Pivot of the Sky

Chapter 186: The face of God

For a moment the people did not know how to answer, and a childs voice cried out: We have our one and only God and have received His guidance, please do not come and shake our faith. The one who spoke was David Solomon.

The voice of Bakri sneered: And what has that god given you, is it food, hope, or protection? If so, why do you spend this long night in hunger and cold? I can give you what he can give you, and I can give what he cannot give, as long as you worship me as your god and make a vow to make offerings to me.

David replied, We dont need you, please leave.

However, at that moment someone else shouted, Bakri, who are you to say such a thing? Please prove yourself!

The voice of Bakri replied: Then I will prove it to you, and then I will wait for your answer. Everyone is hungry, right? The dew on the blades of grass will turn into a delicacy after dawn, and this is a miracle that I have granted you.

The next morning, when they came out of their huts, they were surprised to find that the dew drops among the grass leaves had fallen to the ground, turning into many small, white frost-like balls. Some people picked them up and put them in their mouths to taste them, and they tasted like delicious snacks. What is this? Everyone was talking about it, who had never seen it before, but it was really edible and tasty.

The dew turned into no more and no less than enough snacks to feed everyone in the camp for the day. It was rare for people to get food without working or hunting, just like grabbing a lifeline when they were drowning and desperate. The people did not sleep well that night, and they were all waiting to see if the voice of that god would appear again.

Late into the night, Bakris voice did sound again: Miners of Duc, I give you food and hope, and tomorrow when the sun rises, the dew on the grass and leaves will still turn into food. I will also give you a bull made of gold, which is a symbol of my totem, and carrying this golden bull you can pass through the city of Marduc. When you reach home, place it on the altar and build a shrine for me. Light a fire tonight and dance around the golden bull and show your worship towards it, I can hear your prayers!

By the third day, Moses still had not returned, and the twelve Judges were still missing. Some people were talking about whether Moses and the Judges, who had received the power given by Allaha, had gone away by themselves but left the rest of the clan behind.

Dew drops on the grass leaves turned into the same ball-like snacks once again, delicious to eat, and in the middle of the clearing between the huts, there appeared a small shiny gold bull, which took two strong miners to lift. Just this much gold was already a considerable amount of fortune, not to mention that it was a symbol of a gods image, a miracle shown by Bakri!

Joshua and David and others persuaded everyone to refuse the temptation, but more people were moved. Since Allaha could give the food and blessings that Bakri could also give, why not make offerings to this god instead? Whats more, Allaha would no longer help them cross the city of Marduc, and the people would have to figure everything out for themselves, so this was one of the ways to solve their current problems. The people gathered together to discuss that if Moses and the twelve Judges did not return, everyone would follow Bakris guidance.

That night, after eating their fill of snacks and resting for the whole day, they came to the wheat field clearing. Some people lit a fire and began to dance around the golden bull, and others knelt in a circle to pray to this golden bull. If they had been to Lynks caveman tribe a few years ago and seen how those cavemen danced in front of the large cave where the fire was lit, they would have found that the scene was very similar to a primitive tribal religious ceremony.

If Amon were here, he would also find that this was also a ritual to summon the gods to descend and allow Bakris incarnation to attach to the golden bull. But this ritual was not completed, because Moses rushed back, and with a stern cry he awakened the clan, interrupting what everyone was doing.

After Joshua finished telling what happened, Moses walked forward in anger, swung his cane and smashed the golden bull into pieces, and bellowed: Have you forgotten your faith? Have you forgotten the only God? Have you forgotten who guided us through so many hardships? This is a betrayal, a disgrace!

Some bowed their heads in shame, while others whispered in defense: Bakri has given us food to save us from hunger. All those who have helped us in our plight, we should be grateful.

Moses drank: If so, what has Allaha given you? The gods do not ask for your gratitude, but only that you see the faith within you! You have only been fed for two days, and you have forgotten all? Is this the guidance you expect when you are fed without toiling? Can we and our descendants pick the dew from the grass forever?

We did not give up hope in the face of so many hardships and dangers, but did we change our faith just because of a few days of food and a golden bull? Shouldnt that be a shame? The evil god Bakri gave you food, but do not forget that Allaha also showed such miracles and gave you much more, do you understand what one and only God means?

The prey in the mountain disappeared for no reason, and I just sensed that someone casted a spell in the vicinity to drive away the scent left by the living creatures. The evil god who supposedly gave you food is the same one who took away your food, and you dance and worship him, turning your back on your own perseverance! In doing so, how can you be guided by the true light?

Seeing that Moses returned, many of them already felt ashamed and regretted what they did. Thinking back to the feeling of the past two days it was as if they had fallen into some kind of trance. When Moses told the clan that someone had casted a spell to drive away the breath of living creatures, it dawned on everyone that Bakri was deliberately making everyone starve before showing them a miracle. Fortunately, Moses returned in time.

Another man muttered in a whisper: But Bakri said that carrying that golden bull would get us through the city of Marduc, and now that youve broken it, what other way is there?

Moses said in anger: I have received guidance from God to show you how to return home and guard our faith! God has never asked us to do anything, but today the time has come when a covenant must be made, and I have brought back the ten covenants of God with my people. It was Gods promise and Gods help, so we will melt the pieces of this golden bull into a golden plate and inscribe the ten covenants on it. God also bestowed me with a tent, and we shall use it to place the golden plate inscribed with the covenants.

Moses waved his iron staff and a magnificent tent appeared in the center of the clearing, the golden tent that the Lion King had used to entertain Amon, who in turn used it to entertain Golier and Celia and the others. He cast a divine spell to melt the broken pieces of the golden bull and cast them into a golden plate, on which appeared the ten covenants Allaha had made with his people on Mount Sinai, and asked Joshua to read them aloud in public.

The Ducians who came to their senses prostrated themselves again towards the golden plate in the tent, expressing their gratitude to Allaha and at the same time repenting for what they had just done.

Amon controlled the crystal shuttle and watched the scene with Metatro, Lynk and Gabriel on the clouds. Metatro said with a grimace: O God Amon, guess what I thought of? A child whose parents have worked so hard to raise almost called someone else his father and mother because of a piece of candy!

Gabriel interjected: If thats true, Im afraid the parents are also responsible, but such children are indeed unlikable, and your analogy is perhaps not quite appropriate.

Amon said faintly: It is indeed not quite appropriate, for they do not yet understand what is faith, but have experienced too much suffering for too long, and people are most easily lost in despair. Today I have made a pact, it is their choice whether to follow this pact or not, I only give my own promises. Moses has been an excellent leader and guide.

Lynk said: We have just cleared the traces of spells casted in the vicinity, and the prey that was scared away have returned. This Bakri is very skillful, O God Amon, have you heard of him?

Amon frowned: Never heard of such a god, have you heard of it?

Metatro slapped his head: I have vaguely heard it once, it was mentioned by Aesop when he was telling a story. There is an Empire of Persiafar east of the continent, and the people there seem to believe in a god named Bakri. But that Persian Empire is far beyond Assyria and Bablon, and has hardly appeared in this area for centuries, and people know very little about them.

Amon wondered: How could a god believed in by a distant empire appear here? Not far ahead is the city of Marduc, and he could actually promise that carrying the totem symbolizing him would allow passage through the city.

Gabriel suddenly said: The miners of Duc, who received Allahas guidance, will be heading to the city of Salem, which believes in God Amon!

This sentence made Amon suddenly understand. Nodding repeatedly, he said: Thats right, it could really be that case! Even if Bakri is not another incarnation of Marduc, the relationship between these two gods is by no means simple.

What did Amon think of? He thought of himself! Was the Allaha worshipped by the miners of Duc the same God Amon worshipped by the people of Salem? This is not a very good question, there must be a difference between the two. But they were both different identities of Amon, and only Amon himself could clearly appreciate the relationship.

Marduc was also a remarkable genius. He did not accept the guidance of a divine clan, and just like todays Amon, he managed to find the path of the power of origin, going much further than Amon currently. Not only did he become a true god, he also joined the Anunnaki divine clan and also became one of the two god kings.

Since Amon was able to incarnate as the god Amon and Allaha, why couldnt Marduc, whose achievements far surpassed his, incarnate as both the god Marduc and Bakri? Judging from what happened today, there must be a special relationship between Marduc and Bakri, most likely different identities of the same god.

If so, this great god Marduc would be a very interesting one. He gave a very special test and temptation to the miners of Duc, and only a god can use such a clever means. The miners of Duc, the descendants of the sinners from the battle of the gods and the original inhabitants of the Plains of Duc, are now the touchstones of the gods. The struggle around them possessed a significance that went beyond the miners themselves and had another important symbol.

Metatro let out a long breath and said: Perhaps the gods have underestimated Marduc, who I fear is not merely the god king believed in by the kingdom of Bablon. Regardless, he has not succeeded in front of God Amon. David is a good boy, but unfortunately, he is still too young, while Moses, the leader of these people, does not yet know what kind of choice he will face.

Amon looked at Moses from the clouds and said: He has conveyed my covenants to his people, and when the final mission is completed, I will tell him everything. Lets keep watch tonight and see if Bakri appears again.

That night, the voice of Bakri never appeared again, and the next day there was no dew on the grass that turned into snacks. The people came out of their houses to look at the fields by the stream, where the wheat seedlings had grown knee-high, and David suddenly shouted: Look, theres a rabbit over there! The prey that was driven away by the evil gods has returned!

The people gathered around Moses again and asked: God has given us guidance and made covenants with us, so we can now cross the city of Marduc. When will we move?

Moses pointed to the wheat field and said: Wait until the twelve Judges return, until after the fall harvest, we will set off after we have made all the necessary preparations.. Do you see the hope of sowing seeds? Pray to God with me!

One by one the twelve Judges returned, and the news they brought were mixed. Looking out over the Plains of Duc from the various peaks, it was indeed a fertile wilderness, with attractive figs, pomegranates, and wild grapes growing in the wilderness, perfect for cultivation and farming, and would be a home flowing with milk and honey. But there was no secret passage through the controlled confines of Marduc City, with its nearly ten thousand inhabitants and nearly a thousand warriors, not the least of whom were mighty trained highlander giants.

When the twelve Judges returned to the camp, everyone was depressed, but when they saw the golden tent and the golden plate inscribed with the covenants in the tent, they smiled again. When everyone was gathered, Moses said: I will climb Mount Sinai again to listen to the voice of God, all of you get ready to move, it will be time to leave soon. I can take comfort in telling God that not a single member of the clan has been left behind!

Moses took his iron staff and climbed Mount Sinai once again, and spent a whole day walking through streams and climbing cliffs before he reached the top of the mountain. He looked around at the clouds in the blue sky, and the evening sun was gloriously golden, but there was no sign of Allaha. He knelt down under the setting sun at dusk and began to pray, and soon heard the voice of God

Moses, I am relieved that as their leader, you have not abandoned any of your people. May I ask you two questions, and please look within your heart and answer.

Moses replied reverently: My God, please ask.

Allaha: You once made a vow to me My God, savior of hope! I call out to You and ask You to hear my voice. Do not let that flame of hope be extinguished again, and guide my people back to their homes, even if I have to give my whole body and soul as well as my life, as long as they return to the land of Duc. Is that correct?

Moses: Yes, this is the vow I made to You on my way out of Ejypt.

Allaha: You also used to say to the clan The body is the courtyard in which the soul dwells, and the place where one stands is the home where the body and mind are located. If the body and mind lose their support, if one does not know where ones soul is or what one is seeking, that is true homelessness. Is that right?

Moses: Yes, this is what my father once said to me, and I have always kept it in mind.

Allaha sighed. Is this the faith you are guarding? Even at the cost of sacrifice?

Moses nodded and said: Yes!

Allaha: If thats true, I can rest assured. I am going to tell you one thing, and let you make a sincere choice now. If you want your clan to return home safely and get rid of their status as sinners henceforth so that they will no longer be harassed by the evil gods, it will require you to pay a price, are you willing?

Moses: I do, and what is that price, may I ask?

Allaha slowly replied: The price for this is yourself the leader who leads the clan! You cannot enter the Plains of Duc and can only look from afar and see the clan living in their homeland with their children and grandchildren. Dont ask me why yet, but if you had to make that choice, would you agree to it? I do not force you, just a clear answer.

Moses straightened up his body on his knees and opened his arms toward the sky and said: My God! Why do you give me this fate?

Allahas voice could not be heard whether it was happy or sad, and still asked slowly: I have already said, dont ask why first.

Moses covered his cheeks with both hands: If fate is so cruel that this choice must be made, I would like to stay by myself, but I am not satisfied with this fate!

Allaha said: I am not satisfied either, may I ask if you have made your choice and will not go back on your word?

Moses: I made a choice and will not go back on it. But my God, please tell me why!

Allaha: Moses, you may now lift up your head and will see my face!

Moses let go of the hands covering his cheeks and raised his eyes with tear marks, but he froze there stunned. You! How is it you?

Amon finally showed up and stood in front of Moses pointing to the iron branch staff in his hand and said: The staff I gave you should be more than familiar to you. When you were in the Ejyptian Empire, havent you heard what kind of weapon Supreme General Amon used in the battlefield?

Moses: Its a branch, I should have thought of that!

Amon laughed: It doesnt matter if you thought of it, today you finally see my face, whether I am Amon or not, does it make a difference to your belief?

Moses looked at him and after a long time, as if suddenly awakened, he bent down and kissed the dirt and said: My God, it makes no difference, I dont know how to thank You for what You have done! You have been guiding me and my people since you took away the whip that struck me, and you are the only one who knows us so well that you can do all this!

Amon sat down: You have seen me, and what do you wish and ask for?

Moses: You have given enough to the people, and I want nothing more than answers.