Illuminate The Darkness: A Nation Torn Apart

The Absolute Astucity Company and the Rakata Conference

Today, I went to the store. I found a product with a huge, absolutely disgusting company logo on the front of the package. The company name was "The Absolute Astucity Company". The logo is hard to describe, but, I'll try.

It's a red, gigantic, vaguely humanoid creature with a massive body that resembled a huge pile of flesh and organs. It had long, muscular, human-like arms with sharp claws, spider legs, and a small head with black, hollow eyes and a wide-open mouth with nothing but a black void within. Its legs were spread, and what appeared to be horribly deformed red infants were coming out of a huge dark red hole in its lower body. There was a huge amount of red babies coming out of it. Who came up with this logo idea, and, most importantly, who approved of it? Why would someone buy from a company with a logo of a gigantic red abomination seemingly giving birth to countless smaller red abominations? And what was this logo supposed to represent? Even if the company had something to do with reproductive health, pregnancy, birth, or families and parenting in general, why did the higher-ups choose such a disgusting, horrifying logo? Aren't birth and parenting associated with something beautiful? Perhaps, the higher-ups really hated the scene of birth, I guess.

I put the product back on the shelf, and a man who looked a lot like Edelfried came up to me. He was in the store employee uniform. He had the same long, purplish white hair as Edelfried and similar facial features. He was smirking. He bowed down to me and spoke, in a strangely seductive, sensual voice: "Greetings! Is there anything you would like to purchase?" His voice made me uncomfortable, so, I shook my head. He said: "Are you sure that you don't wish to purchase anything? You're in a store with countless items at your fingertips, after all." I didn't know how to make him go away. He was probably a store employee who really wanted my money, and he spoke like that because he thought it was funny or something. I decided to say that I wanted to buy potatoes. I didn't actually want potatoes, but, just to make him go away, I said, in the coldest and sternest voice I could muster: "Potatoes. I. Want. Potatoes." He said, in a frightened voice: "Alright then. Come with me. I'll show you where the potatoes are." I followed him to the vegetable aisle.

He pointed at the potatoes with his trembling hand and stuttered out: "There...There are the potatoes. Buy as many as you want, customer..." He then ran away in terror. Haha, pathetic. Just like I expected from a person with an inappropriately seductive voice.

Now that I got rid of the weird employee, I could resume my shopping in peace. I did indeed buy potatoes, because I got a desire to buy potatoes for some reason. While shopping, I couldn't stop thinking about that man. Was he Edelfried? He probably wasn't, as instead of saying something normal in a seductive voice, he would probably say something like: "Greetings, my most distinguished and loyalest subordinate! Doth thou require one's assistance? If yes, then nod thy container of wisdom, like a sea wave rising and falling; if no, then shake thy container of wisdom, like a blooming tree swaying in the spring breeze." in an overly dramatic voice. Plus, the man's eyes looked different. The galaxies in his eyes were an algae-green color, like his uniform. Perhaps, he was Edelfried's doppelgänger? Or was there something more sinister behind their similarities?

After shopping, I wanted to walk home, however, I decided to go to the nearest park first. When I came there, Veritas was there. He said: "Nice to see you again, Konrad. The Rakata Conference is today. Don't forget to put this on for this special occasion!" He manifested the Armis Mahatra, and I put it on. Veritas said: "Now, you're ready. The Mahatravetromenmoniam Ritual shall begin. This ritual will summon the Sanctuary of Mahatravetromenmoniam."

All of a sudden, the sky shifted. It looked as if night had fallen instantly. In the starry sky, I could see a floating building. A portal was open above the building. A staircase with perfectly rectangular stairs made out of some kind of crystalline mineral appeared, hovering in the air. I ascended the staircase, Veritas following me.

After a long while of walking up the stairs, I finally got to the entrance of the massive floating church-like building. I touched the gates, and they opened, as if they were automatic. I entered the building, and saw how beautiful it was on the inside.

It resembled a church. Countless Raktuselmalani were seated in the hallway with Ekaterina standing at the altar, which was replaced with some kind of lotus-shaped stage. I sat down at one of the seats in the front row together with Veritas. Ekaterina began her performance, which was similar to the one I saw at the park.

After the performance concluded, I listened to a while of Raktuselmalanian economic and socio-political discussions which are not worth describing here. After the event was over, I was able to leave the Sanctuary of Mahatravetromenmoniam, but, someone stopped me.

It was another man who looked a lot like Edelfried. He was wearing normal clothes with his long hair flowing down his shoulders. He asked me: "Can you give me a hug?" and smiled shyly. I gave him a hug. After hugging him, he said: "Thank you!" and walked away. I wondered who he was and why he asked me, a random stranger, for a hug. Maybe, he just really wanted a hug, I guess.

After that, I left the Sanctuary of Mahatravetromenmoniam. Nothing else of note happened that day.