There used to be two days of grand celebration in Lullaby Falls. One was the summer solstice which was the longest day of the year; the second was the winter solstice which was the shortest day of the year. It was not just the feasting that made these days so special. These were the only times of year that the High Priest Samuel was allowed to enter their most holy temple and stand before the glory of Sunrise 5ive.
Sometimes the light would speak to Samuel and he would bring the good message to the people of Lullaby Falls and there would be much drinking, feasting and cheer.
There were very few written laws in Lullaby Falls. When one is born one is given by the light an innate sense of right and wrong. However there was one very severe very strict law. The most holy temple could only be entered upon the solstice days and could only be entered by one chosen person of the priesthood blood.
Guarding the most holy temple was the Mace of many facets; should anyone enter unworthy or on a non-solstice day the Mace of many facets would utterly destroy them. This law had never once been broken, it was the one law scrolled along the top of the temple entrance.
If any adult in Lullaby Falls cared they might have asked themselves “How did someone get past the mace and steal Sunrise 5ive?” or for that matter “Where is the Mace of many facets?”
For more than three years only one person had been asking himself these questions. Michael was eight and a half years old and these questions filled his heart with awe. Michael was now old enough to have reached the age of accountability. That precious age where a youth was once full of questions but now begins to think for themselves and begins the lifelong quest of becoming their own person.
Michael could remember what it used to be like to be hugged, kissed and loved by his parents. For three years he had done everything in his power to try to understand the dark world he now lived in. He had simply lacked the ability to understand, an understanding that now was fully dawning upon him.
No he determined this world was NOT right, something was amiss and he must change it. He would have the love of his parents back if not only for himself but also for his five year old brother Lucas who could not remember the blessed light and love that Michael so yearned for.
With much trepidation Michael made a fateful decision. During the dusky light that day he would enter the most holy temple and suffer the consequences whatever they might be. He had checked the calendar very carefully and this day would mark the three and a half year mark that darkness had descended upon their world. Today was the summer solstice and what is more Samuel the high priest was his father whose bosom Michael desired to be embraced by.
Michael was not chosen by the people to enter the most holy temple, he had made the choice himself to enter it and whatever consequences might follow they would be no worse than this longsuffering existence he now knew. Slinking through the streets Michael kept to the deepest possible shadows as he made his way to the Temple.
As he began to ascend the 101 steps a rock made an echoing clatter behind him and his breath caught while each hair on his body stood at attention. Heart pounding he turned to face his fate to find his brother’s smiling face beaming up at him.
“Lucas, no you should not have followed me. It is far too dangerous!” Michael exclaimed with his hands. “I go!” announced Lucas his face taking on a grim determination betraying his youth.
Resigned to the situation Michael took his brother’s hand and the pair ascended to their fate …
