The End Of It All

And long before the dust had settled he himself had vanished, no sound had even vaguely disturbed the morning as it rose. And what was left was awe, and an uncertainty of thought which led to such explosive and disorderly rebirthing it baffled even spirits who had come to witness and to oversee the final rising of the emperor. The Cantadora now appeared, stepped from the cave into the light and spoke with the authority of hoarseness and a voice so soft that all the creatures froze, the birds just hovered in midair and Folsom Brook stood still, just short of where the pair of beavers were stationed to erect their dam. 'It is the last and final time, my children, that I will tolerate the beelzebub this foul abomination of the filth that fell to ground when God created. I am in charge of all decisions here, all judgment shall be mine and mine alone, I shall destroy this world and leave no trace for any sparks that live in space to light de novo from the ashes and the dust a new beginning, for a humankind.' She spoke and raised her braids toward what all had heard, the sound of clarinets, and from the tallest tree descended, gingerly the figure so well known to all the evil human souls. And as his hooves touched down onto the ground a great explosion rocked the trees and nearby hills, it spread in a gigantic tidal wave of fire throughout the world, and it left nothing in its wake. It was the end though no one knew what really did occur that morning, as their time had truly puffed up into air that had the odour of fresh sulphur, though they had known for centuries about it all.