The Four Legendary Kingdoms

by Matthew Reilly

  ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘in China. In a trap system under Witch Mountain devised by Laozi to protect the Philosopher’s Stone. Four kings seated in front of five warriors.’

  ‘Right,’ Iolanthe said. ‘Those four kings represent the four eternal kingdoms, or the four legendary kingdoms as they are sometimes called. They are the four shadow families that rule the world: the Kingdoms of Land, Sea, Sky and Underworld.’

  ‘The four shadow kingdoms that rule the world?’ Alby said doubtfully.

  ‘Yes,’ Iolanthe said. ‘Throughout recorded history, empires have risen and fallen, nations have been born and have died, wars have been fought, systems of government have collapsed. Through it all, ruling in the background the entire time, have been the four eternal kingdoms. By long-held convention, my royal family, which you know by the name of “Deus Rex”, rules the kingdom known as Land.’

  This was news to Jack.

  So far as he knew, based on his previous encounters with them, the Deus Rex were the so-called ‘god-kings’ of Europe. They were a select group of royal families—including the British, Danish, Spanish and Russian royals—who traced their lineage back to ancient times. Jack had the dubious distinction of having killed their leader, a Russian nicknamed Carnivore during a pivotal confrontation beneath Easter Island.

  ‘Who’s in charge of the Deus Rex now that Carnivore is dead?’ he asked. ‘The Queen of England?’

  ‘Her? Goodness no. The Duke of Avalon is now our king,’ Iolanthe said. ‘Queen Elizabeth is well down the line of succession, although one of her sons is here to watch the Games. The Kingdom of Land rules over the great landmasses of the world, those historically controlled by European powers: Europe, Britain, Russia, Africa and Australia.’

  Jack said, ‘Hold on. You say these kingdoms rule the world together? When I was hunting down the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, your family fought against America, against the Freemasons there.’

  ‘Saying that we rule together might be stretching the truth a tad,’ Iolanthe said. ‘There are always squabbles going on within the four kingdoms and between them, such as happened then. It has always been this way.’

  Iolanthe carelessly looped a strand of hair behind her ear.

  ‘That incident was a spat between my royal house and the Kingdom of the Sea, now based in America and advised by the Freemasons. Houses will always seek to dominate and thus butt heads from time to time. My house—ably advised over the millennia by the historians of the Catholic Church and men of institutions like the Royal Society—has ruled for a very long time.’

  ‘The Kingdom of the Sea is America?’ Jack asked.

  ‘Technically, it is the kingdom of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, which includes the Americas, but for now, yes, an American occupies that throne,’ Iolanthe said. ‘The Sky Kingdom is based in the mountains of Tibet and the famous Kingdom of the Underworld is here in India.’

  ‘Tibet contains an ancient kingdom?’ Alby asked.

  Iolanthe replied, ‘Why else do you think modern China has craved Tibet for so long? A thousand years ago, it was the other way around, and a royal household based in Tibet ruled over the backward Chinese. But over the centuries, things change and sometimes the ruled become the rulers.’

  Jack shook his head. ‘Okay, and on top of all that, you’re saying places like Hell really exist?’

  Iolanthe sighed. ‘For a man who has seen what you’ve seen, Jack, I would have thought this was rather easy to accept. And please don’t say “Hell”. It comes with all sorts of immoral connotations. Call it the Underworld. In the original myths, the Underworld was just a place you went to after you died—that’s because this place began as burial catacombs. The dead were brought here. Only later, thanks to some troublesome priests, did it acquire the whole hellfire and damnation thing.

  ‘No,’ she continued, ‘many of mankind’s most enduring myths actually happened. The old gods, the old legends. While they may have been embellished and modified over the millennia, they happened. That is why they have stood the test of time.

  ‘Take Zeus, the famed king of the gods, ruler of Olympus,’ Iolanthe said. ‘He was the Land King of his day and a most charismatic ruler. He dominated his three fellow kings who at that time were all from the same family. His brother, Hades, ruled the Underworld, this kingdom in India, while his other brother—’

  ‘. . . Poseidon . . .’ Jack said.

  ‘—ruled the seas. The failed rebellion of the Titans was a failed uprising against the four kingdoms. The Sea Kingdom’s old capital and its famed destruction in ancient times has, of course, acquired its own mythic status as the story of Atlantis.

  ‘Why, the names of the three previous winners of these very Games—Osiris, Gilgamesh and Hercules—have resounded in history, even though the original cause of their fame has been lost. We view them today as fictitious gods or heroes when in truth they actually lived and did great things.

  ‘So many things in our world derive from the four kingdoms: Star Chambers, debutante balls, the notion of noblesse oblige, even the Olympic Games began in Greece as an imitation of these Games.’

  ‘Wait,’ Jack said. ‘The Star Chamber. When he spoke earlier, Hades said something about a Star Chamber opening and that was why the Games are being held now. What was that about?’

  Iolanthe smiled. ‘I always liked that about you, Jack. You pay attention. And you get right to the point. In the grand scheme of things, the Great Games are incredibly important. For they are, quite literally, man’s chance to prove his worth and continue to exist.’

  ‘What does that mean?’ Jack asked.

  ‘During his opening address,’ Iolanthe said, ‘Lord Hades did indeed mention that the Star Chamber has opened. This kingdom, this mighty mountain-palace, is a most mysterious place. It was constructed by an ancient civilisation, one that lived on this planet long before humans did, the same civilisation that built the six-cornered Machine that you rebuilt, Jack.

  ‘While it presents itself to us as a striking black mountain, it is much more than that. For this peak is curiously and inexplicably alive. Our scientists have analysed it. It seethes with a peculiar kind of energy and it contains many unexplained mechanisms—like the one that opened the Star Chamber—that operate according to their own celestial calendars.

  ‘The Star Chamber is an astronomical temple at the mountain’s summit. Exactly forty days ago, entirely of its own accord, that temple opened. According to the ancient texts, this occurs when a galaxy known as the Hydra comes directly toward the Milky Way and Earth, an event that takes place approximately once every few thousand years.

  ‘You yourself saw this galaxy, Jack. At Pine Gap. For the first time in history, thanks to the SKA Array, man has been able to see the Hydra.’

  Jack said, ‘The images captured by the SKA Array are top secret.’

  ‘Are you listening to me?’ Iolanthe said. ‘The four kingdoms own every major government on Earth. Our people designed the SKA Array. We see the results before presidents see them. You should be honoured to have even laid eyes on the Hydra Galaxy, Jack. Isaac Newton calculated its existence but never got to see it, much to his chagrin. As he once wrote, the optics of his time simply weren’t good enough.

  ‘But his mathematics were correct. It’s out there and it’s coming. And as it hurtles through space toward us, the Hydra is clearing the way for something far more important, a signal that will be sent from the very centre of the universe, from the same civilisation that built this place.

  ‘They are searching for us, Jack, asking if we are still here and worthy of existing.

  ‘In any case, these Games are a most ancient ceremony held in honour of the coming of the Hydra. In a series of challenges, the champions must acquire nine spheres of very rare gold quartz.

  ‘Those Golden Spheres are then set in place in the two temples atop this mountain, in
two separate ceremonies.

  ‘The first ceremony involves laying five spheres in the Star Chamber, which we call the “minor temple”. Only when they are laid will the second “major temple” open. The final four spheres are then placed in the major temple in what is known as the Supreme Ceremony.

  ‘This whole mountain, Jack, it’s basically one giant ancient antenna. It starts deep underground and rises high into the sky. Once all nine spheres are set in place, they initiate the antenna, which sends a signal to the Hydra Galaxy, informing it that Earth is still populated by people advanced enough—worthy enough—to keep living. The Hydra will be diverted and life on Earth will continue.

  ‘Noblesse oblige, Jack, the obligation of those who are highborn to look after the common people. This is why the royal houses exist, to preserve the ancient traditions of the Earth and thus keep everyone on it alive.

  ‘As I said before, the Great Games have been held on three previous occasions, but this time is different. It has long been foretold that the Fourth Great Games will precede a great and terrible cataclysm. Much is at stake this time, more than just the fate of the Earth.’

  Iolanthe looked hard at him. ‘Right now, though, all you need to know is that Lord Hades’s word is law. Make no mistake, he bears a heavy burden. With his crown came the sacred obligation to host the Games without fear or favour. If the champions do not acquire all the spheres, the major temple will not send out the return signal to the Hydra. And the Hydra Galaxy will crash through our galaxy and the Earth will be destroyed.’

  Jack was silent for a long moment. He eyed Iolanthe closely.

  ‘That’s not all there is to it,’ he said.

  ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ Iolanthe said.

  ‘Why not just place the nine spheres and be done with it? Why host some elaborate Games?’ Jack asked.

  ‘Like I said, this mountain was built by a civilisation far more advanced than ours. It was designed for this purpose, for hosting the Great Games. Just as the Star Chamber opened at a pre-ordained time, so too do the Golden Spheres perform a pre-ordained function. Each quartz sphere pulses with energy, as do the gemstones embedded in each champion’s neck, since they are made of the same exotic mineral.

  ‘As each sphere is won in each challenge—lifted from a pedestal by a champion branded with a gemstone—that sphere somehow knows that it was won in accordance with the ancient ritual. We cannot cheat at our task, Jack. We cannot fool the ancients.’

  ‘Okay, let me put it another way,’ Jack said. ‘What’s in it for you, Iolanthe? For your kingdom? You didn’t kidnap me to participate in this thing solely out of some ancient noble obligation to save the world. I know you. You don’t work that way.’

  Iolanthe nodded slowly. ‘The Games are a test of humanity’s worth, yes, but they do also serve another purpose. The king who sponsors the victorious champion wins for himself a most valuable and powerful reward.’

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘Something that need not concern you right now,’ Iolanthe said. ‘Staying alive should be your primary concern.’

  Jack let it go. He had other questions which he wanted answered and only Iolanthe could answer them. ‘Those minotaur things. They’re not quite human. What are they?’

  ‘They are a form of subhuman,’ Iolanthe said, ‘an advanced primate that did not quite evolve to the level of homo sapiens. Call them Neanderthals if you like. Anthropologists have long said that the Neanderthal people were never truly wiped out by homo sapiens. They interbred with us and walk among us in our cities today. These, however, are purebred Neanderthals: dumb brutes fit only for menial labour and warrior fodder. Lord Hades has thousands of them. Under his direction, they maintain this glorious place.’

  ‘So they’re his slaves?’

  ‘A slave army, yes.’

  ‘Another question,’ Jack said. ‘Why me?’

  ‘Oh, that was easy. Every champion here has trained hard for these Games. Some have trained their whole adult lives for them.’

  She nodded at the three cells to Jack’s right. ‘The other champions representing the Kingdom of Land are the very capable Major Brigham from Her Majesty’s SAS and two Brazilian special forces soldiers.

  ‘Major Brigham has been preparing for this for years. The Brazilians, likewise. They were procured for us by our advisors in the Catholic Church. While Brazil is in South America and thus technically part of the Sea Kingdom, it still possesses the largest Catholic population on Earth, and with our deep Catholic connections, we were able to get them to fight for us. Our two Brazilians are very Catholic. Very bloodthirsty, too. My king thought it most humorous to do battle with the Sea King with men from his own territory. They have a private wager on the whole thing—’

  ‘Again: why me?’ Jack said flatly.

  Iolanthe shrugged. ‘Our fourth champion was killed while training for the Games eight days ago and we needed a capable fighter to fill the fourth spot. Who better than you?’

  ‘You decided that I be kidnapped and my family and friends held hostage while I compete in a series of death-challenges on your behalf?’

  ‘Potato, potato.’

  ‘I agree with Lily,’ Jack said. ‘You’re a bitch.’

  ‘Now, now,’ a deep voice said from somewhere nearby. ‘That’s a little harsh.’

  A man stepped into view from behind Iolanthe.

  Hades.

  Hades stood before Jack’s cell.

  ‘So this is the fifth warrior.’ He looked Jack up and down. ‘Strange. I thought you would be more . . . imposing.’

  Jack evaluated Hades, too. ‘Funny, I was thinking the same about you, given you are the Lord of the Underworld and all.’

  It was a lie.

  As Jack looked at Hades up close, the man was the living embodiment of imposing.

  He was a big man, broad-shouldered, with a strong angular jaw and piercing maroon-tinged eyes. There was something in his gaze that was unnerving and it took Jack a moment to realise what it was. The man hardly ever blinked. He just stared at you with a steady unwavering gaze.

  Hades’s lips curled into a smile, but his eyes remained deadly.

  He nodded at Jack’s Simpsons t-shirt. ‘I must confess, I do enjoy modern cartoons. I especially liked the depiction of Satan in South Park. You seem rather unprepared, fifth warrior.’

  ‘I wasn’t planning on all this when I left the house a few days ago.’

  ‘Then I do hope you are a quick learner.’

  ‘Do you enjoy this?’ Jack asked suddenly. ‘Watching men scramble for their lives? Watching them die for your pleasure?’

  Hades cocked his head at that. ‘You mistake me, fifth warrior. I do not find any pleasure in it at all. It is my duty to host these Games and it is that duty alone which motivates me.

  ‘I have spent many years, the whole of my reign, preparing for this week. How many Lords of the Underworld have got to host the Great Games of the Hydra? Only three. Three. In all of history. My sole goal is to ensure the Games fulfil the requirements of the ancients.

  ‘For my kingship is unique. I alone among the four kings cannot act in accordance with my own personal desires. When I accepted my crown, I swore to put my sacred duty above all else, including my allegiance to my home nation of France. I must also stand above the politics of the royal houses. I cannot play favourites, not even toward my own four representatives in the Games. If no champion proves worthy of the challenges, the world is not worthy, and thus it must end.’

  ‘What about that Taiwanese guy who said he’d been kidnapped?’ Jack asked. ‘You killed him without even hesitating.’

  Hades shook his head sadly. ‘The world has changed so much over the centuries. Empires became republics, princes and princesses became celebrities, and as this thing called democracy has caught hold, ordinary people have begun to think that their opi
nions matter. They do not.’

  Hades’s face became hard.

  ‘Here, you will not find democracy. This is a true kingdom. It is my kingdom. My realm. I rule it with absolute power and iron discipline. No king could tolerate the insolence that man showed earlier, even if he really was wronged. To be the King of the Underworld is to be, if it is required, the man who condemns the entire population of this planet to death. That is my task. That is my duty.

  ‘As such, I see only black and white. I do not see grey. That man refused to fight and so he had to die. My decisions, sir, are final. And I could well make the most final decision in all of human history.’

  He stared at Jack with his unblinking eyes.

  Jack held his gaze and said nothing.

  ‘But that was not why I came here,’ Hades said, suddenly smiling. ‘I came for her.’

  He nodded at Lily, huddled behind Jack.

  Two guards opened the iron door to the cell, but Jack blocked them.

  ‘You’ll take my daughter over my dead body.’

  Hades’s grin faded. ‘Mind your tone, fifth warrior. Remember what I said about insolence. And in point of fact, she is not your biological daughter. She is the daughter of the Oracle of Siwa. Her blood is pure. Indeed, it is of a purity that many would die to have and some would pay a fortune to marry.’

  Jack frowned. He didn’t like the sound of that.

  Hades held out his hand to Lily. ‘Come, child. Come with me to the royal balconies. Someone of your station, of your lineage, shouldn’t be here with these . . . common folk.’

  Lily glared at Hades. ‘I think I’d rather stay here with my common dad and my common friends, you—’

  ‘Lily,’ Jack said sharply. ‘No. Go.’

  ‘But Dad . . .’

  Jack held her close and looked her in the eye. ‘If I die during the next challenge, everyone in this cell dies, too. If you go, it gives me one less person to worry about. It may also be like your grandmother always says.’