Pazuzus Child part III

Wise words of Nabu The bald prophet bedecked in white robes graced across the stone floor of the temple. His hands were folded behind his back with eyes looking heavenward he silently mused the information he received from the priestess. "An anzu with a severed paw? " he questioned allowed. The priestess nodded her head in confirmation. " you know " he said while continuing to pace the floor " that is quite a difficult task" Nabu paused to let the information sink in. " I do not believe that any creature or animal from this planet could perform such a feat" "Are you implying what I think you might be implying?" Asked the worried priestess. "My jinn informants have told me that walk ins to our world have increased" Nabu said matter of factly. "I know better priestess than to doubt your dreams and if it be vivid then it shall happen soon or it already has happened" "No human is capable of severing the paw of those ferocious beast" she stated adamantly. "Trajans have been coming through the portals and--" "Pah " interrupted the priestess. "They are dangerous to humans but to an anzu they are mere pests" "Some humans come through and they come armed with weapons I have not yet seem" stated Nabu. "Their planet is a twin of ours " the priestess said "if my dreams carry portent something grave is about to begin" ----------------------------------- The Wounded Anzu Nabu could not have been more wrong the priestess thought to herself many strangle monsters and creatures had been coming through the portals. That was not forgetting the demons and angels who could traverse worlds at will. The priestess thought it over as she made her way back to the temple. Angels could care less what happened in the worlds but demons were always up to some mischief. Weapons from the other world, the twin world. She had seen their weapons. Knives, swords , axes and spears, humans across the different worlds has those. Then there were those iron fire sticks they spewed hot burning metal. Iron fire sticks did not sever paws. In front of Inanna's a crowd of people had been gathering. What are these simple people gawking at she asked herself. The throng of people created a blanket line thick barrier between her and spectacle. "Make way " commanded the priestess. People began parting and moving to the side as she marched her way through . The first sight of blood caused her heart to plummet down to the pit of her stomach. Crimson red puddle glistening in the sun right next to the pawless hand of the flying leopard. Suddenly she grasped trying to catch her breath. People turned and stared in surprise. " What's wrong with priestess " they would with fear and concern oozing from their voice. The priestess bolted from the group and closed the temple doors behind her. Suiting down she struggled to catch her breath. With heavy grasp she recovered her breath and coming to grips with the concrete reality of her dream. It had been morning when she visited Nabu. It would take till late afternoon until she recovered from her shock. Her evening ritual had commenced with the setting of the sun. A pinkish glow of clouds and sun was splayed across the sky. Inside the temple the Priestss had lit up the coals and she cast her herbs on the coal and a cloud of smoke rose into the air. Drowsiness crept into her bones and her almond eyes became heavier and lidded. The image appeared above the burning coals. "Isharra you have summoned." StAted the voice from the emerging form of smoke. "Inanna divine goddess of love and war I have been given a dream and its contents be true" said the priestess summoning the goddess as she materialized in the smoke . As the beautiful lady emerged from the smoke the priestess described her dream. The beautiful form listened, she was lithe, tan, clad in only loin cloth and a covering over her chest. "Isharra my child," the goddess cooed "your land has been plundered and pillaged by the blue eyed invaders from the North. They take our maidens and enslave the youth. The folk are oppressed " isharra listened intently " salvation has arrived in the form of a great warrior who comes through the vortex from the original home planet. Their blood he shares yet he is watched by the Jinn." "Why would the Jinn have interest in a northern warrior from the vortex?" Questioned Isharra. "The Jinn have their machinations and scheme just like mankind and the Gods" the goddess gently explained. " "I have seen the men from the original world they are not strong of spirit or body but they have dangerous weapons" Isharra commented scepticly. "Northerners have the Warriors fury" smiled the goddess "this warrior will be Uruks salvation." The goddess paused while the priestess meditated. " you shall travel to Abzu and meet him in Enki's realm'" _____________________________________ Journey to the Abzu Cages filled with young women were trundling by western gate as Nabu bade Isharra farewell . The fear was palpable in their eyes. Legend of the harsh cold north abounded in Uruk. The poor treatment of nubile slaves was well noted. Young men would be conscripted into labor battalion of war battalions. Oppression weighed down heavily on residents of Uruk. "The dealers are dangerous, priestess" warned the scribe.. "we are well prepared Nabu believe me" she chided back at her friend with a smile. The priestess sucked in a deep breath through her nose and then smiled again. Nabu looked at her quizzically. "Change is in the air I can feel it " she said confidently. In the distance a group of slave traders appeared as if my by magic from the hot shimmering sands of the desert. Nabu looked at the priestess again. "Are you prepared to deal with this mirage that is popping out of the desert?" Nabu questioned the priestess. "Oh king of scribes do you not realized by now that as much as I am a servant of the goddess I am also her warrior" she smiled and then bade for her friend to continue. So they continued their march toward the realm of Enki. The four or five fur clad barbarians temained behind them in the distance. After a few hours they came upon the Euphrates river. Village people or Fellahin as they were called had set up a nameless town. A desert town by the edge of a fast moving somewhat muddy river. The fellahin would set out to the river and bring on fish. The fish not only provided food for families but could be traded for other goods. Straw boat of the fellahin could easily traverse a river, provided the weather was good. Families built mud and straw huts. Tent like eateries were set up by the rivers edge offering cooked fish, fruits and clean water for drinking. Isharra had been this way before. The cooked fish could be rather nauseating. Dates , figs and water would be sufficient. Sweat dripped down her body. Her clothes drenched with sweat as though she had cooled herself off in the river. Nabu noticed his friends condition and made comment. "This desert is hot but should you enter a vortex that takes you to the planet of the scribes you feel the real meaning of heat" "The planet Nabu is next to the real Of Utu" she shot back"a planet next to a star is a fiery death for anyone who crosses the wrong vortex." Her friend looked out to the river, with a glance of disdain he considered the straw boats of the fellahin. The Phoenicians Nabu thought to himself were the real boatmen around here. Having to flee their city states from the onslaught of the Northern invasion. Merchants and ship builders, that is what the Phoenicians were. Fleeing to safety and hiding at the first sign of fighting . Later they would reemerge, sometimes rebuilding somewhere else. With their superior ships they soon over took the boat trade especially to the sea. Of course the northern barbarians had ships as well but they were vicious and violent, in a battle the Phoenicians were no match for the Northern barbarians. As regrettable as the violence had been the Phoenicians added grandeur of sorts to the Euphrates. They stood grand in their majestic ships. Their beards well groomed and clean with curly hair going down the sides and the back. The merchant kings as some people called them looked regal in their white and purple wardrobe. To travel this hot desert was pointless. Nabu and the priestess needed a sea worthy ship that would take them to Dilmun, the island paradise and gateway to Enki's realm. The dinging ring of the town bells aroused Nabu from His reverie. The fellahin dashed this way and that way like rats scurrying in panic. Any who attempted to resist was most brutally cut down. The wooden cages were being filled with people they had captured. Two of the raiders suddenly eyed Nabu and Isharra. The prophet stood suddenly and uttered something in a language Isharra did not understand. From out of the desert skies a wind storm erupted with sudden and violent ferocity. The raiders rushed forward only to be pushed back by the winds excessive force. Sand got in their eyes leaving them blind. Isharra took advantage by unsheathing her dagger and thrusting it into any raiders unfortunate to cross her path. Down they fell into earn pools of their sticky red blood. Some would fall grasping while trying to hold their innards from spilling out recklessly. Isharra had effectively dispatched 3 of the raiders. Seven more still remained the warrior priestess was ready. It was something like a mirage or illusion. A shimmering filled a small place of air. The air had become a somewhat deadly still. The raiders, Nabu and the priestess stood and stared as what appeared to be a large eye has materialized and then began to open. Isharra turned to look at Nabu. He gave her back the knowing stare. Someone had opened a portal or a vortex. The two figures walked through the portal. One a definite stranger to these parts with fiery red hair, beat up looking blue pants and an animal Hyde coat of the likes she has never seen before. The other figure a man also came through. A dark man of African complexion dressed in a cloth hat, a light blue shirt and strange blue pants that were quite alien to her. The tendrils of heat were coming off his body as though they were water vapors forced into evaporation in the desert heat. He was jinn she thought to herself that much was obvious. They were masters at portal traveling. The raiders looked at the strangers in awe. A jinn set in battle mode could be quite the dangerous thing. Yet, the jinn did not attack rather he seemed to whispering something into the other stranger's ear. As if the strange red hair and bizarre clothing were not enough, the man with strange clothes lunged toward the attacking raiders. His greenish hazel eyes flared as though pit with an angry fire that lit up from his eyes. One of the raiders swung a broad sword at the foreigners head but he ducked it rather skillfully and then landed a strong right punch into the raiders rib cage. The raider bent forward just in order to receive a left hook to his jaw. He went down unconscious. Another warrior rushed forward using the exact same maneuver that the previous raider had used. The foreigner or Darren as is his name ducked the blow and picked up a dead fighters sword. Darren slashed the attackers legs knocking him down on his back. As the raider struggled to get off his back Darren jammed the sword into the raiders chest. He died gurgling in his own blood. Another attacker tried to grab him from behind. Darren effortlessly slipped under his arm and jammed the attacker in his ribs and as his head bent down Darren grabbed him by the hair and flipped onto the sand. The body hit the desert floor with a giant thud. The raider made an attempt to get up and continue his assault but Darren drive his foot down into his assailant throat. Another attacker was sent hurtling toward a wooden cage filled with female captives. They grabbed their oppressor and held him by his arms and hair. Darren finished him Off with a lunging kick to the chest. The other two attackers fled. One of the looked back and yelled "Traitorious Khazars, I know you sword of God and for your treachery you shall pay." _____________________________________ Enki's Realm The Phoenician boat docked upon the shore upon seeing that the fighting was over. "hail and come aboard" the Phoenician bellowed out with a smile that showed his pearly white teeth. Nabu smiled and waved back at his friend. Isharra glanced back at the Jinn and Darren and cast them s serious look. It made Darren feel quite unwelcome. " I think now is the time to bring out the paw" the jinn said quietly in Darren's ear. Isharra walked over quietly and cautiously. The look of confusion written on her face plain to see. Darren pulled out a sack covered with dried blood and showed them the paw of the wounded leopard with wings. "so is it this walk in that shall be our savior?" She questioned the jinn with what sounded to Darren to be laced with an element of scorn. "he could be" Murad answered back non chalantly. "He did cut the paw off a raging Anzu that was about to rip out heads off for dinner. So yeah he might be." "A walk in" replied the priestess with scorn. "well Isharra " he said with a smile " You might not like walk ins but just remember you people originated from his world so in a way you are also walk ins" Isharra snorted angrily and then turned to her friend Nabu. The bald scribe beckoned them aboard the ship. The priestess turned back to Murad and Darren. "Jinn we are traversing over water to Enki's realm" she said in a serious tone. "Oh I know " he chuckled. "you should have made the walk in go back to his own realm " she sniffed and then turned toward the ship beckoning Darren to follow. By the island of Dilmun, perhaps a few feet or yards from the shore , a giant hole emerged that lead to some where beneath the ground. Hiram the burly bearded Phoenician pointed it out to Darren. "That hole in the sea will take you to Enki's realm, he is the good lord of the deep." "lord of the underworld?" Darren questioned. Isharra scowled while Nabu seemed to remain indifferent. "By Ilu's beard no, his realm is a large sea beneath the surface of the land. It is his kingdom and most beautiful it is " "An underwater sea? " Darren shot back incredulously. "A sea of sweet water that will quench any thirst you may have " Hiram belly laughed holding his gut and showing his teeth. "Is this entrance and sea also on my planet?" Darren asked this time with a tone of curiously. "the sea is there but not the entrance, I do not think Enki wants your earthlings wandering into his realm" the Phoenician replied. " your people have damaged the planet enough."