11 Several of the Mitharian priest began arguing with a man. 2 Someone said he was a nobleman’s son, another said he was a beggar from the Oasis of Orid. Whoever he was, he was a teacher of some sort with a following of his own. 3 He was teaching the people with stories of how to live their lives free and unlike the Tower followers and the Pagans of Lindol.
4 “Nadan is no charmer of words nor a slave driver, like your masters,” was what Ara-non overheard one of his followers admonish a priest with in return.
5 Then the man spoke up for himself saying, “Men are easily led astray by the greatest deceiver. For their own hearts mislead them, down paths that the light of day would alarm even a sparrow to take flight.” 6 Such was the manner of his speech. Because of the murmuring of voices in the crowd and the man’s distance from him he was unable to hear or understand everything that was going on, 7 but Ara-non knew something different was occurring in his lifetime.
8 Ara-non had never before heard such bold words from anyone before. Suddenly everyone was pointing at the skies overhead, screaming and running for shelter, even the cover of his merchant’s cart. 9 As birds were falling dead from the heavens like a flooding rain, they burst upon the ground in pools of blood everywhere, all at the behest of the pointing teacher as he taught his followers.
10 Ara-non, like everyone else was greatly perplexed by the bewildering events that unfolded in the market that day. In the frightening silence of the moment, Ara-non heard the man say something like, “ – only a few shall survive that day of God’s great wrath…” 11 Then the prophet Nadan pointed to the skies overhead, in the direction of the tent city of Slavath. To their great dismay a few of the dead birds came back to life. Two birds, that lay at Ara-non’s feet, stood up from their own pool of blood and at the man’s word, they flew away unharmed to where he pointed.
12 After a few more words, lost to the murmuring crowd, the angry priest summonsed the Tower guards, yelling for the great gates to be closed. 13 The merchants knew then that the disruption had caused the market to be closed early that day. The Mitharians disliked not being in control of their city.
14 In gathering up his belongings, Ara-non was ushered along with the flowing mass of people. Back through the cobbled streets and through the Adjoining Gate to Lindol. Along the way he caught various parts of conversations as many passed ahead of his cart. 15 It seemed the man called Nadan was indeed a prophet of some report, a healing story teller who condemned the ritual system of Mithar and their every changing doctrine. Ara-non had never really given their religion much thought before as he was content with just earning coin enough to live. 16 But after today’s events the jewelry maker began to see his world differently for the first time.
17 Some people passing Ara-non said the man’s ideas were worse than a court jester and others that he had placed a curse upon the king all for the sake of making a name for himself. Ara-non saw a man of Lindol he knew and called out to him, “Dayiel, Dayiel – what you make of the things that happen in the square today, my friend?”
18 Helping to push his cart along through the crowds, Dayiel answered, “Oh he is harmless sort, misunderstood by these weak minded fools running like rats.” 19 Dayiel was a sailor and he scoffed, “Nada is very wise Ara-non. But I fear he is not wise enough to escape the anger of those, petty-priest someday. His lofty words will be his undoing, I tell you.” With that they parted ways.
The Prophet Nadan
12 Three days later, the market at Mithar’s main gate was busier than it had been in a long time. Buying and selling, music and noise, people and livestock abounded much like any other day at festival.
2 After Ara-non had finished bartering a necklace for a turtledove with an old woman, he turned around and looked into the face of Nadan the prophet. Ara-non stood speechless.
3 Nadan said to his followers, while looking at the merchant before him, “Behold, one who shall tell the whole world how God saved him from his sorrows.”
4 Then, Nadan turned to the quieting crowds about him. “Illuva-Eru, the creator of all our imaginings and thoughts, did manifest them through his angelic Vala. For it was, the Vala who sang the music of Eru’s very thoughts into being as it became the world we call Eriduah. 5 Yes - all these things are what we believe. We are taught these things in both the temples of the city Lindol, and from the Watchtower of Mithar.
6 “But – that great tale has been greatly twisted in both; for one would have you to worship the Vala with idols, and the other would have you enslaved to their ever changing rituals. 7 No brother should enslave another’s mind or body!
8 "Listen well when I tell that The One And Always will not always suffer truth to become a lie. 9 For he shall come upon the world with great wrath, like a purging flood shall he wash his creation clean. With mighty earthquakes and consuming fires shall the wicked maters be cast low, 10 and the slave who seeks Eru alone, shall find him in the still small voice of love."
11 By now the city guards and priest were gathering and listening to the teachings of Nadan. 12 Then he added, “Leave all your distractions of this world behind you this day, come, and follow me. None who follow the manifestation of Eru’s will, shall ever falter in his love.” With that, Nadan passed through the parting guards and priest as his men followed him out the southern gate.
13 In that moment, even Ara-non abandoned his merchant’s cart, and never once did he ever look back with regret on that day. 14 Thus it was, that even a foolish sinner the likes of Ara-non Om’shular was given hope, for he became the eighth follower of Nadan Om’dir, the healing prophet, who was the manifested Will of Eru.
