November 17: Does devotion know any bounds? (570 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.39 on 22 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by ampersand (View user info) at 2007-02-21 22:33:17 EST
November 17, the seventh year of the White king's reign
Does devotion know any bounds? I think it would not be devotion if it did. The more I consider this, the more it seems like an extreme position, not at all the sort of position a reasonable man would take. But lying here in these mountains at the worlds edge, looking at their mighty peaks, like black teeth gnashing at the sky, hoping to feast on the sweet flesh of clouds, I am constantly reminded that these are not reasonable times. Looking at the man who lies on the other side of the fire, already asleep, I am compelled to see that reason and I went our separate ways a very long time ago.
I am wrong though, it was not so long ago; but the black clouds hanging over my head, blacker, even, then the mountains whose tops they scrape, seem to cast a spell on me. Time means very little in a land of perpetual darkness, very little here at the end of the world. But I am wrong in this too, or so the mage tells me. It is not the end of the world. Just as our world, with its rolling green fields, its cascading rivers and endless forests, was born of the ashes of something older, just as the phoenix is born again from its own ashes every morning, so will something be born of this worlds death. When the mage is feeling cheery (how anyone who supposes himself to possess a human soul could find cheer in a place such as this is entirely beyond me, but the mage manages it well. His mood seems to grow stronger in fact, the closer we get to our fateful destination. Perhaps he does not suppose himself to possess a human soul) he discusses this new world with me. When last we stopped for food and rest, I asked him of what sort of trees would this new world have. Would it have mighty oaks resting atop hills as crowns do atop king's heads; or splendid red woods, ladders for the gods to climb down and visit our good green earth? Would it have graceful willows under which a man could find respite from a summer evening's sun after a long day of honest work, plowing and tilling his field? Would it have firs and cedars and those other trees who keep their green cloaks even after the ground turns hard with frost? He said it would not have trees.
I asked him then, what sort of waters would this world have. Would it have gentle creeks and streams for a man to rinse his clothes in, soiled from the harvest; to hunt for crayfish in? Would it have crooked and winding rivers for the salmon to swim in; rivers to nourish the soil and give life to nature's splendor? Would there be ponds and lakes surrounded by cattails and painted with the blossoms of the water lilies? Would there be roiling seas and vast oceans, crashing their waves on the land, intent to consume it in their righteous fury? Would they be filled with life as they are here, with fish that swim, and with the stoic shellfish who hold their ground before all, with rays and eels, whales and noble dolphins? He said that there would not be ponds or streams or seas but there would be one river. He said, though, that it would not hold any life for it would not even run with water. I then intended to ask him what it would run with, if not water, but I held my tongue for fear of what his answer might be. He saw my discomfort I think, for he smiled at me knowingly.
I asked him then of the earth itself. Since he could make it however he wanted, would it not be black and fertile across the whole world, so that all men could easily enjoy nature's fruitful bounty? Would the whole world be robed with thick, green grass so that no man would have to scratch a living on sand or bare rock? And of the air above the earth, would it not always be temperate, and sway gently with a pleasant breeze? Wouldn't the sky be always blue and dressed finely in soft white clouds? Even without trees or rivers, I think that is the sort of world I could enjoy. But the mage said it would not be so. There would be no grass, nor sand, nor rock. There would be no wind, no blue sky and no white clouds. There would in fact, be very little at all that my eyes would recognize. There would not be any splendid brown bears to hunt in the river, nor any sleek and graceful wolves to wander the hills. There would not be any birds for the old men to watch as they sat on their rocking chairs and remembered their youths. There would be no butterflies to flit and flutter about, teasing laughing children by staying always just out of reach.
As I first began writing this entry, I was very disturbed by these ideas. I could think of no reason why I should willing trade a world of trees and streams and flowers for a world which lacked such things. A world without trees is a notion I think even an unreasonable man would find hard to bare. But when the mage, my most dispassionate companion, him who claimed to once have been married but who can now not even remember the name of his betrothed, when this man speaks of this world which he and I are on our way to create his eyes sparkle as the eyes of a simple country child who, on his first visit to the city, discovers a candy shop and has his first taste of chocolate. Him, who felt no triumph or pride when we found this most forsaken place, this place that was supposed to never be tread upon by the feet of mortals, regards that thing which we are on our way to do as the single greatest thing any man, even any immortal god, could hope to accomplish. This act of creation. Is destruction of beauty justified if it is necessary for the birth of something else that is beautiful? But I am a simple man, not a philosopher nor a sage of any sort, questions such as this are better answered by the wise. If nothing else though, I know that the mage would answer this question 'yes', and to say that the mage is a much wiser man then any I have known is to say that the ocean is a much larger body of water then any puddle I jumped in as a child.
But as I recall again the way the mage's eyes looked over the conversation which I have just detailed, I find that I have answered my own original question: when in the service of a mage, devotion is not even aware that bounds or limits exist.
User Reviews
Submitted by no1hasdis (user info) at 2007-05-18 13:41:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Actually this -2 is because this really did suck dogshit.
Submitted by LisaD (user info) at 2007-05-18 13:38:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by Saeki (user info) at 2007-04-03 03:31:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
A really enjoyable read.
Submitted by beeltea (user info) at 2007-02-24 17:56:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
All star reviewer.
http://www.ubersite.com/m/98965#2321437
Oh, the post? yeah great. No I didn't read it. I will though.
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-02-22 22:56:17 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Amontillado (user info) at 2007-02-21 23:06:01 (#)
Ranking: 2
Lungfish confuses me sometimes.
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"Amontillado!"
"I have my doubts."
"Amontillado!"
"And I must satisfy them."
"Amontillado!"
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2007-02-22 17:06:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
good.
Submitted by ampersand (user info) at 2007-02-22 12:55:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
@lungfish, I think that story needs to be posted ASAP, especially parts 6-8
@bubba, yes, apologies. I'm a terrible proof reader of my own work. When I read other peoples stuff I pick that shit apart but, in just rereading my post now, I saw at least five new typos.
@lungfish pt2, I'm actually on a quest to change the rules of the english language because I really, really like to split infinitives. It's almost a fetish.
@everyone else, thanks
Submitted by FeeFieFoeFum (user info) at 2007-02-22 06:04:43 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice story, enjoyed it a lot
Submitted by rorrim (user info) at 2007-02-22 05:55:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Snare (user info) at 2007-02-21 23:41:50 (#)
Ranking: 2
Now that's how we bring back the Uber.
One bloody good post at a time.
Submitted by JoeyG (user info) at 2007-02-22 05:02:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I enjoyed this...good work
Submitted by DrogoRoch (user info) at 2007-02-22 03:35:42 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Very good. I'm going to read more of your posts.
Stay tuned it may take me a while as I am rather slow without pictures.
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-02-22 00:12:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by DCWoody (user info) at 2007-02-22 00:06:02 (#)
Ranking: 1
"Him, who felt no triumph or pride when we found this most forsaken place, this place that was supposed to never be tread upon by the feet of mortals, regards that thing which we are on our way to do as the single greatest thing any man, even any immortal god, could hope to accomplish."
This sentence is a bit of a mouthfull, especially in the middle of a block of text....
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yeah. and *him wtf?
And you split an infinitive. Repost now, damn you.
Actually, I didn't really read it very closely, but I saw something about crawdads. I'm not much help, I'm afraid.
Submitted by DCWoody (user info) at 2007-02-22 00:06:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
"Him, who felt no triumph or pride when we found this most forsaken place, this place that was supposed to never be tread upon by the feet of mortals, regards that thing which we are on our way to do as the single greatest thing any man, even any immortal god, could hope to accomplish."
This sentence is a bit of a mouthfull, especially in the middle of a block of text....
Submitted by DCWoody (user info) at 2007-02-22 00:03:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
good but......
Submitted by Snare (user info) at 2007-02-21 23:41:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Now that's how we bring back the Uber.
One bloody good post at a time.
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-02-21 23:22:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm actually hoping that I can get Stagger to write it for me.
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2007-02-21 23:21:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Good story, but I think you may have need for what lies below:
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than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than
than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than thanthan than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than than
get my point?
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-02-21 23:06:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm going to title it, "Now I Know Why There is So Much Underwear Strewn about the Woods."
Submitted by Amontillado (user info) at 2007-02-21 23:06:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Lungfish confuses me sometimes.
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-02-21 22:53:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Ok, since you asked, here's an outline:
I. Lungfish and his buddy play pool and get really drunk in a bar wherein only they speak English.
II. Lungfish and his buddy get even drunker by the campfire, standing in the rain.
III. Lungfish passes out underneath a Chevy Blazer, on account of the rain.
IV. Lungfish and his buddy wake up and cook and eat the crawdads they caught the day before.
V. Lungfish, being very dehydrated, drinks a quart of apple juice in one go.
VI. Twenty minutes later, Lungfish shits his drawers, believing he's farting.
VII. It's still raining, and Lungfish's buddy laughs at him all day long, in the rain.
VIII. Lungfish's buddy is an asshole.
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-02-21 22:38:40 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Very good. I have a tale about crayfish, but I call 'em crawdads. It's a drunk tale. Maybe I'll tell it someday.
ps, both my grandmothers are dead, ya fuck.
Submitted by ampersand (user info) at 2007-02-21 22:34:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
So yeah. The line 'does devotion know any bounds' came to me in a different context but then this idea popped into my head, I ran with it, and I liked it. More is probably going to come.