Stand Tall and Shake the Heavens

His speech, a speech to mortal men and women---humanity. A continuation of "Sworn." Stand tall, and shake the heavens. Stand and be true. (By the way, each dot in that picture is a galaxy.)

I have only one question to ask of you. Think of it, before you go down below. Before you enter the fray, and remember it when all begins.

What is a man?

I speak not of the genital lump of flesh between your legs! I don't care about your gender! What is that spirit inside of you, what is that soul, what is it that makes you run? Why do you persist? Why do you folly?

Because you choose to? What is choice? Illogic, irrational, idiotic...foolishness. Surely you jest.

What man...what human...looks into the blade and cracks a grin? What man's last words are a joke? What man is sacrifice?

Why? What greater ideal drives you, what genetic predisposition justifies self-sacrifice ---even extermination---within your consciousness at that last possible instant?

This glaring flaw you call imperfection--mortality---this limited, finite lifetime and perception gives you ignorance of the world and its cosmos. Order. The cosmic scale, something you wouldn't even dream to begin fathoming. How can finity beget meaning, eh?

I'd ask you to tell me that, but your own fallacies that give you such will would likely prevent any true answer with proper understanding. Don't tell me it's because you choose to.

Or can it be that I, whose scope is so vast, and whose immortality makes time negligible, can no longer see what choice is anymore? That with calculations and equations the length of light-years and a purview encompassing the stars, I see the chaotic, self-running order of the cosmos so overwhelmingly it shadows personal, local freedom. That, after all this time and space...I see order, and what you mortals may deem as Fate, but not Choice.

I have seen races who have embraced total empathy, and have become unified of pathos and ethos. I have seen them disregard hatred and ascend to technological and spiritual heights to rival demigods. I have seen other races, united not only in mind but also in spirit; and others who have united even in flesh. As one, these specimens have raged across galaxies.

But you, still content to quarrel amongst yourselves on but one, tiny, and insignificant planet... It is you, you savage beasts, who would dare to shout "I" to the world.

The ambitions of one man, his greed, his lust, his love, hate, passion, emotion can move nations and shatter the destinies of thousands. Impressive as it were on one mere world, but barely the iota's shadow of a ripple in the greatest scale of existence. However, give this one man the means to expand his scope to the entire universe, and he will without hesitation.

And how much more so the motivations of those who'd oppose that one man?

Never have I borne witness to such tenacity in such creatures, who would dare to step to the face of the gods themselves and say "No."

For such beasts, to display such feats of sadism and heroism as to shame both the demons and the angels, whose "I" has splintered them into as many interests as there have been stars in the cosmos, to yet be able to say "Yes." To come together, still as beasts, and shout "We" to the universe.

Within you sparks something no immortal can ever grasp or contemplate. Somehow, your imperfection makes you perfect. All flaws are accounted for, and at the same time not. And it is this potential for such spiraling evil, chaos, and discord, that random wildcard factor, that makes you so unpredictable....and therefore great.

So I ask again. What is a man?

They who shake the dust.

What is a Man?

They who shake the Heavens.

Remember that, friend. And make the gods tremble in your wake.

Author's Note

I usually proofread my works, however as always I'm sure there are typos and syntax errors. I appreciate any and all notices of that, and will work to correct those. If I haven't do know that I did acknowledge your notice and try implementing it, but found that it detracted from the effect I wanted and so omitted it.

Reviews

[Wolfwind Words]

This was absolutely brilliant! I totally agree that it is the little imperfections within our human self that define us and alow the mistakes in life's jouney to be created. From which we learn and grow in ways that no great being, as you put it could comprehend. In a sense..smaller is better.

A applaud you on the creativity and depth of thought here! Bravo!

Aaron Wolfie Maycroft