“’Beauty is truth…’”

True beauty lies in destruction. That is the great truth of the universe. The only truth of the universe, if you ask me. So why didn’t my dear Zeik understand when I told him that? It’s so very hypocritical, given that he’s destroyed so much over the years. He’s snuffed out countless human lives, the lives of Elw, and the lives of the little mechanical toys they both sent out after us. He’s wiped out kingdoms to further his goals; Arctica was just the latest one. His very goal itself is to completely wipe out the humans, without which this planet would wilt and die! How could he begrudge me my plans, my perfect dreams, when he hopes to achieve the very same thing?!

He questions me. He questions ME. My dear, obedient Zeik has lost his faith in me. Of course, how could he not, with those illusions he carried the entire time I was sealed away? I made no mention of my travels to him before this; why should I have? It would only have incited mutinous thoughts, and such thoughts have a way of working into traitorous actions; I learned that long ago. One may call me evil, insane, or just plain outrageous, but I was not born yesterday. I only wish I had held back until a later date to tell him; I fear I have set things in motion that I cannot stop.

“’Truth, Beauty,’”

I’ve been to a myriad of worlds, so many that I’ve forgotten where exactly I came from myself. Some worlds were lush and green, some were barren. Some were pastoral in nature, others prioritized technological advances above all else. Some had beings that resembled the humans, some others had beings one could only picture in one’s wildest dreams. I watched all of them fall. I made them all fall. I looked on in awe as the nearly flawless beauty of their destruction spread out before me before I devoured the remains and took with me any of my children who survived to the next world, where the cycle of pain and beauty began again. Certainly, along the way some of my children thought my last stop was their original home, and that we were on a new planet to claim a new homeworld, but none of them had the sheer determination and focus Zeik has. He plays to win, misguided as he may be.

He’s plotting against me. I know that by the way he looks at me. He tries to hide the contempt and disappointment, but it’s all too apparent in his stance and in his gaze. He no longer agrees with the direction I want to go in, despite the fact he is walking the same path I am. He was never one to idly stand by when he feels his dreams are in jeopardy, my sweet Zeik. He takes after me so much… I’m not sure if I should be proud or scared of that sometimes.

“That is all ye know on earth…”

If I should die because of his machinations? Why, I’ve never thought of that… How lovely, that perhaps might be the flawless beauty! The scattering of self! A pity one could only witness that once; I would rather enjoy seeing that a few times to engrain it into my memory. I’ve seen enough planets go down it’s gotten almost tedious at times; this would be an intriguing new thing to see. I was getting a bit tired of this existence anyway, to be truthful.

Dear, sweet, hypocritical Zeik, bring on whatever you have planned! I anxiously await what you have in mind, my child, my double!

“And all ye need to know.”

End

Ashes, ashes, we all fall down…

Comments? E-Mail: Lessa990@aol.com

Italicized quotes gratuitously ripped off from the last two lines of John Keats’s poem “Ode to a Grecian Urn”. ^^;;