The Cosmic Logos (37 page)

Both Prometheus and Orestes were stunned to find Electra standing instead of kneeling, and in an entirely different spot.

‘How did you do that?' Orestes protested after his sword fell on thin air.

‘I believe I shall be of some service to you yet,' she informed her brother and his companion. ‘Lock me up if that will ease your mind, but you need me alive.'

Orestes was sceptical. ‘Why should I listen to you?'

‘With the pending destruction of one half of the planet looming, what have you to lose?' Electra made her own appeal to his good sense.

In truth, Orestes was far more in awe of his sister's mysterious ways than he was letting on. ‘Lock her up,' he ordered after some consideration.

Prometheus was a little disturbed by the decision. ‘Make sure she is unharmed,' he added to Orestes's instruction to the guards. ‘Any man that defies that instruction will answer to me.'

The ruler of Usiqua had been certain that his heart had died along with his wife. And yet, as he watched
Electra being led away, he felt an ember spark to life and warm his soul.
This is not my beloved back from the grave.
He cautioned himself against encouraging that misconception, but Electra was so like his wife, Prometheus couldn't help but feel kindly disposed towards her.

 

She was the most beautiful creature Aegisthus had ever seen. ‘This is superb work, my Lord Shamash. She is beyond my expectations.' The sorcerer was very tempted not to use the maiden to distract Orestes from seeking revenge and instead keep her for himself.

‘She is a human clone of my sister, Inanna, who is still the fairest female in the entire universe.' The Nefilim lord had a self-satisfied smile on his face, but it was not Aegisthus's praise that had him in such fine spirits. ‘I call my creation Pandora, meaning “all gifts”, both good and bad.' Shamash's grin grew. ‘As is the case with my sister.'

Aegisthus clapped his hands together, delighted. He did have one question, however. ‘What is the story with the vase she's holding?'

‘Ah.' Shamash had wondered when the sorcerer was going to ask. ‘That is a little magic spell of my own design,' he boasted, delighting in the worried look on the sorcerer's face.

‘I didn't know the Nefilim bothered with magic.' Aegisthus made his craft sound inferior to the Nefilim's gift of psychic ability, although he knew magic could render psychic power useless, which is why the sorcerer dared to have dealings with the Nefilim in the first place.

‘Most of the Nefilim don't bother with it.' Shamash teased the sorcerer by saying little on the subject. ‘Under hypnosis I have suggested to our beauty that she is not to open the vase until she has bedded Orestes. Once she has charmed away his heart she will open the vase and her warped aspect will take her over.' Shamash finished outlining how well he'd completed his end of the bargain. ‘You can't be too careful with humans. Sometimes their heart can sway them off course, but not our little woman.'

Aegisthus, having heard Shamash's explanation of the magic spell, was much relieved to discover that it was nothing more than subliminal suggestion and not really magic at all. ‘You have met all my requirements and then some, lord. Now may we discuss your price for this service?'

Shamash walked around the entranced female that represented his half of the bargain. ‘I want the maiden, Electra,' he announced, knowing that Aegisthus would object.

Aegisthus was tempted, but he refrained from protest and thought about how to sweeten the deal for his Lodge. ‘There is certain information that I would have out of her first.' The sorcerer stated his condition.

‘Would you have to torture this information out of Electra?' Shamash sounded well disposed towards the idea.

‘Oh, most certainly,' Aegisthus assured.

‘Agreed then,' Shamash granted. ‘You have my permission to use every means at your disposal to extract the information you require from her.' This arrangement suited Shamash's plans very well.

‘Rely on me, lord,' Aegisthus vowed. ‘I am well versed in such methods.'

Shamash nodded, knowing that this twisted mortal soul was telling the truth. ‘I propose that we introduce Orestes to Pandora and then suggest an exchange … our seductress for Electra. And to save risking your own mortal skin, Aegisthus, I shall put the proposition to Orestes on your behalf.'

Aegisthus despised how Shamash always managed to remind him of his mortality. ‘You are too kind, my lord, but I fear there may be one snag with our plan —'

‘I told you, Aegisthus,' Shamash hated to repeat himself, ‘that ball of fire will pass Gaia by and you will retain your kingdoms once Orestes is out of the way.'

‘I believe you, my lord,' Aegisthus assured, although he knew damn well that Shamash was lying. ‘The problem is that the oracle foretold that Prometheus will come to her defence.'

‘Ah yes, Prometheus.' Shamash had to suppress his smile for fear of appearing smug. ‘Have no fear, I have a deterrent that will take care of his devotion. I shall away to Orestes, and bring back Electra for your interrogation.'

When the Nefilim lord had departed along with his beautiful living statue, Aegisthus screwed up his face in disgust. Did Shamash take him for some sort of idiot? ‘As far as Shamash knows, Atlantis will be destroyed. In fact, I'd say he is counting on it. Still, thanks to you, Yahweh Aris, I have information that he does not.' Aegisthus turned and bowed in gratitude to his ally, who removed his spell of invisibility.

Yahweh Aris was the Overlord of the Orions and he claimed to be older than the planet they were currently residing on. Yahweh was a title that was given to him as a leader of his people, much like the title Shu Sar referred to the leader of Atlantis. Aris was very tall indeed, a good four feet taller than the Titan in his company, and this also made the Orion taller than any of the Nefilim. Some of Aris's race had incarnated into human consciousness — Aegisthus was one of these incarnations. Up until now their activities had been confined to the peoples of the dark land that Atlas ruled, Hyperborea. Originally, only a few souls belonging to the Orion consciousness had been able to weasel their way into the Atlantean nation where Pleiadean and Sirian soul-minds were developing rapidly and prospering in peace in a pleasing climate.

The Shu Sar Alaric had started the Orion invasion of the continent and his descendants ensured their stronghold was maintained. Soon their consciousness would invade the greatest empire on earth and Aris planned to incarnate as the next world leader. It had been under Aris's influence that the Shu Sar Alaric had formed the Dark Lodge, and the Orion warlord had been the source of Alaric's knowledge of the dark arts. The Nefilim may have been the undisputed masters of genetic engineering, but the Orions had perfected many techniques for harnessing elemental forces.

They had also learned to tap into the ley line grid of the planet, using the information channelled through the etheric matrix to develop science and technology which would benefit the cause of the Dark Lodge of the
Materialistic. This information was known only by the Grand Masters of the Dark Lodge of whom Aegisthus was one, although the sorcerer was wrong in assuming he was the only Grand Master on the planet at this time.

‘Now that the Brotherhood of Light have agreed not to interfere with our invasion of this continent, we will redirect the asteroid away from your kingdom,' promised the being with dragon-like features.

The Orions were human in form but not appearance. They could shape-shift to assume a human personification and they were also known to assume the form of a Dragon.

‘Whatever serves our cause, my master,' Aegisthus humbled himself before his mentor. ‘But what shall we do about Shamash?'

‘When he delivers Electra back to you and we discover the name of the Prince of Darkness and the symbol that will bind him to our service, we need not concern ourselves with even the entire Nefilim Pantheon. For we shall have at our disposal the only force that holds more sway in the physical world than the Logos that gave it life.'

A
lone in her cell, Electra was plagued by visions of the torment and torture that was in store for her. Rape, mutilation, humiliation, sickness, filthy conditions and evil entities unlike anything she'd ever dared to imagine lay in her immediate future.

‘I've changed my mind,' Electra wept. The swift death that her brother would have dealt her looked awfully appealing now. ‘I don't want to be a victim. I could have died a noble death.'

Her cell door vanished and she feared that it would be Aegisthus who entered but to her great relief it was Prometheus.

He eyed over her detention cell. It was clean, dry
and dimly lit, and although it had no windows, it was an acceptable containment place for a prisoner of Electra's stature. The oracle was huddled on the stone block supplied for sleeping, with both her arms wrapped around her knees. ‘You are under no threat of death any longer,' Prometheus assured Electra, having caught her last utterance.

‘The spirit world disagrees with you, my Shar.' Electra collected her shattered sensibilities and managed calm speech. ‘I'm afraid a truly horrid death awaits me here.' She gazed at the floor, a hopeless look upon her face.

‘Then I shall take you away from here,' Prometheus offered gallantly.

‘After you destroy Aegisthus or before?' Electra questioned flatly, for she already knew the answer.

‘There are no words to describe the state in which his creatures left my wife's mutilated body,' Prometheus explained. ‘I must see to it that she is avenged.'

‘I understand.' Electra smiled meekly, resigning herself to a horrible end.

‘No, listen to me, Electra,' Prometheus insisted, seating himself on the stone slab in front of her. ‘I intend to make good our escape. Back in Usiqua my son is building a vessel, a design supplied by the Nefilim Lord Enki, that will survive the forthcoming deluge.'

His sweet sentiment almost roused a smile from her, but not quite. ‘Why should you care what happens to me, Prometheus?' Electra knew why he was compelled to aid her. She just wanted to know what Prometheus thought his motivation was. The question took some of
the wind out of his sails and Prometheus seemed to be having trouble finding the words. ‘I remind you of her, don't I?'

Prometheus looked up to catch the oracle's intrigued gaze. He nodded, thankful to be avoiding a lengthy explanation. ‘Yes … very much so. It is like meeting her all over again.'

Prometheus was a good twenty years older than Electra, but as the Titans of Atlantis still lived for hundreds of years, he appeared no older than she did.

‘So you find me desirable, Prometheus?' Electra suddenly conceived of one way of thwarting the sorcerer. The Dark Lodge would come for her, but she would not be a virgin. An innocent no longer, and cut off from her spirit world contacts, Electra would be virtually useless to the sorcerers as a sacrifice or seer.

 

It had been some time since Prometheus's wife was murdered and having missed her, Prometheus took little prompting to accept Electra's favours. The oracle was truly not expecting the earth to move during the encounter, but in a funny way it did. She was glad that she did not go to her death having never experienced such intimacy with another human being. No matter what lay ahead she could remember this brief, blissful interlude.

‘I haven't felt this way in so long.' Prometheus kissed her head as she lay peacefully at his side.

‘I haven't felt this way
ever
.' Electra stated the obvious, with a chuckle, and her amusement took Prometheus's breath away.

‘You have her laugh, too.' He sat up straight, struggling with a decision. ‘Only a fool would risk losing love again to avenge a love lost. What is the point, when the Logos intends to punish the guilty anyway?'

Electra sat up also, her eyes welling with tears of hope. ‘You mean …'

Prometheus gripped her hand. ‘Let us flee this place, this instant.' He kissed away the questioning look of relief on her face. ‘I never thought to find love again in this world and I shall fight to the death to see you safely away from here.'

‘You have no idea what this means to me,' she mumbled through her tears, as she kissed him three times over.

‘Best save it,' Prometheus advised, reluctantly. ‘Time is of the essence.'

In the corridor, troops awaited them, and advised that Prometheus and Electra had been requested to join Orestes in the Chailidocean room of court.

Electra's glimmer of hope flickered out abruptly, for she felt her tribulation was at hand.
The Logos won't let me flee.
She wept silent tears as she was led to her doom.
I chose this.
It was so unfair that she had made her decision before she had felt earthly love. Now she would have opted for a life with Prometheus gladly! Why had she not stuck with her brother's decision in the first place? Why was she so determined to destroy herself? Had her father been a saint, then maybe her remorse would have been justified. But the truth was he was a warring tyrant every bit as bad as Aegisthus. She could hardly believe that she had allowed her guilt to convince her that her life was worth so little.

‘Do not weep.' Prometheus held her firmly as they walked, to reassure her. ‘This is but a minor delay.'

Electra nodded, but try as she did, she could not stop shaking.

Prometheus stopped, turning Electra to face him and look into his eyes. ‘I swear by the Logos that I shall not allow any harm to come to you. You shall be leaving Chailidocean with me this day.'

She closed her eyes, so wanting to believe him. Dwelling on her future for a moment, the horrid scenes of torture from her visions were still prominent, but through this image bled another and she could see herself fleeing the city with Prometheus. This meant that the possibility had been opened to her. ‘I believe you, my Shar.' Her heart fluttered with new hope and with a smile, she ceased to shake.

 

They entered the room of court to find a Nefilim lord and the beautiful maiden who Electra had foreseen would enchant her brother. The oracle began to shake once more.

‘Look, Prometheus.' Orestes motioned to the beautiful maiden at his side, who appeared rather smitten with the young Shar. ‘Aegisthus has sent me an exchange for my treacherous sister … have you ever seen a peace offering that was so lovely?'

‘An exchange?' Prometheus was immediately worried. ‘You can't accept,' he warned.

‘'Tis the same as accepting a gift,' Electra warned, knowing that Prometheus was right. ‘Remember what happened to mother.'

‘But this is not a piece of jewellery.' Orestes ignored her.

‘No,' Prometheus warranted, ‘although at some point in the near future I'm sure that you plan to put her on, as it were. Be careful, Orestes. Women are your weakness and Aegisthus knows it.'

‘Look who's talking,' Orestes scoffed. ‘You were incited to civil war for love.'

‘But this is an obvious trap.' Prometheus was feeling desperate.

‘Well, the way I see it, I can either spend my last days on this earth attempting to reclaim my kingdom from the sorcerer, both of which are destined to be destroyed anyway. Or, I can take this beautiful creature and attempt to outrun this disaster,' Orestes resolved. ‘Now which option do you think is more attractive?'

Prometheus couldn't believe what was happening. What had happened to all his young friend's conviction? ‘So my wife died for nothing? And what of your people?'

‘Most have done what I plan to do, they have fled.' Orestes's eyes remained intent upon his new plaything, whose hands he raised and caressed with his lips. ‘And don't act so high and mighty about our cause, Prometheus … you and Electra were off to combat the sorcerer when my guards found you, is that right?' Orestes looked at his ally and his guilty look said it all. ‘I thought so.' He grinned, having made his point, and looked back to Pandora.

Prometheus's eyes turned to the unknown lord,
whose height and pixie-like features identified him as Nefilim. ‘And who might you be, lord?'

‘He is the Lord Shamash.' Orestes spoke up. ‘He's here to collect Electra.'

‘No!' both Prometheus and Electra protested at once.

‘You gave her to me,' Prometheus reminded his ally, ‘thus she is no longer yours to exchange.'

‘And you gave her back to me,' Orestes argued. ‘Or was it you who locked her in a cell, hmm?'

‘I won't allow it.' Prometheus drew his laser sword and extended the blade.

The Lord Shamash chuckled heartily at the heroic gesture and, although his mouth was not moving, Electra feared that the Nefilim was telepathically communicating with her would-be saviour. When Prometheus nodded, Electra became concerned. ‘What is he saying, Prometheus?'

Prometheus' eyes opened wide, as if a dagger of fear had pierced his heart.

‘Please don't listen to him.' Electra openly began to sob once more, as Prometheus closed his eyes, holstered his weapon, turned and walked away from her.

‘Prometheus? Prometheus!' Electra wept, horrified by what his departure meant. ‘You swore to me,' she yelled after him.

‘Oh, dear me,' Shamash commented as he approached the oracle. ‘Have we given away the prize already?'

‘What do you want with me?' Electra brushed the disappointment of her betrayal from her face and turned to confront the huge, glowing figure of a god.

‘I am just the messenger,' Shamash assured her, and as he clamped a hand down on her shoulder, Electra's world disappeared in a flash of etheric light.

 

‘Dragon? Are you listening to me?'

Maelgwn heard Electra ask the question although she sounded far away. His eyes were wide open, but it was not the King's Men stone circle in Oxfordshire around him now. Maelgwn was still in Orestes's room of court, confronting the question of why he'd abandoned Electra.

‘I won't allow it.' He drew his laser sword and extended the blade in Shamash's direction. The scene was realer than real; all Maelgwn's senses were functioning and on overload as they picked up on the peculiarities of his new circumstance.

‘Dragon, what is it?'
Electra requested to be filled in.
‘Why are you shaking?'

‘I must know what Shamash said,' Maelgwn stammered. His own voice sounded distant to him and it was drowned out by the Nefilim lord's hearty chuckle that mocked Prometheus's heroic gesture.

Before you do anything you might regret, allow me to let you in on a little secret I've discovered.

The lord did not move his mouth and Prometheus heard his voice inside his head. He looked at Electra, who was frowning, confused by the silence.

No, she cannot hear me, for this little secret is to remain between you and I.

Prometheus nodded and Electra's concern mounted.

‘What is he saying, Prometheus?' Electra begged to know.

I know of a certain little Shar of Usiqua who is working on a project for a rogue relative of mine.

Prometheus' eyes opened wide, fear gripped his being.

‘Please don't listen to him,' Electra sobbed.

If you do not make a silent and peaceful about-face and return home, with your forces, I shall drop a bomb on Usiqua this day that will render the entire kingdom uninhabitable. Nothing will survive. I remind you that the protection awarded your kingdom by Enki protects it from attack by Chailidocean forces and technology. Mortal man has not possessed the technology to threaten your mountainous kingdom to date, but I do, Prometheus, so don't tempt me.

Prometheus knew that such a fate awaited his kingdom in any case, but his son needed time to finish the vessel he was working on and load it. He had no choice. It was Electra or his family and Prometheus knew what his wife would have expected him to do. He closed his eyes and prayed for forgiveness, as he holstered his weapon, turned and walked away.

‘Prometheus? Prometheus …!'

Maelgwn fell to his knees as the vision dissolved and his own sight brought him back to his current situation. He had abandoned Electra in her hour of need, and the fact choked him with regret. ‘I … I, I cannot express how —'

‘Save it,' Electra said flatly, unmoved by his remorse and distress. ‘It won't change anything.' She paused from her tutorial, lost as to how to find words to relay the next part of her tale. ‘What the Dark Lords did to me —' she began, but choked on the thought.

Maelgwn could plainly see how distraught the memory made her and he leaned closer to suggest they skip the gory details. When the gory details suddenly manifested on his wife's body, he was shocked into falling backwards. ‘Oh, my lord.'

‘The result of my stay in the Dark Lodge,' Electra stated, feeling a picture would save her a thousand words. She floated up into the air and turned around so that Maelgwn might be given the full picture.

Maelgwn would have said her naked body was all skin and bone, but she had sustained so many cuts, bruises, sores and burns that he could barely see any skin. Her toenails and fingernails had all been removed along with a few toes and fingers. Her hair had fallen, or been ripped, out of her head, all bar a few tufts and her beautiful face was battered and scarred beyond all recognition. The most prominent scar was a large, round, intricate seal that had been carved into her belly.

 

‘Dear Goddess of mercy,' Rhun mumbled, echoing the horror of all witnessing the transmission from inside Doc's Otherworldly headquarters. ‘What Mahaud has done in revenge over the years almost seems reasonable.' He'd always despised the crone for her crimes against his family and yet now he realised she was family. It was gut wrenching to imagine how the beautiful Electra had been reduced to this state in just a few days.