As Gods Above

by Andre Labuschagne

  Tina alerted the top four enforcers, who were on standby in case of complications, and to prevent any attack from the enemy.

  Michael woke calmly. He opened his eyes, and smiled at the two beautiful women standing over his bed.

  “What a beautiful way to awake!” he exclaimed. “You girls had better watch out, I could get used to this.”

  “Welcome back, Michael.” Dianna helped him sit up, while Tina held a cup to his lips.

  “I’m sure we are just as glad to see you up, Michael, but please don’t make a habit of going into a coma!” Quipped Tina “My boyfriend won’t like it.”

  As the energy drink kicked in, Michael started to pay attention to what was going on around him.

  “How are the others doing Tina?”

  “You are the first to wake up, but all of you are past the crisis. I expect the others within the next day or two.”

  “I think Marianne will probably be the next to wake.” Dianna sent the thought on the local band.

  “I’m sure you’re right.” Replied Tina.

  “I will be glad to know she’s awake.” Then he did a double take – “You didn’t actually say that – did you? Your mouth didn’t move.

  “I told you he was a bright boy.” Dianna shot at Tina on the private band. “I bet he starts sending in no time too!”

  “I don’t know about the sending bit, but thanks for the compliment.”

  “You shouldn’t have heard that.” Dianna and Tina exclaimed at in chorus.

  “That last message was on my private band,” explained Tina. “It should be impossible for you to hear.

  I suspect that we will have to reevaluate that preposition urgently if you can repeat that feat. So far we have only been able to detect when someone was sending in the private band.” Tina continued.

  “But don’t worry about that now; we will be putting you through a whole series of tests to find out exactly what your capabilities are.

  Then we will work out a training course to strengthen your abilities and help you use them as efficiently as possible.” Dianna added.

  “As soon as all of you are up and about, I will be moving you to our headquarters in Antarctica,” Continued Tina “There we have both the resources to train you, and to protect you. This is unfortunately your most vulnerable time.”

  “Can you be sure that we are safe now?

  “Definitely. We have some of our top enforcers on guard at all times. They will ensure that you can not be attacked before you are capable of protecting yourself.”

  Marianne

  I awoke to the sound of voices. The first I heard was Michael, then I identified Tina and Dianna.

  Even before I opened my eyes I felt a calming presence, like a general feeling of well-being. Then I heard footsteps and as I opened my eyes, Tina was by my bedside.

  “Welcome back to the world of the living, Marianne.”

  I looked around, my friend s were still out of it apparently. Then I noticed Michael, getting slowly and carefully to his feet. Dianna was helping him up, and I felt a small pang of jealousy looking at the beautiful blonde woman.

  Then I realized it was quite irrational, Michael had always been a very good, safe friend.

  Recently I had been getting to know him a lot better, noticing him more specifically, because of his competent, quiet character.

  I suspected that he would be amenable to something more than friendship, but I had never given any encouragement.

  On the other hand, Dianna and David were definitely an item.

  I suddenly wondered how my other friends were getting along. Appalled at my own selfishness, I blurted out: “How are David and Joe please?”

  Again I felt the calming influence, which I was starting to identify as Tina, perhaps supported by one of the strong quiet women sitting at the side of the room.

  Then I felt another presence, warm and caring, filled with worry for me. I looked again at this strong quiet man. I thought of the adventures we had shared. “I think I’m going to have to rethink our relationship” I thought to myself.

  “You definitely will!” Michael’s voice sounded in my head.

  Tina and Dianna glanced at each other.

  “Don’t worry about your friends, Marianne” Tina replied. “They are doing very well, and shouldn’t be far behind you two in waking.”

  I could feel the worry in Dianna when she thought about David. Suddenly I realized that I was actually feeling her emotions as if they were my own.

  “Tina and Dianna have just been explaining to me that as soon as it is safe for us to be moved, they will be taking us to their headquarters in Antarctica.

  The four of us can look forward to a couple of days or weeks of prodding and testing to see what powers we have been invested with, after which they will start training us in how to use them.”

  “I can see that you two are going to be giving us a lot of surprises” Tina interjected “I just hope our other patients turn out so well.”

  When Dianna brought me a glass of energy drink, Michael automatically moved to help me up and support me.

  It felt wonderful. Even better than the strength I felt returning as I drank down the drink Dianna was holding to my lips.

  As I lay back one of the attendants brought an armchair, placing it next to my bed. Michael sat down, holding my hand.

  “We are going to take a look at the other two, then we’ll leave you two alone for a while, to catch up and get your strength back.” Tina said as she and Dianna went over to where David lay.

  They made sure he and Joseph were ok, Then they left the building.

  The attendants sat quietly at their posts, except for bringing each of us another glass of the energy drink.

  Michael

  When Marianne awoke, I felt the strangest sensation. I could feel the panic and weakness which are a natural result of two weeks in a coma, but there was something more, something I had never sensed before.

  I felt her confusion when she saw Tina and Dianna with me, as well as her reaction to the situation. I was surprised to feel her self conscious thoughts about me, and her contrition.

  Suddenly I realized, as I watched Tina walk over to her, and felt the soothing probe she sent her, that there was a great difference between the ‘feel’ of the three girls.

  My mental reaching out to Marianne was totally spontaneous and unconscious. I sensed that she needed my support and my soul responded. I suddenly realized that I had been wasting precious time, even though we might now have an eternity before us.

  I knew that there may be times when we drift apart but as I sat there next to Marianne, I knew with a wordless certainty that I would never be alone again, as long as we were both in this life.

  As Tina and Dianna walked out I thought back at some of the things Dianna had told me before the illness took hold. I wondered what lay in store for us – Had we been blessed with great powers – And at what cost?

  Marianne squeezed my hand: “Don’t worry Michael, no matter what responsibilities may lie in wait; I’m sure you can face them. Just remember, whatever may betide, I will be there by your side.”

  Tina

  It is very rare for a total disaster to turn into a windfall.

  Even less often does it turn out to be a total miracle.

  For years now we have been deadlocked with the enemy, fairly well balanced in numbers and powers. We have barely managed to maintain our culture in the western world. The enemy controlled large parts of the traditional communist and eastern world as well as parts of Micronesia and South America.

  All our steps with détente and so forth during the turn of the millennium had essentially come to nothing. Although we had gained political and economic advantages, the reality for the people was still virtual slavery.

  There were many areas where we had no access, and even satellite monitoring was not practical.

  To find a talent of the magnitude Michael seems to possess is already a miracle, but to find a tune
d pair of talents is something nobody would even think of praying for. In all the centuries, we have only seen something like that two or three times, and never with such power.

  My biggest worry now is what happens to David.

  Obviously Joseph is also very important, but for the first time in centuries she seems to have found someone who can really touch her heart and soul.

  He seems to be a fine young man. It would be a pity if he didn’t at least come out immortal.

  Fortunately we have learned to live in the present, and not let the years obtrude in our relationships. Many of our happiest relationships had age differences measurable in centuries, although there were those of us who just seem to stick together.

  Dianna

  I’m so glad that Michael and Marianne came through fine. Michael’s strength is astounding. It is quite unusual for his powers to manifest so soon.

  I can’t believe the way they just fit together. They simply bonded. I always thought they belonged together, but he was too shy, and she too careful to get involved.

  I just wish David would recover.

  I can’t believe the way I feel about him. I have stayed aloof all these years, because I have never before found somebody who could involve me to the same level.

  It’s funny really. I, who Ares called the Ice Queen, am worrying myself silly over a man.

  Tina says that he will not die, but what if he comes out damaged? Even if he comes out as a non powered mortal, I will still love him.

  Tina’s vague prophesy seems to have come through for Michael and Marianne. Would it be selfish of me to wish that the third person would be David?

  I truly hope that Joseph comes through well, but my tears are for David.

  Interlude

  Troubled times ca. 16000 BC

  After they left the Egyptian colony, Anzashi and Awaki headed to the new settlements which had been established in the fertile coastal areas.

  When population growth started making it necessary for the immortals to disguise themselves and keep moving about, a number of them found the situation unbearable.

  While Awaki was setting up the Egyptian colony, they moved east to the rich semi-tropical coastal plains (near what today is India), and established a colony consisting solely of immortals, totally isolated from the press of mortal civilization.

  Scientifically the immortals advanced very fast, since one individual could concentrate on a problem for literally lifetimes. This allowed them a continuity of effort which no chain of mortals could equal.

  The city they founded was called Shumash, and was truly a place of wonders, since beings of power could order architecture to suit their every fancy. Some of the buildings were constructed of massive stone blocks, shaped to tolerances which were totally unbelievable.

  In many cases there were no arrangements to access apartments from ground level, since the inhabitants could either fly or teleport.

  At first the population growth was restricted purely to immigrating immortals, but as time went by a growing number of mortals settled in the area. Initially these were their own children, many of whom they considered not suitable for induction into their ranks, but as the prosperity of the city grew, large numbers of tradesmen and laborers also moved in.

  They established a town about the city of the immortals called Shumash the Lesser. Soon many of the immortals employed a growing number of them as servants and assistants.

  As greater numbers started trickling into the area they established villages and towns of their own. Even the relatively oppressive regime of the immortals was preferable to trying to survive in the glacier dominated north.

  Inevitably ideas and techniques leaked out to the mortals.

  Avishkar (a member of the Humanist party) was banished from Shumash by the ruling Supremacist party for teaching his mortal assistants how to read and write the prevalent pictographic script.

  Whether this move was successful is highly debatable.

  He promptly moved down to Lesser Shumash and continued his work amongst the mortals, teaching them how to control fire, and how to use it to make pottery and refine metals.

  For many years the various relationships between mortal and immortal, immortal and immortal and mortal and mortal was ruled by the complex caste system set up by the ruling council of the immortals. This ruled everything that happened in society, from marriage to who could work for whom.

  Ostensibly the purpose was to protect the fragile fabric of the immortal/mortal society, but in the end it was simply a paranoid measure to control the spread of forbidden knowledge.

  As the level of education amongst the mortals rose, the system began to break down. Many rebelled against the tyranny of the priests and the Council.

  As it became clear that the ruling caste was getting more set in its ways, and more afraid (and therefore more filled with hate) of the potential of the mortals, a number of immortals also broke away. Most of them were of the younger generations, but amongst them also were also a large number from the original group.

  This group held the opinion that although the immortals had made great strides in science and knowledge, the leavening of the mortals was necessary to give perspective in some things.

  Because of their belief that knowledge of the existence of the immortals could be harmful to the mortals, they lived and moved amongst them as equals, in the same manner they had done for centuries.

  Awaki and Anzashi were amongst the ringleaders of a group who settled in the foothills of the Himalayas.

  They worked to build a stable community capable of grasping the science of the immortals, ad slowly fed information to the mortals.

  Another mixed group decided to break off all bonds with the by now corrupt civilization of Shumash. They moved to the continent in the west, led by an immortal known as Quetzal. Then they passed out of the annals of history for many centuries.

  Over time the Supremacists consolidated their power in the city. Their leader and the de facto Queen of the city was called Tiamat.

  She was a Mago with exceptional telekinetic and telepathic capabilities. Unfortunately she was totally lacking in empathy.

  She and her consort, Apsu, were the leaders of a group who believed in survival of the fittest, as well as the manifest right of those who possessed powers to control the fate of those who didn’t.

  Apsu was strongly opposed to those softheaded immortals who insisted on associating with mortals, especially those who believed in “improving” them.

  He believed that mortals should be kept in their natural state of ignorance. Those who rose above the mediocrity would be exposed to the godstone and - if they survived – incorporated in the ranks of the immortals.

  His evil genius was their vizier, a man called Mummu.

  Mummu was a new immortal. He was extremely jealous of the son of Tiamat and Apsu, Marduk, who he felt had betrayed all immortals when he became one of the leaders of the Humanist faction.

  It was his implacable hatred for Marduk which was to lead all civilization to disaster.

  Knowing Apsu’s hatred for the upstarts who were trying to upset the natural order of nature, he stoked the flames by playing on his disappointment because his own son had betrayed him by joining the rebels.