RED SNOW

     Long before Truth was born, Deceit lived in tranquility in a little town at the foot of the seven mountains. For a thousand and nine years, Deceit lived among the happy men and broken spirits of the southern valley guarding them from the hurt of veracity. The natives loved Deceit like he was one of their own, and prayed him to tarry in the town that had no name. Deceit loved the land, it loved the people and still made a
place for the spirits in its heart. The singing November birds and red April snow made his love for the quiet town only wax stronger.
My journey brought me west, then it took me to the mountainous planes of the south where wild beasts prayed and then to the little town which was home to deceit. Tired and weary from my vagabond journey, I sought not rest but went without delay to the abode of Deceit. I meet it in its garden…tendering the fragile lilies that sprout from the red snow. It raised its head to see who had troubled its afternoon ritual; it looked at me, smiled and called me by my own name.
“You are weary old comrade” Deceit said to me as he gave me a chalice of the finest white water I had tasted in decades.
“My somnolence will remain until my journey is complete and the heroes of the lost war return home…home to their nagging wives and spoilt children.” I said.
“What brings you down these parts? For I know for certain you vagrant trail goes not through here.”
“True, my path goes not through this town, but I came nonetheless to tell you of the ill that will come to you.”
“Tell me of this ill and when it shall come”
“In a land not too far north from here, I saw the birth of something”
“What?” Deceit asked, its eyes bleeding dread.
“It was very much like you Deceit, they call it…Truth”
“Truth?” Deceit echoes quietly. “What business does this Truth have with my ill?”
“I know not, but what I do know is this – Truth resembles you in every way imaginable, like you, it finds its path to the hearts of men and spirit alike bringing tomorrow. But unlike you, it tells men how this world really is, bringing light to quench the darkness you have placed in the hearts of men. Truth will tell the ugly woman who stares her back in her reflection. Truth will tell the poor man he possessed little”
“But this Truth, it will cause pain for men” Deceit said, distress in its voice and grey tears in its eyes.
“I know your intent Deceit, you mean for men to never know pain and that is why I came to you so you may leave these lands before this Truth comes, for if you tarry it will bring you the greatest of pains”, I said watching my once proud comrade reduced to tears by my words, “And maybe the world of men deserve this Truth, maybe they deserve the pain this Truth will bring.”
“Thank you old friend” Deceit said with the saddest smile ever smiled.
Deceit and I walked to the outskirt of the nameless town speaking of our old adventures and for a moment I felt happy, it was what Deceit brought even to the soulless…a moment of happiness.
“I will depart this life for Truth” Deceit said to me before he turned to return home and I… my journey. But Deceit did not keep its word to me. Deceit was the first to tell a lie, and I, the first to hear it.
Deceit stayed in the red snow town with no name till Truth came. Deceit, armed what I had whispered hid itself from Truth and lived on for a thousand years more. Ignorant to the children of Deceit and Truth, they came into union and Chaos was born.

AYO ABEJIDE