The Golden Boys

Pyranus and Tarng were cousins who faced the challenges of childhood together – bullies, girls, and boring instructors in their learning cohorts. Their upcoming 15th birthday marked the age of their purification journey.Every member of the Golds takes a pilgrimage to the Purifier, a great and powerful entity. Not everyone returns from this journey, but those who do have a gold tint on their skin and continue their lives in the society of the Golds. They are wise and just rulers, caring for their people, this is the way it has been for unknown ages. The Purified never reveal what happened on their journey; it’s a cultural contract.No one ever talks about those who didn’t come back.

The Golds reside on a diverse planet, amongst many other tribes, called the Shaded Tribes. Some in those tribes look to them as examples of good things, a better way to live, but most look on them with disdain and jealousy.“Why do the Golds deserve such happiness, while we remain impoverished?” remains a central attitude toward the Golds.Despite this hatred, they are an open nation inviting all in to dwell with them. They are a mystery to most outsiders, only knowing that they live peacefully and joyously, yet not without imperfection. Gold children are a shade-like color and trained from birth in the Golden ways.

The Golds know that their children may not come back, but they know the importance of the purification.Children envy the glow of Goldenshine possessed by their parents, because Gold children are born a dark grey color. Ironically, the children curse each other by calling others “Tarnished.” The children start their journey in the center of their capitol; from there, the children head toward a mysterious land where the Purifier awaits.

“You scared?” asked Tarng.

“I ain’t scared, there’s nothing we can’t handle together!” proclaimed Pyranus.

“But Pyranus, what if we don’t come back?”

“They’ll be calling us the ‘Golden Boys’ when we get back. They might even promote us above our parents. We could be their bosses. Let’s roll out!”

After a few days, the boys encountered an old hag on the side of the road. She was dressed in a black robe, wearing nothing but a silver ring on a string around her neck. “Do you have anything to spare, my boys?”

“Why don’t you sell that ring and buy something for yourself?” said Pyranus.

“Well… uh. It’s my husband’s ring, and I haven’t the heart to sell it. I hope I never have to; it’s the only thing I have left.”

“If he’s dead, what do you need it for? Find someone else to give you shelter.”

Tarng interjected, “Sometimes people don’t have a choice, the rulers of the Shaded Tribes oppress their people. We learned that in cohorts.”

Pyranus rebutted, “She could help herself, but chooses not to.”

“Even if she sold that ring, it would be only be temporary, then she’d be back on the road. She’s old, and as we were taught the Shaded Tribes do not value the elderly, much less an elderly woman,” reasoned Tarng.

“Come on Tarng, she’s probably not even poor, she’s just begging for free money. We don’t know her story.”

“Well, that’s a possibility.We were warned about those who deceive.”

“Let’s move along,” urged Pyranus.

Leaving the old lady behind with nothing more, the two moved along. A day or two passed, Tarng’s conscience continued to bother him, “We have to go back and help the old lady.”

“What, really? It’s been days since we passed her, we’re not going to put off the journey for this.”

“I’m going back,” Tarng steeled himself.

“Uugh, I guess, no reason to get separated out here,” Pyranus sighed.

On their way back to the old lady, they ran into a lone stranger adorned as a sojourner with a pack, walking shoes, and notable supplies. “You there, I need some help. I’m searching for a bird, the most beautiful bird. A bird with a feather from every shade of the rainbow. I’ve been searching for it to study. I’m a biologist, a student of living systems.”

Tarng, being pricked in his conscience still about the old lady, did not want to pass this request by.But he thought hard about the worthiness of helping this lone stranger. “Yes, I’ll help you.”

“I guess I’ll help you too,” said Pyranus, “but it better be worth it.”

“I’ve searched a few different places, but have had no luck, it’s easy to spot, the most beautiful bird you can see. The next spot is near the largest waterfall in the area.” The two followed the biologist to the waterfall. Tarng and Pyranus felt uneasy, but they knew helping someone was a good thing. Suddenly, the stranger turned around said, “You fools, why would you trust me?There’s no such thing as a rainbow-colored bird! What a test of naivety!”

Two other strangers jumped from the bushes. The boys had no weapons but a small jack knife given to them by their fathers.They quickly started tussling, struggling to get their knives out and end the fight. But they were unable, instead Tarng found himself on the ground, hands around his neck, trying to break free from the strange man’s grasp.Pyranus, dislodged his enemy fairly easily, throwing him off of a nearby ravine. The ‘biologist’ was standing back, initially enjoying the fight, but when Pyranus took care of his compadre so easily, he became scared and fled into the trees.

Pyranus ran over and beat the third stranger to death with a nearby rock, saving Tarng from formidable pain and death. The boys sat winded; while they learned defensive forms, they were not seasoned fighters, other than the occasional street scuffle that Pyranus got them into.“Thanks for saving me, Pyr”, said Tarng, “you saved my ass again.”

“Nothing wakes me up in the morning, better than a good beating. I knew the journey would be intense, but I never thought it would be this much fun.”

“They deserved their end!” proclaimed Tarng.

“Where did that talc-assed ‘biologist’ go?”

“Probably to join the other Tarnished in hell?” Tarng proclaimed, avidly seeking the whereabouts of the lone stranger. The boys held par running in the woods, they spent time in Pyranus’ family’s woods back home. “We’re Golds and we are coming for you!” cried Tarng. Pyranus enjoying every minute, followed closely behind. The boys caught up with him and savagely beat him to death. Tarng completed the final stroke to send him to the abyss.

The two continued on the path back to where they found the old lady. She wasn’t there, so Tarng decided to check in a nearby village for her.“I feel a little heavy about killing those strangers,” sulked Tarng.

“The kills were justified, they were agents of the wicked,” said Pyranus proudly.

“I know they were, but it doesn’t change that feeling that it wasn’t a good thing. Why does anyone need to kill anyone else? We know the world contains enough food and shelter for everyone. We learned that in cohorts. It’s only because man does not consider others in his endeavors that war arises.”

“That’s nice, but we also learned that someone must stop those who hurt others.”

“True, still, fits of violent anger just don’t feel right for some reason,” said Tarng, “wondering whether his actions toward the ‘biologist’ were justified. The boys scoured the village asking around for the old lady, but there were many elderly women beggars dressed in black. “How about we give the goods to as many old lady beggars as we come across in town? The stuff we attained from the three strangers.”

“I’ve always wanted to play Robin Hood,” said Pyranus, “but I was looking forward to getting some tasty treats, one of those cheese scones might be nice. Do we have to give it all way?”

“Didn’t you hear my elegant exposition on poverty a few seconds ago?”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll give it away. Probably best, since there’s engravings on some of their rings,” laughed Pyranus.

They showed up to the Purifier several days later and saw a line of people, stretching back about a half mile. Most were Golds, but some were from the Shaded Tribes. The boys conversed briefly with an Ameth with purple eyes and grey skin in front of them. “I heard of this ritual that the Golds partake in, and I’ve always wondered what it was all about. I spent my life studying the Purifier and the Golds, only to be mystified. Despite the chance of being found unworthy, I want to be purified, even if that means obliteration,” said the Ameth.

“You aren’t confident, and you are going through with it?” questioned Pyranus.

“How can anyone be confident before the Purifier? He sees inside of us. He knows why we do what we do.” rebutted Tarng.

“If the Children of the Golds are this uncertain, I’d question anyone having certainty about their purification. And truly, this must be a tightly guarded secret among the Golds if even their children do not understand his ways,” proclaimed the Ameth pilgrim.

The Purifier stood in front of a boiling cauldron of molten metal; gold, it appeared to be. He himself constructed of pure gold, yet living, the figure of a man. “My children, step forth.” Tarng was in awe and terrified. Pyranus was curious and excited. The boys stood before the towering figure at the end of the path. Surrounding the Purifier there was nothing, but normal country-side, a meadow and trees behind him with bright blue skies. Yet none of it compared to the magnificence of the Purifier.

“Do you wished to be baptized into my Gold?” asked the Purifier.

“Yes, of course,” said Pyranus, “I’ve been waiting my whole life for this moment!” Pyranus stepped forth and the Purifier grabbed his torso with his giant hand and lowered him into the cauldron. On the way down, Pyranus began screaming in excruciating pain.“Aaagggghhhh! What’s happening? Eugh, Aughhh!” His body began to heat, turning bright red, then his flesh began to crack, still screaming, he cursed the Purifier, “Damn you, liar! I have a right to go back home! Aaaagghhh!”Then after a minute or so, silence.

Tarng was terrified, he knew not everyone made it back, but sadness overtook him and he was too scared to speak. Why would Pyranus be obliterated? He was my protector, friend, closer than a brother. Now I’m expected to go through this? What sick game is this that my ancestors all went through the same judgment?This must be why no one talks about it, no one would play this game. But if I don’t what will happen to me? I could disappear and live with one of the Shaded Tribes. But yet I know my life will be short and full of suffering.On the other hand, I go through with it and become a true Gold.

Tarng stepped forward and braced himself as the Purifier lowered him into the cauldron. The molten Gold in the pot was euphoric, a sense of peace, joy, and conviction swept through his soul. His mind seemed to meld with the molten Gold, no pain, no worry, no hate, no strife. He wondered if he would be integrated into the cauldron forever in this state, he wouldn’t object, keep me in here. The Purifier raised him out of the cauldron with new gold-tinted skin. Tarng now stood before the Purifier and asked, “Why did Pyranus, my friend, disintegrate?”

“I purified your friend as I did you, but there was nothing but ash. It does me no good, and it would have done him no good to exist as he really was. If he were to remain, he would be nothing but a brittle disfigured pile of rust, unable to function in any meaningful way. His existence, being disjointed, confusing, a continual stream of unguided emotions. You on the other hand, I was able to melt and then mold into one of my servants, understanding my ways, your existence will be joyful as you now understand my desire for this world. You have meaning and purpose.”

Tarng traveled back as a new man, ready to fulfill his purpose, with his new friend, the Ameth in line before him. They travelled back to Gold together and served their nation selflessly.