The Ulangar: Book II, Part 7

This continues Book II of the epic I wrote between 1991 and 1996.

The green and blue orb rose into the sky

reflecting the vanquished sun's light upon its surface

The fires of people burned low

as men returned to their wives and children from the mines

to relax a short while before returning to the work an endless circle

One fire continued to be fed by dead wood

as the two figures about it talked

'Before you can control a sword

before you can control others

you must learn to control yourself

It takes patience and strength

and a sturn and strict hand

Swordplay and meditation and magick work together

developing the body mind soul

to work as one

Each part of Man is

as a point on a triangle

the distance a point from the center measures its strength

The three must be as the equal triangle

no side longer than another

When this is accomplished

you may begin to expand your Triangle

encompasing other triangles

If the Triangle is expanded

while not in equilibrium

then the Triangle will collapse upon itself

destroying its creator

the one who made it faulty

When you can knowingly shift your Triangle

then Universe shall shift with it

for there is no difference'

Lamaraz sat pondering the words

while Green Eyed Farfein drank

At long last he spoke

unsure of the source of his speach

`What about government

How do the peoples here rule themselves'

Farfein with eyes bright smurked

and shouted in a drunken roar

`Government anarchy government

We are a strong peoples

and need no such foul beast

to scourge our country side

that is what locusts are for

they do a better job and are cheaper to maintain

It is true that people need to be lead

hell they practically ask to be slaves

so every so often a cock-sure fellow like yourself

comes about and declares himself Leader

as children do when they play their games

When such evil happens

we philosophers-artisans-warriors

come down from our mountain

destroy the Leader and the followers

eat their hearts and rape the dead

I think we rather enjoy having

such lads be Leader for a while

it keeps us Righteous with a strong sword arm'

Lamaraz laughed and asked

`What about the other lands about you

on this Asteroidal tomb

They too must have such leaders

but not such Righteous else you would own all'

These things having been said Farfein replied

`Quite right boy

the colony over the ocean to the north

who call themselves the Bonie

consist of an oligarchy disguised as a democracy

where but a select few can vote

and they bury their mistakes in law

The peoples over the river to the east

don't have a physical leader

they get pumped up on some herb

dance around

and consult some oracle to make decisions for them'

Lamaraz lowered his head and spoke in a low voice

`I too once trusted such oracle

it told me of things to come

and gave me a torture'

Farfein gave a harty laugh and said

`Aye and what a torture

wine enough to drink

women enough to eat

and food enough to love'