“Ok Ok! What about the Orb? Why does it call to me?”
“If… the Orb calls to you it is speaking to you. You must open your mind and concentrate on the sound.” “But Anna, no one has been ‘called’ in Millennia!”
Anna puzzled, “Why not? It has always spoken to me! It glows and seems to tickle me when I touch it… It, it changes colors and vibrates.”
“You have touched it?” Janna answered astonished at Anna’s remarks.
“Yeees, is that not ok?” Questioned Anna.
Very carefully Janna questioned, “No one has even seen it Anna!” “Have you really seen it…touched he Orb?”
“Yes High Priestess! I have…touched it…the day I came to the Temple, It called to me,” Anna answered quietly.
“Tell me how it happened, Anna. Can you describe the Orb to me, Anna? It is very important that you tell me exactly how it spoke to you!” Janna seemed agitated and anxious. It was very important that she knew exactly what Anna had seen…if she had seem or heard anything. Many in the past had talked about such things concerning the Orb or the Star Guides. None proved to be true. None lived to see another moon rise! To speak of such things was considered a heresy…especially if it was untrue. Only the ministers could speak of the Orb, Star Guides or the Old God. Most today considered the stories about them to be fables or forbidden ancient magic. The new gods had come to extinguish such untruths.
The Aquish gods were considered benefactors of mankind. Since they had come, all knew prosperity. No one remembered when they had been hungry without food or water. Stories about the past, ancient days told of the Days of Anguish. No god ruled the land and all of mankind was in turmoil and all starved. War was everywhere. No one was safe.
The stories of those days are taught to each and every child. When the Anquish arrived from out of the Volcanoes of the Sud, everything changed! So the legends say. Sanggie the language of the gods became the only way to communicate through the intermediaries. But a few select intermediaries knew of a far more ancient tongue, Alle Jah. No one even pronounced the name, it was forbidden. No intermediary confessed to speak to the ancient god of Alle Jah. No one remember the name of this ancient god. No one believed in the god of Alleh Jah anymore. Its time was a time of anger and hunger, war and deceit, struggled and death. No one wished to remember that time…it was a time long ago!
