Dimos

Dimos

STORY1

Wind rustles in the trees. Crows caw softly in the gloaming. As I scan the quiet forest in search of any possible threat, the prince at my side murmurs, "Its so peaceful here."

He is here in search of a way to lead our country out of war. And as he travels from nation to nation preaching his message of peace, I walk at his side to protect him from those who refuse to listen. But I am a clockwork man created for war, and no matter how much time we spend together, the truth of his message continues to elude me. I draw close to the prince as he contemplates the setting sun. I wonder why he would think this place to be "peaceful." Perhaps it has something to do with the red hues of dusk?

 

STORY2

As the prince's disease worsened, so did grow his impatience. It would seem he desires to achieve peace as quickly as possible. So when I suggest we rest in a church until he feels better, it takes a good deal of effort to get him to agree.

Today again, the prince's condition is poor, so we wait for nightfall in the church. I take this opportunity to ask him: "What is a peaceful world?"
He looks at me with surprise, but a willful flame burns in his eyes. After a moment, a thin smile crosses his lips. He reaches out, puts a hand on my chest, and says,
"It means you never have to hurt here."
It must be a different sort of pain from wounds as I know them. He does not notice my lack of understanding and continues to talk. I simply nod my head, hoping it will bring him energy.

 

STORY 3

The disease spreads. The prince's body withers and fades. When he can no longer stand, I travel alone to nearby villages in search of any food or medicine they can spare. In the villages, I see people driven mad by the horrors of war. They grieve for lost family. They curse their empty bellies. And they all turn their weapons on me—the clockwork man.

One day, I find a single apple in the woods. My prince lacks the strength to eat it on his own, so I chew small bites and feed it to him as a mother bird would its own young. As I see his haggard cheeks and hear his final, gasping breath... I feel a pain deep within my chest and finally realize the truth of everything that my prince has been fighting for.

It means you never have to hurt here,

he had said. Oh, but why did it take such loss for me to finally understand?

 

STORY 4

My bODy is RAvaGeD by RuSt. mY meMOrles GrOw DeFEcTIve. YEt I stAy by hIS SIdE: MY PriNCe, wHo TImE eROdED. THerE is A gAPinG, EmpTY hOLE iN mY cHEst. ThE pAiN I feLT jUSt BeFOrE hE DieD... iS GOnE. I wILL PAinT tHIS ChurCH ReD. I wILL uSE THe BloOd OF HUmANs WHo DEniED HIS SaIVATioN ANd nOW InTRuDE oN hIS SLuMBeR. IN ACcORDaNCE WITH thE PROMISE We MAdE ThAT Day, I WILL CONTInuE to ProTECt Him... aNd ThE PEaCE he dESiRed FOReVER...