Greetings to all

[Anthrapos]

Hello to you all, I have joined to share my tales with you. I hope you are all blessed and of good spirits.

So I wish to tell of a dream I had, and in this dream I had been determined to summon an Annunaki, that I might learn the secrets of Babylon and gain Wisdom. I had been reading the book of enoch, and also babylonian and sumerian mythology. I decided to start by summoning Pazuzu, and while he is a very terrible demon, he is also beneficial to those he takes a liking to. I figured, if I could persuade him to honor an oath, he could help me to make contact with the Grigori and Annunaki.

So on a stormy night I went out in the rain and lightning, and every time the lightning flashed in the sky, I called out to Pazuzu to hear me and come to my bidding. Beforehand, I had meditated on his sygil, and had wrote my incantation and prayer of petition to this ancient demon king. And so Eight times the lightning flashed above me, and blinded me, and eight times I called aloud for Pazuzu, for he is a demon of storms, hoping to answer me. The rain was pouring down and I could barely see, and I was drenched to the bone. The winds were whipping about in a frenzy and I felt dizzy and drunk, and the lightning flashes would temporarily blind me. On the eight stroke of lightning, there was a massive peal of thunder which shook the ground, and I look up into the tree and could see something shining, a silhouette of a human-like figure sitting on a branch of a tree; but it has the face of a dead vulture and it's eyes glowed with an eery light. Pazuzu had answered my call, and now was watching me from up above in the tree. I asked Pazuzu to take an oath, if he would do me no harm, to aid me in learning the mysteries of Sumer and the Annunaki. Pazuzu gave his oath, and I sealed the ashes of the sygil and incantation I used to summon him in a bottle, as a reminder of the oath between us. In return, I would give honor to Pazazu and learn from him. And so began my dialogs with Pazuzu and the great adventure he was too lead me on to make contact with an Annunaki and learn the mysteries of Babylon.

[Anthrapos]

Pazazu and I had a long chat during that night, while outside the storm continued to rage and the rain fell, and the lightning arced across the sky and the thunders rolled and shook my humble abode. I found that although Pazuza was rather terrible to behold, being like a corpse, with a face not unlike that between a vulture and a lion, and whose genitals were large but rotting; aye although he was a terror to behold and those eyes of his shown eerily, I found he was quite wise and honorable for a demon. And so he told me in great length he could help me to make contact with the Annunaki, and that the way was blocked by a great gate which lead beyond into a great city and up into the centers of the universe. He told me that to gain the key to the gate and open it, one would be put to three terrible tests. The gate he said was called the Gates of Ishtar, and it was the gateway to the city of the gods, a portal that lead up into the heavens and unto the stars.

I thought all about what he told me and ask him if he could bring me to this gate. He said that he could, and if I did, his oath would be fulfilled and he would take his leave. He said that many have tried to pass through those gates but so few endure the tests. So I said to him, take me to the gates, but let me have a fortnight of time to prepare myself for the challenge. He agreed, and so I spent time preparing myself for the challenge, praying and singing, preparing charms and incantations and the tools I would bring with me on my journey. I prepared my charms, and prayed for holy blessing upon them, and I took up my sword, and prayed for courage upon it. I took up my daggers, and last I took up my rod and staff. At length of time the fortnight passed, and Pazuza had returned to honor his oath, and lead me to the Gates of Ishtar, the Gateway to the Gods.

[Anthrapos]

So there is a Gate which leads to the City of the Gods, a great gate which enters onto Babylon, that ascends into the heavens unto the stars. Upon it is carved the directions of the compass, somewhat like the sygil of chaos. It is the Gate of Ishtar, guarded and warded by a thing likened like a mouth, which rests upon the gate and speaks to any who approach it telepathically, and to pass through the gate one must submit themselves to three terrible tests, in order to pass through the gate and onwards to the center of the universe. I knew the tests were going to be perilous, a test of endurance mentally, physically and emotionally, because Pazuza had warned me of the dangers, but I didn't know what the tests were going to be. I had my charms and spells, my prayers and items I thought my help me to endure the tests and gain entrance to the city beyond. I held my rod and my staff in my hands, rather nervously, as the mouth of the Gate spoke unto me and demanded me to make myself known and what my intentions were. I told the Mouth of the Gate my name, and that I wished to gain entrance to the city. It told me I must take three tests, and only if I passed would I be given a key to open the gate and enter. I agreed to the test, and I found myself suddenly feeling tired, and I before I knew it I was on the ground fast asleep.

I awoke to find myself in absolute darkness. I was thrown into the belly of the Serpent, a great beast like a dragon, a cosmic snake that devours entire galaxies. The thing which is primordial TIAMAT, that which is not, but all things that are, arise from out of it. It was a place of absolute chaos, of extreme heat and cold, of darkness filled with the flashings of energy like light but that burned in the retina many colors and shades. In the belly of the worm I lay for 3 days, in darkness, absolute darkness, the constant flickerings of odd light blinding me and making me dizzy. And in the darkness I was assaulted by all manners of horrors, horrors of the mind, so alien, so old, so bizzarre, unspeakable insanities and arcane evils; my mind was tested to the extreme limits of NOTHING, ABSOLUTE EMPTINESS, the EMPTINESS that encompasses ALL THINGS, which is a VOID and a place of despair and great evil. It was a shadow of a world beyond life and death, an place opposed to all order of logic and reason. I was in a world of nightmares, and I almost felt I would lose my mind forever and be trapped for eternity, which I realized was the ABYSS, and HELL; but through fate I endured and on the third day I was vomitted from the beasts belly. Although I was nearly dead, I had gripped in my hand a charm, a protective charm, blessed and holy by the Nous, the Mind and Light of God, and it was only by standing true to my self I came out, although I was scathed terribly by the ordeal. For the Nous and the Logos, and it's power had kept the darkness of chaos from completely disintegrating my mind and soul.

I still had two more tests to endure before the key to the gate would be given to me to unlock and enter into the city of the Gods.

[Anthrapos]

I found myself looking down a dark and gloomy valley, on what seemed to be some alien world to me. I heard a voice speak to me, that this was the the Valley of Death. It is a dark valley, lost in time and space, where reside all number of terrible spirits and giants and hideous monsters, a place where nothing living resides. I took up my rod and my staff, and they gave me little comfort, as I looked over this dark, cold place I had to make it through. This place was like something on some weird planet to me, and there was something like plants but unlike any I had ever seen, and they looked like they were dead and rotting, like a mockery of life. This whole place was like some grim tombstone. There was no sun here, only a moon like asteroid above. So I picked up my rod and my staff and headed into the valley in the hopes of finding the other side and the way out.

As I made my way down through the valley I was assaulted giants and horrible monsters, they gave chase to me and I ran until I found myself cornered. They hurled stones and terrible curses and insults at me as they surrounded me. I was surrounded by a gang of hideous gigantic manlike things, obscenely twisted .and horrifying to look at. There eyes radiated pure hatred of the living, fueld by insane rage. They were like a mockery of nature, abominations from some terrible nightmare world, and as they screamed and shouted in an orgy of wild animalistic insanity I felt terror grip me as I watched them dance their evil dance about me. I thought for sure I would die here, fittingly in a place called the Valley of Death, when I felt in my pocket my Mjolnir charm. Grasping it, I called upon Mighty Thor aloud, to help me, that I would not die. As I grasped the amulet I realized it was the Hammer of Thor, and I hurled it at the giants and it killed many of them, and then returned back to my hand. The rest of them saw the hammer, and ran in fear that they would be slain by it. Relieved, I picked myself and continued my journey through this eery valley in the hopes I could find my way out as soon as possible.

I then began to feel a sort of dread creeping upon me, like some dark cloud was engulfing me in this place that was already as dark as dark could be. And then came the legions of the spirits of the dead, to descend down upon me. Evil spirits and demons, who whispered in my ear nihilistic depressing thoughts, sucking my life energy from me and draining me of all hope. I felt despair, like a terrible burden had been placed on my back and I could not move. I lay down on a rock to die, crushed by the hopelessness of it all, my mind infected with the nihilistic hatred for the living by the army of the dead. It was only by grasping on to my staff and my rod that I felt comforted enough, to endure the burden of all the hatred in the world on my shoulders, and with my rod, I managed to move inch by inch, slowly on what felt like many eternities, to finally find my way up and out of this accursed place. And so I knew in my heart, that my staff should be called Donar, and my rod would be called Magni, and were enough to give me solace in the face of death.

So I had taken the first test, and my mind nearly had been melted by the horrors it saw as I lay in the belly of the dragon. Arcane and ancient evils, alien images of horror of things impossible to describe in mere words. My mind and soul had been touched upon by ancient evils and scarred by the visions of obscene horrors.

The second test had been death, and that I had made it through that valley. It was a hideous place, an old place of greatand ancient evil, darker than the darkest regions of space and colder than the grave. But fortune had smiled on me and I had barely survived again. And now there was one final test. Could I make it? I felt old now, so old, and tired. How could I endure one last terrible test? The most terrible of them all? I rested outside the gate for what felt like many centuries, pondering if it was worth risking my life and soul to find out the secrets that lay beyond it.

[Anthrapos]

Slowly a strange dream began to take over me, an hallucination I suppose. I found myself outside a city, and from the looks of it, it was inca or aztec design. I remembered then I had been taken captive by the people inside, but they had thrown me out and none would dare to speak to or acknowledge me. I watched as trains of captives were led into the city by soldiers, each one the fates had marked out for some destiny that lay beyond the walls inside.

In the city beyond the gate was a great temple, like a pyramid. There is an altar, and a wheel, upon which is carved many symbols and signs of the stars and planets. This wheel is a calendar of sorts, a giant sundial upon which is carved the fates of men. There are two serpents upon it, facing one another, and they are brothers. I learned they are called Quetzalcoatl and Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli in their tongue, his brother Tezcatlipoca; they are like great serpents who give unto men visionary powers, and they control the fate of all men who are put to the test of the wheel by the decree of the sun, and with it the moon and all the stars.

I felt very lonely sitting outside the gate of that city, watching the prisoners being marched in everyday, and none of them ever to leave again. I had no one to talk to, and nobody even acknowledged me, or even looked at me. My only companion was a parrot-like bird with brilliant plumage, shining like a rainbow. It was cracking snails or something on stones, and it would chirp and ruffle it's feathers and jump about. It would look at me and I felt like those eyes were intelligent and curious.

I remembered I too had been brought into that city by soldiers, and been forced before the wheel and the altar by the priests. The sun shone down upon the wheel, and then they went dead silent. I could sense that something wasn't right, and then the priests huddled in the corner, whispering to themselves while looking at me the whole time. I could sense some they were afraid of something, and that they were afraid of me.

So I had sat outside the gate pf that weird city for a long while, in place I did not reckon I knew where I even was, as the priests had cast me outside the city and had forbidden anyone to talk to me. But a young boy would come to me and bring me food each day, but he would not talk to me or even act like I was there, he'd just leave the food next to me by the gate and disappear back into the city. And this had gone on for quite a while. I did not know why they had banished me from the city or why they had been afraid, but I did not know where to go. To the south of the city was a jungle, full of wild animals and all sorts of dangers. To the north and west, was a great desert. And to the east was the sea. I did not know where to go, but I knew I couldn't stay here forever, for I was so lonely and only had the company of one strange bird. Then one day the bird cackled and flew up into the air, and it seemed as though it wanted me to follow it. I figured I didn't have much of a choice really, so I got up and it flew towards the east. And so I followed it for many days, and at last came to the sea. The bird flew to an area and circled about wildly chirping at me and so I went and saw there was a small boat there, and I reckoned this strange bird wanted me to get in and follow it. And so I did, and I traveled on this boat for many weeks following the bird to the east, while my food supply was ran out. There was no end in sight of water everywhere I looked and I prayed for land. I was parched by the hot sun and had no water left to drink. I do not know how long I floated in that boat, in a haze from the heat and dehydration. But I found myself washed ashore on a beach, and how I got there I didn't really remember. My boat was gone, but the bird was sitting on a palm tree watching me. I do not know where I was, but I looked and saw a stream there, and there was coconuts. I was weak, very weak, but I managed to crawl up the beach and drink deeply of the cold spring water and to eat a coconut before I passed out.

[Anthrapos]

I awoke to find myself lying on my back in chains on a wagon of some sort. There were many people and wagons all around, some were in chains being pulled by the wagons, and men with whips were goading them on. There were other wagons with cages full of wild animals, lions and snakes and all sorts of beasts. I guessed they had found me to feed to the wild animals, but then when they realized I was alive they had taken me prisoner. I did not know where I was going and who was taking me there. I did not know what language they spoke or who these people were. But they fed me and in time I was able to walk again and take my place with the many others in chains being marched along through a desert to some unknown destination.

Now I travelled with this caravan for many weeks, through a very harsh desert where only few oasis can be found. I learned at last from another slave, who I found I could speak to and understand, although I did not even know what language I was speaking, that we were to be taken to the Valley of Kings and sold as slaves. This was a great empire he told me, where the King was a God, and there was a great river and filled with many wonders they had built. This city I knew was Egypt, the Land of the Nile. I could not really remember who I was or where I had come from, and I found myself speaking a strange language I did not know and yet somehow, I knew. And so I was taken into a great city, decorated with great statues and massive temples. And beyond the city I could see great pyramids rising up to sky, as if they were sunbeams shining down from the heavens onto the earth. The land was fertile and ripe, and the atmosphere of this place invigorated me, even though I was to be sold as a slave to someone I did not know whom yet, or what my fates had in store for me here. I had forgotten completely who I had been and where I had come from.

By good fortune I was sold to a powerful man who was a high priest and adviser of the King. I was put to work around the household and was fortunate that my owner took a liking to me. He taught me many things, and soon put me in charge over his entire estate. He had many wives and children and many slaves, and I was put in charge of all of this. A few years went by, and he initiated me as an acolyte into the mysteries of the priesthood. I learned the rituals, and prayers, and how to read and write. I learned how to read the stars, and to observe the planets. I learned all the mysteries of life and death, the 42 names one must know to travel from death to the afterlife. I was taught the great reverance of the sun, for it gave life to the earth, and of the moon, which was a light shining in the darkness. I learned the mysteries of Thoth and became renknowned for my abilities as a priest and soothsayer. I eventually was even allowed into the presence of the King, and he took a great liking to me for I had learned much from my master, and so he gave me a mission as an ambassador to the kingdom and I was set about the task of running most of the empire for the King. My duties were many and various and I was set to the task of maintaining the order and balance of the kingdom and seeing that it should prosper. And it did while I was there, and I felt blessed to have been so fortunate.

[Anthrapos]

One day I had found myself on a mission from the king sent on a large ship. There was a war being fought with barbarians from a northern country across the sea. They called themselves Hellenes and they were a wild, fierce people, who were very proud of their independence. They were skilled sailors and adept at causing problems to our people, but we mostly saw them as an infantile group of savages who had little understanding of the way things were. They had been invading the coasts for some time and I was sent with the armies to repel the invasion.

Our fleets were defeated and I found myself floating in the sea, a dark sea like the color of wine. I was close to drowning when I found myself pulled up onto the board of one the enemies ships. The men must have recognized by my clothes, that I was someone of importance. Suddenly, I heard a bird crying and looked up and saw a rainbow parrot, and I immediately remembered again who I was and where I had come from. And then I found myself able to speak to these men, in their language, and I realized they were Greeks. I told them I was a servant of the King of the Nile and educated by the priesthood, ambassador to the Pharoah and overseer of all of Egypt. They found me curious, and decided to take me back with them to their own country, to ransom me of course. So I found myself once again, taken captive and into slavery into another land. And then the bird vanished, and I forgot who I really was, and only that I had been a slave in Egypt now headed to Athens, only now I knew and spoke Greek.

So I found myself in Athens, and I was tattoped with a mark, and given over to the custody of an important man of the city. He was a philosopher and a great statesmen, well respected by all the people of the city. And he knew Geometry. He had two sons, and I was put to the task to care for them and bring them to school. My master took a great liking to me, and was keen to learn of what I knew of Egypt. We talked every night and we came to be good friends. Unknown to me, the Pharoah had died, and his son had ascended the throne, but he did not want to ransom me back. So I taught my new master much of what I had learned in Egypt, and he taught me philosophy and geometry. I am impressed him so, that he even paid my tuition and allowed me, a barbarian, to learn in the academy.

I spent a few years with philosophers, discussing things in the heavens above and of those on earth below. I taught them the things I had learned in Egypt, and they taught me Geometry and Science. One day while I was sitting in the Academy, the professor asked me what I thought was the most important thing to know. I thought for a bit, and finally, I said, To Know Oneself. I explained why I had thought that, and argued my case, and the men thought in silence and I think I had impressed my teacher. In time, I was set free of my servitude and was allowed to become a citizen. I could vote and assemble with the greeks as a free man, and they considered me a true greek. I spent time in the markets arguing, discussing, and talking about philosophy. I realized, that what the greeks called Logos, the Egyptians had called Thoth. I realized there must be some reason, logic, by which everything was, and that nothing that existed unless there was a plan, a mind to create it. I did not know who or what that being was, but I likened that if there were many gods, then there must be gods above those gods, and above those more, until there was one absolute God above all other gods and things. But I didn't know who that being was or how to find it. I only speculated, from what I observed, and by philosophy, that the sun was not a god, nor the moon, and these ideas of mine made the Greeks angry with me. They sent me into exile, so I chose to take by sea across to Ephesus, and to travel from there into the east.

I awoke now outside the Ishtar gate and realized all of this was some strange dream. And then the thought occurred to me that I had dreamed of all of this, of pazuzu and the Ishtar gate. And I considered that right now I was dreaming of all of this, and in my dream I was dreaming I was dreaming. The thought occurred to me that maybe I would wake up from that dream too, and find I was only dreaming again. As I sat outside the gates of Babylon I thought that maybe all of life was just some sort of dream. But I found myself dosing off again and again I was dreaming.

[Anthrapos]

I landed in Ephesus and found work as a craftsmen. I knew Geometry very well, and used my knowledge to design many things, for irrigation and sewage, for machines and tools, and for weapons of war. My reputation had proceeded me, but I did not philosophize anymore and soon people forgot that I had been charged with corrupting the youth and teaching them there were no gods in Athens. I retired to a quiet life of running my own business and spent much of my time studying mathematics and episteme. I became a master engineer and from my work, very wealthy man. Ephesus was a major port city, with a great temple dedicated to Artemis, and many peoples passed through it. I learned much when I had the time to spend in the markets, or from the many employers and customers I made from my work. Because of my skill and knowledge I became very popular with the elite, and I spent alot of time researching the arts of war to construct defense and improve artillery. I researched everything under the sun, because I wanted to know how thing worked and how to improve the condition of men and make the world safer for my people.

I knew to the east was Babylon, a very great empire, and I wondered what I might learn there. They were our enemies, and there were wars on and off between the Greeks and the Babylonians. Besides, there were many barbarian tribes all about, horsemen who raided and looted cities and burnt them to the ground. But I stayed occupied and time slowly passed by. I did not seem to notice that people I knew grew old and died, but I looked as if I was not a day older. Nobody else seemed to notice that either, so I paid no attention to it. Over the years I learned much about the lands that lay to the east, of Babylon, and the kingdoms of the Akkadians, the Persians and the Meads. I also learned of even more exotic places far to the east, where the kingdoms were made of gold and jewels so it was said, and rich beyond imagination. They said there were men of great wisdom to be found in the eastern lands, and I yearned to study philosophy abroad again but I remembered what had happened in Athens, so I stuck to my business and carried on until the city was sacked by barbarians and I found myself again a man alone without a country.

So I found myself sitting outside what was the city of Ephesus, putside the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, apparently the only survivor for no one was around. As if in a dream, I thought I had been pierced through the heart with a spear, and had fallen down into a deep sleep as the invaders sacked the city. I remembered, that I had sat before Thoth and all the Gods, and had given an account for my life, and had my heart weighed by a feather, and had been given a test of forty questions which I had answered. And I felt the life in my body stir, and there I was, awakening in the ruins of what had been Ephesus. All I know is I awoke amidst the rubble of the destroyed city, somehow I had survived unharmed. I realized then I wasn't alone. There was an odd bird there, pecking at snails on stones. It seemed somehow to be familiar to me, and it's plumage was as brilliant as the rainbow. I watched my only companion for some time, and was aware it had some kind of intelligence beaming in those eyes. Eventually the bird rose up and screamed, and began to flitter about. Suddenly I remembered who I was and where I had been, and that this was all some strange dream I was having, but then I realized it wanted me to follow it, so I did, and we headed east.

In Egypt I had learned the arts of magic, and the secrets of our existence. In Greece I had learned Geomtery and philosophy, and in Ephesus I had practiced my trade as a Master Mason. I was 33 years old, I believe, as I followed the bird and headed east, east toward the Babylonian Empire and to the lands far beyond them of Kitai and the Indus. I felt encouraged despite my situation, having lost all my wealth I had acquired from my Masonry while in Ephesus. But I was happy to finally be heading east, although I was unarmed and had only a walking stick like a staff, and thin twisted rod of wood to support me on my journey. I suddenly found myself surrounded by a group of armed men on horses, and they shouted at me in a language I did not know at first. The bird screamed and suddenly, I knew how to speak that language and how to converse with them. They were shocked and awed that I knew their language, and not only did I knew it, but I knew so much about them and all they knew. I told them I was an Egyptian Priest and Servant of Pharaoh, and also a citizen of Athens and a Master Mason of Ephesus. They were hesitant but decided they would take me to their king, the King of Babylon, for they thought I must be some god or some servant of a god. So I was taken with them into captivity to Babylon.

One of the many people enslaved with me was a peculiar fellow. He told me he was a Hebrew. I asked him what a Hebrew was, for I had never heard of them before in all my years. He said he was from Israel, and a Priest of the one True God. I was astonished when he had said this, for I remembered once I had thought maybe there was but One God, and I inquired from him about his God. We talked much on our long journey about his God and his people as we travelled on towards Babylon. I had found favor with my captors, for I was a Master Mason, and my skills were very useful to them, and I was skilled in the arts of the priesthood and could discern for them omens, and so, I was treated quite well as we made our way to that Great City of Mystery.


So I found myself one night, like most other nights, looking up into the sky at the stars and the moon shining above. I often found myself looking at them, but tonight one of my captors asked me what it was I was looking at. I told him the stars above, and the moon. He asked me did I think they were Gods? I told them I thought it might be, and that perhaps we were their children, and they held many answers for us if only we cared to look. This seemed to please him at least, and for the rest of my journey to Babylon I was given much freedom and treated with respect by my captors.

When I arrived at the city of Babylon I was taken through a great gate. It seemed somehow familiar to me but I could not remember why. I was taken immediately to the King, along with my Hebrew companions. The King found us all to be very pleasing to him, and he set us to tasks as his servant about the city. Because of my skills and abilities, I was put into the priesthood of the Babylonians, and also I was placed in charge of construction of the buildings and temples and all the defenses. I taught the Babylonians how to create siege weapons and battering rams, as well as how to improve their archery. I learned from them the secrets of smelting and iron making, and became proficient in the arts of metallurgy.

Here I was at the center of the world, where all the world met, and all it's peoples flowed through it's gates in a never ending parade. I learned much about the world and also of the stars, as I was instructed in the Priesthood how to observe the heavens above, and how to mark out the boundaries of time from day to day. I told them much of Egypt, and spoke to them of the riddles of Immortality. I spoke of the Oracles of the Greeks, and speculated much about the things that were above and below. They thought I was wise, or possessed by a god, I guess, and venerated me although I did not really understand why. I used what I had learned of Philosophy and Geometry to make as much of my situation as I could, to learn as much as I could to find out the truth. All the while, I was greatly curious about my Hebrew companions, but they were very stubborn and always in trouble with the Emperor, because of their beliefs. I found them fascinating and often we would speak about their God, and I would think much about what they said. I would have liked to have visited their land, but it had been destroyed by the Babylonians and they had been taken captive to Babylon.

Eventually it was decided by the King, and the Gods of the City, that I was to be it's gate keeper. I was given a great ornate silver key, as a symbol of my function, as the watcher over the gates and walls of the city, and he who was guided by the Gods to protect Babylon. I grew weary of my time in Babylon though, and felt they were a contemptible and wicked people. I thought the King was corrupted by his wealth and power, and was not a good King at all but a tyrant. So it was a man came to me one night, who identified himself as a Persian. He offered me anything I desired if only I would aid the Persians and Meads in defeating the Babylonians and deposing of their King. I inquired carefully and minded my duty, until I was certain this man was truly a Persian and not some spy sent by the King to test me. I decided I would help them, because I felt the Babylonians were a very materialistic and shallow people, who had been corrupted by wealth and greed and had become very evil.

So it was one night, I arranged to leave the gates open for the Persians and Meads to enter the city. They got in and sacked all of Babylon. I was brought to their King, who asked me what I wanted for giving him this great victory. I told him only that he could have all the Empire and everything in it, if he would let me go and travel to the Indus Valley and to India. He seemed puzzled, why I would betray my captors who had given me much, and why I refused offers of wealth. But he was an honorable man, and he granted me my wishes. And so I found myself on a caravan again, headed to the Indus Valley and the far east.

[Darkest-Messiah]

MY FB family will hate me for posting this link......ahhh, I love them so