When Lynk returned, he instructed Aesop to command the inhabitants to tighten up the city’s defenses and stockpile war supplies, while on the other hand, he reminded Hardedef to speed up the training of a proper army. A few days later, Metatro also came to meet with Lynk, and when he learned of the latest situation, he felt that the situation was serious and complicated, so he immediately went to look for Amon using the crystal shuttle to ask for his advice. This was the series of events that happened after the Ducians had left the borders of Ejypt.
Amon frowned deeply after hearing the news. He had already anticipated some of the things that happened, because in the ancient legends, when the land of Marduc, where the gods had fallen, became fertile once again, the god of gods would be born in this place. Regardless of whether the legends were true or not, this place was bound to become a divine realm that all the gods would scramble to obtain. Even if some of the gods might not have the ambition to occupy the place themselves, they would still have to pay attention to what happened there to prevent other gods from doing so and eventually making the legends a reality. Seth, who was far away in the Ennead’s divine realm in Ejypt, had also attempted to intervene in the matter regarding the Plains of Duc.
But one thing had been unexpected, where did those highlanders at the foot of the Syah Plateau come from? Judging from their organizational abilities, supplies and equipment, it was impossible for them to be primitive tribes that had spontaneously migrated from the mountains, but trained warriors and craftsmen instead. Amon himself had been the commander-in-chief of the battlefield and the Supreme General of the Empire, and listening to Metatro’s description, he felt that these people should be the vanguard troops of a regular army as well as logistics personnel.
They not only knew how to build city defenses and cultivate the wilderness, but also knew how to mine mines and smelt fine iron, and their weapons, tents, and tools all looked like they were issued together. The first batch of nearly two thousand people were solely highlanders, and after establishing the gathering point, many other kinds of people appeared in the camp, where they were dressed like jobless wanderers from various countries. So many people couldn’t have spontaneously appeared in a place like that at the same time, so it must have been an organized migration.
Although the floods on the Plains of Duc had receded and the terrain had finally stabilized, it was still considered difficult to reach this place right now. To the north of it lay the tall Syah Plateau, to the west the overgrown Charcoal Marsh, and to the east the mountainous and precipitous Euphrates valley.
The best route for a large group of men and horses wishing to enter it would be to either cross the inland lake to the south, through an area of grasslands and swamps, or to climb over a mountainous area from the eastern shore of the inland lake. This was also the route taken by the Ducians, which was already blocked by the Marduc City built by Ussir. It was possible for small groups of strong explorers to enter the Plains of Duc from all directions, but it was almost impossible for a large organized group of people to do so by this time.
Amon had guided Lynk to the newly exposed deserted island in the center of the Plains of Duc a few years ago, and that was how they had managed to be the first to establish a city in this area. Ussir, who had established a city in the southeast corner of the Plains of Duc, had also been able to get a foothold only after having already planned and received the secret support of Princess Sissila and the kingdom of Bablon. But where did the new city in the north emerge from? They were currently the most powerful force on the Plains of Duc, and their population was constantly increasing.
The only way to get to their location was to cross the Syah Plateau, which was covered in snow all year round. Furthermore, they had brought so much supplies and equipment along in an organized operation. This could not be done by the strength of an individual, but could only have come about on the orders of a kingdom. And on the other side of the Syah Plateau was where the kingdom of Assyria had been located.
There were four countries adjacent to the Plains of Duc, and Assyria was the smallest one among the four. Its land was relatively barren, and the country was not as rich and prosperous as the other three, as well as the weakest in terms of overall power. However, the Assyrian army was valiant and adept at fighting, and they had a legion entirely made up of highlanders, known as the Giant Legion. Even the kingdom of Bablon, which was immediately to the south, did not dare to provoke Assyria. Assyria had stayed relatively quiet for many years and had not made any significant moves.
Due to the impediment presented by the Syah Plateau and the relative weakness of the country’s power, the kingdom of Assyria was originally at the most disadvantageous position in its fight for the Plains of Duc, but now the situation had changed very subtly. If Assyria really wanted to cross the Syah Plateau and forcibly occupy the Plains of Duc at all costs, its strategic situation would instead be the most favorable.
The continent had just witnessed a series of wars between three out of four of these nations. The first one was between the Ejyptian Empire and the kingdom of Hittite, followed by a war between the Bablon’s most powerful legion, the Uruk Legion, and the Ejyptian army led by Amon. Following that, a war broke out between Hittite’s army, which was led by Golier and Prince Asher, and the army of Bablon. This series of wars had severely weakened the countries involved within a short period of time.
The most powerful among them, the Empire of Ejypt, suffered heavy losses, and although Amon was able to turn things around in the end, the price paid was great. After that, Pharaoh Ramses II died mysteriously, and the new Pharaoh Merneptah started building a new capital and implemented major religious reforms in the country. As a result, there were many internal issues to resolve currently, and it was impossible for them to launch another expedition any time soon.
The kingdom of Hittite was the de facto victor in both wars that they were involved in, thanks to the leadership of Golier, but the wars also depleted Hittite’s national power. Although it was now freed from the status of being a vassal to the Ejyptian Empire, the two princes almost caused the kingdom to split up in civil strife during their fight for the throne. The current political situation had not yet fully stabilized although the issue was resolved, and it needed time to recuperate.
The kingdom of Bablon was originally the second most powerful country on the continent after the Ejyptian Empire, but it suffered the heaviest relative losses and was the true loser in the wars. The Uruk Legion was defeated, Enkidu fell, Gilgamesh retired in disgrace, and their remaining forces were almost annihilated in the war against the Hittite. It was only due to the internal unrest in Hittite that they managed to avoid further losses.
According to Amon’s judgment, the king of Assyria should have sent his Giant Legion to cross over the highlands suddenly, catching everyone off guard.
Currently in the Plains of Duc, the Assyrian kingdom’s advance party was establishing a city at the foot of the mountains in the north, and had built a shrine for Enlil. In the southeastern corner, the easiest road into the Plains of Duc, Ussir was also building a city and a shrine for Marduc.
Enlil obviously did not want to give up this area and might even have the ambition to become the god of the gods, while Marduc would also have wanted to reclaim the land that had made him famous. These two powerful gods belonged to the same Anunnaki divine clan, but they were rivals who didn’t agree with each other, and within the same divine clan, there were two god kings. Now an opportunity had appeared for them to resolve the thousand-year feud.
Things between the gods are not easy to speculate, but the mortal kingdoms on earth also have their own disputes. Both Bablon and Assyria wanted to take advantage of the unstable internal affairs of Ejypt and Hittite to occupy these hundreds of miles of fertile land in the Plains of Duc, and Assyria had an especially strong desire to do so. Not only was the entire Plains of Duc equivalent to a third of Assyria’s territory, but it would be a fertile and productive land, far superior than the desolate regions that the majority of Assyria consisted of.
If nothing else happened, the first round of battles on the Plains of Duc would take place between these two kingdoms, with the final outcome yet to be known. But now, an unexpected situation had occurred: Amon had guided Lynk to establish a city on the site of the former town of Duc long before the arrival of anyone else, and it was now like a nail stuck between the two competitors.
The situation was so complex and confusing that it was hard for the average person to make sense of it all. When Metatro saw Amon remaining silent for a long time, he couldn’t help but ask: “God Amon, what do you think should be done? Everyone is waiting for a sign from you! If you’re going to drive those giants to the north, Hardedef will focus all his forces on fighting them.”
Amon shook his head and said: “You must be clear on one thing, we are no match for them. Lynk’s several thousand men cannot wage war against a kingdom.”
Metatro asked in surprise: “A kingdom?”
Amon nodded. “Yes, you might already have guessed this possibility, but those people at the foot of the northern mountains are an advance party sent by the Assyrian Kingdom. Their aim should be to conquer the entire Plains of Duc and claim it as Assyria’s territory. With the current strength of Lynk and his people, it’s impossible to wipe out the other side completely, not to mention there are now enemies on both sides. Ussir, representing the kingdom of Bablon, is still guarding the entrance to the Plains of Duc, and we cannot move lightly. Aesop’s suggestion of cooperation is wise, and this situation should be maintained for as long as possible.”
Metatro asked again: “What about the future? Lynk built the city under your guidance, what kind of place do you really want it to be?”
Amon looked up at the sky and replied: “I didn’t really think about it that much at first, I just wanted to do it. The town of Duc is my hometown, a place where my people have lived for generations. Initially, I only wanted to fulfill my promise to Mayor Dusti and to Mourrin, and that is to bring my people back to their homeland to rebuild it.
This place used to be so desolate that even a few thousands of people could barely survive, and parangons had to be mined in exchange for supplies from the outside world. I later learned that the land of Marduc was the place where the gods had fallen, and that my people were exiled to Duc as sinners for believing in the gods of the defeated side. Mourrin was the one who had kept them alive and helped them survive the generations of hard labor.
Now that this is over, the Plains of Duc will become a fertile land flowing with milk and honey, a much better place than the old town of Duc. My aim may have been simple, it was to give Lynk’s people a nice place to settle in, and to allow my people to fulfill their wish to live in their homeland. All of this had nothing to do with the gods, but it was inevitable to become involved in battles between nations and even the gods due to what was at stake.
I was reminded of the former town of Duc, which used to be simultaneously under the jurisdiction of several kingdoms. Other than the Shrine of Mourrin, a shrine had also been built for Horus, this I had seen with my own eyes, and there were many others which I hadn’t seen. But it had never really been conquered, simply because the price was not worth it.
Mourrin once told me of her wish, that she hoped for me to build a brand new country in the Plains of Duc. Whether that wish can eventually be fulfilled or not, I wanted my people to be able to settle down in their homeland, and that was my guidance and promise to Moses and the others in the name of Allaha.
Whatever the future holds, they must do one thing, and that is to have the strength and faith to defend themselves. If the cost of conquering or expelling them outweighs the benefits to be gained, they will be able to establish themselves there, in whatever name. I am about to go to the city of Syah to duel Celia, and this will give me an opportunity to talk to Golier about a long overdue collaboration, which will give Lynk and the rest continued support.”
Metatro blinked as he listened, and after a while had passed, he finally said: “So you already had plans since a long time ago. God Amon, no matter how big the matter is, you are always prepared for it in your heart, so we will do everything as you said. There is one more thing that Lynk would like to ask you, and that is, what name should we give the new city? Should it still be called Duc?”
Amon shook his head. “Duc was named after Marduc, for the war of the gods and the punishment of the sinners, so naturally it can no longer bear that name. Let this new city be called Salem. It has been a place of war between the gods since its birth, and nobody can tell when peace and tranquility will finally come.”
Amon named the city “Salem”, which meant tranquility and peace, but he knew in his heart that the new city would inevitably be accompanied by a series of conflicts. Metatro sighed. “That is a good name, like the hope one sees when one looks into the sky. …Moses and the others are still waiting outside the Plains of Duc, will you let them take a detour, or will you send Hardedef with an army to meet them?”
Amon thought, and replied with a seeming smile: “Ussir received an oracle from Marduc, and gave the condition that they should not build the statues of any other gods except Marduc if they wanted to pass. This condition means nothing to me, for I guided the Ducians in the name of Allaha. None of them, including Moses, have ever seen me, and although I gave them guidance, but I have never told them to build statues for me, whether in the past, in the present, or in the future.”
Metatro stared at Amon with wide eyes, and finally understood. “That problem is solved then, Moses can go ahead and agree to Ussir’s condition. They may not build statues of any gods except Marduc, but they are also free to not build statues for Marduc. You are the only god they have that lives forever in their faith. I’ll go back and tell Moses and the others!”
Amon waved his hand and said: “You don’t have to remind them. Moses is their leader and should know how to guide his people. This is their last test before they reach Salem, and it is up to them to decide. They are not only returning to their homes, but also freeing themselves from the old pact between the gods, and are no longer the miners of Duc that they once were.”
Metatro: “Oh, I see! You wish to give them another kind of guidance, so what should I be doing?”
Amon looked at Metatro and said: “From this day forward, you will be my chief disciple, and your work will be the hardest. Right now, there are several things that you will be tasked with.”
Amon told Metatro to return to Salem first and relay his orders to Lynk, Hardedef, and Aesop. They were to scout out a path through the Charcoal Marsh and find various locations where they could gain a foothold, fill in the intermittent low-lying areas, and connect them to create a path leading to the southern end of Syah, with the help of the four Ironbacks. It would take a while, and even if the road was built it wouldn’t be suitable for large military formations to pass through, but it would allow for a steady stream of small caravans to come and go.
The second thing that Metatro had to do was to send a message to the King Ironback, El Mar, so that El Mar could rush to meet Amon at the appointed location. Amon was going to teach this King IronBack many secrets of cultivation, as well as take El Mar to the duel with Celia. After El Mar’s departure, Metatro had to take Aesop back to Memphis with his shuttle to find the merchant, Theo, to discuss a very important business deal.
Amon had invested a large sum of money in Theo’s merchant house, saying that there was a big deal to be done in the future. He told Theo to expand his merchant house in various places and to purchase a large number of carriages and horses, and now, the time had come to use these resources. Running a business has its own rules and methods, and Aesop was the most suitable person to take care of this matter.
After these three things, Metatro still had to go to the city of Marduc where Ussir was. He was to bring a message to Ussir about another kind of cooperation, and to keep an eye on Moses and the others secretly in passing. With so many things to do, Metatro quickly left after receiving his tasks from Amon.
After Metatro had gone, Amon waved his hand, and the golden-topped tent on the dunes, the tables and chairs in it, and the splendid vessels on the table were all put into the rib. He really didn’t waste anything, taking even these things that the Lion King had left behind. This tall sand dune by the sea where they had spent the day was back to its original appearance, as if nothing had happened.
The sun had set and the stars were twinkling in the sky, so Amon sat quietly on the dunes for the night. When dawn arrived, he continued north across the Syah Desert, his destination being the location for the duel which he had arranged with Celia. No matter how complicated the world was, the lone young man simply took one step at a time towards his goal.
Amon did not use a shuttle, as all his flying artifacts had been handed over to his disciples. He did not use his magic to fly off into the sky either, but treaded the sand in the same way as he had come. As the sun rose, the sand began to heat up, and the baked air spiraled up from the surface, distorting the light as far as the eye could see. Amon’s lonely figure gradually blurred as he continued on his path.
As he walked, his blurred figure strangely disappeared. His footprints could not be seen in the sand, and his figure could not be seen under the sunlight. The sun rose to a high place and then slowly set in the west, then the stars appeared, but Amon’s figure remained unseen in the desert.
The dunes seemed silent after nightfall, but there were still faint sounds, like the scorpions crawling out of the dunes, leaving a shallow trail of where they had been. No one knew where Amon was, and only he knew where he was going. He was like a strand of thought in the midst of walking, a thought on a path. One couldn’t see him, but he is still there.
Amon had been thinking about a problem. After seeing Amitabha, he and Girtablullu as well as Ugallu recognized that there were still other unknown divine clans in the world, and that gods different from the ones they knew existed. He had learned about the various histories of the Ennead and the Anunnaki divine clans. These included the cat who had accompanied him on his journey, Bastet, and the god of youth and love who adored and guided him, Mourrin. Of course, he was certainly happy to spend time with them. But when it came to a pure discussion about the existence of the gods, Amon disliked these divine clans.
He had been on a mission to unlock the secrets of the gods and find the path to becoming a god ever since he had walked out of Duc, but at the moment, he thought of another, more profound question:
“If I could be a god, what kind of god would I be? I myself do not like those gods, and I even loathe some of them. With such a belief, no matter how much I practice, it is impossible to become that kind of god, as determined by the test of the power of origin.
If there does come a day when I pass the judgment of fate, my desire is not to join or establish that kind of divine clan, or to be that kind of god. I hope to establish a home of faith, where it will provide guidance to all who aspire to it. It would not be the gods to decide who to specifically give guidance to.
The gods will no longer be real, but simply a concept in everyone’s belief. For everyone, heaven will not be an unreachable place in the afterlife, but right here right in the present. This is my wish for becoming a god. The path starts from here. The goal is set.”