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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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