Noah Socrates: It was probably one of the most difficult and heart rending moments in the civilization of the Zed. Ataraxia was one of Shivastus’ closest and most loved disciples, still what she had caused was unforgivable. The Zed had a rule, you never say anything bad about a member to anyone who was not a Zed, all disputes were handled inside the community, so as not to attract negative attention to the community and allow judgments of external third person parties to be validated so that they could tear the community apart. Ataraxia had been counseled on 2 previous occasions about her loose lips, before the event in question.
What happened was a police force arrived at the Zed community and burst in, the Zed community was trained to always be ready to fight evil at any moment and their skills were deadly. It was a one sided victory, the Community had never been tested in actual combat but they didn’t even pause their training took over and they had already been prepared for death and they no longer thought emotionally or sentimentally. The police force was trounced soundly before they brought in the big gun, some manner of automatic weapon, that is when Shivastus arrived on the scene. Flowing into action he tore down a thick tapestry and began spinning it with a rapid circular motion, a technique nobody had seen because he hadn’t gotten around to showing anybody. Running faster than the eye could see he caught all of the bullets from the Gatling gun before it over heated and jammed. He threw the tapestry which was full of lead at the gunner and he flew back sticking to the ground under the weight. Shivastus using his chi lept high into the air and landed on the gun, using his powerful chi again he made his arm into a sword of light and sliced through the gun, filling the police with shock ans awe.
The police chief yelled, “hold your fire!” and the combat ceased.
“What is the meaning of this???” yelled Shivastus, “We have done nothing wrong to anybody! We have always been good citizens.”
“There was talk at the market that this was some manner of cult and that there were persons here being persecuted.” said the police chief.
“What?” Shivastus looked puzzled, “Everybody is here of their own free will and is free to leave if they want. It has always been that way. If they can’t obey the rules they are free to go.”
“I am sorry, perhaps we were mis-informed. Do you have an Ataraxia here?” asked the chief.
Ataraxia, stepped quietly out of the back ground looking very contrite. “I am here.”
“Are you ok? Do you want to come with us?” queried the chief.
“No I am fine, I am unharmed, their must have been some misunderstanding.” Ataraxia cringed under the gaze of the master. Her guilt weighing heavily on her conscience.
“I am sorry for the inconvenience, we will leave.” the chief turned, “lets go men.”
THE NEXT DAY
A meeting was convened to determine the fate of Ataraxia. The Zed met in the aghori, a large circle was scratched in the dirt and people voted by throwing either a white stone or a black stone into the circle. A white stone meant she was forgiven, a black stone meant she was banished from the community. Almost immediately the circle was full of black stones. It was difficult to bare the pain on Shivastus’ visage, you could see how torn he was. He had to chose between everything he had spent his over 900 years of life working for or one student that was constantly jeopardizing everything for everybody. Ataraxia’s fate was already decided and yet everybody still waited for the master to weigh in. He tossed in a black stone that plinked off all the others. Ataraxia wailed, and collapsed in sobs. This one action of Shivastus’ was more heartbreaking by far than that of all the others. To be shunned by the Master… Shivaji turned his back and began walking away.
Ataraxia lept to her feet and started to speak, in one fluid motion, he turned and waved his hand. Her throat dried up and her voice caught in her throat. She tried to throw herself at him and with another wave of his hand her legs were immobilized, she fell to the ground. Her face looked the very essence of pathos, so pathetic was she, it tugged at the heart strings of everyone, almost making them forget that she had repeatedly and stupidly put the community at risk for no good reason. Shivastus made a poking gesture with his right index finger and her head was suddenly that of a hyena, and she made a horrible laughing sound that racked her body.
I feel it is important to tell you, before the story progresses any further how Ataraxia and Shivastus met. He used to go to the market to meet people and talk philosophy, at the market there was a homeless beggar woman who used to gain sympathy for herself by trying to buy food with a wooden nickel. She looked so pathetic that people would feel sympathy for her thinking her mentally incapable and they would give her food for free so that she would go away and stop making paying customers feel bad.
One day, and we don’t know how because to everyone’s recollection Shivaji never owned a fruit cart but that is how she told the story, she came to buy an apple from him with her wooden nickel and he gave her a wooden apple. He had used his uncanny powers acquired in meditation to discern that she was not crazy at all, she was manipulating people because she was too lazy to work. She was parasiting off society. She became one of his closest students.
“No! You don’t get to speak to me!” roared Shivah, “I taught you better! and you like a dog returning to your own filth have threatened everything that I have created! I told you that every event in the relationship characterizes the relationship! I told you to save your best for first! You had a buffet of the greatest wisdom in the world and you threw it all away so that you could tell a sad story! not even a true story, just to feel like you were in control! Just to change something! You don’t change anything in the universe without creating a karmic debt! When will you grow up??? When will you stop acting like a child? When will you stop saying you are not responsible? At what point are you going to stop using the argument from ignorance as an excuse??? When are you going to think before you act? When are you going to take responsibility for your actions??? Unconscious in relationship is NOT relationship! That is not what we teach here! That is not what we practice here! Should we let one lying, pathetic fool repeatedly jeopardize everything that we believe in and have worked so hard to create???
Since you don’t follow our philosophy you are not a part of our philoish. You have your own philosophy and you should follow the Praxis of it. Your heart, your concern, has left us, and your feet should follow. With all of your cunning and strategic behavior you have earned the right to be free from us, congratulations on your foolish victory.” Shivaji, flicked his hand angrily and Ataraxia was returned to her normal human state, and she could move her limbs again. He, whipped around, shunning her, not wanting to look at the pain that was on her face but knowing that somewhere inside her this was a ploy that she had used all of her life to manipulate people. It couldn’t be taken as a genuine demonstration of regret. She had cried wolf, too many times before.
She was expected to leave, but she quickly ran towards the flame of Eternal Vigilance that was always kept burning in the square, she flew up the stairs before anyone could stop her, and to everyone’s horror she burned herself to a cinder.
Ataraxia might not have been able to discipline herself or control herself or remain conscious of herself as was required for membership, but she couldn’t bare the thought of not being near her Master and she would always be there in spirit…
These were dark days for Shivastus, he wouldn’t let anyone near him. He didn’t go out. He didn’t talk. He did as little as possible.
TO BE CONTINUED. ..
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