LIGHT GIVER where can I go that you are not?
If I go to the Highest peak you are there.
If I go to the lowest cavern you are there.
If I say to the darkness hide me from the CREATOR
Or say to the day turn dark and cover me .
You still see me; the darkest darkness is like Light to you. You are everywhere I am or ever could be. –
LOGOS that appeared on the wall of LOGOS at Morningstar Castle on the day that the Champion was taken to the catacombs.
Chapter Three:
Out of the Darkness and into the LIGHT
The group moved towards the lowest level of the Temple, with the master class inquisitor in front leading the way. Tal was being physically hauled down the stairway by the two temple guardians. His mouth was bleeding from a split lip. He had received it after suggesting he was perfectly capable of walking to the catacombs without help. After smashing him in the mouth with a rock-hard fist, the guardian on the left, told him to keep his mouth shut.
“After all,” He said; “It has already gotten you in enough trouble for one night.”
Tal realized the guardian was right and he assumed they were just doing their job as they understood it. Furthermore, he figured they were making sure the inquisitor saw they weren’t showing the heretic any mercy. If they showed him mercy or kindness, then it might be remembered later. That could cause problems for the one who’d acted in showing kindness or mercy. No one wanted the kind of problems that ended with them in the torture chamber known as the inquisition hall.
As they passed the servant's level and entered into the Inquisitor’s training level Tal realized the doors here had something no door in any of the other training levels had, locks. No one entered the domain of the Inquisitors without someone letting them in. Reversely no one left the domain of the Inquisitors without someone letting them out.
From the training level, they reached the first of three levels of testing cells. This was where those suspected of having the Taint of Darkness would await their call to the Testing for taint. Tal was grateful not to be stopping, but he was well aware when he had no instructors name to give the Chief Confessor this would be his next stop.
“Was it worth it?” He wondered. “Was reading, copying, and meditating on the forbidden texts really worth all the trouble he was headed for?”
The despair over what he was about to endure washed over him. However, it couldn’t diminish the closeness to the LIGHT GIVER he felt within that scroll. He remembered another passage from the scroll that summed up his feelings very well. The LIGHT GIVER had asked his followers once, after a number of people had turned against him, if they would leave him as well. One of them had replied, just like Tal’s heart did now; “Where else can we go your words bring us to life.”
As that thought took root in his mind, the group exited the stairs having arrived at the deepest level of the Temple. They were standing in a short hallway with a large ironwood door, and two wall mounted torches on either side. The Master Inquisitor removed the key from his pocket as they approached the door and unlocked it. He then took the torch from the left side of the wall and taking Tal by the arm entered the catacombs.
Just inside the door the Master Inquisitor looked back at the guardians and said: “I’m taking him to the first turn. Wait here for my return and whatever you do don't let this door close until I get back.” The guardians nodded and took up positions on either side of the door frame blocking the door open.
As Tal was being led deeper into the Catacombs, the torchlight revealed that the ceiling was at least ten lengths high. The granite block walls were wide enough that six horses could have been ridden side by side without touching each other or the walls. The floor too was made of granite block.
Moving deeper down the corridor they passed several passageways on the left. When they reached the first turn on the right, the inquisitor rounded the corner, turned and looked at Tal.
“Pay attention to what I am about to tell you.” His tone somber. “Your life may depend on it.” “You may think you understand darkness, but you don’t. Once I leave, taking this torch with me, the door is closed and locked; leaving you in total darkness. You won’t even be able to see your hand in front of your face.”
He then took Tal’s right hand and placed it on the wall. “The way to the meditation chamber is along this path. Just keep your hand on the wall. If the wall turns you turn with it. You will know you have reached the meditation chamber when the wall no longer feels straight but rounded.” “When you get there, sit with your back against the wall. Take the three hours and contemplate on what led you down this dark path. Do not move from that spot until someone with a torch or lamp comes to get you”
The inquisitor moving to look Tal square in the eye, continued “The most important thing for you to understand is the darkness is so complete you’ll have no sense of direction. No matter what happens or how scared you become don’t take your hand off the wall until you reach the meditation chamber. Because if you do you will certainly become lost in the catacombs.”
Then with a sad smile he said; “I am not trying to scare you. Each inquisitor is sent here on his first day of training. They are told the same thing but each year someone takes their hand off the wall and becomes lost.” When it happened to me, I was down here five days before someone found me. It took me almost a year to recover enough to be able to try again. Some of my classmates were never found at least one a year is lost and given up for dead after seven days. None of those given up have ever returned. So don’t take your hand off that wall until it curves under your hand. When you reach the Meditation chamber sit down and don’t get up again until you have a light to see by.”
With a final shudder, the inquisitor said: “You may be on the path to darkness, but no one deserves to die down here. However, if you don’t do what I have told you there is a great possibility you will. Do you understand?”
Tal, his face drained of blood by fear. Nodded and said; “Don’t take my hand off the wall no matter what and sit down until someone brings a light once I am in the chamber. Yes, I understand.”
“Good.” Replied the Inquisitor. Then he turned around and headed back up the corridor to the door.
Tal was left all alone in the thickening darkness with just his thoughts and growing fear as companions. After a few minutes, Tal heard him thank the guardians. Then he heard the booming echo of the door being closed. The darkness surrounded Tal so completely that black was too mild a word to describe it.
As he was walking along the corridor, with his right hand solidly on the wall, Tal began to understand just what the Chief Illuminator had meant about understanding the Darkness. Try as he might Tal couldn’t see anything. Not even his hand in front of his face. He knew this because when he had tried, he had mashed his nose with his hand. The further he walked the more real the darkness seemed. It was like it had weight and was pressing in on him from every side. Never before had the Darkness seemed anything more than a concept of evil, but now it felt real. More than real, it felt alive.
Tal reached the first turn in the corridor, a left-hand turn. As he went left, he began to feel as if the Darkness was stalking him. He suddenly was sure that the Darkness was real, and it was evil. Real and evil, and it wanted to destroy him.
“He had to get out of this place. Why would they send anyone down here? Were his questions and thoughts so bad he deserved to be stalked and destroyed like prey?” “Because that was what he was here, prey.” Without further thought Tal began to run.
He was not scared. He was beyond that, he was terrified. The faster he ran the more sure he was the Darkness was going to consume him. First, it would crush him then it would devour him and when the Confessor came, there would be nothing left of him. That must have been what happened to those illuminators whom no one ever saw again. The Darkness had devoured them. With that thought, terror became something more. Tal’s reasoning left him. He dropped his hand from the wall and started running as fast as he could, flying down the corridor without thought or reason.
Suddenly, he ran full speed into the wall knocking him off his feet. He scrambled back up, still in terror making the right-hand turn and kept running. He picked up speed with each passing step until he was practically flying again. When he hit the next wall, he didn’t even realize it. His head connected with the stone floor and Tal, for one brief second, before unconsciousness took him, saw bright-colored specks in the darkness.
When Tal awoke he was still in darkness and fear came rushing back on him. He sat up and realized he was still in the catacombs. He had no idea how long he had been there or where he was exactly. How many turns had he missed after he took his hand off the wall? How could he have given in so easily after the warning the Master Inquisitor had given him? As these questions ran through his mind he suddenly realized the darkness seemed to be lessening.
He heard someone call his name and saw a faint light down the corridor. He thought that in the darkness he had not only gotten completely turned around but had lost time, three hours had gone very fast it seemed.
“My Lord, please don’t leave. I got lost in the darkness but I see your light and I am heading toward you now.” Tal cried rising to his feet and heading towards the light.
“Am I really your Lord Tal? The voice replied.
“ I don’t understand your question, my Lord.” Tal responded as he rounded the corner and saw the man who was waiting on him. The man was not the Chief Confessor, he wasn’t a confessor at all, nor was he carrying a lantern. It appeared the light Tal was heading to was coming from the man himself. Tal realized he was standing in the presence of a Heavenly messenger.
The Messenger had short tightly curled brown hair and a matching beard. Completely crossing his forehead and disappearing into his hairline was a row of very unique scars. His eyes were a shade of green Tal had never seen before. He was about the same height as Tal maybe a little taller, around six or six and a half lengths.
He was dressed in the finest and purest white robe Tal could have imagined. Running across his body from his right shoulder was a sash of the deepest purple cloth.
“Who are you my Lord?”
“I am He whose words you were reading today. I was there as you asked if it was possible to ask and receive answers. I have been waiting for someone to ask that question since my words were removed from the Logos room at Morningstar. I must again ask you Tal, am I your Lord?”
Tal’s heartfelt reply was “Without a doubt my Liege.”
“Ah that is a different question my young seeker. Am I your Liege as well? Would you consider me both your Lord and your King?” The LIGHT GIVER asked.
Falling to his knees head bowed low Tal responded with a resounding “You are the LIGHT GIVER how can I respond but with yes to both, with all my heart.”
The LIGHT GIVER , using scared hands, lifted Tal to his feet “Do not be so quick to answer my next request, Tal, for I am going to ask a hard thing of you. Since the day the enemy of the Light, who calls himself the Chief Illuminator of the Keepers of Light, removed my true words from the access of the people I have been looking for a Champion to stand and fight for me. Are you willing to take on that role Tal?”
“Before you answer know if you accept this role you will be considered a Heretic by those who have trained you. They will hunt you to kill you. But others out there in the Kingdom of Light have been waiting for the true words to be spoken again. They will flock to your banner as an army to overthrow the darkness. The task is hard and the rewards are not guaranteed but I will empower you and give you gifts necessary to fulfill your mission.”
“Now, I need your answer Tal. Do you accept the role of Champion of the Light Giver?”
“My Lord” Tal answered, with fear and awe on his face. “I will accept the role of Your Champion but, I must ask: why me? I mean, there must be others better equipped to fight for you, like King Solaris at Morningstar or one of his soldiers. Why would you ask me, a minor scribe in what is obviously the order of your enemy?”
With a smile the LIGHT GIVER said “I am glad you accepted my request Tal, and the reason is, I don’t want someone better equipped. You have the scroll of my Logos in your possession and you have read it for the better part of this year. You must know by now I always use those who are willing, not those who are best equipped. In your weakness, My strength will shine through. Fear not Tal, for the gifts I am about to give you are strong for the tearing down of the enemy strongholds.”
Looking deep into Tal’s eyes the LIGHT GIVER went on to add: “The main reason you were chosen is you were selected by my Father and me before you were even born. One of the last things added to the wall in the Logos room at Morningstar Castle was from my last prophet. He added a Prophecy about you over a thousand years ago. When you get to Morningstar ask the King to show it to you.”
“Our time grows short, they are searching for you. Now let us leave this place for a time and retire to my throne room, so I may impart my gifts and instructions to you. That will allow you time to be ministered to by my messengers and prepare for the ordeal you must needs go through when your order recovers you.”
With that, Tal and the LIGHT GIVER took a few steps forward and were translated from the Catacombs of Darkness to the Throne room of the LIGHT OF THE WORLD.