Born Enemies: To The Death

by michaelcahill

The author has placed a warning on this post for violence.

Background
Two souls encounter each other over and over again as humans. When in human form they are unaware of there strong bond.

Previously, all forces arrived in the valley and a desperate battle broke out. The Persian slaves especially fought with great resolve unwilling to return to a life of servitude. Tibertin and Allutia encountered each other on the battlefield where Allutia tried to become the peacemaker between Tibertin and her father, General Artabanus, the leader of the Persian troops. We continue now, as Allutia has intervened in a personal conflict between Artabanus and Tibertin.

Tibertin cast his gaze upon Allutia. "You are no slave, nor will you ever be."

"Silence, Roman. I speak with my daughter. That only delays your death. It does not give you invitation to speak."

"You do yourself no service to rile me, old man. I spare you, perhaps, out of favor for your daughter. Be glad that I hold her in esteem."

"Both of you. There is no need for this discourse. I am free, father. Let us return home. The two of you can call an end to this. How many more must die. Look around you."

Tibertin looked over the battlefield. "My southern forces have turned the tide. Victory is mine." He gazed at Allutia sitting on her horse. None of this matters when I look at you. None of it. "I will call off my men upon your surrender. I've no wish to take all of these lives."

"We will not return to slavery, Tibertin. I speak for them and I speak for myself." Allutia looked into Tibertin's eyes. I feel what I feel. But, I am who I am.

My god, Allutia. What would you have me do, let you all go free? I am but a soldier of the Roman Republic. Tibertin closed his eyes in thought. "Well, Allutia, what would you have me do? Perhaps I should send your father here, who wants to kill me by the way, home. Perhaps I should send everyone home and tell my superiors that I misplaced you all. Is that your advice?"

Allutia pulled her lips in slightly as a reaction to the smile that threatened to crease them. Tibertin had an amusing way about him. "I merely state that there will be no surrender. Either way you will go home empty handed. It will be with hands as bloody as you wish them to be. If you have regard for me, as you say you do, how will my blood on your hands sit with you?"

Artabanus had grown impatient. "I tire of this discourse. I came here to avenge my people on you, Tibertin, and that is what I plan to do. If you plan to listen to my lovely daughter here, then I suggest you do so now. Otherwise, let us commence with our business."

"I will free you all, if Allutia remains with me."

"Yes, that is acceptable." Allutia answered without hesitation.

"No! That will never be acceptable." Artabanus drew his sword and rode back to face Tibertin.

Allutia rode to block his path. "Father, our people are being slaughtered. We will all die here today, me included. Let me make this sacrifice for my people. Let my life mean something."

"Never. Defeat is no certainty. With Tibertin dead, the tide will turn. You will see."

On the field around them, the southern forces were taking control. The ferocity of the former slaves was a force to be reckoned with, but slowly sheer numbers overcame them and the Romans began to take control of the battlefield.

As Artabanus argued with Allutia, several combatants collided with their horses dismounting Allutia. Allutia managed to draw her sword and strike a fatal blow to a charging Roman soldier. Artabanus seeing his daughter compromised dismounted to aid her. Tibertin approached on his steed as well and dismounted. Artabanus took his actions to be an act of aggression against him.

Another Roman soldier came at Allutia and the force of his glancing blow knocked her to the ground. Artabanus was unaware of this. His eyes were fixed on Tibertin. The Roman soldier swung around to deliver a blow to Allutia who was still on the ground. To the Roman soldier's shock, Tibertin met the soldier's blow with a thrust of his own through the belly. He had killed his own soldier to save the life of the Persian slave girl. Allutia looked at him with surprise. Tibertin smiled at her.

Tibertin's smile turned to a puzzled grimace as Artabanus drove his sword home through his upper chest.

He spun to spur his troops. "Tibertin falls! Fight on! Show no quarter." The thrill of his victory over Tibertin was short lived. It was hopeless. He could see that. In another moment, he gave the signal to surrender. The death toll to both sides was horrific.

Waltrian saw the signal to surrender and gave the order to halt the battle. The fighting stopped and an errie silence enshrouded the valley. The moans of soldiers breathing their last were soft and more like a death dirge than a plea for help.

The remaining Roman forces began herding the Persians into groups that would be marched back to the city and into slavery.

Allutia held Tibertin's head on her lap. His wound was mortal and his breathing was labored. Allutia had tears streaming down her face. Her father had felt the thrill of his victory over Tibertin and was unaware of the dynamics of it. It had all transpired so quickly.

"I'm so sorry. You saved my life. I don't know what to say." Allutia looked into the eyes of Tibertin. He looked back and there was a peace that had come over him.

"This is everything I want, Allutia. I have no regrets. I see what I want to see in your eyes."

"I was too proud. I should've… "

"No matter, Vision… all is…" Tibertin was gone. Sound was once again a soul in heaven.

Artabanus saw his daughter's grief and tried to console her. "I did not know that he came to your aid child. How could I expect such a thing from a Roman commander? I'm sorry. I knew not that you had a friendship or… "

"No. Nothing like that, Father. There was a strange connection he felt to me. I suppose I felt the same towards him. But, we were born enemies. What could come of it?"

"What were his words… at the end?"

"Oh. I didn't understand. Something about a vision. Perhaps he was already gone to the other side."

Waltrian had observed the scene with interest. Tibertin had been his close friend and advisor since they were children. He nudged his mount near to the scene that unfolded. He said with respect. "Your men fought bravely."

Artabanus merely nodded his head. He would never bow or acknowledge Waltrian as a superior. Allutia looked up as well. Her face was unreadable. The head of Tibertin still rested on her lap. His blood congealed on her garments and skin.

And so, the story would continue as stories always do. Allutia would live her life as it unfolded. The soul within her, Vision, would learn what she could learn and one-day return to heaven where we would all be waiting for her.

Sound or Sam as we called him would watch with interest for a short time. We do that. In a while, the sense of infinite time would have its affect and he would be distracted by the many matters that concerned us. Soon, to our reckoning, Vi would return and all that Sam and Vi had learned in this lifetime, both together and apart, would become part of what we considered and discussed.

Here there are no sensations to feel. It is all an intellectual exchange. We understand sensations having felt them, some of us many, many times. However, it is only in human form that the yearning for them returns as we are unconsciously reminded of them constantly.

When they once again return to Earth, the experiences of this life will return as a part of them in their unconscious beings. As previous experiences spoke to them in this life in ways they couldn't explain, so will moments from this life return in the future. Growth results in most cases, but not in all.

Some souls grow in unexpected ways. I have seen souls obsessed with specific things to the exclusion of all other things. Well, listening to your humbel narrator ramble is exhilarating no doubt, and I do promise more in the future. But, it would be a short time that Vi and Sam would spend here in Heaven. They would be back on Earth before long.

The number of souls now here had grown considerably. Sam and Vi were among the very oldest of souls. Though there is no hierarchy among us, there is a deference to the experience and knowledge of the older souls. There is a familiarity that exists between them. It is not the same as what a human would consider a relationship, but "friend" would be a term that might help with the understanding of it. It could be said that in the best and purist way, Sam and Vi were friends.

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So concludes this single lifetime. Vision and Sound or Vi and Sam as they are called will soon return to Earth at the same time again. The just concluded section expanded much to my surprise! So we will see what happens next. Any suggestions? You always have great ideas, so don't be shy. :)

I do have a finished book to go by, but the tone and style of it is a little different than I have fallen into here. So I am contemplating the next move carefully. I want to maintain continuity, but I do have some areas that I want to go into as well. I should just realize that I'm going to rewrite everything and just ignore what I already have. Hahaha!

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All forces are present and the battle is engaged.

A chapter in the book Vision and Sound: Their Stories

Born Enemies: To The Death

by michaelcahill

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