Adventures in Nemesisland Ch. 08

Kim had left her school uniform behind as she had been ordered and been cast back into Nemesisland, finding herself back in the corridor where she had encountered the black cat. Her back-side was throbbing and covered in red welt marks and darkening bruises from the corporal punishment she had received at the hands of the headmistress. Kim slumped against the wire mesh of the cat's cage, her bosom heaving with the hurt and humiliation that had been inflicted on her. The cat called Nano seemed quite knowledgeable and had helped her before; maybe he could give her some more advice.

"Kim, are you OK?" the black cat asked kindly.

"No, not really," replied Kim, nearly in tears. "I'm so confused. I was having a lovely time at the tea party and then it all went out of control when I got some questions wrong. Now, I've been beaten and humiliated by the headmistress in the school room. The Red Queen told me I could leave at any time; that I'm not a prisoner here. Part of me wants to go but she has such a hold over me and she keeps hinting that she knows something about me."

"I understand Kim, Nemesisland is not an easy place to be," consoled the black cat. "You'll find yourself swinging from one set of emotions to another. As you've seen the mistress is very capricious and will keep you on your toes not knowing what to expect next."

"You seem to know a great deal about Nemesisland. Do you know why she wanted me so much and what her plans really are for me?"

"Oh no, nobody knows that. Nobody here ever quite knows what to expect. She'll always spring some surprise on you. You may think you know what she plans but then she'll do something completely different."

"Hmm," said Kim, "then perhaps you can help me with something else. When I first met her, the Red Queen said something very strange, she said, 'she's just as lovely as I remember her.' Tell me black cat, do you know what she meant by that?"

Kim looked into the black cat's eyes and saw a change immediately come over him. He looked crestfallen and very sad.

"Please tell me," she said, "I can tell you know something."

"Oh yes, Kim, but it's a very sad tale."

"You must tell me," ordered Kim crossly, "you can't say that and not tell me."

"Kim, I believe you were chosen by the mistress in her guise as the Goddess Nemesis. I don't know what for exactly, I'm a mere slave to her and don't possess that kind of knowledge, I don't think even Duchess always knows that. But, I do know you were one of thirteen girls chosen as some kind of initiate to be trained by her to serve or to become something very honoured and important."

"What!" exclaimed Kim, "I'm really confused now. Do you mean in this world, in Nemesisland, or in the world I've come from? In the real world or in a dream world?"

"Don't make the mistake of thinking that Nemesisland isn't real Kim. But no, I don't know for sure. As I've said, I never know what her purpose is."

"But I don't understand. If I was chosen by her as you say, then what happened?"

Kim saw tears welling up in the black cat's eyes. She had never seen a cat cry before.

"Why are you so sad? Why should my fate affect you so much?"

"It's a long story Kim," the black cat sniffed, "and I had an important part to play in it."

"What do you mean? You must tell me. I don't care what it is that happened, I just need to know. I won't be angry with you."

"Oh, but you might be Kim, once I tell you."

"Can it be so bad?" asked Kim.

"I'll guess I'll have to let you be the judge of that. There are some things you need to understand first Kim. You need to know that Mistress Nemesis, amongst her many guises, is a pagan goddess, the spiritual ancestor of her Greek namesake, and is in communion with other pagan goddesses. Now, this sisterhood of goddesses have now, and in history, had enemies in the new religions. Remember that at one time the female was greatly revered as a divine figure and you will see that reflected in every culture over history. Now, wherever the new religions emerged and made alliance with the powerful Roman emperors or the Arab Caliphs they suppressed the old religions. Edicts were issued to outlaw pagan practises and as these churches became institutionalised so these religions set about the task of suppressing, or absorbing, the old pagan beliefs to eradicate the power of the feminine. They even suppressed their own teachings that did not fit with this thinking, destroying or hiding texts that might contradict their male dominated version of their faith."

"The Dead Sea scrolls!" gasped Kim.

"Yes, that's right, the Gospels of Mary Magdalene, Thomas and Judas, all hidden for centuries."

"Yeah, I've read the 'Da Vinci Code," laughed Kim, "I'm afraid that's where any of my knowledge of these things comes from."

"Well, the pagan goddesses are still battling against the new faiths that seek to remove the power of the divine female and the Red Queen, Goddess Nemesis herself, is at the forefront of that conflict. You need to know this background Kim to understand what happened. I mentioned that the goddesses had selected thirteen initiates who they were seeking to train. Now, the church of the Knights Templar, supporters of the new religion, seeing the power of the pagan goddesses growing and the threat from a band of them, seized the initiative by capturing these thirteen acolytes. That is as much as I know and this is the point where I come into the tale."

"Sorry black cat; but let me get this straight. I really don't get this, are you saying I was one of those girls?"

"Yes, Kim, that's right, I am."

Kim laughed, "But that's absurd, how can that be? Surely I would know or remember something?"

"I'm sorry Kim, I can't explain that. Somehow your memory of these events much have been wiped out of your mind."

Even as Kim was listening to the black cat a chill shuddered through her. She had such fragmented memories and had always felt that a whole chunk of her life was a haze of distorted and unconnected thoughts. It had always worried her, so much so that she often wondered if she had suffered from a kind of temporary amnesia. It was almost as if what she was hearing was helping her make some sense of her past. Kim was gripped now and encouraged the black cat to continue his story.

"Now Goddess Nemesis set a mission for me. She sent me to a marble temple in Constantinople, which used to be a place of devotion to the goddesses but which had been captured by the Knights Templar. It was here that the thirteen acolytes were being held. Goddess Nemesis described the layout of the temple to me, gave precise instructions and provided certain symbols and tools to aid me with the quest to seek out the thirteen girls and return them all, in tact, to the goddesses."

"Tell me, I want to know everything Nano, don't leave anything out." Kim urged.

The black cat eagerly took up Kim's request as he assumed the role of a skald, a travelling story teller, and began his magical tale.

"I had been directed to the hills outside Constantinople. When I looked back, in the distance, I could see the huge dome and pointed minarets of the Church of Hagia Sophia. In front of me, as Goddess Nemisis described, was a pure white marble temple. The setting sun cast its light over the wall basking it in an orange glow. I walked warily the couple of hundred yards towards the marble wall.

I stood before a sheer golden gate, a single sheet of pure gold dazzling in the twilight sun. There was no lock, no hinge, no blemish and no sign of how it would be possible to enter. I had been told the temple was protected by a guardian who would help me, so I waited. As the sun sank in the east and darkness descended the walls of the marble temple became illuminated by the luminous glow of a full moon. I felt in my bones the deep spirituality of this moment, a sense of impending change and foreboding came over me. I was conscious of a presence and beside me a large wolf with a shaggy red coat appeared. It turned its head towards me and fixed its yellow eyes on me.

"I am the Wolf Goddess and I have been charged as guardian to protect this sacred site. I am also a goddess of the moon and my powers wax and wane with the shifting phases of the moon. I am at my most powerful at the time of the full moon, which is why you have been sent on this mission at this time. You will need my aid to pass through the first set of gates into the courtyard beyond."

The Wolf Goddess strode up to the golden gate. Her howl would have brought down the very gates of hell but at the sound of her call some deep magic of the goddesses of old was invoked. The gates did not open, but their physical form dissipated into a golden mist.

The Wolf Goddess turned to me, "Slave Nano, my power can only hold the gate open for so long. Go now. May the goddesses give you courage and strength. Much rests on completing your mission. Do not fail."

As I passed through the golden dust there was a sensation like light tentacles touching me and a feeling of euphoria washed over me. On the other side I found myself in a courtyard illuminated by the bright light of the full moon. Across from me was the silver gate and set in its centre was a pentagon shaped hole for a key just as the Goddess Nemesis had described to me. At some time, long ago, this must have been a courtyard garden for the goddesses that inhabited the temple, but now it had been left to ruin

My instructions were straightforward; fnd the five sided key made from the lapis lazuli stone and insert it into the key hole. This sounded easy, but where in this tangled mass of vegetation was I going to find the stone? My eyes scanned over the remains of the courtyard garden. To search though the dense foliage of overgrown herbs and wild flowers could take days. My eyes were drawn to a stunning display of black berries from a bush of belladonna, deadly nightshade; beautiful, but deadly, just like the goddesses themselves. I carefully plucked many bunches of the deadly black berries and put them in my bag.

It struck me that the marble walls of the courtyard garden were decorated with a frieze of scenes depicting goddesses from different parts of the world. I had a stroke of inspiration. I had learnt that in Egyptian times lapis lazuli had been placed in burial chambers to assist the spirit to ascend to heaven. I scoured for a scene that depicted ancient Egypt and soon found one; an Egyptian goddess or high priestess standing over a sarcophagus, her hands upraised. My instincts had proved sound. Sure enough, I saw a rock embedded in the marble in the goddess's eye; a blue stone flecked with delicate strands of green and gold in the shape of a pentagon. I fought my way through the tangled undergrowth to the silver door and placed the stone in the hole where it fitted perfectly and immediately the invisible and ingenious mechanism sprung into action, The piece of lapis lazuli rotated five times in the key hole and then I heard a loud click. Gently, and apprehensively, I pushed the door open and passed through the silver gate.

I was now inside the temple itself. I had stepped through into a corridor that stretched out before me to the left and right for perhaps thirty or forty yards until it curved away. The corridor, lit by flames in chalice shaped beacons mounted on the wall, was eerily silent. Before me was the crystal door, just as it had been described to me; it was transluscent and looking through it was like gazing into a mist.

I found the silver hook in the marble wall from which I was told I should collect a piece of amethyst. It was a rough uncut stone, its delicate light purple crystals glinted in the light of the beacons. I was aware of the significance and power of the stone and that it had powerful properties. I had been told that the crystal door could only be opened with the power of the mind by somebody with a pure heart and that the amethyst stone would aid me.

I got myself into a position of supplication,face down on the floor with my head facing the crystal gate. I laid still and silent for what seemed like an age. Occasionally I felt my mind and concentration waiver but I pulled myself back, knowing that any interruption to my devotion would break the spell needed to release the gate. How long was I laid on the floor? It was hard to say, after a certain point time seemed to have no meaning - an hour, two, perhaps three.

Eventually, after a long period of mediation I heard a click and then a slow grinding sound as the crystal gate raised itself. As the gate slid up I leapt into action. I knew that I only had thirteen seconds (one for each enslaved girl) before the gate closed on me. I grasped my bag and leapt across the threshold of the gate.

I passed through into the next room, a windowless marble ante chamber. Facing me was the black quartz gate, smooth, shining and flawless. In the centre of the chamber was a marble table and on it a goblet and glass flask with a skull etched on it with a label attached to it that read 'Drink Me'. I began to understand the layout of the temple better. I had passed through a highly protected ceremonial entrance leading to this final gate and, beyond that, an inner temple. The disciples of the new religion had never been able to solve the mysteries of the four gates and had never been able to penetrate this part of the marble palace. I was close to my goal now.

But first I needed to find a way through the gate. I took up the two pieces of crystal, which Goddess Nemesis had told me to seek out, from the ground and put them together; they locked perfectly into one another but the gate did not move. My heart sank. I switched my focus to the black quartz table, the silver goblet and the bottle of poison. It had to have some purpose. What if it were not poison but something crucial to the completion of the quest and placed there as a trick to see if the person being tested had the courage to drink from it? I made my choice. I took up the glass flask, removed the stopper, poured the fluid out into the goblet and drank it.

As soon as I had gulped the last drop I realised I might have made a fatal mistake. I felt nauseous, my head began to spin and I slipped into a terrible dark nightmare. I felt myself in free fall, descending into some forgotten netherworld. Then, I saw hands reaching out to me. I heard the anguished calls of forgotten slaves. I realised that I had descended into the in between world of deprived slaves. I could see the faces of the rejected slaves swirling before me, their eyes and mouths screwed up in an agonised visage of loss and rejection, and hear their pitiful wails and groans.

I did not know how long I was lost in this vision. I remembered recovering my consciousness, physically exhausted, dizzy and nauseous. I knew I had to seize the moment. I stood before the black quartz gate, took a deep breath and held the two crystals together. Silently, secretly, the black gate slid down into the ground. I had three seconds. One...two...three. I quickly stepped through and turned round quickly to see the black gate slide back up again.

I heard laughs and voices. I quickly hid behind a marble pillar to take stock. I had entered what must be the inner sanctum of the temple of the goddesses. The place had been desecrated by the supporters of the new religion, but it was clear what a magnificent place it must have been. I was in a huge square hall within which there was a large circle of marble pillars supporting a vaulted ceiling covered in flaking gold leaf. The chamber was painted with brightly coloured frescoes depicting the goddesses in their animal forms but although these were now faded and flaking I could imagine what a wondrous place this must have been.

As I glanced around the pillar into the centre of the chamber I saw them; the objects of my mission, the thirteen young acolytes. They were all naked, chained up by their wrists and ankles, spreadeagled between two marble pillars in a semicircle within the inner chamber. The signs of their ordeal were evident, as they all had bruises and cuts, but despite that their beauty and luminous presence was still evident.

Kim interrupted, "Was I one of them me Nano? I need to know."

"Yes, Kim. As soon as I saw you earlier through the wire mesh I recognised you. That was why I looked so fearful as if my past deeds had come back to haunt me. But there is more to tell."

"Sorry to interrupt, do go on."

Then, I saw a sight that sickened me. It was you, Kim, though I didn't know who you were at the time, laid out on the floor being held down by guards dressed in tabards with the red cross of the Knights Tempar. You were being desecrated and entered by one of their priests dressed in vestments and wearing a gold cross. I heard your gentle pleas being ignored as the heretic forced himself into you to the sound of the laughs and taunts of the other men. There must have been nearly twenty guards there, each waiting for their turn to abuse and torment you.

Kim looked on aghast, "Oh my god, that's disgusting. You're telling me those guards just fucked and abused me."

"I'm sorry Kim, but yes. I didn't hang around to watch, I had to work on my own plans for trying to get you out, but I don't think there can be any doubt about it."

"Shit, how degrading. But I still don't get it. Such a horrible traumatic experience yet I can't remember a thing? I don't know what to think."

"I can't explain it Kim. Maybe it was so awful you wiped it from your mind. Perhaps it was wiped from your memory deliberately to help you cope and survive. I honestly don't know. I can only say what I saw."

Kim looked thoughtful, "this is all so weird. I find it hard to believe all this stuff happened to me without me remembering anything. But, you must carry on with your tale."

The black cat continued, "There was no way I could overcome them on my own. I turned back round to hide myself behind the marble pillar and to reflect on my next course of action. The only advantage I had was secrecy; none of the guards would have realised their defences had been breached. It would be foolhardy to take them all in a frontal assault so a more cunning strategy was needed.

I took the hard choice to leave the thirteen acolytes for now and put my plan into effect. I sneaked from behind the pillars and into a passage that led me away form the inner sanctum. I was looking for the refectory where the food for the whole temple was prepared. I strode into the kitchen and the men working at the long trestle table looked up at me. "My name is Nano. I have been summoned here to help in the kitchens." One of the men, presumably the head chef gazed at me suspiciously. "I'm the head chef and I haven't asked for any help here. Well, we can always do with more hands, I suppose you can come and help prepare lunch".

I was set the task of chopping vegetables and cuts of meat for a stew that was being made for lunch. This work was perfect for my purpose. I waited until all the other men had stopped for a break and had their backs turned, went into my bag and secretly pulled out the black berries I had picked from the courtyard garden in the moonlight. Deadly nightshade, named with good reason, is one of the most toxic plants on the earth. I emptied hundreds of the berries into the cast iron stew pot. I hoped there were enough there to wreak the devestation I needed to complete my task. I went to join the other men for a drink and let the deadly broth simmer.

After a short while a group of the Knights Tempar guards came into the kitchen. "Hey, you men, what are you lounging about for. We've had a hard morning fucking young girls and we're all starving. When's lunch going to be ready?" The stew was dished out and bowls sent out to the other parts of the temple. The men hungrily ate their food, one of them commented, "I don't know what the cooks put in the broth today - it was delicious, but I tell you what, Its made me feel really strange." "Yeah, I know what you mean," replied another, "I feel all dizzy and I've awful stomach cramps."