“Really?” Liviana chuckles. They both take off after him.
The dark corridor brightens with light from flaming torches. Standing eighteen feet away in a circular antechamber, Clabber faces the entrance.
There is an annular protrusion jotting out three feet from the stone floor. It appears to be made of a strange metal, grey in color, with silver particles mixed in. The texture looks wet, but it is stable.
As they enter Liviana notices a stone block on the wall barely sticking out with Anuk writing on it; it has a dirty marbled color. She makes her way to it smiling. She retrieves her dagger, instantly putting the fear of death in Clabber. She slices her hand much to his relief; drops of her blood fall to the floor.
“Stand back,” she orders.
Liviana smears her blood on the block. The ground rumbles once more, the circular protrusion rises four feet, then the top begins to glow with golden symbols. Clabber looks on in awe, immediately dropping to his knees. Liviana calmly walks over to read the symbols in the ancient tongue.
The top layer dissolves creating a depression. Inside, a small metal object sits in a thin glass holder. It is dark bronze, no bigger than a finger, thin as paper. Lines of gold are noticeable, with sharp angles weaving their way around the face.
“At last,” Liviana announces, pleased they have found their prize.
A drop of her blood falls into the depression as she picks up the transparent holder. The spot where it fell glows blue. Curiosity gets the better of her. She slowly puts a finger in to touch the area.
Mica gives her a worried look, “Liv don’t,” he warns. He looks around, ready for some trap to be engaged.
She ignores him. The metal column quickly dissolves, leaving a small blue box on the ground. There is more of the Anuk writing on it glowing brightly. At this point, Clabber is prostrating devoutly.
Liviana reads the inscriptions. A golden thread of light wraps around the midsection of the box, then it opens. She carefully lifts the lid; what she sees puts reverence on her face, something Mica has never seen. Inside sits a small red gem.
“The gem of Persephone,” Liviana declares with love in her voice. She picks it up with trembling hands.
She shows it to Mica, who looks on in awe. He had taken all that Liviana had told him to be a mere myth or excuses for adventure. Now, in their presence, she held real history. A confirmation that there was a deeper purpose to all that had gone before; all that there is to come.
Clabber stands to look at the gemstone with renewed faith. Even though he is a High Priest, indoctrinated into the new version of the old Anuk religion, he is not a believer. All his years of corruption seemed trivial at this point. He suddenly remembers a warning passed on to him.
His lips tremble, “It has been passed down through the years that anything removed from this room will bring death. The old priests said the essence of the gods themselves was brought here.”
Liviana becomes irritated, “There is only one true God. You people have perverted the ancient religion, twisting it for the sake of man’s lusts.”
In a hopeful tone, Clabber says, “You promised you would leave. I have given you what you came for.”
“Your prophecy is wrong.” Liviana nods at Mica.
Clabber’s expression changes from plight to fear as Mica draws his dagger then swings it at his neck. The priest’s jugular is severed, sending blood squirting everywhere. He grabs his throat as he drops to the floor. He looks at Liviana while breathing his last breath.
“I bring death,” Liviana says to Clabber.
The body continues to twitch.
-LATE AT NIGHT, IN ALEXA’S ROOM, BACK IN PARTHON, ATLANTIS-
Sleep escapes some at this late hour; Anna sits with Cassandra on the floor of Alexa’s bedroom going through her personal effects. Chests are arranged neatly in the large room; some are packed, others are empty. The finality of death it seems comes when the belongings of the deceased are put away.
The slow rhythmic footsteps of children alert their mother; Steven and Chloe enter the bedroom with sleepy faces. Steven runs up to Anna to crawl into her lap. Chloe remains at the doorway looking at the two adults. Suddenly, large hands lift her off the ground. Alexius puts her on his shoulder and remains stationed at the door.
Anna holds up an ugly shawl, “Is there anything your mother didn’t horde?” she asks Cassandra rhetorically.
Remus appears behind Alexius. He puts a hand on his brother’s free shoulder. There were some memories in this room, happy for many, bad for one.
When Alexius was fifteen, Alexa succumbed to a dark stage in her mental illness. One stormy night her torment was overbearing, brought on by the mere presence of her son. After a series of outbursts no mother should deliver to her child, Alexius left his home. He ran off to Atlas where he met Deidra, then joined the Atlantean forces.
Remus remembers that night; he accepts that his brother acts out in his way, but still yearns to belong.
He takes Chloe off Alexius then quietly enters the room. He puts her on the bed then joins the women. A section of a trunk catches his attention. He picks up a stuffed toy bunny.
Remus dangles the toy towards Alexius, “Remember this?”
The white bunny is shaped more like a human than a rabbit. Its fur shows signs of old age. It is dressed in a cream sweater and a white coat. Remus’ display of the rabbit brings Alexius into the room; it also sparks curiosity in Chloe, who now sits up on the bed.
Alexius takes the toy, squeezing it almost reverently. He gives it to Chloe, who welcomes the bunny with a hug.
“Take good care of her,” Alexius says to his niece.
There is more digging in trunks by his siblings. Remus heads over to a corner wall. A moment passes before he returns with a small blue box in his hand. There are strange writings on the top -the language of the ancients.
Anna looks at her husband curiously, “What’s that?”
Remus heads over to his brother, “Mother kept it for Alexius.”
“I’ve never seen that before, what is it?” Cassandra asks.
Remus offers it to Alexius. Inside is a small silver cartouche shaped pendant attached to a thick silver chain. There are more ancient golden symbols engraved into the silver body. Alexius picks it up, revealing a handwritten note beneath.
“It’s in mother’s hand,” he says. He looks at Remus, hesitates, then reads the note.
~ALEXA’S NOTE~
Alexius, my baby boy, I leave this heirloom to you as it was entrusted to me for you by your father Arias; passed down to him through the generations. Keep it safe; protect it with your life, for the agents of darkness seek its mystery.
My heart breaks for you, for you are a child of suffering. Please forgive me past ills. I have always loved you, my son.
~END NOTE~
A tear rolls down his stoic face, not genuinely revealing the confusion he feels inside. Cassandra goes to him to provide a warm embrace.
“She wrote that but a month ago,” Remus explains.
Chloe drops off the bed with her new bunny in her arms. She darts out of the room, startling the adults.
“Do you have to leave tomorrow?” Cassandra asks Alexius.
“I must. Carrell sails at first light. It’s a two-day journey,” he explains.
“Fly to the capital with Andros; you can leave tomorrow afternoon,” she explains.
“I can’t. As much as I want to, I can’t.”
Chloe returns to the room, rushing in with purpose. She offers Alexius what appears to be a tightly woven band.
“What’s this?” Alexius asks with a smile.
“A magic bracelet,” the toddler responds. He hugs her then heads out of the room.
His entire life up to this point did not make any sense. He would not have answers to the questions that burned his soul. All he could do was follow the path before him, a path still shrouded in mystery.
-TEMPLE GROUNDS, DALMATIA-
It is now past mi
dnight; the festivities have died out. All the monastery residents have returned to their quarters, anxious to leave the place at first light. The tables that once had all of Clabber’s treasure are now empty; successfully distributed amongst the former slaves. The nomads are not leaving empty handed though, for they claimed a share as well.
The transport crafts begin to ignite their engines. Blue flames blast out the rear exhaust, creating a brilliant light in the darkness. One ship lifts off the ground then angles its nose towards the sky. It ascends slowly towards the heavens, making its way to a destination known only to a few.
The second craft’s ramp is open. Liviana runs up with Mica, quickly making their way to the back area. The ramp closes creating a seal, equalizing the air pressure inside. They pass by their sleeping comrades, quietly taking seats at the rear. They prepare themselves for departure by attaching restraints.
The ascent begins. The windows show the ground quickly disappearing. Liviana closes her eyes, ready to drift off into much-needed sleep. She wakes to sounds of rattling.
Her eyes remain closed, she smiles, “So, what did you get?”
Mica acts aloof, “Me? Nothing much. Just a ruby, some coin, and this beauty.” He reveals the necklace he picked out of the treasure. Liviana looks at the broken shard around his neck.
“That’s worthless,” she points out, “it’s gold plated if you haven’t noticed.”
Mica smiles proudly, “Well I like it. Reminds me that even broken things have a home.”
“Nicely put. Now get some rest and stop your infernal jiggling,” Liviana grumbles.
“By the time the authorities realize what has happened here, we will be halfway to Rekem.”
“We’re not going to Rekem. We’re going to Harapa, to see Old Mother.”
A moment of panic sets in with Mica, “Can you drop me off at Rekem? You know how much I hate that place.”
Liviana remains silent, which forces Mica to settle in for the long ride. He fumes silently, touching the worthless trinket around his neck.
The craft shoots off into the sky joining up with its companion. After flying in formation for a minute, Liviana’s craft breaks off, heading to the Aryan border.
~DEEP INSIDE LUMERIA, THREE THOUSAND YEARS AGO~
Dark chambers suddenly begin to brighten as scattered screens come to life. Symbols materialize in the air at various points; instruments start to hum. Light gradually fills the space, dim at first, then creeping up to a comfortable level.
A raised platform is in center of the chamber with a sarcophagus, dark grey with some silver mixed in. Blue light forms under the metal box, then it shoots around the platform creating a barrier of light. A dull droning sound matches the spinning light, rapidly increasing in pitch. Plumes of smoke emanate from beneath the platform; as suddenly as it began, it ends.
The sarcophagus’ lid slides off to the side, revealing Queen Persephone. She struggles to climb out, barely managing to make it on to the platform’s edge. Her bloody hand smears red on the metal. Her cauterized wounds are opened up once more; made fresh again from the journey by light. She stumbles down the short metal stairs, grabbing tightly to sturdy railings.
There are several panels on a sizeable table-like console with warning symbols flashing. Persephone looks for any vacant part with a crevice to match Thoth’s key; she is in pain, wondering if she will survive the next few hours. She sees an empty slot then pulls the key off her neck. The moment she slams it in, red lights flash, alarms blare.
Persephone bows her head, “I seek forgiveness with the Lord of heaven, the Creator and Cherisher of the worlds.” She taps several switches then turns the key ten degrees clockwise, then to sixty degrees, and back to ten.
The key secures itself to the panel as it glows gold. The chamber rumbles violently. It is joined by muffled roars of rockets igniting. Wave after wave of departing missiles shakes everything in the room.
Two displays materialize over the console; one shows the globe with targets spread all through the realms, the other provides live data. Persephone looks at the information then panic overcomes her. The noise and clamor dissipate, leaving a symphony of electronics to join the sounds of the sobbing queen.
She limps away, holding her mouth with one hand while grabbing the side of the wall with the other; she wants to scream, to wale, to let all her emotions pour forth, but won’t because this is a sacred place. She makes her way to a catwalk with an endless abyss below.
She stops midway on the metal corridor; it is evident now that it is suspended above a great height. She looks down at the darkness inviting her to descend. No! She screams in her head then continues her journey to the circular room at the end.
The doors slide open, lights brighten. A single medical bed is in the center with a glass covering suspended in the air. Persephone limps over to the bed, ready to lie there, to fade away into oblivion. She strips off her bloody clothing, letting it fall to the ground before she climbs on to the bed; it automatically inclines for her, causing her to cry out in pain.
She feels around the sides for a compartment, realizing that her wound has begun to bleed once more. Her fingers run over a switch. A chamber-door slides open on the bedframe, allowing her to snatch a medical kit. Hastily she retrieves a small packet. Tearing it open, she then smashes it on her exposed wound. A green gel forms. It quickly ‘fizzles’ into a white powder; she exhales with relief.
The glass covering descend on her, stopping three feet away. She selects a sequence of buttons on the bedframe. A screen materializes in the space in front of her. She clears her throat, wipes her tears. She was many things, and vain is one of them; she straightens out her hair while looking at her mirrored image on the screen. Satisfied, she selects another button.
She clears her throat, “It is now the age of Virgo. I am Persephone, Isis of Egypt. Daughter to the house ENlil. The true heir to all the lands of the east, the west, and Hyperboria.”
The chamber lights begin to dim, causing her to pause to look around. This place is, after all, Lumeria, home to the sleeping forefathers. What else lurks here? She wonders. Time was not something she had.
She continues, “Wife to Osiris of house ENki. I commit myself to the long seep, though I fear I shall be dead before judgment day, at the time of the awakening. The world is in ruin. I am afraid that I played no small part in this.”
She pauses, ready to confess her crime.
“I launched weapons that will devastate the planet. Outposts of ENlil shall be destroyed, including Hyperboria. Lands will be frozen, and others will be burnt; a combination of devastation engineered by my ancestors. But they did not unleash this on the world; it was I, Persephone that did.
In my ignorance, I also set forth a bioweapon, a plague for all Anuk, and those with our blood. I know not whether any of my kind or the watchers will survive; if shelter and care are sought in time, then maybe.
You exist only in essence now. With the help of my cousin Thoth, you shall be preserved through time, hidden away for your safety. When you are born, know that you are from me and your father, the great king Osiris.”
Tears roll down her face.
“Treachery and betrayal have destroyed my house, your house. You are the heir to the world. I pray that you are born into one free from the failures of our kin. If not, then you must fulfill your destiny, bring order to chaos.
Judgment day is at the end of Virgo when the forefathers will rise. Destroy the house of ENlil before they bring on the destruction of humankind. Vengeance must rain down on them if they live.
I love you my child, more than I will ever be able to share. Rise above our nature, become a beacon of hope. Rise above the winds of time, let the light of Orion flow through you. Until we meet, in this life or the next, I love you.”
She taps a switch, the screen dissolves. As she closes her eyes the glass cover descends on the bed, sealing her in. The lighting in the room goes out, with only the lights from the bed illuminating the d
arkness.
Chapter 13: The City that Never Sleeps
The capital of Atlantis, Atlas, is a sprawling metropolis on the northeastern side of the island continent. The 34 square miles of the city ends at the edge of a lush forest, which climbs up the side of a sacred mountain. At the top exists the majestic residence of the royal family. It is one hundred acres of highly protected land, with a magnificent palace looking down at the city; it was not always like this.
Almost 2900 years ago, the ‘Bay of Atlas’ welcomed survivors from the house of ENlil. It was here that the sole surviving brother of the usurpers in Hyperboria, Atlas, would establish his power base.
He arrived with his household, some ten thousand strong, made up of servants, family, and military. They once lived on the borders of Hyperboria and Illyria, somewhat removed from the surgical strikes unleashed from Lumeria. Their lands were overcome with the ‘Black Death,’ so they fled out into the world, eventually arriving in Atlantis.
The early settlers faced some hardships adapting to the new land, mainly due to resistance to integration with the local inhabitants; it was not long before the tribal population was subdued. A large city was built, which quickly turned into a sprawling metropolis.
Today, the wealth of the empire can be appreciated just at the sight of the capital. New temples exist amongst old, including small pyramids scattered in the cityscape. Tall buildings flow towards the interior of the city, turning into skyscrapers reaching up to the clouds; stunning walls of glass have replaced the limestone blocks of the past. Monorails stretch throughout the skyline, with flying crafts gracing the restricted airspace.
~TIMON~
Prince Timon sees this view from his private quarters as he stands on his balcony in his underwear. He is forty-four years old, and rather short for an Anuk, quite possibly standing at five feet seven inches. His lean muscular build is a departure from his father’s husky, barbarian sized frame. He exudes all the qualities one would expect from a prince, sharp features, neat dark hair, and arrogance in his voice.
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