The Eleventh Scroll (Chronicles of a Magi) Read online

  She remanifested to the side of the north mountain intending to keep the thief in sight. That didn’t work; the thief continued to drift upwards.

  She spotted a small object hurtling toward her from the sky and didn’t want to stick around to find out what it was. She remanifested back to the ground and an instant later saw an explosion where she had been. She immediately entered Spirit Sight and went to where she’d last seen the thief. There was no one there for as far as she could see.

  A bell started tolling, horses were being mounted and ridden out of the village. Why in the world would they be on horseback trying to find a person that could fly? That didn’t make sense. There was more going on here than she understood. She tried to spot Shimishon and couldn’t. No one was where he had been standing in the street. He must have joined the posse.

  She went back to her body and opened her eyes. There was no one around her as there had been only moments ago. She wanted to know what was going on and set out to find someone to answer her questions.

  The dining hall was devoid of people so she decided to ask Elimelech. She walked through the narrow passage leading into the throne room’s antechamber. Two guards lay on the floor unconscious. There was a strong smell of burnt gunpowder in the room. Lying on the floor to her left was what looked like a small disc shaped firework.

  She pushed the drape back and entered the throne room. Elimelech was lying in the middle of the floor and this room had the same pungent smell as the previous one. She looked around and spotted several of the small fireworks on the floor as she approached the body. He was breathing.

  She extracted an ammonia capsule from her rescue kit, smashed it between her fingers and held it under his nose. It took a couple of seconds before his head jerked away from her hand and he opened his eyes.

  “Intruder! We have an intruder.” His wits came back to him in a rush. “LeOmi, my guards, are they okay?”

  “It looks like they were knocked out the same way you were.” She pointed to one of the fireworks. “Do you know what they are?” She helped him set up.

  “Pharmakeia.”

  “I’m sorry, I don’t understand that word.” She hadn’t learned Greek yet.

  “It is the use of apothecary to affect the mind and body with unrighteous intent. You understand the word sorcery?”

  “I understand that word. Let me help you stand.”

  He shook his head. “There is a cord beside my chair. Pull it and servants will come.”

  She went, pulled the cord and returned. “Why did they leave you here like this?”

  “The priority is to catch the sorcerer. We have been trying for many years. We expect his home to be in the caves of the south mountains.”

  “That’s the way the riders were heading. Tell me something, how could the sorcerer have known about the sword so quickly?”

  “That means there are spies among us or perhaps a device in this very room.”

  She thought it interesting that he didn’t suspect any of his own people. That was the conclusion she had come to. Maybe one of his people was the sorcerer.

  Two women entered the room and on seeing their leader, they ran to his side.

  “Please help me to my chair.”

  While the ladies assisted him, she started walking to the exit. “I’m going to help your guards and then I’m going to help in the search.”

  * * *

  LeOmi’s spirit was gliding over the southern mountain closest to the village. She was looking for caves where the sorcerer might live or at the very least use as temporary shelter. She’d seen many shallow ones and only a couple with moderate depth and none that had a good view of the Nazarite village below. That’s when she spotted a glint on the next mountain to the east.

  She moved toward it and sure enough, it was the thief crouched between sections of an outcrop watching the riders slowly making their way up the mountain. She couldn’t see the village from where she was which meant she’d have to remanifest to a spot where she could see both the village and the thief. The peak of the closest mountain to the village seemed the most likely spot to move to in order to remanifest to the thief’s location.

  She ended up right behind the thief with the intent of marking her opponent to readily identify later should there be another escape. As soon as she appeared, her weight on the loose stones caused them to slide. The noise eliminated the element of surprise. The thief’s reflexes were quick; before she could steady herself, the thief was in the air and out of reach. Waving her sword to cause Mark’s sword to be dropped didn’t work either. It was in its scabbard, which was tucked into the thief’s waist tie.

  She watched the thief ascend. After a minute, excited voices drifted up from below. They had spotted the thief and were coming up the mountain as fast as they could, though why, she couldn’t fathom.

  The thief flew over the peak of the south mountain and out of her sight. She remanifested to the peak and regained sight. This process continued for some time: the thief getting out of sight, LeOmi remanifesting to regain sight of the thief, all the while going generally south.

  Finally, the thief landed in front of one of the stone churches in Lalibela and staggered inside. LeOmi was there a moment later and entered.

  The thief was down on his knees panting heavily. She heard a slight whoosh from behind her and felt a sting in her neck. She turned to look, but everything was too blurry to make anything out. She felt light headed and crumpled to the floor.

  When she awoke, there was no sign of the thief and it was dark. Whatever had stung her neck was no longer there. She went out and remanifested back to the village.

  When she returned there was a lone man standing in the middle of the street. On seeing her he said, “LeOmi, is that you?” The voice was that of Shimishon.

  “It’s me. The thief got away.”

  Shimishon had a bow. He used a lighter to set fire to an arrow and shot it straight up into the air. “We have been looking for you.”

  In the distance, more flaming arrows streaked into the night sky all around. He began walking toward her.

  “Sorry, it wasn’t my choice. I followed the thief to the ancient churches and I think someone shot me with a dart. It definitely wasn’t the thief. When I woke up, he was gone.”

  “So, the thief has an accomplice.”

  “More than that, I think he was leading you on a wild goose chase. When I spotted him, he was watching the search party. Why was he watching them when he could have been long gone?”

  “I think he may have been resting. Powerful magic has a cost.”

  That was likely true based on what she’d seen. “That’s probably true, but when I spotted him, he wasn’t resting, he was watching the riders. There were plenty of other places he could have hidden away from the heat of the sun. The place he was hiding was the best place to see those pursuing him.”

  “What of the accomplice?”

  “Quiet as a spirit. I didn’t know anyone else was there until I was hit with the dart. That takes some doing.”

  “The little evidence we have indicates an Oriental sorcerer. They are fabled to move like shadows in the night. Maybe he has an apprentice.”

  “We know there are at least two. I think I’ll have to adjust my tactics.”

  “You have not eaten and neither have I. Will you join me? We can discuss tactics and other matters before everyone gets back. They will wish to eat too.”

  * * *

  The dining hall was mostly empty. A few people sat scattered about, eating. She grabbed a couple of plates, a large one and a small one, and headed for the steaming vats of food.

  Shimishon grabbed plates and followed behind her. “The food is always best when it is hot and fresh.”

  She was hungry, having not taken the time to eat during the chase. “I could eat just about anything right now, even one of the MREs Mark likes so much.” She began filling the large plate.

  “Mark, he is your master, yes.”

  “
I wouldn’t say he’s my master. He’s my General.”

  “Pardon, no offense meant. Please tell me of him.”

  They chose a nearby rug to sit on. LeOmi said, “You know him in your dreams. He’s the one that found the staff.”

  “I know that already. I mean tell me how he is as a man.”

  “Well, he’s smart for sure, and he’s stronger than most. He’s not as good as I am with weapons. He can talk with animals. That has come in handy a couple of times. Following God’s will is the most important thing to him.”

  “When I dreamed of him, his hair was long.”

  “Yeah, he keeps it folded up and tied with a band. Wait, you’re thinking he’s a natural born Nazarite, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “He might be. He doesn’t eat pork and I’ve never known him to drink any alcohol. He says his hair has never been cut. Does that make him a Nazarite?”

  “It could be. I would have to speak with him to be sure.”

  “Well, I was planning to ask about bringing him here to help find the thief. If it can be done, he’s the one that can do it. Don’t tell him I said that. He will at least have to be informed about the loss of the sword.”

  “Sure, bring him. I would like to meet him.”

  “Tell me, what is so great about being a Nazarite?”

  “It is a simple life. We are self sufficient with no need but God. The world does not bother us here.”

  That’ll sure change, she thought. “How many Nazarite communities are there?”

  “I am not sure. There are many but I do not know the number. Why do you ask?”

  She remembered the instructions Truth and Justice Warrior had given to Leader of Many by His Right hand. “In the vision we had, God showed us that long ago many were persecuted, hunted and killed. The leader of their seven that stood against Lucifer provided sanctuary for them in a secret place. In today’s world there are too many to hide in that place. We are making plans for sanctuary for when the time comes that it will be needed.”

  “There are many places to hide among the mountains.”

  “Yes, but the people fleeing Benrah will be like children in the desert. They will have no knowledge of how to survive. They will need strong leaders.”

  “God has brought you here to tell us this that we might prepare. I know this to be true because my inner self is against it and God has told us many times to help others as we can. That is the reason for the sacrifice.”

  “I don’t think you understand the magnitude of what I am saying. We expect the refugees to number in the billions.”

  “God provides all things.”

  * * *

  The next morning, LeOmi was just waking up when she remembered to call Mark into a dream meeting. She had to wait due to the time difference.

  When he arrived he said, “I will not allow anything to distract me from what God has purposed.”

  “Hi there. I thought you should know that the first fake sword has been stolen.”

  “That was quick.”

  “I’m pretty sure the thief is not a Neo. Everyone here believes it was a sorcerer that has been plaguing this area for years. From what I’ve seen, I’m inclined to agree.”

  “A sorcerer? That’s weird.”

  “Yeah, it is. I was wondering if you’d like to help me get it back?”

  “Sure. Do you have any clues yet?”

  “Nothing substantial, the thief likes using drugs and such as weapons. There is at least one accomplice that was able to sneak up on me and shoot me with a dart or something. Oh yeah, the thief can levitate.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, it’s true. I saw it myself.”

  “That sounds more important than the sword. I think we should capture the thief and find out how to do it whether we get the sword back or not. I could come right now if you think it is important enough.”

  “No, get your sleep. I’ll see you when you get here.”

  “I don’t know where it is. Come get me in about ten hours. I’ll be at the citadel.”

  * * *

  It was mid afternoon when she brought Mark to the Nazarite village. Shimishon had spread the word that he was coming and there was a large crowd waiting for his arrival.

  When they appeared, someone from the crowd called, “Has your hair ever been cut?” Mark’s guards formed a circle around them.

  LeOmi whispered, “They want to know if you’re a natural born Nazarite.”

  He looked around at the people. They all seemed happy and eager. “I don’t know if you’d consider me a Nazarite or not.” He loosened his hair tie and let his hair fall. “My hair has never been cut since I was born. I’m too young to shave yet.”

  Another voice called, “Have you ever eaten any grapes or drank any wine?”

  “I don’t think so, but I tried tej once, but I think it was non-alcoholic.”

  Someone said, “Tej is made with honey, not grapes.”

  Another voice called, “What is the most important thing?”

  Without a pause to think, he said, “To serve God.”

  Murmuring began to rifle through the crowd.

  Shimishon said to the crowd, “This is our guest. Show him our hospitality. No more questions.”

  Mark said, “That’s okay. I don’t mind.”

  Another voice from the crowd called, “Tell us of your vision.”

  “The telling of it would not do it justice. I can show you, but it is long. If there is a place we can sit.”

  Shimishon said, “The dining hall. Elimelech will wish to participate.”

  LeOmi said, “Elimelech is their ruler.”

  Shimishon said, “This way,” and pointed.

  When everyone was seated, Mark said, “Move in as close as you can. I can only transmit my thoughts about fifty yards.”

  He waited a few minutes and said, “What you’re about to see took us three days and nights to experience. It will take about six or seven hours for me to show you what we saw. Please get comfortable.”

  He began bringing his memories of the vision to the front of his mind. Six hours later he was done. He looked around and saw that almost everyone was lying over and asleep.

  A man stood, began clapping his hands and shouting, “Up! Up! Up! It is finished.”

  Everyone started stirring and someone asked, “Was that real or was God just showing you a story?”

  “Incredible as it seems, we’ve discovered evidence that these creatures existed long ago.”

  “The dragon was Satan?”

  “We believe so.”

  Elimelech said, “Thank you for sharing this vision with us. What do you think it means?”

  “I think God was showing us what happened in the world that was so that we may prepare for it in the world that is. What has happened will happen again. There is nothing new under the sun.”

  “I agree with you. We will do what we can to help.” He motioned for a couple of people to help him kneel.

  All around him, Nazarites began getting to their knees. He realized what was happening. He stood and brought out the staff.

  Elimelech began and the others followed. “I choose... my strength, my knowledge and my life serve you in God’s mission to defeat the son of Satan.”

  He hadn’t brought any pendants with him. “Major, could I impose on you to go back to my office and get,” he looked around and estimated about two thousand people in the room, “four cases of the pendants for me?” He patted his chest.

  “Sure, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Mark took his pendant off and held it up. “I give everyone that makes that oath one of these pendants. It is a reminder of that oath, your loyalty to God and it identifies you as one of my soldiers. I didn’t expect this to happen and I don’t have enough of these with me. I have sent one of my guards to retrieve more. If you will line up outside, I will place it around your neck myself when he gets back.”

  The Nazarites began moving outside. He walked o
ver to Elimelech, held up his pendant and said, “This one I give to you.”

  * * *

  Shimishon walked them to the guest quarters. When he pushed the drape back, the servant, Pei-Pei, was sitting in the middle of the front room. Mark figured it was late, so Shimishon hadn’t announced their presence.

  Pei-Pei stood, bowed and said, “Good evening pleasant guests. It is late and you will be wishing to retire.”

  Mark held his palms together in front of him, bowed slightly and said in Mandarin, “I am honored to be in the presence of one such as you.”

  After a moment, Pei-Pei bowed again and answered in Mandarin, “It is I who is honored to be in the presence of a warrior-priest. May you find my humble service acceptable.”

  “You are indeed humble,” he motioned to the area around her body, “for I see by your spirit you are either royalty or are imbued with great wisdom. It is I who am most honored.”

  “Even Buddha would be honored to be in the presence of one such as you. Tales of your deeds come quickly.”

  Mark bowed again, “You are correct, we should sleep.”

  In English, Pei-Pei said, “Please follow.”

  * * *

  The next morning at breakfast, they all sat on the same rug. Mark’s guards sat on either side of him. LeOmi and Shimishon sat across from him.

  LeOmi asked Mark, “What was the deal last night with Pei-Pei? I don’t think you were buttering her up.”

  Shimishon said, “I am curious about that as well.”

  Mark closed his eyes and entered Spirit Sight. A moment later, he opened them and said, “I was using Tactical Sight last night. So was Pei-Pei. I just checked and no one’s spirit is spying on us here.”

  LeOmi was surprised. “Pei-Pei can use Tactical Sight? You think she might be the sorcerer?”

  Shimishon asked, “What is this Tactical Sight?”

  Mark answered, “Our spirits can see into the spirit realm and we know how to use that.”

  “That is a wonderful thing, and you say Pei-Pei can do this?”

  “She can, but I don’t know how well. I do intend to find out. What do you know about her?”