CITY OF THE GODS: FORGOTTEN

by Verne, M. Scott

  D’Molay snapped to attention and shot Mazu a sharp look. Mazu merely nodded her head in her typically calm fashion. “Yes, it is a great help to us, in fact. We are most grateful.”

  “Thank you. You have truly repaid us in full,” D’Molay replied. For the first time in weeks, Mazu saw an emotion in him that wasn’t self-loathing, guilt or deep sadness. Progress on their quest was giving him purpose again.

  They left the hills, making for the eastern coast of Olympia and the port of Ithika. D’Molay had an appointment to keep with the Council while Mazu planned to continue their quest. When they reached the dock, Mazu gave him the loving gaze of a mother whose child was finally leaving home.

  “I hesitate to part, but I am not in good standing with Quetzalcoatl. He might well kill me on sight as he is far more powerful than I. I dare not appear before the Council, at least until I can prove that he is as guilty as Set. My mere word would not be enough. Going before them now would be like jumping into a pit. Filled with snakes,” she added pointedly. “Take care of yourself and do not mention you know me to him or the Council. I have several responsibilities I have put off during all our current difficulties. I will leave a message for you when I have returned to the boat house.”

  “All right Mazu. I’ll wait for your message after the council has finished with me.”

  “Good journey, then.” Mazu changed into water and merged into the lake.

  D’Molay found it almost ridiculously easy to find passage to the City now that no care or secrecy was required. After an uneventful voyage and an evening spent in a central inn that was pure luxury compared to the rough living he’d done of late, D’Molay nervously waited with other witnesses outside the grand double doors that led into the Council chamber. The Council was interviewing those who were directly involved in the “incident” at the Fortress of Ares. His trip to the dryads with Mazu had helped him deal with the worst of his depression, but his grief over Aavi’s loss was still raw. He resented being commanded to speak about her in public, but D’Molay knew he held information that the Council needed to know.

  One of the large doors opened and Zeus’ scantily dressed buxom attendant beckoned for him to enter. He followed the dark-haired women into the great domed chamber, walking across the polished marble floor towards the center of the room. In front of him, seated in large ornate throne-like chairs, were Shiva, Konohana, Zeus and Quetzalcoatl, the current Council members. Eros was standing in the center of the chamber addressing them. Also gathered in the great room were Ares, Zephyrus and other priests and assistants to the gods. D’Molay felt a surge of heat spread through his arms and legs. Whether it was from being nervous or the magic of the pledge he had made with Glaucus, he could not be sure. Either way, it was a reminder that he needed to continue searching for Circe and Scylla. He hoped Mazu was all right, wherever she was.

  “I saw the huge ball of light explode far beyond the cage,” Eros was saying. “I didn’t see what caused it, and being trapped kept me from trying to find out. I was just lucky to be in a safe place.” Eros gave the Council a slight shrug of his shoulders as he finished, causing his large feathery wings to rise and fall slightly as he did so.

  Konohana gave Eros a thoughtful look. “What do you know of this girl, Aavi?”

  “I met Aavi while we were on patrol looking for invaders. She was D’Molay’s companion. Zephyrus and I found him near death at the time, and we delivered them to the fort healers. Aavi was . . . different from most mortals. There was a purity and innocence in her emotions that I don’t usually sense. I later learned that she had lost her memory, so perhaps that accounted for her purity.”

  “Did you ever get the impression that this Aavi was more than human in some way?” Shiva asked.

  “No, I don’t think so. She just seemed to be a very gentle girl. Though she did seem to be very perceptive in reading people’s emotions. Once I got her safely to the fort, I didn’t really give her another thought. There was so much going on.”

  Zeus leaned forward in his chair. “We accept that you don’t know, but have you an opinion on what caused that energy burst?”

  Eros was surprised that he was being asked to speculate. The Council really seemed to be grasping for straws. He did remember the first thing he thought when the blast happened and shared it with them. “At the time, I assumed it was you, Lord Zeus. I thought you had created some kind of lightning that wiped out all the invaders. Certainly some god must have intervened on our behalf, but perhaps they wish to remain anonymous?”

  Quetzalcoatl greeted that theory with a grunt and a dismissive wave. “Are there any other questions?” he asked the others. Hearing no reply, he continued. “Very well, thank you Eros. Bring on the next witness. Let’s move this along.”

  Eros stepped away from the dais as Zephyrus gave him a supportive ‘thumbs up’ gesture from behind Ares’ back.

  Konohana looked at a list which floated in the air before her. “Jacques D’Molay, please step forward.”

  D’Molay felt a rush of adrenalin at hearing his name. As he reached the place where he was expected to stand, Zeus stood up and directly addressed him.

  “Despite the fact that you are a mortal, you have served the Council well. Do not think we forget that, but many of the events concerning this woman, Aavi and the beast found in the Olympian Realm seem to revolve around you. We expect that you will answer some of the questions we have about these matters.”

  “Please ask, Lord Zeus, I want to tell you what I know.”

  “Excellent. Now, how did you meet this Aavi?”

  As Zeus turned to retake his throne, D’Molay began his testimony. He told the Council about finding Aavi in the street and taking her to Kafele the healer. They then wanted details about where she had gone and whom she had met. D’Molay told them the whole story of Aavi meeting the Oracle and being taken by slavers. Although he had a strong desire to tell them of his search for Aavi and other details of their journey, he strictly focused on the main events and people that Aavi had met in her travels across the realms: Set, the prison, the journey to Olympia, and finally to the fort and the explosion.

  “You obviously spent a goodly amount of time with her. Who or what do you think she really was, D’Molay?” Zeus asked. D’Molay was ready with an answer, but he hesitated, knowing it was not one the gods would want to hear; but he was certain it was the truth.

  “Everything she did, and everything that happened, proved to me that there was only one thing that Aavi could be, Lord Zeus. Aavi was an Angel from the Heavenly Realm.”

  A mix of shocked silence, gasps, and mumbles of disbelief swept through the chamber. D’Molay could pick out Zephyrus’ hearty laugh, followed by a slapping sound, no doubt a chastisement from Eros.

  “An Angel? Ridiculous!” Zeus managed to sputter out. “The Heavenly Realm has been sealed off for thousands of years.”

  “She can’t have been an Angel. Nothing ever leaves there,” Quetzalcoatl said blandly, as if the idea was not at all controversial. D’Molay wanted to accuse him of conspiracy against his own world, but his promise not to bring up his kidnapping of Mazu stood firmly in the way of revealing all he knew.

  The four deities put their heads together and whispered to each other for a moment before Shiva spoke to D’Molay to reassert their opinion. “The Heavenly Host is not permitted here. This is part of an agreement that has been in effect for thousands of years. You are obviously mistaken.”

  “Only the souls of dead mortals pass through its gates,” Konohana added. “Do you have any other theories as to what she was, D’Molay?”

  Despite their disbelief, he held firm to his own truth. “I don’t think Aavi came here on purpose. Someone, probably Set, perhaps even with the help of others -” D’Molay could not resist turning his gaze towards Quetzalcoatl. “ - used their powers to intercept Aavi as she was taking that beast to Earth. The Oracle told her that was where she needed to go. She and the beast appeared here on the same day. Surely tha
t cannot be mere coincidence.”

  “Yet you have no proof to offer us to back up this claim,” Zeus commented. D’Molay would not allow his head to nod in the negative. He had to convince them.

  “Eros mentioned her purity, something an angel would surely have. She abhorred violence and never did a violent act, even when doing so might have saved her life. Aavi could see the souls of many of those she’d met. And what about the explosion itself? It was just like what happened to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah on Earth. Angels visited those cities too. And it ended with huge explosion turning the people into salt. So many things she did and said hinted at what she was.”

  “Are you saying that beast was a heavenly being too?” Shiva asked incredulously.

  “There are many strange and dangerous creatures spoken of in the Bible. Dangerous creatures let loose on Earth by angels as part of the turmoil of the end times. I believe Aavi was one of those angels, and her mission was to take that creature we caught to Earth.”

  “You seem very well informed about the Earth we left and a realm we are forbidden contact with,” Quetzalcoatl said accusatorily. D’Molay stood a little straighter. He was not going to be intimidated.

  “I was . . . I am a Knight Templar. In fact, I was the last leader of the Knights Templar. Long ago I escorted pilgrims and priests safely across the Holy Land. I swear to you that events here led me to escort an angel across your realms. Everything about Aavi points to her being an angel. I can see no other explanation. I only wish I’d put all the pieces together sooner.” D’Molay’s voice trembled, heavy with regret. Looking down he said nothing more to the assembled gods.

  Konohana leaned back in her throne and considered his words for a moment. “We will take your claims into consideration, but until we have more proof than just your personal observations, I believe we should withhold any final judgment. She looked to the others to see if they agreed.

  “For now, we can only say this woman was an unknown mystical being. Personally, I would guess she was a Celtic deity, perhaps, or an unusually powerful nymph,” Shiva interjected.

  “Yes. I agree,” Quetzalcoatl added quickly. Zeus, however, was frowning with impatience.

  “Where is Set? He knows the truth of this. I’ll squeeze that jackal’s neck until he tells us what we need to know!” He held out a fist clenched so tightly that sparks flew out of his hand.

  “Set has vanished” Quetzalcoatl said, “He was either destroyed in the explosion or he is hiding somewhere out of our reach. I wish my forces could have found him before he escaped. I was lucky enough to learn of his plans and try to stop him. I was glad, too, for the help that Lamasthu gave us. I am sorry that in the heat of battle your Greeks mistook our pursuit of him as an attack on you, but that is past.”

  From the other side of the room, Ares began to object to Quetzalcoatl’s spin on events, but was drowned out by his father.

  “He must be caught! He invaded my realm, killed my servants and destroyed my property. I will not forget that anytime soon!” bellowed Zeus.

  Konohana was annoyed by his outburst. Everyone knew Olympia had been attacked. “Enough. We have sent agents to find Set. He has probably fled to the Lost Realm. No gods hold dominion there, so flushing him out will take time.”

  “We should have destroyed that cursed realm during the last great war,” Zeus grumbled. “Now every wanted criminal and deity in trouble hides out there.” Konohana, Shiva and Quetzalcoatl stared him down until he retook his seat, a dejected, angry expression on his face.

  “Honored Council, if there are no other questions for D’Molay then we should dismiss him pending any new evidence that may arise at a later date,” Shiva proposed.

  “Agreed,” Quetzalcoatl and Zeus said together.

  Konohana looked at D’Molay and the rest of the assembly. “None of the testimony you have given or heard today should leave this chamber. You’ll be unable to discuss any matters concerning these events. The rules of secrecy are in effect, unless we lift them.”

  D’Molay bowed to the goddess and took a few steps backward. “Yes, I understand. If I find new proof, I promise I shall return to present it.”

  “You may go. Call in Lamasthu.”

  D’Molay walked away in frustration. He had tried to tell them the truth, but they refused to believe. He should be used to it by now.

  * * *

  Several hours later the four Council members sat together around an ornate cherry wood table in a darkened room. A flaming brazier hung by three chains from the ceiling, its light casting a muted glow on the gods. The rest of the room was blanketed in the deep darkness of a spell that kept out prying eyes and ears.

  Zeus rested his arms on the table, hands cupping a silver goblet in his hand as he scrutinized Quetzalcoatl who sat directly across from him.

  “So, what say your stars? Do you think it was some kind of accident, or did the Heavenly Host send her?”

  “We must hope that it is an accident. Otherwise it means that they sent her with a purpose, perhaps to check up on us.”

  “If the Host do check, they will find discrepancies that we dare not explain,” Konohana said. “However, I’m not sure what we can do about it one way or the other. It may be that D’Molay is mistaken, or if he is correct, that this Aavi saw nothing worth notice.”

  “I still hope that she was something other than an angel,” Shiva said. He kept a watchful eye on the darkness as if wary that the spell might suddenly fail.

  “Even if she was an angel, what could she have seen?” Zeus began to rationalize, his interest drifting from the aggravating mystery to his nymphs and other pleasures. “The Freeman said she spent most of her time as a slave in a cage or in Ares’ Fort.” He drained the last swig from his goblet and put it down on the table. “There’s probably nothing to worry about. Olympia awaits me. Are we done for now?”

  “Yes, I suppose we are,” Konohana decided. “Just remember that there is to be no mention of this alleged angelic visit. There’s no point in spreading rumor and fear.”

  A consensus reached, Quetzalcoatl waved his hands in the air. The blackness withdrew like an octopus swimming away from a predator. Each god departed in their own way.

  Quetzalcoatl was the happiest of the four as he turned into his feathered serpent form to fly down the hall and out into the night sky. As he flew higher and higher he began to laugh at his good fortune. He had managed to avoid blame or suspicion from the other Council members thanks mainly to Set’s flight. His absence screamed of guilt. It was unfortunate that Lamasthu also knew the truth. Quetzalcoatl knew that she would extort something from him at the first opportunity in exchange for her silence. But, having successfully rid the City of an angel, Quetzalcoatl assured himself that removing a goddess was also well within his abilities. When all were busy hunting down Set, he would consider a strike at Babylon. In the meantime, he had sacrifices to oversee.

  Chapter 46 - The Journey Yet to Come

  Tomorrow D’Molay would leave the City and join Mazu in the search for Circe. But tonight he was home seated on the floor in front of his hearth, ready to try his hand at a new skill: metal work. He picked up the hard plaster block he had carved and looked at it again. His ability to cut and shape leather had proved quite useful, as carving the plaster was much like carving leather in many ways. He ran his finger along the deep grooves he had incised into the block then carefully placed it on the stone floor. Glancing at the flames in the hearth, he checked on the thick iron pan he had placed directly on top of the burning logs. D’Molay could tell by the thin layer of oil in the bubbling pan that the temperature was almost ready.

  Carefully unwrapping the lump of metal that he had discarded in this very hearth only a month or so ago, he stared at it for a moment, hoping that some hint of Aavi’s presence might emerge, though none came. He held the metal to his lips and kissed it. “Thank you Aavi, for returning to me that which I had lost. My faith,” he said, hoping she might hear his words. He dropped t
he misshapen lump into the pan.

  Much like the first time he had put this metal to the flames, it seemed to relax. A few minutes later, gray liquid bled from the edges, and soon the entire lump melted. D’Molay put on heavy leather gloves before picking up the blackened iron pan. Carefully, he held it over the plaster mold on the floor and poured the metal into it. The hot liquid seemed almost eager to flow out of the pan and inhabit its new shape. He put the empty hot pan into a nearby bucket of water. It hissed as its heat met the cool water. Steam rose. The pan rested quietly in the water, its job done. Leaning back against the table leg, he took off his gloves and breathed a sigh of relief that the job was almost done. He could see that the metal was already starting to cool as it began to take on a grayish hue.

  D’Molay got up and poured himself a drink of rum from the bottle on his table. He had not had any liquor in weeks, but decided it was time to drink a toast to all those that had fallen defending the fortress. “May the gods grant you safe passage to the afterworld, as I hope mine will grant me the same one day,” he said aloud, raising the goblet in his hand. Just before he took the first sip, he added, “And I’ll see you again, dear Aavi, when I go through the gates.”

  D’Molay stood there in the dark, the room lit only by the flames of his hearth. The flames no longer hypnotized him. His new spirit no longer had room for the controlling dread they previously wielded. Fire was now only a useful tool and no longer an obsession.

  Finally he went back to the plaster casting by the hearth and crouched down. Picking the block up, he found the metal still warm, like a living thing, and noted that it was now solid. He flipped the block over and picked up a hammer, raising it high. D’Molay struck quickly. The plaster shattered with a heavy cracking sound, small cloud of white dust rising in the air. He rummaged through the debris and pulled out the metal object he had put so much effort into creating. It was a cross, the sign of the Christian god.