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COMING SOON (Books in the works) !!!








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Enoch explained

SPOILER ALERT ( LOL )

GENESIS 5:4 “…Adam after he became the father of Seth… had other sons and daughters.”
GENESIS 5:21 -32 “…Enoch …became the father Me.thu’se.lah.  Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah… the father of Lamech… the father of NOAH.”

Their wives and “other sons and daughters” were never named in the Bible, so I got the names that were listed in those chapters and “crafted” my own versions that “sounded” like that would “easily fit” and I devised THIS story of HOW Enoch became …. The Prophet in my fantasy novel and was the fulfillment of all the other prophets… When verse 34 of chapter 5 says, “…Enoch ((walked with God; and he [was not], for God [took] him.”  Enoch’s “sudden disappearance is a BIG DEAL in my story and there is a lot of foreshadowing build up to the Grand Event and the events that  follow are “earth shaking”. 

This story of “his wife” is just used invented to illustrate what drives his character and background; *sigh* I wrote it as a rough draft this morning with coffee. Seriously what do you think of it; I would like to know…






The City Of Mithar

The Grey Havens
I did various pieces of artwork over the last few years, on cloth, parchment and in Photoshop.  I took those different mediums and crafted this one composite finished product, along with a lense flare special effects to boot.  This is for at story I have been working on for a long while now.

  





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THE FIRST DEGREE


Ruben

   After the great oaken doors of Varlendur opened, the small boy stood there still holding the gold coin in his hand.

   A very tall man stood before Ruben.  A tall [fair skinned man] stood there silent in front of the boy.  The voice of an unseen speaker called out asking, “Who enters this house of light from the outer darkness?”

   Before the boy could speak, the tall fair-man spoke in his stead, “It is I a Seeker.”  The tall man spoke directly to the newcomer, whispering, “I am Finomal, your guide.  Until you have a voice of your own, you are unworthy to speak on your own behalf, for you do not yet have a tongue beyond these doors.  Do you understand my meaning?”

   “I am Ruben, and I understand.”

   “You are a Seeker, with no name,” Finomal said.  He added, “From this point onward you are forbidden to speak of that which you see and experience here.  Liars are not tolerated and shall be banished.  Being refused, on my word, you will be shunned from all conversation by those on this path.

   “I ask you now, Ruben firstborn son of Randa’los of Kathos; do you desire to remain a Seeker of this Path, if not you may depart as just another boy beyond the walls? You may speak this once.”

   The ten year old boy knew only that those who lived beyond the walls of Mithar must first be educated in this manner to remain in the city, so he answered, “Yes.”

   With that, the tall man stomped his feet twice and the great oaken doors closed loudly behind the boy, called Seeker.   The entire chamber was as dark as night.  The only light came from three small candles: one to his left, one ahead of him, and one on his right.  The shadowy figure of Finomal said, “When you give up something, something will always fill its place.”  He said this while extending his hand, then added, “Be eager to give away what you were freely given.”

   It came to Ruben’s mind to place the gold coin in the palm of his guide’s hand.  Having done so the shadowy guide instructed the boy, “There, beside you, are sandals, they shall be yours until death from this path or you are found worthy of more.  They shall ever be as a reminder for you, of your chosen path into the light.”  At this, another candle was lit next to those already aflame.  Beside a seated scribe were a pair of sandals, of which the barefooted Ruben eagerly put upon his feet.

   Now, with his feet shod and again standing before his guide, Finomal instructed, “Turnabout, Seeker.”  Placing a blindfold over the boy’s eyes, he added in a whisper, “Until otherwise told, you must walk backward in the darkness trusting only upon my voice alone, and heed my direction on the path.”  The boy nodded that he would comply.



   Another voice called out of the black, “The unknown is darkness, and in it have we always walked without God in our hearts.”

   As the boy began walking backward his guide lead him.  He was pushed to the left and then pushed to the right, but still he walked backward into the black.  As this happen, he heard Finomal’s voice nearby, “This way and that way have my steps ever swayed me in the dark unknown without God in my life.”

   A third, unknown voice spoke from the black beyond, “The darkness stops the Seeker’s sureness without the Light.”

   The one hand on Ruben’s right shoulder firmly made his feet stop.  Again his guide’s voice answered, “Without the Light of true understanding is the Seeker stopped in the blackness.”

   Seeing nothing, the boy heard two and then a third and fourth knock upon a door.  He knew now the door was directly behind him.  A covered voice beyond the closed door shouted, “Who comes searching for Light?”

   Beside him, in answer, the boy heard his guide reply, “A Seeker from the Black.”

   Again the fourth voice beyond the closed door called out, “Begin your journey into the Light of truth, building upon the steps that lead you here.  Enter of your own free will.”

   The sound and air told the boy he was beginning to enter a new chamber.  Still walking backward with his guide, Finomal’s voice accepted, “Upon my chosen path I will continue toward the light of truth.”

   At the sound of the closing door a new voice called out, “From this day forward you cannot unlearn what is revealed.”

   His guide replied, “In searching and finding I can never return to the unknowing of darkness.  From this day onward, I would ony be turning aside from the light instead of embracing it.”

   At this point the boy felt himself being turned about in the black.  His steps now went straight ahead.  Being thusly lead forward, still wearing the blindfold his silent guide lead him about, it seemed in the expanse of a huge chamber’s wide circle.  Every so often they would stop, and the boy felt another hand upon his shoulder and a voice, then his guide’s reply.

   “Will you heed my voice?”

   “I am always seeking you my Lord.”  

   “Will you follow me?”

   “I am always seeking you my Lord.”  

   “Will you do my will?”

   “I am always seeking you my Lord.”  

   “Will you share my truth?”

   “I am always seeking you my Lord.”  

   With that they stopped.  The boy complied with the whispered command, “Kneel.”

   The boy’s two hands were place upon a small box in front of him atop a table.

   On both sides of him, Ruben heard the sound of swords being unsheathed.  A moment later the sound of blades crossing and their cold edge touched his throat.    Another voice spoke, this time it was a most familiar voice, firm and strong; it came from directly in front of him, “If one such as you truly desires the truth it would be death to you to disavow that light.  Of your own free will do you ‘accept’ the Light or ‘retreat’ back into the darkness; what say you?”

   The room was silent.  In that silence the boy realized that it was his choice alone to make.  He answered, “I accept.”

   With the blindfold removed the room flooded with sunlight.


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Cultic Rituals

 

    I developed the lengthy process to enter a Cultic religious Society for my fantasy novel, THE WATCHER'S BOOK {of Books}.  Complete with initiation, passwords, handshakes, cords, robes, masks, and other details.  But instead of just out right telling the reader, I developed characters to experience these from their view.  And the full circle effect as well, of the teachers who developed and the ones who carried out the process.  These are all interwoven as various stories.  The six degrees are divided up and told using six characters and in between them are the stories of the teachers; woven in all of this is the cultural climate and the geographic environment and 'signs of the times'.  But all of this story development is for another character, The Prophets to have something to be the antagonist toward.  All of these are also "character events" used in developing another  outcome through the Judges characters.  Mine is a story within a story about and unfolding story.  Each one of the "tales" below illustrate my concept.




[COMING SOON:]
> Second Degree
>    Third Degree
>  Fourth Degree
>     Fifth Degree
>     Sixth Degree

THE TEACHERS:
0
1
2
3
4
5
6






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JOSIAH the seeker

   
One day, as the great gate of Mithar was open, and its market of commerce was busy, an old man met a young boy.  The boy asked of the scared face, limping man, “Sir, what do they do in the lighthouse tower?”
   Because he was an old man with a limp he tired easily and sat down on a nearby stool.  The old man answered with a question, “What is your name boy?”
   He promptly replied, Josiah, the second born son of Barmathen of Sinjar, sir.”
   The old man smiled, “Well, Josiah of Sinjar, what do you think of the Tower?”
   Josiah thought for a moment then said, “I do not know sir, other than people seem changed once they leave.”
   The old man sat up, looking puzzled, “How so?”
   The boy struggled to find the right words to express his confusion, “They seem – not the same.  Like they are made to yearn for more of whatever they see there.  Then, they never join their old lives beyond these walls again.  They are forbidden to speak of what happened to them and how they changed.”
  The old man smiled, “I suppose some changes in a person’s life, Josiah of Sinjar cannot be expressed but must be experienced.”
   The boy wondered, “Change?”
   The seated old man continued, “We all change, in a different way, Josiah.  Can one really lay a finger on the very moment when the world changed for them?  We all yearn for something – more.  Deeper understanding?”
   Again, the visitor inquired for more, “Deeper understanding – of what?”
   The old man rubbed his hurting leg, “See, even now are you beginning to yearn for more, hungering for the light.”  He looked at the tower steps and pointed, “Do you see the guard, there?  Go and ask to be let in and that it was I who instructed you, boy.  Return to me tomorrow when the market gate opens again.”
   The excited boy gave the old man a smile for talking with him. Through the busy crowds gathered about the city gate, Josiah made his way through the curving streets of Mithar to the very steps of the great lighthouse tower. He breathlessly climbed the many steps till at last, he landed upon the wide porch above.
The small boy found two tower guards, Legandriel and Nuthcorlan standing behind their great leaf shield. Each was stone-faced, silent and wielding a pike ax. They guarded the enormous iron-braced doors of Varlendur.
Josiah looked from one to the other and spoke, “I spoke to an old man with a limp near the statued gate, he said all I had to do was but ask and I could gain entrance.”
One of the mighty warriors asked, “Password?”
The boy was frozen, stunned and silenced. He had no password to give and slowly made his way down the lonely steps.
Another boy sat on the steps crying to himself as Josiah continued past him, “I cannot get in either, I must not even try.”

   Mithar’s market attracted people from Lindol, Slavath, Sinjar, Kathos all eager to trade.  Everyone came to share their crafts and bounty of food and clothing.  The city gate was where news of the day was heard and passed on as validated truth.  The market was only opened for four hours a day; two before and two after the noon hour, and then the great gates were ordered shut by the King himself.
   The boy arrived early as he had been ushered out beyond the walls after being refused by the tower guards the day before, at closing time.  When Josiah found the old man, just inside the open gate he asked, “You did not give me a password, why sir?”
   The old man was quiet.
   Josiah asked, “Sir, what is your name?”
   The old man replied, “Sal’Gilvan.”
   Smiling, the boy asked, “Gilvan, sir, what is ‘deeper-understanding’?”
   Sal’Gilvan replied, looking at the boy in the eyes, “Outward people may never appreciate someone’s inward knowledge, my boy.”
   Josiah looked about at all the people beneath the tent-booths bartering their goods for coins.  He asked Gilvan, “Sir, how do I gain –this- deeper understanding?”
   Again Gilvan took a seat as his leg caused him much pain.  “You begin by reading the Book of Books!  For it contains the accurate knowledge of deeper understanding.  But, only if one rightly discerns its hidden passages in the true light, then shall it become open before you.  For even the holiest of ancient relics, The Scroll and Box of Seariphim, there are foreshadowed mysteries yet to be revealed to us.”
   The boy felt lost or blind to what the old man was trying to teach him; nevertheless, he listened, wondering about the words he used and admiring his wisdom.
  Sal’Gilvan saw the boy pondering and asked, “Josiah, second son of Barmathen from Sinjar, are you ready to begin your journey?”
   Josiah said, “Yes!”
   Then, standing from his seat the old man told the boy, “Go to the tower guard and ask to begin, when he desires a word from you, you must say: ‘Servant’s heart’.”   Limping away the scared face old man disappeared among the crowds.
   Running from that place as fast as he could, through the busy people, and curved streets Josiah once again made his way up the height tower stairs.  He remembered the crying boy and did not want to be one.  At the porch, before the solemn guards, Josiah said, “I am here to begin my journey.”
   After a long silence, one of the guards asked the boy, “What kind of word would a child like you offer up so as to pass these great doors?”
   Josiah   thought about how the question had been phrased, and then he answered, “Servant’s heart.”
   After another long silence, the guard let their weapons cross over one another.  Barring his way through the tower’s oaken doors they responded as with one voice, “All things should begin that way.  Be gone, and return in one hour.”
   The smile of the boy fell away.  Stunned, the child wondered at what he had done or said wrong.  Slowly he receded back down the lonely stairs.  All the while he was thinking and most puzzled.  At the bottom of the steps children pointed at him and laughed, as he approached, they ran off playing their hoop games.

   Quietly making his way to the great statued gates of Mithar, the boy found the old man once again, sitting all alone.  Josiah stood before Sal’Gilvan as he sat on his stool in the market and asked of him, “Sir, why was I refused, when I did just as you instructed me?”
   Still thinking he did something wrong, Gilvan answered the boy while he looked beyond the open city gate out onto the plains of Eriduah, and said with some hope, “Surely the password was changed, that one is correct I assure you, for you must tell no one.  That is your first promise to keep!  For it seems they are changed all the time, your first learned leason.”
   Josiah answered, “That must be it.  I have a servant’s heart sir, and I am most willing to learn.”  Gilvan perceived strength in young Josiah and thought in his heart the boy would indeed do well and progress far.
   Sal’Gilvan looked proud, “God be with you.  Good, good.  Now, when you see the guard again you must place both of your arms down by your side, and when asked a second time for a token word, say, ‘Steadfast’ – yes that is it!”  Gilvan turned and began talking to a young woman buying flowers and a beaded necklace from a cart-seller.

   A second time that day did the boy Josiah make his way through the crowed city streets of Mithar and found his place atop the porched tower.  High above the bell tolled the second hour of market.  Looking down upon the small boy, Legandriel asked, “Password?”
   Standing to his full height, and quickly slapping both hand to his sides the boy called out with great pride, “Steadfast!”
   After another even long silence the second guard, Nuthcorlan pronounced, without bothering to look down, “We should all be consistent about of Lord’s service.  Be gone, and return in one hour.”
   Josiah’s heart sank where he stood.  He tried his best not to show that he was devastated, but was instead contemplating the phrase and word, and his actions as he again slowly went down the many steps of the gray tower.  Through the bartering, busy, laughing crowds that were all unaware of his plight he we went.  The boy knew the time for buying and selling would be over in two hours and the day would be gone soon.  Soon he found the old man again.  This time he had moved to the other side of the main gate.  It seemed to the boy that the scared faced old man was a beggar as the passersby were dropping coins at his feet.

   Josiah asked Sal’Gilvan at a third time, “Sir, if you know for sure how I may learn wisdom for those of the Tower of Strong Friends [for that indeed is the meaning of the word Varlendur]; please, what must I do correctly to gain this - understanding?”
   With large eyes and a broad smile, Gilvan answered, “You are indeed well on your way already young master!”  Then, giving the boy a coin that had been tossed at his feet, Gilvan added, “Stand before the guards as you were before, only this time bow your head while offering this, you must say, nothing but ‘humble’.”
   Taking the coin without question Josiah slowly made his way back as before, the bazaar’s swarm of visitors.  They did not live behind the walls of Mithar but only exchanged goods and news of the day.  As Josiah arrived at the foot of the 144 steps of the high tower, another boy raced down, crying and dropping a copper coin landing near Josiah’s feet.  In that moment, Josiah looked at the coin in his hand for the first time.  It was gold with an emblem of the Watchtower upon it face and the back with a winged ship.  Hope rose up in the boy’s heart again, maybe it was a good sign he thought to himself. Then he raced to the oaken door’s porch.

   Stepping up to Varlendur’s two sentries for the third time that day, the small boy in his appointed place and time.  Before the King’s silent men, Josiah did just as he had been instructed by the old man by the ancient gate.  He bowed his head with both hands by his side.
   This time the two guards spoke in unison, “You have a token by which to pass?”
   After a long silence of his own, with both hands by his side, and head bowed, Josiah handed them the coin; with a clear voice he answered, “Humbled.”

   Legandriel replied, “Your servant’s heart kept you steadfast, and humble to continue upon your path.  You may enter.”  He pounded twice and then a third time on the great iron-braced door.  Silence followed.  Then King’s door slowly opened inward.


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JONAB Refused

 

 For four hours a day the main gate which led into the city of Mithar, from the tent village of Slavath, was left open.  Any who chose to, could come and go as they wished; with limits of course, and were allowed to set up a booth.  Along either side of the main road, constructed from stones that once made the city walls, did the instant market arise; of people selling their wares, both inside Mithar and out.   They could freely exchange, barter or sell with coin as they wished.
   One day a guard noticed a young boy acting strangely and so nodded to his soldier to follow him.  Passing through the city gates, the boy was caught stealing a fish and loaf of bread.  Upon seeing the boy, a Priest named Niera; the soldier called out, “Teacher, do you know this boy?”
   The priest asked the boy, “What is your name and age, thief?”
   The untattooed Nasilian boy replied, “Marcus sire, I am eleven and a half.”
   The priest was no noble and tested the boy again with, “Well Marcus, what lies in the east?”
   Marcus smiled with missing teeth, “The rising sun over the desert, everyone knows that sire.”
   The priest, Niera nodded to the guard, “Take him beyond the gates and tell your Commander that Niera says to close market early.”
   “Sir they just opened.”
   “Tell him also what you witnessed here.  Then, let the people know that thieves are not allowed in Mithar.”  Looking directly at the boy, “I tell you this once only so remember; you are forever barred from entering.  If you are caught in Mithar ever again the King, whoever that may be shall deal with you personally.  He may not be as merciful to you as I have been.  You have all had the chance to benefit of certain blessing.  Be gone.”


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