Blog

To be an Ur-Se meant to be the consciousness of everything, distinguishing between all given energy good and bad, commending one, condemning the other. The Kalos (good energy) once drawn apart from the Kako (bad energy), drenched all of Elohim’s reach and within its sphere was known as Suneidesis. Elohim filled those amongst it with Kalos’ purity, the very essence of life itself. The result was seen as a Blessing of the Ur-Se’s privilege. The Junath under Elohim’s sphere extended their life expectancy for centuries, ridding Junath people of any sickness or disease, even their land flourished in a climate that otherwise would not thrive. 

An Ur-Se above all else needed to be sacrificially votive, the leftover Kako was stored within the Ur-Se and like a candle’s light it slowly burned down until all but darkness was left. Virulent, parasitic, destructive energy would twist inside all Ur-Se saturated over time. Once this inevitable fate occurs, there is only one final choice to make; Either it be a life of the wastelands outside Suneidesis, or Death by Execution inside Suneido; the ‘torn off bit’ from Suneidesis, home only to Ur-Se. Banishment to the Wastes guarantees an Ur-Se’s annihilation. Their visage obliterated, becoming a thing so hideous and utterly divorced from the spectrum of human perception that it eviscerates the mind of anyone who sees it. It comes to no surprise that most Saturated Ur-Se choose to be executed in a ceremonial burning, as such is believed to be the only way in which they can cleanse themselves of Kako.

Perched upon the edge of one in many docks around the milky water village, Ruel filtered Kalos into Elohim. To do so, he stayed deep in meditation, his breathing and heart rate so slow he’d barely registered a pulse. The Kako drained into him, as it did it felt like using a muscle he never knew existed in keeping it contained. Most notable of Elohim’s Ritual was the long period in which an Ur-Se would blip out of themselves, often rapidly passing between moments of clarity. Each day, all day, Ruel and his sanctum of Suneido meditated in this way. 

Suddenly like a flock of caged doves, Juna’s energy broke free and expanded outwards and upwards towards Elohim in every direction. The fine mist off the waterfall flickered upon Ruel’s face as the roar of the whitewater tumbling down the mountain unmuted and filled the air around him again with an invigorating sense of life. A comforting warmth pressed against his back and with it Ruel’s dark hues blinked open. Crouching down beside him was a fellow Ur-Se called Mneia, he carried a burdened aura contradicting his calm smile as their eyes met and Ruel fully came to. 

“What is it?” 

Mneia: “I apologize for waking you I just…It’s Aneu.”

“What’s wrong with Aneu?”

Ruel ran a hand over his face, wiping the water from his brow and dragging his palm over his tightly cut hair. 

Mneia: “He seems to be struggling…With his execution.”

A pensive look painted his expression as he rose to his feet, Mneia following and standing beside him as he did so. 

Ruel: “Well, I’ll go to him - I’ll talk to him.”

As he went to pass his Suneido brother, Mneia grabbed his shoulder, his touch light yet strongly urgent. 

Mneia: “He has been resisting the last sacrifice...try to help him follow through his privilege.”

His voice was low, secretive almost. Ruel stared back at him a moment before nodding stilly, patting his shoulder Mneia then pulled away and Ruel headed down the long dock. Mneia didn’t seem to dither in taking Ruel’s place for Elohim, sitting where he’d found Ruel and continuing his work.

Coming upon one of the many porcelain and clay domed homes sitting on the water, Ruel’s pace slowed as he felt the sick energy lingering thickly in the air around it. It may have looked no different than any other haven here, but its aura was immediate and telling. A hospice for those Saturated. This was the first time in Ruel’s 389 years of privilege he was to be apart of the execution ceremony, it was an honor to have been chosen. Walking through the open doorway, Aneu’s willowy physique shuddered as he kneeled on the cold floor, facing the curve of the wall. He didn’t seem to respond or react to Ruel’s entrance…something about Aneu just felt like he himself didn’t know what he was doing. 

“Aneu…?”

His hair was long, longer than it ever had been for an Ur-Se, his blue-black tresses brushed along the nape of his neck as he turned in an inorganic way to face Ruel. His lifeless, terrified stare stayed his blood.

Aneu: “I can’t, I can’t do this.”

Ruel’s body tensed, he thought about if he was in Aneu’s position now, how would he handle it? He didn’t have more than 15 more years himself…he was already one of the oldest there. Older than Aneu. 

“You can. We all do.”

He spoke matter of factly, Aneu shook his head and Ruel continued.

“It’s better this way, It’s better than being reborn out in the wastes…I promise you it is.” 

Aneu heavily stood back up, desperation in every beat of his heart as he walked in front of Ruel.

Aneu: “It’s better than the wastes. It’s better than the wastes.”  

He repeated lowly, trying to convince himself of it, trying to trust in the man he looked up to all these years. 

Aneu: “You promise me…this is what I should do.” 

A statement maybe more than a question. Ruel cupped the Ur-Se’s face with both hands, his thumbs brushed along the young man’s cheekbones soothingly and Aneu’s distant eyes found Ruel’s assuring ones.  

“I promise.”

The ceremony begun later that night, the two suns shining bright as ever, skies clear in sulfuric yellow. Including Ruel and Mneia, there were only four elder Ur-Se chosen to preform the ceremony. The pole was jutting out of the shallow edge of the river. It looked pitch black, made of some kind of unknown foreign material from outsiders of the wastes. It never weakened and it never broke. Ruel and one other, stripped Aneu naked in the cold knee deep channel then smeared wax against his skin on both sides before fastening him to the pole. Ruel’s hands were shaking almost as much as Aneu trembling, holding back sobbing. 

You can. We all do.  

As they waded back to the land, Mneia and another took over from there. Just as Ruel turned and without hesitation from the others, he caught Aneu suddenly set ablaze. No words of gratitude, no heartfelt goodbyes, nothing. Just nothing. 

I promise.

Fire erupted from Aneu’s mouth as he screamed in excruciating agony, his body wreathed in flames. Burning hair blanketed the air, his flesh sizzling and popping, peeling away, charring him down to his bones. His body continued to burn even after his crying long had ceased. The blackened bundle of meat and bone fell from the pole, shattering the golden glasslike surface into millions of sparkling diamonds. As he watched the water cool Aneu’s corpse, the others began to part and walk away. That was the end. The familiar warmth of Mneia’s hand sent a cold creeping up his spine as it was placed against his back. 

Mneia: “It was beautiful.”

Color drained from Ruel’s face unable to pull his stare away from the water and to the other Ur-Se. 

It was an honor to have been chosen.