Everything falls, humans, cities, civilizations, culture and even gods. No matter who you are, you will face the ultimate demise, the ultimate end of your reign.
Everything ends and that is all that matters.
I.
"What have you said the there are no longer cities that is willing to trade with us?!" a man with a bulk figure, a handsome face shouted at an advisor.
"But King Suen, the other cities withheld of all their items from us because--"
"Because?!"
"Because they cannot trade with someone who is a false god," the advisor said, quivering in fear.
"A false god?! I am a god! I am in par with the rest of the pantheon of gods! Who ever said this to me?! Who?!" Narim Suen, grandson of the Sargon the Great, shouted angrily.
"A---all of the other city leaders," the advisor said with enough volume to be heard by an ant.
"Speak up! Bah! Guards! Send this blasphemous insect to the dungeons!" he ordered to his guards.
"B--but sire..."
"I won't hear any of it! Guards!" as the king shouted, two guards seized the whimpering advisor, arm to arm, the advisor was dragged away from the throne room.
"Sire, the sickness around the city is getting worse, bodies are pilling up outside the city, the stench is getting worse!" another advisor came running towards the king.
"The gods has abandoned us. Jealousy is surfacing from them for they fear I will overthrow them as a new god!" King Suen yelled as he stood up from his throne. "What else has the gods rained down upon us?!"
"Food supplies are running low, the crime of mugging and thieving has raised and an angry mob has appeared in front of the palace, sire," the advisor said as he followed the fuming god king.
The god king has walked towards the balcony of his palace, where once his grandfather spoke for his people and his father and uncle, now, nobody was sure who the god king speaks for. "Citizens of Akkad! Do not fret! I am not the one to blame here! The gods has forsaken us! They fear that I will take over their reign for I am the New God, the King of the Four Quarters of the World! The one who trampled over the Lullubi! I Naram-Suen will take the wrath of my people to the temple of the worthless god, Enlil! I will destroy it for the name of the Akkadian empire! To show those gods the true wrath of the Akkadian Empire!" he shouted over the mob below the palace. The people yelled in rejoice to their false god of a king.
As the king walked away from the balcony, he motioned for his advisor, "Gather all the able soldiers to the city gates. We will destroy that temple and the city of Nippur. I will show Enlil not to anger a god."
"But sire---"
"Do as you are told or your head would be rolling on the palace stairs," the king said behind gritted teeth, his eyes burned with anger and pride. "I am tired of waiting for their answers on why they have forsaken my people, my kingdom and my right as a god. I will destroy Enlil."
"Y--yes, sire. At once, I will as I am told," the advisor obeyed reluctantly to the false god.
The king went to his chamber, grabbed his scimitars and he wore his armor on him and set out to destroy the throne who created him.
II.
Upon arriving at the city Nippur, Namir-Suen and his army set foot towards the temple of the god, Enlil.
"Sire, we have arrived," a scout said to the Suen.
"Are there anyone inside the temple?" Suen asked.
"Yes, sire. Children, women and men are inside. What do we do?"
"Destroy it and kill anyone inside," the God King's eyes flared in anger.
"But--"
"That is an order, soldier," Suen growled at the scout who swallowed hard.
Hesitantly, the army of Akkad set out to the majestic temple of Enlil. Screams of pain, agony erupted from the temple, blood flowed down the steps of the temple, bodies fell in numbers. Once the massacre was done, Suen tasked his soldiers to destroy the pillars of the temple, to set fire to it. The soldiers followed, their shoulders slumped, their breath heavy.
Once the temple was licked and engulfed by fire. Suen stood in front of it. "Hear me! Gods! If you defy me once again! I will destroy everything you have built! I will set them on fire! Bring them down to the ground and bring forth destruction upon you!" the God King roared at the skies and thunder rumbled above as an answer.
"Come on, men. We will see if the gods has withdrew their plague in fear of me," Suen said, smiling on his deed.
Unknown to the God King, the God he swore to destroy watched him from a distant, his eyes flared in anger, lightning tore the skies, the wind picked up and a hurricane was brewing.
"You have angered me for the last time, Narim-Suen! You shall taste my wrath!" Enlil appeared in his god form in front of his ruined temple, then like how fast he appeared, he disappeared in a flash.
From behind rocks, a man wearing a weathered cloak, his gray playful eyes saw everything. "Human arrogance can really anger a god," he muttered under his breath.
III.
"Sire, a man here is looking for you," a servant came running towards the king who just arrived from his journey.
"Who is it? I am in no mood to talk to anyone," the king grunted.
"I am the man who can save your city," the Stranger appeared beside him.
"Who are you?!"
"A passerby that will save your city. I can save these problems of yours but let me," the Stranger said.
"Why would I accept the help of a beggar?"
"Because if you don't your proud city will fall into ruins and you, a miserable body," the Stranger's tone made the God King shiver.
Inside the throne room of the king, the Stranger sat in front of the king, who sat on his throne.
"Answer me, Stranger, what do you mean by what you said?" the King asked.
"You have great taste here well I guess you inherited it from Sargon, great chap, a little too naive but guess he managed," the Stranger mumbled.
"Naive?! My grandfather was not naive!" the King stood up in anger.
"Oh sure he was. I helped him with his rule and it turned out great but then he died. Poor him."
"Do not disgrace my family or I will make sure you will die a painful death!" the King roared.
"Ah! But I guess, you'll be the one who will go first if you don't do as I say," the Stranger walked towards Narim and stared at the flaring black eyes of the king.
"Tell me. Why have you come?"
"You have angered some supreme beings and they will wage a war with you if you don't apologize," the Stranger said backing up, toying with his pale red quill.
"Supreme beings?"
"Gods, you are slow. The gods! The one you humans worship!"
"I angered them?! They have angered me first!"
"That is where you're wrong. Human don't get vengeful with gods, they get angry but humans has no right to seek vengeance upon gods," the Stranger said facing the king.
"H--human?! I am no human! I am a god!"
"Ah wrong again! If you're a god, as you say, why is your city suffering then? If you're a god, you can just bless these people and they won't suffer," the Stranger said with a cold look.
"The gods hasn't acknowledged me yet as a god and they are all jealous because I do things they cannot!"
"What is it with you humans blaming gods with what you yourselves has done?!" the Stranger said getting impatient.
"I have done nothing wrong!"
"Wrong! You have done something and you have the power of a king but you acted out like a child!"
"A child!? Who are you to call me a child!"
"I am the one who stands between you and the destruction of your city!" the Stranger said, his temper rising. "You acted like a child and destroyed the temple of your god! You killed those who are servants of gods! Do you realize what you have done?! You acted not as a king but you acted like a child! You have put your people's safety in danger because of that childish act you did!"
The king felt uncertain on what he has done. "The gods has forsaken us. I asked why but I have waited for seven years but nothing. They didn't answer me."
"Gods don't work that way. You ask them but they will never answer you. Gods are like parents, they will never tell you what you have done wrong but they will praise you if you figure it out," the Stranger said, his voice warm.
"You must ask forgiveness or else," the Stranger said.
"Or else what?"
"Or else you're city will fall into ruins and you will die in the hands of a god."
IV.
From the horizons while the sun is setting, an army marched that was led by a man with a perfectly sculpted body and face, wisps of white hair peeked from his helm. Beside him were equally perfect beings.
"Soldiers of Gutium! The Usurper's city lay ahead! He has disgraced your gods! Laid waste on countless city and proclaimed himself a god!" Enlil in his human for roared. With a chorus of war cries, the warriors of Gutium rode to the city of Akkad.
In front of the city gates was a cloaked figure. "Blood lord. I didn't knew you would interfere with our war."
"War is always an ugly word, Enlil," the Stranger said. "Why didn't you see? I thought you're the God that weaves Fate?"
"You already know that you Blood lords has always been able to elude the eyes of the gods," Enlil said. "Step aside, Blood lord for he has angered me and you know how well the gods take impudence."
"I know but he feels sorry for it. He will come and greet you later at the palace and you can approve of his apo--" but before the Stranger finished, an arrow shot from above the wall it was caught by Enlil before it pierced his head. An archer shot it. "Why?!" the Stranger yelled in anger. The archer stood shivering in fear as he was struck down by an arrow to the head.
"If I would've been an ordinary human, I would be dead and that death would be on your hands, Blood lord," Enlil snapped the arrow in half. "The king you're trying to protect ordered it."
"What?!"
"He ordered it. While you are distracting me, he ordered it," Enlil said coolly. "Men! Storm the gates! Burn down everything! Akkad has reigned enough and it is time to end it!"
Chorus of war cries filled the air, the men with spears, armors, on horses or on foot destroyed the main gates of the city. The gods accompanying Enlil, rained down bolts of power down at the city.
"I thought.." the Stranger muttered.
"Stranger. You did what you can but his fate has always been sealed. He will die by my hands," Enlil said walking pass the Blood lord.
"No. I won't let you kill innocent people just because a human angered you!" the Stranger summoned a Heavenly Bull that rammed Enlil but the god was too powerful even in human form.
"Don't be stupid, Blood lord. Gods created you making us more powerful than you," Enlil said before he smashed the Heavenly bull to the ground. "Stay back or you will regret it." Enlil joined the chaos inside the city of Akkad while the Stranger stood where the god left him.
V.
Inside the palace, the cries of the innocent people can be heard, the soldiers, men, women, children and the unborn cries in pain.
"Sire! The Gutium has stormed the city and killing the citizens! What will we do?!" the advisor screamed.
"Soldiers, we will intercept their leader and I will take his head and claim myself on true god!" Narim roared, grabbing his scimitars, he walked towards the palace gates with 100 soldiers but was intercepted by the Stranger.
"Stranger!" Narim gasped.
"How could you," the Stranger muttered.
"Gods don't apologize to anyone!" Narim shouted.
"Stop calling yourself a 'god'! You are far from it! You are just an cat thinking to be a lion but you will never be a bloody god!" the Stranger's eyes flared with anger. "Those screams you are hearing outside are victims! Victims of your arrogance!"
"Blasphemy! I am a god! A true god! Those people worshiped me and they will go to the Paradise!"
"Paradise?! They are dying one by one out there! They worshiped you?! You threatened to kill them if they didn't! You ruled with fear! That is not something a god does! You are no god! Just a tyrant!" the Stranger yelled.
"Get out of my way or you will die," Narim threatened.
"You go out there, you will die," the Stranger said, factly.
"I will shed my shell as a human and join the gods and rule over them," Narim said, the Stranger stepped away.
"Human arrogance and their greed for power will always be your downfall," the Stranger said.
Narim stopped. "Stranger, let me ask you this. Are you not human yourself?"
"I am and at the same time not," the Stranger said as the false god walked pass the palace gates to meet a true god.
VI.
In the break of dawn, the city of Akkad was in ruins. The bodies of the dead littered the ground, fires has been extinguished, the remaining soldiers of Gutium has left the battle and went back to their city while the gods remained.
In front of Enlil was the bloodied body of Narim Suen. "You are all witnesses to the wrath of the gods," Enlil said to the survivors of Akkad who quivered in fear. "You are free to join the Gutium or other cities."
"I'll take them to where they want," the Stranger said, walking towards Enlil. "I'll take them." He said avoiding the body of Narim.
"Accepted," Enlil approved.
"Come on. I'll help you to Kish. I knew their queen and they knew me there," the Stranger said gathering the last of Akkad.
As the Stranger arranged for a way to travel for the survivors. Enlil approached him. "Stranger."
"I don't need your wise words, Enlil."
"You were always defiant with the gods but let me tell you this. His death was not your fault and not of the others," Enlil said.
"But I could have saved them," the Stranger said facing the god.
"No, you couldn't. You walk as a god but you are not one. You were in the brink of where Narim Suen stood but what kept you from traversing that path?"
"Aishir won't like it," the Stranger said. "So, I tried to prevent Narim to make a mistake."
"But he was too far gone. You tried and that's what is important."
"But I didn't try enough!"
"No, you did," the god disappeared with a blinding light. "A word of warning, your host is nearing his own end. Be prepared."
The Stranger turned his back and climbed the cart that was pulled by two six legged oxen where the 20 survivors sat.