Flower Amid the Devastation: Servants of the Flower World, #1

By Michael A. Susko

A  spirit-force causes a storm which devastates the land around a Great House, and a flower is left behind. Thus begins a Lord of the Rings-like quest for a missing petal and the center. In this projected trilogy, the author draws upon the Ancestral Puebloan vision of a Flower World as well as Eastern Woodland Cosmology. The power of servanthood and dreams confronts a world-view which seeks to dominate others by force. In the drama of this confrontation, which includes a journey to an inverted Flower World, the fate of This World can go either way. You are invited to experience the tension between these worlds and to see how they weave to make for unexpected results. This work is also in process, which you may follow as it regularly updates.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: AllrOneofUs Publishing
• Release date: May 25, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224039760

Michael A. Susko

For many years, the author taught a course on the symbolism of Indigenous cultures. During several trips he made deep into the interior of Guatemala, he experienced the Indigenous lifestyle and was exposed to ancient Mayan rituals. In this work, he draws upon his experience as a photographer and his own vision quest experiences. By sharing this work, the author hopes to return the gift that this stone has given him.

Book preview

Author’s Forward

My fifteen-year-old son, David, recommended I write a Ring of the Lord like trilogy, promising he would read it. As he has read only one of my fictional words at 13, saying it was too complicated, I decided I would make the attempt. My son has proved to be a muse at times, so perhaps this was a directive from the universe.

In this work, I would invert the metaphor, calling the trilogy, Servants of the Flower World. From there, an outline of the books took shape and about two weeks later, one morning it spilled out, and the prologue was written. And as I wrote more, I  became guided by a stone with markings, which I had found near the Shenandoah River and had previously published about, and which now helped me map this world.

Prologue

I.

I’ve always had the gift of remembering dreams. It has come in handy. Like a Joseph thing... a warning of something to happen, and I would prepare. It could be worms coming to crops, a wolf nearing my sheep, or bandits casing my farmstead. I would be ready in time, and the neighbors would wonder of my luck.

Then I had a dream that was too strong, too powerful, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. A powerful tornado was heading this way, filled with dark grit and swirling things that would penetrate and sweep away all in its path. In my dream, I saw it in the distance, coming our way.

I steeled myself, secured my family, my wife and son in the shelter. It passed over. The roaring was such I felt we were going to be plucked out of the earth, but we survived. I stepped out for a look and saw nothing was left on the ground. Devastation was everywhere, but flowers were still swirling in the air. They were surprisingly thick. Where did the flowers come from? I wondered, for as far as my eye could see, the land was gray and barren. Then the flowers settled on the ground, covering it with a layer. They dissolved, leaving a surface that looked completely singed. One flower was left, however. I told my family to come out, and we headed to see what had survived.

The dream bothered me. It was clear in its message and it had power. But I did not know how I could prepare, if it were a vision of the future. So, I went to the local mage and told him my dream. He was surprised to see me, for I had never before frequented him, having only given  kindly nods when I passed.

He willingly listened and remained silent after I finished. I asked the dream’s meaning.

Trouble is coming, he simply answered.

It told me no more than I had already guessed, but I could see by his eyes he knew more. I persisted.

This time, he answered. I have a sister who can tell us more. Can you come back tomorrow?

I have things to tend at the farm to be coming back and retelling this dream to your sister.

She needs to hear. She will know what questions to ask about your dream, the mage had replied.

I shrugged and said I would come again. If my dreams had been true before in small things, they might be in large. And if my farm were to be wiped out, I could not feed my family, even if we survived. Perhaps his sister knew more about warning dreams and what measures to take.

I was surprised to see his sister looked to be a higher wizard of sorts. It was not by her dress that I sensed this, for she wore a simple cloak. It was her eyes, holding an intensity and intelligence I have seen in only a few others.

I told the dream again. The sister mage showed a quiet curiosity and queried more.

I gave more details. She seemed particularly interested in the flower that had survived, and  I told its color and shape.

Thank you for sharing, she said, and she got up to leave.

Is that all? I asked. What does the dream mean?

She turned and said, The future has come.

II.

The king was surprised by the advice of his mage. She had told him to go in disguise to a small village and to recruit the last member for his inner circle. She said she thought one could be found there. It made no sense. She read his doubt and said, It is only a suggestion. Then she made some reference to a commoner’s disturbing dream that had been reported.

The king did not question her further, but agreed. It was the absurdity that convinced him. For he was a straightforward king, he knew that not all comes straight forward. And that solutions sometimes come in curious ways. Besides, if the highest mage in the land suggested he do something, he could not turn it away lightly. True, her advice was not strongly worded, but her tone hinted at the survival of the kingdom and the lightness of her wording only made it more convincing. As king, he knew that the survival of the kingdom could turn on lesser things than disregarding the suggestion of his High Mage.

She had smiled at his agreement, a winning and knowing smile, for she had known he would not refuse.

III.

I am the King, a man