So well did he do his work that Apsu went to Tiamat with a suggestion that they destroy the rebels out of hand.
Tiamat however, in spite of her monomania, was a good leader, and recognized that open war could only be to the detriment of both factions, so she refused.
This so enraged Apsu that he gathered his most trusted supporters, all Mago and near Mago warriors, and set forth to attack the humanists and their mortal allies.
At first the humanists tried to negotiate with the attackers, but Apsu was poisoned against them by Mummu, and would have nothing to do with them.
Finally it came to open battle. Apsu led the attack himself. He killed three of the opposing Magos in mind to mind battle before he came up against the Wanderer. For hours their battle tore the ether, rising to such intensity that a storm roiled about them, but in the end Apsu was defeated.
Around this turmoil waged the rest of the battle. Mago after Mago, warrior after warrior they tried the metal of Marduk and Anzashi and their host. And although quite a few of the less powerful talents as well as a number of mortals who fought by their side were lost, the attackers were rebuffed with severe losses.
Mummu was supposed to lead the mop up force, but seeing the fiasco the battle was becoming, he turned tail and fled. By so doing he and his minions escaped unharmed, since the victors didn’t even bother to pursue their fleeing enemy.
When he returned to Shumash he discovered that he had been elected to break the news to Tiamat. This he did so skillfully, that he not only exculpated himself, but he made it seem as if Marduk had invited his father to peace talks, and then betrayed him.
Thereafter he simply had to feed her anger. Soon all Shumash was gearing for war. He was greatly aided by the other survivors who were blowing hate and destruction towards the humanists.
The rising tide of war tore Shumash the magnificent in two.
Many who supported the humanists fled the city, as well as a number of the leading scientists and artists who had no especial love for mortals, but could not back the policies of the government. Many joined Marduk, Awaki and Anzashi in Mu.
One large group wanted to remain neutral. They hug around for a while, but eventually left to found an enclave in the mountain ranges of southern Asia. Several smaller groups spread across Africa, Asia and Europe, including a small group who established what was later to become known as the Jomon culture in the low mountains which later became the islands of Japan.
A number of the younger Magos were killed because they refused to join the Survivalists. This was literally the straw that drove the last few of Tiamat’s children to join their brother and the rebels.
Tiamat was devastated by the treason of her own children, and she totally disowned them. She took a new lover – her chief general Qingu, Second only to Mummu in his hatred for the children of Apsu.
Qingu gathered the most powerful, fierce and cruel Immortals under his banner, as champions and generals. Finally he raised the dragon banner above the mighty host, led by him and Tiamat.
But the humanists had not been idle. They realized that the survivalists could not afford to let them live.
Reluctantly they marshaled their own host, and moved out to meet the enemy. The brunt of the ensuing battle was borne by the sons of Tiamat, led by Marduk.
Realizing the threat presented by Qingu, a decision was taken by the council that Awaki and Anzashi were to concentrate on him. The decision was unanimous since only they, working together, might have a chance of defeating one who was known far and wide as the mightiest telekinetic in existence.
They employed a new technique they had recently discovered to merge their minds, before taking the ten most powerful warriors in the host into the meld.
Qingu immediately sensed that something had changed –that a new power had suddenly came into existence. He dropped the hapless young Mago he had been toying with, and sprang to the attack. But his effort was in vain.
The devastating telekinetic bolt which had slain almost unresisting some of the mightiest champions of the time, met an unbreakable defense. For a couple of instants the new entity was content merely to resist his mightiest blows. Then it struck back, with a power which took him totally by surprise – for the first and last time in his life.
The sudden destruction of the unbeatable Qingu sapped the strength of the attackers, and the attack faltered.
Mummu, who had as usual been covering the rear, summed up the situation at a glance and left for greener pastures. One by one the champions of the attacking host fell, either to the sons of Tiamat, or at the hands of the Awaki-Anzashi meld.
Seeing her host melt away about her, Tiamat experienced anger unlike anything she had known before. Carefully gathering her powers she struck on three levels at once.
Stirred up and sustained by telekinesis, a tornado swept many of her enemies from the field.
At the same time she launched a mental bolt which stunned almost a third of the host, and killed a large number instantly.
The third attack was a telekinetic lightning bolt aimed squarely at her treacherous sons!
Well for mankind that Anzashi was on her guard. Even as she, as part of the meld was overthrowing Mago after Mago, She kept a part of her mind focused on Tiamat.
Thus she was alert when the terrific triple blast was launched. Instantaneously she and Awaki broadened the meld to include all the remaining Magos, as well as the greater part of the other talents present.
Well knowing that pure survival was the ultimate goal, they channeled the collective strength into a shield. Even so, it was barely enough – the whole group reeled under the power of the blow.
But they survived. Gathering his brothers into a meld within the meld, Marduk forged a mental bolt – a literal spear of mental force, and struck back.
Already exhausted by violence of her own attack, Tiamat offered only nominal resistance. Her shield cracked, she fell dead on the field of battle.
This was the final straw for the embattled attackers. All will and strength left them, and the few remaining Magos and warriors fled for their lives.
By the will of Marduk no one lifted his hand against them.
In this way perished much of the cream of the immortals.
Marduk set about reestablishing law and order.
For many years he worked to break down the barriers between men and immortals, and integrate the two societies. In this he had some degree of success; but the gulf could never be totally bridged.
The main problem was that mortals inevitably felt inferior to their long lived countrymen, while the immortals felt threatened by envy and resentment.
As time went by many of the immortals either went into masquerade, living as mortals and moving around to hide their true nature, while some of the others retreated to remote locations, where they formed their own communities. These were inevitably those who were dedicated to some kind of scientific study, many of them non-powered immortals.
Over the centuries, the immortals drew back more and more.
A certain mystery gathered about them, which became more pronounced over time, and the temples became more important.
The great construction projects they created, like the great pyramid and Stonehenge became shrouded in the same mystery, as people forgot about those who created them.
As time went by they passed into mythology, and they became gods in the mouths and minds of the common people.
As gods they formed civilization to their several purposes.
And mountain tops became the home of the gods.
New York – USA, 17th August 2035
Peter
I don’t know how, but I just know they are up to something down in Zimbabwe.
Eriksson doesn’t want to believe it, but I am sure it is important. They are still blanketing the whole area against anything we can throw at it, but I can sense it, there is somewhere in there that is totally unlike anything I’ve touched before.
All I had was a touch
, a moment to sense it before they shielded it. All I know was that it was definitely male. It felt a little like Awaki at his hits his peak, but there’s something different.
I sense a scope which may be even deeper - and then there’s the echo
I wish I could penetrate that shield, but its no use crying over spilt milk, I’ll just have to wait.
*** *** ***
I will never understand these humanists.
Surely the logic of our position is simple? Surely God would not have placed the immortals on earth if they didn’t have a function.
And what more logical function could there be for their wisdom and power than to rule the common masses.
And the logic of the godstone ordeal is equally clear – if they would only think. It is obviously the best way to weed the weak and unworthy from the ranks of the potential immortals.
If any individual is able to survive the ordeal, let him fight for his place in the hierarchy. That way the fittest will always rule.
If they want to be equal to the dumb animals, let them release the godstone as we want to. I am quite wiling to accept anyone who survives as my equal – if he can stand the pace.
But they stick to their silly theory that we need the short lived to allow new mutations to come into the bloodlines.
But I don’t think that matters, because the godstone symbiont obviously takes us to the ultimate mutation level possible for the human race.
I believe the time has come for us to come out into the open and bring down their house of cards. If necessary we can close off all the countries which we control. The iron curtain was working perfectly, we should have killed perestroika before it even started.
We have held back for to0 long. We need to stop worrying about the balance, our strength is the greatest it ever was – I can’t see any way they can tip the balance of power in their favor
I’m sure that if they had the power to, they would have attacked a long time ago – soft headed they may be, but cowards they are not.
Maybe it is a good thing that Awaki has been away, he is as hard as granite – he wouldn’t hold back if he didn’t have to.
Perhaps now really is the best time for us to be pulling out, this war has been too balanced; if we carry on we may end up destroying ourselves. It would be much better to withdraw to a safe planet and build up our reserves, giving them time to forget about us – then we come back when they least expect us…
I can’t wait for the generation ship to be completed, so that we can start loading the cattle.
The sooner I can get out of this soft shell wishy washy environment, and into an environment that supports the natural order, the happier I’ll be.
Just as long as they don’t get wind of our project. The last thing we need right now is a firefight. I can’t understand their eternal consideration for the rights of the ‘common man’.
One doesn’t ask a cow if she wants to be dinner, why should you ask a serf his opinion.
As it is, they are barely capable of feeding themselves, how could they have an opinion worth listening to?
Once we get them to Hell, we will train them properly. At least no one can interfere with us there.
If there’s no movement by the biannual meeting of the council; I will make it an agenda item.
Joe Sprout
I’m starting to wonder if I’m in the right camp. All the arguments about natural superiority seem so logical, but these guys are just too cold blooded for me – I don’t believe we have the right to reduce the mortals to animal status.
The thing that gets me down is not simply the slavery – but to the have no compunction about using them as experimental subjects as well.
But that is exactly how they see the common run of humanity – as animals. Somehow all those centuries of looking down on everybody has destroyed something in our leaders. Or maybe it never really existed in them.
Sometimes I wonder if I too am simply a stock item to them – item 47453 Caucasian Male Immortal, Joseph Sprout, Teleport, Telekinetic good telepathic block.
I have to think about this carefully, but I had better keep it under my shield – I don’t want Hades to decide that I am a liability – I might find myself on the next ship to Hell – in the cargo hold.
Perhaps I should have a chat with Uncle Fox the next time I get the opportunity. He seems to be sitting on the fence, but I get the idea that he is much deeper into the opposition than we realize, and a lot more important than anybody realizes..
This whole Zimbabwe incident has disturbed Peter.
He seems to have detected something none of us has noticed. Whatever it is, it has really thrown him off balance. I have never seen him act so uncertain before.
Chapter 6
Greater Zimbabwe – Southern Africa, 18th August 2035
Michael
Marianne and I have had four wonderful days, but they have been hell for Dianna.
We have both recovered our strength incredibly quickly.
After the second day, Tina and the medics released us from durance vile, and allowed us to move back to our own quarters. Since then we have been experimenting with our new capabilities.
Everyone seems to be surprised that we are able to use the powers so soon after awaking. Apparently the norm seems to be that the powers only start manifesting two to six weeks after the sickness has passed.
Tina has been in constant conference calls with a couple of colleagues over an encrypted internet line.
When I asked her why they didn’t just use telepathy, she explained that long sessions of information exchange were extremely taxing. Using technology also had the advantage that the exchange could be stored and reviewed at your leisure.
One thing we cannot be at the moment is alone.
Everywhere we go we are followed by a couple of enforcers. Their job is to make sure that we are shielded from external attack. They also protect us from inadvertently advertising our presence and possible strength to the enemy.
Since Marianne awoke we have spent every spare minute we could together. When we asked her about it, Tina tried to explain what had happened to us. Unfortunately there is even now no scientific explanation for tuned couples, although they have occurred many times over the centuries – the first being Anzashi, and Awaki.
They believe that in certain rare cases, the neuron circuits which make up the extrasensory control center are perfectly aligned between two people, forming a tuned circuit.
The implications and effects of this have been studied for centuries by some of the greatest minds amongst the immortals.
The primary effect is that we can amplify certain of our primary abilities far beyond what either of us is capable of, or even what we could do together.
Secondly we have a much greater level of control than is normally possible.
The real kicker however is the fact that we can include others in this union on a temporary basis. Now this is a known skill, used amongst others in the chaos wars which preceded the great flood. In this sort of linkage the power of the total is definitely many times sum of the capabilities of the parts.
The strange thing is that these included minds do not affect Marianne or me the same way that we affect each other.
As Gods Above Page 13