06-04-2018, 02:00 PM
It was as if he were a student again at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His studies back then might have seemed an odd mix to the casual observer. Ancient Religions and Mathematics. While not questioning the direction, he himself had wondered at the dichotomy. Outside of Kabbalistic mysticism or Pythagorean essences, the two fields did not intersect.
In hindsight, though, the connection seemed providential. Never more so than now. His work up until now had been focused on the admixture of ancient lore and myth- hidden truths- and the hunt, keeping humanity safe. Most of all, being the heart, mind and soul of the Atharim.
And while the underpinnings of his studies- deducing patterns and applying rigorous logic, which were the very foundations of mathematics- had shaped how he thought and analyzed, he had not found himself shifting his mind into that state of mind necessary to discover or follow complex proofs in decades. Not even as part of his Chonng Ran meditations.
To find himself then, now, after all these years, having to do that very thing- to logically analyze, to carefully reconstruct algorithms and command structures, to map out a complete program in an ancient code....well, to say that he was surprised was an understatement.
That amazement seemed to split his mind in two, one dutifully following the track before him, planning and formulating. The other marveling at how his life had been shaped. He felt Valeriya's silken leg against his own, the warm softness of her. The Eye. His destiny had been shaped by someone or something. And he was content.
He- no. He had been purged of his pride. They were the tool to save mankind. He had no idea what Valeriya's destiny was. And that excited him. No one had ever been his equal before. No one had ever commanded his respect. There was newness to the world. The two of them, their sum far more than either were individually, were in this place, here and now, the lines and threads that had placed them there going back hundreds and thousands of years. The two of them, brought together, a confluence of seeds to stand against the greatest evils the world had seen in over ten millenia.
The smile on his face was indeed wicked. He murmured the ancient words to himself, the one that would bind the hunter and open it up to receive programming.
His blow would have to be deliberate and careful, The single hammer strike that would shatter a mountain. The idea had germinated in his mind. Valeriya's words. "You need the right weapon."
Apollyon was powerful, it was true. But his power was from two sources. The ancient power was nothing he could do about, not yet. But the other...He was the Destroyer, but he was not omniscient. He was not omnipotent. He was just a man, in the end. With a 10,000 enemies in every direction. One single hammer blow.
He hadn't realized he was speaking out loud- or that she had awakened- until he felt her nuzzle him and speak softly. The part of his mind that had hummed along, putting together the basic algorithmic flow from the command structures the ancient silver scroll described, came to a halt and all of him focused on her, green eyes shining up at him.
His smile remained but he gestured for her to sit up with him. "This ancient scroll...it contains the key to using the curse tablet. I used the tablet once before in an effort to kill Apollyon- just before I came to you- and I failed. I did not understand."
He leaned over and picked up the tablet from beside the bed and held it in his hands before giving it to her. The burnished copper was untouched by the passage of time. "The ancient Atharim left this for our time. My people found it months ago. A tool to destroy Apollyon. I thought I knew what to do." His laugh was just a bark. "Now, though, I think I see a way." His smile deepened, just in anticipation of it.
Looking at her, he explained his idea. When he was done, silence hung in the air. "Tell, me, my beloved Valeriya, what is your mind? And What does the Eye see?"
Edited by Regus, Jun 4 2018, 04:08 PM.
In hindsight, though, the connection seemed providential. Never more so than now. His work up until now had been focused on the admixture of ancient lore and myth- hidden truths- and the hunt, keeping humanity safe. Most of all, being the heart, mind and soul of the Atharim.
And while the underpinnings of his studies- deducing patterns and applying rigorous logic, which were the very foundations of mathematics- had shaped how he thought and analyzed, he had not found himself shifting his mind into that state of mind necessary to discover or follow complex proofs in decades. Not even as part of his Chonng Ran meditations.
To find himself then, now, after all these years, having to do that very thing- to logically analyze, to carefully reconstruct algorithms and command structures, to map out a complete program in an ancient code....well, to say that he was surprised was an understatement.
That amazement seemed to split his mind in two, one dutifully following the track before him, planning and formulating. The other marveling at how his life had been shaped. He felt Valeriya's silken leg against his own, the warm softness of her. The Eye. His destiny had been shaped by someone or something. And he was content.
He- no. He had been purged of his pride. They were the tool to save mankind. He had no idea what Valeriya's destiny was. And that excited him. No one had ever been his equal before. No one had ever commanded his respect. There was newness to the world. The two of them, their sum far more than either were individually, were in this place, here and now, the lines and threads that had placed them there going back hundreds and thousands of years. The two of them, brought together, a confluence of seeds to stand against the greatest evils the world had seen in over ten millenia.
The smile on his face was indeed wicked. He murmured the ancient words to himself, the one that would bind the hunter and open it up to receive programming.
His blow would have to be deliberate and careful, The single hammer strike that would shatter a mountain. The idea had germinated in his mind. Valeriya's words. "You need the right weapon."
Apollyon was powerful, it was true. But his power was from two sources. The ancient power was nothing he could do about, not yet. But the other...He was the Destroyer, but he was not omniscient. He was not omnipotent. He was just a man, in the end. With a 10,000 enemies in every direction. One single hammer blow.
He hadn't realized he was speaking out loud- or that she had awakened- until he felt her nuzzle him and speak softly. The part of his mind that had hummed along, putting together the basic algorithmic flow from the command structures the ancient silver scroll described, came to a halt and all of him focused on her, green eyes shining up at him.
His smile remained but he gestured for her to sit up with him. "This ancient scroll...it contains the key to using the curse tablet. I used the tablet once before in an effort to kill Apollyon- just before I came to you- and I failed. I did not understand."
He leaned over and picked up the tablet from beside the bed and held it in his hands before giving it to her. The burnished copper was untouched by the passage of time. "The ancient Atharim left this for our time. My people found it months ago. A tool to destroy Apollyon. I thought I knew what to do." His laugh was just a bark. "Now, though, I think I see a way." His smile deepened, just in anticipation of it.
Looking at her, he explained his idea. When he was done, silence hung in the air. "Tell, me, my beloved Valeriya, what is your mind? And What does the Eye see?"
Edited by Regus, Jun 4 2018, 04:08 PM.