*** Weekend Write-In for 27 Sep 2019 ***

"child": In 500 plus words, tell what happens when a child is involved

Hidden City of Flames, somewhere in Tibet. 1920.

The emissary from the Indians bowed to the High Lama.

'Four will come,' he intoned.

'Four will come,' agreed the wizened Lama.

The Tanzanian tribal elder stepped forward. 'Four will come.'

'All is in readiness?'

The Indian took out a small box made of black ivory and opened it. Inside lay two jewels - a ruby and an emerald. 'The Ada-La-Hoda,' he indicated the ruby. 'When the time is right, the western boy shall receive its gifts.'

'And the Ada-La-Hida?' the Lama indicated the emerald.

The Indian closed the box. 'The lesser jewel will be entrusted to a young man named Rani Bey. When the time is right he shall teach the boy and protect him until he attains the title of The Great. In our language ... Yarko.'

The Lama nodded and turned to the African. 'What of the second ... the mystic of Zanzibar. The legends show a nature of duality, but strongly suggest the feminine.'

The Elder's brow creased. 'There is a boy. Born a Turk but his mother is American. She is raising him in those lands, but he will be schooled in Britain, the same as his father. Perhaps it is the mother's influence the legends speak of.'

'Perhaps. This brings us to the last of the two. One to receive ultimate power as an adult, the other, trained from, birth ... the flame child. He is born and he must be found and protected, until his destiny leads him to us.'

The Indian considered. 'The Yarko and the one who will be named for Zanzibar, they are known and though great, they will be the lesser of the four. The Flame child will fulfill the prophesy, while the fourth will stand as sentinel against the dark. He who is granted the power of the ring will light the way, but the Flame child will burn even brighter.'

'There are those who would smother the light, with the darkness,' mused the Tanzanian.

The High Lama nodded. 'You speak of the cousins Chang, the warlord and the dabbler in mystic sciences.'

'They ... and agents from the other place, have already made an attempt on the American boy. All the signs indicated that the Americas will birth at least three of the four, including the baby. Our agents have confirmed it.'

'Indeed. He among all of them must be protected and find his way here. Tell me my friends, do you recall the last time the rifts between the Other Place and our world, opened more than a trickle?'

The tribal elder nodded. 'Ah, and once again it was in America ... the midwest. So ... you speak of the masked Ranger? The Phantom?'

The High Lama shook his head. 'Sadly, this man fell preventing the opening of the rift ... but he had a friend, a man of lesser destiny to be sure, but it is given to us to alter that destiny, if he can be found. We will gift him the ring that the Fourth will wear, and although it will not grant anyone but its chosen wearer, the wondrous powers that fate has promised, it will have two lesser properties that our protector will need.'

'Is this man even still alive? It has been 35 years since the gate was closed.'

The Lama smiled. 'We will find out. There is an agent, a man of the Orient who is familiar with the west. We have used his services before.'

The Indian nodded. 'I know and approve of your choice. So, the detective will find the cowboy and this shall lead the Flame Child here?'

'Yes. Yonten, attend me.'

A young robed acolyte approached and bowed. 'How may I help, Master Jetsun?'

The Lama indicated a book. 'Fetch that. Good. Now, under the entry for Interpol, look for the section listed 'Scotland Yard.' There will be instructions on how to get a message to Inspector Bancroft. Write these down and take yourself through the shimmering mists and down the mountain. You will travel to the city and contact the Inspector. The message will simply say 'Need services of Dr. Fung.' Then sign my name and wait until there is a reply ... wait, no matter how many months. Interpol will locate the Chinaman and he will take up the quest we give to him.'

'Urgently,' added The Indian. 'This twentieth century will see the floodgates open. The Fourth Dimension cannot be halted ... it can only be resisted.'

The Tanzanian concurred. 'There will be an age of heroes, and the Yarko, Zanzibar, the Flame Child and the Man of Wonders will be at the forefront. Others will follow.'

The Lama began pouring tea. 'This reminds me, brothers. An infant has been located, of the bloodline of Samson. We must keep an eye on him too. The next decade will be an interesting one!'

An Earth-F story - in nineteen short years, Yarko the Great, Zanzibar the Magician, Wonderman and The Flame will rise ... but before that can happen, a man who thought destiny was done with him has to be located.

Part Two Coming: The Immortal Gunslinger