Narnar and Ningal of the Nefilim are rallying the Pantheon of Twelve to apprehend Shamash. We need only keep him occupied until his peers arrive.'

The whole room gave a cheer at this, as salvation was in sight.

'I want one person from each mission's team to check in here at hourly intervals. Should anyone fail to make this contact, we shall assume the worst and plan accordingly. The rest of you are to stay here and keep the lines of communication flowing. Tory and I are off to take Dumuzi to Inanna to sway her to our cause. Any questions?'

'Ah, just one.' Patrick pointed to a bright ball of glowing blue light that was heading toward the large observation porthole of their submersible's control deck.

'What is that?'

The ball passed straight through the glass, homing in on Tory and disappearing into her forehead. When she had absorbed the message, she opened her eyes and looked at Brian. 'It's Dad, Brian. He wants to see us.'

'Now!' He snarled, exasperated. He was preparing to leave for Farwell.

Tory nodded, looking at Maelgwn to seek his leave.

Maelgwn sighed heavily. 'If Myrddin is asking to see you both, it must be important. You go. I shall take Dumuzi to Inanna. Brian, you can rejoin the others at Farwell when you're through.'

'Oh shit!' Brian threw his backpack on the ground, annoyed.

Tory took hold of Maelgwn's hand, knowing how he feared confronting his torturer again. 'Please, wait for me. I want to come with you.'

He raised his brow, wishing it could be so.

'Circumstance decrees I must face her alone, so let's not argue.'

'He shall not be alone.' Dumuzi came forward to hasten the proceedings. 'I shall be with him. And as he is my saviour, I can assure you, Nin, he shall not be harmed.' The God kissed Tory's hand, and then turned abruptly to Maelgwn. 'Can we go now?'

'In a minute.' Tory urged Dumuzi aside. She wanted to kiss her husband.

'Well, you don't have to rub salt into the wounds.'

Dumuzi folded his arms, impatiently gazing upon the lovers' rapture.

'Come on.' Brian held out his hand to urge Tory along. 'There's a mission at hand. Let's not miss the whole thing.'

'I'll join you as soon as I can,' Tory vowed as she parted from Maelgwn.

Brian gripped his sister's hand and they were gone.

When the ethers of their flight dispersed, Tory and Brian found themselves high on a hill overlooking a parched, abandoned countryside.

Tory didn't recognise the landscape at first. It was reminiscent of the Australian outback, though not as red in colour. When Tory turned to confront the Glastonbury Tor, she realised exactly where they were.

'Oh dear Goddess! This is Britain?'

'Looks like the solar radiation has hit here hard.'

Brian shook his head in despair, before the thought of his mission urged him to wonder: 'So, where the hell is our father?'

Tory shrugged as she wandered over to the ruins of the tower to have a look there. 'You willed us to him, I gather?'

'Of course.' Brian followed her inside, and was disappointed to find the place abandoned. 'Has he no idea what's going on in the world? I mean, if Dad must pull us out of the battle of the millennium to have a family chat, you think he'd do us the common courtesy of at least being here.'

Tory, not as impatient as her brother, could sense her father's presence. When she also sensed her mother, it took her by surprise and she gasped.

'Have you got something?' Brian approached her.

She turned to face the entrance, her violet eyes wide with wonder.

'Something is happening,' she replied, eyeing the inner walls of the tower.

Brian followed her line of sight to discover bizarre shadows running round the inner stonework. The reflected images took a semi-human form and the sound of childlike laughter accompanied their frenzied movements. Through the great archway that led outside a body of mist was seen to enter, yet the day had been fine and clear only moments before. 'This is no time for Otherworldly archaeology, Tory?'

'This is not my doing.' She spied a familiar figure emerging from the mist and moved toward it. 'Mother?'

Tory stopped short, realising she was addressing nothing more than a ghost.

The last time Brian had seen his mother was at her funeral, so he found her manifestation a little off-putting.

Helen Alexander had died in the Heathrow plane disaster of 2007, along with the rest of the orchestra she had been on tour with at the time. Brian hadn't shed many tears at the funeral. His mother had become a stranger to him when she divorced their father to marry a younger man. Not that they had been especially close before his parents separated; Helen was a harpist and was always on tour with one orchestra or another.

Oh Brian, his mother entreated him. That was several lifetimes ago for me, and I believe I paid dearly for my mistakes. Life without your father took a distinctly downward spiral.

' But what has happened to you?' Tory referred to her mother's lack of physical form. 'I was under the impression you were one of the Chosen, and therefore immortal.'

I am, child, and have been for a long, long time. She smiled. So long, in fact, that it is time for me to move on in my journey. The molecules of my body have risen to a faster vibratory rate to attune to a higher plane of awareness. My physical body has given way to an etheric one and soon I will vanish from this earthly existence altogether.

'After you and father merge back into one being, and ascend, as it were?' Tory couldn't help but be upset that she was about to lose her parents to totality.

You are not losing us, Tory, we are simply assuming a different form, a higher function, that is all. She looked to Brian, who didn't seem to know what to make of their dialogue.

In truth, Brian hardly recognised his mother with her long, flaming-red hair and a figure that rivalled his sister's. She was not a warrior like Tory; she appeared to be more like a Celtic princess.

She was amused by his assessment. That is not so far from the truth, you know. I am known by the name of Vivian these days. She encouraged Brian to approach.

Please, let me look at you both. It has been forever since I have seen you.

Brian did as she bid, but only to bombard her with questions. 'Where are we? Where is Dad? I am supposed to be on a mission in New Mexico right now, and -'

Yes, Brian, we know all about it, she assured him. You shall find your father yonder, discussing exactly that with Taliesin. She calmly motioned to the arched exit, out in the mist.

'Thank you.' Brian was mildly appeased. 'And may I say that besides being see-through, you are looking mighty fine, mother.' He gave her a wink as he headed off to find his father.

'Taliesin is here, too?'

Vivian raised her brow and nodded to give Tory leave to follow her brother outside.

'Now this is more like it,' Brian announced, whipping an apple from a nearby tree and shining it on his shirt as he admired the view.

Mists drifted over a lush, green landscape, littered with abundant orchards, gardens, forests and rolling green fields.

'No.' Tory snatched the apple from him before he bit into it. 'You'll get trapped here. Don't drink anything, either.'

A whistle drew their attention to Myrddin, who beckoned them to join him on the nearby hillside.

Taliesin was with him, and standing between the two High Merlins was a beautiful lady, whom Tory assumed was Seshut - scribe to the Lord Marduk. As she drew near, Tory recognised Seshut as the Azorean beauty Teo had married. Of course! She should have guessed Taliesin's perfect other half would be this woman. After all, Teo had also wed the same girl back in his days as an Atlantean prince.

'Well, now I've seen everything,' Tory announced as she came to stand before the three etheric beings, and though she tried to hide her fear of loss the tears welled all the same.

You know why we have summoned you? Taliesin asked her.

'Yes.' Tory bit her lip to stop it quivering. 'You're leaving us to it.'

Now please don't be like that. Taliesin felt her sorrow.

You have known ever since you joined the ranks of the Chosen that this event was forthcoming. Your training is complete, Tory. It is time for me to hand over the guardianship of mankind's destiny, just as Keridwen handed it to me all those eons ago.

' I beg your pardon?' Tory backed up a few steps. 'I just thought you wanted to say goodbye.'

Well, that too, Taliesin conceded fondly. But first, I have a graduation present for you. Hold out your hand.

'We really don't have time for this,' Brian said impatiently.

Hush, lad, Myrddin scolded. This is very important.

Just bear witness. That's what you're here for.

Overwhelmed, though curious, Tory did as requested. An orichalchum pendant on a long, matching band materialised in her palm. It featured a ball that connected to a small three-sided pyramid, the pinnacle of which pointed down. 'It is beautiful.' She placed the chain over her head and admired the Egyptian hieroglyph depicted on each side of the object.

Beautiful! Taliesin scoffed at her understatement.

This is the Tablet of Destinies, the most powerful tool of divination in the known universe. It was given to me by Keridwen to guide my way and now it shall guide yours.

That is her wish.

Tory had read of the Tablet of Destinies when searching through ancient Egyptian texts for information about her grandfather. 'But the Egyptians claimed that the crone gave this pendant into the keeping of Thoth.'

Yes, that was the name I was known by at that time, he announced casually, though Tory was bowled over by his statement.

'I really don't think I can accept this. What if I lose it, or it is stolen? I can't be responsible -' Taliesin just shook his head calmly, so Tory didn't bother finishing her protest.

Brian. Would you try and snatch the item in question from your sister.

'Sure.' He reached for it, but his fingers passed right through the metal. 'Huh?'

It is attuned to Tory's personal sonic. No one else can touch it, or read it, including myself.'

' So, how do I make it work?'

The pyramid is magnetised, so it easily detaches from its setting. Taliesin nodded for her to give it a try.

Sure enough, the tool came away from the chain.

Seeing the Eye of Ra on the base of the treasure, Tory placed it against her third eye.

Excellent, her father stated proudly.

As the trinket began to glow and expand, Brian became more interested. 'Wicked. What is it doing?'

Suddenly, the pyramid leapt away from Tory's forehead and began unfolding before her eyes to form a flat triangle containing four smaller triangles therein. In all four fragments of the tablet Tory saw a different image. 'Awesome, what does it all mean?'

In the centre you see your concern, the Merlin advised.

The picture Tory saw in this portion was that of planet Earth. 'Okay, that makes sense.'

'What does?' Brian gazed at the huge triangle that hovered before his sister like a monitor, yet that was all he saw.

Bottom left, Taliesin continued, you shall find the best-case scenario of your intent.

Tory saw a beautiful civilisation like Atlantis.

'Could such a heavenly place still exist in the Middle Kingdoms of this day and age?'

The Tablet never lies, the Merlin told her. Now look to the bottom right, to see the worst that could result from your present intent.

Tory frowned at what she perceived. 'Now it has lost me I'm afraid.'

'Why?' Brian was dying to know what she saw that he could not.

'It's nothing.' She shrugged. 'There's nothing there.

Just empty space - as in the cosmos.'

Top segment, you shall find the result should no action be taken. Taliesin raised a brow, eager to hear her impression.

Tory gazed at the segment a moment, at first perplexed and then terrified. 'No,' she cried, backing into Brian in her attempt to draw away from the tablet.

'Jesus, Tory, what is it?'

She gripped hold of Brian, trying to recover from the shock of what she'd learnt. 'Shamash means to destroy us all.'

29.