Chapter Four
The Forbidden City of Khalisahr, 326 BC
The King Allured And Abducted
Alexander eagerly followed the alluring woman into the jungle. She held his hand and gently compelled him to walk under the vault of the enormous trees. Her hand was warm, it felt almost sizzling hot, and she was unnaturally strong for a woman. Once Alexander felt something grasp at his hair. There was a hissing sound quickly silenced by the woman's stern reproach.
"Not yet, my darlings. You must wait until our favourite subject have had his say."
Alexander found this very strange, even threatening. He looked back, wanting the safer company of his friends, but he could not see them. They were well and thoroughly hidden behind a thick curtain of jungle trees. Soon he was lulled by the wonderful fragrances from the woman and the many and beautiful jungle flowers. They were big and overwhelming, like a rainbow of bright and radiant colours. He followed the golden haired woman, his will being sapped by her strong hand that lead him straight into the darkest parts of the jungle.
When they had walked for hours and hours a dark abode rose in front of them. It had many onion shaped towers and minarets, its walls were thick and made from pitch black stones, bricks and mortar. Its gates were adorned with huge snakes, fangs, elephant tusks and ferocious tiger and panther heads.
It looked like the Gates of Hell itself.
Alexander did not see it that way. All that he saw was the sun sifting through the foliage, the sparkling flowers and the beauty of the alluring woman. All that he felt was her soft, silken grasp. All that he smelt was the wonderful scent of her perfume and the flowers around her.
He saw a white city with a beautiful Castle inside. Its onion shaped towers were golden and shone brightly in the sun. Its walls were adorned with fragrant roses and exotic climbers of many different kinds and colours.
It appeared before the allured King as the most wonderful place on all Earth.
Alexander eagerly followed the woman inside.
The fanged gates closed behind him.
The King Is Missing!
Hephaestion screamed out loud at the horrifying sight of Alexander's golden hair around the neck of the venomous cobra.
"He is gone! He is GONE! The God of Death has stolen my Alexander!"
Cleitus and the Guards came to him, trying to calm him down. Even Ptolemy rose on weak and wobbly legs. They talked to him, trying to restore his senses and reason.
"Hephaestion. You must stay calm and in order. Things do look very bad, but we have a whole army around us. We must send out a search party for King Alexander. We will find him soon. He cannot be far away."
"Yes, you are right. We must start the search at once!"
Hephaestion drunk some sparkling mountain water from a jug. He then brought some more with him, together with a basket filled with bread and goat cheese. Cleitus and the Guards followed him, together with a party of their most reliable men.
They searched the jungle forever and ever, finding nothing and no one. The big trees with their enormous trunks rose before them like a wall of impregnable obstacles. The beautiful fragrant flowers sent their scents to bedazzle and bewilder them.
Their were no traces of Alexander, neither of any sinister and divine abductors. The Companions were quite confused since they had seen two very different god like abductors take their King and friend away from them.
Hephaestion saw a tunnel leading deeper into the jungle. Nychta and Mavra went towards it. The faithful black panthers sniffed, lifting their right front paws as if to point out the right path.
Hephaestion came up to them, gently patting their furry heads.
"Good girls, good girls, "he said to them. "Let's go find Alexander together.
At the same time, he felt the necklace burning and coiling at his neck and breast. He remembered the time way back in Macedon, when he searched for his little baby sister. He had found Helen with the help of his black panthers then.
He was sure that he would find Alexander now! He simply must find him.
He could not do without him.
Into The Forbidden City
Alexander followed the alluring woman into the city. The smell of roses and other fragrant Indian flowers in many brilliant colours overwhelmed him. He felt dizzy, almost nauseous. The woman saw his distress and produced a flagon with a sweet smelling mixture. She poured it into a golden cup and offered it to him. He drank it with eager happiness. At first it tasted good and refreshing. Then he noted a sharp tinge and he recognized the bitter taste and scent of opium. He stumbled and reeled. The golden haired woman took him by the arm. Once more he realized how unnaturally strong she was. She beckoned to him and assisted him when they entered a luxurious Palace. It was filled with beautiful furniture and silken cushions and fabrics. The furniture was made from dark brown and coal black woods, a beautiful contrast to the bright red, orange and crimson colours of the fabrics and cushions. Servants stood everywhere, waving and wafting with giant feathery fans to ward off the excessive heat.
The King of Macedon was taken in to a most beautiful chamber. A bed bedecked with white feather mattresses, cushions and quilts awaited him in the middle of the room. Wonderful, sweet smelling flowers adorned the room. They were put in vases made from gold and silver. A sumptuous meal waited on a table. There were all kinds of delicious eastern food, prepared with herbs and spices. A pitcher with cold water rested in the middle, together with a flagon filled with strong, ruby red wine.
"Sit down, King Sikandar, " the woman beckoned to him. " I want to offer you a feast most luxurious. All the splendours of India will be yours."
Alexander sat down at the table. The soft cushions received him as tenderly as a mother embraces her beloved child. He ate and drank. The food was the best that he had ever tasted and the wine and water the most refreshing ever.
He did not notice the strange aftertaste and the mouldy bitterness at the back of his mouth and tongue. .
Servant girls sang and danced around the table. Strong and agile slaves made gymnastics, jumping and showing off with all kinds of acrobatics and somersaults. Alexander enjoyed the show immensely and applauded the performers with great enthusiasm.
Suddenly, he felt very sleepy. The woman came up to him. She took him in her arms and lifted him with great ease.
"Come with me, Sikandar. Now you must rest. You are tired and you will have a very long rest in my arms."
"Yes, my Mistress, but you have not told me your name yet, "the King answered. "Whoever are you?"
"Khali, my Sikandar, you can call me Khali. "
Now Alexander saw that she was not milk white and golden haired at all. Her skin was dark as coal, her hair black as night, she had eight arms and a whole bunch of slithering venomous snakes surrounded her. She overwhelmed him with a suffocating embrace. He fought against her but she was far too strong for him. Soon Alexander succumbed to her overwhelming strength. She reminded him of a darker, more dangerous Olympias, come to haunt him even when they were continents apart.
A dark cloud engulfed him. He fell into a deep, drugged sleep.
He did not know what he would wake up to.
The King In Captivity
Now King Alexander was stark awake. He was in a dark, cold, dismal and gloomy dungeon, sitting on a hard wooden cot. There were no cushions, mattresses or blankets whatsoever to shield him from the damp and cold.
He shivered violently.
Where was he? He missed his Companions and his Army. He especially missed Hephaestion, Cleitus and his faithful Guards.
Damp, mould and mildew sifted down from the stone roof and walls. It smelt something awful and he coughed and sneezed from displeasure.
Something was hissing at his feet. He looked down - straight into the eyes of a glaring and venomous cobra.
Alexander quickly withdrew his feet and curled up on the hard cot.
"Sikandar! How do you like my hospitality?"
A giant, dark haired man dressed in Indian green silks and with a necklace adorned with gold and blood red rubies suddenly appeared in the room. He was flanked by two huge tigers. Frightened servants cowered behind him and his feral guards.
"I am the Lord Ahriman, and you, Sikandar, will enjoy my hospitality for a very long time! I want my revenge for what you and your Companions did to my beloved brother, Ohrlaszh! "