Chapter 18: Change of Venue

As is typical, I have been putting this off. But this chapter in particular I have been putting off because it is so difficult to understand just what the hell is supposed to be happening. My faith wavers.

Our chapter begins with Zarakacacagariah seeking to escape quietly but some other villagers confront him. So he turns gravity down and there is a bright flash of white light. I originally believed this to mean he fucked up and turned gravity down way too much and started hurtling towards the sun or something. Apparently what actually happened is he time traveled/teleported. He is also blind now? It time travel/teleportation (TTT) a disease? Sure it was started by the machine, but it seems to be happening to him uncontrollably with out any further input from the machine. Does he have something with him that is causing TTT to continue. Is he somehow responsible for triggering TTT? Is it divine intervention? Or is it simply a difficult to understand and follow tool the author uses to place Zrakgriah any where in time and space that he deems necessary to move the "plot" forward.

Side note, I've decided to put as much care into remembering how to spell our protagonists name as the author has in developing a coherent story.

Anyhow, Zarakrag is found by Almana, a kindly Plenarian who takes him in and cares for him. He determines that he is in Damei in the time of Rets. Almana calls a doctor who uncomfortably asks, "Um... hmmm. How did you lose your eyes?" GASP! Somehow Zardakov's eyes have been burned away. Did the divine image of God purge his sight? Perhaps he saw an attractive young woman that refused to dress modestly and was driven to pluck them out. The doctor informs him that there is nothing medical science can do for him and that he can't speak to what religion might be able to do. Huh? A legal boundary between medicine and faith? The doctor does call Zrakgram a cab and send him to the temple.

It turns out the owner of the cab is the founder of what will become an international cab corporation in the future. But for now he is a simple cabbie. He takes him to the temple where they are reprimanded for coming on some holy day. There is a sheep about to be sacrificed and the King is coming, so get out! but then...


BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM! 

Three strikes of lightning crash into the temple in rapid succession. The final strike knocks Zramkakagaih to the floor and restores his sight! Everyone is sufficiently old testament afraid of him. The priest freaks out a little and then kills the sheep. Finally Zarkig takes this opportunity to tell King Rets about Jesus.