Tridas (3 page)

"Skinny
dip?"

"Not
concerned about uninvited guests?" Aven's eyebrows raised.

"We
can hear them approaching through the opening at top. We would have like 5, to
grab towels" Kavani offered up, as she pulled down khaki shorts revealing
her tiny black bikini.

"You
look so hot!"

"Honoring
a woman's request is more admirable than praise”. She cited and Aven was naked
immediately.

The
water was refreshing, with a catwalk waist deep to the middle of the cenote.
The sunlight from the oculus above glistened off their bare, wet bodies.

"You
are a Goddess! An Absolute..." Aven was stopped short by giggles and
chatter on the pathway above. "I guess that's our queue”.

Kava's
buns emerging from the water as she climbed the stairs had Aven's full
attention. Grabbing his board shorts, he caught Kava enjoying her last peak of
his package as he tied the drawstrings. Definitely a stop worth making – the
sites were breathtaking on all accounts.

Chichen
Itza structures date back to 435. Aven was even more astute on sacred ancient
grounds. He had recollections... visions.

"Mr.
Antipater, I'm Irina, the director of UNESCO. Here is your VIP pass to climb
the 91 steps to the peak of our pyramid. Welcome to one of the seven wonders of
the ancient world."

It
was March 20: the Equinox.

336 B.C.

Helios, the Greek sun God, chose Rhodes as his
island and it has been sun kissed ever since his declaration. The peak of
Attavyros would provide the perfect backdrop to Olympias' celebration. The
Doric temple of Athena would serve as the table of offering. Athena was the
Goddess of wisdom, courage, strategy and skill, all traits Olympias believed
she and any invited guests must aspire to embody. Ships from the municipalities
of Rhodes, as well as the other Greek States united under the league of
Corinth, began arriving at port in the eastern bay.

The evening had been filled with secret rituals
and unorthodox practices. Secrets were revealed and books only accessible by
the privy were opened. Athena's Acropolis library secured ancient texts of lost
Dorian incantations. The moon had reached its apex casting fanciful shadows
across the temple columns emblazoned with sconces of snakes. It was time to
feast, drink, and dance. Wine from the renowned vineyards of the central
mountains of Rhodes was added to goblets, both drink and chalice fit for
royalty. The women looked beautiful, all clothed in ivy white. Wine, Ivy,
snakes... Just some of the symbols Olympias had infused from her cultic
Dyosonus influences. As well as one more addition, who was entering the temple
on queue - Antipater. Visiting the isle of Rhodes on a diplomatic mission to
negotiate with the Persians, yet on a more neutral territory, Antipater had
been invited to enjoy the final feast at Olympias' request. Every woman
recognized the Regent and each averted her eyes in respect.

Antipater found a natural place to recline above
the temple floor looking east out to the sea, the sheer cliffs providing
protection from marauders and the crashing waves far below. The citadel was
picturesque, indeed.

The food was fresh and full of flavor. The wine
was flowing freely, each new reserve better than the last. The women were
beautiful, if only because he was the only man present, but one demanded
special attention. 

Her laugh was contagious. Her very presence
lifted the energy of all others. Her dark hair, in loose curls and tan skin was
such a striking contrast to the white of the dress and decor. Her beauty was
undeniable. From the marking on her wrist, Antipater knew Kava was from the
city Tilos of Rhodes.

Kava turned to look at Antipater and he was
already starring at her. His eyes piercing her soul, not in a subjective way,
but were empowering and full of passion.

"May I dance in your honor Regent?"

"Do you think it wise to isolate yourself
from amongst your sisters to honor me rather than your goddess of
tribute?" Antipater queried.

"Yes... Athena is portrayed as a shrewd
companion of heroes and is the patron goddess of heroic endeavor after
all." She quipped, as the wine provided just the right amount of liquid
courage.

"By all means, dance for me”. Antipater
admired her bold spirit as well as her embrace of individuality. After all they
were celebrating the "free ones”.

Kava approached Antipater's raised platform,
taking each step on her toes, muscles flexed revealing the tone of her body.
Moving to the music, as the drums beat faster, her new elevated position
allowed the sea breeze to lift the light fabric of her parted dress and blow
through her hair. She appeared angelic as the winds complimented her movements.
At this close distance, her entire body was visible through her sheer gown.
Antipater was mesmerized.

Olympias was furious.

Aven
was escorted around the chain links that separated the public from the sacred
ruins and proceeded up the narrow outer steps to summit the pyramid. Digits in
the code intercepted in Thailand had ancient characters incorporated. Symbols
that resonated with Aven in DC, now at Chichen Itza were tapping into memories
from long ago. Inside the pyramid, Aven navigated the narrow passages to enter
the temple room of Chac Mool. Examining the Jaguar throne, the engraved
characters on the chest of the statue, were the same as those embedded into the
code, awaiting his interpretation back at the Pentagon.

Suddenly everything was clear from 3 days ago.
Aven had experienced a vision of Sumeria in his convertible outside the winery,
in preparation for this interpretation. Throughout his long life, memories were
lost until they were needed to fulfill a purpose. Realizing the draw to Chichen
Itza, was a call from the ancients, Antipater recalled his first visit to
Sumeria with Alexander. They had entered the famed Ziggurat tower of Babel,
square at its foundation (rather than round) and 91 meters high. It was in
decay, but both men knew the significance of the structure. Alexander would
eventually destroy the tower, but not before removing certain tiles to another
location. The similarities between the pyramid and the tower were not a coincidence
and the use of the number 91 bore significance.
 

The number 91 carries with it a meaning of
disaster. It is the sum of the numbers one to thirteen and is a symbol of the
culmination of all that is "unlucky."

Aven took 91
paces and before him was a carving on the tomb wall. It was a rendering of a
great cataclysmic event. One he had seen depicted before in the stone carvings
of Angkor Wat, a temple in Cambodia, a country that shares borders with
Thailand. At the realization of the connections, Aven lost his footing as the
ground beneath him began to shake. He caught a glimpse at his watch, as his arm
reached toward the wall to stable himself... Exactly 3 pm.

Outside
the pyramid Kava stared up at its endless 91 steps, admiring the impeccable
architecture, particularly the stone feathered serpent head. As the clock
reached 3:00 p.m. the sun light struck the north side creating 7 light and
shadow isosceles triangles, giving shape to the body of a slithering serpent.
The eyes of the serpent glowed and as she gazed into them, Kava fell into a
trance and began chanting an incantation in Greek. The rhythm of the language
under the strength of her accent was beautifully hypnotic. 

She started to
trace in the sand a depiction of a churning ocean. Above the waves were the
images of the moon goddess Ishta, the flower bedecked goddess Malin Ali and the
star goddess Citlalli.

As tourists snapped shots trying to capture the sun's creation on the pyramid
face, many were captivated by Kava as well. Her 'connection' was assumed to be
a performance demonstrating ancient rituals, but in fact it was the first time
in over forty years she remembered her true identity. The experience was
nothing ceremonial, but true magic. As she embraced the full power of the
moment, her eyes shone with knowledge.

Aven, even from the pinnacle of the pyramid, could see the change in her. As he
carefully scaled the steep descent, he could feel the energy coming from
Kavani's presence. He ran to her position standing near the serpent head, and
pulled her close. She welcomed his embrace, but after a moment took a step
back.

"My love, why are you in costume? And what am I wearing?" Her
questions came in succession.

"What is this sacred and powerful place? I do not recognize its
beauty".

"The flash boxes from all these around us... Are we among a magic clan
Antipater?"

He began to explain, "Kavani we are in the 21st century, in a new world
discovered by explorers and home to the Ashuras. They call themselves Mayan and
this is the ruin of the capital city of their empire".

"Ashuras"
she replied with raised eyebrows, as she took in his words. "We are then
on the other side of the world." She stated, but it sounded more like a
question.

"Is
it not also the day of equal night, the serpent revealing messages from
Venus?" She continued. "Her presence is strong here in her realm
opposite to Jupiter".

The
Puranas, an ancient scripture, had described that the Devas or "those of
the light" and the Ashuras or "those of the dark" lived on
opposite sides of the world. The calendar of the Devas was based on the
movements of Jupiter, leader of the Gods, The calendar of the Ashuras was based
on the movements of Venus, the moon goddess of beauty.

"What
have you traced in the sand?" Antipater asked, "I recognize the churning
water from inside the pyramid, but who are the three figures?"

"The
goddesses of this realm, revealed to me on the night we met in Rhodes, at
Olympias' celebration." Kavani explained, as she leaned into Antipater
remembering their first encounter, "They are positioned to prevent the
cataclysmic event being orchestrated on the opposite side of the world”.

Antipater
was a bit shocked. The secrets answered here would solve the encryption, but he
feared what the code would reveal was something much larger than a typical
threat. What was happening in Thailand was thousands of years in the making.

Driving away from Chichen Itza, Kava began seeing
snapshots of her life in Seattle... Her law office, the vineyard... Then the
memories began to flood her mind until she remembered eons of experiences

336 B.C.

Antipater extended his trip in Rhodes. Kavani
was the perfect host. The two relished each other's company. The rains had
swept in by early evening. Antipater lifted his robe overhead and looked for
cover from the down pour. Kavani ran her fingers through her hair, tossing her
head back as her face embraced the moonlight. She was wet. Her pink lips a
perfect complement to the large golden earrings dangling across her neck. Skin
glistening from the moisture and linen pulled close to her body, she was
radiant. 

"Why scurry to the cave Great One?"
Her sarcasm dripping. "Kiss me in the rain. Embrace me. Enjoy our water
world with me this night." Her playful confidence was undeniable.
Antipater dropped his cloak and strode towards
her, "The waves on our heels, the rain on our cheeks and the moon as our
guiding light”. He lifted her off the beach as she reached up to wrap her arms
around his neck. "My siren emerging from the sea, I want you”. The
moonlight was reflecting off their bodies.

Their lips met. Antipater had to steady himself.
Her touch across his bare chest and down his arms was more than he could
handle. Tearing off her dress, as she pulled off his war skirt, her legs
wrapped around his waist, their bodies became one shadow. The kissing became
more intense as the rain grew harder. Antipater lay her down on the beach and
admired her body hidden by only her rings and a golden bracelet.