A pale crescent moon hung in the night sky, decorated with an endless collage of distant stars. Clouds of cosmic dust painted it all in a deep blue and subdued hibiscus.
How many times had the king gazed upon this starry sky? A lifetime's worth? A dozen lifetimes? A hundred? The number of shallow repetitions had largely lost its significance. The cycles of the moon, the recession of waves, the rising and setting of the sun — all such wonders of life became dull within his arrested time.
Even the starry sky seemed frozen in a distant past. The stars had yet to lose their resplendence. The planets had hardly deviated from their orbits. Everything had changed, yet nothing had changed at all.
Perhaps he felt solace knowing such a thing — that he was not alone in the cycle of endless repetition. Just as he was doomed to repeat for all eternity, so too was the cosmos.
“Ha…” He let out an exasperated sigh, a sigh full of self-derision and loathing. “To think that I’d seek solace in such a thing. I truly am pathetic.”
Unable to live amongst humans, yet unable to reach for the starry sky — King Qiu Han was a man destined to crawl upon the earth, bearing the serpent’s curse.
“ Writhe in filth. Gaze at the unreachable heaven. May this dream fill you with despair, until its brilliance moves you no longer. A fitting fate for a man such as I; aye, Jiro?”
Standing at the vestibule doorway was none other than the Second Seat of the Divine Generals, his mien befitting a demon.
“Yo, my King! Looks like you’re in as good a mood as ever.”
“I wouldn’t call it good , per se, but your presence has certainly lightened my mood.” The king raised his hand, gesturing at the coffee table. “Come. Let us discuss.”
“I’d be honored.”
This was the private work-study of King Qiu Han, a restricted area in which only his most faithful were allowed entrance. Only high-ranking political officials and the Divine Generals were permitted access.
Despite this incredibly rare opportunity, a chance to speak with the King of Wisteria himself, Jiro lacked any semblance of gratitude or humility. He rested his crossed legs on the coffee table while leaning back in his seat. The nerve of such a man. The conceit of such a man!
Even so, the King met Jiro with an enigmatic smile. Even in all the years he had known the King, Jiro could not properly read his emotions. His visage remained ever-obscured by a passing fog. It both irritated and intrigued him to no end.
“So,” the King began, “What would you like to discuss?”
“Ain’t it obvious? I’m here about the kid.”
“Ereth? Are you concerned for his well-being? That is certainly a rare occasion.”
“Tch-” Jiro sucked his teeth. “Don’t play with me, asshole. I’m talking about his position. You don’t seriously think the brat has what it takes to stand with us, do you?”
The King chortled. “Yes, perhaps that was a bit mean of me. I apologize for the teasing.”
“Answer the question.”
“Hm…well, if I had to choose a reason in particular, then I suppose this is a bet.”
“...Huh?”
As usual, the king’s words were cryptic, lacking in any traditional meaning.
“A bet on the future. Yes, a warm future.”
“...”
“Say, Jiro — Do you believe in a universal wish?”
No response.
“Violence, happiness, personal fulfillment, recognition, glory, sexual gratification — any one of these desires, these wishes, can manifest as a possible future. That is the source of Uniqueness. They are but one of many wishes that rest atop the canvas. These wishes, however, are but fragments of a greater whole. The dream of one cannot overcome the dream of all .”
“And ya think that kid has that wish, the wish of everyone?”
“Perhaps. Well, this is all but a hunch of mine. Consider it the ravings of an old man, if you’d like, though you’ve probably already had that impression from the beginning.”
“A hunch from you definitely ain’t anything to scoff at, but I still can’t trust this decision fully.”
“That’s quite all right, Jiro. That spunk is what I recruited you for.”
“Ha! I’ll take that as a compliment, old bag.”
Jiro pulled out a handful of candies from his coat pocket, picking out his favorite flavor, root beer.
“Life ain’t nothing but a pile of candies. You pick out the ones you like while throwing away all the shitty ones. Don’t mean nothin’ more than that.”
“A life of play, yes? I suppose your wish is not unlike many others. One could say that we are alike in that way — living solely for the sake of living, absent any greater purpose. We are but corpses animated by instinct.”
“Got a problem with that?” Jiro bickered.
“Not at all. I never said I hated self-indulgence. I merely see no meaning in it.”
“That why you’ve been alive for a thousand years, gramps?”
“...”
The King pulled back.
“Face it, old man. You must be bored shitless with this little kingdom you’ve got, right? A thousand years have gone by, and ain’t shit changed. The Shura are still runnin’ rampant, the Great Evils ain’t goin’ down anytime soon, and you’ve still got nothin’ to show for it.”
“Yes, that would be correct,” the King said, his lips contorting into a weary smirk. “I have spent all these years gazing at the stars, unable to claim anything of meaning. And yet…in that boy, I saw hope.”
“Really? Saw nothin’ but a pile of shit. Kid like that ain’t breakin’ fate anytime soon.”
The King laughed. “Yes…I suppose it would seem that way to others.”
King Qiu Han got up from his seat and walked towards the large bay window. “The wheel continues its turn. Fate has not been overcome just yet. However…”
He looked down at the small cut on his hand.
“It has been stalled for but a moment. A brief intermission.”
Jiro couldn’t help but sigh in response. “Hisui sounded just like you, ya know that? You two’ve got a habit of rambling to yourselves.”
“Yes, she happened to pick up on my unusual cadence. Though you seemed quite fond of her at a time, yes?”
“That time is long gone. No point in diggin’ up the past.”
“No, Jiro. That is wrong.”
“Eh?”
“There is much value in the past. It teaches us how to live, where to go, and what to believe in.”
“Ha!” The Second Seat laughed. “Someone like you has no reason to be speaking of the past. You’re our leader, so start acting like it.”
He closed the distance, meeting the King’s gaze with a passionate glare. “Don’t get our relationship twisted. I ain’t your little lapdog, and I ain’t your servant, either. I’m just here for my own convenience, that’s all. If you ever act out of line, just know I’ll be there to kick your ass back into shape.”
The King sighed, “Oh, to be reprimanded by my own subordinate. I really am incompetent.”
“If ya’ understand that, then I’ll take my leave.”
Jiro turned his back to the King, returning to the vestibule doorway once more. Just seconds away from his departure, however, the King beckoned him once more.
“Oh, and one more thing, Jiro; keep an eye on the boy’s squadron.”
“Yeah, yeah. Will do.”
A loud slam. A droning silence. King Qiu Han was alone once more, quietly observing his paltry wound.
What did the man think of such an occurrence? What did he think of such a miracle? Was it hope? Joy? Or despair and lamentation? The answer remained obscure, forgotten, even, but not lost.
“Oh, pitiful serpent…will you ever regain your throne in heaven?”
———
[A Few Hours Prior]
Today was my first day as a soldier for the Imperial Wisterian army. Of course, I couldn’t take the official position as the Eighth Seat so easily. For now, I was a “candidate” for the position whose consideration would only increase as I racked up military achievements.
There were also other externalities preventing me from attaining the position. For one, I was not a legal citizen of Wisteria, nor did I have any official records of any country in the local star system. I am, essentially, an anomalous existence with no verifiable proof of my identity. My current military occupation could be considered a form of compensation. I contribute my talents to the war effort and obtain citizenship after a set number of years. A worthy trade-off, if you ask me.
When I said that today was my first day, I wasn’t entirely honest. It was already a bit late in the day, and no major incidents required my skills at the moment, so I was sent to the barracks to rest until further notice.
The barracks were surprisingly large and disturbingly ordinary. Apartment-style housing lined the military base, while verdant life adorned the exterior. They weren’t particularly large or impressive themselves from a structural standpoint, but it all seemed a tad too comfortable. One could mistake this place for a cushy neighborhood sung in nursery rhymes.
It was then that I remembered the law of the land - The Green City Act. Unnecessary alterations to the planet’s integrity were severely limited, if not banned outright. No wonder the air was so clean, despite its urban-esque arrangement.
As I approached my designated barracks — Room 12D — I heard a loud sound emanating from beyond the door. It sounded like…fighting? Was fighting normal amongst fellow soldiers?
A click, followed by a gentle creek — I opened the door, only to be met with an unexpected, no, a preposterous scene.
“ORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
…
Did I hear a gorilla just now?
To my right, a tall woman with burgeoning muscles, piercing eyes, and a large scar around her mouth chased an average-looking man with short, blond hair.
“C’mon! Why do you keep avoiding me? Aren’t you bored shitless too?! Let’s fight!”
“L-Leave me alone! I don’t want to fight a freak like you at all! C-C’mon, Atreides! Help me!”
“...”
To my left, a sophisticated young man, who appeared around one or two years my senior, sat quietly on a worn-down coach, his eyes half-opened, as though he were utterly uninterested in the antics of his colleagues.
After a brief sip of his tea, he turned his cold, piercing gaze towards me. It made me…uneasy.
“Ah, well, if it isn’t a newcomer,” he said with a slight, almost mischievous grin. The man approached me, his gait as elegant as it was robotic, and shook my hand. “I do sincerely apologize for the behavior of my colleagues. They are a passionate bunch, you see. I am-”
Tick-
The ticking of a clock, or perhaps an alarm, came from the small wrist watch on his right hand. He paused, glanced, then reoriented his gaze.
“Ah, that’s right. I am Atreides . It is a pleasure to meet you.”