Die Rueckkehr

    I. Come Monday, everything is new in the grey.   II. They’ve been on the road for a few weeks, their last   III. Journey taking a shorter time. Hanz had tried   IV. To stop them, through his various occult means.   V. He summoned storms and turbulent winds, great rain   VI. That could wither rock like breadcrumbs in red wine.   VII. He made clouds of gnats appear, which bit the boys   VIII. For hours without mercy. He made the Sun   IX. Feel seven times hotter than on normal days,   X. And raised massive hills in the roads they trod.   XI. He even made the nights hot, almost as warm   XII. As the World of Light, which fumes at five hundred   XIII. And twenty five degrees Celsius. He made   XIV. The water in the streams and rivers taste like   XV. Vinegar, and made every plant and herb in   XVI. The area as rotten eggs in flavour.   XVII. He hid the Moon behind dense clouds, and the stars   XVIII. Were covered in shadows as a shroud of death.   XIX. He made beetles crawl all over the boys’ camp,   XX. And rats eat their rations. He made the night birds   XXI. Screech endlessly, keeping them awake. He swapped   XXII. Road signs and made wild boars chase them in the woods.   XXIII. Ants filled their blankets and fat worms filled their shoes.   XXIV. When they caught fish or rabbits, they tasted like   XXV. They’d been dead for months. The tree branches grabbed them,   XXVI. Their roots tripped them up. The ground sometimes moistened   XXVII. Like quicksand, dragging them down. Wild beasts like bears,   XXVIII. Wolves, and feral dogs chased them, and even stones   XXIX. Hailed from the sky occasionally. But they   XXX. Didn’t give up. Like the nickers from Lightworld,   XXXI. They chose to always be joyful. Circumstance   XXXII. Would not dictate their inner state of mind. They   XXXIII. Ate cursed food like it was ambrosia of gods,   XXXIV. And welcomed the pestilences of land-beasts   XXXV. And weather. No day was too hot for them, no   XXXVI. Night too dark to traverse. They were on a quest,   XXXVII. And they would finish it, by grace of great Min.   XXXVIII. Their journey lonely, dark, and deep, but they had   XXXIX. Miles to go. When times got rough they sang a song,   XL. Dusted themselves off and carried on, as kings   XLI. And queens of the past had done so. They knew that   XLII. Hidden foes sought to stop them, but they would not   XLIII. Yield or concede. Their destiny carved in stone,   XLIV. With much more yet to be engraved. Even great   XLV. Hanz was amazed at their determination.   XLVI. Now they face a great obstacle. They’re on their   XLVII. Own, making their way to Parsifal’s kingdom.   XLVIII. Young Heinrich, bored, decides to make some small-talk.   XLIX. ‘Where did tiver come from, Parsifal?’ he asks.   L. ‘Tiver was first brought over by the Fay Kings,   LI. Seventy two tiverers, mighty rulers:   LII. Vehujah, Jeliel, Sitael, Elamjah,   LIII. Mahaschjah, Lelahel, Achajah, Kahetel,   LIV. Haziel, Aladjah, Lavijah, Hahajah,   LV. Jezalel, Mevahel, Hariel, Hakamjah,   LVI. Luvijah, Kaliel, Levujah, Pahaljah,   LVII. Nelchael, Jejajel, Melahel, Hahvijah,   LVIII. Nit-Hajah, Haajah, Jeratel, Schehejah,   LIX. Rejajel, Omael, Lekavel, Vascharjah,   LX. Jehujah, Lehahjah, Chavakjah, Menadel,   LXI. Aniel, Haamjah, Rehael, Jejazel,   LXII. Hahahel, Mikeel, Vevaljah, Jelahjah,   LXIII. Sealjah, Eriel, Aschaljah, Mihael,   LXIV. Vehuel, Daniel, Hahaschjah, Imamjah,   LXV. Nanael, Nitael, Mevahjah, Poviel,   LXVI. Nemamjah, Jejalel, Harahel, Mitzrael,   LXVII. Umavel, Jahahel, Anavel, Mehiel,   LXVIII. Damavjah, Manakel, Ejael, Havujah,   LXIX. Roechel, Javamjah, Hajajel, Mumijah.   LXX. These immortal scientists blessed the nine worlds   LXXI. With tivered power, for better and for worse.’   LXXII. Tiver flows through the world like blood through large veins;   LXXIII. The power originates from the Archons,   LXXIV. Most ancient Forces: Horaios, Elohai,   LXXV. Astraphanos, Adonai, Tzevaot, lord   LXXVI. Yeho, and their leader Ariel, known as   LXXVII. Yalda-Bahut. They taught nine goddesses, who   LXXVIII. Taught the great Fay Kings, and they the sons of men.   LXXIX. With it, many excellent technologies   LXXX. Have graced the far-as-eye realms the boys call home.   LXXXI. Its most natural manifestation is   LXXXII. In the ettins, or thurses, giant beings with   LXXXIII. Exceptionally long lifespans. Eight million   LXXXIV. Four hundred thousand human years is one big   LXXXV. Purwanga: eight million four hundred thousand   LXXXVI. Purwangas are one Purwa. Each ettin lives   LXXXVII. No less than eight million four hundred thousand   LXXXVIII. Purwas. The beings descend from Imer’s sons, kings   LXXXIX. Of their original land, twelve lofty lords:   XC. Olpaged, Zirakah, and great Hononol,   XCI. Zarnaah, Gebabal, and mighty Zurchol,   XCII. Alpudus, Kadaamp, Zarzilg, Lavavoh,   XCIII. Zinggen, and Arfaolg, sons of Aurgelmer,   XCIV. Their title for the primordial Imer.   XCV. The boys know no spells or incantations, as   XCVI. They’ve barely reached seventeen cycles in age.   XCVII. But Parsifal is of royal blood, Heinrich   XCVIII. Of a reputable middle-class. They are   XCIX. Following the Dreiunddreissig Goetter, stars   C. That represent ancient deities, whom the   CI. Early settlers matched with some constellations.   CII. First gods of the elements: Dara, Druwa,   CIII. Soma, Aha, Anila, and Anala,   CIV. Pratjooscha, Prabaasa. Then the gods of just   CV. Warfare: Mrigawjaada, Scharwa, Nirriti,   CVI. Adschaikapaad, Ahirbudnja, Pinaakin,   CVII. Dahana, Eeschwara, Kapaalee, Staanu,   CVIII. And Bawa. Then the twelve gods of energy:   CIX. Daatri, Mitra, Arjaman, and great Schakra,   CX. Waruna, Amscha, Baga, and Wiwaswaan,   CXI. Pooschan, Sawitri, Twaschtri, and Upulwan.   CXII. Then the two Horsemen: the Prince of Sacrifice,   CXIII. Great victor, and Heaven’s Auspicious Offspring.   CXIV. The Horsemen ride across the sky every day,   CXV. Fighting the fierce serpent Teli, who seeks   CXVI. To swift devour every sun, moon, and star.   CXVII. They hunt rarely, too tired to care. Heinrich   CXVIII. Proposes they find shelter soon. Being young,   CXIX. They brought no steeds for this trip, wanting to be   CXX. Like the early heroes, journeying on foot.   CXXI. Names come to mind, like Gunter and Lord Hagen,   CXXII. Who met Freudenland, daughter of Daniel,   CXXIII. Who married Mazaldan ben Schimon and bore   CXXIV. Two mighty sons, half-breeds but still powerful.   CXXV. Having time to kill, they camp for the evening.   CXXVI. The next day they set off at the Sun’s rising,   CXXVII. Sunno taking Meno’s place, the chariot   CXXVIII. Of the heavens tearing through the clouds. They reach   CXXIX. The city of Gurnemanz, brother of queen   CXXX. Herzeleide. The kingdom of Angharad.   CXXXI. Its structure is gold brick, held together with   CXXXII. Gypsum mixed with quicklime and pozzolana.   CXXXIII. It has twelve pearly gates, three on each side. It’s   CXXXIV. Twelve thousand stadia in length, height, and width,   CXXXV. A perfect cube, one stadion six hundred   CXXXVI. And seven feet. It floats high up in the air,   CXXXVII. A single ladder on its side to scale it.   CXXXVIII. Built by dwarrows as a gift to King Kastis,   CXXXIX. Once lover of Queen Herzeleide the Bold,   CXL. At whose feet grim Azarel, with four thousand   CXLI. Wings and seventy thousand feet, dug a grave.   CXLII. Its shadow covers miles and miles of land, the   CXLIII. Eye of Heaven blocked out by its massive form.   CXLIV. They mount the steel ladder, each rung feeling more   CXLV. Distant than the previous. They reach the top.   CXLVI. ‘Who do we meet first?’ ‘My uncle. He’ll know what   CXLVII. To do.’ So they enter the city of gold,   CXLVIII. In pursuit of Parsifal’s tutor and friend.   CXLIX. Eventually they find him: a noble   CL. Knight of royal pedigree. His great frame shakes   CLI. With coughing. From fine volcanic particles   CLII. Gurnemanz has contracted a lung disease,   CLIII. Known as pneumono-ultramicroscopic   CLIV. Silicovolcanoconiosis. The   CLV. Boys greet him in the town square, buying apples.   CLVI. ‘Hello, uncle!’ ‘Peredur! My dear boy! It’s   CLVII. Been so long!’ They hug. ‘I assume you’re here on   CLVIII. Urgent business.’ He nods. ‘We aim to stop an   CLIX. Invasion by Wotan’s sons. They will soon be   CLX. Here.’ ‘Indeed. My sources tell me as much. We   CLXI. Have no time to lose. I will organize a   CLXII. Meeting to discuss what must be done. Until   CLXIII. Then, you boys can stay at my house. It’s not much,   CLXIV. But it should suffice.’ By ‘not much’ the knight means   CLXV. Three hundred and sixty five thousand metres   CLXVI. Square in floor area, eighty four metres   CLXVII. Tall, with one thousand one hundred lavish rooms.   CLXVIII. The boys grin. ‘It should suffice us quite nicely.’         CLXIX. ‘Titurel had Frimutel and Rischoide.   CLXX. Rischoide and Kailet married and vanished   CLXXI. To the winterless land of the deathless Fay.   CLXXII. Frimutel had Herzeleide, Gurnemanz,   CLXXIII. Trevrizent, Repanse, and Schoisiane.   CLXXIV. Schoisiane married Kiot and had fair   CLXXV. Sigune, and Repanse had a child with   CLXXVI. Feirefiz: Johannes Presbuteros. He   CLXXVII. Still lives, though in a distant land. My mother   CLXXVIII. Herzeleide wanted to inform me, but   CLXXIX. She passed away from her heart complications.’   CLXXX. ‘But how did your brother even have a child?   CLXXXI. He was…not very regular.’ ‘I assume   CLXXXII. Some tivered craftiness was involved in the   CLXXXIII. Strange conception of Johann.’ They’re in the old   CLXXXIV. Family library, flipping through some books.   CLXXXV. ‘How many languages can you speak, Heinrich?’   CLXXXVI. ‘Well, I can read some writing. Like the cursive   CLXXXVII. Script of the Saracens: Alif, Baa, Taa, Thaa,   CLXXXVIII. Dscheem, Xaa, Chaa, Daal, Dhaal, Raa, Zaai, Seen, Scheen, Tzaad,   CLXXXIX. Dxaad, Txaa, Zhaa, Ain, Ghain, Faa, Caaf, Kaaf, Laam,   CXC. Meem, Noon, Haa, Waaw, Jaa. Their twenty eight letters.   CXCI. I also know some casual Arabisch.’   CXCII. ‘Impressive. The great Tschinggis only spoke one   CXCIII. Tongue, yet he nearly conquered all of Midyard.’   CXCIV. ‘Why were Amfortas and Lustig struck from the   CXCV. Line’s records?’ ‘Maybe the family ousted   CXCVI. Them because they were born of different mothers.’   CXCVII. They’re called in for the meeting, overseen by   CXCVIII. The Judges, also called Assessors, rulers   CXCIX. Of the malachim, forty two in number:   CC. Lords Orfaniel, Boel, and Gavriel,   CCI. Then Jofiel, Tumiel, and Tzadkiel,   CCII. Kavtziel, Rafael, and Azuziel,   CCIII. Lords Schemschiel, Taviel, and Nagdiel,   CCIV. Then Nachliel, Gavoriel, and Danel,   CCV. Lords Jehudiel, and great Kevaschiel,   CCVI. Then Schaariel, blessed Berachiel,   CCVII. Tavtaviel, Rachmiel, Tzafiniel,   CCVIII. Terumiel, Gedudiel, Chaziel,   CCIX. Kumiel, Barakiel, Tahariel,   CCX. Lords Nuriel, Amiel, and Jisrael,   CCXI. Gariel, Lehaviel, and Peniel,   CCXII. Zachariel, Kedoschiel, Schalgiel,   CCXIII. Lords Karviel, Vaviel, and Tzuriel,   CCXIV. Ilfiel, and Tavriel. Seven are the   CCXV. Greatest among malachim: Uriel called   CCXVI. Arsjalaljur, Rafael called Libiel,   CCXVII. Reuel, Michael called Schabatiel,   CCXVIII. Zerachiel, Gavriel called Hamon, and   CCXIX. Ramiel, in the forms of a cosmic bull,   CCXX. Serpent, bear, lion, dog, eagle, and asald;   CCXXI. They each have sixty four white wings and sixteen   CCXXII. Faces, each bestial face with two red eyes.   CCXXIII. Sigune, Parsifal’s cousin, is there too.   CCXXIV. Gurnemanz stands at a round table, chairs on   CCXXV. The perimeter. The gathering begins.   CCXXVI. ‘Wotan son of Bor son of Buri seeks to   CCXXVII. Send his sons to ravage our lands. We must stop   CCXXVIII. Him.’ ‘Weih Lodur and Wille Honer, Wotan’s   CCXXIX. Brothers, invaded years ago. We stopped them.’   CCXXX. ‘But Bestla’s sons are relentless. Her father   CCXXXI. Was the savage Boltorn, and his descendants   CCXXXII. Too got his unpacifiable spirit.’   CCXXXIII. ‘Maybe Freia, gentle soul, will hear reason.’   CCXXXIV. ‘Fricka is too loyal to her mad husband.’   CCXXXV. ‘I suggest we have another voice in here.’   CCXXXVI. Gurnemanz gestures to an empty space. With   CCXXXVII. A burst of flame a figure appears: Loge,   CCXXXVIII. Son of Farbauti and the goddess Laufi,   CCXXXIX. Brother of Helblindi and Bileist. He grins   CCXL. With vulpine cunning. ‘Dark daimon! Prisoner   CCXLI. Eins-Neun-Zwei-Sechs-Null-Drei-Zwei-Sieben-Jot, what   CCXLII. Brings you here?’ ‘He was summoned by Trevrizent,’   CCXLIII. Explains Gurnemanz. ‘Your mad brother always   CCXLIV. Makes the worst choices.’ Loge laughs. ‘My time in   CCXLV. Jail seemed nicer than this welcome. But I can   CCXLVI. Understand your hesitation.’ His eyes hiss,   CCXLVII. Watching Sigune like a ravening wolf.   CCXLVIII. ‘Why are you here, Lord of Mischief?’ ‘I’ve been brought   CCXLIX. In to help with the war effort. Rally troops.’   CCL. ‘We don’t need your help,’ says Heinrich, adamant.   CCLI. ‘On the contrary. I’m the only one who   CCLII. Can help. I have received a prophecy of   CCLIII. What is to transpire. And I know what must   CCLIV. Be done for victory.’ Silence in the room.   CCLV. ‘I have tricked Hoder, blind god of archery,   CCLVI. Into killing Balder with a mistletoe   CCLVII. Arrow. Hoder has been slain by Wali, and   CCLVIII. My son, Narfi son of Sigin, has been killed   CCLIX. By the god as well.’ ‘You seem rather calm...’ ‘My   CCLX. Son’s time had come. He was meant to die. So a   CCLXI. Battleground has been arranged in Wigrid, a   CCLXII. Vast field far from here.’ ‘What have you done?’ ‘I’ve bought   CCLXIII. You time, ungrateful snot-wads. In the form of   CCLXIV. Tock, an old crone, I have been spying on the   CCLXV. Enemy side. This war had to happen. I   CCLXVI. Relocated it.’ ‘So what should be done now?’   CCLXVII. ‘They’re sending a fighter, the Red Knight, to this   CCLXVIII. Kingdom. Two days. Iter of Kukumerlant.   CCLXIX. And Parsifal must slay him.’ To show he’s true,   CCLXX. Loge calls a figure from the shadows: lord   CCLXXI. Njord, who can’t lie. Njord confirms all of his words.   CCLXXII. The meeting is cut short. The Judges leave for   CCLXXIII. Their realm, beyond the Nine Worlds, deciding that   CCLXXIV. This war is not theirs to fight. Gurnemanz and   CCLXXV. The boys leave for home. All is confusion now.   CCLXXVI. One night Heinrich is having trouble sleeping,   CCLXXVII. So he asks of his friend a simple favour:   CCLXXVIII. ‘Can you tell me a story, Parsifal? A   CCLXXIX. Tale to help me rest?’ Parsifal agrees and   CCLXXX. Sings ‘Thanchvil and her Cyramman’, a story   CCLXXXI. His dear mother would sing as a lullaby:   CCLXXXII. ‘Tanaquil, your beauty exceeds them all,   CCLXXXIII. From the crown of your head to your toe tips.   CCLXXXIV. From the early morning till curtain call,   CCLXXXV. The dread ravens hear the songs of your lips.   CCLXXXVI. They entertain you with their cunning quips,   CCLXXXVII. They dance, flap, and caw at your every whim,   CCLXXXVIII. As the ghostly Love Star rises and dips,   CCLXXXIX. I can only watch from my tower’s stem,   CCXC. Oh those dim ravens! How I wish I were one of them.   CCXCI. Kiraman, our union cannot be,   CCXCII. You’re a lycanthrope, I a vampire.   CCXCIII. When I watch you, a monster I don’t see,   CCXCIV. But walls are between us, lakes of fire.   CCXCV. Wasting away in my lonely spire,   CCXCVI. With a warm aching in my cold lone heart,   CCXCVII. I long for your arms, quench my desire!   CCXCVIII. But forces on each side keep us apart,   CCXCIX. If we ran away, Kirry, where would we even start?   CCC. Tanaquil, I have no answer for this.   CCCI. But in my bosom I know for certain,   CCCII. That when I transform, I glimpse your kind face,   CCCIII. And it turns me back into a person.   CCCIV. You are the north light, easing my burden,   CCCV. The vast Sun with Her fiery fervour,   CCCVI. The Moon with His horned self untaciturn,   CCCVII. So let us leave Faerieland forever,   CCCVIII. A werewolf and his sanguinarian, together.   CCCIX. Kiraman, the world we live in is strange,   CCCX. People judge by appearances, by looks.   CCCXI. They shun moving forward and making change,   CCCXII. Seeing the Other as nothing but crooks.   CCCXIII. We have been manipulated like rooks,   CCCXIV. Made to see our neighbours as enemies,   CCCXV. But we two can run far beyond these brooks,   CCCXVI. And build a world beyond these ancient seas,   CCCXVII. Our fates are tied, and there are no stronger bonds than these.   CCCXVIII. So Kiraman and Tanaquil take flight,   CCCXIX. Escaping their respective citadels,   CCCXX. Their feet carrying them into the night,   CCCXXI. Abandoning tradition and its hells.   CCCXXII. Leaving behind their society’s yells,   CCCXXIII. Its old policies against race-mixing.   CCCXXIV. They ignore their inner looming fear-knells,   CCCXXV. The brass bells of panic ever ringing,   CCCXXVI. And, lo, they have escaped! The dread ravens are singing.   CCCXXVII. Time sees a new world, a new time, begin,   CCCXXVIII. Where what’s outside will no longer matter:   CCCXXIX. People won’t be judged by what’s not within,   CCCXXX. But by the content of their character.’   CCCXXXI. ‘That was beautiful.’ ‘My father wrote it for   CCCXXXII. My mum before he left for war. It was his   CCCXXXIII. Last message to her. I was born soon after.’   CCCXXXIV. The burden of blood weighs heavy on his heart.   CCCXXXV. They wish each other a pleasant night’s rest, and   CCCXXXVI. Parsifal silently cries himself to sleep.         CCCXXXVII. Parsifal has never killed a human being.   CCCXXXVIII. Today’s the day. Gurnemanz has been training   CCCXXXIX. Him, and they’re on their way to find the Red Knight.   CCCXL. They pass through a dark forest ruled by Gello,   CCCXLI. The great tiveren with sixteen other names:   CCCXLII. Lilit, Abitu, Abizu, Amorfo,   CCCXLIII. Shadowed Kakos, Odem, Ik, Podu, Ilu,   CCCXLIV. Tatrotah, Avanuktah, and Shatrunah,   CCCXLV. Kali, Batzah, Tilatui, and Piratshah.   CCCXLVI. She hails from a foreign land, testimony   CCCXLVII. To the simple maxim: ‘It matters not where   CCCXLVIII. You came from. It matters where you choose to go.’   CCCXLIX. Chamuel is Parsifal’s obsidian   CCCL. Sword, from Chavah Kadmonah, Koenigin der   CCCLI. Luft und Dunkelheit. On this gift some words are   CCCLII. Carved: ‘Ego Eimi ho Artos tes Zoes,   CCCLIII. Ego Eimi to Phos tou Kosmou, Ego   CCCLIV. Eimi he Thura ton Probaton, Ego   CCCLV. Eimi ho Poimen ho Kalos.’ On the   CCCLVI. Hilt: ‘Ego Eimi he Anastasis kai   CCCLVII. He Zoe, Ego Eimi he Hodos kai   CCCLVIII. He Aletheia kai he Zoe, Ego   CCCLIX. Eimi he Ampelos he Alethine.’   CCCLX. It draws its power from the thirty mighty   CCCLXI. Aeons: Buthos, Sige, Nous, Aletheia,   CCCLXII. Bios, Rema, Anthropos, Ekklesia,   CCCLXIII. Then Buthios, Mixis, and Ageratos,   CCCLXIV. Henosis, Autophues, and Hedone,   CCCLXV. Akinetos, Sunkrasis, Monogenes,   CCCLXVI. Makaria, Parakletos, and Pistis,   CCCLXVII. Patrikos, Elpis, Metrikos, Agape,   CCCLXVIII. Ainos, Sunesis, Ekklesiastikos,   CCCLXIX. Makariotes, Theletos, Sophia:   CCCLXX. Undying gods beyond the Nine Worlds, who gaze   CCCLXXI. On the Dreifaltigkeit. He can activate   CCCLXXII. The broadsword by yelling: ‘Senoi, Sansenoi,   CCCLXXIII. Semangelof.’ Parsifal is scared and lost.   CCCLXXIV. ‘How can I go through with it? What if he has   CCCLXXV. A family? Children? How can I end his   CCCLXXVI. Life?’ ‘Going by Loge, it must come to pass.’   CCCLXXVII. The many-named sun goddess and moon god guide   CCCLXXVIII. Them, Dag and Nott keeping the time with Delling.   CCCLXXIX. Watching the falling leaves, Gurnemanz muses:   CCCLXXX. ‘Four Ages govern each world: the Golden Age,   CCCLXXXI. Or Sun of Teskatlipoka, one million   CCCLXXXII. Seven hundred and twenty eight thousand years;   CCCLXXXIII. Silver Age, or Sun of Ketsalkoatl, one   CCCLXXXIV. Million two hundred and ninety six thousand   CCCLXXXV. Years; Bronze, or Sun of Tlalok, eight hundred and   CCCLXXXVI. Sixty four thousand years; and Iron Age, Sun   CCCLXXXVII. Of Tschaltschiwtlikwe, four hundred and thirty   CCCLXXXVIII. Two thousand years. These four Ages compose one   CCCLXXXIX. Cycle, a Sun of Witsilopotschtli. Two   CCCXC. Thousand Cycles are one day to a god. One   CCCXCI. Year has twelve months of thirty Days each, and the   CCCXCII. Worlds will be destroyed after twenty seven   CCCXCIII. Septillion and nine hundred and ninety three   CCCXCIV. Sextillion and six hundred quintillion Years,   CCCXCV. Then be remade, then destroyed, for forever.   CCCXCVI. Twenty nine Remakings have happened so far.   CCCXCVII. Life’s meaningless.’ ‘I don’t believe that. Maybe   CCCXCVIII. I don’t want to.’ ‘Gott ist tot. Gott bleibt tot. Und   CCCXCIX. Wir haben ihn getoetet. Das heiligste   CD. Und maechtigste was die welt bisher besass,   CDI. Es ist unter unsern messern verblutet.’   CDII. ‘That’s not true.’ ‘It’s true enough to a man with   CDIII. Nothing left to live for.’ He whispers in his   CDIV. Nephew’s ear: ‘My pestilence will take me soon.   CDV. The doctors gave me two years at most. I’m a   CDVI. Gone man, son. So, yes. Perhaps life’s meaningless.’   CDVII. ‘If life is meaningless, I want to live a   CDVIII. Full life despite the Cosmos’ pitiless   CDIX. Indifference. I will put meaning into a   CDX. Meaningless existence.’ Gurnemanz smiles. ‘That’s   CDXI. My boy.’ The two make camp for the evening. That   CDXII. Night Parsifal has a dream. A woman clothed   CDXIII. With the Sun, and the Moon under her feet, and   CDXIV. Upon her head a crown of twelve stars. Her robes,   CDXV. Sea-blue, are stitched with gold letters: Alef, Bet,   CDXVI. Gimel, Dalet, He, Vav, Zayin, Chet, Tet, Yod,   CDXVII. Kaf, Lamed, Mem, Nun, Samech, Ayin, and Pe,   CDXVIII. Tsadi, Kof, Resh, Shin, Tav. She laments in a   CDXIX. Language foreign to his ears, arms spread out in   CDXX. Grief, from her eyes pooling tears. Her voice ripples:   CDXXI. ‘I hold your broken body,   CDXXII. My hands on your torn up skin,   CDXXIII. Wondering if this was right,   CDXXIV. If I could have stopped this night,   CDXXV. If I had said ‘No’ to you,   CDXXVI. So you would not see this through,   CDXXVII. Now only regret fills me.   CDXXVIII. I held your hand as a child,   CDXXIX. As you stumbled on our walks,   CDXXX. I gave you shelter and food,   CDXXXI. If only I’d understood,   CDXXXII. The things I did were in vain,   CDXXXIII. Now all I can feel is pain,   CDXXXIV. O precious son on my lap.   CDXXXV. You look so peaceful, sleeping,   CDXXXVI. Like you did as an infant,   CDXXXVII. But your face which I once kissed,   CDXXXVIII. Now covered with bloody rips,   CDXXXIX. Scarred beyond recognition,   CDXL. Fear shadows my cognition,   CDXLI. It looks at me, now sightless.   CDXLII. Your gentle hands are drilled through,   CDXLIII. Your right side pierced with a lance,   CDXLIV. I cradle your bloodied spine,   CDXLV. Wishing your death had been mine,   CDXLVI. Kissing your sundered forehead,   CDXLVII. But there’s no life in the dead,   CDXLVIII. All to me is vanity.   CDXLIX. Yaakov and young Yosef,   CDL. Yehudah and shy Shimon,   CDLI. My stepsons, your brothers, watch.   CDLII. In you was no guilt, no splotch.   CDLIII. They see your form in my arms,   CDLIV. With wrappings and healing balms,   CDLV. But these cannot bring you back.   CDLVI. When Gavriel first met me,   CDLVII. With his six hundred jade wings,   CDLVIII. I doubted his prophecies,   CDLIX. Now I just see them as lies,   CDLX. That malach was a devil,   CDLXI. A deceiving fiend from hell,   CDLXII. Or maybe grief maddens me.   CDLXIII. What I do know for certain:   CDLXIV. You did not deserve this, son.   CDLXV. At least I saw you grow up,   CDLXVI. Before life emptied my cup,   CDLXVII. So I bid you my farewell,   CDLXVIII. Imanuel, swiftly killed,   CDLXIX. My yachid, my Yeshua.’   CDLXX. A voice responds: ‘Ho Kurios meta sou!   CDLXXI. Eulogemene su en gunaixin!’ The   CDLXXII. Gratiaplena, and the Coredemptrix,   CDLXXIII. Mediatrix, Sempervirgo, Deipara,   CDLXXIV. Regina In Caelum Assumpta, and the   CDLXXV. Daystar-spangled Regina Sine Labe   CDLXXVI. Originali Concepta, vanishes.   CDLXXVII. He awakes, confused. They leave camp, dawn shining.   CDLXXVIII. The Red Knight of the Forest of Cinqrois claims   CDLXXIX. Descent from the cursed god-beast Tuphoeus, a   CDLXXX. Great earth-born monster with a large pair of black   CDLXXXI. Leathery wings, two hundred arms consisting   CDLXXXII. Of fifty fingers per hand, each finger a   CDLXXXIII. Long serpent, two hissing adders in place of   CDLXXXIV. Legs, and a hundred snakes’ heads for a human’s.   CDLXXXV. He and his spouse Echidne were trapped under   CDLXXXVI. The earth many years ago, their vile offspring   CDLXXXVII. Populating the lands. It was to stop these   CDLXXXVIII. Parasites that tiver was brought into the   CDLXXXIX. Human world by the nickers. They find the Knight:   CDXC. Son of King Antaios and Queen Tindscha, he’s   CDXCI. Invincible as long as he remains in   CDXCII. Contact with the ground. His vermilion suit   CDXCIII. Of armour glows in the sunlight. His feet are   CDXCIV. Left bare. With the strength of seven men, Iter   CDXCV. Squares off with Parsifal. They toss for hours,   CDXCVI. Till Parsifal realizes he can’t beat   CDXCVII. Iter by throwing or pinning him. So his   CDXCVIII. Uncle holds the knight aloft in a bear-hug,   CDXCIX. And Parsifal spears him with his sword. Iter   D. Goes limp, collapsing on Jord’s soft grassy bed.   DI. The knight coughs out some final words: ‘Percevaus,   DII. Tu heriteras le monde.’ He gives up the ghost.   DIII. Parsifal takes his armour and puts it on.   DIV. They leave the darkling woods. Winter has begun.