Gene of Isis

cloth soon ignited. I used the same method to achieve my goal.

Albray looked around, unable to believe Molier was nowhere to be seen.

‘You’re being paranoid, the sun is far too bright for Molier.’ Of that much I was sure.

Albray glanced to the horizon and spied something that bothered him.

I looked for the source of his concern to see storm clouds churning. ‘How long until that gets here?’

An hour perhaps?

‘Plenty of time to get in and out,’ I said, moving off toward the gateway, determined to deliver my charge without further delay.

My knight accompanied me into the darkness; we didn’t notice the four camels that descended to the gateway and follow us down the glistening red pathway.

At the entrance to the central chamber I was taken aback by the skeletal remains of a knight, and I realised at once that this was all that remained of my dear Albray.

I’ve seen better days. Albray attempted to make light of the moment, but I realised how disturbing it must be for him, and so I did not stand and dwell on the tragedy.

‘The best of you still lives on,’ I replied, turning my attention to the spectacular chamber that was revealed in the light of my torch. ‘You could have picked worse places to dwell for eternity.’ My heart leapt into my throat at the sight. I felt such excitement at penetrating this ancient, sacred place that was still in immaculate condition. Now I truly understood Lord Hamilton’s obsession with this site and why men had died to prevent its discovery and subsequent desecration.

I walked past the round canals that circled the chamber, down the entrance path that led to the crossroad of red, to approach the pillars that supported a beautiful golden dome. These huge columns depicted goddesses of the Egyptian pantheon. I was truly mystified by the artistry, which appeared to be as pristine and brilliant as the day it had been worked. In the centre of these four amazing pillars was a round platform where the red pathway extended out in the four cardinal directions. To one side of me was a white-pillared annexe; to the other an identical annexe with pillars of red at its entrance. Directly ahead was a large arched gold door. ‘A sacred Ark could lie behind those doors,’ I thought out loud, ‘that could grant passage to another realm of existence.’

And you are one of the few mortals on this Earth who could activate the porthole without fatal results, Albray commented. Are you tempted?

‘With a storm massing in the distance, and Molier’s whereabouts unknown…?’ I brushed off the once-in-a- lifetime opportunity, inwardly regretting that circumstances were not in my favour. Only the goddess knew what such exposure would do to my unborn babe. ‘I think not. I am all for getting these vials back where they belong and retreating as fast as possible.’

A wise decision, Albray confirmed, smiling proudly at my restraint.

I moved toward the Fire-Stone’s annexe and had not even cleared the dome when several gusts of a suspect, chilly wind rushed past me and around the chamber. I halted, put on guard by this development.

The vial, Albray urged me. Now! I was so rattled by the sudden negative atmosphere in the chamber that I complied with Albray’s instruction and, in my panic, I consumed rather more of the Star vial substance than I had to date.

My inner being seemed to explode with bright light that was just as inwardly blinding as the dispersal of the gate had been to my external sight. The world beyond my own being vanished, and I felt myself propelled into a timeless, weightless void of pure peace, contentment and love. I struggled to hold on to this vast, all-knowing, all- loving feeling, more exciting than any ancient knowledge, discovery or experience I had witnessed since birth. I felt connected to the answer I had been ceaselessly chasing all my life…What is god? And what in the heavens was the Almighty thinking, placing me in this era? The answer was just as the Bible had always claimed: god is love, the bliss and contentment that is the inspiration of creation. The divine was the birth of every new and constructive contribution in the evolution of life.

You must return to me. I need you now, a male voice instructed. Although the message was clear, the source sounded far away. I felt I should recognise this voice. Was it that of my knight? Albray!

The recollection of him brought me rocketing back to my senses. To my great relief, the situation had not altered. Albray seemed no more alarmed than he had when I’d left him. I could only assume that my little trip to heaven had been momentary.

Thanks for calling me back to reality, Albray, I bethought my knight, as we both warily eyed the spaces beyond the central golden dome.

Did you go somewhere? he replied uneasily.

Now that I thought about it, the voice had not been Albray’s, and yet not entirely unfamiliar. Well, if you did not order my return from my ecstatic state, then who—? My thoughts turned briefly to my son. Could it have been him? I need you now, the voice had said, and it was hardly like Albray to need me consciously present. More the other way around, really.

I gasped when I saw the shoes, attached to legs, attached to the rest of their bodies, floating down to stand in front of all four pathways that led from the dome—there was one man per direction. I recognised Molier, and Mr Jenkins from the Arsenal Library. Mr Jenkins’ light-body had quite a few more dark patches than when last I’d seen him…his undead status was obviously a recent development.

It seems Molier has been initiating others. I drew my sword as Albray backed up toward me, preparing to enter my form.

But we have the vial? Albray didn’t understand.

‘The vial is self-filling.’ Molier answered our unspoken query, exposing the fact that he could perceive Albray’s presence. ‘I have enough barrels of the Fire-Stone stashed away to keep a small army going for a century!’ His eyes turned red, and he drew his sword. I noted that he carried a pistol on his belt also. Clearly his choice of weapon was for Albray’s benefit—a sentimental gesture of challenge. ‘And now that you are going to release both keys into my possession, my days of darkness and dependence on the Fire-Stone substance shall be over.’

‘There is nothing here that can save you from damnation.’ All I had to do was look at him to see how heavily the events of his abnormally long life weighed on his spirit.