Red Wizard of Atlantis

by Ravek Hunter

  Akakios was up early preparing supply packs for a pilgrimage that might take several weeks. Knowing only vaguely where he was going to search for the Shrine of Metis, he was resigned to the idea that it could take half a lifetime time to find, if it existed at all. That’s where his faith would sustain him. During the dark hours when he might doubt, question his resolve, and wish to quit and go home, his faith would be unwavering. He was no stranger to impossible quests; it had just been a few years.

  His acolytes arrived, and he bid them pack and ready his horse. He and the Hierophant spent several hours discussing the best way to approach the hunt for the shrine. Wandering the Othrys near the Sea of Waves would be time-consuming and likely futile. Fortunately, there was a mountain road through the passes and valleys all the way to the cliffs overlooking the coast, and it had several villages along the way so he wouldn’t be entirely in the wilderness. And he would not deviate from that path until he had reason to do so. With one last glance back to the comfort of his home, he departed with a wave and a smile to his two young acolytes and took to his horse toward the East-way Road.

  Akakios took a deep breath of the cold mountain air. The summertime was the best time to travel the mountain routes of Hellas because there were favorable dry weather conditions and little snow except at the highest elevations. Even so, the East-way Road was far less traveled, with little upkeep throughout the year, and what few travelers there were journeyed to and from the outlying villages for trade or to visit relatives.

  Initially, Akakios rode with a small convoy of merchants, only to realize after the first day that their pace, with wagons and livestock, would easily double his time to the coast. The nice thing about traveling with a group was the convenience and security of camping together at night and socializing around campfires. Not that the East-way mountain road was a dangerous road to travel, since there were few reports of bandits and the wild animals generally stayed away from anywhere people tread. Still, one was always more vulnerable alone than when traveling in a group.

  It wasn’t until the second day out that Akakios grew impatient with the slow pace of the caravan and defied his own sensible advice by taking to the road on his own. He hoped to reach the next village, where he could stay overnight if he didn’t come across a friendly campsite, before nightfall. Given his position and reputation in Sesklo, which was the closest city to any of the villages he would pass, there would be no shortage of invitations for him to stay at someone’s home or inn if there was one.

  As many years as Akakios had lived in Sesklo, he traveled this road only a handful of times in the past, and most of those times no more than a day out of the city. It occurred to him that he should have thought to bring along a map, since he was unfamiliar with the number and location of villages between Sesklo and the sea. He would have to rely on other travelers and locals for that information along the way. He wasn’t too concerned, he knew there were no other roads that branched off from this one, and it ended at the last village closest to the sea, so he was not likely to lose his way.

  Around the next bend, the road narrowed where the terrain transitioned into a dense forest that rose steeply above him on each side, forming the slopes of a mountain pass. Not used to riding for long hours, he decided to lead his horse through the pass and allow his cramped legs some exercise. He wasn’t far into it when he felt the small hairs on the back of his neck rise with the eerie sensation that he was being watched. Invoking a quick spell that expanded his awareness, Akakios was able to identify what, or rather who, it was that was observing his passing. He learned this trick from a druid of Sunna during his more adventurous years, decades ago, and it had come in handy quite often.

  “I know you are there.” Akakios, alone on the East-way Road, was aware of the unseen eyes of his adversary watching him from the thickly growing pines and firs. He was sure there was more than one.

  “Look at me.” He dragged his club right foot along beside him, using his long hardwood staff to support his weight. “I appear weak to you, easy prey.”

  There was a low growl from somewhere to his right. Akakios allowed himself a brief smile. What a clever ruse. He was sure it wasn’t him they wanted as much as the ample meat of his horse, but Akakios was not about to give up his prized animal to the wild frenzy planned by this lot.

  “Consider your options, Great Mother. This forest is filled with prey for your taking.” Akakios continued his slow trek. “I know you cannot speak so that I could understand, but I feel your uncertainty.”

  Another growl, this time from a different direction, confirmed his suspicions. He knew their plan now, thanks to the second one giving away his position. If that one survived this encounter, he would pay for his undisciplined behavior later. None disrespected the Great Mother without cost.

  Akakios stopped in a small clearing where the trees grew a few paces back from the road and planted his staff in front of him with both hands. “Now is the time for a decision, Great Mother. Do as you may, or leave me in peace.”

  Gray blurs of sodden fur shot out from the dark forest on each side of the trail toward him. They came for him, their long teeth, sharp and biting, in muzzles that snapped with the power to rend flesh from bone, and wide eyes intent with the need to kill. They were the dire wolves of the Kryos Forest, and their Great Mother was Aukokhi.

  His horse screamed and reared before attempting to run back down the way they had come. Akakios held firm to the reins and paid it no mind. Then there was fire.

  Without thought or plan, tall flames sprang up around him and his mount, so intensely hot that they instantly consumed the space where they appeared, and like the snap of a tree struck by lightning, they rent the air with a deafening crack. The dire wolves tried to stop their charge. They tried desperately to alter their course, but it was too late. With barely a yelp, they disappeared into flames that left no hint of their absolute incineration. Releasing his mount to run freely, Akakios deliberately walked through the ring of fire and allowed them to die down around him, not a hair singed on his body.

  “You are brave, Aukokhi.” He spoke to the air, not knowing exactly from where in the forest she still watched. There were others with her, many others. “You are the bravest of beasts, and you are an intelligent pack leader, but I will not be your prey today.” Akakios raised his voice, angry that he had been forced to take sacred lives so unnecessarily. “I know you understand my words, Aukokhi! Go away with your children and find another to prey upon, or I will destroy you and all that are with you, for I am the Fire-Bringer!” Akakios staff burst into unnatural flame in his hand, and he held it aloft in dramatic fashion for emphasis.

  There was no sound, not even a rustle of leaves. And he knew they were gone, like an elusive breeze. Alone again, Akakios lowered his staff and relinquished the flame. With a shrug of his shoulders and a dismissive grunt, he whistled for his mount. Moments later it came up the pathway at a fast trot and stood nervously before him. Akakios was quietly thankful it had not run off too far after the flames died. He gave his old horse a pat on its nose, calmly mounted, and then continued on his way.

  By late afternoon, Akakios was getting concerned that he had not seen anyone on the road nor any signs of a village for quite a while. He began to regret leaving the slow-moving convoy and wondered if he had made a bad decision in his haste. Darkness would be on him in a couple of hours, and he resigned himself to camping off the road if he had to. If it came to that, Akakios hoped Aukokhi and her pack would not return for another try at him during the night when he was more vulnerable. He would take precautions in any case. Keeping an eye out for a good place to stop, he soon heard a welcoming tune being played on shepherd pipes not far ahead down the road. His heart leaped at the prospect of company at camp or at least someone who could tell him what was a little farther down the road.

  It was nearly dark when he found the source of the music. In the distance, he could see the camp lit up by a small fire just off the road in a clearing wi
th the backdrop of thick brush and trees. Dancing around that fire were two silhouettes, each with pipes, playing a rousing tune back and forth and then coming together in a harmonious chorus that was very catchy. When he rode closer, he could see that the revelers were two short men wearing odd breaches, short tunics, and some sort of adornment on their heads. Perhaps they were traveling hypokrites, actors. The two men stopped playing and stood together when they noticed his approach. To his relief, they began to wave in a friendly manner, and he waved back.

  At least they seemed affable, and from the spirited tunes they played and danced to, they must be a lively duo that would share easy conversation. Akakios had been alone on the road all day with no one to talk to, except for his horse, and the animal wasn’t much of a conversationalist. He mused at what fun it would be if animals could speak, then immediately rejected the idea. They would surely curse all Hellenes for the tradition of sacrificing them to the gods!

  When he arrived at the edge of their camp, Akakios dismounted and walked his horse into the light of their campfire. What he saw next made him freeze in his tracks. The odd clothing he thought they were wearing earlier was now clearly something else entirely. The two men had the average torsos, heads, and arms of any man, but the tight curls of the hair on their hindquarters and legs and the horns on their heads were that of a goat. With a start, he recognized them as the mythical Paein.

  “Have no fear, good traveler! My name was Agreus, and this is my brother Nomios. You are welcome to join our camp, join our company, and join our songs!” If the small creature weren’t so strange to his eyes, Akakios would have been comforted by the Paein’s cheery demeanor.

  Nomios added with a trill on his pipes, “And look, good sir.” He motioned to rabbits on spits over the fire. “My brother is an excellent hunter with a fortunate bounty to share with another!”

  Akakios could not believe what he was seeing. Two cheery Paein were wearing fine tunics in a camp with roasting rabbits. For a moment he thought maybe he fell asleep on his mount and was in another unusual dream, except that this was really happening.

  The two brothers stared at him, smiling, and politely waited for him to accept their offer of hospitality until Akakios finally found the words in his throat to speak. “Thank you, brothers Paein. My name is Akakios, Ta Hiera to Kronos in Sesklo. Your offer of accommodation at your camp is appreciated and welcome on this dark night.”

  Nomios played another trill on his pipes and exclaimed, “A Holy One, Agreus! How fortunate we are! And to Kronos of Fire and Field! We are honored by you!”

  “Please sit by the fire with us and enjoy the bounty of my hunt! We will play for you and tell stories! A time we will have!” laughed Agreus.

  “A time we will have!” Nomios repeated excitedly.

  Akakios tied his horse to a nearby tree and joined them at the fire. He was still stunned at meeting these mythological creatures. The stories that spoke of them described the Paein as the children of the deities Eros and Rhea. They lived in the mountains and forests and were said to help shepherds find those lost from their flock. Yes, to those living in the mountains of Othrys, these stories were familiar, but not taken very seriously.

  After they had consumed the rabbits, Agreus and Nomios played their pipes and danced around the flames, entertaining Akakios with funny stories about the gods and promiscuous dryads. The night went long with laughter and honey mead that flowed freely and frequently before Akakios’s vision blurred from too much drink and he fell asleep.

  In the morning, Akakios half expected to wake up from a dream, but the Paein were still there. They were eager to travel with him, and he was glad for their company. Thus far their conversation has been about music, poetry, art, love, and the gods; however, Akakios had still not told them of his pilgrimage.

  Back on the road, the Paein again entertained him with their pipes and prose and somehow kept pace with his horse even as they danced around him. The day and the leagues slipped by in their company, and oddly he did not recall a single traveler or village passed during the day.

  That night the Paein found the perfect spot to camp and set up a campfire. Agreus disappeared for a while and returned with more rabbits, quickly gut and cleaned them, and spit them over the flames while Nomios played the pipes and danced around the campfire. From somewhere, Agreus brought a large amphora of the most exceptional Oinos wine, from the city of Metis. He took a long draft, then passed it over to Akakios.

  “Do you know about the Nymphs, Ta Hiera?” Agreus hiccupped and passed the wine back.

  Akakios nodded. “I have read about them but certainly never met one.”

  The Paein clapped his hands and spun in a circle. “They are difficult to find and even more difficult to convince them to lie with you!”

  “I see.” Akakios certainly hadn’t expected the conversation to take such an odd turn, and the wine that was warming his belly and elevating his spirits found it humorous. “Is it your objective to philander with the maidens or to convince them to be your mate?”

  Agreus sputtered and squawked, “Mate! Never!” and then happily proceeded to go into exaggerated detail about the philandering he would like to do with a Nymph, causing Akakios to blush more than once and drink frequently of the Oinos to cover his embarrassment.

  “I have heard that the Nymphs in Avalon and Eriu are particularly amorous.” The Paein was dancing from hoof to hoof while he spoke. Akakios briefly wondered if the creature could keep still for even a moment. “Whom do you think would be most offended by my exploits with the Nymphs? The Elves or the Druids?”

  The thought of the Paein asking either for permission made Akakios laugh. “Maybe you should stick with the Nymphs in Hellas, wherever they might be.”

  The rabbits were steaming and dripping their winter fat into the sizzling embers, sending their roasted scent into the air. Akakios could not remember eating anything the entire day, and his stomach churned in fits of loud growls from the delicious fragrance. Taking pieces of the tender cooked meat, he barely let them cool before he took the first few bites, all the while marveling at how satisfying they were.

  With the Paein finally quiet and eating their rabbits, Akakios thought it would be a good time to casually get the answers to the questions he was seeking. “Have you heard of a Shrine of Metis in the high peaks of the Othrys near the sea?”

  Agreus and Nomios replied at almost the same time. “Of course we do! We know the Othrys, every league of it! Are you going there, Holy One?”

  Trying to sound nonchalant about it, he replied, “I was thinking to visit and pay respects to Metis while I was in the area. It’s more of a pilgrimage, I suppose.”

  The two Paein looked at each other and then tumbled around on the ground laughing hysterically. “You are a funny Holy One!” Agreus finally stopped and took a breath. “We will give you directions once we get closer to the sea!”

  Akakios couldn’t guess what was humorous about his inquiry, but he didn’t question the Paein any further. It was enough that they knew the location and would tell him soon.

  That night, while Nomios played his pipes, Agreus whispered to Akakios that he had the gift of prophecy. It was a rare lucid moment devoid of levity, and the Paein proceeded to tell him dark foretelling of forbidden love, sins, and deceptions that didn’t at all make sense. The music was as intoxicating as the Oinos in any case, and the prophecies intriguing if only Akakios could have remembered much of them the next morning.

  Just as they did the day before, the Paein traveled with him the next day, and again they passed no other travelers and no villages. Akakios knew there was something unnatural going on, almost like a dream, except that he was awake and everything that happened was vivid and real. Concerns and suspicions regarding the true nature of his companions crowded his mind, but since he estimated that they were not far from the coast, he planned to be leaving them soon anyway, and he didn’t want to upset them. He still needed their help to find the shrine, and the odd l
ittle creatures had done nothing so far to warrant his interrogation.

  The evening began the same as the last with a campfire, music, Oinos, and rabbits. This time, however, Agreus was not in his playful mood and continued to whisper dark prophesies and dance around the fire. Before he drank too much Oinos, Akakios remembered to ask directions to the shrine of Metis.

  “Seek a clearing within a wooded grove of oaks in the highlands on the western slope of the coastal-facing escarpment of the Othrys,” Agreus spoke cryptically. His lips kept twisting to form a smile, as if there were something irresistibly funny that he did not wish to divulge.

  “How will I know I have found the right grove?” Akakios remained focused. He had to get the details right, and there must be hundreds of groves in the Othrys.

  The Paein waved his arms in a grand flourish, as if unveiling the apparent truth. “A sign from Metis will be waiting for you, oh Holy One!”

  Akakios tried to ask more questions, but Agreus jumped up and joined Nomios in playing pipes and dancing around the fire, saying nothing more of it, until Akakios fell asleep.

  When he woke the next morning, the Paein were gone as if they were never there, and Akakios felt terribly alone. They had consumed so much of his attention that time flew during their journey together, and he had actually enjoyed their entertaining company. He could hardly wait to tell the Hierophant about them. On the other hand, if his journey continued with such meetings, the Hierophant would probably think the Ta Hiera had gone half mad by the time he returned.

  Another half day on the road and Akakios came across a rough hunting trail leading into the wilds of the Othrys. He decided this was probably the best route to follow up the roughly forested slope of the mountains. He knew from experience that game trails were more reliable than not. At this elevation, the trees congregated in thickly wooded copses alternating with jagged, rocky terrain, and Akakios found himself walking his mount as often as he rode it. By the time night fell and he made a camp, Akakios was in the general area where he expected to find the clearing within the wooded grove if the Paein were truthful and he remembered everything right.