BC11-BC17: The Battle Against Evil

These panels present the most dramatic and exciting portion of the sequence. While the fundamental meaning of the sub-sequence is clear, each panel contains details that are almost maddeningly mystifying, and Yeesha's journals from End of Ages are nearly silent concerning these events. We can only hope that the full story is someday revealed, clarifying the motives behind the battle and the methods used.

BC11: Yeesha and Calam Meet Evil. Yeesha and Calam meet someone new in the Cavern. The meeting appears peaceable, suggesting that the pair did not suspect the hostility that the newcomer would eventually reveal. The new figure is typically referred to as "Evil Book" or "The Enemy", and has not yet been identified. He appears to be a Writer, since his ID glyph is a book with outward-pointing arrows at the cardinal points, but Yeesha's journals do not name him. Remarkably, he also appears to be wearing some type of headgear or helmet.

The depiction of the Cavern follows the usual symbolism, with the Crying Eye at the top of the Cavern and groups of Bahro above the roof.

Again the intriguing glow makes an appearance in this panel, but it now surrounds Evil Book's ID glyph. If it symbolizes the Grower, then perhaps Evil Book is someone who believes he is (or is pretending to be) the Grower. The book is already bigger than that representing Calam, and the arrows suggest a desire for expanding domination.

BC12: Evil Book Attacks Yeesha. Evil Book finds Yeesha alone and uses the opportunity to strike at her. Again the glow surrounds Evil Book's ID glyph, but now it is black rather than white.

Six books are depicted on the Enemy's side of the panel. Was the Art somehow involved in the conduct of the attack? What is the significance of the crossed-lightning bolts arching towards Yeesha?

BC13: Calam Joins the Battle. Calam steps in and protects Yeesha.

The ID glyphs of Calam and Evil Book are juxtaposed within a circle that appears to be radiating energy. Perhaps this symbolizes that the contest was a Writer's duel of some type, though the historical record does not give us any indications that such events occurred. There are three parallel wavy lines at each of the cardinal points of the circle, which may be related to other occurences of the three-line symbology. Yeesha doesn't seem to be helping, as her mandala is over her head, rather than being in the battle circle.

Calam appears to be producing some sort of protective force field, similar to the one seen in EK7 in Eder Kemo, but the symbology is once again enigmatic, leaving us unable to explain the true methods of attack and defense that were employed.

BC14: Calam is Killed. The skulls on the borders of the panel are typical symbols of death, and Journal Eight states that Calam was murdered, so the panel clearly indicates more than simple defeat or injury. Evil Book's ID glyph is now bordered in black, another symbol of death. The meaning of the red dots flanking the glyph (five on each side) is elusive.

Yeesha's mandala is now dark instead of light, and is positioned above Calam's ID glyph, rather than within it or over her head. As well as symbolizing her sorrow over losing someone so close to her, the color may also symbolize feelings of guilt. In Yeesha's third imager speech in End of Ages she says, "Did I ask to cause the death of Calam?" Would Calam have been left alone if he had not protected Yeesha? Or does her guilt run deeper than that because she is somehow responsible for the circumstances that led to the attack or made it possible?

BC15: Yeesha Continues the Battle. Yeesha finds the courage and ability to continue the battle against Evil Book on her own. Journal Nine: "I learned of the fearsome power I wield on that day-the day of Calam’s death."

Evil Book appears to be sending minions of some kind to carry out his attack. Are these outworlders (ahrotahntee) that he has either enslaved or allied himself with? They do not resemble the usual glyphs representing the Bahro. Or is this symbolism meant to be as abstract as the lightning bolts and the defensive shield in the prior panels?

The twelve books usually associated with Calam are depicted to the left of Yeesha. This may symbolize Yeesha's use of Calam's knowledge in the battle, which more clearly involves the Art in this panel and the next.

The two books in the center of the panel appear to be Yeesha's mode of battle, as a small image of Yeesha is shown next to each. The four symbols on the pages of the top book appear as mirror images on the bottom book; the colors of the squares in the top book are reversed in the bottom book; and the two books are linked by lines.

Most likely this is a trap of some kind, intended to trick Evil Book and/or his minions into choosing the wrong Age out of a pair that superficially seem to be duplicates.

BC16: Yeesha Triumphant. Yeesha wins the battle against Evil Book. According to Journal Nine: "In a fit of rage I destroyed the murderer ..." However, the bottom portion of the panel seems to show Evil Book as simply being trapped in a book bearing the dark-in-light square from the top book in BC15. It is not clear whether Yeesha's use of the word "destroyed" is exaggerated, or whether the symbology simply fails to indicate Evil Book's true fate. Evil Book's ID glyph is either missing or has shrunk considerably.

The triumphant Yeesha is now depicted with the glow symbol, more radiant than ever, around her mandala. This adds support to the interpretation of the glow as representing the Grower. Journal Nine: "I began to see that the prophecies of he Grower might speak of me", though previously she had thought that Calam might be the Grower.

As in BC9, the glyphs and symbols of Calam and Yeesha are mingled on the left and right borders of the panel, indicating the full range of her knowledge.

BC17: Yeesha Gathers Followers. The Called come to the Cavern and learn from Yeesha. Yeesha's mandala and Calam's ID glyph appear separately above her shoulders as she sits at the root of the Tree and beckons. Five book symbols appear below Yeesha's arms, but most of them appear blank. Perhaps the filled book represents the past, while the empty books represent the unwritten future. It seems odd that the glow and the spiral do not appear in this panel, which would help to confirm my tentative interpretations, and that no Bahro figures are depicted.

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