The Cathedral erupted in applause and laughter.
“I too am blessed this day to be wed to a woman you do not know well, nor did I that long ago. She is Hana of the Wildmen, Princess and fierce warrior never defeated in single combat. She set aside her fierceness to take me as her mate and wished to honor the human custom of marriage in the Cathedral. She asked why we should mate, though it was her wish and even though she barely knew me. I have had to think about why she would accept this imperfect human bug above all others.
“In the end, she asked if my mates and her were political arrangements meant only to solidify bonds and allegiances. My opinion is no. It is no secret, nor was it to Hana, that I have other mates and attempted to describe each one. All are fated by luck, good or bad, to love me, as I believe Hana will one day. What I believe about Hana is that what she sees in me are the aspirations of her people, of all people on this planet for peace and tolerance to reign supreme, and for all to unite under one banner, not through force of arms but through shared and guiding principles. We share this dream, and I believe Hana is the one designated by God Almighty to bring this dream to reality. Though I will long be departed, I know her strength and resolve, her love of her people, the mighty Wildmen Nation, will prevail through what we have begun.
“I hope that before my time ends she learns to love this imperfect soul, and that the belief she held that I was the one destined to capture her heart will be proven to her satisfaction. I love you all, I ask you to bless these unions.”
There was silence throughout the land as the citizenry bowed their heads in silence and prayed for the creature they loved, Adam St. James, the Manti.
As the vows concluded, Adam whispered to the King he had one more duty in the sacristy.
Lined up in a semicircle were eight young women, all Gens ladies of the Wildmen, dressed as bridesmaids, and holding bouquets of flowers.
Adam said, “We are to wed in secret. Your silence is required, but your riches in the delights of the palate shall be amply rewarded.”
“I feel shamed that you no longer desire my mind as a physicist as you once did, and I am so easily bought by your exotic treats.
“Your complaint …?”
“None. What more do you ask?”
“Nothing, Adam. Now to the vows. And my basket of goodies?”
Adam called out, and eight large crates of delicacies were brought in. “They shall be delivered this day to your palace larder.”
“My Lord is generous.”
“And my King is ample.”
“So he is, Lord. So he is.”
Chapter 38
Adam finished reading the Book brought to him by Hecate after her return from the realm of Liara the Creator; he contemplated its meaning and utility. It was transferred directly into his mind, which therefore took no time to “read”, but still more time to absorb. While he did not think it helped much with his death sentence, it did have significance for his contest later the next day with Paulo. Had he any doubts about winning before, he was absolutely confidant he would win now.
Adam’s strategy was now modified in light of his understanding of the Book, and the one fact that stood out as most promising.
He turned his attention back to his new wives, who surrounded him, all smiling. All had been given knowledge and were more than proficient at transforming from Gens Wildmen females to human form women. The newness of the feelings and emotions, coupled with physical sensations were exciting. It was exhilarating; congress among the wild Gens was purely for mating; the idea of pleasure was not forbidden, it just seemed unnecessary. To the male of the species, probably so. Their experience was always pleasurable to them; to females, the topic was long said by generations of matrons to be unimportant.
Gens in the wild also followed longstanding rituals and the act of procreation was more a war of domination than a slow process of enjoyment, pleasure, and creative satisfaction. No anger was generated; each sex assumed it was simply the way of the world. Coitus was short, followed by pregnancy and then birth.
When Hana expressed to her sisters that humans and Nobilus did not hold such cultural views, and physical union could last hours and for many times, the handmaidens, now wives, feared that coitus would be far worse the Gens traditions and perhaps even painful. Hana assured them it was not; that the Manti though deadly and fearsome was a thoughtful and caring mate, who attended to her with kindness and sensual touch. Far from quick and dutiful, it was pleasuring and erotic.
When they learned the meaning of the word “erotic” they suddenly became willing students. They asked if they could watch the Manti and Hana couple first; she assured them that they had no need to watch and learn. As she knew from her first night with Adam, their first amazing pleasure could only be experienced once. She encouraged them to be brave and ask the Manti if they could all rejoice in their coupling together with Hana as their guide.
When asked, Adam readily agreed. He touched a few wives’ minds, then began to add other wives as each found the courage to join in. None left before dawn; Hana had to remind them that the Manti was scheduled to fight later that day. He would need his rest, and time to prepare mentally for his final test of leadership.
Hanna removed her handmaiden/wives to their new home adjacent to the residence complex of the Manti. Fionna and Niona were their first visitors to come to ask about their wedding night.
“Was he good to you? Gentle and loving?”
“He was. And such sensations of joy and pleasure. He entered me and my mind together – such ecstasy I did not think possible. It was like floating above the earth, on a bed of clouds. He was sweet and tender. Though my sisters were there, I felt as if no one else was with us in the entire world. Only my husband and only me. I could not speak; I could only feel. Yet there seemed to be so much more I wanted to explore without knowing what it was.”
Fionna said, “You speak for all of us. I am fierce and cruel; undefeated in battle like you, but on my night, it was only him and only me in ecstasy. Like you, I was spent, yet knowing there was so much more to experience.”
“And was there more?”
“You have only begun your journey; your first step. And you may speak to him; tell him how you feel and ask for more of what you desire. He will do as you ask.”
“I would not know how …”
“You can, and you will, and he will do exactly as you ask. He pleasures you, then himself. Ours is not the gentle touch of youth; I wish for struggle and domination, neither of us caring who prevails. I do not recommend it for young ladies.”
Hana said, “And I agree. I have long waited for my equal; to have him win me, not once but always. The Manti allows this and takes joy in my need to be won.”
“Whether young lady or not, delve deep into your desires and express them to husband, as he likes to be called.”
“And I am told his wives all wish different experiences. He is accommodating to them all?”
“He is.”
Fionna and Niona continued. “But there is another side too. He loves and will protect you; he has some magic that makes us love him and only him. You may not couple with another male, but with your sisters and wives if you should choose. And there is such pain of separation you may feel; fears of him coming to harm or that he will not return home. Keep it to yourself; our husband burdens himself with our safety and worries to distraction.”
Fionna addressed the handmaidens/wives.
“He sees each of us and our children every day. He never forgets us, or his people. He will soon come to you to discuss your work, not as handmaidens to Hana, but as wife and emissary of the Manti. Your jobs shall be to unify and bring to his side the entire Nation of the Wildmen. The work will not always be without danger, but you will never be alone. For the most warlike and hostile, the Manti, Varsa or Tar will be with you. But you must learn to speak for him. It is his way.
“Prepare now for the afternoon. I shall come to collect you for the parade to the C
oliseum.”
***
Hecate appeared to Adam, alone in his Study. You read it?”
“I did.”
“Then you know what you need do and how.”
“I am prepared.”
“When it is over, I have news. But I save it until after Paulo is dead. Liara is not as powerful as she says. Your death is not certain, though neither is your life.”
Adam warned, “You may not flee. It would be disaster for us both and our world.”
“I shall not. Orsin and I have mated as husband and wife. I am now with child. It seems he has your same industrial strength fishies within him. I never stood a chance.”
“Then I am a complete man, wishing I was your father and a grandfather in waiting; your beauty will grow with the life within you. With your permission, I wish to call you ‘daughter’, though I have no right.”
Hecate cried. “I wish it. I have always wished it. I am your daughter, if not by blood, by love. I beg you to ask the King for permission to adopt me. I wish to be a St. James.”
“I will attend to it directly after I dispatch Paulo today. The King will be in attendance; I shall send a runner immediately.”
“I shall fly, and we shall do this before the combat. We shall waste no time.”
“Make it so, my child.”
***
Soon before entering the sands of the arena, the King and his wives gathered with Orsin and his birth family to watch the Manti formally adopt Hecate, once the Immortal, now a St. James. They entered the Coliseum as a family together taking their places on the large dais of highest honor to watch the contest below. Adam announced his new daughter to the crowd. Cheers erupted as matrons were heard to say, “About time.”
***
Adam led his entourage into the arena of snow-white sand, and toward the two platforms of honor for his family, close friends and family. Hana sat at the front of the second platform, Adam’s eight new young wives sitting immediately behind her. Varsa and his mate sat on either side of their daughter. Hana was dressed in a flowing white dress and wore a veil adding to the mystery of the Wildmen Princess. Her handmaidens were fetching and in human form while her parents were the same in natural state.
Adam climbed up to face the crowds as the platforms lifted off the ground and floated for all to see in 360-degree full view. When he spoke, his words lodged directly into the minds of those in attendance, in the language they best understood.
“Friends and fellow citizens of Paraiso and Nabataea, honored guests, and leaders of the three great species, and to my honored guest Varsa and his mate, leader of the free Wildmen Nation, I bid you welcome. Today I fulfill the legacy of the Prophecy and take my rightful place as Headman of the Gens Nation and the Nobilus Magnus. After the formalities today, I shall relinquish my claims of kingship and dominance to Varsa and Tar for the Gens Nation and to Derek Nobilus of the Nobilus Magnus.
“I have no desire for power, nor to lead great Nations in ways for which I am not qualified.”
“Today I am faced with two paths, only one of which I am permitted to follow by Liara the Creator and by the One True God. Today if I should perish, so shall the world; should I prevail, we may be saved. If so, we have much work ahead of us to remake this planet into what it was intended.
“No matter the outcome, I have offended the Creator, and for that transgression I must die, though I have been allowed to remain on this plane of existence until my final work on this planet is begun. It will be soon thereafter when I shall join Paulo in the afterlife. During the time afforded me, we will reveal ourselves to humanity, seek peace and fight for dominance if that is their desire. I shall represent your interests against the species into which I was born, and the outcome will be terrible if hubris and insanity prevails in humankind. Fear not, for God is with you, and the Blessings of the Way and the Balance have been restored to this world.
“I have taken new wives, Hana high Princess of the Wildmen and her eight handmaidens. They have accepted the Way and the Balance and have been given knowledge and the ability to transform instantly. They shall remain, for the time being, in human form, but will soon be traveling to meet with all clans of the Wildmen to teach them the Way and the Balance and to fear no species as adversary any longer.
“My heirs in justice and power are Tar and Orsin of the Black Forest, Varsa and Hana of the Wildmen and my wives as representatives of humankind. For the Nobilus Magnus, Derek Nobilus shall represent; he too needs wives soon, so women and matrons of our free peoples, beware.”
The Coliseum roared with laughter.
“I expect humans to reject peace, and if so, they shall regret their arrogance too long in the making. I will teach them new ways, ways without resort to weapons or war. It will not be easy, but we must be patient while the seeds of a new world comprising all species equally begin to take root. Tolerance and forgiveness will be tested. You must be strong; you must be resolute to the end game.
“Today I fight Paulo Fortizi, he supported by evil and the lust for power. When he is dead by my claws, he shall be the last link in the fulfillment of the Prophecy given to us by God and the Creator. It is the portend of the new age, and you and all the world are bound by it.
“We shall fight under the rules of the ancient Wildmen, naked and without weapons. Paulo, are you ready to begin?”
“And if I should win?”
“You walk away, free and unharmed.”
Both men shed their clothes, though Paulo had powders and weapons hidden. Adam ignored these transgressions, though the crowds did not. Tar would find the traitors who helped Paulo in this treachery, and their deaths would be slow.
Paulo began hurling invectives and insults to Adam and about his wives, but to no avail. Adam, after a few moments transformed to the Red Gens Manti, and howled. So too did Paulo, though to lesser effect.
Paulo attacked first, going for an Ai cut, but no wound was inflicted. He attacked time and time again, with slash, thrust and bite; again, all to no avail. He attempted to cut Adam’s throat, but the slash just glanced off.
Adam then attacked, with much the same result. It appeared no one would win; hearts were deflated.
Then Adam attacked savagely, pounding and striking Paulo over and over again, causing him to fall to the ground, who then kipped back up for more attack.
“You shall lose; at least you shall not prevail,” said Paulo, confidant in his skill and strength to repel Adam.”
“Perhaps.”
Adam punched and pushed Paulo against the arena wall, then struck him repeatedly with the palm of his hand to his nose and face. Stunned, Paulo fell to the ground, dazed.
Adam dragged Paulo to the center of the arena, lifting his legs and feet high above Paulo’s struggling body. With a surgeon’s precision, Adam cut off Paulo’s feet and held them aloft as trophies. As the blood flooded out of Paulo’s stumps, he began to weaken. Within minutes, he was dead.
The crowd was hushed. Onlookers rushed into the arena, and fell to their knees, as in worship.
Adam spoke, saying “Arise. The nightmare and reign of terror is finally over. Go home and begin readiness for your new tasks for a better world on the morrow. Tonight, celebrate with family and be thankful for your God who is both kind and merciful. For now, I am dreadfully weary and must return to my home and to those who sustain me with their love.”
As Adam arrived on the arena floor at the midpoint of the two platforms, he said, “I love you.”
Then he collapsed.
Chapter 39
Several Immortals were huddled with Liara at her “Palace”, having just received the news that Adam had killed Paulo, using the technique in the Book that she had let Hecate steal. Adam would have prevailed anyway, but it might have taken days if not weeks or months. Liara wanted the spectacle over quickly as a lesson to the lower life forms that Adam was now the sole power on the insignificant planet called Earth. And, since she would decide his fate, she was therefore now the most
fearsome, all powerful dominatrix and master over the planet Earth, its solar system, galaxy and Universe.
However, her more outspoken Immortal subjects did not like the long-term implications of Adam or his proposals for the “new” Earth. The original plan of killing almost everyone on the planet then installing Adam as absolute ruler of a diminished kingdom of mortals had much more appeal to them.
But, he had refused such absolute power.
The Immortals were beside themselves with anger and frustration; they wanted the Bug crushed for insolence immediately. Liara refused.
“Kill him now! He is weak, and our Lord is not watching. Have the child do your bidding now and do not wait. Strike while you can; if he gains strength, all may be lost. He and the half-breed are a danger to us all, and the presence to the two other Immortals means our Master has taken an interest in the outcome of your experiment.”
“I should just order his death after agreeing not to kill him? And the Great Master will say and do nothing? Perhaps you should speak to our Master and beg his permission to act in this manner first.”
Silence.
“I thought so. So long as you risk nothing you are brave. When you risk yourselves, you cower. I shall take care of this matter personally while you hide in your kingdoms terrorizing the mortal populace.”
“We need action, not intricate and risky grand plans.”
“Come with me,” Liara said to her fellow Immortals. “I’d like to show you something.”
They walked into a beautifully tended garden, with two pools of liquid, one blue, the other black.
“Do you know what these are?”
All shook their heads. “No, Mistress.”
“The blue is the spark of life; the other the well of death. Each living thing has one and will eventually have the other. Life is lodged in the essences of all living things; even you. Yours is large and full; mortals have tiny droplets, while plants have only the barest aroma of life force. I did not create these; they were gifts from God who alone can make these pools of wonder. Once begun, they can self replicate if the species survives; but there are limits. These are not to be misused and God is always watching. God proposes, and we dispose. We are meant to be enlightened beings, stewards of physical reality and all living beings contained therein. But I think you’d agree we have strayed from that path, though God gives us wide latitude and always believes my explanation about why I destroy worlds.”
Resolution Page 99
