The Pyramids of Set (Chapter 2)
Tales of Arnon the Wanderer
Read: The Pyramids of Set (Chapter 1)
All of a Summal had come out for a festival that Amahal said was to glorify the Gods and bless the coming season. That was why the dignitaries from both Atlantis and the kingdom across the ocean had come by Vimāna, to attend. Everyone was dressed in their finest clothes, music was played for the enjoyment of all, and food stalls were set up before the Sphinx and the steps of the great hall. In the distance, the Vimāna machine hovered off to the side of the great pyramid. Some great technological magic from within the pyramid was being pushed directly into the machine as it hovered there, to keep it powered and hanging there in the sky.
Around the base of the Vimāna were attached smaller vehicles that detached and held two to four people as well as cargo. These were the machines used to carry the dignitaries to the surface. Three of them were now on the ground before the great pyramid. The priests of Set, in their black robes and red turbans, held tight with a braided cord of wood, stood guard. They each carried a curved scimitar and a small dagger in the red sash that was roped around their waists. The priests never smiled. They were cold and off-putting. The image of cruelty in a society that looked as if it had never known hardships. They had blue-black beards and a black paint that surrounded their eyes. The people of Summal gave the priests a wide berth whenever they came through.
A platform had been raised in the square, before the steps to the great hall and the Sphinx that overlooked the proceddings from above. This was where King Thutomeke, his royal wife Selika and his daughter Elsim were seated, as well as the dignitaries from the great cities. There were several young suitors to the right of the platform where Elsim was seated. She was of an age where soon she would marry and the men of Summal looked on her as if entranced by her beauty. She had raven black hair that fell over her naked shoulder like midnight hides the day. Her enticing figure was easy to make out through the white silks that barely hid her browned skin from the eyes of those very eager suitors. She had dark brown eyes, a small nose, and luscious lips that curved into a shy smile which also toyed with the suitors as they vied for her attention.
Amahal had gone to great lengths to inform me of how life and customs in Summalian society were observed in preparation for this grand celebration that he wanted me to see. I believe he wanted me to be the chronicle of what I saw because I was a traveler and not prone to stay in one place for too long. Though even I had to admit to myself, in the first few days, Summal seemed like the ideal land to settle in.
As the sun set and the torches were lit, the dignitaries and priests began to make speeches and conduct their prayers to Set. The great Kukulkan from the kingdom over the ocean brought news of the growth of their great cities and the trade that would come from that growth and partnership of the alliance of the three kingdoms. King Thutomeke smiled and waved and then praised Set for this season’s harvest that was sure to be abundant and plentiful. King Curilian of Atlantis, the last of the kings to speak, because he was considered the high King and Atlantis the central kingdom of this world spanning fledgling empire, took to the center of the platform and issued platitudes and well wishes until his tone changed and he grew much more serious. This is when he stepped back and gave the floor to the High Priest from Atlantis. There was no good will or levity from this one.
“It is true that Set has guided us through the harrowing times so that now we can celebrate the beginning of what looks to be a golden age,” applause from the crowd, “But Set needs assurances of our commitment and servitude. It was only last year that the kingdom across the sea sacrificed thirteen pure daughters from their great families, chosen for this honor by the great King Kukulkan himself. But those sacrifices only pleased Set for the year that was and Set needs more assurance. Set has chosen Summal for this year’s offering,” and the reaction in the crowd was now mixed from cheers to murmurs brought about by fear. “Set is not asking for thirteen sacrifices this season,” carried on the High Priest, “But for just one. One that is of royal blood. For Set has asked King Thutomeke to offer his daughter Elsim as a sacrifice for the prosperity of all people of the great cities.” The people in the crowd looked confused, they could not believe this demand was being made for they loved the royal family. King Thutomeke, Queen Selika and their daughter Elsim looked about in shock, for this appeared to be the first time they were hearing this ordained commandment. “The daughter of the King shall be sacrificed at the foot of the Sphinx tomorrow as the sun sets. This will bring ten years of prosperity to the great cities of Set,” declared the High Priest.
The King rushed forward but the priests of Set, elevated to a higher authority than even royalty, stepped in his way. The two visiting Kings nodded in agreement to the High Priest and the fate of Elsim was sealed. King Thutomeke did not have a say in the matter.
Amahal pulled me aside and said, “This is most unusual. Never has a daughter of royalty been chosen for sacrifice. This is an insult to the people of Summal.”
I looked over to Elsim on the platform, tears running down her face, the suitors in the corner had all dispersed from the area, “What kind of great society sacrifices their people?” I asked Amahal, “Even the savages from the South do not sacrifice their own daughters for the tribe.”
“It is the way of Set, my friend. We have all of this because Set grants it. If we do not sacrifice as he tells us to, then he will take all of this from us. We must do as Set demands but Set has never demanded one of the royals. Summalians revere our royal family. If the King and his family are healthy then the land and the people will be healthy. It is for us to provide the sacrifices not for the King.”
“Damn Set, and damn any society that plays these types of blood games. I will not allow this.”
“You can do nothing. You are an outsider. If you interfere, the Priests of Set will flay your skin from your body and make you watch as they remove your organs.”
“Do you want the King’s daughter sacrificed?”
“No of course not, but what can we do?”
“Tell me where they are taking the King and his family?”
“It looks like they are going to the temple below the Sphinx, through the great hall.. I have never been inside but I’ve heard that it is so,” said Amahal..
I set off through the crowd to follow the King’s family as the Priests of Set guided them down the steps and through the grand entrance to the great hall. From my place at the edge of the market I watched as the royal family descended and then two armed Priests of Set stood guard at the entrance. There was nothing I could do with so many people all around. I needed to wait until they had gone to their homes for the night. Then I would make my move.
Deep in the early hours of morning when the people had already fallen asleep and were in the throes of the dream world, I crept around to the Sphinx, making my way to the edge and then looking below to see the two guards leaning up against the walk to the grand entrance. Using a rope I had taken from the stables, I secured it to the sacrificial platform that had been erected and then slowly, lowered myself down the shear wall, my soft leather soled sandals like pads against the sandstone, making no sound as I was a careful not to disturb any loose sand or debris that had gathered around the edges or the intricate carvings in the great entrance. When I was just above the first guard I kicked out from the wall, allowed some slack to be let loose from my grip and then swung back toward the guard, my feet driving into his head and crushing him into the hard stone of the grand entrance. I dropped from the rope and the other guard quickly stood and then rushed me. I diverted his long overhead swing by grabbing his arm in my left hand and then delivering a right-handed fist to the left side of his face. He went down into the sand and I delivered a final strike with my foot to his head, blood already seeping through his red turban to mix with the loose grains of sand at my feet.
Quickly I secured a scimitar and dagger and then pushed the magnificent stone doors inward on their smooth hinges. The depth and the awe of the great hall greeted me. Statues of the Kings of Summal lined the right, while statues of what appeared to be High Priests of Set lined the left wall. I could see the temple doors at the far end of the great hall. Torches in the walls gave off enough light to see that there were no Priests of Set standing guard within, yet I moved cautiously into that sprawling spectacle of history.
On the door to the temple, tall figures with plated beards had been carved. The language that surrounded them was not like the language I had seen written by Amahal or around the city of Summal. It looked, and felt, older and out of place here. I gently pushed the stone doors inward. In the middle of the room, King Thutomeke, his wife, and daughter crouched near an altar. The king stood when he saw me enter, “Who are you?”
“My name is Arnon. I am an outsider that came to your city from across the Southern wildlands.”
His brow scrunched, he looked back at his wife, and then back to me, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to take your daughter away from this place. The priests cannot kill what has been stolen away from them.”
Again he looked at his wife, and his wife and daughter both showed surprise and confusion on their faces, “Where will you take her that the Priests of Set cannot follow,” asked the king.
“I come from the lands to the North and I intend to make it back there. While the cities are not as advanced or pristine as Summal, they are suitable for the living. Your daughter can make a new home in the North and stay alive.”
“But why would you risk your life to help us?”
“Because ritual sacrifice is an aberration and no society that declares itself to be civilized should partake in such arcane and needless activities. I will see your daughter to the North and perhaps you can work to change your city. If you look into the eyes of your people, they were just as devastated as you were when your daughter’s sacrifice was declared by that rat of a high priest. No God would demand life for crops and good weather.”
“How do you know? Set has always enacted a high price through the sacrifice of our innocent,” said the king.
“Do you want your daughter to live or not?” I demanded.
His head dropped for a moment and then he said, “Quickly, through the door at the back of the temple. There is a tunnel that will lead to the great pyramid. The tunnel ends at stairs that will ascend to a small chamber, there is a shaft there that will lead you outside of the pyramid.”
I moved past the king and extended my hand to his daughter. She hugged her mother and then took my hand. The sun would break soon and I wanted to be outside the pyramid before dawn so we could use what was left of the darkness to cover our escape.
I grabbed a torch from the wall with my left hand and then drew the scimitar for my right, ducking into the small tunnel and extending the torch before me. As I moved down the hallway, I glanced back to see that Elsim was sticking close behind me. The air was stale and hot. The tunnel didn’t seem to be overly used as cobwebs hung freely from the ceiling and the walls. As soon as we began to ascend the stairs into the pyramid, breathing became less labored and a subtle breeze from above touched our sweat-saturated flesh.
The small chamber we came out of was empty. There were three steps within a smaller shaft that led us out to the side of the pyramid, opposite the side where the Vimāna was being recharged. We weren’t far from the ground below and I went first, dropping to each step and helping Elsim down as I went. Just before the last step at the base, Elsim asked, “Where do we go from here? Won’t we need supplies to make the journey north?”
“I was planning on hiding us at my friend Amahal’s place and setting out at night, but they may send priests to search for you and I don’t want him and his family to get caught up in this. What about these smaller flying machines? Have you ever seen how one is used?”
“No, I only know they are used as a transport from the ground to the big one above.”
I looked at the field where the three vehicles were settled and noticed a man walking down the rampart and picking up some crates and then taking them back into the small machine. That gave me an idea, “I’m going to force one of these drivers to take us up to the big ship.”
“Then what? asked Elsim.
“Then I’ll force the driver of the big machine to carry us away.”
“What if he refuses?”
“Then he will lose head and I’ll think of another plan for escape.”
I only saw the one man loading and unloading the machine. Maybe we could stowaway without them noticing. We would need to be silent and get into the small machine without the driver taking notice. If we could get to the big machine without killing the driver, then no one would know we were aboard.
We dropped to the sand from the final step and we moved toward the corner of the pyramid, three priests came from around the back corner. Once they saw us, they began running our way. I moved between the oncoming priests and Elsim and then drew the dagger to accompany the scimitar already in my right hand.
The priests fought like demons, swords slashing as their disheveled chaos was ignited from within. They were warriors but they were not warriors as we have in the north. The first lost his head with a strike of my scimitar that sliced through his brain and lodged down in his mouth. The next took my dagger in his gut as I stabbed him in quick successive motion. The third was lucky and was able to get a slash through on my right shoulder, but this enraged me and I moved quickly upon him, grabbing his head, twisting it quickly, and then watching as he fell to the sand with a broken neck.
I ripped a section from one of the priest’s robes and used it as a bandage for the shoulder wound that was now freely bleeding. The last thing I wanted was for blood on the ground to betray our method of escape.
All that was left now was to get into that smaller machine and then get to the bigger one before daylight broke and these dead priests were discovered.
The Pyramids of Set (Chapter 3)
Yep. Enjoyed!