As
injuries healed and hearts grew strong, the survivors in Anur began rebuilding the
village as best they could. Aside from the passing of their loved ones, the
scarce food and the endless winter outside, it was looking like a happy ending
in the Crystal Temple. Not only were they learning to overcome the challenges
they faced, they were learning to accept each other's differences, to respect
one another and get along. But these were endless challenges and progress was
slow, for many months they would have to share the only livable shelter they
had. As the new partnerships established, portions of the floor were claimed as
homes, the tent city that rose inside the temple was spectacular. Any remnants
of fabric that could be salvaged had been washed in the river and sewn into
clothing, bedding, tent walls even, and although space was tight, they lived
and slept together in relative harmony, making the best of what they had. After
some time hearts began to rest assured that king Atalon was dead, that Peace
Time was here at last, The Time the Lemurians yearned for. But for some it felt
too good to be true, they were aware of the dangers lurking on the land. Night
watchmen were assigned to keep guard should there be hungry wildlife scouting
the town at night, ensuring the survivors of Anur could sleep soundly through
the night.
Mina
pondered all that had befallen them as they lay in bed that night, Neter’s face
was bathed in the soft light of the fire, casting shadows on the lines,
revealing troubled thoughts. She ran her fingers across his chest, feeling his
heartbeat, pumping too hard...
"We’ll
be okay" she assured, snuggling closer. Deep down she knew what was
bothering him, it was the same thing that was bothering her, it was why she was
trying to convince herself things would be okay. It was a difficult situation,
so difficult no one wanted to talk about it. "Just give them time, they
have to unlearn and relearn, you know that takes time."
"I
hope you're right" he replied, grateful to have her dedication. He ran his
fingers through her soft red tresses, still so beautiful after all that trauma,
all that mud.... He kissed her tenderly. "We won't have any problems as
long as we don't let any fires blaze unattended…"
Assigned Watchman for the night,
Akku sat up the second an orphan waft of barbecue smoke caught his senses. He
sniffed the air again, questioning.
"Do
you smell that?"
Nesh
lifted his nose, he too smelled the smoke, cooking smoke... He stood up and walked around the street but
there were no signs of a fire in the village.
"Where's
it coming from?"
"I
don't know…" Akku walked around the back of the temple but the smell was
fading as quickly as it had arrived. "That smelled like someone's
dinner... Who do you think it is?" It was an ominous, rhetorical question.
"The
gods from Kergal?"
"I
wouldn't be surprised if they're out here in one of the caves, starting over,
finally free from all control, just like we once were."
Nepheus wasn't concerned about
hiding any lover's triangles, he had fallen for Nel, all the way. He felt that
everyone had the right to know how he felt, after all, everyone could see he
had been rejected, he couldn't hide his feelings, nor did he want to, so why
play games?
Nel
gazed up at the ceiling, pondering her complicated situation as she lay in his
arms, it wasn't so easy for her. She knew it bothered Dena to see him so happy
with her…
"Do
you think she'll want you back once her baby's born?"
"I
don't know" he replied. "Nor would that change how I feel about
you.... Love doesn't work like that." He wove his fingers between hers,
sensing her insecurity, gently squeezing her hand. "Why would she want me
back?" He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly, reassuring
her. "Dena will find her own kind of love, we're all going to help her
raise our child, we're all one big family around here. Don't you worry about
Dena, there's enough love here for everyone, no one has to go without."
It was true, there was much love
to be shared in Anur, even Zara no longer slept alone, wrapped around Nahash's
arm like the silver serpent coiled around it. He ran his fingers down her
spine, counting the scars, he didn’t dare ask her about.
Zara
wondered if he noticed her scars, could
he feel them? Did he judge her
for having them? She twisted the silver serpent around his arm until the face
appeared, pondering the dichotomy of such a despised creature represented in
the form of jewelry.
"Why
a serpent?"
"We’re
Serpents, are we not?"
It
wasn't the answer Zara expected to hear, but it was true. Did the fact he
embraced his flaws, indicate he would be accepting of hers?
"Who
gave you that name?"
"I
don't know…" He studied the light reflecting off the crystal walls,
animating images in his mind. "Some say it came from the Solarian gods,
the Original Nefilim. Some say it was because we used to have Light Serpents,
ourselves."
She
had heard a similar theory. "Like the Unicorns horn?"
"Something
like that" he replied. "The Serpent was once a symbol of great
knowledge, of spiritual and magical powers. The Original Nefilim had these
manifestations of light and some say we did too. They gave us their
Serpent powers when they created us, but Malodon bred most of the good stuff
away."
"Malodon?" Zara couldn't help but
wonder about the little known god. Now she wondered, was the Light Serpent
thing they were always obsessed with anything to do with the powerful forces of
love? The closeness that was building between them was cultivating a warm
buzzing vibration in her heart, it was like the spinny vortex feeling, but
grounded. It certainly made her feel like she had a spiraling serpent inside,
an electrical charge, why not? Nahash's wild imaginations made her want to be
even closer to him, closer than physically possible...
"How
do you know if it's love?"
"Love
is Eternal Creation" he replied. "Love is truth, growth, it is a
plant, it gives birth unto itself from it's own seed, it grows from purity of
feeling, from True Care. Love is the Phoenix Flame inside of you!"
It
wasn't the simple answer she expected and someone in Lemuria told her the
Phoenix Flame was Knowledge, but it sounded so right.
It did feel like her feelings were on fire, in a good
way, not like the fire on the Tower tile. Nahash's philosophies only
fed the flames igniting in her mind, he was introducing her to all kinds of
ideas, ideas she would never have thought before. His wild imagination made her
question everything, she was drawn to him in such magical ways, she wanted to
believe she felt love for him but he didn't fit the description of the love she
ought to desire...
Her
thoughts returned to Nolan, he fit the description... Because he was so
handsome? Had he survived?
Now
she was wondering things she had never wondered before. All along she had
thought that she loved him. Why? Was it just because of the spinny vortex
feeling she felt inside? Because he was so handsome?
Perhaps the sensation wasn't the same because it came from a different place...
Nolan never made her feel at ease like Nahash did, nor did he ever make her
feel comfortable, like she was at home... Nolan could never inspire such
thoughts in her mind, thoughts which grew,
even though he was a Panther.
She
studied his face in the firelight, he didn't fit the description but he was,
nevertheless, a beautiful being. Nahash made her feel loved just by being
Nahash. He made her feel like she was a part of his big family, she felt like a
natural blossom on his tree. Was this real love she was feeling? Was this the
Phoenix Flame thing true? Now that she understood the alternative history
of Atlan the agendas behind the cruel laws became understandable. These feelings were powerful... She had felt them
before. These were the feelings that made her feel rebellious. It was this
powerful love feeling that she had felt for Orien that day at his sacrifice, it
was this powerful love feeling that had made her choose the path to Hellias...
It was this powerful love feeling for the music that had drawn the refugees out
of their trance and onto Vikkar's ship...
Her
gaze drifted down to Cane's head, nestled between them. If it was love she was
feeling then it was becoming clear why Atalon had banned it. Nothing could ever
break this bond, she knew that now. This was true strength. This was survival. This was what he
couldn't control.
"But
you best beware" Nahash warned, reaching in for a passionate kiss.
"Love get's played by Lust and can lead wanting souls astray…"
"I'm
not fooled by you" Zara smiled, knowing at last.
