2.11 The Golden Phoenix

        King Atalon stood at his balcony, overlooking the city of Atlan, watching the activity below him, deep in thought. It was true, the Grand Courtyard was looking like a shambles, but this was his vision unfolding, like the New Moha Lab, births were always a messy process. One by one, all of the plans for the New Empire were falling into place, as planned. The mounting complaints only confirmed he was right, The Time for new beginnings had arrived, as foretold. 

        His gaze shifted across the water to Lemuria, sleeping in ignorance of their inevitable fate. Once Aquilla was gone, they too would be a part of the New Empire, no longer would Vikkar control the island. Without Aquilla, Vikkar's tribes would be powerless. This time they would do it right.
         "Your Honor" Bakkon emerged onto the balcony followed by an Oracle carrying a heavy book. "I apologize for the delay, your first publication of the Book of Fate is ready for your approval."

         "Aha!" Atalon paused to identify the Oracle carrying the book. "And you are?"

         The Oracle dropped to her knee. "My name is Nel, Your Honor!"

         "Nel, Nel, Nel… Sounds like a bell." Atalon mocked, reaching for the book, expecting disappointment once again. The Book of Fate had been written to replace the controversial Book of Life, it had been rewritten for the New Empire, suited to the Crystal Gen Program, a version that would be easier for Gens to understand.

         Bakkon god of the Skies stood by nervously as the Oracle knelt before the king to present the special book.

         "We haven't added the crystal dusting yet" he explained as the king stroked the page and held it up to the light, noticing the final step was missing. "You won’t be using real crystal dust, will you?"

         "Isn’t that the point?"

         "Not necessarily…" Atalon returned to the pages, leafing through, thinking out loud. "It seems fine…" He paused at the chapter on the history of the empire.

         Bakkon felt his temperature rise as the king read the text, he really couldn't afford to lose any more Oracles, at this rate there would be none to seed the New Empire.

         The king closed the book. "I will need some time to review this properly."

         "Of course" Bakkon bowed and led the Oracle away.

         "Wait!" He bellowed.

         Bakkon and Nell froze in dread.

         "Tell me, Nel the bell. What is YOUR prophecy for the New Empire?"

         Nel had rehearsed this moment a thousand times and it still hadn't prepared her enough. "I..... I saw the Phoenix…" Stuttering she knew these words would spell her demise the moment they left her lips but it was her duty to tell the truth.

         "The Phoenix?" Atalon puffed out his chest, waiting...

         "…The Phoenix of Fire that reigned over the skies…"

         "And?"

         "He built a great nest... "

        "Yes? And?"

        "....But it was a nest of poisoned twigs…"

         "And?"

         "...And it burned to the ground…" A thousand horses were galloping inside her chest, making her voice wobble as she offended the great king to his face, in the Temple of Medel, under His eye no less. And nor did she want to, she loved the king, yet she was completely unable to lie! A tear rolled down her cheek, Atalon looked away in disgust, falling silent for a moment, simmering. Her hideous Serpent DNA was just that. Hideous. "And?"

         Nel was terrified of Atalon, she knew he loathed the Golden Egg prophecy. Why did he keep calling for new Oracles to repeat the vision when he knew they would all be the same? Was it a test? It was the only conclusion she could surmise. A test that would send her to the Promised Land instead of Hellias, she knew the truth about the Panther Program too. It was history.

         "...All that remained in the ashes was a Golden Egg..." she continued, her voice barely above a whisper.

         "SPEAK UP!" Atalon bellowed. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

         Nel took a deep breath. "When the flames of the burning embers lit up the night sky, The Time arrived. The Golden Egg hatched in the heat of the flames and the Golden Phoenix arose from the ashes…" 

        Atalon began pacing. "Go on!" 

        Nel swallowed hard, this was the trigger part. "... He rebuilt the nest with twigs from the Cinnamon Tree, and returned to reign over the Universe, bringing Illumination and Love to the Souls of Gaia once again…"

         Bakkon felt all hope for Nel's future in the New Empire slip away once and for all as the words left her lips, he had made such a huge effort to reprogram the Oracles, he had even hoped the Crystal Skull would change them. He knew now what Atalon was up to, Halki was right. Atalon was doing this on purpose, he wasn't allowing any of the Oracles to poison the New Empire with their Panther prophecies, he wanted to bury them forever. He knew the truth, the Panther Program was history.

         "Thank you! That will be all!" The king snapped in conclusion. "For your most excellent divination, Nel the bell, I shall honor you with a Martyr's Sacrifice at the Farewell Celebration!" With a swoosh of his hand, he waved her away.

         "Thank you, Your Honor" Nel stood up, bowed her head to the great king and turned to leave, relieved it was over, it was no surprise to learn of her demise. She had seen her fate already, the god of Death had been visiting her in her dreams, this all was just the beginning of some strange journey to Hellias...