Sighs
Whispers in his ears called him from the deepest sleep. His rest had been for times and time and a half.
His sojourn had been a necessity. It had healed the scars of battle, the scars gained in the good fight.
Now there were the whispers, now there were the silent screams.
He stood and shook the dirt and bugs from his hair. Weakness engulfed him and his head spun. Time was now. This was the reason for his existence. The middle of the circle is where he had to be.
The entrance to the cave had been sealed long ago. What strength he had was just enough to claw his way out.
The land had changed, it was no longer lush and green. Under his feet the ground crumbled, just barely able to sustain his weight. His eyes saw only desolation. Parched dry ground stretched for miles. Twisted, brittle trees with branches that pointed towards hades, dotted the bleached surface.
Instinct took it's place.
The copse of trees stood majestic, and out of place in the dry barren desert. Dirt devils danced along the perimeter. The sun moving in time with his steps, guided him.
In the center, that was his position. Pivotal to the sun, aligned with the earth. Direct center of North, South, East, and West.
He raised his arms towards the sky and planted his feet firmly on the ground.
The sun turned it's attention to him, the ground shook. Thorns jutted up from the ground, circling his legs. Tendrils of fire spiraled down from the sun to his fingertips. Wind blew the tendrils into a raging inferno. The thorns from the earth implanted themselves into his femoral arteries, and pumped him full of power from the dying earth.
He threw his head back and cried out. His body turning to living ash.
His eyes saw the destruction, the rape of the planet. Depletion of resources. Hot atomic fire from the sky, Sludge, viscous black poison in the oceans. Searing, toxic ash rising high in the sky, choking the life from all living things.
His ears heard the screams of the dying. People, plants, animals all had suffered. Now his ears heard the silent screams of the dying earth. The sighs of it's final breaths.
Opening his mouth he spewed the life giving blood. shedding his arms, he hurled them into the sky, raining the pure energy of his love for Mother Earth. He pushed his legs into the ground, anchoring himself for eternity. Leaving the spirit of redemption. Silencing the screams.
Giving back life... Quieting the beseeching sighs.
