J. Thomas Walker

The fire lit their eyes. They sat quiet in a circle round the fire. Waiting, waiting to hear the story once again. All looked to the old woman, her face wrinkled as the parched earth of the desert, eyes bright and clear looked into the fire and reflected it along with their own fire, out to those who waited. She began, the voice was soft and knowing, the others heard the implicit power there and none would challenge it.

This is the story of what was and will be. In the beginning before the gods there was only the absence of nothing. Then this divided into the three. Balanced were they so that if they were to join again they should form back to nothingness. There was Melkor and Malachi the two and then between them the third was Devyn the arbiter. Melkor and Malachi fought in the heavens in ways we cannot know for an infinity of infinities. But neither could prevail over the other and so a meeting of the three was called, they sat and argued for time beyond time until it was agreed they would play a game. Devyn would be judge and set the rules and declare who had won. Whomever lost would be subservient to the other. Of course Devyn had no power to enforce this as he is weaker than the others, but still it was better than an eternity of war in the heavens. So the rules were laid down by Devyn. Both Melkor and Malachi would have an equal hand in forming a world and a universe to contain it. This of course took some explaining as a world had never existed before. But it was done, with a flourish of the hand, and they moved on to making man. He would be the pawn in the game of the gods. Once again each had an equal part in his making, but he was imbued with a uniqueness, he could chose for himself. When all this was done Devyn decreed that neither Melkor nor Malachi could directly influence the world. The game was afoot, whoever could win the most people over to his side at the end of two thousand years after man's creation would win.

Now it must be understood that man was not as he is now. In those days, he was alone without woman and ageless without death. For a time the world was undisturbed by either Melkor or Malachi. Each bided his time, working on ways to affect the world without breaking the rules. They began to tug on the strings of man's soul, to pull him toward them. But Melkor was not content, so he broke the rules. Melkor wanted to destroy the people who he could not persuade to follow him and thus when the final tally came there would be fewer people but they would all be following him. So Melkor created death. Being chiefly his device he welded enormous power over it. Though man could kill as well, this only helped him as it corrupted man to do so. When Devyn found out he was furious, but he had no power to penalize Melkor. The rules would have to be changed. Devyn decreed that a person's alignment at death would count toward whomever he followed. This neatly settled things except for one thing. All men would die before the two thousand years was up, and so Malachi bent the rules and made woman from man and she would also count toward the balance because she was "of man." Melkor was very pleased with this turn of events, he had broken the rules and had not been punished. Indeed he felt it was to his advantage, he now had many ways to corrupt man through lust and murder. Malachi however, was more powerful and brilliant then Melkor anticipated. He created marriage and from every instance of evil Melkor created Malachi found good for his followers.

In time Melkor realized that he was falling behind, his deceit had not given him the advantage he had expected. Melkor would bend the rules again and this time on a technicality. He created minions who were not of the universe but who could walk among us, thereby he could influence those who strayed to Malachi. This brilliant treachery went unnoticed for many a century, but eventually Malachi realized what Melkor had done. After consulting with Devyn who said there was nothing he could do, that the rules had not been broken. Malachi created his own minions to do his bidding in this world, and it was balanced once again. However, in the interim Melkor had gained a strong advantage and was now ahead.

Melkor was not content with his firm lead. He worried always of what Malachi might do. Melkor realized that followers of cults and false religions counted toward him as they were corrupted in their faith. So he spread these lies and deceits among the people. His minions and idols were worshipped as gods. This put Melkor even farther ahead. Melkor was now assured a victory or so he thought.

This is the time that Malachi chose to break the rules himself. He paid off Devyn so that Devyn would not penalize him for it then proceeded with his bold and arrogant plan. He went to earth himself, walked among men as another man, professed the greatness of Malachi and claimed to be Malachi. To this end he performed many miracles both himself and through other people. He spread his religion among all the known world. This was Malachi's deceit and his downfall. When Melkor found out he went to Devyn and threatened him. Devyn after some time agreed that if Malachi were to ever interfere in the world in a new way he would be declared the loser automatically, but Devyn would not interfere with the current treachery as he had promised Malachi he would not. This put Melkor severely behind and time was running out. His next plan would have to be much more insidious if he were to regain the lead.

For many more centuries Melkor bided his time. Melkor was determined that Malachi should not see the next plan coming. He slowly worked on man's heart, he spread doubt. First of whether Malachi was the true god, then more generally whether there was any god at all. This insidious doubt crept into the hearts of men and Malachi did not notice. Only now does Malachi see that these millions of people have unwittingly fallen into Melkor's hands. This doubt has indeed become so pervasive that children can be born, grow old and die today never knowing of any god.

This is the story of our past. Now hear the story of our future. Melkor is now ahead so Malachi must do something to regain his previous position of power, but he cannot! When he broke the rules and set foot on this world, Devyn agreed that if he ever interfered again he should be declared the loser by default. Now the end of the two thousand years draws close and Malachi is powerless. He must rely on his minions and followers alone to regain his lead. The minions of Melkor war daily against his forces, and he gains no ground. Melkor shall indeed win, even now he is preparing a minion to rule this world and he shall reign until the end. This is the story of what was and will be, as written in the book of our lord Melkor.

With this last word silence fell over the group, around the fire, once again. All sat as statues unmoved. The first stood slowly, and then the second and from there on to the others. They left in silence traveling each there own way, scattering to the four corners of the world. The old woman did not however move through all of this. She looked only into the fire as it died then rose once again this time over the horizon. "Thy will is done my Lord," she intoned. Then rose and left, on her own purpose.

What Was and Will Be