1-001- 'The Beginning or Ending of all things...’

Thoughts and Comments Welcome-

‘To reach the beginning, you must start in the middle,

And to attain the finish, you must comprehend all things.

Time goes ever forward,

But knowledge learns always from the past.’  -  ZoeStethos

‘The child has arrived and is hurrying on to an uncertain destiny.  Today will prove to be the beginning or ending of all things...’

The person sat back, eyes aching from haunting visions of twisted destinies, head pounding because of a distorted musical uncertainty playing its disenchanting melodies, along with a heart being overwhelmed with dread concerning future days.

All life hung upon a thread - the choice of a moment, the beat of a troubled heart… and little could the Maker of Worlds do than trust it to the wisdom of a very impetuous child who drew now ever closer to this uncertain destiny.

Chimes of the great clock sounded in the person’s ears.  How many times had it called out to the distress of nations?  How many children could no longer hear the beautiful music it made?  Was it ten million, a hundred million, maybe more?  This one, sitting back waiting for the arrival of a treasured, precious child, did not recall.  What the person did know was that the belly of hell was not yet satisfied.

With head shaking from side to side, tears began.  Should the Empire win this coming conflagration, even though the child may prove wise, many times those who had already gone to their deaths would fall to Wrath’s coming storms.  Should they lose?  Well, that could not be allowed, even if it cost the lives of all the children of the Empire…the universe.

The person stood, walking onto a balcony, looking down on a jungle of greenery seen nowhere else but here, the lone remaining peaceful bastion in this tempestuous universe.

Sighing quiet remorse that no others were allowed to sense, a musical cry of dismay went out to the breeze, a cry of bitter lament from a ‘wanton heart that sought only selfish cravings to never feel alone’.

“Lo, foolish dreamer, your wish come true,

To sense the world with heart imbued.

Doth now the vial of bitter brew,

Its caustic taste your heart renew?

And now Rhiannon in oath does take,

To bind her children to an evil fate.

For should the world be made anew,

It first must pass through this witch’s brew.”

The person looked off toward the sound of the great clock as it chimed its last refrain.  Then, with head bent down in sadness, this Maker of Worlds turned and slowly retreated into the darkness of hidden rooms to await the  of the coming Fates.

*    *    *

Enjoy other posts: 

Prologue,

Destiny's Road 1-001, 1-002, 1-003, 1-004, 1-005, 1-006, 1-007, 1-008, 1-009,

1-010, 1-011, 1-012, 1-013, 1-014, 1-015, 1-016, 1-017, 1-018, 1-019, 1-020,

1-021, 1-022, 1-023, 1-024 & 1-025

Of Councils Great and Small 2-026, 2-027, 2-028, 2-029, 2-030, 2-031, 

2-032, 2-033, 2-034, 2-035, 2-036, 2-037, 2-038, 2-039, 2-040, 2-041, 2-042, 

2-043, 2-044, 2-045, 2-046, 2-047, 2-048, 2-049 & 2-050 

Legend's Heroes 3-051, 3-052, 3-053, 3-054, 3-055, 3-056, 3-057, 3-058,

3-059, 3-060, 3-061, 3-062, 3-063, 3-064, 3-065, 3-066, 3-067, 3-068, 3-069,

3-070, 3-071, 3-072, 3-073, 3-074 & 3-075

Forges of Hell 4-076, 4-077, 4-078, 4-079, 4-080, 4-081, 4-082, 4-083, 4-084,

4-085, 4-086, 4-087, 4-088, 4-089, 4-090, 4-091, 4-092, 4-093, 4-094, 4-095,

4-096, 4-097, 4-098, 4-099 & 4-100

Or find your own book at:

Amazon.com; Smashwords.com; 

Diesel-Ebooks.com, BN.com; ebookstore.sony.com

Large Paperback and Ebook Available

Amazon.com & Smashwords.com

2-026, '. . . ArdonAzubahKenath?'

Section Two

Of Councils Great and Small

Piercing eyes studied the solitary figure sitting quietly in a distant corner of a great chamber called the ‘Hall of Assembly’, political strategy room since the beginning of the Rebellion.  Those eyes squinted in wondering question, ‘So, this is the wisest of councilors, personal advisor to the Maker of Worlds?  Doddered, unkempt, nervous… Who really is this man, ArdonAzubahKenath?  He looks more the part of an Eastern slave merchant awaiting his next client, and he has just recently returned from one of his mysterious deep space sojourns.  This person deserves closer scrutiny.’

‘Ardon’, as he was more often called, had been sitting in the Hall of Assembly for nearly an hour, it being his custom to arrive early so as to observe others entering, and to not be observed, himself.  

3-051, Hidden Melodies Play

Section Three

Legend’s Heroes

A happy, crackling fire spewed forth a shower of golden sparks as the hickory log erupted in a blaze of light.  Shadows danced to and fro across rough-hewn timber walls, leaving much of the room hidden in darkness.  But the fire was warm and the building sound, creating a warm, cozy feeling that all was well even though the winter winds outside, a fright, should blow.

And blow they did.  The driving snow pelted the tiny windows while the howling wind battered the door with its angry fury.  Yet, for the lone figure slowly rocking back and forth before the glowing hearth, all was at peace, the snapping and popping of the roaring fire and the ‘creak-creak’ of the old wicker chair the only melody coming to the person’s ears.

4-076, "Butterfly Wings A Firestorm Brings . . ."

Section Four

The Forges of Hell

            

“Can a butterfly flapping its wings on one side of a planet eventually lead to a typhoon on the other?”  

Questions such as these are often thrown out by armchair-philosophers when they cannot think of logical responses to reasonable questions.  Still…is it not true that very small, miniscule causes often, in time, produce astronomical effects?

No better example of this can be found than the union of two very tiny cells that join to create a new life.  From one fertilized egg no bigger than the head of a pin have come all the great orators, poets, and leaders known to our universes.  In their turn, the worlds of men have been changed for better or worse.

On a warm summer evening, while balmy breezes drifted in from the sea and the gentle glow of the waxing moon filtered down through the tamarisk trees, a young maiden offered her love to her strong, handsome beau.  Their passionate embrace was not unlike that shared by countless other lovers throughout the lives of men, and with similar results.

4-092, Decisions, Decisions!!!

The woman closed her hands around the girl’s, hiding the money from view.  “For you…?”  She looked away.  “Being a good wife and mother will not always be easy.”

Ishtar was not satisfied with the woman’s answer.  She could see her skirting the question. Once more she asked, “What is the price of that road, and what of the other?  You do not tell me yet what the second road is.  How shall I choose wisely if you do not tell me?”

The woman was surprised.  “Is the first road not good enough for you?  Why must I tell you of the other?  Enjoy your gifts.  You have earned them.  They are a reward for all your sacrifice.”

Ishtar was becoming impatient.  “What is the second road from which I may choose, and what is the price demanded for taking it?”

2-049, My Night's Consort

“What’d I do?!”  Darla exclaimed in question.

Scolding, Mihai answered, “You know full well what you did.  This night you were my consort, a lady of this court.  It was…is, your responsibility to act the part… even if you don’t want to.  What you did was rude and uncalled for.  Ardon is a great councilor in Mother’s court.  He is well-respected and deserves to be treated that way.”

Darla sputtered a nasty retort.  “Big bag a’ shit…!” She chanced to see a scowl cross Mihai’s face.  “Wind…I mean wind…  Big words with little meanings that drizzle in a piss pot, they are.  Chief of the War Honors Council!  He wouldn’t know a hero if it bit him on the ass!  I didn’t want to waste pleasantries on a fool who would have no real appreciation for them.”

4-100, Bloody Artwork

Gihon laughed.  “See!  The Mother of Harlots cares not for her children…”  He released his passion in one heaving outburst and then fell on Darla’s chest.  As he panted, he ridiculed her, snidely whispering in her ear, “Or is it just you… you worthless dung meat!”

After catching his breath, Gihon sat back on his knees, viewing with pleasure the results of his labors.  He rested his bloodied hands on Darla’s legs, nodding his head.  “You’re a delight to behold, nearly as beautiful as that tramp, Michael, was that day outside the palace.  My artwork is nearly complete.”  With that, he motioned to Yulackk.  “Smash in its skull!”

Nodding, Yulackk grinned.  “I won’t hav’ta do it twice.”  He swung his cudgel high over his head in one graceful move that transferred his body’s power into the weapon.

Gihon stared at Darla’s broken face, waiting to see Yulackk smash it to nothing.  “Do it good, you!  I want a big splatter!”

‘Sh…ur…rr flu…unk!’

Yulackk yipped like a startled dog as the club fell from his hands.

4-099, Hatred's Heart Shown

“She’s just a bitch, Gihon, some worthless little nobody.” Yulackk grinned.  “I was right when I said we’d get the same for her dead or alive.”

“Outta the way, you!”  Gihon demanded.  “I’ll decide if it’s a ‘nobody bitch’ or not.”

Yulackk grumbled, wanting to ‘finish her off’ so he could get back to ‘more important matters’.  Gihon motioned him away, saying to wait.  He knelt down on one knee, straddling one of Darla’s legs, and leaned in close to her face to get a better look in the dim light.

Giggles and laughter filled the night air.  Two women came jogging up the trail.  When they got near, one of them called out asking if the men had found the intruder.

Gihon ignored the woman’s question.  He scrutinized Darla’s face, but could not identify it with anyone he knew.  Just as he was about to reveal his findings, a hand flew up to his ear.  Gihon screamed in pain as Darla dug her nails in and began tearing it off while driving her knee hard into his groin.  Yulackk jumped forward shouting, kicking Darla in the side of her head.  Knocked senseless by the blow, the woman’s body went limp.  Gihon rolled on to his side, groaning in pain.

4-098, Enemy's Interact

A shudder ran down her spine, as she thought of Euroaquilo’s warning given her so long ago.  'It is also a very dangerous place since the Rebellion.  Every debased, vile creature frequents these haunts, making it necessary to never travel here alone.'

After the Rebellion, war had broken out in the Middle Realm.  Although its expanse appeared limitless and much of it was still unexplored, key locations had been fought over for many centuries.  In fact, this was where the major part of the wars had been fought up to this night.

Darla was no stranger to these wars.  She was a hardened veteran, having fought in all three ‘Megiddo Wars’, the ‘Persian Debacle’, the ‘MedoGrecian Crusade’, and the ‘Maccabean Decade’.  But she had been one in a crowd of countless thousands then…  Tonight she was alone and naked, bereft of weapon or comrade.

Listening to the continuing night noises and detecting no other unusual sounds, Darla decided to chance a run for her ship.  Considering the gown to be a hindrance, she kneeled down and unlaced her sandals, quietly removing them.  With a grunt, she stood and began pulling the dress over her head.

“Got’ya!”

Darla spun around and dropped into a crouch, her arms and head still wrapped up in the gown.  She was preparing to be assailed by hands intent on her capture.  Legion would be most pleased with such a prize and could be counted on to give a rich reward to the person delivering her.

4-097, A Completed Mission

She arrived in time by chance, she thought, to make the two league’s distance from the ship to the city and then still have time to change into the gown and set up the vision gadgets.  Although never actually leaving this Middle Realm and transferring into the ‘land of humans’, often called by her people the ‘Second’ or ‘Lower Realm’, by using the vision machines and her ‘very limited’ mental abilities, the girl successfully completed the mission.  ‘Maybe not as good as Gabrielle, but damn good, anyway!’

The crisp snap of a twig alerted Darla to possible danger.  She slunk back further away from the trail, under the trees.  It could have been one of many things causing that disturbance.  Her heart raced with fearful anticipation.

Attempting to calm her jitters, she contemplated the possibilities.  After all, there was a menagerie of huge beasts in this land.  One might very well be tracking her… more out of curiosity than ill intent.  Then there were the ‘People of the Mist’, one of the names given the mysterious race of ancients who existed long before her kind were born.

The story of these people was both mythical and intriguing.  Many names had been given to them, ‘Spirit Walkers’, ‘Guardians’, ‘Cherubs’, ‘Blazing Wings’, to name a few.  Darla had always liked the term ‘HootinSmokers’, a name given them by some of the most ancient of her race who claimed to have actually seen them.  The wild antics of those storytellers had caused her, as a little girl, to roll in laughter as their stories were acted out.

Legend’s tales said that when Darla’s kind began growing in number, the ‘People of the Mist’ withdrew into the hidden lands of this Middle Realm, becoming little more than ghostly shadows on moonlit nights.  It was said that they slept in silence until their Master would wake them to glory in the last trumpet call.  Well, that was one of the stories she had been told when a little child.  The woman hoped the intruder might well be either of these two things.

Enjoy other posts: 

Prologue,

Destiny's Road 1-001, 1-002, 1-003, 1-004, 1-005, 1-006, 1-007, 1-008, 1-009,

1-010, 1-011, 1-012, 1-013, 1-014, 1-015, 1-016, 1-017, 1-018, 1-019, 1-020,

1-021, 1-022, 1-023, 1-024 & 1-025

Of Councils Great and Small 2-026, 2-027, 2-028, 2-029, 2-030, 2-031,

2-032, 2-033, 2-034, 2-035, 2-036, 2-037, 2-038, 2-039, 2-040, 2-041, 2-042,
2-043, 2-044, 2-045, 2-046, 2-047, 2-048, 2-049 & 2-050

Legend's Heroes 3-051, 3-052, 3-053, 3-054, 3-055, 3-056, 3-057, 3-058,
3-059, 3-060, 3-061, 3-062, 3-063, 3-064, 3-065, 3-066, 3-067, 3-068, 3-069,
3-070, 3-071, 3-072, 3-073, 3-074 & 3-075

Forges of Hell 4-076, 4-077, 4-078, 4-079, 4-080, 4-081, 4-082, 4-083, 4-084,
4-085, 4-086, 4-087, 4-088, 4-089, 4-090, 4-091, 4-092, 4-093, 4-094, 4-095,
4-096, 4-097, 4-098, 4-099 & 4-100

Or find your own book at:

Amazon.com; Smashwords.com;

Diesel-Ebooks.com, BN.com; ebookstore.sony.com

4-096, Dangers of Middle Night

The dark of WacxGonn trees, with their low-hanging evergreen bows, gave Darla little solace.  She darted along the path, flitting in and out of their protective shadows.  The gown, so effective in dazzling Ishtar, acted like a beacon every time the woman stepped into the moonlit night.

Searching eyes could be anywhere now.  There had been no time for Darla to gather her flight suit and weapons.  She was sure they, along with all the ‘vision’ gadgets, were long since discovered.  Legion would not be pleased with someone ‘messing’ with his special ‘toy’.  The woman was beginning to regret not waiting for the remainder of the mission team, but what else could she have done?  If they had failed to make contact with the child this night, the entire mission would be in jeopardy.

Darla pulled the communicator from a hidden pocket in her dress.  A series of tiny blue lights flashed to life in rapid succession, only to fade, one after the other.  Again they would flash, searching for an incoming signal…  Still nothing.  ‘They should at least be here by now.  What’s taking them…?’