Tales From a Thousand Worlds

Wisdom From The Ashes

Part Twelve – Our Journey Is Not Yet Complete

Zethar hobbled into town, his wounded leg a source of constant pain. It would have been easier to be helped along and he knew that to refuse was just his stubborn pride, but he would not enter by anything other that his own feet, walking alongside Nhaqosa.

The residents slowly emerged at their arrival, those who had not joined with Nhaqosa in battle. Their faces were drawn and weary. The death of Harmur, no matter how despised he had been, was not necessarily a cause for joy.

Zethar looked around the town, trying to give those who dwelt there a reassuring smile despite the pain.

“You have accomplished what you set out to do,” Nhaqosa told him.

“It was you who did it,” Zethar replied. “You rallied the people to rise up against Harmur.”

“Your actions set them on that path. Now what do you plan?”

“I hadn’t though that far ahead,” Zethar admitted. “It is not something I had felt had been likely to happen.”

Nhaqosa rested a hand on Zethar’s shoulder. “I may not be the best example, but that is part of what being a leader is about.”

Zethar shook his head. “I am not a leader. I realise that now. I made too many mistakes and got too many people killed. If any wisdom has come from the ashes of this victory, then it is that.”

“That you realise your mistakes is a good sign, Zethar. I had to be shown that as well, learning wisdom from the ashes, as you said. There needs to be a leader though, and if not you then who?”

“I will simply help to rebuild. We will work something out but one thing is certain, there will be no lord or king over us. What of you?”

“We will rest a few days here and then head north again.”

“You could stay with us,” Zethar offered.

Nhaqosa shook his head. “No. We must continue on. Our journey is not yet complete, and I feel that it will not yet be for some time.”

As Nhaqosa spoke, his words carried with them a hint of distant skies and far off unseen lands to Zethar, of a journey that would be a long time before it reached its final end, yet he did not doubt for a second that one day Nhaqosa would reach it, however long it took.

The End

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