Ikrei P.O.V.
The crystalink of the Zunar Bell News Report didn’t bring happy news, a massive continent wide announcement. Not happy at all, with the news coming from the Kotar kingdom.
* By order of the King, all awakened subjects living in foreign lands are strongly encouraged to return to the homeland.
* All parties interested in abiding by the King’s request will be aided.
* The period for processing registered returnees will end on the Grand Light Celebration of the current year.
* Peace talks will be held the night after the celebration.
* A temporary cease fire agreement has been reached.
* All awakened kotarian citizens home and abroad are to prepare themselves for war. Contact your proper channels officially registered under the Starlink Association. No other organization is authorized. Be careful.
* Special cases of kotarian descendants that wish for citizenship or any other unaccounted conditions contact the Kotar Kingdom Immigrant Program through secure channels.
* All kotarian population not counted as awakened, magi or empowered beings are to return to the homeland, immediately.
3rd day of Ioƛl of the 9th month. Shakam Ryel
The reports continued with a few notable highlights.
* Estimated deaths of kotarian citizens according to the Turgan Census Bureau 176 -142 confirmed deaths.
* Estimated deaths of eternal moon citizens according to the Turgan Census Bureau 76 - 57 confirmed deaths.
* The Zigurs on the move! A sighting reported of at least 40 lustrums of the dark hooded elites, 20 Ucra for the accompanying crystalink picture. Subscribers receive a 20% discount.
* Stormbraker Burin reappears! 40 eternal moon citizens die in one night! 100 Ucra for the accompanying crystalink recording. Witness the Star Blade! Subscribers receive a 20% discount.
* The Kingdom of the Bright Flame, Kaen from the continent of Yinshengan will send emissaries for the peace talks.
* The Bichmeyrul Empire from the continent of Sekedra will send emissaries for the peace talks.
* Continent wide marches are programmed to foster peaceful resolution.
* The Temple of Zur offers refuge for all that are affected by the war. Citizenship rights and land offered for conversion to the True Light. Edict signed by King Erel, the Divine Sword.
* Bilfrorst Kingdom has declared itself a neutral zone. Any attacks on its soil will be considered an act of war against the kingdom.
“All the main players are gathering. I got to awaken before the three months are up. The assassinations will ramp up after that, probably. Maybe we will all leave the castle.”
This year had thirteen months, so in reality, four months and change.
‘Never make plans with an ultra-tight schedule.’
I held the small artifact the widow gave me. I was heading to the moad for prayer.
“Time to see for myself a little bit of your god, Teng.”
The place was managed by one person, an Ishun. According to Iru, the lowest possible rank of awakened in the kingdom of Orlum. The place was tidy, proper but without any opulence or grandiose sculptures. Only a few verses written with orgon crystal on the walls. The praying area had reflective light, that was the only notable thing.
A multicolored reflective light like an encompassing rainbow.
“Welcome, the Light of Zur may shine upon you.” The single cut auburn robe the Ishun was wearing was simple.
“Thank you. Excuse me I do not know your customs or proper etiquette.” I spoke as pleasantly as possible.
“May I inquire the purpose of your visit?”
I showed him the small pin with the Sword of Twelve Lights the widow had given me.
“I see.” He motioned me to follow him to another room for prayer.
This one was smaller than the one for public access but reflected the same multicolored rainbow light. Orgon, gold carbuncle, jasper, ipsrum, many more materials. He pointed to the circle in the floor and the small mat inside of it.
“Go ahead and pray all you want. I’ll make sure no one disturbs you.”
I did as I was told and sat in a lotus position and prepared to meditate. The voice of the Ishun came from behind like the wind.
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“Vain repetitions anger Zur, speak from the heart, be honest. He will answer. Just don’t get surprised by the answer.” He disappeared before I could turn.
I concentrated doing what I was suggested. If Zur is truly god, he should be able to tell. I didn’t really pray. It was more like a self-deprecation monologue of my current situation.
This went on for about ten hours, sundown was coming. Just when I was about to give up and end it. I felt a gust of wind but strangely nothing in the room moved, not even my clothes.
A white bearded man that looked like a very old version of myself was sitting by my side. White me, meet black me, not exactly but something like that.
‘Didn’t the Ishun say no one was going to disturb? Why didn’t I sense the guy?’
“Why did you help the widow?” The man asked.
I was silent for a while. I had and have no idea how Zur really works. In the end I chose to ask the pressing question.
“And you are?”
“You answer, I answer. You came to pray, did you not?”
“I did it to fill a need and was hoping to receive a blessing. So, who are you? Not Zur, right?”
“Not Zur, just a messenger.” He waited silently.
“Will you help me?” I was getting better at picking my words.
“I will. Should we begin?”
“Yes, please grant a cleansing, just a small one will do.”
“I will help you not Zur. Not the same thing.”
‘Always a catch with the gods. Krigsain did warn me.’
“So, how is this help going to work?” It was time for the runaround, the Zurian version.
“You my little one are a sinner without repentance and conversion. You have done a good deed for selfish reasons. Zur doesn’t approve of such hearts. And yet, all things happen as they should. Why do you want the cleansing?”
‘Why does your god allow something like Regressors to exist then? But I couldn’t ask that question now. Not until the end of the war. Damn it!’
“I have problems with my core, it is affecting my behavior. I am becoming something different from myself.”
After many breaths, I gave the old man an honest answer. His calmness was disarming.
‘Is it the place? Is he doing something?’
“Power comes with a price. When one is not the one paying for it with one’s own strength, one is unable to weight the good and the bad properly. You will learn the Zurian scriptures and you will help each and every Zurian you meet from now on. Each and every Zurian.”
His voice calm as lake water on a sunny day.
“Isn’t it a bit much? This sounds like a veiled conversion.”
These guys wanted honesty, then here you go.
“Do you go to a king, request help and then question the manner in which it is provided? Verily I tell you, you have been helped before. This will be the last time unless you convert. Will you do as I have said?”
The guy was just sitting there without a care, calmly responding. While I was getting worked up, knowing that something else was pilling on.
A new member of the people that control Ikrei list.
“No. I already have enough problems as it is. I thought Zur endless mercies where something attainable for the sinners. I guess I was wrong.”
I started to slowly stand up.
“Eriel, sit down.”
I sat back down, surprised, shocked, many things.
“You don’t need to convert; you need to know our scriptures so that you can help the Zurians you will meet. How else can you tell who is a true follower of the light or just someone professing to be one? Is this such an unreasonable petition from an old man?”
I was still hung up on the previous situation. Night had already fallen; it was past the third hour of night when I recollected my thoughts. The old man was still sitting calmly.
“I don’t know how you know but you know. Is it true that gods know all things? Why are all these sufferings allowed? Why am I in this situation then?”
“Only through living will you learn, only through suffering will you understand. You have free will to do as you please. You just go around wasting your lives away, that is all.”
“You are really zealots aren’t you? I wonder if you would say that to the Andurin Patriarch.”
“All paths have value but the truth is the truth. When all your lives are done, it will all come back to the one true light. And I have, I have told him. We will never agree on this point.”
The old man smiled leisurely, he seemed to be almost remembering something.
“Can you tell me how you know. Can you tell me about myself? Will you tell me anything?” I pressed.
“God of course. Yes, I can and yes I will, if you do as I have said.”
After another half an hour of thinking.
“How many Zurians? For how long? Since you seem to know everything.” I asked the old man.
“This is a chance for your growth and a helping hand for my brethren. The ways of the gods are not the ways of man. The ways of Zur are even stranger. When you reach the higher realms you will begin to understand. Just live and see for yourself.”
He took the pin from me without me even knowing. The little pin shone with golden light. He attached it exactly over my heart.
“ESHERANANEL!”
Energy entered my core and my entire body. I was transfixed in the experience. Elated. It wasn’t intrusive, my mind was clear. The dark energy, the desire for sex, the irrational thinking. It all disappeared in a few breaths hiding themselves within my gaseous core.
They seemed to be running away from the light.
“Do as I have told you and the opportunity will arise for you to know about yourself and more. Is this fairer? Andurin do like their fair exchange.”
I was so elated I couldn’t even breath correctly.
“For the widow that cries in the temple, ‘My god, my god, why do you forsake me?’ For the child that is without a father and the many that are without bread. For their sake, you are cleansed. Help my people and help thyself.”
By the time I was finally able to make a coherent thought, he was gone.
‘Shit, shit. It is the day of Ioƛl. The elders are going to chew me!’
I bolted like a madman.