by D. N. Carter
“Was Moses really real then?” he blurted out, nearly in tears.
“Yes. Some will argue he was not. Some will come to realise he was in fact of an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh dynasty…others will claim the real Moses was murdered and replaced by a magician and puppet expert…and many will argue over where the actual sea Moses parted the waters of was, or where he received his Ten Commandments,” the woman explained as they looked on.
“And where were these places?” Paul asked as he looked on utterly captivated at the scenes before them.
“That gold sheathed pyramid is the original stone that the builders rejected. I know you know of these facts already. It is within your mind. Beneath the gold shield there is white stone and then black basalt granite. You will note a small piece is broken from the corner. That is what the one you know as Abraham took and that now resides in Mecca as the Kabba stone. Again, one day this will be confirmed as true. It will happen when all I have said will come to pass and when many will accuse the book of the Prophet Muhammad as being the book of the Beast. You must speak with the one known as Theodoric for time here does not permit us. But swear you will continue the work your fathers vowed to continue.”
“But I did not know my father…and,” Percival started to say but fell silent as he watched several elegant women walk past him dressed in the same fashion carrying items that appeared to be made from glass. One of the items was almost identical to the threefold water system Theodoric used. “But whatever vow he took, take it as given I swear the same.”
“I think from what Kratos has told me, several times now already, I have already made these vows. To safeguard the codes and make sure they are updated to be carried forward,” Paul remarked quietly as he studied every facet of the scene before him.
“There will be signs in the heavens in the last days that mirror the image of the solar wings…as the Egyptians tried to copy…and then men will seek out those that know the codes of your forefathers for they will by then know them by their seals…apples, bees and harps… and they will seek them for comfort and knowledge and guidance set apart from the many false prophets that will claim many miracles and revelations to secrets. But as is the way, no matter what you present to people, they will always choose to accept that which is easy for them to comprehend. The fear that comes from changing their views and perspectives based on those placed within them by their parents and religions they were born into.”
“Then why in God’s name ‘have’ religion and I do not understand how we can be here, that this is real yet we cannot see it when in our world. How can the two exist together?” Percival asked.
“Like mist becomes water…becomes ice. As I have already explained. It is the same matter just in a different form. Why do you think all matters spiritual are represented by aqua…water? The same applies with matter, the materials of your world and ours.”
“Just tell me…was Jesus real and not a myth then?” Percival asked, almost pleading. Paul looked down at him. “Please…for I need something tangible that my mind can accept and grasp.”
“Yes, he was a real person, though much has been added to his life. Likewise he adopted and used much that was presented to him…here in Heliopolis in Egypt. He knew and understood the principle that you are all the sons of God and all gods in the making. But the last thing he wanted or wished for was a religion to be started after him,” the woman explained softly and knelt down opposite Percival and took his right hand in hers. He looked at her stunned in disbelief as he felt her hand. “And you…you have never known your real father, but Paul there did. Just briefly. He resides in the higher realms beyond ours in what you would call paradise. A holding world between worlds where he waits,” she said then looked up at Paul. “Along with your mother.”
Paul stepped back taken by surprise. The image of the knight who had been decapitated beside him and whom he believed he saw in his dreams with his mother in Glen Lyon.
“No…it cannot be. ’Tis impossible. That would make Percival my cousin!” Paul stated and looked at Percival as he slowly stood up. “Impossible!”
“Impossible you say. Look around you at all you are seeing before your very eyes. All is possible. What coincidences do you think brought you together?” the woman asked as she stood up still holding Percival’s hand. Paul and Percival looked at each other shocked. “You cannot lie that you do not feel the connection between you. From the moment you first met.”
“I…I just thought him a good and godly man,” Paul blurted out as Percival shook his head. “But that means your father is dead…”
Percival just looked at Paul then back at the woman. He clasped her hand with both of his and kissed it softly, then stood holding her hand making sure that in his mind he knew he was holding a real hand.
“You must go…for those that love you the most are beside themselves with fear and grief…but remember all you have seen and heard here, but never write it down for there would be consequences beyond your wildest fears if you do.”
“How do we get out of here?” Percival asked, his voice emotional.
“When you awaken, you will find the way. But know this before you leave, when the apostles are placed around the zodiac as you now have it, the one known as John the Baptist, his head is the one that sits above the sign of Aquarius…and Percival, you once asked if Jonah had really been kept in the belly of a whale. Of course he was not but you try to explain to a people how he was taken on board a vessel, similar to what Paul built, but one that can travel beneath the waves. Do you think they could comprehend that? Plus, all actions and events have been recreated almost to the letter to re-enact events to make them current…and to fulfil prophecies as Jesus knew and understood. So Jonah was portrayed as being eaten by a whale though it was done so that reality mimicked what was based upon an ancient sun myth, and to carry the moral codes but also real mathematical codes. We constantly try to rationalise events as rational facts, but religious fanaticism makes people very irrational…and bigoted, obnoxious, aggressive, hostile, hateful and violent. People argue that their religion has rights above all others….but only people have rights. Ideas such as religion do not have rights.”
“I am sorry…I do not follow what you say,” Percival said hesitantly.
“Every ideology and religion must be subjected to open, free discussion in regard to its values, without fear of reprisal. No exceptions. Speaking out against injustice and intolerance within a religion, whether Christian, Hindu or Islam, is not being blasphemous. All are inspired ideas, but still ideas ultimately and in a civilised moral society, no idea, religious, political or philosophical, can claim any special treatment, or be set beyond the reach of empirical evidence. All of your religions carry the same codes from antiquity. Put there by a great and very ancient worldwide civilisation. Carrying within all religions are the roots of humanity’s greatest astro-theological traditions dating back many thousands of years. It does a great disservice to these ancient peoples…your forefathers…to ignore or twist the knowledge and wisdom they left for you. Even Jesus knew this and understood this and so he likewise re-enacted past myths and prophecies. The so-called fable of Christ as many will one day shout, and his twelve apostles…is indeed but a parody of the sun and the twelve signs of the zodiac, copied from the ancient religions of the Eastern world… but all to lead you back to all of this,” the woman explained reverentially as she opened her hand toward the fast fading images of the chambers as they were being sealed. “Everything told of Christ has reference to the sun. His reported resurrection is at sunrise, and that on the first day of the week; that is, on the day anciently dedicated to the sun, and thence called Sunday…”
“But I have learnt you do not need religion to have morals though. Plenty of people live moral lives without religion. Religious people thinking religion is the root of morality are committing an egregious act of arrogance are they not?” Percival asked as the woman let go of his hand and started to walk backwards.
&nbs
p; “Whilst humankind is still childlike, then childlike rules for moral guidance must be instilled. When humankind matures, then new revelations will be revealed. Your fathers hid away the bodies of those whom you know as King David and his wife Bathsheba, mother of Solomon. They both know the material from which your sword is made and either of you can wield it.”
“What…whose bodies?” Paul asked, confused, just as a blinding pain shot through his forehead, his ears beginning to ring loudly.
“They secured them away in the land of Alba, but you must ensure they are moved to Oak Island and keep your vow to continue the codes…only then is your task complete in this lifetime,” the woman said as both Paul’s and Percival’s vision blurred, darkened and they fell asleep.
Paul felt heavy, his eyes closed as he tried to move. He sensed his face was covered in dirt and fine sand, his back aching. He moved his legs but they also felt heavy and painful. He coughed as dust entered his mouth as he opened it to breathe. He struggled to sit up and opened his eyes. Percival lay beside him. They were in a dark and cramped tunnel. Its walls were rough cut stone. To his left was total darkness but to his right he could just make out the glimmer of a shard of light beaming down from outside like a beacon. He coughed again to clear his throat and pushed Percival to rouse him. After a few minutes of vigorous shaking, he suddenly coughed loudly and spat out dirt. Confused and alarmed he sat up looking at Paul, trying to focus in the dim light.
“Okay…okay so where the f….,” he paused, “the heck are we?” he asked, his voice dry as Paul helped him sit up.
“I have no idea but that light calls us that way,” Paul replied, quickly checked he still had his sword and immediately started to crawl toward the light.
Percival looked behind him at the dense blackness and quickly hurried after Paul. When they reached the beam of sunlight, Paul saw that it was shining through a tiny crack in the stone above their heads. He looked at Percival as if to ask if he should pull it down. Percival looked up hesitantly, wiped his face then nodded in agreement both knowing it could bring the whole shaft down upon them. Paul moved aside and reached his hands up into the crack, used his fingers to prise a larger space so his hand would fit through. Once his hand was through he grabbed hold of what felt like a thin stone slab. He looked at Percival once more, he nodded again and with an almighty heave, Paul pushed the slab upwards as a lip around the sides would not allow it to move downward. As he heaved upwards, his entire arm moved. The small stone slab pushed up and over against a stone cut shaft. As grit and sand fell over Paul’s head and shoulders, he held his arm steady. Eventually the sand stopped falling and he cleared his eyes to look up. It was a small shaft of no more than twenty-four inches square.
“Good job Theo is not with us,” Percival joked, looking up. “And I hope you can climb?”
Paul eased himself upward into the shaft, placed his already scuffed and bleeding knee against the entrance lip and hauled himself up. Using his arms and knees pushed hard against the shaft walls, he positioned himself ready to ascend.
“Sorry, my friend. I know of your fears of confined spaces…would you like to go first?”
“No…just get a move on,” Percival replied looking behind himself nervously.
The shaft was thirty-three feet straight up. Slowly they eased their way upwards inch by inch. The hole above them was partly covered by a stone block and Paul prayed it was not too heavy to move. When he reached the top, the cool air changed to one of arid heat. The sun was setting fast and the light was now angled casting the shaft beneath them into total darkness. Percival was shaking from both fear and exhaustion. Paul pushed his hand against the stone, the space open being just wide enough for his arm to stick through. The stone block was far too heavy to move. In desperation he slapped the stone hard several times but all it did was knock off fine sand into his eyes. After fifteen minutes of trying, getting weaker all the time. Paul went to get his sword to see if he could use it somehow. But as soon as he went to move it he realised immediately he could not turn the sword around in the confined space. He sighed heavily and looked down at Percival staring up, his eyes wide. Suddenly more sand was kicked into the hole falling on Paul’s head. Someone started shouting outside. As Paul cleared his eyes again and looked up, he saw a child’s face peering in at him, smiling. Excitedly the child shouted and started waving to others outside.
“Hold on a while longer, my friend,” Paul said quietly.
“They better hurry for I have not the strength to climb back down nor hold much longer,” Percival replied.
Suddenly a rope appeared and a strong hand feeding it in.
“Grab this, my friends, whilst we shift this fuck of a rock,” Luke’s voice echoed out into the shaft.
Paul and Percival gasped with relief upon hearing his voice and they grabbed the rope. Quickly Percival tied it off around his waist as Paul interlocked his arms over it. After what seemed an age, lots of shouting and swearing plus the groans of a mule being pressed into pulling the stone, it eventually moved aside to make a big enough hole for Paul to reach upwards. No sooner had he put his arm up, when several strong hands grabbed him and hauled him out. As Paul was dragged across the sand, Percival was likewise dragged up and out. Paul turned over onto his back and in the remaining orange and yellow light of the setting sun he nearly cried at seeing Thomas and all of his men. Many other men and even Mamluks seemed to be everywhere. The Great Pyramid rose before him a short distance away bathed in the hues of the sun. The small child who had seen Paul’s arm knelt down beside him and smiled, proud of himself.
“You are in so much shit, my friend…but it is a mighty end to this day that we have found you alive,” Thomas laughed as Luke offered Percival some water.
A deep rumbling sound echoed out and a slight shaking of the ground beneath their feet made everyone freeze. A loud thud followed by several more accompanied a loud groan from within the shaft as it collapsed in on itself throwing out a vertical shaft of dust and fine sand. They all shielded their eyes, some coughing as the dust slowly settled. Theodoric suddenly appeared through the cloud of dust a short distance away running toward them fast. It surprised Paul to see just how fast for a man his age. Paul sat up full of relief when Theodoric stopped just in front of him, fell to his knees in the sand and pulled Paul close hugging him tightly, his eyes shut tight with emotion.
“For the love of God where have you been these past weeks?” Theodoric asked, still hugging him tight.
“Weeks!” Paul exclaimed. As memories of his encounter flooded back, he recalled the woman had informed them that a month at least had passed.
“Ali?” Paul asked concerned.
“At home waiting…just waiting,” Theodoric said and finally sat back and looked at Paul. “You have scared the absolute life out of her this time…far worse than when you went missing after the sea engagement…”
Paul looked at Percival, who was being grilled by Thomas and Luke as they poured water over his face to clean away the dust. Paul’s eyes fell upon the now blocked shaft. He heard the words of the woman again as he recalled her comments about the entrance being where one of the stars of Cygnus was projected on the ground. He turned his gaze toward his home. Quickly he stood up and took a deep breath.
Alisha, her tired eyes closed, sat with her head resting in her hands at the main kitchen hall table. Nyla sat opposite with her hands resting across her tummy gently rubbing it staring out of the window in a daze. Sister Lucy was busy putting Arri to bed upstairs. A sense of oppression and misery pervaded the place like a real blanket of darkness that had been placed over the house. Long shadows were cast from the setting sun that only served to add to the sense of gloom. Alisha had not put out any flowers since Paul and Percival had vanished and simply existed in a sense of fatigued helplessness, her life set on pause. Both sat oblivious to the sounds of the returning men on horseback just as they had every evening for the past month and a half. Their arrival no longer solicited any hint of
expectant hope from Alisha or Nyla. They did not look up when Theodoric entered the room. Full of emotion and twiddling his large hat through his fingers he stood in silence for several long minutes before Nyla finally looked up at him. Her eyes widened in alarm seeing his expression and fearing the worst. She gasped causing Alisha to look up at him, her eyes puffy and tired.
“We…we…,” Theodoric started to say but his voice was broken and so full of emotion he could hardly speak.
“Have you found them…are they dead?” Alisha asked quietly as she stood up slowly, her hand placed upon her growing belly. She was shaking in anticipation of his reply. The fear in her eyes was real and immediate, the desperation obvious. Nyla placed her hands over her mouth fearing the worst. “Please!”
Theodoric shook his head up and down then quickly no, his mouth dry not able to speak. As he gathered his thoughts he quickly stepped aside and ushered the figures now stood behind him silhouetted by the sun, to enter. The first figure stepped into the room and lowered his hood. Instantly Alisha recognised the tall dirty figure stood before her as Paul. He broke a pained nervous smile at her just as Percival moved to stand beside him. Nyla immediately started to sob holding her hands over her mouth in disbelief, her arms held up horizontal. Percival shrugged his shoulders and smiled, his lips quivering emotionally. Nyla just sat where she was, sobbing, her eyes filled with tears, her hands still cupped tightly over her mouth. Quickly Percival rushed around the table and knelt beside her and flung his arms around her as she continued to sob uncontrollably. Alisha had followed Percival with her eyes and just stared at them, her senses numbed and tired from the weeks of worry. Slowly in disbelief she turned her head back to look at Paul. She sighed lightly and leaned her head to the side as she looked into his eyes. She looked briefly at the cut upon his forehead. She felt numb. No tears…nothing. Paul nervously looked at her, waiting for some kind of reaction. He stepped closer but as he did, she raised her hand abruptly for him to stop and took a pace backward. She put her right hand up covering her face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She sighed and Paul could see she was starting to struggle as if unable to catch her breath. She took a deep breath again and shook her head as emotions finally began to register at the shock of seeing him again alive. It filled her like water filling a jar from her stomach upwards. Eventually the feelings reached her throat and as it tightened, she waved her left hand at Paul and hid her eyes beneath her other hand. Paul could see her mouth beginning to quiver. A lump swelled in his throat seeing her clearly upset. He stepped closer but Alisha put out her hand again, this time her palm landing upon his chest. At first she raised her hand away but then patted his chest again until, still shielding her face, she rested her hand upon his chest fully. She could feel his heart pounding beneath his cotton shirt. Paul placed his hands over her hand as tears streamed down her cheeks, her eyes still shielded by her hand. She clenched his shirt and moved closer to him still not looking at him hardly daring to believe he was actually stood in front of her. She clenched his cotton shirt as she lowered her head sobbing but desperately fighting to control her tears. She stepped a little closer and rested her forehead against his chest. The kitchen door opened as Sister Lucy walked in. She stopped dead in her tracks seeing both Paul and Percival back. Her mouth wide open she looked at Theodoric, stunned. He smiled and nodded, tears in his own eyes. Paul looked at her as she clasped her hands to her face in surprise. Paul placed his arms around Alisha as she broke down in tears, her silent sobbing and shaking of her body sending a wave of guilt through him. She had lost weight despite the baby growing inside her and it was all his fault. He kissed the top of her head gently and simply held her as Sister Lucy moved to stand beside Theodoric.