Kathryn rubbed her temple as the headache started to bite at her skull. The lit candles in the room were bright enough to cast fuzzy shadows upon the walls. Their glow was deceptively warm. Daikar’s simple yet cryptic discussions always mentally wore her out quick. But just now, he was not being coy. She knew Daikar was making sense but she was having a hard time making sense of what he was saying.
Did that make sense?
“Ok, hold on … what?” It wasn’t that Daikar said something ridiculous. He never says anything like that. But what he said surprised her more than anything else he has said in the past.
Daikar sat motionless and closed his eyes as he spoke, “I know it is a difficult idea to believe, even accept. Clearly you need to see proof of what I say. Then you will see for yourself the responsibility you must accept.”
“How can I choose if I must accept it?” Things are getting complicated.
Daikar sighed and sternly said, “Kathy, when I say you must choose it, it is because, once you have seen what I have seen, you would be a grand fool not to accept. There is no paradox. The power of the Truth is so convincing that to reject it is to reject the very existence of yourself. But I have seen such things; it is also my Faith because I believe what I saw with my own eyes. The choice then, ultimately, is do you want to see the Truth and live a life filled with meaning and with powers you were specially chosen to wield, guarded with the knowledge that there is a purpose to everything in the world? Or live your life in the bliss of ignorance, with powers you did not ask for, that can kill with a simple whisper?”
That was like a javelin piercing an apple. They had danced around this discussion before but Daikar was more serious than ever. His words were heavy and the very air between them seemed charged with some ethereal power. Daikar had an aura of command as he sat there with his eyes closed. It was magnetic and repelling at the same time. Kathryn was frozen as she struggled with the weight of the situation.
She became ashamed at the silence between them and looked away as if she were being banished from the world. Quietly, she said, “What have you seen?”
She could feel Daikar lean in. “Exaclty what is described of the gods. It is all real Kathy. There is a Truth, and it is my duty to show it to you but only when you are ready and sincerely willing.” The mat creaked as his weight shifted.
Kathryn looked up, watching Daikar. Seconds seemed like minutes as she weighed the situation in her mind. She knew she could live a reasonably normal life. There would be nothing to stop her once she was finished with her training except for her own convictions of honor and justice, fairness and equality. But then … there was purpose. Daikar was instilling a sense of propriety with her new abilities. Kathryn could become one of the many heroes of the world. She could also become one of the villains spoken of in whispers and tales to frighten little children to be “good”.
Kathryn used to believe in the simplicity of life. Her acquisition of wealth meant she could have what she wanted, when she wanted. She knew how to love and live for herself with a sense of satisfaction from her actions. People obeyed her commands and buckled at the knees to her demands. She was like a god with followers worshiping her intimate abilities. But all that was taken away and she had to start over.
This time she started over with more power … true power; the kind of power that makes a difference through direct action. Action. She couldn’t take Daikar’s words at face value. No matter how much she trusted him. She would need to see for herself.
“How can I see what you have seen?”
Daikar smirked. “There is a portal toOlympus . That gateway is in Paragon City
Kathryn’s jaw dropped.Paragon City Paragon City Paragon City
Then something dawned on her and the realization was a thunderclap in her mind. “How could the portal toOlympus not be in the news? If the ancient Greek gods really do exist then that would change the face of Earth!” Kathryn was almost spitting as she spoke.
Daikar’s smirk didn’t drop. “You are realizing the gravity of the Truth, Kathy. It is ironic that belief is more powerful than fact. The portal is guarded by a secret society shrouded in the guise of a super group. There are many, like me, that has seen the Olympians and some are champions to the Gods. But, to the world, they are simply fanatical to a cause; using the Gods to justify good and evil actions.”
“So, you are asking me to go to Paragon City and open a door to Olympus just so that I can believe it exists?!”
“In a nutshell … yes.”
Kathryn’s muscles were tense as she carried the new weight the discussion. She visually shook it off and enthusiastically said, “Let’s go now!”
“No, your training is not finished.”
“What?! How much longer do I have?”
Did that make sense?
“Ok, hold on … what?” It wasn’t that Daikar said something ridiculous. He never says anything like that. But what he said surprised her more than anything else he has said in the past.
Daikar sat motionless and closed his eyes as he spoke, “I know it is a difficult idea to believe, even accept. Clearly you need to see proof of what I say. Then you will see for yourself the responsibility you must accept.”
“How can I choose if I must accept it?” Things are getting complicated.
Daikar sighed and sternly said, “Kathy, when I say you must choose it, it is because, once you have seen what I have seen, you would be a grand fool not to accept. There is no paradox. The power of the Truth is so convincing that to reject it is to reject the very existence of yourself. But I have seen such things; it is also my Faith because I believe what I saw with my own eyes. The choice then, ultimately, is do you want to see the Truth and live a life filled with meaning and with powers you were specially chosen to wield, guarded with the knowledge that there is a purpose to everything in the world? Or live your life in the bliss of ignorance, with powers you did not ask for, that can kill with a simple whisper?”
That was like a javelin piercing an apple. They had danced around this discussion before but Daikar was more serious than ever. His words were heavy and the very air between them seemed charged with some ethereal power. Daikar had an aura of command as he sat there with his eyes closed. It was magnetic and repelling at the same time. Kathryn was frozen as she struggled with the weight of the situation.
She became ashamed at the silence between them and looked away as if she were being banished from the world. Quietly, she said, “What have you seen?”
She could feel Daikar lean in. “Exaclty what is described of the gods. It is all real Kathy. There is a Truth, and it is my duty to show it to you but only when you are ready and sincerely willing.” The mat creaked as his weight shifted.
Kathryn looked up, watching Daikar. Seconds seemed like minutes as she weighed the situation in her mind. She knew she could live a reasonably normal life. There would be nothing to stop her once she was finished with her training except for her own convictions of honor and justice, fairness and equality. But then … there was purpose. Daikar was instilling a sense of propriety with her new abilities. Kathryn could become one of the many heroes of the world. She could also become one of the villains spoken of in whispers and tales to frighten little children to be “good”.
Kathryn used to believe in the simplicity of life. Her acquisition of wealth meant she could have what she wanted, when she wanted. She knew how to love and live for herself with a sense of satisfaction from her actions. People obeyed her commands and buckled at the knees to her demands. She was like a god with followers worshiping her intimate abilities. But all that was taken away and she had to start over.
This time she started over with more power … true power; the kind of power that makes a difference through direct action. Action. She couldn’t take Daikar’s words at face value. No matter how much she trusted him. She would need to see for herself.
“How can I see what you have seen?”
Daikar smirked. “There is a portal to
Kathryn’s jaw dropped.
Then something dawned on her and the realization was a thunderclap in her mind. “How could the portal to
Daikar’s smirk didn’t drop. “You are realizing the gravity of the Truth, Kathy. It is ironic that belief is more powerful than fact. The portal is guarded by a secret society shrouded in the guise of a super group. There are many, like me, that has seen the Olympians and some are champions to the Gods. But, to the world, they are simply fanatical to a cause; using the Gods to justify good and evil actions.”
“So, you are asking me to go to Paragon City and open a door to Olympus just so that I can believe it exists?!”
“In a nutshell … yes.”
Kathryn’s muscles were tense as she carried the new weight the discussion. She visually shook it off and enthusiastically said, “Let’s go now!”
“No, your training is not finished.”
“What?! How much longer do I have?”
Daikar shrugged nonchalantly. “You’ve just started.”
Kathryn Beringer was stunned silent. Grand Battler Daikar stood and walked away toward his room. He deftly shut the door, leaving Kathryn in the mute gloam of the candles.
Kathryn Beringer was stunned silent. Grand Battler Daikar stood and walked away toward his room. He deftly shut the door, leaving Kathryn in the mute gloam of the candles.
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