
Part 1
In a world where the very fabric of life is unraveling, the Chancellor—known to his few confidants as Bliss— presides over a dying Earth plagued by grotesque mutations and a relentless sterility program. His opulent, almost surreal office becomes a stage for a tense meeting with an unlikely delegation: a priest, a rabbi, a lama, a witch‑man bearing a miniature replica of his own head, and a white‑robed abbess. Each representative carries the weight of a crumbling faith, seeking answers about humanity’s bleak future and the possibility of a new beginning.
Through Bliss’s weary eyes, listeners glimpse the stark contrast between his polished, gilded surroundings and the harsh reality outside, where organic life gives rise to monsters. As the delegates press for hope, the Chancellor must balance political duty, personal doubt, and the unsettling curiosity sparked by the witch‑man’s eerie twin. The story unfolds as a thoughtful, unsettling exploration of power, belief, and the desperate search for redemption in a world on the brink.
Language
en
Duration
~21 minutes (20K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
Jun 21, 2009
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1910–1996
A versatile pulp-era storyteller, he moved easily between mystery, science fiction, and magazine editing, helping shape mid-20th-century popular fiction. His work is especially remembered by genre readers for energetic adventures and a long connection to science-fiction magazines.
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