A temple in the sky was his dwelling place, the lord of time searched tirelessly for a new Adam and a new Eve, all he required was unconditional love and a fearless embrace.'

Galloping hoofs threw up dirt on the forest trail as two men, the latest emissaries for Lord Telos neared the end of their days journey from the sea towards the slave compound. It was Summer 1773 and the slave trade had been banned in England for almost a year. Secluded coastlines however were still used to smuggle men and women across the border to secret compounds where the slaves could be kept until bought. Old habits die hard, and the wealthy, the brutal, and the pragmatic continued to buy women and men. Lord Telos was one of the latter category. He was spoken of by the suspicious and religious as a living embodiment of time who lived in the clouds. He had been traveling the country commissioning men to search out and purchase slaves with a promise of reward.The west coast of England had a steady stream of people traffic and had a large compound. Torture and execution was provided for the spirited and the seditious slaves who had an example made of them. In a nearby forest nicknamed Golgotha one such captured escapee, a former tribal chief called Resurrection prepared to meet his ancestors. His arms were tied tightly behind his back and his ribcage felt the pinch of the untied boots, of the stocky pale man with the patchy orange beard glowering over him.

The rust bobbled axe sparkled momentarily in the dawns young rays. The one who would be his undertaker shunted his feet forward. Resurrection's compounded head pivoted against the Willow tree wedged in its roots system which provided a natural vice. Resurrection had chalk grey lips from dehydration, he prepared for his execution. One eye was bloodshot, purpled, swollen and glued shut with caked blood, spit and sweat. He inflated his lungs and held his breath knowing the out breath would be his reunion with all things. Then for the first time he had an out of body experience. All the sounds around him dimmed as he went into a state of hearing his own inner sonic universe, his heartbeat and the sound of blood rushing though his veins. Then in a split second he imagined seeing himself standing with someone behind the axe wielder looking down on himself. Then he was back in his body on the floor and the sounds of the forest came alive once more.

Then silence, followed by an explosion of curses from his executioner, then a grunt and desperate exertion. Resurrection opened his good eye to witness the axe head lying imbedded in the raised root of the tree a few centimetres from his dark flesh. The axe wielder looked around furtively before his focus moved to his disobedient weapon and its retrieval. Resurrection slowly began to breath out.

He cast his mind back several hours and remembered the hope filled faces of those who had witnessed his daring bid for freedom from the suspended cage at the compound where they were held. His subsequent recapture caused the hope to be extinguished, hope was replaced with fear as his escape attempt would mean harsher treatment for those who remained, that thought momentarily haunted him. It would take all of his mental mastery to rid his mind and body of the poison which was forced down his mouth using a tree branch as a rudimentary wedge to force open and yank his head back as he was tied and chained. The poison had instantly dulled his mind and stiffened his limbs as he fought himself free. Thrown onto a wagon his executioner was commanded to take him to Golgotha the forests graveyard for the spirited and the unbowed. Resurrection recounted a prayer, it brought a necessary calm and he began to gaze up at his opponent as his strength was returning.

The axe head zigzagged free and the pale man grunted as he readied himself for a second attempt holding the axe high above his head. The downward arch of the weapon

recommenced and as it fell Resurrection roared as he willed his arms from behind his back. With a pure pained shriek he had pulled the rope sufficiently apart so he was able bring his arms from behind his back moving in an upward arc in front of his face as the axe came down. The axe cut through the rope and though his arms were ablaze with pain they were loose. He rolled to the side the axe missing its mark and causing the man to overbalance. Resurrection lifted his knees to his chest briefly before snapping them out becoming a human piston propelling his would be executioner backwards tumbling over another raised tree root.

Resurrection struggled to his feet and began wrestling with the man with one goal, the key, he tenaciously tugged at the enslavers leather pouch where the key for the ankle manacles was kept. He focused and yanked at the belt until he felt the mans breeches flatten under his grip and all resistance vanish. The man had pulled out of his breeches even leaving his boots in retreat. The man was running into the near distance white blotchy legs skidding on the moss his laboured breath growing fainter as he got away. Resurrection had gripped the key so tightly the metal punctured his hand like a fork in dough. Only then did Resurrection realise his captor had been looking behind him. Resurrection heard the whinny of the horses, the true reason for the man's departure. There was a the growing pool of shadow around him, he turned towards the setting sun and saw two men silhouetted on horseback brandishing metal bars held in the direction of his would be executioner a third riderless horse snorted. One of the figures turned towards Resurrection and offered a hand, Resurrection took two steps forward before he fell fatigued into oblivion. His next impression was the steady undulation in his torso as he was carried by a broad and muscular horse. It was the pack horse being pulled along by an older man in a noble man's clothes, he was bald and wiry with a hooked nose. A second horse was riding alongside, its rider was younger with long dark hair and a proud somber look. Resurrection opened his eyes to the broken sunlight through the trees, he closed his eyes. He opened his eyes to witness a river crossing he closed his eyes. He opened his eyes it was dark now and the horses are in single file descending a narrow path with a steep drop, he saw the lights of a village down below with a coast line in the middle distance. He wondered if it was the harbour he'd been brought too mere months ago. He closed his eyes when he opened them the two men were either side of him are carrying him through a wooden door of a house there was a thud, he looked up and was startled as a scrawny ginger cat leapt over his head disturbing the men. He had another instinct of transcending the moment but it was only mild. He closed his eyes, he opened his eyes to realise he was in a large comfortable bed, although it was dark, he noticed through the window to his left was a courtyard, he was on the ground floor, at the foot of the bed and to the right was the bedroom door which was ajar. Through the opening he noticed another door possibly leading to a cellar. He closed his eyes and slept then his eyes popped open at the pressure he felt on his chest. It was a woman badly scarred and kneeling on his chest intently looking at him, he screamed in fright, she clamped her cold hard hand over his mouth to shush him, her strength surprised him. She whispered: 'Is it you?' Resurrection felt the urge to cry and had to suppress mounting tears. His shoulders were still in agony and he could hardly move to resist her attack. A moment later the two men arrived pulling her off and firmly turning her towards to door, and one of them bundled her through the door to the cellar, once she was gone, the older man returned panting from the exertion.

'Sir I apologise, you have escaped your enemies without and now I see you find enemies within my home'

'Where am I, do you mean me harm?'

'Sir, my name is Peter I am 56 years old, you are a guest in my home, you are special, it is my vocation to assist you, not assault you, my son and I are at your service. My wife Sita, well my second wife, my first died in childbirth, anyway Sita has not been herself of late. She's been delusional, I am the village doctor and have administered something to help my wife Sita relax, but she grows clever at feigning swallowing the potion. Robert and I fear there is no help for her'

'What happened to her face Peter?' Resurrection asked.

'Oh that, well she was building a fire and a rat startled her you see and she fell headlong into the flames' Peter lied.

Resurrection was calculating his new context he didn't trust this man but he needed somewhere to heal. It would have to do for now. He realised Peter was still speaking.

'Her intrusion won't happen again, she has an assigned part of the house for her own safety in the cellar. Robert assists me in my business the front of the house is where I see my patients and the back of the house is a courtyard where I conduct my other affairs. Robert is only 17 but he's strong and determined. We will ensure you have no more contact with Sita.'

Resurrection shook himself awake:

'Are such steps necessary? Perhaps its just her heart that is broken, not her mind.'

'Sir, no precaution is too extreme. When you are stronger I have someone to take you see. He will be fascinated with you. Perhaps you have heard of Lord Telos"

Resurrection had heard the whispers in the compound but didn't know much behind the gossip he continued.

"I have just evaded captivity why would I choose to embrace it again, a master is a master whatever his or her mask, I thank you for your hospitality, when I am well I will seek passage to my home country. I can work for you to earn my board repay you and seek a way home."

"Sir, when you met our friend, if you're the lucky one you may find all you need right here. Robert and I have payment enough. We had been combing this area on our benefactors behalf he was particularly looking for one of the enslaved to liberate, thank the gods we found you when we did. What is your name?"

"I am Resurrection, I come from the Gold Coast, I am the chief of my tribe. English missionaries converted my father and he called me Resurrection because I the day I was born was the day the feast of Easter fell. They taught us your language and tried to introduce your customs. Several months ago a rival chief tricked me into believing my younger brother was in peril, when I went in pursuit I realised too late it was a trap and white slavers caught me in a net, manacled me and led me and others to a ship which brought us here."

Robert reentered the room breathing heavily,

'father, I have sedated her, she put up a fight mind you but she's now restrained in her quarters..'

Resurrection spotted Peter's eyes held a rebuke at Roberts naive honesty. Over the next few days he strengthened as Peter's medicine and care was remarkable at speeding the healing of his arm. He overheard snatches of conversation as Peter argued with neighbours and patients who arrived wanting to interrogate the stranger, demanding Resurrection be turned over. Resurrection slowly began to move around playing along but planning his escape. Resurrection was almost back to form when he noticed Sita pass the opening to his room holding a pile of laundry as she headed to the courtyard, she looked cowed and obviously heavily sedated, though the light in her eyes still burned, she turned and held his gaze. He broke away first, he suspected Peter had played some role in her injury and he hated the man for it. Sita had Indian blood, dark wavy hair, and beneath the scars, a beautiful woman once resided. He heard her manoeuvre through the heavy back door leading to the courtyard and she began to hang the washing. The men were nowhere in sight so Resurrection got up and put on a long brown leather coat which hung on the wall outside of his door beside the entrance to the cellar.

As he stepped into the court yard, reality around him appeared to ripple, a sudden inflation and contraction of the floor, walls, and sky. A second later all was back to normal. Resurrection hailed Sita but she shushed him by slightly lifting her head and leading his gaze to a window above the courtyard. Resurrection spotted Robert and Peter in animated conversation. Then the men turned from the window to investigate something out of sight. Sita took the risk and approached Resurrection grabbing his hand and forcing something into his palm pleading with her eyes for him to keep looking at her Resurrection pocketed the message. Peter returned to the window and casting a glance down at the courtyard began shouting at her. She began a torrent of pent up words 'I don't know why you keep asking me to do things, I'm already in enough trouble, just this one last thing then can you set me free?'

Sita desperately clung onto him around the waist, Resurrection returned the embrace yet remained alert for the coming attack. Peter bolted through the back door his civil veneer cast aside and his vicious temper unmasked. He was holding his belt and he squared up to Resurrection using the belt as an improvised whip. As Resurrection jumped out of the way Peter grabbed Sita around the waist dragging her back causing her to fall forward and hit the ground hard, chin first. Peter doubled the belt, his pale polished knuckles clutching his weapon. He took a step back before whipping her twice across her back and face in reprimand and then scooped her up using the belt to restrain her around the arms. Resurrection was stunned for a moment then lunged for Peter, Peter was quick and stepped aside causing Resurrection to tumble forward. Robert appeared at the back door with a fire poker. Resurrection pulled himself to all fours feet sliding on the dusty courtyard. Resurrection was dazed but his mouth tightened in resolution of his next move, then slackened as he was struck from behind by Robert and he fell to the floor. When he opened his eyes he was back in bed, but he had arm restraints in place. He turned his head and saw Peter.

'Just a precaution Resurrection, you see we were on our way to the slave compound to select another subject when you laying there pitiful and bleeding saving us the trip and the money. We had to clean you up first, what a shame you had to fraternise with my 'wife'.

Then Resurrection's noticed the knife Peter was holding just out of sight. He flinched but then felt the pressure of until then the unobserved Robert holding him down. Peter leered

over him saying keep still, I simply want to brand you not kill you.Resurrection's kept still as the blade dangled above his eye before moving up to his forehead. There was deep scratching sensation as Peter drew three interlinked rings across Resurrections forehead. As the blood creeped into Resurrection's eyes he forced himself to not blink. Peter stepped back and the pressure on his shoulders released.

"It's not my best work but at least now your a marked man, whatever happens tomorrow, you'll never be free."

That night Resurrection had fitful dreams. One dream it was pitch black then he saw Sita's face emerging out of the darkness she was unscarred, her arms open to him her body naked, beautiful, restored and powerful. The next morning Resurrection awoke as the restraints were loosened. Robert stood seething nearby, poker in hand. Resurrection's forehead was itching where he'd been marked. He was hot as he was still in the leather coat from the day before. He remembered the note Sita had given him. Once up Resurrection asked to use the toilet a bedpan the men waited by the door. He checked his pockets finding the wad of folded paper. It was a stick drawing of a man and a giant in an embrace with the word love scrawled under it. It was his style of drawing and writing though he had no recollection of it. He pocketed in time before the men reentered the room. He was dragged and strapped to a horse. Peter led and set off first, Resurrection's horse second, and Robert rode behind Resurrection. They traveled half a days journey north to a rocky outcrop with a grassy overhang. Peter and Robert sped up as they neared the edge approaching a gallop. Resurrection was terrified and attempted to slow his stead but to no avail as the horse having made the journey number of times also charged forward catching up with the others. Resurrection closed his eyes in horror before he realised they were riding on air, yet it felt solid underfoot, he was bemused seeing a rippling transparent surface beneath him. The three horses powered up the steep invisible incline high above the ground towards a break in the clouds. Then as they neared Resurrection saw other riders galloping towards them in the sky. He gasped, Peter and Robert laughed scornfully.

"Dad the poor black boy is afraid of his shadow"

Resurrection took in the truth, they were approaching a large mirrored structure reflecting the surrounding sky. The riders he saw were merely reflections of themselves. The horses slowed and the gates of the mirrored surface slid apart. Once through the cloud gate the men and beasts found themselves at the entrance to another world. They came to a trot on a broad pebble pathway flanked by a bright tree lined pristine lawn with clusters of men and women in burgundy habits moving about silently. A couple of hooded figures took the reins and led the horses to rest and water before helping the men dismount and secure their cargo. Resurrection detected Peter and Robert's trepidation as a set of large wooden doors creaked open. It looked like a huge temple or cathedral. Resurrection was caught off guard as he heard music like waves coming from the centre of the edifice. There was eerie falsetto tones clashing and crashing discordant melodies melting into glorious music. The large building was ornate with high thick pillars, there was a band of stained glass going around the top of the structure. The images in the glass were moving within their frames depicting primitive scenes of stick people spears aloft, or tiger faces roaring, and several showed twinkling stars. The ceiling was decorated with zodiac symbols and mythic beasts again which were moving within set spatial orbits. Right in the centre of the ceiling were three interlinked rings, similar to the ones he had on his head. They were contracting into ovals before becoming circles again in time with the music. Somehow this was the music source. Peter and Robert bowed to the temple officials who eyed up Resurrection before

offering them a bag of coins each and Peter and Robert then waited in the back. The temple officials took Resurrection still bound forward. Resurrection noticed in the middle distance a circular atrium with high doors stretching round leading to different parts of the temple. In the centre of the area was a high backed acacia wood throne, with leaves and vines twisting around it and its ruler. In front of the throne was a low stone altar. An bone thin tall figure, Lord Telos occupied the seat, it slowly rose to its height of at least 9 feet. The vines uncurled as Lord Telos stood then they retracted. It's flesh glowed dusky orange, its face translucent in places. Lord Telos was the light source of this place. It's voice was a multitude of low bass notes which vibrated the temple. It said:

"Do you love your Lord Telos?' The building vibrated. The temple guards untied Resurrection then presented him to the thing before withdrawing from its heat and presence. The atmosphere in front of the creature was shimmering with the heat output Resurrection shed his coat and tunic, sweat pooling across his neck and upper body. Lord Telos was slowly moving towards him. He felt the heat of volcanic fire, especially on his forehead. He noticed the creature had an equivalent symbol glowing on its forehead. Resurrection discarded leather tunic began to bobble as it disintegrated. The heat became unbearable the creature was extending its arms. Resurrection broke away and began to run, vaulting the low altar before turning back on himself and pushing through one of the large doors, he heard Lord Telos' voice rumble 'he attempts escape through the destiny doors.' The door closed behind him and the corridor was dark and narrow. Resurrection only heard the sound of his running. Up ahead was another door he pushed it open only to realise he had reentered the chamber. He also realised no one was chasing him. He tried a different destiny door this corridor was sloping upwards and was wide yet again upon reaching the end, the door lead right back to the chamber. After a number of escape attempts he was sufficiently tired and easily recaptured and placed on the altar and restrained.

Torch flames ignited around the edge of the space as figures he hadn't noticed before bled out of the shadows. They were in the burgundy habits and hoods holding the blazing torches they slowly walked towards him softly chanting. The images in the stained glass and the figures on the ceiling appeared to be watching him, he slowed his breathing and remembered the picture from Sita. He blurted out 'I love our lord!' The figures stopped and began to walk backwards, he was untied and placed before Lord Telos once more. Resurrection walked towards the creature wilting as the heat sapped the little energy which remained. Lord Telos again opened its arms and then was a still as a statue the only movement were the vines pulsing forward and back. Resurrection closed his eyes and opened his arms to embrace the creature, he gasped as his body went into a shock as he had contact his skin instantly blistering. The vines stretched out and enclosed themselves around Resurrection's back and he and the creature the were drawn together with violent force. The temple began to shake, as Resurrection died he glanced looked round in agony and saw his former captors rushing through the door to escape. Resurrection heard his own ribs snap and witnessed white bone shards exit his chest like blades. He felt wave after wave of penetrating heat as Lord Telos tipped its head back, and opened its mouth wide, first a drip then a deluge of lava ran freely onto Resurrection the baptism of molten lava engulfed his face and shoulders. His skin endured the weight of the fiery mantle for a mere moment before he began to dissolve into dusty charcoal.

When Resurrection opened his eyes, his head was on a cold marble surface, he saw blurred orange orbs. It took a few blinks before he realised he was looking at fallen lit torches in a circle around him where the acolytes had stood. He was lying on the floor in the temple, and he was alone. In the semi dark he gently allowed his fingertips to trespass

on what was once his face to discover his skin was unscathed besides his scar tissue on his forehead. He stood with a powerful vitality he'd never known. Remembering his recent captors last position he strode to the door of the temple. He saw a charred intact skeleton with its hand on the door handle, only one of them had escaped. He pushed the bones aside and tried to open the front doors which were tight shut he opened them a crack and through the gap in the door he saw luminous gases and phosphorus balls in the dark deep of space. He knew not what he was gazing on Lord Telos had been in a vessel capable of flight to the stars. Resurrection wondered back towards the throne more circumspect and bewildered, the throne was empty, the vines were limp and dead around it. As he sat on the seat with a grinding of stone on stone it swivelled around to face the destiny doors. He allowed instinct to lead as he sprang out of the chair and pushed through one of the destiny doors. There was icy cold water up to his knees and as he ran down the corridor it tipped forward causing the water behind him to take him off his feet, the pressure of the water pushed him feet first through the door at the other end and he found himself falling through the air only to discover he had landed on the roof of Peters house. He dislodged a roof tile and a scrawny ginger cat leaped out of his way. He followed the cats trajectory as it leapt over the head of his former self as he arrived at the house. Then in a flash he was back in the atrium. He opened another destiny door running down this corridor which narrowed the further he went down it. His shoulders were compressed he could barely squeeze though the narrow door. Once through he was on a staircase he followed it down and turned to see he was looking at Sita asleep in her bed in the cellar.

He walked over to her whilst she slept and softly touched her hair surprised at the strength of feeling he had for this broken woman. Within the moment of the touch he fused with her and discovered he could move through her timeline too. She had been another captured slave. Resurrection witnessed Peter telling her she would be an offering to Lord Telos. Resurrection witnessed her fight for freedom before Peter held her head down in a boiling pot of water which was being boiled to be used for washing. Resurrection then found himself watching her encounter with Lord Telos and he saw her shoved before the creature. She resisted his offer of embrace and was returned to an angry Peter. He then saw Peter presenting her to the villagers as his wife, as her body was his only reward for his trouble. Resurrection found himself back into the atrium then bounded down a destiny corridor arriving again in Sita's bedroom at night and seeing Sita asleep he quickly grabbed paper and pen and drew her a picture with a stick person embracing a giant, and wrote the word love. She opened her eyes he said 'when you see me again make sure I am given this'. She nodded before slumber stole her into dreams. Resurrection via the atrium ran down another corridor appearing in the corner of the room above the courtyard. Peter and Robert were in discussion by the window keeping an eye on Sita. Resurrection unsettled a vase causing Peter and Robert to leave the window enabling Sita to pass on the note to the former version of himself. Again he was pulled back to the atrium he sensed one more trip was necessary. Another corridor led back to Sita's room and in touching her he travelled her timeline to before he had arrived to the morning she was to be taken to Lord Telos, he embraced her in her memory and whispered instructions just as the padlock of the cellar was being loosened. He hid as she walked up the stairs to meet Peter and Robert who roughly tied her up to take her on the journey to the temple. At that instant Resurrection felt himself sucked backwards through a vortex, spiralling, expanding and contracting. Then he found himself on the floor of the temple in the pitch black in the same position he had found himself before. As he stood and looked around he noticed a shape slumped on the floor in the dark. He went up to the body and turned it over, it was Sita, she was motionless, then she opened her eyes and smiled, 'you came back for me.' She stood scarred and majestic, they held one another, the creatures power at work within them and around them. Resurrection and Sita looked at one another and ran though a

destiny door down a corridor and through the other side they arrived in a forest. They were stood behind a man holding aloft an axe preparing to kill his quarry, a battered black man lying on his back. As the man began his swing very gently Sita tilted the mans elbow causing him to miss the bound man the axe lodging in a tree root. Sita gave the mans trousers a tug to loosen the belt, she smiled at Resurrection and they were both drawn back into their new life of adventure. They were gone before the executioner knew they were ever there. No longer slaves unbound and unbounded.