Neytopia › Part 2: Noon › Chapter 30

The social pyramid

The next morning, after having breakfast delivered to their room, a young man came to see the woman and the lightbringer. The boy spoke timidly,

H-hi, I am th-the secretary of the prime minister, and I uhm, I have come to deliver a message—The boy cleared his throat and tried to speak graver, though some words came out even higher-pitched—The high chamber requests your, your presence to discuss matters of the utmost importance at the parliament—

The lightbringer burst in laughter. She struck the lightbringer playfully so he’d stop laughing and let the boy finish,

W-we shall part at your earliest convenience.

When they left their residence they found hundreds of gifts and a large multitude waiting. She and the lightbringer had to wade through tides of people to reach the parliament. The crowds followed them, reaching out for her. She gracefully extended her hands for everyone to touch. When they entered the parliament, however, her followers had to stay outside and wait. She said,

It will only be for a while, then you’ll have me the rest of the day.

The valets led her and the lightbringer to an amphitheater carved out of the richest part of the mountain. The seats were dotted with precious stones that both she and the lightbringer found excessive and tacky. One hundred and twenty eight politicians were already sitting, waiting for them. Once she and the lightbringer were seated, the prime minister spoke from a podium.

We are blessed to have you here. You enlighten us with your presence, truly.

She awaited the ‘but’. Politicians always wrap a bitter pill in sugar.

But, during an emergency meeting after your arrival, we decided that perhaps this is not the time to start a war. Our people are few, and the reach of the emperor is vast. We fear that everything we worked so hard to create here will be destroyed if the emperor discovers our presence. We’re sorry, but the timing is just wrong. We might be able to go to war when we are stronger and his kingdom is weaker.

The politicians filled the amphitheater with their applause. She stood up and floated down to the podium. From there she could see all their faces. They were scared to death. But not of war, and definitely not of the Tyrant. They were scared of her. Yes, they feared she would replace them and their way of life. They trembled thinking they could lose all their power if she said so. And they were right to fear.

She spoke loud and clear,

I understand that you have to look out for your people. But they are my people as well. Even you are my people. I chose your ancestors and they chose me. We made a pact to last throughout all their generations, and it stands as strong today as the day we made it—She looked around, the crowd was pale—Oh, come on, don’t be so gloomy. I’ll respect your wishes. I’ll promise you one thing: As long as you rule, you will decide if we go to war or not.

The politicians lightened up and applauded her, first timidly and then without holding back. When they stopped, a man stood up to say,

Please help us, goddess! We have been in a crisis for years now. We can’t heal our sick, who are stacking up in the hospitals. And without healthy people there is no labor to produce food and electricity, and everything falls apart. We don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to stand down here. The masses are starting to blame us politicans but we—

She interrupted him,

Shhhh. It’s all good now. I’ll take care of it.

The politicians slowly started clapping and cheering again, thinking they could trust her. She shook hands with the ministers and top politicians on her way out of the parliament, showing them her utmost sweetness and grace. The prime minister invited her to a great celebration in her honor that same night.

Once outside the parliament, she started walking back to her room with a crowd surrounding her. The crowd let through a woman pushing a wobbly wheelchair where a boy sat immobile with an empty stare. The woman sobbed and begged louder than any other,

Help, please. Help me. I need help! PLEASE!

She turned back to face the woman, who kneeled humbly.

Goddess, my son is—was a miner. He suffered—

The woman’s voice broke. She took both the woman’s hands and looked into her eyes. The woman felt she could trust the goddess with all her burdens.

He suffered a terrible accident. Only sixteen and he can’t move nor talk. But I know he’s still alive, his eyes move when I speak to him. Please, he’s all I have, all I have…

Without word she ran her hand through the boy’s chest. The crowd gasped and for a few moments, everyone stood in silence. She pulled out her hand. After twisting and convulsing, the boy started moving and talking again. Like a wave traveling outward, people kneeled down in awe. The poor, the ill and the miserable had all gathered to see her. They chanted her prayer as the politicians watched from their fancy parliament.

The lightbringer accompanied her to her chamber. She wanted to change her clothes before touring the city. He asked her,

How did you do that?

She looked at him and smiled.

It’s simple, you know.

She undressed in front of him. He looked away, peeking through the window blinds at the crowd outside while she spoke,

All I have to do is give them what they want. I’ll show you how, don’t worry. Now hurry up!

She changed into a different dress and ran out of the room. He had to catch up with her. She easily captured the attention and love of the crowds, which is all she craved. The crowd around her began to grow with people in need. Everybody wanted a piece of the goddess.

The mob around them grew larger and larger as they walked the streets. All the sick and the criminals followed them, hoping she could cure them. Some carried gifts, some carried sick people, others both. But everyone had something for her, and she had something for everyone.

After they had seen the first level, they took the stairs down to the second level. The first level was full of residential palaces, fine markets and boutique stores. The second level was full of houses and common markets, and it was much larger than the previous one. Each consecutive level they visited was larger and and poorer. They were literally climbing down the social pyramid. The lower levels hosted factories and workshops, landfills and furnaces. What was residential and what industrial was hardly distinguishable there.

Once at the lowest level, she turned to the people and said,

I will stay here. This is where my people live.

The crowd cheered her decision. She then spoke individually to each of the workers that surrounded her. They stank of stale sweat and the cheap oil they used for cooking. The lightbringer looked at them with disgust, grateful he had no nose to smell anymore. He wanted to free them from their slave condition, help them fight for a brighter tomorrow. But at the same time, they now seemed… expendable to him. She preached to an eager crowd,

You are my true sons and daughters. It’s for you that I fight. It’s you that fight for me. I’ll always be there to heal you when you are sick. I’ll always listen to you when you’re worried. I will never, ever leave you. But I can show you these are not just words. Take me to your sick. Where are they? Show them to me!

The crowd took her to the hospital. There she healed every single patient. She also helped deliver babies without any pain. When she finished, the hospital was empty, and all the sick were running outside, jubilant to be more alive than they had ever been. In the middle of the celebration, she announced with dismay,

It’s almost time for that party, we should get going.

She paused to let it sink in. A voice from the crowd reproached,

What party?

Soon others followed,

Yes, what party!?

Where are they going?

Her followers felt like kids around her. They were completely under her spell.

Oh, I, I’m so sorry. I thought everyone was invited. Your politicians, they summoned me and my friend to a celebration in my honor. Aren’t you all invited?

An indignant woman screamed,

No! That’s so unfair!

How can this be? I love all my children the same. All of you should attend any celebration in my honor. Every person is equal in my eyes, don’t you know? Come, come with me. Bring everyone you can find. Tonight we celebrate in your honor. You are the true soul of this amazing city.

As she walked back to the top level, the horde of people following her picked up everyone from every level. The invalids she had healed were now her most eager followers. When they got to the first level it was evident that not everyone could fit the hall that the politicians had chosen. Instead, the crowd filled the first level to the brim. The politicians contemplated the masses packing their privileged level with pale faces. She had won them over. And she fascinated the intellectuals too. The politicians had lost all support. They had become superfluous.

People brought their own food to the celebration. They brought her all sorts of dishes to impress her, and she charmed the people around her with little stories, always with a smile. An hour after the party had started, she floated up in the air and toasted with a hard liquor that was sometimes used as low-grade fuel by the lowest-level people. She clinked the glass with a spoon and a blanket of silence fell over the crowd.

I could not be happier. I’m speechless seeing what you have built. This is an amazing city, filled with amazing people. You make me so proud—

She broke off, shedding a few luminous tears. The echoing applause of the masses filled the city. By then the lightbringer was dizzy with the charade for the populace, and the ringing sound in his head was too much for him. He slipped out of sight while she spoke. After the clapping ceased, she continued,

I came here following a vision of fame and wealth for all of you. Unfortunately, your leaders told this morning that my vision cannot come true.

The hearts of some politicians exploded; they fell on their backs and died. But barely anyone noticed. The crowd was entranced. Some cried,

Why!?

No!

It can’t be!

Some politicians slithered away to find a way out of the cave. They knew she had just sentenced them to death by angry mob. She continued,

Easy now, my children. Your politicians just do it to protect you. They don’t want you to get hurt.

Now people searched for the politicians still in the crowd. They looked with anger and resentment at the politicians who were either too slow or too greedy to not run away. All of them were identified and held in check by the crowd. A man screamed,

We don’t listen to them. We listen to you!

The crowd chanted her prayer again, this time striking the air with their fists,

Make our flame burn bright, in the darkest hour, in the darkest night.

Soon, only one voice filled the streets. They all chanted together for her. They were all prepared to follow her anywhere, at any cost. The shrewd politicians understood one simple fact: she could do now what they could only promise in a few years later.

Their power and their lives were in her hands.