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Magi Journey - Assyria

By Terry Phillip Garner

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Chapter 1 The Sign
Scene 1 Persepolis Day Minus 1

The two men and the boy dismounted and proceeded on foot. They were southwest of the Family’s compound in Persepolis, Persia. This region of the Zagros Mountains was thinly forested and possessed a good-sized deer population. It also had a fair-sized brown bear population. Navid saw fresh deer scat and knew the deer would not travel far this time of the morning. Navid held out his hand, stopping Yusef in mid-stride. He pointed down at a twig Yusef was about to step on and wagged his finger no. Navid then moved across an area of loose shale and pebbles, demonstrating how to place his feet. Then he motioned Yusef forward again. Navid and Utana were fifty feet apart, moving in a line, with Yusef between them. The deer tracks were faint, but Navid was the best tracker in the Family. He bent down, pointing at a barely perceptible scratch on a rock made by the deer’s hoof, and Yusef nodded his head in understanding. Navid was pleased when he saw the light in the boy’s eyes and knew he was learning.
Utana stopped suddenly and signaled to Navid. Without moving, Navid could see the still steaming scat in front of Utana, not deer scat. Navid leaned toward Yusef and whispered, “Bear, he’s close.” They were downwind of the bear, which was good, but Navid slowed, scanning the area thoroughly before he took a step. The three hunters carried their bows with one arrow held in their hand. Navid and Utana nocked their arrow, and Navid indicated to Yusef that he should do the same. They proceeded in line for another half mile.
Navid stopped and slowly pointed to a tree about fifty feet in front of them. There, perfectly outlined in front of the tree, stood a young buck. He was angled slightly, and his head was facing away from them. Navid indicated to Yusef that he should put tension on his bowstring but not draw it yet. Slowly, step by step, they approached the deer. Thirty feet from the deer, Yusef stepped on a dry twig. The deer’s head snapped up. Yusef drew and released, but he pulled the shot. The arrow missed the deer’s heart and went into the lung. The deer took two quick bounds. Navid and Utana both got off quick shots. Navid’s arrow went into the deer’s hindquarter, and Utana also hit the lung. The deer bolted, and the chase began. The two men and the boy broke into a run, leaping over felled trees and small rocks. They ran for two miles. Navid breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth, deep, even, steady. He felt the blood expanding the muscles in his legs as he ran. He loved the chase. He saw Yusef breathing through his mouth, gulping air, and saw the boy’s stride shortening. Navid could see bright splotches of blood as they ran. The blood splotches were getting closer together. The deer was slowing.
Navid and Utana increased their pace, and Yusef fell behind. They topped a rise, and a half-mile in front of them, they could see the deer limping across a small clearing. Navid and Utana were now at a dead run and closed the distance. Barely slowing, both men nocked arrows and fired two arrows into the deer’s heart, putting the poor animal out of its misery. Navid picked out a tree nearby, and the two men dragged the deer to the tree. Navid uncoiled a rope from around his chest and neck; then tied the rope to the deer’s hind feet. He threw the end of the rope over a low tree branch, and the two men began to hoist the deer into the air when they heard a blood-curdling scream.
Navid snapped his head around and saw Yusef running at full speed with a large female brown bear in pursuit. Yusef ran to the nearest tree and scrambled up. The tree was barely bigger than a sapling. Navid and Utana dropped the rope and ran up the slope. By the time they arrived, the bear was swaying the tree in huge arcs. Yusef was in the treetop, clinging desperately and screaming at the top of his lungs. Navid and Utana waved their arms and yelled at the bear. Navid yelled at Yusef to stop screaming, and the bear turned and faced the two new threats. Unexpectedly, both men stopped yelling and sat on the ground staring at the bear’s feet. The bear stood on its hind legs bellowing at the two men, its maw open wide and spittle flying. Finally, the bear dropped down and continued to shake its head and snort at the two men. Suddenly it lifted its head and began to sniff. It caught the scent of blood, and without a second thought about the three hunters, ambled down the hill to investigate.
Navid looked up and saw Yusef with an idiotic grin on his face and signaled for him to come down.
Yusef’s face was red and sweating from the run and the terror of the bear, “Are we going after the bear? What about the deer? Are we going to go get the deer?”
The words tumbled out so fast, Navid could barely understand him. “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he pointed to the valley, “what do you see?”
Yusef almost shrieked, “The bear’s eating my deer.” He yelled down into the valley, “Hey, that’s my deer!”
Navid looked at the boy and shook his head, “That was your deer. Now it’s the bear’s deer.”
Yusef was beside himself, “Let’s kill the bear and get my deer back.”
Navid sat on the ground and looked calmly at the young man, “We’ll wait right here for you. Trot on down there and ask the bear if you can have the deer. Who knows, maybe she likes you. Maybe she’ll think it’s a good idea. Give it a shot. What have you got to lose?”
Yusef hung his head, “I’m not getting the deer back, am I?”
Navid stood up and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder, “Winter is coming; the bear needs that deer more than we do. We had a good hunt, an invigorating run, and a few moments of sheer terror. What more could we want? Let’s leave the bear in peace. Now, why don’t you fetch our horses, and we’ll head home.”
The boy grinned at his hero and ran off to get the horses. Navid sat down next to Utana and smiled at his friend.
“Were we ever that young?” laughed Utana
“Yes, and not too long ago,” Navid said and laughed back.
Navid was eighteen years old and a natural leader. Long hours spent outdoors had hardened him. Navid was five foot eleven inches with light brown skin, a neat beard squared off just below his chin, and piercing black eyes. His shoulders, back, and arms were corded muscle from endless hours of training with the bow, sword, and Javelin. In the Magi school, he was one of the main arms trainers, but he was exceptional at stealth. Navid commanded the Scouts, a group of twenty-five men specially chosen for their ability to become invisible. Night or day, the Scouts could move almost unseen and unheard. The Scouts learned to endure thirst and pain to maintain their cover for hours if needed. They were the most elite warriors in Persia, and Navid led them. None of the Scouts would ever think of challenging Navid for leadership. Navid dedicated himself to the Family and his men. His honesty and integrity were his cornerstones. At eighteen, he had already distinguished himself in battle and was one of the finest tacticians in Persia.
Utana was a mirror image of Navid, only smaller, darker, and two years older. He was a Scout and Navid’s closest friend.
Utana grew suddenly serious, “And yet look at you now. At eighteen, you are the youngest man to be voted onto the Family Council. The truly amazing thing is there’s not one person between age thirteen and seventy who doesn’t think you have earned the right to be an elder.”
Navid blushed, “It was an amazing honor. I never expected the Family to vote me onto the Council at this age. What if I’m not ready?”
“You’re ready, and you know it. But what I want to know is what do you want for the Family? Where are we going?”
Navid thought for a moment, “That’s the problem, Utana. I don’t know if I agree with being satisfied to be a little family with a little school in the middle of nowhere. We could be so much more. Leyla and I will be married soon, and that opens a whole new set of possibilities.” (Leyla’s father, Baraz, was the Satrap of southeast Persia. Leyla was Baraz’s only child, and the Satrapy will pass to her—in actuality, to her husband—upon Baraz’s death.)
“There is no reason in the future not to accept the Satrapy and merge the Family into the ruling family,” Navid continued. “The school would continue, and the Family would have political influence for the first time. We have been satisfied all these years just to be servants of the King or Queen. What if we could be more?”
“What of the Messiah, Navid?”
“The Messiah. For five hundred years, the Family has been sitting around talking about the Messiah. We have put out watchmen every night for five hundred years. If He were going to come, He would have come by now. I don’t know if I believe any of it anymore, Utana. Jehovah, the Messiah, a bunch of ancient prophets, all that ancient stuff doesn’t have anything to do with us today. It’s time to move on.”
“Scripture is clear, Navid. When Messiah comes, a great light will precede his coming. You know this. Isaiah and Amos faultlessly prophesied God’s judgments, and therefore the prophecy concerning the Messiah must also be true. You know this, Navid.”
“No one in Israel, and no one in the Family, has heard from God in over five hundred years. That’s what I know. Let’s say just for argument’s sake, He does come. What then? You have heard all the old discussions. The Family is to travel to Israel to meet the Messiah. The whole Family.”
“When He comes, Navid, everyone will want to meet Him, to see Him and talk to Him. God’s chosen one. No one in the Family will want to be left behind.”
“Utana, think it through. Do you think Queen Musa will just let us go? That she will let a possession she values slip through her fingers. The minute the Family begins to move, she will send the Immortals after us. That is a fact. Everything else is speculation, but you can count on one thing, Queen Musa will never let this Family go.”
Just then, Navid looked up and saw Yusef approaching with the horses. “I tell you what, Utana. I want you to begin with the Scouts and ask them if Messiah comes, what should we do.
Send a few representatives or the whole Family. You ask them and let me know. I think the answer will surprise you.”
“What will the elders think, Navid? I can’t do something like that behind their backs.”
“You are not doing anything, Utana. You are not seeking to influence anyone. You’re just asking them a question. Do this for me, Utana, please.”
“I don’t like it, but I’ll do it for you. I’ll start tomorrow. I have the night watch tonight.”
Navid looked at him and rolled his eyes. The night watch, he thought, what a waste of time.
Navid saw Yusef approach leading the three horses. He studied the boy. Yusef was twelve years old, and his teacher, Rahim, asked Navid to spend some time with him. Yusef’s father, Danial, was a malcontent and trouble maker. Yusef acted up in class, and Rahim thought Navid might positively influence the boy.


Scene 2 Persepolis Day -0-

“Navid, Navid, come. Wake up, Navid. The elders have called for you.”
Navid’s eyes opened, but he couldn’t understand what his friend Utana said or why he was saying anything at all in the middle of the night. Utana had the night watch; he told him so this afternoon.
“Utana, what are you doing here? What are you doing in my room?” asked a groggy-looking Navid.
“Stop asking foolish questions.” He grabbed Navid’s arm and pulled him upright. “Get dressed. The elders have called for all the leaders, and for some stupid reason, they seem to think you are a one.”
“If this is one of your jokes, there will be no end to the lessons I will teach you in the sword training ground—after the sun rises.”
But Navid saw fear and tension in his friend’s eyes. “All right, Utana,” Navid said finally, “let me pull on my coat.” He did and wore a shawl over his head as he followed Utana.
However, instead of proceeding to the door, Utana climbed the ladder to the roof.
“All right, Utana, this has gone just about far enough. Are the elders having tea on my roof?”
“Yes, I think that’s where they are,” he replied. “Just stop your tongue from wagging for a while; come, and you might learn something.”
They stepped onto the rooftop and saw the Council, the elders, and leaders of the Family. The head of the Family, Navid’s grandfather, Fardad, stood to Navid’s left with eyes fixed on the night sky. Fardad did not seem to notice them come onto the roof. Next to Fardad stood Navid’s father, Jahan—huge and burly. Next to him were the Family’s military trainer, Kevan, and his son, Marzban. To Navid’s right stood Rahim, the school’s headmaster, and the horse trainer, Ram.
Navid’s stomach gripped into a tight knot. “Grandfather, are we under attack? Has Utana seen a dust cloud on the horizon clouding the stars?” It is the only plausible explanation for such a gathering in the middle of the night.
But Navid’s grandfather didn’t seem to hear Navid, and then suddenly the older man’s eyes focused, and he looked at Navid. “Look,” he said, “look to the southwest. What do you see?”
Navid scanned the horizon, looking for anything unusual. He didn’t see dust clouds that might indicate the movement of a large group of people. He didn’t see fire signs or anything that would bring the elders onto the roof on a night this cold. “I don’t see anything,” he replied quietly, knowing that couldn’t be the correct answer.
“Look higher, Navid; you are looking with your head, not your heart.”
“Heart?” No way, not happening, Navid thought, I’m not looking; he was terrified at what he might see. For five hundred years, the Family watched the night sky for a sign from God that the Messiah had come. Surely that couldn’t be what his grandfather meant. Navid stood frozen for what felt like an eternity, but he could not force himself to look up.
Then, finally, his grandfather stepped close to him, and with great tenderness, he placed his hand under Navid’s chin and pushed his head up, pointing his eyes directly at a distant star.
“It could be anything,” Navid said. “There could be a distant fire, and this is its reflection. The light could be a comet burning its path across the night sky, or it could be any number of other things.”
“It could be,” Fardad said softly,” but look with your inner eye. We have watched it for two hours now. Look at its size; look at its color and brilliance. Plus, it is locked in place; it has not moved in all this time.”
Jahan broke in, “We are the watchers, Navid; for hundreds of years, we have studied the stars and the heavens, just as you have for the past eight years. We have cataloged everything we have ever seen. We have seen comets and their tails; great stars appear or wink out; we understand normal things to the heavenly realms. Yet, we have never seen an anomaly like this. So what does your heart tell you it is, Navid?”
Navid’s mouth was so dry, his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. He could not speak. Around him, the elders stood in silence. It had to be unanimous; he knew that. They waited for Navid to speak, to give the final confirmation of what they already knew. “It’s ‘possibly’ the sign for which we have long waited. The coming of the Messiah.” They all knew the prophecy of Balaam, recorded in the book of Numbers, “A star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel.” In Isaiah, they read, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” These men knew the prophecies.
Grandfather stepped close again, put his hand behind Navid’s neck, and kissed him once on each cheek and forehead. Tears were streaming unashamedly down Fardad’s face. Jahan, the size of a full-grown bear, also stepped close and embraced Navid; it was like being in a vise. Navid thought at least two of his ribs cracked.
Rahim spoke, “It is late, and there’s much to discuss. So I suggest we retire, rest for a while, and meet again in the morning. These old bones don’t much care for this night air.”
With that, everyone left the roof, but Navid told them he would stay for a while and watch with Utana. After a few moments, Utana and Navid were alone on the rooftop and were both staring at the new star; it was unlike anything they had ever seen. They stood in silence for a while, and Navid broke the silence, “You know what this means, don’t you?”
“That our world is about to get turned upside down and changed forever. That all that we have planned and dreamed is about to be irrevocably altered. The Council of Elders will meet in a few hours and determine the fate of every man, woman, and child in the Family. Yesterday afternoon, it all seemed easy and clear to me, and now I feel empty and terrified.” Utana’s voice cracked, and tears ran down his face.
Navid stood with Utana for a while, both of them fixated as they watched the ‘anomaly’ in the sky. Finally, Navid reached over and gently squeezed Utana’s arm. “This is no time for despair, my friend. We have a few hours before the Council meets, so let’s think back through everything we know. Help me prepare for the Council meeting.”
Utana brightened. “Excellent, Navid, excellent. Let’s talk this through,” he said.
Navid began, “Let’s not leave out anything. Who are we? We are the Magi; we call ourselves the Family because we function together as one family. We descended from the Chaldean/Babylonian Magi. There are other Magi in the Persian Empire from Syria and Assyria, but ours is the last of the Chaldean Magi. Our Family possesses the writings of the prophets of Israel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel. The Magi alone, of the Gentile world, have studied all the Hebrew Scriptures, and we worship Jehovah. We have not converted to Judaism. We are secret believers in God; no one outside the Family knows of our beliefs. The Magi believe there is one true God, and He has a plan that includes us, the Gentiles . That plan is the Messiah, as foretold in Scripture, who comes to rule and reign over the world.”
“We also know,” said Utana, “that the Magi are a valued part of the Persian Empire, and the empire is facing a political crisis. Queen Musa is co-ruler with her son King Phraates V. Queen Musa successfully exiled the children of King Phraates IV, her husband, and then murdered Phraates IV and took the throne. The Satraps, the regional governors, are convinced that Queen Musa has married her son, and revolt is in the air. The Persian ruling class can accept murder but cannot bear incest in the Royal family.”
“Excellent Utana,” said Navid, “in keeping with that thought. The Magi—versed in military tactics and strategy, literature, history, mathematics, philosophy, astronomy, and astrology—have been the military trainers and educators of Persian Royalty for hundreds of years. The contact with the ruling elites gives us influence and power within the empire. In addition, we select and train the Queen’s guard, the Immortals, in one of the most relentless and grueling training camps ever known. There is one way into the training camp, selection by the Magi, and two ways out—success or death. Our friendship with the Satraps and the military puts the Magi in a unique political position. Our influence will significantly impact whether the military leaders stand with the Queen and King or join the Satraps in open revolt. The Satraps are powerful, but unless they can convince the military leaders to join them, there will be no revolt.”
“Also,” continued Utana, truly getting into the spirit of the exercise, “we alone have a unique recording of history for the past 750 years. We had members on both sides of every political struggle. We recorded the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel, and we participated in the armies that carried out the judgments they prophesied. The Family’s scrolls contain all of this knowledge. The judgments against Israel and Judah, judgments against Philistia, Edom, Syria, Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Ammon, and Moab are all recorded in the scrolls . Then the redemption of Israel from Babylonian captivity by Cyrus, King of Persia, as foretold by Isaiah. And now, after all these years, we have witnessed the fulfillment of the last prophecy, the coming of the Messiah . We will be a part of writing the last scroll.”
“Utana, your input has been invaluable. I can’t think of any other pertinent facts, can you?” Utana shook his head no. “That leaves us with a response.” Said Navid, “What should the Family do now? I see only two possible responses.”
“Actually, three,” responded Utana, “send a delegation, send the Family, or send no one.”
“I accept that in theory there are three potential responses, but the Council would not countenance sending no one. I feel I can make an excellent argument for sending a representative. The single greatest argument for sending a representative is the safety of the Family. There is no doubt in my mind that when the Queen finds out the Magi Family is traveling by caravan to Israel, she will send the Immortals to stop us. Some of us may survive, but undoubtedly she will have to make a strong statement about what happens to those who disobey her.”
“I’m beginning to see your point,” Utana replied, his face drawn with worry, “and on the other hand, if we successfully make it to Israel, we have no idea how we will be received by either the current leadership or the Messiah. We are Gentiles; we are not Jews. We think we know what Scripture says, but what if we are wrong? We would be walking into a death trap. You are right, Navid; there is only one sensible choice. You must convince the Council to send a representative.”
As Utana finished speaking, the first rays of morning peaked over the mountains to their east. “Wish me well, Utana. I will work to convince the Council, but as you know, I will be up against both my grandfather and father. The Council meeting will be the hardest battle I have ever faced. After you have rested, go and talk to the Scouts, as we discussed yesterday.”
“No time for rest, brother. I am heading to the corral immediately. I am going to do more than take an opinion poll. I am going to rally support. The Scouts will stand with you; you can count on that.”
Navid and Utana grasped each other’s right forearms in a sign of respect and agreement, and Navid descended from the roof.


Scene 3 The Council

As he descended the ladder from the roof, Navid heard the sounds of the household beginning to stir with the coming of the dawn. On the roof, he did not smell the change in the air or hear the first calls of the animals as they greeted the sun. But despite his state of distraction, there was one thing that no 18-year-old male’s subconscious is capable of blocking out, and that is the smell of food cooking. The smell of bread in the oven and goat stew on the hearth brought Navid back to this world and banished all thoughts of the potential Apocalypse to come. Ponderings concerning the Council could wait until after eating. He went down to the kitchen; his mother, Asha, and her household maid, Gul, were cooking.
Fahnik, his sister, one year older than him, came into the house after her morning trip to the well. She wore her winter robe, lined with pure-white lamb fleece, which outlined her tanned face. She had a prominent nose, but not disproportionate, that she needed to counterbalance her large, soft, almost-black eyes. Her skin shone with the health of youth and a good diet, and as always, a smile creased her perpetually joyful face. She was not frivolous or foolish; she could not hide the peace and love she felt for the Family, even if she tried. As Navid looked at her this morning, he was amazed, as always, at how much she resembled Asha, their mother, with each passing year. Some man, and he had a good idea who, would be lucky to have her as his wife. But this morning, Navid felt a tug of fear as he looked at her and thought about how the decisions made this morning would impact her life forever.
Pari, Navid’s sister, two years younger than him, was already on her eating mat. She was as beautiful as their mother, but a congenital disability had impacted her. She was born with withered legs and had never walked. Her inactivity caused her to be painfully thin, her skin almost transparent, and the gauntness of her face made her eyes appear even more prominent than Fahnik’s. Navid loved Pari and felt responsible for her. He never heard her complain or compare her life to anyone else’s. She accepted her condition as the will of God and believed she was unique, and God had chosen her for some specific reason. She knew and memorized more scripture than anyone in the Family. Her faith and her prayer life astounded and mystified him. She may not have been angry with God, but Navid certainly was.
Why would God impose such a horrible disability on one so pure and loving, on one who loved Him so much? It made no sense to Navid, and it distorted his view of God and his relationship with Him. Her disability also affected Navid another way; he was two years past the age he should have married. Yes, he knew the woman he would marry and was very attracted to her, but Navid could not bring himself to abandon Pari. After the decisions of the Council today, Navid would more than likely have to address his betrothed much sooner than he wanted to.
Sitting next to Pari on his eating mat sat Tiz, who is a mystery to the family. His mother came to the Family compound twenty-two years ago. She wandered in after a snowstorm near death. She was pregnant when she came and went into labor shortly after she arrived. She was too weak to survive labor, but Tiz survived. No one knew where she came from or anything else about her. A childless woman agreed to raise Tiz, and he became a part of the Magi Family. Tiz’s adopted parents both died a few years ago, and now he lives alone. He was six feet tall, four years older than Navid, and built like a young god with broad shoulders, narrow hips, and legs with corded muscles. He was one of the finest warriors in the Magi Family, but his heart wasn’t in it. Yes, he enjoyed wrestling with the other young men, not that it was optional, and he loved his time in the field with the Scouts, but these were not his first loves. He was gentle, quiet, and kind, and with either a paintbrush or clay in his hands, he could create sheer magic. His hands were large, perfect for handling weapons. Still, his fingers were long and thin and perfectly suited to creating small delicate details when painting or when sculpting animals so lifelike you expected them to breathe. After Pari was born, it appeared Tiz found his true purpose in life. Tiz became inseparable from Pari after she turned two. That is when it became apparent she would never walk. Tiz was there every day for every activity.
When Tiz began to help with Pari, their father became concerned, and he and Tiz talked at length about his involvement with her. Tiz convinced Jahan that he was drawn to her by her gentle nature and her need for physical assistance. Tiz argued that as Pari grew, it would be increasingly difficult for Asha and the other women to carry her and care for her. Tiz pleaded with Jahan to let him help and devote himself to her care. Unheard of, no one had ever experienced this type of relationship before. Jahan relented and told Tiz we would see how it went; that was fourteen years ago, and the relationship between Tiz and Pari grew stronger and closer each year. Tiz knew there would be obstacles he would have to overcome to assist Pari fully, but he diligently pursued solutions.
Preserving Pari’s and the other women’s modesty was the first thing to be solved. So he fashioned a hood for himself made of thick material that allowed him to see some amount of light but no details, and he trained himself to walk wearing the hood and to do other simple tasks, such as tying and untying strings. Then, when ready, he showed the hood to Jahan and explained what he intended. Jahan was delighted. By wearing the hood, Tiz could take Pari to the women’s areas in the morning, and he could also carry her to the bath and help her undo the fasteners on her robe. From that point on, Jahan had absolute confidence in Tiz, and Tiz and Pari were inseparable.
Only one event terrified the family, when Pari was eight and Tiz was fourteen. Tiz took her to the sports field where the children played and practiced athletic events; although she couldn’t participate, Pari loved watching the other children play. Tiz set her in the shade of a few trees by the field and left her for an hour while he practiced with the scout squadron. When Tiz returned to the area, he saw Pari surrounded by three boys, taunting her and kicking dust on her. One boy, holding a rock, kept feinting as if he would throw it at her. With the speed of one trained to combat, Tiz pounced on the boys so fast they could not escape. He grabbed one boy by the nape of his neck and lifted him, and with his right hand, he grabbed the boy with the rock by his arm and lifted him. Then, as if he were swinging two feather dusters, he smashed the two boys together with such force he knocked the wind out of both of them. Pari cried, terrified by both the boys’ action and the ferocity of Tiz’s attack.
Men close by saw Tiz attack the boys and rushed to their assistance, including the father of one of the boys. By the time they reached the group, Tiz had placed the two boys on the ground and tended to Pari. The father of one of the boys screamed at Tiz, and the situation escalated until cooler heads prevailed and convinced the boys’ father to bring charges against Tiz with the elders and let them adjudicate the affair. The next day, Tiz appeared before Fardad, the head elder of the Family, and his accuser presented evidence against Tiz. Pari also gave testimony and explained the events leading up to Tiz’s actions. Fardad ruled that Tiz acted correctly in coming to the defense of Pari but warned Tiz that if he ever took physical action against any of the other children in the future, he would no longer be allowed to care for Pari. There was no subsequent event for two excellent reasons, Tiz would do anything to ensure he would be with Pari, and the children in the Family were terrified of displeasing Tiz.
At almost the same time that Navid arrived in their home’s common area, Jahan also arrived for the morning meal, and they sat on their mats to eat. First, as he did every morning, Jahan prayed about the things God placed on his heart. “Almighty God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, your ways are far from our ways, as far as the east is from the west so far are your ways from our ways. We seek your guidance and will this day as the Council meets to discuss what you have revealed. Bless us and guide us, and bless this food to our bodies. Amen.” Everyone used the freshly made bread to scoop the hot and savory stew from the pot set between them.
No one spoke, not having any idea what to say. Of course, Jahan talked to his wife about what they saw, and she shared it with the girls and Gul when she woke them, and the decisions to be made by the Council this morning weighed heavily on everyone’s mind. Everyone internalized what this would mean to them and to the people they loved. There was nothing to discuss. The Council would meet and decide the fate of the Family.
With the meal finished, Jahan rose and, without a word, looked at Navid and nodded. Navid joined his father, and they walked together to the school, which also contained the Council meeting chamber. The other Council members were there: Kevan and Marzban, Rahim, Ram, and of course, Fardad. Sasan was missing, Jahan’s younger brother. Over the years, Sasan became increasingly attracted to the Magi of the Court in Susa and spent more and more of his time there. He loved the political intrigue and the mystical religions and astrology and was more comfortable with the like-minded Magi of Susa. However, he fell away from the worship of Jehovah and hated his time in Persepolis. His relationship with his brother, Jahan, was strained for years. Sasan, jealous of Jahan’s leadership role and relationship with their father, chose to go to Susa. But there was a quorum, and the Council would proceed without Sasan. They seated themselves on their mats and waited for Fardad to begin.
Fardad called the Council to order, not announcing the purpose of the meeting; it was evident to everyone present. Ram stood and spoke first. “I know we all saw something last night, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to jump too quickly to conclusions. Even if it is a sign, a sign of what …The Messiah? We have waited all these years, and now we have seen a new star to the west, and we immediately want to believe it is the long-awaited sign. So I recommend caution and patience. If it is the Messiah, and if God wants us to help Him, He will get a message to us. It’s too soon; we need to wait and see what develops.” With that, Ram sat down. It was the longest string of words they ever heard from Ram. He spent his whole life with horses and spoke to them readily, but communication with people was rare for him.
Rahim stood. “What we saw last night was no ordinary star, and you know that. Do I believe it is the sign of the Messiah’s arrival? It is possible, but I agree with Ram that this is not the time for haste. We need several more sightings of the star, if that is what it is, to verify its fixed position, and we need to be in prayer for guidance to see what Jehovah would have us do. If it is the sign of the Messiah’s arrival, are we going to Israel to help form His war Council or train His court and officer core? Or are we to stay right here and form a nucleus from which He can launch an assault against Persia? We don’t know nearly enough about His plans or intentions to help Him. At most, I would recommend sending a small delegation to Israel to meet with Him to understand how He wants to use us.”
Sage counsel; well done, Rahim, Navid thought—precisely what he would recommend. Now, when he stood in support of Rahim, he would appear obedient and deferential to his elder, not as if he feared an early total commitment. And with those thoughts buoying his spirits, he rose to speak, but as he did, Fardad raised his hand and motioned him to stay seated. Fardad had never silenced a Council member before. Every member had a right to rise and speak before Fardad weighed all arguments and spoke on an issue. He was about to protest when Fardad rose to speak.
“My friends and brothers, I apologize for not speaking first, but I thank Ram and Rahim for their counsel, and I weighed those same thoughts during the night. Early this morning, about an hour before dawn, when the night seems the longest and our thoughts are the darkest, a man appeared in my chamber. I grabbed my sword, but he held out his hands to show me that he was not armed, and he told me not to be afraid. ‘Fear not,’ he said, ‘for I have been sent to you to explain the Star you have seen.’”
Oh no, oh no, thought Navid. Anything but this. What possible argument could he use against an angel? Rahim’s response had been perfect. Ram and Rahim would have supported him, but an angel of the Lord. Navid shook his head in disbelief.
“‘The Messiah has been born this night in Bethlehem in Judea, and you are to take your Family and go and worship Him.’ I had a thousand questions for him, but he disappeared. My heart hammered in my chest; I could not catch my breath. I must speak to him. There are so many things to decide. We needed answers, but he left. He came, and he left, and he told me all that we need to know.”
Navid felt everything slipping away; his hopes for the future, Leyla, the Satrapy, military, and political leadership. The very existence of the Family was in jeopardy. He was furious, but he held his emotions in check. There would be no way to fight Fardad and his father now.
“We are to go, the entire Family. We are going to worship Him. Worship Him? We worship only God. As He states so often in Scripture, God is one, and we are to worship only Him, but this Angel from the Lord told me we are to go and worship. I cannot understand it or explain it. I also thought about whether to send a delegation or to travel with the Family. I have three concerns; if we send a delegation and Queen Musa finds out, she may punish those who have remained. Secondly, it is a long and dangerous trip, and we have a better chance of surviving if we all go. Lastly, and most importantly, this Family has waited hundreds of years for the coming of the Messiah; everyone has earned the right to see and worship him.” With that, Fardad sat down.
Navid’s worst fear had come true. The whole Family would go unless another council member objected to the plan. He knew he could not take the lead against this plan.
There was a long silence. No one stood to talk. Every Council member thought about how to respond to what Fardad had said? The wizened veteran of many wars and much training, Kevan stood to speak. “I am a simple man. I have known Fardad my whole life, and we have all conjectured how we would respond if the Messiah came. The Angel has said we are to go and worship. I don’t see how we can send a delegation. Fardad is right; the Family must go. We are fortunate in one thing, the court is in Susa for the winter, and both the school and military training camps are closed until the end of winter. We will have, for the next few weeks, our greatest opportunity to leave without discovery. In the future, we will measure everything from today. The day of the Star is day zero, the day the world changed.”
Fardad looked every man in the eye. “Day Zero. Kevan is right; this is the day the world changed. The decision for the Family to go must be unanimous. Do we follow the Lord and go?”
Navid’s heart sank. It was over. No one would speak against the plan. They were blindly marching to their deaths, and only he could see it. All he could do now was fight with everything in him for the Family’s survival. And that is what he would do.
Almost as one, every man stood and saluted Fardad by placing their right fists over their hearts. “We will go,” they all said. Grandfather stood and embraced each one of them and said, “And so we shall.”

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