Wisdom of the Gods

   The light from the fire at the end of the torch flickered along the cave walls. A young archaeologist cautiously made her way deeper into the cave. She was convinced she was on the right track to the greatest discovery in history. For her entire career, Isendra had searched for a lost civilization known as the Dracanae. The legends had mystified scientists and intrigued the masses but no one knew if it was real or just a story. Brief accounts had been found but no real hard evidence. No one had even found artifacts that the Dracanae Empire ever existed. Isendra never gave up the search. Something inside told her that the Dracanae Empire had in fact existed and were far more advanced than even modern humans. She had suffered much in her career from ridicule and no one wanted to take her theories seriously. They called them childish fantasies and regulated her to the fringes of the Archeological community. They took every opportunity to discredit the young archaeologist.

The only sounds in the cave were Isendra's boots on the dirt floor. The ground crunching beneath her feet. The sound echoed off the stone walls. After several minutes of walking, Isendra noticed familiar markings along the walls. She stepped closer and could see the symbols clearer. Many of the carvings were weathered and hard to read. But she had no doubts this was the first proof of the Dracanae Empire. Isendra became very excited. She took out her camera and snapped several pictures of the symbols on the cave walls. When she was sure that she had captured everything, Isendra continued through the cave. The symbols increased and became more pronounced. Isendra snapped more pictures, documenting everything she could. These pictures would prove she was not crazy and all who had ridiculed her would have to see it. They would have to rethink their own theories.

The cave opened up to an opulent temple. Isendra was amazed at the find. The preservation was impeccable. The walls were still covered in vibrant colors, the symbols looked as if they had just been carved the day before. The statues that stood around the room had no evidence of decay. Isendra could not believe the condition of the temple. This was the greatest discovery since King Tutankhamun's tomb. This would re-write history and call into question every theory attributed to the Dracanae Empire. Isendra was the first person to step on the white marble floors of this temple in millennia. A discovery like this would be life changing. Isendra knew the world would want to know everything that she discovered and everything about the legends that were once thought to be fairytales and fanciful musings. Isendra would be able to leave behind all doubt about her career choice.

Isendra lost herself in thought and wonder as she wandered through the temple. Everything she had dreamed about her entire life was right there in front of her. Everything looked exactly as she had dreamed night after night. Isendra marveled at the colors on the walls and the condition of the perfectly carved statues. She felt as though she had just stepped through a portal to the past. Isendra could almost feel the people that once walked through these halls. She felt like she would round a corner and find one of the ancients crossing the marble floors. Then someone suddenly bumped into her from behind. The temple seemed to have all of a sudden filled with people. Their wooden sandals clicked on the stone floor and their gossamer robes slid lightly across the polished marble under their feet. Isendra turned to see who had run into her. She faced a very confused guard in ancient scale decorated armor. She blinked and the sounds and the people disappeared. Isendra was once again alone. Her torch was the only source of light illuminating the room. She looked around, blinking rapidly, confused about what she had just seen and heard. No matter what she did, the people did not return. Isendra shook her head and proceeded deeper into the temple.

She turned a corner and came face to face with a set of excessively large stone doors. They had a dragon with a giant egg carved in their face. There were jewels of red and purple set along the bottom and in the crown that sat upon the head of the dragon. The door was covered in gold and silver.

Isendra wondered what could be behind these beautiful doors. Was it the lost tomb of the legendary warrior Queen of the Dracanae Empire? Maybe it was the inner sanctum dedicated to the Gods. One day she would find out. For now, she had to document this place. Isendra set her ruck sack down and took out the rest of her camera equipment. She set up the camcorder to record her discovering the temple. As the camcorder rolled, Isendra took the still camera and took up close pictures of everything in the temple. She also wrote in her journals; her thoughts on the discoveries and translations of the symbols on the walls. As time wore on, Isendra started to feel tired. She didn’t want to leave. She was afraid she would never find this place again or that she was dreaming. Isendra felt she had better just camp in the temple. She made her way back through the halls to the main room at the center of the temple. Isendra set up her small camp. She took out her small burner for a fire, she rolled out her sleeping bag and took out her food. Isendra put a couple of sausages on a roasting stick and held them in the fire. She waited until they were fully cooked. She pulled them out of the flames and placed them between two slices of bread. Isendra finished her meal and cleaned up. She turned the burner down and crawled into her sleeping bag. Before closing her eyes, Isendra prayed that she wasn’t dreaming and to wake up in this temple.

Isendra closed her eyes and found herself in the temple walking with the priestesses, surrounded by guards. She watched as rituals of bounty and protection were performed. She bowed with the rest when the Queen entered. Isendra could feel the light gossamer gown that clung to her body. She had had similar dreams before but none had felt so real. She felt as though she was really living in the days of the ancients. 

A loud thud from a distance, pulls Isendra from her dream. She woke with a start and hurried to relight her touch. Once it was lit, she jumped up to search for the source of the sound. She took the roasting stick as a weapon, just in case. Isendra came upon the gold and silver door once again. This time they were wide open. She tentatively peered inside the room that had been hidden behind the doors.  

Inside, Isendra found a golden throne with a crown sitting in the seat. The crown was silver with red jewels encrusted around the brim. The golden throne was glowing. Isendra slowly stepped into the room and started to hear vocals like a choir. With every step closer she took, the singing was deafening. Being compelled by an unknown force, Isendra reached out her left hand and touched the arm of the opulent chair. The glow from the golden throne became so bright it hurt her eyes. She closed her eyes tight but could not remove her hand from the arm of the throne. It was as if it was being held down on the golden throne.

Sometime later, Isendra woke up on a soft bed. She could smell fresh lavender and roses. She opened her eyes and saw the golden posts of her bed and the white gossamer fabric that hung around the top of the bed, connecting the posts. The fabric moved with the gentle breeze. On the air the smell of the salty seas that Isendra was sure surrounded wherever she was. The cool breeze graced her body, that’s when she noticed that she was no longer wearing the khaki outfit that she had put on, the morning before starting her trek. Instead her body was clothed in a light, sheer material. It was the softest most comfortable fabric she had ever worn. She wondered what it was made out of. Her feet were bare beneath the gossamer sheet that also covered her body. Isendra came to her senses and lept out of the bed. She ran from the room and searched for information on where she was, how she got here, and who brought her here? As Isendra made her way through what appeared to be a palace, she passed guards and very confused servants. No one spoke to her or stopped her. That was until she came upon a set of opulent doors with two guards on either side. She tried to step toward the door but the guards put out their hands and stopped her. They spoke in a language that Isendra did not recognize. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Where am I?” she questioned. The guards just looked at her. It was obvious they didn’t understand what she was saying either. She threw her hands into the air in frustration. How would she ever find out where she was or how to get home? Then it hit her, maybe she could communicate in writing. She turned back to the guards, who looked at her with raised eyebrows. With rudimentary sign language, Isendra requested writing tools. The guards seemed to understand her request. One of them left the group. Isendra stood in silence and waited for the other guard to return. While she waited, Isendra studied the armor the woman wore. She noticed the intricate scale design and the dragon claw shoulder guards. She started to wonder if, somehow, she had ended up in the palace of the Warrior Queen of the Dracanae Empire. The guard returned with a tablet, a reed, and ink. Isendra smiled her thank you and took the tools. She knelt on the white marble floor and wrote out her questions in the symbols she had found in the temple walls. When she was finished, Isendra stood and handed the tablet to the guard. The armored woman took the tablet and read what was written. She held out her hand to request the reed and ink. Isendra handed them over and the guard wrote the responses. When the guard was finished she handed the tablet back. The young woman read it, with minor difficulties.:

“You are in the Palace of Issea, Queen of the Dracanae Empire. You were found in the inner sanctum in the Temple of Draca. The Gods brought you to us. After you were found, you were brought here to the palace. Queen Issea will speak with you soon. You should return to your chambers and rest.”

Isendra thought for a moment, then asked for the reed. On the tablet and wrote:

           “I do not know where the chambers are. I did not take notice of the path.”

The guard read the tablet. She nodded with a smile and indicated she would show Isendra the way. The young woman allowed herself to be led back to the chambers she had woke in just moments earlier. Isendra walked in, turned to watch the guard close the door. She was starting to feel like a prisoner. She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed thinking. After a few moments, Isendra stood and walked towards the gossamer curtains along the wall. She opened them to reveal the large balcony. She stepped out into the sunlight. Isendra closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of fresh sea air. She opened her eyes and looked out upon the city outside the palace walls. Out past the city was the sparkling sea. The buildings of the cities had domed roofs with gray marble that almost looked silver in the sunlight. The sea looked like stars twinkling in the midday sun. Isendra felt like she was standing in the heaven she had been told about as a child. 

Isendra started to feel a peace wash over her that she had never felt before. Nothing bothered her, her worries dissipated. A serene smile spread across her porcelain face. The sea breeze gently tossed her long dark locks and she surrendered to the peace reaching into her soul. Isendra was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she didn’t realize that someone had entered her chambers and was now standing behind her smiling.

A tall, red haired regal woman stood at the entrance of the chambers facing the balcony. She watched as the newcomer embraced the breeze and took in the scents of the world. The tall woman watched as a weight was lifted from the shoulders of the young woman. The tall woman just stood there smiling at her. “Welcome home.” the tall woman finally spoke. Isendra gasped and turned to the source of the voice.

“Who… Who are you?” she questioned. “I am Queen Issea of the Great Dracanae Empire. I am glad to see you have come home.” the tall woman replied with a wide smile and tears in her eyes. “What do you mean ‘Come Home’ ?” Isendra asked. Queen Issea stepped across the marble balcony towards the railing beside Isendra. She sighed and looked towards the horizon. “When you disappeared, I thought that I would never see you again. Hopes of a prosperous future faded into darkness. Then one night, the Gods gave me a sign. They had to take you. There were so many things that you needed to learn to serve your people. These lessons could not be learned anywhere in the Empire. I had to trust that the Gods had a plan and that I would see my beautiful princess again.” Queen Issea explained. Isendra did not understand what she was being told. The Queen could see that the young woman was not grasping the information. “Isendra, you are my daughter. You are the heir to the throne and the future of the Empire.” she revealed. “What?” Isendra’s eyes grew wide and confused.

“You wouldn’t remember anything of your life here. You were so young. You were at the Temple with me during a ritual to ask the Gods for prosperity. You wondered off. Which is something you did often. You never could sit still. We searched, the entire Empire searched for you. A few days later I got the message from the Gods. and called off the search.” Queen Issea responded. Isendra thought for a moment without speaking. She thought back to her childhood. She remembered never staying in one place very long and how none of those places ever felt like home. She had always felt like she just didn’t belong. There were the dreams since she could remember about the temple and the Dracanae Empire. In her heat she knew it was all real, no matter how many times people told her it was all legends and dreams. She was told to grow up and focus her energy on the real world. But now she was standing in a palace with the Great warrior Queen. Now the queen was claiming Isendra was her very own daughter. This couldn’t be, she was dreaming. This kind of thing just didn’t happen.

“How can you be sure I am really your daughter?” Isendra finally spoke. “I know this must seem impossible. I can prove it to you.” Queen Issea offered. Isendra nodded in agreement. Queen Issea nodded and led the young woman off the balcony and out of the chambers. They passed through the marble halls, followed by no less than ten guards. Isendra stayed silent as the group made their way through the palace. At the end of a long corridor they came upon a set of large stone doors that opened as they approached. The group walked through the doorway and entered a place familiar to Isendra. They had just entered the temple she had discovered in the cave. Queen Issea led the group into a room that Isendra had not seen when she was exploring the temple. The walls of the room were covered in paintings that looked like family life. The Queen stopped in front of one that looked like a mother and child. She pointed to an inscription underneath it. Isendra stepped closer and read the inscription.

“On this day of glory, the God have blessed the Dracanae Empire. The future of the Empire rests in the strong hands of our Princess

Princess Isendra of the Dracanae Empire.

                  May the Gods bless and keep her”

Isendra looked at it stunned. She had wondered where her name had come from. She had never met another person with her name nor had she ever found it in any baby name book. But still this did not prove she was who the Queen claimed. “You seem to need more proof.” The Queen commented seeing the look on Isendra’s face. Queen Issea led them over to the bookshelves along the far wall. She removed scrolls. She placed her load on the table that was at the center of the room. Isendra looked through the scrolls and found a painting of a young child. It was ore realistic than that depicted on the walls. She looked at it closely and spotted a mark on the forehead of the child in the same spot, the same shape and color of the one on her forehead. She touched the spot on her head. “That is the mark of the Gods.” The queen said, turning around and lifted her hair. On the back of her neck was the same mark. 

This was too much to take and Isendra ran from the room. The Queen let her go. Queen Issea was comforted by the fact that her child was home.