Inevitability of Loss: Chapter 1 - Ruins of Legacy

Chapter 1 – Ruins of Legacy

In the not so distant past of this world, humanity was said to be advanced in technology and wealth. There were towers said to have been made of gold, platinum, diamonds, and other valuable materials. Each person could live up to two hundred years and have their own land in the seemingly never-ending vast expanse that is the world we live in. There were hardly any poor people in the world and those who were poor were never far away from a person or organization that could help them. The people of this time built up beautiful churches and statues in honor of God who they attributed as the reason for their wealth and happiness, however, after a few generations passed, they forgot about God and began engaging in all manner of debauchery and evil.

Another three generations passed and humanity had become almost entirely corrupt. As a result, God punished humanity by making the ground fall out from under them. The once glorious towers they erected were destroyed in mere moments. In the chaos, the only people who escaped were the ones who carried few possessions with them while those who tried to take as much as they could fell with civilization. Nothing could save those who fell into the endless void in the world as millions of lives and hundreds of years of research and technological advancement were lost. Those who still genuinely worshiped God were saved along with some sinners who prioritized their lives over their possessions.

Humanity learned from its mistakes, but this wasn’t the end as they soon forgot the price of valuing their possessions over God and indulging in sin. Because of this, the ground will fall underneath a kingdom, nation, town, or wherever civilization or a group of people may be and erase everything they’ve done so they can start again and remember God who gives and takes away. Both the just and sinful can suffer this cataclysmic event, although the just will continue on their way to start again while those who are stuck in sin will eventually fall and disappear into nothing. The tale of humanity’s fall is retold and the lessons retaught in various ways so humanity can learn from their mistakes and prevent the world from falling under them. In this world, two friends, Atlas and Icarus, are wandering the world not too far from their homes as they search for new allies and resources. The two young men ride around on their horses for hours until they take their break at a place where a forest and desert meet.

As one looks out into the forest while the other looks out into the desert, Icarus says, “Do you think there’s an edge to the world or do you think that it’s all a circle? Atlas?”

“I don’t know. It’s not that important as far as I know.”

“Why not?”

“Haven’t you heard the stories about how people have traveled the world and haven’t been able to reach the end or never got back?”

“Maybe the people who reached the end fell off because they got to the place where the old kingdoms fell into the abyss.”

“They’d have to go pretty far if that’s the case.”

“Why aren’t you worried about the possibility of that happening?”

“Because what you’re saying is just a guess and because anything could happen at this point. We could reach a point where God is content with us and the ground won’t fall out from under us anymore. Maybe the ground will rise in places where it fell. The ground could fall out from all around us and there wouldn’t be a thing we could do about it. Such is the Divine Providence that we joyfully and willingly submit ourselves to.”

“So you’re saying I shouldn’t worry?”

“I’m not the only one saying it. It’s something that we are constantly reminded of. What’s the point of worrying anyway?”

“Because I have people I care about. I know you do too because I’m one of them.”

“If you say you are.”

“What? I’m not?”

“I’m kidding.”

“Take this seriously, Atlas.”

“I am. That’s why I trust God and do what I think He wants me to do. It’s all we can do.”

“I think there’s more we can do. There’s some other option that God has given us, but we haven’t seen it yet.”

“Tell me when you find it. We should get going before it gets dark.”

Atlas and Icarus keep moving until they come across the ruins of a kingdom. Most of it has fallen into the abyss while some of it lays in ruins. Icarus looks into the dark abyss and imagines the bottom with people screaming for help. This nightmarish image in his head captivates him until Atlas shakes him awake from it.

“Staring at it isn’t going to make it go away,” Atlas says.

“I know, I know. Why do you think the ruins of this kingdom are here? Usually, buildings and castles fall backward, not forwards,” Icarus notes.

“I don’t know. My best guess is that it acts as a reminder of God’s providence for the people who lived here.”

“Do you think that the people that lived here come back to honor their dead?”

“Most likely. It would explain the lack of supplies and valuables here and the stones with names on them.” The ground starts to shake as they talk. “We have to go!”

Atlas and Icarus make their way through the rubble of the kingdom until Icarus stops to grab a gravestone. It isn’t until Atlas gets near his horse does he notice that Icarus is lagging behind. The ruins of the decimated kingdom fall to the abyss while Icarus is barely outrunning the falling ground.

“Atlas!”

“Of all the things to save…”

As the ground falls under Icarus, he throws the gravestone ahead of him so he can leap forward and hold onto the ground with both hands. Atlas helps him up as they look out at the abyss behind them where the ruins once were.

“Thanks.”

Atlas hits Icarus on the head before saying, “Was that really worth it? What was so special about that one gravestone that you had to risk your life to save it?”

“It’s special to the person who left it here so at least they’ll have something to remember their loved one by.”

“And everyone else will have to make new gravestones. Next time let the dead bury their dead or you’ll end up like them. We should go.”

Icarus sets up the gravestone and leaves the area with Atlas. They get back to their home. Their town is comprised of a large building made of stone in the center with other buildings scattered around it. There are lookout towers around the gates of the town and a fairly high wall surrounding it. When Icarus and Atlas go to the center building to report their findings, they almost interrupt a debate between the elders of the town.

“We can’t live like this. The land we live on isn’t farmable no matter what kind of seeds we use, we don’t have any cattle, and our trading partners have quite literally fallen away from us.”

“But staying here gives us access to the nearby mines so we can make our weapons, which are the only valuables that we use to trade beside our own soldiers. Moving away means that we will not have a claim to it and other people might take it from us.”

“Fine, but isn’t there any way to move to better land or get our partners to trade more? Our people barely have enough to live on and our storage is quickly depleting.”

“Not without risking our most valuable asset. Our partners are struggling more than we are so they’re not likely to let us share their land.”

“Hoarders. Their land is lush with miles and miles of farmable land and it isn’t enough for them?”

“They have more people to feed.”

“And we have people of our own. Atlas, Icarus. Have you found anything or anyone willing to work with us?”

“We haven’t yet, sir. We’ve only found the ruins of another kingdom,” Atlas says.

“God help us all then.”

“We’ve been in this area for over a year and we’re still alive. There’s no reason to lose hope.”

“Atlas is right. Ladies and gentlemen, I think it is time to end this looping conversation and do what we can about them. Dismissed.”

Atlas and Icarus give their report, get their payment of a meager supply of food and water, and go their separate ways. Atlas then runs into his best friend, Teela.

“It’s about time that you got back,” she says with a smile, “What did you find out there?”

“Nothing much other than the ruins of a kingdom.”

“That’s interesting and rare to find. What did you bring back for me?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? When will you bring me something? Icarus is always bringing his wife something.”

“There was nothing at the ruins. If Icarus brought home something, it would be a gravestone. He tried to save one and it almost got him killed.”

“You know how sentimental he can be. At least you’re always there to save him.”

“I know, but still. I wished he just didn’t worry as much.”

“And I wished you worried more.”

“Worry can lead to paranoia and is the opposite of faith, so no. I think I ‘worry’ enough.”

“You know what I mean. So, you have the day off. What are we going to do tomorrow?”

“Go to daily mass, make my sacrifice, then pass the time with Icarus, his wife, and you. I can’t think of a better day.”

“How come you always have to go to daily mass and make sacrifices? You could use that time to get extra sleep.”

“Daily masses and sacrifices are proven to make it less likely that God will make the ground fall from under us. Besides, daily mass is only thirty minutes and food given to charity is a sacrifice well spent. It’s not like there’s anything else that I want to trade my payment with.”

“You could trade it for something for me.”

“Sure.”

“Do you promise?”

“I don’t make promises that I don’t keep.”

“That’s one good thing about your no-nonsense attitude. I’ll be eagerly awaiting my ‘surprise’ gift.”

“Tch, sure.”

Teela hugs Atlas goodbye as he goes back home to rest for the day. While he sleeps, he has a dream about the ground falling beneath him. Everyone he knows falls down. Besides himself, very few people from the town survive. He awakes and thanks God that the dream was just a dream and prays for mercy for his town and other places then goes back to sleep.