IN THE NAME of Marzipan and of Persipan and of our Terror, Nullius!

Ahem!

O Master! Look down upon me, prostrate at your feet, imploring your Mercy both for myself and for those of my kin still living. Just as your own ascent to Glory was arranged, guarantee our safe return to Ahem, and procure for us there some small place within the Realm of Your Burden. May this Journey of sighs and tears touch my heart with Contrition and Repentance, and may I be happy to endure the Sufferings, Humiliations and Deprivations herein described!

Nullius, I pray that you may assist my Soul in understanding Your Pain! For truly it is only through hunger and starvation that I can even begin to appreciate the holy power of taste and contentment. Through the Intercession of Marzipan, may I too come to accept meekly and happily the weight of Your Burden, and by extension, the hunger of the whole World, so that in doing so, I may prove my willingness to follow you always!

Recall how Terror Nullius, blown across the seas by mysterious Winds, came upon the strange island continent of Ahem and discovered, to his Eternal Misfortune, that not a Soul worth saving existed there, save that Damned and Barbaric Persipan! Oh Terror Nullius, it was not the mischievous winds that condemned Your Name to Eternal Infamy, it was my own Selfishness and Greed in wishing for your never-ending Confections!

Recall how the heavy Burden of Marzipan (long may Its Resins perfume these pages!) was laid upon Nullius’ sunburnt shoulders and how meekly his acceptance, nay joyous! Fully intending to feed the world through His Heroic Efforts! O Captain, through the Intercession of Marzipan, may I too come to accept meekly and happily the weight of Your Burden, and by extension, the hunger of the whole World, so that in doing so, I may prove my willingness to follow You always!

Recall how Captain Nullius aboard his ship the Scurvy circumnavigated and conquered all of Ahem, uncovering a significant haul of Marzipan over a memorable six-month period. O Marzipan! Long may your resins perfume these pages! Recall how the Scurvy was then spirited away to China! O Nullius, it was for my own sake that the Scurvy bore your self and the Marzipan to China! It was for my descent into Mortal Sin that you succumbed to the Marzipan’s Heinous Administrations. Let my remembrance of this Sacrifice guide me ever in my Journey in your footsteps! Thank you!

Recall the Emperor’s acceptance of Terror Nullius as his own Son, their interlude (in disguise) amongst the People, their ingestion of the Marzipan and their eventual separation. How oppressive that experience must have been for both of them! A sword of anguish and betrayal must have pierced the Emperor’s Heart especially! O Emperor may the Compassion that existed between You and the Great Captain pass on to me, and may I share in His Love for You. O Mighty Terror Nullius, Intercede for me with Your Father, that I may be saved from the Dearth of all Good Things that is yet to come!

Recall how the Genie, seeing Captain Nullius and his pony in agony, offered the great Captain her bottle. How Nullius put it to his lips and was instantly assimilated! Then, how the Genie and the Pony commenced their long wanderings in Mesopotamia! Captain of My Soul, let me too Ingest the Marzipan! Let me hunger for nothing else! May my enemies in this World be crucified to me and me to them and let me not shrink from pain! Rather, may I consider myself lucky to have been chosen to follow You, on Your Journey, for Your Eternal Burden’s sake!

Recall how the women of L- wept openly upon seeing the Great Captain returning once more to save the city from Persipan! How he did comfort the women, though he was in chains, saying: Do not weep so openly for me, because there are other cowmen after me for whom you couldst more profitably shed tears! O Admiral, let me mourn Your Suffering at the hands of Persipan, that in doing so I may be comforted. Let my prior ignorance of my Failings enable me to escape the awful judgement handed down by Your Wise Self in L-!

Recall how, imprisoned on Persipan’s floating guillotine, Nullius felt once more the horrific sensation of Marzipan sickness spreading over Him like a Fug. How he fell from the Gondola, into the open arms of a group of Cuckoos who, aided by the general confusion, hastened Him into the Labyrinth! Oh Brilliant Captain, now that I have contemplated Your third fall into Torment, I ask that You forgive my frequent falls into Iniquity and my slowness in lifting myself out from that place’s miserable pessimism. Let my remembrance of Your Abduction make me hate this aspect of myself even more!

Recall how Nullius lay down upon the Rack and extended his arms, so as to offer to whoever might be listening the secret of His discovery of Marzipan and the weight of his gigantic Burden! In the end, there were no Witnesses to the inexorable bow of the Captain’s head; likewise, no Listener strained his ear for the sound of Terror Nullius breathing his last! My tortured and interrogated Captain, May I never again Forsake You, or neglect the Memory of Your brutal treatment, at my own hands! From this time forward, may I live only for you. And let me die loving you alone, as per our agreement!

Recall how it took Terror Nullius three weeks to die, his departure delayed only by well-meaning but pitiful administrations of Marzipan by the secret army of Cuckoos! How they stole the lifeless Body of the Saviour away from the Labyrinth, and how they dissected him! O Captain, I reverently kiss the Marzipan that encloses your Relics, for in doing so I recall that through Your Entombment, Your Resurrection in the Hearts of the Cuckoos is guaranteed! Mind you not the Confections of this World! If you have risen with Captain Terror Nullius, your passage to Paradise is assured, for He dwells in the City of L-!

In the name of Marzipan and of Persipan and of our Terror, Nullius!

Ahem!