Beneath the Red Dragon

”Sister, our father is dead. Why don’t you return to the stars and accompany him,”

”I’m afraid I don’t have time to set things right before you were born; the cruelty of this world is beyond measure.”

Paul awoke from a brief dream, slowly opening his eyes.

Having lingered in the desert for a long time, he unintentionally inhaled the spice that permeated the sands, making his abilities clearer, and occasionally, he even saw the unborn sister in his mother’s womb.

Paul looked at the Fremen around him. They had just dealt with a small squad of Harkonnen Clan pursuers. The pursuing soldiers’ armor wasn’t equipped with Holtzman Shield Fields, which could have attracted Sand Worms due to their special frequency of vibration. Only city-level shield fields can deter Sand Worms.

Thus, these pursuers were easily dealt with by the Fremen, allowing them to safely reach this Teb Cave.

However, to his surprise, a large part of the Northern Fremen gathered at the Northern Cave near the Spice Collection Mine did not accept the Savior theories propagated by the Sisterhood. Many of them were even rejecting him and his mother, Jessica.

”You killed Jamie,”

”Spy!”

”Witch!”

”Let the Elder Council decide, let the Elder Council decide,” Stilgar blocked the front, loudly dispersing his people, protecting the Savior Paul he hoped for in his heart.

But the anger and rejection of the surrounding Fremen did not worry the young Paul. He just wandered among the crowd and saw those Southern Fremen, who were a minority in the North.

”Lisan al-Gaib,”

”Lisan al-Gaib!”

”Mahdi!”

Dozens to hundreds of Southern Fremen knelt to the ground, their hands brushing their foreheads and temples, shouting towards Paul, the Savior created by the Sisterhood, with fervor and tears of emotion.

”This is my foundation among the Fremen,”

Paul thought to himself, turning to quietly say to Jessica, ”Your Bene Gesserit indoctrination has already taken root and sprouted here.”

”Some people view me as their Prophet, while most others see me as a false Prophet. We must change the minds of these non-believers, only then can I gain the support of these Fremen, rely on them to sabotage the Spice Mines, and rely on them to approach the Emperor and fulfill vengeance.”

Hearing this, Jessica was a bit taken aback. She said softly, ”Vengeance is not what your father wanted you to pursue.”

Paul shook his head lightly and said, ”But I want vengeance,”

Then he fell silent; the path ahead would be one he had to walk alone.

After a short night’s rest and discussions by the Fremen Elder Council, Paul was allowed to join the ranks of the Fremen as a reserve warrior.

As for Paul’s mother, Jessica, she had to face her own tests to be recognized by the Northern Fremen, a result persisting due to Stilgar’s insistence.

This was personally conveyed to Jessica by Stilgar.

Jessica followed Stilgar to the Fremen’s holy place, located at the deepest part of the cave, but the most conspicuous sight was a massive square pool filled with the water of life.

The deceased warrior Jamie’s body was brought here, and the Fremen used a device to extract the moisture from his body and pour it into the enormous pool.

”Return to the deep well, our water returns to the source!” the remaining Fremen prayed, mixing the last trace of their clansman in this world into the pool.

”Bless our brother Jamie, protect Jamie’s birth and passing, and may his departure purify this world!”

”May Jamie’s soul guard this world for his people!”

”Praise the Creator and His water!”

Even Jessica, experienced as a member of the Sisterhood, couldn’t help but feel solemn at this ritual filled with ancient religious atmosphere, quietly watching the pool.

That was the place of return for souls.

Stilgar approached Jessica and, gazing at the pool, said: ”Thirty-eight million gallons, even if we die of thirst, we would never drink this water,”

”This is, Holy Water,” Stilgar pointed at the pool with his hand and said: ”We have a thousand such places,”

”When all these thousand pools are filled, Lisan al-Gaib will arrive, change the face of EraCos, restore the growth of trees, and recreate a green paradise.”

”So many souls,” Jessica said hoarsely and quietly, her eyes misty with tears, the serene sanctity and promise of repose touching the sensitive perceptive nature of this witch.

”Why are you showing me this,” Jessica calmly asked, steadying her emotions.

”Because you are Bene Gesserit, because you understand the Prophesy, you are Lisan al-Gaib’s mother, and will become the Holy Mother of the Fremen,”

Stilgar stared into the witch’s eyes, saying, ”Our Holy Mother is about to die.”

But in Stilgar’s eyes, Jessica saw not the fervor of belief, but an obsession.

”You want me to replace her? You believe in Paul?” Jessica asked quietly.

”I have seen the omens, everything matches Paul’s path, so I believe,” Stilgar said firmly.

”What if I refuse,”

Stilgar lightly shrugged, curling his lips slightly, and said calmly, ”Then he is not Lisan al-Gaib, and you will have no reason to exist.”

”At that time, we can only return the water of your bodies to the deep well!”