The Archangel Chronicles: Recent Episodes
Raymond Colautti
Historical fantasy of a time when heaven touched earth. This is a story of a reluctant prophet sent by the angels on an epic quest through the ancient worlds of Rome, Egypt, Persia and India to witness a turning point in history. This is a tale of the struggle between good and evil, darkness and light, and how courage and faith will transform the world.
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In the haunting aftermath of the Nativity, Rachel’s Cry unfolds as Sophia’s vision reveals the coming sorrow that will shadow the light of Bethlehem. The Child’s radiance becomes a prophecy of love that must suffer and endure, while Adam foresees the cross that will rise from this night of wonder. As Joseph, warned by the angel, leads Mary and the infant toward Egypt, the Star Bearers witness the fulfillment of prophecy and the beginning of exile—the star now burning within their hearts.
Meanwhile, in Herod’s palace, madness festers. Nicolaus of Damascus records the king’s descent into terror and cruelty, culminating in the dreadful command to Brigomarus, captain of the Gallic Guard: the slaughter of Bethlehem’s children. Through Brigomarus’ eyes, the horror is laid bare, a stain upon history and the soul of humankind. Loukia’s lament, “Rachel Weeping for Her Sons,” rises over the desert as the League of Star Bearers flees into the wilderness, carrying both the grief of the mothers and the fragile hope of redemption—the light that no darkness can destroy.
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In this radiant and deeply spiritual chapter, the League of Star Bearers: Sophia, Adam, Melchior, Balthazar, Gondophares, Loukia, Axia, and their companions, at last reach Bethlehem beneath the steady light of the Star. Their long journey through desert and doubt culminates in the humble cave where heaven meets earth. Through Sophia’s eyes, we witnesses the wonder of the Nativity: the Virgin Mary serene and luminous, Joseph steadfast and reverent, and the Child whose gaze reveals eternity in mercy and innocence. One by one, the travelers lay down their gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh, song, medallion and crown, each offering transformed into an act of surrender and revelation.
In the stillness that follows, miracles unfold. Loukia’s mother, long voiceless, finds her speech restored as mother and daughter sing to the newborn Child. Axia, queen of the steppes, lays down her crown, and even the proud kings are humbled. In the cave’s light, time itself folds; the wanderers behold the mystery of divine love made flesh. When the caravan departs, the night seems newly born, the world subtly remade. As Sophia writes in her scroll, “The night we left Bethlehem, the world was the same, and yet utterly changed.” Adam is given a special gift to take back to his world.
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As Adam enters Jerusalem under the cold dawn, he witnesses the twilight of a tyrant and the trembling birth of a new age. Within the shadowed halls of Herod’s palace, he tends the dying king—his body swollen and rotting, his mind consumed by guilt and fear. In a scene both harrowing and sacred, Adam confronts not only disease but the moral decay of power itself, as Herod rages against the coming of the Child whose star burns above the city. Meanwhile, Sophia and the caravan of Star Bearers arrive at Jerusalem’s gates, their presence stirring prophecy and unrest. Amid the smoke of sacrifice and the gold of the Temple, they meet Nicolaus of Damascus, the scholar torn between truth and loyalty, who delivers Herod’s duplicitous message: to find the newborn King and report back.
As night falls over the trembling city, prophecy, history, and conscience converge. Herod’s fear of being replaced becomes the spark of violence yet to come, while Adam and Sophia bear witness to the first collision of darkness and light—the dying of one kingdom and the quiet rise of another.
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Our tale now unfolds in two intertwined threads. First, Brigomarus, the red-haired Gallic captain of Herod’s guard, recounts his brutal past, from slavery and the gladiator’s arena to serving the paranoid King Herod. Sent by Herod’s scribe, Nicolaus of Damascus, to find the famed physician named Adam Aliquis, Brigomarus rides out from Jericho, unaware that destiny is leading him toward the caravan of the Star Bearers.
Meanwhile, Sophia narrates the Star Bearers’ caravan journey from Petra through the desert to Mamshit and toward Judea, filled with poetry, prophecy, and Loukia’s haunting songs of healing for her silent mother, Kaliope. As they near Bethlehem, the group senses both revelation and danger. Their path collides with Brigomarus’s patrol, and when he recognizes Adam as the physician he seeks, he seizes him, and Sophia as well, in Herod’s name. The company cannot prevent it. The chapter closes under a gathering shadow: the healers become hostages, and the road of faith now leads straight into the heart of Herod’s darkness.
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Sophia takes up the stylus to chronicle the League of Star Bearers’ passage from the Arabian coast into the Nabataean lands and their mystical capital of Petra. After landing on the red-tinged shores of Arabia, the companions are welcomed by Nabataean guides who recognize Balthazar and pledge safe passage through Hegra, Dedan, and the desert cisterns. At a caravanserai carved into rose-red cliffs, they share songs, visions, and quiet conversations that reveal Adam’s growing burden of prophetic dreams and Sophia’s own need to set their journey into words. The travelers witness the majesty of a wild Arabian horse herd—creatures treated as sacred vessels of memory and covenant—and receive mounts for the arduous crossing.
Led by their guide Hamrath, the caravan survives the merciless heat thanks to hidden Nabataean cisterns, vast underground reservoirs that offer life-giving water and a sense of ancestral mystery. In the cool depths of one such cistern, Loukia sings a haunting hymn to the Cistern, the “flame beneath the sand,” echoing the timeless bond between desert, memory, and divine promise. Continuing north, the party reaches the silent rock-cut necropolis of Hegra, where carved stars and facades remind them of the impermanence of human glory.
A fierce sandstorm scatters the travelers, and Adam is drawn onto a basalt ridge where the archangel Gabriel names him witness and bearer of the flame. He beholds visions of the Child of Light, the cross, and the triumph of divine love over darkness before being found at dawn by Loukia and Targitus. Reunited with Sophia, Adam speaks of the battle already won despite the suffering to come.
At last the caravan enters Petra through the narrow Siq, emerging before the rose-red Treasury and the bustling markets, temples, and water-filled terraces of the hidden city. Amid the city’s grandeur Sophia reflects that Petra’s beauty lies in its transience: the carved facades are mortal masks proclaiming both human longing and inevitable decay. As night falls and Loukia sings beneath the wheeling stars, the companions rest in Petra’s splendor while the guiding star continues to call them eastward toward the deeper mystery they seek
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In a sealed tomb in Abruzzo, Havelock, Vanini, and Hassan uncover scrolls containing both a mysterious modern-hand passage of Samuel’s warning against kings and a cache of letters between Strabo of Amaseia and Nicolaus of Damascus. The correspondence reveals Nicolaus’ defense of Herod’s rule as necessary statecraft, Strabo’s suspicions of cruelty, and remarkable accounts of the League of Star Bearers—foreign kings, a Scythian queen, and the enigmatic Adam Aliquis—pursuing a wandering star toward Bethlehem. As the letters darken, Nicolaus privately confesses to Strabo the truth of Herod’s massacre of the innocents, a crime he dares not record in history but cannot silence in conscience. The chapter closes with fragments from Strabo’s Geographica describing the Nabataeans’ austere communal life and control of desert trade, underscoring themes of kingship, truth, and the fragile line between history and myth.
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In the port city of Adulis, Adam’s company faces a decisive split. Theron, supported by Honourius and others, urges the group to take their laden merchant ships north to Berenike and then to Alexandria, where the cargo of silks, spices, gems, and incense promises immense wealth. Adam, however, along with the League of Star Bearers, insists on following the mysterious star eastward, across the Red Sea into the deserts of Arabia, in pursuit of a greater, sacred purpose.
Theron challenges Adam’s vision, valuing tangible gold over unseen light, while Honourius warns of Arabia’s dangers through a vivid and harrowing recollection of his youth: an ill-fated Roman expedition under Aelius Gallus that was decimated by thirst, hostile terrain, and haunting encounters with the jinn. Despite their warnings, Sophia and the Star Bearers remain resolute, seeing the star as an eternal truth beyond earthly riches.
The company ultimately divides—Theron, Honourius, Camilla, Scarus, Nicanor, and most sailors depart for Alexandria with the treasures, while Adam, Sophia, Axia, Gondophares, Loukia, and others set sail in smaller vessels toward the Arabian coast, leaving all wealth behind. Scarus wishes to follow Adam but is released from his oath so he can remain with Camilla.
As night falls, the two groups part under the silent witness of the star. Loukia sings a poignant song that stills the harbor, marking the moment with both sorrow and blessing. The Star Bearers’ voyage is suffused with quiet resolve and Adam’s dream of angelic voices foretelling a humble yet world-changing child. Meanwhile, Theron wrestles with doubt at sea, wondering which path will be remembered when gold is gone.
Dawn finds the Star Bearers nearing Arabia’s shadowed coast. Gondophares warns that the desert will test them all, revealing the truth within each traveler. The chapter closes with both fleets moving in opposite directions—one toward fortune, the other toward mystery—beneath the watchful, pulsing star.
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The narrative now shifts to Bazen, now known as Balthazar, King of Aksum. He recounts the mystical and prophetic journey that led him to join a gathering of extraordinary individuals, all drawn by a miraculous star heralding the birth of a divine child.
Balthazar, descended from the House of Solomon and Sheba, recalls his youth steeped in learning, martial skill, and spiritual wisdom. A vision of a pulsing star awakens a deep calling in him. Shortly afterward, a mysterious fleet arrives at the port of Adulis carrying a diverse and mysterious group: kings, queens, sages, warriors, a former slave poets, and a prophet.
Each of these travellers share their visions, dreams, and reasons for their pilgrimage. Despite their different origins—royalty, slavery, scholarship, and the far future—they are united by a shared experience of divine calling and an otherworldly star that calls not to power but to humility, peace, and truth.
The travellers take a solemn vow. The eight companions—each representing different aspects of creation and human striving—form a sacred fellowship, the League of Star Bearers. They swear not to seek power but to serve the light, to protect the child whose birth will change the world, and to bear witness in silence, truth, and unity.
Loukia sings a hauntingly beautiful song—a poet's offering that encapsulates their mission. The star sinks below the horizon, and the League sets forth on a journey not of conquest, but of reverence, remembrance, and revelation.
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Gondophares, King of a great empire, is plagued by recurring, vivid dreams of a tiger in the jungle and a glowing child who calls to him. Despite returning home to peace and prosperity, he feels restless—haunted by a divine longing that no earthly success can soothe.
In the palace gardens, he hears a young girl, Loukia, sing a haunting song of Orpheus and Eurydice. Her sorrowful music stirs his soul. She speaks of visions—a child bathed in light, beckoning her and her mother to follow a star. Gondophares realizes they have both seen the same child in their visions. Loukia pleads with him to take them to see this child, believing he can save her ailing mother. Gondophares is deeply moved but torn—he is a king, with a kingdom to lead.
That night, a mysterious, angelic figure named Raphael appears to Gondophares and confirms his visions. Raphael, a servant of the Most High, urges the king to obey the divine call and seek the child. Gondophares is told that others—including Melchior, Loukia, and Adam—will join him. He is to begin his journey by seeking the King of Aksum.
Troubled but resolute, Gondophares tells his brother Abdagases of his decision to leave the throne. Though devastated, Abdagases eventually agrees to assume rule. The priest Melchior affirms the righteousness of Gondophares’s decision, teaching that true kingship lies not in power, but in service, justice, and humility under Ahura Mazda. Gondophares relinquishes his crown and sets out as a pilgrim to seek the child who is prophesied to change the world.
Meanwhile, Adam and Sophia enjoy a peaceful interlude in the city of Taxila, growing ever closer. Their love deepens, as do the bonds between others in their party—such as Scarus and Camilla, whose friendship blooms into romance.
As the group prepares to return west, Honourius—Sophia’s father and former enemy of Adam—is gravely ill. Camilla urges Adam to heal him, reminding him of fate’s mysterious ways. Despite lingering resentment, Adam agrees and tends Honourius with compassion, out of love for Sophia.
In a powerful public farewell, Gondophares, clad in simple robes, renounces his throne before his people. He proclaims his mission: to seek the divine child prophesied by stars and dreams. With great emotion, he entrusts his brother with the kingdom and walks away—not as a king, but as a pilgrim, beginning his sacred quest.
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The narrative now shifts to Gondophares, also known as Gaspar, the Indo-Parthian King of Kings, powerful overlord of all the mighty, rich and populous lands of the great river Indus, stretching from the shores of the Erythrean Sea to the Hindu Kush. While mounting a siege of the great port city of Barbaricum, he has a strange dream, that he is stalking in the forest in the body of a tiger. He sees a strange light, but awakes to the surprising news that Azes, a petty rebel king, has abandoned the city and left it defenceless. Envoys come to him, begging for mercy, and tell him of the appearance of a strange fleet of sailing ships, who forced their way into the harbour. Gondophares sends for these strangers and discovers their commander, Honourius, is an old friend. The Great King, for all his power, is beguiled by the beautiful philosophia from Alexandria, and offers to help her with her two quests, but first the rebels and pirate fleet must be dealt with. Plans are made for an alliance to destroy the returning pirate fleet at a time and place of the allies choosing.
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Adam and his companions arrive in the grand city of Taxila, a thriving metropolis with diverse cultural influences, including Buddhist, Greek, and Zoroastrian elements. The city's splendor and advanced infrastructure amaze the travellers.
Upon arrival, the group is met by Commander Adashir, who welcomes them on behalf of the Great King Gondophares. It is revealed that the king is in the south, involved in conflicts and forming alliances with a mysterious fleet. The group settles in the palace, enjoying the city's hospitality while awaiting further developments.
Meanwhile, Axia, the warrior queen, is nearing childbirth. Concerned about the strain of travel, Adam and Arsalion devise a plan to delay their journey by having Arsalion feign illness. This successfully keeps Axia in Taxila long enough to experience a transformative moment in her life.
During their stay, Adam and his companions seek a mysterious Magus at a Zoroastrian fire temple. Here, an angelic light in the sky reveals Melchior, who presents him with a sacred object linked to Adam’s divine mission. Melchior, who was forewarned of Adam's arrival by the archangel Raphael, believes they are destined to find a prophesied child.
Meanwhile, word arrives that Gondophares is returning to Taxila. The city bursts into celebration, with grand preparations for his homecoming. His arrival is a magnificent spectacle, and Gondophares reveals himself as an imposing yet wise ruler. Upon meeting Axia and Arsalion, he acknowledges them not as vassals but as equals, welcoming them into his kingdom.
Adam is unexpectedly reunited with his lost soulmate. Overcome with emotion, they embrace in a deeply heartfelt moment, signaling the resolution of Adam's personal quest. A joyous and momentous occasion also brings with is a sense of foreboding.
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The travellers escaping the Kushans, come to Alexandria in the Caucasus, another of the lost cities of Alexander, which has not yet fallen to the Kushans. The arrival of Loukia, a descendant of Roxanna, causes a stir amongst the Greeks in this distant city. Besieged on all sides, Euthydemus, the last King of the farthest Greeks, hails her as a harbinger of hope for his kingdom. But will Euthydemus and his people let this girl depart? Axia promises to aid the Farthest Greeks in exchange for help in making the difficult transit over the Himalayas to Taxila. The caravan ascends through the pass, but the weather and hostile tribesmen conspire to block the way. Evil descends upon the travellers, and Axia asks Adam to take on burdens that oppress her. Adam is given back one of the three gifts gifted to him by Raphael. He is called to face mysterious evil foes, and is taken by them to their master, alone, deep in the mountains. An epic struggle ensues, but the Archangels appear, rescuing Adam and changing the world forever.
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The mysterious monk now tells the story of the green-eyed Loukia, child of light and descendant of daughters of ancient Greek kings in the far east. The travellers are captivated by her tragic tale. It begins with the fate of the cities built by Alexander centuries before in Bactria, Gandhara, and at the very steps of the Hindu Kush. These Greek cities fall one by one to the Yuezhi, nomads from the east, who establish a new empire, the Kushan, under their warlord, Heraeus. This tyrant takes an interest in Loukia, and has separated her from her mother, Kaliope., ill-fated Queen of one of the last Greek cities, Alexandria Eschate. When that city falls, Loukia becomes an entertainer, enchanting the women of the Kushan court with her songs and beauty. Heraeus succumbs to a mysterious illness and descends into madness. As he becomes weaker, only Loukia can relieve his suffering with her sweet voice and innocent ways. Heraeus, obsessed with the thought of oblivion, has his son Kujula Kadphisis, swear a dark oath that will doom Loukia to an unspeakable fate. She looks to Targitus to rescue her from the darkness.
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Our narrative shifts back again to Adam. Axia, Arsalion and their party together with Adam, Scarus and Targitus, Master of Eagles, depart from the Massagetae, leaving her brothers Protothyes and Skumaxa as co-regents of the nation. At first the party is guided by a pillar of light from the Archangels, and travels down a mighty river. But the light of the angels fades as they travel through strange and unknown lands far to the east and south. A council is held to discuss their situation. A plan is worked out. Theron, Adam, and Scarus leave the main party behind to find a way, guided by Targitus and his eagle. The travellers hook up with a caravan travelling to Bukhara, stronghold of a tyrant who styles himself as the first overlord of the Kushans. They cross paths with a warrior, Hareth, a monk, and a girl. This strange and mysterious girl, a ward of the monk, forms a bond with Targitus. A bargain is struck with these strangers to guide Axia's party through the mountain passes of the Hindu Kush to Taxila. But first, they must contend with the mysterious history of this girl and learn that the Kushans are searching for her.
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The Great King Gondophares, the philosophia, and the rest of the party return to the palace. On the way, the great transformation of the Monsoons transforms the land. But, before the rains return, the Romans and the Indo-Parthian army must make plans. Forces are put into motion, and the new roman fleet and Gondophares’ army sweep down upon the enemy.
Gondophares and the Indo-Parthians now find themselves at peace after generations of war. He is restless and searches for a new purpose, his thoughts turning to Sophia. The allies are stricken with bad news amid their celebration.
The trade fleet arrives, and prosperity flows like a river into the realm. But new laws must be made to manage the peace and the trade that comes with it. Plans are made for the Great King and his allies to go up the Indus to the Royal City of Minnagara. Gondophares looks to fulfil his promise to take the philosophia and her guardian to the Royal Capital of Taxila at the foot of the Hindu Kush mountains, but before they can leave, old friends appear, and Sophia receives news of Adam.
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The narrative now shifts to Gondophares, also known as Gaspar, the Indo-Parthian King of Kings, powerful overlord of all the mighty, rich and populous lands of the great river Indus, stretching from the shores of the Erythrean Sea to the Hindu Kush. While mounting a siege of the great port city of Barbaricum, he has a strange dream, that he is stalking in the forest in the body of a tiger. He sees a strange light, but awakes to the surprising news that Azes, a petty rebel king, has abandoned the city and left it defenceless. Envoys come to him, begging for mercy, and tell him of the appearance of a strange fleet of sailing ships, who forced their way into the harbour. Gondophares sends for these strangers and discovers their commander, Honourius, is an old friend. The Great King, for all his power, is beguiled by the beautiful philosophia from Alexandria, and offers to help her with her two quests, but first the rebels and pirate fleet must be dealt with. Plans are made for an alliance to destroy the returning pirate fleet at a time and place of the allies choosing.
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The 10-ship roman trade fleet has crossed the Indian Ocean and approaches the end of its journey to the lands of the Indus. But little is known about the port city of Barbaricum, and what awaits them there. With all the uncertainty, plans are set in motion to deal with the expected danger of a pirate fleet. Honourius’ fears are well founded as the merchant ships encounter a squadron of hostile war galleys. His plans are executed with devastating results, as the 10 trade ships safely anchor in the harbour. Sophia confronts Honorius with the truth about her mother. But their tender words of reconciliation as father and daughter are interrupted by signs of a new danger emerging from the port city itself.
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Camilla, Sophia’s guardian, the retired Vestalis Maxima, , takes up the narrative. While preparations for the voyage of the departing Roman fleet for India are reaching their conclusion, Sophia grieves the absence of Adam. Honourius deflects her questions, accuses Adam and Scarus of running off with the Scythian Queen, and counsels her to forget about them. The expedition departs and Sophia turns to Camilla for comfort. Now that the voyage has begun, Camilla is no longer bound by her oath of secrecy. She tells Sophia about her past, and the tragic story of her mother, Tullia.
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The epilogue to Archangel Chronicles I ended the first part of the saga with a mystery: a strange hermit, in a desert monastery high up a mountainside, where an Archaeologist, Havelock, and his assistant, Hassan have come to find answers.
Archangel Chronicles II begins with another mystery, on another mountain shrouded in legends. Havelock pursues his quest to discern the story of the strange hermit through the centuries by finding the scrolls where it has all been written down. But who is the lady in the tomb?
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I thought I would take a few minutes to explain where this story came from before continuing with Archangel Chronicles II Triumph of Innocence. There is a lot more adventures coming as we unroll the next part of the saga. The podcast is such an intimate medium. This story comes directly from me to you, dear listeners, wherever in the world you may be. No ancient bard ever had such access one on one on such an intimate level. I hope this story has meaning for you. Text me on fan mail at buzzsprout.com or send me an email at: raymond@raydiantlightstudios.com
Book One of the Archangel Chronicles ends where it began, in what seems like a prison at the top of a mountain. But is it really a prison, or a place of safety and strength? Some travellers are urgently seeking the man in this place, in a desert wasteland. But is it really a wasteland, or a place where one story ends and others have yet to be told?
Axia is brought back to the Massagetae camp, her wound festering, and in grave condition. She is surrounded by her priestesses, who kneel around her, chanting day and night and offering sacrifices. Arsalion never leaves Axia’s side. Adam realizes that he is helpless to stem the tide of her infection. While Axia and her brothers have taken their revenge on Artaxes, there is no joy in it. After some days, Axia regains enough strength to summons her people to raise a great burial mound, a Kurgan in which to bury her father the great King Bartatua, and the slain warriors of the Massagetae host. But she intends to be interred there with her father, over the protests of Arsalion and her brothers. As her condition worsens, and Axia slips to the edge of death, despair and mourning descend. The Kurgan is built in 40 days, and the great King’s body and those of his warriors are prepared for burial and processed through the clans and tribes. But at the darkest time, there is hope. A new quest emerges.
Axia and her brothers gather the commanders of the Scythian warriors for a council of war. The Massagetae host is organized into companies and divisions. The whole camp feverishly prepares for the coming battle. Scarus comes up with a plan to deal with the enemy war elephants. The sacred fires are lit, and companies of scouts are set out to disrupt the approaching enemy army. With wind and fire, the enemy is checked, and prisoners are brought forward. Axia gives the captives a message to take back to the enemy. But the army of Artaxes and his Parthian allies doubles down, intent on destroying Axia and her people. The Massagetae host sets off for battle, led by Zephyria. A desperate battle unfolds. The Scythian host flows around the enemy like water around boulders. At a critical point, , Scarus’ counter-measures bear fruit and the enemy is thrown into confusion. The Lord of Slaughter reveals himself as the Massagetae wreak their terrible vengeance, but his presence is interrupted by a sign from the angels. Adam finds that he must save Axia yet again.
Abu takes up the narrative. His Eagle Master Aduthuma, Abu’s eagle Zephyria and Abu begin their long journey back to the Massagetae camp to join the great hunt, or Nerge. They travel at night along the edges of the steppes, sticking to high places, avoiding towns and cities along the way. Abu’s attachment to Zephyria grows, and he can see through her eyes while in a trance as Zephyria hunts and guides them forward. One day, they discern a cloud of dust in the distance, and Zephyria is sent to find out the cause. Abu, seeing through Zephyria’s eyes, discovers a menace coming from an unexpected place. They race home to warn the Queen of what they have found.
Meanwhile, Adam resumes his narrative and about the great hunt, which mobilizes the entire Massagetae nation, including men, women and beasts. But they are all unaware of the approaching danger. Axia takes up her place at the head of the hunt, with Arsalion, her champion, at her side. A great beast is spotted, and Axia resolves to be the first to slay it. She is lured to a place of danger, where two deadly perils await her and her champion. Abu and Zephyria arrive to warn of the unfolding danger. Adam is required to once again apply his healing skills. The Massagetae host prepares for battle.
Adam takes up the narrative again. Abu has gone with his new mentor, the Master of the Eagles far away from the Massagetae camp. Adam is lonely, and feeling Abu’s absence, so he keeps himself busy. Queen Axia is determined to wed Adam, and he is running out of excuses, so he plots with Theron and Scarus to press the Roxolani (Sarmatian) Prince Arsalion to pursue a match with the Queen. Theron is enthusiastic, and he enlists the Queen’s brothers to help him propose a grand tournament of the three manly sports, wrestling, horse archery and horse racing to the Queen. She is interested and intrigued that Arsalion is pursuing her. But the matchmakers begin to worry that they may have bitten off more than they can chew when it becomes clear that their champion is in need of training. Time is short to get Arsalion ready for the challenges that he will face in the tournament. Will he prevail and attract the Queen’s admiration?
Abubakar tells us his tearful parting from Adam, his first mentor. He discovers the mystical threads that binds him to the eagles and Aduthuma, the Master of the Eales takes him on as his apprentice. Together they take a long journey to the Sacred Mountains, where Aduthuma begins to pass his knowledge on to Abu. He learns to hunt with the Eagles, and comes to understand the love and respect that must be given to them, and all creatures. Abu learns a valuable lesson when the day comes for Zephros to be taken to the Sacred Mountain and be set free. Sorrow gives way to joy when he finds a new eagle to train. Time passes swiftly, but one day a summons comes from the Scythian Queen.
The eastward migration of the Massagetae continues, until, late into the waning summer, and cool nights, a place for a winter camp is chosen where the ancient Oxus River, now known as the Amu Darya, reaches the Aral Sea. Adam is visited again by Raphael of the Gray Eyes, who tells him that a solution to his dilemma with the Scythian Queen may present itself. Adam learns from Arsalion, Prince of the Roxolani, that mythical heroic epics about Adam’s exploits are being sung amongst the people. Adam sees an opportunity to play the secret matchmaker. A great feast is declared, and Abu is called to chose his destiny, but he has to give up the possessions of his childhood first.
After turning the tables on Thraxsus and his cutthroat band of gladiators and thieves, it is time for a feast. The Queen is at the head of an ever growing host of warriors. It is time to dispense justice to the Thraxsus’ remaining followers, but justice is harsh on the steppes. The great migration of Axia and her people continues, and the host grows more day by day, until they come to the great river Volga, and must cross it to enter the heartland of the Massagetae. Theron appears out of the mists with the means, and Scarus devises a method to cross the waters of the Volga as if on dry land, delivering the tribesmen, women, children and their livestock to their promised land. Axia and her people are joined by a powerful ally, who delivers the preserved body of her father, the great King Bartatua, back to his people.
Axia’s party, slowed down by the Scythian treasure wagons, have attracted a lot of unwanted attention passing through the farthest reaches of the Empire after leaving Baku. They are warned by the commander of the cohort guarding the Gates of Alexander, the last outpost of civilization, but do not heed his advice. The party presses on, but many of the Scythian horsemen have melted away, leaving the Queen’s party and her treasure waggons guarded only by the dubious Thraxsus and his gladiators. Scarus senses the coming confrontation. Preparations are made. Now isolated out on the steppes, the Queen and her party are abandoned and then ambushed by Thraxsus and his men. Thraxsus has plans for the treasure and cruel designs on the Queen. In the ensuing struggle, an unexpected hero comes forth and turns the tables on Thraxsus.
Adam, Abu and Scarus are now placed in the custody of Axia, Queen of the Red Scythians, and they begin a relentless journey on horseback with her warband across the Eastern Empire, headed for Baku, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, the empire’s farthest outpost. The band meets up again on the shores of the Black Sea with Theron, who has recruited a dubious band of former gladiators to guard the wagons bearing the Queen’s treasure. Scarus, Adam and Abu are suspicious of the gladiators, and their leader, Thraxus, and warn Theron and the Queen that they may be dangerous. Adam formulates a plan to bring matters to a head when they get to Baku.
Our story now moves a land far away from the civilized cities of Roman AEgypt, out onto the vast Steppes of Central Asia, where a party gathers on a vast Scythian burial ground. A mysterious winged being makes it presence known. Adams companions are alarmed by strange lights in the sky, but Adam has seen them before. Adam recalls events of the last several years, when he was kidnapped from the comfort of his home in Alexandria, and spirited away from his life with Sophia. Adam finds that he was betrayed by those close to him, but there is a reconning with his captor, who discloses the conspiracy. Adam is delivered against his will into the power of the Scythian Queen and swept away to the farthest corners of the ancient civilized world.
While our reluctant prophet is drawn far, away from Alexandria on an uncertain adventure, our narrative now shifts to the darkened halls of Herod the Great’s palace in Jerusalem. There, brooding deeply in the gloom of night, he receives a series of visitors from the past that remind him of many things he would rather forget. Herod is forced to confront the blackness of his own soul, before he is awakened by a strange light.
Adam reflects on a past memory of Axia, who now speaks to the secret assembly. She vows to return to her people and retake her throne. The scholars at Alexandria reveal knowledge of the sea routes to the east, which have since become blocked by pirates. Another invitation by a powerful Indo-Parthian King is revealed. Honorius seeks to recruit Axia and her peoples to restore the trade routes and offers aid from the Emperor himself. Axia and the Scythians consider the offer, but she has conditions that must be met before she will accept. Adam senses that his comfortable life in Alexandria is about to change.
In the aftermath of the great race, Adam's fame as healer of the Queen of the Red Scythians threatens his security. Scarus, the centurion, is assigned by the prefect to become Adam’s bodyguard, and becomes a reliable friend. Adam’s comfortable existence is interrupted by a summons to a secret meeting of notables, assembled by Honorius. Great plans with an eye to the east are revealed. To Adam’s surprise, Axia is at the very centre of it all.
The day of the great race comes. During the opening spectacle, Axia's funeral fire is ignited. But the crowd is astonished when a red phoenix flies up from the ashes, followed by the re-appearance of the Red Scythian Queen to lead her faction's teams. The Race is close, but Axia needs to survive yet another disaster to win it.
Axia’s recovery is kept secret. Adam assembles a group of scholars together with Theron and his guards. Adam reveals what he knows about the likely cause of Axia’s seizures. A secret plot is unmasked. Theron ponders an unpleasant surprise for the conspirators.
Axia recovers with Adam’s help, but he is alarmed by the bold expression of her intentions towards him. Sofia recites the tragic history of the Massagetae and asks Adam to introduce her to Axia. Sophia and Axia come from different worlds, and Axia does not hesitate to express her claims to Adam, but at the end she is disarmed by Sophia's graciousness. Axia makes a dark vow to seek revenge for the murder of her father.
Adam’s fame as a physician in ancient Alexandria continues to grow, and his medical practice thrives. An evil shadow from the past makes its presence known, but Raphael is close by. Adam’s fame attracts a Greek merchant and impresario, Theron Simonides, accompanied by two extraordinary warriors from the steppes, Red Scythians of the Massagentae tribe to Adam’s clinic. Theron recites a compelling tale of blood and treachery, and begs Adam to help the Scythian Queen, Axia Panoplias, "She who is Worthy of Armour" who is gravely ill. Adam hastens to her chambers, and encounters an extraordinary scene, with the Scythian Queen on the edge of death. Adam’s skills bring her back to life, but all the Queen’s attention is fixed firmly on Adam.
Evil invades Adam and Abu's home, leaving Adam stricken, but Atlas and Calliope come to the rescue. While unconscious, Adam has a mysterious vision, and Raphael reveals himself again.
Adam and Abu settle into the great city of Alexandria. Adam uses his skills and knowledge to build an ancient medical practice, and their household begins to thrive. Adam is drawn to the Great Library and the Museion, the seat of all knowledge in the ancient world, and seeks out the famous lady philosopher Sophia he had been told about. He presents himself to her, and she is intrigued by this mysterious wanderer. Sophia arranges for Adam to study at the Museon, and he discovers the ancient texts on medicine stored there. As time passes, his fame as a physician grows. Adam challenges Sophia with questions that expand her horizons. She educates Adam on ancient wisdom and philosophy. They draw ever closer together, but there are barriers they must face.
Chapter 6 Secrets from the Past Episode Summary
The narrative in our story now shifts to Camilla, the retired Vestal Virgin, who we first met in the prologue, 25 years before. As instructed by a highly placed confidant of the Emperor, Paulus Honorius Fabius, Camilla had been conscripted to take the newly born baby Sophia, from her mother, Tullia, at birth and spirit her away across the Mare Nostrum (Mediterranean Sea). Camilla is re-united with Honorius, and tells him about Julia’s childhood, and her growth to maturity as a scholar and philosopher in ancient Alexandria. Honorius reveals a state secret, but takes great interest in the details of Sophia’s life.
Abu and Adam are at a loss about what to do with their travelling companions, until they come again upon Raphael. Adam is given a powerful vision, and there is an awakening from the land of the dead. Adam and Abu finally reach the great City of Alexandria.
Abu and Adam begin their memorable trip down the ancient Nile, bound for the great City of Alexandria. Adam discovers too late that they have been followed, and are betrayed back into the hands of Drago. But there is a violent reckoning, and the creatures of the Nile unexpectedly come to Adam and Abu's aid, but with tragic consequences.
Adam meets a young slave, Abu, who is impressed by Adam's magic tricks and agrees to help him. Adam must first deal with Abu's piratical master, Draco, who is reluctant to give up his captive. Adam comes up with a plan to outwit this thief and free Abu. Together, Adam and Abu begin their trip up the ancient Nile.
Our reluctant prophet sets out in the ancient world of Greco-Roman Egypt to begin his quest, armed with the gifts he has been given. Adam begins to discern how he must cope with his new surroundings and identity, and he befriends a local Centurion and his commanding officer with a few ad hoc tricks.
Our reluctant prophet, Adam, is transported back in time 2,000 years and finds himself on the Banks of the Nile in ancient Egypt. Adam is not at all convinced that this is real. He meets a mysterious stranger, who presents Adam with a choice and a test.
In this introduction, the messenger, Archangel Gabriel, is sent to rescue a reluctant Dr. Adam Aliquis, from his captivity and send him on a quest. We are told of the birth of a baby in mysterious circumstances, and encounter Herod, the proud client King of Judea, who knows the way to power.