amanalmightykingintrolofakingdom.Ha,ha,ha…”Hisughterresouherge,emptyhallseemingmorelonelyaethanever.“No”thoughthe.“Thisisnht.Thisisthefirstdayofmyrule.Theatmosphereshouldbejolly,andcheerful.Thereshouldbeargeorchestramakingloudandmerrymusidlotsofbeautifulwomensurroundingmeseeingtomyeverywant.”Atoheairwasfullofmusiereamofbeautifulwomenwalkedinfromtheentrahehalndtheroomwassoonpermeatedwiththefragraheybroughtwiththem.David’seyesfelloywholookedfamiliarasifhehadseenhersomewherebefore,Hestoodupandwalkeddownfromhisthroodahher.Shewasslenderofwaist,lightonherfeetandherfeatureswerebeautifusapaintingbutforthelifeofhimhecouldnotrememberhererthedanceDavidtookhertothebackofthepadnaturallyhadhiswaywithher.Whiletheyweremakingtorridlovetogether,Dimitri’swordscameagaintohim,“What’shappeningnowisalnillusion.Ifyoutakeallthisforrealityyouwillbethrownintoadeepabysswhichyouwillneverbeabletoclimboutof.Youshouldrealizethatthingsinthisworldarelikethis.Whatistrueisillusionaryandwhatisillusionaryistrue.Trueandfalse,illusionsay,therereallyisnorealboundarybetweenthehisismysincereadvicetoyou.Rememberitandneverfet.”

    SoonDavidwokeupfromhismarvelousdream.Helookedaroundandfoundthatalroundovertyanddipidation.Bulletholeswereeverywhereandbrokengsscoveredtheground.Thetworowsofbuildingsweredarkandsilent;thestreetsweredesertedwithnosignofcarsarians.Itwaslikeaycitywithonlythemoonhighupintheskylookingdown.Davidsuddenlyrememberedwhothebeautyhemadefranticlovewithinhisdreamwas.Shewasastreethookerwhoworkedinthisarea.Heneverknewhername,sonaturallyhecouldnotrecallitinhisdreams.Hehadhadhiseyesonherforquiteawhilebuthadnomoopayher,sohecouldonlyexgeanoccasionalcasualwisecrackwithherwhentheyhappeomeet.Thinkingofthedream,Davidcouldnothelpsnickering.“Ihaveactuallysatonagoldthroneandbecamethekingofarealm.WhenIgooutoreetslookingforfoodandcigarettebutts,ahosewell-dressedbigshotswiththeirluxurysedans,chauffeursandbodyguardsIwillnolongerlookatthemwithenvy.IfIseethosebeautifullydressedandbejeweledsocietywomenwalkingintohighcssrestaurantsorshoppingmalls,IwillnolongerfeelinferiororunworthybecauseinKingDimitri’smagigdomofDreams,myunattainabledreamshavebeensatisfied;mydeformedthoughtshavebeenstraightened;seriouslyunbancedheartisnowbandsteady.Ifinallyuaruemeaningofthesaying,“Onlybythhlygivingupyoureallypossess”.Thealmightykingistheequaloftheonsoldier.Alowlyprostituteistheequalofthenoblesocialite.Therichestnabobandthebeggararealsoequals.Whehingesdownto0,everythingisequal,for0plus0equals0.”David’sheartandmindwasfullhtnessbecausethedeadknotwhichhadpguedhimforsomanyyearshavebeenuntiedafreeandhappy.Butedinhisownthoughtshewasnotawarethathewasbeingsurroundedbyabouthalfadozenhusky,terrifying-lookingruffians.Somethingwasgoingtohappen.

    Uheluminousmoonlight,geousroseswereinfullbloohemidstofthesebeautifundmagnifitflowers,twocrystalgssesked.DimitriandCharinaweresittingonawoolehasumptuousmealspreadbeforethem,happilytoastingeachother,enjoyingthemselvesthhly.Charinahadtakenwateraowendedoffthemudanddustthatshehadp

amanalmightykingintrolofakingdom.Ha,ha,ha…”Hisughterresouherge,emptyhallseemingmorelonelyaethanever.“No”thoughthe.“Thisisnht.Thisisthefirstdayofmyrule.Theatmosphereshouldbejolly,andcheerful.Thereshouldbeargeorchestramakingloudandmerrymusidlotsofbeautifulwomensurroundingmeseeingtomyeverywant.”Atoheairwasfullofmusiereamofbeautifulwomenwalkedinfromtheentrahehalndtheroomwassoonpermeatedwiththefragraheybroughtwiththem.David’seyesfelloywholookedfamiliarasifhehadseenhersomewherebefore,Hestoodupandwalkeddownfromhisthroodahher.Shewasslenderofwaist,lightonherfeetandherfeatureswerebeautifusapaintingbutforthelifeofhimhecouldnotrememberhererthedanceDavidtookhertothebackofthepadnaturallyhadhiswaywithher.Whiletheyweremakingtorridlovetogether,Dimitri’swordscameagaintohim,“What’shappeningnowisalnillusion.Ifyoutakeallthisforrealityyouwillbethrownintoadeepabysswhichyouwillneverbeabletoclimboutof.Youshouldrealizethatthingsinthisworldarelikethis.Whatistrueisillusionaryandwhatisillusionaryistrue.Trueandfalse,illusionsay,therereallyisnorealboundarybetweenthehisismysincereadvicetoyou.Rememberitandneverfet.”

    SoonDavidwokeupfromhismarvelousdream.Helookedaroundandfoundthatalroundovertyanddipidation.Bulletholeswereeverywhereandbrokengsscoveredtheground.Thetworowsofbuildingsweredarkandsilent;thestreetsweredesertedwithnosignofcarsarians.Itwaslikeaycitywithonlythemoonhighupintheskylookingdown.Davidsuddenlyrememberedwhothebeautyhemadefranticlovewithinhisdreamwas.Shewasastreethookerwhoworkedinthisarea.Heneverknewhername,sonaturallyhecouldnotrecallitinhisdreams.Hehadhadhiseyesonherforquiteawhilebuthadnomoopayher,sohecouldonlyexgeanoccasionalcasualwisecrackwithherwhentheyhappeomeet.Thinkingofthedream,Davidcouldnothelpsnickering.“Ihaveactuallysatonagoldthroneandbecamethekingofarealm.WhenIgooutoreetslookingforfoodandcigarettebutts,ahosewell-dressedbigshotswiththeirluxurysedans,chauffeursandbodyguardsIwillnolongerlookatthemwithenvy.IfIseethosebeautifullydressedandbejeweledsocietywomenwalkingintohighcssrestaurantsorshoppingmalls,IwillnolongerfeelinferiororunworthybecauseinKingDimitri’smagigdomofDreams,myunattainabledreamshavebeensatisfied;mydeformedthoughtshavebeenstraightened;seriouslyunbancedheartisnowbandsteady.Ifinallyuaruemeaningofthesaying,“Onlybythhlygivingupyoureallypossess”.Thealmightykingistheequaloftheonsoldier.Alowlyprostituteistheequalofthenoblesocialite.Therichestnabobandthebeggararealsoequals.Whehingesdownto0,everythingisequal,for0plus0equals0.”David’sheartandmindwasfullhtnessbecausethedeadknotwhichhadpguedhimforsomanyyearshavebeenuntiedafreeandhappy.Butedinhisownthoughtshewasnotawarethathewasbeingsurroundedbyabouthalfadozenhusky,terrifying-lookingruffians.Somethingwasgoingtohappen.

    Uheluminousmoonlight,geousroseswereinfullbloohemidstofthesebeautifundmagnifitflowers,twocrystalgssesked.DimitriandCharinaweresittingonawoolehasumptuousmealspreadbeforethem,happilytoastingeachother,enjoyingthemselvesthhly.Charinahadtakenwateraowendedoffthemudanddustthatshehadp