‘I’m still underground,’ he thought. ‘An underground city.’
He looked back at the people milling about the streets below and realized they were not really people at all. Tall and slender, their faces and bared arms were covered with sleek, moist scales. He’d never actually seen one before, but he knew these things, these winged beings, were Edimmu. They were far different than the savages who attacked the building in Toronto.
These Edimmu were as civilized and refined as any city dweller of the modern age. Women carried babies in their arms. Children played in front of stores where merchants bartered in a sibilant chatter, a series of clicks and growls that was at once magical and threatening. Something flew above his head. He looked up and saw a trio of bare-chested Edimmu playing a game consisting of throwing a gold discus while flying backwards. They flew over the city, dodging taller buildings.
Another Edimmu wearing a plain, white tunic flew from house to house with a large cloth sack draped over his back. It appeared he was the equivalent of a paperboy or mailman. He dropped parcels off at each stop. That implied that the Edimmu were not only civilized, but literate as well. Closer to him, he saw an open window leading to an apartment. He blinked slowly as his eyes fell upon two Edimmu in the middle of lovemaking. The slow kisses and gentle thrusting motions made him blush.
Then he heard something. He realized it was the first sound he’d heard in awhile. It started as a soft ‘ting,’ like a small bell being rung or the chinking of crystals. Then, not only could he hear the sound, he could see it. He saw it ripple throughout the city. Translucent rings of light and shadow touched every subterranean corner. He looked back to the open window and the couple making love. Suddenly, he was gone from the rooftop. Now he was inside their apartment. He watched as they stopped what they were doing. They cocked their heads to the side, trying to find the source of the sound. The male Edimmu stood, wrapped a blanket around his waist and went to the window. His female partner said something to him, an incomprehensible series of clicks and hisses. The male shook his head and then turned sharply toward David and started moving. For a moment, David thought he was discovered. Then the male rushed past him, heading to a smaller room off the bedroom.
‘A bathroom,’ he whispered. It looked distressingly similar to bathrooms of the modern world, complete with shower, sink and toilet. All three devices were running now. Water flowed from everywhere. Hot water caused the air to mist and steamed over the wall-length mirrors that lined one of the walls. The male yelled now as he struggled to turn off the taps. The ringing sound grew louder. It filled David with a tingling sensation that started at the base of his spine and spread throughout his body.
“Something’s coming,” he said. Even as the words left his mouth, the darkness appeared. The steam on the mirror was wiped away by an unseen hand. It created a murky hole that reflected nothing of the real world. As the hole spread further, the sound grew louder. Then, things started to flow out of the darkness, impossible shapes with horns and tentacles wielding swords. The male Edimmu screamed as one of the dark shapes slashed at it. Blood shot from the Edimmu’s throat, splattering the walls and floors. David squealed but the blood did not touch him. It flew through him, covering the rest of the room. He watched as more and more shapes streamed out of the mirror. Something killed the female and then flew out the window into the city.
Then David was back on the rooftop. All around him, dark figures poured out of every mirror and reflective surface in sight. They slaughtered every Edimmu they found. Flying shadows, crow-like monsters the size of large dogs filled the sky. He watched as they tore the flesh from the three Edimmu playing the discus game. Silent explosions rocked the city. Flames erupted from every quarter and the scent of blood grew thick in the air. A female Edimmu ran toward David, a small baby in her arms. She screamed for help, desperation in her eyes. He reached out for her and….
He was back in the bedroom. When he reached for the female, he had removed his hand from the wall. When he lost contact, the images disappeared instantly.
“What the hell was that?” He lay back down in bed.
As frightened as he was, he still was self-aware enough to realize the headache was gone.
***
He left his room and followed the sound of voices to a dining area. Echo and the other Anomalies sat around large glass tables eating breakfast. He was the last to arrive. Two servants, women with dark brown skin, moved around the room. One poured coffee while the other dished out scrambled eggs. Bethany had saved him a seat near the head of the table where Echo sipped wine from a crystal glass.
Jessica took a sip of the coffee before her. Her face twisted around her lips like she had just sucked on a lemon. “That’s gross. Do you lose your taste buds when you get older?”
Echo smirked. “No. We just learn to appreciate different tastes. How old are you, Jessica? If memory serves me right, you would be 13, correct?”
“I’m 12.” Jessica reached for the cup of coffee again, her face firmly set. “And a half.”
“Of course,” Echo laughed again. “That half is very important.”
Amy stirred her eggs with a fork. “How old are you, Echo?”
“Amy!” Todd nearly spat out the eggs in his mouth. “You know it’s not polite to ask that kind of question.”
“Oh please, children,” Echo said, the laugh still thick in her voice. “I’m well past worrying about my age. In fact, I’ve stopped counting. You do after awhile.”
“You can’t be older than Bethany.” Jessica took another sip of coffee. Once again, her face contorted but she forced herself to keep drinking. “She’s ancient.”
“Hey!” Bethany said. She threw a napkin across the table at Jessica.
Echo turned to Bethany. “Behave, now. To a child’s eyes you would be ancient. To me, you are just a babe. Let’s just say when I was 12 there was no such thing as Christianity and the Jews still worshipped a god and a goddess. Well, I can see from the looks on all your faces you don’t really believe me. Why should you?”
“What are you?” Todd leaned forward, elbows on the table.
Echo leaned back in her chair and studied Todd. “I was human, once. That changed when I was sixteen. I paid a price. You could say I sold my soul but I don’t regret the price. Not often, anyway.”
David cleared his throat. “Is Wisdom like you? Did he sell his soul, too?”
“If you have questions about Wisdom, ask him yourself.” Echo put down her wine. “But enough questions about me. I’m sure you have all sorts of questions about what you are.”
“We know what we are,” Jessica said.
“Do you?” Echo motioned for one of the servants to clear way her plate of eggs even though she’d barely touched them. “So what has Wisdom told you?”
Amy glanced at Jessica before speaking. “Ms. Ryerson and Wisdom tell us we’re a little…evil.”
“Evil?” Echo laughed. “Hmm. I didn’t expect that. Not from Wisdom. Listen, there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years. One person’s devil is another person's god. Literally. Have you ever heard the name Azazel? If you buy one of those pretentious books on angels, he’s listed as a demon. Yet the people in this area worshipped him as a god, represented by a black peacock. The only reason he’s seen as evil is because of a cultural battle between the Hebrews and the Yezidi. In every war I’ve seen, it’s important for morale to demonize your enemies. Make their gods into things of darkness and evil. It’s almost as if two people on different sides of the same conflict can’t possibly worship the same god.
“There is no evil. Not any absolute evil, anyway. Killing babies could be seen as evil, the slaughter of innocents. Or it could be seen as ridding the world of a threat in the making. It all depends on the spin you place on it. Depends on who writes the story and who reads it.”
Echo took several slow breaths. “But I digress. What has Wisdom told you about the Council of Peacocks?”
David looked around the
table. Everyone looked as confused as he felt.
“It’s a pretty amazing bird, the peacock.” Echo leaned back in her chair. “Have you ever heard its cry? It sounds like a person screaming in pain. It was the sacred bird of Hera. Let me tell you a little story, the myth of the peacock.”
“Oh, dear god, she’s going to give us a history lesson.” Jessica pushed her coffee away and turned to Amy. “Can we please leave?”
“No,” Amy said. “I want to hear this.”
“If I may,” Echo said. “Hera learned her husband, Zeus, was having an affair with a young nymph. So she hid the nymph in a cave and stationed a hundred-eyed giant as her jailer. The giant, Argus, was a hero. The stories say he slew Echidna, mother of monsters. They also say he was killed, in turn, by Hermes when Zeus decided he wanted his mistress back. But it’s just a myth. See, the myths about Argus actually refer to a religious cult, a group of worshippers. They worshipped Hera and a giant, all-seeing god. The Argusites were at war with the worshippers of a water goddess – Echidna. When the war was over, the followers of Echidna were either killed or banished. Another cult rose in their place, a group of magicians who worshipped Hermes. Unfortunately for the Argusites, they weren’t as lucky against the Hermetics. One religion fell to another. Symbolically, the god Hermes ‘killed’ Argus, just as Argus ‘killed’ Echidna.
“When their temples were destroyed, the Argusites were forced to flee north to underground cities like the one we’re in now. The locals also worshipped a peacock god, Melek Taus. The two gods were very different but the Argusites adapted. They became the Council of Peacocks.
“During the middle ages, the Council spread all over Europe. It wasn’t a popular time to be a pagan, so they kept very quiet. Then they gained a powerful ally, a very annoying man named Propates. He has access to dark powers. He’s capable of things even I can’t explain. Propates has led the Council for several hundred years now.”
“Is everyone immortal?” David asked as he rubbed his temples. His migraine was returning. “I mean, seriously, how many of you people are there?”
“I’m not immortal. Neither is he. We’ve just been alive for a very long time. All you need to know is that the Council of Peacocks sent the Edimmu after you. They’re the ones Wisdom has been training you to fight.”
Amy looked up from her plate. “What exactly is an Edimmu?”
“That’s a long story,” Echo covered her mouth as she yawned. “And I’m through with history lessons for today. Please excuse me.” She stood up from the table and walked briskly out of the dining room.
Amy looked around the table. “Do any of you know what an Edimmu is?”
Everyone shook their head.
David thought back to his vision of the Edimmu city. “I think that’s one of the many questions Wisdom is going to have to answer when we see him again.”
Chapter Thirteen
August 4th
Josh stared out the window at London. He couldn’t see any landmarks he recognized. Having never been here before, he wondered how far he was from Big Ben and London Bridge. Lights shone from vacant offices in concrete buildings all around him. They gave the city a sense of life, but it could just as easily have been New York, Toronto, Tokyo or Chicago. He’d seen so little of the world that it all looked the same.
His living quarters were comfortably ordinary. Dark-stained wood and plush green furniture filled the carpeted room. The closets were filled with presents: dozens of Armani suits, well-tailored pants, high-quality shirts, belts and ties, all pre-packaged, creating an artificial sense of home. The building was quiet now that the workday was over. It would have been peaceful if not for his constant fear that the world was going to explode.
He had arrived in London two days ago. The first day was filled with doctors. They drew blood and placed him in large magnetic chambers to take pictures of the blueprints of his body. He ran on treadmills and did three-hour-long I.Q. tests.
Yesterday, he spent two hours with a staff psychologist who made him talk about his parents, his love life, and the blood-soaked trip to the Laurentians. Then alarms went off throughout the building. People ran in all directions, faces drawn and pale. While no one gave him any significant details, Josh determined something catastrophic had happened in a building Wisdom owned in Toronto.
During the chaos, he caught his first sight of others like himself. Dozens of staff members – mostly research assistants and scientists – from Toronto were assigned rooms on the same floor as his. Amongst them was a beautiful woman with the most stunning eyes he’d ever seen. Her name was Garnet. They spoke briefly in the hallway before she disappeared.
He pulled back the covers of the bed and slipped under the sheets. Hands folded behind his head, he stared at the white ceiling. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw creatures coming out of the shadows. Edimmu. He saw flashes of himself fighting them in the woods, setting their wings on fire for what they did to Tommy. What were they? Aliens? Demons? And why were they after Tommy?
Why wasn’t Wisdom giving him any answers?
There was a knock at the door.
Josh threw the covers off, walked to the door, and glanced through the peephole. Garnet stood outside wearing a green summer dress. She held hands with a young boy wearing a blue t-shirt and white shorts.
“Hi,” he said as he opened the door. “It’s a little late for visiting, isn’t it?”
“It’s 9:30.”
“Oh.” Josh saw in her eyes she wasn’t going anywhere. He stepped aside and let her in. “Who’s this?”
“His name is Jared.”
Jared walked straight to the couch and sat down hard. He folded his arms, grumbled something inaudible, and stared at the floor. He reminded Josh of his cousin Adrian. There was even a vague family resemblance he wished he could ignore.
Jared looked up at Garnet. “I told you I won’t like him.”
“Be nice, kiddo,” Garnet said to Jared. “He’s had a bad few days.”
“Who hasn’t?” Jared’s face blanched. “I can still feel those people dying in my head.”
Garnet knelt down by the couch and stroked the boy’s brown hair. “Me too. Lucky for me you got separated from the others and never made it to the roof. I need you to give Josh a break. Don’t pull any of the crap you did with Madeline when she first came to us, okay?”
“I miss Madeline,” Jared said. “She used to play Super Mario with me. She didn’t deserve what they did to her.”
“No, she didn’t.” Garnet frowned, tears forming in her eyes. “Well, enough of this maudlin crap. We came to ask you to join us in the common room. It’s far too early to sleep, and I’m sure we’ll all feel a little safer if we stick together. Maybe we can even scrounge up a Playstation from somewhere. Just don’t expect me to be much good, Jared.”
Jared smiled and ran for the door. “More fun for me if you suck. Means I’ll win.”
“Deal.” Garnet turned back to Josh and winked.
Josh smiled and followed them out.
***
Below the surface of Thessaloniki, in the caverns carved out by Edimmu, Paeder Ferris was being prepared for the third ceremony in the process of Eyeness. Two lower Council members in unadorned white robes anointed his naked body with fragrant ritual oil. He stood, legs spread, arms stretched out to the sides, allowing access to every surface of his flesh. The markings of previous initiations glimmered under the oil. Five intricate eyes were tattooed down the side of each leg, outlines of blue with green irises. Ten similar eyes were tattooed on his back, placed to form the kabalistic Tree of Life.
“There will be considerably more pain this time,” Propates said. He watched the process from the edge of the room while Otto prepared the required chemical injections.
“I can deal with the pain.” Paeder grimaced as one of the acolytes anointed his inner thighs. “That maggot destroyed my family.”
The acolytes finished and withdrew to an adjoining room. Otto injected a syringe
filled with a luminous green liquid into Paeder’s jugular vein. He injected a second needle filled with a clear solution into his left arm.
Grabbing him by the arm, Propates led Paeder to the octagonal crystal chamber at the center of the room. It was exactly five feet in diameter and stood fifteen feet tall. Entrance was through a crystalline hatch that was raised or lowered from the outside. When closed, the hatch vacuum sealed the chamber.
“This is not physical pain we’re talking about,” he said. “It’s a spiritual pain. All rebirths start with a death. Once you enter this chamber and the process begins, parts of your soul will be ripped apart and replaced with something else. I need you to comprehend what that means. We’re not talking about alterations at the genetic level. That happens, but it’s just an offshoot of the real magic. You are about to lose your mortality and ascend to a level of divinity.”
Paeder took a last look at the chamber before stepping inside. “I don’t need to know how it works. Just as long as it gets the job done. I can’t stand by and let him get away with it.”
Propates exerted his will and activated the nerve centers in Paeder’s body. Paeder dropped quickly to his knees. The pain came so quickly he was unable to stop the screams.
“You are to take him alive, Paeder. If I even suspect that you’re trying to kill him, I will send you to the shadows the same why I did Lucius. The boy is too important. I won’t let an insignificant twit like you get in the way of our plans. Now, convince me I’m not making a mistake sending you.”
Propates relaxed and Paeder, regaining control of his body, rose to his feet. Calmly, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Every ounce of his demeanor spoke of potency and resolve.
“I will do as you command. Doesn’t mean I can’t make him hurt a little.”
“No, you can hurt him. Just nothing permanent. Now, you said you don’t need to know how this process works. Unfortunately, ignorance is a luxury you can’t afford. We’ve learned from our mistakes. If you enter this blindly, it will kill you. Not might, will.” He handed two fist-sized emerald-colored crystals to Paeder. “The first thing you’ll notice is the gas. It’s a mixture of Earth chemicals and gases from the Axeinus, the Black Sea. Breathe it in deeply. Saturate your lungs. You’ll also have to chant the second invocation of the Black Peacock while channeling your pain into these crystals. No matter what happens, maintain focus on the crystals. They will keep your mind intact. As the gas fills the chamber, Otto and I will start what we need to do on our end. That’s when the pain will really kick in. Your mind will expand as your body disintegrates. Then it will reconstitute. It’s not pleasant but you need to work through it. The last thing that will happen is a gift from our friend from away.”
The Shadow Box: Paranormal Suspense and Dark Fantasy Thriller Novels Page 94
