CITY OF THE GODS: FORGOTTEN

by Verne, M. Scott

  “Good people have light colors. You were the first person I saw the glow in, that first day we met. I just didn’t know what it was then. Your colors are light and warm, but there’s emptiness in your glow, like something is missing. But you have a good soul.” Aavi noticed that a few dark green flecks had appeared in D’Molay’s glow, and wondered if he was angry with her for some reason. “Set’s glow was so black and dark and he was terrible.” Thinking about D’Molay’s aspects, she added, “I think the colors match the way a person is, but they shift based on how they feel, too.”

  When Aavi described his emptiness, D’Molay had to admit she was might be seeing something. How else would she have known about the emptiness he felt? He had never mentioned it in the time they had spent together. If she did have this power, it could certainly help them avoid trouble in the future. “Maybe this skill is a clue to your past, something you did before you woke up in the City. Aavi, if you see a glow you think is bad, be sure to let me know. There’s no point in taking chances.”

  Aavi looked at D’Molay with relief and admiration as she noticed the green flecks were fading out of his glow. “Thanks for believing me. That means a lot, it really does. I’ve met a lot of people since I’ve been here, but you are very special to me, the most special.” Then she blushed, slightly embarrassed for reasons she didn’t fully understand. But encouraged by D’Molay’s faith in her, Aavi soon told him about everything that had happened since they had parted, from the trip to the Oracle and being captured by the bat-creature, to Namtar and the terrors of the slavers’ den, and finally of the cruelties of Set and the explosion. D’Molay was very keen to hear about the energy blast.

  “I saw it as we flew to the prison. If it hadn’t been for that explosion, I doubt I would have gotten past the guards. Most had been turned to stone, including Set. What could cause such a thing? Some other god must have -”

  “No.”

  The denial flew out of Aavi’s mouth. She stared past D’Molay with eyes wide. She suddenly knew, knew without the slightest doubt, that somehow she had caused the blast. The memory of power flowing out of her was undeniable.

  “I did it. I don’t know how, but I did it. I killed all those people.”

  D’Molay wasn’t ready to believe that this waif of a girl who wouldn’t harm a fly could harness such destructive power. “No, you couldn’t have.”

  Aavi spoke quickly, fearing that her story would be drowned by tears if she didn’t get it out. “Set kept hurting me and trying to force me to remember. He wanted me to tell him what I was and why I was here. He even said he knew who I was, but he wouldn’t tell me. And I couldn’t tell him - I still don’t know! Then just as his tortures had almost killed me, there was a huge flash. I was so weak when I woke up, and I just know that was because the power had come from me!”

  D’Molay saw no point in arguing against her theory. She was either right or wrong, and in either case he realized they needed to move to a safer location. In the best case, Aavi would be hunted as merely a fugitive slave. If what she had just told him was true, however, the whole Egyptian power base might want revenge for her destruction of their property and people. Aavi sat crying silently as D’Molay quickly rose and began packing supplies and considering their next move. He was surprised when he turned to see her standing, composed and resolute.

  “I’m ready to go see the beast,” she declared. “The Oracle said I have to find my companion quickly. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt because of me.”

  Chapter 27 - Escape from the City

  D‘Molay sent a messenger crow to summon a horse-drawn carriage to his home. He rarely used the City carriage service, preferring to rent a cart, but the Oracle’s warning about haste and the likelihood that Set’s henchmen could suddenly show up to take Aavi back convinced him they needed to leave as discreetly and quickly as possible. After the knapsack was packed, D’Molay put a hooded cloak, some pants, and boots on Aavi. The clothes were too big for her, but they would have to do. D’Molay changed into a clean and more stylish outfit. With a dark suede vest, matching pants, shiny boots and a burgundy dress shirt, he looked more like a traveling man of gentry rather than the scruffy woodsman he usually appeared to be. He retained his favored knife in a leather sheath strapped to his leg in case trouble reared its head.

  “Hopefully we can slip out of town without being noticed,” he told Aavi. “Be sure to keep your head down when we go out. I don’t even want the coachman to see who you are. We don’t want him telling Set he saw you. And don’t say anything to anyone about where we’re traveling to.” He was taking no chances with her safety this time.

  D’Molay rummaged through a pile of notes and items on the table and pulled out a piece of parchment. “We’re going to need this as well. It’s a map of the realms made by a cartographer at the Great Library.” Aavi caught only a glimpse of the drawing before it was securely packed away.

  It was mid morning when a shiny brown coach arrived to pick up them up. “Wait here, Aavi. I’ll wave for you to come out when I’m sure it’s safe. Then walk straight to the coach, get in, and do not speak. Understand?”

  “Yes, I understand,” she answered. D’Molay was creating many rules for her to follow, but if being a slave to the High Sulgi had taught her anything, it was sometimes best just to follow the orders.

  D’Molay walked up to the ginger-haired coachman to confirm their arrangements. Holding the horse’s reins and a long thin whip, the man looked somewhat bored as D’Molay pointed down the street and spoke of his desired destination. Once he was up in front of the coachman and partly blocking the man’s view as they talked, D’Molay put his arm back and waved to Aavi to come forward. As she approached she heard the coachman say, “Aye, I can take ye that way. Makes no difference to me.”

  “Good. We have no baggage other than this, so we’re ready as soon as we get in.” D’Molay held up the knapsack to distract the coachman as Aavi approached. She followed his instructions to the letter. Silently she walked over and entered the carriage, moving quickly and keeping her head down.

  As D’Molay turned from the driver to board the coach, he thought he saw something move in his peripheral vision. Quickly he scanned the rooftops across the street trying to see what had caught his eye. But as he stared across the street, he saw nothing. Finally he got in the carriage and sat next to Aavi.

  “And we’re on our way,” he said, hoping the feigned confidence in his voice would keep Aavi calm. The horses whinnied and the carriage began to roll along the stone-paved street. Aavi looked around the inside of the coach. It reminded her of the ride she had taken with Kafele after he bought her at the auction. An involuntary shiver ran down her spine and she suddenly felt a little panicked as she felt the pain of his betrayal. She forced herself to concentrate on the appointments of this carriage to keep her mind occupied. This one was plainer than the other one she had ridden in. The seats weren’t as padded and it seemed a bit more used, or older. There were no pretty carvings or gold decorations.

  D’Molay noticed her nervousness. He patted her on the knee. “Don’t worry, Aavi. We should be fine for a while. Still, we should speak quietly just in case the coachman has sharp ears.” He then pulled the curtains shut to hide them.

  “You mean talk like this?” She half whispered and leaned closer to him. As the wheels rolled along and the horse’s hooves made a steady beat on the stone pavement, it seemed to drown out the slight sound of her voice. Being near D’Molay made Aavi feel safe, protected by his mere presence. He was nothing like the other men who had been this close to her. They had only strange stares and groping hands to offer. D’Molay’s company was gentle and caring. He made her feel respected, and she liked it. His soft blue glow was comforting and even his smell was soothing to her.

  Aavi Travels To Dioscrias

  The Property Room (Arthur Hughes, 1879).

  “Perfect. Now, we’re going to the west docks and I’ll get us passage on a boat going to the Olymp
ian realm. I could get us magic passage from the Council, which would be quicker, but that would mean I’d have to tell them about you, and where we are going, and who knows who would find out. Since Set was involved in your capture, I’m not sure it’s a good idea to let anyone with ties to the Egyptian gods know what we are up to. So we’ll take the slower, but less noticeable way. Then I’ll take you to see this beast we caught, all right?” He gave her the sort of look a teacher might give a young student. Though he framed it as a question, he didn’t really have any intention of changing this plan.

  “All right. What’s the Olympian realm like?” She was starting to feel excited at the prospect of traveling, especially if it meant being further away from Set. Now that she knew what they were doing and that D’Molay would stay with her on the entire journey, Aavi was able to smile for the first time in what seemed like days. The stories of the Greeks that D’Molay told her as they rode distracted her from her fear of being caught again.

  Occasionally, D’Molay would open the curtain nearest him and peek out.

  “Do think someone is following?” Aavi asked.

  “A few days ago I didn’t think so and it almost cost me my life. There’s more going on here than I can fathom at the moment, so I’m not going to take any chances. Even getting passage on a ship is a bit risky. You never know who might be working for Set, or even the slavers,” D’Molay replied

  “Can’t we take a boat with Mazu? We can trust her, can’t we?”

  “Mazu? Oh, she’s -” D’Molay paused in mid sentence. Where was Mazu? Last time he’d talked to her, she was going to look for Aavi in the Mayan Realm, but he hadn’t heard from her since she’d left. If Mazu hadn’t found anything she surely would have come back to tell him that. It seemed very unlikely that she would have just given up and gone back to her duties at the lake without checking to see if he had found Aavi.

  “Mazu went looking for you, but I don’t know where she is now. We’ll have to look her up when we get back. She may have had other godly duties to attend to,” D’Molay hopefully lied, trying to put a better face on a situation that suddenly had him quite worried.

  Aavi immediately noticed D’Molay’s glow become quite dark. “Your colors just shifted, from light blue to dark blue. What’s the matter?” She placed her hand gently on his arm.

  “I guess there’s no fooling you with that power you have. I’m worried about Mazu. She should have returned to the City by now, or at least contacted me. It may be nothing, or she may have run into the trouble in the Mayan Realm.” He rubbed his chin as he considered their options. “Should we go back and check the north dock to see if she returned, or go on to the west dock and book passage to the Olympian Realm?”

  Aavi continued to watch D’Molay’s glow swirling around him, shifting between light and dark blue, with occasional flashes of purple appearing around the edges. She gripped his arm tighter, wondering what he was thinking about. Finally his glow settled down into a steady light blue again, with only flecks of darker blue appearing.

  “We have to go back,” he said. He poked his head out the carriage window.

  “Driver, change of plans. Take us to the north docks,” he bellowed to the coachman.

  “It’ll cost ye extra,” the man called back as he slowed the carriage.

  “That’s fine, just do it. We need the fishermen’s dock, number 16.” D’Molay pulled himself back in the carriage as the coachman took a turn to the left down a major avenue. He slumped back into the seat, an embarrassed grimace on his face. “I can’t believe I forgot about Mazu. I was so engrossed in finding you and getting us away from the City that I didn’t realize how long it had been since I last spoke to her. Well, I’m glad you remembered Mazu at least.”

  “Do you think she’s all right?”

  “Mazu is a goddess and can take care of herself without any help from mere mortals the like of us. But still, I’d like to know for sure she is safe. She’s done the same for both of us at one time or another. Mazu was quite worried about you and traveled with me for a day or two helping to gather clues as to your whereabouts. I never would have found you without her help.” As he spoke, he looked off into the distance, remembering their time on the lake.

  They rode in silence for a moment or two. “What will we do if she isn’t there?” Aavi asked.

  “I’ll leave a note at the boathouse asking her to contact me. I don’t think it’s wise to say where we are going or why, but she’ll be able to find us in her own way. Then I’ll take you to see this creature as we planned. The beast is all we have at the moment that might help you remember anything.

  “What if seeing it doesn’t help?” she asked.

  “Then I guess you’ll be coming with me as we go looking for Mazu. I’m not letting you out of my sight until we know who and what you are,” he said.

  Aavi beamed a smile. “Good. I like that plan. And even if I do get my memories back, I want to help you find Mazu.”

  A while later the carriage drove up to the same dock where he had left Aavi just a few days ago. D’Molay paid the coachman and gave him a bit extra to wait a few minutes while they looked for Mazu. He didn’t have to ask Aavi to stay close; she stuck right by him as they walked along the dock. “Let me do the talking,” he told her.

  “Oh yes, please. I wouldn’t know what to say,” she responded sheepishly.

  They walked to the edge of the dock where several Asian fishermen were seated in a boat repairing their nets. They ranged in age from young boys to elderly men, all wearing sandals and dressed in simple clothing. The strong smell of dead fish and the sweat of men mingled with the damp odor of the lake water. Aavi wrinkled her nose at all this, but said nothing. She remained hooded and stood a few paces behind D’Molay, trying to remain unnoticed. Some of the younger men glanced her way nonetheless.

  “Good day, gentlemen. We’re looking for Mazu. Have any of you seen her in the last few days?” D’Molay said in a nonchalant manner.

  An elderly man with a long, thin white mustache and deeply lined face looked up from his work. “She’s not been here in days. You’ll have to take the regular ferry.”

  “Do you know where she is?”

  “Ha! I’m just an old fisherman. You think the goddess Mazu tells me her plans? Maybe someone in the boathouse knows. Go check there.” He distractedly pointed in the direction of the boathouse without even looking up from his net this time.

  “All right, thank you,” D’Molay replied. He led Aavi off the dock towards the boathouse. “Maybe she left a note for us,” he suggested when they were out of the fishermen’s earshot. “Let’s go see.”

  The boathouse was a beautiful bright red pagoda, with a dark wood railing all around the exterior. A small arched bridge led over a pond and into the main entrance. On the other side of the building, facing the great lake was the dock office. A ramp led off from the boathouse to another set of docks for smaller ships to tie up to.

  “It’s very peaceful looking,” noted Aavi, taking in the boathouse and its surroundings. There had so much new to see the last time she had been near this building, she had paid it scant attention.

  “Yes. It’s certainly not a typical boathouse. Mazu uses it as a place to stay when she is on duty here, so she made it look more to her liking.

  “I guess gods can do that, huh?” Aavi continued to admire the bright and serene building as they walked around its octagonal sides toward the office.

  “Now hood up, head down, close your cloak, and no talking. I don’t want anyone to be able to tell that you are a girl when we go in.” D’Molay put his own hood in place as he instructed Aavi. Realistically, he knew anyone who looked closely would discern that they were a man and a woman traveling together, but they might not be certain and they wouldn’t know their faces, hair color or age, at least at a distance. It was better than nothing.

  “Oh - right.” She quickly disguised herself to fit D’Molay’s request.

  They rounded a corner of the boa
thouse and came to the side facing the water. They took in a serene view of the lake as a flock of herons flew over the water and toward some tall trees down shore. The outline of the hills and mountains on the distant side of the lake could faintly be seen. In front of the boathouse was a set of stairs that led down to another set of docks. These matched the boathouse, painted bright red with meticulously well-kept black railings. Half a dozen smaller boats were currently docked. Most were charter or fishing boats from different realms. They were Asian, Hindu, and even a Mayan ship. Above the boathouse door, he saw a sign in several languages that read ‘Dock Office.’ D’Molay opened the door and went in with Aavi following close behind.

  The Dock Office was plainer than the outside of the boathouse. It was fairly obvious that Mazu didn’t spend much time here and that it was used more by record keepers and the dock manager. D’Molay took in the bright red counter with various papers scattered on it. Behind it on the wall were numerous dark cubbyholes that held rolled-up maps. There were also some black-colored desks and chairs where official business was conducted. Then he heard the footsteps of someone approaching from a connecting office. A low-pitched voice echoed in the office.

  “Yes, what do you need?” From the accent, it was obvious that the common tongue of Panthos wasn’t the man’s first language. D’Molay was surprised to see a shirtless, muscular Mayan with dark shoulder-length hair and a machete tied at the side of his puma skin kilt staring blankly at them. “If you want a docking space, we are full right now.” He leaned on the counter waiting for them to reply.

  D’Molay was surprised at the appearance of a Mayan in the boathouse. In the many years he had come and gone here he had almost never even seen a Mayan at this dock, let alone encountered one working in the office. D’Molay immediately judged he was not there for office work, noting the machete at his hip, which seemed to have recent blood stains still on it.