Chapter 23

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Chapter 23

Post by Freakzilla »

We say of Muad'dib that he has gone on a journey into that land where we walk
without footprints.

-Preamble to the Qizarate Creed

Duncan stands at the edge of the Sietch Tabr plantings looking out at the desert. Tandis had lead Paul there where he then walked into the desert alone like a true Fremen. He had said that the future no longer needs him and that he was now free. Idaho regrets leaving him alone for even a minute. The Fremen refused to go looking for him, rescue is against custom, and chanted for a worm to come. He worries that Gurney will blame him for this. The Fremen said he would never die, he would enter a world where all possible futures existed, the alam al-mythal. Stilgar comes out and comforts him and tells him Alia wants to see him. Stilgar and Alia whipped the soft Naibs into line and they now follow her orders. Alia has ordered the traitors, Edric, RM Mohiam, Korba and a few others executed. Stilgar admits that he killed RM Mohiam against Paul's wished, just as Alia said he would. Idaho says he will be in shoprtly and Stilgar leaves. Idaho makes mentat projections of the vortex Paul left behind. The Guild and Tleilaxu have lost and been discredited, The Qizarate shaken by Korba's treason and Paul's walk into the desert ensured Fremen loyalty to House Atreides. Alia comes out and calls Paul a fool, to which Idaho objects. She explains that his whole life was spent trying to escape the Jihad and it's diefication. She tells him that she will spare Princess Irulan, she mourns Paul and says she loved him and promisses to teach his children. Alia trusts her. Irulans defection leaves the Bene Gesserit with no leverage. They confess their love for each other and Duncan promisses to to follow where she leads.

Epilogue

No bitter stench of funeral-still for Muad'dib.
No knell nor solemn rite to free the mind
From avaricious shadows.
He is the fool saint,
The golden stranger living forever
On the edge of reason.
Let your guard fall and he is there!
His crimson peace and sovereign pallor
Strike into our universe on prophetic webs
To the verge, of a quiet glance -- there!
Out of bristling star-jungles:
Mysterious, lethal, an oracle without eyes,
Catspaw of prophecy, whose voice never dies!
Shai-hulud, he awaits thee upon a strand
Where couples walk and fix, eye to eye,
The delicious ennui of love.
He strides through the long cavern of time,
Scattering the fool-self of his dream.

-The Ghola's Hymn
They were destroyed because they lied pretentiously. Have no fear that my wrath
will fall upon you because of your innocent mistakes.

~Leto II, God Emperor
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