Gypsy King Chapter IA Chapter by Wolf_Lord King of the Gypsy's... Storyteller Extraordinaire. This is a story of the beginnings and how one man came to be King of the Floating Nation... Called 'The People.' It is total fiction. Gypsy King Chapter One:
“Gather round ye travelers, and all who even walk outside. All who walk the mountain paths hunting, and all who pull fish from the stream. Gather round everyone who would learn wisdom, and of what prevails outside these walls. Gather round I beg of you, I pray thee be not shy. I bring to you an unheard tale of gallantry and woe, yet also filled with renewed hope for those of heavy heart. Hearken, a tale of daring and gallantry; of Saints above and demons below.”
“Excuse me Sir you look healthy and strong. Could I bother you to drag that log from over yonder? Surely, it would make a fine seat for the ladies and keep their garments unsoiled.” “Gather round me here and hearken one of the ‘Great Tales,’ the kind you always yearn for yet rarely do receive. Yet, I caution you and implore, if you are a traveler then listen close, for I bring tidings and portents no traveler should be without. Even if you know one who travels, listen close and mark my words. Either that or fetch them now quickly, as I take a moments respite and take comfort upon this handy stump.”
“Madam, you do me honor, of course you may fetch your lad. Yet, surely a trip to the west field would be a burden on your dainty feet. Perhaps, you, young man, you on the handsome pony, could fetch the lad. Yes, no doubt he is the fleetest of foot, a dun you say? Fine animal and you sit him very well; I doubt not it will be only moments that you and the ladies companion shall be back. Madam? You are salt of the earth itself for such a kind offer. Surely drink for all and a bite of black bread will be sorely appreciated, by myself most of all after such a weary road. I shall cherish a moments rest while you prepare and gather good folk, but tarry not for I am of an age, and tire quickly. It is a long hard tale yet well worth this humble story tellers efforts.”
In time, the people had gathered around the old man in an ever-widening circle, about one hundred people in all; a very good crowd. Food and drink made several rounds and the old man was well sated. He was obviously of one of the roving bands and wore much gold and brightly colored clothes and scarf’s. A growing murmur was building in the crowd for not more than a few of them recognized him either from sight or from reputation. Complete silence fell as he uttered the traditional opening for the beginning of a tale. It was a sign of the great respect in which this man was held.
“Hearken People:” “First an introduction: It is obvious that many of you recognize me, and others have had word of my arrival. Rarely have I been greeted with such courtesy and such a fine repast. I beg your pardon sir. Yes, I do recall the lad, a strapping young man full of courtesy and Politeness. Your brother you say? Your mother must be very proud to have such hearty and well-educated sons.”
“Hearken People:” “For now, I shall introduce my tale. Usually a tale needs no introduction, yet this tale is of such complexity that a little background is necessary. Those of you ladies who affright easily may want to seek a strong shoulder to hold too. For this tale, I shall hold no punches nor gloss over any details, lest hope be forgotten or the message and the meaning thereof be lost. This is a tale of a Demon Knight older then the hills themselves, an ancient one whom was sealed to fate as one of the nine whom plague mankind. Know you of the nine, good people? Yes madam, hate is one, as are jealousy, and greed. Yes sir, bigotry is one. Yes ma’am envy is one also, anyone else? That is five of the nine. Very good people, the other four are: Pestilence, Famine, War, and Death. These are those known as the four horsemen and do not concern this tale for they shall not appear to mankind physically until the end of the world. Of the other five there are many names given to them, which are all different, yet mean the same things. They are the manipulators of our emotions and do the horned ones work making us miserable.” At this, several people made the sign of warding off evil and the storyteller had to wait for the babble to die down before continuing.
“I cannot tell you people how refreshing it is to meet a townspeople so educated and knowledgeable. Indeed, first there was Jehovah, blessed be his name, and second was the minor Gods whom we may respect and cajole yet not to worship. Jehovah created the lesser Gods to keep him company and yet they were petty and bickered so that he soon grew tired of them and their plots. Therefore, he then created the angels and made them of such a mold that they would worship him without thought of themselves or their comfort. Yet this too he soon tired of for though of surpassing beauty and remarkable singing, the hosannas soon paled. Unquestioning worship might be nice for a while, yet pales when it is never-ending. Thus did Jehovah do two things to overcome his boredom; He freed the angels of their compulsion to serve him unquestioning, and he turned his eye away from Heaven to the universe he had created outside of it.”
“Of course freed of their compulsions, like unto the minor Gods, the angels did begin to bicker and develop personalities. The one whom we call the Horned One, whom was of all the angels in Heaven the most beautiful and beloved of Jehovah began a revolution and sought to displace Jehovah from his throne. Jehovah being a just God and knowing that it was the lifting of the compulsion that made them so; was merciful and did not destroy them. Instead, he separated a part of the Heavens and did give the horned one power to make it like unto his ideals, and thus was Hell created and the Horned One ruler of its domains. Pardon me sir? Yes, yes very perceptive of you.”
“The Horned One did separate it into nine levels just as Heaven has its separate levels. It is unclear whether the Lord made the Earth before or after this point, and the people who dwell within or if this was later after the revolution in Heaven and yet; it is all as one for Hell and Earth do attach one to the other. I will talk on that later but for now, I shall explain of the different levels of Heaven and then Hell.”
“In Heaven, there is the great city and the next level is the wall in which reside the nine gates. The gates are a level unto themselves and then there is that which is outside of them known as the rim and is the anchor of Heaven and called by some the firmament. Outside of the rim is the mysterious place known to us on Earth as Limbo and is rumored to be the place where the souls of unborn or un-baptized children and souls whose balance is questionable do reside.”
“Outside of Limbo is what people mistake for the Heavens and called by my people the universe. This is what you see when you look up at night and perceive the lights in the sky. They are rumored to be places not unlike the Earth that you stand upon yet unimaginably far away. It is by the movement of these, ‘Stars’ and the constellations thereof, which my people do guide their journeys, as do sailors and their ilk.”
“The last level is that which we call the galaxy and is the portion of the heavens in which our dear Earth resides. Look you to the Heavens at night and it is rumored that the lights, which do not twinkle but are steady are like unto our earth yet not habitable by our kind. They number nine as do the levels of Hell and it is rumored that on the ninth one closest to the sun is where Hell was moved. Now, now people, I say not what I know for sure yet what I have learned and been taught.”
“You of course may have your own opinions. That is your right; yet grant me the right to tell my tale as it is put together. For by learning the right and wrong of things is how we grow as a people and to insist you are right against irrefutable truths is surely a sin unto itself. Perhaps my truths are faulty, yet ‘I’ for one am more then willing to learn your truths and give them heed; thereby learning the right of them and perhaps changing my own view.”
“Thus did the horned one separate hell into nine levels, wherein the ninth or inner level is where the horned one and the most evil of his cohorts do reside. It is rumored that hell is not unlike a ringed mountain with the ninth level being the highest and most difficult to reach. Each ring downward has lesser evils and lesser beings; until the final level ends and is anchored by the river Styx; which is the domain of the boatman. It is said that the river Styx is the attached to the realm of earth and produces the very air we do breathe. That those who die and descend to Hell actually do so though the air that is now as a shore and river to them.”
“Again, I am just passing on a theory and not my own opinion. So thusly does the edge of hell anchor to the edge of earth and thus are certain demons and the Horned One given access to our realm. Like unto the nine levels of hell are there the nine demons of the Horned One and these ones do have free access to earth and do dwell mostly upon it instead of Hell which is to them home; and more comfortable to their kind.”
“Thus, were the favored nine bound to the creation of the Earth and balanced by an equal number of angels of great power whom do rule all of the positive emotions. These are known as the Arch Angels and yet only four of their numbers are guardians upon the Earth to combat the travesties of the four horsemen. The remaining guardians are regular angels and yet one saint who is actually the Hero of this story and not unknown among us for his works upon the earth.”
“Lastly before I begin the tale I will entertain questions to make clear anything you have not understood afore. Yes ma’am saints can be quite dangerous for they do possess the wrath of God in their anger and are the only ones the Lord has given the ability to judge man other then his holy self. Sir? Yes sir, people do make graven images and create minor Gods by their belief, yet this is unsanctioned and takes glory away from the Lord. Yet the Lord is merciful and allows us to pay homage to minor Gods and Saints, yet only forbids the worship of such, for he is a jealous but just God. For the minor Gods, the angels, the saints are all of his creation and none exist except by his sufferance.”
“Certainly, ma’am such minor rituals are not forbidden as long as you turn not your face from him to worship another. It is through such minor gods, angels and saints that the lord does grant favor for his time is valuable and such as these are needed to weed out real request of the deserving from those that are frivolous. Certainly sir, there are times when the unfaithful are punished, for even the Lord himself does possess emotion and is ever growing and changing not unlike our own fathers do grow and change in wisdom and perception with age and wisdom. Do not our own children anger us when they willfully disobey?”
“In fact, a future story I will tell shall be of just such growth for it is said that the Lord Jehovah has altered himself becoming a trinity. Whereas he has always been known as the father and still shall be known as such, it is said that he has added two other aspects to himself to balance his own emotions so that he can be more just to us his creation. There is himself called the father then the second is the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is said to be the female aspect of the Lord and to balance his negative emotions with positive ones and could be considered the mother of us all. The third aspect is his Son whom he sent to the earth and allowed to be martyred so as to give us a chance to share heaven with him through our belief.”
“Yes sir, it may indeed be true, I myself met the man, and he made a good impression on me. Yet people, that is enough of the questions, and it is time to begin my tale. I beg thee do not interrupt for this a hard tale to bear and harder still for I am one of the character in it myself. A small warning is in order at this time for I shall be saying the true names of several demons and of these names you should not repeat any for to do so may draw their attention hither. I myself am protected by my amulet and my station as a storyteller so in repeating what I say speak not these evil names or add thus to your own peril.
‘*Hearken, hearken, hearken.’ (*When repeated three times is a polite way of saying; shut up and listen and no more interruptions.)
‘Neela Gilihad Nigela of the ninth circle of hell is the overlord of all the demons upon the earth. Beelzebub is his most common name and the only one above him is the Horned One himself. He does not reside upon the Earth, as do the nine, yet his power upon the earthly realm is unparalleled. He is the keeper of all the negative emotions, and it is through his offices that the nine upon the earth do their dastardly deeds. He is the favored of the Horned One and it is rumored that this one gave over a third of the ninth level to him for his pleasure and as a reward for his evil in our realm.”
“His is the true name of evil and repeat it not or say of him a nickname lest you draw his attention. Yet, remember also that knowing the true name of a thing gives you power over it so forget it not. In most cases knowing the true name of an adversary allows you the power to banish such an evil one, yet in this case it is too powerful for mortal man to combat. Thus are there the Arch angels, angels and saints whom do battle in the Lords name. One of the major angels, though not an Arch angel, is the balance between the two; being neither good nor evil but is neutral. That is she whom we call justice and the Lord did bind her eyes so that she could not be influenced by the sight of things. It is through her offices that men on Earth are allowed to adjudicate and create mortal laws for the benefit of our people.”
“This is important knowledge for it is to her you must appeal in order to gain the favors of a saint. Yet too, there is risk in this for you as well. To cry out for justice is to allow yourself to be judged by that self same angel and if you are found lacking; you could pay with your immortal soul.”
“Hearken; the hero, one known once upon this earth as a man. He was a warrior of Jehovah, a prophet, a saint, and a wizard of tremendous power for he could call upon the Lord himself to smite the evils he found in our realm. He did lay waste to all evil he found upon this earth and none could stand before his wrath, not even a company of solders numbering fifty which he smote with fire from the heavens. He did enforce for the Lord by his edicts; those who earned his displeasure, and did they die myriad and horrible deaths. So holy was he that he even resurrected the dead when he found their death unjust, and after his own death, the touch of his bones did heal the sick.”
“Hearken again the adversary who grows stronger and more able to affect us as the nations on earth do grow. For with each birth of a man or woman upon the earth does he have another chance to corrupt their soul and thus add to his own power. In the beginning when there was but few men upon the earth, it mostly did corrupt those animals that kill for joy and not for food. Yet, as we grow in our domination of the earth and its animals, did it grow bored with such games and turn its evil eye increasingly to the affairs of man.”
“Afore time, it could only affect us from afar though the nine, and could not manifest itself upon this realm for it was not one of the chosen whom dwell with us, but their overlord. Yet in the last several decades has its power grown such that it is able to manifest now upon the earth in several guises including the semblance of man. Not satisfied with merely affecting the course of men, it has become a hunter of them and for its prey, it had picked the lonely traveler.”
“Yet, it is limited in the way that such things are to only wreak this kind of havoc; one day of the cycle of the moon. That day is the day of darkness that lays between the death of the moon and sliver of the new moon in its rebirth. Twelve times within the seasons does it leave its scars upon mortal man and also those times that the moon does darken unnaturally. The lonely traveler has no refuge at these times from it; nether in the plains and valleys, nor in the mountains and heights. You could be a dweller of the dessert or upon the shore of the sea; it matters not for it can smell your loneliness from the depths of Hades itself, wherever the lonely traveler may stray.”
“Hearken now these wisdoms for without them you will have no chance to avoid a horrible fate at its hand. Firstly, it is best to avoid the situation by staying within town or numbering yourself with other travelers, for it hunts only those whom are alone and only on the nights I have said. Secondly, if you have no choice and have to travel those lonely roads pay attention to your senses and dismiss not what could be only imagination.”
“Hearken the wind traveler; for the wind, e’en the very trees them selves will whisper your name if it chances upon your trail. Under normal conditions, it might be a trick of the wind or of the mind, and I myself have heard whispers of my name on a long lonely trail. However this is much more remarkable for usually in such circumstances it is only your common name you hear whispered. In this case and on these nights there will be no doubt that you are pursued; for the name you will hear whispered is your full given name under which you were birthed. As it gets closer so do the whispers until they almost become a shout and many is the man whom died of fright; without ever seeing the whispers source such is the vileness and the power contained within them.
“Hearken again the Hero and through the offices of she whom we call Justice may you call upon his name. Call out ‘In the name of justice, send to me ‘Elisha.’ Call out the name of the Saint Elisha thrice afterwards, ‘Elisha, Elisha, Elisha.’ I warn you people never call thusly upon a saint without dire need; for to call falsely would mean your death and possibly your immortal soul. Yet, such a cry cannot be ignored if it comes from your heart. So call out truly with all emotion and attempt to hide nothing from his scrutiny. Call out with all your fear, your desire to live, e’an with your terror and fear. It is not a showing of cowardice; for that which stalks you is unstoppable by mortal man.”
“I tell you that you have no chance otherwise, for the forces arrayed against you are too great. Elisha was and is one of the sternest of all Saints. Yet, is he merciful to the deserving and once your heart is judged and found worthy, he will render you aid. Hold back nothing of your emotions for he can see into the core of you. It matters not what has gone before, whether you were a bully or a drunk, a wife beater or a thief. It is the quality of your plea and the desire to make something good of your life that will get you aid. For confronted by such a horrible end; what person would not find that he or she was lacking, and desire to live and make something better of themselves.”
“Hearken myself, and look closely I say, for I was such a man myself. I was a drunkard and a bully and my heart was hardened to the plight of the people around me. I was rouge and a highwayman, a thief and a beggar. That was until I myself came to my final stand and heard the whisper of my name through the trees. Just the whisper itself near to took my mind. It would be bad enough to a regular man yet I am among the gifted of my kind and possessed of the sight.”
“To the sighted or gifted the whispers were not only maddening but were shouts filling my mind with terror. The gifted you see not only hear things but also are prone to visions and fits and a thousand horrible images filled my mind of my past deeds. Nor were they just to do with adulthood but contained even childhood images of cruelty to animals and friends betrayed. In despair and cowardice did I draw my own knife with which to end my life; for it had grown to a thousand screams and the visions that assailed me were never-ending.”
“Yet was my hand stayed by a vision of another kind. Now was my mind filled with visions competing for attention with the bad ones. They were visions of things I could have done. They were visions of having achieved in life a noble trade, and the awakenings of an honorable ambition. It was a vision of what I could do if only I had more time and did not meet my death here on my lonely road.”
“It was a shock to me for long had I shunned family and friends and old habits are hard to break. Yet in my most dire moment did I realize what it was I could accomplish if only I had the strength and courage to face my own fears. You see my families for generations were the tellers of tales. They carried the knowledge of the things about us and of the hidden trails. They were teachers of wisdom, mentors, and men of state. They were mappers of lands and countries sometimes guided only by their visions.”
“My uncle could talk to the very animals and find that which ailed them. My aunt was a giver of names and a priestess of the order. I had other relatives who were priest and writers of grail. Yet, I in my arrogance would have nothing of it. I shunned my family and reckoned in pride so false that I could do better as a warrior or a mason. I left my family’s embrace to follow my own path and put aside from myself my family’s desires for my future.
“Now was I filled with remorse. It felt as if thick cloying life blood of my heart flowed freely upon the ground for my folly. That was my worst moment of all; when I realized what a waste my life had been and all the things I would never do. That was when into my vision came the image of my guardian angel and I knew her well for she was my departed mother. Despair almost engulfed me again for I knew that she had died of a broken heart due in no small part to selfish desires and my petty decision to leave her behind. I knew then that she was no longer among the living where but a moment before I had not cared even if she lived or died.”
“A pang of desire swept through so hard as to shake the foundations of my soul. It was the desire for her love and comfort long missing over the many years of a wasted life. So powerful was the emotion that time itself took heed and stopped for a moment. From out of the past, she reached with golden arms and swept me up as I wept and did coo to me in baby talk. No longer the hardened man, I looked up affectionately from the bower of her chest as she took all my fears away and took them into herself.”
“I gentled to her cooing then listened raptly as she told me tales of her life and her hopes and dreams for me. They were words I had not understood as a babe in arms. Yet now they rang out as clear as a bell and I did understand each and every single word. She saw me not as a shining knight, nor as a builder of great castles. She saw in me the pure blue light of a teller of great tales and a leader of men. She saw me as a traveler yet not a vagabond. She told me I would be a leader of a growing tribe of the People and the beginnings of a roving nation. That I would gather to me the misfits of society and those who have no choice but to travel for it is in their blood. That I would make for them place with the people where they could be productive and respected members of our community.”
“‘The People’ would thereby become a nation unto them-selves consisting of all colors of all nations and all creeds, and would be as one. She saw ‘The People’ as a carrier of lost knowledge. The kind of knowledge that is lost oft in war upon the land. Warriors seldom have a consciousness of pride in knowledge, or a sense of loss in its destruction. Nor do they have respect for buildings of learning, nor works done by a scholar’s hand. Thus, were many nations laid to waste and of all their gains and knowledge learned were left only the ashes. ‘The People would buffer this by being beholden to no land, and pass by tradition knowledge that would otherwise be lost.”
“Then did my childhood start to pass through my vision the many scenes running into each other. Literally did my life flash before my eyes and yet, this time, the lost meanings of her teachings once again becoming a part of my conscious memories. From the cradle on she did teach me of everything which she knew and possessed of a name. Over and over did she describe to me her vision of ‘The People’ as a wandering nation who picked no sides on which to fight, and who were welcomed on all borders. She told me that I must never favor one over the other whether it was a person or a nation; for to do so would bar me from the other.”
“As I grew, she taught to me the wisdom of the people and filled me with the visions she had. As well she filled me with the visions that came to her in the dark of night. She told me tales every night until I fell asleep. Yet know that the meanings now were crystal clarity for it was now my adult mind absorbing the wisdom she had favored me with since the cradle. This was how ‘The People’ came to being, yet that is much further towards the end of the Tale. For now we are dealing with a lonely traveler; stalked by an apparition beyond his kin and trying to avoid a horribly fated death.”
“In my continuing vision of my mother’s teachings I even heard now of her fears. These were not waking memories, yet her musings when I was asleep and not listening. She often spoke aloud thinking no one there to judge her or hear these thoughts of desperation. My father was many years’ dead and she had no other children. She lived by her wits and fed us by her skill in tailoring and midwifery. Not all her nocturnal musings though were on our misfortunes though, but sometimes on the misfortunes of others and sometimes, solutions of such misfortune.
“Yet, now I listened raptly and this was how I came to know the tale of Elisha and his flying mansion. Elisha the man, become a saint, born of the Tish’-bite. Elisha who was so holy and favored that his very bones in the earth remain to this day and healed a man sorely wounded when he was let down into the reopened grave.”
“Hearken People and rest for a moment. For though I am not yet ancient, neither am I as young and spry as of old, and I find myself tiring. Mill about and take repast and as soon as I am able I will continue.”
Original Script by Anthony H
All rights reserved Copyright by Ach Inc, unpublished works 2003 Also announcing the following additions: knight_in_shining_karmaa enterprises ltd. Hidie Pipes Make Ready’s Inc all divisions of : Hidden Concepts, by Ach Inc.
Written by Anthony Hotopp Revised Edition Edited 2016 All Rights Reserved: ACH INK © 2016 Wolf_Lord |
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Wolf_LordAlbuquerque, NMAboutI am an aspiring author whom was on penwrights for ...well ... about as long as it existed... I watched apathetically as the site fell to pieces... Freedom of expression was squashed... People were be.. more..Writing
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