FOR THE RIGHT REASONS!

There was confusion in the room as the guardian in the order of Sleek the Intricate recounted his sensational account.

“I have never seen eyes so incredible! It was like staring right at terror. I was afraid fire would suddenly gush out of the blazing sockets and devour me in broad day light! Then there was the hair! White as snow, his head so white…like wool. Undeniably the most awe striking sight I have ever seen! My heart literally observed a minute’s silence in the ensuing aftermath. I’m so fortunate to be alive!”

There was prolonged hoarse laughter from the enthralled audience as the territorial guardian quickly went through as if desperate to finish before some disaster struck. He was, barely able to contain himself.

“His feet-someone please tell me! Why does anyone need feet made of bronze?! They were glowing; Like I was watching them in a burning furnace. I thought I was going to die and really believed I was history the moment he spoke!”

“What did he tell you?!” came a unanimous chorus from the curiously anxious audience.

“Someone please hold me! I’m afraid I will die if I repeat those…those words here! What a nightmare! ” He began to tremble uncontrollably as the wild gruffly laughter tore through the air again.

“What did he tell you?” The harsh husky command sent an icy chill down every spine as all eyes turned on the steely figure calmly positioned at the corner. The room went eerily still. The guardian was petrified. He spoke as if doing a verbal word-count exam!

“I want them! All of them! We can either do this the easy way or the hard way!”

“What?!”Came a startled shout.

“That was before I saw the short film-Just before!”

“A what?!”

“Believe it or not…”

“I not!” Interrupted one of the members of the audience abruptly. The resulting laughter was thunderous, threatening to shatter the room to a trillion tiny pieces. From the corner Sleek violently banged the huge dense table.

“He had a face shinning like the sun with such a brilliance I was afraid I was going to melt in broad day light!! Right on his forehead I saw most startling images…from what seemed like a miniature screen. There was this huge jet, warlike flying past right above what seemed like my territory. It was in great speed. I caught what seemed like silver inscriptions ‘Alpha the Majestic!’ really dazzling!

“The roof flung open and I saw one descending by a parachute with the writings in Royal Blue “Operation Orient Bounty; Before all things!” He had weathered feet, like a general on a superior mission-whatever that means! I couldn’t see any further. By design.”

“Was that all?” Interrupted the steely figure.

“The parting shot was for lack of better words a stunning uppercut. He turned his back on me and as he majestically walked away the words ‘Hasta la Vista’ hit me like a thunderbolt. I will never forget that voice for the rest of my life! It was like the sound of mighty rushing waters. I was afraid I was going to be swept away or just drown in broad daylight!!! I know I am a general but what I saw today just rattled my core! I know there is trouble brewing, an invasion of sorts. It was like…like there was absolutely nothing I could do about…”

“Wrong! Enough of this ‘it was like-like-like-broad day light-believe it or not’ hysteria!” Cut in a harsh toned Sleek. Of course there is everything we will do about it, that is unless you’ve forgotten whose domain this is! Aliens are unwelcome here and repercussions severe for every trespasser. We turn their space crafts to watering troughs for our livestock, their parachutes to doormats for our habitation. I want all corners of this territory secured immediately. You will be leading this operation and had better succeed or i will triple your misery.

“Find him and turn all hell loose on him. Unleash against him every shade of conspiracy, lie and propaganda and I mean every shade of color in the rainbow until he’s worn out. I want you to launch a major backlash on his cause, whatever it is. I’ve saved the best for last. When you’re done with him, bring him to me-alive. I have a fine parting shot especially for him . A good turn deserves another!

“I want to know who it is and that in detail. What he’s eating, who made it and what it is made of-in what ratios. Whom he’s meeting and what for. I want to know how many times he’s breathing per minute and why! I want this yesterday-I want it by the minute! This meeting is dismissed.” Sleek the intricate was gone; vanished in thin air!

***

The seasoned general in the order of Alpha the Majestic touched down with his sandaled feet and rolled in a cascading fashion, absorbing speed and momentum rapidly. His extensive training in the Arabian Desert had carved a masterpiece out of him. He took time to unbuckle, only too aware of the overwhelming task ahead of him against the beasts of the land. His eyes closed as he took a generous sip of water in deep reflection.

He thought of his previous unsuccessful attempts to get into the Oriental territory. His break had come in almost unexpectedly following a prompting by Alpha. He deeply sensed this was the right season.It was this strong sense of the right timing and the confirmation he was not alone that had him heave a huge sigh of relief. Now only compromise could thwart his mission. He so much wanted to succeed.

He thought of many before him who had helplessly squandered their once in a lifetime moment caving in to Sleek’s threats and enticing baits. He had succeeded in disarming them, effectively coating their eyes with scales and quenching the light they bore . It was a thin line. He knew he was standing at the threshold of his moment and that the stakes were high. History was counting on him, so was humanity and Alpha the Majestic who had brought him to the all defining moment.

There was a heightened sense of conviction in him that if he could only keep in focus that Alpha is before all things and stay on course all the way, for the right reasons, then he would ultimately be right on target for Alpha would carry him through. As he folded his apparatus and began his trek into the city he perceived this reality so clearly he could touch it!

TWO YEARS LATER

There is a path, beyond the intricacies of deception, in their numerous shades, a pricey hidden pearl whose foundation is before time, its schedule before all things, holding together all elements thereof. Those who  find it are never the same again, in life and beyond. It is reminiscent of the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day!

The general hung up the call and sat quietly down in a pensive mood. The grisly images on his Television screen and details just in had him worried especially about the fate of his two colleagues presently held hostage at the city’s theatre. The intensity of the uproar had his friends swiftly move in to avert his intended defensive venture in the theatre. It was a spectacle like never witnessed before in the history of the city, with many who were in it not even consciously aware why they were there, seemingly carried in a wave.

“So it is true!” He thought aloud. Just as his all time mentor and friend had always stated, “There are things that can never mix. A timeless universal illustration is the relationship existing between light and darkness. A raging battle for supremacy. When light has gone past the scales many will run for truth while others run away from it. In the end, when all is said and done, when all else has been tried and failed, only truth can stand eye to eye with light.”

He reflected upon his two-year presence in the city. It had not been uneventful. Scales had fallen off the eyes of many who were now basking in glorious light triggering a vicious backlash from Sleek the Intricate in the aftermath as he lost significant ground…“I want them! All of them. We can either do this the easy way or the hard way!”

©The Blazing Trail 2012

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