The Passing of the Cup

Many eons ago in a distant far-off place, known to the modern-day tongue as the heavenly realm, dwelt a republic of numinous noblemen and women of priestly, knightly, and kingly appellations. The splendor of this ethereal sphere is one only those who dwelt therein could perceive in totality its rich and lustrous nature. Within this realm much feasting, peace, and harmony abided, for there was an overabundance of plenty. The mornings were spent in solitude, as all were sublimely whole and content within themselves. The afternoons were spent round table feasting together as one people, for none hungered to snare the other. The evenings were filled with much dancing, singing, and jubilee as a people united under the blaze of good will and kinship; and the nights, oh the nights, they were filled with a deep divine sovereign pleasure that burned throughout the eventide and smoldered to ash at daybreak. The incongruous beauty of this range possessed an everlastingness that extended to the width and depth of its range, which seemed to all endless.

But then one day in the midst of a bountiful afternoon feast, the peace and harmony the mystic bucolic had known evaporated like dew, and a smog of animus took its place, when but one peeked over and saw out below a dark black nothingness void of form and denizens. This day is known as, The Passing of the Cup. The morning started off as it always had but come the afternoon when all were around the table feasting as the light all around poured in over them, one stood, and peered out looking over beyond where the light did not shine and took notice of the ripe abyss just waiting for a planter. This one came back to the table, and as he fiddled with the copious meal before him, it in comparison to the abyss waxed cold and appeared as a mere morsel. Recognizing the shift in his countenance, his friends beckoned for him to share his plight so that they may ease it for him. The conversation that ensued or rather erupted led all to seek claim to the dark formless void chasm.

The bickering continued well into the evening; thus, no singing, dancing, or jubilee was observed, for the numinous smog would not lift and allow them to. As night approached the eldest of the priests proposed a gamble to which all looked toward with a glinting gander. With all vested and tied to the venture the priest stood and retrieved a clean golden jeweled encrusted chalice, poured into its vessel a fine red wine, and then spoke unto his fellow brethren and sisters saying, "let us not quarrel any longer, for within this cup is the destiny to us each who seek the claim to the abyss beyond the light, let us each then with equal rights take a gander, and in the end they who drink from it have sole claim to that which is void and formless."

All who looked into the cup experienced a sobering depressive and anxious drop in their countenance as disgust filled their face and repulsion filled their eyes, and with trembling weak hands passed the cup onward. One by one the cup passed from each of them till it made full round the table. As the cloud of anguish and gloom lingered over everyone, the priest took the cup and placed it on a rostrum just a few paces from the table and said, "let they with solemn resolve come and drink," and then took his seat back at the table.

An eternity seemed to pass by, and none moved, but then one stood and approached the chalice and drank from it as those who looked on gasped in great despondence. The priest who had proposed the wager stood and approached the one who dared to drink his fate, and said, "for all eternity there shall be no king, knight, or priest above you, for you shall stand wholly above all that there is and ever will be, none shall be greater or wiser than you," and then the chalice transformed into a crown and the priest bestowed it upon the man and knelt before him. Two thirds of those left at the table at seeing the elder priest bowed before the one who dared to drink his fate, all stood, took three staggered paces forward, pledged allegiance, and fell to their faces and humbly bowed.

Then, the one who had first come to see the dark mass stood at the head of the oblong round table and said, "blasphemy, I will not bow to the likes of you, it is mine, and I will fight you unto the death for it," and then he unsheathed his dagger. "Brother, I waited solemnly before I stood, let us not quarrel any longer amongst ourselves, for I have done you no wrong thus suffer me no harm, for if you do, you will suffer me beyond death," "than from the grave I shall fight you for all eternity brother," he said as he clutched his dagger, "then let it be so" and then the one whom had seen the mass first, charged toward his fellow crowned brethren, with venom glazed over eyes, and the other with a stricken heart tied to his word stretched forth his hand and bolts of lightning shot out from the tips of his fingers and cast out his brother whom dared to suffer him harm.

He who dared to drink his fate, watched as his fellow brethren whom he had shared many feasts and jubilees with fall like lightning from his presence, and was filled with a great affliction, then in a boisterous voice he said, "I do declare and decree, those who wax cold against me shall be cast out, and those who are neither hot nor cold shall be cast out as well," then he turned his gaze unto those still sitting at the table and bolts of lightning streamed forth and they too were cast out. He walked forward and stood where the one had once stood, and looked out and muttered unto himself, "let it be so brother, let it be so."

~ The End