The Wayward Godking (45 page)

As he neared the woods on the far side of the plain, he realized that something was not right. Not right at all. There were very few insects, birds or animals in the grasses and nothing moved under the trees. In fact, he could see nothing at all under the trees and the sun was standing at midday. He climbed atop a ruined cairn made of broken blue blocks of stone and shaded his eyes against the glare. The forest was enveloped in darkness. In the broad open light of day, how could the forest be dark? The sight chilled him to the bone, but if his people or Il Dolce Mio’s people were in trouble, he had no choice but to try to help them. Perhaps this darkness was the reason why everyone had abandoned the palace and the castle. He put on his coat, slung his bag over his shoulder and gritted his teeth to keep them from chattering with fright as he moved on toward the forest at a steady pace. When he reached the tree line, he could see patches of sunlight near the edge, but further on, the darkness was thick under the trees. He sat down on a fallen tree trunk and fished about in his bag until he found the proper vial. He sat looking at the dark liquid for several long moments before uncapping the tiny bottle. With one tiny dollop of the dark red liquid on his index finger, he made a cross between his eyes. He put the first bottle away and pulled out a second bottle with a bulbous bottom. To the clear liquid in this second flask, he added a smidgen of yellow powder taken from a tiny box. A minute explosion erupted in the flask, and then its rounded bottom began to glow brighter and brighter. Selwig capped the glowing bottle tightly with a cork and put the little wooden box away very carefully. He then held his makeshift torch high above his head as he proceeded into the thick blanket of artificial night under the trees. Nothing moved in the choking blackness. The light from his bulb shown only a bare few feet around him, but it was enough to show him the path. There were absolutely no animal, bird or insect noises in the forest. The quiet was maddening like having a woolen blanket over his head. To make matters worse, he began to come upon various forest creatures lying helpless on the ground. After getting over his fright, he learned they were not dead, but sleeping, though he could not wake them. This oddity spurred him on even faster.

After several hours of terror, he came upon the King’s castle in the midst of a glade. The sight of the castle covered with dead vines and wilted vegetation frightened him even more, though he found no signs of the King’s elves. With a faint heart and faltering legs, he began to run. He could hear his own heartbeat in the silence and the sounds of his feet were unnaturally loud as they pounded the earth. He would seek out Lugh and his own people. Surely they did not know of this disaster. Even though he was still banished from his own kingdom, he would be able to find someone to take the message to the Dagda. One of King Corrigan’s scouts, perhaps or a gatekeeper. Whatever the case, he had to find out what was wrong and alert his people.

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The sizable crowd gathered in Ereshkigal’s meadow jostled each other as they sat on the grass in chairs, on blankets, on overturned boxes, on everything available. Lucifer stepped up on the Queen’s table and then sat down on the edge of it with his feet resting on the bench. Ashmodel came forward from the crowd, bearing a large book bound in gold and silver brocaded fabric.

Lucifer took the book and opened it in his lap. The angel looked toward Anu who sat in the Queen’s chair at the head of the table. Anu nodded and the angel began to read.

“
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God
…”

Lucifer’s voice was like cool water pouring over smooth stones on a hot summer’s day. He did not speak overly loud, nor did he project his voice into the crowd, but everyone gathered heard his words as if he spoke only to them. Some heard him in English, others in French. Some thought he spoke the words in the elvish tongue and some were convinced he knew the language of the Boggans, but none could tear their attention from him as he read the words written in the Holy Scriptures. Those present who had heard these words before, who knew them by heart, were amazed to hear them as if for the first time. Time passed without notice and the angel’s voice never faltered or wavered.

“
And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. In all the signs and the wonders, which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land. And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel
.”

Lucifer finished reading the first five books of the Bible and closed it gently. Ashmodel came to take the book from him and returned to his seat in the midst of the crowd. It seemed no more than fifteen or twenty minutes had passed during the reading.

Anu stood slowly and stepped upon the table. He faced the group of oddly assorted creatures before him and smiled.

“Where is my son, Adar?” Anu frowned as he scanned the crowd.

When no answer came forth, his frown deepened and he walked purposefully through the people to where Luke Matthew, John Paul, Nicholas, Gregory, Lavon, Luke Andrew, Michael, Jozsef, Omar and Lemarik sat closely packed together on the grass with other members of their families. Lemarik eyed him curiously as he walked from one member of the Ramsay extended family to another.

“So you would trick me?” Anu leaned suddenly in front of Lemarik. “You pass yourselves off as my son?”

“No, no, no, no, no,” the Djinni raised both eyebrows innocently. “We would not do such a thing, grandfather. How could we trick you? Surely we have not the power to fool your eyes.”

Anu’s face darkened and the Djinni cringed slightly. The Skyfather gazed into each of their faces for several seconds and then the frown broke into a smile.

“Such loyalty! Such love!” he laughed. “I must say that I am both surprised and pleased. I had not expected him to garner such devotion. He strikes me as quite selfish. Where then has he gotten off to?”

“That… we cannot say,” John Paul spoke up quietly. “He goes where he pleases. He has always done so, much as have we all until now.”

“Hmmmm,” Anu commented wisely. “I see that you speak the truth, Nanna. You were always quite the witness to honesty.”

“Thank you, sir,” John bowed his head slightly and then smiled. “Since we are being honest, might I inquire as to what you intend to do with Meredith?”

“I intend to keep her,” Anu told him shortly.

“Why?” John pushed his luck.

“Someday, when you have lived a few thousand more eons, you will understand,” Anu told him smugly. “For now, you must learn some semblance of humility. I see that you have none.”

“I am most grateful for the opportunity to gain it, Grandfather,” John Paul nodded slightly. “Is it something that you admire in others because you lack it within yourself? I have noted that people usually wish for that which they cannot have rather than being content with what they can have.”

Lavon coughed loudly in his ear and Jozsef Daniel almost choked at his words. The Djinni was up immediately, swaying through the seated group toward the confounded Anu.

“Grandfather.” Lemarik took his arm. “The books that your angel has read to us have everything one would need to live a good and upright life. Is it your desire that we should teach these things to the world as they are, or do you wish us to modify them in order to fit with modern thinking?”

“Modern thinking?” Anu asked and frowned as the Djinni took his arm and turned him away from John Paul. “Why should modern thinking change what is good?”

“I didn’t say that modern thinking would change what is good. You misunderstand me, sir,” the Djinni continued as he led the Skyfather back through the crowd, which was again beginning to break up into smaller groups. “I was held captive for many, many ages by your grandson, Marduk, and then again by your daughter, Ereshkigal, my beloved aunt. In that time, the world changed beyond belief. I have come to enjoy many things that exist today which did not exist in the time before my captivity. I am simply wondering if there will be any of the modern world left that we may bring these teachings to or must we begin again?”

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Mark Andrew shook off another long bramble wrapped around his boots as he walked through the ruins of the once beautiful plain in front of Armand’s castle. The place horrified him. Briars, brambles and weeds had sprung up everywhere, replacing the soft meadow grasses and wildflowers almost completely. Biting flies and mosquitoes attacked the exposed skin of his neck, face and hands as he followed the overgrown lane that led to the forest and below to the realm of Il Dolce Mio’s people. He bent occasionally and checked some of the stiff weeds and grasses. Someone had passed here very recently and in a hurry. He found traces where the traveler had tangled himself in the briars and fallen, crushing the weeds beneath him. The trail indicated a lightweight individual with small feet. No doubt, Selwig had passed through here in a panic after he’d found himself abandoned by his adopted family.

Mark’s heart went out to the frightened Tuathan healer and again, he felt responsible for the little fellow’s sufferings. The Knight threw his mantel over his shoulders as a chill wind, kicked up by the stormy sea, sent a shiver up his spine. He had to keep moving or else his father would find him. He’d not felt hunted in ages and ages and the feeling was not a good memory. His powers had grown to such an extent after he’d finally regained his faculties, that even he was appalled by what he could do and he had no idea what his upper limit might be, but he did know that no matter how advanced he’d become over the centuries, his father was still far beyond him and there was little hope of ever besting him in a face-to-face confrontation. The pursuit of the Tuathan gave him a new direction and he doubted that Anu would be inclined to think of visiting the Tuatha de Danann any time soon. He’d come here seeking Semiramis and Diana or perhaps even Marduk, but he knew that they were gone now. He didn’t know how he knew, but the Djinn’s servants’ stories about Anu’s visit to the Queen and the arrival of her sister had all but confirmed his growing feeling that he would never see them again on earth. He’d wandered about the vacant room where Semiramis had met with her grandfather and her brother and there, he had sensed internally what had taken place. Anu had undone his work. Untied another knot and changed the world again. Mark did not like change. Things had been as they had been for far too long to have everything undone now.

He’d left the Djinni’s palace and gone to his old castle atop the cliff, finding it in a state of deterioration that was both shocking and depressing. The castle had been one of his finest works in the underworld, and Armand had taken it even farther, but now it was crumbling and covered with dead vines, brambles and weeds. Owls and ravens had made nests in the upper floor and rats, something he’d never seen in the underworld, infested the kitchen house and lower reaches of the building. He’d left it almost thankfully and started across the plain on foot after trying unsuccessfully to summon one of Bart’s horses. Even the mystic horses were gone. Everything was ruined and Mark Andrew was stewing in a slow burning rage. His consternation increased when he was suddenly confronted by a troop of what appeared to be a small contingent of Queen Ereshkigal’s Boggans. They sprang up from the dead grass all around him, brandishing wooden spears and clubs, grunting, screeching, waving their muscular arms over their heads and beating their chests. Mark drew his sword and turned slowly in a circle as he estimated the strength of his adversaries. One of them, completely naked and covered with dark hair, sidled forward, crouched on all fours and showed him an impressive set of teeth before rising up and beating his chest while the others hooted their approval. Mark frowned. These were not Boggans. Their language and gestures were much too primitive. And he understood not a word of their grumbling and mumbling.

Mark waved the sparkling sword and they moved back a few steps in unison. He didn’t want to hurt them, he wanted to move on. He crouched suddenly and picked up a fist-sized rock. This action caused them to jump up and down, screeching and hooting menacingly. Their apparent leader crept forward again and picked up a rock of his own taking Mark’s action as some form of challenge.

“Oh, no you don’t,” he muttered and tossed the rock into the air in front of him. As it began to descend he sliced it neatly in half with the sword, trying to demonstrate the superiority of his weapon. The lead creature frowned and then beat his chest again before tossing his own rock high above his head. He raised his club and smashed the rock to bits as it fell to earth in front of him. Mark had to duck the flying debris as the troop howled and leapt into the air, fairly excited by their own show of superiority. Before he recovered his stance, one of the smaller creatures dashed in, running by use of his hands and feet. He swiped at Mark Andrew’s feet taking him down painfully in the weeds before backing off to enjoy his own round of applause and appreciation from his fellows. Mark got up quickly in time to see the smaller beast take a vicious cuff from the leader for his arrogance. Another of them appeared to laugh, and the smaller fellow leapt on him in rage. Mark saw his chance and bolted for the woods, sprinting through the tangle as fast as he could go. He was halfway to the trees before they realized that he was gone. By the time they ambled after him, he was well into the forest and out of sight. Their lumbering, ape-like gaits, no match for his long legs.