Iraelia
TNPer
Palakh Ibrahimi looked out at the crowd assembled before him. Stretching back several blocks in the heart of Arbela, rows upon rows of Shaivan faces looked up to him. Some carried crosses, others carried guns, yet more carried implements from their home, fastened into weapons. Many hadn't even removed their work clothes, the insurrection had been swift and spontaneous. He spotted one woman with her husband, wearing a robe and sleepwear, brandishing a kitchen knife. Before them lay the administrative building, set in the center of Arbela. Not even an hour ago, insurrectionists overran the police line surrounding it and occupied the building, burning Iraelian government documents and destroying their iconography. And it was from this building that the Patriarch of Arbela, face of the Lakhic Church, now spoke.
As the crowds echoed with chants of "Mar Mashiah, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner," a drop of sweat perspired on his brown and fell, staining the bottom of his Clerical Robes. He barely had time from the moment protestors took the administrative building to run to the cathedral, dress, and come to address the assembled crowds. He prayed to God no one noticed, he had never been a natural speaker. Nevertheless, his congregants hung on his every word. He inhaled sharply before stepping onto the makeshift podium assembled at the ruins of the administrative building. The audience cheered as he stepped onto the stage, silencing themselves with a raise of his hand.
"Behind you," he began, "lies a symbol of oppression. The New Shaiva Administrative Center. Where for 70 years, Shaivans have suffered at the hands of two devils, the State of Iraelia and the Syrixian Empire. For 70 years they have pillaged our homes, violated our firesides, and made us to be their servant. BUT NO MORE!"
The crowd erupted into applause.
"Now, with your actions here today, as well as the good graces of God, we have made what was thought to be impossible a reality. We were told that Iraelian dominance was an inevitability, we were told that we couldn't easily form our own State, we were told that wealthy Syrixian robber barons running our politics and seizing our resources in a semi-apartheid regime was natural. But need I remind them of what the good Mar Mashiah said? 'Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.'"
"With this victory, we have been given a great commission. To do what is to be done in the name of God: to found a truly Messianic Republic for ALL Shaivans. Not for the wealthy, not for the imperialists, and certainly not for the Iraelian tyrants. The first step of this program has already been carried out, the provincial government is ours. The second step of this program is to transform society in God's image. God does not hate the wealthy, but he does hate their wealth. Go, and seize that which has been stolen from you by the imperial menace. Make the value of society work for ALL, not just the business class. To do this, we shall form local governments, we shall organize parish councils governed by the people of Shaiva. Through these councils, and under the custodianship of the Shaivan Military Council, we will set out to fulfill that promise of the scriptures: 'Each man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree, and none shall make him afraid.' Arbela is yours. None shall interfere, do as you please."
"And finally, the third and last program to be enacted. Shaiva is not yet liberated. We are in control of New Shaiva, but our brothers throughout the rest of Iraelia remain in the midst of civil struggle for self determination. Listen to the news! Already our brothers in Sarazed are shot and imprisoned by the imperial garrison! We cannot so passively abandon our brothers in faith. To this end, a campaign must commence. Tomorrow I shall hold mass and dispense the holy communion at the Cathedral of Iosep I in Central Arbela. Then, we embark on pilgrimage. We shall liberate the Shaivans of Efa, and continue on to the holy city of Sarazed. We shall come not only baring arms, but forgiveness. Mar Mashiah teaches us to turn the other cheek when struck, and to this end we shall not set out with violent intent. But if the imperialists and the tyrants seek to repress the will of Shaiva, we will not hesitate to exercise appropriate force in the name of Shaiva and in the name of God. I am calling on all young men and women to march with us, to take up arms and join the forces of the Shaivan Military Council on this pilgrimage. Not only for the future of Shaiva, but for the future of the Kingdom of God on Earth."
"And to Taneli Gadi, to the starry eyed upstart ruling from Adonai-Jireh, know this: Shaiva will be independent. It is in your power to determine if the cost will be in land alone, or in blood as well."
As the crowds echoed with chants of "Mar Mashiah, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner," a drop of sweat perspired on his brown and fell, staining the bottom of his Clerical Robes. He barely had time from the moment protestors took the administrative building to run to the cathedral, dress, and come to address the assembled crowds. He prayed to God no one noticed, he had never been a natural speaker. Nevertheless, his congregants hung on his every word. He inhaled sharply before stepping onto the makeshift podium assembled at the ruins of the administrative building. The audience cheered as he stepped onto the stage, silencing themselves with a raise of his hand.
"Behind you," he began, "lies a symbol of oppression. The New Shaiva Administrative Center. Where for 70 years, Shaivans have suffered at the hands of two devils, the State of Iraelia and the Syrixian Empire. For 70 years they have pillaged our homes, violated our firesides, and made us to be their servant. BUT NO MORE!"
The crowd erupted into applause.
"Now, with your actions here today, as well as the good graces of God, we have made what was thought to be impossible a reality. We were told that Iraelian dominance was an inevitability, we were told that we couldn't easily form our own State, we were told that wealthy Syrixian robber barons running our politics and seizing our resources in a semi-apartheid regime was natural. But need I remind them of what the good Mar Mashiah said? 'Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.'"
"With this victory, we have been given a great commission. To do what is to be done in the name of God: to found a truly Messianic Republic for ALL Shaivans. Not for the wealthy, not for the imperialists, and certainly not for the Iraelian tyrants. The first step of this program has already been carried out, the provincial government is ours. The second step of this program is to transform society in God's image. God does not hate the wealthy, but he does hate their wealth. Go, and seize that which has been stolen from you by the imperial menace. Make the value of society work for ALL, not just the business class. To do this, we shall form local governments, we shall organize parish councils governed by the people of Shaiva. Through these councils, and under the custodianship of the Shaivan Military Council, we will set out to fulfill that promise of the scriptures: 'Each man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree, and none shall make him afraid.' Arbela is yours. None shall interfere, do as you please."
"And finally, the third and last program to be enacted. Shaiva is not yet liberated. We are in control of New Shaiva, but our brothers throughout the rest of Iraelia remain in the midst of civil struggle for self determination. Listen to the news! Already our brothers in Sarazed are shot and imprisoned by the imperial garrison! We cannot so passively abandon our brothers in faith. To this end, a campaign must commence. Tomorrow I shall hold mass and dispense the holy communion at the Cathedral of Iosep I in Central Arbela. Then, we embark on pilgrimage. We shall liberate the Shaivans of Efa, and continue on to the holy city of Sarazed. We shall come not only baring arms, but forgiveness. Mar Mashiah teaches us to turn the other cheek when struck, and to this end we shall not set out with violent intent. But if the imperialists and the tyrants seek to repress the will of Shaiva, we will not hesitate to exercise appropriate force in the name of Shaiva and in the name of God. I am calling on all young men and women to march with us, to take up arms and join the forces of the Shaivan Military Council on this pilgrimage. Not only for the future of Shaiva, but for the future of the Kingdom of God on Earth."
"And to Taneli Gadi, to the starry eyed upstart ruling from Adonai-Jireh, know this: Shaiva will be independent. It is in your power to determine if the cost will be in land alone, or in blood as well."
