02-22-2018, 10:17 PM
2040 onward
I had a job to do. I still did not know what it means to be Heart of the Remnant or whether that even applies to me- I still don’t. To be honest, I would rather it didn’t. There was enough to do. War was coming. We could all feel it. The fertile soil in which Al Janyar and others had planted their seeds was now sprouting a bumper crop. The chaos on our continent was flourishing, ready to be harvested by warlords, fearmongers, and greedy governments. And though we are Qdus, we cannot match the Romans with their reach and resources and influence. There had to be a path to take. With the coming of the g’brim came the power to do great good. But for those who chose to take advantage, the power to bring great destruction and suffering. The reasons to fear were real. But we could not give in to hopelessness. There did lie a path, however difficult it was to find and walk.
We could not save the world. We had to start at home and focus on the threats for which we exist and were trained. I took a house in Asmara and Sesuna came to live with me. I was a man and a man does not live in his father’s home. And though things had changed for the better, between her and my father, Sesuna had been my responsibility for too long for give up now. She was still young when I moved, only 16, though she would soon be approaching marriageable age. Not that I had any interest in arranging that for her. It might be tradition but I already knew it was archaic. She saw far better than I could. She would know if and when the time had come and with whom.
Instead, we worked together. Sesuna used her abilities to search through the networks and tangled webs of connections as easily as she would track a cheetah. Gradually, after a few years, we found another one such as me, a young man, Ibrihim, only 19, who had recently suffered from the sickness. I taught him control. But more than that, I taught him the reasons why it mattered how we used our powers. He learned quickly, just as I did from having to teach. He learned the lessons and honor behind what we did. As I did, things became clearer, I saw my father’s successes and failures with me. The lessons of duty and care and loyalty all mattered. But so did example, how we lived. It was the truest and most powerful teacher a person could have. I took that to heart with Ibrahim- even became comfortable with the role of teacher- and in time he took the vows and was marked.
The three of us formed a team, Sesuna ferreting out whatever we needed to know, and the two of us to act to eliminate the threat. Normal hunts of course. We could not lose sight of the smaller dangers in order to look for the greater. And g’brim were still more rumor than fact for most people. And we trained in anticipation- the vision I had seen was always before me- parried, struck, feinted. We learned to anticipate each other’s attacks, even to slash or block weaves that were directed at us. I had promised Sesuna that she would never have to kill. I did not begrudge her this. She had paid the price for it.
We only ever found one other g’brim to join us, a woman. Rohama. She was young, and Sesuna stepped in to offer to help her learn. It was a compromise for her, I knew, and I loved her for it. The female power was different from the male, which provided us the added advantage of surprise. Eventually, she too took the vows and received her mark.
It was four of us now, a team, a family. Sometimes we met other Qdus and I was surprised at how heartened the people were when we met, the brand on my hand a sign that drew their eyes like metal filings to a magnet. We were but four g’brim, but were also their brothers- marked by God’s Stylus as having been judged by His Eye. We risked ourselves as they did, fighting the same threats they had. It was the small gifts, the simple meals in poor homes, among good company, that let us see what we could become, see the unity that could exist among the Qdus.
Our primary focus was on the threats we were trained for, but I could not turn a blind eye to the suffering of the people. And occasionally, both threats overlapped, as in one village Sesuna found, under the control of a band of zealots led by a g’brim warlord. The men of the village (those not executed to sow fear and enforce obedience) had been forced to grow out their beards and return to a strict and traditional way of life; the women and girls, previously free to move about and learn, had it harder, as they were forced into a cloistered existence that left them little more than chattel. Sesuna even found whispers that female genital mutilation was being practiced again.
The three of us planned our assault, using the information she gave us. I took the lead as the strongest, with Ibrihim on my flank, eliminating as many of the men with guns as possible. The attack was quick and sure because as soon as it happened, we knew the warlord would show himself. Weaves flew back and forth, though it was clear he had never fought any who shared his power. His frustration showed as we closed in on him, slashing at his weaves of air and fire, absorbing the fire or heat from any explosions he caused as his strikes grew wilder and wilder. We had to minimize the damage he was causing, a flailing man casting out destruction with his power like the mad swinging of his arms and fists. Rohama was the secret. While we occupied him, it was she who dealt the death blow. The people thanked us but this was our purpose. It was my hope that the more we worked, the more well-known we became, the more would flock to our cause. And indeed, the Qdus did grow, albeit carefully. We were always mindful of the Romans.
So it has gone on for a number of years. And yet there is a part of me that feels that I am missing something. I have my dear friends that are as close as family. I have the respect of people who matter. Hope flourishes even amid fear and death. I even have a father that I have made peace with, in no small part due to Sesuna’s own willingness to….perhaps not forgive, but at least not hold a grudge. If she could let go, then I had to honor her at least that much. Most of all, I have my precious sister.
But in the quiet of night, deep in my mind, I feel incomplete. Ancient words of long ago race through my mind. And the hungers of my heart call to me.
I do not know where my journey will lead. I only know that I, Anbessa son of Kidani and Mariam, brother of Sesuna, a g’brim called Idris by the Qdus, believed by some to be the Heart of the Remnant, have more to accomplish in this life. I only hope that I am worthy of the trust that has been given to me.
Edited by Idris, Feb 22 2018, 10:18 PM.
I had a job to do. I still did not know what it means to be Heart of the Remnant or whether that even applies to me- I still don’t. To be honest, I would rather it didn’t. There was enough to do. War was coming. We could all feel it. The fertile soil in which Al Janyar and others had planted their seeds was now sprouting a bumper crop. The chaos on our continent was flourishing, ready to be harvested by warlords, fearmongers, and greedy governments. And though we are Qdus, we cannot match the Romans with their reach and resources and influence. There had to be a path to take. With the coming of the g’brim came the power to do great good. But for those who chose to take advantage, the power to bring great destruction and suffering. The reasons to fear were real. But we could not give in to hopelessness. There did lie a path, however difficult it was to find and walk.
We could not save the world. We had to start at home and focus on the threats for which we exist and were trained. I took a house in Asmara and Sesuna came to live with me. I was a man and a man does not live in his father’s home. And though things had changed for the better, between her and my father, Sesuna had been my responsibility for too long for give up now. She was still young when I moved, only 16, though she would soon be approaching marriageable age. Not that I had any interest in arranging that for her. It might be tradition but I already knew it was archaic. She saw far better than I could. She would know if and when the time had come and with whom.
Instead, we worked together. Sesuna used her abilities to search through the networks and tangled webs of connections as easily as she would track a cheetah. Gradually, after a few years, we found another one such as me, a young man, Ibrihim, only 19, who had recently suffered from the sickness. I taught him control. But more than that, I taught him the reasons why it mattered how we used our powers. He learned quickly, just as I did from having to teach. He learned the lessons and honor behind what we did. As I did, things became clearer, I saw my father’s successes and failures with me. The lessons of duty and care and loyalty all mattered. But so did example, how we lived. It was the truest and most powerful teacher a person could have. I took that to heart with Ibrahim- even became comfortable with the role of teacher- and in time he took the vows and was marked.
The three of us formed a team, Sesuna ferreting out whatever we needed to know, and the two of us to act to eliminate the threat. Normal hunts of course. We could not lose sight of the smaller dangers in order to look for the greater. And g’brim were still more rumor than fact for most people. And we trained in anticipation- the vision I had seen was always before me- parried, struck, feinted. We learned to anticipate each other’s attacks, even to slash or block weaves that were directed at us. I had promised Sesuna that she would never have to kill. I did not begrudge her this. She had paid the price for it.
We only ever found one other g’brim to join us, a woman. Rohama. She was young, and Sesuna stepped in to offer to help her learn. It was a compromise for her, I knew, and I loved her for it. The female power was different from the male, which provided us the added advantage of surprise. Eventually, she too took the vows and received her mark.
It was four of us now, a team, a family. Sometimes we met other Qdus and I was surprised at how heartened the people were when we met, the brand on my hand a sign that drew their eyes like metal filings to a magnet. We were but four g’brim, but were also their brothers- marked by God’s Stylus as having been judged by His Eye. We risked ourselves as they did, fighting the same threats they had. It was the small gifts, the simple meals in poor homes, among good company, that let us see what we could become, see the unity that could exist among the Qdus.
Our primary focus was on the threats we were trained for, but I could not turn a blind eye to the suffering of the people. And occasionally, both threats overlapped, as in one village Sesuna found, under the control of a band of zealots led by a g’brim warlord. The men of the village (those not executed to sow fear and enforce obedience) had been forced to grow out their beards and return to a strict and traditional way of life; the women and girls, previously free to move about and learn, had it harder, as they were forced into a cloistered existence that left them little more than chattel. Sesuna even found whispers that female genital mutilation was being practiced again.
The three of us planned our assault, using the information she gave us. I took the lead as the strongest, with Ibrihim on my flank, eliminating as many of the men with guns as possible. The attack was quick and sure because as soon as it happened, we knew the warlord would show himself. Weaves flew back and forth, though it was clear he had never fought any who shared his power. His frustration showed as we closed in on him, slashing at his weaves of air and fire, absorbing the fire or heat from any explosions he caused as his strikes grew wilder and wilder. We had to minimize the damage he was causing, a flailing man casting out destruction with his power like the mad swinging of his arms and fists. Rohama was the secret. While we occupied him, it was she who dealt the death blow. The people thanked us but this was our purpose. It was my hope that the more we worked, the more well-known we became, the more would flock to our cause. And indeed, the Qdus did grow, albeit carefully. We were always mindful of the Romans.
So it has gone on for a number of years. And yet there is a part of me that feels that I am missing something. I have my dear friends that are as close as family. I have the respect of people who matter. Hope flourishes even amid fear and death. I even have a father that I have made peace with, in no small part due to Sesuna’s own willingness to….perhaps not forgive, but at least not hold a grudge. If she could let go, then I had to honor her at least that much. Most of all, I have my precious sister.
But in the quiet of night, deep in my mind, I feel incomplete. Ancient words of long ago race through my mind. And the hungers of my heart call to me.
I do not know where my journey will lead. I only know that I, Anbessa son of Kidani and Mariam, brother of Sesuna, a g’brim called Idris by the Qdus, believed by some to be the Heart of the Remnant, have more to accomplish in this life. I only hope that I am worthy of the trust that has been given to me.
Edited by Idris, Feb 22 2018, 10:18 PM.