The Bard picked up his lute and strummed a

solemn tune, as the curious men and women

gathered around to listen to the strange old

tales of the Gods of the Ancient Cities. As he

cleared his voice, he sang, clear and strong.

 

“And Aneldra smiled upon her face of beauty

… and built for her the perfect Temple. It was

the place where restless souls would flee to,

it was the place for minds to meet; it was a

place for sorrows to melt through, it was the

heart that would be Man’s lifeblood, beat…”

 

The Seventh City was first conceived by Joash Chee, Terence Teh and myself when we were young enough to consider whether SCGS or MGS girls were cuter (It turns out that it was neither). We never really completed the story, but I’ll do my best to tell the tale. To me, this story is about people seeking to restore hope and to reverse unimaginable odds. The triumph of the spirit reminds me that there is much more to our life here on this worldly planet. That perhaps one day, we, too, will return to our seventh city of paradise. It’s my ultimate metaphor for living the life we want, knowing how to treat people, and my favorite – the Magic – which really represents the real magical miracles that we create in our own lives by helping and healing.

 

“Once upon a red star, the Goddess Aneldra

made the planet, and the living creatures of

Xeth. She loved them, and nurtured them.

Good beings, they were, and they worshipped

Her and honored Her in the Temple of the

Seventh City.

 

Jealous of his sister’s creations, Ankylos, Her

brother, made his own creation, and called it

Rogan, and there, a mighty race of technicians

grew and discovered Science and all its power.

 

And one day, when Aneldra was not looking,

Ankylos stole a peek at Xeth, and gloated at

the meaninglessness of its’ inhabitant’s lives.

He made mischief on the planet, visiting and

bringing misfortune to many, ravaging it with

occasional disasters. And when Aneldra returned,

She kept wondering why her inhabitants kept

praying diligently and fearfully to avoid calamity.

 

One day, Ankylos was just about to steal into

Xeth once again – but Aneldra had disguised

Herself as the planet Xeth. But it was a terrible

Fate for Her that day, as Ankylos set about playing:

and sent his own planet Rogan on a collision

course with Xeth, not knowing his Sister was

merged with the planet.

 

Rogan’s descent onto Xeth would have created

Complete disaster, and wiped out all civilization

on both planets. But Ankylos didn’t care about

the inhabitants – he simply wanted his way.

But little did he know, he was about to destroy

His very own Sister.

 

Aneldra cried out in horror. Why would he do

such a thing? It was almost too late. The

planets were just moments away from complete

destruction. And Ankylos realized the folly of

his moment. Rogan came funneling down, and

its gravity pulled – no, ripped – the surface of

Xeth piece by piece, slowly crumbling itself.

 

Rogan touched Xeth, and all hell broke loose on

the surfaces of both planets. Aneldra’s dilemma

came in the choice she had to make – to destroy

the menacing planet that was threatening hers?

 

In sheer desperation, Aneldra harnessed her godly

powers and shielded the ones She loved on Xeth

and granted all power to them for protection.

 

She called upon a great ritual that turned her into

the very spirit of the rivers, mountains and oceans,

granting power to her devotees, who would then

take this power and protect and shield Xeth. For

she loved the world so much, she would lose her

Self and live in her creations.

 

And before Ankylos could do anything, Aneldra

was gone. But her sacrifice had led to the emergence

of a planet of planets. A curious oddity, Aneldra

was a wobbling pear-shaped planet, floating in

space, the final result of the Goddess’s love for

life, peace and harmony.

 

And Ankylos banished himself to weep for a

hundred centuries.”