Pivot of the Sky
chapter-135-30041322

The Uruk legion retreated silently in the night, bringing everything with them and leaving nothing behind. Amon had just woken up. He stayed dumbfounded most of the day after the information slowly sank in. The reminiscences of Enkidu’s death and Gilgamesh’s futile attempts to save him were still vivid. He had seen with his own eyes. He could somewhat understand Gilgamesh’s feelings.

All the ambitions, aspirations must have gone with the death of his friend, and he was returning home with heavy injuries and low spirits.

Thinking that Amon had not yet recovered from his injuries, several supreme mages started casting healing magic on him once again. However, his injuries had already healed and all he needed was rest.

Waving his hand, Amon said: “Everyone has worked hard. My injuries have already healed, so don’t waste your magical power anymore.” Next, he inquired about the Uruk legion’s situation, such as the things they left behind, their method of retreat as well as how they organized their remaining forces. Finally, he issued several orders.

The legions of Horus, Isis, An-Ra, Seth and Geb restored their original configurations and each Head of legion took charge once again. Looking at the numbers of each legion, one could see that while Geb legion had suffered the least damage as they only took part in the final battle, the remaining legions had lost approximately half of their forces.

Amon was still the Head of An-Ra legion, but since he was still recuperating in Khenmet and Hardedef had not returned from his injuries yet, Amon ordered Gabriel to lead An-Ra legion temporarily to follow and advance along the Uruk legion’s route of retreat until they were “escorted” out of Ejypt’s borders. Isis legion and Horus legion would provide cover and assistance from the flanks. In the case of battle, they were to converge and fight the enemy as one.

Rod Drick’s Seth legion were responsible for organizing the return of civilians to the areas that were captured by the Uruk legion temporarily while Geb legion was in charge of supply logistics as well as acting as the reserve troops. Amon’s orders were clear: if the Uruk legion withdrew from Ejypt’s borders voluntarily, then there would be no need to engage in battle. In the end, the An-Ra legion followed them all the way to the desert, where they watched as the Uruk legion continued on their way home.

Amon did not wish to fight anymore, and neither did Gilgamesh. In any case, the Uruk legion had decided to leave, so any further fighting was unnecessary. If the Ejyptian army drove the Uruk legion to a corner, Gilgamesh could very well launch a desperate counterattack and cause them to incur great losses. As of now, the Uruk legion was still capable of maintaining order and formation, and they were just making a retreat, not running for their lives.

While the Uruk legion was “escorted” off, Rod Drick’s forces busied themselves with taking back the land they had lost. There was also a lot of cleaning up and many other issues which needed to be handled in the aftermath of the war. Amon also gave the orders for two documents to be delivered. The first was to report the “final victory” to the Pharaoh. The second one was to send a letter of condolence to Uruk to mourn the death of the great warrior as well as to console Gilgamesh.

The secretariat was confused by the orders. Although they were well versed in writing all kinds of reports and letters, they had no idea how to go about writing the letter of condolence for an enemy, so they asked Amon what he wanted specifically. Amon replied: “Enkidu had died on the battlefield. If there had been a great warrior like Enkidu in our army, how would you write a letter of condolence for him? Leave out the words of praise for the gods, and write it as you would.”

The secretariat had a glum expression but they dared not ask any further questions. Rod Drick, who had been nearby coincidentally, said: “Commander-in-chief, leave this to me. I will be sure to preserve your dignity and reputation as well as that of Ejypt while expressing the due courtesy.”

Thus, Rod Drick personally wrote an elegy which gave praise to Enkidu’s strength and bravery as well as mentioning the key achievements in his life. Then he ordered his men to engrave it on a gold plate and sent an envoy to deliver it to the Uruk legion. Engraving the mourning words on a plate made of pure gold was the highest form of condolence between nobles.

Having fought Enkidu three times and putting his life at risk every time, even though Enkidu had died, Amon regarded him as the strongest opponent in his life who was most worthy of his respect.

As for the victory report delivered to the Pharaoh, the secretariat naturally put in their utmost efforts to make it look great, going as far as to write one version in hieroglyphs and another in common script.

“Under the protection and blessing of the great Horus, the Ejyptian army fought their enemies courageously, eventually defeating the powerful Uruk legion and annihilating countless enemy troops, causing them to abandon their armor and run for their lives.

Commander-in-chief Amon stood in the first line. He was the first to charge in the battle. He showed incredible valiance which must have been noticed by the gods so that the gods invoked a curse and punishment onto Enkidu, eventually killing the barbaric warrior. He fought till the end of the battle. Only after the victory became ours did he eventually pass out from his severe injuries.”

Actually, the intentional flattery was not necessary. Everyone had seen what happened with their own eyes. Horus indeed appeared when Amon was fighting Enkidu the other day. The vortex and the lightning, what else could they be? That must be a divine punishment. Horus chose to fight with Lord Amen! What a great honor!

After the war with Hittite and Uruk, Amon’s reputation in the Ejyptian army had spread far and wide, reaching to the other countries on the continent. Rumors said that he could call for the gods to fight with him in the battle. For ordinary Ejyptian soldiers, he was as important as the gods! Not to mention the soldiers in his own legion.

The Uruk legion made a rapid retreat. The Ejyptian army chased them all the way to the middle of the desert. To the Pharaoh, it meant that Ejypt had made a resounding victory!

On a whim, the Pharaoh sent an envoy to ask if it was possible to launch an attack across the desert on the Uruk city. Fortunately, it was only an inquiry. The generals at the frontlines unanimously petitioned the Pharaoh to be content with the current victory and have mercy on the Uruk people.

After a long period of war, the Ejyptian soldiers were exhausted and desperately needed time to recover. When they were under attack, they were capable of putting up a fierce fight because they had to. But now that the enemy had retreated, it was impossible for them to embark on another expedition. It wasn’t just the generals at the frontline who thought this way. All the viciers opposed the idea of prolonging the fight. By successfully defending themselves against the Uruk legion, the Ejyptian Empire had managed to preserve its dignity. If the expedition failed, it would be a disaster for the generals.

The Pharaoh could only drop the idea and in turn order a grand celebration to be prepared in the sepat of Cape.

The war was over. All the soldiers were eager to go home. During the one month when the Uruk legion had not yet made it back to the Bablon borders, Amon was still the Commander-in-chief. However, he could not be bothered to handle matters anymore at this point of time. Using the excuse of recuperation, he stayed in Khenmet instead of following the main army back to Cape.

He could very well ask several supreme mages to cast healing magic on himself, but he knew that he was already healed. He did not suffer from any illness or pain and the physical condition of his body was perfect.

However, he had lost his power. It wasn’t the feeling of having exhausted his magical power. Neither was he feeling tired and weak from overusing his physical and mental strength. As a warrior, he still possessed his strength and agility, and both his stamina and endurance were still superior to a commoner. As a supreme mage, his senses were sharper than ever and it was still possible for him to continue his practice as usual. Whatever he had achieved thus far, he did not lose. In fact, he was quite sure that he had gone a step further in his practice.

What did this mean? It meant that he could achieve the state of peace and balance in daily life, any moment, not just in meditation. No matter what he was doing, drinking, walking, sitting down, he could find himself in the perfect balance. Only with this could a supreme mage cast supreme magic instantly. This was what an eighth level supreme mage was like.

However, that was what he could do at best at the moment. Apart from the passive magic like sensing and detection magic, he couldn’t perform any magic, for he couldn’t feel any magic power. He lost the ability to communicate with the energy from nature. He felt like a bird who had gotten used to flying but one day lost its wings, as if they had never existed.

Amon was perplexed. It all happened after Enkidu died.

When the dark vortex appeared in the sky, his unusual ability to sense emotions had lost control. As he was too focused on the events as they happened, he failed to realize that his magical power had been exhausted. He eventually passed out. Now that he was physically healed, why hadn’t his magical power recovered as well? Was he suffering from an unknown injury or condition?

Everyone says that Enkidu was killed by the divine punishment meted out by Horus. But Amon had observed more than that. And he certainly possessed more doubts. If Horus was capable of killing Enkidu in that manner, the cloud eagle formed by Horus wouldn’t have been destroyed by Enkidu back then.

He remembered Enkidu’s last words to Gilgamesh: “This is not a god’s curse, it is the judgement of fate!”

Amon had been pondering over the meaning of these words ever since then, but he was unable to get any answers. Not knowing when his magical power would recover, Amon continued training himself everyday through meditation. He felt that though he had reached the next level, he was unable to use the new power that he presumed that he had gained. The current state that Amon was in reminded him of his early days as a poor child in Duc.

After so many vicissitudes, he was no longer the ignorant young boy. The more he understood, the more intense his emotions were whenever he reminisced about the past. Duc was probably one of the richest places on the continent when it still existed. Any one of the shabbily dressed miners there probably possessed wealth to rival the richest merchants in many cities. However, even though they had all those valuable things, they couldn’t trade them for what they were really worth.

The price of a bottle of wine was dozens of times more expensive than elsewhere, and there weren’t many other things they could buy other than wine, food and clothes. The miners had plenty of parangons, but they were not allowed to leave the town without permission.

It had been years. The town of Duc had long gone. However, he found himself stuck in a strangely similar situation. As the Supreme General of Ejypt, he received the greatest rewards, owned vast stretches of land and enjoyed immense fame and wealth. But he was facing one of the greatest troubles in his life.

The things which supported Amon on his path until now were neither status nor wealth. He had been searching for the secret of the gods, a path to godhood. Not long ago, he was still confident that he had been walking on the right path. But now, he faced an unknown test. Once again, Amon had the feeling that the secrets of the gods were still far from being deciphered. Enkidu’s last message was for Gilgamesh, but he had heard it as well. It was a hint.

No. It was still too early for him to think about Enkidu’s words. At the very least, he needed to overcome the current obstacle. Right now, the biggest problem for him was his personal safety. Even if Amon held great status in the empire, he had lost the ability to protect himself. In the past, no matter what kind of situation he faced, he wasn’t afraid. But now? Could he still lead his people back home without his magic power?

Anyone in his shoes would inevitably be filled with worry and anxiety, and Amon was no exception. He had experienced the fusion of the power of mind and body. It changes people. Now that the balance was broken, the power was lost, was he once again who he had been before he had acquired it? It was late at night. Amon was going to meet the Pharaoh the next day. He was meditating quietly under the stars. Though he looked calm and relaxed, he was not very tranquil in his mind. Eyes closed, he was immersed in the sea of serenity, but then, surges occur. Upon the sea, high in the sky, the stars were blinking with uncertainty.

Unable to find inner peace, he finally heaved a long sigh and opened his eyes. Then he saw Schrodinger sitting in front of him.

Amon did not reach out with his hands to touch it or embrace it. When he thought of the cat’s true identity, he felt embarrassed for having been holding it in his arms for years. Schrodinger spoke: “Amon, your soul is full of confusion. Did Enkidu’s death discourage you?”

Amon sighed again. “Golier once said that, as a warrior, Enkidu was the most promising one to go beyond mortality. However, powerful as he was, he failed, annihilated by an unknown hand. How can that not be discouraging? I can tell that Gilgamesh was in despair after he witnessed Enkidu’s death. I can understand his feelings very well.”

Schrodinger replied unhurriedly: “Nobody knows you better than me. I know all your secrets, I know that you are searching for the path to godhood, and I also know that Nietzsche and Bair gave you the initial guidance. After a long struggle, you finally saw hope in the lonely quest. However, seeing how Enkidu died, you start to question yourself. You doubt whether you will eventually face the same fate.”

Amon nodded his head. “That’s right, I’m not going to hide it from you! To tell the truth, holding a soul conversation with you like this is the only thing I can do right now, for I have lost my power.”

The cat tilted its head and looked at him, then asked him in an encouraging tone: “Amon, do you have any questions to ask me? Don’t think about anything, just tell me the greatest doubt in your heart right now.”

“I’ve been pondering over Enkidu’s last words. What is the judgement of fate?”

Schrodinger’s fur tingled as its body seemed to tremble for an instant. “It is your true self. No less, no more. It cannot be deceived, since it is exactly you. That is what we call fate, the final judgement. Amon, you don’t have to think too much about it now. Enkidu is Enkidu. He is not you. You just need to find your own path. Even if you fully understand what it means, it won’t help. In fact, if you know too much about it, you won’t be able to reach it.”

Amon asked in confusion: “I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Men are prisoners of life. This is the prisoner’s dilemma. If someone tells you that the first step towards eternal life is to stop eating, what would you do?”

Amon laughed bitterly: “If I stop eating, I will die of starvation. If I am dead, how can I have an eternal life? This is meaningless.”

The cat also gave a bitter smile. “That is why I said there is no need for you to know too much about it. I have once given a hint to Bair, and Bair gave it to Nietzsche. Nietzsche gave that hint to you in turn, so all you need to do is to remember everything he has told you. For now you should just focus on the test. There’s a choice to make here. You can also regard it as part of the “judgement of fate”. If you wish to become a god, you must first answer this question: What are you exactly, are you just the power that you have gained this far?”

Hearing Schrodinger’s words, Amon suddenly recalled Crazy’Ole’s last message in the Terroculus: “To be a supreme mage means that you will have unprecedented power, inherent in your body and mind, as if you were born with it. But one day, you may have to ask yourself: What makes you you, everything you have? If one possesses the exact same things as you do, who would he be? Why are you… you? If one day, you lose everything you have, does that mean you lose yourself? This is my final teaching to you. I am sorry that I cannot teach you more. Good luck, dear Amon!”

These words were describing his current situation exactly. Nietzsche was an eighth-level sorcerer. He had obviously experienced this test for himself, and this was the last teaching he could give Amon. There must be some hint in those words. Strangely, he had never read about records of such a test in the books in the Archive.

Amon closed his eyes again. He thought quietly for a long time, pondering upon the meaning of Nietzsche’s words, while Schrodinger continued sitting in front of him, looking at him. When dawn arrived, Amon finally opened his eyes and picked up Schrodinger, holding it in his embrace like he used to. Stroking its furry back, Amon said: “Thank you. Although I still don’t know how to restore my power, at least I no longer have surges in my mind.”

Now it was Schrodinger’s turn to feel embarrassed. It jumped out of Amon’s arms, shaking its body before slipping away. Its voice echoed in Amon’s mind: “I have reminded you. It will be the most dangerous test you have ever faced in your life. I don’t know which of these you prefer: ‘Congratulations’ or ‘Be careful’? Anyway, you’ve got what you need to know.”