Story Bazaar

True Believer

"It's what other mortals say---there's nothing divine about it..."

Anualia was answering the proprietor of the food establishment.

"I hear you Anualia and I wonder at your boldness..."

"I don't feel I'm being bold, just logical, Manion."

The proprietor excused himself with a nod to wait on two young people.

Anualia knew, at his depths, that he had logic on his side; yet, the Seneschal certainly had a very different idea of logic---a cruel, unjust "logic"---logically, it wasn't religion at all---so many people had been lost to its unholy demands...

He almost let the tears fall but reached deep inside and touched the love that burned in his soul...

Manion returned with: "You know logic won't work with the Seneschal, they'll request you appear at their Tribunal..."

"If I must..." He smiled yet groaned a bit.

"Anualia, why are you putting yourself through this? They have all the weight of the Government behind them..."

"My friend, you know I answer to a different Order of Authority."

"Yes... But, damn it, you know the Seneschal claim all right of Divinity and the Government backs them up."

"True---just as true as the fact that my wife and child are in their Detention Center."

"Oh, my; I hadn't heard..."

"Yes, dear friend... I cry inside, I groan outside, and I carry my broken heart in my hands..."

"But..."

"There are no buts for me---my family will never be released and I will soon join them; and, all because I live for Truth; and, because Truth extends far beyond the mortal and temporal trap the Seneschal demands obedience to."

"What will you do?"

"I will cling to the Truth, pray for my family, and gladly suffer to, hopefully, lead others to the Eternal path of Reality."

"I must, Anualia, say again, I wonder at your boldness..."

~~~

Three cycles later Anualia was incarcerated---nine cycles after that, he and his family were publicly executed, for "Treason to the Government and to the Government's God".........

Manion would always bear in mind Anualia's maxim of being rational about one's beliefs; and, to the day Manion himself passed on, every day, he remembered something Anualia had often said, "Be overwhelmingly careful of what you pray for..."

~~~~~~~~~

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