The Holder of the Revolution

I am the Holder of the Revolution.

In any city, in any country, go to a place where the murmurs of disquiet had once gathered, or are gathering still. Once there, you may ask anyone present - be it a tour guide, high official, or fellow traveler - for me. All will know of me in this place. Should the person's visage be one of fervid zeal, he will beckon you to follow. Do so. He will lead you down a path down which many others - knowingly or unknowingly - have trod. If, however, the strange shows no sign of enthusiasm, you have come to the wrong place. Do not attempt to find me again, for you have already failed.

For some Seekers, this temptation will be too great - for there will be this yearning that will forever remain unfulfilled. They shall suffer for eternity. If you ask and are met only with confusion, consider yourself lucky. He will ask you to repeat your question (as if he had not quite heard it), and by the time he does so, you will have forgotten what it was. You will shake your head, and turn away, and perhaps try to remember what you were doing in the first place. You will never know. You will forget all about the stranger, the place you went to - you will forget all about the Object and about me. In this I will show mercy: in having failed, you will have forgotten about the failure itself.

Follow the guide down the path you have chosen. He will not try to shake you. You are valuable to him. If you happen to lose him - for the ground you walk upon is treacherous - continue on. The way should already be clear to you, for the path of rebellion is a steep, slippery slope. It will be impossible for you to go any other way but toward me.

You may choose to scour the surroundings for harbingers of your fate - be they good or bad. I would not concern myself with such things, as ultimately this knowledge will give you no advantage. It matters not what forebodings you may be able to pick up, as, in the end, there is nothing you could do to change your fate.

You may begin to hear whispers. At first, you will only be able to make out a few words, as if the speakers feared their words would fall on the wrong person. Do not try to force them to reveal more. Their speech will become more clear and coherent as you gain their trust. Soon you will be able to make out their words. They will speak to you of their plight, of injustices committed, of sentiments pleading to be made into action. Many will pour out from the shadows to walk with you. Some may grab your clothing as they plead with you. Do not ignore their cries. You must listen.

If you hear silence, I pity you. You are, and shall forever remain, utterly alone.

As you enter my presence, do not bother to rehearse a question or to reenact a superficial ritual, for I have already judged you. Nothing you do now can change my ruling.

I am the Holder of the Revolution.

I already know you. I have known you from the very beginning of your quest. Although you have not known it, you have already been working for me, already advancing my cause. For all Seekers are inherently serving my purpose. The act of seeking out an Object itself shows a desire for change, for revolution. For if things were to be left stable, why bother seeking out the Objects in the first place? The Holders cannot unite them. No - they are powerless to stop it. Object by Object, Seeker by Seeker, the revolution approaches. The question is, what will you do to aid it? It is too late to do nothing. You can never forget met - never forget the demands of the masses, of a world longing to be made free, of a reckoning of all things that exist and don't exist.

I am the revolution.

Carry me well, for I am 554 of 2538. Do not abandon me, for I am drawing ever closer.