The Powers-that-Be

Checkers asked Benjamin a question. "When you were praying before dinner, who were you praying to?"

"Why, Checkers, I was praying to the nameless One. He is the One who created us all, and is all-powerful, all-seeing, and good."

"I appreciate you including me in your prayers, but I am not familiar with Him. I do not understand - if He is all-powerful and all-seeing, and good, why does the dragon ravage the fields? Why did my mother die, even though other Gliders said that she did not deserve to die so young? Why do good Gliders suffer, and ones that are not so good prosper? I do not understand."

Mary turned to her, "It is complicated, Checkers. Some say that the nameless One does this to test us for the afterlife. Others say that we are punished for things that we did wrong. The pastors have argued over that question long before you asked it. I just accept the fact that He exists, and pray for wisdom and strength to get through another day, usually. Do the Gliders not believe in the Almighty?"

Checkers thought about that. "I think we do. We only know of one divine One, but he is so mighty, that asking requests of him like especially good luck in a hunt seems silly to us. If he is good, he is good in a way that we can never understand. We can hope to study his ways and maybe know some of his plan, but the Gliders would never presume to directly appeal to him."

"So you never pray?"

"Well, we do, at times, although it is to one of the Powers that helped us when we trembled on the edge of extinction, and not directly to the Divine One. To explain, I would have to tell the story of George, the first Glider."

In the earliest days there were the Powers-that-Be. The Powers are not like the nameless One you mentioned. The Powers cannot see everywhere, and cannot change everything. In fact, they were like us, except, well, more powerful.

One day, the first day of spring, the Powers proclaimed that on the first day of autumn, after the harvests and before the snows, that something big would happen. A representative from all the villages of the world would go to Eden and get the gift of reason, and of speech, for three days. Now nobody remembers what we all looked like then - the bards say we were weak little creatures who could not speak, much like the lowest of the angliderim, that is, those that cannot fly.

The Powers said the village representatives would be assigned a difficult task. If they accomplished their task, they would be rewarded not only by being allowed to keep the gift of reason and speech, but they would be adopted by one of the Powers, who could give them special gifts.

"And how did the villagers understand the proclamation, if they did not yet have the gifts of reason and speech?" interjected Benjamin.

The creatures in the village of Glideri were all excited. They looked forward to the day when they could prove themselves to the powers. There was also a fear - those who failed the tasks would forever be at the mercy of those who succeeded. Each of the little groups of the creatures sent their chosen representative to the gathering of the powers in Eden.

The Glideri chose George to represent them. George was neither the strongest, nor the fastest, nor even the cleverest of the Gliders. George was chosen because he has a little bit good at everything he did, and learned quickly. As the Glideri did not know what task would be assigned, George seemed like a good compromise choice.

It took George five months to walk to Eden. Eden was the citadel of the Powers, a great and rich town. George noticed that most of its people were creatures who served one of the Powers lived there, but from time to time one of the Powers could be seen. The great Tragimi, a wealthy and mighty prince, was clad in silk, gems, velvet, and cloth that is no longer seen in this world. Ogrili, with his mighty muscles and wild ways, strode across the market. Aldar was remarkable for his handsome countenance, and honeyed words. These were not the only ones, there are other powers, too. George was overwhelmed. Eden was indeed a land of plenty. On arriving at the gates of the city, one of the servants lead him to a great tower of many levels. George had a room on the fourteenth floor. The view was beautiful - a winding river with fertile orchards of peach, apple, cherry, orange, and other fruits that have never been seen by Glideri since. In the distance the mighty Gneiss Mountains could be seen. Bands of black, white, and grey marked these mountains. On the top-most band of grey there was a little cottage - someone lived there. George noted that - if time permitted, he had an urge to visit.

George did not have to worry about gathering or hunting his meals either! Servants of the powers brought the food to him, when he requested it.

Three nights after he had settled in, the autumn equinox took place. All the representatives from villages around the world came to listen to the Powers, and their great challenge.

One of the powers, a woman, rose to speak. "Good evening." The crowd buzzed with excitement. They could understand her! They had been given the gift of understanding speech!

"As you can tell, you have received the gift of speech and reason. I am Sheila, one of the Powers-that-Be. We Powers have enjoyed our stay on this world, but it is time to train new races to take care of the world, and to take our leave. This is a gift that we can only give to those who show that they can use the power given them to good effect. Tonight you will know what tasks are assigned you. You have until sundown of the third day to arrive back in Eden and complete your task. At that point, your effectiveness in completing your task shall be judged, and those that succeed shall be seated at a banquet, and given gifts from a Power that will adopt them, and help them through the adjustment that one has to go through after obtaining speech and reason."

"And now the assignment of the tasks will begin!"

With the gift of speech, George understood that those sitting at his table were Draco, from a village in the southern jungles, Adar, from the fertile plains of the Eveninglands, to the West, Geomi, from an island in the great sea, and Edain, from a great land far to the Southeast.

1. George asks Draco, Adar, Geomi, and Edain if they want to pool their efforts.
2. George draws his assigned task.

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