THE LAST APPRENTICE

...Toy not with the gods for their humor is foul and vengeance is quick. Avoid them lest they burden you with strange gifts or covet your life to satisfy their selfish needs...

A Greek flagship with a compliment of 119 warships set sail from a port in the Mediterranean. Within several days, they would pick up another 400 ships from other Greek harbors until they gathered a formidable force of five hundred twenty vessels. The armada had orders to sail for Atlantis and launch a campaign against the kingdom of Atlas.
The Greek government declared war on Atlas when the merchant ship returned with news of Demesis' death. Greek officials were horrified by the captain's account of how their diplomat was treated and the crude manner in which their cargo was stolen. This swift and decisive action against Atlas was not administered by the heads of state it was directed by their patron god, Athena.
The gold and ivory they were cheated out of was to be used for a statue to honor Athena. When the high priests heard of the loss they consulted the goddess for a course of action. Athena's decision was to shelter no expense in waging war against Atlas. Furthermore, Athena told her high priests to crush any Atlantean forces that might stand between them and their objective. The Greek government honored the decree of Athena.
It was not Athena's vanity for loss of a statue that curbed her decision; the incident was simply an excuse to dispatch forces to Atlantis. Once her Greeks were on Atlantean soil she would have a louder voice in the council of Zeus for deliberations concerning Atlantis. It was a political move to improve her position against Atlantis and rival its patron god, Poseidon.
Like many gods, Athena suspected Poseidon was the traitor and had an ambition to prove it. Athena craved the glory and power that would come with exposing the traitor and saving Olympus. She wanted this power above all else. The lives of her Greek warriors and the state of the mortal world were incidental to her cause.

Odius took one last look across the summit of Mount Atlas. At first he thought he fared quite well in this territory of the gods, but in retrospect he decided otherwise. Originally he came to ask Poseidon for help on behalf of the mortal world, instead he was rooked into helping Poseidon. Odius wondered if any other mortal had ever set foot in this forbidden domain and, if so, how well they might have fared.
Odius took his parting glance from the bluish- gray boulder that he stumbled out of eight days earlier. He often visited the boulder during his imprisonment to see if the door would appear on the outside as it had on the inside. On one occasion he held a day-long vigil to see if the door would appear but the boulder remained unchanged as if it were an ordinary rock.
Odius wondered about the nature of the door; did it only appear on the inside and never on the outside, or did the door refuse to appear because he was being held prisoner? Now that he was free would the door appear twice each day on the outside as it had on the inside?
Odius also thought of another possibility; perhaps the door was already present but somehow concealed from mortal eyes. Perhaps the door was hidden among the boulder's irregularities like a chameleon hidden among leaves. He ran his hand across the surface of the boulder in hopes of finding the elusive door but felt nothing other than common rock. After several minutes of searching, Odius stepped back to give the subject more thought.
He considered using Poseidon's crystal skull to summon the door but was not entirely comfortable with the idea. Although all crystals worked basically the same way, there was a certain amount of difference between one crystal and another. Odius knew he should avoid using the skull until he had a chance to study the scrolls in Atlanta. The mystic arts were an exact science with no room for trial and error. One slight oversight or mistake could conjure unforseen consequences.
Odius looked down and clutched the bag that hung from his shoulder. He had no experience with the crystal skull or these strange boulders of Mount Atlas, but he was weak and hungry and longed to return to his mortal world of men and beasts.
It was a difficult decision. If a mishap were to occur, it would most likely happen during the first few attempts at using the unfamiliar crystal. It would be best to learn as much as possible about it from the scrolls in Atlanta before he tried anything at all. On the other hand, Odius did not want to wait any longer than necessary in this territory of the gods. He wanted to leave for his rightful place in the mortal world before any other gods had a chance to come along and make his life more miserable.
Odius reached into his robe and pulled out the Master's shard.
"Master?" he asked.
There was no reply.
"Master!"
Again there was no reply. Odius realized that he would have to conquer this obstacle on his own. Reluctantly, he returned the shard to his robe.
After wrestling with the idea for quite some time Odius finally came to a decision. Although he knew it could be dangerous, he decided to use the crystal skull in an attempt to summon the door. He was not completely comfortable with his decision, but felt he had to do something other than wait.
Odius did not expect perfect results on his first attempt. He hoped any mistakes or oversights would result in simple failure, rather than catastrophe or disaster. He thought it would be best to spend a little time in preparation before he tried the Skull of Poseidon.
Odius closed his eyes and took several deep breaths in an attempt to relax and concentrate. The hunger pains in his stomach and dull ache in his leg hampered his efforts to focus on the crystal. It took several long minutes before he managed to ignore his discomfort and give full attention to the task at hand. When Odius felt as ready as he could possibly be, he reached into the bag and placed his hand on top of the skull. Nothing, as yet, seemed to be amiss. Odius carefully proceeded to the next step; he focused his attention on the Skull of Poseidon then concentrated on the boulder.
He was expecting Poseidon's crystal to be difficult to handle, much like the crystal of the gods, but he discovered quite the contrary was true. The skull of Poseidon was extremely easy to work with and required very little concentration. The skull almost seemed eager to help, as if it wanted to dispense its powers.
Odius had barely begun to concentrate when the crystal skull suddenly produced a strange picture in Odius' mind. The picture resembled a smooth slab of stone with words written in a language unknown to Odius. After a moment or two the writing on the slab suddenly changed to a completely different tongue. The writing changed three or four more times in rapid succession before it finally stopped at a language Odius understood. Odius started to read the words and soon realized that the picture in his mind's eye was a catalog of destinations, along with a complete set of instructions for using the boulders.
The picture was very detailed; it not only gave information on how to summon the door to the dragon's den, but also how to summon other doors as well. There were many choices listed on the slab, one of which was how to summon a door to Mount Olympus in Greece. According to the instructions; if he summoned the door to Mount Olympus all he would have to do is step through the door, traverse one or two miles of corridor, then walk out of a similar boulder on top of Mount Olympus. A traveler could journey to any continent in the world through this single boulder. Apparently all the boulders on the summit of Mount Atlas worked in just the same fashion they were pathways of the gods.
Odius was not the least bit tempted to try any route other than the one that led to the cave of dragons. Poseidon told him to leave the way he came and he saw no advantage in pushing Poseidon's good humor. He prudently followed the instructions to summon the door that led to the cave of dragons. The Skull of Poseidon seemed anxious, even impatient, to comply with Odius' request. Within moments, the door appeared on the side of the boulder.
Odius was relieved at the sight of the door and by the fact that he used Poseidon's skull without mishap. He was impressed with his new crystal and how incredibly easy it was to use. Odius could not help feeling powerful with such a remarkable crystal at his disposal. Those feelings fled as he remembered a lesson his master taught him; lust for power begets defeat. Odius turned his attention to the door.
The door looked the same as it had from the inside when he first came to the summit. Words were etched in the door, just like before, except the message was slightly different. The message was simply a reminder to remove the door after use. There was also a familiar warning; 'If ye be mortal, pass not'. On this particular occasion, Odius felt immune to the warning and walked through the door with confidence.
After Odius passed through the door he found himself in the small room at the top of the staircase. The room was completely black and Odius was not exactly sure where he was standing, or even which direction he was facing. However, he was certain a ledge with a thousand foot drop was somewhere in the darkness just feet away.
Odius did not want to move without some form of light to guide his footing. One solitary step in the dark could send him falling over the ledge to his death. He left his torch in the dragon's den at the bottom of the staircase and had no resources to make another. He knew he could produce light by using the Skull of Poseidon and was anxious to try the remarkable crystal one more time, but its use would have to be solidly justified.
Odius stood in the dark for quite some time as he tried to think of another way to fend the darkness. He thought of no possibilities other than the Skull of Poseidon. Odius placed his hand on the crystal skull, then closed his eyes and concentrated on light. He could sense that the Skull of Poseidon was quick to comply with his request it all seemed so incredibly easy. A moment or two later Odius opened his eyes and found that he was surrounded by a strange white light.
The subtle white light did not seem to be coming from anywhere in particular, it simply surrounded him. He looked about to see where the light was coming from but was unable to determine its source. Odius was curious about the strange light and held out his hand to see where his shadow fell. He thought his shadow would betray the source of the strange light but, much to his surprise, he found that his hand would not cast a shadow. He looked across the floor then realized that his whole body had no shadow. He checked the walls and ceiling but his missing shadow was nowhere to be found.
"By the gods!"
Odius made as many observations of the light as possible. He wanted to record everything he saw and heard on Mount Atlas in the great scrolls at Atlanta. He was bound by duty to record anything regarding the mystic arts, just as each Great Marce had done before him. Above all, he wanted to recount his experience with the legendary Skull of Poseidon and how he happened to come into possession of it.
After Odius finished taking note of the strange cloud of light he turned to face the door by which he entered the room. Despite his intrigue with the light he never forgot that he was suppose to remove the door. This was clearly another justifiable use of the skull and Odius was more than anxious to exercise his new instrument.
The skull made mastery of the mystic arts so easy that Odius began to wonder if he could summon the skull's powers without closing his eyes and going into a deep concentration. He placed his hand on the skull but did not close his eyes as he made a simple mental suggestion to remove the door. The door vanished almost instantly right before his eyes. This was a unique experience for Odius; to actually watch his powers at work. Throughout the history of Atlantis, no Great Marce had ever summoned powers from a crystal with their eyes open or at least no Great Marce ever recorded such an event.
Odius began to think how the Skull of Poseidon made the mystic arts so easy that simple tasks, such as splitting wood or cooking a meal, could be performed with an idle thought. Normally, mystic powers required such deep concentration that common tasks were easier to perform manually. But the Great Marce taught him to use powers of the crystal wisely and cautiously. He knew it was wrong to use a crystal just to make a difficult task easy. Such a practice leads to abuse of power, which in turn can lead to defeat and destruction.
Odius wandered to the edge of the stairs as he shifted his attention to the journey ahead. He looked down the formidable passageway and thought about the pain in his leg and the grueling climb he endured just over a week ago. He also thought about the vast power at his disposal. Although Odius wanted to restrain his use of the skull, he knew it would be needed to overcome several obstacles in the cave of dragons. This staircase was one such occasion because it was never meant to be traversed by mortals.
Once again Odius made a demand on the skull. The crystal skull seemed to be easier to operate with each use. Odius did not close his eyes and concentrate he just touched the skull and suggested his intentions. After a brief moment, he began to levitate in much the same fashion as Poseidon had. He began to slowly float across the floor and over the ledge. Odius looked down to see his feet dangling in mid-air as he started to drift down the long, crooked staircase.
Odius found himself thinking about Maia and the journey to Atlantis as the stairs passed one by one. He suddenly realized his mind was wandering instead of concentrating on the difficult descent. The skull seemed to take care of everything down to the smallest detail. The great power in his hands made Odius feel like a god, yet he could not avert a certain uneasiness that seemed to accompany it.
Hardly any time passed before his feet lit on the ground at the bottom of the stairs. Odius looked up the long staircase and remembered the last time he passed through the alcove. This trek through the alcove was quite a contrast from his last visit when he was frightened and in severe pain. The Skull of Poseidon made a world of difference.
Odius hoped that the dragons would be out on an excursion so he would not have to use the skull again. He cautiously crept to the edge of the alcove then peered out to the den of dragons. He discovered that all the dragons were still present; sleeping as they were a week ago. He remembered what the beasts were like when aroused he could hardly forget because he still limped from his injury.
Odius thought the safest approach would be to float over the sleeping dragons without disturbing them. That way he would not stir any dust and hopefully pass without incident. Then Odius began to wonder if that would be a justifiable use of the skull. Perhaps he should try to make his way through the den without assistance from the skull. He could carefully step in between the dragons like a mortal man unless something disturbed them. If they became aroused then he could have the skull keep them at bay.
His leg still ached and the memory of those six-inch fangs still taunted him. Odius quickly changed his mind and decided to use the skull to float over the sleeping beasts.
Odius was about to place his hand in the bag to touch the skull when he noticed something peculiar. He realized he could feel the power of the skull without laying a hand on it. He was not merely sensing its presence it was actually seeking a command to comply with! Odius wondered if he could command the skull without actually touching it.
As an experiment, Odius tried to summon the skull's powers without touching the crystal. He simply made a mental suggestion to float across the dragon's den. Odius could sense that the skull accepted his command and was eager to comply. A brief instant later his feet lifted from the ground as he began to drift across the den and high above the sleeping dragons.
Odius smiled as he surveyed the sleeping giants from the air. He was proud of his newfound skills and the safety they ensured. As he looked across the beasts, he saw the torch he lost a week ago. It was still lying on the ground where the dragons attacked him. Odius held out his hand and mentally asked the skull for the torch. The torch floated up off the ground and into his waiting hand. Odius was very impressed with the Skull of Poseidon and how eager it was to serve.
Odius was about halfway through the den when he noticed a dragon with an injured eye. It was the same despicable dragon that bit him a week ago. Odius hated that dragon. He thought of how easy it would be to casually snap its neck using the powers of the skull, but that would be wrong and pointless. The Great Marce once taught him that revenge is the aspirations of idiots and barbarians. He chuckled at the foolishness of his passing thought.
His mood changed abruptly as he watched the dragon's head twist upside down with a loud snap. The dragon quivered for a moment, then Odius heard its last breath hiss from its nostrils as he watched its whole body go limp. Odius looked at the dead dragon in horror it was just a passing thought; he had no intention of actually doing it!
The incident made Odius realize he did not have complete and absolute control over the skull. He began to worry about his new powers and any unforseen consequences they might bring. He began to wonder what kind of burden accompanied this strange gift from Olympus.
When Odius settled to the ground on the far side of the den, he looked back across the sleeping dragons. He felt extremely uneasy about the atrocity he had committed. It was just a simple thought, yet its consequences were irreversible.
He also wondered how the gods would take the incident. These dragons were put here by the gods to protect Mount Atlas. Sooner or later, one of the gods would discover the dead beast and know how it died. Poseidon already warned him that the gods would be looking for him now he had this deed to his credit.
Odius turned his back on the dragon's den then started to walk down the cave like a normal human being. He wrestled with his anxieties concerning the skull. He would either have to learn how to control the skull or himself and do it quickly. Odius thought the best way to prevent any further incidents was to restrain himself from using the skull until he could study the scrolls at Atlanta. After all, restraint was his original plan.
Odius decided that a good way to start exercising restraint might be by using the torch for light instead of the skull. Odius stopped for a moment to strike a flint to his torch. He waited for the flame to come up, then ordered the skull to stop providing light. The skull complied and doused the shroud of light that had surrounded Odius since the top of the stairs. The torch shed enough light to serve his purpose, but a flame at the end of a stick seemed dark and primitive compared to the light produced by the skull. Odius swallowed hard then continued his journey down the cave of dragons. The pesky dust cloud had already begun to trail him.
Odius walked about twenty feet when he came upon the sleeping sentry. He thought about walking around the beast, but that would be much more difficult than the last time. The sleeping dragon was wedged perpendicular to the passageway in such a fashion that no one could possibly step around it. The beast looked pitifully uncomfortable. Odius wondered if the sentries started sleeping this way because he had managed to slip by one a week ago.
Odius realized that he would have to make another demand on the skull. He was no longer anxious to use the crystal and would have preferred to avoid the mystic arts for the moment, but there was no way to pass the dragon without it.
Odius did not want another dead dragon incident to his name, so this time he would have nothing but nice thoughts about the dragon. He took a deep breath, then cautiously summoned powers from the crystal skull. A moment later his feet left the ground and he began to float over the sentry.
As Odius passed the sleeping sentry he thought of how proud and magnificent the animal looked, and how it loyally guarded the den. As soon as that thought went through Odius' mind the end of the dragon's tail began to pat the ground like a happy puppy. Odius found the sight unsettling the Skull of Poseidon seemed too eager to comply with his wishes.
Odius was relieved when he set foot on the ground after clearing the sentry. He looked back to make sure the dragon was alright, then turned to resume his journey through the cave of dragons. He hoped that he would not require the skull's services until he had a chance to learn more about it from the archives in Atlanta. The Skull of Poseidon and its unforseen consequences would keep Odius on edge for quite some time to come.

As Odius continued his journey through the cave of dragons he wandered past many piles of bones. He knew that each pile was a testament to feasts long gone by. Odius wondered how Maia managed to pass the entire pack of dragons unscathed. He saw several human skulls among those piles of bones and was grateful that Maia's was not one of them.
He stopped for just a moment and gazed at a pile of bones that harbored the half-hidden skull of a man. He found the sight distasteful and quickly resumed his pace. Odius knew he would have to pick through the bones of the dead when he came to the battlefield where Gratimus had died, and that he would have little stomach for the task. He wanted to check the remains of the battle to determine how many conflicts were fought there.
Odius also hoped that he could uncover a clue to explain why an elite group of warriors came to this forbidden passage. Poseidon mentioned something about mortals in Autowin trying to challenge the gods, and many of the warriors who died there were from Autowin. Odius wondered if there was any connection between the challenge against the gods and elite warriors storming the cave of dragons.

Odius walked just over a mile when he came to the battlefield. He knew he would not have much time to examine the site because his encroaching dust trail would quickly obscure the area. He wanted to learn as much about the battle as possible but he did not like the idea of disturbing the warrior's remains any more than necessary. He slowly approached the edge of the battlefield then surveyed the site.
Odius could see that most of the men were devoured by dragons because their bones laid in neat piles where the dragons gorged themselves on the flesh of men. Several of these piles also contained chest armor. The armor was one of two types; those bearing coat of arms from Autowin, and those bearing coat of arms from Mestor. For the most part, the armor seemed to be intermingled. This would suggest that all the warriors died in the same battle, but Odius could not be certain because the dragons' activities could have intermixed the armor. Before Odius could probe any deeper dust drifted into the area and slowly crept over the feeding piles like an eerie fog. Odius had to turn his attention elsewhere.
It would seem the dragons ate their fill before all the warriors were devoured because several bodies were just left to rot, apparently where they fell. Two skeletons near the center of the battle field, one on top of the other, were still intact and had not yet been covered by the relentless cloud of dust. Odius moved on to examine them before the dust hid any evidence they might have to offer.
The two skeletons did not appear to have been disturbed since death. Both warriors still retained their armor, weapons, and boots, although their clothing and flesh had long since rotted away. The top skeleton wore armor from Mestor and still had its hand around a sword. Obviously the dragons could not have dragged that particular body around. The skeleton underneath it wore armor from Autowin. Odius knew the warrior from Mestor fell after the warrior from Autowin. Either this battle was a joint effort between the two kingdoms or the army from Autowin was defeated before the army from Mestor.
Odius carefully looked over the skeletons for any scrap of evidence that might point to their reasons for coming to the cave of dragons. He had very little time to examine the remains before the unearthly dust drifted in to obscure the site.
Odius managed to catch a glimpse of a piece of parchment just before the dust completely engulfed the two skeletons. He bent down to get a closer look but the effort was futile. He was certain that he had seen a piece of parchment protruding from the top warrior's chestpiece.
He waved his torch over the remains but could not see anything. The dust had already gathered into a thick cloud, which reduced his visibility to almost nothing. Odius swallowed hard then lowered himself on one knee as he prepared himself for a very distasteful task.
Odius held the torch above the skeletons as he slowly reached toward the warrior's remains with his free hand. The cloud of dust was so thick that he could see nothing beyond his forearm, yet he knew the dead man was somewhere just beyond his fingertips. He held his breath and trembled as his hand moved ever-so-slowly toward the remains. He cursed the dust and prayed that his hand would not come in contact with the dead warrior's bones as his fingers moved closer and closer to the remains. A brief moment later his fingertips came in contact with something. He quivered for a moment at the thought of touching bone, but was relieved when he realized his fingertips had rested on the warrior's chest armor.
Odius tried to remember the exact position of the skeleton as he slowly moved his hand across the dead warrior's chestpiece. He was hoping to find a convenient reference point to explore from, such as a coat of arms or fastener. Much to his dismay, his fingers wandered off the edge of the metal and came in contact with the dead man's clavicle. Odius gasped and withdrew his hand several inches as a nauseous feeling churned inside his stomach. He coughed and gasped a few times, then took several slow breaths as he tried to control his stomach.
Odius managed to settle his stomach and regain his composure. He swallowed hard then reached toward the skeleton in another attempt to find the elusive parchment. Odius' came in contact with the chest armor once more, then he carefully moved his hand across the chestpiece until his fingertips barely rested over the edge of the metal.
Odius followed the edge of the metal with slow, careful movements to avoid touching the dead man's bones. Occasionally, his fingers came in contact with a rib or two but Odius just had to bite his upper lip. Very little was known about the life hereafter and Odius did not want to disturb the remains any more than necessary. Besides having no stomach for the dead, he was also concerned about interfering with the warrior's eternal rest.
After several long minutes of searching, Odius' fingertips finally brushed across the elusive parchment. The weathered parchment was apparently wedged between the warrior's chest armor and its leather lining. Odius carefully pulled and tugged at the fragile document in an effort to free it from the armor.
The parchment slid just a fraction of an inch or so with each gentle tug. Odius was extremely careful but the parchment had been brittled with age. He only managed to free part of it before it broke neatly in half.
Odius stood up and carefully opened the piece of parchment, which had been folded in thirds. The brittle document cracked and broke along each fold line as Odius tried to unfold it. The dust continued to cause problems for Odius as he tried to read what was written on each of the three fragments. He had to hold the torch and each piece of parchment close to his face in order to read through the thick dust.
Although Odius only had half of the parchment, he managed to assemble the general gist of the document. It was a letter from the warrior's commander. In the letter, his commander relayed information from the warrior's wife about a newborn baby boy. The commander also offered his congratulations as well as leave of duty so he could get to know his new son. Apparently leave was to commence as soon as the warrior returned from his mission. Odius did not manage to get any names, dates, or the nature of their mission.
Odius felt a deep sympathy for the man, his wife, and son. Too often people thought of warriors and soldiers as infallible entities unswaying in either purpose or emotion. The letter simply emphasized the fact that these were once real men with families, hopes, and futures.
"Why did you come here?" Odius asked sadly.
Odius stared at the ground as he wondered why these warriors came to do battle here. As that thought wandered through his head he noticed a tribute (7) lying on the floor of the cave.
Odius walked over to the tribute; it was just lying there some eight or nine feet from the nearest remains. He picked up the jewel to examine it for any identifying marks. The tribute was set in a gold mount, which had a gold loop to accommodate a chain, but the chain was missing. The tribute was apparently worn by one of the men who lost it sometime before they died.
Odius turned the tribute over to check for inscriptions on the back. The back was smooth gold with no identifying marks. Odius was disappointed, he hoped the tribute would provide some clue of who came here and why.
Odius slipped the tribute in his robe. He thought he would give it to Maia when he rejoined her. According to tradition there would be no harm in it because the tribute was neither identified nor taken from anyone's remains. He wondered if someone else in the battle had similar jewelry with an inscription of the bearer's name.
Something seemed to be amiss as Odius looked across the battlefield for other possible evidence. The entire battlefield seemed somehow different. A brief instant later he realized what had changed; the air was crystal clear! That persistent cloud of dust which he had cursed more than once had suddenly settled. Odius realized he should have noticed that the dust was gone when he found the tribute.
Odius tried to raise some dust by kicking up loose, powdery dirt from the floor of the cave but nothing happened. Odius thought about the phenomenon for quite some time before he finally realized what had taken place. A cold chill rippled down his back.
Odius knew beyond any doubt that this was the work of Poseidon's skull. Apparently the skull had already attached itself to his subconscious and was taking commands from his innermost thoughts. When he became irritated with the dust, the skull took initiative to correct the problem. He hardly had possession of the skull for more than an hour and already it was responding to his subconscious thoughts. He knew that if he was not careful the skull could come to posses him.
Now Odius saw an urgency in returning to Atlanta for the scroll his master spoke of. He knew he was in great danger from the skull, he had studied such subjects as possession during his apprenticeship and was familiar with how it worked. It was somewhat like a drunkard with his wine; it starts out as a luxury but after unrestricted use it becomes necessary. With the skull attached to his subconscious Odius could hardly swat a fly without the skull intervening. Poseidon's skull meant no harm, it was just trying to please; like wine tries to please a drunkard.
His first reaction was to leave for Atlanta immediately but his master always taught him to think through every possibility thoroughly. There was no room for error where the mystic arts were concerned. Odius sat down on the dusty ground, then reached into his robe for the master's shard.
"Master?"
There was no answer.
"Master, please. I need you now more than ever."
The shard began to glow, "You fear the skull, young Odius?"
"Yes, Master."
"As well you should."
"What can I do to free myself from Poseidon's skull?"
"Do you feel it has you trapped?"
Odius thought for a moment.
"I cannot master it. The skull takes commands from my inner self."
"Do you fear your inner self, young Odius?"
Odius took several deep breaths as he thought about his master's words. He considered the question for nearly a full minute. "Master, you do not ask a simple question. If my response is to be accurate, then it must be lengthy."
"I will be locked in this shard for eternity I have time. If your answer is lengthy, then it is lengthy. Once again, do you fear your inner self, young Odius?"
"I have great pride in the values you taught me, Master. I see myself as honest and good. I trust myself and have no fear of what I might do. All this is part of my inner self. That part of my inner self I do not fear.
"But no man can completely know his true inner self. Each of us hides some piece of us from both ourselves and the rest of the world. That piece also lies in the inner self. I do not know what that hidden part of me is like. I have not seen it, therefore I can not judge it."
"Do you fear your inner self, Young Odius?"
"Yes master. I killed a dragon but did not mean to."
"Your lengthy answer pleases me. You find yourself on guard, this is good. If you did not fear your inner self, you would not be concerned and cautious. If you felt confident that you could master the skull, then it would indeed come to possess you."
"I worry about Maia, Master. What if I accidentally harmed her... like the dragon?"
"How do you feel about her deep within yourself?"
"I love her, Master."
"Then it would be more likely that the skull would protect her, rather than harm her. It all depends on your inner self. Do you love her deeply and sincerely, or do you simply think you love her?"
"Of that I'm certain, Master. I love her deeply."
"Then you should not worry about harming her. Worry more about bringing harm to those you dislike."
"Master, how can I separate the skull from my inner self?"
"The answer to that lies in the scrolls at Atlanta. Until then be careful what you wish for chances are, your wishes will come true."
Odius was still uneasy the Great Marce understood why.
"Finish your search for answers here in the remains of this battlefield. It will give you time to learn how the skull reacts to your thoughts."
"I will heed your advice, Master."
"I must go now. Do not take too much time in these passages, for our world has very little time left. You must find the traitorous god before that time runs out."
"How much time do I have, Master?"
The Great Marce had nothing more to say. Odius watched the shard go dark, then returned it to his robe. He thought about his master's words for quite some time before he resumed his search of the battlefield. Odius knew this search for answers was important and that it must be done no matter how distasteful he found it to be. Reluctantly, he rose to his feet then surveyed the battlefield.
There was a total of five skeletons still intact; Gratimus, another one near Gratimus, one off to the side of the cave, and the two he had already examined. He also started to count skulls. As near as he could determine, there were twenty-two human skulls in the battlefield.
Odius wondered about the warrior's orders. If a letter from the warrior's commander was still intact, then perhaps a copy of their orders also survived. Usually the most prominent, highest-ranking warrior carried signed orders for the group. Gratimus was clearly the most celebrated warrior in this battle. Indeed, he was the most renowned warrior in all of Atlantis. Surely he carried the orders for their mission.
Odius approached the remains of Gratimus. It was an ominous sight, and one that he would never forget. The outcome of that conflict between the greatest of men and the greatest of beasts seemed to illustrate the irony of conflict; both contestants could claim victory over their foes, yet neither party won. The monument of man and beast locked in eternal battle seemed to be as much an omen of things to come as it was history.
Odius loathed the thought of picking through Gratimus' remains. Whenever Gratimus returned from battle, a parade often ensued. Kings and noblemen praised his name and he had become a legend in the folklore of the times. If word of his death were made public, all of Atlantis would surely mourn his passing and many would weep. Now, Odius had to search through his remains as one would search a trunk for a simple garment or trinket. Although he knew this task was important, he could not help feeling somewhat like a common grave robber.
Odius carefully stepped around the body as he looked for anything out of the ordinary. For the moment he simply looked, he did not disturb the hero's remains.
Gratimus had a reputation for flaunting jewelry and his last mission was certainly no exception. Odius saw a fortune in jewelry lying among the bones and dust of the warrior. Four necklaces with large jewel-studded pendants were lying in the dirt about his neck. Several gold bracelets encircled his wrist bones and rings adorned the gray, weathered bones of his fingers. A cache of coins and unmounted jewels laid by the warrior's side where a coin purse had apparently decayed into dust. There was also a sheath for his sword, and another for a knife both of which were empty.
Odius had no interest in these items. Coins of the times did not carry dates and any inscriptions on the warrior's jewelry would simply identify him as Gratimus. There was only one item among the remains that Odius sought the document pouch. If Gratimus carried orders they would be found in his document pouch.
A document pouch was a thick leather pocket attached to the inside lining of the chest armor. The pouch opened to the side where documents could be slid in or out using the less dominant hand, keeping the dominant hand free for weapons. Not all warriors carried document pouches as they were largely reserved for commanders and messengers; although most soldiers mimicked them by sliding their letters or whatever between the armor and its lining.
Odius located Gratimus' document pouch, which opened to the right. Apparently, Gratimus was left-handed. The armor was still locked in the dragon's jaws, which made access to the document pouch difficult. Odius tried to lift the chest armor up from the ribs far enough to slide his hand in the pouch but the dead dragon's fangs held it firmly in place.
Odius realized that he would have to move the ribs, rather than the armor. He picked up the corner of his robe then wrapped it around his fingertips. After several deep breaths he placed the corner of his robe on the warrior's ribs then gently pressed the ribs down until there was enough room to slide his hand in the document pouch. Once again, he had to fight a nauseous feeling in his stomach. He felt around inside the document pouch but found nothing other than one of the dragon's fangs, which had pierced the weathered pocket. He withdrew his hand in disappointment.
Odius could hardly imagine any warrior out- ranking Gratimus. If Gratimus did not carry their orders then they must have been operating on their own. This prospect seemed even more confusing. Surely this assembly of elites had been organized by someone.
Odius examined the body next to Gratimus in an attempt to find an answer. The search proved as fruitless as the rest; he found no clue to betray the warrior's identity or a reason as to why they came.
Odius had his fill of picking through bodies of the dead. He wanted to leave but there was one more skeleton left to examine. He walked over to the fifth intact skeleton near the edge of the cave. It was a warrior from Mestor.
The warrior was missing a leg, which was nowhere to be found. It appeared as if the man lost his leg in battle then crawled to the side of the cave where he died. He apparently lost his shield and sword as well because the only weapon he had was a knife, which was still clenched in his hand. Not far from the knife was an imperial bracelet, which encircled the warrior's wrist.
Imperial bracelets were literally built on the wrist and could not be removed. Usually imperial bracelets identified the wearer as royalty or high nobility. Odius crouched closer to get a better look. He thought an imperial bracelet was an odd find for a battlefield of this nature.
The bracelet was fashioned from gold and studded with several precious gems. It also bore a coat of arms along with other markings. Odius was unable to make out the markings because the bracelet was half buried in the dust. He reached for the bracelet and gently grasped it between two fingers. The warrior's wrist bones fell away as Odius lifted the bracelet from the dust.
The bracelet clearly identified the man as Prince Halimor, son of King Xaveous and heir to the throne of Mestor. Odius just stood there, astounded. According to the king of Mestor, his son had been gone for the last two years to seek a bride. Now he turns up in this forbidden passage with many other elites from both Mestor and Autowin. Like Gratimus, Prince Halimor was assumed to be alive and well.
In accordance with custom, Odius took the imperial bracelet so it could be offered to King Xaveous as proof of his son's death. Odius checked the body for any other evidence that might explain why the battle came to be. One of the first things he noticed was Prince Halimor's document pouch.
Odius lifted Prince Halimor's chest armor very diligently, then slid his fingers into the document pouch. His excitement rose when he realized the pouch sheltered a piece of parchment. He carefully slid the document out of the pouch.
Odius recognized the stock immediately; it was specially treated parchment unique to Mestor. The parchment had been laced with a preservative to keep the document from becoming brittle or decaying. The preservative worked quite well because the parchment was still durable and supple, unlike the letter he found earlier. He could easily handle it without causing cracks or breakage. Odius knew the nature of the document as soon as he unfolded it it was Prince Halimor's official orders.
The orders were dated almost two years prior and signed by King Xaveous himself. They indicated that Prince Halimor was charged with taking the warriors listed below to the top of Mount Atlas where they would seize the crystal of the gods then transport the crystal to Mestor. A list of twenty-two names followed.
The list of names was impressive. The list mentioned many famous warriors from both Mestor and Autowin. Odius was astounded as he read through the list. It was widely believed that most of these men, such as Prince Halimor and Gratimus, were still alive. Either their deaths had not yet been discovered or were deliberately covered up.
Several matters bothered Odius as he slipped the orders in his robe. The orders were dated two years ago, yet the decomposition of the warriors and deterioration of their gear suggested that they were here much longer than two years. He thought the discrepancy might be caused by the general nature of the passageway; this was the domain of the gods.
What bothered him more than the rate of decomposition was the skull count. The orders mentioned Prince Halimor and twenty-two other men. If all twenty-three men died here, then there should be twenty-three skulls lying around. Odius counted twenty-two skulls. Someone was not accounted for.
Odius quickly took count again. He even went through the trouble of checking each pile of bones for a hidden skull. He spent fifteen or twenty minutes searching for the twenty-third skull but found nothing. Odius thought of three possibilities: either the warrior's body was dragged to another part of the cave; the warrior died before they reached the battlefield; or someone had actually survived the massacre.
Odius was anxious to leave this place of the dead. He had already found more than he hoped to get; he had proof that King Xaveous knew about the crystal of the gods and that he tried to have it removed from Mount Atlas. He could not hope to discover anything more substantial than that.
As Odius left the battlefield his worries returned to the skull of Poseidon. It had attached itself to his subconscious like a common parasite. He wondered how he would handle it or how it would handle him during the journey ahead. He wanted to get to the archives in Atlanta as soon as possible.

A disturbing thought came to Odius somewhere during the long walk from the battlefield to the cave's entrance; what does King Xaveous want with the crystal of the gods?
At first Odius simply assumed King Xaveous wanted to covet its power. However, the crystal of the gods, like any crystal, is useless unless one has the skill to summon its power. No one without the skills of a Great Marce could feel its power or even sense the difference between a crystal and a clear gem. As far as Odius knew, he was the only person in all of Atlantis who possessed such skills.
Odius began to wonder if there might be another mortal somewhere who knew the secrets of a Great Marce. It did not seem likely. Even if someone else had knowledge of the mystic arts, the crystal of the gods was still unmanageable. It could not be mastered by a mortal, only by a god.
The thought stopped Odius dead in his tracks.
Of course, he thought, a god! ...And only a god!
Odius began to suspect some connection between King Xaveous and the traitorous god. The only other possibility was that King Xaveous conspired with someone who knew the secrets of a Great Marce along with other privileged information; such as the fact that the crystal of the gods existed, where it was located, and the forbidden passage that led to it.
Odius thought no one other than a god could possibly know these divine secrets until it occurred to him that he knew these secrets and he was merely mortal. He began to wonder about the twenty-third warrior; was he still alive and if so what does he know about all of this? More importantly, who is he?
Odius decided that he should visit king Xaveous in Mestor. He was bound by decency to return the imperial bracelet anyway. He could approach the king under that pretence and see what might come of the meeting. However, first he had to go to Atlanta to get the scroll concerning Poseidon's skull. He had to learn how to master the skull before the skull mastered him.