The Serpent's Song

by S. Robertson

  “That’s true, Angi. It’s as if the cosmos receives a signal to join in the journey and comes bearing gifts such as the kindness of strangers or the opening of unexpected doors.”

  “I now know where this discussion is headed. You’re leading me right back to Zolar aren’t you?” asked Angi.

  “I suppose so,” replied Adawee, “What are your thoughts now on his role in your present ordeal?”

  “If I have understood this conversation, Zolar was a willing pawn in my Destiny. He was prepared to use his power and position to harm us just to nurture his ego. The risk was that he would substantiate his argument that we were unworthy of this medallion and whatever mission Sirona and Myttrwn was about to propose. He would succeed in holding back the Earth’s advancement, and would have done it according to his interpretation of your kingdom’s rules. He likely felt that in the end he would be richly rewarded for his actions. Of course, egotists never contemplate the alternative. If we succeeded then all his plans would have backfired.”

  “Very good, Angi, you are growing in wisdom. The cosmos wants you to succeed and in your dream world you are given the means to accomplish it. In the end you will be judged on how you perform during both the highs and the lows. Now remember there is one final test which will arise in the next few days,” said Adawee, a signal she was about to depart.

  “Very well, I’ll remember,” replied Angi, not convinced she was up to any more trials. “But before you disappear, can you tell me when I can let my friends know about you. I was hoping this might happen before we entered the pyramid.”

  “Soon, Angi. I’ll appear in person to you and your friends. Then you will know who I am.”

  “Fine, ………..I’m sorry you have to leave me here alone but understand, you likely have other duties,” replied Angi, suddenly feeling drowsy.

  “Rest, Angi. Let the therapy repair your body. It’s always a pleasure talking with you.” And with that she disappeared leaving Angi alone with her thoughts.

  * * *

  The Palace

  A private meeting was initiated by the Queen with Sirona and Myttrwn to discuss the pyramid fiasco. They gathered in the Queen’s residence, sitting around a small table overlooking an interior garden. The garden, designed with meticulous attention to grandeur and scent, filled the venue with an exotic perfume. On the Queen’s orders, all servants had been dismissed to give them privacy.

  The Queen began, “This scandalous situation has disgraced our kingdom. Zolar deliberately submitted our guests to an outrageous ordeal. My first mistake was accepting his word that it would be a basic initiation. I thought by agreeing to this it might silence any Council members resistant to our contact with Gaia. I was wrong. If it hadn’t been for your quick action in providing them with special clothing and tools the outcome could have been disastrous irrespective of Angi’s abilities. Have you anything further to add?”

  Sirona understanding her mother’s anguish, replied, “Perhaps we were all at fault and too dismissive of Zolar’s motives. He certainly concealed his resentment over the post-plague demotion of his family’s prestige centuries ago and his evident anti-Gaia stance. I thought it was his usual obsessive and rigid attitude to rules and resistance to change which orchestrated his actions. I now realize that his hatred and fanaticism ran far deeper than anyone could have imagined. Ignoring the decision of the Council, he took matters into his own hands and formulated a plan to murder our guests to prevent the medallion from ever being used. This will have far reaching diplomatic implications. Somehow he thought by killing himself he would escape punishment. Our screening methods certainly slipped up on this one.”

  Myttrwn, contemplating his reply, stepped in as Sirona finished, “You know I even mentioned the plague in my early talks with our Gaia guests fearing they might encounter some negativity outside the palace grounds. I never thought it would be smoldering right under our nose. This situation has highlighted several problems. First, Zolar was able to block his deepest thoughts for years which means that others may be doing the same thing. That is something I must think about as it pertains to our security. Second, Zolar was able to reprogram the entire pyramid and create a lethal initiation program without a single whisper of suspicion. We must never let this happen again. My skilled technicians are presently stripping down his handiwork to reset the pyramid. I only hope that this has not frightened our students from considering their own initiation. My technicians are also making strides at unscrambling Zolar’s communication blocks so we can prevent this in the future. This has definitely been a wakeup call for all of us.”

  Adding to Myttrwn’s comments the Queen said, “We must also thoroughly review the role of Director of the House of Learning and the rules governing the school and initiation programs. In the meantime, Myttrwn, the Council and I would like you to assume temporary charge of the school until we’ve had time to make other arrangements.”

  “As you wish, Your Majesty,” replied Myttrwn.

  “Next, have you had time to explain to our Gaia guests that this was not our usual initiation process?” asked the Queen.

  “Yes,” replied Sirona, “Except for Angi who is still recovering.”

  “I’ll count on you Sirona to make sure she is fully informed as she has been the most damaged by this, a matter which greaves me greatly.”

  Sirona nodded.

  “Now, how is Zolar?” asked the Queen, her voice raised at the mention of his name. “We must transfer him at once to more secure quarters pending his trial. He will remain under strict security and be checked frequently to prevent any possibility of him escaping the full weight of the law of this kingdom.”

  “I’ll attend to this at once,” replied Sirona, “He will be moved to a palace security cell and remain under guard.”

  “Myttrwn, is he well enough to be moved?” asked the Queen.

  “At present he’s in a semi-conscious state but I can reverse that,” replied Myttrwn. “I’ll work with Sirona to get him transferred. My only request is that I be able to see him on a regular basis to assess his mental and physical state. Once he learns of the failure of his plans he may fall into a deep depression and make another attempt on his life. He will surely know what lies ahead, a humiliating life for a proud man.”

  “Proud indeed,” replied the Queen, displaying little sympathy, “If it wasn’t for such pride he would not have resorted to such treachery. He not only considered himself above the law, he also believed he could defy a decision of his monarch and Council. Action like this leads to anarchy. The question is whether the four from Gaia will agree to face Zolar as is our custom. What do you think?”

  Sirona thought before replying, “It may be a lot to ask. I’m not sure they will have recovered sufficiently to face him. Myttrwn, you have a better understanding of their condition, what do you think?”

  “Don’t underestimate them,” was Myttrwn’s immediate reply, “I definitely think they should be asked. If they agree, then may I suggest a smaller audience? The full Council might be a bit intimidating.”

  “Myttrwn, if you approach the four, I’ll press for a smaller audience,” replied the Queen. “I would prefer they face Zolar in keeping with our laws, but I’ll accept whatever they decide. They’ve been through enough. Now let’s move to a more pleasant topic. Myttrwn, I’ve been most impressed with your robotic dogs. Will you be able to repair Angi’s dog?”

  “I’m working on Skylar right now,” replied Myttrwn, “The dog absorbed a major portion of the laser blast. What has surprised me is how much the dogs have bonded with these four. When I took the three dogs to download their recording information, the moment the procedure was over they were standing at the door wanting to return. Equally, the three from Gaia have insisted the dogs be with them at all times. Now I understand this may be a post-trauma reaction but, I may have quite a job disengaging them when it’s time for the four to return to Earth.”

  “I’m sure you’ll solve that,” said the Queen with a sm
ile. “So, you now have three records of the pyramid events?”

  “Actually I have four, I was able to retrieve a lot more from Skylar than I expected,” replied Myttrwn. “I’ll have that combined record for Your Majesty by the end of the day.”

  “This video record will be vital evidence at Zolar’s trial,” said the Queen, “As such, will you make sure a copy is stored in a secure location?”

  “I’ve already attended to that,” replied Myttrwn, fully aware that everyone was still unsure if Zolar had other accomplices.

  The Queen then shifted the conversation asking, “Myttrwn how is Angi? I know cases vary but it has been days.”

  “She is recovering but slowly,” replied Myttrwn, “I’m more assured of her recovery now than when she was first admitted. Exhausted, she was unable to establish a strong enough shield, so took a severe laser hit.”

  “I have reviewed her actions several times on that preliminary copy of the pyramid activities you gave me and was impressed with what she could do. Myttrwn, did Angi learn all this since her arrival in Tir na nOg?” asked the Queen.

  “Your Majesty, that is the most astounding part of this and why I requested this meeting. As I previously mentioned to Sirona, my instructions seem to be tapping into some form of preprogramming within Angi. You watched her heal her companions, this is something I had not seen before but Sirona reported she did this prior to arriving in our kingdom. With regard to time shifting, we had just managed a one hour shift but you witnessed her doing double two hour shifts as if she had been doing it for years. The snow was never discussed. But the most astounding feature was her projection of her essence from within the pyramid into the monitoring room of the House of Life. I had just begun that discussion briefly mentioning the steps and commands, but we never performed the feat. Yet, she did it on her own.”

  “How is that possible?” asked the Queen.

  “That is a mystery I cannot explain,” replied Myttrwn

  “That must be a first,” smiled the Queen, “You mean to tell me in your vast years of life you have never encountered this before?”

  “I have not,” replied Myttrwn, “And at my age, this is an exciting conundrum. But I have more.”

  “Go on,” replied the Queen, as she noted the smile on Sirona’s face.

  “Delving into this mystery I have made some intriguing discoveries. Let me first show you a comparison of Sirona’s and Angi’s DNA.” With that he conjured up a screen displaying the comparison.

  The Queen looked at the information for a few minutes before commenting, “This is not possible.”

  “I can assure Your Majesty, that these results have been tested many times with the same results. You will also note a comparison I have made with yourself and your two sons.” More details appeared.

  The Queen kept examining the data and finally asked, “How can that be? We’ve had no contact with that planet for generations. Is it possible the medallion changed her DNA?”

  “To our knowledge there has been no contact with Gaia, and there is no evidence of genetic engineering or anything else. I have considered the medallion but realized her DNA had to be sufficient in the first place for her to even wear the item without dire consequences. But this is but the first mystery,” said Myttrwn.

  “There’s more?” asked the Queen, already uneasy with the first revelation.

  “I would like you to look at Angi’s vibrational profile,” asked Myttrwn bringing up more scientific data. “You will note the odd pattern here,” as he pointed out the anomaly, “This has never appeared on any other profile I have ever examined. Let me show you a few familiar ones like mine, Sirona’s and your two sons.”

  “None of them has this anomaly except Angi?” asked the Queen.

  “None that I know of. And before you ask I have already checked the vibrational patterns of known medallion wearers in our kingdom. They too have no sign of this,” replied Myttrwn.

  “Are you telling me Myttrwn, that Angi, for some mysterious reason, possesses a DNA profile similar to our royal household and in addition also has this unusual vibrational profile? Are you also implying that it is this vibrational anomaly which gives her some innate ability at mastering the complex technology in her medallion?”

  “That is my conclusion so far,” replied Myttrwn, “But, Your Majesty, I advise caution. Because of the implications of this information I believe it should be held in the strictest secrecy. I am unsure as to what it means or what it may mean for our future relationship with Gaia. The remotest possibility is that Angi is some form of cosmic anomaly and that we have entered a more elevated arena than we first thought.”

  “Elevated……….you mean we may have slipped into the realm of the Seven Sages. We haven’t had contact with them in centuries. Why now?” questioned the Queen.

  “It is an assumption only, one which I cannot answer, except to say our relationship with Gaia may have greater significance than we thought,” replied Myttrwn.

  “Indeed……….I must discuss this further in private with Sirona and my sons,” said the Queen, with a puzzled look on her face. “Myttrwn, you have presented a very complex set of issues for which there are no easy answers. I will need your expertise again. It would be easier if one of the Sages could appear to confirm your suspicions, but I suppose that’s expecting the impossible. In the meantime, can you ask the four if they will face Zolar?”

  “I am always at your service, Your Majesty, and I will discuss the matter with the four. But may I make one more suggestion,” Myttrwn knew it had to be said.

  “I thought you had given me sufficient for one day, but go ahead, what is it?” asked the Queen.

  “We need to recognize the four in some way as, officially, they did complete the initiation and brought back the four crystals. I mention this because as their pyramid journey is being watched by others, it will become common knowledge that our guests from Gaia were forced to endure a far worse testing than we demand of our advanced students.”

  “I’ll think about it,” replied the Queen understanding the diplomatic significance of Myttrwn’s suggestion. “And what about the other Gaia members? Maybe we can do something on their last week with us.”

  “That would be a perfect occasion,” replied Myttrwn, as he prepared to leave. He was well versed on the protocol of such meetings.

  “Very well, we have much to think about and the days are drifting by. We will need to have more meetings on this. Myttrwn, keep me posted on Angi’s condition. I’ll be relieved when she is out of therapy,” was her parting comment.

  “So will I,” replied Myttrwn, leaving Sirona and her mother in an animated conversation over the anomalies and their implications to the royal family.

  * * *

  The House of Life & the Palace

  Wolfram with his dog, Dusky, arrived at Angi’s therapy unit to find it empty. He stared in disbelief, morbid thoughts clouding his mind. “Oh God, tell me it isn’t so. She’s just been moved……….. But why?…….. Where?” Before he had time to conjure up any gruesome possibilities, Andrew appeared.

  “I’ve been looking for you, my boy,” said Andrew noting the grim expression on Wolfram’s face, “Cheer up, its good news. She’s just down the corridor. Myttrwn felt she was well enough to transfer to an ordinary bed. He’s most insistent that she rest but we’re all so delighted she’s better that he’s going to need a bugle to get our attention. Come on, let’s join the others.”

  When Andrew and Wolfram arrived Angi was sitting up in bed surrounded by people and dogs. Pale but cheery she looked up to acknowledge their arrival by saying, “Wolfram my hero. I hear you gallantly dragged me, under laser fire, across the chamber to safety. My dearest thanks.” She wanted to say more but would reserve it for later when she could speak to him alone.

  “My pleasure,” replied Wolfram, making a pretend bow. Jubilant that she was no longer floating silently in a closed unit, he watched as others chatted about trivial matters all seeking her atte
ntion.

  Sirona and Myttrwn, having been in Myttrwn’s lab, noted the boisterous activities at Angi’s room. “Good news travels fast,” said Sirona with a smile, “It is clear there has been a lot of worried people, including you and me.”

  Myttrwn, walking slowly behind her, responded, “They deserve a break, this will do a great deal to relieve their worries.”

  “It’ll be difficult to get them to leave,” said Sirona.

  “I’ll rely on Angi,” replied Myttrwn, “With her background she’ll know the importance of rest and will find a gentle way to guide them.”

  As they reached the doorway, Sirona entered first, saying, “It’s good to see our prized patient out of the light and sound unit. Myttrwn has informed me you will need extra rest before joining your colleagues back at the House of Learning.”

  “It’s great to see you Sirona,” said Angi, with a warm smile, “I wasn’t sure I’d make it. It was a fascinating experience being treated with light and sound while floating in mid-air. But first I must say that our survival in the pyramid had everything to do with you and Myttrwn. Thanks, seems such a small word at times like this. I hear there’s a recording of our pyramid adventure. When I’m able I’d like to see it.” Then looking around the room she added, “It’s so good to know everyone came through this ordeal, but with one exception,” and glancing at Myttrwn asked, “How is Skylar?”

  “Ask her yourself,” said Myttrwn as he released Skylar who dashed immediately to Angi’s bedside.

  Angi’s face lit up as she hugged her dog, “Oh Skylar, my dear, dear Skylar……… It was your weight on my chest that I felt in my dream, totally unaware that you were trying to save me.” Then looking up at Myttrwn she continued, “Myttrwn, I don’t know what we would have done without your dogs. They served so many roles. Right from the start they were programmed to protect us. I can’t believe they’re robots. You are a fantastic magician.”