"Dah!" Uhe stepped outside its tent and looked around at the sea of prepared warriors. "Does Mijii think to buy itself a place next to Aakva’s side with such a performance? Must I spend the lives of valuable warriors to satisfy what Mijii’s feelings demand?" n the distance, a wisp of smoke rose from the forest. It was soon joined by another. Uhe looked in horror as a third began. "Conseh, your warriors are burning the forest!"
Conseh rushed outside and looked at the spires of smoke, now five in number. "It is impossible, Uhe. I would not disobey you, and my warmasters would not disobey me." Conseh studied the forest more closely. "Look, Uhe! The Diruvedah sets its own fires!"
And it was true. The fires could be seen to begin deep within the forest, far beyond the limits of the Denvedah. The gentle winds blew south toward the Great Cut. The first tongues of flame became visible above the treetops.
Uhe took a step forward, its fist in the air, and screamed, "Mijii! Mijii! You are insane!"
Uhe turned to Conseh. "Have the order spread to the front lines that any of the Diruvedah trying to escape the flames are to be allowed to do so. Take them, and guard them, but let them through."
Conseh ran toward its staff of runners. Uhe looked back at the forest. The entire front was smoke and flame, obscuring the unburned trees behind. "This is a crime you do, Mijii! A crime against Aakva! A crime against the Sindie!"
Tocchah came to a stop next to Uhe. "Watch those flames, ruler of the Denvedah. I would not—did not, could not—do the same. But you cannot imagine the pride I feel at this moment."
"Pride?" Uhe’s eyes were wide as they turned to stare at Tocchah. "Pride?"
"They would rather die at their own hands than at yours or the Madah’s. They would rather burn themselves and their children than serve your cause. Yes. Pride."
Uhe grabbed Tocchah’s arm. "It is not my cause, Tocchah! It is Aakva’s!"
Tocchah pulled its arm free and looked at the ruler of the Denvedah. "You say that there are worse things than war; worse things than eating one’s young! I tell you this, Uhe: there are worse things than dying in the manner of the Diruvedah!"
Tocchah left, and Uhe stared at the burning forest. The ruler of the Denvedah stood for two days and nights watching the flames and smoke. Upon the morning of the third day, a runner approached Uhe bearing food. Uhe ignored the food, but told the runner: "Bring word to Nuvvea. The Northern Denvedah is to go down into the lands of the Kuvedah. Tell Nuvvea that Conseh will take the Northern Denvedah and will cross the Great Cut here. Conseh will be in the land of the Kuvedah within three days. Go."
The runner left, and Uhe was overheard to say: "And by the bones of my child, Leuno, if the Kuvedah prefers death to the Denvedah’s victory, then let them be quick about it. I would spend no more good warriors' lives upon meaningless gestures. You disgust me, Mijii; and you corrupt the memory of a great people. If you refused me your service by dying with a blade in your hand, perhaps then you would be hero. But you are a coward and you have murdered your people."
The ruler of the Denvedah lowered its head and began walking toward the forest of ashes.
In the burned forest, the trunks of trees standing like so many blackened teeth, the Denvedah searched for days. Charred flesh and bones, arranged in ceremonial rings, were found by the warriors. All were dead, the only sounds being the hiss and crack of the few remaining fires.
It was Uhe who found the lone survivor. It was a baby, half-covered by the body of its parent. The baby’s legs were burned, and the ruler of the Denvedah had Daes send a healer to treat the child. When Uhe was certain that the child would live, it had the child sent back with the healer to the Sixth Denve to be reared as its own.
Uhe named the child "of the world," and it was forever after called Sindieah.
The finish of the next year saw the surrender of the last of the Kuvedah and the Denvedah victorious across the face of Sindie. On the top of Butaan Mountain, a mighty hill of rock near the Akkujah, just north of the Great Cut, Uhe gathered its warmasters and overmasters. And Uhe spoke:
"You have fulfilled Aakva’s new Law of War. Now I tell you that a new Law of Peace is the wish of the Parent of All. The servants of Aakva shall meet here in ten days. At that time, they shall choose from their number a chief of servants, who will then see to keeping the new law.
"You will disband your warriors and make them hunters and farmers again, keeping only one sedenve of the Tsien Denvedah to do the bidding of the chief of servants in its quest to bring this world to peace and plenty. The rest shall return to raising children, hunting, living, and worshipping Aakva."
Conseh stood forth from the gathering. "Uhe, the servants must choose you as the chief of servants."
"No." Uhe looked down at the rocks of Butaan Mountain. "You will go now and do my bidding." Uhe motioned toward the old Mavedah chief of servants. "Iyjiia, you shall remain here."
The assembled warmasters walked slowly from the mountain. When they had gone, Iyjiia held out its hands and then let them fall to its sides. "What do you want of me, Uhe? Am I to be killed to clear the way for this new Sindie chief of servants?"
Uhe pulled the hide-wrapped black metal knife from its sash and pointed it at the old servant. Uhe spoke: "Things must change, Iyjiia Those who obstruct the salvation of the Sindie must step aside. Laws that obstruct this same salvation must be put aside. Do you understand this?"
Iyjiia bowed its head. "I understand."
Uhe removed the hide covering from the knife and let the skin fall to the ground. 'Iyjiia, I will end my life upon this mountain."
"No! You have brought us this far. You have unified the people. You must live to rule the Sindie."
Uhe knelt, looked up, and faced the God of the Day Light. "Iyjiia, what it takes to conquer a world is different than what is needed to rule a world."
"Perhaps this is fact, Uhe. But how do you know that you lack what it takes to rule a world?"
"I know, Iyjiia I have lied; I have stolen; I have murdered. Never should the ages be able to describe a Sindie ruler in such terms."
Iyjiia knelt next to Uhe, and placed a hand upon Uhe’s shoulder. "These were the necessities of war, of survival, of the times. We are all tainted."
"The times have changed, Iyjiia There is no need for war now, and no need for a master of warmasters. I must step aside. The servants must search among the Sindie and find one who is neither thief, blasphemer, murderer, or coward. Choose that one for your chief." Uhe looked at the old servant. "Iyjiia, will you hear my prayer?"
Iyjiia removed its hand from Uhe’s shoulder. "I will hear it."
Uhe faced the God of the Day Light. "Aakva, your old Law of Peace was wrong, and I have set it right. This is my crime, and my claim to virtue. Aakva, make yourself known to the Sindie, your children; feed them, keep them warm, and keep them safe. Aakva, in the name of your children, become a more perfect god."
Uhe then lifted its blade and fell upon it. It took but a moment and Uhe was dead.
It was Iyjiia who gathered the brush and sticks to burn Uhe’s body, allowing the pyre to carry Uhe’s life to the side of Aakva. Iyjiia remained upon Butaan Mountain for ten days and nights, praying as the servants gathered there. On the morning of the eleventh day, Iyjiia stood and addressed the servants:
"I have spoken with the God of the Day Light." Iyjiia pointed at the ashes of Uhe’s pyre. "Here we shall erect a tomb so that the ashes of Uhe the Conqueror may always be in peace. Around this tomb we shall construct a great temple that all may come and learn the story of Uhe. And around this temple the Sindie will settle and build a great city through which the people may learn, practice, and enjoy the lessons and blessings of Aakva."