CHAPTER 37
Not so far away, but by only a few miles, Broad Staffnight led his entourage through the jungle guided by a skinny four foot tall balding dwarfed local named Pablo. Pablo spoke a few English words and guided them through the dusking evening skies with his Maglite flashlight and backpack almost as big as he was. He spoke in Spanish as they understood as if in English. He was frightened. “Come this way, this way sirs and madam,” he smiled at Elizabeth implying a romantic interest, “this is the market of the town isolated.” He pointed to a shanty town of scattered wooden homes, old clay huts, and fruit stands surrounding a clearing, the vegetation and trees form the woods offering a quaint backdrop to the rustic commerce and exchanges of everyday life.
“Wow, this is totally different from the capital where we landed into!” Spoke Elizabeth.
“Come on. That’s the idea. He told us this is the old market place. We should find the answers we seek there.” Broad said loosely interpreting for Pablo.
“Are you going to tell me what is really going on, Broad?” Asked Elizabeth.
“OK.” Said Broad grabbing her by the arms and looking at her in the eyes sincerely as he beckoned with his eyes for the rest to go on into town. They followed the trail leaving Broad and Liz behind talking. “I know we have seen some crazy stuff” said the former Army ranger turned tycoon business man, choosing his words carefully.
“Broad, you have always been upfront with me in the past. Please tell me what the heck is going on.”
“They’re from another universe, a parallel dimension along our space time continuum.” He blurted it out and then realized the absurdity in what he was saying. He spoke with a high level of excitement.
“Who?” She asked.
“The beasts are sky gods and legendary as referred to by the locals. It’s unlike anything we’ve ever experienced” he uttered as if waiting for the right opportunity after seeing the fright in her eyes. “There was an experiment gone wrong and they wound up here on our Earth. That’s all I can say but trust me Liz when I tell you the stories of the beast warriors are all true. They have been adjusting to life in our universe, on our planet, but in different time periods all over our history. This could be the origin of myth, legends, religious folklore, some have theorized. But the possibilities are endless and stakes are heavy as our world isn’t big enough, it is dying and hungering for energy, new technology, relief from overpopulation and this concept opens up the universe. We can find new sustainable renewable sources of energy. We will find the stone of legend at least and unite the world in a grand orchestration under our regime.” He spoke with jubilance in his voice.
She smiled in return, “this sounds kind of crazy but if I didn’t see what I saw in Mr. Cumberberry’s office… this whole thing now seems to fit perspective.” Liz wondered.
“Come on. Let’s settle in before it gets too dark to travel.” Said Broad.
They wandered into the little town.
CHAPTER 38
James and Tina met with Alexa and a few of her friends from the dome, Romo and Bertza, a young couple who was expecting their first child. Alexa translated during the conversation around an evening camp fire drinking their favorite beverage, a special tea made of naturally sweet leaves from the forest and warm bread from their small round fire oven. They talked and enjoyed one another’s company as they conversed about the usual life apart from the mainstream of society, untouched by the so-called civilized world, and how peaceful yet tedious it was. They also spoke of their excitement of the legend of the tribe, its story, its purpose now being fulfilled, and its future being placed in the hands of the Holder of Stones, which James was reluctant to accept as his destiny.
“Well, then what you are saying is that I am some type of messiah?” James asked rhetorically.
“Well, James, you do have some powers,” said Tina, “and there have been many talks of the coming of figures that have great power in virtually every known religion on the planet. It is possible some combo of those myths could be true as presented into the story of the tribe.”
“Power,” Alexa said “is what you showed in the wood with the Beasts. I know that it is hard for you to accept,” said Alexa, “but it is the truth. And now you must go to unlock your fate.”
“How? What is it exactly that I am supposed to do?” James asked curiously.
“There have been many strange occurrences reported on La Montana del Diablo.”
“Huh?” Asked James.
“Devil’s Mountain.” Said Tina smiling.
“Thanks.” Said James.
“There have been strange lights seen from even the market. Those lights have never been reported until recently. We do not explain it except as the elders do as a sign that the times of the end will be coming and the destiny of the holder will be fulfilled. It is no coincidence you arrived at this time.”
“Wow” both James and Tina gasped.
“We will point you that way at first light. But you must go alone. The tribe will call for a celebration in your honor upon your return for being the great heroes who overcame the tempts and taunts of La Montanya del Diablo…Devil’s Mountain.”
“What if we don’t return?” Asked James.
“Now we rest until the dawn.” Alexa finished her thought and laid down on a pair of large leaves to rest. Each of them took their leaves to lay down to rest where they sat, as was the custom, a custom of sleeping on the floor. James and Tina nodded to one another in recognition that they were used to being homeless and sleeping on the floor in Chronix Bay.
That night, James dreamt that he was being chased by monsters, beasts, and above all a dragon that was as large as a jumbo jet. He ran and could not face them, even with his new powers. He turned and continued to run endlessly into the darkness of the night, sweating profusely, holding the artifact given to him by the Chief of the tribe. He saw it was blinking wildly, glowing brightly in the darkness of night, and he stopped running, turned to the beasts, and raised the item up with his eyes closed and suddenly awoke.
The next morning, James told Tina about his dream and she predicted it may be an omen.
“What is an omen?” Asked James.
“You know,” said Tina. “an event that could foretell the future or signify change. Just call me the human dictionary.”
“I hope our future isn’t to get chased by monsters,” James said.
Then Tina reminded him, “uh, we sort of already had been.”
“Oh right.” Said James.
They were told of the direction to head to the place called La Montana del Diablo and were given a few days’ worth of food and water and other supplies in an old potato sack. They thanked their benefactors and went off to find their destiny.
As they walked through the forest, they spoke, “I do not know what we’re doing, Tina” said James.
“We are about to go on an adventure unlike any that we ever imagined possible for something greater than the pathetic lives we’ve been living called for. Jumping jimickers, James, were on a quest for treasure and adventure. It could be our greatest hope. We don’t need to clear our names and go back to our pathetic lives in Chronix Bay. This could be our new lives right here doing God’s work, literally and figuratively.”
“You think so?” Asked James.
“I know so; this could be what we were meant to be doing James. I know about this archeological stuff. I told you I could be valuable to you and you to me. We need one another.”
“Madam Ezelzaba told us to look out for one another.” James recollected. “I literally wouldn’t want it any other way.”
They smiled at one another and continued forward not knowing that they were being watched from above. They approached the perimeter of the mountain after another clearing of bushes.
“There she is, ‘La Montana del Diablo’. I tell you, these folks have a flare for the dramatic.” Said Tina.
They both stared up at the massive peak reaching past a ring of clouds and sm
oke peering upward. They expressed their awe at its majestic tranquility from a distance.
“This is scary” said James. “I am hot and humid and sticky. I just want to go away from here.”
“No turning back now. Don’t worry. Look at it this way, we could be remembered as heroes.”
“Great.” James sighed sarcastically. “What do we know about this mountain?”
“It is supposed to be one of the last remaining active Volcano’s in the region.” Replied Tina. “Let’s go up!” She gave him a wide eyed certain look and they began their trek upwards along the scarcely walked path of dirt, rocks, and dead leaves before them. “Didn’t they say there were strange lights here?” Tina asked.
“Yes, look at that” James pointed up and they both stood in shock as they witnessed a strange whirling golden aura twirling around like five orbs. “Just like the symbol,” James whispered.
“Huh?” Tina asked.
“Let’s go. Whatever it is, I don’t think we have a lot of time.” James said and the duo headed up the path.
CHAPTER 39
After several hours of trekking up the side of the mountain, their bodies sweating profusely, Tina and James gave up their outer garments they previously had and walked up in under shirts with their outerwear tied around their wastes. They arrived at a clearing and stopped to rest.
“It sure is hot in here” said Tina.
“Now we know why they call it Hellish Mountain.” Replied James.
“You mean Devil’s Mountain.” Corrected Tina.
“Whatever. Water?” He reached in the sack and removed a canteen. He took a sip and handed her the canteen.
“Please,” she grabbed it and took a huge gulp.
“Save some for later, will you?” Scolded James rhetorically.
“Sorry…” said Tina wiping her mouth, “I am not used to rationing. On the streets we just went by the moment.” Tina stopped abruptly when she saw James looking at her with an obvious glare. “Of course you knew that too being on the streets.” She corrected.
James looked straight ahead shocked.
“What?” She looked away shyly as James’ look turned from obvious to relaxed.
“Nothing. Let’s keep moving. We don’t want to get stuck in the middle of the road when it gets night. We should at least make it to one of the caves up there.” He pointed.
“Yeah, I can see them now. Hopefully we won’t have any company.” Then as soon as Tina finished speaking, a pair of ferocious looking mountain lions comes out from behind the mountain and cross their paths in the clearing. “Uh oh, spoke too soon.” Tina uttered.
“They look hungry.” Said James.
“Hopefully not for us.” Tina smirked as James looked at her and gave her a wink.
“Maybe you should try the old rope a dope maneuver.” James joked and Tina recognized his attempt at mimicking the old boxing style of great champion fighters of the past.
Tina ran over to the other side of the mountain as the lions started closing in growling in a melee of confusion. The lions turned to her and James ran the other way and encircled them each of the duo running past the other as they tagged one another jokingly and laughing as the two lions growled more ferociously and turned like dogs chasing their own tails. One lion finally lunged at Tina pouncing on its powerful hind legs and James waved his hands trying to use his new powers on the lion but failed. The lion falls on Tina and gnaws at her face scraping her cheek and growling as it goes in for the kill and the other comes closer. With a quick thought looking above him, James dropped the sack and waves both his hands at the mountains above and within seconds a single rock the size of a human head falls and strikes the lion on top of Tina on the head and both lions begin to pounce away as a barrage of similar rocks comes falling down atop on them as Tina gets up and runs away towards James and both embrace.
“Oh my God, that was close!” Yelled Tina.
“Yeah, let’s continue.” He wipes the blood off of her face and holds it with his dress shirt he had tied around his waist and now removed. “Put pressure on it. Let’s go before we have more guests.” James said and Tina nodded emphatically in response. James picked up the sack and they continued up the mountain.
They walked up further sweltering in the intense heat and lucky to have survived so far. The wilderness was more wild and harsh up here, they noticed, as even the vegetation swayed more and trees blew over by the winds mighty blow. They snacked on berries and fruit from the sack as they headed up. The heat from the baking sun and fire, soot, and smoke grew heavier as the air was denser.
“The sense we’re going to feel as we ascend is atmospheric pressure on our lungs. We got to breathe deep and slowly, James.”
“Right, Doctor Prescott.” Joked James and Tina smiled in return.
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The minutes turned into hours and soon they were approaching the entrances to the first set of caves. Tina’s scar had begun to clot and still had a jagged set of scarred markings on her right cheek. They walked together to the edge of the clearing overlooking a cliff side.
“The view is breathtaking” said James looking over the cliff side and the long way down into the trees.
“I have no more breath to take.” Joked Tina. The wind blew fiercer now and they felt the shiver in their bones.
“It’s getting dark, now.” James said looking at the sun set over the horizon.
“It’s incredibly romantic.” Said Tina. “Don’t you agree?” She smiled and asked curiously.
“Hmm. Maybe we should get inside. It will get much colder and windier as the night goes on up here.”
“OK, which cave? Door number one or door number two?” Tina asked.
“Does it matter?” James asked in response.
Tina shrugged and they headed in together and were in the dark of the first cave. They heard the noise of small creatures within it.
“What is that?” Tina asked.
“Probably bats,” said James.
“Bats? That would make me go bats.” Said Tina.
“Don’t worry, I’m here.”
“My hero again,” she sighed.
They walked in closer and James pulled out a torch from the sack he carried and lit it with the lighter Alexa gave him.
“Now let there be light” he smiled as they walked in and saw a bright red light at the end of the cavern on a jagged rock wall. They approached and found it to be a dead end.
“Looks like we entered the wrong cave.” Tina turned and then the floor beneath them started to move and they were going down as the floor was becoming fluid like and moving in all directions sucking them in.
James dropped the torch and sack into the liquid floor before them.
“It’s like quick sand?” Tina screamed.
“How?” Asked James.
“I don’t know. Do something!” Screamed Tina.
“I can’t move my arms.” James had dropped his arms and struggled to get out. He couldn’t use his powers. He tried to think of ways to move them out but it was futile. “I don’t think my powers work on living things. Every time I try…” then suddenly he interrupted himself as he saw the red mark on the cave wall was turned to writing like the picture diagram they saw in the cave connected to the dome. It was a language that looked similar to the way the other diagrams were written. “Tina, can you read this?”
“Uh” she struggled to get her arms and head above the sinking floor. “I don’t know.” She screamed.
“Try or we’re dead.” He screamed back.
“Uh” She squinted at the wall.
Both of them tried to struggle to keep their heads above the sinking fluids.
“Uh… What… What makes no sense and all sense, controls empires but controls nothing, is invisible to all but is what makes the world move, its hands on a clock or hourglass form control it as the destiny proved? It’s a riddle. I am clueless
and I can’t feel my arms. We’re dead, James. It’s been great getting to know you again… I regret we won’t be able to…” she said panicking.
“The answer is Time!” Yelled James just as their mouths and the last part of their faces were going to be completely submerged and then suddenly they were atop solid ground again crawling on all fours.
“What the hell?” Tina muttered.
“We solved the riddle.” Said James. “See, nothing to it buddy.” He smirked as he patted her on the back and headed towards the entrance of the cave exiting it.
Tina followed him out. “Time? What kind of riddle was that?” She gasped.
“It worked, didn’t it?” Said James.
“Yeah, just barely.” Replied Tina.
“You do know multiple languages, even old ones.” Commented James.
“I studied a lot like I told you. I guess I was good at remembering something after all.” Replied Tina.
“You got photographic memory or something. Good thing for us.” James Said.
Tina discusses at James curiosity as they walk down the long entrenchment of the cavern how she seems like a female Indiana Jones.
“I had a very good teacher sort of a mentor who taught me a lot.” Said Tina.
“Dr. Schiester?” Questioned James.
“And I envisioned a full college career to the doctorate level but stuff happens you know and it wasn’t meant to be. Knowing Dr. Schiester, a skilled multi-doctorate holder and world-renowned archeologist, I felt I studied the knowledge of those ten degrees myself but didn’t have the paper to back it up.” Tina smirked.
“I can only imagine” said James.
“I already told you how he was, the true nature of his dark side and that whole story.” Said Tina.
“I remember” said James.
“That bad prick, that’s it. I really don’t want to talk about it anymore. I will probably never see him again and that is just fine with me.” Tina uttered.
The Time Stone Page 12
