The Cosmic Logos

In the Ancient Future
there was an Echo in Time,
when the Masters of Reality
were called forth
to record a Chronicle of Ages
with the aid of the Tablet of Destinies,
and serve the divine purpose
of the great Cosmic Logos.

Cover

Dedication

Epigraph

Part 1:
Planets

Character List

Prologue

1.
The Appointed

2.
Kindred Spirits

3.
Glamour

4.
Exposing a Legend

5.
The Master Plan

6.
Freeing the Spirit

7.
Going Home

8.
Indebted

9.
First Contact

Part 2:
Signs

Character List

Prologue

10.
The Trouble with Musing

11.
Angels and Demons

12.
Matrix of Miracles

13.
Connections of Consequence

14.
The Defence of the Chair

15.
Inside the Alter Ego

16.
In the League of Gods

17.
An Appetite for Destruction

Part 3:
Masters

Character List

Prologue

18.
Incomplete

19.
Making an Impact

20.
Be-At-One

21.
Love Thy Enemy

22.
Merger of Worlds

23.
A Change of Heart

24.
Fulfilled

Epilogue

Bibliography

References

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Other Books by Traci Harding

Copyright

PART 1

S
he had an idea for a new film script, which had been evolving for some time now. The heroine was a martial artist misplaced in time. The main character had been a hero originally, but she'd rethought this idea, considering that it would prove far more challenging and interesting if the warrior-hero was a female. Such a woman would be able to physically defend herself, no matter which of history's dark ages the writer decided to cast her into.

Speaking of the Dark Ages, the writer was very interested in this period of British history. Still, the last thing the world needed was another Arthurian tale, even if this one would have a rather strange twist. According to the few historians writing during the purported era of Arthur's rule, like Bedi, Gildas and Nennius, King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table had never existed, as the legend had failed to score so much as a mention in the histories of the time.
Merlin, or rather Myrddin, was documented as having aided King Ambrosius to victory over the Roman tyrant, Vortigern — could the former have been the true Arthur? Even if he had been, this tale had also been done to death by novelists over the past few centuries. What this writer wanted was a new hero with a new legend to tell. There must have been mighty Kings who performed the great deeds and fought the bloody battles that had long since been attributed to Arthur. The writer made a mental note to seek out more research material on the early Kings of Britain during her forthcoming trip to the UK.

She wasn't too sure how her, as yet nameless, heroine had become misplaced in time. The date and place of her transcendental episode of bio-location was still a mystery. The writer supposed that the answer to this conundrum would be answered during a good research session at some distant point in time. Work had begun on her second serious attempt at a film script and the tale was proving to be rather intriguing, immersed as she was in the realms of the denizens of the nature kingdoms.

Still, all her writing was going to be put on hold for the next month or so, as she was off to the UK to raise interest in her first attempt at a feature film. She was also going to view locations, and get costings on the section of the film that would have to be shot in the UK. This film explored past lives and karma, and although much of the footage could be shot in Australia, it was hard to fake a castle. And why would you want to, when the UK had so many breathtaking castles on offer? Appointments
with the relevant custodians had been made in advance to view the locations, as it was the middle of the cold season and thus estates were closed to the public. It would have been nice to have been able to hold out and visit the UK during a more accommodating season, but the Gulf War had driven the price of a ticket overseas to an all-time low, so for the young and rather broke film writer, opportunity beckoned.

‘A
n insightful thought from one of Gaia's fifteenth century philosophers —' Noah stopped short of naming the source, noting that one of his students was eager to supply the information. ‘Yes, Avery.'

‘The Honourable Frances Bacon, En Noah,' the blond-haired lad with the twinkling violet eyes responded.

‘Exactly right,' Noah stated, proud of his student's firm grasp of the human history of the planet that Avery's forefathers had called home. ‘I felt this was an
appropriate quote with which to conclude your tuition. For, with all the lessons I have given you, you alone can transmute that knowledge into wisdom. And I am confident that each of you will do exactly that.'

The Sage broke from his formal address to approach each of his five graduates in turn.

The first of these was a fiery young Leonine female named Bast, who was as unique in character as she was in appearance. Her dark, straight hair and piercing blue eyes made her one of a kind among her people, but her abundance of pure-hearted amorous charm was fast marking her as the most desirable single female alive. The fact that she was heiress to the Leonine kingdom and was to be the voice of her people in Lahmu's senate only added to her eligibility.

‘Dear Bast,' Noah began, smiling broadly as he took up her left hand and held it in his. His right hand enfolded the three-sided pyramid, engraved with ancient hieroglyphs, which hung on a chain around his neck. This ancient divining tool was known as the Tablet of Destinies and had been a gift to the Sage's first human incarnation from the divine Logos, Anu. It had been handed down through the ages to each of the guardians of mankind and had found its way back into his possession twenty years ago, when Noah's super-conscious link to the Cosmic Logos had been restored. ‘Before you leave our fair planet to assume the Governorship of Nugia, my parting advice for you is …' He allowed himself a graceful pause, which amused his students greatly.

This was a game that they had played throughout their schooling, which was nothing more than good old
fortune telling — Noah had learned to make his guidance fun, lest it go unheeded. The prophet would give his students one insight into their future each year, and at some time within that year a situation would arise where the advice could be put to good use.

‘Don't tease me, En Noah,' Bast implored him, dying to know the prediction.

‘Although men will be falling all over themselves to court you, Bast, true happiness lies with a man whom you will have to pursue,' he concluded, inspiring a round of applause and laughter from the other four students, who knew the Leonine lady well.

Bast screwed up her nose, disappointed. ‘I won't be interested in a serious relationship for years, but even so I was kind of hoping he'd be tall, handsome and courageous, not forbidding!'

‘Courage would be a must,' agreed Avery.

‘All right,' Noah cautioned him, ahead of turning back to Bast. ‘Don't be blinded by glamour, Nin. Physical beauty can be a great deceiver and can only bring a fleeting happiness, for all physical beauty will perish in time.'

Bast sat tall in her seat and, crossing her legs, she placed both hands on her hips. ‘Not my beauty,' she debated in fun, her black lion's tail twitching playfully as she spoke. ‘We Chosen are immortal and thus eternally young and beautiful, are we not?'

Noah's mouth curved into a half-smile, as he realised that she was still too new to the physical world to appreciate the argument he was trying to put forward. ‘Nothing in the whole of creation remains the same
forever, Bast. If it did all would be stagnant. One day even you shall tire of your physical form, as becoming as it is.'

Although Bast couldn't imagine ever feeling as Noah described, there were some among the Chosen who were losing their affinity with physical plane existence, such as Avery's and Lirathea's parents. ‘Perhaps I should have said I am looking for a man who is wise, loving and true, En Noah,' the Leonine female resolved, knowing what her tutor would want to hear.

‘That would serve you better, Bast,' he agreed. ‘But only if that is what you truly will for yourself. What I want for you will have very little effect in your reality.'

‘Point taken,' Bast conceded, a little ashamed for attempting to fool En Noah. He always knew when he was being mocked.

The Sage moved on to the verbal extrovert of the class.

‘I know what life holds in store, for I am the force behind my own manifestation,' Avery stated, proudly. ‘But any advice you or the Tablet of Destinies may have for this soon-to-be Otherworldly lord, En Noah, shall surely prove insightful.'

Avery was apprentice to Gwyn ap Nudd, the current guardian of the Otherworld. Too much of the lord's confidence and mischievous nature had rubbed off on the youth during his tuition. For, although Avery had proven himself very adept at commanding wisely the various inhabitants of the etheric realm, he had a tendency to be far cockier than an older, wiser man might be.

Noah gripped Avery's hand and advised. ‘You have many selves, on many different levels of existence, all pouring energy into your manifestation. If you are putting out the right messages then they shall surely heed your will. But beware what you
will
to manifest.'

‘Is that the prediction?' Avery queried.

Noah shook his head. ‘My advice is this … when your words conflict with what is in your heart, know that a great rivalry will be avoided by putting your ego aside and telling the truth.'

‘Ooooh …!' Avery's fellow students murmured, thinking that the prophecy was a rather ominous one.

‘Shall I be rewarded for telling the truth?' Avery wasn't satisfied. He wanted something to look forward to.

Noah smiled a knowing smile. ‘The truth always brings its —'

‘Own rewards,' Avery concluded in unison with his tutor. Having studied under the Sage for twenty years now, he knew Noah's predictable response to his stupid question. ‘I walked right into that one.'

Noah raised both eyebrows in agreement before moving on to Lirathea, Avery's twin sister and his opposite in most regards. Avery liked action, whilst Lirathea personified tranquillity. He was forthright, self-promoting and mischievous, whereas she was meditative, selfless and as close to a saint as anyone Noah had ever known. They did look remarkably alike, however; white blonde hair and violet eyes were traits the twins inherited from their infamous mother, Tory Alexander. Avery had his parents' warrior form and
Lirathea had a body that was waif-like, which she commanded with all the grace of a prima ballerina. Her vocation in life was also Otherworldly. Where her brother would soon command the denizens living in the etheric realms, Lirathea had an affinity with the spirits in the higher mental realm and beyond. In days of old, the young woman would have been regarded as a Priestess or a Druidess, but Lirathea preferred the term oracle. Both brother and sister were to assume seats on Lahmu's council — Avery was to represent the Otherworld and Lirathea would be the voice of the spirit world.

‘You are probably more adept at soothsaying than I am these days, Lirathea,' Noah granted as he came to a stop in front of the angelic maiden.

‘Please state my fate according to the Tablet, En Noah, for although I have many guides, you are one of those whose advice I most cherish.' Lirathea had an expectant smile as she offered her hand to the Sage to participate in the game.

‘Ah!' He teased her in fun and she cowered behind the long fine hair that fell dead straight to her waist, suddenly sorry she'd insisted. ‘Being born perfect is a curse,' Noah continued, cracking a gracious smile. ‘For a state obtained must be maintained and herein lies your challenge. Do what you must without regret, and thus conserve your energy for grander pursuits. Never feel sorry for knowing your own mind and the will of the Logos.'

Lirathea was rather enchanted by his counsel. ‘I shall do my best, En Noah.'

‘And that has always proven more than sufficient,' he said gently.

Sparrowhawk, as always, was alongside Lirathea, and although the younger Falcon male was only her half-brother, he had far more in common with Lirathea than her twin brother did. From different human tribes, one never would have guessed them to be of the same family, but their mother's violet eyes made their kinship more obvious. This set Sparrowhawk apart from his breed, for he was the only Falcon who had pupils of such colour. The lad inherited the deep brown wings that sprouted from his back, and the shoulder length quills of the same colour that grew on his head, from his father, Hawk — an infamous space pirate turned diplomat.

‘So what do you foresee for me, En Noah?' Sparrowhawk gripped the Sage's hand firmly.

This young man was making a fine show of repressing his sorrow. Tomorrow he would depart for Tarazean to take over the leadership of his people from his father, and the Falcon seat on Lahmu's council. But it was not the pending responsibilities that hung so heavily on his heart, nor was it leaving his training ground on Kila. It was the thought of leaving Lirathea that was distressing him so deeply.

‘I know you are going to miss Kila, Sparrowhawk, and we here will miss you,' Noah admitted and the girls in the class all agreed.

‘Ha, speak for yourselves,' Avery scoffed, and was hushed by all present.

‘But destiny is not taking you from us so that you can spend all your free time thinking of us,' Noah
insisted. ‘Your brain space will be better employed looking to the future rather than dwelling in the past … and your heart shall be more contented too.'

Sparrowhawk was a little disconcerted by the soothsaying, but cracked a resolute smile to quickly cover his distress. ‘I am sure Tarazean's governmental affairs will leave me very little time to ponder missing anybody.' He glanced at all his classmates, but his gaze fell on his sister beside him, who leaned her head upon his shoulder and threw an arm across his back to give him comfort.

‘We'll be lucky if he even transmits us a message,' Lirathea joked, and nearly choked on her words; she was losing her best friend.

‘I doubt that you have need to fear on that count, dear sister,' Avery quipped, a little concerned about the close association between his sister and their half-brother.

‘No,' Sparrowhawk agreed, pretending not to notice the implication in their brother's tone. ‘None of you need fear, as I fully intend to drive you nuts with correspondence.' He threw an arm about his sister and returned her hug.

The tension between the lads was nothing new. They had always been competitive when it came to their sister's attention. The rivalry was of little concern to Noah, for he knew Avery and Sparrowhawk would have far more important affairs into which to channel their energy, once they assumed their forthcoming appointments.

The last of Noah's five graduating students was
Fallon, the daughter of Brian and Candace Alexander. Unlike her half-sister, Bast, and every other student in her class, Fallon was not destined to take up a great appointment upon graduation and her coming of age. Her name and chart had given very little insight into her future vocation, for her name simply meant ‘daughter of the ruler'. Her father, Brian Alexander, was Lahmu, the supreme head of the senate of the interplanetary human alliance. Fallon's star chart and her studies had revealed an aptitude for humanitarianism, the psychic arts, leadership and protocol, but she had yet to decide what avenue she would pursue as a career. Thus, schooling had proven more of a struggle for Fallon than for her peers, as she had no fixed idea of her future endeavours and could not channel her energies into the subjects that would prove most beneficial to her cause. Still, she had studied hard and managed to graduate despite her want of a calling.

‘Let me guess, En Noah.' Fallon pulled her mass of dark curls into a ponytail as her tutor approached her. ‘You cannot foresee my future, for that is for me to decide.'

Yes, her lack of destiny had definitely made her a cynic. ‘On the contrary,' Noah assured as he held her hand and focused his mind to perceive the Tablet's counsel. ‘I can see you averting a great calamity, Fallon.'

‘Really?' She was intrigued by his claim, then thought better of it. ‘There is no such thing as a great calamity, so far as we Chosen are concerned … for what situation could possibly arise that my father and his great council could not handle?'

‘Fate picks its own warriors,' Noah told her surely. ‘But you must keep your heart and mind open to the higher purpose. Malice will confuse your perception for a time, making the right decision and course of action unclear.'

Fallon didn't know what to say, for it seemed her future was more complex than she had imagined. ‘I hold no real malice towards anyone, En Noah.' She gazed up at him with her piercing blue eyes, the only trait that both Bast and Fallon had inherited from their father.

‘That is true,' Noah seconded, ‘but when situations get twisted and the whole truth is not known, sometimes we jump to conclusions that would not normally be our own.'

The young woman frowned and forced a smile to concede she would commit the advice to memory. ‘In that case, I shall always try to get my facts straight. If, at any time, I feel I have not, then I shall come see you, En Noah,' she resolved, with a lighthearted laugh — the Sage's prophecies always sounded more ominous in the telling than they actually were in reality.

‘I shall always be here for your counsel,' he assured, as he let go of Fallon's hand and addressed all five of his graduates. ‘It has been my honour and privilege to be your tutor these twenty years past. Go now, and rise to the challenge of your individual pursuits in the knowledge that I have prepared you well for what lies ahead. Be proud of your perseverance, for your efforts hail the dawn of a new era of prosperity and peace for humanity. The allied council of Lahmu will finally realise its full potential in accordance with the will of the great Cosmic Logos.'