Chapter 14

Time rolled by like water over a falls. What seemed like days were years outside the Node. Jack, Marian, and Joy spent most of their time connected to the computer consoles in the central hall. Their power grew as they learned. The history of their culture and civilization gave them a sense of who they were. They grew accustomed to each other and slowly grew to trust the Node and its intentions for them. They still used their human bodies, but realized that they were only costumes to cover their real essence. They communicated without talking and seldom spoke unless they were with Marcie.

Marcie found that the data bank in the Node contained the secrets of the known universe. She absorbed the information like a sponge. There seemed to be no end to her ability to learn and retain knowledge. If she should return to her old life she would be able to change the world and rule it without opposition. She knew the solution to every problem that had plagued mankind from the beginning of history.

What she learned about Salban was fascinating. His Triad had ruled for millennia with wisdom, love, and patience. Salban was the unofficial leader of the Triad and enjoyed the power of that position. He became obsessed with and worked only to control those around him. The red and yellow counterparts of the Triad distanced themselves and rarely joined with him or counseled with him. They focused on cultures of the less populated continents and left him to rule the majority of humanity. Their followers were constantly persecuted because they believed and followed a peaceful life.

Salban initiated religions that were bloody and cruel. He especially liked cultures that worshiped him as a god. Women were degraded and children killed to appease his wrath. There was little regard given to life in general. His children were placed on the great thrones of the world and all who followed him practiced cruelty, greed, and lust in every imaginable form. The power he possessed was addictive and he used it to trap and control those who followed him. Love and Wisdom were forgotten and the whole world was following Salban. He misrepresented the Makers and twisted the manuscripts of faith to show them as cruel tyrants.

Alanon the Red and Myan the Yellow realized that Salban would not stop until all who possessed power equal to or greater than him were destroyed. His objective was to replace the Makers and rule the Earth as god. Alanon and Myan were exiles and they refused to use their combined strength to unseat him from his throne. Battle would have been contrary to their philosophy of love. He saw this as fear and ignored them.

They returned to the Node and asked the Makers to let them return to their home world. It was explained to them that to do that the Triad would have to be broken and they would loose much of their power. They agreed to allow the separation and leave the Earth.

The battle was ugly, but the outcome was never in any doubt. Salban set his army of humans between himself and the Makers. The powerful entities fought and the damage to the Earth was horrific. Whole continents sank beneath the oceans and only a small number of the followers of Salban survived. Salban was banned from ever entering the Node and his power was diminished and limited. The Makers told the surviving humans that a time of regeneration would come and the Earth would be restored.

There were many who openly sided with Salban and resisted the efforts of the Makers. There were also those who chose to resist Salban and from these the Makers chose the first Keeper of the disks and the ancestors of Jack, Marian, and Joy. Marcie realized that with re-establishment of the Triad, the closing days of the reign of Salban was at hand, and soon the Earth would be changed again. The time to eliminate Salban and his evil reign had arrived. Only those who stand with Salban will suffer his fate.