The Goddess of Atvatabar: Being the history of the discovery of the interior world and conquest of AtvatabarBradshaw, William Richard
Science
The Goddess of Atvatabar: Being the history of the discovery of the interior world and conquest of Atvatabar
Bradshaw, William Richard
Science fiction
I took her living figure in my arms. She was in a limp, tranquil
condition, yet happily alive. The happy priests and priestesses
shouted with enthusiasm: "Long live Lexington and Lyone, King and
Queen of Atvatabar!"
It was a blissful moment to us both. The future, that had lain under
the terrors of death, now smiled again. I gazed upon my beloved's face
with unspeakable tenderness. I saw that she smiled at me sweetly.
Her apostasy was victorious, but who could have supposed that
martyrdom and reincarnation were the path to glory? She had exchanged
the crown of the goddess for that of a queen.
[Illustration: HEAVENS AND EARTH! HE WAS HOLDING LYONE IN HIS ARMS,
ALIVE FROM THE LIVING BATTERY! LYONE, THE PEERLESS SOUL OF SOULS,
ALIVE ONCE MORE AND TRIUMPHANT OVER DEATH.]
Handing my precious burden back to Charka again, I addressed the
congregation as follows:
"Priests and priestesses of Egyplosis, wayleals and amazons of the
sacred and victorious army, I thank you from the depths of my heart
for your loyal salutation, but I particularly thank the grand sorcerer
Charka, and you his hierophants, for your glorious restoration of her
majesty to life, king and crown, thus defeating the cowardly crime of
the ex-king. By reason of our victory, their majesties King Bhoolmakar
and Queen Toplissy of Atvatabar are deposed from the throne, and his
ex-majesty, by reason of his great crime, is condemned to death.
"The causes that led to this revolution are already known to you. The
time was ripe for a reform in Egyplosis. Regulation and not
suppression will be our aim, and they who have helped us to this great
conquest will not go unrewarded.
"After her tremendous experiences, the queen will require a season of
absolute rest to restore her to perfect health. I will intrust the
task of establishing a reform of Egyplosis in competent hands,
assisted by a council of your own representatives. The present crisis
is too overwhelmingly happy to permit me to say more to you. On
another occasion I will thank you more effectively."
This speech was received with enthusiastic applause.
On a litter, supported by six twin-souls, Lyone was tenderly borne out
of the temple. We departed amid joyful peans of music, our pathway
being strewn with flowers. We reached the supernal palace, and saw
from every roof floating the flag of Lyone, in token of our victory.
In her palace, on a couch of pale green velvet, lay the reincarnated
form of Lyone, filled with a sense of luxurious rest. The experiences
of the past few days demanded a period of profound repose. Her face
wore a blessed and triumphant smile. She had paid with suffering for
that Nirvana of joy. With reincarnation, or rather resurrection, had
come a holier transfiguration of form and face. She was still too weak
physically to discuss at length the great changes that had come to her
or to the history of Atvatabar.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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