The Awakening
When Destiny raises a hero, the world bows its head
Aden. Year 4L 21/15
"How did you know my name?" Solomon asked Peter, who was sitting across him at the dining table.
"I didn't. Solomon was the name of my son who died a few years ago," replied Peter, "but I do know that you haven't forgotten your name, or anything else for that matter, It is just that you are a little confused. You don't know what you are supposed to do with that amulet around your neck."
Solomon was startled at hearing about the amulet. He had always kept it hidden beneath his clothes.
"It is quite astonishing how this amulet passes down generation after generation, in a perfectly planned manner, but when it reaches the person who can unleash its full powers, that person knows nothing about it."
Solomon wanted to ask Peter that how did he know that he has the amulet around his neck . But instead he asked, "What is this amulet? What I am supposed to do with it?"
"That is the Amulet of Transition," replied Peter.
"Amulet of Transition? What is Transition?" asked Solomon.
Peter told Solomon everything he knew about the Dance of Two Sisters, the Transition of power at the turn of loop, and about how his forefathers were the catalysts for these changes at every juncture.
"These are all stories that people have kept telling for generations" concluded Peter "But the truth has got so much mixed with fantasy that it is hard to tell them apart and thus very few people actually believe in these stories. But being a priest I do believe in such cycles, loops and miracles."
"So, you think there is going to be a Transition of power seven years from now, and everything will change. Fortunes of this world will change? And all due to this locket," Solomon removed the amulet from under his clothes, "Well this amulet was in my neck when I lost everything I had. It was there when my father was murdered. It was there when I ran for my life, leaving my helpless mother behind. And I am sorry to shatter your hopes, but this amulet did nothing. And I don't think it can do anything as well."
"As per the legends that I have heard, around the end of second loop, Abraham The Believer, who was at that time about the same age as you, rose to prominence. Nobody knew about his roots, it was as if he had appeared out of thin air. He showed miracles, performed unimaginable tasks, and more importantly bonded people together to lay down the foundation of a prosperous civilization. Then towards the end of the third loop, some corrupt nobles killed the incumbent king, Abraham's descendant John, The Generous. On the very same day, John's son David, who must again have been of the same age as you, disappeared, and since then, since the beginning of this loop, this world has just gone into a slumber. Does this story sound familiar to you? If yes, then do you understand now, why your appearance out of thin air, wearing that locket, got me excited. Because that made me believe that all those fancy tales, that everyone had heard for cycles after cycles, could actually be true. It made me believe in the so called theory of the Dance of Two Sisters. And most importantly it gave me hope. And hope is what this world needs. Because hope can do miracles."
Solomon pondered over Peter's story. It was exactly what had happened in their world during the turn of the last loop. David, presumably the same David that disappeared from Aden, appeared in Elisium out of nowhere. Just like Abraham, he formed an empire and towards the end of that loop, his descendant Isaac was murdered and his son, Solomon himself, vanished from that world. This seemed like an ever-going cycle, an unending loop. Solomon still wasn't sure what was he supposed to do to play his part in this game of destiny.
Both men were so deeply grossed in their conversation, that they had become oblivious to their surroundings. Peter's son Aaron suddenly barged into the house, "Father, an enormous tornado is moving towards our village. I don't think we are going to survive this one. These days of darkness are going to kill us this time."
Solomon and Peter rushed out of their house. The winds were so strong they felt they were going to be blown of their feet.
"We must go back inside the house and pray that somehow our house weathers this tornado," shouted Aaron over the noise of the strong winds.
Peter nodded and hurried back towards his house, but something inside Solomon's head told him to stay put. He stood his ground and stared at the tornado
"Hey, come on kid, hurry up or you'll be blown away," Aaron shouted again.
Solomon remained unmoved. Aaron angrily moved towards Solomon to drag him in, but Peter stopped him. Peter held his breath. He could feel a sense of excitement building inside him. Peter could feel that something extraordinary was about to happen.
And it happened exactly as Peter had anticipated
Solomon, as if in a trance, started to walk towards the tornado. And the tornado, which was moving at a fast but steady pace towards the village, suddenly rushed towards Solomon. It looked like a fighter who charges towards his opponent inside the arena. Solomon closed his eyes as the tornado engulfed him. Peter and Aaron watched dumbfounded as the tornado swirled around Solomon, began to grow weak, and then dissipated within seconds. Solomon stood where he was, with his eyes still closed and the amulet dangling out of his clothes, shining like a bright star.
Solomon felt the tremendous energy of the tornado coursing through his veins. At that moment he felt something awaken within him. He felt like which he had never felt before. It appeared to him as if a cloud which had clouted his brain had cleared and now he could see everything from a very different perspective. He could think a lot more clearly. All the things which he had heard from Peter now made a lot more sense to him. What seemed to him like some fantasy stories a short while ago now felt like reality. It seemed like his destiny.
Finally, David, and Abraham, and Noah, and Adam the first himself, had awaken within Solomon. He was no more the baffled kid who had jumped into the whirlpool, but now he was the man chosen by destiny.
People of the village came out of their houses, confounded about the sudden disappearance of the tornado. When Peter told them what had just happened, they dropped on their knees and bowed their heads to Solomon.
When Destiny raises a hero, the world bows its head.
The tornado was just the start of Solomon's adventures in the other world.
That was the beginning of his journey from being Solomon the lost, to becoming Solomon the Conqueror.
A journey that in its wake, was going to turn the fortunes of two worlds on its head.