by Tod Eten
Aiden felt the anger start to rise inside of him as he stared at the gloating Major General.
‘Please save your temper’ the Major General smiled ‘and please don’t try anything stupid if you do your friend will be killed.’
‘Who are you?’ Aiden asked through clenched teeth.
‘Major General Avram’ the man said saluting, ‘ah but that is not what you mean I think when you ask who am I’ the Major General smiled. ‘I am the first of the chosen for my Lord Nergal, God of Gods’ the Major General said closing his fist and hitting his chest in salute.
‘What have you done with Aya?’ Aiden demanded.
‘She is safe enough’ the Major General smirked.
‘What do you want?’ Aiden asked barely containing his anger at this arrogant man.
‘My Lord would like to meet with you’ the Major General replied.
‘Where?’
‘I will take you there shortly but I trust that you and your friend will behave yourselves as I would hate to see anything unfortunate happen to your mate!’ the Major General looked hard at Aiden. ‘Good we have an understanding then. But tell me what is this?’ the Major General said picking up the stone star.
‘If you harm her in any way’ Aiden growled.
‘Do not threaten me Etlud Shahadaku, your mate will remain unharmed so long as you do as I say’ the Major General said examining the stone star. ‘But you have not answered my question what is this thing?’
‘A lucky charm’ Aiden said flippantly.
‘Really’ the Major General said not believing him, ‘I think I will keep this for myself then I always wanted a lucky charm’ the Major General said walking over and opening the door he gave some orders in Hebrew and then turned back to face Aiden once more.
‘Please pick up those things and come with me’ the Major General said to Aiden.
Aiden his arms full with both his and Longs armour and weapons followed the Major General out of the guard house. Every soldier standing to attention and saluting as he walked past. Outside the Officer in charge of the Guard House also stood to attention beside a jeep in which Long was seated at the back. The Major General indicated for Aiden to take a seat beside Long and then returning the salute from the Officer he swiftly climbed into the front passenger seat while a driver got in beside him. In front of them were two more jeeps each one containing three heavily armed soldiers and a driver and behind them was an army truck that Aiden guessed contained yet more troops. The drivers now all started their engines and the convoy set off through the streets of Jerusalem. They were waved through a number of check points as they neared the out skirts of the city and then they were out into the open country side. They drove on for another thirty minutes more before the convoy turned off the road and following a dirt track they came to what looked like an old abandoned farm house. The vehicle's head lamps lit up the white plaster of the single story building that was crumbling with age revealing patches of old brick work underneath. When the jeep came to a stop the Major General immediately got out.
‘Both of you come with me’ the Major General said walking towards the farm house.
Aiden and Long followed behind the Major General, the rest of the soldiers remaining in their vehicles. The farm house was deserted. It had that musky smell that buildings get when they have been abandoned for a long time and nature has taken back control. The Major General led them through to the back of the building their way lit by the many holes in the roof through which the moonlight streamed creating puddles of light on the floor. Aiden noticed how the air became colder as they walked towards back of the building his breath starting to form a mist in the air. They came to a door at the end of the corridor which the Major General opened and entered into the room beyond. This next room was even colder, it felt to Aiden as if he had walked into a freezer. He could even see that the walls and floor of the room were covered in a thin film of ice crystals.
‘My Lord, I have brought them as you commanded’ the Major General said with a low bow.
‘You have done well’ a deep toneless voice that brought to mind pictures of coffins and crypts whispered from out of the darkness. ‘Now leave us, you know what you have to do!’
‘Yes my Lord’ the Major General said bowing once more backing out of the room.
‘It is good to see you again my brother’ the voice whispered from the shadows once the Major General had gone. ‘It has been many turns has it not’ the voice continued ‘since those happy days in the great city.’
‘I seem to recall that you were more interested in death and bloodshed than the beauty of Atu Lamadu’ Aiden replied.
‘You say that as if it is wrong’ Nergal said moving out of the shadows. Nergal was a foot taller than Aiden and his powerfully built body was covered in a light blue armour on which a sheen of ice crystals had formed. A freezing white mist spilled from Nergal's body falling to the ground creating a fog. Only Nergal’s head was uncovered revealing his hairless face as white as snow with a blunt flat nose and a thin lipless mouth. His eyes just two black holes that balefully regarded Aiden.
‘You broke the pledge to protect the humans’ Aiden said returning the creature's gaze.
‘Humans? What makes you think they are still humans. We began playing with them as soon as we arrived here did you not know that!’ the creature paused looking at Aiden. ‘I see you do not know, but I speak the truth! Some of the humans were altered as soon as we arrived. We wanted to make them better so we increased their intelligence and strengthened their bodies. So you see they are no longer as you call them humans they are merely our pets, our creations to do with as we please. You should know this for you yourself wear one of their bodies now’ Nergal’s whispering voice echoed around the room.
‘I do not just wear this body I am human as well Nergal and I can tell you that neither I nor any other human are one of your pets. Now why do you have Aya and why have you brought us here?’ Aiden said already tiring of the Demos in front of him.
‘We would like to ask the help of the great Etlud Shahadaku, let us say that Aya is helping us to ensure that you will give us the aid we are looking for’ Nergal smiled although it looked more like a grimace.
‘What do you want from me Nergal’ Aiden said the coldness in his voice making Nergal seem warm.
‘Come come Etlud Shahadaku there is no need for such enmity the task we ask of you is to all our benefit including your precious humans. You see the Demos have agreed to join forces with the humans and the Neteru to fight the Anunnaki invaders. But the Demos will only fight the Anunnaki if the burning sword stands by their side. You see it is in all our interests to defeat the Anunnaki would you not agree?’ Nergal whispered.
‘You are certain the Demos will fight the Anunnaki! or will you scurry away as soon as you see them?’ Aiden asked.
‘We will fight Neteru! For we know the Anunnaki will not stop until they have hunted every last one of us down’ Nergal hissed.
‘You have already tried to ally yourselves with the Anunnaki, haven’t you!’ Aiden laughed.
‘We have had some contact with them’ Nergal admitted not bothering to trying and decieve.
‘Let me guess they were not interested in talking’ Aiden said looking at Nergal who did not answer.
‘It is in all our interests to defeat the Anunnaki’ Nergal repeated ‘if they win then we all are doomed.’
‘You are a fool Nergal you did not need to take Aya for I intended to fight the Anunnaki anyway’ Aiden said trying to control his temper.
Nergal looked at Aiden taking in what he had just said ‘It could not be helped Etlud Shahadaku how were we to have know this, but your mate remains unhurt’
‘I promise you this Nergal if Aya is hurt in any way I will hunt every last one of you down and your deaths will be many times worse than any that the Anunnaki would give you and you Nergal will be the first!’ Aiden said leaving the Demos in no doubt about his intentions.
‘Please Etlu
d Shahadaku we should be allies should we not. But death is death be it by your hands or by those of the Anunnaki and Aya will be with us when we face the Anunnaki dogs and if we fall so will she’ Nergal whispered ‘So I ask will the great Etlud Shahadaku stand with us’
‘I will on certain condition’ Aiden said quietly.
‘What is it that you wish from us?’
‘You will of course ensure Aya comes to no harm but you must also swear an oath that afterwards the Demos will not interfere in the affairs of man’ Aiden said
‘You ask too much from us Neteru!’ Nergal exclaimed in anger.
‘Would you prefer death then Nergal?’ Aiden said with a smile.
‘But what of the humans who chose to follow us, is it not their right to chose what they wish to do!’ Nergal countered.
Aiden looked at the Demos sensing a trap.
‘Surely the Neteru cannot make decisions for all humans!' Nergal continued, 'that would make you no better than the Demos!’ Nergal whispered. ‘Humans must be allowed to decide their own destiny is that not the Neteru way?’
‘Yes it is the Neteru way’ Aiden said finally, ‘very well the humans can choose to follow you so long as it is of their own free will.’
‘It is agreed then the Demos will not interfere in the affairs of man but man remains free to follow us should they wish. I swear this on the blood of the mother. But now you must swear that you will not seek revenge on the Demos’ Nergal said.
‘I will swear on the mother as long as no harm is done to Aya and your oath stands unbroken that I will not seek vengeance against the Demos’ Aiden swore. One last thing Nergal’ Aiden said ‘your servant the Major General took an object from me I wish it returned.’
‘This will be done’ Nergal replied, ‘we will meet with the Anunnaki in two days time at the site of the battle of Shuhadaku Thazu’ Nergal whispered slowly disappearing backwards into the shadows ‘Do not be late great Etlud Shahadaku for the sake of your mate’ Nergal whispered disappearing from view.
Aiden and Long made their way back out of the farm house and found that the Major General and his soldiers had left leaving behind their weapons and armour but no stone key! Aiden noticed out of the corner of his eye a green light bobbing around in the distance and held out the palm of his hand. The green light immediately darted over and settled on his hand.
‘Hello little friend’ Aiden said and was rewarded with the soft sound of tinkling laughter. The Dryad flew up and perched on Aiden’s shoulder and he listened while the tiny creature spoke into his ear.
Aiden nodded when the Dryad had finished ‘Tell the Neteru that the Etlud Shahadaku is found and will be facing the Anunnaki at the site of Shuhadaku Thazu in two days time together with the Demos.’
Gagan and his group walked back to the camp their hands raised surrounded by Nomads who nervously pointed guns at them. The camp that had begun to calm down after the horses had bolted suddenly grew noisy once more as they saw the prisoners being led into their midst. The prisoners were taken to the middle of the camp the other nomads gathering around keeping a good distance between themselves and their captives. A man whose face was covered in a head dress strode towards the group and started shouting some orders in Arabic and much to the captives surprise all the nomads lowered their guns.
‘Please excuse our rudeness’ the nomad who was giving the orders said removing the scarf from around his face.
‘Hanif!’ Gagan exclaimed when he saw the man’s face.
‘Your servant’ Hanif said with a bow, ‘please come sit by my fire’ Hanif said indicating a campfire nearby. Some rugs were quickly placed around the fire and Gagan and his group sat down on them.
‘What are you doing here?’ Gagan asked once they were seated.
‘I am doing what the sword of Allah commanded me to do’ Hanif bowed his head. ‘We are gathering the people and taking them into the mountains where there are safe places that they can hide.’
‘We?’ Gagan asked.
‘Mr Rafferty and myself, we are doing as our master commanded’ Hanif bowed again. ‘But you must be thirsty and hungry’ Hanif exclaimed in worry and shouted a command in Arabic to one of the Nomads who quickly rushed off.
There was suddenly a murmur of astonishment from the nomads in the camp all pointing to something in the air above their heads. Gagan looked to where they were pointing and saw a small ball of green light bobbing over the camp making straight for him. The dryad flew straight onto Gagan shoulder and urgently began talking in his ear, the others watched as Gagan’s face grew more and more shocked as he listened to what the little creature told him.
‘The Demos have captured Aya’ Gagan said when the Dryad had finished ‘and poor Demitri has been killed and Aaron badly injured trying to protect her.’ Gagan said making the others gasp in horror. ‘And Aiden is being made to fight the Anunnaki because the Demos have Aya.’
Hanif on hearing what Gagan said nodded his head solemnly. ‘Where will the sword of Allah fight these Anunnaki?’ Hanif asked Gagan.
‘At the same place that they had the battle they call Shuhadaku Thazu, where they defeated the Anunnaki the last time they came to Earth. It is a plain were the last battle was foretold to happen to the north of Jerusalem’ Gagan answered.
‘So they have beaten these devils before! And they fight at the same place they beat them last, this is a good sign’ Hanif nodded with approval and then quickly gave some orders in Arabic to the nomads nearby all of whom jumped up and ran for the horses which they jumped up on and galloped out of camp.
‘Poor Demitri, what do we do now?’ Hoshi asked tears running down her face.
But Gagan had no idea what they should be doing next. Instead he sat in silence looking at the yellow flames of the fire as they danced and weaved about the burning pieces of wood. Gagan thought over the news the Dryad had given him as he stared into the fire. The flames soon mesmerized Gagan. He imagined that instead of being insubstantial the flames were actually solid like ribbons of shining cloth that could be weaved together. Gagan felt that he could almost feel the flames in his mind and that he could bend them to his will. He felt the stone key tingling against his skin and reaching into his pocket he clasped the round stone oin his fist. He concentrated once more on a single flame and this time caught one in his minds eye and was pleased to see that the flame stopped dancing and remained still held by his will he then caught another flame and began weaving the two flames about each other, braiding them together as if they were two lengths of rope.
‘What are you doing’ Hoshi whispered in Gagan’s ear and the two flames disappeared.
‘What?’ Gagan said as if in a daze.
‘What were you doing there with the fire’ Hoshi said again her eyes wide open.
‘You mean I was actually doing that’ Gagan exclaimed and saw that everyone around the camp fire was staring at him.
Chapter 20 - The Isatum
Aiden stood on the small hill looking out at the plain that stretched before him. The memories of the battle he had fought in this place those many eons ago springing back into his mind. The plain was much the same as it had been back then. There were no buildings or trees and the land looked desolate as if the memory of that long ago battle were still fresh upon it. The land Aiden knew would give them some small advantage as they were on the higher ground which consisted of a series of gentle hills. This meant that the enemy would have to attack from below. To the right rose a series of cliffs behind which the mountains towered so preventing any attack from that direction. To the left the land remained flat for many miles so any threat from that direction would be seen well in advance. They will attack from the front Aiden thought as they did before.
‘Hail Etlud Shahadaku’ a voice called and Aiden turned to see Nimrod sauntering towards him his white armour resplendent in the sun.
‘Nimrod’ Aiden said with a smile ‘so I take it those two Demos are no more?’
‘Alas poor Lamastu has lost his
head like his brother’ Nimrod sadly shook his head, ‘and Mammon well he kicks up a good cloud of dust. It is truly amazing how fast that one can run. But tell me what becomes of my sister’ Nimrod said his face suddenly darkening.
‘The Demos have captured her in order to force me to fight’ Aiden said with anger in his voice ‘they did not think that I would fight anyway!’
‘What will we do with them Etlud Shahadaku?’ Nimrod asked his eyes now blazing.
‘I have sworn an oath not to attack them so long as Aya remains unharmed’ Aiden replied.
‘But they must be made to pay for this deed!’ Nimrod demanded.
‘I have given my oath Nimrod’ Aiden said trying to calm the Neteru, ‘but it is the Anunnaki that are our greatest problem and even help from the likes of the Demos will be needed if we are to carry the day. I fear even if we accomplish this task that most will still be lost at the end.’
‘But if they hurt her in anyway’ Nimrod said leaving the threat unfinished.
‘We both will’ Aiden agreed and turned to look at the Neteru who had so far arrived. ‘There are not many of us’ Aiden sighed.
‘Less than hundred but a few more are coming’ Nimrod said looking at Neteru gathered behind them.
The Neteru were dressed in the same type of armour that Aiden and Nimrod wore. Most wore light bronze coloured armour but a few handfuls ohad more colourful armour similar to Nimrod’s armour. We have a few mighty warriors who will make the Anuannaki think twice. Aiden noticed that a lot of the Neteru also just wore just robes, whom he looked at now.