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Chapter II
Union of the Seas: Eclipse
Volume I- Origins
Chapter II

19 years, 7 months, and 21 days before the Cataclysm (19 PC)

"HEAD TO SEA!"

Tudkhalias was enjoying some of the happiest time of his life. He and Kiya were content and prosperous, and all seemed to be well. He still thought of the spirit that came to him during the Event: he still dreamed of more! However, how could he do such a thing? He had no support aside from Kiya- and as much as he may have believed it, her love could not make an empire. Tudkhalias focused himself on just tending to his fields for now- life was never easy. The constant battle to survive and get food hung over everyone, except the King perhaps. Tudkhalias had heard tales of distant lands with plentiful resources, land, and better soil. He would conquer the best of the lands in the world for Kiya, by his sword and his honor. As he sat, thinking while planting crops, he saw a gust of wind. This gust blew down from the mountains, and out to sea. After that, he could have sworn he heard a voice telling him to "follow the wind."

That would be insane! Tudkhalias thought. One vision was one thing, but at this point, he must be going mad! What was there for him out at sea? A small part of him eventually realized the answer. The world was out there: the world of his new kingdom. But how could he leave his home? The isha, all his friends, how could he leave them? His life was good here! But it still nagged at him: how much better could it be? For some reason, whenever he looked around his home after this, he saw only problems. Gone was the joy of his younger years: in its place had come a repressed hatred for the timidity of his life. The only thing that still brought joy to him was Kiya. Tudkhalias knew these feelings of anger towards his home were misguided, so he sought the counsel of the isha.

"Father, why am I discontented in my home? Life here is good. We are aloof from most of the problems of the world. So why am I not happy?" Wept Tudkhalias.
"My son, you are discontented because you seek something. You are feeling the pain of youth. You wish to see more of the world, as I did when I was your age. I must warn you: the world is a terrible, terrible place. The evil out there fortunantely does not often penetrate our town. There is senseless destruction, oppression, and sacrilege in most of Hatti, and the other lands. The people there are not free to use what they produce like us (1): they give everything unto their rulers and get only enough to survive back. I will not lie, it can happen here too. However, it has been many years since the Kings of Hatti have deigned to take tribute from us, as our town is small." Said the isha.
"But that is wrong! Surely someday the system will be changed?" Wailed Tudkhalias.
"I am sorry, my child. The system will never change, and the perogative of the King to our precious iron shall never change. The King is divinely protected, and so we obey." Said the isha.

Tudkhalias was very upset by this. Yes, the King had rights, but surely he had limits too? Perhaps if he were a good King, he could rule without limits, but the isha told him of the King's deeds. Hatti was being starved by the King's displeasing of the gods that enthroned him. In this way, his tyranny was starving the land. Tudkhalias watched every day as the fields dried up more and more, and pestilence spread across the land. Tudkhalias decided he would appeal to the gods, for deliverance if not for him, at least for Kiya and their future children.

"O great Kumarbis! (2) Why are you destroying the land? Surely you could spare the pious and loyal citizens of Hatti, and just punish the wicked Kings? Why is the world dying? Have you unleashed Ulikummis, your mighty offspring to destroy our nations?" Cried Tudkhalias. (3)
"NO." A voice thundered inside Tudkhalias. "THE CATACLYSM IS NOT MY DOING: IT WILL BE YOURS! IT IS YOUR DESTINY... YOU CANNOT ESCAPE IT! HEAD TO SEA!" Roared every part of Tudkhalias. (4)

(Kumarbis)

Tudkhalias woke up. His face was caked in dirt. The sun was beating down on him and he was sweating. He went to get some water from the stream near his house, and found it nearly all dried up. The heat could almost be seen melting it. The town was drying up. Now that he thought about it, it had been drying up for a long time. No longer did streams flow through the streets in the wet season, as when he was young. The heat had grown and grown. What had caused the wrath of the gods to fall unto the good people of this town? What more could they suffer? (5)

FINIS

(1)- Palace economies.

(2)- Hittite chief god. Interesting parallels to Zeus/Jupiter.

(3)- Hittite god. Son of Kumarbis that prevents his other son from killing him. God of disorder and bad things.

(4)- tl:dr Heat stroke with hallucenations.

(5)- climatic disruption and increased aridity in the Eastern Mediterranean caused by the North Atlantic Oscillation.


Any guesses as to what the exact day the TL is at is? If you do enough research, you will know. :p

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