I didn’t want to obey her but I found myself walking through the haze toward the throne. Despite the heat rising from the glowing braziers all around me, I shivered. According to Antonius, I was about to hear the prophecy that foretold my father’s death. And perhaps my own as well.
Chapter Five
Melisandre
The Oracle fixed her eyes on me. Then the brilliantly colored irises rolled back in her head. She lifted her hands to the heavens, brought them down, and began swirling them through the clouds of incense. I blinked. I could have sworn I saw figures taking shape in the haze, as though she’d conjured them up out of the smoke.
She threw her head back and chanted in a language I couldn’t understand. It must have been a trick of the acoustics in the building, echoes off the stone walls, perhaps, because it sounded as though her voice was joined by others, one after another, until the temple was filled with a choir of rhythmic melodious song.
The music seemed to vibrate throughout the room, into my very soul. I didn’t recognize the melody or the words, but I felt as if the primeval part of my brain knew the chant. As if some remnant of ancestral memory had heard it before.
Gradually, beneath the song, I made out other sounds. Bare whispers at first, like the faint voices you swear you hear coming from the next room when you’re all alone on a dark night. The air was filled with smoke and with every breath I took, I felt as if I was falling under a spell. One part of my mind wondered if she’d put some sort of mind-altering drug into the braziers to burn along with the incense, while the other part tried to make out what they were saying.
The voices got louder. all talking at once. A babble of noise. The volume rose, and I heard shouts and wild cries. Figures emerged from the haze all around me. First faceless warriors then dark beings. They swirled together, and I heard the clang of sword against sword, the screams of dying men.
Suddenly, all sound ceased. Flames shot up out of the braziers. The Oracle stood, and in a deep sonorous voice she began speaking my language once again.
“It has begun. The Lord of Darkness has awakened. A thousand years he has slumbered, chained in his cave by a magic spell cast by the Woman Clothed in the Sun and her valiant mates. But the spell grows weak. His time of rest has only made him more determined to seek revenge. Even now his followers are uniting to break the chains that bind him.”
“The king will die before his time, no human hand raised against him. He leaves behind the Woman Who Commands the Seven Stars.
“Great evil will be unleashed upon his death. His followers will declare war on our world. Pain and misery descend upon the land. The Lord of Darkness will rule our World – unless the One who has been chosen by the Goddess discovers the secret to defeating the evil Lord.”
The Oracle turned her sightless eyes on me, pointing a gnarled finger. “You!” Her voice boomed out. “You are the One. The Woman Who Commands the Seven Stars. Your fate is sealed. You must take up the quest. Find the key. Only you can defeat the Lord of Darkness and send him back to his lair for all eternity.”
She walked to the edge of the dais, her hand still outstretched.
“In her mercy, the Goddess grants you five valiant souls to join you on your Quest. Five brave and loyal mates who will unite with you to battle the Lord of Darkness. Each one has a gift to aid in your battle – but each one bears a crushing burden. Only when you lift his burden can he come to your aid.”
The Oracle started down the stairs, the luminous strands of her hair flowing behind her. One step at a time, stopping on each to utter another line.
“First will come the Fire Born. The dragon lord. He who is both a beautiful young man and a terrible beast. It is his gift and his burden. For only when he masters the dragon within can he save you.”
The Fire Born. As she spoke, a male figure appeared out of the mist on her right then morphed into a fierce dragon. I knew him. I’d seen him. Stared at his naked body with unvirginal lust. Felt a dark erotic thrill, then horror as I watched him consumed by the flames. The thought of meeting him in his human form sent a blast of savage hunger rocketing through me.
She came down another step. “Next is the Chaos Born. The warrior. The powers of darkness seek to defeat him. They bring him to his knees, whispering, “You cannot withstand the storm.” Yet he fights on. Struggles to his feet, declaring, “Iamthe storm.” Honor is his creed – and valor his weakness.”
As she spoke, a masculine figure took shape in the mist behind her. Powerful. Strong. He fixed his deep blue eyes on me, and I knew in that moment that no matter what shape his body took, what chiseled plains and hollows made up his face, I would recognize him in an instant. By those eyes.
“Third is the Tempest Born. The wizard. He will harness his magic to aid in the cause. But beware. The Lord of Darkness casts his own potent spell and even a powerful wizard can fall under its influence. At the darkest time, remember – the Woman Who Commands the Seven Stars has magic of her own.”
The temple disappeared, and I was cast into the sea in the middle of a storm. Waves crashed over my head. I thrashed and spluttered, certain I would drown. Suddenly a whirlwind appeared, hovering over the water. A disembodied hand reached out for me from the center. I grabbed it, hanging on for dear life, and a tall man with eyes as dark as the night sky pulled me out of the water and into his arms. He bent his head and captured my lips in a kiss as fierce as the storm. Before I could catch my breath, the whirlwind tore him away, and I found myself back on the stone floor of the temple.
“Fourth is the mystic. The Holy One.” The Oracle’s voice boomed out, bringing me back to my senses. “He has dedicated himself to the gods but dark desires fill him. When he claims you, he will learn the Goddess herself created those desires. And through him, you will discover the fourth secret.”
Male voices coming from the shadows took up a low chant as a figure cloaked in a long purple robe, the hood concealing his face, came down the stairs. He picked me up as easily as if I was a child. The voices rose as he carried me to an altar, laid me on it like an offering, then slipped off his robe. He was naked underneath, and his cock sprang free, long and thick and hard. The chant reached a crescendo. He reached out to touch me – then disappeared in the mist.
I blinked and found myself back at the foot of the stairs, the Oracle standing above me.
My head was reeling. I could no longer tell what was real and what illusion. Her eyes focused on me, brilliant blue this time, and to my surprise, her voice softened.
“And last is the Rogue. He is charming, intelligent, wickedly handsome…” The eyes changed color again, this time dark as midnight, and her tone grew harsh. “Also a liar and a thief. He lives by his wits and to him truth is but a tool he’ll use, twisting and bending it to serve his purpose. Beware – for he will try to steal your heart.”
A cocky, self-assured figure, younger than all the others, strolled down the stairs and stopped beside the Oracle. He wore a sleeveless vest, open to show off a sleek, well-muscled body with impressive abs. He had short wavy hair, brilliant green eyes, and the devilish grin of a choir boy caught sneaking a bottle of holy wine out of the temple under his robes. He bowed his head to the Oracle then raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “As you have stolen mine, beautiful lady.” To my astonishment, the Oracle gave a tinkling laugh, like a coquettish young girl.
He glanced my way and winked, as though we shared a special secret. Then he and the Oracle headed back up the stairs hand in hand. When they reached the top of the dais, he disappeared, drifting away into formless mist as had all the others.
Except for one. The dragon lord, the Fire Born, took on substance. Came down the steps of the dais in his human form, naked once again. I ran my eyes over him, stopping at his cock, thick and hard and heavy.