Blackbird

Chapter 30: Black Death

Layha didn't reply but kept staring at the procession with sadness in her eyes.

"I wanna see what's going on in there...", said Patrick to Layha.

"But you still haven't recovered from the injuries yet...besides you can't walk in public in that strange dress...", replied Layha.

"I'm okay.... don't worry about me... just get me something to wear", said Patrick still looking curiously at the crowd.

"Stay here...", said Layha and quickly ran inside the hut.

Patrick knew he had no choice but to accept the fact that he was now in a different world altogether and he had to learn how to blend in. Deep in his heart he was relieved that he wasn't in his original time and place anymore- nobody really liked him there and everyone was out for his neck. This place looked promising- he could spend the rest of his life there in peace- he began to zone out.

"Here ... try this!", said Layha offering him a long white robe.

"Eh.. So this it what men wear out here?", he asked.

"Yes, it is a very luxurious gown here- every nobleman wears one of this plus it will hide that strange leg gown you are wearing.", she replied with a smile.

"These are called pants!", Patrick replied and snatched the gown from her hands and put it on.

Layha was amused and smiled as Patrick put on the white gown which stretched upto his feet. It was strangely comfortable, light and silky.

"You look good - now follow me!", said Layha.

Patrick followed her down the shack and into the streets. The place was getting crowded as people gathered to watch the parade of the royal guards. Layha quickly led him through the crowd and found him a good spot to watch the parade. Patrick was stupefied at what he saw.

The seven feet tall- well built guards stood in all corners protecting the palanquin of the royal one. The old man stepped out from the palanquin and placed his foot on a small decorated stool- he could barely stand and his eyes barely opened. He looked so old and fragile and had a stooped back.He had no hair on his head and even his scalp was wrinkled. He supported himself with an wooden stick.

"Here ye!"- said the old man in a trembling voice, " tis the time of the year again- the call for sacred duty of the chosen ones- rejoice for you shall have the supreme honour of serving the God Kings of our land!!", he said.

The crowd cheered upon hearing the announcement. Some people even cried in excitement.

"Who's that?", asked Patrick pointing at the old man.

Layha quickly pulled back his hand and said ," It's an offence to point at royalty- you'll have your hand chopped off… be quiet and listen."

Patrick quietly obeyed.

"Now who hear wants to fulfill their destiny?Come forth and kneel!", continued the old man.

Five average looking men immediately walked up and kneeled down in front of the old man.

"Good! I need one more- come forth!", the old man announced.

For a moment nobody came until suddenly a young boy in his early teens came out and kneeled.

"Begone boy, you are not able bodied yet!!", commanded the old man.

"But master, I want to serve the Gods!!", replied the young boy.

The old man lifted his finger and flicked it in the air - the boy was suddenly thrown away into the crowd by an invisible force. The crowd gasped in awe. The boy fell down on the ground and was knocked unconscious.

Patrick couldn't believe his eyes.

"What sorcery is this?", he thought in his mind.

"My lord! I volunteer", said another man coming out from the crowd.

"Good! Follow me to the great halls, your destiny awaits you.", said the old man and stepped back into his palanquin.

The parade turned back with six men following the royal ones to the great halls. The crowd slowly began to disperse. Patrick noticed that some women and children were sad and crying at the departure of the men. Patrick was puzzled at this whole affair. He couldn't make any heads or tails of it and followed Layha back to the shack.

"What did I just see? Who was that old man?", asked Patrick.

"He's the vizier - the grand vizier. He speaks for the Gods…he's very powerful!", said Layha

The three of them, Patrick,Layha and the kid- Zyan, sat down on the floor of the sack. Layha was preparing some sort of herbal tea. Patrick looked at her carefully. She looked no more than 30 years of age and was incredibly beautiful. Her eyes were blue like the ocean and her hair was dark like the night sky. Her movements were so graceful, like a dancer and her smile eased all his worries. He kept staring at her for a while but realised that she might find it creepy and started to talk while Zyan went outside to fetch some water.

"Okay! I want answers… How did you know that I came from the future and tell me more about this vizier and the kings…" , said Patrick.

"This city of Sumeria is ruled by three God Kings. They reside in the magestic palace up north and they protect us from foreign enemies. We survive here my farming the fertile land and grazing our cattle in the open grasslands. There is everlasting peace here and we live here happily. But there's a price for this peace- every few months, the vizier comes to our city and asks for able bodied men to go work for the construction of a holy temple in the palace for a few weeks. Many men went happily to serve their godly benefactors during the first time but they never returned…" said Layha.

Patrick curiously listened to her story while sipping on his tea.

"Why didn't they return?", he asked.

"Nobody knows…", Layha replied, " when we asked about it to the vizier, he simply replied that their work's not yet over and that they would return soon. The vizier would return again in a few months and ask for more men. Hundreds of men have left with him for hundreds of time but nobody would return, when asked, the vizier would simply answer that it's an offence to question the commands of the Gods."

"That's a pile of shh… lies!", remarked Patrick.

"That's what I thought too- there's something fishy about this whole affair but one day something strange happened.", replied Layha.

"Like what?", asked Patrick.

"A few months back, when the vizier came for the men, he said that he would set up camp in the market and talk to the people and ask them about any difficulties they were facing. But his real intention was to meet me." she said.

"You? Why?", Patrick asked.

"I was called into his camp and told by the vizier that there's an important task that he would like for me to perform. There's this visitor that would arrive on a certain day at a certain place he said and my task was to acquaint him with this place and take care of him for a few days… Who's this visitor I asked. He said that he would arrive from the future … on a very important task.", Layha said.

Patrick raised his eyebrows.

"What?", he remarked, "was he talking about me?"

"Yes indeed, he predicted your arrival and I was there waiting for you- he said that a great and imminent danger would soon befall on our city and this visitor would be our saviour!"

Patrick almost choked on his tea.

"You mean me? A saviour? Are you serious?", asked Patrick.

"tis the truth! I have never lied in my life- tis quite dishonourable for a lady to lie.", replied Layha with great pride.

"I really don't understand ….", Patrick shook his head in disbelief.

"Which part?", asked Layha innocently.

"All of it!!". replied Patrick in frustration.

"I mean… firstly I can't belief that I've teleported 5000 years back in time and then these Gods…and…and… the vizier who can throw away people just by flicking his finger….and what's this talk about me being a saviour? I'm a nobody … ", he said.

"Please relax, everything will be clear in due time… he has asked me to bring you to meet him once you've understood about this place… in fact he's the one who gave me those two vials filled with the potions…" , Layha replied.

"But I thought you didn't trust him…", said Patrick.

"Yes that was before I understood his true intentions- you see we never get to meet or speak to the Gods directly, the vizier acts as our mouth piece. In fact we only see the Gods when they

travel across the sky on their magical chariots. The vizier looks after our city and does their bidding. He told me that he never liked the idea of taking away the people to work for the Gods but he had to obey their commands. This act he puts on to impress the Gods but in reality he wants to stop this voluntary sacrifice of human lives. He said he had learnt about the Gods' true intentions and has a plan to stop this from happening again. Only you can help us!", Layha replied.

Patrick was dumbfounded and didn't know what to say. He thought that the only way to find out is to play along and believe in Layha. He started having glimpses of the past days- the days that he spent with Hans' team, trying to excavate the ancient burial mound. He recalled how he found the carvings and the name of the one called "Enki" or "Anki". Could all this be related? Did the gateway took him back to the same place but before it was ever built? Were these the people living there?