Dark Legacy: The End of the Kai

Chapter III

The grey, serene eyes of the Oracle Queen were hidden behind her closed eyelids. Her eyebrows were thick, her lips thin, and her unadorned, straight black hair touched the seat of her throne. Large silver-loop earrings lightly caressed her exposed shoulders. Her royal robes of white, peppermint green, and light purple flowed along the lines of her petit body. Her leather belt, engraved elegantly with depictions of angelic creatures, was adorned with a crystal buckle that had seven diamonds set into it–each representing one of the Seven Stars of Pleiadia; the buckle was a gift to her royal line from the Winged Creator. Her feet were bound in white boots of soft suede with light blue silk straps that were woven and tied tightly around her shins. She sat peacefully with her legs crossed on her throne. Her right hand rested in the palm of her left, and her left hand rested in the cloth nest below her childless belly.

She was wise, but far younger than her royal appearance would confess, and even younger still in the knowledge and experience needed to play in the dangerous games of politics and government. Her allies were few for she paid no heed to the delicate balances required between her and the royal families, the corporate nobles, the politicians, the bureaucrats, the military elite, and the Ideo-clans.

In the many decades before her reign the Ideo-clans had grown strong in corporate power and political influence over the sectors, regions, and colonies of the expanding Atlantean Empire. Of the competing Ideo-clans there was one that had gained the greatest of power, controlling the ways and means of politics, economy, finance, and military conquest. Ophiuchus was the name of this clan whose leader was known to all as the corporate noble, Maniok. Deep was Maniok's hate for the reigning light of the eight Atlantean Royal Families and its Kai guardians and priestesses. It was rumored by some that he had once been a Kai guardian apprentice of the Order of Leo many decades, perhaps centuries, ago. But this was bizarre speculation for there was no credible record describing the origins of the one named Maniok. He was, in all senses of the word, a mystery.

In her few short years as Oracle Queen, Andromeda sought to accomplish good in the name of her empire. Her heart was innocent and pure, hopeful and faithful. She strived to end the long brutal expanse of her empire; she fought to protect the natural riches of her lands, and she spoke to end the suffering of those who could not speak in political rhymes: the slaves, the poor, the children, the crippled, and the many creatures of the land, sea, and sky. But, sadly, her righteousness had failed and deceived her, and she sat on her throne in thought of what could have been now that it was all soon to end.

Her throne, the centerpiece of a massive, circular royal throne chamber was a flat, short, white marble column elevated by ten concentric white marble planes. It was cut several millenniums ago from Mount Kai; considered by the Wise to be the birthplace of the Red race.

The Atlantean Royal Throne chamber was unlike any other of its day. It was bathed in a glorious white light whose source could not be explained; it was neither lit by the sun, nor by flames, nor by electrical means. It was said, according to myth, to have been lit by a great magic of a time long forgotten. Of course, no modern Atlantean believed in magic. There was only the truth of science, technology, and medicine to adhere to and abide by.

The true age of the royal throne chamber remained unknown; the Gods of the Seven Stars built it upon the peak of Mount Eve in the beginning days of the Red race. Over time Mount Eve was cut down and shaped to form the Tower of Light, which stood surrounded by what now remained of the seven Atlantean Royal Towers. The royal throne chamber was not only a symbol of the ancient heritage of the Red race but also the sacred link between mortal man and the Winged Creator.

The earth moved and the Oracle Queen woke from her thoughts. She stared at the towering, thick-iron chamber gates. Sitting in meditative positions in a circle around her, on the plane below her, were the High Kai Priestesses all dressed according to the traditional colors of the royal Clan Orders they represented; and standing before them, on the plane below, were their respective High Kai Guardians who were also dressed in the same colors as the High Kai Priestesses to whom they were bound. They all stood in the sequential order of the towers: Drakul, Libra, Virgo, Leo, Cancer, Gemini, and Taurus. There should have been seven guardians and seven priestesses in all but only six pairs were present. The Oracle Queen knew that Neva Yun Ra and Arkan of the Drakul Clan Order had abandoned her to save the life of their forbidden child.