Teleios

Prologue

Ankhefenkhons The Second of Wayekiye. The name given by my father. I am the youngest descendant of the noblest Wayekiye family, the servant of Thoth. I am blessed with the privilege and selected by my Lord to be His Oracle.

When I was sixteen, the Roman Emperor Octavius sent a messenger to my father. For the cultural and religious exchange of wisdom, they request. The youngest of Wayekiye, they request.

Praise Thoth! What an honour! It’s our family’s duty to preach the words of Thoth to this foreign Emperor. And I had been destined by my Lord when I was named after the great Ankhefenkhons who served in the North.

And thus, with my servants and some gold, I traveled to Rome.

I saw Octavius, a glorious man of wisdom on his throne. He named himself Augustus the magnificent. But why? And my Lord’s voice whispered to me.

He is now Augustus! The greater! He abandoned his Octavius gentes. He erased his own name, that name tied to the plebeians, so that he may claim to be part of the patrician.

He is now Augustus! The greater! He abandoned his Octavius gentes. He erased his own name, that name tied to the plebeians, so that he may claim to be part of the patrician.With three of his advisors, he gathered all the great leaders, priests and aristocrats across all states to this synod.

“What’s your name?” The Emperor asked.

And I was surprised! He was talking to a young Macedonian boy around 3 years old.

“Chu-li-chan! He he he!” The round young boy replied with a cuddly smile on his face. But his innocent giggles stupefied the crowd.

“Julijan, that’s… that’s Julius in Greek.” The other men whispered in fear.

“He has the blood of Alexander of Thebes. Your Majesty.” One of his three advisors spoke in a deep tone.

“Like a little fat calf!” The Emperor huffed.

“Vittelius! This will be your name!” He ordered.

To my surprise, that wasn’t a cultural and religious exchange!

“You! The black one! What is your name?”

“My name is Ankhefenkhons The Second of Wayekiye, your Majesty.”

“That’s… too complicated!”

“He is the blessed priest of Mercury, your Majesty.” his advisors said.

Mercury who? I am loyal to my Master of Knowledge! The almighty Thoth! Who is Mercury?

Mercury who? I am loyal to my Master of Knowledge! The almighty Thoth! Who is Mercury?“Ah, I see! The all knowing messenger oracle. I’ll call you Petosiris!”

I was stunned, unable to move my mouth. Oh Thoth my Lord, have mercy upon me! My name, it was taken away from me and I felt a strong power, like a pair of invisible hands holding my jaw tight. For the first time in my life, as the priest of the messenger god, I’m unable to speak!

Take the young boy and leave!

Take the young boy and leave!Who? Who are you? Why?

Who? Who are you? Why?I am Hermes, Mercury, Thoth, your God!

I am Hermes, Mercury, Thoth, your God!It was then the wisdom revealed to me through the voice of the greatest three names.

Take the young boy and leave!

Take the young boy and leave!Like the strong wind of a storm, the voice echoes into my head. While I drowned in a sudden silence, his three advisors, fully hidden under their plain black cloaks, approached to me.

They came closer and closer, Hermes’s voice came back louder and louder.

Take the young boy and run!

Take the young boy and run!Fear rushed through my whole body and I was petrified. The three… The Three! They surrounded me. The next moment I felt a sudden fall.

Falling from the sky. Falling into a pool of water. Water? But it stung my skin, bitter on my tongue. I am naked and bubbles forming, surrounding my entire body. But the bubbles burn like infernal fire.

The three, they pulled me out, lay me on a stone table. They peeled off my skin. In great pain, I screamed, but no voice came out from my mouth. Barely keeping my breath, I was drowned by my own blood. The silver needles going through my flesh, in and out they stitched a piece of fair skin on me. But they soon realised, it wasn’t enough.

“His bone is too thick!”

“We need his blessed soul!”

“But we only have one descendent of the Great.”

No! Descendent of the Great? The boy? Vitellius? No no no no no!

No! Descendent of the Great? The boy? Vitellius? No no no no no!* * *

“Ay, Petosiris!” The woman wakens me up from my nightmare, pointing her finger to the dawning sky.

“Go back home, it’s getting late.” in worry, she said. And then, she turned into dust and blown away by the twilight wind.

Not today.

Not today.The voice of my Lord echoed to me softly. Mercury? Hermes? Thoth? I’ve learn my lesson throughout my life… I was such a fool for having that moment of doubt on my Lord. When it happened? sixty years ago.

But now, my Lord have a mission for me to accomplish. I’ve been waiting for them, the Teleios.

Patting away the fallen leaves from my tunic. This fragile skin wasn’t mine, wasn’t Vitellius’s either, it pains me with whenever the sun was up and high.

Octavius, no, Augustus, he had reneged his own words. It was neither a cultural exchange, nor a religious matter. He gained a thirst for power.

One by one, the Hellens, Egypt, and Parthia, all fell to the Roman empire. I had seen it happened through these eyes that weren’t mine. From Augustus to Tiberius, then the crazy Caligula, then Claudius, and now, Nero.

I knew, I already knew, the Teleios, they are on their way to me. My Lord had told me everything through Hermes. But as a stubborn old soul I am here waiting for them to come. I need to guide them towards the path of the righteous freedom! They must not fall to the hands of those wretched Three.