The Epic, Special Signed Edition

Chapter 1

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~ In memory of Carla and Cecile ~ The Purpose of Death is to release Love Fill the Gap in your Heart With Love for your Self

With love and Affection as a Gesture of Gratitude to You f or sharing this Cinematic Adventure with Me. E njoy the Journey!

The Epic marks a culmination of a series of ‘imaginary’ films that Vermeulen already began directing in the 1980s. While highly cinema-graphic and accompanied by all the characteristics and parapher nalia of blockbusters – magnificent costumes, his sculptures as props, grand settings, noble and evil characters, actors, drama, music, books and photos – they belong to an alter native filmography.

The title and the storyline explore not only the connections between the Ramayana Epic and Shakespeare’s Othello but also Carl Gustav Jung’s concept of archetypes, elemental categories and iconography that unite all peoples. Like all films, the Epic is a collaborative effort between many creative personalities over a long period of time. It stands as a shining example of a mature artist at the peak of his creative abilities.

Bruce Carpenter, Bali, July 2020.

The Narrative Loosely based on Valmiki’s Ramayana and Shakespeare’s Othello, the Epic take place in 2088 in the future megapolis Raksasa Kota. As in the original stories, the cast and visuals of the Epic are populated by animals, humans, gods and demons. Human emotions both good and bad, love, hate, sacrifice, jealousy, nobility, betrayal, murder and hope - twist in tur n in bewildering, sensual and suspenseful plot.

Index

~ The Epic Book ~ Video-Animation Book: A Three Chapter mini series ~ Movie: The Epic Trailer ~ Movie: The Epic Behind The Scenes

The mystery is more Intriguing than the history Episode 1

W

e are time, since we consist of time. Time

determines our existence: when the time is right

we are born, and when the time has passed we die.

Occasionally time plays a game with itself, and events from the past or the future are suddenly visible in parallel universes. Lives intertwine: age, wisdom and understanding become interchangeable, easily allowing children to adopt the roles of adults - and vice versa. That is the gist of this history, which has been observed in one universe from the perspective of another.

It’s the story of a beautiful, other-worldly foundling and an ingenious outsider: a tale of love, hate, envy, ignorance and the inevitability of fate. In short, a history that concerns life itself.

Time Plays a Game with Itself

At Present: from the Past to the Future

I am about to tell you a story. Taking things one

While reading about the history of the star system ,

step at a time, we’ll start with the First Universe ,

I came across incidents from the past and

my Universe, the time in which I lived : Janus Put

connected those with events that had not yet taken

Sawa is my name . I was born in 1744 and lost my

place. I began to understand why history repeats

parents at a young age . For that reason I grew up

itself and why incidents from the past can bear a

with my uncle Rai Put Sawa , a renowned

resemblance to events that have yet to occur.

astronomer.

Obsessed with everything that went on up in the sky, my uncle had built an observatory between the years 1727 and 1734. This comprised a collection of structures that made it possible to make precise astronomical measurements.

At an early age I was already learning everything about the universe, following in my uncle’s footsteps I developed a system for astronomical calculations that enabled me - due to the stable and continuous advance of time - to interpret the future on the basis of the present.

From the earth, I told myself, we see in the heavens stars that became extinct eons ago. When we gaze at the sky, we’re looking back in time ; and in relation to those bygone stars, we are the future .

He fanned the fire that had been slowly extinguished in some stars ages ago Episode 2

S

oon I was surrounded by a group of

called the Brotherhood of the G ood , at others the

followers who listened avidly to my

G ang of Evil. I dressed mainly in white, and my

words. We met frequently and told each

pals tended to wear black . But when the fire of

other about our experiences. I showed my

evil would ignite, I disguised myself in red and

followers their capacities and shared, in turn ,

made myself big.

the hidden wisdom that I had acquired through my profound study of the Universe . I taught them when to be big and strong , and pointed out the moments when it would be best for them to remain small and inconspicuous: Sometimes the situation requires us to recede into the background and anticipate a moment .

When the moment arrives, we appear out of nowhere and strike. With relentless strength we the restore the balance between good and evil .

That’s our mission. At some moments we were

The Teaching once Learned

Our gatherings usually took place at sunrise , around the collection of astrological structures near the harbour of Kota Raksasa , where the tops of the waves glittered like slivers of gold leaf swaying in the wind .

At other times we met each other in the dead of night , in a nearby forest where the air was warm and sultry. Dark outlines formed by monster-like trees seemed to move in the bright moonlight . There we danced and we sang and we cried out along with the animals that came to life at night . Wolves howled with us, and we were drowned out by a chorus of frogs and crickets.

The Secret Gatherings

Life is a game, both rugged and refined. It is beau-

and detailed; and at a certain point I could even

tiful and dirty, unpredictable and contradictory.

reason forward in time.

Beneath the perfect picture lies chaos.

This is how I came across the following love story,

Continual day-to-day choices, confusing and often

a stormy affair that takes place in the year 2088.

irreversible... The machine goes on, and time never

The record of this, written down in classically

stops. It simply races forward. Precisely when you

florid handwriting , begins somewhat puzzlingly,

think you’ve made it and everything seems great,

but soon the words come together to form this

suddenly something happens out of the blue.

compelling tale.

Nothing is etched in stone. A feather, held aloft by the wind, dances and darts about on its currents.

Then all at once a gust comes along: feather gone.

Cast onto the rapids of a river, caught in waves that sweep it away to an unknown future. After these encounters we set off to straighten things out and then vanished into oblivion.

I studied as much as I could, anytime and anywhere. I was learning not necessarily to predict the future but to calculate changes, which I arranged in a systematic order. This allowed me to anticipate what, logically speaking , might take place. My calculations became increasingly precise

The Calculations

Forgive my ceremonious use of language and my old-fashioned-looking handwriting ; this is simply how we spoke and wrote in my time, in my Universe. This story, which takes place in another Universe, has been determined by me on the basis of the positions of the stars. And I say to you, that your choices can counter the supposed obviousness of any moment in an unknown future. There will come a time, however, when those choices too become part of the past, mirrored by the stars in a vast and all- encompassing Universe...

My calculations thus pointed without a doubt to this tale involving Patro the aristocrat with only one name, Rican Cefo Abadan, Kondamnita Sanculpeca, their friends and the dissemblers in what I call the Second Universe.

The Signature of the Storyteller

Loner in a constant state of wonder Episode 3

D

usk descended upon the Asiatic metropolis

He also supported special projects in the city.

of Kota Raksasa, the city of the future, a

Extravagant parties were held by him at

haven where East meets West. The sunset

high-priced locations, but he himself never took

created a palette of colours in the sky. Glass in the

part in them. His life was a solitary one. Nobody in

city’s architecture reflected the setting sun and

the city had ever visited his house. The loner

tinged it with hues ranging from magenta to deep

commanded great respect.

purple. It was the hour when day people vanished

His fame was so considerable, among the rich as

from the streets and the night folks emerged.

well as the poor, that he had little to fear at this

Patro, the man known in Raksasa as the aristocrat

moment of the day. Should anyone dare to harass

with only one name, took a daily stroll.

him, that person risked being cornered by

Occasionally he would wander through the forest

admirers who could be found in every level of

that surrounded the city, but this time he opted to

society. The nightly riffraff moved aside for him

follow a route through the city’s poorest

and muttered as they watched him pass.

neighbourhoods. Little was known about him.

People had no idea where this loner came from or how he had acquired his wealth. He had gained a reputation as the mysterious philanthropist who made large sums of money available to the poor.

The Nightly Riffraff

Patro sought calm in the desolate industrial zone near the backstreet district. Dilapidated machines in the abandoned warehouses reminded him of the industrial age, when small-scale workplaces developed into big factories.

Workmen who once bustled back and forth here were now gone. And all that could be heard were the ghostly sounds of animals and insects that had taken over these vacant warehouses.

Patro’s footsteps echoed in the vast expanses, heightening the sense of desolation. Every step resonated in the silence of his thoughts and filled him with inner calm. He had chosen to lead a solitary existence. Serenity suited him: no needless words, no pointless conversations. A simple life; a life free of interaction with restless mankind. Little did he know that this would soon come to an end.

The Beneficent Loner

Suddenly a howl resounded through the space. He could sense a pair of eyes piercing into his back. Slowly he turned and looked over his shoulder. There, on the floor, lay a newborn wolf. Its white fur was shining with the light cast in. Carefully Patro walked over to the timid creature that appeared to be exhausted. The yelping subsided, and two big eyes stared at him. Sparklingly pale eyes that seemed to reflect eternity. That gaze moved him. Cautiously he began to pet the helpless animal. He grumbled agreeably.

Patro tucked the animal under his arm and left the warehouse.

The Disarming Gaze

The sun sets in order to rise again Episode 4

E

very day the sunset offered a spectacle of

All sorts of mysteries unfolded at night. Sounds

colour to the people of Kota Raksasa.

unfamiliar to the ear, silhouettes of passing

Clouds blazed with shades of yellowish

shadows in the moonlight. Fear and fearlessness

orange and dark violet reds.

For Patro, the aristocrat with only one name, it was his favourite time of the day to take a walk.

This time he decided to treat his lungs to clean air in the densely overgrown forest where monkeys, birds and all sorts of other animals welcomed him with a deafening racket. It was never quiet there.

Just as the ‘day people’ would vanish from streets in the city in order to make way for the night folks, the animals that kept things lively during the day lay down to rest while nocturnal animals came to life. Patro enjoyed seeing how dusk extinguished the daylight with a rich variety of colours - how the sky’s glow at sunset gradually became a deep blue in which thousands of stars began to sparkle.

mingled in a ghostly atmosphere of enchantment.

The Daily Stroll

Patro heard a noise that stood out from the choir of tropical sounds. Was it his imagination, or was this an animal that cried like a newborn baby? A cat in distress?

He walked over to the spot where the noise was coming from. It was dark, he could barely see anything. The roots of an enormous banyan tree encompassed a creature as though Mother Earth had just given birth to it. Patro leaned forward and carefully pushed the roots apart. The whining stopped, and two large eyes peered at him. Like those of the young wolf, found in a factory a few days earlier, these eyes seemed to reflect age-old wisdom.

The Beneficent Loner II

Once again he was moved. Patro took off his coat, wrapped the fragile naked creature in the garment and held it in his arms. Exhausted, it closed its eyes; its breathing could hardly be heard. Its little head dropped to one side, and life was on the verge of leaving the frail body.

Carrying the foundling wrapped warmly in his coat, Patro left the forest. As a clap of thunder rang out, the skies opened and dropped buckets of water down on the streets.

With a brisk step Patro headed home.

A Clap of Thunder wouldn’t stop him

My sincere apologies, my friends. I had to interrupt my account of this history for a time, for the circumstances of life cannot always be anticipated , as I myself have experienced. For after all, being occupied with the calculation of passing time and what might happen in the future, even I can become confused about what is happening right now and what has yet to happen . Complications beyond my power obliged me to make this delay, for which I ask you , my friends, for forgiveness. I needed to find clarity about what Universe I myself inhabited. But now I shall proceed, onward , if only due to the fact that I myself will inevitably become entangled in the intrigues and complications of the cursed Second Universe. There, in Kota Raksasa , the international seaport bustling with trade. A place of anchorage , of coming and going... people who perhaps should never have arrived here.

The Apology

Never too late for an early arrival Episode 5

A

big ship had come to the harbour of Kota Raksasa.

Refugees, families and lone travalers disembarked in a city totally foreign to them. Strangers could feel quite

lost here, surrounded by the commotion of cargobeing loaded and unloaded, dockworkers shouting, traffic coming and going, that melting pot of industriousness and swarms of people.

A young man stepped ashore. His clothes were threadbare and full of holes. Traveling light, he had a duffle bag thrown over his shoulder and was firmly clutching a small suitcase to his chest. As the rain poured down at nightfall, he surveyed the surroundings.

Miracles Abide ~ Phenomena Endure

The Arrival

While hastily passing this young man, Patro

travelled past various continents.

nearly knocked him over. The suitcase fell open,

He was convinced that he could make his dream

and dozens of little pieces of equipment

come true in Kota Raksasa, since this was the

scattered across the street. As his words became

city where anything was possible.

louder and sharper, the youth angrily gathered up the instruments.

These were his sole possessions: a collection of peculiar gadgets whose purpose was anything but evident. Not a soul could ever guess that these mysterious objects would soon bring him fame and fortune.

Soaking wet, he sought shelter for the night beneath the city’s arches. Rats and other vermin crept along the walls. Burning here and there were fires where drifters gathered to dry off in the damp tunnels of the metropolis. The boy looked about anxiously, in search of a sheltered spot where he could rest quietly. In his fatigue he failed to notice that he was being followed. It had been a long journey. As a stowaway he had managed to avoid being noticed as the ship

True enough: he had no money, nor had he ever attended university; but he did have a wealth of knowledge at his disposal. Everything he knew was based on life experience and on a capacity for keen observation. He had a talent for making logical connections among nature’s riches, and he managed to combine mechanics and digital operating systems into instruments that could make life a great deal more pleasant. Wandering about from one refuse depot to another, he collected materials for his inventions, and with his workmanship he developed, from this industrial waste, a series of devices that needed only to be tested yet.

The Logical Connections among Nature’s Riches

Kota Raksasa struck him as being just the right place for this, as the would find volunteers for testing his experimental equipment. Although he had concer n for mankind and wanted to contribute to the welfare of all with his inventions, he was not apt to trust people. That was the paradoxical aspect of his character: he wanted to serve humanity and yet basically trusted no one at all. Having never known his parents, he grew up among vagabonds.

Because of his determination and will power, his comrades called him Cefo. It was the only name ever given to him.

On the day that he took leave of the trusted drifters, he called out: “Farewell friends! My name is Cefo, Rican Cefo Abadan! I am departing poor, but will be rich on my retur n.”

Tired from the long jour ney, he fell into a deep sleep.

Kota Raksasa ~ the City of the Future

She would never be found on a mortal site Episode 6

O

n returning home Patro requested that his servants draw a warm bath, prepare a room and set up a small

bed in it.

The entire staff had been thrown into confusion but asked no questions. Everyone acted as instructed. Patro insisted that the foundling share a room with the young wolf that he had discovered in the industrial area shortly before. If they would grow up together and be together throughout their entire development from infancy to adulthood, she would have a good friend. While wolves are difficult to tame, they are generally kind to children and more loyal than dogs.

Thrown Unquestionable in Confusion

Patro noticed something special about the wolf cub. Its behaviour was unusual, as if it possessed a supernatural quality, a hypersensitivity to its environment. When it was still blind and deaf, as all newborn wolves are, it seemed to be aware of everything due to heightened intuitive powers that were much stronger than its sense of smell. Its pale blind eyes seemed to reflect a knowledge of the Universe.

The Knowledge of the Universe Reflected

I can tell you now that Patro was right: this wolf was a special creature. The question is, however, whether the animal actually existed. Might Patro have read about the animal in the bestiary, the book on mythical creatures that he had pored over time and again in his library? Perhaps the cub was a product of his imagination, and the powers that he ascribed to the animal were based on his wish to protect the foundling from all the suffering and evil that plagued the world.

Rebirth after Rebirth after Rebirth

Dream and Reality Fade in a Flash

Once the room had been prepared, Patro with-

the wind, faintly giving shape to the words:

drew to his private quarters. That night he had a

“Kondamnita Senculpa!”

remarkable vision.

The forest seemed to be whispering that name to

In a kind of trance, a young woman was making

her.

her way through the breezy forest, followed by a white wolf. The wolf carefully watched every step she took. Trees were forming new buds, and just as she passed them they burst open. It was an amazing sight. She stared ahead with unseeing eyes; it was as though she was gradually waking from a deep sleep, unaware of where she came from or where she was heading.

Everything around her came to life and flourished. She had been born of Mother Earth and gave shape to the forest: she was the forest.

Her complete surroundings were born again. Was this an illusion? Improbability verges on the real, creating confusion, like a vision from a dream lingering as sleep slowly gives way to wakeful consciousness. Leaves rustled back and forth in

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek” Episode 7

A

t the top of the mountain, rising up from the earth like a dark shadow south of the city Kota Raksasa, there is an archway in the rock that provides access to a

cave. From the entrance to the cavern, the view of the city is magnificent. It offers a view of the harbour and the waterway, the lifeline that connects the metropolis to the rest of the world. Here one can see how the city developed like a web around the mooring. In the cave it is quiet, except for the flapping of a bird gone astray and an occasional drop of water trickling down along the cool stones. In fact it is so quiet there that one can hear one’s own heartbeat.

Joseph Campbell

The Mind needs that Indisputable Silence

Oneness of an Unusual Kind

My friends, once again I must interrupt my story.

vanished into the depths. The entrance to the cave

For years I have been coming to this place in order

was a gaping pitch-black hole that made all sorts

to concentrate on my astronomical calculations

of fantasies lurk in one’s mind: what could one

and to give the calculated facts a place in time.

expect to find in there?

Since I have been occupied with this love story, the scenic view from the cave across the rivers and woods surrounding the mountain seems to have given way to the gradually rising architecture of Kota Raksasa. Each time I visited the cave, new buildings had appeared as the city grew into a veritable metropolis.

It confused me. As if the dimensions in which I existed had shifted, as if I were traveling from one Universe to another.

I let out a heavy sigh and could hear my breathing reverberate against the granite walls. I could spend hours here. My thoughts vanished in the immense void brought about by the silence in my mind.

Reaching the cave was difficult. The path that led to it was perilous. A narrow ledge with little footing ; stone crumbled with every step and

Whenever I spent time there I would be overwhelmed

Isn’t the unknown synonymous with what we refer to

by remarkable visions. Apparitions that far surpassed

as a deity? At birth we have no knowledge of where we

anything that I could read in the stars. Demons,

came from; when we die we don’t understand where we

mythological animals, all sorts of things passed in

are going. There are speculations about this, but what

review. It didn’t upset me, though; I just sat there, not

use are these? What really matters is the road that lies

moving a muscle, for hours on end. It seemed as though

between the two. Conjecture and assumption lead only

my astronomical calculations touched on a deeper

to a path of misery, to expectations, illusions,

level in this cave. In my observations I kept on coming

disappointments, delusions and other such absurdities.

across new mysteries of the universe. As soon as I thought I had found an answer, another question would arise. It didn’t matter how deeply I delved into the subject matter; time and again I would get tangled up in in new mysteries… there was no end to the unknown. It simply kept on shifting in a perpetual movement. My single-mindedness in wanting to fathom everything sometimes led to months of brooding.

My friends, it was awful, from the unknown there was nothing to gain but more mystery. Eventually I began calling the unknown Nothing, the Non-Material, Nothingness. The more I came to know, the more I realized how limited my knowledge was. The unknown verged, in my view, on the divine:

Where are those Deities?

From the beginning to the end , all is puzzling and mysterious.

One big adventure full of wonder. If we could look back at the whole of it , from the end back to the beginning , life would be less mysterious and it would become clear to us that everything happens for a reason . A lack of knowledge allows for neutrality. In the unknown there is no distinction between one thing and another. As soon as we begin to make distinctions, divisions arise; these can even lead to intolerance. How many wars have been fought because of this? Is it not divine to know absolutely nothing , to have no urge to understand anything , and thus to have no desire at all for answers anymore? To live at rock bottom , from one moment to the next , profoundly united with ignorance?

The Unknown revealed more Mystery

Demons created by fear Episode 8

D

uring one of the moments that I spent in

could have shot off a cannon next to my head . I

the mountain-top cave south of the sea-

simply just sat there , and it seemed an eternity

port Kota Raksasa , I had a vision that I

before I came around . I knew that throughout my

would like to share with you . Droplets trickled

life I would follow, in my timeless obser vation , the

down along the walls of the cave and pattered onto

woman whom I had seen in my vision and support

its floor. In the over whelming silence , the spatters

her whenever I could . After all , I had transcended

sounded like sledgehammer blows. And yet nothing

time and was able to interpret it across the

bothered me . I was in another world , another

centuries. In this dream the seed of a lasting trust

Universe . My corporality had given way to another

had been planted ; unconditional loyalty was

manifestation . The image that I saw embodied the

established . My vision in the cave made me realize

duality of the masculine and the feminine elements

that I would take this woman under my wing. I

in me . The more deeply I experienced what was go-

would take on the demons that tormented her, the

ing on , the more that duality transformed into a

evil spirits that threatened her. This woman was

perfect balance . Neither man nor woman , and yet

pure innocence . Nothing could be allowed to taint

both man and woman . In the beginning I shifted

that . My followers and I would take harsh

back and forth between the two in my imagination ,

measures if anything were to happen to her.

but little by little this fluctuation subsided .

A stray bird flew past my head , just missing it , but I was completely absorbed in my illusion . Someone

Oneness of an Unusual Kind

Breaking even with devils and demons Episode 9

T

he forest, where Patro so often enjoyed the

with all our hearts, so genuinely that the forest was

sunset in silence , was now alive with

transformed into a nocturnal amusement park,

celebration. Things were getting rowdy, in

illuminated by twinkling stars and the moon’s

contrast to the atmosphere at dusk. With my pals I

bright light slashing through branches. For now,

danced away in the dead of night. Noise galore . We

this was no place for tormentors. It was time for

sang and jumped . Crickets chirped , frogs croaked ,

wild pandemonium . We had quite some share of it.

wolves howled , bats squeaked , owls screeched : the

This wasn’t necessarily a matter of bravura, but

entire forest was in a state of commotion . We

more a triumph over anxieties that could lead to

shouted away our fright, our demons. Everyone has

agonizing panic.

ideas about what kinds of things wander about in these dark, ghostly woods and what might be

With every full moon we congregated in the woods

creeping through the undergrowth . Such go from

and celebrated our release from all oppression and

bad to worse when they have free rein . Devils,

doom . We gathered the strength and energy to

demons and tormenting spirits come instantly to

combat all the city’s wrongs and to prevent as

life in fantasies. Before long , they are : Beelzebub,

many as possible in the future. After all, I could

Lucifer, Mephisto, each a prince of darkness arising

read the stars and was able to predict many things

from deeply rooted fear.

that would happen.

Together we warded off evil and celebrated good

The Light in the Dark

Time and Space are Extendable and Retractable

My friends, even though I was evidently not tied to

That ’s how it went sometimes: just when I thought

space or time, and could move freely from one

I had everything under control, I lost sight of the

Universe to another, I appeared to be unable to

whole. A greater power: destiny cannot be

change certain circumstances. My painstaking

meddled with .

calculations and my intuition were not always infallible, and my actions were not always sufficiently bold . At times I lingered in the First Universe and had to witness, in silent resignation , what went on in the Second Universe.

Or I encountered cases that had unprecedented significance and purpose ; and unavoidable incidents occurred . That ’s when things were not as they appeared to be. This made me feel powerless, since I had witnessed something that I could not interpret or influence. Fate took command . Any shift or intervention would have resulted in yet a larger series of ill-fated consequences and cause precisely that which I was attempting to prevent.

No rules when innovation is in progress Episode 10

O

n the day that Cefo had arrived in Kota

him a discreet helping hand. The armed servant

Raksasa as a stowaway, he had been

had followed Cefo to his shelter and was

knocked over by Patro, the aristocrat with

watching over the exhausted boy there. The city’s

only one name, who was rushing home in the

underground world was not without danger.

pouring rain with the just- discovered foundling in

Rumour had it that people were killed there for a

his arms.

mere quarter.

“Sorry, my friend, I shall send someone to help you...,” Patro called out. The creature, on the verge of dying, was wrapped in his coat.

After Cefo had gathered up his collection of mysterious instruments, he checked to see if anything was damaged and dried off each one carefully. Then he set out to find a dry spot in the city’s subterranean foundations.

Patro was concerned about the fate of the poor soul, whom he had left behind on the ground in his haste. He had sent one of his servants to lend

That Guardian Angel could be the Devil Himself

Cefo woke up early the next morning. With tired eyes he peered at the servant, who gave him a friendly smile and offered him bread and water. Fearfully Cefo clutched onto his suitcase. The gentle gaze of the man reassured him somewhat. Cefo was famished and scarcely had the strength to resist, so his anxiety soon gave way to an acceptance of the well-meant gesture. Eagerly he began to eat and drink. The man invited him to come along with him, with the apology that his boss had probably caused him some troubles and wanted to make up for any damage done.

An Encounter with mixed Feelings

Although Patro hardly ever received people at his home, Cefo was welcomed as a worthy guest, and he was offered a warm bath.

The house was furnished in an austere manner, yet with a great deal of taste and style. The early morning sun shone in through the windows above the staircase in the foyer, dancing like sunlight on ocean waves. In the warm bath his shoulders were massaged. Soothing oils flowed over his body. He was presented with bowls of fruit and salty lassi.

Gradually Cefo found calm after his exhausting journey.

From Poverty to Indulgence

His rags were replaced with stylish, yet plain clothes. Cefo wondered who this very hospitable benefactor was. For a long time that remained a mystery. Days went by as Cefo enjoyed thecarefree serenity. The sweet smell of incense and flowers surrounded him. Every day fresh fruit and delicious meals were brought to his room. His life had never been so simple. He was resigned to the poverty that he knew.

The Transformation

With old timepieces and all sorts of industrial

him. The monkeys were like family to him and

scraps, he had developed mechanical objects that

wandered about freely in the laboratory. He called

could help people. That had been his aim in life.

them his innovation army.

Now that he was being provided with peace and quiet, he took the time to repair his damaged instruments.

On the eighth day he was invited to have lunch in one of the house’s many rooms. Facing him from the other end of the table was his benefactor: Patro, the aristocrat with only one name.

Patro listened closely to Cefo, who told him about his vibrating devices, and after a long silence he came straight to the point: “A laboratory in town, not far from here, awaits you. My servants are yours.” And then he stood up and left the room.

Since then Cefo has been working day and night in his laboratory on the refinement of his instruments and tried them out on monkeys before he would implant them in humans. Harmless experiments that posed little risk to the monkeys.

He liked his monkeys, and they were very fond of

When the Tronics hit the Eye

The atmosphere in the laboratory was a cheerful one.

Computers made all sorts of sounds, and monkeys jumped all over the place. Some of them had been found, nearly dead, out on the street or in the forest. Cefo would rescue them and implant an appropriate model. By adjusting the resonance, according to indications on the computer that was wirelessly connected to the implanted device, the critically ill monkey was revived within an hour. The innovation army danced around the recovering monkey, since they too had once been brought into the laboratory in a similar condition.

The Device can only reach Perfection when it’s always Under Construction

Wonder is the source of her wisdom Episode 11

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atro raised the foundling as if the child had

then in another. Good cannot exist without evil;

been his own. As far as anyone knew,

the two stem from the same seed.

Patro wasn’t married, he was solitary man, a

Kondamnita thus grew up in a sheltered,

loner who preferred to stay out of sight.

somewhat isolated environment. Patro educated

He was struck by the innocence of this creature

the child, for the most part, on his own. Although

who seemed to be born of Mother Earth. After

Patro received no visitors, he did welcome some

his vision, he knew: he would call her

teachers on a weekly basis, but they had access

Kondamnita Senculpa, after the sound of leaves

only to a classroom

that he heard rustling during this dream.

specially furnished with books, anatomical

Kondamnita was an extremely sensitive, high-

models, globes and maps of the universe. The

strung and very intelligent child.

rest of the house was off-limits to all.

Patro introduced her to the study of philosophy and practiced martial arts with her. He taught her about the beauty of art and showed her how ugliness could also be beautiful. He told her that opposites had the same origins, and that these would sometimes lean more in one direction and

The Room of Knowledge

Kondamnita knew no one her age and had no friends. Her teachers acquainted her with the outside world. Curious by nature, she began to ask more and more questions. Now and then she would spend hours peering out the window at a world that was totally foreign to her. Patro wanted to protect his daughter from that world full of conflict and danger.

And, as is often the case when someone is being shielded from society: the protected person only becomes more curious about everything going on out there.

Let Me Be the One to Extinguish the Fire within You

In the early years Patro would remain in the

stronger and the body livelier. Within the body

same room where his daughter was being

this gave rise to a concert of tones in a range of

educated. As she grew older, he began to

frequencies. Cells would develop new cells in

withdraw to his library during these lessons.

response to the music being emitted from that

The physicist, in particular, was rather talkative

little instrument. Monkeys, people, mice and

and would go on at length about things that

other animals that had given up long before

happened in town. Kondamnita asked him an

could be seen regenerating. That young man,

increasing number of questions which ultimately

Cefo as he was called, was a genius.

had little to do with physics. Excitably, the physicist told her about a young man who had once arrived in Kota Raksasa as a stowaway. He was about thirteen years older than Kondamnita, and his name was Cefo: Rican Cefo Abadan.

With his inventions he helped sick people. He had developed a technique involving implanted instruments that emitted vibrations; these would resonate through the body’s cells. Then the cells responded with a signal. When that signal was too weak, the instrument would send strong vibrations to the cells, which in tur n began to oscillate more intensely. Due to this resonance being sent back and forth, the cells became

The Resonating Invention

The technique that he used was so simple that it was incomprehensible that no one had come up with the idea before this. He placed a little orchestra in the body and let all of its cells dance until one big party was taking place.

The physicist told about Patro being impressed with young Cefo’s technique, and about his consequent offer of a laboratory where Cefo would be able to refine it.

One day Kondamnita couldn’t resist the urge to open the window and listen to the noise out on the street.

Open the Doors to the Unknown

Unity as a matter of faith Episode 12

U

nexpectedly Patro received word that he

proposed that they venture out of the house. He

was to return to his home country.

would arrange a meeting with Cefo. Nervously,

Mysterious matters needed to be sorted

Kondamnita consented to this. She had never left

out, and Patro was the only person who had the

the building and didn’t want to cause her father

authority to set things straight. The bad news

any distress. The physicist convinced her that

took him by surprise. Initially he considered

Patro never forbade her to leave the house. He

taking his daughter along, but the journey would

had simply never opened the door for her. Patro

not be without danger. Things were risky. Relying

would certainly have no objection to her meeting

on the company of teachers and scientists whom

Cefo; the young man was, after all, no stranger.

he had brought together around his daughter, he

With tense anticipation she watched her teacher

decided not to take her with him. Meanwhile,

open the front door. Now she would be faced

Kondamnita was becoming increasingly

with that big unknown world that had always

impressed with the stories about Cefo, the

remained beyond her limited field of vision.

amazing inventor and researcher. Her empathy and compassion grew as she longed to meet this young man. One day the talkative physicist

The Mystery of the Unknown

The meeting with Cefo was indescribable. It was as if the two souls became one. They spoke with each other for hours, then days and nights. Cefo liberated her from her isolation and allowed her to see life’s magnificence from all sorts of perspectives. Beautiful, ugly, harsh and relentless. With pain in her heart she understood the love that Patro had given her. She also saw that his protection had deprived her of real life. Cefo was now handing her a mirror in which she had never looked.

As much as she did love Patro, the time had come for her to think of herself and to take leave of the man who had meant so very much to her.

Magic on First Sight needs to be Unfolded

Kondamnita and Cefo decided to marry in secret.

It was her most prized possession, the highly

She would never return to the house where she

refined deer symbolizing her husband’s love.

had grown up.

A symbol of longevity, happiness, peace and

Cefo had a beautiful silk gown made for

harmony.

Kondamnita in China, where the loveliest and costliest silk came from. On the solemn day, he presented her with a silk handkerchief on which a deer had been embroidered in gold. A veritable work of art, likewise handmade in China. The deer was carried out with so much detail that one kept on discovering more mysteries in it each time one looked at it. If one looked at it long enough, it was possible to make out figures on its back. The antlers displayed mysterious shapes as well. Anyone could spend hours looking at the deer, discovering something new each time as mysteries were unveiled in the process. Every aspect offered a new approach to a story. Kondamnita would always keep the handkerchief with her.

When Two Appear to be One

“A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing” Episode 13

C

efo had the use of a wonderfully equipped laboratory and received financial support

from Patro. Throughout the space he had

set up his strange devices, large and small, that displayed mysterious gauges. He had spent months organizing and equipping his workplace.

The functions of these machines were anything but self-evident. Pipes blew off steam now and then. Sparks went off all over the place.

Cefo had created a workshop for tuning his instruments. All sorts of whistling, buzzing and ticking could be heard there: an uncoordinated harmony of sounds caused by hot boilers and spinning gears.

Oscar Wilde

To be Seen or not to be Seen can lead to a Terrible Mistake

Diabloso Plori had been hired by Patro to assist in the laboratory. One day Cefo showed Diabloso the skull of a recently deceased monkey who had reached a ripe old age.

“So you keep all the skulls of your monkeys when they kick the bucket. What good are those empty monkey heads?”

Diabloso sneered. Cefo responded animatedly: “Don’t you understand? That gives the souls a place to inhabit!”

Cefo had only warm feelings for his army of monkeys and payed tribute to them for years after they died. He was so passionate about this that he scarcely noticed that his assistant was poking fun at him. Diabloso sniggered and walked off muttering. “Dead is dead. What kind of soul would be looking for a house to live in? After all, they’ve got no arms or legs anymore?”

The Planting of Falsehoods

Diabloso wasn’t exactly the ideal assistant. He

considerate behaviour, Cefo suggested that he

showed little commitment. Patro had forced him

come and work with him.

to take this job. Actually he just loafed around

The next day he hired Marko as his personal

and let Potenca Trompi, a somewhat slow-witted

assistant and Diabloso was made responsible for

servant from Patro’s household staff, do all the

keeping the laboratory clean. Marko was richly

work. Diabloso contributed little as far as the

rewarded with a salary that amounted to nearly

experiments were concer ned. These were of no

twice that given to Diabloso for his services.

interest at all to him, and Potenca had no

This did not sit well with Diabloso. Seething with

understanding of what went on in the laboratory.

rage, he snarled: “Who does that brat think he

Unquestioningly, he simply carried out the

is? Just wait… I’ll teach him a lesson or two!”

orders given by Diabloso. Thinking wasn’t his forte.

One day a good-looking young man came to the laboratory with an ailing monkey. He was concer ned about the animal’s condition and feared that it might not survive. His name: Marko Bonsanca. Cefo attended to the sick creature, and Marko proved to be very helpful in the process. Diabloso had taken off, leaving the mess to Potenca, who had no idea what to do.

Marko, who genuinely loved animals, seemed to speak their language. Impressed by this

Swirling Frequencies

My friends, I must say, that events, when seen from a distance, often seem futile or irrelevant. Gazing, analyzing and calculating from one universe to another, I initially regarded Diabloso’s jealous anger as that of a spoiled child not getting his way. But the more precisely I began to check my calculations in detail, that very distance soon allowed me to see that his gusts of jealousy would develop into a pitch-black tempest of unprecedented proportions.

A Pitch-Black Tempest of Unprecedented Proportions

B etter to find the similarities than to fight the differences Episode 14

W

orn out, Patro returned from the trip

But when someone adds his emotions and ideas

to his home country, where political

to this, that balance immediately shifts; this

upheaval reigned. One party blamed the

easily gives rise to misunderstandings, which can

other for wrongs, and vice versa. The dispute had

then get out of hand. Everyone starts making

reached such a pitch that the country was on the

points in more extreme terms, and ultimately the

verge of civil war.

groups are so far removed from each other that

Patro called for a meeting of the two group’s

unity seems impossible.

leaders and explained to them that there was no

Patro was a charismatic man who had great

such thing as extremes. Everything hovers around

powers of persuasion. He managed to bring the

a centre, where the origin of the subject is

parties back to the moment at which they had

nothingness in a state of calm. At that point of

lost sight of each other. Then he asked them what

balance there are no differences. Due to outlooks

their reason was for choosing a direction that

on life and experience, some lean toward the

went beyond their original view... Dead silence.

right and others more to the left. As long as there

Patro broke that silence by asking them: “Are you

is mutual respect, everything can be interpreted

able to discover your similarities, rather than

differently, even though things continue to hover.

oppose each other’s differences? The latter leads

That keeps life interesting. After all, the subject

only to unreasonableness.”

has one and the same source. It is objective...

Never a Moment to Still the Mind

Patro’s wise words had led to peace in his country. He had managed to unite his people. Difficulties were resolved, conflicts settled. He did not take sides; on the contrary, through the application of simple logic, he merely the mysteries that had led to misunderstandings.

On his return home, Patro found his daughter’s bed unslept in, and books in the study were covered in a layer of dust.

Since he left a month ago, Kondamnita had not been there.

His staff informed him that they hadn’t seen Kondamnita since his departure. Emotions got the better of him… betrayal, deception, lies, that thankless child! He was a master of objective observation, but (as often happens among highly skilled statesmen) on being personally affected by fate, any form of logic goes down the drain in a storm of uncontrollable thoughts. Reason makes strange moves. Patro tormented himself with aimless mood swings.

The One you Trust the Most might not always be a Reliable Source

He sent for Diabloso, his trusted servant. Diabloso explained that youths reach an age when they develop a curiosity about their environment and the opposite sex. “You’ve always wanted to protect her. Let her go. She’s a grown-up woman now. You’ve given her the best upbringing. Lessons in life and a solid education. I’ve heard that she’s secretly married to Cefo. A desirable match. An inventor whom you support because of his creations that serve humanity. Perhaps it comes across as a betrayal that they’ve married in secret.

Ah, my dear Patro, they’re young and in love and make impulsive decisions. You were away for an indefinite period.

With all the dangers in your country, it wasn’t even certain that you would return safely from this dangerous mission.

After all, that’s why you left your daughter at home.”

Patro lost his patience. “Let Cefo prove that he’s worthy of my daughter”. He demanded that Cefo throw a knife to an apple on Kondamnita’s head. Diabloso sniggered to himself at the thought. He had Patro precisely where he wanted him.

Piercing Confusion

Actually, dear friends, the encounter was held in the architectonic astrological structure built centuries ago by my uncle Rai Put Sawa.

Cefo had little desire to prove himself. What a senseless contest! But, as he happened to be a master knife-thrower, he split the apple in one throw without hurting Kondamnita.

Patro could hardly accept his defeat: “A woman who marries in secret can never be trusted!” Cefo replied curtly, with some degree of irritation: “A father who puts his daughter in such danger can never be the real father!” Now Cefo had touched on a sensitive issue.

A Doubtful Initiation

‘Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none’ William Shakespeare

Episode 15

A

s if things hadn’t been bad enough. That

Cefo had grown up as a street kid and knew

remark about his not being a real father

every trick in the book. Knives, swords,

had really rankled Patro. He challenged

daggers, it made no difference: he could do

Cefo to a duel, Kota Raksasa’s traditional

thousands of moves. Patro was a politician; he

‘scratch’ duel held at full moon. The first to

didn’t stand a chance. The fight was over in less

suffer a scrape loses. The evening was planned

than a minute.

at the same location where, previously, the apple on Kondamnita’s head had been split: at the ancient observatory. Kondamnita knew nothing about this duel. Her maid, Laborista Respondea, was the sole witness and wanted to be certain that the man-to-man fight ended well.

The full moon was bright and big. Cefo danced about until its light blinded Patro... In a single stroke he wounded Patro with the razor-sharp knife...and gouged a cut into his chest, right next to his heart.

Daggers of Truth

In his rage Patro exclaimed once again: “A woman who marries in secret can never be trusted!” To this Cefo responded, bowing his head in reverence: “A father who puts his daughter in such danger can never be the real father... But so far he’s been an excellent educator. I hereby attest to my respect for all that you’ve done to raise Kondamnita to be a beautiful and sincere woman!”

The Absurdity of the Second Initiation

Patro froze. He knew that Cefo was right. He had lost himself in blind rage and now realized that Cefo had been brave and honest. He was aware that Kondamnita had reached maturity, that Cefo was a desirable partner for her.

Back when he met him, he had been surprised by his abilities and convinced that he should support him in the development of his instruments. Sooner or later Kondamnita would be leading a life of her own. To keep her to himself would mean turning her into a prisoner.

Patro was a man of few words. Taking Cefo’s hand, he joined it with Kondamnita’s left hand: “The left hand is closer to the heart!”

And by doing so Patro, the aristocrat with only one name, sealed the marriage with his approval. The moon vanished behind the clouds, and peace descended upon the city. A refreshing downpour soothed everyone’s spirits.

Sealed by Heart and Soul

Meanwhile, Diabloso had heard of the victory by which Cefo had won Patro’s confidence. This was not at all what he had in mind. He had to come up with another crafty plan. He knew that Potenca Trompi, the dawdling servant from Patro’s staff, had always had an eye for Kondamnita and could thus be very useful in his double-crossing dealings. Trompi would be generously rewarded for his services and ultimately guaranteed Kondamnita’s hand in marriage. After all, Trompi could easily be deceived and wouldn’t notice what he was being used for; nor would he even realize the impossibility of such promises. His lessthan-keen sense of reality would make him all too easy to manipulate. In his attempts to achieve a highly unrealistic goal, he would make the biggest blunders.

Evil will be Set

After a bad dream, trust can easily be crushed Episode 16

C

efo gained more and more respect and

even sick. They presumed this thing would

authority in the city of Kota Raksasa. With

guarantee them of eternal youth. That’s how it

his instruments he not only healed

goes when an invention becomes popular: the

monkeys; he also saw to it that people in poor health came to have a better life. Pain and physical ailments disappeared, and in the process mental insecurities diminished as well.

People who had long ago given up on themselves were coming back to life again. They referred to Cefo as ‘the dragon’, the symbol of power, strength and happiness in Chinese mythology.

Cefo carefully selected the people whom he wished to support. His supply of devices was still limited. Although production had in-creased, he was not able to keep up with the demand. Stories about the magical effects of his devices spread quickly, and growing numbers of people wanted to have such a clever gadget. Some of them weren’t

tales about it surpass the reality.

A Miraculous Device that Shakes the Physics

Seduced by Temptation

One night Cefo had a dream about a serpent-like

But that vision of the blazing Naga, being totally

dragon going up in flames. It was the Naga,

destroyed: he couldn’t get it out of his mind. He

which warded off evil spirits and guarded sacred

never talked to anyone about it. Even

relics. Cefo felt it was an ominous image and

Kondamnita was unaware of his concern.

wondered what it could mean. His healing

Presuming that pressures at work were getting to

devices were sacred to him, and the results that

him, she advised him to rely more on his lab

he achieved with them were famous among the

assistants, to delegate more responsibilities.

local inhabitants. He feared that his dream was a

Indeed they had already proven their expertise

sign of adversity that might affect him or the

some time ago. A few of them were so inventive

entire city.

that they had markedly improved certain details.

Fear is a bad counselor. Distress about what could happen is often greater than what actually does happen. Cefos activities suffered as a result. His achievements continued to be amazing. His love for his wife grew by the day.

They were happy and lived in a beautiful house.

Many workers were now employed at the laboratory, and countless instruments were being produced. The devices became increasingly refined and achieved better and better results among people who previously had no chances whatsoever.

No doubt, Diabloso too, detected Cefo’s

workshop could be sneaking off with his

restlessness. Just prior to this he had visited a

inventions and ideas. They would be out to

malicious alchemist, requesting that he sow

screw him, implanting the wrong instruments in

doubt and confusion in the heart of ever-

order to do damage to his reputation.

confident Cefo. This alchemist, who had never

His mind was poisoned. As distrust can make a

managed to turn lead into gold, was a vicious,

person turn sour and cause him to carry out

bitter type of person that no one would want to

deeds inconceivable to a sane person, Cefo

have as an opponent. He had been led astray by

unconsciously began to lose his compassion as

the production of very different qualities.

misleading thoughts took hold of his mind.

Chemicals, for instance, that influenced human thought. These would induce delusions that could scarcely be distinguished from reality.

The toxic drug caused Cefo to have nightmares and day-time visions. Under its influence his character changed, and he became full of oppressive and suspicious feelings. It narrowed his mind. He began to distrust people. The conniving alchemist had given Diabloso a powder to stir into Cefo’s drink. Child’s play, since he was stuck with lab maintenance and providing staff with food and beverages. Gradually he arrived at the notion that certain people in his

The Conniving Alchemist

Changes overnight can be drastic Episode 17

I

gazed at the stars and watched all that went

sanctuary. He possessed the ability to anticipate

on in the Second Universe , I began to worry

events before they took place . Frequently he spent

about the course of this history, the love story

time meditating in the grounds of this consecrated

that I had worked out from the position of the

temple . His body would grow rigid when he sensed

stars. A shift in my obser vations occurred . Just

that something terrible would soon happen . Not

when an event took place in that distant future , I

moving a muscle , he seemed literally - his eyes,

immediately began to figure its consequences. That

mouth , limbs - to become as stony as the temple .

wasn’t at all reassuring. It was time to risk a leap into eternity.

Now, friend , it becomes really con-fusing as to where I was and at what point in time . The tale moved me , and I became more and more involved in it ; as a consequence of this, my personal perspective began to shift .

As the sun set , it cast magical light across the most sacred temples in the city’s vicinity. One of the most exceptional and gifted souls among the ranks of my helpers stood completely motionless in the

When the Sun Sets, Night Falls

At daybreak I found him in that worrying condition.

Something was definitely wrong , since any attempt to rouse him failed. A thorough investigation had to be carried out, a battle might need to be fought. It was time to swap the white costume for the red one. I went off to wage war, wanting to know where a spark had ignited a fire. One of my companions ran along with me into the city’s catacombs.

The Mysterious Inferno

Normally the usual drifters would be warming themselves here by small campfires, but now a fierce fire was raging. The stench of petroleum was everywhere : it looked as though someone had thrown oil on the fire in order to divert attention .

This was by no means an accident or coincidence .

No vagabond would have access to so much fuel .

In fact such characters would try to sell the petroleum rather than simply waste it by burning it . Odd ...not a poor devil in sight . Usually they came shuffling in around this time of day, getting their little fires going again in those oil drums and warming up leftovers, most often things they had found on the street or fished out of garbage cans.

But now there was nobody, and the oil drums were gone . All was ablaze : an inferno. No drifter would dare to set foot in this place . I couldn’t fathom it .

Did someone want to chase the vagabonds away?

A small opening had an iron gate across it . There , too, flames broke out . The gate was bolted tight : its steel lock nearly melted from the heat of the inferno. To what did that passageway lead?

A Hellish Gateway and not a Devil to be seen

Some things we know are better kept secret Episode 18

D

iabloso had hired his sister, Laborista Respondea, to be Kondamnita’s personal aide. Being familiar with her taste, she would go into town to buy clothes for

Kondamnita. Kondamnita was fond of light colors and had a preference for white, often beautifully embroidered garments in delicate brocade.

Laborista would come home with the loveliest outfits. She was the sole companion to Kondamnita, who had no friends and lived in isolation. Laborista told her how and where she purchased the clothing or sometimes had things tailor made. She showed her just how precisely the tailors did their work: how they would feel the fabric and imagine how it would feel on the slender woman’s body.

Kondamnita was all ears. It was like listening to a fairy-tale about a faraway land.

Dream Dress from Fairy Tale Land

Laborista was completely loyal to her mistress.

beneath her pillow at bedtime.”

She had no idea, however, about her brother’s

“When she’s sleeping she won’t notice if you

jealousy and evil intentions. They had grown up

carefully remove the handkerchief from under the

together and had shared all of their secrets ever

pillow.” After some degree of hesitation,

since they were children.

Laborista consented.

And so she had told Diabloso more about Kondamnita’s private life than was permitted.

Diabloso maliciously took advantage of this and made her tell him things that he was not supposed to know. This gave him the power to manipulate things.

She had confided in Diabloso that Cefo had given his wife, during their wedding ceremony, a precious handkerchief on which a beautiful deer was embroidered in gold. Diabloso begged his sister to show it to him. He was a great admirer of art and craftsmanship. It was, after all, no coincidence that Patro had made him responsible for the management of Cefo’s laboratory. “My dear brother, that’s impossible.

She carries the handkerchief with her constantly.

And places it

Sweet Talk, bad Intentions

Little did she know that her brother was scheming to bring about Cefo’s demise.

That evening she helped Kondamnita with her nightgown, combed her beautiful long hair, brought her a glass of water, fluffed up the pillows and tenderly tucked her in. With this last movement, she managed to filch the handkerchief and hide it away in her pocket. Blowing out the candles, she then left the bedroom.

Fidelity in the Face of Ruin and Despair

Provoked by confusion Episode 19

T

he gateway that had caught fire in the city’s

I studied maps of the city. Despite my thorough

underground passageways continued to

search of the records, I came up with nothing. While

haunt me. I had to know what lay beyond it.

everything about the underground environment had

I summoned my crew and had them put out the fire.

been indicated, not a single drawing showed the

Then my magical powers, powers that I developed

gateway. This baffled me. The gateway did indeed

while calculating time, were put to use. I had become

exist. Why, at that very moment, had the fire taken

a shadow in time. While living centuries ago,

place around that mysterious entrance?

I journeyed through time with my army of helpers

Had someone wanted to conceal something , or

and calculated what would happen. That provided

worse: camouflage it? Suddenly I recalled the vision

me with a view of the future and enabled me to move

of the woman in the cave and sensing that I had to

from moment to moment. This is how I came to know

protect her from any evil that might befall her. The

the art of making myself invisible. I could disappear

fire stirred that thought in my mind.

into thin air; no door could stop me. Apparently, I could walk through walls. What was happening gave me an odd feeling , as though I had gone missing or lost my place in time.

Having found my way to the municipal archives,

Lunacy Leads to the Carnival of Souls

Concentrating , I went back to the time when the city was being built. Gradually the entrance came into focus: it led to the space which now happened to be Cefo’s laboratory. I moved a bit forward in time and saw how, years before, Diabloso had hidden this passage in the municipal records. It was a secret passage, or a concealed exit? Something fishy in any case. So why had that fire broken out then of all times? Were visitors not wanted in the vicinity of that gateway? Was secret information being smuggled out of the laboratory via this passage? And had Cefo been right about his manipulated visions of his inventions being copied and misused in order to tarnish his reputation?

Lost in lust Episode 20

O

ne day Diabloso went to visit Pala Justa

would leave her. One after the other, having no

Desollaron. Just the person for his crafty

qualms whatsoever, not an ounce of loyalty. As

plan. Pala was a charming woman with

the number of lovers that she left in despair grew

narcissistic traits. Any attention she could get

over the years, so did her loneliness. True love

enchanted her. Not that she had any empathy for

she had never known or acknowledged. She was

those who showed an interest in her. She could

merciless, tough and heartless, crude and

assume various guises: sexy, defiant, intellectual,

insulting. Pala could not be trusted.

entertaining, a lady with style and a sense of

She was made for Diabloso’s scheme.

formality, but also a playful and bubbly tramp.

Her appearance on the stage of life took many forms as her guises adapted fluidly to any new situation. Able to wind any fellow around her little finger, she manipulated, seduced, lied and told half-truths. Long before dumping one, she had lined up another. Nor did that one last long.

Pala devoured men. And because fear of attachment and fear of abandonment often go hand in hand, Pala would leave men before they

Trustworthy wasn't Exactly her Supreme Quality

Another Lost Angel in the City of Night

Diabloso, at work in his office, had assigned

Diabloso gave him a shove, and Potenca landed

Potenca the task of solving a number of pointless

in the arms of Pala, who then smacked a kiss

problems. Had Potenca possessed any sort of

right on his mouth. From there it’s easy to guess

intelligence, he would have instantly understood

what happened.

that this was a sheer waste of time.

Diabloso had invited Pala with the aim of introducing her to his most brilliant assistant: “Hey Pota, you’ve got to practice a bit before you start anything with Kondamnita.”

Pala blew him a kiss and swayed her hips seduc-tively. Far from being a Casanova, Potenca lost himself in shyness and uncertainty...but his heart was racing. Overcome with passion on seeing this temptress, he had no idea what to do.

His desire surpassed his timidity.

“Come on, big guy, this is the chance of a life-time,” Diabloso sniggered. “Look how she’s rocking those hips. Could she be any more obvious? Get a move on, fella, practice makes perfect. How do you expect to get anywhere with Kondamnita if you can’t even handle this?”

The list Episode 21

L

ess than a day later: same girl, same location.

I saw them fiddling with each other - with my

Diabloso introduced Cefo to Pala. “Don’t you

very own eyes.”

think she’s a great-looking woman? A little

variation now and then can’t hurt, can it? A little quickie? See how she’s making eyes at you!

Practice makes perfect, I tell you. Love-making requires experience and all-round expertise.”

Cefo felt embarrassed. He had no intention of committing adultery. Never would he be unfaithful to Kondamnita. Diabloso seemed to be reading his mind: “Doing it with another woman is simply amusement, that doesn’t make it adultery. Haven’t you seen how Marko, your personal assistant, is taken with Kondamnita’s beauty? A good-looking guy, who manages to impress Kondamnita with his sweet talk. Don’t be so naive. They must splurge, too, when you’re not around. While I was cleaning the equipment,

The Philander seeks his Advances

License your Roving Hands and Let Them Go

Cefo had never known his parents. They had left

The seed of jealousy had been sown, Pala being

him to fend for himself. His fear of losing

the pawn in this treacherous game of chess.

Kondamnita was proportional to his anxiety about

Cefo no longer trusted Marko and his captivating

becoming attached to her. Sincerity which is

ways. This new impression outstripped his

clouded by uncertainty soon leads to bad

previous high opinion of Marko, of his ability to

decisions: “A bit of fun can’t hurt after all. Some

communicate with animals and to heal the sick

flirting, perhaps a bit more than that, will bring

with devotion and concern. Kondamnita, too,

some peace of mind and make me more

began to lose his trust.

independent from the love of my life,” he mused.

Yet the name Marko kept bothering him to no end. What was going on here? He had given both of them, Kondamnita and Marko, his utmost confidence. That, to him, meant hope and faith.

Hope does often lead, though, to expectations; and it’s a matter of waiting to see whether those prospects don’t turn out to be illusions. His past had left him with deep scars. Like so many old wounds, nearly forgotten: almost as soon as they’re touched, the blood begins to flow again.

What was happening between the two people closest to him?

Suspicion made his thinking unclear, his consciousness tainted. Nothing is more toxic to the mind than jealousy and spitefulness. The powder that Diabloso was mixing into his drink every day exceeded every expectation. It was gradually eroding his common sense. Blinded by rage and jealousy, he rushed out of the office. Neither for Pala, nor for Diabloso did he show concer n. Only one thing mattered: revenge and justice.

Potenca had heard from Diabloso that Cefo was flirting with Pala. The rumors about Cefo’s possible infidelity were spreading rapidly among workers at the lab. Potenca’s blood boiled. In addition to Marko, he now regarded Cefo as a second rival who needed to be cleared out of his way, should he ever want to attain his goal.

When the Blood Boils the Mind Melds

Gossip and conspiracy, they love it Episode 22

T

he gentlemen were enjoying their men’s

“What’s that guy been getting up to with my wife

night. Patro had also been invited, but as

this afternoon?” Diabloso smiled and said: “Your

expected he failed to reply to the

wife loves these sweet apples.

invitation. One of Diabloso’s workers offered Cefo

Why so standoffish? Just take her that apple, it

a piece of fruit... Cefo couldn’t decide whether he

might be a nice surprise.”

should take it or not. Everyone had already

The men kept on teasing Cefo about the piece of

noticed how distrustful he was during the last few

fruit, and he finally went for it.

days.

“There’s nothing wrong with that apple. Look, I’ve just taken a bite of it, wonderful taste!”

Marko chimed in: “Yeah, nothing like an apple to quench your thirst.”

Marko was beginning to drive Cefo up the wall.

Constantly playing the friendly, good-looking guy.

The more friendly and well-meaning Marko appeared to be, the more Cefo began to hate him:

Fate is a Fickle Whore

That evening a rare and very powerful Tesla coil would be sold to the highest bidder. The coil was indispensable for carrying out in-depth research in the lab. Cefo had never managed to get his hands on one before. At the right setting, the electric discharge would provide all implants with free energy. An asset to mankind.

Tesla’s Treasures

A snake hissed in the tree behind the men and slipped away among the leaves. Marko encouraged his master to accept the apple and begged him to make a good offer. Under the influence of the poison in his drink, Cefo began to feel envy.

His thoughts lost clarity. He accepted the apple and, proud as he was, refused to make a bid. As he walked away, he pitched the apple into the sewer and cast a scornful look at Marko.

Diabloso bought the Tesla coil at a bargain price. Marko was dumbfounded.

Blinded by jealousy and rage, Cefo lost his sense of what truly mattered in the development of his ingenious inventions.That’s how he came to miss out on the Tesla coil.

Now that Diabloso had managed to get hold of it, he had even more power.

When the Brain is Screwed up it’s hard to Unscrew it

Plagued by suspicion Episode 23

C

efo had little concern for what was going

her life had taken. She had a sense of pride in

on around him. He rarely showed up at the

her husband’s love and his amazing gift to her.

laboratory. Never allowing his wife to be

She pulled the handkerchief from under her pillow

alone for a minute anymore, he dragged her

and showed it to her husband with a captivating

everywhere. Sometimes he didn’t even give her

smile.

the chance to dress properly. Confusion and

Cefo unfolded the handkerchief, inspected the

unrest worsened his excessive distrust. Their

embroidery. Seething, he turned his gaze to

palace was a mess.

Kondamnita: “I never gave you this cheap rag.

One morning he rushed into her bedroom and

What happened to the valuable handkerchief, you

shouted: “Where is that handkerchief I gave you?

worthless bitch?”

I’d bet that you lost it long ago. Or maybe you gave it away or sold it for the money.”

Kondamnita said that the handkerchief was her most precious possession: she always carried it with her. Every evening before going to sleep, she unfolded it and admired the deer’s beauty for a time. The exquisite, refined aesthetics helped her to reflect and be aware of the beautiful course

When Two Appear to be One, Fear Drops in

On the previous night, Diabloso had a duplicate made and replaced the beautiful deer with a clumsily embroidered golden calf, sewn onto third-rate silk. Laborista hadn’t noticed and had tucked the folded handkerchief back beneath the pillow when she woke Kondamnita in the morning.

Cefo slammed the door shut and left the house. He wanted to know where the original was. And he would spare no effort or expense to uncover the truth.

Kondamnita remained calm. The lessons in life from Patro had taught her that it was pointless to respond to unbridled rage. Any reaction would simply fan the fire.

She had no idea what she had done wrong, having cherished the gift from her spouse.

Nor did she understand how the piece of cloth could have been swapped for this worthless rag. After all, had she not kept this precious object with her day and night? She summoned Laborista to her room.

It is Pointless to Respond to Unbridled Rage

Fueling a volatile man Episode 24

I

t was a warm and muggy evening in the city.

Potenca by telling him how enchanted Marko was

The men from Cefo’s laboratory had gone off to

with Kondamnita, and how fond she was of him.

visit pubs and sidewalk cafés. After a hard

Diabloso assured Potenca that Marko would be

day’s work, it was time for some booze. Diabloso

coming along too, as his colleagues had managed

had asked Marko to come along for a bite, since

to coax him. After all, this was a special evening

all the lab workers were hitting town. Marko

for everyone to celebrate a year of successful

didn’t normally drink, nor was he someone who

collaboration.

would think of going to a pub on his own. Instead he tended to stay at work a bit longer, in order to chat with the animals and patients, and hear from them after the implants had been operating for several weeks. He was always curious about their experiences.

Diabloso had made meticulous preparations for the evening. The animals were part of a testing and measuring program that could not be disrupted. People who had implants in place were with their families that evening. He had riled

Divine Fluids are the Spice of Life

Diabloso took Marko to the café - most of the workers had already arrived and tempted him into tasting the most appetizing drinks: “A command of craftsmanship comes from trying things out. Refined recipes and combinations of divine fluids are the spice of life. Wouldn’t that appeal to a researcher like yourself?”

Marko fell for it and soon became intoxicated. Suddenly, Potenca came storming into the pub. Clearly, he had been he had been drinking too much. Boiling with rage, he grabbed Marko by the collar and dragged him outside. Not much resistance was offered by Marko in his state.

A Small Feat for Any Villain

Rumours about the fight spread quickly. By word of mouth, the story soon went beyond what had actually happened.

Cefo was furious. His hatred for Marko, the man who tried to seduce his wife with all his sweet talk, only grew as a result. He hoped that Potenca had given him a good bashing.

Marko was called to account by him and reprimanded for excessive drinking. “Master, I never drink... Before I knew it, I found myself in a pointless fight. I should never have taken a sip.”

“If only, if only! You’re responsible for your own behaviour.

No use trying to put that ‘if only’ nonsense over on me. I’m not at all impressed with your story. You can go pack your things. Your recent public behaviour is shameful and vile.

You’re no longer needed here. Get out, and don’t ever dare to set foot in here again. How could I ever trust you with the animals and people? You’ve damaged the laboratory’s reputation, you drunk!”

If only if only if only

Cefo’s hatred had taken on such dimensions that he then offered Potenca a considerable reward for teaching Marko a lesson. Without a minute’s hesitation in accepting the offer, Potenca sniggered to himself: “First Marko, that’s a step closer to Kondamnita. And after that, I’ll get my hands on you! While even being paid for it… what could be better!”

Evil Thoughts Multiply Easily

“Anger is the enemy of non-violence and pride is a monster that swallows it up” Mahatma Gandhi

Episode 25

F

ew words were needed to make Potenca

Patro had taught her to follow her heart, to not

commit an atrocity. He had only one aim: to

be misled by deceptive thoughts, but Potenca

steal Kondamnita’s heart by making a

had managed to turn his hatred into a convincing,

magnificent impression on her.

impassioned plea. Kondamnita, at a loss, proved

He would guard her from betrayal and deception.

to be gullible.

Despite having already dismissed Marko from the laboratory, he made her believe that Marko was simply out to seduce her and ease her away from her husband. He was planning on taking over the laboratory, stealing all the inventions and selling them for lots of money.

Potenca promised Kondamnita that he would protect her from this imminent danger.

Kondamnita couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This went against everything she felt.

Planting an Atrocity

Diabloso spoke with Cefo, who was living in utter confusion, being fueled by his now boundless jealousy.

Diabloso suggested that Potenca pay Marko a visit. This would clear things up and perhaps lead to revelations.

The Last Refuge of the Incompetent

That night Potenca murdered Marko in a horrible way, with agonizing slowness. After having been tortured for hours, Marko died of his injuries.

Diabloso handed Cefo the original hand-kerchief embroidered with the golden deer. The silk cloth was now stained with Marko’s blood: “He refused to surrender it, fought for it as if his life depended on it. I found it in his back pocket.”

Agony is more Threatening than Death

Cefo exploded. He had only one thing in mind: to destroy all the evil that had descended upon him. In one massive purge. Once the match has been lit, the fireworks are about to begin.

A Mind Fire Leads to a Brain Meltdown

How demons take over one’s mind Episode 26

D

iabloso simply had one objective: to

eliminated. “This will require courage. You’re the

completely destroy Cefo, his laboratory,

only guy I know who has the guts to solve such

his ideals, his entire being.

dangerous matters.”

The ever-doubtful Potenca gained selfconfidence in a dangerous manner through his nasty yet successful deeds. He became reckless. Cefo praised his fearlessness and determination.

Potenca’s growing sense of identity began to surpass his self-knowledge. He didn’t realize that he was being manipulated and how easy it was to goad him into per-forming sly tricks. Blinded by single ambition, he wanted only to marry Kondamnita. Cefo was the final obstacle.

Diabloso convinced him that Kondamnita was being protected by mythical creatures, spirits, and perhaps even demons, who first had to be

Demolition and Complete Elimination

Diabloso invited Potenca to meet him at a secret location, which could be visited only by certain individuals. Not that Diabloso was one of them. He merely wanted to give him that idea in order to win him over. Actually he had no idea what this tangle of stairways meant.

He persuaded him into thinking otherwise: “It’s a system of stairways in which every step reveals a new strength in you, a power previously unknown to you. Walking through this labyrinth-like structure in the proper manner will provide you with supernatural powers, so that shadowy guardian spirits, mythical creatures and demons will be made visible to you. The capacities acquired in this system of stairways will enable you to eliminate these illusory forms of existence with a magical instrument.”

Sowing the Seeds of Evil

He handed Potenca a dagger that would give him the magical powers to eliminate any opponents that he may encounter. The weapon had more power in Potenca’s imagination than it actually had in terms of magical fierceness.

The Illusion of Terrifying Invincibility

Dark anger is like a blindfold Episode 27

M

y friends, that evening I felt quite restless.

Something was amiss in star systems far from my

own time and place.

Impulsively, I cast off my white garments and realized that , on until the end of time, I would appear in red. I couldn’t untangle myself from the mess I was in . There was something fundamentally wrong , and that disrupted what was supposed to keep everything in balance forever. No longer was there a choice between dressing in white or red . White stood for peace , red for preser vation, struggle and safeguarding peace. At this point, facts had become so unsteady, and the potential for harmony and stability so uncertain, that my white clothes, having lost their radiance , were mere rags.

The Labyrinth of Oblivion

I was furious, and I became dangerous. Throwing my white togs into the fire, where they went up in flames and were reduced to ash , I set off to wage war.

Great goodness! Anger oftens causes one to lose a sense of reality. I let myself be carried away by my impulses. I anticipated what would take place. In the past I was able to influence the course of things, but now in my rage I had lost an awareness of time. Facts began to elude me. Because of this I was abusing my power to inter vene and to manipulate reality with my strength of mind despite any time difference .

Driven by my urges, I felt like a bull in a pen , roused by the attire that I had created for myself. I was losing my grip on reality. How could I ever continue to protect Kondamnita, the woman from my vision , as was written down in future history? I was behaving like a man blinded, robbed of all insight .

Lost in Time and Space

Things took an unexpected turn . I had never expected this, since everything seemed to have been constantly under control. It just showed how treacherous certainties can be : ultimately they mean little. Nothing remains definite , and everything takes its own course.

I felt trapped and lost. The image of how I thought things should have gone was crumbling before my eyes. Time and place were becoming blurred. Can you imagine this, my friends? I wasn’t even sure what universe I was in. Despite the knowledge and wisdom that I had acquired over the years, my personal involvement in these circumstances began to distort my sense of reality. Oh my friends, the administered poison had also tainted my own mind .

Poison Taint one’s Mind

Megalomania creates more madness Episode 28

P

otenca made his way to the system of stairways, then walked up and down every step. The more steps he mounted and descended, the more strength he could

feel growing within himself. It made him feel totally in control, super powerful. Suddenly a white wolf appeared before him. Without a moment’s hesitation, he took out his knife and began stabbing at the animal like a wild savage. A scene of brutality. Blood gushed forth. Potenca saw how the animal’s white fur became soaked with blood, turning it red.

But when its entire coat had turned red, the wolf rose up and suddenly assumed a different shape.

When Light Turns into Darkness

Beloved friends, Although I had been thrown back and forth in time, it seemed as though I was getting a hold on the situation.

I saw the brutal murder of the wolf, an animal that had sprung from Potenca’s imagination. An illusion that Diabloso had conjured up in his mind. To me it was obviously a trick that allowed me to switch places with the wolf.

The Myth of an Illusionary Creature can Change Anytime and Anywhere

Before Potenca even realized what exactly had

he was pierced straight through the heart, and his

happened, the situation had taken on a totally

blood began to flow down over the steps. As I leapt

different form. Startled, he brandished the knife:

across the stairway, I could see the life draining

the wolf, first bleeding profusely, was now gone. He

out of Potenca.

hadn’t realized that this was a mythical creature, one that exists only in tales. While they might bleed when stabbed, they can never be killed. Their manifestation is an illusion. The attack on the wolf had been a figment of Potenca’s imagination.

Recklessly, he waved the knife about. I was all over the place. Agile as a monkey, I swept rapidly up and down across the system of stairways. Before Potenca had the chance to strike, I managed to be far above or beneath him. Despite running about at his wit’s end, he failed to catch me. I made his head spin.

I shrieked and laughed with joy at his confusion...

At a certain point, I dashed right through him.

Potenca’s head was turning in every direction; he could no longer keep up with me and lost his balance. Tumbling down onto the granite stones,

A Spinning Brain Disables the Mind to Think Clearly

Powerlessness makes the escape from hell impossible Episode 29

D

iabloso assured Cefo that Potenca had

of fracture will always remain visible. Suspicion

taken care of things: “Don’t worry, Potenca

will haunt you. Time and again, some charmer will

made sure Marko won’t be getting in your

come along and be her heart’s delight. She’s

way any-more. Here, take a sip, you need it right

hooked on that kind of attention, having been

now.” Diabloso handed him the cup containing

raised in such isolated circumstances. Now that

the hate-enhancing poison.

she’s had a taste of freedom, her time has come.”

“Marko was a thankless son-of-a-bitch. You

“No! Never ever!” Cefo shouted. His words were

trusted him with your secrets. What does the jerk

filled with venom. “Try this, my friend!”

do? He starts courting your wife. I’m not at liberty to judge your spouse, however. All I can say is: “A woman who marries in secret can never be trusted!”

Cefo became infuriated. “My dear fellow, Marko is no longer a threat. Your faith in your wife is broken. That’s difficult to heal. Your relationship is like a mirror in which you see each other’s reflections. When the mirror breaks, it can be repaired; broken trust can be rebuilt, but the lines

When the Mind is Poisoned Actions go off Limits

For Hate’s Sake I Spit My Last Breath at You

Diabloso gave him a little bag of powder that he

Friends! I feel stricken with paralysis. Nothing

had obtained from the alchemist.

could change this situation .

“It works very effectively. She won’t notice a thing. It’ll put her to sleep and gradually end in death, guaranteed to do the job. You’ll get over it soon enough.”

Cefo accepted the parcel, and his feelings calmed at the thought of this.

Good heavens, friends, is it not enough to drive you mad! Having just recovered from the adventure with Potenca, I now had to witness this scene . At this stage I needed to be ubiquitously alert at all times.

I came rushing , wanting to change Cefo’s mind . But Cefo was so filled with hatred . The poison that Diabloso had given him made him blind to people like myself. I was unable to get through to Cefo. No matter what I did , it made no difference . Cefo was fixated on the poisoned cup, blazing away in his imagination.

A showdown with a killer is never fun Episode 30

C

efo kissed his wife goodnight and placed

It induced such a deep slumber that her breathing

the cup containing poison next to her bed.

was scarcely audible, her pulse faint.

The expression on his face showed a range

And that was how Cefo encountered her the next

of emotions: hate, love and profound sorrow. He

morning. With mixed feelings, he left the

left the room in despair.

bed-room. Revenge had been taken on this

Kondamnita was a very sensitive person. The

faithless wench. Even so, deep in his heart he did

tension that she discerned in her husband over

feel pain. Whatever the case, he would finally

the past few weeks had been a source of some

have peace. The suspicion and hate would

concern. Finding it difficult to fall asleep, she

subside in due course.

asked Laborista for advice. Loyal as ever, Laborista assured her mistress that she’d prepare an herbal drink that would allow her to sleep undisturbed for hours. This would calm her.

Cefo hadn’t been gone for more than a minute when Laborista entered the bedroom with her herbal blend. Replacing the poisoned cup, she gave Kondamnita one containing her sedative.

Sedating a Restless Mind Brings no Peace

No Clarity in a Blurry mind

As we all know, acts of revenge rarely give

accident. Perhaps Marko mistakenly received it

satisfaction. The deed is done, the murder

from Diabloso. I have no idea how that

committed. But the malice continues to eat away at

handkerchief ended up in Marko’s hands. In any

you. You’ll be stuck with it for the rest of your life.

case he didn’t get it from Kondamnita. That

The memory of it has made a deep wound in your

thing was absolutely sacred to her.”

conscience. Doubt followed by regret, those sentiments will always haunt you. “Did I get it right?

Have I not been the victim of cunning and guile?”.

You’re left with uncertainty, and what’s been done is irreversible. That sort of thing keeps on gnawing away at the heart.

In one of the corridors of the gigantic house, Cefo ran into Laborista. He couldn’t restrain himself: “Justice has been done. The missing handkerchief was proof of infidelity. Kondamnita had left it with Marko. Potenca found it on Marko.”

“Oh no, sir, that’s a misunderstanding. I showed the handkerchief to my brother Diabloso, because he was so curious about its beauty. He must have given back the wrong handkerchief by

Justice prevails Episode 31

I

n a complete panic, Cefo rushed back to his wife

I replaced her evening beverage with a very strong

and began shaking her body. No response. He

sedative blend of herbs. No need to worry, she’ll

placed his ear against her chest: no heartbeat.

be waking soon.”

He pounded on her chest, breathed air into her mouth. He listened but heard no breathing. At his wit’s end, he paced back and forth, wanting to bash himself on the head. What had he done? He had fallen for betrayal and deception. His wife was innocent. He had been misled and deluded by his own imaginings. The damage was irreparable.

Clasping her hand, he wanted nothing more than to be one with his wife. His love for her was stronger than ever. It had surpassed the effects of the poison that Diabloso had given him.

Just as he consumed the remainder of the lethal powder used to poison his wife, Laborista came barging into the room: “Sir, what are you doing?

Kondamnita is in a very deep sleep.

Jealousy - Source of Regret

While Cefo’s eyes expressed doubt, a faint smile appeared on his mouth: “Kondamnita was not to blame. My groundless distrust, fed by my ever-present suspicion, ultimately drove me to self-destruction.”

With these last words, Cefo died a slow death, hand in hand with the love of his life.

A few hours later, Kondamnita awoke to the sight of her husband’s lifeless body. She burst out in sobs. What in heaven’s name had happened here? Laborista tried to console her. Despite the kind words of her faithful servant, there was nothing that could alleviate her deep sorrow. It was a lost cause. A wolf cried out. It reminded her of her origins in Mother Earth.

Groundless Distrust Ultimately Leads to Self-Destruction

Cefo’s fame was unprecedented. He had helped and cured people from the urban underground. They remembered how he had gone into hiding among them. Everyone knew about his generousity. Even the vagabonds with whom Cefo had grown up abroad, always managed to keep up with his activities. Their pals in Kota Raksasa had told them about his generous ways. Cefo was their hero: “Rican Cefo Abadan,” they called him. When the sad news reached them, they lamented his death. He hadn’t managed to return, but he had indeed lived up to his promise, and that made him a star in their eyes. He represented passionate ideology to them. Selflessly, he had provided help to many.

The boy who appeared out of nowhere, who had lived in their backstreet neighbourhood.

Never Judge the Vagabond by his Outer Appearance

Later came an investigation into the

Diabloso: not a trace of the scoundrel could be

circum-stances surrounding the deaths of

found. In its subterranean world, however, he was

Cefo, Marko and Potenca. The hate-inducing

soon recognized by the drifters. Their revenge

poison no longer worked.

was ruthless, and before long the smell of burned flesh began to fill the city’s under-ground

I rediscovered my strength, but still felt a profound

passageways.

weariness. With my final vestiges of energy, as an

With furtive smiles the vagabonds there warmed

invisible guide, I led the investigators to the cause

their hands over the fire on the evening of

of all the misfortune.

Diabloso’s disappearance. That evening the fire blazed in honour of their hero. The villain had

All the clues pointed in one direction. Diabloso was found guilty of sabotage, conspiracy, attempted murder and high treason. Yet he was nowhere to be found. He had left the laboratory via the secret gateway and was hiding in the city’s catacombs, where he considered himself safe since he presumed that no one knew him there.

News of the betrayal and its fatal consequences spread quickly. The whole population of Kota Raksasa made an all-out effort to hunt down

been punished, revenge had taken place.

Burned Brawn Smells Bad when the Flesh is Rotten

Cradled in the arms of death Episode 32

K

ondamnita was inconsolable. For days and nights

she grieved the loss of her husband. Forty days of mourning was traditional. Forty days were not

enough. She wished for one thing only: to return to her very origins, to Mother Earth. This could only take place with the permission of the man who had once found her in the forest.

My friends, in the battle that I have waged to set things straight in the Second Universe, I have wasted my own powers.

Although I did my best, I had to give in to a greater force. In the end , there was no way to tamper with fate .

Exhausted , I returned to my time, to the First Universe , and was able only to watch as the story reached its tragic end .

There is no Way to Tamper with Fate

Kondamnita paid Patro a visit. At one time he had to surrender his daughter to the lover with whom she wished to spend her life. Wanting to keep her as his daughter, he had given her up for the sake of the unconditional love that she felt for the man in her life: Cefo, with his amazing instruments, whom he had supported and eventually adopted as his own son. Now he was being faced with an intolerable request: to allow her to return to the origin of her existence, to the place where he once found her. For the second time, he was losing the woman dearest to him.

For the Sake of the Unconditional Love

With all his wisdom Patro stood up to his emotions, just as he has raised his daughter to do so. He brought her back to the banyan tree where he had found her. Laying her motionless body close to the tree’s roots, he then saw her fading into and becoming one with them. With tears in his eyes, he realized that the circle of life had come to a close.

Through the branches, the full moon lit up the scene. A wolf ‘s howl resounded through the forest.

Patro turned around and began his daily stroll, not sure whether he would take the route through the desolate industrial zone or wander about in the forest that now surrounded him.

Beauty is the Purging of Superfluities

My friends, I tell you, people arise from nothing and return to nothing. A path that all are destined to follow. Alone , completely alone, though without a sense of loneliness, we slip away to that boundless infinity, that utter enigma .

The End

The Epic Video book Chapter I

The Epic Video book Chapter II

The Epic Video book Chapter III

The Epic Official Trailer

The Epic Behind the Scenes

Cast

Janus - Gede Yudi Saputra Cefo Abadan - Dio Lesmana Kondamnita a - Emi Yunika Patro - Odon Prayoga Diabloso Plori - Galang Purnama Marko Bonsanca - Ade Suarjaya Potenca Trompi - Agus Suardana Laborista Respondea - Jeni Ariani Pala Justa Despellio - Rani Windari Gangsters: Desta Sarmadi, Gede Asta Deva, Vania Weda Cita

Colofon SOH29 the Epic a Syndicaat production Produced by Syndicaat - SOH Alex Vermeulen Digital design - SOH Alex Vermeulen studio Casting and cast coaching by Wayan Purwantu Photography and light by Doddy Obenk Costumes by Rien Bekkers Photo compositions and montage by SOH Alex Vermeulen 3D graphics by Adam Kuczek, Czar nyrobert, Laury Durand, Mike Chassagne, Martin Holmberg & Raphael Lacoste Styling by Karin Mathys Text editor IJsbrand van Veelen Translation by Beth O’Brien Website by Kasper Tijmen de Groot Production assistant Phillipa Hughes Concept, written and directed by SOH Alex Vermeulen Documentary “The Epic Behind The Scenes” by Peter Mariouw Smit Project Advisors: Soemantri Widagdo, Bruce Carpenter and Adriaan Palar Animation movie Music by David Shea Narrated by Tina Kovac Voice over Janus by Kamau Abayomi Animation and edited by SOH Alex Vermeulen 2,5D Animations Monique Smets Sound mix by SOH Alex Vermeulen https://www.syndicaat.org/soh29-the-epic/

the Jaipur Stepwell (Panna Meena Ka Kund, Jaipur, Ratjasthan, India

Special thanks to In alphabetical order Anouk Aoun, Yanela Aranda, Mark Baker, Tijn Benedek, Frank Blom, Bram Breukink, Virginia Cuevas Iris Dik, Sylvia Dornseiffer, Margot Geppert, Andrea Herrea, Tjandra Hutama, Franz Hutter, Serena Leung, Micha Klein, Uwe Kovac, Pieter Kruit, Susie Mendive, Joost van Grieken, Thomas Meyer zu Slochteren, Martin Nederpelt, Martje Nietzman, Marieke Post, Tony Raka, Soraia Sakkaidou, Laura Smith, Per van Spal, Lars Stoeltie, Ben Verbong, Ilana Wauters, Sigrid Wauters, Emil Wendel, Ineke Willeboordse, Kate Williams, Suni Sudradjat and Michael Rainer / the Erasmus Huis team, Yak, Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, Bali International Film Festival, and all donors/voordekunst.nl. ~ The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this (film) production are fictitious.

No animals were harmed in the making of this (film) production.

The Actor and the Director

Being Human Is it a surprise that there are many similarities between the age-old Hindu epos Ramayana and Othello, Shakespeare’s 17th century tragedy? It shouldn’t be. Both tales are about love, deceit, sacri ce, distrust, innocence, jealousy and egoism. Both are about all those characteristics that make humans human; traits that exist since the beginning of mankind and that will last until the end of time. The fact that Ramayana and Othello were conceived in di erent periods and in di erent cultures in the East and the West underlines the universality of their themes: they’re similar stories and intrigues clearly speak to people all over the planet.

Both stories spoke to artist SOH Alex Vermeulen. A humanist globetrotter in the true sense of the word, SOH Alex Vermeulen is always open to investigate similarities and di erences between cultures in order to understand what it means to be human.

Alex is at ease in the concrete jungle of New York, the culmination of capitalist culture, as well as in the vast and mysterious nature of Asia. Therefore it made complete sense to me when he announced to be working on The Epic, inspired by Othello and the Ramayana, the two epic stories from Great Britain and Asian Hinduism.

The Epic, brimming with SOH Alex Vermeulen’s love for science, history, myths and design, can be regarded as a gesamtkunstwerk that aims to connect humans all over the globe by showing what it means to be human. Ingeniously playing with dimensions and time, this retro-futuristic or futuristic-retro work tells us that we are much more than just the organisms that are alive here and now: we consist of everything that once was and we carry the future already inside of us.

In that respect The Epic is a work for all of us.

A work for you and for me.

IJsbrand van Veelen

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Amsterdam, August 2018

The past, present and future swirl together not only in the Epic but also in our daily lives as discussed in this text from Rudi Fuchs written about Alex Vermeulen’s film stories in Vermeulen’s film book ‘Fuga Futuri’ (1996).

In fragments the photographs reconstruct a story that wasn’t there before; or rather, a story that wasn’t there yet.

In the photographs, fragments of reality have become space for complex backgrounds, foreign objects, artificial constructions but sharply formulated ones which thereby become more real and thus more mysterious than they otherwise (in a vacuous, more abstract setting) would be. But seeing that the collages, and for that matter the story too, have no specific direction – they sooner make up an organism of interlocking remnants – everything can be read backwards as well.

In this reverse reading, which is just as enlightening as the first, the alienating backgrounds and foreign objects turn the realistic fragments into artificial fragments which very deceptively resemble reality.

Between the fragments there remains an ambiguous space. This space is the imagination; and that is how the whimsical tales of SOH Alex Vermeulen arise…

Rudy Fuchs, Amsterdam, July 1996

SOH Alex Vermeulen's films, installations and experiential works have developed in over the years into an exploration of the artistic qualities of multimedia resources. By combining different sensory stimuli, he increasingly succeeds in generating complex experiences in an almost self-evident way for the viewer.

The political impact is natural and not flashy but rather penetratingly present in an almost narrative structure.

SOH Alex Vermeulen's work is exceptionally focused on experience and impression. Based on a two-dimensional or verbal representation alone, it is difficult to understand how the final accurate perception works. After all, multimediality is always made to serve a unique experience.

Rein Wolfs Kassel, May 2009

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