II

The sky grew fully dark red, and the sound of deafening thunder
turned into a threatening blast. The sight of heaven which was already
misty and evil became more horrendous as streaks of dim purple and
shadowy gray clouds pursed together for a night of unprecedented
damage. The thread of depression loomed all over the atmosphere and
the entire city was drowned by its power. And not just an hour later,
as they have expected, heavy drop of acid rain waters dove over the
waiting ground.
Nobody could ever tell a reason as to how the clouds started to
tear off acid. Extremely after the first ending of the Earth, a new
phase followed, a phase far darker than what it had preceded. And the
mock of the sky is one of which that could truly express that awful
darkness.
Two weeks came by but the rain never ceased. Droplets of
rainwaters continued to dance through both ends of the fearful
atmosphere. And for two weeks straight the people locked themselves
inside their taverns, anxiously waiting for the vile waters to stop
falling. And for two weeks straight the work and cycle of livelihood
of the people had been delayed. It is dreadfully not good for the
people to stop their workforce. It is crucial for the people to
continue their work and continue breezing up the fuel of that makes
the city bright and illuminated against the shady gray clouds of the
past, as the new world had never again been lit with sunlight or
moonlight since the mighty plague. Without fuel, the city will lose
power and begin to drown against the darkness of the world.
On the third week of the unstoppable rain the electricity of the
whole city began slowing down. Most home electric-fueled devices and
appliances were no longer being run. The city as a whole was dimming
against dear hope. Not a single citizen was able to move out of their
houses. Everyone waited and wished and craved for the rainwaters to
stop. But prayers without action wont change any situation.
Yet, the confidence which were brought by the hidden cave is now
becoming a fear of the entire extinction of the city, and there may
come a day, where Tribunoch would be like those other cities that
faded. For one thing had increased the worries and fears of the
citizens, the river waters in the city started to overflow, covering
the shores with its acid.
In the heart of the city, a tall tower erected, curled with what
seemed to be curvaceous blades rolling from bottom to half of its
figure. It stood upon a very wide square silver-coated ground walled
on each side by a tall stone-made partition. In the front stood a very
tall gate made of platinum bars with gems at the top that looked
sparkly against the dark. Upon the base of the tower plunked a huge
golden door guarded by two armored warriors standing almost seven feet
tall. This mighty tower was named the Cybrus Square.

Upon the top floor of the tower a great hall was built. This is
where the assembly of Magnifists, who are the rulers of the land,
debates the issues and plans for the citys entire wellbeing.
The great hall was wide, tall and circular. The walls were made
of entirely curved metallic glass sheets surrounding the whole area. A
scenic view can be seen from the inside as the glass walls are
perfectly fashioned to show what Tribunoch would look like from up
above, a cityscape of sparks and dancing lights, a field of stars.
The view might have been a perfect illusion of a pointillist
masterpiece of bright neon colors, but now that the city lights are
down, the glass showed nothingness, a landscape of dead beams.
Four golden metallic pillars stood high on four parts of the
room, each far enough from each other and almost touching the
transparent glass wall. The ceiling, which was also perfectly
concaved, was also made of thick transparent metal which makes the sky
visible from the inside. In its center hanged a huge artificial
fluorescent ball that flicker sparkling yellow lights. What added to
its magnificence is the band of shimmering transparent fabric that
flowed all over the ceiling, making the sky appear to have millions of
tiny speck of stars. The ball looked like a tiny glorious sun pressed
with glinting diamonds all over its surface, and the sparkles of the
fabric looked like diamonds that seem to have escaped from the sky.
In the middle of the hall, braced upon its carpeted floor, a huge
brown table formed in a long letter U is placed. On each separate
meter of the table thirteen microphones were placed alongside thirteen
swiveling chairs, six on each sides and one on the center.
In the evening the Chief Minister Ermidoch Grattlins, leader of
Tribunoch, Reacher of the Stars, called for the assembly. When all
twelve senators came, he stood in front across the table and spoke:
My dear brothers, we are named Magnifists for we are wise to
tend the problems of our territory. I summoned for your presence
tonight to discuss with you this dilemma our city is infronting now.
For over three weeks straight the acids never turned away and fear is
now looming once again in the hearts of our people.
There was a moment of ere silence, and the President continued
We need to take action against this trouble. And I call for your
brilliance to say whatever it is essential to do to surpass this fear.
For I, myself, have grown bothered of this disturbances.
The Chief Minister directed a device at the center of the table.
He clicked. A hologram of the whole city illuminated the assemblage.
All of them eyed intently towards the image of the city projected
above their heads. Most of them gasped in horror as the Chief Minister
zoomed towards the river, which about a small distance near the Cybrus
Square. Even in the hologram which was all blue and white, the tower

looked magnificent. Nonetheless, the river grew twice that its normal
range. Whispers and murmurs began noising up.
Chief Minister Grattlins, with all respect raised a wobbling
voice from one of the men of the assembly. Everyone silenced and
turned to where the sound came from. There is one thing I might
consider us doing.
Marticus Knobble said the Chief Minister slowly, and what do
you suggest senator?
Knobble, an old shuddering man with white hair fixed on his head
and jaw, breathed for a moment, and then spoke The city has been
sleeping for three weeks now. And the vile acid had made the river to
overflow in the ground, at most two feet above normal altitude. It is
essential that we transfer to a higher ground, place over where the
flood rains cannot reach. It doesnt matter if the city would drown
into darkness, for we can still remake artificial lights far ahead.
What is necessary for us to do now is to keep our citizens safe from
the increasing waters.
Can you hear yourself Knobble? another voice came up,
interrupting senator Knobble. It was Gordberth Sarthon, a man of midfifties who looks inexcusably mean. With all your wise words of
morality, that is certainly not a good notion to mention to. If youre
suggesting we make the people transfer here in Cybrus Square you have
completely fooled your mind. There is no way we can control them once
they entered the Squares gates. He turned towards the President
President Grattlins, I suggest that we keep snoozed until the rain
stops, or so, we can ask Rippletom to deliver us troopers to remove
the rains.
And when will they come? Gempis Carlbone, another senator who
was seated across Sarthon, stood up from his chair. He was with slight
wrinkles over his gray appealing eyes and perfectly cut moustache
above his thin lips. We have asked for aid from them and until now
nothing came. All of us here surely havent in their awareness of when
these terrible rains would stop, and surely have in their awareness
that Rippletom had fairly neglected the idea of our linkage. Never in
the entire era of this planet has anything like this taken place. This
is no longer an ordinary kind of rain. This is at most something
Rippletom can hardly manage. As you may know senator, we cannot
entrust our lives to them.
And what do you imply, Mr. Carlbone? sarcastically asked
Sarthon, wrenching his unwholesome lips which slightly showed sharp
teeth beneath. Never was he very fond of the willpower of the man
seated across him.
Carlbone sighed, took his seat and looked upon Knobble who was
seated next to his right. Knobble looked intensely worried. Then he
said, This may be awfully dangerous but I believe that is the best

option that we have at this desperate moment. We can transfer to the

Hidden Cave.
In the mountains of Toniar? a questioning voice came up. You
do recognize how sensitive the cave is for noises. and another
concerned voice came. You do know it would wake the creature living
out there! and another. If the population stayed there it might
collapse and bury all of them. And the other This is preposterous!
and so on, and so on.
Then all of the voices of the individuals seated on the Great
Hall started rising and everyone became frantically wild as they
yelled and argued upon each other. And all the others in hall went
crazy and everyone yelled and screamed until
Silence!!! Chief Minister Grattlins voice covered the hall
with its supreme dominion and authority. With an immense controlling
power, everyone calmed down and returned to their respective seats,
and he then spoke as he also took his seat. Senator Carlbone, I
believe you have been able to see what the hidden cave looked like,
and for many years the waters beneath its hollow had offered us such
pertinent gift for survival. However I also believe that you know we
cannot abuse what the cave has offered. Why do you say such curious
opinion?
Chief Minister Grattlins, the senator answered. As a natural
science graduate, I was one of those who discovered the advancement of
our food energy as a use of electrical energy. I have equated the
amount of energy we have left for the electricity and the amount of
food we have left for our people, and we only have one month remaining
if we consume all of them at the same time. If we move to the cave we
can no longer use the energy for electricity and instead use it for
food of the people, with that we can double our consumption thus
prolonging our survival with two months, at that span of time we can
assume that the rain will stop from falling. The lake is elevated high
enough and the acid cannot reach its mouth even if it continued to
rain for precisely two months. The lake is lightning with stones from
beneath which illuminate the cave so we shouldnt worry about the
light. All that we have to do is to be silent and keep any noise to
keep the cave calm.
Why dont we just burn a pile of any matter around every house
to keep us lighted? And make everyone stay in their homes and stay on
their double-bed? Sure it is elevated. one senator kidded, bursting a
slight laugh at his suggestion. He was Hervy Boldflower, a young man
of his early thirties, whose voice and face stated nothing but
mischief and immaturity.
No, no, this is serious Hervy. This is not a thing to be
discussed with double-beds. And the only matters we have around here
are mostly metal and stones. Burning fires among the land induces more
toxins in the air and its more dangerous for our people. A poisonous
air with a poisonous rain, thats not what we need right now.

answered Carlbone. Boldflower slumped backwards, slightly embarrassed.

We need to take the risk and deal with it properly. Its our only
chance to survive.
But Chief Minister, that is a perilous opinion! yelled Sarthon,
his dark eyes were trying to be covered with deep concern, but his
voice was loud and doubtful. You are putting your citizens in grave
danger.
There was another silence after Sarthons disagreement. Everyone
seemed convinced except him. However the last decision remains upon
President Grattlins himself.
Very well then, said the President. Everyone looked upon him
with mild bereavement, and fear was enclosed inside the hearts of the
Magnifists. Around the hall was a succumbed fear that arose towards
the glinting stars. For once and for all, hope will be the last thing
they need to hold on to, to surpass this fear. Moving all the
population to the Hidden Cave is a real perilous opinion, but there
was nothing that best kept them from the rains in a long span of time.
The two months that they were trusting is still considerably
discomforting. And for one moment, after a deep heavy relieved sigh,
the President uttered:
We shall move to the Hidden Cave. We shall make fortress in the
mountains of Toniar until the ending of the awful rains.