*song* ‘Rumors’

By Britney Spears

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2l-LgsxzmE&list=RD-2l-LgsxzmE&t=47

The Watcher recalled the tale from
Lost hours, and while there were many
Stories to remember…one always stands
Out more than others, perhaps because
Of very certain connections.

A clock was ticking, but no one
Knew it. But maybe they sensed it

By the troubles brewing in the air…the
Scandals, the civil unrest, the demands
And the people crying out, demanding
To be heard…voices overlapping so much
That every word fell like nonsense…
The ranting, the hatred…people, once
Friends were turning on each other left
And right over arguments that had been
Around for years…Religions and cults
Chanted endlessly in prayers or rituals,
But they had no meaning anymore…
Because the people had lost their way.
How could flittering gestures of goodwill
Mean anything when people did what
They wanted most of the time?
There were martyrs in every home,
And preaching and lectures everywhere…
Yet no one was listening to the
Overall sounds of one gigantic
Frothing mess.

The Watcher kept shaking his head
As he observed this…The Big Picture
Was so clear from far away…The
Noise was unbearable…so he turned
His attention to softer words…to the
Hearts that cried out the most, that
Didn’t give in because they held on to
A dream. How ironic that the young
Held on to their dreams the most, because
Everyone else was too busy chasing what
They had to have right now.
‘Pray that never happens again,’
The Watcher whispered. ‘Because the
Planet won’t tolerate such tantrums
Across the world a second time…’

The further notes of a lost age, from
Young hearts torn from their dreams…
On another dark and lonely night,
In the late Spring, in the Seaports
Of Atlantis…the young athlete
With wavy gold hair crept through the
Dark bushes of his friend’s home,
Staring at her window on the second
Floor, as he had done so many times, to
See if she was awake. He was nervous
And sweaty this time as he drew closer
And saw no lights on…They hadn’t seen
Or spoken to each other in weeks…
Something was wrong…but then they
Each would have things to tell about that.

“Kara?” Hollan called out to her with a
Loud whisper. “Kara, are you there? It’s me!”
No reply. He waited for a response, there
Was none. This was the third time
He had tried and she didn’t answer,
He couldn’t wait any longer. So he
Climbed up the ivy to her window and
Snuck into her room…

It was dark and quiet…but even in
The dim light, he could see how clean
Her room was…everything appeared
Untouched…there were no clothes or
Shoes left out, no chairs moved aside
As if they had been used, every door
Was shut…It was as though there had
Been no activity. But upon looking more
Closely, he could see that someone was
Sleeping in her bed. He went and touched
The motionless form under the covers.
“Kara?”

“Go away, Hollan.” She said with a
Soft voice. “I don’t want to talk right
Now.”

“Kara?” He asked, confused. “What’s wrong?
We haven’t talked for days…We
Always talk, always.”

“I don’t want to talk now.”

He turned a switch to light the small
Candle lamp beside her bed, then sat
Beside her. Immediately he noticed
The bruises on her face. He tried to
Touch her cheek, she winced. “What
Happened to you?”

She simply gave him a cold look. His
Eyes were wide, concerned, frightened.
Then she sat up beside him holding the
Covers tight. “My father gave me to
Sobius.”

“He gave you to him, why?” Hollan asked.
But Kara did not explain with words,
Only an icy stare. He understood then…
“Oh…I’m sorry.” He couldn’t look
At her…after their last talk, the way
She talked about her dreams, and the
Moon…and the one she was
Waiting for. And now this? There
Were no words to say…but there
Was anger. “What is wrong
With them?”

“I had no choice…” Kara told him
Fighting tears. “No choice…It was
Like I was merchandise, not his
Daughter!”

“Our parents, all adults…even the
Elders,” Hollan said biting his lip,
Staring into the shadows. “It’s like we
Feel nothing next to them. What do
They have children for? They have
Us, raise us, teach us, show us…but
It’s like…we’re not there, not really…
Until we’re older…We’re not adults
Until we’ve had a dream and then
Had it taken away…by the same ones
Who tell us to dream. Believe you can,
Then they tell you, you can’t, you’re not
Old enough…Do things this way…because
I say so…No complaining…think
This way, believe that way…We’re toys,
That’s all we are.”

Kara sat there staring numbly at
Her room. “I hate my life, I hate
This life. Why do I hope for anything?”

“You can’t give up hoping because of
This.” Hollan told he as he turned to
Face her. “Don’t let them take that
Away from you. Who you are isn’t gone…”

Kara turned to him angrily recoiling her
Feelings. “All my father care about is
His business and politics, and
Having a good time…Negotiating trades
To protect his business while the new
Leaders transition reforms…All
Anyone cares about is protecting their
Fortunes and having a good time.”

“All my parents do is campaign for
Protecting their religious beliefs…and lifestyles.”
Hollan laughed. “I thought that was
All anyone cared about from how they
Talk.”

“No one asks, they just assume.” Kara
Said bitterly. “Such great elders…A
Thousand speeches a day…Persuasive
Arguments…blaming leaders for what’s
Right and wrong. People KNOW what’s
Right and wrong, all they care about is
Blaming others so they don’t feel guilty
Doing what they want.”

Hollan smiled at her. “A future leader
You are…Kara of the White Ships,
Governor of the Seaports.”

She laughed for the first time in weeks
Then smiled at him. But as her eyes
Caught that smile of his that she loved…
She saw the bruise on his chin…then
One on his shoulder by his collar bone by
His open lapel. And there were more
On his arm, “What happened to you?”

“What?” He asked.

“Those bruises.” She directed with a nod.
“Those look bad.” She reached to
Touch the ones on his arm and he
Backed away. “Are those from your
Parents?”

Hollan’s eyes fell to the floor, then he
Stepped away. He could only mumble
Words to respond. “No…”

Kara tilted her head studying him. “You
Didn’t just come back here to check on me…
Something happened…” He wouldn’t
Look at her. “Where’s Jeren?”

“He’s gone…I don’t know.” He
Answered.

“How can he be gone if you don’t know?”
He asked.

There was a tense drawn out silence
As she stood to look him in the eye.
But he kept backing away from her
Towards the window. “Hollan, what
Happened? Tell me.”

“I can’t believe what I saw.” He
Stuttered, backing up to the wall by the
Window. “I can’t believe what I saw.”

She grew nervous, especially as she
Noticed how pale he was, even in the
Low light. “What did you see? What is it?”

Another pause. He swallowed. “Do you
Know the Temples…at the edge of
The Seaport…where my family goes to
Worship?”

Kara nodded. “The Ones for the Brotherhood
…For the Ancient Gods, and the Sons of Adam? Yes.”

“More has been going on there in
Recent years…than anyone knows.”
He told her slowly. “A lot
More. But you know most Temples…
Almost all of them have secrets…
Secret rituals…”

Kara nodded again. “I know everyone
Knows that…like the offerings and
The ‘Holy Unions’, or religious orgies…”

“Well, those ships of your father’s have
Been bringing over a lot more than just
Treasures from Arcadia.” Hollan explained.
“The ships from Lemuria and Mu have
Have been bringing over something else.”

She saw him grow paler. “What? I
Know they bring over Priestesses from
The Sisterhood of the Divine of Eve…
Some kind of Union between the
Temples here and over there…”

Hollan watched her carefully, worried for
Secrets he dared expose…The Temple
Secrets were guarded fiercely, but then
No one knew that he knew, or what
He saw. He decided to confess anyway,
They shared everything…and he was
Terrified. “They have been bringing
Over Giants…some kind of strange
Offspring born to the Priestesses.”

Kara winced, then her eyes went wide
And her mind wild. “Giants? What do you
Mean?”

He swallowed. “Ever since the mysterious
Visitors that no one has seen arrived,
The Priestesses of their Temples have
Been communing actively with spirits,
Entities…and they have been getting
Pregnant by them…and giving birth
To these strange giant-looking
Humans.”

“Giants?” Kara could only repeat.
“You saw them?” She had to wonder.
“How big are they?”

“Yes.” He told her nervously. “They
Are about 12 to 15 feet tall or
More, at least twice the size of the
Average person.”

“How could they or anyone keep
Something like that a secret?” Kara
Insisted. “Giant humans? Where
Would they sleep? What would they
Do? What would they eat? They
Would have to eat a lot…wouldn’t
They?” The look of horror on his face
Scared her. Another pause. “Tell me?
Where’s Jeren…” He couldn’t speak.
Tell me!”

Finally, the words came as Hollan
Told her… “They hide them in the
Tall tombs and caverns beneath
The Temples…they worship them
With slaves and all forms of pleasures…
And they feed them all sorts of
Things…sometimes game, a bull…
A wild stag…and sometimes…people.”

“What?” Kara went pale with fright.

Then the words just poured from Hollan.
“I hadn’t seen Jeren in days…
I asked about him at school, no one
Knew. I went to his home…his
Family only said he was in service
For his family at the Temple. So I went
To the Temple…The same one my
Family goes to, and I asked the
Priests and the Temple Guard about
Him…They only smiled and said Jeren
Was serving the Gods…but some of
The Guards like young men, it’s a
Common thing…even at the Academy…
And for favors, they show you things…
One of them I knew fairly well, he
Was a friend’s older brother,
He always liked me…So he gives
Me this black robe to wear
And red sandals…and nothing else…
And tells me he could show me as
A server and could take me to the
Gods in the Tombs below the Temple…
So I’m curious…I go…I wear the
Robes…he takes me below…And
There are all these people there
Dressed in black robes…nothing else…
All of them, the best looking, the
Most fit, the youngest from the Temple…
And they were serving these Giant
People…It looked like 4 of
Them were men, 2 were women…some
Looked somewhat normal, but a
Couple looked like monsters. And they
Were watching the people dance and
Drink and have orgies…And some
Of the people were tied and gagged
And chained for these Giants to
Play with…It was awful…this one,
This girl was screaming…but they
Were really playing with these two
Drunk men…And then they…ate
One of them while he was alive…It
Was awful…It was so awful. It was
The worst thing I ever saw…And Jeren
Was there…dancing for them, these
Giants…He enjoyed it. A lot of them did.”

Kara stood there silently horrified.
Her mouth ajar, she was overcome by
The images of Hollan’s words…He
Didn’t have to go into further detail to
Try and convince her, the fear on his
Face was enough… “The Rumors, the
Stories…of things going on with the
Temples, the rituals…are all true?”

He closed his eyes, trying to make
Himself forget the things he saw. “Yes.”
She stared at him carefully, trying
To find the right words. “But your
Bruises, how? They didn’t hurt you,
Did they?”

He met her eyes slowly. “The people
There pulled me in, they tried to
Push me to the Giants.” He told her.
“Those women were like monsters, and
The men…the looks on their faces…they
Were just grabbing…Somehow I fought my
Way out…I pushed, and I ran and ran.
I ran harder than I ever have before
In my life…The guard chased me, but
I hid. I’ve been hiding for 2 days.
Finally, I got the nerve to come out.
I wanted to gather some of us together,
To tell them what happened…so
They know…”

Kara nodded as she thought
About their small group of friends
That shared their views. They gathered
In a small group once a week sometimes
Just to talk, for support. “Have
You talked to any of them yet?”

“Jacon and Deron.” Hollan told
Her, they were two of the older boys from
School…17 year olds, very smart and
Strong and kind. “And Aren…”

Kara smiled. “Good.” Aren was the
Only other girl. She was 16, with olive
Skin and long dark hair…highly intuitive,
She was training to serve at her parents
Temple, unhappily. “Where can we
All meet?”

“At the Old Temple of the Brotherhood.”
Hollan explained, “Near the woods at
The edge of the Seaport…no one goes
There anymore…it’s too small and
Modest for worshippers. “He swallowed
Slowly. “I’m supposed to bring you
There tonight…right now. Will you go?”

Kara nodded. “Yes, I will.” Her own
Fears and troubles seemed to fade
For now, she had to talk to her friends.
“I want to get out of here…before
My father comes with my brother…”

Hollan held up his hand. “Don’t say
Anymore. Pack a bag, that’s what
We are planning on talking about
Tonight…about running away.”

Kara raced to throw some essentials
And some of her sentimental belongings
Together. Then Hollan led her carefully
And quietly down the ivy outside as
They made their escape to the Old
Temple in the Woods, under darkness.

But the moon looked so strange that night,
Bathed in a reddish haze…surrounded
With a n orange ring. There was a heaviness
In the air, a mood neither of them could
Shake…little did they know all the world
Had felt the same disturbance…that
Something was building…somethings was
Coming.

Within an hour, the two of them had
Had made it to the Old Temple…and met
7 of their other friends…9 all together.
Jacon and Deron, the oldest boys…
Also golden haired…Aren, the beautiful
Young training to be a Priestess…
And 4 other boys…awkward youths,
Boys that were being bullied for looking
Different…Japeth and Ham, and
Mandon and Reos. All of them were
Flustered when Hollan arrived with
Kara. The entire Seaport had erupted
In violent demonstrations…Followers
Of the Temples were
Speaking out against the rulers for
More rights…A clash between
The religions and politics had been
Brewing for years, and now was
Finally coming to blows.

When Aren saw Kara, she exclaimed,
“You’re pregnant!”

“What?” Kara asked in shock.

Aren had a way of just saying
Things, this mysterious intuition of
Hers… “Your child will save the
Human race! For generations, a child
Will be born to each one…special,
And that specialness will spread
Across the world…in 7’s…7 children
To be born to the 7th child, a daughter,
Blessed with gifts…and every 7th
Generation, a son…even more
Special…And with that one, one
Day that 7th generation born a
Son will save the world!”

Kara just looked at her strangely…
“What?” But she didn’t have time
To think…

Hollan stepped forward nervously
Holding Kara’s hand for support…
He forced the strength from within
Him to tell them all the story
That he told Kara…about the
Giants that the Temples were hiding.
Then his voice and words
Grew weak, afraid. “Jeren was with
Them…I’m afraid for him. I don’t
Think that he knows what he is
Doing…something so dark is coming
Over the world. I realize that we
Have hoped it would pass, but it isn’t.
It’s only going to get worse. You can
See it in the faces of our parents…
They either live to argue over everything…
Or pray incessantly for some crazy
Miracle to make what they want
Happen…No one is listening…they’re
All doing what they want…and
They are making up all sorts of
Reasons to believe anything…the
Insanity of the World has come down
To this…it is a Holy War between
The forces of good and evil…
Between the Heavens and Hell…
The only safe thing to do is to get
Far away from those building this
Fire…before it consumes them, us, and
Everything on the planet to the End.”

Valiant.