I. The Breakfast of Alignment
The morning refinement complete, Aldwen gathered his servant men around the long wooden table. The chamber was warm with lantern-light and the quiet breath of meditation. Jabra placed fruit, bread, and warm cups of coffee before them. The five servants — now dressed in immaculate black suits — sat in disciplined silence as Aldwen took his seat at the head of the table.
Breakfast in Taben Rael was never for pleasure; it was for alignment, the final moment of stillness before stepping into the world they had not seen in fifteen years. Aldwen looked at them, seeing not boys but men forged through ritual, discipline, and covenant.
II. The Revelation of Mars
Aldwen lifted his cup and spoke.
“There is one truth you must know before you depart.”
The servants lowered their heads.
“The boy Taben Rael once created… the one whose name was never spoken… the one who devoured anything or anyone… he was named after a planet. His name was Mars.”
A tremor moved through the servants.
“Mars was dropped off at Taben Rael in 1852.
He was born out of wedlock into a family of witchcraft. His parents were murdered by the occult,
and he was brought here as a child — broken, frightened, and already touched by darkness.
He was raised under strict discipline and teaching. But in the lower levels of Taben Rael — where the original Corridor of Refinement was built by the late, late, late, late Great Bishop Alizar — Mars was introduced to black magic and occult practices. Satan played a great part in his transformation.”
Aldwen’s voice lowered.
“He became evil. Demonic. He shed blood through Taben Rael. And he was cast down to the lower. To this day his spirit wanders the Corridor of Refinement. If any soul enters with hate in their hearts, they will meet him there. And if anyone opens the doors without the Bishop’s atonement and ointment, they will meet their doom and be dragged into a no-return.”
Silence fell heavy over the table.
III. Aldwen’s Warning and Instructions
Aldwen leaned forward, his voice deepening.
“When you descend from this mountain, you will enter the same world that once influenced you. The same streets where you met the devil. The same places that tried to claim your souls. You must not fear them — but you must not underestimate them. The world you left behind will try to pull you back. It will try to seduce you. It will try to destroy you.”
He raised his hand.
“But you are not the boys you once were. You are sons of Taben Rael.”
He stood.
“You will go to the prison and retrieve the five men. They have been sentenced to life on the island Far Far Way, but they have been granted one chance — one chance only. They will resist you. They will disrespect you. They will test you. But you will not break. You will not retaliate. You will not lose alignment.”
He placed his hand on each servant’s shoulder in turn.
“You will bring them home.”
IV. The Servants’ Reactions
The servants breathed deeply, absorbing every word.
Jabra’s eyes lowered, his jaw tightening.
Joseph’s hands pressed against his thighs.
The others sat still, their faces solemn, their spirits steady.
They had been taught for fifteen years that obedience was not weakness — it was strength, alignment, and protection.
They nodded in unison.
They were ready.
V. The Departure from Taben Rael
The servants rose from the table and followed Aldwen to the eastern balcony. The doors opened, and cold mountain air swept into the chamber. Before them stretched the impossible height of Taben Rael — a fortress-sanctuary built on the spine of a mountain near ancient Persia, its foundations older than nations.
Waiting on the landing pad was the Taben Rael Helicopter, its black exterior marked with the crest of the Brotherhood.
The servants paused at the threshold.
This moment was not simple.
It was not casual.
It was not easy.
They were about to descend into the world they had escaped — the world where they had been influenced, broken, seduced, and nearly destroyed.
Aldwen stepped forward.
“Go.”
The servants boarded the helicopter in silence, taking their seats with disciplined posture. The doors closed, and the aircraft lifted from the mountain, rising into the clouds.
VI. The Bishop’s Wave
As the helicopter pulled upward, the servants looked back toward the eastern face of Taben Rael. There — standing in the massive window of his private quarters — was The Bishop. His robe flowed behind him like a banner of authority. His posture was tall, unmoving. And he lifted his hand and waved.
It was not a casual wave.
It was a blessing, a sending, a seal.
The servants bowed their heads in unison.
The helicopter climbed into the sky, and Taben Rael became a distant silhouette swallowed by clouds.
VII. Aldwen’s Summons
Aldwen remained at the large window, watching the aircraft disappear. The moment it vanished, a firm knock echoed through his quarters.
Standing at the door were The Arms of Taben — towering, disciplined guardians of the Bishop. The lead Arm spoke.
“Overseer Aldwen, you are summoned by the Bishop, sir. Please come with us.”
Aldwen nodded. “Sure, fellas. I need to change.”
He walked to his wardrobe cabinet and dressed himself in his orthodox robe and brown sandals — garments worn only when entering the Bishop’s presence.
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He stepped forward. “I’m ready.”
The Arms bowed slightly and escorted him down the long corridor toward the Bishop’s Hall, the air growing heavier with prophecy.
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