Return to Aether

The Ka of Minos

Alas, the kiss between Falco and Rowena did not happen. It was the appearance of a ka, a spirit, that interrupted their osculation. It had not been the mysterious ka that had appeared to them one night five twelvemonths prior back on Aether, but the ka of someone they knew. It was the ka of Minos, an enemy turned friend who had died three twelvemonths prior at the age of two and thirty twelvemonths during the end of the siege of Hyperion.

Appearing to be green, as kas often did, Minos had high cheekbones, almond shaped eyes and stood at a height of five feet and seven and a half inches. He was athletic in build with a scar going across his forehead. He was wearing a tunic that went down to his knees and covered only right shoulder, an arm ring on each arm and a bracelet on one wrist. In life he had been one of the Clergymen of the Earth Bull before he had defected.

"Falco! Rowena!" He uttered. "You must return to Aether!"

To say that either husband or wife had expected to see a spirit appear in their home would be untrue, even if it had been the ka of someone they had known. Falco immediately stood up while Rowena gasped and covered her mouth in alarm.

Once they had gotten over their shock at Minos' sudden appearance, Falco asked: "What do you mean, Minos? Wherefore must we return to Aether? Does it even still exist?"

"It does indeed." Replied Minos. "Taurus now rules it and just as he had planned, he has renamed it 'Colonia Tauri' and has declared the Earth Bull the island's sole deity. To those who have settled on the island that have not accepted the Earth Bull as their sole deity, he has made slaves out of them and put them to work to digging out and repairing every building since the Earth Bull's escape had caused the volcano on the island to erupt, covering pretty much everything. He even brought back sacrifices to the Earth Bull, though he had to lead a group of pirates to steal a bull first! The Aethereans who managed to escape the destruction and have returned pray for your return! You must return and liberate them! You must retake your place as the Divine Deucalion of Aether, Falco, with Rowena by your side as queen!"

Alarmed by what she was hearing, Rowena she remembered how Taurus, her father's killer, had laid claim to her in the event of the death of the now deceased Acinonyx, the Crown Prince of Hyperion who had abducted her and later she had been forced into marriage with. As Taurus had slain her paterfamilias, as well as a bridegroom whom she had cared nothing for, he had believed the readiest way to make her amends was to become her bridegroom and her paterfamilias. Little more than a cruel lust, no doubt, but Rowena could not help but wonder what else Taurus was up to.

"What else does Taurus do on Aether, Minos?" Rowena asked.

"He has taken note of what other tyrants do, be they on other islands or on the mainland, but he does it deviates in one way." Replied Minos. "Boys still expire in his cells and brides are still dragged into his seraglio, but rather than leaving the blinding and crippling of gentlemen to his headsmen like any other tyrant, Taurus does it himself."

Minos' elaboration on Taurus' acts only caused fear to grow in the hearts of the couple. Boys expiring in his cells? Immediately, they both looked at their own little boy and worried what would happen if Taurus and his men ever found this place that they called home, what he would do upon discovering their son Macbeth.

"Well, then..." began Falco, stroking his chin as he spoke. "It is clear that Taurus must be stopped and the people on Aether liberated. Aether is a land for all gods and a place for people to live free and unmolested. Taurus' reign will not last much longer."