He realized what had happened, and for a brief second, I believed I detected something like acknowledgment in his eyes, as if I had learned something vital. This thought of the master offered me a point of attack. I could seize it and overpower him with my greater strength. His love for me became his undoing. I drained all life and power from his body into my consciousness. He did not resist. I even thought that at the moment I had overcome him, he supported me. He yielded to me, and his spirit flowed into mine. I became invincibly strong. My consciousness expanded. I experienced fantastic things as his...
Soul married with mine in my body. We became a living being. This being, which was so much greater than both individual beings before, had my identity. I had remained myself, yet greater, stronger, and more knowledgeable than before this battle.
The body of the uncle still stood upright for quite some time, even though his eyes were already empty. I knew I was facing a corpse. It must have been like with Klaus Störtebeker, who still walked by his comrades after the executioner had struck off his head.
The dead uncle gently sat down and then collapsed in on himself. He had departed with dignity after a hard struggle. The other masters probably could not see that he had allied himself with a friend. But that did not matter.
I approached the uncle and laid his body down. I ordered the attendees to wait and took the lifeless body out of the room with three men. I spent a few minutes alone with the corpse in an adjacent room, gathered my thoughts, and returned to the others.
I gave a short speech and urged each individual to witness that I was now the highest priest of the brotherhood. Everyone testified to what they had experienced and declared that, after witnessing the intense and rule-compliant battle, they wanted to recognize me as the master from the chair of the thirty-ninth high degree.
I had each step forward individually and shook his hand. I swore every man to my allegiance. The atmosphere was solemn, and I felt the genuine recognition and admiration of the masters, who knew from their own experience how difficult it was to bring another person down merely through the power of one's thoughts.
They were all aware that it was even more difficult the stronger the opponent was. I had defeated a high master. So definitively defeated that he had to relinquish his body. The respect of the witnesses was assured to me. I took possession of the uncle's seal, which had rested on a small table during the trial of power. This seal had never been used, for the secret society did not send official letters. Allegedly, the seal possessed magical powers.
I had completed all the magical rituals. I had proven myself as the strongest member of the lodge and had now risen to the position of the highest priest and judge of the lodge. With the knowledge I had unified within myself, it would be difficult to dislodge me from this position in the foreseeable future. I could see no man in the brotherhood who could dare to challenge me safely in the coming years.
I had to use the years until one even stronger than I came to fulfill the legacy of the uncle.
I understood now more than before the trial, which was the very last great lesson of my mentor.
Therefore, call me the Triple Master Bring. For I possess the Three Parts of Cosmic Knowledge.
******
I was fast at the top. My first mission took me to the United States of America, where I wanted to meet the other leaders of the Grand Lodges to assert my claim to power. In Europe, I was widely recognized. Here, I had allies who could expect all the advantages from me if they stood by my side. Furthermore, the masters of Europe were clearly inferior to me in strength and experience. I demonstrated my strength at every opportunity so that no one would dare to challenge me or otherwise attack my position of dominance. The Americans, however, knew me only superficially. They knew that I possessed power and ambition, but they could not know how strong my political position within the lodge was. I had to present myself in the best light. There was no other way if I wanted to significantly influence world events.
So, I initiated my allies to prepare the journey. I wanted to present myself as a businessman, just as I had done during my previous visits. I prepared intensively for the encounter with the American brothers. I was aware that they would not easily let me into their innermost circle. The death of the uncle was an advantage for them because now they could act more freely. The smaller the circle of true rulers, the easier it was to make and enforce a decision. In the innermost circle, there was no one two degrees above the next highest master. Thus, decisions had to be made through regular votes. When a new man with new views appeared, whom nobody knew well and could categorize, it was a factor of uncertainty.
I could therefore imagine that I would not be welcomed with open arms. Rather, I anticipated considerable rejection and that I would be faced with significant difficulties. I did not want to travel alone. Before I made the leap across the big pond, I sent some of my allies ahead to prepare everything.
The dates for the meetings were to be coordinated, and all details of my appearance needed to be arranged. I intended to impress the Americans with a high level of representation. They should know from the outset that they were dealing with someone important. They should be fully aware that their conversation partner was the most powerful man in Europe. And they should feel that Europe was still a spiritual power.
The jet was ready. I traveled without luggage and in casual clothing. The customs officers and airport staff were prepared, so I could board the helicopter in New York without delay, which took me to the city center. There, a luxury limousine was waiting to transport me to my residence in the heart of the most exciting city in the world. Everything was arranged down to the last detail. This was good because I was surely being observed every step of the way. I did not engage in conversations; instead, I focused on my concentration exercises. I resided high above the bustling activity, occasionally looking down into the busy canyons of traffic, but I did not go down to mingle with the crowd. A tough confrontation lay ahead of me.
I had to keep my strength together. So much was at stake that I could not afford to be distracted. After all, my adversaries were not the Vienna Boys' Choir.
Every master of the innermost circle had countless people on their conscience, assuming they possessed something resembling a conscience. These people had immense magical powers and directly or indirectly controlled all influential business magnates and politicians. The only ones they had to fear were the unleashed masses of the populace. A million people, concentrated with passionate emotions around a single thought, would be invincible. No one could stand against such concentrated force. That's why the lodge feared the public above all else.
****
I let myself be chauffeured through the boiling city. As I sat behind tinted windows in my carriage, the lively bustle was far away from me. I reviewed my negotiation goals one last time before meeting with the key people. I was the successor of my late uncle. The only European in the innermost circle of all real secret societies. I did not know the other brothers well enough to exert great influence yet. First, I had to earn the respect of the assembly members. I had to show them what level of power I possessed. Then I would have to take each one individually and bring them to my side. I did not envision that as an easy task; after all, this time I was not dealing with immature boys. I then wanted to demand the participation of my closest allies at the next meetings to ensure we had more weight in the votes. How would the lodge chairmen receive me today? It had to be clear to everyone that I had come to assert my claim to power. What could they oppose me with?
The ride through this gigantic city took some time. Our vehicle glided into the underground garage. The elevator whisked us away at breathtaking speed to a floor halfway up the building. We switched to another lift, which would take us up so high that we would arrive on the floor solely reserved for those who advised and determined the fate of the world. The door of the lift opened, and we stood directly in a conference room. In the middle of the hall, which was the size of a small gymnasium, there was an oval table made of fine wood, around which about twenty men sat in high-backed leather chairs.
Like me, the others were also dressed in dark, tailored business suits. Many of the men were surprisingly young, some even younger than I. I recognized some of those present but had not known until now that they were members of the innermost circle. Among them sat the man who had grilled the iguanas for me during my first contact with the lodge. When I greeted him, I knew he recognized me as well. Had I made such a strong impression on him during our first meeting that he remembered me after so many years? Or did he already know back then that fate would one day lead me into the innermost circles of power?
I greeted each of them warmly with a handshake, as was customary in German business life. I did not want to diminish my entrance by having someone else introduce me and take the floor away from me. After I had completed my round and exchanged a few brief words with each person, I immediately took the floor, thanked them for the warm welcome, and said I had brought a welcome gift for each of them.
Now I performed a spell that some people in the world, who weren't necessarily committed to a secret order, also mastered. However, I had learned that this spell was not part of the standard repertoire of the masters. I wanted to at least captivate some of the attendees with a stage-worthy performance. I reached into the air and plucked large diamonds from nothingness. I manifested a diamond the size of a peach pit for each person present. I tossed each of these stones to them.
Some were delighted by this spectacle, but not a single person showed any signs of astonishment, wonder, or even recognition, let alone admiration. They laid the stones before them more or less absently, as if waiting for a special attraction.
The man who was usually the spokesperson of the assembly took his stone and wedged it between his teeth. He looked as if he were grinning maliciously. He took a deep breath and exhaled through his mouth. At that moment, the gemstone shot across the room, flew in a curve, and slowly returned to him. It landed on the table, and everyone could see that the diamond had transformed into a small bird, a kind of hummingbird. This bird grew and changed its shape until, finally, a vase filled with beautiful, colorful flowers stood in the center of the table. The man who had stolen the show from me thanked me for the flowers and declared the assembly open. We should not waste our precious time on trivial games that could only impress novices lacking any experience in magic. Nevertheless, I was sure that some of the attendees were unfamiliar with this trick. The fact that my performance did not have the resounding effect I had hoped for was simply because my interlocutors had considerably more skills than the people I usually dealt with. We discussed some fundamental topics. When it was my turn to speak, I offered my full support on European matters to those present. I declared my willingness to put all the influence I undoubtedly possessed in Europe and partially beyond into the service of the greater whole.
The reaction was very reserved. Although they treated me with factual friendliness, I sensed that I did not fit into their concept. They had probably heard of my eye-catching struggle with the uncle, whom they had already gotten to know as a ruthless individual. Now I found myself among them, making their lives difficult. The more convenient solution for them would have been for not me, but several lower-ranking masters, who were easier to influence, to speak for the European lodges. But they had to contend with me. I knew what I wanted, and I had already proven several times that I was capable of turning my will into reality.
In this assembly, no topics of extraordinary significance were discussed. Perhaps that was one of the reasons I was allowed to participate in this meeting. They first wanted to see how I would behave. They wanted to get to know me and understand how to assess me. Therefore, the proceedings meandered more or less aimlessly. We made no important decisions and parted ways after a few hours. I felt dissatisfied. I had not succeeded in getting a grip on the people. Had I expected too much from the first meeting, or had I simply underestimated the masters? I felt uncomfortable in my own skin as I once again traveled through the hazy metropolis toward my residence.
Now I wanted to relax. I asked the driver to take me to Forty-second Street. There, I wanted to enjoy myself in a cheap brothel. After the ascetic preparation for the meeting, which ultimately hadn't benefited me at all, I now wanted to find some balance. I wandered through sex shops and strip shows; my hormone levels rose. I was also quite sexually starved. So I chose a prostitute whose appearance promised to give me an exciting night. We quickly agreed on the scope of her services. I demanded from her the willingness to give me everything I would ask for. For that, I was prepared to pay a princely price. First, I demanded that she take off and throw away her panties. Then we visited some nightclubs and a fancy restaurant. Since she wore only a very short, tight skirt, anyone who looked could see that she was going bottomless. Her profession was obvious. I enjoyed moving about in public with the little slut and noticing the looks of the people. Occasionally, when I noticed someone staring at her uncovered pubic triangle, I asked her to spread her legs. I wanted her to touch herself under her skirt or put her hand on my lap. I played with her nakedness and became more and more aroused. I also instructed her to whisper obscenities to me loudly enough so that bystanders would definitely hear them. I became hornier and looked forward to fucking her in every way. This voluptuous woman was to be at my disposal for all my filthiness. And I had some perversions in store. We were going to have an unforgettable night: I, because I could finally let loose again, and she, because she was closing a deal she wouldn't make every day.
When my cock was fully hard and I could barely breathe from excitement, I decided that we should go to my place. On the way to the car, some youths blocked our path and demanded my wallet. Although I had a faint sense that this assault meant no good, I didn't want to unnecessarily anger the robbers and gave them my money and watch. After all, I still wanted to experience a hot night of sex and had no desire to deal with adolescent bandits. Even though I handed over the money, they stabbed me multiple times with knives. They left the girl completely alone. Therefore, I was firmly convinced that the Lodge was behind this attack. I was too inconvenient for them. Apparently, my first appearance had been more successful than I had thought.
The hot night was dead. I lay severely injured and bleeding heavily on the street pavement in a dark area. The criminals had stabbed their blades into my body so many times that I lost consciousness for a moment. They probably thought I was dead when they let me go and fled. But I had only shifted my consciousness to another level. My physical body was unconscious. But my perception still worked. I was able to concentrate so intensely that I could send strength back into my wounded body. With great effort, I dragged myself to the next street corner and hoped for passersby. or passing cars. Since I was losing a lot of blood, I rapidly grew weaker. I was freezing terribly, trembling, and had dreadful pain all over my body. Fear spread within me. The only comfort was that I had found no predisposition for death in my horoscope. However, since there was still a greater spirit in the world, my fate was still changeable. I did not want to die, because I was convinced of the importance of my mission.
The thought that the world was controlled by cruel people gave me the strength to endure. I was too proud to die. I didn't want to grant them the triumph of my demise. I had to live. I forcefully kept my soul in my body.
Nevertheless, I lost consciousness. When I came to, I found myself in a hospital intensive care unit. I had been found and brought here. The doctors did a tremendous job and stitched me back together through several surgeries. Now I was connected to tubes and could hardly breathe without pain. There was hardly an opening in my body where they hadn't inserted a tube. Who knows what had all been damaged inside me. After all, I was still alive to some extent. Gradually, I learned from the doctors how dire my situation had been.
The assault had been over quickly, but I would have to suffer from its consequences for a long time. I was able to replenish the blood loss with several infusions. However, the deep wounds left not only external scars but also injured several internal organs that required extensive care. The attack would hinder me for a long time. All the doctors admired my resilience and tough health. I couldn't tell them that I accelerated my recovery process with magical techniques and supported the healing process with spells. They could only wonder why my recovery was progressing faster than that of other patients.
I didn't want to leave the European Grand Lodges unsupported for too long. They were currently led by Masters who, although advanced, were still far from being initiated into all the mysteries that were evident to me. I arranged to be transferred to Europe as soon as my condition somewhat allowed it. By the bedside, I could engage in initial conversations. However, I was obviously not in a position to participate in meetings where decisions were made. I was just glad that no one had the idea to challenge me to a test of power. It could easily have been my death. Presumably, everyone feared the presence of the nursing staff. Over time, I recovered and regained my old strength. I organized the situation in the Lodge and had everyone renew their oath never to raise a hand against a Master of the Lodge outside of an officially scheduled power test. I experienced that even in my absence, everyone acted and coordinated in my favor. My influence, which I had fought for in my homeland, was so strong and enduring that the Masters did not exploit the time of my illness against me. Only in the innermost circle did I have enemies that I had to subjugate. I had time to think. My worry about losing power in Europe proved unfounded, allowing me to focus my attention on the takeover of governance among the real rulers.
I devised a plan for how to proceed. This time, I absolutely had to assert my claim. I had to conduct myself with double caution when I was on American soil. I could no longer afford such gross inattentiveness and negligence as on the night of the attack. Not there nor here. My life meant responsibility for many. I had to meet their expectations at all costs. I regarded the assassination attempt as a challenge. I would show those people that they could not engage with just anyone.
As soon as my condition allowed me, I flew back to America. I suspected one of the masters was responsible for the assassination attempt. I had to eliminate him urgently. I infiltrated one of my confidants into a restaurant where this man often dined. My ally worked as a waiter and served my enemy one evening. He poisoned his food with a substance that was difficult to detect medically. The attack succeeded. The master fell into my trap. Normally, he would have intuitively perceived the threat. But since my mind was stronger than his, I was able to influence his reality to such an extent that he unwittingly consumed the poisoned meal and found death an hour after leaving the establishment.
At the assembly of the High Masters, I dared to give a hypocritical eulogy. In truth, none of those present mourned because these people were solely focused on their personal well-being and the preservation of their own power. What happened to others, even if they were close associates, was utterly irrelevant to them. They didn't even bother to feign grief. They looked around bored and signaled to me to be brief. I was still too well-mannered to exercise power in the inner circle. One had to be ruthless and stand by it. So, I interrupted my eulogy and expressed the suspicion that both the attack on me and the master's death were the work of hired killers. I stated that I suspected that brothers of the order were behind the attacks. Therefore, I also demanded in this round that everyone take a sacred oath never to murder a master, as was also customary in Europe.
I was surprised that not all present immediately agreed wholeheartedly. Murder seemed to be a legitimate measure even within the lodges. Some interpreted my proposal as a sign of weakness and fear. The opponents of my motion argued that anyone who agreed to abolish murder within the lodge was a coward. Those strong enough could never be outsmarted; they would sense any trap. Those unable to do so had no right to live at the expense of billions of other people. This callousness was shocking.
These people had no sense of morality or ethics. The only rule they accepted was the rule of the lodge, which they set up themselves. That was also the only reason they engaged in this dispute at all. This, in turn, reassured me. For if the order's rule held no significance for these people, then any oath they took would be useless for my safety.
However, it seemed that everyone feared the death penalty of the lodge if anyone violated the laws of the brotherhood. I had to make these men agree to an oath. That would expand my room for maneuver. I could act more freely and securely. Additionally, I would have successfully passed my first motion. This would clearly reinforce my claim to power. I decided to employ the most effective trick in the art of argumentation:
I spoke the truth! I explained that I had suspected the deceased to be the mastermind behind the attempt on my life. To protect myself from further attacks of this kind, I had him killed. For the first time, I saw the reflection of an emotion on the faces of these cold individuals. No one had expected that. It was incomprehensible to them that such a strong man as my victim could fall into a deadly trap.
If he had not been able to remove me from the equation, then none of them could. If I had been capable of killing him, then I could kill any one of them at any time. Their only means of safety was the oath. Was I telling the truth or just bluffing to extract the oath from them? Why did I want the oath if I was already the strongest? They asked me to allow them to pose these questions so they could make a decision of such eminent importance correctly, even though side questions were not in accordance with the rules. I denied them the exception from the rule but promised to answer their questions after the vote.
In doing so, I established myself in such a way that I could see how uncertainty shaped their expressions. I forced the vote and won. Everyone spoke in favor of the oath. Thus, I became the undisputed ruler of the assembly. The first among equals. I had brought everyone to doubt. Everyone had felt that they knew less than I did. That was the foundation of my victory. This triumph was worth paying for in advance with my blood.
If I hadn't been ambushed, I wouldn't have been able to influence the group as much as I did now. After the vote had turned out so favorably for me, I explained to them how I thought about their questions.
At first, I insulted and humiliated those present. They were foolish, cowardly, and ignorant. How could they agree to decide such a crucial question with doubt in their hearts?! How could they consent to a decision when the legitimate questions had not yet been answered! If I were now to refuse to answer the questions, they would not even find out if they had made the right decision. The more accusations I leveled at them, which were undoubtedly justified, the more I positioned myself as the undisputed ruler of the group. I mocked them for their inability to extract or extort the answers from me before the vote. I made it increasingly clear to everyone how much I surpassed them. I could not let this uniquely favorable opportunity pass me by. It was a gift from the gods. I intended to make full use of this chance, and I did.
Why did I want the oath if I was supposedly the strongest? I did not want to lose so much time again due to an injury from an assassination attempt, which could not kill me because I was indeed the stronger one. Furthermore, each of those gathered here was too valuable to me to be sidelined by an intrigue. Now, I rebuilt the masters internally after I had just annihilated them with my words. After they had to recognize how far beneath me they were, they could now discover how high they stood in my favor and under my protection. I presented myself as the protective father, bestowing all favor on anyone standing by my side. The method with which I had gained loyal allies in my lodge should also show results with the strongest masters.
After everyone had taken the oath and thanked me for my knowledge and foresight, I drove home. In the following meetings, I implemented some very crucial changes. With these successes, I returned to Europe. Everything was going according to my plans. I then decided to consciously take some time to relax. However, this time I made arrangements for the period when I wanted to indulge in worldly pleasures.
I traveled as a tourist to a typical summer resort in a southern European country. This time, I particularly enjoyed seducing married women. I asked them what perversion they had never done with their husbands. Precisely that is what I did with them. This way, I felt I was stealing the innocence from each of them. The men were mostly clueless and still considered themselves the greatest. However, they lost a lot of respect in their marriages because these women had met a man who was stronger. And strength is what a woman loves the most. I knew that I owed this pleasure solely to my corrupt character, but I enjoyed it.
I enjoyed receiving the admiration that their husbands had fought for and lived for over the years, but which they never received from their supposedly loving wives.
****
What man truly receives the recognition from his wife that he desires? Most marriages are a sorrowful spectacle. One partner does not give the other what they urgently need to live. By being shackled to a selfish, weak person, everyone makes themselves miserable and squanders their lives in the hope of the change that is supposed to happen someday but never does.
I first seduced the women, then their husbands. I systematically destroyed what I viewed as the hypocritical happiness of families. That was my mindset back then. Today, I know that I was merely envious of the fact that these people managed to maintain their normality. What remains a mystery to me to this day is the fact that these people are so foolish as to get involved with someone like me. Why do women give themselves to a man who merely puts on a show? Why do they betray the man who works for them and is the head of their family to make a fleeting acquaintance that always ends in humiliation for the woman and thus for the man as well? Are people really that foolish? I despise the men who have engaged with me just as I despise myself. Only I was the active participant in these encounters. I was myself a seduced one. And they subjected themselves to this seduced one.
****
I was disgusted by humanity. People appeared to me as foolish as sheep led to the slaughter. It was too easy for me to get everything, absolutely everything, from the simple, uneducated people. A person without honor and conscience receives the full devotion of these people.
The princes of former centuries forced the right of the first night upon their subjects. People of those times endured this humiliation only through the application of brutal violence. I, on the other hand, did not need to use violence or threats. Through my own wickedness, I could see the baseness of these people. The weakness and gullibility of the ignorant repulsed me. But the stronger I became, the weaker my fellow humans appeared to me.
I felt only pity—arrogant pity—for these ignorant creatures who lacked even the slightest hint of their own will.
"This vacation was no rest for me. I had caused a lot of trouble—in the lives of the people I had encountered and in my own. I broke camp and returned home. Even here, I was surrounded by people who were weaker than I. That is the fate of the superior. They are lonely—very lonely. There is no one who can understand them. There was no one for me with whom I could truly exchange ideas. Who could the strongest confide in about his imperfections, which caused him suffering, when everyone he confessed to was even weaker and more helpless?
I had to come to terms with the fact that there was no one left capable of putting me in my place. No one who could criticize my arrogance and hubris. No one could criticize me anymore. Only the masses of people could have subdued me. But I had no hope for that. I had to see and experience too clearly how boundlessly ignorant the masses of people were—how incredibly trivial and banal their concerns were, and how they squandered the precious time of their one and only life!
That I would later have reason to muster the courage to find one who was greater than I, I did not know at that time. Accordingly, I was depressed and in a bad mood. I took out my bad mood on everyone I encountered. However, since I was always careful to ensure that my allies benefited personally, they did not hold my foul mood against me. This only reinforced my contempt for these creatures whom I found pitiable. The fact that I had once been just as pitiable and ignorant did nothing to change my feelings. The idea that these people could develop just as I had and grow to similar strength seemed hardly credible to me.
I was the strongest and would remain so. I had fought for this, and I would use my rank to maintain and expand my position.
Woe to the defeated! They bear the imperfections of the victor.