Codex: Black Horse I

A Master Is Born

A Master is Born

The Masters, Book III, Chapter 4

Summary:
At the time a Grand Master is appointed, there is left a space to be filled. At this particular time, the acolytes would not shed their hope -and hope was needed if the Masters were to live, indeed, if the Philosopher's Stone was to be found! And so, the newly born Master of the Kingdom, Semaph, was tasked with the building back of the harvest.

He did not yet know his truest purpose.

On the days he tended the fields, he pondered the nature of the acolytes, and of hope:
Dutifully have they all served, as he has served, in the Great Work. Promised, as he is promised, the glorious Dream of Tomorrow - so long as hope was delivered.

One day, he bent down, and asked an acolyte," Why do you weep? Why have you no hope?"
The acolyte, overjoyed that a Master should address them this way, spoke eagerly,"
Day and night, do we toil as acolytes. Thus, we are tired, and so very terribly hungry. I pray thee - give us some food, and rest, and then surely we will have hope, again."

And so, the Master gave to the acolytes morsels of light to eat, and permitted them to rest. But the next day, there was no hope. No harvest. The Master looked down upon the acolytes, and saw them again, weeping.

"Why do you weep? Why have you no hope?"
"The earth is hard,"said the acolyte, "and the sun scorches our hides, and we are so very thirsty! I pray thee - give us shade, a softer place to rest, something to quench our thirst: then will our hope begin again."

In that moment, our Master Semaph thought carefully. Then he found the answer which is both right and wrong, left and right:
"Very well."
Dust swirled about him, as the acolyte bowed upon the earth, and reached up high in supplication.
"We thank you for the gift of your mercy. We shall not forget it."

He did not meet his eyes.

How sad, you haven’t the strength to move past this point…

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