C. Palov - Templar's Quest

‘As you can see, the Historic Axis runs in a westward trajectory from the apex of the glass pyramid, through the middle of the Tuileries Gardens and the Place de la Concorde.’ Cædmon tilted his chin at the two famous landmarks, visible in the hazy distance. ‘The axis then continues along the Champs-Élysées, dramatically terminating at the ultra-modern Grande Arche. Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful stretches of real estate in the world. While lovely to behold, most people are unaware that this famous axis is identical to the Sacred Axis in ancient Thebes that connected the Temple of Luxor to the Temple of Karnak.’

Finn glanced out of the window. ‘Oh, yeah. I’m sure that King Tut had a glass pyramid just like the one down there on the concourse.’

‘By “identical”, I meant that both axes were constructed on an alignment twenty-six degrees north-of-west in one direction and twenty-six degrees south-of-east in the other. Fascinating, don’t you think?’

Intrigued, Kate asked the obvious: ‘Identical by design or accident?’

‘The layout of the Axe Historique is quite intentional.’ As he spoke, a lock of red hair fell on to Cædmon’s brow.

Something about those errant strands called to mind a long-forgotten memory of Cædmon, sprawled on a rumpled bed, hands wrapped, not around her, but around a leather-bound history book. Utterly enthralled. That was when Kate realized that Cædmon Aisquith loved the mysteries of history more than he loved her. Soon thereafter, she sent the infamous ‘ lettre de rupture ’.

Unnerved by the memory, Kate refocused her attention on the axis. ‘The Egyptian obelisk that’s located at Place de la Concorde, wasn’t that brought to Paris from the Temple of Luxor?’

‘Hauled from Egypt to France in the nineteenth century, the obelisk originally stood sentry along the Sacred Axis at Thebes. And just like its Egyptian twin, the Paris axis is orientated to the Heliacal Rising of Sirius.’

‘Sirius is that big bright star in Canis Major, right?’

Pleased that Finn was making an effort to participate, Kate enthusiastically nodded. ‘Big and bright because Sirius is twice the size of the sun and approximately twenty times more luminous.’ She’d always attributed her avid interest in astronomy to the fact that her father was an astrophysicist.

‘Sirius is also the celestial abode of Isis, the queen of the Egyptian pantheon,’ Cædmon added. ‘Marking the beginning of the Egyptian New Year, or Prt śpdt , the heliacal rising of Sirius was heralded as a sacred event.’

‘Wouldn’t the heliacal rising of Sirius happen every morning when the sun came up?’

Although Finn’s question had merit, Kate shook her head, disavowing him of the notion. ‘You’d think so. However, in the spring, Sirius drops below the horizon, vanishing from sight for a seventy-day period. During that time, it drifts approximately one degree each day as it hovers near the Pleiades. The heliacal rising refers to the star’s re-emergence after its lengthy absence.’ She thoughtfully tapped her finger against her lip. ‘Cædmon, what exactly did you mean when you said that the Axe Historique and the Sacred Axis in Thebes are both orientated to the heliacal rising?’

‘I meant that at dawn on the morning of the helical rising, if you were to stand on the Axe Historique and gaze due east –’ turning, he extended his arm towards the wall behind them – ‘Sirius would be in your direct line of sight. But, even more amazing, that evening at sunset, if you stood in the same spot and looked due west –’ he pivoted, resuming his original stance – ‘you would see the setting sun perfectly framed within the open cube of the Grande Arche.’

‘Wow. I bet that’s an awesome sight,’ Kate murmured.

‘Truly magnificent. And while we can only assume that the Egyptians contrived an equally stunning spectacle, the Sacred Axis at Thebes was designed for one specific purpose: at the heliacal rising, the temple priests would draw the astral energy emanating from Sirius along the axis that connected the two temples.’

Hearing that, Finn said, ‘All right. I’ll bite. What’s astral energy?’

‘All stars emit electromagnetically charged energy,’ Cædmon replied. ‘The Egyptians believed that at the heliacal rising of Sirius, an opening was created in the cosmos, an aperture through which the energy of Sirius could be accessed and manipulated.’

‘And what does that have to do with the Dark Angel or those bastards at the Seven Research Foundation?’

‘I would think a great deal. German scholars in the Ahnenerbe referred to Sirius as the Black Sun. That being the same Black Sun depicted on the tattoo that you earlier showed me.’

Surprised, Kate’s eyes opened wide. ‘Which suggests that there is a connection between the Ahnenerbe and the Seven Research Foundation.’

Cædmon concurred with a nod. ‘Obsessed with Egypt, the Ahnenerbe was convinced that the origins of physics, chemistry and biology were encoded in the Egyptian glyphs, texts and sacred monuments. Whole divisions within the Ahnenerbe were dedicated to recovering the lost sciences of the ancient world.’

‘And wasn’t that a waste of time,’ Finn muttered disagreeably under his breath. ‘Talk about a bogus load of malarkey.’

‘Why is it so difficult to accept that the ancients may have possessed scientific knowledge that was equal, if not superior, to our own?’ Exhibiting the unflappable calm for which the English were famous, Cædmon stood his ground. ‘One need only examine the pyramids to know that the Egyptians were brilliant engineers.’

‘In fact, modern engineers still haven’t figured out how they built those darned things,’ Kate informed her sceptical companion.

‘And let us not forget that many of those pyramids were orientated to the constellations in the night sky. A notable achievement in any century.’

‘That reminds me, Cædmon.’ Kate suddenly recalled a remark made earlier in the day. ‘When we questioned the Dark Angel, she made a passing reference to “the great star rising with the sun”.’

‘Indeed? Then we must presume that the Seven Research Foundation knows about the heliacal rising of Sirius.’

‘Which leads to my next question: what was the purpose of drawing the astral energy from Sirius along the Sacred Axis?’

‘Ah! We finally get to the marrow.’ Blue eyes glittering, the man clearly in the know about something , Cædmon stared intently out of the window. ‘The purpose of the exercise was to create the Vril force by fusing astral energy to the telluric currents deep within the earth. And, according to the foremost Freemason of the nineteenth century, Albert Pike, the man who can glean that lost science can control the world.’

31

Jardins des Tuileries

‘I am grateful, Herr Doktor, for this opportunity to prove my worth,’ the chauffeur energetically affirmed. ‘And I will succeed where the Dark Angel failed.’

Ivo Uhlemann lightly patted Dolf Reinhardt on the chest, pleased that he relished the upcoming assignment. Although a coarse bully boy, he was dependable, a truncheon now in order. Time was running out with the heliacal rising of Sirius only three days away. Since Finnegan McGuire refused to surrender the Montségur Medallion, they must resort to brute force. Pity the poor Americans.

‘I have every confidence in your abilities,’ Ivo replied.

‘Would you like for me to drive you home beforehand, Herr Doktor?’

‘A bit more sunshine will do us both good, I think.’ Ivo glanced at the Schnauzer obediently sitting at his feet. ‘Since I’ve a yen for wild duck with chutney, I’ll have Boris drive me to Le Meurice when I’m ready to depart.’