‘Emperor must die’

The emperor stared at him with a short-sighted gaze. The soothsayer opted to ignore that gesture. Truth stands whatever the reaction may be.

The emperor was feeling lonely. He had never felt this lonely. Conquering the whole world, he was always flanked by his close associates. He made them the Generals of the empire. True, he had to discontinue invading some countries. He was happy with the states he had taken over - a rare feature for an emperor. This kingdom is too small for you, he remembered his father saying.

At the end of the day the emperor was happy, knowing his name will be written in the annals of history. And looking back, now aged 80, the emperor was feeling less secure. He had amassed great wealth, but he knew that won’t escort him to his destination.

In the dream he had the previous night, the monarch could not recognize who he was. He was deep underneath the ocean, and all surrounding him - fish and other little creatures - were swimming fast. It took some time to realize they were invaded by a giant octopus whose limbs spread across the ocean.

The octopus' massiveness did not remain. It started shrinking gradually, and surprisingly he became even smaller than the little fish surrounding him.

And when he died, no one took notice of him.

All that elation he had throughout his life, the emperor realized - as if it is shock treatment - would not last. And all he is left with was only a depressed feeling. He never had the guts to challenge the soothsayer, as the old man had proved his mettle. None of his predictions became a false alarm.

The monarch shut the door and ordered no visitors. Not even his chief queen.

He shuddered with grief, realizing his days are numbered. All his education - he received the best education among all rulers of his time - could not ease away his loneliness.

The emperor was oddly moved by what his soothsayer predicted. As usual the wise old man defined his dream with an unwelcome prediction. The reality made him wince with dismay.

With a trembling hand, Emperor the Great wrote the first letter of his last will. He could manage to write it in one breath. And then he summoned all his Generals and close associates:

“I know I have no control over you following my death. So this is a request, and you must consider this as my last will.”

Only the Generals were privy to his last will. Servants tried to have a bit of the audience, but the walls of the emperor’s rooms were sound-proof. The short speech went on for some time.

“The reasons why I need my wishes fulfilled, I have written in a separate scroll. That shall be opened in the aftermath of my funeral in a public hall so my countrymen will hear of it.”

A comet was witnessed at the moment the emperor breathed his last. They realized its clue: it’s no death of a beggar. The skies were dark, daubed in black green, and there was drizzle after a time. With that his became a historic episode.

The emperor’s funeral was held for seven days.

Going along with his last will, his coffin was brought on the shoulders of the empire’s best physicians. His most precious belongings were strewn around the graveyard. And his hands were held upwards. Apparently everyone in the kingdom was curious why the late monarch wanted such a weird act performed.

That curiosity did not last long, as the last will was about to be read out:

‘I want my coffin to be held by my empire’s best physicians, because it would show even the best doctors were helpless in the face of death. With my precious belongings strewn around my graveyard, the world will see how rich I used to be. My hands held upwards will show how my hands are empty no matter how many riches I used to have.

'Let this be a lesson to my successor and my countrymen.’

Even at death, the countrymen wondered among themselves, the emperor spoke to the world.

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