Chapter 25 Chapter Twenty-Four

There is a water channel next to the sand, which is the boundary of the camp vegetation.Then there was a rocky ridge, and after that, there was an open desert at Idaho's feet.The plateau on which Taib's lair stood rose behind him, reaching into the night sky.The light of the two moons fringed the hole with white.There is an orchard by the canal. Idaho stopped at the edge of the desert, looked back at the quiet flowing water, the branches full of flowers, and the real moon, plus the reflection in the water, there were four moons in total.The still suit rubbed against the skin, slippery.The damp, stone-burning stench hit his nostrils through the filter.The breeze that blows through the orchard is like a sneer.He listened quietly to the sounds of the night, the rustling of mice in the grass by the ditch; the monotonous hooting of owls, echoing in the shadows of the rocks; The slightest sound.

Idaho turned in the direction of the sound of the sofa. In the moonlight, there was no movement on the dunes. Tandis took Paul there, then returned to report the situation.From there, Paul made his way to the desert like a true Freeman. "He's blind, really blind," said Tandys, as if explaining something. "Before that, he had visions to tell us...but..." Then shrug.Blind Fremen should be left in the desert.Although Muad'di was the emperor, he was also a Freeman.He had made a deal with the Fremen to protect and raise his children.He's a true Freeman. From here, Idaho discovered, the basic outlines of the desert could be seen.The rocks, silvered by moonlight, stand out against the sand; all that's left are endless stretches of dunes.

I shouldn't have left him, not even for a minute, Idaho thought.I know what's going on in his head. "He told me that his presence was no longer needed in the future," Tandis reported. "As he left me, he shouted back. 'Now I'm free.' That's it." Damn these people!Idaho thought. The Fremen refused to send orthopters or any other search tools.Search and rescue, contrary to their traditional customs. "There will be a sandworm waiting for Muad'di," they said, and began to chant prayers for those who were abandoned in the desert to give water to Shahuru, "Mother Sand, Father Time , the source of life, let him pass.”

Idaho sat on a smooth rock, staring steadily at the desert.Night shades everything.There is no way of knowing exactly where Paul went. "Now I'm free." Idaho said this aloud, startled by the sound of his own voice.For a moment, he let his thoughts wander freely.He thought of the day he had taken the boy Paul to the Caladan beach market.The sun shone brightly on the water.The rich products of the sea are quietly placed there for sale.Idaho remembered Gurney Halleck who used to play the barris for them, the laughs, the good times.The melody of the music danced in his mind, like a spell, leading his consciousness into happy memories.

Gurney Halleck.Gurney is sure to blame him for the tragedy. The music in memory gradually fades away.He remembered Paul's words: "In the universe, there are some problems that cannot be solved." Idaho began to wonder how Paul would die deep in the desert.Quickly killed by sandworms?Or die slowly under the scorching sun?In the cave, some Fremen said that Muad'di would never die, that he had entered the mysterious world of Ruh, where all future possibilities would become reality.He will exist there forever until the physical body disappears. He will die, and there is nothing I can do, Idaho thought.

But he gradually realized that it might be a rare courtesy to die without leaving any traces—no corpses, nothing, and the entire planet is his cemetery.Mentat, focus on your own problems, he thought. Suddenly remembered a word.These are the words of the officers tasked with defending Muad'di's children at the changing of the guard: "It is my sacred duty as an officer, and I will be responsible for..." Boring and conceited.This sentence angered him.This statement deceived the Fremen.Fooled everyone.A man, a great man, dies silently there, and all this nonsense goes on slowly and slowly...says...says...

Where is the meaning beyond words?Where are those clear, unambiguous meanings?In that unknown place, the place where the power of the empire rose, was sealed away to prevent others from rediscovering it.His mind searched in Mentat fashion.Seemed to be found, shimmering, like the hair of a banshee who seduces mortals.She was calling... beckoning the ecstatic sailors into her emerald caverns... Idaho jerked awake from the ecstasy of consciousness. I see!he thinks.It would be the same if it were me.Instead of facing failure, let yourself disappear! The moment of ecstasy just now is still clearly in his memory.He inspected it and saw that his life stretched out at that moment, reaching out to the entire universe.The real body is imprisoned in the finite emerald cave of consciousness, but the infinite life endures forever.

Idaho stood up, feeling that his whole body and mind had been purified by the desert.The sand in the wind began to fly, crackling and hitting the leaves of the fruit trees behind him.The night air was filled with a rough and dry smell of dust, and the robe on his body fluttered with the wind. Idaho realized that in the depths of the remote desert, a round of huge sandstorm was being formed, carrying sand and dust, rolling up bursts of whirlpools, and making a violent whistling sound.The flying sand rolled, like an extremely huge sandworm, enough to tear the flesh from the bones of a person.

He would become one with the desert, Idaho thought.The desert will make him finally what he is. The thoughts of a true Sunni wash his soul like a stream of pure water.Paul would keep walking, he knew it.No Atreides voluntarily surrender themselves to fate, not even when they are well aware that such fate is inevitable. For a split second, Idaho had a precognitive vision, seeing people in the future talking about Paul like they were talking about the sea.All his life, he was dusty and ran in the sand, but the water was always with him. "His body sank," people would say, "but he swam up." A man cleared his throat behind Idaho.

Turning around, Idaho recognized the figure.It's Stilgar. "No one will find him," said Stilgar, "but everyone will find him eventually." "The desert took his life—and made him a god," Idaho said. "But he was still an interloper in the end. He brought something to this planet that didn't belong here—water. .” "The desert has its reasons," said Stilgar. "We welcomed him and called him our Muad'di, our God. We gave him a mystical name, the cornerstone of the pillar: Yusok." "He's not really a Freemen after all."

"But that doesn't change the fact that we accepted him...totally." Stilgar put a hand on Idaho's shoulder, "Everyone is an intruder, old friend. " "You're smart, aren't you, Stilgar?" "Fine. I can see how messed up our people are in a good universe, but Muad'di brought us some kind of order. At least for that, people will remember his jihad." "He wouldn't abandon himself in the desert," Idaho said. "He's blind, but he won't give up. He's a respectable, principled man. There's Atreides in his blood. " "His water will be sprinkled on the sand." Stilgar said. "Come on." He took Idaho's arm lightly. "Alia is back, and she is looking for you." "Did she go to Macabu's Cave with you?" "She helped clean up those cowardly Nebs and bring them back to life. They did her bidding...and so did I." "What order?" "Put the traitor to death." "Oh." Idaho looked up at the outline of the high cave, feeling dizzy for a while, "Who are the traitors?" "Guildmen, Our Lady of Mohiam, Coba . . . and others." "You killed a Virgin?" "Yes. Muad'di left a message not to kill her." He shrugged. "But I didn't listen to him. Alia knew I would kill her." Idaho stared out at the desert again, feeling fully human at last, able to see clearly the pattern of rule Paul had created.Judgment strategy, that's what the Atreides training manual called this mode.The people obey the government, and the ruled can also influence the ruler.Did the ruled, he wondered, ever think about how their actions might affect the strategies of the ruler? "Alia..." Stilgar cleared his throat, his voice sounded a little embarrassed, "She needs you, needs you by her side." "But she is the queen." Idaho murmured. "Queen Regent, that's all." "Business must go on, wealth is everywhere. Her father used to say that," Idaho muttered. "Are you coming? We need you back." Stilgar said in embarrassment. "She was almost... frantic. She cried and scolded her brother for a while, and was devastated because of his departure." "I'll be right there," Idaho agreed.He heard Stilgar leave.He stood there, facing the increasingly fierce wind, and any grain of sand and dust hit his distillation suit, making a crackling sound.Mentat awareness allowed him to see where the future was headed.The possibilities dazzled him.Paul stirred up a huge vortex, and once this vortex was created, nothing could stop it. The Sisterhood of Bee Geist and the Guild had overreached, and the losses and reputations had been disastrous.The Order of Chizara is on the verge of collapse due to the defection of Koba and other high-ranking figures.In the end, Paul left voluntarily, which fully demonstrated his respect and recognition of the Fremen customs, and finally won the loyalty of the Fremen to him and his family.He has now become one of them forever. "Paul's gone!" Alia's voice cracked.She appeared, standing silently beside Idaho, "He's a fool, Duncan!" "Don't say that!" he snapped. "The whole universe will say that, and I can't stand it," she said. "For the love of God, why?" "For the love of my brother, not God." True Sunni insight expanded his consciousness.He sensed that she had lost her visions—not since Jani died. "You have a strange way of loving," he said. "Love? Duncan, he just waved his hands and set off on the road, no matter what kind of chaos the world behind him will be! He can continue to live in peace...and he can resurrect Chani to be with him!" "Then...why doesn't he continue like this?" "My God," she whispered, then raised her voice again, "Paul spent his life avoiding jihad, avoiding deification. At least, he's free now. He chose to be free!" "Ah, yes—and that vision." Idaho shook his head in bewilderment. "It explained Chani's death. His moon fell." "He's silly, isn't he, Duncan?" Idaho's throat tightened with grief. "What a fool!" gasped Alia, trying to keep her composure. "Well, he's got immortality, and we're doomed!" "Alia, don't say that..." "It's just so sad," she said, in a low voice, "sad. Do you know what else I have to do for him? I'm going to save that Princess Irulan's life. That man's life! You should listen Her wail. She wails and tears and gives water to the dead man; she swears she loves him but doesn't know it. She curses Bee Geist Sisterhood and says she'll give her life to raise Paul's children." "You trust her?" "Has a taste of believability!" "Ah." Idaho said softly.The final outcome was clearly on display in his consciousness.Princess Irulan's break with the Sisterhood of Bee Gist was the final step, depriving the Sisterhood of any chance of attacking the Atreides' heir. Alia sobbed and leaned against him, her face buried in his chest. "Oh, Duncan, Duncan! He's gone!" Idaho put his lips to her hair, "Please, don't be sad," he whispered, feeling her sorrow mingling with his, like two streams merging into the same pool "I need you, Duncan," she whimpered, "Love me!" "I love you," he whispered. She looked up, the moonlight shining on his face, "I know, Duncan. Love is connected." She pushed him away, and took his hand. "Would you like to walk with me, Duncan?" "Wherever you go," he said. She led him through the culvert, and disappeared into the darkness at the bottom of the hill, where it was safe.