‘What is the sack for?’ I queried, having noted the item that he had tossed over one shoulder.
He may have replied, but the shock of seeing the pile of bones at the bottom of the pathway numbed all my senses for a moment. Albray! My heart centre jumped into my throat to choke me, and tears began to well.
Do not mourn for him, Ashlee advised. Today we will set him free. She sounded very confident about that.
‘My dear? Who?’ Molier reminded me that I had denied any knowledge of the knight, which served to hurry me past the pile of bones.
By the time we reached the central platform beneath the dome of gold, Conally had flipped the switch that flooded the canals, and I glanced back to note that Andre was bagging Albray’s bones. ‘What is Andre doing?’
‘Just a little insurance in case you decide to be difficult.’ Molier shoved me in the direction of the white-pillared annexe.
‘I have every intention of opening the second gateway for you,’ I advised him. Akbar had made it very clear that it was the only way to be rid of Molier. ‘You have no need to disturb the dead.’
‘Ah…dead but not buried,’ Molier commented. ‘Albe-Ra has proven more problematic dead than he was alive! But I happen to be acquainted with a few djinn who would be quite happy to help me in damning this hindrance to density for all eternity. He shall never again come back to haunt me.’
Djinn was the Arab name for lower-world intelligences and I was not the only one who was alarmed by the threat; even Ashlee hadn’t expected this foul move. ‘I would have thought that Albray was the last soul you’d be wanting to spend all eternity with,’ I chided, knowing Molier’s soul was probably destined for the same fate.
‘I would have to die first,’ Molier retorted as we entered the annexe and the glowing white presence of the Star vial. ‘Once I have possession of both vials, and the Ark and Ring of Testimony therein, death will be of little concern to me.’
‘The ladies of the Elohim will never allow you to claim whatever lies within their Ark.’ I retrieved the vial and held it out to Molier cooperatively.
‘You hang on to it,’ he insisted, seemingly unfazed by my comment. He gestured with his gun for me to exit the annexe.
After I had taken possession of the Fire vial I was escorted to the large oval door that stood opposite the entrance door. Not one of those who had gone before me since the time of Lilith del Aquae had stood upon this precipice.
On either side of the oval door, which appeared to be solid gold, were two hollows, each designed to house one of the vials. Each of these hollows was clearly marked: one with the sign for Fire and the other with the sign for Star, so that no mistake could be made.
‘Wait.’ Molier demanded I refrain from placing the keys in their locks just yet. Andre delivered the sack containing Albray’s bones to Molier, who placed a scroll into the sack before taking possession of it with his free hand.
At the same time, Conally lit the fluid in the canals igniting the liquid.
‘Now leave us,’ Molier advised. ‘There can be only one witness to this event.’
Andre nodded and then looked to me. ‘Bonsoir, Mia…it was truly a pleasure knowing you.’
‘Are you planning on dying today?’ I queried, as I certainly wasn’t. I was furious with him, and praised the goddess that I had never been sucked into sleeping with the snake. ‘I’d tell you to go to hell, Andre, but I see you are already well on your way.’
He merely grinned and shook his head, as if I was the one who was deluded. Andre then levitated off the pathway into the air and seemed amused by his ability. He flew off toward the entrance to join his comrades.
‘Feel free to go ahead.’ Molier granted me leave to unlock the gateway to the inner chamber. ‘And I warn you, the curse to damn your beloved knight is inside this sack with him. I need only burn them together for his fate to be sealed.’ He held the sack out over one of the canals.
‘I keep trying to tell you, Molier. I believe as much as you do that you deserve to have whatever lies beyond this door.’ I placed the Star in its keyhole and then moved to the other side of the door. ‘However, if you in any way harm those bones, I shall personally see you to hell.’ I shoved the Fire vial into position. The door vanished to reveal a small connecting chamber that held a golden breastplate, a copper bowl and pitcher, and two more keyholes.
‘Aha!’ Molier cried with glee. ‘All the legends were true. Now take the vials and place them on the ground near the breastplate, then return to where you are,’ he demanded of me, still threatening to feed Albray’s bones into the flames.
I did as he instructed, feeling that I was running out of time to play my hand. Still, I was not prepared to sacrifice Albray in the process. I had to get that sack out of Molier’s possession.
‘Give me the sack,’ I requested, standing aside so that Molier could enter the tiny inner chamber, the aim of his gun fixed firmly upon me.
The beast wrapped around the man’s light-body laughed to mock my request, alerting me to Molier’s intent.
The second he attempted to cast the sack toward the pit Ashlee aided me to will it into my hands. Molier fired his weapon and I felt each bullet as it impacted with my chest. My body, in shock, was numb to the pain as I hit the ground, clutching the remains of my beloved. He was safe now and that was all that really mattered to me.
Mia, you must get up! Ashlee was urging me, and in my delirium I saw her standing outside me once again. The impact of the bullets must have cast her from my being. There is still a chance you can prevent Molier from gaining control of the Ark and its treasures, but he must not enter the inner sanctum alone.
I rolled over onto all fours, and clutching the sack against my wounds with one hand, I used the other to crawl toward the door of the connecting chamber. Both my physical and etheric sight were blurred, yet I managed to make out Molier, now wearing the breastplate of gold. He had dismissed the djinn from his being and my guess was that he could not contain the lower-world intelligence whilst wearing the sacred armour.
Shoes.
Ashlee reminded me to remove them, which I did, as Molier placed the Fire vial into a keyhole. I noted that his feet were now bare. He must have washed them in the copper bowl provided. It was a struggle to remove the water bottle strap from over my head, but once I achieved the feat, I doused both my feet in the cool water.
Now go.
Having placed the Star vial in its keyhole within the connecting chamber, the next door vanished and without so much as a sideways glance, Molier entered the Ark chamber, having retrieved both vials to take with him.
I suppressed my gasp of awe on sighting the inside of the Ark chamber. One golden red pathway led to a central ringed platform, around which was a sea of the same flammable fluid that filled the canals in the outer chamber. The walls were of highly polished gold, as were the several large pillars that supported the roof of the chamber and the inverted golden dome above. The unusual dome hung above the central platform and mirrored the entire chamber, in the centre of which was a golden box. The box was about approximately 115 cm in length by about 70 cm in height and from its reflection it appeared to be as thick as it was tall. A band of hieroglyphs went around the sides of the box, and bordering each corner of the Ark was a leg support of rich polished timber. I suspected this was the shittim wood or ‘incorruptible wood’ of which the Ark was constructed, according to biblical accounts. What did differ from the Bible’s account of the divine instrument were the adornments on the golden lid or ‘mercy seat’, as there were no golden cherubim with their wings outstretched toward each other. Instead, two metal points rose up out of the lid, and these curved inwards toward each other. To me these odd features seemed very reminiscent of electrical conductors, and in fact the Ark appeared not unlike one huge battery.
Molier had walked around behind the Ark and had knelt down. When he arose once more there were two golden chains attached to the breastplate that he wore.
This see
med to be a clear hint that I needed to secure myself to something. I dragged myself toward the golden stand on which the breastplate had been placed and wrapped an arm about its base, which was embedded in the floor.
Molier laughed as he spied me preparing to bear witness to his victory. ‘Holding on will not save you now, Miss Montrose. There can be only one witness to this event, and as it is I who has the protection of the breastplate, the power of the Elohim is now mine.’
He placed the Star vial and the Fire vial in the two conductors atop the Ark and as soon as they were housed correctly, a current of electricity erupted between them. Then an arc of light formed between the vials. The contents of the two vials drained into the interior of the Ark.
Molier, pleased by the unfolding events, lit a match and tossed it into the fluid surrounding the central platform. The temperature in the room rose dramatically, and the lid on the golden box slowly lifted into the air and began to spin around. A coiled red ring levitated into the space between the Ark and its mercy seat, and the ring began to glow as the spinning lid produced a great whirlwind. Sparks of light began to shoot out from the glowing mass that had manifested around the ring.
Molier seemed unaffected by the conditions in the chamber. The chains prevented him from being blown away, and the shooting sparks of light rebounded off the breastplate. He reached for the ring.
A powerful burst of energy, as deafening as it was bone-shattering, ripped me from my anchor. I clutched the sack of bones to me, so that if we landed in the flames, we’d be damned together. Rocketing backward, I collided with the wall.
I was unconscious before my body hit the floor; all I was aware of was the light.
The coolness of the hard surface against my bare cheek and fingertips was the first thing I felt. Upon raising myself a little, I discovered that I’d been laid out on a floor of pure gold. But there was no such floor in the Star-Fire Temple, so where was I now? Wherever I was, my sack of bones was right alongside me and that morbid fact was very comforting.
I got to my knees and, as the floor was so polished, I could see my reflection. There was no sign of my injuries. I ran my hands over my torso to confirm the wounds had gone—there weren’t even any holes in my shirt where the bullets had penetrated! Could I have ascended to the Plane of Shar-on? Or was I just…dead? I could also be dreaming, but the event was so real that it felt more like an astral experience.
This round chamber was similar to the Ark chamber, only larger and grander, with huge columns of white gold and walls of yellow gold. The dome overhead was glass, or perhaps crystal, and beyond it was a bright sea of stars. It was unlike any view of space that I had seen in my travels on Earth. Seven thrones crafted from precious metals and stones sat before me in a semi-circle, all so highly polished that they sparkled and emitted an otherworldly glow. Between myself and the thrones was the Ark, its Mercy Seat spinning above it, and the Ring of Testimony still poised in midair glowing with pink brilliance.
An utterance and rattling sound alongside me drew my attention. There was Molier, still trapped in the breastplate that was chained to the floor. He was cursing under his breath, as he could not seem to get his chains to unfasten. ‘This is a cock-up of cosmic proportions!’ He looked at me and, although agitated, he was not fearful. ‘You shouldn’t be here…and neither should I! You should have perished, and I should be back on Earth wielding the divine power and knowledge of the gods!’
‘Well, I guess all those scribes and prophets through the ages, whose knowledge your brotherhoods have managed to buy or steal, didn’t know everything…or a least they never recorded the entire truth for prosperity.’ As I stood up, seven women appeared before the seven thrones and seated themselves. They were all identical in appearance and dress.
The women were clearly Egyptian and clothed in tight-fitting silver garments that fell from beneath their exposed breasts; the straps going around their necks were crowned with silver wing-like necklaces. Only the centre female wore the traditional headdress of Hathor—bull horns with a sun-disc in between—and carried her staff of power. These must be the seven faces of Hathor, the seven goddesses of destiny, who constituted the grand council of the ladies of the Elohim.
‘What is the meaning of this!’ Molier challenged the council, frustrated that he could not break free of his bonds. ‘I have won possession of your Ark and its gifts without question. The porthole between our worlds should have been shut down!’
‘Only if the Ark detects a stronger negative than positive influence in its presence will the gateway be destroyed.’ The woman wearing the headdress of Hathor spoke on behalf of them all. ‘Clearly this was not the case in this instance.’ She motioned to me.
‘She should have perished, for I wear the breastplate,’ Molier persisted.
‘It is only men that require protection from our Ark. And as you have brought a challenger to our realm with you, it would seem a contest is in order.’
Molier looked to me, insulted by the suggestion. ‘This girl is hardly any match for me in battle,’ he scoffed, confident of a win.
‘Our daughter has brought forth a champion who wishes to fight on her behalf.’ The goddess drew our attention to the sack beside me, which had begun to wriggle.
My heart stopped beating as a skeleton rose out of the sack.
‘Albray?’ I uttered, mortified, and the skull on top of the bones nodded.
‘Oh dear,’ commented the goddess. ‘This will never do.’ She pointed the jewel on the head of her staff at what remained of the knight. A light-beam passed through the levitating ring to produce an even more powerful ray which collided with the skeleton. The process of bodily erosion began to reverse, and organs, body tissue, veins and finally skin, reconstituted.
My horror turned to elation to see my knight as alive as he’d appeared in my dreams—he was also buck naked.
The goddess smiled in approval. ‘Much better.’
‘That’s hardly fair…he’s dead!’ Molier objected to his arch-rival’s resurrection.
‘And you should have died centuries ago,’ the goddess decreed. ‘The challenge seems perfectly fair.’
It took a moment for Albray to realise his circumstances. ‘Ladies of the Elohim, it would be my honour to rip this beast apart with my bare hands. However, I would prefer it if the rest of me was clothed.’
The head of the council pouted in protest as she considered whether to grant the knight’s request. ‘It seems a great shame to cover such a work of perfection.’
I had to admit that I agreed wholeheartedly.
‘Ladies, please can we get on with this,’ Molier appealed, exasperated.
‘Are you in a hurry to die?’ Albray asked as, with a thump of Hathor’s staff on the floor, my knight was supplied with a pair of trousers just like the ones he usually wore. The rest of him was left naked—a nice compromise on the goddess’ behalf, I considered.
The golden breastplate that had been restraining Molier vanished, along with all his clothing bar his trousers.
‘Now you are truly on equal terms,’ Hathor was pleased to announce. ‘Let the battle for our Ark and its treasures begin.’
‘Wait a moment,’ I protested, unfamiliar with the terms of such a contest. ‘What will become of the loser of this duel?’
‘The fate of the loser is decided by the victor,’ the Great Mother informed me.
That was what I was afraid of. I turned to Albray, feeling responsible for the position he was now in. ‘When I saved your bones it was to divert the fate Molier would sentence you to. I didn’t realise I was awarding him a second chance to have his way.’
Albray took my hands in his to reassure me. ‘I have waited many centuries to atone for my failure in life, and I am indebted to you, Mia, for securing me the chance to end my curse.’ He looked at Molier.
‘The feeling is mutual, Devere,’ our adversary retaliated.
‘No need to ask by what manner of contest you both desire this challenge to be r
esolved.’
‘By the sword,’ both men replied in unison, as they glared at each other.
‘So be it. Let the Wheel of Fate take combat form to decide this,’ the central goddess decreed, thumping her staff twice on the floor.
LESSON 24
WISDOM
My perspective shifted and I found myself seated on one of the seven thrones of Hathor. Then the chamber morphed just as suddenly into a large sunken arena over which the seven thrones presided.
The floor of the arena was comprised of three large flat rings that were set one within the other around a flat central disc; together they formed one huge circular platform of pure gold. This platform seemed to float in space as the area between the combat floor and the high walls of the sunken arena vanished and fell away into a bottomless, dark abyss.
I looked at the goddess alongside me to discover that she had transformed into the green-clad persona of Ashlee Granville. Beyond Ashlee, the manifestation of Hathor retained her central position in the council. To the other side of the goddess were three other women in nineteenth-century dress, each one a little older in appearance than the next.
‘The youngest woman is my dear friend, Lady Susan Devere.’ Ashlee answered my query before I’d even thought to ask.
‘She is just as I imagined from your description.’ I smiled as I realised that all the women present must be daughters of the blood, all intimately involved in the outcome of this battle. ‘Next to Susan must be Clarissa, Lord Hereford’s wife. And next to her, the Dowager Countess Cavandish, Lady Charlotte.’
‘It seems all my descriptions were accurate.’ Ashlee motioned to my other side, where a woman clad in red was seated. She appeared a lot like Lillet in appearance and for a moment her identity had me stumped. ‘Lilith del Aquae?’ It finally clicked who this seventh woman was, and she smiled graciously and nodded. ‘But where is Lillet?’
‘She has never assumed her place on the council,’ Ashlee told me. ‘She will not let go of her guilt. She feels she is responsible for Albray’s self-imposed curse. She has bound herself to the astral realm closest to the physical in order to help him. Hence, Lillet resides many planes below the vibrational frequency of the realm where the Elohim reside.’
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