CITY OF THE GODS: FORGOTTEN (6 page)

Aavi and D’Molay

Digital Collage based on
A Romantic Landscape with the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
(Samuel Colman, c. 1830).

Quetzalcoatl sat cross-legged on a pillow covered dais in his temple, a look of worry on his painted face. As one of the gods of creation, he held a place of high esteem in his realm. His golden skin was tattooed with intricate symbols of his status and position.
 
He wore large bracelets made of turquoise and jade and a large feathered plume on his bald head. Apart from that, he wore little else. He preferred to exist in the form of a large feathered serpent, but today he needed to conduct meetings with his priests and other minor deities. Quetzalcoatl found it was easier to speak and discuss day-to-day affairs in a less imposing form.
 

As light from many torches flickered across large stone pillars painted with detailed glyphs, a thin man wearing a cloak made of bright feathers and a golden headdress adorned with still more plumes slowly walked into the large room and toward the stepped dais. Quetzalcoatl observed the priest’s strict movements as he performed the ritual of audience.

“I favor you, Topiltzin. What news?”

Topiltzin bowed deeply as he took the last steps up to the dais.
 
“There is a message for you from our spies in Olympia.” The priest held out a folded parchment that was secured with a ribbon and wax seal.
  

Quetzalcoatl took the parchment and opened it.
 
As he read, the look of worry on his face changed to one of disgust. “I don’t care about Greeks chasing animals in some forest,” he said. “We have scouts everywhere, yet this is all they see?” He tossed the message aside, angrily.

“I do not know, my lord,” replied Topiltzin, bowing again.

“What do you mean you do not know?” Quetzalcoatl asked scornfully as he turned toward the high priest and put his goblet of wine on the floor. Topiltzin was one of his best servants, a crafty and intelligent priest. Quetzalcoatl found it hard to believe he had so little to tell him.

“My lord, all I can tell you is that we have not found anything.”
 
Topiltzin looked nervous as he held his hands to his face in a prayer like fashion and tapped his fingers together repeatedly.
 

Quetzalcoatl decided not to punish Topiltzin for his unsatisfactory report. There were often happenings in the realms that even gods could not explain. “I know there is treachery afoot,” he said in a more neutral tone. “You have checked the temples of our allies?”
 
He raised an eyebrow and stared at the priest, waiting for an answer.

“I have checked, but have found nothing, my lord.
 
Shall I send out more envoys to procure an answer? Is this important?” asked Topiltzin.

“Of course you should, you fool! Do whatever is needed to find out!”
 
Quetzalcoatl yelled, his frustration breaking free. Long ago, when he lived on Earth and had millions of followers, he need simply think of someone and they would be transported immediately to wherever he wanted them to be. Much of that power was lost to him now. His only consolation was that all the other gods were in much the same situation.

Topiltzin backed out of the room quickly, bowing and making apologies as he left. “It shall be done my lord. My deepest apologies.”

Quetzalcoatl scowled and shouted after the man. “And do not return to me until you have something worth reporting!” He looked at the parchment letter and read it a second time to be sure he hadn’t missed anything. Finding its report still trivial, he crumpled it and tossed it aside. He had seen in his celestial observations that the attack they had intercepted had not been entirely thwarted; that the prize he sought had yet to be claimed. If only the stars would reveal where to find it! Quetzalcoatl did not enjoy tedious games, but was as good at planning his moves as any of the gods. He just hoped that most of them had not yet begun to play.

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D’Molay tied the cart up to a hitching post and he walked with Aavi onto the dock.
 
They were hit with a strong odor that at first made Aavi cough. “Ewww, what is that smell?” Aavi asked, taken aback by the earthy scent.
 

He gave Aavi a confused look and then realized what she meant, “Oh, you mean the lake? Is that really new to you? It’s just wet earth and water, and maybe a few fish. You’ll get used to it. Come on.” He encouraged her forward by putting his hand on her shoulder as they walked along the dock.

Aavi did find the smell somewhat repellent at first, but slowly she grew to like the mix of these two elements as they met at the shoreline. She stumbled as they walked along the wooden planks toward a grey robed figure wearing a broad flat hat made of dry reeds. Aavi realized it was an elderly woman leaning against a long wooden staff.

“So Mazu, good to see you again. How are you?
 
It’s been couple of years,” D’Molay said as they drew closer.

The old woman tilted her head up and looked at them both within the shadow from the broad brim that hid most of her face. “Ahh, D’Molay, it has been a while,” the wizened woman said in a somewhat creaky voice.
 

“Last time we met you took me up river.
 
We had to deliver the Jade Empress to Peng Lei’s island.”
 

A mischievous smile flitted across her ancient face as she answered, “Yes, I remember it well. The dragon of the Huang He has still not forgiven me for how we deceived him. Your journeys are always some of the most . . . interesting ones,” she chuckled a bit.

D’Molay smiled, “Well, I promise you today’s ferrying will be much easier.”

“Does it involve the beautiful Lotus blossom at your side?” Mazu turned her attention to Aavi. The ferry pilot tipped her hat backwards a bit, clearly revealing a very old and weathered face that seemed calm and benevolent.
 

“It does. I’m sorry, allow me to make introductions.” D’Molay gestured towards Aavi. “Mazu, this is Aavi. She needs to go across the lake to see the Oracle.
 
As you may have gathered Aavi, my path and Mazu’s have crossed several times over the years.”

Aavi sheepishly raised a hand and said hello. She wasn’t quite sure what she was supposed to do. She was still learning about greeting people, and had not met anyone as old as Mazu.
 
Aavi wondered if all the creases in the old woman’s face and hands hurt, but decided that now probably wasn’t the time to ask.

“Hello, child. So you wish to go to the Oracle?
 
Do you have an invitation?
 
They won’t let just anyone in.” Mazu leaned on her staff as she looked from Aavi to D’Molay for an answer.

“Ah, yes she does.” D’Molay pulled out the slip of parchment that Kafele had given them and took Aavi’s hand. “Don’t lose this. You’ll need this when you get to Buddha’s Retreat.
 
Just present it at the door.” D’Molay realized it was a little disconcerting caring for Aavi. He was never really sure what would be obvious to her and what she might not understand at all.

“I will! And I haven’t lost the coins you gave me either, see?” Aavi proudly held up the small green bag to show him before slipping it back into her robe pocket along with the parchment he’d just given her. D’Molay really looked at her, and as the wind blew through her hair, with the great lake and blue sky behind her, he realized just how exquisite Aavi looked. No matter where she went or what she did, the girl just looked perfect. D’Molay began to suspect there must be a touch of the gods in Aavi.

Mazu brought D’Molay out of his thoughts. “Very well then, it seems everything is in order. But we need to discuss my fee and I have a question or two to ask you D’Molay.” She gestured with her bony finger for him to come closer. He stepped over to Mazu and they huddled together to make the business arrangements.

Aavi paid scant attention to them. She was looking out at the vast expanse of water and clouds in the distance. Up close around the dock’s pylons, Aavi noticed small creatures swimming in the slightly murky waters and she knelt down to get a closer look. These must be the fish that D’Molay had mentioned. Some of them were brightly colored, but most seemed a silvery metallic color. They had an almost hypnotic effect on her as she watched them happily swim around. They reminded her of something, but she couldn’t think what it might be.

A hand touched her on the shoulder and she looked up to see D’Molay by her side. “Ready to go, Aavi?” he asked.

“I suppose,” she said timidly. D’Molay helped her get to her feet. With his hands on her shoulders, he held her at arm’s length as they looked at each other, face to face.

“Aavi, I wish I could go with you. I don’t like leaving you like this. But when we first met, I was on my way to a deliver something for the gods. Do you understand?”
 
D’Molay didn’t feel right about leaving Aavi in someone else’s care, even for a short time. He wasn’t so much worried for her safety as he was for the fact that he was about the only person she knew.
 
“She’s quite alone in the City of Gods,” he thought, looking into her beautiful eyes.

For just a moment, Aavi felt a strange lump welling in the back of her throat, but then it quickly faded away. “I wish you’d come with me too, but I understand. You have to earn more of those coins, like the ones you gave me.” She gently placed her hands on his strong outstretched arms.

“It’s just that people are depending on me to do things, so I have to go. Mazu will take you across the lake and guide you to Buddha’s Retreat. Then she’ll bring you back, and I’ll meet you.” He inwardly chastised himself for becoming so quickly attached to the girl.
 
Over the years, he’d discovered his lifestyle wasn’t suited for such alliances. D’Molay had learned it best to be neutral and unattached to best serve the gods.
 

Aavi looked furtively over at the elderly Mazu. She was putting something into the boat. “So it will be all right, and I’ll see you again?” she asked, just to make sure.

“I promise, Aavi. I’ll be right here on the dock waiting for you.”
 
He gave her a hug and helped her get into Mazu’s small ferry, which always had reminded D’Molay of the gondolas he had seen when he had passed through Venice, back on Earth. As the boat pulled away from the dock, D’Molay waved to Aavi and yelled. “Good luck with the Oracle.”

“Goodbye D’Molay!
 
Thank you so much!”
 
Soon the boat pulled far enough out that they could no longer hear each other.

So Aavi traveled by boat. As usual, she had no recollection of having done so before, and the feeling of the waves bobbing slightly up and down as they moved through the water seemed to emphasize that she was just a small thing in the realm of the Gods, yet also part of something larger.
 
She hadn’t felt this way at all while walking the busy streets of the City.
 

Aavi was enjoying the sensation of the wind blowing through her hair and the smell of the water. At first she had hated the smell of the water, yet in just a short time she found it pleasant. The boat seemed to run on its own, guided by Mazu’s magic. Mazu was seated across from Aavi, and decided to pass the time with some conversation. “This lake is called Otsumi, or the Lake of the Creation. By any Earthly measure it is the size of a small ocean. Otsumi protects the City of the Gods on all sides should any gods get the idea to invade and wrest control from the Council, though such attacks have only happened a few times in the last millennium.”

“Yes, it is wonderful all this water,” Aavi replied disconnectedly. She had understood very little of what Mazu was talking about, other than the lake had an odd name and was big. Her only thoughts were of the beauty of the water, the grandeur of the City, the trees, and the parklands on the coastline. Even the deepening sunset sky with the fluffy golden clouds was too picturesque for words.

Aavi remembered the letter of introduction and checked to make sure she still had it.
 
She held the parchment in her pocket and squeezed it all the tighter, for fear it might blow away in the wind. Then she felt the bag of coins that D’Molay had lent her, just to make sure she hadn’t left anything behind.
 
She heard the bag make a metallic chinking sound in her robe pocket, and smiled to herself.