Death and Rebirth

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I am ready to meet my Maker.

Whether my Maker is prepared for the

great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.

- Winston Churchill

 

 

-2313 B.C. Israeli, Earth

 

Juhdia packed his belongings in his saddlebags. When he was finished he mounted his horse and started on his travels, but from behind him a soft voice cried out, “Papa, Papa wait.”

 

Juhdia turned his horse around, dismounted and grabbed his daughter up into his arms. “Rachel, Papa must hurry, if I wish to reach Agra before the Sabbath.”

 

Rachel smiled, “But Papa, you were going to leave without giving me a kiss.”

 

Juhdia laughed and kissed his daughter on her forehead, “There.” Juhdia placed his daughter down and turned to his wife, “Bethel watch the children and see to it that my Father makes it to temple.” Juhdia mounted his horse again and rode out of town.

 

Juhdia traveled for several days to reach the neighboring town of Agra. He had a day to reach Agra before the Sabbath and was sure he would reach the town before nightfall, when he was attacked by a gang of Sumerian thieves. As a Rabbi, Juhdia was not allowed to fight, but he carried with him a tome of sacred text and he was sworn to protect it at all cost. Juhdia jumped from his horse and drew a small dagger from under his robe.

 

One of the thieves cut Juhdia’s hand, making Juhdia drop his dagger, while another thief ran his sword through Juhdia’s stomach. Juhdia fell and slowly began to die. To add humiliation to Juhdia’s death, the thieves burned the sacred text Juhdia was to deliver. Juhdia watched the tome burn as he died.

 

A day later Juhdia felt an energy surge through his body, unlike he had ever felt before. His eyes opened and he gasped for air. Juhdia stood up and did not believe what was happening to him. He knew he was dead, but he was standing, breathing.

 

Days later, sun-baked and soiled Juhdia staggered into his village and made his way past on-lookers to the village well. Once he sipped from the well to wet his parched throat, he poured the water on his face. A child pointed to Juhdia and screamed. Soon all the village came to see what the child was screaming at. When Bethel saw her husband she cursed him, knowing her husband to be dead, crying out that the evil spirit drop the visage of her husband and to leave the village.

 

Soon the villagers began to pelt Juhdia with stones driving him from the village.

 

 

Juhdia traveled for weeks cursing his loved ones and his God.

 

One night Juhdia came across the thieves that killed him. He creeped upon their camp and snapped the neck of the one that killed him, then taking the thief’s sword Juhdia began hacking away at the other two.

 

 

Juhdia took a sword from one of the dead thieves, then he collected what money the three had, mounted his horse and rode off.

 

Months later Juhdia returned to his village, when he rode in he light a torch and cast it upon the house of his friend. And when his friend’s family came running from the house Juhdia slew them all. And Juhdia repeated this until the break of day when he looked around and saw that the entire village was dead.

 

Juhdia dropped to his knees and began to weep, not for his murderous rage, but because there was no one left to kill.

 

 

Juhdia continued on with his murderous rampage, village after village he would ride in burning houses and temples, killing everyone he would come across.

 

One day Juhdia came into a town. When a man approached Juhdia, he drew his sword and cut the man’s throat. “Blacksmith.” The town folks pointed to the blacksmith. Juhdia dismounted from his house and called for the blacksmith’s aid. “Feed and water.” Then he walked over to the blacksmith. “I want you to cast me a hundred daggers. Have the blade cast like the flames of a fire and have eyes in the hilt.” Then he threw his leather armor at the blacksmith, “And as the daggers, add that design to the breast of my armor, so when I ride into a city they will know who I am.”

 

The blacksmith asked Juhdia who he was.

 

Juhdia almost smiled, “Why, I am Juhdia. The Great Destroyer.”

 

And throughout Israeli, Sumeria and all the lands around, Juhdia striked his claim to history.

 

 

Present day, USS Excalibur.

 

Juhdia worked on the cloaking device, seeing to it that the device worked to specifications. All the while thinking to himself, “The past is the past, my crimes are centuries old, now I am working to better myself as a man. No more do I kill for killings sake. I have even resigned from the Gathering. No I must not think of my past, live for my present.”

 

TO BE CONTINUED