“It is only out of Terra’s shame

That men of Terra wear the name

Of Singer,

Prince of Planets,

Troubadour of Life.”

And he seemed to have a haunting subtle light behind his eyes, while the new earth fell from the hand of the unchained:

“Earthmaker, Singer and Invader be

The substance of infinity.”

But the grandest act of love for the Singer was the Singer’s Meal. Everyman ate the crushed bread and remembered the machine where the Prince of Planets bled. He never tore the wounded loaves but that he swallowed hard in joy. Each time they met, they took the Meal and said,

“And now the great reduction has begun:

Earthmaker and his Troubadour are one.

And here’s the new redeeming melody—

The only song that can set Terra free.

The Shrine of Older Life must be laid by.

Mankind must see Earthmaker left the sky

And he is with us … They must believe the Song or die.”

From day to day they sang the Star-Song in the streets and ate the Singer’s Meal. In the homes and on the greens they offered everyone the chance to let the Great Invader into life. Those who were unchained from month to month received the Stigmon.

The days moved on and winter came and then gave way to spring. Both Everyman and Anthem went from time to time into the Great Walled City and sang the Ancient Star-Song in the streets. They often saw young Sarkon near taverns drinking ale with students as he pointed fingers at the pair and laughed. Once Sarkon even sent a group of ruffians who seized their instruments and harassed them in the streets.

But not until the month of Krios did destruction reach its apex. It happened on a sunny afternoon that an old woman entered the market place near the spacious Plaza of Humanity. She stood and spoke above the gathering crowd.

“Men of Terra! Remember that our joy is in the scroll of all the ages. Our fathers loved this city.” She gestured to the gleaming bastions of the Great Walled City of the Ancient King. “But the followers of the Singer say that men must not love cities, for Earthmaker does not hallow stone and mortar. They cry against the songs the Grand Musician sings before the shrine of Older Life. They call our children to despise our customs and our creed. They say the recent rains have come because the Great Invader came to end the drought of desperation. They teach that the Great Invader is the spirit of their Singer whom we hanged upon the battlements.

“They say the Singer lives and men should turn aside our heritage and follow him. They Lie! They Lie!” she cried.

The crowd grew restless as she poured contempt on all the Singer’s followers, who seemed to fill the highways and the market places.

“I am the Keeper of the Scroll, yet Anthem and the heretic called Everyman tell everyone that I’m a croaking dragon from the pit. They sing that men must turn from me and follow him who died and lives,” she screamed in fury.