Chapter 29.
Far out upon the Mediterranean Sea a minute dot stirred helplessly upon an unpredictable fluctuation of gargantuan waves. A violent storm swept across the ocean surface propelling an endless barrage of heavy rain into the few figures caught up in nature’s fury.
From upon a wooden transport vessel masses of erratic screams called across deck. The crew shifted water from the boat’s gangways, amongst them, the first lady of Rhoma. The freezing gales and beating rains were relentless. “Try to steady her up!” Dorus, the vessel captain, yelled out to his crew. Few could hear him for the volatile waves and boat’s groaning woodwork. The man was indebted to Arbephest, he could not refuse the first lady’s request. Get me to Egypt, Dorus.
Anna shuddered, lunging with jagged movements in a struggle to help Dorus’ crew. She was drenched to the bone, the piercing winds numbed her body. She feared they would freeze her to death. With determination she tried not to look past the vessel’s bowels though as a flash of light in the dark sky lit up her surroundings she moaned in terror and huddled herself into a ball. The waves were mountainous. All about the transport ship the ocean surface rippled and stirred for the sheer beating of weather from above.
Anna flinched, feeling a heavy arm rest against her back. “My lady,” she looked up at Dorus, “come, take cover in the well!” The first lady rose a hand to grasp his but before they touched the vessel jutted deep in the water. The captain collapsed to his knees. The entirety of his crew were fell to the woodwork, sliding helplessly across the small boat’s deck. With a cry of dread the entire crew crashed into the starboard woodwork crushing one another.
For a desolate moment Anna gave up. Upon closing her eyes the ship became stable on its own accord. The Athenians scrambled to their feet, pushing through the whipping waters back to their posts. One of them called out. “Captain! Is that the Northern Pinnacle?”
“Don’t be stupid, Pelis, -.” Dorus’ retort fell silent upon glancing towards land.
“Look at all those vessels, captain!” Dragging Anna to her feet, Dorus lunged across the gangway to look out at the shoreline.
“They are the invaders!” Anna yelled above the thunderous storm. Scarcely visible through the torrential downpour, hundreds of firelights clambered into reed woven crafts lining the shallows.
“Arbicos must have overcome them! But how? Their numbers are so great.” The vessel’s woodwork cringed once more causing all who stood to lose footing and plummet back to the deck. Without warning the minute boat rose up. None knew the wave beneath them had reached its pinnacle. Another crackle of lightning and boom of thunder sundered the sky directly above.
“By the makers.” Dorus muttered to himself. The first lady of Rhoma clutched onto him tightly. The crew had a momentary view from high above for miles around, the ocean surface rest hundreds of meters beneath the wave which they soared upon. It hurtled towards Greece at unfathomable speeds, stretching further than the eye could see to the east and west. In silence the wave’s pinnacle cascaded away beneath the ship, and before they knew it the boat was falling the immense distance back down to the ocean. The unstoppable barrage of water gushed far beyond them destroying all that rest before it.
The boat travelled freely through the whipping rains and horrendous wind blowing it violently on a whim. The entire crew cried out, tumbling down to the darkness. Anna flailed wildly trying to grasp hold of Dorus, yet he had slid from her reach before the ship became air born. With a bleak wince she covered her face, crashing hard into the ocean.
Deep beneath, the sea’s icy chill pumped her vital organs into action, she could not refrain from inhaling the salt water into her lungs. She gazed helplessly up at the surface from far below. It was so calm. As darkness overtook she felt a painful collision to her ribs and something constrict her abdomen. Before she could make sense of the situation her conscience faded.
Chapter 30.
Silence still engrossed the ancient city’s courtyard, its population stricken by the enormous vessel resting inside its walls. The Equi’Dae’s orichalcum encrusted reed work lay unbound, unveiling from within Tetu’Ra and Ma’At. The priest king stared across the crowd, it is as Atl’As said, we are gods to these people.
He was shocked to see a crowned male parading in the courtyard of his destination, though he had planned to feign a crash to fool his brother’s chosen, he could never have predicted such luck would fall into his grasp. The male he crushed was doubtlessly these people’s leader, for they flocked to him now. Tetu’Ra stepped forward from the unravelled Equi’Dae and reached down, picking up the heavy crown. It was rustic and fragile, designed to fit upon the small skulls of these primitives from within the Parting Sea.
He knew the brief time spent with these people’s prisoner would not be enough to communicate fluently, but looking at Ma’At, he knew it would not be necessary. The priest king rose up his hands before the thousands who knelt. “From the stars I come, to breathe life into your people, and save you. I am herald of the sun,” he pointed up into the sky, towards the burning sphere amidst the cloudless blue, then held a hand to his chest. “Tetu’Ra.”
“Ra.” The single word echoed between Sais’ walls.
Ra, he nodded at the phrase, to his people it stood to acknowledge the elder in a family. If he was to sow his knowledge into the beliefs of this nation, perhaps now it should be recognised as the elder of all things. “Ra,” he repeated, continuing to nod.
It seemed he had inherited an entire army at sight of the armed men and women surrounding him, had his entrance not mesmerised them, he and his life partner would have doubtlessly been overcome and butchered. Atl’As’ seemingly impeccable plan had played perfectly into his hands.
The rulers of the third district had been scheming since Atl’As rose the subject to the lawgivers. Tetu’Ra knew his brother was expelling him from Atlantis for putting forth his theories on the sun and all living things reliance upon it. He despised them for their mockery, but despised his brother more for being loyal to his beloved city above his blood.
If the first chosen did return with the petulant prince of Atlantis, in secret, then so too would they disappear, in secret. He hoped in his deception his whispers to the young boy had already taken care of that. The northern shores are said to be abundant in orichalcum, Imr’As. The people of these lands are primitive and weak, prove yourself to your father. It had not taken much to swell his flourishing arrogance and simple imagination. If the boy had landed upon those shores then Tetu’Ra’s plans were a step closer to completion.
He had no regrets for his actions, his desire for revenge far exceeded his empathy. The people of Atlantis were blind, they had become self indulgent, to mock him as they did for attempting to put forward new hypotheses on their existence was unforgivable. Now he had control of a nation himself, he could far exceed the constraints of being second to Atl’As and his narrow minded citizens.
He commanded a people of his own now, and at his will they would far exceed the constricted minds of those upon the oceans to the west, and effortlessly subdue the primitive nations surrounding the Parting Sea. From this day forward he would stand a god king, my nation will be grander than anything the world has seen, a vision of magnificence that will stand to the end of time. t
The Echoes of Solon Page 41