2.62 Zara The Golden Is Dead

With a thud, Neter slammed into the wall, rolled to his left and slipped through the door with not a second to spare before the beasts crashed into it, slamming it closed with a deafening boom. With lightning fast reflexes, he leapt to his feet, slid the bar across the door and locked them inside.

         For a moment he stood stunned, catching his breath as the tempest died down, then hurried on, studying the tracks on the floor as he made his way back to Reception; they travelled both ways. What on earth had Malodon created, and why? Those things weren't experimental creatures, those things were blood thirsty monsters of mass destruction!

         Did someone deliberately unleash them on the innocent children of Culloom?

         Such a thought made him question his own sanity but as he followed the tracks to the front door he just couldn’t shake that feeling… Could it really have been an accident? It seemed implausible, surely there was more security than that? Would they not have devoured the reception staff if it had simply been an accident?

         These tracks matched the tracks in the tunnel at the intersection… They went straight to Culloom… That this Culloom Disaster could have been enabled seemed to be the only logical explanation. But who would do such a thing? He knew the Anunnaki were cruel, but this was beyond cruel, even for Malodon, Malodon was sick and cruel but he would never destroy his own work like that, would he? Could Atalon be so cruel? Halios? Who had what to gain? It just wasn't believable, it was unfathomable to consider such a scenario, even for King Atalon!

         Zara lay on the bed in the meditation room, fondling the emerald Tower tile, trying to open her mind. It had been a long day but the storytelling was keeping her awake, now she couldn't sleep because memories of Aquilla kept replaying. She felt sad for her now, she felt bad for running away from her, for thinking Aquilla was incinerating her yet these feelings she was experiencing for a monster seemed so terribly dysfunctional. It was true, the beast was scary looking, however her fears had been based on what she had been told. What had she seen? A scary looking monster with big blue eyes? The fear had been so strong she thought Aquilla had actually gone after her... There was only one huge glitch with their story. Aquilla was threatening the citizens of Atlan with her wrath. Aquilla was causing terrible earth tremors. Her violent outbursts were so powerful they shook every establishment, it wasn't anyone's imagination. It was real!

         She felt sorry for her now perhaps because there were real plans to annihilate her forever… Perhaps that was why Aquilla was releasing her anger like that? She wanted to go back to Atlan and tell everyone the rumors about Aquilla weren't true, but when she pictured herself doing such a thing, it seemed impossible.

         Zara tossed in her bed and forced her thoughts back to Nolan. Who was he? Why was he chosen to be a god? Was it just because he was a Panther? Why was he a Panther? Did Nolan know the Truth about Aquilla? She was also beginning to realize she had no idea who he was, or why had she been so determined to win his heart, or why she should even deserve to. It raised more difficult questions. Why did she feel like they belonged together? That they were somehow destined for each other? Obviously they weren't! Her questions led to a painful truth. She didn't even know what love was, they weren't even allowed to discuss it in Atlan. Love was illegal!

         When the candlelight flickered, the crystals in the walls shimmered, inducing a dreamy state of loving longing. Soon her mind drifted back to happier times in Atlan... She closed her eyes and tried to be grateful, grateful to be safe from the horrid life she had once lived. It seemed so long ago now it was like she really had died in the tunnel and had been given a second life…

         Now she understood what journey the Death tile spoke of, Mina was right. It wasn’t about the god of Death at all, she had experienced a sort of death, her old life, her old self, 'Zara the Golden', had died.