The Light Eternal

"Zurwan has blessed the souls of all here, The Mother of Life has given us spirit, the First Man has given us strength! March forth, faithful, and banish the dark!"

Augustine of Hippo

As the seventh century drew to an end in our world, the Light Eternal of Mani spluttered and guttered into an ebb. Under the weight of persecution from the flames of Zoroaster and competition from the sacred cross, the eternal light faded forever. But perhaps...

Point of Divergence
One day, Diocletian wakes up with a headache and, slumping back into his opulent bed, decides that the decree against the Manicheans can hold off another week. Bahram II, as he strides towards his throne room, ready to order the demise of the Manicheans, looks at a beautiful day and decides a vacation may be just the thing for his health. A certain Augustine of Hippo, hearing tales of a Catholic saint, shakes his head at such lies. No great, seminal incident dominates this timeline, but a thousand tiny, vestigial sparks...