Under the Red Dragon.

Chapter 253: The Growth of a Warrior

"Sister, father is dead, why don't you return to the stars and keep him company?"

"I'm afraid I won't have time to put things right before you're born. This world is so cruel that it can't be any worse."

Paul woke up from his brief dream and slowly opened his eyes.

During this period of time, he stayed in the desert for a long time and inadvertently came into contact with the spices that permeated the desert. These made his abilities clearer and he could occasionally see the appearance of his unborn sister in his mother's womb.

Paul looked at the Fremen around him. They had just dealt with a small group of pursuers sent by the Harkonnen family. The combat uniforms worn by those pursuers were not equipped with Holtzman shields. This special vibration frequency would attract sandworms, and only a city-level shield could stop the sandworms.

So these pursuers were easily dealt with by the Fremen, allowing them to safely reach the Tebu Crypt.

However, to his surprise, most of the Northern Fremen gathered in the northern dungeons near the spice mines did not believe in the savior theory promoted by the Sisterhood, and many even rejected him and his mother Jessica.

"You killed Jamie,"

"spy!"

"Witch!"

"Let the Council of Elders decide, let the Council of Elders decide," Stilger stood in front, loudly dispersing his own people, to protect Paul, the savior he expected in his mind.

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

"Lisan Al-Gheb,"

"Lisan Algeb!"

“Mahdi!”

Dozens or even hundreds of Southerners knelt on the ground, with their hands on their foreheads and temples, and shouted to Paul, the savior from outer space created by the sisterhood, with enthusiasm and tears in their eyes.

"That was my foundation among the Fremen,"

Paul thought to himself, turned around, and whispered to Jessica: "Your Bene Gesserit brainwashing propaganda has taken root here."

"Some people think I am their prophet, while most others regard me as a false prophet. I must change the minds of those non-believers so that I can get the help of these Fremen, rely on them to destroy the spice mines, rely on them to get close to the emperor and complete my revenge."

Jessica was a little surprised when she heard this. She whispered, "Revenge is not what your father wants you to do."

Paul shook his head slightly and said, "But I want revenge."

Then he fell silent. He had to walk his future path on his own.

After a short night's rest, after discussion with the Fremen Elders Council, Paul could join the Fremen team as a reserve warrior.

Paul's mother, Jessica, had to face her own tests before she could be recognized by the Northern Fremen. This was the result of Stilgar's persistence.

This matter was told to Jessica by Stilger himself.

Jessica followed Stilgar to the holy land of the Fremen, which was located in the deepest part of the dungeon, but the most conspicuous thing was an enormous square pool filled with the water of life.

The body of the dead warrior Jamie was also carried here, and the Fremen used a pump to drain the water out of his body and then poured it into this huge pool.

"Return to the deep well, my water will return to its source!" The other Fremen prayed, mixing the last traces of their people in the world into the pool.

"Bless our brother Jamie, bless Jamie's birth and death, may his departure purify the world!"

"May Jamie's spirit protect this world for his people!"

“Praise the Creator and His water!”

As an experienced sister, Jessica couldn't help but feel solemn about this ceremony full of ancient religious atmosphere, and she stared at the pool of water quietly.

That is the place where every soul finds refuge.

Stilgar came to Jessica's side, looked at the pool of water, and said, "Thirty-eight million dou, even if we die of thirst, we will never drink the water here."

"This is holy water," Stilgar pointed to the pool and said, "We have a thousand places like this."

"When all the thousand pools are filled, Lisan Al-Gheb will come and change the face of Arrakis, causing trees to grow again and making it a green paradise once again."

"So many souls," Jessica whispered hoarsely, tears in her eyes. This peaceful holiness and refuge infected the witch's sensitive perception.

"Why are you showing me this," Jessica asked slowly, calming herself down.

"Because you are a Bene Gesserit, and because you know the prophecy, you are the mother of Lysan Al-Gheb, and will be the Reverend Mother of the Fremen."

Stillger looked the witch in the eye and said, "Our Lady is dying."

But in the eyes of Stillger, a believer, Jessica did not see the enthusiasm of faith, but a kind of paranoia.

"You want me to replace her? Do you trust Paul?" Jessica asked in a low voice.

"I saw the signs, and everything matched Paul's behavior, so I believed it," Stillger said firmly.

"What if I refuse?"

Stilger shrugged slightly, raised the corner of his mouth, and said lightly: "Then he is not Lisan Algeb, and there is no meaning for you to exist."

"Then you can only return the water in your bodies to the deep well!"

Jessica felt that she and her son Paul were not welcomed by the Fremen in the north. For the sake of her own life and future, she could only agree with fear.

Fortunately, as a member of the sisterhood, she knew that to become a Mother Saint, the rituals might be different in different places, but in the end, she needed to drink the water of life to open the memories of all the female ancestors in her bloodline. Only by possessing the wisdom and memories of all the female ancestors could she be recognized by the Fremen.

This was also the rule set by the sisterhood members, the missionaries and defenders sent out in the past, specifically for the sisterhood to hold power. Now, it had become a test for Jessica.

Although the water of life is highly poisonous to humans, the members of the sisterhood are not afraid. They are just afraid that, carrying the memories of all the previous Mothers in their blood, they will also shoulder the suffering and sorrow of the Fremen race for centuries.

But after comforting her son, Jessica bravely stepped into the dungeon to accept the destined test.

All the Fremen left the crypt, leaving only Jessica who was undergoing the test and the Virgin Mary and her servants who were about to die of old age. Paul could only wait patiently outside the entrance of the crypt, praying that his mother would pass the test safely.

But the Fremen who were also waiting around laughed, as if mocking and ridiculing.

Paul sighed, and seeing the young girl, Chini, among them, he walked up to them and asked softly, "What are you laughing at?"

None of the Fremen around were willing to answer him, except Cheney.

"Nothing," Chini said, stopping her laughter.

Paul looked at the Fremen with smiles on their faces and whispered, "You all don't believe it, right?"

"Yes, we don't believe it," Cheney replied decisively.

"That's just what the Southerners believe," a Fremen warrior woman said loudly.

"What do the Southern tribes believe in?" Paul asked curiously. Paul had not had much contact with the Fremen, and his ability to predict the future was limited to the people around him. "The Southern tribes believe in a savior," the female warrior sat on the ground, looked up at the young boy and smiled, "Save us and save us from evil."

Paul lowered his eyes and asked, "You don't believe in Lisan Algeb?"

"We only believe in the Fremen," said the equally young female warrior Chini solemnly, squatting on the ground like the men.

“If you want to control people’s hearts, tell them that the savior will come, and then they will be willing to wait for centuries, even in grief and suffering.”

Paul frowned, looked at Stilgar who was praying with the believers, and asked, "What about him?"

"Stilgar? He's from the South," said the pretty girl Cheney, smiling, "Didn't you recognize his accent?"

The Northern Fremen around them all laughed.

Paul was silent, lost in thought.

The atmosphere of silence was broken, and Jessica, who had passed the test, was carried out by the servants. Although she was still weak, she was able to prove the name of the Virgin Mary.

Paul stayed by his mother's side, and all the Fremen around him began to talk, making a lot of noise.

"You all saw it, this is enough to prove that he is the chosen one," Stillger stood up and wanted to control the discourse.

"You all saw with your own eyes that Lisan Al-Gaibu's mother drank the poison of holy water and was safe and sound! She did it, as the oracle showed."

"That's not a miracle," the warrior girl Chini shouted angrily. The brave girl stood out from the crowd and showed no weakness to the leader. "The oracles were written by the sisterhood!"

"You are blaspheming God," Stilgar stared at the girl, Cheni, with a stern look, "The prophecy has come true!"

"Mahdi, it must be a Fremen!" The female warrior who had laughed at Paul before also stepped forward and shouted loudly.

"Arrakis must be liberated by its own people!"

All the Fremen began to quarrel.

The silent Paul turned around and suddenly shouted loudly: "She is right, she is right!"

So all the Fremen stopped arguing and looked at the young boy, the prophesied savior, not understanding what he was doing and why he said such words.

"This is not a miracle," Paul said softly, sitting quietly on the ground. "My mother has received training in this area. Senior members of the sisterhood know how to transform poisons."

The young boy stared at all the Fremen with his gradually deepening eyes, and shook his head slowly: "I am not Mahdi."

Then he stood up, in front of all the Fremen, and his voice gradually became louder.

"I'm not here to lead you," the young boy suddenly switched from the interstellar language to Fremen, his eyes revealing sincerity and determination.

"I came here just to learn your way of survival,"

"Let me fight alongside you, that's all I ask," the boy said sincerely, looking at the warriors who opposed him.

The opposing voices gradually disappeared, and the Fremen who originally believed in the Savior were discussing in low voices, "Mahdi is too modest and unwilling to admit that he is the Mahdi! This proves that he is the Mahdi!"

In this way, Paul began to join the Fremen as a warrior. His words not only made him more enthusiastic among the original southern believers, but also gained temporary recognition from the northern Fremen. Jessica also became the new Holy Mother of the tribe.

In the following time, Paul followed the Fremen and began to learn how to survive in the desert, how to fight in the desert, and also how to become a Fremen.

His performance was gradually recognized by the Fremen, and with the help of the young girls Chini and Stilgar, he grew up quickly.

During this period of contact, he also became lovers with the female warrior Chini. Although Chini still does not think that her lover is the savior, it does not prevent her from falling in love with a warrior who bravely challenges her.

Relying on his predictive ability and his understanding of the Leo Empire and the Harkonnen Family Legion, Paul won victory after victory after joining the Fremen resistance.

The spice mines of the Harkonnen Family Legion, as well as many mining vehicles and guards, were also destroyed by Paul and the Fremen rebels using the laser guns and ion cannons they had stolen.

Paul began to become a real Fremen, and even learned how to control sandworms as mounts. Although this way of driving seemed more like hitchhiking, he also became a sandworm knight.

Another day of fighting ended. Paul sat on the sand dune as usual, looking at the dim sky. The inheritance ring of the Atreides family on his hand had been put into his arms.

"Maybe I have found the path I want to take," Paul thought, and he felt that life as a Fremen warrior was also good.

He could work with these warriors to blow up the spice mines of the Harkonnen family and eliminate the power of the family's former blood enemies without having to worry about the clear impression in his mind of the fanatical religious influence of millions of Fremen in the south.

As night fell, the tents set up by the Fremen warriors in the lee of the sand dunes were already lit with warm lights. Paul then walked down the dune and stepped into the tent.

Cheers rang out as the Fremen warriors applauded and congratulated Paul, not only for his outstanding performance, but also because he used his ability of foresight to save his partner and lover, Chini.

Now in Paul's eyes, there is no distinction between the North and the South, because these Fremen have accepted him, and he is becoming a leader without losing the real voice.

"You all saw what he did," Stillger cheered and shouted at the Fremen Death Legion soldiers.

“He anticipated the enemy’s moves, he anticipated the future.”

Even the Fremen female warrior who had opposed and ridiculed Paul before was using her hands to imitate the movements of desert rats in the desert, making whistling sounds with her mouth and teasing Paul.

The female warrior Chini showed tenderness in her eyes. She looked at the quiet Paul and asked with interest: "Who taught you to fight like that? Your fighting style is different from ours."

“My former masters are also my closest friends,” Paul said softly.

Now, Paul could make all the Fremen in the tent stop and listen to him just by speaking.

"They were all massacred, just like my father," Paul raised his eyes and looked at his companions and warriors.

"You have fought the Harkonnens for decades, but my family has fought them for centuries, and I know all their habits by heart."

"You have harnessed the power of the desert. Together, we can stop them, destroy them, and bury them in the desert."

Stilgar stared at his chosen savior and said in a deep voice, "What do you want us to do, huh?"

"What would you do, Stilgar?" Paul did not answer, but looked at the warrior who had always supported him and asked back.

"Me? I will," Stilgar thought for a moment and said, "I will continue to attack northwards."

"Then I'll continue north," Paul said decisively.

“The further north you go, the more likely your life will be lost,” the warrior woman whispered.

Paul shook his head and smiled faintly: "Then I will be happy to die."

He looked at the female warrior and said, "Maybe you will too."

Paul glanced at the faces of the other warriors and said, "But the rest of us will continue to move forward. The Fremen will never give up until they win!"

All the Fremen beat their chests and made sounds of praise.

So Paul had the Fremen name - Muad'Dib, which meant that he had become a part of the Fremen's inner world.

　This world will end tomorrow. Dune is too niche, and I have to take into account some settings. It is very tedious and boring to write, but the foreshadowing needed later has been completed. It is still easier to write simply to make things happen. Over!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)