The SUN KING
By GASTON DERREAUX
The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, andworshipped only murder, and sin. But then thevirgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....
When the soldiers of the city Oas saw that theirKing had not the backbone to enforce his own decreewhen it hurt himself, they one and all tookup stones, and they stoned King So-qi to death.Before the flood, even beforeEgypt's greatness, the world wasdivided into three main countries,named Jaffeth, Shem andArabin'ya. There were other less populatedlands and places; Uropa in thewest, Heleste in the north, and the twogreat lands of the far west, called Northand South Guatama.
Now, at the juncture of the bordersof the three greatest countries, lay amighty city, named Oas. It was thecapital city of the Arabin'yan nationcalled Par'si'ya.
Its Temple of Skulls was the greatestknown to any traveler, but the templesbuilt to the god, Mazda, and his son,Ihua'Mazda, were empty and unadorned—thepeople had forgotten God.
So-qi, King of Oas, sent out hisarmies throughout Jaffeth (China),conquering and slaying, bringing backever more skulls for the Golgotha temples,more gold and more slaves for theenriching of King So-qi. His haremwas the greatest of buildings of themighty city, and his wives beyondman's ability to count.
Too-che was one of the finest ornamentsof the city of Oas. Too-chewas slim, her breasts were two moundsof magic, her eyes were pools of mysticgreen depths, her legs were subtle, sinuousbeauty.
But Too-che was a virgin, and in allthat city of a million sinful souls, shealone held aloof from the sins of theflesh.
Which was very strange, for Too-chebecame big with child, though she hadnot been with a man!
Which came to the ears of So-qi,upon his great black throne supportedon a tower of human skulls, in his palaceof Gran, across from the greatGolgotha, which was built entirely ofhuman skulls—the skulls of people conqueredby the armies of Par'si'ya, overwhich the city of Oas reigned.
So-qi shook his big belly under thelion's skin, let slip his serpent skinheaddress, and let the battle axe thatwas his symbol of office drop from hishand as he shook with mirth at thegreat and thumping lie told by Too-che.
"I suppose her child was fathered byMazda, peering into her womb with hisAll-light," laughed So-qi, for in Oas itwas not the fashion to worship the GodMazda anymore. The great skull templeshad their priests and their sacrifices,but no more did people bow downin the temples of Mazda, or have anythingbut ridicule for those few who didstill worship in the old way.
His serpent skin headdress and battleaxe scepter, too, were relics from thepast. Just as the belief in Mazda. Butmore potent relics, by far. With themhe was the Sun King, Lord of Battles,Master of Life and Death, Creator ofthe Universe, Lord of Souls, Maker ofthe Law, etc. Without them he wasjust old So-qi, getting fatter and morestupid every day.
"Bring this harlot before me, to seeif she can produce a miracle to proveher child is not a common one. If shecannot, she will be stoned to death atonce, do you hear! I have no time tobe bothered with the lies of every sinningwoman who seeks to hide her bastard'sorigin."
Asha, the philosopher who had toldhis king of the birth of the child,nodded his head sadly and left the presence.Why did kings have to get so