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had learned that he was more powerful than the god he’d worshipped all through the history of Men.
He came back to Snake and their hands touched and the bond of friendship was sealed at last, at the
end.
Then they worked together and Nathan Stack used the needle with a wave of his hands, and
the Earth could not sigh with relief as its endless pain was ended...but it did sigh, and it settled in
upon itself, and the molten core went out, and the winds died, and from high above them Stack
heard the fulfillment of Snake’s final act; he heard the descent of the Deathbird.
“What was your name?” Stack asked his friend.
Dira.
And the Deathbird settled down across the tired shape of the Earth, and it spread its wings
wide, and brought them over and down, and enfolded the Earth as a mother enfolds her weary child.
Dira settled down on the amethyst floor of the dark-shrouded palace, and closed his single eye with
gratitude. To sleep at last, at the end.
All this, as Nathan Stack stood watching. He was the last, at the end, and because he had
come to own--if even for a few moments--that which could have been his from the start, had he but
known, he did not sleep but stood and watched. Knowing at last, at the end, that he had loved and
done no wrong.
25
The Deathbird closed its wings over the Earth until at last, at the end, there was only the
great bird crouched over the dead cinder. Then the Deathbird raised its head to the star-filled sky
and repeated the sigh of loss the Earth had felt at the end. Then its eyes closed, it tucked its head
carefully under its wing, and all was night.
Far away, the stars waited for the cry of the Deathbird to reach them so final moments could
be observed at last, at the end, for the race of Men.
26
THIS IS FOR MARK TWAIN
