Four Thousand

*With a ground-shaking rumble, the ancient titan stirs from his slumber. A gravelly whisper stirs the air, so deep that it is nearly drowned out by a sudden and unnatural gust of wind. And then, with another rumble, the ground grows still. The unnatural wind is gone as quickly as it appeared, and the now serene valley betrays but one hint that it was the scene of anything extraordinary. Two words rebound from the peaks above in a voice so deep that they seem to be spoken by the mountains themselves. `Four thousand` they say, `Four thousand`. A moment later and even they fade away into nothingness, and the world continues on oblivious.*