our people to be the birth place of all life, it is also a place caught within a never ending cycle of birth and death. It is forever consuming and recycling itself. Its tangible violence would consume the weakest of us. We of Nibaru are sheltered from that cycle, but we as in ages past must return to the source to recharge that vital energy. We in a way live as parasites to it. So we must also be careful to live at equilibrium with it. Through the ritual of warfare we are made to remember the thin margin between life and death."
"Father, when shall I accompany you as your prince in the ritual?" "Son you should not need to worry about that for several years. However you are not too young to learn the sacred liturgy." Sensing the young prince's curiosity he reached outhis hand to him. "Come we shall visit the temple."
The temple of Earth stood in the center of the royal city. It could easily be seen in the distance for it was the largest building by far within the walled city. They walked together hand in hand down the palace stairs and on to the great mall. As they roved, all around them their world was springing back to life. One could even see there in the surrounding gardens where the spring time plants were beginning to break the surface of the once frozen ground. As the mass of the domed temple grew closer it began to dwarf in comparison all other structures about them. By now there were others who had awoken they too had come to assemble unto the temple to pay homage or to contemplate the coming season. Together in the quadrangle before the temple entrance they gathered. Some there recognized the king and stood back in respect and reverence. An opening in their ranks formed into a path through which the king and the prince walked through. Aaralaat now felt his strength returning easily matching in exuberance his young prince as they climbed the stairs to the portico. Soon they had reached the great marble arch and passed under into the cavernous interior beyond.
It was a truly opulent space, as young Leif would soon discover. He was awed, having not before been afforded a chance to see how truly majestic it was. As magnificent as the exterior gilded surface of the dome was, it paled in comparison to the splendors held within. Once inside, there were arranged the static figures that represented the pantheon of their myths. At the center there was a monumental figure that dwarfed them all. It was a representation of the Earth goddess. She stood fifty meters tall and was dressed in long flowing robes woven from fine strands of precious metals and bejeweled in the rarest of stone cast in crowns and bangles. Her arms were held below her swollen belly supporting the weight of new life. Leif tried to avoid her gaze but her large black eyes seemed to follow him as he moved. There in her shadow around the circumference of the dome stood the effigies of her servants, the past kings of Nibaru. Aaralaat pointed up toward the figures and said, "Look there my son, one day we too shall likewise be ensconced. "He had a warm glow about his face for this continuity gave him and all of his kind a sense of comfort, for their effort was not in vain. They moved closer with the shadow to an area alit with candles. There within this space was a chapel dedicated to a lesser god. Within the circle of light was a marble slab where lay a sarcophagus not dissimilar to their own yet markedly older. They approached the altar and as they did the two royal priests who had just completed lighting the candles bowed to the king and left.
Young Leif walked up and looked within the sarcophagus that was in fact a reliquary. There within he saw a magnificent suit of armor. The dim candle light cast an eerie glow upon the empty suit. There too by its side lay an array of weaponry that had been collected over the many centuries, each to which could be recited an epic poem of glory. "What is this father; it is not one of the effigies?" "No it surely is not. It is the captured armor of the redeemer himself; Hector the King of Earth men." He pointed upwards above to a graven image of a man's face. It was an unusual sight. He had never before beheld an image of a face so strange. The man in the image wore his long dark hair down to his shoulders and his face was covered in a long dark beard. The lines in his face and his dark eyes sent a chill up through young Leif's spine. His father must have noticed the pall of fear cast upon his son's face, so he spoke to again allay his fears. "Be not afraid it is through combat to this worthy enemy that we are redeemed and we earn the right to live again for another season. We live on a razors edge. To know no bounds, to be out of balance with the vital life forces, would be both our folly and our downfall. It is through the rite of combat through Hector where balance to the equation of life and death is restored. For without the ritual we would surely perish." High above them through the oculus of the dome, the priests patiently peered. They awaited the alignments of the planets for when they knew that within months it would be high summer and the raids would again begin in earnest. There was however much preparation to be done.
Leif asked a question of one of the priests assembled there, "Priest, how is it this situation came to be?" The priest looked down at Leif, then back up to his father. His father shook his head slowly back and forth. His father then spoke, "Leif, to answer such questions it is best to ask one of our many learned scholars. These priests are functionaries, and have many duties to fulfill. Is that not correct priest?" To which they responded with a solemn nod to the affirmative. "On our return trip we shall visit the great library; there you will find the answers you seek."
On their return trip they came upon a building though grand in its way had gone unnoticed in comparison to the temple. Leif would discover he had entered another kind of temple dedicated to knowledge. Within the ornately decorated rooms they walked until they came upon a crystalline room that glowed and hummed with life. They entered within the chamber and they soon sensed a living presence that immediately spoke. "My King, I am the Oracle how may I serve you today?"
"Oracle, it is not I who seeks answers; it is my young son the Prince." How may I help you, my young prince?" Leif looked around confused, not knowing where the voices came. His father once again intervened. "My Prince there is no one there, the oracle has accessed your mind directly. He can act as your spirit guide to the deepest levels of knowledge. Do not be afraid, ask your question." Leif was skeptical but if his father said it was the way and he had no reason to doubt him. He spoke tentatively, "Oracle how can it be that such a relationship exists between the worlds of Nibaru and Earth?"
"I see young prince you are a bright and inquisitive. If the king is in agreement then I shall answer your question."
The King said simply, "Yes, speak the truth." The Oracle speaking directly to Leif now said, "Young prince if I am to share such knowledge with you first you must understand that along with possession of this forbidden knowledge comes a solemn responsibility. Outside the few holders of this knowledge, these facts are unknown. It is then forbidden to relay what you have learned here today. Do you understand, young prince?"
Sensing the gravity of his words, he agreed. "Yes, I understand." Without any further ado the lesson began. "Though this bizarre relationship of which you ask, had for untold eons existed between these two worlds, its origins may be forever lost in the murky depths of time. Even to our most learned historians it was shrouded in an impenetrable cloak of religion and folktale. Logic dictates however that the origins of life on these two worlds must be, of one common ancestry. These assumptions for this common origin are based on the following evidence. Firstly, life could never have evolved independently on Nibaru. It is a barren Ice chest of a world devoid of any of the raw materials required for life. Our species and those genetically altered to do so are the only ones that have ever inhabited this world. Earth by comparison is boiling with species each competing to inhabit the top spot on the food chain. There is mounting archeological evidence that suggests that it was there on Earth, many hundreds or perhaps thousands of years ago that the original species evolved. In all of our studies on the biosphere of Earth, never before had there been categorized such a high degree of divergence between species of a common origin, in such short a time. One theory suggests that scientific alterations to our organisms were made in the distant past to help
us to survive the long deep sleep." The Oracle paused for a moment and asked the King, "Does the prince yet know of the true length of our year? It would be useless to say anymore without an explanation of the time discrepancy." This time the King only nodded solemnly. "Very well, I will continue." Cast about the air in the space before the prince in holographic light, was an animated image of the solar system. The Oracle waited for the boy to see the images in front of him and then he began again to speak. "My Prince this is the system of Sol, our home sun. Do you recognize it? Here within the realm of the rocky inner worlds is the orbit of the Earth. And here from the dark frozen region comes Nibaru. Here in lies the secret that is kept from the people. The sleep duration during the long winter period is not the five months you have been taught to think, but rather it is much much longer. To give you an Idea of the length of time I will put it in terms you are familiar with. Your year around Sol is comprised of a seven month period of Spring and Summer followed by a winter period of 149,988 equivalent months." For descriptive purposes, a sped up holographic animation of Nibaru's orbit, ran in a continuous loop. Leif stared in amazement at the animation as his brief summer period in the scheme of things barely registered in as an event.
After a moment, when the oracle was satisfied that Leif understood the meaning of what he had been told he continued. "What we think may have happened is, Long ago an Earth outpost was established during Nibaru's short summer. Some random catastrophe on Earth may have left the colonists isolated. Whether it was due to scientific alteration to the genetic code, the isolation, radiation or a combination of all three that caused the change, no one knows. It is speculated that by the time they again reached back around to Earth the divergence was too great to be reconciled. This relationship much like our own bodies has evolved over the eons into what it is today. As is true with all competing species conflict arose and therefore a perpetual state of war broke out between the planets. This desperate situation as you call it in which, we are the predator, and they are the prey is for better or worse, a biological fact. It has become a codependent relationship which we cannot retreat from, lest we become extinct. For our people our myths have evolved into the bedrock of our cultural identity. I hope you can now see as the future ruler how the ritual is both a rite of passage, and a practice in necessity."
Though Leif seemed to bear heavily the nature of the lesson they were satisfied that the young prince had fully understood. Aaralaat looked on the boy solemnly and asked his young son one more a question. "Leif as our future king, do you promise to not divulge what you have heard here today?"
"On my honor I swear it."
"It is good my son that you have grown so well toward manhood. Now I would ask you to return to the palace and continue your studies from last fall."
"Yes father." His father with a gesture excused him from the crystal room. As he exited the temple his head was still groggy from the revelation. To clear his head he broke into a run. As he sprinted back to the palace, his heart and mind raced. Soon he was back at his study and he returned to his school work. It was there just he had left it the previous fall. To him compared to his own observations the true length of the year seemed illogical. He tried to put this notion from his mind and attempted to complete his assignments, but for the remainder of that day his school work seemed hollow in comparison to what he had earlier learned. All that hehad heard that morning had left the young prince numb. He came to the realization that most of what he had learned over the course of his young life had been either not wholly correct, or an out and out lie. The glory stories of battle that had once warmed his heart now seemed like so many fairy tales. He had been happy possessing the knowledge of a child. Now his curiosity had given him more answers than he could easily process.
As the days of summer grew longer the surface of Nibaru was green with the growth of lush plant growth. For the first time, Leif like the planet around him had also undergone a similar metamorphosis. His body, like those of all the adult males of his species had begun to transform in the next stage of his life cycle. He was now possessed of a new and hideous form that was the hallmark of their species. This accelerated growth and development had turned the young boy of April into a full grown young adult by July. What he had seen happen was the physical changes required for the ritual of combat. Over the long spring he had watched this transformation as his body slowly morphed into something like that of the creature of their mythology. It is said on Nibaru that where the body goes, so goes the mind. This was true for Leif, for by July, the fog of reason that had cluttered his youthful mind had been replaced by a stark clarity to which he had not before known.
Over these months, as the soft yellow sun in the Nibaru sky reached towards its apex, the orbits of the two planets drew ever closer to each other. During which the high priests of the temple had continued their careful vigil. All waited now for the appropriate signs to be observed in the heavens. The time was near for the first scout ships to prepare for the first of many leaps across space. Many had anticipated this to be true and the anxiety amongst the people was palpable. Leif for the first time in his short life had sensed this. He longed to take his place among the effigies within the temple. Knowing this would require a royal decree he summoned the courage and requested a private audience with his Father. Though he was young there was no set minimum age for a man to take up arms in the ritual. To this he would lean in his argument, for there had been no recent precedent for what he was about to ask. He hand however made the mistake of confiding his intention to his doting mother. Being naïve to the ways of court protocol, he had underestimated his mother's influence. Though she hid well from her son how she felt on this issue she would do all in her power to stop him. She knew too well of the dangers in such a raid. Her own brother had been killed at an early age under similar circumstances. She planned then to use her considerable influence to lobby the king to reject such a notion out of hand.
On the appointed day Leif there appeared at the throne room dressed in his finest robes. The royal pair was there entreating guests and conducting state business as the herald made young Leif’s announcement. "May I introduce his Royal Highness Leif, son of Aaralaat and prince of the realms. He entered the royal chamber to meet there with is parents. He came before their twin thrones and knelt before them. His mother ordered him to rise and to come forth. "My dear prince, come now and show the mother that bore you what is her due, your undying devotion." He did, and despite his current loathsome appearance, she embraced him as only a mother could. This same blind devotion could not be said for her husband the King whose presence in his warrior form, she could little tolerate. Though her repulsion was obvious she remained by his side did as was her duty as queen. She again spoke, "What audacious circumstance has distracted you from your studies and brought you here before us today?"
He recognized that it was a deceptively simple question so he answered carefully. "Mother and Father, Have I dishonored you? It is only desire to pay my portion of respect and love that is due that I come before you. All else is secondary."
"Secondary perhaps, but there is more am I correct? There is much for you to learn my young son for every mother knows that each year no matter how immature their sons will ask the inevitable question; May I ride upon the silver ships?" She said mockingly. "You are barely strong enough to hold a weapon how in all of Earth would you hope to survive the likes of Hector?"
Aaralaat, who until that moment had been reluctant to speak as it was now difficult with the reconfiguration of his jaw, now with some difficulty, spoke. "My Queen, as is your right as his mother, you may question his readiness, but you should not belittle his manhood so. He is the future king. It is unsuitable for him to be spoken to in such a manner, even by the Queen. For that reason alone I may be inclined to allow it. Besides, it is every boy's right to petition the king."
Not wishing to appear as opposing the king, she tried another angle. "My King, in my defense It is not only for the Prince I am concern
ed for but also the future of the crown itself, to which I have been sworn to protect. Who among your weak and feeble brothers shall I select as King, if both of you are lost? Next year, he will be a mature adult and more able to defend the crown. And to you Leif forgive me if I have broken your spirit it was not my intention to do so. Forgive me."
With that apology Leif's fate to stay at home for one more season was sealed. His father now spoke to him. "My son your, mother is wise. For the reasons she has stated I could not you allow to accompany the attack this year. Soon you shall be fully grown and you will take your place God willing beside me." With eyes cast downwards Leif kept his emotions in check. He did not want to prove his mother’s points for her by some childish expression. His only response was to bow his and turn away. He began to withdraw from the chamber. As he walked toward the exit he was distracted by a commotion of voices from the ranks of the priests in attendance. He turned to watch as the chief among them came before the king with an announcement. "My King, The signs in the heavens have fallen into place. The time to launch the scouts has arrived." Aaralaat rose to his feet and gave the order, Men to your ships the time of the ritual is upon us. The relative silence within the chamber was replaced by the raucous noise of howling bloodlust from every adult male. As the sound throughout the palace reverberated, Leif looked on at his mother with a look of sadness. She in that moment was bitten by a short lived remorse. She had to remind herself, it was for his own good.
A Paradox in Retrograde Page 12
