Gods and Guardians

Chapter 7: Dravan

Dravan had solemn eyes, set in a slightly chubby unbearded face. He was 74 teneries old, but he carried a presence which contrasted sharply with his counterpart's gentle energy. Dravan was not huge. His son, Maxis, took after him in stature.

The crystals of the sea poured forth benign lights from above. They traced a host of concentric circles above the king's table. The king's table was at one end of the room honored by a platform on 5 steps. It is also called the judgment table. The crystals were energized every day by sunlight conducted from the atrium by prearranged reflectors. In the day, sunlight added to their natural light, glorifying the table for the king.

Dravan read through the letter again. Then he thought of drawing another scroll from the pile to his left. No, this is enough, he decided. As much as he preferred to furnish more details, he preferred that Dasirus should ask. This was enough to rouse Dasirus' curiosity and even build some anxiety.

He rubbed his face with both hands. The sound of the trumpet and horn from the central courtyard of Thralls was faint. Celebrations, Dravan thought. An irony indeed. Dasirus was probably preparing for the great occasion too. Dravan leaned on his back with a heavy sigh. He pondered Dasirus for a while. Then Dasirus' father came to mind. Dravan couldn't regard the late king with mere contempt anymore.

The former king of Zainox, King Themius, was the reason for Dasirus' cryptic position regarding the mother island. His gentleness was something Meinz would not reciprocate. Themius was a mistake of a father. Perhaps he deserved the death he died. It was unfortunate for Dasirus to have to lose a father to such circumstances. It may be somewhat of a betrayal of trust to say that Themius' death was timely, but it probably was. Sentiments had no place in Dravan's premises of thought. A king cannot decide events of the islands with sentiments. The old man did some grave damage. And Dasirus was still suffering the consequences of such a father, even well into this concrete age.

No, Themius had very questionable morals. Even morally bankrupt people still believed that there were set standards for right and wrong. How could a man not believe that for everything that is good, there is an opposite? Are not the existence of good and evil as real even to a child as the sun is to a man with good eyes? Is this knowledge not one of those that accompany us at birth?

Didn't the Great Lord give this equally to every man; young or old, poor or rich, male or female? Good and evil are so real that they define not only the world in which we live; they define the world of the gods.

It isn't surprising that some people claim that time and place alone decide what is good or bad. It is in the same way men denied the existence of the Great Lord and sold their allegiance to nonexistent gods. Men are always seeking the sort of life that the gods themselves have never dreamt; a life of absolute freedom. They do not realize that even the gods under The Great Lord never dream of this; for they know that that which borders and defines their existence are the laws that guide them.

Man knows not what freedom is. It is not the absence of restrictions. There has to be a law that puts everything in order; that once formulated could give rise to anything that can exist.

Freedom is only defined within the dictates of the law; that which the basis for our existence is.

Even if we don't call it law, we could call it anything else, but this thing structures everything that exists. The basis for creation was formulated through it, and hence that of our existence. It was by it that the gods of creation worked. This thing was further etched in our hearts to enable us to function within the confines of the universe.

This thing continues to flourish independent of man's thinking, having defined for him what harmony was. That is why, although the world has not tasted of this wonderful entity which is harmony, everyone has a picture in his heart of what it is like.

It is perfection. It is the law of eternity. It is Harmonism which we preach and teach, live and die for. It is the Harmonic spirit that taps our hearts every time of every moment of our lives. We know, therefore, that there is a standard which man must strive to attain, which makes more sense than the present world in which we live. Everyone craves unconsciously the attainment of this standard; although it is not everyone that does what is right. And not everyone appears to want to. Nevertheless, all wish to escape the other extreme which holds nothing but chaos.

This is because only one rule should govern us. This rule brings us into harmony with the universe, for it is by the same rule that it first was formed. And that means men should live and act in certain ways for harmony to prevail.

Have we not named this way good and the other evil? Are they not defined? Why would anyone question their existence? Why would anyone say that the terms are only relative and that time and place only define them for us? There is no denying that people who say this — like Themius — may sound very intelligent in their analysis of the concept of good and evil. But that is not all there is to it. It is not enough to produce intelligent arguments.

Deep in every man's hearts, he knows that some things are good while others are evil. He also knows that right and wrong exist. He knows very much that he should strive for the good part irrespective of the cost. The means to achieve what is good may not be desirable. And the cost of trying to do what is right might even include love and trust, not to mention our very lives.

In any case, it remains an eternal onus to do what is right. This should be nothing short of the elemental drive of our very existence. It behooves man to accept this truth and put it to practice for purposeful and harmonious existence.

Themius almost decided that it was better to see wrong as a mere alternative or even as right. He argues that the degree of nobleness of heart was proven by his understanding of why people do the things they do irrespective of whether they are right or wrong. The things considered as wrong may not be wrong anyway and that is why he urges some understanding rather than judgment. Themius was mistaken. That's why fate did justice to him.

If man has learned how to place right and wrong in his mind and pay equal allegiance to them, then his spirit has gone sour with corruption. What has he become? Is it not our responsibility as islanders to seek the elimination of all wrongs and evils? For what purpose then is the philosophy of understanding why people do what is wrong? And this is one of those things that Dasirus, like his father, would have to understand.

Whatever the case, Islanders are supposed to be one. Islanders should live together as one. There should be no division. And this wasn't about him and Dasirus. It was about Zainox, Kainon, and Meinz.

Is it not shameful to sit back and watch our brothers of time past perish? Does our knowledge of the truth not saddle us with the responsibility of saving their ignorance? Can we really achieve this by waiting for a favorable twist of fate? Zainox and Kainon have that responsibility. Unfortunately, the thought of each kingdom's sovereignty has deterred the former kings from realizing this. Or perhaps, laziness has forced them to dismiss that responsibility as belonging to fate.

From Zeaman and Ammon, his great grandfather, to himself and Dasirus, it's amazing how no king has dared to rise to this occasion. He has pondered this ever since he was young. His biggest problem now is the obstacle called King Dasirus of Zainox, molded by the philosophies of Themius. If only Dasirus had listened, something would have been done already. Meinz should have been sanitized. His silence towards Dasirus is not enmity. Perhaps Dasirus misjudged him. Why talk to someone who was deaf? Perhaps when the time calls, his ears would be opened and he'll not only listen, but he'll hear. Now that the time has come, it was time to speak again. Dasirus needs to understand the amount of threat Meinz has become.

He will listen and he will hear.

Meinz is not planning a military consolidation for nothing.