by D. N. Carter
“PAUL!” Percival screamed as he plummeted downwards unable to brace himself.
Paul looked above him but could see nothing but could hear Percival sliding and tumbling towards him. Crack…Percival collided with Paul, their heads smacking into each other hard, the force of Percival’s momentum pushing Paul downward again, their head and shoulders almost interlocked as they both shot down the tunnel towards an unknown fate. Paul reached back to try and grab hold of Percival as his ears rang and the pain in his head registered from the impact of their heads. Percival was unconscious and a dead weight as they picked up speed. Blood ran across Paul’s forehead where a cut had opened. He lay fully upon his back, his sword scabbard catching the side of the tunnel and sparking off brilliant flashes of white light where the leather scabbard tore away at the end revealing the tip of the blade. Paul grabbed Percival’s head with both hands to try and hold him steady as their heads kept banging together.
“Sorry for getting you into this, my friend,” Paul said aloud and gritted his teeth in anticipation for the fall that was coming.
Suddenly Paul was out of the tunnel and flying helplessly through the air, Percival behind him but dropping away fast as he frantically tried to keep hold of him. He braced himself for the impact knowing it was going to be bad at the speed they were travelling. Suddenly he saw a pale greenish light glow from his sword. He went to look down at it when everything went black and silent. He lost all sensation of movement. He could not move. “Am I dead?” he asked himself, confused. He could not even move his eyes or speak. After what seemed like an age alone, he felt overcome with tiredness and despite fighting it, he eventually fell asleep.
Slowly, almost painfully, Paul opened his eyes. A warm glow from a setting sun bathed his face. He could feel that he was lying down upon thick green grass. As he sat up he saw Percival lying asleep beside him. They were in some kind of opening set within a forest of great oaks, a path having been cleared toward the horizon where the sun set, its rays of warmth stretching out toward him. Suddenly he heard voices behind him. As he spun around and sat up, he saw what looked like his father dressed in armour, but not of Templar type. His cloak was a deep crimson colour. A large standing obelisk type stone stood proud just feet beyond him. His father was waving a sword identical to his own. He was shouting at someone but Paul could not see any others. He tried to wake Percival but he would not rouse. Paul stood up, pulled his clothing straight, checked his sword and approached his father. The tree trunks appeared to almost glow a yellow and orange from the sun’s rays.
“This! This!” Philip shouted, his back to Paul and waving the sword in the air. “This cost me the life of my wife!” he shouted angrily.
“Father,” Paul exclaimed, surprised, and reached out to touch him on his shoulder.
Philip flung himself around fast swinging the sword outwards in defence cutting straight through Paul in one swipe. Paul shuddered momentarily and froze in shock as he looked down at his stomach waiting for the inevitable pain and blood. But neither came. In shock he looked up at his father, who had taken a step back and was looking around alarmed totally oblivious to Paul’s presence. He suddenly jumped around to face the large standing stone as images of the outlines of three very tall individuals flickered into view. No sooner had the images appeared, like a shimmering reflection cast upon clear water, than they vanished again.
“Come on. Reveal yourselves fully!” Philip shouted again.
Paul walked and stood beside his father. It was his father but he was so much younger looking, in his late twenties at most. The look on his face was one of pain, frustration and exhaustion.
“Father…it is I, Paul, your son. Can you not see me?”
Philip sensed something and looked to his left and directly at Paul. Paul smiled thinking he had finally seen him. Philip waved his left hand in the air next to Paul and stared quizzically knowing something was close but he could not see it. Suddenly Philip rushed forwards toward the stone, raised the sword in both hands above his head, held it horizontally pointing at the stone replete with spiral symbols upon it. With a yell of raw emotion he thrust the sword with all of his might into the stone. As he pushed the sword deeper, the ground trembled and the trees all appeared to shake as a deep moaning sigh sounded out. Sparks flew out along the sword’s blade as Philip pushed it in harder, his face gnarled up in anger. A boom echoed out as an invisible wave of energy shot out like a strong wind blowing away from the stone. It hit Paul with a force that knocked him back a pace. Philip collapsed to his knees in exhaustion, his long hair falling forwards hiding his face as he started to sob. Paul went to move when the three shimmering outlines of the tall individuals appeared. As Paul watched in awe and confusion, the three seemed to materialise fully visible one minute then vanish the next. They were all men, dressed in thick white cloaks and jackets, the like of which Paul had never seen before. They were at least three times the height of his father he could see. They all had pure blonde, almost white, hair when they remained visible long enough to be seen. Two of the men bent down and lifted Philip to his feet just as the third man looked directly at Paul. The man smiled and bowed his head slightly acknowledging his presence. Paul gulped hard, surprised that he could obviously see him. Slowly the man turned and pulled out the sword as if was not even in the stone. His huge hand covered the entire length of the handle of the two handed sword. Paul jumped half out of his skin as a hand grabbed his right shoulder.
“Where are we?” Percival asked, bemused and scowling as he tried to see what Paul was looking at.
“Percy….you can see this too?”
“Yes…so where are we and who are they?” he replied and pointed toward the group at the stone.
“Why….why?” Philip called out sobbing as he was supported to his feet. “Why if all these religions teach peace, why can they not achieve peace?” he cried.
Paul felt a lump tighten in his throat as the emotion of seeing his father so distraught upset him.
“Every sword is given a name…you must choose one…and then continue what was given unto you to fulfil. Your wife gave her life for the sword so that you would do the right thing with it,” a deep voice spoke.
The tall man with the sword offered it to Philip. He just looked at it for several long minutes. Paul knew it was the sword he now held. This was some kind of dream or vision of past events he told himself as Percival looked on perplexed.
“It was made from the metals of heaven…and to heaven it will one day return after it has served its purpose. Your wife knew this. Do not let her death be in vain,” the voice said as the tall man placed the sword down beside Philip on the grass. The three tall men looked at Philip for a few moments until he picked it up, still shaking and in tears. “Now arise. Do what you swore to do.”
Philip slowly stood up holding the sword and, staring at it, turned to look toward the setting sun. Theodoric dressed in a dark green robe covered in symbols came running into view. He too was much younger looking. He ran to Philip, paused for a moment, Philip looking utterly broken, then embraced him with a hug as Philip just sobbed. A tear ran down Paul’s face.
“Are we dead?” Percival asked quietly.
“I honestly do not know,” Paul answered and looked at him briefly. When he turned to look back at his father, they were gone.
Instantly the scene around them changed to one of what looked like a domed wall of stone around and over them that was covered in colours. The walls appeared to move like an undulating wave. The floor changed to a solid marble floor. Many colours of stone were set in a pattern that made it appear to spiral as they looked at it. Paul recalled seeing similar drawings of Ancient Egyptian frescos on walls that Attar and Theodoric had shown him. The greens and blues were bright and beautiful to look at.
“Yes, we are dead. That fall must have killed us. So what comes next?” Percival asked as he looked about them fast.
“Yes, what comes next?” Paul thought and was reminded of Taqi, who like
d that saying.
A bright blue and green light suddenly lit up the circular enclosure. Before either of them could raise their hands, the light was gone and a woman with long pale blue hair stood before them. Dressed in an all in one white garment neither of them had ever seen the like of before, she walked toward them. Percival grabbed Paul’s arm. The woman stopped just feet away from them and looked into their eyes intently in turn. Percival felt embarrassed and looked down. Paul frowned at her, puzzled. Her clothing was tight fitting and showed her figure. No more than twenty years, her blue eyes almost hypnotic, Paul went to speak but she raised her hand quickly and shook her head no.
“You cannot remain here. I will help you leave, and leave you must for if you stay any longer, you will never see alive those you love the most,” she explained in a soft but commanding voice. Percival looked at Paul, alarmed. She sensed his fear. “Fear not. They are not in harm’s way, but if you stay here, time is different. For every minute you stay here, a full day passes where your loved ones exist.”
“What…but we have been here hours,” Paul replied shocked.
“Oh my Lord. Nyla will think me dead,” Percival said and coughed, his throat dry.
“A month and some has already passed,” the woman said.
“How?” Percival asked, fraught with concern.
“That you would not understand,” she smiled in reply.
“Try me,” Percival shot back, shaking his head, feeling angry now.
Paul saw the look on Percival’s face.
“Percy, remain calm. I am sure Nyla and Alisha are fine,” Paul said, reassuring him, then looked back at the woman. “But what is this we are in and where?”
“When your kind finally unearths your true past, then you will discover your future. When you remember, your kind will again signal they have done so.”
“Remember? And what signal?” Paul asked. “And can we get out of wherever here is soonest…please,” Paul asked.
“If you vow to continue that which your fathers started…then I can lead you from here.”
“Fathers! My father never made any vow,” Percival remarked.
“You never really knew your father did you for I assure you he did…as Paul’s father here did,” the woman explained.
“You know our names?” Paul asked.
“Of course,” the woman replied with a smile.
Paul’s mind raced as he thought back upon all the stories Theodoric had explained to him about the many instances where people had entered a cave, fallen asleep and come out and years had passed by but only a day for them. As he thought that, Percival pulled him hard to look at him as if he had thought the same thing. Paul’s heart jumped as he feared months would have passed by the time they got out and Alisha and Ari would believe them long since dead.
“We must leave now!” Percival demanded, alarmed.
“You will leave soon enough. But in future, be more prepared. Write a letter for your wives to be given to them should this occur again so that they will always know to wait,” the woman said looking intently into Paul’s eyes and his alone. “You know how the pyramids were built…you know that they stand as an alter in stone to testify to what man once achieved… that they contain the simple truths of your physical world,” she said without moving her gaze for a moment from Paul. She stepped closer and gently rested her hand upon his forearm. “You also know there is a gateway here to other worlds and realms. Places men of your kind cannot and must not have access to until they all remember. You must remember all that you have learnt and only write down that which is allegorical, symbolic and only seen by those entrusted in the mysteries. Do you understand this?”
“I, I think so,” Paul answered hesitantly. “But where are we now and you still have not told us of what signal will let you know we have remembered.”
“Both of you remember this. You will always, always find the truth and strength within you.” Percival and Paul looked at each other puzzled. “You are not the first to enter here before its time. The one you know as Moses and his brother Aaron also entered. Moses as you know is now written down as one person but the things attributed to him were of two men. The last one being a former Pharaoh as you know the term. He was the one who took a power tool, for it was granted unto him to do so. That tool is a staff. It still exists in your world with the man you know as Kratos, to us as Mer El In. You can work out his name I am sure.” Paul shook his head no. “Then you will. Moses and his brother had to leave this place and once they did, Moses known also as Thotmoses, changed his name to Akhenaton and started his new belief system. In the one Almighty as he perceived it.”
“But you still do not reveal what symbol…or signal…we must remember to make it known we have remembered,” Percival interrupted impatiently. The woman broke her gaze from Paul and looked at him. “Please,” he said and shrugged his shoulders.
“All paths leading into here are blocked and shall remain blocked just as those on what your kind will call and know as Oak Island are likewise sealed. When the earth once again moves its bounds and the stars in the heavens seem to fall, and when your sun rises and sets again in a new position, only then will you gain full access for only then will the vibrations that hold your realm together be changed high enough. Only then will the power of light envelop your world to reveal to you what is yours by right. All of the peoples not just a few who will still cling to their false pretence of power. But some of the chambers will be opened just prior to help warn you all and so that you can make ready and are prepared for the great changes…and some of your ancient forefathers will again reveal themselves…after you have signalled remembrance,” she explained then paused as she looked at them both in turn. “When you place the sacred symbols of the rose and lily once again upon the limb of the bay where the mother of the Crimson Thread set foot upon her new lands, then and only then will they reveal themselves openly. It is as simple as that.”
Paul looked at Percival, even more puzzled.
“Okay…good. Now we really must be leaving,” Percival said and looked around for any sign of an exit. “And I have no idea of what you speak.”
“You understand that ice, water and mist are made from the same source yes?” the woman asked, looking at Percival. He nodded yes. “Then understand that your world is like water. When frozen, it is solid. You cannot pass through it but you can walk upon it. When it changes its formation back to water, then you cannot walk upon it, but you can still travel upon it and swim in it. It is the very same substance you are made up from. But when it is mist, you cannot travel upon it but it is just as real but, unlike ice, you can travel through it easily enough. As mist, water takes up a different volume, as does ice, yet it is still the same element. This is how different realms exist side by side in its simplest explanation.”
“That was its simplest explanation?” Percival frowned as Paul took in the woman’s analogy. “But how does that help us get out of here now?”
“You know the pyramids all align with the belt stars of Orion?” the woman asked. Paul nodded yes as Percival looked at him first then also nodded but still confused. “You are presently just feet below the surface of where the Star of Isis is projected in relation to Orion being overlaid upon the Giza pyramids. I have placed the imaging within your minds but note, the third pyramid does not align perfectly as the others do. This was deliberate. For it only marries up perfectly with the star constellation of Cygnus. Align that and you will discover an exit. It was once an entrance but all passages are now sealed save one…but it too will be sealed.”
“If we are just feet beneath the surface…surely it would be too easy to find before its time,” Paul exclaimed.
“A man can dig a hundred feet and he would not find it for it exists on what you should understand as being a different realm but in the same space as I just tried to explain.”
“Then how come we are in it…and that Akhenaton or Moses man was able to access here also?” Percival asked.
&n
bsp; “Because of your blood…and as you have that key,” the woman replied softly and indicated toward the sword Paul carried. “It is far more than a mere sword as you know. It also gives off a frequency, than means a set of sound waves, that allows you to enter this realm. One day your kind will again learn all about these facts, for facts are what they are and all governed by mathematics and harmonics.”
“I hate maths,” Percival said, trying to joke.
Paul’s mind flashed back to when Firgany had told him and Taqi about there being six truths. He shook his head and smiled as he recalled his words. Even back then Firgany and his father had been educating and preparing him. He recalled the parchment. He had done the boat building path but now knew that career was dead to him. Medicine is the one he would follow. The knight path he would not, he told himself.
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“The boat you cannot build again as your father informed you,” the woman stated as if reading his mind. She smiled as if to acknowledge she could.
“Make note, before you vow to all of us here, within the centre of the chambers of creation, for all of your kind’s history is stored here, that it is from a place in the centre of what you call Orion, that your eternal souls are first created. This world is but one for those souls to grow, learn and evolve…know not that ye are gods,” the woman said and stood back a few paces.
Paul and Percival looked in awe, Percival with his mouth dropping open as images of great cylinders of black polished granite appeared to become transparent, twelve of them set around a larger circular enclosure with a bright gold covered pyramid set in the middle. Inside the chamber cylinders, black granite polished egg shaped looking objects were carefully lowered inside by some unknown and unseen force. Almost ghost like images of tall men and women appeared as they set items within the chambers, each specific to a different area of knowledge. Medicine, engineering, objects that flew and power tools, many looking like the staff of Kratos. Percival fell to his knees shaking his head in surprise and awe, emotions overwhelming his senses.