The Seventh Sun Rises

The New Gods' Cycle

The fourth day arrived, and with it a wave of heat. Except for Vincent, each person, sweating and fatigued, assembled on the highest floor of the ship, rather than around the fire pit. Dismas pressed himself to a massive window, durable and unblemished, to gaze at the glaring sun, which illuminated the tiny camp. Soon, Ashmit, steadfast and adamant as usual, sternly addressed the remainder of his crew.

"Our situation is critical, but we still have hope. With Harold gone, we can finally function as an efficient and organized crew, free from chaos. Today, we will fulfill the roles of Boris, Rose, and Harold and soon fulfill our mission on this planet. However, we must wait for all our members to recover fully. Thomas, how is Vincent?"

"Vincent remains unconscious, I've performed my best work but I don't believe he will recover." Thomas plainly said. "However, I can fulfill Vincent's role until he recovers from his injuries. With a little more work, I can easily re-establish communications with Earth. I'm certainly qualified to serve as a Head of Communications."

Thomas droned on, listing his various experiences in the field of communications. Ashmit ignored Thomas' rambling and pondered if he should consider Thomas' suggestion. Easily, Ashmit reached a conclusion. "I believe you would be an appropriate candidate for Vincent's position. Until Vincent recovers, you shall fulfill his position by re-establishing communications."

"Thank you sir for bestowing this position upon me. I wholeheartedly believe in your vision. Together we will overcome any setbacks in order to create a thriving and progressive colony." Thomas said with gratitude.

"Wow, you even sound like Vincent." Marie commented.

Fearful, but ready to challenge Ashmit, Dismas mustered up his courage. "Ashmit, to protect us all, I need to-"

Before Dismas could finish, the crew suddenly turned their attention to Vincent, currently at the bottom of the ship's stairs. With all of his effort, Vincent limped up the stairs, throwing his weight onto a piece of pipe that served as a makeshift cane. For several minutes, Vincent groaned and gasped as he climbed, yet the determined look on his strangely undamaged face never changed. At last, Vincent reached the highest floor of the ship and faced the crew. Though his face contained no blemishes or scars, his veiny and frail hands were covered in gruesome sores. His long clothing hid the multiple wounds on his body, scarred in ways the crew could not see. The orange light glared through the ship's window.

"Why has everyone assembled up here? Why wasn't I informed about this meeting?" Vincent questioned.

Thomas, ignoring Vincent's exhausting climb up the stairs, communicated his victory over Vincent. "Due to your significant injuries, Ashmit promoted me to Head of Communications. You are unfit for this position, and with my expertise I shall establish communications with Earth, a task you failed to accomplish."

"Hang on, Vincent will reclaim his position once he recovers from his injuries. Thomas, your position is only temporary." Dismas interjected.

"Dismas is correct, I'm already recovering and I'll soon reclaim my position from you. Foolishly, you hindered my progress before I received my injuries. When I fully recover you will no longer work alongside me. Solely, I will establish communications with Earth and advance our colony." Vincent announced, limping towards Thomas.

"Listen everyone! We cannot continue to clash against each other. We can no longer afford to divide our crew. Immediately, we need to reform how we act and how we treat each other. Perhaps we should replace Ashmit's ideals with some new ethical ideals."

Yet no one listened to Dismas. Intently, Vincent and Thomas glared at each other and argued. As Vincent and Thomas shouted at each other, they both moved closer to the window, basking in the bright orange light. Dismas shielded his eyes from the light, while Ashmit intently watched Vincent and Thomas argue.

"Admit it Thomas, ever since we arrived on this planet you've continuously attempted to rob me of my glorious position. When I reclaim my position, I can finally succeed without your useless contributions." Vincent argued.

"In reality, ever since we've arrived on this planet, you've been dead weight. I've simply fulfilled your position more effectively. Now that I'm in charge, I can finally succeed without your harmful interference." Thomas retorted.

The orange light grew brighter, fully engulfing Vincent and Thomas. Yet they didn't care. Ceaselessly, the two argued back and forth, never reaching any conclusions. Fearfully, Dismas shouted for them to stop arguing, yet they ignored him too. Again, Ashmit simply stared into the orange light, his stoic expression unchanging.

Hoping to end their fighting, Dismas dashed towards the orange light in an attempt to separate Vincent and Thomas. Dismas himself became engulfed in the light, unable to see Ashmit, Marie, or the rest of the ship. Dismas stopped running and could no longer move.

In front of Dismas, two serpents, identical yet opposite, circled around each other. Constantly, they attacked each other, burning with hatred. At first, Dismas believed that the serpents would battle infinitely, since both serpents refused to relent their attacks or admit defeat. However, upon Dismas' arrival, the eternal conflict reached its dramatic conclusion. Simultaneously, both serpents clenched each other's slithering tails. The hatred within the serpents could not extinguish itself. The hatred kept the serpents in motion, forcing them to spin rapidly. The serpents formed a blazing orange ring, which rose from the "ground" and levitated away from Dismas. He shouted for them to come back, but no sound escaped his quivering lips. The ring vanished from Dismas' vision. Dismas fell to his knees and wept, begging to hear again.

His plead was answered. Utterly destroying the soundless atmosphere, a deafening boom emanated from where the blazing ring traveled to. The burst knocked Dismas onto his back and the orange light vanished instantly. Slowly, Dismas stood up and looked to where Vincent and Thomas had fought. The once-sturdy window of the ship now laid in fragments across the floor. Only a few random shards stuck out from the window's edges, futilely reminding the crew that a window had once existed. Dismas didn't have to look outside to know the fate of Vincent or Thomas. No victors arose from this ceaseless conflict. Neither combatant received their desired outcome. In actuality, neither combatant truly believed they would receive it. The cycle would have continued endlessly, as it still does. How could Dismas defeat such a malevolent and powerful cycle of selfishness? Perhaps the fall of Vincent and Thomas signified Dismas' moral ineptitude. Perhaps Ashmit's unquestioned authority will remain unquestioned for eternity. For now, the hopeful savior retreats to his abode, cowering in fear.