The Dove

by Brendan Carroll

  “He didn’t steal it.” Sophia told her. “He had these in his pocket when we were attacked. I guess they didn’t think it was important enough to keep. They left it on the floor. I had forgotten about them.” She turned to Mark again. “Mark?” Sophia looked up at the roof of the vehicle. “You didn’t make this for me. You made this for someone else. Who did you make it for?”

  “Elizabeth.” He answered and then frowned. “Elizabeth is gone.”

  “That’s right, Daddy.” Nicole adjusted her robes. “Elizabeth is dead.”

  “No!” Mark shook his head adamantly. “Elizabeth is gone, not dead.”

  Bari turned around in the seat and looked at his grandfather closely.

  “What do you think?” He asked Sophia.

  “There is always hope, Your Grace.” She smiled at the Emperor and pushed her hair back, clasping the heavy barrette in her dark locks.

  Chapter Four of Sixteen

  And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black and the moon became as blood. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together

  Simon skidded to a stop in front of his father’s bedroom door and pounded on the wood. When he received no answer, he beat on it again and shouted for him.

  Barry stepped into the hall farther along and called to him.

  Simon hurried down the hall with Selwig right behind him.

  “Brother!” Simon was out of breath. “Where is my father?”

  “He’s meditating.” Barry said quickly and dragged the Healer in his room without giving him time to react to the lame excuse. “Look! Lucio is back. He’s translated the note from New Babylon.”

  Simon blinked at him in confusion and then glanced at Lucio. The Italian was still at the desk, writing on a notepad. His thoughts were momentarily distracted at the sight of the missing man.

  “Brother. Abaddon was here! He desecrated the King’s shrine.” Simon told him in a rush.

  “The barn?” Konrad joined them. “Was anyone hurt?”

  “Two of the guards were injured, but they are all right. He took Il Dolce Mio’s relic!”

  “Where is the King?” Barry asked him.

  “He’s gone home. I told him to go home and look after his people. He wanted to go to New Persia.”

  “That wouldn’t be wise.” Konrad shook his head. “Why would Abaddon want the elf’s relic?”

  “My question is: What the hell was it anyway?” Barry frowned. “He never let us see what was so important. You would have thought it was the head of a Saint. What did he say about it? Is it important? I mean, I know it must have been important or else they wouldn’t have made such a fuss about it, but how much trouble is this theft going to cause us?”

  Simon’s face told them the answer to the last question.

  “My God, Simon!” Barry caught his shoulders. “What was it?”

  Lucio stood up and waited for the answer.

  “It was the head of a saint.” Simon nodded to them slowly. “Sort of.”

  “Who? Whose head?” Konrad asked him.

  “King Ramsay’s.” Simon told them and then looked very pale. “It was Mark Andrew’s head.”

  “Santa Maria!” Lucio almost turned the desk over. “What are you saying?”

  “When the Queen of the Abyss took his bodies from the keep, she took his head. Apparently Lord Nergal put it in a cask and kept it. Il Dolce Mio said that he and Semiramis went to the Abyss and took it.”

  “But why?!” Lucio crossed the room to stand in front of Simon. “Why would they do it? What is the purpose? What does it mean? Santa Maria!” He looked up at the ceiling in disbelief.

  Konrad turned a dark look on Lucio.

  “Why, indeed, Brother?” He raised his one shaggy eyebrow. “Why would anyone want the head of a loved one? It is a bit odd, isn’t it?”

  Lucio swallowed hard and locked eyes with Barry of Sussex. They were all thinking the same thing. This was exactly what he had done with Santa Lucia’s head. He had stolen it from the sanctuary in Paris! If St. Lucia’s head contained a crystal skull after her death and Bran’s head had concealed one and the Skull of Sidon had been one and… he caught the bedstead to steady himself. But here was a twofold pain for Konrad. Lucia had been the love of his life, his wife and the mother of his children.

  “There is no doubt that King Ramsay’s head would produce another of the crystal abominations!” Barry said what was on their minds.

  “They are not abominations.” Konrad objected. “They are very powerful and mystical. If used properly, they can be great allies. Look at the skulls in Germany! If we had not put them together properly, Chaos would have returned already.”

  “You can’t say that for sure, Brother.” Barry shook his head. “I didn’t like them! I don’t understand them and I want nothing to do with them. If Abaddon has taken this… this… thing with him, then certainly it holds great significance to the ‘Prophet’ and the Emperor will be using it against us. My God! Ramsay’s brain? In Bari’s hands?”

  “I don’t think it would be Brother Ramsay’s brain.” Konrad frowned. “It is not like that. Brother Ramsay still has his brain, wherever he is and…”

  “Oh!” Lucio straightened. “The note! It speaks of Mark Andrew!”

  The three Knights crowded about him as he sat down at the desk again and picked up his translation.

  “This was written by one of the Fox soldiers for a Colonel or General M’uffee. It is probably his name as rendered in hieroglyphs. Most likely not quite accurate and impossible to translate literally. But he is a high-ranking official in Bari’s army. He writes at the behest of the Emperor and the Healer’s son’s wife’s sister. That could only be Sophia. She is Izzy’s wife’s sister. It is also written at the behest of the hunter’s daughter. That would be Nicole. So the Emperor, Nicole and Sophia had this Army official write a letter to Luke Matthew in a dead language. That, in and of itself, presents us with some odd questions.”

  They nodded in unison.

  “It says the hunter is like unto a child or an infant, but a healthy infant.” Lucio continued. “The prophet wants to use the infant to reach God. I don’t understand this. Apparently Jozsef Daniel is trying to pick Mark Andrew’s brain, but there is nothing there to pick. I know this must be true because Mark Andrew is in the Abyss with Sophia or Andrea, depending on your perspective. It must be Andrea who is in the Abyss even though Armand and Mark Andrew called her Sophia. We have to assume that Sophia was or is a real woman whom Andrea used to return to this world in search of Mark Andrew. Apparently the transformation of Mark into Andrea and then back again, released her from him in some sort of way wherein he cannot fully join with her. Now he is separated from her just as Nanna is separated from Meredith and Nergal from Ereshkigal and Marduk from Semiramis and so on and so forth.”

  “That would explain a great deal.” Barry nodded.

  “My father.” Simon pressed one hand against his eyes. “My father is also separated from his female counterpart. He told me it was the cause of his pursuit of my mother. That he had lost his perspective because he no longer held himself in Unity. He said Lucifer remains whole, both male and female. He told me that when things are set aright, all of humanity would become like the angels and we would be whole and complete and sin would end. It is his opinion the differences between men and women are the direct cause of all the evil that has befallen the world. It is his belief that when sin is taken out of the world, it will be simply a matter of extracting the temptation to sin that will end sin. No temptation, no sin. Simple. If the grass is green on both sides of the fence, there is no need to roam.”

  “But if angels are androgynous and have no need of women or men to feel complete, then why would the angels… the Watchers… have mated with human women?” Konrad turned on the healer. “I think you father’s logic is flawed. If the angels came down to earth in pure form, why would they
want to form sexual relationships with women? And why not men?”

  “Who is to say that they did not form both kinds? There are legends about ‘female’ angels who seduced men. Look at the mythology of Semiramis. She lived on earth as a great warrior queen for a long time and she had many consorts. They were humans. And you are forgetting our more recent past, Brother. Who is your mother? Who is Vanni’s mother? Who is Oriel’s mother” Simon looked at Lucio. “Who is Meredith? Who is… Andrea?”

  They fell silent for several seconds.

  “What else does it say?” Barry broke the uncomfortable silence.

  Lucio picked up the paper again. His hands were shaking now.

  “It says that the three mentioned above have formed an alliance of forces and they will endeavor to flee with the infant. They will take the ‘beloved child of god’ to Khem, that’s Egypt! And they will reside together in the tomb of Kefron until those who watch send help or come for them. Apparently, Bari is fleeing from Jozsef. He is taking Nicole and Sophia with him as well as, Mark Andrew. It doesn’t give a date or time of this planned exodus.”

  “Kefron’s monument?” Barry frowned. “That was one of the pharaohs, correct?”

  “Yes, his monument is one of the smaller pyramids on the plains of Giza. It is in better shape than the Great Pyramid of Cheops.”

  “Luke Andrew came to us last night, Brothers.” Barry backed up and sat down on the bed. “He was telling of a vision he experienced in the meadow. He was hysterical and would not clarify what he had seen. He said his father was in New Babylon, but that it was only his body and that he had made some sort of breakthrough concerning the Watchers. He said that someone had told him this, but I don’t know who. The Grand Master sent me out of the room and spoke to him alone.”

  “That only confirms what this says, and what I said about Mark Andrew being in the Abyss.” Lucio looked up at them. “If Bari is running from Jozsef then that means that he and Nicole have finally discovered the truth of their situation. At least we can assume that they would be on our side now.”

  “That would be assuming a great deal.” Barry shook his head doubtfully. “It could be a trick. He could be trying to lure us to Egypt. You heard what Lucifer said about the creatures in Africa. There is nothing in Egypt now, but wild beasts. If we send someone down there, it might be disastrous.”

  “True.” Konrad agreed.

  “But if it is not a trick, then they will need our help even moreso. Especially since Mark Andrew will not be able to help them. If Sophia is now simply Sophia, she would have very little power to do anything.”

  “Nicole is like Luke Andrew and he is like his father.” Simon told them. “And Bari is not human. His father’s powers were not trifling. My father told me Omar would have eventually been as powerful as the Mighty Djinni.”

  “Then we will have to hope that Bari and Nicole can protect them.” Lucio crossed himself. “I can fly there and have a look.”

  “You would need to discuss it with the Grand Master.” Konrad told him.

  “My father!” Simon perked up again. “I must see him.” He broke from the room and Selwig bounced up from the floor where he had been waiting and followed behind him again. Barry and Konrad followed after them. Lucio folded the paper and slipped it in his pocket as Simon began beating on the door again. He would go to Egypt. Grand Master or no. Besides, the Grand Master was not at home.

  ((((((((((((()))))))))))))

  Hubur stood on the top of the palace, looking out over the city. She had insisted on coming here and Jozsef had accompanied her under duress. He wanted to get away from her.

  “Look, my love.” She waved one hand out over the city. The full moon was rising over the horizon as a huge yellow disc. “I have been thinking.”

  “Oh?” Jozsef yawned and placed one hand over his mouth.

  “Yes. I do that from time to time.” She turned a disdainful eye on him. “You are wasting time.”

  She raised her arms toward the moon and a chill breeze sprang up, ruffling Jozsef’s long hair.

  “Behold the power of the Ancients, Jozsef.” She smiled and Jozsef looked about in alarm.

  “What are you doing?!” He grabbed at her arms, but could not touch her.

  “I am reminding you of who you are!” She said as the light began to fade. Jozsef stood perfectly still as a red tinge appeared on the limb of the moon. There was no eclipse due! The red hue flowed rapidly across the face of Luna as shouts rose up from the courtyard below. The wind began to howl in his ears almost immediately.

  Jozsef grasped the edge of the parapet as the wind became gale force, blowing debris from the streets below, high into the air. Sirens went off in the distance and a dull roar filled the spaces between the buildings of the city. The people in the streets began to scream and shout and fight their way toward shelter from the sudden onslaught of desert wind.

  Hubur raised one arm higher and pointed her fingers at the sky. Jozsef followed this movement with his eyes and watched in terror as the darkened sky began to fill with streaks of green and blue light. Hundreds of meteors were falling from the sky. The first strikes were far away on the plain surrounding the ancient city. There were small flashes of light on the horizon as the meteorites struck the desert floor and then the sounds of the explosions rumbled across the city, vibrating the very foundations of the palace.

  Hubur laughed and lowered her arms. Jozsef caught her and spun her around.

  “What are you doing?!” He shouted in her face. Some of the impacts were growing quite large and the thunderous claps buffeted the city. “You will destroy the city!!”

  “And what loss would that be, my love?” She asked him. “But do not worry. It is only a small display of things to come for our beloved subjects.”

  ((((((((((((()))))))))))))

  Bari, Nicole, Sophia and Mark Andrew stood on top of the Ishtar Gate in Old Babylon. The Colonel’s soldiers gathered about them, muttering and praying as they watched the awesome display of destruction raining down from the night sky.

  “Outside?” Mark turned his confused eyes on Sophia and put one arm around her protectively.

  “This is not natural!” Bari shouted to them above the rumbling. “There is no meteor shower or eclipse scheduled for tonight!”

  “Scheduled?!” Nicole shouted at him. “Do you schedule such things?!”

  “You know what I mean!” Bari yelled at her. “It’s not time for such a thing. I know! I study the stars. Astronomy is a hobby of mine.”

  “Oh! Well! That makes me feel better. Looks like your hobby is out of control. Can you do anything about it?” She cringed as one of the larger explosions shook the wall beneath their feet. “I think we’d better get down from here!”

  The impacts were in the flat lands between Old Babylon and New Babylon. They could see tremendous gouts of dust rising into the air and drifting southward across the eerily red face of the moon. The soldiers hustled them down from the wall into the narrow streets of the old city.

  “This is the work of Jozsef Daniel.” Nicole told them as they hurried along. “He probably learned what we did by now!”

  “Colonel McGuffy!” Bari shouted to the man as he rushed toward them. “We can’t stay here! We’ll be crushed if they get any closer.”

  The panicked group rushed through the Ishtar Gate and headed for the three vehicles parked near the visitor’s center. They would have to travel on. No stopping for the night.

  As the three vehicles sped across the deserted landscape to the south and west, the meteor shower continued behind them, coming closer and closer. Their progress was slowed as the dust clouds caught up with them and a strong wind from the north swept small rocks and pebbles along the road. The visibility was reduced to a few yards and the darkness was complete. Nicole buried her face in Mark Andrew’s shoulder and he held both his daughter and Sophia in the rear seat of the ATV. Bari leaned forward against the dash, trying to help the Colonel watch for debris in the road.


  “Outside is dangerous.” Mark commented knowingly as they crawled along. The wind buffeted the armored vehicle and they could hear the muffled explosions still occurring with increasing frequency behind them.

  ((((((((((((()))))))))))))

  Simon had no doubt about where his father was. It did not surprise him at all when he learned that Barry had tried to deceive him. He checked his father’s condition and pronounced him well enough.

  Barry was greatly relieved that the healer was not angry with him. They had missed breakfast and lunch, sending Lydia and Rachel word they were working on something very important. Catharine had come twice to see Lucio and he had spoken briefly to her in the hall. Izzy had brought lunch up to them as they hashed over the situation and tried to decide what to do about the message from New Babylon, the condition of the Grand Master and debated whether to allow Lucio to fly down to Egypt. Selwig had abandoned them earlier on and they had called Luke Andrew in to discuss the situation with him. He had wanted to go to Egypt immediately in search of his father and sister, but they had pointed out that it would take too long for him to get there by conventional means.

  Luke suggested he try to summon his half-brother, Lemarik. The Djinni could travel by very unconventional means.

  Simon mulled over everything in silence, but he did not tell them that he had decided to go himself. Instead of going to New Babylon, he would try to intercept them in Egypt. At times the world seemed very small and other times, it seemed immense. How on earth could he find such a small group of people in such a vast wilderness? The best bet would be to take the message at face value and go to Giza. From there he could make the decision whether to travel toward New Persia or…

  “I have to get some things together.” Simon told them as he dropped his father’s arm to the bed. “There will be work to do when he wakes up. Just keep an eye on him and don’t tell the others… yet. There is no need to worry them unnecessarily.”