I looked at him as he finished and said, "But, why not do both. Wouldn't
that be more effective than fighting each other? How can continued
destruction revert previous destruction inflicted in the same manner?
Could not both ideas be tried?"

"If only they could," he replied. "It goes back to Onan and Zimri, you
see, for we ourselves cannot do such things, but the gods whom we follow
can. Shortly after the worldwide destruction, we, meaning both the Zards
and the Canitaurs, received the prophesy of the kinsman redeemer, who
would be sent to help us change the earth to its former majesty. He was
to be one from the time right before the beginning of the final
firefight, one of the ancients who still kept the pure human form. Our
hostilities broke out in an attempt to control the entire island, so
that when he should come, the dominant force would have him. Each side
was convinced that theirs was the right way, the only way through which
the end of restoring the earth's ecosystem could be reached. You are the
kinsman redeemer, Jehu, for you fit the prophecy perfectly, and I am
glad that you have fallen in with us."

After his discourse, Bernibus fell into a silent meditation, as did I,
and the rest of our walk through the now dark wilderness was one of
silence and solitude. Given the cessation of action in my narrative, I
will take this opportunity to describe the circumstances of my arrival
on the island of Daem, about which you are no doubt wondering.