The Devil’s Peak II, page 24
He threw the head onto the table, knocking the small cups and tea urn from it.
“We can do this the easy way, or the hard way,” he said.
The men scrambled toward the large room, obviously planning to rouse the chieftain and the other fighters.
“The hard way it is then.” Ethan followed.
***
In an hour, every man and woman in the village was in ragged and bloody pieces. Halfway through his massacre he had found out what he needed to know, but the thrill of what he started was too intoxicating to stop.
Ethan was coated in sticky blood and gore and stopped to lick his fingers. He then bent to pick up a rag and wipe the blood and viscera from around his mouth, face, and hands.
He waited until the Conti fly had finished sucking at the open gut of a man, and then when done he looked off into the distance in the direction of the mountains and where the sun was just beginning to rise.
“The mountains,” he said. “They may beat us there, but what a surprise we’ll deliver when we meet again.”
He mounted the back of the fly.
“There’ll be no cure, and the Master will rise before the next moon is full.”
The grotesque monster insect lifted into the air, and headed toward the sunrise.
CHAPTER 35
The shining sliver of moon was falling behind the mountains as the darkness was chased away by the rising sun.
Drake was already up, and had begun stoking up the fire to get some coffee on. They’d need to fuel up as the mountain was going to be an arduous climb and they needed to be at its rim by mid-day to witness what they were told was the vision through the Eye of God, whatever that might be.
Beliz left them there, bidding them good luck. But his face betrayed to them that he didn’t expect to see them again.
Following breakfast they packed up and this time it was Rocco and Enzo who led them upwards. Isabella spent some time walking with the other female Knights, Bianca and Aria, and Drake walked with Leonidas and Marco.
They talked about the things they liked to do as hobbies, but avoided talking about Hell, or Ethan, or even the plagues burning over the surface of the world and what that heralded. They just shot the shit about fishing, hunting, and Drake listened contentedly as the pair talked about their favorite Italian soccer clubs, or football as they called it, which was just weird to him.
They stopped several times on the way up when they found flatter ledges. The climb was only about a forty to fifty degree angle, and was surprisingly greener underfoot so wasn’t the loose scree that can make even a low-slope climb dangerous.
It was late morning when they finally made it to the mountain peak’s crest and the group looked down into a wide green valley. After a desert hike and climb in a near barren landscape, they now saw a flock of birds wending its way over a silver stream far down below. Now and then the stream turned into huge bellies that formed deep ponds that were overhung with trees that draped leafy branches down to the water’s surface.
Even on the valley walls there were huge trees, olive and oak, and beeches that looked as old as time and grew right from the stone, and all the way down to a forested valley floor.
“I guess it’s good that it’s forbidden land.” Isabella stared dreamily. “It means this oasis will remain untouched.”
“It’s beautiful,” Drake replied. “I could image building a little cabin down there, and I bet there’s fish in that stream and in those deeper belly ponds.”
She scoffed and turned to him, grinning. “Maybe come back next year, if, when, this is all over.”
Drake pointed. “What is that embedded in the walls? Looks like glass.”
Francesco smiled. “I know what it is. And it’s rare to see so much if it. It’s called Zultanite, a reflective gemstone only found in Turkey. It’s also known as Diaspore and Csarite. It’s a low value gemstone, but thousands of years ago, it was prized for making the most beautiful tiles for the ancient kingdoms in the area until it was mined out.” He half smiled. “This might be one of the last places it is close to the surface.”
“Magnificent.” Isabella then turned to Francesco. “So now, we need to find somewhere that looks like it deserves the name of the Eye of God.”
The sun was coming up behind them, and several amongst the group drew forth binoculars and scanned the rim, the walls, and even down at the valley floor.
“The ancient texts say that the noon day sun will catch the Eye of God,” Francesco said softly. “We find it today, or we need to wait again until tomorrow.”
“Maybe something on the valley rim, that casts a shadow. Or a beam of light that points the way,” Drake said.
“Or a distinctive shadow,” Isabella added.
They waited as the sun rose.
“Eleven thirty,” Francesco announced.
The time seemed to be moving too fast.
“I got nothing.” Drake concentrated through the binoculars so hard it was giving him a headache.
“It has to be here. It has to,” Isabella said through her gritted teeth.
“Unless they’ve led us to the wrong valley,” Leonidas said.
Isabella sighed. “Don’t even think that.”
They watched as the sun slowly rose, and the time moved towards midday. The Zultanite caught the light beams making it look like there were lit windows in the stone walls.
“I got nothing,” Drake said. He lowered the glasses and checked his wristwatch. “Fifteen minutes until noon.”
The sun rose and the ten people scanned along the valley. They stood in silence, just watching.
“Five minutes,” Drake said.
“Maybe we’re not in the right place.” Leonidas turned. “Maybe we’re supposed to be down there looking for it.”
“One minute to go,” Drake said and felt the knot of impatience twist in his gut. If they missed it, they’d have to wait until tomorrow and would have lost an entire day.
He sighed; at least that meant they could spread some of the team out along the opposite cliff and more down in the valley to cover different perspectives.
Their watches hit midday, noon on the dot, and the sun was directly overhead. Everyone held their breath and concentrated.
“There.”
One of the embedded sheets of Zultanite started to glow and at its center was a piece of duller stone. The effect of the reflection made it look like a giant glowing eye that cast a strong beam like a search light into the valley.
“The eye,” Isabella announced. “Follow its gaze.”
The focused beam shone like a massive pipe of light directly down onto one of the largest ponds in the river valley, right at a thick clump of ancient olive trees at its edge.
“That’s where we’re going.” Isabella grinned. “Mount up everyone, we have a destination.”
***
It took them several hours to make it to the valley floor, and Drake looked around at the meadow-like quality of the grass. He crouched and pulled some, rolled it between his thumb and fingers, and then smelled it – fresh – and he bet the soil here was rich and fertile. He turned slowly and saw wild flowers, and lush trees, some hanging with olives, and others in fruit blooms.
“Are you sure this isn’t the Garden of Eden, right here?” He rose to his feet.
“I’m not sure of anything right now,” Isabella replied. “But the Eye pointed the way to the edge of the small lake, and that’s where we’ll start our search.”
In another half hour they came to the large pond that was fed by the stream. It was only about two hundred feet around, and was clear, but by the color was undoubtedly deeper at its center.
Willow-like trees hung over its edges, and dragonflies the size of small birds hung suspended over its glassy surface.
Isabella and Francesco went to the stand of trees right at the pond’s edge that seemed to have been illuminated by the Eye’s beam. It only took them twenty minutes to search the area for anything that might indicate an entrance, or clue to the whereabouts of the Garden of Eden.
Drake wandered to the edge of the pond. On the way over he had dipped a hand into the stream and felt the cold water that was obviously ice melt from higher up in the mountains. But as he came closer to the water, he felt something unexpected against his face – warmth.
He dipped a hand into the pond again, and this time felt it was as warm as bathwater. It shouldn’t have been, and the only way it could be so was if there was a hot spring somewhere, and he doubted that as this area was geologically very old and stable, so no volcanic activity. And that meant there must be a warm water source coming from somewhere else.
He began to remove his weapons and strip down.
Isabella saw what he was doing and walked towards him, her brows creased but a small smile on her lips.
“And what do you think you’re doing?” she asked.
“Maybe what we’re looking for isn’t on the surface.” He pointed. “The pond is warm here. Just here. It shouldn’t be. There’s warm water coming from somewhere, and I’m going to find out from where.”
They had all brought basic diving gear, but for now Drake, just in his boxer shorts, began to wade into the water as it was near crystal clear, with the Knights gathering to watch him.
“Back soon.” He dived forward.
Drake swam around to a deeper area close to the trees that were overhanging the pond. It was dark there, but sure enough he felt a current coming at him. He swam slowly along the surface, coming to a deeper area of about nine feet of water, and then dived down – he settled there hanging onto some long pond weeds and immediately saw the cavernous opening hiding under the shelf of stone.
Got you, he thought, and let himself drift back to the surface.
He came back up and sucked in a deep breath. He grinned. “There’s a cave, a big one.”
Isabella made a fist. “Yes. I feel we are almost there.”
Drake swam back to the pond’s edge and climbed out. “Got to be six feet around with warm water coming out at us. It’s dark so couldn’t see in,” he said. “It might be what we’re looking for. Or it could be blocked just inside.”
“No, this is it.” Isabella turned to the Knights, clapping her hands. “Okay, everyone, this is it. We have a cave dive. Suit up and let’s see where it goes.”
She pointed at the huge form of Enzo. “Enzo, you get to stay at home base, and guard our rear.”
The big man nodded, and stopped undressing. Everyone else quickly shucked off their clothing, pulled on wetsuits with the boots with detachable fin ends. They also pulled out bags to keep their weapons dry.
In minutes more they were ready, the group of nine extremely fit and tall people looking a little like superheroes in their tight wetsuits. They also carried full face masks that covered their faces from forehead to the chin, and allowed communication.
Isabella went to the water’s edge. She turned to hold an arm out to Drake and smiled. “Captain Stoker, take us in.”
He nodded, pulling his mask down over his face. “Testing, testing…” He turned and got a thumbs up from the group.
He waded in deeper and then dived.
***
The group swam behind Drake. He got to the cave mouth, and waited for them. When the group was ready he switched on his flashlight and headed in.
After just the first dozen feet he found the cobbled stones on the bottom laid down as a path.
“This must have been dry once,” he said.
“This entire land was far more arid a few thousand years ago,” Francesco said. “Perhaps it was desert then, and the river was only a trickle that sometimes dried up.”
In another few feet Drake slowed as he came to the bones. The creature had been huge, maybe nine feet tall, with huge wing bones spread either side of it. But the face must have been a nightmare with jagged-looking teeth and large eye sockets.
“What the hell is this thing?” he asked.
“Fantastic.” Francesco swam closer. “I can’t be sure, but I think it’s a Cherubim,” he said breathlessly. “They’re an angelic being mentioned in the Bible. They were said to be powerful winged creatures and were the guardians, protectors, and messengers of God.”
He lay a hand on the huge skull’s forehead and scoffed softly. “We sometimes call them cherubs and paint them as fat little babies with wings. But as you can see, they were fearsome and formidable.”
“What’s it doing here?” Isabella asked.
“That’s the good news.” Francesco turned to her. “They guarded the gates of the Garden of Eden.” He ran a hand over the huge skeleton. “According to biblical accounts, God placed cherubim and a flaming sword at the eastern gate to prevent Adam and Eve from re-entering after they were expelled.”
Francesco floated up from the remains. “We must be close, because they guarded the gate that marked the boundary between the Garden and the rest of the world.” He turned. “I guess we should be glad it’s expired. This thing would be a challenge to get past.”
“Especially under water.” Drake turned away. “Keep going.”
They continued on, and Drake noticed the incline and also that there was pressure building against his eardrums.
“We’re going down,” he observed.
In minutes more the small cave they were in opened out into a larger underwater cavern, and just in the beam of their lights was the end of the cave. But its end finished in a set of moss and weed-covered steps.
The group gathered and then carefully swam to their top and one after the other lifted their heads above the water.
“Holy shit,” Drake whispered.
There was a huge stone wall. No, two walls, gates, each about fifty feet high and that again wide.
They left the water, taking off their face masks and the fin parts of their boots.
“Armor up,” Isabella said.
The Knights quickly retrieved all their weapons and fit belts and scabbards over their bodies.
“Notice something?” Drake asked.
The group turned from him to the gates.
“It’s open,” Francesco said.
Sure enough the massive gates were ajar; only by about three feet but more than enough to pass through.
Leonidas walked forward and looked down. “This was opened recently. The mud is still churned here.” He pointed. “Boot prints. From a big man.”
Isabella frowned. “And something else.”
There were others tracks that were impossible to identify. At first they looked like tiger pug marks as they were big, bigger than a hand-span, but there was only two pads, and what looked like large claws on each side instead of the front.
“I’ve seen a lot of tracks, but I have no idea what made those,” Drake said. “And I’m not sure I want to meet it.”
Marco peered in through the gates. “There’s something else.” He looked back to them with a smile. “There’s light inside.”
EPISODE 11
And I stood upon the sand, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy – King James Bible
CHAPTER 36
Brazil, Rio de Janeiro - atop Corcovado Mountain
The towering statue of Christ the Redeemer that stood ninety-eight feet high with outstretched arms held wide that had watched over Rio for around a hundred years was surrounded with scaffolding, and men worked over it like ants.
But suddenly all across Rio de Janeiro dogs began to howl at the sky and every bird in the city took to the air.
The men stopped work, sensing something was coming. They all stared upwards at the massive statue.
The hairline cracks at the base of both feet, just under where his toes showed below the shawl, began to rain dust.
They looked up to see red liquid running from the eyes.
“Jesus weeps,” came the cry and the men dropped their tools and began to climb down and then run from the giant stone statue.
Then with the sound of a cannon boom, the cracks became fissures, and the Redeemer began to fall forward like the mightiest tree that ever existed.
The colossal thing fell and crashed down the mountainside like rolling thunder. Later, one of the men being interviewed said that he was sure he saw the statue try and take a step.
“But that is impossible.” He asked, “Right?”
He looked to the other workers, but they all looked away from him.
He never got an answer.
CHAPTER 37
The Devil’s Peak, Pacific Ocean, 450 miles east of the Australian coast
The huge black spike jutting from the ocean began to glow. Above it purple clouds swirled and lightning forked in every direction as the fury of the sky was being unleashed in a maelstrom at what was coming.
The black rock glowed red at the top, from the infernal heat emanating from inside it, and finally the top two hundred feet was blown into the sky like a massive bullet to travel a thousand feet into the air.
What it left behind was a smoldering cauldron a hundred feet across that seethed and boiled with magma, steam, and pure hate – hate for the entire human race, and everything that God had created.
In minutes more, the first huge tentacle came up and over the rim.
The beast was rising.
EPISODE 12
In the Center of the world there is a Garden. In the Center of the Garden there is a Tree. And in the Center of the Tree there is a Fruit. But beware its Guardians.
CHAPTER 38
The group entered and spread out.
Francesco held his arms wide and began to laugh, but that soon turned to weeping.
“It’s so beautiful,” he sobbed.
They were standing on a small rise and still on the ancient, cobbled pathway that led down into the most beautiful garden any of them had ever beheld. Overhead there was a soft green glow, perhaps from a form of bioluminescence, or some other divine cause.
“This place is enormous,” Drake said. “Hidden here, forever.”
