Part 21 (1/2)

Wait a second! I race over to the waste basket, kneeling in front of it, inspecting the writing. I then trace my figure over the gold leaf print, probably looking like a lunatic to everyone, but no one seems to be paying attention to me. Or they don't even see me, I think, glancing around. The label is written in a language I know I've never been able to read before-the same language inscribed on the statues of the Atlantean kings.

”I can read ancient Atlantean!” I say to myself, astonished at what I've just learned.

”What the h.e.l.l was in that Granny?” I ask rhetorically.

I look back up and see the gleaming pyramid through the branches of an orange tree and decide to test a theory, taking off in a sprint. I run like a maniac, weaving through throngs of people, never slowing. I feel my natural lactic burn coming on, then it's gone, faded away along with my muscle fatigue and labored breathing. I don't tire, not one bit.

I smile and put on even more speed. I've never ran at this pace for this long. I push myself faster and faster, until I run out of real estate and skid to a halt, right at the edge of the courtyard.

The patio looks the same as before, except it's in full color and not in the various shades of dreariness like before. The gra.s.s looks just as soft, but green and the many statues gleam white in the day light.

Day light? I never thought to look. How is there any light in here at all without the lava flow?

Looking up towards the now visible ceiling, I notice that there seems to be a ma.s.sive amount of glowing crystals imbedded into the stone above. They give off their own light and a.s.sist in giving life to this amazing place. How do they glow?

Another question for another time, I think and set off through the patio of...peace.

I remember when Kane named this place the Patio of Pain. It was so fitting at the time. The pain and suffering that was being felt here was sickening. Nannot's own hate and malice literally destroyed this place. Even the scenery changed because of his remorseless revulsion for the human race.

Towards his own family.

I remember the priests calling him brother during their epic battle. Why would he want to bring this place to the ground and tear down everything his people had achieved here?

It's then I notice the crowds thinning out. There is barely anybody in this section of the necropolis. I wonder why?

Because they are gone. This is a dream after all. We show you what we remember, not what still exists, I hear, the familiar voice speaking in my head.

I turn my eyes up to the s.h.i.+ning statue of Thoth and see three figures hunched over, in reverence to their king. They stand as one, finis.h.i.+ng with their wors.h.i.+p, and turn to face me, their heads cloaked in hoods.

Plus, the center one continues. The lush landscape is what drew people here, not the memorials and reliefs. The citizens of An'tala would need to come down here a few times a year to recharge their bodies.

”Recharge?” I ask.

Yes, the life giving elements of the fruit is what allowed the people here to live as long as they did.

”Life giving elements...the golden hue in the apple I just ate?”

They nod in unison.

So it IS something they put in the food.

They go to turn.

”Wait!” I yell. ”What are your names?” They stop and turn back toward me.

The middle one steps forward and slightly bows.

I am Rahji-itza, the First Elder.

Then the right one, I am Qaaft, the Second Elder.

And then the one on my left, And I am Kylak, the Third Elder.

I step forward.

”My name is Hank, Hank Boyd, and for some reason you all think I'm some chosen hero or something.”

They stand as still as stone for what seems like ten minutes, but is probably closer to ten seconds. Then all at once, they reach up and remove their hoods, exposing themselves to me for the first time.

I stumble back and fall on my a.s.s, shocked at what I see. None of the warrior priests are wearing their battle gear or masks. They are completely exposed and it's something I never would have guessed and something I'll never forget.

40.

What the...they're...freaks? They honestly look like they should be traveling in a circus, not defending a kingdom from a rogue enemy. Each of them still stands at eight feet tall, even without their battle armor and masks. Their bodies are still impressively built, lean yet powerful, but the faces...they're all wrong.

Their eyes are similar and strange all at once. They have the eyes of a human and are the color of the orichalc.u.m alloy, and they move. Not the eyes themselves though. It's the irises, they s.h.i.+ft and swirl, like the clouds would on a stormy day.

But that's not even the strangest thing about them.

Their mouths are the biggest oddity, as in, they have none. It's just a blank canvas of scarred flesh where the lips should be. How do they eat, or drink? I know they communicate by way of telepathy, but I didn't expect this. I just thought it was easier to think your conversations than to say them. I thought they chose not to speak. Man, was I wrong.

”What are you?” I ask mentally, knowing there could still be a language barrier. It's an honest question, with no malice behind it.

They seem to understand the true meaning of the question.

Lord Thoth offered us a choice, the one named Rahji-itza answers. Live forever in his service, or die like any other mortal that has come after us. There were obviously some unforeseen side effects.

No kidding?

”So the people here would eventually die? Even with the additive in the food?”

Yes, the weaker formula in the food here will extend your lifespan, but not make you immortal.

Then he gets back to my first question.

Our elixir, the pure and undiluted of the two, caused our bodies to grow stronger and never wilt with time. Our minds as well, they never age or lose function as we...grow older. He then trained us in his ways and taught us how to use our newly developed gifts.

”I still don't understand. Live forever, as in eternal life?”

Yes, he trusted only us to continue on here, guarding the necropolis. But as mortals we had our limitations. We would eventually die and cease to exist just like everyone else.

”How did Thoth do this, how did he even know how to?” I'm perplexed that an ancient king could even conceive the idea of immortality, let alone formulate a way to make it work.

Lord Thoth was an ordinary human at one point in his life. But like every culture, some are inherently different, more curious than others. One day he watched a star fall from the sky-”

”A meteorite?”