THE LAST APPRENTICE

...Such had times become that all came to conspire against me. Not any I met, be they gods or kings or mortal men, would stay their hands from my throat; none could I trust save for my beloved Maia...

Sometime shortly after midnight an eerie fog crept up from the sea into the city of Atlanta. It was unnaturally thick and moved more swiftly than most people could walk. Most residents were fast asleep at that late hour and never noticed the ghostly cloak, but for those about, the sight brought an uneasy feeling of dread. Some said it was the work of demons, others said it was an omen, but all who saw it agreed that it was unnatural in source and composition.
The fog started from the brass gate at the sea then rolled up the canal to the outer harbor. It quickly spread outward from the waterways as it began to envelop the city. Building after building was engulfed by the strange aberration until the entire city was stifled in the shroud. The fog was so thick that visibility had been reduced to several feet in most places.
Odius and Maia waited patiently on a road just outside the city's perimeter wall. They stood not twenty feet from a gate where the road gained entrance to the city. The gateway was furnished with two massive hardwood doors, which were always left open except during time of war. They found the gates closed on that particular night. Atlas had officially assumed a wartime posture.
Odius and Maia had dismounted to give the horse some relief from their weight. The horse took advantage of the opportunity and quickly fell asleep. Both Odius and Maia were concerned about overworking the animal but had little choice; they had to keep moving.
They did not stop to rest during the long ride across the plain. They thought a rest would have been unwise because Spartos was still at large somewhere on the road behind them. The city would be no sanctuary for them either. Odius was widely recognized by most Atlanteans and news of large rewards for his capture spread quickly.
"I like your idea about the fog." Odius said quietly. "It was most clever."
Maia smiled, "It goes together, does it not?"
Odius looked confused.
"You know," Maia said with a grin, "wizards and fog."
Odius chuckled quietly. "If it is indeed as thick as I imagined, no one shall see us nor recognize us."
"How long will we toil in Atlanta?" Maia asked.
"Not one moment longer than we must we have business in Mestor."
"Will we be here on the morrow?"
Odius shook his head.
Maia let out a subtle groan of disappointment, "I wanted to see the sea."
Odius thought for a moment. "Perhaps we could take the seaward route to Mestor. It is seldom traveled and we could spend the nights on its shores."
Maia nodded with a smile, "Then let us be swift about our business here. The sea awaits!"
Maia thought about their next destination for a moment, "Which city of Mestor do we seek?"
"Capripheta. It is the place where "
Maia interrupted him as she pointed to the gateway, "Look! Here comes your fog!"
Odius turned to see the eerie fog pour over the top of the gate like a ghostly waterfall. It ran down the wooden doors then curled and churned as it met the ground. Shortly thereafter, fog began to pour over the entire perimeter wall in much the same fashion, making the city of Atlanta look like a cauldron of steaming mire. Odius could hardly believe the sight.
"Wake up the horse," he said, "It is time."
Maia gently aroused the horse from its sleep. It complained with a snort and briskly pawed the ground.
Odius kept looking at the fog, "I did not expect the fog to be so thick!"
"It will serve your purpose, will it not?"
"Indeed!"
Odius climbed on the horse then offered Maia a hand up. Once Maia was settled behind Odius, they started for the gate at a plod.
The crystal skull started opening the gates before Odius had a chance to make a conscious command. The massive doors slowly swung outward with a low, grinding creak as thick, eerie fog began to pour from the city like a flood. They could see nothing once the fog overtook them.
The weary travelers slowly passed through the gates, then into the city. Once inside, the wooden doors began to close with a creak. The timbers slowly swung together then echoed with a clunk as they met.
Although Odius knew Atlanta well, the paste- thick fog made his home town look like another world. They rode at a plod with each hoofstep echoing through the fog like footsteps in a cathedral. Odius and Maia strained to see the world around them, though they could hardly see the ground.
They saw a faint glow from a nearby street lamp, which struggled to cast its light through the menacing darkness. From time to time they heard footsteps scrambling through fog not more than yards away. They also heard mournful cries of citizens lost in the blinding darkness. Some were loud cries of terror, others were quiet whimpers of despair, but all were sounds of people frightened and confused.
Odius realized that he had paralyzed an entire city with the power of the skull. His heart went out to the frightened masses. He held nothing against these people and did not mean to bring them harm. He began to think little of himself until he brought their quest to mind. He realized that the fog was necessary if they were to save the mortal world.
"How will we find our way?" Maia whispered.
"The skull shall guide the horse."
They stopped talking long enough to let a set of frightened footsteps pass in the darkness.
"Will these people be alright?" Maia asked.
"So shall I hope."
They pressed on through the paralyzed city at a painfully slow pace. It took nearly an hour to reach the Outer Harbor. Throughout that hour the sights and sounds were the same. They saw very little other than fog, though they could easily hear the misery of frightened, confused people. On rare occasions they saw the faint glow of a street lamp, though they could only see it for a short distance. A small group of frightened citizens gathered and huddled under the shelter of one such light in hopes of seeking refuge from the fog. Odius and Maia could not see these people, they only heard their mournful cries as they pleaded to the gods for mercy.
They crossed the bridge at the Outer Harbor where they heard the scampering and shouting of a ship's crew below them. Although they could see nothing, the ship's plight was obvious. It was apparent from the exchange among the crew that the ship had run into a pier and was taking on water. Several men had panicked and jumped into the waters of the harbor.
When they reached the other side of the harbor, they wandered through the public district where they continued to hear cries of frightened people and running feet darting blindly in the dark. The horse's hoofsteps constantly echoed through the fog with a slow, rhythmic, clomp-clippity-clomp. That sound gave Odius and Maia some feeling of security in the strange world Odius created. The horse with the skull as its guide seemed like a haven or shelter from the chaos just beyond their sight.
The rhythmic hoofsteps of the horse began to gradually slow down as the weary animal trudged on. They crossed the bridge at the Middle Harbor, then slowly rode through the royal district. They had just started to cross the bridge over the Inner Harbor when the rhythmic echo of hoofsteps slowed to a complete and stubborn stop.
Odius gave the horse a gentle nudge with his heels but the horse did not move. It turned its head in an effort to look at the riders, then faced forward again.
"Are we there?" Maia asked.
"Not yet, soon." Odius tried to coax the horse into motion but it would not budge.
Maia gently patted the horse on the rear and spoke softly, "Get'a goin' beasty."
Reluctantly, the horse resumed its rhythmic pattern of hoofsteps as it continued to plod toward the temple of the crystal.
"Odius."
"Yes."
"We might lose this animal should we push too hard."
Odius was quiet for quite some time before he replied. Maia could sense a certain amount of stress in his voice. "We can neither afford to lose this animal nor lighten our pace."
"Then, can your mystic arts do something for it?"
"Hmm..."
Odius thought about the prospect. As it was, he did not expect the fog to be so devastating to the people of Atlanta. The skull's unpredictability had held true to form once again and Odius knew he should wait before placing any unfamiliar demands on the strange crystal. They were already at the wall of the citadel and would soon reach the temple of the crystal where the scrolls were stored. Once he read the scroll concerning Poseidon's skull he would have better mastery over its power.
Odius and Maia were silent as they rode through the citadel to the temple of the crystal. The sights and sounds in the citadel were no different than the rest of Atlanta. The aristocrats darted about blindly and shouted in fear, just as the common people had. Fear was a common thread for all who wandered through the fog. Only those few who happened to be in the tallest of buildings were spared the anxiety that the fog seemed to bring. The palace of King Authemur was one such building.
King Authemur nervously paced across his lush balcony high on one of the palace towers. The sky was mostly covered by clouds that night, though every so often a clear patch would let the moon's light shimmer down on the strange fog. On those occasions when the moon's light was allowed to crack through the clouds, Authemur quickly ran toward the edge of the balcony to survey the city below.
The sight of Atlanta buried under the milky cloak was something to behold. All that could be seen of the city was the towers of the palace, the tops of three government buildings, and several temples, which were held above the fog on large pyramid bases. King Authemur watched and listened as long as he could until the clouds cast their inevitable dark shadows over the city once more.
"Breneous!" he shouted as he returned to his business of pacing.
The king paced for several laps then muttered to himself, "First the weather, now this..."
He stopped pacing long enough to look through the balcony's entrance, "Breneous!!"
Rhylus ran up to the entrance of the balcony, "Yes, Eminence?"
"Have you not heard me calling for you?"
"My apologies, Eminence."
King Authemur pointed out over the balcony, "Why do they scream and run about in terror?"
"Because of the fog, Eminence," Rhylus stepped out on the balcony to join the king.
"It's just fog up from the sea!" the king retorted as he resumed his pacing. "There is no reason for fear!"
"It is more than fog, Eminence. Those who have been in it say it breeds great fear." Rhylus shook his head, "This fog is not natural, it must have been summoned."
"Summoned? Bah!"
"It is true, Eminence. Such fog could only be wrought by god or mystic. Why else would the fog confine itself to the city?"
King Authemur stopped pacing and approached Rhylus.
"I suppose my guard is skilled in the mystic arts?"
His sarcasm made Rhylus somewhat nervous.
"Nay, Eminence," he placed his fingertips on his chest and shook his head emphatically, "I only listen to the masses."
"You would do better to remember your place, Breneous." King Authemur said pointedly. "For now the king needs a guard. When I need a mystic I'll summon one."
"There are none left to summon, Eminence, save for the apprentice."

Odius stood at the base of the temple of the crystal. He stared up through the darkness as if he could see the long stairway, though he could hardly see the first step at his feet. It had been scarcely a month since he last set foot on those stairs, yet to him it all seemed so long ago and far away. Maia gently bit her lower lip when she noticed his distant gaze.
"What troubles you, Odius?"
Odius continued to stare toward the temple as he replied, "Not long ago this place brought grand feelings of pride and achievement. Now..." He let out a heavy sigh and shook his head, "So much has gone awry."
"You are weary, Odius. Please, do not trouble yourself with memories."
Odius turned toward Maia as a gentle smile slowly came to his face. "You are my strength, Maia."
Odius held out his hand, "Come, we must be careful that we do not stray from the steps for their is no rail to guide us."
"Are the steps many?" Maia asked as she took his hand.
"They are."
"And, Are they steep?"
"Indeed!" Odius spoke as if there was nothing to worry about. Maia, however, was much more concerned.
"Then, how shall we find our way with neither torch nor lamp?"
Odius placed his free hand on top of Maia's and held her hand tightly between his. He started to make a curious rubbing motion across her palm as he spoke.
"A truly fine lady should never walk in darkness, lest she wishes." Maia watched her hand with grand anticipation in her smile. She knew Odius was up to something but was not sure exactly what. A brief moment later Odius curled her hand into a fist, gave it a gentle pat, the slowly let go.
Maia could somehow sense that something rather odd was in her hand, though it felt no different than normal. She turned her fist up then slowly opened her hand as a gentle light cast a soft glow on the fog around them. Maia smiled in awe as she looked in her hand more closely. There, in the center of her palm was a tiny spot of light hardly bigger than a grain of sand. She looked at Odius with a big smile, then returned her attention to the light in her hand.
"It's so small!" Maia cradled her hand in the other, taking care not to drop the tiny light.
"Worry not, Maia, It will not fall from your hand, no matter how hard you might shake it."
Maia wore an ear-to-ear smile as she looked to Odius. Odius pointed in the general direction of the stairway.
"Go on, try it!" he encouraged.
Maia slowly turned her hand over but the light stayed in her palm. She looked at the light one more time, then held the palm of her hand out toward the stairway. The tiny light was hardly bright enough to penetrate any more than three steps ahead of them, but it was more than enough to negotiate the steep stairway.
"Should anyone happen by, just close your hand."
Maia closed her hand for a moment and everything went dark. She opened her hand again then looked to Odius who was wearing a proud grin. Odius had to chuckle at the delight he saw in her face.
"Oh, my Odius thinks himself clever!" Maia threw her arms around him as the light danced and flickered to her movements. After their short embrace, Odius crouched down near the first step.
"Shine your light here."
Maia held her hand near the step. Odius pointed to a seam in the stonework, which ran the length of the stairway, "Follow this crevice, for it marks the center."
Maia nodded, "As you say, Odius."
Odius stood then motioned up the stairway, "Lead on!"
Maia let out a squeal of delight as she opened her hand to the stairway. She briefly moved her arm from side to side in an attempt to see the edges of the steps but her tiny light could not penetrate that much fog. She smiled then took Odius' hand in hers as she started to lead him up the stairway.
"Fear not, Odius," she said with a playful glee, "for a great wizard has given me power to fend the demons of darkness."
She led Odius up several steps with her open palm boldly defying the darkness. She stopped for a moment then quickly shined her light in several different directions.
"Back! Back I say!"
Again she started up the stairway, "Retreat ye demons to your domain of darkness. Back!"
Odius smiled as Maia led him up the fog-cloaked stairway. Her little fantasy had broken his uneasy feelings about visiting the temple after so much had gone awry.

King Authemur continued to pace across the balcony high on the palace tower. Every once in a while he would pause long enough to look across the fog but quickly returned to his duty of nervous pacing. Rhylus stood near the balcony's entrance and seemed to be unaffected by the strange event that befell Atlanta that night.
"Why do you worry so, Eminence?" Rhylus said in somewhat of a sarcastic tone, "You said yourself it is only fog up from the sea."
Authemur quit pacing long enough to scold his bodyguard, "DO NOT MOCK ME, BRENEOUS!" He cast an angry, scrutinizing glance toward Rhylus as he spoke in a rather assured tone, "You will fall the way of your predecessor should you keep with your insolence." The king resumed pacing.
Rhylus stood firm and unmoved by Authemur's words. After watching the king pace for some time, a faint, sinister smile slowly came across his face. After feeling some satisfaction from watching the useless king worry, he turned his attention to the darkness beyond the balcony. His expression suddenly changed to shock or surprise.
"Look, Eminence!" Rhylus pointed to one of the temples still visible above the fog.
King Authemur stopped pacing and looked out across the dark landscape but saw nothing. He was quite agitated by the time he returned his attention to Rhylus.
"Do you mock your king further, Breneous?"
"I saw a light at the temple of the crystal, Eminence. I swear this to be true. It was there for a moment, then vanished."
The king quickly glanced over the balcony then returned his attention to Rhylus. "Are you certain?"
"Yes, Eminence"
"No one has ventured there since the apprentice fled. I have sealed the doors myself."
Again, Rhylus pointed to the temple. "Look there, Eminence!"
King Authemur looked out over the balcony once again. This time he caught a faint glimpse of a light at the place where the temple's large pyramid base met the vast sea of fog. He leaned on the railing and watched as the light emerged from the fog. It appeared as if the light was following steps toward the doors of the temple. The king studied the light for quite some time before he finally spoke.
"Perhaps the apprentice has come back!" the king suggested. He thought for a moment, then a smile, which seemed to reflect a certain personal satisfaction, came to his face. "Perhaps the apprentice created the fog! Perhaps it is his cloak for whatever brings him back."
"The apprentice could not create the fog," Rhylus argued. "He would need a crystal and the crystal has been shattered."
The king slowly turned to face Rhylus, "How is it you know so much of the mystic arts, Breneous?"
"Common knowledge, Eminence a mystic needs a crystal."
"Hmm..." King Authemur returned his attention to the light as he wondered about his new bodyguard. He noticed that Rhylus seemed rather nervous and defensive whenever he brought up the subject of the mystic arts.
After giving the matter some consideration, he thought of a ploy that might confirm his suspicions, but it would be risky. Authemur spent several minutes wrestling with a decision; should he play it safe, or should he risk loosing his bid for world power?
Ultimately, the king's curiosity and suspicious nature got the better of him. He kept his attention on the light at the temple as he spoke in a casual tone:
"Perhaps the apprentice has the great crystal from atop Mount Atlas."
"How did you learn of the crystal of the gods, Eminence?"
King Authemur wheeled around abruptly and pointed a finger at Rhylus, "I might ask you the same, Breneous!"
Rhylus made no attempt to answer the king. He just stood there dumbfounded.
"Well?" the king insisted.
Again, Rhylus would not respond.
"GUARDS!" the king shouted.
Suddenly, Rhylus decided to speak, "I beg a truce, Eminence." He spoke with a very quick diction for fear the palace guards would soon be in earshot. "I shall say nothing of your secret if you keep mine. For the moment we must tend to the apprentice."
The sound of rushing feet and clinking armor could be heard in the room adjacent to the balcony.
"What is your secret, Breneous?"
The sound of hurried armor grew quickly until six palace guards piled out on the balcony. "Orders, Eminence?"
The king continued to stare at Rhylus for what seemed to be an extremely long time. Rhylus was unnerved. He was sure that his next duty would be the king's dungeon.
"Orders, Eminence?"
"Yes," the king spoke without taking his eyes off of Rhylus, "The apprentice is attempting to breach the temple of the crystal. Seize him immediately and the reward is yours."
"Certainly, Eminence." The senior guard saluted with a closed fist at the shoulder, then the six men left as quickly and as noisily as they came.
Rhylus dropped to one knee and lowered his head, "Thank you, Eminence. I assure you, your secret shall be safe with me."
"What is your secret, Breneous?" the king insisted.
"Allow me to join the search for the apprentice he can be sly, Eminence."
"Surely," the king nodded. "But you will do nothing until you tell what you know of the crystal of the gods as well as why you take such an interest in the apprentice."
"Please, Eminence, or he will elude us!"
"First tell me your secret or I might secure mine at the gallows."
"Very well, Eminence, but time is paramount."
"Then speak quickly, Breneous."

Odius and Maia had just finished climbing the long stairway to the temple of the crystal. Their slow but steady journey had finally brought them to the heavy double doors at the threshold of the temple. Odius was not surprised to find that the doors had been barred and sealed. A public notice was also tacked to the door. Maia held her tiny light up to the parchment as Odius read out loud:
"Attention residents of Atlanta, subjects of Atlas, citizens of Atlantis, and all ye foreign travelers: By royal decree, Authemur, king of Atlas, hearby seeks Odius, son of Everet and apprentice to the Great Marce of Atlantis. Whosoever shouldst seize, secure, and deliver such apprentice unto to the king's custody alive, shall receive a measure of gold equal in weight to the weight of the apprentice. Such is decreed this date by Authemur, king of Atlas."
The notice was signed by King Authemur himself.
"You have become quite a prize for the hunting, Odius." A playful smile slowly came to Maia's face, "Perhaps I should fatten you up!"
Odius chuckled as he grabbed a handful of skin from his belly, "Perhaps I should fatten myself up! Few men could boast such value."
Odius pointed to a large wax seal next to the notice, "See here." The seal bore the mark of Atlas and was about the size of a large dish except maybe four or five times as thick. It was positioned at shoulder height and centered over the seam between the two doors. Maia held her light up to the seal.
"This is the king's seal. To break it will bring a sentence of death."
"Will that stop you?" Maia asked in somewhat of a facetious tone.
"Nor will this," Odius pointed to a heavy hardwood beam, which had been secured to both doors by several large spikes.
Odius stepped back, "The only question to answer is how?" He smiled and stared off into the distance as he placed a finger alongside his face in an exaggerated fashion. His antics were apparently meant for Maia's amusement. "Perhaps we shall free the door with a mighty bolt of lightning..."
Meanwhile, Maia moved her open palm across the beam to carefully inspect its craftsmanship. Something about the heavy wooden beam seemed to catch her interest.
"...Perhaps we could summon great powers of fire to burn the door to ash..." Odius paused as he pretended to be concentrating. Maia did not notice, she had finished checking the beam and turned her attention to the details of the seal.
"...Or perhaps we should silently seep inside using the mystic's cloak."
"I think not!"
Odius turned to look at Maia. She was standing at one end of the beam with a spike in her hand and a proud smile on her face. Odius' mouth hung open as he watched her swing the beam away from the door. The beam was still attached to the opposite door, which swung open effortlessly. To his amazement, the wax seal did not crumble; it followed the moving door completely intact. The beam and wax seal were only attached to one of doors.
"What goes on here?" Odius asked in a confused voice.
"See," Maia held her hand near the closed door to illuminate the area where the wax seal should have been affixed. A thin layer of wax still clung to the door. "Someone cut the seal from the door."
"How?"
Maia thought for a moment, "Perhaps with a thread, see these marks."
Odius examined the area Maia pointed out. The wax was marred with a series of fine lines as if it were painstakingly sawed from the door with a thread or small cord.
"And here," Maia held her light to the back of the wax seal, which overhung from the edge of the opened door. It had similar marks.
"What of the spikes?"
Maia held up the spike she removed from the door, "This one came free with little labor. The others are of no use. Look!"
Maia pointed out several empty nail holes in the door. Odius took a close look at the holes, then examined the spikes in the beam. It appeared as if the spikes had been pulled out, cut short, then replaced.
"Someone tampered with the door?" A concerned look suddenly came over Odius, "What of the scrolls?"
Odius took Maia by the hand then pointed into the darkness beyond the door, "Cast your light there."
Maia held her open palm toward the doorway as they cautiously stepped inside. Once inside, Odius could somehow sense that something was amiss. He reached up to a small shelf by the doorway where an oil lamp had always been kept. The shelf was empty.
Maia panned her hand across the large foyer to get some idea of what the temple looked like. Odius' eyes followed the light as he took careful note of everything in view. He saw nothing out of place other than the missing lamp.
After checking the foyer, Odius pointed to a doorway that led to a short hall, "This way."
Odius and Maia hurried toward the doorway then looked down the hall. Odius saw that the door to the archives had been left wide open.
"There!" He had a lump in his throat as he pointed toward the door. Maia could sense his anxiety as they hurried down the hall. Odius reached the door to the archives then stopped abruptly as a look of horror struck him in the face.
There, in Maia's dim light, was the shambles of the great library. Odius could hardly believe the sight. Many racks and shelves, which once housed ancient scrolls, were looted, overturned, and broken. Here and there were small tatters of parchment, and several empty spools helped add clutter to the debris. The archives had, for the most part, been emptied except for a small pile of scrolls, which were haphazardly tossed to a corner. Odius' heart raced as he stepped in to view the damage.
"Who could have done such a thing?" Odius gestured toward the ruins around him. His voice was distraught and tense. "Why would any wish to plunder the great scrolls?"
Maia could see he was near tears. She was not quite sure what she should say, what she should do, or for that matter what she should feel. She shared his uneasiness as she stepped in to join him. She wished she could have offered some comfort but there was little one could do in the wake of a thief.
Odius began to wander through the debris as he spoke in somewhat of a despondent voice, "All we know of the mystic arts was once here. Every Great Marce since the birth of Atlanta wrote for these scrolls as would I." He shook his head, "Some of these scrolls were written more than a hundred score seasons past."
Maia felt his sorrow as she waded with him through the debris. She could only imagine how he might have felt.
"The great scrolls numbered hundreds. Now..." He pointed toward the pile in the corner, "only a score or so." They started walking toward the few remaining scrolls.
When they reached the pile of scrolls, Odius crouched down on one knee then began to search through the pile. Maia stood over him to cast her light on the scrolls. Odius picked up a scroll then unrolled several inches of parchment to read the title.
"I never saw such writing!" Maia said.
"Few have," Odius replied, "It is the language of the ancients."
Odius rolled up the scroll then set it neatly to the side. He reached for another as he began to check each one in turn. The pile contained maybe thirty or so scrolls. Some were damaged from being cast aside but most were still in good shape.
"I have never seen the scroll that speaks of the Skull of Poseidon," Odius said as he checked another scroll. "I only know of the scroll because my master spoke of it."
Maia noticed that Odius seemed to become more and more intrigued with each scroll he checked. At first she was not sure, but after Odius checked his sixth or seventh scroll she was certain of it.
"Hmm..."
"Something interests you, Odius?"
"Indeed." Odius pointed to the scrolls he had already identified, "All these scrolls are similar and in many ways." Odius reached for another scroll.
"In what ways are they alike?" Maia asked.
Odius unrolled the scroll, "Yes, this one too! All these scrolls are of the oldest the very oldest. Some were written by the first Great Marce, some by the third."
Odius put the scroll down then picked up another.
"You said in many ways. How else?"
"Most of these scrolls teach the very basics of the mystic arts." He held up the scroll in his hand. "This one teaches how to clear one's mind to concentrate." He pointed to the scroll he had just previously checked, "That one teaches how to summon power from a crystal. Many of these scrolls were my first lessons. These scrolls were not cast aside by chance, they were chosen for this pile."
"Why?"
"I know not."
"Were all the scrolls written in this strange tongue?"
Odius shook his head as he reached for another scroll, "No, only the very oldest."
Odius unrolled the scroll then read the title out loud, "The Legend of the Skull of Poseidon. This is the scroll I seek!" Odius stood as he rolled up the scroll.
"Shall we leave now?" Maia asked.
"Not as yet." Odius motioned to the door, "I wish to check my Master's study."
They walked out the door then started down the hall. They were about half way to the study when Maia asked, "What do you seek in your Master's study?"
"Scrolls. Many were left there the day I fled. Perhaps the thief did not look there. Perhaps those scrolls are still here."
"How many scrolls?"
"Perhaps a score."
Odius opened the door to the study. They both stood with their mouths hanging open as Maia slowly panned her hand across the room. All the missing scrolls were there! Hundreds upon hundreds of scrolls were stacked, piled, or spread out everywhere.
"A score?" Maia asked.
"These are the missing scrolls!" Odius shouted. A smile came to his face as he and Maia hurried into the room. His smile grew as he looked across the immense collection of scrolls. A sudden elated feeling came over him, "The great scrolls are not lost, they are here!" Odius joyfully gestured toward the vast piles of scrolls, "Look!"
Maia smiled and nodded, "Yes, Odius, I see."
Maia watched as his expression suddenly became less jubilant. She could see that, once again, something brought Odius cause for concern.
"What bothers you, Odius?"
"Why did the thief bring these scrolls here?"
Maia thought for a moment, "Perhaps to learn of the mystic arts."
Odius made several quick glances around the room. "Then, the thief reads the wrong scrolls." He started toward the table where he and his master often studied the ancient scrolls. Many of the missing scrolls were neatly stacked on the table. Some were unrolled as if someone had been examining them.
"These scrolls speak of what the crystal can do, or what the crystal has done." He pointed in the general direction of the archives, "The scrolls cast aside in the archives teach how to summon power from a crystal. Those scrolls must be read first."
Maia pointed to the table where several plates of chicken bones were carelessly stacked next to an oil lamp. "Someone has been here more than once."
Odius nodded, "That lamp is from the entrance. Why is it here? Did the thief not need it to find the door?"
"Perhaps he read during the night, then left at day."
Odius nodded again, "Then the thief might have studied these scrolls at length." Odius seemed to become a little more nervous. "Someone seeks the secrets of the Great Marce."
Maia began to examine a scroll, which was partially unrolled across the table. Odius continued to wrestle with unanswered questions, "Why? There is no crystal to command."
"Did not Xaveous try to steal the crystal of the gods?" Maia asked.
Odius thought for a moment. "Perhaps there is a common stream that flows between this thief and King Xaveous. But, if one sought the secrets of the mystic arts, why discard the most precious of scrolls." He pointed toward the archives.
Maia looked up from the scroll on the desk with a subtle trace of a smug smile. "In all your wisdom and wit you do not see, do you, Odius?"
Odius waited patiently for Maia to continue. "The scrolls you speak of, as well as the scroll you hold in your hand, are written in a strange tongue few have seen." Maia pointed to the scroll on the table, "I can read these words, it's in our common tongue. Perhaps the oldest scrolls were cast aside for they meant nothing to the thief. Perhaps he could not read them."
"Indeed!" Odius thought about Maia's words for a moment longer. "Yes, then the secret of the Great Marce might yet be safe."
"Might?" Maia asked.
"Long ago, when civilization was new, men wrote in the language of the ancients. The language of the ancients was a gift from the gods. But gods do not speak as we do, they speak in thought, not words. The language of the ancients was written in thoughts. Such writing was difficult to master and few could read or write, though many labored long to learn.
"The fifth Great Marce saw how writing could savor a thought for generations yet unborn. He toiled to devise a simple way to write, that these words could be read by more than just the privileged few. He labored for years in his quest until he devised a way to write the spoken word on parchment. Hence, men could read the words, speak them, then understand the thought behind the words. Such is the common writing we use to this day. It was the work of the fifth Great Marce."
Odius held up a finger, then slowly leaned toward Maia as if to take her in confidence. He lowered his voice, "Before the fifth Great Marce died, he became concerned that the language of the ancients might fall from knowledge. Of his last work, he toiled to write a scroll that teaches how to read the language of the ancients. It is the greatest of writings, for without it men could not read the oldest of scrolls, nor could men learn the great secrets of the crystal."
Odius leaned closer to Maia and lowered his voice even more, "This great scroll I speak of is not here."
A smile slowly came to Odius' face as he lowered his voice to a whisper, "By chance alone, the greatest of scrolls hangs on a rack at my house."
"Your house?" Maia whispered.
Odius nodded then continued at a whisper, "My master let me take it to study during the evenings."
Maia looked at Odius with wide, awestruck eyes, "Might this thief think to look at your house?"
"Perhaps," he whispered.
"What if the thief happens across this scroll you speak of?"
Odius swallowed hard, then brought his mouth next to her ear and whispered ever-so-quietly, "Then the secrets of the Great Marce are his."
There was a disturbing, stressful silence for quite some time as they shuddered at the thought. The silence was broken when an abrupt look of alarm came to Maia's face, "Armor!"
A split second later Odius heard it too; the sound of rushing, clinking armor charging up the stairs to the temple. Odius quickly glanced out the door of the study and saw light from several torches flickering in the foyer. He hurried to the door of the study.
"It's him, the apprentice!" someone shouted.
Odius saw several men charging toward him as he slammed the door of the study. He quickly secured a wooden bolt just before the soldiers piled into the door.
"Break it in!" someone shouted.
Several loud, heavy thuds repeatedly rattled the door. Odius could see that the wooden bolt would not hold long. He pointed to the table and hurried toward Maia, "Quick, put your light there."
Odius took Maia by the hand and pulled her toward the table. He held her hand over the tabletop and gently rubbed her palm as he spoke, "The light will hold their curiosity as we escape by the mystic's cloak."
The little grain of light slowly fell from Maia's hand and gently settled to the table. Maia was somewhat disappointed about losing her newfound toy. She watched for just a moment as the light danced and fluttered about in circles like a crippled firefly.
Several more heavy thuds were heard at the door, followed by the sound of the bolt cracking.
"Quickly!" Odius shouted.
Odius took Maia by the hand and hurried for the shadows behind the door. Another loud thud and the bolt shattered into splinters. The door burst open and six armed soldiers rushed into the room with weapons poised. They were a formidable, determined bunch and seemed quite anxious to reap the king's reward. Two of them even dented their armor during repeated attempts to break in the door.
The soldiers looked around the room briefly but their attention was quickly drawn to the tiny light. Several of them huddled around the sight. Meanwhile, Odius and Maia hung as inky shadows in the darkness.
"By the gods!" one of the soldier shouted as he watched the tiny light dance and frolic across the table.
"Back!" another one warned, "It could be a trick!"
Several of the soldiers flinched back, then cautiously leaned forward to get a better look at the light, only to flinch back in unison as the little light wiggled and danced.
"I saw the apprentice standing here myself SEARCH EVERYWHERE!" Quite some time had passed yet the strange, eerie fog kept a choking hold on the city. King Authemur continued his worrisome vigil from the palace balcony as Rhylus stood on guard. They had finished their arguments, debates, and threats, and had come to an agreement of sorts.
King Authemur leaned over the balcony's railing and gazed toward the temple of the crystal as he spoke, "How long has it been, Rhylus?"
"The better part of an hour, Eminence. If they have not seized the apprentice by now, then he has eluded us just as I said he would."
King Authemur turned around abruptly and pointed an angry finger at Rhylus. "Do not push me, Rhylus! Consider your luck as wearing thin. I could yet have you executed for poising with the name of Breneous."
Rhylus was unmoved by the threat, "Consider your luck, Eminence. It too grows thin. You have yet to secure the apprentice."
The king's anger swelled at the sound of Rhylus' words. He took several brisk steps forward with grit teeth but stopped abruptly when he heard the sound of clinking armor and a soldier's prideful announcement:
"The apprentice has been captured... The apprentice has been captured."
Six weary but excited soldiers hurried out on the king's balcony. The senior soldier stopped before the king, then lowered his head on bent knee. His subordinates did the same. When the rattle of armor settled, the senior soldier saluted with a closed fist at the shoulder, then proceeded with his report.
"We have captured the apprentice, Eminence. He was clever and sly but wit was ours."
The king looked across the assembly of soldiers, "I see no apprentice in irons here. Where is your quarry?"
"We cornered him in the temple the study. He thought to elude us by changing form, but we saw his guise and seized him. He put up a vicious fight."
The king took note of the soldier's dented armor and, thus far, was impressed with his story.
"What form did he take?" the king asked, "A ram? A mouse? A newt perhaps?"
"No, Eminence, nothing so natural as that. His form was most foul and sinister but we arrested him all the same."
"Where is this apprentice? What form did he take?"
The soldier saluted once more, then proudly held Maia's tiny light between two fingers as he offered it to the king for inspection, "Here he is, Eminence!"
The king slowly leaned back to give some distance between himself and the diabolical grain of light. A slow, satisfying smile came to his face.
Rhylus, however, was not nearly as impressed. He rushed forward then kicked the tiny light from the soldier's hand, "You bumbling fool!"
The king and six soldiers watched as the little light sailed over the edge of the balcony then slowly flutter toward the ground.
"That is not the apprentice!" Rhylus shouted in anger, "It is a mystic's trick to amuse the simple of mind. You let him escape!"
The king's satisfying smile had quickly diminished to rage. He waved an angry finger over the assembly of soldiers.
"You could have done a great deed for your kingdom, instead, you bring me a toy."
"We knew no better, Eminence," the senior soldier pleaded.
"SILENCE!"
The king was still for a moment as he thought about the soldier's words. The assembly of soldiers waited nervously for their sentence as the king wandered to the edge of the balcony. He idly looked out across the fog-cloaked city.
"Of course!" the king said in a far less intimidating tone, "Few know the tricks of a mystic." He paused for a moment as he thought about the problem.
"Rhy... Breneous!"
"Yes, Eminence."
He turned to face Rhylus, "You know the tricks a mystic might use, do you not?"
"Yes, Eminence." "Take these men under your command and hunt down the apprentice. I do not care how you do it, so long as you bring him to me alive."
Rhylus saluted with a closed fist at the shoulder, "Certainly, Eminence."

Odius and Maia rode through the fog along the canal between the Outer Harbor and the sea. It was the same route Odius had often used when he came home from his duties at the temple. He often enjoyed those trips along the canal, but on this particular night the canal offered no comfort. The sights and sounds of the canal were muted by his own doing, and there was an impending sense of urgency. He wanted to leave the city as soon as possible so he could remove the fog that terrified the citizens of Atlanta. Many of those citizens were once his friends, though all that seemed so distant and disjointed. He realized that he had become isolated from everyone save for his beloved Maia.
For the first time since he left Atlanta, he wondered when and if this would all end. He wondered if he would ever be able to walk through the streets of Atlanta with his head held high and proud. Other than the signed orders by King Xaveous, he had found little to lead him to the traitorous god. Even if he did find the traitor, there was no guarantee that his life would return to normal. Normal, it would seem, had become a dreamlike state of mind.
As they turned from the canal for the last quarter-mile to his home, he thought about his upcoming journey to Mestor. He somehow knew time was running out and his sense of urgency seemed to heighten. He was not sure if he would learn anything in Mestor that might help his cause, but it was clearly the next place to look. Mestor was a distant ten days by horse, and this horse was all but spent.
"How much further?" Maia broke his train of thought.
"Not far, only several stadia." His fatigue began to show in his voice.
"Will we stay long?"
"No. Only long enough to seize the scroll."
Maia laid her head against Odius' shoulder blade, "I would like to leave this fog."
"As I, Maia."
Maia closed here eyes as she rested her head against Odius' back. Her muscles ached and her head felt too heavy to hold up. She knew they would have to stop soon but relished those few relaxing moments anyway. She thought how she would be willing to trade almost anything for a quiet, peaceful night's sleep far from any soldiers or warriors. Her brief rest was quickly interrupted when Odius stopped the horse.
"Whoa!"
Maia assumed they reached Odius' house, but when she lifted her head she discovered that Odius had stopped in a curious clearing in the fog. She looked at the strange clearing as an uneasy stillness settled around them. The clearing was perfectly circular and perhaps twenty paces across. The crystal clear air within the clearing gave way to a perfectly smooth wall of fog, which hid every detail of anything beyond it. She looked at Odius, who surveyed the clearing with uneasy, worried eyes.
"Did you do this?" she asked quietly.
"Sh..." Odius shook his head. He nervously looked about the clearing, shifting his position from time to time.
The moonlight began to crack through the clouds and shine down on the strange clearing. The moon cast dancing, writhing patterns of light that only seemed to fall within the confines of the clearing. Odius looked up at the night sky and saw how the clouds were to churning and swirling across the face of the moon in an unearthly, eccentric fashion.
Odius looked back down at the patterns of light, which continued to change shape and form. Gradually, the movement of light began to subside as two distinct pictures or symbols began to take shape. The movement stopped when the clouds finished forming their stencil over the moon. Odius recognized both symbols painted before them by the moonlight it was the language of the ancients.
One of the symbols Odius had seen in the grass on the summit of Mount Atlas. It was two concentric rings around a solid center circle with a straight line extending from the center of the solid circle to several feet beyond the outer ring. This was the hieroglyph that conveyed the general idea of 'capture', 'hold', caged', or 'trapped'. The other symbol, which was much smaller, was a solid circle centered on a short line. This hieroglyph conveyed the general idea of 'laid', 'set', 'plotted', or 'planned'. The relative size of these hieroglyphs was also significant; the smaller sizing of the symbol conveyed the idea of past tense.
Maia huddled closer to Odius as they stared at the strange sight. She leaned forward then whispered in his ear, "What does it mean?"
Odius turned his head toward her without taking his eyes off the writing and whispered back, "A trap has been set."
"For who?"
Odius shook his head.
"Who set the trap?"
Odius never had a chance to reply before they began to hear the slow, unmistakable clack of cloven hooves somewhere in the fog just beyond their sight. Their eyes followed the sound as it slowly walked around the clearing.
"Is it Pan?" Maia whispered.
"Sh..."
The sound ceased.
They anxiously waited with their eyes fixed on the place where they last heard the sound. The air became tense with anticipation. Several long, lingering seconds later, a nightmare slowly stepped out of the fog. It was indeed Pan.
Pan only took one or two steps into the clearing then stopped. He stood perfectly still as he stared at Odius and Maia with those black, sinister eyes so typical of a god. Both Odius and Maia froze in place and hardly drew a breath as they waited and worried over what the god might have in store. An incredibly long time passed before the god spoke in his strange voice with its growlish, rumbling undertone.
"I have been in the shadows."
He continued to stare for a moment longer then turned to stroll along the edge of the clearing with his eyes to the ground an his hands behind his back. Odius and Maia's eyes followed the god who walked ever-so-slowly in an unsettling, nonchalant manner. After five or six steps, the god paused then turned his head to face the mortals. The fragmented moonlight cast eerie shadows across the irregular features of his face as his dark shadow fell across the moonlit writing.
The god quoted Odius by mimicking Odius' voice, "The contest has yet to conclude, Maia." Pan mimicked everything right down to the same tone, inflection, and diction Odius used on the night he spoke those words, "We have not seen the last of Pan be assured of that."
Odius found the sound of his own voice coming from a god to be quite unnerving. A chill went down their spines as they watched the god resume his painfully slow pace. After two or three more steps, Pan shook his fist toward the heavens then mimicked Maia's voice, "Let the gods bellow and roar 'till all Olympus shakes!"
He proceeded to slowly pace around the circumference of the clearing as he mimicked direct quotes from the mortals. His imitations of both Odius and Maia were uncannily accurate. "Harm her and I'll summon Zeus!... Fear not, Spartos. Someone should happen by sooner or later..." Their hearts hammered in their chests and sweat began to build on their brows as their heads slowly turned to follow the god, "I wanted to see the sea... We might lose this animal should we push too hard... You are my strength, Maia..." There was an awkward moment as Pan passed behind the horse and they had to snap their heads around from the other direction. The air hung thick with fear as the god continued to mimic their words, "Why would any wish to plunder the great scrolls?... I have never seen the scroll that speaks of the Skull of Poseidon. I only know of the scroll because my master spoke of it..." Pan even mimicked Odius' whisper, "By chance alone, the greatest of scrolls hangs on a rack at my house..." Pan had paced nearly full circle and was approaching the front of the horse, "I would like to leave this fog... As I, Maia..." He stopped then looked to the mortals, "Is it Pan?"
There was several tense moments of silence as Pan stood in the light of the ancient symbols that foretold of a trap. The god pointed his jagged finger at Odius then spoke in his typical growlish voice, "Indeed I will bide my time."
He raised his finger to the heavens, "Poseidon can no longer help you, for Zeus has cast him from Olympus." He lowered his hand, "None can stop me now."
A slow, sinister, sneering grin came to Pan's face as he took several steps back into the fog. The sight brought an uneasy shiver that lingered for quite some time.
The clouds once again obscured the moon then the strange clearing began to collapse and close in around the mortals. Neither of them said anything until the fog had once again completely engulfed them.
"Is he gone?" Maia whispered.
Odius' eyes nervously studied the fog. He spoke in a distant, unsettling tone, "He was never gone. He only returns to the shadows."
Odius gently pushed his heels into the horse's side. The familiar rhythm of the horse's hooves once again echoed through the eerie fog.
"Why did Pan confront us this night?" Maia asked.
"One cannot guess what might be in the mind of a god. They do not think as we do." He swallowed hard, "He waits and watches just beyond our sight. He bides his time."
"Why?"
Odius turned his head toward Maia, "Why!? To seek vengeance of course!"
"Of course, but, is it not true that a god's vengeance is swift?" Maia asked, "Why does he wait?"
"Hmm..." Odius turned toward the front as he recalled the demise of Joda. He recalled how Poseidon's vengeance was swift and without mercy. Maia's question began to weigh heavy on his mind. Maia interrupted his thoughts, "Perhaps he waits because..."
"Sh..." Odius held up his hand and quickly silenced her, "The shadows are listening."
They spoke very little during the ride to Odius' house. Although his house was not far away, the ride seemed to take forever. Every-so-often they heard the sound of frightened footsteps, but for the most part they watched the fog, the moon, and the shadows with an uneasy apprehension. The thought of a trap lingered heavy in their minds. They were anxious to reach Odius' house and find some kind of shelter from the taunting images that their minds relentlessly painted in the fog.
They passed through an open gate in a waist- high wall, which encircled the small garden in front of Odius' house. The horse came to a stop. The fog was desperately thick and completely hid Odius' modest home. Maia was disappointed, she wanted to see what kind of house Odius called home.
"We dare not tarry," Odius suggested.
Maia started to dismount as Odius continued, "We must hurry to Mestor, for time grows short. Somehow, I must find time to study this scroll of Poseidon's skull."
Maia rested her hand against the horse so she would not get lost in the darkness. She waited for Odius to dismount then spoke in somewhat of a distraught voice, "Odius?"
"Yes love?"
"I..." She paused. "Somehow, I have come to fear the darkness."
Odius reached for her through the fog. When his hand made contact with her, he pulled her near him, then embraced her.
"I understand, Maia. It should pass when we leave this fog."
"Pan will remain in the shadows?"
"Sh... Yes, love." He patted her back, "I am grateful that you stand with me during these troubled times."
"And I you, Odius."
"I fear I would fail our quest if you were not at my side. Indeed, you are my strength, Maia. Come, we must hurry."
Odius started to gently ease his embrace, but Maia only held more tightly.
"Odius?"
"Yes, love?"
"Would you grant me another light? Just 'till we leave the fog?"
Odius smiled.
"Certainly, love," he said with assurance, "Such as I said before, a fine woman like yourself should never walk in darkness, lest she wishes." He took her hand then gently rubbed her palm. "By your own choice you have defied the gods of Olympus and swore to our cause. You place your life at risk for our great land, Atlantis, and the whole of the mortal world. Whatever you should desire, please, ask. If it is within my power as a man or as a mystic, I will surely grant it."
When Odius let go of her hand, a dim light softly lit the fog around them. Maia smiled as she looked at the gentle glow. Although her tiny light was very dim, its soft glow was far more friendly than the menacing darkness.
"Come," Odius tugged her gently. Odius took her free hand as Maia held her palm against the fog. After just a few steps, Maia's light fell on the side of Odius' house.
"Did the words of light say where the trap was?"
"No, only that it had already been set."
Odius and Maia followed the wall until they came across the hardwood door.
"Hold your light here," Odius pointed to the door.
Maia held her hand up to the door as Odius worked the latch. After a jostle and tug, the latch gave in with a click.
"Just in, then out," Odius insisted, "we have toiled too long in Atlanta."
Odius pushed the door open into darkness, then Maia quickly held her open palm to the inside of the house. Maia could only catch a short glimpse of what the inside looked like before fog began to roll in and obstruct her light. Odius ushered her in quickly, then slammed the door to keep the fog at bay.
The fog by the doorway was thick at first but quickly diminished into a thin haze as it spread throughout the house. Odius strained to look through the haze. He could barely see that some furniture had been moved and one of his trunks had been opened and searched. However, Odius did not see the sinister pair of eyes watching him from a dark corner of his home. Nor did Odius notice a faint reflection from a knife lying in wait. The blade slowly rose to shoulder height.
Odius looked across the room to his rack of scrolls and saw that one of the scrolls was missing.
"Oh, no!" He hurried to the rack and frantically grasped the empty hooks that once cradle the most precious of scrolls. Maia hurried to join him.
"Someone has taken it!"
Maia let out a scream of terror as she reached for her sword, "Odius!"
Odius looked at Maia and saw her eyes focus on something behind him. Odius turned in time to see a man charge from the shadows. All he saw during that brief instant was gritted teeth and the point of a knife.
The stranger was upon Odius with hardly any time to react, much less think. Odius saw the knife going for his throat or upper chest area. He raised an arm to protect himself and made a feeble attempt to dodge the attacker.
The Skull of Poseidon seemed to follow Odius' reflexes. Before he knew what transpired, the attacker crashed into the rack on his way to the floor. The stranger came to rest on his back among pieces of the rack. Odius realized that he was holding the attacker's knife in his hand, though he had no idea how he came into possession of it. The sequence of events occurred so rapidly that everyone seemed to be confused about what, exactly, had happened.
Odius looked down at the stranger on the floor. Maia held the point of her sword at his throat with one hand and held her tiny light directly above him at waist-level with the other. The stranger's eyes were fixed on the light.
Maia was somewhat surprised by her actions. During the assault, she reacted without hardly thinking or hesitating. Now that the assault was over and the perpetrator was under control, she found that the shakes had begun to set in. She did her best not to let it show.
"Don't move," she insisted.
The stranger said nothing and continued to stare at the light in her hand. He slowly brought his hands, palms up, to the side of his face as a gesture of surrender. He made no threatening moves and appeared to be quite frightened. Maia adjusted her stance to portray a much harder person than she actually was. The stranger seemed to be convinced by her demeanor. He kept staring at the light in her hand.
A puzzled look came across Odius when he noticed the stranger's dark hair, dark eyes, and olive complexion. He pointed to the stranger.
"You're Greek?"
The stranger nodded.
"A warrior?"
The stranger shook his head.
"A spy?"
The stranger shook his head.
"A bounty hunter?"
Again, the stranger shook his head.
"Then, what are you?"
"A A sailor," he replied timidly. The stranger could see doubt written all over Odius' face. He nervously returned his attention to the light in Maia's hand.
Maia spoke to Odius without taking her eyes off the stranger, "He's a bounty hunter alright, and a poor one at that."
"Hmm... Perhaps he is the trap."
"Trap?" the stranger asked nervously. He still did not take his eyes off of the light.
"What is your name?" Odius insisted.
"Marcus."
Odius looked at Marcus suspiciously. The stranger was meagerly dressed in a Greek loincloth and a pair of weathered sandals. He certainly looked like he could use the king's reward. Odius glanced at the knife he had somehow seized from the stranger. It was his own knife, which was apparently pilfered from the shelves where he kept his plates and dinnerware. Odius returned his attention to Marcus.
"A sailor?" Odius asked in disbelief.
"Yes, a sailor."
"From a warship?"
"No, no. A merchant vessel." Marcus' eyes were still fixed on Maia's light.
Odius was stern with the stranger, "I expect your attention when I'm speaking. Pay no mind to that light, it cannot bring you harm."
Marcus turned to look at Odius. Odius could see that the man was extremely frightened and leery. Marcus seemed to be far more submissive than his first impression led them to believe.
Odius was beginning to get somewhat irritated with the man and the incident as a whole. They had to leave for Mestor as soon as possible and did not need these delays. They had made little progress piecing together the man's story and there was still the matter of the missing scroll to consider. Odius thought it might be easier to assemble the man's story if he were not on his back. He looked to Maia, "Let him up."
Marcus watched as Maia withdrew her sword and took a step backward. Once again he found himself staring at the light in Maia's hand.
"To your feet," Odius insisted.
Marcus was still staring at the light.
Odius was beginning to feel the pressure of their imminent urgency to leave Atlanta and was loosing patience with the intruder. He began to shout, "I said, to your feet!"
The Skull of Poseidon sensed Odius' frustration and took his words as a command. Marcus instantly rose to his feet, though he made no effort to do so himself. A look of extreme terror and surprise was on his face as he stared at Odius.
Odius did not intend to use the power of the crystal in such a fashion. He realized that he better calm himself down before someone got killed unnecessarily. He took a deep breath then continued in a much more civilized tone.
"What are you doing in my house?"
"Am Am I in the presence of a sorcerer and sorceress?" The shock of being yanked to his feet by some unknown force still shown in his voice.
"What we are is our concern," Odius said calmly, "What are you doing here?"
"It is a long tale," Marcus said as he shook his head.
"We have little time. Tell us your tale in brief."
Marcus' eyes swept across the floor several times as he tried to think of where it all began. After a brief pause he looked to Odius then proceeded to tell his side of the story.
"I was hired as a galley dredge on a merchant vessel several months past. My friend, Sampson, persuaded the overseer to take me on. Our first voyage took us to this city that was about a month past..."
"What of this attack?" Odius held up the knife.
"Ah..." Marcus paused for a moment as he tried to think. He could see that Odius would be difficult to convince and somehow suspected that if he skipped the more refined details of his story Odius might get the wrong idea.
"A moment,"
Odius let out a sigh of disgust.
"When we reached port, Sampson assured me that we could leave before the ship was unloaded. We left the work for the others and went to a bath house, then an inn, then wandered the streets. When we came back on the morrow, the ship was gone."
Odius held up the knife and gently shook it between two fingers to draw attention to his original question. Marcus could see doubt in his face and held up a finger as if to say he was getting to that.
"We asked several merchants what happened. They told us the ship left after some soldiers came then went. We tried to find passage back to Greece but squandered our coin on drink and women. We worked for some time at the pier to earn passage home, but but war was waged with Greece. We had to go into hiding, for we suddenly became enemies in a hostile land."
"What of your attack?"
Marcus could see that Odius was getting irritated with his lengthy account.
"We found this place. No one was here, we decided to hide here until war passed. We meant no harm. When I heard someone at the latch, I seized a knife and hid in the shadows fearing capture." Marcus shook his head in an assured fashion, "I did not know a sorcerer lived here. I only feared for my life."
"Your story has a suspicious nature, Marcus."
"It is true, I swear. I swear."
"What of your friend? Does he lie in wait, as you did?"
Marcus sadly shook his head as he looked to the floor, "Sampson left three days past to seek food. He has not returned. I fear he has been captured or killed."
"Hmm...," Odius sounded skeptical.
"He's a bounty hunter," Maia said, "He seeks the reward. See how he tries to win our trust."
"No, no, I speak the truth!" he pleaded.
Odius pointed to the pieces of the rack that were scattered across the floor, "What of the missing scroll?"
A flat look of despair came over Marcus as he lowered his head, "Kill me now and be done with it," he said hopelessly, "For if you doubt my tale of how I came to be here, then you will surely disbelieve what happened to the scroll."
"We have no time for your antics," Odius insisted, "What happened to the scroll?"
"The truth!" Maia added.
Marcus buried his face in his hands for a moment as he tried to think up a convincing lie. The stress began to show in his face. He knew beyond any doubt that Odius would not believe the truth.
"Our time grows short as does yours," Odius threatened, "What happened to the scroll?"
Marcus was lost for a convincing lie and, despairingly, settled for the truth. He was tired of hiding, tired of running, and tired of trying to find passage back to his beloved Greece. He decided to tell Odius exactly what had happened then face his fate and end it all right here and now.
He took a deep breath, then began his tale.
"Not more than the half part of an hour past, I was standing there," he pointed to the corner from which he jumped Odius, "tending my own affairs. When suddenly..."
Marcus paused for a moment as he tried to think of a tactful way to phrase his story. No matter how he thought to phrase it, it still sounded ridiculous.
"Continue!"
"There came upon me the smell of a goat. I looked there," he pointed toward the center of the room, "and I saw a creature of the most hideous kind. It was the half part of a goat, and the half part of a man such that the bottom was goat and the top was man save for two small horns and eyes black as pitch."
Marcus paused and waited to accept rebuttals.
"Continue," Odius insisted firmly, "Our time grows short. What did this creature do?"
Marcus wrinkled his brow in confusion. He could hardly believe that Odius was accepting this story, yet had rejected his perfectly reasonable account of how he had become stranded. He had grown to hate this strange land of Atlantis and wanted nothing more than to return to Greece where outlandish stories were limited to minstrels' tales.
Maia nudged his shoulder, "Continue."
"When I set eyes on this creature I found I could not move. I tried, I wanted to run, but I could not move. The creature walked to the rack, then picked up the scroll you speak of. Then, the creature came up to me! He held the scroll by one end, like it were a sword, then poked the other end here," he pointed to the center of his chest, "and said, 'tell the wizard his time grows short.' Then he vanished like a dream at daybreak."
"Hmm..." Odius thought for a moment. "Was that all he said?"
Marcus was stunned that Odius believed him, "Yes!"
"You say about the half part of an hour past?"
"Yes!" Suddenly a look of revelation came over Marcus. He pointed to Odius, "You're him, the wizard the creature spoke of! Are you not!?"
"That was no creature," Odius remarked, "That was a god; Pan."
"A god?" Marcus asked in disbelief, "A god?"
Maia interrupted, "Odius, that was before the writing of light. Pan said a trap was set. Perhaps the trap has something to do with the scroll."
"You are sought by the gods!?" Marcus began to take several leery steps backwards, "I believe I want no part of this." He began to slowly edge his way toward the door, "Please, wizard, let me go about my business of hiding and I shall forget I have ever seen you." He pointed toward the door, "I shall find another place to hide and leave you to whatever wizards do."
"Not so fast!"
Marcus stopped. He looked nervous.
Odius looked to Maia and spoke softly, "Can we trust him? Is he a bounty hunter? Will he betray us?"
Maia looked toward Marcus, "Do you stand with your story of being stranded and in hiding?"
"Yes, every word of it! I swear by great Athena!"
"Hmm... Athena." Odius suddenly recalled something Poseidon had mentioned about Athena and Pan. He wondered if he could possibly use Marcus as a pretence to summon Athena. He could make it look like he summoned her on the Greek's behalf. He wondered if she would be grateful for the return of her Greek, or if she would see it as a burden.
Odius also recalled the warning Poseidon gave him about causing trouble among the gods. He could only imagine how much trouble might be wrought if he told Athena that Pan had been seen lusting after mortal women. He wondered about Poseidon's prediction; that Athena's jealousy would take care of Pan. Would such a conflict be confined between Athena and Pan, or would it spread among the gods of Olympus? The prospect would require careful thought.
He was distracted from his thoughts when Maia leaned toward him and whispered, "He did try to kill you, yet the notice for your reward said, alive." she shook her head, "I do not think him a bounty hunter."
A slow smile came to his face as he nodded at Maia. He took several steps toward Marcus and tried to be as cordial as possible, "I believe your story, Marcus. My name is Odius," he gestured toward Maia, "And this lovely lady is Maia. You are most welcome to join us."
Marcus turned his head to the side then held an open hand in front of his face with the palm facing Odius, as if to shield himself from the wizard, "No thank you! I do not wish trouble with the gods. Leave me about my way."
"Perhaps I could get you passage to Greece!"
Odius could see he struck a chord at first when Marcus' face lit up, but it quickly diminished to skepticism.
"How? Passage is the eighth part of a pound of gold but that was before war. I am your enemy, now, no one shall ferry me. How do you propose passage, Wizard?"
"Please, call me Odius." He tried to be as congenial as possible.
"How do you propose passage, Odius?"
Odius tried to make his proposition sound far less dangerous than it actually was. He played it down as much as possible, "Mmm... By the gods."
"No thank you. I would rather swim." He turned to look away as a gesture that he just was not interested.
Maia was not quite sure why Odius was trying to enlist Marcus, but she trusted his judgment. She knew they would not be able to discuss the matter because Pan was always listening from the shadows. She thought that if Odius deemed Marcus' help necessary, then she would do her best to assist his efforts.
"Come, Odius. Our time grows short. Let this fool swim to Greece only to find it has vanished with the rest of the mortal world."
Marcus snapped his head around to look at Maia.
"You speak in riddles."
Odius interrupted, "Perhaps, but she speaks the truth. Soon, your Greece, our Atlantis, and all lands of mortal men will perish at the hands of the gods."
"You speak nonsense!" Marcus snapped, "The gods provide for us."
"The gods provide for Olympus," Maia remarked.
Marcus made a nervous glance toward the heavens, then shook an angry finger at Odius and Maia, "Speak not against the gods!" He spoke in a condescending voice, "How great a wizard do you think yourselves that you can challenge the gods? I would rather die on an Atlantean sword or feed myself to the sharks than anger the gods. Death is death, but a gods's vengeance can make death a trivial thing. You better go, your time grows short such are the words of the gods!"
Odius succumbed to defeat. He realized that the Greek would stand his ground no matter what.
"Indeed, we shall leave," Odius said in flat, somber tone, "We shall fight for our mortal world while you busy yourself with hiding. And when Greece draws her last breath, you will still be hiding until you too meet that same demise."
Odius started for the door and Maia followed. As they passed by Marcus, Marcus grabbed Odius' shoulder, "I would join you if your words were true, but you speak nonsense."
"I have no time to convince you, Marcus." Odius jerked his shoulder free from Marcus' grip. "You may hide here if you like. We have no interest in the war between Atlantis and Greece."
Marcus watched as Odius and Maia walked to the door. Odius opened the door a crack, then peered out as fog rolled in. Odius made one final glance toward Marcus then he and Maia left. The inside of the house went black as soon as they closed the door behind Maia's light.
"Fools," Marcus said to himself, "What did they hope to gain by defying the gods?"
Marcus turned, then began to wander through the darkness in search of a lamp. He had left the lamp and flint on a table at the far side of the room. He had become familiar with Odius' house during hiding and knew where all the furniture was, still, he stepped carefully and diligently through the darkness.
"Lies and falsehoods!" The more he thought about the incident the more he came to hate Atlantis. He came upon the table then felt across its surface for the lamp and flint. After several seconds of fumbling in the darkness, he found the flint, then the lamp.
As Marcus struck the flint, he noticed the unmistakable smell of a goat. It was the same smell he described to Odius. His first attempt at lighting the lamp failed. He nervously struck the flint again as the smell persisted. Again, he missed the spout of the lamp. He grew intensely nervous and glanced around the darkness for the source of the smell. He knew the strange-looking god was somewhere in the house.
He was about to make a third attempt when a flame came up on the lamp by its own accord. Marcus furrowed his brow as he looked at the flame. The flame was much larger than usual but it did not seem to cast any light across the room. It was a large flame stilted in the darkness.
He continued to stare at the flame and noticed a strange image embedded deep within the flame. He strained to focus on the picture. After a moment or two he realized what he was looking at it was an image of Athens being washed away by a great deluge.
"ODIUS!" he shouted as he started running for the door, "Odius!"
Marcus burst through the door and caught a vague glimpse of Maia's light not more than yards away. He hurried toward the light, leaving the door wide open.
"Odius!"
"Whoa!", Odius stopped the horse after taking just a few steps. They waited for Marcus.
"I believe you! I believe you!" Marcus shouted as he hurried toward the horse. Odius held out an arm to greet him.
When Marcus reached the horse he grabbed Odius' hand, "I will join your cause!"
"We are grateful you could join us," Odius replied, "What made you change your mind?"
"A vision of things yet to come. Do you have another horse that I might ride?" Marcus asked as he let go of Odius' hand.
"No, just this one and it is nearly spent."
"You challenge the gods, yet you can manage no more than one tired horse?"
"We are grateful for this one. Follow us to the city gates. There we shall join you on foot for the horse grows weary."
"As you say, Wizard. Lead on."
"Please, call me Odius."
Marcus followed the dim glow of Maia's light during the slow, eerie journey through the paralyzed city. All the while he was haunted by the sounds of frightened people, the thought of defying the gods, and the image of Athens during its final hour. He was not sure why Odius sought his help but he had grown tired of hiding and vowed to do what he could for Greece.
Odius paused for just a moment when they reached the west gate of the city. Marcus could see little but he heard the sound of the heavy wooden doors creak as they opened. A moment later, the horse resumed its painfully slow pace and Marcus followed. They only walked several yards before they stepped out of the gate and into the clear night air.
"Whoa!"
Odius stopped the horse then he and Maia turned to look back at the city. Marcus was curious about what held their interest and turned to look as well. He was astonished by the sight.
The thick, paralyzing fog that had plagued Atlanta suddenly began to retreat deep into the city. The eerie wall of churning, swirling fog left crystal-clear air in its wake as it cowered from the gate. Marcus stood and stared at the sight for quite some time while Odius and Maia dismounted.
"Was that fog your doing?" Marcus asked.
"It was. Come," Odius gathered the reins, "We must leave this place. Our time grows short."
The weary trio left the road then began to walk south toward the beach. From there, they would pursue a westward course along the southern coast toward the kingdom of Mestor. Each of them had their doubts and worries about what might lay in store for them during the journey ahead.

The fog left Atlanta almost as quickly as it came. It withdrew to the waterways then retreated down the canals and back to the sea from where it came. Within a half-hour, the ghostly fog had receded completely to the sea. Many people were relieved by the sight and praised the gods for being merciful. The eerie fog that paralyzed Atlanta would be the topic of discussions at street corners and shops for a long time to come.
It was almost an hour after the fog left before Rhylus and his band of six soldiers finally located Odius' house. Rhylus knew the apprentice probably left with the fog but felt obligated to check his house anyway. He thought, at the very least, perhaps he could find a clue or lead to betray the apprentice.
Rhylus and his men dismounted just outside the garden gate.
"You two," Rhylus pointed to a couple of men, "Check the house and hurry."
The soldiers hurried into the house while Rhylus and another man, Herrasis, lit torches.
"We'll check the garden. The rest of you stay here."
The two men entered the garden. They held their torches close to the ground and, with a precarious bent- over posture, carefully combed the garden. After several minutes of searching, Herrasis hailed Rhylus with a whistle. Rhylus saw the soldier pointing to the ground then went to investigate the find.
Herrasis held his torch next to a footprint and seemed to be very proud of his find. Rhylus hardly saw the significance of a common footprint.
"So?" Rhylus said.
The soldier seemed to be confused by Rhylus' reaction. "Do you not see, Breneous?"
Rhylus looked at the footprint again, then shook his head. "It means nothing."
"It was made by a Greek sandal!"
"Are you sure?"
Herrasis, an expert tracker, seemed to be offended by the comment, "Yes, of course. We are at war with Greece, we should know their tracks!"
"What else can you tell about these tracks?"
Herrasis pointed to several other tracks in the area. "Three people were here; a Greek, someone wearing boots, and someone with Atlantean sandals. See!" He paused to point out specific tracks. "Two of them got on a horse here and rode out. The Greek left on foot."
"Hmm..." Rhylus thought for a moment then motioned for the other men to join them. "I recognize that livery mark" Rhylus pointed out three small marks at the top of the horseshoe. The marks identified the livery from which the horse was checked out of. "It is the same livery the apprentice used. Did the horse and Greek leave together?"
"I can not say. But all the tracks are fresh."
Two men hurried from the house and joined the others in the garden. One of them saluted with a closed fist at the shoulder then made a report, "No one is about. We found a lamp still burning and evidence of a struggle."
Rhylus thought for a moment. "Then, they left in haste. Look here," he pointed to the Greek footprint as he addressed the assembly of men. "This was made by a Greek who left on foot. Two others left on this horse," he pointed to the hoofprint, "with these livery marks.
"I do not think they have more than an hour on us. I want three men, each to take a city gate and look for these tracks. If we learn the gate by which they left, then we can track them. Make a search at your gate, then report back here."
He pointed to one of the men, "You, take the west gate...," He pointed to another, "North gate...," and another, "East gate. Any questions?"
There was no response.
"Fastest possible speed! Dismissed."
The three men hurried to their horses then quickly dispersed.

Twenty minutes had passed before all the scouts returned. One of them reported seeing that combination of tracks at the west gate. He also discovered that the two riders had dismounted at the gate and all three led the horse on foot. Shortly thereafter seven mounted men raced for the west gate at a full gallop.
The sun had just cracked over the horizon and promised ample light for tracking. Their horses were fresh and their hopes of winning the reward were high. They reached the west gate in record time then pushed on in high pursuit of the elusive apprentice.