Trojian Horse

Calm as far as the eye could see. Not a breeze to ripple the still waters, not a movement below to stir the waves. Everything is tranquil above and below, all is light, all shadows dispelled.

Out of the water it is brought forth from the depths of the darkness below it to the surface where an abundance of light greets it. As it rises from the water, ripples stretch out in every direction racing toward the horizons, small at first but growing stronger and higher as they move farther and farther away until the waves kiss the horizon as monstrous towers that roll on forever. There is no source of light yet the light is everywhere. The radiance of that world cocoons it.

The darkness returns, oozing out from under it, from deep in the depths, reaching its icy fingers to the surface. The darkness grabs it and begins to drag it down yet again into the depths seeking to snuff out its beauty, to stifle its radiance, to make sure it never remembers what it is. The light fights for it, thrashing wildly at the darkness until it is freed. The light wraps around it and transports it to another place.

All around is the smell of wet earth. It is dragged through the mud, through coarse and through fine, through rock and through sand but still it remains. At last it sits on the surface free again then comes the strong breeze. Then comes the gentle breeze and with it comes a voice. Gentle at first then it grows louder and stronger until the voice surrounds it. It is caught in a vortex created by the voice. It listens for the words.

In the wind, it hears the words.

In a world like no other,

An eighth other,

Two companions locked in a twisted embrace,

A twisted fate,

When the lesser of the two bares down,

On her companion, bloodied by night,

In the midst of conflict,

A saviour shall come,

Marked with the kiss of the four brothers,

Locked in an eternal dance,

Round and round.

Their paths shall pit them one against the other.

Together they cannot rule,

Together they cannot exist,

One must die for the other to live,

One must seek life while the other is stripped of it,

Only in death is life,

Only through life comes death,

The burden, the blessing, will fall on he

Kissed by the four brothers,

To unite them all.

The voice stills the wind. The world begins to collapse, folding in on itself repeatedly leaving only a doorway. It takes a step and then another pressing toward that light. It perseveres and steps through the door and then it hears the voice, booming loud, call its name.