A voice said, "Look! Listen! Their conversation."

"Yes, yes, a conversation," another said, "But what will they do, just walk around all day?"

A horde of voices said, "Yes, walk. Yes, around. Destroy them!"

"We can't. Not now. Ahab's orders," a voice said.

"Ahab this. Ahab that. We all know He can't really control us."

"But who else is there to control us until Lord Beelzebub takes control again?"

"Who's to say he hasn't taken full control already?"

"I vote yes!"

"I vote no!"

"I vote maybe so!"

The horde said, "No, not yet, but soon. But soon, but soon..."

_______

Meanwhile, Leo and Elizabeth returned to Raynark's inn. Elizabeth waved goodbye and left for her house down the road.

Leo watched Elizabeth enter her house. She approached the door with a pitter patter of feet, then opened the door gently and closed it after entering. The house was small, a small clay house with a straw roof. The darkening clouds surprised Leo. He wondered what would happen next to this city. He wondered what would happen to Elizabeth when she grew up... Maybe she would live out her life in poverty as well. 'Most likely,' he thought.

A bitter feeling swelled inside of him, once he realized he was once in a position to help people like her...

Children like her!

'But how could I help people in those circ.u.mstances,' he thought, 'The methods... They were wrong!"

So, Leo, with a blaze in his eyes, turned towards Raynark's shop. He wondered what would become of him. 'Surely Solomon has a plan. He wouldn't let Raynark die like that!' But they seemed to be in agreement on something. Leo needed to confirm.

Raynark was leaning over a table. He sat on a chair with his palm on his chin and his elbow on the table. He looked disinterested. He appeared disinterested to Leo. He had a disinterested look.

leo walked slowly, then stopped before Raynark's table, staring at him, unsur of what to say next.

Raynark said with a sigh, "What do you need?"

"Nothing," Leo said, but came to say eventually, "Not nothing. Surely you don't believe Solomon will destroy the city in three days?"

"Why won't he?"

"Because! He's only one man! An old man!"

"..."

"Shouldn't... Shouldn't we we rescue him?"

"Tomorrow."

"Really!"

"Tomorrow, I'll tell you what Solomon did to this city, and why he must atone for his crimes," Raynark said, "Today, I'll tell you a story. You'll listen, and listen, and go to your room once I'm finished. Understand."

Leo said, "But-"

"Understand!"

Leo nodded his head.

Raynark began. He talked like he was singing, yet he was speaking words without notes. Leo heard a rythmn to his story, a wistful dance upn what seemed to be ashes to Leo.

"The story is called, 'Dancing in the Ashes.'"

Leo stayed silent, and Raynark began.

"Once upon a time,

there was a young prince.

The G.o.d of this world,

the one who cursed the

sky to stay cloudy, the

one who caused the sun

to hide in shame said,

'What do you seek young

prince? Say it, and I will

give it to you on behalf of

your people.' The prince said,

'G.o.d, if you would let it be so,

give your servant wisdom, for

I must know how to govern my

people.' G.o.d said, 'Young prince,

you seek neither favor, nor wealth,

nor fame or health, and for that I

will give you all of these, including

the wisdom you seek.' What the prince

didn't know was this:

wisdom is a cursed blessing.

The young prince upon comprehending

the secrets of the world was

distraught; for he understood every

injustice of the world. He knew

every good thing, and yet evil

haunted his very being. He cried.

He cried, for he was not ready for

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such a burden. He was a steward

of great power, yet he knew not

what to do with his newfound

wisdom. He realized he could

not fix the world. Even with ten

lifetimes, he would not fix one

percent of the true problem

plaguing the world. He knew that

this world was cursed. He knew

that demons now camped around it."

Silence.

Leo did not know how to process the story. He marveled at such a story. He had never heard of a G.o.d in this world. Tales traveled through the mountains of a mythical beings, but he had never heard the phenomena of neverending clouds explained in this way. In fact, he never questioned the existence of the clouds until this point in time. He wondered what a sun was and why it was the sun hid in shame.He had many questions. He apprehended only half the story he was told.

Raynark could tell Leo was confused, so he left the room. Raynark headed up the stairs. Leo followed after him. Raynark and Leo arrived at the door to Raynark's bedroom, and Raynark entered, then slammed the door shut.

Leo stood dazed. He stood there for a while, but he soon decided to ruffle his hair and go to bed. It was late, and he still had to process everything that happened to him during this day--the robotic children, the walk with Elizabeth, and his talk with Raynark.

The clouds rolled on into the night, and Leo slept. He forced himself to ignore the demons watching him. He turned off his extended perception, and fell fast asleep.