“I do not fear death,” said Boudicca.
“We were afraid but not of death. You were born a warrior as was I. You and I were born into a world of death and we fed it to our enemies in grand feasts of war and would accept death. It wasn’t death we feared. It was defeat. It was being forced to accept that despite our lofty positions and great power that we weren’t as great as we believed. It was easier to hide and sleep through the ages until our enemy was gone so we could wake up and be supreme once again never having accepted we were not supreme. The Council was a Council of cowards and rather than face our enemy and accept our limitations we ran from him and for that I am ashamed. The suffering that followed those actions, the blood of the innocents, that is on my hands and your hands and cannot be cleansed. Death in battle is acceptable but the death of another due to my own cowardice is not. Sebastian, as he is called now, is right. We are to blame, and we are cowards but NO MORE!” said Ra standing up and knocking over his chair.
“Nefertiti, I make a decision I cannot hold you to. We always act as one but if in this I act alone then so be it because my honor demands it and I cannot ask you to follow me in this regard. When Sebastian returns, I will give my loyalty to him and his cause. He has courage and wisdom and I know in my heart he is the one who will bring us through this storm and make right all that was wronged,” Ra told those assembled.
“You don’t have to do this alone. I have seen enough to know his heart and soul and can feel his power growing. He is like Mordred in that regard, but he does not have the darkness to his soul that Mordred did. I will also swear fealty to him,” said Nefertiti.
“Boudicca, where do you stand?” asked Ra.
“I woke up a few hours ago, I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” she said.
“It’s okay, I’ll fill you in,” Trish told her.
“For now, let’s give Sebastian and Chelsea a little while and reconvene when they’re ready,” said Bruce.
#
The dreb walked into the study.
“Mordred, I have come to speak with you,” he said.
Mordred turned and the dreb was not the one he expected. This one was slightly darker in hue and his hair was a translucent orange. He was otherwise the same.
“I summoned D’ras. Who are you?” Mordred asked.
“D’ras failed us and has been removed from his position as your handler. I am D’rus, the Beta of our clan. You have failed us in your position as well. It is time for action not talk,” said the dreb.
“They have four masters awake and their leader, this Sebastian and his mate Chelsea are growing in power fast. Their people believe they are the reincarnation of Arthur and Guinevere, but they did not have that kind of power. There is something else going on here and we need more information before we act,” he told the dreb.
“We don’t care what else is going on. You agreed to help us get revenge for the death of my people and we agreed to give you the power to do it, so you have been given a relic of extraordinary power and taught very power, very ancient magic and have squandered it. Your rash actions in the past caused them to take rash actions of their own and now given a second chance you drag your feet as if scared to act at all. Fulfill your end of our bargain because we no longer have patience,” said the creature.
“Fine. You want action then I’ll give you action,” Mordred said. He placed his hand on the sphere and the red-gold metal glowed for a moment.
“I’ve empowered the Tormentor and will arrange to have it woken up. Happy now?” said Mordred.
“We will not be happy until all the remnants of Atlantis are gone and those who killed our people have suffered for their actions,” said D’rus who then turned and promptly walked out.
Mordred stood to fume. He was disappointed at himself for not being more aggressive but was also concerned. As powerful as he was, the drebs had taught him that power and he knew they were holding something back. Whether it was knowledge or training he wasn't sure, but he couldn't refuse them until it was clear.
He would also need time to recharge. Waking the Tormentor was draining but he couldn't let them know that and he needed to buy more time. It was a win-win situation for him. If the Tormentor was as unstoppable in this era as in the last, then his victory was assured. If it was not, the drebs would see how powerful their enemies were and would be more hesitant about future actions. He secretly hoped the Tormentor failed. He wasn't sure he wanted victory while the drebs still had their secrets.
#
“Erik, thank you for seeing me,” the man in brown said as he was led into a mostly empty hall.
“It is unusual for the Warden’s to reveal themselves much less to request help from anyone and you have made me curious as to why. That alone would entice me to grant you an audience,” said the boisterous man.
“You know of our order?” said the Warden.
“I do. When I was a younger man I was ambushed by a troll and a group of your people helped me slay it. Their leader became a friend and I have spoken with him numerous times over the decades. The Wardens are glorious warriors and I have seen him in combat personally. I am certain his soul sits in Valhalla,” he said.
“Thank you. I have not heard the tale of the troll, but my superior spoke highly of you before his death and said you were trustworthy which is why I approached you. We have been made aware your son Leif intends to travel to the west, past the known lands and we wish to book passage for several people and a large parcel of cargo to be delivered,” said the Warden.
“Book passage? This isn’t some pleasure trip. My warriors are explorers and their ships are not merchant's vessels,” said Erik.
“This is far from a pleasure trip. Your people are correct, there is another land further west and there are old Warden enclaves there. As new religions spread through our lands, wars follow, and we need to move something very dangerous to the western land to remove it to a safer place,” the Warden told him.
“Something dangerous? So, it would risk my men’s lives?” said Erik.
“We do not believe it would risk their lives. It’s dormant and will likely remain so forever but cannot risk it falling into evil hands. It gives a sense of dread and only those stout of heart can stand in its presence and there are none braver than your people. The cargo is very large but will weigh very little,” the Warden told him.
“And why should we do this?” said Erik.
“For this service, we will secretly finance your son’s expedition in full and you will be richly rewarded as well,” the Warden replied.
“I cannot commit my son to this. Arrange for him to see this cargo and let him decide for himself. If he agrees, then we have a bargain. If he does not, then we do not,” Erik told him.
#
Several weeks later, Erik, Leif, and the Warden spoke in the great hall of Erik the Red.
“So, you can do this?” asked Erik.
“I can, father. This thing they would have us carry is a nightmare of legend, but it sleeps and does not awaken. It will take two ships bound together to carry it, but we can do it. The Wardens they wish to send are hearty and will be able to pull oars and fight if needed. The Wardens are strong warriors and will not be a burden,” Leif told his father.
“Then Warden, we have a deal and I will accept your payment in silver. The ships sail in two months’ time be ready,” Erik said.
“Is there any information you can provide us regarding this new world you tell us is there?” asked Leif.
“We will provide you what information we have on the voyage and the lands and people you will find. Our last reports advised they are primitive by our standards but peaceful. I do not foresee them greeting explorers as enemies. Our information is older than we would like so caution is advised but I will give you all the information we have. If you come directly to London it will seem odd and possibly trigger violence as your people are considered raiders by many and we do not wish to put you at risk with unneeded confrontat
ions. We will provide you with a map to a hidden cove and meet you there to transfer the cargo. The Wardens who will join you are shared of your ancestry and will dress and act as your crew to avoid suspicion and readily accept the orders of your son,” the Warden told him.
“Our boats will retrieve this cargo and your warriors. You have my word. May this be the beginning of a friendship between our peoples,” said Leif.
“Now, we feast to celebrate a new alliance and I shall tell you the tale of young Viking, a Warden, and a troll,” Erik said.
#
“HAPPY NEW YEAR!” yelled the assembled Wardens. From the top of Facility 14, they could see the apple drop and the sky light up with fireworks.
The tradition was centuries old. A light snow was falling, and it made the skyline look like a snow shaker lit by multicolored strobe lights from the fireworks. Chelsea was watching the fireworks and rubbing her arms as her breath fogged up in front of her. Sebastian came up behind her and put his arms around her.
“We should go inside, you’re cold and you didn't wear your jacket,” he said.
“I’m fine. It’s a little chill and you can help me warm up later when we go back to Camelot,” she told him.
“I like that idea. Maybe we should head out early and get started on that,” he said.
“I would love to, but we promised Anna we would stay for the party. We see each other every day and we haven’t seen her and William and the rest of the Facility 14 crew in weeks. Your dad is here, Alicia is here, they’re all going to expect us to make an appearance. You’re the Coordinator of Camelot and that’s not exactly a low-key position. It comes with some responsibilities to the pomp and circumstance of your rank and that means that occasionally we have to stop the exciting stuff to spend some time socializing with bureaucrats. There’s also the other meeting and what it could mean and even if you ignore everything else tonight, we can’t miss that,” she told him.
“Have it your way but when we get back we’re not leaving our bedroom for an entire day. Bruce already runs Camelot as much as we do so another day won’t hurt him,” Sebastian said.
“I like how you think,” she said.
As the fireworks died down and the drinking revved up, Anna stood up on a crate and whistled to get the attention of the gathered revelers. “Everyone, please, may I have your attention. Master Ra has asked to address you. He says he has a gift for us,” she said and stepped down.
Ra stood up on the crate though at his height it was hardly necessary. “My friends, thank you. I have been awake several months now and your world never ceases to amaze me. I am told this is a celebration of rebirth, the death of an old year and the birth of a new one based on Gregor’s calendar,” Ra said.
“Gregorian,” Nefertiti said, correcting him.
“Ah yes, Gregorian’s calendar. As part of this celebration, you light up the sky with colored fire and so, I shall show you how I became associated with the sun,” he said.
Ra put his hands up and faced the night sky. He raised his arms and pointed his hands towards the sky and beams of light shot forth. He lit up the night sky in hues of gold and white, kaleidoscopic patterns changing as fast as the eye could see. This persisted for about ten minutes and as it began to fade, a final burst lit up the sky in the pattern of the symbol of the Wardens, Solomon’s Knot. The assembled Wardens cheered and as Ra finished he stepped down and was the new center of attention for many of the half-drunk Wardens.
An hour or so passed and Anna walked over to Sebastian and Chelsea. “It’s time,” she said.
“On our way, Anna,” said Sebastian.
Coordinator Anna, Facilitator William, High Lord Alicia, Coordinator Sebastian, Facilitator Chelsea, Director Abraham and several other ranking members including all the regional directors sat in the C&C room of Facility 14. Boudicca and Merlin were absent. Boudicca had been to NYC once since she awoke and requested unless there was a critical need to never return and the same applied to all the major metros. She was uncomfortable with so little nature and so much artificial structure in place.
Merlin had still not been located since the events of Stonehenge. There were a few rumors that he was dead, or he was the evil wizard, not Mordred and numerous other unsubstantiated theories but there was no actual proof of anything. The commanders of Facility 14 and Camelot were both invited because of the main reason for the meeting. The monitors in the room all showed the Tormentor.
“Okay, now that everyone is here we can start. You’ve all been brought up to speed with as much information as we have which is not much. The thing has been dormant since the Seal was first formed. The original Wardens that retrieved it detailed its state at the time of capture and with three transfers including a transatlantic crossing, there has been zero change in its state. Now, suddenly, it’s moving around its cage for the first time since its original containment after the Seal. It didn’t even respond to the Seal breaking and remained dormant until now. Anyone have an idea why? Thoughts? Speculation? Wild guesses?” Anna said.
No one said anything.
“Well that was enlightening,” she said to the group.
“Let’s speculate. If this thing is about to become active again, how do we handle it?” asked Alicia.
“We don’t. We get out of its way because it can’t be stopped,” Nefertiti said to the group.
“It’s one weakness is its speed, so it should not be difficult to stay ahead of it. Whatever it goes after, relocate it or consider it an acceptable loss because you’ll have no other option,” Ra said.
“I don’t accept that. With all due respect to you Masters Ra and Nefertiti, you fought this thing nearly nineteen hundred years ago. Science and technology have advanced a lot in that time and there must be something we can do. I know our scientists have tested it every few years but never with new results and it seems invulnerable to everything but there has to be some way. Everything has a weakness. Let’s put some mental effort into this and come up with a solution before it becomes a problem,” said the High Lord.
“We all hear the normal stories about this thing. The truth is we don’t really know much about it accept that being near it makes you afraid at a deep level and it’s been immobile since the Seal was formed. Ra and Nefertiti, you’ve both had actual encounters with this thing. Can you tell us firsthand what it was like?” asked the High Lord.
“I would prefer not to think of such things, but I can respect your need for information. The thing was unnamed when we first encountered it. It first appeared in Greece on the north coast of the Aegean Sea. A small fishing village was the first to encounter it and the aftermath of that encounter...what was left...it was horrid. The ground was scorched and the plants dead. Fortunately, it did not appear that the people suffered much. Then the thing cut a path across Europe to Camelot. It took it months to reach Camelot destroying numerous farms and villages along the way and even a few cities. It moved with some indication of intelligence, avoiding difficult terrain like mountains. The name came from the Germanic tribes. A number of villages that evacuated from its path referred to it as die sache die qualen,” Ra said.
“The thing that torments,” said Facilitator William.
“Eventually it reached the Franks and they made a stand. Their king decided this thing must be stopped and he rallied his wizards and knights together to stand against it. It is fortunate his troops broke and ran after the first wave was decimated or his losses would have been more severe. Reports of that battle indicated it seemed to seek out the mages on the field and make them its focus, slaughtering them first,” Ra told them.
“That was when we discovered the size of the tentacles it could grow was hundreds of feet and the energy arcing over its surface could be discharged but that was also the first and last time a large force attacked it. The thing would generate tentacles from its mass and use them as prehensile appendages grabbing and crushing, spearing and stabbing, it was merciless and the fear that you feel from it now is minor c
ompared to what the feeling is like when it’s active. I have seen the hardest men flee in terror from it,” Ra said with obvious disdain for it in his voice.
“I am a Master of magic and encountered terrors of all kinds without fear and it made me tremble,” Nefertiti said.
“In fact, the only people I never saw tremble in its presence was Arthur and his knights. That’s why they were the only ones that would fight it with us,” Ra told the group.
“Arthur’s knights, myself and Nefertiti engaged it a few times in Europe and each time we slowed it and held it for a moment but maintaining the power needed to stop that thing for more than a few minutes is draining and we couldn’t hold out. Eventually, it reached the strait between France and England and we lost track of it while it was under the waves but eventually it came ashore. It continued across the countryside to Camelot and you know the rest from that point,” said the man.
“Armies, wizards, nothing stopped it. If you think your machines are any different then try but I have little faith in a different result. It’s not an assassin and it won’t be sent to kill you in the dark. It’s a dark magic siege engine and no wall can stand against it. It has battered down many a village wall or fortress in its way. There are other stories, many deaths, and defeats but they are all the same. It came, it destroyed, it moved on towards Camelot,” Ra said.
“Thank you for the insight Master Ra. We need everyone on this. Every spare moment should be focused on researching a way to stop this thing if it becomes active or even better a way to destroy it before it does. Everything has a weakness so find it,” said the High Lord.
She continued, “Otherwise, the termination project is proceeding as time allows and the cells here are at half capacity. It’s not a priority now so it’s being treated as a side project.”
“Our resources are somewhat spread out and with Merlin’s disappearance, the training progress has slowed significantly. This is another place we need to thank the other Masters for helping get the Wardens up to speed. In Merlin’s absence, the other three Masters have helped with training as time allows.”
The Seal of Solomon Page 36