With designs similar to that of fish, cigars, and even tops, each ship was an original. “I wonder if they can still fly?” Terzin then went on to say.
“Looks to me like some sort of ancient showroom,” William commented. “If they can fly, maybe one of these old contraptions could get us out of here.”
Not a bad thought, Marissa agreed. However, without an obvious exit, she wondered if these ships were originally brought into here piecemeal and reassembled.
As the ancient elevator touched down on the sterile metal ground, they were met by the sight of two emaciated female corpses lying on the floor. Appearing to have died only recently, each had their flowing long hair well combed and laid out on the ground as if an undertaker had placed them there.
“They’re both Keepers!” Terzin announced, recognizing the women. She pointed a trembling finger towards them. “You can tell by their white dresses and the gold rings in the shape of a bull’s head.” She looked at her identical ring and rubbed it instinctively.
Marissa knelt down next to one of them and checked the Keeper’s carotid pulse. Though she assumed they were long dead, she had nursed worse looking patients back to life. “Maybe they ran out of food down here after the land was inundated with water. From what I can tell by their skin and obvious lack of body fat, they both must have died of malnutrition.”
“Over 10,000 years ago,” Christine uttered.
“It’s simply amazing how there’s not a single trace of decay on either of them,” Marissa assessed. “There must be something in this air that preserves everything.”
“Well,” William noted indignantly, “if they were already here, why couldn’t they have just stopped the flood before it happened?”
“Because they didn’t have what you’re holding,” Samantha quipped.
The hanger began to rumble violently, curtailing further conversation. Holding on to the table, each attempted not to fall. Marissa, however, got down on all fours next to the bodies and braced herself throughout the ordeal.
One of the many large pillars arranged in three long rows and holding up the floor above them collapsed. Fractured near its base, the massive monolithic rock slammed down on a saucer-shaped Vimana and crushed it as if it were constructed from aluminum foil.
“The quakes are getting stronger,” Samantha noted. She looked towards William, “Is that shield giving you any more hints.”
“Not yet,” he answered. “I’ll have to walk through here and see if it leads me anywhere.”
The roof creaked and different pillars sounded as if they were cracking the closer they approached.
Another rumble sent a second shock wave through the area. “Don’t move,” Samantha whispered, acting as if the mere sound of her voice could somehow add to the area’s instability.
In the quietness, they could all hear the massive marble pillars around them crack and pop. The sound reverberated throughout the room, making it unclear how many of these megalithic stones were effected. Unfortunately, the loudest of the noises emanated from the pillar just in front of them.
As if viewing the scene in slow motion, they helplessly watched a huge spider crack make its way up the stone column. Before they could react, the marble shattered, sending huge stone boulders plummeting to the ground and filling the area with dust. Other pillars in the immediate vicinity fell like dominos as one by one, they came crashing to the ground.
Instinctively, William bolted forward, knocking Terzin to the floor, away from the falling debris. As the two lay on the ground, both prayed the ceiling would not collapse on them in the process.
“You alright?” William asked. With his arms wrapped around her on the ground, he attempted to shield her from danger.
“Thank you,” she coughed as dust filled her lungs. “I’m fine.”
“I think I broke my ankle!” yelled Samantha in pain.
“Stay still!” Christine shouted in the distance. “You’ll only make it worse by moving.”
William looked back attempting to localize the sound. The dust and huge blocks of marble blocked his vision.
“Samantha, where are you?” William bellowed.
“Behind the pillars,” she said. “Don’t worry about me. Take the shield and keep moving.”
The shield! William thought. “Where is the shield? I can’t find it!”
“Samantha!” Marissa yelled. “I can’t find a way to get to you.”
“Keep going,” Samantha insisted. “Christine’s with me. Other than a little pain, I’m fine. Plus, you have more important things to work out right now.”
The once perfectly-aligned Vimanas were now scattered randomly along the floor. Many were damaged or hidden under piles of rubble.
“The shield!” William yelled again while jumping to his feet. “Where’s the shield?”
He frantically scoured the area looking for the ancient artifact. Seeing Marissa in the distance, he yelled over to her, “Do you know where the shield went?”
“I got it right here!” Samantha yelled.
William grabbed Terzin by the hand and brought her to her feet before running over to the large chunks of stone separating them. He then scurried back and forth looking for any way to get to the other side.
“There’s no way to get to her,” Marissa said. “I’ve been searching ever since I first heard her voice.”
William attempted to scale the fallen pillar between them. A jagged edge from the rock sliced his hand. Blood smeared all over the stone, making gripping it almost impossible.
“There has to be a way to get over this,” William said aloud. Searching the pillar and pile of debris that separated him from Samantha, he unfortunately discerned no obvious safe place to pass. The massive stone obstacle seemed impenetrable.
Before he could attempt climbing a broken pillar once again, Marissa grabbed his injured hand and wrapped it in white linen.
“It will have to do,” she said. “None of my equipment’s working down here so I can’t cauterize it.”
Another small rumble shook the area. With bated breath, each of them stood still, hoping there would be no further collapse.
Samantha yelled, “Heads up!” after she was certain the imminent danger had dissipated.
The Achilles Shield flew over the rocks and landed with a clank on the metal floor about ten feet away from William.
“Nice throw!” William applauded in disbelief.
“I said I broke my ankle,” Samantha responded, “not both arms. Now get that shield and find out where it goes.”
“Yes, ma’am!” William responded.
After grabbing the shield off the floor, he pointed to the opposite end of the room. “Maybe there’s something back there? I doubt these ships here are going to give us any answer.”
“Agreed,” Marissa said. “Is the shield leading you in any specific direction?”
“Not yet,” he responded as he, Terzin, and Marissa maneuvered their way through the maze of rubble, broken pillars, and debris.
Upon reaching the far end of the room, each knew without a doubt that they had arrived at their destination. The scourge that caused the great biblical flood and was the source of the massive chaos currently affecting the Earth was fifty feet in front of them. A massive coil stood prominently in the distance, dwarfing the enormous marble pillars surrounding it.
“The cradle,” Terzin said in awe.
The coil’s long base was made of some sort if silver metal while its oblong sphere-shaped top that almost touched the ceiling was bronze in color. Thousands of football-sized crystals rotated around it, each in different, yet separate orbits. Electricity sparked from the bronze cap while four metal poles equidistant from one another lurched out near the coil’s base and spanned to the ceiling in an upside down pyramidal configuration. As the crystals rotated, none collided with the poles or with each other.
The shield began to glow brighter the closer William approached. As he drew nearer, he could feel the massive power radiati
ng from the coil. It was as if every cell in his body were vibrating in unison.
Another earthquake sent them all flying to the ground. This time William tightly held onto the shield and protected it more than his own body. He was certainly not going to lose it a second time and jeopardize their last and only chance to save humanity.
As he was on the ground, William looked up just in time to see two pillars collapse next to the coil. While one completely missed it, the other sent chunks of debris directly into the coil and its swarm of crystals.
Sparks and electricity jettisoned out of it, electrifying the air. Crystals crashed down to the ground in blinding flashes of light, and those that did not fall began to orbit more rapidly. Bits of rock and debris also got caught up in the electromagnetic field around the coil and began to orbit along with the crystals. Occasionally, there would be a collision, which would subsequently bring down a single crystal or several of them in a chain reaction.
Looking over at Terzin and Marissa, William was relieved to see each was unharmed in the recent quake. He also noticed their hair sticking straight out from their heads in reaction to the electrical charge in the air.
Got to turn this thing off, William thought.
Grabbing the shield tightly in both hands, he began to walk towards the coil. As the energy being emitted by this ancient monolith flowed through him, he felt as if every single joint and muscle in his body hurt. The pain of walking increased the closer he approached.
Marissa grabbed Terzin’s hand in order to pull her to her feet.
Crack!
As the two touched, a massive spark erupted upon contact, sending a bolt of electricity through both their bodies. The high voltage shock stiffened all their muscles, and they both let out a guttural groan as their diaphragms contracted.
The pain was excruciating. Marissa stood motionless for a few seconds before collapsing on the ground. Her entire body felt as if it were on fire.
“You…” Marissa gasped as she willed her jaw to open, “okay?”
Terzin rose to her knees and tried to stand. Unable to speak, she simply nodded her head and frailly waved. Must deactivate the cradle, she thought. Must get the key.
The ground shook once again. Terzin’s trembling arms could no longer bear weight, and she collapsed awkwardly on her side. Upon impact, her left shoulder dislocated with a loud snap. She shrieked in pain as if it felt someone placed a hot dagger in the joint.
While attempting to stand, Marissa slipped on some fine rubble and fell directly onto her buttocks. The impact sent a bolt of pain throughout her spine. Though she willed herself to stand, her ailing body denied her the opportunity.
Helplessly, Marissa watched as another pillar slammed down next to the coil. Further fragments of rock and debris went crashing into the enormous monolith. Crystals shattered in blinding flashes of light and those that remained, along with stray debris, spun around the coil with increased velocity.
Marissa again attempted to stand. However, the coil’s power was too intense. Its surrounding electromagnetic force had grown to such a force that it repelled any motion she made towards it.
As the coil’s power increased, the electromagnetic force surrounding it began to push both Marissa and Terzin in the opposite direction. Their bodies slid helplessly across the floor. Marissa laid on her hands and knees in a feeble attempt to crawl. Her effort was futile and only caused her aching body to throb even worse.
Terzin held her shoulder. As she slid back into a pile of stone, she turned to the opposite side in order to protect her wounded joint from any further injury.
Where’s William? Marissa thought frantically. Realizing her friend was nowhere in sight, she yelled his name at the top of her lungs.
William attempted to answer. However, he was caught in the electromagnetic vortex spinning around the coil. Its immense energy made it feel as if he were about to rip apart at any second. Debris orbiting this massive monolith struck his body at all speeds and angles. Instead of calling out to his friend, the best he could do was moan in horror.
William held onto the shield with both hands. With his hat lost somewhere in the fray and clothing slowly turning to shreds, he helplessly orbited the coil. Peering through the cloud of debris, he searched for any clue as to how to turn off this massive device. As each new piece of rock or crystal struck his body, the searing pain made him momentarily lose his concentration.
“William!” Marissa yelled once again.
Her body slammed against a cigar-shaped Vimana overturned on its side. Fortunately, upon striking it, no burst of electricity was produced in the process. She looked to her left and saw Terzin on the ground not far from her. Still clutching her shoulder, she appeared otherwise uninjured.
“Must have dislocated my shoulder,” Terzin said as the two made eye contact.
“Have you seen William?” Marissa asked.
She shook her head no. “Last I saw, he was heading for the coil.”
“Watch out for rock,” Marissa warned as bits of marble debris from the pillars slid across the floor towards their direction.
“I have to turn that thing off! shouted Terzin. “All will be lost if we don’t.”
An eerie feeling in Marissa’s stomach made it seem as if all was lost already. She realized that neither Terzin nor she had any chance of making it to the coil. They were essentially pinned down without a way to generate any forward momentum.
A red hat tumbled towards Marissa and landed on her foot. At first, she assumed it was debris, but upon closer inspection she knew exactly what it was and to whom it belonged.
“William!” Terzin shouted, pointing towards the coil.
Marissa’s eyes darted forward, following her colleague’s finger. “William!” she also cried out.
Her friend appeared unconscious. His hands and legs were dangling while his head slumped to the side. Marissa reached out as if to help.
There was nothing she could do. There was nothing anybody could do.
She let her hand fall to the side.
All is lost.
Chapter 36
Chapter_36
Alex jumped down from the ledge above the room’s entrance. Though his eyes seared in pain, he could not lose the element of surprise. The four remaining men in front of him each looked like a dark blur. Not expecting such an explosive emission of light upon the crystal’s impact, he was still somewhat disoriented by the blast.
Not sure who was who, Alex thrust his right leg to what he suspected was one of their heads. His foot directly struck the throat of the WOG. The impact threw the man backwards and down the adjacent flight of stairs. He choked for air and spit up blood as he fell. The impact of Alex’s boot caused the man to bite down on his tongue, mangling it as a result. Landing awkwardly on the last step, his neck snapped as it slammed against the side railing. Now choking on his own blood, the WOG suffocated to death.
Alex leaned back, placing his hands on the staircase’s horizontal bannister overlooking the massive library. As he tried to support himself, the entire room began to shake violently. Bookshelves tumbled to the ground. Statues smashed against the floor. Crystals fell in blinding flashes of light.
Alex’s hand slipped on the bannister, and he fell backwards. As he began to plummet to the ground, Alex reached out and grabbed one of the flute pillars supporting the railing.
With his vision coming back into focus, Alex noticed that he was precariously dangling three stories above the library’s ground floor. Swinging back and forth, he felt as if his sweaty grip on the pillar would slip at any second.
With his right hand, he reached up and grabbed the adjacent pillar and began to pull himself up to the floor. A searing pain tore through his left hand as he managed to swing both legs onto the ledge. He could feel and hear his bones crush. Blood dripped down from the hand as it instinctively jerked open. Alex looked up and saw Jules removing a knife from his throbbing appendage.
Before his nemesis had a second opp
ortunity to strike, Alex jumped over the railing and towards one of the WOGs. Grabbing his trusted ivory-handled hunting knife from his pocket, Alex thrust it forward, hoping to take the soldier off guard.
However, the WOG deflected the attack to the side with his rail gun. Using his forward momentum, Alex leaned into a roundhouse kick, which landed squarely on the soldier’s chest. The powerful blow threw the WOG backwards, knocking the wind out of him in the process.
The WOG standing next to his fellow soldier thrust the butt of his rail gun directly towards Alex’s head. Barely ducking out of the way, the weapon struck the bookcase behind him, smashing a carving of a dog-like animal and sending scrolls to the ground.
Seeing an opportunity, Alex thrust his knife into the side of his attacker’s exposed throat, severing the man’s carotid artery. Before Alex had the opportunity to dislodge his weapon, the earth shook violently once again. As the soldier fell to the ground, Alex lost his grip on his weapon and grabbed the nearest bookshelf to keep from falling.
Chunks of the ceiling above them collapsed as different marble fragments along the wall crumbled to the ground.
Jules charged towards Alex. With his knife gripped tightly in hand, he brandished it above his head, poised to attack. But the undulating floor threw him off balance. Not one to miss an opportunity, Jules utilized his forward momentum and lunged forward with his leading elbow as he fell.
The impact struck Alex directly on the chest, slamming him flat against the bookcase. Alex attempted to knee Jules in the gut but could not steady himself for the counterattack.
Jules’ knife loomed precariously near his throat. As his foe attempted to thrust it forward, Alex grabbed Jules’ forearm and pushed it to the side. The two struggled to gain advantage.
An aftershock from the earthquake broke the stalemate. As the floor shook, Alex was successfully able to thrust Jules to the side and lunge away from the bookshelves.
“You will not get away that easily Alexander,” Jules grunted. He then leaned back on his left foot and kicked the other one forward.
The Final Reality (Alex Pella, #3) Page 23
