It was the same old story—Good against Evil…

The mountain was a majestic upthrust seeming to touch the highest clouds.

They said Titan worshiped the sun, living at the peak of the mountain.

They said Minotaur lived in the shadows, inside the mountain, surrounded by a maze of tunnels leading out.

The people in the ring of villages surrounding the mountain’s base were ordinary, industrious folk.

They had their faults but persisted in their ordinary, industrious way…

Air Handmaiden was an Unknown.

---

Titan seemed to have lived on the mountain forever.

People were uncertain about when Minotaur had arrived.

Air Handmaiden knew the Truth…

---

Jasbran had discovered the first tunnel, which led to the Minotaur’s first seizure of people—ten from five villages.

Naturally, folks prayed to Titan for aid.

Naturally, Titan seemed not to answer…

---

Over the years, 99 more villagers joined Minotaur in his lair.

Over the years, many attempts were made to climb the mountain and attain Titan’s abode.

Finally, on the eve of Sanbluian in the year of Tacnos-549, Jasbran’s grandchild, Thenon, reached the peak.

He didn’t see Titan but proceeded to make his herbal infusion on his camp-stove, poured the first cup over his head, and prayed:

“Oh, Titan, Master of the mountain!

“Come to our aid!

“Help us fight the Minotaur and bring our people back to their homes!!”

His thoughts ended the prayer with, if they still live…

The moons had risen, the air was frigid, and Thenon saw a strange cloud.

It was drawing nearer, descending toward where he stood.

As it approached, he thought he saw a body forming from its vaporous substance.

Yes! — an ethereal being alighted in front of him and said:

“I am the Handmaiden of the Air.

“I have told Titan of your prayer.

“He begs your indulgence as he prepares an answer.”

Thenon tried to speak—wheezed out the words, “I—I thought Titan lived here…”

“He does but you can not yet see him.”

“Wh—What must I do?”

“Wait.”

She disappeared—a mere cloud-form remained…

Thenon sat by the camp-stove and shivered.

Strange…

More than strange…

A sudden sleep enveloped him and he dreamed…

---

Titan was there, magnificent in His effulgence.

“Thenon, I give you greeting and avow your courage, yet wonder if you have understanding.”

“Titan! I am speechless…”

“Perhaps not—yet, listen.

“Minotaur is as tenuous as the Handmaiden, formed of thoughts—thoughts ill-beseeming the folk in your villages. If you have found your full voice, tell me what you think.”

Thenon cleared his throat and said:

“You say the Minotaur is not real, a phantom of our thoughts?”

“Not your  thoughts, dear Thenon. You came to Me, the others stay in the villages, cringing in fear.”

“Is the Minotaur not to be feared?”

“You understand yet keep yourself from knowing you understand.”

Thenon wondered…

“Thenon, cast back in your mind. Recall the actions of your people. Do you see them gathering together and fearfully retelling the stories of the Minotaur’s rampages?”

“Yes…”

“Cast yet deeper. See the co-incidence of their most fearful gatherings with Minotaur’s attacks.”

Thenon played-out the scenes in his quivering mind—saw the connections…

“Very good, Thenon. Now descend and bring this awareness to your people.”

Thenon awoke.

----

Air Handmaiden was with him as he made his way to the base of the mountain.

She filled his mind with Words, Sentences—Verbal Remedies.

When he reached the first village, she was gone and he appeared to have just been soaked by rain.

He met with the people and told them of his Dream on the mountain.

Few believed him.

He shared the Proofs from the Handmaiden—few understood.

---

Thenon now lived in the forest beyond the villages.

He had the Handmaiden as an occasional Visitor.

He had his memory of Titan.

He had the weight of the reality of how long it would take to convince enough people…

---

The people ever so gradually replaced themselves.

The children listened to Thenon—understood the power of imagination…

As Thenon began to reach his terminal age—approached ever-nearer the True Realm of Titan—he nearly glowed with the realization that the end was near.

The end of Minotaur—the re-beginning of a Clean, Ordinary, Industrious Life…

---

As Thenon’s body died and his spirit ascended towards Titan, he knew that, eventually, the People would evolve beyond ordinary, maintain their industriousness—as long as they remained Clean…

By Alexander Zoltai

From: United States

Website: https://nfaa.wordpress.com

Twitter: AlexZ80365313