It was a good distance out away from civilization, but once they hopped off of the shuttle, they immediately got to work on their hike. Purdue led the way, but everyone was tasked with keeping their eyes out as best as they could for anything that looked out of the ordinary; for anything that might stand out and give them some kind of inclination if Khan really was resting somewhere there. Purdue really wished some beam of light would shine down from the heavens and point out where they needed to go within the mountain range, but there was no such luck.
The Helan Mountains weren't the highest mountains on the planet, but they were plenty high for such a wide search. They hiked as best as they could up and down the cliffs, looking everywhere they could for the tomb. There was so much ground to cover and nightfall came very quickly.
That night wasn't a comfortable one, unlike their hotel sleep. The rocky terrain and cold temperatures weren't the best conditions for slumbering. The night dragged on and on for Purdue, whose body just refused to let him get any rest. He lay there all night, staring up at the stars wondering how he could feel so far from the tomb when his head told them that they were getting close.
Then there was that teeny, tiny part of his mind that suggested that the tomb of Genghis Khan might not even be real at all and that it’d been nothing more than a legend that had been passed down for generations. People loved romanticizing leaders of old and making them seem more mythical than historical. All of the stories about Khan’s death and his burial might not even be true after all. Purdue hoped that wasn't the case, but it was indeed possible. But he refused to accept that as a viable scenario. He’d doubted things that were much more outlandish than this journey and those had even turned out to be real.
Purdue didn't sleep that night, torn between feelings of doubt and hope. When they all woke up the next morning, they explored more of the mountains. They looked in caves. They searched under trees and stumps. They perused the peaks of some of the summits, and they scoured the valleys that had formed between them. There was a still a lot more of the Helan Mountains to see, but they were all starting to lose a bit of hope.
Some of them like Purdue even felt somewhat guilty. If it turned out that Genghis Khan really had been buried out in Europe where his empire had reached long after his death, then Purdue had wasted all of their times by coming here. He might have taken them down the completely wrong path and totally ignored his adviser's thoughts when it came to the burial site.There were also little pockets of civilization within the mountain range that they could see in the distance sometimes. Nina was quick to explain that in recent years this particular mountain range had become the hub for some wine development in China. It was only after authorities had allowed it, but companies were now making it a good place for wine production. So at the very least, if they couldn't find an eight hundred year old dead world conqueror up in these mountains, they could still at least possibly find something good to drink away their sorrows of defeat.
The sun was starting to set already after another long day of searching but not before they could all see a big plateau up ahead. A wall of rocks circled around a raised portion of land on all sides. There would be no way to walk up to the top of that. They’d have to scale the face of that rock and climb.
“That's a distinctive looking place,” Riley said. “I kind of love it. It's beautiful.”
“Do you think the people that buried him thought the same thing?” Nina asked. “Maybe that would be the perfect place to put him?”
The group of them marched toward the plateau ahead as the sun drifted away behind the mountains and dark clouds took its place. Light rain started falling down on them as they got closer, almost like the universe was telling them not to even try getting up there. They reached the enormous wall of rock that made up the side of the plateau and all looked up uneasily. It would be a long climb to reach the summit, especially when the rocks were going to be slippery from the water pouring out of the clouds.
“We should wait until morning,” Nina recommended over the sound of rain. “We should wait for the weather to clear up and for some sunlight.”
“Who knows when the rain will stop?” Purdue countered. If Genghis Khan really was up there, then he wanted to get up there as soon as possible. “It could be awhile...”
“Then let's at least wait for some light. We want to be able to see where we're putting our hands while we're climbing, don't we?” Nina asked.
He could tell that she had the support of the others behind her. As much as Purdue wanted to keep arguing his point and as much as he wanted to hurry up and get to the top, he knew that Nina was right. Rain was already a dangerous factor to add to the climb but mixing in rain, and not being able to see where you should be putting your limbs was not only a very bad combination, but also could potentially become a lethal one.
“Aye,” Purdue said. “We'll wait until first light then we'll get all of our asses up that plateau. And we'll all make it in one piece.”
Everyone seemed relieved by his decision, and he was surprised that they thought he’d ever force them to climb up a height like that in bad weather. Maybe they really didn't think that much of him as a leader after all, but he wasn't going to let that bother him? He knew he was at least better as leader of the Black Sun than Julian had been. Julian would’ve killed every single member of the team by now, probably just for fun or for even the slightest bit of disagreement.
They managed to find a tree to put their bags under and did their best to ignore the rainfall pelting them as they slept. It was an even rougher night of sleep than the night before. Purdue couldn't wait for them to get back to civilization, or at least to nice beds. That night at the hotel in Yinchuan had completely spoiled him.
They awoke the next morning to find that it was still raining, just a little bit less hard than it was the night formerly. Nina and the others still seemed nervous, but Purdue was determined that this would be the day. They’d just have to be more careful than they usually would have. Luckily, Purdue came prepared for a possible tough climb and brought cables to connect everyone. In case someone fell, the others' combined strength should be enough to keep them from plummeting to an early grave.
The climb was a difficult one, and Purdue usually thought of himself as a fairly good climber. The plateau's sides weren't meant to be climbed, so finding good places to put your hands and get a grip was harder than Purdue ever expected. The rain certainly didn't help as it made everything even slicker and harder to grasp.
The others were actually starting to get ahead of him and Purdue watched them all climbing above him, feeling somewhat embarrassed. There was nothing to actually feel bashful about, but just the principle that he was supposed to be leading this climb. Although he was the one most anxious for the trek, he was ironically the one falling behind.
Purdue made a mistake and glanced down over how high they were and petrified by just how far they’d gotten. If one of them did fall, it was going to be a long way down and their body would be nothing but a flat strip of flesh after it found the bottom. He really wished he hadn't done that because now his body was shaking even more. He needed to stay steady and stable, and keep a firm grip on everything he touched.
Their long climb wasn't done as the sun set yet again over the Helan Mountains. The rain started to fall harder again and Purdue was getting pelted by water running down the cliff side. Drops that were slipping off his friends ahead of him smacked him straight in the face. He squinted and tried to push himself to keep going for as long as he possibly could, but he was really struggling.
“I can see the top!” Yusuke's voice just barely managed to carry over the sound of rainfall. In the darkness of the night, it was hard for Purdue to see the top, but he was glad that someone could. It meant this terrible climb was almost at an end, and he could stay on two solid feet again. “I can see it!”
There were whoops and hollers from the others, but Purdue didn't have the energy to join in the celebration. He just wan
ted off this terrible mountain. Thus, the quicker they found Genghis Khan, the sooner they could leave. He just dreaded the notion that they had scaled this plateau for no good reason. He really, really hoped that Khan was up there waiting for him.
Purdue watched Yusuke disappear over the cliff side at the top and the others were getting close too. Even he was well on his way to being able to stop climbing. It was just going to be a little bit longer, and then he would be standing upright again. He was only a few more strides away from the top. He couldn't wait.
The others had all reached the top and disappeared over the edge. Soon enough, he’d be up there with them.
In his sudden burst of excitement, Purdue missed the rock he was trying to grab and felt his whole body slip for a second. He lunged out to quickly replace his grip and fond very, very sharp stones. Purdue held on for dear life, but the rocks were incredibly sharp. Purdue had to keep a good grasp on them to not fall. They dug into his fingers, and he could feel warm blood flowing down the side of his hand.
August was crouched above him, at the edge of the cliff. The big man looked down at him and Purdue couldn't tell what August was thinking. The others had already made it to the top. They probably couldn't hear him or had no idea that there was any sort of trouble at all. It was just him and August—the person that he trusts the least of all in the group—and the person that he’d accused of treachery and murder. If he was wrong, then August was probably pretty upset with him. If he was right, well then this was the perfect chance for August to finish the job.
August's expression was impossible to read and his intentions were more than a little unclear because of it. If he wanted Purdue gone, this was a perfect opportunity. Purdue was helpless and clinging for life in the middle of a storm. Based on the rocks’ slickness, Purdue honestly felt like he could easily slip and fall to his death. August probably wouldn't even have to push him in conditions like these. This was his chance. If August was still loyal to the old Black Sun, he could kill Purdue and play it off as an accident.
August's great big hand came toward his wrist and Purdue could see his own death flashing before his eyes. Purdue envisioned August prying Purdue’s bloody hands off those rocks and Purdue tumbling down into the abyss. He felt those dark hands do exactly as he visualized and then wrap around his wrist. Purdue winced as the grip tightened but instead of falling, he was heaved upward by August. The enormous man pulled him up the cliff until they were both standing. Purdue stared baffled at August, but and August didn't say a word. He just gave a curt nod before walking away to rejoin the group.
Purdue thought he was going to die and presumed August would be his killer. It’d been so possible in those moments but now it seemed ridiculous. He still didn't trust August by any means, but why would August kill him like that? If August had wanted to murder him like that, he would’ve done it by now.
“Thank you, August.”
August looked at him hard. “You're welcome.”
13
THE RESTLESS VOICES
The storm started to clear, and only left a few stray droplets of water. It was such odd timing that it felt like the storm was intentionally trying to make their climb even more stressful than it already was. The group crept slowly across the plateau. It was just as Purdue imagined at the top; a perfectly flat terrain that overlooked the surrounding lands. He could see Yinchaun in the distance, past a few other mountain peaks. And in the other direction, he could observe Mongolia, Genghis Khan's homeland. If Khan was here, at least he was relatively close to home, but Purdue didn’t envy the people who buried him if they had to make that torturous climb with a body in tow.
The plateau was a safe place to rest, that was for sure. Most people would never want to climb all the way up there. Purdue wished that he’d charted a helicopter or a private plane to reach the plateau...it would’ve saved them a lot of trouble and spared him a few scares. But these mountains were a bit treacherous and might have been dangerous for aircraft to navigate. He expected at least someone from the team to have pointed out that other option, but no one did, not even during the climb. They really were a determined group.
Riley suddenly came to an abrupt halt and Purdue nearly crashed into her. He was about to say something snarky but held back when he saw her stunned expression. Her mouth was wide open and her eyes wide, but she didn't seem to be looking at anything in particular. She was focused instead on one of her other senses.
“Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
Purdue looked around and cupped his hands around his ears, trying to hear whatever had startled her. He was hoping it was some kind of animal, not Galen on their trail again. Purdue took a long minute just listening and his teammates did the same, but they all looked just as confused as he was.
Riley looked rattled. Usually she seemed so carefree and full of energy, but all of that had just been sucked away in these dire moments. The others had stopped trying so hard to hear and were just waiting to see who spoke first, but Riley was still frozen, focused solely on her eardrums.
“What--”
“Shh.” The sound barely left her but immediately made Purdue fall quiet. She was dead serious, far more serious than he had ever seen her act. She had really heard something—something bad.
Nina took a step closer to Purdue but was staring at Riley with concern. They all were looking at Riley with a lot of worry. Even August kept looking over his shoulder like whatever inaudible sound would reveal itself to startle him.
Still, there was nothing to be heard, except for a light breeze passing by them at this height. That cold wind just made things even tenser. Purdue couldn't decipher whatever Riley was hearing, but things didn't feel quite right upon the plateau. There was nothing around them but Earth, a long drop, and mountains surrounding area. There was nothing...so why did he feel like they weren't alone? He received the distinct impression that there was another group of people besides their order, gathering nearby. Maybe Galen and his team were close and he was going to follow through on those threats from back in Mongolia? Or perhaps there was someone else, but something didn't feel right at all. He’d only felt this strange sense of turmoil a few times before; usually in dark haunted places that he’d desperately never like to go to again.
Then he heard it, too. It was somehow quiet but so loud at the same time. A shriek rang between his ears. It startled him so much that he nearly collapsed. Then he heard another yell, and then another; multiple different voices crying out in terror and pain. It was like an entire crowd of people were all crammed inside of his head, screaming for their lives and begging for mercy.
He looked around, practically spinning in place trying to see any sign of where those horrible sounds could have even been coming from but there was nothing at all. They were alone up there on that plateau. There was no one screaming, not really. He knew it was only echoing in his mind—it still was—and it didn't seem to want to stop. He didn't even know if it ever would. Maybe he'd hear those shrieks for the rest of his life and have no way to knock the sounds out of his ears and exorcise them from his brain?
His entire body shivered, and he knew it wasn't just from the altitude. It was a visceral response to what he was hearing. He wasn't sure how real the screams were, but they must have been at least somewhat actually there. He wasn't the only one who heard them. It wasn't just some trick of his imagination or some terrible dormant memory. Riley heard it too, and she was just as scared of it as he was starting to be.
“What is it?” Nina asked, her eyes brimming with concern. She put a comforting hand on Purdue's shoulder and asked again. “What's going on?”
He could barely hear her at all. Her voice was almost completely drowned out by the endless screaming. The voices weren't speaking English. It was a language he didn't understand, but the fear offered vivid translation to know that something terrible was happening. Those voices were from people in real pain, probably even dying, and they were begging and pleading t
o survive, clinging desperately to life.
“What is it!?” Nina was practically shouting now. She shook Purdue's shoulders, trying to stir him back long enough to get an answer but Purdue couldn't. No matter how loud she got, she was still quiet in comparison to how loud these invisible people in his mind were. “What the hell is going on, Purdue?”
Purdue shut his eyes. The world around him felt like it was barely there anyway. He wished that closing his eyes could end the screams, but they continued, even more powerful once he was solely focused on his sense of hearing. There was no getting away from it, but Purdue began to sense that escaping these voices wouldn't do much good. He needed to understand them—to know exactly why this was even happening.
There was something else besides the yelling, something behind it. There was the sound of flesh being torn apart, of metal sinking into bodies. Those screams weren't just from fear, they were from the pain of peoples' last moments. These were the death cries of people being murdered—no—butchered. Something horrible had happened here, maybe somehow in some unseen plane, it still was? Victims’ voices lingered, eternally tormented for centuries by the violence of their ends.
“Something happened here...” Purdue managed, wincing from the loud noises knocking around in his head. He spoke loudly, just to be sure that Nina and the others could even hear him. He looked around the plateau and started walking past his team. “Something awful.”
He didn't know if his teammates were even following him, but he couldn't focus on that. He instead tried his best to follow the voices, and they seemed to grow louder once he started walking. He was being led somewhere by a trail of invisible blood, from a bloodletting that had taken place hundreds of years before.
It wasn't his mind playing tricks on him, and it wasn't Riley's mind fooling her. She walked up beside him and the two followed the sounds as best as they could. They both moved wearily, nearly falling over from the pain that was ringing in their heads.
Order of the Black Sun Box Set 11 Page 11
