The Underpeople of Earth

Imagine when there is a world with nothing to look up to with one's eyes. When Time exterminated the Sky in this reality, all people were forced to settle into underground caverns in a mass exodus.

The Shepherd Boy led his followers like a herald of light as they walked into darkness, the sun or moon being destroyed into oblivion by the power of Time. He crowned himself Horastus, meaning light-bringer, in the most spacious cavern and it was at this point which they decided to settle. Time had disappeared and gone into hiding because of his grievous injuries from activating the Tamkit.

Horastus' main follower Tayne, however, was not as peaceful and calm as his leader in their current predicament. He questioned, "My Lord, why are you not in an anxious state from the current state of reality where the sun and moon are no more, where Time has left reality. What shall we do if Time never returns? Are we stuck in the states we are in now for eternity?"

Horastus replied, "Who cares if the sun and moon are gone forever, if the river of time is broken, if aging has stopped? Now that you have gained immortality, you regret it and wish to revert to a time where you were motivated and able to live in happiness. You fail to look at the greater implications of Mother Sky's fall."

Horastus walked toward the left window in his chambers and looked out at the underground city. There were chains upon chains of candles lighting the caves as if it was truly day again. All houses were made out of a faded brown clay and were lined up to connect to the tunnels of the cave systems.

"I received a vision from Time", Horastus said, "He told me that once we are able to reach the surface again, it will be the day of our golden age. I must find five objects and give it to him in order for us to be able to return to life. What is immortality but a glorified form of death?"

So, Horastus embarked on an arduous journey of ten years. In the first month alone, the clothes of his band turned ragged and their faces became unkempt. They discovered no other human tribes in the cave systems which seemed to last forever in length. However, they were able to collect numerous precious crystals in his bag, some that glowed white, blue, red, green, and purple hues.

By the second month, a fearsome cold wind swept through their path every day. Thus, the cooks and servants had fled into the uncharted wild caves where they would never be seen again. By the third month, a huge desert inside the cave barraged the remaining people with scorching heat. The soldiers left. By the fourth month, the right-hand man Tayne fled away with the precious metals as sharp stalactites fell from the roofs of the caves in interminable, spontaneous intervals.

Only Horastus was left. The vivid silence in the dark cave seemed to mock him, seeming to jeer the word "pitiful". The entire body of Horastus was covered in injuries from all the calamities which he endured through in the caves. His bones grew skinny and his countenance paled, yet he did not stop. He heeded the command of his divine master with a passionate piety. Perhaps this loyalty was the only crutch that held up his pitiful soul.

By the fifth month, red bats flew around Horastus' path and deprived him of the last vestiges of his robes. He continued trekking forward in silence with a vacant look on his face.

At the start of the sixth month, the cave path which he traveled suddenly shattered into pieces. Time appeared as a majestic golden glow that permeated every crevice of all reality.

He majestically said to Horastus, "Let your faithful, mythical deeds be recognized. My poor believer, the only one left of your followers. Listen to me, I shall bestow upon you the highest glory any of my subjects can possibly receive. Your tale shall be immortalized in the annals of time, giving you eternal glory.

How poor you are! One month is already long enough for any deity, for one month without the regulation of myself, Time, is one trillion years. You have spent six trillion years or six months of eternity in search for my blessings. I shall fulfill your wish and bring a golden age to your people. They shall all be transformed into gold and possess the supreme honor of being the currency of the world which I will create."

Horastus expressionlessly said, "Return to me my life."

Time was caught off guard, "Do you not want immortality as my servant"

"Where is the life I can find on the surface of the Earth where the Sun and Moon move in a cycle, where time flows in a continuous fashion?"

"You cannot obtain what you seek. Not even I, the omnipotent deity Time, can reverse the effects of time on your body."

Horastus lied down onto the stone cold ground and muttered, "I shall find eternity as dust. Let me return to how I was conceived."

Time boomed in tumultuous anger, "What is this ungrateful gibberish that I hear you perpetuate in your discourse. It is impossible for you to become dust. Here this: all of nature seeks purpose. If you cannot return to your past which you so desire, create it with your future."

Horastus replied, "My Lord! You have known how faithful I have been in carrying out your divine decrees, how fearful I am of you, the reverence that I spread for you in my preaches. I am tired. I seek rest."

Time contemplated, "On account of you as my first disciple, you shall be cursed to be split into 24 parts every day. But, fear not. Your punishment shall be well worth it because, for eight of those hours, you shall rest as you never have before in peace and eternity."

A golden hue started surrounding Harrastus as Time declared to the universe, "I shall grant you the title of Hour."