Chapter 12: The Dragon Coin

“You are telling me you saw someone very similar to Zenobi when you were a child and you believe that both Zenobi and the man that you saw are gods?” The professor said, somewhat astonished.

“Well, I was only about seven years old at the time, but yes, I am sure that the man I saw that day is a kami and based upon what you told me, Zenobi is one, too. I would be a lot more certain about her if I had seen Zenobi. Even if she isn’t a Kami, she is a being of supernatural origins,” Kumotsuki stated, while nodding his head.

“Her name is the same name as that of an Atlantean goddess for the northern winds. I thought that it might be a coincidence, but based upon what you are telling me, I am no longer sure what to think,” Professor Thelete said, while remembering everything he could about Zenobi.

“Speaking of names, pull out that letter again. I want to look at the name on the bottom again,” Kumotsuki said.

After pulling out the letter, they both read the name at the bottom of the page: Hypatia Vale Miya.

“I thought as much,” stated Kumotsuki. “I would need to see the kanji character to be sure, but Miya in Japanese means temple. If we take the rest of the name and translate it by meaning, it would read as the following: Hypatia means supreme in Greek and vale is a valley, so it would be The Supreme Valley Temple.”

“That doesn’t quite make sense though,” Professor Thelete said, trying to probe for any deeper meaning behind the name.

“No, it doesn’t. Hypatia and Miya make sense on their own and collectively, but Vale, while making sense individually, does not work collectively. Perhaps vale has some other meaning?” Kumotsuki said, unsure of what to make of this puzzle.

“Perhaps it is not a valley, but what a valley represents. A valley forms a ‘v’ shape and is a stand in symbol for womanhood because it forms the shape of a woman’s womb. If we replace the word valley with female instead, it reads: The supreme female temple. This also doesn’t make 100% sense.” The professor stated, a little perplexed.

“No, but with some interpretation, it might. For example, the temple may not be a temple, it might represent something godly or godlike, since temples are a place of worship for the gods, it could also be worship,” Kumotsuki said, unsure.

“I got it. It is divinity. The temple represents divinity. If you replace it with that notion in mind, it reads the: The supreme female divinity or in other words the highest female goddess or the concept of the divine feminine,” Professor Thelete stated enthusiastically.

“Yes! That’s it, my boy. That has to be the meaning behind the person who signed it,” Kumotsuki stated elatedly, “well done!”

“But if our re-working of the bearer of the signature is correct, it indicates that a goddess of the highest order wrote it, or at least that is what the bearer of the note wants me to believe.” Professor Thelete stated a bit astonished at this possibility.

“Yes, it most certainly would,” Kumotsuki said with his right hand grabbing his own chin lost deep in thought. “Jared san, I think we should end our meeting here. We both have a lot of work cut out for us. I will look into this secret society that protects Atlantis for you.”

“I have some contacts that may be able to shed light on this situation. As for you. You will be busy making phone calls. You need to speak with Nathan Bauer right away and secure funding for your expedition and inform the institute once you have secured the funds on your end,” Kumotsuki stated matter-of-factly.

“Yes, not only that, but I will need to look into this Hypatia Vale Miya and Zenobi as well. Thank you for all of your help and insight.” The professor said with sincerity.

“Why don’t you head on home and make your phone calls. I will cover our meal today. You can get it the next time,” Kumotsuki stated warmly.

“Are you sure? I was the one that needed your help after all. It would feel strange to not pay for the meal after all the advice that you have given me.” Professor Thelete said.

“Non-sense, that is what mentors do. I got it covered.” Kumotsuki stated.

“Thank you very much, Kumotsuki. I really appreciate it.”

And with the professor left the restaurant.

As soon as Professor Thelete was out of the restaurant, Kumotuski took out a 50-dollar bill and left it on the counter and walked to the back end of the establishment. There near the restrooms there was an enormous statue of a meditating Japanese style dragon holding an orb in one of its three clawed hands.

Kumotsuki looked around to make sure that no one was there. When he was satisfied that no one could see what he was about to do, he took out a coin that was silver and gold, had the exact same image of the meditating dragon on it, and stuck it into the dragon’s mouth.

Suddenly the massive dragon statue slid to the right, revealing a hidden passage way underneath it. Kumotsuki stepped inside, waiting for the dragon statue to move back into place. Once it had done so, the coin that was in the dragon’s mouth fell through to the floor right next to where Kumotsuki was standing and he picked it up.

Kumotsuki walked down the dimly lit corridor until he came to a locked metal door with a sliding peep hole that someone could look out of. He knocked on the door thrice and waited for a response on the other side. A man on the other end slid the peep hole open.

“Yes?” the unknown man stated in a gruff voice.

Kumotuski held up the gold and silver dragon coin. The man’s eyes widened on the other end for but a moment and then quickly regained his composure.

“The white lotus is in full bloom,” the unknown man stated.

“And the great meditating cosmic dragon granted the flower of life to all,” Kumotsuki responded.

With that being said, the door was unlatched.