Post by Allan Tucker on Feb 11, 2012 18:35:47 GMT -5
Hi Guys this is one Sample Chapter from my Book "Phoenix War: The Guardian: Redeemer's Lullaby. Visit my science fiction fantasy book, book store, novel, reviews, short stories www.phoenixwar.com/ fantasy articles, great free books, and much more
The paladin Silat Brosuard, and his squire Hadji Kitar battled with staves on an ancient, rickety, wooden bridge. The wobbling bridge hung high in the air and barely supported their combined weight. As the two combatants looked over the many grand waterfalls of Doa’aku, the two warriors battled each other fiercely striking and parrying over a gigantic waterfall. All the while the two cried out fierce grunts, yells, and calls as they sparred on the ancient, dilapidated, rotting bridge, Silat laughed at his squire’s fear as the bridge seemed to almost crumble under their combined weight. Not too far in the distance was the city of Doa’aku; which in Phoenixian meant: “Protection from Evil,” The city before them was called the “Copper City,” or the “City of Oaths.” The gleaming copper-plated city was the home of the order of the Oathkeeper paladin knights, who protected goodness and truth and fought against evil in whatever form it took.
Yet there were others such as the honor guard riders who shared similar oaths. These apprentice knights rode winged dinosaurs called pterodactyls. These appetencies circled over head, their winged reptiles weaving in and out of the gigantic waterfalls making the flowing water spray with their forty foot long wing spans. The screaming dinosaurs called screeching cries and squawked high above the two paladins. Wild versions of these beasts also flew in and out of the many waterfalls that made up the much larger ones. Yet a flock of the pterodactyls was not wild; these flying mounts were ridden by a troop of experienced riders. These knights were also training to be warriors of the forces of good. Rebelliously they deviated from their training the apprentice teenagers swooped down from the clouds to get a view of the epic sparing battle.
As the dinosaur riders cheered the young boy on; the paladin squire named Hadji Kitar twirled his staff in a graceful and intricate circular pattern. He let the iron wood, head-high, flexible staff rest in his armpit. The nine-year-old extended his left hand in a kind of display of readiness; breaking the intense sparring session for a brief moment. The paladin squire tried to catch his breath for a quick few seconds, straitening his short frame which looked small for his age making him appear younger than nine. However the squire acted bravely and was far more mature and precocious than any child Silat had ever known. Silat smiled at the boy then twirled his staff and then came at him in a hailstorm of blows.
As they sparred the old rotting bridge swayed and vibrated dangerously with each fluid crash and strike of their staves. Wood clashed against wood and flesh. The mock battle made a plethora of clanking, popping, and human sounds in the morning air. Silat’s staff made a stinging sound as his master’s staff stunned the boy again and again forcing him to forge a new defensive pattern. The paladin urged him to up his game to give it everything he had to defeat the black skinned man. Just then Silat laughed as he kicked Hadji with the balls of his feet straight into his chest making him fall back, the wind escaped with an audible ‘shoosh’ noise out of Hadji’s lungs as he crashed onto the dilapidating bridge.
His mentor pulled Hadji up off of the bridge laughing, “Quite a good fight young one, I think now you may be finally ready…” the black skinned man named Silat Brosuard cloaked his message in secrecy; he masked his true intentions in the mysteries of the universe leaving Hadji skeptical of what was to come from the old man.
The boy suddenly grew a skeptical, questioning, almost fearful look on his face, the squire tried to discern with all of his wisdom and intuition what his teacher had in store for him that day. After a particularly hard trial of his skill both mentally and physically, Hadji knew he was ready for something other than training, “Ready for what Sir?”
Silat seemed to laugh at the boy’s innocence even as the true darkness was all over the world and beyond. As if remembering when he was that young; he fumbled with his copper wristband that held the circle and cross insignia of the paladins of the Oathkeeper order. He had been given that bracelet as a young boy from a paladin who had freed him from slavery in the Akkashin Empire so long ago. He had always worn it to remind himself of the truth of the order they were to uphold the weak and fight for goodness and light, “Come Hadji, I will show you.”
From the simple wooden bridge that had served as their sparring ring; the elder paladin twirled his staff once and then turned it into a walking stick. The staff ---which served the old man well--- proved a much needed aid for his creaky back. The elderly black-skinned man brushed his short white beard as he led Hadji off of the bridge towards the copper city of Doa’aku. The city was surrounded by waterfalls and gleamed like metallic fire in the noon sun because it was totally made of copper.
The waterfalls that surrounded the copper city roared and gurgled like a thousand thunderstorms, each one of them was a layer of another larger fall that cascaded down into the Sea of Moons. Above these waterfalls flying dinosaurs littered the sky, the reptiles flew high above them and swooping down; their riders casually gave hellos to the paladin elder and his squire in applauding laughter. The dinosaurs and their honor guard riders patrolled the skies over the city soaring above them and descended swiftly going back into the disciplined routines of their their training missions. The more adventurous dinosaur riders raced above the city and the waterfalls in friendly competition, laughing in hooting calls of excitement and adventurous joy.
Once the old, creaky, elderly paladin and his squire entered the sprawling city of Doa’aku, Silat lead him into the heart of Doa’aku; the mysterious old conjure lead him into to the inner sanctuary of the order of knights sworn to protect virtue and truth. As Hadji looked up at the great marble statues of the paladin elders of old the boy was reminded that they were sworn be to be tools whatever missions seemed good and just in the world. A large statue of St. Karrsha reminded the young man that their order answered to no king or nation and had many basses all over the world. Their purpose was singular; they fought to bring order to a chaotic world and light to the darkest places in it. As though lost in thought Hadji let Silat lead him though the twisting halls of the paladin sanctuary and into a great room filled with mystery and honor.
The room they now were in was the inner room of the Copper ziggurat at the heart of the copper city of Doa’aku; this was the room of the oath. Hadji had seen it before but not on the day of the full moon; on that day once a month the code of the oath streamed down in holographic rain like little streams of brilliant orange fire. This mysterious text that all the paladins in their order must follow cascaded down upon them in a language that was known as the ‘fire key’ or the script of the language of the phoenixes. The glowing language looked like living flame itself, raining down comforting words like a miraculous storm. These firry words reminded Hadji also the secrets that were at the heart of what it meant to be a paladin, what it meant to be one of the few knights who were sworn to uphold justice and truth.
Visit my science fiction fantasy book, book store, novel, reviews, short stories www.phoenixwar.com/ fantasy articles, great free books, and much more
The Utopia where magic and technology mingled like oil and water was illuminated like a thunderstorm of pure fire; the holographic rain thundered down upon them like living sigils of an ancient arcane manuscript. Hadji could read the ancient Phoenixian text clearly, its words comforted him that there was a whole order devoted to uphold the code that the text alluded too. He gazed upward letting the holographic ran splash against his face and disperse; he seemed to gaze up gleefully as the holograms broke on his skin, leaving only the incorporeal remnants of dust made of orange light. The holograms fractured on his skin splitting into atomized particles of pure photonic energy much like the real mist of true rain.
Yet as the rain of pure fire astounded him with its sheer brilliance; a yet even greater wonder was the equally monument the great ‘Astrolabe.’ This spherical monolith was a titanic model of the giant word of Lore and Phoenix Star. This clockwork diorama had in its center the hubword called by its in habitants ‘Phoenix Star,’ and around it was all of its thousands of moons. Hadji could hear the giant machine clattered and hummed as the lesser stars and a plethora of copper moons revolved around the giant piece of clockwork art. Hadji was astounded by their planet’s sheer complexity; he seemed to lose his breath amazed by the massive planet system’s grandeur and god-like design. He was so astounded at the size and mass of the Lore system, it’s deified colossal nature made Hadji doubt how any one mortal---or immortal--- race could have constructed such a massive artificial planet-system.
Yet in the legends the code of the paladin’s detailed in the rain which was still falling down upon them; the immortal race of the Annunaki phoenixes created this mechanical, clockwork world long ago before the ages of myths and legends. The great artificial world could hold the populations of all of the races of the universe together in harmony and peace; or so the Phoenixes thought.
As Hadji watched the giant turning wheels spin and twirl in a clockwork fashion they were the orbs of Dragon Star, Gryphon Star, Unicorn Star, and Cerberus Star. He watched all twelve of the lesser giant worlds---and twelve suns--revolve around the giant hubworld which was called Phoenix Star. Hadji marveled at the tales of its creation suddenly reminded of it as he gazed upward at the mechanical marvel. His brain remembered myths that explained that there was an enormous war in the entire universe against the king of all gods Adonai and the evil Sheől. The forces of good battled fiercely against the lord of all darkness Sheől, this was called the ‘Eternity War;’ this war destroyed much of the universe in a war between good and evil leaving many races stranded and without home worlds.
The first elder race---the Annunaki Phoenixes---built the titan world over a period of many, many years so the lost and scattered races of the universe could live in peace and harmony as one. This artificial construct was designed to be the largest artificial planet in the history of the universe. It was a great planet sphere that knew now limits to its size and to its land mass. It was a life sustaining planet larger that a sun with over an infinite number of miles around its equator. But the giant hub world alone was not enough for the Phoenixes. Excluding the twelve minor giant-words were over a thousand M-class planet-moons and sub-moons revolving around the central sphere. Each one of these thousands of planet sized moons was capable of sustaining life.
It was humbling to think that this the Sovereignty had over a million individual nations and continents of territory over 100 trillion citizens in that one super-nation alone. To think that it was only one of countless super-nations all over the near endless land mass of Phoenix Star. Phoenix Star and the Lore system were just so huge; all of Lore was seemed so gigantic to Hadji. Phoenix Star---and Lore itself---was so enormous that it defied human logic and understanding. Yet it was that massive and it will be forever.
“I really cannot believe it Silat; I just cannot. Is the world we live in so massive?! Millions of nations are in the Sovereignty alone and there are a thousand miles in each one. We are only a small dot on an enormous world. We are still a dot on a dot of this the massive sphere. Are we really so insignificant? With our petty struggles and our warring ways have we truly lost sight of who we really are as mortals? Are we really so small Sir? Is the world really so large and unexplored?” Hadji marveled at the super planet system that the Phoenixes spent millennium building.
Silat seemed to laugh inside of himself silently marveling himself at the boy’s innocence. The boys charming, naïve, innocent wonderings about the world around him were so much like Silat’s when he was a boy. As a paladin he would have to have the strength to protect, Silat knew he would have to possess the endurance to not be corrupted by the world’s evil influence. “The world is always large when you are so young, my friend. But as years go by it starts to lose some of its size and wonder. We keep the Astrolabe here with the code to remind us that the world is a dark place but as long as our oath prevails we will be like flame in the night.”
“Come there is something I wish to show you.” The black-skinned paladin stoked his short white beard and led the youth to a wall. On the stone wall hug a portrait of one of the third or fourth Arch-Paladins of their order, one whose name is only known by obscurity and the wise. Silat seemed to use his magical powers to open the secret passage running his hand on the face of the portrait. A door creaked open in the stone and dust flew out of the crack where the secret door was located.
Silat lead the boy through the mysterious secret door. Within it was a narrow hallway lit by magical green torches; these green fires filled the hall with eerie chartreuse ambiance. Then Silat lead his squire down to a chilly room populated by only dangling spiders and fluttering moths. Silat moved to a chest in the secret chamber into plain view. The Paladin commanded it with a single phoenixian word “shao’ta” and the lock opened upon his command. Just as he did this he lifted the cast iron long box. Silat revealed something that glittered like jewels from within the container’s ancient, decrepit, and musky bowls.
“This…” Silat continued lifting with honor and dignity a majestic sword from within the sealed chest. It was a gleaming adamant sword crafted by the finest Annunaki artisans with a golden hilt and many inlaid jewels. The sword had an ancient hieroglyphic script on it that was ornate and…abstract. This illusory pattern consisted of lines, dots, and curves in a form of writing that was like nothing he had ever seen. It was in some strange language of the Phoenixes called the “Forbidden key.” Or the “Key of Dreams” that Hadji had only heard only in fables and legends.
Silat continued showing him the silk wrapped blade, “…This is the most ancient sword ever created on our world it has existed since before the breaking of time. It has existed since the days of the Annunaki Empire long before this universe was forged, and it is a marvelous relic that has existed before this universe was even created. It is billions of years old Hadji…billions of years old. What we know of it is that it was the sword of an Annunaki king; we also know it bestows great power upon its user for good or for evil. It is called simply the sword of Exodus.”
Hadji ran his finger foolishly against the magnificent blade and was surprised to see that it made a red blood dripping wound on his index finger and he cried out recoiling in surprised pain, “It is sharp!”
“Yes,” Silat insisted almost laughing at the boy’s innate curiosity and testing. Hadji observed that the sword was a billion years old yet still was a sharp as the day it was forged, “It is made of indestructible adamant metal it was sharp at the beginning of the universe and it will be sharp until the end of time; my young friend.”
Silat calmly and with a huff sat down and placed the ancient sword on the table. Silat sighed mysterious words, “My boy…” he said tiredly not wanting to bring pain onto his squire. “I have been charged by this order to protect this blade with my life if I must. I will do just that. I have sworn to protect this ancient relic from beyond our known universe. It is one of the many ‘God-Swords’ of the elder races that include the dark Philosopher’s Sword and the sword of Kolbajorn Uriél.”
“These swords were not meant for mortal hands or even the hands of the elder races themselves. This sword could destroy the world if placed in the wrong hands. By commands from our order I have protected Exodus from the hands of evil doers all of my waking life. I have been training you secretly and testing you to see it you were of pure-hearted enough and innocent enough to keep Exodus. I wanted to see if you could use the sword for righteous purposes and not use it for your own selfish needs. It is time that you take the sword from me and protect it with your life. One day you will know that this sword will test you. You must pass Exodus’ tests if you are to wield its great and awesome power. Someday you must do this Hadji but most likely not now. If you do this you will be able to wield great power; but if you fail Hadji I do not know what will happen to you. Yet may that time come another day; come my squire I think we better leave this place and its secrets, come.” And the black-skinned man led him out of the hidden shrine. Visit my science fiction fantasy book, book store, novel, reviews, short stories www.phoenixwar.com/ fantasy articles, great free books, and much more
Chapter 1
Exodus
Exodus
The paladin Silat Brosuard, and his squire Hadji Kitar battled with staves on an ancient, rickety, wooden bridge. The wobbling bridge hung high in the air and barely supported their combined weight. As the two combatants looked over the many grand waterfalls of Doa’aku, the two warriors battled each other fiercely striking and parrying over a gigantic waterfall. All the while the two cried out fierce grunts, yells, and calls as they sparred on the ancient, dilapidated, rotting bridge, Silat laughed at his squire’s fear as the bridge seemed to almost crumble under their combined weight. Not too far in the distance was the city of Doa’aku; which in Phoenixian meant: “Protection from Evil,” The city before them was called the “Copper City,” or the “City of Oaths.” The gleaming copper-plated city was the home of the order of the Oathkeeper paladin knights, who protected goodness and truth and fought against evil in whatever form it took.
Yet there were others such as the honor guard riders who shared similar oaths. These apprentice knights rode winged dinosaurs called pterodactyls. These appetencies circled over head, their winged reptiles weaving in and out of the gigantic waterfalls making the flowing water spray with their forty foot long wing spans. The screaming dinosaurs called screeching cries and squawked high above the two paladins. Wild versions of these beasts also flew in and out of the many waterfalls that made up the much larger ones. Yet a flock of the pterodactyls was not wild; these flying mounts were ridden by a troop of experienced riders. These knights were also training to be warriors of the forces of good. Rebelliously they deviated from their training the apprentice teenagers swooped down from the clouds to get a view of the epic sparing battle.
As the dinosaur riders cheered the young boy on; the paladin squire named Hadji Kitar twirled his staff in a graceful and intricate circular pattern. He let the iron wood, head-high, flexible staff rest in his armpit. The nine-year-old extended his left hand in a kind of display of readiness; breaking the intense sparring session for a brief moment. The paladin squire tried to catch his breath for a quick few seconds, straitening his short frame which looked small for his age making him appear younger than nine. However the squire acted bravely and was far more mature and precocious than any child Silat had ever known. Silat smiled at the boy then twirled his staff and then came at him in a hailstorm of blows.
As they sparred the old rotting bridge swayed and vibrated dangerously with each fluid crash and strike of their staves. Wood clashed against wood and flesh. The mock battle made a plethora of clanking, popping, and human sounds in the morning air. Silat’s staff made a stinging sound as his master’s staff stunned the boy again and again forcing him to forge a new defensive pattern. The paladin urged him to up his game to give it everything he had to defeat the black skinned man. Just then Silat laughed as he kicked Hadji with the balls of his feet straight into his chest making him fall back, the wind escaped with an audible ‘shoosh’ noise out of Hadji’s lungs as he crashed onto the dilapidating bridge.
His mentor pulled Hadji up off of the bridge laughing, “Quite a good fight young one, I think now you may be finally ready…” the black skinned man named Silat Brosuard cloaked his message in secrecy; he masked his true intentions in the mysteries of the universe leaving Hadji skeptical of what was to come from the old man.
The boy suddenly grew a skeptical, questioning, almost fearful look on his face, the squire tried to discern with all of his wisdom and intuition what his teacher had in store for him that day. After a particularly hard trial of his skill both mentally and physically, Hadji knew he was ready for something other than training, “Ready for what Sir?”
Silat seemed to laugh at the boy’s innocence even as the true darkness was all over the world and beyond. As if remembering when he was that young; he fumbled with his copper wristband that held the circle and cross insignia of the paladins of the Oathkeeper order. He had been given that bracelet as a young boy from a paladin who had freed him from slavery in the Akkashin Empire so long ago. He had always worn it to remind himself of the truth of the order they were to uphold the weak and fight for goodness and light, “Come Hadji, I will show you.”
From the simple wooden bridge that had served as their sparring ring; the elder paladin twirled his staff once and then turned it into a walking stick. The staff ---which served the old man well--- proved a much needed aid for his creaky back. The elderly black-skinned man brushed his short white beard as he led Hadji off of the bridge towards the copper city of Doa’aku. The city was surrounded by waterfalls and gleamed like metallic fire in the noon sun because it was totally made of copper.
The waterfalls that surrounded the copper city roared and gurgled like a thousand thunderstorms, each one of them was a layer of another larger fall that cascaded down into the Sea of Moons. Above these waterfalls flying dinosaurs littered the sky, the reptiles flew high above them and swooping down; their riders casually gave hellos to the paladin elder and his squire in applauding laughter. The dinosaurs and their honor guard riders patrolled the skies over the city soaring above them and descended swiftly going back into the disciplined routines of their their training missions. The more adventurous dinosaur riders raced above the city and the waterfalls in friendly competition, laughing in hooting calls of excitement and adventurous joy.
Once the old, creaky, elderly paladin and his squire entered the sprawling city of Doa’aku, Silat lead him into the heart of Doa’aku; the mysterious old conjure lead him into to the inner sanctuary of the order of knights sworn to protect virtue and truth. As Hadji looked up at the great marble statues of the paladin elders of old the boy was reminded that they were sworn be to be tools whatever missions seemed good and just in the world. A large statue of St. Karrsha reminded the young man that their order answered to no king or nation and had many basses all over the world. Their purpose was singular; they fought to bring order to a chaotic world and light to the darkest places in it. As though lost in thought Hadji let Silat lead him though the twisting halls of the paladin sanctuary and into a great room filled with mystery and honor.
The room they now were in was the inner room of the Copper ziggurat at the heart of the copper city of Doa’aku; this was the room of the oath. Hadji had seen it before but not on the day of the full moon; on that day once a month the code of the oath streamed down in holographic rain like little streams of brilliant orange fire. This mysterious text that all the paladins in their order must follow cascaded down upon them in a language that was known as the ‘fire key’ or the script of the language of the phoenixes. The glowing language looked like living flame itself, raining down comforting words like a miraculous storm. These firry words reminded Hadji also the secrets that were at the heart of what it meant to be a paladin, what it meant to be one of the few knights who were sworn to uphold justice and truth.
Visit my science fiction fantasy book, book store, novel, reviews, short stories www.phoenixwar.com/ fantasy articles, great free books, and much more
The Utopia where magic and technology mingled like oil and water was illuminated like a thunderstorm of pure fire; the holographic rain thundered down upon them like living sigils of an ancient arcane manuscript. Hadji could read the ancient Phoenixian text clearly, its words comforted him that there was a whole order devoted to uphold the code that the text alluded too. He gazed upward letting the holographic ran splash against his face and disperse; he seemed to gaze up gleefully as the holograms broke on his skin, leaving only the incorporeal remnants of dust made of orange light. The holograms fractured on his skin splitting into atomized particles of pure photonic energy much like the real mist of true rain.
Yet as the rain of pure fire astounded him with its sheer brilliance; a yet even greater wonder was the equally monument the great ‘Astrolabe.’ This spherical monolith was a titanic model of the giant word of Lore and Phoenix Star. This clockwork diorama had in its center the hubword called by its in habitants ‘Phoenix Star,’ and around it was all of its thousands of moons. Hadji could hear the giant machine clattered and hummed as the lesser stars and a plethora of copper moons revolved around the giant piece of clockwork art. Hadji was astounded by their planet’s sheer complexity; he seemed to lose his breath amazed by the massive planet system’s grandeur and god-like design. He was so astounded at the size and mass of the Lore system, it’s deified colossal nature made Hadji doubt how any one mortal---or immortal--- race could have constructed such a massive artificial planet-system.
Yet in the legends the code of the paladin’s detailed in the rain which was still falling down upon them; the immortal race of the Annunaki phoenixes created this mechanical, clockwork world long ago before the ages of myths and legends. The great artificial world could hold the populations of all of the races of the universe together in harmony and peace; or so the Phoenixes thought.
As Hadji watched the giant turning wheels spin and twirl in a clockwork fashion they were the orbs of Dragon Star, Gryphon Star, Unicorn Star, and Cerberus Star. He watched all twelve of the lesser giant worlds---and twelve suns--revolve around the giant hubworld which was called Phoenix Star. Hadji marveled at the tales of its creation suddenly reminded of it as he gazed upward at the mechanical marvel. His brain remembered myths that explained that there was an enormous war in the entire universe against the king of all gods Adonai and the evil Sheől. The forces of good battled fiercely against the lord of all darkness Sheől, this was called the ‘Eternity War;’ this war destroyed much of the universe in a war between good and evil leaving many races stranded and without home worlds.
The first elder race---the Annunaki Phoenixes---built the titan world over a period of many, many years so the lost and scattered races of the universe could live in peace and harmony as one. This artificial construct was designed to be the largest artificial planet in the history of the universe. It was a great planet sphere that knew now limits to its size and to its land mass. It was a life sustaining planet larger that a sun with over an infinite number of miles around its equator. But the giant hub world alone was not enough for the Phoenixes. Excluding the twelve minor giant-words were over a thousand M-class planet-moons and sub-moons revolving around the central sphere. Each one of these thousands of planet sized moons was capable of sustaining life.
It was humbling to think that this the Sovereignty had over a million individual nations and continents of territory over 100 trillion citizens in that one super-nation alone. To think that it was only one of countless super-nations all over the near endless land mass of Phoenix Star. Phoenix Star and the Lore system were just so huge; all of Lore was seemed so gigantic to Hadji. Phoenix Star---and Lore itself---was so enormous that it defied human logic and understanding. Yet it was that massive and it will be forever.
“I really cannot believe it Silat; I just cannot. Is the world we live in so massive?! Millions of nations are in the Sovereignty alone and there are a thousand miles in each one. We are only a small dot on an enormous world. We are still a dot on a dot of this the massive sphere. Are we really so insignificant? With our petty struggles and our warring ways have we truly lost sight of who we really are as mortals? Are we really so small Sir? Is the world really so large and unexplored?” Hadji marveled at the super planet system that the Phoenixes spent millennium building.
Silat seemed to laugh inside of himself silently marveling himself at the boy’s innocence. The boys charming, naïve, innocent wonderings about the world around him were so much like Silat’s when he was a boy. As a paladin he would have to have the strength to protect, Silat knew he would have to possess the endurance to not be corrupted by the world’s evil influence. “The world is always large when you are so young, my friend. But as years go by it starts to lose some of its size and wonder. We keep the Astrolabe here with the code to remind us that the world is a dark place but as long as our oath prevails we will be like flame in the night.”
“Come there is something I wish to show you.” The black-skinned paladin stoked his short white beard and led the youth to a wall. On the stone wall hug a portrait of one of the third or fourth Arch-Paladins of their order, one whose name is only known by obscurity and the wise. Silat seemed to use his magical powers to open the secret passage running his hand on the face of the portrait. A door creaked open in the stone and dust flew out of the crack where the secret door was located.
Silat lead the boy through the mysterious secret door. Within it was a narrow hallway lit by magical green torches; these green fires filled the hall with eerie chartreuse ambiance. Then Silat lead his squire down to a chilly room populated by only dangling spiders and fluttering moths. Silat moved to a chest in the secret chamber into plain view. The Paladin commanded it with a single phoenixian word “shao’ta” and the lock opened upon his command. Just as he did this he lifted the cast iron long box. Silat revealed something that glittered like jewels from within the container’s ancient, decrepit, and musky bowls.
“This…” Silat continued lifting with honor and dignity a majestic sword from within the sealed chest. It was a gleaming adamant sword crafted by the finest Annunaki artisans with a golden hilt and many inlaid jewels. The sword had an ancient hieroglyphic script on it that was ornate and…abstract. This illusory pattern consisted of lines, dots, and curves in a form of writing that was like nothing he had ever seen. It was in some strange language of the Phoenixes called the “Forbidden key.” Or the “Key of Dreams” that Hadji had only heard only in fables and legends.
Silat continued showing him the silk wrapped blade, “…This is the most ancient sword ever created on our world it has existed since before the breaking of time. It has existed since the days of the Annunaki Empire long before this universe was forged, and it is a marvelous relic that has existed before this universe was even created. It is billions of years old Hadji…billions of years old. What we know of it is that it was the sword of an Annunaki king; we also know it bestows great power upon its user for good or for evil. It is called simply the sword of Exodus.”
Hadji ran his finger foolishly against the magnificent blade and was surprised to see that it made a red blood dripping wound on his index finger and he cried out recoiling in surprised pain, “It is sharp!”
“Yes,” Silat insisted almost laughing at the boy’s innate curiosity and testing. Hadji observed that the sword was a billion years old yet still was a sharp as the day it was forged, “It is made of indestructible adamant metal it was sharp at the beginning of the universe and it will be sharp until the end of time; my young friend.”
Silat calmly and with a huff sat down and placed the ancient sword on the table. Silat sighed mysterious words, “My boy…” he said tiredly not wanting to bring pain onto his squire. “I have been charged by this order to protect this blade with my life if I must. I will do just that. I have sworn to protect this ancient relic from beyond our known universe. It is one of the many ‘God-Swords’ of the elder races that include the dark Philosopher’s Sword and the sword of Kolbajorn Uriél.”
“These swords were not meant for mortal hands or even the hands of the elder races themselves. This sword could destroy the world if placed in the wrong hands. By commands from our order I have protected Exodus from the hands of evil doers all of my waking life. I have been training you secretly and testing you to see it you were of pure-hearted enough and innocent enough to keep Exodus. I wanted to see if you could use the sword for righteous purposes and not use it for your own selfish needs. It is time that you take the sword from me and protect it with your life. One day you will know that this sword will test you. You must pass Exodus’ tests if you are to wield its great and awesome power. Someday you must do this Hadji but most likely not now. If you do this you will be able to wield great power; but if you fail Hadji I do not know what will happen to you. Yet may that time come another day; come my squire I think we better leave this place and its secrets, come.” And the black-skinned man led him out of the hidden shrine. Visit my science fiction fantasy book, book store, novel, reviews, short stories www.phoenixwar.com/ fantasy articles, great free books, and much more