All Things I've Done To Save You

State Of Play

"And then, do you know that for the model of the Sphinx's face I got the info from the local history? The Sphinx's face was the face of the reigning leader at the time this monument was built," said Amanda. Herman nodded in agreement to this.

"There is a popular story in our time of the existence of the Hebrews as slaves to build the pyramids, but all the documentaries and the historical evidence told us that there were no Hebrews in Egypt at the time the pyramids were built – or rebuilt. It was even said that the Hebrew slaves built the pyramids under the whips of the Pharaoh, ruler of Egypt at that time.

If the Hebrews didn't live in Egypt during the building of the pyramids, how about the Israelites? The Israelites didn't live in Egypt until around 1,000 BC, when various Semitic tribes united in Canaan to form a single independent kingdom, at least 600 years after the completion of the last great pyramid of Egypt. So, it's impossible that the Israelites or the Hebrews lived in Egypt and built the pyramids!" Amanda explained.

"If there were no Jews, Israelites, or Hebrews in Egypt until centuries after the pyramids were built, how come that historical error is planted in popular knowledge?" Herman responded. "If you remember the Book of Exodus in the Bible, the Israelites didn't build the pyramids. Instead, they were oppressed with forced labor to build Pithom and Rameses as store cities for the Pharaoh. So, we can opt the Israelites out of the picture, and let's focus on the 'People of God' in this age, that is the Osirians."

Amanda sighed. "Well, the story of the Hebrew slaves building the pyramids came from Herodotus [2] from Greece, who lived about 450 BC. He was called the Father of History because he was the first historian in the world who documented his records. People said that Herodotus recorded in his work, Book Two of the Histories that the pyramids were built in thirty years by about one hundred thousand Hebrew slaves. Herodotus only said 100.000 workers, he didn't say they were Hebrews or slaves. So, this popular knowledge was an error after all, and we better stick to the Bible." Herman's explanation made her understand the real facts… and what to just believe in.

Just then Herman heard the sounds of music and percussions faintly from afar, which got louder as they got closer, attracting his attention.

"That's an Osirian marching band marching on the road in a parade," said Amanda. "Let's watch them!"

Amanda hurriedly finished her food and walked out of her unit to go downstairs. Herman also quickly put his small notebook in his jacket pocket and went after Amanda. As they got outside, it seemed all people have gone out from their apartments to see the parade too.

Suddenly Amanda stopped and rummaged into her mantle pocket. "Wait." She attached her ID pin to her mantle, and then Herman attached his ID pin to his jacket. Amanda tugged Herman's arm and walked to the roadside.

Herman saw the people who had just gone out of their homes, making time for prayer. He admired their discipline because they got out but didn't fail to pray first in the doorway. They gave a salute towards the idol statues of Amun Ra and Anubis, placed in front of each front door. Every man led his wife and children to solemnly salute the approximately fifteen centimeters idols. After they finished praying, the children were racing each other to get to the road first.

The main road was full of the commotion of the parade. A great mass filled the roadsides, waiting for the parade procession for the eve of the Sunbath Festival this morning.

"Millions of visitors came from all over the world," said Amanda. "In this world with the black people as the majority, there are five federation nations exist. Medensidor is the most influential federation because in there is Atut Baton as the center of pilgrimage of the world, right at the heart of Itong Ahuan City."

Herman and Amanda jumbled together with the crowd, to see the ritual procession that was carried out neatly and orderly. They saw security personnel guarding the procession of the parade, while medical personnel was standing by on the roadsides, watching too.

"So far I haven't seen any police," Herman commented.

Amanda nodded and agreed with her boyfriend's statement. "Yes, there are no crimes in the Osirian Age," Amanda praised. "Everybody gets what he needs."

"No wonder!" Herman murmured, now he understood why.

And then Amanda continued the conversation. "This ritual procession is displaying the representations of various cultures, nations, and skin colors. This is the welcoming parade to mark the eve of the festival that was expected by many kinds of people. Started from the local citizens of Itong Ahuan, pilgrims from other federations, the journalists and media, and all enthusiasts globally."

"By the way, since when this ritual procession and festival has been held?" Herman asked.

"More than a million years," Amanda answered in a pause chance between the tumultuous noises.

Herman had no doubts about Amanda's claim because he already knew the average age of the people in this Old World Age could reach centuries.

"The ritual procession takes off from the pavilion of all contingents, and then walks along the protocol main road two kilometers long before they finally arrive at the pavilion of Atut Baton Square," said Amanda.

"Look! Amanda pointed at the procession passing in front of them. This time the performers were dressed in colorful costumes from the comic. Written on a banner above them was the title of that comic, "Everna Saga", and it attracted their attention of course as young adults, Herman and Amanda liked the display of costumes of contemporary art performed by the cosplayers.

After the Everna Saga cosplayers passed, Herman saw the sacred relics from each federation displayed in the front of the group. They were weapons of various types. There was a spear, a kris dagger, a sword, a sickle-blade sword, and a big cannon. The weapons, along with the statues of their owners were erected on each own decorative car.

The most decorated and eye-catching of them all were the statues of Amun Ra and Anubis that were the highlight of the whole parade. The difference from all other relics, the statues of Amun Ra and Anubis were the largest, tallest, and the most magnificent with black color and decorated with ornaments of gold. The performers on board the vehicle that hovered with Amun Ra and Anubis' idols looked the proudest and received the most festive greetings.

Behind the main decorative hovercar, there was a group of participants for the main event, like an imperial carriage with a couple of very exalted people inside, a cavalry squad, dancers, and the performers of the Sunbath Festival wearing the traditional costumes from various countries of the world.

Various performances were presented in the grand parade, an act as the oriental lion dance, a marching band, and other interesting attractions. Millions of people flocked together to experience the excitement of the parade.

"Are you having fun?" Amanda asked.

"Of course! We're so lucky to watch this. Maybe this is the first and the last time we can witness this festival with our own eyes," Herman admitted.

After watching for so long, Herman began to feel bored and diverted his attention to another place. "What is the agenda of this festival anyway? How come it was so plenty and so extravagant?" he asked.

"The main event is bathing in the sunlight as an expression of gratitude. It will begin at sunrise and end at sunset," Amanda explained. "However, in the additional events before the main event, in several weeks they hold the parades to honor Amun Ra, Anubis, and the supporting gods, musical concerts, and other things just like just now. And then after the main event is complete, they can party it out until they're bored."

"How about the main event itself?"

"The main even is a drag, said the volunteers from previous years. The ones who may participate in it are the priests and the pilgrims from all over the world. Tourists are exempt from this event."

"What's that like?"

"As the Sun God, maybe Amun Ra is the God of Sunrise. The ritual they do is meditating under the sunlight, which must be done from sunrise until sunset. At midday, the feast is held as a ritual and the sign of prosperity they expect in the new year."

"Whew, I think the name should be 'Sunburn Festival', not 'Sunbath Festival'." Herman giggled.

"Well, there's no sunburn here. The afternoon and the midday sun are not too hot and too bright, unlike in our time," Amanda argued. "You see," she pointed at the sun due south. "From this place, people only see the sunrise, set and move along the horizon only."

Truth is said, without their knowing it, the sun has entered midday. But Herman saw that the sun was still on the horizon and didn't climb up to the zenith in the sky like on the earth he knew.

"The pilgrims will worship by giving food to the priests who are black-skinned exclusively and gave a sacrificial offering to Amun Ra," said Amanda. "At the center of the square, there is an Amun Ra statue 10 meters high and several shorter statues where all the sacrificial offerings are placed by the pilgrims coming to worship those idols."

Herman kept listening to Amanda's story enthusiastically. "Why must it be so?" he asked.

"These abundant duties must be carried out by the pilgrims to generate a magical mental ambiance. In other words, to invoke holy powers or blessings."

After talking about many things, Amanda asked Herman to go somewhere else. "I'm tired, let's sit over there, okay," she suggested.

Herman agreed because they have watched the parade excitedly for a long time so their legs became tired and sore. Amanda held Herman's hand and took him to sit on a park bench not far from the commotion.

Before they sat down, they bought ice cream from an ice cream hover truck parked in the park. The other paddlers were also swarmed by buyers. The lovers enjoyed their own ice cream choices while sitting and watching over the city from under a lush tree.

When they were watching the traffic, Herman was interested to see a group of little hover planes flying low and landing on top of a convention center-like building like helicopters.

"Do you know what is happening there?" Herman asked. "Looks like a bunch of officials were doing a sudden inspection."

"Sort of," Amanda answered. "Right now, the leaders of the federations are holding the annual meeting in the Itong Ahuan Convention Center. This meeting is about the development of international economic cooperation."

"I see," Herman nodded, praising his girlfriend's intellect and knowledge. "What are they doing?" While listening, Herman licked his ice cream constantly until he finished it first. "Why the sudden rush? If this happens in our time, it will cause a severe traffic jam!" He giggled, comparing the condition in Osiris and his ear, wiping his hand with a towel handkerchief he brought.

Amanda also smiled to see her boyfriend so amused, then she continued to talk while savoring her ice cream.

"I know this from the volunteers' chats," Amanda continued. The meeting between the federation leaders also contains a hidden agenda, which is to settle the problem about the pilgrims' quota from each country. They said the leaders of other federations have forced the Chairman, the President of Medensidor to sit down and find a solution for an adequate quota, protesting the regulation set by the Chairman. They demanded the Chairman increase the pilgrim quotas and signed the project to build an expansion of Atut Baton site.

This project was aimed to enable Atut Baton to accommodate more pilgrims in every event. Because in every millennium turn the zest becomes multiplied, the total pilgrims are increasing each year."