Context. Their spaceship has landed. As Nanshe and Bandaka disembark, they are watched by the local wise man, Ziusudra. Again, this section has been edited and is a little shorter than the text in the book.
Ziusudra remained out of sight and studied the visitors. The first person, a human female, looked familiar. There was something odd about her male partner, though. His form was almost too perfect, as if someone had designed him. He seemed to exude a hidden strength beyond the mere muscular.
They stood quite close together, thus revealing their intimacy to the sharp-eyed. While the man scanned the horizon, the young female consulted a device in her hand, turning it this way and that. After a short while, satisfied with her search, she conferred with her strange companion.
Soon, the visitors retrieved two backpacks, and set off. They turned this way and that across the tussocky green of the meadow, seeking the path Ziusudra knew they would find. To his eyes, both appeared calm, yet the male had a hidden edge of wary watchfulness, as if he were the guardian.
They made their way to the cliff face and soon faced a massive carving hewn into the rock. The scene was of a castle wall, as if constructed of enormous granite blocks. There were crenelated battlements and the impression of buildings towering behind them. It was a tremendous work of art, but the only tangible construction was a vast portal with ancient wooden doors. And they were open. Beyond them, a tunnel led into the cool darkness of the mountain. Burning torches cast a flickering light on the rough stone floor. All was silent except for the sound of their tentative footsteps.
‘Ban,’ said Nanshe. ‘Can you probe the way ahead? Is it safe?’
There was a minute of silence while Ban’s senses reached out ahead and around. He seemed to look with his eyes, yet he closed them from time to time, as if seeing with a deeper vision. He perceived what could not be seen and listened deep into the stone of the mountain.
‘There are no life forms or other potential dangers that I can discern, Nanshe. This tunnel ends in a large space 140 metres from here. However, I sense your discomfort. Let me reassure you, I have a veritable universe of talents at my disposal. You are safe with me. Shall I walk by your side?’
Nanshe put her arm through his and hugged him close.
‘Just this once, Mr Hero.’
‘Can you stop calling me that?’
‘Okay. Sorry, the joke’s getting stale. Let’s go on and find out what lies at the end of this tunnel.’
‘It shouldn’t take long.’
‘Good. Isn’t this such a cliché? A passage chiselled out of the mountain, complete with burning torches. It’s like, at the end, a door will close behind us and we’ll have to fight a boss! Anyway, let’s hope the professor’s information was correct.’
They set off, their footsteps echoing off the uneven walls. After twenty minutes of cautious walking, the cool, stone corridor opened out into a large room. Opposite them, a strange carving covered the wall from floor to ceiling. It looked at first like some herring-bone pattern, yet it was not uniform. There were subtle variations. These basic strokes were the runes of an ancient script.
‘Can you shine more brightly?’ Nanshe asked. Ban responded by opening his arms and projecting light onto the wall as she approached it.
‘I can read this!’ she exclaimed. ‘I can certainly read parts. I know a similar language and this seems to be a relative. At the top there, that says, story the first, or something like that. The first story, I guess. No. That second word is tablet. Can you record this as I read it, Ban? The University will want to study it.’
First Tablet
When on high, the heavens had no name.
When the earth below did not exist.
A small and silent sound split the abyss of nothing.
Apsu was the hottest One ever known,
Apsu spread and battled with the coldest One, Tiamat.
Both fell and turned to dust,
The dust gathered and became gods, Enlil and Ea.
Emptiness became the star-filled, blazing heavens.
When Nanshe had finished reading, they stood in silence for a moment before she spoke.
‘If this is titled the First Tablet, we can assume there are more. It is a rather grand piece in its crude way. I will need to reflect on its meaning. In most religions, the opening statement is usually some kind of creation myth.’
‘It is very common,’ replied Ban.
‘The god or gods create the world. There is often some cosmic struggle or other. This one looks to be a typical example, nothing exceptional, at first glance. Except, I wonder if this is more scientifically influenced than is usual? The mention of a small and silent sound could refer to the Big Bang. The gathering dust idea could be the formation of stars, but referred to as gods here. You must share some information from your database, Ban. But not in this room, on the way out of here. I would like to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin.’
As they walked to the entrance, Nanshe thought out loud.
‘The names of the gods mentioned in this tablet are not unheard of, although very ancient. It is too early to draw any definite conclusions without further evidence and research. The problem is, there isn’t just one version of these myths, there are many. Hmm. I wonder. You don’t seem very impressed, Ban. It seemed to me that the story, however short and basic, was quite rich in some ways. It might have hidden depths, arcane secrets that we can tease out.’
‘Perhaps, I think it is, inevitably, a primitive tale of creation, and it is not true in any civilised, scientific way.’
‘Of course it’s not true. The poem is a myth. Myths are neither true nor false. They are useful or useless.’
Nanshe and Ban stopped in surprise. Ahead of them, silhouetted by the sunlight, was Ziusudra. He continued.
‘Forgive my interruption. Good morning. It is a pleasure to meet you. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ziusudra. It is my honour to welcome you here.’
He waved a bony hand and gave a little bow.
Ban stood in front of Nanshe to act as a shield. He scanned Ziusudra for any sign of threat. He found none. He was what he seemed to be, an elderly, wizened, bald, human, wearing a faded grey tunic and sandals. Ban was an expert reader of intentions and saw no danger in the stooped figure facing them.
‘Nanshe, I believe this being poses no danger. It is unarmed. If it is the aged master of any martial art, I can overpower it.’
‘It?’ queried Ziusudra, with a faint smile and a raised eyebrow.
‘My scans offer no significant evidence of gender related hormones, either female or male.’
‘Oh dear! Well, I am very old,’ he replied with a laugh. ‘But in my long distant youth… Ah, the young lady would have found joy in my appearance. Muscular, filled with masculine vigour, and beautiful too!’ Ziusudra grinned as he raised a skinny arm and flexed a barely existent bicep.
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