of tribulations on his home island, and there, it had reached the very peak possible before being sent here with all its power and all its growth intact. In fact, it was one of his sources of power that he could tap into which might just be a weapon that would defeat most he came upon… if he found a way to use it, first.

That wasn't the priority now, though. He didn't need to tell system to look for this, either, as it was another directive that he had given it before even beginning his journey to the Mainland.

With a calmer mind, he studied the people on the stakes once more. Those two parts of him were still present, and at the moment, he didn't know which was more likely to win. Both had their own merits and demerits. There was a certain element of danger if he chose to go up to the slaves, but if he wanted to find out more about this place and about all the surrounding islands, then he would have to step forward and find out just why these people had been subjected to such a cruel fate.

If the stakes had been filled with just men and women, there might have been a possibility that they were criminals, of a sort. But children? There was no way that children could commit any crime that deserved such treatment, and in fact, it was their innocent and utterly heartbreakingly pitiful cries that kept calling to him as he stood there, in front of the matrix that still glowed with that dark light.

Finally, though, the first part won out. The simple truth was that this matrix would always be present, and he could come back whenever he wished. Vowing that he would do so when the situation in his own town wasn't so dire, he turned to his right and raised his foot to take a step forward…but froze, instantly, when a voice appeared from his left.

"You there! I thought my mind was playing tricks…but you're still here! Did you come from the outside? Please, come closer! Please! I won't harm you! I just…need to tell you something!"

With his eyebrows bending into a 'V', Daneel stayed as he was for a few moments before finally accepting that his earlier objective of passing through the islands unseen had failed, and that too, in such a dumb fashion. Turning back to the stakes, he saw that the one who had spoken was a woman who seemed hale, more or less, when compared to the others.

That wasn't saying much, of course, but the moment he met her gaze, he almost took a step back as the burning fervor that blazed in them was unlike anything he had ever seen. Slowly, the rest of those tied to the stakes nearby began to quiet down, their eyes also fixing on Daneel, and even though the wails of the others to the left and right who were out of sight still created a grim cacophony they couldn't be ignored, Daneel found himself tuning them out and studying the one who waited for him to move closer.

He hadn't noticed, until now, that the way the people had been nailed to the stakes was by using barbed wire that dug into their hands and their legs. Anyone who struggled too much would cause themselves to bleed out and die a quick death if they wished, but in that case, the pain that they had to go through anyway would increase, so it was a decision that not many could make especially after being cast into this place that played with one's mind.

"I swear I won't bite! We just need to tell you something! Please! I'm begging you!"

She coughed, after that, answering his question as to why whatever she wanted to say could not be shouted out, too. Her throat was ragged due to the cries that had been leaving her lips until now, and it looked like she wouldn't be able to say anything loudly for a long while.

The more he looked into her eyes, the more it seemed as if he had been wrong in his initial assessment that they could all be slaves being pushed in a harder manner than anything that the master of Graiton could have imagined. Those were the eyes of someone used to giving commands, and even now, the way she looked at him was such that if he weren't a Monarch, himself, he would have naturally felt an urge to obey any command that she might give.

Finally, though, the thing that made him move forward was the fact that if he didn't acquiesce, it was possible that they might send up an alarm that would bring down danger that could be avoided in such an easy way. As soon as he took a step towards her, relief showed on her face, and as he came closer and closer, different emotions appeared on the others on the stakes.

Some seemed hopeful. Others were disbelieving, and a few were even angry, but none of them spoke, so Daneel tried to not pay any attention to them.

When he finally reached the woman, she looked him up and down and seemed to make a decision. She spoke in a hoarse voice that still managed to be heard all around, and when she was done… Daneel had to fight on impulse not to gawk.

"You must be a rebel from some island, or a traveler, heading inwards with crystals in the hope that you can find a better life. I won't judge; all I ask is that you carry a message on your way. The Grand Seer has spoken. The time has come. The advent of He who is of this land, but not is near. He who shall be of this world, but not, is close. With fire and fury, he shall deliver us. Spread the word. Others are already doing it…but the more, the better. Now, go, before the vultures descend!"

When he finally reached the woman, she looked him up and down and seemed to make a decision. She spoke in a hoarse voice that still managed to be heard all around, and when she was done… Daneel had to fight on impulse not to gawk.