2.76 Poisonous Twigs

The following day, Mina organized a town meeting so as to inform the villagers of Neter’s investigation, outlining the urgent discoveries that he had made. She told them about the Underworld, of the dangerous dogs in Gora, the carnage in Fina, and even in diluted format, it was dreadful.

         "FINA?" Zara gasped, sick with shock as the investigations were disclosed. "ARE YOU SURE IT WAS FINA???" She couldn't believe such a huge tragedy could strike twice, so soon after the Culloom Disaster.

         Everyone was in shock, some questions were unanimous.

         "Was it really that bad?"

         "It was worse" Neter finally spoke. "Mina diluted the stuff I told her."

         Mina glanced his way, hoping he understood there was no need to retell his version of the story.

         "We must put our heads together and come up with a plan to save them, as many as we can" she urged. "And we have to consider the possibility of an attack on our own village given this real threat of war. Aquilla is a good ally, however we cannot afford to rely on her to save us from all that."

         "Why don't Nel and I go back and tell them the truth?" Zara suggested.

         Mina shook her head. "Do you think they would believe you?"

         "Or even want to believe you?" Neter chimed.

         Zara knew in her heart they were right, she didn't even have any real friends in Atlan to tell, she only knew the aribu at work, and they didn’t think much of her now, all of them knew that Lemuria was Hellias... How would she ever convince them it wasn't true?

         "They all seem to enjoy their life over there." Neter explained the hurdle they faced.

         Zara knew it was true, too. Every day she had thanked the great god of Creation for the loveless life she had lived, for the medal and the vase... How could she have been so deceived?

         "We have to show them the Light" he suggested. "We can't tell them. We must give them a sign, offer their Phoenix Flame a chance to reignite of their own Free Will. Archonic spirits become hostile when you try to expose them to Light, you'll start the wrong kind of fire if you do that, my god, their inner Archon will probably burn you at the stake!"

         Zara sensed some ancient history as Neter's voice failed in a squeaky pitch, as he reached for his wine flask so early in the day. There was obviously a very painful past lurking in the shadows of their lives, even his.

         She pondered the implications of rescuing the aribu. How would they show them the Light? That wasn't the only challenge. What if they could convince the aribu to flee Atlan and come to Lemuria, would they dare to navigate the tunnel? She had only braved the terror she had faced because she believed she was headed to Hellias anyway… Would she even have kept going if she hadn't been so desperate for a chance to see Orien again?

         Her thoughts returned to Nolan as the underground horrors were unveiled... How much did he know? Neter's research raised some doubts about the god of her dreams. He was very subservient to Atalon, he had risen to the upper ranks in record time, did he in fact, know all this? Suddenly she questioned the phenomenon of his mere existence. A god?

         Once upon a time it was something that had made him attractive, but now all of a sudden the thought of his subservience repulsed her. Why was he supportive of Atalon's evil ways? And she was secretly in love with him?

         Then another horrific thought. Did Nolan approve of Orien's sacrifice?

         Nolan drank Orien's blood...

         Her heart was pounding hard as the shocking reality took hold in ways she despised, why was she only realizing how wrong this was now? So long after she had witnessed the horror for herself?

         Panicky feelings began to set in, making her feel sick. How come she never realized how horrible it was at the time? What was wrong with her?

         Nolan was a cannibal too?

         The reality was too hard to bear, her head began to spin, saliva began to pool in her mouth, tears sprung from the wells of despair once again. The truth was, she had absolutely no idea who Nolan was!

         "What's a Phoenix Flame?" Nel whispered, somewhat lost to the reference, rescuing Zara from her plunge to emotional depths.

         Zara glanced at her long lost friend, programmed with the same Poisonous Twig garbage as she had been, lost for a place to begin. She let out a heavy sigh, realizing now how poisonous those twigs had actually been.

         "It's a long story…"