Dead Hand of the Past

Ceremony in the Underworld

62

Persephone was there to tell them what their next task in the temple would be.

"You must follow the path to Persephone grove where you come upon the flaming fire, and the river of lamination there the Lady of the Jade and the Chosen one must follow these instructions,

1. Dig a trench as long as a forearm.

2. Pour your offerings to all the dead.

a. Use first the milk and honey.

b. Second sweet wine.

c. Third, pour the water into the trench.

d. Fourth sprinkle the mixture with white barley

e. Begin to pray to the helpless ghost of the dead. You must promise them once you win the war with Leander you will give thanks to the gods for a day of feasts and offerings. You must also promise to make an offering to Teiresias of the finest things that Lantea has to offer.

f. Pour the blood of a young ram and ewe while your head is turned towards the river of the ocean.

g. Light a pyre and pour more blood on the flames when the spirits start to fill the area ask Tiresias your question. Now go and bring peace to this world."

The ten of them walked to the place the grove of the flaming fire and the river of lamentation met. There was an altar containing all the items Persephone had told them they needed. They were hopeful Lilla's memory was good enough to remember what order Jaden and Azakia were supposed to do the offerings in. They turned to Lilla and smiled.

"Do you remember what order everything goes in?"

Lilla looked a little bewildered

"I only got a little bit of it sorry."

Saphira couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't any of you read? This is one of the passages from Homer's the Odyssey first dig the trench a forearm long."

Jaden and Azakia started to dig with their hands it seems when the gods placed all the things out for this offering they forgot to give them a shovel to dig with. It didn't take them very long to work together, but they were filthy. Jaden looked up at Saphira to see what they needed to do next.

"First use the mixture of Honey and Milk,"

Jaden poured the honey and the milk into the trench. Then Azakia gave a prayer over the offering.

"Jouton provide us with the blessings of a new and promised land not only fertile but is blanketed in peace."

They looked over at Saphira

"Sweet Wine,"

Is all she said. When Azakia had finished his prayer, Jaden poured the sweet wine in the trench then waited for Azakia to say another prayer.

"We offer the gods and goddesses the sweet taste of the earth's abundance as a way of saying thank you for the bountiful harvests of Lantea."

Without any prompting, Saphira said the word

"Water."

Jaden took the container with the water off the altar and poured it into the trench. She waited again for Azakia's prayer.

"Please take this offering as a way for us to cleanse ourselves and our land so that when this war is over the world can start a new in peace."

Saphira spoke up again to direct them on the ritual order. "White barley. Then say the prayer to the helpless ghosts."

Jaden took a hand full of white barley and sprinkled it over the mixture in the trench she moved away to give Azakia more room to say his prayer to the helpless ghosts of the dead. Azakia stood with his arms opened wide and started his prayer.

"I the Chosen one call on the helpless ghosts of the dead to receive an answer. For the promise when the people of Lantea win the war with Leander you will be celebrated for your efforts to help in the fight against evil. On the day of the feast, we will make offerings of the finest items that Lantea has to offer. We also promise to make an offering to Tiresias of the finest melody that can be heard in his darkness. These I promise as the chosen one and a Prince of the great Land of Lantea."

Saphira waited to make sure that Azakia's prayer was over so they could continue the ritual.

"It's time to pour the blood of the ram and the ewe, but your head must be turned towards the river of Oceans."

Jaden looked at her bewildered which way was that she wondered. Saphira pointed to the left, and so Jaden took a deep breath and took the two jars of blood one with the symbol of the ewe and the other the symbol of the ram, and poured them in the trench as she turned her head to the left. Saphira broke in before Azakia could start another prayer.

"Light the fire and pour more of the blood on the fire that is when the spirits will start to come. This is when you can ask Tiresias your question."

Jaden used her power to light the mixture on fire and then she poured the remaining blood into the trench. It didn't take long for the spirits to come forth nor did they have to wait for Tiresias to come to them.

"Who has brought forth this old sightless spirit?"

Azakia answered for both.

"It is I the chosen one of Lantea and the Maiden of Kirin the Lady of the Jade."

Tiresias spirit came closer to Azakia and seemed to use his sense to see if he was worthy of asking him questions. He appears to study him for quite a while before making his decision.

"You may ask your question Chosen one."

Azakia let out his breath he had been holding it all through Tiresias inspection.

"What is the fastest and safest way to defeat Leander and bring peace to the world of Lantea?"

The old spirit laughed,

"Not by giving away one of the Maidens you fool. You must fulfill your journey there is no effortless way only if the eleven of you stay together can you defeat the god, Leander."

Ichiro had wanted to kick his brother he could have thought of many questions to ask none as stupid as that one. They were only allowed one question, and he no longer was the chosen one. He would have to live with the answer to the question Azakia asked. He had to laugh the old spirit did put him in his place about giving up Jaden to Leander, that was something anyway. Then it dawned on him that the old spirit said eleven who was the eleventh member of their team?

The Spirit flew over to study Saphira,

"I see you are following the path of your destiny. I was honored I played a small part in preparing you for your Journey."

The realization dawned on Saphira's face Tiresias was her friend from Itlay Tatiana she would know her sightless eyes anywhere. Before she could thank her friend, he was gone.