Story Bazaar

The Light Within the Darkness

The Prime Leader, Cerbrus, was staggeringly angry...

The Minor Leaders, all twenty-six of them, were in a meeting that he was not invited to.

They had attempted to keep it secret---he sent his best troops to bring the ingrates to his Residence.

~~~

Eighteen years before, in a mountain village, a girl was born---she had various Signs associated with her birth---her parents did all they could to keep her from discovery as the longed-for Promised Child...

Her name was Pershone.

~~~

The Minor Leaders were not arrested so much as escorted to the Prime Leader's Residence---each proceeded by a cohort of their own troops and a standard bearer---all surrounded by the Prime Leader's Imperial shock troops.

If the whole Land were to be attacked, repulsion would be quite easy...

~~~

Pershone knew she had a Mission---knew she must be circumspect---knew what to do...

~~~

The Prime Leader began to speak to the Minor Leaders:

"I will spare your lives, in the Name of my relation to the Godhead, SupremePrime.

"You will all show repentance by performing a spiritual trek to the Sacred Mountain, Itrisurk and camping near the Allu Canyon.

"Then, you each will walk up, alone, to the Cave of Luro and repeat a prayer I will provide.

"After which, I will welcome you back here to enforce my own brand of penance, to be observed before your peoples..."

~~~

Pershone travelled to the mountain, Itrisurk, taking only a female friend and three pack animals.

~~~

The Prime Leader arranged to have a special cadre of his undercover troops activated---covert agents triggered into action by secret messages---one in each of the Minor Leaders' personal guard corps...

~~~

Pershone and her female friend, Lai, reached Allu Canyon and camped directly below the Cave of Luro...

~~~

The Minor Leaders arrived at Allu Canyon and encountered Pershone and Lai...

The Leaders engaged in a heated discussion about what to do about the two women until Pershone walked up to them... They immediately fell quiet and Pershone said:

"I am the woman who has matured from my previous state as the Promised Child."

They all, Leaders and soldiers, looked at each other; but, none spoke...

Pershone walked extremely close to the Leader of Nesru and said, softly:

"I will gift you with knowledge. The Prime Leader has spies in your guard corps. He intends to kill each of you; but, I will stop this plot. Quietly tell the other Leaders."

The Leader of Nesru went to each of his Peers and privately conveyed the message.

When he had returned to Pershone, she walked around the large group of men; and, as she walked, certain of the soldiers dismounted and began to follow her---twenty-six of them...

When she had returned to where she began, she stopped, and the men who had been following fell faint...

She then said: "Now, let us talk about your fear of the Prime Leader..."

The Minor Leaders told her of their secret meeting to plan some way to override the Prime Leader's death grip on their plans and hopes for their peoples.

They all admitted being intimidated by various forms of dread and apprehension when confronted by the powers of the Prime Leader...

When they had talked themselves out, Pershone said:

"You give the man more power than he actually has---you make him into a god when the only God there is has created this man just as He created you. He has certain traits that can instill fear in those who have learned to be fearful---learned I say, since you all are brave men in your own realms..."

The Leaders looked at each other and began to smile... with hate in their eyes...

Pershone spoke:

"You will not attempt to subdue this man with the same tactics he uses against you. I will confront him and clear the way for your future---this is why I was born... You must stay here until word reaches you of my success."

She gave them further orders; then, she and Lai departed...

The men had no desire to do anything but what Pershone had told them to do...

~~~

The Prime Leader waited anxiously for word from his spies...

When evening of the third day arrived, he decided to send his shock troops to Itrisurk...

Before he could give the word, he was alerted that a strange woman desired an Audience.

Being a man who's prime sport was taking advantage of women, he gave permission for her to enter his Chamber...

She appeared to him as a mere country girl with a friend attending her; perhaps, a village elder's daughter...

He spoke:

"Young woman, what brings you to the Court of the Prime Leader, the Representative of the Godhead?"

"I come to warn you."

"Of what, my dear?"

"First, your spies in the guard corps of the countries' Leaders are incapacitated. Second, the Leaders themselves are in counsel together at Itrisurk."

"You are an unwelcome messenger, my dear... Still, you aid me... I was about to send my shock troops; but, pray, how in the world did you know this and what made you come here?"

"I come here to inform you that the other Leaders are in counsel to reorder their domains so they can form a unified federation of nations, none being a supreme ruler, all being just and fair supporters of tranquillity."

"Who are you?"

"I am the incarnation of a power that can wither you---I am your Conscience."

He ordered his priests to chant his most mighty incantations...

While this was happening, he approached the woman and locked eyes with her.

Cerbrus' body began to subtly vibrate---he began his own chant, a contrapuntal intonation to his priests'.

As Cerbrus' body increased its vibrations, his fear became manifest---he reached for the woman...

He collapsed.

Pershone asked Lai to counsel the priests; then, she helped Cerbrus to his feet and instructed him:

"You will abdicate your rule, you will go to a far country and farm a plot of land---you may have nine helpers in your new life---I let you live..."

Pershone stretched out her hand and pointed at Lai...

Her friend began to softly glow...

Pershone said to the priests: "She is my arm---she is my hand---none may oppose her."

Pershone vanished...

~~~~~~~~~

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