Quest For The Sword

The Fall

“Papa, tell me the story again,” five-year-old Juan would ask of his father.

“You have to go to bed Mijo.”

“Please, just once and I’ll go straight to bed, "Juan pleaded.

“Ok ok, but you must go straight to bed once I’m done.” Juan’s father put on his old Dominican story-telling voice.
“A long time ago, everyone lived in paradise. Adam, Eve and all the beautiful animals. God lived among men at that time and was pleased with his creation. He told them that everything around them was theirs. The earth, the land, the water and every animal imaginable. All except for the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life. They were in complete control. But one day, Eve was walking through the garden and a snake appeared. He convinced Eve to eat of the tree on Knowledge of good and evil.

‘No.’ she said. ‘God has forbidden it.’

‘Did he now?’ asked the snake. ‘Tell me something then, if he is so all powerful, why would he create something that you can’t have. Could it be that he knows that you have the potential to be gods just like him? I am willing to wager that If you eat of the fruit of both trees, you will be a god like him.’

‘But what if he punishes me?’ Eve asked nervously.

‘How will he, you’re going to be a god.’ So, Eve went along with the plan and ate from the tree of knowledge. But before she could eat from the tree of life, she ran to give Adam some of her fruit. Soon after Adam ate the fruit, both Adam and Eve became aware of their own situation. God rushed down and scolded them for disobeying his orders. He banished them from the garden, and placed a cherub holding a flaming sword that points in all directions at the east entrance of the garden. And just like that, Mankind was banished from paradise. But thankfully, after Jesus sacrificed himself, the sword was removed from the entrance, and Mankind was allowed back in to paradise. The end. Now go to bed Mijo.” His father tucked him in as he finished his story.

“Papa”

“Yes Mijo.”

“Where did god put the sword?”

“It’s gone.”

“But it had to go, somewhere right?”

“I don’t know Mijo, it probably lost,” his father said. “I will say this, whoever finds it is going to answer to God if he asks for it back.  

“What If I find it?”

“Then promise me one thing, it the big one asks for it back, you just give it them.”

“I promise. “

“Thank you. Now go to bed mijo.

-30 Years Later-

“Are you ready for your presentation Professor?” Asked Juan’s assistant, a short young woman with glasses. She had sharp eyes that darted at the professor from underneath her bangs.

The professor was staring the New York City skyline as they rode over the Manhattan Bridge on the Q train. The sunlight bled past the bridge beams, and through the car windows causing a flickering effect as the train ascended towards the peak of the bridge. The train stopped in the middle of the bridge causing the sunlight to fall perfectly on his assistant’s face. 

“I’ve never been readier,” he said.”

“Are you sure that you want to go through with this though. I mean, this all just seems kind of, ya’know bat-shit-crazy. Aren’t you worried about your reputation?”

“Jenn,” he said as he rested his hands on her shoulders, “I have a masters in multiple religions, and 2 PHD’s I will be able to survive any backlash that could come from this. I will be ok.” “Plus,” he added,” if I do well here, someone in that crowd may be able to fund my research. Could you imagine what the two of us could find if we got to travel to the sites in here,” he said as he pointed at his leather satchel. “We could change the way people look at the world.”

A voice came through the trains PA system. “We are being held momentarily by the trains dispatcher. We will be moving shortly.”

“Great,” said his assistant. “Now we’re going to be late too. Why didn’t we just take your car?”   

“Jenn, do you ever take a moment to admire how beautiful our city is?” He asked as he stared out the window. “I mean, just look at it. You cant do that when you drive in New York.”

“I love how carefree you are, its what makes working for you so fun. But I have to start thinking about my future, and whether or not I will be able to afford to live in this city once this lecture is over. “She looked down for a moment. “If this goes bad, I- “she paused. “I can’t stay by your side on this. I have my own career to think about. I’m sorry.”

“Listen. You don’t have to be sorry. I understand. But this is going to go great.” He turned away from her and walked to the edge of the train car to get a better view. The train car suddenly started to move. “See, the day is getting better already.”
The train car lurched as moved them into lower Manhattan. The pair sat in silence until they had to get off on canal street. As they left the station, the professor paused for a moment, unknowingly allowing Jenn one last chance to try and talk him down.

“What about primary sources sir? If were being objective, all you have is a story and a hunch. If I submitted the research that you’re about to, I would at best get a D. Why are you pursuing this so hard?”
The professor took his glasses off. “Jenn this is what I’ve been researching my whole life. I think I can risk a little social capital if it means that the artifact is real.”

“What if you just don’t tell them that you believe its a working sword that magically shoots flames.”

“It is flames.”

“What?”

“It is flames Jenn. It doesn’t shoot flames. The sword itself is made of flames that don’t burn the one holding it.”

“Seriously! How does that not sound crazy to you?“

“It’s been a dream of mine for so long that its never felt not real.”

“But what if its just that? A dream”

“I owe it to myself to at least try.”

“Risking your reputation is one thing, but don’t you think it’s a bit selfish that everyone that’s ever worked with you will have to denounce you if this goes
wrong. I just started my career, and I’ll already be discredited. I’ll have to tell everyone that I had no idea about this. “

“Do what you have to do Jenn, but I’m going on that stage and I don’t really care who it affects.”

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