Resolution

by Douglas E Roff

  “And an Ai cut to a human, how would that go, in your opinion.”

  “The human would die. Quickly.”

  “Good. Now, please everyone, remain seated and do not interfere in my demonstration. Lady Cia and the Lady Eene as well as Akira are here behind me. The Ladies, Akira and Tar will depart on a mission, which they have this night accepted. But they must witness this demonstration in person. They will return in time for my match; I will fight Enzo in one-on-one combat in three weeks in the Coliseum. We will have one hundred thousand witnesses.”

  With that he removed all his clothing and stood before his wives, family and gathered leaders.

  “Sorry for the immodesty of my demonstration, but sadly it is necessary.”

  The women didn’t understand what Adam was doing. Neither did they mind looking over his scarred and muscled physique.

  “Tar. Attack me with your strongest Ai. Now! I command you!”

  “But Master?”

  “Do as you are commanded, or I will take your head. Now, the Ai!”

  Tar moved into position and slashed at Adam’s lower body, with small, then greater force each time.

  “My legs, arms and throat.”

  Tar did as commanded.

  But nothing happened. No cuts, no slash marks, no injury. The gathering was confounded, as was Tar.

  “Thank you, Tar.”

  “Now, Niona. Please unsheathe your Sari Blade.”

  “I cannot. I will not.”

  “I command you.”

  “I refuse. There is no point to what you are going to ask of me.”

  “If you refuse me, you will have to depart Paraiso, immediately.”

  “That I cannot do either.”

  “You must do one or the other. It is my command.”

  “I will not.”

  “Come here.”

  Niona came over to Adam and faced him. “Do the Elders of the Gens worldwide know of the Sari Blade?”

  “Their troops have felt it before; they fear it and understand the death and destruction it causes. If they knew one was on the battlefield, they would flee.”

  “Tar?”

  “She speaks the truth. I myself would flee. I was unaware that such a Blade resided with the Lady Niona.”

  “Hands behind your back, Niona. I command it.” She complied, thinking she was about to be beheaded for failure to obey as commanded.

  Instead, Adam unsheathed the Sari Blade, and took it from Niona.”

  “Drop it, Master. You will die.”

  But, Adam St. James did not die. Instead it molded to his hand.

  “There, all better now. The Blade has accepted me and will obey my commands.”

  Adam looked around, then turned to face Niona, the Lady Cia, the Lady Eene, Akira and Tar.

  “Blade slit my throat.”

  The Blade instantly sliced at Adam’s throat, but nothing happened. He ordered several other slashings, all equally ineffectual.

  “Blade, I release you back to your former Master, without recrimination.” Adam handed the Blade back to Niona.

  “I am distressed by your lack of faith in me. All of you.”

  Then he laughed as he put his clothes back on. “Now if I had commended something really stupid, like harming this beautiful face, I could understand disobedience. But an Ai? Really?”

  All on the stage dropped to their needs in obedience. They begged forgiveness for doubting their Master. Most repentant was Niona, who begged forgiveness and clung to legs weeping and begging for deserved punishment that would never come.

  “Alright, alright enough of this nonsense, you are all forgiven, but for what, I do not know. I have commanded you all to stop me from stupid actions; you were only following orders.”

  Niona clung to her Master and kissed him without hesitation or embarrassment. “I shall never fail you or any of your commands again.”

  Adam smiled his boyish smile, the one that melted every woman’s heart but one. The one absent.

  “See,” he said. “I knew you loved me all this time.”

  “I do, I did. From the moment we met. I guess that makes me a disobedient liar.”

  “As a matter of fact, it does. You’re in much trouble now. How shall I deal with this? Tonight, I mean. Be at my quarters after your duties conclude. We shall discuss your behavior then.”

  Niona smiled, “Punishment, of some sort, I suppose?”

  “Appropriate punishment, yes. You have been very naughty.”

  ***

  To the rest of the assembled crowd, Adam said, “The Fortizi’s have no chance of defeating me. What I am, what I have become I do not know. Only that I now have DNA of humans, Gens and Nobilus and one more, and that I am now Chimera. Physically and mentally and am no longer like any other creature on the planet. When I face Enzo in three weeks, I will take his head in the Coliseum.

  “The Lady Cia, the Lady Eene, Akira and Tar are in contact with the Councils of Eighty-One and the Great Councils of the Collective. All are invited to the Coliseum as ours guests. This is neutral territory, and nothing bad will befall any of our guests. No retribution for past offenses, guaranteed by my word. When they leave, these Councils of the Gens, they will either support me or prepare to be hunted to extinction.

  “We are building their quarters as we speak. My hope is when they witness the taking of Enzo’s head, a powerful Gens, second only to his brother in craft and skill, this war will end, and we will move into the future together. I fear the reaction of the human community, but we will manage that in due course. They don’t matter if we don’t succeed with our Gens and Nobilus brothers and sisters. We have work ahead of us and my beautiful wives Beata, Vera, Verna and Lia will be called upon for special missions of great importance. Niona will accompany some of these missions, but not all. I will come myself and I will bring my children and pregnant wives with me as a demonstration of power and confidence.

  “You will all have a part to play, and I need each of you to love and trust me.

  “Now, my friends here on the dais, it is time to depart. The jets are fueled and your things on board. I will see you within two weeks. Any recalcitrant may require special motivation. If so, Niona, Kendra and I will travel to you. Good luck, and safe journey.”

  Lady Cia and Lady Eene approached Adam. “We love you husband and can hardly wait for our return to the City.”

  “I will count the days.”

  Chapter 63

  Adam stopped by the cells the next day to have a quick chat with Enzo and let him know in advance what his date of death would be.

  He saw Enzo, on the floor of his cell, shackled and manacled to restrict his movement. Killing one more Gens or human wouldn’t change the fact that he was going to die, so the taking of one more soul wouldn’t matter to him.

  Enzo said, “Human, I see you’ve come down to gloat. What’s the plan? Torture, revenge killings, public execution?”

  Adam said. “Well we did consider all options, and I must say my sis whose husband you murdered came up with the best ideas to lengthen your demise over a very long period of time. But, in the end, I felt we should be more accommodating with you, our guest, than the shit you guys pull with captives. Actually, I was the only one who voted for being more sporting. We aren’t psycho-Gens and consider ourselves far more civilized than those in power in the Collective whose Christian names end in ‘Fortizi’. We’re mostly not that civilized when it comes to you but, lucky for you, I am.”

  “So?”

  “Well, the vote was close, but we decided I should fight you one-on-one in the Coliseum in three weeks. We’re bringing in dignitaries from the human, Gens and Nobilus clans to witness your death. It’ll be a fair fight, and you and I can fight as human or Gens, up to you. You can decide now or decide later.”

  “If you go human and I go Gens, you’re dead.”

  “Not sure that’s true, but if you go Gens, I’ll go Gens, so the fight is fair and comports with the Prophecy. By rights, you sho
uld be in human form.”

  “You think you can go Gens? That’s a laugh. Drink that fairy tale potion and became a Gens? Even if you could, my skills are so superior that your death is certain, and will be painful. What if I win? Do I go free?”

  “Because that’s what you would do for me? Not certain yet but you’re probably dead anyway. This way if you win, you can stay alive for a year or so. But, you’ve killed a lot of folk, Gens included. They all want you dead. But we’ll discuss all this collateral matter when our guests arrive. I expect the Councils from the Collective will come, with assurances. You can talk to them and see what they want to do with you and Paulo.”

  Enzo, defiant said, “You can’t win; I will kill you and at least have the satisfaction of taking that to my grave,”

  “Overconfidence is a problem for you Enzo, always has been. And condolences on Helena again. Hated you, then betrayed me. We took her head. She actually sounded like your perfect match.”

  “Yeah, I really loved the smell of all the humans she was fucking. Perfect, model spouse.”

  “Well, we’ll let you out in a week for exercise and to hone your claws. See you then.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “No thanks.”

  ***

  Adam spent the next week with his wives, and family and on the martial field with Tar’s new volunteer lieutenants, Kendra and Niona. Hecate oversaw the training, appearing when necessary as a profusion of colors or in human form. If the Gens military didn’t push Adam hard enough to her liking, her appearance would be a pulsating solid form or colors, dark and foreboding. She gave precise instructions and expected them to be followed. Adam was often almost at the end of his rope following a day with Hecate. More than once Niona spoke to Hecate, imploring her to ease up a little.

  “This is for all the marbles, and the future of this single event will decide the fate of this planet. If I push him hard, I do so out of love. If it’s too much, he’ll tell me so.”

  “No, he won’t. His pride, that fucking human pride he feels, and the trust he reposes in you means he’ll never admit anything you make him do is too much. And he’ll be humiliated in front of his men. Please slow this down. He’s already the most dangerous man on the planet. What more do you need?”

  “Total confidence that he is ready. When I’m there I’ll let you know. If that isn’t enough assurance to satisfy you, then don’t come to the field anymore.”

  Hecate had never acted this way in anyone’s recollection. Only the presence of Misti could change this over-arduous regimen, but she was gone. Since leaving Adam and her son, nobody, not even her mentor, Edward, had heard a word from her. She was due soon, as were other wives; Adam hoped she would return in time.

  After about ten days out from the demonstration, some of the dignitaries had begun to arrive. The Councils of the Eighty-One, representatives of the Gens Collective military, humans and Gens Military of the Eighty-One, some old, some young, all collected in the City of Light. Gens Councils from clans everywhere sent representatives to determine the truth of Paraiso and the likelihood that this was a trap.

  After that, entire delegations, and special invitees began to arrive, now convinced that the Human, and all he represented, might be for real. They visited Enzo, though the conversations in Common Tongue weren’t always happy. Many Gens Councillors demanded his immediate execution.

  Adam met with Councils separately and often in convocation, to explain his vision of the future, the necessity for him to take Enzo and Paulo’s head in combat and tried to explain his eventual demise after taking Paulo’s head for offending Liara, the Creator.

  “I have restored the Coliseum but expect treachery from Paulo; I hope that none of you have or will take part in this. If you do, I will not only destroy you, but all of your Clans. My power and mind have grown and beyond anything you can comprehend. I can teach you to transform and give you knowledge. I will do, so after the death of Paulo and after you swear loyalty to me, to the Way and the Balance.

  “You will reveal yourselves to humanity, along with the Nobilus, and though you fear repercussion from the community of homo sapiens, I will guarantee your safety. I am no longer just human, nor Gens, nor Nobilus. I am Chimera and it is my job, assigned by the Creator, to restore what was intended for this planet.”

  “She intends to kill you? But why?”

  “I offended Liara once. I recommend that you do not. She is less than forgiving and does not hand out second chances.”

  ***

  The preparation was complete, the representatives of the Great Councils had arrived, been briefed and were ready to watch the fight in the Coliseum. There was great anticipation in the City, and in Paraiso, though less so for the people of Nabataea. Clans of the Gens Collective had long aided the Saudi humans to track down and decimate the people of Nabataea. The carnage over the centuries had been horrific, and the cruelty long remembered.

  They would not attend; they already knew the heart and mind of the Chosen One, now their spiritual leader, along with the King they adored.

  Besides the outcome, to them, was never in doubt. Most felt the purpose of living in New Nabataea was to leave behind the old ways. They had knowledge, crime no longer existed, and peace reigned throughout the Kingdom. Nobody wanted to see death and destruction again, though Adam visited often to explain his reasoning for begging their witnessing the end of an era.

  They, one by one, acknowledged their love for him, but still politely declined. They acknowledged the rightness of attending, but said it ran counter to their adherence to the Way and the Balance. Adam accepted their explanation; it was after all what he most wished.

  One young girl explained their feelings in this way. “What we have learned from you would require us to ignore the wisdom of the Way and the Balance. We love you, all the Kingdom does, but in this we cannot assent. Do as you must, we understand and approve of the purity of your heart and the need you have been commanded to carry out by the Creator. But we have not been so commanded. We look to you, our King and only to the future.”

  ***

  The day arrived, and the Coliseum was full; in the platform of honor rested Derek Nobilus, his Persian Princess, Hecate by his side, lounging and eating fruit grown in the great nurseries of Paraiso. Niona and all of Adam’s wives were now in place, and seated around Derek, and Hecate, awaiting the arrival of the contestants.

  Niona had removed her Blade and attached it to chain dangling down from the canvas shading the guests beneath. Other platforms for the various dignitaries were constructed and spread around. All platforms were equal in size and elevated to the same height. Adam demanded all were to be seen as equals; the new world would demand it, as would he.

  The Gens who knew of Niona were feeling trepidation. A few had seen the Blade all too closely, and weren’t comfortable nor would they be until they were away from her and her Sari.

  Adam entered the ring, clothed as an ancient Gens warrior and bearing no weapons. He turned to the platforms, showing his plain cloth robes, demonstrating his humility before the Gens Elders. He dropped his robes revealing he was wearing only a small loincloth, a demonstration of honor. He turned to the crowd, revealing that he was naked, without weapon and ready for single hand-to-hand combat.

  The crowd was quiet, as he had instructed; no cheering for one or the other of the contestants. This was not sport, but the first of two steps in changing the world. It was solemn, it was serious.

  Enzo entered to the hush of the crowd. He had chosen silk robes, robes reserved for the Elders and heads of Gens clans, of which he was neither. He disrobed and revealed that he was still clad in silk, a sign of disrespect to the Councils of the Gens, the Gens Military Council, and the Collective in general.

  The Wildmen of the free Gens had been convinced to attend from around the world. They entered the ring and took up positions on the edges of Coliseum walls separating the ring from the stands as guarantors of an honorable fight. They would take the hea
d of any contestant at the first sign of any duplicity shown, or cowardice in action.

  Adam spoke to the assembled. “I have promised an honorable fight, with no aid given. I have asked Niona the Huntress, my wife, to unsheathe her Sari Blade and display it only. I come to you to fulfill the Prophecy as you are all aware. I am to fight the first of two, the brothers Fortizi. It was ordained that I fight the younger brother first, take his head, then fight the elder. That will be the last fight we will have among our races as we unite as one people under one leader.

  “I am no longer human, nor Gens nor Nobilus. I am all. I am Chimera, that which will be. The Creator has tasked me to unite our peoples and to prove our worthiness to continue to occupy and protect this planet. In the end, I must sacrifice my life to make this so. It is but a small price to pay to unite the three great races I have come to know.

  “By agreement, Enzo Fortizi has chosen our combat to be as Gens, and I honor that request. The rules of the Old Ways, as taught to me by the Wildmen of the Gens, are the rules we shall follow.”

  “There shall be no humiliation; when the loser is at disadvantage, his head will be taken with honor. I agree to these restrictions.”

  The fight began in human form.

  The two warriors circled each other, searching for weakness, with Enzo not wishing to attack first as a human, though given many the opportunity. Then he instantly transformed into Gens, having always had that ability, a giant of a figure, over seven feet tall, his eyes ruby red and his claws long and sharp, yet only four on each paw. He rushed Adam, who deftly avoided his attack, still in human form.

  The Gens in the crowd began to wonder if the legend of Adam as Gens warrior was just invented and a myth.

  Then he transformed. The sight of Adam as Gens warrior was, at first, frightening to behold. He was well over eight feet tall, his eyes now a bright piercing neon blue in color, his five claws extending and retracting as if to invite Enzo to attack, or to inspire fear.

  “Come now coward, strike the first blow. Or many. I invite you to test my dominance over you and the coward you call your brother.”