Recalling Destiny

by Michael Blinkhoff

  She hung her head at the mention of it, another memory of something in her past she regretted. “Yes. Well, sort of.”

  “Then you are suitable. One can take some of the power, for a time anyway. Then things start to happen.” He wiped his brow and winked at her, “if you know what I mean?”

  “I don’t understand. I cannot hope to absorb all of that life.”

  “I am no expert, but from what I understand you are but a small conscious part of my people. How it happened is beyond me, I am no scientist and the intermingling of matter not my area of expertise.”

  “So if I bring her back by using my body, just as I brought Fahwad back, everything will be back to the way it was? The way it was when this all started?”

  “Look at me,” he smiled at her. “Where do you think this body came from?”

  “Really?”

  - -

  “Of course. Alison made all the arrangements. She found me and brought me back into the fold, just as you did to Fahwad. She’s the one who got this all started ...”

  “Huh. She dug up Smith too, right?”

  “She did.”

  “And now I have to do to me what she did to you?”

  “You don’t have to do anything my dear …”

  “Well … I do.”

  “What is your greatest regret Lucinda?”

  “You already know the answer to that.”

  “As do you … “

  “Redemption,” she nodded to herself.

  “Well … here is your chance to get it.”

  Smith

  Smith was indeed in a world of his own, and for weeks he became lost in exploring all that his surroundings would allow, the world of Atlantis.

  The city was truly a marvel to behold, it’s beauty unimaginable.

  Every morning, just as the sun rose, Smith would meet with Fahwad atop the pyramid, where they would discuss innumerable things. At times the conversations were brief and other times much longer, but after they were done Smith was free to roam the city as he pleased.

  By sunset they would reconvene and would spend more time in consultation with each other, trying to learn from one another. Fahwad pressed Smith about his origins but made little headway. Smith remained steadfast in his absent mindedness, claiming he still did not know anything about himself or his past.

  But he was learning and learning fast.

  Although Smith was aware of what Fahwad did during the day he chose to remain silent on the matter. Still, he bore great concern for what he saw in the dungeons below the city when he ventured down there on occasion. Fahwad was hoarding people in those dungeons and consuming their lives daily.

  Yet they met every day, at sunrise and sunset.

  This journey to Smith felt like he was learning everything all over again and once he did learn something new he realised he knew it already. The notion concerned him as he knew somewhere deep down he had all the answers but recalling them was another issue. He resolved himself to find a way to access his past and ascertain his own purpose, somewhere inside his memory the answers lay.

  By evening, after the sunset chat with Fahwad, Smith would climb the highest peak of the nearby volcano and spend the rest of the night up there in silent contemplation, meditating on the events that had taken place since he awoke in the fire, back in the town of Idanya.

  Fahwad had certainly been forthcoming about their relationship, both in the past and present, but he knew little of Smith’s history and of his purpose. Soon Smith started to realise he had learnt all he could from Fahwad, but Fahwad still wanted to learn more of him.

  He knew Fahwad was only keeping him around to use him for something, but as yet he’s unable to fathom the man’s true intentions. He knows Fahwad has an unwavering dedication to power, both in acquiring it and utilising it, and will stop at nothing to get it. He’s a consumer, only concerned with what he could acquire next, what treat would satisfy his ego.

  He knows it is why he’s here. Fahwad is keeping Smith around so that he may exploit him somehow.

  During the days when Smith was free to roam the lands, he did so at great pleasure, exploring the remarkable city. He would often stop by the marketplace and talk with the city folk, touching them and learning all they had learnt by seeing as they had seen.

  Sometimes it was in the market, other times down by the docks where fisherman brought in their daily catch. They would come ashore boasting of their exploits for the day, then retire to the ale houses and become unruly, spending what they had earnt on drink and gambling.

  The more he did this, the more he understood the city, its origins and its eventual destination. He also came to recognise one very similar trait in the people, a common trait they shared with Fahwad.

  Ego.

  Everyone was so enamoured with themselves, with their city and the remarkable transformation that had taken place since Fahwad had arrived. He showered the city in beauty and created a masterpiece of architecture to rival any great civilization. Its citizens fell pray to it, lured by immaculate beauty, lured into falsehood.

  When he met new people and saw as they saw, in their pasts Smith could see traces of another lineage, another kind of being. The present city folk were not the original species, not as their forefathers were, it was if Fahwad had changed them, manipulated their DNA somehow. The people were more like Fahwad and less like the original people of this land.

  As he sat high up on the volcano at night Smith recollects many tales about the original people of this city, in a time before Fahwad. Evidence of this he’s witnessed in the old acropolis, giant frescoes on the walls detailing the city that was in the time before Fahwad.

  Words adorned the walls speaking of virtue as the only thing not despised in the city, yet now those words were faded and in disrepair.

  Gradually, over time, that virtue was diluted. Slowly the people were diminishing and falling into an unseemly grace. In the eyes of Smith, Atlantis had already fallen, its people changing into something else.

  And Smith came to realise what the cause of the demise was.

  Fahwad.

  Fahwad may have removed the frescoes, statues and stories of the old gods but he failed to remove the true history of Atlantis, its people, its memory. This is where Smith learned the truth.

  Putting pieces together as he went, he came to understand the world he was in, how it was and how it became the way it was now. For before Fahwad the populace were an entirely different people, Smith’s patience to learn had revealed the truth.

  Fahwad had mixed his genes with those of the people.

  He’d done this progressively over a hundred years, to the point now where the people were barely a shadow of their former, virtuous selves. Instead the people wanted for things, material things, beautiful things that brought them pleasure. They developed narcissistic tendencies, making alterations to their faces and bodies to feel better than the other. The city folk had become about improving their status, just like the god they worshipped.

  Fahwad had corrupted the people of this land and his influence was spreading to the rest of the globe. Smith heard stories of the war that was brewing between the Atlanteans and Phoenicians, proof that Fahwad had plans to expand, to spread his corruption across the globe.

  As this is contemplated, Smith also wonders what’s taken place since the fire fell to the sky on his very first day. Realising in his own memory the first time he saw the fire fall was when Fahwad arrived on Earth, the fire from the sky on the day he arrived must surely have been the same thing. Surely it brought more, more of his kin.

  Who and what became his next challenge.

  Smith actively tried to seek out information and, being free to roam the city, it didn’t take him too long. Through soldiers he met with in the garrison, he quickly learnt that strangers had been captured from the wreckage
of the fire and brought to the citadel.

  He reconnoitred the cell block he’d first been in when brought to the city, but found no trace of the strangers there. Just like the day when he arrived, it was full of black men, just waiting to have the life drained from them.

  He remembers what the blacksmith said to him back in the village when this had begun, about the great god who consumes the blood of men to live. He didn’t recall any blood being spilt but did remember the time when three men dropped in a room at a wave of Fahwad’s hand.

  Smith knew they were gone, their energy moved to another place.

  Whilst he traversed these dungeons under the citadel, he came across another person, this one white and female. She had been housed in a sealed cell of her own, in a dark part of the dungeon complex.

  She bore lots of similarities to that of Fahwad, the elongated head and the constant sweating the most obvious signs.

  She became known to Smith as Sera, a captain of a ship from a faraway place called Hivan 5. Once he found her in her cell they conversed easily, sharing knowledge as typical strangers do. Visiting her soon became Smith’s new habit.

  Sera told him of her home, in a faraway land, and the family she had there. They had a perfect existence, until one day a man destroyed their tranquil planet.

  She and her team had been commissioned to go in search of the man, as he was a traitor to its people. He was in a position of great power and responsibility and had failed in his charge, he’d disturbed the peaceful existence of the planet.

  The man was Fahwad Achmenabad, former ward of Hivan 5’s bio-medical research facility.

  Her task had been simple, locate Fahwad and bring him back to Hivan 5 to face the council and to solve the menace he had created. But before they could safely land on Earth, their ship had malfunctioned and crashed.

  “Fahwad here … Fahwad make king,” Smith says solemnly.

  “I know,” Sera replies. “He was there, laughing, when I was captured.”

  “Fahwad bad man.”

  “I can only imagine what he’s done to your world since he’s been here. Back on my planet he has been convicted of many heinous crimes.”

  Sera asked Smith if he knew the fate of any others from the crash, if he’d found any of her compatriots, but Smith said she was the first he found.

  But the very next day Smith returns to her cell, claiming he’s found another, a tall good looking, blonde character going by the name of Yonas. He’s being held in another cell, nearby to hers.

  Sera confirms he’s a pilot in her crew.

  Smith soon makes it a daily habit to visit both the captives, utilising the time to learn about who and what they are. He doesn’t hold back any details from either during their daily discussion, he freely admits to being here at Fahwad’s insistence and wanting to stay. He explains his reasons why to Sera and Yonas and they accept his position.

  Weeks later, soldiers bring in another of their crew who fell from the sky, a large character. Smith swiftly brings the good news to the others of his arrival but has to confess the man is in a poor state of health. But Sera and Yonas, as time has worn on in the cells, have also became ill, their profuse sweating seemingly the cause.

  Sera claims that she cannot survive much longer, she was not meant to be on this planet.

  Smith relates to Sera the story of Fahwad consuming the indigenous population to sustain himself on the land and that this was how he survived. Fahwad was also mixing his genes with the people, something that had altered him too.

  Smith then went on to reveal that Fahwad sent out large armies in search of something called a coffin.

  Sera nods when Smith mentions the coffin. “It’s a sort of magic box, sit inside and let the magic work so to speak. Fahwad wants it because it’ll help him to survive here. All ships have one, my ship also, so I’m guessing he’s trying to locate it too.”

  “Two coffins?”

  “Yes. And it’s enough to get us out of here and return home.”

  “Must find … people perish here … Earth perish.”

  “Why don’t you stop him then?”

  Smith doesn’t know, for how is a man who doesn’t understand himself going to end things for a man who does. What he does understand though, is the all-consuming nature of Fahwad and that his actions will ultimately destroy this planet, sooner or later. He relates his stories to Sera over many days and nights, eventually the two agree to work together to find a solution.

  The very next day, Smith arrives at Sera’s cell before dawn, frees her from it and asks her to follow him. He takes her to the same place he and Fahwad meet at sunset and sunrise, a place on top of the pyramid.

  They wait together in silence until Fahwad arrives.

  Fahwad’s furious as he steps out onto the crest of the pyramid, seeing Smith and Sera waiting for him. His first instinct is rage, resulting in a hard slap to Smith’s face. Expletives follow, along with another slap until Sera steps forward.

  Fahwad reacts by calling out, in a loud booming voice, to his armed forces below.

  But he’s silenced by Sera, who seems to have drawn on reserves of strength. The two argue openly whilst below the army begin to gather in response.

  “What have you done to this place, traitor?” she accosts him.

  “You have invaded my lands, my lands!” he shouts. “I was banished from my home and now I have found a new one here. You have no right to call judgement on me.”

  “You infected our planet and now you’ve infected this one traitor!”

  Within only moments a small detachment of soldiers reach them on the platform and Fahwad quickly instructs them to shackle both Smith and Sera. Six soldiers move forward ominously towards them.

  Smith does not object, but Sera does.

  She rounds on the soldiers as they secure Smith first, knocking three of them down with a single swipe of her arm. Fahwad too responds, taking a nearby spear and launching it at Sera viciously.

  She ducks forward quickly, avoiding the lethal object as it whizzes past and uses her momentum to take out the remaining three soldiers. Gathering a spear in her arm, she calls to Smith for support, to help her take on Fahwad.

  But Smith does not move, he does not fight, only stands still with eyes blank, his hands now shackled behind his back.

  Fahwad laughs at her as she stands by Smith’s side, trying to get him to fight on her behalf. “He is no fighter that one, he cannot harm anyone Sera and besides, we’ve made a little deal. Now lay down your arms and let us end this.”

  “Why have you got me locked up and where are the rest of my team?”

  “You came to my lands dear.” He stands pompously, gripping another spear. “Let us not forget that it was you who exiled me from Hivan 5, and thus exiled I have created my own Utopia … You disturb it thus!”

  “You have been summoned to return, the menace you unleashed ravages our planet. You were not exiled Fahwad, you fled, coward!”

  Her mention of the word coward provokes Fahwad to launch another spear at her violently. But Sera steps to the side again easily, unfazed by the speed at which it’s delivered. Fahwad frowns at her ability to avoid his throw, for she seems to be quicker than he, he grabs another spear in his hand and moves forward.

  “Stop this madness!” She curses him. “Smith, why won’t you help?” she turns and begs the shackled Smith for his help. “You said you could help me.”

  Fahwad launches this time, probing forward at Sera’s defences. She holds him off easily at first, but after an initial dance Sera’s energy is wavering, the effects of the foreign planet taking their toll. It’s clear to see he’s besting her when he begins nicking her skin with deliberate strikes of the spear.

  “Smith!” she calls again, desperation showing in her eyes as she holds Fahwad back.

  But Fahwad presses his advantage, step
ping forward and plunging the spear easily into her chest. He pulls it free instantly and drops her to the ground.

  “Smith,” she spits out a glob of blood as she kneels. “Help.”

  Seemingly in response, the very ground under them shakes.

  And not shake in their vicinity either, the very earth around them trembles, and the heavens with it. It grows steadily, swaying the three atop the pyramid to their knees. It’s far more powerful than any previous quakes, this one has a ferocious intensity to it.

  The remaining soldier contingent, who were making their way up from below, all fell, unable to maintain their footing in the ascent. Buildings across the plain begin to shake, some begin to topple, screams can be heard crying out from below.

  And then the shaking stops, the noise replaced by a low vibrating grumble.

  An enormous explosion follows, a catastrophic boom that thunders eardrums to deafness, cracks weakened glassware and collapses fragile buildings. Moments later the shockwave hits and they are stunned again. The shockwave rips through the town, flattening scantily built buildings and citizens as easily as if they’re matchsticks on paper.

  The nearby volcano has erupted.

  “What have you done?” Fahwad roars at Smith, believing him to be responsible. But no response is given as Smith deliberately lays himself flat to the ground.

  “You said you couldn’t harm another?” He questions again.

  “Cannot harm other … but Fahwad absorb … Fahwad absorb Smith, Smith people. Fahwad not other anymore … Fahwad like Smith … Fahwad is Smith …”

  “What the hell kinda logic is that, you crackpot!”

  “Time not matter … time fix later …”

  The ground shakes again, this time more violently, and now all three atop the pyramid remain fastened to the floor, whilst everything around them shakes and the thunderous crack of an erupting volcano sounds.

  Soon the shaking stops and the three look out over the city that is Atlantis. Down below destruction can be seen wrought all over the plain, but as the eye follows the land to the horizon another much more terrifying dilemma presents itself.