Chapter 11

           "Satanic?"Kohlerwipedhismouthandshifteduncomfortably."Thisisthesymbolofasataniccult?"

           Langdonpacedthefrozenroomtokeepwarm."TheIlluminatiweresatanic.Butnotinthemodernsense."

           Langdonquicklyexplainedhowmostpeoplepicturedsataniccultsasdevil-worshipingfiends,andyetSatanistshistoricallywereeducatedmenwhostoodasadversariestothechurch.Shaitan.Therumorsofsatanicblack-magicanimalsacrificesandthepentagramritualwerenothingbutliesspreadbythechurchasasmearcampaignagainsttheiradversaries.Overtime,opponentsofthechurch,wantingtoemulatetheIlluminati,beganbelievingtheliesandactingthemout.Thus,modernSatanismwasborn.

           Kohlergruntedabruptly."Thisisallancienthistory.Iwanttoknowhowthissymbolgothere."

           Langdontookadeepbreath."Thesymbolitselfwascreatedbyananonymoussixteenth-centuryIlluminatiartistasatributetoGalileo’sloveofsymmetry—akindofsacredIlluminatilogo.Thebrotherhoodkeptthedesignsecret,allegedlyplanningtorevealitonlywhentheyhadamassedenoughpowertoresurfaceandcarryouttheirfinalgoal."

           Kohlerlookedunsettled."SothissymbolmeanstheIlluminatibrotherhoodisresurfacing?"

           Langdonfrowned."Thatwouldbeimpossible.ThereisonechapterofIlluminatihistorythatIhavenotyetexplained."

           Kohler’svoiceintensified."Enlightenme."

           Langdonrubbedhispalmstogether,mentallysortingthroughthehundredsofdocumentshe’dreadorwrittenontheIlluminati."TheIlluminatiweresurvivors,"heexplained.