In the Kingdom of Akleer, where the air was sweet with the scent of blooming flowers and the sound of gentle fountains filled the air, King Hizah sat upon his throne, his mind consumed by a riddle. For months, he had posed the question to his wisest advisors, the most learned scholars, and the most skilled sorcerers, but none could provide a satisfactory answer.
“Your Majesty, perhaps the answer lies in the stars,” said Bhuman, one of his advisors, a wise old man with a long white beard. “Maybe the heart of the beyond is a celestial body, a planet or a star that holds the secrets of the universe.”
“No, Bhuman, I have already considered that possibility,” King Hizah replied, his brow furrowed in concentration. “The answer is not something that can be seen or touched. It is something more… intangible.”
“Perhaps it is a concept, then,” suggested Kotanga, another advisor, a young woman with a sharp mind and a quick wit. “Maybe the heart of the beyond is an idea, a philosophy that holds the key to understanding the mysteries of the universe.”
“That is a good guess, Kotanga, but not quite,” King Hizah said, his eyes narrowing as he thought. “The answer is something that can be felt, something that is present in every moment, yet is often overlooked.”
The advisors looked at each other, confused and frustrated. They had been trying to solve the riddle for months, but it seemed that the more they thought about it, the more elusive the answer became.
Just then, a young boy named Caleb wandered into the throne room. He had heard the king’s riddle and had been thinking about it deeply, his young mind working tirelessly to uncover the answer.
“Greetings, young one,” King Hizah said, his voice gentle but commanding. “What brings you to my throne room today?”
“I’ve come to solve your riddle, Your Majesty,” Caleb said, his voice trembling slightly.
The king’s advisors snickered and whispered among themselves, but King Hizah’s expression turned thoughtful. “Very well, young one,” he said. “Tell me, what lies at the heart of the beyond, yet is not of the beyond?”
Caleb took a deep breath, his mind racing with the answer. “The answer is silence, Your Majesty,” he said, his voice clear and confident.
“Silence?” Bhuman repeated. “How can silence be the answer?”
“Explain, young one,” King Hizah said, his voice filled with curiosity.
“Silence lies at the heart of the beyond, Your Majesty,” Caleb said, “because it is the quietness of the unknown. It is the stillness that precedes the dawn, the calm that follows the storm. It is the quietness of the universe, the silence that underlies all sound.”
The king’s advisors looked at each other, their faces confused. But King Hizah’s expression changed, his eyes lighting up with understanding.
“Yet, it is not of the beyond,” Caleb continued, “because it is present in every moment, right here. We just need to listen. We need to quiet our minds and our hearts, and listen to the silence that surrounds us.”
King Hizah’s face broke into a wide smile, his eyes shining with delight. “You are correct, Caleb!” he exclaimed. “You have solved the riddle of the beyond!”
The advisors cheered and applauded, their faces filled with wonder. And Caleb, the little boy who had solved the unsolvable riddle, was lifted onto the shoulders of the king’s guards and carried through the palace, his name shouted in triumph.
“Well done, young one,” King Hizah said, as Caleb was brought before him once more. “You have proven yourself to be wise and clever. I have a feeling that you will do great things in your life.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Caleb said, his face flushed with pride.
And with that, Caleb was hailed as a hero, his name synonymous with wisdom and cleverness. And when King Hizah passed away, many years later, Caleb inherited the throne of Akleer, ruling with wisdom and compassion, and always remembering the power of silence.
Read:Yemila’s Trigon – Best Flash Fiction Story.
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This is just one example of the reason that I am happy to have discovered this website! As we see in this excellent little tale, Caleb has demonstrated true wisdom by remarking that, ‘Silence,’ is the answer to the riddle. What this short story means to convey isn’t the sound of silence, necessarily, but accepting that there are some things that we simply don’t know and will only discover once we get, ‘Beyond,’ or possibly never come to learn at all.
There are many other stories on this site that convey other interesting little lessons, but I chose to comment on this one because it is my favorite, thus far.