Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 00:12:02 -0400 Reply-To: Andrew Duty Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Andrew Duty Subject: War of Ages Part 3 Methos turned off the shower, opened the steamy glass door and grabbed the towel hanging on the rack near by. He dried himself off then walked over to the sink. After wiping the steam off of the mirror he began shaving. Seldom did immortals have the luxury of preparing for a duel. Once he was done he headed to his bedroom and began putting on the clothes he had set out on his bed. He had picked and oversized bright blue shirt and slightly large gray pants. This would give him some freedom of movement when the duel began. After he had finished dressing he took his broad sword off of the bed and headed down to the garage. As he passed his coat rack he grabbed his long brown jacket. He entered the garage and jumped into his black convertible. He flipped the switch to the garage door opener, ignited the engine and headed out for Culo's home. As he drove he remembered all of the battles he had fought with Culo over the centuries. He had long since lost count of how many immortals he had killed. He knew there were many and it saddened him that he had forgotten who many of them were. Culo was different. He was the first immortal he had ever met and they had been bitter enemies ever since. He was ready for this to end. A calmness had come over him. He knew in his heart this was finally it their ancient rivalry would end once and for all this night. Before he knew it he was there. It didn't seem as long a drive as he thought it would be but after checking his watch he realized just how deeply lost in thought he was. The old Manor House grew in the distance. Methos felt it suited Culo. It was old and majestic bordered by a white stone wall with a black iron gate entrance. It was only two stories but very wide. The white painted wood looked old but strong like it had weathered a great deal. As he drove up to the gate automatically opened and Methos pulled into the driveway up to the homes entrance. He exited the car and walked up to the huge brown doors and rang the bell. After a few seconds a sudden rush of adrenaline pumped through him. Culo was near. The door opened to reveal Culo grinning from ear to ear. He was dressed for the evening. He wore large roomy black pants and a black diner jacket with a white shirt partially unbuttoned. "Welcome to my modest home.", Culo said "I must admit I expected a servant to answer." "And one would have...but I felt considering what we plan to do...it would be better if I sent the staff home.",Culo stepped back still holding the door with his left hand. He swept his right slowly out beckoning Methos in. Methos cautiously stepped in and took a look around,"Quite nice. You have done well for yourself." "Well I try. Tell you what. Let me show you around for a bit ,we'll have dinner, then we can hack through our differences." Methos half-smiled at the last bit then shook his head,"I think we should just go ahead and get this over with." Culo actually looked a little hurt."No. I have something to show you. You wont regret it." Methos nodded and Culo led him up the stairs to the second floor. He to a turn towards the east wing and led him down the hall. At the fourth door on the right Culo stopped and produced a small brass key. He quickly turned the lock and went in. "These",he stressed walking in hands raised wide into the air,"are all of the treasures I have accumulated over the years." Methos slowly entered the stopped. His eyes opened wide to take in all he was seeing. The walls from the fourth room to the first had been cut away to create a long huge display room. Treasures through out the centuries were on display. Old suits of armor, weapons from around the world, paintings by masters that the world never knew had been created, statues from ancient Greece, manuscripts hand written by Shakespeare, all collected in one gigantic room. Methos paused for a second a soft whistle escaping his lips. He had never seen such a priceless collection of antiquity in one room in such good condition. All of it dated and assigned an area of significance. "Im impressed.",Methos finally said. "I hoped you would be, but this isn't even why I brought you up here.",Culo walked half-way through the room and stopped at a display stand. He beckoned Methos forward and continued,"Come over here there is something I want you to see." Methos obediently followed his invitation and looked into the display case he could hardly believe his eyes."Is that.....?" "It is!",Culo said proudly,"The Watcher chronicles I stole during that incredible streak I was on during the Dark Ages. Including my chronicle." "We've been searching for these for centuries. We thought they were lost to us. I remember when you stole these. I helped organize a strike team to hunt you down before you could use them to ambush any other immortals." "I know!",he laughed,"Those people hunted me down for decades after that. I must tell you Methos you really did me a favor with that one. It was that moment,more than any other, that taught me the value of secrecy. It took me almost a century before the heat was down enough for me to challenge another of our kind. After awhile my name faded away into obscurity, unlike some mythic immortals I could name." "I cant help it if people wanted to remember me.",he smiled. "Then we have a deal. Defeat me and these are yours." Methos's eyes never left the display case. Those old tattered books alone were worth the risk of dueling Culo. There was so much information contained there and it could prove the key to answering a question he had been asking for such a long time. "All right. Lets do it." Culo laughed once again "Patience Methos. Like I said I would like for us to have a nice last meal together before we go for each others head." Culo started heading back for the door waiting for Methos. As Methos started to reach him a glint of gold caught his eye from the Babylonian exhibit. I paused for a second and a flash of recognition passed through his head. He slowly walked up to the display case. There sitting on a thin purple silk cushion was a small gold medallion shaped to resemble the sun. Methos knew what that medallion was and who it had once belonged too. =============================================================================== Sumer 3481 B.C =============================================================================== Methos gazed down apon the city from the balcony of the Ziggurat sanctuary. A thin red line barely peeked over the horizon it would be light soon. The city was slowly waking torches were being lit in homes through out looking like a thousand fireflies floating through the darkness. Methos love it here, ever since he crossed the great sea and discovered this paradise on earth he knew he belonged here. The nights were still cold but the days were so warm he could wear almost nothing and still be comfortable. He never ceased to be amazed at all of the wonders he had discovered in this wondrous place. The soft durable cloth robes he wore were miraculous to him as were the gold rings and medallions that had been fashioned for him. The city itself never ceased to reveal something new to him each day. He never imagined a time when he wouldn't have to hunt and gather for his food each day but here food was available when ever he was hungry. Daily oxen from the fields would cart in fresh supplies. Animals were slaughtered daily and sold at market. There were people that would clean it and others who would cook it. Others would craft clay pots and plates to serve it on. And Bronze! It was if the sun itself had fallen down from the sky and had been turned into and infinite variety of shapes and uses. He had been taught so many foreign concepts like Mathematics and time. Time no longer felt like a long line. Now it had a rhythm like a drum. Things went away then returned and they could be charted. Things happened at a certain time and could be exploited. All of it was so strange equally so that it was available to so many. He wished he could bring all of the people he had met to this place. A sudden vibration ran over him tingling his scalp. Ut-napishtim was near. "I thought I would find you here.....as usual.", came a voice from behind. Methos turned then smiled at the small man in front of him. "I just can never get over how spectacular it all is." "See that you never do. That is the greatest tragedy. Those that live here take it all for granted. They never knew when there was not a Sumer. They have lost the grandness of it all and are now hungry for more. But enough of this we have work to do." Methos followed his teacher into the great hall of the temple. It was a huge rectangular room dedicated to Shamash the sun god and lawgiver. A row of torches ran up the left and right walls leading to an alter with a huge stone statue of Shamash behind it. Ut-napishtim was the high priest of Sumer. He was a small thin man but he commanded the undivided attention of everyone he met. His head was shaven bald like all of his priests. His lean face and sunken cheeks made him resemble a skull. He wore the white and brown robes of a priest and the gold medallion of the sun he wore showed his stature to all. The two men approached the alter,knelt and said their morning prayers. It would be dawn soon and that would mean shortly Ut-napishtim would deliver his morning sermon and give his blessings to all who gathered around the Ziggurat each morning. As they finished a strange combination of nausea and adrenaline came over them both. They looked at one another for a second in confusion then turned to the sound of the great halls doors opening. They both looked at the strange man on the opposite end of the hall. He was wrapped in black robes covering his entire body. His face and head were covered by a thick black cloak. The torch light reflected from his eyes making them appear to glow. He briskly walked forward with the confidence of a warrior. "I am Ut-napishtim. High Priest of Shamash god of the sun and law giver to the people. All are welcome who come in peace." The man halted mid-way towards them and roared with laughter, "I am Azmear and I haven't come here for your god. Ive come here for your souls." A panic immediately swept over Methos. The stranger knew! "Teacher. We must leave!" "Silence!",he commanded "This is the temple of Shamash no violence may desecrate this hall." Azmear stepped forward removing a long bronze sword from beneath his robes. "Your god is nothing more than a childrens story to keep the less intelligent members of your city in line. You have no idea but I do. You see.......I know a secret." Methos grabbed Ut-napishtim by the robes and forced him to look at him. "We must run! He will kill us!" Ut-napishtim pushed Methos down off of him, "Fool! After all of this time you have learned nothing. When this is over you will atone for your lack of faith but now I must deal with Azmear.",Ut-napishtim turned his attention back to Azmear. "This is holy ground. If you commit violence here you show suffer the wrath of Shamash. Suffering you cant begin to imagine!" "Save your ghost stories for the timid sheep that gather here each morning." Azmear laughed as he raised his sword high back behind him. A loud rumbling began to sound from the statue of Shamash. Methos turning in surprise. He could believe what he saw there the statue had begun to glow. A brief glint of fear crossed over Azmear eyes then finally a look of defiance. He swung the sword evenly along Ut-napishtims neck. The moment the blade touched his neck the sword shattered in an explosion of sound and fury blowing out the torches surrounding them. Azmear fell to his knees grasping his ears in pain blood running out through his fingers in rivulets. Ut-napishtim backed away in silent astonishment while Methos lay spell-bound by what he was seeing. A glow began to form around Azmear. He dropped his arms as he looked down as his glowing form. He began brushing at it as if it were a mosquito. Suddenly, lightning sparks flickered between his fingers running up and down his arms. Slowly the energy built in intensity centering at his chest then violently bursting out into Ut-napishtim. Ut-napishtim stumbled onto the balcony as more and more energy lashed into him. The more intensely the energy flowed the louder Azmear screamed. Soon Ut-napishtim voice joined Azmears the two means screams intertwined like a grape vine. Azmear fell to the ground as his body began to collapse into itself. Ut-napistim was caught like a fly in a web. He just stood there on the balcony his arms raised high to the sky. Finally Azmears body exploded into dust the final bolt of energy so strong it picked Ut-napishtim up off of the balcony and threw him from the Ziggurat. Methos stood. He took a brief look at the remains of Azmear the wind slowly blowing the dust away. Concern for his teacher became his over ruling thought. He looked down from the balcony but couldn't see Ut-napishtim's body. He dropped down on to the first ledge of the step pyramid. A crowd had collected in a single spot just down the way. Methos knew that was were the priest had fallen. He rushed down as fast as he could almost falling several times. He finally touched ground and broke into a run through the crowd. He forced his way through and could see them all standing in a circle looks of worry across their faces. He finally made it to the circle. As he broke through he could see Ut-napishtims body violently thrashing about on the ground. Methos tried to hold him down but it was impossible. He could hear the panic setting in through the crowd. Shamash had flung him from the temple. The city was now in disfavor. As the priest began to calm down Methos picked him up and carried him through the crowd. People began running in all directions. Breaking pots and screaming in fear. Chaos was all around them. Methos carried him to the temple stable and gently put him down onto some hay in the nearest stall. The crowds screams were everywhere and nothing seemed to calm them. Methos took a look into Ut-napishtims eyes it seemed like they were staring at something that wasn't there. For days they waited there. Methos would venture out when it was safe and bring back food and water but the entire city was in turmoil. News of Ut-napishtims fall spread everywhere. Fires were spread and riots broke out everywhere. In all of that time the priest just rested there unmoving. Finally on the third morning he spoke. "Methos.",he whispered "I am here." "We have caused this.",he said solemnly. "No. No....this was Azmears fault." "No Methos.",he smiled weakly,"Azmear tested us and we failed. Yours was a test of faith while mine was a test of arrogance. I became angry and Azmears insolence and your lack of faith. I let Azmear strike at me when I knew it would cause his death. That is why I am in disfavor. All of this death and destruction is our fault." A heavy feeling of guilt came over Methos. He wouldn't accept that he was the one that destroyed this paradise he loved so much. "Then how to we fix it." A deep look of sadness filled the priests eyes. "We don't. We have to atone for our sins." "How?",he asked longingly "We leave. We go into the desert never to return that will be our penance." "We can never see this place again?" "No, and once we have entered the desert we to must part company." "But why?" "Because my dear friend that is the price we must pay." Methos gently picked Ut-napishtim off of the hay bed and walked him from the city. Once they were away from the city and Sumer was far from sight. They looked at each other. Hugged for a brief moment. Then walked away in opposite directions. Methos never saw Ut-napishtim again. ============================================================================== =========================================================================