Hello all,
Here comes the nineteenth entry to my Destiny tale. Alexander and Hephaestion now have to meet one of their most Formidable Foes. The fight happens in the Dream World, but it is very real and dangerous.
All the best wishes and hopefully good reading,
/ NorthernLight
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Escape From Destiny, Part Nineteen
Ecbatana, 323 BC
Wrath Of A Golden King
Alexander was used to always be victorious, always in control of everything and everyone. He was the greatest King on earth, and the greatest Conqueror.
Not this time, not against this merciless foe. The strange illness that threatened his Dear One was too hard to resist. He had Healing powers, he had the very best Doctor and Healer to help him. All their efforts had been to no avail.
Hephaestion was dying!
Alexander sat at his bedside, feeling quite numb and powerless. He desperately wanted to stay awake and to help his Dear One. He had given him potions and ointments, he had spoken calming and reassuring words to no help at all. Now Alexander felt that his very mind began to give up. The brightness of his wits were darkened by a dreary gray blanket of numbness.
The King was falling asleep in the wicker chair. He could not resist the dreadful drowsiness.
Soon he was in the Dream World. Most of the time it was a lovely place for him, filled with beauty and tranquility, also with friends and dear ones.
Not now. This Dream World was dark as night, filled with choking black clouds. Through them Alexander saw his Hephaestion lying numb and powerless on the cold, hard ground. He was surrounded by sharp, thorny plants with flowers smelling of something odious and rotten. A Dark Shadow hovered over him. At first it looked like a giant spider. Then he saw that it was a giant, black skinned woman. She was dressed in billowing skirts the colour of newly shed blood and she had a necklace made of ivory skulls, screaming with fear and dismay. The strangest thing with her was that she had eight arms. In each taloned hand she held a razor sharp scimitar. She brandished her deadly weapons at Hephaestion, preparing to cut him into small pieces.
Hephaestion was a very strong man and a formidable warrior. Now he was quite powerless. Soon he would succumb to his horrible foe. She spoke hard words of darkness and defeat. Hephaestion could barely answer. He had never before been so very weak, so very ill.
Defense Of A Friend
Alexander felt a golden wrath engulf him and he challenged the She Devil.
"NO! You are mistaken, Dark Goddess, "he said in a powerful manner. "He has a Friend and King who has come to his Rescue. You will not claim him!"
Now the King had a long and flaming sword in his hand. He brandished it and leaped towards the Dark Goddess. She came at him, brandishing all her eight scimitars. They started a cruel fencing game. Darkness emanated from Kali's scimitars. Light came from Alexander's long sword. The Light at first seemed to swallow the Darkness. Then it begun to dim and fade. Alexander had great difficulties against his opponents' eight razor sharp scimitars. Then he felt his breath labour and it became more and more strained.
Soon he could not breath at all. He gasped for air, but the Darkness managed to choke him. He called out in a frenzied whisper.
"I need friends and allied!, "he screamed out loud. "Rally to me, all you who love me and Hephaestion!"
Vigilant Guards
Stefanos and Alexios had been faithfully standing guard outside Hephaestion's chambers ever since his illness had taken a turn to the very worst. Replacements came and went but the Faithful Guards stood there holding on to their spears and shields for dear life.
They had one more friend at their side.
The Archer was there. He stood between Stefanos and Alexios, holding them up with his own strength and power. He had a sparkling blue flagon well protected in a fold of his azure blue cloak.
It was the Persian Sovereign remedy.
The Archer desperately wanted to use it. He clutched at it and wanted to produce the miraculous blue flagon. Then a Voice sounding like the sparkling waters and the freshness of springtime breezes whispered in his ear:
"NO, my brave son of Persia. You must not use it now. The hour of direst need is yet to come!"
It was the Goddess Anahita. She commanded all the waters on Mother Earth, but she could also be invoked for Health, Healing and Prosperity.
The Archer bowed his head, finding that he must obey her.
Stefanos nodded. He was very, very tired now. He knew that he must stay awake but it became more and more impossible. Then he drifted into a deep sleep. He was a very strong and reliable man so he managed to stay on his feet even when in such a deep sleep.
The Dream World beckoned to him. It usually was filled with beauty and tranquility, friends and flowers.
Not this time. All around him was darkness and horrors, dreadful billowing clouds filled with foul stenches and sulphurous odors. When he managed to see through all this darkness a sight of the utmost horror came before his eyes.
His King and Chiliarch lay stricken on the ground. They fought with desperation against a dark Shadow. It had eight arms holding on to razor sharp scimitars.
Stefanos recognized it at once. It was Kali, the Indian Dark Goddess!
He screamed and brandished his spear and shield, leaping at her.
The Archer saw his friends and Guards at long last succumbing to sleep. Their powerful legs gave way under thenm and they slid down the stone wall, becoming seated supported by it. Still they prudently held on to their spears and shields. Suddenly they started to choke, as if they were subjccted to some kind of poisonous gas. Their faces became blue and their lips turned an even darker blue.
The Archer realized that this was no ordinary sleep at all. His friends were in mortal danger.
He produced the sparkling blue flagon and unstoppered it.
TBC
Author's note: My apologies for the cliffhanger. The conclusion of the fight against Death and the Dark Goddess will be posted next weekend.
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