A Child Shall Lead Them!
The Phantom Stranger teases the tale about to unfold. The aged High Lama declares that his time has come. A new High Lama must be sought. A young beggar boy, Song, approaches, seeking to play music for the High Lama. Kamset is quick to shoo the boy away, but the High Lama agrees to hear the beggar play. Song's music seemingly conjures forth demons of smoke, that strangle the High Lama to death. Kamset strikes Song, accusing him of murder. Backing away from Kamset, Song professes his innocence, just before stumbling out a window. The Phantom Stranger catches Song, saving him from death.
Song offers to spend his life in service to the Phantom Stranger. The Phantom Stranger declines, as he fades away in he mist. Kamset mobilizes the monks, leading them to the Lake of The Sacred Spirit, in Tibet. There they will learn the identity of the new High Lama. In the swirling waters of the lake, the image of the new High Lama appears. A star-shaped birthmark adorns the infant's head. Suddenly, Communist Chinese soldiers fire on the monks. The Phantom Stranger intervenes, and beats the soldiers into unconsciousness. The monks ask for the Phantom Stranger's aid in locating the new High Lama.
The Phantom Stranger declines, on the basis that their quest is fraudulent, initiated by a traitor in their midst. Kamset angrily denounces the Phantom Stranger's veiled accusations. Kamset conjures a tentacle, from lake sediment, that drags the Phantom Stranger beneath the lake's surface. The Phantom Stranger barely musters enough mystic power to destroy the tendril, and reclaim the surface. Song aids the Phantom Stranger in reaching the lakeshore. Song, again, offers to serve the Phantom Stranger. Song's destiny, though, follows a different path. Kamset leads the monks throughout the land, seeking the new High Lama.
In a hut, at the edge of the last village to be searched, the High Lama is found. Kamset dismisses the other monks, then furiously turns on the infant's mother. Though the infant bears the mark, it is not the child Kamset intended to rule the order, as his puppet. Kamset demands to know how the child's mother has tricked him. So forceful is Kamset's questioning that he accidentally kills the woman. Kamset prepares to murder the infant. Suddenly Song appears, wrenching the knife out of Kamset's hands. Song momentarily ensnares Kamset, in his own robes, long enough to grab his infant brother and run.
Kamset conjures forth a wall of flame to keep Song from reaching the villagers. Song seeks shelter on a mountain, but Kamset mystically triggers an avalanche. The Phantom Stranger appears, to stand against Kamset. The villagers also close on Kamset. Imprisoning the villagers within a mystical shield, Kamset battles against the Phantom Stranger. Momentarily gaining the advantage over the Phantom Stranger, Kamset goes after Song. Desperate to protect his infant brother, Song manages to trip Kamset, who plunges over the cliffside, to his death. The monks take possession of the new High Lama, with Song serving as his regent. Song's destiny is fulfilled.
The Power
Kenyon, assistant to the Great Gardino-Master of Levitation, is desperate to learn the secret of levitation. The Great Gardino, however, does not trust Kenyon enough to reveal it. Kenyon pistol-whips the Great Gardino, into unconsciousness. Kenyon binds and tortures the Great Gardino, until he finally reveals the secret of levitation. Then, Kenyon murders the Great Gardino. Kenyon uses his newfound power to rob an armored car. Inexperienced in the use of the power, Kenyon accidentally draws the entire truck to him, instead of just it's contents. Kenyon is crushed to death, beneath the weight of the armored car.
A Far Away Place
An lonely elderly man, George Wheemy, dreams of traveling to some faraway land. A dark stranger arrives, one day, in search of one of Wheemy's neighbors, Martin Letterman. The stranger has an appointment with Letterman, at exactly 11:00 a.m. The stranger tells Wheemy that he is taking Letterman on a trip. Wheemy desperately attempts to convince the stranger to take Wheemy instead. The stranger, though, insists on traveling with Letternan. Crest-fallen, Wheemy returns to his apartment. The next day, Wheemy is informed that Letterman died, at precisely 11:00 a.m. Realizing that it was Death who came for Letterman, Wheemy abandons his dreams of traveling.
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